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Building a Family Chapter 63 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 63 � Here Come da' Judge "Mr. Sanders, this is Gary from the courthouse. Please hold for Judge Corgan." Oh crap, now what? I put the phone on speaker so Tom could be involved in the conversation and muttered, "It's the judge. I wonder what he wants." "It could be anything, Max. Calm down." He finally came on the line with, "Max, you there?" "Yes, Judge Corgan, and Tom's here with me." "Remember boys, we're not in court, so it's David, please." "Yes, sir. What did you want?" "Well, it's been a while since we've talked and, first, I want to tell you how sorry I am for what you went through, Max. But, I'm glad I was able to help get everything done to get those people off the street and in jail where they belong. If there's anything I can do to help you, just let me know." "Thank you, David, I appreciate it. The best thing you can do is keep them locked up." "I'll do what I can, but since it's a criminal case and not in the family court's purview, it's out of my hands now. I will stick a bug in the other judge's ear, though, you can be sure of that. Now, to the real reason I called. I was wondering if the ground out there had dried out enough so I can take you up on your offer to see that old family cemetery?" "That's what you're calling about? I worried maybe it had something to do with the adoptions." "Oh, heavens no. Those are all ready to go. I can't see anything that would keep them from happening on the seventeenth as scheduled. Sorry if I scared you." "That's all right, David, I'm just a little on edge. But, to answer your question, I think we should be able to get out to that corner of the property without sinking into the mud too deeply. Would you like come out some afternoon this week?" "That would be wonderful, Max. Gary and I are working only half the day Thursday as he has to take his wife to a doctor's appointment that afternoon. She has threatened him with some rather severe punishments if he misses their first sonogram. If it's okay with you two, I'd like to come out then." "I don't see a problem with that, do you Tom?" "Nope, we'll be glad to see you, David. Would you like to join us for lunch?" "That sounds like an offer I can't refuse, Tom, thanks. I'd enjoy that very much." "We'll look forward to it, David," Tom replied. "Do you like spaghetti? Max makes a mean sauce." "That sounds delicious. If I get there about one, would that be good?" "Perfect, David, we'll see you then," I answered. After we ended the call, I breathed a huge sigh of relief and commented, "Jesus, he scared the shit out of me. I couldn't imagine why he was calling." "Well, see, it was nothing to worry about." "Not this time, anyway. I fear the day that changes." "Not gonna happen babe, I promise you. Hey, we should get moving so we're not late for your appointment." "You're driving, right?" "If you want me to, I'm happy to do so." "Then, let's hit the road." We grabbed our jackets and headed out to the garage. Not knowing how much we needed to buy at the office store or the grocery, we opted to take the Flex instead of the Shelby. We arrived at Dr. Schaid's office twenty-five minutes later and found an empty parking spot. As we walked into the office, the cheery receptionist greeted us and asked us to take a seat while we waited for my appointed time. As we sat there, I just couldn't remain still. I kept fidgeting and shifting, trying to get comfortable, but true coziness eluded my every feeble attempt. When the receptionist finally announced Dr. Schaid was ready to see me, I nearly jumped out of my skin. "It's okay, babe. I'm right here with you," Tom intoned calmly "You sure as hell better be or I'm outta here." I grabbed my diary of hate, as I liked to call it, and we headed into the doctor's inner sanctum. "Good morning, Max, Tom," Jean greeted us as Tom closed her office door. "How are you today?" "I'm doing pretty well," Tom answered, "but I'm worried about Max." "Anything in particular?" she asked. "How about everything?" "Now, that's not fair, Tom," I retorted. "I'm doing okay, I think." "Oh, yeah, then what do you have to say about what you've written for Dr. Schaid? That doesn't exactly make me feel all warm and fuzzy." "Well, no, me either," I agreed. "But what can I say, that seems to be where I am, stuck in the past, hating everything and everyone." "May I see what you've created, Max?" Jean asked. I handed over the sheaf of papers as we sat down on the couch and she started to peruse my mad ramblings. I watched her closely as she read, but could not detect any hint of her feelings towards what I'd written. "That's a good start, Max. How long did it take you to create this?" "I don't know, about two hours, I think. I kinda lost track of time while working on it." "Did you actually think about what you were writing?" "No, not really. Once I got started, it just spewed forth from my brain straight to the page. In all honesty, I don't even remember actually typing it, but I must have." "I have to assume you've read it. What did you think about what you written after readin it?" "Yeah, this morning, we both did. And I don't think I've ever read such a hateful and disgusting diatribe in my life. I really don't know where it all came from. I mean, who the hell reaches the point where they hate everyone and everything like that?" "Well, you do, for one. What I found specifically interesting was your feeling of `impotence', as you put it, at being unable to do anything to stop your abuse. That's an interesting choice of word, considering the circumstances." "It's just a word, same as powerless, weak, helplessness. That's just how I felt about it, powerless?" "Then why did you choose to use `impotence'?" "How the hell should I know? I just wrote whatever came to mind." We spent the rest of my appointment talking more about what I'd written and if I was feeling any better about things after having exorcised some of the hate from my soul. I had to admit, grudgingly, that I did feel a bit lighter in my heart and brighter about the future. As my time was about to end, Dr. Schaid commented, "You really should consider turning your writings about your experience into a book, Max. I think you could help a lot of people who have been through similar situations." "Yeah, that's what this big lummox said this morning," I replied as I punched Tom on the shoulder. "I hadn't considered that to be an option, but he planted a seed that I think might grow." "Oh, what's that?" I told her my idea about the foundation I wanted to create and Tom's idea of funding it with proceeds from a book about my abuse and the life that has followed. When I explained the idea came to me due to the boys we're adopting, her demeanor took a wicked left turn. "Wait just a second. I knew you were getting married, but I don't believe you brought up adopting any children during our first session. Do you really think that's a good idea?" "Why wouldn't it be?" I asked. "They need a loving family and home and we can provide it. I don't see a problem." "Well, I'm afraid I do," she replied frostily. "While I don't have a problem with two men or two women being married if that's what they want, I do have a serious problem with those couples raising children. The damage that can be inflicted on those children is mind-boggling. Especially when one of those two people is dealing with issues of abuse in their past, as you are. There's too much risk of the abuse continuing and being perpetrated against those innocent children." "Excuse me, but I thought your job here was to help me deal with my past, not pass judgement on how I live my life. Us adopting should have no bearing on that." "What you think is inconsequential, Mr. Sanders. I'm the professional here. And it's my educated opinion that the two of you being responsible for the lives of any child, most especially boys, is fraught with red flags." I stood and glared at Jean before announcing, "C'mon on, Tom. I know I need help and I promise I'll get it, but I'll be damned if I'm going to sit here and be judged by this ignorant bitch who received her diploma from the likes of Pat Robertson or Oral Roberts." I snagged my writings off the table as Tom joined me. "Well, Jean, I'd like to say it's been a pleasure, but I'd be lyin' through my teeth. People like you are a big part of what's wrong in this world," I added as I turned towards the door to her office. "But you're not done with your therapy!" Jean screamed at our backs as she stood up. "You have a lot more work to do." I wheeled around to face her again and calmly said, "That's true, I do, but I'm not going to get that help from the likes of you." I stepped towards her until she backed up and fell back into her chair. "And, if you cause us any problems with our adoptions, I'll file a complaint with the state licensing board claiming you're an incompetent fool who shouldn't be allowed to provide counseling to rocks, let alone people." "Well, we'll see about that," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Don't push me, Jean," I growled. "You don't know who you're fucking with and you don't want to find out." On that final statement, I turned, snagged my lover's arm and left her office. On the way through the reception area, I stopped at the receptionist's desk and canceled all my future appointments with this quack. As we headed out into late March gloom, I commented, "Jesus, what an insufferable bitch. Are we gonna have to deal with idiots like her our entire lives?" "Probably," Tom answered. "The sad thing is, our boys will, too. I'd hoped that by now more people would have joined the modern, civilized world and have dispensed with attitudes like that, but it looks like we still have a long way to go." "Apparently so," I grumped. "So, what're you gonna do now?" Tom asked as we got into the car. "About what?" "About a counselor, babe? Like you said, you still need some help. I don't want you to stop getting what you need to make you whole again." "I guess I'll call Paul and see if he can make another recommendation. Either that, or see if Malcom might be interested in helping guide me back to normal." "Malcom's not a bad idea, but don't you think he might be a bit too close to home to become involved? I think he'd have the same conflict working with you that Paul does." "Yeah, you're right. I guess we'll see if Paul can find someone else, then." We'd arrived at the office store and, with list in hand, went shopping for Tom's office supplies. Wending our way through the aisles, we stopped briefly in the computer department where Tom selected a good laser printer. When he started to look at the laptops, I told him, "Don't worry about the computer. I know a guy who builds them, and I'll call him when we get home to have him build yours." "What's wrong with just using a laptop?" Tom asked. "Trust me. You'll get a lot more bang for the buck and better upgradability with a custom-built system. Bill has built my computers for ten years now and he's never failed to give me what I need. And better yet, he makes house calls. He'll bring it out, set it up, connect it to the network and everything." "But I thought it would be convenient to have a laptop, so I could take it with me. You never know what I'll need and where." "Tell you what. If you want something portable, get the latest Surface tablet. You can take it with you when you need it, then when you come back to the office, you just sync it with the desktop system. Then you've got the best of both worlds." "Yeah, that makes sense. Where do we get a Surface?" "I'll have Bill take care of that, too. That way he can get everything set up so the sync is a no-brainer." "What, you think I can't handle it?" "I'm sure you can, but hopefully you'll be busy and won't have time to deal with setting it all up yourself." "If you say so. Let's get the rest of this shit and move on, then." We finished our shopping at the office store and headed to the grocery to restore our food supplies at home. Food doesn't seem to last very long with six young and always hungry eating machines in the house. We also had to get the ingredients to make my spaghetti sauce for our lunch with David on Thursday. With two carts loaded to overflowing, we headed for the checkout. After paying half of a king's ransom for food, we loaded up the car and turned towards home. When we got home, Tom backed in the garage to make unloading the car easier. We spent the next half hour unloading and putting away all the food while dropping Tom's office supplies in his office. We then settled into the kitchen for a quick sandwich before Bob arrived with the boys' bedroom furniture. I was dropping the last dish into the dishwasher when we heard the ding of the drive sensor. Assuming it was Bob, Tom headed to the garage to open the doors and move the Shelby out of their way. I met them in the hallway as Tom led Bob inside. "Hey, Bob," I greeted as we shook hands. "How you doin'?" "Great, Max, how `bout yourself?" "Still suckin' air and takin' sustenance, so I'm good. You need any help today?" "Nope. I brought my two biggest guys with me, today," he answered as two boulders with legs, arms and a head came through the door, each carrying a set of drawers for under the bed. "Where we headed, Boss," the lead boulder asked. "Second door to your right, Terry," Bob answered. The two behemoths made the turn into the room and gently placed the drawer units on the floor before they headed back outside to bring in more pieces. As they walked down the hall, I could hear them talking about the wild paint job in the room and laughing quietly to themselves as they did so. "Holy crap, Bob," Tom began, "Where the hell did you find them?" "Terry and Travis?" Bob chuckled. "They're my nephews. A few years back, I offered them part-time jobs making deliveries and they discovered they like to work with wood and power tools. They're the best woodworkers I've ever had the pleasure to train and work with. I'm afraid that someday soon they'll get tired of working for me and take off on their own." "Never gonna happen, Uncle Bob," Travis replied as he turned into the boys' room with a set of shelves. "Yeah, you're stuck with us until you die," Terry added. "I'm good with that, guys, as long as I'm not stuck with your food bills," Bob laughed. "Well, I better get busy or those two are gonna fire me." "We'll get out of your way," Tom said. "If you need help moving their mattress from room to room, let us know." "Will do," Bob replied as he turned to head outside to get to work. Tom and I headed for the living room and as we sat down I asked, "You want to call Vinnie about moving the bedroom furniture back into the house for Ron to use?" "Sure. Why don't you call Paul while I'm talking to Vinnie?" "Good idea. I'll use the phone in the kitchen." We both made our calls and when I rejoined Tom in the living room, he asked, "Any luck with Paul?" "Yeah, he was astonished when I told him what Jean said this morning and he apologized for her attitude. He said she was way out of line and not at all within the current guidelines for counselors. He also said he'd make some calls to a few other therapists to see if he could find another one to work with me. He's gonna try and talk Jean off her `holier than thou' perch, too." "I hope he can do it. We don't need trouble from her. I assume he didn't volunteer to take you on as a patient, did he." "No, he didn't, and that's fine. I also asked him about who could give IQ tests to Joey and Alex, just to settle that question. He's going to do some checking on that and let us know. I know the boys want to do it, and I'd kinda like to know exactly what we're dealing with, see if there's any connection between their other mental abilities and their obvious intelligence." "We might want to consider including T.J. in those tests. Especially since he seems to have surpassed the twins in his ability to pick up on what everyone is thinking." "Good idea, I hadn't thought about that. How about you, what'd Vinnie say?" "They're busy the next couple of days, but he thought they could be here Friday morning to get the furniture moved back into Ron's room." "That'll be perfect. It'll be good to have all three bedrooms functional again." The phone rang and interrupted our conversation. Tom answered it with, "Hello?" "Is this Max Sanders?" the gentleman asked. "No, this is Tom. Who's calling, please?" "Tom, this is Hank from the Journal-Register. I'm calling to let you know that I've e-mailed the article I've written for Max to review and make any comments on, as he requested. We'd like the story to appear starting in tomorrow's issue, so if he could take a look at it and let me know what he thinks, I'd appreciate it." "I'll let him know and we'll get back to you, Hank. Thanks for calling." Tom hung up the phone and told me I needed to check my e-mail. I headed for the study and fired up the computer. After opening my e-mail, I found several messages from the past couple of days that weren't important and two that were, one from Hank and the other from Jack at Shelby America. Anxious to see if Tom's wedding present would be here on time, I checked Jack's message first. My lucky stars must be aligning just right as his message said that after talking to the company president, he'd shuffled their schedule around and guaranteed that Tom's car would be delivered to the dealership the Wednesday before our wedding. I fired off a quick reply thanking them profusely for their help and assuring any additional charges for the special service would be acceptable. I next printed the article from Hank and returned to the living room so we could read it. I settled in next to Tom and began reading. In the e-mail itself, Hank let us know that the story ended up being much longer than they thought it would and the paper had decided to split it into a three-part feature that would run on the front page Wednesday through Friday. I passed that page to Tom and started reading the story itself, handing each page over as I finished with it. Once we'd both read the whole thing, I looked at Tom and asked, "What'd you think?" "Seems pretty straight-forward and accurate from what you told them yesterday. They didn't include any names but yours and the Muellers, but your name's already out there and adding Frank and Iris seems logical since they are sitting in jail right now." "More importantly, they left you and the boys out of it. But, yeah, I think he did a pretty good job. I'm surprised they want to split it over three days, though. They obviously had more information than he led us to believe, but that's all right as it just backs up what I told him." "You should call him now and let him know you're okay with it." I made the call to Hank and after a brief discussion, I let him know it was okay to run the story. Since I don't have the paper delivered, I asked to him to e-mail each day's part so I could read them as they got printed just in case there were any last minutes changes. He assured me that wouldn't happen, but I was still somewhat uneasy about my full story being released this way. But, yet again, I talked myself into it simply to make sure the facts were out there. I also hoped I could open other parents' eyes to the possibility their children may have been abused in some way, especially if they were members of that church. After ending the call with Hank, I called my computer guy, Bill, and let him know what Tom needed for his and Dylan's computers. After receiving assurances he could take care of their needs and would be here Thursday to set up the new systems, we ended our call and I passed the information on to Tom. "Well, that's good service. Once I get the computers, I should be able to get started with the background checks Carol has waiting for me." "That's good. You need something to keep you occupied. Oh, wait, I just thought of something. Dylan said he'd allow you to access the county's system to help you out. Are you still going to be able to tap their resources once he leaves the department?" "That's a good question, babe. I probably ought to find out, hand me the phone." Tom dialed Dylan's number and after the usual greetings were dispensed with, Tom said, "Hey, the reason I called was to find out if we'll still be able to access the county system to run checks after you leave the department." "Good thinkin', bubba. You must be some kind of detective or somethin'," Dylan chuckled. "I don't think it'll be a problem, but let me check with Derek. It sounds like the County has accepted my recommendation to appoint Derek to finish out the rest of my term, so it'll be up to him to make that decision. I'll let you know what his answer is." "Thanks, Dylan. I know we can still do the job without that access, but it'll be a lot easier with it." "Without a doubt. Oh, and tell Max the Muellers' first court appearance is scheduled for next Tuesday at one in the afternoon. I know he wants to be there." "I'll do that. Thanks, and talk to you later." He hung up the phone and relayed the information to me. "Guess we know what we'll be doin' next Tuesday," I replied. "Yeah, I guess so. You sure you wanna' be there?" "Damn right I do. I don't think I'll really be free from them until I see them in prison." Bob stuck his head around the corner to get our attention and let us know he, Terry and Travis were done for the day. We followed him into T.J., Mike and Andy's room to check out the final results. "Well, that looks a bit better with the desks and shelves covering a lot of that red," I commented. "And the orange doesn't seem as bright with the bed against that wall," Tom added. "Yeah, I was a little surprised when I first saw the colors your boys selected, but they're growing on me now," Bob commented. "And having the furniture in place definitely helps mute the brightness." "I still wouldn't want to sleep in here," Travis complained. "Me, either," Terry agreed with a chuckle. "Well, all that's left is for your boys to move their things in and they're ready to go, guys," Bob said. "And when will you be bringing my desk and shelves out, Bob?" Tom asked. "I'm anxious to get back to work." "We'll come back tomorrow afternoon with the shelves and the first desk. I'm still working on the second desk you need. I won't have it completed until the middle of next week." "No problem on that. The other guy won't be starting for another two weeks." "I'll have it done and ready for him by then. Well, I guess we'll be on our way. Terry, Travis, grab our tools and I'll meet you in the truck." The two monsters collected their things and headed on outside. "How much do we owe you, Bob?" "We'll take care of it all tomorrow after Tom's stuff is delivered, okay? And no outrageous tips, this time, please." "That works for me. Be sure you bring the bill with you." "Excellent. See you tomorrow then. Hope you guys have a great afternoon and the boys enjoy their new room." "Thanks, Bob," Tom said. "You guys go have some fun now." On that final comment, Bob turned and joined his nephews. Tom followed along to pull the Shelby back in the garage after Bob pulled away from the garage. When he came back inside, he found me in the kitchen grabbing a soda from the refrigerator. "So, what're we gonna do to amuse ourselves until the boys get home in half an hour?" he asked with a crooked smirk cutting across his face. "I was gonna read for a bit, you got a better idea?" "I always have better ideas. Follow me, babe." Tom led me to the bedroom, stripping off his clothes along the way. "We're gonna lose this quiet personal time we have together soon, and I'd like to take advantage of it while I can." "Take advantage of it or me?" I asked as I started removing my clothes, also. "Both," he whispered sweetly as he picked me up, carried me to the bed, laid me down and then fell in beside me. In moments, we were wrapped up together and got lost in each other. Some forty minutes later, we were both returning to planet Earth from our sexual high, Tom straddling my hips with my dick still hidden deep inside him when we heard giggling from the wide-open bedroom door. We turned our heads and opened our eyes to find all six boys standing there, naked and erect. "Um, sorry guys," I mumbled while pulling the sheet around us, "we should have closed the door." "Too late now, dads," Joey grinned. "How long have you been there?" Tom asked. "Long enough," Andy giggled. "Yeah, you two put on quite a show," Logan added. "Well the show's over now, boys, so skedaddle. We'll be out in a few minutes." The six lads scampered away from our door and Tom flopped down on me, laughing hysterically. "What the hell's so funny, fuzzball." "All this time, we've been really careful and only been caught in the act once. We just shot that to hell, don't you think?" "Well, it's not the first time we've had an audience and I'm sure it won't be the last. Besides, three of them have already been up close and very personal." "Yeah, and the other three looked like they were primed and ready for some action just now." "Well, they're not gonna get that action from us. Not today, anyway," I replied. "Uh, we should probably get cleaned up and go see who has homework, then get started on supper." "Yeah, okay." I tossed the sheet off us and Tom crawled off me, leading the way to the bathroom. After a quick rinse in the shower, we dried off and headed out to find the boys. We were surprised to find the kitchen empty and continued our search in the theater. Finding it also devoid of human life, we retraced our steps to the kitchen and then headed across the house towards the boys' bedrooms. Finding the twins' room was also empty, we continued on down the hall. On entering T.J., Mike and Andy's room we finally found all six boys sprawled across the bed, each with his head buried in another's crotch. As we turned around and quietly left the room, Tom commented, "I guess they like their new room," with a chuckle. "I suppose they do, though nobody actually said it. I can't believe all six are doing that together. I think that's the first time I've ever seen T.J., Mike and Andy hook up with the twins or Logan." "It doesn't really surprise you, does it? It was bound to happen eventually." "Oh, I know. And no, I'm not surprised, I guess. Seeing Logan in the middle of it is a bit of a stumper, though, since the twins say he's not gay. For a kid who's supposed to be straight, he sure seems to be enjoying his time with us." "He's just havin' some fun, babe. Once he moves back home with his dad, he'll forget all about it." The two of us headed on into the kitchen to start preparing tonight's supper. About ten minutes later, the boys started to filter in with their books and things so they could take care of their homework. Every one of them had a look of complete satisfaction plastered on his face. As they mounted their stools at the bar, I asked, "Anybody need a snack today or you okay `til supper?" "Nah, we're good, Dad," T.J. smiled. "Yeah, we all had a Tootsie Roll for our snack today," Joey added with a wicked grin. "What's for supper, dads?" Alex asked. "Food," I answered sarcastically. "Well, duh!" Mike retorted. "What kind of food?" "Edible," Tom replied with a grin. "Fine, y'all just be that way," Joey cracked. "Nice of you guys to walk to the house today. We would have picked up, you know." "Yeah, we know," Alex replied, "but it's pretty nice outside today, so we thought we'd walk." "Besides, if we'd dinged for you to pick us up, we would have interrupted you and Pops and missed the show," Joey laughed with the others joining in the laughter. "Hey, I wanted to ask how you guys are doing with setting up the youth support group at school. Have you made any progress and is Mr. Thomas helping out like he said he would?" "Yeah, he's been great," Alex replied. "The group is all set up and Mr. Furman followed through on getting some pamphlet thingies printed up." "They're pretty cool, too," T.J. added. "They have info about the group along with phone numbers and websites kids can call or visit to get help if they don't want to talk to us. He even put our pictures on the front of it since it was our idea." "We get together during study times to talk about things with other kids. We've already had four or five find us and they're all in junior high or older." "How do the older kids feel talking to you guys?" Tom asked. "Kinda weirded out about it at first, since we're so young, but after they see how open we are about being gay, they seem to chill out and are just thankful they have someone they can talk to who understands what they're dealing with," Alex answered. "Especially since none of them have talked to their families about what they're feeling," Joey added. "I can't believe a sixteen-year-old doesn't think she can talk to her parents about it. That's really sad." "Maybe her mom and dad are like mine used to be," Tom offered. "Or my mom and dad, too," I added. "Yeah, maybe," Joey agreed. "I gave her a copy of the DVD the school recorded of the workshop and she said she'd watch it. Maybe show it to her parents as a way to start a discussion with them." "Do you have more copies of the DVD?" I asked. "Yeah, we got about a hundred of them." Alex answered. "And they burned a bunch more to send out to other schools," T.J. added. "I'd like to get one for us to have, if you think that'd be okay. Lee and Carl still want to see it and I'd like for Pops' mom and dad to see it, too." "We can do that, Dad," Joey answered. "I'll bring one home tomorrow night." "Thanks, son. Well, we'll let you get back to your schoolwork. Supper will be ready in about an hour." Tom and I headed for the living room and settled in front of the fireplace after I'd lit a fire. Andy and Mike joined us shortly thereafter and I continued to read Huckleberry Finn to them. When the other four had finished their homework and joined us, we played a game of Mousetrap while waiting for our supper to finish cooking. With eight players, the trap was built pretty quickly, and Logan ended up winning the game just as the timer went off to let us know supper was ready. We returned to the kitchen and while the boys set the table, Tom and I got the meatloaf and oven browned potatoes with parmesan cheese ready to put on the table. "Meatloaf!?" Andy cried out. "That was the big surprise?" "Okay, so it's not gourmet food. But it'll be tasty and filling, so dig in." After everyone had had a few bites, Logan piped up, "It might just be meatloaf, Max, but it's still better than my dad's. Think you could give him some pointers on how to make his taste better?" "I'm sure I could, Logan, if he'll let me." The rest of the meal passed in relative quiet as we all stuffed our faces. The after-meal cleanup was taken care of quickly enough and the boys asked to go swimming before going to bed. Tom suggested that Alex, Logan and Joey help the other three move their clothes and things into their new room before we hit the pool. All six boys rumbled down the hallway and, in less than thirty minutes, returned to the living room, saying they were done and ready to swim. We grabbed our towels and headed outside. For once, the boys didn't mug us as soon as we hit the water, so Tom, Mike and I took some time to help the other boys with their swimming lessons. They were definitely improving a bit each day. I could tell Mike was quite the taskmaster and took his instructor role seriously. We were both proud of him for doing that. From the shy and retiring youngster that had originally moved in here with the others, he had become very outgoing and truly a force to be reckoned with. I was very happy that he had adjusted so well to his new circumstances and seemingly didn't require the professional services of Paul. We could only hope his progress into a strong and confident young man would continue. After Mike's half hour of instruction time had passed, it was suddenly time to play. The boys put their improved swimming skills to the test as they circled Tom and me before moving in for the kill. The end came quickly as we were already pretty tired from our afternoon exertions and the time we'd been in the pool hadn't helped our stamina one bit. After our inglorious defeat, we retreated to our corner to rest for a bit as the boys continued to play. After a while, T.J. swam over to us and wrapped an arm around Tom's neck. "What's up, T.J.?" Tom asked. "Just thought I should warn you. I think Alex and Joey have figured it out." "What?" I asked, receiving a serious roll of the eyes from T.J. "Geez, I can't believe you could forget already. It only happened two nights ago." "Oh, that," I responded. "Yeah, that, Dads. It don't bother me none they know `cause it was lots of fun, but I thought you guys would want to know in case they start buggin' ya' about it." "Well, they've got nothing to complain about," Tom replied. "I know that, you know that, but do you think they do?" T.J. asked. "I guess we'll find out, won't we?" I repsonded. "Thanks for the heads up young man." "Love you both," he called out as he swam back to rejoin the fray. "We saw that coming, didn't we?" Tom chuckled. "Yep. And we'll deal with it, just like we do everything else." We gave the boys another half hour before we called them out of the pool to shower and get ready for a quick snack before bedtime. The promise of a snack had them all running for the house in no time and we followed them inside. While they cleaned up, we sliced some apples and set the boys up with some caramel dipping sauce for their wedges. Logan led the parade into the kitchen where they mounted their stools and inhaled the apple slices as if they were starving. Nothing reignites the fires of hunger like a good swim. "You guys ready for another fun-filled day at school tomorrow?" I asked. "Not really," T.J. answered. "I still don't know why we can't do school at home." "Well, because Pops will have his new work starting soon and I'm not qualified to do it myself, that's why." "Well, what about hiring someone else to come in and teach us?" Alex asked. "Yeah, we all hate havin' to wear clothes to school," Andy added to the argument. "And just think how much laundry you'd save Ron from havin' to do when he moves in," Joey continued. "I bet we'd be able to learn a lot more at home, too," Mike concluded cheerfully. "What about you, Logan? What do you think?" Tom asked. "No way man, I ain't got no dog in this hunt, so keep me out of it. Besides, if you did hire someone to come in and teach these goofballs just so they could be naked all day, I may never wanna go live with my old man again." "Well, okay then," I responded with a chuckle. "Sorry, boys, I just don't see it happening. Besides, you have the support group you're basically in charge of. If you don't go to school, who's going to run that?" "They can find someone else," Joey answered. "We got it up and running like we said we would, it's their job to keep it going." "Look, Tom and I will talk about it, but don't hold your breath waiting for it to happen." "Let's go boys," Tom interjected. "Time for bed. Move along and we'll be there soon to say good night." The sensational six-pack took off across the house as they headed for their rooms, leaving Tom and I to finish loading and starting the dishwasher. Our work in the kitchen completed, we followed the boys to say our goodnights. After our time in the pool, we were all pretty worn out and the boys were all curled up when we reached their rooms. As we said our goodnights and love yous, they returned the same feelings back to us. With the six all snuggled comfortably in their beds, we retreated to the living room where we sat on the loveseat and I leaned over and gave Tom a kiss on the cheek. "What was that for?" he asked as he turned to face me. "Just to remind you how much I love and need you in my life." "A little peck on the cheek? It that all I mean to you?" "You know it isn't. Here, let's see if this says it better," I added as I crawled into his lap, straddled his thighs and attacked his mouth, allowing my tongue to slip inside. When we finally broke for air, I asked, "Is that better?" "Much," he smiled. "I love you, too, you know." "Yeah, I do," I murmured as I laid my head on his shoulder. "Um, is that a bazooka in your pocket or you just happy to see me?" I giggled. "I'm always happy to see you, babe. Besides, I don't have any pockets right now." "Oh, right," I muttered as I reached behind me and fondled his mushroom head and kissed him even more deeply than before. "I think we should continue this in the bedroom." "Maybe we should close the door this time, too," he chuckled as he slipped his hands under my ass and stood while holding on to me. "We really should be following our own rules, you know." I nodded my agreement as I wrapped my arms around his neck and legs around his waist while he carried me back to our bedroom. Our lips never separated during the entire trip. Once behind the closed door of our room, we proceeded to entertain ourselves for the next hour in some rather inventive ways. After a shower to refresh ourselves and eliminate the stink of our exertions, we curled up in bed together for a good night's sleep. In the morning, Tom was moving before I was, and he took off across the house to wake the boys. By the time he made it back to our bedroom, I was awake and moving, though not quite functional. He led me to the kitchen and plied me with coffee to help get my engine going. After a quick breakfast with the boys, I got dressed and drove them out to meet the bus. As they climbed out of the car, I got my hug from each of them as I reminded them to learn something new today. When I got back to the house, I could hear Tom was on the phone. As I came down the hallway from the garage, I heard him say, "Hang on a second, Paul, he just walked back in." I sat next to Tom and said, "Hey, Paul, thanks for calling back. Did you find someone else I can talk to?" "Sure did, Max. His name is Jason Biggs. Let me give you his number and address so you can call him and set up an appointment." I wrote down the information as Paul recited it. "I've already asked him how he feels about Jean's opinion of your situation and he's in our camp, no issues at all. He thinks anybody who's qualified and willing to provide a home for a kid in need should be allowed to do so." "That's good news, Paul. I was afraid Jean's ugly thoughts might skew her work with me in the wrong direction." "That was a possibility, for sure, but you don't have to worry about it now. I also talked to Jean yesterday afternoon and told her she was way off base. She sounds like she's backed off for now, but who knows what she may do in the future." "Thanks, Paul, we appreciate your efforts. I'll get in touch with Jason sometime today to set up an appointment." "Hey, before we hang up, I wanted to ask how's everybody doing out there?" "We're good. You'll be happy to know Mike's been working with the boys on their swimming skills and they've made a lot of improvement since that started. Mike's really changed since the night you met us at Steak `n Shake. He's more confident in himself, more outgoing and he loves having brothers. He fits right in, like we were all meant to be together." "You were, you know. I'm glad to hear everyone's doing well, especially Mike. Considering the abuse he received before coming to live with us, I'm amazed at how well he's doing now." "I never asked, Paul, but can you tell me what kind of abuse he suffered?" "Well, since your adoption is all but final, I guess I can tell you. He was beaten with a belt uncountable times, poorly fed, locked in a closet for weeks at a time to keep him away from mother's closet and humiliated constantly for wanting to wear his mom's things. That's what I learned from Carol when he came to live with Joy and me. There may be more that I don't know about." "Do you think it's a possibility he's transgender?" Tom asked. "Hell, Tom, anything's possible these days, but I wouldn't want to saddle him with a classification of any kind since I couldn't get him to talk to me about it. Besides, the fact he liked to play with his mother's clothes doesn't necessarily mean anything. If he should decide in the future he wants to talk to someone, I'm still more than willing to do it." "Thanks, Paul, we'll see what happens. Say hi to Joy for us and we'll talk to you later." "Will do, guys. Have a good day." After disconnecting the call, I looked to Tom and asked, "Do you think we should try talking to Mike?" "I don't know, babe. He's been doing so well, I'd hate to ruin the progress he's made." "There is that, I guess, but I'd hate to see him struggle with something he may not understand." "Fair point, I guess. I guess a chat wouldn't hurt, but I'd wait until after our trip this weekend. I'd hate to see his spirits dampened before we go." "Okay, that's settled, then. We'll talk with him one night next week, try to figure some things out. Well, I guess I should call Dr. Biggs and find out when he can see me." I dialed his number and, after a brief conversation with his receptionist, had an appointment scheduled for tomorrow at ten in the morning. After hanging up the phone, I passed the information on to Tom. "Looks like we're busy in the morning, then. That should work out fine, though, since we'll have plenty of time to get back home before David shows up for lunch. Are you going to take what you wrote for Jean and show it to him?" "He might as well read it, too, see what he thinks about it. I guess I'll do some more work on it this afternoon, too. The more I think about it, turning this nightmare into a book makes a certain kind of sense, in some sort of sick, perverted way." "That's good thinking, Max. Give you a little project to keep you occupied," Tom commented while thinking `and keep your crazy mind off the whole bigger house/more kids thing.' "I hate to break it to you, bubba, but writing a book is not a `little project'. It's a massive undertaking that requires a considerable amount of thought, serious planning, and more than a fair amount of creativity. There's an enormous amount of effort expended in creating characters the readers will connect with and care about, developing the proper flow of the story, conceiving realistic events, conflicts and plotlines, and then wrapping it all up in a satisfying manner." "Okay, I get all that, but the book you'd be writing this time won't be fiction, will it? It'll basically be an autobiography, so you don't need to create characters, plotlines or any of that other junk. You've got all of that, already. You just need to organize or outline where you want to start and end the story, the details you want to include and how you feel about everything at the different times in your life. Call it `The Dummies Guide to Surviving Sexual Abuse'." "Really, Tom!?" "I'm so sorry, Max. Shitty joke. I don't know what I was thinkin'." "I don't either, damn it, but this shit ain't funny." "I know that. I'm just a fuckin' dumbass." He tipped his head forward and added, "Go ahead, smack me, I deserve it." I leaned over and ruffled his hair and said, "Not this time, bucko. But let's see if we can get you back to bein' a smartass, okay?" "Deal, babe," he agreed as he lifted his head back up and gave me a kiss. The phone rang again, and after checking the caller ID, I punched the speaker button and answered, "Morning, James. I hope you're calling with some good news." "Only the best news for you today, Max. I thought you'd like to know that Valerie Carr has dropped her wrongful termination lawsuit." "What!? How the hell did that happen?" "I was finally able to talk some sense into her lawyer. I informed him that our side was ready for a full-fledged battle with six lawyers ready to spend untold hours filing every possible motion and action we could think of. And all of us would be billing anywhere from three to five hundred dollars an hour as we churned out tons of paper he was gonna have to deal with. The final nail in her coffin was when I told him that since he took the case on a contingency, he'd end up with squat after she lost. I don't think he liked that idea very much, especially after I tossed in the idea he may liable for some of those fees since it was a frivolous lawsuit to begin with." "I'd hope not. Well, you've worked your magic again. I don't know if I can ever say thank you enough for all your efforts." "Sure, you can, just pay my outrageous bill when you get it," he laughed. "That's all the thanks I need." "You know I will, especially as long as you can keep doing the right thing." "That's all I know how to do, Max. Well, I have other fish to fry today, so I'll talk to you later. You guys have a good afternoon." "Thanks, James, we will." I ended the call and laid my head back, letting go a huge sigh of relief. "God, that's a load off my mind." "Bet it feels good to be out from under that insanity," Tom commented. "You have no idea. I wasn't overly concerned with the suit, but it was just another point of stress I can do without right now." "So, what's for lunch today?" Tom asked. "How the hell can you be thinking about food already? It's only ten." "Well, I was really thinkin' about sex, but I'm still worn out from yesterday, so I thought a refueling might be called for. You know, get the juices flowing, again," he snickered. "I haven't noticed that ever being a problem." "And we don't want to take a chance that it does, do we?" "No, I guess not," I laughed in agreement. "Grilled ham and cheese sound okay to you?" "Perfect. Tomato soup, too?" "If you want, why not? I think we can afford a can of soup for ya'." "I sure as hell hope so. It'd be pretty damn hard to build a new house when you can't spring some coin for a bowl of soup." We finally picked up our books and spent the next couple of hours reading and relaxing together. When we both started to feel hunger creeping into our bodies, we headed for the kitchen and whipped up our simple lunch. By the time we were done eating and loading our things into the dishwasher, the drive sensor had gone off to announce Bob arriving with Tom's office furniture. While Tom headed down the hall to the garage to let Bob and his nephews in, I turned towards my study to begin organizing my thoughts for the book I was preparing to create. I started by creating a basic outline consisting of the three major sections I wanted in the book; my life before, during and after my abuse at the hands of the Muellers. I then started filling in the space I'd left between the main headings with basic topics to cover under each, rearranging them as I saw fit. After about an hour working on my outline, I had everything pretty well covered, except for the answer to the one question that was still nagging at me; out of all the kids in our church class, why did the Muellers pick me? I was aware of two people who knew that answer for sure, but I didn't think I wanted go back to the jail for a visit with them. And I was pretty confident neither Mom, Dad or Lee would have said anything to them, especially since they didn't know I was gay when my nightmare started. There was only one other person I could think of that might know the answer and I decided to call him. After looking him up in the phone book, I dialed the number and waited for him to answer. After six rings, my old friend David finally answered the phone. He'd been my best friend growing up and lived across the street from us. I had wanted him as much as I'd wanted my dad and he was the only person I could think of who might have figured out I was gay. "Hello?" he asked cautiously. "David? It's your old buddy, Max. How ya' doin'?" I greeted cheerfully. "Oh, hey Max. I'm not too bad, I guess. It's been a long time, man." "Yeah, I know, and I'm sorry for that." "That's all right, real life and everything, I understand. I've missed you though." "Yeah, I've missed you, too." "Hey, I read the story last week and again in this morning's paper. Sorry to hear you went through that. I had no idea those people were doin' that crap or I woulda said somethin'." "I appreciate the thought, David, and that's exactly why I wanted to talk to you. But I have a hard time believing you didn't know what was going on." "What the hell are you talkin' about?" he asked indignantly. "I think you knew exactly what they were doin' to kids in the church and you're the one who told them I might be gay." "You don't know what you're sayin, Max. I didn't have nothin' to do with that. I didn't go to your church and didn't even know who those people were until I read their names in the paper last week." "Please, David, don't make this worse by lyin' to me. I've been wracking my brain for some time now and it just hit me, not ten minutes ago. You knew I was gay, or at least thought I might be." "Yeah, I knew. You were my best friend, Max, but you were always different from the other guys we hung out with. Hell, we were in each other's houses so much, we were like brothers. And then, just before you turned thirteen, you spent a night at my house and shit just got too weird for me." "What are you talkin' about, David? I don't remember anything off the wall happening." "Well, I was always bugged `bout you sleepin' naked whenever we spent the night together. I always felt weird wearin' shorts when you didn't have nothin' on." "Now, wait a minute. We talked about me sleepin' nude the first time you stayed at my house and you said you were okay with it, especially since we usually took our bath or shower together. And you could have slept nude, too, or you could have asked me to pull on some shorts and I would have. I mean, what was the big deal?" "Yeah, I know what I said. And I was lyin' to ya' `cause you were my friend, but I hated sleepin' in the same bed with you when you were naked. Then came that one night at my house. I finally decided to try sleepin' naked, too. And it was okay to start out with. You were right about it bein' comfortable. But then, I woke up about two in the morning `cause I had to piss, and you had curled up right behind me. I felt your stiff dick crawlin' up my ass and you had a hand wrapped around my dick. I thought you were tryin' to screw me and I was like, `Oh, fuck no, this ain't happenin'.' I got the hell outta bed as quick as I could and, after goin' to the bathroom, I spent the rest of the night in the recliner in my room." "That's why you were in the chair the next morning? Jesus, David, I'm so sorry. I had no idea. Why the hell didn't you say something?" "Guys our age didn't talk about shit like that back then, Max. Not with nobody." "Oh, c'mon, we talked about all kinds of things. But, now that I think about it, I guess you're right, we didn't talk about who we wanted to go to bed with, did we?" "No, and I was really freaked out, thinkin' you wanted me that way." "Well, to be honest with ya', I did. I never realized I'd actually acted on my feelings, though, and I'm sorry it happened. Is that why you said somethin' to the Muellers? To see if they could fix me and make me a nice little straight boy?" "Max, like I said, I didn't know them and I swear, I never said shit about that night to nobody. You gotta believe me." "Well someone did because every time they took me into that chamber of horrors, they were always screaming about drivin' the devil outta me and how I wasn't a faggot. They got it from someone. If it wasn't my family or you, who the hell was it?" "I can only think of one possibility, Max." "Who?" I asked with desperation at getting the answer I needed. "You remember George, the kid who lived at the other end of the block behind me?" "You mean George Lair? Yeah, I remember him, but he and I were never really friends, except to say hi to as we passed by each other. Why do you think it might've been him?" "Well, he was like my second-best friend and I told him, after that night, that he might want to get to know you better. I thought you two would hit it off, in more ways than one." "Why the fuck would you think that?" "'Cause he was gay, too, and he'd told me he liked you. I thought maybe if you two hooked up, then you and me could still be friends without you wantin' to fuck me, since you'd be gettin' what you wanted from him." "What makes you think he said something about me to the Muellers?" "Well, first off, he did go to the same church y'all did. And he was kinda blatant about bein' gay, really out there, you know? He'd also told me that he thought Frank was kinda eyein' him, like he knew it, too. I think George might've told Frank about you to try and keep Frank away from himself." "Oh, shit. I guess I need to talk to George, then." "Yeah, good luck with that," David scoffed. "Hope you got a phone that can make a really long-distance call." "What're you sayin', David?" "Oh, right, you don't keep up with the people in our class, do ya'? George killed himself about six, maybe seven years ago, but since you didn't come to our tenth class reunion, you wouldn't know that." "Well, shit. I guess that ends that." "Yeah, I guess it does. You might be able to talk to his brother or parents. If you can find `em?" "No, I won't do that. I don't want to bring up bad memories for them just to satisfy my curiosity. But I gotta tell ya', I'm glad it wasn't you who told the Muellers. I still care about you and have wondered how you've been since we last saw each other at our graduation." "I've been okay, I guess. Got married, had kids, got divorced, you know, the same old shit. The bitch got the house and everything in it, including my kids. Now I get to see them once a month for two whole days at a time. And I'm stuck in a shitty apartment, working my ass off to make child support payments while she sits on her fat ass and sucks my bank account dry every month. Life really sucks sometimes, ya' know?" "You don't have to tell me that," I responded sarcastically. "No, I guess not. I wish I could have helped you, Max, I really do. How's your life been otherwise?" "It's sucked, obviously, but it's getting better, day by day. I'm getting married in May and my partner and I are in the process of adopting five boys." "Good for you, man. I wish you all the best." "We'll have to get together sometime, David, and catch up. I hate us being strangers." "Yeah, I'd like that. Maybe I could bring the kids out my one weekend some month." "That sounds like fun. I bet your kids and ours would have fun together." "I don't know about that. The bitch has really fucked them up, but it's worth a try." "Well, look, I gotta go. It was good talkin' to ya'. Let's stay in touch, okay?" "I'll do that. I'll let you know the next time I have the kids and we can get together." "We'll look forward to it, David. Take care." "Yeah, you, too." After hanging up the phone, I cogitated on what David had told me about George and the more I thought about it, the more I believed he probably was the one who got the Muellers interested in me. I remembered him being pretty demonstrative about his inclinations and could see him trying to deflect the Muellers away from himself. What I really wondered about, though, was why he had committed suicide. Was it a lack of acceptance of his sexuality by himself or his family, or was there a much darker reason for it? I thought it was a good possibility that despite his efforts, he may have still fallen prey to abuse by the Muellers or someone else. But how could I find out without disturbing his family? I finally gave up twisting my mind around the infinite number of possibilities. I decided to take a break from driving myself crazy and left the study to see how Bob and his guys were doing. When I walked into Tom's office, I was surprised to find his furniture in place and Tom was organizing his desk, getting ready to work. "Where's Bob?" I asked. "They finished up about twenty minutes ago and took off." "But what about paying him? He was supposed to bring his bill for the boys' and your furniture today." "He said to not worry about it, we could settle up when he brings Dylan's desk out next week. Besides, you were busy, and we didn't want to interrupt." "I wish you would have," I said glumly as I settled myself onto the corner of the desk. "Oh, why's that. I thought you authors didn't like to be interrupted when you're in the creative process." "Well, normally, I don't, but I wasn't working all this time, either. I realized I had a phone call to make." I told Tom about my call and what I'd found out. He was shaking his head in disbelief during my story. "I really want to know why the Muellers picked me, but I don't know where to go from here. I don't want to bug George's family and dredge all this shit back up with them." "Let's wait until next week when I've got my computer and everything set up. I'll do some checking into it then and see what I can find out. You said the guy's name was George Lair?" After a quick nod of agreement, he wrote the name on a notepad and continued. "I'll see if I can access his autopsy report, first, then scan the newspaper for the time around his death to see if there were any stories about it. Once I've found all that can be found that way, I'll start pursuing other routes. I know this is important to you and I'll pull out all the stops to get you an answer, babe." "Thanks, bubba, I appreciate it. If I have to talk to his family, I will, but I'll save that as a last resort." "Why don't you let me talk to them if we need to? I've had a little more practice at questioning people than you have. I'm also a bit more separated from the issues involved so I can keep it from becoming personal." "Yeah, okay. If these people are responsible for George's suicide, I want them charged with his death. I didn't know him that well, but he still didn't deserve to die that way." "Nobody does, but we can't save `em all." "I know that, but knowing it doesn't make me want to stop trying." The phone rang to interrupt our conversation and Tom answered it. "Hello," he greeted the caller after punching the speaker button. "Tom, Dylan here. Got a few things to pass on to you. First, I've talked to Derek and he's cool with us accessing the county system to do background checks for Carol and her group. He doesn't think we should use it for any other work we might get, but he's all for helping out on the background checks." "That's great, Dylan. Being able to tap that information will really help us out. What else do you have?" "Charlie Campbell was released from jail this morning and should be home by now. His first appointment with the counselor is set for Friday morning, but he might call you guys before then to try and see Logan." "Thanks for letting us know. Should we allow him to visit before he sees the counselor?" "I don't see what it would hurt to do so. In my talks with him, he knows he screwed up and he accepted the judge's orders this morning with no arguments, so it should be okay. Even though you've quit the department, you're still deputized. I expect you to make sure there aren't any issues during his visits." "I can do that," Tom replied. "Are there any limits on his visits, special conditions we should know about?" "The visits can happen anywhere, but preferably at your home where you have some control and that they're supervised while they're together. That doesn't mean you need be between them or anything, just close by to keep an eye on things." "No problems, Dylan. We'll take care of it. Anything else?" "Not really. Except Malcom's coming down again this weekend. Didn't know if you guys would want to get together Saturday night." "Ooh, wish we could, but we're going to Chicago Friday night and won't be back until late Sunday." "Well, aren't you special?" Dylan chuckled. "Hope you guys have fun and please don't tear the place down. I'd like to go see the Windy City myself, someday." "We'll try to leave it the way we find it," Tom laughed. "Wouldn't want to deprive you and Malcom of a future trip," Tom retorted. "And if you're good boys, we'll even let you use our condo while you're up there," I laughed. "Mighty white of you, Max. You sure the neighbors won't be frightened by two black dudes invading the `hood?" "If they are, it'll be their problem, not yours, Dylan. Just let me know when you want to go, and I'll make sure you have keys and alarm codes." "You got it, man, thanks. Well, gotta go, here comes Kelly with the next disaster. Talk to you later." As we ended the call and heard the front door slamming closed. I looked at Tom and asked, "You expecting company?" "Not me, I was hoping it was you." As we got up to greet our visitors, the mini-herd of six rambunctious boys rounded the corner of the hallway and rumbled into Tom's office. "Wow, Pops, this looks great," Alex commented. "Yeah, now you can get back to work and start bringing home the bacon," Joey added with a laugh. "Gee, thanks, Joey. Nice to know I'm good for something," Tom cracked. "Oh, you're good for plenty of other things, too," T.J. joked while wiggling his eyebrows. "So, who has homework?" I asked in a bid to derail the conversation. The four oldest raised their hands, so I continued, "Well, let's get comfortable and we'll meet in the kitchen for snacks." The boys headed to their rooms to undress while Tom and I went to our room to do the same. When we rejoined the boys in the kitchen, we set up a snack of milk and cookies for each and helped the ones who need it. When Joey and Alex finished with their regular work, they dove back into the fifth-grade math text. We could see they were still making good progress on the book, but they'd slowed down a bit, so we assumed they'd finally hit on something new that was a challenge, even for their number crunching minds. T.J. completed his little bit of homework, closed his book and said, "Hey, Pops, I need to talk to you `bout somethin'. Can we go to your office?" "Sure thing, buddy," Tom answered. "Lead the way." Those two disappeared across the house, leaving me alone with the others. I followed T.J. down the hall and he turned into his room first to drop his books and then joined me in my office, closing the door behind him. After I sat in my chair at the desk, he hopped up on the desk and sat where Max had been a little while ago. "What's up T.J.?" I asked. "I got a problem at school and I think you should know about it. I was talking to a junior this afternoon and I think he's in real trouble." "What kind of trouble?" "Well, part of this he told me, the rest of it I just picked up, ya' know." After a quick nod of acknowledgment from me, T.J. continued. "He was telling me about how he thought he was gay but he's afraid of what his mom and dad will do if they find out. So, he fakes it around them, always talkin' `bout girls and `bout goin' out on dates with `em. He's really been going to some dive of a gay bar in Springfield and tryin' to find a dude to do shit with. He thinks if he does it with a guy and likes it, then he really is gay, and he needs to tell his parents. But he's scared to death of them and how they'll react." "Well, if he's goin' to the dump I'm thinking about, he's definitely in the wrong place. But I can't be involved if all he's afraid of is his parents." "That ain't all of it, Pops. This is the part I picked up `cause he wouldn't talk about it, even though I flat-out asked him `cause I'd already seen it. He's thinking about killin' himself. He thinks he's better off dying than talkin' to his parents. I'm really scared he'll do it `cause I also picked up pieces of his plan." "Oh, crap, that's not good, T.J." "Yeah, I know, that's why I wanted to talk to you. I figured with you bein' a cop, you might be able to do something to help." "But, I'm not a cop anymore. And as much I'd like to help him out, there's nothing the law can do about it until he makes an attempt. If he does that, then he can be hospitalized and get the help he needs, like what happened with Papa Jim." "What about talkin' to him or his parents? Can you do that before he does something stupid he may not survive?" "Sure, I could do that, I guess, but I'd want to talk to him before we try his parents. And if he wants me with him to talk to his parents, I'd be willing to do that, too." "That's great, Pops. Are you and Dad gonna be home tomorrow afternoon? The dude's supposed to come talk to me again and I'd like you to be there, if you can." "Yeah, we'll be here. Your dad has an appointment in the morning and Judge Corgan is coming out for lunch, but I could be at the school about two-thirty. Will that work okay for you?" "Great! I really appreciate your help." "Have you thought about how you're going to explain me being there without giving away how you know what you do?" "Not yet, but I will, don't worry." "I'll be at the school on time. Is there somewhere we can talk to your friend privately?" "Yeah, and I'll make sure it's empty when you get there." "Okay, sounds like we have a plan, young man. Now, let's get out of here and see what's for supper." "Thanks, Pops. I knew you'd help me." T.J. jumped off the desk and led the way back to the kitchen. I'd have to let Max know what was going on, but I figured to do that later in the evening. "There you are," I called out as T.J. and Tom came back to the kitchen. "You guys ready for supper?" "Always, Dad," T.J. giggled. "What're we havin' tonight?" "How does lasagna, garlic bread and a salad sound to everyone?" With agreement from everyone, I pulled a lasagna from the freezer and got it in the oven. Since Tom was hovering nearby I whispered, "What was that all about?" "As you always like to say," he whispered back conspiratorially, "later." I had to chuckle at his response and nodded my head. "Okay, two hours till that's ready. What're we gonna do while we wait?" "I wanna keep readin' Ender's Game," Logan replied. "Can you read some more Huckleberry Finn to me and Mike?" Andy asked. "Why not, that sounds like fun? Alex, Joey, T.J. what about you guys?" "I don't know, Dad," Alex answered. "Did you ever get those Spiderwick books ordered?" "As a matter of fact, I did. They showed up the other day and then I forgot all about them. They're in a box in the corner of my study. Why don't you grab it?" Alex was off like a shot from a cannon and quickly returned with the box. After handing it to me, I popped it open and pulled out five books. I handed all five to Alex and added, "There you go guys, split `em up and enjoy." The remaining three each selected a book and curled up on the couch to read. Tom was in his chair and Logan took mine since I decided to sit on the loveseat with Mike and Andy after starting a fire and flipping on the circulation fan. After an hour and a half of reading, it was time to put the garlic bread in the oven and get the salad put together. While Tom and I were taking care of those tasks, the boys set the table so it would be ready when the food was done. Soon enough, we were taking our seats and digging into our very filling meal. I was nicely surprised to see all six of the boys eat at least some of the salad we had given them. I remembered refusing to eat salad at their ages and was afraid they would, too, but none of them complained. Alex and T.J. even seemed to enjoy it a bit with the cheese and croutons added. Once everyone had had their fill, we got busy with our cleanup and were ready to relax for a while before bedtime. During the meal, we had decided to watch a couple more Star Trek episodes, so we adjourned to the theater and settled in our chairs. The phone rang about halfway through the first show and I went to the kitchen to answer the call. "Hello?" "Is this Mr. Sanders?" "It is, who's calling, please?" "Mr. Sanders, this is Logan's dad, Charlie." "Oh, good evening, Charlie. How are you doing today?" "A damn sight better that I've been the last week, I can tell you. I can't tell you how happy I am to be able to sleep in my own bed tonight. The only thing missing is my son." "Well, I wish he could be with you tonight, but I'm afraid that's not possible." "Yeah, I know. How's Logan doing? I'm worried about him. Is he behaving himself?" "He's doing just great, Charlie. Logan fits in great with our boys and he's been a good helper to have around. We're going to miss him when he's able to move home." "Not any more than I miss him. He's all I got left in this world and I can't stand not having him here with me." "Well, as soon as the judge says so, he'll get to move back home with you. Until that time, though, he'll be fine here with us." "Look, Mr. Sanders, I know I screwed up big time and Sergeant Brock is helping me out with a counselor and all, but I wondered if I could come see Logan tomorrow afternoon? I need to let him know how sorry I am for the way I've treated him the last couple years. I've been nothing but mean to my son and he deserves way better than that." "Yes, he does, Charlie. Logan is a very smart and sensitive young man. He loves you and would do just about anything he could for you. He's told me several times how much he wants to go back home. But he'll still be glad to see you and hear what you have to say. What time would you like to come over?" "Well, when do the boys get home from school?" "They're usually here by a quarter to four. Why don't you come over about four thirty? That gives the boys time to do any homework they may have before moving on to other things. Would that work out okay for you?" "That's just fine, but I can't believe you'd let me in your house after the way I acted." "Mr. Campbell, everybody has good days and bad days and they sometimes make bad decisions. But, I also believe everyone deserves a second chance to do the right thing. This is your second chance. Don't blow it because I don't believe in third chances." "I understand, and I thank you for being straight with me." "We'll see you tomorrow then, Charlie." "I'll be there." We ended the call and I got back to the theater just in time to catch the end of the first show. We watched a second episode and decided it was time to get the boys headed for bed. On the way, we stopped in the kitchen for a quick snack of some fruit rollups and milk before shooing the sensational six-pack on down the hall. Tom and I followed a few minutes later to take care of our nightly rituals and once the boys were all tucked in bed, we retreated to the living room to relax for a bit. I told Tom about my call with Charlie, so he'd be prepared when the man arrived. Tom then told me about his conversation with T.J. "Good for T.J. I'm glad to hear he didn't hesitate to get some help with a sticky situation. I can see all three boys being a major asset to the group with their abilities." "Yeah, me too. I just hope the kid will be willing to really talk with me. I know I told T.J. I'd talk to the boy's parents if he wants me to go with him, but I'm worried I'll say the wrong thing and screw things up." "All you can do is tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may. Hopefully, his parents won't be assholes." "You really think that's likely?" "I can dream, can't I?" "And I'm hoping your dreams come true." "Speaking of dreams, I'm ready to go start tonight's. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day and I need some sleep." "Go ahead, babe. I'm not ready to turn in just yet and was gonna read for a while." "Okay, don't stay up too late." "Yes, Dad," he groaned while rolling his eyes. Before heading on to bed, I crawled in Tom's lap to give him a hug and a kiss. As we broke the kiss, I reminded him of how much I loved him and received the same token of affection back from him. I then headed for bed and a good night's sleep. When Tom finally joined me, I woke up just enough to curl up in his arms and fall fast asleep as he lovingly held onto me.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 63</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family"><span>enderwiggin61@outlook.com</span></a></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html"><span>http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</span></a><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments"><span>https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</span></a></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk498986933"></a><a name="_Toc497811363"><span>Chapter 63 � Here Come da' Judge</span></a></h2> <p><span>"Mr. Sanders, this is Gary from the courthouse. Please hold for Judge Corgan." </span></p> <p><span>Oh crap, now what? </span></p> <p><span>I put the phone on speaker so Tom could be involved in the conversation and muttered, "It's the judge. I wonder what he wants."</span></p> <p><span>"It could be anything, Max. Calm down."</span></p> <p><span>He finally came on the line with, "Max, you there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, Judge Corgan, and Tom's here with me."</span></p> <p><span>"Remember boys, we're not in court, so it's David, please."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir. What did you want?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's been a while since we've talked and, first, I want to tell you how sorry I am for what you went through, Max. But, I'm glad I was able to help get everything done to get those people off the street and in jail where they belong. If there's anything I can do to help you, just let me know."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, David, I appreciate it. The best thing you can do is keep them locked up."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do what I can, but since it's a criminal case and not in the family court's purview, it's out of my hands now. I <i>will</i> stick a bug in the other judge's ear, though, you can be sure of that. Now, to the real reason I called. I was wondering if the ground out there had dried out enough so I can take you up on your offer to see that old family cemetery?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's what you're calling about? I worried maybe it had something to do with the adoptions."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, heavens no. Those are all ready to go. I can't see anything that would keep them from happening on the seventeenth as scheduled. Sorry if I scared you."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right, David, I'm just a little on edge. But, to answer your question, I think we should be able to get out to that corner of the property without sinking into the mud too deeply. Would you like come out some afternoon this week?"</span></p> <p><span>"That would be wonderful, Max. Gary and I are working only half the day Thursday as he has to take his wife to a doctor's appointment that afternoon. She has threatened him with some rather severe punishments if he misses their first sonogram. If it's okay with you two, I'd like to come out then."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't see a problem with that, do you Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, we'll be glad to see you, David. Would you like to join us for lunch?"</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like an offer I can't refuse, Tom, thanks. I'd enjoy that very much."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll look forward to it, David," Tom replied. "Do you like spaghetti? Max makes a mean sauce."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds delicious. If I get there about one, would that be good?"</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, David, we'll see you then," I answered. After we ended the call, I breathed a huge sigh of relief and commented, "Jesus, he scared the shit out of me. I couldn't imagine why he was calling."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, see, it was nothing to worry about."</span></p> <p><span>"Not this time, anyway. I fear the day that changes."</span></p> <p><span>"Not gonna happen babe, I promise you. Hey, we should get moving so we're not late for your appointment."</span></p> <p><span>"You're driving, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"If you want me to, I'm happy to do so."</span></p> <p><span>"Then, let's hit the road."</span></p> <p><span>We grabbed our jackets and headed out to the garage. Not knowing how much we needed to buy at the office store or the grocery, we opted to take the Flex instead of the Shelby. We arrived at Dr. Schaid's office twenty-five minutes later and found an empty parking spot. As we walked into the office, the cheery receptionist greeted us and asked us to take a seat while we waited for my appointed time. As we sat there, I just couldn't remain still. I kept fidgeting and shifting, trying to get comfortable, but true coziness eluded my every feeble attempt. When the receptionist finally announced Dr. Schaid was ready to see me, I nearly jumped out of my skin.</span></p> <p><span>"It's okay, babe. I'm right here with you," Tom intoned calmly</span></p> <p><span>"You sure as hell better be or I'm outta here." I grabbed my diary of hate, as I liked to call it, and we headed into the doctor's inner sanctum.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Max, Tom," Jean greeted us as Tom closed her office door. "How are you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm doing pretty well," Tom answered, "but I'm worried about Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Anything in particular?" she asked.</span></p> <p><span>"How about everything?"</span></p> <p><span>"Now, that's not fair, Tom," I retorted. "I'm doing okay, I think."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, then what do you have to say about what you've written for Dr. Schaid? That doesn't exactly make me feel all warm and fuzzy."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, no, me either," I agreed. "But what can I say, that seems to be where I am, stuck in the past, hating everything and everyone."</span></p> <p><span>"May I see what you've created, Max?" Jean asked. I handed over the sheaf of papers as we sat down on the couch and she started to peruse my mad ramblings. I watched her closely as she read, but could not detect any hint of her feelings towards what I'd written. "That's a good start, Max. How long did it take you to create this?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, about two hours, I think. I kinda lost track of time while working on it."</span></p> <p><span>"Did you actually think about what you were writing?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, not really. Once I got started, it just spewed forth from my brain straight to the page. In all honesty, I don't even remember actually typing it, but I must have."</span></p> <p><span>"I have to assume you've read it. What did you think about what you written after readin it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, this morning, we both did. And I don't think I've ever read such a hateful and disgusting diatribe in my life. I really don't know where it all came from. I mean, who the hell reaches the point where they hate everyone and everything like that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you do, for one. What I found specifically interesting was your feeling of `impotence', as you put it, at being unable to do anything to stop your abuse. That's an interesting choice of word, considering the circumstances."</span></p> <p><span>"It's just a word, same as powerless, weak, helplessness. That's just how I felt about it, powerless?"</span></p> <p><span>"Then why did you choose to use `impotence'?"</span></p> <p><span>"How the hell should I know? I just wrote whatever came to mind."</span></p> <p><span>We spent the rest of my appointment talking more about what I'd written and if I was feeling any better about things after having exorcised some of the hate from my soul. I had to admit, grudgingly, that I did feel a bit lighter in my heart and brighter about the future. </span></p> <p><span>As my time was about to end, Dr. Schaid commented, "You really should consider turning your writings about your experience into a book, Max. I think you could help a lot of people who have been through similar situations."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's what this big lummox said this morning," I replied as I punched Tom on the shoulder. "I hadn't considered that to be an option, but he planted a seed that I think might grow."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, what's that?"</span></p> <p><span>I told her my idea about the foundation I wanted to create and Tom's idea of funding it with proceeds from a book about my abuse and the life that has followed. When I explained the idea came to me due to the boys we're adopting, her demeanor took a wicked left turn.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait just a second. I knew you were getting married, but I don't believe you brought up adopting any children during our first session. Do you really think that's a good idea?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why wouldn't it be?" I asked. "They need a loving family and home and we can provide it. I don't see a problem."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm afraid I do," she replied frostily. "While I don't have a problem with two men or two women being married if that's what they want, I do have a serious problem with those couples raising children. The damage that can be inflicted on those children is mind-boggling. Especially when one of those two people is dealing with issues of abuse in their past, as you are. There's too much risk of the abuse continuing and being perpetrated against those innocent children."</span></p> <p><span>"Excuse me, but I thought your job here was to help me deal with my past, not pass judgement on how I live my life. Us adopting should have no bearing on that."</span></p> <p><a name="_Hlk499150527"><span>"What you think is inconsequential, Mr. Sanders. I'm the professional here. And it's my educated opinion that the two of you being responsible for the lives of any child, most especially boys, is fraught with red flags."</span></a></p> <p><span>I stood and glared at Jean before announcing, "C'mon on, Tom. I know I need help and I promise I'll get it, but I'll be damned if I'm going to sit here and be judged by this ignorant bitch who received her diploma from the likes of Pat Robertson or Oral Roberts." I snagged my writings off the table as Tom joined me. "Well, Jean, I'd like to say it's been a pleasure, but I'd be lyin' through my teeth. People like you are a big part of what's wrong in this world," I added as I turned towards the door to her office.</span></p> <p><span>"But you're not done with your therapy!" Jean screamed at our backs as she stood up. "You have a lot more work to do."</span></p> <p><span>I wheeled around to face her again and calmly said, "That's true, I do, but I'm not going to get that help from the likes of you." I stepped towards her until she backed up and fell back into her chair. "And, if you cause us any problems with our adoptions, I'll file a complaint with the state licensing board claiming you're an incompetent fool who shouldn't be allowed to provide counseling to rocks, let alone people."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we'll see about that," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't push me, Jean," I growled. "You don't know who you're fucking with and you don't want to find out." On that final statement, I turned, snagged my lover's arm and left her office. On the way through the reception area, I stopped at the receptionist's desk and canceled all my future appointments with this quack. As we headed out into late March gloom, I commented, "Jesus, what an insufferable bitch. Are we gonna have to deal with idiots like her our entire lives?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably," Tom answered. "The sad thing is, our boys will, too. I'd hoped that by now more people would have joined the modern, civilized world and have dispensed with attitudes like that, but it looks like we still have a long way to go."</span></p> <p><span>"Apparently so," I grumped.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what're you gonna do now?" Tom asked as we got into the car.</span></p> <p><span>"About what?"</span></p> <p><span>"About a counselor, babe? Like you said, you still need some help. I don't want you to stop getting what you need to make you whole again."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess I'll call Paul and see if he can make another recommendation. Either that, or see if Malcom might be interested in helping guide me back to normal."</span></p> <p><span>"Malcom's not a bad idea, but don't you think he might be a bit too close to home to become involved? I think he'd have the same conflict working with you that Paul does."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you're right. I guess we'll see if Paul can find someone else, then."</span></p> <p><span>We'd arrived at the office store and, with list in hand, went shopping for Tom's office supplies. Wending our way through the aisles, we stopped briefly in the computer department where Tom selected a good laser printer. When he started to look at the laptops, I told him, "Don't worry about the computer. I know a guy who builds them, and I'll call him when we get home to have him build yours."</span></p> <p><span>"What's wrong with just using a laptop?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Trust me. You'll get a lot more bang for the buck and better upgradability with a custom-built system. Bill has built my computers for ten years now and he's never failed to give me what I need. And better yet, he makes house calls. He'll bring it out, set it up, connect it to the network and everything."</span></p> <p><span>"But I thought it would be convenient to have a laptop, so I could take it with me. You never know what I'll need and where."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell you what. If you want something portable, get the latest Surface tablet. You can take it with you when you need it, then when you come back to the office, you just sync it with the desktop system. Then you've got the best of both worlds."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that makes sense. Where do we get a Surface?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll have Bill take care of that, too. That way he can get everything set up so the sync is a no-brainer."</span></p> <p><span>"What, you think I can't handle it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure you can, but hopefully you'll be busy and won't have time to deal with setting it all up yourself."</span></p> <p><span>"If you say so. Let's get the rest of this shit and move on, then."</span></p> <p><span>We finished our shopping at the office store and headed to the grocery to restore our food supplies at home. Food doesn't seem to last very long with six young and always hungry eating machines in the house. We also had to get the ingredients to make my spaghetti sauce for our lunch with David on Thursday. With two carts loaded to overflowing, we headed for the checkout. After paying half of a king's ransom for food, we loaded up the car and turned towards home. When we got home, Tom backed in the garage to make unloading the car easier. We spent the next half hour unloading and putting away all the food while dropping Tom's office supplies in his office. We then settled into the kitchen for a quick sandwich before Bob arrived with the boys' bedroom furniture.</span></p> <p><span>I was dropping the last dish into the dishwasher when we heard the ding of the drive sensor. Assuming it was Bob, Tom headed to the garage to open the doors and move the Shelby out of their way. I met them in the hallway as Tom led Bob inside.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Bob," I greeted as we shook hands. "How you doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Great, Max, how `bout yourself?"</span></p> <p><span>"Still suckin' air and takin' sustenance, so I'm good. You need any help today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope. I brought my two biggest guys with me, today," he answered as two boulders with legs, arms and a head came through the door, each carrying a set of drawers for under the bed.</span></p> <p><span>"Where we headed, Boss," the lead boulder asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Second door to your right, Terry," Bob answered. The two behemoths made the turn into the room and gently placed the drawer units on the floor before they headed back outside to bring in more pieces. As they walked down the hall, I could hear them talking about the wild paint job in the room and laughing quietly to themselves as they did so.</span></p> <p><span>"Holy crap, Bob," Tom began, "Where the hell did you find them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Terry and Travis?" Bob chuckled. "They're my nephews. A few years back, I offered them part-time jobs making deliveries and they discovered they like to work with wood and power tools. They're the best woodworkers I've ever had the pleasure to train and work with. I'm afraid that someday soon they'll get tired of working for me and take off on their own."</span></p> <p><span>"Never gonna happen, Uncle Bob," Travis replied as he turned into the boys' room with a set of shelves.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you're stuck with us until you die," Terry added.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm good with that, guys, as long as I'm not stuck with your food bills," Bob laughed. "Well, I better get busy or those two are gonna fire me."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll get out of your way," Tom said. "If you need help moving their mattress from room to room, let us know."</span></p> <p><span>"Will do," Bob replied as he turned to head outside to get to work.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I headed for the living room and as we sat down I asked, "You want to call Vinnie about moving the bedroom furniture back into the house for Ron to use?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure. Why don't you call Paul while I'm talking to Vinnie?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good idea. I'll use the phone in the kitchen."</span></p> <p><span>We both made our calls and when I rejoined Tom in the living room, he asked, "Any luck with Paul?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he was astonished when I told him what Jean said this morning and he apologized for her attitude. He said she was way out of line and not at all within the current guidelines for counselors. He also said he'd make some calls to a few other therapists to see if he could find another one to work with me. He's gonna try and talk Jean off her `holier than thou' perch, too."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope he can do it. We don't need trouble from her. I assume he didn't volunteer to take you on as a patient, did he."</span></p> <p><span>"No, he didn't, and that's fine. I also asked him about who could give IQ tests to Joey and Alex, just to settle that question. He's going to do some checking on that and let us know. I know the boys want to do it, and I'd kinda like to know exactly what we're dealing with, see if there's any connection between their other mental abilities and their obvious intelligence."</span></p> <p><span>"We might want to consider including T.J. in those tests. Especially since he seems to have surpassed the twins in his ability to pick up on what everyone is thinking."</span></p> <p><span>"Good idea, I hadn't thought about that. How about you, what'd Vinnie say?"</span></p> <p><span>"They're busy the next couple of days, but he thought they could be here Friday morning to get the furniture moved back into Ron's room."</span></p> <p><span>"That'll be perfect. It'll be good to have all three bedrooms functional again." The phone rang and interrupted our conversation.</span></p> <p><span>Tom answered it with, "Hello?"</span></p> <p><span>"Is this Max Sanders?" the gentleman asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No, this is Tom. Who's calling, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, this is Hank from the Journal-Register. I'm calling to let you know that I've e-mailed the article I've written for Max to review and make any comments on, as he requested. We'd like the story to appear starting in tomorrow's issue, so if he could take a look at it and let me know what he thinks, I'd appreciate it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll let him know and we'll get back to you, Hank. Thanks for calling." </span></p> <p><span>Tom hung up the phone and told me I needed to check my e-mail. I headed for the study and fired up the computer. After opening my e-mail, I found several messages from the past couple of days that weren't important and two that were, one from Hank and the other from Jack at Shelby America. Anxious to see if Tom's wedding present would be here on time, I checked Jack's message first. My lucky stars must be aligning just right as his message said that after talking to the company president, he'd shuffled their schedule around and guaranteed that Tom's car would be delivered to the dealership the Wednesday before our wedding. I fired off a quick reply thanking them profusely for their help and assuring any additional charges for the special service would be acceptable. I next printed the article from Hank and returned to the living room so we could read it.</span></p> <p><span>I settled in next to Tom and began reading. In the e-mail itself, Hank let us know that the story ended up being much longer than they thought it would and the paper had decided to split it into a three-part feature that would run on the front page Wednesday through Friday. I passed that page to Tom and started reading the story itself, handing each page over as I finished with it. Once we'd both read the whole thing, I looked at Tom and asked, "What'd you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Seems pretty straight-forward and accurate from what you told them yesterday. They didn't include any names but yours and the Muellers, but your name's already out there and adding Frank and Iris seems logical since they <i>are</i> sitting in jail right now."</span></p> <p><span>"More importantly, they left you and the boys out of it. But, yeah, I think he did a pretty good job. I'm surprised they want to split it over three days, though. They obviously had more information than he led us to believe, but that's all right as it just backs up what I told him."</span></p> <p><span>"You should call him now and let him know you're okay with it." </span></p> <p><span>I made the call to Hank and after a brief discussion, I let him know it was okay to run the story. Since I don't have the paper delivered, I asked to him to e-mail each day's part so I could read them as they got printed just in case there were any last minutes changes. He assured me that wouldn't happen, but I was still somewhat uneasy about my full story being released this way. But, yet again, I talked myself into it simply to make sure the facts were out there. I also hoped I could open other parents' eyes to the possibility their children may have been abused in some way, especially if they were members of that church.</span></p> <p><span>After ending the call with Hank, I called my computer guy, Bill, and let him know what Tom needed for his and Dylan's computers. After receiving assurances he could take care of their needs and would be here Thursday to set up the new systems, we ended our call and I passed the information on to Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's good service. Once I get the computers, I should be able to get started with the background checks Carol has waiting for me."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good. You need something to keep you occupied. Oh, wait, I just thought of something. Dylan said he'd allow you to access the county's system to help you out. Are you still going to be able to tap their resources once he leaves the department?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good question, babe. I probably ought to find out, hand me the phone." Tom dialed Dylan's number and after the usual greetings were dispensed with, Tom said, "Hey, the reason I called was to find out if we'll still be able to access the county system to run checks after you leave the department."</span></p> <p><span>"Good thinkin', bubba. You must be some kind of detective or somethin'," Dylan chuckled. "I don't think it'll be a problem, but let me check with Derek. It sounds like the County has accepted my recommendation to appoint Derek to finish out the rest of my term, so it'll be up to him to make that decision. I'll let you know what his answer is."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dylan. I know we can still do the job without that access, but it'll be a lot easier with it."</span></p> <p><span>"Without a doubt. Oh, and tell Max the Muellers' first court appearance is scheduled for next Tuesday at one in the afternoon. I know he wants to be there."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do that. Thanks, and talk to you later." He hung up the phone and relayed the information to me.</span></p> <p><span>"Guess we know what we'll be doin' next Tuesday," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess so. You sure you wanna' be there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right I do. I don't think I'll really be free from them until I see them in prison." </span></p> <p><span>Bob stuck his head around the corner to get our attention and let us know he, Terry and Travis were done for the day. We followed him into T.J., Mike and Andy's room to check out the final results.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that looks a bit better with the desks and shelves covering a lot of that red," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"And the orange doesn't seem as bright with the bed against that wall," Tom added.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I was a little surprised when I first saw the colors your boys selected, but they're growing on me now," Bob commented. "And having the furniture in place definitely helps mute the brightness."</span></p> <p><span>"I still wouldn't want to sleep in here," Travis complained.</span></p> <p><span>"Me, either," Terry agreed with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, all that's left is for your boys to move their things in and they're ready to go, guys," Bob said.</span></p> <p><span>"And when will you be bringing my desk and shelves out, Bob?" Tom asked. "I'm anxious to get back to work."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll come back tomorrow afternoon with the shelves and the first desk. I'm still working on the second desk you need. I won't have it completed until the middle of next week."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem on that. The other guy won't be starting for another two weeks."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll have it done and ready for him by then. Well, I guess we'll be on our way. Terry, Travis, grab our tools and I'll meet you in the truck." The two monsters collected their things and headed on outside.</span></p> <p><span>"How much do we owe you, Bob?"</span></p> <p><span>"We'll take care of it all tomorrow after Tom's stuff is delivered, okay? And no outrageous tips, this time, please."</span></p> <p><span>"That works for me. Be sure you bring the bill with you."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent. See you tomorrow then. Hope you guys have a great afternoon and the boys enjoy their new room."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Bob," Tom said. "You guys go have some fun now." On that final comment, Bob turned and joined his nephews. Tom followed along to pull the Shelby back in the garage after Bob pulled away from the garage. When he came back inside, he found me in the kitchen grabbing a soda from the refrigerator. "So, what're we gonna do to amuse ourselves until the boys get home in half an hour?" he asked with a crooked smirk cutting across his face.</span></p> <p><span>"I was gonna read for a bit, you got a better idea?"</span></p> <p><span>"I <i>always</i> have better ideas. Follow me, babe." Tom led me to the bedroom, stripping off his clothes along the way. "We're gonna lose this quiet personal time we have together soon, and I'd like to take advantage of it while I can."</span></p> <p><span>"Take advantage of it or me?" I asked as I started removing my clothes, also.</span></p> <p><span>"Both," he whispered sweetly as he picked me up, carried me to the bed, laid me down and then fell in beside me. In moments, we were wrapped up together and got lost in each other. Some forty minutes later, we were both returning to planet Earth from our sexual high, Tom straddling my hips with my dick still hidden deep inside him when we heard giggling from the wide-open bedroom door. We turned our heads and opened our eyes to find all six boys standing there, naked and erect.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, sorry guys," I mumbled while pulling the sheet around us, "we should have closed the door."</span></p> <p><span>"Too late now, dads," Joey grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"How long have you been there?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Long enough," Andy giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you two put on quite a show," Logan added.</span></p> <p><span>"Well the show's over now, boys, so skedaddle. We'll be out in a few minutes." The six lads scampered away from our door and Tom flopped down on me, laughing hysterically. "What the hell's so funny, fuzzball."</span></p> <p><span>"All this time, we've been really careful and only been caught in the act once. We just shot that to hell, don't you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's not the first time we've had an audience and I'm sure it won't be the last. Besides, three of them have already been up close and very personal."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and the other three looked like they were primed and ready for some action just now."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, they're not gonna get that action from us. Not today, anyway," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, we should probably get cleaned up and go see who has homework, then get started on supper."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay." I tossed the sheet off us and Tom crawled off me, leading the way to the bathroom. After a quick rinse in the shower, we dried off and headed out to find the boys. We were surprised to find the kitchen empty and continued our search in the theater. Finding it also devoid of human life, we retraced our steps to the kitchen and then headed across the house towards the boys' bedrooms. Finding the twins' room was also empty, we continued on down the hall. On entering T.J., Mike and Andy's room we finally found all six boys sprawled across the bed, each with his head buried in another's crotch.</span></p> <p><span>As we turned around and quietly left the room, Tom commented, "I guess they like their new room," with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose they do, though nobody actually said it. I can't believe all six are doing that together. I think that's the first time I've ever seen T.J., Mike and Andy hook up with the twins or Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"It doesn't really surprise you, does it? It was bound to happen eventually."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I know. And no, I'm not surprised, I guess. Seeing Logan in the middle of it <i>is</i> a bit of a stumper, though, since the twins say he's not gay. For a kid who's supposed to be straight, he sure seems to be enjoying his time with us."</span></p> <p><span>"He's just havin' some fun, babe. Once he moves back home with his dad, he'll forget all about it."</span></p> <p><span>The two of us headed on into the kitchen to start preparing tonight's supper. About ten minutes later, the boys started to filter in with their books and things so they could take care of their homework. Every one of them had a look of complete satisfaction plastered on his face.</span></p> <p><span>As they mounted their stools at the bar, I asked, "Anybody need a snack today or you okay `til supper?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, we're good, Dad," T.J. smiled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we all had a Tootsie Roll for our snack today," Joey added with a wicked grin.</span></p> <p><span>"What's for supper, dads?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Food," I answered sarcastically.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, duh!" Mike retorted. "What kind of food?"</span></p> <p><span>"Edible," Tom replied with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, y'all just be that way," Joey cracked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nice of you guys to walk to the house today. We would have picked up, you know."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we know," Alex replied, "but it's pretty nice outside today, so we thought we'd walk."</span></p> <p><span>"Besides, if we'd dinged for you to pick us up, we would have interrupted you and Pops and missed the show," Joey laughed with the others joining in the laughter.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, I wanted to ask how you guys are doing with setting up the youth support group at school. Have you made any progress and is Mr. Thomas helping out like he said he would?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he's been great," Alex replied. "The group is all set up and Mr. Furman followed through on getting some pamphlet thingies printed up."</span></p> <p><span>"They're pretty cool, too," T.J. added. "They have info about the group along with phone numbers and websites kids can call or visit to get help if they don't want to talk to us. He even put our pictures on the front of it since it was our idea."</span></p> <p><span>"We get together during study times to talk about things with other kids. We've already had four or five find us and they're all in junior high or older."</span></p> <p><span>"How do the older kids feel talking to you guys?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Kinda weirded out about it at first, since we're so young, but after they see how open we are about being gay, they seem to chill out and are just thankful they have someone they can talk to who understands what they're dealing with," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Especially since none of them have talked to their families about what they're feeling," Joey added. "I can't believe a sixteen-year-old doesn't think she can talk to her parents about it. That's really sad."</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe her mom and dad are like mine used to be," Tom offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Or my mom and dad, too," I added.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, maybe," Joey agreed. "I gave her a copy of the DVD the school recorded of the workshop and she said she'd watch it. Maybe show it to her parents as a way to start a discussion with them."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you have more copies of the DVD?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we got about a hundred of them." Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"And they burned a bunch more to send out to other schools," T.J. added.</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like to get one for us to have, if you think that'd be okay. Lee and Carl still want to see it and I'd like for Pops' mom and dad to see it, too."</span></p> <p><span>"We can do that, Dad," Joey answered. "I'll bring one home tomorrow night."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, son. Well, we'll let you get back to your schoolwork. Supper will be ready in about an hour."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I headed for the living room and settled in front of the fireplace after I'd lit a fire. Andy and Mike joined us shortly thereafter and I continued to read <i>Huckleberry Finn</i> to them. When the other four had finished their homework and joined us, we played a game of Mousetrap while waiting for our supper to finish cooking. With eight players, the trap was built pretty quickly, and Logan ended up winning the game just as the timer went off to let us know supper was ready. We returned to the kitchen and while the boys set the table, Tom and I got the meatloaf and oven browned potatoes with parmesan cheese ready to put on the table.</span></p> <p><span>"Meatloaf!?" Andy cried out. "<i>That</i> was the big surprise?"</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, so it's not gourmet food. But it'll be tasty and filling, so dig in."</span></p> <p><span>After everyone had had a few bites, Logan piped up, "It might just be meatloaf, Max, but it's still better than my dad's. Think you could give him some pointers on how to make his taste better?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure I could, Logan, if he'll let me."</span></p> <p><span>The rest of the meal passed in relative quiet as we all stuffed our faces. The after-meal cleanup was taken care of quickly enough and the boys asked to go swimming before going to bed. Tom suggested that Alex, Logan and Joey help the other three move their clothes and things into their new room before we hit the pool. All six boys rumbled down the hallway and, in less than thirty minutes, returned to the living room, saying they were done and ready to swim.</span></p> <p><span>We grabbed our towels and headed outside. For once, the boys didn't mug us as soon as we hit the water, so Tom, Mike and I took some time to help the other boys with their swimming lessons. They were definitely improving a bit each day. I could tell Mike was quite the taskmaster and took his instructor role seriously. We were both proud of him for doing that. </span></p> <p><span>From the shy and retiring youngster that had originally moved in here with the others, he had become very outgoing and truly a force to be reckoned with. I was very happy that he had adjusted so well to his new circumstances and seemingly didn't require the professional services of Paul. We could only hope his progress into a strong and confident young man would continue. After Mike's half hour of instruction time had passed, it was suddenly time to play. The boys put their improved swimming skills to the test as they circled Tom and me before moving in for the kill. The end came quickly as we were already pretty tired from our afternoon exertions and the time we'd been in the pool hadn't helped our stamina one bit.</span></p> <p><span>After our inglorious defeat, we retreated to our corner to rest for a bit as the boys continued to play. After a while, T.J. swam over to us and wrapped an arm around Tom's neck.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, T.J.?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just thought I should warn you. I think Alex and Joey have figured it out."</span></p> <p><span>"What?" I asked, receiving a serious roll of the eyes from T.J.</span></p> <p><span>"Geez, I can't believe you could forget already. It only happened two nights ago."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that," I responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, <i>that</i>, Dads. It don't bother me none they know `cause it was lots of fun, but I thought you guys would want to know in case they start buggin' ya' about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, they've got nothing to complain about," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"I know that, you know that, but do you think they do?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I guess we'll find out, won't we?" I repsonded. "Thanks for the heads up young man."</span></p> <p><span>"Love you both," he called out as he swam back to rejoin the fray.</span></p> <p><span>"We saw that coming, didn't we?" Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep. And we'll deal with it, just like we do everything else."</span></p> <p><span>We gave the boys another half hour before we called them out of the pool to shower and get ready for a quick snack before bedtime. The promise of a snack had them all running for the house in no time and we followed them inside. While they cleaned up, we sliced some apples and set the boys up with some caramel dipping sauce for their wedges. Logan led the parade into the kitchen where they mounted their stools and inhaled the apple slices as if they were starving. Nothing reignites the fires of hunger like a good swim.</span></p> <p><span>"You guys ready for another fun-filled day at school tomorrow?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not really," T.J. answered. "I still don't know why we can't do school at home."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, because Pops will have his new work starting soon and I'm not qualified to do it myself, that's why."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what about hiring someone else to come in and teach us?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we all hate havin' to wear clothes to school," Andy added to the argument.</span></p> <p><span>"And just think how much laundry you'd save Ron from havin' to do when he moves in," Joey continued.</span></p> <p><span>"I bet we'd be able to learn a lot more at home, too," Mike concluded cheerfully.</span></p> <p><span>"What about you, Logan? What do you think?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No way man, I ain't got no dog in this hunt, so keep me out of it. Besides, if you <i>did</i> hire someone to come in and teach these goofballs just so they could be naked all day, I may never wanna go live with my old man again."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay then," I responded with a chuckle. "Sorry, boys, I just don't see it happening. Besides, you have the support group you're basically in charge of. If you don't go to school, who's going to run that?"</span></p> <p><span>"They can find someone else," Joey answered. "We got it up and running like we said we would, it's their job to keep it going."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, Tom and I will talk about it, but don't hold your breath waiting for it to happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Let's go boys," Tom interjected. "Time for bed. Move along and we'll be there soon to say good night." </span></p> <p><span>The sensational six-pack took off across the house as they headed for their rooms, leaving Tom and I to finish loading and starting the dishwasher. Our work in the kitchen completed, we followed the boys to say our goodnights. After our time in the pool, we were all pretty worn out and the boys were all curled up when we reached their rooms. As we said our goodnights and love yous, they returned the same feelings back to us. With the six all snuggled comfortably in their beds, we retreated to the living room where we sat on the loveseat and I leaned over and gave Tom a kiss on the cheek.</span></p> <p><span>"What was that for?" he asked as he turned to face me.</span></p> <p><span>"Just to remind you how much I love and need you in my life."</span></p> <p><span>"A little peck on the cheek? It that all I mean to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know it isn't. Here, let's see if this says it better," I added as I crawled into his lap, straddled his thighs and attacked his mouth, allowing my tongue to slip inside. When we finally broke for air, I asked, "Is that better?"</span></p> <p><span>"Much," he smiled. "I love you, too, you know."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I do," I murmured as I laid my head on his shoulder. "Um, is that a bazooka in your pocket or you just happy to see me?" I giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm always happy to see you, babe. Besides, I don't have any pockets right now."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, right," I muttered as I reached behind me and fondled his mushroom head and kissed him even more deeply than before. "I think we should continue this in the bedroom."</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe we should close the door this time, too," he chuckled as he slipped his hands under my ass and stood while holding on to me. "We really should be following our own rules, you know." I nodded my agreement as I wrapped my arms around his neck and legs around his waist while he carried me back to our bedroom. Our lips never separated during the entire trip. Once behind the closed door of our room, we proceeded to entertain ourselves for the next hour in some rather inventive ways. After a shower to refresh ourselves and eliminate the stink of our exertions, we curled up in bed together for a good night's sleep.</span></p> <p><span>In the morning, Tom was moving before I was, and he took off across the house to wake the boys. By the time he made it back to our bedroom, I was awake and moving, though not quite functional. He led me to the kitchen and plied me with coffee to help get my engine going. After a quick breakfast with the boys, I got dressed and drove them out to meet the bus. As they climbed out of the car, I got my hug from each of them as I reminded them to learn something new today.</span></p> <p><span>When I got back to the house, I could hear Tom was on the phone. As I came down the hallway from the garage, I heard him say, "Hang on a second, Paul, he just walked back in."</span></p> <p><span>I sat next to Tom and said, "Hey, Paul, thanks for calling back. Did you find someone else I can talk to?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure did, Max. His name is Jason Biggs. Let me give you his number and address so you can call him and set up an appointment." I wrote down the information as Paul recited it. "I've already asked him how he feels about Jean's opinion of your situation and he's in our camp, no issues at all. He thinks anybody who's qualified and willing to provide a home for a kid in need should be allowed to do so."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good news, Paul. I was afraid Jean's ugly thoughts might skew her work with me in the wrong direction."</span></p> <p><span>"That was a possibility, for sure, but you don't have to worry about it now. I also talked to Jean yesterday afternoon and told her she was way off base. She sounds like she's backed off for now, but who knows what she may do in the future."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Paul, we appreciate your efforts. I'll get in touch with Jason sometime today to set up an appointment."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, before we hang up, I wanted to ask how's everybody doing out there?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're good. You'll be happy to know Mike's been working with the boys on their swimming skills and they've made a lot of improvement since that started. Mike's really changed since the night you met us at Steak `n Shake. He's more confident in himself, more outgoing and he loves having brothers. He fits right in, like we were all meant to be together."</span></p> <p><span>"You were, you know. I'm glad to hear everyone's doing well, especially Mike. Considering the abuse he received before coming to live with us, I'm amazed at how well he's doing now."</span></p> <p><span>"I never asked, Paul, but can you tell me what kind of abuse he suffered?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, since your adoption is all but final, I guess I can tell you. He was beaten with a belt uncountable times, poorly fed, locked in a closet for weeks at a time to keep him away from mother's closet and humiliated constantly for wanting to wear his mom's things. That's what I learned from Carol when he came to live with Joy and me. There may be more that I don't know about."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you think it's a possibility he's transgender?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Hell, Tom, anything's possible these days, but I wouldn't want to saddle him with a classification of any kind since I couldn't get him to talk to me about it. Besides, the fact he liked to play with his mother's clothes doesn't necessarily mean anything. If he should decide in the future he wants to talk to someone, I'm still more than willing to do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Paul, we'll see what happens. Say hi to Joy for us and we'll talk to you later."</span></p> <p><span>"Will do, guys. Have a good day."</span></p> <p><span>After disconnecting the call, I looked to Tom and asked, "Do you think we should try talking to Mike?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, babe. He's been doing so well, I'd hate to ruin the progress he's made."</span></p> <p><span>"There is that, I guess, but I'd hate to see him struggle with something he may not understand."</span></p> <p><span>"Fair point, I guess. I guess a chat wouldn't hurt, but I'd wait until after our trip this weekend. I'd hate to see his spirits dampened before we go."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, that's settled, then. We'll talk with him one night next week, try to figure some things out. Well, I guess I should call Dr. Biggs and find out when he can see me." I dialed his number and, after a brief conversation with his receptionist, had an appointment scheduled for tomorrow at ten in the morning. After hanging up the phone, I passed the information on to Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"Looks like we're busy in the morning, then. That should work out fine, though, since we'll have plenty of time to get back home before David shows up for lunch. Are you going to take what you wrote for Jean and show it to him?"</span></p> <p><span>"He might as well read it, too, see what he thinks about it. I guess I'll do some more work on it this afternoon, too. The more I think about it, turning this nightmare into a book makes a certain kind of sense, in some sort of sick, perverted way."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good thinking, Max. Give you a little project to keep you occupied," Tom commented while thinking `and keep your crazy mind off the whole bigger house/more kids thing.'</span></p> <p><span>"I hate to break it to you, bubba, but writing a book is <i>not</i> a `little project'. It's a massive undertaking that requires a considerable amount of thought, serious planning, and more than a fair amount of creativity. There's an enormous amount of effort expended in creating characters the readers will connect with and care about, developing the proper flow of the story, conceiving realistic events, conflicts and plotlines, and then wrapping it all up in a satisfying manner."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I get all that, but the book you'd be writing this time won't be fiction, will it? It'll basically be an autobiography, so you don't need to create characters, plotlines or any of that other junk. You've got all of that, already. You just need to organize or outline where you want to start and end the story, the details you want to include and how you feel about everything at the different times in your life. Call it `<i>The Dummies Guide to Surviving Sexual Abuse</i>'."</span></p> <p><span>"Really, Tom!?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm so sorry, Max. Shitty joke. I don't know what I was thinkin'."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't either, damn it, but this shit ain't funny."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that. I'm just a fuckin' dumbass." He tipped his head forward and added, "Go ahead, smack me, I deserve it."</span></p> <p><span>I leaned over and ruffled his hair and said, "Not this time, bucko. But let's see if we can get you back to bein' a <i>smart</i>ass, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Deal, babe," he agreed as he lifted his head back up and gave me a kiss. </span></p> <p><span>The phone rang again, and after checking the caller ID, I punched the speaker button and answered, "Morning, James. I hope you're calling with some good news."</span></p> <p><span>"Only the best news for you today, Max. I thought you'd like to know that Valerie Carr has dropped her wrongful termination lawsuit."</span></p> <p><span>"What!? How the hell did that happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"I was finally able to talk some sense into her lawyer. I informed him that our side was ready for a full-fledged battle with six lawyers ready to spend untold hours filing every possible motion and action we could think of. And all of us would be billing anywhere from three to five hundred dollars an hour as we churned out tons of paper he was gonna have to deal with. The final nail in her coffin was when I told him that since he took the case on a contingency, he'd end up with squat after she lost. I don't think he liked that idea very much, especially after I tossed in the idea he may liable for some of those fees since it was a frivolous lawsuit to begin with."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd hope not. Well, you've worked your magic again. I don't know if I can ever say thank you enough for all your efforts."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, you can, just pay my outrageous bill when you get it," he laughed. "That's all the thanks I need."</span></p> <p><span>"You know I will, especially as long as you can keep doing the right thing."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all I know how to do, Max. Well, I have other fish to fry today, so I'll talk to you later. You guys have a good afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, James, we will." </span></p> <p><span>I ended the call and laid my head back, letting go a huge sigh of relief. "God, that's a load off my mind." </span></p> <p><span>"Bet it feels good to be out from under that insanity," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"You have no idea. I wasn't overly concerned with the suit, but it was just another point of stress I can do without right now."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what's for lunch today?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"How the hell can you be thinking about food already? It's only ten."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I was really thinkin' about sex, but I'm still worn out from yesterday, so I thought a refueling might be called for. You know, get the juices flowing, again," he snickered.</span></p> <p><span>"I haven't noticed that ever being a problem."</span></p> <p><span>"And we don't want to take a chance that it does, do we?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I guess not," I laughed in agreement. "Grilled ham and cheese sound okay to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect. Tomato soup, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"If you want, why not? I think we can afford a can of soup for ya'."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure as hell hope so. It'd be pretty damn hard to build a new house when you can't spring some coin for a bowl of soup."</span></p> <p><span>We finally picked up our books and spent the next couple of hours reading and relaxing together. When we both started to feel hunger creeping into our bodies, we headed for the kitchen and whipped up our simple lunch. By the time we were done eating and loading our things into the dishwasher, the drive sensor had gone off to announce Bob arriving with Tom's office furniture. While Tom headed down the hall to the garage to let Bob and his nephews in, I turned towards my study to begin organizing my thoughts for the book I was preparing to create.</span></p> <p><span>I started by creating a basic outline consisting of the three major sections I wanted in the book; my life before, during and after my abuse at the hands of the Muellers. I then started filling in the space I'd left between the main headings with basic topics to cover under each, rearranging them as I saw fit. After about an hour working on my outline, I had everything pretty well covered, except for the answer to the one question that was still nagging at me; out of all the kids in our church class, why did the Muellers pick me? I was aware of two people who knew that answer for sure, but I didn't think I wanted go back to the jail for a visit with them. And I was pretty confident neither Mom, Dad or Lee would have said anything to them, especially since they didn't know I was gay when my nightmare started. There was only one other person I could think of that might know the answer and I decided to call him.</span></p> <p><span>After looking him up in the phone book, I dialed the number and waited for him to answer. After six rings, my old friend David finally answered the phone. He'd been my best friend growing up and lived across the street from us. I had wanted him as much as I'd wanted my dad and he was the only person I could think of who might have figured out I was gay.</span></p> <p><span>"Hello?" he asked cautiously.</span></p> <p><span>"David? It's your old buddy, Max. How ya' doin'?" I greeted cheerfully.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hey Max. I'm not too bad, I guess. It's been a long time, man."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, and I'm sorry for that."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right, real life and everything, I understand. I've missed you though."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I've missed you, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, I read the story last week and again in this morning's paper. Sorry to hear you went through that. I had no idea those people were doin' that crap or I woulda said somethin'."</span></p> <p><span>"I appreciate the thought, David, and that's exactly why I wanted to talk to you. But I have a hard time believing you didn't know what was going on."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell are you talkin' about?" he asked indignantly.</span></p> <p><span>"I think you knew exactly what they were doin' to kids in the church and you're the one who told them I might be gay."</span></p> <p><span>"You don't know what you're sayin, Max. I didn't have nothin' to do with that. I didn't go to your church and didn't even know who those people were until I read their names in the paper last week."</span></p> <p><span>"Please, David, don't make this worse by lyin' to me. I've been wracking my brain for some time now and it just hit me, not ten minutes ago. <i>You</i> knew I was gay, or at least thought I might be."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I knew. You were my best friend, Max, but you were always different from the other guys we hung out with. Hell, we were in each other's houses so much, we were like brothers. And then, just before you turned thirteen, you spent a night at my house and shit just got too weird for me."</span></p> <p><span>"What are you talkin' about, David? I don't remember anything off the wall happening."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I was always bugged `bout you sleepin' naked whenever we spent the night together. I always felt weird wearin' shorts when you didn't have nothin' on."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, wait a minute. We talked about me sleepin' nude the first time you stayed at my house and you said you were okay with it, especially since we usually took our bath or shower together. And you could have slept nude, too, or you could have asked me to pull on some shorts and I would have. I mean, what was the big deal?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know what I said. And I was lyin' to ya' `cause you were my friend, but I hated sleepin' in the same bed with you when you were naked. Then came that one night at my house. I finally decided to try sleepin' naked, too. And it was okay to start out with. You were right about it bein' comfortable. But then, I woke up about two in the morning `cause I had to piss, and you had curled up right behind me. I felt your stiff dick crawlin' up my ass and you had a hand wrapped around my dick. I thought you were tryin' to screw me and I was like, `Oh, fuck no, this ain't happenin'.' I got the hell outta bed as quick as I could and, after goin' to the bathroom, I spent the rest of the night in the recliner in my room."</span></p> <p><span>"<i>That's</i> why you were in the chair the next morning? Jesus, David, I'm so sorry. I had no idea. Why the hell didn't you say something?"</span></p> <p><span>"Guys our age didn't talk about shit like that back then, Max. Not with nobody."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon, we talked about all kinds of things. But, now that I think about it, I guess you're right, we didn't talk about who we wanted to go to bed with, did we?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, and I was really freaked out, thinkin' you wanted me that way."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, to be honest with ya', I did. I never realized I'd actually acted on my feelings, though, and I'm sorry it happened. Is that why you said somethin' to the Muellers? To see if they could <i>fix</i> me and make me a nice little straight boy?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max, like I said, I didn't know them and I swear, I <i>never</i> said shit about that night to <i>nobody</i>. You gotta believe me."</span></p> <p><span>"Well someone did because every time they took me into that chamber of horrors, they were always screaming about drivin' the devil outta me and how I wasn't a faggot. They got it from someone. If it wasn't my family or you, who the hell was it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can only think of one possibility, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Who?" I asked with desperation at getting the answer I needed.</span></p> <p><span>"You remember George, the kid who lived at the other end of the block behind me?"</span></p> <p><span>"You mean George Lair? Yeah, I remember him, but he and I were never really friends, except to say hi to as we passed by each other. Why do you think it might've been him?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he was like my second-best friend and I told him, after that night, that he might want to get to know you better. I thought you two would hit it off, in more ways than one."</span></p> <p><span>"Why the fuck would you think that?"</span></p> <p><span>"'Cause he was gay, too, and he'd told me he liked you. I thought maybe if you two hooked up, then you and me could still be friends without you wantin' to fuck me, since you'd be gettin' what you wanted from him."</span></p> <p><span>"What makes you think he said something about me to the Muellers?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, first off, he <i>did</i> go to the same church y'all did. And he was kinda blatant about bein' gay, really out there, you know? He'd also told me that he thought Frank was kinda eyein' him, like he knew it, too. I think George might've told Frank about you to try and keep Frank away from himself."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit. I guess I need to talk to George, then."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, good luck with that," David scoffed. "Hope you got a phone that can make a <i>really</i> long-distance call."</span></p> <p><span>"What're you sayin', David?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, right, you don't keep up with the people in our class, do ya'? George killed himself about six, maybe seven years ago, but since you didn't come to our tenth class reunion, you wouldn't know that."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, shit. I guess that ends that."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess it does. You might be able to talk to his brother or parents. If you can find `em?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I won't do that. I don't want to bring up bad memories for them just to satisfy my curiosity. But I gotta tell ya', I'm glad it wasn't you who told the Muellers. I still care about you and have wondered how you've been since we last saw each other at our graduation."</span></p> <p><span>"I've been okay, I guess. Got married, had kids, got divorced, you know, the same old shit. The bitch got the house and everything in it, including my kids. Now I get to see them once a month for two whole days at a time. And I'm stuck in a shitty apartment, working my ass off to make child support payments while she sits on her fat ass and sucks my bank account dry every month. Life really sucks sometimes, ya' know?"</span></p> <p><span>"You don't have to tell me that," I responded sarcastically.</span></p> <p><span>"No, I guess not. I wish I could have helped you, Max, I really do. How's your life been otherwise?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's sucked, obviously, but it's getting better, day by day. I'm getting married in May and my partner and I are in the process of adopting five boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Good for you, man. I wish you all the best."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll have to get together sometime, David, and catch up. I hate us being strangers."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'd like that. Maybe I could bring the kids out my one weekend some month."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like fun. I bet your kids and ours would have fun together."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know about that. The bitch has really fucked them up, but it's worth a try."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, look, I gotta go. It was good talkin' to ya'. Let's stay in touch, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do that. I'll let you know the next time I have the kids and we can get together."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll look forward to it, David. Take care."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you, too."</span></p> <p><span>After hanging up the phone, I cogitated on what David had told me about George and the more I thought about it, the more I believed he probably was the one who got the Muellers interested in me. I remembered him being pretty demonstrative about his inclinations and could see him trying to deflect the Muellers away from himself. What I really wondered about, though, was why he had committed suicide. Was it a lack of acceptance of his sexuality by himself or his family, or was there a much darker reason for it? I thought it was a good possibility that despite his efforts, he may have still fallen prey to abuse by the Muellers or someone else. But how could I find out without disturbing his family?</span></p> <p><span>I finally gave up twisting my mind around the infinite number of possibilities. I decided to take a break from driving myself crazy and left the study to see how Bob and his guys were doing. When I walked into Tom's office, I was surprised to find his furniture in place and Tom was organizing his desk, getting ready to work. "Where's Bob?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"They finished up about twenty minutes ago and took off."</span></p> <p><span>"But what about paying him? He was supposed to bring his bill for the boys' and your furniture today."</span></p> <p><span>"He said to not worry about it, we could settle up when he brings Dylan's desk out next week. Besides, you were busy, and we didn't want to interrupt."</span></p> <p><span>"I wish you would have," I said glumly as I settled myself onto the corner of the desk. </span></p> <p><span>"Oh, why's that. I thought you authors didn't like to be interrupted when you're in the creative process."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, normally, I don't, but I wasn't working all this time, either. I realized I had a phone call to make." I told Tom about my call and what I'd found out. He was shaking his head in disbelief during my story. "I really want to know why the Muellers picked me, but I don't know where to go from here. I don't want to bug George's family and dredge all this shit back up with them."</span></p> <p><span>"Let's wait until next week when I've got my computer and everything set up. I'll do some checking into it then and see what I can find out. You said the guy's name was George Lair?" After a quick nod of agreement, he wrote the name on a notepad and continued. "I'll see if I can access his autopsy report, first, then scan the newspaper for the time around his death to see if there were any stories about it. Once I've found all that can be found that way, I'll start pursuing other routes. I know this is important to you and I'll pull out all the stops to get you an answer, babe."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, bubba, I appreciate it. If I have to talk to his family, I will, but I'll save that as a last resort."</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you let me talk to them if we need to? I've had a little more practice at questioning people than you have. I'm also a bit more separated from the issues involved so I can keep it from becoming personal."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay. If these people are responsible for George's suicide, I want them charged with his death. I didn't know him that well, but he still didn't deserve to die that way."</span></p> <p><span>"Nobody does, but we can't save `em all."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that, but knowing it doesn't make me want to stop trying." The phone rang to interrupt our conversation and Tom answered it.</span></p> <p><span>"Hello," he greeted the caller after punching the speaker button.</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, Dylan here. Got a few things to pass on to you. First, I've talked to Derek and he's cool with us accessing the county system to do background checks for Carol and her group. He doesn't think we should use it for any other work we might get, but he's all for helping out on the background checks."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, Dylan. Being able to tap that information will really help us out. What else do you have?"</span></p> <p><span>"Charlie Campbell was released from jail this morning and should be home by now. His first appointment with the counselor is set for Friday morning, but he might call you guys before then to try and see Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for letting us know. Should we allow him to visit before he sees the counselor?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't see what it would hurt to do so. In my talks with him, he knows he screwed up and he accepted the judge's orders this morning with no arguments, so it should be okay. Even though you've quit the department, you're still deputized. I expect you to make sure there aren't any issues during his visits."</span></p> <p><span>"I can do that," Tom replied. "Are there any limits on his visits, special conditions we should know about?"</span></p> <p><span>"The visits can happen anywhere, but preferably at your home where you have some control and that they're supervised while they're together. That doesn't mean you need be between them or anything, just close by to keep an eye on things."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, Dylan. We'll take care of it. Anything else?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really. Except Malcom's coming down again this weekend. Didn't know if you guys would want to get together Saturday night."</span></p> <p><span>"Ooh, wish we could, but we're going to Chicago Friday night and won't be back until late Sunday."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, aren't you special?" Dylan chuckled. "Hope you guys have fun and please don't tear the place down. I'd like to go see the Windy City myself, someday."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll try to leave it the way we find it," Tom laughed. "Wouldn't want to deprive you and Malcom of a future trip," Tom retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"And if you're good boys, we'll even let you use our condo while you're up there," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Mighty white of you, Max. You sure the neighbors won't be frightened by two black dudes invading the `hood?"</span></p> <p><span>"If they are, it'll be their problem, not yours, Dylan. Just let me know when you want to go, and I'll make sure you have keys and alarm codes."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, man, thanks. Well, gotta go, here comes Kelly with the next disaster. Talk to you later."</span></p> <p><span>As we ended the call and heard the front door slamming closed. I looked at Tom and asked, "You expecting company?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not me, I was hoping it was you." As we got up to greet our visitors, the mini-herd of six rambunctious boys rounded the corner of the hallway and rumbled into Tom's office.</span></p> <p><span>"Wow, Pops, this looks great," Alex commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, now you can get back to work and start bringing home the bacon," Joey added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks, Joey. Nice to know I'm good for something," Tom cracked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you're good for plenty of other things, too," T.J. joked while wiggling his eyebrows.</span></p> <p><span>"So, who has homework?" I asked in a bid to derail the conversation. The four oldest raised their hands, so I continued, "Well, let's get comfortable and we'll meet in the kitchen for snacks." The boys headed to their rooms to undress while Tom and I went to our room to do the same. When we rejoined the boys in the kitchen, we set up a snack of milk and cookies for each and helped the ones who need it. When Joey and Alex finished with their regular work, they dove back into the fifth-grade math text. We could see they were still making good progress on the book, but they'd slowed down a bit, so we assumed they'd finally hit on something new that was a challenge, even for their number crunching minds.</span></p> <p><span>T.J. completed his little bit of homework, closed his book and said, "Hey, Pops, I need to talk to you `bout somethin'. Can we go to your office?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, buddy," Tom answered. "Lead the way."</span></p> <p><span>Those two disappeared across the house, leaving me alone with the others.</span></p> <p><span>I followed T.J. down the hall and he turned into his room first to drop his books and then joined me in my office, closing the door behind him. After I sat in my chair at the desk, he hopped up on the desk and sat where Max had been a little while ago.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up T.J.?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I got a problem at school and I think you should know about it. I was talking to a junior this afternoon and I think he's in real trouble."</span></p> <p><span>"What kind of trouble?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, part of this he told me, the rest of it I just picked up, ya' know." After a quick nod of acknowledgment from me, T.J. continued. "He was telling me about how he thought he was gay but he's afraid of what his mom and dad will do if they find out. So, he fakes it around them, always talkin' `bout girls and `bout goin' out on dates with `em. He's really been going to some dive of a gay bar in Springfield and tryin' to find a dude to do shit with. He thinks if he does it with a guy and likes it, then he really is gay, and he needs to tell his parents. But he's scared to death of them and how they'll react."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if he's goin' to the dump I'm thinking about, he's definitely in the wrong place. But I can't be involved if all he's afraid of is his parents."</span></p> <p><span>"That ain't all of it, Pops. This is the part I picked up `cause he wouldn't talk about it, even though I flat-out asked him `cause I'd already seen it. He's thinking about killin' himself. He thinks he's better off dying than talkin' to his parents. I'm really scared he'll do it `cause I also picked up pieces of his plan."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, crap, that's not good, T.J."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, that's why I wanted to talk to you. I figured with you bein' a cop, you might be able to do something to help."</span></p> <p><span>"But, I'm not a cop anymore. And as much I'd like to help him out, there's nothing the law can do about it until he makes an attempt. If he does that, then he can be hospitalized and get the help he needs, like what happened with Papa Jim."</span></p> <p><span>"What about talkin' to him or his parents? Can you do that before he does something stupid he may not survive?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, I could do that, I guess, but I'd want to talk to him before we try his parents. And if he wants me with him to talk to his parents, I'd be willing to do that, too."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, Pops. Are you and Dad gonna be home tomorrow afternoon? The dude's supposed to come talk to me again and I'd like you to be there, if you can."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we'll be here. Your dad has an appointment in the morning and Judge Corgan is coming out for lunch, but I could be at the school about two-thirty. Will that work okay for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Great! I really appreciate your help."</span></p> <p><span>"Have you thought about how you're going to explain me being there without giving away how you know what you do?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet, but I will, don't worry."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be at the school on time. Is there somewhere we can talk to your friend privately?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and I'll make sure it's empty when you get there."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, sounds like we have a plan, young man. Now, let's get out of here and see what's for supper."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Pops. I knew you'd help me." </span></p> <p><span>T.J. jumped off the desk and led the way back to the kitchen. I'd have to let Max know what was going on, but I figured to do that later in the evening.</span></p> <p><span>"There you are," I called out as T.J. and Tom came back to the kitchen. "You guys ready for supper?"</span></p> <p><span>"Always, Dad," T.J. giggled. "What're we havin' tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"How does lasagna, garlic bread and a salad sound to everyone?" With agreement from everyone, I pulled a lasagna from the freezer and got it in the oven. Since Tom was hovering nearby I whispered, "What was that all about?"</span></p> <p><span>"As you always like to say," he whispered back conspiratorially, "later." I had to chuckle at his response and nodded my head.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, two hours till that's ready. What're we gonna do while we wait?"</span></p> <p><span>"I wanna keep readin' <i>Ender's Game</i>," Logan replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Can you read some more <i>Huckleberry Finn</i> to me and Mike?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Why not, that sounds like fun? Alex, Joey, T.J. what about you guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Dad," Alex answered. "Did you ever get those <i>Spiderwick</i> books ordered?"</span></p> <p><span>"As a matter of fact, I did. They showed up the other day and then I forgot all about them. They're in a box in the corner of my study. Why don't you grab it?" Alex was off like a shot from a cannon and quickly returned with the box. After handing it to me, I popped it open and pulled out five books. I handed all five to Alex and added, "There you go guys, split `em up and enjoy." The remaining three each selected a book and curled up on the couch to read. Tom was in his chair and Logan took mine since I decided to sit on the loveseat with Mike and Andy after starting a fire and flipping on the circulation fan.</span></p> <p><span>After an hour and a half of reading, it was time to put the garlic bread in the oven and get the salad put together. While Tom and I were taking care of those tasks, the boys set the table so it would be ready when the food was done. Soon enough, we were taking our seats and digging into our very filling meal. I was nicely surprised to see all six of the boys eat at least some of the salad we had given them. I remembered refusing to eat salad at their ages and was afraid they would, too, but none of them complained. Alex and T.J. even seemed to enjoy it a bit with the cheese and croutons added.</span></p> <p><span>Once everyone had had their fill, we got busy with our cleanup and were ready to relax for a while before bedtime. During the meal, we had decided to watch a couple more <i>Star Trek</i> episodes, so we adjourned to the theater and settled in our chairs. The phone rang about halfway through the first show and I went to the kitchen to answer the call.</span></p> <p><span>"Hello?"</span></p> <p><span>"Is this Mr. Sanders?"</span></p> <p><span>"It is, who's calling, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Sanders, this is Logan's dad, Charlie."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, good evening, Charlie. How are you doing today?"</span></p> <p><span>"A damn sight better that I've been the last week, I can tell you. I can't tell you how happy I am to be able to sleep in my own bed tonight. The only thing missing is my son."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I wish he could be with you tonight, but I'm afraid that's not possible."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know. How's Logan doing? I'm worried about him. Is he behaving himself?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's doing just great, Charlie. Logan fits in great with our boys and he's been a good helper to have around. We're going to miss him when he's able to move home."</span></p> <p><span>"Not any more than I miss him. He's all I got left in this world and I can't stand not having him here with me."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, as soon as the judge says so, he'll get to move back home with you. Until that time, though, he'll be fine here with us."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, Mr. Sanders, I know I screwed up big time and Sergeant Brock is helping me out with a counselor and all, but I wondered if I could come see Logan tomorrow afternoon? I need to let him know how sorry I am for the way I've treated him the last couple years. I've been nothing but mean to my son and he deserves way better than that."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, he does, Charlie. Logan is a very smart and sensitive young man. He loves you and would do just about anything he could for you. He's told me several times how much he wants to go back home. But he'll still be glad to see you and hear what you have to say. What time would you like to come over?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, when do the boys get home from school?"</span></p> <p><span>"They're usually here by a quarter to four. Why don't you come over about four thirty? That gives the boys time to do any homework they may have before moving on to other things. Would that work out okay for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's just fine, but I can't believe you'd let me in your house after the way I acted."</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Campbell, everybody has good days and bad days and they sometimes make bad decisions. But, I also believe everyone deserves a second chance to do the right thing. <i>This</i> is your second chance. Don't blow it because I don't believe in third chances."</span></p> <p><span>"I understand, and I thank you for being straight with me."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see you tomorrow then, Charlie."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be there."</span></p> <p><span>We ended the call and I got back to the theater just in time to catch the end of the first show. We watched a second episode and decided it was time to get the boys headed for bed. On the way, we stopped in the kitchen for a quick snack of some fruit rollups and milk before shooing the sensational six-pack on down the hall. Tom and I followed a few minutes later to take care of our nightly rituals and once the boys were all tucked in bed, we retreated to the living room to relax for a bit.</span></p> <p><span>I told Tom about my call with Charlie, so he'd be prepared when the man arrived. Tom then told me about his conversation with T.J. </span></p> <p><span>"Good for T.J. I'm glad to hear he didn't hesitate to get some help with a sticky situation. I can see all three boys being a major asset to the group with their abilities."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, me too. I just hope the kid will be willing to really talk with me. I know I told T.J. I'd talk to the boy's parents if he wants me to go with him, but I'm worried I'll say the wrong thing and screw things up."</span></p> <p><span>"All you can do is tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may. Hopefully, his parents won't be assholes."</span></p> <p><span>"You really think that's likely?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can dream, can't I?"</span></p> <p><span>"And I'm hoping your dreams come true."</span></p> <p><span>"Speaking of dreams, I'm ready to go start tonight's. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day and I need some sleep."</span></p> <p><span>"Go ahead, babe. I'm not ready to turn in just yet and was gonna read for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, don't stay up too late."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, Dad," he groaned while rolling his eyes.</span></p> <p><span>Before heading on to bed, I crawled in Tom's lap to give him a hug and a kiss. As we broke the kiss, I reminded him of how much I loved him and received the same token of affection back from him. I then headed for bed and a good night's sleep. When Tom finally joined me, I woke up just enough to curl up in his arms and fall fast asleep as he lovingly held onto me.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-90.html

Building a Family Chapter 90 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. � It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 90 � Let the Fireworks Begin I stopped in the kitchen on my way to join the gabfest taking place in the living room and just about lost it on the sight that greeted me. And while I managed to internalize the hearty guffaw that was about to escape, there was no covering up the rather piggish snort of laughter that refused to remain contained. Ron quickly closed the oven and spun around to look at me, "What?" "Nice apron, ya goofball," I snickered. "It, uh, really brings out the blue in your eyes." "Thanks, I kinda like it, too. Did you know these things are good for more than just protectin' your junk when cookin' bacon and burgers?" "Never thought about `em that way, I guess. `Course, there was never that much concern about it before recent times. Were you able to get it on in time?" I asked with a smirk. "Barely," he chuckled. "While Arlene and her boys just missed seeing the sun, I was still tying the back and they got a really good gander at a full moon," he added with a snigger. "Oh god, please don't say gander around me. Not for a while, anyway," I moaned. "Why not?" I quickly filled Ron in on our exciting and terrifying return to Illinois, Ron's expression changing with each new detail. When I finished the tale, he wrapped me in a hug and whispered, "Glad you're all safe." That bit of drama handled, it was time to move on. "So, how'd they react to your, uh, uniform?" I queried. "I think the boys were just embarrassed at seeing another guy's bare ass, but Logan's aunt seemed to like what she saw. Quite a bit, I might add." "Uh-oh," I chortled. "Of course, she's been married to that asshole Troy for so long, she'd probably take a shot at any halfway decent-lookin' piece of beefcake these days." "Thanks, Max, I'll take that as a compliment," he grinned. "We're cool, though. Once Logan got done tryin' to pop my head off with his hug and saw her checking me out from head to toe the way she was, the little squirt quickly let her know it would never work since I'm not into women," Ron giggled. "Damn, I missed that brat when he was down there. Glad he gets to stay for good now." "We all are," I agreed. "Tom and Mike won't be back for a while yet. Is that gonna cause a problem with your supper schedule?" I asked. "Nope, I kinda planned for a flexible time. The ribs have been in the oven for about four hours now and by the time we're ready to sit and chow down, the meat should be fallin' off the bone. I'll just need a little heads up to get the all-rotten taters in and crank the temp on the oven so they'll be ready at the right time." "Well, he was just pullin' off the interstate into Normal when we talked, so figure close to two hours from now." `I'll keep an eye on everything like always, Max, but that at least gives me a rough time to work towards. It's four-thirty now, so I'll pop the potatoes in, say, about six. They'll be ready to go about seven, then. Sound workable to you?" "Yep, sounds like a plan to me," I agreed before adding, "Make it so." "Yessir, Cap'n Picard, sir!" Ron retorted with a half-assed salute while crossing his eyes and sticking his tongue out at me. "Don't ever change, Ron," I laughed. "I needed that right about now." "Always happy to help, boss." "You will join us shortly, right?" "Affirmative, Cap'n," he laughed. "The first smartass doesn't stand a chance against you," I muttered as I turned to join the rest of the family and finally have a chance to sit down with Arlene, Daril and Arley and have an enlightening discussion. During the next hour and a half, we learned Arlene is thirty-seven, Daril is sixteen and Arley, fifteen. Arlene and Troy had been high-school sweethearts and married the summer after they graduated from high school, just as everyone expected they would. Life had been pretty good the first several years of their lives together. They borrowed money from their parents, bought 300 acres of land and planted the peach and apple trees that would later become their orchard. Both worked other jobs while they waited for the trees to start producing the fruit that eventually became their main source of income. Troy and Arlene worked together during weekends to make sure the trees they'd planted were healthy and growing as they should. Four years after their marriage began, Daril was born and Arley followed just over a year later. By that time, the orchard had become a profitable business and their futures looked to be very secure. They built a house to replace the mobile home they'd started in, constructed the dam to create the lake behind their home and subdivided the property around the small lake into fifteen separate home lots. With the income received from the sale of those lots, they were able to pay back the loans to their parents and the loan from the bank they'd taken out to build their new home. Yes, life was certainly looking good for the young family. When Arley and Daril reached the age of seven or eight, they joined Troy working in the orchard, mostly helping to pick the ready for market fruit from the lower branches they could reach while other workers took care of the higher ones with the aid of ladders. Once picked and loaded onto a wagon, the harvest was hauled to the shed where it was machine sorted by size and then loaded into bushel baskets and half-bushel bags. The young boys' real forte at the orchard was their salesmanship, though. They had thoroughly enjoyed spending their evenings and weekends at the shed, using their charm and cuteness to entice customers into buying more than they really needed. � When they felt folks weren't stepping up to the plate, they'd put on a sad puppy dog face to seduce them into buying even more. Both boys blushed with embarrassment as Arlene touted their finely-honed skills. Unfortunately, it all started to go to hell in a handbasket five years ago when southeast Missouri was dealt a serious blow due to a drought that killed almost a third of the trees in the orchard. They tried irrigating from the lake, but all too soon, it ran dry and was ultimately of little help. The next year was even worse because of a late freeze. Despite hiring helicopters to fly over the orchard for four nights in a row in an attempt to force slightly warmer air down to the ground and keep the blossoms from succumbing to the extremely low temperatures, the effort and the year were almost a complete loss. And after having run through their reserves the previous year, they went back to their parents to borrow more money to keep themselves afloat. With the boys now being eleven and twelve, their grandparents gladly pitched in what they could to ensure food would be on the table and property taxes were paid on time. During that year, Troy became increasingly obsessed with keeping the family business going and more and more despondent over his failure to adequately support his family. When another year rolled around, the parents were tapped out and unable to continue providing even minimal support for their kids and grandkids. That was when Troy began going to extreme measures to keep his dream alive, borrowing money from the unsavory type of people who don't take very kindly to people who can't repay their debts. His depression about the situation and the stress of dealing with such shady individuals is what led to the dark side of his nature rearing its ugly head. As increasing pressure was applied by his `lenders', Troy became angrier and angrier and it finally boiled over into the outright abuse of Arlene and the boys. The past couple of years had been profitable again, but with the sharks circling and demanding more and more every month, Troy became exceedingly toxic and unbalanced, taking out all his frustrations on his family. Arlene had planned to escape many times over the past three years, but with no money to facilitate her ideas, she and the boys were stuck in a bad situation with little hope of ever following through on her dreams of starting a new life and bringing an end to the ongoing and worsening abuse. When Charlie died, Troy hatched his despicable plan to pilfer Logan's inheritance by any means necessary, all in an effort to save what he'd spent the last twenty years of hard work building up. Living with the continual threat of abuse and in fear for their lives if they didn't go along with the deranged man, Arlene, Daril and Arley had little choice but to give in to Troy's demands and follow his lead. When Logan had finally fought back against Troy and won the war with the asshole, she knew their chance to start anew had finally arrived and the three began planning their next moves in earnest. The only real problem they still faced was the ongoing lack of funds, and the offer from Logan to live on what was now his farm was like a sign from above. All three were expressing their undying gratitude for Logan's assistance, but the munchkin downplayed his generosity as if it were nothing. The other big thing we learned from Arlene was that while Troy had always accused Rebecca (Becky according to Arlene) of forcing Charlie to move away from Dexter, it really wasn't her idea. Charlie had planned to get away from Troy as soon as he possibly could because he had seen the darkness that resided deep inside his brother's heart and didn't want his own family to be exposed to it. So, shortly after Charlie and Rebecca married, they moved to New Berlin and bought the farm. I felt fortunate in the fact that if she knew about him, Arlene didn't bring up any mention of William. I don't think I could've have maintained my composure and kept the secret of who's coming to dinner. Arlene's biggest concern at the moment was to make sure her sons didn't let their educations flounder. And while she claimed neither of them would ever be mistaken for geniuses (much to the boys' chagrin), they did fairly well in school and were looking forward to getting started here as soon as they could. Of course, I promised to take them to the school Monday morning to get them enrolled so their interruption would be minimal. All three were looking forward to moving onto Logan's farm. While the boys knew there would be some work involved in living there, they were more than willing to do it for the opportunity they were being given. They insisted they wouldn't have any issues dealing with what needed to be done since they were both hard workers and used to dealing with tractors and other heavy equipment after all their experience on the orchard. In the middle of their stories, Ron had finally joined us after taking a call in the kitchen. Of course, he'd also slipped down to his bedroom before returning wearing a pair of shorts, causing more than a few giggles among the crew when he finally plucked Andy from his spot on the couch, taking the space and allowing the rugrat to settle into his lap. Once it seemed that Arlene and her sons had run out of things to share, I asked Ron, "Who called a while back?" "Nobody important. It was Tom letting us know they'd just picked up the special delivery and were on the interstate back home. They're gonna zip into a Walmart to pick up a few things on the way, though." "Sounds good to me. I'm famished and they can't get here fast enough." Everyone enjoyed a good laugh at that comment. "Well, I'm gonna get the potatoes in the oven and the salad ready to serve." "Is there anything I can do to help?" Arlene asked. "Thanks for the offer, ma'am, but I got a handle on this," Ron replied before getting up, setting Andy back into his original seat, and disappearing into the kitchen. "Hey, Dad," Logan started, "we was talkin' while you was on the phone and I was thinkin' `bout spendin' the weekend at the farm to make sure they know where ever'thing is." "Well, we'll have to think about that," I hedged. "Let's see what Pops says when he gets back, okay?" "Yeah, I guess," he grumped in response. "Can we go watch TV `til Pops and Mike get here?" Alex asked. "Fine with me, guys," I answered. As the five younger ones headed across the living room, T.J. stopped by my chair, dancing a little jig of expectation. Daril and Arley looked to their mom, uncertain if they were allowed to join the others and Daril asked, "Can we go, too, Ma?" " `Course you can," Arlene answered quickly. "You might as well start enjoying life now that you don't hafta worry `bout your dad screwin' things up for ya no more." With big smiles on their faces, the two jumped up from the loveseat and followed along, hustling to catch up to the others. Turning my attention to the still-hovering youngster, I asked, "What's up, kiddo?" "Is Logan's brother really coming here tonight?" he begged quietly, eyes lit up with excitement. "How long have you known?" I asked with resignation. "Since right after Pops talked to that Randy dude," he admitted. "Alex and Joey know, too." "You three are gonna drive us crazy, you know that, right?" "Yep," T.J. replied happily with a huge grin flooding his face. "Yes, William's going to be here for the weekend," I admitted, "but keep it under your hat, please." T.J. immediately lifted both hands to the top of his head and giggled, "Uh, what hat?" "You know what I mean, ya goofball. Now scoot," I added with a light swat on his behind. "And mum's the word, you hear me?" "Even when you don't say it out loud, Dad," he chirped as he hauled ass to the theater. When he'd moved on, I turned back towards Arlene and saw a look of shock on her face at T.J.'s question. "Did I hear that right," she muttered in disbelief. "Yes, Logan has a brother," I replied. "We never knew nothin' `bout that," she breathed quietly. "I can't believe Becky never mentioned him all these years. How'd you find out `bout `im and where's he been?" "William was mentioned in Charlie's will. According to that, he was born shortly after Charlie and Rebecca bought the farm, and with them just starting out and not having much money at the time, they decided William would be better off being adopted by someone who was in a better place to raise him. Unfortunately, he never found his forever family and has been in state care for the last fifteen years." "Sure sounds like somethin' those two would do," Arlene nodded. "Always more worried `bout somebody else than themselves, they was. Ol' Charlie'd give you the shirt off his back if it was the last thing he owned, and Becky, well, she'd feed a person in need `fore her own family, even if it was the last can of beans in the cupboard." "Well, we're kind of hoping this weekend goes well as we'd like to finally give William a real home." "Don't s'prise me none," she commented. "I hope it works out for y'all, too." Changing topics, I asked Arlene, "Are you absolutely sure you're okay with our lack of a dress code around here. We really don't like for our guests to be uncomfortable." "Yeah, y'all are fine. It'll take some gettin' used to, but we will. Just don't expect us to follow suit." "That's fine with us, Arlene," I replied as the phone rang again. Expecting it to be Tom calling to let us know they were finally on the way home from Walmart, I was ready to continue our chat when Ron yelled from the kitchen. "Hey, Max, you wanna talk to some guy named Ray!? Says he works for Channel 17." "Sure, Ron," I yelled back. "Excuse me a minute, Arlene, I need to take this." I picked up the phone from the coffee table and greeted him with, "Afternoon, Ray. How ya doin'?" "Pretty well, Max. How's everyone out there?" "Still suckin' air and takin' sustenance," I joked. "That's good to hear. Listen, the reason I called is I'm in Springfield tonight and have something for you guys. Would it be okay if my wife and I were to swing by, say around seven-thirty or eight?" "Um, yeah, I guess that'd be okay. We have some company for dinner and we'll probably be eating then, but if you don't mind watchin' some pigs at the trough, you're welcome to stop in." "We won't stay long, I promise," he replied, adding, "I just want to get this out of my hands so I'm no longer responsible for it." "Sounds like whatever it is must be important," I commented, intrigued with what he had to deliver. "You have no idea," Ray intoned mysteriously. "Think you can find us in the dark?" "Piece o' cake, man. Just head up the road and look for the little red schoolhouse," he cracked. "Yep, that'll work. Well, we'll see you in a while, then. Thanks for calling." Hanging up the phone, I turned to Arlene and said, "Looks like we're going to have an unexpected visitor tonight. I hope he won't delay us getting you to the farm by too much." "Psshh, don't you worry none `bout that, Max. We certainly don't `spect y'all to put your lives on hold for us," she commented before we moved on to other topics. I took the 6th Street exit ramp at twice the posted speed because, well, we are in a Shelby and I can, so why not? Mike was hooting with glee from the back seat and I noticed a tiny hint of something resembling a smile from Will as well before I had to slow down for the stop sign at the end of the ramp. A couple of quick right turns and we were in the parking lot of Walmart, searching for a safe place to leave the `Stang while we took care of our shopping. As usual, I ended up about the middle of the large paved and well-striped area, away from other cars to minimize the chance of somebody dinging Max's baby with their door or shopping cart. Mike was leading the way as we hoofed it across the lot and I asked William, "So, are the other clothes you brought with you like the ones you're wearing?" "What's wrong with what I got on?" he retorted angrily. "Nothing, really, they just don't seem to fit you very well," I replied. "Well, yeah, I can't argue that a bit. If I didn't have a belt on, my jeans would've fallen right off my ass as soon as I got outta the car. `Course, you'd probably like that, wouldn't ya?" "Well, not particularly," I lied smoothly, knowing full well I'd like nothing more than to see young Will wearing nothing but a smile. Of course, not in the middle of Walmart's parking lot. Mike shot me a quick knowing look over his shoulder, his face was filled with a huge grin and I knew he was thinking, `Whatchu takin' `bout, Pops?' After a quick negative shake of my head and a wink to the youngster, I returned to Will and asked, "Would you like to get some new clothes that fit better while we're here?" "Yeah, guess so. As long as you're springin' the dough for `em `cause I got none." "That was my intention," I agreed. "Fine by me, mister, but don't you go thinkin' you can buy me `cause I ain't for sale." "I would hope not," I replied. " `Specially since it's illegal to sell people, even smart-mouthed little punks like you. I'd probably have to pay somebody big bucks to get them to take you off my hands," I added with a smirk. "Yeah, good luck with that," he snorted in reply. After about twenty minutes browsing the boy's department, we had picked out a decent assortment of socks, underwear, some shorts and t-shirts, and, of course, the swimsuit that had necessitated our little shopping spree. After that, we made a quick stop in the shoe department to pick up a new pair of tennis shoes to go with everything else, then headed for the checkout lanes. Using my recently acquired debit card that was linked to a seemingly bottomless account, we paid for our purchases, headed out of the store, loaded everything into the trunk and hit the road for home. Once on the interstate, I called to let them know we were on the way and hungry enough to eat a hippo or two. Arlene and I were still chatting about getting her and the boys settled into their new home when Ron yelled from the kitchen, "That was Tom and they're on the way!" "Oh boy, this is gonna be fun," I giggled excitedly. "I hope it turns out the way you want," Arlene smiled. "Well, yeah, it would really suck if it doesn't," I agreed. The two of us headed across the house to join Ron and I asked, "Have you told the boys yet?" "Nope, gonna let you have that privilege tonight," he replied with a smirk. "No problem. I'll get `em out here to set the table. We should be ready to eat when the others get here, then." "Um, what about Logan's surprise?" Arlene queried. "Well, the food can stay in the oven until the excitement's worn off," Ron replied. "Then, once everyone has chilled out a bit, it'll only take a minute or two to get it all on the table since it's all cooking in its own serving dish." He then turned to me and added, "You better get those rugrats on the stick. With Tom's lead foot when he's in the Shelby, they could be here a lot sooner than normal." "Oh crap, didn't think about that," I muttered as I spun on my heels and headed for the theater to roust the work crew from in front of the boob tube. As the herd descended on the kitchen, we were surprised to find Daril and Arley were carrying their shirts, pants, shoes and socks, but they were still wearing their loose-fitting boxers and ball caps with the orchard's logo on them. "If you guys want to drop your clothes on the couch for now, go ahead," I offered. "Thank you, sir," Arley drawled. "Max is fine, boys." "Is that okay with you, Ma?" Daril asked. "Fine with me long as it's okay with Max," she answered. "I can't believe you two have gone as far as you have, especially so quickly," she added. "Well, seems kinda ridiculous for us to be dressed like we're working in the orchard when none of `em ain't got a stich on," Arley replied. "That's your call, boys, whatever you feel comfortable doing," Arlene said. "Thanks, Ma. We didn't much figger you'd care," Daril commented. On that note, the two disappeared across the house, deposited their clothes in the living room and returned, big smiles on their faces. Arlene quickly commented, "If you two should ever decide you're wanna lose the boxers, too, I won't have no problem with that, neither." "Uh, don't see that happenin', Ma," Arley grunted in reply. "Nope, me either," Daril agreed. "Ain't ready for you to be seein' me in my wherewithal." "Don't you two forget I used to change your diapers and help you in the bath, so I done seen what y'all got already." "Not for a long time, you ain't," Arley argued. " `Sides, after seein' nothin' but your daddy's diseased and worthless, um, you know what the past eight or nine years, I think I deserve to see some nice, young, healthy tallywhackers," Arlene commented with a laugh. Both boys snorted loudly and Daril retorted, "OHMIGOD, TMI, MA, TMGDI!" He then plugged his ears with his fingers and started humming to himself to block out any other sounds. "You wanna see that, Ma, there's five boys right there," Arley added while pointing to the group coming out of the kitchen to start their job. He then turned to T.J. who was busy placing the plates around the table and asked, "You need any help, guys?" I was pretty sure he only asked to get out of the embarrassing conversation with his mother, but he got a taker anyway. "Sure, dude," T.J. answered. "Ron says we need salad bowls, too, but I can't reach them without the stepladder. You wanna grab them?" "Sure, where they at?" "Just ask Ron and he'll tell ya." Arley soon disappeared around the corner, then came back with thirteen bowls and started placing them next to each plate. "What `bout me? Anything I can do?" Daril asked. "It looks like we're gonna need another chair," Andy piped up. "Why don't you grab one from one of our bedrooms?" "Be right back." Arlene had a mild look of surprise on her face and muttered, "Those two have never helped out `round the house, not in fifteen damn years. What the devil's got into them?" "New attitudes to go with their new lives?" I posited. "Could be, I s'pose. Whatever it is, I sure ain't gonna complain none," she laughed. Logan was soon delivering drinks to the table once they'd been prepared by Joey and Alex and when he'd finished his rounds, every plate had a glass next to it. Confused by that development since I hadn't heard them ask what anyone wanted for their beverage, I called the twins over and asked, "How can you be sure you got all those drinks correct?" "There he goes with those silly questions, again," Alex joked while looking to Joey. "Yeah, you'd'a thunk he done figured it out by now," Joey giggled in reply. "Okay, okay, ya got me there," I muttered. "But how do you know what a certain someone wants? I mean, you've never even met him before." After taking a quick look around to ensure nobody else could hear, they leaned in close and provided the answer. "We got it from Logan," Joey whispered. Seeing the confused look on my face, Alex quickly waded in to clear the fog. "Yeah, they may not know it yet, but those two been linked up since Logan was born." "Well, okay then. I guess we'll find out if you're right soon enough," I muttered in disbelief at their ever-growing mental abilities. "I hope that means things go well this weekend." "Well, the start's gonna be a bit ugly ...," Joey began. "... but T.J. thinks it's gonna turn out okay," Alex added. Hoping the three were right with their premonitions, I called all the boys over to give one last request before Tom, Mike and William arrived. Once they'd gathered around me and Arlene in the corner of the dining room where we'd been hovering out of the way, I told them, "Okay, you all need to find some shorts to wear for a while, please." After numerous complaints and angry grumblings at my request, I got them to quiet down and continued, "You guys remember Ray Snell from Channel 17?" With nods from all but Daril and Arley, I added, "He and his wife will be dropping by in a little bit and you know the rules. Now, hop to it," I commanded while aiming a finger towards their rooms. As they shuffled off, Arley asked, "What `bout us, Mr. San..., uh, Max? We ain't got no shorts." " `Cept what we got on right now, and I don't think those count for much," Daril grinned. "I think Ron's not much bigger than you guys and I'm sure he can come up with something," I offered. The two quickly returned to the kitchen and were next seen crossing the living with Ron leading the way. "Uh, Max, I hate to ask this, but how did the twins know what everyone wants to drink," Arlene asked quietly. "You'll find out soon enough, I suppose. Joey, Alex and T.J. all have the ability to read minds and sense feelings from other people. It can be a little off-putting to folks who don't know about it, but once you get used to them completing your sentences and asking questions you're not expecting, it's really not as disconcerting as you'd think. At least, I don't think so." "That's a little spooky," Arlene admitted with a quaver of uncertainty in her voice. "Speaking of that ...," I began just as the herd started returning from their rooms. "Well, I'll save that story for another time, I guess." As Ron was following the little parade, the drive alarm dinged and the boys all started jumping around and hooting that we could finally eat. Ron just moseyed on through the ruckus, a strange look on his face. Daril and Arley finally rejoined the other boys and the whole group started towards the dining room to take their places at the table. I followed Ron into the kitchen and quietly asked, "What?" He turned to face me and answered, "Well, I pulled some clean shorts outta my dresser and tossed `em to those two hulks. Since their mom wasn't in the room, they just dropped their boxers in front of me and pulled the shorts on." "So, what's the big deal?" Ron snorted and replied, "Funny you should ask it that way. Arley's a cute enough little bugger and just about right for a kid his age, but that Daril's packin' some serious heat in his drawers, let me tell ya." "Down boy," I commanded the panting hound dog with a chortle. Once we'd both calmed down, I asked, "You ready for this?" "Ready as I'll ever be, let's go meet our special guest," he answered. Rejoining the rest of the crew in the dining room, we found Logan sitting at the end of the table with his back to the living room. T.J., Andy and Arley were sitting on one side to Logan's left with Alex, Joey and Daril across the table and to Logan's right. That arrangement left the extra chair at the end of the table next to Logan for William. Just as we reached Arlene, who was standing by the glass doors behind the twins, we all heard the door from the garage closing and the excited chatter of Mike leading the way down the hallway. "C'mon, dude, ya gotta meet everybody," Mike was saying when he reached the end of the hall, his hand wrapped around William's and dragging him along. When Mike's reluctant tagalong could finally be seen by all of us but Logan, Alex quietly muttered to Joey, "Holy shit, he looks just like Logan," to which Joey retorted with a giggle, "Short little fucker, ain't he?" I gave the mouthy little rascals a quick finger thump to the back of their noggins for their choice of words and both spun to glare at me, eyes wide with fear. "Oops, we said that out loud, didn't we?" Alex asked, slapping a hand over his mouth with. "Sorry, Dad, we meant to use the `inside our head' voices," Joey quickly added. "I'll let it slide this time, you two, but get it under control, please," I admonished the chagrinned duo. Our interaction had attracted Logan's attention and he finally turned in his seat to see who we were talking about. Once he spied his brother being led across the living room, Logan was out of his chair like a slice of bread ejected from an out-of-control toaster and flying towards William and Mike at full-tilt boogie. A look of abject fear flooded William's face at the sight and Mike was barely able to get out of the way before Logan crashed into William and tightly wrapped his arms around his older brother. William's reaction to the attack was as instant as it was surprising. He shoved his arms down inside Logan's grasp, pried the youngster from his bearhug, pushed him back a couple of feet and yelled, "Get the hell off me, ya little puke!" Mike quickly scuttled away from the pair in fear, joining us in the dining room while Tom firmly laid a hand on William's shoulder and yelled, "Will!" Before Will could turn around or shake the hand off him, a stunned and very pissed off Logan was back in Will's face screaming, "Who the hell you callin' little, ya fuckin' midget?" It was at that point Tom decided to remove himself from the line of fire as he stepped back about five feet and allowed the two to have at it. "I'm not a goddam midget, I'm just short!" Will retorted angrily. "Ain't you s'posed to be fifteen? You ain't no bigger than Joey's boyfriend, and he's only eleven. No way in hell you're older than him." "Whatever, shrimp!" Will grumped. "Just get the fuck outta my face. Who the fuck you think you are, anyway?" "Well, if you had half a brain and ever looked in a damn mirror, you'd know I'm your brother, ya idjit," Logan replied with heat. "Or you just too all-fire stupid to see that?" "Bullshit! I don't have a brother!" Will screamed back. "Haven't had one for fifteen years and sure as shit don't need one now. `Specially a spoiled little turd like you." A look of pure hatred flashed on Logan's face just before he crumpled to the floor into a sobbing heap. Tom and I started to move in to try and comfort Logan, but Will held his hands up and halted us in our tracks. He then knelt beside Logan, put a hand on his shoulder and quietly started, "I'm sorry, man ..." Logan was having no part of any attempt at an apology and lashed out viciously, swinging his arms frantically and pummeling his older brother much as he had done a few weeks ago to his dad. The whole time he was flailing away and between his continuing sobs, he was yelling, "NO!! Just get the hell out of here then! If you don't want a fuckin' brother, then I don't either! I already got five brothers who mean more to me than you ever could!" He then curled back up and continued to cry. Will stood up, turned to face Tom and demanded, "Take me back right now! I tried to tell you this shit wasn't gonna work, but you wouldn't fuckin' listen." "No, I don't think so, Will," Tom replied calmly. "I asked you to give us a fair chance this weekend and we're going to do the same for you. And the first thirty seconds doesn't mean a damn thing." "I don't fuckin' care, I want outta here!" Will screamed. "I don't give a shit what you want, you insufferable little prick!" Tom bellowed at the young man, stunning everyone in the house. "You're gonna go sit at that table and have supper with the rest of us whether you like it or not. Now GO!" he added while pointing the way. A sufficiently cowed Will angrily stalked into the dining room and grumbled, "Where'm I s'posed to sit?" Alex nervously pointed at the empty chair next to himself and the young man slouched into the chair, looking less than thrilled at being forced into this situation. Of course, I can't say any of us had expected his introduction to the family to go the way it had and everyone was more than just a little uncomfortable with the somber mood that had suddenly replaced the joyful hopes of just a few minutes ago. Tom had picked Logan up from the floor and carried the limp rag to the dining room. Setting him back down on the floor next to the chair he'd just vacated, he said, "I know you probably don't care to eat much right now, buddy, but at least try, okay?" "Fine," Logan seethed. "But I ain't sittin' next to him. I wanna sit `tween you and Dad." "No problem." Tom turned to Arlene and asked, "Would you mind trading places with Logan, please?" "Absolutely," she agreed immediately as she moved from where she was to sit next to Will. With the seating arrangement modified, Ron started bringing the ribs, au-gratin potatoes, salad and bread to the table. With everything finally in place, we started filling our plates and digging in. Though we knew Logan was unlikely to eat very much, I still put a little bit of everything on his plate in the hope he might change his mind. Our meal was unusually quiet for once, nobody willing to risk reigniting the fire and fanning the flames to see a return of the screaming match we'd just witnessed. Until Logan looked up from his plate and said, "So, `bout me staying at the farm this weekend? Can I?" Tom almost choked on his mouthful of food and several of the boys stared at Logan in surprise. Looking back at them, he asked, "What? Ain't like I got no special reason to hang `round here all weekend, is there?" "But don't you wanna spend time with your brother?" T.J. asked. "What the hell, man, you deaf?" Logan retorted. "He don't have a brother and don't want one neither, `member?" "I'm sure he didn't mean it, Logan," I offered. "Sure sounded like he meant it to me," Logan protested. "Look, dude, I ..." Will started. Logan interrupted whatever Will was going to say when he looked around the table and asked, "Okay, which one o' you sickos taught your asshole to talk when you fart? That's gross guys." I'd had enough and decided it was Logan's turn to receive a quick finger thump to the back of his skull. After dishing out the minor punishment, Logan was rubbing the back of his head when he turned back to me and asked, "What the hell was that for?" "Because you're being a rude and obnoxious little brat and it's time you stopped." "Oh, so only he gets to be mean and nasty, huh?" Logan pressed while shaking an angry finger in Will's direction. "No, he's done, too," I replied calmly. "And if I have to remind Will of that like I just did for you, I'll be more than happy to do it. And if I'm not close enough when it's needed, I'm sure Tom, Ron or Arlene will gladly take care of it for me." All three adults promptly nodded their heads in agreement, then I looked to Will and asked, "You got it?" "Yessir," he muttered in reply. "Good! Now that we're all happy campers again ...," I started before Logan snorted in disgust, "... let's see if we can get the train back on the tracks and have a nice meal with some civilized conversation. Ron, why don't you get us started and introduce yourself to our guest, then we'll just go around the table so Will knows who all the players are?" It took almost ten minutes to hear from everyone even though we skipped over Tom and Mike since they'd just spent a couple of hours with Will. Arlene, Daril and Arley made sure to include they were Logan and Will's aunt and cousins just to make sure our special guest knew Logan wasn't the only blood relation at the table. Unfortunately, we couldn't tell from Will's reaction whether that meant anything to him. He seemed to be the most interested in the twins after hearing they'd spent over four years in foster care. The only person who didn't join in the introductions was Logan as he was still pouting. Everyone continued stuffing their faces when they weren't involved and once Will had heard from everyone, Arlene tried to pull Logan into the ongoing chatter. "Logan, I wanted to ask what church you and your dad went to so we could join you?" "We didn't," Logan grumbled. "Well, that don't sound a bit like Charlie," she countered. "His faith was always important to him." "It mighta been at one time, and yeah, we used to go every Sunday, but we ain't been back since momma died." "Seems to me you'd have gone more after Becky passed," Arlene suggested. "Well, it's pro'lly all my fault he stopped goin'. Once momma got sick and we had to watch her waste away to nothin' while the doctors didn't do a damn thing but twiddle their useless thumbs, I decided that god don't exist. I mean, what the hell kinda lovin', all-knowin', all-powerful god would give somebody leukemia and force their kid to watch `em slowly die in misery and pain? That sure ain't the kinda god I wanna follow and believe in, and I don't think anybody else would want to, either." "Well, I can kinda see that happenin'," Arlene agreed tentatively. Logan continued his diatribe with, "Then, when the old man started beatin' on me and blamin' me for momma gettin' sick in the first place, well that just iced it all for me. `Fore momma got sick, he never laid a hand on me for no damn reason, but after was a whole other world. Seemed like I couldn't do nothin' right no more, no matter how hard I tried. And it got even worse after she died. By the time the preacher came `round the house a couple o' weeks after we buried momma, Daddy musta finally agreed with me as he done told that lyin' sumbitch to get the hell off our property and don't never come back. We never went back to church after that. " `Course, he didn't stop kickin' my ass a couple times a week until the day after Joey and Alex's birthday party. It got so bad then, I done thought he was finally gonna kill me and I called the cops on his ass. They took `im to jail and brought me over here where I could be safe. Once he got out, he was gonna start seein' somebody to get his shit back together. After he done gone a few times by hisself, I was s'posed to join `im so we could work out our problems and I could move back home. Too bad he up `n' croaked hisself. "Then, I get stuck with that ignorant asshole Troy who wants nothin' more than to steal my money and make me disappear. And as if all that weren't `nough punishment already, I find out after daddy dies that I gots a brother I never knew existed. I told Dad and Pops that they needed to find him so he could have his half of our inheritance. And lookit how that's turned out � I finally meet him and he don't want nothin' to do with me. "So, if'n it bugs you I don't believe in god no more after dealin' with all that shit the past couple o' years, tain't my problem." On finishing his little soliloquy, Logan pushed his plate back from the edge of the table, laid his arms in the space he'd just cleared and rested his head on his arms, his little body shaking as he started crying again. Tom and I quickly wrapped an arm around his shoulders in a feeble attempt to console him. While everyone had taken a break from eating while Logan shared his frustrations with us, they quietly resumed cleaning their plates, all further conversation brought to a screeching halt. Being as big as they were, Daril and Arley were the first to finish and the rest of the boys were right behind them. With Logan still dealing with his raw feelings, the other five of our boys started their regular task of clearing the table. Daril and Arley took the hint and followed the others into the kitchen with their own plates. When Alex returned to retrieve the empty rib pan, Will asked, "What can I do to help?" "Well, bring your own dishes and then come back and keep clearing the rest of the table. `Course, don't take anybody's plate if their still workin' on it," he added with a little giggle. "Well, du-u-uh!" Will laughed. "I might be a pain in the ass punk, but I'm not a totally stupid one." "Then you'll fit in just dandy with the rest of us," Joey chuckled as he picked up the dish holding just one lonely serving of au gratin potatoes. As the trio headed into the kitchen, I caught the first glimpse of what I'd consider to be a smile forming on Will's face. I was silently hoping that small break in the `tough-guy' fa�ade he'd been wearing since arriving would be the beginning of something positive but, as usual, only time would answer that question. Since Logan had finally stopped his quivering, Tom and I took advantage and quickly finished our supper so the cleanup crew could continue their task without delay. Soon enough, T.J. snuck between us, gently laid a hand on Logan's head and asked, "You done eatin', bro?" Logan finally lifted his head, looked up to T.J. and answered, "Naw, I guess not. If'n I don't eat now, I'll be starvin' like Marvin at three in the mornin'. I think Ron'd kick my skinny little behind up `tween my ears if I woke him up to fix me somethin' then." "You got that right, farm-boy," Ron agreed with a smirk. T.J. patted Logan's back before he moved on to grab Tom's plate. Logan then pulled his back to the edge of the table and dug in. He must've been hungry because he didn't let the fact the food was cold slow him down in any way. Once he'd wiped out the two ribs and spoonful of potatoes I'd dished up for him, he shoved the empty plate out of the way and attacked his salad with gusto. He made short work of the greens and was just reaching for the breadbasket when Andy tried to grab it. "Oh, no you don't," Logan demanded. "I'm still hungry," he added while grabbing a slice, plastering it with butter and drowning it with enough honey for three slices. Once prepared, he stuffed the whole mess into his mouth in one shot so none of the honey had time to drip off the edges. "Well, hurry the heck up, dude," Andy retorted, "we wanna go swimmin'." With a mouth so full he looked more like a chipmunk hoarding its next meal in his cheeks than a nine-year-old boy, Logan could only nod in agreement and give Andy a quick thumbs up. After finally finishing the first piece, he loaded up another one and stuffed it away, too. Daril and Arley stepped back into the dining room to retrieve Ron and Arlene's now empty plates and before they could return to the kitchen with them, Arlene asked with a mischievous grin, "Who the heck are you and what've you done with my boys?" "Oh, Ma," Arley groaned. "It was all dad's fault we never did nothin' before." "What're you talkin' `bout?" she asked in surprise. "He always told us that cookin' and cleanin' was your job and he better never catch us doin' anythin' to help out," Daril answered. "Well, that disgustin', lazy, good-for nothin' pig," she vented. "I'm glad we don't have to deal with his shit no more." "We are, too, Ma," the two agreed before taking their load to the kitchen. The drive alarm suddenly dinged and Tom looked at me in surprise, asking, "Any idea who's comin' in this time of night?" "Yeah, with all the fireworks and excitement, I forgot to tell you that Ray and his wife were dropping by," I replied. Ron had already left his place at the table so he could be ready at the door when they reached the house. "Um, we're not doing another interview, are we?" he queried. "I thought once was more than enough." "No," I chortled. "He said he has something for us that he wants to get out of his hands. And before you ask the obvious question, I don't have a clue what it is." "Should boys pull on shirts?" "Nah, they're fine." We heard Ron open the front door and a little bit of chatter as he introduced himself. The greetings completed, the door closed and the trio soon joined us in the dining room. "Greetings, Tom, Max," Ray called out cheerily as they rounded the corner. "I'd like you to meet my wife, Donna. Dear, this is Max Sanders and Tom Wright." "Pleasure to meet you," Donna commented. "I loved the interviews you and your boys did." "You're just saying that because Ray told you to," Tom joked. "Absolutely not," she ruffled in response. "I thought what you all shared was important and needed to be said, especially your boys' stories," she added just as the whole herd finally returned from the kitchen. "Hearing them tell about where they came from, how they ended up being adopted by two loving dads and how positive and accepting they all are about who they are was inspiring. I hope other young people who saw your interviews will take what they said to heart and live their best lives because of the example they set." All six of our boys turned beet red with embarrassment on hearing her praise for them. "So, seems like you've added to headcount `round here," Ray chuckled. "Adopting a few more, are you?" Tom and I both laughed and he answered, "Thankfully, not yet. The lady next to you is Arlene, Logan's aunt, and the two big boys failing to hide themselves behind the others are her sons, Daril and Arley." All three gave Ray and Donna a quick wave on their introduction. "And the other young man in the middle there?" Ray prodded, pointing to Will. "Hi," Will replied. "My name's William and I'm Logan's brother." On hearing that, Logan shot a fleeting but decidedly dirty look at his sibling. "Well, it's nice to meet you William, though Logan already has five brothers, doesn't he?" "Maybe, yeah, but I'm the real deal since we have the same parents," he replied with pride, wrapping his arms around Logan and pulling him closer. Logan seemed to be a bit uncomfortable with Will's sudden and unexplained change of attitude but didn't pull away from the embrace. Ray looked back to Tom and I and asked, "Do I need to come back with Greg and Zeke to do another interview?" "No way, Jos�," Will retorted. "You aren't puttin' me on TV for anything." "Well, if you change your mind, make sure you let me know, okay?" Ray joked with a wink. I finally decided to get right to the point and bluntly asked, "So, you said you had something for us?" "Oh, right, that," he responded. He slowly reached into the pocket of his sport jacket and retrieved an envelope, held it thoughtfully for just a moment, then laid on the table and slid it down to Tom and me. "An envelope?" I asked in surprise. "You made it sound like it was something of major importance on the phone." "Well, the envelope itself isn't, I suppose, but what's inside it is," Ray kidded. The boys were watching all of this with intense interest, anxious to know what was hiding inside. "C'mon, Dad, open it already," Joey prodded. "Yeah, quit wastin' time, old man," Alex quickly added. With similar pleadings from all the others in the room, I stretched forward, pinched the envelope from where it rested and pulled it closer. Not sure I really wanted to know what was inside, I leaned on the table and lifted the flap before spreading the opening just wide enough to catch a glimpse of what was contained within. The next thing I remember was waking up on the floor, surrounded by a whole host of worry-filled faces. "What happened?" I mumbled to Tom who was the closest face I could see clearly. "I think you fainted," he answered with concern. "Musta been a helluva surprise," he chuckled. "Did I really fall off my chair?" "No, after your forehead slammed into the tabletop, I laid you down and propped up your legs, just like they taught us at the Academy. You think you can sit up?" "I'm willin' to give a try," I answered with a grin. With Tom's assistance, I was soon back in my chair and being inundated with questions from everyone. I finally held my hands up to bring a halt to the cacophony and answered with, "I'm fine now, folks. Just a little flabbergasted." Seeing the looks of worry still aimed my way, I corrected that statement with a sheepish grin, "Okay, a lot flabbergasted." Never one to pass up the chance to crack wise, Joey joked, "Good to hear, old man. We thought you done had a heart attack and we were gonna have to bury you out in the cemetery with Sammy." "Sorry to burst your bubble, kiddo, but not today," I retorted. "So, what is it?" Alex asked while pointing to the envelope still laying on the table. I pushed the item over to Tom and said, "Here, you open the damn thing, I'm not taking any more chances." He hesitantly grabbed it as if a snake might slither out and strike at any moment, pried it open and pulled out what had put me on the floor. His eyes flew open wide with surprise before he looked to me, then to Ray and then back at the item in his hand. Shaking his head violently to make sure he was seeing things properly, he looked back to Ray and muttered, "You can't be serious `bout this. Can you?" "Serious as a prostate exam, guys," Ray laughed. "What is it, Pops?" T.J. whined impatiently. Tom finally turned his attention to the herd and while reading from the piece of paper he was holding with a very shaky hand, answered, "Still not sure I believe it, boys, but this is a cashier's check for twelve million, four hundred sixty-five thousand, three hundred sixty-two dollars and twenty-three cents." Everyone stared dumbly at Tom and then turned their attention to Ray and Donna for just a moment before all hell broke loose. The sensational six-pack started jumping with joy, dancing with delight, and bellowing like banshees as they celebrated loudly enough to disturb Sammy and the rest of his family. When calm had finally been restored and we could carry on a normal conversation again, it was time to get to the bottom of where the money had come from. "What the hell bank did you rob, Ray? The Federal Reserve in Chicago?" I asked. "Nothing of the sort, Max," he replied. "What you have there is the proceeds from everyone who decided to join our station manager in helping you with your cause of helping kids." "But twelve million?" I mumbled. "Yep, and there's still more coming in every day. Besides our own manager's pledge of $100,000, several other stations that aired your interviews matched him. It almost became a competition between them all. Of course, the biggest donation was a cool mill from a Burton Productions in Los Angeles." Tom and I shared a quick knowing glance as Ray continued. "That was followed up with half a million each from Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden and Wil Wheaton. We don't know how the hell any of them even found out about what you're doing here since we're pretty sure nobody in California even saw your shows, but we're not going to argue with success. You guys obviously run with a different circle of people that Donna and I do." "We have a pretty good idea how that happened," Tom grinned. "Well, between them and the station managers, that accounts for around five million," I offered. "What about the other seven? Where'd all that come from?" I asked. "All kinds of people from everywhere, from kids as young as nine to folks who are well into their nineties," Ray replied. "We have a list of everyone that donated, complete with their names, addresses, amount received and any other information we could glean from their letters. Of course, we also have all the letters for you. Let me know when you want all that delivered to you and I'll make it happen." "Kids are giving, too?" Alex asked in surprise. "They sure are. And from their notes, some are dealing with abusive parents, some who've been stuck in foster care for years and others who are starting to deal with issues relating to their sexuality," Ray answered. "I told you what you all shared was important, didn't I?" Donna added. "You've obviously struck more than just a few nerves with your interviews and gotten people to put their money where their mouths are." "Well, we'll be on our way," Ray offered. "It's quite a drive back home, but we wanted to get what we'd already collected to you now. We'll continue to receive and track any more that filters in and get it to you as soon as we can." Still somewhat stunned at the sudden windfall, I couldn't say much more than, "Thanks, Ray, we appreciate it." Finally feeling stable enough to stand without falling over, Tom and I stepped around the table and shared a quick hug of thanks with Ray and Donna. Of course, once we were done, the boys had to join in and that took several minutes to get through all of them. Daril, Arley and Will politely recused themselves from our standard ritual since the bearers of good tidings were strangers to them and after Andy got the last hug, Tom and I followed Ray and Donna to the front door. After a final round of thanks, sharing our goodbyes and a quick wave as they headed down the sidewalk to their car, I slowly closed the door and unceremoniously slouched against it for a moment. "Well, I guess we know how we're going to pay for the new house," I commented as I put my feet to work and headed back towards the dining room, Tom right next to me and holding my hand. "And then some," Tom agreed. "I can't believe LeVar did that. And to get all those others to chip in the way they did? What the hell was he thinking?" "We'll have to have a little chat with him tomorrow, don't you think?" "Without a doubt," Tom agreed as we reached our destination. The two of us broke out in laughter on seeing everybody standing around the far end of the table, gawking at the check that lay there. Andy was the first to react to our presence when he tore his eyes away from the tabletop and asked, "What're we gonna do with all that money!?" "Have the biggest dang party Berlin has ever seen," Joey answered with a laugh. "We're gonna help a whole lotta kids," Alex countered seriously, punching his brother on the shoulder. "Party pooper," T.J. groaned. "With that much green, we can do both and still have plenty left over, ya goofs," Logan giggled. Mike, seemingly not all that impressed with what the check meant, asked, "Can we go swimmin' now?" "Um, it's a little late for that, Mike. We still have to take Arlene and the boys out to the farm," I reminded the group. "It's only eight, Dads. We gots plenty o' time to hit the pool," Logan countered while looking to his aunt for her approval. "Yeah, that's fine by me. I'm sure Daril and Arley wouldn't mind a quick dip `fore we get settled in." With quick affirmative nods from those two, a decision was made and Tom said, "Okay, everybody get ready and we'll meet you at the doors in a minute." "Do we have to wear shorts?" Joey asked, looking to Arlene for her opinion. "Don't make no difference to me. Y'all do whatever you're used to," she replied. With loud cheers, the sensational six-pack tore across the house to dispense with their shorts and grab towels. Arley looked to his mom and quietly asked, "What `bout us, Ma?" "If you an' your brother wanna skinny-dip, too, won't bother me none," she answered. "Cool, let's go, bro," Daril grinned. "Ron, why don't you let them use your room to get ready?" Tom asked. "You bet," he replied with a lascivious grin. "'Sides, it makes sense since that's where they left their boxers. Follow me, you two." That trio soon disappeared and left Will behind, a look of concern filling his face. "I hope you don't think I'm gonna swim naked, too" he protested. "Only if you want to, Will," Tom answered calmly. "Let's get your stuff out of the car real quick and I'll show you where you can change." "Cool, thanks, Mr. Wright," Will sighed with relief. Tom stepped around the table, laid a hand on Will's shoulder and guided him towards the garage. As the duo crossed the living room, I heard Tom remind the young man, "And I told you it's Tom and Max, none of that stupid `mister' crap." "Yes, sir, I'll try to remember that," Will agreed just as the two reached the hallway. "Well, I'm gonna put this check in the safe and get ready, too," I commented. "Are you going to join us, Arlene?" With a tight grin, she answered with, "No, I don't think so, Max, but thanks for the kind offer. I believe I'll stay inside and relax by the fireplace if that's okay with ya. That way my boys won't be embarrassed by their momma seein' `em in their birthday suits." "Well, if you'd like something to read, follow me and see if you can find something in my library to help keep you entertained." The two of us headed down the hallway and after opening the door to my study, Arlene started searching for something to occupy her time. While she did that, I turned for my bedroom then stepped into the closet to deposit the check in the safe until I could do something with it on Monday. While I was in there, I also pulled out a bit of cash to give to Arlene so they'd be able to stock up on some basic necessities tomorrow. That taken care of, I dropped my shorts and was just wrapping a towel around my waist when Tom came in. "You get Will all set?" I asked. "Yeah, he's using the bathroom at the end of the hall to get changed. It's a good thing we stopped at Walmart on the way to get him some shorts and some other things he needed." "I noticed his clothes didn't seem to fit very well, but I didn't want to say anything about it since I wasn't sure how he'd react and didn't want to chance pissing him off about something so inconsequential." "Considering his overall attitude about most everything, you probably would have," Tom muttered. "What're you talkin' about?" "Well, Randy told me before we met Will that the kid is a pretty nasty homophobe. And a few things he's said since then seem to back that up." "Oh, geez," I grumbled. "Do we even want him around? I'd hate to see how his attitudes might affect the others." "Max, you worry too damn much. Do you really think the others will let him get away with that shit around here? Besides, I told Will we'd give him a fair chance at proving himself as long as he'd do the same for us in return. And the way he introduced himself to Ray and his wife seemed like a step in the right direction." "I'll give you that, I guess, but you can't really say he was thrilled to meet his brother, was he?" "Not at all, and that really caught me by surprise. But I guarantee you this, those six rugrats of ours will tie that punk into knots if he gets too mouthy. They aren't gonna put up with any shit from him against them or anyone else who's gay. And Logan will lead the pack, brother or not." "I don't doubt that a bit," I agreed with a grin. "Well, you ready?" "Yep, let's make it so." As we left the bedroom, we bumped into Arlene leaving the study with a copy of my first book. She looked a little surprised to see us with towels wrapped around our waists, but commented with a smirk, "Thought I'd give one of yours a shot, see if it's any good." "Well, if you like it, you're welcome to keep that one and I'll give you copies of the other three." "Sounds good to me," she agreed as we reached the foyer and spied the herd waiting for us by the doors. Crossing the living room, Arlene hooked a right turn and settled into my chair by the fireplace while Tom and I waded through the crush of bodies to lead the way outside. The boys followed along until the moment Tom unlocked the shelter door. Once he opened the door, though, all nine were fighting to see who could hit the water first. It really wasn't much of a contest as with all their practice, the six-pack easily won, Daril and Arley were close behind and Will was bringing up the rear. As for Ron, Tom and I, we dropped our towels on the table, then joined the rest. As soon as we'd gotten wet, we realized there had been some advanced discussion to create teams and the attacks started. Logan, Daril and Andy surrounded Ron, Joey, Alex, and Arley headed my direction and Will, T.J. and Mike went after Tom. With Arley's bulk added to the devilish quickness of the twins, after about five minutes of intense battle, I was worn out, crumpled under the onslaught and went down without any more fight. Ron was the next to succumb and he promptly begged off any more action, wading to the far corner of the pool to relax and catch his breath. I joined him soon enough and we watched as Tom continued his valiant battle, now against all nine boys. And though he's built like an ox and normally doesn't have a problem with the munchkins, with Daril, Arley and Will adding their muscle to the ongoing conflict, it was only a matter of moments before the big guy was calling `uncle' and escaping their clutches. He soon joined Ron and me in our quiet corner and we spent the next forty minutes watching the boys play and have fun. It was obvious that Daril and Arley were accustomed to skinny-dipping and were enjoying their freedom. As for Will, he seemed a bit uncomfortable with the situation, but the more the group cavorted wildly, the more relaxed he became. Not so relaxed he decided to lose his shorts, mind you, but at least he finally quit cringing every time one of the others would brush against him. Daril and Arley had taken up a game of `toss the rugrat' and the other seven were all giggling and having a blast. Daril had no problems winning the competition and he came very close to beating Tom's best throw. With the crew starting to wind down, we decided it was time to get a move on so we could get Arlene and her boys delivered to the farm. As the three of us climbed from the pool, the boys followed, and we were soon wrapping towels around ourselves to head back inside. Arlene was still reading but she put down the book, lifted her head as we stepped inside and went our separate directions to run through the shower. "Y'all have fun?" she asked her boys. "Yeah, Ma, it was a blast," Arley answered. "We hope we can come back," Daril added. "Well, don't see why not since we won't be that far `way no more." "Sweet!" the two crowed as they shared a high five just before turning down the hallway. Tom and I had just stepped under the spray in our own shower when there was a knock on the bathroom door. "Hey, you guys mind if I climb in with ya?" Ron called out as he popped the door open. "Sure, Ron," Tom agreed. "I didn't think Daril and Arley would think too much of me joining them," he chuckled as he opened the glass door and stepped inside. "Are you gonna go out to the farm with us?" I asked. "I think I'll just hang out here if that's okay with you," Ron answered. "Fine with us, just checkin'. If any of the boys want to stay home, you okay with that?" "Why wouldn't I be?" "No reason, I guess, just thought you might enjoy a little peace and quiet for once, especially after all the noise we just put up with." "No big deal, guys. Like I've said before, I've gotten used to it," he retorted with a grin. "I would like you to have a word with Arlene, though." "About what?" Tom asked. "About whose job it is to keep things cleaned up `round here. I stopped in the kitchen to get a quick drink on my way across the house and she took care of everything the boys left for me. That's not right." "That sounds like a conversation you should be having with her, bud," Tom replied. "What, you think I want her pissed at me? No way, man," he laughed. " `Sides, you two are the bosses `round here, I'm just the hired help. If she's gonna listen to anybody, it's gonna be you." "Fine, ya big chicken, we'll say something to her. Can't say it'll do any good, though," I responded as Tom and I stepped out of the shower and grabbed our towels. "Just do your best," Ron called out as we left the steamy room to dry off and get dressed. We pulled on a pair of sweatpants and t-shirts before grabbing the cash I pulled from the safe earlier, heading out of the bedroom and grabbing our jackets from the coat closet to offset the chill of the late April night. Arlene, Daril and Arley were ready to go and Logan was bouncing excitedly in front of them. The other five were lounging in the living room with their books and it quickly became obvious none of them intended to go with us since they weren't dressed. Will was sitting on the hearth and staring at the floor, nervously bouncing his legs. Before heading towards the garage, I let them know Ron would be out of the shower shortly and they needed to behave while we were gone. With nonchalant hand waves and mumbles of agreement, we started to lead the way down the hallway. "Hey, is it okay if I go with ya?" Will asked tentatively. "Of course, it is," Tom answered. He jumped up from his uncomfortable seat and joined us, bringing up the rear as we stepped into the garage. With Logan and Will being the two smallest in the group, they got stuck in the back row of the car while Arlene, Arley and Daril took the middle row. The ten-minute ride to Logan's farm was a quiet one and thanks to never having been here at night before, I almost missed the turn into the driveway. If Logan hadn't said something at just the right moment, we would have motored right on by. Pulling in the drive, I parked beside the house like we've done before, and everybody started climbing from the car. After a quick stop at the rear to grab the luggage, Logan led the way up the steps to the front porch and unlocked the door. He quickly reached just inside and flipped the switches that would illuminate the porch and entry hall inside. "Welcome to your new home, Aunt Arlene," he said happily as he stood aside and waved them inside. "Thanks, Logan," she replied quietly, setting her bag at the bottom of the stairs. Her boys did the same and all three loitered restlessly, unsure of what to do next. "Give me just a minute to make a quick call and I'll show ya `round," Logan said as he headed for the kitchen, turning on lights as he moved through and looking around at the repairs the security company had done. The next we heard was, "Hey, this Ryan? ... Oh, sorry, Cail, you sounded like `im. It's Logan from up the road, your dad there? ... Thanks, buddy. ... Howdy, Mr. Bartley, it's Logan Campbell, how ya doin'? ... Glad to hear it. ... I'm doin' okay. Listen, I know it's a little late, but you got a few minutes to come up to the house? ... Well, I brought my aunt and cousins up from Missouri and they're gonna be livin' here now. I'd like y'all to meet so you kinda know each other `fore you just bump into `em `n' freak out `bout there bein' strangers in the house. ... Thanks, that'll be great, see ya in a few." On rejoining us in the foyer, Logan said, "Mr. Bartley'll be here in a few minutes. Why don'tcha grab your bags and let's get `em upstairs `fore he gets here?" Without waiting for a reply, Logan took the steps two at a time and started turning on the upstairs lights. Deciding it would be best if we stayed out of the way, Tom, Will and I stepped into the living room and got comfortable on the new couch and chairs. From upstairs, we heard Logan saying, "Arley, that room use ta be mine, and I bet you'd like it. You can climb out the window and lay on the roof of the back porch in the summer. Daril, the middle one used to be momma's sewing room, but it should work out okay for ya, and Aunt Arlene, you should pro'lly take Momma and Daddy's old room since it's got its own bathroom. That way ya ain't gotta share one with those two lunks," he laughed. "Y'all drop your stuff, come on back downstairs and I'll show you `round the rest o' the place." As Logan was coming back down, we heard three thumps of bags being dropped to the floor, followed by more pounding of feet on the steps. Logan stepped into what used to be Charlie's office, flipped on the light and whispered `wow' on seeing the room the way he remembered it. After the new residents joined him, he added, "This used to be Daddy's office, but you can use it for whatever ya want." The tour continued into the dining room and then on to the kitchen, Logan pointing out where light switches and such were. In the kitchen, he showed them the door to the basement and while standing at the back door, said, "Daddy's truck is in the garage out there. The keys should still be in it `cause he always left `em there. It's yours now, so feel free to use it." Joining us, he commented, " `Course, this is the living room." He turned his attention to Tom and me and added, "That security company sure fixed ever'thing up real nice. Kinda sad that most of the old stuff was trashed by them losers, but the new things look good." "I'm glad you approve, Logan," I replied as headlights flashed through the windows and the rocks in the drive crunched under tires. "That'll be Mr. Bartley," Logan offered. "Be right back," he added as he turned for the front door. We soon heard footsteps on the front steps and Logan called out, "Ryan! Didn't know you was comin', too." "Ain't seen ya since your dad's funeral, dude. I had to come find out how you're doin'," Ryan retorted. "Doin' pretty good now, I s'pose. Just glad I get to live with Max, Tom and my brothers." "That's great," Ryan agreed. " `Least you'll still be close by. We missed ya at school that week ya was gone." "C'mon in, guys, I'll introduce y'all." Stepping into the living room again, he said, "Mr. Bartley, this here's my Aunt Arlene, the bigger lunk's my cousin Daril and the smaller one's my other cousin Arley." Turning to face his family, he added, "This here's Mr. Bartley and one o' his kids, Ryan. They live just down road a piece and been takin' care o' things `round the farm for me after Daddy died." Arlene and Joe met in the middle of the room and shared a brief handshake, Arlene saying, "Nice to meet y'all." "Pleasure to meet you folks, as well," Joe replied while also shaking hands with Daril and Arley. "How long you gonna be stayin'?" "Forever," Arlene smiled. "Or `til Logan gets sick of us and kicks us out," she added with a giggle. "Ain't never gonna happen," Logan retorted seriously. Ryan poked Logan in the back and while pointing towards Will, whispered, "Ps-s-s-s-t, who's that other kid? He's gotta be related `cause he looks just like you." "Oh, yeah, him," Logan grumbled angrily. Sensing no introduction was about to be tendered by Logan, Will left his chair, stepped towards Ryan and answered with, "Hi, Ryan. I'm Logan's brother, Will." "No way, dude," Ryan whispered in surprise before punching Logan in the shoulder and adding, "You never told me you had a brother." Surprise also flashed across Joe's face. "Didn't know `bout `im `til after Daddy died," Logan muttered in reply. Ryan wrapped Will in a hug and gushed, "Nice to meet ya, Will. I hope we can be friends." "That'd be nice, man, but I guess we'll see how things turn out," Will replied noncommittally. On that note, he retreated to his chair and curled back up. Logan then turned back to Joe and continued, "I really `ppreciate you takin' care of things for me the past couple o' weeks, Mr. Bartley, but I gots one more favor to ask of ya." "Name it, buddy." "Would you show Daril and Arley how to deal with the feed grinder and stuff? They're gonna take over dealin' with things here so you don't have to no more." "Well, sure, I'd be happy to do that. Are they ready for some hard work?" "Yessir," Daril answered proudly. "Least we can do for Logan lettin' us live here." "Then, I'll be here about eight in the morning to get you guys started," Joe commented. Logan turned to his cousins and said, "There's only one rule y'all gotta follow and if'n ya don't, I'm gonna kick your asses up `tween your ears." "What's that?" Arley asked hesitantly after hearing the serious tone in Logan's voice. "You don't ever run the feed grinder by yourself. That's what got Daddy killed and I ain't gonna have either one o' you dyin' the same way." "I'll make sure of that, Logan," Arlene replied. "Well, okay then, sounds like we got ever'thing set," Logan offered. "Thanks for all your help, Mr. Bartley. And you better be keepin' track o' your time, still. Once you feel Daril `n' Arley can handle things, you let me know how much I owe ya and I'll get ya paid." Turning back to Ryan, he added, "You, too, ya goober." "What about Cail?" Ryan asked. "He helped me most every day with Bessie `n' Buster." "If'n he helped ya, he'll get paid, too. Just tell me how much I owe ya and he'll get the same." "You got it, Logan," Ryan agreed with a grin. "Since I ain't been out here for a while, how they doin?" Logan inquired. "They're doin' just great," Ryan replied. "You sure were right about them likin' bein' brushed. Ol' Buster won't hardly let us leave, keeps wantin' to follow us right through the barn. Guess he thinks should move down to our farm," he added with a smile. "Well, Buster ain't goin' nowhere," Logan retorted smartly, "But you and Cail can come down an' see `em anytime you want." With another round of handshakes for everyone, Joe said, "Well, I guess we'll be headin' back home. It was nice to meet y'all and I'll see you bright and early, boys." "We'll be ready, Mr. Bartley," Arley replied. Logan and Ryan shared a quick hug before the father and son headed back outside, climbed in their truck, and backed out of the drive. Taking that as our cue to get moving, too, Tom, Will and I left our seats. Before heading for the door, I pulled the $2500 out of my pocket and handed it to Arlene. "What's this for?" she asked with surprise. "Just a little something to help get you started. There's probably not much food in the house and I'm sure you'll need to get some other things as well. And if you need something for breakfast after Joe's done working with your boys, give us a call and we'll come out to get you." "You don't need to do that, Max," she replied with a little embarrassment. "Well, since you couldn't really see the route I took tonight, you'd be hard pressed to find us on your own in the morning. And when you're ready to do your shopping, I'm sure Ron would be happy to take you on one of his own trips to town to make sure you know where things are." "Well, thanks just don't seem to be `nough for ever'thing y'all `re doin' for us." "Don't you worry about it," Tom replied. Before we could take a step towards the door, Arlene grabbed Logan, wrapped him in a huge hug and whispered, "Thank you, Logan. You have no idea how much this means to us." As soon as she let him go, Arley and Daril followed suit with their own hugs. When Daril finally set Logan back on the floor, the poor kid was beet red with embarrassment at the attention. "I just hope y'all'll be happy here," Logan muttered. With a final round of goodbyes, the four of us headed for the front door, leaving Arlene, Daril and Arley to begin this new chapter of their lives. On reaching the car, Will climbed into the back row to sit by himself while Logan settled into the middle row. With the exception of the music emanating from the car stereo, our return trip home was carried out in silence. After parking in the garage, Logan quickly clambered from the car and headed inside, leaving Will to extricate himself from the back seat. Tom and I felt a little sorry for Will after how things had gone so far this weekend, but neither of us had a solution to the ongoing problems between the two brothers. When the three of us finally stepped inside, we saw Logan peeling his shirt over his head and turning into his bedroom. Reaching the living room, we found the rest of the crew relaxing and reading. "Ah, you're back," Ron greeted us. "Where's Logan? Did he stay?" "No, he just stopped in his room," Tom answered. "Okay, guys," I began, "it's getting late and we have a birthday party to get ready for tomorrow, so time to put your books away and hit the sack." "We'll be along in ten minutes to say our goodnights," Tom added. "Um, where'm I supposed to sleep?" Will asked with concern as the five younger ones left their perches and headed for their rooms. "We assumed you wouldn't be very comfortable with the idea of sharing a bed with anybody ...," I began. "Ya got that right," he quickly agreed. "... so we set up a second bed in Ron's room for you to use," I continued. "We hope that'll be acceptable." "Don't have many options at this point, do I, guess I just have to deal with it," the young man grumbled in defeat. "Well, if you don't like that idea, there's always the couch or the floor somewhere," Tom commented. "I swear I don't snore. And if I do, it doesn't bother me at all," Ron offered with a smirk. "Whatever, man. Just show me where `cause I'm f'in' beat," Will replied. "Right this way, buddy," Ron said as he left the loveseat and turned down the hall, Will following along. Tom and I collapsed in our chairs while we waited for our time to make sure all the munchkins were settled in for the night. While I'd silently hoped for even a few minutes of peace after the loud and eventful evening we'd just survived, that hope was summarily dashed when the big guy opened his mouth. "So, what d'ya think?" " `Bout what?" I asked. "Arlene and her boys, Will, global warming, Logan, anything," he replied with a grin. "Well, I'm glad the three are at the farm and I hope that turns out well. I am wondering what Arlene plans to do about the orchard, though. As for global warming, I know it's not a hoax but until the whole planet takes the necessary steps to really do something about it, we're all gonna die. Let's see ... what else? Oh yeah, our president's still a useless, ignorant twatwaffle and I can't wait for the next election to evict him from his free public housing. This country's medical system still needs to be completely revamped to make healthcare affordable and accessible to everyone, from the richest of the rich to the poorest of the poor. Oh, and last but not least, the people in this country really need to pull their head out of their asses and understand that human rights are meant to be applied equally to all humans, straight, black, gay, pink, trans, purple, whatever." "Um, you smoothly bypassed the two most important subjects in your little diatribe, bubba," Tom prodded me. "Oh, yeah, Will and Logan. I honestly don't know what to make of those two right now. It seems to me they hate each other with a passion, and I don't know of any way to fix that. And if the rift can't be fixed, what happens to Will? Does he go back to juvie until he's eighteen or what? The whole thing just sucks." "I don't know the answers to that problem, babe, but we've got two more days. Let's give it a little more time and see what happens." "Do we really have any other choice at the moment?" I asked. With a shrug of his shoulders in response, we both fell silent until it was time to take care of our nightly duties. "Here ya go, kiddo" I said as Will and I entered my room. "Bathroom's right there," I offered while pointing to the door. "That's my bed over there and yours is under the TV. Think you can deal with it for a few nights?" "Guess we'll find out," he grunted. "Shouldn't be much different from sleeping in an eight by ten with my cellmate. Except we got a lot more room here." "And privacy when you have to take a dump, too." "Yeah, like that'll make up for my supposed brother hatin' my fuckin' guts," Will retorted angrily. I sat on the edge of Will's bed and while patting the mattress, calmly said, "Pull up a pew, kid." I waited until he reluctantly climbed up and sat cross-legged in the middle. "I wanna give you a little food for thought. The way Logan reacted when you got here is entirely your fault," I began. Seeing a protest coming, I plowed on without giving him a chance to say a word. "I wasn't here yet when your dad died, but I've been told that as soon as they read Charlie's will and Logan found out he had a brother, he demanded Max and Tom find you. And he hasn't stopped asking if they'd found you since then. "So, he really, really wanted to meet you and have you become a part of his life. Then, when you finally get here and he tries to show just how much he wants that, you shove him back and yell at him to get away. Well, if I'd just found a brother I didn't know I had and he pulled that shit on me, I'd be fuckin' pissed off at him, too. Probably want to kick his ass for bein' a complete jerk." "Look, man, he just freaked me out. I mean, you just don't latch on to other dudes at juvie like that. That's a good way to get the shit beat outta ya for bein' a fag." "You say that word again and you won't have to worry about Logan or anybody else straightenin' your attitude out for ya `cause I'm gonna do it myself. We're not fags, queers, fairies or anything else along those lines, we're gay, plain and simple. And the sooner you get that through that thick skull of yours, the better off we'll all be. Besides, Logan's not gay, so you can't use that as an excuse to hate him." "Whatever," he replied with disgust. "Just think about it, okay? Maybe a good night's sleep will help bring things into better focus," I offered as I stood up. "Go ahead, get ready for bed and curl up, Will. � Towels are in the cabinet in the bathroom along with soap, shampoo and anything else you might need." I turned to leave but stopped as a thought popped in my head. Turning back to him, I asked, "Um, what do you usually wear at night?" "My boxers, why?" "Well, I sleep naked and have for years. If that makes you uncomfortable, I'll be happy to try wearing shorts while you're." "What do ya mean by `try'?" Will asked. "Well, I'm so used to not havin' anything on, I usually end up peelin' `em off in my sleep. Don't even realize I've done it `til I wake up in the mornin'." "So long as you don't flit around like a fuckin' fruit fly, whatever blows your skirt up," the obnoxious punk spat. I took a step closer to Will before stopping myself and reprimanding him with, "See, shit like that right there is what's gonna get all six of those boys to hate you, so if you wanna blow any chance of finally becoming a part of a real family, just keep it up." On that final note, I spun on my heels and bolted from the room before I smacked the kid so hard he wouldn't wake up until it was time for him to leave. Tom and I were just about to check on our sons when Ron came back and sank heavily onto the loveseat, a look of pure disgust on his face. "Do we want to know what that's all about?" Tom asked. "Just the smartass I'm sharing my room with for the next three nights," he sighed. "He keeps goin' the way he is, I can see why nobody's ever adopted him." "But did you get him settled for the night?" I asked. "Who knows? I told him to get a shower and crawl in bed. We'll see if he can follow instructions when I go to bed." "We know it's not gonna be easy for anyone this weekend with everything that's going on, but try to not kill him the first night, okay?" Tom commented with a smirk. "I'll do my best, but I make no promises," Ron retorted smartly. "That's all any of us can do, buddy, our best," I responded. "We'll check on the boys and then we're gonna hit the sack, too. You might want to wait out here until we come back through." Receiving nothing more than a simple thumbs up in acknowledgement, we headed down the hall. "What order we gonna do tonight, boss?" Tom asked. "Let's check on Logan and the twins first, then jump down to T.J., Mike and Andy. That should give Will enough time to be done with his shower before we look in on him." Accepting my plan of attack, Tom rapped on the first door and we stepped in to say our goodnights. All three were curled up in the middle of the bed, Alex and Joey hugging each other and already sound asleep. Logan had his back to them and his eyes were still wide open. "Can't sleep, kiddo?" Tom asked. "Nah, my brain ain't ready to shut down yet," he replied. "Look, Logan, we know this evening didn't go the way you hoped it would, but give Will a chance," I proposed. "He's basically been alone for fifteen years and it'll take some time for him to accept the fact he finally has other people who really care about him." "I'll try, Dads, but he better pull his head outta his ass real damn quick `cause I ain't gonna put up with no crap from him. He makes one nasty crack `bout you guys or my brothers bein' gay and I'm gonna thump his head so hard, he's gonna think ol' Wile E. Coyote done pushed that boulder off the damn cliff." "We hope it doesn't come to such drastic measures," Tom snickered. "All up to him," Logan muttered. Seeing we weren't going to solve any issues tonight, we doled out our regular hugs, forehead kisses and love yous to the three before turning the light off, closing the door and continuing our trek down the hall. On reaching the last bedroom, we found Andy, Mike and T.J. zoned out and quietly shared our nighttime rituals with them. On reaching the door to Ron's room, we both hesitated a moment before I finally gave the door a light knock. A quiet, "Yeah, hang on a sec," slipped under the door. Five seconds of rustling later, a slightly louder, "C'mon in," reached our straining ears. Tom cautiously pushed the door open and we stepped inside to find Will just plopping his head onto the pillow, covers pulled up to his neck. The big guy asked, "You settled in okay, Will?" "I guess," he muttered glumly. "I hate sleepin' in strange places." "I'm the same way," I volunteered. "Bet you haven't had to do it every six months to a year for the last fifteen, though, did ya?" "No, I guess not," I agreed. "Then quit tryin' to make it sound like we're the same. I just wanna try to get some damn sleep, survive the next couple days of ignorant bullshit and go back to my cell. At least nobody there is faking how much they like me. Truth be told, they all hate me, just like Logan does," Will groused. "I'm sure Logan doesn't hate you, he just doesn't know you yet," Tom suggested. "Nah, the little puke despises me, I can tell." "Well, if you'd quit callin' him `a little puke', maybe he wouldn't hate you quite as much," I added with a touch of heat in my tone. "Doesn't matter, dudes. Come Monday, you're gonna take me back and forget I ever existed, just like everybody else I've ever lived with." "If you keep up with that attitude, you're goddam right," Tom agreed. "See you in the morning," he vented before grabbing my arm and dragging me into the hallway, pulling the door closed behind him. "Wait, we didn't give him a hug or say goodnight," I protested, trying to pull away from his grip. "And I don't think he deserves it `til he shapes up," Tom grumbled. "Well, you just go on to bed, then, and I'll be there in a few. I'm not leaving Will in that state of mind." "Go for it," he grunted before letting go of my bicep and stalking on across the house. I gave the door another quick rap and when I didn't get a response from within, I stepped inside and flipped on the light. The sight that greeted me broke my heart. Will had rolled over and had his face buried in the pillow, but from the shuddering of his body, it was obvious he was crying. Stepping over, I sat on the edge of the bed and gently laid a hand on the middle of his back. I'd so spooked him, he damn near bolted from the room. Since he wasn't much bigger than Logan, I was able to hold onto Will and pulled him into a hug, allowing him to continue letting his feelings flow while he wrapped his arms around me and squeezed so tightly, I was having a hard time catching my breath. I let him go for several minutes and he eventually started to calm down. Once he'd reached the point of loosening his grip slightly, I extricated myself and stepped across the room to grab the box of Kleenex and wastebasket from beside Ron's bed. My shirt was a sodden mess, but that was the least of my worries at the moment. As soon as I set the box on the bed, Will grabbed a couple to dry his eyes and cheeks. After tossing those in the bucket, he yanked out some more to blow his nose and pitched them away, too. "You feel any better?" I asked with concern. "A little bit, I guess. Sorry, Mr. Sa..., uh, Max," he answered. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Will." "Yeah, I do. I was a complete ass tonight and now my brother hates me." "Well, I sure won't argue that with ya," I agreed with a grin. "But the person who really needs to hear you say that is Logan." "I know and he will. I just hope he'll believe me when I say it." "I'm pretty sure he'll accept an apology," I offered, unsure if I was telling the truth. "Logan's a pretty level-headed kid despite what he's been through the last couple of years." "Ya sure coulda fooled me," Will cracked with a twisted grin. "Keep in mind his emotions are still raw from losing his dad, sorry, I should have said your dad, a couple weeks ago, so it doesn't take much to set him off these days." "No shit, man! I thought I'd just run into the Tasmanian devil. And I'm sorry he's had a couple bad years, but I've had a helluva lot more of `em. Fifteen damn years, nobody's wanted me and I finally found someone who might and go and fuck it all up," Will explained as he plucked a few more tissues from the box to dry the new tears that were forming in the corners of his eyes. "I don't know about anybody else `round here, but I haven't written you off just yet. Not completely, anyway. Let's see what the next few days bring and go from there." "Let me tell ya somethin', man, it really sucks gettin' shuffled from place to place with no warning, takin' nothin' with ya but the clothes on your back. And at least he got to know our parents for several years before they died. I've always wondered who my mom and dad were and why they didn't keep me, but now I'll never know," he whimpered before blowing his nose again. "I bet I know someone who'll be more than happy to tell you all about them." "Fat chance of that happenin' after what I did to `im," Will muttered sadly. "Look, it's been a long and emotional day for everybody. Just get some sleep and things will be better tomorrow, I promise." "I'll try," he agreed softly. "Oh, and thanks, Max." "For what?" "For holding onto me while I cried like a little baby. Nobody's ever done that for me, not that I can remember, anyway. And I've done lots of cryin' wonderin' if I'd ever get a real family." "Well, I can't make any promises since I'm not the only person involved in making big decisions like this around here, but I'd say your chances are looking better now than they were just a few hours ago." "I sure as hell hope so," Will smiled. "I really don't want to spend the next three years locked up in that hellhole I'm in." "And we don't want you to, either," I agreed. I reached my arms out towards Will and he hesitantly crawled closer before leaning in and we shared another hug. "We'll see you in the morning, buddy. Sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite." "Oh, those little bastards won't bite me, man, I'm way too sour for them," he laughed with a smile and I chuckled along with him. "Well, let's see what we can do to make you a little bit sweeter," I offered while ruffling his hair. As I stood to leave, Will quietly commented, "Yeah, all right, Max. Thanks for not giving up on me." Flipping off the light, I closed the door and headed across the house to join the rather testy teddy bear waiting for me in our bedroom. Passing through the living room, Ron was sitting on the edge of his chair and ready to head for bed. "Is it safe to go in now?" he asked with a smirk. "Yeah, I think you'll be fine. See you in the morning, Ron," I replied while continuing my trek, uncertain of what I was going to find when I crawled into bed and tried to curl up with the love of my life. I'd been trying to get to sleep for quite a while and like I told my Dads, my brain just wouldn't shut down. I was so pissed off at that obnoxious little shit in the room next door, I knew it was gonna be a long time before I'd be able to nod off. I also knew that my continued tossing and turning to try and get comfortable was going to eventually wake up Alex and Joey, so I decided that I'd just get back up and read by the fireplace for a while. The book I was reading, Speaker for the Dead, was getting really interesting and I couldn't wait to climb back into Ender's world and life, if for no other reason than to escape my own miserable existence for a while. When I finally saw the hallway light go out and heard Ron shuffle down the hallway, I knew I could finally sneak out of bed without anybody knowing I was still up. I carefully slid off the mattress and headed for the door, hoping I didn't wake either of the twins as I did. After quietly closing the door, I tiptoed to the living room, grabbed my book off the table and climbed into Dad's recliner. In minutes, I was off the planet Earth and walking alongside my buddy Ender on the planet Lusitania as he headed out of the human colony to talk to the pequeninos. Ron had finally come into his room about ten minutes ago. After taking a quick shower, he crawled into his bed, whispering `night, Will' as he pulled the covers up to his chin. I remained silent since I was faking sleep, knowing I wasn't going to get to sleep anytime soon tonight. Despite that effort, I still caught a glimpse of the guy's bare ass as the moonlight filtering through the windows flashed off the pale while skin of his own moon. I had to seriously stifle my giggle at the sight to keep up the dead possum act I was playing. Of course, seeing bare butts and more wasn't really new to me with where I'd been living the last year or so. My seventeen-year-old cellmate had absolutely no qualms about sleeping naked and slipping off the top bunk in the morning, his ass practically in my face. Nor did he have an issue climbing up to bed at night, his fat, hairy seven-inch dick and low-hanging balls swinging to and fro just inches from my nose. There were times I thought he was going to try stuffing that thing in my mouth, but he never did, thank God. Of course, I always knew when he was horned up as the bunk shook like we were in the middle of an earthquake while he jerked off like a madman. And while I didn't really care he was getting his rocks off just above me, I really wished he wouldn't do it two or three times every damn night. As for all the other assholes in the place, shower time was a freakin' free-for-all most of the time. Plenty of sick assholes playin' grab-ass or groping each other, with most of them sporting boners before leaving the shower room. It also wasn't that uncommon for some of the fairies to be down on their knees and suckin' off one of bigger bullies in an effort to keep from getting their asses beat, or worse. And though it was a rare occurrence, I'd still witnessed several poor kids gettin' fucked by some of the gang-affiliated jerks, mostly newbies who'd just arrived and `needed to learn their place'. I'd somehow gotten lucky and avoided being screwed by any of them. That didn't stop them from raggin' on me endlessly because I was so damn small. And I'm not just talkin' about how tall I was. Thanks to the long-time health issues and shitty care in some of the places I'd lived over the years, the puberty fairy had bypassed me. It was embarrassing as hell to have to shower with all those assholes, them knowing I was fifteen and yet as hairless as the day I came into this damn world and still hung like a fuckin' two-year-old. Oh well, that was my cross to bear, I guess, and I'd just have to learn to live with it. After about ten minutes of stewing on the nightmare that had passed for my life so far and all the crap I'd dealt with the past fifteen years, I heard Ron start snoring and decided it was as good a time to slip out and either find something to read or maybe watch a movie in the theater. I'd just started a new chapter when I heard a door close down the hallway somewhere. While I didn't really care somebody would find me out of bed, I still wasn't too interested in talking to anyone, so I kept my nose buried in my book and tried to return to Lusitania. My return trip to that faraway world was immediately canceled when the jerk walked around the corner and spied me. "Oh, it's you," I muttered in disgust. "Sorry, dude, I couldn't sleep and thought I'd watch a movie or something," Will replied. "Well, don't let me stop ya," I retorted angrily. The pain in the ass surprised me when he settled onto the loveseat instead of continuing on across the house. "I won't, but before I do, I wanna tell ya I'm really sorry for bein' a complete dickhead earlier." "You were, ya know." "Yeah, I do, man. It's just that dudes don't hug other dudes like that where I'm stuck right now," he explained with a hint of sadness. "That's a pretty shitty excuse, blaming other people for how you are," I countered. "That crap won't fly `round here." "It won't happen again, Logan, I promise." "It better not or I'm gonna sic my brothers on your sorry ass." "If that's what ya think ya gotta do, go right ahead. I deserve it." "Damn right, you do," I agreed with what I hoped was an evil grin. "So, do you guys ever wear clothes?" he asked with a smirk. "Not if we don't hafta," I answered. "Isn't that weird?" Will asked with interest. "I mean, I guess it's not a big deal for you guys `cause you don't have that much to show off in the first place, but I'd be embarrassed as hell for Max, Tom or Ron to see me that way." "It was a little, um, different at first, but once ya get used to it, who cares? We all got the same thing so what's the point o' tryin' to hide it?" "But what if there's any girls `round?" "Don't make no difference to us," I giggled. "There was a couple at T.J.'s birthday party Wednesday and it didn't bother us none. Them either, I guess, since they swam naked just like the rest o' us. `Course, when our grandparents or aunt and uncle are here, they usually don't wear nothin', either." "That just seems wrong," Will mused. "What?" I asked. "Y'all seeing girls and women naked all the time. I don't think I could do it." "Why's that? Ya `fraid somebody's gonna laugh at your tiny pecker?" I asked. "It ain't tiny!" he disagreed angrily though he turned beet red in an instant. "Dude, thanks to those boxer briefs you're wearin', there ain't no hidin' the fact ya got a small dick." He looked down at his lap and suddenly realized he'd neglected to pull anything on over them. While I knew the situation was far from funny for him, I couldn't help but laugh my ass off as his hands flew to his crotch and he tried to cover himself. "Don't worry `bout it, Will. Ain't nobody `round here gonna think twice `bout how big you are or aren't. `Cept maybe you." "Ron said you aren't gay. Why the hell you lookin' at my junk?" "All guys do that, comparin' themselves to others." "I don't do sick shit like that," he protested. "Sure ya do, you're just too chicken to admit it," I replied. "Well, ya better go start that movie or you're gonna be up all night." "I will in a minute, but can I ask ya somethin' without pissin' ya off?" "You can sure as hell try," I smirked. "Will you tell me about Mom and Dad?" Will begged.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 90</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family"><span>enderwiggin61@outlook.com</span></a></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html"><span>http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</span></a><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. � It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments"><span>https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</span></a></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk51954139"></a><a name="_Hlk51360434"></a><a name="_Toc52060536"><span>Chapter 90 � Let the Fireworks Begin</span></a></h2> <p><span>I stopped in the kitchen on my way to join the gabfest taking place in the living room and just about lost it on the sight that greeted me. And while I managed to internalize the hearty guffaw that was about to escape, there was no covering up the rather piggish snort of laughter that refused to remain contained.</span></p> <p><span>Ron quickly closed the oven and spun around to look at me, "What?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nice apron, ya goofball," I snickered. "It, uh, really brings out the blue in your eyes."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, I kinda like it, too. Did you know these things are good for more than just protectin' your junk when cookin' bacon and burgers?"</span></p> <p><span>"Never thought about `em that way, I guess. `Course, there was never that much concern about it before recent times. Were you able to get it on in time?" I asked with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Barely," he chuckled. "While Arlene and her boys just missed seeing the sun, I was still tying the back and they got a really good gander at a full moon," he added with a snigger.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh god, please don't say <i>gander</i> around me. Not for a while, anyway," I moaned.</span></p> <p><span>"Why not?" I quickly filled Ron in on our exciting and terrifying return to Illinois, Ron's expression changing with each new detail. When I finished the tale, he wrapped me in a hug and whispered, "Glad you're all safe." That bit of drama handled, it was time to move on.</span></p> <p><span>"So, how'd they react to your, uh, uniform?" I queried.</span></p> <p><span>"I think the boys were just embarrassed at seeing another guy's bare ass, but Logan's aunt seemed to like what she saw. Quite a bit, I might add."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh-oh," I chortled. "Of course, she's been married to that asshole Troy for so long, she'd probably take a shot at any halfway decent-lookin' piece of beefcake these days."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max, I'll take that as a compliment," he grinned. "We're cool, though. Once Logan got done tryin' to pop my head off with his hug and saw her checking me out from head to toe the way she was, the little squirt quickly let her know it would never work since I'm not into women," Ron giggled. "Damn, I missed that brat when he was down there. Glad he gets to stay for good now."</span></p> <p><span>"We all are," I agreed. "Tom and Mike won't be back for a while yet. Is that gonna cause a problem with your supper schedule?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, I kinda planned for a flexible time. The ribs have been in the oven for about four hours now and by the time we're ready to sit and chow down, the meat should be fallin' off the bone. I'll just need a little heads up to get the all-rotten taters in and crank the temp on the oven so they'll be ready at the right time."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he was just pullin' off the interstate into Normal when we talked, so figure close to two hours from now."</span></p> <p><span>`I'll keep an eye on everything like always, Max, but that at least gives me a rough time to work towards. It's four-thirty now, so I'll pop the potatoes in, say, about six. They'll be ready to go about seven, then. Sound workable to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, sounds like a plan to me," I agreed before adding, "Make it so."</span></p> <p><span>"Yessir, Cap'n Picard, sir!" Ron retorted with a half-assed salute while crossing his eyes and sticking his tongue out at me.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't ever change, Ron," I laughed. "I needed that right about now."</span></p> <p><span>"Always happy to help, boss."</span></p> <p><span>"You <i>will</i> join us shortly, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Affirmative, Cap'n," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"The first smartass doesn't stand a chance against you," I muttered as I turned to join the rest of the family and finally have a chance to sit down with Arlene, Daril and Arley and have an enlightening discussion.</span></p> <p><span>During the next hour and a half, we learned Arlene is thirty-seven, Daril is sixteen and Arley, fifteen. Arlene and Troy had been high-school sweethearts and married the summer after they graduated from high school, just as everyone expected they would. Life had been pretty good the first several years of their lives together. They borrowed money from their parents, bought 300 acres of land and planted the peach and apple trees that would later become their orchard. Both worked other jobs while they waited for the trees to start producing the fruit that eventually became their main source of income. Troy and Arlene worked together during weekends to make sure the trees they'd planted were healthy and growing as they should.</span></p> <p><span>Four years after their marriage began, Daril was born and Arley followed just over a year later. By that time, the orchard had become a profitable business and their futures looked to be very secure. They built a house to replace the mobile home they'd started in, constructed the dam to create the lake behind their home and subdivided the property around the small lake into fifteen separate home lots. With the income received from the sale of those lots, they were able to pay back the loans to their parents and the loan from the bank they'd taken out to build their new home. Yes, life was certainly looking good for the young family. </span></p> <p><span>When Arley and Daril reached the age of seven or eight, they joined Troy working in the orchard, mostly helping to pick the ready for market fruit from the lower branches they could reach while other workers took care of the higher ones with the aid of ladders. Once picked and loaded onto a wagon, the harvest was hauled to the shed where it was machine sorted by size and then loaded into bushel baskets and half-bushel bags.</span></p> <p><span>The young boys' real forte at the orchard was their salesmanship, though. They had thoroughly enjoyed spending their evenings and weekends at the shed, using their charm and cuteness to entice customers into buying more than they really needed. � When they felt folks weren't stepping up to the plate, they'd put on a sad puppy dog face to seduce them into buying even more. Both boys blushed with embarrassment as Arlene touted their finely-honed skills.</span></p> <p><span>Unfortunately, it all started to go to hell in a handbasket five years ago when southeast Missouri was dealt a serious blow due to a drought that killed almost a third of the trees in the orchard. They tried irrigating from the lake, but all too soon, it ran dry and was ultimately of little help. The next year was even worse because of a late freeze. Despite hiring helicopters to fly over the orchard for four nights in a row in an attempt to force slightly warmer air down to the ground and keep the blossoms from succumbing to the extremely low temperatures, the effort and the year were almost a complete loss. And after having run through their reserves the previous year, they went back to their parents to borrow more money to keep themselves afloat. </span></p> <p><span>With the boys now being eleven and twelve, their grandparents gladly pitched in what they could to ensure food would be on the table and property taxes were paid on time. During that year, Troy became increasingly obsessed with keeping the family business going and more and more despondent over his failure to adequately support his family. When another year rolled around, the parents were tapped out and unable to continue providing even minimal support for their kids and grandkids.</span></p> <p><span>That was when Troy began going to extreme measures to keep his dream alive, borrowing money from the unsavory type of people who don't take very kindly to people who can't repay their debts. His depression about the situation and the stress of dealing with such shady individuals is what led to the dark side of his nature rearing its ugly head. As increasing pressure was applied by his `lenders', Troy became angrier and angrier and it finally boiled over into the outright abuse of Arlene and the boys. The past couple of years had been profitable again, but with the sharks circling and demanding more and more every month, Troy became exceedingly toxic and unbalanced, taking out all his frustrations on his family.</span></p> <p><span>Arlene had planned to escape many times over the past three years, but with no money to facilitate her ideas, she and the boys were stuck in a bad situation with little hope of ever following through on her dreams of starting a new life and bringing an end to the ongoing and worsening abuse. When Charlie died, Troy hatched his despicable plan to pilfer Logan's inheritance by any means necessary, all in an effort to save what he'd spent the last twenty years of hard work building up. Living with the continual threat of abuse and in fear for their lives if they didn't go along with the deranged man, Arlene, Daril and Arley had little choice but to give in to Troy's demands and follow his lead.</span></p> <p><span>When Logan had finally fought back against Troy and won the war with the asshole, she knew their chance to start anew had finally arrived and the three began planning their next moves in earnest. The only real problem they still faced was the ongoing lack of funds, and the offer from Logan to live on what was now his farm was like a sign from above. All three were expressing their undying gratitude for Logan's assistance, but the munchkin downplayed his generosity as if it were nothing.</span></p> <p><span>The other big thing we learned from Arlene was that while Troy had always accused Rebecca (Becky according to Arlene) of forcing Charlie to move away from Dexter, it really wasn't her idea. Charlie had planned to get away from Troy as soon as he possibly could because he had seen the darkness that resided deep inside his brother's heart and didn't want his own family to be exposed to it. So, shortly after Charlie and Rebecca married, they moved to New Berlin and bought the farm. I felt fortunate in the fact that if she knew about him, Arlene didn't bring up any mention of William. I don't think I could've have maintained my composure and kept the secret of who's coming to dinner.</span></p> <p><span>Arlene's biggest concern at the moment was to make sure her sons didn't let their educations flounder. And while she claimed neither of them would ever be mistaken for geniuses (much to the boys' chagrin), they did fairly well in school and were looking forward to getting started here as soon as they could. Of course, I promised to take them to the school Monday morning to get them enrolled so their interruption would be minimal.</span></p> <p><span>All three were looking forward to moving onto Logan's farm. While the boys knew there would be some work involved in living there, they were more than willing to do it for the opportunity they were being given. They insisted they wouldn't have any issues dealing with what needed to be done since they were both hard workers and used to dealing with tractors and other heavy equipment after all their experience on the orchard.</span></p> <p><span>In the middle of their stories, Ron had finally joined us after taking a call in the kitchen. Of course, he'd also slipped down to his bedroom before returning wearing a pair of shorts, causing more than a few giggles among the crew when he finally plucked Andy from his spot on the couch, taking the space and allowing the rugrat to settle into his lap.</span></p> <p><span>Once it seemed that Arlene and her sons had run out of things to share, I asked Ron, "Who called a while back?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nobody important. It was Tom letting us know they'd just picked up the special delivery and were on the interstate back home. They're gonna zip into a Walmart to pick up a few things on the way, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to me. I'm famished and they can't get here fast enough." Everyone enjoyed a good laugh at that comment.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm gonna get the potatoes in the oven and the salad ready to serve."</span></p> <p><span>"Is there anything I can do to help?" Arlene asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for the offer, ma'am, but I got a handle on this," Ron replied before getting up, setting Andy back into his original seat, and disappearing into the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Dad," Logan started, "we was talkin' while you was on the phone and I was thinkin' `bout spendin' the weekend at the farm to make sure they know where ever'thing is."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we'll have to think about that," I hedged. "Let's see what Pops says when he gets back, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess," he grumped in response.</span></p> <p><span>"Can we go watch TV `til Pops and Mike get here?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine with me, guys," I answered. </span></p> <p><span>As the five younger ones headed across the living room, T.J. stopped by my chair, dancing a little jig of expectation. Daril and Arley looked to their mom, uncertain if they were allowed to join the others and Daril asked, "Can we go, too, Ma?"</span></p> <p><span>" `Course you can," Arlene answered quickly. "You might as well start enjoying life now that you don't hafta worry `bout your dad screwin' things up for ya no more." With big smiles on their faces, the two jumped up from the loveseat and followed along, hustling to catch up to the others.</span></p> <p><span>Turning my attention to the still-hovering youngster, I asked, "What's up, kiddo?"</span></p> <p><span>"Is Logan's brother really coming here tonight?" he begged quietly, eyes lit up with excitement.</span></p> <p><span>"How long have you known?" I asked with resignation.</span></p> <p><span>"Since right after Pops talked to that Randy dude," he admitted. "Alex and Joey know, too."</span></p> <p><span>"You three are gonna drive us crazy, you know that, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep," T.J. replied happily with a huge grin flooding his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, William's going to be here for the weekend," I admitted, "but keep it under your hat, please."</span></p> <p><span>T.J. immediately lifted both hands to the top of his head and giggled, "Uh, what hat?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know what I mean, ya goofball. Now scoot," I added with a light swat on his behind. "And mum's the word, you hear me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Even when you don't say it out loud, Dad," he chirped as he hauled ass to the theater. When he'd moved on, I turned back towards Arlene and saw a look of shock on her face at T.J.'s question.</span></p> <p><span>"Did I hear that right," she muttered in disbelief.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, Logan has a brother," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"We never knew nothin' `bout that," she breathed quietly. "I can't believe Becky never mentioned him all these years. How'd you find out `bout `im and where's he been?"</span></p> <p><span>"William was mentioned in Charlie's will. According to that, he was born shortly after Charlie and Rebecca bought the farm, and with them just starting out and not having much money at the time, they decided William would be better off being adopted by someone who was in a better place to raise him. Unfortunately, he never found his forever family and has been in state care for the last fifteen years."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure sounds like somethin' those two would do," Arlene nodded. "Always more worried `bout somebody else than themselves, they was. Ol' Charlie'd give you the shirt off his back if it was the last thing he owned, and Becky, well, she'd feed a person in need `fore her own family, even if it was the last can of beans in the cupboard."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we're kind of hoping this weekend goes well as we'd like to finally give William a real home."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't s'prise me none," she commented. "I hope it works out for y'all, too."</span></p> <p><span>Changing topics, I asked Arlene, "Are you absolutely sure you're okay with our lack of a dress code around here. We really don't like for our guests to be uncomfortable."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, y'all are fine. It'll take some gettin' used to, but we will. Just don't expect us to follow suit."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine with us, Arlene," I replied as the phone rang again. Expecting it to be Tom calling to let us know they were finally on the way home from Walmart, I was ready to continue our chat when Ron yelled from the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Max, you wanna talk to some guy named Ray!? Says he works for Channel 17."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, Ron," I yelled back. "Excuse me a minute, Arlene, I need to take this." I picked up the phone from the coffee table and greeted him with, "Afternoon, Ray. How ya doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty well, Max. How's everyone out there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Still suckin' air and takin' sustenance," I joked.</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear. Listen, the reason I called is I'm in Springfield tonight and have something for you guys. Would it be okay if my wife and I were to swing by, say around seven-thirty or eight?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, yeah, I guess that'd be okay. We have some company for dinner and we'll probably be eating then, but if you don't mind watchin' some pigs at the trough, you're welcome to stop in."</span></p> <p><span>"We won't stay long, I promise," he replied, adding, "I just want to get this out of my hands so I'm no longer responsible for it."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like whatever it is must be important," I commented, intrigued with what he had to deliver.</span></p> <p><span>"You have no idea," Ray intoned mysteriously.</span></p> <p><span>"Think you can find us in the dark?"</span></p> <p><span>"Piece o' cake, man. Just head up the road and look for the little red schoolhouse," he cracked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, that'll work. Well, we'll see you in a while, then. Thanks for calling." Hanging up the phone, I turned to Arlene and said, "Looks like we're going to have an unexpected visitor tonight. I hope he won't delay us getting you to the farm by too much."</span></p> <p><span>"Psshh, don't you worry none `bout that, Max. We certainly don't `spect y'all to put your lives on hold for us," she commented before we moved on to other topics.</span></p> <p><span>I took the 6<sup>th</sup> Street exit ramp at twice the posted speed because, well, we <i>are </i>in a Shelby and I can, so why not? Mike was hooting with glee from the back seat and I noticed a tiny hint of something resembling a smile from Will as well before I had to slow down for the stop sign at the end of the ramp. A couple of quick right turns and we were in the parking lot of Walmart, searching for a safe place to leave the `Stang while we took care of our shopping. As usual, I ended up about the middle of the large paved and well-striped area, away from other cars to minimize the chance of somebody dinging Max's baby with their door or shopping cart.</span></p> <p><span>Mike was leading the way as we hoofed it across the lot and I asked William, "So, are the other clothes you brought with you like the ones you're wearing?"</span></p> <p><span>"What's wrong with what I got on?" he retorted angrily.</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing, really, they just don't seem to fit you very well," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I can't argue that a bit. If I didn't have a belt on, my jeans would've fallen right off my ass as soon as I got outta the car. `Course, you'd probably like that, wouldn't ya?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, not particularly," I lied smoothly, knowing full well I'd like nothing more than to see young Will wearing nothing but a smile. Of course, not in the middle of Walmart's parking lot. Mike shot me a quick knowing look over his shoulder, his face was filled with a huge grin and I knew he was thinking, `Whatchu takin' `bout, Pops?' After a quick negative shake of my head and a wink to the youngster, I returned to Will and asked, "Would you like to get some new clothes that fit better while we're here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, guess so. As long as you're springin' the dough for `em `cause I got none."</span></p> <p><span>"That was my intention," I agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine by me, mister, but don't you go thinkin' you can buy me `cause I ain't for sale."</span></p> <p><span>"I would hope not," I replied. " `Specially since it's illegal to sell people, even smart-mouthed little punks like you. I'd probably have to <i>pay</i> somebody big bucks to get them to take you off my hands," I added with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, good luck with that," he snorted in reply.</span></p> <p><span>After about twenty minutes browsing the boy's department, we had picked out a decent assortment of socks, underwear, some shorts and t-shirts, and, of course, the swimsuit that had necessitated our little shopping spree. After that, we made a quick stop in the shoe department to pick up a new pair of tennis shoes to go with everything else, then headed for the checkout lanes. Using my recently acquired debit card that was linked to a seemingly bottomless account, we paid for our purchases, headed out of the store, loaded everything into the trunk and hit the road for home. Once on the interstate, I called to let them know we were on the way and hungry enough to eat a hippo or two.</span></p> <p><span>Arlene and I were still chatting about getting her and the boys settled into their new home when Ron yelled from the kitchen, "That was Tom and they're on the way!"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh boy, this is gonna be fun," I giggled excitedly.</span></p> <p><span>"I hope it turns out the way you want," Arlene smiled.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, it would really suck if it doesn't," I agreed. The two of us headed across the house to join Ron and I asked, "Have you told the boys yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, gonna let you have that privilege tonight," he replied with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"No problem. I'll get `em out here to set the table. We should be ready to eat when the others get here, then."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, what about Logan's surprise?" Arlene queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the food can stay in the oven until the excitement's worn off," Ron replied. "Then, once everyone has chilled out a bit, it'll only take a minute or two to get it all on the table since it's all cooking in its own serving dish." He then turned to me and added, "You better get those rugrats on the stick. With Tom's lead foot when he's in the Shelby, they could be here a lot sooner than normal."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh crap, didn't think about that," I muttered as I spun on my heels and headed for the theater to roust the work crew from in front of the boob tube. As the herd descended on the kitchen, we were surprised to find Daril and Arley were carrying their shirts, pants, shoes and socks, but they were still wearing their loose-fitting boxers and ball caps with the orchard's logo on them. "If you guys want to drop your clothes on the couch for now, go ahead," I offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, sir," Arley drawled.</span></p> <p><span>"Max is fine, boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Is that okay with you, Ma?" Daril asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine with me long as it's okay with Max," she answered. "I can't believe you two have gone as far as you have, especially so quickly," she added.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, seems kinda ridiculous for us to be dressed like we're working in the orchard when none of `em ain't got a stich on," Arley replied.</span></p> <p><span>"That's your call, boys, whatever you feel comfortable doing," Arlene said.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Ma. We didn't much figger you'd care," Daril commented. On that note, the two disappeared across the house, deposited their clothes in the living room and returned, big smiles on their faces.</span></p> <p><span>Arlene quickly commented, "If you two should ever decide you're wanna lose the boxers, too, I won't have no problem with that, neither."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, don't see that happenin', Ma," Arley grunted in reply.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, me either," Daril agreed. "Ain't ready for you to be seein' me in my wherewithal."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you two forget I used to change your diapers and help you in the bath, so I done seen what y'all got already."</span></p> <p><span>"Not for a long time, you ain't," Arley argued.</span></p> <p><span>" `Sides, after seein' nothin' but your daddy's diseased and worthless, um, you know what the past eight or nine years, I think I deserve to see some nice, young, healthy tallywhackers," Arlene commented with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>Both boys snorted loudly and Daril retorted, "OHMIGOD, TMI, MA, TMGDI!" He then plugged his ears with his fingers and started humming to himself to block out any other sounds.</span></p> <p><span>"You wanna see that, Ma, there's five boys right there," Arley added while pointing to the group coming out of the kitchen to start their job. He then turned to T.J. who was busy placing the plates around the table and asked, "You need any help, guys?" I was pretty sure he only asked to get out of the embarrassing conversation with his mother, but he got a taker anyway.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, dude," T.J. answered. "Ron says we need salad bowls, too, but I can't reach them without the stepladder. You wanna grab them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, where they at?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just ask Ron and he'll tell ya." Arley soon disappeared around the corner, then came back with thirteen bowls and started placing them next to each plate.</span></p> <p><span>"What `bout me? Anything I can do?" Daril asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It looks like we're gonna need another chair," Andy piped up. "Why don't you grab one from one of our bedrooms?"</span></p> <p><span>"Be right back."</span></p> <p><span>Arlene had a mild look of surprise on her face and muttered, "Those two have <i>never</i> helped out `round the house, not in fifteen damn years. What the devil's got into them?"</span></p> <p><span>"New attitudes to go with their new lives?" I posited.</span></p> <p><span>"Could be, I s'pose. Whatever it is, I sure ain't gonna complain none," she laughed. </span></p> <p><span>Logan was soon delivering drinks to the table once they'd been prepared by Joey and Alex and when he'd finished his rounds, every plate had a glass next to it. Confused by that development since I hadn't heard them ask what anyone wanted for their beverage, I called the twins over and asked, "How can you be sure you got all those drinks correct?"</span></p> <p><span>"There he goes with those silly questions, again," Alex joked while looking to Joey.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you'd'a thunk he done figured it out by now," Joey giggled in reply.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, okay, ya got me there," I muttered. "But how do you know what a certain someone wants? I mean, you've never even met him before." After taking a quick look around to ensure nobody else could hear, they leaned in close and provided the answer.</span></p> <p><span>"We got it from Logan," Joey whispered. Seeing the confused look on my face, Alex quickly waded in to clear the fog.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, they may not know it yet, but those two been linked up since Logan was born."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay then. I guess we'll find out if you're right soon enough," I muttered in disbelief at their ever-growing mental abilities. "I hope that means things go well this weekend."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the start's gonna be a bit ugly ...," Joey began.</span></p> <p><span>"... but T.J. <i>thinks</i> it's gonna turn out okay," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>Hoping the three were right with their premonitions, I called all the boys over to give one last request before Tom, Mike and William arrived. Once they'd gathered around me and Arlene in the corner of the dining room where we'd been hovering out of the way, I told them, "Okay, you all need to find some shorts to wear for a while, please." After numerous complaints and angry grumblings at my request, I got them to quiet down and continued, "You guys remember Ray Snell from Channel 17?" With nods from all but Daril and Arley, I added, "He and his wife will be dropping by in a little bit and you know the rules. Now, hop to it," I commanded while aiming a finger towards their rooms.</span></p> <p><span>As they shuffled off, Arley asked, "What `bout us, Mr. San..., uh, Max? We ain't got no shorts."</span></p> <p><span>" `Cept what we got on right now, and I don't think those count for much," Daril grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"I think Ron's not much bigger than you guys and I'm sure he can come up with something," I offered. The two quickly returned to the kitchen and were next seen crossing the living with Ron leading the way.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, Max, I hate to ask this, but how <i>did</i> the twins know what everyone wants to drink," Arlene asked quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"You'll find out soon enough, I suppose. Joey, Alex and T.J. all have the ability to read minds and sense feelings from other people. It can be a little off-putting to folks who don't know about it, but once you get used to them completing your sentences and asking questions you're not expecting, it's really not as disconcerting as you'd think. At least, I don't think so."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a little spooky," Arlene admitted with a quaver of uncertainty in her voice.</span></p> <p><span>"Speaking of that ...," I began just as the herd started returning from their rooms. "Well, I'll save that story for another time, I guess." As Ron was following the little parade, the drive alarm dinged and the boys all started jumping around and hooting that we could finally eat. Ron just moseyed on through the ruckus, a strange look on his face. Daril and Arley finally rejoined the other boys and the whole group started towards the dining room to take their places at the table.</span></p> <p><span>I followed Ron into the kitchen and quietly asked, "What?"</span></p> <p><span>He turned to face me and answered, "Well, I pulled some clean shorts outta my dresser and tossed `em to those two hulks. Since their mom wasn't in the room, they just dropped their boxers in front of me and pulled the shorts on."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what's the big deal?"</span></p> <p><span>Ron snorted and replied, "Funny you should ask it that way. Arley's a cute enough little bugger and just about right for a kid his age, but that Daril's packin' some serious heat in his drawers, let me tell ya."</span></p> <p><span>"Down boy," I commanded the panting hound dog with a chortle. Once we'd both calmed down, I asked, "You ready for this?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ready as I'll ever be, let's go meet our special guest," he answered.</span></p> <p><span>Rejoining the rest of the crew in the dining room, we found Logan sitting at the end of the table with his back to the living room. T.J., Andy and Arley were sitting on one side to Logan's left with Alex, Joey and Daril across the table and to Logan's right. That arrangement left the extra chair at the end of the table next to Logan for William. Just as we reached Arlene, who was standing by the glass doors behind the twins, we all heard the door from the garage closing and the excited chatter of Mike leading the way down the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, dude, ya gotta meet everybody," Mike was saying when he reached the end of the hall, his hand wrapped around William's and dragging him along.</span></p> <p><span>When Mike's reluctant tagalong could finally be seen by all of us but Logan, Alex quietly muttered to Joey, "Holy shit, he looks just like Logan," to which Joey retorted with a giggle, "Short little fucker, ain't he?" I gave the mouthy little rascals a quick finger thump to the back of their noggins for their choice of words and both spun to glare at me, eyes wide with fear.</span></p> <p><span>"Oops, we said that out loud, didn't we?" Alex asked, slapping a hand over his mouth with.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Dad, we meant to use the `inside our head' voices," Joey quickly added.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll let it slide this time, you two, but get it under control, please," I admonished the chagrinned duo.</span></p> <p><span>Our interaction had attracted Logan's attention and he finally turned in his seat to see who we were talking about. Once he spied his brother being led across the living room, Logan was out of his chair like a slice of bread ejected from an out-of-control toaster and flying towards William and Mike at full-tilt boogie. A look of abject fear flooded William's face at the sight and Mike was barely able to get out of the way before Logan crashed into William and tightly wrapped his arms around his older brother.</span></p> <p><span>William's reaction to the attack was as instant as it was surprising. He shoved his arms down inside Logan's grasp, pried the youngster from his bearhug, pushed him back a couple of feet and yelled, "Get the hell off me, ya little puke!"</span></p> <p><span>Mike quickly scuttled away from the pair in fear, joining us in the dining room while Tom firmly laid a hand on William's shoulder and yelled, "Will!"</span></p> <p><span>Before Will could turn around or shake the hand off him, a stunned and very pissed off Logan was back in Will's face screaming, "Who the hell you callin' little, ya fuckin' midget?" It was at that point Tom decided to remove himself from the line of fire as he stepped back about five feet and allowed the two to have at it.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not a goddam midget, I'm just short!" Will retorted angrily.</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't you s'posed to be fifteen? You ain't no bigger than Joey's boyfriend, and he's only eleven. No way in hell you're older than him."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever, shrimp!" Will grumped. "Just get the fuck outta my face. Who the fuck you think you are, anyway?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you had half a brain and ever looked in a damn mirror, you'd know I'm your brother, ya idjit," Logan replied with heat. "Or you just too all-fire stupid to see that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Bullshit! I don't have a brother!" Will screamed back. "Haven't had one for fifteen years and sure as shit don't need one now. `Specially a spoiled little turd like you." A look of pure hatred flashed on Logan's face just before he crumpled to the floor into a sobbing heap. Tom and I started to move in to try and comfort Logan, but Will held his hands up and halted us in our tracks. He then knelt beside Logan, put a hand on his shoulder and quietly started, "I'm sorry, man ..."</span></p> <p><span>Logan was having no part of any attempt at an apology and lashed out viciously, swinging his arms frantically and pummeling his older brother much as he had done a few weeks ago to his dad. The whole time he was flailing away and between his continuing sobs, he was yelling, "NO!! Just get the hell out of here then! If you don't want a fuckin' brother, then I don't either! I already got five brothers who mean more to me than you ever could!" He then curled back up and continued to cry.</span></p> <p><span>Will stood up, turned to face Tom and demanded, "Take me back right now! I tried to tell you this shit wasn't gonna work, but you wouldn't fuckin' listen."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I don't think so, Will," Tom replied calmly. "I asked you to give us a fair chance this weekend and we're going to do the same for you. And the first thirty seconds doesn't mean a damn thing."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't fuckin' care, I want outta here!" Will screamed.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't give a shit what you want, you insufferable little prick!" Tom bellowed at the young man, stunning everyone in the house. "You're gonna go sit at that table and have supper with the rest of us whether you like it or not. Now GO!" he added while pointing the way.</span></p> <p><span>A sufficiently cowed Will angrily stalked into the dining room and grumbled, "Where'm I s'posed to sit?" Alex nervously pointed at the empty chair next to himself and the young man slouched into the chair, looking less than thrilled at being forced into this situation. Of course, I can't say any of us had expected his introduction to the family to go the way it had and everyone was more than just a little uncomfortable with the somber mood that had suddenly replaced the joyful hopes of just a few minutes ago.</span></p> <p><span>Tom had picked Logan up from the floor and carried the limp rag to the dining room. Setting him back down on the floor next to the chair he'd just vacated, he said, "I know you probably don't care to eat much right now, buddy, but at least try, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Fine," Logan seethed. "But I ain't sittin' next to <i>him</i>. I wanna sit `tween you and Dad."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem." Tom turned to Arlene and asked, "Would you mind trading places with Logan, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely," she agreed immediately as she moved from where she was to sit next to Will. </span></p> <p><span>With the seating arrangement modified, Ron started bringing the ribs, au-gratin potatoes, salad and bread to the table. With everything finally in place, we started filling our plates and digging in. Though we knew Logan was unlikely to eat very much, I still put a little bit of everything on his plate in the hope he might change his mind. Our meal was unusually quiet for once, nobody willing to risk reigniting the fire and fanning the flames to see a return of the screaming match we'd just witnessed.</span></p> <p><span>Until Logan looked up from his plate and said, "So, `bout me staying at the farm this weekend? Can I?" Tom almost choked on his mouthful of food and several of the boys stared at Logan in surprise. Looking back at them, he asked, "What? Ain't like I got no special reason to hang `round here all weekend, is there?"</span></p> <p><span>"But don't you wanna spend time with your brother?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell, man, you deaf?" Logan retorted. "<i>He</i> don't have a brother and don't want one neither, `member?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure he didn't mean it, Logan," I offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure sounded like he meant it to me," Logan protested.</span></p> <p><span>"Look, dude, I ..." Will started.</span></p> <p><span>Logan interrupted whatever Will was going to say when he looked around the table and asked, "Okay, which one o' you sickos taught your asshole to talk when you fart? That's gross guys." I'd had enough and decided it was Logan's turn to receive a quick finger thump to the back of his skull. After dishing out the minor punishment, Logan was rubbing the back of his head when he turned back to me and asked, "What the hell was that for?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because you're being a rude and obnoxious little brat and it's time you stopped."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, so only <i>he</i> gets to be mean and nasty, huh?" Logan pressed while shaking an angry finger in Will's direction.</span></p> <p><span>"No, he's done, too," I replied calmly. "And if I have to remind Will of that like I just did for you, I'll be more than happy to do it. And if I'm not close enough when it's needed, I'm sure Tom, Ron or Arlene will gladly take care of it for me." All three adults promptly nodded their heads in agreement, then I looked to Will and asked, "You got it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yessir," he muttered in reply.</span></p> <p><span>"Good! Now that we're all happy campers again ...," I started before Logan snorted in disgust, "... let's see if we can get the train back on the tracks and have a nice meal with some civilized conversation. Ron, why don't you get us started and introduce yourself to our guest, then we'll just go around the table so Will knows who all the players are?"</span></p> <p><span>It took almost ten minutes to hear from everyone even though we skipped over Tom and Mike since they'd just spent a couple of hours with Will. Arlene, Daril and Arley made sure to include they were Logan and Will's aunt and cousins just to make sure our special guest knew Logan wasn't the only blood relation at the table. Unfortunately, we couldn't tell from Will's reaction whether that meant anything to him. He seemed to be the most interested in the twins after hearing they'd spent over four years in foster care. The only person who didn't join in the introductions was Logan as he was still pouting. Everyone continued stuffing their faces when they weren't involved and once Will had heard from everyone, Arlene tried to pull Logan into the ongoing chatter.</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, I wanted to ask what church you and your dad went to so we could join you?"</span></p> <p><span>"We didn't," Logan grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that don't sound a bit like Charlie," she countered. "His faith was always important to him."</span></p> <p><span>"It mighta been at one time, and yeah, we used to go every Sunday, but we ain't been back since momma died."</span></p> <p><span>"Seems to me you'd have gone more after Becky passed," Arlene suggested.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's pro'lly all my fault he stopped goin'. Once momma got sick and we had to watch her waste away to nothin' while the doctors didn't do a damn thing but twiddle their useless thumbs, I decided that god don't exist. I mean, what the hell kinda lovin', all-knowin', all-powerful god would give somebody leukemia and force their kid to watch `em slowly die in misery and pain? That sure ain't the kinda god I wanna follow and believe in, and I don't think anybody else would want to, either."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I can kinda see that happenin'," Arlene agreed tentatively.</span></p> <p><span>Logan continued his diatribe with, "Then, when the old man started beatin' on me and blamin' me for momma gettin' sick in the first place, well that just iced it all for me. `Fore momma got sick, he never laid a hand on me for no damn reason, but after was a whole other world. Seemed like I couldn't do nothin' right no more, no matter how hard I tried. And it got even worse after she died. By the time the preacher came `round the house a couple o' weeks after we buried momma, Daddy musta finally agreed with me as he done told that lyin' sumbitch to get the hell off our property and don't never come back. We never went back to church after that.</span></p> <p><span>" `Course, he didn't stop kickin' my ass a couple times a week until the day after Joey and Alex's birthday party. It got so bad then, I done thought he was finally gonna kill me and I called the cops on his ass. They took `im to jail and brought me over here where I could be safe. Once he got out, he was gonna start seein' somebody to get his shit back together. After he done gone a few times by hisself, I was s'posed to join `im so we could work out our problems and I could move back home. Too bad he up `n' croaked hisself.</span></p> <p><span>"Then, I get stuck with that ignorant asshole Troy who wants nothin' more than to steal my money and make me disappear. And as if all that weren't `nough punishment already, I find out after daddy dies that I gots a brother I never knew existed. I told Dad and Pops that they needed to find him so he could have his half of our inheritance. And lookit how that's turned out � I finally meet him and he don't want nothin' to do with me.</span></p> <p><span>"So, if'n it bugs you I don't believe in god no more after dealin' with all that shit the past couple o' years, tain't my problem." On finishing his little soliloquy, Logan pushed his plate back from the edge of the table, laid his arms in the space he'd just cleared and rested his head on his arms, his little body shaking as he started crying again. Tom and I quickly wrapped an arm around his shoulders in a feeble attempt to console him.</span></p> <p><span>While everyone had taken a break from eating while Logan shared his frustrations with us, they quietly resumed cleaning their plates, all further conversation brought to a screeching halt. Being as big as they were, Daril and Arley were the first to finish and the rest of the boys were right behind them. With Logan still dealing with his raw feelings, the other five of our boys started their regular task of clearing the table. Daril and Arley took the hint and followed the others into the kitchen with their own plates.</span></p> <p><span>When Alex returned to retrieve the empty rib pan, Will asked, "What can I do to help?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, bring your own dishes and then come back and keep clearing the rest of the table. `Course, don't take anybody's plate if their still workin' on it," he added with a little giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, du-u-uh!" Will laughed. "I might be a pain in the ass punk, but I'm not a totally stupid one."</span></p> <p><span>"Then you'll fit in just dandy with the rest of us," Joey chuckled as he picked up the dish holding just one lonely serving of au gratin potatoes.</span></p> <p><span>As the trio headed into the kitchen, I caught the first glimpse of what I'd consider to be a smile forming on Will's face. I was silently hoping that small break in the `tough-guy' fa�ade he'd been wearing since arriving would be the beginning of something positive but, as usual, only time would answer that question. Since Logan had finally stopped his quivering, Tom and I took advantage and quickly finished our supper so the cleanup crew could continue their task without delay.</span></p> <p><span>Soon enough, T.J. snuck between us, gently laid a hand on Logan's head and asked, "You done eatin', bro?"</span></p> <p><span>Logan finally lifted his head, looked up to T.J. and answered, "Naw, I guess not. If'n I don't eat now, I'll be starvin' like Marvin at three in the mornin'. I think Ron'd kick my skinny little behind up `tween my ears if I woke him up to fix me somethin' then."</span></p> <p><span>"You got that right, farm-boy," Ron agreed with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>T.J. patted Logan's back before he moved on to grab Tom's plate. Logan then pulled his back to the edge of the table and dug in. He must've been hungry because he didn't let the fact the food was cold slow him down in any way. Once he'd wiped out the two ribs and spoonful of potatoes I'd dished up for him, he shoved the empty plate out of the way and attacked his salad with gusto. He made short work of the greens and was just reaching for the breadbasket when Andy tried to grab it.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no you don't," Logan demanded. "I'm still hungry," he added while grabbing a slice, plastering it with butter and drowning it with enough honey for three slices. Once prepared, he stuffed the whole mess into his mouth in one shot so none of the honey had time to drip off the edges.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hurry the heck up, dude," Andy retorted, "we wanna go swimmin'." With a mouth so full he looked more like a chipmunk hoarding its next meal in his cheeks than a nine-year-old boy, Logan could only nod in agreement and give Andy a quick thumbs up. After finally finishing the first piece, he loaded up another one and stuffed it away, too.</span></p> <p><span>Daril and Arley stepped back into the dining room to retrieve Ron and Arlene's now empty plates and before they could return to the kitchen with them, Arlene asked with a mischievous grin, "Who the heck <i>are</i> you and what've you done with my boys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, Ma," Arley groaned. "It was all dad's fault we never did nothin' before."</span></p> <p><span>"What're you talkin' `bout?" she asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"He always told us that cookin' and cleanin' was your job and he better never catch us doin' anythin' to help out," Daril answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that disgustin', lazy, good-for nothin' pig," she vented. "I'm glad we don't have to deal with his shit no more."</span></p> <p><span>"We are, too, Ma," the two agreed before taking their load to the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>The drive alarm suddenly dinged and Tom looked at me in surprise, asking, "Any idea who's comin' in this time of night?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, with all the fireworks and excitement, I forgot to tell you that Ray and his wife were dropping by," I replied. Ron had already left his place at the table so he could be ready at the door when they reached the house.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, we're not doing another interview, are we?" he queried. "I thought once was more than enough."</span></p> <p><span>"No," I chortled. "He said he has something for us that he wants to get out of his hands. And before you ask the obvious question, I don't have a clue what it is."</span></p> <p><span>"Should boys pull on shirts?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, they're fine."</span></p> <p><span>We heard Ron open the front door and a little bit of chatter as he introduced himself. The greetings completed, the door closed and the trio soon joined us in the dining room.</span></p> <p><span>"Greetings, Tom, Max," Ray called out cheerily as they rounded the corner. "I'd like you to meet my wife, Donna. Dear, this is Max Sanders and Tom Wright."</span></p> <p><span>"Pleasure to meet you," Donna commented. "I loved the interviews you and your boys did."</span></p> <p><span>"You're just saying that because Ray told you to," Tom joked.</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely not," she ruffled in response</span><span>. "I thought what you all shared was important and needed to be said, especially your boys' stories," she added just as the whole herd finally returned from the kitchen. "Hearing them tell about where they came from, how they ended up being adopted by two loving dads and how positive and accepting they all are about who they are was inspiring. I hope other young people who saw your interviews will take what they said to heart and live their best lives because of the example they set." All six of our boys turned beet red with embarrassment on hearing her praise for them.</span></p> <p><span>"So, seems like you've added to headcount `round here," Ray chuckled. "Adopting a few more, are you?"</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I both laughed and he answered, "Thankfully, not yet. The lady next to you is Arlene, Logan's aunt, and the two big boys failing to hide themselves behind the others are her sons, Daril and Arley." All three gave Ray and Donna a quick wave on their introduction.</span></p> <p><span>"And the other young man in the middle there?" Ray prodded, pointing to Will.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi," Will replied. "My name's William and I'm Logan's brother." On hearing that, Logan shot a fleeting but decidedly dirty look at his sibling.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's nice to meet you William, though Logan already has five brothers, doesn't he?"</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe, yeah, but I'm the real deal since we have the same parents," he replied with pride, wrapping his arms around Logan and pulling him closer. Logan seemed to be a bit uncomfortable with Will's sudden and unexplained change of attitude but didn't pull away from the embrace.</span></p> <p><span>Ray looked back to Tom and I and asked, "Do I need to come back with Greg and Zeke to do another interview?"</span></p> <p><span>"No way, Jos�," Will retorted. "You aren't puttin' me on TV for anything."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you change your mind, make sure you let me know, okay?" Ray joked with a wink.</span></p> <p><span>I finally decided to get right to the point and bluntly asked, "So, you said you had something for us?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, right, that," he responded. He slowly reached into the pocket of his sport jacket and retrieved an envelope, held it thoughtfully for just a moment, then laid on the table and slid it down to Tom and me.</span></p> <p><span>"An envelope?" I asked in surprise. "You made it sound like it was something of major importance on the phone."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the envelope itself isn't, I suppose, but what's inside it is," Ray kidded. The boys were watching all of this with intense interest, anxious to know what was hiding inside.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, Dad, open it already," Joey prodded.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, quit wastin' time, old man," Alex quickly added.</span></p> <p><span>With similar pleadings from all the others in the room, I stretched forward, pinched the envelope from where it rested and pulled it closer. Not sure I really wanted to know what was inside, I leaned on the table and lifted the flap before spreading the opening just wide enough to catch a glimpse of what was contained within. The next thing I remember was waking up on the floor, surrounded by a whole host of worry-filled faces.</span></p> <p><span>"What happened?" I mumbled to Tom who was the closest face I could see clearly.</span></p> <p><span>"I think you fainted," he answered with concern. "Musta been a helluva surprise," he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Did I really fall off my chair?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, after your forehead slammed into the tabletop, I laid you down and propped up your legs, just like they taught us at the Academy. You think you can sit up?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm willin' to give a try," I answered with a grin. With Tom's assistance, I was soon back in my chair and being inundated with questions from everyone. I finally held my hands up to bring a halt to the cacophony and answered with, "I'm fine now, folks. Just a little flabbergasted." Seeing the looks of worry still aimed my way, I corrected that statement with a sheepish grin, "Okay, a lot flabbergasted."</span></p> <p><span>Never one to pass up the chance to crack wise, Joey joked, "Good to hear, old man. We thought you done had a heart attack and we were gonna have to bury you out in the cemetery with Sammy."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry to burst your bubble, kiddo, but not today," I retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what is it?" Alex asked while pointing to the envelope still laying on the table.</span></p> <p><span>I pushed the item over to Tom and said, "Here, you open the damn thing, I'm not taking any more chances."</span></p> <p><span>He hesitantly grabbed it as if a snake might slither out and strike at any moment, pried it open and pulled out what had put me on the floor. His eyes flew open wide with surprise before he looked to me, then to Ray and then back at the item in his hand. Shaking his head violently to make sure he was seeing things properly, he looked back to Ray and muttered, "You can't be serious `bout this. Can you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Serious as a prostate exam, guys," Ray laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"What is it, Pops?" T.J. whined impatiently.</span></p> <p><span>Tom finally turned his attention to the herd and while reading from the piece of paper he was holding with a very shaky hand, answered, "Still not sure I believe it, boys, but this is a cashier's check for twelve million, four hundred sixty-five thousand, three hundred sixty-two dollars and twenty-three cents." </span></p> <p><span>Everyone stared dumbly at Tom and then turned their attention to Ray and Donna for just a moment before all hell broke loose. The sensational six-pack started jumping with joy, dancing with delight, and bellowing like banshees as they celebrated loudly enough to disturb Sammy and the rest of his family. When calm had finally been restored and we could carry on a normal conversation again, it was time to get to the bottom of where the money had come from.</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell bank did you rob, Ray? The Federal Reserve in Chicago?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing of the sort, Max," he replied. "What you have there is the proceeds from everyone who decided to join our station manager in helping you with your cause of helping kids."</span></p> <p><span>"But twelve million?" I mumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, and there's still more coming in every day. Besides our own manager's pledge of $100,000, several other stations that aired your interviews matched him. It almost became a competition between them all. Of course, the biggest donation was a cool mill from a Burton Productions in Los Angeles." Tom and I shared a quick knowing glance as Ray continued. "That was followed up with half a million each from Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden and Wil Wheaton. We don't know how the hell any of them even found out about what you're doing here since we're pretty sure nobody in California even saw your shows, but we're not going to argue with success. You guys obviously run with a different circle of people that Donna and I do."</span></p> <p><span>"We have a pretty good idea how that happened," Tom grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, between them and the station managers, that accounts for around five million," I offered. "What about the other seven? Where'd all that come from?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"All kinds of people from everywhere, from kids as young as nine to folks who are well into their nineties," Ray replied. "We have a list of everyone that donated, complete with their names, addresses, amount received and any other information we could glean from their letters. Of course, we also have all the letters for you. Let me know when you want all that delivered to you and I'll make it happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Kids are giving, too?" Alex asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"They sure are. And from their notes, some are dealing with abusive parents, some who've been stuck in foster care for years and others who are starting to deal with issues relating to their sexuality," Ray answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I told you what you all shared was important, didn't I?" Donna added. "You've obviously struck more than just a few nerves with your interviews and gotten people to put their money where their mouths are."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we'll be on our way," Ray offered. "It's quite a drive back home, but we wanted to get what we'd already collected to you now. We'll continue to receive and track any more that filters in and get it to you as soon as we can."</span></p> <p><span>Still somewhat stunned at the sudden windfall, I couldn't say much more than, "Thanks, Ray, we appreciate it." Finally feeling stable enough to stand without falling over, Tom and I stepped around the table and shared a quick hug of thanks with Ray and Donna. Of course, once we were done, the boys had to join in and that took several minutes to get through all of them. Daril, Arley and Will politely recused themselves from our standard ritual since the bearers of good tidings were strangers to them and after Andy got the last hug, Tom and I followed Ray and Donna to the front door. After a final round of thanks, sharing our goodbyes and a quick wave as they headed down the sidewalk to their car, I slowly closed the door and unceremoniously slouched against it for a moment.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess we know how we're going to pay for the new house," I commented as I put my feet to work and headed back towards the dining room, Tom right next to me and holding my hand.</span></p> <p><span>"And then some," Tom agreed. "I can't believe LeVar did that. And to get all those others to chip in the way they did? What the hell was he thinking?"</span></p> <p><span>"We'll have to have a little chat with him tomorrow, don't you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Without a doubt," Tom agreed as we reached our destination.</span></p> <p><span>The two of us broke out in laughter on seeing everybody standing around the far end of the table, gawking at the check that lay there.</span></p> <p><span>Andy was the first to react to our presence when he tore his eyes away from the tabletop and asked, "What're we gonna do with all that money!?"</span></p> <p><span>"Have the biggest dang party Berlin has ever seen," Joey answered with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"We're gonna help a whole lotta kids," Alex countered seriously, punching his brother on the shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>"Party pooper," T.J. groaned.</span></p> <p><span>"With that much green, we can do both and still have plenty left over, ya goofs," Logan giggled.</span></p> <p><span>Mike, seemingly not all that impressed with what the check meant, asked, "Can we go swimmin' now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, it's a little late for that, Mike. We still have to take Arlene and the boys out to the farm," I reminded the group.</span></p> <p><span>"It's only eight, Dads. We gots plenty o' time to hit the pool," Logan countered while looking to his aunt for her approval.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's fine by me. I'm sure Daril and Arley wouldn't mind a quick dip `fore we get settled in." </span></p> <p><span>With quick affirmative nods from those two, a decision was made and Tom said, "Okay, everybody get ready and we'll meet you at the doors in a minute."</span></p> <p><span>"Do we have to wear shorts?" Joey asked, looking to Arlene for her opinion.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't make no difference to me. Y'all do whatever you're used to," she replied. With loud cheers, the sensational six-pack tore across the house to dispense with their shorts and grab towels.</span></p> <p><span>Arley looked to his mom and quietly asked, "What `bout us, Ma?"</span></p> <p><span>"If you an' your brother wanna skinny-dip, too, won't bother me none," she answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, let's go, bro," Daril grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"Ron, why don't you let them use your room to get ready?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet," he replied with a lascivious grin. "'Sides, it makes sense since that's where they left their boxers. Follow me, you two." That trio soon disappeared and left Will behind, a look of concern filling his face.</span></p> <p><span>"I hope you don't think I'm gonna swim naked, too" he protested.</span></p> <p><span>"Only if you <i>want</i> to, Will," Tom answered calmly. "Let's get your stuff out of the car real quick and I'll show you where you can change."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, thanks, Mr. Wright," Will sighed with relief.</span></p> <p><span>Tom stepped around the table, laid a hand on Will's shoulder and guided him towards the garage. As the duo crossed the living room, I heard Tom remind the young man, "And I told you it's Tom and Max, none of that stupid `mister' crap."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir, I'll try to remember that," Will agreed just as the two reached the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm gonna put this check in the safe and get ready, too," I commented. "Are you going to join us, Arlene?"</span></p> <p><span>With a tight grin, she answered with, "No, I don't think so, Max, but thanks for the kind offer. I believe I'll stay inside and relax by the fireplace if that's okay with ya. That way my boys won't be embarrassed by their momma seein' `em in their birthday suits."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you'd like something to read, follow me and see if you can find something in my library to help keep you entertained."</span></p> <p><span>The two of us headed down the hallway and after opening the door to my study, Arlene started searching for something to occupy her time. While she did that, I turned for my bedroom then stepped into the closet to deposit the check in the safe until I could do something with it on Monday. While I was in there, I also pulled out a bit of cash to give to Arlene so they'd be able to stock up on some basic necessities tomorrow. That taken care of, I dropped my shorts and was just wrapping a towel around my waist when Tom came in.</span></p> <p><span>"You get Will all set?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he's using the bathroom at the end of the hall to get changed. It's a good thing we stopped at Walmart on the way to get him some shorts and some other things he needed."</span></p> <p><span>"I noticed his clothes didn't seem to fit very well, but I didn't want to say anything about it since I wasn't sure how he'd react and didn't want to chance pissing him off about something so inconsequential."</span></p> <p><span>"Considering his overall attitude about most everything, you probably would have," Tom muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"What're you talkin' about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Randy told me before we met Will that the kid is a pretty nasty homophobe. And a few things he's said since then seem to back that up."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, geez," I grumbled. "Do we even want him around? I'd hate to see how his attitudes might affect the others."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, you worry too damn much. Do you really think the others will let him get away with that shit around here? Besides, I told Will we'd give him a fair chance at proving himself as long as he'd do the same for us in return. And the way he introduced himself to Ray and his wife seemed like a step in the right direction."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll give you that, I guess, but you can't really say he was thrilled to meet his brother, was he?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all, and that really caught me by surprise. But I guarantee you this, those six rugrats of ours will tie that punk into knots if he gets too mouthy. They aren't gonna put up with any shit from him against them or anyone else who's gay. And Logan will lead the pack, brother or not."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't doubt that a bit," I agreed with a grin. "Well, you ready?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, let's make it so."</span></p> <p><span>As we left the bedroom, we bumped into Arlene leaving the study with a copy of my first book. She looked a little surprised to see us with towels wrapped around our waists, but commented with a smirk, "Thought I'd give one of yours a shot, see if it's any good."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you like it, you're welcome to keep that one and I'll give you copies of the other three."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to me," she agreed as we reached the foyer and spied the herd waiting for us by the doors.</span></p> <p><span>Crossing the living room, Arlene hooked a right turn and settled into my chair by the fireplace while Tom and I waded through the crush of bodies to lead the way outside. The boys followed along until the moment Tom unlocked the shelter door. Once he opened the door, though, all nine were fighting to see who could hit the water first. It really wasn't much of a contest as with all their practice, the six-pack easily won, Daril and Arley were close behind and Will was bringing up the rear. As for Ron, Tom and I, we dropped our towels on the table, then joined the rest.</span></p> <p><span>As soon as we'd gotten wet, we realized there had been some advanced discussion to create teams and the attacks started. Logan, Daril and Andy surrounded Ron, Joey, Alex, and Arley headed my direction and Will, T.J. and Mike went after Tom. With Arley's bulk added to the devilish quickness of the twins, after about five minutes of intense battle, I was worn out, crumpled under the onslaught and went down without any more fight. Ron was the next to succumb and he promptly begged off any more action, wading to the far corner of the pool to relax and catch his breath.</span></p> <p><span>I joined him soon enough and we watched as Tom continued his valiant battle, now against all nine boys. And though he's built like an ox and normally doesn't have a problem with the munchkins, with Daril, Arley and Will adding their muscle to the ongoing conflict, it was only a matter of moments before the big guy was calling `uncle' and escaping their clutches. He soon joined Ron and me in our quiet corner and we spent the next forty minutes watching the boys play and have fun.</span></p> <p><span>It was obvious that Daril and Arley were accustomed to skinny-dipping and were enjoying their freedom. As for Will, he seemed a bit uncomfortable with the situation, but the more the group cavorted wildly, the more relaxed he became. Not so relaxed he decided to lose his shorts, mind you, but at least he finally quit cringing every time one of the others would brush against him. Daril and Arley had taken up a game of `toss the rugrat' and the other seven were all giggling and having a blast. Daril had no problems winning the competition and he came very close to beating Tom's best throw.</span></p> <p><span>With the crew starting to wind down, we decided it was time to get a move on so we could get Arlene and her boys delivered to the farm. As the three of us climbed from the pool, the boys followed, and we were soon wrapping towels around ourselves to head back inside. Arlene was still reading but she put down the book, lifted her head as we stepped inside and went our separate directions to run through the shower.</span></p> <p><span>"Y'all have fun?" she asked her boys.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Ma, it was a blast," Arley answered.</span></p> <p><span>"We hope we can come back," Daril added.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, don't see why not since we won't be that far `way no more."</span></p> <p><span>"Sweet!" the two crowed as they shared a high five just before turning down the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I had just stepped under the spray in our own shower when there was a knock on the bathroom door. "Hey, you guys mind if I climb in with ya?" Ron called out as he popped the door open. </span></p> <p><span>"Sure, Ron," Tom agreed. </span></p> <p><span>"I didn't think Daril and Arley would think too much of me joining them," he chuckled as he opened the glass door and stepped inside.</span></p> <p><span>"Are you gonna go out to the farm with us?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I think I'll just hang out here if that's okay with you," Ron answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine with us, just checkin'. If any of the boys want to stay home, you okay with that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why wouldn't I be?"</span></p> <p><span>"No reason, I guess, just thought you might enjoy a little peace and quiet for once, especially after all the noise we just put up with."</span></p> <p><span>"No big deal, guys. Like I've said before, I've gotten used to it," he retorted with a grin. "I would like you to have a word with Arlene, though."</span></p> <p><span>"About what?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"About whose job it is to keep things cleaned up `round here. I stopped in the kitchen to get a quick drink on my way across the house and she took care of everything the boys left for me. That's not right."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like a conversation you should be having with her, bud," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"What, you think I want her pissed at me? No way, man," he laughed. " `Sides, you two are the bosses `round here, I'm just the hired help. If she's gonna listen to anybody, it's gonna be you."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, ya big chicken, we'll say something to her. Can't say it'll do any good, though," I responded as Tom and I stepped out of the shower and grabbed our towels.</span></p> <p><span>"Just do your best," Ron called out as we left the steamy room to dry off and get dressed.</span></p> <p><span>We pulled on a pair of sweatpants and t-shirts before grabbing the cash I pulled from the safe earlier, heading out of the bedroom and grabbing our jackets from the coat closet to offset the chill of the late April night. Arlene, Daril and Arley were ready to go and Logan was bouncing excitedly in front of them. The other five were lounging in the living room with their books and it quickly became obvious none of them intended to go with us since they weren't dressed. Will was sitting on the hearth and staring at the floor, nervously bouncing his legs. Before heading towards the garage, I let them know Ron would be out of the shower shortly and they needed to behave while we were gone. With nonchalant hand waves and mumbles of agreement, we started to lead the way down the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, is it okay if I go with ya?" Will asked tentatively.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, it is," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>He jumped up from his uncomfortable seat and joined us, bringing up the rear as we stepped into the garage. With Logan and Will being the two smallest in the group, they got stuck in the back row of the car while Arlene, Arley and Daril took the middle row. The ten-minute ride to Logan's farm was a quiet one and thanks to never having been here at night before, I almost missed the turn into the driveway. If Logan hadn't said something at just the right moment, we would have motored right on by. Pulling in the drive, I parked beside the house like we've done before, and everybody started climbing from the car. After a quick stop at the rear to grab the luggage, Logan led the way up the steps to the front porch and unlocked the door. He quickly reached just inside and flipped the switches that would illuminate the porch and entry hall inside.</span></p> <p><span>"Welcome to your new home, Aunt Arlene," he said happily as he stood aside and waved them inside.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Logan," she replied quietly, setting her bag at the bottom of the stairs. Her boys did the same and all three loitered restlessly, unsure of what to do next.</span></p> <p><span>"Give me just a minute to make a quick call and I'll show ya `round," Logan said as he headed for the kitchen, turning on lights as he moved through and looking around at the repairs the security company had done. The next we heard was, "Hey, this Ryan? ... Oh, sorry, Cail, you sounded like `im. It's Logan from up the road, your dad there? ... Thanks, buddy. ... Howdy, Mr. Bartley, it's Logan Campbell, how ya doin'? ... Glad to hear it. ... I'm doin' okay. Listen, I know it's a little late, but you got a few minutes to come up to the house? ... Well, I brought my aunt and cousins up from Missouri and they're gonna be livin' here now. I'd like y'all to meet so you kinda know each other `fore you just bump into `em `n' freak out `bout there bein' strangers in the house. ... Thanks, that'll be great, see ya in a few."</span></p> <p><span>On rejoining us in the foyer, Logan said, "Mr. Bartley'll be here in a few minutes. Why don'tcha grab your bags and let's get `em upstairs `fore he gets here?" Without waiting for a reply, Logan took the steps two at a time and started turning on the upstairs lights. Deciding it would be best if we stayed out of the way, Tom, Will and I stepped into the living room and got comfortable on the new couch and chairs.</span></p> <p><span>From upstairs, we heard Logan saying, "Arley, that room use ta be mine, and I bet you'd like it. You can climb out the window and lay on the roof of the back porch in the summer. Daril, the middle one used to be momma's sewing room, but it should work out okay for ya, and Aunt Arlene, you should pro'lly take Momma and Daddy's old room since it's got its own bathroom. That way ya ain't gotta share one with those two lunks," he laughed. "Y'all drop your stuff, come on back downstairs and I'll show you `round the rest o' the place."</span></p> <p><span>As Logan was coming back down, we heard three thumps of bags being dropped to the floor, followed by more pounding of feet on the steps. Logan stepped into what used to be Charlie's office, flipped on the light and whispered `wow' on seeing the room the way he remembered it. After the new residents joined him, he added, "This used to be Daddy's office, but you can use it for whatever ya want." The tour continued into the dining room and then on to the kitchen, Logan pointing out where light switches and such were. </span></p> <p><span>In the kitchen, he showed them the door to the basement and while standing at the back door, said, "Daddy's truck is in the garage out there. The keys should still be in it `cause he always left `em there. It's yours now, so feel free to use it." Joining us, he commented, " `Course, this is the living room." He turned his attention to Tom and me and added, "That security company sure fixed ever'thing up real nice. Kinda sad that most of the old stuff was trashed by them losers, but the new things look good."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad you approve, Logan," I replied as headlights flashed through the windows and the rocks in the drive crunched under tires.</span></p> <p><span>"That'll be Mr. Bartley," Logan offered. "Be right back," he added as he turned for the front door. We soon heard footsteps on the front steps and Logan called out, "Ryan! Didn't know you was comin', too."</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't seen ya since your dad's funeral, dude. I had to come find out how you're doin'," Ryan retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Doin' pretty good now, I s'pose. Just glad I get to live with Max, Tom and my brothers."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great," Ryan agreed. " `Least you'll still be close by. We missed ya at school that week ya was gone."</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon in, guys, I'll introduce y'all." Stepping into the living room again, he said, "Mr. Bartley, this here's my Aunt Arlene, the bigger lunk's my cousin Daril and the smaller one's my other cousin Arley." Turning to face his family, he added, "This here's Mr. Bartley and one o' his kids, Ryan. They live just down road a piece and been takin' care o' things `round the farm for me after Daddy died."</span></p> <p><span>Arlene and Joe met in the middle of the room and shared a brief handshake, Arlene saying, "Nice to meet y'all."</span></p> <p><span>"Pleasure to meet you folks, as well," Joe replied while also shaking hands with Daril and Arley. "How long you gonna be stayin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Forever," Arlene smiled. "Or `til Logan gets sick of us and kicks us out," she added with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't never gonna happen," Logan retorted seriously.</span></p> <p><span>Ryan poked Logan in the back and while pointing towards Will, whispered, "Ps-s-s-s-t, who's that other kid? He's gotta be related `cause he looks just like you."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, him," Logan grumbled angrily.</span></p> <p><span>Sensing no introduction was about to be tendered by Logan, Will left his chair, stepped towards Ryan and answered with, "Hi, Ryan. I'm Logan's brother, Will."</span></p> <p><span>"No way, dude," Ryan whispered in surprise before punching Logan in the shoulder and adding, "You never told me you had a brother." Surprise also flashed across Joe's face.</span></p> <p><span>"Didn't know `bout `im `til after Daddy died," Logan muttered in reply.</span></p> <p><span>Ryan wrapped Will in a hug and gushed, "Nice to meet ya, Will. I hope we can be friends."</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be nice, man, but I guess we'll see how things turn out," Will replied noncommittally. On that note, he retreated to his chair and curled back up.</span></p> <p><span>Logan then turned back to Joe and continued, "I really `ppreciate you takin' care of things for me the past couple o' weeks, Mr. Bartley, but I gots one more favor to ask of ya."</span></p> <p><span>"Name it, buddy."</span></p> <p><span>"Would you show Daril and Arley how to deal with the feed grinder and stuff? They're gonna take over dealin' with things here so you don't have to no more."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, sure, I'd be happy to do that. Are they ready for some hard work?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yessir," Daril answered proudly. "Least we can do for Logan lettin' us live here."</span></p> <p><span>"Then, I'll be here about eight in the morning to get you guys started," Joe commented.</span></p> <p><span>Logan turned to his cousins and said, "There's only one rule y'all gotta follow and if'n ya don't, I'm gonna kick your asses up `tween your ears."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?" Arley asked hesitantly after hearing the serious tone in Logan's voice.</span></p> <p><span>"You don't <i>ever</i> run the feed grinder by yourself. That's what got Daddy killed and I ain't gonna have either one o' you dyin' the same way."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll make sure of that, Logan," Arlene replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay then, sounds like we got ever'thing set," Logan offered. "Thanks for all your help, Mr. Bartley. And you better be keepin' track o' your time, still. Once you feel Daril `n' Arley can handle things, you let me know how much I owe ya and I'll get ya paid." Turning back to Ryan, he added, "You, too, ya goober."</span></p> <p><span>"What about Cail?" Ryan asked. "He helped me most every day with Bessie `n' Buster."</span></p> <p><span>"If'n he helped ya, he'll get paid, too. Just tell me how much I owe ya and he'll get the same."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Logan," Ryan agreed with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Since I ain't been out here for a while, how they doin?" Logan inquired.</span></p> <p><span>"They're doin' just great," Ryan replied. "You sure were right about them likin' bein' brushed. Ol' Buster won't hardly let us leave, keeps wantin' to follow us right through the barn. Guess he thinks should move down to our farm," he added with a smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Buster ain't goin' nowhere," Logan retorted smartly, "But you and Cail can come down an' see `em anytime you want."</span></p> <p><span>With another round of handshakes for everyone, Joe said, "Well, I guess we'll be headin' back home. It was nice to meet y'all and I'll see you bright and early, boys."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be ready, Mr. Bartley," Arley replied.</span></p> <p><span>Logan and Ryan shared a quick hug before the father and son headed back outside, climbed in their truck, and backed out of the drive. Taking that as our cue to get moving, too, Tom, Will and I left our seats. Before heading for the door, I pulled the $2500 out of my pocket and handed it to Arlene.</span></p> <p><span>"What's this for?" she asked with surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Just a little something to help get you started. There's probably not much food in the house and I'm sure you'll need to get some other things as well. And if you need something for breakfast after Joe's done working with your boys, give us a call and we'll come out to get you."</span></p> <p><span>"You don't need to do that, Max," she replied with a little embarrassment.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, since you couldn't really see the route I took tonight, you'd be hard pressed to find us on your own in the morning. And when you're ready to do your shopping, I'm sure Ron would be happy to take you on one of his own trips to town to make sure you know where things are."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, thanks just don't seem to be `nough for ever'thing y'all `re doin' for us."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you worry about it," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>Before we could take a step towards the door, Arlene grabbed Logan, wrapped him in a huge hug and whispered, "Thank you, Logan. You have no idea how much this means to us." As soon as she let him go, Arley and Daril followed suit with their own hugs. When Daril finally set Logan back on the floor, the poor kid was beet red with embarrassment at the attention.</span></p> <p><span>"I just hope y'all'll be happy here," Logan muttered.</span></p> <p><span>With a final round of goodbyes, the four of us headed for the front door, leaving Arlene, Daril and Arley to begin this new chapter of their lives. On reaching the car, Will climbed into the back row to sit by himself while Logan settled into the middle row. With the exception of the music emanating from the car stereo, our return trip home was carried out in silence. After parking in the garage, Logan quickly clambered from the car and headed inside, leaving Will to extricate himself from the back seat. </span></p> <p><span>Tom and I felt a little sorry for Will after how things had gone so far this weekend, but neither of us had a solution to the ongoing problems between the two brothers. When the three of us finally stepped inside, we saw Logan peeling his shirt over his head and turning into his bedroom. Reaching the living room, we found the rest of the crew relaxing and reading.</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, you're back," Ron greeted us. "Where's Logan? Did he stay?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, he just stopped in his room," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, guys," I began, "it's getting late and we have a birthday party to get ready for tomorrow, so time to put your books away and hit the sack."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be along in ten minutes to say our goodnights," Tom added.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, where'm I supposed to sleep?" Will asked with concern as the five younger ones left their perches and headed for their rooms.</span></p> <p><span>"We assumed you wouldn't be very comfortable with the idea of sharing a bed with anybody ...," I began.</span></p> <p><span>"Ya got that right," he quickly agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"... so we set up a second bed in Ron's room for you to use," I continued. "We hope that'll be acceptable."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't have many options at this point, do I, guess I just have to deal with it," the young man grumbled in defeat.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you don't like that idea, there's always the couch or the floor somewhere," Tom commented. </span></p> <p><span>"I swear I don't snore. And if I do, it doesn't bother me at all," Ron offered with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever, man. Just show me where `cause I'm f'in' beat," Will replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Right this way, buddy," Ron said as he left the loveseat and turned down the hall, Will following along.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I collapsed in our chairs while we waited for our time to make sure all the munchkins were settled in for the night. While I'd silently hoped for even a few minutes of peace after the loud and eventful evening we'd just survived, that hope was summarily dashed when the big guy opened his mouth.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what d'ya think?"</span></p> <p><span>" `Bout what?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Arlene and her boys, Will, global warming, Logan, anything," he replied with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm glad the three are at the farm and I hope that turns out well. I am wondering what Arlene plans to do about the orchard, though. As for global warming, I know it's not a hoax but until the whole planet takes the necessary steps to really do something about it, we're all gonna die. Let's see ... what else? Oh yeah, our president's still a useless, ignorant twatwaffle and I can't wait for the next election to evict him from his free public housing. This country's medical system still needs to be completely revamped to make healthcare affordable and accessible to everyone, from the richest of the rich to the poorest of the poor. Oh, and last but not least, the people in this country really need to pull their head out of their asses and understand that human rights are meant to be applied equally to <i>all</i> humans, straight, black, gay, pink, trans, purple, whatever."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, you smoothly bypassed the two most important subjects in your little diatribe, bubba," Tom prodded me.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, Will and Logan. I honestly don't know what to make of those two right now. It seems to me they hate each other with a passion, and I don't know of any way to fix that. And if the rift can't be fixed, what happens to Will? Does he go back to juvie until he's eighteen or what? The whole thing just sucks."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know the answers to that problem, babe, but we've got two more days. Let's give it a little more time and see what happens."</span></p> <p><span>"Do we really have any other choice at the moment?" I asked. With a shrug of his shoulders in response, we both fell silent until it was time to take care of our nightly duties.</span></p> <p><span>"Here ya go, kiddo" I said as Will and I entered my room. "Bathroom's right there," I offered while pointing to the door. "That's my bed over there and yours is under the TV. Think you can deal with it for a few nights?"</span></p> <p><span>"Guess we'll find out," he grunted. "Shouldn't be much different from sleeping in an eight by ten with my cellmate. Except we got a lot more room here."</span></p> <p><span>"And privacy when you have to take a dump, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, like that'll make up for my supposed brother hatin' my fuckin' guts," Will retorted angrily.</span></p> <p><span>I sat on the edge of Will's bed and while patting the mattress, calmly said, "Pull up a pew, kid." I waited until he reluctantly climbed up and sat cross-legged in the middle. "I wanna give you a little food for thought. The way Logan reacted when you got here is entirely your fault," I began. Seeing a protest coming, I plowed on without giving him a chance to say a word. "I wasn't here yet when your dad died, but I've been told that as soon as they read Charlie's will and Logan found out he had a brother, he demanded Max and Tom find you. And he hasn't stopped asking if they'd found you since then. </span></p> <p><span>"So, he really, really wanted to meet you and have you become a part of his life. Then, when you finally get here and he tries to show just how much he wants that, you shove him back and yell at him to get away. Well, if I'd just found a brother I didn't know I had and he pulled that shit on me, I'd be fuckin' pissed off at him, too. Probably want to kick his ass for bein' a complete jerk."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, man, he just freaked me out. I mean, you just don't latch on to other dudes at juvie like that. That's a good way to get the shit beat outta ya for bein' a fag."</span></p> <p><span>"You say that word again and you won't have to worry about Logan or anybody else straightenin' your attitude out for ya `cause I'm gonna do it myself. We're not fags, queers, fairies or anything else along those lines, we're <i>gay</i>, plain and simple. And the sooner you get that through that thick skull of yours, the better off we'll all be. Besides, Logan's not gay, so you can't use that as an excuse to hate him."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever," he replied with disgust.</span></p> <p><span>"Just think about it, okay? Maybe a good night's sleep will help bring things into better focus," I offered as I stood up. "Go ahead, get ready for bed and curl up, Will. � Towels are in the cabinet in the bathroom along with soap, shampoo and anything else you might need." I turned to leave but stopped as a thought popped in my head. Turning back to him, I asked, "Um, what do you usually wear at night?"</span></p> <p><span>"My boxers, why?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I sleep naked and have for years. If that makes you uncomfortable, I'll be happy to try wearing shorts while you're."</span></p> <p><span>"What do ya mean by `try'?" Will asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm so used to not havin' anything on, I usually end up peelin' `em off in my sleep. Don't even realize I've done it `til I wake up in the mornin'."</span></p> <p><span>"So long as you don't flit around like a fuckin' fruit fly, whatever blows your skirt up," the obnoxious punk spat.</span></p> <p><span>I took a step closer to Will before stopping myself and reprimanding him with, "See, shit like that right there is what's gonna get all six of those boys to hate you, so if you wanna blow any chance of finally becoming a part of a real family, just keep it up." On that final note, I spun on my heels and bolted from the room before I smacked the kid so hard he wouldn't wake up until it was time for him to leave.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I were just about to check on our sons when Ron came back and sank heavily onto the loveseat, a look of pure disgust on his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Do we want to know what that's all about?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just the smartass I'm sharing my room with for the next three nights," he sighed. "He keeps goin' the way he is, I can see why nobody's ever adopted him."</span></p> <p><span>"But did you get him settled for the night?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Who knows? I told him to get a shower and crawl in bed. We'll see if he can follow instructions when I go to bed."</span></p> <p><span>"We know it's not gonna be easy for anyone this weekend with everything that's going on, but try to not kill him the first night, okay?" Tom commented with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do my best, but I make no promises," Ron retorted smartly.</span></p> <p><span>"That's all any of us can do, buddy, our best," I responded. "We'll check on the boys and then we're gonna hit the sack, too. You might want to wait out here until we come back through." Receiving nothing more than a simple thumbs up in acknowledgement, we headed down the hall.</span></p> <p><span>"What order we gonna do tonight, boss?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's check on Logan and the twins first, then jump down to T.J., Mike and Andy. That should give Will enough time to be done with his shower before we look in on him." Accepting my plan of attack, Tom rapped on the first door and we stepped in to say our goodnights. All three were curled up in the middle of the bed, Alex and Joey hugging each other and already sound asleep. Logan had his back to them and his eyes were still wide open.</span></p> <p><span>"Can't sleep, kiddo?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, my brain ain't ready to shut down yet," he replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Look, Logan, we know this evening didn't go the way you hoped it would, but give Will a chance," I proposed. "He's basically been alone for fifteen years and it'll take some time for him to accept the fact he finally has other people who really care about him."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll try, Dads, but he better pull his head outta his ass real damn quick `cause I ain't gonna put up with no crap from him. He makes one nasty crack `bout you guys or my brothers bein' gay and I'm gonna thump his head so hard, he's gonna think ol' Wile E. Coyote done pushed that boulder off the damn cliff."</span></p> <p><span>"We hope it doesn't come to such drastic measures," Tom snickered.</span></p> <p><span>"All up to him," Logan muttered.</span></p> <p><span>Seeing we weren't going to solve any issues tonight, we doled out our regular hugs, forehead kisses and love yous to the three before turning the light off, closing the door and continuing our trek down the hall. On reaching the last bedroom, we found Andy, Mike and T.J. zoned out and quietly shared our nighttime rituals with them. On reaching the door to Ron's room, we both hesitated a moment before I finally gave the door a light knock.</span></p> <p><span>A quiet, "Yeah, hang on a sec," slipped under the door. Five seconds of rustling later, a slightly louder, "C'mon in," reached our straining ears.</span></p> <p><span>Tom cautiously pushed the door open and we stepped inside to find Will just plopping his head onto the pillow, covers pulled up to his neck. The big guy asked, "You settled in okay, Will?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess," he muttered glumly. "I hate sleepin' in strange places."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm the same way," I volunteered.</span></p> <p><span>"Bet you haven't had to do it every six months to a year for the last fifteen, though, did ya?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I guess not," I agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Then quit tryin' to make it sound like we're the same. I just wanna try to get some damn sleep, survive the next couple days of ignorant bullshit and go back to my cell. At least nobody there is faking how much they like me. Truth be told, they all hate me, just like Logan does," Will groused.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure Logan doesn't hate you, he just doesn't know you yet," Tom suggested.</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, the little puke despises me, I can tell."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you'd quit callin' him `a little puke', maybe he wouldn't hate you quite as much," I added with a touch of heat in my tone.</span></p> <p><span>"Doesn't matter, dudes. Come Monday, you're gonna take me back and forget I ever existed, just like everybody else I've ever lived with."</span></p> <p><span>"If you keep up with that attitude, you're goddam right," Tom agreed. "See you in the morning," he vented before grabbing my arm and dragging me into the hallway, pulling the door closed behind him.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, we didn't give him a hug or say goodnight," I protested, trying to pull away from his grip.</span></p> <p><span>"And I don't think he deserves it `til he shapes up," Tom grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you just go on to bed, then, and I'll be there in a few. I'm not leaving Will in that state of mind."</span></p> <p><span>"Go for it," he grunted before letting go of my bicep and stalking on across the house.</span></p> <p><span>I gave the door another quick rap and when I didn't get a response from within, I stepped inside and flipped on the light. The sight that greeted me broke my heart. Will had rolled over and had his face buried in the pillow, but from the shuddering of his body, it was obvious he was crying. Stepping over, I sat on the edge of the bed and gently laid a hand on the middle of his back. I'd so spooked him, he damn near bolted from the room. Since he wasn't much bigger than Logan, I was able to hold onto Will and pulled him into a hug, allowing him to continue letting his feelings flow while he wrapped his arms around me and squeezed so tightly, I was having a hard time catching my breath.</span></p> <p><span>I let him go for several minutes and he eventually started to calm down. Once he'd reached the point of loosening his grip slightly, I extricated myself and stepped across the room to grab the box of Kleenex and wastebasket from beside Ron's bed. My shirt was a sodden mess, but that was the least of my worries at the moment. As soon as I set the box on the bed, Will grabbed a couple to dry his eyes and cheeks. After tossing those in the bucket, he yanked out some more to blow his nose and pitched them away, too.</span></p> <p><span>"You feel any better?" I asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"A little bit, I guess. Sorry, Mr. Sa..., uh, Max," he answered.</span></p> <p><span>"You have nothing to be sorry for, Will."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I do. I was a complete ass tonight and now my brother hates me."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I sure won't argue that with ya," I agreed with a grin. "But the person who really needs to hear you say that is Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"I know and he will. I just hope he'll believe me when I say it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm pretty sure he'll accept an apology," I offered, unsure if I was telling the truth. "Logan's a pretty level-headed kid despite what he's been through the last couple of years."</span></p> <p><span>"Ya sure coulda fooled me," Will cracked with a twisted grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Keep in mind his emotions are still raw from losing his dad, sorry, I should have said <i>your</i> dad, a couple weeks ago, so it doesn't take much to set him off these days."</span></p> <p><span>"No shit, man! I thought I'd just run into the Tasmanian devil. And I'm sorry he's had a couple bad years, but I've had a helluva lot more of `em. Fifteen damn years, nobody's wanted me and I finally found someone who might and go and fuck it all up," Will explained as he plucked a few more tissues from the box to dry the new tears that were forming in the corners of his eyes. </span></p> <p><span>"I don't know about anybody else `round here, but I haven't written you off just yet. Not completely, anyway. Let's see what the next few days bring and go from there."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me tell ya somethin', man, it really sucks gettin' shuffled from place to place with no warning, takin' nothin' with ya but the clothes on your back. And at least he got to know our parents for several years before they died. I've always wondered who my mom and dad were and why they didn't keep me, but now I'll never know," he whimpered before blowing his nose again.</span></p> <p><span>"I bet I know someone who'll be more than happy to tell you all about them."</span></p> <p><span>"Fat chance of that happenin' after what I did to `im," Will muttered sadly.</span></p> <p><span>"Look, it's been a long and emotional day for everybody. Just get some sleep and things will be better tomorrow, I promise."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll try," he agreed softly. "Oh, and thanks, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"For what?"</span></p> <p><span>"For holding onto me while I cried like a little baby. Nobody's ever done that for me, not that I can remember, anyway. And I've done lots of cryin' wonderin' if I'd <i>ever</i> get a real family."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I can't make any promises since I'm not the only person involved in making big decisions like this around here, but I'd say your chances are looking better now than they were just a few hours ago."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure as hell hope so," Will smiled. "I really don't want to spend the next three years locked up in that hellhole I'm in."</span></p> <p><span>"And we don't want you to, either," I agreed. I reached my arms out towards Will and he hesitantly crawled closer before leaning in and we shared another hug. "We'll see you in the morning, buddy. Sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, those little bastards won't bite me, man, I'm way too sour for them," he laughed with a smile and I chuckled along with him.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's see what we can do to make you a little bit sweeter," I offered while ruffling his hair.</span></p> <p><span>As I stood to leave, Will quietly commented, "Yeah, all right, Max. Thanks for not giving up on me." </span></p> <p><span>Flipping off the light, I closed the door and headed across the house to join the rather testy teddy bear waiting for me in our bedroom. Passing through the living room, Ron was sitting on the edge of his chair and ready to head for bed.</span></p> <p><span>"Is it safe to go in now?" he asked with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I think you'll be fine. See you in the morning, Ron," I replied while continuing my trek, uncertain of what I was going to find when I crawled into bed and tried to curl up with the love of my life.</span></p> <p><span>I'd been trying to get to sleep for quite a while and like I told my Dads, my brain just wouldn't shut down. I was so pissed off at that obnoxious little shit in the room next door, I knew it was gonna be a long time before I'd be able to nod off. I also knew that my continued tossing and turning to try and get comfortable was going to eventually wake up Alex and Joey, so I decided that I'd just get back up and read by the fireplace for a while. The book I was reading, <i>Speaker for the Dead, </i>was getting really interesting and I couldn't wait to climb back into Ender's world and life, if for no other reason than to escape my own miserable existence for a while.</span></p> <p><span>When I finally saw the hallway light go out and heard Ron shuffle down the hallway, I knew I could finally sneak out of bed without anybody knowing I was still up. I carefully slid off the mattress and headed for the door, hoping I didn't wake either of the twins as I did. After quietly closing the door, I tiptoed to the living room, grabbed my book off the table and climbed into Dad's recliner. In minutes, I was off the planet Earth and walking alongside my buddy Ender on the planet Lusitania as he headed out of the human colony to talk to the pequeninos.</span></p> <p><span>Ron had finally come into his room about ten minutes ago. After taking a quick shower, he crawled into his bed, whispering `night, Will' as he pulled the covers up to his chin. I remained silent since I was faking sleep, knowing I wasn't going to get to sleep anytime soon tonight. Despite that effort, I still caught a glimpse of the guy's bare ass as the moonlight filtering through the windows flashed off the pale while skin of his own moon. I had to seriously stifle my giggle at the sight to keep up the dead possum act I was playing.</span></p> <p><span>Of course, seeing bare butts and more wasn't really new to me with where I'd been living the last year or so. My seventeen-year-old cellmate had absolutely no qualms about sleeping naked and slipping off the top bunk in the morning, his ass practically in my face. Nor did he have an issue climbing up to bed at night, his fat, hairy seven-inch dick and low-hanging balls swinging to and fro just inches from my nose. There were times I thought he was going to try stuffing that thing in my mouth, but he never did, thank God. Of course, I always knew when he was horned up as the bunk shook like we were in the middle of an earthquake while he jerked off like a madman. And while I didn't really care he was getting his rocks off just above me, I really wished he wouldn't do it two or three times every damn night.</span></p> <p><span>As for all the other assholes in the place, shower time was a freakin' free-for-all most of the time. Plenty of sick assholes playin' grab-ass or groping each other, with most of them sporting boners before leaving the shower room. It also wasn't that uncommon for some of the fairies to be down on their knees and suckin' off one of bigger bullies in an effort to keep from getting their asses beat, or worse. And though it was a rare occurrence, I'd still witnessed several poor kids gettin' fucked by some of the gang-affiliated jerks, mostly newbies who'd just arrived and `needed to learn their place'.</span></p> <p><span>I'd somehow gotten lucky and avoided being screwed by any of them. That didn't stop them from raggin' on me endlessly because I was so damn small. And I'm not just talkin' about how tall I was. Thanks to the long-time health issues and shitty care in some of the places I'd lived over the years, the puberty fairy had bypassed me. It was embarrassing as hell to have to shower with all those assholes, them knowing I was fifteen and yet as hairless as the day I came into this damn world and still hung like a fuckin' two-year-old. Oh well, that was my cross to bear, I guess, and I'd just have to learn to live with it.</span></p> <p><span>After about ten minutes of stewing on the nightmare that had passed for my life so far and all the crap I'd dealt with the past fifteen years, I heard Ron start snoring and decided it was as good a time to slip out and either find something to read or maybe watch a movie in the theater.</span></p> <p><span>I'd just started a new chapter when I heard a door close down the hallway somewhere. While I didn't really care somebody would find me out of bed, I still wasn't too interested in talking to anyone, so I kept my nose buried in my book and tried to return to Lusitania. My return trip to that faraway world was immediately canceled when the jerk walked around the corner and spied me. </span></p> <p><span>"Oh, it's <i>you</i>," I muttered in disgust.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, dude, I couldn't sleep and thought I'd watch a movie or something," Will replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, don't let me stop ya," I retorted angrily. The pain in the ass surprised me when he settled onto the loveseat instead of continuing on across the house.</span></p> <p><span>"I won't, but before I do, I wanna tell ya I'm really sorry for bein' a complete dickhead earlier."</span></p> <p><span>"You were, ya know."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I do, man. It's just that dudes don't hug other dudes like that where I'm stuck right now," he explained with a hint of sadness.</span></p> <p><span>"That's a pretty shitty excuse, blaming other people for how you are," I countered. "That crap won't fly `round here."</span></p> <p><span>"It won't happen again, Logan, I promise."</span></p> <p><span>"It better not or I'm gonna sic my brothers on your sorry ass."</span></p> <p><span>"If that's what ya think ya gotta do, go right ahead. I deserve it."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right, you do," I agreed with what I hoped was an evil grin.</span></p> <p><span>"So, do you guys <i>ever</i> wear clothes?" he asked with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Not if we don't hafta," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Isn't that weird?" Will asked with interest. "I mean, I guess it's not a big deal for you guys `cause you don't have that much to show off in the first place, but I'd be embarrassed as hell for Max, Tom or Ron to see me that way."</span></p> <p><span>"It was a little, um, different at first, but once ya get used to it, who cares? We all got the same thing so what's the point o' tryin' to hide it?"</span></p> <p><span>"But what if there's any girls `round?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't make no difference to us," I giggled. "There was a couple at T.J.'s birthday party Wednesday and it didn't bother us none. Them either, I guess, since they swam naked just like the rest o' us. `Course, when our grandparents or aunt and uncle are here, they usually don't wear nothin', either."</span></p> <p><span>"That just seems wrong," Will mused.</span></p> <p><span>"What?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Y'all seeing girls and women naked all the time. I don't think I could do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Why's that? Ya `fraid somebody's gonna laugh at your tiny pecker?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It ain't tiny!" he disagreed angrily though he turned beet red in an instant.</span></p> <p><span>"Dude, thanks to those boxer briefs you're wearin', there ain't no hidin' the fact ya got a small dick." He looked down at his lap and suddenly realized he'd neglected to pull anything on over them. While I knew the situation was far from funny for him, I couldn't help but laugh my ass off as his hands flew to his crotch and he tried to cover himself. "Don't worry `bout it, Will. Ain't nobody `round here gonna think twice `bout how big you are or aren't. `Cept maybe you."</span></p> <p><span>"Ron said you aren't gay. Why the hell you lookin' at my junk?"</span></p> <p><span>"All guys do that, comparin' themselves to others."</span></p> <p><span>"<i>I</i> don't do sick shit like that," he protested.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure ya do, you're just too chicken to admit it," I replied. "Well, ya better go start that movie or you're gonna be up all night."</span></p> <p><span>"I will in a minute, but can I ask ya somethin' without pissin' ya off?"</span></p> <p><span>"You can sure as hell try," I smirked.</span></p> <p><span>"Will you tell me about Mom and Dad?" Will begged.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-91.html

Building a Family Chapter 91 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 91 – Will Settles In I was prepared to answer whatever questions Tom might have thrown at me when I finally reached our bedroom, but he was already curled up under the covers and motionless. After a quick stop in the bathroom, I crawled into bed with my furry teddy bear, whispered, "Night, hon, love ya", then wrapped my arms around his chest and curled up behind him. I wasn't sure if he was actually asleep or just faking it, but I wasn't going to press the issue at the moment and quickly zoned out. I awoke Saturday morning when I felt the big guy wriggle out of my grasp, slip off the bed and listened to him quietly pad into the bathroom. When I finally opened my eyes, I found the room flooded with bright sunlight that seemed to bring the promise of a much calmer day than last night had been. That was my most fervent hope, anyway. As usual, though, we'd just have to wait and see how events unfolded throughout the day. "Sorry, I tried not to wake you," Tom offered when he returned and found me sitting up in the middle of the bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "No problem, hon. It's time to get moving, anyway. We've got a busy day ahead of us," I replied. "Not too busy that we won't have time to talk to Will, I hope," he retorted testily. "He really needs to chill out or T.J.'s gonna have a lousy birthday party this evening." "I think you're gonna find he's a little different this morning," I commented. "And just what makes you think that?" Tom asked, the sarcasm dripping from his words. I spent the next several minutes filling him in on what had transpired between Will and me after he'd left me alone in the hallway last night. When I finally finished my narration, he murmured, "Well, shit, now I feel like a complete ass. I was downright nasty to the kid last night after putting up with his snotty attitude since picking him up." "I don't really blame you for that, but you might think about telling him you're sorry." "I will if he will," the big goof smirked with a chortle. "Better start practicing your mea culpa, then," I cracked, " `cause I'm pretty sure you're gonna have to follow through." "Shall we go find out?" he asked. With a simple nod from me, it was my turn to visit the bathroom before we pulled on shorts and headed out to the kitchen to see what Ron was fixing for breakfast this morning. As soon as we stepped into the hallway, we noticed it was a lot quieter in the house than we were used to and we shared a quick look of concern as to what that could possibly mean for the day ahead. Moving into the kitchen, we found Ron hard at work whipping up a breakfast of bacon, sausage, eggs and biscuits. Most obvious, though, was the lack of the regular kibitzers on the stools at the bar counter. We both took a quick moment to pour ourselves a cup of steaming fresh coffee before beginning our search for the sensational six-pack. Um, wait, we may need to update that to the super seven. While we prepared our morning caffeine infusion, Ron asked, "Um, did I miss a meeting?" "What're you talkin' `bout?" Tom replied. "What's with the shorts, guys? And should I pull some on, too?" "Oh, that," I replied. "We just thought Will might feel a little less uncomfortable if we covered up." "Well, yeah, I guess I can understand that. I'll grab a pair in a minute." "So, what's the scoop this morning, Ron?" Tom asked. "Yeah, where's the peanut gallery?" I added. "I suggest you check the living room, again," he replied flatly as he gave the eggs a quick stir. "And tell the rugrats it's time to set the table when you do. Please and thank you," he quickly added with a grin. "Will do," Tom replied. While Ron zipped across the house to retrieve a pair of shorts, we wrapped our hands around the warm mugs and turned for the living room. Crossing the entry and heading towards the fireplace, we could see the backs of five heads and momentarily wondered what they were doing and where the other two munchkins were. Our confusion was cleared up when we reached the coffee table whose top was partially hidden beneath the bare behinds of Alex, Joey, T.J., Mike and Andy. All five were staring at the couch and quietly giggling at the scene that held their undivided attention. Though a blanket was over them, it was sweet to see Logan snuggled in tightly behind his older brother, his chin stuck between Will's shoulder blades. And despite the comforter, it was obvious one of Logan's arms was draped over Will and we could only assume the other was wrapped underneath. T.J. was the first to sense our presence and he turned towards us before whispering, "Look familiar, Dads?" "That it does," Tom grinned before adding, "Ron says he's ready for you guys to set the table. Why don't you get busy while we get these two moving in the right direction?" "Oh, man, we always miss out on the fun," Joey whined in protest. "I'm sure Will and Logan don't want to know they had an audience watching them sleep," I commented. "But they look so cute like that," Andy retorted while pointing to the still snoozing duo. "Yeah, we wanna see their faces when they see us staring at them," Mike added. "Next time, kiddos," Tom replied. "Now scoot, we're hungry," he added as his gut gurgled loudly. As the five munchkins headed towards the kitchen, we took their places on the table and were completely flabbergasted at the sight before us. After the brouhaha of last night, I would have bet almost anything that we'd never get these two in the same room again. To find the duo curled up on the couch together was a complete surprise. A pleasant one, for sure, but we were still flummoxed by this new and sudden development. Tom was just about to shake Will's shoulder to get the brothers awake when there was a loud crash from the kitchen that jolted Logan and Will from their peaceful slumber. "Aw, dang it!" T.J. grumbled in the background. "Whu ... what the hell was that?" Will squeaked in fear as his eyes snapped open and he tried to sit up, a move thwarted by Logan's tight grasp. When he realized he was being restrained, he quickly added, "Where am I and why can't I move?" "You're on the couch in the living room and Logan's holding onto you," Tom answered calmly in the hope Will would relax a bit. After focusing on the source of the voice, Will visibly chilled and breathed, "Oh, mornin', Tom. Hi, Max." "Mornin' to you, too, buddy," I replied. "You ready for breakfast?" "Soon as I hit the john," he grinned sheepishly. "That Pepsi from four this morning has my back teeth runnin' motorboat races." As Tom and I chuckled at his joke, Will thrust an elbow into Logan's gut and called over his shoulder, "Wake up, goofball!" "I'm awake, dingleberry," Logan retorted angrily. "What the big idea punchin' me in the gut?" "I gotta go, man," Will whimpered in anguish before asking, "And do I really wanna know what's pokin' me in the ass?" "Whut the heck you think it is, ya nincompoop?" Logan cracked. "It's first thing in the mornin' and I gotta pee. And if you don't get the heck outta my way, like real quick-like, well, you get my drift?" "Yeah, I got it but I can't freakin' move, bonehead, not with the way you're holdin' me," Will complained. "Well, `scu-u-u-use me," Logan drawled before throwing the comforter to the floor and releasing his grip on his older brother. "Thank you, Jesus!" Will exclaimed with relief as he rolled off the couch, jumped to his feet and made a beeline for a bathroom, Logan hot on his heels in high-speed pursuit. Tom and I were both giggling at the pair as we picked up the blanket and began to fold it. "Well, that looks promising," I commented. "Heck of a lot better than what I expected to find this morning," Tom agreed. "You think they got it all hashed out?" "They obviously got some things resolved between them, but I seriously doubt they covered it all. Not in just one night, anyway. But it's a good start. I hope it is, anyway." "We'll find out. I guess you were right about me having to apologize to Will." "Oh, that was a given, hon," I grinned. "I have two very simple rules you should have figured out long before now. One, I'm always right, and two, when you think I'm not, refer back to rule number one." "Yes, sir!" Tom laughed as he dropped the blanket on the couch, snapped to attention and tossed me a half-assed salute before we aimed ourselves for the kitchen. Joining the others already there, he asked, "Who dropped what?" T.J. raised his hand and answered, "It was me. I'd just gotten the plates from the cabinet and turned to get `em on the table when I bumped into Andy." "Well, if you'd watch where you're going, it wouldn't'a happened," Andy protested, thinking T.J. was trying to throw him under the bus. "Hey, I'm not blaming you," T.J. fired back immediately. "Sure sounded like it to me," Andy retorted angrily. "It was just an accident, boys," I offered trying to calm the storm that was brewing. "As long as nobody got hurt, it's not worth fighting about, is it?" "How many of them broke," Tom asked. "None, thankfully," Ron answered. "If they weren't Corelle, though, it could've been pretty ugly, what with all those sharp shards and bare feet in here." "See, no harm, no foul," I offered. "I hope you got clean ones for us to use," I joked. "Well, more or less. All us guys got new ones, but there weren't enough for everyone so you, Pops and Ron got dirty ones from the floor," T.J. cracked. "All the others are already in the dishwasher," he added with an evil smirk. "No way I'm eatin' off a dirty plate, young man," Tom protested lightheartedly. "I'm tradin' mine for yours since you dropped `em, T.J." "I was just kiddin', Pops," T.J. countered. "They're all clean, I swear." "We know that, son," I interjected. "How?" Andy queried. "Do you really think Ron would allow a dirty plate to get anywhere near his table?" I asked the crew. "Even we know that would never happen." "You got that right," Ron agreed emphatically. "Now, where's the other two rugrats? Food's ready." "Bathroom, should be here any second," Tom answered just as the brothers rounded the corner, arms wrapped around each other's shoulders as if they were best buds. "Yo, skinny, where's the grub?" Logan asked with a smirk. "Yeah, c'mon, dude, were starvin'," Will quickly added with his own cheeky grin. "Don't get your panties in a wad, you two. By the time you get your butts to the table, the food'll be there," Ron retorted sarcastically. With that, the race was on as all seven boys hustled to the table with Ron following closely behind, carrying a large bowl of scrambled eggs and a platter filled with enough sausage and bacon to feed a cub scout troop. Tom grabbed the biscuit-filled baskets while I retrieved the honey from the cabinet, and grape and apple jellies from the fridge to round out this morning's menu. With everyone seated, the feeding frenzy began in earnest. It was nice to see Logan and Will had decided to sit together at the end of the table. What made that unexpected development even more enjoyable was the big smiles plastered across both their faces as they shoveled food from their plates into their gaping maws. Logan was the first to say anything when he turned to Ron and commented, "By the way, Bozo, I ain't wearin' no panties. Never have and never will." "Me, either," Will pitched in. "These're called boxers, ya goofball." "Geez, don't you two know what a joke is?" Ron asked defensively. "Yeah, it's something said or done to make somebody laugh," Will answered seriously. "I learned that in, like, fourth or fifth grade. So, for it to be a joke, it has to be funny and people have to laugh." "And in case you missed it, nobody laughed `cause it weren't funny," Logan added. "Well, excu-u-u-use me. Not my fault y'all didn't see the humor. I thought it was funnier than hell, `specially since six of ya don't have a stitch on." "Well, you were wrong, Ron," Joey chipped in with agreement from the rest of the munchkins. "Yeah, maybe you should watch some comedy shows sometime and see how the pros do it," Alex kidded to a round of laughter from everyone. "See, Ron, now that was funny," T.J. giggled. While Ron fake pouted at being raked over the coals, I looked to Logan and Will at the far end of the table and waded into the conversation with, "Um, at the risk of reigniting the fuse from last night's pyrotechnics, you two seem to have figured some things out." "Oh yeah, we're cool, Dad," Logan replied. "How'd that come about?" Tom asked. "Well," Will began, "after everybody but the two of us went to sleep, we spent half the night talkin' since neither one of us could shut our brains down." "Must've been a heck of a chat," Tom commented. "I guess it was," Will agreed. "He told me `bout our Mom and Dad, what it was like growin' up on the farm, helpin' out and everything. I really feel like I kinda know them now even though we never had the chance to really meet after I was born. It sounds like they were really good people who both died way too soon," he added with a touch of sadness. "Yeah, we need to go out to the storage building today or tomorrow so I can grab the picture albums out there. Will wants to see what they looked like," Logan interrupted. "We can do that," Tom agreed. "What else did you talk about?" I asked. "Pro'lly be a shorter list of what we didn't," Logan chuckled. "Yup," Will nodded. "He told me all about all you guys, where you came from, how everybody ended up here together, and a whole lot more." "Um, what exactly does that `whole lot more' mean?" Tom queried nervously. "Probably more than he should've," Will admitted quietly, suddenly becoming extremely interested in the contents of his plate. I looked to Logan and found him doing the same thing, forcing me to prod him with, "Really, young man? You want to explain what Will means by that?" "Well, I told him `bout ever'one here but me and Andy bein' gay, though he'd already figgered that out for hisself, Alex and Joey havin' boyfriends, our grandparents, aunt and uncles including Dylan and Malcom, Mr. Burton and what he's doin' here, and all the fun we have together swimmin' and, uh, doin' other things. I think that's all of it," Logan added as he looked to Will for confirmation. Will glared at Logan and replied, "Well, there was that other thing, too." "What other thing?" Logan asked while attempting to look like a complete innocent. After Will rolled his eyes and poked his brother in the ribs, Logan jumped at the physical prodding and muttered, "Oh yeah, that." Logan then looked back to Tom and me and added, "Um, I also told him `bout, uh, ...," he began before trailing off into an incoherent mumble. " `Scuse me, we didn't quite catch that last bit at this end of the table," Tom grumbled. "We didn't get it in the middle either," T.J. volunteered. "Fine!" Logan vented. "I also told him `bout how much you and Dad, like, really, really, really love us." At that point, both boys became engrossed in the floor as they ducked their heads in an attempt to avoid the tongue lashing they knew was coming their way. Before Tom or I could even begin to formulate a response to his crossing way over the line, Logan looked back up and added, "Hey, if he thinks he wants to live here with the rest of us, he should know `bout ever'thing, shouldn't he? All I did was tell Will the truth when he was asking `bout stuff." On finishing one of the weakest defense arguments I've ever heard, Logan resumed his previous interest in the floor. That thought suddenly stopped the two of us in our tracks. We looked to each other for just a few moments, and though we've not yet reached the level of proficiency the twins had in direct mental communication, more than enough information was passed between us to realize Logan was right. Of course, that realization didn't completely erase our displeasure with him sharing more than he should have, but it did help mollify our reaction somewhat. Tom and I shared a quick nod and he gave me a wave of a hand to let me handle the issue. I held onto my tongue for about a minute to let the two stew on just how much trouble they were in, though it was really only Logan who was looking at any punishment for his transgression. It certainly wasn't Will's fault his little brother had opened his big mouth and spewed forth instead of stuffing a foot into that opening and keeping certain things to himself. "Okay, you two, while that info should have come from Tom and me, we understand why you told Will about that part of our lives." We watched as a wave of relief washed over both lads as they lifted their heads back up and smiled widely. "Don't be too happy about that, though," I continued. "Just because we understand why, it doesn't mean you aren't in trouble, young man." The smiles disappeared just as quickly as they'd appeared. "We've already done one week of punishment and since that didn't seem to have the proper impact on you, I guess we'll have to try for two weeks this time." "Two weeks!?" Logan squeaked while our others looked very relieved to not be included. "Yup," Tom answered. "We'll see if you can learn the lesson this time around." "Oh, man, that stinks," he grumbled under his breath. "Does that go for me, too?" Will asked nervously. "Nope, you're in the clear, Will," Tom replied. "Logan knows better than to share that with anyone outside this house." "But he's in the house, Dads," Logan complained. "Well, lots of other people have been in this house before like Lee, Carl, your grandparents and others, but do they know what you told Will last night?" I asked. "Well, no," Logan admitted. "And why don't they?" Tom quizzed the youngster. "So nobody goes to jail and we get to stay here," Logan replied. "Exactly. Hopefully, you'll learn something and we won't have to deal with this ever again. From any of you, got it?" I quickly added while pointing a finger in a circle around the table to the other six boys. "Yeah, all right," Logan moaned in defeat. "Can I just ask one tiny favor, though?" "You can ask ...," Tom replied flatly. "Can I start tomorrow `stead o' today?" "I guess, but why wait?" I asked. "So I ain't the only idiot wearin' clothes at T.J.'s party tonight." "Hey, I'm not an idiot!" Will protested, punching his brother on the shoulder. "That's not what I meant, dude. I just know if I'm the only one wearin' clothes, there's gonna be a ton o' questions from ever'body `bout why I'm in trouble again. Pretty sure you don't want me messin' up and tellin' anybody else the truth, do ya?" he asked Tom and me, a tinge of hope in his voice. We shared another quick glance and must have agreed with Logan's logic since Tom answered his query with, "Yeah, we can live with that. But I think we'll need to add a day to the end to make up for the delay." I quickly nodded my agreement to that suggestion. "Fine!" Logan grunted with disgust. "Fifteen days, then, but not a minute longer." "Can I ask a question?" Will posited. After a moment's hesitation, he plowed on without waiting for an answer. "So, `round here, if you get in trouble, your punishment is you have to wear clothes?" "Yes, and it seems to be fairly effective," I answered. "Most of the time, anyway. Occasionally, an extended refresher course is required to drive home the point, such as in this instance." "That's a whole lot better than gettin' locked up in solitary," Will commented. " `Course, what would you do to me since I'm still wearin' my boxers?" "Well, in that case, I think a week or two without clothes would be appropriate. What do you think, boss?" Tom asked while looking to me with a crooked smirk on his face. Will blanched at the thought of losing even his minimal coverage. "Yeah, that works for me, too," I agreed with a laugh and everybody let go a little giggle at the idea. Well, everybody but poor Logan. Looking back to Will, I asked, "So, now that you already know about something you would have eventually discovered anyway, I'd like to hear your thoughts on that bit of news and how it might affect your decision to live with us." "You mean about you and Tom doin' sex things with these guys?" he asked quietly. After a quick nod from me, he continued, "Well, I shoulda been surprised, but after some o' the stuff I've seen happen in juvie, I can't really say I was." "Why's that?" Tom asked. "Some of the guards do things with some of the other boys in there, and those dudes usually get some sorta special privileges or somethin' for goin' along with it without a fight. The que..., uh, gay kids don't seem to mind it too much, though, I guess `cause they're gay and like playin' `round with other guys, anyways, even if they are way older. But for the ones who aren't gay, they flippin' hate it when it's their turn. And most all the guards that do it are really pretty good about listenin' to the kid they're with and, stupid as this sounds, bein', uh, `nice' about it? Like if you don't wanna do somethin', they won't force you into it. Or so I've been told." "From our talk last night, I know none of the other boys has ever assaulted you sexually, but you didn't say anything about the guards. Has any of them ever attacked you that way?" I asked with concern. "Luckily, no. I think I'm too small for any of `em to want to," Will answered. "Yeah, we noticed that," Mike giggled. "Big deal, I'm short. If that keeps me safe from those sick perverts, I'm glad." "Um, pretty sure that's not what he was gigglin' `bout, dude," Alex smirked. Will immediately flushed pink and muttered, "Sheesh, what is it with you guys checkin' out another dude's junk? That'll get your ass kicked, or worse, where I've been the last year." "Well, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. We're gay and like to look at other guys' dicks," Joey answered using his best logic. "Oops, sorry, penises." "But we won't touch unless you say it's okay," T.J. quickly added. "That's one of the big rules `round here, everybody has to say `yes' to anything or you're in deep doo-doo." "Yeah, that's what I found out last night. And believe it or not, I'm cool with that. When we were talkin', Logan told me how you guys practically begged your dads to do those things with you and how they kept sayin' no until you finally wore `em down and they gave in. I mean, as long as you guys aren't bein' forced to do somethin' you don't wanna, and you don't try to suck, uh, pull me into your freakazoid games, I don't care who does what to who." "I can promise you right now, Will, that nobody in our home or family will ever do anything with or to you that you don't specifically request," I assured the young man. "So, knowing how we live and how we share and show our love with each other, do you think you'd really want to live here?" "Yeah, I think so," Will answered meekly. "It's gotta be a lot better and safer here than it is in juvie, `specially since Herman wouldn't be coming with me." "Who's Herman?" Tom asked. "He's the one guard up there that everybody hates `cause he's rougher than hell and won't listen to nobody. If he wants you, he'll come to your cell in the middle of the night and just freakin' take you, usually into the laundry room where it's not likely he'll be caught or interrupted. And you ain't gonna like it a bit. Scuttlebutt is he's got a huge, uh, thing, and absolutely loves hearin' kids howl in pain when he sticks it in `em. `Course, he only does it once their faces are buried in some dirty sheets or towels so nobody else can hear `em. I can't tell you how many kids have been found bleedin' from places they shouldn't be after he's done with them. Let me tell ya, that Herman's one super sick mofo that needs to be put down `fore he ends up killin' someone." "Well, we can take care of him," Tom replied. "We may need some help to make it happen, though." "Dude, if you can get that animal outta there for good, every kid he's ever screwed over would love you `til the end of time. I'm sure they'd be happy to tell you anything you want. Hell, most of `em would even let you have your way with `em for doin' it, even the straight ones," he smirked. "Uh, pro'lly not," Joey interrupted. "You ain't seen him naked yet but Pops ain't no small-fry down there," he added while pointing to his lap. Ignoring the smart remark from the peanut gallery, Tom continued with, "That won't be necessary, Will, but do you think you could help recruit some of his victims to testify against him?" "Only if you promise you won't go after the `good' guards who actually seem to really care about what they're doin', who they're doin' it with and how they're doin' it." "All I can say is I'll do my best to keep them out of it. I'd have a real hard time justifying goin' after those folks considering what happens around here." "Good point, Mr. Wright," Will agreed with an evil grin. "Or should I start callin' you Pops, now?" Everyone enjoyed a good laugh at that. "Well, we'll talk about this some more when my partner's here." "Wait a sec', I thought Max was your partner. I'm really confoozled now, dudes," Will chuckled as he scratched his head. "Max is my life partner, Dylan is my business partner," Tom volunteered. "Ah, gotcha. Oh, and since Alex mentioned it, if you older guys wanna be naked, too, go right ahead." "That wasn't Alex, it was me," Joey interrupted. "How the heck am I supposed to know?" Will asked. "You two are carbon copies of each other." "No we aren't," Alex retorted as the duo stood up, turned around and showed Will their behinds. "See, I've got a birthmark on my butt," he added while pointing to the strawberry-colored blob on his right cheek. "Oh, great," Will laughed. "One way or another, y'all are gonna get me lookin' at your asses, aren't ya? Too bad that mark isn't on the front somewhere. `Course, with my luck, it'd be on your you-know-what." "Are you sure you're okay with Tom, Ron and me losing our shorts, Will?" I asked. "We pulled them on this morning because we thought you might feel uncomfortable or awkward if we didn't." "Man, I've seen so many di..., uh, penises in so many shapes, sizes and colors the past year or so, it won't faze me a bit. Just don't expect me to lose my boxers. Not just yet, anyway," he added. Despite the ongoing conversation, all the food Ron had prepared had summarily vanished, so the cleanup crew got to work, Will pitching in as if he already lived here. Us `older guys' remained at the table and were discussing what needed to be done to get ready for T.J.'s party and the list of guests we were expecting. We were just wrapping things up and preparing to get on with our day when the front door popped open and Arlene called out, "Howdy, fellers, y'all decent!?" "Decent enough!" Tom yelled back. "C'mon in, we're in the dining room." We were a bit surprised when she came around the corner by herself and Tom asked, "Where's the boys? They still workin' with Joe?" "Oh, heavens no," Arlene smiled. "They just had to take a quick detour through Ron's room to drop some things." "I thought you were going to call for us to come get you this morning," I commented. "Well, I sure `nough thought about it, but Daril insisted he could find y'all. He's got this kind o' gift, I guess you'd call it, with roads `n' such where once he's been somewheres, he can find his way back without no problems. Ain't got a clue how he does it, but he's purty darn good at it. He just sits there with his eyes closed, silently countin' to hisself and callin' out turns. I reckon he must be part bloodhound or homing pigeon. Or maybe a little bit o' both," she giggled lightly. "Hey, Aunt Arlene, how ya doin'?" Logan chimed cheerily as the crew returned from the kitchen. "And where's them two lunks?" he added with a chuckle as the two shared a quick hug. "Right here, midge," Daril called out as the duo strolled in, wearing nothing but smiles. "My name ain't Midge and you know it," Logan retorted smartly. "That ain't your name, it's what you are," Arley countered. "Whatchu' talkin' `bout?" Logan quizzed the pair. "Well, if cousin Will's a midget like you called him last night, and what with you bein' even shorter than him, ya can't really say you're a full midget, can ya? So, ya gotta be just a midge, I s'pose," Daril laughed, and the rest of the boys joined in. "I am not!" Logan grumbled. "Make ya a deal, squirt," Arley began, "ya quit callin' us lunks, and we'll stop with the midge. Deal?" "Alright, alright, y'all win," Logan caved, seemingly way too easy for the scrappy youngster we'd all come to know and love so well. "Guess I'll just have to go back to Things One and Two," he added with a devilish smirk while slyly winking at Will. "The heck you will," Daril growled as he snagged Logan around the waist, picked him up and flipped him upside down as if he were nothing more than a burlap bag filled with the bounty of a successful `snipe hunt'. Logan immediately started squawking, "Put me down, uncle, I give!" as his face turned red from all the blood rushing to his head. Once he was upright with his feet firmly planted back on the floor, Logan glared up at Daril and muttered, "Geez, dude, I was just kiddin'." "Maybe so, punk, but I wasn't," Daril retorted seriously. "Just like your buddies here ain't no faggots, queers or any other such nasty names, we ain't lunks or things. We're just Daril and Arley, got it, midge?" "Yeah, yeah, I got it," Logan acquiesced meekly. "Good, glad we understand each other." Turning to Will, Daril said, "Mornin', cuz, how's it hangin'?" Blushing lightly again, Will quietly replied, `Um, it don't." "It will someday," Arley commented while elbowing Will in the ribs. "Only in my dreams." In an effort to spare Will any more embarrassment, Ron interjected, "I see you two have cast aside your inhibitions," his observation aimed at Daril and Arley. "Yeah," Arley agreed, "Ma, Daril and me had a long talk after y'all left last night, mostly 'bout whatever comes next in our lives now that we ain't gotta put up with that loser's shit no more. When we told her how much fun we had swimmin' nekkid again last night, she tol' us she really don't give a hoot if we was nekkid at home, too." "Well, `cept when that Mr. Bartley dude and his kids come `round to help with things," Daril added. "She wants us wearin' shorts at least when they're `round." "Yep, that's what we call `OPR' `round here," Alex offered with a giggle. "That's short for `other people rules', guys," Logan commented after seeing the confused looks on the older boys' faces. "Heh, Ryan pro'lly wouldn't care," T.J. noted. "I mean, he was here for the twins' birthday party and spent most of the afternoon bare-assed with the rest of us guys. Don't know how his brother would react, though." "We'll find out at my birthday party since I plan to invite Cail," Mike commented with a smirk. "Well, boys," I interrupted, "We're having a party here later and it's time we got serious about being prepared for it. Why don't you get started on straightening up your rooms and your other chores so we can take care of everything early and be ready when T.J.'s guests start arriving?" "When's that gonna be, Dad?" the birthday boy asked. "Don't have a clue, buddy," I replied. "Yeah," Tom agreed before adding, "the party isn't supposed to actually start until six this evening, but you all know how unpredictable some of the people coming are. Plus, Levar and his group are coming sometime, too. It's gonna be a full house." "Does that mean we're gonna have to wear shorts later?" the twins chorused sadly. "I guess that won't really be necessary this time around," I commented as the herd let go a loud cheer. "I mean, everyone coming already knows this is a nudist home, especially since they've all accepted it and have freely joined us in comfort when they've been here before." "What about you old farts?" T.J. asked. "Ya gonna let it all hang out for once?" "We'll see," Tom hedged. "Carol's gonna be here, too, and we're not too sure she'd be ready for that." "I bet she'd be just fine with it, Pops," Alex offered with a smile. " `Specially if everyone else is naked, too," Joey added. "Like Pops said, we'll see what happens," I offered blandly. "Now, y'all scoot and get busy." As the crew minus Daril and Arley, scampered across the house to attack their tasks, Daril turned to Ron and asked, "You got anything left over from breakfast, dude? There weren't nothin' at the house to eat and after workin' with Mr. Bartley for an hour and a half this mornin', Arley and me are starvin'." "Sorry, guys, that herd that just stampeded outta here wiped us out. I'll be happy to whip up somethin' for ya, though." "Don't you dare," Arlene interjected. "You gots plenty to deal with already, just point me the right direction and I'll take care of my boys." "How `bout I help you with things this mornin', Arlene? I need to finish my cleanup anyway and that way I'll be right there to let you know where everything you're gonna need is." "Now, that would be just peachy," she agreed. Turning to her sons, she asked, "Why don't you two get the table set for us?" With affirmative nods from Daril and Arley, the four turned for the kitchen to get started on breakfast, version 2.0. While Ron and Arlene went to work in the kitchen, Tom and I headed for our room to lose our shorts and get comfortable since we had Will and Arlene's permission to do so. We both agreed, however, that if either showed the slightest hint of trepidation at being around us while we were nude, we'd pull them back on. As we were headed back out to the living room, I asked, "What're your plans for the day?" "Me? I'm gonna lounge around the fireplace and watch the boys and Ron bust their butts with party prep," he answered with a crooked grin. "How `bout you?" "I need to make a few phone calls and once those are handled, I think I'll join you in making sure the living room furniture doesn't run away," I laughed. "We're gonna need it all tonight." "Sounds like a good plan to me, babe. Let's make it so." On that note, Tom continued on while I ducked into my office to make those calls. My first was to Carol and she answered on the second ring with, "Mornin', Max. How're things going with your weekend house guest?" "A bit bumpy so far, but we're hoping the road smooths out soon." "Uh-oh, I don't like the sound of that," she replied with concern. "Well, to be brutally honest, last night was downright ugly, but life is looking better this morning. With luck, we'll have a good handle on things by this evening's party. And speaking of the party, that's why I called." "Oh, you checkin' up on me to make sure I'll be there?" she asked sarcastically. "I've told you I won't miss a single birthday for any of your boys. Those munchkins are just as important to me as they are to you and Tom." "Absolutely not. I wasn't worried about whether you'd be here or not, but I do have an important question that needs to be cleared up beforehand and I'd like an honest answer." "What, you really think I'd lie to you about anything at this stage of the game? You obviously don't know me as well as you think you do," she quipped with a giggle. "So, what's so all-fired important that it requires a nine AM phone call?" she asked. "The boys just asked if they'd have to wear shorts tonight and I told them I didn't think OPR would be in effect for the evening. I hope I haven't lied to them." "Now wait just a darn minute, you wasted a call for a ridiculous question like that? You know full well I don't care about what those little scoundrels are wearing. I thought I made that perfectly clear the first weekend I was out there." "You did and that's why I told them they should be okay being themselves tonight. I guess my real concern is the second part of this question." "Oh, and what's that?" Carol queried with interest. "Well, T.J. asked if us `old farts were gonna let it all hang out for once'. I wasn't quite sure how to answer that since I knew you'd be here and wasn't sure how you'd feel about that development." "Max, Max, Max, you worry too damn much about the inconsequential trivialities of life. You do know that, right?" she laughed. "I've told you all about my previous experiences with my sister and her wife, what the devil would make you think I'd react any differently at your place? Besides, I've already seen you naked before. A couple of times, as a matter of fact. And guess what? Neither event scarred me for life, so if you and Tom want to doff your garments, too, you go right ahead." "Well, if we do so, you can expect our parents and several others will follow suit. I guess I just wanted to give you fair warning about what you might be walking into when you get here." "It sounds like it's going to be an absolutely delightful gathering." The cheer in her voice was evident and I could practically see the wide smile I knew she had on her face. "Now, it's my turn to surprise you, you big ol' stick in the mud worrywart. I'd already planned on shucking my clothes on the way out tonight so I could join the crowd." "That's a bit of a surprise," I muttered dumbly. "What made you decide to do that?" "Well, after hanging out with you and your family a few times, I've come to realize just how much I miss the freedom I've so enjoyed when visiting California. I think it's high time I recapture that feeling of peace and contentment." "Well, all-righty, then. We'll look forward to seeing you later. Be careful on your way out." "I've already mapped out the back roads to your house so I can get there without the boys in blue stopping me," she laughed. "Later, gator." After the line went dead, I stared blankly at the phone in surprise for a few moments at Carol's revelation before gathering my wits back together and placing my second call. "Thank you for calling Landmark Ford," the receptionist answered with the expected cheery intonation. "How may I direct your call?" "This is Max Sanders and I'd like to talk to Herb," I replied. "One moment, sir, I'll see if he's available." Thirty seconds later, my favorite car salesman joined the call with, "Mornin', Max. Before you ask, I just double-checked Shelby's latest update and they're still expecting to have Tom's wedding present delivered by Wednesday, the fourteenth. That gives us a couple of days to check it over before bringing it out Saturday afternoon." "While that sounds great, Herb, that's not why I'm calling." "Oh, sorry, I just assumed. So, what's up?" "Stupid as this is going to sound, I need a new car," I chuckled. "Wait, didn't you just get one? I'm fairly sure I remember you and Tom driving out of here in a brand-new Flex just a few short weeks ago. Don't tell me it's starting to fall apart already." "Nope, nothing like that. Believe it or not, it's now too damn small." "What!?" he squawked in surprise. "Last I knew, it was just you, Tom and the four boys. Can't imagine what's happened that has you needing something that will hold more than six or seven people already." When I finally stopped laughing, I filled Herb in on some of the more recent developments he'd missed. "Boy, are you ever behind the times. We've already added two more kids since you brought the rental out and it looks like we might be taking in yet another one soon. Add to that, two cousins to one of our current crew have just moved nearby and I think you can see how the Flex might be just a bit crowded. And since I'm pretty confident law enforcement personnel of any persuasion will frown on us strapping kids to a roof rack, we need something with more space for people inside." "Lord, Max, have you lost your mind?" Herb inquired seriously. "You have no idea how many times I've asked myself that very question the past few months," I replied with another laugh. "So, Mister car guy who claims he can fulfill anybody's vehicle needs, what brilliant suggestions do you have to help solve our space problem?" "Well, normally I'd tell you to give me a few days to do some thinkin' and searchin' and I'd get back to you. But we're not really within the realm of anything that resembles normal, are we?" "Um, no, not really. I gave up on that pipe dream a long time ago, buddy." After a quick chuckle, Herb came back with, "I'm not touchin' that with a ten-foot pole, Max. What you're looking for isn't usually found on car lots these days, but I may just have something in the south forty that will be just the thing for ya. Keep in mind it's a used vehicle with a, um, a few miles on it, but it's still in pretty decent condition and the engine has a lot of life left in it, too. Of course, the most important thing it has goin' for it is it'll handle up to twelve people comfortably, eighteen if they're small and really, really like each other." "That sounds like it just might fit the bill. How much and how fast can we get it?" "Oh, I'll make you a helluva deal. How fast you can take it home depends on if you think it needs a paint job and any other custom work you may want done." "Paint job?" I asked with concern. "I don't care how good the engine is, if the body's falling apart, I sure as hell don't want it." "Sorry, Max, you misunderstood my meaning. The body is in perfect shape, but you may think the current black and yellow paint scheme is a bit, um, over-the-top," he commented with a light chuckle. "Now wait just a darn minute," I protested as I cut into Herb's sales pitch. "Are you tryin' to sell us a flippin' school bus?" "Well, yeah, why not? If it was good enough for the Partridge Family, why not for you, too?" he laughed. "While it may not be the most attractive vehicle available, you have to admit that it fits your particular needs to a tee. Plenty of room for you, Tom and your current brood, along with the extra space you need to keep adding to the head count." "Well, when you put it that way, I guess it doesn't sound quite as horrible as it did at first blush, but I was hoping for something that would actually fit in a garage without having to cut a bigger hole in the wall." "If that's the case, let me do some of that thinkin' and searchin' I mentioned and get back to you sometime next week. And since I'm gonna have to do some serious homework on this one, what kinds of features you lookin' for?" "Decent gas mileage, power everything, comfortable seats, dual or triple-zone air conditioning, a smooth ride, entertainment options like video and a gaming console or two. I think that should cover all the bases. Oh, and enough space to haul luggage for everybody." "I can see I've got my work cut out for me, so I better get to it. Thanks for the call and have a great weekend out there." "Thanks, Herb. Hope to hear back from you soon." Just as I left my study and headed to join Tom, the drive sensor announced somebody pulling into the drive. I couldn't imagine who would be showing up this early, so I ducked into the bedroom to grab the shorts Tom and I had just discarded in case they were needed. I discovered the kitchen was empty when I stopped to refill my mug with a fresh shot of caffeine, but found Arlene, Daril and Arley packing the food away in the dining room as I passed through. Daril paused his intake just long enough to ask, "Should me an' Arley grab shorts, too?" "I'll leave that up to you two," I replied. As I continued my trek, I caught the two share a quick glance and non-committal shrug of the shoulders before they returned to their meal without another thought. Arlene had no reaction to their snap decision except for a slight smirk of amusement before returning her attention to her own plate. Settling into my chair next to Tom, he was engrossed in his book again though he did stop to ask, "So, who did you have to call this morning?" "First was Carol," I answered as I tossed his shorts at his head. "What for?" he queried as he pulled the rumpled garment from where it landed on his shoulder and stuffed in in the chair beside his meaty thigh. "To see if she'd be okay with this evening's party being clothing optional." "What!?" he exclaimed in surprise. "I'm not sure I'm okay with that, not with all the people that're gonna be here." "Well, you better fix that in a hurry. You know, of course, the boys have absolutely no intentions of covering up tonight, with the possible exception of Will. With the boys not being dressed, you can be pretty sure our parents, Lee, Carl, Dylan and Malcom won't hesitate to lose their second skins, either. And Carol just told me she'd already planned to arrive much the way Dylan usually does these days. So, I figure, what the hell?" "Yeah, I guess that would be pretty much everyone, wouldn't it?" he agreed. "Except for Arlene. You think she'll be okay with that development?" "We can ask her when they're done eating," I answered. "And the second call?" "Herb at Landmark." "Oh boy! Is my wedding present gonna be here on time?" Tom grinned evilly, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Of course, once he saw the surprised but angry glare I was directing at him, he lowered his head in shame while muttering, "Shit! I shouldn't'a said that." I was about to press the issue when there was a loud pounding on the front door. Before either of us could move, the thundering herd let its presence be known as they burst out of the hallway at full gallop. "Who's here?" T.J. bubbled with excitement as they scattered around the living room and settled onto the couch and love seat. "Not a clue, buddy, why don't you go find out?" I replied before turning back to the bright red baboon sitting next to me and whispering, "We're gonna circle back to this later, bubba." A tense nod was his only acknowledgment I'd said anything when T.J. let go a loud `whoop' of excitement at the now open front door. "Howdy, Mr. Burton!" he called out happily as LeVar and a lady we'd not met before stepped inside. "Who's that and where's the others?" he quickly added in his usual blunt manner. Had we known LeVar would be bringing someone who'd not been here before, we would have had everyone wearing shorts. But seeing at it was way too late to institute OPR, Tom and I did the only thing we could think of on a moment's notice; we crossed our legs and assumed a decidedly uncomfortable posture. "Well, howdy to you, too, T.J. And happy birthday," LeVar replied as the two shared a high-five. "The lovely lady joining me today is my wife, Stephanie. Stuart and the others all decided to take in some sights like Lincoln's home and tomb before we head back home this afternoon." "You're not gonna stay for my party tonight?" T.J. queried sadly as he led the duo across the house. "Sorry, buddy, we've got a lot of work to do back in California. Maybe next year when I hope to have a bit more free time, okay?" "Yeah, okay," T.J. quietly agreed. As soon as LeVar and Stephanie had joined us, they were immediately swarmed by the boys as they passed out hugs and cheery greetings to both. All of them but Will, that is, since he'd not met them before. When they finally calmed down, LeVar and Stephanie took over the love seat and the rest of the crew packed themselves onto the couch. "Morning, guys," LeVar began, "I'd like to introduce my wife, Stephanie. Dear, Max Sanders and Tom Wright," he added while pointing to each of us. "The wild bunch that already mugged us are their boys. From left to right, that's Alex, Andy, Mike, T.J., of course, Joey, and Logan." "Who's the last one at the far end?" she asked as she aimed a finger at Will who was sitting on the arm of the couch with a slightly stunned look filling his face. "Not a clue, dear, I've not met him before." That comment seemed to shake Will out of his trance and before Tom or I could take care of introducing him, he stepped forward saying, "Hi, I'm Logan's brother, Will. Nice to meet you in person, Mr. Burton. You, too, Mrs. Burton," he added as he shook both their hands. As Will stepped back to resume his perch on the couch's arm, LeVar asked, "Do you know me because you've been watching Star Trek with the others?" "Nope, never seen it," Will replied. "But one of the foster families I was livin' with when I was six or seven used to park me and their own kids in front of a TV tuned to Reading Rainbow reruns on PBS. Said it was the only way they could ever get any peace and quiet," he chuckled. "Happy to help them out, I guess," LeVar laughed. "Hope you all learned something." "You mean besides how to be quiet for half an hour at a time?" Will laughed out loud and the rest of us joined in. "Yeah, we did, even though we didn't much like it at the time." Sensing the end of that snippet conversation, I commented, "Sorry we weren't properly prepared for Stephanie coming with you this morning." "What're you talking about?" LeVar quizzed me while he shot a look of confusion my way. "Well, if we'd known she was coming, we'd've had shorts on." The two snorted in laughter and Stephanie replied, "Oh, you guys are fine, Max. LeVar explained in complete detail what I should expect to find today but I insisted on coming with him anyway. If I thought seeing some naked people was going to bother me, I wouldn't be here, but I wasn't going to miss this moment for all the Ferraris in Italy." "Well, we heard you tell T.J. you're headed back home later today," Tom began, "so what brings you out now?" "Right, that," LeVar replied. "Before we get to that, I need to ask Will a few questions." The young man about fell off his roost when LeVar turned towards him and started with, "So, are you going to be moving in, too?" The flustered young man meekly answered, "Um, yeah, I think so." "Do you know about the project we're going to work on with Max, Tom and their boys?" LeVar pressed. "You mean the TV show about Max's life and all? Yeah, Logan told me `bout it last night. Really, it was some time this morning," he added with a smirk. "Do you want to be included in the show once we reach that part of the story?" "Well, yeah, I guess so. As long as you ain't gonna put me on TV, that is." "Nope, we'll find an actor to portray you, too, just like we're going to do with all the others." "Cool with me, then. But what's in it for me?" he asked bluntly. "Give me just a minute and you'll find out, Will." LeVar then turned to me and asked, "May I borrow your study for just a moment, please?" "Help yourself," I answered, waving a hand in that direction. LeVar returned in less than a minute and his hand was filled with envelopes. As he started handing them to each of us, he said, "Now don't open these until everybody has theirs, okay?" It was all the boys could do to contain their curiosity, but they somehow managed to control themselves just long enough for Tom and me to receive our own envelopes. Once LeVar had rejoined Stephanie on the love seat, he said, "Okay, go." Since Tom and I had a pretty good inkling as to what we'd just received, we watched as the boys lifted the flaps on their envelopes and pulled out the contents. All of them but T.J., that is. He must have divined what was inside when LeVar handed them out as he sat calmly in the middle of the others and just watched for their reactions along with the rest of us. I was glad LeVar had had the foresight to not seal the envelopes so nobody had to rip them open and risk tearing into what was held within. They were all so surprised at what they held, you could have heard a pin drop. The one thing we did hear was considerably louder than a simple pin as a resounding thud echoed through the house when Will slid right off the arm of the couch and the stunned munchkin's behind hit the floor. That woke the others from their stupor as they all started jumping up and down with glee, dancing around like whirling dervishes and yelling, `we're rich, whoo-hoo, yippee' and much, much more. Poor Will remained on the floor and muttered loudly, `holy shit! I must be dreamin'.' The ruckus they were raising brought an alarmed Arlene, Daril and Arley charging from the dining room to see what was going on. After witnessing the melee taking place, Arlene looked to Tom and I and yelled, "What the devil's got into them?" Logan answered her question when he ran over to them, wildly waving his check for a million dollars in front of their stunned faces. Once she grabbed his wrist and could actually read the amount printed on the check her nephew held, she quietly muttered, "Oh my Lord." T.J. had finally moved from his spot on the couch, and he was kneeling next to Will to make sure he was okay. After a simple nod in reply to T.J.'s query, the caring young lad stood up and offered his hand to Will to help him back up. LeVar and Stephanie were still ensconced on the loveseat and grinning wildly at the mad display of mass hysteria taking place. When the herd finally began to run out of steam, they suddenly realized they'd completely forgotten what few manners they possessed. With the precision of laser-guided missiles, all seven turned as one and launched themselves at their benefactor. Poor LeVar and Stephanie barely had time to brace for impact before they were smothered in hugs and received a ton of `thank yous' from the crew. Arlene and her boys had joined us and settled on the couch while it was empty so when our boys ran out of hugs, they took a seat on whatever flat surface they could find, some on the coffee table, a few on the floor and Logan and Will ended up on the hearth, arms wrapped around each other's shoulders. "Can we buy whatever we want, Dads?" Joey quickly asked, a look of hope flooding his face. "We'll let you guys get a few small things for now, but let's not go overboard, okay?" I answered. "What's overboard?" Alex prodded. "Cars, houses, yachts, that kind of thing," Tom snickered. "But we can really do whatever we want with our money?" Logan asked with a tone of seriousness we'd not heard from him lately. Tom and I shared a quick glance before I answered, "Once we have a chance to discuss your ideas, sure, why not?" On hearing that, Logan promptly stood up, walked over to the couch and presented his check to Arlene while saying, "Here, I want you, Arley and Daril to have this. I already got more than I know what to do with and you guys can really use it." Arlene immediately pushed his hand away and retorted, "Oh no, we can't accept that, Logan. You've already done more for us than we could ever repay." Daril didn't hesitate for even a moment as he reached over, snatched the check from Logan's hand and said, "Thanks, cuz. You're all right, I don't care what the old man says." "George Daril Campbell!" Arlene started, "You give that back!" "No way, ma. Logan's right, we can use this," he argued. "He's right, momma, we can," Arley agreed. "On what!?" she countered with confusion etched across her face. "Thanks to Logan, we already got us a nice house to live in, you two have some jobs to do so we can stay there, and I'll find a job somewhere, too. What the hell would we do with a million bucks?" "Well, for one, we could get the well pump and irrigation system fixed at the orchard. Then we could upgrade the sorting machine and replace that ancient tractor and some o' the other `quipment, too." "We done left all that crap behind us, boys. What do you care what happens with it now?" "We may have left it back in Dexter, ma, but your name's on it, too. And with the useless slimeball goin' to jail, it's gonna be all yours, ain't it?" "Well, yeah, I guess so," she mused, thoughtfulness replacing confusion. "Whatchu you thinkin', Daril?" "One o' two things. We do what I said to make it easier to sell the thing. O-o-r-r-r, we can do what I said and hire somebody down there to run it for us. Up `til that spring freeze a few years back, the orchard did well and we always made a good chunk o' change off it. It's almost back to where it was then and I think we could still make a decent profit off it, even with payin' someone else to do all the work for us." "Hmmm, I'll have to think about all that, boys. `Til I make up my mind, though, Logan's keepin' that check right here." On that final note, she plucked it from Daril's grasp and handed it back to Logan while adding, "Thanks for your kind offer, Logan. Once I figger out what I wanna do, I'll let you know. `Til then, you hold on to that, okay?" "Yes, ma'am," he agreed. As he turned to rejoin his brother on the hearth, Logan looked to us and asked, "That's okay with you guys, ain't it?" Both Tom and I gave Logan a thumbs up as we knew he really didn't need the money near as much as his aunt and cousins did. Just before resuming his place in front of the fireplace, he turned back to Daril and added, "And just for the record, dude, I don't give a rat's fuzzy little behind what Uncle Dirtbag says `bout me neither." That comment elicited a round of laughter from everyone. Once he was settled back in next to Will, LeVar and Stephanie stood while he commented, "Well, I think we'll be hitting the road." "Already?" Tom asked amid protests from the boys. "Weren't you planning to talk with Lee, Carl and some others this afternoon?" "I was, but something's come up at home and we have to get back so I can deal with it. I'll take care of the other interviews I still need the next time we come to town. And while I wish we could stay a bit longer this morning, we have to run a few errands in town before we meet the others at the airport at one. But we'll be back soon to continue working on our projects. Now that you've been paid for them, I expect to see some progress being made on all fronts." "We'll look forward to it, LeVar," I replied as we stood to say our goodbyes. Of course, Tom and I had to wait our turns as the boys surrounded the pair and shared hugs and goodbyes with both. The two of us followed LeVar and Stephanie to the door and after shaking hands while expressing our own thanks for their short visit, they headed down the sidewalk to the rented Mercedes limo waiting to take them back to town. "Well, that was fun," Tom chuckled as we crossed the house to sink back into our chairs. "So, what're you gonna buy with your newfound wealth?" "A bigger house, remember?" "Oh, yeah, that." "And you?" "I was thinkin' `bout findin' us a desert island in the middle of the ocean somewhere," he smirked. "Um, be kinda hard to help other kids from there, don't ya think?" "Fair point, babe. Guess I'll just have to stay here with you and the rugrats," he moaned in defeat. "Good thinkin', bubba. I'd hate to have to divorce your sorry ass before we even get married," I giggled while delivering a sharp smack to the back of his head. After taking our seats and with the boys still goggling over the fact they each had a million dollars, I asked, "So, we know what Logan wants to do with his money, what ideas have the rest of you come up with?" "We wanna get bikes for T.J., Mike and Andy so none of us have to share anymore," Alex replied. "Well, that'll use up about three to four hundred," Tom commented. "What about the rest?" "We don't know yet, but we'll come up with somethin', you can be sure of that," Joey answered. "I'm leavin' mine here with you guys," Will offered. "Any o' those pukes in juvie find out I got a million bucks, they'll all want a piece of it and never leave me alone." "Sounds like a good plan, buddy. What about you, Mike?" I continued. "Ain't got a clue. I ain't never had more than a couple bucks before. How many comic books can I get with a million?" "Enough to fill this house and then some," I laughed. "Andy, what about you?" "Maybe some new games for the Xbox. All the ones we got are too hard for me and Mike." "Good thinking, young man," Tom agreed before adding, "T.J., we haven't heard from you yet." "I wanna give some of it to the school," was his answer. "What the heck for!? We ain't even gonna be goin' there this fall," Joey argued. "Which is exactly why I want to do it," T.J. replied calmly. "Since we won't be there, I wanna make sure our support group doesn't die. You know there are plenty of kids over there who need someone to talk to. I bet Rich would be glad to listen to and help anybody he could, but there needs to be more than just him. Maybe if the school had the money, they could actually get a real person like Mike's foster dad to help out, too." As soon as T.J. had explained his reasoning, I noticed the twins' eyes light up with understanding. They quickly faced each other from opposite ends of the couch and had one of their silent and very private conversations. No more than five seconds had elapsed when Alex suddenly announced, "Yeah, we want to do that, too." "That's a great idea, guys," I agreed. "I think I'll donate some of mine to the same cause." "That'd be cool, Dad," T.J. agreed. "And even though we'll be doin' school here, I still wanna go over there a day or two a week to keep helpin' other kids." "I'm sure we can work that out with Steve," Tom commented. Knowing our time for party preparations was getting shorter by the moment, I finally broke up the confab with, "Okay guys, give me your checks so I can get them in the safe for the weekend and you get back to work. We still have a bunch of people coming for a party later, remember?" All the boys including Daril and Arley jumped up and as our herd stopped to hand us their checks, Joey cracked, "Don't spend it all in one place, Dads," before the crew headed on down the hallway to continue cleaning their rooms. Just as her two were about to slip out of sight, Arlene called out, "Boys, you need to go clean up the dinin' room `fore you go helpin' them with anything else." The pair made a quick U-turn and returned to do as their mom requested. "Ron, don't you have to do some runnin' to pick up some things?" I prompted. "You should probably get headed that direction so you're back before the guests start arriving." "On it, Boss!" he joked as he jumped up from his seat. "Arlene, would you like to go with me so you can see where a few stores are and get some food and other supplies for your new home?" "Well, if'n y'all don't mind me taggin' `long, that'd be just dandy. I don't wanna hold you up, though." "It won't be a problem," Ron assured her. "Max worries too much about time and we have plenty of it." "Then I'll be ready to roll when you are, Ron. Would it be okay if we take the truck, though? I got lots to get since there weren't even no toilet paper in the house last night." "Sure, we can do that. With everything I need to pick up today, the extra space will come in handy. And we'll even swing by the farm and unload your stuff before coming back here so none of it will spoil." "Sounds like a plan," she agreed. "Well, let me hit the john, get properly dressed and we'll be on our way." On that note, Ron disappeared down the hallway. After Daril and Arley finished with their task in the kitchen and it was down to just me, Tom and Arlene, I broached a subject I didn't want the others to be involved in. "Arlene, we had no clue what Logan had planned to do with his money. I hope you aren't upset that he sprung that surprise on you in front of everybody." "Well, he sure `nough caught me off guard, let me tell ya. I damn near had to go find a bathroom and change my skivvies," she laughed and Tom and I joined her. "I'm sure he'd understand if you don't accept it," I offered. "Well, that was my first thought, obviously, but the more I think about what Daril said, the more I'm actually considering it." "Would you really sell the orchard?" Tom asked. "Damn right I would. Weren't mine to begin with, it was all Troy's. I only put up with it `cause it did make `nough money for us to live on. I mean, it was all right nine or ten months outta the year when there weren't that much to do, but during harvest time, he an' the boys'd work twenty hours a day sometimes. I sure as hell ain't doin' that, and neither are Daril or Arley." "But what if you were to hire someone to run it for you?" I queried. "Too much hassle, `specially with us livin' up here," she retorted. "First, I don't know if there's anybody down there I could trust to do it `n' not screw me over. Second, most of the folks he hired to work the harvest were his friends and I wouldn't want none o' them scalawags anywheres near nothin' o' mine. And third, there's just too many bad memories tied to the place. The sooner I dump that nightmare, the better off we'll be." "Well, whatever you decide is up to you, of course, and you can be sure we'll provide any support you need to make it happen." "Thanks, Max, Tom. Just bein' away from there is a huge load off my mind. Troy has so many crazy friends that I'd have to have eyes in the back of my head to feel safe. Not to mention extra locks on the doors and a gun under my pillow. Who the hell knows what those flippin' rednecks would do to us with that asshole bein' in jail?" Ron reappeared at that moment and asked, "You ready, Arlene?" "I was born ready, beanpole," she smirked. "Let's get this show on the road," she added as she snagged her purse and headed for the front door which Ron was already holding open. As soon as they were out the door, I turned to Tom with a scowl and asked, "Okay, how long have you known?" "What? That I loved you and wanted to spend the rest of my life with you?" he responded with as much innocence and sincerity as he could muster at the moment. "I'd have to say it was about ten twenty-three the Sunday night after we met." "That's not what I'm talkin' about, you smartass, and you know it." "Oh yeah, that," he snickered. "It was when Hank's articles about you were in the paper." "How the hell did you even find out about it? I swore Herb to secrecy." "And he never said a word, I swear, so don't get pissed at him," Tom countered. "I think it was the day the second article about you hit the paper. You were fixing breakfast for us and told me to check for the new part in your e-mail. I, um, kinda perused your inbox while I waited for it to print. I saw an e-mail from Shelby and looked at it thinking maybe they were letting you know about a show in the area or something. Boy, did I ever feel like a first-class shit when I saw what it was really about." "As well you should," I immediately agreed. "But, I guess it's my own damn fault for leaving the message in my inbox and then giving you free rein over my computer. Lesson learned, I guess." "See? It's all your fault the surprise was ruined," Tom cracked with a grin. "Don't you dare go there, bucko. I may change my mind, keep the new one for me and give you the one that's already in the garage." "Fine with me, babe. Either way, I end up with a Shelby, so it's a win-win in my book," he laughed. That, of course, earned him another sharp smack to the back of his noggin. Before we could continue our chat, the dust mop emerged from the hallway with Will attached to the handle, guiding it across the floors. Tom leapt at the opportunity to move on to a new discussion with someone else about anything else. "The boys draft you, Will?" he called out as the young man aimed the dust collector towards the entry. "Naw," Will replied as he paused by the door. "Like the fool I am, I asked if there was somethin' I could do to help. Joey pointed to the dust mop and told me to have at it." "Well, if you don't wanna do it, you don't have to," I offered. "You are just visiting this weekend, ya know." "Yeah, I know, but I'm fine guys. `Sides, if I'm gonna move in with y'all, I might as well get used to it," he replied as the vacuum kicked on in one of the boys' rooms. "At least I'm not pushing that noisy thing around like Daril and Arley got sucked into doin'," he added with a laugh. "Well, carry on," I replied with a wave of my hand. "Wait!" Tom yelled. "Come here a sec, Will." The youngster left the mop handle leaning against the glass by the front door, strolled across the entry and nervously settled onto the love seat, wondering what he was in trouble for now. Once he quit fidgeting, Tom started, "I want to say I'm sorry for how ..." "Whoa, dude, back the truck up," Will interrupted. "You got nothin' to be sorry for. I was a complete jackass from the moment we met in Dr. Pompass's office. If anybody here needs to be sayin' they're sorry for somethin', it's me. And I am." "I appreciate that, buddy, but I'm the adult here and I should never have let myself sink to that level. Sniping at a kid like I did last night, even a mean and nasty one, is uncalled for. I know better than that and promise it won't happen again." "Don't worry `bout it, Pops. If I've learned anything the past year and a half in juvie, it's this; if you can't take it, don't dish it out in the first place `cause whatever you say or do to someone is gonna come back to haunt you at some point. And when you least expect it, usually. I can't tell you how many times I've seen some poor schmuck of a kid get his clock cleaned for as little as lookin' at somebody the wrong way. And my brain was so freakin' scrambled after you tellin' me I had a brother, I kinda lost it, I guess." "I can't imagine how surprised you were to hear that news," I commented. "You have no idea, Max, um, Dad. I damn near fell off the chair. After the last fifteen years of thinkin' nobody would ever want me as a part of their family and then finding out I've actually got one I never knew about blew my mind. I'm glad Logan and I had a chance to talk alone last night so we could hash some things out and get to know each other a little bit without an audience." "We're glad you took advantage of the time. I assume you told him you were sorry, too." "Damn right I did," Will agreed. "Actually started with that. I knew there was no way he was gonna listen to a thing I said if I didn't. `Course, him threatinin' to sic the others on me if I didn't get my act together mighta helped, too," he added with a laugh. "And after you held me last night while I poured my guts out to ya, I remembered something else that had slipped my disjointed brain; treat people the way you want to be treated. Well, if you're a, wait, what did you say I was? Oh, yeah, if you're an insufferable little prick like I was last night, that's exactly what I shoulda expected to get thrown right back in my face. And you didn't disappoint me, Pops. Consider that lesson re-learned, guys." "That's good to hear, Will," Tom agreed. "So, we cool?" the young man asked with a hopeful look on his face. "Yeah, we're cool, kiddo," I replied. "We knew this weekend would be difficult for everyone, but I guess we may have underestimated just how much so. I'm glad to see things seem to be working out." "So, can I finish my job, now?" Will asked. "I don't know, can you?" I retorted. "Huh??" he quizzed me with a confused look. "Well, `can' signifies an ability to do something where may signifies the willingness to do it," I answered. "Oh, you're one of them people," he giggled. "Get used to it, bucko. I am a writer, ya know, and I'm a bit of a stickler for things like that." "Gotcha, Dad," Will chuckled. "So, may I get back to my job?" "Go for it," Tom snickered. Will left his perch and before continuing to run the dust mop across the floors, he gave us a quick hug. With that out of the way, he retrieved the thing and continued on, turning left down the hallway towards my study and our bedroom before coming back through the kitchen, dining room and living room. With the whole area completed he disappeared down the hallway to park the mop back in the laundry room. Tom had picked up his book to continue reading and I laid my head back to close my eyes for a moment. And a moment was all I got as the herd suddenly appeared with Alex declaring, "Okay, Dads, we're all done. Can we go watch a movie?" "Sure thing, guys," Tom answered. "Make sure you let us know when somebody shows up for my party," T.J. said. "We'll be having lunch long before anybody gets here, T.J.," I commented. "You better tell us when you're gonna eat, then," Joey demanded. "Yes, sir," Tom retorted while snapping off a quick salute to the munchkins. On that note, the crew continued across the house and ducked into the theater. With them out of earshot, Tom turned to me and asked, "What're we gonna do for food?" "Well, I don't figure Ron and Arlene will be back before those rugrats start feelin' like they're starvin', so I think dogs and D'itos will have to suffice. Especially since T.J. wants pizza from DiCarlo's for his birthday dinner." "Oooh, that's right," Tom moaned with delight as he rubbed his gut. "I'd forgotten all about that. And it's been way too long since we've had good pizza `round here." "I thought you liked Capones." "I do, but when you compare that to DiCarlo's, it's like eating cardboard with ketchup on it. But wait a sec, don't tell me Dicarlo's is delivering." "Nope, they won't drive this far, not even for a rich and famous author like me," I laughed. "I begged Mom and Dad to swing down to Virden to pick it up for us on their way out. DiCarlo's will half-bake the pies and we can finish them off here so they'll be nice and piping hot." "That's gonna take a while with the number of pizzas we're gonna need," he commented. "Yeah, but it's worth it," I replied. "Fair point, I guess. Sounds like you've got it all under control." "I try," I yawned. "Hey, I'm feelin' kinda wiped out for some reason. Would you mind if I laid down for a bit?" "Nope, go right ahead. I'll wake you when it's time to fix lunch." "Thanks, hon." I gave my lover a hug and a kiss before heading back to bed. After crawling in, I pulled the sheet over my head to block out some of the light and promptly zoned out. Unfortunately, a restful nap was not in the cards for me today as I re-entered a dreamworld I'd not visited for almost twenty years. I returned to a time when fourteen-year-old me was crawling into a strange bed in a strange house occupied by a decidedly bizarre and previously unknown family, all in a town I'd never heard of before. The only seemingly normal part of my vision was the fact I was sleeping naked, which was the norm for me, even at that age. A short time after dream me had fallen asleep, I'd curled up comfortably on my side and was lightly snoring, completely oblivious as to what was about to go down. Sadly, though, as always happened in this particular vision, my sleeping form was soon joined by the faceless and nameless `man of the house' as he silently crept into the room and gently sat on the edge of the bed I was occupying. As if watching a football replay in slow motion, the man placed a hand on my shoulder and gave it little squeeze before letting it drift to a spot between my shoulder blades. From there, he spent several minutes rubbing my back from neck to the small of my back, gently caressing my semi-exposed ribs as the sheet had moved a bit with his very cautious manipulations. Upon reaching my still covered behind, he cupped my cheeks one at a time and gave each a gentle squeeze or two, all while keeping a close watch on my face to ensure he wasn't disturbing my slumber. Apparently satisfied I was out like a rock, I watched and felt a finger trace the crease between my cheeks, the sheet becoming stuck between them when he pressed his finger to my hole. That was enough to disturb the sleeping form and my fourteen-year-old self rolled onto his back. The man seemed quite giddy and pleased with himself after spying the small tent that was apparent in the middle of the sheet, leading him to believe I was quite enjoying the attention he was secretly lavishing on me. Sensing I was done moving around, he reached a hand up to my head and lightly brushed the hair from over my eyes. Once he was happy with my hair arrangement, his hand slipped down and brushed my left cheek before moving further and pausing briefly on my chest. Sleeping me jerked at the touch and the man waited patiently to make sure I remained sound asleep before he moved again. Finally satisfied I wasn't going to interrupt his fun, I watched as his hand slowly started sliding down my body, taking the sheet with it and uncovering my body inch by glacially painful inch. Once I was completely revealed from chin to just below my waist, the man's hand drifted back up to my chest where he lightly tweaked my nipples until both stood at attention. The man appeared to be happy with by body's reaction to his ministrations and he allowed his hand to wander lower again where he circled my bellybutton with a fingertip. Again, young me shifted position slightly and the man stopped all movement until he felt it was safe to continue his perverted fantasy. My thirty-four-year-old mind was screaming at both sleeping versions of myself. It was begging the young me to wake the hell up and kick the man in the balls before the sick son of a bitch could reach his ultimate goal. While he would be writhing on the floor in agony, I could make my getaway and bolt out of the house like my hair was on fire. It was also demanding the older me wake the fuck up and stop the insanity before it went any further. Unfortunately, neither of us were listening to those impassioned pleas. Sensing young me wasn't going to come alive anytime soon, the man's hand moved even further down my skinny frame, hooking the sheet with his fingers and continuing to lower it to mid-thigh. This, of course, fully exposed my rather small adolescent dick and balls. The man licked his lips lasciviously as he covered my genitals with his hand and began to lightly rub my pubic region. The whole time he was doing it, he was intently gazing at my face, watching closely for any signs of a reaction. All too soon, he changed from gently rubbing my diminutive prick to grasping it between his thumb and forefinger and beginning to masturbate young me. At that point, I let go such a blood-curdling primal scream, I woke not only my young self, but my old self, too. I was shocked to find my fist flying through the air to connect with a face that shouldn't be there. And had it not been for the lightning-fast reflexes so finely honed after five years as a cop, I'm sure Tom would have ended up with a black eye. "Max! Wake up!" he yelled as he blocked the swing with his forearm and ducked out of the way. "What??" I screamed back, bolting upright in the bed. "I was just trying to wake you up for lunch," he replied. "You havin' a bad dream, babe?" "More like one of my worst nightmares ever coming back to haunt me," I answered. "You haven't had one this bad for a while," he commented as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close for a comforting hug. "You wanna tell me about it?" "Not really, but I don't suppose you're just gonna let it slide, are ya?" I asked. Receiving a negative shake of the head from Tom, I continued. "Well, it was pretty much the same dream I used to have on a fairly regular basis during the time Frank and Iris were torturing the shit out of me." The surprise showing on Tom's face didn't go away until I finished telling him everything about what I'd just experienced. I wrapped up my narration with, "What's really bizarre is I haven't had that nightmare since I got the hell away from them. Plenty of others over the intervening years, sure, but not that particular one." "Any idea why it chose now to come back?" he asked. "Much as I hate to say it, I think it might be because of Will." " `Scuse me, come again," Tom muttered with surprise. "I think talkin' to him last night about what he's been through the past fifteen years brought back one of my biggest fears when I was around his age. Do you remember me saying that during those three years of living in hell, how I'd hoped to get away from it all?" I asked. A quick nod of acknowledgement from Tom and I carried on, "Well, I felt my own parents didn't much like or want me because even though I wasn't out to them at the time, I think, deep down, they already knew. And I think that feeling of being unwanted or abandoned is pretty much what Will has dealt with, what with nobody including his own family wanting him. "So, I'd started seriously thinkin' `bout runnin' away, and not just to get away from the Muellers, but to get the hell away from Mom and Dad, too. I thought if my own parents didn't want me, maybe I could find someone else out there who would. So, my big hope and recurring dream back then always started out with me doin' just that, disappearing in the middle of the night with plans of never goin' back. Of course, with my luck bein' what it was, I always got picked up in whatever town I got to and since I'd refuse to tell the cops who I was, I'd end up getting dropped in a foster home with some weird-ass family. "In the dreams, the first few days or so with the new people would seem pretty decent. The kids were nice enough and we'd get along okay, the mom was always super nice and really tried to make me feel comfortable and like a real part of the family, but the dad would always be a bit stand-offish. I used to believe it was because he worked in some office somewhere and wasn't around me near as much as the others, but I later figured out it was because he was actually hiding his true self and what he really wanted the most. After dreaming of spending days in my new peaceful and idyllic life where people actually seemed to care about me, it would all get ruined by the part I just told you about. "So, my own family didn't give a shit if I was alive or dead, and the only other men I knew, real or imagined, only wanted me for one thing, to use me as their personal and perverted fuck toy. I mean, I'd heard enough horror stories about the things that can happen to kids in foster homes and subconsciously knew it would probably be even nastier than what I was already dealin' with, despite having blocked all that ugliness out. Of course, once a person goes to sleep, the subconscious takes over and runs rampant, leading you wherever the hell it wants to go. "That dream's the only reason I never actually followed through on my plan of takin' off, I was afraid that whoever I ended up livin' with would be just as bad, if not worse, than Frank and Iris. And though Will says nothing like that has ever happened to him, I have to wonder whether he's telling the truth considering how many different places he's been since Charlie and Rebecca gave him up for adoption." "You know how sorry I am you had to live through that," he commiserated as he gave me another hug. "You aren't thinkin' of talking to him about it, are you?" Tom queried. "Not this weekend, no, but I can see a time where we might have to," I answered. "Glad to hear you've put that idea on the back burner for the moment. I'd hate to put a damper on the weekend, for him or anybody else." "So, what're the boys doing? I'm kinda surprised they didn't come charging in here after my scream." "They're holed up in the theater watching a movie or killing space monsters on the Xbox. Probably both at the same time knowing those kids. I'm sure they've got whatever turned up loud enough they didn't hear a thing," my honey chuckled. "You ready to get lunch going?" "No time like the present, I guess. Um, can I hit the bathroom first, though?" I asked. "Gee, I don't know, can you?" Tom snickered. "You, Thomas Wright, are a first-class smartass. You know that, right?" I cracked. "I certainly hope so," he immediately agreed. "Dad always told me I could be whatever I wanted, I just had to be the best at whatever it was. Nice to know I'm living up to my potential," he added with pride. "That wasn't meant to be a compliment," I countered. "Too bad for you I took it as one," he laughed heartily. "Well, time to get a move on. I'll be in the kitchen, bubba," Tom added as he headed for the door. "Be right there, hon." After a quick pitstop, my next task was to roust the kiddos from the theater and put them to work setting the table for lunch. When I joined Tom in the kitchen, he already had three packages of hotdogs on the grill insert, so I got busy with pulling out the Doritos, chips, and everything else you need for a quick and simple meal. The boys finally showed up a few minutes later and in short order had the table set and drinks for everyone. Daril, Arley and Will pitched in with anything the others asked them to help with. Everything was ready to go in less than ten minutes and we settled in the dining room to chow down. The chatter was light during the meal since everybody was stuffing their face. The one important thing that was discussed and decided on was a swim before a bunch of people got here. Less than twenty minutes after digging in, the food was gone and the boys went straight to work cleaning up the table, anxious to get in the pool for a while. With nine boys taking care of the job, it went pretty quickly and they were heading for the pool in no time at all. Tom and I were dutifully following along when the drive sensor went off. Seeing that it was only one, we felt it was still a bit early for any of our party guests to start arriving but that didn't stop T.J. from darting to the front door to see who was here. Tom and I were hovering behind our chairs so we could slip on the shorts we'd left there just in case they were needed. Daril, Arley and Will had taken up a position at the beginning of the hallway so they could duck into a bedroom if needed, but the others were just waiting by the glass doors so they'd be ready to scoot on out to the pool. Soon enough, T.J. called out, "Yippee!! It's Uncle Dylan." "Well, we're gonna head on out to the pool, buddy," Tom shouted back. "Bring `em on out, will ya?" "Right behind you, guys," T.J. acknowledged. Daril and Arley immediately joined the rest of us at the doors, but Will said, "Be there once I get my shorts changed," as he turned down the hallway. The crew stepped outside and as soon as the shelter door was unlocked, they charged inside and launched themselves off the apron and into the water. Knowing we'd be joined shortly by Dylan and Malcom, Tom and I bypassed the shallow end and aimed for deeper and much calmer waters. We were just getting settled into place when the door opened and T.J. led Dylan, Malcom and Damon inside. The two late arriving munchkins joined the boisterous rugrats and the mad frolicking already taking place. Dylan and Malcom, wise men that they are, opted to bypass the regular muggings and took their places in our semi-quiet corner. "How you guys doin'?" I asked once they were settled in for the long haul. "We're great Max," Dylan answered with a big smile. "You're a little early for the party, aren't ya?" Tom queried. "Yeah, but Damon demanded we come out now so he could have more time to hang out with his cousins," Malcom responded. "And you guys should know you just can't say no when those brats give you that pathetically sad puppy dog face, am I right?" "Absolutely, Malcom," I agreed with a chuckle. Will finally arrived and he wasted no time jumping into the middle of the fray at the far end of the pool. "Who're the new kids," Dylan quizzed us. "The two bigger boys are Logan's cousins, Daril and Arley. The smaller one is Logan's brother, Will," Tom answered. "Or did you forget he was gonna be here for the weekend?" "No, I remembered, he's just a lot smaller than I figured he'd be. He's supposed to be fifteen, isn't he?" "Yep," I replied. "Any idea why he's barely Damon's size?" Malcom asked. "Well, we know he had some health issues early on, but we don't know exactly what they were. At this point, we can only assume his short stature is somehow related to them. Of course, I'm sure spending the first fifteen years of his life in this state's shitty foster care system and getting randomly shuffled from place to place all that time didn't help a bit. If he ends up moving in with us, I assume we'll find out more then," I answered. "Well, he seems to fit in just fine with the rest of the wild ones," Dylan laughed. "Well, he does now," Tom commented. "Better than we thought he would after last night, anyway." "Why, what happened?" "So, who's the short little fucker," I whispered to Alex while pointing to the kid trying to shove Logan's head under the water. "Oh, that's Logan's big brother, Will." "Cool, didn't know he had another brother, though he really ain't that big, is he? Where'd he come from?" "Their parents gave him up for adoption right after he was born. Even Logan didn't know `bout him `til after his dad died." "What's he doin' here, then?" I pushed, being the nosy little shit I am. "Turns out he's been in foster or state care his whole life, just like Joey and I were after our mom and dad died. Our dads found out he hadn't been adopted and worked it out for him to come down this weekend." "They gonna `dopt him, too?" I asked with surprise. "Don't know yet. Guess it all depends how this weekend with us goes," Alex replied. "Well, if he's Logan's brother, I bet they do," I grinned. "So tell me, why's the scrawny little puke wearin' shorts." Alex let go a little giggle and whispered, "We're all pretty sure it's `cause he's got a small dick and he's too much of a chicken to go bare-assed like we do." "Hey, havin' a tiny pecker ain't funny, dude. It's fuckin' humiliatin'," I spat angrily. "Shit!" Alex yelped as he smacked himself in the forehead. "I'm really sorry, Damon, I wasn't aiming that at you. You know we don't care `bout how big you are or aren't. Everybody's different, right? `Sides, we all like your dick just fine, don't we?" he added with a snort or laughter. "Yeah, I know, but it's still a touchy subject," I muttered with dejection. "You mean like this?" he chuckled as he cupped my package in his hand and gave a gentle squeeze. Whatever anger I had at his mean-spirited comment instantly evaporated as I laughed out loud and said, "No, not like that, ya horny little bugger. But later, all right?" "You gonna spend the night with us again?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "I'm gonna try, dude, depends on what Dad and Poppy say," I answered. "But let me warn ya, I been horny as hell `cause I been thinkin' `bout comin' to T.J.'s party all week and some of the fun we could have." "Swe-e-e-et," Alex hissed with glee. "But right now, I'm gonna go have a little chat with my new cuz and see if I can get him to loosen up a little bit." "Yeah, good luck with that," Alex scoffed as I waded away to rope the newcomer and drag him into a corner away from the rest of the loud and rambunctious goofballs. As I passed behind Will, I tapped his shoulder and said, "Yo, dude, let's talk." Will spun around and glared at me for a moment before saying, "I don't even know who the hell you are, what makes you think I wanna talk to you?" "I'm your cousin, Damon. Now you know me, let's go," I replied while tipping my head towards the steps in the corner. I continued in the direction I'd indicated while looking over my shoulder to see if Will would follow along. I'd gotten about five feet away and he was still rooted to the same spot, gawking at me in disbelief, so I added, "Don't make me come back and drag your ass over here." That smartass comment apparently did the trick as he slowly started following along and soon enough, we'd settled onto the top step. "So, what'd you wanna talk `bout?" Will asked nervously. "I just wanted to say hi and get to know my new cousin a little better. That all right with you?" "There's no way we're cousins," Will retorted. "Oh yeah, why's that?" I asked, knowing full well what his answer was going to be. "Well, I'm white and you're ..." "What? Black? Or dark tan, really," I giggled lightly. "Well, I was gonna just say not, but since you already said it, yeah, that," he came back with a little bit of a blush. "Dude, if my dad and Poppy claim Uncles Max and Tom as brothers, then we gotta be cousins." After shooting a quick glance to the other end of the pool and seeing the four where they usually copped their squat, huddled together in deep conversation, he looked back to me and admitted, "Ya got a point there, I guess." "So, like I said, I'm Damon and Alex says you're Will," I started while holding out my hand for a quick shake. Receiving nothing more than a simple nod of agreement, I retracted my hand and continued with, "He also said your Logan's bio bro. That's cool, man." "Yeah, I guess so," Will muttered. "What, don't you two like each other?" I asked seriously. "Can't really say we know each other that well, I s'pose. I mean, first time we met was last night and that didn't go over too well with either one of us. But that was all my fault, really." "So, what happened?" I asked with interest. Will gave me a quick rundown of how he found out about Logan, the trip from Bloomington to here, how their first meeting went and then followed all that up with telling me about the talk the two had in the middle of the night. "Well, I can see where you two might have some issues to deal with, but it sounds like you're workin' on it, at least. And I know how you feel, Will. Suddenly finding out about a family member you never knew about is a helluva shock, ain't it?" "What're you talking about?" he asked. "Well, for the first eight years of my life, I had no clue who my dad was. I mean, I knew I had one `cause I wouldn't be here without him, right? But Mom never talked about him. Then from outta the blue, `bout a month after my eighth birthday, she took me for a ride across town and after parking in front of an apartment building I'd never seen before, she dragged me up to the fourth floor and knocked on a complete stranger's door. Malcom finally opened up and was surprised as hell to see her. He was completely blown away when she told him who I was." "You mean neither one of you knew about the other until then?" "Yep. That was a little over four years ago, and it took a while for us to really warm up to each other, but we did and we couldn't be happier to be a part of each other's lives now. And if things work out the way I'm hoping, after those two lunatics get married this summer, I'll be moving down here with dad." "Why's that?" "Well, Mom's brain is a bit scrambled and I just don't feel safe living with her." "I can understand that after some of the whack jobs I've run into in juvie," Will commented. Changing the subject, he added, "So, you're twelve now?" "Twelve and a half, dude," I proclaimed proudly. "How `bout you? You look like you're eleven or twelve." "I know I look it, but I'm really fifteen," Will grumbled. "No way!" I exclaimed in surprise since Alex hadn't said how old he was. "Way, man." "Not tryin' to be mean, dude, but if you're fifteen, why the hell you so small? I mean, you're not much bigger than Logan and he's only nine." "Yeah, I know, don't remind me, okay?" he grumped. "So, you small all over or you just short?" I asked to finally get this little chat going the direction I'd planned. And though Will hesitated to answer, the deep red blush that overran his face and shoulders was all I needed for an answer. "That's why you're still wearin' your shorts, isn't it? You're afraid somebody's gonna make fun of you, aren't you?" "Well, yeah, why wouldn't they?" Will retorted. "All the dickheads in juvie crack stupid jokes `bout me all the damn time. I hate havin' to take showers with them assholes `cause of it, too. I always try to get one of the corners in the shower room so I can have my back to all of `em and that helps, but only a little since all of `em already know I got nothin' happenin' down there." "Got a little news flash for ya, bucko. In case you haven't noticed, this ain't juvie. This is Max and Tom's home. Ain't nobody `round here gonna give two shits `bout what you got `tween your legs. And if any of us ever dared to make fun of you, we'd catch hell from our dads for bein' rotten little punks." "Easy for you to say, man. I bet you're bigger than any of the others. Well, `cept Daril and Arley," he added with a snicker. "Bet ya I'm not," I retorted, knowing Will hadn't seen my full body since I was already in the pool when he came out of the house. A wicked grin cracked his face and he turned to face me before issuing his challenge. "Okay smartass, you got yourself a bet. What're the stakes?" "Hm-m-m, let me think," I hesitated, trying to make him think I was seriously considering the various options. Truth be told, I'd decided what the bet would be as we were making our way to the steps. After a moment, I came back with, "I guess if you win, you can have my cake and ice cream at the party tonight." His smile grew even wider with the anticipation of a double dose of sweetness later. "But, if I win, you have to lose your shorts and spend the rest of the day naked just like them," I added while pointing to the brat pack ten feet away from us. That prizewinning smirk disappeared in a nanosecond after hearing that. I watched him closely as he stewed over the situation, his confidence of winning growing with each passing second. I guess the idea of extra dessert was just too much for him to pass up. "You got yourself a bet, dude. And thanks for the extra cake, I'm gonna love it," he gloated. We quickly shook hands to seal our deal and once we broke up, Will cracked, "Okay, stand up and drop `em." "Got nothin' to drop, loser. I ain't had stitch on since we left Poppy's house," I laughed as I rose out of the water and turned to face my new cousin. On seeing he'd just lost our little bet, he turned as white as a sheet, which was quite the accomplishment considering just how white he already is. "Well shit, you set me up, you asshole," he muttered numbly. "Damn right I did," I giggled. "Time for you to pay up, hombre." "I really don't wanna do this, but a deal's a deal, ain't it?" I smiled and held out a hand to help him to his feet. He latched on and accepted my assistance before stepping out of the pool and slowly shuffling over to the nearest chair. As he moved, I was thinking to myself, `a flippin' snail moves faster than this kid does.' After steeling himself for a few more seconds, he finally decided he couldn't delay any longer and hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his soggy swim shorts. Dylan, Malcom, Tom and I had been enjoying our visit and during short lulls in our conversation, we'd glance down to the boys to see how they were faring. Daril and Arley had started another round of toss the rugrat and the shelter was filled with peals of laughter from all the munchkins as they flew through the air before coming down for a splash landing. Well, all of them except for Will and Damon. We'd watched as they'd separated themselves from the others a while ago and had been having what looked like a serious discussion of their own while sitting on the steps. The four of us were pretty confused about what they could be talking about but figured if they needed help with something they'd let us know. I'd happened to chance another look their direction when I saw Damon stand up, sporting a very wide shit-eating grin and then helping Will rise from his seat on the top step. I prodded Tom with my elbow and nodded my head that direction as Will stepped over to a nearby chair. With Tom and I both watching events unfold, Dylan and Malcom diverted their attention to the far end of the pool, too. "What the devil's goin' down over there?" Dylan inquired. "Not a clue," Tom replied. After standing by the chair and looking down at the concrete for a few moments, he reached down for his shorts and started to slowly peel them off. By the time the wet, clingy material had moved far enough to expose his behind, the boys still in the pool started hooting and whistling at the obviously embarrassed young man. While I'm sure they thought they were encouraging Will, he quickly dispelled that illusion. Turning his crimson face over his shoulder, he yelled, "Would y'all just shut the hell up!? You ain't makin' this no easier." The boys' reaction to his outburst started with some slightly guilty laughter before the crew became silent witnesses to Will's hesitance. He struggled for a minute or so before finally kicking the now useless shorts onto the chair. After dropping his arms to his sides and I assume providing some minimal cover over his crotch, he started backing up towards Damon who was patiently waiting on the top step. "Way to go, dude!" Damon called out. "I'm proud of ya!" "Whatever, ya jerk! You better not let me crack my skull wide open fallin' down the steps," Will retorted over his shoulder as he adjusted his aim. "I'm right here and ain't gonna let ya die on my watch," Damon assured him as he fed Will minor course corrections. When Will finally made it to the steps, Damon grabbed his elbow and helped guide him back down and into the pool. Once comfortably hidden from view by the water, he wrapped his hands around Damon's neck and asked, "Ya happy, now, dickhead?" "Freakin' ecstatic, cuz," Damon laughed. "Doesn't that feel better?" "Much as I hate to admit it, it kinda does," Will replied as a tight grin developed on his mug. On that note, the duo was surrounded by all the other guys and a miniature celebration began with high fives and hugs being shared with Will. And surprisingly, he accepted them all with glee, even the hugs. When they finally wound down, it was suddenly time for Daril and Arley to restart their game and they began launching the younger boys haphazardly across the pool. "Well, that's an interesting development," Tom deadpanned. "I really didn't think he'd go so far as to lose his shorts on his first visit." "I bet that was all Damon's doing," Malcom chuckled. "The kid's a helluva salesman, let me tell you. He's so good he could sell oil to a Saudi sheik. And if he can't make the sale, he'll con you into it, one way or another," he added with another laugh. "As long as Will was willing to take the step himself and wasn't forced into it, we're good," I commented. "I didn't see any of those guys holding a gun to his head, so I have to assume he lost his shorts on his own free will." "Well, I'm still gonna check with Damon and see how it all came about just to be sure. He knows better than to push an issue like that." "We'll let you handle it then," Tom commented. "So, what were we talkin' about before we got distracted?" Dylan chuckled. "You and Tom talking to Will about that guard at the juvenile detention center, but hang on a sec before we dive back into that," I replied. I turned back towards the boys so they could hear me over their squeals and yelled, "Mike, time for your thirty minutes! Put `em through the paces!" "You got it, Dad!" the youngster yelled back before turning back to the rowdy crowd and yelling, "All right dudes, hands on the wall and start kickin'." As our five took their positions, Daril called out, "What about us?" "Until Mike says you can pass his test, you, too," Tom yelled back to be heard above the splashing created by the serious kicking the others were already doing. Resigned to their fate, Daril, Arley and Will assumed their places and began to follow Mike's instructions. From what we could see, Will definitely needs some help with his skills, but the two older boys seemed quite adept with swimming, probably due to years of using the pond in their back yard. With them otherwise occupied, we could pick up where we left off. Thirty minutes later, Mike's time was up and we decided it was time to get cleaned up and ready for the party that was going to be starting soon. The four of us waded down to where the boys were and as soon as we tried to get them moving the right direction, the battles began. With two hulking teenagers added to the mix, the brat pack made short work of the adults amid much hilarity from everyone. With their victory firmly in hand, the munchkins led the way out of the pool and into the house for showers and a bit of down time.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 91</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><span>Chapter 91 – <a name="_Hlk89386045">Will Settles In</a></span></h2> <p><span>I was prepared to answer whatever questions Tom might have thrown at me when I finally reached our bedroom, but he was already curled up under the covers and motionless. After a quick stop in the bathroom, I crawled into bed with my furry teddy bear, whispered, "Night, hon, love ya", then wrapped my arms around his chest and curled up behind him. I wasn't sure if he was actually asleep or just faking it, but I wasn't going to press the issue at the moment and quickly zoned out.</span></p> <p><span>I awoke Saturday morning when I felt the big guy wriggle out of my grasp, slip off the bed and listened to him quietly pad into the bathroom. When I finally opened my eyes, I found the room flooded with bright sunlight that seemed to bring the promise of a much calmer day than last night had been. That was my most fervent hope, anyway. As usual, though, we'd just have to wait and see how events unfolded throughout the day.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, I tried not to wake you," Tom offered when he returned and found me sitting up in the middle of the bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, hon. It's time to get moving, anyway. We've got a busy day ahead of us," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Not too busy that we won't have time to talk to Will, I hope," he retorted testily. "He really needs to chill out or T.J.'s gonna have a lousy birthday party this evening."</span></p> <p><span>"I think you're gonna find he's a little different this morning," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"And just what makes you think that?" Tom asked, the sarcasm dripping from his words. I spent the next several minutes filling him in on what had transpired between Will and me after he'd left me alone in the hallway last night. When I finally finished my narration, he murmured, "Well, shit, now <i>I</i> feel like a complete ass. I was downright nasty to the kid last night after putting up with his snotty attitude since picking him up."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't really blame you for that, but you might think about telling him you're sorry."</span></p> <p><span>"I will if he will," the big goof smirked with a chortle.</span></p> <p><span>"Better start practicing your mea culpa, then," I cracked, " `cause I'm pretty sure you're gonna have to follow through."</span></p> <p><span>"Shall we go find out?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>With a simple nod from me, it was my turn to visit the bathroom before we pulled on shorts and headed out to the kitchen to see what Ron was fixing for breakfast this morning. As soon as we stepped into the hallway, we noticed it was a lot quieter in the house than we were used to and we shared a quick look of concern as to what that could possibly mean for the day ahead. Moving into the kitchen, we found Ron hard at work whipping up a breakfast of bacon, sausage, eggs and biscuits. Most obvious, though, was the lack of the regular kibitzers on the stools at the bar counter. We both took a quick moment to pour ourselves a cup of steaming fresh coffee before beginning our search for the sensational six-pack. Um, wait, we may need to update that to the super seven.</span></p> <p><span>While we prepared our morning caffeine infusion, Ron asked, "Um, did I miss a meeting?"</span></p> <p><span>"What're you talkin' `bout?" Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"What's with the shorts, guys? And should I pull some on, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that," I replied. "We just thought Will might feel a little less uncomfortable if we covered up."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I guess I can understand that. I'll grab a pair in a minute."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what's the scoop this morning, Ron?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, where's the peanut gallery?" I added.</span></p> <p><span>"I suggest you check the living room, again," he replied flatly as he gave the eggs a quick stir. "And tell the rugrats it's time to set the table when you do. Please and thank you," he quickly added with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Will do," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>While Ron zipped across the house to retrieve a pair of shorts, we wrapped our hands around the warm mugs and turned for the living room. Crossing the entry and heading towards the fireplace, we could see the backs of five heads and momentarily wondered what they were doing and where the other two munchkins were. Our confusion was cleared up when we reached the coffee table whose top was partially hidden beneath the bare behinds of Alex, Joey, T.J., Mike and Andy. All five were staring at the couch and quietly giggling at the scene that held their undivided attention.</span></p> <p><span>Though a blanket was over them, it was sweet to see Logan snuggled in tightly behind his older brother, his chin stuck between Will's shoulder blades. And despite the comforter, it was obvious one of Logan's arms was draped over Will and we could only assume the other was wrapped underneath.</span></p> <p><span>T.J. was the first to sense our presence and he turned towards us before whispering, "Look familiar, Dads?"</span></p> <p><span>"That it does," Tom grinned before adding, "Ron says he's ready for you guys to set the table. Why don't you get busy while we get these two moving in the right direction?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, we always miss out on the fun," Joey whined in protest.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure Will and Logan don't want to know they had an audience watching them sleep," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"But they look so cute like that," Andy retorted while pointing to the still snoozing duo.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we wanna see their faces when they see us staring at them," Mike added.</span></p> <p><span>"Next time, kiddos," Tom replied. "Now scoot, we're hungry," he added as his gut gurgled loudly.</span></p> <p><span>As the five munchkins headed towards the kitchen, we took their places on the table and were completely flabbergasted at the sight before us. After the brouhaha of last night, I would have bet almost anything that we'd never get these two in the same room again. To find the duo curled up on the couch together was a complete surprise. A pleasant one, for sure, but we were still flummoxed by this new and sudden development. Tom was just about to shake Will's shoulder to get the brothers awake when there was a loud crash from the kitchen that jolted Logan and Will from their peaceful slumber.</span></p> <p><span>"Aw, dang it!" T.J. grumbled in the background.</span></p> <p><span>"Whu ... what the hell was that?" Will squeaked in fear as his eyes snapped open and he tried to sit up, a move thwarted by Logan's tight grasp. When he realized he was being restrained, he quickly added, "Where am I and why can't I move?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're on the couch in the living room and Logan's holding onto you," Tom answered calmly in the hope Will would relax a bit.</span></p> <p><span>After focusing on the source of the voice, Will visibly chilled and breathed, "Oh, mornin', Tom. Hi, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin' to you, too, buddy," I replied. "You ready for breakfast?"</span></p> <p><span>"Soon as I hit the john," he grinned sheepishly. "That Pepsi from four this morning has my back teeth runnin' motorboat races." As Tom and I chuckled at his joke, Will thrust an elbow into Logan's gut and called over his shoulder, "Wake up, goofball!"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm awake, dingleberry," Logan retorted angrily. "What the big idea punchin' me in the gut?"</span></p> <p><span>"I gotta go, man," Will whimpered in anguish before asking, "And do I really wanna know what's pokin' me in the ass?"</span></p> <p><span>"Whut the heck you think it is, ya nincompoop?" Logan cracked. "It's first thing in the mornin' and I gotta pee. And if you don't get the heck outta my way, like real quick-like, well, you get my drift?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I got it but I can't freakin' move, bonehead, not with the way you're holdin' me," Will complained.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, `scu-u-u-use me," Logan drawled before throwing the comforter to the floor and releasing his grip on his older brother.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Jesus!" Will exclaimed with relief as he rolled off the couch, jumped to his feet and made a beeline for a bathroom, Logan hot on his heels in high-speed pursuit. Tom and I were both giggling at the pair as we picked up the blanket and began to fold it.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that looks promising," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Heck of a lot better than what I expected to find this morning," Tom agreed. "You think they got it all hashed out?"</span></p> <p><span>"They obviously got some things resolved between them, but I seriously doubt they covered it <i>all</i>. Not in just one night, anyway. But it's a good start. I hope it is, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll find out. I guess you were right about me having to apologize to Will."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that was a given, hon," I grinned. "I have two very simple rules you should have figured out long before now. One, I'm always right, and two, when you <i>think</i> I'm not, refer back to rule number one."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir!" Tom laughed as he dropped the blanket on the couch, snapped to attention and tossed me a half-assed salute before we aimed ourselves for the kitchen. Joining the others already there, he asked, "Who dropped what?"</span></p> <p><span>T.J. raised his hand and answered, "It was me. I'd just gotten the plates from the cabinet and turned to get `em on the table when I bumped into Andy."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you'd watch where you're going, it wouldn't'a happened," Andy protested, thinking T.J. was trying to throw him under the bus.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, I'm not blaming you," T.J. fired back immediately.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure sounded like it to me," Andy retorted angrily.</span></p> <p><span>"It was just an accident, boys," I offered trying to calm the storm that was brewing. "As long as nobody got hurt, it's not worth fighting about, is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"How many of them broke," Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"None, thankfully," Ron answered. "If they weren't Corelle, though, it could've been pretty ugly, what with all those sharp shards and bare feet in here."</span></p> <p><span>"See, no harm, no foul," I offered. "I hope you got clean ones for us to use," I joked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, more or less. All us guys got new ones, but there weren't enough for everyone so you, Pops and Ron got dirty ones from the floor," T.J. cracked. "All the others are already in the dishwasher," he added with an evil smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"No way I'm eatin' off a dirty plate, young man," Tom protested lightheartedly. "I'm tradin' mine for yours since you dropped `em, T.J."</span></p> <p><span>"I was just kiddin', Pops," T.J. countered. "They're all clean, I swear."</span></p> <p><span>"We know that, son," I interjected.</span></p> <p><span>"How?" Andy queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Do you really think Ron would allow a dirty plate to get anywhere near his table?" I asked the crew. "Even we know that would never happen."</span></p> <p><span>"You got that right," Ron agreed emphatically. "Now, where's the other two rugrats? Food's ready."</span></p> <p><span>"Bathroom, should be here any second," Tom answered just as the brothers rounded the corner, arms wrapped around each other's shoulders as if they were best buds.</span></p> <p><span>"Yo, skinny, where's the grub?" Logan asked with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, c'mon, dude, were starvin'," Will quickly added with his own cheeky grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't get your panties in a wad, you two. By the time you get your butts to the table, the food'll be there," Ron retorted sarcastically.</span></p> <p><span>With that, the race was on as all seven boys hustled to the table with Ron following closely behind, carrying a large bowl of scrambled eggs and a platter filled with enough sausage and bacon to feed a cub scout troop. Tom grabbed the biscuit-filled baskets while I retrieved the honey from the cabinet, and grape and apple jellies from the fridge to round out this morning's menu. With everyone seated, the feeding frenzy began in earnest. It was nice to see Logan and Will had decided to sit together at the end of the table. What made that unexpected development even more enjoyable was the big smiles plastered across both their faces as they shoveled food from their plates into their gaping maws.</span></p> <p><span>Logan was the first to say anything when he turned to Ron and commented, "By the way, Bozo, I ain't wearin' no <i>panties</i>. Never have and never will."</span></p> <p><span>"Me, either," Will pitched in. "These're called boxers, ya goofball."</span></p> <p><span>"Geez, don't you two know what a joke is?" Ron asked defensively.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it's something said or done to make somebody laugh," Will answered seriously. "I learned that in, like, fourth or fifth grade. So, for it to be a joke, it has to be funny <i>and</i> people have to laugh."</span></p> <p><span>"And in case you missed it, nobody laughed `cause it weren't funny," Logan added.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, excu-u-u-use me. Not my fault y'all didn't see the humor. I thought it was funnier than hell, `specially since six of ya don't have a stitch on."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you were wrong, Ron," Joey chipped in with agreement from the rest of the munchkins.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, maybe you should watch some comedy shows sometime and see how the pros do it," Alex kidded to a round of laughter from everyone.</span></p> <p><span>"See, Ron, now <i>that</i> was funny," T.J. giggled.</span></p> <p><span>While Ron fake pouted at being raked over the coals, I looked to Logan and Will at the far end of the table and waded into the conversation with, "Um, at the risk of reigniting the fuse from last night's pyrotechnics, you two seem to have figured some things out."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh yeah, we're cool, Dad," Logan replied.</span></p> <p><span>"How'd that come about?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well," Will began, "after everybody but the two of us went to sleep, we spent half the night talkin' since neither one of us could shut our brains down."</span></p> <p><span>"Must've been a heck of a chat," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"I guess it was," Will agreed. "He told me `bout our Mom and Dad, what it was like growin' up on the farm, helpin' out and everything. I really feel like I kinda know them now even though we never had the chance to really meet after I was born. It sounds like they were really good people who both died way too soon," he added with a touch of sadness.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we need to go out to the storage building today or tomorrow so I can grab the picture albums out there. Will wants to see what they looked like," Logan interrupted.</span></p> <p><span>"We can do that," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"What else did you talk about?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Pro'lly be a shorter list of what we <i>didn't</i>," Logan chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yup," Will nodded. "He told me all about all you guys, where you came from, how everybody ended up here together, and a whole lot more."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, what <i>exactly</i> does that `whole lot more' mean?" Tom queried nervously.</span></p> <p><span>"Probably more than he should've," Will admitted quietly, suddenly becoming extremely interested in the contents of his plate. </span></p> <p><span>I looked to Logan and found him doing the same thing, forcing me to prod him with, "Really, young man? You want to explain what Will means by that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I told him `bout ever'one here but me and Andy bein' gay, though he'd already figgered that out for hisself, Alex and Joey havin' boyfriends, our grandparents, aunt and uncles including Dylan and Malcom, Mr. Burton and what he's doin' here, and all the fun we have together swimmin' and, uh, doin' other things. I think that's all of it," Logan added as he looked to Will for confirmation.</span></p> <p><span>Will glared at Logan and replied, "Well, there was that <i>other</i> thing, too."</span></p> <p><span>"What other thing?" Logan asked while attempting to look like a complete innocent. After Will rolled his eyes and poked his brother in the ribs, Logan jumped at the physical prodding and muttered, "Oh yeah, that." Logan then looked back to Tom and me and added, "Um, I also told him `bout, uh, ...," he began before trailing off into an incoherent mumble.</span></p> <p><span>" `Scuse me, we didn't quite catch that last bit at this end of the table," Tom grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"We didn't get it in the middle either," T.J. volunteered.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine!" Logan vented. "I also told him `bout how much you and Dad, like, really, really, <i>really </i>love us." At that point, both boys became engrossed in the floor as they ducked their heads in an attempt to avoid the tongue lashing they knew was coming their way. Before Tom or I could even begin to formulate a response to his crossing <i>way </i>over the line, Logan looked back up and added, "Hey, if he thinks he wants to live here with the rest of us, he should know `bout <i>ever'thing</i>, shouldn't he? All I did was tell Will the truth when he was asking `bout stuff." On finishing one of the weakest defense arguments I've ever heard, Logan resumed his previous interest in the floor.</span></p> <p><span>That thought suddenly stopped the two of us in our tracks. We looked to each other for just a few moments, and though we've not yet reached the level of proficiency the twins had in direct mental communication, more than enough information was passed between us to realize Logan was right. Of course, that realization didn't completely erase our displeasure with him sharing more than he should have, but it did help mollify our reaction somewhat. Tom and I shared a quick nod and he gave me a wave of a hand to let me handle the issue. I held onto my tongue for about a minute to let the two stew on just how much trouble they were in, though it was really only Logan who was looking at any punishment for his transgression. It certainly wasn't Will's fault his little brother had opened his big mouth and spewed forth instead of stuffing a foot into that opening and keeping certain things to himself.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, you two, while that info <i>should</i> have come from Tom and me, we understand why you told Will about that part of our lives." We watched as a wave of relief washed over both lads as they lifted their heads back up and smiled widely. "Don't be too happy about that, though," I continued. "Just because we understand why, it doesn't mean you aren't in trouble, young man." The smiles disappeared just as quickly as they'd appeared. "We've already done one week of punishment and since that didn't seem to have the proper impact on you, I guess we'll have to try for two weeks this time."</span></p> <p><span>"Two weeks!?" Logan squeaked while our others looked very relieved to not be included.</span></p> <p><span>"Yup," Tom answered. "We'll see if you can learn the lesson this time around."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, that stinks," he grumbled under his breath.</span></p> <p><span>"Does that go for me, too?" Will asked nervously.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, you're in the clear, Will," Tom replied. "Logan knows better than to share <i>that</i> with anyone outside this house."</span></p> <p><span>"But he's <i>in</i> the house, Dads," Logan complained.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, lots of other people have been in this house before like Lee, Carl, your grandparents and others, but do they know what you told Will last night?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, no," Logan admitted.</span></p> <p><span>"And why don't they?" Tom quizzed the youngster.</span></p> <p><span>"So nobody goes to jail and we get to stay here," Logan replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Exactly. Hopefully, you'll learn something and we won't have to deal with this ever again. From any of you, got it?" I quickly added while pointing a finger in a circle around the table to the other six boys. </span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, all right," Logan moaned in defeat. "Can I just ask one tiny favor, though?"</span></p> <p><span>"You can ask ...," Tom replied flatly.</span></p> <p><span>"Can I start tomorrow `stead o' today?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess, but why wait?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"So I ain't the only idiot wearin' clothes at T.J.'s party tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, I'm not an idiot!" Will protested, punching his brother on the shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>"That's not what I meant, dude. I just know if I'm the only one wearin' clothes, there's gonna be a ton o' questions from ever'body `bout why I'm in trouble again. Pretty sure you don't want me messin' up and tellin' anybody else the <i>truth</i>, do ya?" he asked Tom and me, a tinge of hope in his voice.</span></p> <p><span>We shared another quick glance and must have agreed with Logan's logic since Tom answered his query with, "Yeah, we can live with that. But I think we'll need to add a day to the end to make up for the delay." I quickly nodded my agreement to that suggestion.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine!" Logan grunted with disgust. "Fifteen days, then, but not a minute longer."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I ask a question?" Will posited. After a moment's hesitation, he plowed on without waiting for an answer. "So, `round here, if you get in trouble, your punishment is you <i>have</i> to wear clothes?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, and it seems to be fairly effective," I answered. "Most of the time, anyway. Occasionally, an extended refresher course is required to drive home the point, such as in this instance."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a whole lot better than gettin' locked up in solitary," Will commented. " `Course, what would you do to me since I'm still wearin' my boxers?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, in that case, I think a week or two <i>without</i> clothes would be appropriate. What do you think, boss?" Tom asked while looking to me with a crooked smirk on his face. Will blanched at the thought of losing even his minimal coverage.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that works for me, too," I agreed with a laugh and everybody let go a little giggle at the idea. Well, everybody but poor Logan. Looking back to Will, I asked, "So, now that you already know about something you would have eventually discovered anyway, I'd like to hear your thoughts on that bit of news and how it might affect your decision to live with us."</span></p> <p><span>"You mean about you and Tom doin' sex things with these guys?" he asked quietly. After a quick nod from me, he continued, "Well, I shoulda been surprised, but after some o' the stuff I've seen happen in juvie, I can't really say I was."</span></p> <p><span>"Why's that?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Some of the guards do things with some of the other boys in there, and those dudes usually get some sorta special privileges or somethin' for goin' along with it without a fight. The que..., uh, gay kids don't seem to mind it too much, though, I guess `cause they're gay and like playin' `round with other guys, anyways, even if they are way older. But for the ones who aren't gay, they flippin' hate it when it's their turn. And most all the guards that do it are really pretty good about listenin' to the kid they're with and, stupid as this sounds, bein', uh, `nice' about it? Like if you don't wanna do somethin', they won't force you into it. Or so I've been told."</span></p> <p><span>"From our talk last night, I know none of the other boys has ever assaulted you sexually, but you didn't say anything about the guards. Has any of them ever attacked you that way?" I asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Luckily, no. I think I'm too small for any of `em to want to," Will answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we noticed that," Mike giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Big deal, I'm short. If that keeps me safe from those sick perverts, I'm glad."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, pretty sure that's <i>not</i> what he was gigglin' `bout, dude," Alex smirked.</span></p> <p><span>Will immediately flushed pink and muttered, "Sheesh, what is it with you guys checkin' out another dude's junk? That'll get your ass kicked, or worse, where I've been the last year."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. We're gay and like to look at other guys' dicks," Joey answered using his best logic. "Oops, sorry, penises."</span></p> <p><span>"But we won't touch unless you say it's okay," T.J. quickly added. "That's one of the big rules `round here, everybody has to say `yes' to anything or you're in deep doo-doo."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's what I found out last night. And believe it or not, I'm cool with that. When we were talkin', Logan told me how you guys practically begged your dads to do those things with you and how they kept sayin' no until you finally wore `em down and they gave in. I mean, as long as you guys aren't bein' forced to do somethin' you don't wanna, and you don't try to suck, uh, pull me into your freakazoid games, I don't care who does what to who."</span></p> <p><span>"I can promise you right now, Will, that nobody in our home or family will ever do anything with or to you that you don't specifically request," I assured the young man. "So, knowing how we live and how we share and show our love with each other, do you think you'd really want to live here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I think so," Will answered meekly. "It's gotta be a lot better and safer here than it is in juvie, `specially since Herman wouldn't be coming with me."</span></p> <p><span>"Who's Herman?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He's the one guard up there that everybody hates `cause he's rougher than hell and won't listen to nobody. If he wants you, he'll come to your cell in the middle of the night and just freakin' <i>take</i> you, usually into the laundry room where it's not likely he'll be caught or interrupted. And you ain't gonna like it a bit. Scuttlebutt is he's got a <i>huge</i>, uh, thing, and absolutely loves hearin' kids howl in pain when he sticks it in `em. `Course, he only does it once their faces are buried in some dirty sheets or towels so nobody else can hear `em. I can't tell you how many kids have been found bleedin' from places they shouldn't be after he's done with them. Let me tell ya, that Herman's one super sick mofo that needs to be put down `fore he ends up killin' someone."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we can take care of him," Tom replied. "We may need some help to make it happen, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Dude, if you can get that animal outta there for good, every kid he's ever screwed over would love you `til the end of time. I'm sure they'd be happy to tell you anything you want. Hell, most of `em would even let <i>you</i> have your way with `em for doin' it, even the straight ones," he smirked.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, pro'lly not," Joey interrupted. "You ain't seen him naked yet but Pops ain't no small-fry down there," he added while pointing to his lap.</span></p> <p><span>Ignoring the smart remark from the peanut gallery, Tom continued with, "That won't be necessary, Will, but do you think you could help recruit some of his victims to testify against him?"</span></p> <p><span>"Only if you promise you won't go after the `good' guards who actually seem to really care about what they're doin', who they're doin' it with and how they're doin' it."</span></p> <p><span>"All I can say is I'll do my best to keep them out of it. I'd have a real hard time justifying goin' after those folks considering what happens around here."</span></p> <p><span>"Good point, Mr. Wright," Will agreed with an evil grin. "Or should I start callin' you Pops, now?" Everyone enjoyed a good laugh at that.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we'll talk about this some more when my partner's here."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait a sec', I thought Max <i>was</i> your partner. I'm really confoozled now, dudes," Will chuckled as he scratched his head.</span></p> <p><span>"Max is my <i>life</i> partner, Dylan is my <i>business</i> partner," Tom volunteered.</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, gotcha. Oh, and since Alex mentioned it, if you older guys wanna be naked, too, go right ahead."</span></p> <p><span>"That wasn't Alex, it was me," Joey interrupted.</span></p> <p><span>"How the heck am I supposed to know?" Will asked. "You two are carbon copies of each other."</span></p> <p><span>"No we aren't," Alex retorted as the duo stood up, turned around and showed Will their behinds. "See, I've got a birthmark on my butt," he added while pointing to the strawberry-colored blob on his right cheek.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, great," Will laughed. "One way or another, y'all are gonna get me lookin' at your asses, aren't ya? Too bad that mark isn't on the front somewhere. `Course, with my luck, it'd be on your you-know-what."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you sure you're okay with Tom, Ron and me losing our shorts, Will?" I asked. "We pulled them on this morning because we thought you might feel uncomfortable or awkward if we didn't."</span></p> <p><span>"Man, I've seen so many di..., uh, penises in so many shapes, sizes and colors the past year or so, it won't faze me a bit. Just don't expect me to lose my boxers. Not just yet, anyway," he added.</span></p> <p><span>Despite the ongoing conversation, all the food Ron had prepared had summarily vanished, so the cleanup crew got to work, Will pitching in as if he already lived here. Us `older guys' remained at the table and were discussing what needed to be done to get ready for T.J.'s party and the list of guests we were expecting. </span></p> <p><span>We were just wrapping things up and preparing to get on with our day when the front door popped open and Arlene called out, "Howdy, fellers, y'all decent!?"</span></p> <p><span>"Decent enough!" Tom yelled back. "C'mon in, we're in the dining room." We were a bit surprised when she came around the corner by herself and Tom asked, "Where's the boys? They still workin' with Joe?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, heavens no," Arlene smiled. "They just had to take a quick detour through Ron's room to drop some things."</span></p> <p><span>"I thought you were going to call for us to come get you this morning," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I sure `nough thought about it, but Daril insisted he could find y'all. He's got this kind o' gift, I guess you'd call it, with roads `n' such where once he's been somewheres, he can find his way back without no problems. Ain't got a clue how he does it, but he's purty darn good at it. He just sits there with his eyes closed, silently countin' to hisself and callin' out turns. I reckon he must be part bloodhound or homing pigeon. Or maybe a little bit o' both," she giggled lightly.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Aunt Arlene, how ya doin'?" Logan chimed cheerily as the crew returned from the kitchen. "And where's them two lunks?" he added with a chuckle as the two shared a quick hug.</span></p> <p><span>"Right here, midge," Daril called out as the duo strolled in, wearing nothing but smiles.</span></p> <p><span>"My name ain't Midge and you know it," Logan retorted smartly.</span></p> <p><span>"That ain't your name, it's what you are," Arley countered.</span></p> <p><span>"Whatchu' talkin' `bout?" Logan quizzed the pair.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if cousin Will's a midget like you called him last night, and what with you bein' even shorter than him, ya can't really say you're a full midget, can ya? So, ya gotta be just a midge, I s'pose," Daril laughed, and the rest of the boys joined in.</span></p> <p><span>"I am not!" Logan grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Make ya a deal, squirt," Arley began, "ya quit callin' us lunks, and we'll stop with the midge. Deal?"</span></p> <p><span>"Alright, alright, y'all win," Logan caved, seemingly way too easy for the scrappy youngster we'd all come to know and love so well. "Guess I'll just have to go back to Things One and Two," he added with a devilish smirk while slyly winking at Will.</span></p> <p><span>"The heck you will," Daril growled as he snagged Logan around the waist, picked him up and flipped him upside down as if he were nothing more than a burlap bag filled with the bounty of a successful `snipe hunt'. </span></p> <p><span>Logan immediately started squawking, "Put me down, uncle, I give!" as his face turned red from all the blood rushing to his head. Once he was upright with his feet firmly planted back on the floor, Logan glared up at Daril and muttered, "Geez, dude, I was just kiddin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe so, punk, but I wasn't," Daril retorted seriously. "Just like your buddies here ain't no faggots, queers or any other such nasty names, we ain't lunks or things. We're just Daril and Arley, got it, <i>midge</i>?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, I got it," Logan acquiesced meekly.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, glad we understand each other." Turning to Will, Daril said, "Mornin', cuz, how's it hangin'?"</span></p> <p><span>Blushing lightly again, Will quietly replied, `Um, it don't."</span></p> <p><span>"It will someday," Arley commented while elbowing Will in the ribs.</span></p> <p><span>"Only in my dreams."</span></p> <p><span>In an effort to spare Will any more embarrassment, Ron interjected, "I see you two have cast aside your inhibitions," his observation aimed at Daril and Arley.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," Arley agreed, "Ma, Daril and me had a long talk after y'all left last night, mostly 'bout whatever comes next in our lives now that we ain't gotta put up with that loser's shit no more. When we told her how much fun we had swimmin' nekkid again last night, she tol' us she really don't give a hoot if we was nekkid at home, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, `cept when that Mr. Bartley dude and his kids come `round to help with things," Daril added. "She wants us wearin' shorts at least when they're `round."</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, that's what we call `OPR' `round here," Alex offered with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"That's short for `other people rules', guys," Logan commented after seeing the confused looks on the older boys' faces.</span></p> <p><span>"Heh, Ryan pro'lly wouldn't care," T.J. noted. "I mean, he was here for the twins' birthday party and spent most of the afternoon bare-assed with the rest of us guys. Don't know how his brother would react, though."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll find out at <i>my</i> birthday party since I plan to invite Cail," Mike commented with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, boys," I interrupted, "We're having a party here later and it's time we got serious about being prepared for it. Why don't you get started on straightening up your rooms and your other chores so we can take care of everything early and be ready when T.J.'s guests start arriving?"</span></p> <p><span>"When's that gonna be, Dad?" the birthday boy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't have a clue, buddy," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," Tom agreed before adding, "the party isn't supposed to actually start until six this evening, but you all know how unpredictable some of the people coming are. Plus, Levar and his group are coming sometime, too. It's gonna be a full house."</span></p> <p><span>"Does that mean we're gonna have to wear shorts later?" the twins chorused sadly.</span></p> <p><span>"I guess that won't really be necessary this time around," I commented as the herd let go a loud cheer. "I mean, everyone coming already knows this is a nudist home, especially since they've all accepted it and have freely joined us in comfort when they've been here before."</span></p> <p><span>"What about you old farts?" T.J. asked. "Ya gonna let it all hang out for once?"</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see," Tom hedged. "Carol's gonna be here, too, and we're not too sure she'd be ready for that."</span></p> <p><span>"I bet she'd be just fine with it, Pops," Alex offered with a smile.</span></p> <p><span>" `Specially if everyone else is naked, too," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"Like Pops said, we'll see what happens," I offered blandly. "Now, y'all scoot and get busy."</span></p> <p><span>As the crew minus Daril and Arley, scampered across the house to attack their tasks, Daril turned to Ron and asked, "You got anything left over from breakfast, dude? There weren't nothin' at the house to eat and after workin' with Mr. Bartley for an hour and a half this mornin', Arley and me are starvin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, guys, that herd that just stampeded outta here wiped us out. I'll be happy to whip up somethin' for ya, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you dare," Arlene interjected. "You gots plenty to deal with already, just point me the right direction and I'll take care of my boys."</span></p> <p><span>"How `bout I help you with things this mornin', Arlene? I need to finish my cleanup anyway and that way I'll be right there to let you know where everything you're gonna need is."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, that would be just peachy," she agreed. Turning to her sons, she asked, "Why don't you two get the table set for us?" With affirmative nods from Daril and Arley, the four turned for the kitchen to get started on breakfast, version 2.0.</span></p> <p><span>While Ron and Arlene went to work in the kitchen, Tom and I headed for our room to lose our shorts and get comfortable since we had Will and Arlene's permission to do so. We both agreed, however, that if either showed the slightest hint of trepidation at being around us while we were nude, we'd pull them back on. As we were headed back out to the living room, I asked, "What're your plans for the day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Me? I'm gonna lounge around the fireplace and watch the boys and Ron bust their butts with party prep," he answered with a crooked grin. "How `bout you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I need to make a few phone calls and once those are handled, I think I'll join you in making sure the living room furniture doesn't run away," I laughed. "We're gonna need it all tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a good plan to me, babe. Let's make it so." On that note, Tom continued on while I ducked into my office to make those calls.</span></p> <p><span>My first was to Carol and she answered on the second ring with, "Mornin', Max. How're things going with your weekend house guest?"</span></p> <p><span>"A bit bumpy so far, but we're hoping the road smooths out soon."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh-oh, I don't like the sound of that," she replied with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, to be brutally honest, last night was downright ugly, but life is looking better this morning. With luck, we'll have a good handle on things by this evening's party. And speaking of the party, that's why I called."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you checkin' up on me to make sure I'll be there?" she asked sarcastically. "I've told you I won't miss a single birthday for any of your boys. Those munchkins are just as important to me as they are to you and Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely not. I wasn't worried about whether you'd be here or not, but I do have an important question that needs to be cleared up beforehand and I'd like an honest answer."</span></p> <p><span>"What, you really think I'd lie to you about anything at this stage of the game? You obviously don't know me as well as you think you do," she quipped with a giggle. "So, what's so all-fired important that it requires a nine AM phone call?" she asked.</span></p> <p><span>"The boys just asked if they'd have to wear shorts tonight and I told them I didn't think OPR would be in effect for the evening. I hope I haven't lied to them."</span></p> <p><span>"Now wait just a darn minute, you wasted a call for a ridiculous question like that? You know full well I don't care about what those little scoundrels are wearing. I thought I made that perfectly clear the first weekend I was out there."</span></p> <p><span>"You did and that's why I told them they should be okay being themselves tonight. I guess my <i>real</i> concern is the second part of this question."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, and what's that?" Carol queried with interest.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, T.J. asked if us `old farts were gonna let it all hang out for once'. I wasn't quite sure how to answer that since I knew you'd be here and wasn't sure how you'd feel about that development."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, Max, Max, you worry too damn much about the inconsequential trivialities of life. You <i>do </i>know that, right?" she laughed. "I've told you all about my previous experiences with my sister and her wife, what the devil would make you think I'd react any differently at your place? Besides, I've already seen you naked before. A couple of times, as a matter of fact. And guess what? Neither event scarred me for life, so if you and Tom want to doff your garments, too, you go right ahead."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if we do so, you can expect our parents and several others will follow suit. I guess I just wanted to give you fair warning about what you might be walking into when you get here."</span></p> <p><span>"It sounds like it's going to be an absolutely delightful gathering." The cheer in her voice was evident and I could practically see the wide smile I knew she had on her face. "Now, it's my turn to surprise you, you big ol' stick in the mud worrywart. I'd already planned on shucking my clothes on the way out tonight so I could join the crowd."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a bit of a surprise," I muttered dumbly. "What made you decide to do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, after hanging out with you and your family a few times, I've come to realize just how much I miss the freedom I've so enjoyed when visiting California. I think it's high time I recapture that feeling of peace and contentment."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, all-righty, then. We'll look forward to seeing you later. Be careful on your way out."</span></p> <p><span>"I've already mapped out the back roads to your house so I can get there without the boys in blue stopping me," she laughed. "Later, gator." After the line went dead, I stared blankly at the phone in surprise for a few moments at Carol's revelation before gathering my wits back together and placing my second call.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you for calling Landmark Ford," the receptionist answered with the expected cheery intonation. "How may I direct your call?"</span></p> <p><span>"This is Max Sanders and I'd like to talk to Herb," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"One moment, sir, I'll see if he's available."</span></p> <p><span>Thirty seconds later, my favorite car salesman joined the call with, "Mornin', Max. Before you ask, I just double-checked Shelby's latest update and they're still expecting to have Tom's wedding present delivered by Wednesday, the fourteenth. That gives us a couple of days to check it over before bringing it out Saturday afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"While that sounds great, Herb, that's not why I'm calling."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, sorry, I just assumed. So, what's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Stupid as this is going to sound, I need a new car," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, didn't you <i>just</i> get one? I'm fairly sure I remember you and Tom driving out of here in a brand-new Flex just a few short weeks ago. Don't tell me it's starting to fall apart already."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, nothing like that. Believe it or not, it's now too damn small."</span></p> <p><span>"What!?" he squawked in surprise. "Last I knew, it was just you, Tom and the four boys. Can't imagine what's happened that has you needing something that will hold more than six or seven people already." When I finally stopped laughing, I filled Herb in on some of the more recent developments he'd missed.</span></p> <p><span>"Boy, are you ever behind the times. We've already added two more kids since you brought the rental out and it looks like we might be taking in yet another one soon. Add to that, two cousins to one of our current crew have just moved nearby and I think you can see how the Flex might be just a bit crowded. And since I'm pretty confident law enforcement personnel of any persuasion will frown on us strapping kids to a roof rack, we need something with more space for people <i>inside</i>."</span></p> <p><span>"Lord, Max, have you lost your mind?" Herb inquired seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"You have no idea how many times I've asked myself that very question the past few months," I replied with another laugh. "So, Mister car guy who claims he can fulfill anybody's vehicle needs, what brilliant suggestions do you have to help solve our space problem?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, normally I'd tell you to give me a few days to do some thinkin' and searchin' and I'd get back to you. But we're not really within the realm of anything that resembles <i>normal</i>, are we?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, no, not really. I gave up on that pipe dream a long time ago, buddy."</span></p> <p><span>After a quick chuckle, Herb came back with, "I'm not touchin' that with a ten-foot pole, Max. What you're looking for isn't usually found on car lots these days, but I may just have something in the south forty that will be just the thing for ya. Keep in mind it's a used vehicle with a, um, a <i>few</i> miles on it, but it's still in pretty decent condition and the engine has a lot of life left in it, too. Of course, the most important thing it has goin' for it is it'll handle up to twelve people comfortably, eighteen if they're small and really, really like each other."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like it just might fit the bill. How much and how fast can we get it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I'll make you a helluva deal. How fast you can take it home depends on if you think it needs a paint job and any other custom work you may want done."</span></p> <p><span>"Paint job?" I asked with concern. "I don't care how good the engine is, if the body's falling apart, I sure as hell don't want it."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Max, you misunderstood my meaning. The body is in perfect shape, but you may think the current black and yellow paint scheme is a bit, um, over-the-top," he commented with a light chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Now wait just a darn minute," I protested as I cut into Herb's sales pitch. "Are you tryin' to sell us a flippin' school bus?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, why not? If it was good enough for the Partridge Family, why not for you, too?" he laughed. "While it may not be the most attractive vehicle available, you have to admit that it fits your particular needs to a tee. Plenty of room for you, Tom and your current brood, along with the extra space you need to keep adding to the head count."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, when you put it that way, I guess it doesn't sound quite as horrible as it did at first blush, but I was hoping for something that would actually fit in a garage without having to cut a bigger hole in the wall."</span></p> <p><span>"If that's the case, let me do some of that thinkin' and searchin' I mentioned and get back to you sometime next week. And since I'm gonna have to do some serious homework on this one, what kinds of features you lookin' for?"</span></p> <p><span>"Decent gas mileage, power everything, comfortable seats, dual or triple-zone air conditioning, a smooth ride, entertainment options like video and a gaming console or two. I think that should cover all the bases. Oh, and enough space to haul luggage for everybody."</span></p> <p><span>"I can see I've got my work cut out for me, so I better get to it. Thanks for the call and have a great weekend out there."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Herb. Hope to hear back from you soon." Just as I left my study and headed to join Tom, the drive sensor announced somebody pulling into the drive. I couldn't imagine who would be showing up this early, so I ducked into the bedroom to grab the shorts Tom and I had just discarded in case they were needed. I discovered the kitchen was empty when I stopped to refill my mug with a fresh shot of caffeine, but found Arlene, Daril and Arley packing the food away in the dining room as I passed through.</span></p> <p><span>Daril paused his intake just long enough to ask, "Should me an' Arley grab shorts, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll leave that up to you two," I replied. As I continued my trek, I caught the two share a quick glance and non-committal shrug of the shoulders before they returned to their meal without another thought. Arlene had no reaction to their snap decision except for a slight smirk of amusement before returning her attention to her own plate. </span></p> <p><span>Settling into my chair next to Tom, he was engrossed in his book again though he did stop to ask, "So, who did you have to call this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"First was Carol," I answered as I tossed his shorts at his head.</span></p> <p><span>"What for?" he queried as he pulled the rumpled garment from where it landed on his shoulder and stuffed in in the chair beside his meaty thigh.</span></p> <p><span>"To see if she'd be okay with this evening's party being clothing optional."</span></p> <p><span>"What!?" he exclaimed in surprise. "I'm not sure <i>I'm </i>okay with that, not with all the people that're gonna be here."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you better fix that in a hurry. You know, of course, the boys have absolutely no intentions of covering up tonight, with the possible exception of Will. With the boys not being dressed, you can be pretty sure our parents, Lee, Carl, Dylan and Malcom won't hesitate to lose their second skins, either. And Carol just told me she'd already planned to arrive much the way Dylan usually does these days. So, I figure, what the hell?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess that would be pretty much everyone, wouldn't it?" he agreed. "Except for Arlene. You think she'll be okay with that development?"</span></p> <p><span>"We can ask her when they're done eating," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"And the second call?"</span></p> <p><span>"Herb at Landmark."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh boy! Is my wedding present gonna be here on time?" Tom grinned evilly, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Of course, once he saw the surprised but angry glare I was directing at him, he lowered his head in shame while muttering, "Shit! I shouldn't'a said that." I was about to press the issue when there was a loud pounding on the front door. Before either of us could move, the thundering herd let its presence be known as they burst out of the hallway at full gallop.</span></p> <p><span>"Who's here?" T.J. bubbled with excitement as they scattered around the living room and settled onto the couch and love seat.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue, buddy, why don't you go find out?" I replied before turning back to the bright red baboon sitting next to me and whispering, "We're gonna circle back to this later, bubba." A tense nod was his only acknowledgment I'd said anything when T.J. let go a loud `whoop' of excitement at the now open front door.</span></p> <p><span>"Howdy, Mr. Burton!" he called out happily as LeVar and a lady we'd not met before stepped inside. "Who's that and where's the others?" he quickly added in his usual blunt manner. Had we known LeVar would be bringing someone who'd not been here before, we would have had everyone wearing shorts. But seeing at it was way too late to institute OPR, Tom and I did the only thing we could think of on a moment's notice; we crossed our legs and assumed a decidedly uncomfortable posture.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, howdy to you, too, T.J. And happy birthday," LeVar replied as the two shared a high-five. "The lovely lady joining me today is my wife, Stephanie. Stuart and the others all decided to take in some sights like Lincoln's home and tomb before we head back home this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"You're not gonna stay for my party tonight?" T.J. queried sadly as he led the duo across the house.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, buddy, we've got a lot of work to do back in California. Maybe next year when I hope to have a bit more free time, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay," T.J. quietly agreed.</span></p> <p><span>As soon as LeVar and Stephanie had joined us, they were immediately swarmed by the boys as they passed out hugs and cheery greetings to both. All of them but Will, that is, since he'd not met them before. When they finally calmed down, LeVar and Stephanie took over the love seat and the rest of the crew packed themselves onto the couch.</span></p> <p><span>"Morning, guys," LeVar began, "I'd like to introduce my wife, Stephanie. Dear, Max Sanders and Tom Wright," he added while pointing to each of us. "The wild bunch that already mugged us are their boys. From left to right, that's Alex, Andy, Mike, T.J., of course, Joey, and Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"Who's the last one at the far end?" she asked as she aimed a finger at Will who was sitting on the arm of the couch with a slightly stunned look filling his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue, dear, I've not met him before."</span></p> <p><span>That comment seemed to shake Will out of his trance and before Tom or I could take care of introducing him, he stepped forward saying, "Hi, I'm Logan's brother, Will. Nice to meet you in person, Mr. Burton. You, too, Mrs. Burton," he added as he shook both their hands.</span></p> <p><span>As Will stepped back to resume his perch on the couch's arm, LeVar asked, "Do you know me because you've been watching Star Trek with the others?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, never seen it," Will replied. "But one of the foster families I was livin' with when I was six or seven used to park me and their own kids in front of a TV tuned to Reading Rainbow reruns on PBS. Said it was the only way they could ever get any peace and quiet," he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Happy to help them out, I guess," LeVar laughed. "Hope you all learned something."</span></p> <p><span>"You mean besides how to be quiet for half an hour at a time?" Will laughed out loud and the rest of us joined in. "Yeah, we did, even though we didn't much like it at the time."</span></p> <p><span>Sensing the end of that snippet conversation, I commented, "Sorry we weren't properly prepared for Stephanie coming with you this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"What're you talking about?" LeVar quizzed me while he shot a look of confusion my way.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if we'd known she was coming, we'd've had shorts on."</span></p> <p><span>The two snorted in laughter and Stephanie replied, "Oh, you guys are fine, Max. LeVar explained in complete detail what I should expect to find today but I insisted on coming with him anyway. If I thought seeing some naked people was going to bother me, I wouldn't be here, but I wasn't going to miss this moment for all the Ferraris in Italy."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we heard you tell T.J. you're headed back home later today," Tom began, "so what brings you out now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Right, that," LeVar replied. "Before we get to that, I need to ask Will a few questions." The young man about fell off his roost when LeVar turned towards him and started with, "So, are you going to be moving in, too?"</span></p> <p><span>The flustered young man meekly answered, "Um, yeah, I think so."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you know about the project we're going to work on with Max, Tom and their boys?" LeVar pressed.</span></p> <p><span>"You mean the TV show about Max's life and all? Yeah, Logan told me `bout it last night. Really, it was some time this morning," he added with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Do you want to be included in the show once we reach that part of the story?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I guess so. As long as you ain't gonna put <i>me </i>on TV, that is." </span></p> <p><span>"Nope, we'll find an actor to portray you, too, just like we're going to do with all the others."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool with me, then. But what's in it for me?" he asked bluntly.</span></p> <p><span>"Give me just a minute and you'll find out, Will." LeVar then turned to me and asked, "May I borrow your study for just a moment, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Help yourself," I answered, waving a hand in that direction. </span></p> <p><span>LeVar returned in less than a minute and his hand was filled with envelopes. As he started handing them to each of us, he said, "Now don't open these until everybody has theirs, okay?" It was all the boys could do to contain their curiosity, but they somehow managed to control themselves just long enough for Tom and me to receive our own envelopes. Once LeVar had rejoined Stephanie on the love seat, he said, "Okay, go."</span></p> <p><span>Since Tom and I had a pretty good inkling as to what we'd just received, we watched as the boys lifted the flaps on their envelopes and pulled out the contents. All of them but T.J., that is. He must have divined what was inside when LeVar handed them out as he sat calmly in the middle of the others and just watched for their reactions along with the rest of us. I was glad LeVar had had the foresight to not seal the envelopes so nobody had to rip them open and risk tearing into what was held within. </span></p> <p><span>They were all so surprised at what they held, you could have heard a pin drop. The one thing we did hear was considerably louder than a simple pin as a resounding thud echoed through the house when Will slid right off the arm of the couch and the stunned munchkin's behind hit the floor. That woke the others from their stupor as they all started jumping up and down with glee, dancing around like whirling dervishes and yelling, `we're rich, whoo-hoo, yippee' and much, much more. Poor Will remained on the floor and muttered loudly, `holy shit! I must be dreamin'.'</span></p> <p><span>The ruckus they were raising brought an alarmed Arlene, Daril and Arley charging from the dining room to see what was going on. After witnessing the melee taking place, Arlene looked to Tom and I and yelled, "What the devil's got into them?" Logan answered her question when he ran over to them, wildly waving his check for a million dollars in front of their stunned faces. Once she grabbed his wrist and could actually read the amount printed on the check her nephew held, she quietly muttered, "Oh my Lord."</span></p> <p><span>T.J. had finally moved from his spot on the couch, and he was kneeling next to Will to make sure he was okay. After a simple nod in reply to T.J.'s query, the caring young lad stood up and offered his hand to Will to help him back up. LeVar and Stephanie were still ensconced on the loveseat and grinning wildly at the mad display of mass hysteria taking place. When the herd finally began to run out of steam, they suddenly realized they'd completely forgotten what few manners they possessed. With the precision of laser-guided missiles, all seven turned as one and launched themselves at their benefactor. Poor LeVar and Stephanie barely had time to brace for impact before they were smothered in hugs and received a ton of `thank yous' from the crew.</span></p> <p><span>Arlene and her boys had joined us and settled on the couch while it was empty so when our boys ran out of hugs, they took a seat on whatever flat surface they could find, some on the coffee table, a few on the floor and Logan and Will ended up on the hearth, arms wrapped around each other's shoulders.</span></p> <p><span>"Can we buy whatever we want, Dads?" Joey quickly asked, a look of hope flooding his face.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll let you guys get a few small things for now, but let's not go overboard, okay?" I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"What's overboard?" Alex prodded.</span></p> <p><span>"Cars, houses, yachts, that kind of thing," Tom snickered.</span></p> <p><span>"But we can really do whatever we want with our money?" Logan asked with a tone of seriousness we'd not heard from him lately.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I shared a quick glance before I answered, "Once we have a chance to discuss your ideas, sure, why not?"</span></p> <p><span>On hearing that, Logan promptly stood up, walked over to the couch and presented his check to Arlene while saying, "Here, I want you, Arley and Daril to have this. I already got more than I know what to do with and you guys can really use it."</span></p> <p><span>Arlene immediately pushed his hand away and retorted, "Oh no, we can't accept that, Logan. You've already done more for us than we could ever repay."</span></p> <p><span>Daril didn't hesitate for even a moment as he reached over, snatched the check from Logan's hand and said, "Thanks, cuz. You're all right, I don't care what the old man says."</span></p> <p><span>"George Daril Campbell!" Arlene started, "You give that back!"</span></p> <p><span>"No way, ma. Logan's right, we can use this," he argued.</span></p> <p><span>"He's right, momma, we can," Arley agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"On what!?" she countered with confusion etched across her face. "Thanks to Logan, we already got us a nice house to live in, you two have some jobs to do so we can stay there, and I'll find a job somewhere, too. What the hell would we do with a million bucks?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, for one, we could get the well pump and irrigation system fixed at the orchard. Then we could upgrade the sorting machine and replace that ancient tractor and some o' the other `quipment, too."</span></p> <p><span>"We done left all that crap behind us, boys. What do you care what happens with it now?"</span></p> <p><span>"We may have left it back in Dexter, ma, but your name's on it, too. And with the useless slimeball goin' to jail, it's gonna be all yours, ain't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I guess so," she mused, thoughtfulness replacing confusion. "Whatchu you thinkin', Daril?"</span></p> <p><span>"One o' two things. We do what I said to make it easier to sell the thing. O-o-r-r-r, we can do what I said and <i>hire</i> somebody down there to run it for us. Up `til that spring freeze a few years back, the orchard did well and we always made a good chunk o' change off it. It's almost back to where it was then and I think we could still make a decent profit off it, even with payin' someone else to do all the work for us."</span></p> <p><span>"Hmmm, I'll have to think about all that, boys. `Til I make up my mind, though, Logan's keepin' that check right here." On that final note, she plucked it from Daril's grasp and handed it back to Logan while adding, "Thanks for your kind offer, Logan. Once I figger out what I wanna do, I'll let you know. `Til then, you hold on to that, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, ma'am," he agreed. As he turned to rejoin his brother on the hearth, Logan looked to us and asked, "That's okay with you guys, ain't it?" Both Tom and I gave Logan a thumbs up as we knew he really didn't <i>need</i> the money near as much as his aunt and cousins did. Just before resuming his place in front of the fireplace, he turned back to Daril and added, "And just for the record, dude, I don't give a rat's fuzzy little behind what Uncle Dirtbag says `bout me neither." That comment elicited a round of laughter from everyone.</span></p> <p><span>Once he was settled back in next to Will, LeVar and Stephanie stood while he commented, "Well, I think we'll be hitting the road."</span></p> <p><span>"Already?" Tom asked amid protests from the boys. "Weren't you planning to talk with Lee, Carl and some others this afternoon?"</span></p> <p><span>"I was, but something's come up at home and we have to get back so I can deal with it. I'll take care of the other interviews I still need the next time we come to town. And while I wish we could stay a bit longer this morning, we have to run a few errands in town before we meet the others at the airport at one. But we'll be back soon to continue working on our projects. Now that you've been paid for them, I expect to see some progress being made on all fronts."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll look forward to it, LeVar," I replied as we stood to say our goodbyes. Of course, Tom and I had to wait our turns as the boys surrounded the pair and shared hugs and goodbyes with both. The two of us followed LeVar and Stephanie to the door and after shaking hands while expressing our own thanks for their short visit, they headed down the sidewalk to the rented Mercedes limo waiting to take them back to town.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that was fun," Tom chuckled as we crossed the house to sink back into our chairs. "So, what're you gonna buy with your newfound wealth?"</span></p> <p><span>"A bigger house, remember?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, that."</span></p> <p><span>"And you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I was thinkin' `bout findin' us a desert island in the middle of the ocean somewhere," he smirked.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, be kinda hard to help other kids from there, don't ya think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Fair point, babe. Guess I'll just have to stay here with you and the rugrats," he moaned in defeat.</span></p> <p><span>"Good thinkin', bubba. I'd hate to have to divorce your sorry ass before we even get married," I giggled while delivering a sharp smack to the back of his head.</span><span> After taking our seats and with the boys still goggling over the fact they each had a million dollars, I asked, "So, we know what Logan wants to do with his money, what ideas have the rest of you come up with?"</span></p> <p><span>"We wanna get bikes for T.J., Mike and Andy so none of us have to share anymore," Alex replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that'll use up about three to four hundred," Tom commented. "What about the rest?"</span></p> <p><span>"We don't know yet, but we'll come up with somethin', you can be sure of that," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm leavin' mine here with you guys," Will offered. "Any o' those pukes in juvie find out I got a million bucks, they'll all want a piece of it and never leave me alone."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a good plan, buddy. What about you, Mike?" I continued.</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't got a clue. I ain't never had more than a couple bucks before. How many comic books can I get with a million?"</span></p> <p><span>"Enough to fill this house and then some," I laughed. "Andy, what about you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe some new games for the Xbox. All the ones we got are too hard for me and Mike."</span></p> <p><span>"Good thinking, young man," Tom agreed before adding, "T.J., we haven't heard from you yet."</span></p> <p><span>"I wanna give some of it to the school," was his answer.</span></p> <p><span>"What the heck for!? We ain't even gonna be goin' there this fall," Joey argued. </span></p> <p><span>"Which is exactly why I want to do it," T.J. replied calmly. "Since we won't be there, I wanna make sure our support group doesn't die. You know there are plenty of kids over there who need someone to talk to. I bet Rich would be glad to listen to and help anybody he could, but there needs to be more than just him. Maybe if the school had the money, they could actually get a real person like Mike's foster dad to help out, too."</span></p> <p><span>As soon as T.J. had explained his reasoning, I noticed the twins' eyes light up with understanding. They quickly faced each other from opposite ends of the couch and had one of their silent and very private conversations. No more than five seconds had elapsed when Alex suddenly announced, "Yeah, we want to do that, too."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a great idea, guys," I agreed. "I think I'll donate some of mine to the same cause."</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be cool, Dad," T.J. agreed. "And even though we'll be doin' school here, I still wanna go over there a day or two a week to keep helpin' other kids."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure we can work that out with Steve," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>Knowing our time for party preparations was getting shorter by the moment, I finally broke up the confab with, "Okay guys, give me your checks so I can get them in the safe for the weekend and you get back to work. We still have a bunch of people coming for a party later, remember?"</span></p> <p><span>All the boys including Daril and Arley jumped up and as our herd stopped to hand us their checks, Joey cracked, "Don't spend it all in one place, Dads," before the crew headed on down the hallway to continue cleaning their rooms.</span></p> <p><span>Just as her two were about to slip out of sight, Arlene called out, "Boys, you need to go clean up the dinin' room `fore you go helpin' them with anything else." The pair made a quick U-turn and returned to do as their mom requested.</span></p> <p><span>"Ron, don't you have to do some runnin' to pick up some things?" I prompted. "You should probably get headed that direction so you're back before the guests start arriving."</span></p> <p><span>"On it, Boss!" he joked as he jumped up from his seat. "Arlene, would you like to go with me so you can see where a few stores are and get some food and other supplies for your new home?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if'n y'all don't mind me taggin' `long, that'd be just dandy. I don't wanna hold you up, though."</span></p> <p><span>"It won't be a problem," Ron assured her. "Max worries too much about time and we have plenty of it."</span></p> <p><span>"Then I'll be ready to roll when you are, Ron. Would it be okay if we take the truck, though? I got lots to get since there weren't even no toilet paper in the house last night."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, we can do that. With everything I need to pick up today, the extra space will come in handy. And we'll even swing by the farm and unload your stuff before coming back here so none of it will spoil."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a plan," she agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let me hit the john, get properly dressed and we'll be on our way." On that note, Ron disappeared down the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>After Daril and Arley finished with their task in the kitchen and it was down to just me, Tom and Arlene, I broached a subject I didn't want the others to be involved in. "Arlene, we had no clue what Logan had planned to do with his money. I hope you aren't upset that he sprung that surprise on you in front of everybody."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he sure `nough caught me off guard, let me tell ya. I damn near had to go find a bathroom and change my skivvies," she laughed and Tom and I joined her.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure he'd understand if you don't accept it," I offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that was my first thought, obviously, but the more I think about what Daril said, the more I'm actually considering it."</span></p> <p><span>"Would you really sell the orchard?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right I would. Weren't mine to begin with, it was all Troy's. I only put up with it `cause it did make `nough money for us to live on. I mean, it was all right nine or ten months outta the year when there weren't that much to do, but during harvest time, he an' the boys'd work twenty hours a day sometimes. I sure as hell ain't doin' that, and neither are Daril or Arley."</span></p> <p><span>"But what if you were to hire someone to run it for you?" I queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Too much hassle, `specially with us livin' up here," she retorted. "First, I don't know if there's anybody down there I could trust to do it `n' not screw me over. Second, most of the folks he hired to work the harvest were <i>his</i> friends and I wouldn't want none o' them scalawags anywheres near nothin' o' mine. And third, there's just too many bad memories tied to the place. The sooner I dump that nightmare, the better off we'll be."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, whatever you decide is up to you, of course, and you can be sure we'll provide any support you need to make it happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max, Tom. Just bein' away from there is a huge load off my mind. Troy has so many crazy friends that I'd have to have eyes in the back of my head to feel safe. Not to mention extra locks on the doors and a gun under my pillow. Who the hell knows what those flippin' rednecks would do to us with that asshole bein' in jail?"</span></p> <p><span>Ron reappeared at that moment and asked, "You ready, Arlene?"</span></p> <p><span>"I was born ready, beanpole," she smirked. "Let's get this show on the road," she added as she snagged her purse and headed for the front door which Ron was already holding open.</span></p> <p><span>As soon as they were out the door, I turned to Tom with a scowl and asked, "Okay, how long have you known?"</span></p> <p><span>"What? That I loved you and wanted to spend the rest of my life with you?" he responded with as much innocence and sincerity as he could muster at the moment. "I'd have to say it was about ten twenty-three the Sunday night after we met."</span></p> <p><span>"That's not what I'm talkin' about, you smartass, and you know it."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh yeah, <i>that</i>," he snickered. "It was when Hank's articles about you were in the paper."</span></p> <p><span>"How the hell did you even find out about it? I swore Herb to secrecy."</span></p> <p><span>"And he never said a word, I swear, so don't get pissed at him," Tom countered. "I think it was the day the second article about you hit the paper. You were fixing breakfast for us and told me to check for the new part in your e-mail. I, um, kinda perused your inbox while I waited for it to print. I saw an e-mail from Shelby and looked at it thinking maybe they were letting you know about a show in the area or something. Boy, did I ever feel like a first-class shit when I saw what it was really about."</span></p> <p><span>"As well you should," I immediately agreed. "But, I guess it's my own damn fault for leaving the message in my inbox and then giving you free rein over my computer. Lesson learned, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"See? It's all your fault the surprise was ruined," Tom cracked with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you dare go there, bucko. I may change my mind, keep the new one for me and give you the one that's already in the garage."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine with me, babe. Either way, I end up with a Shelby, so it's a win-win in my book," he laughed. That, of course, earned him another sharp smack to the back of his noggin. Before we could continue our chat, the dust mop emerged from the hallway with Will attached to the handle, guiding it across the floors. Tom leapt at the opportunity to move on to a new discussion with someone else about anything else.</span></p> <p><span>"The boys draft you, Will?" he called out as the young man aimed the dust collector towards the entry.</span></p> <p><span>"Naw," Will replied as he paused by the door. "Like the fool I am, I asked if there was somethin' I could do to help. Joey pointed to the dust mop and told me to have at it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you don't wanna do it, you don't have to," I offered. "You <i>are</i> just visiting this weekend, ya know."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, but I'm fine guys. `Sides, if I'm gonna move in with y'all, I might as well get used to it," he replied as the vacuum kicked on in one of the boys' rooms. "At least I'm not pushing that noisy thing around like Daril and Arley got sucked into doin'," he added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, carry on," I replied with a wave of my hand.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait!" Tom yelled. "Come here a sec, Will." The youngster left the mop handle leaning against the glass by the front door, strolled across the entry and nervously settled onto the love seat, wondering what he was in trouble for now. Once he quit fidgeting, Tom started, "I want to say I'm sorry for how ..."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, dude, back the truck up," Will interrupted. "You got nothin' to be sorry for. I was a complete jackass from the moment we met in Dr. Pomp<i>ass</i>'s office. If anybody here needs to be sayin' they're sorry for somethin', it's me. And I am."</span></p> <p><span>"I appreciate that, buddy, but I'm the adult here and I should never have let myself sink to that level. Sniping at a kid like I did last night, even a mean and nasty one, is uncalled for. I know better than that and promise it won't happen again."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry `bout it, Pops. If I've learned anything the past year and a half in juvie, it's this; if you can't take it, don't dish it out in the first place `cause whatever you say or do to someone is gonna come back to haunt you at some point. And when you least expect it, usually. I can't tell you how many times I've seen some poor schmuck of a kid get his clock cleaned for as little as lookin' at somebody the wrong way. And my brain was so freakin' scrambled after you tellin' me I had a brother, I kinda lost it, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"I can't imagine how surprised you were to hear that news," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"You have no idea, Max, um, Dad. I damn near fell off the chair. After the last fifteen years of thinkin' nobody would ever want me as a part of their family and then finding out I've actually got one I never knew about blew my mind. I'm glad Logan and I had a chance to talk alone last night so we could hash some things out and get to know each other a little bit without an audience."</span></p> <p><span>"We're glad you took advantage of the time. I assume you told him you were sorry, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right I did," Will agreed. "Actually started with that. I knew there was no way he was gonna listen to a thing I said if I didn't. `Course, him threatinin' to sic the others on me if I didn't get my act together mighta helped, too," he added with a laugh. "And after you held me last night while I poured my guts out to ya, I remembered something else that had slipped my disjointed brain; treat people the way you want to be treated. Well, if you're a, wait, what did you say I was? Oh, yeah, if you're an <i>insufferable little prick</i> like I was last night, that's exactly what I shoulda expected to get thrown right back in my face. And you didn't disappoint me, Pops. Consider that lesson re-learned, guys."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear, Will," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"So, we cool?" the young man asked with a hopeful look on his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we're cool, kiddo," I replied. "We knew this weekend would be difficult for everyone, but I guess we may have underestimated just how much so. I'm glad to see things seem to be working out."</span></p> <p><span>"So, can I finish my job, now?" Will asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, <i>can</i> you?" I retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Huh??" he quizzed me with a confused look.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, `can' signifies an <i>ability</i> to do something where <i>may</i> signifies the willingness to do it," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you're one of them people," he giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Get used to it, bucko. I <i>am</i> a writer, ya know, and I'm a bit of a stickler for things like that."</span></p> <p><span>"Gotcha, Dad," Will chuckled. "So, <i>may</i> I get back to my job?"</span></p> <p><span>"Go for it," Tom snickered.</span></p> <p><span>Will left his perch and before continuing to run the dust mop across the floors, he gave us a quick hug. With that out of the way, he retrieved the thing and continued on, turning left down the hallway towards my study and our bedroom before coming back through the kitchen, dining room and living room. With the whole area completed he disappeared down the hallway to park the mop back in the laundry room. Tom had picked up his book to continue reading and I laid my head back to close my eyes for a moment.</span></p> <p><span>And a moment was all I got as the herd suddenly appeared with Alex declaring, "Okay, Dads, we're all done. Can we go watch a movie?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, guys," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Make sure you let us know when somebody shows up for my party," T.J. said.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be having lunch long before anybody gets here, T.J.," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"You better tell us when you're gonna eat, then," Joey demanded.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, <i>sir</i>," Tom retorted while snapping off a quick salute to the munchkins. On that note, the crew continued across the house and ducked into the theater. With them out of earshot, Tom turned to me and asked, "What're we gonna do for food?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I don't figure Ron and Arlene will be back before those rugrats start feelin' like they're starvin', so I think dogs and D'itos will have to suffice. Especially since T.J. wants pizza from DiCarlo's for his birthday dinner."</span></p> <p><span>"Oooh, that's right," Tom moaned with delight as he rubbed his gut. "I'd forgotten all about that. And it's been way too long since we've had good pizza `round here."</span></p> <p><span>"I thought you liked Capones."</span></p> <p><span>"I do, but when you compare <i>that</i> to DiCarlo's, it's like eating cardboard with ketchup on it. But wait a sec, don't tell me Dicarlo's is delivering."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, they won't drive this far, not even for a rich and famous author like me," I laughed. "I begged Mom and Dad to swing down to Virden to pick it up for us on their way out. DiCarlo's will half-bake the pies and we can finish them off here so they'll be nice and piping hot."</span></p> <p><span>"That's gonna take a while with the number of pizzas we're gonna need," he commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, but it's worth it," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Fair point, I guess. Sounds like you've got it all under control."</span></p> <p><span>"I try," I yawned. "Hey, I'm feelin' kinda wiped out for some reason. Would you mind if I laid down for a bit?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, go right ahead. I'll wake you when it's time to fix lunch."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, hon." </span></p> <p><span>I gave my lover a hug and a kiss before heading back to bed. After crawling in, I pulled the sheet over my head to block out some of the light and promptly zoned out. Unfortunately, a restful nap was not in the cards for me today as I re-entered a dreamworld I'd not visited for almost twenty years. I returned to a time when fourteen-year-old me was crawling into a strange bed in a strange house occupied by a decidedly bizarre and previously unknown family, all in a town I'd never heard of before. The only seemingly normal part of my vision was the fact I was sleeping naked, which was the norm for me, even at that age.</span></p> <p><span>A short time after dream me had fallen asleep, I'd curled up comfortably on my side and was lightly snoring, completely oblivious as to what was about to go down. Sadly, though, as always happened in this particular vision, my sleeping form was soon joined by the faceless and nameless `man of the house' as he silently crept into the room and gently sat on the edge of the bed I was occupying. As if watching a football replay in slow motion, the man placed a hand on my shoulder and gave it little squeeze before letting it drift to a spot between my shoulder blades. From there, he spent several minutes rubbing my back from neck to the small of my back, gently caressing my semi-exposed ribs as the sheet had moved a bit with his very cautious manipulations.</span></p> <p><span>Upon reaching my still covered behind, he cupped my cheeks one at a time and gave each a gentle squeeze or two, all while keeping a close watch on my face to ensure he wasn't disturbing my slumber. Apparently satisfied I was out like a rock, I watched and felt a finger trace the crease between my cheeks, the sheet becoming stuck between them when he pressed his finger to my hole. That was enough to disturb the sleeping form and my fourteen-year-old self rolled onto his back. The man seemed quite giddy and pleased with himself after spying the small tent that was apparent in the middle of the sheet, leading him to believe I was quite enjoying the attention he was secretly lavishing on me. </span></p> <p><span>Sensing I was done moving around, he reached a hand up to my head and lightly brushed the hair from over my eyes. Once he was happy with my hair arrangement, his hand slipped down and brushed my left cheek before moving further and pausing briefly on my chest. Sleeping me jerked at the touch and the man waited patiently to make sure I remained sound asleep before he moved again. Finally satisfied I wasn't going to interrupt his fun, I watched as his hand slowly started sliding down my body, taking the sheet with it and uncovering my body inch by glacially painful inch. Once I was completely revealed from chin to just below my waist, the man's hand drifted back up to my chest where he lightly tweaked my nipples until both stood at attention. The man appeared to be happy with by body's reaction to his ministrations and he allowed his hand to wander lower again where he circled my bellybutton with a fingertip. Again, young me shifted position slightly and the man stopped all movement until he felt it was safe to continue his perverted fantasy.</span></p> <p><span>My thirty-four-year-old mind was screaming at both sleeping versions of myself. It was begging the young me to wake the hell up and kick the man in the balls before the sick son of a bitch could reach his ultimate goal. While he would be writhing on the floor in agony, I could make my getaway and bolt out of the house like my hair was on fire. It was also demanding the older me wake the fuck up and stop the insanity before it went any further. Unfortunately, neither of us were listening to those impassioned pleas.</span></p> <p><span>Sensing young me wasn't going to come alive anytime soon, the man's hand moved even further down my skinny frame, hooking the sheet with his fingers and continuing to lower it to mid-thigh. This, of course, fully exposed my rather small adolescent dick and balls. The man licked his lips lasciviously as he covered my genitals with his hand and began to lightly rub my pubic region. The whole time he was doing it, he was intently gazing at my face, watching closely for any signs of a reaction. All too soon, he changed from gently rubbing my diminutive prick to grasping it between his thumb and forefinger and beginning to masturbate young me.</span></p> <p><span>At that point, I let go such a blood-curdling primal scream, I woke not only my young self, but my old self, too. I was shocked to find my fist flying through the air to connect with a face that shouldn't be there. And had it not been for the lightning-fast reflexes so finely honed after five years as a cop, I'm sure Tom would have ended up with a black eye.</span></p> <p><span>"Max! Wake up!" he yelled as he blocked the swing with his forearm and ducked out of the way.</span></p> <p><span>"What??" I screamed back, bolting upright in the bed.</span></p> <p><span>"I was just trying to wake you up for lunch," he replied. "You havin' a bad dream, babe?"</span></p> <p><span>"More like one of my worst nightmares ever coming back to haunt me," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"You haven't had one this bad for a while," he commented as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close for a comforting hug. "You wanna tell me about it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, but I don't suppose you're just gonna let it slide, are ya?" I asked. Receiving a negative shake of the head from Tom, I continued. "Well, it was pretty much the same dream I used to have on a fairly regular basis during the time Frank and Iris were torturing the shit out of me." The surprise showing on Tom's face didn't go away until I finished telling him everything about what I'd just experienced. I wrapped up my narration with, "What's really bizarre is I haven't had that nightmare since I got the hell away from them. Plenty of others over the intervening years, sure, but not <i>that</i> particular one."</span></p> <p><span>"Any idea why it chose now to come back?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Much as I hate to say it, I think it might be because of Will."</span></p> <p><span>" `Scuse me, come again," Tom muttered with surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"I think talkin' to him last night about what he's been through the past fifteen years brought back one of my biggest fears when I was around his age. Do you remember me saying that during those three years of living in hell, how I'd hoped to get away from it all?" I asked. A quick nod of acknowledgement from Tom and I carried on, "Well, I felt my own parents didn't much like or want me because even though I wasn't out to them at the time, I think, deep down, they already knew. And I think that feeling of being unwanted or abandoned is pretty much what Will has dealt with, what with nobody including his own family wanting him.</span></p> <p><span>"So, I'd started seriously thinkin' `bout runnin' away, and not just to get away from the Muellers, but to get the hell away from Mom and Dad, too. I thought if my own parents didn't want me, maybe I could find someone else out there who would. So, my big hope and recurring dream back then always started out with me doin' just that, disappearing in the middle of the night with plans of never goin' back. Of course, with my luck bein' what it was, I always got picked up in whatever town I got to and since I'd refuse to tell the cops who I was, I'd end up getting dropped in a foster home with some weird-ass family. </span></p> <p><span>"In the dreams, the first few days or so with the new people would seem pretty decent. The kids were nice enough and we'd get along okay, the mom was always super nice and really tried to make me feel comfortable and like a real part of the family, but the dad would always be a bit stand-offish. I used to believe it was because he worked in some office somewhere and wasn't around me near as much as the others, but I later figured out it was because he was actually hiding his true self and what he really wanted the most. After dreaming of spending days in my new peaceful and idyllic life where people actually seemed to care about me, it would all get ruined by the part I just told you about.</span></p> <p><span>"So, my own family didn't give a shit if I was alive or dead, and the only other men I knew, real or imagined, only wanted me for one thing, to use me as their personal and perverted fuck toy. I mean, I'd heard enough horror stories about the things that can happen to kids in foster homes and subconsciously knew it would probably be even nastier than what I was already dealin' with, despite having blocked all that ugliness out. Of course, once a person goes to sleep, the subconscious takes over and runs rampant, leading you wherever the hell it wants to go.</span></p> <p><span>"That dream's the <i>only</i> reason I never actually followed through on my plan of takin' off, I was afraid that whoever I ended up livin' with would be just as bad, if not worse, than Frank and Iris. And though Will says nothing like that has ever happened to him, I have to wonder whether he's telling the truth considering how many different places he's been since Charlie and Rebecca gave him up for adoption."</span></p> <p><span>"You know how sorry I am you had to live through that," he commiserated as he gave me another hug. "You aren't thinkin' of talking to him about it, are you?" Tom queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Not this weekend, no, but I can see a time where we might have to," I answered. </span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear you've put that idea on the back burner for the moment. I'd hate to put a damper on the weekend, for him or anybody else."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what're the boys doing? I'm kinda surprised they didn't come charging in here after my scream."</span></p> <p><span>"They're holed up in the theater watching a movie or killing space monsters on the Xbox. Probably both at the same time knowing those kids. I'm sure they've got whatever turned up loud enough they didn't hear a thing," my honey chuckled. "You ready to get lunch going?"</span></p> <p><span>"No time like the present, I guess. Um, can I hit the bathroom first, though?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, I don't know, <i>can</i> you?" Tom snickered.</span></p> <p><span>"You, Thomas Wright, are a first-class smartass. You know that, right?" I cracked.</span></p> <p><span>"I certainly hope so," he immediately agreed. "Dad always told me I could be whatever I wanted, I just had to be the best at whatever it was. Nice to know I'm living up to my potential," he added with pride.</span></p> <p><span>"That wasn't meant to be a compliment," I countered.</span></p> <p><span>"Too bad for you I took it as one," he laughed heartily. "Well, time to get a move on. I'll be in the kitchen, bubba," Tom added as he headed for the door.</span></p> <p><span>"Be right there, hon." After a quick pitstop, my next task was to roust the kiddos from the theater and put them to work setting the table for lunch. When I joined Tom in the kitchen, he already had three packages of hotdogs on the grill insert, so I got busy with pulling out the Doritos, chips, and everything else you need for a quick and simple meal. The boys finally showed up a few minutes later and in short order had the table set and drinks for everyone. Daril, Arley and Will pitched in with anything the others asked them to help with.</span></p> <p><span>Everything was ready to go in less than ten minutes and we settled in the dining room to chow down. The chatter was light during the meal since everybody was stuffing their face. The one important thing that was discussed and decided on was a swim before a bunch of people got here. Less than twenty minutes after digging in, the food was gone and the boys went straight to work cleaning up the table, anxious to get in the pool for a while. With nine boys taking care of the job, it went pretty quickly and they were heading for the pool in no time at all. Tom and I were dutifully following along when the drive sensor went off.</span></p> <p><span>Seeing that it was only one, we felt it was still a bit early for any of our party guests to start arriving but that didn't stop T.J. from darting to the front door to see who was here. Tom and I were hovering behind our chairs so we could slip on the shorts we'd left there just in case they were needed. Daril, Arley and Will had taken up a position at the beginning of the hallway so they could duck into a bedroom if needed, but the others were just waiting by the glass doors so they'd be ready to scoot on out to the pool.</span></p> <p><span>Soon enough, T.J. called out, "Yippee!! It's Uncle Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we're gonna head on out to the pool, buddy," Tom shouted back. "Bring `em on out, will ya?"</span></p> <p><span>"Right behind you, guys," T.J. acknowledged.</span></p> <p><span>Daril and Arley immediately joined the rest of us at the doors, but Will said, "Be there once I get my shorts changed," as he turned down the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>The crew stepped outside and as soon as the shelter door was unlocked, they charged inside and launched themselves off the apron and into the water. Knowing we'd be joined shortly by Dylan and Malcom, Tom and I bypassed the shallow end and aimed for deeper and much calmer waters. We were just getting settled into place when the door opened and T.J. led Dylan, Malcom and Damon inside. The two late arriving munchkins joined the boisterous rugrats and the mad frolicking already taking place. Dylan and Malcom, wise men that they are, opted to bypass the regular muggings and took their places in our semi-quiet corner.</span></p> <p><span>"How you guys doin'?" I asked once they were settled in for the long haul.</span></p> <p><span>"We're great Max," Dylan answered with a big smile.</span></p> <p><span>"You're a little early for the party, aren't ya?" Tom queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, but Damon demanded we come out now so he could have more time to hang out with his cousins," Malcom responded. "And you guys should know you just can't say no when those brats give you that pathetically sad puppy dog face, am I right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely, Malcom," I agreed with a chuckle. Will finally arrived and he wasted no time jumping into the middle of the fray at the far end of the pool.</span></p> <p><span>"Who're the new kids," Dylan quizzed us.</span></p> <p><span>"The two bigger boys are Logan's cousins, Daril and Arley. The smaller one is Logan's brother, Will," Tom answered. "Or did you forget he was gonna be here for the weekend?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I remembered, he's just a lot smaller than I figured he'd be. He's supposed to be fifteen, isn't he?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Any idea why he's barely Damon's size?" Malcom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we know he had some health issues early on, but we don't know exactly what they were. At this point, we can only assume his short stature is somehow related to them. Of course, I'm sure spending the first fifteen years of his life in this state's shitty foster care system and getting randomly shuffled from place to place all that time didn't help a bit. If he ends up moving in with us, I assume we'll find out more then," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he seems to fit in just fine with the rest of the wild ones," Dylan laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he does now," Tom commented. "Better than we thought he would after last night, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Why, what happened?"</span></p> <p><span>"So, who's the short little fucker," I whispered to Alex while pointing to the kid trying to shove Logan's head under the water.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that's Logan's big brother, Will."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, didn't know he had another brother, though he really ain't that big, is he? Where'd he come from?"</span></p> <p><span>"Their parents gave him up for adoption right after he was born. Even Logan didn't know `bout him `til after his dad died."</span></p> <p><span>"What's he doin' here, then?" I pushed, being the nosy little shit I am.</span></p> <p><span>"Turns out he's been in foster or state care his whole life, just like Joey and I were after our mom and dad died. Our dads found out he hadn't been adopted and worked it out for him to come down this weekend."</span></p> <p><span>"They gonna `dopt him, <i>too</i>?" I asked with surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't know yet. Guess it all depends how this weekend with us goes," Alex replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if he's Logan's brother, I bet they do," I grinned. "So tell me, why's the scrawny little puke wearin' shorts."</span></p> <p><span>Alex let go a little giggle and whispered, "We're all pretty sure it's `cause he's got a small dick and he's too much of a chicken to go bare-assed like we do."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, havin' a tiny pecker ain't funny, dude. It's fuckin' humiliatin'," I spat angrily.</span></p> <p><span>"Shit!" Alex yelped as he smacked himself in the forehead. "I'm really sorry, Damon, I wasn't aiming that at you. You know we don't care `bout how big you are or aren't. Everybody's different, right? `Sides, we all like your dick just fine, don't we?" he added with a snort or laughter.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, but it's still a touchy subject," I muttered with dejection.</span></p> <p><span>"You mean like this?" he chuckled as he cupped my package in his hand and gave a gentle squeeze.</span></p> <p><span>Whatever anger I had at his mean-spirited comment instantly evaporated as I laughed out loud and said, "No, not like that, ya horny little bugger. But later, all right?"</span></p> <p><span>"You gonna spend the night with us again?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm gonna try, dude, depends on what Dad and Poppy say," I answered. "But let me warn ya, I been horny as hell `cause I been thinkin' `bout comin' to T.J.'s party all week and some of the <i>fun</i> we could have."</span></p> <p><span>"Swe-e-e-et," Alex hissed with glee.</span></p> <p><span>"But right now, I'm gonna go have a little chat with my new cuz and see if I can get him to loosen up a little bit."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, good luck with that," Alex scoffed as I waded away to rope the newcomer and drag him into a corner away from the rest of the loud and rambunctious goofballs. As I passed behind Will, I tapped his shoulder and said, "Yo, dude, let's talk."</span></p> <p><span>Will spun around and glared at me for a moment before saying, "I don't even know who the hell you are, what makes you think I wanna talk to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm your cousin, Damon. Now you know me, let's go," I replied while tipping my head towards the steps in the corner. I continued in the direction I'd indicated while looking over my shoulder to see if Will would follow along. I'd gotten about five feet away and he was still rooted to the same spot, gawking at me in disbelief, so I added, "Don't make me come back and drag your ass over here." That smartass comment apparently did the trick as he slowly started following along and soon enough, we'd settled onto the top step.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what'd you wanna talk `bout?" Will asked nervously.</span></p> <p><span>"I just wanted to say hi and get to know my new cousin a little better. That all right with you?"</span></p> <p><span>"There's no way we're cousins," Will retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh yeah, why's that?" I asked, knowing full well what his answer was going to be.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm white and you're ..."</span></p> <p><span>"What? Black? Or dark tan, really," I giggled lightly.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I was gonna just say <i>not</i>, but since you already said it, yeah, that," he came back with a little bit of a blush.</span></p> <p><span>"Dude, if my dad and Poppy claim Uncles Max and Tom as brothers, then we gotta be cousins."</span></p> <p><span>After shooting a quick glance to the other end of the pool and seeing the four where they usually copped their squat, huddled together in deep conversation, he looked back to me and admitted, "Ya got a point there, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"So, like I said, I'm Damon and Alex says you're Will," I started while holding out my hand for a quick shake. Receiving nothing more than a simple nod of agreement, I retracted my hand and continued with, "He also said your Logan's bio bro. That's cool, man."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess so," Will muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"What, don't you two like each other?" I asked seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"Can't really say we know each other that well, I s'pose. I mean, first time we met was last night and that didn't go over too well with either one of us. But that was all my fault, really."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what happened?" I asked with interest. Will gave me a quick rundown of how he found out about Logan, the trip from Bloomington to here, how their first meeting went and then followed all that up with telling me about the talk the two had in the middle of the night. "Well, I can see where you two might have some issues to deal with, but it sounds like you're workin' on it, at least. And I know how you feel, Will. Suddenly finding out about a family member you never knew about is a helluva shock, ain't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"What're you talking about?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, for the first eight years of my life, I had no clue who my dad was. I mean, I knew I had one `cause I wouldn't be here without him, right? But Mom <i>never</i> talked about him. Then from outta the blue, `bout a month after my eighth birthday, she took me for a ride across town and after parking in front of an apartment building I'd never seen before, she dragged me up to the fourth floor and knocked on a complete stranger's door. Malcom finally opened up and was surprised as hell to see her. He was completely blown away when she told him who <i>I</i> was."</span></p> <p><span>"You mean neither one of you knew about the other until then?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep. That was a little over four years ago, and it took a while for us to really warm up to each other, but we did and we couldn't be happier to be a part of each other's lives now. And if things work out the way I'm hoping, after those two lunatics get married this summer, I'll be moving down here with dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Why's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Mom's brain is a bit scrambled and I just don't feel safe living with her."</span></p> <p><span>"I can understand that after some of the whack jobs I've run into in juvie," Will commented. Changing the subject, he added, "So, you're twelve now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Twelve and a half, dude," I proclaimed proudly. "How `bout you? You look like you're eleven or twelve."</span></p> <p><span>"I know I look it, but I'm really fifteen," Will grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"No way!" I exclaimed in surprise since Alex hadn't said how old he was.</span></p> <p><span>"Way, man."</span></p> <p><span>"Not tryin' to be mean, dude, but if you're fifteen, why the hell you so small? I mean, you're not much bigger than Logan and he's only nine."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, don't remind me, okay?" he grumped.</span></p> <p><span>"So, you small <i>all</i> over or you just short?" I asked to finally get this little chat going the direction I'd planned. And though Will hesitated to answer, the deep red blush that overran his face and shoulders was all I needed for an answer. "That's why you're still wearin' your shorts, isn't it? You're afraid somebody's gonna make fun of you, aren't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, why wouldn't they?" Will retorted. "All the dickheads in juvie crack stupid jokes `bout me all the damn time. I hate havin' to take showers with them assholes `cause of it, too. I always try to get one of the corners in the shower room so I can have my back to all of `em and that helps, but only a little since all of `em already know I got nothin' happenin' down there."</span></p> <p><span>"Got a little news flash for ya, bucko. In case you haven't noticed, this ain't juvie. This is Max and Tom's home. Ain't nobody `round here gonna give two shits `bout what you got `tween your legs. And if any of us ever dared to make fun of you, we'd catch hell from our dads for bein' rotten little punks."</span></p> <p><span>"Easy for you to say, man. I bet you're bigger than any of the others. Well, `cept Daril and Arley," he added with a snicker.</span></p> <p><span>"Bet ya I'm not," I retorted, knowing Will hadn't seen my full body since I was already in the pool when he came out of the house.</span></p> <p><span>A wicked grin cracked his face and he turned to face me before issuing his challenge. "Okay smartass, you got yourself a bet. What're the stakes?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hm-m-m, let me think," I hesitated, trying to make him think I was seriously considering the various options. Truth be told, I'd decided what the bet would be as we were making our way to the steps. After a moment, I came back with, "I guess if you win, you can have my cake and ice cream at the party tonight." His smile grew even wider with the anticipation of a double dose of sweetness later. "But, if I win, you have to lose your shorts and spend the rest of the day naked just like them," I added while pointing to the brat pack ten feet away from us. That prizewinning smirk disappeared in a nanosecond after hearing that. I watched him closely as he stewed over the situation, his confidence of winning growing with each passing second. I guess the idea of extra dessert was just too much for him to pass up.</span></p> <p><span>"You got yourself a bet, dude. And thanks for the extra cake, I'm gonna love it," he gloated. We quickly shook hands to seal our deal and once we broke up, Will cracked, "Okay, stand up and drop `em."</span></p> <p><span>"Got nothin' to drop, loser. I ain't had stitch on since we left Poppy's house," I laughed as I rose out of the water and turned to face my new cousin. On seeing he'd just lost our little bet, he turned as white as a sheet, which was quite the accomplishment considering just how white he already is.</span></p> <p><span>"Well shit, you set me up, you asshole," he muttered numbly.</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right I did," I giggled. "Time for you to pay up, hombre."</span></p> <p><span>"I really don't wanna do this, but a deal's a deal, ain't it?" I smiled and held out a hand to help him to his feet. He latched on and accepted my assistance before stepping out of the pool and slowly shuffling over to the nearest chair. As he moved, I was thinking to myself, `a flippin' snail moves faster than this kid does.' After steeling himself for a few more seconds, he finally decided he couldn't delay any longer and hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his soggy swim shorts.</span></p> <p><span>Dylan, Malcom, Tom and I had been enjoying our visit and during short lulls in our conversation, we'd glance down to the boys to see how they were faring. Daril and Arley had started another round of toss the rugrat and the shelter was filled with peals of laughter from all the munchkins as they flew through the air before coming down for a splash landing. Well, all of them except for Will and Damon. We'd watched as they'd separated themselves from the others a while ago and had been having what looked like a serious discussion of their own while sitting on the steps. The four of us were pretty confused about what they could be talking about but figured if they needed help with something they'd let us know.</span></p> <p><span>I'd happened to chance another look their direction when I saw Damon stand up, sporting a very wide shit-eating grin and then helping Will rise from his seat on the top step. I prodded Tom with my elbow and nodded my head that direction as Will stepped over to a nearby chair. With Tom and I both watching events unfold, Dylan and Malcom diverted their attention to the far end of the pool, too. </span></p> <p><span>"What the devil's goin' down over there?" Dylan inquired.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>After standing by the chair and looking down at the concrete for a few moments, he reached down for his shorts and started to slowly peel them off. By the time the wet, clingy material had moved far enough to expose his behind, the boys still in the pool started hooting and whistling at the obviously embarrassed young man. While I'm sure they thought they were encouraging Will, he quickly dispelled that illusion.</span></p> <p><span>Turning his crimson face over his shoulder, he yelled, "Would y'all just shut the hell up!? You ain't makin' this no easier." The boys' reaction to his outburst started with some slightly guilty laughter before the crew became silent witnesses to Will's hesitance. He struggled for a minute or so before finally kicking the now useless shorts onto the chair. After dropping his arms to his sides and I assume providing some minimal cover over his crotch, he started backing up towards Damon who was patiently waiting on the top step.</span></p> <p><span>"Way to go, dude!" Damon called out. "I'm proud of ya!"</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever, ya jerk! You better not let me crack my skull wide open fallin' down the steps," Will retorted over his shoulder as he adjusted his aim.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm right here and ain't gonna let ya die on my watch," Damon assured him as he fed Will minor course corrections. When Will finally made it to the steps, Damon grabbed his elbow and helped guide him back down and into the pool. </span></p> <p><span>Once comfortably hidden from view by the water, he wrapped his hands around Damon's neck and asked, "Ya happy, now, dickhead?"</span></p> <p><span>"Freakin' ecstatic, cuz," Damon laughed. "Doesn't that feel better?"</span></p> <p><span>"Much as I hate to admit it, it kinda does," Will replied as a tight grin developed on his mug. On that note, the duo was surrounded by all the other guys and a miniature celebration began with high fives and hugs being shared with Will. And surprisingly, he accepted them all with glee, even the hugs. When they finally wound down, it was suddenly time for Daril and Arley to restart their game and they began launching the younger boys haphazardly across the pool.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's an interesting development," Tom deadpanned. "I really didn't think he'd go so far as to lose his shorts on his first visit."</span></p> <p><span>"I bet that was all Damon's doing," Malcom chuckled. "The kid's a helluva salesman, let me tell you. He's so good he could sell oil to a Saudi sheik. And if he can't make the sale, he'll con you into it, one way or another," he added with another laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"As long as Will was willing to take the step himself and wasn't forced into it, we're good," I commented. "I didn't see any of those guys holding a gun to his head, so I have to assume he lost his shorts on his own free will."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm still gonna check with Damon and see how it all came about just to be sure. He knows better than to push an issue like that."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll let you handle it then," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what were we talkin' about before we got distracted?" Dylan chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"You and Tom talking to Will about that guard at the juvenile detention center, but hang on a sec before we dive back into that," I replied. I turned back towards the boys so they could hear me over their squeals and yelled, "Mike, time for your thirty minutes! Put `em through the paces!"</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Dad!" the youngster yelled back before turning back to the rowdy crowd and yelling, "All right dudes, hands on the wall and start kickin'."</span></p> <p><span>As our five took their positions, Daril called out, "What about us?"</span></p> <p><span>"Until Mike says you can pass his test, you, too," Tom yelled back to be heard above the splashing created by the serious kicking the others were already doing. Resigned to their fate, Daril, Arley and Will assumed their places and began to follow Mike's instructions. From what we could see, Will definitely needs some help with his skills, but the two older boys seemed quite adept with swimming, probably due to years of using the pond in their back yard. With them otherwise occupied, we could pick up where we left off.</span></p> <p><span>Thirty minutes later, Mike's time was up and we decided it was time to get cleaned up and ready for the party that was going to be starting soon. The four of us waded down to where the boys were and as soon as we tried to get them moving the right direction, the battles began. With two hulking teenagers added to the mix, the brat pack made short work of the adults amid much hilarity from everyone. With their victory firmly in hand, the munchkins led the way out of the pool and into the house for showers and a bit of down time.</span></p> </div></div></div>

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Building a Family 7 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Chapter 7 � Cleaning crew I awoke the next morning, well-rested and ready to attack another day. The cleaning crew would be here shortly and I wanted to be ready for them. I ran through the shower, dressed and fixed myself a quick breakfast of eggs and sausage. After cleaning up my breakfast mess, I heard the ding of the driveway sensor announcing, I hoped, the cleaners. I met them at the door, let them in and directed them to where they could stash their coats and boots. I then led them on short tour of the house while giving them directions on what needed to be done. I saved the pool deck area for last. It turns out that I should have done the pool deck first as one of the crew, Ron, was there specifically to take care of that area and he wanted to hit it early. The crew went back out to their van to retrieve their equipment and cleaners and got straight to work. Three of them attacked the study while Ron passed through the house with a what looked like a leaf blower. I followed him outside and pointed out a power supply he could use. He started blowing the snow at the doors and worked his way out to the end of the pool area. It took him about half an hour to clear the area and it looked like a blizzard while the blower was running. When he was done, I asked him about the blower and he told me it was basically your regular leaf blower with a larger motor and fan in it to help displace heavier materials. It was the first time he had tried to use it on snow, but he was glad he did because it performed flawlessly. We headed back into the house to warmth and comfort. My study was done and I could hear the washer running so I assumed they were working on the bed linens from the other three bedrooms already. Ron found the team's leader, Dawn, and she gave him his next task. It turned out his job was to take the three bed comforters to an outside service to be cleaned. Dawn told me that with washing and drying the sheets from the other three bedrooms and the towels in the bathrooms, she thought they could finish quicker if the comforters were taken out. I told her that was fine with me. While Ron was gone, the rest of the crew dusted, vacuumed, mopped and worked like dirt demons to finish up the rest of the house. Ron returned with the comforters about two hours later, just as the rest of the crew was finishing up. The beds had already been re-made and the comforters were back in place in very short order. Once the cleaners were done with the job, Dawn came to my study to let me know they were ready to move on to the next job. I headed out to the kitchen with my checkbook so I could pay them. After a quick review of their work, I was nicely surprised at the job they had done in a very short period time and I let them know how happy I was with the results. I wrote out a check to cover the charges quoted to me by Joyce. I then gave each crewmember a $100 cash tip to thank them for their excellent work. All four were stunned at the tip, but happily accepted the gift. I quietly slipped Ron an extra $50 for taking care of the pool deck and let him know how appreciative I was for the extra work he'd done and let him know he was welcome to come back and use the pool any time he wanted. Ron was a nice-looking guy about 25-30 years old and I quietly hoped he would take me up on my offer. Dawn, Ron and the others loaded up their equipment and supplies and headed down the drive. Just after the drive sensor dinged to announce their departure, the phone rang. I grabbed it the kitchen after noticing from the caller ID it was M&M pools calling. "Good afternoon, Mike. I assume you're calling with good news," I answered. "Well, I think it's good, but I'll let you be the judge. I just got off the phone with the shelter people and they were ecstatic at getting an order like yours this time of year." "Great, glad I could help them out." "I told them the size of shelter we need and it looks like they have enough of the regular wall panels already built and ready to ship out. They will only have to assemble a few roof sections and the triangular wall sections for each end of the shelter." "That sounds great, Mike. Did they give you any idea when they'd be ready to ship everything?" "Like I told you yesterday, the anchors will be shipped tomorrow so we can get them installed before the panels arrive. They expect to have the special sections built in about a week and should be shipping everything else next Friday or the following Monday." "Perfect, Mike. Now, I have some good news for you. The pool deck is cleaned off as promised. You wouldn't believe how they did it. Actually, it was just one of the crew, Ron, who took care of it. He had this thing like a leaf blower on steroids and once he started, the deck area was cleaned off in about half an hour. Now you guys won't have to deal with that when you come out to install the anchors." "Thanks for that, Max. We could have done it, but having it done before we get there will save us some time. Just hope it doesn't snow more between now and then. We'll bring the heaters out when we receive the anchors to help ward off the chill while we install them. Considering the size of the shelter, it will take at least a day to get all the anchors in place and ready. It won't be much fun this time of year, but I won't complain about the income. Speaking of which, the total for the shelter and everything comes up to $47,500. I know that's more than what you probably expected when you started this project, but it is what it is. That's not a problem, is it?" "No problem at all, Mike. I'll call my bank this afternoon and have $36,000 wired to your business account. Sound okay to you?" "That'll work just fine Max. Thanks." "When do you think your guys will be here to install the anchors?" "As long as UPS doesn't have any issues, we should have them Monday or Tuesday next week. I'll schedule the guys to come out Thursday if that works for you." "Thursday should work out just fine, Mike. That will give me time to deal with some other things I need to take care of." "It's a date, then, Max. We'll see you next Thursday about 9:00 in the morning." "I'll be here and have everything ready for you, including a large pot of hot coffee. Have a great weekend, Mike, and we'll talk to you soon." After ending the call with Mike, a thought popped in my head and I made another quick call to help Mike and his guys. I called a local party rental company and arranged to have a tent erected over the pool deck. I figured heaters without some way of cutting off the wind wouldn't be much help in keeping the guys semi-comfortable. I know it's their job to deal with the elements, but if I could help, I would. I had to make sure they had a tent that could be set up on concrete without damaging it and, fortunately, they had just what I was looking for. I had the tent folks scheduled to install the tent Tuesday afternoon and they should expect me to have it for about two weeks. While they didn't much enjoy the thought of erecting a tent in early February, they were happy to have the income from the rental. I next checked in with Herb about the status of my new Flex. He let me know it was still on schedule and I should expect delivery in about a month. I knew nothing should really change in a couple days, but I was just trying to avoid any surprises. I had more than enough happening that surprises would not be welcome. I finally got undressed again and called James to see if he had heard anything from Anna, but he was in a meeting with another client and had to call me back. I waited for about an hour before the phone rang. I anxiously answered, "James, have you heard from Anna yet?" "Hi, Max, I'm just fine. Glad you asked. How about yourself? You hanging in there?" "Sorry, James. I'm getting a little nervous and freaked out. I'm just fine and glad you are, too. Now, answer my question, have you heard from Anna, yet?" "As a matter of fact, I talked to her just about 10 minutes ago. Anna and her staff have had several discussions about your proposal and it sounds like they approve of the idea. One of Anna's staff is single and has agreed to give up one of her weekends to come out and supervise a visit with all four boys. They agree that the visit would not only give each child a chance to see where they would be living, but also give Anna a person on-site to evaluate your home and the living conditions for an adoptee or two in the case of the twins." "That sounds great, James. Did she give any hint as to when they would like the visit to happen?" "The date seems to be up to you and the staff member. Her name is Carol Ward and it will be up to you to call her and arrange the date and time. It sounded to me like it could happen any time as long they have enough notice for Carol and the boys to be out there for the weekend." "Perfect, James. Why don't you give me Carol's number and I'll get in touch with her to make arrangements." James gave me the number and we said our goodbyes. I called Carol's number next. "This is Carol Ward, how can I help you?" she answered. "Good afternoon, Carol, this is Maxwill Sanders and I just got off the phone with my attorney, James." "Good afternoon to you, also. You sure didn't waste any time calling, did you? Are you just a bit anxious, Mr. Sanders?" "Well, I guess maybe a little bit. First, Ms. Ward, please call me Max. Everyone else does and I think as we work through this process, you'll get tired of calling me Mr. Sanders. James tells me that you and Anna have agreed to a weekend visit with the boys and that you would be coming along to make sure everything goes smoothly." "Yes, sir. And you can call me Carol. I'm not too big on the formalities, myself. And, yes, I agreed to be the supervisor for your case and will be coming out to spend the weekend with you and the boys." "Thanks, Carol. Is there anything special I need to do for or during the weekend?" "Not really. From my discussions with Anna, I understand your home has 4 bedrooms. You, of course, have your own, the twins will use one, Thomas and Michael will use the second one and I will be in the third bedroom. Is that correct?" "Exactly. All the bedrooms currently have king-size beds and I figured, for the weekend anyway, the boys wouldn't mind sharing a bed for a couple of nights. You don't see a problem with that, do you, Carol?" "No, I don't think it will be an issue. I mean, Joseph and Alexander already do everything together, so sharing a bed shouldn't be a problem with them and I don't think Thomas and Michael would mind sharing the same bed, either." "Excellent. I have already created a list of meals for the weekend, but I can make changes if you think it's necessary. The menu's pretty basic, actually. I thought we'd eat at Steak `n Shake on the way out after picking up the boys Friday afternoon. Then, on Saturday, we'd have eggs, bacon and sausage for breakfast, hamburgers, hot dogs and chips for lunch, and pizza for supper. Sunday morning, I'd planned on waffles or pancakes for breakfast and spaghetti for lunch. I assumed you'd be leaving sometime Sunday afternoon, so I haven't planned anything for supper." "It certainly sounds like you've given this a lot of thought, Max. Your meals sound fine and I don't see any need to change anything. You've selected a decent variety of food that should appeal to anyone and the boys, and myself, will be just fine with your choices. As far as when we would leave, I had planned on Sunday afternoon, probably around 4:00. That gives me time to get the boys back to their homes and me to get home for a relaxing evening. I think I'll need it after what sounds like is going to be a busy weekend. Now, the only other question I have for you is when would like to have this visit happen?" "Well, it won't be this weekend or the next as I'm having some work done that will be a surprise for the boys." "I hope you're not doing anything crazy, Max." "That depends on what you consider crazy, Carol." "Hiring a circus, going racing, swimming, you know, that kind of crazy. I don't think anyone would enjoy those things in February." "You're safe with the first two guesses, but you struck out on the third." "What?? You're planning to go swimming? In this weather?" I had to laugh at her reaction. "To be honest, Carol, I have an in-ground pool at my home and I am having a shelter installed to allow us to do just that." "You're not doing that because of our visit, are you? That's going way too far, Max." "No, Carol, it's not just because of the visit. I've wanted a shelter over the pool for a long time so I could use it in the winter, I just never got around to it. This seemed to be the perfect excuse for me get off my butt and make it happen. However, the shelter won't be installed and ready for use for a couple of weeks. I want to make sure the boys can go swimming if they want to while they're here." "Well, from what Anna has told me, if any of our clients can afford to do such a thing, it's you. Oh, I'm so sorry, Max, that sounded crass. I hope I didn't offend you." I laughed and replied, "No Carol, I'm not offended. It's hard to be offended by the truth." "Thank you, Max. I'll try to abstain from any further such comments." "No problem, Carol. So how does the third weekend from this one sound to you?" "That sounds just fine, Max. It gives us time to plan with the boys and gives me time to prepare myself for a weekend with four active boys. I'll talk with Anna in the morning and let her know what the plan is and we'll be all set." "I'll look forward to it, Carol. Don't let the boys know about the pool, please. I want it to be a surprise when they get here. If you can get me their sizes, I'll get them some new swim trunks. I'm guessing they don't already have any." "No, I'm sure they don't. I'll double-check on the sizes you'll need to get and let you know so you can have them when we get there." "One more thing, Carol. How do we want to handle transportation? Right now, my only vehicle is a Shelby Mustang which would only hold two or three of the boys along with their bags. I have a new Ford Flex ordered, but it's not even built yet. If you want, I can meet you at your office in the afternoon, then we can head out to pick up the boys together. I could take two in my car if you can take two in yours. Does that sound okay?" "That'd be fine, Max. Well, it sounds like we have everything set. I'll let you go and I'll start getting things set up on my end." "Thanks, Carol. I'll look forward to your visit and if anything comes up, I'll be sure to let you know. Have a great evening." We ended our conversation and I sat back to think a bit. I wanted to make sure I had everything ready for Carol and the boys when the time came for their visit.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 7</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free.&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc472178166"><span>Chapter 7 � Cleaning crew</span></a></h2> <p><span>I awoke the next morning, well-rested and ready to attack another day. The cleaning crew would be here shortly and I wanted to be ready for them. I ran through the shower, dressed and fixed myself a quick breakfast of eggs and sausage. After cleaning up my breakfast mess, I heard the ding of the driveway sensor announcing, I hoped, the cleaners. I met them at the door, let them in and directed them to where they could stash their coats and boots. I then led them on short tour of the house while giving them directions on what needed to be done. I saved the pool deck area for last. It turns out that I should have done the pool deck first as one of the crew, Ron, was there specifically to take care of that area and he wanted to hit it early. </span></p> <p><span>The crew went back out to their van to retrieve their equipment and cleaners and got straight to work. Three of them attacked the study while Ron passed through the house with a what looked like a leaf blower. I followed him outside and pointed out a power supply he could use. He started blowing the snow at the doors and worked his way out to the end of the pool area. It took him about half an hour to clear the area and it looked like a blizzard while the blower was running. When he was done, I asked him about the blower and he told me it was basically your regular leaf blower with a larger motor and fan in it to help displace heavier materials. It was the first time he had tried to use it on snow, but he was glad he did because it performed flawlessly. </span></p> <p><span>We headed back into the house to warmth and comfort. My study was done and I could hear the washer running so I assumed they were working on the bed linens from the other three bedrooms already. Ron found the team's leader, Dawn, and she gave him his next task. It turned out his job was to take the three bed comforters to an outside service to be cleaned. Dawn told me that with washing and drying the sheets from the other three bedrooms and the towels in the bathrooms, she thought they could finish quicker if the comforters were taken out. I told her that was fine with me. While Ron was gone, the rest of the crew dusted, vacuumed, mopped and worked like dirt demons to finish up the rest of the house. Ron returned with the comforters about two hours later, just as the rest of the crew was finishing up. The beds had already been re-made and the comforters were back in place in very short order.</span></p> <p><span>Once the cleaners were done with the job, Dawn came to my study to let me know they were ready to move on to the next job. I headed out to the kitchen with my checkbook so I could pay them. After a quick review of their work, I was nicely surprised at the job they had done in a very short period time and I let them know how happy I was with the results. I wrote out a check to cover the charges quoted to me by Joyce. I then gave each crewmember a $100 cash tip to thank them for their excellent work. All four were stunned at the tip, but happily accepted the gift. I quietly slipped Ron an extra $50 for taking care of the pool deck and let him know how appreciative I was for the extra work he'd done and let him know he was welcome to come back and use the pool any time he wanted. Ron was a nice-looking guy about 25-30 years old and I quietly hoped he would take me up on my offer.</span></p> <p><span>Dawn, Ron and the others loaded up their equipment and supplies and headed down the drive. Just after the drive sensor dinged to announce their departure, the phone rang. I grabbed it the kitchen after noticing from the caller ID it was M&amp;M pools calling. "Good afternoon, Mike. I assume you're calling with good news," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I think it's good, but I'll let you be the judge. I just got off the phone with the shelter people and they were ecstatic at getting an order like yours this time of year."</span></p> <p><span>"Great, glad I could help them out."</span></p> <p><span>"I told them the size of shelter we need and it looks like they have enough of the regular wall panels already built and ready to ship out. They will only have to assemble a few roof sections and the triangular wall sections for each end of the shelter."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds great, Mike. Did they give you any idea when they'd be ready to ship everything?"</span></p> <p><span>"Like I told you yesterday, the anchors will be shipped tomorrow so we can get them installed before the panels arrive. They expect to have the special sections built in about a week and should be shipping everything else next Friday or the following Monday."</span></p> <p><span> "Perfect, Mike. Now, I have some good news for you. The pool deck is cleaned off as promised. You wouldn't believe how they did it. Actually, it was just one of the crew, Ron, who took care of it. He had this thing like a leaf blower on steroids and once he started, the deck area was cleaned off in about half an hour. Now you guys won't have to deal with that when you come out to install the anchors."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for that, Max. We could have done it, but having it done before we get there will save us some time. Just hope it doesn't snow more between now and then. We'll bring the heaters out when we receive the anchors to help ward off the chill while we install them. Considering the size of the shelter, it will take at least a day to get all the anchors in place and ready. It won't be much fun this time of year, but I won't complain about the income. Speaking of which, the total for the shelter and everything comes up to $47,500. I know that's more than what you probably expected when you started this project, but it is what it is. That's not a problem, is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"No problem at all, Mike. I'll call my bank this afternoon and have $36,000 wired to your business account. Sound okay to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'll work just fine Max. Thanks."</span></p> <p><span>"When do you think your guys will be here to install the anchors?"</span></p> <p><span>"As long as UPS doesn't have any issues, we should have them Monday or Tuesday next week. I'll schedule the guys to come out Thursday if that works for you."</span></p> <p><span>"Thursday should work out just fine, Mike. That will give me time to deal with some other things I need to take care of."</span></p> <p><span>"It's a date, then, Max. We'll see you next Thursday about 9:00 in the morning."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be here and have everything ready for you, including a large pot of hot coffee. Have a great weekend, Mike, and we'll talk to you soon."</span></p> <p><span>After ending the call with Mike, a thought popped in my head and I made another quick call to help Mike and his guys. I called a local party rental company and arranged to have a tent erected over the pool deck. I figured heaters without some way of cutting off the wind wouldn't be much help in keeping the guys semi-comfortable. I know it's their job to deal with the elements, but if I could help, I would. I had to make sure they had a tent that could be set up on concrete without damaging it and, fortunately, they had just what I was looking for. I had the tent folks scheduled to install the tent Tuesday afternoon and they should expect me to have it for about two weeks. While they didn't much enjoy the thought of erecting a tent in early February, they were happy to have the income from the rental. </span></p> <p><span>I next checked in with Herb about the status of my new Flex. He let me know it was still on schedule and I should expect delivery in about a month. I knew nothing should really change in a couple days, but I was just trying to avoid any surprises. I had more than enough happening that surprises would not be welcome. I finally got undressed again and called James to see if he had heard anything from Anna, but he was in a meeting with another client and had to call me back. I waited for about an hour before the phone rang.</span></p> <p><span>I anxiously answered, "James, have you heard from Anna yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Max, I'm just fine. Glad you asked. How about yourself? You hanging in there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, James. I'm getting a little nervous and freaked out. I'm just fine and glad you are, too. Now, answer my question, have you heard from Anna, yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"As a matter of fact, I talked to her just about 10 minutes ago. Anna and her staff have had several discussions about your proposal and it sounds like they approve of the idea. One of Anna's staff is single and has agreed to give up one of her weekends to come out and supervise a visit with all four boys. They agree that the visit would not only give each child a chance to see where they would be living, but also give Anna a person on-site to evaluate your home and the living conditions for an adoptee or two in the case of the twins."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds great, James. Did she give any hint as to when they would like the visit to happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"The date seems to be up to you and the staff member. Her name is Carol Ward and it will be up to you to call her and arrange the date and time. It sounded to me like it could happen any time as long they have enough notice for Carol and the boys to be out there for the weekend."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, James. Why don't you give me Carol's number and I'll get in touch with her to make arrangements." James gave me the number and we said our goodbyes. I called Carol's number next.</span></p> <p><span>"This is Carol Ward, how can I help you?" she answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, Carol, this is Maxwill Sanders and I just got off the phone with my attorney, James."</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon to you, also. You sure didn't waste any time calling, did you? Are you just a bit anxious, Mr. Sanders?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess maybe a little bit. First, Ms. Ward, please call me Max. Everyone else does and I think as we work through this process, you'll get tired of calling me Mr. Sanders. James tells me that you and Anna have agreed to a weekend visit with the boys and that you would be coming along to make sure everything goes smoothly."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir. And you can call me Carol. I'm not too big on the formalities, myself. And, yes, I agreed to be the supervisor for your case and will be coming out to spend the weekend with you and the boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Carol. Is there anything special I need to do for or during the weekend?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really. From my discussions with Anna, I understand your home has 4 bedrooms. You, of course, have your own, the twins will use one, Thomas and Michael will use the second one and I will be in the third bedroom. Is that correct?"</span></p> <p><span>"Exactly. All the bedrooms currently have king-size beds and I figured, for the weekend anyway, the boys wouldn't mind sharing a bed for a couple of nights. You don't see a problem with that, do you, Carol?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I don't think it will be an issue. I mean, Joseph and Alexander already do everything together, so sharing a bed shouldn't be a problem with them and I don't think Thomas and Michael would mind sharing the same bed, either."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent. I have already created a list of meals for the weekend, but I can make changes if you think it's necessary. The menu's pretty basic, actually. I thought we'd eat at Steak `n Shake on the way out after picking up the boys Friday afternoon. Then, on Saturday, we'd have eggs, bacon and sausage for breakfast, hamburgers, hot dogs and chips for lunch, and pizza for supper. Sunday morning, I'd planned on waffles or pancakes for breakfast and spaghetti for lunch. I assumed you'd be leaving sometime Sunday afternoon, so I haven't planned anything for supper."</span></p> <p><span>"It certainly sounds like you've given this a lot of thought, Max. Your meals sound fine and I don't see any need to change anything. You've selected a decent variety of food that should appeal to anyone and the boys, and myself, will be just fine with your choices. As far as when we would leave, I had planned on Sunday afternoon, probably around 4:00. That gives me time to get the boys back to their homes and me to get home for a relaxing evening. I think I'll need it after what sounds like is going to be a busy weekend. Now, the only other question I have for you is when would like to have this visit happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it won't be this weekend or the next as I'm having some work done that will be a surprise for the boys."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope you're not doing anything crazy, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"That depends on what you consider crazy, Carol."</span></p> <p><span>"Hiring a circus, going racing, swimming, you know, that kind of crazy. I don't think anyone would enjoy those things in February."</span></p> <p><span>"You're safe with the first two guesses, but you struck out on the third."</span></p> <p><span>"What?? You're planning to go swimming? In this weather?" I had to laugh at her reaction.</span></p> <p><span>"To be honest, Carol, I have an in-ground pool at my home and I am having a shelter installed to allow us to do just that."</span></p> <p><span>"You're not doing that because of our visit, are you? That's going way too far, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"No, Carol, it's not just because of the visit. I've wanted a shelter over the pool for a long time so I could use it in the winter, I just never got around to it. This seemed to be the perfect excuse for me get off my butt and make it happen. However, the shelter won't be installed and ready for use for a couple of weeks. I want to make sure the boys can go swimming if they want to while they're here."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, from what Anna has told me, if any of our clients can afford to do such a thing, it's you. Oh, I'm so sorry, Max, that sounded crass. I hope I didn't offend you."</span></p> <p><span>I laughed and replied, "No Carol, I'm not offended. It's hard to be offended by the truth."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Max. I'll try to abstain from any further such comments."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Carol. So how does the third weekend from this one sound to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds just fine, Max. It gives us time to plan with the boys and gives me time to prepare myself for a weekend with four active boys. I'll talk with Anna in the morning and let her know what the plan is and we'll be all set."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll look forward to it, Carol. Don't let the boys know about the pool, please. I want it to be a surprise when they get here. If you can get me their sizes, I'll get them some new swim trunks. I'm guessing they don't already have any."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I'm sure they don't. I'll double-check on the sizes you'll need to get and let you know so you can have them when we get there."</span></p> <p><span>"One more thing, Carol. How do we want to handle transportation? Right now, my only vehicle is a Shelby Mustang which would only hold two or three of the boys along with their bags. I have a new Ford Flex ordered, but it's not even built yet. If you want, I can meet you at your office in the afternoon, then we can head out to pick up the boys together. I could take two in my car if you can take two in yours. Does that sound okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be fine, Max. Well, it sounds like we have everything set. I'll let you go and I'll start getting things set up on my end."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Carol. I'll look forward to your visit and if anything comes up, I'll be sure to let you know. Have a great evening."</span></p> <p><span>We ended our conversation and I sat back to think a bit. I wanted to make sure I had everything ready for Carol and the boys when the time came for their visit.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-6.html

Building a Family 6 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Chapter 6 � Pool Shelter Meeting I slept rather fitfully that night. I kept having dreams about the 4 boys living here and driving me crazy with demands. I would wake with a start, sweating profusely and shaking with fear about what I was contemplating. I'd toss and turn for about 15 minutes each time, and then drop back off to sleep, only to awaken again about an hour later. By the time the sun was coming up, I'd managed about 5� hours sleep out of the 9 I'd been in bed. This was going to be a long day. I fixed myself a quick breakfast of cereal with toast, then cleaned up my mess to get ready for my pool guy to show up. I took a shower to help me wake up a bit more, got dressed and headed to the kitchen to start the pot of coffee I had promised to have ready when Mike arrived. The last of the fresh coffee was dripping into the carafe when I heard the ding announcing someone had turned into the driveway. Since I was expecting only Mike this morning, I headed to front door to meet him, fresh cup of coffee in hand. I opened the door just as Mike was about to ring the chimes. He wasn't expecting me so quickly, so he jumped back a bit in surprise. "Jesus, Max, you scared the hell out of me. You really should give your guests at least a chance to ring the bell or knock before you open the door." "Sorry, Mike, didn't mean to spook ya', but I heard the ding of the driveway sensor when you turned off the road." "Oh, that's right. I keep forgetting you have that. That's probably a good thing to have living out here in the boonies like you do." "I wouldn't live here without it. While I love the property, I'm just a bit paranoid about folks popping in without warning. The sensor keeps that from happening. Come on in and warm up a minute before we go measure things." "Now, there's a plan, Max. Get outta my way, man." I closed the door and while handing Mike the coffee, I said, "Here's that fresh coffee I promised. It just finished brewing. Why don't we sit at the counter and you can show me what types of shelters you can get while you drink a bit. Then we can go out and get some measurements." "Good idea," Mike replied. On the way to the kitchen bar, Mike asked, "So tell me, Max, why, after all these years, have you decided to enclose the pool? If you remember, I suggested just that same idea about 5 years ago." "Oh, I remember, all right. That's why I called you and not someone else. The main force behind it happening now is I am hoping to adopt soon and I thought it would be nice for us to have the pool available all year." "Adopt?? I've never thought of you as having a family. I assumed you would go through life as a dedicated bachelor." "I kinda thought that's where I was headed also, Mike, but I've discovered I'm getting pretty bored living out here all alone and decided to change that." "But why adoption? Why don't you get married and have kids the way everyone else does?" "To be honest with you, Mike, I'm gay and `normal' way of doing things would work out too well for me. Or for any potential wife, either." "Whoa, sorry for being so nosy." "It doesn't bother you, does it? Me being gay, that is?" "Not a whit, Max. Some of our best clients are gay. You should see some of the pools we've done. They'd blow your mind. Waterfalls, slides, fancy tilework in the pool and on the deck. It seems the sky's the limit with you folks." "What do you mean by that?" I exclaimed. "Ah, shit, that didn't come out right. Sorry, Max, I didn't mean anything other than the gay folks we've done work for always seem to have plenty of money and have no hesitation in spending it. And I'm happy to let them do just that. I apologize if I've offended you." "Oh, hell, don't worry about it, Mike. I've just recently accepted my sexuality and I guess I'm a little more defensive about it than I should be. Sorry for jumping down your back. I know you didn't mean anything by it" We each took a stool at the bar counter in the kitchen and Mike pulled some brochures out of his case. I took them and started looking at them while Mike described the different versions. "The system you are looking at now is an aluminum framework with triple-glazed glass. We place anchors in the concrete deck around the pool and then the frames are bolted to the anchors. Despite how that sounds, the anchors are designed so that when the shelter is taken down, no part of the anchor sticks up above the surface of the concrete. And there are stainless steel caps to place over the anchors to make them flush with the concrete. That makes it safe for anybody walking around, no bolts or studs sticking up to trip over." "This looks pretty good, Mike. What kind of pricing are we looking at?" "Of course, it all depends on size, but around 25-30 thousand, installed." "That's about what I expected. What's this next one?" "This is similar except it's a redwood framework instead of aluminum. The anchors are similar in design so that when the shelter is taken down, none of the anchor sticks up to cause problems. Again, the glass is triple-glazed and installing, taking down and storage is pretty easy for a group of four or five guys. Personally, this one's my favorite because I'm partial to the wood framing. Each section of the walls and roof is four foot by eight foot and there are custom-made triangle pieces on each end to tie the walls into the roof. That makes it easy to order whatever is needed for each installation. You just decide how much area needs to be covered and go from there. The only pieces that take a bit of time to manufacture are the custom triangle pieces to close the ends. But they only take about three or four days to fabricate, so the delay in shipping isn't too bad." "What kind of pricing are we looking at for this setup? Is it similar the aluminum-framed shelter?" "It costs a little more than the other, but for the wood framing, it's worth every penny. Again, it's my favorite of what we have available." "What's this third one like, Mike?" "This last one is a what we call a roll-away shelter. We install tracks in the concrete deck and then the sections simply roll in or out depending on what kind of exposure you want on any given day. The advantage to this system is you can roll over the pool one day to enclose it and then the next, you simply roll it back out of the way. You can also just partially cover pool if you want. The disadvantage to this system is that once it's put up and the rollers are bolted to the shelter sections, you really don't want to take it down because aligning the whole thing is a nightmare. What that means is, even when you are not using the shelter, there is stack of sections at the far end of the pool. Once you have so many sections nested, the visibility through the end and sides becomes pretty bad. That and you always have the stack of sections out there." "I don't think I'd like that, Mike. It sounds like I'd be killing the view out the glass wall with that thing." "Yep, you'd be doing just that. That's why I prefer one of the other shelter systems, with them in place, the view wouldn't be too bad, and when you take them down for the summer, your view is exactly what you have right now." "What about heating them? Would it be difficult to add supplemental heat if I wanted it?" "Not really, Max. With the triple-glazing, the shelters are basically solar heated. If you want to add some heaters to the shelters, we can have electric, gas or both run to the far corners and either type of heater can be installed. That would be handy to have on those winter days that are cloudy or cold enough outside that the solar gain can't counteract the cold." "Well, I'm leaning toward the wood frame system, depending on cost, of course. I really like the looks of it compared to the aluminum. It would blend a lot better with the cedar siding on the house." "I tend to agree with you, Max, and not just because I'll make more money off you. If this were my house, that's the shelter I would pick. Now, you ready to go outside so we can see how big we need to make this?" "No time like the present, my friend. Let me grab my coat and boots and I'll meet you out there." I headed to my bedroom, to get bundled up and met Mike outside by the pool. "How much area were you looking to get under cover, Max? Just the pool itself or do you want to also cover part of the deck also?" "I also want to cover a pretty good area of the deck up towards the house. That will give a decent area to sit and watch whoever might be swimming or just take a short break from swimming without having to go inside the house." "That sounds like a good idea. I think we should start measuring from the house out to the end of the pool then. We can leave a four or six-foot gap between the house roof and the shelter so you can get outside and go around the pool without having to go through it. Make sense to you?" "Sounds perfect, Mike. Let's get measuring and back inside." We took some quick measures as best we could with the snow on the deck, but we got what we needed and headed back inside. We took off our coats and boots and headed back to the bar counter. "Well, Mike, what are we looking at?" "The pool measures 24' X 50' and the concrete deck is about 40' X 100'. I'd recommend we plan for the shelter to cover 36' X 72'. That gives you an extra 12' on the width which allows 6' on each side of the pool and 22' extra for the length. If we stick with 6' at the far end of the pool, you'd have 16' on the end up here by the house which allows plenty of space for some chairs and a table inside and about 5�' between the shelter and the roof of the house. It's almost like the guy who put the pool in originally knew what he was doin'," Mike snickered. I laughed along with him, "Yeah, I guess he did. I was kinda worried about him when I called the first time. I wasn't too sure if he even knew what a pool was." Mike punched me in the shoulder for that crack and then added, "That smart comment just jacked the price up 10%, bubba." "Okay, okay, I take it back. You and your guys did a great job and always have and I thank you for it. Now, let's get serious. How big of a dent is this gonna put in my bank account?" "That all depends on when you want it installed. If you want it now, it's going to cost more because the company that makes the panels only runs half their normal crew in the winter and our guys are running about half-time also. Most are working split days from our normal summer schedule." "Let me tell you what I'm thinking, Mike, and you tell me if you can make it happen. I've met with an agency in Springfield this week and met four kids needing homes. I suggested to the director that they all come out for a weekend with one of her staff so we could all get to know each other better. I thought it would also give the agency a chance to inspect the home and make sure they approve of the conditions. After suggesting the visit, I thought it would be great if we could go swimming while they're here. With all that said, I'd like to have the shelter in place by next weekend or the weekend after that. Is that possible?" "Next weekend's not gonna happen, Max. I know the panel factory isn't what you'd call busy right now, but it usually takes a week to build any special panels and then another week to get them delivered. So, the earliest we could have everything here and installed would be the weekend after next and that's the best-case scenario. I wouldn't plan on having your guests any time in the next 3 weeks. If you want to swim, that is." "Well, that kinda sucks, but I'll live with it, Mike. Do you have the information you need to get the anchors installed before the panels are delivered?" "Oh, yeah, that's not a problem. This company always ships the anchors when they receive the order along with the installation instructions and locations. That way, we can have everything ready on-site before panel delivery and we usually install the panels as they come off the truck." "Well, that should help. I'm having a cleaning service come out tomorrow and one of the things I having them take care of is cleaning off the pool deck area. That should help you guys out when you have the anchors. Providing, of course, we don't get any more snow between now and then. And if we do, I'll call them out again. Do you have any heaters to make working out there a little better for you?" "You bet we do. If we try to install the anchors with the concrete as cold as it right now, we're more likely to crack it in places we don't want. I know we poured a good slab when we did the pool originally, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. The heaters will also cut the wind chill effect out here in the middle of nowhere." "That sounds fine, Mike. Now, get your butt back to your office and get that shelter ordered." "One more thing, Max, and I hate to ask, but this time of year, cash flow is tight. Do you have a problem with making a deposit payment of 40 or 50%?" "No problem, Mike. You've always been good to me. Once you have a total, let me know and I'll have my bank wire you 75%. I'll pay the balance once the installation is completed. Would that be okay with you?" "Perfect, Max. I knew there was a reason I liked working with you. You just reminded me why." "Happy to help you out, Mike. You better get moving and get your work schedule lined out. This should make your guys happy, too." "A little late for Christmas, but still a very welcome present. Thanks for calling me on this, Max. I'll make sure you're taken care of." "I know you will. Thanks to you too, Mike. Call me if you run into any problems or delays. Have a good day and be careful out there." I waited for the ding of the driveway sensor to make sure he didn't get stuck leaving. Once I was sure he wasn't coming back, I got undressed and headed to my study to look over my lists to see if any changes were needed. After a few minutes of review, I couldn't see anything to update so I headed to the home theater to kick back and relax for a bit. If things worked out the way I was hoping, I probably wouldn't have much relaxation in the future so I should probably enjoy it while I could.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 6</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free.&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc472178165"><span>Chapter 6 � Pool Shelter Meeting</span></a></h2> <p><span>I slept rather fitfully that night. I kept having dreams about the 4 boys living here and driving me crazy with demands. I would wake with a start, sweating profusely and shaking with fear about what I was contemplating. I'd toss and turn for about 15 minutes each time, and then drop back off to sleep, only to awaken again about an hour later. By the time the sun was coming up, I'd managed about 5� hours sleep out of the 9 I'd been in bed. This was going to be a long day. </span></p> <p><span>I fixed myself a quick breakfast of cereal with toast, then cleaned up my mess to get ready for my pool guy to show up. I took a shower to help me wake up a bit more, got dressed and headed to the kitchen to start the pot of coffee I had promised to have ready when Mike arrived. The last of the fresh coffee was dripping into the carafe when I heard the ding announcing someone had turned into the driveway. Since I was expecting only Mike this morning, I headed to front door to meet him, fresh cup of coffee in hand. I opened the door just as Mike was about to ring the chimes. He wasn't expecting me so quickly, so he jumped back a bit in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus, Max, you scared the hell out of me. You really should give your guests at least a chance to ring the bell or knock before you open the door."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Mike, didn't mean to spook ya', but I heard the ding of the driveway sensor when you turned off the road."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that's right. I keep forgetting you have that. That's probably a good thing to have living out here in the boonies like you do."</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't live here without it. While I love the property, I'm just a bit paranoid about folks popping in without warning. The sensor keeps that from happening. Come on in and warm up a minute before we go measure things."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, there's a plan, Max. Get outta my way, man."</span></p> <p><span>I closed the door and while handing Mike the coffee, I said, "Here's that fresh coffee I promised. It just finished brewing. Why don't we sit at the counter and you can show me what types of shelters you can get while you drink a bit. Then we can go out and get some measurements."</span></p> <p><span>"Good idea," Mike replied. On the way to the kitchen bar, Mike asked, "So tell me, Max, why, after all these years, have you decided to enclose the pool? If you remember, I suggested just that same idea about 5 years ago."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I remember, all right. That's why I called you and not someone else. The main force behind it happening now is I am hoping to adopt soon and I thought it would be nice for us to have the pool available all year."</span></p> <p><span>"Adopt?? I've never thought of you as having a family. I assumed you would go through life as a dedicated bachelor."</span></p> <p><span>"I kinda thought that's where I was headed also, Mike, but I've discovered I'm getting pretty bored living out here all alone and decided to change that."</span></p> <p><span>"But why adoption? Why don't you get married and have kids the way everyone else does?"</span></p> <p><span>"To be honest with you, Mike, I'm gay and `normal' way of doing things would work out too well for me. Or for any potential wife, either."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, sorry for being so nosy."</span></p> <p><span>"It doesn't bother you, does it? Me being gay, that is?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a whit, Max. Some of our best clients are gay. You should see some of the pools we've done. They'd blow your mind. Waterfalls, slides, fancy tilework in the pool and on the deck. It seems the sky's the limit with you folks."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean by that?" I exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, shit, that didn't come out right. Sorry, Max, I didn't mean anything other than the gay folks we've done work for always seem to have plenty of money and have no hesitation in spending it. And I'm happy to let them do just that. I apologize if I've offended you."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hell, don't worry about it, Mike. I've just recently accepted my sexuality and I guess I'm a little more defensive about it than I should be. Sorry for jumping down your back. I know you didn't mean anything by it"</span></p> <p><span>We each took a stool at the bar counter in the kitchen and Mike pulled some brochures out of his case. I took them and started looking at them while Mike described the different versions. "The system you are looking at now is an aluminum framework with triple-glazed glass. We place anchors in the concrete deck around the pool and then the frames are bolted to the anchors. Despite how that sounds, the anchors are designed so that when the shelter is taken down, no part of the anchor sticks up above the surface of the concrete. And there are stainless steel caps to place over the anchors to make them flush with the concrete. That makes it safe for anybody walking around, no bolts or studs sticking up to trip over."</span></p> <p><span>"This looks pretty good, Mike. What kind of pricing are we looking at?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, it all depends on size, but around 25-30 thousand, installed."</span></p> <p><span>"That's about what I expected. What's this next one?"</span></p> <p><span>"This is similar except it's a redwood framework instead of aluminum. The anchors are similar in design so that when the shelter is taken down, none of the anchor sticks up to cause problems. Again, the glass is triple-glazed and installing, taking down and storage is pretty easy for a group of four or five guys. Personally, this one's my favorite because I'm partial to the wood framing. Each section of the walls and roof is four foot by eight foot and there are custom-made triangle pieces on each end to tie the walls into the roof. That makes it easy to order whatever is needed for each installation. You just decide how much area needs to be covered and go from there. The only pieces that take a bit of time to manufacture are the custom triangle pieces to close the ends. But they only take about three or four days to fabricate, so the delay in shipping isn't too bad."</span></p> <p><span>"What kind of pricing are we looking at for this setup? Is it similar the aluminum-framed shelter?"</span></p> <p><span>"It costs a little more than the other, but for the wood framing, it's worth every penny. Again, it's my favorite of what we have available."</span></p> <p><span>"What's this third one like, Mike?"</span></p> <p><span>"This last one is a what we call a roll-away shelter. We install tracks in the concrete deck and then the sections simply roll in or out depending on what kind of exposure you want on any given day. The advantage to this system is you can roll over the pool one day to enclose it and then the next, you simply roll it back out of the way. You can also just partially cover pool if you want. The disadvantage to this system is that once it's put up and the rollers are bolted to the shelter sections, you really don't want to take it down because aligning the whole thing is a nightmare. What that means is, even when you are not using the shelter, there is stack of sections at the far end of the pool. Once you have so many sections nested, the visibility through the end and sides becomes pretty bad. That and you always have the stack of sections out there."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think I'd like that, Mike. It sounds like I'd be killing the view out the glass wall with that thing."</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, you'd be doing just that. That's why I prefer one of the other shelter systems, with them in place, the view wouldn't be too bad, and when you take them down for the summer, your view is exactly what you have right now."</span></p> <p><span>"What about heating them? Would it be difficult to add supplemental heat if I wanted it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, Max. With the triple-glazing, the shelters are basically solar heated. If you want to add some heaters to the shelters, we can have electric, gas or both run to the far corners and either type of heater can be installed. That would be handy to have on those winter days that are cloudy or cold enough outside that the solar gain can't counteract the cold."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm leaning toward the wood frame system, depending on cost, of course. I really like the looks of it compared to the aluminum. It would blend a lot better with the cedar siding on the house."</span></p> <p><span>"I tend to agree with you, Max, and not just because I'll make more money off you. If this were my house, that's the shelter I would pick. Now, you ready to go outside so we can see how big we need to make this?"</span></p> <p><span>"No time like the present, my friend. Let me grab my coat and boots and I'll meet you out there." I headed to my bedroom, to get bundled up and met Mike outside by the pool. </span></p> <p><span>"How much area were you looking to get under cover, Max? Just the pool itself or do you want to also cover part of the deck also?"</span></p> <p><span>"I also want to cover a pretty good area of the deck up towards the house. That will give a decent area to sit and watch whoever might be swimming or just take a short break from swimming without having to go inside the house."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like a good idea. I think we should start measuring from the house out to the end of the pool then. We can leave a four or six-foot gap between the house roof and the shelter so you can get outside and go around the pool without having to go through it. Make sense to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds perfect, Mike. Let's get measuring and back inside."</span></p> <p><span>We took some quick measures as best we could with the snow on the deck, but we got what we needed and headed back inside. We took off our coats and boots and headed back to the bar counter.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Mike, what are we looking at?"</span></p> <p><span>"The pool measures 24' X 50' and the concrete deck is about 40' X 100'. I'd recommend we plan for the shelter to cover 36' X 72'. That gives you an extra 12' on the width which allows 6' on each side of the pool and 22' extra for the length. If we stick with 6' at the far end of the pool, you'd have 16' on the end up here by the house which allows plenty of space for some chairs and a table inside and about 5�' between the shelter and the roof of the house. It's almost like the guy who put the pool in originally knew what he was doin'," Mike snickered.</span></p> <p><span>I laughed along with him, "Yeah, I guess he did. I was kinda worried about him when I called the first time. I wasn't too sure if he even knew what a pool was." </span></p> <p><span>Mike punched me in the shoulder for that crack and then added, "That smart comment just jacked the price up 10%, bubba."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, okay, I take it back. You and your guys did a great job and always have and I thank you for it. Now, let's get serious. How big of a dent is this gonna put in my bank account?"</span></p> <p><span>"That all depends on when you want it installed. If you want it now, it's going to cost more because the company that makes the panels only runs half their normal crew in the winter and our guys are running about half-time also. Most are working split days from our normal summer schedule."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me tell you what I'm thinking, Mike, and you tell me if you can make it happen. I've met with an agency in Springfield this week and met four kids needing homes. I suggested to the director that they all come out for a weekend with one of her staff so we could all get to know each other better. I thought it would also give the agency a chance to inspect the home and make sure they approve of the conditions. After suggesting the visit, I thought it would be great if we could go swimming while they're here. With all that said, I'd like to have the shelter in place by next weekend or the weekend after that. Is that possible?"</span></p> <p><span>"Next weekend's not gonna happen, Max. I know the panel factory isn't what you'd call busy right now, but it usually takes a week to build any special panels and then another week to get them delivered. So, the earliest we could have everything here and installed would be the weekend after next and that's the best-case scenario. I wouldn't plan on having your guests any time in the next 3 weeks. If you want to swim, that is."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that kinda sucks, but I'll live with it, Mike. Do you have the information you need to get the anchors installed before the panels are delivered?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, that's not a problem. This company always ships the anchors when they receive the order along with the installation instructions and locations. That way, we can have everything ready on-site before panel delivery and we usually install the panels as they come off the truck."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that should help. I'm having a cleaning service come out tomorrow and one of the things I having them take care of is cleaning off the pool deck area. That should help you guys out when you have the anchors. Providing, of course, we don't get any more snow between now and then. And if we do, I'll call them out again. Do you have any heaters to make working out there a little better for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet we do. If we try to install the anchors with the concrete as cold as it right now, we're more likely to crack it in places we don't want. I know we poured a good slab when we did the pool originally, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. The heaters will also cut the wind chill effect out here in the middle of nowhere."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds fine, Mike. Now, get your butt back to your office and get that shelter ordered."</span></p> <p><span>"One more thing, Max, and I hate to ask, but this time of year, cash flow is tight. Do you have a problem with making a deposit payment of 40 or 50%?"</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Mike. You've always been good to me. Once you have a total, let me know and I'll have my bank wire you 75%. I'll pay the balance once the installation is completed. Would that be okay with you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, Max. I knew there was a reason I liked working with you. You just reminded me why."</span></p> <p><span>"Happy to help you out, Mike. You better get moving and get your work schedule lined out. This should make your guys happy, too."</span></p> <p><span>"A little late for Christmas, but still a very welcome present. Thanks for calling me on this, Max. I'll make sure you're taken care of."</span></p> <p><span>"I know you will. Thanks to you too, Mike. Call me if you run into any problems or delays. Have a good day and be careful out there."</span></p> <p><span>I waited for the ding of the driveway sensor to make sure he didn't get stuck leaving. Once I was sure he wasn't coming back, I got undressed and headed to my study to look over my lists to see if any changes were needed. After a few minutes of review, I couldn't see anything to update so I headed to the home theater to kick back and relax for a bit. If things worked out the way I was hoping, I probably wouldn't have much relaxation in the future so I should probably enjoy it while I could.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-37.html

Building a Family 37 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 37 � Lunch with the `Rents "What!? You're shittin' me." "Not at all, babe. I wouldn't dream of shittin' you, Max, not on something like that." "I guess I better go say hi," I said as I walked past Tom towards the front door. "That's what good sons do when their parents show up at their front door. Especially when they've been invited," he laughed to my back as he fell in trail behind me. I hustled my ass to the door to find my dad standing with his hands stuffed in his pockets, frown flooding his face, and mom with her arms crossed across her chest, staring at dad in contempt. "Mom, dad, I wasn't sure you were coming today," I said as I gave her a hug. "You should have called." "Oh, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her forcing me into the damn car," dad replied. "Jim, would you please stop being such an insufferable ass," mom sniped. "Look you two, if you don't want to be here, then go. I want you here, but only of your own free will." "Max, honey," mom started, "I want to be here, it just him that's bein' a pain. Someday, he's gonna' have to pull on his big boy boxers and learn to deal with life as it is and not how he thinks it should be." "Thanks, mom. Look, I know you all kinda met already, but let's make this real. Mom, dad, this is my fianc�, Tom Wright. Tom, this lovely lady is my mom, Rose, and the grumpy old fart with her is my dad, Jim." "It's a pleasure to meet you both," Tom said in greeting as he hugged my mom and shook my dad's hand, after which, dad wiped his hand on his pants as if he was afraid of catching something. "I want to thank you both for having such a wonderful son. He's saved me from a very lonely life and he's saving five very special boys from very rough lives, also. You've done a wonderful job to help build him into the loving and caring man he is today." "Thank you, Tom," mom replied. "It's nice to meet you, too. And thank you for those kind words, but we can't take all the credit for Max being who he is. He bears most of that responsibility himself." "Yeah, I ain't takin' no blame for what he is," dad grumped. "Dad, chill out or go home. If you're gonna' do nothin' but bitch all afternoon, take the car and leave, and I'll bring mom home later." "Excellent idea, I'm outta' here," he replied as he turned towards the door. "James Emory Sanders, you stop that crap right now!" mom scolded as she grabbed his arm and held him in his place. "You told me this morning you'd come with me and be nice this afternoon. I expect you to live up to that promise or you'll regert it later." "Fine," he fumed. "I'll stay and play nice, but that don't mean I have to like it." "Thank you, you obstinate, old prick. Honestly, some days I wonder why I've stayed with you this long." "Must be because you love my cheery disposition." "Don't bet on it, buster." "Then how about my stellar skills in the bedroom?" "Really, Jim? Don't you dare go there. You'll regret it, I promise." "Why don't we go chat in the living room until Tom's parents get here?" I asked, trying to change the course of the conversation before it sailed off the edge of the Earth. Mom grabbed dad's arm, dragged him into the living room and made him sit, then sat herself in the chair next to him. Tom and I followed along behind, Tom covering his mouth with his hand and doing everything he could to keep from laughing out loud. After taking our seats, mom asked, "So, Tom, how are you doing? Are you feeling better?" "I'm doing pretty well, I think. The dizziness has stopped, the headache is mostly gone, along with the ringing in my left ear. The worst part right now is the incessant itching and bein' afraid to scratch it. Max has been taking great care of me, though, hovering over me like an old mother hen." "Well, I'm glad you're on the mend. It must have been scary for you." "I was scared to hell and back. I've been on the force for five years and this is the first time I've had to use my gun, and I've been lucky enough to not get hurt in any other way. I was scared for Max and the boys, too. I'm glad I wasn't the one who had to tell them I was hurt. That would not have been a fun phone call to make." "How'd you find out, son?" mom asked. "Tom's boss, Dylan, drew the short straw and got the unfortunate task of making the call. I was ready to head for the hospital as soon he told me what had happened, but Dylan reminded me I had seven boys here and couldn't really go anywhere. But once Carol got here, I took off and was scared to death all the way to the ER. Then those idiots wouldn't let me back in the treatment room with Tom and that just pissed me off even more." "Well, that's just ridiculous. What was their excuse for treating you like that?" "They said that since we weren't married, I wasn't a `family member' and couldn't go in to be with him. Dylan set them straight on that once he arrived." "Good for him. Now, who's this Carol person?" "Carol is the wonderful woman at the child service agency that's working with me on the boys' adoption. She stayed with the boys until Lee and Carl could make it out here to take over." "You could have called us, you know. We would have come out to stay with the boys, or come to the ER to wait with you." "I'm sorry, mom, I didn't think about calling anybody Saturday night, not even Tom's parents. The only reason I called Lee was I needed to get to the hospital and she'd at least met the boys before. I wanted someone they knew at least a little bit to be here. Especially with all that was going on." "I understand, son. I know things have been uncomfortable between us for a while, but we intend to change that, don't we Jim?" "Don't be draggin' me into your little fantasy, woman." "Jim! I told you to stop behaving like a five-year old." "Bah, whatever." "I'm sorry, you two," mom started, looking back to Tom and me. "His blind adherence to his religious upbringing has clouded his vision and he has a hard time accepting new things." "But mom, you have to admit, you weren't really that open-minded yourself. What's happened that's changed your mind?" "Well, dear, you remember Helen and Libby from down the street?" "Of course, I do, they always had cookies or some sweet treat for us kids in the neighborhood. They were also the best house to hit on Halloween. They always had a great candy selection, and lots of it. And we could take whatever we wanted. But, what about them?" "Well, a couple weeks after you told us about who you are, Libby died of a heart attack." "Oh, my, I had no idea. How's Helen doing?" "She's better now, but it still hurts her deeply. I've spent a lot time with her the past several months, helping her deal with things and learning more about both women. I had always assumed they were just roommates, sharing the house, but after about a week of sitting with her and talking about life, love and all that that entails, I slowly began to realize they were lesbians." Dad cringed as the word escaped mother's lips, which earned him a slap on his thigh. "Through our talks, I discovered they loved each other just like your father and I do, for better, for worse, for richer or poorer, all of it. Knowing how'd I feel if this miserable old geezer suddenly left us, I gained an insight into their lives together and realized they really weren't any different from Jim and me. Libby was a wonderful woman, full of love and fun, always had a kind word for everybody. I feel really bad for Helen, but I'm doing what I can." "Is there anything I can do to help?" "Not really, son. She's just really down and I don't know what anyone can do to help her." "They never really seemed to work or have much money. Is she okay with her finances?" "Oh, yes. Helen had inherited a tidy sum from her father when he passed, and she and Libby have made some very good investments over the years, so she's just fine in that regard." "Do you think she'd like a visit? I'd be happy to stop by and spend some time with her." "Oh, that would be wonderful, Max. She'd love some company, she's so lonely without Libby being there. And I'm sure she'd love to see you again and see how you've turned out. She's read all your books, you know. She thinks it's really something to have known a famous author long before he hit the big time. It would be lovely if you could go during the weekend so you could take your sons and Tom with you. You know they always loved you kids, but she and Libby could never have any of their own, of course. Not in those days, anyway." "Consider it done, mom." I turned to my soon-to-be spouse and asked, "What do you think, big guy, you up for dropping in on a lonely older lady?" "I'd love to, Max. That'd be fun. Lord knows I'll be ready to do something different by the weekend." After I turned my attention back to my mom, I said, "Mom, I have to ask. When the boys and I came by Sunday, you didn't say anything about helping Helen and how you've seemed to have changed your mind about people like us. Why didn't you?" "Because, regardless how I feel or what I might think or have changed in these past few months, I still have to live with your father. Life is just easier to let him think he's always right. You know how he gets when things aren't the way he thinks they should be." "Gotcha', mom. Say no more. I'm glad you're finally changing your attitude, it really means a lot to me." Ding! "That can't be Vinnie coming back already, that must be your mom and dad, Tom." "Who's Vinnie," dad asked. "Sounds like a hoodlum name." "Vinnie's moving some furniture for Tom and me, dad, and he's not a hoodlum." "W-e-e-e-ll, he isn't now, but a couple years ago, that's whole other story," Tom chuckled. "Nice, Tom. Way to help me out." "No sweat, babe. Just tryin' to do my part." "They sound just like the two of us, Jim," mom laughed. "Don't you go comparin' us to them. You know this shit ain't right." "Yes, master," mom replied sarcastically as she rolled her eyes. Tom and I headed to the door to meet his parents and Tom opened the door right after his mom rang the chimes, which made her jump in surprise. "Whoops, sorry, ma, didn't mean to scare ya." "I'm just glad we're in the right place, son. How'd you get to the door so fast. You opened it right after I punched the button. I expected to have a wait at least few moments." "There's a sensor at the end drive that dings here in the house, so we always know someone's comin' before they actually get to the house. Come on in," he said as he waved a hand to beckon them inside. Once they were inside and the door was closed, Tom took their coats and hung them in the closet. "Now, let me see your head, young man. I need to make sure you're okay," his mom said in greeting. "In a little bit mom, there are other things that are more important than my stupid head. Mom, dad, I'd like you to meet my fianc�, Max Sanders. Max, this is my mom, Estelle, and my dad, Bill." "It's a pleasure to meet you both," I greeted them, giving his mom a peck on the cheek and shaking his dad's hand. "Welcome to our home. Please, make yourselves comfortable." "And what a lovely home it is, Max," Estelle commented. "I adore the open feeling you've created with all the glass. And the location is absolutely perfect." "That's exactly what I was looking for when I had it designed, open, almost like bringing the outside in. And you're absolutely right about the location. I didn't want to have to worry about any neighbors. Shall we go to the living room so you can meet my mom and dad?" I led the way to where my parents were sitting and made the introductions. "Mom, dad, these fine folks are Tom's parents, Bill and Estelle Wright. Bill, Estelle, let me introduce my parents, Jim and Rose Sanders." All four met in the middle of the room, exchanged hugs and handshakes and then sat down. "Why don't you four get acquainted while Tom and I get to work in the kitchen so we can eat?" I turned to Tom and said, "Let's go, big guy." Tom followed me as I turned to leave and whispered in my ear, "Did you hire a referee for the afternoon and not tell me?" "They'll be fine, Tom," I whispered back. When we reached the kitchen, I turned up the flame under the water for the spaghetti to get a full boil going and gave the sauce a quick stir. Tom started working on getting the garlic bread in the oven and then putting together a salad. While he did that, I pulled out the plates, bowls, silver and other things we would need to set the table. "So, Estelle, where do you and Bill live?" Rose asked to start a conversation. "Down close to Alton in a little hole-in-the-wall town named Grafton." "Oh, I just love Grafton, with all those little shops and things. We've been there several times when we've stayed at the lodge at Pere Marquette State Park. It's a beautiful area, especially in the fall." "Well, the next time you come down, we'll have to get together." "That sounds like fun Estelle, I'll look forward to it." "Where do you and Jim live," Bill asked. "In Springfield, on the southeast side of town." "That's nice," Estelle said. "You must get to see Max pretty often, then. I do wish Tom lived closer to us so we could see more of him." "In all honesty, Estelle, we really haven't seen each other as much as we used to. It's not been easy between us since he told he was gay. I'm hoping we can improve that soon, though." "It wasn't easy for us, either, after Tom came out, was it, Bill?" "No, it wasn't. And it took us quite a while to resolve our love for our son and what our church says about homosexuals." "And, just how did you work your way through that," Jim asked, disgust apparent in his voice. "We finally decided that our son means more to us than the church does," Bill answered calmly. "Once we reached that conclusion, the rest has been fairly easy. After all, Tom is our family, the church isn't." "So, you just ignore what the Bible says about queers?" Jim spat back at Bill. "I suppose you could put it that way, if you choose to do so. I prefer to say that we've finally decided that love is love, Jim, and as long the people involved and effected by that love are in agreement, it's not our place to judge, demean or ridicule them for it." "Besides," Estelle added, "We don't have to sleep with Tom and who he does sleep with is none of our concern or business. If Tom is happy in his life and with his decision to marry Max and he intends to help raise their sons together in a home and a relationship that is based on love and acceptance for each other, then we're going to be happy for all of them." "But how can you just set aside the word of God?" Jim pushed. "You want an honest answer to that question, Jim, or do you want to just hear something that will make you feel better?" "Damn right! I want a straight answer to a straight question!" Jim demanded. "Uh-oh", I said, "Sounds like someone's about to jump off a cliff in there. Should I go regain control?" "Nah, that sounded like your dad's voice. Don't you worry, my mom and dad can take care of themselves," Tom replied. "Besides, it sounds like it's about to get real interesting." "I hope you're right." "Well, Jim, remember, you asked for this. After Tom told us he was gay, our initial reaction was probably pretty close to your reaction when Max told you he was gay. We're of the same generation, after all, and I'm sure we were all raised with pretty much the same beliefs and attitudes." Bill received nods from the others with that statement. "Estelle and I spent a long time thinking about how to deal with our feelings about it. After a lot of research about the bible, religion in general and homosexuality and some very serious talks between the two of us, we finally reached an understanding with each other." "And what is your `understanding'?" "We both now believe that while some parts of the bible are good and basically trying to guide people into doing the right thing, it's real purpose was to control the masses that were being governed and led by the church. By spoon-feeding the stories, myths and parables written in the bible to the population as the absolute truth and the word of god, it was easier to control them. Without that control, the church would mean nothing. The bible leaves very little room for free thought and there are so many different interpretations by different groups of what is written, that it really comes down to what you choose to believe. We decided to believe in ourselves and our son's ability to make his own decisions about who he is and the life he wants. If Tom says he's gay, then he is. He could no more change that part of himself than you or I could change being straight. It's really that simple." "And you're fine with him marrying another man? The Bible says that's wrong, you know." "I know it does, and it says a lot of other things about marriage that were maybe acceptable 2,000 years ago, but not acceptable today, doesn't it? If Tom and Max feel that being married is the right thing for them, who are we to judge that decision between two adults? Their being married does not involve or effect any of us in any way. The only thing marriage does for them is give them both legal rights the four of us enjoy only because we happened to have been born male and female. Again, should they be denied those same rights simply because they are both men? The easy answer to that question is, no, they shouldn't." "But the Bible is the word of God, it needs to be followed or our civilization will fall," Jim argued. "No, Jim, the bible and all the other religious texts out there, as they're written, are the words of men masquerading as the word of a god, all in an effort to control people. And they've been very successful in doing so for hundreds of years. Besides, do you know how many different religions exist in the world today? Thousands upon thousands of them. And you know the one thing they all claim? That each one is the only real belief set the rest of the world should blindly follow and that all the others are wrong. That is true of Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, whatever, all of them believe they are the right one. They can't all possibly be the one, can they. How could any one person decide which one is truly the one that is right. "And, one more thing to keep in mind with all of this is that even though every person on this earth has, I believe, the basic right to follow whatever belief set they choose for whatever reason they choose, they do not have the right to force others to believe as they do. After going through all this in the five years since Tom opened up and let us know who he is, I now believe, and I think Estelle agrees with me on this, that the best any of us can do is to lead a good life and help our fellow man, be kind, loving, supportive and to never pass judgement on anyone for any reason." Estelle nodded her agreement with her husband. Surprisingly, so did Rose. "I still think you're all wrong," Jim responded. "And that's your absolute right to do so, just like it's ours to believe you're the one that's wrong." Bill turned to Rose and said, "I notice that you nodded, like you agree with what I said." "I do, Bill. I didn't six months ago, but I do now." "If you don't mind my asking, what made you change your mind, Rose," Estelle asked. Mom told Bill and Estelle the story about Helen and Libby and what she learned in the past few months helping Helen adjust to a new life after her loss. "Well, first, we're sorry for her loss, it's always hard to lose a loved one," Estelle replied, "But isn't it amazing how things and people can change you, even when they don't affect you directly." "It certainly is. I know, without a doubt, hearing the stories Helen told me of her life with Libby made me rethink many of the things I grew up believing and still believed. Once I had the epiphany that love is love, as you so eloquently said, I realized that I had been wrong all those years and I feel horrible about how we've treated our son. I just wish Jim would have been more involved with helping Helen, maybe he'd be in a more receptive mood today." "Rose," Bill interjected, "you aren't responsible for what Bill thinks and there's nothing you, or anyone else for that matter, could do to change that. That's entirely up to him. If he'd like to join the rest of the civilized world in the 21st century, he'll have to do that on his own." "I will not have you talking about me like I'm not here, damn it. I'm entitled to my own thoughts and feelings." "You certainly are, but don't expect us to join you in your hate-a-thon. Estelle and I have moved past that and we don't intend to return to that place in our lives. We love our son too much to hold on to views whose time has long since passed." "Well, that was certainly interesting. You were right, Tom, your mom and dad can certainly hold their own." "Told ya' they could. How's the spaghetti doing? Is it ready yet?" "Oh, shit, I got so engrossed in our eavesdropping, I forgot all about it. I hope it's not overcooked." I checked it really quick and was happy to find it was perfect. "Nope, were good. Let's get the table set and eat." Working together, we had everything ready to go in just a couple of minutes. "Why don't you get the `rents while I open a bottle of wine?" "Be right back, babe." Tom headed to the living room while I retrieved a nice bottle of wine to go with our pasta and we all met back in the dining room. Just as we were sitting down, Tom and me at the ends of the table, the ladies on one side and the men on the other, I heard the door to the garage open and a moment later Vinnie stuck his head around the corner to say, "Hi, y'all. Yo, Maxie, we're back to work on the other room but you can just ignore us. Enjoy your lunch." "Were you able to back up to the garage door or were cars in your way?" "There was a car there, but don't worry `bout it, we'll work around it. Promise we won't hit it with nothin'. Talk to you later, Maxie." With that parting shot, he turned around and headed back to move more junk. "Maxie?" mom snickered. "Yeah, that was the mover, Vinnie, and his crew is Frankie, Paulie, Benny, Willy and Junior. He seems to think I'm Maxie and probably thinks Tom is supposed to be Tommy." "Oh, no you don't, Max. You are not lumping me in with the rest of his family," Tom laughed. "Why Junior?" Bill asked. "Well, Junior is Frankie's son. Vinnie said it would cause too much confusion to call `em both Frankie all day long." "Got it," he snorted. "Tom," Estelle started, "Have you and Max set a date for your wedding, yet?" "Not yet, ma. We have a couple of busy weeks ahead of us and probably won't have much time to think about it until after the twins' birthday the 13th and their party on the 15th." "Oh, that's right. We're planning to be here for that, also. We don't want to miss our new grandsons' first birthday with their new family, do we, Bill?" "Wouldn't miss it for anything. When are the other boys' birthdays?" "That's a damn good question, Bill," I laughed. "I'll have to look and let you know. I remember T.J.'s is in April and Mike's is May sometime, but I don't remember the days. Will you be coming up Thursday night for the little family only get together that night or on Saturday when the boys will have their friends from school over?" "We'll probably come up Thursday for the smaller party. We wouldn't want to horn in on their time with their friends." "I'll be here Thursday night, also," mom said. "I don't want to be in the way on Saturday, either." "That's great, mom, what about you dad?" "Don't hold your breath, boy," Jim answered. I just shook my head. "Tom, it just hit me, we need to find out when Andy's birthday is, don't we?" "We sure do, any reason to have a party, I'm in. Um, speaking of birthday's, Max, when's yours?" he asked with a goofy grin splitting his mug. Three out of four parents laughed at the question. "October 12, when's yours?" I asked, returning the same goofy grin. "June 18. There's two more parties we have to plan for." "Now, wait just a doggone minute, son," my mom started, "You two are getting married and didn't know when the other's birthday was?" "I guess not, mom," I chuckled. "We've been so busy getting everyone settled in that we just hadn't got that far yet. We would have, eventually, I'm sure. We have the rest of our lives to learn all the little things about each other." "That's right, Mrs. Sanders," Tom added. "I fully intend to make the most of our life together. Why worry about little things like birthdays?" "Please, Tom, call me Rose. Mrs. Sanders sounds so formal, and I'm just not a formal person." "If it pleases you, I'll be happy to do so." "So, Tom, what are Vinnie and his guys doing for you?" Bill asked. "They're moving furniture and other stuff out of a bedroom and storage room for us. Max is having the bedroom redone a bit for Joey and Alex and the storage room is going to become my office for my new investigation business." "Tom, we're having a bedroom and storage room redone, it's not just me anymore. You're involved in these things, too." "Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm still adjusting to that. Sorry, babe." My dad almost choked on his bite of garlic bread upon hearing that. "Get over it, dad," I said. "Will we get to meet the boys today?" Estelle asked. "I don't see why not, as long as you plan to be here about a quarter to four when they get home from school," I answered. "That's great, we'll still be here, won't we, Bill?" "I'd hoped to leave a little earlier so we could eat supper at home, but what the heck, we got nothin' but time, do we? It's not like we have to go to work in the morning, is it?" "That's the spirit, dear. Seize the moment. Thank you for being flexible. I'd like to at least meet the boys and get to know them a little bit before we need to buy birthday presents. It just wouldn't do to get something for them and then have them not like it." The rest of the meal passed fairly quietly except for praise from Bill and Estelle for my pasta sauce, which I gracefully accepted. When we were finally done eating, Tom and I got up to start clearing the table. "What can we do to help, boys?" Estelle asked. "We got it, ma, why don't you all go sit in the living room. We'll, be there in a few." "No, I insist we help. Come on, Bill, get off your behind and give us a hand." With Bill, Estelle, and my mom helping, we made very short work of the cleanup. Dad, however, moved back to a chair in the living room to sulk, which was fine with me. At least he wasn't in the way and I didn't have to see his sourpuss face. "Now that we're done with that, son, I'd like to see the rest of this beautiful house," Estelle said. "Why don't you give the tour this time, Tom, I've done it myself all these years and you need some practice. I'll be in the living room with mom and dad." Mom and I headed to join dad while Tom took his parents on the grand tour. Just as we sat down, Vinnie poked his head around the corner from the hallway and hollered, "Yo, Maxie!" "Right here, Vinnie, what's up?" "Whoops, sorry, guess I didn't have to yell, did I? Hey, we got the room emptied out so we're gonna' head back and get the truck unloaded." "That's great, Vinnie. You get everything in one load?" "Sure did. You want all this stuff stacked next to the other load we took out earlier?" "That'd be fine Vinnie, thanks." "I'll make sure your storage is locked up tight when we're done and we'll meet you at Tom's apartment Friday morning about 9:00 to get that loaded up. Good for you?" "That's perfect, Vinnie, but don't you want paid now for today." "Nah, don't worry `bout it, Maxie. I know where ya' live if I need to send my collection agency," he chuckled. "Y'all have a good afternoon. Sorry for interruptin'." "Thanks, Vinnie, see you Friday morning, then." "Lunch was delicious, dear," mom said after Vinnie departed. "I absolutely love the sauce you make." "Thanks, mom. That means you did a good job when I was growing up as everything I know about cooking came from you. So, what do you think of Tom?" "He seems to be a dear fellow. I think you two will be happy together for a long time to come." "I know we will. When we met, it was Karma smiling on us. Well, that and a little bit of help from Carol." "What did she have to do with you two meeting?" mom asked. "I thought she was just helping you with the adoptions." I told her the story of Tom coming to help at the Mueller's and what happened afterward, skipping, of course, any mention of nudity. "I see I need to meet this Carol person so I can thank her for connecting you and Tom, and for helping you with your adoption of the boys." "You'll get the chance to do that because she'll be here for the party next Thursday night. She doesn't want to miss Joey and Alex's birthday, but can't be here Saturday." "That's perfect, son. I'll have to get her a small gift, also. I hope that would be acceptable." "You'll probably just embarrass her, but if you want to do it, I won't stop you. What about you, dad? You're being awfully quiet over there. Are you coming to the party with mom or are you going to make her come by herself?" "Unlikely, boy. I have no intention of supporting this unholy union or you havin' those boys in this house with you and that other pervert. It's wrong and I won't stand for it." "Why are being such a pain in the ass, dad? This is my life and my decision, not yours. You have absolutely no say in what I do anymore." "Yeah, we'll see about that. When the lawyer I've hired gets done with you, you won't have a pot to piss in." "Jim, what the hell are you talking about!?" mom asked. "Just what I said, damn it. I've hired a lawyer to rescue those boys from these sickos and this house of perverted horrors. I'm sure you'll be hearing from him soon enough." "You know what, dad, I'm sick of your shit and your attitude! You need to get the hell out of my house!" "Gladly, I wanted to that and hour and a half ago and was told I couldn't leave. Come on, Rose, we're outta' here." "I'm not going anywhere with you, you crotchety old bastard," mom retorted before turning back to me, "I'm sorry dear, I had no idea he was doing this." "I know you didn't, mom. You may not be really happy with who I am or the decisions I'm making in my life, but I know you would never go so far as to hire a lawyer to try and stop it. It's all him. And he's leaving, now, isn't he?" "Damn right I am, you fuckin' faggot." "Fine, don't let the door hit ya' where your good lord split ya' on your way out." "You worried about my ass, are ya'? Figures, only a queer would say somethin' like that." After that parting shot, he stormed across the living room and out the door, slamming it behind him. As soon as the door was closed, mom burst into tears. Not ten seconds later, Tom and his parents came through the living room on their way back from the theater. "Uh, Max, why is your mom crying and where's your dad?" Tom asked with a hint of fear in his voice. "He just left. And with luck, we won't be seeing him again." "What the hell happened?" Bill wanted to know. "Sit down and I'll tell ya'." Tom, Bill and Estelle took their chairs and I started explaining, "You're not gonna' believe this, Tom, but my pigheaded old man has hired a lawyer to rescue the boys from us, his word, not mine. Like we can't be trusted around children since we're gay." "Oh, my god!" exclaimed Estelle. She quickly switched chairs so she could sit by my mom and comfort her. "Yeah, great way to cap off a nice lunch, isn't it? I think I'm gonna' be sick," I moaned as I hung my head between my knees. "Max, we can deal with this. Can't we?" Tom asked. "I need to call James." "Who is James," Estelle asked. "My attorney, has been for 12 years. I'll let him take care of this. I'll be back, folks." I left the living room to call James in privacy. When his receptionist answered the phone, I told her who I was, that I had an emergency and needed to talk to James as soon as possible. Five seconds later, James was on the line with me. "What's the emergency, Max?" "Believe it or not, James, it's my dad. Time for you to earn your outrageous fees." "What's he done?" "He says he's hired an attorney for the purpose of removing the boys from my home. He can't do that, can he?" "I can't imagine how he thinks he could possibly succeed. Not unless he has irrefutable proof of child abuse or molestation. He doesn't, does he?" "James, how the hell could you ask that question. You know me better than that." "I know I do, Max, but I have to ask to know how to proceed. Do you know why he's doing this?" "Damn right I do. He's miserable old prick with a serious religion problem who thinks that just because I'm gay, I must be a child molester. He doesn't think I have any business being around children of any kind." "Well, if that's his plan of attack, we should be able to squash it like a bug. He would have to have proof of something illegal happening to have any hope of winning a case like this." "Good, I was hoping you'd say that. My fianc� and I don't need this crap. I need this killed, post-haste." "Wait, did you say fianc�? When did that happen?" "Last Saturday morning, just before he went off and got himself shot." "What the hell are talking about, Max?" "It's a long story, James, and I'm not up to it at the moment. Just tell me you got a handle on this." "Don't worry, Max, I got you covered. I'll find out who your dad's hired to do this and take care of it." "Thank you, James. Send me your bill when it's all over." "You know I will. I know you're not in the mood for it right now, but try to have a good afternoon." "Yeah, right, fat chance of that. Thanks for your help." We hung up and I stalked back to the living room. "What'd he say, Max?" Tom asked as I rejoined the rest of the family. "He said it shouldn't be a problem unless dad has `irrefutable proof' of something illegal going on." "So, no problem, then," Tom replied. "Who knows, Tom. For all I know, the old man hired some freakin' photographer to sneak through the woods and he has pictures of us swimming or something." "Uh, Max, ix-nay on the imming-sway," Tom whispered. "Tom, you do realize we know how to speak ig-pay atin-lay, right?" Bill asked. "Sorry, dad. Don't know what I was thinking." "So, what's the problem, he might have pictures of you swimming with the boys? What's the big deal? They shouldn't be swimming alone, anyway." "It's not just that we'd be swimming, dad, there's more to it than that." "What are you talking about, son?" "Should I tell `em, Max, or you goin' to?" "You go ahead, I feel like my head's going to explode right now." "Mom, dad, Rose, we're nudists." My mom gasped in surprise, but Bill and Estelle acted like they'd heard nothing unusual. "Max has been for years and the boys love it, too. They'd go just about anywhere without clothes, if they could get away with it. And though I've only been around here a short time, also, I've gotten used to it, too." "So what, who cares?" Estelle asked. "You two think you're the only people in this world who don't wear clothes in your home or go skinny-dipping? I got news for you, you aren't, are they Bill?" "Um, no, I guess not," he mumbled. "Wait, what are you saying? You and dad? Really?" "Yes, son, really." Rose replied. "Oh, don't be so damn surprised. You know how secluded our property is, it's a lot like this place. Well, after we got married and before you were born, we didn't wear clothes at home, either. We continued for a couple years after you were born but when you started to get into everything, we decided it was time to cover up. I mean, you would grab at damn near anything you could get your hands on and after you hurt your dad that one time... Well, we decided common sense should prevail. But, once you moved out on your own and it was just the two of us again, we kinda reverted to our old habits." "Oh, god, I had no idea. Did I really do that, dad?" "You sure did, and it hurt like hell, let me tell you. And I wasn't about to give you the opportunity to do it again, either. Oh, no, that's a lesson you only have to learn once. Hell, just thinkin' `bout it now and the pain comes back," Bill added as he crossed his in legs and rocked in mock pain. We all snickered quietly at his display of discomfort, even my mom. "I'm sorry, dad. I don't remember that." "I don't expect you would, Tom, you were just over two when it happened. That's okay, though, because I remember it well enough for the both of us," to which we all laughed, again, including Bill. "So, Max, we're gonna be all right, right?" Tom begged. "We should be. I can't imagine what he's thinking to pull something like this. He must really hate me." "Max, honey, don't be like that," my mom said. "He's having a real hard time with all this. His parents and church, both, drilled into his brain, from a very early age, their version of what's right and what's wrong. It's not really his fault." "Sure, it is mom. You've changed what you believe pretty darn fast. He could do the same if he'd only open his mind up to some common sense. Besides, I'm his son damn it!" "Dear, that's much easier said than done." "It is, Max," Bill offered. "You can trust me on that. Estelle and I were both been raised in the church, same as your father, and it took us a long time to come to grips with things and retrain our minds to accept things for how they are and not how we thought they should be." "That may be, Bill, but you didn't hire a lawyer and go after your son for being who he is, did you?" "Well, no, we didn't, but then Tom wasn't trying to adopt four young boys and getting married in what sounds like just a few months after telling us he was gay, either. Had he done all that so soon after coming out, we might have done the exact same thing your dad's doing. I'm not saying he's right, just I understand where he's coming from." "Yeah, okay," I said. "But, someone's got to talk him off the ledge, though. I don't want the possibility of his insanity screwing up the adoptions." "Don't you look at me when you say that, son. I've been working on him ever since I figured out Helen and Libby were gay. With no success, I might add. He'd always thought very highly of them, but as soon as I told him they were lesbians, he came unglued, kept yellin' about sicko perverts living in the neighborhood. Couldn't get over the fact we used to let you and your sister trick or treat at their house, or ever have anything to do with them. Especially your sister. You should have heard some vile things he dreamed up about Lee, Helen and Libby. Absolutely disgusting." "I guess I'll wait and see if James has any grand inspirations the next couple of days. Not much else we can do at this moment, I think." "So, how `bout those Cardinals?" Tom asked in a lame attempt to change subjects which drew another laugh from everyone. "I don't have any idea, Tom," I answered, "I couldn't care less about baseball, or any other sport, really. I'm gay, you know?" "Oh, my, say it ain't so?" he gasped mockingly, covering his mouth with his hand. "Oh, it's so, just ask my old man, he'll tell you all about it." "Max, please stop that," mom begged. "This is hard enough already. I always knew your father was a pigheaded pain-in-the-ass, but I never dreamed he ever do something like this." "I know, mom, it's not your fault and it's not even your problem, it's his. I'll try to back off, but I'm just so pissed off right now I can't see straight." "Max," Estelle interrupted, "May I say something?" "Please do." "Despite what your father says and does right now, you need to know that deep down, he does love you. You are still his son, and regardless of anything else that happens, that fact will never change. I know it's hard to believe at this moment, but, it's true. Someday, in the not-too-distant future, hopefully, he'll realize he was wrong about all this and say he's sorry for how he's acted." "I hope your right, Estelle, I really do. I guess we'll just have to take it a day at a time until that minor miracle occurs." "Mom, dad," Tom interrupted, "You want to finish the tour now?" He winked to let them know he really just wanted to get them out of the room. "Sure, son, let's go," Bill winked in response. After they headed down the hall to the boys' bedrooms, Tom's new office and the garage, I sat next to mom and took her hands in mine. "I'm sorry for all this mom. I knew dad wouldn't be happy with any of this and I forced it down your throats. I shouldn't have done that, but I am who I am and I need to live my life and be happy with it." "Thank you, son. I appreciate that, but this is still your father's problem and he has to figure out how to deal with it in his own way. He'll either learn to accept things as they are or he won't. It's really that simple." "Do you think he'd be willing to see a family counselor with me to see if we can work through this." "I don't know, dear. He thinks the only counselor he needs is his pastor at our church and just look at where that's gotten us. Me and you are in deep doo-doo, boy." "I know, mom, and I'm sorry you're in the middle." "Don't you worry about me, young man, I can take care of myself just fine. I've dealt with your father for 40+ years and will continue to do so." I wrapped my arms around my mom in a big hug and whispered in her ear, ""Thanks, mom, for everything you've done for me and continue to do. I know where I got my heart from." "And don't you ever forget it," she replied, smacking me on the shoulder, which made us both laugh. Tom and his parents came back into the living as he was concluding their tour of the house and walked them to the glass wall leading to the pool so they could see it also. "And over in the trees somewhere out there is a storage building I hadn't seen until this morning. That's where Vinnie and the guys moved the stuff from the empty bedroom and my new office. And somewhere past that, in a corner out there I have yet to see, is a small family graveyard Max inherited when he bought the property." "Really?" Bill asked. "I'd like to see that sometime. Those old cemeteries like that are usually pretty cool." "You two are welcome here anytime," I responded. "You might want to wait until April or May so it's warmer and drier than it is right now before we make that trek, though." "Is it easy to get to or will we need a machete to cut our way through the jungle?" Bill asked while laughing. "Nope, it's easy to get to, now anyway. I found it by accident one day when I was clearing one of my walking trails through the trees. The people I bought this property from didn't even know it was there and it was in horrendous condition from many years of neglect when I found it. I did a lot of clean up to it, put in a new wrought iron fence and repaired the headstones, so it looks pretty good now. My lawn guys keep it pretty well maintained, also." "I'll look forward to seeing it someday, Max." I looked to the clock on the wall and realized it was about time for the boys to get home from school so I excused myself to make the trip to the end of the drive and pick them up. Since dad had gone home already, I was able to get the Flex out of the garage and arrived at the end of the drive before the bus arrived to disgorge the passengers that belonged here. As soon as the bus stopped and the door opened, the boys ran to the car, climbed in and buckled in. "Good day at school, boys?" I asked as I turned the car around. "Awesome day, dad, and before you can ask, no homework for anyone tonight," Alex answered. "Well, I'll have to talk to your teachers about that," I snickered. "What's a day without homework?" "Great!" they all yelled. "Okay, okay, calm down," I said as I headed down the drive. "Hey, who's car is that, dad?" Joey asked when I rounded the corner of the trees and they could see the house. "You'll find out soon enough," I answered as I pulled back in the garage and closed the door. As we headed to the door to the house, I added, "Drop your bags in your rooms and you can change clothes if you'd like, but remember, you need to at least have shorts on when you come into the living room." "Yeah, dad, we know," Mike said, "time for `other people' rules, right?" "Exactly. Thanks, boys." As I continued down the hallway alone, I realized Tom's parents probably wouldn't have a problem with the boys being nude, but I wasn't sure how my mom would react, so, better safe than sorry. "Where are the boys?" Estelle asked. "We heard `em come in." "The people in the cemetery out there heard `em come in, Estelle," Bill laughed. "They're dropping their backpacks in their rooms and probably changing into shorts. They'll be out in a just a few." The words had barely escaped my lips when five rowdy lads in shorts and t-shirts rounded the corner into the living room at full tilt. "Whoa up there, pardners, y'all are inside now." "Hi, mama," T.J. called out as he walked over and gave my mom a hug. "We didn't know you were coming out today." "Where's papa?" Joey asked. "Hi boys, it's great to see you all, again. Sorry papa's not here, but he wasn't feeling well and went home a little while ago." "Well, how're you gonna' get home, mama?" Mike asked. "Your dad will take me home, dear, won't you, son?" "Of course, I will." Andy tugged on my sleeve and asked the obvious question while pointing towards Bill and Estelle, "So, who're they?" "Boys, say hi to Tom's mom and dad." All five turned together and zipped over to give hugs to Bill and Estelle. "You gonna' be our grandma and grampa?" T.J. quietly asked. "It sure looks that way," Bill answered as the hugs broke up. "Why don't you tell us your names?" Estelle asked. All five answered at the same time and Estelle held up a hand and asked, "Can we do that, again, one at a time, please, starting with you two?" pointing a finger towards the twins. "I'm Joey and this is my twin brother, Alex." "Yeah, and we'll be nine next week," Alex added. "So, we heard. Never woulda' guessed you were twins, though. You two don't look at all alike," Estelle chuckled. The twins looked at each other, rolling their eyes, like `who's she kiddin', right?'. "Hi there, I'm T.J. and I'm seven." "And when's your birthday, T.J.? Your dads couldn't remember when we asked earlier." T.J. shot Tom and me a dirty look and then turned back to Estelle, "April 23rd. Can't believe they forgot it, already." "And who might you be, young man?" Bill asked. "Hi, my name's Mike, I'm 6 and since they pro'lly forgot mine, too, my birthday's May 5." He turned to us and stuck his tongue out, as if to prove his point, to which we enjoyed a good laugh. "And, one more to go. What's your name, sweetie?" Estelle asked. "Hi, nice to meet ya'. I'm Andy, I'm 6, too, and my birthday's august 4th. But I don't know if I'll still be living here then." I signaled to Tom to remember that date. "Oh, why not?" Bill asked. "I'm only here now `cause my mom's in jail and her boyfriend's in the hospital. I know I get to stay until the end of school, don't know what's gonna' happen after that, but I hope I get to stay here forever and ever." "I'm sorry you're having a rough time, Andy. Are you liking it here?" Estelle asked. "You bet, we have lots of fun. And dad and pops are great. We get to swim almost every day and watch movies and me and the others play some really fun games." I was hoping he wouldn't go any further about the `games'. "Dad and pops?" Bill asked. "Yeah, Uncle Max and Uncle Tom. The others call `em dad and pops and they said I could, too." "Pops, that's a good name for you, Tom," Bill laughed. "That sure beats the heck out of some of the other options, doesn't it?" "Darn right it does. You don't even hear what some of the other choices were." "I have to ask," Bill started, looking at the boys, "what's up with your hair? You all sure look a lot like our son's head." "They're supposed to," Alex answered, turning his head to give them a better view. "Yeah, we got it done after he got hurt Saturday," Joey added. "We even got stiches, just like him," T.J. chimed in. "I can see that. And, just what possessed you to do that?" "Well, we love pops and wanted him to know we're all in this together," Mike answered. "I did it `cause it was me he was savin' when he got hurt," Andy whimpered. "Those are excellent reasons, boys. And you all look great." "Yeah, we do," Mike proudly replied, "and now our friends Mark and Billy are really gonna' push their moms to get their hair cut the same way." "They thought it was cool before, but with the stiches drawn on, they want it bad, now," Andy said. We spent the next hour visiting, with the boys, of course, being the main topic of conversation, when my mom said she should probably get home so she could fix supper for her and dad. I was thinking she should just let him starve and maybe my problems with him would fix themselves, but I kept my mouth shut. As we stood so I could drive her home, Bill and Estelle stood to say goodbye and the boys all gave my mom hugs. "Are you and papa gonna' come out for our birthday party next Thursday?" Joey asked. "I'll be here, but I don't know about papa. We'll have to see if he's feeling better." "I hope he can make it, I'd like to see him again," Alex added. "I'd like that too, honey," mom answered while patting him on the head. She then turned to me and asked, "Shall we go? You know how your father is if his food's not on the table when he thinks it should be." "That I do, mom." I turned to Bill and Estelle and said, "I'm so glad you came up today. It was wonderful to meet the parents of this great guy and I'm glad that you'll soon be part of the family." "It was good to meet you, too, Max. I'm glad Tom has found such a wonderful and loving person to share his life with," Bill replied. "Will you still be here when I get back?" "Probably. We're in no particular hurry to get back home, now." "If you'll hang around, I'll pick up some food in town and we can have supper together when I get back. Sound okay to you?" "That sounds great, Max. We'd love to spend some more time with our new grandsons." "It's a deal, then. I'll be back in about an hour. Is chicken okay for everyone?" The boys raised the roof with an enthusiastic cheer of acceptance. "Okay, chicken it is. I'll be back soon, folks." Mom and I headed to the garage and on to Springfield. It was a quiet ride as she thought about having to deal with dad and I spent the time worrying about leaving her there with him. When we got to the house, I walked her to the front porch. Before she went in, I said, "Mom, thanks for coming out today and staying. It really meant a lot to me." "I had a good time, son. It's nice to get out of the house every now and then, even if I have to do it by myself. And Tom is a lovely young man and I'm glad I got to meet him before you got married. Bill and Estelle seem to be good people, too. I was serious about visiting them the next time we go to Pere Marquette." "That's great, mom. I'm sure they'd enjoy that. Maybe they could help dad with his problems, too." "Well, I don't know about that. The only person who can fix that mess in his head is himself." "I know. Thanks, again for staying this afternoon, though. Well, I better get going. I need to pick up some chicken and go feed an army. You're welcome to come out any time." I leaned over, kissed mom on the cheek and whispered, "Love you, mom." "We love you, too, son, in our own ways." With that, I turned and headed down the sidewalk to the car. Before climbing in the car, I stopped to give mom a quick wave goodbye, which she retuned sadly before closing the door to the house. As I drove off, a darkness settled in the pit of my stomach thinking about leaving her with dad, but I didn't know what else to do at the moment. My next stop was the closest KFC to pick up supper for nine people. With a couple buckets of chicken, lots of mashed potatoes and gravy, a couple containers of coleslaw and two boxes of biscuits, I headed for home. I parked in the garage and closed the door, then loaded myself up with bags and buckets of food and headed inside. After opening the door to the house, I noticed it seemed awfully quiet for three adults and five boys, so I assumed everyone was in the theater watching a movie or TV. I dropped my armload of foodstuffs in the kitchen and headed on to the theater to let everyone know supper had arrived. I was surprised to find it empty and dark when I opened the door. Where the devil could everyone have gone? I turned around and headed back towards the kitchen and started calling out names. "Tom! Joey! Alex! Anybody here!?" I yelled in confusion. After receiving no response, I headed back towards the boys' rooms and the garage and as I crossed the living room, I finally noticed the lights were on in the pool shelter. Ah-ha, those little scamps had talked Tom into a swim before supper, so I headed on out to round up the stray family members and lead them to the feed trough. I assumed the boys would be in the pool and Tom and his parents would be sitting at the table talking since they hadn't seen each other in a while. Of course, everyone knows what you're doing when you assume anything, it makes an ass of you and me. And boy, did I ever feel like an ass when I opened the door to the pool shelter.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 37</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com"><span>enderwiggin61@outlook.com</span></a></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html"><span>http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</span></a><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments"><span>https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</span></a></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk478067818"></a><a name="_Toc478868143"><span>Chapter 37 � Lunch with the `Rents</span></a></h2> <p><span>"What!? You're shittin' me."</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all, babe. I wouldn't dream of shittin' you, Max, not on something like that."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess I better go say hi," I said as I walked past Tom towards the front door.</span></p> <p><span>"That's what <i>good</i> sons do when their parents show up at their front door. Especially when they've been invited," he laughed to my back as he fell in trail behind me. I hustled my ass to the door to find my dad standing with his hands stuffed in his pockets, frown flooding his face, and mom with her arms crossed across her chest, staring at dad in contempt.</span></p> <p><span>"Mom, dad, I wasn't sure you were coming today," I said as I gave her a hug. "You should have called."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her forcing me into the damn car," dad replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Jim, would you please stop being such an insufferable ass," mom sniped.</span></p> <p><span>"Look you two, if you don't want to be here, then go. I want you here, but only of your own free will."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, honey," mom started, "<i>I</i> want to be here, it just him that's bein' a pain. Someday, he's gonna' have to pull on his big boy boxers and learn to deal with life as it is and not how he thinks it should be."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, mom. Look, I know you all kinda met already, but let's make this real. Mom, dad, this is my fianc�, Tom Wright. Tom, this lovely lady is my mom, Rose, and the grumpy old fart with her is my dad, Jim."</span></p> <p><span>"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Tom said in greeting as he hugged my mom and shook my dad's hand, after which, dad wiped his hand on his pants as if he was afraid of catching something. "I want to thank you both for having such a wonderful son. He's saved me from a very lonely life and he's saving five very special boys from very rough lives, also. You've done a wonderful job to help build him into the loving and caring man he is today."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Tom," mom replied. "It's nice to meet you, too. And thank you for those kind words, but we can't take all the credit for Max being who he is. He bears most of that responsibility himself."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I ain't takin' no blame for what he is," dad grumped.</span></p> <p><span>"Dad, chill out or go home. If you're gonna' do nothin' but bitch all afternoon, take the car and leave, and I'll bring mom home later."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent idea, I'm outta' here," he replied as he turned towards the door.</span></p> <p><span>"James Emory Sanders, you stop that crap right now!" mom scolded as she grabbed his arm and held him in his place. "You told me this morning you'd come with me and be nice this afternoon. I expect you to live up to that promise or you'll regert it later."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine," he fumed. "I'll stay and play nice, but that don't mean I have to like it."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, you obstinate, old prick. Honestly, some days I wonder why I've stayed with you this long."</span></p> <p><span>"Must be because you love my cheery disposition."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't bet on it, buster."</span></p> <p><span>"Then how about my stellar skills in the bedroom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Really, Jim? Don't you dare go there. You'll regret it, I promise."</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't we go chat in the living room until Tom's parents get here?" I asked, trying to change the course of the conversation before it sailed off the edge of the Earth. Mom grabbed dad's arm, dragged him into the living room and made him sit, then sat herself in the chair next to him. Tom and I followed along behind, Tom covering his mouth with his hand and doing everything he could to keep from laughing out loud.</span></p> <p><span>After taking our seats, mom asked, "So, Tom, how are you doing? Are you feeling better?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm doing pretty well, I think. The dizziness has stopped, the headache is mostly gone, along with the ringing in my left ear. The worst part right now is the incessant itching and bein' afraid to scratch it. Max has been taking great care of me, though, hovering over me like an old mother hen."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm glad you're on the mend. It must have been scary for you."</span></p> <p><span>"I was scared to hell and back. I've been on the force for five years and this is the first time I've had to use my gun, and I've been lucky enough to not get hurt in any other way. I was scared for Max and the boys, too. I'm glad I wasn't the one who had to tell them I was hurt. That would not have been a fun phone call to make."</span></p> <p><span>"How'd you find out, son?" mom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Tom's boss, Dylan, drew the short straw and got the unfortunate task of making the call. I was ready to head for the hospital as soon he told me what had happened, but Dylan reminded me I had seven boys here and couldn't really go anywhere. But once Carol got here, I took off and was scared to death all the way to the ER. Then those idiots wouldn't let me back in the treatment room with Tom and that just pissed me off even more."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's just ridiculous. What was their excuse for treating you like that?"</span></p> <p><span>"They said that since we weren't married, I wasn't a `family member' and couldn't go in to be with him. Dylan set them straight on that once he arrived."</span></p> <p><span>"Good for him. Now, who's this Carol person?"</span></p> <p><span>"Carol is the wonderful woman at the child service agency that's working with me on the boys' adoption. She stayed with the boys until Lee and Carl could make it out here to take over."</span></p> <p><span>"You could have called us, you know. We would have come out to stay with the boys, or come to the ER to wait with you."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, mom, I didn't think about calling anybody Saturday night, not even Tom's parents. The only reason I called Lee was I needed to get to the hospital and she'd at least met the boys before. I wanted someone they knew at least a little bit to be here. Especially with all that was going on."</span></p> <p><span>"I understand, son. I know things have been uncomfortable between us for a while, but we intend to change that, don't we Jim?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't be draggin' me into your little fantasy, woman."</span></p> <p><span>"Jim! I told you to stop behaving like a five-year old."</span></p> <p><span>"Bah, whatever."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, you two," mom started, looking back to Tom and me. "His blind adherence to his religious upbringing has clouded his vision and he has a hard time accepting new things."</span></p> <p><span>"But mom, you have to admit, you weren't really that open-minded yourself. What's happened that's changed your mind?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, dear, you remember Helen and Libby from down the street?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I do, they always had cookies or some sweet treat for us kids in the neighborhood. They were also the best house to hit on Halloween. They always had a great candy selection, and lots of it. And we could take whatever we wanted. But, what about them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, a couple weeks after you told us about who you are, Libby died of a heart attack."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my, I had no idea. How's Helen doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"She's better now, but it still hurts her deeply. I've spent a lot time with her the past several months, helping her deal with things and learning more about both women. I had always assumed they were just roommates, sharing the house, but after about a week of sitting with her and talking about life, love and all that that entails, I slowly began to realize they were lesbians." Dad cringed as the word escaped mother's lips, which earned him a slap on his thigh. "Through our talks, I discovered they loved each other just like your father and I do, for better, for worse, for richer or poorer, all of it. Knowing how'd I feel if this miserable old geezer suddenly left us, I gained an insight into their lives together and realized they really weren't any different from Jim and me. Libby was a wonderful woman, full of love and fun, always had a kind word for everybody. I feel really bad for Helen, but I'm doing what I can."</span></p> <p><span>"Is there anything I can do to help?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, son. She's just really down and I don't know what anyone can do to help her."</span></p> <p><span>"They never really seemed to work or have much money. Is she okay with her finances?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yes. Helen had inherited a tidy sum from her father when he passed, and she and Libby have made some very good investments over the years, so she's just fine in that regard."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you think she'd like a visit? I'd be happy to stop by and spend some time with her."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that would be wonderful, Max. She'd love some company, she's so lonely without Libby being there. And I'm sure she'd love to see you again and see how you've turned out. She's read all your books, you know. She thinks it's really something to have known a famous author long before he hit the big time. It would be lovely if you could go during the weekend so you could take your sons and Tom with you. You know they always loved you kids, but she and Libby could never have any of their own, of course. Not in those days, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Consider it done, mom." I turned to my soon-to-be spouse and asked, "What do you think, big guy, you up for dropping in on a lonely older lady?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd love to, Max. That'd be fun. Lord knows I'll be ready to do something different by the weekend."</span></p> <p><span>After I turned my attention back to my mom, I said, "Mom, I have to ask. When the boys and I came by Sunday, you didn't say anything about helping Helen and how you've seemed to have changed your mind about people like us. Why didn't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because, regardless how I feel or what I might think or have changed in these past few months, I still have to live with your father. Life is just easier to let him think he's always right. You know how he gets when things aren't the way he thinks they should be."</span></p> <p><span>"Gotcha', mom. Say no more. I'm glad you're finally changing your attitude, it really means a lot to me."</span></p> <p><span>Ding!</span></p> <p><span>"That can't be Vinnie coming back already, that must be <i>your</i> mom and dad, Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"Who's Vinnie," dad asked. "Sounds like a hoodlum name."</span></p> <p><span>"Vinnie's moving some furniture for Tom and me, dad, and he's not a hoodlum."</span></p> <p><span>"W-e-e-e-ll, he isn't now, but a couple years ago, that's whole other story," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Nice, Tom. Way to help me out."</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, babe. Just tryin' to do my part."</span></p> <p><span>"They sound just like the two of us, Jim," mom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you go comparin' us to them. You know this shit ain't right."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, master," mom replied sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I headed to the door to meet his parents and Tom opened the door right after his mom rang the chimes, which made her jump in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Whoops, sorry, ma, didn't mean to scare ya."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just glad we're in the right place, son. How'd you get to the door so fast. You opened it right after I punched the button. I expected to have a wait at least few moments."</span></p> <p><span>"There's a sensor at the end drive that dings here in the house, so we always know someone's comin' before they actually get to the house. Come on in," he said as he waved a hand to beckon them inside. Once they were inside and the door was closed, Tom took their coats and hung them in the closet. </span></p> <p><span>"Now, let me see your head, young man. I need to make sure you're okay," his mom said in greeting.</span></p> <p><span>"In a little bit mom, there are other things that are more important than my stupid head. Mom, dad, I'd like you to meet my fianc�, Max Sanders. Max, this is my mom, Estelle, and my dad, Bill."</span></p> <p><span>"It's a pleasure to meet you both," I greeted them, giving his mom a peck on the cheek and shaking his dad's hand. "Welcome to our home. Please, make yourselves comfortable."</span></p> <p><span>"And what a lovely home it is, Max," Estelle commented. "I adore the open feeling you've created with all the glass. And the location is absolutely perfect."</span></p> <p><span>"That's exactly what I was looking for when I had it designed, open, almost like bringing the outside in. And you're absolutely right about the location. I didn't want to have to worry about any neighbors. Shall we go to the living room so you can meet my mom and dad?" I led the way to where my parents were sitting and made the introductions. "Mom, dad, these fine folks are Tom's parents, Bill and Estelle Wright. Bill, Estelle, let me introduce my parents, Jim and Rose Sanders." All four met in the middle of the room, exchanged hugs and handshakes and then sat down.</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you four get acquainted while Tom and I get to work in the kitchen so we can eat?" I turned to Tom and said, "Let's go, big guy." </span></p> <p><span>Tom followed me as I turned to leave and whispered in my ear, "Did you hire a referee for the afternoon and not tell me?"</span></p> <p><span>"They'll be fine, Tom," I whispered back.</span></p> <p><span>When we reached the kitchen, I turned up the flame under the water for the spaghetti to get a full boil going and gave the sauce a quick stir. Tom started working on getting the garlic bread in the oven and then putting together a salad. While he did that, I pulled out the plates, bowls, silver and other things we would need to set the table.</span></p> <p><span>"So, Estelle, where do you and Bill live?" Rose asked to start a conversation.</span></p> <p><span>"Down close to Alton in a little hole-in-the-wall town named Grafton."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I just love Grafton, with all those little shops and things. We've been there several times when we've stayed at the lodge at </span><span>Pere Marquette State Park. It's a beautiful area, especially in the fall."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the next time you come down, we'll have to get together."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like fun Estelle, I'll look forward to it."</span></p> <p><span>"Where do you and Jim live," Bill asked.</span></p> <p><span>"In Springfield, on the southeast side of town."</span></p> <p><span>"That's nice," Estelle said. "You must get to see Max pretty often, then. I do wish Tom lived closer to us so we could see more of him."</span></p> <p><span>"In all honesty, Estelle, we really haven't seen each other as much as we used to. It's not been easy between us since he told he was gay. I'm hoping we can improve that soon, though."</span></p> <p><span>"It wasn't easy for us, either, after Tom came out, was it, Bill?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, it wasn't. And it took us quite a while to resolve our love for our son and what our church says about homosexuals."</span></p> <p><span>"And, just how did you work your way through that," Jim asked, disgust apparent in his voice.</span></p> <p><span>"We finally decided that our son means more to us than the church does," Bill answered calmly. "Once we reached that conclusion, the rest has been fairly easy. After all, Tom is our family, the church isn't."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you just ignore what the Bible says about queers?" Jim spat back at Bill.</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose you could put it that way, if you choose to do so. I prefer to say that we've finally decided that love is love, Jim, and as long the people involved and effected by that love are in agreement, it's not our place to judge, demean or ridicule them for it."</span></p> <p><span>"Besides," Estelle added, "We don't have to sleep with Tom and who he does sleep with is none of our concern or business. If Tom is happy in his life and with his decision to marry Max and he intends to help raise their sons together in a home and a relationship that is based on love and acceptance for each other, then we're going to be happy for all of them."</span></p> <p><span>"But how can you just set aside the word of God?" Jim pushed.</span></p> <p><span>"You want an honest answer to that question, Jim, or do you want to just hear something that will make <i>you</i> feel better?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right! I want a straight answer to a straight question!" Jim demanded.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh-oh", I said, "Sounds like someone's about to jump off a cliff in there. Should I go regain control?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, that sounded like your dad's voice. Don't you worry, my mom and dad can take care of themselves," Tom replied. "Besides, it sounds like it's about to get real interesting."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope you're right."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Jim, remember, you asked for this. After Tom told us he was gay, our initial reaction was probably pretty close to your reaction when Max told you he was gay. We're of the same generation, after all, and I'm sure we were all raised with pretty much the same beliefs and attitudes." Bill received nods from the others with that statement. "Estelle and I spent a long time thinking about how to deal with our feelings about it. After a lot of research about the bible, religion in general and homosexuality and some very serious talks between the two of us, we finally reached an understanding with each other."</span></p> <p><span>"And what is your `understanding'?"</span></p> <p><span>"We both now believe that while some parts of the bible are good and basically trying to guide people into doing the right thing, it's real purpose was to control the masses that were being governed and led by the church. By spoon-feeding the stories, myths and parables written in the bible to the population as the absolute truth and the word of god, it was easier to control them. Without that control, the church would mean nothing. The bible leaves very little room for free thought and there are so many different interpretations by different groups of what is written, that it really comes down to what you <i>choose</i> to believe. We decided to believe in ourselves and our son's ability to make his own decisions about who he is and the life he wants. If Tom says he's gay, then he is. He could no more change that part of himself than you or I could change being straight. It's really that simple."</span></p> <p><span>"And you're fine with him marrying another man? The Bible says that's wrong, you know."</span></p> <p><span>"I know it does, and it says a lot of other things about marriage that were maybe acceptable 2,000 years ago, but not acceptable today, doesn't it? If Tom and Max feel that being married is the right thing for them, who are we to judge that decision between two adults? Their being married does not involve or effect any of us in any way. The only thing marriage does for them is give them both legal rights the four of us enjoy only because we happened to have been born male and female. Again, should they be denied those same rights simply because they are both men? The easy answer to that question is, no, they shouldn't."</span></p> <p><span>"But the Bible is the word of God, it needs to be followed or our civilization will fall," Jim argued.</span></p> <p><span>"No, Jim, the bible and all the other religious texts out there, as they're written, are the words of men masquerading as the word of a god, all in an effort to control people. And they've been very successful in doing so for hundreds of years. Besides, do you know how many different religions exist in the world today? Thousands upon thousands of them. And you know the one thing they <i>all</i> claim? <a name="_Hlk478327440">That each one is the only <i>real</i> belief set the rest of the world should blindly follow and that <i>all</i> the others are wrong.</a> That is true of Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, whatever, all of them believe they are the right one. They can't all possibly be <i>the one</i>, can they. How could any one person decide which one is truly <i>the</i> one that is right. </span></p> <p><span>"And, one more thing to keep in mind with all of this is that even though every person on this earth has, I believe, the basic right to follow whatever belief set they choose for whatever reason they choose, they do <i>not</i> have the right to force others to believe as they do. After going through all this in the five years since Tom opened up and let us know who he is, I now believe, and I think Estelle agrees with me on this, that the best any of us can do is to lead a good life and help our fellow man, be kind, loving, supportive and to never pass judgement on anyone for any reason." Estelle nodded her agreement with her husband. Surprisingly, so did Rose.</span></p> <p><span>"I still think you're all wrong," Jim responded.</span></p> <p><span>"And that's your absolute right to do so, just like it's ours to believe <i>you're</i> the one that's wrong." Bill turned to Rose and said, "I notice that you nodded, like you agree with what I said."</span></p> <p><span>"I do, Bill. I didn't six months ago, but I do now."</span></p> <p><span>"If you don't mind my asking, what made you change your mind, Rose," Estelle asked. Mom told Bill and Estelle the story about Helen and Libby and what she learned in the past few months helping Helen adjust to a new life after her loss.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, first, we're sorry for her loss, it's always hard to lose a loved one," Estelle replied, "But isn't it amazing how things and people can change you, even when they don't affect you directly."</span></p> <p><span>"It certainly is. I know, without a doubt, hearing the stories Helen told me of her life with Libby made me rethink many of the things I grew up believing and still believed. Once I had the epiphany that love is love, as you so eloquently said, I realized that I had been wrong all those years and I feel horrible about how we've treated our son. I just wish Jim would have been more involved with helping Helen, maybe he'd be in a more receptive mood today."</span></p> <p><span>"Rose," Bill interjected, "you aren't responsible for what Bill thinks and there's nothing you, or anyone else for that matter, could do to change that. That's entirely up to him. If he'd like to join the rest of the civilized world in the 21<sup>st</sup> century, he'll have to do that on his own."</span></p> <p><span>"I will not have you talking about me like I'm not here, damn it. I'm entitled to my own thoughts and feelings."</span></p> <p><span>"You certainly are, but don't expect us to join you in your hate-a-thon. Estelle and I have moved past that and we don't intend to return to that place in our lives. We love our son too much to hold on to views whose time has long since passed."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that was certainly interesting. You were right, Tom, your mom and dad can certainly hold their own."</span></p> <p><span>"Told ya' they could. How's the spaghetti doing? Is it ready yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit, I got so engrossed in our eavesdropping, I forgot all about it. I hope it's not overcooked." I checked it really quick and was happy to find it was perfect. "Nope, were good. Let's get the table set and eat." Working together, we had everything ready to go in just a couple of minutes. "Why don't you get the `rents while I open a bottle of wine?"</span></p> <p><span>"Be right back, babe." Tom headed to the living room while I retrieved a nice bottle of wine to go with our pasta and we all met back in the dining room. </span></p> <p><span>Just as we were sitting down, Tom and me at the ends of the table, the ladies on one side and the men on the other, I heard the door to the garage open and a moment later Vinnie stuck his head around the corner to say, "Hi, y'all. Yo, Maxie, we're back to work on the other room but you can just ignore us. Enjoy your lunch."</span></p> <p><span>"Were you able to back up to the garage door or were cars in your way?"</span></p> <p><span>"There was a car there, but don't worry `bout it, we'll work around it. Promise we won't hit it with nothin'. Talk to you later, Maxie." With that parting shot, he turned around and headed back to move more junk.</span></p> <p><span>"Maxie?" mom snickered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that was the mover, Vinnie, and his crew is Frankie, Paulie, Benny, Willy and Junior. He seems to think I'm Maxie and probably thinks Tom is supposed to be Tommy."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no you don't, Max. You are not lumping me in with the rest of his family," Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Why Junior?" Bill asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Junior is Frankie's son. Vinnie said it would cause too much confusion to call `em both Frankie all day long."</span></p> <p><span>"Got it," he snorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Tom," Estelle started, "Have you and Max set a date for your wedding, yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet, ma. We have a couple of busy weeks ahead of us and probably won't have much time to think about it until after the twins' birthday the 13^thand their party on the 15^th."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that's right. We're planning to be here for that, also. We don't want to miss our new grandsons' first birthday with their new family, do we, Bill?"</span></p> <p><span>"Wouldn't miss it for anything. When are the other boys' birthdays?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's a damn good question, Bill," I laughed. "I'll have to look and let you know. I remember T.J.'s is in April and Mike's is May sometime, but I don't remember the days. Will you be coming up Thursday night for the little family only get together that night or on Saturday when the boys will have their friends from school over?"</span></p> <p><span>"We'll probably come up Thursday for the smaller party. We wouldn't want to horn in on their time with their friends." </span></p> <p><span>"I'll be here Thursday night, also," mom said. "I don't want to be in the way on Saturday, either."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, mom, what about you dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't hold your breath, boy," Jim answered. I just shook my head.</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, it just hit me, we need to find out when Andy's birthday is, don't we?"</span></p> <p><span>"We sure do, any reason to have a party, I'm in. Um, speaking of birthday's, Max, when's yours?" he asked with a goofy grin splitting his mug. Three out of four parents laughed at the question.</span></p> <p><span>"October 12, when's yours?" I asked, returning the same goofy grin.</span></p> <p><span>"June 18. There's two more parties we have to plan for."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, wait just a doggone minute, son," my mom started, "You two are getting married and didn't know when the other's birthday was?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess not, mom," I chuckled. "We've been so busy getting everyone settled in that we just hadn't got that far yet. We would have, eventually, I'm sure. We have the rest of our lives to learn all the little things about each other."</span></p> <p><span>"That's right, Mrs. Sanders," Tom added. "I fully intend to make the most of our life together. Why worry about little things like birthdays?"</span></p> <p><span>"Please, Tom, call me Rose. Mrs. Sanders sounds so formal, and I'm just not a formal person."</span></p> <p><span>"If it pleases you, I'll be happy to do so."</span></p> <p><span>"So, Tom, what are Vinnie and his guys doing for you?" Bill asked.</span></p> <p><span>"They're moving furniture and other stuff out of a bedroom and storage room for us. Max is having the bedroom redone a bit for Joey and Alex and the storage room is going to become my office for my new investigation business."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, <i>we're</i> having a bedroom and storage room redone, it's not just me anymore. You're involved in these things, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm still adjusting to that. Sorry, babe." My dad almost choked on his bite of garlic bread upon hearing that.</span></p> <p><span>"Get over it, dad," I said.</span></p> <p><span>"Will we get to meet the boys today?" Estelle asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't see why not, as long as you plan to be here about a quarter to four when they get home from school," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, we'll still be here, won't we, Bill?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd hoped to leave a little earlier so we could eat supper at home, but what the heck, we got nothin' but time, do we? It's not like we have to go to work in the morning, is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's the spirit, dear. Seize the moment. Thank you for being flexible. I'd like to at least meet the boys and get to know them a little bit before we need to buy birthday presents. It just wouldn't do to get something for them and then have them not like it."</span></p> <p><span>The rest of the meal passed fairly quietly except for praise from Bill and Estelle for my pasta sauce, which I gracefully accepted. When we were finally done eating, Tom and I got up to start clearing the table.</span></p> <p><span>"What can we do to help, boys?" Estelle asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We got it, ma, why don't you all go sit in the living room. We'll, be there in a few."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I insist we help. Come on, Bill, get off your behind and give us a hand." With Bill, Estelle, and my mom helping, we made very short work of the cleanup. Dad, however, moved back to a chair in the living room to sulk, which was fine with me. At least he wasn't in the way and I didn't have to see his sourpuss face.</span></p> <p><span>"Now that we're done with that, son, I'd like to see the rest of this beautiful house," Estelle said.</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you give the tour this time, Tom, I've done it myself all these years and you need some practice. I'll be in the living room with mom and dad."</span></p> <p><span>Mom and I headed to join dad while Tom took his parents on the grand tour. </span></p> <p><span>Just as we sat down, Vinnie poked his head around the corner from the hallway and hollered, "Yo, Maxie!"</span></p> <p><span>"Right here, Vinnie, what's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Whoops, sorry, guess I didn't have to yell, did I? Hey, we got the room emptied out so we're gonna' head back and get the truck unloaded."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, Vinnie. You get everything in one load?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure did. You want all this stuff stacked next to the other load we took out earlier?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be fine Vinnie, thanks."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll make sure your storage is locked up tight when we're done and we'll meet you at Tom's apartment Friday morning about 9:00 to get that loaded up. Good for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's perfect, Vinnie, but don't you want paid now for today."</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, don't worry `bout it, Maxie. I know where ya' live if I need to send my collection agency," he chuckled. "Y'all have a good afternoon. Sorry for interruptin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Vinnie, see you Friday morning, then."</span></p> <p><span>"Lunch was delicious, dear," mom said after Vinnie departed. "I absolutely love the sauce you make."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, mom. That means you did a good job when I was growing up as everything I know about cooking came from you. So, what do you think of Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"He seems to be a dear fellow. I think you two will be happy together for a long time to come."</span></p> <p><span>"I know we will. When we met, it was Karma smiling on us. Well, that and a little bit of help from Carol."</span></p> <p><span>"What did she have to do with you two meeting?" mom asked. "I thought she was just helping you with the adoptions." I told her the story of Tom coming to help at the Mueller's and what happened afterward, skipping, of course, any mention of nudity. "I see I need to meet this Carol person so I can thank her for connecting you and Tom, and for helping you with your adoption of the boys."</span></p> <p><span>"You'll get the chance to do that because she'll be here for the party next Thursday night. She doesn't want to miss Joey and Alex's birthday, but can't be here Saturday."</span></p> <p><span>"That's perfect, son. I'll have to get her a small gift, also. I hope that would be acceptable."</span></p> <p><span>"You'll probably just embarrass her, but if you want to do it, I won't stop you. What about you, dad? You're being awfully quiet over there. Are you coming to the party with mom or are you going to make her come by herself?"</span></p> <p><span>"Unlikely, boy. I have no intention of supporting this unholy union or you havin' those boys in this house with you and that other pervert. It's wrong and I won't stand for it."</span></p> <p><span>"Why are being such a pain in the ass, dad? This is my life and my decision, not yours. You have absolutely no say in what I do anymore."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we'll see about that. When the lawyer I've hired gets done with you, you won't have a pot to piss in."</span></p> <p><span>"Jim, what the hell are you talking about!?" mom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just what I said, damn it. I've hired a lawyer to rescue those boys from these sickos and this house of perverted horrors. I'm sure you'll be hearing from him soon enough."</span></p> <p><span>"You know what, dad, I'm sick of your shit and your attitude! You need to get the hell out of my house!"</span></p> <p><span>"Gladly, I wanted to that and hour and a half ago and was told I couldn't leave. Come on, Rose, we're outta' here."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not going anywhere with you, you crotchety old bastard," mom retorted before turning back to me, "I'm sorry dear, I had no idea he was doing this."</span></p> <p><span>"I know you didn't, mom. You may not be really happy with who I am or the decisions I'm making in my life, but I know you would never go so far as to hire a lawyer to try and stop it. It's all him. And he's leaving, <i>now</i>, isn't he?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right I am, you fuckin' faggot."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, don't let the door hit ya' where your good lord split ya' on your way out."</span></p> <p><span>"You worried about my ass, are ya'? Figures, only a queer would say somethin' like that." After that parting shot, he stormed across the living room and out the door, slamming it behind him. As soon as the door was closed, mom burst into tears. </span></p> <p><span>Not ten seconds later, Tom and his parents came through the living room on their way back from the theater. "Uh, Max, why is your mom crying and where's your dad?" Tom asked with a hint of fear in his voice.</span></p> <p><span>"He just left. And with luck, we won't be seeing him again."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell happened?" Bill wanted to know.</span></p> <p><span>"Sit down and I'll tell ya'." Tom, Bill and Estelle took their chairs and I started explaining, "You're not gonna' believe this, Tom, but my pigheaded old man has hired a lawyer to <i>rescue</i> the boys from us, his word, not mine. Like we can't be trusted around children since we're gay."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my god!" exclaimed Estelle. She quickly switched chairs so she could sit by my mom and comfort her.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, great way to cap off a nice lunch, isn't it? I think I'm gonna' be sick," I moaned as I hung my head between my knees.</span></p> <p><span>"Max, we can deal with this. Can't we?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I need to call James."</span></p> <p><span>"Who is James," Estelle asked.</span></p> <p><span>"My attorney, has been for 12 years. I'll let him take care of this. I'll be back, folks."</span></p> <p><span>I left the living room to call James in privacy. When his receptionist answered the phone, I told her who I was, that I had an emergency and needed to talk to James as soon as possible. Five seconds later, James was on the line with me.</span></p> <p><span>"What's the emergency, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Believe it or not, James, it's my dad. Time for you to earn your outrageous fees."</span></p> <p><span>"What's he done?"</span></p> <p><span>"He says he's hired an attorney for the purpose of removing the boys from my home. He can't do that, can he?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can't imagine how he thinks he could possibly succeed. Not unless he has irrefutable proof of child abuse or molestation. He doesn't, does he?"</span></p> <p><span>"James, how the hell could you ask that question. You know me better than that."</span></p> <p><span>"I know I do, Max, but I have to ask to know how to proceed. Do you know why he's doing this?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right I do. He's miserable old prick with a serious religion problem who thinks that just because I'm gay, I must be a child molester. He doesn't think I have any business being around children of any kind."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if that's his plan of attack, we should be able to squash it like a bug. He would have to have proof of something illegal happening to have any hope of winning a case like this."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I was hoping you'd say that. My fianc� and I don't need this crap. I need this killed, post-haste."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, did you say fianc�? When did that happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"Last Saturday morning, just before he went off and got himself shot."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell are talking about, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's a long story, James, and I'm not up to it at the moment. Just tell me you got a handle on this."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, Max, I got you covered. I'll find out who your dad's hired to do this and take care of it."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, James. Send me your bill when it's all over."</span></p> <p><span>"You know I will. I know you're not in the mood for it right now, but try to have a good afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right, fat chance of that. Thanks for your help." We hung up and I stalked back to the living room.</span></p> <p><span>"What'd he say, Max?" Tom asked as I rejoined the rest of the family.</span></p> <p><span>"He said it shouldn't be a problem unless dad has `irrefutable proof' of something illegal going on."</span></p> <p><span>"So, no problem, then," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Who knows, Tom. For all I know, the old man hired some freakin' photographer to sneak through the woods and he has pictures of us swimming or something."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, Max, ix-nay on the imming-sway," Tom whispered.</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, you do realize we know how to speak ig-pay atin-lay, right?" Bill asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, dad. Don't know what I was thinking."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what's the problem, he might have pictures of you swimming with the boys? What's the big deal? They shouldn't be swimming alone, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"It's not just that we'd be swimming, dad, there's more to it than that."</span></p> <p><span>"What are you talking about, son?"</span></p> <p><span>"Should I tell `em, Max, or you goin' to?"</span></p> <p><span>"You go ahead, I feel like my head's going to explode right now."</span></p> <p><span>"Mom, dad, Rose, we're nudists." My mom gasped in surprise, but Bill and Estelle acted like they'd heard nothing unusual. "Max has been for years and the boys love it, too. They'd go just about anywhere without clothes, if they could get away with it. And though I've only been around here a short time, also, I've gotten used to it, too."</span></p> <p><span>"So what, who cares?" Estelle asked. "You two think you're the only people in this world who don't wear clothes in your home or go skinny-dipping? I got news for you, you aren't, are they Bill?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, no, I guess not," he mumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, what are you saying? You and dad? Really?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, son, really." Rose replied. "Oh, don't be so damn surprised. You know how secluded our property is, it's a lot like this place. Well, after we got married and before you were born, we didn't wear clothes at home, either. We continued for a couple years after you were born but when you started to get into everything, we decided it was time to cover up. I mean, you would grab at damn near anything you could get your hands on and after you hurt your dad that one time... Well, we decided common sense should prevail. But, once you moved out on your own and it was just the two of us again, we kinda reverted to our old habits."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, god, I had no idea. Did I really do that, dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"You sure did, and it hurt like hell, let me tell you. And I wasn't about to give you the opportunity to do it again, either. Oh, no, that's a lesson you only have to learn once. Hell, just thinkin' `bout it now and the pain comes back," Bill added as he crossed his in legs and rocked in mock pain. We all snickered quietly at his display of discomfort, even my mom.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, dad. I don't remember that."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't expect you would, Tom, you were just over two when it happened. That's okay, though, because I remember it well enough for the both of us," to which we all laughed, again, including Bill.</span></p> <p><span>"So, Max, we're gonna be all right, right?" Tom begged.</span></p> <p><span>"We should be. I can't imagine what he's thinking to pull something like this. He must really hate me."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, honey, don't be like that," my mom said. "He's having a real hard time with all this. His parents and church, both, drilled into his brain, from a very early age, their version of what's right and what's wrong. It's not really his fault."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, it is mom. You've changed what you believe pretty darn fast. He could do the same if he'd only open his mind up to some common sense. Besides, I'm his son damn it!"</span></p> <p><span>"Dear, that's much easier said than done."</span></p> <p><span>"It is, Max," Bill offered. "You can trust me on that. Estelle and I were both been raised in the church, same as your father, and it took us a long time to come to grips with things and retrain our minds to accept things for how they are and not how we thought they should be."</span></p> <p><span>"That may be, Bill, but you didn't hire a lawyer and go after your son for being who he is, did you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, no, we didn't, but then Tom wasn't trying to adopt four young boys and getting married in what sounds like just a few months after telling us he was gay, either. Had he done all that so soon after coming out, we might have done the exact same thing your dad's doing. I'm not saying he's right, just I understand where he's coming from."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay," I said. "But, someone's got to talk him off the ledge, though. I don't want the possibility of his insanity screwing up the adoptions."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you look at me when you say that, son. I've been working on him ever since I figured out Helen and Libby were gay. With no success, I might add. He'd always thought very highly of them, but as soon as I told him they were lesbians, he came unglued, kept yellin' about sicko perverts living in the neighborhood. Couldn't get over the fact we used to let you and your sister trick or treat at their house, or ever have anything to do with them. Especially your sister. You should have heard some vile things he dreamed up about Lee, Helen and Libby. Absolutely disgusting."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess I'll wait and see if James has any grand inspirations the next couple of days. Not much else we can do at this moment, I think."</span></p> <p><span>"So, how `bout those Cardinals?" Tom asked in a lame attempt to change subjects which drew another laugh from everyone.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't have any idea, Tom," I answered, "I couldn't care less about baseball, or any other sport, really. I'm gay, you know?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my, say it ain't so?" he gasped mockingly, covering his mouth with his hand.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, it's so, just ask my old man, he'll tell you all about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, please stop that," mom begged. "This is hard enough already. I always knew your father was a pigheaded pain-in-the-ass, but I never dreamed he ever do something like this."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, mom, it's not your fault and it's not even your problem, it's his. I'll try to back off, but I'm just so pissed off right now I can't see straight."</span></p> <p><span>"Max," Estelle interrupted, "May I say something?"</span></p> <p><span>"Please do."</span></p> <p><span>"Despite what your father says and does right now, you need to know that deep down, he does love you. You are <i>still</i> his son, and regardless of anything else that happens, that fact will never change. I know it's hard to believe at this moment, but, it's true. Someday, in the not-too-distant future, hopefully, he'll realize he was wrong about all this and say he's sorry for how he's acted."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope your right, Estelle, I really do. I guess we'll just have to take it a day at a time until that minor miracle occurs."</span></p> <p><span>"Mom, dad," Tom interrupted, "You want to finish the tour now?" He winked to let them know he really just wanted to get them out of the room.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, son, let's go," Bill winked in response.</span></p> <p><span>After they headed down the hall to the boys' bedrooms, Tom's new office and the garage, I sat next to mom and took her hands in mine. "I'm sorry for all this mom. I knew dad wouldn't be happy with any of this and I forced it down your throats. I shouldn't have done that, but I am who I am and I need to live <i>my</i> life and be happy with it."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, son. I appreciate that, but this is still your father's problem and he has to figure out how to deal with it in his own way. He'll either learn to accept things as they are or he won't. It's really that simple."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you think he'd be willing to see a family counselor with me to see if we can work through this."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, dear. He thinks the only counselor he needs is his pastor at our church and just look at where that's gotten us. Me and you are in deep doo-doo, boy."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, mom, and I'm sorry you're in the middle."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you worry about me, young man, I can take care of myself just fine. I've dealt with your father for 40+ years and will continue to do so."</span></p> <p><span>I wrapped my arms around my mom in a big hug and whispered in her ear, ""Thanks, mom, for everything you've done for me and continue to do. I know where I got my heart from."<a name="_Hlk477968516"></a></span></p> <p><span>"And don't you ever forget it," she replied, smacking me on the shoulder, which made us both laugh.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and his parents came back into the living as he was concluding their tour of the house and walked them to the glass wall leading to the pool so they could see it also. "And over in the trees somewhere out there is a storage building I hadn't seen until this morning. That's where Vinnie and the guys moved the stuff from the empty bedroom and my new office. And somewhere past that, in a corner out there I have yet to see, is a small family graveyard Max inherited when he bought the property."</span></p> <p><span>"Really?" Bill asked. "I'd like to see that sometime. Those old cemeteries like that are usually pretty cool."</span></p> <p><span>"You two are welcome here anytime," I responded. "You might want to wait until April or May so it's warmer and drier than it is right now before we make that trek, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Is it easy to get to or will we need a machete to cut our way through the jungle?" Bill asked while laughing.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, it's easy to get to, now anyway. I found it by accident one day when I was clearing one of my walking trails through the trees. The people I bought this property from didn't even know it was there and it was in horrendous condition from many years of neglect when I found it. I did a lot of clean up to it, put in a new wrought iron fence and repaired the headstones, so it looks pretty good now. My lawn guys keep it pretty well maintained, also."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll look forward to seeing it someday, Max."</span></p> <p><span>I looked to the clock on the wall and realized it was about time for the boys to get home from school so I excused myself to make the trip to the end of the drive and pick them up. Since dad had gone home already, I was able to get the Flex out of the garage and arrived at the end of the drive before the bus arrived to disgorge the passengers that belonged here. As soon as the bus stopped and the door opened, the boys ran to the car, climbed in and buckled in.</span></p> <p><span>"Good day at school, boys?" I asked as I turned the car around.</span></p> <p><span>"Awesome day, dad, and before you can ask, no homework for anyone tonight," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'll have to talk to your teachers about that," I snickered. "What's a day without homework?"</span></p> <p><span>"Great!" they all yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, okay, calm down," I said as I headed down the drive.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, who's car is that, dad?" Joey asked when I rounded the corner of the trees and they could see the house.</span></p> <p><span>"You'll find out soon enough," I answered as I pulled back in the garage and closed the door. As we headed to the door to the house, I added, "Drop your bags in your rooms and you can change clothes if you'd like, but remember, you need to at least have shorts on when you come into the living room."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dad, we know," Mike said, "time for `other people' rules, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Exactly. Thanks, boys." As I continued down the hallway alone, I realized Tom's parents probably wouldn't have a problem with the boys being nude, but I wasn't sure how my mom would react, so, better safe than sorry.</span></p> <p><span>"Where are the boys?" Estelle asked. "We heard `em come in."</span></p> <p><span>"The people in the cemetery out there heard `em come in, Estelle," Bill laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"They're dropping their backpacks in their rooms and probably changing into shorts. They'll be out in a just a few." The words had barely escaped my lips when five rowdy lads in shorts and t-shirts rounded the corner into the living room at full tilt. "Whoa up there, pardners, y'all are inside now."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, mama," T.J. called out as he walked over and gave my mom a hug. "We didn't know you were coming out today."</span></p> <p><span>"Where's papa?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi boys, it's great to see you all, again. Sorry papa's not here, but he wasn't feeling well and went home a little while ago."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, how're you gonna' get home, mama?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Your dad will take me home, dear, won't you, son?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I will." </span></p> <p><span>Andy tugged on my sleeve and asked the obvious question while pointing towards Bill and Estelle, "So, who're they?"</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, say hi to Tom's mom and dad." All five turned together and zipped over to give hugs to Bill and Estelle.</span></p> <p><span>"You gonna' be our grandma and grampa?" T.J. quietly asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It sure looks that way," Bill answered as the hugs broke up.</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you tell us your names?" Estelle asked. All five answered at the same time and Estelle held up a hand and asked, "Can we do that, again, one at a time, please, starting with you two?" pointing a finger towards the twins.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm Joey and this is my twin brother, Alex."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and we'll be nine next week," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"So, we heard. Never woulda' guessed you were twins, though. You two don't look at all alike," Estelle chuckled. The twins looked at each other, rolling their eyes, like `who's she kiddin', right?'.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi there, I'm T.J. and I'm seven."</span></p> <p><span>"And when's your birthday, T.J.? Your dads couldn't remember when we asked earlier."</span></p> <p><span>T.J. shot Tom and me a dirty look and then turned back to Estelle, "April 23<sup>rd</sup>. Can't believe they forgot it, already."</span></p> <p><span>"And who might you be, young man?" Bill asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, my name's Mike, I'm 6 and since they pro'lly forgot mine, too, my birthday's May 5." He turned to us and stuck his tongue out, as if to prove his point, to which we enjoyed a good laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"And, one more to go. What's your name, sweetie?" Estelle asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, nice to meet ya'. I'm Andy, I'm 6, too, and my birthday's august 4<sup>th</sup>. But I don't know if I'll still be living here then." I signaled to Tom to remember that date.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, why not?" Bill asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm only here now `cause my mom's in jail and her boyfriend's in the hospital. I know I get to stay until the end of school, don't know what's gonna' happen after that, but I hope I get to stay here forever and ever."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry you're having a rough time, Andy. Are you liking it here?" Estelle asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, we have lots of fun. And dad and pops are great. We get to swim almost every day and watch movies and me and the others play some really fun games." I was hoping he wouldn't go any further about the `games'.</span></p> <p><span>"Dad and pops?" Bill asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Uncle Max and Uncle Tom. The others call `em dad and pops and they said I could, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Pops, that's a good name for you, Tom," Bill laughed. "That sure beats the heck out of some of the other options, doesn't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Darn right it does. You don't even hear what some of the other choices were."</span></p> <p><span>"I have to ask," Bill started, looking at the boys, "what's up with your hair? You all sure look a lot like our son's head."</span></p> <p><span>"They're supposed to," Alex answered, turning his head to give them a better view.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we got it done after he got hurt Saturday," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"We even got stiches, just like him," T.J. chimed in.</span></p> <p><span>"I can see that. And, just what possessed you to do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we love pops and wanted him to know we're all in this together," Mike answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I did it `cause it was me he was savin' when he got hurt," Andy whimpered.</span></p> <p><span>"Those are excellent reasons, boys. And you all look great."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we do," Mike proudly replied, "and now our friends Mark and Billy are really gonna' push their moms to get their hair cut the same way."</span></p> <p><span>"They thought it was cool before, but with the stiches drawn on, they want it bad, now," Andy said.</span></p> <p><span>We spent the next hour visiting, with the boys, of course, being the main topic of conversation, when my mom said she should probably get home so she could fix supper for her and dad. I was thinking she should just let him starve and maybe my problems with him would fix themselves, but I kept my mouth shut. As we stood so I could drive her home, Bill and Estelle stood to say goodbye and the boys all gave my mom hugs.</span></p> <p><span>"Are you and papa gonna' come out for our birthday party next Thursday?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be here, but I don't know about papa. We'll have to see if he's feeling better."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope he can make it, I'd like to see him again," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like that too, honey," mom answered while patting him on the head. She then turned to me and asked, "Shall we go? You know how your father is if his food's not on the table when he thinks it should be."</span></p> <p><span>"That I do, mom." I turned to Bill and Estelle and said, "I'm so glad you came up today. It was wonderful to meet the parents of this great guy and I'm glad that you'll soon be part of the family."</span></p> <p><span>"It was good to meet you, too, Max. I'm glad Tom has found such a wonderful and loving person to share his life with," Bill replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Will you still be here when I get back?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably. We're in no particular hurry to get back home, now."</span></p> <p><span>"If you'll hang around, I'll pick up some food in town and we can have supper together when I get back. Sound okay to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds great, Max. We'd love to spend some more time with our new grandsons."</span></p> <p><span>"It's a deal, then. I'll be back in about an hour. Is chicken okay for everyone?" The boys raised the roof with an enthusiastic cheer of acceptance. "Okay, chicken it is. I'll be back soon, folks."</span></p> <p><span>Mom and I headed to the garage and on to Springfield. It was a quiet ride as she thought about having to deal with dad and I spent the time worrying about leaving her there with him. When we got to the house, I walked her to the front porch.</span></p> <p><span>Before she went in, I said, "Mom, thanks for coming out today and staying. It really meant a lot to me."</span></p> <p><span>"I had a good time, son. It's nice to get out of the house every now and then, even if I have to do it by myself. And Tom is a lovely young man and I'm glad I got to meet him <i>before</i> you got married. Bill and Estelle seem to be good people, too. I was serious about visiting them the next time we go to Pere Marquette."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, mom. I'm sure they'd enjoy that. Maybe they could help dad with his problems, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I don't know about that. The only person who can fix that mess in his head is himself."</span></p> <p><span>"I know. Thanks, again for staying this afternoon, though. Well, I better get going. I need to pick up some chicken and go feed an army. You're welcome to come out any time." I leaned over, kissed mom on the cheek and whispered, "Love you, mom."</span></p> <p><span>"We love you, too, son, in our own ways."</span></p> <p><span>With that, I turned and headed down the sidewalk to the car. Before climbing in the car, I stopped to give mom a quick wave goodbye, which she retuned sadly before closing the door to the house. As I drove off, a darkness settled in the pit of my stomach thinking about leaving her with dad, but I didn't know what else to do at the moment. My next stop was the closest KFC to pick up supper for nine people. With a couple buckets of chicken, lots of mashed potatoes and gravy, a couple containers of coleslaw and two boxes of biscuits, I headed for home.</span></p> <p><span>I parked in the garage and closed the door, then loaded myself up with bags and buckets of food and headed inside. After opening the door to the house, I noticed it seemed awfully quiet for three adults and five boys, so I assumed everyone was in the theater watching a movie or TV. I dropped my armload of foodstuffs in the kitchen and headed on to the theater to let everyone know supper had arrived. I was surprised to find it empty and dark when I opened the door. Where the devil could everyone have gone? I turned around and headed back towards the kitchen and started calling out names.</span></p> <p><span>"Tom! Joey! Alex! Anybody here!?" I yelled in confusion. After receiving no response, I headed back towards the boys' rooms and the garage and as I crossed the living room, I finally noticed the lights were on in the pool shelter. Ah-ha, those little scamps had talked Tom into a swim before supper, so I headed on out to round up the stray family members and lead them to the feed trough. I assumed the boys would be in the pool and Tom and his parents would be sitting at the table talking since they hadn't seen each other in a while.</span></p> <p><span>Of course, everyone knows what you're doing when you assume anything, it makes an ass of you and me. And boy, did I ever feel like an ass when I opened the door to the pool shelter.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-38.html

Building a Family 38 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to wmcorgan61@hushmail.com If you tried to send me an e-mail recently, I did not receive it. My account was closed without warning or explanation. I have created a new e-mail address and I have changed the link above to that new address. Unfortunately, this sudden change has caused me to lose all the contacts to whom I was sending my notification e-mails. If you would still like to receive my notification e-mails, please let me know so I can begin recreating my contact list. Thanks for all your support. All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 38 � Big Changes Coming The boys were most certainly enjoying a before meal swim, as were Tom, Bill and Estelle, and not a one of them was wearing a swim suit. Tom was the first to see I'd returned and he started laughing at the look of surprise showing on my face. "Hey, everyone, supper's here. Let's go eat!" he yelled. Resounding cheers filled the shelter as naked people started climbing from pool and heading to the table to grab towels and dry themselves. "Y'all havin' some fun without me?" I asked. "Yeah, dad, we're having a blast," Alex answered. "I'm glad. You five run through the shower really quick and then get the table set for supper, please." After they headed to the house, I turned to Tom and said, "In the words of Dylan, `What the hell, Tom. Can't you keep clothes on anybody out there?'" "Um, guess not, babe. Sorry?" "Looks like I need a bit more careful when I tell visitors to make themselves comfortable," I chuckled. "Sorry, Max," Bill started, "I wanted to go for a swim and it sounded like a good idea to the boys, but since we didn't bring suits with us, we decided to let it all hang out. Hope that's not a problem." "Not at all, Bill," I replied. "As we like to say around here, `when in Rome'. Will we be getting dressed for supper, or will I be joining the crowd?" "Your house, Max, your rules," Estelle answered. "Whatever you feel is appropriate. But, it seems kind of silly for the rest of us to get dressed. It'd be much easier if you joined us than the other way around." "Now that they've gotten nude with y'all, I can tell you right now, the boys will not come back from their showers with anything on, so who am I to buck the trend? Let me go get comfortable and we can get the food out. We'll probably need to nuke the chicken and potatoes a couple minutes to warm it back up." "I'll take care of that, Max," Estelle volunteered. "Do you have a serving platter to use once it's been warmed?" "Of course. In the cabinet above and to the left of the stove. You'll find bowls for the potatoes and gravy in there, too, along with some baskets for the biscuits." I turned to Tom and said, "C'mon, big guy, let's get this show on the road." The four of us headed into the house and while Tom and I headed to the bedroom, Bill and Estelle headed towards the kitchen to start getting things ready for our supper. After closing the bedroom door, I started to undress and asked, "Okay, man, what's the big idea? You wanna' tell me what happened after I left?" "Hey, it wasn't me. It was all dad." "Yeah, right, explain it to me, so it makes sense." "Well, after you and your mom left, dad asked the boys if they were having a good time being a family together. When they all said they were, then, the old man asked `em if they liked being nudists. You coulda' heard a pin drop. Joey answered him with `we ain't s'posed to talk `bout that', then looked to me for confirmation. I was caught off guard by dad's question and just shrugged my shoulders. Then dad says, `Well I want to try out the pool, who's with me?' Everything just kinda snowballed from there," he chuckled. "So, you're blaming your dad for this, huh?" "I swear, Max, ask him yourself if you don't believe me." "I just might do that, ya' big goof. Come here." Tom crept closer, unsure what I wanted. When he was close enough, I wrapped my arms around him for a hug, gave him a quick kiss, and said, "I love you, Tom Wright. And I'm pretty sure I love your parents, too. They've come a long way in five years, haven't they?" I concluded, holding him at arm's length. "I love you, too, Max. And, yes, they have. From being disgusted with who I am to swimming nude together, that's definitely a l-o-o-o-ng way to travel in a short period of time. I never dreamed it would happen, but I couldn't be happier than I am right now." "Me too, bubba, me too. Let's join the others and stake our claim to some chicken before it's all gone." We headed to the kitchen, arms wrapped around each other, to help finish getting everything ready only to find it was all done and on the table waiting for us. "Now that's some service, folks. Thanks." "Well, you supplied it, Max," Estelle replied. "Seems like the least we could do was get it on the table. Let's chow down." "Did you have any problems finding everything you needed in the kitchen?" I asked as we took our seats. "Not a bit. Your kitchen is very well organized, much as I would have done," Estelle replied. "The only thing that took me a few minutes to find was the honey. Can't have biscuits without honey, can we. I finally found it in the cabinet over the stove. Why do you keep it up there?" "I've discovered over the years, that the heat from cooking helps keep it from crystalizing quite as quickly. I still need to occasionally give it in a warm bath, but not near as much as I used to." "Well, I'll have to try that myself. I love my honey, but hate the way it slowly turns to a solid, although that occasional little bit of grit doesn't much bother me." Bill commented. The rest of dinner finished quietly except for the occasional slurp of someone licking their fingers. When everyone was full, the boys got busy cleaning the table while I took care of the trash and chicken bones. When everything was cleaned up and put away, I asked the boys if they want to watch some TV for a bit before going to bed. They took off for the theater and I tuned the satellite to some crazy-ass cartoon on Nickelodeon, then headed back out to join Tom and his parents by the fireplace. I was looking forward to visiting without the added stress of my father hanging around, being the grumpy old bastard he is. "Anybody want a cup of coffee or something else before I sit?" "Mom, dad?" Tom asked as he looked to them. After receiving nods from both, he turned back to me and answered, "Looks like 3 here, babe." "Be right back, folks." I pulled out a serving tray that would let me to carry 4 cups, cream and sugar, filled each cup and headed back to the living room. "Here we go. Hope you like it." After I sat in my favorite chair next to Tom, I said, "I'm glad you two came up today. I've enjoyed getting to know my soon-to-be in-laws. Sorry for the drama earlier, but dad needs to figure this out on his own." "No worries, Max," Bill answered. "Like I said earlier, when Tom first let us know he was gay, we were in the same place your dad is right now." "If you don't mind me asking, how long did it take you to change your point of view?" "Almost a year, Max. It wasn't a fun time for us, or for Tom, we know. Our church friends still think we abandoned them, but we weren't going to disown our son just to stay with the church. For us, he's way more important. I know it's not like that for all families with gay children, but that's what seemed to be the best for us. I just wish it could work out like that for everyone." "And if we had let him go, we wouldn't have met you, your mom, or those sweet boys you're adopting," Estelle added. "And we finally get be grandparents," she giggled. "That really reinforces we made the right decision." "See, Max," Tom started with a grin, "just like I told you the other day, it's all about the grandkids. No concern for me at all." "Son," Bill started seriously, with a frown on his face, "It's not too late for us to change our minds, you know." "Whoa, dad, just kiddin'. Don't want to go there again. It took way too long for us to get where we are to even think about backtrackin'." "I'm just givin' ya' some grief Tom. I do believe it's our turn," Bill answered with a smile. "Fair enough, dad." "So, Max, how much property do you have out here?" Bill asked. "Just over 18 acres. The northwest corner had been sold off before I bought the rest of it or I'd have and even 20. Why?" "Well, Estelle and I have been thinking of moving to the area so we could be closer with Tom. Now that you two are together and have the boys with you, it only makes sense to try and find some property close by where we could build a house." "What!? You've never said anything about moving," Tom exclaimed. "Well, like I said, we'd just been thinking about it, but now seems like a good time to get serious in making that decision. You don't have a problem with that, do you?" "Not at all. I'm just surprised you'd consider leaving Grafton," Tom answered. "What about you, Max? What do you think of the idea?" Estelle asked. "I don't know if my thoughts really count, Estelle. Not on this, anyway. But, since you asked me, I think it would be wonderful to have you closer. Especially considering the state of my relationship with my parents right now. I'm sure the boys would love having you closer, also." "I was hoping you'd say that, Max. So, here's the big question for you." Bill took a deep breath before continuing, "Would you consider selling Estelle and me a few acres of your property? If we're going to do it, we'd like to be a close as we can to our family." "Whoa, Bill, don't you think might be a bit too close?" I asked. "Not really, not if we selected an area closer to the road. We wouldn't want to be right outside your back door, you know. One of things we need to consider with selecting any location to live is that it's close enough to town where we can shop and such, but not so close that we're forced to abandon our lifestyle. The one thing we don't want to have to do is start wearing clothes at home. I think your little garden of Eden here is the perfect location for us to consider. If you'll have us, that is?" I looked to Tom and asked, "What do you think, big guy? You want your mom and dad out here with us?" "Gee, I don't know," he replied with a sly wink. "I mean, they are my parents, and I love `em and all that, but I just don't know if I want `em quite that close." "Fine, son, just be an ass," Estelle said with venom. "Chill, ma, I'm just kidding," Tom laughed. "If you want to move up here, I think that would be great. We could make up for some of the time we've lost the last couple of years and I'd love that. You have to deal with Max on the land, though." "So, Max, what do you think?" Bill asked. "I like it, Bill. I think it would be great for you and Estelle to be closer. Are you sure you want to live out here in the middle of nowhere, though?" "We live there now, Max," Estelle answered. "Besides, like Bill said, we'd have to find somewhere that won't infringe on us being nude at home. We sure can't live where we'd only have a fence separating us from our neighbors. That just wouldn't work for us. We need trees and fresh air." "There's certainly plenty of that out here. And I'm sure we can work something out. I have several walking trails I've cut through all the woods around the area where this house sits. When it's warmer out, you can come back up and we can walk those trails and help find you a nice spot for your new home." "That sounds great, Max," Bill responded. "With luck, we could get the place built and moved into before snow flies this fall." "And I have the perfect guy to build it for you. His name is John Hasara. I've worked with him before and he does quality work. In fact, he's going to be redoing the rooms in the house for the boys and Tom's new office. I'll give you his information so you can get in touch with him and get working on a design." "Excellent, Max. I love it when a plan comes together." "Wait, dad, you planned this?" "Just a little bit, son. The basic `moving to the area' part was pretty much decided already. The `where' part hadn't been considered until we saw this place. Once Estelle and I saw how secluded it was, we hoped we could talk you two into it. If that hadn't worked out, we'd start looking for other spots close by. As luck would have it, we don't have to do that now." "This will be great," Tom said. "I can't wait for you to be living here." "I'm glad, son. We're looking forward to it also," Bill said. He then turned to Estelle and said, "Well, dear, I think it's time we get our clothes back on and hit the road. We've got a bit of a drive before us before we can go to bed." "You aren't gonna' get out of here without saying goodbye to the boys, let me get `em." "Oh, we wouldn't have dreamed of it, Max," Estelle said. "It's time for them to get into bed anyway. Tomorrow is still a school day, last time I checked." I headed to the theater to retrieve the fantastic five and they took off to give hugs goodbye while I shut everything down for the night. By the time I returned, the hugs were wrapping up and Bill and Estelle were about to go to our bedroom to get dressed. "Did your parents tell `em the news?" I whispered in Tom's ear. "Not yet." Tom waved his dad over to us and asked, "Are you going to tell them about you moving up here?" he asked his dad. "I thought maybe you two would want to think about it some more before we did, you know, just in case you change your minds about selling us a couple acres," Bill whispered back in reply. "it's a done deal, Bill. Go ahead and tell `em. They'll go to sleep extra happy tonight." "If you insist," he replied with a smile. Bill walked back and stood by Estelle. "Boys, sit down for a minute. We have something we want to tell you." The boys looked puzzled but sat on the couch together while Tom and I stood behind them and covered our ears in expectation of the cheering that was about to commence. "We had a great time meeting, visiting and swimming with you today and we want you to know we're going to be spending a whole lot more time with all of you in the near future." "Watchu' talkin' `bout, grampa?" T.J. asked. "After taking to your dads, they've agreed to sell us some of the property here for us to build a house on and move into." "WOO-HOO!" "ALL RIGHT!" "WHEN!" Tom and I had been right to cover our ears. "We'll be back up the next couple months for birthdays and such, and one of those times, we'll walk some of the trails and see what we can find. Once we find the right location, then we'll have to have the house built. If things move along smoothly, we'll be able to get moved in this fall before winter hits." "That's great, grandma and grampa. We can't wait," Alex said. "Will we be able to help you move in?" Joey asked. "Of course, you will. We're old people, boys, and we'll need all the help we can get." "Tom knows a good moving crew," I laughed. "Thanks for that kind thought, Max," Estelle replied, "but I think we'll find our own crew, if you don't mind. Not sayin' we don't trust Vinnie, but we'd rather pick someone we know," she laughed. "Well, boys, we need to get dressed and hit the road," Bill said. "But, we'll be back up next Thursday night for your birthday party, Joey and Alex. You all be good, you hear me?" "Yes, grampa," they all moaned. Bill and Estelle headed to our bedroom to retrieve their clothes and Tom and I began herding the boys towards their bedrooms. As we turned into T.J., Mike and Andy's room, I said, "Andy, I'm sorry, but you're gonna' have to bunk with T.J. and Mike or the twins until we can get these rooms redone. Are you okay with that?" I asked. "Yeah, we'll be all right. If they get too wild, I'll come find you or pops and we can do something else." "Good, I'm glad you're okay with the temporary arrangements. Once we get the rooms all redone, if you still want to sleep in the spare bedroom, it's all yours." "Thanks, dad." Tom and I tucked the three boys in and gave them good night kisses on their foreheads, then headed to the twins' room after turning out the light. Joey and Alex were just coming out of the bathroom after brushing their teeth and we helped them with the covers as they climbed in bed. After planting a kiss on each forehead and saying I love you and getting the same back from the boys, we headed back to the living room to say goodbye to Tom's parents. "Mom, Dad, thanks so much for coming up today. I had a great time, and so did the boys." "We did too, son," Estelle replied. "Max, it was wonderful to meet the man who's captured our son's heart, too, and we are going to be very proud having you as a member of the family. Those sweet boys, too." "I feel the same way Estelle and Bill. When you come back for the twins' birthday, you'll get to meet my sister Lee and her husband Carl." "If they're anything like you, Max, I'm sure we'll love them as well," Bill said. "I really hope you aren't upset about us being nude with the boys." "Oh, don't worry about it. With you two moving up here, it was obviously going to happen at some point, might as well be now rather than later." "That's good to hear. I worried about it at first, but Tom said it'd be okay. Will there be a dress code for the party next Thursday?" "Very likely, my sister's not real comfortable with nudity, especially in mixed company, and my mom and Carol will be here also, so I think we'd best remain dressed. Don't like it much, but that's just how it is sometimes." "We make the same concession in our house when we have certain guests, Max. It's the price we pay for not living a so-called normal life." "You two be careful on the way home. We want you to be able to come back next week. Call and let me know when you're there, will you?" "Yes, son," Estelle replied. "We'll call so you can stop worrying," she added as she rolled her eyes. "Thanks, I love you guys," Tom said as he gave his parents hugs goodbye. "Oh, and one more thing, young man, I told you so." "Thanks, ma, I knew you wouldn't let me down," Tom said as he smiled at his mother's comment. I hugged Estelle, shook hands with Bill, then opened the door and we waved goodbye as they headed down the walk to their car. After closing the door and heading to sit by the fireplace, I commented, "Well, that was a fun day, wasn't it? Too bad my dad had to ruin it by being such a raving lunatic. I do love your parents, though, and I look forward to them moving up here." "Don't worry about your dad, babe. We'll deal with it. And I can't wait for mom and dad move here, either." "So, you didn't know your parents were nudists until today, huh?" I asked as we sat down. "Bet that was a bit of shock." "You have no idea, Max. I haven't seen my dad naked since I was a little kid, and I've never seen mom that way. Not that I can remember, anyway. It was pretty weird at first today, but once we got in the pool, it was no big deal. And after you got home, like mom said, it seemed pretty silly for us to get dressed then. What would have been the point?" "Well, it would have saved me some embarrassment, especially when you compare my body to yours and your dad's. I really don't measure up to either one of you." "Max, will you please get over that. I've told you that you're perfect in every way. I love all of you just the way you are." "Thanks for that, Tom. I've spent a long time dealing with feelings of inadequacy. That's probably one of the reasons I've stayed alone as long as I have. And I promise I'll try to get over it, but old habits die hard." "Not if I have anything to say about `em, they don't," he responded while lasciviously licking his lips. I had no comeback for that except to laugh. "Besides, not all guys can have the privilege of being blessed like me and dad. Some of you lesser mortals had to draw the short straw," he laughed. "Thought you were tryin' to make me feel better, smart-ass. All that effort, gone, just like that," I said as I snapped my fingers. "I'm sorry, Max, I'll make it up to you later, okay?" "Damn right, you will." "One thing I think I'll have to do with mom and dad being around more is to join the hairless club. As if it wasn't enough of a surprise to discover they're closet nudists, but to see them both naked and hairless blew my socks off. Well, it would have if I'd still had my socks on. Now, I kinda understand how T.J. felt being the only guy in the house with an intact foreskin. I definitely feel out of place being the only person with hair." "I can help you with that if you'd like. I do have a bit of practice at it." "So, I've noticed. Maybe later, babe. I need to think about it some more before I actually do it." "No pressure, Tom. And if you do it and decide you don't like it, it'll grow back." "I know that, goofball. Just not quite sure I'm ready to return to a hairless state." "I admit, it's not for everyone. It took me several shaves before I began to be really comfortable with how it looks. It feels great and I loved that part immediately, but the appearance part takes some getting used to." "I don't know about you, Max, but I think I could use a shower and some sleep," Tom said as he stood, stretched and yawned. "I'm with ya', bubba. Dealing with dad has wiped me out. Lead the way." I held out a hand which he grabbed and helped pull me to my feet. We took a shower together, dried off and just before we climbed into bed, the phone rang. Caller ID showed it was his mom or dad calling, so Tom answered the phone while I slipped under the covers. Once he heard his parents were home safe and thanked them for calling, Tom slipped under the covers with me, taking a turn to hold me tonight as we fell asleep. I feel so safe and content when he does that. Damn that alarm! 6:00 freakin' AM. Every damn day. Ah, the life of being a parent. I wouldn't trade these early mornings for anything, though. I headed to the other end of the house to get the boys moving in the right direction, then headed back to roust sleeping beauty. If I have to get up this early every day, then so does he, by god. We are in this together, after all. I met the boys in the kitchen for a breakfast of scrambled eggs and sausage and Tom joined us shortly, filling his coffee mug and taking a sip before saying anything to anybody. "Morning, Max, boys. Is everybody ready for another fun-filled day?" "Andy and I are, pops," Mike answered. "That true Andy?" I asked. "You bet, we wanna' see if Mark and Billy have new haircuts yet." "Are we drawing stitches today?" "Please!!" the boys yelled. "Come on, big guy, grab a pencil and get busy. I'll help as soon as the food's cooked." Tom pulled a couple of the makeup pencils from the drawer and got started drawing on Andy's head and after I had plates in front of the fantastic five, I picked up mine and started working on Alex's noggin. 10 minutes later, our art class was over and the boys were ready for the world. "Hey, Tom you want to take `em out to meet the bus this morning so I can call John and see when he might be out?" "Sure, why not?" "Thanks." The boys headed to their rooms to get their things and I called after them, "Oh, no you don't, you little scoundrels. You got on the bus yesterday and I didn't get hugs from anyone. Get your buns back here." They turned around and trudged their way back to me, looking like they were being forced to walk the plank. I accepted a hug from each of them and gave them one back, reminding them to be good and learn something new today. The responses ran the gamut from a cheery "you bet, dad" to a surly "whatever". Tom met them in the garage to meet the bus and after he pulled out, I called John. "Morning, John, Max here. Just checking on when you might be out today to verify measurements. I want to make sure we don't miss you if we need to go anywhere." "On my way right now, Max. Should be there in about 15 minutes." "Thanks, we'll see you when you get here." I had just taken my chair by the fireplace and opened my book when Tom came back in. "John says he'll be here in about 15 minutes." "Great," Tom said. "it'll be nice to get that out of the way so we can relax after yesterday's excitement." "I agree. What are we gonna' do with ourselves after John leaves?" "I can think of a few things that will kill some time," he answered as he wiggled his eyebrows at me, and I rewarded him with a laugh for the effort. "I thought maybe you might want to call Malcom this morning, start making some basic arrangements." "Hey, that's a good idea. I'll get his info and we can do that right after John's gone." Tom headed to the study to retrieve his sheet of info and came back to sit with me and read while we waited for John. True to his word as usual, the drive sensor announced John's arrival almost exactly 15 minutes after I talked to him. I met him at the door and let him in, asking, "How are you this bright and beautiful day, John." "Finer than frog's hair, Max, how `bout yourselves?" "We're doing pretty, well. You know where the rooms are. You need any help, or you want us out of the way?" "I don't know Max, this pretty high-tech work I gotta' do this morning, you sure you're qualified to provide that kind of help?" he laughed. "Very funny, John. Go get what you need and we'll stay out of your way." John disappeared down the hall, stopping in the bedroom first, while I took my chair by the fireplace again and picked up my book. Tom returned with Malcom's info so we'd be ready for our call. A few minutes later, I heard from down the hall, "Uh, Max, I think you need to see this." "That doesn't sound good, does it?" Tom asked. "Not a bit." We headed down the hall and found John in what was to become Tom's office. "What's up, John?" I asked as Tom and I entered the room. "The floor in here looks like it's gotten wet a time or two. Look at the waves in the flooring. I think we're gonna' have to rip this up and replace it before we do anything else in here." "Well, what the hell? Vinnie didn't say anything about that yesterday." "Now, don't blame Vinnie for it, Max. He was just moving stuff, not looking at the floor." "Yeah, you're right, and from the looks of it, it's been this way for a while." "Let me grab a couple tools from my truck and pull up a couple pieces of the flooring so I can take a sample with me. That way, I can match it as close as possible to what's here already for thickness and finish, but we'll still probably have to replace the whole finished floor. Twelve-year-old wood flooring of this quality won't be easy to match today. And we'll end up replacing at least part of the subfloor, too." "Whatever you have to do, John. I want it done right, you know that." "Sure do. Be right back." John returned in a couple minutes and proceeded to attack the floor. After 10 minutes of serious work, he'd finally managed to get a couple strips of the flooring pulled up. "Boy, they sure glued the hell out of this when they put it in, didn't they? No wonder you don't have any squeaks in this house." "You bet, John. I know wood floors will eventually start making noise and I didn't want that." "Well, now that I've this area pulled up, you can see a part of the subfloor here is damp. My best guess is you've got a pinhole in a water line under the floor that's spraying up against the floor. You want me to get a plumber out here to dig deeper and find the source of the problem?" "Of course, I do, John. Doesn't make sense to put in a new subfloor and flooring if I've got a leak under the floor. We'd be better off to find it now than after you tear up the floor." "I'll call him now and see if I can get him out here this afternoon. That work for you?" "Yeah, that'd be great, John, since we're not gonna' be here the next couple days." John made his call and found me in the living room once he'd made the arrangements. "The plumber, Mark Miller, will be here about 2:00 this afternoon. Do you know where he can gain access to the crawlspace?" "Sure thing, there's a floor hatch in the laundry room right next to that room." "Perfect, Max. Hopefully, it'll be just a pinhole as I suspect and not something more involved from the laundry room." "I'm hoping for that, too. You got the measurements you need." "Yep, I'll swing by Sherwin-Williams and get the paints for both rooms on my way back into town. We'll have to make arrangements with you to get in to do the painting in the bedroom and start ripping up the rest of the floor in Tom's new office." "Are you still planning to set up the bus shelter for the boys on Monday?" "We're on schedule with that, so we should be here Monday morning about 8:00 to get started out there. And like I said before, it'll be done the same day. We should be able to get working in the bedroom that afternoon or Tuesday morning." "Sounds like a plan to me, John. Get to it." "Sorry for the bad news on your office, Tom, but we'll get it done as quickly as we can." "Don't worry about it John. I'm not supposed to be working right now, anyway. If a bullet to the head can't kill me, then a few more days not workin' won't kill me, either." "Okay, guys, I'm outta' here. Unless I hear different from you, I'll see you next Monday." "Thanks, John. Have a great day." After John was gone, Tom and I sat back by the fireplace. "Well, you ready to try Malcom?" I asked. "Let's do it," Tom answered. He put the phone on speaker and dialed the number. Three rings later, a man with a deep baritone voice answered. "Hello?" "Is this Malcom Wright?" Tom asked. "That's me, who's calling?" "Malcom, my name is Tom Wright and I have my partner, Max Sanders, here with me. I'm the person who sent you the message on Facebook the other day about Dylan. Do you have a few minutes you can talk?" "Oh, sure thing, man. I been waitin' for you to call." "Great, Malcom. As I mentioned in my message, I've worked with Dylan the last five years in the county sheriff's department. A little over a week ago, he was at our house to try and talk me out of quitting the job. Your name came up and Dylan said that you were his best friend until your family moved to Chicago when you guys were about 16 and he lost track of you. I thought it might be fun to surprise Dylan and get you two together again." "That'd be so cool, man. I always wondered what happened to him, but just haven't had time to look him up. Never figured him to be the cop type, though." "Oh, why's that?" "Um, just how much did he tell you about us?" "In all honesty, Malcom, probably a little more than he should have." "Well, hell, I been livin' a lie for so damn long, I don't know if I can do this, man. My family don't know nothin' `bout who I really am or the shit me and Dylan used to get up to. I just kinda' put that shit down to two sex-starved, hormone-filled, stupid black boys. But he's all I've thought about the last 20 years." "Malcom, don't worry about it. Your secret's safe with us. My partner, Max, just finally accepted who he is about 6 months ago, didn't you?" "It's true, Malcom. We all go through the same process, it just takes some of us longer than others to come to grips with who we are in our hearts and fully accept it. The one thing that Dylan told us that's more important than anything else is this, if you and your family hadn't moved away, he felt you two would still be together." "He said that?! Damn it, wish I'd known that years ago when I moved away from Chicago. I'd made more of an effort to look him up." "It's never too late, Malcom," Tom said. "That's why I took it upon myself to try and find you. Dylan's a great guy and I know you two had special feelings for each other years ago. I know Dylan still feels the same about you, but I didn't know if you felt the same about him. I was kinda' hoping you would and I wouldn't be opening a can of worms." "Oh, man, I don't know what to do. I want to see him so bad, but I also don't want to. I don't think I could handle seeing him again and find out everything's changed, that he don't want me no more." "Malcom," I said, "we don't need to hurry anything. We'd love to see this reunion happen and we want to help that process. But, we want it to be done right. There's no rush, whatsoever. Take some time, think about it and let us know. That's all we're asking. We have a couple busy weeks ahead of us here and wouldn't be able to arrange anything until later this month, anyway." "You, sure?" Malcom asked. "You put in all this work so far, and I think I wanna' do it, but I just ain't sure..." "Malcom," Tom interrupted, "It took me all of 30 minutes to find you on Facebook, so don't be frettin' over a little bit of time. It's been close to 20 years since you two have seen each other, a few more weeks won't hurt, will it?" "No, I s'pose not. I got your number from the caller ID, Tom. Give me a few days to think about this and I'll call you back." "That's fine, Malcom. If we're not here when you call, just leave a message and we'll call back, okay?" "Yeah, okay, man. Thanks. I'll be in touch." We ended the call and Tom said, "That went about as well as we could expect, I think." "Not too bad, Sherlock. You just might make a career out of this," I laughed. "And you think I'm a smart-ass? You looked in a mirror lately, bucko?" "Every morning, big guy. Hey, give me the phone, will ya'? I need to find a pediatrician and make an appointment for Andy. With everything that happened yesterday, I forgot all about it. You don't know any good kid docs, do ya'?" "What do I look like, the freakin' yellow pages?" he chuckled as he handed me the phone. "Guess I'll start with my own doctor and see if he can recommend one." I made the call to my doctor's office, and since he was with a patient, I talked to his nurse. She recommended a couple pediatricians to contact and I called the one she said was the best one in town. "Dr. Finney's office, how may I help you?" "Hi, my name is Max Sanders and I'm acting as a foster parent for a 6-year-old friend of one of my sons. He's having a little problem and I think I should bring him in and have him checked out." "I'm sure we can arrange that, Mr. Sanders. What is the young man's name and date of birth?" "Andy Cox. I'm sure his full first name is Andrew. Oh, and his birthday is August 4th six years ago." "Has he ever been to our office before?" "I have no clue, ma'am, since I just got guardianship of him this past Saturday." The 2nd phone line rang and I motioned for Tom to answer it in the kitchen. "That's all right Mr. Sanders. I'll check our files and if he isn't a current patient, I'll create a new file for him. Now, what seems to be the issue?" "I'd prefer to discuss that with the doctor." "You'll certainly do that when you come in, but we like to have some clue what's going on before that happens so I can make sure we can schedule an appropriate amount time for the appointment. Especially with new patients." "Well, if you must know, he's having an issue with his foreskin." "Thank you, sir, I'll make sure to allow some extra time for his appointment so the doctor can complete a comprehensive exam. Let me see what's open on the doctor's calendar. It looks like the first day we have a time slot long enough for his visit is next Friday, the 14th, at 2:00 in the afternoon. Will that work for you?" "That'll be perfect. I'll make note of it and we'll see you then. Thanks." I hung up the phone and turned to Tom who had returned from the kitchen and said, "Okay, Andy's doctor's appointment is set for next Friday at 2:00 o'clock. Who was on the other line?" "That was John's furniture guy, Bob Ficklin. He apologized for not calling yesterday, but he got tied up at another customer's house. He wanted to know if he could come out this afternoon to discuss what we want built. I told that should be fine since I didn't think we had anything else planned." "Great, I'd forgotten about him, too. Being around my dad makes my memory do bad things, like not remember shit. What time's he showing up?" "He said he'd be here about 1:00 o'clock." "Perfect. We should be done with lunch by then. Now, there's one other person I needed to call about something, but, for the life of me, I can't remember who or what it was about." "Well, don't look at me, I don't have a clue." "I don't either at the moment, but it'll come to me. Eventually. You feel like a fire today?" "You can light my fire anytime you want, babe," he snickered. I loaded up some logs in the fireplace and once I had a nice fire going, I sat back down, grabbed my book to continue reading while Tom picked up his book. The next thing I knew, Tom was shaking me awake and saying something about lunch. "Huh, what time is it?" "A quarter past noon, Rip. C'mon, Bob will be here in forty-five to talk furniture." "Yeah, furniture, right." Tom helped me up as I shook the cobwebs from my brain. "Man, I wonder how long it's going to take to get used these 6:00 a.m. mornings. I never fall asleep like that." "I beg to differ with you, old man. This is the second time you've done it that I know about it." "Give me a transfusion of some caffeine and I'll be fine. What's for lunch?" "How `bout hot dogs? Not fancy, but quick and easy." "Works for me, Tom." We headed to kitchen and while I got the dogs cooking on the griddle, Tom pulled out plates, ketchup, mustard, relish and chips. I grabbed a Pepsi to mainline some sugar and caffeine to help wake up my tired ass. Ten minutes later, we sat at the bar counter to eat our simple lunch. We'd just finished cleaning up our mess when the drive sensor announced a visitor. "Good timing," I commented as I headed to the front door. "Meet you in the living room," I added. I opened the door and asked, "Bob? Come on in, we've been expecting you." "Thanks, you Max?" "I am. Let's go sit in the living room for a minute and talk about what we want built and then we can show you the rooms." "Sounds good, lead the way." When we got to the living room, I introduced Bob to Tom and we sat down to talk. "Did John tell you what we're looking for, Bob?" "In general, he did. A couple different sets of bookshelves, desks, a bedframe, was there anything else?" "Would you want to try a filing cabinet?" "I've done them before, but they're a pain to do and get just right. While the people I built them for were happy with them, I never much liked the finished products. Are you looking for a two-drawer or four-drawer cabinet?" "A two-drawer would be plenty big," Tom answered. "Here's what I'd suggest. Get yourself a good filing cabinet at Sam's or Office Max and I'll leave space under the desk for it. Then once the desk is in place, you just slide the cabinet underneath. You'll get the storage you're looking a whole cheaper than I could build it for you." "That works fine for me," Tom said, "but he's the one who thinks everything needs to be custom," he added, hooking his thumb in my direction. "If you're good with that setup, Tom, it's fine with me. That'll let you get a locking cabinet, too, to keep prying eyes out of your work." "Hadn't thought about that, Max, good idea." "Well, let's show you the rooms were dealing with, Bob," I said as I stood and lead the way to the empty bedroom. "This will be Joey and Alex's room when it's completed. The desks, shelf units and storage space will all be along the exterior wall and beneath the windows. John's going to build a wall perpendicular to the exterior wall, extending about six feet into the room so the boys will have a bit of their `own' space on each side." "Okay, and what about the bedframe you want. What size and type?" "I'm thinking of a basic platform type frame, but with drawers underneath each side so they each have storage under whichever side of the bed they claim is theirs. The size is king, which, if I remember is six feet wide and about the same in length. I'm thinking the drawers on each side could be about two-foot front to back and about eight inches deep. Maybe add one more drawer on the end, then, for a total of seven." "Do you want any kind of headboard or foot board? Maybe a bookcase type head so there's room for a clock, book, glasses, whatever." "That's a good idea, Max," Tom offered. "It would them a little extra storage." "Yeah, I agree. Let's do that, Bob. Maybe two shelves with a divider so they each have their own side, again. I know they're twins and will probably share everything without problems, but just in case. I think we can do without the footboard, unless you think another set of shelves at the end would be good." "If you do that, Max, you kiss that seventh drawer goodbye. But omitting the end drawer would allow the side drawers to be a little deeper. Better to have the shelf space and not need it than the other way around, Max. That's my feelings on it anyway." "I agree, Bob. What do you think, Tom?" "The more, the merrier. Let's do it." "Anything else in here, guys?" Bob asked. "No, I think that's all for this room. John got all the measurements yesterday so you can work with him to get those or you can re-measure. Whichever way you want to do it. Let's go look at the other room." We crossed the hall to Tom's new office and after entering, I commented, "Ignore the floor, Bob. John discovered we have a water problem and a plumber is going to be here shortly to take a look at that issue. According to John, he'll probably have to replace all the flooring in here because he doesn't think he'll be able to match what's in here now and he also needs to see how much of the subfloor needs replaced." "No problems, Max. I assumed the desk, shelves and bedframe for the bedroom were going to be higher priority, anyway. I planned to work on those first and then start what we need for this room after all the other is in place." "Perfect, Bob. Tell him what you want done, Tom." "I was thinking about shelves across this entire wall," he started as walked towards the wall, "with a bottom section about twenty inches deep and two-foot tall, then maybe ten-inch deep shelves on top of that base section up to the ceiling. Then have the desk sitting about here with me facing the wall opposite the shelves." "That sounds, good, Tom. You right or left-handed?" "Right, why?" "Well, do you want the file cabinet to be under the right or left side of the desk. I need to know so I can put the regular drawers on the other side." "Good question, Bob. Hadn't thought about that," Tom mused. "I think I'll want the file cabinet on my right side. I'll be getting into it more that I will the others. Oh, will you have a center drawer and if so, can it have a lock?" "If you want it, I can do it." "Good, let's plan on that then." "Okay, next question for you two," Bob started, "John said you wanted maple with a lighter color finish in the boys' room, right? And what about in here?" "Maple's correct for in there," I said pointing back to the boys' room. "What say you for in here, Tom?" "I don't know, I don't think I've ever seen anything but oak." "Sure, you have, you just didn't realize it. The entire kitchen is maple." "Oh, well hit me upside the head with a Louisville Slugger. No, scratch that, don't need another gouge in my scalp, thank you very much." "Is that what happened to you?" Bob asked. "I was afraid to ask." "I only wish it was a bat that did this," Tom answered, gingerly touching the shaved area of his scalp, "but no, this was done by a bullet,". "Sounds like you're a lucky man to be standing here right now, Tom." "In more ways than one, Bob. Why don't we go ahead and do the maple in here, too, that way it all matches. Do you have any color samples of the finishes you use?" "Sure do. They're in my case in the living room." "Great, let's go take a look," I said. We headed back to the living room where Bob opened his case and extracted the wood samples and handed them to us. "These slats are maple and the finish names are printed on the back. I also have oak samples if you change your mind on the wood to use." "I like this Honey Maple for the boy's room, Bob. The wall behind the desk will be a darker shade of blue and I think the wood should be a lighter color to offset that darkness. What do you think, Tom?" "I like that, and I think the boys will, too. But I'm thinking more along the lines of this Antique Maple for my office. I think the Honey would be a little too bright to look at all day." "Good choices for both rooms, gents. I'll think you'll be happy with the final product. Let me get back to my office and I'll get some plans drawn up for everything, generate some renderings and then e-mail them to you tomorrow morning. If everything looks good to you, let me know and I can get started. I'll swing by John's office on my way and get his measurements. Oh, and one more question, do you want backs on the shelves?" "I don't know, Bob, what would you recommend?" I asked. "I usually don't, Max, that's why I asked the question," he laughed. "Fat lotta' help you are," I laughed in reply. "I think on the boys' shelves, no backs, that way the wall color will show through them. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to put color in a room and then cover it up. What about yours, Tom?" "I probably will need the back. I wouldn't want to take a chance on a client's file falling behind them because once that happens, you're not getting them back easily." "Good point, Tom," I said. "So, backs for the office shelves and none for the boys'. Is that all you need, Bob?" "I think so. Time for me to get to work." "Thanks for coming out today, we appreciate it," I said as I walked him to the door. "No problem, guys, that's the least I could do since I didn't get in touch with you yesterday. You have a good afternoon and I'm sure we'll talk tomorrow." "If we do, it'll be late afternoon, probably, we have to go to court in the morning." "Well, good luck with that. Thanks for your time, I look forward to working with you." "Thanks, Bob, same here." I closed the door behind him and heard the drive sensor announce another visitor. This had to be the plumber. At least I hoped it was. As soon as Bob had backed his truck off the drive, another truck rounded the corner to the drive. I decided to just wait at the door for Mark, then opened it again as he walked up. "You must be Mark," I called as he stepped up on the porch. "That's me, you Max?" he asked. "Yep, you're in the right place. Come on in I'll show where the problem is." I closed the door and led Mark to Tom's office and showed him the area John had torn out this morning. "Yep, you got a problem all right. Show me how to get under the floor and I'll check it out, see what I need to do to get you fixed up." "Follow me, Mark, there's a hatch in the floor of the laundry room next door." I led him in and pointed to the hatch against the outside wall of the house. "This switch turns on the lights down in the crawlspace. Hopefully, they still work, but since I haven't been down there since the house was completed, I can't say for sure." "Guess we'll find out, won't we? Thanks, Max. I'll let you know what I find out." I headed back to the living room to join Tom and continue reading. I had barely opened my book when I suddenly remembered who else I needed to contact � Ken, the twins' teacher about the special testing. I grabbed to phone to call the school before I forgot about it, again. "New Berlin schools, how may I help you?" "Is this Gloria?" "It is, may I ask who's calling, please?" "Gloria, this is Max Sanders, how are you today?" "We're just great Mr. Sanders. How are you doing?" "We're keeping quite busy, thanks. Look the reason I called is Alex and Joey's teacher, Mr. Thomas, had said something to me about some special testing for the boys to see if they could move up a grade level in math since they're bored with it. I need to try and find out what's involved with that and what I have to do get them tested." "Oh, I wish I could help with that, Mr. Sanders, but Mr. Furman is taking care of all that now that Ms. Carr isn't here. And, unfortunately, he had a meeting this afternoon in Springfield to interview a possible replacement for our poor departed principal." I detected a slight snicker from Gloria after that comment. "I'd be happy to leave a message for Mr. Furman and I'm sure he'll return your call in the morning." "I'd appreciate that Gloria, but note that I won't be available until Monday, please. We already have plans for tomorrow and Friday." "I'll do that, sir, and thanks for calling. I hope you have a great evening." "Thanks, Gloria, you too." I hung up the phone and had no sooner retrieved my book than Mark came back. "All fixed, Max." "Really? That was pretty darn quick." "It was an easy fix, for once. One of the joints in the pipe that runs under that room heading towards � I'm guessing, the kitchen � had separated just enough to create a fine spray. That's what soaked the floor. If the pipe had been 6 inches lower, the spray would have never reached the subfloor. As it is though, there are probably two floor joists that will have to be repaired or replaced when they rip out the floor above. I'll pass that on to John so he can be prepared for it." "Thanks, Mark, you're a lifesaver. How much do I owe you?" "Rush house call and time, should be 150 bucks, but I'll let you slide by for 100 today." I pulled out my wallet and handed him 200 dollars. Before he could complain about getting paid too much, I said, "If you don't want the extra, donate it to someone who needs it. Otherwise, take your wife to a nice dinner tonight." "Thanks, Max. Here's one of my cards, if you ever need anything else, don't hesitate to call. Oh, and just so you know, all the lights in the crawlspace still work. Thanks for those, too. Make my life much easier. Hope you have a great night." "Thanks again, Mark, you, too." I walked him to the door and, after letting him out, returned to sit with Tom. "Well, I think everything should be good to go with your office now, Tom. Once the floor's fixed that is." "No worries, Max. Remember, I'm not supposed to be working right now, anyway. Good thing you're rich and can support me," he grinned. "Yeah, good thing, that," and returned to my book. I had just finished the first sentence of a new chapter when the drive sensor went off again. "I guess Mark forgot to grab something." I got up and headed to the door, but before opening the door, I turned to Tom and asked, "Hey, did you get the furniture guy's number when he was here, `cause I forgot?" "Sure did, he handed me one of his cards before he boogied." The doorbell chimed and I opened the door while I replied to Tom, "Good, I want to make sure we can get in touch Bob if we need to." I turned back to the door, expecting Mark to be standing there and was surprised by a man I'd never seen before. "Sorry, I'm not Bob, but are you Maxwill Sanders?" "I am, who are you?" "Not that it matters, but I'm Ryan," the stranger said, then he extended a hand with a sheaf of papers held snugly in his grasp. I instinctively reached out and accepted the papers this stranger was handing to me. "You've been served, Mr. Sanders. Have a good day." With that, he turned, headed back down the walk, got into his car and pulled away while I stood at the open door, too stunned for what just happened to register in my brain.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 38</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:wmcorgan61@hushmail.com">wmcorgan61@hushmail.com</a></span></p> <p><b><span>If you tried to send me an e-mail recently, I did not receive it. My account was closed without warning or explanation. I have created a new e-mail address and I have changed the link above to that new address. Unfortunately, this sudden change has caused me to lose all the contacts to whom I was sending my notification e-mails. If you would still like to receive my notification e-mails, please let me know so I can begin recreating my contact list. Thanks for all your support.</span></b></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk478513737"></a><a name="_Toc479268496"><span>Chapter 38 � Big Changes Coming</span></a><span> </span></h2> <p><span>The boys were most certainly enjoying a before meal swim, as were Tom, Bill and Estelle, and not a one of them was wearing a swim suit. Tom was the first to see I'd returned and he started laughing at the look of surprise showing on my face.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, everyone, supper's here. Let's go eat!" he yelled. Resounding cheers filled the shelter as naked people started climbing from pool and heading to the table to grab towels and dry themselves.</span></p> <p><span>"Y'all havin' some fun without me?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dad, we're having a blast," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad. You five run through the shower really quick and then get the table set for supper, please." After they headed to the house, <a name="_Hlk478327613">I turned to Tom and said, "In the words of Dylan, `What the hell, Tom. Can't you keep clothes on anybody out there?'"</a></span></p> <p><span>"Um, guess not, babe. Sorry?"</span></p> <p><span>"Looks like I need a bit more careful when I tell visitors to make themselves comfortable," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Max," Bill started, "I wanted to go for a swim and it sounded like a good idea to the boys, but since we didn't bring suits with us, we decided to let it all hang out. Hope that's not a problem."</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all, Bill," I replied. "As we like to say around here, `when in Rome'. Will we be getting dressed for supper, or will I be joining the crowd?"</span></p> <p><span>"Your house, Max, your rules," Estelle answered. "Whatever you feel is appropriate. But, it seems kind of silly for the rest of us to get dressed. It'd be much easier if you joined us than the other way around."</span></p> <p><span>"Now that they've gotten nude with y'all, I can tell you right now, the boys will not come back from their showers with anything on, so who am I to buck the trend? Let me go get comfortable and we can get the food out. We'll probably need to nuke the chicken and potatoes a couple minutes to warm it back up."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll take care of that, Max," Estelle volunteered. "Do you have a serving platter to use once it's been warmed?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course. In the cabinet above and to the left of the stove. You'll find bowls for the potatoes and gravy in there, too, along with some baskets for the biscuits." I turned to Tom and said, "C'mon, big guy, let's get this show on the road."</span></p> <p><span>The four of us headed into the house and while Tom and I headed to the bedroom, Bill and Estelle headed towards the kitchen to start getting things ready for our supper. After closing the bedroom door, I started to undress and asked, "Okay, man, what's the big idea? You wanna' tell me what happened after I left?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, it wasn't me. It was all dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right, explain it to me, so it makes sense."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, after you and your mom left, dad asked the boys if they were having a good time being a family together. When they all said they were, then, the old man asked `em if they liked being nudists. You coulda' heard a pin drop. Joey answered him with `we ain't s'posed to talk `bout that', then looked to me for confirmation. I was caught off guard by dad's question and just shrugged my shoulders. Then dad says, `Well I want to try out the pool, who's with me?' Everything just kinda snowballed from there," he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"So, you're blaming your dad for this, huh?"</span></p> <p><span>"I swear, Max, ask him yourself if you don't believe me."</span></p> <p><span>"I just might do that, ya' big goof. Come here." Tom crept closer, unsure what I wanted. When he was close enough, I wrapped my arms around him for a hug, gave him a quick kiss, and said, "I love you, Tom Wright. And I'm pretty sure I love your parents, too. They've come a long way in five years, haven't they?" I concluded, holding him at arm's length.</span></p> <p><span>"I love you, too, Max. And, yes, they have. From being disgusted with who I am to swimming nude together, that's definitely a l-o-o-o-ng way to travel in a short period of time. I never dreamed it would happen, but I couldn't be happier than I am right now."</span></p> <p><span>"Me too, bubba, me too. Let's join the others and stake our claim to some chicken before it's all gone." We headed to the kitchen, arms wrapped around each other, to help finish getting everything ready only to find it was all done and on the table waiting for us. "Now that's some service, folks. Thanks."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you supplied it, Max," Estelle replied. "Seems like the least we could do was get it on the table. Let's chow down."</span></p> <p><span>"Did you have any problems finding everything you needed in the kitchen?" I asked as we took our seats.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a bit. Your kitchen is very well organized, much as I would have done," Estelle replied. "The only thing that took me a few minutes to find was the honey. Can't have biscuits without honey, can we. I finally found it in the cabinet over the stove. Why do you keep it up there?"</span></p> <p><span>"I've discovered over the years, that the heat from cooking helps keep it from crystalizing quite as quickly. I still need to occasionally give it in a warm bath, but not near as much as I used to."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'll have to try that myself. I love my honey, but hate the way it slowly turns to a solid, although that occasional little bit of grit doesn't much bother me." Bill commented.</span></p> <p><span>The rest of dinner finished quietly except for the occasional slurp of someone licking their fingers. When everyone was full, the boys got busy cleaning the table while I took care of the trash and chicken bones. When everything was cleaned up and put away, I asked the boys if they want to watch some TV for a bit before going to bed. They took off for the theater and I tuned the satellite to some crazy-ass cartoon on Nickelodeon, then headed back out to join Tom and his parents by the fireplace. I was looking forward to visiting without the added stress of my father hanging around, being the grumpy old bastard he is.</span></p> <p><span>"Anybody want a cup of coffee or something else before I sit?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mom, dad?" Tom asked as he looked to them. After receiving nods from both, he turned back to me and answered, "Looks like 3 here, babe."</span></p> <p><span>"Be right back, folks." I pulled out a serving tray that would let me to carry 4 cups, cream and sugar, filled each cup and headed back to the living room. "Here we go. Hope you like it."</span></p> <p><span>After I sat in my favorite chair next to Tom, I said, "I'm glad you two came up today. I've enjoyed getting to know my soon-to-be in-laws. Sorry for the drama earlier, but dad needs to figure this out on his own."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, Max," Bill answered. "Like I said earlier, when Tom first let us know he was gay, we were in the same place your dad is right now."</span></p> <p><span>"If you don't mind me asking, how long did it take you to change your point of view?"</span></p> <p><span>"Almost a year, Max. It wasn't a fun time for us, or for Tom, we know. Our church friends still think we abandoned them, but we weren't going to disown our son just to stay with the church. For us, he's way more important. I know it's not like that for all families with gay children, but that's what seemed to be the best for us. I just wish it could work out like that for everyone."</span></p> <p><span>"And if we had let him go, we wouldn't have met you, your mom, or those sweet boys you're adopting," Estelle added. "And we finally get be grandparents," she giggled. "That really reinforces we made the right decision."</span></p> <p><span>"See, Max," Tom started with a grin, "just like I told you the other day, it's all about the grandkids. No concern for me at all."</span></p> <p><span>"Son," Bill started seriously, with a frown on his face, "It's not too late for us to change our minds, you know."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, dad, just kiddin'. Don't want to go there again. It took way too long for us to get where we are to even think about backtrackin'."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just givin' ya' some grief Tom. I do believe it's our turn," Bill answered with a smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Fair enough, dad."</span></p> <p><span>"So, Max, how much property do you have out here?" Bill asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just over 18 acres. The northwest corner had been sold off before I bought the rest of it or I'd have and even 20. Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Estelle and I have been thinking of moving to the area so we could be closer with Tom. Now that you two are together and have the boys with you, it only makes sense to try and find some property close by where we could build a house."</span></p> <p><span>"What!? You've never said anything about moving," Tom exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, like I said, we'd just been thinking about it, but now seems like a good time to get serious in making that decision. You don't have a problem with that, do you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all. I'm just surprised you'd consider leaving Grafton," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"What about you, Max? What do you think of the idea?" Estelle asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know if my thoughts really count, Estelle. Not on this, anyway. But, since you asked me, I think it would be wonderful to have you closer. Especially considering the state of my relationship with my parents right now. I'm sure the boys would love having you closer, also."</span></p> <p><span>"I was hoping you'd say that, Max. So, here's the <i>big</i> question for you." Bill took a deep breath before continuing, "Would you consider selling Estelle and me a few acres of your property? If we're going to do it, we'd like to be a close as we can to our family."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, Bill, don't you think might be a bit too close?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, not if we selected an area closer to the road. We wouldn't want to be right outside your back door, you know. One of things we need to consider with selecting any location to live is that it's close enough to town where we can shop and such, but not so close that we're forced to abandon our lifestyle. The one thing we don't want to have to do is start wearing clothes at home. I think your little garden of Eden here is the perfect location for us to consider. If you'll have us, that is?"</span></p> <p><span>I looked to Tom and asked, "What do you think, big guy? You want your mom and dad out here with us?"</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, I don't know," he replied with a sly wink. "I mean, they are my parents, and I love `em and all that, but I just don't know if I want `em quite that close." </span></p> <p><span>"Fine, son, just be an ass," Estelle said with venom.</span></p> <p><span>"Chill, ma, I'm just kidding," Tom laughed. "If you want to move up here, I think that would be great. We could make up for some of the time we've lost the last couple of years and I'd love that. You have to deal with Max on the land, though."</span></p> <p><span>"So, Max, what do you think?" Bill asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I like it, Bill. I think it would be great for you and Estelle to be closer. Are you sure you want to live out here in the middle of nowhere, though?"</span></p> <p><span>"We live there now, Max," Estelle answered. "Besides, like Bill said, we'd have to find somewhere that won't infringe on us being nude at home. We sure can't live where we'd only have a fence separating us from our neighbors. That just wouldn't work for us. We need trees and fresh air."</span></p> <p><span>"There's certainly plenty of that out here. And I'm sure we can work something out. I have several walking trails I've cut through all the woods around the area where this house sits. When it's warmer out, you can come back up and we can walk those trails and help find you a nice spot for your new home."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds great, Max," Bill responded. "With luck, we could get the place built and moved into before snow flies this fall."</span></p> <p><span>"And I have the perfect guy to build it for you. His name is John Hasara. I've worked with him before and he does quality work. In fact, he's going to be redoing the rooms in the house for the boys and Tom's new office. I'll give you his information so you can get in touch with him and get working on a design."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent, Max. I love it when a plan comes together."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, dad, you planned this?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just a little bit, son. The basic `moving to the area' part was pretty much decided already. The `where' part hadn't been considered until we saw this place. Once Estelle and I saw how secluded it was, we hoped we could talk you two into it. If that hadn't worked out, we'd start looking for other spots close by. As luck would have it, we don't have to do that now."</span></p> <p><span>"This will be great," Tom said. "I can't wait for you to be living here."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad, son. We're looking forward to it also," Bill said. He then turned to Estelle and said, "Well, dear, I think it's time we get our clothes back on and hit the road. We've got a bit of a drive before us before we can go to bed."</span></p> <p><span>"You aren't gonna' get out of here without saying goodbye to the boys, let me get `em."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, we wouldn't have dreamed of it, Max," Estelle said. </span></p> <p><span>"It's time for them to get into bed anyway. Tomorrow is still a school day, last time I checked." I headed to the theater to retrieve the fantastic five and they took off to give hugs goodbye while I shut everything down for the night. By the time I returned, the hugs were wrapping up and Bill and Estelle were about to go to our bedroom to get dressed.</span></p> <p><span>"Did your parents tell `em the news?" I whispered in Tom's ear.</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet." Tom waved his dad over to us and asked, "Are you going to tell them about you moving up here?" he asked his dad.</span></p> <p><span>"I thought maybe you two would want to think about it some more before we did, you know, just in case you change your minds about selling us a couple acres," Bill whispered back in reply.</span></p> <p><span>"it's a done deal, Bill. Go ahead and tell `em. They'll go to sleep extra happy tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"If you insist," he replied with a smile. Bill walked back and stood by Estelle. "Boys, sit down for a minute. We have something we want to tell you." The boys looked puzzled but sat on the couch together while Tom and I stood behind them and covered our ears in expectation of the cheering that was about to commence.</span></p> <p><span>"We had a great time meeting, visiting and swimming with you today and we want you to know we're going to be spending a whole lot more time with all of you in the near future."</span></p> <p><span>"Watchu' talkin' `bout, grampa?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"After taking to your dads, they've agreed to sell us some of the property here for us to build a house on and move into."</span></p> <p><span>"WOO-HOO!" "ALL RIGHT!" "WHEN!" Tom and I had been right to cover our ears.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be back up the next couple months for birthdays and such, and one of those times, we'll walk some of the trails and see what we can find. Once we find the right location, then we'll have to have the house built. If things move along smoothly, we'll be able to get moved in this fall before winter hits."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, grandma and grampa. We can't wait," Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"Will we be able to help you move in?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, you will. We're old people, boys, and we'll need all the help we can get."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom knows a good moving crew," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for that kind thought, Max," Estelle replied, "but I think we'll find our own crew, if you don't mind. Not sayin' we don't trust Vinnie, but we'd rather pick someone we know," she laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, boys, we need to get dressed and hit the road," Bill said. "But, we'll be back up next Thursday night for your birthday party, Joey and Alex. You all be good, you hear me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, grampa," they all moaned.</span></p> <p><span>Bill and Estelle headed to our bedroom to retrieve their clothes and Tom and I began herding the boys towards their bedrooms.</span></p> <p><span>As we turned into T.J., Mike and Andy's room, I said, "Andy, I'm sorry, but you're gonna' have to bunk with T.J. and Mike or the twins until we can get these rooms redone. Are you okay with that?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we'll be all right. If they get too wild, I'll come find you or pops and we can do something else."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I'm glad you're okay with the temporary arrangements. Once we get the rooms all redone, if you still want to sleep in the spare bedroom, it's all yours."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, dad."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I tucked the three boys in and gave them good night kisses on their foreheads, then headed to the twins' room after turning out the light. Joey and Alex were just coming out of the bathroom after brushing their teeth and we helped them with the covers as they climbed in bed. After planting a kiss on each forehead and saying I love you and getting the same back from the boys, we headed back to the living room to say goodbye to Tom's parents.</span></p> <p><span>"Mom, Dad, thanks so much for coming up today. I had a great time, and so did the boys."</span></p> <p><span>"We did too, son," Estelle replied. "Max, it was wonderful to meet the man who's captured our son's heart, too, and we are going to be very proud having you as a member of the family. Those sweet boys, too."</span></p> <p><span>"I feel the same way Estelle and Bill. When you come back for the twins' birthday, you'll get to meet my sister Lee and her husband Carl."</span></p> <p><span>"If they're anything like you, Max, I'm sure we'll love them as well," Bill said. "I really hope you aren't upset about us being nude with the boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't worry about it. With you two moving up here, it was obviously going to happen at some point, might as well be now rather than later."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear. I worried about it at first, but Tom said it'd be okay. Will there be a dress code for the party next Thursday?"</span></p> <p><span>"Very likely, my sister's not real comfortable with nudity, especially in mixed company, and my mom and Carol will be here also, so I think we'd best remain dressed. Don't like it much, but that's just how it is sometimes."</span></p> <p><span>"We make the same concession in our house when we have certain guests, Max. It's the price we pay for not living a so-called <i>normal</i> life."</span></p> <p><span>"You two be careful on the way home. We want you to be able to come back next week. Call and let me know when you're there, will you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, son," Estelle replied. "We'll call so you can stop worrying," she added as she rolled her eyes. </span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, I love you guys," Tom said as he gave his parents hugs goodbye. </span></p> <p><span>"Oh, and one more thing, young man, I told you so."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, ma, I knew you wouldn't let me down," Tom said as he smiled at his mother's comment.</span></p> <p><span>I hugged Estelle, shook hands with Bill, then opened the door and we waved goodbye as they headed down the walk to their car. </span></p> <p><span>After closing the door and heading to sit by the fireplace, I commented, "Well, <i>that</i> was a fun day, wasn't it? Too bad my dad had to ruin it by being such a raving lunatic. I do love your parents, though, and I look forward to them moving up here."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about your dad, babe. We'll deal with it. And I can't wait for mom and dad move here, either."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you didn't know your parents were nudists until today, huh?" I asked as we sat down. "Bet that was a bit of shock."</span></p> <p><span>"You have no idea, Max. I haven't seen my dad naked since I was a little kid, and I've never seen mom that way. Not that I can remember, anyway. It was pretty weird at first today, but once we got in the pool, it was no big deal. And after you got home, like mom said, it seemed pretty silly for us to get dressed then. What would have been the point?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it would have saved me some embarrassment, especially when you compare my body to yours and your dad's. I really don't measure up to either one of you."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, will you please get over that. I've told you that you're perfect in every way. I love all of you just the way you are."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for that, Tom. I've spent a long time dealing with feelings of inadequacy. That's probably one of the reasons I've stayed alone as long as I have. And I promise I'll try to get over it, but old habits die hard."</span></p> <p><span>"Not if I have anything to say about `em, they don't," he responded while lasciviously licking his lips. I had no comeback for that except to laugh. "Besides, not all guys can have the privilege of being blessed like me and dad. Some of you lesser mortals had to draw the short straw," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Thought you were tryin' to make me feel better, smart-ass. All that effort, gone, just like that," I said as I snapped my fingers.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Max, I'll make it up to you later, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right, you will."</span></p> <p><span>"One thing I think I'll have to do with mom and dad being around more is to join the hairless club. As if it wasn't enough of a surprise to discover they're closet nudists, but to see them both naked and hairless blew my socks off. Well, it would have if I'd still had my socks on. Now, I kinda understand how T.J. felt being the only guy in the house with an intact foreskin. I definitely feel out of place being the only person with hair."</span></p> <p><span>"I can help you with that if you'd like. I <i>do</i> have a <i>bit</i> of practice at it."</span></p> <p><span>"So, I've noticed. Maybe later, babe. I need to think about it some more before I actually do it."</span></p> <p><span>"No pressure, Tom. And if you do it and decide you don't like it, it'll grow back."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that, goofball. Just not quite sure I'm ready to return to a hairless state."</span></p> <p><span>"I admit, it's not for everyone. It took me several shaves before I began to be really comfortable with how it looks. It feels great and I loved that part immediately, but the appearance part takes some getting used to."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know about you, Max, but I think I could use a shower and some sleep," Tom said as he stood, stretched and yawned.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm with ya', bubba. Dealing with dad has wiped me out. Lead the way." I held out a hand which he grabbed and helped pull me to my feet. We took a shower together, dried off and just before we climbed into bed, the phone rang. Caller ID showed it was his mom or dad calling, so Tom answered the phone while I slipped under the covers. Once he heard his parents were home safe and thanked them for calling, Tom slipped under the covers with me, taking a turn to hold me tonight as we fell asleep. I feel so safe and content when he does that.</span></p> <p><span>Damn that alarm! 6:00 freakin' AM. Every damn day. Ah, the life of being a parent. I wouldn't trade these early mornings for anything, though. I headed to the other end of the house to get the boys moving in the right direction, then headed back to roust sleeping beauty. If I have to get up this early every day, then so does he, by god. We are in this together, after all.</span></p> <p><span>I met the boys in the kitchen for a breakfast of scrambled eggs and sausage and Tom joined us shortly, filling his coffee mug and taking a sip before saying anything to anybody.</span></p> <p><span>"Morning, Max, boys. Is everybody ready for another fun-filled day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Andy and I are, pops," Mike answered.</span></p> <p><span>"That true Andy?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, we wanna' see if Mark and Billy have new haircuts yet."</span></p> <p><span>"Are we drawing stitches today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Please!!" the boys yelled. </span></p> <p><span>"Come on, big guy, grab a pencil and get busy. I'll help as soon as the food's cooked." Tom pulled a couple of the makeup pencils from the drawer and got started drawing on Andy's head and after I had plates in front of the fantastic five, I picked up mine and started working on Alex's noggin. 10 minutes later, our art class was over and the boys were ready for the world. "Hey, Tom you want to take `em out to meet the bus this morning so I can call John and see when he might be out?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, why not?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks." The boys headed to their rooms to get their things and I called after them, "Oh, no you don't, you little scoundrels. You got on the bus yesterday and I didn't get hugs from anyone. Get your buns back here." They turned around and trudged their way back to me, looking like they were being forced to walk the plank. I accepted a hug from each of them and gave them one back, reminding them to be good and learn something new today. The responses ran the gamut from a cheery "you bet, dad" to a surly "whatever". Tom met them in the garage to meet the bus and after he pulled out, I called John.</span></p> <p><span>"Morning, John, Max here. Just checking on when you might be out today to verify measurements. I want to make sure we don't miss you if we need to go anywhere."</span></p> <p><span>"On my way right now, Max. Should be there in about 15 minutes."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, we'll see you when you get here." I had just taken my chair by the fireplace and opened my book when Tom came back in. "John says he'll be here in about 15 minutes."</span></p> <p><span>"Great," Tom said. "it'll be nice to get that out of the way so we can relax after yesterday's excitement."</span></p> <p><span>"I agree. What <i>are</i> we gonna' do with ourselves after John leaves?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can think of a few things that will kill some time," he answered as he wiggled his eyebrows at me, and I rewarded him with a laugh for the effort.</span></p> <p><span>"I thought maybe you might want to call Malcom this morning, start making some basic arrangements."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, that's a good idea. I'll get his info and we can do that right after John's gone." Tom headed to the study to retrieve his sheet of info and came back to sit with me and read while we waited for John. True to his word as usual, the drive sensor announced John's arrival almost exactly 15 minutes after I talked to him. </span></p> <p><span>I met him at the door and let him in, asking, "How are you this bright and beautiful day, John."</span></p> <p><span>"Finer than frog's hair, Max, how `bout yourselves?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're doing pretty, well. You know where the rooms are. You need any help, or you want us out of the way?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know Max, this pretty high-tech work I gotta' do this morning, you sure you're qualified to provide that kind of help?" he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Very funny, John. Go get what you need and we'll stay out of your way." John disappeared down the hall, stopping in the bedroom first, while I took my chair by the fireplace again and picked up my book. Tom returned with Malcom's info so we'd be ready for our call.</span></p> <p><span>A few minutes later, I heard from down the hall, "Uh, Max, I think you need to see this."</span></p> <p><span>"That doesn't sound good, does it?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a bit." We headed down the hall and found John in what was to become Tom's office. "What's up, John?" I asked as Tom and I entered the room.</span></p> <p><span>"The floor in here looks like it's gotten wet a time or two. Look at the waves in the flooring. I think we're gonna' have to rip this up and replace it before we do anything else in here."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what the hell? Vinnie didn't say anything about that yesterday."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, don't blame Vinnie for it, Max. He was just moving stuff, not looking at the floor."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you're right, and from the looks of it, it's been this way for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me grab a couple tools from my truck and pull up a couple pieces of the flooring so I can take a sample with me. That way, I can match it as close as possible to what's here already for thickness and finish, but we'll still probably have to replace the whole finished floor. Twelve-year-old wood flooring of this quality won't be easy to match today. And we'll end up replacing at least part of the subfloor, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever you have to do, John. I want it done right, you know that."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure do. Be right back." John returned in a couple minutes and proceeded to attack the floor. After 10 minutes of serious work, he'd finally managed to get a couple strips of the flooring pulled up. "Boy, they sure glued the hell out of this when they put it in, didn't they? No wonder you don't have any squeaks in this house."</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, John. I know wood floors will eventually start making noise and I didn't want that."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, now that I've this area pulled up, you can see a part of the subfloor here is damp. My best guess is you've got a pinhole in a water line under the floor that's spraying up against the floor. You want me to get a plumber out here to dig deeper and find the source of the problem?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I do, John. Doesn't make sense to put in a new subfloor and flooring if I've got a leak under the floor. We'd be better off to find it now than after you tear up the floor."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll call him now and see if I can get him out here this afternoon. That work for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that'd be great, John, since we're not gonna' be here the next couple days."</span></p> <p><span>John made his call and found me in the living room once he'd made the arrangements. "The plumber, Mark Miller, will be here about 2:00 this afternoon. Do you know where he can gain access to the crawlspace?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, there's a floor hatch in the laundry room right next to that room."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, Max. Hopefully, it'll be just a pinhole as I suspect and not something more involved from the laundry room."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm hoping for that, too. You got the measurements you need."</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, I'll swing by Sherwin-Williams and get the paints for both rooms on my way back into town. We'll have to make arrangements with you to get in to do the painting in the bedroom and start ripping up the rest of the floor in Tom's new office."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you still planning to set up the bus shelter for the boys on Monday?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're on schedule with that, so we should be here Monday morning about 8:00 to get started out there. And like I said before, it'll be done the same day. We should be able to get working in the bedroom that afternoon or Tuesday morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a plan to me, John. Get to it."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry for the bad news on your office, Tom, but we'll get it done as quickly as we can."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it John. I'm not supposed to be working right now, anyway. If a bullet to the head can't kill me, then a few more days not workin' won't kill me, either."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, guys, I'm outta' here. Unless I hear different from you, I'll see you next Monday."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, John. Have a great day." After John was gone, Tom and I sat back by the fireplace.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you ready to try Malcom?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's do it," Tom answered. He put the phone on speaker and dialed the number. Three rings later, a man with a deep baritone voice answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Hello?"</span></p> <p><span>"Is this Malcom Wright?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"That's me, who's calling?"</span></p> <p><span>"Malcom, my name is Tom Wright and I have my partner, Max Sanders, here with me. I'm the person who sent you the message on Facebook the other day about Dylan. Do you have a few minutes you can talk?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, sure thing, man. I been waitin' for you to call."</span></p> <p><span>"Great, Malcom. As I mentioned in my message, I've worked with Dylan the last five years in the county sheriff's department. A little over a week ago, he was at our house to try and talk me out of quitting the job. Your name came up and Dylan said that you were his best friend until your family moved to Chicago when you guys were about 16 and he lost track of you. I thought it might be fun to surprise Dylan and get you two together again."</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be so cool, man. I always wondered what happened to him, but just haven't had time to look him up. Never figured him to be the cop type, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, why's that?" </span></p> <p><span>"Um, just how much did he tell you about us?"</span></p> <p><span>"In all honesty, Malcom, probably a little more than he should have."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hell, I been livin' a lie for so damn long, I don't know if I can do this, man. My family don't know nothin' `bout who I really am or the shit me and Dylan used to get up to. I just kinda' put that shit down to two sex-starved, hormone-filled, stupid black boys. But he's all I've thought about the last 20 years."</span></p> <p><span>"Malcom, don't worry about it. Your secret's safe with us. My partner, Max, just finally accepted who he is about 6 months ago, didn't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's true, Malcom. We all go through the same process, it just takes some of us longer than others to come to grips with who we are in our hearts and fully accept it. The one thing that Dylan told us that's more important than anything else is this, if you and your family hadn't moved away, he felt you two would still be together."</span></p> <p><span>"He said that?! Damn it, wish I'd known that years ago when I moved away from Chicago. I'd made more of an effort to look him up."</span></p> <p><span>"It's never too late, Malcom," Tom said. "That's why I took it upon myself to try and find you. Dylan's a great guy and I know you two had special feelings for each other years ago. I know Dylan still feels the same about you, but I didn't know if you felt the same about him. I was kinda' hoping you would and I wouldn't be opening a can of worms."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, I don't know what to do. I want to see him so bad, but I also don't want to. I don't think I could handle seeing him again and find out everything's changed, that he don't want me no more."</span></p> <p><span>"Malcom," I said, "we don't need to hurry anything. We'd love to see this reunion happen and we want to help that process. But, we want it to be done right. There's no rush, whatsoever. Take some time, think about it and let us know. That's all we're asking. We have a couple busy weeks ahead of us here and wouldn't be able to arrange anything until later this month, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"You, sure?" Malcom asked. "You put in all this work so far, and I think I wanna' do it, but I just ain't sure..."</span></p> <p><span>"Malcom," Tom interrupted, "It took me all of 30 minutes to find you on Facebook, so don't be frettin' over a little bit of time. It's been close to 20 years since you two have seen each other, a few more weeks won't hurt, will it?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I s'pose not. I got your number from the caller ID, Tom. Give me a few days to think about this and I'll call you back."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, Malcom. If we're not here when you call, just leave a message and we'll call back, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay, man. Thanks. I'll be in touch."</span></p> <p><span>We ended the call and Tom said, "That went about as well as we could expect, I think."</span></p> <p><span>"Not too bad, Sherlock. You just might make a career out of this," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"And you think <i>I'm</i> a smart-ass? You looked in a mirror lately, bucko?"</span></p> <p><span>"Every morning, big guy. Hey, give me the phone, will ya'? I need to find a pediatrician and make an appointment for Andy. With everything that happened yesterday, I forgot all about it. You don't know any good kid docs, do ya'?" </span></p> <p><span>"What do I look like, the freakin' yellow pages?" he chuckled as he handed me the phone.</span></p> <p><span>"Guess I'll start with my own doctor and see if he can recommend one." I made the call to my doctor's office, and since he was with a patient, I talked to his nurse. She recommended a couple pediatricians to contact and I called the one she said was the best one in town.</span></p> <p><span>"Dr. Finney's office, how may I help you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, my name is Max Sanders and I'm acting as a foster parent for a 6-year-old friend of one of my sons. He's having a little problem and I think I should bring him in and have him checked out."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure we can arrange that, Mr. Sanders. What is the young man's name and date of birth?"</span></p> <p><span>"Andy Cox. I'm sure his full first name is Andrew. Oh, and his birthday is August 4^th six years ago."</span></p> <p><span>"Has he ever been to our office before?"</span></p> <p><span>"I have no clue, ma'am, since I just got guardianship of him this past Saturday." The 2^nd phone line rang and I motioned for Tom to answer it in the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right Mr. Sanders. I'll check our files and if he isn't a current patient, I'll create a new file for him. Now, what seems to be the issue?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd prefer to discuss that with the doctor."</span></p> <p><span>"You'll certainly do that when you come in, but we like to have some clue what's going on before that happens so I can make sure we can schedule an appropriate amount time for the appointment. Especially with new patients."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you must know, he's having an issue with his foreskin."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, sir, I'll make sure to allow some extra time for his appointment so the doctor can complete a comprehensive exam. Let me see what's open on the doctor's calendar. It looks like the first day we have a time slot long enough for his visit is next Friday, the 14^th, at 2:00 in the afternoon. Will that work for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'll be perfect. I'll make note of it and we'll see you then. Thanks." I hung up the phone and turned to Tom who had returned from the kitchen and said, "Okay, Andy's doctor's appointment is set for next Friday at 2:00 o'clock. Who was on the other line?"</span></p> <p><span>"That was John's furniture guy, Bob Ficklin. He apologized for not calling yesterday, but he got tied up at another customer's house. He wanted to know if he could come out this afternoon to discuss what we want built. I told that should be fine since I didn't think we had anything else planned."</span></p> <p><span>"Great, I'd forgotten about him, too. Being around my dad makes my memory do bad things, like not remember shit. What time's he showing up?"</span></p> <p><span>"He said he'd be here about 1:00 o'clock." </span></p> <p><span>"Perfect. We should be done with lunch by then. Now, there's one other person I needed to call about something, but, for the life of me, I can't remember who or what it was about."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, don't look at me, I don't have a clue."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't either at the moment, but it'll come to me. Eventually. You feel like a fire today?"</span></p> <p><span>"You can light my fire anytime you want, babe," he snickered.</span></p> <p><span>I loaded up some logs in the fireplace and once I had a nice fire going, I sat back down, grabbed my book to continue reading while Tom picked up his book. The next thing I knew, Tom was shaking me awake and saying something about lunch. "Huh, what time is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"A quarter past noon, Rip. C'mon, Bob will be here in forty-five to talk furniture."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, furniture, right." Tom helped me up as I shook the cobwebs from my brain. "Man, I wonder how long it's going to take to get used these 6:00 a.m. mornings. I never fall asleep like that."</span></p> <p><span>"I beg to differ with you, old man. This is the second time you've done it that I know about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Give me a transfusion of some caffeine and I'll be fine. What's for lunch?"</span></p> <p><span>"How `bout hot dogs? Not fancy, but quick and easy."</span></p> <p><span>"Works for me, Tom." We headed to kitchen and while I got the dogs cooking on the griddle, Tom pulled out plates, ketchup, mustard, relish and chips. I grabbed a Pepsi to mainline some sugar and caffeine to help wake up my tired ass. Ten minutes later, we sat at the bar counter to eat our simple lunch. We'd just finished cleaning up our mess when the drive sensor announced a visitor. "Good timing," I commented as I headed to the front door. "Meet you in the living room," I added.</span></p> <p><span>I opened the door and asked, "Bob? Come on in, we've been expecting you."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, you Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"I am. Let's go sit in the living room for a minute and talk about what we want built and then we can show you the rooms."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good, lead the way." </span></p> <p><span>When we got to the living room, I introduced Bob to Tom and we sat down to talk.</span></p> <p><span>"Did John tell you what we're looking for, Bob?"</span></p> <p><span>"In general, he did. A couple different sets of bookshelves, desks, a bedframe, was there anything else?"</span></p> <p><span>"Would you want to try a filing cabinet?"</span></p> <p><span>"I've done them before, but they're a pain to do and get just right. While the people I built them for were happy with them, I never much liked the finished products. Are you looking for a two-drawer or four-drawer cabinet?"</span></p> <p><span>"A two-drawer would be plenty big," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Here's what I'd suggest. Get yourself a good filing cabinet at Sam's or Office Max and I'll leave space under the desk for it. Then once the desk is in place, you just slide the cabinet underneath. You'll get the storage you're looking a whole cheaper than I could build it for you."</span></p> <p><span>"That works fine for me," Tom said, "but he's the one who thinks everything needs to be custom," he added, hooking his thumb in my direction.</span></p> <p><span>"If you're good with that setup, Tom, it's fine with me. That'll let you get a locking cabinet, too, to keep prying eyes out of your work."</span></p> <p><span>"Hadn't thought about that, Max, good idea."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's show you the rooms were dealing with, Bob," I said as I stood and lead the way to the empty bedroom. "This will be Joey and Alex's room when it's completed. The desks, shelf units and storage space will all be along the exterior wall and beneath the windows. John's going to build a wall perpendicular to the exterior wall, extending about six feet into the room so the boys will have a bit of their `own' space on each side."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, and what about the bedframe you want. What size and type?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm thinking of a basic platform type frame, but with drawers underneath each side so they each have storage under whichever side of the bed they claim is theirs. The size is king, which, if I remember is six feet wide and about the same in length. I'm thinking the drawers on each side could be about two-foot front to back and about eight inches deep. Maybe add one more drawer on the end, then, for a total of seven."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you want any kind of headboard or foot board? Maybe a bookcase type head so there's room for a clock, book, glasses, whatever."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good idea, Max," Tom offered. "It would them a little extra storage."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I agree. Let's do that, Bob. Maybe two shelves with a divider so they each have their own side, again. I know they're twins and will probably share everything without problems, but just in case. I think we can do without the footboard, unless you think another set of shelves at the end would be good."</span></p> <p><span>"If you do that, Max, you kiss that seventh drawer goodbye. But omitting the end drawer would allow the side drawers to be a little deeper. Better to have the shelf space and not need it than the other way around, Max. That's my feelings on it anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"I agree, Bob. What do you think, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"The more, the merrier. Let's do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Anything else in here, guys?" Bob asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No, I think that's all for this room. John got all the measurements yesterday so you can work with him to get those or you can re-measure. Whichever way you want to do it. Let's go look at the other room." We crossed the hall to Tom's new office and after entering, I commented, "Ignore the floor, Bob. John discovered we have a water problem and a plumber is going to be here shortly to take a look at that issue. According to John, he'll probably have to replace all the flooring in here because he doesn't think he'll be able to match what's in here now and he also needs to see how much of the subfloor needs replaced."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, Max. I assumed the desk, shelves and bedframe for the bedroom were going to be higher priority, anyway. I planned to work on those first and then start what we need for this room after all the other is in place."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, Bob. Tell him what you want done, Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"I was thinking about shelves across this entire wall," he started as walked towards the wall, "with a bottom section about twenty inches deep and two-foot tall, then maybe ten-inch deep shelves on top of that base section up to the ceiling. Then have the desk sitting about here with me facing the wall opposite the shelves."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds, good, Tom. You right or left-handed?"</span></p> <p><span>"Right, why?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, do you want the file cabinet to be under the right or left side of the desk. I need to know so I can put the regular drawers on the other side."</span></p> <p><span>"Good question, Bob. Hadn't thought about that," Tom mused. "I think I'll want the file cabinet on my right side. I'll be getting into it more that I will the others. Oh, will you have a center drawer and if so, can it have a lock?"</span></p> <p><span>"If you want it, I can do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, let's plan on that then."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, next question for you two," Bob started, "John said you wanted maple with a lighter color finish in the boys' room, right? And what about in here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Maple's correct for in there," I said pointing back to the boys' room. "What say you for in here, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, I don't think I've ever seen anything but oak."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, you have, you just didn't realize it. The entire kitchen is maple."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, well hit me upside the head with a Louisville Slugger. No, scratch that, don't need another gouge in my scalp, thank you very much."</span></p> <p><span>"Is that what happened to you?" Bob asked. "I was afraid to ask."</span></p> <p><span>"I only wish it was a bat that did this," Tom answered, gingerly touching the shaved area of his scalp, "but no, this was done by a bullet,".</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like you're a lucky man to be standing here right now, Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"In more ways than one, Bob. Why don't we go ahead and do the maple in here, too, that way it all matches. Do you have any color samples of the finishes you use?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure do. They're in my case in the living room."</span></p> <p><span>"Great, let's go take a look," I said. We headed back to the living room where Bob opened his case and extracted the wood samples and handed them to us.</span></p> <p><span>"These slats are maple and the finish names are printed on the back. I also have oak samples if you change your mind on the wood to use."</span></p> <p><span>"I like this Honey Maple for the boy's room, Bob. The wall behind the desk will be a darker shade of blue and I think the wood should be a lighter color to offset that darkness. What do you think, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"I like that, and I think the boys will, too. But I'm thinking more along the lines of this Antique Maple for my office. I think the Honey would be a little too bright to look at all day."</span></p> <p><span>"Good choices for both rooms, gents. I'll think you'll be happy with the final product. Let me get back to my office and I'll get some plans drawn up for everything, generate some renderings and then e-mail them to you tomorrow morning. If everything looks good to you, let me know and I can get started. I'll swing by John's office on my way and get his measurements. Oh, and one more question, do you want backs on the shelves?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Bob, what would you recommend?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I usually don't, Max, that's why I asked the question," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Fat lotta' help you are," I laughed in reply. "I think on the boys' shelves, no backs, that way the wall color will show through them. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to put color in a room and then cover it up. What about yours, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"I probably will need the back. I wouldn't want to take a chance on a client's file falling behind them because once that happens, you're not getting them back easily."</span></p> <p><span>"Good point, Tom," I said. "So, backs for the office shelves and none for the boys'. Is that all you need, Bob?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think so. Time for me to get to work."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for coming out today, we appreciate it," I said as I walked him to the door.</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, guys, that's the least I could do since I didn't get in touch with you yesterday. You have a good afternoon and I'm sure we'll talk tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"If we do, it'll be late afternoon, probably, we have to go to court in the morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, good luck with that. Thanks for your time, I look forward to working with you."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Bob, same here." I closed the door behind him and heard the drive sensor announce another visitor. This had to be the plumber. At least I hoped it was. As soon as Bob had backed his truck off the drive, another truck rounded the corner to the drive. I decided to just wait at the door for Mark, then opened it again as he walked up. "You must be Mark," I called as he stepped up on the porch.</span></p> <p><span>"That's me, you Max?" he asked. </span></p> <p><span>"Yep, you're in the right place. Come on in I'll show where the problem is." I closed the door and led Mark to Tom's office and showed him the area John had torn out this morning.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, you got a problem all right. Show me how to get under the floor and I'll check it out, see what I need to do to get you fixed up."</span></p> <p><span>"Follow me, Mark, there's a hatch in the floor of the laundry room next door." I led him in and pointed to the hatch against the outside wall of the house. "This switch turns on the lights down in the crawlspace. Hopefully, they still work, but since I haven't been down there since the house was completed, I can't say for sure."</span></p> <p><span>"Guess we'll find out, won't we? Thanks, Max. I'll let you know what I find out."</span></p> <p><span>I headed back to the living room to join Tom and continue reading. I had barely opened my book when I suddenly remembered who else I needed to contact � Ken, the twins' teacher about the special testing. I grabbed to phone to call the school before I forgot about it, again.</span></p> <p><span>"New Berlin schools, how may I help you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Is this Gloria?"</span></p> <p><span>"It is, may I ask who's calling, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Gloria, this is Max Sanders, how are you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're just great Mr. Sanders. How are you doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're keeping quite busy, thanks. Look the reason I called is Alex and Joey's teacher, Mr. Thomas, had said something to me about some special testing for the boys to see if they could move up a grade level in math since they're bored with it. I need to try and find out what's involved with that and what I have to do get them tested."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I wish I could help with that, Mr. Sanders, but Mr. Furman is taking care of all that now that Ms. Carr isn't here. And, unfortunately, he had a meeting this afternoon in Springfield to interview a possible replacement for our poor departed principal." I detected a slight snicker from Gloria after that comment. "I'd be happy to leave a message for Mr. Furman and I'm sure he'll return your call in the morning."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd appreciate that Gloria, but note that I won't be available until Monday, please. We already have plans for tomorrow and Friday."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do that, sir, and thanks for calling. I hope you have a great evening."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Gloria, you too." I hung up the phone and had no sooner retrieved my book than Mark came back.</span></p> <p><span>"All fixed, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Really? That was pretty darn quick."</span></p> <p><span>"It was an easy fix, for once. One of the joints in the pipe that runs under that room heading towards � I'm guessing, the kitchen � had separated just enough to create a fine spray. That's what soaked the floor. If the pipe had been 6 inches lower, the spray would have never reached the subfloor. As it is though, there are probably two floor joists that will have to be repaired or replaced when they rip out the floor above. I'll pass that on to John so he can be prepared for it."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Mark, you're a lifesaver. How much do I owe you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Rush house call and time, should be 150 bucks, but I'll let you slide by for 100 today."</span></p> <p><span>I pulled out my wallet and handed him 200 dollars. Before he could complain about getting paid too much, I said, "If you don't want the extra, donate it to someone who needs it. Otherwise, take your wife to a nice dinner tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max. Here's one of my cards, if you ever need anything else, don't hesitate to call. Oh, and just so you know, all the lights in the crawlspace still work. Thanks for those, too. Make my life much easier. Hope you have a great night."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks again, Mark, you, too." I walked him to the door and, after letting him out, returned to sit with Tom. "Well, I think everything should be good to go with your office now, Tom. Once the floor's fixed that is."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, Max. Remember, I'm not supposed to be working right now, anyway. Good thing you're rich and can support me," he grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, good thing, that," and returned to my book. I had just finished the first sentence of a new chapter when the drive sensor went off again. "I guess Mark forgot to grab something." I got up and headed to the door, but before opening the door, I turned to Tom and asked, "Hey, did you get the furniture guy's number when he was here, `cause I forgot?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure did, he handed me one of his cards before he boogied."</span></p> <p><span>The doorbell chimed and I opened the door while I replied to Tom, "Good, I want to make sure we can get in touch Bob if we need to." I turned back to the door, expecting Mark to be standing there and was surprised by a man I'd never seen before.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, I'm not Bob, but are you Maxwill Sanders?"</span></p> <p><span>"I am, who are you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not that it matters, but I'm Ryan," the stranger said, then he extended a hand with a sheaf of papers held snugly in his grasp. I instinctively reached out and accepted the papers this stranger was handing to me. "You've been served, Mr. Sanders. Have a good day." With that, he turned, headed back down the walk, got into his car and pulled away while I stood at the open door, too stunned for what just happened to register in my brain.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-62.html

Building a Family Chapter 62 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 62 � A New Week Begins We'd just climbed into bed and pulled up the covers when there was light rapping on the door. The door cracked open and T.J. stuck his head inside and asked, "Can I come in now?" "Get in here, munchkin," I said as I lifted the covers for him to crawl in. There was no hiding his already stiff cocklet as he bounded across the room, climbed into the bed with us and then crawled over me to settle in between the two of us. "Now what?" he asked, bubbling over with excitement and rubbing his hands together. "Well, the first thing you need to know is you have us at a bit of a disadvantage since you can get into our minds and we can't do the same with you. So, we don't know what you may or may not want to happen. We won't do anything you don't ask for," I answered. "We also won't do anything that will hurt you in any way," Tom added. "So, if I want you suck my dick, I have to ask you to do it, and you'd really do it? But if I wanted you to stick your dick in my butt, you wouldn't do that `cause it'll hurt me, right?" "Exactly, T.J," I answered. "What can I do to you guys?" "Whatever you want," Tom answered. "If you just want to explore our bodies, that's fine." "And if you decide you want to kiss us or more, that's fine, too." "Really? I can kiss you, like, on the lips, instead of just your forehead or cheek? You mean like this?" he asked as he crawled on top of Tom and planted his lips on Tom's. Tom gently held T.J.'s head in place as the boy orally assaulted his mouth, both of them moaning in desire. T.J.'s little pecker was buried in Tom's gut and, thanks to the positioning of the boy's legs, Tom's engorged cock was protruding obscenely from between T.J.'s thighs and grazing his sweet ass. After they broke for air, T.J. moved down Tom's body and began to lick at his quarter-sized nipples, randomly moving from one to the other. When he tired of stimulating Tom's nipples, he slid further down and grasped Tom's erection in both hands before kissing his exposed glans. "Damn, Pops, I knew your dick was big, but it looks even bigger when I'm this close to it. I really like that you trimmed your hair. It let's us all see more of you and that's cool." T.J. then released Tom's phallus and moved his hands even lower to his testicles. "WOW! You even shaved your nuts. That's fuckin' hot," he added just before he dove in and began licking the hairless sack. Tom was moments away from exploding when T.J. pulled his head back from between Tom's thighs and commented, "Your balls are really big, too. I wonder if I'll ever get that big." "Anything's possible, T.J.," I answered for Tom since he was unable to complete a coherent sentence at that particular moment. "Don't worry, Dad, I ain't forgot you," he exhaled as he moved from Tom to me, where he repeated his assault on my body. When his lips met mine for the first time, I felt his tongue slip inside my mouth and I relished the taste. When his small hands wrapped themselves around my leaking cock, I felt like I'd died and gone to heaven. "What's that comin' outta your dick? That ain't piss, is it?" he asked as looked up to my face. "No, T.J., that's called pre-cum. It's kind of a lubricant that all guys produce when they get excited." "I don't." "You will, don't worry." "What's it taste like? It won't make me sick, will it?" "It really doesn't have much taste to it and no, it won't make you sick." That was all he needed to know before he returned his attention to my cock and lapped up the clear fluid dripping off my glans. After seeing I was telling the truth about it having no real flavor to it, he quickly took my head into his mouth and swirled his tongue all around it. He toyed with me for a few minutes before he let my head slip from his mouth and moved on to my balls, coating the length of my cock with his saliva along the way. Since I began sharing the bed with Tom, I'd discovered that I really liked having my balls licked and T.J. proved to be quite adept at it, gently taking each tender orb into his mouth and slathering it with love. When he finished between my legs, he knelt between us, pulled our heads together and we all kissed at the same time, tongues darting from mouth to mouth. "I love both your dicks," T.J. whispered, "but yours is just too big for my mouth, Pops. Someday, when I'm older and my mouth is bigger, I'll show you how much I love yours, too." "That's okay, buddy. Your dad will take care of me." "But I gotta know, do you really stick your dick in Dad's ass and screw him `cause I'd think it hurts him like hell?" After a quick nod from Tom, T.J. added, "Can I watch you two do it?" "If that's what you want, sure," I answered. As the big guy leaned over to the nightstand to retrieve the lube, T.J. knelt over my chest, giving me my first real up close and extremely personal look at his stiff young member. It was absolutely beautiful with his helmet still enshrouded by his foreskin. I looked up into his eyes and quietly asked, "May I suck it, T.J.?" With a quick nod and lustful grin, he leaned forward and brushed my lips with his stiffness. I separated my lips just far enough to allow the turgid member to slip inside my mouth. His sweet pecker tasted divine and while it felt similar to Joey's, it also felt different because of his foreskin. I used my tongue in inventive ways and managed to slip his foreskin back and expose his glans to my ministrations. T.J. closed his eyes and reveled in the moment, moaning deeply with contentment. Not content to suck on just his sweet morsel, I shifted my position slightly so I could envelop his immature testicles with my mouth also. In less than a minute, I could feel his cocklet twitching in my mouth as he groaned and quivered uncontrollably while he orgasmed. Bringing this young lad to his peak was heavenly. As he slowly came down from his sexual high, he muttered, "Ohmigod, Dad, that was fuckin' awesome." "Are you ready to see how we make love?" "Oh, yeah, you have no idea how ready." "Why don't you lay down, Tom?" I asked. "I like it better when I'm on top." Tom assumed the position and handed me the tube of lube. I set it aside for a minute because I wanted his cock in my mouth first. I knelt over his waist and slowly enveloped his mushroom head with my lips before gently swallowing his complete length. T.J., who was now kneeling on the other side of Tom, watched intently and his eyes bugged wide open when my nose made contact with Tom's trimmed pubic mound. "Holy crap, Dad, how the hell can you do that?" I slowly removed Tom's cock from my mouth and answered with a smile, "Practice." "Yeah, I bet," he giggled. "Would you like to help me get ready for Pops?" I asked T.J. "Sure, what do you want me to do?" "Well, while I suck on Pops' dick to get it nice and slick, why don't you take the lube and start working on my hole to help loosen it up?" T.J. grabbed the tube as he moved behind my ass that was sticking up in the air. I went back to work on Tom while the young lad drizzled lube in my crack and started to poke and prod around my hole with his fingers. He soon had two fingers buried as deeply as he could and I could feel him wiggle them around inside my ass. "Like this?" he asked. "Am I doing it right?" With a mouth full of Tom, all I could do was nod and moan in delight at his assault. He kept working his two fingers in and out of my ass when I suddenly felt empty as he pulled them back out. I practically whimpered at the loss before I felt him spread my cheeks as wide as he could, trying to stick his dick inside me. Due to his lack of length, he couldn't penetrate me very deeply, but I was experiencing a mental overload as he did his best to fuck me, grunting with delight as he did. "Ah, shit, that feels good," T.J. mumbled through his clenched jaws. As I continued my oral assault on Tom, I could see his balls starting to pull up and knew he was close to losing complete control. I let him slip from my mouth and announced, "Okay, T.J., time to change things around before Pops loses it. Why don't you hold his dick and help guide it inside me?" He eagerly slid out of my ass and moved between Tom's widespread legs so he could watch closely as I knelt over Tom's raging hard-on and began to lower myself. When I felt his mushroom make contact with my hole, I paused for a moment, steeling myself for the impalement to come. When I looked down, I could see T.J.'s hands steadily holding the staff below me. When I was ready to continue, I relaxed as much as possible before continuing to lower my body and allowing my ass to swallow him completely. T.J. retained his grip on Tom until I settled my ass on his thighs. "Wow! That's freakin' cool. I can't believe you aren't feeling some serious pain right now," T.J. enthused as he moved from behind us to beside us. When he saw the grimace on my face, he inhaled deeply and added, "Oh, shit, I guess it does hurt." "Just a little bit, T.J. It'll start to feel a lot better in just a minute." "I don't believe you, Dad." "Oh, trust me it will. I can show you what it feels like if you want." "Oh, no you don't! You ain't sticking your dick up my ass." "You're right, I'm not, but I could use my finger like you did for me. That would be about the same." "Really!? I guess that wouldn't be too bad. Let's do it!" "Why don't you straddle Pops' chest and lean over his head. Hand me the lube before you do." I sat still as T.J. moved around and got into position over Tom's face after giving me the tube. I knew my suggestion would place T.J.'s still hard member in Tom's face and I assumed he would take advantage of the situation. He did not disappoint us as I heard T.J. inhale deeply when Tom swallowed the turgid member well before my slicked-up finger made contact with T.J.'s snug anal sphincter. The young lad started rocking his hips slightly as he began to fuck his Pops' mouth and when he pulled back one time, I held my finger in position and watched as it slid smoothly into his hole. T.J. jumped a bit at the invasion but continued his rocking motion, alternately sliding his cocklet into Tom's mouth, then taking my finger deep into his ass as he moved back and forth. When T.J. had settled into a smooth rhythm, I finally started rocking my hips, clenching my sphincter tightly around Tom's cock as I proceeded to get my ass fucked. I was concentrating more on T.J. and what he was feeling than I was on myself as I was in no hurry to end this tryst. I started to wiggle my finger inside him and quickly found his young and yet to develop prostate. I tried to bump that little nodule every time T.J. moved backward and my finger drove deep into him. In just a few minutes, I could feel T.J.'s sphincter clamping my finger tightly as he came for the second time. When he finally stopped humping Tom's face, I gently removed my finger from his ass. He just kind of hovered and wavered over Tom's chest, recovering, as I continued to bob up and down on Tom's cock. When T.J. had regained his composure and strength, he carefully stood up and turned around to face me before settling back down on Tom's chest, a very wide smile gracing his cherubic face. "You doin' okay?" I asked. "I'm great, Dad," he answered. "I don't think I've ever had this much fun." "Hey, buddy," Tom grunted, "while you got a cute ass and I don't mind it being in my face, can you slide down just a little bit? It's kinda hard to breathe under here." "Oops, sorry, Pops," he giggled. The young lad moved closer to me then asked, "That better?" "Much, thanks," Tom replied as he sucked in a lungful of fresh air. T.J. then reached over to me and wrapped both hands around my lonely, dripping cock. His light touch sent jolts of electricity rushing throughout my body. "I wanna watch you come, Dad," he whispered as he continued to stroke me. I could only nod in acknowledgment as my voice had abandoned me. I reached over to T.J., grasped his still rigid pecker between my thumb and forefinger and began to idly stroke him in return. After a few more minutes, amid the grunts of lust and groans of pleasure emanating from all three of us, T.J.'s body suddenly went completely rigid and his cocklet started to dance violently in my grip. Feeling his young body succumb to his orgasm so intensely forced me over the edge. I'd held off as long as possible and when I finally allowed myself to let go, I coated T.J.'s chest and belly with my semen. As that was happening, my sphincter's rapid clamping on Tom's cock elicited the same reaction from him. I felt his cock enlarge slightly as each volley of his spunk coated my insides. With our sexual appetites sated, a completely spent T.J. fell into me. I hugged him tightly and whispered, "We love you," into T.J.'s ear. Our hug merely spread my semen over both of us and I suggested a shower was called for and the other two readily agreed. Tom and I headed to the bathroom and T.J. headed for the door. "Where you goin, T.J?" Tom asked. "To take a shower, like Dad said." "Not in your own shower, silly boy, you'll wake up Mike and Andy. Get your ass in here," I said. "I get to take a shower with you, too? Sweet, dads." We climbed in the shower together and proceeded to clean each other. A lot of soap got used and we were all pretty well slicked up with suds from head to toe. T.J. made it his personal mission to ensure our penises were properly cleaned and we allowed him to do so as we sat on the bench together and he stroked and fondled them. Even after our recent activities, he knew just what to do and both of us were soon hard again. As for the young lad, himself, I'm not too sure he ever lost his erection and he was as stiff as could be. I started to play with his delicate marble-sized testicles while Tom played with his stiff penis. As we continued to play in the shower, T.J. leaned over and started to lick Tom's meat from base to tip, lingering over his mushroom head and swirling his tongue all around it until Tom moaned, "Watch out, T.J., I'm going to come again." He lifted his head just in time to witness Tom get off two or three shots of milky-colored semen. "Fuckin' cool, Pops," T.J. enthused. Then, to our surprise he leaned over and lapped the emission off Tom's belly and deflating mushroom head. "That ain't too bad," he said. "What does yours taste like, Dad?" "About the same, I'd guess." "Let's find out," he grinned as he leaned over and repeated the process on my own cock. The only difference was he actually took about half my hardness into his mouth. All too soon, I could feel things starting to happen in my balls and despite warning him of my impending orgasm, T.J. refused to pull his mouth off me. I lobbed four shots of spunk into his mouth and we watched in fascination as he swallowed them all. "Yeah, you're right, Dad, it's about the same, tasty," he commented with a wide smile. With all three of us finally cleaned up, outside and inside, we turned off the shower and stepped out to dry off. We each helped dry the backs of someone else and when we were ready, we headed to bed. As we walked back across the bedroom, T.J. asked, "Can I sleep with you guys tonight? Please?" Tom and I exchanged a quick glance and he answered, "Sure thing, T.J." We climbed back into bed and, with T.J. taking the middle, curled up together for a good night's sleep. As we traded kisses and goodnights, T.J. said, "I love both of you, more than I've ever loved anybody else. And thanks for tonight. I really enjoyed it and can't wait for us to be able to do it again." "We love you, too, buddy," Tom replied. "We'll be ready when you are, T.J," I added. "How `bout right now?" he giggled. "Except for right now," I answered. "I think we all need to get some sleep." "I know, I was just teasin' ya', Dads. I know you old farts can't keep up with us young dudes." "Careful there, young man, you could end up sleeping outside with the coyotes," I warned him. He quickly flipped over to face Tom and said, "Night, Dads, love you tons." And with that final comment, we all drifted off into a restful night's sleep. Until the damn alarm announced the beginning of a new day and a new week as it went off at six in the morning and. I crawled out of bed and woke T.J. so he could come with me. We meandered to the bathroom to relieve our bladders and then headed to the other side of the house to wake the others. As we passed by the front door, T.J. whispered, "I really had a lot of fun with you and Pops last night. I hope you guys had fun, too." "I think it's pretty obvious we did, T.J.," I replied as I stopped, knelt beside him and took his hands in mine. As I looked into his eyes, I added, "We really do love all of you, and not just because we have a very special place in our hearts and minds for boys. We love you just for being who you are, for willingly accepting each other as brothers, accepting us as your dads and for becoming a part of our new lives together. Even if you decided you don't want to repeat what happened between us last night, we'd still love you." Tears were starting to form in T.J.'s eyes as he croaked, "I know, Dad. I love you, too. And Pops and my new brothers. I never knew my real dad and I don't want to. As far as I'm concerned, you and Pops are my real dads, and you always have been. It just took some time for us to find each other." I pulled T.J. into my arms and said, "And you've always been our son, T.J. You always will be." We took a moment to compose ourselves before we moved on. When we reached the twins bedroom, I suggested T.J. wait outside and he agreed that was probably a good idea. I stepped into their room to find the regular tangle of bodies and limbs strewn across the bed. I tickled somebody's foot and discovered it was attached to Logan when he sat up and said, "Hey, what's the big idea?" "Time to move your skinny butt. Get these other two lumps moving, would you? Breakfast shortly." "Yeah, okay, Max. Good mornin' to you, too," he added sarcastically. I left the room, collected T.J. and we headed on down the hall. After we entered the room, T.J. scampered on across the room and carefully crawled into the bed with Mike and Andy. Once he was curled up and faking sleep, I shook Mike to wake him up. "C'mon, sleepyhead, time to move. Get your brothers goin', okay?" "Yeah, Dad, I hear ya'. Be out in a few for breakfast." As I turned to leave, I could hear him waking the other two. With luck, neither Mike or Andy would realize T.J. hadn't been there all night. I returned to our bedroom to get Tom moving in the right direction. As I was shaking my teddy bear, there was a pretty serious conversation happening on the other side of the house. "Come on, you faker. I know you ain't asleep," Mike grumbled. I opened my eyes and stretched while my brain swirled with wild stories to tell. "What're you talkin' `bout," I asked through a fake yawn. "I know you didn't sleep with us last night, you turd. Where the hell were you?" "What!?" I asked indignantly. "I was too here." "No, you weren't. Quit lyin' to me, dammit. I had to go pee in the middle of night and when I went to the bathroom, you weren't here. Now, where the hell did you go? You go jump in bed with Alex, Joey and Logan so you could play around with some older boys?" "Yeah, where'd ya' go, T.J.?" Andy asked. I threw up my hands in surrender and said, "Okay, okay, I slept with Dad and Pops." "What!?" Andy yelled. "Why'd you do that?" Mike asked. "I had a bad dream and it scared me. I didn't want to bother you guys, so I asked Dad if I could sleep with them? You happy, butthead?" "What kind of dream," Andy quizzed me. "You gotta promise not to tell the dads about it. They'd freak out," I whispered conspiratorially as I made shit up on the fly. After they both agreed to keep the secret, I continued. "I dreamed my real dad somehow found out about me and he came to take me away with him." "What's so scary `bout that," Mike asked. "Yeah, if my real dad came back, I'd probably want to go with him," Andy added. "Look, guys, I don't know my real dad. Mom told me she don't know who he is. For all I know, he's a freakin' ax murderer or somethin'. And he was gonna make me move to Idaho. Who the hell wants to live in stupid Idaho. Not me." "And you didn't tell `em what the dream was about?" Mike asked. "No, I just told Dad it was scary, but I didn't really `member it. He said I could sleep with them if it would make me feel better, so I did." "So why the fake act?" Mike pushed. "I didn't want you guys thinkin' I'm some sorta baby for gettin' scared `bout a stupid dream." "It's okay, T.J.," Andy responded. "We all have bad dreams sometimes. Most of mine have Russ in `em. That's when I curl up real tight with one of you guys. Holdin' you tight makes me feel safe again and the dream goes away." "Look, sorry, I just needed Dad and Pops, okay? C'mon, we better get movin'," I said as I crawled out of bed and headed to the bathroom to wash my face. Mike and Andy used the toilet, then followed me and washed their faces. Before we left our room to head to the kitchen, they pulled me into a hug. "Sorry for bein' a jerk, bro," Mike said during the hug. "I was just worried `bout you, okay?" "It's okay, bro'," I answered. "Thanks." We finally broke our hug and headed out to join the others for breakfast. Finally, T.J., Mike and Andy joined the other three at the bar for cereal and toast. "Wow, boys, I was about to send out a search party for you. I was afraid you got lost this morning." "Oh, we're fine. They just wanted to know why I didn't sleep with them last night." Tom and I stiffened with fear while the other three boys spun their heads in curiosity, but I asked the expected question anyway. "And what did you tell them?" "Same thing I told you last night when I snuck in your room, I had a bad dream that scared me," T.J. answered with a sly wink and a grin. I breathed a sigh of relief at the young man's quick thinking and continued the storyline he'd created. "You feel better about it this morning?" "Yeah, and thanks for lettin' me stay with you. I still don't remember the stupid dream, though," he answered with another wink to Mike and Andy. "That's probably a good thing," Tom responded. "Yeah, I think so, too," T.J. agreed. As each boy finished his breakfast, he rinsed his bowl and dropped it in the dishwasher before returning to his room to get dressed and ready for school. When all of them were ready to roll, Tom and I pulled on some sweats and I drove them out to the bus shelter. When I got back to the house, I found Tom in the living room with a note pad on his lap and he was sucking on the end of a pen. "Whatcha' doin'?" I asked as I hung up my jacket. "Well, if I'm gonna have an office later this week, I thought I probably ought to get a list made of things I need to get and do before I can get back to work. This sittin' around doin' nothin' is startin' to drive me nuts." "Wow! What a brilliant deduction, Sherlock. What have you got so far?" "Well, I need to get a business license and get setup with the Department of Revenue. I also need to find out if I need some sort of special license or certification to do private investigations in the state. Then I have to get your regular supplies for an office. You know, pens, pencils, files, a computer, that kind of shit." "You may want to add a desk lamp to your list, too. We have the phone for your office, already, so you don't need that. Make sure you include a Cat6 cable on your list to connect your computer to the network." "Oh, I figured I'd just connect to the Wi-Fi." "You can do that if you want, but it'll be much faster if you're wired in. Whatever you want to do is fine with me. Oh, and don't forget to get some business cards. You can have them done at Kinko's or just buy card stock and we can print them here." "Good idea, babe. I'll let Kinko's print `em, though, I think they'll look better. Might as well get some printed up for Dylan while I'm at it, don't you think." "Yeah, that sounds good. What about your cell phone? You okay with it or you want a new one?" "Nah, it's good for now. Once Dylan's working with me, we may want to have the same phones, though, so we won't have any problems sharing information, so we'll deal with that later." "Anything else you can think of?" "Not at the moment. Not for the new job, anyway." "I think you've forgotten one very important piece of equipment every private investigator should have in his arsenal." "Oh? What's that?" "A snappy hat," I laughed. "If you think I'm gonna wear a freakin' fedora on the job, you are crazy." "All the real P.I.s have them, Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe, even old Sherlock himself." "Well, you can just forget that nonsense `cause it ain't gonna happen." When I finally quit laughing at the image of Tom wearing a fedora, he added, "I do have an unrelated thing I wanted to ask about, though." "What's that?" "Last night. Are you really cool with everything that happened with T.J.?" "Yeah, I think I am. No, I know I am. I've told you how much I wanted to do things like that with my dad and never got the opportunity. If T.J. hadn't asked me about joining us, I'd have never thought to ask him because up until just the other night, he'd never said or really done anything that led me to believe he'd even considered it. And once he did ask, all I could think was this; how could tell him no when we didn't tell the twins no?" "I was hoping you'd say that. `Cause I gotta tell ya', while I love our time in bed together and wouldn't trade it for all the tea in China, I have never been more turned on than I was last night." "Now, I've got a question for you, big guy. What will we do if the twins and T.J. want to join us, all at the same time?" "My answer to that is `Fuck yeah. Bring it on'." I snorted at Tom's eagerness and said, "I figured as much." "Oh, I suppose you don't want all three at the same time, do ya'?" he asked sarcastically. "I never said that, just wasn't sure how we should respond. I think T.J. will try to keep our time together from Joey and Alex, but I'd say the chances are slim he'll be able to do so. I just hope they don't ask for it before Logan moves back home with his dad." "Yeah, that would be a problem we don't need." The drive sensor went off and Tom asked, "You expectin' someone this morning?" "I'm hoping it's John and his guys showing up to work on the other bedroom." "Oh, man, I'd forgotten that could happen today. Well, I'm gonna let you deal with them while I go to the study and make some phone calls about licensing and shit." "Good luck, bubba. Have fun dealin' with the state," I laughed as he turned the corner to the study. I headed to the garage, opened the door and punched the button to open the garage door for John. My timing was spot-on as his truck pulled onto the driveway just as the door stopped moving. As he and his guys got out of the truck I called out, "Mornin', John. We were hoping to see you today." "And look at that, all your hopes have come true," he cracked. "Well, not all of them, but one for sure. C'mon in. I'll stay out of your way, but when you have a few minutes, John, I need to talk to you about something," I added before returning to the living room. As I sat down and reached for my book to kill some time, the phone rang. "Hello?" I answered. "Good morning, is this Max Sanders?" "It is, may I ask who's calling, please?" "Mr. Sanders, my name is Hank Madonia and I work for the Journal-Register. I apologize for intruding on your Monday morning, but I was really hoping you be willing to talk to me." "And just why would I want to do that, Mr. Madonia? What could I possibly tell you that you and your cohorts don't already know?" "Well, sir, I'm sure you know that your name appeared in our paper last week in an article concerning certain events at a local church." "Of course, I know that. And I really must say thank you for printing my name in your rag without my permission," I added with some vehemence. "I guess I should be happy you refrained from printing my unlisted phone number you people obtained by rather devious means. Is that how you people really operate down there?" "I apologize for that, Mr. Sanders, but that decision was made way above my pay grade. And I'd like to try and make it up to you." "And how do you propose to that?" "Well, if it's not too inconvenient or bothersome, I'd like to sit down with you and get your story. There's a movement going on by certain members at the church that is really disturbing to me. They are trying to discredit your account of the events in question. I would like to be able to present your story, using your own words, in an effort to shut down that movement and see that the people who were arrested receive their just punishments." I had known that such a thing could be happening, but I felt as if I'd been punched in the gut to hear it actually was. I inhaled deeply and collected my thoughts before answering. "Okay, Mr. Madonia, here's what I'll agree to; I'll give you two hours to ask any questions you'd like. Keep in mind, I may decline to answer some of them. I will only allow this interview to take place in my home and with my fianc� present. You will be allowed to record the interview, so you can't misuse, misquote or take anything I say out of context. If you'd like to bring one person with you to even up the sides and ask questions, you can do that, too." "That's very kind of you Mr. Sanders and I accept those conditions. When would be a convenient time for me to come out? I'm available any time." "I guess that all depends on when you'd like your story to be in the paper." "I'd love to have it for tomorrow morning, but if that's not possible, as soon as we can after that." "If you came out this afternoon about one, would that work for you?" "That would be perfect, sir. I'll be there." "I have one more condition before I'll talk to you. I want to read the story you write before it's published in the paper." "Oh, sir, I can't agree to that. We never allow people outside the paper to read our stories before they're published." "Then you don't get the interview. Simple as that. Goodbye." "Wait! Please, Mr. Sanders, I really want you to be able to tell your story. Let me talk to my editor and see what he says. If he agrees to all your conditions, I'll be there at one." "Fine. This is the only chance you get, Mr. Madonia. If you're not here then, you can forget it." "Thank you, Mr. Sanders. I hope to see you this afternoon." After hanging up the phone, I sat there and tried to figure out why I agreed to this insanity. I finally realized that I wanted the truth to be told regardless of the personal costs. And I was going to be damned if I was gonna give that fuckin' church the chance to twist the story to appease their own feelings, not when their members had hurt so many kids over such a long period of time. With that argument settled in my mind, I picked up my book to continue reading. About thirty minutes later, John finally came in and took a seat. "Okay, those two are busy for a while, what'd you want to talk to me about?" "It's a bad news, good news kinda thing, John." "Oh, geez, here we go," he muttered with resignation in his voice. "You're not gonna be building a new house for our parents." "What!? Why not? I've already got bids on everything and we're ready to go." "Because Tom and I are giving them this house after you build a bigger one for us." "Holy shit, Max, where the hell did that come from?" "Well, we have an extra kid with us for a while because his dad thought it was okay to beat him. And we've hired someone to come in and help us out with things. Keeping up with five active boys is going to be too much for me handle on my own once Tom gets back to work. So, basically, we're running out of space in this house and need something bigger." "I don't think I've heard someone with a 4,500-square foot house say they need something bigger." "Well, we're happy to be a first for ya'," I smiled "How much bigger you talkin' about?" "At least double, maybe triple the size of this house. Let me tell you what we're wanting to do, and you can find an architect to design it." I spent the next half hour explaining our intentions and everything we wanted in the new place. When I finally ran out of steam, John just looked at me like I'd lost my mind. "So, does it sound like something you be interested in tackling?" "You're kidding me, right?" he deadpanned. "Hell, this is the kind of project us contractors will kill for. With everything you say you want in the place, you're lookin' at twelve to fifteen thousand square feet and probably two to three million. Are you really serious about this?" "Damn right I am. We've got the means to help more kids than we are, and we intend to do just that. And I can't think of anybody else I'd rather have in charge of the project for us than you. Think you can find an architect to deal with the planning and design?" "Sure, I know several and this project is right up their alley. The only possible issue I can see will be meeting the requirements needed by the state agencies to allow you to temporarily house kids. For sure, you're going to have to have it 100% handicap accessible and that ain't gonna be cheap." "Money's not an issue, John, you should know that." "Sure, I do, I just don't want you to be blindsided when bids start coming in. So, what, exactly, do you want me to do?" "I want you to deal with the architect, the bids and all the contractors needed to complete the project. Basically, you're in charge of the whole thing. Tom and I will want to be involved in the design process with the architect, of course, but once that part is done, it's all yours." "Okay, I can do that. Next question, how fast do you want it done? A project this size would normally take at least a year to complete from the initial meeting with the architect to turning over the keys to you." "You have until November first this fall to have it done. I want us living in it by Thanksgiving." "Oh, c'mon, Max, it can't be done." "Sure, it can, John. I know it'll take a few minor miracles to pull it off, but you're just the guy who can do it. I have faith in you." "Phew, I don't know, man. That's a tall order you're askin' for. I'll do what I can." "Thanks, I knew we could count on you. You need anything to speed up the process, let me know." "Yeah, all right. I better get busy and find us an architect. I'll talk to you later." With that, he got up and headed for the hallway while pulling his phone out of his pocket to start making calls. Having taken the first step to achieving one of my dreams, I sat back and breathed a huge sigh of relief. Tom finally rejoined me with an exasperated look filling his face. "I trust you're not having much fun dealing with the state bureaucracy." "You got that right. It seems there's no single person you can talk to and get answers to your questions. I must've made twelve phone calls to different agencies and talked to probably twenty different people, but I think I've finally gotten everything lined up. Business license and tax number, investigator license, somebody's mailing me some books about records we should keep and for how long. This state's government is practically non-functional. I don't know how anybody gets anything done." "Well, at least you've got a handle on it. You should probably call Carol and let her know you're about ready to go. I'm sure they're anxious to have you start doing their checks for them." "Yeah, I will in a minute, but there was something else I wanted to ask you about that my mind blanked on yesterday. What did you say to Mr. Crawford at the Roadhouse when you went back?" "I just told him that while I appreciated the thought behind what they did, the last thing I want, or need, is to be reminded of the Muellers every time I go there. I also told him that doing the right thing by going to the police doesn't mean I deserve special treatment or free meals, that I want us to be just regular customers when we go there." "Is that all?" "Well, no, I guess not. I also paid for the meals for everyone who was there when we were, and I added that if he wants to honor me for what I did, he should give a free meal a week to a family that looks like they really need it and not me. I think he liked that idea." "Jesus, Max, you really are weird." "Gee, thanks, I love you, too." "I'm sorry, that didn't come out right. I mean just about being recognized and shit. I would have thought that you'd have gotten over that by now." "Look, I've never been really comfortable with the whole fame thing. That's one of the reasons I live out here and never went out much. I absolutely hate complete strangers invading my privacy and personal space when I'm out. But for some reason, they can't seem to help it, so I tend to stay away from the madding crowds. The other thing is this, I don't want to be known as the guy who was abused in his church. There's over 3,000 other kids who suffered the same fate, let one of them become the poster child for the fight against childhood sexual abuse. I didn't apply for that job and if they offered it to me, I'd tell `em to fuck off." "Well, okay then. I'll leave well enough alone, then." "I'll try to get better about it, okay, but not until I've dealt with all this shit. Oh, and speaking of dealing with it, Hank Madonia from the paper is probably coming out at one this afternoon to talk to me." "What!? Why the hell are you doing that?" "I wasn't going to initially, but he told me there are some church members trying to whitewash the whole thing, like it never happened. I'm can't let that happen." "Well, no, I guess not. You may want to call Dylan before the paper dude gets here to see if there's anything he doesn't want you to say. There may be information they don't released yet since they're still investigating." "Good point, I'll do that. Oh, I also talked to John about our new shack and he's on board." "Shack? Yeah, in your dreams. More like a mini-mansion." "Whatever you wanna' call it, the dream is about to become a reality, so buckle up for the ride, big guy." "Oh, I'm ready for it, I just hope you are." "I will be, don't worry." Tom returned to the study to call Carol while I placed a quick call to Dylan. Carol was ecstatic at hearing the news that Tom would soon be ready to start working with her office. Dylan was less than thrilled that I'd agreed to be interviewed, but once I explained why I did, he understood my reason for doing so. His only real request was that I refrain from divulging the actual number of cases the police and FBI were dealing with. While I waited for Tom to come back I made another quick call to set up a surprise for the boys this coming weekend. "Aircraft Services, this is Jeff, how can I help you?" "Good morning, this is Max Sanders, how are you this morning, Jeff?" "Doing great, Mr. Sanders. We haven't seen you for a while, planning on taking a little trip?" "Yes, I am. Can you please make sure my plane is fueled, stocked with snacks and soda, and ready for takeoff by nine Saturday morning? Also, would you please file a flight plan for me to Chicago Miegs field? There will be ten of us and we'll be returning Sunday afternoon around five." "We'll be happy to do that for you Mr. Sanders. Would you like us to have the plane towed out of the hanger before you arrive?" "Please. That will save us some time. Thanks, Jeff, see you Saturday morning." I ended the call just as Tom came back from talking to Carol. "Who is Jeff and why are you seeing him Saturday morning?" "It's a surprise. You'll have to find out Saturday morning," I answered with a wicked smile. "I don't much like surprises, Max." "Fine, but not a word to the boys. I thought we'd pop up to Chicago this weekend, see some museums and parts of the city." "Pop up to Chicago!? That's a four-hour drive. That's not something you just pop." "It is when you can fly it in just over an hour." "Oh no, you don't. I don't like planes." "Oh, come one, hon, it'll be fun. Besides, I'm a good pilot. I haven't crashed yet." "You're flying the deathtrap!? Then I definitely ain't goin'." "Hey, I trust you to drive me around, don't I?" "Big difference between drivin' and flyin', bubba. Cars don't fall out of the sky if their engine stops running. No, sir, I just don't do planes. Of any size." "Well, I guess you get to stay home then. Either that or I'll drug your ass and have the boys drag you into the plane." "They better be some damn good drugs, then," Tom laughed. "Don't worry, it'll be fine." Tom continued to grumble as I picked up my book and started to read, chuckling lightly as I did so. I guess I'd just have to wait for Saturday to see just how serious he was about not flying. We spent the next couple of hours reading and relaxing before John came in to interrupt us. "Well, you wanna' come see the new colors your boys picked out?" "Sure," I answered as we marked our places and put our books down. We got up and played follow the leader for a moment before the big reveal. As we stepped into the room, our eyes were assaulted by a bright red color on the exterior wall, a wild orange on the closet wall, including inside the closet, and a rather muted beige or cream color on the hallway wall. The wall to which the TV was mounted, thankfully, remained white. "Whoa, I didn't realize that red the boys selected would be quite that bright. Same for the orange." "I don't think I could sleep in here," Tom added. "Yeah, that little bit of color on the paper really doesn't do them justice, does it?" John laughed. "The desks and shelves along the red wall will help tone it down a bit, I think." "I sure as hell hope so." "Well, we're done in here," John added, "so we'll get everything cleaned up and get on outta here. I talked to Bob a little while ago and he's planning on coming out tomorrow with a couple of his guys to help get the furniture in place." "Sounds great. The boys will be happy to get moved into their new room. Then we can get the one they're in now ready for Ron." "You takin' in another kid?" "No, John, Ron is the guy we've hired to come in to help us out with cleaning, meals and stuff. He going to get their room." "Gotcha'. I can see you guys needing some help. Just glad it ain't me," he added with a grin. "So, any luck with finding an architect to work with us?" "I think so. I've called a couple of them I know pretty well and I've arranged a meeting with them to discuss what you want. After we talk, I'll have them come up with some basic drawings of their ideas, then we can all sit down together and you can pick the one you want to use." "Excellent, John, I knew I could count on you. Thanks." "I'll keep you updated on my progress and let you know when we can all meet. Let's go boys, it's time for lunch. See you guys later." "Thanks for the excellent work. Send me a bill when you get it done." "You know I will." With that, John and his guys took off leaving Tom and I alone. After he'd pulled away, I closed the garage door and on my return to the living room, asked Tom, "What's for lunch, big guy?" "Whatever you're fixin', I guess." "Hamburger and chips work for you?" "Sure, sounds good." We headed to the kitchen and after 10 minutes of working together had whipped up a simple lunch and sat at the bar to chow down. Fifteen minutes later we were done eating and cleaned up our mess. We then spent about ten minutes getting a roast, potatoes and carrots into a crock pot to start cooking for our supper. It had been a long time since I'd had a good homecooked roast as it always seemed ridiculous to fix one for a single person. I mean, I can only deal with leftovers so many days in a row and I always ended up throwing half of it out. I was betting I wouldn't have to worry about leftovers tonight. As we sat down in the living room again, Tom reminded me, "You have an appointment in the morning, don't you?" "Yep. You takin' me again?" "Sure, and after that, we can hit one of the office stores and take care of my shopping list. It probably wouldn't hurt to get some more food in the house while we're at it." "Gee, that sounds like so much fun," I answered sarcastically. "How can I resist such an offer?" The ding of the drive sensor interrupted our conversation. "That's probably the guy from the paper. You ready for this?" I asked. "I am if you are." Tom walked to the front door and let in a man and woman. "Good afternoon, Mr. Sanders. My name is Hank Madonia and my associate is Peggy Rector." "Hi, Hank, Peggy. Come on in, but you should know that I'm not Mr. Sanders. I'm Tom Wright." "Oh, I'm so sorry, Mr. Wright. I just assumed ...," "No worries, Hank. Max is in the living room." Tom led them over to where I was still sitting and made the introductions. "Max, Hank and Peggy from the paper. Hank, Peggy, Max Sanders, the person you're here to interview." After a flurry of handshakes and hesitant greetings, we all took our seats and got comfortable. "Mr. Sanders, I want to thank you for granting us this interview. I also want to apologize for my confusion at the door. When you said on the phone your fianc� would be present, I obviously jumped to the wrong conclusion." "That's all right, Hank. I know it's been ten years since the Supreme Court ruled, but I imagine you don't meet many same-sex couples in this area." "No, we don't. But I'd still like to apologize." "Don't worry about it. Now before we get started, would either of you like something to drink? We have tea, Pepsi, regular and diet, and water." After a quick glance at each other, both agreed a glass of tea would be welcome and Tom disappeared into the kitchen to fulfill their request. While we waited for him to return, I continued, "Now, please call me Max and I hope you're okay if I use your first names, also. I'm a very informal person." "Thanks fine with us, Max, thank you." "Did your editor give you a hard time over my request to read the story before it hits the paper?" "A little bit, but when I explained why I wanted to tell your story, he gave in and said he'd allow it. He agrees with me that your story is too important to let it go." "And just why are you so eager to get my story?" "Well, as I told you on the phone, I think the church trying to cover things up is despicable." "And how did you hear about that?" I asked. "A couple of our staff attend services there and one of them told me what was happening. From the other information we've discovered so far, I don't doubt your story and I don't want anyone else in the area to doubt it either. I feel it's my duty as a reporter to get the truth out there." "Well, I guess I appreciate that. You should know that I'm not real comfortable with this and when someone from your paper called here last week to ask for my comment on the arrests that had happened, I was really pissed off." "I understand that completely, Max, but as I said, that was out of my control. I promise to treat your story with the dignity it deserves, and I'll protect its integrity." "I hope so." Tom had returned with their drinks and retaken his seat next to me. "Well, I guess we're ready, so why don't we get started." Hank laid his recorder on the table between us and started recording. "Max, I guess my first question is when did your ordeal begin and how long did it continue?" "It started just after my thirteenth birthday ...," I answered as I began to tell my story again. We spent the next hour going over the basics of what had happened, with both Hank and Peggy asking questions. We finally got to a point where they were asking questions to which I hadn't thought much about the answers. "Now, Max, we've researched the building permits and original plans for the church," Hank began. "And, according to those plans, the church is built on a slab and has no basement. How do you explain the room where you allege your abuse took place?" After a moment, I answered, "I guess I can't. Except to say it's there, despite what the original plans may or may not show. I'm sure your source in the department has told you it exists." "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anything about where our information came from. We're not allowed to reveal our sources." I grabbed his recorder off the table, turned it off and dropped it in my lap. "Look, Hank, we know Barry Sinclair was your source in the department. We also know he's dead, so you won't be getting any more information from him. He was at the church and he saw the room where all this shit happened, so don't try to convince me you don't know the truth. You know damn near as much as we do about what went on in that fuckin' place. Now cut the shit or you can kiss your story goodbye because I'll destroy this recording right here and now." Hank flushed with embarrassment at being called out. "Um, I don't know what to say. I didn't know you knew who it was." "Of course, I know. Do you think I'm stupid? Do you think I don't have my own sources? Tom used to be a deputy in the department and we know way more about this case than you do. So, do you still want to hear the rest of it or are we done here?" "I apologize, Max. I really do want to hear everything you can tell me and get the truth out there. I don't want to see another church get by with decades of abuse by sweeping it under the rug." "Good, I don't either. So, let's wrap this up so you can go write your story." I restarted his recorder and laid it back on the table. "What can you tell us about the twenty-six people arrested at the church last week?" "Very little except to say that only two of those taken into custody are responsible for my abuse. As for the others, I don't know anything about them." "Obviously, you aren't the only victim of these people. Do you know how many other children were victimized by these people?" Peggy asked. "I can't answer that question." "Is that because you don't know, or you were told not to say?" "He said he can't answer the question, Peggy," Tom interjected. "It doesn't matter why. You'll have to ask the authorities to get that answer." "We've tried to do that, but Sgt. Brock has refused to comment except to say the FBI is now in charge of the case." "Then I guess you'll have to find out from them." "Yeah, fat chance of that. We can't even find out who is in charge of the investigation there." "Well," Hank began, "I guess my next question is this. Why have you come forward now, almost twenty years later?" "Because I'd blocked it all from my mind. It wasn't until just recently that the memories started coming back." "Do you know why the memories started to resurface now and would like to share that with us?" "Well, yeah, we think so. We're in the process of adopting five boys. Two of those boys are twins and their last foster parents were the couple who had abused me." "Oh, my," Peggy interjected. "I hope they weren't abused, also." "We've already talked to them and they say nothing like that has happened to them, for which we're all immensely thankful. Well, since the boys have moved in, we've run into the couple a few times, and each time we did, I reacted more and more erratically. The last time, I almost got into a physical altercation with the husband. The afternoon of that incident, I spoke with a psychologist who was able to help me recover all the memories of my abuse instead of just flashes here and there." "That must have been difficult for you to accept," Peggy replied. "It was and still is. But it also made my life make much more sense to me, why I had such a hard time accepting I'm gay, why I live out here away from other people, why I almost committed suicide last fall. All those puzzle pieces finally fell into place and completed the picture." "Wait, you almost took your life because of your abuse?" Hank asked. "Well, partly because of it, yes. Another part was my parent's reaction to coming out to them, another part was realizing my dream of having a family was running away from me at full speed. I sank into a very deep depression because all of it was tied together with my own feelings of self-hatred." "And what pulled you out of that depression? Why are you still here, about to be married and adopting five boys?" Peggy quizzed me. "I blame my sister for that." "Blame your sister?" she asked with curiosity. "Well, yeah. It was my love for her that wouldn't let me follow through with it. I couldn't saddle her with leaving her behind to deal with our parents alone after I was gone." "Could we talk to your parents and sister to get their version of the story?" "No, absolutely not. They already feel guilty enough for not having stopped my abusers and I won't have you making them feel any worse about it. Like I told them, since I never said anything to them about what was happening, there was no way they could have stopped it." "Can you tell us why you were selected to be one of those included in the abuse by this group?" "I think it was mostly because I'm gay. The church's views on homosexuals is downright medieval. My abusers seemed to believe that I was possessed by the devil and they were trying to drive him from me, even while the husband was raping me, a decidedly gay act in itself. How anyone believes they can `cure' someone of being gay by committing gay acts themselves is beyond my ability to comprehend. And I have no clue as to where they got that notion since I was still unsure of it myself. I really hadn't said anything to anybody about what I was thinking when it all started." And then the thought popped in my head, or did I, without realizing it? "Then you also have the child pornography part of what this group of people was involved in, so, all in all it was pretty sick and twisted." "No, there's not much logic to that is there? Well, I think that's all I had to ask, Max. Do you have more questions, Peggy?" "I can't think of any. Is there anything you'd like to add, Max?" "Not really except for one small request. I'd like to ask you to leave any reference to the boys we're adopting out of your article. This is my story, not theirs." "That won't be a problem, Max," Hank agreed. "Well, look, we really want to thank you for your time today. We should get back to the office so I can get started writing this up. With the information you've given me, there should be no doubt at all about your story. I probably won't have anything for you to review until tomorrow. I want to make sure we get this right and we'll have to check a few things before we can publish it, so it probably won't be in the paper until Wednesday or Thursday." "That's fine, Hank. We'll look forward to seeing it when you have it ready." We walked the pair to the front door and after some quick handshakes, watched them get into their car and drive away. As we headed back to the living room, I commented, "Well, that wasn't too bad." "No, you seemed pretty calm while you answered their questions. More under control of your feelings than you have been. I think that's a good sign." "I sure as hell hope so. It'll be interesting to see the story and what the reaction to it will be," I said as we settled back into our seats. "Hey, you better call Bob and let him know we won't be home until around two tomorrow afternoon. No sense in him trying to deliver furniture if we're not home." While Tom was talking to Bob, the boys announced their return from school with their three dings, so I grabbed my jacket and headed out to pick them up. After they piled in the car, I turned around as they began removing clothes and as I pulled back into the garage, Joey asked, "Hey, Dad, can I call Josh tonight?" "Yeah, but after supper. I want to talk to Rick about something anyway." "Cool, thanks." The boys led the way into the house and T.J., Mike and Andy stopped in their room to drop their clothes and backpacks. I followed Joey, Logan and Alex until they abruptly stopped in the doorway of the empty bedroom and Joey exclaimed, "Holy crap! That'll keep ya' awake." "What were those three thinkin' when they picked these colors?" Alex bemoaned. "Help me! I've gone blind!" Logan called out while laughing hysterically. The other three charged into their new room to look at the new paint after hearing their comments. "WOW!" T.J. yelled. "Cool!" Andy enthused. "I like my wall color best," Mike calmly said pointing to the beige hallway wall. "I'm with you Mike," I whispered. "When do we get our bed, desks and shelves, Dad?" T.J. asked. "Hopefully tomorrow afternoon. We'll have to ask Pops," I replied. All three ran out of the room and I could hear them asking Tom the same question as I hung up my jacket. "Bob says he'll be here tomorrow afternoon and you should be able to sleep in your new room tomorrow night." All three started cheering and dancing at the prospect of finally moving into their room. "Homework and snack time, boys. Let's move it." All six grabbed their things and headed for the kitchen where Tom and I set them up with apple slices and caramel dipping sauce for their snack before heading to our room to get comfortable. As we were getting undressed I told Tom about calling Rick later to see if Josh and Eric might want to go to Chicago with us. While he grumbled about flying again, he agreed it might be fun for them to join us. I then added, "Joey wants to talk to Josh again, anyway." "Hoo boy, here we go. Bet those two will want their own room in Chicago." "Yeah, but that's not gonna happen. Good thing my condo up there has three bedrooms, though." "You never told me you had a condo in Chicago." "You never asked." "You have property anywhere else?" "A little, yeah. There's another condo in Orlando, a third in L.A. and a house outside Colorado Springs. I rent those when I'm not going to be there, which is most of the time. There's also a few rental properties in Springfield, along with having an interest in a couple of small strip centers that seemed like good investments." "What, nothing in New York?" Tom asked sarcastically. "Nothing permanent, no. I just stay in a suite somewhere when I go there. Guess I'll have to find a bigger one now," I grinned. "So, where are we going on our honeymoon, Chicago, Orlando, L.A. or Colorado?" "None of the above. I have other plans for that trip." "So, where we goin?" "That's for me to know and you to find out. I'll tell you this much, you won't need a passport." "Well, that sucks. I was hopin' to become known on the international travel circuit." "Someday, big guy, but not yet." We rejoined the boys in the kitchen to find them winding down on their homework. While Tom quizzed T.J. on his new spelling words for the week, I took a few minutes to help Logan with some English. Joey and Alex were busily cranking away on the fifth-grade math book and it looked like they were about half-way through it already. Mike and Andy were chatting quietly and playing tic-tac-toe, so they didn't disturb the others while they did their school work. As I started to turn to check on the roast, Alex slipped me a little piece of paper. I opened it up and found the following note scrawled as only boys do, `Can I call Brent after supper?' Assuming he didn't want Joey to know about it, I gave him a simple nod of acknowledgment which garnered a quick thumbs-up and a smile from him. I checked the roast and, thinking we had about another hour before it would be ready, I suggested we go watch a Star Trek while we waited. With agreement from all, the boys packed their things back to their rooms before we settled into the theater for the next episode. When it was over, we returned to the kitchen to get ready to eat. The boys had the table set in no time and everyone's drinks were ready by the time Tom and I had the meat, potatoes and carrots ready to set on the table. After helping the boys fill their plates, we dug in to a very tasty meal. The boys were uncharacteristically quiet during the meal and I sensed an undercurrent of repressed hostility from the group. I couldn't quite put my finger on the source, or sources, but I was pretty sure we'd find out before the night was over. After emptying our plates, the boys got busy with their regular task of cleaning up the table and loading the dishwasher while Tom and I took care of the crock pot and the rest of the mess left over from our preparations. With the cleanup completed, I excused myself to use the phone in the study to call Rick while Tom agreed to keep the boys otherwise occupied. After closing the door so I couldn't be overheard, I dialed Rick's number and settled in my chair. After three rings, the phone was answered. "Joe's Bar and Grill, what's your pleasure?" Eric answered. "Is this the Stone home?" I asked. "Sure is, Mr. Sanders. It's Eric, how ya' doin'?" "I'm great Eric. How `bout yourself?" "I couldn't be better, man. Just glad I don't have to wear a jock twenty-four/seven anymore. Course, at home, I don't have to wear nothin' and it's great to be so comfortable again." Just the thought of the young man talking to me while we were both naked was creating an unforeseen reaction in my body. "I'm glad to hear it. Hey, is your dad around? I'd like to talk to him about something." "Sure, one sec. Talk to you later." "Thanks, Eric." I waited patiently for Rick to come on the line. "Max, you there?" "Sure am, Rick. How's it goin' over there in paradise found?" "You wouldn't believe the changes we've gone through, man. It's like the last year and a half never happened. The boys are happy again, I'm happy again, I don't think life could get much better." "Glad to hear it. Eric sure sounded happy." "Without a doubt. So, what'd you want?" "Look, I had the idea this afternoon of taking our boys up to Chicago this weekend and I wanted to see if Eric and Josh would like to go along with us?" "I'm sure they'd love it. Hell, I'd love to go too, but I'm scheduled to work double shifts both days this weekend, so they'd have to be on their own most of it anyway." "That's great, Rick. About the boys going with us, not you workin' your ass off." "I'm used to it, man. When do you want to leave?" "I thought we'd leave after school Friday afternoon and come back late Sunday afternoon. Is that okay with you?" "Yeah, that'd work out just fine. How you gettin' there and where you stayin'?" "I'm going to fly us up and back and we'll stay at my condo." "Wow, must be nice to have a buttload of money. I'm lucky just to keep us in this lousy house." "It does have its benefits, I won't lie. If Josh and Eric have a small bag they could put some clothes and other necessities in, you could drop the bags off Friday during the day and your boys could ride the bus home with ours. We can leave right after they get here, then." "Sounds like a plan, Max. I'll drop their bags off around eight-thirty on my way into work Friday morning." "Perfect, Rick. You can tell your boys about the trip, but ours don't know about it and won't until we get to the airport, so ask Eric and Josh to keep it quiet, okay?" "No sweat. Thanks again for offering to take them along with you. We don't have much chance to take trips or anything due to my schedule and lack of money." "Happy to do it, Rick. Now, before we hang up, is Josh home? Joey wants to talk with him." "Sure, I'll get him. Talk to you later, Max." While I waited for Josh, I put the call on hold and buzzed the living room phone for Joey to come back so I wouldn't have to yell. I got back on the line to hear Josh saying, "Hello? Joey, you there?" "Hang on, Josh, he's on the way." "Oh, hey Mr. Sanders. How are ya'?" "Just fine, Josh, how `bout yourself." "I ain't complainin'. I'm a gay boy who gets to look at his naked brother and dad all the time now. Don't know if I've said it to ya', but thanks. I'm lovin' it." I could practically hear his grin through the phone. "Glad we could help you out." I heard a light rap on the door and it popped open to reveal Joey's head sticking through the gap. I waved him on in and said, "Here's Joey now, talk to you later." I set the phone on the desk and vacated the chair so Joey could use it. "Don't be forever," I reminded him. "Yeah, whatever, Dad, thanks." Accepting the fact I'd been dismissed, I returned to the living to join the others. After taking my chair, Alex asked, "Can I call Brent now since bonehead's talkin' to Joshy?" "Sure, you got his number?" "Yeah, he gave it to me at lunch," he answered while holding up his left hand and showing me the number he'd scrawled on its palm earlier. "Why don't you use the phone in Tom's office then? And I want to talk to his mom or dad when you're done with Brent, okay?" Alex jumped up off the floor and as he headed to the hallway, called out, "I'll let you know when." After he disappeared, I leaned over to Tom and whispered, "Josh and Eric are in, and I'm going to see if Brent can go, too." "Holy crap, man," Tom hissed back. "You are a glutton for punishment," he added with a grin. I just shrugged my shoulders in resignation. "Hey, Josh, what's up?" "Nothin' much, dude. Just watchin' some stupid crap on the tube the old man wants to see." "Yeah, we just finished supper. Not sure what's next. Hey, thanks for sittin' with me at lunch." "No problem, I like sitting with you. You're a lot of fun to be around. It's too bad Alex and Logan decided they didn't want join us." "Don't worry `bout them, he and Logan were fine. It must be weird for a fifth-grader to be sittin' with a third-grader. Ain't nobody givin' you any shit about it, are they?" "Not yet, and if they do, I'll just tell `em to go fuck themselves. I mean, If I wanna sit with my boyfriend, it ain't none of their business, is it?" "Really!? I'm your boyfriend?" "Well, yeah, I thought so." "Good, `cause you're my boyfriend, too. I can't wait `til we can spend the night together again." "Me either. I got some fun planned for us." "Yeah, I bet you do. I'm always up for some fun," I giggled. "Including right now. Tell me what you got planned." I sat on the floor in Pops' empty office and dialed Brent's number. "Hi, is this Mrs. Stevens?" "Yes, who's this?" "This is Alex Allison, Brent's friend from school. Could I talk to him, please?" "Oh, sure, Alex, let me find him." "Thank you." I waited for Brent to pick up the phone and his mom to hang up. "Hey, Brent, how ya' doin'?" "I'm okay, Alex," he answered with a questioning tone. "Cool, me too. Hey, I know this a gonna sound weird, but I didn't want to say nothin' `bout it at school." " `Bout what?" " `Bout you and me bein' more than just friends. When you were here for our birthday party, you kinda hinted at maybe bein' like Joey and me. I wanted to find out if you were serious." "Man, I can't talk about this shit over the phone." "Would you rather talk about it at school?" "Fuck no, too much chance somebody overhearin' us." "Then when and where can we talk about it?" "You gotta point there, I guess, smartass. Not like I can drive over to your house, is it?" "Not unless you got a driver's license hiding somewhere you ain't told me about," I giggled. "Fat chance, dude. Not for another six and half years, anyway. Okay, I'll tell you this much, I think about you all the time, is that what you want to hear?" "Good, `cause I think `bout you, too. What happened in our bathroom after swimmin' was hotter than hell and I wanna do it again, but just you and me." "Yeah, me too, man. But how we gonna do that when you're always with Joey?" "Maybe I could spend the night at your house sometime, see what happens?" "Yeah, mom and dad would probably be cool with that. But what about your brother, won't he get pissed?" "Who gives a shit about what that fart-eater thinks? He's already hangin' with Josh at school, won't hardly say shit to me no more." "Wait, Josh, who's that? There ain't no Josh in our class." "Yeah, I know. The horny little fucker found himself a fifth-grader he's got the hots for." "Damn, dude, bet that pisses you off." "Yeah, it does, but our dads say we have to learn to deal with it. I guess they're right, but I still don't like it much. It's like I ain't good enough for him no more." "Well, you're plenty good for me, dude. I'll talk to mom and dad and see if you can come over some night, maybe this weekend." "Thanks, man, I hope so. You wanna have lunch together tomorrow?" "Sure, you, me and Logan can sit together." "Great. Well, I better get off the phone, but my dad wanted to talk to your mom or dad before we hung up. Let me get him." "Yeah, I'll get my mom, too. Talk to you tomorrow, Alex." I went and got dad and as he left to go talk to Brent's mom, I noticed my damn brother wasn't there yet. Must still be talkin' to his boyfriend. Little fucker, anyway, I'll show him. Alex told me it was time for me to talk to Brent's Mom, so I headed to Tom's office and closed the door. I picked up the phone from the floor and leaned against the window sill. "Hi, is this Mrs. Stevens?" "My name's Monica and Brent tells me yours is Max, right?" "Yep, that's me. I met your husband when I picked up Brent for Joey and Alex's party last weekend." "Right, right. Ben told me about you. And Brent said he had a lot of fun at the party. Thanks for inviting him." "I'm glad to hear it. The reason I wanted to talk to you is this; we're taking our sons to Chicago this weekend to see some of the museums and other sights and since Brent seems to be pretty good friends with Joey and Alex, I wanted to see if he might like to join us." "Oh, gee, I don't know. We already have plans for this weekend. I'll have to talk to my husband and see what he thinks." "I understand, but let me tell you what our plans are, just in case you change your mind." I let her know what I was thinking about and added, "Just let me know. We'd be happy to have Brent join us." "I'll talk to Jack when he gets home from work and call you back later tonight, okay?" "Perfect, Monica. Look forward to hearing from you. Talk to you later." I hung up the phone and headed back to join the rest of the family. Joey was just ending his call to Josh at the same time. "Oh, damn, Josh, that felt good," I panted. "I just wish you were here to do it for me, but I like your ideas for our next sleepover. Can't wait to try them out for reals. Love you, dude." "Love you, too, Joey. See you at school tomorrow. Think about me when you go to sleep tonight." "For sure, I will," I sighed. "You too." I hung up the phone and took a deep breath of satisfaction before realizing I'd been in here too long. At least I'd be able to show my face without my dick being hard, not after what we'd just talked about doing to each other next time we got together. I hustled my ass out of Dad's study, hoping nobody would notice I was pinker than normal from the pounding I'd just given myself. I was returning to the living room just as Joey was coming back from the study. He looked to be a bit flushed, but maybe that was just a figment of my imagination. "Who's ready for another Star Trek?" I asked as I rounded the corner from the hallway. With agreement from everyone, we headed to the theater for another show. We watched a second show then took a break to get popcorn and drinks before we started our third episode for the night. About halfway through, Joey and Alex started a scuffle in their chairs. I looked to Tom and said, "Your turn, bubba, I've already talked to them twice about this shit and it obviously had no impact. Go impart some words of wisdom to our sons." "Can I knock their heads together?" he chuckled. "I'd prefer you didn't, but if you think that's what it's going to take, knock yourself out." Tom got up and stepped behind the two arguing lads. He laid a hand on each of their shoulders, then jerked his head towards the door, telling them to follow him. The three made their way out of the theater and let the rest of us continue watching. After closing the door to the theater, Alex asked, "What's up, Pops?" "That's what I want to find out from you two. Let's sit." I led the way to the living room and sat in my chair while the boys sat on opposite ends of the couch, leaving plenty of empty space between them. "You wanna tell me what your problem is?" "He won't shut up," Joey complained. "I haven't heard him say a word," I responded. "Oh, c'mon Pops, you know we don't have to talk to have a chat. He just keeps pushing shit into my head and I'm getting' tired of it." "What are you saying to your brother, Alex?" I asked. "Nothin' he cares `bout," Alex grumped. "What's he sayin', Joey?" "That he don't need me no more, he's got Brent, he don't know why I like Josh, just stupid shit like that. And it's really startin' to piss me off." "Is that what you're doing, Alex?" "Well, yeah, and it's all true, but he don't give a shit `bout me no more since he's got Joshy." "Haven't we talked to you two about how you can love someone else and still love each other?" "Yeah," they both agreed. "But he can't divide his love between me and Josh," Alex grumped. "He ain't smart enough to handle it." "Boys, let me tell you something a very wise person once told me. You two might be whiz-kids with numbers, but you don't know beans about math. You can't divide love. You'll get an imaginary number. Love can only be multiplied." "What kind of crap is that?" Joey asked. "Not crap, Joey, the truth. Every person you love just multiplies the amount of love you get and how much you can give back. My friend Gene told me that some time back and the more I've thought about it, the more I agree with him. Think about it, you two. And in the meantime, quit sniping at each other about who loves who more or less or whatever. If you keep it up, I'm gonna knock your heads together and see if that's what we have to do to get it through your thick skulls? Understood?" "Yes, sir," they agreed. "Good, now come give me a hug so I can give you more love to share." Both boys jumped in my lap and wrapped their arms around my neck. I, in turn, wrapped an arm around each of them, pulled them in snugly and kissed the top of both their heads. When we broke up, the two stood in front of me and they hugged and kissed each other. When they finally separated, they both mumbled apologies to the other. "Thank you," I added. As we started to return the theater to finish the show, the rest of the family was coming out to let us know we were too late to finish the show with them. Our third episode finished, so we collected the popcorn bowls and drink cups and headed for the kitchen. As we left the room, I saw Tom and the twins headed our way. "Okay, boys, bathrooms, brush teeth and bed. We'll be there in a few minutes." As they dropped their things in the dishwasher and headed for their rooms, I asked, "So, were you able to get through to them?" "Probably not. Time will tell." As we turned to follow the boys, the phone rang. "That's probably Monica," I commented as we crossed the living room to answer that phone. "Hello." "Is this Max?" "Sure is. Monica?" "Yep, told you I'd call back. Hey, I talked to Jack and he's okay with Brent going to Chicago with you. We were just going to a family reunion of sorts, but Brent doesn't know most of the people who'll be there, so it won't bother him to miss it. If you'll give me your address, Max, I'll drop off an overnight bag sometime Friday afternoon. And give me your number in case something comes up and we need to get in touch with you." I gave Monica the information requested, and she continued. "This is great for Brent, Max. He told me about his call with Alex earlier and it sound like they are going to be good friends." "I'm glad to hear it, Monica. We'll watch for you Friday." After I hung up I told Tom, "Okay, Brent's in, too. That makes eleven us for the trip. I think we'll have to take both cars to the airport so everyone will have a seatbelt." "Probably a good idea. I might be able to get you out a of speeding ticket, still, but not a seatbelt violation. The department really frowns on that, especially with kids." "Not a problem, we can just park them in the hanger when we get there." We headed on to say our goodnights, stopping in to see the twins and Logan first. They were just coming out of the bathroom when we entered their room. We followed them to the bed, gave them each a hug, a kiss and shared and `I love you' before they climbed in. Once all three were settled, we pulled up the covers and said goodnight before turning out the light and heading on down the hallway. Andy, Mike and T.J. were already in bed and waiting for their covers, which we pulled up to their shoulders. We leaned over and gave them their hugs, kisses, and an `I love you', receiving the same back from them. As we settled on the love seat in the living room to relax before turning in, Tom asked, "How big is this condo, and can it sleep eleven people?" "Yeah, I think we'll be okay. It has a good-sized kitchen, a large living room, terrace, three bedrooms, and three and a half baths. The master bedroom has a king-sized bed, the other two have two queen-sized beds and the couch in the living room is a sleeper sofa. I figure two kids for each bed and one on the couch." "You think they'll be okay with that?" "I don't know why they wouldn't be. Six of `em share two beds here without any problems." "But what about Eric, Josh and Brent? Maybe Eric and Josh would be willing to share a bed and Brent take the couch then?" "That's not what I was thinkin' would happen, big guy. It's more likely Joey and Josh end up in one bed with Alex and Brent in the other, Logan could bunk with T.J. with Andy and Mike in the other bed in that room and Eric on the couch." "You're probably right. Guess I wasn't thinkin' about that. This could be a couple of very interesting nights," he laughed. "I don't doubt it one bit." We finally wound down and just watched the fire for a while as we held hands. I laid my head on Tom's shoulder after a bit and we just enjoyed the closeness of the moment. The next thing we both saw was the sun streaming through the glass doors as Joey, Alex and Logan were shaking us to wake us up. "C'mon you two, wake the hell up! We're late!" Joey yelled. My eyes opened in a flash and I discovered we'd both fallen asleep on the love seat. Tom was slowly coming to next to me and I tried to get up, but my back was kinked and hurt like hell. "You guys go wake your brothers and everyone get dressed. I'll drop some Pop-Tarts in the toaster on my way to get dressed. GO!" The three disappeared to follow their instructions and I slowly levered myself off the love seat and into a somewhat vertical position. Tom was also moving rather gingerly as we headed to the kitchen to get some breakfast going for the boys. After dropping some tarts in the toaster, I headed to the bedroom to get some sweats and a shirt pulled on so I could run the boys out to the bus shelter. When I returned to the kitchen to supervise the feeding frenzy, Tom headed down the hall to get dressed for the day, also. I dug through the kitchen cabinets to find the Advil to help ease the pain in my back, swallowed a couple and chased them down with some coffee to wake me up. When the boys had eaten their fill, I followed them as they grabbed their packs and coats, slipping my jacket from the closet on the way by. We loaded up in the car and made the short trek to the end of the drive. As the boys climbed from the car to wait for the bus, I got my hug from each as I reminded them to learn something new today. Returning to the house, I found Tom in the kitchen whipping up some scrambled eggs for breakfast. "I hope you're making enough to share," I joked as I joined him. "You bet. Man, I can't believe we fell asleep on the love seat last night." "I can't either and I may love you to death, but I hope we never do it again. May back is freakin' killin' me." "Mine, too. Thanks for leavin' the Advil out so it was easy to find." "No sweat, I figured you might want some, too." We settled in at the bar to enjoy our breakfast. When we were done, we cleaned up our mess and finished getting ready for our trip to town later. While Tom settled in the living room, I headed to the study to print out what I'd written for Dr. Schaid so I could review it before my appointment this morning. After taking my own chair next to Tom, I began to read the twenty-some page screed. The deeper I got into it, the more and more surprised I was at not just the contents, but the coherence of my thoughts, though I still don't really remember typing it all. There was a fair amount of hatred, at both the Muellers and myself, along with a sense of innocence lost all those years ago. Though I knew the self-hatred wasn't really logical for me to have since I had no control over the events twenty years ago, it was definitely there. I discovered, much to my chagrin, there was absolutely no humor in what I'd created, even though that was kind of a hallmark for my writings, the ability to find humor in most any situation. Sadly, there was none to be found here. After completing my reading, I laid the pages in my lap, closed my eyes and shuddered at the sheer horror I'd survived and suddenly realized that if this is what I truly felt, I had a long way to go to recover any sense of normal in my life. I felt a hand on my arm and looked up to find Tom gazing at me with a look of concern sculpted on his face. "You okay, babe?" he asked gently. "Yeah, as okay as I can be right now, anyway." "May I read it?" I grabbed the bundle from my lap and held it out, saying, "Knock yourself out, bubba. Try not to throw up." Tom took the pages from my hand and settled back in his chair. As he dove deeper and deeper into the thoughts I never knew I had, I could see his face scrunching with disgust and tears starting to form at the corner of his eyes. When he finally reached the end, he laid the pages on the table and grabbed a handful of tissues from the box. After drying his face and eyes, and blowing his nose, he looked back at me and started crying again. He finally pulled himself back together and after another go-round with the Kleenex, he finally said, "God, I had no idea you felt that way." "I didn't either," I commiserated. "When I started work on that last week, I wasn't really thinking about it, I just let it flow. And flow. And flow. It reads like a stream of consciousness, just whatever popped in my mind. And you lunatics think I need to turn that into a book. You're crazier than I am." "We're not crazy, Max, we just know that the book you can create from your pain will help so many others who have gone through what you have. You really need to do it." "No, I don't. I'm not going to profit from this shit in any way, shape or form." "Try this idea on for size and tell me what you think. You want to create a charitable foundation to help defray the expenses for helping kids, right? What if you fund that foundation with the proceeds from a book? This book. I bet you could convince your publisher to reduce the percentage of their income and forward that into the fund, too." I cogitated on his idea for a few minutes before picking my head back up and saying, "You know, as ideas go, that one ain't half-bad. In fact, it's pretty damn good. I'll have to think about it, but I admit it's a possibility. If anyone should profit from my story, it should be kids we're gonna help. You keep comin' up with ideas like that, bubba, and I just might keep ya'," I laughed, finally. "Glad to hear it," Tom breathed as he wiped his brow in mock relief. The ring of an incoming call broke the moment. Not recognizing the number, I hesitantly answered the phone anyway. "Hello?" "Good morning. Is this Mr. Sanders or Mr. Wright?" "I'm Mr. Sanders, who's calling please?" "Mr. Sanders, this is Gary from the courthouse. Please hold for Judge Corgan." Oh crap, now what?

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 62</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family"><span>enderwiggin61@outlook.com</span></a></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html"><span>http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</span></a><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments"><span>https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</span></a></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk497407885"></a><a name="_Hlk496555151"></a><a name="_Toc497467701"><span>Chapter 62 � A New Week Begins</span></a></h2> <p><span>We'd just climbed into bed and pulled up the covers when there was light rapping on the door. The door cracked open and T.J. stuck his head inside and asked, "Can I come in now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Get in here, munchkin," I said as I lifted the covers for him to crawl in. There was no hiding his already stiff cocklet as he bounded across the room, climbed into the bed with us and then crawled over me to settle in between the two of us. </span></p> <p><span>"Now what?" he asked, bubbling over with excitement and rubbing his hands together.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the first thing you need to know is you have us at a bit of a disadvantage since you can get into our minds and we can't do the same with you. So, we don't know what you may or may not want to happen. We won't do anything you don't ask for," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"We also won't do anything that will hurt you in any way," Tom added.</span></p> <p><span>"So, if I want you suck my dick, I have to ask you to do it, and you'd really do it? But if I wanted you to stick your dick in my butt, you wouldn't do that `cause it'll hurt me, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Exactly, T.J," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"What can I do to you guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever you want," Tom answered. "If you just want to explore our bodies, that's fine."</span></p> <p><span>"And if you decide you want to kiss us or more, that's fine, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Really? I can kiss you, like, on the lips, instead of just your forehead or cheek? You mean like this?" he asked as he crawled on top of Tom and planted his lips on Tom's. Tom gently held T.J.'s head in place as the boy orally assaulted his mouth, both of them moaning in desire. T.J.'s little pecker was buried in Tom's gut and, thanks to the positioning of the boy's legs, Tom's engorged cock was protruding obscenely from between T.J.'s thighs and grazing his sweet ass. After they broke for air, T.J. moved down Tom's body and began to lick at his quarter-sized nipples, randomly moving from one to the other. When he tired of stimulating Tom's nipples, he slid further down and grasped Tom's erection in both hands before kissing his exposed glans.</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, Pops, I knew your dick was big, but it looks even bigger when I'm this close to it. I really like that you trimmed your hair. It let's us all see more of you and that's cool." T.J. then released Tom's phallus and moved his hands even lower to his testicles. "WOW! You even shaved your nuts. That's fuckin' hot," he added just before he dove in and began licking the hairless sack. Tom was moments away from exploding when T.J. pulled his head back from between Tom's thighs and commented, "Your balls are really big, too. I wonder if I'll ever get that big."</span></p> <p><span>"Anything's possible, T.J.," I answered for Tom since he was unable to complete a coherent sentence at that particular moment.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, Dad, I ain't forgot you," he exhaled as he moved from Tom to me, where he repeated his assault on my body. When his lips met mine for the first time, I felt his tongue slip inside my mouth and I relished the taste. When his small hands wrapped themselves around my leaking cock, I felt like I'd died and gone to heaven. "What's that comin' outta your dick? That ain't piss, is it?" he asked as looked up to my face.</span></p> <p><span>"No, T.J., that's called pre-cum. It's kind of a lubricant that all guys produce when they get excited."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't."</span></p> <p><span>"You will, don't worry."</span></p> <p><span>"What's it taste like? It won't make me sick, will it?"</span></p> <p><span>"It really doesn't have much taste to it and no, it won't make you sick." That was all he needed to know before he returned his attention to my cock and lapped up the clear fluid dripping off my glans. After seeing I was telling the truth about it having no real flavor to it, he quickly took my head into his mouth and swirled his tongue all around it. He toyed with me for a few minutes before he let my head slip from his mouth and moved on to my balls, coating the length of my cock with his saliva along the way. Since I began sharing the bed with Tom, I'd discovered that I really liked having my balls licked and T.J. proved to be quite adept at it, gently taking each tender orb into his mouth and slathering it with love. When he finished between my legs, he knelt between us, pulled our heads together and we all kissed at the same time, tongues darting from mouth to mouth.</span></p> <p><span>"I love both your dicks," T.J. whispered, "but yours is just too big for my mouth, Pops. Someday, when I'm older and my mouth is bigger, I'll show you how much I love yours, too."</span></p> <p><span>"That's okay, buddy. Your dad will take care of me."</span></p> <p><span>"But I gotta know, do you really stick your dick in Dad's ass and screw him `cause I'd think it hurts him like hell?" After a quick nod from Tom, T.J. added, "Can I watch you two do it?"</span></p> <p><span>"If that's what you want, sure," I answered. As the big guy leaned over to the nightstand to retrieve the lube, T.J. knelt over my chest, giving me my first real up close and extremely personal look at his stiff young member. It was absolutely beautiful with his helmet still enshrouded by his foreskin. I looked up into his eyes and quietly asked, "May I suck it, T.J.?" With a quick nod and lustful grin, he leaned forward and brushed my lips with his stiffness. I separated my lips just far enough to allow the turgid member to slip inside my mouth. His sweet pecker tasted divine and while it felt similar to Joey's, it also felt different because of his foreskin. I used my tongue in inventive ways and managed to slip his foreskin back and expose his glans to my ministrations. T.J. closed his eyes and reveled in the moment, moaning deeply with contentment. Not content to suck on just his sweet morsel, I shifted my position slightly so I could envelop his immature testicles with my mouth also. </span></p> <p><span>In less than a minute, I could feel his cocklet twitching in my mouth as he groaned and quivered uncontrollably while he orgasmed. Bringing this young lad to his peak was heavenly. As he slowly came down from his sexual high, he muttered, "Ohmigod, Dad, that was fuckin' awesome."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you ready to see how we make love?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, you have no idea how ready."</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you lay down, Tom?" I asked. "I like it better when I'm on top." Tom assumed the position and handed me the tube of lube. I set it aside for a minute because I wanted his cock in my mouth first. I knelt over his waist and slowly enveloped his mushroom head with my lips before gently swallowing his complete length. T.J., who was now kneeling on the other side of Tom, watched intently and his eyes bugged wide open when my nose made contact with Tom's trimmed pubic mound.</span></p> <p><span>"Holy crap, Dad, how the hell can you do that?"</span></p> <p><span>I slowly removed Tom's cock from my mouth and answered with a smile, "Practice."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I bet," he giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Would you like to help me get ready for Pops?" I asked T.J.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, what do you want me to do?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, while I suck on Pops' dick to get it nice and slick, why don't you take the lube and start working on my hole to help loosen it up?" T.J. grabbed the tube as he moved behind my ass that was sticking up in the air. I went back to work on Tom while the young lad drizzled lube in my crack and started to poke and prod around my hole with his fingers. He soon had two fingers buried as deeply as he could and I could feel him wiggle them around inside my ass.</span></p> <p><span>"Like this?" he asked. "Am I doing it right?" With a mouth full of Tom, all I could do was nod and moan in delight at his assault. He kept working his two fingers in and out of my ass when I suddenly felt empty as he pulled them back out. I practically whimpered at the loss before I felt him spread my cheeks as wide as he could, trying to stick his dick inside me. Due to his lack of length, he couldn't penetrate me very deeply, but I was experiencing a mental overload as he did his best to fuck me, grunting with delight as he did. "Ah, shit, that feels good," T.J. mumbled through his clenched jaws. </span></p> <p><span>As I continued my oral assault on Tom, I could see his balls starting to pull up and knew he was close to losing complete control. I let him slip from my mouth and announced, "Okay, T.J., time to change things around before Pops loses it. Why don't you hold his dick and help guide it inside me?" He eagerly slid out of my ass and moved between Tom's widespread legs so he could watch closely as I knelt over Tom's raging hard-on and began to lower myself. When I felt his mushroom make contact with my hole, I paused for a moment, steeling myself for the impalement to come. When I looked down, I could see T.J.'s hands steadily holding the staff below me. When I was ready to continue, I relaxed as much as possible before continuing to lower my body and allowing my ass to swallow him completely. T.J. retained his grip on Tom until I settled my ass on his thighs.</span></p> <p><span>"Wow! That's freakin' cool. I can't believe you aren't feeling some serious pain right now," T.J. enthused as he moved from behind us to beside us. When he saw the grimace on my face, he inhaled deeply and added, "Oh, shit, I guess it does hurt."</span></p> <p><span>"Just a little bit, T.J. It'll start to feel a lot better in just a minute."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't believe you, Dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, trust me it will. I can show you what it feels like if you want."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no you don't! You ain't sticking your dick up my ass."</span></p> <p><span>"You're right, I'm not, but I could use my finger like you did for me. That would be about the same."</span></p> <p><span>"Really!? I guess that wouldn't be too bad. Let's do it!"</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you straddle Pops' chest and lean over his head. Hand me the lube before you do." I sat still as T.J. moved around and got into position over Tom's face after giving me the tube. I knew my suggestion would place T.J.'s still hard member in Tom's face and I assumed he would take advantage of the situation. He did not disappoint us as I heard T.J. inhale deeply when Tom swallowed the turgid member well before my slicked-up finger made contact with T.J.'s snug anal sphincter. The young lad started rocking his hips slightly as he began to fuck his Pops' mouth and when he pulled back one time, I held my finger in position and watched as it slid smoothly into his hole. T.J. jumped a bit at the invasion but continued his rocking motion, alternately sliding his cocklet into Tom's mouth, then taking my finger deep into his ass as he moved back and forth.</span></p> <p><span>When T.J. had settled into a smooth rhythm, I finally started rocking my hips, clenching my sphincter tightly around Tom's cock as I proceeded to get my ass fucked. I was concentrating more on T.J. and what he was feeling than I was on myself as I was in no hurry to end this tryst. I started to wiggle my finger inside him and quickly found his young and yet to develop prostate. I tried to bump that little nodule every time T.J. moved backward and my finger drove deep into him. In just a few minutes, I could feel T.J.'s sphincter clamping my finger tightly as he came for the second time. When he finally stopped humping Tom's face, I gently removed my finger from his ass. He just kind of hovered and wavered over Tom's chest, recovering, as I continued to bob up and down on Tom's cock.</span></p> <p><span>When T.J. had regained his composure and strength, he carefully stood up and turned around to face me before settling back down on Tom's chest, a very wide smile gracing his cherubic face.</span></p> <p><span>"You doin' okay?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm great, Dad," he answered. "I don't think I've ever had this much fun."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, buddy," Tom grunted, "while you got a cute ass and I don't mind it being in my face, can you slide down just a little bit? It's kinda hard to breathe under here."</span></p> <p><span>"Oops, sorry, Pops," he giggled. The young lad moved closer to me then asked, "That better?"</span></p> <p><span>"Much, thanks," Tom replied as he sucked in a lungful of fresh air.</span></p> <p><span>T.J. then reached over to me and wrapped both hands around my lonely, dripping cock. His light touch sent jolts of electricity rushing throughout my body. "I wanna watch you come, Dad," he whispered as he continued to stroke me. I could only nod in acknowledgment as my voice had abandoned me. I reached over to T.J., grasped his still rigid pecker between my thumb and forefinger and began to idly stroke him in return.</span></p> <p><span>After a few more minutes, amid the grunts of lust and groans of pleasure emanating from all three of us, T.J.'s body suddenly went completely rigid and his cocklet started to dance violently in my grip. Feeling his young body succumb to his orgasm so intensely forced me over the edge. I'd held off as long as possible and when I finally allowed myself to let go, I coated T.J.'s chest and belly with my semen. As that was happening, my sphincter's rapid clamping on Tom's cock elicited the same reaction from him. I felt his cock enlarge slightly as each volley of his spunk coated my insides.</span></p> <p><span>With our sexual appetites sated, a completely spent T.J. fell into me. I hugged him tightly and whispered, "We love you," into T.J.'s ear. Our hug merely spread my semen over both of us and I suggested a shower was called for and the other two readily agreed. Tom and I headed to the bathroom and T.J. headed for the door.</span></p> <p><span>"Where you goin, T.J?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"To take a shower, like Dad said."</span></p> <p><span>"Not in your own shower, silly boy, you'll wake up Mike and Andy. Get your ass in here," I said.</span></p> <p><span>"I get to take a shower with you, too? Sweet, dads."</span></p> <p><span>We climbed in the shower together and proceeded to clean each other. A lot of soap got used and we were all pretty well slicked up with suds from head to toe. T.J. made it his personal mission to ensure our penises were properly cleaned and we allowed him to do so as we sat on the bench together and he stroked and fondled them. Even after our recent activities, he knew just what to do and both of us were soon hard again. As for the young lad, himself, I'm not too sure he ever lost his erection and he was as stiff as could be. I started to play with his delicate marble-sized testicles while Tom played with his stiff penis. </span></p> <p><span>As we continued to play in the shower, T.J. leaned over and started to lick Tom's meat from base to tip, lingering over his mushroom head and swirling his tongue all around it until Tom moaned, "Watch out, T.J., I'm going to come again." He lifted his head just in time to witness Tom get off two or three shots of milky-colored semen.</span></p> <p><span>"Fuckin' cool, Pops," T.J. enthused. Then, to our surprise he leaned over and lapped the emission off Tom's belly and deflating mushroom head. "That ain't too bad," he said. "What does yours taste like, Dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"About the same, I'd guess."</span></p> <p><span>"Let's find out," he grinned as he leaned over and repeated the process on my own cock. The only difference was he actually took about half my hardness into his mouth. All too soon, I could feel things starting to happen in my balls and despite warning him of my impending orgasm, T.J. refused to pull his mouth off me. I lobbed four shots of spunk into his mouth and we watched in fascination as he swallowed them all. "Yeah, you're right, Dad, it's about the same, tasty," he commented with a wide smile.</span></p> <p><span>With all three of us finally cleaned up, outside and inside, we turned off the shower and stepped out to dry off. We each helped dry the backs of someone else and when we were ready, we headed to bed. As we walked back across the bedroom, T.J. asked, "Can I sleep with you guys tonight? Please?"</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I exchanged a quick glance and he answered, "Sure thing, T.J." We climbed back into bed and, with T.J. taking the middle, curled up together for a good night's sleep.</span></p> <p><span>As we traded kisses and goodnights, T.J. said, "I love both of you, more than I've ever loved anybody else. And thanks for tonight. I really enjoyed it and can't wait for us to be able to do it again."</span></p> <p><span>"We love you, too, buddy," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be ready when you are, T.J," I added.</span></p> <p><span>"How `bout right now?" he giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Except for right now," I answered. "I think we all need to get some sleep."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, I was just teasin' ya', Dads. I know you old farts can't keep up with us young dudes."</span></p> <p><span>"Careful there, young man, you could end up sleeping outside with the coyotes," I warned him.</span></p> <p><span>He quickly flipped over to face Tom and said, "Night, Dads, love you tons." And with that final comment, we all drifted off into a restful night's sleep.</span></p> <p><span>Until the damn alarm announced the beginning of a new day and a new week as it went off at six in the morning and. I crawled out of bed and woke T.J. so he could come with me. We meandered to the bathroom to relieve our bladders and then headed to the other side of the house to wake the others.</span><span> </span></p> <p><span>As we passed by the front door, T.J. whispered, "I really had a lot of fun with you and Pops last night. I hope you guys had fun, too."</span></p> <p><span>"I think it's pretty obvious we did, T.J.," I replied as I stopped, knelt beside him and took his hands in mine. As I looked into his eyes, I added, "We really do love all of you, and not just because we have a very special place in our hearts and minds for boys. We love you just for being who you are, for willingly accepting each other as brothers, accepting us as your dads and for becoming a part of our new lives together. Even if you decided you don't want to repeat what happened between us last night, we'd still love you."</span></p> <p><span>Tears were starting to form in T.J.'s eyes as he croaked, "I know, Dad. I love you, too. And Pops and my new brothers. I never knew my real dad and I don't want to. As far as I'm concerned, you and Pops are my real dads, and you always have been. It just took some time for us to find each other."</span></p> <p><span>I pulled T.J. into my arms and said, "And you've always been our son, T.J. You always will be." We took a moment to compose ourselves before we moved on. When we reached the twins bedroom, I suggested T.J. wait outside and he agreed that was probably a good idea. </span></p> <p><span>I stepped into their room to find the regular tangle of bodies and limbs strewn across the bed. I tickled somebody's foot and discovered it was attached to Logan when he sat up and said, "Hey, what's the big idea?"</span></p> <p><span>"Time to move your skinny butt. Get these other two lumps moving, would you? Breakfast shortly."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay, Max. Good mornin' to you, too," he added sarcastically.</span></p> <p><span>I left the room, collected T.J. and we headed on down the hall. After we entered the room, T.J. scampered on across the room and carefully crawled into the bed with Mike and Andy. Once he was curled up and faking sleep, I shook Mike to wake him up. "C'mon, sleepyhead, time to move. Get your brothers goin', okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dad, I hear ya'. Be out in a few for breakfast." As I turned to leave, I could hear him waking the other two. With luck, neither Mike or Andy would realize T.J. hadn't been there all night.</span></p> <p><span>I returned to our bedroom to get Tom moving in the right direction. As I was shaking my teddy bear, there was a pretty serious conversation happening on the other side of the house.</span></p> <p><span>"Come on, you faker. I know you ain't asleep," Mike grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>I opened my eyes and stretched while my brain swirled with wild stories to tell. "What're you talkin' `bout," I asked through a fake yawn.</span></p> <p><span>"I <i>know</i> you didn't sleep with us last night, you turd. Where the hell were you?"</span></p> <p><span>"What!?" I asked indignantly. "I was too here."</span></p> <p><span>"No, you weren't. Quit lyin' to me, dammit. I had to go pee in the middle of night and when I went to the bathroom, you weren't here. Now, where the hell did you go? You go jump in bed with Alex, Joey and Logan so you could <i>play</i> around with some older boys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, where'd ya' go, T.J.?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>I threw up my hands in surrender and said, "Okay, okay, I slept with Dad and Pops."</span></p> <p><span>"What!?" Andy yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Why'd you do that?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I had a bad dream and it scared me. I didn't want to bother you guys, so I asked Dad if I could sleep with them? You happy, butthead?"</span></p> <p><span>"What kind of dream," Andy quizzed me.</span></p> <p><span>"You gotta promise not to tell the dads about it. They'd freak out," I whispered conspiratorially as I made shit up on the fly. After they both agreed to keep the secret, I continued. "I dreamed my real dad somehow found out about me and he came to take me away with him."</span></p> <p><span>"What's so scary `bout that," Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, if my real dad came back, I'd probably want to go with him," Andy added.</span></p> <p><span>"Look, guys, I don't know my real dad. Mom told me she don't know who he is. For all I know, he's a freakin' ax murderer or somethin'. And he was gonna make me move to Idaho. Who the hell wants to live in stupid <i>Idaho</i>. Not me."</span></p> <p><span>"And you didn't tell `em what the dream was about?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No, I just told Dad it was scary, but I didn't really `member it. He said I could sleep with them if it would make me feel better, so I did."</span></p> <p><span>"So why the fake act?" Mike pushed.</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't want you guys thinkin' I'm some sorta baby for gettin' scared `bout a stupid dream."</span></p> <p><span>"It's okay, T.J.," Andy responded. "We all have bad dreams sometimes. Most of mine have Russ in `em. That's when I curl up real tight with one of you guys. Holdin' you tight makes me feel safe again and the dream goes away."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, sorry, I just needed Dad and Pops, okay? C'mon, we better get movin'," I said as I crawled out of bed and headed to the bathroom to wash my face. Mike and Andy used the toilet, then followed me and washed their faces. Before we left our room to head to the kitchen, they pulled me into a hug.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry for bein' a jerk, bro," Mike said during the hug. "I was just worried `bout you, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's okay, bro'," I answered. "Thanks." We finally broke our hug and headed out to join the others for breakfast.</span></p> <p><span>Finally, T.J., Mike and Andy joined the other three at the bar for cereal and toast. "Wow, boys, I was about to send out a search party for you. I was afraid you got lost this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, we're fine. They just wanted to know why I didn't sleep with them last night."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I stiffened with fear while the other three boys spun their heads in curiosity, but I asked the expected question anyway. "And what did you tell them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Same thing I told you last night when I snuck in your room, I had a bad dream that scared me," T.J. answered with a sly wink and a grin.</span></p> <p><span>I breathed a sigh of relief at the young man's quick thinking and continued the storyline he'd created. "You feel better about it this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and thanks for lettin' me stay with you. I still don't remember the stupid dream, though," he answered with another wink to Mike and Andy.</span></p> <p><span>"That's probably a good thing," Tom responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I think so, too," T.J. agreed.</span></p> <p><span>As each boy finished his breakfast, he rinsed his bowl and dropped it in the dishwasher before returning to his room to get dressed and ready for school. When all of them were ready to roll, Tom and I pulled on some sweats and I drove them out to the bus shelter. When I got back to the house, I found Tom in the living room with a note pad on his lap and he was sucking on the end of a pen.</span></p> <p><span>"Whatcha' doin'?" I asked as I hung up my jacket.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if I'm gonna have an office later this week, I thought I probably ought to get a list made of things I need to get and do before I can get back to work. This sittin' around doin' nothin' is startin' to drive me nuts."</span></p> <p><span>"Wow! What a brilliant deduction, Sherlock. What have you got so far?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I need to get a business license and get setup with the Department of Revenue. I also need to find out if I need some sort of special license or certification to do private investigations in the state. Then I have to get your regular supplies for an office. You know, pens, pencils, files, a computer, that kind of shit."</span></p> <p><span>"You may want to add a desk lamp to your list, too. We have the phone for your office, already, so you don't need that. Make sure you include a Cat6 cable on your list to connect your computer to the network."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I figured I'd just connect to the Wi-Fi."</span></p> <p><span>"You can do that if you want, but it'll be much faster if you're wired in. Whatever you want to do is fine with me. Oh, and don't forget to get some business cards. You can have them done at Kinko's or just buy card stock and we can print them here."</span></p> <p><span>"Good idea, babe. I'll let Kinko's print `em, though, I think they'll look better. Might as well get some printed up for Dylan while I'm at it, don't you think."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that sounds good. What about your cell phone? You okay with it or you want a new one?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, it's good for now. Once Dylan's working with me, we may want to have the same phones, though, so we won't have any problems sharing information, so we'll deal with that later."</span></p> <p><span>"Anything else you can think of?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not at the moment. Not for the new job, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"I think you've forgotten one very important piece of equipment every private investigator should have in his arsenal."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh? What's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"A snappy hat," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"If you think I'm gonna wear a freakin' fedora on the job, you <i>are</i> crazy."</span></p> <p><span>"All the real P.I.s have them, Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe, even old Sherlock himself." </span></p> <p><span>"Well, you can just forget that nonsense `cause it ain't gonna happen." When I finally quit laughing at the image of Tom wearing a fedora, he added, "I do have an unrelated thing I wanted to ask about, though."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Last night. Are you really cool with everything that happened with T.J.?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I think I am. No, I know I am. I've told you how much I wanted to do things like that with my dad and never got the opportunity. If T.J. hadn't asked me about joining us, I'd have never thought to ask him because up until just the other night, he'd never said or really done anything that led me to believe he'd even considered it. And once he did ask, all I could think was this; how could tell him no when we didn't tell the twins no?"</span></p> <p><span>"I was hoping you'd say that. `Cause I gotta tell ya', while I love our time in bed together and wouldn't trade it for all the tea in China, I have never been more turned on than I was last night."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, I've got a question for you, big guy. What will we do if the twins <i>and</i> T.J. want to join us, all at the same time?"</span></p> <p><span>"My answer to that is `Fuck yeah. Bring it on'."</span></p> <p><span>I snorted at Tom's eagerness and said, "I figured as much."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I suppose you don't want all three at the same time, do ya'?" he asked sarcastically.</span></p> <p><span>"I never said that, just wasn't sure how we should respond. I think T.J. will try to keep our time together from Joey and Alex, but I'd say the chances are slim he'll be able to do so. I just hope they don't ask for it before Logan moves back home with his dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that would be a problem we don't need." The drive sensor went off and Tom asked, "You expectin' someone this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm hoping it's John and his guys showing up to work on the other bedroom."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, I'd forgotten that could happen today. Well, I'm gonna let you deal with them while I go to the study and make some phone calls about licensing and shit."</span></p> <p><span>"Good luck, bubba. Have fun dealin' with the state," I laughed as he turned the corner to the study.</span></p> <p><span>I headed to the garage, opened the door and punched the button to open the garage door for John. My timing was spot-on as his truck pulled onto the driveway just as the door stopped moving. As he and his guys got out of the truck I called out, "Mornin', John. We were hoping to see you today."</span></p> <p><span>"And look at that, all your hopes have come true," he cracked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, not all of them, but one for sure. C'mon in. I'll stay out of your way, but when you have a few minutes, John, I need to talk to you about something," I added before returning to the living room. As I sat down and reached for my book to kill some time, the phone rang.</span></p> <p><span>"Hello?" I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, is this Max Sanders?"</span></p> <p><span>"It is, may I ask who's calling, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Sanders, my name is Hank Madonia and I work for the Journal-Register. I apologize for intruding on your Monday morning, but I was really hoping you be willing to talk to me."</span></p> <p><span>"And just why would I want to do that, Mr. Madonia? What could I possibly tell you that you and your cohorts don't already know?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, sir, I'm sure you know that your name appeared in our paper last week in an article concerning certain events at a local church."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I know that. And I really must say thank you for printing my name in your rag without my permission," I added with some vehemence. "I guess I should be happy you refrained from printing my unlisted phone number you people obtained by rather devious means. Is that how you people really operate down there?"</span></p> <p><span>"I apologize for that, Mr. Sanders, but that decision was made way above my pay grade. And I'd like to try and make it up to you."</span></p> <p><span>"And how do you propose to that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if it's not too inconvenient or bothersome, I'd like to sit down with you and get your story. There's a movement going on by certain members at the church that is really disturbing to me. They are trying to discredit your account of the events in question. I would like to be able to present your story, using your own words, in an effort to shut down that movement and see that the people who were arrested receive their just punishments."</span></p> <p><span>I had known that such a thing could be happening, but I felt as if I'd been punched in the gut to hear it actually was. I inhaled deeply and collected my thoughts before answering. "Okay, Mr. Madonia, here's what I'll agree to; I'll give you two hours to ask any questions you'd like. Keep in mind, I may decline to answer some of them. I will only allow this interview to take place in my home and with my fianc� present. You will be allowed to record the interview, so you can't misuse, misquote or take anything I say out of context. If you'd like to bring one person with you to even up the sides and ask questions, you can do that, too."</span></p> <p><span>"That's very kind of you Mr. Sanders and I accept those conditions. When would be a convenient time for me to come out? I'm available any time."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess that all depends on when you'd like your story to be in the paper."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd love to have it for tomorrow morning, but if that's not possible, as soon as we can after that."</span></p> <p><span>"If you came out this afternoon about one, would that work for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"That would be perfect, sir. I'll be there."</span></p> <p><span>"I have one more condition before I'll talk to you. I want to read the story you write <i>before</i> it's published in the paper."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, sir, I can't agree to that. We never allow people outside the paper to read our stories before they're published."</span></p> <p><span>"Then you don't get the interview. Simple as that. Goodbye."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait! Please, Mr. Sanders, I really want you to be able to tell your story. Let me talk to my editor and see what he says. If he agrees to all your conditions, I'll be there at one."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine. This is the only chance you get, Mr. Madonia. If you're not here then, you can forget it."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Mr. Sanders. I hope to see you this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>After hanging up the phone, I sat there and tried to figure out why I agreed to this insanity. I finally realized that I wanted the truth to be told regardless of the personal costs. And I was going to be damned if I was gonna give that fuckin' church the chance to twist the story to appease their own feelings, not when their members had hurt so many kids over such a long period of time. With that argument settled in my mind, I picked up my book to continue reading. About thirty minutes later, John finally came in and took a seat.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, those two are busy for a while, what'd you want to talk to me about?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's a bad news, good news kinda thing, John."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, geez, here we go," he muttered with resignation in his voice.</span></p> <p><span>"You're not gonna be building a new house for our parents."</span></p> <p><span>"What!? Why not? I've already got bids on everything and we're ready to go."</span></p> <p><span>"Because Tom and I are giving them this house after you build a bigger one for us."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy shit, Max, where the hell did that come from?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we have an extra kid with us for a while because his dad thought it was okay to beat him. And we've hired someone to come in and help us out with things. Keeping up with five active boys is going to be too much for me handle on my own once Tom gets back to work. So, basically, we're running out of space in this house and need something bigger."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think I've heard someone with a 4,500-square foot house say they need something bigger."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we're happy to be a first for ya'," I smiled</span></p> <p><span>"How much bigger you talkin' about?"</span></p> <p><span>"At least double, maybe triple the size of this house. Let me tell you what we're wanting to do, and you can find an architect to design it." I spent the next half hour explaining our intentions and everything we wanted in the new place. When I finally ran out of steam, John just looked at me like I'd lost my mind. "So, does it sound like something you be interested in tackling?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're kidding me, right?" he deadpanned. "Hell, this is the kind of project us contractors will kill for. With everything you say you want in the place, you're lookin' at twelve to fifteen thousand square feet and probably two to three million. Are you really serious about this?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right I am. We've got the means to help more kids than we are, and we intend to do just that. And I can't think of anybody else I'd rather have in charge of the project for us than you. Think you can find an architect to deal with the planning and design?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, I know several and this project is right up their alley. The only possible issue I can see will be meeting the requirements needed by the state agencies to allow you to temporarily house kids. For sure, you're going to have to have it 100% handicap accessible and that ain't gonna be cheap."</span></p> <p><span>"Money's not an issue, John, you should know that."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, I do, I just don't want you to be blindsided when bids start coming in. So, what, exactly, do you want me to do?"</span></p> <p><span>"I want you to deal with the architect, the bids and all the contractors needed to complete the project. Basically, you're in charge of the whole thing. Tom and I will want to be involved in the design process with the architect, of course, but once that part is done, it's all yours."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I can do that. Next question, how fast do you want it done? A project this size would normally take at least a year to complete from the initial meeting with the architect to turning over the keys to you."</span></p> <p><span>"You have until November first this fall to have it done. I want us living in it by Thanksgiving."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon, Max, it can't be done."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, it can, John. I know it'll take a few minor miracles to pull it off, but you're just the guy who can do it. I have faith in you."</span></p> <p><span>"Phew, I don't know, man. That's a tall order you're askin' for. I'll do what I can."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, I knew we could count on you. You need anything to speed up the process, let me know."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, all right. I better get busy and find us an architect. I'll talk to you later." </span></p> <p><span>With that, he got up and headed for the hallway while pulling his phone out of his pocket to start making calls. Having taken the first step to achieving one of my dreams, I sat back and breathed a huge sigh of relief. Tom finally rejoined me with an exasperated look filling his face.</span></p> <p><span>"I trust you're not having much fun dealing with the state bureaucracy."</span></p> <p><span>"You got that right. It seems there's no single person you can talk to and get answers to your questions. I must've made twelve phone calls to different agencies and talked to probably twenty different people, but I think I've finally gotten everything lined up. Business license and tax number, investigator license, somebody's mailing me some books about records we should keep and for how long. This state's government is practically non-functional. I don't know how anybody gets anything done."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, at least you've got a handle on it. You should probably call Carol and let her know you're about ready to go. I'm sure they're anxious to have you start doing their checks for them."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I will in a minute, but there was something else I wanted to ask you about that my mind blanked on yesterday. What did you say to Mr. Crawford at the Roadhouse when you went back?"</span></p> <p><span>"I just told him that while I appreciated the thought behind what they did, the last thing I want, or need, is to be reminded of the Muellers every time I go there. I also told him that doing the right thing by going to the police doesn't mean I deserve special treatment or free meals, that I want us to be just regular customers when we go there."</span></p> <p><span>"Is that all?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, no, I guess not. I also paid for the meals for everyone who was there when we were, and I added that if he wants to honor me for what I did, he should give a free meal a week to a family that looks like they <i>really</i> need it and not me. I think he liked that idea."</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus, Max, you really are weird."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks, I love you, too."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, that didn't come out right. I mean just about being recognized and shit. I would have thought that you'd have gotten over that by now."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, I've never been really comfortable with the whole fame thing. That's one of the reasons I live out here and never went out much. I absolutely hate complete strangers invading my privacy and personal space when I'm out. But for some reason, they can't seem to help it, so I tend to stay away from the madding crowds. The other thing is this, I don't want to be known as the guy who was abused in his church. There's over 3,000 other kids who suffered the same fate, let one of them become the poster child for the fight against childhood sexual abuse. I didn't apply for that job and if they offered it to me, I'd tell `em to fuck off."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay then. I'll leave well enough alone, then."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll try to get better about it, okay, but not until I've dealt with all this shit. Oh, and speaking of dealing with it, Hank Madonia from the paper is probably coming out at one this afternoon to talk to me."</span></p> <p><span>"What!? Why the hell are you doing that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I wasn't going to initially, but he told me there are some church members trying to whitewash the whole thing, like it never happened. I'm can't let that happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, no, I guess not. You may want to call Dylan before the paper dude gets here to see if there's anything he doesn't want you to say. There may be information they don't released yet since they're still investigating."</span></p> <p><span>"Good point, I'll do that. Oh, I also talked to John about our new shack and he's on board."</span></p> <p><span>"Shack? Yeah, in your dreams. More like a mini-mansion."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever you wanna' call it, the dream is about to become a reality, so buckle up for the ride, big guy."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I'm ready for it, I just hope you are."</span></p> <p><span>"I will be, don't worry." Tom returned to the study to call Carol while I placed a quick call to Dylan. Carol was ecstatic at hearing the news that Tom would soon be ready to start working with her office. Dylan was less than thrilled that I'd agreed to be interviewed, but once I explained why I did, he understood my reason for doing so. His only real request was that I refrain from divulging the actual number of cases the police and FBI were dealing with. While I waited for Tom to come back I made another quick call to set up a surprise for the boys this coming weekend.</span></p> <p><span>"Aircraft Services, this is Jeff, how can I help you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, this is Max Sanders, how are you this morning, Jeff?"</span></p> <p><span>"Doing great, Mr. Sanders. We haven't seen you for a while, planning on taking a little trip?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I am. Can you please make sure my plane is fueled, stocked with snacks and soda, and ready for takeoff by nine Saturday morning? Also, would you please file a flight plan for me to Chicago Miegs field? There will be ten of us and we'll be returning Sunday afternoon around five."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be happy to do that for you Mr. Sanders. Would you like us to have the plane towed out of the hanger before you arrive?"</span></p> <p><span>"Please. That will save us some time. Thanks, Jeff, see you Saturday morning." I ended the call just as Tom came back from talking to Carol.</span></p> <p><span>"Who is Jeff and why are you seeing him Saturday morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's a surprise. You'll have to find out Saturday morning," I answered with a wicked smile.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't much like surprises, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, but not a word to the boys. I thought we'd pop up to Chicago this weekend, see some museums and parts of the city."</span></p> <p><span>"<i>Pop</i> up to Chicago!? That's a four-hour drive. That's not something you just <i>pop</i>."</span></p> <p><span>"It is when you can fly it in just over an hour."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh no, you don't. I don't like planes."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, come one, hon, it'll be fun. Besides, I'm a good pilot. I haven't crashed yet."</span></p> <p><span>"<i>You're</i> flying the deathtrap!? Then I definitely ain't goin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, I trust you to drive me around, don't I?"</span></p> <p><span>"Big difference between drivin' and flyin', bubba. Cars don't fall out of the sky if their engine stops running. No, sir, I just don't do planes. Of any size."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess you get to stay home then. Either that or I'll drug your ass and have the boys drag you into the plane."</span></p> <p><span>"They better be some damn good drugs, then," Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, it'll be fine." Tom continued to grumble as I picked up my book and started to read, chuckling lightly as I did so. I guess I'd just have to wait for Saturday to see just how serious he was about not flying. We spent the next couple of hours reading and relaxing before John came in to interrupt us.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you wanna' come see the new colors your boys picked out?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure," I answered as we marked our places and put our books down. We got up and played follow the leader for a moment before the big reveal. As we stepped into the room, our eyes were assaulted by a bright red color on the exterior wall, a wild orange on the closet wall, including inside the closet, and a rather muted beige or cream color on the hallway wall. The wall to which the TV was mounted, thankfully, remained white. "Whoa, I didn't realize that red the boys selected would be quite that bright. Same for the orange."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think I could sleep in here," Tom added.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that little bit of color on the paper really doesn't do them justice, does it?" John laughed. "The desks and shelves along the red wall will help tone it down a bit, I think."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure as hell hope so."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we're done in here," John added, "so we'll get everything cleaned up and get on outta here. I talked to Bob a little while ago and he's planning on coming out tomorrow with a couple of his guys to help get the furniture in place."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds great. The boys will be happy to get moved into their new room. Then we can get the one they're in now ready for Ron."</span></p> <p><span>"You takin' in another kid?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, John, Ron is the guy we've hired to come in to help us out with cleaning, meals and stuff. He going to get their room."</span></p> <p><span>"Gotcha'. I can see you guys needing some help. Just glad it ain't me," he added with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"So, any luck with finding an architect to work with us?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think so. I've called a couple of them I know pretty well and I've arranged a meeting with them to discuss what you want. After we talk, I'll have them come up with some basic drawings of their ideas, then we can all sit down together and you can pick the one you want to use."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent, John, I knew I could count on you. Thanks."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll keep you updated on my progress and let you know when we can all meet. Let's go boys, it's time for lunch. See you guys later."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for the excellent work. Send me a bill when you get it done."</span></p> <p><span>"You know I will." </span></p> <p><span>With that, John and his guys took off leaving Tom and I alone. After he'd pulled away, I closed the garage door and on my return to the living room, asked Tom, "What's for lunch, big guy?"</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever you're fixin', I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"Hamburger and chips work for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, sounds good." We headed to the kitchen and after 10 minutes of working together had whipped up a simple lunch and sat at the bar to chow down. Fifteen minutes later we were done eating and cleaned up our mess. We then spent about ten minutes getting a roast, potatoes and carrots into a crock pot to start cooking for our supper. It had been a long time since I'd had a good homecooked roast as it always seemed ridiculous to fix one for a single person. I mean, I can only deal with leftovers so many days in a row and I always ended up throwing half of it out. I was betting I wouldn't have to worry about leftovers tonight.</span></p> <p><span>As we sat down in the living room again, Tom reminded me, "You have an appointment in the morning, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep. You takin' me again?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, and after that, we can hit one of the office stores and take care of my shopping list. It probably wouldn't hurt to get some more food in the house while we're at it."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, that sounds like so much fun," I answered sarcastically. "How can I resist such an offer?" The ding of the drive sensor interrupted our conversation. "That's probably the guy from the paper. You ready for this?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I am if you are." Tom walked to the front door and let in a man and woman.</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, Mr. Sanders. My name is Hank Madonia and my associate is Peggy Rector."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Hank, Peggy. Come on in, but you should know that I'm not Mr. Sanders. I'm Tom Wright."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I'm so sorry, Mr. Wright. I just assumed ...,"</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, Hank. Max is in the living room." Tom led them over to where I was still sitting and made the introductions. "Max, Hank and Peggy from the paper. Hank, Peggy, Max Sanders, the person you're here to interview." After a flurry of handshakes and hesitant greetings, we all took our seats and got comfortable.</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Sanders, I want to thank you for granting us this interview. I also want to apologize for my confusion at the door. When you said on the phone your fianc� would be present, I obviously jumped to the wrong conclusion."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right, Hank. I know it's been ten years since the Supreme Court ruled, but I imagine you don't meet many same-sex couples in this area."</span></p> <p><span>"No, we don't. But I'd still like to apologize."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it. Now before we get started, would either of you like something to drink? We have tea, Pepsi, regular and diet, and water." After a quick glance at each other, both agreed a glass of tea would be welcome and Tom disappeared into the kitchen to fulfill their request. While we waited for him to return, I continued, "Now, please call me Max and I hope you're okay if I use your first names, also. I'm a very informal person."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks fine with us, Max, thank you."</span></p> <p><span>"Did your editor give you a hard time over my request to read the story before it hits the paper?"</span></p> <p><span>"A little bit, but when I explained why I wanted to tell your story, he gave in and said he'd allow it. He agrees with me that your story is too important to let it go."</span></p> <p><span>"And just <i>why</i> are you so eager to get my story?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, as I told you on the phone, I think the church trying to cover things up is despicable."</span></p> <p><span>"And how did you hear about that?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"A couple of our staff attend services there and one of them told me what was happening. From the other information we've discovered so far, I don't doubt your story and I don't want anyone else in the area to doubt it either. I feel it's my duty as a reporter to get the truth out there."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess I appreciate that. You should know that I'm not real comfortable with this and when someone from your paper called here last week to ask for my comment on the arrests that had happened, I was really pissed off."</span></p> <p><span>"I understand that completely, Max, but as I said, that was out of my control. I promise to treat your story with the dignity it deserves, and I'll protect its integrity."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope so." Tom had returned with their drinks and retaken his seat next to me. "Well, I guess we're ready, so why don't we get started."</span></p> <p><span>Hank laid his recorder on the table between us and started recording. "Max, I guess my first question is when did your ordeal begin and how long did it continue?"</span></p> <p><span>"It started just after my thirteenth birthday ...," I answered as I began to tell my story again. We spent the next hour going over the basics of what had happened, with both Hank and Peggy asking questions. We finally got to a point where they were asking questions to which I hadn't thought much about the answers.</span></p> <p><span>"Now, Max, we've researched the building permits and original plans for the church," Hank began. "And, according to those plans, the church is built on a slab and has no basement. How do you explain the room where you allege your abuse took place?"</span></p> <p><span>After a moment, I answered, "I guess I can't. Except to say it's there, despite what the original plans may or may not show. I'm sure your source in the department has told you it exists."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anything about where our information came from. We're not allowed to reveal our sources."</span></p> <p><span>I grabbed his recorder off the table, turned it off and dropped it in my lap. "Look, Hank, we know Barry Sinclair was your source in the department. We also know he's dead, so you won't be getting any more information from him. He was at the church and he saw the room where all this shit happened, so don't try to convince me you don't know the truth. You know damn near as much as we do about what went on in that fuckin' place. Now cut the shit or you can kiss your story goodbye because I'll destroy this recording right here and now."</span></p> <p><span>Hank flushed with embarrassment at being called out. "Um, I don't know what to say. I didn't know you knew who it was."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I know. Do you think I'm stupid? Do you think I don't have my own sources? Tom used to be a deputy in the department and we know way more about this case than you do. So, do you still want to hear the rest of it or are we done here?"</span></p> <p><span>"I apologize, Max. I really do want to hear everything you can tell me and get the truth out there. I don't want to see another church get by with decades of abuse by sweeping it under the rug."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I don't either. So, let's wrap this up so you can go write your story." I restarted his recorder and laid it back on the table.</span></p> <p><span>"What can you tell us about the twenty-six people arrested at the church last week?"</span></p> <p><span>"Very little except to say that only two of those taken into custody are responsible for my abuse. As for the others, I don't know anything about them."</span></p> <p><span>"Obviously, you aren't the only victim of these people. Do you know how many other children were victimized by these people?" Peggy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I can't answer that question."</span></p> <p><span>"Is that because you don't know, or you were told not to say?"</span></p> <p><span>"He said he can't answer the question, Peggy," Tom interjected. "It doesn't matter why. You'll have to ask the authorities to get that answer."</span></p> <p><span>"We've tried to do that, but Sgt. Brock has refused to comment except to say the FBI is now in charge of the case."</span></p> <p><span>"Then I guess you'll have to find out from them."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, fat chance of that. We can't even find out <i>who</i> is in charge of the investigation there."</span></p> <p><span>"Well," Hank began, "I guess my next question is this. Why have you come forward now, almost twenty years later?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because I'd blocked it all from my mind. It wasn't until just recently that the memories started coming back."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you know why the memories started to resurface now and would like to share that with us?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, we think so. We're in the process of adopting five boys. Two of those boys are twins and their last foster parents were the couple who had abused me."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my," Peggy interjected. "I hope they weren't abused, also."</span></p> <p><span>"We've already talked to them and they say nothing like that has happened to them, for which we're all immensely thankful. Well, since the boys have moved in, we've run into the couple a few times, and each time we did, I reacted more and more erratically. The last time, I almost got into a physical altercation with the husband. The afternoon of that incident, I spoke with a psychologist who was able to help me recover all the memories of my abuse instead of just flashes here and there."</span></p> <p><span>"That must have been difficult for you to accept," Peggy replied.</span></p> <p><span>"It was and still is. But it also made my life make much more sense to me, why I had such a hard time accepting I'm gay, why I live out here away from other people, why I almost committed suicide last fall. All those puzzle pieces finally fell into place and completed the picture."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, you almost took your life because of your abuse?" Hank asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, partly because of it, yes. Another part was my parent's reaction to coming out to them, another part was realizing my dream of having a family was running away from me at full speed. I sank into a very deep depression because all of it was tied together with my own feelings of self-hatred."</span></p> <p><span>"And what pulled you out of that depression? Why are you still here, about to be married and adopting five boys?" Peggy quizzed me.</span></p> <p><span>"I blame my sister for that."</span></p> <p><span>"<i>Blame</i> your sister?" she asked with curiosity.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah. It was my love for her that wouldn't let me follow through with it. I couldn't saddle her with leaving her behind to deal with our parents alone after I was gone."</span></p> <p><span>"Could we talk to your parents and sister to get their version of the story?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, absolutely not. They already feel guilty enough for not having stopped my abusers and I won't have you making them feel any worse about it. Like I told them, since I never said anything to them about what was happening, there was no way they could have stopped it."</span></p> <p><span>"Can you tell us why you were selected to be one of those included in the abuse by this group?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think it was mostly because I'm gay. The church's views on homosexuals is downright medieval. My abusers seemed to believe that I was possessed by the devil and they were trying to drive him from me, even while the husband was raping me, a decidedly gay act in itself. How anyone believes they can `cure' someone of being gay by committing gay acts themselves is beyond my ability to comprehend. And I have no clue as to where they got that notion since I was still unsure of it myself. I really hadn't said anything to anybody about what I was thinking when it all started." And then the thought popped in my head, <i>or did I, without realizing it?</i> "Then you also have the child pornography part of what this group of people was involved in, so, all in all it was pretty sick and twisted."</span></p> <p><span>"No, there's not much logic to that is there? Well, I think that's all I had to ask, Max. Do you have more questions, Peggy?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can't think of any. Is there anything you'd like to add, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really except for one small request. I'd like to ask you to leave any reference to the boys we're adopting out of your article. This is my story, not theirs."</span></p> <p><span>"That won't be a problem, Max," Hank agreed. "Well, look, we really want to thank you for your time today. We should get back to the office so I can get started writing this up. With the information you've given me, there should be no doubt at all about your story. I probably won't have anything for you to review until tomorrow. I want to make sure we get this right and we'll have to check a few things before we can publish it, so it probably won't be in the paper until Wednesday or Thursday."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, Hank. We'll look forward to seeing it when you have it ready." We walked the pair to the front door and after some quick handshakes, watched them get into their car and drive away. As we headed back to the living room, I commented, "Well, that wasn't too bad."</span></p> <p><span>"No, you seemed pretty calm while you answered their questions. More under control of your feelings than you have been. I think that's a good sign."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure as hell hope so. It'll be interesting to see the story and what the reaction to it will be," I said as we settled back into our seats. "Hey, you better call Bob and let him know we won't be home until around two tomorrow afternoon. No sense in him trying to deliver furniture if we're not home." While Tom was talking to Bob, the boys announced their return from school with their three dings, so I grabbed my jacket and headed out to pick them up.</span></p> <p><span>After they piled in the car, I turned around as they began removing clothes and as I pulled back into the garage, Joey asked, "Hey, Dad, can I call Josh tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, but after supper. I want to talk to Rick about something anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, thanks."</span></p> <p><span>The boys led the way into the house and T.J., Mike and Andy stopped in their room to drop their clothes and backpacks. I followed Joey, Logan and Alex until they abruptly stopped in the doorway of the empty bedroom and Joey exclaimed, "Holy crap! That'll keep ya' awake."</span></p> <p><span>"What were those three thinkin' when they picked these colors?" Alex bemoaned.</span></p> <p><span>"Help me! I've gone blind!" Logan called out while laughing hysterically.</span></p> <p><span>The other three charged into their new room to look at the new paint after hearing their comments.</span></p> <p><span>"WOW!" T.J. yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Cool!" Andy enthused.</span></p> <p><span>"I like my wall color best," Mike calmly said pointing to the beige hallway wall.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm with you Mike," I whispered.</span></p> <p><span>"When do we get our bed, desks and shelves, Dad?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Hopefully tomorrow afternoon. We'll have to ask Pops," I replied. All three ran out of the room and I could hear them asking Tom the same question as I hung up my jacket.</span></p> <p><span>"Bob says he'll be here tomorrow afternoon and you should be able to sleep in your new room tomorrow night." All three started cheering and dancing at the prospect of finally moving into their room.</span></p> <p><span>"Homework and snack time, boys. Let's move it." All six grabbed their things and headed for the kitchen where Tom and I set them up with apple slices and caramel dipping sauce for their snack before heading to our room to get comfortable. As we were getting undressed I told Tom about calling Rick later to see if Josh and Eric might want to go to Chicago with us. While he grumbled about flying again, he agreed it might be fun for them to join us. I then added, "Joey wants to talk to Josh again, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Hoo boy, here we go. Bet those two will want their own room in Chicago."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, but that's not gonna happen. Good thing my condo up there has three bedrooms, though."</span></p> <p><span>"You never told me you had a condo in Chicago."</span></p> <p><span>"You never asked."</span></p> <p><span>"You have property anywhere else?"</span></p> <p><span>"A little, yeah. There's another condo in Orlando, a third in L.A. and a house outside Colorado Springs. I rent those when I'm not going to be there, which is most of the time. There's also a few rental properties in Springfield, along with having an interest in a couple of small strip centers that seemed like good investments."</span></p> <p><span> "What, nothing in New York?" Tom asked sarcastically.</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing permanent, no. I just stay in a suite somewhere when I go there. Guess I'll have to find a bigger one now," I grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"So, where are we going on our honeymoon, Chicago, Orlando, L.A. or Colorado?"</span></p> <p><span>"None of the above. I have other plans for that trip."</span></p> <p><span>"So, where we goin?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's for me to know and you to find out. I'll tell you this much, you won't need a passport."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that sucks. I was hopin' to become known on the international travel circuit."</span></p> <p><span>"Someday, big guy, but not yet."</span></p> <p><span>We rejoined the boys in the kitchen to find them winding down on their homework. While Tom quizzed T.J. on his new spelling words for the week, I took a few minutes to help Logan with some English. Joey and Alex were busily cranking away on the fifth-grade math book and it looked like they were about half-way through it already. Mike and Andy were chatting quietly and playing tic-tac-toe, so they didn't disturb the others while they did their school work. As I started to turn to check on the roast, Alex slipped me a little piece of paper. I opened it up and found the following note scrawled as only boys do, `Can I call Brent after supper?' Assuming he didn't want Joey to know about it, I gave him a simple nod of acknowledgment which garnered a quick thumbs-up and a smile from him. </span></p> <p><span>I checked the roast and, thinking we had about another hour before it would be ready, I suggested we go watch a <i>Star Trek</i> while we waited. With agreement from all, the boys packed their things back to their rooms before we settled into the theater for the next episode. When it was over, we returned to the kitchen to get ready to eat. The boys had the table set in no time and everyone's drinks were ready by the time Tom and I had the meat, potatoes and carrots ready to set on the table. After helping the boys fill their plates, we dug in to a very tasty meal.</span></p> <p><span>The boys were uncharacteristically quiet during the meal and I sensed an undercurrent of repressed hostility from the group. I couldn't quite put my finger on the source, or sources, but I was pretty sure we'd find out before the night was over. After emptying our plates, the boys got busy with their regular task of cleaning up the table and loading the dishwasher while Tom and I took care of the crock pot and the rest of the mess left over from our preparations. With the cleanup completed, I excused myself to use the phone in the study to call Rick while Tom agreed to keep the boys otherwise occupied.</span></p> <p><span>After closing the door so I couldn't be overheard, I dialed Rick's number and settled in my chair. After three rings, the phone was answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Joe's Bar and Grill, what's your pleasure?" Eric answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Is this the Stone home?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure is, Mr. Sanders. It's Eric, how ya' doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm great Eric. How `bout yourself?"</span></p> <p><span>"I couldn't be better, man. Just glad I don't have to wear a jock twenty-four/seven anymore. Course, at home, I don't have to wear nothin' and it's great to be so comfortable again." Just the thought of the young man talking to me while we were both naked was creating an unforeseen reaction in my body.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it. Hey, is your dad around? I'd like to talk to him about something."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, one sec. Talk to you later."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Eric." I waited patiently for Rick to come on the line.</span></p> <p><span>"Max, you there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure am, Rick. How's it goin' over there in paradise found?"</span></p> <p><span>"You wouldn't believe the changes we've gone through, man. It's like the last year and a half never happened. The boys are happy again, I'm happy again, I don't think life could get much better."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it. Eric sure sounded happy."</span></p> <p><span>"Without a doubt. So, what'd you want?"</span></p> <p><span>"Look, I had the idea this afternoon of taking our boys up to Chicago this weekend and I wanted to see if Eric and Josh would like to go along with us?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure they'd love it. Hell, I'd love to go too, but I'm scheduled to work double shifts both days this weekend, so they'd have to be on their own most of it anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, Rick. About the boys going with us, not you workin' your ass off."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm used to it, man. When do you want to leave?"</span></p> <p><span>"I thought we'd leave after school Friday afternoon and come back late Sunday afternoon. Is that okay with you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that'd work out just fine. How you gettin' there and where you stayin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm going to fly us up and back and we'll stay at my condo."</span></p> <p><span>"Wow, must be nice to have a buttload of money. I'm lucky just to keep us in this lousy house."</span></p> <p><span>"It does have its benefits, I won't lie. If Josh and Eric have a small bag they could put some clothes and other necessities in, you could drop the bags off Friday during the day and your boys could ride the bus home with ours. We can leave right after they get here, then."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a plan, Max. I'll drop their bags off around eight-thirty on my way into work Friday morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, Rick. You can tell your boys about the trip, but ours don't know about it and won't until we get to the airport, so ask Eric and Josh to keep it quiet, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat. Thanks again for offering to take them along with you. We don't have much chance to take trips or anything due to my schedule and lack of money."</span></p> <p><span>"Happy to do it, Rick. Now, before we hang up, is Josh home? Joey wants to talk with him."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, I'll get him. Talk to you later, Max."</span></p> <p><span>While I waited for Josh, I put the call on hold and buzzed the living room phone for Joey to come back so I wouldn't have to yell. I got back on the line to hear Josh saying, "Hello? Joey, you there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hang on, Josh, he's on the way."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hey Mr. Sanders. How are ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just fine, Josh, how `bout yourself."</span></p> <p><span>"I ain't complainin'. I'm a gay boy who gets to look at his naked brother and dad all the time now. Don't know if I've said it to ya', but thanks. I'm lovin' it." I could practically hear his grin through the phone.</span></p> <p><span>"Glad we could help you out." I heard a light rap on the door and it popped open to reveal Joey's head sticking through the gap. I waved him on in and said, "Here's Joey now, talk to you later." I set the phone on the desk and vacated the chair so Joey could use it. "Don't be forever," I reminded him.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, whatever, Dad, thanks." </span></p> <p><span>Accepting the fact I'd been dismissed, I returned to the living to join the others. After taking my chair, Alex asked, "Can I call Brent now since bonehead's talkin' to <i>Joshy</i>?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, you got his number?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he gave it to me at lunch," he answered while holding up his left hand and showing me the number he'd scrawled on its palm earlier.</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you use the phone in Tom's office then? And I want to talk to his mom or dad when you're done with Brent, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>Alex jumped up off the floor and as he headed to the hallway, called out, "I'll let you know when."</span></p> <p><span>After he disappeared, I leaned over to Tom and whispered, "Josh and Eric are in, and I'm going to see if Brent can go, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy crap, man," Tom hissed back. "You <i>are</i> a glutton for punishment," he added with a grin. I just shrugged my shoulders in resignation.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Josh, what's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothin' much, dude. Just watchin' some stupid crap on the tube the old man wants to see."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we just finished supper. Not sure what's next. Hey, thanks for sittin' with me at lunch."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, I like sitting with you. You're a lot of fun to be around. It's too bad Alex and Logan decided they didn't want join us."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry `bout them, he and Logan were fine. It must be weird for a fifth-grader to be sittin' with a third-grader. Ain't nobody givin' you any shit about it, are they?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet, and if they do, I'll just tell `em to go fuck themselves. I mean, If I wanna sit with my boyfriend, it ain't none of their business, is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Really!? I'm your boyfriend?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I thought so."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, `cause you're my boyfriend, too. I can't wait `til we can spend the night together again."</span></p> <p><span>"Me either. I got some fun planned for us."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I bet you do. I'm always <i>up</i> for some fun," I giggled. "Including right now. Tell me what you got planned."</span></p> <p><span>I sat on the floor in Pops' empty office and dialed Brent's number. "Hi, is this Mrs. Stevens?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, who's this?"</span></p> <p><span>"This is Alex Allison, Brent's friend from school. Could I talk to him, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, sure, Alex, let me find him."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you." I waited for Brent to pick up the phone and his mom to hang up. "Hey, Brent, how ya' doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm okay, Alex," he answered with a questioning tone.</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, me too. Hey, I know this a gonna sound weird, but I didn't want to say nothin' `bout it at school."</span></p> <p><span>" `Bout what?"</span></p> <p><span>" `Bout you and me bein' more than just friends. When you were here for our birthday party, you kinda hinted at maybe bein' like Joey and me. I wanted to find out if you were serious."</span></p> <p><span>"Man, I can't talk about this shit over the phone."</span></p> <p><span>"Would you rather talk about it at school?"</span></p> <p><span>"Fuck no, too much chance somebody overhearin' us."</span></p> <p><span>"Then when and where can we talk about it?"</span></p> <p><span>"You gotta point there, I guess, smartass. Not like I can drive over to your house, is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not unless you got a driver's license hiding somewhere you ain't told me about," I giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Fat chance, dude. Not for another six and half years, anyway. Okay, I'll tell you this much, I think about you all the time, is that what you want to hear?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good, `cause I think `bout you, too. What happened in our bathroom after swimmin' was hotter than hell and I wanna do it again, but just you and me."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, me too, man. But how we gonna do that when you're always with Joey?"</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe I could spend the night at your house sometime, see what happens?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, mom and dad would probably be cool with that. But what about your brother, won't he get pissed?"</span></p> <p><span>"Who gives a shit about what that fart-eater thinks? He's already hangin' with Josh at school, won't hardly say shit to me no more."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, Josh, who's that? There ain't no Josh in our class."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know. The horny little fucker found himself a fifth-grader he's got the hots for."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, dude, bet that pisses you off."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it does, but our dads say we have to learn to deal with it. I guess they're right, but I still don't like it much. It's like I ain't good enough for him no more."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you're plenty good for me, dude. I'll talk to mom and dad and see if you can come over some night, maybe this weekend."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, man, I hope so. You wanna have lunch together tomorrow?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, you, me and Logan can sit together."</span></p> <p><span>"Great. Well, I better get off the phone, but my dad wanted to talk to your mom or dad before we hung up. Let me get him."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'll get my mom, too. Talk to you tomorrow, Alex." I went and got dad and as he left to go talk to Brent's mom, I noticed my damn brother wasn't there yet. Must still be talkin' to his <i>boyfriend</i>. Little fucker, anyway, I'll show him.</span></p> <p><span>Alex told me it was time for me to talk to Brent's Mom, so I headed to Tom's office and closed the door. I picked up the phone from the floor and leaned against the window sill. "Hi, is this Mrs. Stevens?"</span></p> <p><span>"My name's Monica and Brent tells me yours is Max, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, that's me. I met your husband when I picked up Brent for Joey and Alex's party last weekend."</span></p> <p><span>"Right, right. Ben told me about you. And Brent said he had a lot of fun at the party. Thanks for inviting him."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it. The reason I wanted to talk to you is this; we're taking our sons to Chicago this weekend to see some of the museums and other sights and since Brent seems to be pretty good friends with Joey and Alex, I wanted to see if he might like to join us."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, gee, I don't know. We already have plans for this weekend. I'll have to talk to my husband and see what he thinks."</span></p> <p><span>"I understand, but let me tell you what our plans are, just in case you change your mind." I let her know what I was thinking about and added, "Just let me know. We'd be happy to have Brent join us."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll talk to Jack when he gets home from work and call you back later tonight, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, Monica. Look forward to hearing from you. Talk to you later." I hung up the phone and headed back to join the rest of the family. Joey was just ending his call to Josh at the same time.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, damn, Josh, that felt good," I panted. "I just wish you were here to do it for me, but I like your ideas for our next sleepover. Can't wait to try them out for reals. Love you, dude."</span></p> <p><span>"Love you, too, Joey. See you at school tomorrow. Think about me when you go to sleep tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"For sure, I will," I sighed. "You too." I hung up the phone and took a deep breath of satisfaction before realizing I'd been in here too long. At least I'd be able to show my face without my dick being hard, not after what we'd just talked about doing to each other next time we got together. I hustled my ass out of Dad's study, hoping nobody would notice I was pinker than normal from the pounding I'd just given myself.</span></p> <p><span>I was returning to the living room just as Joey was coming back from the study. He looked to be a bit flushed, but maybe that was just a figment of my imagination. "Who's ready for another <i>Star Trek</i>?" I asked as I rounded the corner from the hallway. With agreement from everyone, we headed to the theater for another show. We watched a second show then took a break to get popcorn and drinks before we started our third episode for the night. About halfway through, Joey and Alex started a scuffle in their chairs.</span></p> <p><span>I looked to Tom and said, "Your turn, bubba, I've already talked to them twice about this shit and it obviously had no impact. Go impart some words of wisdom to our sons."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I knock their heads together?" he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"I'd prefer you didn't, but if you think that's what it's going to take, knock yourself out."</span></p> <p><span>Tom got up and stepped behind the two arguing lads. He laid a hand on each of their shoulders, then jerked his head towards the door, telling them to follow him. The three made their way out of the theater and let the rest of us continue watching.</span></p> <p><span>After closing the door to the theater, Alex asked, "What's up, Pops?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's what I want to find out from you two. Let's sit." I led the way to the living room and sat in my chair while the boys sat on opposite ends of the couch, leaving plenty of empty space between them. "You wanna tell me what your problem is?"</span></p> <p><span>"He won't shut up," Joey complained.</span></p> <p><span>"I haven't heard him say a word," I responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon Pops, you know we don't have to talk to have a chat. He just keeps pushing shit into my head and I'm getting' tired of it."</span></p> <p><span>"What are you saying to your brother, Alex?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nothin' he cares `bout," Alex grumped.</span></p> <p><span>"What's he sayin', Joey?"</span></p> <p><span>"That he don't need me no more, he's got Brent, he don't know why I like Josh, just stupid shit like that. And it's really startin' to piss me off."</span></p> <p><span>"Is that what you're doing, Alex?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, and it's all true, but he don't give a shit `bout me no more since he's got <i>Joshy</i>."</span></p> <p><span>"Haven't we talked to you two about how you can love someone else and still love each other?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," they both agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"But he can't divide his love between me and Josh," Alex grumped. "He ain't smart enough to handle it."</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, let me tell you something a very wise person once told me. You two might be whiz-kids with numbers, but you don't know beans about math. You can't divide love. You'll get an imaginary number. Love can only be multiplied."</span></p> <p><span>"What kind of crap is that?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not crap, Joey, the truth. Every person you love just multiplies the amount of love you get and how much you can give back. My friend Gene told me that some time back and the more I've thought about it, the more I agree with him. Think about it, you two. And in the meantime, quit sniping at each other about who loves who more or less or whatever. If you keep it up, I'm gonna knock your heads together and see if that's what we have to do to get it through your thick skulls? Understood?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir," they agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, now come give me a hug so I can give you more love to share." Both boys jumped in my lap and wrapped their arms around my neck. I, in turn, wrapped an arm around each of them, pulled them in snugly and kissed the top of both their heads. When we broke up, the two stood in front of me and they hugged and kissed each other. When they finally separated, they both mumbled apologies to the other. "Thank you," I added.</span></p> <p><span>As we started to return the theater to finish the show, the rest of the family was coming out to let us know we were too late to finish the show with them.</span></p> <p><span>Our third episode finished, so we collected the popcorn bowls and drink cups and headed for the kitchen. As we left the room, I saw Tom and the twins headed our way. "Okay, boys, bathrooms, brush teeth and bed. We'll be there in a few minutes." As they dropped their things in the dishwasher and headed for their rooms, I asked, "So, were you able to get through to them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably not. Time will tell." </span></p> <p><span>As we turned to follow the boys, the phone rang. "That's probably Monica," I commented as we crossed the living room to answer that phone. "Hello."</span></p> <p><span>"Is this Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure is. Monica?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, told you I'd call back. Hey, I talked to Jack and he's okay with Brent going to Chicago with you. We were just going to a family reunion of sorts, but Brent doesn't know most of the people who'll be there, so it won't bother him to miss it. If you'll give me your address, Max, I'll drop off an overnight bag sometime Friday afternoon. And give me your number in case something comes up and we need to get in touch with you." I gave Monica the information requested, and she continued. "This is great for Brent, Max. He told me about his call with Alex earlier and it sound like they are going to be good friends."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it, Monica. We'll watch for you Friday." After I hung up I told Tom, "Okay, Brent's in, too. That makes eleven us for the trip. I think we'll have to take both cars to the airport so everyone will have a seatbelt."</span></p> <p><span>"Probably a good idea. I might be able to get you out a of speeding ticket, still, but not a seatbelt violation. The department really frowns on that, especially with kids."</span></p> <p><span>"Not a problem, we can just park them in the hanger when we get there." We headed on to say our goodnights, stopping in to see the twins and Logan first. They were just coming out of the bathroom when we entered their room. We followed them to the bed, gave them each a hug, a kiss and shared and `I love you' before they climbed in. Once all three were settled, we pulled up the covers and said goodnight before turning out the light and heading on down the hallway. Andy, Mike and T.J. were already in bed and waiting for their covers, which we pulled up to their shoulders. We leaned over and gave them their hugs, kisses, and an `I love you', receiving the same back from them.</span></p> <p><span>As we settled on the love seat in the living room to relax before turning in, Tom asked, "How big is this condo, and can it sleep eleven people?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I think we'll be okay. It has a good-sized kitchen, a large living room, terrace, three bedrooms, and three and a half baths. The master bedroom has a king-sized bed, the other two have two queen-sized beds and the couch in the living room is a sleeper sofa. I figure two kids for each bed and one on the couch."</span></p> <p><span>"You think they'll be okay with that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know why they wouldn't be. Six of `em share two beds here without any problems."</span></p> <p><span>"But what about Eric, Josh and Brent? Maybe Eric and Josh would be willing to share a bed and Brent take the couch then?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's not what I was thinkin' would happen, big guy. It's more likely Joey and Josh end up in one bed with Alex and Brent in the other, Logan could bunk with T.J. with Andy and Mike in the other bed in that room and Eric on the couch."</span></p> <p><span>"You're probably right. Guess I wasn't thinkin' about that. This could be a couple of very interesting nights," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't doubt it one bit." </span></p> <p><span>We finally wound down and just watched the fire for a while as we held hands. I laid my head on Tom's shoulder after a bit and we just enjoyed the closeness of the moment. The next thing we both saw was the sun streaming through the glass doors as Joey, Alex and Logan were shaking us to wake us up.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon you two, wake the hell up! We're late!" Joey yelled.</span></p> <p><span>My eyes opened in a flash and I discovered we'd both fallen asleep on the love seat. Tom was slowly coming to next to me and I tried to get up, but my back was kinked and hurt like hell. "You guys go wake your brothers and everyone get dressed. I'll drop some Pop-Tarts in the toaster on my way to get dressed. GO!" The three disappeared to follow their instructions and I slowly levered myself off the love seat and into a somewhat vertical position. Tom was also moving rather gingerly as we headed to the kitchen to get some breakfast going for the boys. </span></p> <p><span>After dropping some tarts in the toaster, I headed to the bedroom to get some sweats and a shirt pulled on so I could run the boys out to the bus shelter. When I returned to the kitchen to supervise the feeding frenzy, Tom headed down the hall to get dressed for the day, also. I dug through the kitchen cabinets to find the Advil to help ease the pain in my back, swallowed a couple and chased them down with some coffee to wake me up. When the boys had eaten their fill, I followed them as they grabbed their packs and coats, slipping my jacket from the closet on the way by. We loaded up in the car and made the short trek to the end of the drive. As the boys climbed from the car to wait for the bus, I got my hug from each as I reminded them to learn something new today. Returning to the house, I found Tom in the kitchen whipping up some scrambled eggs for breakfast. </span></p> <p><span>"I hope you're making enough to share," I joked as I joined him.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. Man, I can't believe we fell asleep on the love seat last night."</span></p> <p><span>"I can't either and I may love you to death, but I hope we never do it again. May back is freakin' killin' me."</span></p> <p><span>"Mine, too. Thanks for leavin' the Advil out so it was easy to find."</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, I figured you might want some, too."</span></p> <p><span>We settled in at the bar to enjoy our breakfast. When we were done, we cleaned up our mess and finished getting ready for our trip to town later. While Tom settled in the living room, I headed to the study to print out what I'd written for Dr. Schaid so I could review it before my appointment this morning. After taking my own chair next to Tom, I began to read the twenty-some page screed. The deeper I got into it, the more and more surprised I was at not just the contents, but the coherence of my thoughts, though I still don't really remember typing it all. </span></p> <p><span>There was a fair amount of hatred, at both the Muellers and myself, along with a sense of innocence lost all those years ago. Though I knew the self-hatred wasn't really logical for me to have since I had no control over the events twenty years ago, it was definitely there. I discovered, much to my chagrin, there was absolutely no humor in what I'd created, even though that was kind of a hallmark for my writings, the ability to find humor in most any situation. Sadly, there was none to be found here. After completing my reading, I laid the pages in my lap, closed my eyes and shuddered at the sheer horror I'd survived and suddenly realized that if this is what I truly felt, I had a long way to go to recover any sense of <i>normal</i> in my life. I felt a hand on my arm and looked up to find Tom gazing at me with a look of concern sculpted on his face.</span></p> <p><span>"You okay, babe?" he asked gently.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, as okay as I <i>can</i> be right now, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"May I read it?"</span></p> <p><span>I grabbed the bundle from my lap and held it out, saying, "Knock yourself out, bubba. Try not to throw up."</span></p> <p><span>Tom took the pages from my hand and settled back in his chair. As he dove deeper and deeper into the thoughts I never knew I had, I could see his face scrunching with disgust and tears starting to form at the corner of his eyes. When he finally reached the end, he laid the pages on the table and grabbed a handful of tissues from the box. After drying his face and eyes, and blowing his nose, he looked back at me and started crying again. He finally pulled himself back together and after another go-round with the Kleenex, he finally said, "God, I had no idea you felt that way."</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't either," I commiserated. "When I started work on that last week, I wasn't really thinking about it, I just let it flow. And flow. And flow. It reads like a stream of consciousness, just whatever popped in my mind. And you lunatics think I need to turn <i>that</i> into a book. You're crazier than I am."</span></p> <p><span>"We're not crazy, Max, we just know that the book you can create from your pain will help so many others who have gone through what you have. You really need to do it."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I don't. I'm not going to profit from this shit in any way, shape or form."</span></p> <p><span>"Try this idea on for size and tell me what you think. You want to create a charitable foundation to help defray the expenses for helping kids, right? What if you fund that foundation with the proceeds from a book? This book. I bet you could convince your publisher to reduce the percentage of their income and forward that into the fund, too."</span></p> <p><span>I cogitated on his idea for a few minutes before picking my head back up and saying, "You know, as ideas go, that one ain't half-bad. In fact, it's pretty damn good. I'll have to think about it, but I admit it's a possibility. If anyone should profit from my story, it should be kids we're gonna help. You keep comin' up with ideas like that, bubba, and I just might keep ya'," I laughed, finally.</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it," Tom breathed as he wiped his brow in mock relief.</span></p> <p><span>The ring of an incoming call broke the moment. Not recognizing the number, I hesitantly answered the phone anyway. "Hello?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning. Is this Mr. Sanders or Mr. Wright?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm Mr. Sanders, who's calling please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Sanders, this is Gary from the courthouse. Please hold for Judge Corgan." </span></p> <p><span>Oh crap, now what?</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-61.html

Building a Family 61 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 61 � The Surprise Reunion Logan came back with Malcom in tow and he jumped on the couch with T.J., Andy and Mike while Malcom took the empty spot on the love seat next to Dylan. His being there didn't immediately register, but Dylan finally looked at the newcomer and said, "Oh, hey, Mal, what's up?" before looking back to Tom and me to continue our conversation. "Not much, Dyl, what's up with you, man?" Dylan did a triple take before it finally sank into his thick skull exactly who had sat next to him. "MALCOM!! What the ...? How the ...? Where the ...?" "Yeah, man, nice to see you, too. Can a dude get a freakin' hug?" That was all it took as the two men leaned closer and wrapped their arms around each other. Thinking they might want a little privacy for a few minutes, I stood and signaled the family to join me in the kitchen. Once we arrived there, Tom and I started work on getting the grills ready to cook steaks and we had the boys get out everything they would need to set the table in a bit. The potatoes had been in the oven for about half an hour already, so they would be ready to go when the steaks were. I had Logan find the second butter dish and put out another stick since I assumed most of us would want some on our spuds. When the boys had everything ready for the table, we shooed them off to the theater to watch Animal Planet or something while we started cooking the steaks. "Ohmigod, Mal, I've missed you so damn much. I didn't think I'd ever see you again," I cried. "Me, too, Dyl. I've never gotten over havin' to leave you," Malcom sobbed. We sat there on the love seat holding onto each other and crying our eyes out, overjoyed at being together again after all the years apart. Neither one of us wanted to let go for fear the other would disappear in a puff of smoke. After several minutes of squeezing the stuffing out of each other, my curiosity couldn't be kept at bay any longer. I broke our embrace and asked the question that had been on my mind since we were sixteen and the guy I loved was ripped from my life. "I gotta know, man. Where the hell'd you disappear to, Mal? And why?" "You remember what a prick my old man always was, don't ya'?" "Yeah, he hated fags, that's why we always had to be extra careful when we were at your house." "Yeah, well, one time we weren't quite careful enough, man. I screwed up and left the damn curtains open. Course, it just had to be the same fuckin' day the asshole decides to walk by my window. He saw me slippin' you the old salami and it was game over. He waited `til you left to lower the boom, but once he did, it was all over but the cryin'. He'd called his brother in Chicago, told him we had to move right now and asked if he could put us up `til we could find a different place. Good old Uncle Art happily said, `come on up'. So, we loaded up the car that weekend and were gone. The fucker wouldn't even let me call you to say goodbye." "But you never called, man? It's been almost twenty years and I ain't heard shit from you since." "Well, the old man made sure we didn't have a phone in our apartment, so I couldn't call nobody from home. And he had my sister, Jackie, followin' me ever where I went with orders to tell him if I did call anybody. By the time I got the fuck outta that prison and moved to Bloomington, I'd heard you'd become a cop. I've wanted to call you so many times since then, but I just couldn't make myself do it. I was afraid if you was thinking `bout me, you'd screw up someday and get your sorry ass blown away. I wasn't gonna have that on my conscience." "Well, you don't' have to worry `bout that any longer. I quit this week." "That's what Tom said. Sorry `bout you losin' a guy. That's gotta suck, big time." "Don't worry `bout it. Barry was on his way out the door anyway. I've been pretty fucked up the last couple days, but the more I think about it, the more pissed off I get at the dumb son-of-a-bitch. The stupid bastard was sellin' information to the newspaper to cover his gamblin' debts. Gave them the name and number of a victim in a child sex abuse case. I'm sorry for his wife and kids, but he fucked up and paid the price for it. End of story." "Other than that, how ya' been, man?" "Not too bad, I guess. Lonely as hell without you around. I hope we can change that." "Me, too, Dyl. Have you figured out what you're gonna do when you hang up the gun and badge?" "Tom and I are going to work together doing background investigations on people looking to adopt. We plan to specialize on helping gay kids find their forever families. I'll still be helping people, just in a different way." "That sounds great, man. How'd you hook up with these guys, anyway?" "Tom was one of my deputies. He quit the force right after he met Max and they decided they were meant to be together." "I've always felt the same way about us, Dyl, we were meant to be together. Then my old man went and screwed us over. So, here's my question for you; where do we go from here? Do you still want me in your life?" "More than ever, man. And Barry gettin' killed just reminds me of how short life is, and I don't wanna waste another fuckin' minute of it. I still love you, always have, always will. I can't think of anyone I'd rather grow old with. You think you want to join me in that journey?" "You really have to ask a stupid question like that? I was just waitin' for you to quit bein' a damn cop before I told you I still cared about you. I couldn't have handled us getting back together and then you gettin' hurt, or worse. I'm ready for a future that includes you. Just give the word." "Consider it given. God, how I've longed to see you again. I can't believe this is really happening." "You need to thank Tom for that. If we'd left it up to you or me, we'd both be dead and buried before we got our shit together," Malcom chuckled. Before I realized what was happening, Malcom had moved off the love seat and was kneeling on the floor in front of me, holding both of my hands in his. "Dylan Brock, I love you more than life itself. And I'm tired of living this empty shell of a life I have for the last twenty years. I want, and need you to make my life whole, from this day forward, until the end of time. Will you marry me?" "You're damn right I will. Get up here you hopeless romantic," I answered as I stood, pulled Malcom to his feet and we wrapped each other in a hug, sharing a sweet and tender kiss. After getting the steaks on the grill, I peeked into the living room to see what was happening with our guests. "Ps-s-s-t, Tom, get your ass over here," I hissed. "You ain't gonna believe what's going on in there." "What?" he asked as he walked over and stuck his head around the corner to peer into the living room with me. "Holy shit, is that what I think it is?" "Sure looks like it to me. It's like d�j� vu all over again," I giggled. "Oh, crap, here they come, let's get back to the steaks." Tom and I had just returned to the stove and were flipping the steaks when Dylan and Malcom joined us in the kitchen. Both men's faces were split by an ear-to-ear smile and they were holding hands as only lovers do. "Ahem," Dylan coughed, "We have a little announcement to make. Where's the boys at?" "They're in the theater. I'll go get `em." I hustled to retrieve the boys and after shutting everything down, returned to the kitchen for the `announcement'. When all of us had regrouped in the kitchen, Dylan continued. "Since you guys made this possible, we want you to be the first people to know. Malcom and I are getting married." After all the cheering, hugs, congratulations and celebrating had finally calmed down, I was the first to speak when I said, "Welcome to the family, Malcom. It'll be our pleasure to welcome you to the fold." Malcom came over, pulled me into another hug and said, "Thanks, Max, it'll be nice to have a family again. I'd forgotten what it feels like to be connected with other people and I look forward to relearning that with all you guys." He released me and gave Tom an even longer hug while saying, "Thanks for finding my sorry lost ass, man. You've made a dream come true today. I'll forever be in your debt." Dylan came over and grabbed Tom and I into a hug and said, "I hope you both know how much I love you for giving Malcom back to me. A man couldn't ask for better brothers than the two of you." After releasing us, he then turned to the boys and knelt down to their level, adding, "And if your dads are my brothers, I guess that makes all of you my nephews." Our five ran into Dylan's outstretched arms, almost knocking him on his ass, while Logan held back, unsure if he should join in. "That goes for you, too, Logan." "But I ain't family, Mr. Brock." "Sure, you are, buddy, get over here." Logan ran over and joined the others with a big smile filling his face, happy to be part of the family. "Does that mean we can call you Uncle Dylan `stead of Mr. Brock?" T.J. asked. "You bet, boys, and Malcom will be your uncle, too." "Really!? Cool beans, dudes!" Alex exclaimed. "Wouldn't have it any other way, guys," Malcom agreed as he knelt for another hug with the boys. "The only problem I can see is figuring out which one of you is which," he added as he held the twins back for a moment. "Oh, that's easy," Joey giggled. "Yeah, all ya' gotta do is look at our butts," Alex added with his own giggle. Both promptly turned around so Malcom could see the birth mark that was evident on Alex's behind. "Gee, that's ever so helpful, boys. All you have to do now is be nude and walk backwards all the time. Problem solved," he laughed. "It would be if our dads would let us go naked everywhere," Joey laughed. "Um, don't see that happening any time in the future, boys. Sorry," I said. "Aw, dang it. You just take the fun outta everything," Andy whined. "Okay, everyone, the steaks are about ready to roll," Tom interjected. "Boys, why don't you get the table set?" All six jumped to their task with Alex and Joey getting drinks for everyone with Logan taking the glasses to the table. After one more flip and a few more minutes on the grills, the steaks were done, so we pulled the potatoes out of the oven and got everything on the table. After taking our seats, Tom cut Andy's steak, I cut Mike's and Malcom took care of T.J.'s. Yep, he was truly part of the family now. Most of our conversation during the meal was filling Malcom in on who we were and how we all ended up here together. He was very interested to hear the boys' stories and how they'd all survived their lives' rough beginnings. We also found out that Malcom was a college professor who taught psychology, most notably abnormal psych. He currently taught at Illinois State University in Bloomington/Normal. But after agreeing to become Dylan's partner and spouse, he talked about checking into possible openings at the local campus of the University of Illinois. While he wouldn't mind the commute to Bloomington to teach, he wanted his job to be closer to home so the two could spend as much time together as possible to make up for all the time they'd already lost. As we were winding down at the table, I looked at Malcom and commented, "By the way, Malcom, you may want to be careful of the thoughts and ideas that roam freely in your mind when you're here." "Oh, why's that?" he asked inquisitively. "Because three of these young lads can reach into your mind, read those thoughts and they can see the images that flit through there, also." "You can't be serious," he enthused with a look a of surprise. "Which ones?" he added as he looked back towards the boys. "Just think about something that has a strong emotional connection and you'll find out," Tom answered. Tom, Dylan and I sat back and watched as Malcom closed his eyes and conjured up something. T.J. was the first to sense something and said, "Really, Uncle Malcom? Sorry, but we're not allowed to talk about sex at the dinner table. Dad finds it embarrassing for some reason." Alex and Joey started snickering at the other end of the table and Joey said, "Oh, man, I bet that hurts like hell." That got all the boys laughing hysterically. Dylan stared at Malcom and commented, "Really, dude, of all the things you could have focused on, that's what you picked." Malcom's jaw dropped and his eyes opened wide at the boys' revelations. "Holy, crap. That's unreal. I've worked with twins before and knew many of them could feel things the other was feeling, but I've never seen where they can do it with other people. And T.J., my god, that's unbelievable. There's got to be some trick going on here." "No tricks, Uncle Malcom, I promise," T.J. responded. "Besides, you just hooked back up with a guy you've been in love with forever but also haven't seen in forever, either. Of course, you're gonna be thinking about having sex with him. But, I gotta agree with Joey, that's gonna hurt." After his last statement, T.J. wiggled in his chair as if to reinforce the idea. "Oh, man, this is so cool. I've waited all my life to find people like you." "What do you mean, Uncle Malcom?" Joey asked. "You talkin' gay kids, nudists, or just freaks like us?" Alex added. "Oh, you're not freaks boys. You have a special gift that not very many people have. I'd love to work with you guys and see just how far your capabilities go." "Well, we can talk to each other without sayin' a word. I think it and it pops up in his mind," Alex offered. "We also found out just the other night that we can make each other punch ourselves. Is that far enough?" Joey added. "What do you mean by punching yourselves?" "Well, we were mad at each other and I just thought about punchin' Joey in the nose and he did it to himself." "And that pissed me off even more, so I got Alex to black his own eye." "Ohmigod! That sounds like it might be psychokinesis. There've been reported incidents over the years, but most have been thoroughly debunked. Others are still questionable, but most likely faked. This is the first possible case I've heard about in years." "What that sikokiwhatever?" T.J. asked. "Psychokinesis, T.J. It's the ability to have an effect on the material world by using only your mind to cause that change. It's been talked about and claimed by people for years, but no one has ever been able to prove it in a controlled experiment that anyone truly has such abilities. And your brothers may just finally be the ones to prove it's possible. And you both can talk to the other, mind to mind?" "Well, yeah," Joey answered like it should be obvious, "we been doin' that for years. T.J. can do it now, too. He's really good at it." "Oh, my. I'm in heaven," Malcom whispered. "Max, Tom, if it's okay with you guys and your sons, I'd like to work with them after I move to Springfield this summer. I think there's a real chance for some breakthroughs with them." "I'm sure the boys wouldn't mind doing it, Malcom, but we need to think about that," I responded. "Yeah, we wouldn't want to see them exploited or become a sideshow act," Tom added. "No worries, fellas. I wouldn't dream of letting that happen. It's entirely up to you, but if you think it's something you'll allow, I want to be the one to do it. That's all I ask." "Fair enough," I replied. "We'll consider it." "Hey, Uncle Dylan," Logan started, "What's goin' on with my dad?" "I'm glad you asked, Logan. I've found a counselor who's agreed to work with both of you. After your dad goes to court next week, he'll be released so he can go back home and start working with the counselor. Once he's been a few times by himself, they'll want you to be there with him so you two can start to work things out together." "Can I see him after he gets to go back home?" "That can probably be arranged, but I'm sure your visits will have to be supervised by someone until the counselor says it's okay for you to go back home." "He's welcome to come here to have a visit," I offered. "You sure about that? He don't like you guys much." "So, what? His son's living here and Logan's the one that matters. I think it would do Charlie some good to see we're not the evil people he's been led to believe we are." "Well, if it's okay with you, then I'll tell that to the judge next week and see what he thinks." "So, is everybody ready to get this mess dealt with and hit the pool?" A chorus of yesses spread through the group, so we got busy and started our cleanup. The boys had the table cleaned up in very short order and the adults took care of the rest of the mess. In twenty minutes, we were all ready to relax in the pool, so we grabbed towels and headed outside. The boys, as usual, wasted no time in dropping their towels on chairs or the table and jumped right in. Us adults, on the other hand, bypassed the regular muggings we usually received and immediately headed for the deep end and our favorite corner. Once we'd settled in, Malcom commented, "Those are some great boys, you guys. Polite, kind, smart as whips and mature beyond their ages. You got lucky, man. They could be like Dyl and I were at that age, hell on wheels, ain't that right?" "Uh, Malcom," Dylan interjected, "Could we dispense with our nicknames from when we were kids? I much prefer my full name now." "Sure thing, Dyl-an," Malcom snickered. "So sorry if I've offended you," he cracked. "I'm not offended, it's just that `Dyl' is only two letters away from being dildo, and I'd just as soon not be saddled with that moniker." "Speaking of dildoes," Malcom started, "you should have some company make a mold of your cock and sell a latex version. You'd become a very rich man. I can just see all those lonely and frustrated white women whose husbands don't give `em a fuck anymore lining up to buy the `Dyl-do'. They could be made in different colors, but the black version would outsell the others ten to one," he laughed and we all joined him. "Tell you what, Malcom, you find an adult novelty company close by and I'll do just that. You just might find a few frustrated gay guys who'd pay for the challenge of taking me up their ass, too." "No doubt about it. I know one dude who can't wait to have that monster back in his ass." "Um, would you two like to borrow our bedroom for a while?" I asked with a chuckle. "Nah, we're good, Max. We always talk like this, just bullshittin', ya' know. I guess old habits die hard." "Sounds like the way I wanna die, in bed and hard with my lover here," Tom laughed. "Uh, Tom, I hate to ask what might be a personal question," Dylan started, "but I'm going to anyway. You mind explaining the recent change in appearance since the last time I was here." "What are you talkin' about? I haven't changed nothin'," Tom protested. "Oh, so it was Max who did it, huh? I shoulda known. What happened, Max, he get some creepie-crawlies in his pubes and you just couldn't take it anymore?" "Oh, that," Tom replied with a laugh. "No, nothin' like that, boss. I was just startin' to feel out of place around here with all these other hairless guys. Thought I'd see what it's like." "And?" Malcom asked. "Not too bad," Tom said. "I'm still getting' used to it, though. I do think trimmin' the shrubbery makes the tree look bigger," he laughed. "Well, god knows I don't need to do that," Dylan laughed. "No, you don't," Malcom agreed. "I might consider it though. It wouldn't hurt me in the least to seem a little bigger in that department." "You're perfect just as you are, Malcom," Dylan said. "But if you decide to make a change, I won't argue about it either." "Any suggestions, Max?" Malcom asked. "Well, I rarely actually shave there because of the problem of ingrown hairs. The rest of the body, that doesn't seem to be an issue, but pubic hairs, for some reason, tend to do it more often than not. It could be because of their natural curl, so I just trim them really short." "Thanks for the advice. I may give it a shot sometime," Malcom replied. "So, Tom, when do you think you'll be starting your new career?" "Hopefully the week after next. Our contractor is supposed to be coming to paint the boys' other bedroom early next week. Once that's done, the guy who built the new furniture for the boys' rooms and my office is supposed to show up with their furniture first and mine after that. Dylan's new desk won't be ready for a bit, but he still has almost two weeks before he's gonna be ready to join me." "Sounds cool. Are you anxious to get started?" "Yeah, I am. While it's been kinda nice to just lounge around and take it easy the past few weeks, my brain's starting to turn to mush. I have to re-engage it at some point, and the sooner the better." "Well, I wish you both luck with your new venture," Malcom replied. We talked for the next hour about a little bit of everything and I really liked Malcom. He's kind, witty, very serious about his career and highly intelligent. It didn't hurt that he was very easy on the eyes, also. It may not be politically correct to say it, but, for a man, he was beautiful. I could see how much he loved Dylan and had the feeling the two were going to be very happy together. "So, Max," Malcom asked, "what exactly do you do that allows you to live in this lap of luxury?" "I'm an author, Malcom. I had four books that all became bestsellers. I've basically quit writing so I have time to focus on the family I've always wanted. I don't want to be distracted by my writing or have it take time away from the boys. Or Tom, either," I added as I gave him a kiss. "Don't let him bullshit you, Malcom," Tom interjected. "He started writing again just the other day." "Yeah, but that's just for the therapist. I have no intention of ever turning that crap into a book." "If you don't mind me asking, what are you seeing a therapist for? I might be able to help." "You'll find out soon enough, I guess, since you're gonna be family. I was sexually abused in our family's church a long time ago, but had repressed the memories of all of it until just recently. I'm working with a therapist to help me deal with it." "Whoa, sorry I asked." He then looked to Dylan and asked, "Wait, is he the one you told me about, the person whose name got leaked by the dude that got killed?" "Damn it, Malcom," Dylan hissed. "I hadn't told him who gave his name to the paper yet." "Wait just a damn minute!" I exclaimed. "Barry's the one who did that? That motherfucker. If he wasn't already dead, I'd kill the son-of-a-bitch." "Yeah, he was the one, Max," Dylan lamented. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but since he was already gone, I didn't think it would make any difference to you." "Well, I guess it really doesn't, but damn it, I wish I'd had the chance to talk to him, tell him what I really thought about what he did." "Water over the dam, babe," Tom commented. "Yeah, I know. So y'all ready to get mugged? I think it's time we join the boys and get some exercise." The four of us left our corner and swam towards the shallow end of the pool. When we could walk, I warned Malcom, "Uh, the boys tend to be a bit grabby when we're in the pool. If that freaks you out, just tell `em to stop." "Can I grab back?" he asked with an evil grin. "We'd prefer you didn't. We're trying to teach them some manners and boundaries of what's acceptable and what isn't. I just wanted you to be aware before it happened." "Gotcha', man." We spent the next half hour roughhousing with the boys and did, indeed, get our workout for the day. I was watching Joey and Alex closely as they attacked poor Malcom and worked him over pretty good. At one point fairly early in their assault, I watched as Malcom gave them a quick talking to and then resumed their play. Since their chat seemed to have the desired effect, I returned my attention to T.J. who was my lone attacker tonight. At one point, T.J. wrapped his arms around my neck and his legs around my waist. I cupped my hands under his behind to help hold him up, burying his stiff poker in my belly. He then leaned in close to my ear and said, "Hey, Dad, can I ask you a question?" "Any time, T.J. What's up?" "I know I shouldn't know about this, but I can't help it, ya' know." After a quick nod from me, he looked me square in the eyes and continued. "You and Pops love boys, don't you? I mean, really love boys, in ways you probably shouldn't." I flushed with shame at T.J. divining this truth about us. I should have been surprised at the question, but knowing his abilities to pick up on things from out of nowhere, I wasn't. Just ashamed we had been so transparent to this young lad. In my mind, I knew it wasn't a matter of if he was going to ask, just when, and that time had just arrived. And in the interest of maintaining open lines of communication with our sons, I gave him an honest answer. "Yes, T.J., we do." "Yeah, I was pretty sure that's what I picked up." "Does that bother you?" I asked. "No, not really. It's kinda like bein' gay isn't it, you can't really control it, can you?" "No, son, we can't. And while that may be part of who Tom and I are, it doesn't change how we feel about all you guys. We love each and every one of you as our sons. And you should know that we would never do anything with any of you unless you asked." "Yeah, I know that, too. I haven't told the others what I figured out yet. I'm pretty sure Alex and Joey have a good idea, but Mike and Andy ain't got a clue." "Thank you for that, I guess," I mumbled. "Look, I know Joey and Alex have done a few things with you and Pops, sex things, ya' know. And I guess what I wanna know is this; since you guys love boys, do you two wanna do that stuff with me, too?" "You're right, we have done some things with the twins. But, you need to understand that they have been goading us both since the first night all of you moved in. Does that seem weird to you?" "Well, yeah, I know they been pushing the issue. And, no, I don't think it's weird if that's what they want. I know you and Pops have never forced them to do something they didn't ask for. And teaching them how to make love to each other was really kinda sweet of you guys. You didn't have to do that, but you did it anyway. To me, it just shows how much you two really care about us, making sure they didn't hurt each other. But back to my question, do you wanna do those things with me?" "Well, if you'd like to, um, do some things with us, I'd be willing to explore some options. But after what you said in Anna's office the day we first met, I was pretty sure you wouldn't want anything like that to happen." "Yeah, I was a rotten little shit that day, wasn't I?" he giggled. "Honest would be more accurate, young man. What were you afraid of that day?" "That you'd do to me what Olivia's uncle does to her." "Oh?" I asked, surprise evident in my face. "What's he do?" "Look, she said she ain't told nobody but me `bout this, but her uncle does sex things with her every time he comes over. I guess she told me since she knew I was queer and probably figured I wouldn't care too much about what happened to a girl. But she was my older sister for a while and I do care about her. I'm scared for her, too. Besides, who's gonna believe me? I'm just some screwed up little pervert kid who likes to suck other boys' dicks in the bathroom at school." "You're not a screwed up little pervert, you're just who you are. And I'll believe you, T.J. What kinds of things did she say her uncle did?" "Well, she told me that when he spends the night, after everyone goes to bed, he sneaks into her room, makes her get undressed and he does, too. Then, he licks her you know what and while he's doin' that, he sticks a couple fingers in her, usually one in each hole down there. When he's done getting' her off, he makes her suck his dick and jerk on him `til he comes. And since he doesn't want to leave any sign of what he's doin', he makes her swallow it. That's just sick. She doesn't like it and wants him to stop, but she's afraid if she tells her mom and dad, they'll believe him and not her." "Oh my god, that's horrible. What's his name?" "Ralph somethin' or other. I don't know his last name. I remember his first name `cause Olivia always said that her uncle Ralph makes her want to ralph." "I bet he does. Thanks for telling me about this. I'll pass it on to Dylan so he can check into it. We need to help protect Olivia and keep him from doing it again." "But if you tell Uncle Dylan, and Ralph gets in trouble, she'll know I told you!" "That may be, but would you rather let her uncle go on hurting her?" "Hell no! They should cut his balls off for doin' that shit to her." "Good, I'm glad you feel that way. Forcing other people into sexual activity is always wrong, remember? We'll talk to Dylan before he and Malcom leave tonight and let him take it from there." "Thanks, Dad. I knew you'd help. I've wanted to tell somebody `bout it for a long time, but she made me promise not to say nothin' to nobody, or she'd cut my balls off, and I sure didn't want that." I snickered along with T.J. and said, "No, I bet not." "Now, back to me for a second. If I asked you and Pops to do sex things with me, would you really?" "Only if you that's what you truly want, buddy. We will never ask you to do something. It has to be your decision and you'll have to ask us. Understood?" "Oh, yeah, cool," he mumbled as he slid his body up and down my torso a few times before I felt his hardness twitch against my belly several times and his entire body quiver with delight as he came. "Thanks, Dad. I love you," he whispered as he leaned in and kissed me on the lips. "Talk to Pops, please. I really want to find out if it's as good as Joey and Alex say it is." "Okay, buddy. We'll see what we can work out. You ready for a snack?" "Does a bear shit in the woods?" T.J. laughed. "I'm gonna take that as a yes. Let's round up the other rascals and get outta here." I carried T.J. to the steps out of the pool, collecting the other five along the way. After a quick swipe of the towel over their bodies, they hustled off to their rooms to get cleaned up. As the four adults entered the house, I offered our shower to Dylan and Malcom while Tom and I steered ourselves towards the kitchen to get some brownies served up and ice cream ready to dip. I was just dropping the first dip onto a brownie when Andy, Mike and T.J. joined us. I directed them to the table for dessert since the four adults would be joining them tonight. Tom delivered each plate as I put the ice cream on it and we were soon rejoined by Alex, Joey and Logan with Dylan and Malcom not far behind them. Once everyone had their dessert, Tom and I finally joined everyone else at the table. "Dylan, I wanted to ask how things are going with the investigation at the church and everyone that's been arrested." "Well, with the FBI's assistance, we've finally finished collecting evidence at the church and allowed the membership to have their building back. Of course, with all the pictures and other materials we have from the file cabinets and computers, it seems unlikely that DNA will be needed to prosecute these people. The remaining members have promised to fill that hellhole with concrete and seal the room permanently. They can't do it until all the court cases are done, but it will happen." "Good, that means I still have the chance to see it again. When I'm ready for it, that is." "I still don't know what you hope to gain by going back in there, Max," Dylan commented. "I do," Malcom offered. "Visiting the scene of his abuse under his own control for once will allow Max to take back the power that was taken from him by his abusers. It's not that much different from a horse rider getting back on the horse after he's been thrown or fallen off his mount. It's conquering that fear and being able to move on." "Exactly, Malcom," I agreed. "That's the perfect analogy for why I need to do it. I had a hard time explaining it to Tom so it made sense." "Well, when you're ready for that step in your recovery, let me know and I'll go with you, just in case." "Deal. Thanks for the offer." I returned my attention to Dylan and continued my interrogation. "What about the people you've arrested? What's happening with them?" "All but two have been moved to a federal lockup until they're ready for trial. After hearing the scope of their operation, all the judges they've been in front of have denied them bail. The judges all assume they're serious flight risks and they don't want to give them the chance to disappear." "And what about the money? Has any of that been located?" "Some has, mostly in offshore banks in countries not fond of sharing their client's information. I know the FBI is going to be pulling out all the stops to get that money back here so it can be used to assist the victims of this ring, but it's not going to be easy. They're hoping when the banks are told of the source of the funds they're holding, they'll release it, but I'm not going to hold my breath for that to happen." "Now, what's going on with Frank and Iris?" Dylan gave a little chuckle before answering. "Well, Frank has been returned to the jail after his little trip to the hospital for his, uh, procedure. Unfortunately for him, he lost both of `em." "Lost both what, Uncle Dylan?" Alex queried. "His testicles, boys." All six boys cringed and grabbed their crotches as if they could keep the same fate from befalling them. "Iris did some pretty severe damage and the doctor said complete removal was the only logical and prudent solution." "Good, I'm glad to hear it. That bastard doesn't deserve to have his balls, anyway. What about the money they owe the hotline?" "Thanks to your attorney's fine help, the lien's been placed on their property and any other assets we can locate. It'll take a while, but the money will eventually get to them." "And what about their trials, when are those going to happen?" "Who knows?" Dylan answered. "That's all in the hands of the lawyers, now. As the FBI is sifting through the files from the church, they're returning the Mueller's files to us so we have them available when the time comes. We've assigned two people in our department whose sole task is tracking down the kids they abused and setting up interviews with them and their parents. We've gotten back about forty files from the Fibbies so far and located about twenty-five to thirty of them. We're working from the most recent backward assuming the more recent victims will be easier to locate since they're most likely children still going to the church with their parents. So far, that's been the case." "And what's been the reaction to their kids having been abused from those parents you've talked to?" "Pretty much the same as yours, Max. Shock, anger, disgust, rage, denial, guilt. The few who didn't believe us initially were shown one of the pictures of their child and they finally realized what we were telling them was true. It has not been a fun job this week." "No, I'm sure it hasn't. Any idea why none of these kids had said anything to their parents? That's about the only thing I really don't remember, why I never told my mom and dad about what was happening." "The only excuse we've heard from the ones we've talked to is they were all threatened with some form of violence to either themselves or their family. Beatings, broken bones and even death threats have been used to keep them from talking. It's been a surprisingly effective deterrent. It's also possible that some type of drug like GHB was used sometimes. We just don't know for sure." "I still have a hard time grasping this has been going on for over thirty years and over 3,000 kids and not one of us has ever said anything to anybody." "Or, maybe some did and their parents didn't believe them or they moved to get away from it. There's so many possibilities, it'll take months, maybe years, to figure it all out. "What's the FBI saying about the people they've located so far?" Tom asked. "Pretty much the same as what we've found. The one thing they've discovered is that about two to three percent of the victims have committed suicide, some of them kids. All in all, a rather depressing statistic. We've been lucky so far that none of the Muellers victims have taken that route. From what Agent Fix has told me, they plan to charge the abusers with murder or manslaughter in those cases where their victims took their lives." "Well, it sounds like progress is being made. Thanks for telling us what you know, Dylan." "I figure since you started all this, Max, if anyone deserves to know what's going on, it's you." "Oh, I didn't start it, those animals did that. But I'm glad to be the one who stopped them." Everyone had finished their desserts while we talked and the boys took care of the cleanup, as usual. With their task completed, we shuffled them off to bed after they had a chance to give Malcom and Dylan goodnight hugs and kisses. While Tom and I followed in their footsteps, the other two lovers settled onto the love seat in the living room. We popped in on Alex, Joey and Logan first to find all three pleasuring each other. After forcing them to take a break, we managed to share our hugs, kisses, goodnights and love yous before they returned to their activities and we left to say goodnight to the other three boys. Andy, Mike and T.J. were curled together and waiting for their covers to be pulled up. These three always looked so sweet and innocent as they waited for us. Again, after sharing in our nightly ritual, we turned to leave when I heard T.J. whisper, "Don't forget to talk to Pops." With my reassurance I would, we turned out the light and closed the door. Walking back down the hall to the living room, Tom asked, "What are you supposed to talk to me about?" "After Dylan and Malcom are gone, okay?" With a quick nod of acknowledgement, we rejoined the other two and got comfortable in our chairs. "Dylan, I hate to bring up more work for you, especially since your time on the job is short, but when we were in the pool, T.J. told me about something you need someone to check out." "What's that?" "He told me his former foster sister is being abused by her uncle." "Well, shit, what's this world comin' to? You can't hardly turn around anymore without hearing a new horror story. Give me some names and I'll have Derek start work on it first thing Monday. "The girl's name is Olivia, but I didn't think to ask her age or if she has other siblings. The parent's names are Nancy and George Hamilton and the uncle's first name is Ralph. T.J. didn't know his last name so I don't know to which side of the family he's related." "We'll find out Monday, don't worry. Now, to steer the conversation away from work for once, I wanted to say thanks to Tom for taking the initiative to find Malcom. When I asked for your help finding his sorry ass the other day, you'd already beat me to the punch and arranged tonight, hadn't you?" Tom smiled widely and answered, "You bet I did, we first talked to Malcom about gettin' you two back together, what, three weeks ago, wasn't it?" "Just about that," Malcom agreed. "It was before Joey and Alex's birthday, I remember." "Well, aren't you all just a bunch of sneaky bastards?" "Well, thanks, boss, that's about the nicest thing you've ever said to me." "Look, guys, we should get out of here," Dylan offered. "Malcom's got a long drive back home to Bloomington and ..." "Oh, no I don't, I'm going to your house tonight, bubba," Malcom interrupted. "If you want me to, that is? We got some serious catchin' up to do." "That's great. I was hopin' you'd say that, but I didn't want to assume." "Yeah, all I gotta do is find my clothes. They're in Joey and Alex's bedroom." "Just sneak in quietly, Malcom, I'm sure they won't wake up." "Okay, be right back." Malcom disappeared down the hall and returned in a few minutes, clothes in hand and jaw dragging the floor. "You okay there?" I asked. "Oh, yeah, just fine," Malcom muttered. "Just wasn't prepared for the wild three-way going on in there. Damn near gave me a freakin' heart attack. Y'all didn't warn me they was already screwin' the daylights outta each other." "Whoops, sorry, Malcom. Didn't expect you to discover that tonight." "Those three are way ahead of where Dylan and I were at that age." "You gonna follow me to my house or you wanna ride with me?" Dylan asked. "I'll just follow you, man. No sense having to come back out here to get my car tomorrow." "Then let's hit the road." We all headed to the front door and before I opened the door, Dylan gave Tom and me a big hug and thanked us again for arranging his reunion with Malcom. Malcom gave us both hugs also and shared a similar sentiment as Dylan's. As they stepped out into the chilly, dark night, I heard Malcom ask, "You sure it's okay to drive home like this?" "You bet, I do it all the time," Dylan answered with a chuckle. "Just pull in the garage beside me and nobody'll know the difference." After closing the door, Tom and I began laughing our butts off. "Well, that was a fun evening," Tom commented as we headed to our bedroom to finally get our shower and get into bed ourselves. "We should have guests more often." "Dude, I've had more people in this house in the last six weeks than in the last six years." "It's good for you, you know. You really need to get out once in a while and enjoy life." "Yeah, I know. We're going out tomorrow, though, aren't we?" "A funeral for a dirty cop hardly counts," Tom countered. "What do you know about Barry's wife and kids?" "Helen's kind of mousey and timid. His kids seem to be okay, though. Much more outgoing than their mom is. I'm kinda worried about his son, though. Daniel's fourteen or fifteen and I think he was starting to get into some trouble, hanging out with the wrong group of kids at school. That's what Barry said, anyway. I don't know how much I believe of what Barry had to say, though." "I want you to introduce me to them tomorrow." "You sure about that? After what Barry did to you, I figured the last people you'd want to meet would be his family." "Hey, they didn't know what he was doing. I don't have anything against Helen for Barry's actions." "We'll see, I guess." As we crawled into bed, Tom asked, "Now, what did T.J. want you to talk to me about?" "This shouldn't be much of a surprise, but he told me he knows we're boy lovers. He also knows about what's happened between you, me and the twins." "Oh, shit. I was afraid of that happening." "It's not a bad thing, hon. He said he thought us teaching Joey and Alex how to make love to each other without hurting themselves was sweet." "So, what's he gonna do about it?" "Nothing. He said Mike and Andy don't know and he's not going to tell them, either." "That's good, I guess. As long as he knows not to say anything to anyone else." "He's well aware of that. Now, here's the kicker. He wants us to include him sometime." "Are you shittin' me? What'd you say?" "No, I'm not shittin' you. And I told him that if that's what he truly wants, we'd talk about it and come up with something. That if anything is to happen, he has to ask for it." "Do you think he's really ready for it?" "Him?" I asked, "What about us being ready for it? I'm still trying to process Alex and Joey wanting to be with us sexually. I never thought about T.J. asking for the same thing. He says he wants to find out if it's as good as Alex and Joey say it is." "And now that he has asked, what are we gonna do?" "I don't really see how we can tell him no without somehow hurting his feelings. Not after what we've done with the twins. I wouldn't want him to think we love Joey and Alex more because we share more with them, would you?" "No, that wouldn't be fair to T.J., I guess. I'm cool with it if you are, and I'm assuming you are." "You know I am." As we finally curled up in bed together, we shared a tender kiss and an `I love you' before Tom laid his head on my shoulder and I held him tightly as we drifted off into a deep sleep after our busy day. I pulled in the garage and shut off the car. Malcom followed me in and parked beside me. Once both cars were inside, I punched the button to close the door so we could get out of our cars. As we headed into the house, Malcom said, "Man, that was freakin' cool. I never drove naked before, and you say you do that all the time." "Well, often enough I guess. Especially after I've been to Max and Tom's. Since I can pull right in the garage, I don't see any reason to be dressed from their house to here." "Are you sure you're a cop, man?" Malcom asked with a laugh. "For another week and a half, I am. You want something to drink?" I asked as we passed through the kitchen. "I wouldn't say no to a beer, if you got any." "Two beers, comin' right up." I grabbed a couple of Budweisers from the fridge and led the way to the living room where we settled on opposite ends of the couch. "So, really, Malcom, how the hell ya' been?" "Lonely as fuck, man. Since the old man don't care nothin' `bout me, I obviously can't go home. I don't miss his sorry ass none, but I do miss momma. But she ain't gonna stand up to him, either. And only god knows where the fuck Jackie is these days. I ain't heard shit outta her since I split." "I'm sorry to hear all that, especially not bein' able to see your mom. She was always a sweet lady and I loved her as much as I loved my own mom. And a hell of a cook, too. I always loved goin' to your house for supper." "You ain't lyin' `bout that, man. I lost twenty pounds in the first six months after I moved to Bloomington. How's your mom and dad?" "They're all right, I guess. I don't see `em as much as I should. Which is stupid since they still live in the old `hood. I just never seem to have time during the day to drop by and visit. Hell, they don't even know I've quit the job, yet. They're gonna freak when they find out." "We're gonna have to fix that, man. What do you think they'll do when they see me again?" "You know my mom, she'll be happy as hell you're back. Dad, who knows how he'll react? I'm pretty sure he liked you, but he's kinda hard to read sometimes." "They know you're gay, don't they?" "Of course, they do. I told them right after you disappeared. Mom kept askin' why I never seemed happy after y'all split and I finally told her I loved you just to get her to shut up. Her first response was she loved and missed you, too. I had to tell her I was gay just to get her to really understand how much I loved you, Malcom. She was surprised as hell, but didn't give me no shit about it either. The old man took a little longer to come around, but he's cool with it, now." "Man, wish my `rents were more like yours. So why did you become a cop? I never understood that." "It just seemed like the thing to do. I wanted to help people and that seemed like the best way I could do it. I thought about law school, but didn't figure I had the brains to get through that insanity, so cop was the next best thing. I joined when I was twenty and while I'm a few years short of bein' able to draw my full pension, I'll take the seventy-five percent and be fine. The house is paid for and so is the car, so I don't have any serious monthly bills. Your turn, why'd you become a college prof?" "Kinda the same reason you became a cop, I wanted to help people. I figured teaching was the best way I could do it. Cop was never an option for me since I hate guns. In the short time I lived in Chicago, I saw too many damn people I knew get killed for no goddam reason. It's a lot safer in Bloomington, let me tell ya'. Big question for ya' now; you seen any other dudes since my old man fucked us over." "There's never been another guy who could take your place, Malcom, and you know it. What about you?" "Only in my dreams, man, and none of them could ever hold a candle to you." "So, were you serious at Max's about us gettin' married?" "Damn right I am. I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't fuckin' serious." "Then why the hell you sittin' at the other end of the couch, bro?" " 'Cause if I was sittin' next to you like I really want to do, we wouldn't be wastin' our time talkin'." "Then why don't you slide your cute little ass over here and show me what we would be doin'." Malcom stood up, walked over to me and crawled into my lap facing me. He took my head in his hands, pulled me closer and kissed me so softly I nearly fainted. On the second kiss, he slipped his tongue into my mouth and I hungrily returned the favor. Oh, man, it had been so long since we've been able to show and share our love, I nearly came right there on the couch as Malcom assaulted my mouth with his and ground his sweet ass into my lap. When we finally broke a moment for air, I moaned, "Oh, god, how I've missed you." "This shitty house got a fuckin' bed in it or am I gonna have to fuck you right here on the goddam couch?" Malcom cracked. "Damn right it does. You wanna see it?" "God, I thought you'd never ask. Let's go." I led Malcom to my bedroom and asked along the way, "You think you can still take me, lover?" "Damn right I can. I may have been chaste for twenty years, but I've found some accessories that are close to the right size. Just be gentle." "Always." We fell into bed together and let nature guide us as we began our long journey to make up for lost time. Sunday morning slowly creeped into existence and made itself fully known as six wild monkeys attacked us in our sleep. As I levered myself upright, I asked, "What happened to knocking and waiting for an answer?" "We did knock, Dad ...," Joey replied. "... but you didn't answer ...," Alex continued. "... so, we came on in," T.J. finished off the thought. "Fine we're awake now, so give us a few minutes and we'll be out, okay?" Tom answered. "Scoot on outta here, boys," I said. As they turned to leave, I added, "T.J., one second." He came back to the bed and asked, "Yeah, Dad?" "Pops and I talked last night and we've agreed to grant your request." "Really!? Cool! When can we do it?" "Well, that's a little trickier to figure out. It's not like we can just leave the other five alone during the day without raising suspicions," I commented. "And trying to arrange something at night might seem weird to Mike and Andy if you're not in bed with them," Tom added. "I'll deal with them, so don't worry about it," T.J. volunteered. "Can we do it tonight?" I looked to Tom and after a quick nod from him, I answered, "I guess so." T.J. jumped on the bed and pulled us into a hug, whispering, "Thanks, Dads. I can't wait." As he backed off to join his brothers in the kitchen, it was impossible to miss his stiff two-and-a-half inch cocklet standing at attention. It didn't seem to faze him one bit as he jumped off the bed and skipped his way out of the bedroom. "Christ, I hope he's not hard like that all day long. We still have a funeral to go to." "I'm sure he'll be fine, babe. At least he knows how to deal with it, unlike poor Eric who had no clue." "Yeah, you're right, he's probably taking care of it right now," I commented as I crawled out of bed and headed to the bathroom. Tom was making his way into the bathroom as I was leaving and we paused to give each other a kiss. As we did, Tom's stiff member grazed my flaccid one. "Uh, is that a gun in your pocket, or you just happy to see me?" "Both," he grunted. "Later, big guy. We have six hungry boys to feed." "Yeah, yeah, I know. Be there in a minute." I continued to the kitchen to figure out something to eat and was not surprised to see T.J. was missing in action. "Did you guys see T.J. wander through?" "Yeah, Dad, he ran thataway with a bouncin' boner," Joey answered with a giggle while pointing in the direction to their bedrooms. "Okay, just wondered. How would guys like some cinnamon rolls this morning?" "Sounds yummy, Dad. You gonna make `em from scratch?" Mike asked. "Not hardly, young man. Pillsbury is gonna help me out today." Tom arrived just as I popped the first can of rolls open and he started on the second one. After loading two baking sheets with four cans of rolls, we sat back to wait the twenty minutes for them bake while the boys set the table. Simple as they are to make, it's hard to beat Pillsbury cinnamon rolls for an easy breakfast. The boys made short work of our morning meal, first cleaning off the platters we'd put the rolls on and then cleaning up the table afterwards. We'd decided while eating to take it easy this morning, so the boys settled into the theater to watch a movie while Tom and I busied ourselves making sure each one had something decent to wear to the funeral this afternoon. As the clock announced noon, we all got ready to leave home for the afternoon. Our first stop was going to be the Texas Roadhouse for lunch to have a little celebration of the news about us being able to adopt Andy and that all the adoptions were happening in two short months. The eight of us turned a few heads as we walked in and were finally shown to our table. Whether it was the way we were dressed or the fact it was two men with six boys, we attracted more than our fair share of attention. When our server finally greeted us, he started with, "Welcome to the Roadhouse, gentlemen. My name is Patrick and I'll be taking care of you today. It's a pleasure to have y'all with us today, Mr. Sanders. May I start you off with some drinks and an appetizer, perhaps?" "Wait, you know who I am?" I asked. "But, of course, sir. Besides giving your name at the door, I would recognize my favorite author anywhere." I turned to Tom and whispered, "See, this is why I don't like to go out much." "I thought you'd be used to it by now," he whispered back. "Used to it, yes. But liking it is something entirely different." "You'll have to forgive Mr. Sanders, Patrick. He really would like to fly below the radar." "My apologies, sir. If you'd prefer, I'll get another server to take care of you." "No, that's all right," I acquiesced. After a quick discussion amongst us, we settled on our drinks and the Cactus Blossom fried onion. Patrick returned shortly with our drinks, bread, butter, and the onion. The boys dug in almost before the plate hit the table. Before he could disappear, I asked, "Did you manage to keep all your fingers there?" "Oh, yes sir. I've mastered the art of Cactus Blossom delivery and still have all my digits," he answered while wiggling all ten fingers as proof. "I can see where that would be a handy skill working here," Tom chuckled. "You have no idea how much so. I've been stabbed with forks before as some people just can't wait," Patrick laughed in response. "Now, have we settled on our meals or do you need a few more minutes?" After telling him our selections, he disappeared into the kitchen to turn in our order. "Man, I had no idea you were really this weird about going out. You haven't been like this when we've gone shopping," Tom commented. "Well, that's only because I can be a bit more anonymous there since I tend to dress down a bit. Can't really do that today, can I?" "Hey, nobody said you had to go to Barry's funeral with me. You volunteered for that." "I know. I don't know what the hell I was thinking. The man sold me out to the newspaper for a few bucks, why should I go help send him off?" "Because you care about Helen and her kids. You do, don't you?" "Of course, I do." I finally looked back at the table and realized the boys had eaten almost the entire onion. "Um, looks like we better grab some while we can," I commented. "I don't think these guys plan on leaving us any." Tom and I managed to get a couple bites for each of us before it was all gone. When Patrick brought our salads and more bread, he whisked away the empty onion plate. "You guys better save some room for your meal," I said to the boys as Tom and I started on our salads. "Whatever, Dad," Joey moaned. "Those rolls at breakfast were good, but they didn't last long. We're starvin'." "Well, your lunch will be here soon, so hang in there another minute or two, okay?" With nods from all six, they stopped munching on the bread while they patiently waited for their food to magically appear. It turned out to be a short wait as two minutes later, Patrick was headed to our table with a helper to deliver our meals. When everybody had the correct meal in front of them, Patrick asked, "Is there anything else you need?" "I can't think of anything, Patrick. It looks like it's all here. Thanks." "If you change your mind, just wave me down." With that, he moved on to his next table. The table got rather quiet as we dug into our food. It quickly became quite obvious the fuel tanks on the six eating machines had reached empty before we arrived because their plates were emptied in no time. Tom and I continued to work on our own meals as the boys chatted and doodled on their placemats. When we were close to being done, I told the boys, "Why don't you guys visit the restroom and wash your hands before we go?" The six got up as one and disappeared around the corner. In a few minutes, we could hear gales of laughter emanating from the restroom and other diners were starting to look our direction, curiosity etched across their faces. Tom stood and said, "I got this." He turned the corner and as I heard the restroom door creak open, the laughter suddenly died. One by one, each young man came back to the table, red-faced with embarrassment. When Tom finally took his seat again, he commented, "These goofballs were playing with the hand-dryer. It's one of those new jet type things that dries your hands real fast, but has so much wind speed it puts a two-inch round dimple in your skin. When I went in, Joey had his shirt pulled up and had the thing blowing on his belly. He looked like he hadn't eaten for a week." I couldn't help but snort in laughter as the image developed in my mind. "What the heck did you say to them?" "Not a word, I just gave them the look. That shut `em down pretty quickly." "You're gonna have to teach me that look if it works that well." "Huh-uh," he muttered as he shook his head, "You have to ask my mom to teach you. She's the master, I'm just the pupil, although I seem to have learned my lessons well." With all of us finally done eating, I flagged down Patrick to let him know we were ready to pay and move on. When he came back to our table, he was followed by another gentleman. When they stopped, Patrick introduced the man. "Mr. Sanders, this is our manager, Mr. Crawford. He has something he'd like to say." "Thank you, Patrick. You may carry on," Mr. Crawford said in dismissal. He then turned to back us, leaned over the table and quietly said, "Patrick tells me you're Maxwill Sanders, the author. Is that correct?" "Well, yes," I admitted, looking down to the table in disgust and embarrassment. "Then, that must also mean you the man who helped bring a halt to some rather disturbing events at a local church. Would that be a fair connection to make?" "I suppose if I denied it, you wouldn't believe me." "Well, no, I wouldn't. Not after reading the paper the other day," he grinned. "I, actually, we want to say thank you for what you've done, for me, several of my employees and the entire town. I am a member of that church, as are several of my employees. Fortunately for all of us, our children were much too young to have attracted the attention of those involved and we all want to thank you for making our church a safe place for us to continue to worship. And since mere words cannot express the deepness of our gratitude for your bravery and sacrifice by coming forward, I'm pleased to let you know that today's visit and all future visits to this establishment, for the next year, are on the house. In short, your money is no good here, Mr. Sanders." "Mr. Crawford, that's not necessary. I am more than capable of paying for our meals." "Mr. Sanders, I'm well aware you could probably buy this restaurant five times over, but still, your meal today and for the next year are free. And I expect you to take advantage of that." "Well, Mr. Crawford, I accept your gift and say thanks to you and your crew for a fine meal. Can I at least leave a tip for Patrick?" "Yes, I'll allow you to do that. Again, thanks for your service to your community. We look forward to having you and your family back soon." With that, he turned and headed for the kitchen. I flipped a couple of hundred-dollar bills on the table for Patrick, then stood up and muttered, "Let get the hell outta here." I led the way to the front door, six boys behind me and Tom bringing up the rear, with the other diners staring at the parade, again. As we rounded the corner towards the entryway, we found all the employees standing there, clapping lightly and nodding their heads in acknowledgment as we passed by and the rest of the patrons struggled and stretched to see the cause of the brouhaha. When we were all finally outside, I turned to Tom and said, "We are never coming back to this place as long as I live. I have never been so goddam embarrassed in my life." "Max, calm down." "Don't fuckin' tell me to fuckin' calm down. I didn't go to the cops to get free meals for a year or any other damn prize or whatever the fuck they wanna call it." Tom grabbed my arm, jerking me to halt and spinning me around in the middle of the parking lot as the boys continued on to the car. "Max, listen to me. Mr. Crawford giving us a free meal wasn't a `prize', as you so crassly put it. It was a man and his employees showing their appreciation for something you've done, for making their church a safe place to take their kids. That's it. If you decide you don't want to come back here again, that's fine, but you'd be spitting in all their faces by not accepting their gift." "I don't want their goddam gift," I vented. "Get the boys in the car and get ready to go, I'll be right back." I walked back into the restaurant and upon reaching the greeting counter inside, I asked to see Mr. Crawford. When he came out of the kitchen, he was visibly surprised to see me standing there. "May I talk to you outside, Mr. Crawford? Please and thank you." "Certainly." After we stepped outside and moved away from the door, he asked, "Is there a problem Mr. Sanders?" "While I can appreciate the thought behind what you did today, I can't allow it to continue. My free meals stop today. Understood?" "If that's your wish, sir, I'll, of course, comply." "Good. Now, how many guests are you serving right now?" "We're pretty full, so close to two hundred diners." "And what's the average cost per person?" "Between fifteen and twenty dollars, why?" "So, two hundred meals at twenty bucks a pop, that's 4,000 dollars. Here's what you're going to do to make up for the way you needlessly embarrassed me and my family." I pulled my wallet out and fished out a credit card. "You're going to take this card, go back inside and enter a charge for 5,000 dollars on it. Bring the receipt to me out here and I'll sign it. Everyone inside right now is getting a free meal, on me, as my thank you to them for not embarrassing the hell out of me. And be quick about it, I have to get to a damn funeral." "Yes, sir, I'll be right back." True to his word, Mr. Crawford returned in just over a minute with the receipt for me to sign. He handed the receipt, a menu and a pen to me so I could do so. After signing it, I handed everything back to him and said, "Thank you. Now, none of the people whose meal I just paid for is to know it was me. Make up whatever bullshit story you want, but if my name is attached to it any way and I hear about it later, you'll never see me or any of my family in here again. Furthermore, if we ever do come back, I expect to be treated just like every other customer, no special treatment. Again, I appreciate the thought behind what you and your crew wanted to do, but I can't accept it just for doing the right thing. If you'd like to honor me in some way, then once a week for the next year, surprise some other unsuspecting guest and their family to a free meal. Preferably someone with a big family that looks like their dinner might blow their budget that week. Think you can do that?" "Yes, Mr. Sanders. Please accept my apologies for what happened today." "Apology accepted. Now, I've got to get going." I turned and hustled to the car so we could still be on time for the funeral. Tom weaved his way thought the Sunday afternoon traffic to get us to the church on time. With the service supposed to start at two, it was going to be close. With Mario Andretti in a Tom costume at the wheel, though, we managed to arrive at the church with ten minutes to spare. As soon as Tom shut off the engine, the boys were out the doors and running for the front door like the devil himself was nipping at their heels. Fortunately, they waited outside for us to join them so we could enter as a single group. We easily found the contingent from the Sherriff's department as they were all in their uniforms and we took the pew behind them, laying our hands on Dylan and Malcom's shoulders as we passed behind them. The service itself was just another overblown, overly religious show of piety that gnawed relentlessly at my guts. Of course, St. Al's is a catholic parish, so it was pretty much what I'd expected. They somehow managed to draw what should have been fifteen minutes of service into an hour and a half with a bunch of ridiculous kneeling, then standing, then sitting, ad infinitum. At one point during the service, during the recitation of the Lord's Prayer, we were asked to hold hands with each other, so there the eight of us were, Tom on one end of the pew, me on the other end with the six boys between us, silently holding hands. A few minutes later in the service we were asked to `offer each other the sign of peace.' Not having a clue what they were talking about, we watched other people who we assumed to be regular members of the congregation and discovered they were either shaking hands, hugging or kissing each other on the cheek. So, again, we followed suit sharing handshakes, hugs and cheek kisses up and down the pew, the boys quietly giggling as the weirdness moved from Tom through all six boys and ended with me. Malcom and Dylan got their wires a bit crossed up and kissed each other on the lips instead of their cheeks, causing the rest of his people from his department to giggle a bit. They received some rather negative glances from other people at the service, mostly because of the giggling, I assumed, but it could also have been from the two black men kissing each other on the lips. The whole thing was ridiculous, in my mind anyway. And once it was over, I was thanking my lucky stars that I lived my life by using common sense and didn't kowtow to the ridiculous beliefs followed by this group of sheep. As we waited for the procession to the cemetery to be ready to leave, we stood on the sidewalk in front of the church where we were soon joined by Dylan and Malcom. Both had wide smiles on their faces as they held hands and gave us all hugs. "We trust you two had a fun night," Tom cracked when the hugs were done. "More fun than should be legal," Malcom retorted. "Did you pick a date to make it official, yet?" I asked. "Well, we talked about it a little bit when we weren't otherwise occupied," Dylan started, "and seeing as we want to make sure you guys can be there, we've pretty much ruled out May. We know you've got a busy month. Looks like we're gonna shoot for early June." "That sounds great, guys. You can be sure we'll be there." "Us, too," Alex added. "I should hope so," Malcom replied. "Wouldn't be the same without you boys to celebrate with us." We soon saw Helen and her kids coming out the front door of the church, followed by the casket. "Well, looks like we're about to move, better get in the car folks," Dylan commented. We headed for our car while Dylan and Malcom headed for theirs. Once everyone was loaded up and ready to go, the Sherriff's Department blocked the street and the hearse made a U-turn on Sangamon Avenue to begin the slow trek to Oak Ridge Cemetery. We fell in line about half-way back in the procession. Once at the cemetery, Malcom joined us while Dylan moved to the hearse to lead the group of pallbearers to the open grave. We dutifully followed along and were soon surrounding the site that had been prepared that morning. The boys were in awe as we passed by Abraham Lincoln's tomb on the way to Barry's gravesite and they made us promise to come back some day so they could tour the tomb itself. The service at the gravesite was thankfully much shorter than the one at the church and in less than twenty minutes, it was time to leave. Or so I thought. Since none of the boys had ever been to a funeral before, they wanted to stay and watch the workers lower the casket into the ground. We had them sit in the seats recently vacated by Helen and her family so they could do that while the four adults moved off about forty feet to talk quietly. As luck would have it, Helen and her kids passed by us on the way to the limo for the ride home. She saw us and stepped over, placing a hand on Tom's arm. "Oh, Tom, thanks for coming. I wasn't sure if you'd be here since you've left the department. I'm so glad you survived your incident. It's too bad Barry didn't have your luck." "Of course, I'm here, Helen. I'm so sorry for your loss." "Thanks for saying that Tom, but I'm getting awfully tired of hearing it. I can't wait for the day to come when someone just wishes for me to have a good day, again." "How are the kids doing?" Tom asked. "About like you'd expect. Shocked, depressed, don't want to eat, don't want to play. All they do is mope around all day and night. Not that I'm that much better in that regard, mind you." "There will be better days ahead, Helen. It may be a while, but you'll all get there." "I hope so. May I ask who you've brought with you?" "Of course, please forgive my bad manners, Helen. This is my fianc�, Max Sanders." "It's nice to meet you, Helen. I'm sorry it had to be under these circumstances. If there's anything we can do for you, please let us know." "That's very kind of you, Max. But, I must say I find it odd that you would be here after what my husband did. I do hope you can find it in your heart to forgive him his failures as a responsible man." "Already done, Helen." "Thank you, Max. That means a lot to me." Our boys finally ran over and rejoined us. "Oh, my," Helen said in surprise. "Who are all these young men?" "These are our sons, Helen," Tom answered. Tom introduced them as he placed a hand on their shoulder or top of their head. "This is Joey, T.J., Mike, Alex, Andy and Logan. Logan is a friend of Joey and Alex's and he's just staying with us for a while." "My, oh, my. Men getting married and having sons. How the world is changing. I want you both to know that while I may be a catholic, one of their teachings I absolutely despise is their vitriol towards gays. I believe as long as two people love each other, it's nobody else's business. I wish you all the best of luck in the future. I think you are going to make a very lovely family." "Thank you, Helen," I replied. "That's kind of you to say." "Well, look, I really must be going. That stupid limo from the funeral home is being charged by the hour and I really don't want to keep it any longer than I have to. When you have time, I'd like it if you could drop by the house and visit. I feel my days are going to be rather long and lonely now." "We'll do that, Helen," Tom answered. She patted Tom's arm, shook my hand and hugged all the boys before she turned to join her own kids for their sad ride home. "Looks like it's time for us to be moving along, also, don't you think?" I asked. "What do you think about dropping by mom and dad's while we're in town?" "Sure, why not?" Tom answered while the boys all cheered at the unexpected detour. We turned towards our car and found Dylan and Malcom headed towards their car, also. We picked up our pace so we could catch them and say our goodbyes to them before moving on with our day. "Dylan, Malcom, wait up," I called out, bringing them to a stop. When we were all together again, I added, "So, what happens with you two now?" "I get to go back home to Bloomington and finish out the school year while also putting out feelers for a job down here," Malcom answered. "And I get to go back to an empty house and be bored and lonely until he can move down here permanently," Dylan added. "You're always welcome at our house, boss," Tom volunteered. "Not much chance of you being either bored or lonely there." "Good point. But soon enough, I'll be out there every day as we get things going with our new jobs. I'm looking forward to it." "Us, too, Dylan," I said. "We're glad last night worked out so well with you guys. We were a little apprehensive, but still felt we were doing a good thing. Guess we were right," I chuckled. "Right on the money, Max. We can't thank you guys enough for bringing us back together." "Yeah, we waited way too long to do it ourselves. Thanks for kickin' us both in the ass," Malcom added. With hugs all around and a lot of goodbyes, we finally split up and went our separate ways. After the short drive across town, we pulled up in front of mom and dad's house and climbed back out of the car. The boys grabbed their packs and ran up to the porch, ringing the bell before Tom and I could join them. The two of us had just joined the boys when the front door opened to reveal Dad standing there, wrapped in a towel. "Hey, guys, come on in," he greeted us as he stood back and held the door open. "Uh, we're not interrupting anything, are we, Dad," I asked as I stepped inside. "What? Oh, you mean the towel. No, your mom and I were just enjoying some comfort this afternoon. Didn't want to scare off anybody by answering the door nude. Although, if it had been the Jehovah's Witnesses on our porch, I wouldn't have bothered with the towel. Probably would've sent them right on out of the neighborhood," he chuckled. "Rose!" Dad yelled, "It's okay to come out, it's Max, Tom and the boys. C'mon in and make yourselves at home, guys," he added as he closed the door, pulled the towel from his waist and sat back down in his favorite chair. Mom came out of the hallway, nude, of course, and proceeded to give us all hugs. She had a hard time getting hugs from the boys as they were all busy getting undressed. Though we'd talked about it before and had even been nude with Bill and Estelle, this was first time I'd been around mom and dad when they were nude. And for some odd reason, I was feeling a bit uncomfortable about it. Maybe it's just because they're my parents. But then I remembered Tom saying the first few minutes he was nude with his parents, it felt a little weird to him, too. Not wanting to be the only clothed sticks in the mud, we finally relented and joined the rest of the family. "So, who's the new lad?" Dad asked. "Last I knew, you only have five boys." "Mom, Dad, this is Logan Campbell. He's a friend of Joey and Alex's from school. He's going to be staying with us for a while as his dad deals with some problems. Logan, my mom and dad." "Hi there, nice to meet ya'," Logan said with a little wave. "Good to meet you, too, Logan," Mom replied. "Now that we've finally gotten naked together, son, I can see why you fell for Tom," Dad cracked. "He sure puts us to shame," "Really, old man? You just couldn't resist, could you?" "Nope," he laughed. "Whatever floats your boat, I guess. How `bout it, Rose?" "If Max hadn't, I sure would have," she giggled. Tom was turning bright red and I said, "All right you two, that's enough. We don't want the boys to be hearing crap like this." "Why not, Dad," Alex asked, "If I was older, I'd go for Pops, too." "That's enough, all of you. We just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing. If you're going to be gross, we'll just go." "We're just messin' with ya', son," Dad replied. "Don't be goin' off into a snit, okay?" "Besides, we're just fine," Mom added. "How are Warren's wife and daughter doing?" "About like you'd expect," Mom answered. "This morning, at church, we heard that they're planning to move back to Rockford where her family is." "That's probably a good idea. I'm sure they wouldn't feel too comfortable around here after what happened at the church and the implications Warren's suicide created." "That's part of it for sure," Dad agreed, "but I don't think she wanted to move here in the first place. She always seemed to be miserable to me." "Do you think she knew what Warren was doing?" Tom asked. "It's possible, I guess, though she'll never say." "Oh, by the way, we have a little bit of good news for you," I said. "You want to tell them, Andy?" "Yeah, I get to be adopted, too. Isn't that great?" "That's wonderful, Andy," Mom gushed. "And guess what's even better than that, Mama Rose," Joey asked. "I can't imagine." "We all get adopted on the same day, May seventeenth," Alex volunteered. "Oh, my, that's absolutely perfect. That's going to make for a very busy day. I'll have to talk with Estelle and we'll have to make a few changes in our plans for that day." We spent the next hour visiting, including the boys filling in our parents on their schoolwork and other developments such as the hiring of Ron to come in and help out with things around the house. Mom and dad were both intrigued that we'd trust somebody to actually live with us, especially considering how we lived. We tried to calm their concerns as best we could, but in the end, we all agreed there was a certain amount of risk involved and we were taking a leap of faith. We also filled them in on our presence in town today and how Barry was the one who gave my name to the newspaper. Both were surprised that I'd attend the man's funeral, but finally understood I only went out of respect for Helen and her kids. When it came time for us to head home, the boys got dressed in extra clothes they'd brought with them so they wouldn't get their good clothes dirty while Tom and I wore what we'd worn to the funeral. After hugs all around, we headed outside and climbed in the car. As Tom pulled away from the curb, I said, "You know, I don't feel much like cookin' tonight when we get home. Why don't we take a short drive and get some of the best pizza you'll ever have?" "Sounds good to me," Tom agreed. "What do you guys think?" With cheers of acceptance from all six boys, the decision was made. "Okay, boss, tell me where I'm going." "Just exit at Veteran's Parkway and head south to Virden. When we get in town, I'll tell you where to go." He followed my directions and thirty minutes later, we pulled up in front of a small building with the name `DiCarlo's Pizza' on it. As usual, they were busy, but they had a table that would work out just fine for us. After ordering our regular four large pizzas, we settled in for the wait. Despite the number of customers, our supper was delivered in about twenty minutes and we wasted no time in digging in. We allowed it to cool for a minute or two before taking the first bite, but once that threshold was crossed, we polished off all four pizzas rather quickly amid moans of delight. "Oh, god," Tom groaned when he was full. "I ate way more than I should have, but it was too good to stop. This place has `Capone's' beat, hands down. Why have you been keeping it a secret from us?" "I wasn't really, it's just hard to get down here on a regular basis. But now that we have, I can see we'll have to change that, won't we." "You bet, Dad," T.J. exclaimed. "That was the best pizza I've ever had." "I'm glad you guys liked it. We'll have to plan to come back at least once a month." "I vote for every two weeks," Alex joked. "What's wrong with every day?" Joey asked with a laugh. "When you can make the drive yourself, and pay for your own gas, you're more than welcome to come here as much as you'd like. Until then, once a month will have to suffice." "Dang it," Joey muttered. "I tried guys," he added as he looked to his brothers. After paying the bill and leaving a generous tip for our server for having to deal with eight of us, we fell into the car and began the forty-minute drive to home. As we headed into the house, Andy asked, "Can we go swimming?" "I don't see why not. Give us a minute and we'll meet you guys in the living room." When all had joined up by the door to the pool, we zipped on out and jumped in. And the battle commenced. T.J., Mike and Andy set their sights on me while Alex, Logan and Joey took on the challenge of Tom. The three boys did everything they could to dunk me, but I put up a heck of a fight. I could see Tom was giving his all in his own battle ten feet away. Again, T.J. locked his arms around my neck, his legs around my waist and held on for dear life. Mike and Andy were working at my sides trying to push me over when T.J. loosened his grip on my neck slightly and let himself slide down until my stiff member slid neatly into his rear crevice. After seeing the look of surprise on my face, he just grinned up at me and I could tell he was enjoying himself. Having been caught off-guard by the underwater contact, Mike and Andy took advantage of the situation and with one final push, they toppled me over, taking T.J. under with me. As he let go of my body and started to swim away, his stiff poker was dragged up my torso and then across my face in his escape. I surfaced, gasping for air, and the three were cheering loudly at having won their battle. I looked over at the other skirmish still going on and decided to help Tom out. I waded over and upon reaching the struggling group, I started to tickle the boys' ribs. As soon as they loosened their grip on Tom, he easily vanquished his enemy and declared victory. "Hey, that's not fair!" Joey yelled. "Yeah, you got help," Alex added. "You should always be aware of your enemy's forces and their locations," Tom said. "Let that be your lesson for tonight." With that, we turned and retreated to our corner and let the boys work on new battle strategies. "Well, that was fun," Tom deadpanned. "Thanks for the helping hands." "Always happy to help. Next time, you get to rescue me." "I'll be happy to do so." We watched the boys wear themselves out for the next forty-five minutes and when I could see them starting to slow down, decided it was time to get out. As we headed for our towels, the boys climbed out and joined us at the table to dry off. They were all looking pretty wiped out as we herded them into the house and through the showers. They were so tired and still full from stuffing themselves at supper, they crawled into their beds as soon as they dried off again, forgoing their evening snacks. After sharing our kisses and hugs goodnight with the twins and Logan, we headed to do the same with T.J., Andy and Mike. Andy was already snoring lightly and I could tell Mike wasn't far from joining him. T.J., however, whispered in my ear, "I'll be there in five minutes. They should both be toast by then." I gave a simple nod of acknowledgement before we turned out the light and headed for our own shower. While stepping in and turning on the shower in our bathroom, I said, "We need to move along. T.J. said he'd be here in five minutes. Hope you still have some energy left." "I'll find some, don't worry," he chuckled. "I'm sure I will, too." We'd just climbed into bed and pulled up the covers when there was light rapping on the door. The door cracked open and T.J. stuck his head inside and asked, "Can I come in now?" For those who might be interested, the restaurant mentioned in this chapter, DiCarlo's Pizza does, indeed, exist. The family that owns this place somehow landed in Virden, where I grew up, straight from Sicily. They opened in 1976 and are still doing great business today. They also make the best pizza I have ever had with recipes they brought with them. They make their own sauce, dough and everything. If you are ever in the Springfield, Illinois area, you owe it to yourself and your family to make the thirty-mile drive to Virden and experience it for yourself. I guarantee you won't be disappointed. If you'd like more information on Oak Ridge Cemetery and Lincoln's tomb, the following links will take you to their sites: http://www.oakridgecemetery.org/ http://www.lincolntomb.org/

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 61</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family"><span>enderwiggin61@outlook.com</span></a></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html"><span>http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</span></a><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments"><span>https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</span></a></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk496302862"></a><a name="_Toc495654000"><span>Chapter 61 �</span></a><span> The Surprise Reunion</span></h2> <p><span>Logan came back with Malcom in tow and he jumped on the couch with T.J., Andy and Mike while Malcom took the empty spot on the love seat next to Dylan.</span></p> <p><span>His being there didn't immediately register, but Dylan finally looked at the newcomer and said, "Oh, hey, Mal, what's up?" before looking back to Tom and me to continue our conversation.</span></p> <p><a name="_Hlk495359500"><span>"Not much, Dyl, what's up with you, man?" Dylan did a triple take before it finally sank into his thick skull exactly who had sat next to him.</span></a></p> <p><span>"MALCOM!! What the ...? How the ...? Where the ...?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, man, nice to see you, too. Can a dude get a freakin' hug?"</span><span> That was all it took as the two men leaned closer and wrapped their arms around each other. </span></p> <p><span>Thinking they might want a little privacy for a few minutes, I stood and signaled the family to join me in the kitchen. Once we arrived there, Tom and I started work on getting the grills ready to cook steaks and we had the boys get out everything they would need to set the table in a bit. The potatoes had been in the oven for about half an hour already, so they would be ready to go when the steaks were. I had Logan find the second butter dish and put out another stick since I assumed most of us would want some on our spuds. When the boys had everything ready for the table, we shooed them off to the theater to watch Animal Planet or something while we started cooking the steaks.</span></p> <p><span>"Ohmigod, Mal, I've missed you so damn much. I didn't think I'd ever see you again," I cried.</span></p> <p><span>"Me, too, Dyl. I've never gotten over havin' to leave you," Malcom sobbed.</span></p> <p><span>We sat there on the love seat holding onto each other and crying our eyes out, overjoyed at being together again after all the years apart. Neither one of us wanted to let go for fear the other would disappear in a puff of smoke. After several minutes of squeezing the stuffing out of each other, my curiosity couldn't be kept at bay any longer. I broke our embrace and asked the question that had been on my mind since we were sixteen and the guy I loved was ripped from my life.</span></p> <p><span>"I gotta know, man. Where the hell'd you disappear to, Mal? And why?"</span></p> <p><span>"You remember what a prick my old man always was, don't ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he hated fags, that's why we always had to be extra careful when we were at your house."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, well, one time we weren't quite careful enough, man. I screwed up and left the damn curtains open. Course, it just had to be the same fuckin' day the asshole decides to walk by my window. He saw me slippin' you the old salami and it was game over. He waited `til you left to lower the boom, but once he did, it was all over but the cryin'. He'd called his brother in Chicago, told him we had to move right now and asked if he could put us up `til we could find a different place. Good old Uncle Art happily said, `come on up'. So, we loaded up the car that weekend and were gone. The fucker wouldn't even let me call you to say goodbye."</span></p> <p><span>"But you <i>never</i> called, man? It's been almost twenty years and I ain't heard shit from you since."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the old man made sure we didn't have a phone in our apartment, so I couldn't call nobody from home. And he had my sister, Jackie, followin' me ever where I went with orders to tell him if I did call anybody. By the time I got the fuck outta that prison and moved to Bloomington, I'd heard you'd become a cop. I've wanted to call you so many times since then, but I just couldn't make myself do it. I was afraid if you was thinking `bout me, you'd screw up someday and get your sorry ass blown away. I wasn't gonna have that on my conscience."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you don't' have to worry `bout that any longer. I quit this week."</span></p> <p><span>"That's what Tom said. Sorry `bout you losin' a guy. That's gotta suck, big time."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry `bout it. Barry was on his way out the door anyway. I've been pretty fucked up the last couple days, but the more I think about it, the more pissed off I get at the dumb son-of-a-bitch. The stupid bastard was sellin' information to the newspaper to cover his gamblin' debts. Gave them the name and number of a victim in a child sex abuse case. I'm sorry for his wife and kids, but he fucked up and paid the price for it. End of story."</span></p> <p><span>"Other than that, how ya' been, man?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not too bad, I guess. Lonely as hell without you around. I hope we can change that."</span></p> <p><span>"Me, too, Dyl. Have you figured out what you're gonna do when you hang up the gun and badge?"</span></p> <p><span>"Tom and I are going to work together doing background investigations on people looking to adopt. We plan to specialize on helping gay kids find their forever families. I'll still be helping people, just in a different way."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds great, man. How'd you hook up with these guys, anyway?"</span></p> <p><span>"Tom was one of my deputies. He quit the force right after he met Max and they decided they were meant to be together."</span></p> <p><span>"I've always felt the same way about us, Dyl, we were meant to be together. Then my old man went and screwed us over. So, here's my question for you; where do we go from here? Do you still want me in your life?"</span></p> <p><span>"More than ever, man. And Barry gettin' killed just reminds me of how short life is, and I don't wanna waste another fuckin' minute of it. I still love you, always have, always will. I can't think of anyone I'd rather grow old with. You think you want to join me in that journey?"</span></p> <p><span>"You really have to ask a stupid question like that? I was just waitin' for you to quit bein' a damn cop before I told you I still cared about you. I couldn't have handled us getting back together and then you gettin' hurt, or worse. I'm ready for a future that includes you. Just give the word."</span></p> <p><span>"Consider it given. God, how I've longed to see you again. I can't believe this is really happening."</span></p> <p><span>"You need to thank Tom for that. If we'd left it up to you or me, we'd both be dead and buried before we got our shit together," Malcom chuckled. Before I realized what was happening, Malcom had moved off the love seat and was kneeling on the floor in front of me, holding both of my hands in his. "Dylan Brock, I love you more than life itself. And I'm tired of living this empty shell of a life I have for the last twenty years. I want, and need you to make my life whole, from this day forward, until the end of time. Will you marry me?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're damn right I will. Get up here you hopeless romantic," I answered as I stood, pulled Malcom to his feet and we wrapped each other in a hug, sharing a sweet and tender kiss.</span></p> <p><span>After getting the steaks on the grill, I peeked into the living room to see what was happening with our guests. "Ps-s-s-t, Tom, get your ass over here," I hissed. "You ain't gonna believe what's going on in there."</span></p> <p><span>"What?" he asked as he walked over and stuck his head around the corner to peer into the living room with me. "Holy shit, is that what I think it is?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure looks like it to me. It's like d�j� vu all over again," I giggled. "Oh, crap, here they come, let's get back to the steaks." Tom and I had just returned to the stove and were flipping the steaks when Dylan and Malcom joined us in the kitchen. Both men's faces were split by an ear-to-ear smile and they were holding hands as only lovers do.</span></p> <p><span>"Ahem," Dylan coughed, "We have a little announcement to make. Where's the boys at?"</span></p> <p><span>"They're in the theater. I'll go get `em." I hustled to retrieve the boys and after shutting everything down, returned to the kitchen for the `announcement'.</span></p> <p><span>When all of us had regrouped in the kitchen, Dylan continued. "Since you guys made this possible, we want you to be the first people to know. Malcom and I are getting married."</span></p> <p><span>After all the cheering, hugs, congratulations and celebrating had finally calmed down, I was the first to speak when I said, "Welcome to the family, Malcom. It'll be our pleasure to welcome you to the fold."</span></p> <p><span>Malcom came over, pulled me into another hug and said, "Thanks, Max, it'll be nice to have a family again. I'd forgotten what it feels like to be connected with other people and I look forward to relearning that with all you guys." He released me and gave Tom an even longer hug while saying, "Thanks for finding my sorry lost ass, man. You've made a dream come true today. I'll forever be in your debt."</span></p> <p><span>Dylan came over and grabbed Tom and I into a hug and said, "I hope you both know how much I love you for giving Malcom back to me. A man couldn't ask for better brothers than the two of you." After releasing us, he then turned to the boys and knelt down to their level, adding, "And if your dads are my brothers, I guess that makes all of you my nephews." Our five ran into Dylan's outstretched arms, almost knocking him on his ass, while Logan held back, unsure if he should join in. "That goes for you, too, Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"But I ain't family, Mr. Brock."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, you are, buddy, get over here." Logan ran over and joined the others with a big smile filling his face, happy to be part of the family.</span></p> <p><span>"Does that mean we can call you Uncle Dylan `stead of Mr. Brock?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, boys, and Malcom will be your uncle, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Really!? Cool beans, dudes!" Alex exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Wouldn't have it any other way, guys," Malcom agreed as he knelt for another hug with the boys. "The only problem I can see is figuring out which one of you is which," he added as he held the twins back for a moment.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that's easy," Joey giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, all ya' gotta do is look at our butts," Alex added with his own giggle. Both promptly turned around so Malcom could see the birth mark that was evident on Alex's behind.</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, that's ever so helpful, boys. All you have to do now is be nude and walk backwards all the time. Problem solved," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"It would be if our dads would let us go naked everywhere," Joey laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, don't see that happening any time in the future, boys. Sorry," I said.</span></p> <p><span>"Aw, dang it. You just take the fun outta everything," Andy whined.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, everyone, the steaks are about ready to roll," Tom interjected. "Boys, why don't you get the table set?" All six jumped to their task with Alex and Joey getting drinks for everyone with Logan taking the glasses to the table. After one more flip and a few more minutes on the grills, the steaks were done, so we pulled the potatoes out of the oven and got everything on the table. After taking our seats, Tom cut Andy's steak, I cut Mike's and Malcom took care of T.J.'s. Yep, he was truly part of the family now. Most of our conversation during the meal was filling Malcom in on who we were and how we all ended up here together. He was very interested to hear the boys' stories and how they'd all survived their lives' rough beginnings.</span></p> <p><span>We also found out that Malcom was a college professor who taught psychology, most notably abnormal psych. He currently taught at Illinois State University in Bloomington/Normal. But after agreeing to become Dylan's partner and spouse, he talked about checking into possible openings at the local campus of the University of Illinois. While he wouldn't mind the commute to Bloomington to teach, he wanted his job to be closer to home so the two could spend as much time together as possible to make up for all the time they'd already lost.</span></p> <p><span>As we were winding down at the table, I looked at Malcom and commented, "By the way, Malcom, you may want to be careful of the thoughts and ideas that roam freely in your mind when you're here."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, why's that?" he asked inquisitively.</span></p> <p><span>"Because three of these young lads can reach into your mind, read those thoughts and they can see the images that flit through there, also."</span></p> <p><span>"You can't be serious," he enthused with a look a of surprise. "Which ones?" he added as he looked back towards the boys.</span></p> <p><span>"Just think about something that has a strong emotional connection and you'll find out," Tom answered. Tom, Dylan and I sat back and watched as Malcom closed his eyes and conjured up something.</span></p> <p><span>T.J. was the first to sense something and said, "Really, Uncle Malcom? Sorry, but we're not allowed to talk about sex at the dinner table. Dad finds it embarrassing for some reason."</span></p> <p><span>Alex and Joey started snickering at the other end of the table and Joey said, "Oh, man, I bet that hurts like hell." That got all the boys laughing hysterically.</span></p> <p><span>Dylan stared at Malcom and commented, "Really, dude, of all the things you could have focused on, <i>that's</i> what you picked."</span></p> <p><span>Malcom's jaw dropped and his eyes opened wide at the boys' revelations. "Holy, crap. That's unreal. I've worked with twins before and knew many of them could feel things the other was feeling, but I've never seen where they can do it with other people. And T.J., my god, that's unbelievable. There's got to be some trick going on here."</span></p> <p><span>"No tricks, Uncle Malcom, I promise," T.J. responded. "Besides, you just hooked back up with a guy you've been in love with forever but also haven't seen in forever, either. Of course, you're gonna be thinking about having sex with him. But, I gotta agree with Joey, that's gonna hurt." After his last statement, T.J. wiggled in his chair as if to reinforce the idea.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, this is so cool. I've waited all my life to find people like you."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean, Uncle Malcom?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You talkin' gay kids, nudists, or just freaks like us?" Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you're not freaks boys. You have a special gift that not very many people have. I'd love to work with you guys and see just how far your capabilities go."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we can talk to each other without sayin' a word. I think it and it pops up in his mind," Alex offered. </span></p> <p><span>"We also found out just the other night that we can make each other punch ourselves. Is that far enough?" Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean by punching yourselves?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we were mad at each other and I just thought about punchin' Joey in the nose and he did it to himself."</span></p> <p><span>"And that pissed me off even more, so I got Alex to black his own eye."</span></p> <p><span>"Ohmigod! That sounds like it might be psychokinesis. There've been reported incidents over the years, but most have been thoroughly debunked. Others are still questionable, but most likely faked. This is the first possible case I've heard about in years."</span></p> <p><span>"What that sikokiwhatever?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Psychokinesis, T.J. It's the ability to have an effect on the material world by using only your mind to cause that change. It's been talked about and claimed by people for years, but no one has ever been able to prove it in a controlled experiment that anyone truly has such abilities. And your brothers may just finally be the ones to prove it's possible. And you both can talk to the other, mind to mind?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah," Joey answered like it should be obvious, "we been doin' that for years. T.J. can do it now, too. He's really good at it."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my. I'm in heaven," Malcom whispered. "Max, Tom, if it's okay with you guys and your sons, I'd like to work with them after I move to Springfield this summer. I think there's a real chance for some breakthroughs with them."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure the boys wouldn't mind doing it, Malcom, but we need to think about that," I responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we wouldn't want to see them exploited or become a sideshow act," Tom added.</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, fellas. I wouldn't dream of letting that happen. It's entirely up to you, but if you think it's something you'll allow, I want to be the one to do it. That's all I ask."</span></p> <p><span>"Fair enough," I replied. "We'll consider it."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Uncle Dylan," Logan started, "What's goin' on with my dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad you asked, Logan. I've found a counselor who's agreed to work with both of you. After your dad goes to court next week, he'll be released so he can go back home and start working with the counselor. Once he's been a few times by himself, they'll want you to be there with him so you two can start to work things out together."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I see him after he gets to go back home?"</span></p> <p><span>"That can probably be arranged, but I'm sure your visits will have to be supervised by someone until the counselor says it's okay for you to go back home."</span></p> <p><span>"He's welcome to come here to have a visit," I offered.</span></p> <p><span>"You sure about that? He don't like you guys much."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what? His son's living here and Logan's the one that matters. I think it would do Charlie some good to see we're not the evil people he's been led to believe we are."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if it's okay with you, then I'll tell that to the judge next week and see what he thinks."</span></p> <p><span>"So, is everybody ready to get this mess dealt with and hit the pool?" A chorus of yesses spread through the group, so we got busy and started our cleanup. The boys had the table cleaned up in very short order and the adults took care of the rest of the mess. In twenty minutes, we were all ready to relax in the pool, so we grabbed towels and headed outside. The boys, as usual, wasted no time in dropping their towels on chairs or the table and jumped right in. Us adults, on the other hand, bypassed the regular muggings we usually received and immediately headed for the deep end and our favorite corner.</span></p> <p><span>Once we'd settled in, Malcom commented, "Those are some great boys, you guys. Polite, kind, smart as whips and mature beyond their ages. You got lucky, man. They could be like Dyl and I were at that age, hell on wheels, ain't that right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, Malcom," Dylan interjected, "Could we dispense with our nicknames from when we were kids? I much prefer my full name now."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Dyl-<i>an</i>," Malcom snickered. "So sorry if I've offended you," he cracked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not offended, it's just that `Dyl' is only two letters away from being <i>dildo</i>, and I'd just as soon not be saddled with that moniker."</span></p> <p><span>"Speaking of dildoes," Malcom started, "you should have some company make a mold of your cock and sell a latex version. You'd become a very rich man. I can just see all those lonely and frustrated white women whose husbands don't give `em a fuck anymore lining up to buy the `Dyl-do'. They could be made in different colors, but the black version would outsell the others ten to one," he laughed and we all joined him.</span></p> <p><span>"Tell you what, Malcom, you find an adult novelty company close by and I'll do just that. You just might find a few frustrated gay guys who'd pay for the challenge of taking me up their ass, too."</span></p> <p><span>"No doubt about it. I know one dude who can't wait to have that monster back in his ass."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, would you two like to borrow our bedroom for a while?" I asked with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, we're good, Max. We always talk like this, just bullshittin', ya' know. I guess old habits die hard."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like the way I wanna die, in bed and hard with my lover here," Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, Tom, I hate to ask what might be a personal question," Dylan started, "but I'm going to anyway. You mind explaining the recent change in appearance since the last time I was here."</span></p> <p><span>"What are you talkin' about? I haven't changed nothin'," Tom protested.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, so it was Max who did it, huh? I shoulda known. What happened, Max, he get some creepie-crawlies in his pubes and you just couldn't take it anymore?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that," Tom replied with a laugh. "No, nothin' like that, boss. I was just startin' to feel out of place around here with all these other hairless guys. Thought I'd see what it's like."</span></p> <p><span>"And?" Malcom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not too bad," Tom said. "I'm still getting' used to it, though. I do think trimmin' the shrubbery makes the tree look bigger," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, god knows I don't need to do that," Dylan laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"No, you don't," Malcom agreed. "I might consider it though. It wouldn't hurt me in the least to seem a little bigger in that department."</span></p> <p><span>"You're perfect just as you are, Malcom," Dylan said. "But if you decide to make a change, I won't argue about it either."</span></p> <p><span>"Any suggestions, Max?" Malcom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I rarely actually shave there because of the problem of ingrown hairs. The rest of the body, that doesn't seem to be an issue, but pubic hairs, for some reason, tend to do it more often than not. It could be because of their natural curl, so I just trim them really short."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for the advice. I may give it a shot sometime," Malcom replied. "So, Tom, when do you think you'll be starting your new career?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hopefully the week after next. Our contractor is supposed to be coming to paint the boys' other bedroom early next week. Once that's done, the guy who built the new furniture for the boys' rooms and my office is supposed to show up with their furniture first and mine after that. Dylan's new desk won't be ready for a bit, but he still has almost two weeks before he's gonna be ready to join me."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds cool. Are you anxious to get started?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I am. While it's been kinda nice to just lounge around and take it easy the past few weeks, my brain's starting to turn to mush. I have to re-engage it at some point, and the sooner the better."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I wish you both luck with your new venture," Malcom replied.</span></p> <p><span>We talked for the next hour about a little bit of everything and I really liked Malcom. He's kind, witty, very serious about his career and highly intelligent. It didn't hurt that he was very easy on the eyes, also. It may not be politically correct to say it, but, for a man, he was beautiful. I could see how much he loved Dylan and had the feeling the two were going to be very happy together.</span></p> <p><span>"So, Max," Malcom asked, "what exactly do you do that allows you to live in this lap of luxury?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm an author, Malcom. I had four books that all became bestsellers. I've basically quit writing so I have time to focus on the family I've always wanted. I don't want to be distracted by my writing or have it take time away from the boys. Or Tom, either," I added as I gave him a kiss.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't let him bullshit you, Malcom," Tom interjected. "He started writing again just the other day."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, but that's just for the therapist. I have no intention of ever turning that crap into a book."</span></p> <p><span>"If you don't mind me asking, what are you seeing a therapist for? I might be able to help."</span></p> <p><span>"You'll find out soon enough, I guess, since you're gonna be family. I was sexually abused in our family's church a long time ago, but had repressed the memories of all of it until just recently. I'm working with a therapist to help me deal with it."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, sorry I asked." He then looked to Dylan and asked, "Wait, is he the one you told me about, the person whose name got leaked by the dude that got killed?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn it, Malcom," Dylan hissed. "I hadn't told him who gave his name to the paper yet."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait just a damn minute!" I exclaimed. "Barry's the one who did that? That motherfucker. If he wasn't already dead, I'd kill the son-of-a-bitch."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he was the one, Max," Dylan lamented. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but since he was already gone, I didn't think it would make any difference to you."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess it really doesn't, but damn it, I wish I'd had the chance to talk to him, tell him what I really thought about what he did."</span></p> <p><span>"Water over the dam, babe," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know. So y'all ready to get mugged? I think it's time we join the boys and get some exercise." The four of us left our corner and swam towards the shallow end of the pool. When we could walk, I warned Malcom, "Uh, the boys tend to be a bit <i>grabby</i> when we're in the pool. If that freaks you out, just tell `em to stop."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I grab back?" he asked with an evil grin.</span></p> <p><span>"We'd prefer you didn't. We're trying to teach them some manners and boundaries of what's acceptable and what isn't. I just wanted you to be aware <i>before</i> it happened."</span></p> <p><span>"Gotcha', man." We spent the next half hour roughhousing with the boys and did, indeed, get our workout for the day. I was watching Joey and Alex closely as they attacked poor Malcom and worked him over pretty good. At one point fairly early in their assault, I watched as Malcom gave them a quick talking to and then resumed their play. Since their chat seemed to have the desired effect, I returned my attention to T.J. who was my lone attacker tonight.</span></p> <p><span>At one point, T.J. wrapped his arms around my neck and his legs around my waist. I cupped my hands under his behind to help hold him up, burying his stiff poker in my belly. He then leaned in close to my ear and said, "Hey, Dad, can I ask you a question?"</span></p> <p><span>"Any time, T.J. What's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"I know I shouldn't know about this, but I can't help it, ya' know." After a quick nod from me, he looked me square in the eyes and continued. "You and Pops love boys, don't you? I mean, really <i>love</i> boys, in ways you probably shouldn't."</span></p> <p><span>I flushed with shame at T.J. divining this truth about us. I should have been surprised at the question, but knowing his abilities to pick up on things from out of nowhere, I wasn't. Just ashamed we had been so transparent to this young lad. In my mind, I knew it wasn't a matter of <i>if</i> he was going to ask, just <i>when</i>, and that time had just arrived. And in the interest of maintaining open lines of communication with our sons, I gave him an honest answer. "Yes, T.J., we do."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I was pretty sure that's what I picked up."</span></p> <p><span>"Does that bother you?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No, not really. It's kinda like bein' gay isn't it, you can't really control it, can you?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, son, we can't. And while that may be part of who Tom and I are, it doesn't change how we feel about all you guys. We love each and every one of you as our sons. And you should know that we would never do anything with any of you unless you asked."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know that, too. I haven't told the others what I figured out yet. I'm pretty sure Alex and Joey have a good idea, but Mike and Andy ain't got a clue."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you for that, I guess," I mumbled. </span></p> <p><span>"Look, I know Joey and Alex have done a few things with you and Pops, sex things, ya' know. And I guess what I wanna know is this; since you guys love boys, do you two wanna do that stuff with me, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're right, we have done some things with the twins. But, you need to understand that they have been goading us both since the first night all of you moved in. Does that seem weird to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I know they been pushing the issue. And, no, I don't think it's weird if that's what they want. I know you and Pops have never forced them to do something they didn't ask for. And teaching them how to make love to each other was really kinda sweet of you guys. You didn't have to do that, but you did it anyway. To me, it just shows how much you two really care about us, making sure they didn't hurt each other. But back to my question, do you wanna do those things with me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you'd like to, um, do some things with us, I'd be willing to explore some options. But after what you said in Anna's office the day we first met, I was pretty sure you wouldn't want anything like that to happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I was a rotten little shit that day, wasn't I?" he giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Honest would be more accurate, young man. What were you afraid of that day?"</span></p> <p><span>"That you'd do to me what Olivia's uncle does to her."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh?" I asked, surprise evident in my face. "What's he do?"</span></p> <p><span>"Look, she said she ain't told nobody but me `bout this, but her uncle does sex things with her every time he comes over. I guess she told me since she knew I was queer and probably figured I wouldn't care too much about what happened to a girl. But she was my older sister for a while and I do care about her. I'm scared for her, too. Besides, who's gonna believe me? I'm just some screwed up little pervert kid who likes to suck other boys' dicks in the bathroom at school."</span></p> <p><span>"You're <i>not</i> a screwed up little pervert, you're just who you are. And I'll believe you, T.J. What kinds of things did she say her uncle did?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, she told me that when he spends the night, after everyone goes to bed, he sneaks into her room, makes her get undressed and he does, too. Then, he licks her you know what and while he's doin' that, he sticks a couple fingers in her, usually one in each hole down there. When he's done getting' her off, he makes her suck his dick and jerk on him `til he comes. And since he doesn't want to leave any sign of what he's doin', he makes her swallow it. That's just sick. She doesn't like it and wants him to stop, but she's afraid if she tells her mom and dad, they'll believe him and not her."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh my god, that's horrible. What's his name?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ralph somethin' or other. I don't know his last name. I remember his first name `cause Olivia always said that her uncle Ralph makes her want to ralph."</span></p> <p><span>"I bet he does. Thanks for telling me about this. I'll pass it on to Dylan so he can check into it. We need to help protect Olivia and keep him from doing it again."</span></p> <p><span>"But if you tell Uncle Dylan, and Ralph gets in trouble, she'll know I told you!"</span></p> <p><span>"That may be, but would you rather let her uncle go on hurting her?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hell no! They should cut his balls off for doin' that shit to her."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I'm glad you feel that way. <i>Forcing</i> other people into sexual activity is always wrong, remember? We'll talk to Dylan before he and Malcom leave tonight and let him take it from there."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dad. I knew you'd help. I've wanted to tell somebody `bout it for a long time, but she made me promise not to say nothin' to nobody, or she'd cut <i>my</i> balls off, and I sure didn't want that."</span></p> <p><span>I snickered along with T.J. and said, "No, I bet not."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, back to me for a second. If I asked you and Pops to do sex things with me, would you really?"</span></p> <p><span>"Only if you that's what you truly want, buddy. We will never ask you to do something. It has to be your decision and you'll have to ask us. Understood?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, cool," he mumbled as he slid his body up and down my torso a few times before I felt his hardness twitch against my belly several times and his entire body quiver with delight as he came. "Thanks, Dad. I love you," he whispered as he leaned in and kissed me on the lips. "Talk to Pops, please. I really want to find out if it's as good as Joey and Alex say it is."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, buddy. We'll see what we can work out. You ready for a snack?"</span></p> <p><span>"Does a bear shit in the woods?" T.J. laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm gonna take that as a yes. Let's round up the other rascals and get outta here." I carried T.J. to the steps out of the pool, collecting the other five along the way. After a quick swipe of the towel over their bodies, they hustled off to their rooms to get cleaned up. As the four adults entered the house, I offered our shower to Dylan and Malcom while Tom and I steered ourselves towards the kitchen to get some brownies served up and ice cream ready to dip. I was just dropping the first dip onto a brownie when Andy, Mike and T.J. joined us. I directed them to the table for dessert since the four adults would be joining them tonight. Tom delivered each plate as I put the ice cream on it and we were soon rejoined by Alex, Joey and Logan with Dylan and Malcom not far behind them. Once everyone had their dessert, Tom and I finally joined everyone else at the table.</span></p> <p><span>"Dylan, I wanted to ask how things are going with the investigation at the church and everyone that's been arrested."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, with the FBI's assistance, we've finally finished collecting evidence at the church and allowed the membership to have their building back. Of course, with all the pictures and other materials we have from the file cabinets and computers, it seems unlikely that DNA will be needed to prosecute these people. The remaining members have promised to fill that hellhole with concrete and seal the room permanently. They can't do it until all the court cases are done, but it will happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, that means I still have the chance to see it again. When I'm ready for it, that is."</span></p> <p><span>"I still don't know what you hope to gain by going back in there, Max," Dylan commented.</span></p> <p><span>"I do," Malcom offered. "Visiting the scene of his abuse under his own control for once will allow Max to take back the power that was taken from him by his abusers. It's not that much different from a horse rider getting back on the horse after he's been thrown or fallen off his mount. It's conquering that fear and being able to move on."</span></p> <p><span>"Exactly, Malcom," I agreed. "That's the perfect analogy for why I need to do it. I had a hard time explaining it to Tom so it made sense."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, when you're ready for that step in your recovery, let me know and I'll go with you, just in case."</span></p> <p><span>"Deal. Thanks for the offer." I returned my attention to Dylan and continued my interrogation. "What about the people you've arrested? What's happening with them?"</span></p> <p><span>"All but two have been moved to a federal lockup until they're ready for trial. After hearing the scope of their operation, all the judges they've been in front of have denied them bail. The judges all assume they're serious flight risks and they don't want to give them the chance to disappear."</span></p> <p><span>"And what about the money? Has any of that been located?"</span></p> <p><span>"Some has, mostly in offshore banks in countries not fond of sharing their client's information. I know the FBI is going to be pulling out all the stops to get that money back here so it can be used to assist the victims of this ring, but it's not going to be easy. They're hoping when the banks are told of the source of the funds they're holding, they'll release it, but I'm not going to hold my breath for that to happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, what's going on with Frank and Iris?"</span></p> <p><span>Dylan gave a little chuckle before answering. "Well, Frank has been returned to the jail after his little trip to the hospital for his, uh, procedure. Unfortunately for him, he lost both of `em."</span></p> <p><span>"Lost both what, Uncle Dylan?" Alex queried.</span></p> <p><span>"His testicles, boys." All six boys cringed and grabbed their crotches as if they could keep the same fate from befalling them. "Iris did some pretty severe damage and the doctor said complete removal was the only logical and prudent solution."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I'm glad to hear it. That bastard doesn't deserve to have his balls, anyway. What about the money they owe the hotline?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks to your attorney's fine help, the lien's been placed on their property and any other assets we can locate. It'll take a while, but the money will eventually get to them."</span></p> <p><span>"And what about their trials, when are those going to happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"Who knows?" Dylan answered. "That's all in the hands of the lawyers, now. As the FBI is sifting through the files from the church, they're returning the Mueller's files to us so we have them available when the time comes. We've assigned two people in our department whose sole task is tracking down the kids they abused and setting up interviews with them and their parents. We've gotten back about forty files from the Fibbies so far and located about twenty-five to thirty of them. We're working from the most recent backward assuming the more recent victims will be easier to locate since they're most likely children still going to the church with their parents. So far, that's been the case."</span></p> <p><span>"And what's been the reaction to their kids having been abused from those parents you've talked to?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty much the same as yours, Max. Shock, anger, disgust, rage, denial, guilt. The few who didn't believe us initially were shown one of the pictures of their child and they finally realized what we were telling them was true. It has not been a fun job this week."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I'm sure it hasn't. Any idea why none of these kids had said anything to their parents? That's about the only thing I really don't remember, why I never told my mom and dad about what was happening."</span></p> <p><span>"The only excuse we've heard from the ones we've talked to is they were all threatened with some form of violence to either themselves or their family. Beatings, broken bones and even death threats have been used to keep them from talking. It's been a surprisingly effective deterrent. It's also possible that some type of drug like GHB was used sometimes. We just don't know for sure."</span></p> <p><span>"I still have a hard time grasping this has been going on for over thirty years and over 3,000 kids and not one of us has ever said anything to anybody."</span></p> <p><span>"Or, maybe some did and their parents didn't believe them or they moved to get away from it. There's so many possibilities, it'll take months, maybe years, to figure it all out.</span></p> <p><span>"What's the FBI saying about the people they've located so far?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty much the same as what we've found. The one thing they've discovered is that about two to three percent of the victims have committed suicide, some of them kids. All in all, a rather depressing statistic. We've been lucky so far that none of the Muellers victims have taken that route. From what Agent Fix has told me, they plan to charge the abusers with murder or manslaughter in those cases where their victims took their lives."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it sounds like progress is being made. Thanks for telling us what you know, Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"I figure since you started all this, Max, if anyone deserves to know what's going on, it's you."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I didn't start it, those animals did that. But I'm glad to be the one who stopped them."</span></p> <p><span>Everyone had finished their desserts while we talked and the boys took care of the cleanup, as usual. With their task completed, we shuffled them off to bed after they had a chance to give Malcom and Dylan goodnight hugs and kisses. While Tom and I followed in their footsteps, the other two lovers settled onto the love seat in the living room. We popped in on Alex, Joey and Logan first to find all three pleasuring each other. After forcing them to take a break, we managed to share our hugs, kisses, goodnights and love yous before they returned to their activities and we left to say goodnight to the other three boys. Andy, Mike and T.J. were curled together and waiting for their covers to be pulled up. These three always looked so sweet and innocent as they waited for us. </span></p> <p><span>Again, after sharing in our nightly ritual, we turned to leave when I heard T.J. whisper, "Don't forget to talk to Pops." With my reassurance I would, we turned out the light and closed the door.</span></p> <p><span>Walking back down the hall to the living room, Tom asked, "What are you supposed to talk to me about?"</span></p> <p><span>"After Dylan and Malcom are gone, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>With a quick nod of acknowledgement, we rejoined the other two and got comfortable in our chairs. "Dylan, I hate to bring up more work for you, especially since your time on the job is short, but when we were in the pool, T.J. told me about something you need someone to check out."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"He told me his former foster sister is being abused by her uncle."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, shit, what's this world comin' to? You can't hardly turn around anymore without hearing a new horror story. Give me some names and I'll have Derek start work on it first thing Monday. </span></p> <p><span>"The girl's name is Olivia, but I didn't think to ask her age or if she has other siblings. The parent's names are Nancy and George Hamilton and the uncle's first name is Ralph. T.J. didn't know his last name so I don't know to which side of the family he's related."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll find out Monday, don't worry. Now, to steer the conversation away from work for once, I wanted to say thanks to Tom for taking the initiative to find Malcom. When I asked for your help finding his sorry ass the other day, you'd already beat me to the punch and arranged tonight, hadn't you?"</span></p> <p><span>Tom smiled widely and answered, "You bet I did, we first talked to Malcom about gettin' you two back together, what, three weeks ago, wasn't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just about that," Malcom agreed. "It was before Joey and Alex's birthday, I remember."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, aren't you all just a bunch of sneaky bastards?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, thanks, boss, that's about the nicest thing you've ever said to me."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, guys, we should get out of here," Dylan offered. "Malcom's got a long drive back home to Bloomington and ..."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no I don't, I'm going to your house tonight, bubba," Malcom interrupted. "If you want me to, that is? We got some serious catchin' up to do."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great. I was hopin' you'd say that, but I didn't want to assume."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, all I gotta do is find my clothes. They're in Joey and Alex's bedroom."</span></p> <p><span>"Just sneak in quietly, Malcom, I'm sure they won't wake up."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, be right back." Malcom disappeared down the hall and returned in a few minutes, clothes in hand and jaw dragging the floor.</span></p> <p><span>"You okay there?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, just fine," Malcom muttered. "Just wasn't prepared for the wild three-way going on in there. Damn near gave me a freakin' heart attack. Y'all didn't warn me they was already screwin' the daylights outta each other."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoops, sorry, Malcom. Didn't expect you to discover that tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"Those three are way ahead of where Dylan and I were at that age."</span></p> <p><span>"You gonna follow me to my house or you wanna ride with me?" Dylan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll just follow you, man. No sense having to come back out here to get my car tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"Then let's hit the road." We all headed to the front door and before I opened the door, Dylan gave Tom and me a big hug and thanked us again for arranging his reunion with Malcom. Malcom gave us both hugs also and shared a similar sentiment as Dylan's.</span></p> <p><span>As they stepped out into the chilly, dark night, I heard Malcom ask, "You sure it's okay to drive home like this?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, I do it all the time," Dylan answered with a chuckle. "Just pull in the garage beside me and nobody'll know the difference." After closing the door, Tom and I began laughing our butts off.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that was a fun evening," Tom commented as we headed to our bedroom to finally get our shower and get into bed ourselves. "We should have guests more often."</span></p> <p><span>"Dude, I've had more people in this house in the last six weeks than in the last six years."</span></p> <p><span>"It's good for you, you know. You really need to get out once in a while and enjoy life."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know. We're going out tomorrow, though, aren't we?"</span></p> <p><span>"A funeral for a dirty cop hardly counts," Tom countered.</span></p> <p><span>"What do you know about Barry's wife and kids?"</span></p> <p><span>"Helen's kind of mousey and timid. His kids seem to be okay, though. Much more outgoing than their mom is. I'm kinda worried about his son, though. Daniel's fourteen or fifteen and I think he was starting to get into some trouble, hanging out with the wrong group of kids at school. That's what Barry said, anyway. I don't know how much I believe of what Barry had to say, though."</span></p> <p><span>"I want you to introduce me to them tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure about that? After what Barry did to you, I figured the last people you'd want to meet would be his family."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, they didn't know what he was doing. I don't have anything against Helen for Barry's actions."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see, I guess." As we crawled into bed, Tom asked, "Now, what did T.J. want you to talk to me about?"</span></p> <p><span>"This shouldn't be much of a surprise, but he told me he knows we're boy lovers. He also knows about what's happened between you, me and the twins."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit. I was afraid of that happening."</span></p> <p><span>"It's not a bad thing, hon. He said he thought us teaching Joey and Alex how to make love to each other without hurting themselves was sweet."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what's he gonna do about it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing. He said Mike and Andy don't know and he's not going to tell them, either."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good, I guess. As long as he knows not to say anything to anyone else."</span></p> <p><span>"He's well aware of that. Now, here's the kicker. He wants us to include him sometime."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you shittin' me? What'd you say?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I'm not shittin' you. And I told him that if that's what he truly wants, we'd talk about it and come up with something. That if anything is to happen, he has to ask for it."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you think he's really ready for it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Him?" I asked, "What about us being ready for it? I'm still trying to process Alex and Joey wanting to be with us sexually. I never thought about T.J. asking for the same thing. He says he wants to find out if it's as good as Alex and Joey say it is."</span></p> <p><span>"And now that he has asked, what are we gonna do?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't really see how we can tell him no without somehow hurting his feelings. Not after what we've done with the twins. I wouldn't want him to think we love Joey and Alex more because we share more with them, would you?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, that wouldn't be fair to T.J., I guess. I'm cool with it if you are, and I'm assuming you are."</span></p> <p><span>"You know I am."</span></p> <p><span>As we finally curled up in bed together, we shared a tender kiss and an `I love you' before Tom laid his head on my shoulder and I held him tightly as we drifted off into a deep sleep after our busy day.</span></p> <p><span>I pulled in the garage and shut off the car. Malcom followed me in and parked beside me. Once both cars were inside, I punched the button to close the door so we could get out of our cars. As we headed into the house, Malcom said, "Man, that was freakin' cool. I never drove naked before, and you say you do that all the time."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, often enough I guess. Especially after I've been to Max and Tom's. Since I can pull right in the garage, I don't see any reason to be dressed from their house to here."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you sure you're a cop, man?" Malcom asked with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"For another week and a half, I am. You want something to drink?" I asked as we passed through the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't say no to a beer, if you got any."</span></p> <p><span>"Two beers, comin' right up." I grabbed a couple of Budweisers from the fridge and led the way to the living room where we settled on opposite ends of the couch. "So, really, Malcom, how the hell ya' been?"</span></p> <p><span>"Lonely as fuck, man. Since the old man don't care nothin' `bout me, I obviously can't go home. I don't miss his sorry ass none, but I do miss momma. But she ain't gonna stand up to him, either. And only god knows where the fuck Jackie is these days. I ain't heard shit outta her since I split."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry to hear all that, especially not bein' able to see your mom. She was always a sweet lady and I loved her as much as I loved my own mom. And a hell of a cook, too. I always loved goin' to your house for supper."</span></p> <p><span>"You ain't lyin' `bout that, man. I lost twenty pounds in the first six months after I moved to Bloomington. How's your mom and dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"They're all right, I guess. I don't see `em as much as I should. Which is stupid since they still live in the old `hood. I just never seem to have time during the day to drop by and visit. Hell, they don't even know I've quit the job, yet. They're gonna freak when they find out."</span></p> <p><span>"We're gonna have to fix that, man. What do you think they'll do when they see me again?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know my mom, she'll be happy as hell you're back. Dad, who knows how he'll react? I'm pretty sure he liked you, but he's kinda hard to read sometimes."</span></p> <p><span>"They know you're gay, don't they?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, they do. I told them right after you disappeared. Mom kept askin' why I never seemed happy after y'all split and I finally told her I loved you just to get her to shut up. Her first response was she loved and missed you, too. I had to tell her I was gay just to get her to really understand how much I loved you, Malcom. She was surprised as hell, but didn't give me no shit about it either. The old man took a little longer to come around, but he's cool with it, now."</span></p> <p><span>"Man, wish my `rents were more like yours. So why did you become a cop? I never understood that."</span></p> <p><span>"It just seemed like the thing to do. I wanted to help people and that seemed like the best way I could do it. I thought about law school, but didn't figure I had the brains to get through that insanity, so cop was the next best thing. I joined when I was twenty and while I'm a few years short of bein' able to draw my full pension, I'll take the seventy-five percent and be fine. The house is paid for and so is the car, so I don't have any serious monthly bills. Your turn, why'd you become a college prof?"</span></p> <p><span>"Kinda the same reason you became a cop, I wanted to help people. I figured teaching was the best way I could do it. Cop was never an option for me since I hate guns. In the short time I lived in Chicago, I saw too many damn people I knew get killed for no goddam reason. It's a lot safer in Bloomington, let me tell ya'. Big question for ya' now; you seen any other dudes since my old man fucked us over."</span></p> <p><span>"There's never been another guy who could take your place, Malcom, and you know it. What about you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Only in my dreams, man, and none of them could ever hold a candle to you."</span></p> <p><span>"So, were you serious at Max's about us gettin' married?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right I am. I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't fuckin' serious."</span></p> <p><span>"Then why the hell you sittin' at the other end of the couch, bro?"</span></p> <p><span>" 'Cause if I was sittin' next to you like I really want to do, we wouldn't be wastin' our time talkin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Then why don't you slide your cute little ass over here and show me what we <i>would</i> be doin'." Malcom stood up, walked over to me and crawled into my lap facing me. He took my head in his hands, pulled me closer and kissed me so softly I nearly fainted. On the second kiss, he slipped his tongue into my mouth and I hungrily returned the favor. Oh, man, it had been so long since we've been able to show and share our love, I nearly came right there on the couch as Malcom assaulted my mouth with his and ground his sweet ass into my lap. When we finally broke a moment for air, I moaned, "Oh, god, how I've missed you."</span></p> <p><span>"This shitty house got a fuckin' bed in it or am I gonna have to fuck you right here on the goddam couch?" Malcom cracked.</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right it does. You wanna see it?"</span></p> <p><span>"God, I thought you'd never ask. Let's go." </span></p> <p><span>I led Malcom to my bedroom and asked along the way, "You think you can still take me, lover?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right I can. I may have been chaste for twenty years, but I've found some accessories that are close to the right size. Just be gentle."</span></p> <p><span>"Always." We fell into bed together and let nature guide us as we began our long journey to make up for lost time.</span></p> <p><span>Sunday morning slowly creeped into existence and made itself fully known as six wild monkeys attacked us in our sleep. As I levered myself upright, I asked, "What happened to knocking and waiting for an answer?"</span></p> <p><span>"We did knock, Dad ...," Joey replied.</span></p> <p><span>"... but you didn't answer ...," Alex continued.</span></p> <p><span>"... so, we came on in," T.J. finished off the thought.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine we're awake now, so give us a few minutes and we'll be out, okay?" Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Scoot on outta here, boys," I said. As they turned to leave, I added, "T.J., one second."</span></p> <p><span>He came back to the bed and asked, "Yeah, Dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pops and I talked last night and we've agreed to grant your request."</span></p> <p><span>"Really!? Cool! When can we do it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's a little trickier to figure out. It's not like we can just leave the other five alone during the day without raising suspicions," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"And trying to arrange something at night might seem weird to Mike and Andy if you're not in bed with them," Tom added.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll deal with them, so don't worry about it," T.J. volunteered. "Can we do it tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>I looked to Tom and after a quick nod from him, I answered, "I guess so."</span></p> <p><span>T.J. jumped on the bed and pulled us into a hug, whispering, "Thanks, Dads. I can't wait." As he backed off to join his brothers in the kitchen, it was impossible to miss his stiff two-and-a-half inch cocklet standing at attention. It didn't seem to faze him one bit as he jumped off the bed and skipped his way out of the bedroom.</span></p> <p><span>"Christ, I hope he's not hard like that all day long. We still have a funeral to go to."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure he'll be fine, babe. At least he knows how to deal with it, unlike poor Eric who had no clue."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you're right, he's probably taking care of it right now," I commented as I crawled out of bed and headed to the bathroom. Tom was making his way into the bathroom as I was leaving and we paused to give each other a kiss. As we did, Tom's stiff member grazed my flaccid one. "Uh, is that a gun in your pocket, or you just happy to see me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Both," he grunted.</span></p> <p><span>"Later, big guy. We have six hungry boys to feed."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, I know. Be there in a minute."</span></p> <p><span>I continued to the kitchen to figure out something to eat and was not surprised to see T.J. was missing in action. "Did you guys see T.J. wander through?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dad, he ran thataway with a bouncin' boner," Joey answered with a giggle while pointing in the direction to their bedrooms.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, just wondered. How would guys like some cinnamon rolls this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds yummy, Dad. You gonna make `em from scratch?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not hardly, young man. Pillsbury is gonna help me out today." Tom arrived just as I popped the first can of rolls open and he started on the second one. After loading two baking sheets with four cans of rolls, we sat back to wait the twenty minutes for them bake while the boys set the table. Simple as they are to make, it's hard to beat Pillsbury cinnamon rolls for an easy breakfast. The boys made short work of our morning meal, first cleaning off the platters we'd put the rolls on and then cleaning up the table afterwards. We'd decided while eating to take it easy this morning, so the boys settled into the theater to watch a movie while Tom and I busied ourselves making sure each one had something decent to wear to the funeral this afternoon. </span></p> <p><span>As the clock announced noon, we all got ready to leave home for the afternoon. Our first stop was going to be the Texas Roadhouse for lunch to have a little celebration of the news about us being able to adopt Andy and that all the adoptions were happening in two short months. The eight of us turned a few heads as we walked in and were finally shown to our table. Whether it was the way we were dressed or the fact it was two men with six boys, we attracted more than our fair share of attention.</span></p> <p><span>When our server finally greeted us, he started with, "Welcome to the Roadhouse, gentlemen. My name is Patrick and I'll be taking care of you today. It's a pleasure to have y'all with us today, Mr. Sanders. May I start you off with some drinks and an appetizer, perhaps?"</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, you know who I am?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"But, of course, sir. Besides giving your name at the door, I would recognize my favorite author anywhere."</span></p> <p><span>I turned to Tom and whispered, "See, this is why I don't like to go out much."</span></p> <p><span>"I thought you'd be used to it by now," he whispered back.</span></p> <p><span>"Used to it, yes. But liking it is something entirely different."</span></p> <p><span>"You'll have to forgive Mr. Sanders, Patrick. He really would like to fly below the radar."</span></p> <p><span>"My apologies, sir. If you'd prefer, I'll get another server to take care of you."</span></p> <p><span>"No, that's all right," I acquiesced. After a quick discussion amongst us, we settled on our drinks and the Cactus Blossom fried onion. Patrick returned shortly with our drinks, bread, butter, and the onion. The boys dug in almost before the plate hit the table. Before he could disappear, I asked, "Did you manage to keep all your fingers there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yes sir. I've mastered the art of Cactus Blossom delivery and still have all my digits," he answered while wiggling all ten fingers as proof.</span></p> <p><span>"I can see where that would be a handy skill working here," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"You have no idea how much so. I've been stabbed with forks before as some people just can't wait," Patrick laughed in response. "Now, have we settled on our meals or do you need a few more minutes?" After telling him our selections, he disappeared into the kitchen to turn in our order.</span></p> <p><span>"Man, I had no idea you were really this weird about going out. You haven't been like this when we've gone shopping," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's only because I can be a bit more anonymous there since I tend to dress down a bit. Can't really do that today, can I?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, nobody said you had to go to Barry's funeral with me. You volunteered for that."</span></p> <p><span>"I know. I don't know what the hell I was thinking. The man sold me out to the newspaper for a few bucks, why should I go help send him off?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because you care about Helen and her kids. You do, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I do." I finally looked back at the table and realized the boys had eaten almost the entire onion. "Um, looks like we better grab some while we can," I commented. "I don't think these guys plan on leaving us any." Tom and I managed to get a couple bites for each of us before it was all gone. When Patrick brought our salads and more bread, he whisked away the empty onion plate. "You guys better save some room for your meal," I said to the boys as Tom and I started on our salads.</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever, Dad," Joey moaned. "Those rolls at breakfast were good, but they didn't last long. We're starvin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, your lunch will be here soon, so hang in there another minute or two, okay?" With nods from all six, they stopped munching on the bread while they patiently waited for their food to magically appear. It turned out to be a short wait as two minutes later, Patrick was headed to our table with a helper to deliver our meals.</span></p> <p><span>When everybody had the correct meal in front of them, Patrick asked, "Is there anything else you need?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can't think of anything, Patrick. It looks like it's all here. Thanks."</span></p> <p><span>"If you change your mind, just wave me down." With that, he moved on to his next table. </span></p> <p><span>The table got rather quiet as we dug into our food. It quickly became quite obvious the fuel tanks on the six eating machines had reached empty before we arrived because their plates were emptied in no time. Tom and I continued to work on our own meals as the boys chatted and doodled on their placemats. When we were close to being done, I told the boys, "Why don't you guys visit the restroom and wash your hands before we go?" The six got up as one and disappeared around the corner. In a few minutes, we could hear gales of laughter emanating from the restroom and other diners were starting to look our direction, curiosity etched across their faces.</span></p> <p><span>Tom stood and said, "I got this." He turned the corner and as I heard the restroom door creak open, the laughter suddenly died. One by one, each young man came back to the table, red-faced with embarrassment. When Tom finally took his seat again, he commented, "These goofballs were playing with the hand-dryer. It's one of those new jet type things that dries your hands real fast, but has so much wind speed it puts a two-inch round dimple in your skin. When I went in, Joey had his shirt pulled up and had the thing blowing on his belly. He looked like he hadn't eaten for a week." I couldn't help but snort in laughter as the image developed in my mind.</span></p> <p><span>"What the heck did you say to them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a word, I just gave them <i>the look.</i> That shut `em down pretty quickly."</span></p> <p><span>"You're gonna have to teach me that look if it works that well."</span></p> <p><span>"Huh-uh," he muttered as he shook his head, "You have to ask my mom to teach you. She's the master, I'm just the pupil, although I seem to have learned my lessons well."</span></p> <p><span>With all of us finally done eating, I flagged down Patrick to let him know we were ready to pay and move on. When he came back to our table, he was followed by another gentleman. When they stopped, Patrick introduced the man. "Mr. Sanders, this is our manager, Mr. Crawford. He has something he'd like to say."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Patrick. You may carry on," Mr. Crawford said in dismissal. He then turned to back us, leaned over the table and quietly said, "Patrick tells me you're Maxwill Sanders, the author. Is that correct?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yes," I admitted, looking down to the table in disgust and embarrassment.</span></p> <p><span>"Then, that must also mean you the man who helped bring a halt to some rather disturbing events at a local church. Would that be a fair connection to make?"</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose if I denied it, you wouldn't believe me."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, no, I wouldn't. Not after reading the paper the other day," he grinned. "I, actually, <i>we</i> want to say thank you for what you've done, for me, several of my employees and the entire town. I am a member of that church, as are several of my employees. Fortunately for all of us, our children were much too young to have attracted the attention of those involved and we all want to thank you for making our church a safe place for us to continue to worship. And since mere words cannot express the deepness of our gratitude for your bravery and sacrifice by coming forward, I'm pleased to let you know that today's visit and all future visits to this establishment, for the next year, are on the house. In short, your money is no good here, Mr. Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Crawford, that's not necessary. I am more than capable of paying for our meals."</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Sanders, I'm well aware you could probably buy this restaurant five times over, but still, your meal today and for the next year are free. And I expect you to take advantage of that."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Mr. Crawford, I accept your gift and say thanks to you and your crew for a fine meal. Can I at least leave a tip for Patrick?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I'll allow you to do that. Again, thanks for your service to your community. We look forward to having you and your family back soon." With that, he turned and headed for the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>I flipped a couple of hundred-dollar bills on the table for Patrick, then stood up and muttered, "Let get the hell outta here." I led the way to the front door, six boys behind me and Tom bringing up the rear, with the other diners staring at the parade, again. As we rounded the corner towards the entryway, we found all the employees standing there, clapping lightly and nodding their heads in acknowledgment as we passed by and the rest of the patrons struggled and stretched to see the cause of the brouhaha. When we were all finally outside, I turned to Tom and said, "We are never coming back to this place as long as I live. I have never been so goddam embarrassed in my life."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, calm down."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't fuckin' tell me to fuckin' calm down. I didn't go to the cops to get free meals for a year or any other damn <i>prize</i> or whatever the fuck they wanna call it."</span></p> <p><span>Tom grabbed my arm, jerking me to halt and spinning me around in the middle of the parking lot as the boys continued on to the car. "Max, listen to me. Mr. Crawford giving us a free meal wasn't a `prize', as you so crassly put it. It was a man and his employees showing their appreciation for something you've done, for making their church a safe place to take their kids. That's it. If you decide you don't want to come back here again, that's fine, but you'd be spitting in all their faces by not accepting their gift."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't want their goddam gift," I vented. "Get the boys in the car and get ready to go, I'll be right back." I walked back into the restaurant and upon reaching the greeting counter inside, I asked to see Mr. Crawford. When he came out of the kitchen, he was visibly surprised to see me standing there. "May I talk to you outside, Mr. Crawford? Please and thank you."</span></p> <p><span>"Certainly." After we stepped outside and moved away from the door, he asked, "Is there a problem Mr. Sanders?"</span></p> <p><span>"While I can appreciate the thought behind what you did today, I can't allow it to continue. My free meals stop today. Understood?"</span></p> <p><span>"If that's your wish, sir, I'll, of course, comply."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Now, how many guests are you serving right now?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're pretty full, so close to two hundred diners."</span></p> <p><span>"And what's the average cost per person?"</span></p> <p><span>"Between fifteen and twenty dollars, why?"</span></p> <p><span>"So, two hundred meals at twenty bucks a pop, that's 4,000 dollars. Here's what you're going to do to make up for the way you needlessly embarrassed me and my family." I pulled my wallet out and fished out a credit card. "You're going to take this card, go back inside and enter a charge for 5,000 dollars on it. Bring the receipt to me out here and I'll sign it. Everyone inside right now is getting a free meal, on me, as my thank you to them for not embarrassing the hell out of me. And be quick about it, I have to get to a damn funeral."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir, I'll be right back." </span></p> <p><span>True to his word, Mr. Crawford returned in just over a minute with the receipt for me to sign. He handed the receipt, a menu and a pen to me so I could do so. After signing it, I handed everything back to him and said, "Thank you. Now, none of the people whose meal I just paid for is to know it was me. Make up whatever bullshit story you want, but if my name is attached to it any way and I hear about it later, you'll never see me or any of my family in here again. Furthermore, if we ever do come back, I expect to be treated just like every other customer, no special treatment. Again, I appreciate the thought behind what you and your crew wanted to do, but I can't accept it just for doing the right thing. If you'd like to honor me in some way, then once a week for the next year, surprise some other unsuspecting guest and their family to a free meal. Preferably someone with a big family that looks like their dinner might blow their budget that week. Think you can do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, Mr. Sanders. Please accept my apologies for what happened today."</span></p> <p><span>"Apology accepted. Now, I've got to get going." I turned and hustled to the car so we could still be on time for the funeral. Tom weaved his way thought the Sunday afternoon traffic to get us to the church on time. With the service supposed to start at two, it was going to be close. With Mario Andretti in a Tom costume at the wheel, though, we managed to arrive at the church with ten minutes to spare. As soon as Tom shut off the engine, the boys were out the doors and running for the front door like the devil himself was nipping at their heels. Fortunately, they waited outside for us to join them so we could enter as a single group. </span></p> <p><a name="_Hlk496475277"><span>We easily found the contingent from the Sherriff's department as they were all in their uniforms and we took the pew behind them, laying our hands on Dylan and Malcom's shoulders as we passed behind them. The service itself was just another overblown, overly religious show of piety that gnawed relentlessly at my guts. Of course, St. Al's is a catholic parish, so it was pretty much what I'd expected. They somehow managed to draw what should have been fifteen minutes of service into an hour and a half with a bunch of ridiculous kneeling, then standing, then sitting, ad infinitum. </span></a></p> <p><a name="_Hlk496515571"><span>At one point during the service, during the recitation of the Lord's Prayer, we were asked to hold hands with each other, so there the eight of us were, Tom on one end of the pew, me on the other end with the six boys between us, silently holding hands. A few minutes later in the service we were asked to `</span></a><span>offer each other the sign of peace.' Not having a clue what they were talking about, we watched other people who we assumed to be regular members of the congregation and discovered they were either shaking hands, hugging or kissing each other on the cheek. So, again, we followed suit sharing handshakes, hugs and cheek kisses up and down the pew, the boys quietly giggling as the weirdness moved from Tom through all six boys and ended with me. Malcom and Dylan got their wires a bit crossed up and kissed each other on the lips instead of their cheeks, causing the rest of his people from his department to giggle a bit. They received some rather negative glances from other people at the service, mostly because of the giggling, I assumed, but it could also have been from the two black men kissing each other on the lips.</span></p> <p><span> The whole thing was ridiculous, in my mind anyway. And once it was over, I was thanking my lucky stars that I lived my life by using common sense and didn't kowtow to the ridiculous beliefs followed by this group of sheep. As we waited for the procession to the cemetery to be ready to leave, we stood on the sidewalk in front of the church where we were soon joined by Dylan and Malcom. Both had wide smiles on their faces as they held hands and gave us all hugs.</span></p> <p><span>"We trust you two had a fun night," Tom cracked when the hugs were done.</span></p> <p><span>"More fun than should be legal," Malcom retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Did you pick a date to make it official, yet?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we talked about it a little bit when we weren't otherwise occupied," Dylan started, "and seeing as we want to make sure you guys can be there, we've pretty much ruled out May. We know you've got a busy month. Looks like we're gonna shoot for early June."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds great, guys. You can be sure we'll be there."</span></p> <p><span>"Us, too," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"I should hope so," Malcom replied. "Wouldn't be the same without you boys to celebrate with us."</span></p> <p><span>We soon saw Helen and her kids coming out the front door of the church, followed by the casket. "Well, looks like we're about to move, better get in the car folks," Dylan commented. We headed for our car while Dylan and Malcom headed for theirs. Once everyone was loaded up and ready to go, the Sherriff's Department blocked the street and the hearse made a U-turn on Sangamon Avenue to begin the slow trek to Oak Ridge Cemetery. We fell in line about half-way back in the procession. Once at the cemetery, Malcom joined us while Dylan moved to the hearse to lead the group of pallbearers to the open grave. We dutifully followed along and were soon surrounding the site that had been prepared that morning. The boys were in awe as we passed by Abraham Lincoln's tomb on the way to Barry's gravesite and they made us promise to come back some day so they could tour the tomb itself. </span></p> <p><span>The service at the gravesite was thankfully much shorter than the one at the church and in less than twenty minutes, it was time to leave. Or so I thought. Since none of the boys had ever been to a funeral before, they wanted to stay and watch the workers lower the casket into the ground. We had them sit in the seats recently vacated by Helen and her family so they could do that while the four adults moved off about forty feet to talk quietly. As luck would have it, Helen and her kids passed by us on the way to the limo for the ride home. </span></p> <p><span>She saw us and stepped over, placing a hand on Tom's arm. "Oh, Tom, thanks for coming. I wasn't sure if you'd be here since you've left the department. I'm so glad you survived your incident. It's too bad Barry didn't have your luck."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I'm here, Helen. I'm so sorry for your loss."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for saying that Tom, but I'm getting awfully tired of hearing it. I can't wait for the day to come when someone just wishes for me to have a good day, again."</span></p> <p><span>"How are the kids doing?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"About like you'd expect. Shocked, depressed, don't want to eat, don't want to play. All they do is mope around all day and night. Not that I'm that much better in that regard, mind you."</span></p> <p><span>"There will be better days ahead, Helen. It may be a while, but you'll all get there."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope so. May I ask who you've brought with you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, please forgive my bad manners, Helen. This is my fianc�, Max Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"It's nice to meet you, Helen. I'm sorry it had to be under these circumstances. If there's anything we can do for you, please let us know."</span></p> <p><span>"That's very kind of you, Max. But, I must say I find it odd that you would be here after what my husband did. I do hope you can find it in your heart to forgive him his failures as a responsible man."</span></p> <p><span>"Already done, Helen."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Max. That means a lot to me." Our boys finally ran over and rejoined us. "Oh, my," Helen said in surprise. "Who are all these young men?"</span></p> <p><span>"These are our sons, Helen," Tom answered. Tom introduced them as he placed a hand on their shoulder or top of their head. "This is Joey, T.J., Mike, Alex, Andy and Logan. Logan is a friend of Joey and Alex's and he's just staying with us for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"My, oh, my. Men getting married and having sons. How the world is changing. I want you both to know that while I may be a catholic, one of their teachings I absolutely despise is their vitriol towards gays. I believe as long as two people love each other, it's nobody else's business. I wish you all the best of luck in the future. I think you are going to make a very lovely family."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Helen," I replied. "That's kind of you to say."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, look, I really must be going. That stupid limo from the funeral home is being charged by the hour and I really don't want to keep it any longer than I have to. When you have time, I'd like it if you could drop by the house and visit. I feel my days are going to be rather long and lonely now."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll do that, Helen," Tom answered. She patted Tom's arm, shook my hand and hugged all the boys before she turned to join her own kids for their sad ride home.</span></p> <p><span>"Looks like it's time for us to be moving along, also, don't you think?" I asked. "What do you think about dropping by mom and dad's while we're in town?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, why not?" Tom answered while the boys all cheered at the unexpected detour.</span></p> <p><span>We turned towards our car and found Dylan and Malcom headed towards their car, also. We picked up our pace so we could catch them and say our goodbyes to them before moving on with our day.</span></p> <p><span>"Dylan, Malcom, wait up," I called out, bringing them to a stop. When we were all together again, I added, "So, what happens with you two now?"</span></p> <p><span>"I get to go back home to Bloomington and finish out the school year while also putting out feelers for a job down here," Malcom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"And I get to go back to an empty house and be bored and lonely until he can move down here permanently," Dylan added.</span></p> <p><span>"You're always welcome at our house, boss," Tom volunteered. "Not much chance of you being either bored or lonely there."</span></p> <p><span>"Good point. But soon enough, I'll be out there every day as we get things going with our new jobs. I'm looking forward to it."</span></p> <p><span>"Us, too, Dylan," I said. "We're glad last night worked out so well with you guys. We were a little apprehensive, but still felt we were doing a good thing. Guess we were right," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Right on the money, Max. We can't thank you guys enough for bringing us back together."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we waited way too long to do it ourselves. Thanks for kickin' us both in the ass," Malcom added.</span></p> <p><span>With hugs all around and a lot of goodbyes, we finally split up and went our separate ways. After the short drive across town, we pulled up in front of mom and dad's house and climbed back out of the car. The boys grabbed their packs and ran up to the porch, ringing the bell before Tom and I could join them. The two of us had just joined the boys when the front door opened to reveal Dad standing there, wrapped in a towel.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, guys, come on in," he greeted us as he stood back and held the door open.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, we're not interrupting anything, are we, Dad," I asked as I stepped inside.</span></p> <p><span>"What? Oh, you mean the towel. No, your mom and I were just enjoying some comfort this afternoon. Didn't want to scare off anybody by answering the door nude. Although, if it had been the Jehovah's Witnesses on our porch, I wouldn't have bothered with the towel. Probably would've sent them right on out of the neighborhood," he chuckled. "Rose!" Dad yelled, "It's okay to come out, it's Max, Tom and the boys. C'mon in and make yourselves at home, guys," he added as he closed the door, pulled the towel from his waist and sat back down in his favorite chair.</span></p> <p><span>Mom came out of the hallway, nude, of course, and proceeded to give us all hugs. She had a hard time getting hugs from the boys as they were all busy getting undressed. Though we'd talked about it before and had even been nude with Bill and Estelle, this was first time I'd been around mom and dad when they were nude. And for some odd reason, I was feeling a bit uncomfortable about it. Maybe it's just because they're my parents. But then I remembered Tom saying the first few minutes he was nude with his parents, it felt a little weird to him, too. Not wanting to be the only clothed sticks in the mud, we finally relented and joined the rest of the family.</span></p> <p><span>"So, who's the new lad?" Dad asked. "Last I knew, you only have five boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Mom, Dad, this is Logan Campbell. He's a friend of Joey and Alex's from school. He's going to be staying with us for a while as his dad deals with some problems. Logan, my mom and dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi there, nice to meet ya'," Logan said with a little wave.</span></p> <p><span>"Good to meet you, too, Logan," Mom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Now that we've finally gotten naked together, son, I can see why you fell for Tom," Dad cracked. "He sure puts us to shame," </span></p> <p><span>"Really, old man? You just couldn't resist, could you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope," he laughed. "Whatever floats your boat, I guess. How `bout it, Rose?"</span></p> <p><span>"If Max hadn't, I sure would have," she giggled.</span></p> <p><span>Tom was turning bright red and I said, "All right you two, that's enough. We don't want the boys to be hearing crap like this."</span></p> <p><span>"Why not, Dad," Alex asked, "If I was older, I'd go for Pops, too."</span></p> <p><span>"That's enough, all of you. We just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing. If you're going to be gross, we'll just go."</span></p> <p><span>"We're just messin' with ya', son," Dad replied. "Don't be goin' off into a snit, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Besides, we're just fine," Mom added.</span></p> <p><span>"How are Warren's wife and daughter doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"About like you'd expect," Mom answered. "This morning, at church, we heard that they're planning to move back to Rockford where her family is."</span></p> <p><span>"That's probably a good idea. I'm sure they wouldn't feel too comfortable around here after what happened at the church and the implications Warren's suicide created."</span></p> <p><span>"That's part of it for sure," Dad agreed, "but I don't think she wanted to move here in the first place. She always seemed to be miserable to me."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you think she knew what Warren was doing?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It's possible, I guess, though she'll never say."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, by the way, we have a little bit of good news for you," I said. "You want to tell them, Andy?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I get to be adopted, too. Isn't that great?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's wonderful, Andy," Mom gushed.</span></p> <p><span>"And guess what's even better than that, Mama Rose," Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I can't imagine."</span></p> <p><span>"We all get adopted on the same day, May seventeenth," Alex volunteered.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my, that's absolutely perfect. That's going to make for a very busy day. I'll have to talk with Estelle and we'll have to make a few changes in our plans for that day."</span></p> <p><span>We spent the next hour visiting, including the boys filling in our parents on their schoolwork and other developments such as the hiring of Ron to come in and help out with things around the house. Mom and dad were both intrigued that we'd trust somebody to actually live with us, especially considering how we lived. We tried to calm their concerns as best we could, but in the end, we all agreed there was a certain amount of risk involved and we were taking a leap of faith. We also filled them in on our presence in town today and how Barry was the one who gave my name to the newspaper. Both were surprised that I'd attend the man's funeral, but finally understood I only went out of respect for Helen and her kids.</span></p> <p><span>When it came time for us to head home, the boys got dressed in extra clothes they'd brought with them so they wouldn't get their good clothes dirty while Tom and I wore what we'd worn to the funeral. After hugs all around, we headed outside and climbed in the car. As Tom pulled away from the curb, I said, "You know, I don't feel much like cookin' tonight when we get home. Why don't we take a short drive and get some of the best pizza you'll ever have?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to me," Tom agreed. "What do you guys think?" With cheers of acceptance from all six boys, the decision was made. "Okay, boss, tell me where I'm going."</span></p> <p><span>"Just exit at Veteran's Parkway and head south to Virden. When we get in town, I'll tell you where to go." </span></p> <p><span>He followed my directions and thirty minutes later, we pulled up in front of a small building with the name `DiCarlo's Pizza' on it. As usual, they were busy, but they had a table that would work out just fine for us. After ordering our regular four large pizzas, we settled in for the wait. Despite the number of customers, our supper was delivered in about twenty minutes and we wasted no time in digging in. We allowed it to cool for a minute or two before taking the first bite, but once that threshold was crossed, we polished off all four pizzas rather quickly amid moans of delight. </span></p> <p><span>"Oh, god," Tom groaned when he was full. "I ate way more than I should have, but it was too good to stop. This place has `Capone's' beat, hands down. Why have you been keeping it a secret from us?"</span></p> <p><span>"I wasn't really, it's just hard to get down here on a regular basis. But now that we have, I can see we'll have to change that, won't we."</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, Dad," T.J. exclaimed. "That was the best pizza I've ever had."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad you guys liked it. We'll have to plan to come back at least once a month."</span></p> <p><span>"I vote for every two weeks," Alex joked.</span></p> <p><span>"What's wrong with every day?" Joey asked with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"When you can make the drive yourself, and pay for your own gas, you're more than welcome to come here as much as you'd like. Until then, once a month will have to suffice."</span></p> <p><span>"Dang it," Joey muttered. "I tried guys," he added as he looked to his brothers.</span></p> <p><span>After paying the bill and leaving a generous tip for our server for having to deal with eight of us, we fell into the car and began the forty-minute drive to home. </span></p> <p><span>As we headed into the house, Andy asked, "Can we go swimming?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't see why not. Give us a minute and we'll meet you guys in the living room." When all had joined up by the door to the pool, we zipped on out and jumped in. And the battle commenced. T.J., Mike and Andy set their sights on me while Alex, Logan and Joey took on the challenge of Tom. The three boys did everything they could to dunk me, but I put up a heck of a fight. I could see Tom was giving his all in his own battle ten feet away. </span></p> <p><span>Again, T.J. locked his arms around my neck, his legs around my waist and held on for dear life. Mike and Andy were working at my sides trying to push me over when T.J. loosened his grip on my neck slightly and let himself slide down until my stiff member slid neatly into his rear crevice. After seeing the look of surprise on my face, he just grinned up at me and I could tell he was enjoying himself. Having been caught off-guard by the underwater contact, Mike and Andy took advantage of the situation and with one final push, they toppled me over, taking T.J. under with me. As he let go of my body and started to swim away, his stiff poker was dragged up my torso and then across my face in his escape. I surfaced, gasping for air, and the three were cheering loudly at having won their battle.</span></p> <p><span>I looked over at the other skirmish still going on and decided to help Tom out. I waded over and upon reaching the struggling group, I started to tickle the boys' ribs. As soon as they loosened their grip on Tom, he easily vanquished his enemy and declared victory.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, that's not fair!" Joey yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you got help," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"You should always be aware of your enemy's forces and their locations," Tom said. "Let that be your lesson for tonight." With that, we turned and retreated to our corner and let the boys work on new battle strategies.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that was fun," Tom deadpanned. "Thanks for the helping hands."</span></p> <p><span>"Always happy to help. Next time, you get to rescue me."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be happy to do so."</span></p> <p><span>We watched the boys wear themselves out for the next forty-five minutes and when I could see them starting to slow down, decided it was time to get out. As we headed for our towels, the boys climbed out and joined us at the table to dry off. They were all looking pretty wiped out as we herded them into the house and through the showers. They were so tired and still full from stuffing themselves at supper, they crawled into their beds as soon as they dried off again, forgoing their evening snacks. After sharing our kisses and hugs goodnight with the twins and Logan, we headed to do the same with T.J., Andy and Mike. </span></p> <p><span>Andy was already snoring lightly and I could tell Mike wasn't far from joining him. T.J., however, whispered in my ear, "I'll be there in five minutes. They should both be toast by then." I gave a simple nod of acknowledgement before we turned out the light and headed for our own shower.</span></p> <p><span>While stepping in and turning on the shower in our bathroom, I said, "We need to move along. T.J. said he'd be here in five minutes. Hope you still have some energy left."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll find some, don't worry," he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure I will, too."</span></p> <div> <p><span>We'd just climbed into bed and pulled up the covers when there was light rapping on the door. The door cracked open and T.J. stuck his head inside and asked, "Can I come in now?"</span></p> </div> <p><span>For those who might be interested, the restaurant mentioned in this chapter, DiCarlo's Pizza does, indeed, exist. The family that owns this place somehow landed in Virden, where I grew up, straight from Sicily. They opened in 1976 and are still doing great business today. They also make the best pizza I have ever had with recipes they brought with them. They make their own sauce, dough and everything. If you are ever in the Springfield, Illinois area, you owe it to yourself and your family to make the thirty-mile drive to Virden and experience it for yourself. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.</span></p> <p><span>If you'd like more information on Oak Ridge Cemetery and Lincoln's tomb, the following links will take you to their sites:</span></p> <p><span><a href="http://www.oakridgecemetery.org/">http://www.oakridgecemetery.org/</a></span></p> <p><span><a href="http://www.lincolntomb.org/">http://www.lincolntomb.org/</a></span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-5.html

Building a Family 5 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Chapter 5 - Preparations I drove home with my brain swirling with thoughts of what I had to do to prepare for 4 boys to spend a weekend at my house. Of course, I assumed Anna would be agreeable with the idea and wanted to be prepared for whatever happened. After parking the Shelby in the garage, I undressed and headed to my study to start making new lists of what needed to be accomplished and making phone calls to make it all happen. The first item on my list and, therefore, my first call, was to the company that installed and maintained my pool. If the boys wanted to go swimming when they were here, I would have to have a cover for the pool that would allow us to be comfortable despite the freezing winter temps and six plus inches of snow on the ground. Mike White answered the phone when I called. "M&M Pools. How can I help you?" "Mike, Max Sanders here. How are you this fine, frigid day?" "Bored as hell, Max. Nobody wants a pool installed in January and we have nothing to do. Can't even sell a spa to anybody right now and there sure isn't any pool maintenance to deal with this time of year. You gonna fix that for me?" "As a matter of fact, Mike, I'm sure hoping to. I've been thinking about this for a while and I'd like to see what it would take to have an enclosure installed so I can enjoy the pool all year. Think you can help me with that?" "You bet. I wish more people would do that. We might be able to stay busy during the winter if more folks could swim all year. What type of enclosure are looking for, Max?" "I'm looking for something that can be heated for winter use, obviously, but then be taken down or opened up to enjoy the fresh air during the summer. Is there anything like that available?" "There are a couple of different options that would serve your purpose. How about if I come out tomorrow morning? I can take some measurements and show you some brochures of what's available, then we can discuss it in more detail." "That would be perfect, Mike. What time do you want to come out?" "Well, my schedule's pretty full," he chuckled. "But seriously, how about 9:00? That will give me time to come to the office, see what's not happening here and then I'll head out. It takes about 30 minutes to get to your house from here. Sound okay to you?" "That's perfect, Mike. I'll have some fresh coffee on when you get here. I'll see you then." Scratch item one off the list. My next call was to a cleaning service. While I'm not a slob by any stretch of the imagination, I felt it would be a good idea to have someone come do a thorough cleaning before my hoped for guests arrived. I hopped on the internet to look for cleaning services in the area. After finding one with excellent reviews, I got on the phone and dialed the number. "Thank you for calling Merry Maids, this is Joyce, how may I brighten your day?" "Hi, Joyce, my name is Maxwill Sanders and I need some cleaning done at my home." "Good afternoon, Mr. Sanders, we'd be glad to help out. May I ask what type of cleaning you need?" "Well, I'm a single guy and have a rather large house in the center of a small woods. I try to keep things up, but it's been quite a while since I've given the place a thorough cleaning. Under normal circumstances, I'd take care of it myself, but I'm expecting some weekend house guests in a few weeks and won't have the time I need to take care of everything that needs done." "What services are looking for, sir?" "Pretty much everything, I guess. Vacuuming, mopping, cleaning windows, dusting, and I need the linens in three bedrooms, either cleaned and the beds re-made or changed with the current linens cleaned later. Do you think you can help me out?" "I have no doubt that we can, sir. You say it's a big house. Approximately how big and is it a one or two-story home?" "I have a total of 4500 square feet of living space and it's all on one level. Oh, and as weird as it sounds, I'd also like my outside pool area cleaned up with all the snow removed and furniture cleaned." "We can certainly take care of all that without any problems. I think a crew of 4 people should be able to accomplish everything in a day. If we clean the bed linens with the intentions to use the same ones, would we be allowed to use your laundry machines, or would we have to take them elsewhere?" "If your people think they can get them all washed, dried and the beds re-made the same day using my machines, I'm happy to let them do so. All 3 beds are king size, so the comforters are pretty large and would probably have to be washed one at a time unless they are taken to an outside service with larger machines. I'll let your people decide on how best to handle the situation one they get here and have a chance to see what they're in for." "That sounds fine, Mr. Sanders. When would like us to come out?" "Well, I have a meeting tomorrow with my pool guy that could take quite a bit of time so why don't we shoot for the next day? We'll be going in and out the whole time he's here and I don't want to be in your way." "That will be perfect. I'll have a crew of four of our most experienced people there at 9:00AM, ready to work. We'll bring all our own equipment and supplies except for a washer and dryer. Will you be staying at the home while the cleaning is happening?" "Probably, yes. I have some other things to take care of that day, but I'll stay out of the way. When your crew gets here, I'll have them take care of my study first and then I can go ahead and get out of their way while they work on the rest of the place." "That sounds fine. Everything is all set on this end. You have a great day and we'll see you the day after tomorrow." "Thanks, Joyce, you have a good day, also." Item two checked off, ready for number three. I next started a shopping list of the food and supplies I would need to get to cover the needs of six people for weekend. Figuring out meals to feed six people that would suit everybody turned out to be more time consuming than I anticipated. I assumed the boys and Anna's aide would be here from Friday night to Sunday afternoon. I finally decided we would stop at Steak `n Shake on the way out of town for supper Friday evening. That would allow us to spend all our time at home getting to know each other a little better. Then Saturday morning, I would do scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and toast for breakfast, grill hot dogs and hamburgers for lunch along with a variety of chips, then, for supper, we would have pizza from Capone's just a few miles away. They don't deliver, but it would take only 10 minutes to pick it up and bring it back home to eat. That left just Sunday to figure out. I finally settled on waffles for breakfast and spaghetti with my home-made sauce along with garlic toast in the middle of the afternoon for lunch/dinner. I would also have to lay in a supply of drinks of various types. I basically drink only coffee, Pepsi or water at home, but I thought I should also have tea available along with a variety of soft drinks. I also planned to get an assortment of juices for the boys to have for snacks. Snacks! Damn, I almost forgot snacks of some kind. I well remember when I was the age the boys are now how much I liked getting a snack of some kind in the afternoon and again in the evening before going to bed. I was sure these boys wouldn't be any different. I guess I better add some cookies, crackers and maybe some apples or oranges to my shopping list, too. I wondered if any of them would like bananas. I decided to hold off on them this time. Since I didn't know exactly what any of the boys would like for drinks or snack, I planned to get a wide variety of both just cover my bases. I also added a note to my other to-do list to clean out the refrigerator in the garage to make room for the drinks. That way they would all be cold and reduce the need for ice through the weekend. Check number three of the list of things to do. My next list concerned entertainment. While I have a very nice entertainment system in my home theater, I really didn't have any movies in my collection that I thought would be good for the boys to watch. They were all either too violent, riddled with inappropriate language or the subject was what I thought would be above their age level. I absolutely love 2001: A Space Odyssey, but I wasn't prepared to try and explain it to six, seven and eight-year-olds. I decided a stop at Walmart or Best Buy would be required to pick a few movies that would be more appropriate for the intended audience. I thought about maybe getting some board games, also, but decided I would be better off to wait until later when I knew more about what they might like. Item four done, ready to move on. After a couple of hours working on and refining my lists, I saved them all to the computer so I could print them out later when it would be time to do the actual shopping. I realized that time had gotten away from me and it was now dark outside, and much later that I thought it should be. It suddenly hit me that not only did I skip lunch today, but I also had missed supper. That explains the empty feeling I had in my gut. I wandered into the kitchen and browsed for a few minutes before I decided to just fix myself a burger and fries. Not great food, but it would fill me up and get my stomach to stop hurting. I cleaned up the kitchen after eating and then headed to the home theater to watch a movie before going to bed. I popped National Lampoon's Vacation in the Blu-ray player and kicked back in my lounger to enjoy a few laughs. I've seen the movie so many times, I wasn't really paying much attention to it and my mind kept drifting back to the four boys I had met just a few hours ago. Alexander and Joseph are as identical as any twins I had ever seen. They both had light blond hair and blue eyes, were about four feet tall and weighed about 80 pounds. Both were your classic cute lads and I could see them breaking some serious hearts later in life. Thomas had dark hair and brown eyes, was just a bit shorter than the twins and weighed maybe 70 or 75 pounds. He seemed to have a very up personality, but I could see where his being so outspoken and not afraid to say what he's thinking could be a possible issue if he couldn't learn to control it. Michael has red hair, hazel eyes and his face was covered in freckles. He was about 3� feet tall and looked to be pretty skinny. I assumed his small size was due to the abuse and neglect he suffered at the hands of his parents. He was also very timid, but I think that was a trait that could be worked on as he grows up. Based on our short meeting today, I really couldn't decide which one boy, or two in the case of the twins, I most wanted to adopt. The thought that popped in my head during our meeting that I kept to myself was why don't I just adopt all four? I knew it was premature to think that way since an adoption of any of them was not yet guaranteed, but there it was anyway. I would have to seriously consider the option as things progressed. In my mind, if I could take in one of them, then why wouldn't they allow all four to become my sons? I tried to reason with myself that I really wasn't prepared for one, let alone four, but I kept coming back to my biggest concern: if I wasn't allowed to adopt all four, then what would happen to the others? Would they end up living in foster homes until they turned 18? I wasn't prepared to let that happen, but I knew the chances of adopting all were slim to non-existent. I would have to wait until after their weekend visit and then discuss the possibility with Anna and see what she thought. I finally realized that the movie had ended and the television turned itself off. I was so deep in thought about the boys that I totally missed when it happened. If I'm this scatter-brained now, I can't imagine what I will be like when there are kids in the house all the time. It was getting late and since I had a meeting in the morning with Mike the pool guy, I headed for my bedroom, crawled under the covers and hoped for a peaceful night's sleep.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 5</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free.&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc472178164"><span>Chapter 5 - Preparations</span></a></h2> <p><span>I drove home with my brain swirling with thoughts of what I had to do to prepare for 4 boys to spend a weekend at my house. Of course, I assumed Anna would be agreeable with the idea and wanted to be prepared for whatever happened. After parking the Shelby in the garage, I undressed and headed to my study to start making new lists of what needed to be accomplished and making phone calls to make it all happen. The first item on my list and, therefore, my first call, was to the company that installed and maintained my pool. If the boys wanted to go swimming when they were here, I would have to have a cover for the pool that would allow us to be comfortable despite the freezing winter temps and six plus inches of snow on the ground.</span></p> <p><span>Mike White answered the phone when I called. "M&amp;M Pools. How can I help you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mike, Max Sanders here. How are you this fine, frigid day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Bored as hell, Max. Nobody wants a pool installed in January and we have nothing to do. Can't even sell a spa to anybody right now and there sure isn't any pool maintenance to deal with this time of year. You gonna fix that for me?"</span></p> <p><span>"As a matter of fact, Mike, I'm sure hoping to. I've been thinking about this for a while and I'd like to see what it would take to have an enclosure installed so I can enjoy the pool all year. Think you can help me with that?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. I wish more people would do that. We might be able to stay busy during the winter if more folks could swim all year. What type of enclosure are looking for, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm looking for something that can be heated for winter use, obviously, but then be taken down or opened up to enjoy the fresh air during the summer. Is there anything like that available?"</span></p> <p><span>"There are a couple of different options that would serve your purpose. How about if I come out tomorrow morning? I can take some measurements and show you some brochures of what's available, then we can discuss it in more detail."</span></p> <p><span>"That would be perfect, Mike. What time do you want to come out?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, my schedule's pretty full," he chuckled. "But seriously, how about 9:00? That will give me time to come to the office, see what's not happening here and then I'll head out. It takes about 30 minutes to get to your house from here. Sound okay to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's perfect, Mike. I'll have some fresh coffee on when you get here. I'll see you then."</span></p> <p><span>Scratch item one off the list. My next call was to a cleaning service. While I'm not a slob by any stretch of the imagination, I felt it would be a good idea to have someone come do a thorough cleaning before my hoped for guests arrived. I hopped on the internet to look for cleaning services in the area. After finding one with excellent reviews, I got on the phone and dialed the number. </span></p> <p><span>"Thank you for calling Merry Maids, this is Joyce, how may I brighten your day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Joyce, my name is Maxwill Sanders and I need some cleaning done at my home."</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, Mr. Sanders, we'd be glad to help out. May I ask what type of cleaning you need?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm a single guy and have a rather large house in the center of a small woods. I try to keep things up, but it's been quite a while since I've given the place a thorough cleaning. Under normal circumstances, I'd take care of it myself, but I'm expecting some weekend house guests in a few weeks and won't have the time I need to take care of everything that needs done."</span></p> <p><span>"What services are looking for, sir?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty much everything, I guess. Vacuuming, mopping, cleaning windows, dusting, and I need the linens in three bedrooms, either cleaned and the beds re-made or changed with the current linens cleaned later. Do you think you can help me out?"</span></p> <p><span>"I have no doubt that we can, sir. You say it's a big house. Approximately how big and is it a one or two-story home?"</span></p> <p><span>"I have a total of 4500 square feet of living space and it's all on one level. Oh, and as weird as it sounds, I'd also like my outside pool area cleaned up with all the snow removed and furniture cleaned."</span></p> <p><span>"We can certainly take care of all that without any problems. I think a crew of 4 people should be able to accomplish everything in a day. If we clean the bed linens with the intentions to use the same ones, would we be allowed to use your laundry machines, or would we have to take them elsewhere?"</span></p> <p><span>"If your people think they can get them all washed, dried and the beds re-made the same day using my machines, I'm happy to let them do so. All 3 beds are king size, so the comforters are pretty large and would probably have to be washed one at a time unless they are taken to an outside service with larger machines. I'll let your people decide on how best to handle the situation one they get here and have a chance to see what they're in for."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds fine, Mr. Sanders. When would like us to come out?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I have a meeting tomorrow with my pool guy that could take quite a bit of time so why don't we shoot for the next day? We'll be going in and out the whole time he's here and I don't want to be in your way."</span></p> <p><span>"That will be perfect. I'll have a crew of four of our most experienced people there at 9:00AM, ready to work. We'll bring all our own equipment and supplies except for a washer and dryer. Will you be staying at the home while the cleaning is happening?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably, yes. I have some other things to take care of that day, but I'll stay out of the way. When your crew gets here, I'll have them take care of my study first and then I can go ahead and get out of their way while they work on the rest of the place."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds fine. Everything is all set on this end. You have a great day and we'll see you the day after tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Joyce, you have a good day, also." Item two checked off, ready for number three.</span></p> <p><span>I next started a shopping list of the food and supplies I would need to get to cover the needs of six people for weekend. Figuring out meals to feed six people that would suit everybody turned out to be more time consuming than I anticipated. I assumed the boys and Anna's aide would be here from Friday night to Sunday afternoon. I finally decided we would stop at Steak `n Shake on the way out of town for supper Friday evening. That would allow us to spend all our time at home getting to know each other a little better. Then Saturday morning, I would do scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and toast for breakfast, grill hot dogs and hamburgers for lunch along with a variety of chips, then, for supper, we would have pizza from Capone's just a few miles away. They don't deliver, but it would take only 10 minutes to pick it up and bring it back home to eat. That left just Sunday to figure out. I finally settled on waffles for breakfast and spaghetti with my home-made sauce along with garlic toast in the middle of the afternoon for lunch/dinner. </span></p> <p><span>I would also have to lay in a supply of drinks of various types. I basically drink only coffee, Pepsi or water at home, but I thought I should also have tea available along with a variety of soft drinks. I also planned to get an assortment of juices for the boys to have for snacks. Snacks! Damn, I almost forgot snacks of some kind. I well remember when I was the age the boys are now how much I liked getting a snack of some kind in the afternoon and again in the evening before going to bed. I was sure these boys wouldn't be any different. I guess I better add some cookies, crackers and maybe some apples or oranges to my shopping list, too. I wondered if any of them would like bananas. I decided to hold off on them this time. Since I didn't know exactly what any of the boys would like for drinks or snack, I planned to get a wide variety of both just cover my bases. I also added a note to my other to-do list to clean out the refrigerator in the garage to make room for the drinks. That way they would all be cold and reduce the need for ice through the weekend.</span></p> <p><span>Check number three of the list of things to do.</span></p> <p><span>My next list concerned entertainment. While I have a very nice entertainment system in my home theater, I really didn't have any movies in my collection that I thought would be good for the boys to watch. They were all either too violent, riddled with inappropriate language or the subject was what I thought would be above their age level. I absolutely love 2001: A Space Odyssey, but I wasn't prepared to try and explain it to six, seven and eight-year-olds. I decided a stop at Walmart or Best Buy would be required to pick a few movies that would be more appropriate for the intended audience. I thought about maybe getting some board games, also, but decided I would be better off to wait until later when I knew more about what they might like.</span></p> <p><span>Item four done, ready to move on.</span></p> <p><span>After a couple of hours working on and refining my lists, I saved them all to the computer so I could print them out later when it would be time to do the actual shopping. I realized that time had gotten away from me and it was now dark outside, and much later that I thought it should be. It suddenly hit me that not only did I skip lunch today, but I also had missed supper. That explains the empty feeling I had in my gut. I wandered into the kitchen and browsed for a few minutes before I decided to just fix myself a burger and fries. Not great food, but it would fill me up and get my stomach to stop hurting. I cleaned up the kitchen after eating and then headed to the home theater to watch a movie before going to bed. </span></p> <p><span>I popped National Lampoon's Vacation in the Blu-ray player and kicked back in my lounger to enjoy a few laughs. I've seen the movie so many times, I wasn't really paying much attention to it and my mind kept drifting back to the four boys I had met just a few hours ago. Alexander and Joseph are as identical as any twins I had ever seen. They both had light blond hair and blue eyes, were about four feet tall and weighed about 80 pounds. Both were your classic cute lads and I could see them breaking some serious hearts later in life. Thomas had dark hair and brown eyes, was just a bit shorter than the twins and weighed maybe 70 or 75 pounds. He seemed to have a very up personality, but I could see where his being so outspoken and not afraid to say what he's thinking could be a possible issue if he couldn't learn to control it. Michael has red hair, hazel eyes and his face was covered in freckles. He was about 3� feet tall and looked to be pretty skinny. I assumed his small size was due to the abuse and neglect he suffered at the hands of his parents. He was also very timid, but I think that was a trait that could be worked on as he grows up.</span></p> <p><span>Based on our short meeting today, I really couldn't decide which one boy, or two in the case of the twins, I most wanted to adopt. The thought that popped in my head during our meeting that I kept to myself was why don't I just adopt all four? I knew it was premature to think that way since an adoption of any of them was not yet guaranteed, but there it was anyway. I would have to seriously consider the option as things progressed. In my mind, if I could take in one of them, then why wouldn't they allow all four to become my sons? I tried to reason with myself that I really wasn't prepared for one, let alone four, but I kept coming back to my biggest concern: if I wasn't allowed to adopt all four, then what would happen to the others? Would they end up living in foster homes until they turned 18? I wasn't prepared to let that happen, but I knew the chances of adopting all were slim to non-existent. I would have to wait until after their weekend visit and then discuss the possibility with Anna and see what she thought.</span></p> <p><span>I finally realized that the movie had ended and the television turned itself off. I was so deep in thought about the boys that I totally missed when it happened. If I'm this scatter-brained now, I can't imagine what I will be like when there are kids in the house all the time. It was getting late and since I had a meeting in the morning with Mike the pool guy, I headed for my bedroom, crawled under the covers and hoped for a peaceful night's sleep.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-36.html

Building a Family 36 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 36 � Chat with Andy and Moving Day "Any time, Andy. You want to talk here or somewhere else?" "Can we go sit by the fireplace?" "Sure, come on." I turned to Tom and told him where we were going and he nodded in understanding. Andy and I headed to the living room and once I'd taken my seat, he crawled up and sat next to me. "Okay, young man, what's up?" "I think I want to start sleeping in the empty bedroom, if that's okay." "That's fine, Andy. Are you having problems with T.J. and Mike?" "Not really. I mean, we get along great, and I really like `em, but they do things that kind of bother me and I feel weird about it." "Like what?" I asked. "Well, they play with each other's, well, you know," he muttered as he pointed to his crotch and blushed. "A lot. And they do other things I don't like, too." "Got it. Have they ever touched you there and you didn't want them to?" "A couple times, out in the pool Saturday, but I told `em I didn't want `em doing it and they ain't done it since, but they keep askin' if they can and I keep tellin' `em no." "Okay. I'm sorry about that. I'll talk to them and make sure they won't ask you again. One of the rules in this house it they have to ask for permission before they touch each other that way. And if the other person says no, they have to respect that. I'm glad they're at least doing that." "But why do they do it? Touch each other like that, I mean?" "Well, that's slightly more involved discussion, you sure you're ready for it?" "Yeah. If I'm gonna' live here, I wanna' know what's goin' on." "Okay, I'll try to make this simple. You know, for most people, boys like girls and men like women, right?" "Well, sure." "There are others like me, Tom and the boys who like other men and other boys. There are also girls who like girls and women who like women." "Well, I don't like girls. They're yucky. And all my friends are boys and I like `em, but that don't mean I want `em touchin' me there. Or any of the other things they do." "That's fine Andy. If you don't want to play with them that way, I'll make sure they leave you out of it. But, you also have to understand, that they like each other a whole lot and they'll continue to play that way. Joey and Alex, too. There might even be times when all four of them will play together. "That's cool, if they wanna' do that to each other, fine with me, just leave me out of it." "If you don't want to join in, that's fine. Come find me or Tom and we'll find something else to do like read a book or play a game. Sound good to you?" "That'd be great." "No problems, then. I'll make sure they all know. If you ever change your mind and decide you do want to be included, just let me know, okay." "Okay, dad. Thanks. Can I ask another question?" "Sure." "Why does my, um, it, get hard?" he asked as he blushed again. I stifled my snicker and answered, "I'm guessing nobody's ever talked to you about that, have they?" "No. Will you tell me?" "Sure. It happens to all guys, Andy, from little boys to old men." "Really?" "Yes, really. First, the name for that part of your body is `penis' and it's okay for you to say the word without embarrassment. You can also call it a dick, and whole bunch of other things." "That's what most of the boys at school call it, their dick. But why does it, um, my penis, get hard?" "When it gets hard, it's call an erection. That can happen for any number of reasons, a cool breeze when you're outside, you need to go to the bathroom, you touch it, somebody else touches it. The list goes on and on." "So, that's why theirs are always hard, `cause they keep touchin' and playin' with it. But why do they play with it so much?" "Because it feels good, Andy." "Really? How?" Now it was my turn to blush. "I can't really explain how. It's something you just have to feel for yourself." "Oh, okay. I got one more question. Can I go ahead and ask it now?" "I'm in answer mode, so go ahead." "Why do T.J. and I look different from you guys. You know, that extra skin down there?" "That's called the foreskin. All guys are born like you two, it's just that for a lot of us, our parents had that extra skin cut off shortly after we born." "Ouch! Doesn't that hurt?" "I'm sure it does, but I don't remember it happening." "I've seen T.J.'s kinda pulled back so he looks like the rest of you when he gets hard, but mine won't do that." "Have you tried?" "Yeah, a little bit, but it hurts when I do." "Well, I'm no expert on foreskin function since I obviously don't have mine, so I don't know if I can help you with that problem. We may have to take you to see a doctor and have you checked out to see if there's a reason for it." "No way! I don't want some stranger touchin' me there. Why can't you do it?" "Because I don't know what I'm looking for and even if I did see a problem of some kind, I wouldn't know what to do about it." "Won't you at least try?" "I suppose I can, if you really want me to." "I do. What do you want me to do?" "Why don't you lay down on the couch?" "Okay." Andy jumped out of the chair, ran to the couch and laid down. I knelt beside the couch and reached over, resting a hand on is hip. Just before I touched his soft one-inch penis, I looked at his face and asked, "You're sure you want me to do this?" He nodded silently, so I proceeded to gently grab his penis between my thumb and forefinger. As soon as I touched his sweet specimen of boyhood, it started to stiffen and grow in length. When his erection reached a length of about 1� inches, it appeared to have stopped growing and I gently tried to retract his foreskin the same way I had done with T.J. I met almost immediate resistance with the opening at the end just barely exposing the tip of his enshrouded helmet. I also noticed his body flinch and heard a tiny gasp escape from between his lips. "Does that hurt?" I asked, looking up to his face, worried that I'd hurt him. "Just a little, but it feels good, too." "What feels good about it?" "Just the way you're holding it and sliding your fingers up and down like you are," he grinned as he lifted his head to see what I was doing. "It doesn't feel like that when I do it." Since I'd looked to his face when he flinched, I quickly looked back to my hand and the prize it was holding, realizing I was doing exactly what he said. I was ever so slowly and gently sliding my finger and thumb up and down his turgid little member and my other fingers were lightly stroking the small marbles nestled below in their wrinkly little sack. I forced myself to remove my hand from his hardness and began to apologize, "Oh, Andy, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have done that." "S'okay, dad, I kinda' liked it. Like I said, it doesn't feel that good when I do it myself. Is that what it would feel like if I let T.J. and Mike play with it?" "I'm sure it would. But, I think we need to have a doctor check you out and see if anything can be done so your foreskin will roll back all the way. As far I know, it should, but, again, I really don't know the answer." "I don't much like havin' a stranger look at and touch me there, but if you think we should..." "I do. I'll call and make an appointment with a pediatrician to get you checked out, okay?" "Okay," he replied dejectedly as he sat up. "Thanks for talkin' to me. And I'm glad you're not mad at me for wanting to sleep in the other room." "Anytime, Andy. And I can't be mad at you for anything. Now, let's go back and rejoin the others." When he slid off the couch, I noticed he was still erect and I was hoping his excitement would be a little less obvious before we got back to the theater. He reached for my hand and I wrapped my fingers around his as we strolled back through the house. When I opened the door to the theater, Andy slipped his hand from mine and ran to sit with the other boys while I took my seat next to Tom. "You were gone quite a while," he whispered. "I was about ready to send out a search party. What was that all about?" "He wants to start sleeping in the spare bedroom," I whispered back. "Oh, problems?" "Nothing major, I guess. He feels uncomfortable with the sex play between T.J. and Mike. He says they keep asking him if they can touch him and he keeps saying no, but I think he just wants to get away from it so they quit bugging him about it." "Gotcha'. Anything else to worry about?" "He also wanted to know why he got hard," I chuckled. "Why the hell don't parents take the time to explain basic body functions to kids? That was a bit more of an involved chat than changing bedrooms. When I got done with that, he wanted to know why his foreskin won't pull back like T.J.'s does. When I told him we should probably have a doctor check him out, he asked me to do it instead." "And did you?" "Didn't really want to, but I also didn't feel I had much choice. And he does, indeed, have a problem. The opening isn't stretched out enough to allow him to pull it all the way back the way T.J. can. I'll call and make an appointment with a pediatrician to get him checked out, make sure there's nothing seriously wrong." "Damn it, you have all the fun," he hissed. "Look, it's not like I enjoyed it." "Then why were you half hard when you two came back?" "Okay, maybe just a little," I grinned. "But I stopped myself before it got too far." "Asserting your will power, huh? Good luck with that." "Yeah, I know." At 7:30, I let the boys know it was time for snacks and bed. I shut down the TV and we headed to the kitchen where Tom and I set them up with fruit roll-ups and milk. While they were munching, I announced, "Mike, T.J., Andy has asked to start sleeping in the spare bedroom." Mike yelled, "What!" He turned to Andy and squealed, "Why, don't you like us no more?" "I like you just fine. I just feel funny when you two play with each other the way you do." "I'm sorry, Andy, we won't never do it again." "Don't stop `cause of me. If you two want to do that, that's fine, I just don't want to." "So, we're still friends?" Mike begged. "Sure, we are," Andy answered, then leaned over and wrapped an arm around Mike's shoulder. "Good. I hope you'll come back to sleep with us sometime." "I might, but I need to think about it, okay?" "Yeah, okay," Mike mumbled unhappily. "If you're done with your snacks, hit the bathroom and then bed, please. We'll be there in a minute to tuck you in and say goodnight." The fantastic five stalked out of the kitchen, T.J. and Mike wrapping their arms around Andy's shoulders. Tom and I cleaned up the snack mess and headed down the hall to get them tucked in and say good night. Since Andy had peeled off at the spare bedroom, we stopped there first. He'd already climbed in bed and Tom and I pulled the covers up and gave him a good night kiss on the forehead. "I'm glad you're not mad at me for wanting to sleep in here," he said as we turned to leave. "Like I said, Andy, I can't be mad at you for anything. If you're not okay sleeping with Mike and T.J., then it's fine with us. This is your home, too, for now, and we want you to be as comfortable as possible here." "Thanks, dad, pops. That means a lot." "Sleep well, buddy. We'll see you in the morning." We turned off the light and closed the door as Tom and I headed to Mike and T.J.'s room next and I could hear one or both of them whimpering as we stepped through the door. "What's wrong, guys," Tom asked as we got closer to the bed. "Mike's upset about Andy not wantin' to sleep with us," T.J. answered. Tom and I sat on the bed and I said, "Mike, don't be sad. It's not like he moved out of the house." "I know, dad, but I liked holding him at night." "That's fine, Mike, but he just didn't feel right being here when you and T.J. are engaging in your sex play. You understand that, don't you?" "Not really. We kept asking him if he'd join us, but all he ever said was no." "Well, not all boys and girls are as comfortable with who they are and their bodies as you guys are. You two and the twins are way ahead of most kids your ages. Besides, Andy might not be gay, and he probably isn't, and that's why he's uncomfortable with joining you. Let's give him some time and see what happens. He may change his mind and he may not. Whatever he decides, you need to respect it." "I know, dad." "Listen, buddy," Tom started, "he's still living here and he's still your friend, that's something, isn't it?" "I guess," he whimpered as I dried his face. "Okay, then, let's get you two tucked in," I said. The boys curled up together, T.J. holding Mike as usual, then Tom and I pulled the covers up and gave them kisses goodnight, turned out the lights and headed for Joey and Alex's room. We could hear light moans escaping through the open door and we shook our heads in unison. We stepped in anyway and headed to the side of the bed where the two were entwined in a rather creative mutual blowjob. "How the hell can they do that," Tom asked as we sat on the edge of the bed to wait. "Not a freakin' clue, youthful flexibility?" I responded while shrugging my shoulders. The two separated, wide, satisfied grins splitting their faces and Joey said, "Hi, dad, pops." "You ready to join us yet," Alex asked. "Not by a longshot, buddy. Come say good night." They got up on their knees and waddled over to Tom and me, spit-slickened, hard-ons leading the way. As we got our hugs and gave them kisses on the forehead, I felt Alex's hand lightly brush my hardening cock while his hard, three-inch poker stabbed me in the ribs. I leaned back and saw Alex staring deep into my eyes while his hand continued to stimulate me. "Huh-uh, not tonight, buddy." "But soon, right, dad?" he whispered. "Not if you keep pushing the issue." He frowned deeply, but as he started to turn back to the middle of the bed, I decided to give him something to think about and I slipped a hand between his legs, freezing his movement, then slowly slid it up this thigh, over his sweet balls and up his still moist pecker. He tipped his head back and moaned at the minimal contact. I continued up his belly and chest until I reached his chin, then wrapped the hand around the back of his neck. I pulled his head back to mine and gave him a long, loving kiss on the lips. "Patience, young man," I whispered as our lips broke contact. "Yeah, okay, dad," he breathed back. I turned to Tom and Joey and found them staring wide-eyed at what had just happened between Alex and me. Not to be outdone by his brother, I watched as Joey leaned in and proceeded to give Tom one of the most sensuous kisses I've ever seen while trying to wrap a tiny hand around his cock and begin to stroke him. I continued to watch as Tom gently cupped Joey's balls and cock with his hand, causing Joey to jump in surprise. When they broke the kiss, Tom stood, grabbed me by the arm and whispered in my ear, "Get me outta' here, before it's too late." "Good night boys, lights out in five." "Night, dad, pops. Love you." "We love you, too." We turned to head out of the bedroom, hard-ons leading the way, and I heard one of them whisper, "Bet they're gonna go fuck each other silly, now," which elicited a wild giggle from the other one. Tom and I headed to our bedroom and as soon as I closed the door, Tom grabbed me and filled my mouth with his tongue while grinding his crotch into mine. I slowly backed him towards the bed, but stopped short so we didn't just fall into it and hurt his head. He did still have 28 stitches holding his scalp together. When we broke for air, Tom laid me down and crawled on top of me, smashing our cocks between us. After several minutes of furious kissing and rubbing our cocks together, he knelt over me, grabbed my hardness and guided it to his rear opening. He closed his eyes and slowly settled his body onto mine, impaling himself as he did and moaning with intense pleasure as I sank ever deeper into him. He began a rocking motion as I wrapped one hand around his drooling cock and fondled his balls with the other. In less than a minute, Tom started pumping shot after shot of cum on me and the rhythmic contractions of his asshole sent me over the edge and I began to further fill his hot ass. As a spent Tom lay down on top of me, I heard giggling from the direction of the door. I turned my head just in time to hear the latch click as the door closed and I heard the pitter-patter of small feet beating a retreat down the hall. Damn, in our rush to relieve our pent-up desires, I'd forgotten to lock the door. "Um," I started, "I do believe we had an audience tonight." "Oh, well, serves us right for letting them get us worked up and not locking the door. I hope they enjoyed the show." "No doubt, they did. Let's hit the shower and get cleaned up." "I don't know if I can move right now." "I'll help, come on, big guy." Tom rolled off me and after I climbed out of bed, I took his hands in mine and helped him up. We hopped in the shower and lovingly bathed each other. I used a washcloth to carefully clean Tom's scalp around the stiches. Once we were dried off, I applied more antibiotic ointment to his scalp and we headed to the theater to watch some TV before going to bed. As we passed through the kitchen, Tom suddenly stopped, grabbed my arm and said, "Oh, crap, I haven't called the `rents to let them know what happened Saturday." "I'd forgotten all about them, Tom. You want to do it now?" "Again, `want' is the wrong word. But I think they should know." "Of course, they should. I would have called them myself, but after we got home Saturday night, I completely forgot about it." We turned around and headed to the study to make the call. "They won't be happy `bout this, especially mom" Tom said as the phone rang. Tom's dad answered the phone with, "Hello?" "Hey, dad, it's Tom, how ya' doing?" "We're fine, son, what's up?" "Don't freak out or anything, but I'm calling to let you know I got hurt on the job Saturday afternoon. I'm gonna' be fine, though." "Well, hell, son, that just sucks. What happened?" Tom explained Saturday's events and apologized for not calling earlier. "Oh hell, don't worry about it, Tom. I'm just glad you're okay. And since you don't have to be a cop any longer, we can quit worrying about you so much." "I know, dad. It' a big relief to us, too. I loved the job, but it was just getting too dangerous. Too many idiots with guns out there." "How's everything else?" Bill asked. "Well, we've added another boy to the family. It was his house where I got hurt and his mom's going to jail, too, so he's staying with us until the end of the school year, at least. After that, I don't know what's gonna' happen." "Well, I hope everything works out with him. I'm sure you'll take good care of him." "We will, don't worry about that. How's mom doing?" "She's just fine, over at the neighbor's house right now to take them some fresh apple pie." "That sounds like mom. Always baking something and delivering it to a neighbor." "That she is. Wait a sec, sounds like she's comin' back in the door right now. Let me pass the news on to her and you know she'll want to talk to you, too." "We'll wait, dad," Tom said as he cowered in fear and whispered to me, "Get ready, here comes the `I told you so'." Bill didn't do a very good job covering up the phone and we heard Estelle gasp loudly when she heard about Tom being hurt. The next thing we heard was his mom's voice bellowing from the speakerphone. "Thomas William Wright, god dammit, you waited two damn days to call me! What were you thinking?" "Mom, please stop yelling, my head still hurts a bit. And I'm sorry for not calling sooner, but Max didn't have your number, and my brain's been a little fuzzy since it happened. It just popped in that I still needed to call and let you know." "I'm sorry for yelling, Tom, but we should have known about this on Saturday." "I know, and I'm sorry you didn't. Fortunately, you won't have to worry about it anymore." "Well, we're coming up tomorrow." "Ma, you don't have to do that." "Yes, we do. My boy's been hurt and he needs his mama." "Really, mom, I'm fine. Max is right here and he's taking good care of me." "He better be or he'll have to answer to me. But, I'll find out for sure tomorrow when we get there. Are we coming to your apartment or to Max's home?" "It's our home now, mom, so if you're really coming up, you'll need to come here." "Of course, it is, sorry. Give me the address so we can find you. We should be there around noon." "You really don't have to, but I know I won't talk you out of it, either, will I?" "That's right, you won't, so don't even try." "Fine, you ready to write this down?" After she had a pen and paper, Tom gave her the address and phone numbers to call if they got lost. "We'll see you when you get here then. Love you, guys." "We love you, too, Tom. See you tomorrow." Tom ended the call and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "That went well, didn't it?" he chuckled. "At least she didn't say `I told you so'." "Looks like I'm going to meet your parents sooner than we thought." "Sure looks that way. Hope they're good." "They're just worried about you, Tom. I don't blame your mom for wanting to come up and make sure you're okay." "Hey, I've got a wild idea for ya'. Why don't you invite your parents out tomorrow afternoon and we can have a regular old party?" Tom laughed. "Sure, why not, give me the phone." "Whoa, I was just kidding, Max." "I'm not, give me the dang phone." Tom handed me the phone and I made the call. "Hi, mom, how ya' doing?" "We're hanging in, son, what's up?" "Listen, Tom just called his mom and dad to let them know about his getting hurt Saturday. It turns out, they're coming up tomorrow and should be here about noon so his mom can make sure he's okay and see I'm taking good care of him. I wanted to see if you and dad would want to come out for lunch and meet Tom and his parents." "Gee, Max, I don't know. I'm not sure we're quite ready for that." "Mom, will you ever really be ready?" "Oh, I don't know. In time, son, in time." "There's no time like the present. Come on, you and dad need to get out of the house and you haven't been here forever, it seems. I'd really like it if you could make just a little effort. It's not like I'm asking you to kill someone for me, just meet more of your new family. You've met the boys, you should meet Tom and his parents, too." "Let me talk to your dad and see what he says." "That's all I can ask for, mom. I hope you'll be here. It would mean a lot to me." "Like I said, son, we'll see." "Thanks, I hope we see you tomorrow then." I hung up and handed the phone back to Tom. "And..." he asked. "She says, `we'll see', which probably translates to `when hell freezes over'," I answered him with a frown. "I hope they do. I want to thank them for having you," Tom said with a smile. "Maybe you'll get the opportunity, maybe you won't. I don't know about you, but I'm wiped and ready for bed. Want to watch some mindless TV for a while?" "Lead the way, lover." We crawled into bed and after starting the movie `True Lies' from the DVR, I curled up in Tom's arms and laid my head on his shoulder. I zoned out in less than 5 minutes, only to be awakened by the alarm screaming in my ear at 6:00AM. I extricated myself from Tom's grasp and, after using the bathroom, headed to wake up the boys. When I got to Mike and T.J.'s room, I was surprised to find Andy had crawled in bed with them sometime during the night. I woke the three of them and asked, "You change your mind, Andy? Or did they kidnap you in the middle of the night?" I chuckled. "Oh, no, they didn't kidnap me. I had a bad dream and got scared, so I snuck in about 1:00 and crawled in. That's all right, isn't it?" "That's entirely up to you, young man. You can sleep wherever you feel most comfortable." "Thanks, dad," he said with a smile. "C'mon, boys, let's get a move on. If you want stitches drawn on your heads, we gotta' get moving." "Be there in a few, dad," T.J. mumbled while wiping the sleep from his eyes. Next to wake was the pretzels. When I walked in their room, I was surprised for the second time this morning to find the twins completely covered and sleeping on their sides, back to back. I shook their shoulders to get them moving in the right direction. When they were finally awake enough to realize it was me and not an earthquake intruding on their slumber, I said, "Let's boogie, you two." I should have known better that to say that to these two because as soon as the words left my mouth, they jumped out of bed and proceeded to dance their happy little asses to the bathroom, morning erections bouncing wildly to no specific rhythm. "Very funny, you two. Breakfast in five," I called out as I left the room to wake Tom. "C'mon, sleepyhead, the day's a wastin' and we have guests coming today, movers and parents, remember. Busy day ahead." "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'm movin'," he groused. "Get dressed and I'll get the coffee going. But, you have to come to the kitchen to get it yourself, I'm your partner, not your servant, ya' know." "I'll be there. Just do me one teeny-tiny, itsy-bitsy favor, please." "Your wish is my command." "Quit being so damned chipper in the morning. That shit's just depressing to us normal folks." "Sorry, can't help myself. I'm way too happy with my life now to start the day any other way." I turned to face him with a smile on my face to prove my point and narrowly ducked the pillow he had tossed at my head. "Uh-oh, you've been a bad boy, Thomas. No coffee for you today." "Well, hell, just shoot me now. If I can't have my coffee, what's the point of living?" he laughed as he stood and headed to the bathroom. I grabbed him as we crossed paths, pulled him into a hug and gave him a good morning kiss. I also gave his morning erection a light stroke as we separated and his response to that was, "Don't be starting something you ain't got time to finish, bubba." "You were already started, big boy," I laughed. "See you in the kitchen. You can help draw 28 stitches on five heads this morning." "Wow, you really know how to show a guy a good time, don't ya'?" "You know it," was my parting shot as I left the bedroom to feed the fantastic five. The boys were all lined up on their stools and ready for food. I got out the bowls, cereal and milk for them. When I asked if anyone wanted toast this morning, they all passed. I grabbed one of the makeup pencils, sharpened it and was halfway done drawing stitches on Andy's head while he ate his Frosted Flakes when Tom finally appeared. He headed straight for the coffee pot, poured himself a cup and took a sip before turning to face the rest of the family. "Morning, boys. All ready for another fun-filled day at school?" "Yeah, right, pops," Alex answered sarcastically. "I'm not feeling too good, pops," T.J. whined with a smirk on his face. "Will you go in my place?" "Sorry, young man. Been there, done that, many years ago. And I have no interest in going back. Thanks for asking, though." "Dang it," he grinned. "I had to try." "Tom," I interrupted, "Grab another pencil out of the drawer and get busy. We got four more heads to decorate." "Yes, Boss." After a few bouts of giggling due the tickling of their heads, we finally completed the drawing of 28 stitches on each of the shaved heads while the boys finished eating their cereal. They took care of rinsing and stacking their bowls in the sink and headed to their bedrooms to get backpacks and coats. They came back in a few minutes later to give hugs to Tom before heading out to the garage to wait for me. As they headed down the hall, Tom yelled, "Hey, you guys have a great day at school and learn something new." "Yeah, yeah, whatever, POPS!" Joey yelled back. "Hmm, that sounds vaguely familiar," I commented. "Yeah, yeah, whatever," Tom answered. As I walked by him to grab my coat, I smacked him on the ass since his head was off limits. His response to that was, "Oooh, come back here and do that again. And again." "You wish. Back in a few," I called as I headed to the garage. The bus was waiting at the end of the drive as I pulled up and put the car in park. The boys hopped out and ran to join the other riders, somehow missing out on me giving me hugs this morning. I was going to have to remedy that situation. I gave a quick wave to Carl as he closed the door and headed on up the road. When I got back to the house, I found Tom sitting by the fireplace, cup of coffee in one hand, a sheet of paper in the other and a stunned look on his face. I hung my coat back in the closet, headed to the kitchen to refill my coffee and had sat next to him when I realized he hadn't moved since I first saw him. "What's that?" I asked as I snapped my fingers in front of his face to break whatever trance he was in. "Huh?" he asked as he tore his eyes from paper and focused on me. "Oh, you're back. Sorry, didn't hear you come in." "Obviously. So, you gonna answer my question?" "You're not gonna' believe this. I'm not sure I believe it. Here, you read it and tell me I'm not seeing things," he said as he held the paper out and shook his hand. Curiosity spiked, I took the page from him and quickly scanned it. "You're shittin' me. 30 freakin' minutes on Facebook and you actually found Dylan's Malcom White. I don't believe this, Tom. You solve every case this quickly, you're gonna have some very happy clients." "It is real, isn't it? And he said he'd actually like to come for a visit and see Dylan. Unreal." "Beginner's luck, Sherlock. Don't let one success go to your head." "You know, you can be a real killjoy. Go right ahead and rain on my damn parade, I don't mind one bit. I'm just gonna' kick back and bask in the glow of my success." "I'm just kidding you, Tom. Really, this is great news. And he gave you his phone numbers so you can call him, too. That should make setting things up easier to deal with." "That and the fact he's moved from Chicago to Bloomington will help, also. He could drive down or I could drive up there to pick him up." "We have to set this up, but let's wait until after Joey and Alex's birthday party. I don't want to try and juggle too many different things at once." "No problem, Max. With the bus shelter, redoing the bedrooms for the boys and my office, moving furniture and getting ready for the workshop thingy at school, we've got plenty on our plate for next couple weeks. I'll call Malcom later this afternoon, after mom and dad head back home, and see if we can set something up towards the end of March." "That should work out fine, Tom. This should be fun." The drive sensor went off, announcing the arrival of the movers. "Speaking of moving furniture, that should be them." I headed across the living room to meet them when they reached the door. After opening the door, the leader of the group said, "Good morning, are you Mr. Sanders?" "That's me, and I go by Max. Come on in out of the cold." I stepped back and held the door open as five beefy, muscular men followed their leader into the house. "Thanks, Max, nice to meet you. My name's Vinnie and this is my crew, Frankie, Paulie, Benny, Willy and Junior." "Junior?" I asked. "Yeah, he's Frankie's son, but we can't go `round all day yellin' `Yo, Frankie'. No tellin' how screwed up things'd get if we did that," he laughed in explanation. "Well, I'm happy you guys could make it today. We've got a lot to deal with this week and don't have time to do the moving ourselves." "Eh, no problems, Maxie. That's what keeps up going day to day." "Huh-uh, Max. You start callin' me Maxie, then you'll start thinkin' I'm part of your crew and expect me to move all this junk myself. No way, Vinnie, I hired you so I wouldn't have to do it myself." They all laughed at that. From across the room, Tom yelled, "Vinnie, what the hell are you doin' here?" "Tom! Long time, no see, how's it hangin', man?" "Same as always, short, shriveled and to the right," he laughed as he crossed the living room to join us at the door. "Yeah, right, don't try to con a conman, bubba," Vinnie answered as the two shook hands. "Besides, I know better," he winked. "Wait a minute, you guys know each other?" I asked in surprise. "Sure do, Max. Vinnie here used to get into regular trouble after I joined the department. Probably for a long time before I joined up, too. We finally got him to see the error of his ways and helped him turn his life around," Tom explained. "Nice to see an old reprobate like you make good, Vinnie," he continued. "Careful with them words like that, man, I'm a respectable businessman these days. Got you and Dylan to thank for that, Tom. If it hadn't been for you two, I'd probably be doin' time by now. Instead, got myself a good business and that's helpin' keep the rest of the family outta' trouble. I owe you guys, big time, man." "Just doin' our jobs, Vinnie. Glad to see you're doing well." "Yeah, me too. Mind if I ask what the hell happened to your head? Looks like you had a seizure while tryin' to shave that ugly mug of yours," Vinnie joked. "I wish that's all it was. But no, I took a bullet to the head Saturday afternoon. I got lucky." "If that's `lucky', I hate to see the not lucky version." "You and me both, Vinnie, believe me." "Well, I'm glad you're okay. The world would be a sadder place without you in it, man. You just recuperatin' in these fine digs `til you can go back to work?" "Nope, I live here, now, Vinnie. Moved in last week. Max and I are gettin' married." "No shit! Never figured you for gay, what with you bein' a cop and everything. Congrats you two." "I hid it well, Vinnie, but no longer. Not a cop any more, either." "When the hell did that happen?" "Same day a bullet creased my cranium, Saturday. I'd already turned in my resignation, but had another week to go. Dylan said no way, I was done." "Good for you. What're you gonna' do now?" "I'm opening up a private investigation service." "Excellent, man. Hey, you need any snoopin' done in the old neighborhood, you let me know. I'd just love see some of them crooks get what's comin' to `em." Vinnie grinned. He turned back to me finally and asked, "So, I understand from talkin' to you on the phone, Max, we got a couple rooms to clear out here, right?" "Yep, let me show you what you'll be dealing with today. Follow me." I led the way to the spare bedroom and opened the door. "This is the first one. We need all the furniture except the TV moved out so we can have the room redone for our twins." "No sweat, where's the second one?" "Right across the hall, here," I answered as I opened the door to the storage room. "Whoa, good thing I brought the big guns with me today. This one will take a while." "Now you see why I called you." "You bet. Next question, where's it all getting moved to." "I have a storage building on the property, hidden back in the trees a bit. When you get the first load ready to move, Tom and I will lead you to it." "Sounds like a plan to me, Max. We haulin' out the front door or you got another direction you want us to go?" "It'll probably be easier if you just go down the hallway and out through the garage. If you move your truck, I'll get my car out of the way, then you can back up to the door." "That's perfect, Max. Junior, go move the truck out of Max's way, then get it turned around and back it up to the garage. And please, don't hit the damn house this time." "Hey, that was an accident!" Junior yelled. "Accident or not, you still hit the damn thing, didn't you? It's not like it jumped in front of ya', is it?" "Damn, one little freakin' mistake and you never gonna' let me forget it, are ya'?" "Nope, not ever." Everybody was laughing now. Well, everybody but Junior, that is. Junior and I headed to the garage and after he got the truck out of the way, I backed the Shelby out and parked it on the circle drive by the front door. I watched as he backed the truck into position by the door to make sure he didn't hit it. As it turned out, he left plenty of room and I could breathe easy, again. I headed back inside to find Tom and quietly asked, "You really trust this guy, Tom? He seems to be quite the character." "Oh, he's a character, all right, and four years ago, when I first met him, I wouldn't have trusted him as far as I could throw him. But he's come a long way the past couple years and I trust him now. He's a good guy who started out badly but that's all ancient history, now." "Good to hear it, I guess if you're comfortable with him, I am, too. Thanks for easin' my mind. I gotta' ask, though, how does he know that you're not hangin' `short, shriveled and to the right', as you put it?" "When Dylan and I were workin' with him to help him get his life turned around, he went swimmin' at the Y' with me a few times. You know character building and all that crap. And what can I say, you gotta' take a shower after swimmin', don't ya?" "Gotcha'. I just wondered if he was maybe that one guy you mentioned before." "Vinnie, hell no, he's as straight as they get. I don't even remember that other loser's name." "So, what are we gonna' fix for lunch?" I asked after sitting by the fireplace with Tom. "Doesn't have to be anything fancy, Max, whatever's easy to fix." "How about spaghetti and garlic bread? I have plenty of sauce in the freezer and it doesn't take long to boil the pasta. It's easy to change how much to fix, too, in case my mom and dad do actually show up, though I'm not placing any bets on that happening." "That sounds good. Mom and dad like spaghetti, too." "Perfect, let me get the sauce out the freezer now so it can start to thaw a bit." I got up to take care of that and while I was in the kitchen, pulled the pasta from the cabinet and got out the pans I'd need. That's about all I could do at the moment, so I grabbed my book and retook my seat by Tom. "Damn, it's getting chilly in here with the doors open. I'm gonna light a fire." "Wait, you mean to tell me that thing is real?" "Of course, it is, did you think it was just a decoration?" "I wasn't sure since I've never seen a fire in it before." "I usually keep it warm enough inside so it's comfortable enough to be nude, so I rarely use it. Normally, I only light a fire when I'm having guests." "Well, now that I know it's real, we'll have to have fires more often." "I'd like that, Tom, especially since you'll be here to share the warmth with me." I set some good-sized logs in place, added some kindling and, after opening the flue, lit it up. Then, I flipped the switch to turn on the circulating fan to force more of the heat out into the room instead of letting it all escape up the chimney. After about ten minutes, the flames were going strong enough to produce some good heat and take the edge off the chill from the open doors. I settled back in my chair and cracked open my book. 45 minutes later, Vinnie rounded the corner from the hallway and let us know the truck was full. "Great, let us grab our coats and we'll lead the way." Tom and I got our coats out of the closet, hopped in the car and I headed on around the circle drive to lead the way deeper into the property to my storage building. I usually walked the distance, but it was cold and still snowy out there since I usually don't go out there much in winter. When I pulled up in front of the building, Tom stared wide-eyed at how big it was. "Holy crap, Max, you got a plane in there?" "I could, but no. No runway here for a plane, not with all these trees. Besides, the plane's parked where it should be, at the airport." I grinned. "You really have a plane?" "Of course, I do, what's the point of being rich and famous if you don't take full advantage of it?" "I shoulda' known," he responded, shaking his head in disbelief. "So, how big is this thing?" he asked looking back at the storage building "40' by 60' with a second level of storage for lighter stuff across the back half. Heated, also." He gawked at me in disbelief. "Yeah, I know, my parents thought the same thing when they saw it the first time. Call me crazy." "Okay, you're crazy." "The good news is it's only about half full, so there's plenty of room for the stuff from the two rooms in the house and your apartment. Come on in and I'll give you the tour." We walked to the building and, after I unlocked the door and disabled the alarm, headed inside and opened the big door for Vinnie and his crew to use. While they backed the truck up to the door, I lead Tom around the inside pointing out general areas where things were stored. We then headed back to meet Vinnie and his guys so I could tell them where to put the furniture and other stuff they'd just brought out from the house. While I did that and they got busy unloading, Tom had wandered over to a corner of the building where a couple of large objects were covered with tarps. "And just what are you hiding over here," he asked as I walked over to join him. I grabbed the corner of one of the tarps and lifted it a few feet, exposing a bulging, bright red fender. "Nothing major, just a '64 `Vette convertible with a 427, dual four barrel carbs and 435 horsepower." I pulled the cover completely off so Tom could see the whole car. He let out a low whistle in appreciation and we were soon joined by Vinnie and his guys. "I don't drive it much because it's rides like an old horse-drawn buckboard wagon compared to the Shelby. It does have some serious giddy-up, however." "Oh, man, Max, we gotta' get this baby out on the road this summer. This thing is hot," he exclaimed as he stuck his head through the window to look at the inside. "Dare I ask what's under the other cover?" he asked after standing upright again. I walked over and pulled that cover off also, exposing the 2014 Ferrari California I'd bought a couple years back when I was younger and crazier. "Holy shit, Max. You got a thing for red, don't you?" "I did, I guess, but you'll note the Shelby's blue. Guess I've finally grown out of that." "Any other cool toys hiding out here?" Tom asked, rubbing his hands together with a smirk on his face. "Nope, these are the only two, and I only take `em out when the weather's perfect." "Well, here's to hoping for perfect weather, and sooner rather than later." Vinnie and crew returned to their work after admiring the cars for a minute and Tom and I pulled the covers back over both. I then led Tom around the rest of the building including the upper deck. By the time we finished our wandering, Vinnie's guys had finished emptying the truck. "Yo, Maxie, we're ready for the next load. We'll head on back to the house and get started on emptying the other room." "Go ahead guys, we'll be along shortly. Anything else you want to see, Tom?" "Yeah, show me where you buried all those bodies you talked about," he laughed. "Oh, I will someday, but I'd rather do that after the snow is all gone." "Wait, I thought you were kidding about that." "Not a bit. There are bodies buried out there," I said while pointing towards the northeast corner of the property, "but they were here long before I bought it. I found the remains of an old family cemetery when I was clearing my walking trails through the trees. It was such a shame to see the bad shape it was in, but I spent a bunch of time cleaning it out and having the stones repaired. I even put in a nice wrought iron fence around it. I haven't done any research on the names, but I'm guessing they are all members of the family who originally owned this land. Some family named `Corgan'. Odd name, that." "I'd like to see that. I think the old cemeteries like that are cooler than hell." "The boys will probably love it, too. But like I said, let's wait for nicer weather for that tour." I looked to my watch and realized it was almost 11:30. "Whoa, Tom, we gotta' get back to the house. I need to get the spaghetti sauce in a pan and warming so it'll be ready when your mom and dad get here." I closed the doors on the storage building, but didn't lock them so Vinnie could get in when he and his guys came back out with the next load, and we headed back to the house. When we got back to the house, I headed to the kitchen to start getting things ready for our lunch and Tom found Vinnie to let him know we were expecting guests in a bit and they might want to take a lunch break themselves. Tom then joined me in the kitchen to help with our preparations. "Vinnie and the boys have headed over to some place called Shepp's to grab some lunch. Said they'd be back in `bout hour or so." "That'll work. At least we can close the doors for a while." The drive sensor dinged about ten before noon and after looking at the time, Tom commented, "Looks like they made good time this morning. Mom must have been driving, today," he added with a laugh, "She's always had a problem that lead in her foot." "Why don't you go let them in and I'll be there in just a minute, Tom? And you can hang their coats in the closet." Just as I was about to join him at the door, Tom came back in the kitchen with an odd look on his face. "Hey, where's your parents? You didn't leave `em standing out on the porch in the cold, did ya'?" "Oh, someone's parents are here, all right, but they sure as hell ain't mine. My parents would be happy to see me and those two at the door don't seem to be in a very good mood at the moment," Tom answered as the biggest shit-eatin' grin I've ever seen split his face.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 36</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc478392146"><span>Chapter 36 � Chat with Andy and Moving Day</span></a></h2> <p><span>"Any time, Andy. You want to talk here or somewhere else?"</span></p> <p><span>"Can we go sit by the fireplace?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, come on." I turned to Tom and told him where we were going and he nodded in understanding. Andy and I headed to the living room and once I'd taken my seat, he crawled up and sat next to me. "Okay, young man, what's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think I want to start sleeping in the empty bedroom, if that's okay."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, Andy. Are you having problems with T.J. and Mike?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really. I mean, we get along great, and I really like `em, but they do things that kind of bother me and I feel weird about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Like what?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, they play with each other's, well, you know," he muttered as he pointed to his crotch and blushed. "A lot. And they do other things I don't like, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Got it. Have they ever touched you there and you didn't want them to?"</span></p> <p><span>"A couple times, out in the pool Saturday, but I told `em I didn't want `em doing it and they ain't done it since, but they keep askin' if they can and I keep tellin' `em no."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay. I'm sorry about that. I'll talk to them and make sure they won't ask you again. One of the rules in this house it they have to ask for permission before they touch each other that way. And if the other person says no, they have to respect that. I'm glad they're at least doing that."</span></p> <p><span>"But why do they do it? Touch each other like that, I mean?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's slightly more involved discussion, you sure you're ready for it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah. If I'm gonna' live here, I wanna' know what's goin' on."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I'll try to make this simple. You know, for most people, boys like girls and men like women, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, sure."</span></p> <p><span>"There are others like me, Tom and the boys who like other men and other boys. There are also girls who like girls and women who like women."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I don't like girls. They're yucky. And all my friends are boys and I like `em, but that don't mean I want `em touchin' me <i>there</i>. Or any of the other things they do."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine Andy. If you don't want to play with them that way, I'll make sure they leave you out of it. But, you also have to understand, that they like each other a whole lot and they'll continue to play that way. Joey and Alex, too. There might even be times when all four of them will play together. </span></p> <p><span>"That's cool, if they wanna' do that to each other, fine with me, just leave me out of it." </span></p> <p><span>"If you don't want to join in, that's fine. Come find me or Tom and we'll find something else to do like read a book or play a game. Sound good to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be great."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, then. I'll make sure they all know. If you ever change your mind and decide you do want to be included, just let me know, okay."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, dad. Thanks. Can I ask another question?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure."</span></p> <p><span>"Why does my, um, it, get hard?" he asked as he blushed again.</span></p> <p><span>I stifled my snicker and answered, "I'm guessing nobody's ever talked to you about that, have they?"</span></p> <p><span>"No. Will you tell me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure. It happens to all guys, Andy, from little boys to old men."</span></p> <p><span>"Really?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, really. First, the name for that part of your body is `penis' and it's okay for you to say the word without embarrassment. You can also call it a dick, and whole bunch of other things."</span></p> <p><span>"That's what most of the boys at school call it, their dick. But why does it, um, my penis, get hard?"</span></p> <p><span>"When it gets hard, it's call an erection. That can happen for any number of reasons, a cool breeze when you're outside, you need to go to the bathroom, you touch it, somebody else touches it. The list goes on and on."</span></p> <p><span>"So, that's why theirs are always hard, `cause they keep touchin' and playin' with it. But why do they play with it so much?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because it feels good, Andy."</span></p> <p><span>"Really? How?"</span></p> <p><span>Now it was my turn to blush. "I can't really explain how. It's something you just have to feel for yourself."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, okay. I got one more question. Can I go ahead and ask it now?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm in answer mode, so go ahead."</span></p> <p><span>"Why do T.J. and I look different from you guys. You know, that extra skin down there?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's called the foreskin. All guys are born like you two, it's just that for a lot of us, our parents had that extra skin cut off shortly after we born."</span></p> <p><span>"Ouch! Doesn't that hurt?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure it does, but I don't remember it happening."</span></p> <p><span>"I've seen T.J.'s kinda pulled back so he looks like the rest of you when he gets hard, but mine won't do that."</span></p> <p><span>"Have you tried?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, a little bit, but it hurts when I do."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm no expert on foreskin function since I obviously don't have mine, so I don't know if I can help you with that problem. We may have to take you to see a doctor and have you checked out to see if there's a reason for it."</span></p> <p><span>"No way! I don't want some stranger touchin' me there. Why can't you do it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because I don't know what I'm looking for and even if I did see a problem of some kind, I wouldn't know what to do about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Won't you at least try?"</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose I can, if you really want me to."</span></p> <p><span>"I do. What do you want me to do?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you lay down on the couch?"</span></p> <p><span>"Okay." </span></p> <p><span>Andy jumped out of the chair, ran to the couch and laid down. I knelt beside the couch and reached over, resting a hand on is hip. Just before I touched his soft one-inch penis, I looked at his face and asked, "You're sure you want me to do this?" He nodded silently, so I proceeded to gently grab his penis between my thumb and forefinger. As soon as I touched his sweet specimen of boyhood, it started to stiffen and grow in length. When his erection reached a length of about 1� inches, it appeared to have stopped growing and I gently tried to retract his foreskin the same way I had done with T.J. I met almost immediate resistance with the opening at the end just barely exposing the tip of his enshrouded helmet. I also noticed his body flinch and heard a tiny gasp escape from between his lips.</span></p> <p><span>"Does that hurt?" I asked, looking up to his face, worried that I'd hurt him.</span></p> <p><span>"Just a little, but it feels good, too."</span></p> <p><span>"What feels good about it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just the way you're holding it and sliding your fingers up and down like you are," he grinned as he lifted his head to see what I was doing. "It doesn't feel like that when I do it." </span></p> <p><span>Since I'd looked to his face when he flinched, I quickly looked back to my hand and the prize it was holding, realizing I was doing exactly what he said. I was ever so slowly and gently sliding my finger and thumb up and down his turgid little member and my other fingers were lightly stroking the small marbles nestled below in their wrinkly little sack. </span></p> <p><span>I forced myself to remove my hand from his hardness and began to apologize, "Oh, Andy, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have done that."</span></p> <p><span>"S'okay, dad, I kinda' liked it. Like I said, it doesn't feel that good when I do it myself. Is that what it would feel like if I let T.J. and Mike play with it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure it would. But, I think we need to have a doctor check you out and see if anything can be done so your foreskin will roll back all the way. As far I know, it should, but, again, I really don't know the answer."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't much like havin' a stranger look at and touch me there, but if you think we should..."</span></p> <p><span>"I do. I'll call and make an appointment with a pediatrician to get you checked out, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Okay," he replied dejectedly as he sat up. "Thanks for talkin' to me. And I'm glad you're not mad at me for wanting to sleep in the other room."</span></p> <p><span>"Anytime, Andy. And I can't be mad at you for anything. Now, let's go back and rejoin the others." When he slid off the couch, I noticed he was still erect and I was hoping his excitement would be a little less obvious before we got back to the theater. He reached for my hand and I wrapped my fingers around his as we strolled back through the house. When I opened the door to the theater, Andy slipped his hand from mine and ran to sit with the other boys while I took my seat next to Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"You were gone quite a while," he whispered. "I was about ready to send out a search party. What was that all about?"</span></p> <p><span>"He wants to start sleeping in the spare bedroom," I whispered back.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, problems?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing major, I guess. He feels uncomfortable with the sex play between T.J. and Mike. He says they keep asking him if they can touch him and he keeps saying no, but I think he just wants to get away from it so they quit bugging him about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Gotcha'. Anything else to worry about?"</span></p> <p><span>"He also wanted to know why he got hard," I chuckled. "Why the hell don't parents take the time to explain basic body functions to kids? That was a bit more of an involved chat than changing bedrooms. When I got done with that, he wanted to know why his foreskin won't pull back like T.J.'s does. When I told him we should probably have a doctor check him out, he asked me to do it instead."</span></p> <p><span>"And did you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Didn't really want to, but I also didn't feel I had much choice. And he does, indeed, have a problem. The opening isn't stretched out enough to allow him to pull it all the way back the way T.J. can. I'll call and make an appointment with a pediatrician to get him checked out, make sure there's nothing seriously wrong."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn it, you have all the fun," he hissed.</span></p> <p><span>"Look, it's not like I enjoyed it."</span></p> <p><span>"Then why were you half hard when you two came back?"</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, maybe just a little," I grinned. "But I stopped myself before it got too far."</span></p> <p><span>"Asserting your will power, huh? Good luck with that."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know."</span></p> <p><span>At 7:30, I let the boys know it was time for snacks and bed. I shut down the TV and we headed to the kitchen where Tom and I set them up with fruit roll-ups and milk. </span></p> <p><span>While they were munching, I announced, "Mike, T.J., Andy has asked to start sleeping in the spare bedroom."</span></p> <p><span>Mike yelled, "What!" He turned to Andy and squealed, "Why, don't you like us no more?"</span></p> <p><span>"I like you just fine. I just feel funny when you two play with each other the way you do."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Andy, we won't never do it again."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't stop `cause of me. If you two want to do that, that's fine, I just don't want to."</span></p> <p><span>"So, we're still friends?" Mike begged.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, we are," Andy answered, then leaned over and wrapped an arm around Mike's shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>"Good. I hope you'll come back to sleep with us sometime."</span></p> <p><span>"I might, but I need to think about it, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay," Mike mumbled unhappily.</span></p> <p><span>"If you're done with your snacks, hit the bathroom and then bed, please. We'll be there in a minute to tuck you in and say goodnight."</span></p> <p><span>The fantastic five stalked out of the kitchen, T.J. and Mike wrapping their arms around Andy's shoulders. Tom and I cleaned up the snack mess and headed down the hall to get them tucked in and say good night. Since Andy had peeled off at the spare bedroom, we stopped there first. He'd already climbed in bed and Tom and I pulled the covers up and gave him a good night kiss on the forehead.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad you're not mad at me for wanting to sleep in here," he said as we turned to leave.</span></p> <p><span>"Like I said, Andy, I can't be mad at you for anything. If you're not okay sleeping with Mike and T.J., then it's fine with us. This is your home, too, for now, and we want you to be as comfortable as possible here."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, dad, pops. That means a lot."</span></p> <p><span>"Sleep well, buddy. We'll see you in the morning."</span></p> <p><span>We turned off the light and closed the door as Tom and I headed to Mike and T.J.'s room next and I could hear one or both of them whimpering as we stepped through the door.</span></p> <p><span>"What's wrong, guys," Tom asked as we got closer to the bed.</span></p> <p><span>"Mike's upset about Andy not wantin' to sleep with us," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I sat on the bed and I said, "Mike, don't be sad. It's not like he moved out of the house."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, dad, but I liked holding him at night."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, Mike, but he just didn't feel right being here when you and T.J. are engaging in your sex play. You understand that, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really. We kept asking him if he'd join us, but all he ever said was no."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, not all boys and girls are as comfortable with who they are and their bodies as you guys are. You two and the twins are way ahead of most kids your ages. Besides, Andy might not be gay, and he probably isn't, and that's why he's uncomfortable with joining you. Let's give him some time and see what happens. He may change his mind and he may not. Whatever he decides, you need to respect it."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Listen, buddy," Tom started, "he's still living here and he's still your friend, that's something, isn't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess," he whimpered as I dried his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, then, let's get you two tucked in," I said. The boys curled up together, T.J. holding Mike as usual, then Tom and I pulled the covers up and gave them kisses goodnight, turned out the lights and headed for Joey and Alex's room. We could hear light moans escaping through the open door and we shook our heads in unison. We stepped in anyway and headed to the side of the bed where the two were entwined in a rather creative mutual blowjob.</span></p> <p><span>"How the hell can they do that," Tom asked as we sat on the edge of the bed to wait.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a freakin' clue, youthful flexibility?" I responded while shrugging my shoulders.</span></p> <p><span>The two separated, wide, satisfied grins splitting their faces and Joey said, "Hi, dad, pops."</span></p> <p><span>"You ready to join us yet," Alex asked. </span></p> <p><span>"Not by a longshot, buddy. Come say good night." They got up on their knees and waddled over to Tom and me, spit-slickened, hard-ons leading the way. As we got our hugs and gave them kisses on the forehead, I felt Alex's hand lightly brush my hardening cock while his hard, three-inch poker stabbed me in the ribs. I leaned back and saw Alex staring deep into my eyes while his hand continued to stimulate me. "Huh-uh, not tonight, buddy."</span></p> <p><span>"But soon, right, dad?" he whispered.</span></p> <p><span>"Not if you keep pushing the issue." He frowned deeply, but as he started to turn back to the middle of the bed, I decided to give him something to think about and I slipped a hand between his legs, freezing his movement, then slowly slid it up this thigh, over his sweet balls and up his still moist pecker. He tipped his head back and moaned at the minimal contact. I continued up his belly and chest until I reached his chin, then wrapped the hand around the back of his neck. I pulled his head back to mine and gave him a long, loving kiss on the lips. "Patience, young man," I whispered as our lips broke contact.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay, dad," he breathed back.</span></p> <p><span>I turned to Tom and Joey and found them staring wide-eyed at what had just happened between Alex and me. Not to be outdone by his brother, I watched as Joey leaned in and proceeded to give Tom one of the most sensuous kisses I've ever seen while trying to wrap a tiny hand around his cock and begin to stroke him. I continued to watch as Tom gently cupped Joey's balls and cock with his hand, causing Joey to jump in surprise. When they broke the kiss, Tom stood, grabbed me by the arm and whispered in my ear, "Get me outta' here, before it's too late."</span></p> <p><span>"Good night boys, lights out in five."</span></p> <p><span>"Night, dad, pops. Love you."</span></p> <p><span>"We love you, too." </span></p> <p><span>We turned to head out of the bedroom, hard-ons leading the way, and I heard one of them whisper, "Bet they're gonna go fuck each other silly, now," which elicited a wild giggle from the other one.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I headed to our bedroom and as soon as I closed the door, Tom grabbed me and filled my mouth with his tongue while grinding his crotch into mine. I slowly backed him towards the bed, but stopped short so we didn't just fall into it and hurt his head. He did still have 28 stitches holding his scalp together. When we broke for air, Tom laid me down and crawled on top of me, smashing our cocks between us. After several minutes of furious kissing and rubbing our cocks together, he knelt over me, grabbed my hardness and guided it to his rear opening. He closed his eyes and slowly settled his body onto mine, impaling himself as he did and moaning with intense pleasure as I sank ever deeper into him. He began a rocking motion as I wrapped one hand around his drooling cock and fondled his balls with the other. In less than a minute, Tom started pumping shot after shot of cum on me and the rhythmic contractions of his asshole sent me over the edge and I began to further fill his hot ass. </span></p> <p><span>As a spent Tom lay down on top of me, I heard giggling from the direction of the door. I turned my head just in time to hear the latch click as the door closed and I heard the pitter-patter of small feet beating a retreat down the hall. Damn, in our rush to relieve our pent-up desires, I'd forgotten to lock the door.</span></p> <p><span>"Um," I started, "I do believe we had an audience tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, well, serves us right for letting them get us worked up and not locking the door. I hope they enjoyed the show."</span></p> <p><span>"No doubt, they did. Let's hit the shower and get cleaned up."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know if I can move right now."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll help, come on, big guy." Tom rolled off me and after I climbed out of bed, I took his hands in mine and helped him up. We hopped in the shower and lovingly bathed each other. I used a washcloth to carefully clean Tom's scalp around the stiches. Once we were dried off, I applied more antibiotic ointment to his scalp and we headed to the theater to watch some TV before going to bed. </span></p> <p><span>As we passed through the kitchen, Tom suddenly stopped, grabbed my arm and said, "Oh, crap, I haven't called the `rents to let them know what happened Saturday."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd forgotten all about them, Tom. You want to do it now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Again, `want' is the wrong word. But I think they should know."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, they should. I would have called them myself, but after we got home Saturday night, I completely forgot about it."</span></p> <p><span>We turned around and headed to the study to make the call.</span></p> <p><span>"They won't be happy `bout this, especially mom" Tom said as the phone rang.</span></p> <p><span>Tom's dad answered the phone with, "Hello?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, dad, it's Tom, how ya' doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're fine, son, what's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't freak out or anything, but I'm calling to let you know I got hurt on the job Saturday afternoon. I'm gonna' be fine, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hell, son, that just sucks. What happened?" Tom explained Saturday's events and apologized for not calling earlier. "Oh hell, don't worry about it, Tom. I'm just glad you're okay. And since you don't have to be a cop any longer, we can quit worrying about you so much."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, dad. It' a big relief to us, too. I loved the job, but it was just getting too dangerous. Too many idiots with guns out there."</span></p> <p><span>"How's everything else?" Bill asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we've added another boy to the family. It was his house where I got hurt and his mom's going to jail, too, so he's staying with us until the end of the school year, at least. After that, I don't know what's gonna' happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I hope everything works out with him. I'm sure you'll take good care of him."</span></p> <p><span>"We will, don't worry about that. How's mom doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"She's just fine, over at the neighbor's house right now to take them some fresh apple pie."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like mom. Always baking something and delivering it to a neighbor."</span></p> <p><span>"That she is. Wait a sec, sounds like she's comin' back in the door right now. Let me pass the news on to her and you know she'll want to talk to you, too."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll wait, dad," Tom said as he cowered in fear and whispered to me, "Get ready, here comes the `I told you so'." Bill didn't do a very good job covering up the phone and we heard Estelle gasp loudly when she heard about Tom being hurt. The next thing we heard was his mom's voice bellowing from the speakerphone.</span></p> <p><span>"Thomas William Wright, god dammit, you waited two damn days to call me! What <i>were</i> you thinking?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mom, please stop yelling, my head still hurts a bit. And I'm sorry for not calling sooner, but Max didn't have your number, and my brain's been a little fuzzy since it happened. It just popped in that I still needed to call and let you know."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry for yelling, Tom, but we should have known about this on Saturday."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, and I'm sorry you didn't. Fortunately, you won't have to worry about it anymore."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we're coming up tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"Ma, you don't have to do that."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, we do. My boy's been hurt and he needs his mama."</span></p> <p><span>"Really, mom, I'm fine. Max is right here and he's taking good care of me."</span></p> <p><span>"He better be or he'll have to answer to me. But, I'll find out for sure tomorrow when we get there. Are we coming to your apartment or to Max's home?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's <i>our</i> home now, mom, so if you're really coming up, you'll need to come here."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, it is, sorry. Give me the address so we can find you. We should be there around noon."</span></p> <p><span>"You really don't have to, but I know I won't talk you out of it, either, will I?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's right, you won't, so don't even try."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, you ready to write this down?" After she had a pen and paper, Tom gave her the address and phone numbers to call if they got lost. "We'll see you when you get here then. Love you, guys."</span></p> <p><span>"We love you, too, Tom. See you tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>Tom ended the call and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "That went well, didn't it?" he chuckled. "At least she didn't say `I told you so'."</span></p> <p><span>"Looks like I'm going to meet your parents sooner than we thought."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure looks that way. Hope they're good."</span></p> <p><span>"They're just worried about you, Tom. I don't blame your mom for wanting to come up and make sure you're okay."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, I've got a wild idea for ya'. Why don't you invite <i>your</i> parents out tomorrow afternoon and we can have a regular old party?" Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, why not, give me the phone."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, I was just kidding, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not, give me the dang phone." Tom handed me the phone and I made the call.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, mom, how ya' doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're hanging in, son, what's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Listen, Tom just called his mom and dad to let them know about his getting hurt Saturday. It turns out, they're coming up tomorrow and should be here about noon so his mom can make sure he's okay and see I'm taking good care of him. I wanted to see if you and dad would want to come out for lunch and meet Tom and his parents."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, Max, I don't know. I'm not sure we're quite ready for that."</span></p> <p><span>"Mom, will you <i>ever</i> really be ready?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I don't know. In time, son, in time."</span></p> <p><span>"There's no time like the present. Come on, you and dad need to get out of the house and you haven't been here forever, it seems. I'd really like it if you could make just a little effort. It's not like I'm asking you to kill someone for me, just meet more of your new family. You've met the boys, you should meet Tom and his parents, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me talk to your dad and see what he says."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all I can ask for, mom. I hope you'll be here. It would mean a lot to me."</span></p> <p><span>"Like I said, son, we'll see."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, I hope we see you tomorrow then." I hung up and handed the phone back to Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"And..." he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"She says, `we'll see', which probably translates to `when hell freezes over'," I answered him with a frown.</span></p> <p><span>"I hope they do. I want to thank them for having you," Tom said with a smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe you'll get the opportunity, maybe you won't. I don't know about you, but I'm wiped and ready for bed. Want to watch some mindless TV for a while?"</span></p> <p><span>"Lead the way, lover." We crawled into bed and after starting the movie `True Lies' from the DVR, I curled up in Tom's arms and laid my head on his shoulder. I zoned out in less than 5 minutes, only to be awakened by the alarm screaming in my ear at 6:00AM. I extricated myself from Tom's grasp and, after using the bathroom, headed to wake up the boys. When I got to Mike and T.J.'s room, I was surprised to find Andy had crawled in bed with them sometime during the night. </span></p> <p><span>I woke the three of them and asked, "You change your mind, Andy? Or did they kidnap you in the middle of the night?" I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no, they didn't kidnap me. I had a bad dream and got scared, so I snuck in about 1:00 and crawled in. That's all right, isn't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's entirely up to you, young man. You can sleep wherever you feel most comfortable."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, dad," he said with a smile.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, boys, let's get a move on. If you want stitches drawn on your heads, we gotta' get moving."</span></p> <p><span>"Be there in a few, dad," T.J. mumbled while wiping the sleep from his eyes.</span></p> <p><span>Next to wake was the pretzels. When I walked in their room, I was surprised for the second time this morning to find the twins completely covered and sleeping on their sides, back to back. I shook their shoulders to get them moving in the right direction. When they were finally awake enough to realize it was me and not an earthquake intruding on their slumber, I said, "Let's boogie, you two." I should have known better that to say that to these two because as soon as the words left my mouth, they jumped out of bed and proceeded to dance their happy little asses to the bathroom, morning erections bouncing wildly to no specific rhythm. "Very funny, you two. Breakfast in five," I called out as I left the room to wake Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, sleepyhead, the day's a wastin' and we have guests coming today, movers and parents, remember. Busy day ahead."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'm movin'," he groused.</span></p> <p><span>"Get dressed and I'll get the coffee going. But, you have to come to the kitchen to get it yourself, I'm your partner, not your servant, ya' know."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be there. Just do me one teeny-tiny, itsy-bitsy favor, please."</span></p> <p><span>"Your wish is my command."</span></p> <p><span>"Quit being so damned chipper in the morning. That shit's just depressing to us <i>normal</i> folks."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, can't help myself. I'm way too happy with my life now to start the day any other way."</span></p> <p><span>I turned to face him with a smile on my face to prove my point and narrowly ducked the pillow he had tossed at my head. "Uh-oh, you've been a bad boy, Thomas. No coffee for you today."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hell, just shoot me now. If I can't have my coffee, what's the point of living?" he laughed as he stood and headed to the bathroom. I grabbed him as we crossed paths, pulled him into a hug and gave him a good morning kiss. I also gave his morning erection a light stroke as we separated and his response to that was, "Don't be starting something you ain't got time to finish, bubba."</span></p> <p><span>"You were already started, big boy," I laughed. "See you in the kitchen. You can help draw 28 stitches on five heads this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Wow, you really know how to show a guy a good time, don't ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know it," was my parting shot as I left the bedroom to feed the fantastic five. The boys were all lined up on their stools and ready for food. I got out the bowls, cereal and milk for them. When I asked if anyone wanted toast this morning, they all passed. I grabbed one of the makeup pencils, sharpened it and was halfway done drawing stitches on Andy's head while he ate his Frosted Flakes when Tom finally appeared. He headed straight for the coffee pot, poured himself a cup and took a sip before turning to face the rest of the family.</span></p> <p><span>"Morning, boys. All ready for another fun-filled day at school?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right, pops," Alex answered sarcastically.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not feeling too good, pops," T.J. whined with a smirk on his face. "Will you go in my place?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, young man. Been there, done that, many years ago. And I have no interest in going back. Thanks for asking, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Dang it," he grinned. "I had to try."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom," I interrupted, "Grab another pencil out of the drawer and get busy. We got four more heads to decorate."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, Boss."</span></p> <p><span>After a few bouts of giggling due the tickling of their heads, we finally completed the drawing of 28 stitches on each of the shaved heads while the boys finished eating their cereal. They took care of rinsing and stacking their bowls in the sink and headed to their bedrooms to get backpacks and coats. They came back in a few minutes later to give hugs to Tom before heading out to the garage to wait for me.</span></p> <p><span>As they headed down the hall, Tom yelled, "Hey, you guys have a great day at school and learn something new."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, whatever, POPS!" Joey yelled back.</span></p> <p><span>"Hmm, that sounds vaguely familiar," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Tom answered. </span></p> <p><span>As I walked by him to grab my coat, I smacked him on the ass since his head was off limits. His response to that was, "Oooh, come back here and do that again. And again."</span></p> <p><span>"You wish. Back in a few," I called as I headed to the garage. The bus was waiting at the end of the drive as I pulled up and put the car in park. The boys hopped out and ran to join the other riders, somehow missing out on me giving me hugs this morning. I was going to have to remedy that situation. I gave a quick wave to Carl as he closed the door and headed on up the road. When I got back to the house, I found Tom sitting by the fireplace, cup of coffee in one hand, a sheet of paper in the other and a stunned look on his face. I hung my coat back in the closet, headed to the kitchen to refill my coffee and had sat next to him when I realized he hadn't moved since I first saw him.</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?" I asked as I snapped my fingers in front of his face to break whatever trance he was in.</span></p> <p><span>"Huh?" he asked as he tore his eyes from paper and focused on me. "Oh, you're back. Sorry, didn't hear you come in."</span></p> <p><span>"Obviously. So, you gonna answer my question?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're not gonna' believe this. I'm not sure I believe it. Here, you read it and tell me I'm not seeing things," he said as he held the paper out and shook his hand.</span></p> <p><span>Curiosity spiked, I took the page from him and quickly scanned it. "You're shittin' me. 30 freakin' minutes on Facebook and you actually found Dylan's Malcom White. I don't believe this, Tom. You solve every case this quickly, you're gonna have some very happy clients."</span></p> <p><span>"It is real, isn't it? And he said he'd actually like to come for a visit and see Dylan. Unreal."</span></p> <p><span>"Beginner's luck, Sherlock. Don't let one success go to your head."</span></p> <p><span>"You know, you can be a real killjoy. Go right ahead and rain on my damn parade, I don't mind one bit. I'm just gonna' kick back and bask in the glow of my success."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just kidding you, Tom. Really, this is great news. And he gave you his phone numbers so you can call him, too. That should make setting things up easier to deal with."</span></p> <p><span>"That and the fact he's moved from Chicago to Bloomington will help, also. He could drive down or I could drive up there to pick him up."</span></p> <p><span>"We have to set this up, but let's wait until after Joey and Alex's birthday party. I don't want to try and juggle too many different things at once."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Max. With the bus shelter, redoing the bedrooms for the boys and my office, moving furniture and getting ready for the workshop thingy at school, we've got plenty on our plate for next couple weeks. I'll call Malcom later this afternoon, after mom and dad head back home, and see if we can set something up towards the end of March."</span></p> <p><span>"That should work out fine, Tom. This should be fun."</span></p> <p><span>The drive sensor went off, announcing the arrival of the movers. "Speaking of moving furniture, that should be them." I headed across the living room to meet them when they reached the door.</span></p> <p><span>After opening the door, the leader of the group said, "Good morning, are you Mr. Sanders?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's me, and I go by Max. Come on in out of the cold." I stepped back and held the door open as five beefy, muscular men followed their leader into the house.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max, nice to meet you. My name's Vinnie and this is my crew, Frankie, Paulie, Benny, Willy and Junior."</span></p> <p><span>"Junior?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he's Frankie's son, but we can't go `round all day yellin' `Yo, Frankie'. No tellin' how screwed up things'd get if we did that," he laughed in explanation.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm happy you guys could make it today. We've got a lot to deal with this week and don't have time to do the moving ourselves."</span></p> <p><span>"Eh, no problems, Maxie. That's what keeps up going day to day."</span></p> <p><span>"Huh-uh, Max. You start callin' me Maxie, then you'll start thinkin' I'm part of your crew and expect me to move all this junk myself. No way, Vinnie, I hired you so I <i>wouldn't</i> have to do it myself." They all laughed at that.</span></p> <p><span>From across the room, Tom yelled, "Vinnie, what the hell are you doin' here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Tom! Long time, no see, how's it hangin', man?"</span></p> <p><span>"Same as always, short, shriveled and to the right," he laughed as he crossed the living room to join us at the door.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right, don't try to con a conman, bubba," Vinnie answered as the two shook hands. "Besides, I know better," he winked.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait a minute, you guys know each other?" I asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure do, Max. Vinnie here used to get into regular trouble after I joined the department. Probably for a long time before I joined up, too. We finally got him to see the error of his ways and helped him turn his life around," Tom explained. "Nice to see an old reprobate like you make good, Vinnie," he continued.</span></p> <p><span>"Careful with them words like that, man, I'm a respectable businessman these days. Got you and Dylan to thank for that, Tom. If it hadn't been for you two, I'd probably be doin' time by now. Instead, got myself a good business and that's helpin' keep the rest of the family outta' trouble. I owe you guys, big time, man."</span></p> <p><span>"Just doin' our jobs, Vinnie. Glad to see you're doing well."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, me too. Mind if I ask what the hell happened to your head? Looks like you had a seizure while tryin' to shave that ugly mug of yours," Vinnie joked.</span></p> <p><span>"I wish that's all it was. But no, I took a bullet to the head Saturday afternoon. I got lucky."</span></p> <p><span>"If that's `lucky', I hate to see the not lucky version."</span></p> <p><span>"You and me both, Vinnie, believe me."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm glad you're okay. The world would be a sadder place without you in it, man. You just recuperatin' in these fine digs `til you can go back to work?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, I live here, now, Vinnie. Moved in last week. Max and I are gettin' married."</span></p> <p><span>"No shit! Never figured you for gay, what with you bein' a cop and everything. Congrats you two."</span></p> <p><span>"I hid it well, Vinnie, but no longer. Not a cop any more, either."</span></p> <p><span>"When the hell did that happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"Same day a bullet creased my cranium, Saturday. I'd already turned in my resignation, but had another week to go. Dylan said no way, I was done."</span></p> <p><span>"Good for you. What're you gonna' do now?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm opening up a private investigation service."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent, man. Hey, you need any snoopin' done in the old neighborhood, you let me know. I'd just love see some of them crooks get what's comin' to `em." Vinnie grinned. He turned back to me finally and asked, "So, I understand from talkin' to you on the phone, Max, we got a couple rooms to clear out here, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, let me show you what you'll be dealing with today. Follow me." I led the way to the spare bedroom and opened the door. "This is the first one. We need all the furniture except the TV moved out so we can have the room redone for our twins."</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, where's the second one?"</span></p> <p><span>"Right across the hall, here," I answered as I opened the door to the storage room.</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, good thing I brought the big guns with me today. This one will take a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Now you see why I called you."</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. Next question, where's it all getting moved to."</span></p> <p><span>"I have a storage building on the property, hidden back in the trees a bit. When you get the first load ready to move, Tom and I will lead you to it."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a plan to me, Max. We haulin' out the front door or you got another direction you want us to go?"</span></p> <p><span>"It'll probably be easier if you just go down the hallway and out through the garage. If you move your truck, I'll get my car out of the way, then you can back up to the door."</span></p> <p><span>"That's perfect, Max. Junior, go move the truck out of Max's way, then get it turned around and back it up to the garage. And please, don't hit the damn house this time."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, that was an accident!" Junior yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Accident or not, you still hit the damn thing, didn't you? It's not like it jumped in front of ya', is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, one little freakin' mistake and you never gonna' let me forget it, are ya'?" </span></p> <p><span>"Nope, not ever."</span></p> <p><span>Everybody was laughing now. Well, everybody but Junior, that is. Junior and I headed to the garage and after he got the truck out of the way, I backed the Shelby out and parked it on the circle drive by the front door. I watched as he backed the truck into position by the door to make sure he didn't hit it. As it turned out, he left plenty of room and I could breathe easy, again. </span></p> <p><span>I headed back inside to find Tom and quietly asked, "You really trust this guy, Tom? He seems to be quite the character."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, he's a character, all right, and four years ago, when I first met him, I wouldn't have trusted him as far as I could throw him. But he's come a long way the past couple years and I trust him now. He's a good guy who started out badly but that's all ancient history, now."</span></p> <p><span>"Good to hear it, I guess if you're comfortable with him, I am, too. Thanks for easin' my mind. I gotta' ask, though, how does he know that you're not hangin' `short, shriveled and to the right', as you put it?"</span></p> <p><span>"When Dylan and I were workin' with him to help him get his life turned around, he went swimmin' at the Y' with me a few times. You know character building and all that crap. And what can I say, you gotta' take a shower after swimmin', don't ya?"</span></p> <p><span>"Gotcha'. I just wondered if he was maybe that one guy you mentioned before."</span></p> <p><span>"Vinnie, hell no, he's as straight as they get. I don't even remember that other loser's name."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what are we gonna' fix for lunch?" I asked after sitting by the fireplace with Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"Doesn't have to be anything fancy, Max, whatever's easy to fix."</span></p> <p><span>"How about spaghetti and garlic bread? I have plenty of sauce in the freezer and it doesn't take long to boil the pasta. It's easy to change how much to fix, too, in case my mom and dad do actually show up, though I'm not placing any bets on that happening."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds good. Mom and dad like spaghetti, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, let me get the sauce out the freezer now so it can start to thaw a bit." I got up to take care of that and while I was in the kitchen, pulled the pasta from the cabinet and got out the pans I'd need. That's about all I could do at the moment, so I grabbed my book and retook my seat by Tom. "Damn, it's getting chilly in here with the doors open. I'm gonna light a fire."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, you mean to tell me that thing is real?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, it is, did you think it was just a decoration?"</span></p> <p><span>"I wasn't sure since I've never seen a fire in it before."</span></p> <p><span>"I usually keep it warm enough inside so it's comfortable enough to be nude, so I rarely use it. Normally, I only light a fire when I'm having guests."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, now that I know it's real, we'll have to have fires more often."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like that, Tom, especially since you'll be here to share the warmth with me." I set some good-sized logs in place, added some kindling and, after opening the flue, lit it up. Then, I flipped the switch to turn on the circulating fan to force more of the heat out into the room instead of letting it all escape up the chimney. After about ten minutes, the flames were going strong enough to produce some good heat and take the edge off the chill from the open doors. I settled back in my chair and cracked open my book. 45 minutes later, Vinnie rounded the corner from the hallway and let us know the truck was full.</span></p> <p><span>"Great, let us grab our coats and we'll lead the way." Tom and I got our coats out of the closet, hopped in the car and I headed on around the circle drive to lead the way deeper into the property to my storage building. I usually walked the distance, but it was cold and still snowy out there since I usually don't go out there much in winter. When I pulled up in front of the building, Tom stared wide-eyed at how big it was.</span></p> <p><span>"Holy crap, Max, you got a plane in there?" </span></p> <p><span>"I could, but no. No runway here for a plane, not with all these trees. Besides, the plane's parked where it should be, at the airport." I grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"You really have a plane?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I do, what's the point of being rich and famous if you don't take full advantage of it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I shoulda' known," he responded, shaking his head in disbelief. "So, how big is this thing?" he asked looking back at the storage building</span></p> <p><span>"40' by 60' with a second level of storage for lighter stuff across the back half. Heated, also." He gawked at me in disbelief. "Yeah, I know, my parents thought the same thing when they saw it the first time. Call me crazy."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, you're crazy."</span></p> <p><span>"The good news is it's only about half full, so there's plenty of room for the stuff from the two rooms in the house and your apartment. Come on in and I'll give you the tour."</span></p> <p><span>We walked to the building and, after I unlocked the door and disabled the alarm, headed inside and opened the big door for Vinnie and his crew to use. While they backed the truck up to the door, I lead Tom around the inside pointing out general areas where things were stored. We then headed back to meet Vinnie and his guys so I could tell them where to put the furniture and other stuff they'd just brought out from the house. While I did that and they got busy unloading, Tom had wandered over to a corner of the building where a couple of large objects were covered with tarps.</span></p> <p><span>"And just what are you hiding over here," he asked as I walked over to join him.</span></p> <p><span>I grabbed the corner of one of the tarps and lifted it a few feet, exposing a bulging, bright red fender. "Nothing major, just a '64 `Vette convertible with a 427, dual four barrel carbs and 435 horsepower." I pulled the cover completely off so Tom could see the whole car. He let out a low whistle in appreciation and we were soon joined by Vinnie and his guys. "I don't drive it much because it's rides like an old horse-drawn buckboard wagon compared to the Shelby. It does have some serious giddy-up, however."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, Max, we gotta' get this baby out on the road this summer. This thing is hot," he exclaimed as he stuck his head through the window to look at the inside. "Dare I ask what's under the other cover?" he asked after standing upright again.</span></p> <p><span>I walked over and pulled that cover off also, exposing the 2014 Ferrari California I'd bought a couple years back when I was younger and crazier.</span></p> <p><span>"Holy shit, Max. You got a thing for red, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I did, I guess, but you'll note the Shelby's blue. Guess I've finally grown out of that."</span></p> <p><span>"Any other cool toys hiding out here?" Tom asked, rubbing his hands together with a smirk on his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, these are the only two, and I only take `em out when the weather's perfect."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, here's to hoping for perfect weather, and sooner rather than later." </span></p> <p><span>Vinnie and crew returned to their work after admiring the cars for a minute and Tom and I pulled the covers back over both. I then led Tom around the rest of the building including the upper deck. By the time we finished our wandering, Vinnie's guys had finished emptying the truck.</span></p> <p><span>"Yo, Maxie, we're ready for the next load. We'll head on back to the house and get started on emptying the other room."</span></p> <p><span>"Go ahead guys, we'll be along shortly. Anything else you want to see, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, show me where you buried all those bodies you talked about," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I will someday, but I'd rather do that after the snow is all gone."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, I thought you were kidding about that."</span></p> <p><span>"Not a bit. There are bodies buried out there," I said while pointing towards the northeast corner of the property, "but they were here long before I bought it. I found the remains of an old family cemetery when I was clearing my walking trails through the trees. It was such a shame to see the bad shape it was in, but I spent a bunch of time cleaning it out and having the stones repaired. I even put in a nice wrought iron fence around it. I haven't done any research on the names, but I'm guessing they are all members of the family who originally owned this land. Some family named `Corgan'. Odd name, that."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like to see that. I think the old cemeteries like that are cooler than hell."</span></p> <p><span>"The boys will probably love it, too. But like I said, let's wait for nicer weather for that tour." I looked to my watch and realized it was almost 11:30. "Whoa, Tom, we gotta' get back to the house. I need to get the spaghetti sauce in a pan and warming so it'll be ready when your mom and dad get here." I closed the doors on the storage building, but didn't lock them so Vinnie could get in when he and his guys came back out with the next load, and we headed back to the house.</span></p> <p><span>When we got back to the house, I headed to the kitchen to start getting things ready for our lunch and Tom found Vinnie to let him know we were expecting guests in a bit and they might want to take a lunch break themselves. Tom then joined me in the kitchen to help with our preparations.</span></p> <p><span>"Vinnie and the boys have headed over to some place called Shepp's to grab some lunch. Said they'd be back in `bout hour or so."</span></p> <p><span>"That'll work. At least we can close the doors for a while."</span></p> <p><span>The drive sensor dinged about ten before noon and after looking at the time, Tom commented, "Looks like they made good time this morning. Mom must have been driving, today," he added with a laugh, "She's always had a problem that lead in her foot." </span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you go let them in and I'll be there in just a minute, Tom? And you can hang their coats in the closet."</span></p> <p><span>Just as I was about to join him at the door, Tom came back in the kitchen with an odd look on his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, where's your parents? You didn't leave `em standing out on the porch in the cold, did ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, someone's parents are here, all right, but they sure as hell ain't mine. My parents would be happy to see me and those two at the door don't seem to be in a very good mood at the moment," Tom answered as the biggest shit-eatin' grin I've ever seen split his face.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-89.html

Building a Family Chapter 89 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 89 – Hello William For the short hop back to Springfield, none of the boys wanted to take the right seat in the cockpit with me, preferring to sit in the main cabin with Arlene, Daril and Arley to talk, tell jokes and generally have a good time, so Clarence ended up being my copilot this afternoon. And despite him being several years older than I am, he was acting more like a kid who'd been turned loose in a candy store with a hundred bucks burning holes in his pockets than the supposedly responsible adult he truly is. His eyes were darting from instrument to instrument and screen to screen, taking in all the information they displayed at a quick glance, before looking forward through the windows and watching the clouds float along below us. The way he was behaving, you'd have thought he'd never been on a plane before, despite his earlier proclamation of having flown with other friends previously. I guess one's perspective will change drastically when you go from sitting in the cabin, gazing through the windows to your side and then comparing that view to having a front row seat with the world flashing by you head on. Since the plane was essentially flying itself for most of the trip and all I really had to do was to check the display panels periodically to ensure everything was still as it should be, Clarence and I took the opportunity to chat about anything but legal issues. "Thanks for letting me ride up front with you, Max. I haven't had this much fun in a long time," Clarence gushed with childlike giddiness. "Glad you're enjoying it," I replied. "I'm happy to have the company." "I may have to talk to Debbie about finally getting my pilot's license." "Oh, crap," I chuckled. "Don't you dare blame that idea on me. The last thing I need in my life right now is your wife being pissed at me." "Oh, she knows about the dream already," my copilot assured me. "We've talked about it before and while she really doesn't have a problem with the idea of me getting a license, she's worried the next step will be buying the damn plane to go with it," he laughed. "I mean, I do pretty well with my practice, but not quite that well. But what's the point of going through all that training if you can't afford to buy the plane, right?" "Hard to argue that point, counselor, but I'll make you a deal." "What's that?" Clarence quickly asked with serious interest. "You put in the time and training to get your license and receive a type rating on this plane from Flight Safety International, and I'll let you use her any time you want. As long as you pay for your own fuel, that is," I added with a just a hint of snark. "You're shittin' me!" Clarence flustered excitedly. "Wouldn't dream of it, buddy. After everything you've done for us the past few months, you deserve a little bonus for multiple jobs done well. Hell, you earned it all just by taking such good care of Logan today. We'll never be able to adequately thank you for making sure he could come back home with us." "I was happy to do it, Max, and you know it. With all the crap that poor kid's been through the last couple years, if anyone ever deserved a break in life, it's Logan. Of course, if he hadn't been able to record everything Troy did to him while he was down there, we'd have been screwed. It's a damn good thing you gave him that phone so he could." "I have to admit that's one of the better ideas I've ever had. But then, you'd already told us we'd need some kind of evidence of how Troy treated Logan if we wanted to prove the dirtbag was unfit to be Logan's guardian, so it was you who planted the seed. I would never have believed the man could be so cruel without seeing it for myself." "The videos are what finally got the judge and prosecutor to change their tunes. After watching the first one, Thomas was already leaning towards what his final decision was, but George was still all gung-ho for pitching Logan into a deep, dark hole somewhere and then throwing away the key. But after seeing the second video, where they actually saw and heard Troy's actions, it was a done deal." "Really?" I asked in surprise. "They only watched two of them?" "No, they also watched the last one Logan recorded, you know, the one where he castrated Troy. Both were holding onto their junk and cringing during the, uh, denuttin' as Logan likes to call it, but once they witnessed the way Troy punched the kid, any doubts they may have had about self-defense flew right out the damn window. They both saw the fire in Logan's eyes when he picked himself back up off that floor and knew Troy fully and truly deserved the punishment he was about to receive." "Well, I'm just glad it's over and we can all move forward from here." "You wanna know the worst part of this whole thing between Logan and his uncle?" Clarence asked solemnly. "What's that?" "I'm pretty sure if Troy had simply asked for some help to save his orchard, Logan would have been more than willing to do whatever he could to make it happen." "Without a doubt, Clarence," I agreed wholeheartedly. In between our snippets of conversation, I did my best to explain what every cockpit control was, including what would happen when you pushed this button here or toggled that switch over there and he was soaking it all up like a thirsty sponge. When it was time to begin our descent into Springfield, I would update the autopilot setting to each lower altitude we were given by air traffic control along the way and after each adjustment, Clarence would gaze out the windows so he could see the changes take place. With the winds coming from the north-northwest, we were allowed to fly a straight-in approach for the second time today. We slowly sank through a light cloud cover hovering between us and the ground at about 8,000 feet. At 4,500 feet of altitude and fifteen miles from the end of the runway we were aiming for, Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport hove into view and we were perfectly settled in on the standard three-degree glideslope. At 1,500 feet and dropping, I took over manual control from the autopilot with a quick wiggle of the yoke to fly the rest of the way down to the ground. Clarence was intently watching every minor adjustment I made to keep us properly lined up against the light quartering headwinds. At three miles from touchdown, I lowered the landing gear and scanned the instruments to make sure we were still on course and properly trimmed for landing. As we floated down through 870 feet, I caught a glimpse of a dark amorphous blob of unknown origin zip past the windscreen next to Clarence's head. Immediately after that apparition registered in my synapses, there was a loud thump from the tail that reverberated throughout the cabin and the control panels lit up like Christmas trees on steroids. Since Clarence was also focused on the display in front of him, he jerked his head upright and squawked, "What the hell was that!?" while swiveling his head left and right, trying to locate the source of the vibrations we were now feeling. At the same moment, shrieks of what can only be described as sheer terror exploded from the cabin behind us, flooding the inside of the plane with an excess of unwanted noise. While Mike was having his first visit with Paul, Joy and I sat in their kitchen, sipping tea and chatting. "How's everybody doing out there, Tom?" she asked. "Pretty good, I think," I replied. "We'll be a lot better once we know if Logan's legal problems down south are resolved." "What're you talkin' about?" she asked with concern. That simple question led to a ten-minute narrative from me to fill Joy in on what the kid's been dealing with since the accident that took his father's life. "Wow!" she exclaimed when I finally finished up. "I sure hope everything works out for him." "I do, too. We all do. Unfortunately, I haven't heard a word from Max yet, so I don't have a clue what's goin' on down there." "I'm sure if it was bad news, he'd have called you by now," Joy commiserated with my frustration at the lack of communication. "I sure hope you're right," I agreed flatly. "So, tell me, how's Mike really doing? Paul and I have been really worried about him and how he'd adjust to another new living situation so quickly." "He's doing great," I answered with a smile. "Well, except for the nightmares he's been having." "When did those start?" "From what T.J. and Andy told us, pretty much right after the boys moved in. The first we heard about it, though, was last week when he woke up screaming because of one. Then, after he finally told us more about the abuse his mom and dad dumped on him, we decided it was time for him to talk to Paul." "I'm glad to hear he's finally ready to get the help he needs to deal with things. Paul really tried to get Mike to open up while he was here, but the poor kid was so shut down at the time, it just wasn't gonna happen." "Well, it took him quite a while to talk to Max about it all, too, but we're really glad he finally screwed up his courage and did. At least now, we have a good idea of what all we're dealing with." "And you know Paul will do everything he can to help, right?" "Of course, we do," I agreed. We continued our conversation for the next half hour and had just about run out of new topics to discuss when Mike came charging into the kitchen, jumped in my lap and wrapped his arms around me. He was soon followed by Paul who had a very somber and troubled look on his face. "Okay, Pops, we're done for today. You ready to go home?" Mike asked after releasing his grip around my gut. Before I could answer, Paul shook his head and hooked a thumb over his shoulder towards his office at the back of the house. Taking my cue from him, I answered Mike with, "Um, in a few minutes, buddy. Would you like to talk to Mrs. Kirkland for a bit while I have a quick chat with Dr. Kirkland?" "Sure," Mike beamed happily. After standing up while still holding onto Mike, I turned around, set him back on the chair I'd just vacated and then followed Paul's lead. On reaching his office, he stepped around his desk while idly motioning to an empty chair for me to use. I could tell by the way he flopped himself into his seat and assumed a slouched posture he was not a happy camper. "So, what's up?" I asked nervously. "I'm so fuckin' pissed off right now I could spit fuckin' nails, pardon my language," he vented angrily. Weeks of intense training at Flight Safety kicked in without conscious thought. One quick glance at the computerized display before me let me know we'd just lost the starboard engine and that it may be on fire. I immediately retarded the throttle for that engine while increasing the throttle to the port engine that was still purring along as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. The next step was to completely shut down the now useless turbofan and activate the fire suppression system to eliminate any potential fire. While taking care of those tasks, I was on the radio making the announcement no sane pilot ever wants to make. "Mayday, mayday, mayday! Springfield control, this is Citation November 3433 Sierra Tango. I am declaring an emergency and requesting immediate clearance to land." "Roger, 33 Sierra Tango. What's your emergency?" the air traffic controller queried nervously. "I've lost an engine." "We're rolling emergency vehicles now," the controller responded calmly. "You are cleared for any runway you need." Despite feeling the plane drop as I'd made the necessary control adjustments immediately after the big bang, I'd managed to keep our precipitous plunge from the heavens to a minimum and I felt pretty good seeing that we'd settled in at 790 feet on my next check of the instruments. Of course, all of our stomachs were still back up at 870 and I wasn't sure if we'd get them back just yet, if ever. I turned to Clarence and asked, "You heard?" After a quick nod from him, I continued, "Do me a favor while I try to sort this mess out, then." "Anything," he replied anxiously. "Yell back and let them know we've lost an engine but will be okay. I need to ensure there aren't any other issues that will make taking us on down any more hazardous than it already is." While he did that for me, I first confirmed the starboard engine was completely shut down and there were no more concerns about a fire. The absolute last thing I wanted to have happen would be an explosion since the fuel tanks were still very full. While the port engine was doing an admirable job at keeping us in the air, I noticed we'd lost another twenty feet of altitude, so I bumped the throttle up another notch and retrimmed the controls to make it easier to maintain a level flight. Thankfully, with both engines on either side of the tail, the CJ4 is very well-balanced and easy to control with only one engine providing thrust. Feeling confident that there was nothing more of major immediate concern, I took my time to verify everything else was still in proper working order. After a thorough review of the remaining systems and controls, I felt reassured that our landing would be successful. It was time to update air traffic control, so I got back on the radio. "Springfield control, 33 Sierra Tango with an update." "Go ahead," was the immediate response. "Starboard engine is out. Port engine is operational. We're coming straight in on four." "Understood, 33 Sierra Tango." "Cross your fingers, buddy," I commented as I reached for the throttle lever for the one operating powerplant and pulled it back. With our airspeed and altitude dropping, I waited until we were slow enough to deploy the flaps that would help keep us in the air at a lower speed. Our descent slackened considerably with the flaps extended and we were now flying slow enough that we seemed to be clawing our way through the skies. As we drew closer to touchdown, I made continual minor adjustments to the throttle and controls to keep us lined up and gradually losing altitude. We glided over the threshold at twenty-five feet above the concrete and I allowed the plane to steadily settle until we were safely back on solid ground. I actuated the brakes with a fervor as I pulled the single throttle all the way off. Once slowed down to a speed that I could make a turn without going for another wild ride, I angled the plane onto the nearest taxiway where we gently came to a complete stop. Ignoring the checklists for once, I shut everything down while Clarence unbuckled himself and climbed from his seat. By the time I was ready to switch off the battery and exit the cockpit, he already had the cabin door open and was hustling everyone out onto the tarmac with further instructions to form a group on the grass out of the way of the rapidly approaching emergency vehicles. By the time my feet actually touched the asphalt where Annabelle had been brought to an ignominious halt, the boys were hauling ass across the taxiway to the nearest patch of grass they could reach, Daril and Arley leading the pack and urging the others to move faster. Clarence and Arlene were bringing up the rear of the parade and while not running like their hair was on fire as the boys were, they were still moving much faster than normal. Before I could join them, the first emergency vehicle pulled to a stop near the tail of the plane. The driver jumped out and yelled, "Is everyone okay?" "Except for our wits, I think so," I yelled back in response, a little tremble in my voice as it finally sunk in just how lucky we'd been. "Thank God for small favors," he replied as he drew closer. "Name's Bryan Evans," he introduced himself while extending a hand for the obligatory handshake. "Max Sanders," I replied while joining the ritual. "Damn fine piece of flying, there, Mr. Sanders. First time we've had to roll out for a private jet in a long time. Any idea what took out your engine?" "I'm pretty sure it was a bird strike. I saw something whiz past the windscreen on the right-side just before all hell broke loose." "Ya gotta love these Citations," Bryan commented offhandedly while patting the wingtip as if he were petting a friendly pooch. "They take a lickin' and keep on tickin'." Bryan turned in the direction of the FBO and added, "Here comes one of the guys from the FBO with a tug to get your plane towed out of the way. We have another flight coming in soon and need to clear the taxiway." "No problem. Thanks for being available in case you were needed," I commented. "Just doin' our job," Bryan offered nonchalantly. "Thanks to you for bringing some excitement into our otherwise dreary and boring day." "Glad we could help break the monotony for you," I chuckled before turning to join the rest of the family and moving on. When I finally reached the rest of my crew waiting patiently in the grass, I asked the obligatory question, "Is everybody okay?" "Hell no, we're not okay!" Joey yelled angrily. "You scared the shit out of us!" Alex quickly added before T.J. added his two-cents worth. "Yeah, we all need showers and clean shorts!" the young lad loudly proclaimed with his usual straight-forward, damn the torpedoes aplomb. Despite their language in the heat of the moment, my only reaction was to breathe a huge sigh of relief that nobody had been injured, then I began laughing my ass off. I was quickly joined by everyone else in blowing off some steam and settling our minds. When I turned back towards the plane, the FBO employee was hooking the tug to Annabelle's nose gear to tow her the rest of the way to the hangar. Arlene saw what was happening and called out, "Wait! Our bags are still in there." Even with the noise created by the still running machine, the tug driver jumped in surprise and looked toward us, cupping a hand around his ear to help him hear better. I started walking towards him while he headed our direction and the two of us met at about the halfway point. "What was that?" Tyler asked. "We still have some baggage on board we need to retrieve," I replied. "Oh, no problem. I'm just towing her to your hangar. Jeff will be here soon with the van to take you back to the office. I'll bring all your luggage in for you and you can grab it there." "Thanks, Tyler." I reached into my pocket, retrieved the key and while handing it over, added, "There are some bags in the tail and a briefcase in the cabin." "I'll make sure to grab everything I find, Mr. Sanders, and bring it in to you as quickly as I can." On that note, he headed back to his task. With the severely injured Annabelle hooked up and ready to move, Tyler started the long drive back to the hangar where the engine would be pulled and repaired or replaced. I noticed a light trail of smoke still exiting the rear of the now defunct engine and wondered what could be causing it as he pulled away. As the emergency crews began to move out of the way and return to their garage, Jeff arrived with the FBO's van to take us to their office. The ride was a quiet one for once as everyone silently contemplated the multitude of possible endings our flight could have had, most of those scenarios ending in complete disaster. Once Jeff parked the van next to our cars and came around to open doors for everyone, the boys and Arlene shuffled outside and glumly hovered around our transport home. When it was down to just Clarence and me waiting to exit the vehicle, he quietly said, "Before you head for home, I need to have a quick chat with my client." "Oh crap, here comes the bad news," I muttered. "Not at all, Max. George just wanted me to pass a few things on to Logan when we got back home, and since I hope I won't have to see you again until your wedding, I'd like to take care of it now." "That should work okay," I replied. "I need to talk to Jeff inside for a bit, then figure out how I'm gonna stuff nine people and baggage into a car that's designed to accommodate only eight." "I'm sure you'll figure it out," he replied before quietly corralling the wild colt named Logan and heading inside so they could have their little chat before we went our separate ways. The rest of us followed them and while I was having my own conversation with Jeff at the counter, the others occupied some comfortable chairs away from Clarence and Logan, waiting for Tyler to arrive with the plane so we could retrieve our baggage. By the time I finished talking with Jeff, Tyler had pulled the plane into the hangar and joined us inside, all the baggage loaded onto a cart. I gave Alex the key fob to the Flex so they could open up the car and get everything and everybody loaded inside it as best they could. After they left to solve that puzzle, Tyler said, "While I was retrieving your bags, our head mechanic climbed a ladder to take a closer look at your engine and he wanted me to give you this." He then unceremoniously presented me with a single grayish-brown feather that was about seven or eight inches long, cheeky smirk filling his face. "You were on the money about it being a bird strike," he grinned. "You just took out one of the thousands of geese that move through the area this time of year on their way back to Canada. Damn things are nothin' but a nuisance," he muttered with disgust. "I'm guessing I'm not the first unfortunate pilot to find one," I commented. "Not by a longshot, Mr. Sanders. You sure won't be the last, either. The wisp of smoke trailing from the back of your starboard engine is probably a chunk of the carcass still roasting itself." "Can it be repaired?" I asked. "The bird?" he asked with a twinkle of humor in his eyes. "Oh, hell no, that poor critter has most definitely been cooked and there ain't no way you're gonna bring it back," he added with a laugh. "You know what I'm talking about, smartass," I retorted. "Oh, you mean the engine?" Tyler grinned evilly. "Some can, some can't. Just depends on how much damage was done when the sucker was ingested, chopped to bits and spit back out into the airstream. We'll let you know what we find once we get it pulled and have gone over it with a fine-toothed comb." "I'm sure I'm not gonna like what you have to tell me, but I'll be waiting to hear from you," I commented morosely. "Thanks for everything, guys. Hope the rest of your day is a bit quieter." "Thanks, Mr. Sanders," Jeff replied. "Have a safe trip back home." With a quick wave over my shoulder. I turned to find Clarence and Logan had finished their conversation and we were ready to hit the road for home. After stepping outside, Logan shared a quick hug with his lawyer, then aimed himself towards the Flex and climbed into the crowded vehicle. After sharing my own hug with Clarence, I joined the others in the Flex and settled into the driver's seat. Arlene was occupying the passenger seat, Daril, Logan and Arley filled up the middle row with Alex, Joey and Andy taking the back seat. That left poor T.J. to ride in the very back with the bags Arlene and her boys brought with them. "You gonna be okay back there, T.J.?" I asked with concern. "Yeah, Dad. It's a little snug, but it was either me or Andy `cause everybody else is too big," he replied. "I'll try to be careful on the way home to make sure you don't bounce around too much." "Just miss that big-ass pothole in the driveway and I'll be fine," he snickered. "I'll do my best, buddy," I replied with a little chortle. With that settled, it was time to hit the road and bring this long day to a close. Fearing Mike had shared way more with Paul than he should have, I hung my head in shame and muttered, "Oh crap, what have we done?" "What!?" Paul retorted in surprise. "No, no, you misunderstood. I'm not upset with you and Max a bit, but with Mike's parents for being such despicable excuses for human beings. There's absolutely no justification for the way they abused their son." I let go a silent sigh of relief the fifty caliber round aimed directly at my skull missed by a foot and our worst nightmare was not about to come true before slowly lifting my head, "You'll get no argument from me on that," I agreed. "You and Max have been godsends to all these boys you're taking in. They're finally getting the love and family they need and deserve, especially Mike. He's so lost and confused after what he went through, I'm amazed at how easily he's integrated himself into your family." "Well, thanks for that, Paul. We're just trying to do the right thing for everybody involved. Of course, Max started all this by himself, but I'm loving every moment of our lives together. And we've seen the changes all the boys have gone through since becoming part of the family. Mike is a lot more secure and outgoing than he was just a few short months ago." "Well, due to confidentiality rules, I can't discuss any specifics with you of what we talked about, but I can say I noticed that during our conversation today. Honestly, it's hard to believe the young man I just talked to is the same one who lived with us for a few months. He was never that chatty or gregarious. And of course, then, he would never have dreamed about talking to me about his abuse like he did today. So being a part of a loving and caring family is what's helped turn him around. You two keep up the good work and Mike will be just fine, as will all the others." "We'll do our absolute best," I assured him. "I don't doubt that one bit," Paul agreed. "So, I hope Mike wasn't as blunt with you as he was when he told Max everything." "More so than I expected, but it still wasn't anything I haven't heard before, unfortunately," Paul replied with disgust. "Of course, you never expect to hear horror stories like that from a six-year-old. I just wanted to scoop him up in my arms and hold him while he was sharing his story." "I'm sure he wouldn't have minded that one bit." "No, probably not, but I have to retain at least a modicum of professional restraint, even in the most difficult of circumstances. But if I was to ever cross that line with a patient, it would be with Mike simply because he was our son for a while, and we grew quite attached to him." "Did you ask Mike if he wants to talk with you some more?" I asked. "Yes, and he agreed that it would probably be a good idea. At least for a little while. I've added him to my schedule for the next month, on Friday afternoons after he gets out of school. Let's see how that goes and we'll continue past that time if Mike wants to." "Sounds like a good plan to me, Dr. Kirkland," I agreed. "We appreciate the help and will make sure he's here, one way or another." "Glad you're on board with it, Tom. I know Mike's in a much better place and has more peace of mind over what he went through, but he still needs some serious help to process his feelings towards his parents." "Will you be reporting this new information to the authorities?" I queried. "As you well know, I'm required by law to do so. Even though his parents have already been arrested and are being held in the county jail with a very high bail, the more fuel we can add to the fire for their trial on the abuse charges, the less likely it will be they ever see Mike again." "Oh, shit," I mumbled. "I hadn't even thought about them going to trial. Do you think Mike would have to testify? I'm not sure he could do that." "It's a definite possibility, I won't lie to you." "Does Mike know that?" I asked with concern. "I mentioned the possibility and he seemed to accept it without a problem. You'd be surprised at what the new Mike is capable of dealing with. I think he'd be just fine as long as he knows you, Max and his brothers have his back without any question. And any judge or jury hearing that story coming directly from him, well, you can be sure hell will freeze over before either one of his parents are ever released." "Okay then. I guess we'll cross that bridge when and if we ever get there." "It'll all work out just fine, trust me." "Oh, we do. Well, I think we've taken up enough of your time today. We should get going." "We'll see you next Friday at four, then," Paul replied as we left our chairs to move on. I let him lead the way back to the kitchen where we found Mike sitting in Joy's lap and the two were sharing a hug. Paul let go with a quiet cough to let the pair know they had company and both looked up at us, smiles on their faces. "Oh, hey, Pops. We goin' home now?" Mike asked. "Not quite yet, buddy. We have to drive up to Normal first." "How far is that?" "About an hour," I answered. "Well, that don't sound like much fun," Mike grumbled. "Why the heck we gotta go there? I wanna get home to find out what happened to Logan." "We're picking up a surprise for him. I just hope Logan'll be home when we get there," I offered, still a bit miffed I hadn't heard squat from Max about what had happened. "Well, let's get goin' then. I love surprises!" Mike squealed with glee as he slipped to the floor, grabbed my hand and started dragging me towards the front door. "Um, aren't you going to say thanks to Dr. Kirkland and your goodbyes?" I prodded the excited rugrat. "Oh, yeah." Mike stopped, turned around and with a quick wave of his free hand, said, "Thanks for listening to me, Mr. Kirkland, see you next Friday. And bye. Love you both." Feeling that was all he needed, he turned back towards the front door and continued pulling me along behind him. "Young man, that is not how we say goodbye, is it?" I admonished. With that reminder, he stopped again, let go of my hand, and stalked back across the kitchen to give Paul and Joy a proper farewell hug. With the hugs completed, though, he zipped back across the kitchen, grabbed my hand and we continued our rather hasty exit. Our hosts were giggling at my predicament and offered a quick `see ya next week, guys' to our backs. "Thanks for everything," I called out just as Mike was pulling the front door open and stepping outside, expecting me to pull it shut behind us. "C'mon, Pops, you're movin' too slow," Mike chastised me. "All right, already," I grunted. "You hop in, get buckled up and we'll hit the road." That was all it took for Mike to finally release his grip on me as he darted ahead and climbed in the Shelby. By the time I joined him and settled into place, he was secured in the back seat and ready to roll. As I was bringing the engine to life, Mike was bouncing with excitement as much his seatbelt would allow and begged, "What's the surprise, Pops? I wanna know." "You'll find out when we get to Normal," I replied while backing out of the drive. "Oh, man, you're no fun at all," my passenger grumped. "That's not what you were saying in the shower the other night," I retorted with a smirk. "Well, no, you were a lot of fun then," Mike giggled. "Not so much now," he added with a little pout. "I'll make it up to you, buddy," I offered. "You better," he demanded as I pulled onto the interstate heading north. The noise level in the car had returned to normal as everyone was in a good mood thanks to the simple fact we'd survived our trip back to Springfield. I know Arlene tried to pull me into conversation several times along the way, but my mind was still too fractured to properly engage with her. While I was piloting the car down the road safely enough, my brain was still at 870 feet in the air, churning over what had happened. Logically, I knew there was nothing I could have done any differently to avoid that damn goose, but I couldn't stop playing `what if' scenarios repeatedly. As distracted as I was, I probably shouldn't have been driving. I was very happy we didn't see any deer while on the Old Jack as there was no doubt I would have added another poor critter to my kill tally today if one had come anywhere close to us. I was still so unfocused after turning in our drive that I completely forgot about the damn hole to hell. I somehow missed it with the front tires, but my luck, and T.J.'s, had obviously run out as the rear end of the car suddenly dropped six inches and then jumped right back out of the gouge in the rock. Poor T.J. bounced off the roof of the vehicle with a yelp and landed in the back seat in his brothers' laps. "Dang it, Dad, didn't I tell you to miss that thing!?" he screamed. "Sorry, T.J., my bad," I muttered. "My mind was elsewhere." "Well, you better get it back in the car with rest of us ...," Joey began before Alex finished off the thought with, "... before you drive right through the dang garage door." That comment elicited a loud round of laughter from everyone and helped bring my attention back to the task at hand. After negotiating the turn in the driveway that directs vehicles towards the house, I felt a light tap on my shoulder and Logan cautiously said, "Um, Dad?" "Yeah, Logan, what's up?" I replied. "Well, I'm not trying to be a smart donkey or nothin', but don't forget to punch the button to open the door before you try to pull into the garage." Even more laughter filled the car and threatened to launch the glass roof into low orbit. "Thank you, mister smarty-pants," I retorted sarcastically just before reaching over my head and doing exactly what he suggested. "Hey, you know me, old man, just tryin' to be helpful," he replied with a big grin and a giggle. I slowed pulling onto the concrete apron and waited for the door to stop moving before pulling into the garage and shutting the car off, immensely thankful to finally be here and still in one piece, more or less. As everyone extracted themselves from their seats and stepped out, the boys were leading the way into the house, Arlene, Daril and Arley following their lead and seeming to be a bit unsure of actually being welcome. As the sensational six-pack peeled off into their rooms, I called out, "You can get out of your nice clothes but don't forget shorts." "Aren't needed," Alex yelled back from his room. "Yes, they are," I retorted, "OPR, remember?" Logan was stepping out of the bedroom sans clothes and told me, "Naw, we're okay, Dad. On the trip back, we told `em all `bout us not wearin' clothes at home and they don't give a rat's fuzzy behind." "Is that true, Arlene?" I asked. "Yes, it's fine with us. My boys were much the same at that age, especially when swimming in the lake behind the house," she answered. "I think we'll stay dressed, though, if that's okay." "That's fine," I replied as the rest of the munchkins started coming back out of their rooms. I can't say I was surprised to see none of them were dressed. "Well, make yourselves at home. Once Tom and Mike get back home, we'll have supper and then we can take you out to the farm and help get you settled in." "That sounds great, Max. It'll be nice to just kick back and decompress for a bit. It's been a rough couple of weeks." "I don't doubt it, but you're safe now. Logan, why don't you show your aunt and cousins around the house? I need to call Pops and let him know we're home." "Sure thing, Dad." "Thanks, buddy. I'll be back out in a little bit." As he collected the three newcomers and led them back down the hallway to start with T.J., Mike and Andy's bedroom, I continued across the house, making a brief stop in the kitchen to chat with Ron before continuing on to my study to place the call. "Hey, Ron, we're home," I greeted him as I opened the fridge and snagged a cold Pepsi. "I assumed as much, Max," he retorted with a cheesy smirk. "It was either the herd was here, or we were just the epicenter of an eight-point-five earthquake," he added with a hearty laugh. "Nothing quite that drastic," I chuckled. "What's the good news?" he quickly asked with serious concern. "Logan's here to stay, amigo, so you can quit worrying about him," I answered with a big smile. "Thank God for that," Ron replied with a huge sigh of relief. "Well, he really didn't have a damn thing to do with it," I retorted. Dropping to a whisper to ensure nobody but Ron could hear me, I asked, "Were you guys able to get a bed set up for William?" "What kind of lazy bums do you think we are `round here," he asked indignantly. "Of course, we did. I just hope the kid'll be okay sharing my room." "I hope so, too. And I only asked because your door was closed. I didn't want to risk taking a peek inside in case one of the munchkins tried to go by at that instant. You know how they are about something being different." "You ain't lyin' `bout that," Ron snickered. "But don't you think at least three of them already know what's happening." "Who knows? None have mentioned it yet, so maybe we got lucky this time." "Yeah, fat chance of that," Ron laughed. "You heard anything from Tom?" I asked in a quick change of subject. "Nary a peep." "Well, I'm gonna give `im a buzz and let him know we're home. Logan will probably be through shortly to introduce his aunt and cousins to ya," I offered as I turned down the hall. "Oh, crap," Ron muttered, "Should I cover up?" "According to the boys, it shouldn't be a problem, but I'll leave it up to you," I called over my shoulder. Ron's question was quickly answered, though maybe not the way he would have preferred. Just as I reached the study and opened the door, I heard Logan yell `Skinny!' and Ron answered him with `Farm-boy!' just as loudly. With a wide grin of giddiness plastered on my face, I stepped inside and settled in at my desk to place my call. After taking a big swig of my drink to wet the old pipes, I punched the speaker button on the phone and dialed the number. Tom answered on the first ring with, "It's about damn time you called! Where the hell have you been?" "Hi, hon. Yeah, we're fine, thanks for asking. How `bout you two?" I retorted sarcastically. "I'm sorry, Max," he muttered in an apologetic tone, "I just thought you'd have called a long time ago." In the background, Mike called out, "Hey, Dad! Did Logan get to come home with you?" "Yes, kiddo, he's back where he belongs," I answered. "Yippee!!" he screamed with glee. "Mike!" Tom started, "Please don't yell in my ear like that." As I pictured Tom wiggling a finger in his damaged ear, I heard a quiet `Sorry, Pops' before the big guy continued with, "So, the trip went well, then?" "Well, except for trying to kill everyone on the way back home, yeah, it went just fine," I replied. "What!?" they both yelled. "Um, yeah, as we were coming into Springfield and about to land, a flippin' goose tried to impress the rest of its flock with his superior flying skills and decided to test its mettle against the plane. Damn thing got sucked through one of the engines. Both the goose and the engine lost that battle. Thank god Annabelle's got two of those things to keep her in the air. Scared the ever-lovin' crap outta everybody, let me tell ya." "Is everyone okay?" Tom asked with worry filling his voice. "More or less. The boys said they all needed showers and clean shorts when we got home, though." "I'd've needed a helluva more than that if I'd been with ya," he chuckled. "Say some electric paddles to get my heart started again." "Well, good thing you weren't there, then, since we don't have those on the plane, and I was too busy trying to keep us from crashin' to use `em on you even if we did. Of course, we'll have to fly commercial if we want to go anywhere until the engine's fixed." "How long will that take?" Tom queried. "Not a clue. Probably won't find out until late next week." "We'll deal with it, babe. I'm just happy everyone's back home and safe, especially Logan. What about his aunt and cousins?" "They're here, too. Logan was going to show them around while I called you. We'll take them out to the farm and get them settled in after supper. Have you picked up William yet?" I asked. "Not yet, we're just pulling off the interstate and into Normal. I need to get off the phone so I can listen to the navigation system. I don't want to get lost and be late." "Good plan, Bubba. You guys be careful and let us know when you're close, please. Love you both." "We love you, too," Tom replied. "See y'all soon." After ending the phone call, I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes for a minute or two to decompress from the excitement of the day. Finally feeling ready to be sociable again, I crossed the hallway to change into some shorts and a t-shirt. While Arlene and her sons said they'd be okay with the boys being nude, I was pretty sure they wouldn't feel near as comfortable with me joining in. Once presentable, I rejoined the rest of the family to get to know Logan's relatives better and wait for Tom, Mike and William to come home. As I headed south on Main Street, my back-seat passenger piped up with curiosity, "Hey, Pops, who's William and why we gettin' him? Is he one of you or Dad's friends?" "No, he's Logan's brother, remember?" "Oh, yeah. You guys never said nothin' `bout findin' him." "That's because we wanted him to be a surprise for Logan. We don't have a clue how T.J. and the twins haven't picked up on our plans, but we're glad they haven't." "Or maybe they did and just kept their mouths shut. For once, anyway. Not that Joey really knows how to keep his big yapper closed," Mike added with a giggle. "Ya got that right, buddy," I chuckled in agreement. We located the detention center on the first attempt thanks to the satellite navigation unit built into the Shelby. How I ever got by without that aid in my old clunker, I don't know. After finding an empty parking spot close to the administrative entrance, I shut the engine off and we got out of the car, Mike climbing over the console between the two front seats instead of waiting for me to flip the seatback forward for him. He grabbed my hand and kept pace with me as we headed for the building's entrance. After stepping inside and over to the receptionist's desk, I greeted him with, "Good afternoon, my name's Tom Wright and I'm supposed to meet with the director before taking charge of one your residents for the weekend." "One moment, sir, and I'll see if he's available." After a quick phone call and short conversation, he came back with, "He says he'll be ready for you by the time you reach his office. Just head down that hallway and you'll find him through the second door on the left," he added while pointing the way. "Thank you," I replied before turning to follow his directions, Mike sticking to my side as if he'd been glued there. "Oh, and a word of warning," the receptionist called out in a stage whisper bringing us to a quick halt midway across the lobby. After turning our attention back to the receptionist, he added, "If you want him to go along with your request, you should know he has a PhD and he takes that title very seriously." "Thanks for the heads up, I'll try to tread lightly," I smirked. On that, Mike and I resumed our short trek across the lobby and down the hallway. On reaching the office, I couldn't help but grin at the name on the door and promptly decided to see just how stuck-up this gentleman was. I gave the standard institutional gray metal door a sharp rap and waited until we heard a terse `come'. Opening the door, we found Dr. Pompous ensconced behind the drab gray metal desk common to correctional facilities and I cheerily greeted him with, "Dr. Livingstone, I presume." The artificial grin that had been plastered on his face evaporated in an instant, only to be replaced with an angry glare of displeasure at my choice of salutation. My suspicions confirmed that the man was an insufferable egotist, I quickly added, "My name's Tom Wright and I talked to your assistant director, Randy, a couple weeks ago about allowing a weekend furlough for one of your residents." "Did he give you the impression that we would allow such a thing?" Clayton growled in response. "As a matter of fact, he did," I answered while taking a seat in one of the chairs facing his desk and guiding Mike to the second one. "Before you release the young man, I'd like to get some more information on him, please, just to have a good idea of who we'll be taking care of the next few days," I added in an attempt to shut down an outright refusal of the request. "Well, I can't help you much with that since I've only been here a few months and don't know all our prisoners quite as well as I should. Let me get Randy in here to see what he can tell us," he replied in a slightly calmer tone of voice. Punching the intercom button on his phone, he waited for Randy to answer and demanded, "Beecher, get your lazy ass in here and answer this man's questions." "Right away, Doctor," was the tense reply. Five seconds later, a harried young man hustled into the office and took up a position next to the desk, assuming a stance that anyone familiar with military training would call `parade rest'. "Yes, Doctor, how can I be of assistance?" he asked nervously. With a dismissive flip of the hand in my direction, Clayton replied, "This is a Tom White. He's spouting some nonsense about us allowing a prisoner to have a little vacation, and he claims you said we'd allow it." I quickly interjected, "It's Wright, sir, W-R-I-G-H-T, and it's pronounced just like you'd say `right' hand," I commented directly while wiggling the appropriate appendage in the air to prove the point. Mike giggled at my retort and a tight grin took over Randy's face. "Whatever," Clayton grumped. Randy quickly took over as he turned to face Mike and me and said, "Pleasure to meet you Mr. Wright. I'm the gentleman you talked to, Randy Beecher. As I recall, you were asking us to provide a furlough to William Campbell for a weekend. Is that correct?" "On the money, Randy. And please, it's Tom. Oh, and this is one of my sons, Mike," I added while hooking a thumb in the youngster's direction. Mike happily gave Randy a wave and his sweetest smile after the introduction. "I was hoping you could give me a little more information about the young man before he's released into my custody." "What would you like to know?" Randy cheerily replied. "Well, we already know about most of the trouble he's in after talking to you and his case worker, but I'd like to get whatever personal info you can share." "Well, like I told you already, the kid's a smart-mouthed little punk with a humongous chip on his shoulders, thinks the world owes him everything while giving nothing in return. Which, considering the number of different homes he's been in the past fifteen years, really shouldn't be a big surprise to anybody." "How many is that?" I asked with concern. "Last count, twelve," Randy answered with sadness. "That's what happens on occasion when you aren't a healthy baby. They're placed in a home, the foster parents hope things smooth out and get better fairly quickly. Unfortunately, that didn't happen with William. He didn't really get over his various health issues until he was almost five and ready to start school. And once a kid gets to be that age, not many folks want to adopt them, so they just end up getting shuffled from placement to placement. It's a sad state of affairs, but that's just the way is works sometimes." "Yes, I'm a bit familiar with that thanks to some information from the agency my fiancé and I are working with," I commented. "So, you're not married?" Clayton asked. "Not quite yet," I answered. "Our wedding is scheduled for May seventeenth and the adoptions of our six sons will happen right afterward." "Six!?" Randy exclaimed. "And you think you want to add another one, especially one with issues like William has? Are you nuts?" "Well, as I told you when we talked, one of the boys we're adopting is William's biological brother. It seems logical to Max and me that since William doesn't have a forever family already, we'd like to see what we can do to help him out and give him the chance to learn about his mom, dad and the rest of his family." "Um, I hate to ask this, but is Max short for Maxine or something?" Randy queried nervously. "It's short for Maxwill," I replied. "Why do you ask?" "Uh-oh," Randy muttered glumly. "Uh-oh what?" I quizzed the flustered man. "That could be a problem, you bein' gay and all." "Why should that be an issue?" I asked in all seriousness. "The agency helping with the others doesn't have a problem with us being gay." "Oh, it's not a problem at all from our point of view, believe me," Randy offered quickly, trying to placate me. "The problem is going to be William." After a look of confusion filled my face, he continued, "One of the homes he was in for a couple of years was very religious and I'm afraid a major thing he took to heart and has maintained ever since is a rather virulent case of homophobia. I just don't see any way this could possibly work out." "Be that as it may," I began, "we'd still like to try. Who knows, once he's actually met some gay people and sees we aren't any different from him, he might change his attitude." "Yeah, right," Randy scoffed dismissively. "Good luck with that." "Well, why don't you go get him and we'll be on our way?" I offered. Randy shot a quick glance to Clayton and after a curt nod in response to the unspoken question, he left the three of us alone. I had Mike climb into my lap so there would be a chair available for William when he joined us and we sat in silence for five or so minutes before Randy returned, William in tow behind him, carrying a small bag of his belongings for the weekend. Mike and I were a bit surprised as we watched him settle into the chair next to us, frown filling his countenance. Despite supposedly being fifteen years old, you'd have a hard time believing it on first glance as William was much smaller than I'd anticipated. He couldn't have been an inch over five feet tall and weighed, maybe, 110 pounds. His long black hair was down past his shoulders and pulled into a ponytail. With the hair pulled back the way it was, the double piercings in each ear were quite obvious, one set of holes decorated with what I'm sure he hoped people would think was a diamond and the other pair filled with a simple silver ball stud. His clothes looked to be well-worn hand-me-downs as his shirt and pants were much looser on him than they should have been. The only part of his appearance that wasn't surprising was his face. If he were six years younger and just a tad bit smaller, he could be Logan's twin. Providing, of course, you ignored dark fuzzy caterpillar attempting to make its presence known on his upper lip. After giving us a few moments to gather our senses, Randy took care of the introductions. "Tom, Mike, I'd like you to meet William Campbell. William, this is Tom Wright and one of his sons, Mike." "Yeah, so what?" the young man grumbled in response. "This is the gentleman I told you may consider adopting you if this weekend goes well," Randy replied with a smile. "Big whoop, just another loser who'll bring me back first chance he gets," William retorted angrily. "Why you wastin' my time with this crap?" he added while looking to Mike and me. "Because that's what my fiancé and I do, we help kids who need it. And we'd like to help you, too, if you'll let us." "Yeah, c'mon dude," Mike interjected cheerfully. "We'll have lots of fun this weekend." "But why me?" he asked, confusion filling his few words. "Well, one of the boy's we're in the process of adopting is your brother." "What the hell you talkin' `bout, mister? I ain't got no brother," he protested loudly in a higher pitched voice than you'd normally expect to hear from a kid his age. "Yes, you do, William, and he'd like to finally meet and get to know you," I replied. "By the way, do you prefer William or something else?" "The few kids `round this hole that I kinda like all call me Will." "Then, Will it is," I agreed as I extended my hand. It took a few seconds, but he tentatively latched on and we shared a civil, if perfunctory, shake. "Are you ready to go?" I asked when we let go of each other. "You're really serious `bout this?" Will asked in surprise. "I wouldn't be here if I weren't." I turned to Clayton and asked, "Do I need to fill out any paperwork to have Will released into my custody until Monday?" "Oh, you'll bring the little snot back, I'm sure of that, Tom," Clayton retorted with attitude as Randy rolled his eyes at his boss' answer. I watched Will shrink into his chair a little on that comment. "Randy, would you do me a favor and wait by the front door with the boys?" I asked. "Sure, let's go you two," he answered, happy to be out of Clayton's sight. Once the three were on their way and safely out of earshot, I glared at Clayton and asked, "Could I offer you a little bit of friendly advice?" "I can't stop you from giving it, doesn't mean I'm going to listen to it." "Why am I not surprised by that?" I commented before adding, "Have you ever heard the phrase, `Nastiness works, but friendly persuasion achieves better results'? "Never. Just what are you insinuating by that?" "I'm not insinuating a damn thing you pompous ass, I'm flat out stating it. You may have a PhD, but it's one of those useless pieces of scrap paper that means nothing more than `Piled Higher and Deeper'. You obviously don't know a flippin' thing about working with people. You treat your subordinates and residents like dirt simply because they don't have the education you have, and you don't believe you should be forced to share the same space with such lowly individuals. "Lording that over the people around you will do nothing but instill resentment and anger in them. And if you keep it up, one of two things will eventually happen. Either you'll be fired for creating a toxic work environment, or everyone else who works here will quit because they got tired of your never-ending ego trip. And once that happens, you'll still be fired." I stood to make my exit, then turned back around and added, "Oh, and one more thing, it's Mr. Wright to you, Clayton." While the man was too stunned at my rant to formulate a response, I beat a hasty retreat and soon enough, was bearing down on the trio patiently waiting by the exit for me. As I strode across the lobby, I said, "Randy, thanks for your help in making this happen. We'll have Will back by noon Monday. Boys, let's get while the gettin's good," I added with a grin. On that note, I grabbed Mike's hand with my right, Will's bag with my left and we headed out into the sunny afternoon, Will following along like a lost puppy dog. One outside, I handed the key fob to Mike and said, "Go ahead and saddle up pardner, we'll be right there." As soon as he was gone, I laid my hand on Will's shoulder and commented, "I hope you'll give us a fair chance this weekend." "I'll think about it, but don't hold your breath, mister," he grumped. "I still don't get why you're doing this. Nobody's wanted me the last fifteen damn years, why should I think this time will turn out any different?" "Because Max and I have made it our mission to help as many kids as we can and now it's your turn to have something good in your life," I answered. While surprise showed on his face on hearing Max's name, he kept any possible thoughts he was having to himself. On reaching the car, I handed his bag back to him and said, "Toss this in the back seat with Mike and get buckled in the passenger seat. We'll be home in about an hour and a half." Once we were settled in, it was time to hit the road. After getting back on the interstate and heading the right direction, I set the cruise control at seventy-four and let the computer take over that minor task. I knew if I didn't, my right foot that seems to be full of lead when driving the Shelby would have us well over a hundred in no time and I really wasn't looking forward to trying to talk my way out of an expensive speeding ticket. I glanced over at my moody and sullen front seat passenger and asked, "Did you bring a swimsuit with you, Will?" "Yeah, right," he grunted. "Like they ever let us go anywhere I could use one." "So, that's a no?" I asked. "Well, duh!! Why would I have one if I got nowhere to wear it?" "What do ya think, Mike?" I asked while looking in the rear-view mirror. " `Bout what, Pops?" "Making a quick stop at Walmart so we can get Will something to wear in the pool. I'm sure we'll go swimming at least once the next couple of days, don't you?" "You bet we will, but why don't he just go naked like the rest of us?" Mike asked nonchalantly. "What!?" Will croaked in surprise as he spun around as far as he could and gawked at Mike. "Yeah, dude. Since we don't wear nothin' at home anyways, it'd be stupid to pull on shorts or a swimsuit to jump in the pool." "What the hell kinda perverted zoo you takin' me to, mister?" Will demanded. "Not a zoo, really, but more of a ranch, as we like to call it. And definitely not perverted, just different," I replied. " `Sides, what's the big deal?" Mike asked bluntly. "You're a dude, right? And just like all us other dudes, you gotta dick, right? So, you ain't got nothin' we ain't seen before." "Well, you sure as hell ain't gonna be seein' mine," Will retorted. "Whatever, ya big chicken," Mike clucked before asking, "Hey, Pops, can I ask ya somethin'?" "Sure, buddy, any time, you know that." "What's that homo-whatever that one guy was talkin' `bout?" "Guess we've never talked about that, have we? Well, a homophobe is a person who doesn't like gay people simply because we're gay." "So, this fool kid don't like us just `cause we like guys and not girls. Guess he ain't gonna have much fun this weekend then, is he?" he added with a giggle. "Well, that's what Randy said, but I guess we'll find out in due time. I asked Will to give a chance and we'll do the same for him, so don't write him off just yet, okay?" "Yeah, all right," Mike agreed. "Tell ya what, mister," Will started, "y'all keep your hands to yourselves and don't try to fuck me and we'll get along just dandy." "Hey! You can't say that!" Mike yelled. "What?" "The f-word, dude." "I can say whatever the hell I want," Will argued. "Actually, Max and I would really appreciate it if you at least tried to control your language," I commented. "We're trying to break some bad habits with the boys before they get too ingrained." "Whatever, man," he grumped as he turned to gaze out the window at the empty fields. Sensing that our conversation had just come to an abrupt end, I punched the button on the steering wheel to activate the phone and told Sync to call home. When Ron answered, I let him know we were on the way but were going to stop at Walmart to pick a few things for Will before coming on home. He assured me he'd pass the word on to Max as soon as he could wedge a word into the multiple conversations going on in the background. That handled, I ended the call and we continued our trek in silence.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 89</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family"><span>enderwiggin61@outlook.com</span></a></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html"><span>http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</span></a><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. &nbsp; It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments"><span>https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</span></a></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk50453632"></a><a name="_Hlk46708637"></a><a name="_Hlk46620881"></a><a name="_Toc50590105"><span>Chapter 89 – Hello William</span></a></h2> <p><span>For the short hop back to Springfield, none of the boys wanted to take the right seat in the cockpit with me, preferring to sit in the main cabin with Arlene, Daril and Arley to talk, tell jokes and generally have a good time, so Clarence ended up being my copilot this afternoon. And despite him being several years older than I am, he was acting more like a kid who'd been turned loose in a candy store with a hundred bucks burning holes in his pockets than the supposedly responsible adult he truly is. His eyes were darting from instrument to instrument and screen to screen, taking in all the information they displayed at a quick glance, before looking forward through the windows and watching the clouds float along below us.</span></p> <p><span>The way he was behaving, you'd have thought he'd never been on a plane before, despite his earlier proclamation of having flown with other friends previously. I guess one's perspective will change drastically when you go from sitting in the cabin, gazing through the windows to your side and then comparing that view to having a front row seat with the world flashing by you head on. Since the plane was essentially flying itself for most of the trip and all I really had to do was to check the display panels periodically to ensure everything was still as it should be, Clarence and I took the opportunity to chat about anything but legal issues.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for letting me ride up front with you, Max. I haven't had this much fun in a long time," Clarence gushed with childlike giddiness.</span></p> <p><span>"Glad you're enjoying it," I replied. "I'm happy to have the company."</span></p> <p><span>"I may have to talk to Debbie about finally getting my pilot's license."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, crap," I chuckled. "Don't you dare blame that idea on me. The last thing I need in my life right now is your wife being pissed at me."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, she knows about the dream already," my copilot assured me. "We've talked about it before and while she really doesn't have a problem with the idea of me getting a license, she's worried the next step will be buying the damn plane to go with it," he laughed. "I mean, I do pretty well with my practice, but not quite <i>that</i> well. But what's the point of going through all that training if you can't afford to buy the plane, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hard to argue that point, counselor, but I'll make you a deal."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?" Clarence quickly asked with serious interest.</span></p> <p><span>"You put in the time and training to get your license and receive a type rating on this plane from Flight Safety International, and I'll let you use her any time you want. As long as you pay for your own fuel, that is," I added with a just a hint of snark.</span></p> <p><span>"You're shittin' me!" Clarence flustered excitedly.</span></p> <p><span>"Wouldn't dream of it, buddy. After everything you've done for us the past few months, you deserve a little bonus for multiple jobs done well. Hell, you earned it all just by taking such good care of Logan today. We'll never be able to adequately thank you for making sure he could come back home with us."</span></p> <p><span>"I was happy to do it, Max, and you know it. With all the crap that poor kid's been through the last couple years, if anyone ever deserved a break in life, it's Logan. Of course, if he hadn't been able to record everything Troy did to him while he was down there, we'd have been screwed. It's a damn good thing you gave him that phone so he could."</span></p> <p><span>"I have to admit that's one of the better ideas I've ever had. But then, you'd already told us we'd need some kind of evidence of how Troy treated Logan if we wanted to prove the dirtbag was unfit to be Logan's guardian, so it was you who planted the seed. I would never have believed the man could be so cruel without seeing it for myself."</span></p> <p><span>"The videos are what finally got the judge and prosecutor to change their tunes. After watching the first one, Thomas was already leaning towards what his final decision was, but George was still all gung-ho for pitching Logan into a deep, dark hole somewhere and then throwing away the key. But after seeing the second video, where they actually saw and heard Troy's actions, it was a done deal."</span></p> <p><span>"Really?" I asked in surprise. "They only watched two of them?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, they also watched the last one Logan recorded, you know, the one where he castrated Troy. Both were holding onto their junk and cringing during the, uh, denuttin' as Logan likes to call it, but once they witnessed the way Troy punched the kid, any doubts they may have had about self-defense flew right out the damn window. They both saw the fire in Logan's eyes when he picked himself back up off that floor and <i>knew</i> Troy fully and truly deserved the punishment he was about to receive."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm just glad it's over and we can all move forward from here."</span></p> <p><span>"You wanna know the worst part of this whole thing between Logan and his uncle?" Clarence asked solemnly.</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm pretty sure if Troy had simply asked for some help to save his orchard, Logan would have been more than willing to do whatever he could to make it happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Without a doubt, Clarence," I agreed wholeheartedly.</span></p> <p><span>In between our snippets of conversation, I did my best to explain what every cockpit control was, including what would happen when you pushed this button here or toggled that switch over there and he was soaking it all up like a thirsty sponge. When it was time to begin our descent into Springfield, I would update the autopilot setting to each lower altitude we were given by air traffic control along the way and after each adjustment, Clarence would gaze out the windows so he could see the changes take place. </span></p> <p><span>With the winds coming from the north-northwest, we were allowed to fly a straight-in approach for the second time today. We slowly sank through a light cloud cover hovering between us and the ground at about 8,000 feet. At 4,500 feet of altitude and fifteen miles from the end of the runway we were aiming for, Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport hove into view and we were perfectly settled in on the standard three-degree glideslope. At 1,500 feet and dropping, I took over manual control from the autopilot with a quick wiggle of the yoke to fly the rest of the way down to the ground. Clarence was intently watching every minor adjustment I made to keep us properly lined up against the light quartering headwinds. </span></p> <p><span>At three miles from touchdown, I lowered the landing gear and scanned the instruments to make sure we were still on course and properly trimmed for landing. As we floated down through 870 feet, I caught a glimpse of a dark amorphous blob of unknown origin zip past the windscreen next to Clarence's head. Immediately after that apparition registered in my synapses, there was a loud thump from the tail that reverberated throughout the cabin and the control panels lit up like Christmas trees on steroids.</span></p> <p><span>Since Clarence was also focused on the display in front of him, he jerked his head upright and squawked, "What the hell was that!?" while swiveling his head left and right, trying to locate the source of the vibrations we were now feeling. At the same moment, shrieks of what can only be described as sheer terror exploded from the cabin behind us, flooding the inside of the plane with an excess of unwanted noise.</span></p> <p><span>While Mike was having his first visit with Paul, Joy and I sat in their kitchen, sipping tea and chatting.</span></p> <p><span>"How's everybody doing out there, Tom?" she asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty good, I think," I replied. "We'll be a lot better once we know if Logan's legal problems down south are resolved."</span></p> <p><span>"What're you talkin' about?" she asked with concern. That simple question led to a ten-minute narrative from me to fill Joy in on what the kid's been dealing with since the accident that took his father's life.</span></p> <p><span>"Wow!" she exclaimed when I finally finished up. "I sure hope everything works out for him."</span></p> <p><span>"I do, too. We all do. Unfortunately, I haven't heard a word from Max yet, so I don't have a clue what's goin' on down there."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure if it was bad news, he'd have called you by now," Joy commiserated with my frustration at the lack of communication.</span></p> <p><span>"I sure hope you're right," I agreed flatly.</span></p> <p><span>"So, tell me, how's Mike <i>really</i> doing? Paul and I have been really worried about him and how he'd adjust to another new living situation so quickly."</span></p> <p><span>"He's doing great," I answered with a smile. "Well, except for the nightmares he's been having."</span></p> <p><span>"When did those start?"</span></p> <p><span>"From what T.J. and Andy told us, pretty much right after the boys moved in. The first we heard about it, though, was last week when he woke up screaming because of one. Then, after he finally told us more about the abuse his mom and dad dumped on him, we decided it was time for him to talk to Paul."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear he's finally ready to get the help he needs to deal with things. Paul really tried to get Mike to open up while he was here, but the poor kid was so shut down at the time, it just wasn't gonna happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it took him quite a while to talk to Max about it all, too, but we're really glad he finally screwed up his courage and did. At least now, we have a good idea of what all we're dealing with."</span></p> <p><span>"And you know Paul will do everything he can to help, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, we do," I agreed.</span></p> <p><span>We continued our conversation for the next half hour and had just about run out of new topics to discuss when Mike came charging into the kitchen, jumped in my lap and wrapped his arms around me. He was soon followed by Paul who had a very somber and troubled look on his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Pops, we're done for today. You ready to go home?" Mike asked after releasing his grip around my gut. Before I could answer, Paul shook his head and hooked a thumb over his shoulder towards his office at the back of the house.</span></p> <p><span>Taking my cue from him, I answered Mike with, "Um, in a few minutes, buddy. Would you like to talk to Mrs. Kirkland for a bit while I have a quick chat with Dr. Kirkland?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure," Mike beamed happily.</span></p> <p><span>After standing up while still holding onto Mike, I turned around, set him back on the chair I'd just vacated and then followed Paul's lead. On reaching his office, he stepped around his desk while idly motioning to an empty chair for me to use. I could tell by the way he flopped himself into his seat and assumed a slouched posture he was <i>not</i> a happy camper.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what's up?" I asked nervously.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm so fuckin' pissed off right now I could spit fuckin' nails, pardon my language," he vented angrily.</span></p> <p><span>Weeks of intense training at Flight Safety kicked in without conscious thought. One quick glance at the computerized display before me let me know we'd just lost the starboard engine and that it may be on fire. I immediately retarded the throttle for that engine while increasing the throttle to the port engine that was still purring along as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. The next step was to completely shut down the now useless turbofan and activate the fire suppression system to eliminate any potential fire.</span></p> <p><span>While taking care of those tasks, I was on the radio making the announcement no sane pilot ever wants to make. "Mayday, mayday, mayday! Springfield control, this is Citation November 3433 Sierra Tango. I am declaring an emergency and requesting immediate clearance to land."</span></p> <p><span>"Roger, 33 Sierra Tango. What's your emergency?" the air traffic controller queried nervously.</span></p> <p><span>"I've lost an engine."</span></p> <p><span>"We're rolling emergency vehicles now," the controller responded calmly. "You are cleared for any runway you need."</span></p> <p><span>Despite feeling the plane drop as I'd made the necessary control adjustments immediately after the big bang, I'd managed to keep our precipitous plunge from the heavens to a minimum and I felt pretty good seeing that we'd settled in at 790 feet on my next check of the instruments. Of course, all of our stomachs were still back up at 870 and I wasn't sure if we'd get them back just yet, if ever.</span></p> <p><span>I turned to Clarence and asked, "You heard?" After a quick nod from him, I continued, "Do me a favor while I try to sort this mess out, then."</span></p> <p><span>"Anything," he replied anxiously.</span></p> <p><span>"Yell back and let them know we've lost an engine but will be okay. I need to ensure there aren't any other issues that will make taking us on down any more hazardous than it already is." </span></p> <p><span>While he did that for me, I first confirmed the starboard engine was completely shut down and there were no more concerns about a fire. The absolute last thing I wanted to have happen would be an explosion since the fuel tanks were still very full. While the port engine was doing an admirable job at keeping us in the air, I noticed we'd lost another twenty feet of altitude, so I bumped the throttle up another notch and retrimmed the controls to make it easier to maintain a level flight. Thankfully, with both engines on either side of the tail, the CJ4 is very well-balanced and easy to control with only one engine providing thrust.</span></p> <p><span>Feeling confident that there was nothing more of major immediate concern, I took my time to verify everything else was still in proper working order. After a thorough review of the remaining systems and controls, I felt reassured that our landing would be successful. It was time to update air traffic control, so I got back on the radio.</span></p> <p><span>"Springfield control, 33 Sierra Tango with an update."</span></p> <p><span>"Go ahead," was the immediate response.</span></p> <p><span>"Starboard engine is out. Port engine is operational. We're coming straight in on four."</span></p> <p><span>"Understood, 33 Sierra Tango."</span></p> <p><span>"Cross your fingers, buddy," I commented as I reached for the throttle lever for the one operating powerplant and pulled it back. With our airspeed and altitude dropping, I waited until we were slow enough to deploy the flaps that would help keep us in the air at a lower speed. Our descent slackened considerably with the flaps extended and we were now flying slow enough that we seemed to be clawing our way through the skies.</span></p> <p><span>As we drew closer to touchdown, I made continual minor adjustments to the throttle and controls to keep us lined up and gradually losing altitude. We glided over the threshold at twenty-five feet above the concrete and I allowed the plane to steadily settle until we were safely back on solid ground. I actuated the brakes with a fervor as I pulled the single throttle all the way off. Once slowed down to a speed that I could make a turn without going for another wild ride, I angled the plane onto the nearest taxiway where we gently came to a complete stop.</span></p> <p><span>Ignoring the checklists for once, I shut everything down while Clarence unbuckled himself and climbed from his seat. By the time I was ready to switch off the battery and exit the cockpit, he already had the cabin door open and was hustling everyone out onto the tarmac with further instructions to form a group on the grass out of the way of the rapidly approaching emergency vehicles.</span></p> <p><span>By the time my feet actually touched the asphalt where Annabelle had been brought to an ignominious halt, the boys were hauling ass across the taxiway to the nearest patch of grass they could reach, Daril and Arley leading the pack and urging the others to move faster. Clarence and Arlene were bringing up the rear of the parade and while not running like their hair was on fire as the boys were, they were still moving much faster than normal. Before I could join them, the first emergency vehicle pulled to a stop near the tail of the plane.</span></p> <p><span>The driver jumped out and yelled, "Is everyone okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Except for our wits, I think so," I yelled back in response, a little tremble in my voice as it finally sunk in just how lucky we'd been.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank God for small favors," he replied as he drew closer. "Name's Bryan Evans," he introduced himself while extending a hand for the obligatory handshake.</span></p> <p><span>"Max Sanders," I replied while joining the ritual.</span></p> <p><span>"Damn fine piece of flying, there, Mr. Sanders. First time we've had to roll out for a private jet in a long time. Any idea what took out your engine?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm pretty sure it was a bird strike. I saw something whiz past the windscreen on the right-side just before all hell broke loose."</span></p> <p><span>"Ya gotta love these Citations," Bryan commented offhandedly while patting the wingtip as if he were petting a friendly pooch. "They take a lickin' and keep on tickin'." Bryan turned in the direction of the FBO and added, "Here comes one of the guys from the FBO with a tug to get your plane towed out of the way. We have another flight coming in soon and need to clear the taxiway."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem. Thanks for being available in case you were needed," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Just doin' our job," Bryan offered nonchalantly. "Thanks to you for bringing some excitement into our otherwise dreary and boring day."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad we could help break the monotony for you," I chuckled before turning to join the rest of the family and moving on. When I finally reached the rest of my crew waiting patiently in the grass, I asked the obligatory question, "Is everybody okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hell no, we're not okay!" Joey yelled angrily.</span></p> <p><span>"You scared the shit out of us!" Alex quickly added before T.J. added his two-cents worth. </span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we all need showers and clean shorts!" the young lad loudly proclaimed with his usual straight-forward, damn the torpedoes aplomb.</span></p> <p><span>Despite their language in the heat of the moment, my only reaction was to breathe a huge sigh of relief that nobody had been injured, then I began laughing my ass off. I was quickly joined by everyone else in blowing off some steam and settling our minds. When I turned back towards the plane, the FBO employee was hooking the tug to Annabelle's nose gear to tow her the rest of the way to the hangar.</span></p> <p><span>Arlene saw what was happening and called out, "Wait! Our bags are still in there."</span></p> <p><span>Even with the noise created by the still running machine, the tug driver jumped in surprise and looked toward us, cupping a hand around his ear to help him hear better. I started walking towards him while he headed our direction and the two of us met at about the halfway point.</span></p> <p><span>"What was that?" Tyler asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We still have some baggage on board we need to retrieve," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no problem. I'm just towing her to your hangar. Jeff will be here soon with the van to take you back to the office. I'll bring all your luggage in for you and you can grab it there."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Tyler." I reached into my pocket, retrieved the key and while handing it over, added, "There are some bags in the tail and a briefcase in the cabin."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll make sure to grab everything I find, Mr. Sanders, and bring it in to you as quickly as I can." </span></p> <p><span>On that note, he headed back to his task. With the severely injured Annabelle hooked up and ready to move, Tyler started the long drive back to the hangar where the engine would be pulled and repaired or replaced. I noticed a light trail of smoke still exiting the rear of the now defunct engine and wondered what could be causing it as he pulled away. As the emergency crews began to move out of the way and return to their garage, Jeff arrived with the FBO's van to take us to their office. The ride was a quiet one for once as everyone silently contemplated the multitude of possible endings our flight could have had, most of those scenarios ending in complete disaster. Once Jeff parked the van next to our cars and came around to open doors for everyone, the boys and Arlene shuffled outside and glumly hovered around our transport home.</span></p> <p><span>When it was down to just Clarence and me waiting to exit the vehicle, he quietly said, "Before you head for home, I need to have a quick chat with my client."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh crap, here comes the bad news," I muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all, Max. George just wanted me to pass a few things on to Logan when we got back home, and since I hope I won't have to see you again until your wedding, I'd like to take care of it now."</span></p> <p><span>"That should work okay," I replied. "I need to talk to Jeff inside for a bit, then figure out how I'm gonna stuff nine people and baggage into a car that's designed to accommodate only eight."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure you'll figure it out," he replied before quietly corralling the wild colt named Logan and heading inside so they could have their little chat before we went our separate ways. The rest of us followed them and while I was having my own conversation with Jeff at the counter, the others occupied some comfortable chairs away from Clarence and Logan, waiting for Tyler to arrive with the plane so we could retrieve our baggage.</span></p> <p><span>By the time I finished talking with Jeff, Tyler had pulled the plane into the hangar and joined us inside, all the baggage loaded onto a cart. I gave Alex the key fob to the Flex so they could open up the car and get everything and everybody loaded inside it as best they could. </span></p> <p><span>After they left to solve that puzzle, Tyler said, "While I was retrieving your bags, our head mechanic climbed a ladder to take a closer look at your engine and he wanted me to give you this." He then unceremoniously presented me with a single grayish-brown feather that was about seven or eight inches long, cheeky smirk filling his face. "You were on the money about it being a bird strike," he grinned. "You just took out one of the thousands of geese that move through the area this time of year on their way back to Canada. Damn things are nothin' but a nuisance," he muttered with disgust.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm guessing I'm not the first unfortunate pilot to find one," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Not by a longshot, Mr. Sanders. You sure won't be the last, either. The wisp of smoke trailing from the back of your starboard engine is probably a chunk of the carcass still roasting itself."</span></p> <p><span>"Can it be repaired?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"The bird?" he asked with a twinkle of humor in his eyes. "Oh, hell no, that poor critter has most definitely been cooked and there ain't no way you're gonna bring it back," he added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"You know what I'm talking about, smartass," I retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you mean the engine?" Tyler grinned evilly. "Some can, some can't. Just depends on how much damage was done when the sucker was ingested, chopped to bits and spit back out into the airstream. We'll let you know what we find once we get it pulled and have gone over it with a fine-toothed comb."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure I'm not gonna like what you have to tell me, but I'll be waiting to hear from you," I commented morosely. "Thanks for everything, guys. Hope the rest of your day is a bit quieter."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Mr. Sanders," Jeff replied. "Have a safe trip back home."</span></p> <p><span>With a quick wave over my shoulder. I turned to find Clarence and Logan had finished their conversation and we were ready to hit the road for home. After stepping outside, Logan shared a quick hug with his lawyer, then aimed himself towards the Flex and climbed into the crowded vehicle. After sharing my own hug with Clarence, I joined the others in the Flex and settled into the driver's seat.</span></p> <p><span>Arlene was occupying the passenger seat, Daril, Logan and Arley filled up the middle row with Alex, Joey and Andy taking the back seat. That left poor T.J. to ride in the very back with the bags Arlene and her boys brought with them.</span></p> <p><span>"You gonna be okay back there, T.J.?" I asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dad. It's a little snug, but it was either me or Andy `cause everybody else is too big," he replied.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll try to be careful on the way home to make sure you don't bounce around too much."</span></p> <p><span>"Just miss that big-ass pothole in the driveway and I'll be fine," he snickered.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do my best, buddy," I replied with a little chortle. With that settled, it was time to hit the road and bring this long day to a close.</span></p> <p><span>Fearing Mike had shared way more with Paul than he should have, I hung my head in shame and muttered, "Oh crap, what have we done?"</span></p> <p><span>"What!?" Paul retorted in surprise. "No, no, you misunderstood. I'm not upset with you and Max a bit, but with Mike's parents for being such despicable excuses for human beings. There's absolutely no justification for the way they abused their son."</span></p> <p><span>I let go a silent sigh of relief the fifty caliber round aimed directly at my skull missed by a foot and our worst nightmare was not about to come true before slowly lifting my head, "You'll get no argument from me on that," I agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"You and Max have been godsends to all these boys you're taking in. They're finally getting the love and family they need and deserve, especially Mike. He's so lost and confused after what he went through, I'm amazed at how easily he's integrated himself into your family."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, thanks for that, Paul. We're just trying to do the right thing for everybody involved. Of course, Max started all this by himself, but I'm loving every moment of our lives together. And we've seen the changes all the boys have gone through since becoming part of the family. Mike is a lot more secure and outgoing than he was just a few short months ago."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, due to confidentiality rules, I can't discuss any specifics with you of what we talked about, but I can say I noticed that during our conversation today. Honestly, it's hard to believe the young man I just talked to is the same one who lived with us for a few months. He was never that chatty or gregarious. And of course, then, he would never have dreamed about talking to me about his abuse like he did today. So being a part of a loving and caring family is what's helped turn him around. You two keep up the good work and Mike will be just fine, as will all the others."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll do our absolute best," I assured him.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't doubt that one bit," Paul agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"So, I hope Mike wasn't as blunt with you as he was when he told Max everything."</span></p> <p><span>"More so than I expected, but it still wasn't anything I haven't heard before, unfortunately," Paul replied with disgust. "Of course, you never expect to hear horror stories like that from a six-year-old. I just wanted to scoop him up in my arms and hold him while he was sharing his story."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure he wouldn't have minded that one bit."</span></p> <p><span>"No, probably not, but I have to retain at least a modicum of professional restraint, even in the most difficult of circumstances. But if I was to ever cross that line with a patient, it would be with Mike simply because he was our son for a while, and we grew quite attached to him."</span></p> <p><span>"Did you ask Mike if he wants to talk with you some more?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, and he agreed that it would probably be a good idea. At least for a little while. I've added him to my schedule for the next month, on Friday afternoons after he gets out of school. Let's see how that goes and we'll continue past that time if Mike wants to."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a good plan to me, Dr. Kirkland," I agreed. "We appreciate the help and will make sure he's here, one way or another."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad you're on board with it, Tom. I know Mike's in a much better place and has more peace of mind over what he went through, but he still needs some serious help to process his feelings towards his parents."</span></p> <p><span>"Will you be reporting this new information to the authorities?" I queried.</span></p> <p><span>"As you well know, I'm required by law to do so. Even though his parents have already been arrested and are being held in the county jail with a very high bail, the more fuel we can add to the fire for their trial on the abuse charges, the less likely it will be they ever see Mike again."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit," I mumbled. "I hadn't even thought about them going to trial. Do you think Mike would have to testify? I'm not sure he could do that."</span></p> <p><span>"It's a definite possibility, I won't lie to you."</span></p> <p><span>"Does Mike know that?" I asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"I mentioned the possibility and he seemed to accept it without a problem. You'd be surprised at what the new Mike is capable of dealing with. I think he'd be just fine as long as he knows you, Max and his brothers have his back without any question. And any judge or jury hearing that story coming directly from him, well, you can be sure hell will freeze over before either one of his parents are ever released."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay then. I guess we'll cross that bridge when and if we ever get there."</span></p> <p><span>"It'll all work out just fine, trust me."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, we do. Well, I think we've taken up enough of your time today. We should get going."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see you next Friday at four, then," Paul replied as we left our chairs to move on. I let him lead the way back to the kitchen where we found Mike sitting in Joy's lap and the two were sharing a hug. Paul let go with a quiet cough to let the pair know they had company and both looked up at us, smiles on their faces.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hey, Pops. We goin' home now?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not quite yet, buddy. We have to drive up to Normal first."</span></p> <p><span>"How far is that?"</span></p> <p><span>"About an hour," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that don't sound like much fun," Mike grumbled. "Why the heck we gotta go there? I wanna get home to find out what happened to Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"We're picking up a surprise for him. I just hope Logan'll be home when we get there," I offered, still a bit miffed I hadn't heard squat from Max about what had happened.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's get goin' then. I love surprises!" Mike squealed with glee as he slipped to the floor, grabbed my hand and started dragging me towards the front door.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, aren't you going to say thanks to Dr. Kirkland and your goodbyes?" I prodded the excited rugrat.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah." Mike stopped, turned around and with a quick wave of his free hand, said, "Thanks for listening to me, Mr. Kirkland, see you next Friday. And bye. Love you both." Feeling that was all he needed, he turned back towards the front door and continued pulling me along behind him.</span></p> <p><span>"Young man, that is <i>not</i> how we say goodbye, is it?" I admonished. With that reminder, he stopped again, let go of my hand, and stalked back across the kitchen to give Paul and Joy a proper farewell hug. With the hugs completed, though, he zipped back across the kitchen, grabbed my hand and we continued our rather hasty exit. Our hosts were giggling at my predicament and offered a quick `see ya next week, guys' to our backs. "Thanks for everything," I called out just as Mike was pulling the front door open and stepping outside, expecting me to pull it shut behind us.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, Pops, you're movin' too slow," Mike chastised me.</span></p> <p><span>"All right, already," I grunted. "You hop in, get buckled up and we'll hit the road." That was all it took for Mike to finally release his grip on me as he darted ahead and climbed in the Shelby. By the time I joined him and settled into place, he was secured in the back seat and ready to roll.</span></p> <p><span>As I was bringing the engine to life, Mike was bouncing with excitement as much his seatbelt would allow and begged, "What's the surprise, Pops? I wanna know."</span></p> <p><span>"You'll find out when we get to Normal," I replied while backing out of the drive.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, you're no fun at all," my passenger grumped.</span></p> <p><span>"That's not what you were saying in the shower the other night," I retorted with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, no, you were a lot of fun then," Mike giggled. "Not so much now," he added with a little pout.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll make it up to you, buddy," I offered.</span></p> <p><span>"You better," he demanded as I pulled onto the interstate heading north.</span></p> <p><span>The noise level in the car had returned to normal as everyone was in a good mood thanks to the simple fact we'd survived our trip back to Springfield. I know Arlene tried to pull me into conversation several times along the way, but my mind was still too fractured to properly engage with her. While I was piloting the car down the road safely enough, my brain was still at 870 feet in the air, churning over what had happened. Logically, I knew there was nothing I could have done any differently to avoid that damn goose, but I couldn't stop playing `what if' scenarios repeatedly. As distracted as I was, I probably shouldn't have been driving. I was very happy we didn't see any deer while on the Old Jack as there was no doubt I would have added another poor critter to my kill tally today if one had come anywhere close to us.</span></p> <p><span>I was still so unfocused after turning in our drive that I completely forgot about the damn hole to hell. I somehow missed it with the front tires, but my luck, and T.J.'s, had obviously run out as the rear end of the car suddenly dropped six inches and then jumped right back out of the gouge in the rock. Poor T.J. bounced off the roof of the vehicle with a yelp and landed in the back seat in his brothers' laps.</span></p> <p><span>"Dang it, Dad, didn't I tell you to miss that thing!?" he screamed.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, T.J., my bad," I muttered. "My mind was elsewhere."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you better get it back in the car with rest of us ...," Joey began before Alex finished off the thought with, "... before you drive right through the dang garage door." That comment elicited a loud round of laughter from everyone and helped bring my attention back to the task at hand.</span></p> <p><span>After negotiating the turn in the driveway that directs vehicles towards the house, I felt a light tap on my shoulder and Logan cautiously said, "Um, Dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Logan, what's up?" I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm not trying to be a smart donkey or nothin', but don't forget to punch the button to open the door <i>before</i> you try to pull into the garage." Even more laughter filled the car and threatened to launch the glass roof into low orbit.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, mister smarty-pants," I retorted sarcastically just before reaching over my head and doing exactly what he suggested.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, you know me, old man, just tryin' to be helpful," he replied with a big grin and a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>I slowed pulling onto the concrete apron and waited for the door to stop moving before pulling into the garage and shutting the car off, immensely thankful to finally be here and still in one piece, more or less. As everyone extracted themselves from their seats and stepped out, the boys were leading the way into the house, Arlene, Daril and Arley following their lead and seeming to be a bit unsure of actually being welcome. </span></p> <p><span>As the sensational six-pack peeled off into their rooms, I called out, "You can get out of your nice clothes but don't forget shorts."</span></p> <p><span>"Aren't needed," Alex yelled back from his room.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, they are," I retorted, "OPR, remember?"</span></p> <p><span>Logan was stepping out of the bedroom sans clothes and told me, "Naw, we're okay, Dad. On the trip back, we told `em all `bout us not wearin' clothes at home and they don't give a rat's fuzzy behind."</span></p> <p><span>"Is that true, Arlene?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, it's fine with us. My boys were much the same at that age, especially when swimming in the lake behind the house," she answered. "I think we'll stay dressed, though, if that's okay."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine," I replied as the rest of the munchkins started coming back out of their rooms. I can't say I was surprised to see none of them were dressed. "Well, make yourselves at home. Once Tom and Mike get back home, we'll have supper and then we can take you out to the farm and help get you settled in."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds great, Max. It'll be nice to just kick back and decompress for a bit. It's been a rough couple of weeks." </span></p> <p><span>"I don't doubt it, but you're safe now. Logan, why don't you show your aunt and cousins around the house? I need to call Pops and let him know we're home."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, buddy. I'll be back out in a little bit."</span></p> <p><span>As he collected the three newcomers and led them back down the hallway to start with T.J., Mike and Andy's bedroom, I continued across the house, making a brief stop in the kitchen to chat with Ron before continuing on to my study to place the call.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Ron, we're home," I greeted him as I opened the fridge and snagged a cold Pepsi.</span></p> <p><span>"I assumed as much, Max," he retorted with a cheesy smirk. "It was either the herd was here, or we were just the epicenter of an eight-point-five earthquake," he added with a hearty laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing quite that drastic," I chuckled. </span></p> <p><span>"What's the good news?" he quickly asked with serious concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Logan's here to stay, amigo, so you can quit worrying about him," I answered with a big smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank God for that," Ron replied with a huge sigh of relief.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, <i>he</i> really didn't have a damn thing to do with it," I retorted. Dropping to a whisper to ensure nobody but Ron could hear me, I asked, "Were you guys able to get a bed set up for William?"</span></p> <p><span>"What kind of lazy bums do you think we are `round here," he asked indignantly. "Of course, we did. I just hope the kid'll be okay sharing my room."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope so, too. And I only asked because your door was closed. I didn't want to risk taking a peek inside in case one of the munchkins tried to go by at that instant. You know how they are about something being different."</span></p> <p><span>"You ain't lyin' `bout that," Ron snickered. "But don't you think at least three of them already know what's happening."</span></p> <p><span>"Who knows? None have mentioned it yet, so maybe we got lucky this time."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, fat chance of that," Ron laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"You heard anything from Tom?" I asked in a quick change of subject.</span></p> <p><span>"Nary a peep."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm gonna give `im a buzz and let him know we're home. Logan will probably be through shortly to introduce his aunt and cousins to ya," I offered as I turned down the hall.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, crap," Ron muttered, "Should I cover up?"</span></p> <p><span>"According to the boys, it shouldn't be a problem, but I'll leave it up to you," I called over my shoulder. Ron's question was quickly answered, though maybe not the way he would have preferred. Just as I reached the study and opened the door, I heard Logan yell `Skinny!' and Ron answered him with `Farm-boy!' just as loudly. With a wide grin of giddiness plastered on my face, I stepped inside and settled in at my desk to place my call. After taking a big swig of my drink to wet the old pipes, I punched the speaker button on the phone and dialed the number.</span></p> <p><span>Tom answered on the first ring with, "It's about damn time you called! Where the hell have you been?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, hon. Yeah, we're fine, thanks for asking. How `bout you two?" I retorted sarcastically.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Max," he muttered in an apologetic tone, "I just thought you'd have called a long time ago." </span></p> <p><span>In the background, Mike called out, "Hey, Dad! Did Logan get to come home with you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, kiddo, he's back where he belongs," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yippee!!" he screamed with glee.</span></p> <p><span>"Mike!" Tom started, "Please don't yell in my ear like that." As I pictured Tom wiggling a finger in his damaged ear, I heard a quiet `Sorry, Pops' before the big guy continued with, "So, the trip went well, then?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, except for trying to kill everyone on the way back home, yeah, it went just fine," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"What!?" they both yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, yeah, as we were coming into Springfield and about to land, a flippin' goose tried to impress the rest of its flock with his superior flying skills and decided to test its mettle against the plane. Damn thing got sucked through one of the engines. Both the goose and the engine lost that battle. Thank god Annabelle's got two of those things to keep her in the air. Scared the ever-lovin' crap outta everybody, let me tell ya."</span></p> <p><span>"Is everyone okay?" Tom asked with worry filling his voice.</span></p> <p><span>"More or less. The boys said they all needed showers and clean shorts when we got home, though."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd've needed a helluva more than that if I'd been with ya," he chuckled. "Say some electric paddles to get my heart started again."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, good thing you weren't there, then, since we don't have those on the plane, and I was too busy trying to keep us from crashin' to use `em on you even if we did. Of course, we'll have to fly commercial if we want to go anywhere until the engine's fixed."</span></p> <p><span>"How long will that take?" Tom queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue. Probably won't find out until late next week."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll deal with it, babe. I'm just happy everyone's back home and safe, especially Logan. What about his aunt and cousins?"</span></p> <p><span>"They're here, too. Logan was going to show them around while I called you. We'll take them out to the farm and get them settled in after supper. Have you picked up William yet?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet, we're just pulling off the interstate and into Normal. I need to get off the phone so I can listen to the navigation system. I don't want to get lost and be late."</span></p> <p><span>"Good plan, Bubba. You guys be careful and let us know when you're close, please. Love you both."</span></p> <p><span>"We love you, too," Tom replied. "See y'all soon."</span></p> <p><span>After ending the phone call, I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes for a minute or two to decompress from the excitement of the day. Finally feeling ready to be sociable again, I crossed the hallway to change into some shorts and a t-shirt. While Arlene and her sons said they'd be okay with the boys being nude, I was pretty sure they wouldn't feel near as comfortable with me joining in. Once presentable, I rejoined the rest of the family to get to know Logan's relatives better and wait for Tom, Mike and William to come home.</span></p> <p><span>As I headed south on Main Street, my back-seat passenger piped up with curiosity, "Hey, Pops, who's William and why we gettin' him? Is he one of you or Dad's friends?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, he's Logan's brother, remember?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah. You guys never said nothin' `bout findin' him."</span></p> <p><span>"That's because we wanted him to be a surprise for Logan. We don't have a clue how T.J. and the twins haven't picked up on our plans, but we're glad they haven't."</span></p> <p><span>"Or maybe they did and just kept their mouths shut. For once, anyway. Not that Joey really knows how to keep his big yapper closed," Mike added with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"Ya got that right, buddy," I chuckled in agreement.</span></p> <p><span>We located the detention center on the first attempt thanks to the satellite navigation unit built into the Shelby. How I ever got by without that aid in my old clunker, I don't know. After finding an empty parking spot close to the administrative entrance, I shut the engine off and we got out of the car, Mike climbing over the console between the two front seats instead of waiting for me to flip the seatback forward for him. He grabbed my hand and kept pace with me as we headed for the building's entrance.</span></p> <p><span>After stepping inside and over to the receptionist's desk, I greeted him with, "Good afternoon, my name's Tom Wright and I'm supposed to meet with the director before taking charge of one your residents for the weekend."</span></p> <p><span>"One moment, sir, and I'll see if he's available." After a quick phone call and short conversation, he came back with, "He says he'll be ready for you by the time you reach his office. Just head down that hallway and you'll find him through the second door on the left," he added while pointing the way.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you," I replied before turning to follow his directions, Mike sticking to my side as if he'd been glued there. </span></p> <p><span>"Oh, and a word of warning," the receptionist called out in a stage whisper bringing us to a quick halt midway across the lobby. After turning our attention back to the receptionist, he added, "If you want him to go along with your request, you should know he has a PhD and he takes that title <i>very</i> seriously."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for the heads up, I'll try to tread lightly," I smirked. On that, Mike and I resumed our short trek across the lobby and down the hallway. On reaching the office, I couldn't help but grin at the name on the door and promptly decided to see just how stuck-up this gentleman was. I gave the standard institutional gray metal door a sharp rap and waited until we heard a terse `come'. Opening the door, we found Dr. Pompous ensconced behind the drab gray metal desk common to correctional facilities and I cheerily greeted him with, "Dr. Livingstone, I presume." The artificial grin that had been plastered on his face evaporated in an instant, only to be replaced with an angry glare of displeasure at my choice of salutation.</span></p> <p><span>My suspicions confirmed that the man was an insufferable egotist, I quickly added, "My name's Tom Wright and I talked to your assistant director, Randy, a couple weeks ago about allowing a weekend furlough for one of your residents."</span></p> <p><span>"Did he give you the impression that we would allow such a thing?" Clayton growled in response.</span></p> <p><span>"As a matter of fact, he did," I answered while taking a seat in one of the chairs facing his desk and guiding Mike to the second one. "Before you release the young man, I'd like to get some more information on him, please, just to have a good idea of who we'll be taking care of the next few days," I added in an attempt to shut down an outright refusal of the request.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I can't help you much with that since I've only been here a few months and don't know all our prisoners quite as well as I should. Let me get Randy in here to see what he can tell us," he replied in a slightly calmer tone of voice. Punching the intercom button on his phone, he waited for Randy to answer and demanded, "Beecher, get your lazy ass in here and answer this man's questions."</span></p> <p><span>"Right away, Doctor," was the tense reply. Five seconds later, a harried young man hustled into the office and took up a position next to the desk, assuming a stance that anyone familiar with military training would call `parade rest'. "Yes, Doctor, how can I be of assistance?" he asked nervously.</span></p> <p><span>With a dismissive flip of the hand in my direction, Clayton replied, "This is a Tom White. He's spouting some nonsense about us allowing a prisoner to have a little <i>vacation</i>,<i> </i>and he claims you said we'd allow it."</span></p> <p><span>I quickly interjected, "It's Wright, sir, W-R-I-G-H-T, and it's pronounced just like you'd say `right' hand," I commented directly while wiggling the appropriate appendage in the air to prove the point. Mike giggled at my retort and a tight grin took over Randy's face.</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever," Clayton grumped.</span></p> <p><span>Randy quickly took over as he turned to face Mike and me and said, "Pleasure to meet you Mr. Wright. I'm the gentleman you talked to, Randy Beecher. As I recall, you were asking us to provide a furlough to William Campbell for a weekend. Is that correct?"</span></p> <p><span>"On the money, Randy. And please, it's Tom. Oh, and this is one of my sons, Mike," I added while hooking a thumb in the youngster's direction. Mike happily gave Randy a wave and his sweetest smile after the introduction. "I was hoping you could give me a little more information about the young man before he's released into my custody."</span></p> <p><span>"What would you like to know?" Randy cheerily replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we already know about most of the trouble he's in after talking to you and his case worker, but I'd like to get whatever personal info you can share."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, like I told you already, the kid's a smart-mouthed little punk with a humongous chip on his shoulders, thinks the world owes him everything while giving nothing in return. Which, considering the number of different homes he's been in the past fifteen years, really shouldn't be a big surprise to anybody."</span></p> <p><span>"How many is that?" I asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Last count, twelve," Randy answered with sadness. "That's what happens on occasion when you aren't a healthy baby. They're placed in a home, the foster parents hope things smooth out and get better fairly quickly. Unfortunately, that didn't happen with William. He didn't really get over his various health issues until he was almost five and ready to start school. And once a kid gets to be that age, not many folks want to adopt them, so they just end up getting shuffled from placement to placement. It's a sad state of affairs, but that's just the way is works sometimes."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I'm a bit familiar with that thanks to some information from the agency my fiancé and I are working with," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"So, you're not married?" Clayton asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not quite yet," I answered. "Our wedding is scheduled for May seventeenth and the adoptions of our six sons will happen right afterward."</span></p> <p><span>"Six!?" Randy exclaimed. "And you think you want to add another one, especially one with issues like William has? Are you nuts?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, as I told you when we talked, one of the boys we're adopting is William's biological brother. It seems logical to Max and me that since William doesn't have a forever family already, we'd like to see what we can do to help him out and give him the chance to learn about his mom, dad and the rest of his family."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, I hate to ask this, but is Max short for Maxine or something?" Randy queried nervously.</span></p> <p><span>"It's short for Maxwill," I replied. "Why do you ask?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uh-oh," Randy muttered glumly.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh-oh what?" I quizzed the flustered man.</span></p> <p><span>"That could be a problem, you bein' gay and all."</span></p> <p><span>"Why should that be an issue?" I asked in all seriousness. "The agency helping with the others doesn't have a problem with us being gay."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, it's not a problem at all from our point of view, believe me," Randy offered quickly, trying to placate me. "The problem is going to be William." After a look of confusion filled my face, he continued, "One of the homes he was in for a couple of years was very religious and I'm afraid a major thing he took to heart and has maintained ever since is a rather virulent case of homophobia. I just don't see any way this could possibly work out."</span></p> <p><span>"Be that as it may," I began, "we'd still like to try. Who knows, once he's actually met some gay people and sees we aren't any different from him, he might change his attitude."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right," Randy scoffed dismissively. "Good luck with that."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, why don't you go get him and we'll be on our way?" I offered.</span></p> <p><span>Randy shot a quick glance to Clayton and after a curt nod in response to the unspoken question, he left the three of us alone. I had Mike climb into my lap so there would be a chair available for William when he joined us and we sat in silence for five or so minutes before Randy returned, William in tow behind him, carrying a small bag of his belongings for the weekend. Mike and I were a bit surprised as we watched him settle into the chair next to us, frown filling his countenance.</span></p> <p><span>Despite supposedly being fifteen years old, you'd have a hard time believing it on first glance as William was much smaller than I'd anticipated. He couldn't have been an inch over five feet tall and weighed, maybe, 110 pounds. His long black hair was down past his shoulders and pulled into a ponytail. With the hair pulled back the way it was, the double piercings in each ear were quite obvious, one set of holes decorated with what I'm sure he hoped people would think was a diamond and the other pair filled with a simple silver ball stud.</span></p> <p><span>His clothes looked to be well-worn hand-me-downs as his shirt and pants were much looser on him than they should have been. The only part of his appearance that wasn't surprising was his face. If he were six years younger and just a tad bit smaller, he could be Logan's twin. Providing, of course, you ignored dark fuzzy caterpillar attempting to make its presence known on his upper lip. After giving us a few moments to gather our senses, Randy took care of the introductions.</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, Mike, I'd like you to meet William Campbell. William, this is Tom Wright and one of his sons, Mike."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, so what?" the young man grumbled in response.</span></p> <p><span>"This is the gentleman I told you may consider adopting you if this weekend goes well," Randy replied with a smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Big whoop, just another loser who'll bring me back first chance he gets," William retorted angrily. "Why you wastin' my time with this crap?" he added while looking to Mike and me.</span></p> <p><span>"Because that's what my fiancé and I do, we help kids who need it. And we'd like to help you, too, if you'll let us."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, c'mon dude," Mike interjected cheerfully. "We'll have lots of fun this weekend."</span></p> <p><span>"But why me?" he asked, confusion filling his few words.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, one of the boy's we're in the process of adopting is your brother."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell you talkin' `bout, mister? I ain't got no brother," he protested loudly in a higher pitched voice than you'd normally expect to hear from a kid his age.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, you do, William, and he'd like to finally meet and get to know you," I replied. "By the way, do you prefer William or something else?"</span></p> <p><span>"The few kids `round this hole that I kinda like all call me Will."</span></p> <p><span>"Then, Will it is," I agreed as I extended my hand. It took a few seconds, but he tentatively latched on and we shared a civil, if perfunctory, shake. "Are you ready to go?" I asked when we let go of each other.</span></p> <p><span>"You're really serious `bout this?" Will asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't be here if I weren't." I turned to Clayton and asked, "Do I need to fill out any paperwork to have Will released into my custody until Monday?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you'll bring the little snot back, I'm sure of that, Tom," Clayton retorted with attitude as Randy rolled his eyes at his boss' answer. I watched Will shrink into his chair a little on that comment.</span></p> <p><span>"Randy, would you do me a favor and wait by the front door with the boys?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, let's go you two," he answered, happy to be out of Clayton's sight.</span></p> <p><span>Once the three were on their way and safely out of earshot, I glared at Clayton and asked, "Could I offer you a little bit of friendly advice?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can't stop you from giving it, doesn't mean I'm going to listen to it."</span></p> <p><span>"Why am I not surprised by that?" I commented before adding, "Have you ever heard the phrase, `Nastiness works, but friendly persuasion achieves better results'?</span></p> <p><span>"Never. Just what are you insinuating by that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not <i>insinuating</i> a damn thing you pompous ass, I'm flat out stating it. You may have a PhD, but it's one of those useless pieces of scrap paper that means nothing more than `Piled Higher and Deeper'. You obviously don't know a flippin' thing about working with people. You treat your subordinates and residents like dirt simply because they don't have the education you have, and you don't believe you should be forced to share the same space with such lowly individuals. </span></p> <p><span>"Lording that over the people around you will do nothing but instill resentment and anger in them. And if you keep it up, one of two things will eventually happen. Either you'll be fired for creating a toxic work environment, or everyone else who works here will quit because they got tired of your never-ending ego trip. And once that happens, you'll still be fired." I stood to make my exit, then turned back around and added, "Oh, and one more thing, it's <i>Mr. Wright</i> to you, Clayton."</span></p> <p><span>While the man was too stunned at my rant to formulate a response, I beat a hasty retreat and soon enough, was bearing down on the trio patiently waiting by the exit for me. As I strode across the lobby, I said, "Randy, thanks for your help in making this happen. We'll have Will back by noon Monday. Boys, let's get while the gettin's good," I added with a grin. On that note, I grabbed Mike's hand with my right, Will's bag with my left and we headed out into the sunny afternoon, Will following along like a lost puppy dog.</span></p> <p><span>One outside, I handed the key fob to Mike and said, "Go ahead and saddle up pardner, we'll be right there." As soon as he was gone, I laid my hand on Will's shoulder and commented, "I hope you'll give us a fair chance this weekend."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll think about it, but don't hold your breath, mister," he grumped. "I still don't get why you're doing this. <i>Nobody's</i> wanted me the last fifteen damn years, why should I think <i>this</i> time will turn out any different?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because Max and I have made it our mission to help as many kids as we can and now it's your turn to have something good in your life," I answered. While surprise showed on his face on hearing Max's name, he kept any possible thoughts he was having to himself. On reaching the car, I handed his bag back to him and said, "Toss this in the back seat with Mike and get buckled in the passenger seat. We'll be home in about an hour and a half."</span></p> <p><span>Once we were settled in, it was time to hit the road. After getting back on the interstate and heading the right direction, I set the cruise control at seventy-four and let the computer take over that minor task. I knew if I didn't, my right foot that seems to be full of lead when driving the Shelby would have us well over a hundred in no time and I really wasn't looking forward to trying to talk my way out of an expensive speeding ticket.</span></p> <p><span>I glanced over at my moody and sullen front seat passenger and asked, "Did you bring a swimsuit with you, Will?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right," he grunted. "Like they ever let us go anywhere I could use one."</span></p> <p><span>"So, that's a no?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, duh!! Why would I have one if I got nowhere to wear it?"</span></p> <p><span>"What do ya think, Mike?" I asked while looking in the rear-view mirror.</span></p> <p><span>" `Bout what, Pops?"</span></p> <p><span>"Making a quick stop at Walmart so we can get Will something to wear in the pool. I'm sure we'll go swimming at least once the next couple of days, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet we will, but why don't he just go naked like the rest of us?" Mike asked nonchalantly.</span></p> <p><span>"What!?" Will croaked in surprise as he spun around as far as he could and gawked at Mike.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dude. Since we don't wear nothin' at home anyways, it'd be stupid to pull on shorts or a swimsuit to jump in the pool."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell kinda perverted zoo you takin' me to, mister?" Will demanded.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a zoo, really, but more of a ranch, as we like to call it. And definitely not perverted, just different," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>" `Sides, what's the big deal?" Mike asked bluntly. "You're a dude, right? And just like all us other dudes, you gotta dick, right? So, you ain't got nothin' we ain't seen before."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you sure as hell ain't gonna be seein' mine," Will retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever, ya big chicken," Mike clucked before asking, "Hey, Pops, can I ask ya somethin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, buddy, any time, you know that."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that homo-whatever that one guy was talkin' `bout?"</span></p> <p><span>"Guess we've never talked about that, have we? Well, a homophobe is a person who doesn't like gay people simply because we're gay."</span></p> <p><span>"So, this fool kid don't like us just `cause we like guys and not girls. Guess he ain't gonna have much fun this weekend then, is he?" he added with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's what Randy said, but I guess we'll find out in due time. I asked Will to give a chance and we'll do the same for him, so don't write him off just yet, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, all right," Mike agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Tell ya what, mister," Will started, "y'all keep your hands to yourselves and don't try to fuck me and we'll get along just dandy."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey! You can't say that!" Mike yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"What?"</span></p> <p><span>"The f-word, dude."</span></p> <p><span>"I can say whatever the hell I want," Will argued.</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, Max and I would really appreciate it if you at least tried to control your language," I commented. "We're trying to break some bad habits with the boys before they get too ingrained."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever, man," he grumped as he turned to gaze out the window at the empty fields.</span></p> <p><span>Sensing that our conversation had just come to an abrupt end, I punched the button on the steering wheel to activate the phone and told Sync to call home. When Ron answered, I let him know we were on the way but were going to stop at Walmart to pick a few things for Will before coming on home. He assured me he'd pass the word on to Max as soon as he could wedge a word into the multiple conversations going on in the background. That handled, I ended the call and we continued our trek in silence.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-59.html

Building a Family 59 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 59 � Unusual Times we Live in "Tom," I called across the house, "Get over here!" As I waited for Tom to join us, I grabbed Dylan's arm and pulled him into the house, closing the door behind him. "What's goin' on, Sarge?" Tom asked. "It's been a bad day, Tom, a really bad fuckin' day. I killed a man today, and it didn't have to happen." "What the hell are you talkin' about? C'mon, let's sit and tell us what happened." We headed to the kitchen to get a drink and have our chat away from the boys. They started to join us, but I held out a hand and shook my head, silently asking them to give us a few minutes. They returned to their book and card game, understanding we needed a bit of private time to talk with Dylan. Tom got him settled on one of the barstools while I poured a cup of coffee for Dylan and tea for Tom and me. Tom sat next to Dylan while I stood on the other side of the counter so I could see his face. Tears were starting to form in his eyes as he told us about today's events with Barry. When he finally ran out of things to say, Tom took over. "Sarge, look at me and listen close." Tom waited to continue until Dylan was looking at him. "You did not kill Barry. Barry killed himself by not following orders." "But I put him in that position," Dylan moaned. "No, you didn't. He did it to himself by not coming to you with his problems. If he'd done that, he'd still be alive. You know it and I know it. From how you described his attitude when he left your office, it almost sounds like suicide by perp." "What the fuck you talkin' `bout, you crazy white boy?" "Our life insurance pays double if we're killed in the line of duty, doesn't it? And what if Barry had another life policy of his own that did the same? He'd have left Helen and his kids better off than if he was still alive. I know it sounds twisted, but it's not any different from somebody who chooses suicide by cop." "You think he wanted to die?" Dylan asked. "What kinda crazy shit you smokin' out here, Tom? Whatever it is, I need to get some for myself." "I don't know what Barry wanted, boss. But it seems like a possibility to me. Think about it this way; you have a choice of ending your career as a disgraced cop, in debt to a loan shark and selling information to the news, or, going out as a hero trying to arrest a criminal. If those were my choices, I'd probably pick the second one. You said he seemed flat, resigned, when he left your office to meet with the guy. He'd made his mind up about something and once he did that, you lost all control of the situation." "Well, whatever the case, I won't have to worry about it any longer. Barry's gonna be the last cop to die on my watch." "What'd you do?" Tom asked. "I've turned in my papers. I'm done. I'd already made the decision before Barry, but his getting' killed told me I was doin' the right thing." "You can't do that, Sarge. The department will be lost without you leading them." "Watch me. I've recommended Derek to take over for me. He can do the job just as well as I can, if not better. My heart's just not in it anymore." "Well, what are you gonna do for the rest of your life? You're too young to give up and I sure can't see you sittin' around all day watchin' soap operas and game shows. That ain't the Dylan I know." "I don't know, Tom, but whatever it is, it'll be better than stressin' `bout shit I got no control over." DING! "Looks like our guests have arrived," I said as I started towards the front door. "Oh, shit, you guys are havin' company and here I am, cryin' in my pretzels*. I should get out of here." "No way, boss, you're staying right here with us. I'm not letting you be alone tonight. C'mon, let's go meet and greet our visitors. You'll probably know one of them, anyway." Rick and his sons were just stepping inside when Tom and Dylan joined me at the door. "Hey, Rick, how you guys doin' tonight?" I asked as six nude boys charged across the house to greet our guests. "We're all right, thanks for askin'. Let me introduce my boys. This is Eric, he's thriteen" he said settling a hand on the older boy's shoulder, "and the other wild one is Josh, who is eleven," he added ruffling the younger boy's hair. "Boys, this is Mr. Sanders and Mr. Wright, and that gaggle running over here are their sons." Eric's eyes had widened in surprise as our boys joined us and he leaned over and whispered in his dad's ear, "Dad, they're not wearing anything." "Yeah, and ...," Rick answered. "You didn't tell us we were gonna be naked," Eric complained. "I didn't say anything because if you don't want to be nude, you don't have to." Tom interrupted the whispering with, "Hi, again, Rick. Good to see ya'. Boys, introduce yourselves." Introductions and handshakes ensued as each of our boys greeted Rick and his sons. "Hi, I'm Alex, nice to meet ya'. I've seen Josh around school, but we never hang out together since we're in different grades." "Howdy, I'm Logan and I'm just kinda visitin' for a while." "Joey. Nice to meet ya'. Hope y'all are ready for some fun." "Hidey-ho, I'm T.J. I remember you from the night I got hurt." "Yeah, how you doin', T.J.?" Rick asked. "I'm a lot better now, thanks. And thanks for takin' care of me." "It was my pleasure, young man. I'm glad you're feelin' better." Rick turned to his boys and asked, "You guys remember me telling you about the kid who cracked a rib in the pool? This is him." "Hi, I'm Andy. Always nice to make some to new friends." "And I'm, Mike. C'mon in." I'd noticed during the introductions, that Eric was red-faced with embarrassment, but Josh's eyes never left the twins. As the boys headed to the living room, Tom addressed the unexpected elephant in the room. "Rick, I think you probably know my old boss, Dylan." "Sure do. How ya' doin', Sergeant Brock?" Rick asked as he shook Dylan's hand. "I've had better days, Rick," Dylan replied. "Look, I really should be goin'. I don't want to put a damper on your fun tonight, guys." "Nonsense, Dylan," I responded. "You can help us corral all eight boys in the pool. Maybe a little pool time will brighten your evening a bit." "It sure couldn't make it any worse, I guess." "Well, look, why don't we go get wet. Boys, why don't you show Josh and Eric where they can change. Dylan, Rick, come with us." While the eight wild mustangs thundered to their bedrooms, the four of us headed to our bedroom. After we got in the room, I pointed towards the bathroom and offered, "The bathroom's right over there Rick, if you want to use it to change." "Why bother, we're all gonna be nude, aren't we?" "Well, the three of us will be, for sure, but if you think you'll be more comfortable in shorts or trunks, that's fine with us, too." "Kinda hard for me to prove my point to Eric and Josh if I ain't willing to get naked, too, don't ya' think?" "Fair enough, Rick. Just wanted to give you the option." By this time, Tom and I had already pulled off our shorts and were ready to go. Rick was down to his boxers and looking rather nervous about the big step he was about to take, while Dylan, who had still been in his uniform, was lagging behind a bit. "We'll be waiting in the living room whenever you guys are ready." Tom and I headed out to round up the boys and make sure we had towels for everyone. I wasn't too surprised to find Eric in swim trunks and a t-shirt, but Josh was happily nude with the rest of the boys. As we made our way across the entry to the living room, Eric's eyes went wide with surprise at seeing Tom and me nude. "Joey, Alex, Logan, would you three zip on down to the laundry room and grab towels?" I asked. "Please and thank you," I added. They started for the hallway but Joey grabbed Josh's hand and said, "C'mon, dude, you can help." The four turned the corner and returned shortly with enough towels to dry an army. As we waited for Rick and Dylan, I took a quick survey of the eight boys. The two new ones were just as cute as the six already living here. Both had mid-length brown hair, dark but lively eyes and grins that would melt a Grinch's heart. Eric was still a bit pink from being around all these naked bodies, but Josh seemed to be reveling in his re-found freedom and making no attempt to cover himself. If I had to guess the reason for his reaction to the situation, I would say it was most likely the fact he still looked more like our boys than the adults or his brother probably did. While it was obvious some development had begun with a penis slightly larger than Brent's and his testicles had obviously started to drop, he was still as hairless as our own boys. As for his brooding brother, Eric, one could only guess what treasures lay hidden underneath his unnecessary and quite obvious body coverings. As I watched the boys chat amongst themselves and giggle at almost anything, I saw Eric suddenly cover his face with his hands and start shaking his head. As if to remove all doubt as to the reason for his actions, I turned my head to see a nude Rick and Dylan entering the living room. Rick called out, "Okay, who's ready to go swimming?". As I watched them walk across the living room, I could see Rick's attitude was being somewhat tempered by the flush of pink enveloping his body. Josh jumped up from his spot on the couch, ran to his dad and wrapped him in a big hug, the top of his head just below his dad's shoulders. "Thanks for bringing us over here, Dad, these guys are cool." "I'm glad you're having some fun. Are you sure you're okay without your swimsuit?" "Yeah! I think I'd feel weird if I had one on since nobody else is wearin' one." Josh suddenly realized his dad was also nude and released his grip on his dad's mid-section. "Wow! You're naked, too. You never get naked at home." "I think I'm going to be changing that, son. There's no reason to be ashamed of or hide your body." "Cool. I hate wearing shorts, but I didn't want to be the only one naked since you're always wearin' your boxers and Eric insists on wearin' those baggy shorts all the time. I'll like being naked again." Without wanting to further delay our evening, Tom and I led the group to the doors outside and on to the pool shelter. After unlocking the door, all eight boys left us in their dust as they took off at a dead run, tossing their towels onto the table and chairs, then jumping into the pool with wild abandon. As was normal, the adults were a bit more sedate in joining them, but once we did, the battle was on. Joey and T.J. attacked Dylan, Andy and Alex assaulted Tom, while Logan and Mike jumped me. Eric and Josh wasted no time in surrounding Rick and then moving in for the kill. Peals of laughter and squeals of joy filled the shelter and echoed from the corners of the shelter. I was pleased to see that Dylan, despite his heavy heart, was enjoying himself as usual. We let the boys run wild for about twenty minutes before I broke free from my attackers and motioned for the other adults to join me in our favorite corner. Tom and I ended up one side together and Dylan and Rick were on the other. Once we gotten settled, Rick said, "Shit, that was fun. They wore my ass out, but we haven't had that much fun together for a long time. I really want to say thanks to you guys for letting us come over." "No problems, Rick, we're happy to have company. You and your boys are welcome any time. I'd say Josh feels comfortable, wouldn't you?" "I never dreamed he'd react like he did. It makes me happy to see him having so much fun and be so giddy. I see I still have to do some work with Eric, though." "All in good time, Rick," Tom replied. "Eric's at that age where he doesn't think he really belongs with the kids any more, but he also doesn't think he can join the adults yet." "Let me see if I can fix that," Rick responded. He swam to the middle of the pool and called Eric over to join him. After a short conversation between the two, they both joined us, Rick settling back in next to Dylan and Eric opting to scrunch in the corner between his dad and me. "So, why am I down here with you, Dad, and not playin' with the others?" Eric asked. "I just thought you might like to hang out with us for a while. If you'd rather, you're welcome to go back and play with the boys." "Nah, this is cool. So, what were y'all talkin' `bout?" "Nothin' yet, really, son." "Oh, okay." "Are you having fun tonight, Eric?" I asked. "Oh, yeah, Mr. Sanders. None of our friends have pools like this. Thanks for letting us come over." "We're always happy to have some company," Tom replied. "So, what do you do, Mr. Sanders? With this house and stuff, you gotta be makin' some serious coin." "Gets right to the point, doesn't he, Rick?" I laughed. "I wrote some books a while back and invested well. The money from the first one paid for everything you see here." "Cool. What kind of books do you write?" "They were sort of an action slash thriller slash mystery type, I'd guess. You like that kind of story?" "I'm more a science-fiction buff, but I've read some others that I like. Like the Jack Reacher books, those are pretty good." "Mine are similar to the Reacher series. If you'd like to read one, I'll be happy to give you one." "Really? Thanks, that'd be sweet. What do you do, Mr. Wright?" "I used to be a cop, but I recently quit after getting shot and now I'm getting ready to open a private investigation service." "You mean like followin' guys around, tryin' to catch `em with their girlfriends and shit like that?" "That'll be part of it, I'm sure. But most of what I'm going to be doing is background checks on people who are looking to adopt. I'll be working with the agency helping with our son's adoptions to make sure people are who they say they are. Try to make sure any kid they adopt will be safe and well taken care of." "That sounds interesting. Does it pay good?" "Good question," Tom chuckled. "I haven't started yet, so I guess I'll find out." "What about you, Mr. Brock? What do you do?" "For the next two weeks, I'm a sergeant with the county Sherriff's department. After that, who knows?" "Whoa, Dylan," Rick exclaimed. "When did that happen?" "Today, right after one of my guys got killed." "Oh, man, I hadn't heard. Sorry. Who was it?" "You know Barry Sinclair?" "Yeah, I've run into him few times on accidents and what-not. What happened?" "I set him up to help us nail a loan shark and he got shot. I got him killed," Dylan answered as he started to tear up again and turned his head away so we couldn't see. "He was a cop, Dylan," Rick replied. "He knew the risks." "No, he wasn't a cop any more, but I still sent him out there to die. It's my fuckin' fault he's dead, damn it." The tears started flowing freely after that. Tom moved over beside Dylan and took his arm. "C'mon, Dylan, let's you and I go inside for a bit." Dylan followed Tom's lead and they headed inside. "Sorry to bring it up," Rick said after they were gone. "That's all right, Rick, he's really torn up about it." I turned my attention back to Eric and asked, "I know nobody asked you before we all got undressed, but are you okay with the rest of us being nude?" "Yeah, I guess," he muttered. "It just seems a little weird, but I'm getting used to it." "Well, I think you deserve to know the reason why you're here tonight, Eric. Your dad is worried about you and your brother." "What!?" He turned to his dad and asked, "What about?" "Well," Rick began, "you two used to always go nude around the house and I never had a problem with it, even though I wasn't nude myself. But suddenly, something changed and you both quit. I was worried it was something I did that made you guys change. And since neither one of you will talk to me about it, I got worried. When I came here that one night to take care of T.J., I discovered Max and his family are nudists. I thought if anyone could help me figure out what happened to make you and Josh start wearin' those damn baggy shorts, it would be Max." "It wasn't anything you did, dad. It was me." "What about you?" "Aw, c'mon, dad, I ain't gonna talk to you about it here." "You won't talk to me about it at home, either. So, where can we?" Eric thought for a moment, then turned to me asked, "Mr. Sanders, I don't want you to think I'm rude, but could me and my dad have a few minutes to talk? Alone?" "You bet. Take your time. I'll go check on the others." I swam to the other end of the pool and was swamped by seven active boys. I discovered rather quickly that my estimation of Josh's development was right on the money as he tried to climb my back and I felt his stiff member slide up my backside. "Please tell me what's going on with you, Eric." "Shit, this is embarrassing." "Son, every guy goes through what you are. I did, and so did Max, Tom and Dylan. And your brother's coming up right behind you. If anybody knows what you're dealing with, it's gonna be us." "Well, from what I saw, looks like Mr. Brock beat the hell out of you other three. Did you see the size of his dick?" I laughed and answered, "Son, we got undressed in the same room, of course I did." "You think I have a chance of bein' that big?" "You never know. Now quit beatin' around the bush and tell me what's going on." "Oh, all right. I think my dick's broke." "What are you talkin' about, boy? Last time I saw you naked, you looked just fine. Granted, that's been a while, but what could have changed?" "Well, yeah, it looks fine, but it seems like it's always hard. At home, school, the mall, McDonald's, when I go to sleep, when I wake up, it don't matter." I couldn't suppress a snicker, which didn't help the situation at all. "It ain't funny dad. When we change clothes for P.E. at school, I have to practically hide in my locker so the other guys won't see my dick stickin' out. Do you have any idea the hell they'd put me through if they saw me with a hardon in the locker room? I wear a jock strap almost all the time just to try and make it less obvious." "Son, we've all had the same problem. You're going through puberty and you're going through all kinds of changes right now." "That may be, dad, but I feel like I'm taking Viagra twenty-four, seven. And it fuckin' hurts." "Eric, please don't talk like that. I'm not quite ready for it. Look, I know this shit's embarrassing, but my old man never talked to me about it and I swore I wasn't gonna be like him. You used to talk to me about almost anything and I could help you. If you don't tell me what's going on, then I can't help you anymore. And I really want to." "Okay, so tell me, how the hell do I keep from bein' a walkin' billboard for boner pills." "Have you ever masturbated?" "What's that?" "You know, played with your penis until you have an orgasm and ejaculated." "Hell, no. I don't play with my dick, that's sick." "No, it isn't, son. All guys do it. It's the most pleasant way for you to lose an erection." "Geez, I can't believe we're talkin' `bout this." "We should have talked about it a long time ago, Eric. What do you want to know?" "Well, if this masturbation you're talkin' `bout will make it quit bein' hard, let's start with that. How do you do it?" "You really don't know, do you?" "I wouldn't be asking if I did, Dad. C'mon, tell me." "Um, I don't know where to start." I finally broke away from the wild bunch again and swam back to Rick and Eric who were still in the corner of the pool, both looking rather embarrassed. "Is it safe to come back?" I asked. "Maybe. My son's got a question and while I know the answer, I'm not too sure how to answer it without sounding like an idiot." "Well, ask me, maybe I can help." "Yeah, right," Eric scoffed. "I barely know you. What makes you think I'm gonna ask you about how to masturbate, whatever the hell that is? Oh, shit!" he exclaimed, smacking his forehead. "I can't believe I just said that." After a quick chuckle, I replied, "That's all right, Eric. I completely understand a teen's fascination with their own body. It's been twenty years, but I've been there, too. I'm happy to answer your question, but before I do, can I ask you a few questions?" "Oh, sure, what the hell? I've always wanted to bare my soul to a complete stranger." "Well, now's your chance. These are gonna be pretty basic questions, just so I know where you are in your development. Has your penis gotten larger in the past few months to a year and have your testicles started to drop lower in your scrotum?" "Yes," followed by a rather distinct roll of the eyes. "Have you started to grow hair under your arms and above your penis?" "Geez, yes." "So, I assume you're familiar with your penis becoming erect whenever and wherever it wants and staying that way forever." "Well, yeah, that's why I started wearing clothes at home. I couldn't very well run around all day with a boner stickin' straight out, could I?" "Well, you actually could, but most people would consider that to be a rather rude thing to do. Next, do you ever wake up in the morning with wet underwear or wet sheets?" "I quit pissin' the bed a long time ago, man." "I'm not talking about having an accident, Eric. I'm talking about having a wet dream." "What's that?" "It's when you have a dream that excites you and you ejaculate in your sleep. When it dries, your underwear or sheets would feel a little crusty. "Well, yeah, I've had that happen. More and more lately." "Good, then we know everything is working properly, anyway. Now since you're asking about how to masturbate, I'm guessing you've never done it." "I have no idea what the hell it is, Mr. Sanders. My dad brought it up as a way to fix my dick, but chickened out when it was time to tell me how to do it." "Okay, then. One last question. Do you have an erection right now?" "Mister, I've been hard as a nail since we got here and I saw your boys naked. And it's really starting to hurt again. I can't take much more of this shit. I'm about ready to cut the damn thing off." Rick and I both snorted loudly, but quickly regained our composure. "I'm sorry, Eric, we shouldn't have done that. Would you like to relieve your problem? Right now?" "In the worst fuckin' way. I just want it to go away and quit hurtin'." "Rick, would you do me a favor and go grab a couple of towels off the table. We're going to help your son." Rick climbed out of the pool and soon returned. "Thanks, Rick." I spread one of the towels out on the concrete deck, then climbed up and sat on the edge of the pool. "Rick, why don't you sit at the other end of the towel?" "Holy crap, Mr. Sanders, you're dick's hard, too." Then he looked at his dad and realized he was, too. "You too, dad?" "Of course, it is, silly boy," I replied. "Talkin' about sex always get me hard. Now hop up here and lay down on the towel." Eric followed my instructions and when he was stretched out, I continued. "Here, Rick, grab the other end of this towel and we'll use it to shield Eric from the others. Good." "Now what, Mr. Sanders," Eric asked. "Well, next, you should probably get undressed. We wouldn't want to stain your clothes with semen." "What!? You want me to strip naked right now? You guys'll see me. First my soul and now my body?" "Well, yeah, I guess we will. But you've already seen us, so I think it's only fair, don't you, Rick?" Rick could only shrug his shoulders. "C'mon, Eric, we don't have all night," I goaded the young lad. He wasted no more time and little extra movement as he peeled off his shirt, shorts and jock strap, which he piled on the concrete next to him, somehow maintaining at least one hand over his genitals the entire time. "Good, now you're ready to masturbate, so let's get you started on your journey of self-discovery." "Well, what do I do?" "Wrap a hand around your penis and start to slowly stroke it." "Since I don't what the hell I'm supposed to be doing, really, would you just show me, Mr. Sanders?" Eric asked hesitantly. I looked to Rick and asked, "Is that okay with you, or do you want to help your son?" Rick was dumbfounded at the question and just shook his head while pointing his free hand to his chest. He then pointed to me and numbly nodded his assent. "Okay, Eric, your dad says it's up to me. You ready for this?" I asked. After a quick nod from Eric, I said, "Okay, then, move your hands to your sides." Eric did as I asked, fully exposing his magnificent five-inch erection to the two of the us. He had a sparse patch of dark curly hair sprouting from the base of his beautiful shaft and I could also see some on his pearly white scrotum. I could tell this young man was going to be a very fine specimen of manhood in just a few short years. I reached over with my right hand and gently wrapped it around the turgid member jutting obscenely from his pubic mound. As my fingers closed around the shaft, I felt Eric's body shudder uncontrollably as he inhaled deeply. I began to slowly stroke the tumescent teen, watching his face scrunch and twist with delight. I built up to a smooth rhythm and thoroughly enjoyed the feel of his hot and hard rod in my hand. Knowing Eric had never masturbated before added to the thrill of helping him learn how tonight. Rick, for his part, could not peel his eyes away from his son's cock as I continued to pleasure his son. It took only a few minutes before I felt Eric start to tighten up and I knew he was only moments away from his orgasm. I watched him intently and when I saw his scrotum pull up, I knew the time had come. Two more strokes of his cock and his first shot of sweet teen spunk soared over his head and landed with a light splat on the concrete behind his dad. I continued to manipulate his member and after five more shots of syrupy semen landed on his neck, chest and belly, I stopped moving my hand and slowly circled his glans with my index finger, spreading around the corona the trickle still oozing from deep inside. Eric's eyes were glazed with pleasure as he slowly recovered. Even as I continued to fondle him, I could feel his penis slowly deflating to a more normal state. When I finally let go of his now flaccid member, I let my hand drop to his scrotum and gently fondled the walnut-sized nuggets held within, causing Eric to shiver with abandon. "OH ... MY ... GOD!" he exclaimed. "What the hell was that?" "That, young man, was your very first manually stimulated orgasm," I answered proudly since I'd helped him achieve it. "The first of many more to come." Rick snickered at my pun, but he still had not taken his eyes off his son's beautiful body. "So, Eric, that's masturbation. One method, anyway, think you can take it from here?" "Oh, yeah. That was freakin' awesome, Mr. Sanders. Thanks. And look, it ain't hard no more," he added as he looked down his body. "I can see that, Eric. Now, the next time you have questions, do you think you can ask your dad?" "After that, yeah, I think I can ask him anything." "What about you, Rick, do you think you can answer his questions?" "I'll sure as hell try. Damn, I haven't seen anybody shoot like that since I was his age." "Good. Here, Eric, clean yourself off with this towel and then you can get dressed if you want. Don't forget the spot that landed above your head." "Now that I know how get it to go soft again, I may never wear clothes again," he commented as he wiped his body clean. Eric then got up to his knees, leaned over and gave me hug, whispering `thanks' in my ear again. Then he turned to his dad, gave him a hug and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, too, dad. I really hope you'll be willing to help me at home." "What? I ain't gonna do that to you." "No, silly, just talk to me, answer my questions. I got lots and lots of them." "Yeah, okay, son, I can do that. I love you." "Love you, too, dad. See you guys later." With that, a comfortable and nude Eric dove back into the pool and swam back to play with the other boys while Rick and I resettled ourselves back in the corner to watch their antics. "Well, Rick, I'd have to say your visit tonight was successful." "Without a doubt, Max. I know that had to be weird for you, jerkin' off my kid like that, but I appreciate it. I don't think I could have done it." "Sure, you could, Rick. It's no different that jerkin' yourself." "But it's my kid. I can't do that shit to him." "Why not? As long as you're not forcing him into something he doesn't want, I don't see your problem. You didn't seem to have a problem with me doing it." "Well, yeah, but with you bein' gay, I didn't think jerkin' off another dude would be a big deal. I ain't gay and don't want to be." "Rick, you admitted to us that used to play around with your friends when you were Eric's age. And yet, here you are today, straight as can be. But too afraid to be thought of as gay to help your son when he needs it. Teaching your son about his body and what's happening to it won't make you gay and it won't make him gay if he isn't. it wouldn't be any different than you and your friends gettin' together and gettin' off." "But it's against the law, I could fuckin' go to jail if I did that." "Just like I could for helping Eric just now. Look, the kid was frustrated as hell and in some pain. Should I have touched him and helped him out? No, probably not. But, I'll be damned if I'm gonna see a kid suffering about anything and not do something to help, no matter how unconventional or unorthodox that help might be. I'm not gonna tell anybody about what just happened and I'm betting you won't either. Look, as far as I'm concerned, if you should decide to help Eric with more than just a little advice, as long as he's willing and asking for your help, it's none of my business, or anybody else's for that matter. That's between you and him." "Hm, I never thought about it that way. It was a lot of fun screwin' around with my buddies in junior high, but you're right, most of us were straight. I think only one guy in our class wasn't. And I guess if Eric asks for something and I'm just helping him figure some things out, it wouldn't hurt either one of us, would it? But what about Josh. When will he figure out if he's gay or not?" "He may already know but he's afraid to say anything because he doesn't know how you or Eric will react to the news. He may not figure it out until ten years from now. Like we told you last week, whenever it happens, he has to know that your love for him will never change. One thing you might need to be careful of is the dynamic between Eric and Josh." "What do you mean?" "Let's say Josh tells you two next week he is gay. First, how will Eric accept that announcement? Second, will Eric take advantage of being the older brother and force Josh to do things he doesn't want to do or isn't ready for? Third, will Josh pursue Eric and force Eric into doing things he doesn't want to do?" "I don't think Eric will be bothered if Josh is gay, but I'm not sure what you're worried about happening between them. It doesn't seem likely if Eric's straight and Josh's gay they would do anything with each other." "Unlikely, yes, unheard of, no. A straight guy who wants a blowjob will take it anywhere he can get it, even his younger brother if he thinks he can force him into it. A straight guy who wants to screw someone and doesn't have a willing girlfriend could possibly force a younger brother into submitting. A gay guy who wants to experiment and see what it's like to suck a dick or be fucked could entice an older brother into doing it. I'm not saying any of those will happen for sure, but you need to know it's possible." "Hell, I hadn't thought about that. But what do I do if it does?" "You need to set boundaries for your boys, Rick. Let them know that as long as the two of them agree to anything that might happen between them, then you don't have a problem with it. You know they're going to play around, either with friends or each other, so don't fight it, openly accept it with some guidelines. What you need to know about and they need to tell you is if either one forces the other into anything. If that happens, then you have a serious problem on your hands that needs to be dealt with immediately." "Gotcha, Max. I really appreciate your help and advice. You can be sure I'll follow through with it. As long as my boys are safe and happy, then I will be, too." I looked to the other end of the pool for a moment and discovered Joey and Josh had separated themselves from the others and were huddled close together in the opposite corner. I could only imagine the conversation in which the two appeared to be deeply involved. I tapped Rick's shoulder and pointed towards the pair which earned a rather wide and mischievous grin from him. Eric was obviously enjoying himself, also, as he was tossing and flipping the other boys right and left as fast as they could get back to him. As we were watching the boys have fun, the shelter door opened and Tom and Dylan strolled in, making their way towards us. Once resettled in the corner with us, I asked, "Were you two able to solve all the troubles of the world?" They both chuckled and Tom answered, "Not by a long shot, babe, but I think we've created a good start to solving one of them." "And what's that mean?" Rick asked. "I'm going to work with Tom in his new endeavor," Dylan grinned. "Guess y'all are gonna be seein' a lot more of me around here than you used, too." "I think we've already seen all there is, haven't we, Dylan?" Rick laughed. "Well, yeah, I suppose so. But, at least now I have something to look forward to when I'm done bein' a cop. I really wasn't thinking about what happens next when I decided to resign." "That sounds great, Dylan," I commented. "It'll be nice having you around more. I think you'll be a great influence on the boys. It'll be interesting to see Ron's reaction to you bein' here." "Wait, who's Ron?" Dylan asked. "Ron Cain," I answered, spelling his last name. "He's a guy we've hired to come in and help us deal with things like cooking, cleaning, transportation, whatever. Once Tom actually gets back to work, I think I'm gonna be stretched a bit thin tryin' to keep up with five or six growing boys by myself." "Cain? Is he a skinny white kid, twenty-two or three, bleached, spiked hair, maybe five-ten or so, weighs, maybe, a buck-fifty?" "Yeah, you know him," Tom asked. "Maybe. I think he might be one of the young guys I've run into at my gym. We've talked a few times here and there, and he seems nice enough. I almost asked him to join me for supper one night, but I talked myself out of it." "Well, you may just get your chance again in a few weeks," Tom chuckled. "No way, Tom, if Max is too pale for my tastes, and he sure as hell is, then Ron is, too." Incredulous with disbelief, Rick asked, "Wait, you tellin' me you're gay, too, Dylan?" "I guess so. I figured Max or Tom would have said somethin' already." "Damn, you had me fooled. I'd have never guessed you for a gay man." "Don't worry, Rick, you're safe. You're too pale for me, too," Dylan laughed and we all joined him in the light-hearted moment. We spent the next half-hour relaxing and chatting about whatever came to mind. I was happy to see Dylan was more relaxed and he seemed to be at peace with himself after the day's troubling events. Rick, for his part, turned out to be quite the jokester and he kept us in stitches the entire time. I finally broke things up when I suggested we call it an evening. With agreement from the others, we climbed out of the pool and headed to grab our towels. As we walked across the concrete, Tom called the boys out to run through a shower before getting their snacks and going to bed. As they climbed the steps out of the pool, it was obvious how much fun they had been having as all were being led around by the smaller of their two heads. As we dried off, I said to the boys, "You all hit the showers and get cleaned up. We'll have a snack of brownies and ice cream when you're all done. And since I think it will be a tight fit for all of you to fit into just two showers, if a couple of you want to use the bathroom in the empty bedroom, go right ahead." Joey and Josh quickly volunteered to share the shower. "Rick, if you want to use the shower in our bedroom, it's all yours. Dylan, you can follow him. Tom and I will wait until later to clean up." We made for the house and as soon as we were inside, the others headed their separate directions to shower while Tom and I turned towards the kitchen to get ready for snacks. We'd just finished getting the brownies cut and on plates when T.J., Mike and Andy returned from their shower. Since we had so many people tonight, we had them sit at the table instead of the counter. Rick joined us next and he helped Tom and I get ice cream in bowls and delivered to the table for the first three. Next to return were Alex, Logan and Eric and they joined the other three already at the table. Dylan followed shortly thereafter, he took an empty seat and joined the others. The only ones missing now were Joey and Josh. I elbowed Tom and whispered, "You might need to roust the last two out of the shower." "Oh, no you don't," he chuckled, "I'm pretty sure it's your turn this time." "Um, you do remember what happened last time I interrupted a shower?" "Life's a risk, babe. Go on, now, do your duty as a parent." I made the trek across the house to get the duo moving. Before opening the bathroom door, I listened for a moment and heard a fair amount of giggling going on. I knocked on the door to provide some warning to the occupants, then pushed the door open. I found Joey sitting on the bench and Josh was standing directly in front of him, covering his crotch with his hands. "Oh, hey, dad, what's up?" Joey asked nonchalantly. "Just came to let you two know your ice cream is melting." Joey stood, turned off the shower, then opened the glass door. "Would you hand us a couple towels, Dad?" he asked. "Please and thank you." As I started to pull towels from the cabinet, Josh grabbed Joey's arm and spun him around. "Dude, what're you doin'? You still got, well, you know..." "Yeah, so what? You think he ain't seen us all with boners before? Think again, Joshy," Joey giggled. "Ain't your dad ever seen you hard?" "Hell, no!" I tossed towels to the two dripping boys and added, "Actually, Josh he has. We all saw all of you when you got out of the pool. And every one of you was hard. And there's nothing to be ashamed of about having an erection." "Oh, yeah, I guess he did," he giggled as he started to dry himself off. "You two better hurry before you have to drink your ice cream," I commented as I left the room to rejoin the rest of the crew. "They're just drying off and should be here in a moment," I announced as I entered the dining room. "Any problems?" Tom asked. "No, they were just sitting on the bench, yakking," I answered with a wink. Joey and Josh finally arrived and took the two empty chairs that had bowls in front of them. Both had wide grins on their faces which caused a bit of a frown to take over Alex's expression. I was sensing some possible trouble brewing in paradise. As the other boys finished their snacks, they rinsed their bowls and plates and dropped them in the dishwasher. After stopping to give everyone hugs goodbye and goodnight, they filtered on to their rooms to climb in bed, knowing Tom and I would be along shortly to make sure they were tucked in. As Joey was leaving the dining room to head for bed with Alex and Logan, he waved for me to follow him. When we were alone in the living room, I asked, "What's up?" "Can Josh spend the night, Dad?" "Sorry, buddy, not tonight," I answered. "You all have school tomorrow and I think if he was here tonight, there wouldn't be much sleeping going on." Joey blushed from my insinuation. "Yeah, that's what I thought. Listen, Josh can stay some night when you don't have to worry about getting up early the next day." "Oh, all right," he grumped. "Can I tell you somethin'?" "You can tell me anything, Joey, you know that." He leaned in close and whispered, "I think I'm in love with Josh." Of all the things I was expecting I might hear, that wasn't one of them. "Whoa, tiger, slow it down just a bit. You just met him for the first time tonight." I led Joey to sit on the couch with me and continued. "What makes you think might be in love with Josh?" I asked. "Well, he's cute as hell, funny and fun to be with, easy to talk to, and ..." "And what?" I prodded. "He makes my tummy do flips when he gets close to me. I ain't never felt like that before." "Do you think he feels the same way about you?" "I don't know, Dad, I was too scared to ask. Hell, I don't even know if he's gay. I think he is, but ... I don't know if he knows if he's gay or not. How the hell can this happen?" he asked covering his face with his hands. "It can't be explained, Joey, it's one of those things that just happens. Look, why don't you get to bed and we can talk more about this tomorrow after school, okay?" "Yeah, okay," he mumbled. "Thanks, Dad, for not laughing at me." "Never, buddy. Now, scoot," I said while ruffling his hair. He leaned in and gave me another hug, adding, "Love you, Dad." "I love you, too, Joey. Tom and I will be there in a few." With that, he headed for bed and I made my way back to the dining room. Just as I entered, Rick stood and announced, "Well, we better get moving, boys. It's close to bedtime and you have school in the morning. Go get dressed and we'll be on our way." "Aw, Dad, do we have to get dressed?" Eric whined. "It's only five minutes to drive home." "Yep, I think we solved one of your problems tonight, Rick," Tom laughed. "Son, I appreciate the fact that you feel comfortable enough to be nude again, but I think doing so in the car is just one step too far, okay?" "All right, Dad. C'mon Josh, let's go find our clothes." As the two boys stalked out of the dining room, Rick added, "Guess I better follow my own advice, shouldn't I? Back in a minute," he added as he walked through the kitchen to our bedroom. "I think I should probably be headin' out, too, guys," Dylan commented. "Thanks for lettin' me hang out with y'all tonight `cause I really didn't want to be alone. I'm still not sure how I got here, but I'm glad I did. Tom, as good a cop as you were, you're an even better friend and I thank you for talkin' to me tonight. You really helped put all this shit into the right perspective. Max, I know we haven't known each other that long, but I believe you're probably one of the kindest men on the planet and I'm very proud to be your friend." By the time he shut up, all three of us were having trouble seeing through the tears that had welled up in our eyes. "Dylan, you're a good man who has had a very shitty couple of days. But you're stronger than you know and you're going to be just fine. You know you're welcome here any time, day or night. There will always be a spot for you in our hearts and our home." Before he could escape to retrieve his clothes, I gave him a hug and he gratefully returned it. When we finally separated, he pulled Tom into a bone-crushing bear hug and just held onto him for a minute. When the two finally parted, tears were running down both their faces. Dylan then did an abrupt about-face and disappeared down the hall to get his clothes. Rick reappeared moments later and asked, "You sure he's okay?" hooking a thumb over his shoulder. "He will be, Rick," Tom answered. "Good. Hey, I really want to thank you guys for asking us to come over. This has been the most fun the boys and I have had since the bitch left us. Whoops, did I just say that out loud?" Tom and I both laughed and I responded, "That's all right, Rick. Your secret's safe with us." "I also want to thank you for helping with my boys. You have no idea what it means to me to see them both happy again." "Glad everything worked out the way we hoped," Tom answered. "There was always the chance it wouldn't." "But it did, and that's what counts," Rick commented as Eric and Josh arrived returned. "Boys say thanks to Max and Tom. We gotta scoot." "Thanks for letting us come over Mr. Sanders and Mr. Wright," Josh said. "I had a great time and I hope we can come back again sometime." Josh then shook both our hands and stepped over to stand by his dad. "You're welcome here anytime Josh. It was a pleasure to meet you and we're glad you enjoyed yourself." "Thanks, from me, too," Eric added. "I had a really good time. I hope I'm included in that invite." "Any time, Eric," Tom replied. Eric then shook Tom's hand and when he turned to me, he smacked my hand out of the way and gave me a hug. In the middle of the hug, he whispered, "I really wanna thank you for teaching me how to masturbate. That was truly awesome." When he released me, he stepped next to his dad, wide smile on his face. Tom looked at me with a confused look on his face and I just shrugged my shoulders. We walked the trio to the front door and after a final round of goodbyes and see ya' laters, they were off. Just as I was about to close the door, Dylan came around the corner and headed for the door also. "Well, boys, enjoy the rest of your night, what little's left of it. I'll keep you updated on the investigation and everything for as long as I can." "You sure you're okay to go home, Dylan?" Tom asked. "You're welcome to stay here tonight." "I'll be fine, guys. But thanks for caring and for the offer." After a quick hug for both of us, he was out the door and on his way home. After closing the door, I commented, "Well, that was a fun night." "For some reason, I'm thinking you had more fun than I did," Tom hinted. "Let's go check on the boys and I'll tell you all about it, big guy." We passed up the twins' room and continued down the hall to look in on Andy, Mike and T.J. first. All three were already sound asleep, so we tucked the covers up over their shoulders then gently leaned in to give them their kiss on the forehead, say good night and I love you. We then backtracked to pop in on the twins and Logan. We found Logan between the twins as they had been the last several days, but instead of the three of them being curled together, Joey and Alex were turned on their sides so their backs were to Logan. Logan was wide awake, but Joey and Alex appeared to be asleep. "Everything okay in here?" Tom whispered. "I ain't sure, guys," Logan whispered back. "They just turned away from each other and it don't matter who I try to curl up with, they jerk away. And they ain't said a word since Joey came in." "Oh, they're talking, Logan, you just don't realize it," I replied. "Joey, Alex, you two okay?" "Yeah, Dad, we're just dandy," Alex answered. "Couldn't be better, Dads," Joey muttered. "If you want to talk about it, we're here, you know that." "Whatever," Joey huffed. "Night, Dads," Alex grumped. Tom and I still gave all three their hugs, kisses, and I loves yous, but only Logan responded in kind. "We'll be up for a while yet if you need us," I said as we turned out the light, closed the door and returned to the living room to relax for a bit. "Any idea what that's all about?" Tom asked as we took our seats. "Maybe. Before Joey went to bed, he told me he thinks he's in love with Josh." Tom let go a low whistle of surprise. "Yeah, my thoughts exactly. And as close as Joey and Alex are, I'm hoping there aren't any problems between them. I'm sure they're `discussing' the development right now." "I bet they are. You really think Alex will have a problem with it?" "You saw how Joey reacted when Alex even thought about Brent. You think Alex is going to be any calmer or more accepting?" "No, probably not. So, tell me, what was with the hug from Eric?" "Oh, that ..." I started, but my thought was interrupted by a head sticking around the corner. "Uh, guys, you might want to come in here, these two are startin' to scare me." "What's going on, Logan," I asked as we got up. "Ain't got a clue, but they're punchin' themselves in the face." Tom and I hustled into their room to find the twins sitting up, facing each other and they were truly punching their own faces. I grabbed Joey and Tom snagged Alex. We sat on the edge of the bed holding their arms so they couldn't hurt themselves anymore. Joey's nose was dripping blood and Alex's right eye was starting to swell and both had tears flowing down their faces. "You two need to stop this right now!" I yelled. "Logan, would you get two cold washcloths from the bathroom, please?" As he zipped to the john, I turned back to the twins and asked, "What do you two think you're doing?" "He started it," Joey whimpered. "I was just layin' there, tryin' to go to sleep when, from outta nowhere, my hands curls itself into a fist and I punched myself, right in the damn nose." "You fuckin' deserved it," Alex spat. "In love, my ass! You wouldn't know love if it punched you in the fuckin' nose, you fuckin' traitor." "Hey!" Tom exclaimed. "That's enough of that kind of talk. Now settle down, both of you." Logan came back with the cold washcloths I'd asked for and Tom and I took a moment to clean faces up before I continued. "Look, didn't we just talk last week about how you can both love each other and still love someone else?" "Well, yeah," Joey sniffled. "I guess," Alex agreed. "And we had that chat because Alex only saw Brent's penis in a bathroom. You both finally agreed you could love each other as brothers still and be able to love someone else, didn't you?" The two grudgingly agreed that to be true. "So why this sudden anger?" "I didn't think he'd fall in love the next damn week," Alex whined. "Alex," Tom intoned calmly, "Falling in love isn't something you can really control, it just happens. Look at your dad and me. That's the way it was for the two of us. One day, we didn't know the other existed and the next, BOOM, we're head over heels for each other. That's just the way it goes sometimes." "Well, yeah, but you guys are grown-ups. He's just a stupid kid, what does he know?" "I know I want to spend time with Josh," Joey answered between his sniffles. "I don't know if it's real love, but I think it is and I want to find out for sure. Hell, Alex, I don't know if he feels the same way, or if he's even gay. But I want to know. And, yeah, I might just be a stupid kid, but so are you sometimes. Makin' me punch my own damn nose. What the hell was that? I didn't even know we could do shit like that." "I didn't either, until it happened," Alex giggled. "I was just so pissed off that when I thought about doin' it myself, you went and did it to yourself." "Yeah, well I hope you like havin' a black eye `cause you freakin' deserved it." "You're right, bro, I did. I'm sorry. I never meant to really hurt you." "I'm sorry, too, Alex, but give me a chance and see what happens. It may be nothin', it might not work out, but I gotta try. You'll like Josh, he's funnier than hell." "All right, already, I get it. I don't have to be happy about it, bro, but I get it." "You two okay, now?" I asked. "Yeah, Dads, we're cool," they chimed. "Good, give each other a hug and crawl in bed, you need to get to sleep." Both boys jumped off our laps and gave each other a hug and a kiss with Logan finally joining the hug once he was sure he wasn't going to get hit. "You two scared the crap outta me. Don't you ever do that again." "We're sorry, Logan," they replied together and then gave him a little kiss on each cheek. "Okay, you three, into bed with ya'," Tom chuckled. They climbed up and curled together as if nothing had happened. We pulled up their covers, shared kisses, goodnights and love yous with all three, again, and left the room. As we settled back into the living room for a bit, Tom commented, "Crisis temporarily averted. I can't imagine what they'll be like in three to four years when the hormones kick in." "Hell on wheels, bubba. You ready for the wild ride?" I chuckled. "I guess we'll find out together. Now, back to Eric ..." On the drive home, Eric and Josh were pretty quiet. It seemed like such a good idea at the beginning, but I was beginning to worry that maybe tonight's visit with Max, Tom and their boys wasn't such a great idea after all. I soon discovered my worries were unnecessary because as soon as we got in the house, both started peeling their clothes off as they headed to their rooms. I was surprised and amused to see them dropping their shorts as they walked down the hall, stumbling a bit as they did. Surprised, but happy, also. It looked like my boys were really back to being the sweet and carefree kids they used to be. I was still standing there slightly dumbfounded at the changes in them in the past few hours when they came back out of their rooms. "What're you lookin' at, old man?" Eric asked. "Ain't never seen a naked kid before?" he laughed as he wiggled his hips causing his soft penis to waggle back and forth. "Sure, I have, just not around here for quite a while. Wasn't sure I'd ever see you guys comfortable and happy again." "Hey, it was all Eric's fault," Josh protested. "If it wasn't for him tryin' to hide his boners from everyone, I'da never started wearin' shorts to begin with." "Wait, you knew why I started wearin shorts all the time?" "Dude, you were poppin' wood every time I came into the bathroom and you were in the shower. You tried to hide it, but coverin' your crotch with your hands all the time was a pretty big clue what was happenin'. You acted like you were the only dude to ever get a boner." "That wasn't the only reason, little bro. I also know how much you like to stare at me, and Dad, whenever we're naked. I caught your shorts tented a lot after lookin' at us." "Yeah, big deal, I'd get hard, what can I say? And I like to look at naked guys, too. What're you gonna do, sue me?" Eric suddenly looked back to me and asked, "Well, you gonna get naked, too?" "Um, yeah, I guess. As long as you guys are okay with it." "Go ahead, Dad, won't bother us a bit, will it, Josh?" "No, I kinda like it when we're all naked together," he giggled. "Well, okay, then, why don't you find something to watch on the tube and I'll be back in a few minutes." I turned to head to my bedroom and get undressed, then used the bathroom before rejoining my sons to watch a little TV. I was still a little worried I was doing the right thing, but I also realized if I wasn't willing to join them, they'd probably go right back to being the moody, clothed kids they had been for the last year or so. And since I didn't want that, I felt I should at least give it a try. As I walked back down the hall and turned for the family room, I was suddenly quite self-conscious about my body. Sure, I was no stranger to it and I really couldn't say my boys were either, but I felt the unbearable urge to cover my crotch as I stepped in to join my sons. Eric was laid out on the couch while Josh was laying on the floor, ass up. "Oh, c'mon, Dad, if you're gonna hide behind your hands, you might as well be wearing your damn boxers," Eric cracked when he saw me. "Besides, we already know what you look like. You ain't gonna surprise nobody here." Josh turned away from the tube and added, "Yeah, Dad, loosen up. It's just us guys here, just like at Joey's house. Who cares?" "All right, already," I commented as I lifted my hands above my head. "You happy, now?" "Much better, Dad," Eric replied, giving me a light round of applause. "Not yet, but I'm getting' there," Josh giggled as he wiggled his ass. "So, did you guys have fun tonight?" I asked, trying to start a conversation about our experience. "I know I did," Eric gushed. "That Mr. Sanders is one cool dude. I want to go back some time. You think we can?" "Max said we were always welcome, so I'm sure we'll do it again." "I liked it, too, Dad," Josh added. "That was a lot of fun. It's kinda neat knowin' there are others who like to be naked, too." "It was different," I agreed. "I was much more relaxed after the first few minutes, though. Of course, getting undressed in the same room with Dylan was a rather humbling experience." "Yeah, he was somethin' else. Really nice guy, though. It sucks one of his guys got killed today." "Yeah, it does. You could tell how much he's hurtin'." We finally settled in to watch the basketball game the boys had found. About twenty minutes later, Josh rolled over and sat up to look at me. "What is it son?" I asked. "I need to tell you somethin', Dad." "Okay, what is it?" "Before you say anything," Eric interrupted, "do you want me here?" "Why not?" Josh asked. "I'm sure dad will tell you later, anyway. Might as well just hear it from me." "C'mon, son, you can tell me anything. Just spit it out." "Well, I've been kinda thinkin' it over for a while, ya' know goin' back and forth over it in my mind, just tryin' to figure some things out, but hangin' with Joey tonight really make me think I am, but I might not be, but hell, I just don't know." He ended his ramblings with a disgusted toss of his hands in the air. "You're not mad at me, are you?" Eric and I exchanged a confused look and I asked him, "You know what he's talkin' `bout, Eric?" "Not a freakin' clue, Dad," Eric chuckled. "Josh, I'm not sure how I feel because I don't know what you're tryin' to say," I replied calmly, leaning forward on my knees, trying to show him I was confused. He looked at me like I'd suddenly sprouted a horn in the middle of my forehead, not believing I hadn't understood what he was trying tell us. "Geez, do I need to spell it for you?" he asked, exasperation flooding his words. "Okay, I think I'm gay, g � a � y, you got it, now? And as if that ain't enough, I think I'm in love with Joey." I gave a little chuckle and through my surprise answered, "Yeah, Josh, I got. Why did you think I'd be mad about it?" I took a moment to look at Eric and realized he was speechless at Josh's announcement. "Well, `cause it ain't normal, is it? But after goin' over to Mr. Sanders' house tonight and hangin' out with Joey and all the others, I guess is ain't so weird after all. It seems most all of them are gay, aren't they?" "No, Josh, it isn't weird and you're right, most of them are. Can I ask you a few questions, though?" "Why not, maybe you can help me figure it all out." "I'll do my best. I guess the first question is this, why do you think you might be gay?" "Well, this'll probably sound sick to you and him, but whenever I play with my pecker, I ain't thinkin' `bout girls. I'm thinkin' `bout you or Eric, what you look like when you're naked. And now I'll be thinkin' `bout Joey, too." "Okay, next, have you ever experimented or played around with another boy?" "Not until tonight, no. The only other one I'm close enough to even think about doing somethin' with is him," Josh answered while pointing to his brother. "But since he's so afraid to be seen with a hardon, I couldn't really ask him about none of this, could I?" "Well, I can see how askin' Eric about it would feel odd. But you said not until tonight, what do you mean by that." "You sure you won't be mad?" After a quick shake of my head, Josh plowed on. "Well, when we were in the pool, Joey and I were hangin' out in a corner by ourselves for a while and we were playin' with each other. Under the water, you know? And it felt really good. It never felt that good doin' it to myself." I nodded my head in agreement but remained silent so he'd continue. "Then when we got out of the pool and took our shower together, well things got really crazy in there." "What happened in the shower?" "Oh, man, I can't tell you `bout that. You'll beat my ass for bein' a sick pervert." "Josh, listen to me. I'll never hurt you for being who you are and doing what makes you feel good. I mean that with all my heart. And just to show you I won't think anything you did is wrong or sick, let me tell you both about what I did when I was your ages. I had this group of really close friends and almost every time two or three of us were together, we'd get naked and play with each other's dicks, jerk each other off and even sometimes suck a dick. So, there's absolutely nothin' you could have done that I haven't done, also. Not all boys will do those things with each other, but a lot do. It's just you won't find many who will freely admit to themselves or their sons all the things we've done. I talked quite a bit with Max tonight and he kinda opened my eyes to some realities of life I guess I was afraid to admit were real. That was one of them." "Really, you've sucked another dude's dick before? That's freakin' cool, Dad. So, yeah, that's what Joey and I did in the shower," he giggled as he carried on. "We sucked each other and that felt so good, I didn't want it to stop. But his dad knocked on the door and interrupted us. And when he came in the bathroom, Joey just opened the shower door and stood there with his hardon stickin' straight out. It blew my mind he'd let his dad see him hard like that." "Boys, I'm going to tell both of you right now, there's nothing wrong with having an erection or being seen with one. They happen to all of us. It's the most natural thing in the world and there's no reason to be embarrassed about it." "That's a good thing, Dad, `cause talkin' about all this has got me hard as a rock," Josh giggled. As if to prove his point, he stood up and held his arms out wide allowing Eric and I to see his three and half inch hard penis jutting out from his hairless groin. I hadn't seen either one of my sons with an erection since they were babies and now I'd seen them both in that state in one night. And even though I'm as straight as straight can get, I had to admit they were both beautiful boys. At least their mother had done one thing right in her miserable life. "Oh, so we've progressed to show and tell, have we? Okay, here goes nothin'." I stood and mimicked Josh's posture, exposing my stiff seven and a half incher to my sons for the first time ever. "Wow, Dad, your dick looks really cool when it's hard. It's kinda cute how it curves to the right a little," Josh chuckled. "C'mon, Eric, you next. I wanna see you with wood, too, bro." Eric sorta shook himself out of his silent stupor and reengaged with Josh and me. "Oh, what the hell," he said as he stood and assumed the position. "Ohmigod, dude, your pecker is so sweet! I didn't look too close at you at Joey's house, I was too interested in him. You've grown a lot since the last time we took a bath together, and you got hair, too. That is so fuckin' cool." Josh exclaimed. "Can I touch it, ple-e-e-ease," he whined. "Hang on there, Josh. Before anything like that happens, there need to be some ground rules laid out for you. Both of you come over here and sit down." I waited until all three of us were sitting on the couch before carrying on. "Okay, this is something Max told me about and it makes sense to me so here's what we're going to do in this house from now on. I had sex play with my friends when I was your age and I know both of you will do the same damn things, so it's unrealistic of me to expect you not to. I just want us all to be open and honest about it, okay." After nods from both I continued. "You can do whatever you want with or to each other as long as you follow these conditions. One, any sex play between you happens in your bedrooms with the door closed. I may know what's going on, but that doesn't mean I want to watch it. Two, whatever, uh, `activities' you engage in, you both have to agree to it. If one of you says no, that's it, game over. Three, if you have questions about anything you want to try, please come ask me before you do it. I'd rather answer a few questions here and there than have you guys hurt each other. Fourth, whatever you do together does not get discussed outside this house. If word gets out I'm letting you two do this shit, you're gonna get taken away and I'm gonna go to jail. Fifth, and last, you will never force the other to do anything they don't want to do. If I ever hear about force being used, I'll cut you off." "Gulp, you mean like cut off our dicks?" Josh asked. "Absolutely not, Josh. Just no more sex play." "Oh, thank God. You scared the crap outta me. I don't wanna lose my dick." "And I don't want to lose you two. So, do you think you both can agree to those conditions?" "Yeah, Dad, I can," Eric replied. "What about you Josh?" "I'm in if you are. I've wanted to play with your dick for years." "What about you, Dad? Are you gonna follow the same rules?" Eric asked. "I don't expect to be involved in your activities, but, on the off chance you talk me into it, then yes, I follow the same rules." "Cool, we got a deal, then?" "Deal, boys. Let's shake on it." We all three shook hands and the deal was sealed. When Josh pulled his hand out of my grip, he let drop into my lap and ran it along the length of my still erect shaft, from pubic hair to the very tip, where he lightly cupped my glans with his hand. I shuddered in delight at the feel of another hand on my cock, but I knew I couldn't let that happen. I gently removed his hand from my member and calmly said, "Sorry, son, that's off-limits." He promptly turned to Eric and asked, "What about you, dude, is yours off-limits too?" "Hell no, now that I'm hard again, I gotta get off or it'll never go soft." Josh wasted no time in wrapping his hand around Eric's shaft and asking, "Then what are we waiting for, dude, let's go." Josh stood and Eric followed his lead since his cock was still tightly wrapped up in his little brother's hand. "Wait, I have one more thing I want to ask Josh. Come back and sit down, please," I requested. They stopped and returned to the couch where they sat back down. Josh maintained his grip on Eric's stiff penis the entire time and I had to admit to myself it was kind of cool to see the closeness my boys were recovering. "Right after you told us you think you're gay, you added that you think you're in love with Joey. What makes you think that?" "I don't know how to describe it, Dad. I just feel something special with him I ain't never felt before, a kind of connection between us. I love both you and Eric, but it's a different feeling with you two than it is with Joey." "Did you ask him if he felt the same way about you?" "Oh, hell no! I mean, how the hell do you ask another a guy if he loves you?" "You just have to screw up your courage and do it, just like I did years ago with your mom." I noticed surprise light up their eyes at that statement. "Oh, don't look so shocked, boys. Despite where we are today, at one time your mom I loved each other very much. If we didn't, you two wouldn't be here right now. Now, back to Joey. I'm guessing you'd like to spend more time with him, see if he feels the same way." "Oh, yeah, you have no idea." "Well, let me talk to Max and see what we can work out, okay. I want you to think about one thing, though, Josh. How do you think his brother, Alex, will feel about you? Do you think he'll accept you or will you cause problems between them?" "How should I know how Alex feels? I just want to find out if I'm right about Joey. If I am, then together we can figure out Alex. Does that make sense?" "Yeah I guess it does. Okay, let me see what we can do. You two go have some fun," I added with a grin, flashing back to myself at their ages, knowing full well the fun they were going to have. I sat and watched as the two disappeared down the hallway and made the left turn into Josh's bedroom. God, what have I done? I returned my attention to the stupid basketball game, but I couldn't keep my mind off what was going on down the hallway. As I listened to mindless drivel of the announcers leaking out of the boob tube, I couldn't help but hear the very distinct sounds of intense pleasure drifting down the hall and assaulting my ears. Without thinking, I let my right hand drop into my lap and began to mindlessly fondle my hardness. I lasted about five minutes before I couldn't take it any longer, turned off the TV and headed to my own room to deal with my hard situation. A strange thing happened on the way, though, and I ended standing outside my youngest son's room. With little hesitation on my part, I pushed the door open and asked, "You guys got room for one more in here?" "You bet dad!" Eric exclaimed. "Damn it, Max, you have to quit doing that shit," Tom vented. "Yeah, I know. But look, Rick was right there the whole time. Eric was begging for something, anything to ease his pain. And trust me, he was experiencing pain, I could see it in his eyes. You know how it feels when you've been hard forever and can't achieve a release. The pressure keeps building and it starts to hurt. I felt I had to help him out because his dad sure as hell wasn't." "That's not what I'm talking about, babe. Just once, I wish you'd let me help a kid out," Tom grinned. I couldn't help but laugh. "All right big guy, I promise, next one is all yours." "Thank you. Nice of you to share." "I know a guy you could help out right now." I spread my legs wide to expose my erection and added, "He's starting to feel some pain, too, and wouldn't mind a helping hand. Or mouth. Or ass, even." Tom's grin split his face and he retorted with a husky voice, "Come with me, little boy." He then held out his hand, helped me up from my chair and led me to the bedroom where I did, indeed, come with him. Three glorious, mind-blowing, draining times. Just a quick note on the `cryin' in my pretzels' line. Everybody's heard about `cryin' in your beer' when you're down in the dumps and feeling sorry for yourself. Well, I hate that particular saying since I don't drink, but my replacement actually comes from a song by Neil Diamond, who I've listened to for at least 45 of my 55 years and seen 7 or 8 times in concert. If you'd like to hear the song, you can find it on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1X5Wvl2_2Q.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 59</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family"><span>enderwiggin61@outlook.com</span></a></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html"><span>http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</span></a><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments"><span>https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</span></a></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk494558586"></a><a name="_Toc494545093"><span>Chapter 59 � Unusual Times we Live in</span></a></h2> <p><span>"Tom," I called across the house, "Get over here!"</span></p> <p><span>As I waited for Tom to join us, I grabbed Dylan's arm and pulled him into the house, closing the door behind him.</span></p> <p><span>"What's goin' on, Sarge?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It's been a bad day, Tom, a really bad fuckin' day. I killed a man today, and it didn't have to happen."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell are you talkin' about? C'mon, let's sit and tell us what happened." </span></p> <p><span>We headed to the kitchen to get a drink and have our chat away from the boys. They started to join us, but I held out a hand and shook my head, silently asking them to give us a few minutes. They returned to their book and card game, understanding we needed a bit of private time to talk with Dylan. Tom got him settled on one of the barstools while I poured a cup of coffee for Dylan and tea for Tom and me. Tom sat next to Dylan while I stood on the other side of the counter so I could see his face. Tears were starting to form in his eyes as he told us about today's events with Barry. When he finally ran out of things to say, Tom took over.</span></p> <p><span>"Sarge, look at me and listen close." Tom waited to continue until Dylan was looking at him. "You did <i>not</i> kill Barry. Barry killed himself by not following orders."</span></p> <p><span>"But I put him in that position," Dylan moaned.</span></p> <p><span>"No, you didn't. He did it to himself by not coming to you with his problems. If he'd done that, he'd still be alive. You know it and I know it. From how you described his attitude when he left your office, it almost sounds like suicide by perp."</span></p> <p><span>"What the fuck you talkin' `bout, you crazy white boy?"</span></p> <p><span>"Our life insurance pays double if we're killed in the line of duty, doesn't it? And what if Barry had another life policy of his own that did the same? He'd have left Helen and his kids better off than if he was still alive. I know it sounds twisted, but it's not any different from somebody who chooses suicide by cop."</span></p> <p><span>"You think he <i>wanted</i> to die?" Dylan asked. "What kinda crazy shit you smokin' out here, Tom? Whatever it is, I need to get some for myself."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know what Barry wanted, boss. But it seems like a possibility to me. Think about it this way; you have a choice of ending your career as a disgraced cop, in debt to a loan shark and selling information to the news, or, going out as a hero trying to arrest a criminal. If those were my choices, I'd probably pick the second one. You said he seemed flat, resigned, when he left your office to meet with the guy. He'd made his mind up about something and once he did that, you lost all control of the situation."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, whatever the case, I won't have to worry about it any longer. Barry's gonna be the last cop to die on my watch."</span></p> <p><span>"What'd you do?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I've turned in my papers. I'm done. I'd already made the decision before Barry, but his getting' killed told me I was doin' the right thing."</span></p> <p><span>"You can't do that, Sarge. The department will be lost without you leading them."</span></p> <p><span>"Watch me. I've recommended Derek to take over for me. He can do the job just as well as I can, if not better. My heart's just not in it anymore."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what are you gonna do for the rest of your life? You're too young to give up and I sure can't see you sittin' around all day watchin' soap operas and game shows. That ain't the Dylan I know."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Tom, but whatever it is, it'll be better than stressin' `bout shit I got no control over."</span></p> <p><span>DING!</span></p> <p><span>"Looks like our guests have arrived," I said as I started towards the front door.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit, you guys are havin' company and here I am, cryin' in my pretzels<span>*</span>. I should get out of here."</span></p> <p><span>"No way, boss, you're staying right here with us. I'm not letting you be alone tonight. C'mon, let's go meet and greet our visitors. You'll probably know one of them, anyway." Rick and his sons were just stepping inside when Tom and Dylan joined me at the door.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Rick, how you guys doin' tonight?" I asked as six nude boys charged across the house to greet our guests.</span></p> <p><span>"We're all right, thanks for askin'. Let me introduce my boys. This is Eric, he's thriteen" he said settling a hand on the older boy's shoulder, "and the other wild one is Josh, who is eleven," he added ruffling the younger boy's hair. "Boys, this is Mr. Sanders and Mr. Wright, and that gaggle running over here are their sons."</span></p> <p><span>Eric's eyes had widened in surprise as our boys joined us and he leaned over and whispered in his dad's ear, "Dad, they're not wearing anything."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and ...," Rick answered.</span></p> <p><span>"You didn't tell us we were gonna be naked," Eric complained.</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't say anything because if you don't want to be nude, you don't have to."</span></p> <p><span>Tom interrupted the whispering with, "Hi, again, Rick. Good to see ya'. Boys, introduce yourselves." Introductions and handshakes ensued as each of our boys greeted Rick and his sons.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, I'm Alex, nice to meet ya'. I've seen Josh around school, but we never hang out together since we're in different grades." </span></p> <p><span>"Howdy, I'm Logan and I'm just kinda visitin' for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Joey. Nice to meet ya'. Hope y'all are ready for some fun."</span></p> <p><span>"Hidey-ho, I'm T.J. I remember you from the night I got hurt."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, how you doin', T.J.?" Rick asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm a lot better now, thanks. And thanks for takin' care of me."</span></p> <p><span>"It was my pleasure, young man. I'm glad you're feelin' better." Rick turned to his boys and asked, "You guys remember me telling you about the kid who cracked a rib in the pool? This is him."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, I'm Andy. Always nice to make some to new friends."</span></p> <p><span>"And I'm, Mike. C'mon in."</span></p> <p><span>I'd noticed during the introductions, that Eric was red-faced with embarrassment, but Josh's eyes never left the twins.</span></p> <p><span>As the boys headed to the living room, Tom addressed the unexpected elephant in the room. "Rick, I think you probably know my old boss, Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure do. How ya' doin', Sergeant Brock?" Rick asked as he shook Dylan's hand.</span></p> <p><span>"I've had better days, Rick," Dylan replied. "Look, I really should be goin'. I don't want to put a damper on your fun tonight, guys."</span></p> <p><span>"Nonsense, Dylan," I responded. "You can help us corral all eight boys in the pool. Maybe a little pool time will brighten your evening a bit."</span></p> <p><span>"It sure couldn't make it any worse, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, look, why don't we go get wet. Boys, why don't you show Josh and Eric where they can change. Dylan, Rick, come with us." While the eight wild mustangs thundered to their bedrooms, the four of us headed to our bedroom. After we got in the room, I pointed towards the bathroom and offered, "The bathroom's right over there Rick, if you want to use it to change."</span></p> <p><span>"Why bother, we're all gonna be nude, aren't we?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the three of us will be, for sure, but if you think you'll be more comfortable in shorts or trunks, that's fine with us, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Kinda hard for me to prove my point to Eric and Josh if I ain't willing to get naked, too, don't ya' think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Fair enough, Rick. Just wanted to give you the option." By this time, Tom and I had already pulled off our shorts and were ready to go. Rick was down to his boxers and looking rather nervous about the big step he was about to take, while Dylan, who had still been in his uniform, was lagging behind a bit. "We'll be waiting in the living room whenever you guys are ready." Tom and I headed out to round up the boys and make sure we had towels for everyone. I wasn't too surprised to find Eric in swim trunks and a t-shirt, but Josh was happily nude with the rest of the boys. As we made our way across the entry to the living room, Eric's eyes went wide with surprise at seeing Tom and me nude.</span></p> <p><span>"Joey, Alex, Logan, would you three zip on down to the laundry room and grab towels?" I asked. "Please and thank you," I added. </span></p> <p><span>They started for the hallway but Joey grabbed Josh's hand and said, "C'mon, dude, you can help." The four turned the corner and returned shortly with enough towels to dry an army. </span></p> <p><span>As we waited for Rick and Dylan, I took a quick survey of the eight boys. The two new ones were just as cute as the six already living here. Both had mid-length brown hair, dark but lively eyes and grins that would melt a Grinch's heart. Eric was still a bit pink from being around all these naked bodies, but Josh seemed to be reveling in his re-found freedom and making no attempt to cover himself. If I had to guess the reason for his reaction to the situation, I would say it was most likely the fact he still looked more like our boys than the adults or his brother probably did. While it was obvious some development had begun with a penis slightly larger than Brent's and his testicles had obviously started to drop, he was still as hairless as our own boys. As for his brooding brother, Eric, one could only guess what treasures lay hidden underneath his unnecessary and quite obvious body coverings.</span></p> <p><span>As I watched the boys chat amongst themselves and giggle at almost anything, I saw Eric suddenly cover his face with his hands and start shaking his head. As if to remove all doubt as to the reason for his actions, I turned my head to see a nude Rick and Dylan entering the living room. Rick called out, "Okay, who's ready to go swimming?". As I watched them walk across the living room, I could see Rick's attitude was being somewhat tempered by the flush of pink enveloping his body. </span></p> <p><span>Josh jumped up from his spot on the couch, ran to his dad and wrapped him in a big hug, the top of his head just below his dad's shoulders. "Thanks for bringing us over here, Dad, these guys are cool."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad you're having some fun. Are you sure you're okay without your swimsuit?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah! I think I'd feel weird if I had one on since nobody else is wearin' one." Josh suddenly realized his dad was also nude and released his grip on his dad's mid-section. "Wow! You're naked, too. You never get naked at home."</span></p> <p><span>"I think I'm going to be changing that, son. There's no reason to be ashamed of or hide your body."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool. I hate wearing shorts, but I didn't want to be the only one naked since you're always wearin' your boxers and Eric insists on wearin' those baggy shorts all the time. I'll like being naked again."</span></p> <p><span>Without wanting to further delay our evening, Tom and I led the group to the doors outside and on to the pool shelter. After unlocking the door, all eight boys left us in their dust as they took off at a dead run, tossing their towels onto the table and chairs, then jumping into the pool with wild abandon. As was normal, the adults were a bit more sedate in joining them, but once we did, the battle was on. Joey and T.J. attacked Dylan, Andy and Alex assaulted Tom, while Logan and Mike jumped me. Eric and Josh wasted no time in surrounding Rick and then moving in for the kill. Peals of laughter and squeals of joy filled the shelter and echoed from the corners of the shelter. I was pleased to see that Dylan, despite his heavy heart, was enjoying himself as usual. We let the boys run wild for about twenty minutes before I broke free from my attackers and motioned for the other adults to join me in our favorite corner.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I ended up one side together and Dylan and Rick were on the other. Once we gotten settled, Rick said, "Shit, that was fun. They wore my ass out, but we haven't had that much fun together for a long time. I really want to say thanks to you guys for letting us come over."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, Rick, we're happy to have company. You and your boys are welcome any time. I'd say Josh feels comfortable, wouldn't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I never dreamed he'd react like he did. It makes me happy to see him having so much fun and be so giddy. I see I still have to do some work with Eric, though."</span></p> <p><span>"All in good time, Rick," Tom replied. "Eric's at that age where he doesn't think he really belongs with the kids any more, but he also doesn't think he can join the adults yet."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me see if I can fix that," Rick responded. He swam to the middle of the pool and called Eric over to join him. After a short conversation between the two, they both joined us, Rick settling back in next to Dylan and Eric opting to scrunch in the corner between his dad and me.</span></p> <p><span>"So, why am I down here with you, Dad, and not playin' with the others?" Eric asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I just thought you might like to hang out with us for a while. If you'd rather, you're welcome to go back and play with the boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, this is cool. So, what were y'all talkin' `bout?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothin' yet, really, son."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, okay."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you having fun tonight, Eric?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, Mr. Sanders. None of our friends have pools like this. Thanks for letting us come over."</span></p> <p><span>"We're always happy to have some company," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what do you do, Mr. Sanders? With this house and stuff, you gotta be makin' some serious coin."</span></p> <p><span>"Gets right to the point, doesn't he, Rick?" I laughed. "I wrote some books a while back and invested well. The money from the first one paid for everything you see here."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool. What kind of books do you write?"</span></p> <p><span>"They were sort of an action slash thriller slash mystery type, I'd guess. You like that kind of story?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm more a science-fiction buff, but I've read some others that I like. Like the Jack Reacher books, those are pretty good."</span></p> <p><span>"Mine are similar to the Reacher series. If you'd like to read one, I'll be happy to give you one."</span></p> <p><span>"Really? Thanks, that'd be sweet. What do you do, Mr. Wright?"</span></p> <p><span>"I used to be a cop, but I recently quit after getting shot and now I'm getting ready to open a private investigation service."</span></p> <p><span>"You mean like followin' guys around, tryin' to catch `em with their girlfriends and shit like that?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'll be part of it, I'm sure. But most of what I'm going to be doing is background checks on people who are looking to adopt. I'll be working with the agency helping with our son's adoptions to make sure people are who they say they are. Try to make sure any kid they adopt will be safe and well taken care of."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds interesting. Does it pay good?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good question," Tom chuckled. "I haven't started yet, so I guess I'll find out."</span></p> <p><span>"What about you, Mr. Brock? What do you do?"</span></p> <p><span>"For the next two weeks, I'm a sergeant with the county Sherriff's department. After that, who knows?"</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, Dylan," Rick exclaimed. "When did that happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"Today, right after one of my guys got killed."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, I hadn't heard. Sorry. Who was it?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know Barry Sinclair?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I've run into him few times on accidents and what-not. What happened?"</span></p> <p><span>"I set him up to help us nail a loan shark and he got shot. I got him killed," Dylan answered as he started to tear up again and turned his head away so we couldn't see.</span></p> <p><span>"He was a cop, Dylan," Rick replied. "He knew the risks."</span></p> <p><span>"No, he wasn't a cop any more, but I still sent him out there to die. It's my fuckin' fault he's dead, damn it." The tears started flowing freely after that.</span></p> <p><span>Tom moved over beside Dylan and took his arm. "C'mon, Dylan, let's you and I go inside for a bit." Dylan followed Tom's lead and they headed inside.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry to bring it up," Rick said after they were gone.</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right, Rick, he's really torn up about it." I turned my attention back to Eric and asked, "I know nobody asked you before we all got undressed, but are you okay with the rest of us being nude?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess," he muttered. "It just seems a little weird, but I'm getting used to it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I think you deserve to know the reason why you're here tonight, Eric. Your dad is worried about you and your brother."</span></p> <p><span>"What!?" He turned to his dad and asked, "What about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well," Rick began, "you two used to always go nude around the house and I never had a problem with it, even though I wasn't nude myself. But suddenly, something changed and you both quit. I was worried it was something I did that made you guys change. And since neither one of you will talk to me about it, I got worried. When I came here that one night to take care of T.J., I discovered Max and his family are nudists. I thought if anyone could help me figure out what happened to make you and Josh start wearin' those damn baggy shorts, it would be Max."</span></p> <p><span>"It wasn't anything you did, dad. It was me."</span></p> <p><span>"What about you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Aw, c'mon, dad, I ain't gonna talk to you about it here."</span></p> <p><span>"You won't talk to me about it at home, either. So, where can we?"</span></p> <p><span>Eric thought for a moment, then turned to me asked, "Mr. Sanders, I don't want you to think I'm rude, but could me and my dad have a few minutes to talk? Alone?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. Take your time. I'll go check on the others." I swam to the other end of the pool and was swamped by seven active boys. I discovered rather quickly that my estimation of Josh's development was right on the money as he tried to climb my back and I felt his stiff member slide up my backside.</span></p> <p><span>"Please tell me what's going on with you, Eric."</span></p> <p><span>"Shit, this is embarrassing."</span></p> <p><span>"Son, every guy goes through what you are. I did, and so did Max, Tom and Dylan. And your brother's coming up right behind you. If anybody knows what you're dealing with, it's gonna be us."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, from what I saw, looks like Mr. Brock beat the hell out of you other three. Did you see the size of his dick?"</span></p> <p><span>I laughed and answered, "Son, we got undressed in the same room, of course I did."</span></p> <p><span>"You think I have a chance of bein' that big?"</span></p> <p><span>"You never know. Now quit beatin' around the bush and tell me what's going on."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, all right. I think my dick's broke."</span></p> <p><span>"What are you talkin' about, boy? Last time I saw you naked, you looked just fine. Granted, that's been a while, but what could have changed?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, it looks fine, but it seems like it's always hard. At home, school, the mall, McDonald's, when I go to sleep, when I wake up, it don't matter." I couldn't suppress a snicker, which didn't help the situation at all. "It ain't funny dad. When we change clothes for P.E. at school, I have to practically hide in my locker so the other guys won't see my dick stickin' out. Do you have any idea the hell they'd put me through if they saw me with a hardon in the locker room? I wear a jock strap almost all the time just to try and make it less obvious."</span></p> <p><span>"Son, we've all had the same problem. You're going through puberty and you're going through all kinds of changes right now."</span></p> <p><span>"That may be, dad, but I feel like I'm taking Viagra twenty-four, seven. And it fuckin' hurts."</span></p> <p><span>"Eric, please don't talk like that. I'm not quite ready for it. Look, I know this shit's embarrassing, but my old man never talked to me about it and I swore I wasn't gonna be like him. You used to talk to me about almost anything and I could help you. If you don't tell me what's going on, then I can't help you anymore. And I really want to."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, so tell me, how the hell do I keep from bein' a walkin' billboard for boner pills."</span></p> <p><span>"Have you ever masturbated?"</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know, played with your penis until you have an orgasm and ejaculated."</span></p> <p><span>"Hell, no. I don't play with my dick, that's sick."</span></p> <p><span>"No, it isn't, son. All guys do it. It's the most pleasant way for you to lose an erection."</span></p> <p><span>"Geez, I can't believe we're talkin' `bout this."</span></p> <p><span>"We should have talked about it a long time ago, Eric. What do you want to know?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if this masturbation you're talkin' `bout will make it quit bein' hard, let's start with that. How do you do it?"</span></p> <p><span>"You really don't know, do you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't be asking if I did, Dad. C'mon, tell me."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, I don't know where to start."</span></p> <p><span>I finally broke away from the wild bunch again and swam back to Rick and Eric who were still in the corner of the pool, both looking rather embarrassed. "Is it safe to come back?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe. My son's got a question and while I know the answer, I'm not too sure how to answer it without sounding like an idiot."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, ask me, maybe I can help."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right," Eric scoffed. "I barely know you. What makes you think I'm gonna ask you about how to masturbate, whatever the hell that is? Oh, shit!" he exclaimed, smacking his forehead. "I can't believe I just said that."</span></p> <p><span>After a quick chuckle, I replied, "That's all right, Eric. I completely understand a teen's fascination with their own body. It's been twenty years, but I've been there, too. I'm happy to answer your question, but before I do, can I ask you a few questions?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, sure, what the hell? I've always wanted to bare my soul to a complete stranger."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, now's your chance. These are gonna be pretty basic questions, just so I know where you are in your development. Has your penis gotten larger in the past few months to a year and have your testicles started to drop lower in your scrotum?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes," followed by a rather distinct roll of the eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"Have you started to grow hair under your arms and above your penis?"</span></p> <p><span>"Geez, yes."</span></p> <p><span>"So, I assume you're familiar with your penis becoming erect whenever and wherever it wants and staying that way forever."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, that's why I started wearing clothes at home. I couldn't very well run around all day with a boner stickin' straight out, could I?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you actually could, but most people would consider that to be a rather rude thing to do. Next, do you ever wake up in the morning with wet underwear or wet sheets?"</span></p> <p><span>"I quit pissin' the bed a long time ago, man."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not talking about having an accident, Eric. I'm talking about having a wet dream."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's when you have a dream that excites you and you ejaculate in your sleep. When it dries, your underwear or sheets would feel a little crusty.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I've had that happen. More and more lately."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, then we know everything is working properly, anyway. Now since you're asking about <i>how</i> to masturbate, I'm guessing you've never done it."</span></p> <p><span>"I have no idea what the hell it is, Mr. Sanders. My dad brought it up as a way to fix my dick, but chickened out when it was time to tell me how to do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, then. One last question. Do you have an erection right now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mister, I've been hard as a nail since we got here and I saw your boys naked. And it's really starting to hurt again. I can't take much more of this shit. I'm about ready to cut the damn thing off." Rick and I both snorted loudly, but quickly regained our composure.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Eric, we shouldn't have done that. Would you like to relieve your problem? Right now?"</span></p> <p><span>"In the worst fuckin' way. I just want it to go away and quit hurtin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Rick, would you do me a favor and go grab a couple of towels off the table. We're going to help your son." Rick climbed out of the pool and soon returned. "Thanks, Rick." I spread one of the towels out on the concrete deck, then climbed up and sat on the edge of the pool. "Rick, why don't you sit at the other end of the towel?"</span></p> <p><span>"Holy crap, Mr. Sanders, you're dick's hard, too." Then he looked at his dad and realized he was, too. "You too, dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, it is, silly boy," I replied. "Talkin' about sex always get me hard. Now hop up here and lay down on the towel." Eric followed my instructions and when he was stretched out, I continued. "Here, Rick, grab the other end of this towel and we'll use it to shield Eric from the others. Good."</span></p> <p><span>"Now what, Mr. Sanders," Eric asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, next, you should probably get undressed. We wouldn't want to stain your clothes with semen."</span></p> <p><span>"What!? You want me to strip naked right now? You guys'll see me. First my soul and now my body?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I guess we will. But you've already seen us, so I think it's only fair, don't you, Rick?" Rick could only shrug his shoulders. "C'mon, Eric, we don't have all night," I goaded the young lad. He wasted no more time and little extra movement as he peeled off his shirt, shorts and jock strap, which he piled on the concrete next to him, somehow maintaining at least one hand over his genitals the entire time. "Good, now you're ready to masturbate, so let's get you started on your journey of self-discovery."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what do I do?"</span></p> <p><span>"Wrap a hand around your penis and start to slowly stroke it."</span></p> <p><span>"Since I don't what the hell I'm supposed to be doing, really, would you just show me, Mr. Sanders?" Eric asked hesitantly.</span></p> <p><span>I looked to Rick and asked, "Is that okay with you, or do you want to help your son?" Rick was dumbfounded at the question and just shook his head while pointing his free hand to his chest. He then pointed to me and numbly nodded his assent. "Okay, Eric, your dad says it's up to me. You ready for this?" I asked. After a quick nod from Eric, I said, "Okay, then, move your hands to your sides." Eric did as I asked, fully exposing his magnificent five-inch erection to the two of the us. He had a sparse patch of dark curly hair sprouting from the base of his beautiful shaft and I could also see some on his pearly white scrotum. I could tell this young man was going to be a very fine specimen of manhood in just a few short years.</span></p> <p><span>I reached over with my right hand and gently wrapped it around the turgid member jutting obscenely from his pubic mound. As my fingers closed around the shaft, I felt Eric's body shudder uncontrollably as he inhaled deeply. I began to slowly stroke the tumescent teen, watching his face scrunch and twist with delight. I built up to a smooth rhythm and thoroughly enjoyed the feel of his hot and hard rod in my hand. Knowing Eric had never masturbated before added to the thrill of helping him learn how tonight. Rick, for his part, could not peel his eyes away from his son's cock as I continued to pleasure his son. It took only a few minutes before I felt Eric start to tighten up and I knew he was only moments away from his orgasm. I watched him intently and when I saw his scrotum pull up, I knew the time had come.</span></p> <p><span>Two more strokes of his cock and his first shot of sweet teen spunk soared over his head and landed with a light splat on the concrete behind his dad. I continued to manipulate his member and after five more shots of syrupy semen landed on his neck, chest and belly, I stopped moving my hand and slowly circled his glans with my index finger, spreading around the corona the trickle still oozing from deep inside. Eric's eyes were glazed with pleasure as he slowly recovered. Even as I continued to fondle him, I could feel his penis slowly deflating to a more normal state. When I finally let go of his now flaccid member, I let my hand drop to his scrotum and gently fondled the walnut-sized nuggets held within, causing Eric to shiver with abandon.</span></p> <p><span>"OH ... MY ... GOD!" he exclaimed. "What the hell was that?"</span></p> <p><span>"That, young man, was your very first manually stimulated orgasm," I answered proudly since I'd helped him achieve it. "The first of many more to come." Rick snickered at my pun, but he still had not taken his eyes off his son's beautiful body. "So, Eric, <i>that's </i>masturbation. One method, anyway, think you can take it from here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah. That was freakin' awesome, Mr. Sanders. Thanks. And look, it ain't hard no more," he added as he looked down his body.</span></p> <p><span>"I can see that, Eric. Now, the next time you have questions, do you think you can ask your dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"After that, yeah, I think I can ask him anything."</span></p> <p><span>"What about you, Rick, do you think you can answer his questions?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll sure as hell try. Damn, I haven't seen anybody shoot like that since I was his age."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Here, Eric, clean yourself off with this towel and then you can get dressed if you want. Don't forget the spot that landed above your head."</span></p> <p><span>"Now that I know how get it to go soft again, I may never wear clothes again," he commented as he wiped his body clean. Eric then got up to his knees, leaned over and gave me hug, whispering `thanks' in my ear again. Then he turned to his dad, gave him a hug and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, too, dad. I really hope you'll be willing to help me at home."</span></p> <p><span>"What? I ain't gonna do that to you."</span></p> <p><span>"No, silly, just talk to me, answer my questions. I got lots and lots of them."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay, son, I can do that. I love you."</span></p> <p><span>"Love you, too, dad. See you guys later." With that, a comfortable and nude Eric dove back into the pool and swam back to play with the other boys while Rick and I resettled ourselves back in the corner to watch their antics.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Rick, I'd have to say your visit tonight was successful."</span></p> <p><span>"Without a doubt, Max. I know that had to be weird for you, jerkin' off my kid like that, but I appreciate it. I don't think I could have done it."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, you could, Rick. It's no different that jerkin' yourself."</span></p> <p><span>"But it's my kid. I can't do that shit to him."</span></p> <p><span>"Why not? As long as you're not forcing him into something he doesn't want, I don't see your problem. You didn't seem to have a problem with me doing it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, but with you bein' gay, I didn't think jerkin' off another dude would be a big deal. I ain't gay and don't want to be."</span></p> <p><span>"Rick, you admitted to us that used to play around with your friends when you were Eric's age. And yet, here you are today, straight as can be. But too afraid to be thought of as gay to help your son when he needs it. Teaching your son about his body and what's happening to it won't make you gay and it won't make him gay if he isn't. it wouldn't be any different than you and your friends gettin' together and gettin' off."</span></p> <p><span>"But it's against the law, I could fuckin' go to jail if I did that."</span></p> <p><span>"Just like I could for helping Eric just now. Look, the kid was frustrated as hell and in some pain. Should I have touched him and helped him out? No, probably not. But, I'll be damned if I'm gonna see a kid suffering about anything and not do something to help, no matter how unconventional or unorthodox that help might be. I'm not gonna tell anybody about what just happened and I'm betting you won't either. Look, as far as I'm concerned, if you should decide to help Eric with more than just a little advice, as long as he's willing and asking for your help, it's none of my business, or anybody else's for that matter. That's between you and him."</span></p> <p><span>"Hm, I never thought about it that way. It was a lot of fun screwin' around with my buddies in junior high, but you're right, most of us were straight. I think only one guy in our class wasn't. And I guess if Eric asks for something and I'm just helping him figure some things out, it wouldn't hurt either one of us, would it? But what about Josh. When will he figure out if he's gay or not?"</span></p> <p><span>"He may already know but he's afraid to say anything because he doesn't know how you or Eric will react to the news. He may not figure it out until ten years from now. Like we told you last week, whenever it happens, he has to <i>know</i> that your love for him will never change. One thing you might need to be careful of is the dynamic between Eric and Josh."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean?"</span></p> <p><span>"Let's say Josh tells you two next week he <i>is</i> gay. First, how will Eric accept that announcement? Second, will Eric take advantage of being the older brother and force Josh to do things he doesn't want to do or isn't ready for? Third, will Josh pursue Eric and force Eric into doing things he doesn't want to do?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think Eric will be bothered if Josh is gay, but I'm not sure what you're worried about happening between them. It doesn't seem likely if Eric's straight and Josh's gay they would do anything with each other."</span></p> <p><span>"Unlikely, yes, unheard of, no. A straight guy who wants a blowjob will take it anywhere he can get it, even his younger brother if he thinks he can force him into it. A straight guy who wants to screw someone and doesn't have a willing girlfriend could possibly force a younger brother into submitting. A gay guy who wants to experiment and see what it's like to suck a dick or be fucked could entice an older brother into doing it. I'm not saying any of those will happen for sure, but you need to know it's possible."</span></p> <p><span>"Hell, I hadn't thought about that. But what do I do if it does?"</span></p> <p><span>"You need to set boundaries for your boys, Rick. Let them know that as long as the two of them agree to anything that might happen between them, then you don't have a problem with it. You know they're going to play around, either with friends or each other, so don't fight it, openly accept it with some guidelines. What you need to know about and they need to tell you is if either one <i>forces</i> the other into anything. If that happens, then you have a serious problem on your hands that needs to be dealt with immediately."</span></p> <p><span>"Gotcha, Max. I really appreciate your help and advice. You can be sure I'll follow through with it. As long as my boys are safe and happy, then I will be, too." </span></p> <p><span>I looked to the other end of the pool for a moment and discovered Joey and Josh had separated themselves from the others and were huddled close together in the opposite corner. I could only imagine the conversation in which the two appeared to be deeply involved. I tapped Rick's shoulder and pointed towards the pair which earned a rather wide and mischievous grin from him. Eric was obviously enjoying himself, also, as he was tossing and flipping the other boys right and left as fast as they could get back to him. As we were watching the boys have fun, the shelter door opened and Tom and Dylan strolled in, making their way towards us.</span></p> <p><span>Once resettled in the corner with us, I asked, "Were you two able to solve all the troubles of the world?"</span></p> <p><span>They both chuckled and Tom answered, "Not by a long shot, babe, but I think we've created a good start to solving one of them."</span></p> <p><span>"And what's that mean?" Rick asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm going to work with Tom in his new endeavor," Dylan grinned. "Guess y'all are gonna be seein' a lot more of me around here than you used, too."</span></p> <p><span>"I think we've already seen all there is, haven't we, Dylan?" Rick laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I suppose so. But, at least now I have something to look forward to when I'm done bein' a cop. I really wasn't thinking about what happens next when I decided to resign."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds great, Dylan," I commented. "It'll be nice having you around more. I think you'll be a great influence on the boys. It'll be interesting to see Ron's reaction to you bein' here."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, who's Ron?" Dylan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Ron Cain," I answered, spelling his last name. "He's a guy we've hired to come in and help us deal with things like cooking, cleaning, transportation, whatever. Once Tom actually gets back to work, I think I'm gonna be stretched a bit thin tryin' to keep up with five or six growing boys by myself."</span></p> <p><span>"Cain? Is he a skinny white kid, twenty-two or three, bleached, spiked hair, maybe five-ten or so, weighs, maybe, a buck-fifty?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you know him," Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe. I think he might be one of the young guys I've run into at my gym. We've talked a few times here and there, and he seems nice enough. I almost asked him to join me for supper one night, but I talked myself out of it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you may just get your chance again in a few weeks," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"No way, Tom, if Max is too pale for my tastes, and he sure as hell is, then Ron is, too."</span></p> <p><span>Incredulous with disbelief, Rick asked, "Wait, you tellin' me you're gay, too, Dylan?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess so. I figured Max or Tom would have said somethin' already."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, you had me fooled. I'd have never guessed you for a gay man."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, Rick, you're safe. You're too pale for me, too," Dylan laughed and we all joined him in the light-hearted moment. We spent the next half-hour relaxing and chatting about whatever came to mind. I was happy to see Dylan was more relaxed and he seemed to be at peace with himself after the day's troubling events. Rick, for his part, turned out to be quite the jokester and he kept us in stitches the entire time. </span></p> <p><span>I finally broke things up when I suggested we call it an evening. With agreement from the others, we climbed out of the pool and headed to grab our towels. As we walked across the concrete, Tom called the boys out to run through a shower before getting their snacks and going to bed. As they climbed the steps out of the pool, it was obvious how much fun they had been having as all were being led around by the smaller of their two heads. </span></p> <p><span>As we dried off, I said to the boys, "You all hit the showers and get cleaned up. We'll have a snack of brownies and ice cream when you're all done. And since I think it will be a tight fit for all of you to fit into just two showers, if a couple of you want to use the bathroom in the empty bedroom, go right ahead." Joey and Josh quickly volunteered to share the shower. "Rick, if you want to use the shower in our bedroom, it's all yours. Dylan, you can follow him. Tom and I will wait until later to clean up."</span></p> <p><span>We made for the house and as soon as we were inside, the others headed their separate directions to shower while Tom and I turned towards the kitchen to get ready for snacks. We'd just finished getting the brownies cut and on plates when T.J., Mike and Andy returned from their shower. Since we had so many people tonight, we had them sit at the table instead of the counter. Rick joined us next and he helped Tom and I get ice cream in bowls and delivered to the table for the first three. Next to return were Alex, Logan and Eric and they joined the other three already at the table. Dylan followed shortly thereafter, he took an empty seat and joined the others. The only ones missing now were Joey and Josh. </span></p> <p><span>I elbowed Tom and whispered, "You might need to roust the last two out of the shower."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no you don't," he chuckled, "I'm pretty sure it's your turn this time."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, you <i>do </i>remember what happened last time I interrupted a shower?"</span></p> <p><span>"Life's a risk, babe. Go on, now, do your duty as a parent."</span></p> <p><span>I made the trek across the house to get the duo moving. Before opening the bathroom door, I listened for a moment and heard a fair amount of giggling going on. I knocked on the door to provide some warning to the occupants, then pushed the door open. I found Joey sitting on the bench and Josh was standing directly in front of him, covering his crotch with his hands.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hey, dad, what's up?" Joey asked nonchalantly.</span></p> <p><span>"Just came to let you two know your ice cream is melting."</span></p> <p><span>Joey stood, turned off the shower, then opened the glass door. "Would you hand us a couple towels, Dad?" he asked. "Please and thank you."</span></p> <p><span>As I started to pull towels from the cabinet, Josh grabbed Joey's arm and spun him around. "Dude, what're you doin'? You still got, well, you know..."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, so what? You think he ain't seen us all with boners before? Think again, Joshy," Joey giggled. "Ain't your dad ever seen you hard?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hell, no!"</span></p> <p><span>I tossed towels to the two dripping boys and added, "Actually, Josh he has. We all saw all of you when you got out of the pool. And every one of you was hard. And there's nothing to be ashamed of about having an erection."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, I guess he did," he giggled as he started to dry himself off.</span></p> <p><span>"You two better hurry before you have to drink your ice cream," I commented as I left the room to rejoin the rest of the crew. "They're just drying off and should be here in a moment," I announced as I entered the dining room.</span></p> <p><span>"Any problems?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No, they were just sitting on the bench, yakking," I answered with a wink. Joey and Josh finally arrived and took the two empty chairs that had bowls in front of them. Both had wide grins on their faces which caused a bit of a frown to take over Alex's expression. I was sensing some possible trouble brewing in paradise. As the other boys finished their snacks, they rinsed their bowls and plates and dropped them in the dishwasher. After stopping to give everyone hugs goodbye and goodnight, they filtered on to their rooms to climb in bed, knowing Tom and I would be along shortly to make sure they were tucked in.</span></p> <p><span>As Joey was leaving the dining room to head for bed with Alex and Logan, he waved for me to follow him. When we were alone in the living room, I asked, "What's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Can Josh spend the night, Dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, buddy, not tonight," I answered. "You all have school tomorrow and I think if he was here tonight, there wouldn't be much sleeping going on." Joey blushed from my insinuation. "Yeah, that's what I thought. Listen, Josh can stay some night when you don't have to worry about getting up early the next day."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, all right," he grumped. "Can I tell you somethin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"You can tell me anything, Joey, you know that."</span></p> <p><span>He leaned in close and whispered, "I think I'm in love with Josh." </span></p> <p><span>Of all the things I was expecting I might hear, <i>that</i> wasn't one of them. "Whoa, tiger, slow it down just a bit. You just met him for the first time tonight." I led Joey to sit on the couch with me and continued. "What makes you think might be in love with Josh?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he's cute as hell, funny and fun to be with, easy to talk to, and ..."</span></p> <p><span>"And what?" I prodded.</span></p> <p><span>"He makes my tummy do flips when he gets close to me. I ain't never felt like that before."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you think he feels the same way about you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Dad, I was too scared to ask. Hell, I don't even know if he's gay. I think he is, but ... I don't know if he knows if he's gay or not. How the hell can this happen?" he asked covering his face with his hands.</span></p> <p><span>"It can't be explained, Joey, it's one of those things that just happens. Look, why don't you get to bed and we can talk more about this tomorrow after school, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay," he mumbled. "Thanks, Dad, for not laughing at me."</span></p> <p><span>"Never, buddy. Now, scoot," I said while ruffling his hair.</span></p> <p><span>He leaned in and gave me another hug, adding, "Love you, Dad."</span></p> <p><span>"I love you, too, Joey. Tom and I will be there in a few." With that, he headed for bed and I made my way back to the dining room.</span></p> <p><span>Just as I entered, Rick stood and announced, "Well, we better get moving, boys. It's close to bedtime and you have school in the morning. Go get dressed and we'll be on our way."</span></p> <p><span>"Aw, Dad, do we have to get dressed?" Eric whined. "It's only five minutes to drive home."</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, I think we solved one of your problems tonight, Rick," Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Son, I appreciate the fact that you feel comfortable enough to be nude again, but I think doing so in the car is just one step too far, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"All right, Dad. C'mon Josh, let's go find our clothes." </span></p> <p><span>As the two boys stalked out of the dining room, Rick added, "Guess I better follow my own advice, shouldn't I? Back in a minute," he added as he walked through the kitchen to our bedroom.</span></p> <p><span>"I think I should probably be headin' out, too, guys," Dylan commented. "Thanks for lettin' me hang out with y'all tonight `cause I really didn't want to be alone. I'm still not sure how I got here, but I'm glad I did. Tom, as good a cop as you were, you're an even better friend and I thank you for talkin' to me tonight. You really helped put all this shit into the right perspective. Max, I know we haven't known each other that long, but I believe you're probably one of the kindest men on the planet and I'm very proud to be your friend." By the time he shut up, all three of us were having trouble seeing through the tears that had welled up in our eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"Dylan, you're a good man who has had a very shitty couple of days. But you're stronger than you know and you're going to be just fine. You know you're welcome here any time, day or night. There will always be a spot for you in our hearts and our home." Before he could escape to retrieve his clothes, I gave him a hug and he gratefully returned it. When we finally separated, he pulled Tom into a bone-crushing bear hug and just held onto him for a minute. When the two finally parted, tears were running down both their faces. Dylan then did an abrupt about-face and disappeared down the hall to get his clothes.</span></p> <p><span>Rick reappeared moments later and asked, "You sure he's okay?" hooking a thumb over his shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>"He will be, Rick," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Hey, I really want to thank you guys for asking us to come over. This has been the most fun the boys and I have had since the bitch left us. Whoops, did I just say that out loud?"</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I both laughed and I responded, "That's all right, Rick. Your secret's safe with us."</span></p> <p><span>"I also want to thank you for helping with my boys. You have no idea what it means to me to see them both happy again."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad everything worked out the way we hoped," Tom answered. "There was always the chance it wouldn't."</span></p> <p><span>"But it did, and that's what counts," Rick commented as Eric and Josh arrived returned. "Boys say thanks to Max and Tom. We gotta scoot."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for letting us come over Mr. Sanders and Mr. Wright," Josh said. "I had a great time and I hope we can come back again sometime." Josh then shook both our hands and stepped over to stand by his dad.</span></p> <p><span>"You're welcome here anytime Josh. It was a pleasure to meet you and we're glad you enjoyed yourself."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, from me, too," Eric added. "I had a <i>really</i> good time. I hope I'm included in that invite."</span></p> <p><span>"Any time, Eric," Tom replied. Eric then shook Tom's hand and when he turned to me, he smacked my hand out of the way and gave me a hug. In the middle of the hug, he whispered, "I really wanna thank you for teaching me how to masturbate. That was truly awesome." When he released me, he stepped next to his dad, wide smile on his face. Tom looked at me with a confused look on his face and I just shrugged my shoulders.</span></p> <p><span>We walked the trio to the front door and after a final round of goodbyes and see ya' laters, they were off. Just as I was about to close the door, Dylan came around the corner and headed for the door also.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, boys, enjoy the rest of your night, what little's left of it. I'll keep you updated on the investigation and everything for as long as I can."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure you're okay to go home, Dylan?" Tom asked. "You're welcome to stay here tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be fine, guys. But thanks for caring and for the offer." After a quick hug for both of us, he was out the door and on his way home.</span></p> <p><span>After closing the door, I commented, "Well, that was a fun night."</span></p> <p><span>"For some reason, I'm thinking you had more fun than I did," Tom hinted.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's go check on the boys and I'll tell you all about it, big guy." We passed up the twins' room and continued down the hall to look in on Andy, Mike and T.J. first. All three were already sound asleep, so we tucked the covers up over their shoulders then gently leaned in to give them their kiss on the forehead, say good night and I love you.</span></p> <p><span>We then backtracked to pop in on the twins and Logan. We found Logan between the twins as they had been the last several days, but instead of the three of them being curled together, Joey and Alex were turned on their sides so their backs were to Logan. Logan was wide awake, but Joey and Alex appeared to be asleep.</span></p> <p><span>"Everything okay in here?" Tom whispered.</span></p> <p><span>"I ain't sure, guys," Logan whispered back. "They just turned away from each other and it don't matter who I try to curl up with, they jerk away. And they ain't said a word since Joey came in."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, they're talking, Logan, you just don't realize it," I replied. "Joey, Alex, you two okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dad, we're just dandy," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Couldn't be better, Dads," Joey muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"If you want to talk about it, we're here, you know that."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever," Joey huffed.</span></p> <p><span>"Night, Dads," Alex grumped.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I still gave all three their hugs, kisses, and I loves yous, but only Logan responded in kind. "We'll be up for a while yet if you need us," I said as we turned out the light, closed the door and returned to the living room to relax for a bit.</span></p> <p><span>"Any idea what that's all about?" Tom asked as we took our seats.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe. Before Joey went to bed, he told me he thinks he's in love with Josh." Tom let go a low whistle of surprise. "Yeah, my thoughts exactly. And as close as Joey and Alex are, I'm hoping there aren't any problems between them. I'm sure they're `discussing' the development right now."</span></p> <p><span>"I bet they are. You really think Alex will have a problem with it?"</span></p> <p><span>"You saw how Joey reacted when Alex even thought about Brent. You think Alex is going to be any calmer or more accepting?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, probably not. So, tell me, what was with the hug from Eric?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that ..." I started, but my thought was interrupted by a head sticking around the corner.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, guys, you might want to come in here, these two are startin' to scare me."</span></p> <p><span>"What's going on, Logan," I asked as we got up.</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't got a clue, but they're punchin' themselves in the face."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I hustled into their room to find the twins sitting up, facing each other and they were truly punching their own faces. I grabbed Joey and Tom snagged Alex. We sat on the edge of the bed holding their arms so they couldn't hurt themselves anymore. Joey's nose was dripping blood and Alex's right eye was starting to swell and both had tears flowing down their faces.</span></p> <p><span>"You two need to stop this right now!" I yelled. "Logan, would you get two cold washcloths from the bathroom, please?" As he zipped to the john, I turned back to the twins and asked, "What do you two think you're doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"He started it," Joey whimpered. "I was just layin' there, tryin' to go to sleep when, from outta nowhere, my hands curls itself into a fist and I punched myself, right in the damn nose."</span></p> <p><span>"You fuckin' deserved it," Alex spat. "In love, my ass! You wouldn't know love if it punched you in the fuckin' nose, you fuckin' traitor."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey!" Tom exclaimed. "That's enough of that kind of talk. Now settle down, both of you."</span></p> <p><span>Logan came back with the cold washcloths I'd asked for and Tom and I took a moment to clean faces up before I continued. "Look, didn't we just talk last week about how you can both love each other and still love someone else?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah," Joey sniffled.</span></p> <p><span>"I guess," Alex agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"And we had that chat because Alex only <i>saw </i>Brent's penis in a bathroom. You both finally agreed you could love each other as brothers still and be able to love someone else, didn't you?" The two grudgingly agreed that to be true. "So why this sudden anger?"</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't think he'd <i>fall in love</i> the next damn week," Alex whined.</span></p> <p><span>"Alex," Tom intoned calmly, "Falling in love isn't something you can really control, it just happens. Look at your dad and me. That's the way it was for the two of us. One day, we didn't know the other existed and the next, BOOM, we're head over heels for each other. That's just the way it goes sometimes."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, but you guys are grown-ups. He's just a stupid kid, what does he know?"</span></p> <p><span>"I know I want to spend time with Josh," Joey answered between his sniffles. "I don't know if it's real love, but I think it is and I want to find out for sure. Hell, Alex, I don't know if he feels the same way, or if he's even gay. But I want to know. And, yeah, I might just be a stupid kid, but so are you sometimes. Makin' me punch my own damn nose. What the hell was that? I didn't even know we could do shit like that."</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't either, until it happened," Alex giggled. "I was just so pissed off that when I thought about doin' it myself, you went and did it to yourself."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, well I hope you like havin' a black eye `cause you freakin' deserved it."</span></p> <p><span>"You're right, bro, I did. I'm sorry. I never meant to really hurt you."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, too, Alex, but give me a chance and see what happens. It may be nothin', it might not work out, but I gotta try. You'll like Josh, he's funnier than hell."</span></p> <p><span>"All right, already, I get it. I don't have to be happy about it, bro, but I get it."</span></p> <p><span>"You two okay, now?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dads, we're cool," they chimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, give each other a hug and crawl in bed, you need to get to sleep."</span></p> <p><span>Both boys jumped off our laps and gave each other a hug and a kiss with Logan finally joining the hug once he was sure he wasn't going to get hit.</span></p> <p><span>"You two scared the crap outta me. Don't you ever do that again."</span></p> <p><span>"We're sorry, Logan," they replied together and then gave him a little kiss on each cheek.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, you three, into bed with ya'," Tom chuckled. They climbed up and curled together as if nothing had happened. We pulled up their covers, shared kisses, goodnights and love yous with all three, again, and left the room.</span></p> <p><span>As we settled back into the living room for a bit, Tom commented, "Crisis temporarily averted. I can't imagine what they'll be like in three to four years when the hormones kick in."</span></p> <p><span>"Hell on wheels, bubba. You ready for the wild ride?" I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"I guess we'll find out together. Now, back to Eric ..."</span></p> <p><span>On the drive home, Eric and Josh were pretty quiet. It seemed like such a good idea at the beginning, but I was beginning to worry that maybe tonight's visit with Max, Tom and their boys wasn't such a great idea after all. I soon discovered my worries were unnecessary because as soon as we got in the house, both started peeling their clothes off as they headed to their rooms. I was surprised and amused to see them dropping their shorts as they walked down the hall, stumbling a bit as they did. Surprised, but happy, also. It looked like my boys were really back to being the sweet and carefree kids they used to be. I was still standing there slightly dumbfounded at the changes in them in the past few hours when they came back out of their rooms.</span></p> <p><span>"What're you lookin' at, old man?" Eric asked. "Ain't never seen a naked kid before?" he laughed as he wiggled his hips causing his soft penis to waggle back and forth.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, I have, just not around here for quite a while. Wasn't sure I'd ever see you guys comfortable and happy again."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, it was all Eric's fault," Josh protested. "If it wasn't for him tryin' to hide his boners from everyone, I'da never started wearin' shorts to begin with."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, you knew why I started wearin shorts all the time?"</span></p> <p><span>"Dude, you were poppin' wood every time I came into the bathroom and you were in the shower. You tried to hide it, but coverin' your crotch with your hands all the time was a pretty big clue what was happenin'. You acted like you were the only dude to ever get a boner."</span></p> <p><span>"That wasn't the only reason, little bro. I also know how much you like to stare at me, and Dad, whenever we're naked. I caught your shorts tented a lot after lookin' at us."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, big deal, I'd get hard, what can I say? And I like to look at naked guys, too. What're you gonna do, sue me?"</span></p> <p><span>Eric suddenly looked back to me and asked, "Well, you gonna get naked, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, yeah, I guess. As long as you guys are okay with it."</span></p> <p><span>"Go ahead, Dad, won't bother us a bit, will it, Josh?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I kinda like it when we're all naked together," he giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay, then, why don't you find something to watch on the tube and I'll be back in a few minutes." I turned to head to my bedroom and get undressed, then used the bathroom before rejoining my sons to watch a little TV. I was still a little worried I was doing the right thing, but I also realized if I wasn't willing to join them, they'd probably go right back to being the moody, clothed kids they had been for the last year or so. And since I didn't want that, I felt I should at least give it a try. As I walked back down the hall and turned for the family room, I was suddenly quite self-conscious about my body. Sure, I was no stranger to it and I really couldn't say my boys were either, but I felt the unbearable urge to cover my crotch as I stepped in to join my sons. Eric was laid out on the couch while Josh was laying on the floor, ass up.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon, Dad, if you're gonna hide behind your hands, you might as well be wearing your damn boxers," Eric cracked when he saw me. "Besides, we already know what you look like. You ain't gonna surprise nobody here."</span></p> <p><span>Josh turned away from the tube and added, "Yeah, Dad, loosen up. It's just us guys here, just like at Joey's house. Who cares?"</span></p> <p><span>"All right, already," I commented as I lifted my hands above my head. "You happy, now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Much better, Dad," Eric replied, giving me a light round of applause.</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet, but I'm getting' there," Josh giggled as he wiggled his ass.</span></p> <p><span>"So, did you guys have fun tonight?" I asked, trying to start a conversation about our experience.</span></p> <p><span>"I know I did," Eric gushed. "That Mr. Sanders is one cool dude. I want to go back some time. You think we can?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max said we were always welcome, so I'm sure we'll do it again."</span></p> <p><span>"I liked it, too, Dad," Josh added. "That was a lot of fun. It's kinda neat knowin' there are others who like to be naked, too."</span></p> <p><span>"It was different," I agreed. "I was much more relaxed after the first few minutes, though. Of course, getting undressed in the same room with Dylan was a rather humbling experience."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he was somethin' else. Really nice guy, though. It sucks one of his guys got killed today."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it does. You could tell how much he's hurtin'." We finally settled in to watch the basketball game the boys had found. About twenty minutes later, Josh rolled over and sat up to look at me. "What is it son?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I need to tell you somethin', Dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, what is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Before you say anything," Eric interrupted, "do you want me here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why not?" Josh asked. "I'm sure dad will tell you later, anyway. Might as well just hear it from me."</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, son, you can tell me anything. Just spit it out."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I've been kinda thinkin' it over for a while, ya' know goin' back and forth over it in my mind, just tryin' to figure some things out, but hangin' with Joey tonight really make me think I am, but I might not be, but hell, I just don't know." He ended his ramblings with a disgusted toss of his hands in the air. "You're not mad at me, are you?"</span></p> <p><span>Eric and I exchanged a confused look and I asked him, "You know what he's talkin' `bout, Eric?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a freakin' clue, Dad," Eric chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Josh, I'm not sure how I feel because I don't know what you're tryin' to say," I replied calmly, leaning forward on my knees, trying to show him I was confused.</span></p> <p><span>He looked at me like I'd suddenly sprouted a horn in the middle of my forehead, not believing I hadn't understood what he was trying tell us. "Geez, do I need to spell it for you?" he asked, exasperation flooding his words. "Okay, I think I'm gay, g � a � y, you got it, now? And as if that ain't enough, I think I'm in love with Joey."</span></p> <p><span>I gave a little chuckle and through my surprise answered, "Yeah, Josh, I got. Why did you think I'd be mad about it?" I took a moment to look at Eric and realized he was speechless at Josh's announcement.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, `cause it ain't normal, is it? But after goin' over to Mr. Sanders' house tonight and hangin' out with Joey and all the others, I guess is ain't so weird after all. It seems most all of them are gay, aren't they?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, Josh, it isn't weird and you're right, most of them are. Can I ask you a few questions, though?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why not, maybe you can help me figure it all out."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do my best. I guess the first question is this, why do you think you might be gay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, this'll probably sound sick to you and him, but whenever I play with my pecker, I ain't thinkin' `bout girls. I'm thinkin' `bout you or Eric, what you look like when you're naked. And now I'll be thinkin' `bout Joey, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, next, have you ever experimented or played around with another boy?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not until tonight, no. The only other one I'm close enough to even think about doing somethin' with is him," Josh answered while pointing to his brother. "But since he's so afraid to be seen with a hardon, I couldn't really ask him about none of this, could I?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I can see how askin' Eric about it would feel odd. But you said not until tonight, what do you mean by that."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure you won't be mad?" After a quick shake of my head, Josh plowed on. "Well, when we were in the pool, Joey and I were hangin' out in a corner by ourselves for a while and we were playin' with each other. Under the water, you know? And it felt really good. It never felt that good doin' it to myself." I nodded my head in agreement but remained silent so he'd continue. "Then when we got out of the pool and took our shower together, well things got really crazy in there."</span></p> <p><span>"What happened in the shower?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, I can't tell you `bout that. You'll beat my ass for bein' a sick pervert."</span></p> <p><span>"Josh, listen to me. I'll never hurt you for being who you are and doing what makes you feel good. I mean that with all my heart. And just to show you I won't think anything you did is wrong or sick, let me tell you both about what I did when I was your ages. I had this group of really close friends and almost every time two or three of us were together, we'd get naked and play with each other's dicks, jerk each other off and even sometimes suck a dick. So, there's absolutely nothin' you could have done that I haven't done, also. Not <i>all</i> boys will do those things with each other, but a lot do. It's just you won't find many who will freely admit to themselves or their sons all the things we've done. I talked quite a bit with Max tonight and he kinda opened my eyes to some realities of life I guess I was afraid to admit were real. That was one of them."</span></p> <p><span>"Really, you've sucked another dude's dick before? That's freakin' cool, Dad. So, yeah, that's what Joey and I did in the shower," he giggled as he carried on. "We sucked each other and <i>that</i> felt so good, I didn't want it to stop. But his dad knocked on the door and interrupted us. And when he came in the bathroom, Joey just opened the shower door and stood there with his hardon stickin' straight out. It blew my mind he'd let his dad see him hard like that."</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, I'm going to tell both of you right now, there's nothing wrong with having an erection or being seen with one. They happen to all of us. It's the most natural thing in the world and there's no reason to be embarrassed about it."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good thing, Dad, `cause talkin' about all this has got me hard as a rock," Josh giggled. As if to prove his point, he stood up and held his arms out wide allowing Eric and I to see his three and half inch hard penis jutting out from his hairless groin. I hadn't seen either one of my sons with an erection since they were babies and now I'd seen them both in that state in one night. And even though I'm as straight as straight can get, I had to admit they were both beautiful boys. At least their mother had done one thing right in her miserable life.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, so we've progressed to show and tell, have we? Okay, here goes nothin'." I stood and mimicked Josh's posture, exposing my stiff seven and a half incher to my sons for the first time ever.</span></p> <p><span>"Wow, Dad, your dick looks really cool when it's hard. It's kinda cute how it curves to the right a little," Josh chuckled. "C'mon, Eric, you next. I wanna see you with wood, too, bro."</span></p> <p><span>Eric sorta shook himself out of his silent stupor and reengaged with Josh and me. "Oh, what the hell," he said as he stood and assumed the position.</span></p> <p><span>"Ohmigod, dude, your pecker is so sweet! I didn't look too close at you at Joey's house, I was too interested in him. You've grown a lot since the last time we took a bath together, and you got hair, too. That is so fuckin' cool." Josh exclaimed. "Can I touch it, ple-e-e-ease," he whined.</span></p> <p><span>"Hang on there, Josh. Before anything like that happens, there need to be some ground rules laid out for you. Both of you come over here and sit down." I waited until all three of us were sitting on the couch before carrying on. "Okay, this is something Max told me about and it makes sense to me so here's what we're going to do in this house from now on. I had sex play with my friends when I was your age and I know both of you will do the same damn things, so it's unrealistic of me to expect you not to. I just want us all to be open and honest about it, okay." After nods from both I continued.</span></p> <p><span>"You can do whatever you want with or to each other as long as you follow these conditions. One, any sex play between you happens in your bedrooms with the door closed. I may know what's going on, but that doesn't mean I want to watch it. Two, whatever, uh, `activities' you engage in, you both have to agree to it. If one of you says <i>no</i>, that's it, game over. Three, if you have questions about anything you want to try, please come ask me <i>before</i> you do it. I'd rather answer a few questions here and there than have you guys hurt each other. Fourth, whatever you do together does <i>not</i> get discussed outside this house. If word gets out I'm letting you two do this shit, you're gonna get taken away and I'm gonna go to jail. Fifth, and last, you will <i>never</i> force the other to do anything they don't want to do. If I ever hear about force being used, I'll cut you off."</span></p> <p><span>"Gulp, you mean like cut off our dicks?" Josh asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely not, Josh. Just no more sex play."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, thank God. You scared the crap outta me. I don't wanna lose my dick."</span></p> <p><span>"And I don't want to lose you two. So, do you think you both can agree to those conditions?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dad, I can," Eric replied. "What about you Josh?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm in if you are. I've wanted to play with your dick for years."</span></p> <p><span>"What about you, Dad? Are you gonna follow the same rules?" Eric asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't expect to be involved in your activities, but, on the off chance you talk me into it, then yes, I follow the same rules."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, we got a deal, then?"</span></p> <p><span>"Deal, boys. Let's shake on it." We all three shook hands and the deal was sealed. When Josh pulled his hand out of my grip, he let drop into my lap and ran it along the length of my still erect shaft, from pubic hair to the very tip, where he lightly cupped my glans with his hand. I shuddered in delight at the feel of another hand on my cock, but I knew I couldn't let that happen. I gently removed his hand from my member and calmly said, "Sorry, son, that's off-limits."</span></p> <p><span>He promptly turned to Eric and asked, "What about you, dude, is yours off-limits too?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hell no, now that I'm hard again, I gotta get off or it'll never go soft." </span></p> <p><span>Josh wasted no time in wrapping his hand around Eric's shaft and asking, "Then what are we waiting for, dude, let's go." Josh stood and Eric followed his lead since his cock was still tightly wrapped up in his little brother's hand.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, I have one more thing I want to ask Josh. Come back and sit down, please," I requested. They stopped and returned to the couch where they sat back down. Josh maintained his grip on Eric's stiff penis the entire time and I had to admit to myself it was kind of cool to see the closeness my boys were recovering. "Right after you told us you think you're gay, you added that you think you're in love with Joey. What makes you think that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know how to describe it, Dad. I just feel something special with him I ain't never felt before, a kind of connection between us. I love both you and Eric, but it's a different feeling with you two than it is with Joey."</span></p> <p><span>"Did you ask him if he felt the same way about you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hell no! I mean, how the hell do you ask another a guy if he loves you?"</span></p> <p><span>"You just have to screw up your courage and do it, just like I did years ago with your mom." I noticed surprise light up their eyes at that statement. "Oh, don't look so shocked, boys. Despite where we are today, at one time your mom I loved each other very much. If we didn't, you two wouldn't be here right now. Now, back to Joey. I'm guessing you'd like to spend more time with him, see if he feels the same way."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, you have no idea."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let me talk to Max and see what we can work out, okay. I want you to think about one thing, though, Josh. How do you think his brother, Alex, will feel about you? Do you think he'll accept you or will you cause problems between them?"</span></p> <p><span>"How should I know how Alex feels? I just want to find out if I'm right about Joey. If I am, then together we can figure out Alex. Does that make sense?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah I guess it does. Okay, let me see what we can do. You two go have some fun," I added with a grin, flashing back to myself at their ages, knowing full well the fun they were going to have.</span></p> <p><span>I sat and watched as the two disappeared down the hallway and made the left turn into Josh's bedroom. God, what have I done? I returned my attention to the stupid basketball game, but I couldn't keep my mind off what was going on down the hallway. As I listened to mindless drivel of the announcers leaking out of the boob tube, I couldn't help but hear the very distinct sounds of intense pleasure drifting down the hall and assaulting my ears. Without thinking, I let my right hand drop into my lap and began to mindlessly fondle my hardness.</span></p> <p><span>I lasted about five minutes before I couldn't take it any longer, turned off the TV and headed to my own room to deal with my hard situation. A strange thing happened on the way, though, and I ended standing outside my youngest son's room. With little hesitation on my part, I pushed the door open and asked, "You guys got room for one more in here?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet dad!" Eric exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Damn it, Max, you have to quit doing that shit," Tom vented.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know. But look, Rick was right there the whole time. Eric was begging for something, anything to ease his pain. And trust me, he <i>was</i> experiencing pain, I could see it in his eyes. You know how it feels when you've been hard forever and can't achieve a release. The pressure keeps building and it starts to hurt. I felt I <i>had</i> to help him out because his dad sure as hell wasn't."</span></p> <p><span>"That's not what I'm talking about, babe. Just once, I wish you'd let <i>me</i> help a kid out," Tom grinned.</span></p> <p><span>I couldn't help but laugh. "All right big guy, I promise, next one is all yours."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you. Nice of you to share."</span></p> <p><span>"I know a guy you could help out right now." I spread my legs wide to expose my erection and added, "He's starting to feel some pain, too, and wouldn't mind a helping hand. Or mouth. Or ass, even."</span></p> <p><span>Tom's grin split his face and he retorted with a husky voice, "Come with me, little boy." He then held out his hand, helped me up from my chair and led me to the bedroom where I did, indeed, come with him. Three glorious, mind-blowing, draining times.</span></p> <p><span>Just a quick note on the `cryin' in my pretzels' line. Everybody's heard about `cryin' in your beer' when you're down in the dumps and feeling sorry for yourself. Well, I hate that particular saying since I don't drink, but my replacement actually comes from a song by Neil Diamond, who I've listened to for at least 45 of my 55 years and seen 7 or 8 times in concert. If you'd like to hear the song, you can find it on YouTube here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1X5Wvl2_2Q">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1X5Wvl2_2Q</a>.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-60.html

Building a Family 60 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 60 � Mysterious Malcom Returns After sleeping longer than I should have thanks to some interesting late-night activities, I struggled out of bed to rouse the boys and get everyone headed in the right direction for another day. I stopped in Alex, Joey and Logan's room first to find all three still curled together. After shaking shoulders to wake them up, I asked Alex, "You guys okay this morning?" "Yeah, dad, we're good. Joey and I talked it out." "Good, I'm glad to hear it. We're going to have a chat tonight about this new development, though." "No, Dad, really, I'm cool if he wants to spend more time with Josh," Alex protested. "Not about Josh, about the hitting thing. That's not cool." "Oh, that." "But that's for later. Right now, you all need to get your butts moving. Breakfast in ten." I moved on to wake the other three and found them strewn across the bed. After a bit of shaking to roust them, T.J. greeted me with, "Mornin', Dad. How ya' doin'?" "Just dandy, young, man. Ready for another fun-filled day of school?" "Not really. I wish we could just do school at home." "Yeah, me, too," Mike added. "Well, don't hold your breath for that to happen. C'mon, you three, time to get movin'. Breakfast in ten minutes." "We'll be there," Andy replied as I turned and left the room to go get Tom moving. As I crossed the threshold into our room, I was surprised to find the bed empty. "Yo! Big guy, where' you at?" I yelled. "In the bathroom, where the hell you think I am?" I popped my head in the door and sighed, "Phew, thought you ran out on me after last night's excitement." "Not a chance, babe. I wouldn't miss this for all the tea in China," he replied while drying his hands. "Good. Let's go feed some boys." We made for the kitchen and found six boys waiting patiently for food to appear from out of nowhere. Since we were running a little later than normal, we settled for cereal and toast this morning. As the boys finished up, they rinsed their bowls and dropped them in the dishwasher before returning to their rooms to get dressed and ready for the day. When they were all ready to roll, I got them loaded up in the Flex and made the trip to the end of the drive so they could wait for the bus. After receiving a hug from each, I reminded them to learn something new today and headed back to the house. Coming back in the house, I heard Tom saying, "Really? Max had a similar chat with Joey last night." Wondering who he could be talking to, I sat next to him and mouthed, `who'. "Hang on, Rick, he just walked back in. Let me put you on the speaker so he can hear this, too." After Tom punched the button, I said, "Morning, Rick. How ya' doin'?" "I'm great Max. I was just telling Tom about the chat I had with the boys last night after we got home." "Yeah, what about?" "Several things, but I think the most interesting was when Josh told Eric and me he thinks he's gay and he also thinks he's in love with Joey." "Joey said the same thing about Josh to me. You okay with that, Rick?" "Well, yeah, I suppose so. I'm just not sure how to handle it, guys. I mean, Eric hasn't even mentioned the possibility of having a girlfriend yet, and now his younger brother says he's in love. How the hell does this happen?" "Ha! Joey asked me the same question last night. And like I told him, it just happens. So, what do you think we should do?" "I guess we need to figure out how the two can spend more time together and see what happens," Rick answered. "You got any ideas on that?" "Well, before you left last night, Joey asked if Josh could spend the night, but I put him off since it was a school night. We normally wouldn't have a problem with having a friend spend the night, but we're a little short on beds right now because we're having some rooms redone." "Well, I guess Joey could come over here some night. We've got plenty of room, though we don't have a pool or anything like what you've got over there." "We're having some guests Saturday night that I want Joey here for, but if it's okay with you, what would you think about Joey coming over there tomorrow night if you're not working?" "No, I'm off all day and night tomorrow, so that should work out just fine. Let me talk to the boys tonight after I get home and I'll see what they think. I'm sure Josh will love it, but I want to make sure Eric's cool with it, too." "Sounds good, Rick," Tom replied. "We'll talk to Joey tonight, too. No doubt he'll love the idea. Is it okay if Joey calls Josh tonight?" "Sure. Why don't we do that, say, around seven or so? That'll give me a chance to talk to the boys beforehand." "That sounds perfect, Rick," I replied. "So how were Josh and Eric after you got home?" "Extremely comfortable. But, so was I. Let's just say it was an interesting evening and leave it at that." We chuckled and Tom replied, "The first of many interesting nights to come, Rick." "No doubt about that. I can't thank you guys enough for your help. We haven't been this happy around here for quite a while and I look forward to whatever happens next." "Happy to help, Rick. Remember, you're all welcome here any time." "Well, look, I gotta get my ass to work. Talk to you later." After disconnecting the call, we looked at each and started laughing. When we'd finally regained a modicum of control, Tom commented, "Ah, young love. It keeps the world turning." "That it does. So, any big plans today?" "Not really, what about you?" "First thing I have to do is take a shower and get this freakin' hair off my body. It's starting to drive me crazy. Think I could talk you into taking care of my back for me?" "Yeah, I could use a shower, too, so why not? It'll give you a chance to do something you've been dying to do to me, anyway." "Really? What might that be?" "I've been thinkin' about it and I think I'm due for a serious trimming." My eyes lit up at the prospect and he saw it. "Now, don't be getting any wild ideas there, bucko. I'm still not ready for a full body shave like yours, but I think a little trimming in, uh, certain select areas would make you happy, wouldn't it?" "Oh my, yes, it certainly would. And I'd love to be the one to help. It really can be quite erotic." "That remains to be seen, but I'm willing to find out. Let's go fire up the clippers, master barber." I took Tom's hand and led him to our bathroom. After I got undressed, I rummaged in the bathroom cabinet to get the tools I needed to do a little manscpaing on my lover. "So, how short do you want to go," I asked. "I think about a quarter inch." "You sure about that," I asked. "That's gonna be quite a change from the unruly patch you're currently sporting. Why don't we start with leaving a half-inch and if you want to go shorter, we can?" "You're the pro, if that's what you think, then go for it. I offer you my body as a canvas for your artistry." "This is gonna be so much fun," I giggled as I rubbed my hands together. "Be right back. I need to grab a chair so I don't kill my knees on this tile." I zipped to the kitchen and quickly returned with my chair. "I thought we'd do this in the shower," Tom commented when I came back. "The shaving part, yeah, but not the clippers, ya' bonehead. They're electric. Besides, I don't want to clog up any drains," I laughed. "Ha, very funny, smart ass. So, what do you want me to do?" "Just stand there, or you can lean against the sink counter if you want." He grabbed a towel from the rack, laid it over the sharp edge of the counter and then leaned against it. Once he was in position, I moved my chair closer and got comfortable for my task. I caught a noticeable full-body flinch from Tom when I turned on the clippers. I peeled my eyes away from his crotch, looked up to his face and asked, "You sure about this? It's not too late to chicken out." "Oh, just do it already, would ya'?" "Your wish is my command, sahib." No more words were exchanged as I placed the clippers just below his waist and made the first run through his gnarly pubic hair to the base of his penis, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Hair was dropping to the floor as if an avalanche were happening. I continued my work and the more I manipulated his heavy cock and balls to reach various creases and hidden places, the harder he got, as did I. After just a few minutes of the most pleasurable labor I'd done in a while, I sat back, admired my work for just a moment, then said, "Okay, check it out in the mirror, see what you think." He turned and looked down to see the difference. "Wow! That's lookin' pretty cool, but I think you should go shorter." "You sure?" I asked. After a quick nod, I swapped clipper guards to the quarter-inch piece. Once Tom was resettled against the sink counter, I flipped the clippers on again and got back to work. Since his hard, dripping cock was in my face and blocking my view a bit, I took the only logical step to get it out of my way and slipped it into my mouth. Tom inhaled deeply and planted his hands on the counter behind him to keep from sliding down to the floor as I engulfed his mushroom head. Now that it was no longer obstructing my view, I was able to easily continue my trimming from his waist down, Tom moaning in pleasure the entire time. Whether it was his cock in my mouth, the vibrations of the clippers or a combination of the two that caused his lustful moans, I couldn't be sure. When I finished the area above his hardness, I released it from my mouth, flipped it up against his pubic mound and said, "Here, hold this thing out my way, would ya'?" "This thing is my dick, dammit," he complained with a whine of loss. "Yeah, I know, but right now it's just in the way," I giggled. He grudgingly followed my instructions and I was able to keep trimming underneath the prodigious appendage. As I started to work on his scrotum again, he spread his legs wider to give me easier access. Once I had gone over the entire area with the shorter guard, I shut off the clippers and had him review his new appearance in the mirror, again. "Close, but not close enough. I don't want you to be using my hair for dental floss," he grinned. He turned back to face me, planted his sweet ass back on the counter and added, "Once more, with feeling this time." Not wanting to argue the point, I happily swapped to the sixteenth of an inch guard and repeated the same process I'd used the last time. By the time I was ready to complete the trimming to his scrotum, poor Tom was about to pop his load and I could feel him trying to restrain himself from losing it. In an effort to calm things down, I made short work of his sack, then had him check his new appearance one more time. "Now, that's what I'm talkin' about. Seein' all you hairless fuckers around here made me feel out of place. I think I'll fit in a little better, now." "Any other spots else you'd like trimmed, sir?" I politely asked. His answer was evident as he promptly bent over the sink counter, grabbed an ass cheek with each hand and spread them wide open. I accepted the challenge and returned to my task. A few short minutes later, Tom's crevice was practically devoid of hair. What little remained would be dealt with in the shower with the trusty razor. I gave him a quick smack on this ass to let him know I was done. When he turned around to face me again, his cock was still hard and dripping. He took a step forward and I let it slide into my waiting mouth. Having had considerable practice of late, he kept feeding me until my nose was buried in his almost bare pubic mound. As I accepted my tube steak snack, I reached between his legs and began to finger his asshole. I'd barely gotten my finger slipped inside him when I felt the first pulse of semen flood my throat as Tom groaned in ecstasy. When he finished unloading the contents of his balls into my throat and mouth, he stepped back, taking his cock with him, and leaned against the counter again. "Oh, my god, you weren't kidding when you said a shave could be erotic." I grinned up at him as he recovered his legs and laughed, "Happy to be of service. That'll be fifty bucks, please." "Fifty!? That's pretty damn steep for a freaking haircut, even if you are a pro." "Oh, the haircut's only ten bucks. The other forty is for the happy ending," I laughed. "And worth every damn dime. Put it on my tab, won't you?" "Oh, no you don't. No tabs around here. You get to pay up right now." After laying the clippers on the counter, I grabbed the razor and shaving soap and headed for the shower. "C'mon, big guy, time to pay your debt," I whispered seductively as I wiggled my finger for him to follow me into the shower. Once we had gotten wet, I handed Tom the razor and soap, then presented him with my back. He took the hint, lathered me up and proceeded to remove the hair on my back. Once he was done with my back, I leaned over on the bench so he could take care of my lower backside also. He was a trooper and didn't hesitate to clean me up. I sensed some nervousness as he worked around my wrinkled pucker, but since I wasn't bleeding profusely when he was done, I'd have to give him an `A' grade. When he was done, he handed me the razor and bent over so I could complete my work around his tight hole. That task completed, I proceeded to shave the rest of my body. The normally routine job was made much more difficult than normal as my lover was orally attacking my hardness. At one inopportune moment, I almost slashed my wrist as he inserted a finger into my newly shaved asshole. Thank man's intelligence for creating safety razors. After finishing with my upper body, I planted a foot on the bench so I could start taking care of my legs. Just as I started the first stroke on my right thigh, Tom, slipped his tongue into my hole. I damn near put my head through the glass block wall in surprise, but, again, managed to avoid any serious injury. He continued to stroke my cock, fondle my balls and play with my sphincter while I tried to finish my shave without maiming myself. When I was finally done with my legs and had placed the razor in a safe location, Tom sat me down on the bench, then proceeded to sit in my lap, impaling himself with my cock. When he'd settled his ass on my hips, he started to clench and release his sphincter. He then took my sack in both hands and began to gently tug and massage the orbs within. With the stimulation I'd already received and his current actions on two separate fronts, I was ready for release all too soon. Tom continued his anal and scrotal manipulations as I coated his insides with my offering. With our sexual appetites temporarily sated, we sat on the bench to recover for a moment before turning off the shower and stepping out to dry off. We both had rather goofy but happy grins filling our faces. I broke the mood, somewhat, when I cracked, "Geez, would you look at that? It looks like I shaved a damn poodle in here. You better grab the vacuum so we can clean this nasty mess up." "Don't look at me," Tom retorted, "A barber always cleans up after himself," he added with a laugh. Dodging the punch I'd aimed at his shoulder, he acquiesced, "All right, all right, I'll be right back." While he retrieved the vacuum, I got the rest of my tools cleaned up and put away. Once the mess was taken care of and vacuum put back away, it was time to figure out what was next on our schedule. I decided to follow Tom's and Dr. Schaid's advice and start writing about how I felt about the abuse I'd had forced on me. I intended to spend maybe twenty or thirty minutes on it and was surprised to be still pounding away on the keyboard two hours later when Tom popped in to find out what I wanted to eat for lunch. After telling him a wiener sounded good to me, he disappeared and I saved what I'd written, shocked to see I'd created twenty-three pages of who knows what. I was gonna have to go back and read it all to see what I'd said. Upon arriving in the kitchen to help with lunch, I noticed Tom had misunderstood my request and had hot dogs on the griddle. Well, damn, next time, I'll have to be more specific, I guess. After we cleaned up our lunch mess, I suggested we call Malcom to make sure he was still coming for supper Saturday night. Tom agreed and placed the call. "Yo, speak to me," Malcom answered. "Malcom, Tom and Max, here. How ya' doin'?" "Great, man, how're you guys?" "Just fine. Hey, we're just callin' to make sure you're still planning on coming down Saturday afternoon. We're really looking forward to meeting you." "Oh, you bet, man. I wouldn't pass this dinner up for nothin'. Dylan is gonna be there, isn't he?" "Sure is. He just doesn't know you're gonna be here, too." "Cool. It'll be the freakin' surprise of his life. What time you want me there?" "We told Dylan six, but we were thinking you probably ought to be here about five, if that works for you?" "Perfect, Tom. I've been looking forward to it. I'll see you guys Saturday afternoon, then. Thanks for calling, man." "Be careful out there, Malcom. We'll see ya' Saturday." After ending the call, I said to Tom, "You should probably call Bob, the furniture guy." "Why?" "Well, if Dylan's going to be working with you, don't you think he deserves to have his own desk and whatever?" "Well, shit, I hadn't thought about that." "Ha, and everybody thinks my brain is whacked out," I laughed. "Well, it kinda is, babe, so don't be gloating too much." "Thanks, smart-ass. Love you, too. Make your damn call." After talking to Bob for fifteen minutes, Tom hung up the phone and said, "Done, mister smarty-pants. Any other bright ideas you'd care to share?" "Why don't we check on Dylan, see how he's doing. We can make sure he's still planning on being here for dinner Saturday, too?" "Good idea. He seemed better when he left last night, but I'm still worried about him." He punched the speaker button and dialed his old station. "Sangamon County Sherriff's, this is Kelly. How may I direct your call?" "Hey, Kelly, it's Tom. What's the mood in there today?" "Pretty grim, Tom. We're all pretty shook up, and not just about Barry. Sarge turnin' in his resignation is freaking people out, too." "I don't doubt it. Dylan was here last night. He was pretty down about it all, too. How's he doin'?" "Moping would be the best word to describe him, I guess. Not that all of us aren't with him on that, but he's really feelin' it, I can tell." "Hey, before I talk to Sarge, I wanted to ask about Frank Mueller. How is he recovering from his wife's attack?" "Not well, Tom, not well at all. He got taken to the hospital this morning and from what I've heard, it ain't pretty. Sounds like he's going to lose both testicles." I couldn't help but give a silent cheer and pump my fist in elation after hearing that little tidbit of news. Thank you, Iris, for doing for me what I've wanted to do for twenty years. You might be a sick and twisted fuckin' bitch, but you came through with flying colors, just like I hoped you would. "Well, don't be feelin' too sorry for him, Kelly. If anybody ever earned that punishment, it's him." "Hey, before I transfer you to Dylan, I gotta ask, is what I read in the paper true? Was it really your Max the Muellers abused?" "Yeah, Kelly, it was me," I answered. "Oh, Max," she said with surprise in her voice, "I didn't know you were there, too. I'm so sorry for prying into your business." "It's all right, Kelly. Don't worry about it." "Well, thanks. Look, I'm sorry you had to go through that nightmare, but I gotta tell you this." She dropped her voice to a whisper and continued, "I hope the doctor's hand slips and he cut's off that sick bastard's dick when he chops off his balls." "I'm with ya' on that, Kelly," I agreed after laughing at her wish. "Okay, that's enough from me, let me get Sarge for you. Talk to you guys later." After a short pause, Dylan picked up the call. "Speak to me, Tom. What's the good news?" "Max and I are just callin' to see how you're doin'. We're worried about you." "Well, we've all had better days around here, that's for damn sure, but we'll get through it by supporting each other, just like we always do. I know I said it last night, but I want to say thanks, again, for letting me hang out even though you had other plans. That really means a lot to me." "Well, Dylan, you're part of the family, now. We weren't going to let you be alone last night." "So, please tell me you called for some other reason besides to check on my sorry ass." "Actually, we did. We want to make sure our plans for dinner Saturday night are still on. It just wouldn't do for us to fix dinner and have our guest be a no-show." "Oh, no, I'll be there. I don't pass up a free steak for anything. I just hope y'all know how to cook. I'd hate to show up with an appetite, only to find a hunk of charcoal on my plate." "Very funny, Dylan," I retorted. "I'll have you know I was trained by Chef Gordon Ramsey." "You're kiddin' me!" Dylan exclaimed. "Of course I am, you big goof. I've barely left my property in the last fifteen years. When the hell could I have met him, let alone have had time for him to teach me how to cook? But I promise, you, I'm a fair cook and I won't put charcoal on your plate." After a quick chuckle, Dylan answered, "You had me goin' there. Well, look, I gotta go do some real work, so I'm gonna let you guys go..." "Wait, Dylan," Tom interrupted. "I know it may be early, but do you have word on arrangements for Barry's funeral or memorial." "Oh, yeah, thanks for reminding me. Helen has scheduled his service for Sunday afternoon at two with a visitation starting at noon. The service will be at Saint Aloysius on Sangamon Avenue, and the burial will be at Oak Ridge Cemetery following the service. The whole department, along with the city's force, will be there except for the minimum to maintain patrols and handle calls for a couple of hours." "Thanks for the info, boss, I'll be there." "He means we'll be there, Dylan," I corrected Tom. "How's is Barry's wife doing? Is she gonna be okay with the kids and all?" "She's holding up pretty well considering the circumstances. Of course, discovering Barry had a two-million-dollar life insurance policy she didn't know about certainly eased her mind. Between that, the county's policy and Barry's pension, she shouldn't have to worry about where their next meal is coming from." "That's good news for her, boss," Tom replied. "I'm glad she won't have to worry about the future." "Okay, I really gotta go, Kelly's about to break down my door. See you guys Saturday at six." "Well, he sounded a little better than he did last night," I commented. "Yeah, but he's still hurting. Interesting Barry had that second life policy. Most guys only have the one the county takes out for them. It's almost like he knew something bad was gonna happen someday." "If he hadn't, I was going to create a college scholarship fund for his kids. I'm glad Barry had planned ahead. That reminds me, I need to call James." "About what?" "Updating my will and making sure the boys' educations are provided for." "Don't you think it's a little early to do all that? What if the adoptions fall through or something else weird happens?" "You mean like us not getting married? Please don't think like that. No negatives, Tom, only positives. I can't deal with any negatives right now, all right? We're getting married and the adoptions are going to happen. End of story." "Yes, boss, whatever you say." I made the call to James, but Rose told me he was in court this afternoon and he'd have to call me back tomorrow. After finishing that call, I decided I needed to make one more call today that I'd been putting off all week, mom and dad. I needed to talk to them to see how they were dealing with Warren's suicide. "Hey, dad, how are you and mom doing?" "We're okay, Max. I knew you'd be calling at some point to check on us." "Well, yeah, since it's kinda my fault Warren killed himself, I want to make sure you're both okay." "No, son, it isn't. It's his own fault, just like it was mine. If he couldn't face his own demons and accept responsibility for what was going on in the church, then that's his problem, his decision and nobody else's." "Yeah, I know, that's what Tom keeps telling me. I don't know if I really believe it just yet." "Let me tell ya' somethin', my boy, that Tom is one smart cookie. I think you probably ought to keep him around for a long time." "I plan to, Dad, thanks. Any idea when Warren's funeral is going to happen?" "It happened this morning. Your mom and I didn't go. It just didn't feel like we should be there, considering everything that's happened." "How's his wife and daughter doing?" "They're putting on a strong act, but I know they're both shocked and miserable. We dropped off a pie for them yesterday and visited for a bit, but they weren't letting much of their real feelings show." "I'm sorry for their loss." "That's life, son, easy come, easy go. But can I ask you something?" "Sure, go ahead." "We talked to your sister last night and she hinted you might know some things the news doesn't. What I want to know is this; was Warren one of them?" "I don't know for sure, but from what we've heard, he had a key to that office and the filing cabinets on his keyring. I can't see him having those if he wasn't in on it." "Do you have any idea how many kids were victimized besides yourself?" "Over 3,000, dad. And everything's been turned over to the FBI to track them down." "Christ, what were those people thinking?" "You're asking me?" I asked, incredulous with disbelief. "I'm the last damn person who could answer that question," I responded with a bit more vehemence than I intended. "Don't you get testy with me, boy. You're not too big for me to bend over my knee and give you a what for." "I know, I'm sorry, Dad. I don't mean to take it out on you. Look, if you really want to know what they were thinking, why don't you go down to the jail and ask some of them? They might actually talk to you. I'm sure Frank would love to say hi for old time's sake. Oh, wait, he's not at the jail right now." "Why not. They wouldn't let him go, would they?" "Oh, no, he's at the hospital for some minor surgery. Seems he's losing his balls." "WHAT!?" "Um, he and Iris had a little disagreement after I talked to them on Tuesday. Seems she did some pretty serious damage to his family jewels, so they're getting removed today." "Hee-hee," Dad giggled. "Well, hell, I woulda done that for them, right here in my garage. And free of charge, too. I'm sure I could have found a rusty saw and pair of pliers around here somewhere," he laughed aloud. "I could have stopped any bleeding with my handy-dandy soldering iron, too. Wait, back up a second, you actually went and talked to those two?" "Oh, yeah, we haven't talked since then. I needed to confront them, try and make sense of all of it. Got a beautiful recording of them admitting what they did. Turned it right over to the cops. Those two will never be free again." "Good for you, son. I'm glad you stood up to them. That took some serious cojones and I'm proud of you." "You should have seen their faces when I pulled out my phone and stopped recording. I thought they were gonna shit themselves after what they'd said." "Maybe I will go see some old friends, see what I can find out. You're right, some of them may just talk to me." "Well, I got all I needed from them, they're all yours now. Look, if you and mom need anything, let us know, all right?" "We're fine, Max. You take care of yourself. And Tom and the boys, too. Love all you guys. We'll talk to you later." "Bye, Dad. Tell Mom we say hi and we love both of you." After hanging up the phone again, I asked, "Okay, anyone else we needed to call?" "Not that I can think of," Tom answered. "Good, I'm gonna go take a nap. Somebody kept me awake way too late last night." "Hey! I didn't hear you complaining a bit so don't be tryin' to make me feel guilty about it." "I'm not complaining now, either, hon. I'm just sayin' I need a little more sleep. You wanna join me?" "Not this afternoon, babe. I'm too wound up." "Okay, your loss. If I'm not up when the boys get home, come get me, will you?" "Somebody will, for sure." I closed the bedroom door and after laying down, pulled just the sheet over me and curled up, hoping to catch up on some much-needed shut-eye. After Max went to lay down, instead of picking up my book to continue reading, I called Carol. "Carol Ward, how can I help you?" "Afternoon, Carol, Tom here. How ya' doin'?" "Just another day in paradise, Tom. I'm glad you called. I've wanted to call you guys today, anyway." "Good news, I hope." "Double good news, actually. First, we've finally finished comparing our files to the list of names from Alex and Joey. We had a total of seven names match children who had been placed with the Muellers over the years, but after I personally contacted each one of them, they all denied having ever been abused by them. In fact, all seven are happily married and have kids of their own now." "That's good to hear, Carol. I'll make sure to tell Max when he wakes up." "He not feeling well?" "Oh, no, nothing like that. We were just up a little later than normal, that's all." "TMI, Tom," she chuckled. "Now the other good news I'd hoped to share with both of you at the same time, but since I don't want to disturb Sleeping Beauty, I'll leave it up to you to pass it on. The first part is Andy's mother has finally seen the writing on the wall and agreed to sign away her parental rights, so he's now available for adoption. You know anyone who would be interested in giving the little ragamuffin a good home?" "That's great news, Carol! You know he's already got a home here, so quit teasing me. Max will love it and so will all the boys. Andy's fit in so well with the others, I can't imagine what it would be like around here if he suddenly left us. You got any more good news you want to drop on me?" "One more, little tidbit. It might be good, it might not. You and Max will be the final judge. I've managed to do some finagling of certain events and have a date for all five boys' adoptions to take place on the same day." "Ohmigod, that's great. What's the date?" "Well, I hope this won't be a problem with you two, but since I know when and where a certain judge will be, along with all the other people involved, they're gonna happen May seventeenth, right after your wedding." I lost my voice and had no response that could adequately convey how I truly felt about Carol's announcement. After several long moments of silence on my part, Carol asked, "Tom, you okay?" "Yeah, Carol, fine. Stunned would be a good word to use, too. How the hell did you work that out?" "Well, I knew Judge Corgan was going to handle the court appearances for the adoptions. I also found out from him that he's going to officiate your wedding. So, we put two and two together and got seven. Good, huh?" "Oh, man, Max will be so happy. We all will be. The boys have been begging to be involved in the wedding somehow, but since our parents are doing most of the planning, we don't know what they've come up with. We'll have to let them know about this so they can maybe adjust their plans a bit. I don't know how we can ever repay you for making this happen." "I'm glad we were able to get everything lined up. Consider it our wedding gift to all of you." "Though this is totally inadequate, thank you, Carol, from the bottom of our hearts. You've made us the two happiest men on earth today." "Happy to do it. Now, you called me. What did you want?" "Huh? Oh, yeah, I lost my train of thought. Um, first, I don't know if you've heard the news yet, but Dylan is resigning from the force. He's going to come work with me." "Wow! I never dreamed he'd leave the department. What brought that about?" "Well, he'd been thinking about it for a while, but one of the other guys got killed yesterday and that just iced it for him." "Oh, my, I didn't know that. How's Dylan doing?" "Broken up, like you'd expect, but he's strong and we'll help him get through it." "What's the second thing you wanted to tell me?" "Max has gotten this crazy idea in his head. He wants us to build a bigger house so we have the room to take in more kids that need help. Not to adopt them, but to be, I guess, a foster family for them until they can find different arrangements or be adopted by someone else. Can you believe that?" "Sure, I can. Sounds like the guy who's already agreed to adopt five kids in need. It doesn't surprise me one bit he wants to help more. What can I do to help make that dream become a reality?" "Nothing, I want you to talk him out of it. At least for a while. If that's what he wants, I'm all for it, but I want him to work with his counselor some more and have his mind straighter before we jump off the deep end." "Tom, Tom, Tom, when will you ever learn? Max is gay, his brain can never be straight," she laughed. "You know what I mean." "Yeah, I do. Just tryin' to be funny. Look, I can't talk to him about holding off. We have a definite space crunch with beds in this part of the state. The more we have and the sooner we have them, the better off we'll be. In fact, I could probably arrange a little funding to flow his way to help make it happen even faster." "You're a whole heap of help there, Carol. Thanks for nothin'." "I've already done my good deed for the day. It's your turn to do yours. Support Max and help him make it happen." "All right. Thanks for the news. It really will make our day. Talk to you later." I hung up the phone and sat in stunned silence for several minutes as I wrapped my brain around Carol's news. When I thought I had myself back under control, I picked up my book to continue reading, but the tears flooding my eyes and flowing down my cheeks were screwing up my focus. I finally gave up, put the book back on the table and just sat there, numb with shock and sobbing with joy at how our dreams were starting to come true. I was sorely tempted to wake Max now and tell him, but decided to let him sleep and tell everyone when the boys were home. I finally got a grip on myself and was able to clear my eyes enough to resume reading. Fifteen minutes before the boys should be home, I crept into the bedroom to pull on some sweats and a shirt so I'd be ready to go pick them up once they announced they were home. Max was sprawled out on his back, sheet and cover kicked off, erect penis bouncing freely in time to his heartbeat. Just before I left the room, I lightly ran the tip of a finger from the back of his scrotum to the very tip of his glans. I could see his body quiver as the sensation of my light touch added to whatever dream he was already having. With a grin on my face, I left him alone again to await the three dings from the drive sensor. I'd barely sat back down when I heard the boys signal. I levered myself back out of my chair, grabbed my coat and headed out to the garage. When I reached the end of the drive, the boys ran for the car and hopped in. As had become the norm for them, as soon as the car doors were closed, clothes started flying as they began to get undressed. By the time I'd pulled into the garage, all six were again comfortable in their skin and their clothes bundled for the trip into the house. "Okay, guys, Max is taking a nap. Joey, Alex, once you've dropped your things in your room, why don't you two go wake him up. The rest of us will wait in the living room for the three of you to join us. I have some good news to share with all of you." "You got it, Pops," Alex replied as we entered the house and the boys split up to their separate rooms. "C'mon, dude, this'll be fun gettin' to wake up Dad for once," Joey enthused as we moved down the hall to his bedroom "We gonna tickle him?" I asked. "I sure am, but not where you think." "We gotta be quiet and not wake him too fast." "Gotcha, stealth mode engaged." As we stood outside dad's bedroom door, Joey's thought popped in my head, "You ready?" "Oh, yeah, open the door, J." Joey quietly turned the knob, pushed the door and allowed it to swing just wide enough so we could creep in. I closed the door just as quietly and after turning around, found Joey standing stock still as he stared at the lone figure stretched out on the bed. There was Dad, sleeping peacefully, in all his naked glory. His hard pecker was pointing towards his chin and jumping sporadically as if dancing to some unheard music with a very weird beat. I really liked that he shaved `cause I never did much like to look at other dicks surrounded by all that nasty curly hair. It always hid too much and I wanted to see the whole glorious package. "Holy shit, would you look at that?" Joey thought. "All primed and ready for some fun." "He must be having one hell of a dream," I silently agreed. We tiptoed to the bed and carefully climbed up on the mattress, Joey moved to Dad's right side while I stayed on his left. "I've wanted to touch him and more since the first time we saw him naked." "Well, now's our chance, A, let's make it count." I slowly reached my hand out and wrapped it around Dad's pecker. Though he was nowhere near the size of Pops, I could barely curl my fingers completely around it as I grasped the upper half. Joey wrapped one of his hands around the hard shaft below mine and let his other hand drift to the hairless sack holding his balls. As we started to gently slide our hands up and down his hardness, Dad moaned lightly as we maintained our pressure and slow rhythm on his shaft. When just looking at the purple head poking out of my hand didn't seem to be enough, I leaned over and took it into my mouth, swirling my tongue around it as we continued to stroke him. When I decided licking the head just wasn't filling my mouth enough, I peeled my hand away and swallowed his shaft to Joey's hand. Dad grunted a bit and I was afraid he'd wake up to find his dick in my mouth. But not enough afraid of that happening to let his dick slip from between my lips. After enjoying the flavor of his pecker for a few minutes, a new thought popped in my head. It was Joey saying, "Hey! It's my turn to taste his meat. You play with his nuts." I pulled my mouth off Dad's hard rod and allowed Joey to sample it. Not content to just fondle his balls, I slipped my head between his legs and started licking his nutsack. It was so smooth, he must have just shaved it this morning. The more I lapped at his sack, the wider Dad spread his legs, making it easier for me slather him with my spit. Joey continued his assault on Dad's dick and was moaning deeply. I could feel the vibrations of his growls all the way back to Dad's hole. Ohmigod, his hole. I quickly slicked up a finger and started to probe and prod at his tight sphincter. I slowly slipped the finger inside his ass and began to search for his prostate. Once located, I began to rub it lightly while I continued my oral assault on his balls and Joey kept up the suction on his dick. I knew the moment we were waiting for had finally arrived when I felt his balls pull up and his asshole clamped my finger tightly. Joey never wavered or let Dad's dick slip from his mouth as it was filled with semen. When the clamp on my finger finally released, I pulled my finger back out and knelt by Dad's side. Joey was kneeling on his other side with a tight grin cutting across his face. He leaned forward, beckoning me to come closer. When our lips met above Dad's still throbbing hunk of meat, Joey used his tongue to force my lips open and we shared the prize we'd just milked from our Dad. If either of us could actually shoot, we would have coated Dad's bare crotch with our own offering as we both came without ever touching ourselves. Once we swallowed our treat and finally collected ourselves, we looked to Dad's face and realized he was still asleep somehow. Joey pushed the thought into my brain, "How the fuck did he sleep through that?" he pouted. "I don't know, but we should get off the bed and try to get him awake. Pops is liable to come in any second looking for us." "Oh, yeah, he had news to share, didn't he? I forgot all about it after seeing Dad's boner." We gently crawled to the edge of the bed and once we were back on the floor, I shook Dad's shoulder to rouse him from his slumber. I was enjoying the most realistic and erotic dream I'd ever had when I felt a hand shaking my shoulder and heard a voice say, "Hey, Dad, time to wake up." "Yeah, c'mon sleepyhead," another voice giggled. "Pops has some kinda news he's waiting to tell us." My eyes finally popped open to find Joey and Alex standing next to the bed, devious grins splitting both their faces. "Oh, hey boys, home from school, I see." "Yeah, c'mon, old man ...," Joey started. "... get your butt outta bed," Alex finished. "Yeah, all right. Let me go to the bathroom and I'll be right out." I swung my legs off the bed to stand up and realized my penis was stiff as a board and it and my scrotum were both dripping wet. "Geez, that was one hell of a dream I was havin'." "Yeah, Dad, it looked like it to us, too. We watched you for a couple of minutes," Joey giggled. "It musta really been somethin'. You looked like you were about to pop," Alex added with his own little giggle. "It sure felt like I did. At least in the dream, it did. Okay, you two scoot on outta here and I'll be right there." The twins disappeared through the door as I made my way to the bathroom. Somethin' was feeling a bit off about the whole situation, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. After draining my bladder, I grabbed a washcloth, wetted it with cold water and wiped the sweat off my face. Once my face was feeling cleaner, I moved the cloth down to wipe the sweat off my crotch, also. I wiped down my scrotum first, wondering the whole time why I was so wet there also. It wasn't until I went clean my penis that the old five-watt bulb finally flickered on. I slowly put the puzzle pieces together until the complete picture formed in my mind. Stiff, wet cock, soaking wet balls, felt like I'd shot a load, but no evidence of it actually happening, two always-horny boys innocently standing beside the bed, giggling their asses off, shit-eating grins on their faces. Those devious little rascals. I knew I should be mad as hell at them for taking advantage of me, but, damn that's the best wake-up call I've ever had. When I finally had my wits unscrambled, I headed out to join the rest of the family and found them all waiting for me in the living room. "Morning, Sleeping Beauty," Tom said as I sat next to him. "Nice of you to join us." "Sorry, I slept pretty hard and didn't want to wake up." "Yeah, you sure did," Joey giggled. "I'll get to you in a little bit, young man," I scolded. I looked back to Tom and asked, "Okay, what's this big news you have that couldn't wait a little bit longer?" "Look, if you'd rather be sleeping, go right ahead. Don't let us keep you up." "I'm sorry, hon. I'm just a little testy. I just hope it's good news." "Oh, I think you'll like it. Okay, I called Carol this afternoon to let her know about Dylan coming to work with me. She was pretty surprised, to say the least, but she's looking forward to working with us. But that's not the important part of our conversation. She told me that we can adopt Andy with the other four." "What!?" Andy yelled. "I really get to stay here forever? Yippee!!" he yelled as he danced around the table. "You sure do buddy," Tom answered. "And the news gets even better. Not only will Andy become an official member of the family, but Carol's managed to juggle things around and his adoption can be finalized on the same day as the others, too." "Oh, that's great news, Tom. Why the hell didn't you get me up and let me know?" "Wait for it, babe, remember, patience is a virtue. There's one more thing you need to know and that's the date it's all gonna happen." "Please don't tell me it's any later than June, I don't want to wait any longer than we have to." "Nope, not later," he grinned slyly. "She managed to get all five set for May. May seventeenth to be exact. You doing anything special that day?" I thought the roof was going to be launched into space from all the noise the boys created with their cheering. Even Logan joined in their celebration as they jumped, danced, hooted and hollered. Shocked beyond belief, I stared at Tom for a moment and, after a quick nod to reinforce what he'd said, I broke down into tears. The boys suddenly got super quiet and Tom pulled me into his warm embrace. "It's okay, babe. You should be happy." "I am," I blubbered. "I've never been happier in my entire pitiful life." The boys came over, climbed in our laps and on our backs as we enjoyed an eight-way celebration hug. Once I'd regained my composure, I said, "I can't believe she made this happen." "She told me that she and Judge Corgan worked together to arrange it all. Since they knew where everyone was going to be on the seventeenth, it just made sense to take care of it all in one shot. David will do our wedding ceremony first and then he'll take care of the adoptions so both our names can be on the certificates." "Will we get to change our names to Sanders?" Joey asked. "I don't see why not. What do you think, Tom?" "Well, I was kinda hopin' they'd pick Wright, but I guess Sanders will work, too." "How `bout we do one of them dash thingies and go with Sanders-Wright?" Alex asked. "Or Wright-Sanders," T.J. suggested. "Would that make us royalty?" Mike asked. I stifled my laugh and answered, "Not hardly, Mike. What do you think, Andy? You're being awfully quiet over there." "I don't wanna change my name. I like Cox." "That's fine, buddy. Nobody's saying you have to. If you change your mind though, you can always do so later." "Okay, thanks, Dad. I'll think about it." "You realize, of course, we need to call our parents again so they can make whatever changes are needed to the plans they've come up with so far, don't you?" Tom commented. "We can do that later. Right now, we need to have a little chat with Joey and Alex." "Okay, we're outta here," T.J. replied. "C'mon Andy, Mike, Logan. We don't need to be here." "No, Logan already knows about part of this and I want you all to hear it. Alex, Joey, sit right here on the table, the rest of you can have the couch." Once everyone was in their place, I pushed on, "You want to tell me what happened last night?" "I don't know, Dad," Alex answered. "Like I said, I just thought about punching Joey and, bam, he did it to himself. That's never happened before." T.J., Mike and Andy registered surprise on their faces at this new development in the twins' mental abilities. "And when I found out he could do it, I got really pissed off. Then, I tried and it worked for me, too. And once I started, I couldn't stop it." "Okay, do you think it happened because you were so upset with each other that your emotions may have fueled your ability to hurt the other, or is this just a new phase of development you're discovering?" "We don't know, Dad," they chimed. "I got an idea," Joey added. "Try it now." "I don't want to hit you in the face, again." "Good, `cause I don't want you to, either, bonehead. Try to get me to hit my leg or somethin', or better yet, your face." Alex stared at Joey and we waited about thirty seconds before he said, "It ain't happenin', and I really tried. I guess it only works when we're mad." "That's good news, then," Tom said. "Apparently, you can only do it when you're upset with each other." "At least for now," I added. "You'll have to be really careful with your emotions, especially anger, to make sure you don't hurt each other or anyone else. Think you can do that?" "Yeah, dad," Joey answered. "We'll be careful," Alex added. "Okay, next, Pops and I talked to Rick this morning." "Yeah, what'd he want?" Alex asked. "And how's Josh?" Joey begged. "First, he thanked us for having them over. They had a great time and can't wait to be able to come over again. Second, he said they had a talk last night that became interesting. You remember what you told me last night, Joey?" "Yeah," he muttered as he blushed with embarrassment and looked at the floor. "Well, during their discussion, Josh told Rick and Eric that he thinks he might be gay and it appears he feels the same way about you, Joey." "Ohmigod, really?" he squealed with delight as lifted his head back up. "Really," Tom answered with a big smile. "What're you talking about, dads," T.J. asked. Alex turned to face the other four and answered, "Ole bingo brain told Dad last night he thinks he's in love with Josh." All four boys snickered at the idea. "Hey! It ain't funny," Joey yelled. "No, guys, it isn't," Tom admonished them. He returned his focus to Joey and carried on, "We told Rick that you'd asked if Josh could spend the night last night and we'd said no since it was a school night. But, if you're interested, Rick said he'd be glad to have you stay over with them tomorrow night. He's supposed to talk to Josh and Eric when he gets home from work and we'll talk again tonight about seven." "Yeah, yeah, I wanna go," Joey panted, nodding his head enthusiastically. "Down, boy," I chuckled. "We'll talk to Rick first and then you can talk to Josh, okay?" "Cool, Dads, thanks." "Now, I have one more thing to discuss before we have supper," I said. "Anyone care to take a guess what it's about?" With negative head shakes from the assemblage, I continued. "It seems we need a little refresher on the rules concerning sex in this home. What's rule number one?" "It happens only in our bedrooms with the door closed," T.J. answered. "Perfect, T.J. Rule number two?" I asked. "Everyone involved has to agree to whatever happens," Logan answered. "See, even Logan knows the rules. Yep, that's it. Two pretty simple rules, right? Now last question, can a person who's asleep agree to anything?" "Not really," Andy answered. "Not unless they can talk in their sleep," Mike added. "And that seems unlikely, doesn't it?" Joey and Alex had remained uncharacteristically silent during this part of our chat, so I turned my attention back to them. "So, new rule to go with the other two. If you want to enjoy some intimate play with another person, they must be awake and at least be given the chance to say no. If they're asleep, it's hands and lips off. Everybody understand that? Joey, Alex, you got it?" "Yes, sir," Alex answered. "Yeah, Dad, we got it," Joey added. "Good. I hope we never have to discuss the rules again. Now, what's for supper?" "Wait, we ain't gonna get in trouble?" Joey asked. "You should, but I'll let it slide this time. It ever happens again, though, it'll be two weeks wearing clothes, understood?" "Yes, Dad. We're sorry," they chimed. "Moving on, supper?" I asked. After a spirited discussion of food selection, we decided pizza was the easiest, so I grabbed the phone and placed the order. The boys got the table set so when I returned with our food, we'd be ready to eat. The six eating machines must have been starving, as the four large pizzas didn't last very long. Once the supper cleanup was completed, we headed to the theater to watch mindless TV until it was time to call Rick. Joey kept turning around to look at the clock behind us, frowning, and sitting back down. It was cute to see how anxious he was to talk to Josh and by the time seven rolled around, his eyes were practically glued to the clock. When the magical moment finally arrived, Joey and I left Tom and the other five boys watching Animal Planet while we adjourned to the living room to make our call. I punched the speaker button and dialed Rick's number. When he answered, I greeted him with, "Hidey-ho, Rick. How ya' doin'?" "We're good, Max, how `bout you guys?" "We're just dandy. So, what have you come up with for tomorrow night?" "Well, after talking to the boys, it sounds like we're a go on this end. Josh is as excited as all get out to have his first sleep-over with a friend." "Joey's in pretty much the same mood. I've got him tied down to the couch right now so he doesn't float away. Do you want us to bring Joey over, or do you want to pick him up?" "Well, since I'm off, why doesn't Joey just walk home from school with Josh and Eric? We're not that far and that way neither of us has to drive anywhere. Then we'll bring him home Saturday morning. Does that sound all right to you?" "Sounds good to me, Rick, what do you think, Joey?" "Yeah, that's great," Joey enthused. "I guess we have a plan then," Rick agreed. "Since Joey's right there and Josh is hangin' on my every word, why don't we take a hike, Max, and let them talk?" "You got it, talk to you later. All yours, Joey, don't talk all night, okay?" I rolled my eyes, grabbed the receiver and asked, "You there, Josh? ... Yeah, hang on while my dad leaves." I watched dad as he walked away across the living room, dining room and finally disappeared into the theater before continuing. "Okay, he's gone. How are ya'?" "I'm great, Joey. I can't wait for you to come over tomorrow. We're gonna have all kinds of fun." "I can't wait either. This'll be the first time I've ever spent a night away from Alex." "I bet that's gonna be weird for both of you, won't it?" "I don't know, dude, but I'm ready to find out. Especially after the little prick made me punch myself in the nose last night." "What!? How'd he do that?" "I'll tell you tomorrow night. It's too weird to explain over the phone. So, what are we gonna do?" "I don't know, probably watch some TV, play some video games, who knows? We'll figure it out when you're here." "What about your brother? Will he be there, too?" "Probably. He don't have a girlfriend or nothin', so he hardly goes anywhere." "Josh, I gotta ask, do you really think you're gay or you just sayin' that `cause of what we did in the pool and shower?" "No, man, I really do. Like I told Dad and Eric last night, when I'm jerkin' off, I'm thinkin' `bout them and what they look like naked, not some stupid girl. What I didn't tell `em is I'm also thinkin' `bout what it would be like to suck their dicks. And when I jerked off this afternoon after school, I was thinkin' bout you and your cute little pecker," Josh added with a little giggle. "Oh, damn it, dude, now you got me all hard." "Good, that makes two of us." "Hey, did you really tell your dad you think you're in love with me?" "Um, yeah, I guess I did," Josh answered hesitantly. "Does that freak you out?" "Not really, `cause I told my dad the same thing `bout you last night. I mean, I love my brothers and all that, but that feels different than how I felt with you. Does that make sense?" "Perfect sense, man. But we can talk about it more tomorrow, okay?" "Yeah, okay. Hey, you want sit together at lunch tomorrow?" "Yeah, that'd be cool. Think Alex will join us?" "I don't know, but I'll ask him. He says he's cool with us, but I don't know just yet." "Give him some time, Joey, he'll be okay. Maybe he'll find someone, too." "Oh, he's found him already, but I don't know if they've talked about it too much." "Really, who?" "You know Brent from our class?" "You mean that tall kid with the curly black hair?" "Yeah, him. He was at our birthday party and Alex was practically drooling all over him." "Oh shit, I gotta go, man. Dad's yellin' at me to get off the phone. See you at lunch, tomorrow, Joey." "Yeah, I'll be there. Think about me tonight when you're all alone." "You know it. You, too." I hung up the phone and looked down at my stiff dick. Knowing I couldn't go back to watch TV with a hardon, I wrapped a hand around it and started stroking myself as I closed my eyes, laid my head back and thought about having Josh's lips wrapped around it. I could still feel his sweet pecker in my mouth from our shower last night and how its four-and-a-half-inch length tickled the back of my tongue when my nose was driving into his hairless crotch. I could also feel his finger as he searched for and found my asshole. Oh, fuck, I barely know Josh and I can't wait to be able to hold him close, to feel our bodies entwined, dicks rubbing together between us, oh, yeah, here it comes, I can feel it, just a little more, I started bucking my hips, shoving my dick into my hand, dreaming it's Josh's mouth, or better yet, his tight ass. My body tenses up as I get closer and closer and suddenly, BAM! I was quivering from head to toe as I came. Oh, fuck me runnin', Joshy, I love you. As I slowly came back down from my high and opened my eyes, I found Dad standing there with an amused look on his face. "Uh, sorry to interrupt, but I thought it was time for you to be off the phone." "Yeah, sorry, Dad. Guess I got carried away." "Just a little. Want to talk about it?" "Uh, not really. Not yet, anyway." "Any time you change your mind, I'm here." "I know, Dad, thanks," Joey replied as he stood and walked towards me. I knelt down to his level and pulled him into a hug which he gratefully returned. "Uh, don't say nothin' to Alex `bout that, all right?" "You got it, son. Let's go watch some Star Trek." After watching a couple more episodes of the boys' favorite show, it was bedtime. We hustled them off to hit the john and followed in their footsteps a few minutes later to say our goodnights. We stopped in on the twins and Logan first and found them curled and covered up. We shared our hugs, kisses, goodnights and love yous before turning out the light and moving on to check on Mike, T.J. and Andy. Andy was just coming out of the bathroom as we entered their room and I asked him, "So, how do you feel about officially joining our family?" "I think it's great, Dad. I'm gonna miss my mom, but I ain't gonna miss Russ. He was a jerk and I always hated him. I'm glad Pops and Sergeant Brock put him in jail `cause that's where he belongs." "We're glad you're happy here, Andy," Tom replied. "Hey, dads," T.J. began, "we been making some progress with Andy's little problem." "Really?" I asked. "Yeah, give us a minute and you can see for yourself." After Andy stretched out on the bed, Mike deftly applied the steroid cream to Andy's foreskin and gently massaged it into the skin. When that step was done, T.J. took over as he grasped Andy's penis between his thumb and forefinger and began to slowly manipulate the turgid member in a very well-practiced motion, one I'm sure he learned when he had to do this for himself. We'd been watching for a few minutes when T.J. looked up and said, "Okay, take a closer look, dads, see for yourself." Tom and I leaned in and, sure enough, a bit more of Andy's glans was now exposed compared to what it had been. "You guys are doing great. Keep it up and you'll have Andy straightened out in no time." "Uh, Dad, I don't think he can get any straighter than that," Mike giggled as he pointed to Andy's stiff penis. "You know what I meant, silly. C'mon, guys, hugs and kisses time." The three of them moved to the side of the bed and we enjoyed a five-way hug, sharing kisses, goodnights and love yous along the way. When we were done, they curled up in the middle of the bed and we pulled up their covers, turned off the light and headed to the living room to relax for a bit before going to bed ourselves. I lit a log in the fireplace and flipped on the circulation fan to keep us toasty warm while we read. After a couple of hours, my eyes were starting to sag and I was ready for some sleep. I let Tom know I was headed for bed and he joined me. As we walked across the living room, he asked, "You wanna tell me what that new rule was all about?" "Oh, yeah, that," I chuckled. "Did you actually pay attention to how long it took Joey and Alex to come back out after you sent them to wake me up?" "Not really, no. I was busy talking with the others. Why?" "Well, I don't know how long they were in the bedroom with me, but they seem to have rather enjoyed the opportunity." As we entered our bedroom, I explained how I felt and how wet I was when they actually did wake me up and what I figured out after the twins had left me alone. "Those little stinkers," he laughed. "I shoulda known somethin' was up when they came back with ear-to-ear smiles. Next time, I take the nap and you send them wake me up." "You got it, big guy," I agreed as I leaned in to give my lover a good night kiss and whispered, "I love you, big guy," before snuggling up for a good night's sleep. "And I love you, more, babe," Tom whispered back as he held me tightly. Friday morning, we started the process all over, again. After a month together, we finally seemed to be settling in on a rhythm and schedule to our daily routines. Wake up early, get the boys moving in the right direction, breakfast and then drop the boys at the bus shelter. As they were headed out this morning, Joey was the last to give me a hug and when he started to let go, I asked, "You got everything you need for tonight?" "Yeah, dad, not that I need that much. Toothbrush, clean clothes for tomorrow, you know, the basics." "Sounds like you're ready, then. Two things I want you to do. First, be careful, second, don't rush into something you may not be ready for. You and Josh have plenty of time to figure things out between you." "Yeah, Dad, I know," Joey responded as a flush of embarrassment flooded his face. "I'm glad you understand. Have a good day at school and we'll see you tomorrow morning. Love you, kiddo," I added as I gave him a light swat on the behind to send him on his way. "Love you, too, Dad. See you in the morning." My heart skipped a beat or two as he headed for the garage. This was going to be first night since the boys had moved into our home and my heart that one of them wasn't going to be here at night. I wasn't quite sure how I felt about that development. Before I had too much time to dwell on that thought, the phone rang. After checking the caller ID and seeing it was James, I answered with, "Hey, you know what they call a thousand lawyers drowned in the sea?" "Yeah, yeah, I know, a good start. I've heard `em all Max. Hey, sorry I didn't call back yesterday, but court ran longer than normal. I barely got home in time for supper with the family. So, what's up today? You adopting more kids? Putting another child porno ring out of business? Saving the world from their homophobic insanity?" I chuckled and replied, "Yes to the first question, no to the other two. I can only do so much in a week, ya' know. I'm saving them for next week and the week after." "What, you're really adopting another one?" "Yep, found out yesterday afternoon that Andy's mom is going to relinquish her parental rights, so he's going to become a permanent member of the growing circus. Think you can handle one more?" "In my sleep, Max." "Good, you have until May seventeenth to get everything ready." "Wait, isn't that when you and Tom are getting married?" "Yep, our case worker and the judge involved worked things out so we could do it all on one day." "Congrats, guys. I couldn't be happier for all of you. I'll get in touch with Carol to get Andy's info so I can get things ready on my end. What else ya' got?" "Well, it seems that I should make a new will and set up some funds for the boys' education." "Don't you think you should wait until you're actually married and the adoptions are finalized before you do that?" "I want everything ready to go on the seventeenth, James. I want Tom and I to be married, become the true fathers of five boys and then sign the new will and trust papers. Think you can make it happen?" "Have I ever let you down before?" "Nope, and I don't expect you to change now." I heard the garage door close as Tom came back from dropping the boys and he came in to sit with me. "Here's what I want to do; I want five trust funds for the boys in the amount of a million dollars, each. The trusts are to be used for their educational expenses after high school. When they graduate college or turn twenty-five, whichever comes first, the balance of the trust will become theirs to use as they please. I want the trustees to start with me and Tom, then you, our parents and my sister and her husband, in that order. If I should die before they complete their college, it rolls on down the line. Hopefully, they can all get done with their schooling before we all kick the bucket. Do you think that covers everything on boys' trusts?" "Sounds pretty good to me, straightforward and to the point. Now what about the will?" "Okay, get ready to sharpen your math skills. I want to leave ten million to a charitable foundation I plan to create to help with suicide prevention of gay youth and assist gay youth in being adopted by parents who will love them for who they are. Fifty percent of whatever's left over goes to Tom. The remaining fifty percent will be split among our sons, parents and my sister with the boys splitting thirty percent evenly and our parents and my sister splitting the other twenty. If anyone should die before I do, their share reverts to the estate to be split among the survivors. How does that sound?" "Workable. I'll get some things drawn up for the trusts and the will and send them to you for approval. Once I have that, we'll finalize everything and have ready for you to sign on the seventeenth." "Perfect, James. Thanks for your help. Anything comes up you need answered, just call." "Talk to you later, Max. Have a good day." "You, too, James." As I hung up the phone, I looked to Tom and saw he was stunned at what I'd just done. "What? You don't agree with all that?" "Hey, if that's what you want, then who am I to argue. It's great you're thinking of our parents and Lee, but what's this about the foundation? You haven't said anything about that, before." "Yeah, it popped in my head just now. I realized that if I croak after we get our new house built and have more kids we're helping, I don't want you to have to use your money to support them. The foundation can take care of those expenses. I'll have it set up so the initial money is invested in solid funds and the income from those investments should be able to take care of whatever's needed. And if I end up writing a couple more books and earn a few million more, then we can bump up that initial investment." "Man, you talk about money like it grows on trees." "Well, in my case, it kinda does. Since books are printed on paper and that comes from trees, then, yeah, mine does, indeed, grow on trees. Or, at least, it comes from trees." "Never thought about it that way." "Are you okay with the way I split things up? Does it seem fair to you?" "Again, if that's what you want. It's your money, you know." "For now, it is, but once we become spouses, half of it legally becomes yours. It's yours already as far as I'm concerned, but the state doesn't think that way." "Eh, screw the state." "My feelings exactly. Okay, I need to make another call, but I'm going to the study for it." "Secrets? Already?" "It's about your wedding present, so yeah, it's a secret." "Dammit, Max, I don't need anything. You're all I want or need." "Well, too bad," I cracked as I stuck my tongue out at him. "It's already a done deal." As I passed by him on the way to make the call, he smacked my ass. I wiggled my butt and cooed, "Ooh, do that again, big boy." "Oh, get outta here and make your damn call." After closing the door and sitting at the desk, I looked up Shelby America's phone number on the internet and placed the call. "Shelby America, how may I direct your call?" "I'd like to speak to your production manager, please?" "One moment, sir." After a minute on hold, "This is Jack, how can I help you?" "Good morning, Jack. My name is Max Sanders. I already own one Shelby and I've just ordered another one from my local dealer as a wedding present for my fianc�. I wanted to check with you to see what your schedule looks like." "When did you place the order with your dealer? And when is the wedding?" "I placed the order a week ago yesterday and the wedding is May seventeenth. I want to make sure the car can be delivered by then." "I'm sorry, Mr. Sanders. Our schedule is full for the next four months. I don't see how we could possibly have yours completed in that time frame." "Surely you have some slack space in your schedule to deal with unforeseen circumstances." "Of course, we do, but not near enough to move one order ahead of all the others we already have." "Look, this is really important to me and I was hoping the fact I already own one might give me a little preferential treatment." "I would say that normally it would, but this is a really busy time for us and I just don't see any way we can accommodate your request." "Would it make a difference if I said I was willing to pay double the price of the car to get it here by the seventeenth?" "Well, I suppose I could talk to the company president and see what he says. I can't make any promises, of course." "Thank you, Jack. I promise to make it worth your while. Please e-mail me with whatever you find out since I don't want my fianc� answering a call from your company. That would give away the surprise." I gave him my e-mail address and he promised I'd hear from him early next week. After ending the call, I rejoined Tom in the living room. "So, will I like it?" he asked as I took my seat. "If you don't, then I'll just keep it for myself." "I think you'd do it, too, just to spite me." "Bet your ass on it, bubba." "Not even a hint, babe?" "Nope, you'll just have to suffer." "That's cruel and unusual punishment." I just grinned evilly as I picked up my book and started to read. "Okay, I see how you are. Well, I was gonna tell you what I was gettin' you, but now I'm not. So there," he snarked as he stuck his tongue out at me. "That's good, I wouldn't want you to ruin the surprise for me, either." We both returned to our books, occasionally looking at each other and smiling. God, this was gonna be a long two months. After a quiet and simple lunch, we jumped in the pool so we could actually swim without being mugged for once. Though, by the time we got out and headed to the shower, we admitted to each other it just wasn't the same without the boys being there. After our shower, we curled up in bed together and promptly fell asleep. We didn't wake up until we heard the drive sensor ding three times after the boys got off the bus. "Who's going, you or me?" I asked. "I think it's your turn, babe. You haven't picked them up for a while." "Okay, back in a few." I grabbed my keys off the dresser and headed out of the bedroom. "Hey, aren't you gonna pull on some sweats?" Tom yelled. "Why bother? I'm just goin' to the end of the drive and back. Who's gonna see me?" As the boys piled in the car, they all commented on my lack of threads as they started removing theirs. All except for Alex, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, sullen look filling his face. "You want to talk about it, buddy?" "It's just weird, Dad. I guess I feel jealous of Josh. I know Joey wants to see him and I really don't have a problem with it, but this'll our first night apart in, like, forever." "It'll be different for all us, Alex. Since you guys moved in, none of you have spent a night anywhere else. But, we'll all get through it just fine and Joey will back home tomorrow morning." "Yeah, I know," he responded sadly as he stared out the car window. When we got back to the house, the boys dropped their bags and clothes in their rooms and headed for the kitchen for their snack. While they munched their brownies Tom had made, I reminded them about our plans for tomorrow night with Dylan and Malcom. They all volunteered to do whatever was needed to help us get ready before Malcom showed up at five. When the snacks were done, we all settled in the living room to play a family game of Uno. It was a close contest between Logan, T.J. and Andy, but, in the end, it was Andy who won the game. With high fives from all of us, Andy was about as happy as we'd ever seen. Well, except for our news yesterday. I don't think anything could top that. Supper was a quiet affair without Joey being there to crack wise about everything, but we still talked about the boys' day at school and what homework they had to work on over the weekend. Knowing we'd be pretty busy tomorrow, we agreed to let them deal with it Sunday afternoon. After supper was cleaned up, we headed for the pool to have some fun. After an hour of roughhousing, Tom and I were wiped out and adjourned to our corner while Mike spent the next half hour working with the others on their swimming. It had only been a couple of weeks since we'd had him helping the others, but you could see some definite improvement from all of them. Since it was starting to get late and we had a long day ahead of us tomorrow, Tom and I decided to call it a night and get the munchkins in bed. The boys broached no arguments and headed straight for the showers. They were all so tired, nobody begged for snacks, so we got them all in bed with our now familiar nighttime rituals and we headed for bed ourselves. We'd just curled up together when there was a light knock on the door. The door popped open and Alex stuck his head through the gap. "Hey, dads, can I sleep with you guys tonight?" he whimpered. I answered his question by simply lifting the covers and waiting while he ran across the room, jumped on the bed and squirmed his way between us. "Is Logan going to be okay sleeping by himself?" Tom asked. "Yeah, he's used to sleeping alone." With that, the three of us curled up, Tom and I holding Alex as we drifted off into sleep. Saturday morning started off later than normal. When the three us finally woke up, we found the other four boys sitting on the end of the bed, just watching us. Once our eyes were open, though, they wasted no time in telling us it was time for breakfast. "Go on, guys," Tom started, "get out of here and get the table set for eggs, bacon and sausage. We'll be there in just a few to get cooking." That was all it took and the five scampered off while we crawled out of bed and visited the bathroom before joining them. Once we got everything else ready, we sat down to eat. I'd just put the first bite of eggs in my mouth when Alex asked, "When's Joey coming home?" "I don't know, for sure," I admitted. "Sometime this morning is all Rick told us." "Well, I hope it's soon. I miss the obnoxious little brat." "We all do, Alex." After we finished eating, the cleanup crews got busy and in no time, the kitchen was ready to fix our next meal. As we settled into the living room, Alex suddenly sat up straight and announced, "They're on the way." Tom and I looked at each other and shared a shoulder shrug as if we should also sense the impending arrival of our missing son. Sure enough, five minutes later the drive sensor announced a car coming up the drive. Alex was up in a flash and running for the door. As soon he saw Rick's car turn the corner for the house, he had the door open and was standing on the porch waiting impatiently. It didn't' seem to matter to him at all that he was naked and had to be cold. When the car stopped moving, Alex ran off the porch and was next seen dragging Joey into the house, followed shortly by Rick, Eric and Josh. Acting as if they were the only two in the house the twins hugged each other and Alex was crying like I'd never seen before. I could hear through his sobs, "I'm sorry I punched you in the nose, bro. I missed you so much, I felt so alone without you here." "I missed you, too, dude," Joey replied. "And I ain't mad `bout the nose thing. It's kinda funny, really." While the twins continued their hug, Tom and I said hi to Rick and his boys. "Hey, Rick, how'd it go last night?" Tom asked. "Piece o' cake, man. Joey's a great kid." "Hey, Dad," Eric whispered, "can we get undressed and stay for a while?" "Not today, son, these guys have to get ready for company later so we're not staying." "Ah, dang it," Josh muttered. "Well, we better get out of your way, Max. Joey's welcome at our house any time." "Thanks, Rick. I'm glad to hear it. And thanks for bringing him home this morning." "No problems, we got some shopping to do, so we were headed out anyway. C'mon, guys, let's get moving." Joey broke away from Alex to say his goodbyes. "Bye, Rick, thanks for letting me stay. I had a lot of fun. Maybe Josh can come over here next time." "We'll see, Joey. Thanks for helping with supper last night." "Eric, you might be older than us, but you're still a pretty cool dude. Thanks for not making fun of us." "Never, Joey. You're a pretty cool dude yourself. Besides, it'll be nice for Josh to have someone else to hang out with. Maybe now I'll have some spare time to find a girlfriend," he chuckled. That comment earned Eric a punch in the shoulder from Josh. When it was Josh's turn for a goodbye, Joey took his hand and led him back out to the front porch. They stood there for a moment both holding hands and whispering to each other so nobody could hear them. After a few minutes, they leaned in and gave each other a kiss, bumping noses as they did. They were giggling madly as they separated, gave each other another hug and then Josh headed down the sidewalk, followed by his dad and brother. Joey remained planted on the porch until they pulled away and after a last wave goodbye, he finally came back inside and closed the door. While ignoring the rest of us, he wrapped an arm around Alex's shoulder and led him to their bedroom, closing the door behind them. Logan was about to follow along, but decided on his own that the two probably needed some time alone. We sat on the bed and held each other for a few minutes before either one could muster the courage to say anything. Alex finally broke the ice. "J, I'm sorry I was such an asshole." "Don't worry `bout it, A. I'da felt the same way if you were spending the night somewhere." "So, did you really have fun, and what all did you do?" "Well, we watched some TV before supper, then played some video games after. Then, when we went to bed, it got kinda weird." "What do you mean?" "Well, I was kinda expectin' that Josh and I would do the kinda things you and me do all the time, but we didn't. We spent a lot of time just talkin' `bout anything and everything, what we liked and didn't, what games we like to play, TV we watch and on and on and on. I probably know more about Josh than anybody else but you. And that's only `cause I can get into your mind. Then, when we'd both run outta shit to say and were about to fall asleep sittin' up, we just curled up together and feel asleep." "What!? You didn't do nothin' with each other but talk?" "Yeah, like I said it was weird, not what I expected at all, especially after what we did in the pool and shower the other night. But you wanna know somethin', it was really nice to just hold him and be that close without, you know." Alex put the back of his hand against my forehead. "What the hell is that for?" "Just checkin' to see if you're sick," Alex giggled. "I don't remember you ever not wantin' to jerk off or suck a dick. I can't believe you didn't last night." "I can't either, but neither one of us felt like we needed to, I guess. We were just completely comfortable with each other. But I gotta tell ya' now, I really do think we're in love with each other. I hope that don't freak you out or piss you off." "Nah, man, I'm good." "Hey, maybe you and Brent could hook up. I know you like him." "Yeah, I do, but I don't think he likes me that much." "You never know until you try, A. You should at least talk to him and find out, see what happens." "Yeah, I guess so. So, we cool, bro?" "Cool as ice, bro. Love you, dude, and always will." "Me, too. Okay, let's go help get ready for Dylan." Joey took about thirty seconds to get undressed and we headed back out to pitch in and do our part for tonight's guests. We spent the next several hours doing some cleaning and getting food ready to go for later. While the boys took care of some general picking up and running the dust mop over the floors, I got the steaks marinating and Tom worked on getting the potatoes ready to pop in the oven. After taking a short break for lunch, I added the second grill section to the stove so I'd have plenty of room for all the steaks and Tom created a salad. I also had the boys go around the house and collect all the towels to run them through the washer so they'd all be clean for later. With everything as ready as it could be, we ran through the showers to rinse off the sweat and feel clean again. We finally settled in the living room to catch our breath and relax for a bit. "Hey, dads, are we gonna have to wear shorts when Dylan's friend is here?" T.J. asked. "I think we all should when he first gets here because I don't think we've told him this is a clothing optional home. Once we've had a chance to talk to him, we'll see if that changes." "But won't Dylan think it's weird if he gets here and we all got clothes on?" Alex asked. "Probably. We'll just have to see what Malcom says, okay?" "Hey, guys, let's go watch a movie until the dude gets here," Logan offered. "If that's okay with you, Max?" "Sure, that's fine. Have your shorts with you so you can pull them on when Malcom arrives, okay?" "You got it, dads," Joey said as they headed to their rooms to grab shorts then traipsed back through on their way to the theater. I loaded up and lit the fireplace so we'd have a nice fire going for the evening, then settled back to relax and read a bit. At five after five, the drive sensor dinged to let us know Malcom had arrived. Tom and I headed to the door to meet him and the boys followed along, not wanting to miss a moment. I watched through the windows as Malcom parked on the drive and made his way to the front door. Just before he could ring the bell, I opened the door to let him in. Standing on the porch was one of those most handsome black guys I'd ever met with beautiful Caf� au lait skin. "Oh, hey," he said, "Are you dudes Tom and Max? I'm not sure I'm in the right place." "If you're Malcom," Tom replied, "you're most definitely in the right place. C'mon in and take a load off." "Cool. Nice digs ya' got out here, man. I think I could handle livin' here," Malcom commented as he looked around. "So, tell me who's who." "I'm Tom and this is my fianc�, Max," Tom replied as he extended his hand for a shake, which I followed up with my own. After receiving a poke in the ribs, Tom continued, "And these are our sons and one of their friends. From left to right is T.J., Mike, Andy, Alex, Logan and Joey." The boys gave a little wave to Malcom as Tom called out their names. "Hey, nice to meet y'all. Obviously, I'm Malcom White. Actually, I like to joke that I'm Malcom Half-White," he chuckled, "thanks to my mom." "Well, why don't we have a seat and get to know each other a little bit better before Dylan gets here. Would you like something to drink? We have water, tea, diet and regular Pepsi, and fruit juice," I offered "Sure, tea sounds good as long as it ain't sweet." "I got it, Dad," Alex sang out as he turned and headed for the kitchen. While Alex got Malcom's drink, the rest of us headed to the living room and got comfortable. "I really want thank you guys for getting' in touch with me. I knew where Dylan was living still and that he was a cop now, but I was always too afraid to get in touch. I figured he was pissed off at me for movin' away like I did. Not like I had a choice." "If you don't mind me askin', what happened?" Tom asked. "Dylan said your family moved rather abruptly." "Yeah, my old man's a homophobic asshole, that's what happened. One afternoon when Dylan `n me were, uh, havin' a bit o' fun, my dad walked by my bedroom window and saw us. After Dylan left that day, my old man said there weren't no way he was gonna have a queer for a son and he up and moved our sorry asses to Chicago. Didn't even let me call Dylan and say goodbye, we was just gone. As soon as I could, I got the hell outta that home and ain't never been back." "Wow, sorry to hear it Malcom," I responded. "Eh, I'm over all that crap now, but I was pissed off at him for a long time. We talk every now and again, but I still ain't been invited back home for a visit. I figure it's their loss, not mine. I just moved on with my life and tried to make myself happy as best I could." "Before Dylan arrives," Tom began, "you should probably know he lost one of his guys in the line of duty this week, so he may not seem quite like the same guy you remember. He's havin' a rough time dealin' with it. Hopefully, seeing you again will help pull him out of his funk a bit." "Oh, man, that sucks. Him bein' a cop is one of the main reasons I never tried to get in touch. I didn't think I could handle getting' involved with him again and worryin' about him getting' blown away." "Well, you won't have to worry about that any more. He resigned from the department the same day Barry was killed. He'd been thinking about for a while anyway, but he said that was it." "That's good to hear. About him resigning, that is, not losing a dude like that. I'd hate to lose his sorry ass just after hookin' back up." "Can I ask you somethin', Mr. White," Joey asked. Oh, crap, here it comes, I thought. "Sure, you can, little dude. Uh, which one are you again?" "I'm Joey. How do you feel about bein' naked or bein' `round other people who're naked?" Yep, right to the point as always. "We-e-ell, I'm not bothered by bein' nude myself, or with other folks bein' nude, either, I guess. Can't really say I ever been nude with other folks, though, except in the locker room at school or the pool." "So, if we were naked right now, it wouldn't freak you or nothin', right?" Malcom looked at Tom and me with a confused look on his face. "Thank you, Joey, for bringing up the next topic of discussion," I commented sarcastically. I looked back to Malcom and explained. "What he's saying Malcom is we're a nudist household. Generally, we don't wear clothes when we're at home. That's one of the reasons I built this house out here years ago. I've always hated wearin' clothes and wanted to live somewhere I could do that without the neighbors laughin' themselves to death. When the boys moved in and Tom joined us shortly after, we all agreed to continue that. So, Joey is askin' if you care if they take their shorts off and get comfortable." "But what about when Dylan gets here?" "He's been here several times, Malcom, and he's joined us every time. If he shows up and we're dressed, he'll know something's up." "Oh, so y'all have seen the anaconda already, huh. Intimidating, ain't it?" he chuckled. "Nah, man, I don't care. If they wanna go starkers, knock yourselves out, kiddos. Y'all expect me to get naked, too?" "Only if you want to, Malcom. We never force anybody if they don't want to. But you should know that Dylan will probably be nude once he gets here." "Cool beans, dudes, let's do it. Where can I drop my clothes?" "Well, Dylan usually leaves his in our bedroom, so why don't you get undressed in one of the boys' rooms so he won't see yours." Malcom stood and said, "Lead the way little dudes." Malcom followed Joey, Alex and Logan into their bedroom while Tom and I headed for ours. When we rejoined in the living room, I could see Malcom was a little self-conscious, but the more we talked the more relaxed he became. By the time the drive sensor announced Dylan's arrival, he was just fine. "What the hell was that?" Malcom asked. "That should be Dylan. Why don't you wait in the twin's bedroom for a few minutes? Once Dylan's had a chance to get comfortable and settle in, I'll have one of the boys come get you." "Cool, man, I can't wait to see the look on his face." Tom met Dylan at the door and he surprised us all by arriving wearing nothing but his skin. "Whoa, boss, don't you think it's a bit risky to drive out here like that?" "Eh, I'm still driving my county car, who's gonna stop me?" He wandered in and took a seat on the love seat so his back was to the hallway that leads to the boys' rooms. "So, how y'all doin'?" "We're good, Dylan. But what about you, how are you doing?" I asked. "Better. Not great, but better. At least I now accept I couldn't control what Barry did after he left my office. I just wish I'd known Rollie was liable to be packin' heat, I woulda had more guys inside the bar." "Boss, if you'd had more guys inside, Rollie woulda smelled a setup and taken a hike." "Yeah, you're probably right about that, too, Tom. You were right about everything else. I just gotta quit second guessing everything. Those `what-ifs' will drive you crazy." "There you go, Dylan, move forward," I commented as I signaled the boys to bring in Malcom. Without preamble, Logan jumped up and said, "I gotta pee, be right back," then disappeared around the corner. "They always announce their potty breaks like that?" Dylan asked. Joey vacated his spot on the love seat next to Dylan to make room for Malcom and Dylan asked, "What's up Joey, I stink or somethin'? I promise I took a shower after work." "Nah, Mr. Brock, I just wanted to sit with Alex since I stayed at a friend's house last night." Logan came back with Malcom in tow and he jumped on the couch with T.J., Andy and Mike while Malcom took the spot Joey had just vacated on the love seat next to Dylan. His being there didn't immediately register, but Dylan finally looked at the newcomer and said, "Oh, hey, Mal, what's up?" before looking back to Tom and me to continue our conversation.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 60</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family"><span>enderwiggin61@outlook.com</span></a></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html"><span>http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</span></a><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments"><span>https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</span></a></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk495311078"></a><a name="_Toc494707404">Chapter 60 � Mysterious Malcom</a> Returns</h2> <p><span>After sleeping longer than I should have thanks to some interesting late-night activities, I struggled out of bed to rouse the boys and get everyone headed in the right direction for another day. I stopped in Alex, Joey and Logan's room first to find all three still curled together. After shaking shoulders to wake them up, I asked Alex, "You guys okay this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dad, we're good. Joey and I talked it out."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I'm glad to hear it. We're going to have a chat tonight about this new development, though."</span></p> <p><span>"No, Dad, really, I'm cool if he wants to spend more time with Josh," Alex protested.</span></p> <p><span>"Not about Josh, about the hitting thing. That's not cool."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that."</span></p> <p><span>"But that's for later. Right now, you all need to get your butts moving. Breakfast in ten." </span></p> <p><span>I moved on to wake the other three and found them strewn across the bed. After a bit of shaking to roust them, T.J. greeted me with, "Mornin', Dad. How ya' doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just dandy, young, man. Ready for another fun-filled day of school?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really. I wish we could just do school at home."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, me, too," Mike added.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, don't hold your breath for that to happen. C'mon, you three, time to get movin'. Breakfast in ten minutes."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be there," Andy replied as I turned and left the room to go get Tom moving.</span></p> <p><span>As I crossed the threshold into our room, I was surprised to find the bed empty. "Yo! Big guy, where' you at?" I yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"In the bathroom, where the hell you think I am?"</span></p> <p><span>I popped my head in the door and sighed, "Phew, thought you ran out on me after last night's excitement."</span></p> <p><span>"Not a chance, babe. I wouldn't miss this for all the tea in China," he replied while drying his hands.</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Let's go feed some boys." We made for the kitchen and found six boys waiting patiently for food to appear from out of nowhere. Since we were running a little later than normal, we settled for cereal and toast this morning. As the boys finished up, they rinsed their bowls and dropped them in the dishwasher before returning to their rooms to get dressed and ready for the day. When they were all ready to roll, I got them loaded up in the Flex and made the trip to the end of the drive so they could wait for the bus. After receiving a hug from each, I reminded them to learn something new today and headed back to the house.</span></p> <p><span>Coming back in the house, I heard Tom saying, "Really? Max had a similar chat with Joey last night." Wondering who he could be talking to, I sat next to him and mouthed, `who'. "Hang on, Rick, he just walked back in. Let me put you on the speaker so he can hear this, too."</span></p> <p><span>After Tom punched the button, I said, "Morning, Rick. How ya' doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm great Max. I was just telling Tom about the chat I had with the boys last night after we got home."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Several things, but I think the most interesting was when Josh told Eric and me he thinks he's gay <i>and</i> he also thinks he's in love with Joey."</span></p> <p><span>"Joey said the same thing about Josh to me. You okay with that, Rick?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I suppose so. I'm just not sure how to handle it, guys. I mean, Eric hasn't even mentioned the possibility of having a girlfriend yet, and now his younger brother says he's in love. How the hell does this happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ha! Joey asked me the same question last night. And like I told him, it just happens. So, what do you think we should do?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess we need to figure out how the two can spend more time together and see what happens," Rick answered. "You got any ideas on that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, before you left last night, Joey asked if Josh could spend the night, but I put him off since it was a school night. We normally wouldn't have a problem with having a friend spend the night, but we're a little short on beds right now because we're having some rooms redone."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess Joey could come over here some night. We've got plenty of room, though we don't have a pool or anything like what you've got over there."</span></p> <p><span>"We're having some guests Saturday night that I want Joey here for, but if it's okay with you, what would you think about Joey coming over there tomorrow night if you're not working?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I'm off all day and night tomorrow, so that should work out just fine. Let me talk to the boys tonight after I get home and I'll see what they think. I'm sure Josh will love it, but I want to make sure Eric's cool with it, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good, Rick," Tom replied. "We'll talk to Joey tonight, too. No doubt he'll love the idea. Is it okay if Joey calls Josh tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure. Why don't we do that, say, around seven or so? That'll give me a chance to talk to the boys beforehand."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds perfect, Rick," I replied. "So how were Josh and Eric after you got home?"</span></p> <p><span>"Extremely comfortable. But, so was I. Let's just say it was an interesting evening and leave it at that."</span></p> <p><span>We chuckled and Tom replied, "The first of many interesting nights to come, Rick."</span></p> <p><span>"No doubt about that. I can't thank you guys enough for your help. We haven't been this happy around here for quite a while and I look forward to whatever happens next."</span></p> <p><span>"Happy to help, Rick. Remember, you're all welcome here any time."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, look, I gotta get my ass to work. Talk to you later."</span></p> <p><span>After disconnecting the call, we looked at each and started laughing. When we'd finally regained a modicum of control, Tom commented, "Ah, young love. It keeps the world turning."</span></p> <p><span>"That it does. So, any big plans today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, what about you?"</span></p> <p><span>"First thing I have to do is take a shower and get this freakin' hair off my body. It's starting to drive me crazy. Think I could talk you into taking care of my back for me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I could use a shower, too, so why not? It'll give you a chance to do something you've been dying to do to me, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Really? What might that be?"</span></p> <p><span>"I've been thinkin' about it and I think I'm due for a serious trimming." My eyes lit up at the prospect and he saw it. "Now, don't be getting any wild ideas there, bucko. I'm still not ready for a full body shave like yours, but I think a little trimming in, uh, certain select areas would make you happy, wouldn't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh my, yes, it certainly would. And I'd love to be the one to help. It really can be quite erotic."</span></p> <p><span>"That remains to be seen, but I'm willing to find out. Let's go fire up the clippers, master barber."</span></p> <p><span>I took Tom's hand and led him to our bathroom. After I got undressed, I rummaged in the bathroom cabinet to get the tools I needed to do a little manscpaing on my lover. "So, how short do you want to go," I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I think about a quarter inch."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure about that," I asked. "That's gonna be quite a change from the unruly patch you're currently sporting. Why don't we start with leaving a half-inch and if you want to go shorter, we can?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're the pro, if that's what you think, then go for it. I offer you my body as a canvas for your artistry."</span></p> <p><span>"This is gonna be so much fun," I giggled as I rubbed my hands together. "Be right back. I need to grab a chair so I don't kill my knees on this tile." I zipped to the kitchen and quickly returned with my chair.</span></p> <p><span>"I thought we'd do this in the shower," Tom commented when I came back.</span></p> <p><span>"The shaving part, yeah, but not the clippers, ya' bonehead. They're electric. Besides, I don't want to clog up any drains," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Ha, very funny, smart ass. So, what do you want me to do?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just stand there, or you can lean against the sink counter if you want." He grabbed a towel from the rack, laid it over the sharp edge of the counter and then leaned against it. Once he was in position, I moved my chair closer and got comfortable for my task. I caught a noticeable full-body flinch from Tom when I turned on the clippers. I peeled my eyes away from his crotch, looked up to his face and asked, "You sure about this? It's not too late to chicken out."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, just do it already, would ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Your wish is my command, sahib." No more words were exchanged as I placed the clippers just below his waist and made the first run through his gnarly pubic hair to the base of his penis, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Hair was dropping to the floor as if an avalanche were happening. I continued my work and the more I manipulated his heavy cock and balls to reach various creases and hidden places, the harder he got, as did I. After just a few minutes of the most pleasurable labor I'd done in a while, I sat back, admired my work for just a moment, then said, "Okay, check it out in the mirror, see what you think."</span></p> <p><span>He turned and looked down to see the difference. "Wow! That's lookin' pretty cool, but I think you should go shorter."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure?" I asked. After a quick nod, I swapped clipper guards to the quarter-inch piece. Once Tom was resettled against the sink counter, I flipped the clippers on again and got back to work. Since his hard, dripping cock was in my face and blocking my view a bit, I took the only logical step to get it out of my way and slipped it into my mouth. Tom inhaled deeply and planted his hands on the counter behind him to keep from sliding down to the floor as I engulfed his mushroom head. Now that it was no longer obstructing my view, I was able to easily continue my trimming from his waist down, Tom moaning in pleasure the entire time. Whether it was his cock in my mouth, the vibrations of the clippers or a combination of the two that caused his lustful moans, I couldn't be sure. When I finished the area above his hardness, I released it from my mouth, flipped it up against his pubic mound and said, "Here, hold this thing out my way, would ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"This <i>thing</i> is my dick, dammit," he complained with a whine of loss.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, but right now it's just in the way," I giggled. He grudgingly followed my instructions and I was able to keep trimming underneath the prodigious appendage. As I started to work on his scrotum again, he spread his legs wider to give me easier access. Once I had gone over the entire area with the shorter guard, I shut off the clippers and had him review his new appearance in the mirror, again.</span></p> <p><span>"Close, but not close enough. I don't want you to be using my hair for dental floss," he grinned. He turned back to face me, planted his sweet ass back on the counter and added, "Once more, with feeling this time."</span></p> <p><span>Not wanting to argue the point, I happily swapped to the sixteenth of an inch guard and repeated the same process I'd used the last time. By the time I was ready to complete the trimming to his scrotum, poor Tom was about to pop his load and I could feel him trying to restrain himself from losing it. In an effort to calm things down, I made short work of his sack, then had him check his new appearance one more time.</span></p> <p><span>"Now, that's what I'm talkin' about. Seein' all you hairless fuckers around here made me feel out of place. I think I'll fit in a little better, now."</span></p> <p><span>"Any other spots else you'd like trimmed, sir?" I politely asked. His answer was evident as he promptly bent over the sink counter, grabbed an ass cheek with each hand and spread them wide open. I accepted the challenge and returned to my task. A few short minutes later, Tom's crevice was practically devoid of hair. What little remained would be dealt with in the shower with the trusty razor. I gave him a quick smack on this ass to let him know I was done. When he turned around to face me again, his cock was still hard and dripping. He took a step forward and I let it slide into my waiting mouth. </span></p> <p><span>Having had considerable practice of late, he kept feeding me until my nose was buried in his almost bare pubic mound. As I accepted my tube steak snack, I reached between his legs and began to finger his asshole. I'd barely gotten my finger slipped inside him when I felt the first pulse of semen flood my throat as Tom groaned in ecstasy. When he finished unloading the contents of his balls into my throat and mouth, he stepped back, taking his cock with him, and leaned against the counter again.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my god, you weren't kidding when you said a shave could be erotic." </span></p> <p><span>I grinned up at him as he recovered his legs and laughed, "Happy to be of service. That'll be fifty bucks, please."</span></p> <p><span>"Fifty!? That's pretty damn steep for a freaking haircut, even if you are a pro."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, the haircut's only ten bucks. The other forty is for the happy ending," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"And worth every damn dime. Put it on my tab, won't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no you don't. No tabs around here. You get to pay up right now." After laying the clippers on the counter, I grabbed the razor and shaving soap and headed for the shower. "C'mon, big guy, time to pay your debt," I whispered seductively as I wiggled my finger for him to follow me into the shower. Once we had gotten wet, I handed Tom the razor and soap, then presented him with my back. He took the hint, lathered me up and proceeded to remove the hair on my back. Once he was done with my back, I leaned over on the bench so he could take care of my lower backside also. He was a trooper and didn't hesitate to clean me up. I sensed some nervousness as he worked around my wrinkled pucker, but since I wasn't bleeding profusely when he was done, I'd have to give him an `A' grade.</span></p> <p><span>When he was done, he handed me the razor and bent over so I could complete my work around his tight hole. That task completed, I proceeded to shave the rest of my body. The normally routine job was made much more difficult than normal as my lover was orally attacking my hardness. At one inopportune moment, I almost slashed my wrist as he inserted a finger into my newly shaved asshole. Thank man's intelligence for creating safety razors. After finishing with my upper body, I planted a foot on the bench so I could start taking care of my legs. Just as I started the first stroke on my right thigh, Tom, slipped his tongue into my hole. I damn near put my head through the glass block wall in surprise, but, again, managed to avoid any serious injury. He continued to stroke my cock, fondle my balls and play with my sphincter while I tried to finish my shave without maiming myself. </span></p> <p><span>When I was finally done with my legs and had placed the razor in a safe location, Tom sat me down on the bench, then proceeded to sit in my lap, impaling himself with my cock. When he'd settled his ass on my hips, he started to clench and release his sphincter. He then took my sack in both hands and began to gently tug and massage the orbs within. With the stimulation I'd already received and his current actions on two separate fronts, I was ready for release all too soon. Tom continued his anal and scrotal manipulations as I coated his insides with my offering. With our sexual appetites temporarily sated, we sat on the bench to recover for a moment before turning off the shower and stepping out to dry off. We both had rather goofy but happy grins filling our faces.</span></p> <p><span>I broke the mood, somewhat, when I cracked, "Geez, would you look at that? It looks like I shaved a damn poodle in here. You better grab the vacuum so we can clean this nasty mess up."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't look at me," Tom retorted, "A barber always cleans up after himself," he added with a laugh. Dodging the punch I'd aimed at his shoulder, he acquiesced, "All right, all right, I'll be right back."</span></p> <p><span>While he retrieved the vacuum, I got the rest of my tools cleaned up and put away. Once the mess was taken care of and vacuum put back away, it was time to figure out what was next on our schedule. I decided to follow Tom's and Dr. Schaid's advice and start writing about how I felt about the abuse I'd had forced on me. I intended to spend maybe twenty or thirty minutes on it and was surprised to be still pounding away on the keyboard two hours later when Tom popped in to find out what I wanted to eat for lunch. After telling him a wiener sounded good to me, he disappeared and I saved what I'd written, shocked to see I'd created twenty-three pages of who knows what. I was gonna have to go back and read it all to see what I'd said.</span></p> <p><span>Upon arriving in the kitchen to help with lunch, I noticed Tom had misunderstood my request and had hot dogs on the griddle. Well, damn, next time, I'll have to be more specific, I guess. After we cleaned up our lunch mess, I suggested we call Malcom to make sure he was still coming for supper Saturday night. Tom agreed and placed the call.</span></p> <p><span>"Yo, speak to me," Malcom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Malcom, Tom and Max, here. How ya' doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Great, man, how're you guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just fine. Hey, we're just callin' to make sure you're still planning on coming down Saturday afternoon. We're really looking forward to meeting you."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you bet, man. I wouldn't pass this dinner up for nothin'. Dylan <i>is</i> gonna be there, isn't he?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure is. He just doesn't know you're gonna be here, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool. It'll be the freakin' surprise of his life. What time you want me there?"</span></p> <p><span>"We told Dylan six, but we were thinking you probably ought to be here about five, if that works for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, Tom. I've been looking forward to it. I'll see you guys Saturday afternoon, then. Thanks for calling, man."</span></p> <p><span>"Be careful out there, Malcom. We'll see ya' Saturday."</span></p> <p><span>After ending the call, I said to Tom, "You should probably call Bob, the furniture guy."</span></p> <p><span>"Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if Dylan's going to be working with you, don't you think he deserves to have his own desk and whatever?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, shit, I hadn't thought about that."</span></p> <p><span>"Ha, and everybody thinks <i>my</i> brain is whacked out," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it kinda is, babe, so don't be gloating too much."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, smart-ass. Love you, too. Make your damn call."</span></p> <p><span>After talking to Bob for fifteen minutes, Tom hung up the phone and said, "Done, mister smarty-pants. Any other bright ideas you'd care to share?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't we check on Dylan, see how he's doing. We can make sure he's still planning on being here for dinner Saturday, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good idea. He seemed better when he left last night, but I'm still worried about him." He punched the speaker button and dialed his old station.</span></p> <p><span>"Sangamon County Sherriff's, this is Kelly. How may I direct your call?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Kelly, it's Tom. What's the mood in there today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty grim, Tom. We're all pretty shook up, and not just about Barry. Sarge turnin' in his resignation is freaking people out, too."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't doubt it. Dylan was here last night. He was pretty down about it all, too. How's he doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Moping would be the best word to describe him, I guess. Not that all of us aren't with him on that, but he's really feelin' it, I can tell."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, before I talk to Sarge, I wanted to ask about Frank Mueller. How is he recovering from his wife's attack?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not well, Tom, not well at all. He got taken to the hospital this morning and from what I've heard, it ain't pretty. Sounds like he's going to lose both testicles." </span></p> <p><i><span>I couldn't help but give a silent cheer and pump my fist in elation after hearing that little tidbit of news. Thank you, Iris, for doing for me what I've wanted to do for twenty years. You might be a sick and twisted fuckin' bitch, but you came through with flying colors, just like I hoped you would.</span></i></p> <p><span>"Well, don't be feelin' too sorry for him, Kelly. If anybody ever earned that punishment, it's him."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, before I transfer you to Dylan, I gotta ask, is what I read in the paper true? Was it really your Max the Muellers abused?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Kelly, it was me," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, Max," she said with surprise in her voice, "I didn't know you were there, too. I'm so sorry for prying into your business."</span></p> <p><span>"It's all right, Kelly. Don't worry about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, thanks. Look, I'm sorry you had to go through that nightmare, but I gotta tell you this." She dropped her voice to a whisper and continued, "I hope the doctor's hand slips and he cut's off that sick bastard's dick when he chops off his balls."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm with ya' on that, Kelly," I agreed after laughing at her wish.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, that's enough from me, let me get Sarge for you. Talk to you guys later."</span></p> <p><span>After a short pause, Dylan picked up the call. "Speak to me, Tom. What's the good news?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max and I are just callin' to see how you're doin'. We're worried about you."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we've all had better days around here, that's for damn sure, but we'll get through it by supporting each other, just like we always do. I know I said it last night, but I want to say thanks, again, for letting me hang out even though you had other plans. That really means a lot to me."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Dylan, you're part of the family, now. We weren't going to let you be alone last night."</span></p> <p><span>"So, please tell me you called for some other reason besides to check on my sorry ass."</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, we did. We want to make sure our plans for dinner Saturday night are still on. It just wouldn't do for us to fix dinner and have our guest be a no-show."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no, I'll be there. I don't pass up a free steak for anything. I just hope y'all know how to cook. I'd hate to show up with an appetite, only to find a hunk of charcoal on my plate."</span></p> <p><span>"Very funny, Dylan," I retorted. "I'll have you know I was trained by Chef Gordon Ramsey."</span></p> <p><span>"You're kiddin' me!" Dylan exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course I am, you big goof. I've barely left my property in the last fifteen years. When the hell could I have met him, let alone have had time for him to teach me how to cook? But I promise, you, I'm a fair cook and I won't put charcoal on your plate."</span></p> <p><span>After a quick chuckle, Dylan answered, "You had me goin' there. Well, look, I gotta go do some real work, so I'm gonna let you guys go..."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, Dylan," Tom interrupted. "I know it may be early, but do you have word on arrangements for Barry's funeral or memorial."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, thanks for reminding me. Helen has scheduled his service for Sunday afternoon at two with a visitation starting at noon. The service will be at Saint Aloysius on Sangamon Avenue, and the burial will be at Oak Ridge Cemetery following the service. The whole department, along with the city's force, will be there except for the minimum to maintain patrols and handle calls for a couple of hours."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for the info, boss, I'll be there."</span></p> <p><span>"He means we'll be there, Dylan," I corrected Tom. "How's is Barry's wife doing? Is she gonna be okay with the kids and all?"</span></p> <p><span>"She's holding up pretty well considering the circumstances. Of course, discovering Barry had a two-million-dollar life insurance policy she didn't know about certainly eased her mind. Between that, the county's policy and Barry's pension, she shouldn't have to worry about where their next meal is coming from."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good news for her, boss," Tom replied. "I'm glad she won't have to worry about the future."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I really gotta go, Kelly's about to break down my door. See you guys Saturday at six."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he sounded a little better than he did last night," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, but he's still hurting. Interesting Barry had that second life policy. Most guys only have the one the county takes out for them. It's almost like he knew something bad was gonna happen someday."</span></p> <p><a name="_Hlk495400050"><span>"If he hadn't, I was going to create a college scholarship fund for his kids. I'm glad Barry had </span></a><a name="_Hlk495359085"><span>planned ahead</span></a><span>. That reminds me, I need to call James."</span></p> <p><span>"About what?"</span></p> <p><span>"Updating my will and making sure the boys' educations are provided for."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you think it's a little early to do all that? What if the adoptions fall through or something else weird happens?"</span></p> <p><span>"You mean like us not getting married? Please don't think like that. No negatives, Tom, only positives. I can't deal with any negatives right now, all right? We're getting married and the adoptions are going to happen. End of story."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, boss, whatever you say."</span></p> <p><span>I made the call to James, but Rose told me he was in court this afternoon and he'd have to call me back tomorrow. After finishing that call, I decided I needed to make one more call today that I'd been putting off all week, mom and dad. I needed to talk to them to see how they were dealing with Warren's suicide.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, dad, how are you and mom doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're okay, Max. I knew you'd be calling at some point to check on us."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, since it's kinda my fault Warren killed himself, I want to make sure you're both okay."</span></p> <p><span>"No, son, it isn't. It's his own fault, just like it was mine. If he couldn't face his own demons and accept responsibility for what was going on in the church, then that's his problem, his decision and nobody else's."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, that's what Tom keeps telling me. I don't know if I really believe it just yet."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me tell ya' somethin', my boy, that Tom is one smart cookie. I think you probably ought to keep him around for a long time."</span></p> <p><span>"I plan to, Dad, thanks. Any idea when Warren's funeral is going to happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"It happened this morning. Your mom and I didn't go. It just didn't feel like we should be there, considering everything that's happened."</span></p> <p><span>"How's his wife and daughter doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"They're putting on a strong act, but I know they're both shocked and miserable. We dropped off a pie for them yesterday and visited for a bit, but they weren't letting much of their real feelings show."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry for their loss."</span></p> <p><span>"That's life, son, easy come, easy go. But can I ask you something?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, go ahead."</span></p> <p><span>"We talked to your sister last night and she hinted you might know some things the news doesn't. What I want to know is this; was Warren one of <i>them</i>?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know for sure, but from what we've heard, he had a key to that office and the filing cabinets on his keyring. I can't see him having those if he wasn't in on it."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you have any idea how many kids were victimized besides yourself?"</span></p> <p><span>"Over 3,000, dad. And everything's been turned over to the FBI to track them down."</span></p> <p><span>"Christ, what were those people thinking?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're asking me?" I asked, incredulous with disbelief. "I'm the last damn person who could answer that question," I responded with a bit more vehemence than I intended.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you get testy with me, boy. You're not too big for me to bend over my knee and give you a what for."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, I'm sorry, Dad. I don't mean to take it out on you. Look, if you really want to know what they were thinking, why don't you go down to the jail and ask some of them? They might actually talk to you. I'm sure Frank would love to say hi for old time's sake. Oh, wait, he's not at the jail right now."</span></p> <p><span>"Why not. They wouldn't let him go, would they?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no, he's at the hospital for some minor surgery. Seems he's losing his balls."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, he and Iris had a little disagreement after I talked to them on Tuesday. Seems she did some pretty serious damage to his family jewels, so they're getting removed today."</span></p> <p><span>"Hee-hee," Dad giggled. "Well, hell, I woulda done that for them, right here in my garage. And free of charge, too. I'm sure I could have found a rusty saw and pair of pliers around here somewhere," he laughed aloud. "I could have stopped any bleeding with my handy-dandy soldering iron, too. Wait, back up a second, you actually went and <i>talked</i> to those two?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, we haven't talked since then. I needed to confront them, try and make sense of all of it. Got a beautiful recording of them admitting what they did. Turned it right over to the cops. Those two will never be free again."</span></p> <p><span>"Good for you, son. I'm glad you stood up to them. That took some serious cojones and I'm proud of you."</span></p> <p><span>"You should have seen their faces when I pulled out my phone and stopped recording. I thought they were gonna shit themselves after what they'd said."</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe I will go see some old friends, see what I can find out. You're right, some of them may just talk to me."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I got all I needed from them, they're all yours now. Look, if you and mom need anything, let us know, all right?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're fine, Max. You take care of yourself. And Tom and the boys, too. Love all you guys. We'll talk to you later."</span></p> <p><span>"Bye, Dad. Tell Mom we say hi and we love both of you." After hanging up the phone again, I asked, "Okay, anyone else we needed to call?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not that I can think of," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I'm gonna go take a nap. Somebody kept me awake way too late last night."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey! I didn't hear you complaining a bit so don't be tryin' to make me feel guilty about it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not complaining now, either, hon. I'm just sayin' I need a little more sleep. You wanna join me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not this afternoon, babe. I'm too wound up."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, your loss. If I'm not up when the boys get home, come get me, will you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Somebody will, for sure."</span></p> <p><span>I closed the bedroom door and after laying down, pulled just the sheet over me and curled up, hoping to catch up on some much-needed shut-eye.</span></p> <p><span>After Max went to lay down, instead of picking up my book to continue reading, I called Carol.</span></p> <p><span>"Carol Ward, how can I help you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Afternoon, Carol, Tom here. How ya' doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just another day in paradise, Tom. I'm glad you called. I've wanted to call you guys today, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Good news, I hope."</span></p> <p><span>"Double good news, actually. First, we've finally finished comparing our files to the list of names from Alex and Joey. We had a total of seven names match children who had been placed with the Muellers over the years, but after I personally contacted each one of them, they all denied having ever been abused by them. In fact, all seven are happily married and have kids of their own now."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear, Carol. I'll make sure to tell Max when he wakes up."</span></p> <p><span>"He not feeling well?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no, nothing like that. We were just up a little later than normal, that's all."</span></p> <p><span>"TMI, Tom," she chuckled. "Now the other good news I'd hoped to share with both of you at the same time, but since I don't want to disturb Sleeping Beauty, I'll leave it up to you to pass it on. The first part is Andy's mother has finally seen the writing on the wall and agreed to sign away her parental rights, so he's now available for adoption. You know anyone who would be interested in giving the little ragamuffin a good home?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's great news, Carol! You know he's already got a home here, so quit teasing me. Max will love it and so will all the boys. Andy's fit in so well with the others, I can't imagine what it would be like around here if he suddenly left us. You got any more good news you want to drop on me?"</span></p> <p><span>"One more, little tidbit. It might be good, it might not. You and Max will be the final judge. I've managed to do some finagling of certain events and have a date for all five boys' adoptions to take place on the same day."</span></p> <p><span>"Ohmigod, that's great. What's the date?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I hope this won't be a problem with you two, but since I know when and where a certain judge will be, along with all the other people involved, they're gonna happen May seventeenth, right after your wedding." I lost my voice and had no response that could adequately convey how I truly felt about Carol's announcement. After several long moments of silence on my part, Carol asked, "Tom, you okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Carol, fine. Stunned would be a good word to use, too. How the hell did you work that out?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I knew Judge Corgan was going to handle the court appearances for the adoptions. I also found out from him that he's going to officiate your wedding. So, we put two and two together and got seven. Good, huh?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, Max will be so happy. We all will be. The boys have been begging to be involved in the wedding somehow, but since our parents are doing most of the planning, we don't know what they've come up with. We'll have to let them know about this so they can maybe adjust their plans a bit. I don't know how we can ever repay you for making this happen."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad we were able to get everything lined up. Consider it our wedding gift to all of you."</span></p> <p><span>"Though this is totally inadequate, thank you, Carol, from the bottom of our hearts. You've made us the two happiest men on earth today."</span></p> <p><span>"Happy to do it. Now, you called me. What did you want?"</span></p> <p><span>"Huh? Oh, yeah, I lost my train of thought. Um, first, I don't know if you've heard the news yet, but Dylan is resigning from the force. He's going to come work with me."</span></p> <p><span>"Wow! I never dreamed he'd leave the department. What brought that about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he'd been thinking about it for a while, but one of the other guys got killed yesterday and that just iced it for him."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my, I didn't know that. How's Dylan doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"Broken up, like you'd expect, but he's strong and we'll help him get through it."</span></p> <p><span>"What's the second thing you wanted to tell me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max has gotten this crazy idea in his head. He wants us to build a bigger house so we have the room to take in more kids that need help. Not to adopt them, but to be, I guess, a foster family for them until they can find different arrangements or be adopted by someone else. Can you believe that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, I can. Sounds like the guy who's already agreed to adopt five kids in need. It doesn't surprise me one bit he wants to help more. What can I do to help make that dream become a reality?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing, I want you to talk him out of it. At least for a while. If that's what he wants, I'm all for it, but I want him to work with his counselor some more and have his mind straighter before we jump off the deep end."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, Tom, Tom, when will you ever learn? Max is gay, his brain can never be straight," she laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"You know what I mean."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I do. Just tryin' to be funny. Look, I can't talk to him about holding off. We have a definite space crunch with beds in this part of the state. The more we have and the sooner we have them, the better off we'll be. In fact, I could probably arrange a little funding to flow his way to help make it happen even faster."</span></p> <p><span>"You're a whole heap of help there, Carol. Thanks for nothin'."</span></p> <p><span>"I've already done my good deed for the day. It's your turn to do yours. Support Max and help him make it happen."</span></p> <p><span>"All right. Thanks for the news. It really will make our day. Talk to you later." I hung up the phone and sat in stunned silence for several minutes as I wrapped my brain around Carol's news. When I thought I had myself back under control, I picked up my book to continue reading, but the tears flooding my eyes and flowing down my cheeks were screwing up my focus. I finally gave up, put the book back on the table and just sat there, numb with shock and sobbing with joy at how our dreams were starting to come true. I was sorely tempted to wake Max now and tell him, but decided to let him sleep and tell everyone when the boys were home. I finally got a grip on myself and was able to clear my eyes enough to resume reading.</span></p> <p><span>Fifteen minutes before the boys should be home, I crept into the bedroom to pull on some sweats and a shirt so I'd be ready to go pick them up once they announced they were home. Max was sprawled out on his back, sheet and cover kicked off, erect penis bouncing freely in time to his heartbeat. Just before I left the room, I lightly ran the tip of a finger from the back of his scrotum to the very tip of his glans. I could see his body quiver as the sensation of my light touch added to whatever dream he was already having. With a grin on my face, I left him alone again to await the three dings from the drive sensor.</span></p> <p><span>I'd barely sat back down when I heard the boys signal. I levered myself back out of my chair, grabbed my coat and headed out to the garage. When I reached the end of the drive, the boys ran for the car and hopped in. As had become the norm for them, as soon as the car doors were closed, clothes started flying as they began to get undressed. By the time I'd pulled into the garage, all six were again comfortable in their skin and their clothes bundled for the trip into the house.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, guys, Max is taking a nap. Joey, Alex, once you've dropped your things in your room, why don't you two go wake him up. The rest of us will wait in the living room for the three of you to join us. I have some good news to share with all of you."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Pops," Alex replied as we entered the house and the boys split up to their separate rooms.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, dude, this'll be fun gettin' to wake up Dad for once," Joey enthused as we moved down the hall to his bedroom</span></p> <p><span>"We gonna tickle him?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I sure am, but not where you think."</span></p> <p><span>"We gotta be quiet and not wake him too fast."</span></p> <p><span>"Gotcha, stealth mode engaged."</span></p> <p><span>As we stood outside dad's bedroom door, Joey's thought popped in my head, "You ready?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, open the door, J." Joey quietly turned the knob, pushed the door and allowed it to swing just wide enough so we could creep in. I closed the door just as quietly and after turning around, found Joey standing stock still as he stared at the lone figure stretched out on the bed. There was Dad, sleeping peacefully, in all his naked glory. His hard pecker was pointing towards his chin and jumping sporadically as if dancing to some unheard music with a very weird beat. I really liked that he shaved `cause I never did much like to look at other dicks surrounded by all that nasty curly hair. It always hid too much and I wanted to see the whole glorious package.</span></p> <p><span>"Holy shit, would you look at that?" Joey thought. "All primed and ready for some fun."</span></p> <p><span>"He must be having one hell of a dream," I silently agreed. We tiptoed to the bed and carefully climbed up on the mattress, Joey moved to Dad's right side while I stayed on his left. "I've wanted to touch him and more since the first time we saw him naked."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, now's our chance, A, let's make it count." </span></p> <p><span>I slowly reached my hand out and wrapped it around Dad's pecker. Though he was nowhere near the size of Pops, I could barely curl my fingers completely around it as I grasped the upper half. Joey wrapped one of his hands around the hard shaft below mine and let his other hand drift to the hairless sack holding his balls. As we started to gently slide our hands up and down his hardness, Dad moaned lightly as we maintained our pressure and slow rhythm on his shaft. When just looking at the purple head poking out of my hand didn't seem to be enough, I leaned over and took it into my mouth, swirling my tongue around it as we continued to stroke him. When I decided licking the head just wasn't filling my mouth enough, I peeled my hand away and swallowed his shaft to Joey's hand. Dad grunted a bit and I was afraid he'd wake up to find his dick in my mouth. But not enough afraid of that happening to let his dick slip from between my lips.</span></p> <p><span>After enjoying the flavor of his pecker for a few minutes, a new thought popped in my head. It was Joey saying, "Hey! It's my turn to taste his meat. You play with his nuts." I pulled my mouth off Dad's hard rod and allowed Joey to sample it. Not content to just fondle his balls, I slipped my head between his legs and started licking his nutsack. It was so smooth, he must have just shaved it this morning. The more I lapped at his sack, the wider Dad spread his legs, making it easier for me slather him with my spit. Joey continued his assault on Dad's dick and was moaning deeply. I could feel the vibrations of his growls all the way back to Dad's hole. </span></p> <p><span>Ohmigod, his hole. I quickly slicked up a finger and started to probe and prod at his tight sphincter. I slowly slipped the finger inside his ass and began to search for his prostate. Once located, I began to rub it lightly while I continued my oral assault on his balls and Joey kept up the suction on his dick. I knew the moment we were waiting for had finally arrived when I felt his balls pull up and his asshole clamped my finger tightly. Joey never wavered or let Dad's dick slip from his mouth as it was filled with semen. When the clamp on my finger finally released, I pulled my finger back out and knelt by Dad's side. Joey was kneeling on his other side with a tight grin cutting across his face. He leaned forward, beckoning me to come closer. When our lips met above Dad's still throbbing hunk of meat, Joey used his tongue to force my lips open and we shared the prize we'd just milked from our Dad. If either of us could actually shoot, we would have coated Dad's bare crotch with our own offering as we both came without ever touching ourselves.</span></p> <p><span>Once we swallowed our treat and finally collected ourselves, we looked to Dad's face and realized he was still asleep somehow. Joey pushed the thought into my brain, "How the fuck did he sleep through that?" he pouted.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, but we should get off the bed and try to get him awake. Pops is liable to come in any second looking for us."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, he had news to share, didn't he? I forgot all about it after seeing Dad's boner." We gently crawled to the edge of the bed and once we were back on the floor, I shook Dad's shoulder to rouse him from his slumber.</span></p> <p><span>I was enjoying the most realistic and erotic dream I'd ever had when I felt a hand shaking my shoulder and heard a voice say, "Hey, Dad, time to wake up."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, c'mon sleepyhead," another voice giggled. "Pops has some kinda news he's waiting to tell us."</span></p> <p><span>My eyes finally popped open to find Joey and Alex standing next to the bed, devious grins splitting both their faces. "Oh, hey boys, home from school, I see."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, c'mon, old man ...," Joey started.</span></p> <p><span>"... get your butt outta bed," Alex finished.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, all right. Let me go to the bathroom and I'll be right out." I swung my legs off the bed to stand up and realized my penis was stiff as a board and it and my scrotum were both dripping wet. "Geez, that was one hell of a dream I was havin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dad, it looked like it to us, too. We watched you for a couple of minutes," Joey giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"It musta really been somethin'. You looked like you were about to pop," Alex added with his own little giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"It sure felt like I did. At least in the dream, it did. Okay, you two scoot on outta here and I'll be right there." The twins disappeared through the door as I made my way to the bathroom. Somethin' was feeling a bit off about the whole situation, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. After draining my bladder, I grabbed a washcloth, wetted it with cold water and wiped the sweat off my face. Once my face was feeling cleaner, I moved the cloth down to wipe the sweat off my crotch, also. I wiped down my scrotum first, wondering the whole time why I was so wet there also. It wasn't until I went clean my penis that the old five-watt bulb finally flickered on. </span></p> <p><span>I slowly put the puzzle pieces together until the complete picture formed in my mind. Stiff, wet cock, soaking wet balls, felt like I'd shot a load, but no evidence of it actually happening, two always-horny boys innocently standing beside the bed, giggling their asses off, shit-eating grins on their faces. Those devious little rascals. I knew I should be mad as hell at them for taking advantage of me, but, damn that's the best wake-up call I've ever had. When I finally had my wits unscrambled, I headed out to join the rest of the family and found them all waiting for me in the living room.</span></p> <p><span>"Morning, Sleeping Beauty," Tom said as I sat next to him. "Nice of you to join us."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, I slept pretty hard and didn't want to wake up."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you sure did," Joey giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll get to you in a little bit, young man," I scolded. I looked back to Tom and asked, "Okay, what's this big news you have that couldn't wait a little bit longer?"</span></p> <p><span>"Look, if you'd rather be sleeping, go right ahead. Don't let us keep you up."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, hon. I'm just a little testy. I just hope it's good news."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I think you'll like it. Okay, I called Carol this afternoon to let her know about Dylan coming to work with me. She was pretty surprised, to say the least, but she's looking forward to working with us. But that's not the important part of our conversation. She told me that we can adopt Andy with the other four."</span></p> <p><span>"What!?" Andy yelled. "I really get to stay here forever? Yippee!!" he yelled as he danced around the table.</span></p> <p><span>"You sure do buddy," Tom answered. "And the news gets even better. Not only will Andy become an official member of the family, but Carol's managed to juggle things around and his adoption can be finalized on the same day as the others, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that's great news, Tom. Why the hell didn't you get me up and let me know?"</span></p> <p><span>"Wait for it, babe, remember, patience is a virtue. There's one more thing you need to know and that's the date it's all gonna happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Please don't tell me it's any later than June, I don't want to wait any longer than we have to."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, not later," he grinned slyly. "She managed to get all five set for May. May seventeenth to be exact. You doing anything special that day?"</span></p> <p><span>I thought the roof was going to be launched into space from all the noise the boys created with their cheering. Even Logan joined in their celebration as they jumped, danced, hooted and hollered. Shocked beyond belief, I stared at Tom for a moment and, after a quick nod to reinforce what he'd said, I broke down into tears. The boys suddenly got super quiet and Tom pulled me into his warm embrace.</span></p> <p><span>"It's okay, babe. You should be happy."</span></p> <p><span>"I am," I blubbered. "I've never been happier in my entire pitiful life."</span></p> <p><span>The boys came over, climbed in our laps and on our backs as we enjoyed an eight-way celebration hug. Once I'd regained my composure, I said, "I can't believe she made this happen."</span></p> <p><span>"She told me that she and Judge Corgan worked together to arrange it all. Since they knew where everyone was going to be on the seventeenth, it just made sense to take care of it all in one shot. David will do our wedding ceremony first and then he'll take care of the adoptions so both our names can be on the certificates."</span></p> <p><span>"Will we get to change our names to Sanders?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't see why not. What do you think, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I was kinda hopin' they'd pick Wright, but I guess Sanders will work, too."</span></p> <p><span>"How `bout we do one of them dash thingies and go with Sanders-Wright?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Or Wright-Sanders," T.J. suggested.</span></p> <p><span>"Would that make us royalty?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>I stifled my laugh and answered, "Not hardly, Mike. What do you think, Andy? You're being awfully quiet over there."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't wanna change my name. I like Cox."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, buddy. Nobody's saying you have to. If you change your mind though, you can always do so later."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, thanks, Dad. I'll think about it."</span></p> <p><span>"You realize, of course, we need to call our parents again so they can make whatever changes are needed to the plans they've come up with so far, don't you?" Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"We can do that later. Right now, we need to have a little chat with Joey and Alex."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, we're outta here," T.J. replied. "C'mon Andy, Mike, Logan. We don't need to be here."</span></p> <p><span>"No, Logan already knows about part of this and I want you all to hear it. Alex, Joey, sit right here on the table, the rest of you can have the couch." Once everyone was in their place, I pushed on, "You want to tell me what happened last night?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Dad," Alex answered. "Like I said, I just thought about punching Joey and, bam, he did it to himself. That's never happened before." T.J., Mike and Andy registered surprise on their faces at this new development in the twins' mental abilities.</span></p> <p><span>"And when I found out he could do it, I got really pissed off. Then, I tried and it worked for me, too. And once I started, I couldn't stop it."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, do you think it happened because you were so upset with each other that your emotions may have fueled your ability to hurt the other, or is this just a new phase of development you're discovering?"</span></p> <p><span>"We don't know, Dad," they chimed.</span></p> <p><span>"I got an idea," Joey added. "Try it now."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't want to hit you in the face, again." </span></p> <p><span>"Good, `cause I don't want you to, either, bonehead. Try to get me to hit my leg or somethin', or better yet, your face."</span></p> <p><span>Alex stared at Joey and we waited about thirty seconds before he said, "It ain't happenin', and I really tried. I guess it only works when we're mad."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good news, then," Tom said. "Apparently, you can only do it when you're upset with each other."</span></p> <p><span>"At least for now," I added. "You'll have to be really careful with your emotions, especially anger, to make sure you don't hurt each other or anyone else. Think you can do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dad," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be careful," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, next, Pops and I talked to Rick this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what'd he want?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"And how's Josh?" Joey begged.</span></p> <p><span>"First, he thanked us for having them over. They had a great time and can't wait to be able to come over again. Second, he said they had a talk last night that became interesting. You remember what you told me last night, Joey?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," he muttered as he blushed with embarrassment and looked at the floor.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, during their discussion, Josh told Rick and Eric that he thinks he might be gay <i>and</i> it appears he feels the same way about you, Joey."</span></p> <p><span>"Ohmigod, really?" he squealed with delight as lifted his head back up.</span></p> <p><span>"Really," Tom answered with a big smile.</span></p> <p><span>"What're you talking about, dads," T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>Alex turned to face the other four and answered, "Ole bingo brain told Dad last night he thinks he's in love with Josh." All four boys snickered at the idea.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey! It ain't funny," Joey yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"No, guys, it isn't," Tom admonished them. He returned his focus to Joey and carried on, "We told Rick that you'd asked if Josh could spend the night last night and we'd said no since it was a school night. But, if you're interested, Rick said he'd be glad to have you stay over with them tomorrow night. He's supposed to talk to Josh and Eric when he gets home from work and we'll talk again tonight about seven."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, I wanna go," Joey panted, nodding his head enthusiastically.</span></p> <p><span>"Down, boy," I chuckled. "We'll talk to Rick first and then you can talk to Josh, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, Dads, thanks."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, I have one more thing to discuss before we have supper," I said. "Anyone care to take a guess what it's about?" With negative head shakes from the assemblage, I continued. "It seems we need a little refresher on the rules concerning sex in this home. What's rule number one?"</span></p> <p><span>"It happens only in our bedrooms with the door closed," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, T.J. Rule number two?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Everyone involved has to agree to whatever happens," Logan answered.</span></p> <p><span>"See, even Logan knows the rules. Yep, that's it. Two pretty simple rules, right? Now last question, can a person who's asleep agree to anything?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really," Andy answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Not unless they can talk in their sleep," Mike added.</span></p> <p><span>"And that seems unlikely, doesn't it?" Joey and Alex had remained uncharacteristically silent during this part of our chat, so I turned my attention back to them. "So, new rule to go with the other two. If you want to enjoy some intimate play with another person, they <i>must</i> be awake and at least be given the chance to say no. If they're asleep, it's hands and lips off. Everybody understand that? Joey, Alex, you got it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dad, we got it," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"Good. I hope we never have to discuss the rules again. Now, what's for supper?"</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, we ain't gonna get in trouble?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You should, but I'll let it slide this time. It ever happens again, though, it'll be two weeks wearing clothes, understood?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, Dad. We're sorry," they chimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Moving on, supper?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>After a spirited discussion of food selection, we decided pizza was the easiest, so I grabbed the phone and placed the order. The boys got the table set so when I returned with our food, we'd be ready to eat. The six eating machines must have been starving, as the four large pizzas didn't last very long. Once the supper cleanup was completed, we headed to the theater to watch mindless TV until it was time to call Rick. Joey kept turning around to look at the clock behind us, frowning, and sitting back down. It was cute to see how anxious he was to talk to Josh and by the time seven rolled around, his eyes were practically glued to the clock. When the magical moment finally arrived, Joey and I left Tom and the other five boys watching Animal Planet while we adjourned to the living room to make our call.</span></p> <p><span>I punched the speaker button and dialed Rick's number. When he answered, I greeted him with, "Hidey-ho, Rick. How ya' doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're good, Max, how `bout you guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're just dandy. So, what have you come up with for tomorrow night?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, after talking to the boys, it sounds like we're a go on this end. Josh is as excited as all get out to have his first sleep-over with a friend."</span></p> <p><span>"Joey's in pretty much the same mood. I've got him tied down to the couch right now so he doesn't float away. Do you want us to bring Joey over, or do you want to pick him up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, since I'm off, why doesn't Joey just walk home from school with Josh and Eric? We're not that far and that way neither of us has to drive anywhere. Then we'll bring him home Saturday morning. Does that sound all right to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to me, Rick, what do you think, Joey?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's great," Joey enthused.</span></p> <p><span>"I guess we have a plan then," Rick agreed. "Since Joey's right there and Josh is hangin' on my every word, why don't we take a hike, Max, and let them talk?"</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, talk to you later. All yours, Joey, don't talk all night, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>I rolled my eyes, grabbed the receiver and asked, "You there, Josh? ... Yeah, hang on while my dad leaves." I watched dad as he walked away across the living room, dining room and finally disappeared into the theater before continuing. "Okay, he's gone. How are ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm great, Joey. I can't wait for you to come over tomorrow. We're gonna have all kinds of fun."</span></p> <p><span>"I can't wait either. This'll be the first time I've ever spent a night away from Alex."</span></p> <p><span>"I bet that's gonna be weird for both of you, won't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, dude, but I'm ready to find out. Especially after the little prick made me punch myself in the nose last night."</span></p> <p><span>"What!? How'd he do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll tell you tomorrow night. It's too weird to explain over the phone. So, what are we gonna do?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, probably watch some TV, play some video games, who knows? We'll figure it out when you're here."</span></p> <p><span>"What about your brother? Will he be there, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably. He don't have a girlfriend or nothin', so he hardly goes anywhere."</span></p> <p><span>"Josh, I gotta ask, do you really think you're gay or you just sayin' that `cause of what we did in the pool and shower?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, man, I really do. Like I told Dad and Eric last night, when I'm jerkin' off, I'm thinkin' `bout them and what they look like naked, not some stupid girl. What I didn't tell `em is I'm also thinkin' `bout what it would be like to suck their dicks. And when I jerked off this afternoon after school, I was thinkin' bout you and your cute little pecker," Josh added with a little giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, damn it, dude, now you got me all hard."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, that makes two of us."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, did you really tell your dad you think you're in love with me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, yeah, I guess I did," Josh answered hesitantly. "Does that freak you out?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, `cause I told my dad the same thing `bout you last night. I mean, I love my brothers and all that, but that feels different than how I felt with you. Does that make sense?"</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect sense, man. But we can talk about it more tomorrow, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay. Hey, you want sit together at lunch tomorrow?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that'd be cool. Think Alex will join us?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, but I'll ask him. He says he's cool with us, but I don't know just yet."</span></p> <p><span>"Give him some time, Joey, he'll be okay. Maybe he'll find someone, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, he's found him already, but I don't know if they've talked about it too much."</span></p> <p><span>"Really, who?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know Brent from our class?"</span></p> <p><span>"You mean that tall kid with the curly black hair?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, him. He was at our birthday party and Alex was practically drooling all over him."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh shit, I gotta go, man. Dad's yellin' at me to get off the phone. See you at lunch, tomorrow, Joey."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'll be there. Think about me tonight when you're all alone."</span></p> <p><span>"You know it. You, too."</span></p> <p><span>I hung up the phone and looked down at my stiff dick. Knowing I couldn't go back to watch TV with a hardon, I wrapped a hand around it and started stroking myself as I closed my eyes, laid my head back and thought about having Josh's lips wrapped around it. I could still feel his sweet pecker in my mouth from our shower last night and how its four-and-a-half-inch length tickled the back of my tongue when my nose was driving into his hairless crotch. I could also feel his finger as he searched for and found my asshole. Oh, fuck, I barely know Josh and I can't wait to be able to hold him close, to feel our bodies entwined, dicks rubbing together between us, oh, yeah, here it comes, I can feel it, just a little more, I started bucking my hips, shoving my dick into my hand, dreaming it's Josh's mouth, or better yet, his tight ass. My body tenses up as I get closer and closer and suddenly, BAM! I was quivering from head to toe as I came. Oh, fuck me runnin', Joshy, I love you. As I slowly came back down from my high and opened my eyes, I found Dad standing there with an amused look on his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, sorry to interrupt, but I thought it was time for you to be off the phone."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, sorry, Dad. Guess I got carried away."</span></p> <p><span>"Just a little. Want to talk about it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, not really. Not yet, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Any time you change your mind, I'm here."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, Dad, thanks," Joey replied as he stood and walked towards me. I knelt down to his level and pulled him into a hug which he gratefully returned. "Uh, don't say nothin' to Alex `bout that, all right?"</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, son. Let's go watch some <i>Star Trek</i>." </span></p> <p><span>After watching a couple more episodes of the boys' favorite show, it was bedtime. We hustled them off to hit the john and followed in their footsteps a few minutes later to say our goodnights. We stopped in on the twins and Logan first and found them curled and covered up. We shared our hugs, kisses, goodnights and love yous before turning out the light and moving on to check on Mike, T.J. and Andy. </span></p> <p><span>Andy was just coming out of the bathroom as we entered their room and I asked him, "So, how do you feel about officially joining our family?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think it's great, Dad. I'm gonna miss my mom, but I ain't gonna miss Russ. He was a jerk and I always hated him. I'm glad Pops and Sergeant Brock put him in jail `cause that's where he belongs."</span></p> <p><span>"We're glad you're happy here, Andy," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, dads," T.J. began, "we been making some progress with Andy's little problem."</span></p> <p><span>"Really?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, give us a minute and you can see for yourself." After Andy stretched out on the bed, Mike deftly applied the steroid cream to Andy's foreskin and gently massaged it into the skin. When that step was done, T.J. took over as he grasped Andy's penis between his thumb and forefinger and began to slowly manipulate the turgid member in a very well-practiced motion, one I'm sure he learned when he had to do this for himself. We'd been watching for a few minutes when T.J. looked up and said, "Okay, take a closer look, dads, see for yourself."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I leaned in and, sure enough, a bit more of Andy's glans was now exposed compared to what it had been. "You guys are doing great. Keep it up and you'll have Andy straightened out in no time."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, Dad, I don't think he can get any straighter than <i>that</i>," Mike giggled as he pointed to Andy's stiff penis.</span></p> <p><span>"You know what I meant, silly. C'mon, guys, hugs and kisses time." </span></p> <p><span>The three of them moved to the side of the bed and we enjoyed a five-way hug, sharing kisses, goodnights and love yous along the way. When we were done, they curled up in the middle of the bed and we pulled up their covers, turned off the light and headed to the living room to relax for a bit before going to bed ourselves. I lit a log in the fireplace and flipped on the circulation fan to keep us toasty warm while we read. After a couple of hours, my eyes were starting to sag and I was ready for some sleep. I let Tom know I was headed for bed and he joined me.</span></p> <p><span>As we walked across the living room, he asked, "You wanna tell me what that new rule was all about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, that," I chuckled. "Did you actually pay attention to how long it took Joey and Alex to come back out after you sent them to wake me up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, no. I was busy talking with the others. Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I don't know how long they were in the bedroom with me, but they seem to have rather enjoyed the opportunity." As we entered our bedroom, I explained how I felt and how wet I was when they actually did wake me up and what I figured out after the twins had left me alone.</span></p> <p><span>"Those little stinkers," he laughed. "I shoulda known somethin' was up when they came back with ear-to-ear smiles. Next time, <i>I </i>take the nap and you send them wake me up."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, big guy," I agreed as I leaned in to give my lover a good night kiss and whispered, "I love you, big guy," before snuggling up for a good night's sleep.</span></p> <p><span>"And I love you, more, babe," Tom whispered back as he held me tightly.</span></p> <p><span>Friday morning, we started the process all over, again. After a month together, we finally seemed to be settling in on a rhythm and schedule to our daily routines. Wake up early, get the boys moving in the right direction, breakfast and then drop the boys at the bus shelter. As they were headed out this morning, Joey was the last to give me a hug and when he started to let go, I asked, "You got everything you need for tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dad, not that I need that much. Toothbrush, clean clothes for tomorrow, you know, the basics."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like you're ready, then. Two things I want you to do. First, be careful, second, don't rush into something you may not be ready for. You and Josh have plenty of time to figure things out between you."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dad, I know," Joey responded as a flush of embarrassment flooded his face.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad you understand. Have a good day at school and we'll see you tomorrow morning. Love you, kiddo," I added as I gave him a light swat on the behind to send him on his way.</span></p> <p><span>"Love you, too, Dad. See you in the morning."</span></p> <p><span>My heart skipped a beat or two as he headed for the garage. This was going to be first night since the boys had moved into our home and my heart that one of them wasn't going to be here at night. I wasn't quite sure how I felt about that development. Before I had too much time to dwell on that thought, the phone rang. After checking the caller ID and seeing it was James, I answered with, "Hey, you know what they call a thousand lawyers drowned in the sea?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, I know, a good start. I've heard `em all Max. Hey, sorry I didn't call back yesterday, but court ran longer than normal. I barely got home in time for supper with the family. So, what's up today? You adopting more kids? Putting another child porno ring out of business? Saving the world from their homophobic insanity?"</span></p> <p><span>I chuckled and replied, "Yes to the first question, no to the other two. I can only do so much in a week, ya' know. I'm saving them for next week and the week after."</span></p> <p><span>"What, you're really adopting another one?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, found out yesterday afternoon that Andy's mom is going to relinquish her parental rights, so he's going to become a permanent member of the growing circus. Think you can handle one more?"</span></p> <p><span>"In my sleep, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, you have until May seventeenth to get everything ready."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, isn't that when you and Tom are getting married?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, our case worker and the judge involved worked things out so we could do it all on one day."</span></p> <p><span>"Congrats, guys. I couldn't be happier for all of you. I'll get in touch with Carol to get Andy's info so I can get things ready on my end. What else ya' got?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it seems that I should make a new will and set up some funds for the boys' education."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you think you should wait until you're actually married and the adoptions are finalized before you do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I want everything ready to go on the seventeenth, James. I want Tom and I to be married, become the true fathers of five boys and then sign the new will and trust papers. Think you can make it happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"Have I ever let you down before?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, and I don't expect you to change now." I heard the garage door close as Tom came back from dropping the boys and he came in to sit with me. "Here's what I want to do; I want five trust funds for the boys in the amount of a million dollars, each. The trusts are to be used for their educational expenses after high school. When they graduate college or turn twenty-five, whichever comes first, the balance of the trust will become theirs to use as they please. I want the trustees to start with me and Tom, then you, our parents and my sister and her husband, in that order. If I should die before they complete their college, it rolls on down the line. Hopefully, they can all get done with their schooling before we all kick the bucket. <a name="_Hlk495437392">Do you think that covers everything on boys' trusts?"</a></span></p> <p><span>"Sounds pretty good to me, straightforward and to the point. Now what about the will?"</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, get ready to sharpen your math skills. I want to leave ten million to a charitable foundation I plan to create to help with suicide prevention of gay youth and assist gay youth in being adopted by parents who will love them for who they are. Fifty percent of whatever's left over goes to Tom. The remaining fifty percent will be split among our sons, parents and my sister with the boys splitting thirty percent evenly and our parents and my sister splitting the other twenty. If anyone should die before I do, their share reverts to the estate to be split among the survivors. How does that sound?"</span></p> <p><span>"Workable. I'll get some things drawn up for the trusts and the will and send them to you for approval. Once I have that, we'll finalize everything and have ready for you to sign on the seventeenth."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, James. Thanks for your help. Anything comes up you need answered, just call."</span></p> <p><span>"Talk to you later, Max. Have a good day."</span></p> <p><span>"You, too, James." As I hung up the phone, I looked to Tom and saw he was stunned at what I'd just done. "What? You don't agree with all that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, if that's what you want, then who am I to argue. It's great you're thinking of our parents and Lee, but what's this about the foundation? You haven't said anything about that, before."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it popped in my head just now. I realized that if I croak after we get our new house built and have more kids we're helping, I don't want you to have to use your money to support them. The foundation can take care of those expenses. I'll have it set up so the initial money is invested in solid funds and the income from those investments should be able to take care of whatever's needed. And if I end up writing a couple more books and earn a few million more, then we can bump up that initial investment."</span></p> <p><span>"Man, you talk about money like it grows on trees."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, in my case, it kinda does. Since books are printed on paper and that comes from trees, then, yeah, mine does, indeed, grow on trees. Or, at least, it comes from trees."</span></p> <p><span>"Never thought about it that way."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you okay with the way I split things up? Does it seem fair to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Again, if that's what you want. It's your money, you know."</span></p> <p><span>"For now, it is, but once we become spouses, half of it legally becomes yours. It's yours already as far as I'm concerned, but the state doesn't think that way."</span></p> <p><span>"Eh, screw the state."</span></p> <p><span>"My feelings exactly. Okay, I need to make another call, but I'm going to the study for it."</span></p> <p><span>"Secrets? Already?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's about your wedding present, so yeah, it's a secret."</span></p> <p><span>"Dammit, Max, I don't need anything. You're all I want or need."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, too bad," I cracked as I stuck my tongue out at him. "It's already a done deal." As I passed by him on the way to make the call, he smacked my ass. I wiggled my butt and cooed, "Ooh, do that again, big boy."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, get outta here and make your damn call."</span></p> <p><span>After closing the door and sitting at the desk, I looked up Shelby America's phone number on the internet and placed the call.</span></p> <p><span>"Shelby America, how may I direct your call?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like to speak to your production manager, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"One moment, sir."</span></p> <p><span>After a minute on hold, "This is Jack, how can I help you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Jack. My name is Max Sanders. I already own one Shelby and I've just ordered another one from my local dealer as a wedding present for my fianc�. I wanted to check with you to see what your schedule looks like."</span></p> <p><span>"When did you place the order with your dealer? And when is the wedding?"</span></p> <p><span>"I placed the order a week ago yesterday and the wedding is May seventeenth. I want to make sure the car can be delivered by then."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Mr. Sanders. Our schedule is full for the next four months. I don't see how we could possibly have yours completed in that time frame."</span></p> <p><span>"Surely you have some slack space in your schedule to deal with unforeseen circumstances."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, we do, but not near enough to move one order ahead of all the others we already have."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, this is really important to me and I was hoping the fact I already own one might give me a little preferential treatment."</span></p> <p><span>"I would say that normally it would, but this is a really busy time for us and I just don't see any way we can accommodate your request."</span></p> <p><span>"Would it make a difference if I said I was willing to pay double the price of the car to get it here by the seventeenth?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I suppose I could talk to the company president and see what he says. I can't make any promises, of course."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Jack. I promise to make it worth your while. Please e-mail me with whatever you find out since I don't want my fianc� answering a call from your company. That would give away the surprise." I gave him my e-mail address and he promised I'd hear from him early next week. After ending the call, I rejoined Tom in the living room.</span></p> <p><span>"So, will I like it?" he asked as I took my seat.</span></p> <p><span>"If you don't, then I'll just keep it for myself."</span></p> <p><span>"I think you'd do it, too, just to spite me."</span></p> <p><span>"Bet your ass on it, bubba."</span></p> <p><span>"Not even a hint, babe?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, you'll just have to suffer."</span></p> <p><span>"That's cruel and unusual punishment." I just grinned evilly as I picked up my book and started to read. "Okay, I see how you are. Well, I was gonna tell you what I was gettin' you, but now I'm not. So there," he snarked as he stuck his tongue out at me.</span></p> <p><span>"That's good, I wouldn't want you to ruin the surprise for me, either." </span></p> <p><span>We both returned to our books, occasionally looking at each other and smiling. God, this was gonna be a long two months. After a quiet and simple lunch, we jumped in the pool so we could actually swim without being mugged for once. Though, by the time we got out and headed to the shower, we admitted to each other it just wasn't the same without the boys being there. After our shower, we curled up in bed together and promptly fell asleep. We didn't wake up until we heard the drive sensor ding three times after the boys got off the bus.</span></p> <p><span>"Who's going, you or me?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I think it's your turn, babe. You haven't picked them up for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, back in a few." I grabbed my keys off the dresser and headed out of the bedroom.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, aren't you gonna pull on some sweats?" Tom yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Why bother? I'm just goin' to the end of the drive and back. Who's gonna see me?" As the boys piled in the car, they all commented on my lack of threads as they started removing theirs. All except for Alex, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, sullen look filling his face. "You want to talk about it, buddy?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's just weird, Dad. I guess I feel jealous of Josh. I know Joey wants to see him and I really don't have a problem with it, but this'll our first night apart in, like, forever."</span></p> <p><span>"It'll be different for all us, Alex. Since you guys moved in, none of you have spent a night anywhere else. But, we'll all get through it just fine and Joey will back home tomorrow morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know," he responded sadly as he stared out the car window.</span></p> <p><span>When we got back to the house, the boys dropped their bags and clothes in their rooms and headed for the kitchen for their snack. While they munched their brownies Tom had made, I reminded them about our plans for tomorrow night with Dylan and Malcom. They all volunteered to do whatever was needed to help us get ready before Malcom showed up at five. When the snacks were done, we all settled in the living room to play a family game of Uno. It was a close contest between Logan, T.J. and Andy, but, in the end, it was Andy who won the game. With high fives from all of us, Andy was about as happy as we'd ever seen. Well, except for our news yesterday. I don't think anything could top that.</span></p> <p><span>Supper was a quiet affair without Joey being there to crack wise about everything, but we still talked about the boys' day at school and what homework they had to work on over the weekend. Knowing we'd be pretty busy tomorrow, we agreed to let them deal with it Sunday afternoon. After supper was cleaned up, we headed for the pool to have some fun. After an hour of roughhousing, Tom and I were wiped out and adjourned to our corner while Mike spent the next half hour working with the others on their swimming. It had only been a couple of weeks since we'd had him helping the others, but you could see some definite improvement from all of them. </span></p> <p><span>Since it was starting to get late and we had a long day ahead of us tomorrow, Tom and I decided to call it a night and get the munchkins in bed. The boys broached no arguments and headed straight for the showers. They were all so tired, nobody begged for snacks, so we got them all in bed with our now familiar nighttime rituals and we headed for bed ourselves. We'd just curled up together when there was a light knock on the door. The door popped open and Alex stuck his head through the gap.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, dads, can I sleep with you guys tonight?" he whimpered.</span></p> <p><span>I answered his question by simply lifting the covers and waiting while he ran across the room, jumped on the bed and squirmed his way between us. </span></p> <p><span>"Is Logan going to be okay sleeping by himself?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he's used to sleeping alone."</span></p> <p><span>With that, the three of us curled up, Tom and I holding Alex as we drifted off into sleep. Saturday morning started off later than normal. When the three us finally woke up, we found the other four boys sitting on the end of the bed, just watching us. Once our eyes were open, though, they wasted no time in telling us it was time for breakfast.</span></p> <p><span>"Go on, guys," Tom started, "get out of here and get the table set for eggs, bacon and sausage. We'll be there in just a few to get cooking." That was all it took and the five scampered off while we crawled out of bed and visited the bathroom before joining them. Once we got everything else ready, we sat down to eat. </span></p> <p><span>I'd just put the first bite of eggs in my mouth when Alex asked, "When's Joey coming home?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, for sure," I admitted. "Sometime this morning is all Rick told us."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I hope it's soon. I miss the obnoxious little brat."</span></p> <p><span>"We all do, Alex." After we finished eating, the cleanup crews got busy and in no time, the kitchen was ready to fix our next meal. </span></p> <p><span>As we settled into the living room, Alex suddenly sat up straight and announced, "They're on the way."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I looked at each other and shared a shoulder shrug as if we should also sense the impending arrival of our missing son. Sure enough, five minutes later the drive sensor announced a car coming up the drive. Alex was up in a flash and running for the door. As soon he saw Rick's car turn the corner for the house, he had the door open and was standing on the porch waiting impatiently. It didn't' seem to matter to him at all that he was naked and had to be cold. When the car stopped moving, Alex ran off the porch and was next seen dragging Joey into the house, followed shortly by Rick, Eric and Josh.</span></p> <p><span>Acting as if they were the only two in the house the twins hugged each other and Alex was crying like I'd never seen before. I could hear through his sobs, "I'm sorry I punched you in the nose, bro. I missed you so much, I felt so alone without you here."</span></p> <p><span>"I missed you, too, dude," Joey replied. "And I ain't mad `bout the nose thing. It's kinda funny, really."</span></p> <p><span>While the twins continued their hug, Tom and I said hi to Rick and his boys. </span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Rick, how'd it go last night?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Piece o' cake, man. Joey's a great kid."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Dad," Eric whispered, "can we get undressed and stay for a while?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not today, son, these guys have to get ready for company later so we're not staying."</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, dang it," Josh muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we better get out of your way, Max. Joey's welcome at our house any time."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Rick. I'm glad to hear it. And thanks for bringing him home this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, we got some shopping to do, so we were headed out anyway. C'mon, guys, let's get moving."</span></p> <p><span>Joey broke away from Alex to say his goodbyes. "Bye, Rick, thanks for letting me stay. I had a lot of fun. Maybe Josh can come over here next time."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see, Joey. Thanks for helping with supper last night."</span></p> <p><span>"Eric, you might be older than us, but you're still a pretty cool dude. Thanks for not making fun of us."</span></p> <p><span>"Never, Joey. You're a pretty cool dude yourself. Besides, it'll be nice for Josh to have someone else to hang out with. Maybe <i>now</i> I'll have some spare time to find a girlfriend," he chuckled. That comment earned Eric a punch in the shoulder from Josh.</span></p> <p><span>When it was Josh's turn for a goodbye, Joey took his hand and led him back out to the front porch. They stood there for a moment both holding hands and whispering to each other so nobody could hear them. After a few minutes, they leaned in and gave each other a kiss, bumping noses as they did. They were giggling madly as they separated, gave each other another hug and then Josh headed down the sidewalk, followed by his dad and brother. Joey remained planted on the porch until they pulled away and after a last wave goodbye, he finally came back inside and closed the door. While ignoring the rest of us, he wrapped an arm around Alex's shoulder and led him to their bedroom, closing the door behind them. Logan was about to follow along, but decided on his own that the two probably needed some time alone.</span></p> <p><span>We sat on the bed and held each other for a few minutes before either one could muster the courage to say anything. Alex finally broke the ice.</span></p> <p><span>"J, I'm sorry I was such an asshole."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry `bout it, A. I'da felt the same way if you were spending the night somewhere."</span></p> <p><span>"So, did you really have fun, and what all did you do?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we watched some TV before supper, then played some video games after. Then, when we went to bed, it got kinda weird."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I was kinda expectin' that Josh and I would do the kinda things you and me do all the time, but we didn't. We spent a lot of time just talkin' `bout anything and everything, what we liked and didn't, what games we like to play, TV we watch and on and on and on. I probably know more about Josh than anybody else but you. And that's only `cause I can get into your mind. Then, when we'd both run outta shit to say and were about to fall asleep sittin' up, we just curled up together and feel asleep."</span></p> <p><span>"What!? You didn't do nothin' with each other but talk?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, like I said it was weird, not what I expected at all, especially after what we did in the pool and shower the other night. But you wanna know somethin', it was really nice to just hold him and be that close without, you know." Alex put the back of his hand against my forehead. "What the hell is that for?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just checkin' to see if you're sick," Alex giggled. "I don't remember you ever not wantin' to jerk off or suck a dick. I can't believe you didn't last night."</span></p> <p><span>"I can't either, but neither one of us felt like we needed to, I guess. We were just completely comfortable with each other. But I gotta tell ya' now, I really do think we're in love with each other. I hope that don't freak you out or piss you off."</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, man, I'm good."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, maybe you and Brent could hook up. I know you like him."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I do, but I don't think he likes me that much."</span></p> <p><span>"You never know until you try, A. You should at least talk to him and find out, see what happens."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess so. So, we cool, bro?"</span></p> <p><span>"Cool as ice, bro. Love you, dude, and always will."</span></p> <p><span>"Me, too. Okay, let's go help get ready for Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>Joey took about thirty seconds to get undressed and we headed back out to pitch in and do our part for tonight's guests.</span></p> <p><span>We spent the next several hours doing some cleaning and getting food ready to go for later. While the boys took care of some general picking up and running the dust mop over the floors, I got the steaks marinating and Tom worked on getting the potatoes ready to pop in the oven. After taking a short break for lunch, I added the second grill section to the stove so I'd have plenty of room for all the steaks and Tom created a salad. I also had the boys go around the house and collect all the towels to run them through the washer so they'd all be clean for later. With everything as ready as it could be, we ran through the showers to rinse off the sweat and feel clean again. We finally settled in the living room to catch our breath and relax for a bit.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, dads, are we gonna have to wear shorts when Dylan's friend is here?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I think we all should when he first gets here because I don't think we've told him this is a clothing optional home. Once we've had a chance to talk to him, we'll see if that changes."</span></p> <p><span>"But won't Dylan think it's weird if he gets here and we all got clothes on?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Probably. We'll just have to see what Malcom says, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, guys, let's go watch a movie until the dude gets here," Logan offered. "If that's okay with you, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, that's fine. Have your shorts with you so you can pull them on when Malcom arrives, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, dads," Joey said as they headed to their rooms to grab shorts then traipsed back through on their way to the theater.</span></p> <p><span>I loaded up and lit the fireplace so we'd have a nice fire going for the evening, then settled back to relax and read a bit. At five after five, the drive sensor dinged to let us know Malcom had arrived. Tom and I headed to the door to meet him and the boys followed along, not wanting to miss a moment. I watched through the windows as Malcom parked on the drive and made his way to the front door. Just before he could ring the bell, I opened the door to let him in. Standing on the porch was one of those most handsome black guys I'd ever met with beautiful Caf� au lait skin.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hey," he said, "Are you dudes Tom and Max? I'm not sure I'm in the right place."</span></p> <p><span>"If you're Malcom," Tom replied, "you're most definitely in the right place. C'mon in and take a load off."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool. Nice digs ya' got out here, man. I think I could handle livin' here," Malcom commented as he looked around. "So, tell me who's who."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm Tom and this is my fianc�, Max," Tom replied as he extended his hand for a shake, which I followed up with my own. After receiving a poke in the ribs, Tom continued, "And these are our sons and one of their friends. From left to right is T.J., Mike, Andy, Alex, Logan and Joey." The boys gave a little wave to Malcom as Tom called out their names.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, nice to meet y'all. Obviously, I'm Malcom White. Actually, I like to joke that I'm Malcom Half-White," he chuckled, "thanks to my mom."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, why don't we have a seat and get to know each other a little bit better before Dylan gets here. Would you like something to drink? We have water, tea, diet and regular Pepsi, and fruit juice," I offered</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, tea sounds good as long as it ain't sweet."</span></p> <p><span>"I got it, Dad," Alex sang out as he turned and headed for the kitchen. While Alex got Malcom's drink, the rest of us headed to the living room and got comfortable.</span></p> <p><span>"I really want thank you guys for getting' in touch with me. I knew where Dylan was living still and that he was a cop now, but I was always too afraid to get in touch. I figured he was pissed off at me for movin' away like I did. Not like I had a choice."</span></p> <p><span>"If you don't mind me askin', what happened?" Tom asked. "Dylan said your family moved rather abruptly."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, my old man's a homophobic asshole, that's what happened. One afternoon when Dylan `n me were, uh, havin' a bit o' fun, my dad walked by my bedroom window and saw us. After Dylan left that day, my old man said there weren't no way he was gonna have a queer for a son and he up and moved our sorry asses to Chicago. Didn't even let me call Dylan and say goodbye, we was just gone. As soon as I could, I got the hell outta that home and ain't never been back."</span></p> <p><span>"Wow, sorry to hear it Malcom," I responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Eh, I'm over all that crap now, but I was pissed off at him for a long time. We talk every now and again, but I still ain't been invited back home for a visit. I figure it's their loss, not mine. I just moved on with my life and tried to make myself happy as best I could."</span></p> <p><span>"Before Dylan arrives," Tom began, "you should probably know he lost one of his guys in the line of duty this week, so he may not seem quite like the same guy you remember. He's havin' a rough time dealin' with it. Hopefully, seeing you again will help pull him out of his funk a bit."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, that sucks. Him bein' a cop is one of the main reasons I never tried to get in touch. I didn't think I could handle getting' involved with him again and worryin' about him getting' blown away."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you won't have to worry about that any more. He resigned from the department the same day Barry was killed. He'd been thinking about for a while anyway, but he said that was it."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear. About him resigning, that is, not losing a dude like that. I'd hate to lose his sorry ass just after hookin' back up."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I ask you somethin', Mr. White," Joey asked. Oh, crap, here it comes, I thought.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, you can, little dude. Uh, which one are you again?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm Joey. How do you feel about bein' naked or bein' `round other people who're naked?" Yep, right to the point as always.</span></p> <p><span>"We-e-ell, I'm not bothered by bein' nude myself, or with other folks bein' nude, either, I guess. Can't really say I ever been nude with other folks, though, except in the locker room at school or the pool."</span></p> <p><span>"So, if we were naked right now, it wouldn't freak you or nothin', right?"</span></p> <p><span>Malcom looked at Tom and me with a confused look on his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Joey, for bringing up the next topic of discussion," I commented sarcastically. I looked back to Malcom and explained. "What he's saying Malcom is we're a nudist household. Generally, we don't wear clothes when we're at home. That's one of the reasons I built this house out here years ago. I've always hated wearin' clothes and wanted to live somewhere I could do that without the neighbors laughin' themselves to death. When the boys moved in and Tom joined us shortly after, we all agreed to continue that. So, Joey is askin' if you care if they take their shorts off and get comfortable."</span></p> <p><span>"But what about when Dylan gets here?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's been here several times, Malcom, and he's joined us every time. If he shows up and we're dressed, he'll know something's up."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, so y'all have seen the anaconda already, huh. Intimidating, ain't it?" he chuckled. "Nah, man, I don't care. If they wanna go starkers, knock yourselves out, kiddos. Y'all expect me to get naked, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"Only if you want to, Malcom. We never force anybody if they don't want to. But you should know that Dylan will probably be nude once he gets here."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool beans, dudes, let's do it. Where can I drop my clothes?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Dylan usually leaves his in our bedroom, so why don't you get undressed in one of the boys' rooms so he won't see yours."</span></p> <p><span>Malcom stood and said, "Lead the way little dudes." Malcom followed Joey, Alex and Logan into their bedroom while Tom and I headed for ours. When we rejoined in the living room, I could see Malcom was a little self-conscious, but the more we talked the more relaxed he became. By the time the drive sensor announced Dylan's arrival, he was just fine.</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell was that?" Malcom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"That should be Dylan. Why don't you wait in the twin's bedroom for a few minutes? Once Dylan's had a chance to get comfortable and settle in, I'll have one of the boys come get you."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, man, I can't wait to see the look on his face."</span></p> <p><span>Tom met Dylan at the door and he surprised us all by arriving wearing nothing but his skin. "Whoa, boss, don't you think it's a bit risky to drive out here like that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Eh, I'm still driving my county car, who's gonna stop me?" He wandered in and took a seat on the love seat so his back was to the hallway that leads to the boys' rooms. "So, how y'all doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're good, Dylan. But what about you, how are <i>you</i> doing?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Better. Not great, but better. At least I now accept I couldn't control what Barry did after he left my office. I just wish I'd known Rollie was liable to be packin' heat, I woulda had more guys inside the bar."</span></p> <p><span>"Boss, if you'd had more guys inside, Rollie woulda smelled a setup and taken a hike."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you're probably right about that, too, Tom. You were right about everything else. I just gotta quit second guessing everything. Those `what-ifs' will drive you crazy."</span></p> <p><span>"There you go, Dylan, move forward," I commented as I signaled the boys to bring in Malcom.</span></p> <p><span>Without preamble, Logan jumped up and said, "I gotta pee, be right back," then disappeared around the corner.</span></p> <p><span>"They always announce their potty breaks like that?" Dylan asked. Joey vacated his spot on the love seat next to Dylan to make room for Malcom and Dylan asked, "What's up Joey, I stink or somethin'? I promise I took a shower after work."</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, Mr. Brock, I just wanted to sit with Alex since I stayed at a friend's house last night." </span></p> <p><span>Logan came back with Malcom in tow and he jumped on the couch with T.J., Andy and Mike while Malcom took the spot Joey had just vacated on the love seat next to Dylan.</span></p> <p><span>His being there didn't immediately register, but Dylan finally looked at the newcomer and said, "Oh, hey, Mal, what's up?" </span><span>before looking back to Tom and me to continue our conversation.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-88.html

Building a Family Chapter 88 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 88 � Logan's Day in Court The sun was streaming through the window above the bed and flooding the space with the promise of a beautiful day. I wasn't of the mind to accept that just yet, though, and rolled over to try to catch a few more winks. That lasted for all of four or five minutes before somebody started poking me in the shoulder and telling me I had to get up. Like a rotisserie spit on the grill, I rolled over again to face my abuser. "C'mon, Da-a-a-a-ad," Logan drawled, his face inches from my own. "It's eight-thirty already. You gotta get movin', ya old fart." Despite his seemingly cheery attitude, I could see the worry in his eyes. "Okay, buddy," I groaned in defeat. "I see you're dressed and ready to go. And you look very nice. What about your brothers?" "Yeah, man, we're all ready, just waitin' on you, lazy butt." "All right, already. Let me hit the john and get dressed and I'll be there," I protested. As he turned around and headed for the door, I heard him mumble something along the lines of, `jeez, you'd never make it as a farmer'. I chuckled to myself and thought, lord, I hope not. Throwing off the covers, I finally realized I was alone, so I swung my feet off the bed and let them dangle just above the floor for a minute or two before finally aiming my body for the bathroom. My immediate needs handled there, I got dressed and headed for the kitchen to see if the family had left me anything to eat. Stepping into the kitchen, I found Ron pulling a plate of waffles from the oven where he'd been keeping them warm for me. I poured myself a mug of hot java, then sat at the bar counter to dig in. Another plate, this one still bearing about six strips of bacon, quickly materialized next to the one holding the waffles. After taking my first bite, I muttered, "Thanks for watching out for me, Ron. I'm surprised there was any bacon left." "Well, if I hadn't held these few strips back to begin with, there wouldn't o' been, trust me." "I don't doubt it. Those boys just don't know when to quit, do they?" I chuckled. "Boys, hell," Ron retorted. "Your fianc� can't seem to say no to the stuff, either. You'd think it was all laced with crack or somethin'," he added with a laugh. "Speakin' of tall, dark and furry, where is he?" I asked with a grin. "Him and Dylan are goin' over the interviews Dylan covered yesterday and fillin' out reports for Carol. He does have to work for a livin', ya know that, right?" "Well, no, he really doesn't, but I'm sure not gonna stop him from doin' something he loves." "Be a waste of time if you tried, that's for damn sure," Ron snickered in reply. "I'm sure you're right about that," I agreed. "Well, you need to finish up there, hombre, or those boys are gonna drag you outta here like a sack of potatoes on its way to a French fry factory." Without need for further admonishment, I continued stuffing my face with waffles and bacon. I'd cleaned as much syrup off the plate with the last bite of waffle and as soon as it was in my mouth, Ron whisked my plate from in front of me, rinsed it and dropped it in the dishwasher. I was just barely able to snag the last slice of bacon before that plate also disappeared as if by magic. I tell ya, that Ron is, indeed, a miracle worker sometimes and I was happy he was performing those miracles for us. After taking a sip of coffee to help wash the food down, I commented, "It looks like it's going to be just you and Mike at home for a bit today. You gonna be okay with that?" I added with a knowing smirk. Though Ron blushed just a bit at the question, he answered with a firm, "You bet, Max. Mike and me are best buds now, don'tcha know?" "I thought as much," I retorted. "Just use your head, okay." "Um, thought that wasn't allowed," Ron chortled in response. "Your big head, ya goofball. Geez, and you thought the boys were bad with their minds in the gutter. They got nothin' on you." We both laughed for a quick moment before I drained my mug and handed it over to join my other items already in the dishwasher. "Thanks for saving some breakfast for me, Ron. I hate flying on an empty stomach." "Hey, I know who signs my paychecks around here and I'll make sure you're always taken care of, Max." "Good to hear," I replied with a smile. "Well, I guess I better round up the herd so we can make like bananas and split," I added as I slid off the stool and pushed it back under the bar counter. "Hope you guys have a safe trip and good luck with the court thingy. You better bring that skinny little runt back home with ya," he scolded me. "That's my plan, for sure." I turned to leave and then stopped abruptly and wheeled back around to add, "Did we remember to tell you that Logan's aunt and two cousins are coming back up with us? Oh, and Logan's brother William will be here for a couple of nights as well." "Where the hell we gonna put `em all?" Ron asked with serious concern. "We're plum outta beds, ya know?" "Well, Arlene, Daril and Arley are going to be moving into Logan's farmhouse and we'll take them out there tonight to get them settled in after supper. William will be staying here tonight and tomorrow night. He goes back to Normal Sunday afternoon." "Well, that helps, but I still don't know where the kid's gonna sleep." "There's a queen-sized mattress, box spring and bedframe out in the storage building that we brought out from Tom's apartment. Maybe you guys could get it moved into the house before Tom and Dylan have to leave to take care of their interviews." "Yeah, we could probably make that happen," Ron agreed. "We'll just strap it all to the top of the Flex." "No go, bonehead, `cause I'm takin' the Flex." "Oh, didn't think about that. No sweat, your Shelby'll work out just as well. Probably better since the roof is lower to the ground by about a foot," Ron laughed. "Try it and die," I threatened with a cheeky smirk. "I think Tom's car would be the more appropriate choice. `Specially since it's his bed." "Just yankin' your chain, Max," Ron laughed heartily. "Don't have a hemorrhage, all right? We'll take care of it. Any idea where you want it set up?" "Well, the kid's fifteen and probably wouldn't be too thrilled to be sharing a room with the boys. I hate to ask, but do you think it'd be okay if we put him in with you for the duration of his stay?" "I don't have a problem with it. Especially if he's a cute little fucker," Ron grinned evilly. "Keep it in your pants, there, man," I scolded him. "I don't want to scare him off on his first visit." Ron looked at his feet and then back to me and I knew what was coming before he could open his mouth. That didn't stop Ron from retorting, "What pants?" "Yep, mind in the gutter," I muttered in defeat. "You just go take care of Logan and get back home safe and sound. We'll deal with everything else." "Thanks, Ron." At that moment, Logan rounded the corner from the dining room and yelled, "Are we ever gonna go!? I wanna get this carp done and over with." "Right behind ya, kiddo," I replied, laying a hand on his shoulder so he could lead the way. "Good luck, farm-boy," Ron called to our backs. "Thanks, skinny," Logan replied. "Hope supper's ready when we get back home `cause I'm gonna be hungry as an ox so you better hope it's good or there's gonna be hell to pay," he added quickly. I could hear Ron laughing in the background as we crossed the empty living room. "Where's your brothers?" I asked. "We been waitin' in the stinkin' car for ten minutes. They finally decided I was gonna hafta drag your butt outta here if we're gonna be on time." "Well, okay then. You head back out and get buckled in while I let Tom know we're leavin'." "If you ain't in the car in one minute, we're comin' back in to hogtie ya and drag you out," Logan vented with frustration. "You hear me, old man?" "Yes, I hear ya, buddy. One minute, I promise." On that note, Logan continued on to the garage while I made the right turn into the sleuths' office. "I don't have much time, hon, but I just wanted to wish you a good day and best of luck picking up William," I commented while crossing the threshold of the office to share a hug and kiss with my fianc�. "Thanks, babe, but I think you and Logan need more luck today than I will," Tom replied. "Any last-minute sage advice from the two of you?" "We already told Logan to do whatever Clarence tells him to and he should be just fine," Tom answered. "Okay, I guess we'll be off." "Have a safe flight and hurry back home. And don't forget to bring that brat back with ya," Tom cautioned me with a tremble of nervousness in his voice. "I'll do my best, you know that," I offered lamely. With our hug and kiss completed, I turned to take my leave and found my path blocked by a statue named Dylan. He immediately pulled me into his arms for a bone-crushing hug, but he kept any thoughts he may have had to himself. Even as big and formidable as Dylan is, I could feel him shaking like a leaf. When we separated, he turned for his chair, but I still caught the tear dripping onto his cheek. Knowing full well how he felt if things should go horribly wrong this afternoon, I left the room and headed for the garage before I could join him in his little breakdown. Once I'd settled myself into the Flex where the boys were patiently waiting, I buckled myself in and hit the road for the airport and the next leg of our trip. Dylan and I were putting the finishing touches on a report for Carol when there was a light rap on the door. We each took a quick moment to make sure any identifying papers on our desks were covered before I answered with, "Yeah, Ron, c'mon in." The door slowly popped open and Ron stuck his head inside while asking, "How'd you know it was me?" "Well, you and Mike are the only other people in the house right now," I replied before adding, "and the sound of the knock was too high on the door to have been Mike." "You're good," Ron smiled. "Thanks. What's up?" "Yeah, that. Max asked me to get your old bed moved from the storage building and into my room so this William kid has somewhere to sleep this weekend. I was hoping you and the big guy would be willing to help." "Yeah we can do that," I answered while receiving an affirmative nod from my business partner. "Give us about five minutes to finish what we're in the middle of, though." "No sweat, guys. I appreciate it. Mike and I will be reading Tom Sawyer in the living room." "We'll find you in a few, then," I replied. On that note, Dylan and I were left alone to complete our current task before we moved on with the rest of our busy day. I was so deeply lost in my own thoughts on the trip to the airport, I hadn't realized just how quiet it had been in the car until I was parked in the lot of the FBO and the engine had been shut off. It was very unlike the boys to be this quiet for any length of time, most especially in the car when they're usually watching a movie to help keep them entertained, but there was no denying the silence that reigned supreme inside the Flex. "You guys still awake back there?" I asked. "Yeah, Dad," Joey answered. "I done changed my mind," Logan muttered before quickly adding, "I don't wanna go." "I know you don't, buddy, but if you don't, they can charge you with breaking even more laws. I think you've got plenty to deal with already, don't you?" "More than I ever wanted," he grumbled moodily. "Let's go, guys. The sooner we leave, the sooner we get to come back home." On that command, the back doors flew open and the crew started climbing from the car. Since we'd been through this drill a couple of times before, the boys all headed inside and left me alone to secure the car before joining them. Once I stepped inside, I found the boys all huddled around Clarence and they were introducing themselves. Since they were occupied, I continued to the service counter to review and sign off on our flight plans and retrieve the key to unlock the airplane that was waiting on the tarmac for us. As I crossed the lobby to join the rest of my traveling companions for the day, Clarence left his chair and we shared a hearty handshake. "Good to see you, Clarence," I greeted the man. "Did the boys introduce themselves?" "Good to see you, as well, Max. And they did. What a fine group of young gentlemen you have here." I gawked at the five munchkins and asked in mock horror, "Who are you and what have you done with my sons?" When their laughter subsided, Alex and Joey chimed with cheesy grins, "Hey, we told you a long time ago we had manners, we just didn't like to use `em much." "Ah, yes, I remember that well. Well, let's get a move on and head on out. Logan, you still bein' my copilot for the flight?" "You bet, Dad," he responded with enthusiasm as he turned and led the group outside. On reaching the plane, I unlocked and opened the door, dropped the steps and stood back so I didn't get trampled by the herd rushing inside. "Hop in, Clarence," I offered. "We'll be ready for takeoff as soon as I do my pre-flight." "Mind if I walk it with you?" he asked. "Fine by me, but at least set your case inside," I replied. He followed my suggestion then fell in behind me as I aimed for the port wingtip on my way to the tail. "Nice lookin' plane, Max. It's a Cessna, right?" Clarence asked as we cleared the tail and continued up the starboard side towards the nose. "Yep, a Citation CJ4." "Mind if I ask how much you paid for it?" "What, you don't remember? You handled all the paperwork for me when I bought it." "Yeah, but that was what, six or seven years ago? If it didn't happen in the past six months, I don't remember much." "Ha, I suffer from the same problem," I laughed. "Well, it was worth about five and a half million with the condition it was in and the way it was outfitted, but I got it for about four point one at that auction of government confiscated property. It was a helluva deal." "Any idea which drug dealer lost his sweet ride before you stole it?" "Not a clue," I laughed. "And as long as he or she stays locked up in prison, can't say I care." "Seems odd you doing your own inspection. Most of the others I've flown with out of here let the FBO guys do it when they're getting the plane ready for them." "Well, they always hit the basics for me, too, but I refuse to fly any plane I haven't given a good once-over myself. That, of course, explains why I don't like to fly commercial. They won't let me do a pre-flight at O'Hare or Lambert." "No, I bet they won't," Clarence laughed heartily as we rounded the nose. "So, I was hoping to talk to Logan on the trip down, but that's gonna be difficult if he's takin' the right seat," he added softly just before we were about to join the others inside. "Sorry, Clarence. I wasn't thinking about that when I offered the seat to him Tuesday. Will you be able to go over what you need with him while we have lunch?" "Um, yeah, that oughta work out okay," he replied. "We'll have to sit at a separate table, though." "No worries. I'd just as soon not know what you're planning. It'd probably scare me shitless." "Nothin' devious or underhanded, Max. I promise. I would never put a client's freedom at risk with cheap stunts like that." "Well, I already knew that, or I never would have asked you to represent Logan." "Then you should know you have nothing to worry about," Clarence replied calmly. "I can't help it, man. Not after what he's been through the last couple of years. Anything else bad happens to Logan and it'll just crush the tiny scrap of spirit he's got left in him." Clarence clapped his hands on my shoulders, turned me a bit so I was looking straight at him and asked, "You trust me?" I simply nodded my head in reply because I couldn't trust that my voice wouldn't betray my inner thoughts. "Then you have to believe I got this covered from every possible angle, Max. Now, let's get this plane in the air so we can bring Logan back home with us this afternoon." "Yeah, all right," I muttered with resignation. While I did trust Clarence implicitly, I just couldn't see how he was gonna pull the rabbit out of his hat and magically free Logan from his legal problems. I finally put an end to the mental gymnastics tumbling through my mind and climbed aboard, pulling up the steps and securing the door behind me. I checked the boys in the cabin to ensure each was properly buckled in place, then joined Logan in the cockpit where I performed the same inspections on his straps. Satisfied he wasn't going anywhere, I took my own seat, strapped myself in and started getting everything ready to take to the skies. I tried to talk to Logan on the intercom, but he wasn't responding. When I looked over to see if he was okay, his chin was resting on his chest and he seemed to be contemplating the knots in his shoelaces. I couldn't imagine the turmoil running through his troubled mind at the moment, so I laid my right hand on his shoulder while activating the intercom with my left thumb. "You okay, kiddo?" I asked with serious concern. His meager response was to give me a thumbs up sign, hand nervously shaking in midair between us. He didn't move his head to change his viewpoint a bit and realizing I had no sage advice to share that would lift his spirits, I resumed my preparations for takeoff. After one final check of the instruments, I radioed the tower and received my taxi instructions. I paused just before making the turn onto the runway to await my clearance for takeoff. Hearing that through the radio less than ten seconds later, I inched the plane onto the runway and lined up on the centerline. One more full stop and a fifteen second scan of all the instruments told me were ready to go. I jammed the throttles to ninety-five percent thrust and ol' Annabelle (yes, I've named my plane) leapt down the runway like a cheetah launching itself after the gazelle that was about to become its next meal. Unlike the poor gazelle, however, Annabelle had wings and we were very soon clawing our way skyward and aiming for an airport in southeast Missouri I'd never seen before. Since our time in the air was going to be very short this morning, our maximum altitude was only going to be 24,000 feet. I allowed the plane to drift slowly upward to that flight level before retarding the throttles to maintain altitude and about 430 knots into the light headwind. Less than twenty-five minutes later, it was time to start our descent into Sikeston Memorial Airport. Being a small airport with only one runway, our options were limited. Since the winds were from the south and other air traffic was non-existent, I was able to line up and fly a straight-in approach to runway 20. Following my radioed instructions, I was soon lining Annabelle up in a parking slot for private planes, joining two others already tied down there. A man in greasy coveralls and dragging a couple of wooden wheel chocks behind him exited a hangar directly in front of us and slowly ambled our way. While awaiting his arrival, I ran through the shutdown checklists in the book. By the time I felt the thump of a block hitting the nosewheel, the plane was secured, and we were ready to deboard. As I removed my straps, I let Logan know it was time to get moving. After receiving no response from my copilot, I glanced in his direction and realized he hadn't moved a bit during the flight. On closer inspection, I noticed his eyes were closed and assumed he'd fallen asleep. I slowly extracted myself from my own seat and stepped behind his to release the straps that were the only thing holding him upright. When he was freed from his temporary restraints, he jerked wide awake and mumbled, "Where we at?" "On the ground in Sikeston, buddy." "Dang it!" he grumbled angrily. "I slept through the whole thing!?" "Appears that way," I agreed. "Then this don't count as my turn flyin' up here with ya, does it?" he begged as he turned in the seat and gazed pleadingly into my eyes. "Yeah, I guess so," I agreed lamely in the hope it might cheer him up just a little. "Sweet, thanks, Dad," Logan cheered as he jumped up onto the seat and leaned over to give me a hug. "You ready to scoot?" I asked. "Not really, but ain't got no choice, do I?" "Unfortunately, no. And while we eat lunch, Clarence is going to talk to you about what he needs you to do this afternoon. And I want you to follow his instructions to the letter, you got me?" " `Course I do," the youngster retorted smartly. "I may talk like these flippin' hicks down here but that don't mean I am one." "Okay, then," I giggled before placing my hands in Logan's armpits and lifting him up over the console between our seats and setting him on the floor. As he left the cockpit for the now open cabin door, my last act was to flip the switch to shut off the battery. Finally stepping out of the cockpit, I discovered I was going to be the last man out, so I quickly joined the rest of the group on the ground, stowed the stairs, then closed and locked the door. When I turned back around, I came face to face with the man in the greasy coveralls. The couple spots of grease that marked his face told me this man worked hard to scratch out a living in this dusty corner of the state. He had his hand raised, waiting for the obligatory handshake, and I hate to admit it, but I hesitated just a moment before returning the gesture, and that was only after seeing his hands were spotlessly clean. "Mornin', y'all," the man greeted cheerily through a lopsided grin that would do well to be seen by a good dentist. "Name's Bobby Joe. How long y'all gonna be hangin' `round?" "We'll be headed back to Springfield later this afternoon," I replied. "Y'all need anything while ya here?" "Well, we need to rent a car first and then find somewhere decent to have lunch, I suppose." "This everybody ya got wit' ya," Bobby Joe asked. "For now, yes. But when we come back, we'll have three more and some luggage." "Then you're SOL (shit outta luck) for gettin' an'thing from Enterprise `cross the way. Biggest thing they got will only hold six or seven folks, and no room for no luggage." "I don't mind getting two cars," I commented. "Don't bother wit' that, I can fix ya right up. Y'all follow me to the hangar." He spun on his heels and took off across the tarmac at a fair clip while the rest of us fell in line behind him, mostly because we didn't have very many options at the moment. When we reached the hangar, Bobby Joe was continuing into a dark corner of the structure towards what appeared to be a large van that had to be at least thirty years old. Soon enough, he had the vehicle fired up and was pulling it towards us waiting just inside the big open door of the hangar. Judging by the thin light cloud of smoke emanating from the decrepit vehicle's exhaust system, I was glad the big doors were open. After stopping ten feet away from us, Bobby Joe shut the van off and climbed down from the driver's seat. "This here's Dolly," he commented, affectionately patting a fender as he stepped closer to us. "She ain't much to look at, that's for sure, and the ride's a bit rough, but she runs good and she'll get ya where ya need to be when ya need to be there. The best news for you, though, is she can haul ten people and all their bags in one shot." "Well, thanks, Bobby Joe," I replied lamely while shooting a nervous glance towards Clarence. Receiving nothing more than an indifferent shrug of the shoulders from him, I returned my attention to Bobby Joe. "How much will it cost?" "Nothin', y'all. Just bring her back in one piece. Me an' Dolly got a long hist'ry," Bobby Joe responded as his eyes misted over with fond memories. "I promise we'll take good care of her for you," I agreed. "Well, keys are in `er. Y'all better saddle up an' get a move on." Clarence and the boys headed on around to the passenger side of our transportation and as Clarence was opening the side door for the munchkins, I asked Bobby Joe one more question. "So, can you recommend a place where we can get a good lunch before we have to go to Bloomfield?" "Only place `round here out-o'-towners like you folks wanna go to is Lambert's. It's across the main drag and down that way just a piece," he offered while pointing to the east. "Well, thanks for your help today, Bobby Joe. We'll try to be back by five so we can get your van back to ya." "Don't worry `bout it," Bobby Joe replied simply. "See that Mercedes SLS in the corner over yonder?" he asked while pointing to the opposite corner of the hangar from which Dolly was in. "That there's my daily driver," he volunteered with his regular half-toothless and crooked grin. "And if'n y'all ain't back `fore I head home for the day, just leave ol' Dolly outside the big door with the keys in the ignition." "Aren't you worried somebody will steal it? I mean her," I quickly corrected myself. "Not a chance, mister. Folks `round here know you don't screw with Dolly unless they wanna get screwed back by me. Ten times over," he added with an evil laugh. "Well, okay then," I offered, at a loss for a better response at the moment. "Thanks again for your help and we'll try to get back before five." We quickly shook hands and I climbed in the driver's seat to get away from our helper as quickly as possible. Once settled into place, I have to admit I was very nicely surprised. Despite the outside of the van being very rough, the inside was immaculate. I'm not saying it was so clean I'd be willing to eat off the floor, but the carpets had been replaced, the seats recovered and very comfortable, a new and plush headliner had also been installed, the windows were as clean as any I'd ever seen on a vehicle and an entertainment console had been installed between the front seats that held a high-quality Blu-Ray player, a ten-disc CD changer and a radio system that looked better than the one installed in my Shelby. Located in the middle of the dash where the radio used to be, was a fifteen-inch LCD screen for a satellite navigation system. I turned my astonished face to Clarence and found myself looking at what I was sure was a mirror image of my own flustered countenance. Turning back to look through the windshield, I reached down, turned the key and fired the engine back to life. Despite what I may have previously thought about the trail of smoke the van left in its wake, the engine ran smoothly and quietly. I slipped our transport into drive and followed the road that would lead us to the airport exit. "Y'all remember where we parked the plane," I called out. "You're the one drivin', Dad," Joey began. "So, you need to remember, not us," Alex added. "What happened to those manners you had just a short time ago?" I queried. "Back on vacation, old man," Joey laughed. Alex, Mike and Andy also enjoyed the moment of hilarity, and even Clarence joined them briefly. Logan, for his part, did nothing but gaze forlornly out the side window of the van at the traffic that was flowing by. When Bobby Joe referred to this stretch of road as the `main drag', he wasn't kidding. I had to wait almost two full minutes before a wide enough gap between vehicles presented itself to be sure I could get across all four lanes and the fifth center turn lane. I'll give Dolly credit for being responsive to the gas, even if she was wallowing a bit due to a very dated and worn out suspension. We located Lambert's about half a mile from the airport and I pulled into the parking lot and found an empty space that would contain the monster we were in. Joey tapped Logan on the shoulder and said, "C'mon, dude, time to eat." "I ain't hungry," Logan responded angrily. "Hey, don't get all pissy with me," Joey retorted. "Ain't my fault we're down here." "Joey, that's enough of that," I admonished the young man as I spun around in my seat. "Hey, he started it," Joey countered. "And I'm ending it right now. You got me?" "Yeah, yeah, whatever," he muttered in return. He then turned to the others and said, "C'mon guys, let's go eat and leave the little troublemaker to pout by himself." On that comment, Alex opened the side door and led the other three boys outside. Logan curled up into a ball in his seat and the tears started pouring from his eyes. I turned to Clarence and said, "I hate to impose, but would you mind taking the others inside and finding tables for us? I'll be in with Logan as soon as I can." "No problem, Max. You take however long you need," Clarence agreed. After he was gone and the door closed, I climbed over the entertainment console, sat next to Logan and pulled the blubbering ball of terrified child into my lap. I held onto him for several minutes before he started to calm back down, stroking his head and back the whole time. When his chest finally quit heaving, he wrapped his arms around my midsection and tried to squeeze the stuffing right out of me. "You okay, Logan?" I asked with serious concern. "NO! I ain't okay!" he yelled as he lifted his head and practically blasted my left eardrum away. "That fuckin' prick threatened to kill me so goddam many times while I was there, I lost count. And I'm the one who's in trouble for doin' what I had to do to get the hell outta that shithole with my skin still attached. That's all kinds o' fucked up, Dad." "I sure can't argue that with you one tiny bit, buddy. But you need to hold it together and do what Clarence tells you to do. We've been over this, right?" "Yeah, I know," he hesitantly grumbled in a surly tone. "I'm sorry, Dad, I really don't mean to be a troublemaker, but I guess that's all I'm good for." "Don't you dare go there, young man," I retorted. "You're just a kid who's had a few very rough years and needs some love in his life." "You can say that again," Logan smirked. "Okay, you're just a ki...," was all I got out before the munchkin smacked me in the gut and cut me off mid-word. "I was just kiddin', old man," he giggled lightly as he leaned back and looked up at my face. "I know, and I was just tryin' to be funny," I replied. "Well, ya done screwed that up, didn't ya?" the rugrat shot back at me with a mischievous grin. "You need to leave the funny stuff to the people on TV. They're way better at it." "Gee, thanks. You're all heart, young man." "And don't you ever forget it," he replied smartly. "So, what's for lunch?" "Oh, you're hungry now?" I asked in surprise. "Starvin' like Marvin, man. C'mon, let's go," he added as he slid off my lap, stepped out of the van and down to the ground. "Oh, hey, this is Lambert's! They got some dang good grub here," he exclaimed. I followed him out of the van, then closed up and locked the vehicle before grabbing Logan's hand and leading him to the entrance. As we slowly ambled across the parking lot, Logan offered, "Hey, Dad, I'm sorry for saying those things I did. I know I'm not s'posed to say those kinds o' words but I couldn't help myself." "I understand that Logan and before you get too worried, you're not going to be in trouble for it. You've been an emotional wreck for a while and people sometimes need to vent that stuff so they don't go crazy." "That's it!" he yelled as he came to a sudden stop just outside the entrance. "What's it?" "I been wrecked ever since you told me Daddy was dead. My brain's been so screwed up since that night I can't freakin' think straight no more." "What do you mean?" I asked with interest as I knelt down to his level and took both his hands in mine. "Well, one minute, I'll be feelin' all happy and shit and the next, I get so pissed off at nothin', I wanna rip somebody's head off or punch holes in a wall. And I know that ain't right, but I ain't got no control over it." "That's what grieving for someone you've lost is like, kiddo. You'll get through this in due time." "Yeah? How?" "One step and one day at a time, remember?" "Oh, yeah. I didn't know you was talkin' `bout crap like this." "It's all a part of the process, Logan. Losing someone you love hits everybody in different ways. If you want to talk to someone about what you're feeling and dealing with, I'm sure Dr. Kirkland would be happy to help you work through this." "No way, man," he protested immediately. "Ain't no way I'm spillin' my guts to a total stranger." "Well, you know you can talk to Tom and me any time, right? And I'm sure Joey and Alex could help you better understand and deal with some of your anger and frustration. They've been through this themselves, remember?" "Yeah, like Joey's gonna talk to me `bout anything right now. Don't see that happenin'." "I bet if you told him you were sorry and you didn't mean to react the way you did, he'd be fine." "Let's go find out," Logan replied cheerily as he pulled me into a hug which I gladly returned. Just before we separated, he whispered, "I love you, Dad. Thanks for everything." "We all love you, too, buddy," I whispered. As we broke apart, I held out my hands and added, "Help an `old man' back to his feet, please. My knees are killin' me." With a big giggle, Logan grabbed my hands in his and leaned back. In no time, I was upright again, and we were ready to join the others. Logan snagged my hand and I used my unencumbered appendage to open the door. Stepping inside the much darker interior, we were immediately confronted with the obligatory hostess stand. At the moment, the gates to the deeper realms of the restaurant were being guarded by a shapely middle-aged brunette named Betty, according to the nametag firmly attached to her vest. "Good afternoon, gentlemen," she greeted us with a cheery lilt to her voice. "My name is Betty and thank you for choosing Lambert's, the home of throwed rolls. Will it be just the two of you for lunch today?" "No, actually," I replied. "We're with another man and four boys that came in a few minutes ago." "Ah yes, I won't forget those four wild ones anytime soon," she grinned. "Bear with me for one moment and I'll have Stephanie guide you to them." Our guide arrived quickly enough and greeted us with, "If you two will follow me, I'll get you reconnected with the rest of your party." As we followed Stephanie through the crowded and noisy throng, Logan's eyes never left her gently swaying hips or the globes of the tight and curvaceous posterior that were contained in pants that seem to have been painted onto her very shapely body just this morning. When we finally reached our table in the voluminous main dining area, Clarence left his seat so I could take his place and he put a hand on Logan's shoulder. "Logan, would you come with me so we can talk?" "Yeah, one sec', though, Mr. Cantrell," he replied before turning, grabbing Joey's hand and pulling him out of the booth. Once Joey could walk, they moved about ten feet away for a hushed conversation. "Listen, dude, I'm really sorry `bout yellin' at ya but my brain's all kinda whacked right now." "I know, bro, don't worry `bout it. I'm sorry for callin' you a troublemaker, too. That was way over the line," Joey responded. "Well, not really," Logan countered. "I done caused all kinds o' trouble for ever'one lately, can't seem to help it. But listen, when we get back home, I, uh, wanna talk to you and Alex `bout some shit. If you'll listen to me, that is." "Yeah, we know that already," Joey replied with a smile. "We knew you'd get there `ventually and were just waitin' on you to wake the hell up and ask, dude. You should know that. Losing one parent is hard enough, losing both like the three of us have bites the big one. So, we know the crap you're dealin' with, believe me." "Does it ever get any better?" Logan asked. "It'll take a long time, Logan, but yeah, it does." "Guess that makes sense," Logan agreed. "So, we still friends?" "No way in hell, dude," Joey replied before adding, "we're fuckin' brothers, now and forever." Joey pulled Logan into his arms and the two shared a sweet hug right in the middle of the boisterous dining room. When the duo separated, they wrapped arms around each other's shoulders and came back to our table. After Joey slid back into the booth next to Alex, Clarence and Logan turned and headed even deeper into the building. "You guys okay?" I asked after Joey had settled in. "Yeah, Dad, we're fine. And I'm sorry for what I said in the van." "Good, `nough said about that, then. Andy, would you hand me a menu, please?" I asked the munchkin so I could decide what I wanted to eat. As per my request to the hostess when I brought the boys inside, Logan and I settled ourselves at a table that was in a somewhat quieter corner of the main dining room where we could talk about what he should expect to happen this afternoon. Our first order of business, though, was to peruse the menus and select our meals. Logan spent less than thirty seconds before making his choice and placing the menu back in the rack on the table. "That was quick," I commented. "Yeah, I'm just having the same thing I had the last time I ate here," Logan replied. "You've been here before?" I asked. "Yeah, the day I cut up Uncle Dirtbag." "That hamburger sounds good, but I think I'm gonna go for the grilled ham an' cheese," I commented. "So, what's gonna happen to me? Am I goin' to jail?" my young lunching partner asked nervously. "Not if I have anything to say about it," I retorted. "But let's wait for the waitress to come take our orders before we get too deep into that." Receiving a simple nod of agreement to my suggestion, we stared blankly around the restaurant. If the crowd that had gathered for lunch was any indication, the food should be good. Our server arrived momentarily and happily noted our food requests before disappearing into the kitchen. As soon as she left the two of us alone again, Logan wasted no time in staring at me silently, imploring me to get our chat started. "Okay, Logan, here's what's going to happen today. Once we're in the courtroom and everyone has taken their seats, the judge will come in. Since this is supposed to be just a preliminary hearing, he'll ask the prosecutor and me if we have any motions we'd like to file. Then the charges the prosecutor has filed against you will be read aloud to the court and they'll be entered into the record. The judge will then ask you to stand and he'll have a few questions for you." "Most likely, the first will be `do you understand the charges against you'. If he asks that, your answer should be nothing more than a simple `yes'. The next probable question will be `how do you plead to the charges'. Of course, your answer to that will be a solid and convincing `not guilty'. That's very important, young man, you have to believe one-hundred percent that you're not guilty of any wrongdoing." "But I did do it, I cut that bastard `cause he was gonna kill me," Logan protested. "We all know that, Logan, but I'm pretty sure the prosecutor doesn't. And that's going to be our ace in the hole." "You better be right `bout that, Mr. Cantrell, or my goose is cooked." "Like I told your dad before we left Springfield, you have to trust that I have this covered." "I'll try, but I'm still scared to death," Logan muttered quietly as our server arrived with our food. I gently laid my hand on Logan's and tried to silently reassure him that everything would be fine, but I don't think he was very accepting of my efforts. We ate our meals in silence. Well, I did, anyway, as Logan seemed to have lost his appetite and only nibbled at his hamburger and fries before pushing them away and curling up on the seat across from me. "So, what're they talkin' `bout over there," T.J. asked between bites of his chicken strips. "Clarence needed to talk to Logan about what to expect in court today so he wouldn't be surprised," I replied. I looked in the direction of their table and could see Clarence was still stuffing his face, but there was no sign of Logan still being in the booth with him. If it had been anyone else, I would have been worried about that development, but I knew Clarence would not let my son out of his sight for even a moment. All too soon for any of us, we cleaned our plates and they were whisked away by our very attentive server, only to be replaced by a bill for our meals. After delivering our dishes to the kitchen, she returned to take my card and run the charge. With my receipt in hand and card back in my wallet, I stood and gathered the boys up to retrieve Clarence and Logan. We didn't spot Logan until we were ten feet away from their booth and as soon as the youngsters saw him curled into a ball on the seat, they all hustled over and pulled him into a reassuring hug. "I guess we're ready to go," I muttered flatly to Clarence. "Then let's get this show on the road," he agreed. While Clarence slid out of the booth, the munchkins grabbed Logan's arms and belt to pull him out and get him on his feet. They led the way out of the restaurant with Joey in front, T.J. and Andy on each side of Logan and Alex brought up the rear. T.J. and Andy had one of Logan's hands tightly gripped in their own and Alex was resting his hands on his brother's shoulders. As Joey forged a path through the other customers, he made sure there was plenty of room behind him to ensure the three-wide group in the middle could get through without bumping into anybody. After piling back into the van named Dolly, I took a minute to enter the courthouse's address into the navigation system since I had no clue where Bloomfield was or how to get there from here. Following the precise directions provided by the unit, we were parked on the square in the center of Bloomfield forty minutes later, the courthouse in the middle of the square casting an imposing presence over the area. The building was only two stories tall and the brick appeared to have been in place since the Civil War, but that didn't detract from the seriousness of the situation. On any other day, taking a tour of the structure might have been interesting and educational, but today was not that day. Now that we were solidly in Clarence's wheelhouse, I let him take the lead. He walked into the building like he owned it, stepped up to a counter just inside the door and announced, "We're here for a preliminary hearing at one. Could you please give us directions on where we need to go?" "The only case on the docket this afternoon is in courtroom three up on the second floor," the gentleman manning the counter replied. "Just take those stairs up and turn left at the top. You can't miss it." "Thank you, sir," Clarence replied before turning to follow the man's directions. "Wait, who are all these other people?" After turning back to face the counter, Clarence replied, "One is my client, of course, and the others are his father and brothers." "Not sure they're gonna let the kids inside the court," the man mused. "They will or there won't be any hearing taking place today," Logan's attorney replied with confidence. "Well, good luck with that, I guess. From the scuttlebutt we've been hearing, you don't stand a chance." "Good thing I don't listen or pay any heed to the average courthouse rumor mongering, then," Clarence retorted smartly before again taking aim for the wide staircase in the center of the building. We dutifully followed along and at the top of the marble staircase, made the left turn as per our instructions. Courtroom three was at the end of the gallery and the doors were located in the right wall and the rear corner of the large space. That put the judge's bench against the exterior wall of the building with the jury box, defense and prosecutor's tables next. An ancient-looking wooden railing separated that area of the courtroom from the pews bolted to the floor where an audience would sit. We slowly made our way up the aisle that ran right down the middle of the room. When we reached the wood railing, Clarence and Logan stepped through the swinging gate in the bar and he directed us to get comfortable on the first row of seating behind them. While we settled in on the ancient pew, Logan and Clarence took seats at the table in front of us. As Clarence busied himself with unpacking files and paperwork from his case, Logan rested his arms on the table and then laid his head down on them, trying to block out his surroundings as much as possible. We had arrived about twenty minutes before the hearing was to begin, so we had the room to ourselves. That peace was shattered five minutes into our interminable wait when none other than the obnoxious asshole Troy sauntered into the courtroom behind us. As soon as he spotted Logan cowering at the defense table, he loudly proclaimed, "Glad ya could make it, ya little bastard. I hope the judge fries your ass for what you did to me." Clarence was on his feet in an instant, stepped through the gate and strode towards Troy with purpose. "I would advise you to refrain from any direct communications with my client, sir. If you are a part of today's proceedings, then sit your ass down and shut the hell up." "Just who the hell ...?" Troy began to respond just as the bailiff joined us through another door at the far end of the jury box, cutting off Troy mid rampage. "Troy!" the new arrival yelled. After Troy and Clarence were focused on the bailiff, he continued, "You would do well to follow this man's advice." "What the fuck, Luther?" Troy protested. "You know what that faggot-lovin' little prick did to me. I thought you was on my side." "I'm on the side of the law, Troy. And in this courtroom, you don't speak until and unless you've been spoken to. You either get on board with that and, like, right now, or I'll be forced to remove you from these proceedings. If you think you can behave yourself and be quiet like a responsible adult, then sit down at the far end of the front row." Despite wanting to continue his harangue of Clarence, and by extension, Logan, Troy finally backed down and followed the directions he was given. I finally noticed that he was still moving rather gingerly and couldn't suppress the tight grin that had formed on my face thanks to his ongoing discomfort. "Thank you for intervening when you did, bailiff," Clarence offered. "Don't bother tryin' to suck up to me, counselor. I'm just doing my job and trying to keep the peace. From what I know about this case already, your client will be lucky if he sees the light of day in forty to fifty years." "Already been tried, convicted and sentenced, has he?" Clarence asked with a tinge of humor. "All but," the bailiff agreed. "Well, we'll see about that," Clarence retorted with confidence as the bailiff stepped back through the gate and sat on the prosecutor's table to keep an eye on Troy. Before Clarence could rejoin Logan, I flagged him down and said, "I don't like this situation one bit. I think we need to get the hell outta here while the gettin's good." "Faith, Max," Clarence intoned calmly. "Oh, I have tons of faith in you, my friend. Can't say I have much in these redneck hillbillies, though." "You worry too, much. You've never seen me in action in court before, have you?" After a quick negative shake of my head admitting I hadn't, he continued. "Well, sit back and enjoy the show. You're about to find out firsthand why I've never lost a case." With nothing else to do to occupy my mind, I started a game of rock, paper, scissors with Alex, Joey, T.J. and Andy to fritter away the time we still had to wait for this nightmare to truly begin. We'd just finished the fourth round when the doors behind us opened again. We turned in our seats and found Arlene, Daril and Arley being ushered in by another gentleman. The look Troy gave his wife and sons on seeing them could have peeled the paint right off the wall. The quartet stopped just before turning up the aisle and the man waved to the bailiff to summon him closer. When the guard joined them, the man raised his hands to shoulder height and said, "Luther, you should know I'm armed, but it's holstered in the middle of my back. I didn't want to bring it into the courthouse, but Arlene insisted on it." "Turn `round, then, Rocky." Rocky complied with Luther's command, pausing briefly mid-spin before completing his pirouette. "You plannin' on stayin'?" "No, sir, I'se just bringin' Arlene and her boys here since they're afraid for their lives right now. As long as you make sure they stay safe, she'll let me leave." Luther turned to face Arlene, offering, "Ma'am, I swear on my momma's grave that you're as safe here as you can possibly be. If'n ya can trust me to take care of ya, then Rocky can leave." A tight nod from Arlene was all it took for Luther to turn back to Rocky and add, "Thanks for makin' sure they got here safe this afternoon, Rocky. We knew there was some concern `bout that and I'm glad to see Ms. Campbell made the appropriate arrangements. See ya later." On that note, Arlene, Daril and Arley's escort turned on his heels and left the courtroom. "Ma'am, boys, why don't y'all leave your bags `n' things back here and then come with me," Luther offered as he aimed back towards the front of the court. When the group reached the row behind us, he offered them the chance to take the bench for themselves, just with the added request they sit at the far end. "There's plenty of room for them to sit with us if they'd like," I offered while pointing past Andy who was the last in our group. "Only if you're sure it's not a problem," Arlene replied demurely. "Nonsense," I retorted. "Boys, let them through," I called out and the four stood as one so the three new arrivals could join us. Daril led the trio, Arley was second in line and Arlene was bringing up the rear. As she moved behind Logan, she reached over the rail separating them, laid a hand on his shoulder and gave him a gentle squeeze. Surprised at the unexpected contact, Logan jumped from his chair and spun around to see who or what had touched him. On seeing his aunt right behind him and his cousins a little further down the pew, he practically jumped the rail to give her a hug while squealing, "Aunt Arlene!" "Sh-h-h-h, Logan, you'll be fine. We all know what a bastard Troy is and we're ready to tell the judge everything we know about what he did to you and why," Arlene offered as she lowered the munchkin back to the floor. Once his arms were freed from her grasp, he sent a big wave combined with a toothy grin to his cousins and they both returned the cheery greeting, Daril adding a thumbs-up sign after the wave. "So, y'all ready to move?" Logan shouted happily. "You bet," Arlene answered. "We can't get away from here fast enough," she added at a volume just loud enough for Troy to hear it as well. If the man kept shooting that same look throughout today's activities, I knew one courtroom that was going to need a new paint job. "You better get back in your seat, Logan," she commented. Before she could join her sons, I asked, "Did Vinnie and his guys show up on time and get everything loaded up that you want?" "They sure did," Arlene replied happily. "Even managed to get that piano I was worried `bout leavin' behind. They're already on their way back to Illinois with it all." "I'm glad to hear it," I agreed. "We'll make arrangements for them to bring it to your new home sometime next week. That'll give you and your boys a chance to see what's there already and decide where you want everything." "That sounds perfect, Max. We'll never be able to thank you enough for helping us make this happen." "Sure you can, just be good family for Logan since both his mom and dad are gone." A somber looked flashed through her face before she brightened back up and replied, "You can be sure of that." At that moment, the door beside the jury box opened and a self-important looking man in a snappy suit stepped in and quickly surveyed the room, taking stock of everyone in attendance. Despite the impassive glance shared with our side of the room, when he caught view of Troy hiding in the opposite corner, his face visibly soured, even with Troy giving him a big wave and smile. Now, I wasn't blaming him for that reaction one bit, but it still caught me a bit off-guard. We soon learned that this new man was the prosecutor for Stoddard County, and he seemed to be ecstatic to be in charge of a case that appeared to be a slam-dunk win for him. After laying his case on the table reserved for the prosecutor, he stepped over to greet Clarence. We would later learn the man's name was George, but what appeared to be the most important at the moment was his seemingly pompous `I'm better than you are' demeanor he conveyed with his body language. Every twitch and otherwise innocuous nuance of his personality appeared to be coldly calculating, as if to convey to others that none of us commoners were worthy of breathing the same air as him. It was my most sincere hope that before the afternoon was over, Clarence would be able to knock some of that overblown puffery from his sails. After the obligatory and perfunctory greeting was completed, George retreated to his own space where Luther was still camped out and keeping a very close watch on Troy. "You got a handle on this situation?" Luther asked while angrily shaking a finger in Troy's direction. "Yes, bailiff," George replied condescendingly. "Please let Stonewall know everyone is present and we're ready to proceed whenever he is." Luther gave George a quick look of displeasure before replying, "I'll let his Honor know, counselor." On that note, he finally left the table and retreated to the far corner of the courtroom before disappearing through the door. Less than a minute passed when the door reopened, and Luther stepped back into the room. "All rise," he called out as he held the door open. "Circuit Court for Stoddard County, State of Missouri, is now in session. The Honorable Thomas Jackson presiding." We all rose from our seats, Clarence providing a little assistance to a very nervous Logan. The judge strode purposefully into the room, closely followed by the court reporter. As the judge reached the halfway point between the door and his bench, Troy gave him a big wave and called out, "Howdy, Stonewall." Thomas didn't seem to let the impromptu and unwelcome greeting faze him and he was soon settled into his chair. With the judge in place, the bailiff gestured with a hand for the rest of us to retake our seats, which we gladly did. "Before we get started this afternoon," the judge began, "I can see a little lesson in proper courtroom decorum is necessary. We are obviously not in the local bar knockin' back a few cold ones together on a Friday night after a long week. No, we are in my house and under my own little set of very finely-honed rules. The first and most important of those rules is you will address me as either `your Honor' or `sir'. Is that understood by everyone here," he added while glaring directly at Troy. While all of us silently nodded our assent, Troy seemed to shrink even deeper into the corner in which he was huddled. "Excellent," Thomas beamed happily. "The second most important rule to be followed in my house is you will only speak after you have been spoken to by myself or either of the two attorneys present. Is that rule understood by everyone?" Again, silent nods from all of us. "I'm happy to see we have some quick learners in attendance this afternoon," he commented. "Any individual who fails to follow either of those two very simple rules will be found in contempt of court, subject to fines and time in a jail cell depending on the severity of your infraction. "Next, would somebody care to explain why there are children in my courtroom?" Thomas asked testily while glaring menacingly at the four munchkins seated next me. Clarence stood and responded, "Yes, your Honor. The gentleman behind me is my client's father and the four young boys with him are his brothers. The woman and two older boys are my client's aunt and cousins. They are all here to support their son, brother, nephew and cousin during these proceedings." "Thank you for that succinct explanation, counselor. I guess an exception to my unmentioned rule about not allowing such young children to be present in my house will be waived this afternoon. I must say I find it interesting that the aunt and cousins are seated on the defendant's side of the room and not with the victim of these crimes. Is there a particular reason for that?" "I'm sure there is, your Honor, but it's not my place to speculate on what that reason might be," Clarence replied smoothly. "Quite right, counselor," Thomas agreed. "Now that all that is on the record, bailiff, call the case." Luther stood from his seat in front of the empty jury box and recited, "The court calls case number 25-00078, State of Missouri versus Logan Campbell, a minor." "Read the charges, please," the judge ordered. Clarence was back on his feet in moments and saying, "Begging your Honor's pardon, Clarence Cantrell for the defense, and we stipulate to the reading of charges." Thomas faced the prosecutor and asked, "Counselor?" George stood and replied, "I think we should hear the charges against the defendant just to remind us of why we're all here." "Very well, be seated, you two." Thomas returned his attention to Luther and added, "Continue, bailiff." "Yes, your Honor. The state brings the following charges against defendant Logan Campbell; assault in the first degree, assault in the first degree with intent to commit grievous bodily harm, battery in the first degree, armed robbery in the first degree, fleeing the scene of a crime, resisting arrest, obstruction of justice, and attempted murder." When he was done with his little speech, Luther retook his seat. I was watching Logan the whole time Luther was talking and each charge hit him like a blow to the body. How he was able to stay in his chair after eight such shots will remain a mystery to me. "Those are some very serious charges for such a young man," Thomas intoned to nobody in particular. "Mr. Prosecutor, do you have anything you'd like to add before we continue?" George stood and offered, "Yes, your Honor, thank you. After much deliberation in our office, we feel that due to the heinous nature of defendant's actions, Mr. Campbell should be tried as an adult." A collective gasp of surprise ran through the meager audience and I distinctly heard Logan's head hit the bare table in front of him with a soft `thwack' after that proclamation. Clarence quickly wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him closer. "We will see if such drastic measures are called for, Counselor, and I'll take that suggestion under advisement." Thomas then turned to face Clarence and Logan before asking, "Will the defendant please rise?" It took several prods from Clarence before it became real, but Logan finally stood up, eyes still focused intently on the table in front of him. "Mister Campbell, please look at me. I want to see your eyes." Once Logan was giving his undivided attention to the judge, he continued with, "How old are you, young man?" "Nine, your Honor," Logan croaked nervously. The judge eyed the prosecutor questioningly and received a tight nod from him before moving on. "These are some very, very serious and troubling charges the state has brought against you. Do you understand the charges as they were read?" "Yes, your Honor," Logan replied meekly. "And how do you plead?" Thomas queried. After a short hesitation as he screwed up his courage, Logan held his head up high before he loudly and proudly proclaimed, "Guilty as sin, your Honor!" While the prosecutor let a wide smile flood his face for an easy win and Troy gave a little fist pump of joy on hearing that, Clarence shot to his feet and bellowed, "OBJECTION!!" "Excuse me, Mr. Cantrell, I don't believe I've ever heard an attorney object to something his own client said," Thomas replied with an evil smirk. "I'm sorry, sir, I'm just as surprised as you are right now," a very flustered Clarence apologized. "May I have a brief moment to confer with my client?" he requested with a hint of begging buried in his tone of voice. "I think that would be a wise course of action, counselor. I'll give you two minutes." I quickly leaned in as closely as I could to hear what was said. "Logan, you were supposed to say `not guilty'. Don't you remember that?" " `Course I do. I might be guilty as hell right now but I ain't stupid, ya know?" "So why did you just declare your guilt to everyone?" "We're in court, right?" Clarence nodded and Logan continued, "That means we're s'posed to tell the truth, right?" Another curt nod and Logan carried on. "Well, they can throw my butt in jail for the crap I actually done, then, `cause I ain't lyin' in court, not even to save my own ass." "Logan, this makes my job more difficult, you understand that, right?" "Not my problem, man," he retorted. "I done seen enough cop shows on TV to know the lawyer gots to do what his client wants. `Sides, it's the right thing to." "How do you figure that, young man," Clarence asked with serious interest. "If'n somebody gonna get in deep poo for lyin' in court, it ain't gonna be me `cause I ain't gonna tell nothin' but the truth. No, if that's gonna happen to somebody today, it's gonna be Uncle Dirtbag. You know that lowdown weasel done lied his ass off to those cops. If anybody's lyin' through their damn rotten teeth, it's him and he should go down for it," Logan offered logically and forcefully. By the time he finished his little spiel, I could see the sadistic smile curling across Clarence's face and knew exactly what was going to happen next. While I was still worried about how it would all play out, I was willing to give it a chance before I snagged Logan, threw him over my shoulder and ran for the hills with the other boys hot on my heels in close pursuit. That issue settled, Clarence and Logan turned back to face the judge and with calm smiles on both of their faces, the attorney offered, "Thank you, your Honor. We're ready to continue." "Very well," Thomas replied. "Am I going to hear a change of plea?" "No, your Honor. My client insists on pleading guilty to all the charges against him. I would like to add this small addendum to his plea, though; there are mitigating circumstances that factor into and influenced my client's actions." "Mr. Campbell, are you absolutely sure you understand the seriousness of the charges against you and the punishment that will follow a free admission of guilt on your part?" "Yes, sir, your Honor," Logan replied earnestly. "I normally wouldn't ask this of a defendant in my courtroom, and I'm only doing so now because of your age and my concern you don't fully comprehend the import of these proceedings, but why are you doing this to yourself? You do understand that if you plead not guilty, you will receive a fair trial by jury. Why don't you want to do that?" "Well the first problem with that, sir, is the Constitution gives me a right to trial by a jury of my peers, right?" A quick nod of acknowledgement from the judge and Logan continued. "Well, I may be just a little kid, but I know what a peer is and I gotta wonder if you're gonna pick a jury with nothin' but nine-year-old kids who grew up on farms." "Well, of course, we're not going to do that." "Then it ain't gonna be a fair trial, so what's the point, sir?" "And what's your second excuse for bypassing that option." " `Cause I ain't gonna lie in court, your Honor." The judge looked completely flabbergasted at that statement and it took him a moment to recover from it before he could mutter in surprise, " `Scuse me?" "My momma and daddy done told me for long as I can `member how `portant it was to always tell the truth. After momma died, my daddy still kept remindin' me of that. And now that he's gone and back with my momma again, my new dads keep poundin' the same thing into our heads, `tell the truth, tell the truth, tell the truth'. Well, I ain't always done what they told me since I ain't no George Washington, but I've tried really hard. And I swear to you right now that nothin' I say in this courtroom is gonna be a lie, and that begins with admittin' I did ever'thing that fool says I did," Logan ended while angrily pointing a shaking finger at Troy. "Admirable, young man. A touch crazy, for sure, but admirable, nonetheless," Thomas replied. "Any motions from the attorneys?" The prosecutor immediately stood up and stated, "I believe the defendant's guilty plea says it all, your Honor, and I'd like to recommend we proceed straight to sentencing." "Why am I not a bit surprised at that?" the judge commented before turning to Clarence and saying, "Mr. Cantrell?" Clarence stood up slowly and replied, "I know the request I'm about to make is unusual for a preliminary hearing your Honor, but since my client lives out of state and has not been interviewed by the police who investigated this case, I would beg the court's indulgence as I'd like to take some time to establish exactly what happened between my client and his uncle that led up to and precipitated my client's actions." "I have to admit that seems to be a rather fair request, especially since, as you say, the investigating department didn't bother to interview the defendant or take any steps arrest him. As such, I'm inclined to grant your request, counselor. Any objections from the state?" Thomas asked. With his firm belief this case was in the bag, George stood and replied, "None, your Honor." "Carry on, Mr. Cantrell." "If it pleases the court, I'd like to call Troy Campbell to the stand to answer some questions about the complaint he filed against my client." Every head in the room swiveled in Troy's direction, only to find him looking like a deer caught squarely in a semi's headlights and about to meet his maker. "Mr. Campbell, if you would please join me up here?" Thomas requested politely, gesturing to the witness stand right next to the judge. Despite looking as though the witness stand was the last place he wanted to be at the moment, Troy did slowly step through the bar and settle uncomfortably into the indicated chair. "Bailiff, swear him in." Luther approached with the Bible in his hand and demanded, "Raise your right hand and place your left on the Bible." After just a moment's hesitation, Troy did so and Luther regurgitated from memory, "Do you swear that the testimony you are about to provide in this court is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" "I do," Troy gulped nervously. "Please ask your questions, Mr. Cantrell, and try not to stray too far from the case at hand." "Yes, sir. Thank you, your Honor." Clarence walked slowly in front of the bench until he stood about five feet away from Troy, leaning casually against the railing surrounding the empty jury box. "Mr. Campbell, would you please state the nature of your relationship to my client?" "Ya mean, Logan? The kid's my nephew." "I see," Clarence toyed with the man. "Is he a nephew on your side of the family or your wife's?" "He's my brother's son, so my side. What's that got to do with anything?" "I'll be asking the questions this afternoon, Mr. Campbell," Clarence retorted sarcastically. "Now, would you please explain the circumstances that led to Logan being with you and your family recently." "Well, my brother, Charlie, was killed in a farm accident a few weeks ago, so Logan was s'posed to come live with us." The first few questions were easy ones to answer and I could see Troy was slowly slipping into his regular self-assured cockiness as he grew more and more comfortable with the unfamiliar situation. "Was that something your brother requested of you before he passed? And were you happy to give Logan a home after your brother's untimely death?" "Well, yeah, `course it was. Charlie even put it in his will since we was the only other family he had left. `Sides, you think I'd take in a little brat like him if'n I didn't want to?" That last comment caused the judge to wrinkle his eyebrows in interest. "And do you know what was going to happen to the farmland, house and equipment your brother owned at the time of his death?" "Well, far as I know, it all became Logan's. I just assumed since the kid was gonna be livin' with us `til he was old `nough to be on his own, he'd probably sell it all." "And what would have happened to that money if he did, indeed, sell said property?" "Not a clue. Guess it'd gone into a bank somewhere so Logan'd have it later." George stood before Clarence could pose his next query and asked, "Excuse me, you Honor, but how, exactly, does any of this pertain to this case?" "Fair question, counselor," Thomas agreed. Turning his attention to Clarence, he commented, "I assume all of this is somehow relevant and important to your defense." "Oh, yes, sir," Clarence replied emphatically. "Well, I hope you tie it all together soon, counselor. Just know I don't have a lot of patience for pompous windbags who have nothing better to do than to waste my time." "I would never dream of doing such a thing, your Honor." "You'd be the first, then," Thomas grinned. "Carry on." "Thank you, sir," Clarence replied politely before adding, "Excuse me for one moment, please. I'd like to retrieve a copy of the fairy tale, um, I mean statement, you provided to the Dexter police department." He walked briskly across the room, snatched a sheaf of papers from his case and returned to his perch against the jury box before continuing. "I just want to make sure of a few things you claimed in here," he commented offhandedly. "Now, when you brought Logan home with you for the first time, what sort of accommodations had you arranged for him?" "Uh, whatd'ya mean?" Troy muttered. "Well, did Logan have his own bedroom or would he be sharing a room with your sons?" "Oh, that. Well, we only got two bedrooms to begin with, and with Daril and Arley bein' as big as they are, there really wasn't room for Logan to be in with them, so I let him have free run of the basement." "That was rather generous of you," Clarence remarked with a knowing smirk. "Does this basement have any exterior doors or windows, and does it have its own facilities?" "No windows, no, but there's a door in the back wall that leads to the backyard and the small lake out there. Ain't no bathroom down there, neither, so he'd have to come upstairs for that," Troy lied smoothly. Logan was doing his best to maintain a straight face through all of this, but I could see by the way he was stifling his giggles he was slowly losing the battle. "What about meals? Did you find it difficult or burdensome to suddenly have another child to feed?" "Um, you'd have to ask the wife `bout that. She don't let me cook nothin'," Troy smirked as he sidestepped answering the question entirely. "You said Logan had free run of the basement, what about the rest of the house?" "Well, `course. He could go anywhere he wanted that wasn't locked up, like our bedroom," was the response as Troy kept digging his own grave even deeper. "We already briefly talked about the money Logan would receive from the sale of what had become his farm in Illinois. What about the rest of his inheritance?" "What the devil you talkin' `bout," Troy blustered in surprise. "Well, he was due to receive a shade over five million dollars that had been his mother's, wasn't he?" Clarence asked with as much innocence as possible. "I didn't know bean one `bout that `til just now, mister. Never knew the little punk was gonna be a rich little orphan bastard." Again, I saw the judge raise an eyebrow and out of the corner of my eye, I could see Arlene holding her head in her hands, shaking it in disbelief. "So, though I've read your statement, would you please tell the court what occurred between you and your nephew that triggered his attack on you? "Ain't got a clue, mister. I went downstairs `bout one or so to let Logan know lunch was ready and he should come up and join us. He really hadn't been eatin' that much durin' the week `cause he was still purty torn up `bout his dad dyin', but I didn't think he should miss a meal, neither." "And what happened next?" "Well, soon as I stepped off the last step, the little bastard just up and kicked me in the nuts. It hurt so damn bad, I could hardly breathe. At some point, I passed out and when I woke back up, there was all kinds of folks millin' `round. There was some guys with an ambulance, two other yokels I ain't never seen before, one white `n' one nigger, the wife was there, too, and I don't know who else." "What about Logan? Was he still there?" "I don't `member seein' him, so I guess he done skedaddled as soon as he thought he killed me. Can't really blame `im for that `cause if I'da seen him, I'da kicked his ass so hard he wouldn't a been able to sit down for a freakin' month." "So, do you have lots of practice beating on other people?" Clarence offered as he dropped the grenade right into Troy's lap. "What!? No way, man," Troy protested vehemently. Daril was halfway to his feet to protest when Arlene grabbed his wrist and yanked him back down to the hard wooden pew we were occupying. I heard her whisper to her boys, "Let him dig it as deep as he can by hisself. We'll fill it in for him later if need be." "What's your current financial condition, Mr. Campbell?" Clarence quietly asked. "Well, things're always tight this time of year, though it's worse now than it's been in a long time. But once we can start harvestin' peaches and apples in a few months, I reckon we'll be all right." "I'm glad to hear it," Clarence commented. "So, to sum all this up, you recently lost your brother and, as a promise made to him after his wife died, you were to become the legal guardian of your nephew. A young man who is about to inherit well over five million dollars in cash and property. Money it sounds like you desperately need to keep your own property. Is that a fair summation of how things are?" "I don't like what you're thinkin', mister," Troy retorted smugly. "Objection, your Honor," George stood and complained. "I don't see a connection between any of that and the defendant's attack on the victim." "That's right!" Troy agreed loudly. "I'm the victim in all this. That little bastard cut off my balls!" he screamed while angrily shaking his hand in Logan's direction. Well, that was just too much for the munchkin to handle as he slid off his chair and onto floor, clutching his sides as gales of laughter rolled out from somewhere under the table, only to echo around the courtroom. "Counselor, please tell your client to get a grip on his emotions," Thomas admonished Clarence. "Right away, your Honor," he replied as he hustled over to the defense table, crawled underneath it and slowly extracted the still giggling Logan from where he'd collapsed. Once he was clear of the table, I leaned over the rail between us and helped get the kiddo back into his chair and calmed down. With order restored to the courtroom, Thomas asked, "Mr. Cantrell, do you have any further questions for Mr. Campbell." "No, your Honor, thank you. And I solemnly apologize for my client's outburst. It won't happen again." "See that it doesn't, counselor." Thomas then turned to George and asked, "Do you have any questions for Mr. Campbell?" "No, sir. His answers today simply back up the statement he gave to the police and me from his hospital bed as he recovered from the horrendous and life-altering attack by the defendant." "Mr. Campbell, you're excused and may retake your seat behind the prosecutor," Thomas ordered. After Troy had returned to his original position, the judge turned to Clarence and said, "You painted a nice picture there, counselor, full of supposition and innuendo, but not a whole lot of new facts that would put a frame on what I'm sure is a lovely portrait. Do you think you could take care of that for us?" "Sidebar, your Honor?" Clarence requested. After a curt nod from the judge, both attorneys approached the bench and carried out a hushed conversation. After the prosecutor and I joined the judge at his bench, he asked, "What is it now, Mr. Cantrell?" "I apologize for seemingly accomplishing nothing with my questioning of Mr. Campbell, but I needed him on the record with his answers before I present my other evidence in this matter." "If you have new evidence, counselor," George interrupted testily, "why doesn't my office have it?" "Well, if this case had proceeded to trial, I, of course, would have provided my evidence to you in due time as called for under the rules of discovery. Since there isn't going to be a trial now thanks to my client's guilty plea, I feel this is the appropriate time for you to see and hear that evidence before any further decisions are made concerning my client's future," I replied evenly. "He's got a fair point there, George," Thomas admitted while looking to the prosecutor. "You told me yourself you were relying entirely on Mr. Campbell's statement of events as the basis for the charges you brought against the defendant. I told you when you dropped this nightmare in my lap that I didn't like the idea of charging such a young kid with attempted murder, but you insisted it was warranted in this case. Then, for you to add today you wanted to try him as an adult? That's really unconscionable, George. Are you so hard up to get re-elected this fall, this is how low you'll go to do it?" George blushed mightily before replying, "Just applying the laws of the state to the case in front of me, your Honor, just as my oath of office requires me to do." "Well, it's my job to uphold those same laws," Thomas retorted angrily. He then came back to me and asked, "How are we going to hear from your client, Mr. Cantrell? I really don't think putting a nine-year-old child on the stand is feasible. Not under these circumstances, anyway. I suppose I'd be willing to let him testify in my chambers with just you, me, George and the court reporter in attendance. That's assuming, of course, the prosecutor will allow such a deviation from the normal routine." "It's your courtroom, your Honor, so whatever you feel is acceptable is fine with me," George offered. "Nice to know I have your permission," Thomas retorted condescendingly. "Actually, gentlemen, I have an even easier solution to your concerns. While my client was at his uncle's house and under his supposed care, he used a phone he'd been given by his new fathers and recorded all of his interactions with the `victim' of these alleged crimes. I have all those videos loaded onto my laptop and I believe you need to see them to ensure justice is done in this case. They will go a long way in explaining my client's actions towards the man who was supposed to take care of him for the next nine years." "Fine, let's get it set up and watch a movie," the judge agreed. "I have one minor request, your Honor," I added quickly. After receiving a hand gesture from him I took to mean `let's hear it', I carried on. "My client has been severely traumatized from his dealings with his uncle and ..." "That brat's been traumatized," George scoffed angrily. "How the hell you think Mr. Campbell's dealin' with things right now?" "His welfare is not my concern, my client's is," I replied smoothly. "Now, may I continue?" After receiving tense nods from both men, I did just that. "As I was trying to say, I would prefer these videos not be shown in open court. If just the three of us could view them in your chambers, your Honor, I think it would be much better for all involved. If you feel they should be seen by everyone after viewing them yourself, then we'll do that." Thomas looked to George and received a simple nod in response. It was a nod that spoke more of resignation than acceptance of the situation, but it was still begrudging agreement and I was going to take it any way I could. The judge looked back at me and gave me the same tentative nod to which I responded, "Thank you for your understanding, gentlemen. Let me retrieve my computer and I'll be with you post-haste." Before the two headed for the far corner of the courtroom, Thomas banged his gavel on his bench and announced, "We're going to take a short recess to go over some issues in my chambers. Feel free to wander the courthouse while we do so, but don't go too far. You'll be called back when we're ready to reconvene. Luther, a quick word, please." As Thomas and George headed for the doorway in the far corner of the courtroom, Luther joined them briefly, then returned to sit on the prosecutor's table to keep eye on those of us who would be staying where we were. I saw him tap the court reporter on the shoulder as he passed her by, and then jerk his head in the direction of the door the judge and prosecutor has just passed through. The reporter took the not so subtle hint, grabbed her equipment and dutifully disappeared. As I snagged my laptop, I gave Logan a quick pat on the top of his head and a thumbs-up to Max before joining the others and ruining their afternoon. Several minutes later and after several concerned glances between the judge and the prosecutor, Clarence returned to the defense table, picked up his laptop and then followed Thomas, George and the court reporter through the door into the judge's chambers. As soon as the door closed behind him, Luther said, "Okay, folks, feel free to chat quietly amongst yourselves or, as the judge offered, enjoy a nice walk around our historic courthouse. Troy, you keep your ass planted right where it is and keep your obnoxious mouth shut." On that note, Logan quickly asked the bailiff, "Can I sit with my dad `til they come back?" "I don't see why not," Luther agreed. A very happy young lad pushed his chair to the bar, then climbed up and over the railing before jumping into my lap and wrapping his arms around my midsection. We were immediately swamped by the other four as they joined the hug and tried to squeeze the stuffing out of their brother. It took a few minutes, but our grips finally began to loosen, and we began to chat about the afternoon's events so far, making sure to include Arlene and her sons in the conversation. The entire time we were visiting and getting to know each other a little better, Troy stewed in silence on the other side of the room. "Okay, Mr. Cantrell, we're alone. Will you please explain what we're about to see and the need to watch these videos in my chambers?" "Before we get into that, I want to thank you both for being so fair-minded as to allow me some leeway this afternoon and your courtesy will not be forgotten. To your question, your Honor, what my client recorded while in Mr. Campbell's custody is a series of nine videos from the Sunday night he arrived in Dexter to the Thursday afternoon when he escaped his imprisonment and certain death." "Oh, cry me a fuckin' river," George vented theatrically. "You really expect us to believe Mr. Campbell was going to murder his nephew?" "We're still on the record, George, so rein yourself in," Thomas admonished the prosecutor. "Another outburst like that and you'll be fined for contempt." George rolled his eyes in disbelief but kept any retort he may have had to himself. "You can believe whatever you like after you see the videos, gentlemen. Obviously, I've watched all of them and I believe they back up my client's version of events. I think you will, too, once you've seen them. Shall we get started?" "By all means," Thomas replied. "Okay, this first video was recorded fairly early Monday morning after Logan had arrived and spent his first night in what was supposed to become his new home for the next nine years. It's just him giving his own impressions of his new situation." I clicked play on the video program and let the video run. "Howdy and welcome to my new home," Logan said as he panned the camera from the steps down into the hellhole, all the way around the space and back to the shelves under the steps. "Ain't this just the loveliest shithole ya ever seen? Believe it or not, it looked even worse when I got locked down here last night. I spent several hours cleanin' all the crap outta here so I could at least get rid of the smell. Hell, I ain't even got a crapper or shower down here I can use. I gotta go outside to piss, take a dump or even wash my hands. Don't have no bed, neither, so I made a bunk on that bottom shelf over there in the corner with some stinky ol' sleepin' bag. Ain't great, but it sure beats the hell outta sleepin' on the floor. "And now Uncle Dirtbag thinks this is where I'm gonna live for the next nine years. Well, let me tell ya, he's wrong `bout that `cause I ain't gonna put up with his shit no more than I hafta. According to the note my cousins gave me on the way down here, he needs my money real bad `cause he's `bout to lose his orchard. "They also said in that note that Unc plans for me to disappear once he's got my money, but I'm ready for him to try it, and boy is he in for a big surprise. I done warned him what was I was gonna do if he ever laid a hand on me, but I don't think he believes I'll do it. Guess we'll find out. Well, I gotta cut this short `cause I ain't got no way to recharge the phone down here and I wanna make sure I got plenty o' juice to record when the shithead comes down the stairs. Guess I'll see y'all later." When the video ended, Thomas and George shared a glance of astonishment with each other before looking back me. "Wait, that's the basement Mr. Campbell says Logan had the `free run' of?" Thomas queried. "Yes, sir, dirt floor and all," I replied. "That's despicable. I wouldn't let my dog sleep in that filth. And I thought Mr. Campbell said Logan could go anywhere in the house he wanted, including use of the bathroom upstairs." "All lies, your Honor," I replied simply. "What I got out of that was premeditation for the assault on his uncle," George commented blandly. Thomas and I both glared daggers at the unfeeling prosecutor before I prefaced the next video with, "Okay, this follow-up takes place a little later the same morning." "Okay, ya little faggot lovin' piece o' shit, time for you to cough it up." "Cough what up, ya dirtbag?" "MY money, dumbass. I need it and you're gonna get it for me." "Like hell I am, Troy. That's my money and you ain't never gonna see a dime of it." "Look, kid, I ain't playin' no damn games here." "That's a good thing `cause you probably don't understand how to play nothin', not even somethin' as simple as Uno. And any moron can play that game it's so easy." "It's no secret I don't like you, punk. Never did, never will." "Good, `cause I don't like you either." "Never understood what my brother saw in that bitch you called mommy." "Don't you dare talk `bout my momma like that, ya loser! She was a great woman and Daddy loved her with all his heart. It tore him up somethin' awful when she died." "She got what she fuckin' deserved for breakin' our family up! She always thought we weren't good `nough for her and she forced Charlie to move." "Good for her. And daddy, too. Ain't nobody should hafta deal with a jackass like you their whole life." Troy suddenly grabbed Logan by the shoulders and shook him like a rag doll, all while screaming in his face, "Get me my goddam money!!" "I can't, ya freakin' dumbass! It takes two people to sign `fore the bank will give me anything. And the others who can sign won't do it `less I tell `em to. And I ain't gonna do it." "Yeah? Let's see how you feel `bout that in a few days. You ain't goin' nowhere `til I save my orchard." "You wanna save it so goddam bad, why don't you get your lazy ass out there and work for it `stead of hangin' out in the bar all day long? That's what Daddy did, he worked hard every day of his life and he took good care of Momma and me. You should be more like him. Maybe if you was, your wife and kids might actually love you!" "You little prick! I'd fuckin' kill you right now if I didn't need your money so bad. We'll see if you're feeling more generous tomorrow, ya little bastard." The image of the enraged Troy left the camera's view and we could hear him stomp on every step as he went back upstairs. After the door slammed shut, Logan appeared on camera and he said, "Well, that was fun, wasn't it? I swear on Momma and Daddy's graves, that fuckin' loser ain't gettin' shit outta me, I don't care what he says or does. Guess I just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow. Hey Siri, stop recording." The video had the expected effect on the two other men in the office with me as both were so pale, they looked like they'd just seen a ghost. I glanced at the court reporter and could see she was feeling the same way. When he could finally speak, Thomas asked with fear, "Are the rest of the videos like that one?" "Pretty much, sir. Troy would go down to the basement a couple times a day to berate Logan, all in an effort to get control of his money and save his orchard. Some are longer, some shorter, but the content doesn't really change much." "Jesus," George interrupted, "I thought Arlene and the boys were makin' up the stories of Mr. Campbell abusing them out of some twisted revenge motive for Logan being dumped on them. That's exactly what Mr. Campbell claimed they'd do when I talked to him in the hospital." "Just more lies from him, George," I offered quietly. "Abusers like Troy are great at covering up the truth and they go to great lengths to do just that. Do you want to see any more?" I asked. "Not really," Thomas replied with a grumble of disgust, "but I have to know. Was Logan able to record what happened the day he attacked his uncle?" "Yes, your Honor, he did. And even if you don't watch any of the others, you really should see that one." He looked to George and commented flatly, "I know neither of us really wants to see it, but I think we have to, don't you? We need to be positive that Logan's attack was truly carried out in self-defense if we're going to end up doing what I'm thinking." A quick nod from George was all I needed to locate and start the playback of the last recording. "Okay, I'm tired o' screwin' `round with ya, ya little shit. You're gonna tell me how to get my money today or you're just gonna fuckin' disappear!" "You ain't been listenin' to me, asshole! I can't get it! It takes two people to sign anything and you ain't one of them." "Then who is, ya bastard?" "Max and Tom and me are the only ones." "Then you're just gonna have to figure out how to get one of them fuckin' faggots to sign a check." "Ain't never gonna happen, ya lowlife. That's my money and I got other plans for it." "Screw your plans, brat, I need that fuckin' money and you're gonna get it for me." "Shit in one hand, wish in the other, Troy. Let's see which gets filled first." Thomas and George watched in horror as Troy stepped closer to Logan, raised his arm high above his head, then brought his fist back down at blinding speed and smashed it into Logan's jaw. The bone-jarring blow sent the youngster sailing about five feet across the basement before he landed on his back and his head slammed into the dirt floor. Thomas and George watched in amazement as Logan staggered back to his feet and screamed "That the best you got, ya fuckin' loser!?" The onscreen action continued as Troy moved towards Logan again and just as Troy was about to wrap his hands around Logan's neck to choke the life out of him, the dirtbag howled in pain, his eye's suddenly crossed and he toppled over backward, out of view of the camera. "I told you what was gonna happen if you ever laid a hand on me, you bastard! You better get ready!" We finished the video with both Thomas and George grimacing in anguish as Logan performed a very delicate surgical procedure on the comatose Troy. When the playback finally ended, all of us released a huge sigh of relief that this part of the ordeal was over. Now it was down to the legal wrangling, wheeling and dealing that is all too common in today's justice system. "So, gentlemen, your thoughts?" I asked as I calmly closed the lid on the laptop. Thomas was the first to answer with, "First, all charges against young Mr. Campbell will be dismissed without prejudice. It's plainly obvious the young man was in fear for his life and he acted purely out of self-defense. Do you agree with that assessment, George?" A quick nod of agreement from the still pale prosecutor and the judge plowed on. "Second, charges will be filed against that disgusting prick, Troy, for everything from kidnapping and false imprisonment to spousal and child abuse, along with anything else we think we can make stick. You good with that, also, George?" "Damn right, I am. I can't believe I ever believed that lyin' sack of shit." A quick flush filled the prosecutor's face and he added, "Oops, sorry `bout that, your Honor. Are we still on the record?" "Yes, but don't worry about it. Okay, third, our victim will be immediately arrested and booked into the county jail for the minor offenses of filing a false police report and perjury. Those will allow us to hold him until we can get all the other charges filed and presented to a grand jury. You've got your work cut out for you, George." "Don't worry, sir, we're up to the task and will get it all dealt with as quickly as possible." "You better," Thomas warned him. "And once this mess is cleared up, I'll be resigning as the county prosecutor." "What!?" Thomas exclaimed in surprise. "Yes, sir. I can't live with the fact that in my zeal to prosecute this case, I ignored valuable evidence and almost cost a kid his life. I'm never going to allow myself to be blinded by bloodlust like that ever again." "Well, we'll surely miss you and the good work you do, but I understand your reasoning, George. If you have a change of heart, I'll support you all the way and we'll act as if this conversation never happened." "Can't do that, your Honor, we're on the record, remember?" George commented. "I can fix that in a heartbeat," Thomas offered. "Don't you dare, sir." The two finally looked back to me and reeled me back into the conversation. "Does everything we just agreed to work for you, Mr. Cantrell?" Thomas asked. "As long as it all means Logan walks out of here this afternoon, he can go home with his family and never has to worry about this episode coming back to haunt him, then yes, I'll be a happy camper. Your Honor," I quickly added with a smile. "One more thing, then, before we return to the courtroom," Thomas commented. "Do you have copies of the note given to Logan by his cousins and extra DVDs with the videos?" "Yes, sir, I have several of each in my case. I thought you'd probably want them if this afternoon went the way I expected it would." "You were absolutely right about that," Thomas agreed. "Once we return to the court, please give copies to me and George. Once we have those in hand, I'll take immense pleasure in ruining Troy's day. And the rest of his miserable life, to boot." "Consider it done, sir." "Can I ask you a question, Mr. Cantrell?" George asked. "Fire away," I replied with a cocky smirk since I'd just accomplished what I'd set out to do when I crawled out of bed this morning. "Is this the way you always practice law?" "Well, not always," I admitted, "but often enough, I guess." "And have you ever lost a case?" "Never!" I exclaimed proudly. "Perish the thought." "I figured as much," George chuckled. "You ever need a flunky who needs to learn some humility, give me call. I'll need a few months to wrap up this mess and get my head straightened out first, though." "You never know, do ya?" I commented. "Well, shall we go get this wrapped up?" "Before we do, there's something I'd to say off the record," George commented. Thomas asked the court reporter to leave the office and send Luther back in a few minutes to receive some special instructions. Once the door closed behind her, Thomas said, "Okay, George, what's up?" "Mr. Cantrell, I want you to promise me you'll pass this on to Logan when y'all get back home." I gave a quick nod of agreement and he continued. "First, please tell him how sorry I am for what he's been through. It's hard enough on a kid to lose his parents like he has, but to turn around and be dumped into a situation like he was with his uncle, well, I just don't know how he can deal with somethin' like that after all the other crap. I would also like for you to apologize to him for me and the department not doing our due diligence in this case. We don't screw up like this very often, but when we do, we go all out and royally fuck it up." "I'll be sure to let him know all that and I'm sure he'll appreciate it, George." "I got one more thing I'd like to say but it'll be up to you whether you share it with Logan or not. That kid has one helluva a mouth on him, and someday it's gonna get him in a giant heap o' shit he ain't gonna be able to dig out of by himself. But, if it ever comes down to a fair fight between him and anybody else, I'm layin my money on Logan to kick the ever-lovin' shit outta any poor schmuck who's dumb enough to try and take him on. The kid thinks fast under pressure and he's got a survival instinct that's second to none. I'm proud as hell of him for standin' up to a Gawd awful prick like Troy and livin' to tell the tale. Well, guess that's all I got, but I had to get all that off my chest." "Thanks, George." Our conversation ended just as there was a knock on the door, and it popped open to reveal Luther stepping in to receive his orders. After a quick chat with Thomas, the bailiff left the judge's chambers by way of the back door to carry out his assigned task and George and I returned to the courtroom to take our places at our respective tables, waiting patiently for the fireworks that were sure to explode when Judge Thomas `Stonewall' Jackson rejoined us and pulled the pin from the grenade I'd just dropped in Troy's lap. The moment we'd all been anxiously and nervously waiting for arrived without warning when Clarence and George abruptly exited the judge's chambers and rejoined the rest of us in the courtroom. Conspicuously absent at the moment were the bailiff and the judge himself, and we could only assume both would be putting in their appearances all too soon. While I tried to read both attorney's faces to get some feel of what was to come, the duo shared the same impassive and blank face that made it impossible to discern their mood. I realized at that instant that I never wanted to get into a game of high-stakes poker with Clarence as I was sure he would take me and everyone else at the table to the cleaners. As the two took their seats, Logan scuttled back over the railing, pushed his chair back up to the table and climbed back into the seat next to his attorney. He leaned over and whispered a quick question to Clarence who answered the inquiry with nothing more than a quick and simple nod. Unfortunately, I didn't hear what Logan asked so I didn't know if I should take that nod as good or bad news. One thing I did notice was Clarence rummaging in his case and pulling out two files that contained documents of obvious importance. We could only sit there quietly and stew in our own thoughts as we awaited the decision that would forever impact all our lives. The moment of truth kept creeping up on us and soon enough, the door behind us from the gallery into the courtroom was slammed open with a loud bang. Everyone spun in their seats to see what was happening and we were surprised to see the bailiff coming in that entrance when he'd stepped into the judge's chambers just a few moments ago. The most important part of his dramatic entrance that I caught was the contingent of four uniformed police officers who remained in the gallery just outside the slowly closing door. Luther wasted no time in covering the distance to the judge's chambers and he lightly rapped on the door when he reached it. He then pulled the handle attached to the solid wooden slab and held it open. "All rise," he bellowed, and we immediately followed his command as Judge Jackson stepped in and strode back to his lofty perch behind the bench. As Thomas settled into his chair and the door closed behind Luther as he headed back for his table, he added, "Court is now back in session, please take your seats." As soon as everyone was seated again, Clarence jumped back up like an errant pogo stick and grabbed the files he'd just retrieved. He then stepped over to George to hand one to him and followed that up by approaching the bench and passing the second one to Thomas. His deliveries made, Clarence calmly returned to the defense table and took his seat, patiently waiting for next act of the ongoing drama to unfold. We all watched the prosecutor and judge with interest as they perused whatever Clarence had just given them, neither man giving any hint of their emotions or attitude. God, this was nerve-wracking. All of us were sitting on the edges of our rock-hard seats, just waiting for the giant shoe to drop from the ceiling and squish the fragile little spider named Logan. With a tense nod from Thomas, he finally closed the file, laid it on the bench before him and slowly raised his head to focus on the prosecutor. After receiving a quick nod from George, the judge was finally ready to move things along. "Will the defendant please rise?" Logan slowly left his chair and stood at attention next to Clarence. It was at this point I seriously considered my hastily planned kidnapping and rapid getaway, but quickly realized I wouldn't get very far with the four cops I'd seen waiting just outside the courtroom, so I remained firmly planted on my seat. "Young man, you have been charged by the state with some very serious crimes for your actions against your uncle. I want to make sure you fully understand the predicament you put yourself and this court in by taking matters into your own hands and not asking for help when you needed it." "Yes, sir, I do," Logan muttered flatly as Troy began to wiggle in celebration. "I'm glad to hear that, Mr. Campbell. While the court appreciates your unflagging honesty and misguided attempt to accept complete responsibility for your actions with your guilty plea, I feel the only just course of action at this juncture is to reject your plea." A ripple of various exclamations filtered through the room and the judge waited a moment for quiet to be restored before continuing. "After reviewing the available evidence pertaining to this case in my chambers with both counsels present, it is my decision, and it's a decision fully supported by the prosecutor, that all charges against you shall be immediately dismissed." A stunned silence took over for just a moment before the boys, including Arley and Daril, found their voices and let go a gigantic `whoop' of victory. Logan, for his part, could do nothing more but collapse back into his chair with a huge sigh of relief. Clarence quickly wrapped an arm around the young man to ensure he didn't slide back to the floor again. As for me, I simply laid my head in my hands and began to weep, hot tears of joy slowly leaking from my bloodshot eyes and wetting my palms. The victory celebration was cut short by an ear-splitting screech of anger from the other side of the courtroom as the enraged Troy jumped to his feet as quickly as his sore groin would allow and bellowed, "WHAT!!? That nigger-lovin' little faggot bastard cuts off my balls, steals my money, leaves me for dead, and he gets to walk out o' here like none o' that shit ever happened? What the fuck, Stonewall!?" "Bailiff, please call your friends to join us and restrain Mr. Campbell, please," Thomas intoned calmly. "With pleasure, your Honor," Luther responded happily before he let loose a whistle that threatened to shatter the glass in the room and every dog in Stoddard County heard. Suddenly, the back doors to the courtroom burst open and the four cops darted in. While Troy had spun around to see the cause of the commotion taking place behind him, Luther jumped the railing and in moments, he had the furious and quaking Troy bound up in a headlock, holding him in place until a pair of handcuffs were placed snugly around Troy's wrists and his feet were securely shackled so he couldn't run. Once calm had been restored to the courtroom and Troy was firmly reseated by the four officers, the judge continued his commentary. "Mr. Campbell, you are, without a doubt, the absolute lowest form of pond scum I've ever had the displeasure to see slither its way into my courtroom and in front of my bench," he began in a calm but still scathing tone. The rage that was flowing freely beneath his robes was felt by every one of us. "You've beat on your wife and children for years as if they meant absolutely nothing to you. You've terrorized and threatened the life of your only nephew just to get control of his money to save your own miserable existence. You've conned, lied and cheated your way through life, taking advantage of every poor soul that's had the misfortune to cross your path. "You lied to the police about what happened between you and your nephew, and you lied in this courtroom today when you answered Mr. Cantrell's questions, assuming, I guess, there wouldn't be anybody to refute those lies. Well, you made a very grave miscalculation in your evil plotting to fleece and then exterminate your young nephew. You see, sir, you were no match for such a young, intelligent, brave and resourceful young man such as Logan, not by a long shot. You'd have had a better chance of survival showing up to a gunfight with only a pocketknife to ward off the hail of bullets coming your way." "What the hell you talkin' `bout?" Troy protested as he struggled to get free from the four cops holding him securely in place. "What you didn't know, Mr. Campbell, and probably wouldn't have cared if you did, is that Logan recorded your every interaction with him during the five days he was in your home," Thomas explained quietly. Troy immediately paled until he was as white as a sheet on hearing that revelation. "Thanks to having new fathers who love their new son so very much, Logan had a phone with him, and he videoed the threats, abuse, and harassment you dumped on him the whole time he was in your custody. Your nearly fatal mistake, though, was when you hit him, coward that you are. "He said in the first video he recorded in that hellhole you locked him in that he'd warned you what he was going to do if you ever hit him. You apparently didn't believe him or felt you could still overpower him and force him to bend to your demands. Well, whatever you thought, you were quite obviously sorely mistaken. One should never underestimate the cunning and power that tremendous gut-wrenching fear will instill in another individual. While you thought you had beaten this young man into submission, he was actually coiled as tightly as a snake wrapped around its next meal and ready to strike the moment an opportunity presented itself. The secret to such an attack, of course, is you have to catch your opponent when they're at their weakest. "And that's exactly what Logan did. He waited you out until he knew that your insatiable greed and unrelenting anger would blind you to everything else. Every time you went into that pigsty you euphemistically called a `basement' to continue your abuse of your young and defenseless nephew, he was sizing you up, and you didn't have a clue he was doing so. By the time you went down to that hellhole on Thursday afternoon to `let Logan know it was time for lunch', your goose had already been plucked, cooked and fricasseed, you were just too all-fire ignorant to understand you were stepping into the biggest, meanest and best built rattrap ever created. And you have only yourself to blame for all of it. "But, the instant the opportunity presented itself, Logan took advantage of your now obvious weakness in the moment and he lashed out viciously, striking with a sense of self-preservation and a resolve to win at all costs, an attack you were woefully unprepared for and had no way to counter. In my humble opinion, you are a very lucky man to be alive right now as I have no doubt your nephew had it in himself at that moment to kill you, just as you were prepared to kill him. And all over a little bit of money. Fortunately for you, I guess, he only castrated you. And if there was ever a man to walk the face of the Earth who didn't deserve to keep his testicles, it's you. "It gives me great pleasure to be the one to tell you that your privilege of claiming to be a free man in this country has been summarily revoked, hopefully for the rest of your natural life. Officers, would you kindly remove this fetid sack of shit from my sight and deposit his despicable sorry ass into the worst jail cell you have available? Preferably one with a dirt floor and no bed or toilet, if that's possible." "Gladly, your Honor," the lead officer replied as two of the hulking men slipped their arms under Troy's and forcefully lifted him from his seat. With one officer leading, two on each side supporting the broken man and one trailing, they began their long walk down the center aisle towards the exit. As the rest of us watched the sad and pathetic little parade, Logan jumped up onto the seat of his chair and called out, " `Scuse me, your Honor!" The group of five stopped moving and every head in the courtroom rapidly swiveled towards Logan. With all eyes on him, he quickly asked, "Can I say somethin' to that good-for-nothin' lowlife `fore they haul his ass outta here?" "After what you went through, young man, I do believe you've earned that right, so, you go right ahead," Thomas replied with smile. "Thank you, sir," Logan replied politely. While still standing on the seat of the chair to ensure Troy would be able to see and hear him without any problems, Logan turned back around to face his uncle and yelled, "Hey, scumbag, BITE ME! I hope you eat shit and die!" When the laughter died down, the four officers continued their task and soon enough, we'd been magically transported to a new reality, one without the foul stench of Troy polluting the air. "Thanks, Your Honor!" Logan said as we all turned back around to face the front of the room. "I feel a helluva lot better now," he quickly added with a toothy grin. "I don't think any of us could have said it better, Logan," Thomas agreed. "On that note, my last official words on this case are to say this; Logan Campbell, you are free to go home with the rest of your family. Have a blessed life, young man. Court is adjourned!" he exclaimed as he rapped the bench with his gavel. Logan pushed his chair back to the railing and quickly climbed over it, only to be immediately smothered by his brothers and cousins in a celebratory hug. While they were jumping for joy, Clarence packed and closed his case before stepping through the swinging gate. As soon as he joined me and set his case down on the pew, I wrapped the man in a grateful hug. "Thank you for taking care of my son," I offered through my continuing sniffles of giddiness. "Happy to do it, Max. At least you never have worry about Troy darkening your door any time soon." "That bastard ever shows up at my home, I'm gonna have Tom kill him," I replied in all seriousness. "You'll still defend him, though, right?" "Damn right, I will. And I'll win that case, too," he added with a laugh. Just as we were separating, Thomas stepped through the gate and he commented, "I have to assume you're Logan's new dad." "One of them, yes," I confirmed. "I'm Max Sanders," "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Sanders. And I'm Thomas Jackson," he replied. "Well, I just want you to know that Logan is one of the finest, strongest and bravest people I've ever had the pleasure to meet. I hope you'll take good care of him." "Thank you, sir, we'll do our best." "I'd expect nothing less. If you don't mind, could I have a short moment with Logan?" "Certainly." I turned to the group huddle behind me and said, "Logan, front and center, young man." As soon as he could wiggle his way free from the others, he stepped over and asked, "What's up, Dad?" "Judge Jackson would like a word with you." "Uh-oh, here it comes," he muttered under his breath. "Nothing like that," Thomas assured the nervous youngster. "Let's sit over here for just a minute," he added while indicating the pew recently vacated by his uncle. Once they'd taken their seats, Clarence and I started to chat with Arlene about her impending move to Illinois. "What's up, sir," I asked bluntly. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm highly impressed with how you handled yourself today, Logan." I could feel the heat rise in my face as I blushed at the compliment. "Don't you dare be embarrassed about that, young man, not one bit. I've had fully grown men stand before me and almost wet themselves out of fear, men who were in much less trouble than you were when you first stepped foot into my courtroom today. But not you. You stood your ground and were ready to fall on a sword because you knew you were in the right. That took a ton of gumption and I'm proud of the way you stood up for yourself, both today and against your uncle." "Wait a sec', you're really okay with me cuttin' him like I did?" "I'll have to admit, I wasn't one bit happy with that when I first found out about it and I was more than ready to see you were severely punished for what you'd done. That said, however, after seeing a few of the videos you recorded, I completely understand why you did it. I may not agree with your methods one hundred percent, mind you, but you were in a very tough spot and you made a snap decision on how you felt was the best way to protect yourself. One I'm sure that saved your life. I don't know if I would've reacted any better or different had it been me in your place." "Well, yeah, it was either him or me. And it dang sure weren't gonna be me if I had any say in it." "You also need to know that violence is not the proper way to settle differences between people. If you ever get into any other kind of trouble, I hope you'll call somebody for help." "Yeah, I know that. And as long as I got plenty of time, you can be sure I'll call the cops, sir. But I sure as heck wouldn't bet against me not denuttin' another scumbag who looks like he's gonna kill me, either," I giggled, and Stonewall giggled with me. "Well, with some luck on your side, and it looks like you have plenty of that coming your way, you won't be put in a position where you have to make a decision like that ever again," the judge replied with a crooked grin. "I guess the next thing I'd like to know is this; what the devil were you thinkin' when you attacked your uncle like you did?" "Oh, that's all Ender's fault," I replied. "And who or what's Ender?" the judge asked curiously. "Well, after the last time my daddy done beat the crap outta me and I'd moved in with Dad, Pops and my brothers, I wanted a book to read. The one Dad found he thought I might like is named Ender's Game. In the book, Ender was really a pretty nice kid who tried to get along with everybody, but he got into fights with a couple other kids who'd been pickin' on him. And see, Ender knew that if he didn't win those fights, the others'd just keep on doin' what they was doin', you know, makin' his life miserable and all. So, he went after them with ever'thing he had until he knew they couldn't never hurt `im again. What he didn't know until way later in the book was that he'd really killed both of `em, though he didn't mean to." "And how did that make you think you could win a fight with a man who's easily twice your size?" he asked with curiosity. "I fought the way Ender fought. You attack your enemy with full force and cause as much damage as you can as quick as you can. If you do it right, they won't never wanna fight you again `cause they know they're gonna get their ass handed to `em in a sling. So, once that bastard punched me in the face like he did, he was my enemy and I was Ender. I knew only one o' us was gonna walk outta that shithole in one piece, and I made dang sure it was me." "I'm really surprised you didn't kill him," he commented quietly. "Don't you think for sec I didn't feel like doin' it, `cause I surely did," I retorted. "Then why is he still alive?" " `Cause I'm a survivor, sir, but I sure as heck ain't no killer, and don't never wanna be known as one. Guess that's the big difference `tween me and ol' Ender. I know when it's time to quit and he don't," I answered with a giggle. "I may have to buy that book and read it for myself." "You won't be sorry. It's a good one, that's for sure," I responded. "The last thing I want to tell you is you have one big ol' pair of brass, uh, well, you know whats." "Yeah, I know," I giggled. "Well, don't let them write any checks you can't cash." "Huh?" I asked while cocking my head a bit sideways. "That means, keep yourself out of trouble, young man." "Gotcha," I agreed with a quick nod. "Ya know, I never go lookin' for trouble, but it still seems to find me, no matter where I am or what I'm doin'," I added with a smile. "But I promise to do the best I can, judge." "That's all anyone can ever do, Logan, is their best. You stick to that and you'll be fine." "Well, looks like Dad's ready to get the heck outta Dodge, so I gotta scoot. Thanks for ever'thing, sir," I commented as I slipped off the pew and leaned in to give my new friend, Stonewall, a hug. As he squeezed me back, I felt a little vibration run through his chest, almost like the ones I feel when I'm tryin' not to cry. I couldn't imagine a big man like him would be cryin' `bout nothin', though, so the thought slipped away as fast as it hit me. Once we let go of each other, I skipped back across the aisle, wrapped my arms around Dad's waist, and said, "Let's go, old man." Once Logan rejoined our group and announced he was ready to leave, everyone formed a line and headed for the exit with Logan happily and proudly leading the troupe. Clarence and I shared a quick handshake with Thomas as we passed by, and Joey, Alex, T.J. and Andy all gave him a hug while thanking him for letting their brother go back home with them. Daril and Arley stuck with a simple handshake, but Arlene insisted on giving Thomas another hug. "Thank you for putting that man away and getting him out of our lives forever. I know we're moving, but I wouldn't a felt safe anywhere if he was free." "I was happy to do it, Ms. Campbell," Thomas replied. "I wish the best of luck for a bright future to you and your boys as you all start this new chapter in your lives." After one more quick hug between the two, it was time to get this show on the road. After a brief stop at the last row of seating to retrieve their meager belongings, we left the courtroom, trampled down the steps sounding like a herd of stampeding elephants, then stepped outside into the still bright and sunny afternoon. We quickly turned the corner to the right and crossed the street to our transportation for the day. As we drew closer to the big van, Arlene perked up and commented, "Oh, you've got Dolly!" "You know this van?" I asked in surprise. "Sure do. Know Bobby Joe pretty good, too. `Course, most ever'body `round these parts knows `bout Bobby Joe and his love affair with ol' Dolly," she laughed. "Well, let's get your bags stowed in the back and everybody climb in. We should be able to be in the air and on the way home in about an hour." After unlocking and opening the rear doors, I continued on around to the passenger side to unlock those doors as well. Clarence opted to ride shotgun again while the five younger boys clambered into the back two rows of seats, leaving the bench right behind Clarence and me for Arlene, Arley and Daril. After climbing into the driver's seat and ensuring everyone was buckled into place, I began retracing our route back to Sikeston and the airport where our winged chariot waited for us. The mood in the vehicle on our return trip was much brighter and more festive than it had been on the trip in just a few short hours ago. The boys were doing their level best to keep Arlene, Daril and Arley entertained, regaling them with tales of trails, cemeteries and spooks as something they all had to look forward to. As for Clarence and me, we were uncharacteristically quiet for once, neither of us really being in the mood to discuss our day. On our return to the airport, we were met by Bobby Joe as I slowed the van to halt just outside the large open door of the hangar. The rest of the crew piled out of the van, Arlene and her sons grabbed their belongings from the back and I handed the key to the plane to Clarence so he could open it up while I chatted with Bobby Joe for just a minute. "Well, did Dolly take good care of ya?" he asked as we shook hands. "She sure did," I offered. "I can't thank you enough for letting us borrow her this afternoon." "No sweat, sir," Bobby Joe replied. "Did y'all have a good trip?" "The absolute best trip I've ever had," I gushed as I was still overjoyed that Logan was coming home with us. "Glad to hear it. Was that Arlene Campbell and her boys with ya?" he asked with curiosity. "Well, yeah. They're moving to Illinois so they can live closer to Logan. Make it easier to be a real family." "Good for them," Bobby Joe commented happily. " `Bout time she got the hell away from that lowlife, good-for-nothin' hillbilly scum, Troy." "Well thanks, again, for everything Bobby Joe," I offered. "Y'all ever come back down this way, you make sure to look me up. I'm sure Dolly will be happy to run ya wherever y'all need to go." On that final note, I turned and aimed myself for our ride home, flipping one last quick wave goodbye to the friendly and ever helpful Bobby Joe, the hillbilly with a heart of pure gold. Within ten minutes of reaching ol' Annabelle, we were buttoned up, buckled in and setting sail for points north and home sweet home.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 88</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality.&nbsp; It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually).&nbsp; If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now.&nbsp; You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family"><span>enderwiggin61@outlook.com</span></a></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html"><span>http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</span></a><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become.&nbsp;&nbsp; It seems to have taken on a life of its own.&nbsp; I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments"><span>https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</span></a></p> <h2><a name="_Toc38115819"></a><a name="_Hlk39538367"></a><a name="_Hlk39492674"></a><a name="_Hlk39099887"></a><span><span>Chapter 88 � Logan's Day in Court</span></span><span></span><span></span></h2> <p><span>The sun was streaming through the window above the bed and flooding the space with the promise of a beautiful day.&nbsp; I wasn't of the mind to accept that just yet, though, and rolled over to try to catch a few more winks.&nbsp; That lasted for all of four or five minutes before somebody started poking me in the shoulder and telling me I had to get up.&nbsp; Like a rotisserie spit on the grill, I rolled over again to face my abuser.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, Da-a-a-a-ad," Logan drawled, his face inches from my own.&nbsp; "It's eight-thirty already.&nbsp; You gotta get movin', ya old fart."&nbsp; Despite his seemingly cheery attitude, I could see the worry in his eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, buddy," I groaned in defeat.&nbsp; "I see you're dressed and ready to go.&nbsp; And you look very nice.&nbsp; What about your brothers?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, man, we're all ready, just waitin' on you, lazy butt."</span></p> <p><span>"All right, already.&nbsp; Let me hit the john and get dressed and I'll be there," I protested.</span></p> <p><span>As he turned around and headed for the door, I heard him mumble something along the lines of, `jeez, you'd never make it as a farmer'.&nbsp; I chuckled to myself and thought, <i>lord, I hope not</i>.&nbsp; Throwing off the covers, I finally realized I was alone, so I swung my feet off the bed and let them dangle just above the floor for a minute or two before finally aiming my body for the bathroom.&nbsp; My immediate needs handled there, I got dressed and headed for the kitchen to see if the family had left me anything to eat.</span></p> <p><span>Stepping into the kitchen, I found Ron pulling a plate of waffles from the oven where he'd been keeping them warm for me.&nbsp; I poured myself a mug of hot java, then sat at the bar counter to dig in.&nbsp; Another plate, this one still bearing about six strips of bacon, quickly materialized next to the one holding the waffles.</span></p> <p><span>After taking my first bite, I muttered, "Thanks for watching out for me, Ron.&nbsp; I'm surprised there was any bacon left."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if I hadn't held these few strips back to begin with, there wouldn't o' been, trust me."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't doubt it.&nbsp; Those boys just don't know when to quit, do they?" I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, hell," Ron retorted.&nbsp; "Your fianc� can't seem to say no to the stuff, either.&nbsp; You'd think it was all laced with crack or somethin'," he added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Speakin' of tall, dark and furry, where is he?" I asked with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Him and Dylan are goin' over the interviews Dylan covered yesterday and fillin' out reports for Carol.&nbsp; He does have to work for a livin', ya know that, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, no, he really doesn't, but I'm sure not gonna stop him from doin' something he loves."</span></p> <p><span>"Be a waste of time if you tried, that's for damn sure," Ron snickered in reply.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure you're right about that," I agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you need to finish up there, hombre, or those boys are gonna drag you outta here like a sack of potatoes on its way to a French fry factory."</span></p> <p><span>Without need for further admonishment, I continued stuffing my face with waffles and bacon. &nbsp;I'd cleaned as much syrup off the plate with the last bite of waffle and as soon as it was in my mouth, Ron whisked my plate from in front of me, rinsed it and dropped it in the dishwasher.&nbsp; I was just barely able to snag the last slice of bacon before that plate also disappeared as if by magic.&nbsp; I tell ya, that Ron is, indeed, a miracle worker sometimes and I was happy he was performing those miracles for us. </span></p> <p><span>After taking a sip of coffee to help wash the food down, I commented, "It looks like it's going to be just you and Mike at home for a bit today.&nbsp; You gonna be okay with that?" I added with a knowing smirk.</span></p> <p><span>Though Ron blushed just a bit at the question, he answered with a firm, "You bet, Max.&nbsp; Mike and me are best buds now, don'tcha know?"</span></p> <p><span>"I thought as much," I retorted.&nbsp; "Just use your head, okay."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, thought that wasn't allowed," Ron chortled in response.</span></p> <p><span>"Your big head, ya goofball.&nbsp; Geez, and you thought the boys were bad with their minds in the gutter.&nbsp; They got nothin' on you."</span></p> <p><span>We both laughed for a quick moment before I drained my mug and handed it over to join my other items already in the dishwasher.&nbsp; "Thanks for saving some breakfast for me, Ron.&nbsp; I hate flying on an empty stomach."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, I know who signs my paychecks around here and I'll make sure you're always taken care of, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Good to hear," I replied with a smile.&nbsp; "Well, I guess I better round up the herd so we can make like bananas and split," I added as I slid off the stool and pushed it back under the bar counter.</span></p> <p><span>"Hope you guys have a safe trip and good luck with the court thingy.&nbsp; You better bring that skinny little runt back home with ya," he scolded me.</span></p> <p><span>"That's my plan, for sure."&nbsp; I turned to leave and then stopped abruptly and wheeled back around to add, "Did we remember to tell you that Logan's aunt and two cousins are coming back up with us?&nbsp; Oh, and Logan's brother William will be here for a couple of nights as well."</span></p> <p><span>"Where the hell we gonna put `em all?" Ron asked with serious concern.&nbsp; "We're plum outta beds, ya know?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Arlene, Daril and Arley are going to be moving into Logan's farmhouse and we'll take them out there tonight to get them settled in after supper.&nbsp; William will be staying here tonight and tomorrow night.&nbsp; He goes back to Normal Sunday afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that helps, but I still don't know where the kid's gonna sleep."</span></p> <p><span>"There's a queen-sized mattress, box spring and bedframe out in the storage building that we brought out from Tom's apartment.&nbsp; Maybe you guys could get it moved into the house before Tom and Dylan have to leave to take care of their interviews."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we could probably make that happen," Ron agreed.&nbsp; "We'll just strap it all to the top of the Flex."</span></p> <p><span>"No go, bonehead, `cause I'm takin' the Flex."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, didn't think about that.&nbsp; No sweat, your Shelby'll work out just as well.&nbsp; Probably better since the roof is lower to the ground by about a foot," Ron laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Try it and die," I threatened with a cheeky smirk.&nbsp; "I think Tom's car would be the more appropriate choice.&nbsp; `Specially since it's his bed."</span></p> <p><span>"Just yankin' your chain, Max," Ron laughed heartily.&nbsp; "Don't have a hemorrhage, all right?&nbsp; We'll take care of it.&nbsp; Any idea where you want it set up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the kid's fifteen and probably wouldn't be too thrilled to be sharing a room with the boys.&nbsp; I hate to ask, but do you think it'd be okay if we put him in with you for the duration of his stay?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't have a problem with it.&nbsp; Especially if he's a cute little fucker," Ron grinned evilly.</span></p> <p><span>"Keep it in your pants, there, man," I scolded him.&nbsp; "I don't want to scare him off on his first visit."</span></p> <p><span>Ron looked at his feet and then back to me and I knew what was coming before he could open his mouth.&nbsp; That didn't stop Ron from retorting, "What pants?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, mind in the gutter," I muttered in defeat.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>"You just go take care of Logan and get back home safe and sound.&nbsp; We'll deal with everything else."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Ron."</span></p> <p><span>At that moment, Logan rounded the corner from the dining room and yelled, "Are we ever gonna go!?&nbsp; I wanna get this carp done and over with."</span></p> <p><span>"Right behind ya, kiddo," I replied, laying a hand on his shoulder so he could lead the way.</span></p> <p><span>"Good luck, farm-boy," Ron called to our backs.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, skinny," Logan replied.&nbsp; "Hope supper's ready when we get back home `cause I'm gonna be hungry as an ox so you better hope it's good or there's gonna be hell to pay," he added quickly.</span></p> <p><span>I could hear Ron laughing in the background as we crossed the empty living room.&nbsp; "Where's your brothers?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We been waitin' in the stinkin' car for ten minutes.&nbsp; They finally decided I was gonna hafta drag your butt outta here if we're gonna be on time."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay then.&nbsp; You head back out and get buckled in while I let Tom know we're leavin'."</span></p> <p><span>"If you ain't in the car in one minute, we're comin' back in to hogtie ya and drag you out," Logan vented with frustration.&nbsp; "You hear me, old man?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I hear ya, buddy.&nbsp; One minute, I promise."&nbsp; On that note, Logan continued on to the garage while I made the right turn into the sleuths' office.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't have much time, hon, but I just wanted to wish you a good day and best of luck picking up William," I commented while crossing the threshold of the office to share a hug and kiss with my fianc�.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, babe, but I think you and Logan need more luck today than I will," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Any last-minute sage advice from the two of you?"</span></p> <p><span>"We already told Logan to do whatever Clarence tells him to and he should be just fine," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I guess we'll be off."</span></p> <p><span>"Have a safe flight and hurry back home.&nbsp; And don't forget to bring that brat back with ya," Tom cautioned me with a tremble of nervousness in his voice.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do my best, you know that," I offered lamely.&nbsp; With our hug and kiss completed, I turned to take my leave and found my path blocked by a statue named Dylan.&nbsp; He immediately pulled me into his arms for a bone-crushing hug, but he kept any thoughts he may have had to himself.&nbsp; Even as big and formidable as Dylan is, I could feel him shaking like a leaf.&nbsp; When we separated, he turned for his chair, but I still caught the tear dripping onto his cheek.&nbsp; Knowing full well how he felt if things should go horribly wrong this afternoon, I left the room and headed for the garage before I could join him in his little breakdown.</span></p> <p><span>Once I'd settled myself into the Flex where the boys were patiently waiting, I buckled myself in and hit the road for the airport and the next leg of our trip.</span></p> <p><span>Dylan and I were putting the finishing touches on a report for Carol when there was a light rap on the door.&nbsp; We each took a quick moment to make sure any identifying papers on our desks were covered before I answered with, "Yeah, Ron, c'mon in."</span></p> <p><span>The door slowly popped open and Ron stuck his head inside while asking, "How'd you know it was me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you and Mike are the only other people in the house right now," I replied before adding, "and the sound of the knock was too high on the door to have been Mike."</span></p> <p><span>"You're good," Ron smiled.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks.&nbsp; What's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that.&nbsp; Max asked me to get your old bed moved from the storage building and into my room so this William kid has somewhere to sleep this weekend.&nbsp; I was hoping you and the big guy would be willing to help."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah we can do that," I answered while receiving an affirmative nod from my business partner.&nbsp; "Give us about five minutes to finish what we're in the middle of, though."</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, guys.&nbsp; I appreciate it.&nbsp; Mike and I will be reading <i>Tom Sawyer</i> in the living room."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll find you in a few, then," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>On that note, Dylan and I were left alone to complete our current task before we moved on with the rest of our busy day.</span></p> <p><span>I was so deeply lost in my own thoughts on the trip to the airport, I hadn't realized just how quiet it had been in the car until I was parked in the lot of the FBO and the engine had been shut off.&nbsp; It was very unlike the boys to be this quiet for any length of time, most especially in the car when they're usually watching a movie to help keep them entertained, but there was no denying the silence that reigned supreme inside the Flex.</span></p> <p><span>"You guys still awake back there?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dad," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I done changed my mind," Logan muttered before quickly adding, "I don't wanna go."</span></p> <p><span>"I know you don't, buddy, but if you don't, they can charge you with breaking even more laws.&nbsp; I think you've got plenty to deal with already, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"More than I ever wanted," he grumbled moodily.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's go, guys.&nbsp; The sooner we leave, the sooner we get to come back home."</span></p> <p><span>On that command, the back doors flew open and the crew started climbing from the car.&nbsp; Since we'd been through this drill a couple of times before, the boys all headed inside and left me alone to secure the car before joining them.&nbsp; Once I stepped inside, I found the boys all huddled around Clarence and they were introducing themselves.&nbsp; Since they were occupied, I continued to the service counter to review and sign off on our flight plans and retrieve the key to unlock the airplane that was waiting on the tarmac for us.&nbsp; As I crossed the lobby to join the rest of my traveling companions for the day, Clarence left his chair and we shared a hearty handshake.</span></p> <p><span>"Good to see you, Clarence," I greeted the man.&nbsp; "Did the boys introduce themselves?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good to see you, as well, Max.&nbsp; And they did.&nbsp; What a fine group of young gentlemen you have here."</span></p> <p><span>I gawked at the five munchkins and asked in mock horror, "Who are you and what have you done with my sons?"&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>When their laughter subsided, Alex and Joey chimed with cheesy grins, "Hey, we told you a long time ago we had manners, we just didn't like to use `em much."</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, yes, I remember that well.&nbsp; Well, let's get a move on and head on out.&nbsp; Logan, you still bein' my copilot for the flight?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, Dad," he responded with enthusiasm as he turned and led the group outside.</span></p> <p><span>On reaching the plane, I unlocked and opened the door, dropped the steps and stood back so I didn't get trampled by the herd rushing inside.</span></p> <p><span>"Hop in, Clarence," I offered.&nbsp; "We'll be ready for takeoff as soon as I do my pre-flight."</span></p> <p><span>"Mind if I walk it with you?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine by me, but at least set your case inside," I replied.&nbsp; He followed my suggestion then fell in behind me as I aimed for the port wingtip on my way to the tail.</span></p> <p><span>"Nice lookin' plane, Max.&nbsp; It's a Cessna, right?" Clarence asked as we cleared the tail and continued up the starboard side towards the nose.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, a Citation CJ4."</span></p> <p><span>"Mind if I ask how much you paid for it?"</span></p> <p><span>"What, you don't remember?&nbsp; You handled all the paperwork for me when I bought it."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, but that was what, six or seven years ago?&nbsp; If it didn't happen in the past six months, I don't remember much."</span></p> <p><span>"Ha, I suffer from the same problem," I laughed.&nbsp; "Well, it was worth about five and a half million with the condition it was in and the way it was outfitted, but I got it for about four point one at that auction of government confiscated property. &nbsp;It was a helluva deal."</span></p> <p><span>"Any idea which drug dealer lost his sweet ride before you stole it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue," I laughed.&nbsp; "And as long as he or she stays locked up in prison, can't say I care."</span></p> <p><span>"Seems odd you doing your own inspection.&nbsp; Most of the others I've flown with out of here let the FBO guys do it when they're getting the plane ready for them."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, they always hit the basics for me, too, but I refuse to fly any plane I haven't given a good once-over myself.&nbsp; That, of course, explains why I don't like to fly commercial. &nbsp;They won't let me do a pre-flight at O'Hare or Lambert."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I bet they won't," Clarence laughed heartily as we rounded the nose.&nbsp; "So, I was hoping to talk to Logan on the trip down, but that's gonna be difficult if he's takin' the right seat," he added softly just before we were about to join the others inside.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Clarence.&nbsp; I wasn't thinking about that when I offered the seat to him Tuesday.&nbsp; Will you be able to go over what you need with him while we have lunch?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, yeah, that oughta work out okay," he replied.&nbsp; "We'll have to sit at a separate table, though."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries.&nbsp; I'd just as soon not know what you're planning.&nbsp; It'd probably scare me shitless."</span></p> <p><span>"Nothin' devious or underhanded, Max.&nbsp; I promise.&nbsp; I would never put a client's freedom at risk with cheap stunts like that."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I already knew that, or I never would have asked you to represent Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"Then you should know you have nothing to worry about," Clarence replied calmly.</span></p> <p><span>"I can't help it, man.&nbsp; Not after what he's been through the last couple of years.&nbsp; Anything else bad happens to Logan and it'll just crush the tiny scrap of spirit he's got left in him."</span></p> <p><span>Clarence clapped his hands on my shoulders, turned me a bit so I was looking straight at him and asked, "You trust me?"&nbsp; I simply nodded my head in reply because I couldn't trust that my voice wouldn't betray my inner thoughts.&nbsp; "Then you have to believe I got this covered from every possible angle, Max.&nbsp; Now, let's get this plane in the air so we can bring Logan back home with us this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, all right," I muttered with resignation.&nbsp; While I did trust Clarence implicitly, I just couldn't see how he was gonna pull the rabbit out of his hat and magically free Logan from his legal problems.&nbsp; I finally put an end to the mental gymnastics tumbling through my mind and climbed aboard, pulling up the steps and securing the door behind me.&nbsp; I checked the boys in the cabin to ensure each was properly buckled in place, then joined Logan in the cockpit where I performed the same inspections on his straps.&nbsp; Satisfied he wasn't going anywhere, I took my own seat, strapped myself in and started getting everything ready to take to the skies.</span></p> <p><span>I tried to talk to Logan on the intercom, but he wasn't responding.&nbsp; When I looked over to see if he was okay, his chin was resting on his chest and he seemed to be contemplating the knots in his shoelaces.&nbsp; I couldn't imagine the turmoil running through his troubled mind at the moment, so I laid my right hand on his shoulder while activating the intercom with my left thumb.</span></p> <p><span>"You okay, kiddo?" I asked with serious concern.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>His meager response was to give me a thumbs up sign, hand nervously shaking in midair between us.&nbsp; He didn't move his head to change his viewpoint a bit and realizing I had no sage advice to share that would lift his spirits, I resumed my preparations for takeoff.&nbsp; After one final check of the instruments, I radioed the tower and received my taxi instructions.&nbsp; I paused just before making the turn onto the runway to await my clearance for takeoff.&nbsp; Hearing that through the radio less than ten seconds later, I inched the plane onto the runway and lined up on the centerline.</span></p> <p><span>One more full stop and a fifteen second scan of all the instruments told me were ready to go.&nbsp; I jammed the throttles to ninety-five percent thrust and ol' Annabelle (yes, I've named my plane) leapt down the runway like a cheetah launching itself after the gazelle that was about to become its next meal.&nbsp; Unlike the poor gazelle, however, Annabelle had wings and we were very soon clawing our way skyward and aiming for an airport in southeast Missouri I'd never seen before.</span></p> <p><span>Since our time in the air was going to be very short this morning, our maximum altitude was only going to be 24,000 feet.&nbsp; I allowed the plane to drift slowly upward to that flight level before retarding the throttles to maintain altitude and about 430 knots into the light headwind.&nbsp; Less than twenty-five minutes later, it was time to start our descent into Sikeston Memorial Airport.&nbsp; Being a small airport with only one runway, our options were limited.&nbsp; Since the winds were from the south and other air traffic was non-existent, I was able to line up and fly a straight-in approach to runway 20.</span></p> <p><span>Following my radioed instructions, I was soon lining Annabelle up in a parking slot for private planes, joining two others already tied down there.&nbsp; A man in greasy coveralls and dragging a couple of wooden wheel chocks behind him exited a hangar directly in front of us and slowly ambled our way.&nbsp; While awaiting his arrival, I ran through the shutdown checklists in the book.&nbsp; By the time I felt the thump of a block hitting the nosewheel, the plane was secured, and we were ready to deboard.</span></p> <p><span>As I removed my straps, I let Logan know it was time to get moving.&nbsp; After receiving no response from my copilot, I glanced in his direction and realized he hadn't moved a bit during the flight.&nbsp; On closer inspection, I noticed his eyes were closed and assumed he'd fallen asleep.&nbsp; I slowly extracted myself from my own seat and stepped behind his to release the straps that were the only thing holding him upright.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>When he was freed from his temporary restraints, he jerked wide awake and mumbled, "Where we at?"</span></p> <p><span>"On the ground in Sikeston, buddy."</span></p> <p><span>"Dang it!" he grumbled angrily.&nbsp; "I slept through the whole thing!?"</span></p> <p><span>"Appears that way," I agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Then this don't count as my turn flyin' up here with ya, does it?" he begged as he turned in the seat and gazed pleadingly into my eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess so," I agreed lamely in the hope it might cheer him up just a little.</span></p> <p><span>"Sweet, thanks, Dad," Logan cheered as he jumped up onto the seat and leaned over to give me a hug.</span></p> <p><span>"You ready to scoot?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, but ain't got no choice, do I?"</span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, no.&nbsp; And while we eat lunch, Clarence is going to talk to you about what he needs you to do this afternoon.&nbsp; And I want you to follow his instructions to the letter, you got me?"</span></p> <p><span>" `Course I do," the youngster retorted smartly.&nbsp; "I may talk like these flippin' hicks down here but that don't mean I <i>am</i> one."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, then," I giggled before placing my hands in Logan's armpits and lifting him up over the console between our seats and setting him on the floor.&nbsp; As he left the cockpit for the now open cabin door, my last act was to flip the switch to shut off the battery.&nbsp; Finally stepping out of the cockpit, I discovered I was going to be the last man out, so I quickly joined the rest of the group on the ground, stowed the stairs, then closed and locked the door.&nbsp; When I turned back around, I came face to face with the man in the greasy coveralls.&nbsp; The couple spots of grease that marked his face told me this man worked hard to scratch out a living in this dusty corner of the state.&nbsp; He had his hand raised, waiting for the obligatory handshake, and I hate to admit it, but I hesitated just a moment before returning the gesture, and that was only after seeing his hands were spotlessly clean.</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin', y'all," the man greeted cheerily through a lopsided grin that would do well to be seen by a good dentist.&nbsp; "Name's Bobby Joe.&nbsp; How long y'all gonna be hangin' `round?"</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be headed back to Springfield later this afternoon," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Y'all need anything while ya here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we need to rent a car first and then find somewhere decent to have lunch, I suppose."</span></p> <p><span>"This everybody ya got wit' ya," Bobby Joe asked.</span></p> <p><span>"For now, yes.&nbsp; But when we come back, we'll have three more and some luggage."</span></p> <p><span>"Then you're SOL (shit outta luck) for gettin' an'thing from Enterprise `cross the way.&nbsp; Biggest thing they got will only hold six or seven folks, and no room for no luggage."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't mind getting two cars," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't bother wit' that, I can fix ya right up.&nbsp; Y'all follow me to the hangar."</span></p> <p><span>He spun on his heels and took off across the tarmac at a fair clip while the rest of us fell in line behind him, mostly because we didn't have very many options at the moment. When we reached the hangar, Bobby Joe was continuing into a dark corner of the structure towards what appeared to be a large van that had to be at least thirty years old.&nbsp; Soon enough, he had the vehicle fired up and was pulling it towards us waiting just inside the big open door of the hangar.&nbsp; Judging by the thin light cloud of smoke emanating from the decrepit vehicle's exhaust system, I was glad the big doors were open.</span></p> <p><span>After stopping ten feet away from us, Bobby Joe shut the van off and climbed down from the driver's seat.&nbsp; "This here's Dolly," he commented, affectionately patting a fender as he stepped closer to us.&nbsp; "She ain't much to look at, that's for sure, and the ride's a bit rough, but she runs good and she'll get ya where ya need to be when ya need to be there.&nbsp; The best news for you, though, is she can haul ten people <i>and</i> all their bags in one shot."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, thanks, Bobby Joe," I replied lamely while shooting a nervous glance towards Clarence.&nbsp; Receiving nothing more than an indifferent shrug of the shoulders from him, I returned my attention to Bobby Joe.&nbsp; "How much will it cost?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothin', y'all.&nbsp; Just bring her back in one piece.&nbsp; Me an' Dolly got a long hist'ry," Bobby Joe responded as his eyes misted over with fond memories.</span></p> <p><span>"I promise we'll take good care of her for you," I agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, keys are in `er.&nbsp; Y'all better saddle up an' get a move on."&nbsp; Clarence and the boys headed on around to the passenger side of our transportation and as Clarence was opening the side door for the munchkins, I asked Bobby Joe one more question.</span></p> <p><span>"So, can you recommend a place where we can get a good lunch before we have to go to Bloomfield?"</span></p> <p><span>"Only place `round here out-o'-towners like you folks wanna go to is Lambert's.&nbsp; It's across the main drag and down that way just a piece," he offered while pointing to the east.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, thanks for your help today, Bobby Joe.&nbsp; We'll try to be back by five so we can get your van back to ya."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry `bout it," Bobby Joe replied simply.&nbsp; "See that Mercedes SLS in the corner over yonder?" he asked while pointing to the opposite corner of the hangar from which Dolly was in.&nbsp; "That there's my daily driver," he volunteered with his regular half-toothless and crooked grin.&nbsp; "And if'n y'all ain't back `fore I head home for the day, just leave ol' Dolly outside the big door with the keys in the ignition."</span></p> <p><span>"Aren't you worried somebody will steal it?&nbsp; I mean her," I quickly corrected myself.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a chance, mister.&nbsp; Folks `round here know you don't screw with Dolly unless they wanna get screwed back by me. Ten times over," he added with an evil laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay then," I offered, at a loss for a better response at the moment.&nbsp; "Thanks again for your help and we'll try to get back before five."</span></p> <p><span>We quickly shook hands and I climbed in the driver's seat to get away from our helper as quickly as possible.&nbsp; Once settled into place, I have to admit I was very nicely surprised.&nbsp; Despite the outside of the van being very rough, the inside was immaculate.&nbsp; I'm not saying it was so clean I'd be willing to eat off the floor, but the carpets had been replaced, the seats recovered and very comfortable, a new and plush headliner had also been installed, the windows were as clean as any I'd ever seen on a vehicle and an entertainment console had been installed between the front seats that held a high-quality Blu-Ray player, a ten-disc CD changer and a radio system that looked better than the one installed in my Shelby.&nbsp; Located in the middle of the dash where the radio used to be, was a fifteen-inch LCD screen for a satellite navigation system.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>I turned my astonished face to Clarence and found myself looking at what I was sure was a mirror image of my own flustered countenance.&nbsp; Turning back to look through the windshield, I reached down, turned the key and fired the engine back to life.&nbsp; Despite what I may have previously thought about the trail of smoke the van left in its wake, the engine ran smoothly and quietly.&nbsp; I slipped our transport into drive and followed the road that would lead us to the airport exit.</span></p> <p><span>"Y'all remember where we parked the plane," I called out.</span></p> <p><span>"You're the one drivin', Dad," Joey began.</span></p> <p><span>"So, <i>you</i> need to remember, not us," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"What happened to those manners you had just a short time ago?" I queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Back on vacation, old man," Joey laughed.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>Alex, Mike and Andy also enjoyed the moment of hilarity, and even Clarence joined them briefly.&nbsp; Logan, for his part, did nothing but gaze forlornly out the side window of the van at the traffic that was flowing by.&nbsp; When Bobby Joe referred to this stretch of road as the `main drag', he wasn't kidding.&nbsp; I had to wait almost two full minutes before a wide enough gap between vehicles presented itself to be sure I could get across all four lanes and the fifth center turn lane.&nbsp; I'll give Dolly credit for being responsive to the gas, even if she was wallowing a bit due to a very dated and worn out suspension.&nbsp; We located Lambert's about half a mile from the airport and I pulled into the parking lot and found an empty space that would contain the monster we were in.</span></p> <p><span>Joey tapped Logan on the shoulder and said, "C'mon, dude, time to eat."</span></p> <p><span>"I ain't hungry," Logan responded angrily.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, don't get all pissy with me," Joey retorted.&nbsp; "Ain't <i>my</i> fault we're down here."</span></p> <p><span>"Joey, that's enough of that," I admonished the young man as I spun around in my seat.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, he started it," Joey countered.</span></p> <p><span>"And I'm ending it right now.&nbsp; You got me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he muttered in return.&nbsp; He then turned to the others and said, "C'mon guys, let's go eat and leave the little troublemaker to pout by himself."&nbsp; On that comment, Alex opened the side door and led the other three boys outside.&nbsp; Logan curled up into a ball in his seat and the tears started pouring from his eyes.</span></p> <p><span>I turned to Clarence and said, "I hate to impose, but would you mind taking the others inside and finding tables for us?&nbsp; I'll be in with Logan as soon as I can."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Max.&nbsp; You take however long you need," Clarence agreed.</span></p> <p><span>After he was gone and the door closed, I climbed over the entertainment console, sat next to Logan and pulled the blubbering ball of terrified child into my lap.&nbsp; I held onto him for several minutes before he started to calm back down, stroking his head and back the whole time.&nbsp; When his chest finally quit heaving, he wrapped his arms around my midsection and tried to squeeze the stuffing right out of me.</span></p> <p><span>"You okay, Logan?" I asked with serious concern.</span></p> <p><span>"NO! I ain't okay!" he yelled as he lifted his head and practically blasted my left eardrum away.&nbsp; "That fuckin' prick threatened to kill me so goddam many times while I was there, I lost count.&nbsp; And <i>I'm</i> the one who's in trouble for doin' what I had to do to get the hell outta that shithole with my skin still attached.&nbsp; That's all kinds o' fucked up, Dad."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure can't argue that with you one tiny bit, buddy.&nbsp; But you need to hold it together and do what Clarence tells you to do.&nbsp; We've been over this, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know," he hesitantly grumbled in a surly tone.&nbsp; "I'm sorry, Dad, I really don't mean to be a troublemaker, but I guess that's all I'm good for."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you dare go there, young man," I retorted.&nbsp; "You're just a kid who's had a few very rough years and needs some love in his life."</span></p> <p><span>"You can say that again," Logan smirked.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, you're just a ki...," was all I got out before the munchkin smacked me in the gut and cut me off mid-word.</span></p> <p><span>"I was just kiddin', old man," he giggled lightly as he leaned back and looked up at my face.</span></p> <p><span>"I know, and I was just tryin' to be funny," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, ya done screwed that up, didn't ya?" the rugrat shot back at me with a mischievous grin.&nbsp; "You need to leave the funny stuff to the people on TV.&nbsp; They're way better at it."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks.&nbsp; You're all heart, young man."</span></p> <p><span>"And don't you ever forget it," he replied smartly.&nbsp; "So, what's for lunch?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you're hungry now?" I asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Starvin' like Marvin, man.&nbsp; C'mon, let's go," he added as he slid off my lap, stepped out of the van and down to the ground.&nbsp; "Oh, hey, this is Lambert's!&nbsp; They got some dang good grub here," he exclaimed.&nbsp; I followed him out of the van, then closed up and locked the vehicle before grabbing Logan's hand and leading him to the entrance. As we slowly ambled across the parking lot, Logan offered, "Hey, Dad, I'm sorry for saying those things I did.&nbsp; I know I'm not s'posed to say those kinds o' words but I couldn't help myself."</span></p> <p><span>"I understand that Logan and before you get too worried, you're not going to be in trouble for it.&nbsp; You've been an emotional wreck for a while and people sometimes need to vent that stuff so they don't go crazy."</span></p> <p><span>"That's it!" he yelled as he came to a sudden stop just outside the entrance.</span></p> <p><span>"What's it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I been wrecked ever since you told me Daddy was dead.&nbsp; My brain's been so screwed up since that night I can't freakin' think straight no more."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean?" I asked with interest as I knelt down to his level and took both his hands in mine.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, one minute, I'll be feelin' all happy and shit and the next, I get so pissed off at nothin', I wanna rip somebody's head off or punch holes in a wall.&nbsp; And I know that ain't right, but I ain't got no control over it."</span></p> <p><span>"That's what grieving for someone you've lost is like, kiddo.&nbsp; You'll get through this in due time."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah?&nbsp; How?"</span></p> <p><span>"One step and one day at a time, remember?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah.&nbsp; I didn't know you was talkin' `bout crap like this."</span></p> <p><span>"It's all a part of the process, Logan.&nbsp; Losing someone you love hits everybody in different ways.&nbsp; If you want to talk to someone about what you're feeling and dealing with, I'm sure Dr. Kirkland would be happy to help you work through this."</span></p> <p><span>"No way, man," he protested immediately.&nbsp; "Ain't no way I'm spillin' my guts to a total stranger."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you know you can talk to Tom and me any time, right?&nbsp; And I'm sure Joey and Alex could help you better understand and deal with some of your anger and frustration.&nbsp; They've been through this themselves, remember?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, like Joey's gonna talk to me `bout anything right now.&nbsp; Don't see that happenin'."</span></p> <p><span>"I bet if you told him you were sorry and you didn't mean to react the way you did, he'd be fine."</span></p> <p><span>"Let's go find out," Logan replied cheerily as he pulled me into a hug which I gladly returned.&nbsp; Just before we separated, he whispered, "I love you, Dad.&nbsp; Thanks for everything."</span></p> <p><span>"We all love you, too, buddy," I whispered.&nbsp; As we broke apart, I held out my hands and added, "Help an `old man' back to his feet, please.&nbsp; My knees are killin' me."&nbsp; With a big giggle, Logan grabbed my hands in his and leaned back.&nbsp; In no time, I was upright again, and we were ready to join the others.&nbsp; Logan snagged my hand and I used my unencumbered appendage to open the door.&nbsp; Stepping inside the much darker interior, we were immediately confronted with the obligatory hostess stand.&nbsp; At the moment, the gates to the deeper realms of the restaurant were being guarded by a shapely middle-aged brunette named Betty, according to the nametag firmly attached to her vest.</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, gentlemen," she greeted us with a cheery lilt to her voice.&nbsp; "My name is Betty and thank you for choosing Lambert's, the home of throwed rolls.&nbsp; Will it be just the two of you for lunch today?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, actually," I replied.&nbsp; "We're with another man and four boys that came in a few minutes ago."</span></p> <p><span>"Ah yes, I won't forget those four wild ones anytime soon," she grinned.&nbsp; "Bear with me for one moment and I'll have Stephanie guide you to them."</span></p> <p><span>Our guide arrived quickly enough and greeted us with, "If you two will follow me, I'll get you reconnected with the rest of your party."</span></p> <p><span>As we followed Stephanie through the crowded and noisy throng, Logan's eyes never left her gently swaying hips or the globes of the tight and curvaceous posterior that were contained in pants that seem to have been painted onto her very shapely body just this morning.&nbsp; When we finally reached our table in the voluminous main dining area, Clarence left his seat so I could take his place and he put a hand on Logan's shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, would you come with me so we can talk?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, one sec', though, Mr. Cantrell," he replied before turning, grabbing Joey's hand and pulling him out of the booth.&nbsp; Once Joey could walk, they moved about ten feet away for a hushed conversation.&nbsp; "Listen, dude, I'm really sorry `bout yellin' at ya but my brain's all kinda whacked right now."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, bro, don't worry `bout it.&nbsp; I'm sorry for callin' you a troublemaker, too.&nbsp; That was way over the line," Joey responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, not really," Logan countered.&nbsp; "I done caused all kinds o' trouble for ever'one lately, can't seem to help it.&nbsp; But listen, when we get back home, I, uh, wanna talk to you and Alex `bout some shit.&nbsp; If you'll listen to me, that is."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we know that already," Joey replied with a smile. &nbsp;"We knew you'd get there `ventually and were just waitin' on you to wake the hell up and ask, dude.&nbsp; You should know that.&nbsp; Losing one parent is hard enough, losing both like the three of us have bites the big one.&nbsp; So, we know the crap you're dealin' with, believe me."</span></p> <p><span>"Does it ever get any better?" Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It'll take a long time, Logan, but yeah, it does."</span></p> <p><span>"Guess that makes sense," Logan agreed.&nbsp; "So, we still friends?"</span></p> <p><span>"No way in hell, dude," Joey replied before adding, "we're fuckin' <i>brothers</i>, now and forever." &nbsp;Joey pulled Logan into his arms and the two shared a sweet hug right in the middle of the boisterous dining room.&nbsp; When the duo separated, they wrapped arms around each other's shoulders and came back to our table.&nbsp; After Joey slid back into the booth next to Alex, Clarence and Logan turned and headed even deeper into the building.</span></p> <p><span>"You guys okay?" I asked after Joey had settled in.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dad, we're fine.&nbsp; And I'm sorry for what I said in the van."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, `nough said about that, then.&nbsp; Andy, would you hand me a menu, please?" I asked the munchkin so I could decide what I wanted to eat.</span></p> <p><span>As per my request to the hostess when I brought the boys inside, Logan and I settled ourselves at a table that was in a somewhat quieter corner of the main dining room where we could talk about what he should expect to happen this afternoon.&nbsp; Our first order of business, though, was to peruse the menus and select our meals.&nbsp; Logan spent less than thirty seconds before making his choice and placing the menu back in the rack on the table.</span></p> <p><span>"That was quick," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'm just having the same thing I had the last time I ate here," Logan replied.</span></p> <p><span>"You've been here before?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, the day I cut up Uncle Dirtbag."</span></p> <p><span>"That hamburger sounds good, but I think I'm gonna go for the grilled ham an' cheese," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what's gonna happen to me?&nbsp; Am I goin' to jail?" my young lunching partner asked nervously.</span></p> <p><span>"Not if I have anything to say about it," I retorted.&nbsp; "But let's wait for the waitress to come take our orders before we get too deep into that."&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>Receiving a simple nod of agreement to my suggestion, we stared blankly around the restaurant.&nbsp; If the crowd that had gathered for lunch was any indication, the food should be good.&nbsp; Our server arrived momentarily and happily noted our food requests before disappearing into the kitchen.&nbsp; As soon as she left the two of us alone again, Logan wasted no time in staring at me silently, imploring me to get our chat started.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Logan, here's what's going to happen today.&nbsp; Once we're in the courtroom and everyone has taken their seats, the judge will come in.&nbsp; Since this is supposed to be just a preliminary hearing, he'll ask the prosecutor and me if we have any motions we'd like to file.&nbsp; Then the charges the prosecutor has filed against you will be read aloud to the court and they'll be entered into the record.&nbsp; The judge will then ask you to stand and he'll have a few questions for you."</span></p> <p><span>"Most likely, the first will be `do you understand the charges against you'.&nbsp; If he asks that, your answer should be nothing more than a simple `yes'.&nbsp; The next probable question will be `how do you plead to the charges'.&nbsp; Of course, your answer to that will be a solid and convincing `not guilty'.&nbsp; That's very important, young man, you have to believe one-hundred percent that you're not guilty of any wrongdoing."</span></p> <p><span>"But I <i>did</i> do it, I cut that bastard `cause he was gonna kill me," Logan protested.</span></p> <p><span>"We all know that, Logan, but I'm pretty sure the prosecutor doesn't.&nbsp; And that's going to be our ace in the hole."</span></p> <p><span>"You better be right `bout that, Mr. Cantrell, or my goose is cooked."</span></p> <p><span>"Like I told your dad before we left Springfield, you have to trust that I have this covered."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll try, but I'm still scared to death," Logan muttered quietly as our server arrived with our food.</span></p> <p><span>I gently laid my hand on Logan's and tried to silently reassure him that everything would be fine, but I don't think he was very accepting of my efforts.&nbsp; We ate our meals in silence.&nbsp; Well, I did, anyway, as Logan seemed to have lost his appetite and only nibbled at his hamburger and fries before pushing them away and curling up on the seat across from me.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what're they talkin' `bout over there," T.J. asked between bites of his chicken strips.</span></p> <p><span>"Clarence needed to talk to Logan about what to expect in court today so he wouldn't be surprised," I replied.&nbsp; I looked in the direction of their table and could see Clarence was still stuffing his face, but there was no sign of Logan still being in the booth with him.&nbsp; If it had been anyone else, I would have been worried about that development, but I knew Clarence would not let my son out of his sight for even a moment.</span></p> <p><span>All too soon for any of us, we cleaned our plates and they were whisked away by our very attentive server, only to be replaced by a bill for our meals.&nbsp; After delivering our dishes to the kitchen, she returned to take my card and run the charge.&nbsp; With my receipt in hand and card back in my wallet, I stood and gathered the boys up to retrieve Clarence and Logan.&nbsp; We didn't spot Logan until we were ten feet away from their booth and as soon as the youngsters saw him curled into a ball on the seat, they all hustled over and pulled him into a reassuring hug.</span></p> <p><span>"I guess we're ready to go," I muttered flatly to Clarence.</span></p> <p><span>"Then let's get this show on the road," he agreed.</span></p> <p><span>While Clarence slid out of the booth, the munchkins grabbed Logan's arms and belt to pull him out and get him on his feet.&nbsp; They led the way out of the restaurant with Joey in front, T.J. and Andy on each side of Logan and Alex brought up the rear.&nbsp; T.J. and Andy had one of Logan's hands tightly gripped in their own and Alex was resting his hands on his brother's shoulders.&nbsp; As Joey forged a path through the other customers, he made sure there was plenty of room behind him to ensure the three-wide group in the middle could get through without bumping into anybody.</span></p> <p><span>After piling back into the van named Dolly, I took a minute to enter the courthouse's address into the navigation system since I had no clue where Bloomfield was or how to get there from here.&nbsp; Following the precise directions provided by the unit, we were parked on the square in the center of Bloomfield forty minutes later, the courthouse in the middle of the square casting an imposing presence over the area.&nbsp; The building was only two stories tall and the brick appeared to have been in place since the Civil War, but that didn't detract from the seriousness of the situation.&nbsp; On any other day, taking a tour of the structure might have been interesting and educational, but today was not that day.</span></p> <p><span>Now that we were solidly in Clarence's wheelhouse, I let him take the lead.&nbsp; He walked into the building like he owned it, stepped up to a counter just inside the door and announced, "We're here for a preliminary hearing at one.&nbsp; Could you please give us directions on where we need to go?"</span></p> <p><span>"The only case on the docket this afternoon is in courtroom three up on the second floor," the gentleman manning the counter replied.&nbsp; "Just take those stairs up and turn left at the top.&nbsp; You can't miss it."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, sir," Clarence replied before turning to follow the man's directions.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, who are all these other people?"</span></p> <p><span>After turning back to face the counter, Clarence replied, "One is my client, of course, and the others are his father and brothers."</span></p> <p><span>"Not sure they're gonna let the kids inside the court," the man mused.</span></p> <p><span>"They will or there won't be any hearing taking place today," Logan's attorney replied with confidence.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, good luck with that, I guess.&nbsp; From the scuttlebutt we've been hearing, you don't stand a chance."</span></p> <p><span>"Good thing I don't listen or pay any heed to the average courthouse rumor mongering, then," Clarence retorted smartly before again taking aim for the wide staircase in the center of the building.&nbsp; We dutifully followed along and at the top of the marble staircase, made the left turn as per our instructions.&nbsp; Courtroom three was at the end of the gallery and the doors were located in the right wall and the rear corner of the large space.&nbsp; That put the judge's bench against the exterior wall of the building with the jury box, defense and prosecutor's tables next.&nbsp; An ancient-looking wooden railing separated that area of the courtroom from the pews bolted to the floor where an audience would sit.</span></p> <p><span>We slowly made our way up the aisle that ran right down the middle of the room.&nbsp; When we reached the wood railing, Clarence and Logan stepped through the swinging gate in the bar and he directed us to get comfortable on the first row of seating behind them.&nbsp; While we settled in on the ancient pew, Logan and Clarence took seats at the table in front of us.&nbsp; As Clarence busied himself with unpacking files and paperwork from his case, Logan rested his arms on the table and then laid his head down on them, trying to block out his surroundings as much as possible.&nbsp; We had arrived about twenty minutes before the hearing was to begin, so we had the room to ourselves. &nbsp;That peace was shattered five minutes into our interminable wait when none other than the obnoxious asshole Troy sauntered into the courtroom behind us.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>As soon as he spotted Logan cowering at the defense table, he loudly proclaimed, "Glad ya could make it, ya little bastard.&nbsp; I hope the judge fries your ass for what you did to me."</span></p> <p><span>Clarence was on his feet in an instant, stepped through the gate and strode towards Troy with purpose.&nbsp; "I would advise you to refrain from any direct communications with my client, sir.&nbsp; If you are a part of today's proceedings, then sit your ass down and shut the hell up."</span></p> <p><span>"Just who the hell ...?" Troy began to respond just as the bailiff joined us through another door at the far end of the jury box, cutting off Troy mid rampage.</span></p> <p><span>"Troy!" the new arrival yelled.&nbsp; After Troy and Clarence were focused on the bailiff, he continued, "You would do well to follow this man's advice."</span></p> <p><span>"What the fuck, Luther?" Troy protested.&nbsp; "You know what that faggot-lovin' little prick did to me.&nbsp; I thought you was on my side."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm on the side of the law, Troy.&nbsp; And in this courtroom, you don't speak until and unless you've been spoken to.&nbsp; You either get on board with that and, like, right now, or I'll be forced to remove you from these proceedings.&nbsp; If you think you can behave yourself and be quiet like a responsible adult, then sit down at the far end of the front row."</span></p> <p><span>Despite wanting to continue his harangue of Clarence, and by extension, Logan, Troy finally backed down and followed the directions he was given.&nbsp; I finally noticed that he was still moving rather gingerly and couldn't suppress the tight grin that had formed on my face thanks to his ongoing discomfort.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you for intervening when you did, bailiff," Clarence offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't bother tryin' to suck up to me, counselor. &nbsp;I'm just doing my job and trying to keep the peace.&nbsp; From what I know about this case already, your client will be lucky if he sees the light of day in forty to fifty years."</span></p> <p><span>"Already been tried, convicted and sentenced, has he?" Clarence asked with a tinge of humor.</span></p> <p><span>"All but," the bailiff agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we'll see about that," Clarence retorted with confidence as the bailiff stepped back through the gate and sat on the prosecutor's table to keep an eye on Troy.</span></p> <p><span>Before Clarence could rejoin Logan, I flagged him down and said, "I don't like this situation one bit.&nbsp; I think we need to get the hell outta here while the gettin's good."</span></p> <p><span>"Faith, Max," Clarence intoned calmly.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I have tons of faith in you, my friend.&nbsp; Can't say I have much in these redneck hillbillies, though."</span></p> <p><span>"You worry too, much.&nbsp; You've never seen me in action in court before, have you?"&nbsp; After a quick negative shake of my head admitting I hadn't, he continued.&nbsp; "Well, sit back and enjoy the show.&nbsp; You're about to find out firsthand why I've never lost a case."</span></p> <p><span>With nothing else to do to occupy my mind, I started a game of rock, paper, scissors with Alex, Joey, T.J. and Andy to fritter away the time we still had to wait for this nightmare to truly begin.&nbsp; We'd just finished the fourth round when the doors behind us opened again.&nbsp; We turned in our seats and found Arlene, Daril and Arley being ushered in by another gentleman.&nbsp; The look Troy gave his wife and sons on seeing them could have peeled the paint right off the wall.&nbsp; The quartet stopped just before turning up the aisle and the man waved to the bailiff to summon him closer.</span></p> <p><span>When the guard joined them, the man raised his hands to shoulder height and said, "Luther, you should know I'm armed, but it's holstered in the middle of my back.&nbsp; I didn't want to bring it into the courthouse, but Arlene insisted on it."</span></p> <p><span>"Turn `round, then, Rocky."&nbsp; Rocky complied with Luther's command, pausing briefly mid-spin before completing his pirouette.&nbsp; "You plannin' on stayin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, sir, I'se just bringin' Arlene and her boys here since they're afraid for their lives right now.&nbsp; As long as you make sure they stay safe, she'll let me leave."</span></p> <p><span>Luther turned to face Arlene, offering, "Ma'am, I swear on my momma's grave that you're as safe here as you can possibly be.&nbsp; If'n ya can trust me to take care of ya, then Rocky can leave."&nbsp; A tight nod from Arlene was all it took for Luther to turn back to Rocky and add, "Thanks for makin' sure they got here safe this afternoon, Rocky.&nbsp; We knew there was some concern `bout that and I'm glad to see Ms. Campbell made the appropriate arrangements.&nbsp; See ya later."&nbsp; On that note, Arlene, Daril and Arley's escort turned on his heels and left the courtroom.</span></p> <p><span>"Ma'am, boys, why don't y'all leave your bags `n' things back here and then come with me," Luther offered as he aimed back towards the front of the court.&nbsp; When the group reached the row behind us, he offered them the chance to take the bench for themselves, just with the added request they sit at the far end.</span></p> <p><span>"There's plenty of room for them to sit with us if they'd like," I offered while pointing past Andy who was the last in our group.</span></p> <p><span>"Only if you're sure it's not a problem," Arlene replied demurely.</span></p> <p><span>"Nonsense," I retorted.&nbsp; "Boys, let them through," I called out and the four stood as one so the three new arrivals could join us.&nbsp; Daril led the trio, Arley was second in line and Arlene was bringing up the rear. &nbsp;As she moved behind Logan, she reached over the rail separating them, laid a hand on his shoulder and gave him a gentle squeeze.</span></p> <p><span>Surprised at the unexpected contact, Logan jumped from his chair and spun around to see who or what had touched him.&nbsp; On seeing his aunt right behind him and his cousins a little further down the pew, he practically jumped the rail to give her a hug while squealing, "Aunt Arlene!"</span></p> <p><span>"Sh-h-h-h, Logan, you'll be fine.&nbsp; We all know what a bastard Troy is and we're ready to tell the judge everything we know about what he did to you and why," Arlene offered as she lowered the munchkin back to the floor.&nbsp; Once his arms were freed from her grasp, he sent a big wave combined with a toothy grin to his cousins and they both returned the cheery greeting, Daril adding a thumbs-up sign after the wave.</span></p> <p><span>"So, y'all ready to move?" Logan shouted happily.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet," Arlene answered.&nbsp; "We can't get away from here fast enough," she added at a volume just loud enough for Troy to hear it as well.&nbsp; If the man kept shooting that same look throughout today's activities, I knew one courtroom that was going to need a new paint job.&nbsp; "You better get back in your seat, Logan," she commented.</span></p> <p><span>Before she could join her sons, I asked, "Did Vinnie and his guys show up on time and get everything loaded up that you want?"</span></p> <p><span>"They sure did," Arlene replied happily.&nbsp; "Even managed to get that piano I was worried `bout leavin' behind.&nbsp; They're already on their way back to Illinois with it all."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it," I agreed.&nbsp; "We'll make arrangements for them to bring it to your new home sometime next week.&nbsp; That'll give you and your boys a chance to see what's there already and decide where you want everything."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds perfect, Max.&nbsp; We'll never be able to thank you enough for helping us make this happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure you can, just be good family for Logan since both his mom and dad are gone."</span></p> <p><span>A somber looked flashed through her face before she brightened back up and replied, "You can be sure of that."</span></p> <p><span>At that moment, the door beside the jury box opened and a self-important looking man in a snappy suit stepped in and quickly surveyed the room, taking stock of everyone in attendance.&nbsp; Despite the impassive glance shared with our side of the room, when he caught view of Troy hiding in the opposite corner, his face visibly soured, even with Troy giving him a big wave and smile.&nbsp; Now, I wasn't blaming him for that reaction one bit, but it still caught me a bit off-guard.&nbsp; We soon learned that this new man was the prosecutor for Stoddard County, and he seemed to be ecstatic to be in charge of a case that appeared to be a slam-dunk win for him.</span></p> <p><span>After laying his case on the table reserved for the prosecutor, he stepped over to greet Clarence.&nbsp; We would later learn the man's name was George, but what appeared to be the most important at the moment was his seemingly pompous `I'm better than you are' demeanor he conveyed with his body language.&nbsp; Every twitch and otherwise innocuous nuance of his personality appeared to be coldly calculating, as if to convey to others that none of us commoners were worthy of breathing the same air as him.&nbsp; It was my most sincere hope that before the afternoon was over, Clarence would be able to knock some of that overblown puffery from his sails.&nbsp; After the obligatory and perfunctory greeting was completed, George retreated to his own space where Luther was still camped out and keeping a very close watch on Troy.</span></p> <p><span>"You got a handle on this situation?" Luther asked while angrily shaking a finger in Troy's direction.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, bailiff," George replied condescendingly.&nbsp; "Please let Stonewall know everyone is present and we're ready to proceed whenever he is."</span></p> <p><span>Luther gave George a quick look of displeasure before replying, "I'll let <i>his Honor</i> know, counselor."&nbsp; On that note, he finally left the table and retreated to the far corner of the courtroom before disappearing through the door.&nbsp; Less than a minute passed when the door reopened, and Luther stepped back into the room.</span></p> <p><span>"All rise," he called out as he held the door open.&nbsp; "Circuit Court for Stoddard County, State of Missouri, is now in session.&nbsp; The Honorable Thomas Jackson presiding."&nbsp; We all rose from our seats, Clarence providing a little assistance to a very nervous Logan. &nbsp;The judge strode purposefully into the room, closely followed by the court reporter.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>As the judge reached the halfway point between the door and his bench, Troy gave him a big wave and called out, "Howdy, Stonewall."&nbsp; Thomas didn't seem to let the impromptu and unwelcome greeting faze him and he was soon settled into his chair.&nbsp; With the judge in place, the bailiff gestured with a hand for the rest of us to retake our seats, which we gladly did.</span></p> <p><span>"Before we get started this afternoon," the judge began, "I can see a little lesson in proper courtroom decorum is necessary.&nbsp; We are obviously not in the local bar knockin' back a few cold ones together on a Friday night after a long week.&nbsp; No, we are in <i>my</i> house and under <i>my</i> own little set of very finely-honed rules.&nbsp; The first and most important of those rules is you will address me as either `your Honor' or `sir'.&nbsp; Is that understood by everyone here," he added while glaring directly at Troy.&nbsp; While all of us silently nodded our assent, Troy seemed to shrink even deeper into the corner in which he was huddled.</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent," Thomas beamed happily.&nbsp; "The second most important rule to be followed in my house is you will only speak <i>after</i> you have been spoken to by myself or either of the two attorneys present.&nbsp; Is that rule understood by everyone?"&nbsp; Again, silent nods from all of us.&nbsp; "I'm happy to see we have some quick learners in attendance this afternoon," he commented.&nbsp; "Any individual who fails to follow either of those two very simple rules will be found in contempt of court, subject to fines and time in a jail cell depending on the severity of your infraction.</span></p> <p><span>"Next, would somebody care to explain why there are <i>children</i> in my courtroom?" Thomas asked testily while glaring menacingly at the four munchkins seated next me.</span></p> <p><span>Clarence stood and responded, "Yes, your Honor.&nbsp; The gentleman behind me is my client's father and the four young boys with him are his brothers.&nbsp; The woman and two older boys are my client's aunt and cousins.&nbsp; They are all here to support their son, brother, nephew and cousin during these proceedings."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you for that succinct explanation, counselor.&nbsp; I guess an exception to my unmentioned rule about not allowing such young children to be present in my house will be waived this afternoon.&nbsp; I must say I find it interesting that the aunt and cousins are seated on the defendant's side of the room and not with the victim of these crimes.&nbsp; Is there a particular reason for that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure there is, your Honor, but it's not my place to speculate on what that reason might be," Clarence replied smoothly.</span></p> <p><span>"Quite right, counselor," Thomas agreed.&nbsp; "Now that all that is on the record, bailiff, call the case."</span></p> <p><span>Luther stood from his seat in front of the empty jury box and recited, "The court calls case number 25-00078, State of Missouri versus Logan Campbell, a minor."</span></p> <p><span>"Read the charges, please," the judge ordered.</span></p> <p><span>Clarence was back on his feet in moments and saying, "Begging your Honor's pardon, Clarence Cantrell for the defense, and we stipulate to the reading of charges."</span></p> <p><span>Thomas faced the prosecutor and asked, "Counselor?"</span></p> <p><span>George stood and replied, "I think we should hear the charges against the defendant just to remind us of why we're all here."</span></p> <p><span>"Very well, be seated, you two."&nbsp; Thomas returned his attention to Luther and added, "Continue, bailiff."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, your Honor.&nbsp; The state brings the following charges against defendant Logan Campbell; assault in the first degree, assault in the first degree with intent to commit grievous bodily harm, battery in the first degree, armed robbery in the first degree, fleeing the scene of a crime, resisting arrest, obstruction of justice, and attempted murder."&nbsp; When he was done with his little speech, Luther retook his seat.&nbsp; I was watching Logan the whole time Luther was talking and each charge hit him like a blow to the body.&nbsp; How he was able to stay in his chair after eight such shots will remain a mystery to me.</span></p> <p><span>"Those are some very serious charges for such a young man," Thomas intoned to nobody in particular.&nbsp; "Mr. Prosecutor, do you have anything you'd like to add before we continue?"</span></p> <p><span>George stood and offered, "Yes, your Honor, thank you.&nbsp; After much deliberation in our office, we feel that due to the heinous nature of defendant's actions, Mr. Campbell should be tried as an adult."&nbsp; A collective gasp of surprise ran through the meager audience and I distinctly heard Logan's head hit the bare table in front of him with a soft `thwack' after that proclamation.&nbsp; Clarence quickly wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him closer.</span></p> <p><span>"We will see if such drastic measures are called for, Counselor, and I'll take that suggestion under advisement."&nbsp; Thomas then turned to face Clarence and Logan before asking, "Will the defendant please rise?"&nbsp; It took several prods from Clarence before it became real, but Logan finally stood up, eyes still focused intently on the table in front of him.&nbsp; "Mister Campbell, please look at me.&nbsp; I want to see your eyes."&nbsp; Once Logan was giving his undivided attention to the judge, he continued with, "How old are you, young man?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nine, your Honor," Logan croaked nervously.&nbsp; The judge eyed the prosecutor questioningly and received a tight nod from him before moving on.</span></p> <p><span>"These are some very, very serious and troubling charges the state has brought against you.&nbsp; Do you understand the charges as they were read?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, your Honor," Logan replied meekly.</span></p> <p><span>"And how do you plead?" Thomas queried.</span></p> <p><span>After a short hesitation as he screwed up his courage, Logan held his head up high before he loudly and proudly proclaimed, "Guilty as sin, your Honor!"</span></p> <p><span>While the prosecutor let a wide smile flood his face for an easy win and Troy gave a little fist pump of joy on hearing that, Clarence shot to his feet and bellowed, "OBJECTION!!"</span></p> <p><span>"Excuse me, Mr. Cantrell, I don't believe I've <i>ever</i> heard an attorney object to something his own client said," Thomas replied with an evil smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, sir, I'm just as surprised as you are right now," a very flustered Clarence apologized.&nbsp; "May I have a brief moment to confer with my client?" he requested with a hint of begging buried in his tone of voice.</span></p> <p><span>"I think that would be a wise course of action, counselor.&nbsp; I'll give you two minutes."&nbsp; I quickly leaned in as closely as I could to hear what was said.</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, you were supposed to say `not guilty'.&nbsp; Don't you remember that?"</span></p> <p><span>" `Course I do.&nbsp; I might be guilty as hell right now but I ain't stupid, ya know?"</span></p> <p><span>"So why did you just declare your guilt to everyone?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're in court, right?"&nbsp; Clarence nodded and Logan continued, "That means we're s'posed to tell the truth, right?"&nbsp; Another curt nod and Logan carried on.&nbsp; "Well, they can throw my butt in jail for the crap I actually done, then, `cause I ain't lyin' in court, not even to save my own ass."</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, this makes my job more difficult, you understand that, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not my problem, man," he retorted.&nbsp; "I done seen enough cop shows on TV to know the lawyer gots to do what his client wants.&nbsp; `Sides, it's the right thing to."</span></p> <p><span>"How do you figure that, young man," Clarence asked with serious interest.</span></p> <p><span>"If'n somebody gonna get in deep poo for lyin' in court, it ain't gonna be me `cause I ain't gonna tell nothin' but the truth.&nbsp; No, if that's gonna happen to somebody today, it's gonna be Uncle Dirtbag.&nbsp; You know that lowdown weasel done lied his ass off to those cops.&nbsp; If anybody's lyin' through their damn rotten teeth, it's him and he should go down for it," Logan offered logically and forcefully.&nbsp; By the time he finished his little spiel, I could see the sadistic smile curling across Clarence's face and knew exactly what was going to happen next.&nbsp; While I was still worried about how it would all play out, I was willing to give it a chance before I snagged Logan, threw him over my shoulder and ran for the hills with the other boys hot on my heels in close pursuit.</span></p> <p><span>That issue settled, Clarence and Logan turned back to face the judge and with calm smiles on both of their faces, the attorney offered, "Thank you, your Honor.&nbsp; We're ready to continue."</span></p> <p><span>"Very well," Thomas replied.&nbsp; "Am I going to hear a change of plea?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, your Honor.&nbsp; My client insists on pleading guilty to all the charges against him.&nbsp; I would like to add this small addendum to his plea, though; there are mitigating circumstances that factor into and influenced my client's actions."</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Campbell, are you absolutely sure you understand the seriousness of the charges against you and the punishment that will follow a free admission of guilt on your part?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir, your Honor," Logan replied earnestly.</span></p> <p><span>"I normally wouldn't ask this of a defendant in my courtroom, and I'm only doing so now because of your age and my concern you don't fully comprehend the import of these proceedings, but why are you doing this to yourself?&nbsp; You do understand that if you plead not guilty, you will receive a fair trial by jury.&nbsp; Why don't you want to do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well the first problem with that, sir, is the Constitution gives me a right to trial by a jury of my <i>peers</i>, right?"&nbsp; A quick nod of acknowledgement from the judge and Logan continued.&nbsp; "Well, I may be just a little kid, but I know what a peer is and I gotta wonder if you're gonna pick a jury with nothin' but nine-year-old kids who grew up on farms."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, of course, we're not going to do that."</span></p> <p><span>"Then it ain't gonna be a fair trial, so what's the point, sir?"</span></p> <p><span>"And what's your second excuse for bypassing that option."</span></p> <p><span>" `Cause I ain't gonna lie in court, your Honor."</span></p> <p><span>The judge looked completely flabbergasted at that statement and it took him a moment to recover from it before he could mutter in surprise, " `Scuse me?"</span></p> <p><span>"My momma and daddy done told me for long as I can `member how `portant it was to always tell the truth.&nbsp; After momma died, my daddy still kept remindin' me of that.&nbsp; And now that he's gone and back with my momma again, my new dads keep poundin' the same thing into our heads, `tell the truth, tell the truth, tell the truth'.&nbsp; Well, I ain't <i>always</i> done what they told me since I ain't no George Washington, but I've tried really hard.&nbsp; And I swear to you right now that nothin' I say in this courtroom is gonna be a lie, and that begins with admittin' I did ever'thing that fool says I did," Logan ended while angrily pointing a shaking finger at Troy.</span></p> <p><span>"Admirable, young man.&nbsp; A touch crazy, for sure, but admirable, nonetheless," Thomas replied.&nbsp; "Any motions from the attorneys?"</span></p> <p><span>The prosecutor immediately stood up and stated, "I believe the defendant's guilty plea says it all, your Honor, and I'd like to recommend we proceed straight to sentencing."</span></p> <p><span>"Why am I not a bit surprised at that?" the judge commented before turning to Clarence and saying, "Mr. Cantrell?"</span></p> <p><span>Clarence stood up slowly and replied, "I know the request I'm about to make is unusual for a preliminary hearing your Honor, but since my client lives out of state and has <i>not</i> been interviewed by the police who investigated this case, I would beg the court's indulgence as I'd like to take some time to establish <i>exactly</i> what happened between my client and his uncle that led up to and precipitated my client's actions."</span></p> <p><span>"I have to admit that seems to be a rather fair request, especially since, as you say, the investigating department didn't bother to interview the defendant or take any steps arrest him.&nbsp; As such, I'm inclined to grant your request, counselor.&nbsp; Any objections from the state?" Thomas asked.</span></p> <p><span>With his firm belief this case was in the bag, George stood and replied, "None, your Honor."</span></p> <p><span>"Carry on, Mr. Cantrell."</span></p> <p><span>"If it pleases the court, I'd like to call Troy Campbell to the stand to answer some questions about the complaint he filed against my client."&nbsp; Every head in the room swiveled in Troy's direction, only to find him looking like a deer caught squarely in a semi's headlights and about to meet his maker.</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Campbell, if you would please join me up here?" Thomas requested politely, gesturing to the witness stand right next to the judge.&nbsp; Despite looking as though the witness stand was the last place he wanted to be at the moment, Troy did slowly step through the bar and settle uncomfortably into the indicated chair.&nbsp; "Bailiff, swear him in."</span></p> <p><span>Luther approached with the Bible in his hand and demanded, "Raise your right hand and place your left on the Bible."&nbsp; After just a moment's hesitation, Troy did so and Luther regurgitated from memory, "Do you swear that the testimony you are about to provide in this court is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"</span></p> <p><span>"I do," Troy gulped nervously.</span></p> <p><span>"Please ask your questions, Mr. Cantrell, and try not to stray too far from the case at hand."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir.&nbsp; Thank you, your Honor."&nbsp; Clarence walked slowly in front of the bench until he stood about five feet away from Troy, leaning casually against the railing surrounding the empty jury box.&nbsp; "Mr. Campbell, would you please state the nature of your relationship to my client?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ya mean, Logan?&nbsp; The kid's my nephew."</span></p> <p><span>"I see," Clarence toyed with the man.&nbsp; "Is he a nephew on your side of the family or your wife's?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's my brother's son, so my side.&nbsp; What's that got to do with anything?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be asking the questions this afternoon, Mr. Campbell," Clarence retorted sarcastically. "Now, would you please explain the circumstances that led to Logan being with you and your family recently."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, my brother, Charlie, was killed in a farm accident a few weeks ago, so Logan was s'posed to come live with us."&nbsp; The first few questions were easy ones to answer and I could see Troy was slowly slipping into his regular self-assured cockiness as he grew more and more comfortable with the unfamiliar situation.</span></p> <p><span>"Was that something your brother requested of you before he passed?&nbsp; And were you happy to give Logan a home after your brother's untimely death?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, `course it was.&nbsp; Charlie even put it in his will since we was the only other family he had left.&nbsp; `Sides, you think I'd take in a little brat like him if'n I didn't want to?"&nbsp; That last comment caused the judge to wrinkle his eyebrows in interest.</span></p> <p><span>"And do you know what was going to happen to the farmland, house and equipment your brother owned at the time of his death?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, far as I know, it all became Logan's.&nbsp; I just assumed since the kid was gonna be livin' with us `til he was old `nough to be on his own, he'd probably sell it all."</span></p> <p><span>"And what would have happened to that money if he did, indeed, sell said property?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue.&nbsp; Guess it'd gone into a bank somewhere so Logan'd have it later."</span></p> <p><span>George stood before Clarence could pose his next query and asked, "Excuse me, you Honor, but how, exactly, does any of this pertain to this case?"</span></p> <p><span>"Fair question, counselor," Thomas agreed.&nbsp; Turning his attention to Clarence, he commented, "I assume all of this is somehow relevant and important to your defense."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yes, sir," Clarence replied emphatically.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I hope you tie it all together soon, counselor.&nbsp; Just know I don't have a lot of patience for pompous windbags who have nothing better to do than to waste my time."</span></p> <p><span>"I would never dream of doing such a thing, your Honor."</span></p> <p><span>"You'd be the first, then," Thomas grinned.&nbsp; "Carry on."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, sir," Clarence replied politely before adding, "Excuse me for one moment, please.&nbsp; I'd like to retrieve a copy of the fairy tale, um, I mean statement, you provided to the Dexter police department."&nbsp; He walked briskly across the room, snatched a sheaf of papers from his case and returned to his perch against the jury box before continuing.&nbsp; "I just want to make sure of a few things you claimed in here," he commented offhandedly.&nbsp; "Now, when you brought Logan home with you for the first time, what sort of accommodations had you arranged for him?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, whatd'ya mean?" Troy muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, did Logan have his own bedroom or would he be sharing a room with your sons?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that.&nbsp; Well, we only got two bedrooms to begin with, and with Daril and Arley bein' as big as they are, there really wasn't room for Logan to be in with them, so I let him have free run of the basement."</span></p> <p><span>"That was rather generous of you," Clarence remarked with a knowing smirk.&nbsp; "Does this basement have any exterior doors or windows, and does it have its own facilities?"</span></p> <p><span>"No windows, no, but there's a door in the back wall that leads to the backyard and the small lake out there.&nbsp; Ain't no bathroom down there, neither, so he'd have to come upstairs for that," Troy lied smoothly.&nbsp; Logan was doing his best to maintain a straight face through all of this, but I could see by the way he was stifling his giggles he was slowly losing the battle.</span></p> <p><span>"What about meals?&nbsp; Did you find it difficult or burdensome to suddenly have another child to feed?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, you'd have to ask the wife `bout that.&nbsp; She don't let me cook nothin'," Troy smirked as he sidestepped answering the question entirely.</span></p> <p><span>"You said Logan had free run of the basement, what about the rest of the house?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, `course.&nbsp; He could go anywhere he wanted that wasn't locked up, like our bedroom," was the response as Troy kept digging his own grave even deeper.</span></p> <p><span>"We already briefly talked about the money Logan would receive from the sale of what had become his farm in Illinois.&nbsp; What about the rest of his inheritance?"</span></p> <p><span>"What the devil you talkin' `bout," Troy blustered in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he was due to receive a shade over five million dollars that had been his mother's, wasn't he?" Clarence asked with as much innocence as possible.</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't know bean one `bout that `til just now, mister.&nbsp; Never knew the little punk was gonna be a rich little orphan bastard."&nbsp; Again, I saw the judge raise an eyebrow and out of the corner of my eye, I could see Arlene holding her head in her hands, shaking it in disbelief.</span></p> <p><span>"So, though I've read your statement, would you please tell the court what occurred between you and your nephew that triggered his attack on you?</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't got a clue, mister.&nbsp; I went downstairs `bout one or so to let Logan know lunch was ready and he should come up and join us.&nbsp; He really hadn't been eatin' that much durin' the week `cause he was still purty torn up `bout his dad dyin', but I didn't think he should miss a meal, neither."</span></p> <p><span>"And what happened next?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, soon as I stepped off the last step, the little bastard just up and kicked me in the nuts.&nbsp; It hurt so damn bad, I could hardly breathe.&nbsp; At some point, I passed out and when I woke back up, there was all kinds of folks millin' `round.&nbsp; There was some guys with an ambulance, two other yokels I ain't never seen before, one white `n' one nigger, the wife was there, too, and I don't know who else."</span></p> <p><span>"What about Logan?&nbsp; Was he still there?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't `member seein' him, so I guess he done skedaddled as soon as he thought he killed me.&nbsp; Can't really blame `im for that `cause if I'da seen him, I'da kicked his ass so hard he wouldn't a been able to sit down for a freakin' month."</span></p> <p><span>"So, do you have lots of practice beating on other people?" Clarence offered as he dropped the grenade right into Troy's lap.</span></p> <p><span>"What!?&nbsp; No way, man," Troy protested vehemently.&nbsp; Daril was halfway to his feet to protest when Arlene grabbed his wrist and yanked him back down to the hard wooden pew we were occupying.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>I heard her whisper to her boys, "Let him dig it as deep as he can by hisself.&nbsp; We'll fill it in for him later if need be."</span></p> <p><span>"What's your current financial condition, Mr. Campbell?" Clarence quietly asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, things're always tight this time of year, though it's worse now than it's been in a long time.&nbsp; But once we can start harvestin' peaches and apples in a few months, I reckon we'll be all right."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it," Clarence commented.&nbsp; "So, to sum all this up, you recently lost your brother and, as a promise made to him after his wife died, you were to become the legal guardian of your nephew.&nbsp;&nbsp; A young man who is about to inherit well over five million dollars in cash and property.&nbsp; Money it sounds like you desperately need to keep your own property.&nbsp; Is that a fair summation of how things are?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't like what you're thinkin', mister," Troy retorted smugly.</span></p> <p><span>"Objection, your Honor," George stood and complained.&nbsp; "I don't see a connection between any of that and the defendant's attack on the victim."</span></p> <p><span>"That's right!" Troy agreed loudly.&nbsp; "I'm the victim in all this.&nbsp; That little bastard cut off my balls!" he screamed while angrily shaking his hand in Logan's direction.&nbsp; Well, that was just too much for the munchkin to handle as he slid off his chair and onto floor, clutching his sides as gales of laughter rolled out from somewhere under the table, only to echo around the courtroom.</span></p> <p><span>"Counselor, please tell your client to get a grip on his emotions," Thomas admonished Clarence.</span></p> <p><span>"Right away, your Honor," he replied as he hustled over to the defense table, crawled underneath it and slowly extracted the still giggling Logan from where he'd collapsed.&nbsp; Once he was clear of the table, I leaned over the rail between us and helped get the kiddo back into his chair and calmed down.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>With order restored to the courtroom, Thomas asked, "Mr. Cantrell, do you have any further questions for Mr. Campbell."</span></p> <p><span>"No, your Honor, thank you.&nbsp; And I solemnly apologize for my client's outburst.&nbsp; It won't happen again."</span></p> <p><span>"See that it doesn't, counselor."&nbsp; Thomas then turned to George and asked, "Do you have any questions for Mr. Campbell?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, sir.&nbsp; His answers today simply back up the statement he gave to the police and me from his hospital bed as he recovered from the horrendous and life-altering attack by the defendant."</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Campbell, you're excused and may retake your seat behind the prosecutor," Thomas ordered.&nbsp; After Troy had returned to his original position, the judge turned to Clarence and said, "You painted a nice picture there, counselor, full of supposition and innuendo, but not a whole lot of new facts that would put a frame on what I'm sure is a lovely portrait.&nbsp; Do you think you could take care of that for us?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sidebar, your Honor?" Clarence requested.&nbsp; After a curt nod from the judge, both attorneys approached the bench and carried out a hushed conversation.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>After the prosecutor and I joined the judge at his bench, he asked, "What is it now, Mr. Cantrell?"</span></p> <p><span>"I apologize for seemingly accomplishing nothing with my questioning of Mr. Campbell, but I needed him on the record with his answers before I present my other evidence in this matter."</span></p> <p><span>"If you have new evidence, counselor," George interrupted testily, "why doesn't my office have it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if this case had proceeded to trial, I, of course, would have provided my evidence to you in due time as called for under the rules of discovery.&nbsp; Since there isn't going to be a trial now thanks to my client's guilty plea, I feel this is the appropriate time for you to see and hear that evidence before any further decisions are made concerning my client's future," I replied evenly.</span></p> <p><span>"He's got a fair point there, George," Thomas admitted while looking to the prosecutor.&nbsp; "You told me yourself you were relying entirely on Mr. Campbell's statement of events as the basis for the charges you brought against the defendant.&nbsp; I told you when you dropped this nightmare in my lap that I didn't like the idea of charging such a young kid with attempted murder, but you insisted it was warranted in this case.&nbsp; Then, for you to add today you wanted to try him as an adult?&nbsp; That's really unconscionable, George.&nbsp; Are you so hard up to get re-elected this fall, this is how low you'll go to do it?"</span></p> <p><span>George blushed mightily before replying, "Just applying the laws of the state to the case in front of me, your Honor, just as my oath of office requires me to do."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's my job to uphold those same laws," Thomas retorted angrily.&nbsp; He then came back to me and asked, "How are we going to hear from your client, Mr. Cantrell?&nbsp; I really don't think putting a nine-year-old <i>child</i> on the stand is feasible.&nbsp; Not under these circumstances, anyway.&nbsp; I suppose I'd be willing to let him testify in my chambers with just you, me, George and the court reporter in attendance.&nbsp; That's assuming, of course, the prosecutor will allow such a deviation from the normal routine."</span></p> <p><span>"It's your courtroom, your Honor, so whatever you feel is acceptable is fine with me," George offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Nice to know I have <i>your</i> permission," Thomas retorted condescendingly.</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, gentlemen, I have an even easier solution to your concerns. &nbsp;While my client was at his uncle's house and under his supposed <i>care</i>, he used a phone he'd been given by his new fathers and recorded all of his interactions with the `victim' of these alleged crimes.&nbsp; I have all those videos loaded onto my laptop and I believe you need to see them to ensure justice is done in this case.&nbsp; They will go a long way in explaining my client's actions towards the man who was supposed to take care of him for the next nine years."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, let's get it set up and watch a movie," the judge agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"I have one minor request, your Honor," I added quickly.&nbsp; After receiving a hand gesture from him I took to mean `let's hear it', I carried on.&nbsp; "My client has been severely traumatized from his dealings with his uncle and ..."</span></p> <p><span>"That brat's been <i>traumatized</i>," George scoffed angrily.&nbsp; "How the hell you think Mr. Campbell's dealin' with things right now?"</span></p> <p><span>"His welfare is not my concern, my client's is," I replied smoothly.&nbsp; "Now, may I continue?"&nbsp; After receiving tense nods from both men, I did just that.&nbsp; "As I was trying to say, I would prefer these videos not be shown in open court.&nbsp; If just the three of us could view them in your chambers, your Honor, I think it would be much better for all involved.&nbsp; If you feel they should be seen by everyone after viewing them yourself, then we'll do that."</span></p> <p><span>Thomas looked to George and received a simple nod in response.&nbsp; It was a nod that spoke more of resignation than acceptance of the situation, but it was still begrudging agreement and I was going to take it any way I could.&nbsp; The judge looked back at me and gave me the same tentative nod to which I responded, "Thank you for your understanding, gentlemen.&nbsp; Let me retrieve my computer and I'll be with you post-haste."</span></p> <p><span>Before the two headed for the far corner of the courtroom, Thomas banged his gavel on his bench and announced, "We're going to take a short recess to go over some issues in my chambers.&nbsp; Feel free to wander the courthouse while we do so, but don't go too far.&nbsp; You'll be called back when we're ready to reconvene.&nbsp; Luther, a quick word, please."</span></p> <p><span>As Thomas and George headed for the doorway in the far corner of the courtroom, Luther joined them briefly, then returned to sit on the prosecutor's table to keep eye on those of us who would be staying where we were.&nbsp; I saw him tap the court reporter on the shoulder as he passed her by, and then jerk his head in the direction of the door the judge and prosecutor has just passed through.&nbsp; The reporter took the not so subtle hint, grabbed her equipment and dutifully disappeared.&nbsp; As I snagged my laptop, I gave Logan a quick pat on the top of his head and a thumbs-up to Max before joining the others and ruining their afternoon.</span></p> <p><span>Several minutes later and after several concerned glances between the judge and the prosecutor, Clarence returned to the defense table, picked up his laptop and then followed Thomas, George and the court reporter through the door into the judge's chambers.</span></p> <p><span>As soon as the door closed behind him, Luther said, "Okay, folks, feel free to chat quietly amongst yourselves or, as the judge offered, enjoy a nice walk around our historic courthouse.&nbsp; Troy, you keep your ass planted right where it is and keep your obnoxious mouth shut."</span></p> <p><span>On that note, Logan quickly asked the bailiff, "Can I sit with my dad `til they come back?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't see why not," Luther agreed.</span></p> <p><span>A very happy young lad pushed his chair to the bar, then climbed up and over the railing before jumping into my lap and wrapping his arms around my midsection.&nbsp; We were immediately swamped by the other four as they joined the hug and tried to squeeze the stuffing out of their brother.&nbsp; It took a few minutes, but our grips finally began to loosen, and we began to chat about the afternoon's events so far, making sure to include Arlene and her sons in the conversation.&nbsp; The entire time we were visiting and getting to know each other a little better, Troy stewed in silence on the other side of the room.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Mr. Cantrell, we're alone.&nbsp; Will you please explain what we're about to see and the need to watch these videos in my chambers?"</span></p> <p><span>"Before we get into that, I want to thank you both for being so fair-minded as to allow me some leeway this afternoon and your courtesy will not be forgotten.&nbsp; To your question, your Honor, what my client recorded while in Mr. Campbell's custody is a series of nine videos from the Sunday night he arrived in Dexter to the Thursday afternoon when he escaped his imprisonment and certain death."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, cry me a fuckin' river," George vented theatrically.&nbsp; "You really expect us to believe Mr. Campbell was going to murder his nephew?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're still on the record, George, so rein yourself in," Thomas admonished the prosecutor.&nbsp; "Another outburst like that and you'll be fined for contempt."&nbsp; George rolled his eyes in disbelief but kept any retort he may have had to himself.</span></p> <p><span>"You can believe whatever you like after you see the videos, gentlemen.&nbsp; Obviously, I've watched all of them and I believe they back up my client's version of events.&nbsp; I think you will, too, once you've seen them.&nbsp; Shall we get started?"</span></p> <p><span>"By all means," Thomas replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, this first video was recorded fairly early Monday morning after Logan had arrived and spent his first night in what was supposed to become his new home for the next nine years.&nbsp; It's just him giving his own impressions of his new situation."&nbsp; I clicked play on the video program and let the video run.</span></p> <p><span>"Howdy and welcome to my new home," Logan said as he panned the camera from the steps down into the hellhole, all the way around the space and back to the shelves under the steps.&nbsp; "Ain't this just the loveliest shithole ya ever seen?&nbsp; Believe it or not, it looked even worse when I got locked down here last night.&nbsp; I spent several hours cleanin' all the crap outta here so I could at least get rid of the smell.&nbsp; Hell, I ain't even got a crapper or shower down here I can use.&nbsp; I gotta go outside to piss, take a dump or even wash my hands.&nbsp; Don't have no bed, neither, so I made a bunk on that bottom shelf over there in the corner with some stinky ol' sleepin' bag.&nbsp; Ain't great, but it sure beats the hell outta sleepin' on the floor.</span></p> <p><span>"And now Uncle Dirtbag thinks this is where I'm gonna live for the next nine years.&nbsp; Well, let me tell ya, he's wrong `bout that `cause I ain't gonna put up with his shit no more than I hafta.&nbsp; According to the note my cousins gave me on the way down here, he needs my money real bad `cause he's `bout to lose his orchard.</span></p> <p><span>"They also said in that note that Unc plans for me to disappear once he's got my money, but I'm ready for him to try it, and boy is he in for a big surprise.&nbsp; I done warned him what was I was gonna do if he ever laid a hand on me, but I don't think he believes I'll do it.&nbsp; Guess we'll find out.&nbsp; Well, I gotta cut this short `cause I ain't got no way to recharge the phone down here and I wanna make sure I got plenty o' juice to record when the shithead comes down the stairs.&nbsp; Guess I'll see y'all later."</span></p> <p><span>When the video ended, Thomas and George shared a glance of astonishment with each other before looking back me.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, that's the basement Mr. Campbell says Logan had the `free run' of?" Thomas queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir, dirt floor and all," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"That's despicable.&nbsp; I wouldn't let my dog sleep in that filth.&nbsp; And I thought Mr. Campbell said Logan could go anywhere in the house he wanted, including use of the bathroom upstairs."</span></p> <p><span>"All lies, your Honor," I replied simply.</span></p> <p><span>"What I got out of that was premeditation for the assault on his uncle," George commented blandly.</span></p> <p><span>Thomas and I both glared daggers at the unfeeling prosecutor before I prefaced the next video with, "Okay, this follow-up takes place a little later the same morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, ya little faggot lovin' piece o' shit, time for you to cough it up."</span></p> <p><span>"Cough what up, ya dirtbag?"</span></p> <p><span>"MY money, dumbass.&nbsp; I need it and you're gonna get it for me."</span></p> <p><span>"Like hell I am, Troy.&nbsp; That's my money and you ain't never gonna see a dime of it."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, kid, I ain't playin' no damn games here."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good thing `cause you probably don't understand how to play nothin', not even somethin' as simple as Uno.&nbsp; And any moron can play that game it's so easy."</span></p> <p><span>"It's no secret I don't like you, punk.&nbsp; Never did, never will."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, `cause I don't like you either."</span></p> <p><span>"Never understood what my brother saw in that bitch you called mommy."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you dare talk `bout my momma like that, ya loser!&nbsp; She was a great woman and Daddy loved her with all his heart.&nbsp; It tore him up somethin' awful when she died."</span></p> <p><span>"She got what she fuckin' deserved for breakin' our family up!&nbsp; She always thought we weren't good `nough for her and she forced Charlie to move."</span></p> <p><span>"Good for her.&nbsp; And daddy, too.&nbsp; Ain't nobody should hafta deal with a jackass like you their whole life."</span></p> <p><span>Troy suddenly grabbed Logan by the shoulders and shook him like a rag doll, all while screaming in his face, "Get me my goddam money!!"</span></p> <p><span>"I can't, ya freakin' dumbass!&nbsp; It takes two people to sign `fore the bank will give me anything.&nbsp; And the others who can sign won't do it `less I tell `em to.&nbsp; And I ain't gonna do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah?&nbsp; Let's see how you feel `bout that in a few days.&nbsp; You ain't goin' nowhere `til I save my orchard."</span></p> <p><span>"You wanna save it so goddam bad, why don't you get your lazy ass out there and work for it `stead of hangin' out in the bar all day long?&nbsp; That's what Daddy did, he worked hard every day of his life and he took good care of Momma and me.&nbsp; You should be more like him.&nbsp; Maybe if you was, your wife and kids might actually love you!"</span></p> <p><span>"You little prick!&nbsp; I'd fuckin' kill you right now if I didn't need your money so bad.&nbsp; We'll see if you're feeling more generous tomorrow, ya little bastard."&nbsp; The image of the enraged Troy left the camera's view and we could hear him stomp on every step as he went back upstairs.</span></p> <p><span>After the door slammed shut, Logan appeared on camera and he said, "Well, that was fun, wasn't it?&nbsp; I swear on Momma and Daddy's graves, that fuckin' loser ain't gettin' shit outta me, I don't care what he says or does.&nbsp; Guess I just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow.&nbsp; Hey Siri, stop recording."&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>The video had the expected effect on the two other men in the office with me as both were so pale, they looked like they'd just seen a ghost.&nbsp; I glanced at the court reporter and could see she was feeling the same way.</span></p> <p><span>When he could finally speak, Thomas asked with fear, "Are the rest of the videos like that one?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty much, sir.&nbsp; Troy would go down to the basement a couple times a day to berate Logan, all in an effort to get control of his money and save his orchard.&nbsp; Some are longer, some shorter, but the content doesn't really change much."</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus," George interrupted, "I thought Arlene and the boys were makin' up the stories of Mr. Campbell abusing them out of some twisted revenge motive for Logan being dumped on them.&nbsp; That's exactly what Mr. Campbell claimed they'd do when I talked to him in the hospital."</span></p> <p><span>"Just more lies from him, George," I offered quietly.&nbsp; "Abusers like Troy are great at covering up the truth and they go to great lengths to do just that.&nbsp; Do you want to see any more?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not really," Thomas replied with a grumble of disgust, "but I have to know.&nbsp; Was Logan able to record what happened the day he attacked his uncle?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, your Honor, he did.&nbsp; And even if you don't watch any of the others, you really should see that one."</span></p> <p><span>He looked to George and commented flatly, "I know neither of us really <i>wants</i> to see it, but I think we <i>have</i> to, don't you?&nbsp; We need to be positive that Logan's attack was truly carried out in self-defense if we're going to end up doing what I'm thinking."&nbsp; A quick nod from George was all I needed to locate and start the playback of the last recording.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I'm tired o' screwin' `round with ya, ya little shit.&nbsp; You're gonna tell me how to get my money today or you're just gonna fuckin' disappear!"</span></p> <p><span>"You ain't been listenin' to me, asshole!&nbsp; I can't get it!&nbsp; It takes two people to sign anything and you ain't one of them."</span></p> <p><span>"Then who is, ya bastard?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max and Tom and me are the only ones."</span></p> <p><span>"Then you're just gonna have to figure out how to get one of them fuckin' faggots to sign a check."</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't never gonna happen, ya lowlife.&nbsp; That's my money and I got other plans for it."</span></p> <p><span>"Screw your plans, brat, I need that fuckin' money and you're gonna get it for me."</span></p> <p><span>"Shit in one hand, wish in the other, Troy.&nbsp; Let's see which gets filled first."&nbsp; Thomas and George watched in horror as Troy stepped closer to Logan, raised his arm high above his head, then brought his fist back down at blinding speed and smashed it into Logan's jaw.&nbsp; The bone-jarring blow sent the youngster sailing about five feet across the basement before he landed on his back and his head slammed into the dirt floor.&nbsp; Thomas and George watched in amazement as Logan staggered back to his feet and screamed "That the best you got, ya fuckin' loser!?"</span></p> <p><span>The onscreen action continued as Troy moved towards Logan again and just as Troy was about to wrap his hands around Logan's neck to choke the life out of him, the dirtbag howled in pain, his eye's suddenly crossed and he toppled over backward, out of view of the camera.</span></p> <p><span>"I told you what was gonna happen if you ever laid a hand on me, you bastard!&nbsp; You better get ready!"</span></p> <p><span>We finished the video with both Thomas and George grimacing in anguish as Logan performed a very delicate surgical procedure on the comatose Troy.&nbsp; When the playback finally ended, all of us released a huge sigh of relief that this part of the ordeal was over.&nbsp; Now it was down to the legal wrangling, wheeling and dealing that is all too common in today's justice system.</span></p> <p><span>"So, gentlemen, your thoughts?" I asked as I calmly closed the lid on the laptop.</span></p> <p><span>Thomas was the first to answer with, "First, all charges against <i>young</i> Mr. Campbell will be dismissed without prejudice.&nbsp; It's plainly obvious the young man was in fear for his life and he acted purely out of self-defense.&nbsp; Do you agree with that assessment, George?"&nbsp; A quick nod of agreement from the still pale prosecutor and the judge plowed on.&nbsp; "Second, charges will be filed against that disgusting prick, Troy, for everything from kidnapping and false imprisonment to spousal and child abuse, along with anything else we think we can make stick.&nbsp; You good with that, also, George?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right, I am.&nbsp; I can't believe I ever believed that lyin' sack of shit."&nbsp; A quick flush filled the prosecutor's face and he added, "Oops, sorry `bout that, your Honor.&nbsp; Are we still on the record?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, but don't worry about it.&nbsp; Okay, third, our <i>victim </i>will be immediately arrested and booked into the county jail for the minor offenses of filing a false police report and perjury.&nbsp; Those will allow us to hold him until we can get all the other charges filed and presented to a grand jury.&nbsp; You've got your work cut out for you, George."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, sir, we're up to the task and will get it all dealt with as quickly as possible."</span></p> <p><span>"You better," Thomas warned him.</span></p> <p><span>"And once this mess is cleared up, I'll be resigning as the county prosecutor."</span></p> <p><span>"What!?"&nbsp; Thomas exclaimed in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir.&nbsp; I can't live with the fact that in my zeal to prosecute this case, I ignored valuable evidence and almost cost a kid his life.&nbsp; I'm never going to allow myself to be blinded by bloodlust like that ever again."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we'll surely miss you and the good work you do, but I understand your reasoning, George.&nbsp; If you have a change of heart, I'll support you all the way and we'll act as if this conversation never happened."</span></p> <p><span>"Can't do that, your Honor, we're on the record, remember?" George commented.</span></p> <p><span>"I can fix that in a heartbeat," Thomas offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you dare, sir."&nbsp; The two finally looked back to me and reeled me back into the conversation.</span></p> <p><span>"Does everything we just agreed to work for you, Mr. Cantrell?" Thomas asked.</span></p> <p><span>"As long as it all means Logan walks out of here this afternoon, he can go home with his family and never has to worry about this episode coming back to haunt him, then yes, I'll be a happy camper.&nbsp; Your Honor," I quickly added with a smile.</span></p> <p><span>"One more thing, then, before we return to the courtroom," Thomas commented.&nbsp; "Do you have copies of the note given to Logan by his cousins and extra DVDs with the videos?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir, I have several of each in my case.&nbsp; I thought you'd probably want them if this afternoon went the way I expected it would."</span></p> <p><span>"You were absolutely right about that," Thomas agreed. &nbsp;"Once we return to the court, please give copies to me and George.&nbsp; Once we have those in hand, I'll take immense pleasure in ruining Troy's day.&nbsp; And the rest of his miserable life, to boot."</span></p> <p><span>"Consider it done, sir."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I ask you a question, Mr. Cantrell?" George asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Fire away," I replied with a cocky smirk since I'd just accomplished what I'd set out to do when I crawled out of bed this morning.</span></p> <p><span>"Is this the way you always practice law?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, not <i>always</i>," I admitted, "but often enough, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"And have you ever lost a case?"</span></p> <p><span>"Never!" I exclaimed proudly.&nbsp; "Perish the thought."</span></p> <p><span>"I figured as much," George chuckled.&nbsp; "You ever need a flunky who needs to learn some humility, give me call.&nbsp; I'll need a few months to wrap up this mess and get my head straightened out first, though."</span></p> <p><span>"You never know, do ya?" I commented.&nbsp; "Well, shall we go get this wrapped up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Before we do, there's something I'd to say off the record," George commented.&nbsp; Thomas asked the court reporter to leave the office and send Luther back in a few minutes to receive some special instructions.</span></p> <p><span>Once the door closed behind her, Thomas said, "Okay, George, what's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Cantrell, I want you to promise me you'll pass this on to Logan when y'all get back home."&nbsp; I gave a quick nod of agreement and he continued.&nbsp; "First, please tell him how sorry I am for what he's been through.&nbsp; It's hard enough on a kid to lose his parents like he has, but to turn around and be dumped into a situation like he was with his uncle, well, I just don't know how he can deal with somethin' like that after all the other crap.&nbsp; I would also like for you to apologize to him for me and the department not doing our due diligence in this case.&nbsp; We don't screw up like this very often, but when we do, we go all out and royally fuck it up."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be sure to let him know all that and I'm sure he'll appreciate it, George."</span></p> <p><span>"I got one more thing I'd like to say but it'll be up to you whether you share it with Logan or not.&nbsp; That kid has one helluva a mouth on him, and someday it's gonna get him in a giant heap o' shit he ain't gonna be able to dig out of by himself.&nbsp; But, if it ever comes down to a fair fight between him and anybody else, I'm layin my money on Logan to kick the ever-lovin' shit outta any poor schmuck who's dumb enough to try and take him on.&nbsp; The kid thinks fast under pressure and he's got a survival instinct that's second to none.&nbsp; I'm proud as hell of him for standin' up to a Gawd awful prick like Troy and livin' to tell the tale.&nbsp; Well, guess that's all I got, but I had to get all that off my chest."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, George."</span></p> <p><span>Our conversation ended just as there was a knock on the door, and it popped open to reveal Luther stepping in to receive his orders.&nbsp; After a quick chat with Thomas, the bailiff left the judge's chambers by way of the back door to carry out his assigned task and George and I returned to the courtroom to take our places at our respective tables, waiting patiently for the fireworks that were sure to explode when Judge Thomas `Stonewall' Jackson rejoined us and pulled the pin from the grenade I'd just dropped in Troy's lap.</span></p> <p><span>The moment we'd all been anxiously and nervously waiting for arrived without warning when Clarence and George abruptly exited the judge's chambers and rejoined the rest of us in the courtroom.&nbsp; Conspicuously absent at the moment were the bailiff and the judge himself, and we could only assume both would be putting in their appearances all too soon.&nbsp; While I tried to read both attorney's faces to get some feel of what was to come, the duo shared the same impassive and blank face that made it impossible to discern their mood.&nbsp; I realized at that instant that I never wanted to get into a game of high-stakes poker with Clarence as I was sure he would take me and everyone else at the table to the cleaners.</span></p> <p><span>As the two took their seats, Logan scuttled back over the railing, pushed his chair back up to the table and climbed back into the seat next to his attorney.&nbsp; He leaned over and whispered a quick question to Clarence who answered the inquiry with nothing more than a quick and simple nod.&nbsp; Unfortunately, I didn't hear what Logan asked so I didn't know if I should take that nod as good or bad news.&nbsp; One thing I did notice was Clarence rummaging in his case and pulling out two files that contained documents of obvious importance.&nbsp; We could only sit there quietly and stew in our own thoughts as we awaited the decision that would forever impact all our lives.</span></p> <p><span>The moment of truth kept creeping up on us and soon enough, the door behind us from the gallery into the courtroom was slammed open with a loud bang.&nbsp; Everyone spun in their seats to see what was happening and we were surprised to see the bailiff coming in that entrance when he'd stepped into the judge's chambers just a few moments ago.&nbsp; The most important part of his dramatic entrance that I caught was the contingent of four uniformed police officers who remained in the gallery just outside the slowly closing door.&nbsp; Luther wasted no time in covering the distance to the judge's chambers and he lightly rapped on the door when he reached it.&nbsp; He then pulled the handle attached to the solid wooden slab and held it open.</span></p> <p><span>"All rise," he bellowed, and we immediately followed his command as Judge Jackson stepped in and strode back to his lofty perch behind the bench.&nbsp; As Thomas settled into his chair and the door closed behind Luther as he headed back for his table, he added, "Court is now back in session, please take your seats."</span></p> <p><span>As soon as everyone was seated again, Clarence jumped back up like an errant pogo stick and grabbed the files he'd just retrieved. &nbsp;He then stepped over to George to hand one to him and followed that up by approaching the bench and passing the second one to Thomas.&nbsp; His deliveries made, Clarence calmly returned to the defense table and took his seat, patiently waiting for next act of the ongoing drama to unfold.</span></p> <p><span>We all watched the prosecutor and judge with interest as they perused whatever Clarence had just given them, neither man giving any hint of their emotions or attitude.&nbsp; God, this was nerve-wracking.&nbsp; All of us were sitting on the edges of our rock-hard seats, just waiting for the giant shoe to drop from the ceiling and squish the fragile little spider named Logan.&nbsp; With a tense nod from Thomas, he finally closed the file, laid it on the bench before him and slowly raised his head to focus on the prosecutor.&nbsp; After receiving a quick nod from George, the judge was finally ready to move things along.</span></p> <p><span>"Will the defendant please rise?"&nbsp; Logan slowly left his chair and stood at attention next to Clarence.&nbsp; It was at this point I seriously considered my hastily planned kidnapping and rapid getaway, but quickly realized I wouldn't get very far with the four cops I'd seen waiting just outside the courtroom, so I remained firmly planted on my seat.</span></p> <p><span>"Young man, you have been charged by the state with some very serious crimes for your actions against your uncle.&nbsp; I want to make sure you fully understand the predicament you put yourself and this court in by taking matters into your own hands and not asking for help when you needed it."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir, I do," Logan muttered flatly as Troy began to wiggle in celebration.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear that, Mr. Campbell.&nbsp; While the court appreciates your unflagging honesty and misguided attempt to accept complete responsibility for your actions with your guilty plea, I feel the only just course of action at this juncture is to reject your plea."&nbsp; A ripple of various exclamations filtered through the room and the judge waited a moment for quiet to be restored before continuing.&nbsp; "After reviewing the available evidence pertaining to this case in my chambers with both counsels present, it is my decision, and it's a decision fully supported by the prosecutor, that all charges against you shall be immediately <i>dismissed</i>."</span></p> <p><span>A stunned silence took over for just a moment before the boys, including Arley and Daril, found their voices and let go a gigantic `whoop' of victory.&nbsp; Logan, for his part, could do nothing more but collapse back into his chair with a huge sigh of relief.&nbsp; Clarence quickly wrapped an arm around the young man to ensure he didn't slide back to the floor again.&nbsp; As for me, I simply laid my head in my hands and began to weep, hot tears of joy slowly leaking from my bloodshot eyes and wetting my palms.</span></p> <p><span>The victory celebration was cut short by an ear-splitting screech of anger from the other side of the courtroom as the enraged Troy jumped to his feet as quickly as his sore groin would allow and bellowed, "WHAT!!?&nbsp; That nigger-lovin' little faggot bastard cuts off my balls, steals my money, leaves me for dead, and he gets to walk out o' here like none o' that shit ever happened?&nbsp; What the fuck, Stonewall!?"</span></p> <p><span>"Bailiff, please call your friends to join us and restrain Mr. Campbell, please," Thomas intoned calmly.</span></p> <p><span>"With pleasure, your Honor," Luther responded happily before he let loose a whistle that threatened to shatter the glass in the room and every dog in Stoddard County heard.&nbsp; Suddenly, the back doors to the courtroom burst open and the four cops darted in.&nbsp; While Troy had spun around to see the cause of the commotion taking place behind him, Luther jumped the railing and in moments, he had the furious and quaking Troy bound up in a headlock, holding him in place until a pair of handcuffs were placed snugly around Troy's wrists and his feet were securely shackled so he couldn't run.&nbsp; Once calm had been restored to the courtroom and Troy was firmly reseated by the four officers, the judge continued his commentary.</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Campbell, you are, without a doubt, the absolute lowest form of pond scum I've ever had the displeasure to see slither its way into my courtroom and in front of my bench," he began in a calm but still scathing tone.&nbsp; The rage that was flowing freely beneath his robes was felt by every one of us.&nbsp; "You've beat on your wife and children for years as if they meant absolutely nothing to you.&nbsp; You've terrorized and threatened the life of your only nephew just to get control of his money to save your own miserable existence. You've conned, lied and cheated your way through life, taking advantage of every poor soul that's had the misfortune to cross your path.</span></p> <p><span>"You lied to the police about what happened between you and your nephew, and you lied in this courtroom today when you answered Mr. Cantrell's questions, assuming, I guess, there wouldn't be anybody to refute those lies.&nbsp; Well, you made a very grave miscalculation in your evil plotting to fleece and then exterminate your young nephew.&nbsp; You see, sir, you were no match for such a young, intelligent, brave and resourceful young man such as Logan, not by a long shot.&nbsp; You'd have had a better chance of survival showing up to a gunfight with only a pocketknife to ward off the hail of bullets coming your way."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell you talkin' `bout?" Troy protested as he struggled to get free from the four cops holding him securely in place.</span></p> <p><span>"What you didn't know, Mr. Campbell, and probably wouldn't have cared if you did, is that Logan recorded your every interaction with him during the five days he was in your home," Thomas explained quietly.&nbsp; Troy immediately paled until he was as white as a sheet on hearing that revelation.&nbsp; "Thanks to having new fathers who love their new son so very much, Logan had a phone with him, and he videoed the threats, abuse, and harassment you dumped on him the whole time he was in your custody.&nbsp; Your nearly fatal mistake, though, was when you hit him, coward that you are.</span></p> <p><span>"He said in the first video he recorded in that hellhole you locked him in that he'd warned you what he was going to do if you ever hit him.&nbsp; You apparently didn't believe him or felt you could still overpower him and force him to bend to your demands.&nbsp; Well, whatever you thought, you were quite obviously sorely mistaken.&nbsp; One should never underestimate the cunning and power that tremendous gut-wrenching fear will instill in another individual.&nbsp; While you thought you had beaten this young man into submission, he was actually coiled as tightly as a snake wrapped around its next meal and ready to strike the moment an opportunity presented itself.&nbsp; The secret to such an attack, of course, is you have to catch your opponent when they're at their weakest.</span></p> <p><span>"And that's exactly what Logan did.&nbsp; He waited you out until he knew that your insatiable greed and unrelenting anger would blind you to everything else.&nbsp; Every time you went into that pigsty you euphemistically called a `basement' to continue your abuse of your young and defenseless nephew, he was sizing you up, and you didn't have a clue he was doing so.&nbsp; By the time you went down to that hellhole on Thursday afternoon to `let Logan know it was time for lunch', your goose had already been plucked, cooked and fricasseed, you were just too all-fire ignorant to understand you were stepping into the biggest, meanest and best built rattrap ever created.&nbsp; And you have only yourself to blame for all of it.</span></p> <p><span>"But, the instant the opportunity presented itself, Logan took advantage of your now obvious weakness in the moment and he lashed out viciously, striking with a sense of self-preservation and a resolve to win at all costs, an attack you were woefully unprepared for and had no way to counter.&nbsp; In my humble opinion, you are a very lucky man to be alive right now as I have no doubt your nephew had it in himself at that moment to kill you, just as you were prepared to kill him.&nbsp; And all over a little bit of money.&nbsp; Fortunately for you, I guess, he <i>only</i> castrated you.&nbsp; And if there was ever a man to walk the face of the Earth who didn't deserve to keep his testicles, it's you.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>"It gives me great pleasure to be the one to tell you that your privilege of claiming to be a free man in this country has been summarily revoked, hopefully for the rest of your natural life.&nbsp; Officers, would you kindly remove this fetid sack of shit from my sight and deposit his despicable sorry ass into the worst jail cell you have available?&nbsp; Preferably one with a dirt floor and no bed or toilet, if that's possible."</span></p> <p><span>"Gladly, your Honor," the lead officer replied as two of the hulking men slipped their arms under Troy's and forcefully lifted him from his seat.&nbsp; With one officer leading, two on each side supporting the broken man and one trailing, they began their long walk down the center aisle towards the exit.</span></p> <p><span>As the rest of us watched the sad and pathetic little parade, Logan jumped up onto the seat of his chair and called out, " `Scuse me, your Honor!"&nbsp; The group of five stopped moving and every head in the courtroom rapidly swiveled towards Logan.&nbsp; With all eyes on him, he quickly asked, "Can I say somethin' to that good-for-nothin' lowlife `fore they haul his ass outta here?"</span></p> <p><span>"After what you went through, young man, I do believe you've earned that right, so, you go right ahead," Thomas replied with smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, sir," Logan replied politely.&nbsp; While still standing on the seat of the chair to ensure Troy would be able to see and hear him without any problems, Logan turned back around to face his uncle and yelled, "Hey, scumbag, BITE ME!&nbsp; I hope you eat shit and die!"&nbsp; When the laughter died down, the four officers continued their task and soon enough, we'd been magically transported to a new reality, one without the foul stench of Troy polluting the air.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Your Honor!" Logan said as we all turned back around to face the front of the room.&nbsp; "I feel a helluva lot better now," he quickly added with a toothy grin.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think any of us could have said it better, Logan," Thomas agreed.&nbsp; "On that note, my last official words on this case are to say this; Logan Campbell, you are free to go home with the rest of your family.&nbsp; Have a blessed life, young man.&nbsp; Court is adjourned!" he exclaimed as he rapped the bench with his gavel.</span></p> <p><span>Logan pushed his chair back to the railing and quickly climbed over it, only to be immediately smothered by his brothers and cousins in a celebratory hug.&nbsp; While they were jumping for joy, Clarence packed and closed his case before stepping through the swinging gate.&nbsp; As soon as he joined me and set his case down on the pew, I wrapped the man in a grateful hug.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you for taking care of my son," I offered through my continuing sniffles of giddiness.</span></p> <p><span>"Happy to do it, Max.&nbsp; At least you never have worry about Troy darkening your door any time soon."</span></p> <p><span>"That bastard ever shows up at my home, I'm gonna have Tom kill him," I replied in all seriousness.&nbsp; "You'll still defend him, though, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right, I will.&nbsp; And I'll win that case, too," he added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>Just as we were separating, Thomas stepped through the gate and he commented, "I have to assume you're Logan's new dad."</span></p> <p><span>"One of them, yes," I confirmed.&nbsp; "I'm Max Sanders," </span></p> <p><span>"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Sanders.&nbsp; And I'm Thomas Jackson," he replied.&nbsp; "Well, I just want you to know that Logan is one of the finest, strongest and bravest people I've ever had the pleasure to meet.&nbsp; I hope you'll take good care of him."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, sir, we'll do our best."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd expect nothing less.&nbsp; If you don't mind, could I have a short moment with Logan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Certainly."&nbsp; I turned to the group huddle behind me and said, "Logan, front and center, young man."</span></p> <p><span>As soon as he could wiggle his way free from the others, he stepped over and asked, "What's up, Dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Judge Jackson would like a word with you."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh-oh, here it comes," he muttered under his breath.</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing like that," Thomas assured the nervous youngster.&nbsp; "Let's sit over here for just a minute," he added while indicating the pew recently vacated by his uncle.&nbsp; Once they'd taken their seats, Clarence and I started to chat with Arlene about her impending move to Illinois.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, sir," I asked bluntly.</span></p> <p><span>"I just wanted to tell you that I'm highly impressed with how you handled yourself today, Logan."&nbsp; I could feel the heat rise in my face as I blushed at the compliment.&nbsp; "Don't you dare be embarrassed about that, young man, not one bit.&nbsp; I've had fully grown men stand before me and almost wet themselves out of fear, men who were in much less trouble than you were when you first stepped foot into my courtroom today.&nbsp; But not you.&nbsp; You stood your ground and were ready to fall on a sword because you knew you were in the right.&nbsp; That took a ton of gumption and I'm proud of the way you stood up for yourself, both today and against your uncle."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait a sec', you're really okay with me cuttin' him like I did?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll have to admit, I wasn't one bit happy with that when I first found out about it and I was more than ready to see you were severely punished for what you'd done.&nbsp; That said, however, after seeing a few of the videos you recorded, I completely understand why you did it.&nbsp; I may not agree with your methods one hundred percent, mind you, but you were in a very tough spot and you made a snap decision on how you felt was the best way to protect yourself.&nbsp; One I'm sure that saved your life.&nbsp; I don't know if I would've reacted any better or different had it been me in your place."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, it was either him or me.&nbsp; And it dang sure weren't gonna be me if I had any say in it."</span></p> <p><span>"You also need to know that violence is not the proper way to settle differences between people.&nbsp; If you ever get into any other kind of trouble, I hope you'll call somebody for help."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know that.&nbsp; And as long as I got plenty of time, you can be sure I'll call the cops, sir.&nbsp; But I sure as heck wouldn't bet against me not denuttin' another scumbag who looks like he's gonna kill me, either," I giggled, and Stonewall giggled with me.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, with some luck on your side, and it looks like you have plenty of that coming your way, you won't be put in a position where you have to make a decision like that ever again," the judge replied with a crooked grin.&nbsp; "I guess the next thing I'd like to know is this; what the devil were you thinkin' when you attacked your uncle like you did?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that's all Ender's fault," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"And who or what's Ender?" the judge asked curiously.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, after the last time my daddy done beat the crap outta me and I'd moved in with Dad, Pops and my brothers, I wanted a book to read.&nbsp; The one Dad found he thought I might like is named <i>Ender's Game</i>.&nbsp; In the book, Ender was really a pretty nice kid who tried to get along with everybody, but he got into fights with a couple other kids who'd been pickin' on him.&nbsp; And see, Ender knew that if he didn't <i>win</i> those fights, the others'd just keep on doin' what they was doin', you know, makin' his life miserable and all. &nbsp;So, he went after them with ever'thing he had until he knew they couldn't never hurt `im again.&nbsp; What he didn't know until way later in the book was that he'd really killed both of `em, though he didn't mean to."</span></p> <p><span>"And how did that make you think you could win a fight with a man who's easily twice your size?" he asked with curiosity.</span></p> <p><span>"I fought the way Ender fought.&nbsp; You attack your enemy with full force and cause as much damage as you can as quick as you can.&nbsp; If you do it right, they won't never wanna fight you again `cause they know they're gonna get their ass handed to `em in a sling.&nbsp; So, once that bastard punched me in the face like he did, he was my enemy and I was Ender.&nbsp; I knew only one o' us was gonna walk outta that shithole in one piece, and I made dang sure it was me."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm really surprised you didn't kill him," he commented quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you think for sec I didn't feel like doin' it, `cause I surely did," I retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Then why is he still alive?"</span></p> <p><span>" `Cause I'm a survivor, sir, but I sure as heck ain't no killer, and don't never wanna be known as one.&nbsp; Guess that's the big difference `tween me and ol' Ender.&nbsp; I know when it's time to quit and he don't," I answered with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"I may have to buy that book and read it for myself."</span></p> <p><span>"You won't be sorry. It's a good one, that's for sure," I responded.</span></p> <p><span>"The last thing I want to tell you is you have one big ol' pair of brass, uh, well, you know whats."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know," I giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, don't let them write any checks you can't cash."</span></p> <p><span>"Huh?" I asked while cocking my head a bit sideways.</span></p> <p><span>"That means, keep yourself out of trouble, young man."</span></p> <p><span>"Gotcha," I agreed with a quick nod.&nbsp; "Ya know, I never go lookin' for trouble, but it still seems to find me, no matter where I am or what I'm doin'," I added with a smile.&nbsp; "But I promise to do the best I can, judge."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all anyone can ever do, Logan, is their best.&nbsp; You stick to that and you'll be fine."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, looks like Dad's ready to get the heck outta Dodge, so I gotta scoot.&nbsp; Thanks for ever'thing, sir," I commented as I slipped off the pew and leaned in to give my new friend, Stonewall, a hug.&nbsp; As he squeezed me back, I felt a little vibration run through his chest, almost like the ones I feel when I'm tryin' not to cry.&nbsp; I couldn't imagine a big man like him would be cryin' `bout nothin', though, so the thought slipped away as fast as it hit me.&nbsp; Once we let go of each other, I skipped back across the aisle, wrapped my arms around Dad's waist, and said, "Let's go, old man."</span></p> <p><span>Once Logan rejoined our group and announced he was ready to leave, everyone formed a line and headed for the exit with Logan happily and proudly leading the troupe.&nbsp; Clarence and I shared a quick handshake with Thomas as we passed by, and Joey, Alex, T.J. and Andy all gave him a hug while thanking him for letting their brother go back home with them.&nbsp; Daril and Arley stuck with a simple handshake, but Arlene insisted on giving Thomas another hug.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you for putting that man away and getting him out of our lives forever.&nbsp; I know we're moving, but I wouldn't a felt safe anywhere if he was free."</span></p> <p><span>"I was happy to do it, Ms. Campbell," Thomas replied.&nbsp; "I wish the best of luck for a bright future to you and your boys as you all start this new chapter in your lives."</span></p> <p><span>After one more quick hug between the two, it was time to get this show on the road.&nbsp; After a brief stop at the last row of seating to retrieve their meager belongings, we left the courtroom, trampled down the steps sounding like a herd of stampeding elephants, then stepped outside into the still bright and sunny afternoon.&nbsp; We quickly turned the corner to the right and crossed the street to our transportation for the day.</span></p> <p><span>As we drew closer to the big van, Arlene perked up and commented, "Oh, you've got Dolly!"</span></p> <p><span>"You know this van?" I asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure do.&nbsp; Know Bobby Joe pretty good, too.&nbsp; `Course, most ever'body `round these parts knows `bout Bobby Joe and his love affair with ol' Dolly," she laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's get your bags stowed in the back and everybody climb in.&nbsp; We should be able to be in the air and on the way home in about an hour."</span></p> <p><span>After unlocking and opening the rear doors, I continued on around to the passenger side to unlock those doors as well.&nbsp; Clarence opted to ride shotgun again while the five younger boys clambered into the back two rows of seats, leaving the bench right behind Clarence and me for Arlene, Arley and Daril.&nbsp; After climbing into the driver's seat and ensuring everyone was buckled into place, I began retracing our route back to Sikeston and the airport where our winged chariot waited for us.</span></p> <p><span>The mood in the vehicle on our return trip was much brighter and more festive than it had been on the trip in just a few short hours ago.&nbsp; The boys were doing their level best to keep Arlene, Daril and Arley entertained, regaling them with tales of trails, cemeteries and spooks as something they all had to look forward to.&nbsp; As for Clarence and me, we were uncharacteristically quiet for once, neither of us really being in the mood to discuss our day.</span></p> <p><span>On our return to the airport, we were met by Bobby Joe as I slowed the van to halt just outside the large open door of the hangar.&nbsp; The rest of the crew piled out of the van, Arlene and her sons grabbed their belongings from the back and I handed the key to the plane to Clarence so he could open it up while I chatted with Bobby Joe for just a minute.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, did Dolly take good care of ya?" he asked as we shook hands.</span></p> <p><span>"She sure did," I offered.&nbsp; "I can't thank you enough for letting us borrow her this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, sir," Bobby Joe replied.&nbsp; "Did y'all have a good trip?"</span></p> <p><span>"The absolute best trip I've ever had," I gushed as I was still overjoyed that Logan was coming home with us.</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it.&nbsp; Was that Arlene Campbell and her boys with ya?" he asked with curiosity.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah.&nbsp; They're moving to Illinois so they can live closer to Logan.&nbsp; Make it easier to be a real family."</span></p> <p><span>"Good for them," Bobby Joe commented happily.&nbsp; " `Bout time she got the hell away from that lowlife, good-for-nothin' hillbilly scum, Troy."</span></p> <p><span>"Well thanks, again, for everything Bobby Joe," I offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Y'all ever come back down this way, you make sure to look me up.&nbsp; I'm sure Dolly will be happy to run ya wherever y'all need to go."</span></p> <p><span>On that final note, I turned and aimed myself for our ride home, flipping one last quick wave goodbye to the friendly and ever helpful Bobby Joe, the hillbilly with a heart of pure gold.&nbsp; Within ten minutes of reaching ol' Annabelle, we were buttoned up, buckled in and setting sail for points north and home sweet home.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-87.html

Building a Family Chapter 87 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 87 � Max Goes off the Deep End Dad, Josh and I had been home for about forty to forty-five minutes and the old man had already crashed for the night. After getting a little bit of help from us, that is. As soon as we got in the house, he'd tossed some leftover roast and potatoes into the microwave and nuked it up while he went to his bedroom to lose his clothes. As for Josh and me, we'd discarded our minimal trappings in the car on the way home and had already dropped them in the hamper in the laundry room before settling ourselves on the couch in the family room and turning on a Cardinals baseball game. Once Dad had his steaming plate of grub, he joined us and dug in like he hadn't eaten for several days. I could tell pretty quickly it was going to be another one of those nights. "So, how was the party, guys? I hope you had fun," he mumbled around a mouthful of roast. "I had a blast, Dad," Josh answered happily. "It was okay, I guess," I agreed hesitantly. "Not a whole lotta fun for me since I had a bunch o' little kids hangin' on me all the time." "But you let them do it, right?" Dad asked with concern. "Of course, I did. I wasn't gonna be an asshole about it." "Good for you, Eric. I'm sure you didn't enjoy all the extra attention, but I'm glad you dealt with it properly," he replied before stuffing a large chunk of potato into his mouth, rendering further speech temporarily impossible. "How `bout you, old man?" Josh prodded. "How was your day?" "Tiring," Dad answered after swallowing. "We had 11 runs to deal with the last sixteen hours." "Any accidents?" "Only one," he mumbled before holding up a finger so he could finish his latest bite. With his mouth empty, he continued, "Only minor injuries, though, so that was no biggie. The worst call was a guy who'd gone to the gym during his lunch hour. Massive infarc while crankin' it hard on the treadmill. We lost him once on the way to Memorial, but Randy was able to get him goin' again just before we hit the ER. Don't know if he made it or not." "Well, that sucks," I muttered. "Was he an old, fat guy or somethin'?" "No, looked to be about my age, and in pretty good shape, too. We didn't have time to hang around after as we got another call just as we pulled in. I'll have to check on him tomorrow just to satisfy my own curiosity." "I hope he's okay," Josh commented, " `specially if he's got kids." Dad and I nodded our agreement to the positive thought for a man none of us knew. Having run out of things to talk about for the moment, we turned our attentions to the tube to watch what appeared was going to be yet another losing game for our favorite team. These guys just couldn't get their act together so far this year. Good thing it was still early in the season and they had plenty of time to turn things around. At this point, we could only watch and hope for that miracle to occur. Dad finally finished stuffing his face a few minutes later, moved the TV tray to the side of his chair and kicked his feet up. A couple of minutes more and he laid his chair back before closing his eyes. When he started snoring, I had Josh help me wake him up enough so we could get him into bed. We had him take a quick detour through the bathroom and while I held him upright, Josh aimed his dick towards the bowl as he took a leak. When the waterworks ended, we guided him to his bed and dumped his tired ass in it. As soon as his butt hit the mattress, he flopped onto his back, legs still dangling over the edge. I grabbed the right leg while Josh snagged the left, and working together, we managed to get a hundred and sixty-five pounds of dead weight turned the right direction with his head on the pillows. After pulling the sheet and cover over him so he wouldn't get too cold overnight, we both leaned in to kiss his forehead and tell him we loved him, receiving nothing more than unintelligible grunts in reply. Other kids might have been upset by this, but Josh and I had gotten used to it over the past couple of years. Thanks to all the double shifts Dad took on to make some extra money, nights like tonight had become a pretty regular occurrence around here. It was a lot easier for us to manhandle him into bed now than it was when it first started since both of us had grown a bit and gotten stronger in that time. Of course, the stop in the bathroom had become a whole lot easier once we'd adopted our new dress code. No more dropping his pants and then struggling to fish the one-eyed wonder worm out of his shorts and then stuff it back in, all while holding him up so he didn't fall face-first into the toilet filled with fresh piss. Once we got back to the family room, Josh jumped onto the couch again while I picked up Dad's plate, silver and glass. When I reached the kitchen, I rinsed them and then dropped it all into the dishwasher before rejoining my little brother and the shitty game wasting bandwidth on the cable. "I don't know `bout you dude, but I can't wait `til we get moved," I commented flatly. "Yeah, I can't wait either, `specially if every night turns out like last night did," Josh agreed with a smirk. "That's not what I'm talkin' `bout, ya fool. I'm talkin' `bout Dad not havin' to kill himself with all these freakin' double-shifts just to keep us in this shitty house. He can't keep doin' this crap week after week, month after month, or Max'll end up havin' to adopt us, too." "I wouldn't have a problem with that," the little shit retorted with the same stupid smirk still plastered across his cute little mug. "Well, I do, dammit. If Max and Tom are adopting us, that means Dad's dead, ya ignorant little dipshit. Or are you so focused on screwin' your damn boyfriend that that thought isn't penetratin' that thick fuckin' skull o' yours?" "Oh shit!" Josh exclaimed in horror as the annoying smirk finally disappeared. "I'm sorry, bro. I wasn't thinkin' `bout that," he added quietly as his eyes began to flood with tears and the seed I'd planted finally took root and sprouted. I pulled the munchkin into my arms and rubbed his back and shoulders to help calm him back down. When he finally quit shaking, he looked up and offered me a meek, "I'm really sorry, Eric, my brain was somewhere else." "I know exactly where you were, you horny little fucker, in bed with Joey, Alex, and Brent, right?" A cheesy grin spread back across the munchkin's face and he retorted, "Well, yeah. Like you haven't been thinkin' `bout Ron all day. Go on, tell me you haven't. Oh, and make me believe it," the brat added with a laugh. "Guilty as charged," I agreed. "God, what a fuckin' night we had." "C'mon, man, spill it," Josh prodded me. "Make ya deal, bro, I'll tell you `bout my night if you tell me `bout yours." "You're on, dude!! You go first." First, we shook hands to seal our deal, then I turned off the TV so we wouldn't be distracted by the stupid game neither of us was really watching. Once we'd both resettled on the couch facing each other with our legs crossed in front of us, I began sharing my tale. "You better not back out or I'll pound you into the ground," I warned Josh. After a quick negative shake of the ol' noggin, I continued. "Okay, man, here goes. Everybody had crawled into bed, right? I knew what you and the other three were gonna be doin' and I was hopin' to get some of that action with my bed partners, too, but Ron fuckin' ruined that when he pissed Mike off. Mikey mighta been boned up when he came in from his shower, but he sure as hell wasn't in a mood to do anything. "The others knew somethin' was up and they all just curled up together and started drifting off, one by one. Finally got down to just me bein' the only one still wide awake, but it was just too early, ya know?" A quick nod from Josh and I carried on. "So, I slipped outta bed and was plannin' to find a munchie then watch some TV or somethin'. As I came down the hallway, I saw light comin' from under Ron's door and before I could stop what I was doin', I'd actually knocked on the damn thing. I heard a buncha rustlin' goin' on like he was movin' `round and after I asked if I could come in, he muttered a `yeah' at me. "So, I went in, sat on the edge of his bed since he doesn't have any chairs in his room and we just talked for a little bit. The way he was sittin' though was kinda weird. He was leanin' against the headboard and had the sheet pulled up to his waist, but his knees were raised up and he was holdin' onto `em." "What'd you guys talk about?" Josh wanted to know. "Mostly about how Ron chickened out when he had a chance to play with Mike in the shower. That's what pissed the kid off. He was hopin' to get some sexy playtime with Ron and it didn't happen. But the more the two of us chatted, the more I caught myself starin' at his hairless chest and gut. And the more I stared, the more I started thinkin' `bout shavin' myself." Josh shot me a wicked smile at the thought of me gawkin' at Ron's shaved body. "Don't get me wrong, I've thought about doin' it ever since the first night we went over there and I saw Max. I mean, he's a nice enough lookin' dude but I think he's even hotter without the hair hidin' his body. "So, before I really knew what I was sayin', I was askin' Ron if he'd be willin' to teach me how to shave. He first made some crack about my wimpy mustache, but when I spread my legs wide and ran my fingers through the hair above my dick, his eyes lit up like a freakin' Christmas tree. He threw the sheet off, grabbed my hand and practically dragged me into his bathroom. That's when I found out he was stiff as a board just like I was and we both had a pretty good idea what was gonna end up happenin'." "And did it?" Josh asked eagerly, eyes wide open and begging for more. "I'm gettin' there, dude, hang on. So, we get in the shower and Ron gets me all wet, then puts some shaving gel on my face and has me raise my arms so he can add some more to my pits. He grabs the razor and starts workin' on my pits and when he's done there, he takes care of the `stache and the few scrawny fuckers on my chin. He finished with that, moved me out of the spray from the shower, then got some regular body wash and lathered me up from head to toes. Oh, that was fuckin' heaven, let me tell ya, feelin' his hands runnin' all over me. Once I was all soaped up, he started shaving the rest of my body, working from my shoulders down my back all the way to my ankles. Then, he had me turn around so he could do the same to my front side. "When he was about ninety-five percent done, he had me turn around again and lean over with my hands on the bench seat. I knew what was comin', dude, but I wasn't ready for it. Not by a long shot. He grabbed the can of shaving gel again and drizzled some over my ass. Then, after he spread it all over my cheeks, he used one hand to spread `em wide and used his other to make sure my crack was well-covered. I almost came unglued when I felt his fingertips brush over my asshole. After grabbing the razor again, he proceeded to shave my ass from the top o' my crack all the way down to my balls. By the time he was done back there, I was fuckin' quiverin' so bad, I could hardly stand up. "He musta figured that out for himself `cause after he got done rinsin' my ass out and off, he had me lay down on the bench so he could take care of the one spot he'd not touched yet. First, he soaped me up real good and spent a couple minutes just washin' my cock and balls. If I hadn't been thinkin' about school, I'da popped off right then. He was so gentle and his hands are so freakin' soft, I don't know how the hell I didn't. Then, he rinsed me off again and spent a minute lookin' really close at everything to see where all the hairs were. "So, out comes the gel one more time and he just lets it go. Once I'm covered, he starts spreadin' it around. Let me tell ya somethin', bro, you may think the body wash is slick and feels good on your junk, but you ain't felt nothin' `til you have somebody else strokin' your pole and massagin' your balls with shave cream. Oh my God, by the time he was ready to start usin' the razor again, my cock was achin' like it used to `fore Max taught me `bout jerkin' off. "When he went back to work with the razor, he started at the back of my sack and worked his way forward and up. He had a hard time keepin' my dick outta the way when he went to shave above it because it was so slick with gel, he couldn't keep a good grip. Which was probably a good thing, `cause as close as I was to shootin' off, if he'd a squeezed just a bit more, I'da lost it for sure. When he finally finished with the damn razor, he had me stand up and he hosed me down again to make sure there wasn't any soap or shaving gel anywhere on me." "Oh fuck, that sounds so fuckin' hot," Josh groaned as he boldly stroked his hardness. "It ain't over quite yet, buddy," I grinned and plowed on. "I thought we were done and was about to step out of the shower when Ron grabbed my shoulder. He spins me back around and says, `hang on there, stud, I need to see if you pass the test', and I'm like, `what test, dude?'. Ya wanna know what his answer was?" I asked needlessly as Josh was immediately noddin' his head almost as fast and hard as he was poundin' his pud. If his noggin hadn't been so firmly attached to his shoulders, it just might have fallen off. "He just stuck his tongue out as far as he could and waggled it around." Josh's eyes somehow grew even wider than they already were and his jaw dropped in surprise. Despite that, he didn't slow his stroking a bit. "Yeah, no shit, Sherlock. How the fuck you think I felt? Well, he spun me around again, pushed me forward so I was leanin' over with my hands on the bench and he just fuckin' attacked my hole with his tongue. And I don't mean just lickin' around it like we do, he was stuffin' it up inside me and sucking on it, too. He was drivin' me crazy with the tricks he can do. After `bout five minutes o' that shit, he turns me `round one more time, pushes me back on the bench and pulls my legs so my ass is hangin off the edge." Josh is really crankin' on his cock now and it looks like he's about to rip the damn thing off his body. "He spreads my legs wide, crawls between them and in one shot, has my cock and my balls stuffed in his mouth. At the same time he's goin' to town on my crotch, he slides a finger inside my asshole, wiggles it around a bit and then adds another one. As he started slidin' `em in and out, he keeps bobbin' up and down on my cock, pulling my balls every single time. I didn't last hardly thirty seconds after he started that shit. I warned him I was `bout to blow, but he just nodded his fuckin' head and kept goin'. "Well, what the hell could I do at that point? I just let go as he swallowed me whole one more time and I blasted it right down his throat. He didn't move his head or pull his fingers outta me until my dick quick jerkin' in his mouth. I was so wiped, my dick started wiltin' and Ron very slowly lifted his head from my crotch while swirling his tongue all around me to make sure I was cleaned up. After he freed his fingers from my ass, he crawled up in my face, covered my lips with his and slipped his tongue in my mouth. And some of my cum was still there. Never tasted my own before but I really like it," I added with a smirk. At this point, Josh couldn't take it any longer and he laid flat out on the couch, stretching his legs on either side of me. I could see he was getting desperate to get off and decided to help him reach his goal. Leaning over his skinny body, I pulled his hand away from his sore pecker and sucked his throbbing four and half inches into my mouth. With one of my hands, I prodded his right leg and when he lifted it up, I did to my brother what Ron had done to me last night and slipped a finger inside him, searching for that magic button we'd discovered not all that long ago. When I finally located the tender nugget, I gently massaged it with my fingertip while maintaining my lip-lock on his swelling cock. It didn't take him long to reach his pinnacle and I relished the feelings of his tight hole clamping down on my finger as his cock jerked and twitched like a spastic mime in my hungry mouth. I was a little bit surprised when I tasted something slightly different this time and suddenly realized my little brother had actually left a small deposit on my tongue for the very first time. That only served to make me increase the suction on him and I kept it going until he suddenly collapsed back onto the couch, eyes glazed over and temporarily wasted. I tenderly removed my finger from his tight hole and allowed his still stiff cock to leave my mouth, where it plopped flatly on his hairless pubic mound. I watched him closely for a couple of minutes and when I could see a little spark of life return to his eyes, I said, "I'm horny as fuck, too, dude, you feel up to fuckin' my ass?" The evil grin that overtook his face was answer enough for me. Sliding off the couch, I assumed the position on my hands and knees on the floor and Josh wasted no time in joining me. Without preamble, he crawled in behind me and rapidly filled my ass with all of him. As he started humping into me, he reached around my waist, found my leaking pecker and wrapped me up in his willing hand. Stroking my cock to the same rhythm he was pounding my ass, and with me being on the edge from telling Josh about Ron and me, I was ready to blow in no time at all. Less than a minute after my little brother assaulted my ass, I was pumping shot after shot onto the wood floor below us. At the same time, I could feel Josh's dick twitching in my ass as he came for a second time. Both of us were moaning in pleasure as our orgasms raced through our bodies. As my own dick was slowly softening despite Josh's continued light stroking, I felt his slip out of my ass and lightly graze the back of my sack. Both of us were completely spent and I finally rolled over onto my back away from the small puddle I'd created and once I quit moving, Josh crawled over and lay down on top of me. He gave me a little kiss on the lips, then whispered, "I love you, Eric," before resting his head on my shoulder. "I love you, too Josh," I replied softly. After about a minute of us snuggling together on the hard floor, Josh lifted his head and with a little giggle, asked, "So, did you pass the test?" "Ya know somethin', dude, I ain't got a fuckin' clue. I was so out of my mind when he was done drivin' me crazy, I forgot to ask," I laughed. "I'll have to ask him next time we go over." "You better," Josh demanded. "Look, man, I know we got a deal, and I swear I'll hold up my end of it, but I'm pooped. Can I tell you about my night tomorrow?" "Yeah, that's cool. I'm pretty wiped out, too." I pushed him up and added, "Let's run through a shower real quick and get in bed, buddy." "Can I sleep with you tonight?" he asked sweetly. "Why not?" I agreed. "Go get the shower going while I clean this up and I'll be right behind you." On that note, Josh slowly got up and headed down the hallway towards our bathroom. I zipped into the kitchen to grab some paper towels and then returned to the family room to clean up the mess we'd made together. That done, I joined the munchkin in the shower where we helped each other get cleaned up. Once we dried off, I made one last round of the house to make sure all the doors were locked and the lights turned off before joining my little brother in my bed. I'd barely gotten curled up behind him before we were both fast asleep. Well, like everybody on this planet, I've always heard the old saying `you learn something new every day'. And damned if they weren't right. I just never thought my lesson of the day would ever involve a six-year-old kid named Mike. But he sure opened my eyes to a few things tonight. The first one being kids his age actually can know who they are and what they like. Sexually, that is. While I knew I was gay about the age of ten or eleven after what me and Pat had learned together, I was genuinely surprised to discover that kids Mike's age could really know it as well. But after our shower, I had no more doubts in my mind about that. Obviously, everybody discovers their true self at their own pace, but knowing it at Mike's tender age is mind blowing. The second big thing I learned tonight is that the horny little bugger really does know what to do with a man-sized cock. He may not have that much experience or practice with one, but there's no denying what he did to me the shower. I don't think I'll ever figure out how he managed to stuff half my prong into his small mouth without choking himself to death, but he pulled it off without a hitch. All while I had my middle finger buried in his tight hole, massaging his tiny prostate. I really hadn't planned on invading Mike in that way, but he asked for it. Well, it was more like he demanded I do it, but however you looked at it, the end result was the same. And after disappointing the munchkin last night, I sure wasn't going to do that again. While he was suckling on my man teat, he had one hand tightly wrapped around the part he couldn't swallow and was fervently stroking it. With his other hand, he alternated between playing with and massaging my balls, then moving even further south and following suit on my asshole. While I occasionally enjoyed playing with my ass when I was by myself, I was never that hyped on letting anyone else doing it to me. I guess that was the third major thing I learned tonight, I really do like someone toying with my hole. As long as what they're doing doesn't stretch me to the point of causing pain, that is. And even with three fingers buried as deep inside me as he could get, I felt nothing but pure pleasure. Of course, while the youngster was working me over, I had his complete package in my mouth, giving his sweet little two-inch cocklet and marble-sized balls the best oral loving I'd ever given anyone. Well, except for maybe Eric last night since he got the full treatment from me. Little Mikey and I'd been working on each other for a bit when the rugrat suddenly went rigid. I could feel his little dick twitching in my mouth and his ass was rapidly clamping and relaxing my finger, so I knew he was having an orgasm. That was the fourth important thing I learned tonight, six-year-old kids can actually orgasm just like us adults, they just can't flood your mouth with semen when they do it. As soon as his dick, and to be honest, the rest of his body, stopped quivering, he lifted his head from my crotch, turned to face me and asked, "Can I stick my dick in your ass?" Again, this was something I'd not thought was a possibility, but thanks to his obvious lack of size and me being super horny, my reply was to let him slip from my mouth while I eased my finger from his hole. I then got onto the shower floor, placing a couple of washcloths on the floor under my knees before doing so. I laid my chest on the bench then stretched my arms backwards and spread my ass cheeks as wide as I could. Mike wasted no time with preliminaries as he quickly stepped between my feet, lined his dick up with my hole and stuffed it in me as deep as he could. Which wasn't very deep, mind you, and though I had been highly doubtful he'd be very successful in accomplishing the feat, I still gave him the opportunity to try. And he made the most if it, to be sure. The whole time he was riding my ass like the Lone Ranger rode Silver, Mike was grunting and groaning with delight. And despite his lack of size, I could actually feel that hot little rod pistoning in and out of me. As he continued fucking me, he reached a hand between my legs and grabbed my balls, picking up the gentle massage he'd abandoned when we changed positions. I really could not believe this was happening to me right now. When Max and Tom hired me, I could have never imagined I'd be letting one of their sons fuck me with wild abandon, especially one this young, yet here we are. And I was absolutely loving every second of it. As the munchkin continued pounding my ass, he was also lightly tugging and stretching my distended sack. I'd never played with my own balls the way Mike was and none of my other partners over the years had done so, either. But I was slowly learning a fifth thing for the night, that I really enjoyed the heightened feelings of pleasure I was receiving from his gentle ministrations. As Max and Tom had warned me, Mike was completely in control of what was happening between us. Not that I had a problem with that, especially since the munchkin was teaching me things I never knew about myself. And despite thinking I wouldn't be able to really feel much with a two-inch pecker in my ass, I was. Way more than I thought I would. Of course, the way he was tugging on my ball-sack may have had something to do with that. Way sooner than I expected, I felt my balls start pulling up and I knew I was really close to dumping a load onto the shower floor. "Oh, fuck, little dude, I'm about to lose it," I muttered through the waves of delight coursing in me. For his part, Mike could only respond with a steady stream of, "Uh, uh, uh, uh, ..." With one last push, Mike stuffed his pecker as deep in my ass as he could get it while pulling my bag one more time and holding it. I almost thought he was trying to rip them off, but the tension being applied just served to enhance the orgasm I thought might kill me. But what better way to fucking die than to die fucking. When Mike finally released me and rolled off to the side, he made a mistake and landed on the injured side of his cute little ass. "OW! Sonofabitch, that fuckin' hurt!" he screamed as he jumped up and gingerly took a seat on the bench next to my head. In my still somewhat delirious state, I looked up at him and muttered, "You okay, buddy?" "Yeah, I will be," he grunted in pain. "You ready to get cleaned up now?" I asked. "Seems like we should put some of this water to good use, don't ya think?" "Yeah, I stink and am really sweaty thanks to all the steam," Mike giggled. "Well, give my legs a minute so I can stand up without fallin' over and we'll take care of that." I'll give the kid props for being patient with me. Once I felt I'd be steady enough, I grabbed the sprayer on the hose to take care of the job we actually came in here for. Before I could get back to the bench, Mike was standing on it, hands against the wall and his pert bubble butt was in my face. I gave his scab a quick once-over to make sure it was still there and he wasn't bleeding. Satisfied he could crawl into bed and not ruin a pair of sheets, I got started on actually washing his skinny body. Following the same way I'd done last night, I worked my way from his shoulders to his feet, spending an extra moment or two cleaning between the globes of his behind, much to Mike's approval. With the backside sufficiently cleansed, I had him turn around so we could deal with the front. As can only happen in our youth, his stiff little morsel was still standing at obscene attention. "Jesus, dude, does it ever go away?" I asked with a chuckle. "Eventually, yeah," Mike giggled. "It might need a little more help, though," he added with a smirk. I shook my head in disbelief that this rugrat could still be boned up but continued my job of washing him. Much like last night, when I reached his waist, he was shaking in anticipation like a leaf. When I wrapped his cocklet in my slick, soapy hand, Mike almost collapsed onto the bench. I quickly held him in place to avoid further damage to his behind and continued the movements every guy knows all too well. It didn't take long for Mike to reach the point of no return as he bucked his hips forcefully to maximize what he was feeling. When I finally released his tender member from my grasp, I noticed he'd finally lost his erection. "Looks like that did it," I commented. "Good," Mike retorted. "I hate trying to go to sleep when I got a boner." "I know exactly how you feel, buddy" I agreed with a cheesy grin. When I finished washing his toes, I grabbed the spray head and rinsed the rugrat from head to toe. With Mike ready to move on, I quickly took care of myself, then shut off the water and grabbed towels. While drying my shower partner, I paid even closer attention to his bruised behind to make sure he was in good shape. He whimpered once during the process but assured he'd be fine in the morning. After drying myself and draping both towels back over the towel bars, I turned to Mike and said, "Okay, little buddy, time for bed." He held out his arms, put on that sad puppy dog that he uses to great effect, and begged, "Can I get a ride?" Well, how the hell can you say no to that face? The easy answer is you don't, and just like his dads, I caved like a mine with unstable supports, stepped back into the shower and lifted the kiddo into my arms, making sure to leave his sore butt hanging over my arm. When we reached his room, I was initially surprised to find only Andy waiting in bed for him and he was already sound asleep. Then I realized the most likely reason for that was T.J. was probably getting his `special birthday present' from his dads I'd been hearing whispers about throughout the day. While I didn't know exactly what the present was, I had my suspicions. I'd have to make sure they knew when my birthday was and see if I received the same. To avoid waking Andy, I set Mike on the floor next to the bed and knelt down to give him a hug good night. As we shared our hug, Mike whispered, "Thanks for taking good care of me tonight, Ron. I really had fun." "I could tell, Mike. Sorry `bout last night. We cool?" I asked tentatively. "As cucumbers, dude," Mike replied with a little giggle. On that, he carefully crawled onto the bed, curled up behind Andy and waited for me to pull the covers over them. That done, I whispered good night, then turned off the light and headed to my own room after closing their door. Once I crawled into bed, I replayed the shower the two of us had shared and all the lessons I'd learned during that short time. I finally accepted the fact that I really was okay with playing around with the boys the way they wanted. The most important word in that thought was `they'. The last conscious thought that flitted through my mind before sleep took me and I entered the realm of the dreamworld was the previously unknown desire to share a shower with all the boys. All at the same time. And if I could find a shower big enough to hold ten of us at the same time, I'd be more than happy to have Eric, Josh and Brent join the party as well. Jesus, what have I become? Thursday morning arrived much earlier than I expected. Of course, part of the reason for that was the late night we'd had entertaining T.J. and Logan. T.J., of course, was thrilled to receive his birthday present from Tom and me, and I have to admit we both enjoyed making him super happy on his special day. As to Logan finally joining us last night, all I can say is this; for a kid who claims to be straight, he joined in the festivities with no reservations, too. He'd learned some new lessons from Alex and Joey in the past month, as well, and he learned them well. After the four of us had been through our shower to get cleaned up, T.J. was still floating on cloud nine and we asked Logan to help guide the youngster to his bed. But that was all in the past and I now found myself focusing on my immediate future. I have anticipated this morning with equal parts hope for a brighter future and mortal dread for reliving a past I desperately longed to forget and put well behind me. While I knew this day was thundering towards me with the speed of a runaway freight train, I was still less than thrilled that it had finally arrived. When Paul had helped me recover the memories of my abuse by the Muellers just over a month ago, I knew then that I would, someday, have to go back to that demon hole and confront my past. Now that that day had finally arrived, I wanted nothing more than to roll over, pull the covers over my head and dig in for the rest of my life. Of course, with a wedding and adoptions less than a month away, I knew that really wasn't a viable option, tempting though it was. So, throwing caution to the winds, and the covers off the two of us, I stumbled from bed and into the bathroom to take care of my regular morning needs. Tom followed along in due course and we were soon joining Ron in the kitchen for our first cup of Joe. Ron was all smiles today, but that wasn't that unusual, really. He always seemed to be happy by default, it just seemed to be turned up an extra notch or two this day. "Someone seems to be extra cheery today," Tom cracked as he filled mugs for both of us. "You bet," Ron agreed before happily adding, "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood." "We can only assume your shower went well last night," I commented. "Better than I ever thought would be possible, guys," Ron grinned. "I'm really kinda kickin' myself in the ass for bein' such a pussy about it." "We take it you got over your concerns that were holding you back," Tom offered. "110%," Ron replied with a giant grin. "Good for you, buddy. Just make sure you follow the rules we set down," I added seriously. "Actually, I wanted to ask about that just to make sure I didn't cross a line." I shot Ron a look of concern, worried he'd already done something he shouldn't have. He put my fears to rest when he continued with, "Mike begged me to use a finger, uh, you know where, last night, but I hesitated until he swore you'd done the same thing to him the other night, Max. I want to know if that's allowed, especially since I did it without asking, `cause I think he woulda beat me senseless if I didn't." "Yes, Ron, that's okay." You could see the relief Ron felt on hearing he still had his job. And his genitals. "We know they're all indulging in anal sex with each other, and our fingers aren't that much bigger than their penises, so we're cool with one finger. No more than that until we manage to find time to search for the toys they want. Once they have those and have had some practice with them, we'll see about loosening up the rules a bit." Both Tom and Ron howled with laughter at my unintentional pun and once I realized what I'd said, I joined in the moment of hilarity. Once we'd all calmed back down, I added, "Okay, maybe I should have said relaxing the rules." I smacked myself in the forehead for another lousy word choice and the two clowns broke up again. "You two know what I mean," I vented. "Yeah, we do, babe," Tom chuckled. "You wake up the munchkins yet?" he asked Ron. "Yeah, they should be here any minute," Ron replied. No sooner had the words left his mouth than the crew started to filter in, all of them looking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed despite the somewhat later-than-normal bedtimes for a few of them. "Good timing, guys. Get the table ready and we'll have breakfast." Without argument, the boys got busy and we were soon ready to eat. Logan, Alex and Joey helped Ron get the food on the table and we all sat down to enjoy our first meal of the day. It was probably the only one I was going to enjoy, that's for sure. We were about halfway through when the front door opened and Dylan joined us at the table, filling a plate and digging in after offering a quick greeting to all of us. "What're you doing here today, Dylan?" Tom asked. "I thought you were gonna take the day off since Max and I are goin' to the church." "I've got to take care of the interviews I scheduled for today." "Oh, crap, I forgot all about those," Tom muttered as he smacked himself in the forehead. "Don't worry about it, boss. They're all scheduled for different times. And if I'm running a little late to one, I'll just call and let them know." "Thanks, partner, I appreciate it." "I'll wait to leave for the first one until after the fence guys get here just in case they have any questions before they get started this morning," Dylan added. "We haven't been out to see what they accomplished yesterday. Do you know what they're working on first?" "They've started on the remote activated gate at the end of the drive, the fence along the ditch to the north and also down the south side of the drive." "They do know the power line and the cable for the drive sensor to the house are on the south side of the drive, right? I'd hate for them to hit any of that." "Yep, I pointed out the control box for the sensor hiding behind that one tree and they ran a metal detector down the driveway all the way to the turn to the house. They should be good to go on that." "Thanks, Dylan," Tom replied. "I knew you'd be on top of it." With a nod, we returned to our meals and finished up pretty quickly. The boys were Johnny-on-the-spot with their cleanup, as usual. They'd finished their part and were just about to disappear into the theater when the drive sensor went off. We expected this to be LeVar and his group coming in to take care of some interviews today and the boys did an abrupt about face to meet them at the door. While Ron turned into the kitchen to finish the cleanup work and Dylan headed for his office, Tom and I joined the boys at the door just as LeVar was stepping inside. "Mornin', everyone!" LeVar called out with feeling. "Howdy, Mr. Burton," Logan replied as the herd surrounded our guests and began a five-minute hug-a-thon with everybody. Much to our surprise, Stuart had returned along with the others. Once the boys had received their hugs and Tom and I had shared handshakes with everyone, the four men quickly disappeared down the hallway to our bedroom to get undressed, leaving Michelle with us. While LeVar, Rex, Greg and Stuart got comfortable, the boys hightailed it to the theater and Tom and I led Michelle across the entry to settle ourselves in the living room. Along the way, I commented, "Didn't think we'd be seeing Stuart today." After a little giggle from Michelle, she replied, "Well, he and the boss had a nice little heart-to-heart when we got back to the hotel last night. Turns out Stu had been naked in his room all afternoon and he apologized to LeVar as soon we got back to our rooms. To prove the sincerity of his mea culpa, he lost his clothes while they chatted and LeVar joined him. They spent the next hour and a half talking about how to handle things with this series to ensure everyone would be as accepting of the working conditions as possible." "That's good to hear," I responded. "I know how much LeVar wants Stuart involved with it." "And what about you, Michelle?" Tom interjected. "What's your participation going to be? I mean, will you be on the set as well?" "Maybe a little bit here and there," she admitted. "I'm more Mr. Burton's personal assistant than anything else in the company. It's my job to handle his schedule, sit in on any meetings and take notes, that kind of thing. Still, I'm sure I'll have to be on set from time to time." "You're not going to have any problems being around nude people, will you?" I asked. "I don't think so, Max. Sure, it's new to me and I'm slowly getting used to the situation, but I think I'll be okay. Thanks for your concern." "Have you considered trying it yourself?" Tom asked. A light blush briefly flooded her face and she hesitantly admitted, "When I was alone in my room last night, yeah. It felt very different from what I'm used to, but I can see where a person could get accustomed to it pretty quickly." "Well, you're welcome to give it a try here, if you'd like," I offered. "Yeah, right," she laughed. "Like all you gay guys want a naked woman wandering around." "Wouldn't faze us a bit, would it, Max?" Tom chuckled. "Nope," I agreed. "Well, I just don't see it happening, guys. I think I'd feel odd being the only naked female around. I'll think about it and we'll see what happens Saturday with your moms and sister being here." "Fair enough," I agreed as LeVar and the other guys rejoined us and settled in. Turning to face LeVar, I asked, "So, what's your plan for today?" "Well, we didn't get much of a chance to talk to you and Tom yesterday, so I'd like to continue that with Michelle while Rex, Greg and Stuart begin talking to Ron and the boys." "Sounds good to us," Tom agreed. "Excellent," LeVar replied before turning to the three men and adding, "You guys know the plan, so get busy. Ron's still in the kitchen and the boys are in the theater, I believe." I gave him a quick nod to let him know his intuition was spot on and Rex, Greg and Stuart got up to get to their assigned interviews. Once they were gone, LeVar returned his focus to us and asked, "What time do you leave for your appointment, Max?" "About a quarter after ten," I answered. "And I'm guessing you'd prefer I didn't tag along?" "Probably not a good idea," I agreed. "I have no idea how I'll react while I'm there and I'd just as soon not have anybody besides Tom, Jason and Derek be there with me." "No problems, Max, I can understand that. Do you think you'll be willing to talk about the experience once you get back home?" "Not a clue," I admitted with serious reservations. "We'll have to see what kind of shape I'm in." "Fair enough, I guess," LeVar replied. "Why are you so interested?" Tom asked. "Well, I know several other people who've been through similar problems and it seems as though each has a different reaction to their ongoing issues. I think knowing Max's reaction to revisiting the site of his abuse will give us volumes of knowledge on how we need the character portrayed in the show and that will directly affect the person we cast to play the role. Especially when we're dealing with the time period of your life from after your abuse to now." "Like I said, we'll see, LeVar," I commented without conviction. "I may just be in a mood to kick y'all out when we get back home." "And if you do, that's fine," LeVar commented evenly. "We'll understand that you need some time to deal with whatever you need to." "Thanks for that," I replied solemnly. With that elephant of a subject banished from the room for the time being, the interview carried on in earnest. As the time approached for Tom and me to make our exit, I felt like I'd just been grilled by the C.I.A. with the thoroughness of the questions LeVar and Michelle asked and the detailed answers they requested. I had no idea how Tom felt about our interrogation, but he seemed to take it with aplomb. I can only assume his years on the force had prepared him for days like this. At ten after ten, Tom and I excused ourselves so we could get ready to leave. As we stepped into our bedroom, Tom asked, "Are you sure you're ready to this today?" "As ready as I'll ever be." "Okay then, let's make it so," he replied with resignation. We dressed in silence and once presentable to the public at large, headed for the theater to let the boys know we were leaving. I gratefully accepted all their hugs and words of support, knowing they'd all come in handy very shortly. With the boys returning to their chats with Greg and Stuart, our next stop was the dining room where Ron was still talking with Rex. I accepted another hug from Ron and a handshake from Rex before continuing across the house to say our goodbyes to LeVar and Michelle. I endured more hugs of well-being from those two before it was time to stop in and let Dylan know we were leaving. As soon as we stepped into the office, Dylan was leaving his chair and we met halfway between the door and his desk. The bone-crushing hug he gave me seemed to last forever, but I could feel the strength he was willing me through the protracted and caring embrace. When we finally separated, it was time to move on. Reaching the garage, Tom sank into the driver's seat of the Shelby while I collapsed into the passenger seat. When we pulled into the parking lot at the church thirty minutes later, we discovered Jason was waiting for us. And while we saw Derek's car, he was nowhere to be seen. After extracting ourselves from the `Stang, we greeted Jason and had a short discussion before heading inside. "Morning Max, Tom. How're you this morning?" Jason asked with concern. "I've had better days," I admitted flatly. Tom's reply was a simple waggle of his outstretched hand signifying he was just `so-so'. "About what I expected," Jason replied. "You know you don't have to do this if you don't think you're ready for it, right?" "Yeah, I know," I muttered before adding, "Can we just get it over with, please?" Jason laid a hand on my shoulder and said, "Let's go." The two gently guided me through the front door of the church and down the hallway towards and then past the sanctuary. As we turned the corner in the hallway that would lead us to the offices and classrooms, we spied Derek standing guard just outside the office we were aiming for, door standing open behind him. Unlike the last time I'd made that same turn, I didn't freeze up, though I did slow my pace considerably. Fortunately, Tom and Jason were with me every step of the way. As we passed by the secretary and pastor's offices, I caught a glimpse of the new inhabitants of those rooms and I couldn't imagine the thoughts running through their minds at the sight of the somber and overly serious trio moving slowly past them. I was sure I looked like I was headed for my own execution, but I didn't slow my progress any more than I already had. On reaching the office we were here to see, Derek held out a hand filled with something my mind wasn't up to registering at the moment and said, "Mornin' gents. Before we continue, I have to ask you all to wear these gloves and booties from here on in. I hope that's acceptable." I nodded numbly and after he handed a set to me, I sank down to the floor in the middle of the hallway to pull the booties over my shoes and then the gloves on my hands. While I was taking care of that, Jason pulled Tom and Derek about ten feet further down the hallway. "Okay, guys, I hope you're ready for this," Jason whispered as he slipped booties over his shoes. "I still think it's way too early. I really don't think Max is up to this," Tom muttered with frustration. "And though they're done with their work in the room, Agent Fix isn't at all happy I'm allowing this," Derek quietly added. "Just remember, we're here for Max and nobody else," Jason reinforced quietly. "He feels this is going to be an important step in his recovery, and though I tend to agree with you, Tom, that it's still too early in the process to revisit the site of his abuse, I'm also not going to fight Max on it." After just a moment's hesitation, Jason added, "And what I say from here on, goes. Understood?" With solemn nods from the other two, all three turned around to rejoin me, and Tom and Jason helped pull me back up to my feet. "Okay, Max, we're on your time now and this is your show. We'll be with you for every step until we leave. Whatever pace you choose to follow is fine with us, so go as fast or slow as you want." I nodded my agreement but kept my voice to myself as I wasn't sure I could speak properly at the moment. I slowly moved toward the open office door, my companions following on my heels. In three short steps, I was at the entry to the antechamber of hell on earth. I immediately looked to my left and saw the filing cabinets just as I remembered them being in the corner behind the door. To the right was the desk and chair that were always there, as empty now as they ever were twenty years ago. Turning back to the left, my gaze settled in the nook just beyond the filing cabinets and I saw that Derek had already pushed the concealed button to release the hidden door. It was swung fully open, as if inviting us to join a secret macabre party. Stepping into the office and on across it to the second doorway, I hesitated for just a moment before turning left and beginning my hesitant descent of the narrow staircase beyond. Not surprisingly, nothing had really changed since the last time I'd been forced down these stairs. My skin still crawled with each step and by the time I'd reached the last tread, I felt as if the fleas of a thousand camels has taken up residence on me. Tom was on the step just above me and his hand was resting on my shoulder, feeding me the strength I needed to continue this voyage of the damned. After waiting for a minute or two on that last step, I took a deep breath and finally managed to take the final giant leap, moving into the room itself. While I thought I'd been ready for it, I immediately felt like I was a terrified little kid all over again and stood rooted to the floor as if I'd stepped into a puddle of superglue. The table and chairs were just as I remembered them, along with the sink in the far corner and the little wooden cabinet that sat on the floor next to the sink. The lone light bulb in the ceiling cast an eerie glow about the space and did nothing to repel the feeling of gloom emanating from the dingy grey concrete walls, floor and ceiling. The biggest change in me this time was my point of view remained solidly within my own eyes for once, not the disembodied overhead scene I remembered all too well. I could sense the presence of Tom, Jason and Derek as they stood beside and behind me, but they were not my focus. Willing my feet to function again, I slid my way over towards the table and leaned heavily on the back of one of the folding metal chairs, hanging my head low in shame and disgust for having allowed myself to be repeatedly screwed over by two people my family and I had trusted. God, could we really have been that fucking stupid and blind to not see Frank and Iris for who they really were? The obvious answer to that rhetorical question was a resounding `yes'. Tom stepped closer and lightly rested a hand on my shoulder. I jumped in surprise at the gentle contact, and almost bolted from the room as the fear of getting spun around and coming face to face with a perversely naked and sexually aroused Frank flashed through my mind. It wasn't until he quietly asked, `you okay?', that I realized I was in no danger. Not this time, anyway. After receiving a tense but almost imperceptible nod from me, he released his delicate grip and stepped back to stand with Jason and Derek. Hovering over the chair, the rage I'd suppressed for twenty years began to simmer in my guts. It kept building and building, pulling in hate with it, then adding anguish to the mix, along with pain, self-loathing and a whole host of other emotions I couldn't begin to grasp or hope to catalog in my current state of mind. They were all being unceremoniously dumped into the venomous broth that was stewing deep inside of me. If it hadn't been for the support of the chair I was holding onto, I would have collapsed into a molten heap on the floor from the weight that was pressing down on me combined with the fire in my guts that was roiling with such fervor, I was about to explode. After a few minutes with no release of the tension I was dealing with in sight, I finally asked through tightly clenched teeth, "You said they're done in here, right Derek?" "Yeah," he answered nervously. "Good," I grunted savagely. Without conscious thought, I spun on my heels, chair still firmly held in my white-knuckled grasp. About three-fourths of the way around the spin, I watched in a haze as the chair suddenly slipped from my tenuous grip, flew across the room and smashed into the wooden cabinet, shattering the flimsy piece of shit into twenty or more pieces. God fuckin' damn it, that felt good. Without stopping to even think about what I was doing, I moved to the chair on the left side of the table. In the background that had unexpectedly become nothing but a blur to me, I heard someone say with urgency, `outta here, now,' just as I grabbed the next chair, lifted it from the floor and slammed it into the top of the table. The chair bent almost in half from the force of the blow, but the table still stood stoutly in the middle of the room, undamaged. `Well, we can't have that, can we?' I thought to myself. So, I raised the chair high over my head and swung for one of the legs with all my might. On making contact, the brittle wood cracked, and two-thirds of the leg skittered across the floor and bounced off a wall before coming to rest in a corner. Seeing that approach seemed to work rather well, I continued my assault on the piece of once sturdy furniture and wasn't satisfied until the table rocked madly on four very uneven legs. There wasn't a cast yet developed by medical science that would ever mend those fragmented appendages. With the folding metal chair in my hands twisted beyond any hope of repair, I discarded it over my shoulder without a second thought and moved on to the next one in line. I continued to assault the table with every ounce of strength I possessed, waiting for it to finally succumb to the repeated blows. As I moved around the haunting reminder of a young life horribly derailed, I tried different angles of attack and struck at different locations all over its surface. I started to lose a little steam on my tenth attempt, but on the thirteenth go `round, I was finally rewarded with a very satisfying and resounding crack. Seeing and hearing success was imminent, I redoubled my efforts and resumed my abuse of the table. On the eighteenth shot (yes, I was counting them), the top finally split right down the middle and the table settled onto the floor, no more than a useless pile of over-sized splinters. Spinning madly in my frenzy of destruction, I found the fourth and final chair had been unceremoniously shoved into the corner by the sink that still steadfastly hung on the wall in the corner of the room. I wasn't going to let either item escape my wrath and wailed away at the sink until the final chair was a useless lump of distorted metal and the ruined sink was dangling from the wall by a single stubborn bolt that, despite my best efforts, simply refused to let go of the fixture. Water was spraying freely from the torn pipes still embedded in the concrete wall and it was flooding the floor before trickling down the drain that was set in the middle of the flat surface. Physically exhausted by my destructive impulses and mentally wiped out by the raw emotions I had just exorcised from deep within my shattered soul, I stumbled to the lone dry corner of the room and crumpled into a sobbing heap on the floor. While it seemed as though I was in that corner for hours, I'm sure it was only a few moments after the others had heard my piece by piece dismantling of everything come to an abrupt halt and I was surrounded by the extremely worried Tom, Jason and Derek. "Jesus, Jason, what the fuck was that?" Tom asked with serious concern as he held me in his arms. "Release and relief, Tom," Jason answered calmly. "Agent Fix is gonna be pissed as hell," Derek muttered with disbelief as he surveyed the carnage surrounding us. "Fuck him!" Tom retorted angrily. "C'mon, guys," Jason began, "Let's get Max out of here." The three worked together in picking my lifeless mass from the floor and getting me back on my feet. Jason led the way back up the stairs while Tom helped guide me up and Derek followed along behind to make sure I didn't fall back down the steps. Once back in the office, they settled me onto the chair at the desk where I laid my head on my arms and continued to weep. Tom, Jason and Derek left me to my own devices as they stepped out into the hall to talk about the manic display of insanity they'd just witnessed. As I leaned over the desktop and let myself be engulfed in my own little pity party, I slowly came to realize what I'd just done. I'd completely trashed everything in that room that had for years held so many negative thoughts and emotions over me, so much so that I'd barely been able to function as a responsible adult. Sure, I'd go out to do my shopping and such when I needed to, but I almost always put it off until I had no other options. It was either replenish my food supplies or starve. I'd always hated being around other people, barely making exceptions for my own family. I also had no friends to speak of. And I was finally able to admit to myself that I'd truly been the complete waste of human protoplasm that my own father accused me of being last fall when I told my parents I was gay. Though we'd both reached that conclusion based on entirely different sets of facts, there was no denying the final analysis was the same. As the flow of tears finally began easing up, I slowly picked my head up and looked around the office in which I sat. Seeing the file cabinets lined up again the wall, partially hidden by the still open door, I no longer felt the crushing sadness at what they'd contained for so many years. Well, not nearly as badly as I'd felt it when I'd first learned of their existence from Dylan a few shorts weeks ago. And turning even further to my right, when my eyes reached the still open doorway to lucifer's little love nest, no fear or anxiety flooded through me as it had done when I first stepped into this room less than thirty minutes ago. To me, it was now just a hole in the wall that needed to be permanently sealed. My mood suddenly took a turn for the better on having those revelations. Using the shirt dampened by the spray of water created when the sink finally let go of the wall behind it, I wiped my face and nose clean, then did my best to dry my eyes with a slightly cleaner corner of the soggy garment. When I realized the futility of what I was attempting to do, I leaned back in the chair, gazed blindly at the ceiling and let go a big laugh. And I kept laughing for no apparent reason other than it felt really good to have a real reason to do so for once in my life. Sure, the boys had introduced lots of laughter into my otherwise mundane and boring life the last couple of months, but I always felt like I had to force it for some reason. The laughter never came easily or naturally to me and though it took me a while to figure out why, I realized it had been like that since the very first time Frank and Iris had dragged me into their torture chamber. Those two rotten, sadistic motherfuckers had not just abused me for years, they'd literally stolen my love of life from me, forced me to regard other people with a hidden fear no kid should ever have, and they ultimately took everything I ever enjoyed doing and turned it all into something foreign, something I dreaded. I vaguely remember Jason telling Tom in the room under this office that what I'd just done down there was `release and relief'. And he was right. For the first time since this madness began over twenty years ago, I felt truly free from all the crap that had been holding me back. When I finally opened my eyes and lowered my head from its upward angle, I discovered I was confronted by three very serious looking men and they were gawking at me in disbelief. Tom was the first to move and he stepped around the desk to pull me out of the chair and reel me into a bone-jarring hug. I could feel him shaking with what I guessed was fear at what I'd become. I gratefully returned his loving and reassuring embrace, melting into him as much as humanly possible, all while Derek and Jason glared at the two of us in disbelief. Though I knew I loved Tom very deeply from almost the first moment we met, fully understanding he was behind me one hundred percent and would always be there for me and our sons meant so much more to me now than it did when we crawled out of bed just a few short hours ago. When we finally broke apart, the concern for me in his eyes was palpable and he asked the most obvious of questions at that particular moment, "You okay?" With a slight grin, I answered simply, "Yeah, I think so." I was pulled back into another smothering hug, though this one was more tender and loving than the previous one had been. It's almost like he knew I didn't need him to hold me together as much as I had before. And I did need that for a while, though I hadn't really understood just how much so. When we separated again, Jason jumped at the opportunity to ask the next question, though it was really more a statement of fact couched in a question. "You really are feeling better about things now, aren't you?" he posited with serious concern. "Yes, Jason, I really am," I replied with a serene smile. "I knew coming back here could go one of two ways. I'd either break down completely and have to be hauled out of here in a straitjacket, or I'd walk out under my own power, head held high with pride at taking my life back from the bastards who robbed me of it. Yeah, I kinda combined the two into one, but it's the `head held high' part that makes it all worth it." "I was pretty sure that was the case, Max," Jason agreed. "I thought I could see a little flicker of life in your eyes I'd not seen before." I turned to the fourth man in the room and commented, "Sorry for trashing the hellhole, Derek. I don't know what came over me." "Don't worry `bout it, Max. I'm just happy we aren't waving goodbye as you get hauled away to a rubber room right now," he replied with a chuckle. "It's a damn good thing the `Fibbies' are done in there `cause if they weren't, I'd be out looking for a new job right about now." "Again, sorry. But think about it this way, with everything busted and broken to shit like it is, it'll make it a whole lot easier for someone to clean out before they pour the concrete to fill it in," I commented. Then, to nobody in particular, I added, "Well, someone should probably tell the new preacher man they've got a little leak in the basement," I added with a chuckle. "I'd hate for their water bill to skyrocket on my account. And tell `im to send the repair bill to me. I'll write it off as part of my therapy expenses when I do my taxes next year." As Derek left the room to take care of that little task, I looked to Jason and asked, "So, same time, same place next Thursday?" "I'm good with the same time, but I think we'd better meet at my office next time, Max," he answered with a sly grin. "I don't think the church will much appreciate you destroying the whole building bit by bit." "But I'd feel ever so much better if I did," I laughed. "These bastards are just lucky I'm not suing them for every fuckin' penny they've extorted from their flock of mindless sheep the last twenty years." "You might not be doing it yourself, Max, but I've heard from Agent Fix that it's a damn good possibility," Derek commented on rejoining us. "Watchu talkin' `bout?" I asked as if I was channeling the boys. "He told me about it this morning when I called to get an update of their progress on the various cases. It sounds like quite a few of the parents they've been in touch with have gotten together and are hiring some bigwig legal eagle from Chicago to represent them in a class action suit against the church. With over 3,000 confirmed victims of what was goin' on here, some of whom have taken their own lives, there's not gonna be much left when the dust settles." "Good for them," I replied. "You should add your name to the suit," Derek continued. "You'd get a hell of a payout when it's all over." "I don't want their fuckin' blood money," I spat in response. "I'll do just fine sitting on the sidelines and cheering on the other families in their drive to see justice is done for themselves and their kids." "That's what I figured you'd say," Derek smiled. I looked to Tom and said, "Take me home, hon. I need to get out of these wet fuckin' clothes and into a shower to wash off this annoying stench. I reek" "Yeah, you do," Tom retorted. "Your chariot awaits, babe," he added with a smirk. "Jason, Derek, thanks for making this happen today. I know I wasn't looking forward to coming back here, but you have no idea what trashing that room did for me and I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you for the support you've given me today." I gave both men huge hugs of thanks and appreciation before we took our leave and headed for home. After Max and Tom had left, Jason sank heavily into the chair Max had just vacated and he looked absolutely terrified. I settled my butt on the desk before turning to Jason and asking, "So, Dr. Biggs, did that go how you expected?" "Not a bit," he replied wiping off the sweat that had formed on his forehead. "I had no idea how Max would react going back into that room and for a few minutes there, I thought I was gonna have to call 9-1-1 to get out here to deal with him." "Seriously?" "You're damn right. I thought he'd really snapped and wasn't comin' back." "Holy shit," I breathed after realizing just how close we'd come to a complete disaster. "How come we weren't better prepared?" "Well, Derek, the biggest reason is everybody's different. And while I can't say much specifically about Max's case for obvious reasons, I can tell you that in the discussions we've had so far, he's always seemed to be in complete control of his emotions. Almost to the point of being obsessive-compulsive. And even though there were some warning signs of just how buttoned up he was, I never dreamed it'd come out like it did today." "So, you're sayin' we got lucky?" I asked. "You have no idea how lucky," Jason answered with a huge sigh of relief. "Sure, I've dealt with difficult patients before and I would have maybe expected some of them to go off the rails, but I didn't believe Max was capable of losing control like he did." "So, what happens with him now," I asked. "We keep talking," Jason answered simply with a crooked grin and a wink. "Gotcha," I nodded, "You can't tell me or you'd have to kill me, right?" "Somethin' like that," Jason chuckled in reply. "Well, you can take off if you want. I'm gonna hang around for the plumber to show up so the new pastor or secretary don't have to deal with them." As Jason left the chair, he commented, "Thanks for being here with us and letting us in, Derek. I truly hope you're not in hot water with the F.B.I. over what happened down there." "I'll deal with it," I replied. "Hey, if you ever need assistance with anything, let me know. I'll be glad to help you out any time you need it, Dr. Biggs." "I'll do that. And if you ever know someone who needs some help from a quack like me, give me ring." We both laughed as we shook hands. On that note, Jason left me alone and it was my turn to sink into the chair and contemplate just how badly we'd almost fucked up today. Just after pulling onto the interstate, Tom prodded, "Are you really sure you're okay, babe?" I laid a reassuring hand on his and answered with, "Yeah, I really am. I'm sorry you had to be there to see me lose my shit like that. I hope I haven't scared you off," I added with a grin. "Not a chance, Max," my honey retorted smartly. "Like you keep saying we're in this shit together, for better or worse, and you're absolutely right about that. I gotta admit, though, you scared the crap outta all of us when you threw that first chair the way you did. Those things are pretty heavy to be tossed around like a flippin' Frisbee." "Yeah, not sure where the hell that came from, but I'm glad I missed all of you with it." "It was probably an adrenalin rush. I could see somethin' serious was cookin' with ya, but we had no idea you'd go postal like you did." "Don't feel bad, I didn't either. It was just like every emotion I've kept bottled up for the last twenty plus years suddenly decided to rear its ugly head at the same instant. And once I got started, I couldn't stop myself for anything. I was about to give up on killing that fuckin' table until I finally heard it crack. Once that happened, it was game on until it was game over. Then, when I finally gave up on tryin' to beat the sink off the wall, I just collapsed. I've never been that fuckin' worn out in my life." "You'll probably be sore as hell later, too. God knows you're aren't usually that physical," he added with a little chortle. "Hey, don't you start picking on me for bein' a little chubby and lazy," I joked. "Especially after that little demonstration of how I deal with anger." "Trust me, babe, the last thing I ever want to do is piss you off," my teddy bear laughed. "Good thinkin', bubba. Remember, there's still a cemetery on the property," I retorted with my own laugh. "I hope you don't mind, hon, but I need to close my eyes." "You go right ahead, you've earned it, slugger. I'll let you know when we're home." "Thanks." On that note, I reclined my seat as far back as it would go and allowed myself the pleasure of zoning out for the remainder of the trip. I was jarred back to life when my chauffer hit the massive pothole in the driveway that was just past the bus shelter. As I sat up and returned my seatback to its more upright position, I commented, "Really? You couldn't miss that damn thing just once?" "Hey, not my fault," he countered. "That hole was here long before I was." "Hard to argue with that logic, I guess. Remind me to call John and have him get estimates on blacktopping the drive all the way to the houses. I'm tired of having to have rock hauled out and spread every couple of years." "That's gonna take a big chunk of money," Tom whistled. "Yeah, so what? With our parents, Dylan, Rick, Eric, Josh and who knows how many others gonna be around all the time, I'd much rather pay to deal with the drive once than to have to take care of their car repair bills every other day." "Can't really argue that point with ya," Tom agreed with a cheeky smirk. "So, ya kickin' LeVar out?" "Nah, but do me a favor, please." "Name it." "While I'm washing away the stink, pull LeVar aside and let him know that I'm not up to talkin' `bout what happened just yet. Maybe before he goes back to L.A." "You got it, babe," Tom replied as he pulled in the garage and shut off the engine. After climbing from our chariot, we headed inside the house. On reaching the living room, we discovered the whole group relaxing around a nice fire and talking up a storm. I gave everyone a quick wave before continuing on to our bedroom and a much-needed cleansing of my body and soul, assuming Tom was having a brief talk with LeVar. I didn't stay under the pounding spray for as long as I really wanted to and when I came back out of the bathroom, Tom was waiting patiently for me. "You feel any better?" he asked. "Cleaner, for sure, and I don't stink to high heaven any longer," I admitted. "At least I feel like I can be around other people without offending them," I added with a light chuckle. As I gave my furry teddy bear another hug, I said, "Thanks for not giving up on me, hon. I need you." "Yeah, I know," he laughed as we separated, earning him a sharp smack to the ass. "C'mon, babe, let's go find out what Ron's fixed for lunch." When we stepped into the kitchen, it was obvious to us the boys were completely in charge of today's menu. There were hot dogs rolling around on the griddle, Ron was stirring a big pot of boiling macaroni and all the other ingredients needed were on the counter, waiting to be added at the proper time. Baskets were filled with four different kinds of chips, and in a minor nod to the adults, a big bowl of tossed salad was ready to be moved to the table. "Salad with dogs and macaroni?" Tom asked. "Seems to be an odd combo." "Stuart's a vegan and it's the only thing I could think of that would work on short notice," Ron replied. "Let's hope it's satisfactory," I retorted. "So, how'd it go at the church?" Ron asked with curiosity. "We'll fill ya in later," I answered. After a quick nod of acknowledgement, Ron called out, "Boys, table!!" As usual, the house shook as the herd rumbled in to take care of their task. When T.J. finished putting the plates on the table so Mike and Andy could take care of the silverware and napkins, he came over, wrapped me in a hug and commented, "I'm happy for you, Dad." "For what?" I asked. "For lettin' go of all that crap this mornin'," he answered with smirk. "Thanks, buddy," I replied as I returned his hug and ruffled his hair. "Just do me a favor and ..." "I know, my lips are zipped," he interrupted while drawing his fingers across his mouth. "Like a lot of the other tall tales `round here, ain't my story to tell. But you better make sure the twins know that." "We do already, T.J.," Alex called over his shoulder as he was pouring drinks into glasses. "Thanks, guys," I offered lamely, truly realizing how difficult it is to keep any kind of secret in this house. Soon enough, Ron had everything ready to go and he yelled, "Come `n' get it!" As LeVar and his group joined us in the kitchen to fill bowls and plates with their dining choices, I finally noticed that Michelle had joined the rest of the crowd and lost her clothes while we were gone. I was guessing that had happened only a short time before Tom and I returned due to her slightly nervous demeanor, but she was giving it a fair shot. With fifteen people in the house, we let the boys, Ron, Stuart, Rex and Greg have the dining room while the rest of us ate in the living room. Conversation was light and, thankfully, the little chatter that was taking place stayed well clear of my experience at the church. When everyone was done eating and the kitchen was back in shape, everybody settled back into the living room to continue our interviews. Tom and I learned that the boys had all talked to Rex, Greg and Stuart, each man recording their talks and taking voluminous notes on different aspects of the boys' lives. While Rex was concentrating on their lives before moving in, Stuart was gathering information on the time since they'd arrived on February twenty-second. For his part, Greg was digging into their personalities, likes, dislikes and all the other little quirks that made each one the unique individual he is. After about an hour of all of us being involved in the conversation, the boys got bored and asked if they could go play some games in the theater. With our blessing and thanks for sticking with it as long as they had, they made short work of disappearing across the house. The rest of us continued to talk for about two more hours before LeVar called a halt to the proceedings. We had certainly not known how long he was planning to stay this afternoon, but I was thankful for his decision. We had a long day ahead of us tomorrow and it was another one I wasn't much looking forward to dealing with. Although, if it turned out as well as today had, it might not be too horrible. Once our inquisitors were appropriately clad for their trip back to town, we called the boys from their game so we could all say our goodbyes. After the boys had shared their regular hugs with LeVar and his crew, the boys disappeared back into the theater to return to the game they'd put on pause when we called them out. "So, what's your plan for tomorrow," Tom asked as he shared a handshake with LeVar and his group. "Well, after talking to your parents on the phone this afternoon, we're meeting at Jim and Rose's to have our talks with them there. We're supposed to arrive about noon, join them for lunch and then we'll have the rest of the afternoon for our discussions." "Sounds good to us, LeVar," I commented. "Better than our day is going to be, anyway." "I have faith that it's all going to work out just fine for Logan." "I hope to hell you're right," I replied. "Though we've been saying the same thing to him, I just have a hard time believing it myself." "Trust the system, guys," LeVar reaffirmed with confidence. With those final words, LeVar and his people took their leave and we finally had the house back to ourselves. I, for one, was looking forward to a quiet and relaxing evening before crashing early so I'd be in the right frame of mind when we took off in the morning. After Tom, Dylan and I retook our seats in the living room, Tom commented, "Dylan, I gotta say sorry for forcing you to deal with the interviews you had scheduled for us today. When we talked about our schedule the other day, I'd completely forgotten about Max's appointment with Jason today and what the plans were for that." "Don't worry about it, boss," Dylan replied. "Shit happens sometimes, don't it?" "More than I care to think about," Tom agreed. "Just don't blow off the one in J-ville in the morning `cause the one I'm takin' is scheduled for the same time and as good as I am, I sure as hell can't be in two places at the same time." "No worries, partner," Tom agreed. "So, how'd it go at the church?" Dylan asked, looking to me to supply the answer. "Let's just say it was interesting and leave it at that for the moment," I responded flatly. "Ya don't wanna talk about it, right?" he prodded. After a negative shake of my head, he continued, "That's all right, brother. I feel ya. Just know if you need anything from me, I'll do whatever I can to help." "I know, Dylan, and I appreciate it." We chatted about nothing of import for a bit before Dylan decided he'd had enough fun for one day and was ready to head for home. After saying goodbye to one another and Dylan making the required trip through the theater to share hugs with the boys, he took off. Ron suggested we all relax this evening and we were in no position, nor were we of the mind, to argue his suggestion. After the sumptuous feast we had for lunch, he also volunteered to make a run over to the Subway sandwich shop at the truck stop in New Berlin to pick up supper for everyone when folks started to get hungry. With agreement from all, we picked up our books to escape from real life for a while. The boys suddenly emerged from the theater around six, all claiming they were about to die of starvation. To avoid adding six more bodies to the cemetery, Ron quickly made a list of what type of sandwich everyone was hungry for and he headed out to pick up our food. By the time he returned, the table was all laid out with the necessary accouterments of enjoying a civilized if somewhat simple meal, including an assortment of various chips and dips and some carrots and cabbage. About halfway through our meal, the subject I'd been avoiding since coming back home suddenly floated to the surface. "Hey, Dad, you never told us how it went at the church this morning," Alex commented. "What, you don't already know?" I asked with surprise. "Well, yeah, me, Joey and, T.J. know, but the others don't," he replied. "Yeah, we ain't said nothin' `bout it all day since it ain't ours to share," Joey added. "Fine," I vented with a touch of frustration. While I struggled to hold a tight rein to the onslaught of oppressive negativity that had run roughshod over me for almost two-thirds of my life, I managed to relay the story to the whole group with minimal problems. Ron, Logan, Mike and Andy were all surprised by what I'd done, but once I finished telling my tale, they all gave me a thumbs up or some other type of positive acknowledgement. "I think I know how you must have felt, Dad," Logan offered. I was seriously confused at his comment and what he could possibly be comparing from his life to my own experience and asked, "Yeah? How so?" "Well, ya remember that night daddy came over after he got outta jail and I beat the crap outta him? Or tried to?" After a quick nod of acknowledgement from me, he continued. "I done put up with his beatin' on me for `bout two years by then and I was pissed as hell at him for it. I'd always wanted to hurt him back just to see if he could take it like he dished it out, and I saw my chance to get a little bit even with him, so I frikkin' took it. I tell ya, that first punch to his jaw felt so damn good after takin' his crap for years, I couldn't stop `til I was plum tuckered out." "So, you do know how I felt this morning, don't you?" I agreed. "Yeah, it was pretty much just like that. Once the first chair smashed the hell out of that crappy little cabinet by the sink, it just felt so right to keep goin'. So I did, and didn't stop until I could barely move. By the time I collapsed in the corner, I had nothin' left to give. And I never felt better in my whole stinkin' life. Well, except for that day I recorded Frank and Iris at the police station, now that was a great day." "So, you think you're all better now," Mike asked. "I don't know, guys. I may not be one-hundred percent just yet, but I'm a lot closer to it now than I was this morning." "That good news, Dad," Alex offered. "What time we leavin' for Dexter in the mornin'," Joey asked in a quick change of subject matter. "We need to leave here by nine," I answered. "It's not a long flight, but I want to make sure we have plenty of time to get a rental car and have something to eat before we have to be in court." "We'll be ready to boogie when you are," Logan replied. "I still wish I could go with you guys," Mike groaned in defeat. "Don't worry `bout it, bro," Logan responded. "You need to talk to Dr. Paul and see if he can help you with your nightmares. I slept with you a few times, now, and when those things get fired up, you can sure get to kickin'. And when that happens, I grab my junk and just hope you don't land one there." All six boys snickered as they knew the rude and painful awakening that would follow after receiving such a low blow. With the feeding frenzy over, the boys took care of the minor cleanup that was needed, and we all adjourned to the theater for another night of Star Trek. Filling the snack requests between the second and third episodes of the night took a few minutes, but once everyone had theirs, the last show of the night was started. Forty-five minutes later, the boys dropped their dessert dishes into the dishwasher and charged on across the house to shower and climb into bed. Tom and I followed along ten minutes later and after dispensing hugs, kisses and `love yous' to the sensational six-pack, we retreated to our own bedroom, wishing Ron a good night's sleep as we passed him in the hallway while he was headed to his own room. As Tom and I zipped through a shower, I commented, "I'm really worried about this court thing with Logan tomorrow." "You don't trust Clarence?" Tom asked. "If I didn't trust him, I wouldn't have suckered him into representing Logan. It's the rednecks we'll be dealin' with down there I don't trust half as far as I could throw `em." "Well, that's gonna be Clarence's problem, isn't it?" Tom commented. "I suppose so, but if somethin' goes wrong, we may never see Logan again." "You worry too much, babe," Tom retorted. "I can't help it," I countered. "If Logan loses tomorrow, the other five might just stage a mutiny. And who's to say that scumbag Troy isn't all buddy, buddy with the prosecutor and the judge down there? We know nothin' about what we're walkin' into." "Well, shit, now ya got me thinkin' bad things are gonna happen to our boy," Tom relented. "You better stop that shit right now," he added as he smacked the back of my head. "I'll do my best, but I can't make any promises. I'll probably spend the whole time in court with my fingers, toes, arms and legs crossed. Hell, I'll probably even cross my eyes and see if that'll help." "Just so long as you wait to do all that crap until you get into the courtroom. I don't want you tryin' to fly contorted like that," Tom commented with a little giggle. Despite my apprehension at what tomorrow might hold for us, I couldn't suppress my own giggle and when I was done with my little fit, I replied, "Thanks, I needed that, hon." "You ready to crawl into bed?" he asked as he turned off the water and I grabbed our towels. "With you? Always," I admitted with a big smile of serenity. With both of us dried off, we fell onto the bed, pulled the cover up and curled up together. I think I heard my honey whisper, `I love you', but after the day I'd had, I was too far gone to return the sentiment.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 87</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family"><span>enderwiggin61@outlook.com</span></a></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html"><span>http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</span></a><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments"><span>https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</span></a></p> <h2><span>Chapter 87 � Max Goes off the Deep End</span></h2> <p><span>Dad, Josh and I had been home for about forty to forty-five minutes and the old man had already crashed for the night. After getting a little bit of help from us, that is. As soon as we got in the house, he'd tossed some leftover roast and potatoes into the microwave and nuked it up while he went to his bedroom to lose his clothes. As for Josh and me, we'd discarded our minimal trappings in the car on the way home and had already dropped them in the hamper in the laundry room before settling ourselves on the couch in the family room and turning on a Cardinals baseball game. Once Dad had his steaming plate of grub, he joined us and dug in like he hadn't eaten for several days. I could tell pretty quickly it was going to be another one of those nights.</span></p> <p><span>"So, how was the party, guys? I hope you had fun," he mumbled around a mouthful of roast.</span></p> <p><span>"I had a blast, Dad," Josh answered happily.</span></p> <p><span>"It was okay, I guess," I agreed hesitantly. "Not a whole lotta fun for me since I had a bunch o' little kids hangin' on me all the time."</span></p> <p><span>"But you let them do it, right?" Dad asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I did. I wasn't gonna be an asshole about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Good for you, Eric. I'm sure you didn't enjoy all the extra attention, but I'm glad you dealt with it properly," he replied before stuffing a large chunk of potato into his mouth, rendering further speech temporarily impossible.</span></p> <p><span>"How `bout you, old man?" Josh prodded. "How was your day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Tiring," Dad answered after swallowing. "We had 11 runs to deal with the last sixteen hours."</span></p> <p><span>"Any accidents?"</span></p> <p><span>"Only one," he mumbled before holding up a finger so he could finish his latest bite. With his mouth empty, he continued, "Only minor injuries, though, so that was no biggie. The worst call was a guy who'd gone to the gym during his lunch hour. Massive infarc while crankin' it hard on the treadmill. We lost him once on the way to Memorial, but Randy was able to get him goin' again just before we hit the ER. Don't know if he made it or not."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that sucks," I muttered. "Was he an old, fat guy or somethin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, looked to be about my age, and in pretty good shape, too. We didn't have time to hang around after as we got another call just as we pulled in. I'll have to check on him tomorrow just to satisfy my own curiosity."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope he's okay," Josh commented, " `specially if he's got kids." Dad and I nodded our agreement to the positive thought for a man none of us knew.</span></p> <p><span>Having run out of things to talk about for the moment, we turned our attentions to the tube to watch what appeared was going to be yet another losing game for our favorite team. These guys just couldn't get their act together so far this year. Good thing it was still early in the season and they had plenty of time to turn things around. At this point, we could only watch and hope for that miracle to occur. Dad finally finished stuffing his face a few minutes later, moved the TV tray to the side of his chair and kicked his feet up. A couple of minutes more and he laid his chair back before closing his eyes.</span></p> <p><span>When he started snoring, I had Josh help me wake him up enough so we could get him into bed. We had him take a quick detour through the bathroom and while I held him upright, Josh aimed his dick towards the bowl as he took a leak. When the waterworks ended, we guided him to his bed and dumped his tired ass in it. As soon as his butt hit the mattress, he flopped onto his back, legs still dangling over the edge. I grabbed the right leg while Josh snagged the left, and working together, we managed to get a hundred and sixty-five pounds of dead weight turned the right direction with his head on the pillows. After pulling the sheet and cover over him so he wouldn't get too cold overnight, we both leaned in to kiss his forehead and tell him we loved him, receiving nothing more than unintelligible grunts in reply. </span></p> <p><span>Other kids might have been upset by this, but Josh and I had gotten used to it over the past couple of years. Thanks to all the double shifts Dad took on to make some extra money, nights like tonight had become a pretty regular occurrence around here. It was a lot easier for us to manhandle him into bed now than it was when it first started since both of us had grown a bit and gotten stronger in that time. Of course, the stop in the bathroom had become a whole lot easier once we'd adopted our new dress code. No more dropping his pants and then struggling to fish the one-eyed wonder worm out of his shorts and then stuff it back in, all while holding him up so he didn't fall face-first into the toilet filled with fresh piss.</span></p> <p><span>Once we got back to the family room, Josh jumped onto the couch again while I picked up Dad's plate, silver and glass. When I reached the kitchen, I rinsed them and then dropped it all into the dishwasher before rejoining my little brother and the shitty game wasting bandwidth on the cable.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know `bout you dude, but I can't wait `til we get moved," I commented flatly.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I can't wait either, `specially if every night turns out like last night did," Josh agreed with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"That's <i>not </i>what I'm talkin' `bout, ya fool. I'm talkin' `bout Dad not havin' to kill himself with all these freakin' double-shifts just to keep us in this shitty house. He can't keep doin' this crap week after week, month after month, or Max'll end up havin' to adopt us, too."</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't have a problem with that," the little shit retorted with the same stupid smirk still plastered across his cute little mug.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I do, dammit. If Max and Tom are adopting <i>us</i>, that means Dad's <i>dead</i>, ya ignorant little dipshit. Or are you so focused on screwin' your damn boyfriend that that thought isn't penetratin' that thick fuckin' skull o' yours?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh shit!" Josh exclaimed in horror as the annoying smirk finally disappeared. "I'm sorry, bro. I wasn't thinkin' `bout that," he added quietly as his eyes began to flood with tears and the seed I'd planted finally took root and sprouted. I pulled the munchkin into my arms and rubbed his back and shoulders to help calm him back down. When he finally quit shaking, he looked up and offered me a meek, "I'm really sorry, Eric, my brain was somewhere else."</span></p> <p><span>"I know exactly where you were, you horny little fucker, in bed with Joey, Alex, and Brent, right?"</span></p> <p><span>A cheesy grin spread back across the munchkin's face and he retorted, "Well, yeah. Like you haven't been thinkin' `bout Ron all day. Go on, tell me you haven't. Oh, and make me believe it," the brat added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Guilty as charged," I agreed. "God, what a fuckin' night we had."</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, man, spill it," Josh prodded me.</span></p> <p><span>"Make ya deal, bro, I'll tell you `bout my night if you tell me `bout yours."</span></p> <p><span>"You're on, dude!! You go first." First, we shook hands to seal our deal, then I turned off the TV so we wouldn't be distracted by the stupid game neither of us was really watching. Once we'd both resettled on the couch facing each other with our legs crossed in front of us, I began sharing my tale.</span></p> <p><span>"You better not back out or I'll pound you into the ground," I warned Josh. After a quick negative shake of the ol' noggin, I continued. "Okay, man, here goes. Everybody had crawled into bed, right? I knew what you and the other three were gonna be doin' and I was hopin' to get some of that action with my bed partners, too, but Ron fuckin' ruined that when he pissed Mike off. Mikey mighta been boned up when he came in from his shower, but he sure as hell wasn't in a mood to do anything.</span></p> <p><span>"The others knew somethin' was up and they all just curled up together and started drifting off, one by one. Finally got down to just me bein' the only one still wide awake, but it was just too early, ya know?" A quick nod from Josh and I carried on. "So, I slipped outta bed and was plannin' to find a munchie then watch some TV or somethin'. As I came down the hallway, I saw light comin' from under Ron's door and before I could stop what I was doin', I'd actually knocked on the damn thing. I heard a buncha rustlin' goin' on like he was movin' `round and after I asked if I could come in, he muttered a `yeah' at me.</span></p> <p><span>"So, I went in, sat on the edge of his bed since he doesn't have any chairs in his room and we just talked for a little bit. The way he was sittin' though was kinda weird. He was leanin' against the headboard and had the sheet pulled up to his waist, but his knees were raised up and he was holdin' onto `em."</span></p> <p><span>"What'd you guys talk about?" Josh wanted to know.</span></p> <p><span>"Mostly about how Ron chickened out when he had a chance to play with Mike in the shower. That's what pissed the kid off. He was hopin' to get some sexy playtime with Ron and it didn't happen. But the more the two of us chatted, the more I caught myself starin' at his hairless chest and gut. And the more I stared, the more I started thinkin' `bout shavin' myself." Josh shot me a wicked smile at the thought of me gawkin' at Ron's shaved body. "Don't get me wrong, I've thought about doin' it ever since the first night we went over there and I saw Max. I mean, he's a nice enough lookin' dude but I think he's even hotter without the hair hidin' his body.</span></p> <p><span>"So, before I really knew what I was sayin', I was askin' Ron if he'd be willin' to teach me how to shave. He first made some crack about my wimpy mustache, but when I spread my legs wide and ran my fingers through the hair above my dick, his eyes lit up like a freakin' Christmas tree. He threw the sheet off, grabbed my hand and practically dragged me into his bathroom. That's when I found out he was stiff as a board just like I was and we both had a pretty good idea what was gonna end up happenin'."</span></p> <p><span>"And did it?" Josh asked eagerly, eyes wide open and begging for more.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm gettin' there, dude, hang on. So, we get in the shower and Ron gets me all wet, then puts some shaving gel on my face and has me raise my arms so he can add some more to my pits. He grabs the razor and starts workin' on my pits and when he's done there, he takes care of the `stache and the few scrawny fuckers on my chin. He finished with that, moved me out of the spray from the shower, then got some regular body wash and lathered me up from head to toes. Oh, that was fuckin' heaven, let me tell ya, feelin' his hands runnin' all over me. Once I was all soaped up, he started shaving the rest of my body, working from my shoulders down my back all the way to my ankles. Then, he had me turn around so he could do the same to my front side.</span></p> <p><span>"When he was about ninety-five percent done, he had me turn around again and lean over with my hands on the bench seat. I knew what was comin', dude, but I wasn't ready for it. Not by a long shot. He grabbed the can of shaving gel again and drizzled some over my ass. Then, after he spread it all over my cheeks, he used one hand to spread `em wide and used his other to make sure my crack was well-covered. I almost came unglued when I felt his fingertips brush over my asshole. After grabbing the razor again, he proceeded to shave my ass from the top o' my crack all the way down to my balls. By the time he was done back there, I was fuckin' quiverin' so bad, I could hardly stand up.</span></p> <p><span>"He musta figured that out for himself `cause after he got done rinsin' my ass out and off, he had me lay down on the bench so he could take care of the one spot he'd not touched yet. First, he soaped me up real good and spent a couple minutes just washin' my cock and balls. If I hadn't been thinkin' about school, I'da popped off right then. He was so gentle and his hands are so freakin' soft, I don't know how the hell I didn't. Then, he rinsed me off again and spent a minute lookin' really close at everything to see where all the hairs were.</span></p> <p><span>"So, out comes the gel one more time and he just lets it go. Once I'm covered, he starts spreadin' it around. Let me tell ya somethin', bro, you may think the body wash is slick and feels good on your junk, but you ain't felt nothin' `til you have somebody else strokin' your pole and massagin' your balls with shave cream. Oh my God, by the time he was ready to start usin' the razor again, my cock was achin' like it used to `fore Max taught me `bout jerkin' off.</span></p> <p><span>"When he went back to work with the razor, he started at the back of my sack and worked his way forward and up. He had a hard time keepin' my dick outta the way when he went to shave above it because it was so slick with gel, he couldn't keep a good grip. Which was probably a good thing, `cause as close as I was to shootin' off, if he'd a squeezed just a bit more, I'da lost it for sure. When he finally finished with the damn razor, he had me stand up and he hosed me down again to make sure there wasn't any soap or shaving gel anywhere on me."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh fuck, that sounds so fuckin' hot," Josh groaned as he boldly stroked his hardness.</span></p> <p><span>"It ain't over quite yet, buddy," I grinned and plowed on. "I thought we were done and was about to step out of the shower when Ron grabbed my shoulder. He spins me back around and says, `hang on there, stud, I need to see if you pass the test', and I'm like, `what test, dude?'. Ya wanna know what his answer was?" I asked needlessly as Josh was immediately noddin' his head almost as fast and hard as he was poundin' his pud. If his noggin hadn't been so firmly attached to his shoulders, it just might have fallen off. "He just stuck his tongue out as far as he could and waggled it around." Josh's eyes somehow grew even wider than they already were and his jaw dropped in surprise. Despite that, he didn't slow his stroking a bit.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, no shit, Sherlock. How the fuck you think I felt? Well, he spun me around again, pushed me forward so I was leanin' over with my hands on the bench and he just fuckin' attacked my hole with his tongue. And I don't mean just lickin' around it like we do, he was stuffin' it up inside me and sucking on it, too. He was drivin' me crazy with the tricks he can do. After `bout five minutes o' that shit, he turns me `round one more time, pushes me back on the bench and pulls my legs so my ass is hangin off the edge." Josh is really crankin' on his cock now and it looks like he's about to rip the damn thing off his body.</span></p> <p><span>"He spreads my legs wide, crawls between them and in one shot, has my cock and my balls stuffed in his mouth. At the same time he's goin' to town on my crotch, he slides a finger inside my asshole, wiggles it around a bit and then adds another one. As he started slidin' `em in and out, he keeps bobbin' up and down on my cock, pulling my balls every single time. I didn't last hardly thirty seconds after he started that shit. I warned him I was `bout to blow, but he just nodded his fuckin' head and kept goin'.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what the hell could I do at that point? I just let go as he swallowed me whole one more time and I blasted it right down his throat. He didn't move his head or pull his fingers outta me until my dick quick jerkin' in his mouth. I was so wiped, my dick started wiltin' and Ron very slowly lifted his head from my crotch while swirling his tongue all around me to make sure I was cleaned up. After he freed his fingers from my ass, he crawled up in my face, covered my lips with his and slipped his tongue in my mouth. And some of my cum was still there. Never tasted my own before but I really like it," I added with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>At this point, Josh couldn't take it any longer and he laid flat out on the couch, stretching his legs on either side of me. I could see he was getting desperate to get off and decided to help him reach his goal. Leaning over his skinny body, I pulled his hand away from his sore pecker and sucked his throbbing four and half inches into my mouth. With one of my hands, I prodded his right leg and when he lifted it up, I did to my brother what Ron had done to me last night and slipped a finger inside him, searching for that magic button we'd discovered not all that long ago. When I finally located the tender nugget, I gently massaged it with my fingertip while maintaining my lip-lock on his swelling cock. </span></p> <p><span>It didn't take him long to reach his pinnacle and I relished the feelings of his tight hole clamping down on my finger as his cock jerked and twitched like a spastic mime in my hungry mouth. I was a little bit surprised when I tasted something slightly different this time and suddenly realized my little brother had actually left a small deposit on my tongue for the very first time. That only served to make me increase the suction on him and I kept it going until he suddenly collapsed back onto the couch, eyes glazed over and temporarily wasted.</span></p> <p><span>I tenderly removed my finger from his tight hole and allowed his still stiff cock to leave my mouth, where it plopped flatly on his hairless pubic mound. I watched him closely for a couple of minutes and when I could see a little spark of life return to his eyes, I said, "I'm horny as fuck, too, dude, you feel up to fuckin' my ass?"</span></p> <p><span>The evil grin that overtook his face was answer enough for me. Sliding off the couch, I assumed the position on my hands and knees on the floor and Josh wasted no time in joining me. Without preamble, he crawled in behind me and rapidly filled my ass with all of him. As he started humping into me, he reached around my waist, found my leaking pecker and wrapped me up in his willing hand. Stroking my cock to the same rhythm he was pounding my ass, and with me being on the edge from telling Josh about Ron and me, I was ready to blow in no time at all.</span></p> <p><span>Less than a minute after my little brother assaulted my ass, I was pumping shot after shot onto the wood floor below us. At the same time, I could feel Josh's dick twitching in my ass as he came for a second time. Both of us were moaning in pleasure as our orgasms raced through our bodies. As my own dick was slowly softening despite Josh's continued light stroking, I felt his slip out of my ass and lightly graze the back of my sack. Both of us were completely spent and I finally rolled over onto my back away from the small puddle I'd created and once I quit moving, Josh crawled over and lay down on top of me.</span></p> <p><span>He gave me a little kiss on the lips, then whispered, "I love you, Eric," before resting his head on my shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>"I love you, too Josh," I replied softly.</span></p> <p><span>After about a minute of us snuggling together on the hard floor, Josh lifted his head and with a little giggle, asked, "So, did you pass the test?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ya know somethin', dude, I ain't got a fuckin' clue. I was so out of my mind when he was done drivin' me crazy, I forgot to ask," I laughed. "I'll have to ask him next time we go over."</span></p> <p><span>"You better," Josh demanded. "Look, man, I know we got a deal, and I swear I'll hold up my end of it, but I'm pooped. Can I tell you about my night tomorrow?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's cool. I'm pretty wiped out, too." I pushed him up and added, "Let's run through a shower real quick and get in bed, buddy."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I sleep with you tonight?" he asked sweetly.</span></p> <p><span>"Why not?" I agreed. "Go get the shower going while I clean this up and I'll be right behind you." On that note, Josh slowly got up and headed down the hallway towards our bathroom. I zipped into the kitchen to grab some paper towels and then returned to the family room to clean up the mess we'd made together. That done, I joined the munchkin in the shower where we helped each other get cleaned up. Once we dried off, I made one last round of the house to make sure all the doors were locked and the lights turned off before joining my little brother in my bed. I'd barely gotten curled up behind him before we were both fast asleep.</span></p> <p><span>Well, like everybody on this planet, I've always heard the old saying `you learn something new every day'. And damned if they weren't right. I just never thought my lesson of the day would ever involve a six-year-old kid named Mike. But he sure opened my eyes to a few things tonight. The first one being kids his age actually can know who they are and what they like. Sexually, that is. While I knew I was gay about the age of ten or eleven after what me and Pat had learned together, I was genuinely surprised to discover that kids Mike's age could really know it as well. But after our shower, I had no more doubts in my mind about that. Obviously, everybody discovers their true self at their own pace, but knowing it at Mike's tender age is mind blowing.</span></p> <p><span>The second big thing I learned tonight is that the horny little bugger really does know what to do with a man-sized cock. He may not have that much experience or practice with one, but there's no denying what he did to me the shower. I don't think I'll ever figure out how he managed to stuff half my prong into his small mouth without choking himself to death, but he pulled it off without a hitch. All while I had my middle finger buried in his tight hole, massaging his tiny prostate. I really hadn't planned on invading Mike in that way, but he asked for it. Well, it was more like he demanded I do it, but however you looked at it, the end result was the same. And after disappointing the munchkin last night, I sure wasn't going to do that again.</span></p> <p><span>While he was suckling on my man teat, he had one hand tightly wrapped around the part he couldn't swallow and was fervently stroking it. With his other hand, he alternated between playing with and massaging my balls, then moving even further south and following suit on my asshole. While I occasionally enjoyed playing with my ass when I was by myself, I was never that hyped on letting anyone else doing it to me. I guess that was the third major thing I learned tonight, I really do like someone toying with my hole. As long as what they're doing doesn't stretch me to the point of causing pain, that is. And even with three fingers buried as deep inside me as he could get, I felt nothing but pure pleasure.</span></p> <p><span>Of course, while the youngster was working me over, I had his complete package in my mouth, giving his sweet little two-inch cocklet and marble-sized balls the best oral loving I'd ever given anyone. Well, except for maybe Eric last night since he got the full treatment from me. Little Mikey and I'd been working on each other for a bit when the rugrat suddenly went rigid. I could feel his little dick twitching in my mouth and his ass was rapidly clamping and relaxing my finger, so I knew he was having an orgasm. That was the fourth important thing I learned tonight, six-year-old kids can actually orgasm just like us adults, they just can't flood your mouth with semen when they do it.</span></p> <p><span>As soon as his dick, and to be honest, the rest of his body, stopped quivering, he lifted his head from my crotch, turned to face me and asked, "Can I stick my dick in your ass?"</span></p> <p><span>Again, this was something I'd not thought was a possibility, but thanks to his obvious lack of size and me being super horny, my reply was to let him slip from my mouth while I eased my finger from his hole. I then got onto the shower floor, placing a couple of washcloths on the floor under my knees before doing so. I laid my chest on the bench then stretched my arms backwards and spread my ass cheeks as wide as I could. Mike wasted no time with preliminaries as he quickly stepped between my feet, lined his dick up with my hole and stuffed it in me as deep as he could.</span></p> <p><span>Which wasn't very deep, mind you, and though I had been highly doubtful he'd be very successful in accomplishing the feat, I still gave him the opportunity to try. And he made the most if it, to be sure. The whole time he was riding my ass like the Lone Ranger rode Silver, Mike was grunting and groaning with delight. And despite his lack of size, I could actually feel that hot little rod pistoning in and out of me. As he continued fucking me, he reached a hand between my legs and grabbed my balls, picking up the gentle massage he'd abandoned when we changed positions.</span></p> <p><span>I really could not believe this was happening to me right now. When Max and Tom hired me, I could have never imagined I'd be letting one of their sons fuck me with wild abandon, especially one this young, yet here we are. And I was absolutely loving every second of it. As the munchkin continued pounding my ass, he was also lightly tugging and stretching my distended sack. I'd never played with my own balls the way Mike was and none of my other partners over the years had done so, either. But I was slowly learning a fifth thing for the night, that I really enjoyed the heightened feelings of pleasure I was receiving from his gentle ministrations.</span></p> <p><span>As Max and Tom had warned me, Mike was completely in control of what was happening between us. Not that I had a problem with that, especially since the munchkin was teaching me things I never knew about myself. And despite thinking I wouldn't be able to really feel much with a two-inch pecker in my ass, I was. Way more than I thought I would. Of course, the way he was tugging on my ball-sack may have had something to do with that. Way sooner than I expected, I felt my balls start pulling up and I knew I was really close to dumping a load onto the shower floor.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, fuck, little dude, I'm about to lose it," I muttered through the waves of delight coursing in me.</span></p> <p><span>For his part, Mike could only respond with a steady stream of, "Uh, uh, uh, uh, ..."</span></p> <p><span>With one last push, Mike stuffed his pecker as deep in my ass as he could get it while pulling my bag one more time and holding it. I almost thought he was trying to rip them off, but the tension being applied just served to enhance the orgasm I thought might kill me. But what better way to fucking die than to die fucking. When Mike finally released me and rolled off to the side, he made a mistake and landed on the injured side of his cute little ass.</span></p> <p><span>"OW! Sonofabitch, that fuckin' hurt!" he screamed as he jumped up and gingerly took a seat on the bench next to my head.</span></p> <p><span>In my still somewhat delirious state, I looked up at him and muttered, "You okay, buddy?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I will be," he grunted in pain.</span></p> <p><span>"You ready to get cleaned up now?" I asked. "Seems like we should put some of this water to good use, don't ya think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I stink and am really sweaty thanks to all the steam," Mike giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, give my legs a minute so I can stand up without fallin' over and we'll take care of that."</span></p> <p><span>I'll give the kid props for being patient with me. Once I felt I'd be steady enough, I grabbed the sprayer on the hose to take care of the job we actually came in here for. Before I could get back to the bench, Mike was standing on it, hands against the wall and his pert bubble butt was in my face. I gave his scab a quick once-over to make sure it was still there and he wasn't bleeding. Satisfied he could crawl into bed and not ruin a pair of sheets, I got started on actually washing his skinny body.</span></p> <p><span>Following the same way I'd done last night, I worked my way from his shoulders to his feet, spending an extra moment or two cleaning between the globes of his behind, much to Mike's approval. With the backside sufficiently cleansed, I had him turn around so we could deal with the front. As can only happen in our youth, his stiff little morsel was still standing at obscene attention.</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus, dude, does it ever go away?" I asked with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Eventually, yeah," Mike giggled. "It might need a little more help, though," he added with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>I shook my head in disbelief that this rugrat could still be boned up but continued my job of washing him. Much like last night, when I reached his waist, he was shaking in anticipation like a leaf. When I wrapped his cocklet in my slick, soapy hand, Mike almost collapsed onto the bench. I quickly held him in place to avoid further damage to his behind and continued the movements every guy knows all too well. It didn't take long for Mike to reach the point of no return as he bucked his hips forcefully to maximize what he was feeling. When I finally released his tender member from my grasp, I noticed he'd finally lost his erection.</span></p> <p><span>"Looks like that did it," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Good," Mike retorted. "I hate trying to go to sleep when I got a boner."</span></p> <p><span>"I know exactly how you feel, buddy" I agreed with a cheesy grin. </span></p> <p><span>When I finished washing his toes, I grabbed the spray head and rinsed the rugrat from head to toe. With Mike ready to move on, I quickly took care of myself, then shut off the water and grabbed towels. While drying my shower partner, I paid even closer attention to his bruised behind to make sure he was in good shape. He whimpered once during the process but assured he'd be fine in the morning. </span></p> <p><span>After drying myself and draping both towels back over the towel bars, I turned to Mike and said, "Okay, little buddy, time for bed."</span></p> <p><span>He held out his arms, put on that sad puppy dog that he uses to great effect, and begged, "Can I get a ride?"</span></p> <p><span>Well, how the hell can you say no to that face? The easy answer is you don't, and just like his dads, I caved like a mine with unstable supports, stepped back into the shower and lifted the kiddo into my arms, making sure to leave his sore butt hanging over my arm. When we reached his room, I was initially surprised to find only Andy waiting in bed for him and he was already sound asleep. Then I realized the most likely reason for that was T.J. was probably getting his `special birthday present' from his dads I'd been hearing whispers about throughout the day. While I didn't know exactly what the present was, I had my suspicions. I'd have to make sure they knew when <i>my</i> birthday was and see if I received the same.</span></p> <p><span>To avoid waking Andy, I set Mike on the floor next to the bed and knelt down to give him a hug good night. As we shared our hug, Mike whispered, "Thanks for taking good care of me tonight, Ron. I really had fun."</span></p> <p><span>"I could tell, Mike. Sorry `bout last night. We cool?" I asked tentatively.</span></p> <p><span>"As cucumbers, dude," Mike replied with a little giggle. On that, he carefully crawled onto the bed, curled up behind Andy and waited for me to pull the covers over them. That done, I whispered good night, then turned off the light and headed to my own room after closing their door.</span></p> <p><span>Once I crawled into bed, I replayed the shower the two of us had shared and all the lessons I'd learned during that short time. I finally accepted the fact that I really was okay with playing around with the boys the way they wanted. The most important word in that thought was `they'. The last conscious thought that flitted through my mind before sleep took me and I entered the realm of the dreamworld was the previously unknown desire to share a shower with all the boys. All at the same time. And if I could find a shower big enough to hold ten of us at the same time, I'd be more than happy to have Eric, Josh and Brent join the party as well. Jesus, what have I become?</span></p> <p><span>Thursday morning arrived much earlier than I expected. Of course, part of the reason for that was the late night we'd had entertaining T.J. and Logan. T.J., of course, was thrilled to receive his birthday present from Tom and me, and I have to admit we both enjoyed making him super happy on his special day. As to Logan finally joining us last night, all I can say is this; for a kid who claims to be straight, he joined in the festivities with no reservations, too. He'd learned some new lessons from Alex and Joey in the past month, as well, and he learned them well. After the four of us had been through our shower to get cleaned up, T.J. was still floating on cloud nine and we asked Logan to help guide the youngster to his bed.</span></p> <p><span>But that was all in the past and I now found myself focusing on my immediate future. I have anticipated this morning with equal parts hope for a brighter future and mortal dread for reliving a past I desperately longed to forget and put well behind me. While I knew this day was thundering towards me with the speed of a runaway freight train, I was still less than thrilled that it had finally arrived. When Paul had helped me recover the memories of my abuse by the Muellers just over a month ago, I knew then that I would, someday, have to go back to that demon hole and confront my past. Now that that day had finally arrived, I wanted nothing more than to roll over, pull the covers over my head and dig in for the rest of my life.</span></p> <p><span>Of course, with a wedding and adoptions less than a month away, I knew that really wasn't a viable option, tempting though it was. So, throwing caution to the winds, and the covers off the two of us, I stumbled from bed and into the bathroom to take care of my regular morning needs. Tom followed along in due course and we were soon joining Ron in the kitchen for our first cup of Joe. Ron was all smiles today, but that wasn't that unusual, really. He always seemed to be happy by default, it just seemed to be turned up an extra notch or two this day.</span></p> <p><span>"Someone seems to be extra cheery today," Tom cracked as he filled mugs for both of us.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet," Ron agreed before happily adding, "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood."</span></p> <p><span>"We can only assume your shower went well last night," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Better than I ever thought would be possible, guys," Ron grinned. "I'm really kinda kickin' myself in the ass for bein' such a pussy about it."</span></p> <p><span>"We take it you got over your concerns that were holding you back," Tom offered.</span></p> <p><span>"110%," Ron replied with a giant grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Good for you, buddy. Just make sure you follow the rules we set down," I added seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, I wanted to ask about that just to make sure I didn't cross a line." I shot Ron a look of concern, worried he'd already done something he shouldn't have. He put my fears to rest when he continued with, "Mike begged me to use a finger, uh, you know where, last night, but I hesitated until he swore you'd done the same thing to him the other night, Max. I want to know if that's allowed, especially since I did it without asking, `cause I think he woulda beat me senseless if I didn't."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, Ron, that's okay." You could see the relief Ron felt on hearing he still had his job. And his genitals. "We know they're all indulging in anal sex with each other, and our fingers aren't that much bigger than their penises, so we're cool with <i>one</i> finger. No more than that until we manage to find time to search for the toys they want. Once they have those and have had some practice with them, we'll see about loosening up the rules a bit." Both Tom and Ron howled with laughter at my unintentional pun and once I realized what I'd said, I joined in the moment of hilarity. Once we'd all calmed back down, I added, "Okay, maybe I should have said relaxing the rules." I smacked myself in the forehead for another lousy word choice and the two clowns broke up again. "You two know what I mean," I vented.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we do, babe," Tom chuckled. "You wake up the munchkins yet?" he asked Ron.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, they should be here any minute," Ron replied. No sooner had the words left his mouth than the crew started to filter in, all of them looking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed despite the somewhat later-than-normal bedtimes for a few of them. "Good timing, guys. Get the table ready and we'll have breakfast."</span></p> <p><span>Without argument, the boys got busy and we were soon ready to eat. Logan, Alex and Joey helped Ron get the food on the table and we all sat down to enjoy our first meal of the day. It was probably the only one I was going to enjoy, that's for sure. We were about halfway through when the front door opened and Dylan joined us at the table, filling a plate and digging in after offering a quick greeting to all of us.</span></p> <p><span>"What're you doing here today, Dylan?" Tom asked. "I thought you were gonna take the day off since Max and I are goin' to the church."</span></p> <p><span>"I've got to take care of the interviews I scheduled for today."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, crap, I forgot all about those," Tom muttered as he smacked himself in the forehead.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it, boss. They're all scheduled for different times. And if I'm running a little late to one, I'll just call and let them know."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, partner, I appreciate it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll wait to leave for the first one until after the fence guys get here just in case they have any questions before they get started this morning," Dylan added.</span></p> <p><span>"We haven't been out to see what they accomplished yesterday. Do you know what they're working on first?"</span></p> <p><span>"They've started on the remote activated gate at the end of the drive, the fence along the ditch to the north and also down the south side of the drive."</span></p> <p><span>"They do know the power line and the cable for the drive sensor to the house are on the south side of the drive, right? I'd hate for them to hit any of that."</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, I pointed out the control box for the sensor hiding behind that one tree and they ran a metal detector down the driveway all the way to the turn to the house. They should be good to go on that."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dylan," Tom replied. "I knew you'd be on top of it." </span></p> <p><span>With a nod, we returned to our meals and finished up pretty quickly. The boys were Johnny-on-the-spot with their cleanup, as usual. They'd finished their part and were just about to disappear into the theater when the drive sensor went off. We expected this to be LeVar and his group coming in to take care of some interviews today and the boys did an abrupt about face to meet them at the door. While Ron turned into the kitchen to finish the cleanup work and Dylan headed for his office, Tom and I joined the boys at the door just as LeVar was stepping inside.</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin', everyone!" LeVar called out with feeling.</span></p> <p><span>"Howdy, Mr. Burton," Logan replied as the herd surrounded our guests and began a five-minute hug-a-thon with everybody. </span></p> <p><span>Much to our surprise, Stuart had returned along with the others. Once the boys had received their hugs and Tom and I had shared handshakes with everyone, the four men quickly disappeared down the hallway to our bedroom to get undressed, leaving Michelle with us. While LeVar, Rex, Greg and Stuart got comfortable, the boys hightailed it to the theater and Tom and I led Michelle across the entry to settle ourselves in the living room.</span></p> <p><span>Along the way, I commented, "Didn't think we'd be seeing Stuart today."</span></p> <p><span>After a little giggle from Michelle, she replied, "Well, he and the boss had a nice little heart-to-heart when we got back to the hotel last night. Turns out Stu had been naked in his room all afternoon and he apologized to LeVar as soon we got back to our rooms. To prove the sincerity of his mea culpa, he lost his clothes while they chatted and LeVar joined him. They spent the next hour and a half talking about how to handle things with this series to ensure everyone would be as accepting of the working conditions as possible."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear," I responded. "I know how much LeVar wants Stuart involved with it."</span></p> <p><span>"And what about you, Michelle?" Tom interjected. "What's your participation going to be? I mean, will you be on the set as well?"</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe a little bit here and there," she admitted. "I'm more Mr. Burton's personal assistant than anything else in the company. It's my job to handle his schedule, sit in on any meetings and take notes, that kind of thing. Still, I'm sure I'll have to be on set from time to time."</span></p> <p><span>"You're not going to have any problems being around nude people, will you?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think so, Max. Sure, it's new to me and I'm slowly getting used to the situation, but I think I'll be okay. Thanks for your concern."</span></p> <p><span>"Have you considered trying it yourself?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>A light blush briefly flooded her face and she hesitantly admitted, "When I was alone in my room last night, yeah. It felt very different from what I'm used to, but I can see where a person could get accustomed to it pretty quickly."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you're welcome to give it a try here, if you'd like," I offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right," she laughed. "Like all you gay guys want a naked woman wandering around."</span></p> <p><span>"Wouldn't faze us a bit, would it, Max?" Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope," I agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I just don't see it happening, guys. I think I'd feel odd being the only naked female around. I'll think about it and we'll see what happens Saturday with your moms and sister being here."</span></p> <p><span>"Fair enough," I agreed as LeVar and the other guys rejoined us and settled in. Turning to face LeVar, I asked, "So, what's your plan for today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we didn't get much of a chance to talk to you and Tom yesterday, so I'd like to continue that with Michelle while Rex, Greg and Stuart begin talking to Ron and the boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to us," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent," LeVar replied before turning to the three men and adding, "You guys know the plan, so get busy. Ron's still in the kitchen and the boys are in the theater, I believe." I gave him a quick nod to let him know his intuition was spot on and Rex, Greg and Stuart got up to get to their assigned interviews. Once they were gone, LeVar returned his focus to us and asked, "What time do you leave for your appointment, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"About a quarter after ten," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"And I'm guessing you'd prefer I didn't tag along?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably not a good idea," I agreed. "I have no idea how I'll react while I'm there and I'd just as soon not have anybody besides Tom, Jason and Derek be there with me."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, Max, I can understand that. Do you think you'll be willing to talk about the experience once you get back home?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue," I admitted with serious reservations. "We'll have to see what kind of shape I'm in."</span></p> <p><span>"Fair enough, I guess," LeVar replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Why are you so interested?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I know several other people who've been through similar problems and it seems as though each has a different reaction to their ongoing issues. I think knowing Max's reaction to revisiting the site of his abuse will give us volumes of knowledge on how we need the character portrayed in the show and that will directly affect the person we cast to play the role. Especially when we're dealing with the time period of your life from after your abuse to now."</span></p> <p><span>"Like I said, we'll see, LeVar," I commented without conviction. "I may just be in a mood to kick y'all out when we get back home."</span></p> <p><span>"And if you do, that's fine," LeVar commented evenly. "We'll understand that you need some time to deal with whatever you need to."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for that," I replied solemnly.</span></p> <p><span>With that elephant of a subject banished from the room for the time being, the interview carried on in earnest. As the time approached for Tom and me to make our exit, I felt like I'd just been grilled by the C.I.A. with the thoroughness of the questions LeVar and Michelle asked and the detailed answers they requested. I had no idea how Tom felt about our interrogation, but he seemed to take it with aplomb. I can only assume his years on the force had prepared him for days like this. At ten after ten, Tom and I excused ourselves so we could get ready to leave.</span></p> <p><span>As we stepped into our bedroom, Tom asked, "Are you sure you're ready to this today?"</span></p> <p><span>"As ready as I'll ever be."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay then, let's make it so," he replied with resignation.</span></p> <p><span>We dressed in silence and once presentable to the public at large, headed for the theater to let the boys know we were leaving. I gratefully accepted all their hugs and words of support, knowing they'd all come in handy very shortly. With the boys returning to their chats with Greg and Stuart, our next stop was the dining room where Ron was still talking with Rex. I accepted another hug from Ron and a handshake from Rex before continuing across the house to say our goodbyes to LeVar and Michelle. I endured more hugs of well-being from those two before it was time to stop in and let Dylan know we were leaving.</span></p> <p><span>As soon as we stepped into the office, Dylan was leaving his chair and we met halfway between the door and his desk. The bone-crushing hug he gave me seemed to last forever, but I could feel the strength he was willing me through the protracted and caring embrace. When we finally separated, it was time to move on. Reaching the garage, Tom sank into the driver's seat of the Shelby while I collapsed into the passenger seat. When we pulled into the parking lot at the church thirty minutes later, we discovered Jason was waiting for us. And while we saw Derek's car, he was nowhere to be seen. After extracting ourselves from the `Stang, we greeted Jason and had a short discussion before heading inside.</span></p> <p><span>"Morning Max, Tom. How're you this morning?" Jason asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"I've had better days," I admitted flatly. Tom's reply was a simple waggle of his outstretched hand signifying he was just `so-so'.</span></p> <p><span>"About what I expected," Jason replied. "You know you don't have to do this if you don't think you're ready for it, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know," I muttered before adding, "Can we just get it over with, please?"</span></p> <p><span>Jason laid a hand on my shoulder and said, "Let's go." </span></p> <p><span>The two gently guided me through the front door of the church and down the hallway towards and then past the sanctuary. As we turned the corner in the hallway that would lead us to the offices and classrooms, we spied Derek standing guard just outside the office we were aiming for, door standing open behind him. Unlike the last time I'd made that same turn, I didn't freeze up, though I did slow my pace considerably. Fortunately, Tom and Jason were with me every step of the way. </span></p> <p><span>As we passed by the secretary and pastor's offices, I caught a glimpse of the new inhabitants of those rooms and I couldn't imagine the thoughts running through their minds at the sight of the somber and overly serious trio moving slowly past them. I was sure I looked like I was headed for my own execution, but I didn't slow my progress any more than I already had.</span></p> <p><span>On reaching the office we were here to see, Derek held out a hand filled with something my mind wasn't up to registering at the moment and said, "Mornin' gents. Before we continue, I have to ask you all to wear these gloves and booties from here on in. I hope that's acceptable." I nodded numbly and after he handed a set to me, I sank down to the floor in the middle of the hallway to pull the booties over my shoes and then the gloves on my hands. While I was taking care of that, Jason pulled Tom and Derek about ten feet further down the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, guys, I hope you're ready for this," Jason whispered as he slipped booties over his shoes.</span></p> <p><span>"I still think it's way too early. I really don't think Max is up to this," Tom muttered with frustration.</span></p> <p><span>"And though they're done with their work in the room, Agent Fix isn't at all happy I'm allowing this," Derek quietly added.</span></p> <p><span>"Just remember, we're here for Max and nobody else," Jason reinforced quietly. "He feels this is going to be an important step in his recovery, and though I tend to agree with you, Tom, that it's still too early in the process to revisit the site of his abuse, I'm also not going to fight Max on it." After just a moment's hesitation, Jason added, "And what I say from here on, goes. Understood?" With solemn nods from the other two, all three turned around to rejoin me, and Tom and Jason helped pull me back up to my feet. "Okay, Max, we're on your time now and this is your show. We'll be with you for every step until we leave. Whatever pace you choose to follow is fine with us, so go as fast or slow as you want."</span></p> <p><span>I nodded my agreement but kept my voice to myself as I wasn't sure I could speak properly at the moment. I slowly moved toward the open office door, my companions following on my heels. In three short steps, I was at the entry to the antechamber of hell on earth. I immediately looked to my left and saw the filing cabinets just as I remembered them being in the corner behind the door. To the right was the desk and chair that were always there, as empty now as they ever were twenty years ago. Turning back to the left, my gaze settled in the nook just beyond the filing cabinets and I saw that Derek had already pushed the concealed button to release the hidden door. It was swung fully open, as if inviting us to join a secret macabre party.</span></p> <p><span>Stepping into the office and on across it to the second doorway, I hesitated for just a moment before turning left and beginning my hesitant descent of the narrow staircase beyond. Not surprisingly, nothing had really changed since the last time I'd been forced down these stairs. My skin still crawled with each step and by the time I'd reached the last tread, I felt as if the fleas of a thousand camels has taken up residence on me. Tom was on the step just above me and his hand was resting on my shoulder, feeding me the strength I needed to continue this voyage of the damned.</span></p> <p><span>After waiting for a minute or two on that last step, I took a deep breath and finally managed to take the final giant leap, moving into the room itself. While I thought I'd been ready for it, I immediately felt like I was a terrified little kid all over again and stood rooted to the floor as if I'd stepped into a puddle of superglue. The table and chairs were just as I remembered them, along with the sink in the far corner and the little wooden cabinet that sat on the floor next to the sink. The lone light bulb in the ceiling cast an eerie glow about the space and did nothing to repel the feeling of gloom emanating from the dingy grey concrete walls, floor and ceiling.</span></p> <p><span>The biggest change in me this time was my point of view remained solidly within my own eyes for once, not the disembodied overhead scene I remembered all too well. I could sense the presence of Tom, Jason and Derek as they stood beside and behind me, but they were not my focus. Willing my feet to function again, I slid my way over towards the table and leaned heavily on the back of one of the folding metal chairs, hanging my head low in shame and disgust for having allowed myself to be repeatedly screwed over by two people my family and I had trusted. God, could we really have been that fucking stupid and blind to not see Frank and Iris for who they really were? The obvious answer to that rhetorical question was a resounding `yes'.</span></p> <p><span>Tom stepped closer and lightly rested a hand on my shoulder. I jumped in surprise at the gentle contact, and almost bolted from the room as the fear of getting spun around and coming face to face with a perversely naked and sexually aroused Frank flashed through my mind. It wasn't until he quietly asked, `you okay?', that I realized I was in no danger. Not this time, anyway. After receiving a tense but almost imperceptible nod from me, he released his delicate grip and stepped back to stand with Jason and Derek. </span></p> <p><span>Hovering over the chair, the rage I'd suppressed for twenty years began to simmer in my guts. It kept building and building, pulling in hate with it, then adding anguish to the mix, along with pain, self-loathing and a whole host of other emotions I couldn't begin to grasp or hope to catalog in my current state of mind. They were all being unceremoniously dumped into the venomous broth that was stewing deep inside of me. If it hadn't been for the support of the chair I was holding onto, I would have collapsed into a molten heap on the floor from the weight that was pressing down on me combined with the fire in my guts that was roiling with such fervor, I was about to explode.</span></p> <p><span>After a few minutes with no release of the tension I was dealing with in sight, I finally asked through tightly clenched teeth, "You said they're done in here, right Derek?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," he answered nervously.</span></p> <p><span>"Good," I grunted savagely.</span></p> <p><span>Without conscious thought, I spun on my heels, chair still firmly held in my white-knuckled grasp. About three-fourths of the way around the spin, I watched in a haze as the chair suddenly slipped from my tenuous grip, flew across the room and smashed into the wooden cabinet, shattering the flimsy piece of shit into twenty or more pieces. <i>God fuckin' damn it, that felt</i> <i>good</i>. Without stopping to even think about what I was doing, I moved to the chair on the left side of the table. In the background that had unexpectedly become nothing but a blur to me, I heard someone say with urgency, `outta here, now,' just as I grabbed the next chair, lifted it from the floor and slammed it into the top of the table. The chair bent almost in half from the force of the blow, but the table still stood stoutly in the middle of the room, undamaged.</span></p> <p><i><span>`Well, we can't have that, can we?'</span></i><span> I thought to myself. So, I raised the chair high over my head and swung for one of the legs with all my might. On making contact, the brittle wood cracked, and two-thirds of the leg skittered across the floor and bounced off a wall before coming to rest in a corner. Seeing that approach seemed to work rather well, I continued my assault on the piece of once sturdy furniture and wasn't satisfied until the table rocked madly on four very uneven legs. There wasn't a cast yet developed by medical science that would ever mend those fragmented appendages. With the folding metal chair in my hands twisted beyond any hope of repair, I discarded it over my shoulder without a second thought and moved on to the next one in line.</span></p> <p><span>I continued to assault the table with every ounce of strength I possessed, waiting for it to finally succumb to the repeated blows. As I moved around the haunting reminder of a young life horribly derailed, I tried different angles of attack and struck at different locations all over its surface. I started to lose a little steam on my tenth attempt, but on the thirteenth go `round, I was finally rewarded with a very satisfying and resounding crack. Seeing and hearing success was imminent, I redoubled my efforts and resumed my abuse of the table. On the eighteenth shot (yes, I was counting them), the top finally split right down the middle and the table settled onto the floor, no more than a useless pile of over-sized splinters.</span></p> <p><span>Spinning madly in my frenzy of destruction, I found the fourth and final chair had been unceremoniously shoved into the corner by the sink that still steadfastly hung on the wall in the corner of the room. I wasn't going to let either item escape my wrath and wailed away at the sink until the final chair was a useless lump of distorted metal and the ruined sink was dangling from the wall by a single stubborn bolt that, despite my best efforts, simply refused to let go of the fixture. Water was spraying freely from the torn pipes still embedded in the concrete wall and it was flooding the floor before trickling down the drain that was set in the middle of the flat surface.</span></p> <p><span>Physically exhausted by my destructive impulses and mentally wiped out by the raw emotions I had just exorcised from deep within my shattered soul, I stumbled to the lone dry corner of the room and crumpled into a sobbing heap on the floor. While it seemed as though I was in that corner for hours, I'm sure it was only a few moments after the others had heard my piece by piece dismantling of everything come to an abrupt halt and I was surrounded by the extremely worried Tom, Jason and Derek.</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus, Jason, what the fuck was <i>that</i>?" Tom asked with serious concern as he held me in his arms.</span></p> <p><span>"Release and relief, Tom," Jason answered calmly.</span></p> <p><span>"Agent Fix is gonna be pissed as hell," Derek muttered with disbelief as he surveyed the carnage surrounding us.</span></p> <p><span>"Fuck him!" Tom retorted angrily.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, guys," Jason began, "Let's get Max out of here."</span></p> <p><span>The three worked together in picking my lifeless mass from the floor and getting me back on my feet. Jason led the way back up the stairs while Tom helped guide me up and Derek followed along behind to make sure I didn't fall back down the steps. Once back in the office, they settled me onto the chair at the desk where I laid my head on my arms and continued to weep. Tom, Jason and Derek left me to my own devices as they stepped out into the hall to talk about the manic display of insanity they'd just witnessed.</span></p> <p><span>As I leaned over the desktop and let myself be engulfed in my own little pity party, I slowly came to realize what I'd just done. I'd completely trashed everything in that room that had for years held so many negative thoughts and emotions over me, so much so that I'd barely been able to function as a responsible adult. Sure, I'd go out to do my shopping and such when I needed to, but I almost always put it off until I had no other options. It was either replenish my food supplies or starve. I'd always hated being around other people, barely making exceptions for my own family. I also had no friends to speak of. And I was finally able to admit to myself that I'd truly been the complete waste of human protoplasm that my own father accused me of being last fall when I told my parents I was gay. Though we'd both reached that conclusion based on entirely different sets of facts, there was no denying the final analysis was the same.</span></p> <p><span>As the flow of tears finally began easing up, I slowly picked my head up and looked around the office in which I sat. Seeing the file cabinets lined up again the wall, partially hidden by the still open door, I no longer felt the crushing sadness at what they'd contained for so many years. Well, not nearly as badly as I'd felt it when I'd first learned of their existence from Dylan a few shorts weeks ago. And turning even further to my right, when my eyes reached the still open doorway to lucifer's little love nest, no fear or anxiety flooded through me as it had done when I first stepped into this room less than thirty minutes ago. To me, it was now just a hole in the wall that needed to be permanently sealed.</span></p> <p><span>My mood suddenly took a turn for the better on having those revelations. Using the shirt dampened by the spray of water created when the sink finally let go of the wall behind it, I wiped my face and nose clean, then did my best to dry my eyes with a slightly cleaner corner of the soggy garment. When I realized the futility of what I was attempting to do, I leaned back in the chair, gazed blindly at the ceiling and let go a big laugh. And I kept laughing for no apparent reason other than it felt really good to have a real reason to do so for once in my life. </span></p> <p><span>Sure, the boys had introduced lots of laughter into my otherwise mundane and boring life the last couple of months, but I always felt like I had to force it for some reason. The laughter never came easily or naturally to me and though it took me a while to figure out why, I realized it had been like that since the very first time Frank and Iris had dragged me into their torture chamber. Those two rotten, sadistic motherfuckers had not just abused me for years, they'd literally stolen my love of life from me, forced me to regard other people with a hidden fear no kid should ever have, and they ultimately took everything I ever enjoyed doing and turned it all into something foreign, something I dreaded. I vaguely remember Jason telling Tom in the room under this office that what I'd just done down there was `release and relief'. And he was right. For the first time since this madness began over twenty years ago, I felt truly free from all the crap that had been holding me back.</span></p> <p><span>When I finally opened my eyes and lowered my head from its upward angle, I discovered I was confronted by three very serious looking men and they were gawking at me in disbelief. Tom was the first to move and he stepped around the desk to pull me out of the chair and reel me into a bone-jarring hug. I could feel him shaking with what I guessed was fear at what I'd become. I gratefully returned his loving and reassuring embrace, melting into him as much as humanly possible, all while Derek and Jason glared at the two of us in disbelief. Though I knew I loved Tom very deeply from almost the first moment we met, fully understanding he was behind me one hundred percent and would always be there for me and our sons meant so much more to me now than it did when we crawled out of bed just a few short hours ago.</span></p> <p><span>When we finally broke apart, the concern for me in his eyes was palpable and he asked the most obvious of questions at that particular moment, "You okay?"</span></p> <p><span>With a slight grin, I answered simply, "Yeah, I think so."</span></p> <p><span>I was pulled back into another smothering hug, though this one was more tender and loving than the previous one had been. It's almost like he knew I didn't need him to hold me together as much as I had before. And I did need that for a while, though I hadn't really understood just how much so. When we separated again, Jason jumped at the opportunity to ask the next question, though it was really more a statement of fact couched in a question.</span></p> <p><span>"You really <i>are</i> feeling better about things now, aren't you?" he posited with serious concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, Jason, I really am," I replied with a serene smile. "I knew coming back here could go one of two ways. I'd either break down completely and have to be hauled out of here in a straitjacket, or I'd walk out under my own power, head held high with pride at taking my life back from the bastards who robbed me of it. Yeah, I kinda combined the two into one, but it's the `head held high' part that makes it all worth it."</span></p> <p><span>"I was pretty sure that was the case, Max," Jason agreed. "I thought I could see a little flicker of life in your eyes I'd not seen before."</span></p> <p><span>I turned to the fourth man in the room and commented, "Sorry for trashing the hellhole, Derek. I don't know what came over me."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry `bout it, Max. I'm just happy we aren't waving goodbye as you get hauled away to a rubber room right now," he replied with a chuckle. "It's a damn good thing the `Fibbies' are done in there `cause if they weren't, I'd be out looking for a new job right about now."</span></p> <p><span>"Again, sorry. But think about it this way, with everything busted and broken to shit like it is, it'll make it a whole lot easier for someone to clean out before they pour the concrete to fill it in," I commented. Then, to nobody in particular, I added, "Well, someone should probably tell the new preacher man they've got a little leak in the basement," I added with a chuckle. "I'd hate for their water bill to skyrocket on my account. And tell `im to send the repair bill to me. I'll write it off as part of my therapy expenses when I do my taxes next year."</span></p> <p><span>As Derek left the room to take care of that little task, I looked to Jason and asked, "So, same time, same place next Thursday?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm good with the same time, but I think we'd better meet at my office next time, Max," he answered with a sly grin. "I don't think the church will much appreciate you destroying the whole building bit by bit."</span></p> <p><span>"But I'd feel ever so much better if I did," I laughed. "These bastards are just lucky I'm not suing them for every fuckin' penny they've extorted from their flock of mindless sheep the last twenty years."</span></p> <p><span>"You might not be doing it yourself, Max, but I've heard from Agent Fix that it's a damn good possibility," Derek commented on rejoining us.</span></p> <p><span>"Watchu talkin' `bout?" I asked as if I was channeling the boys.</span></p> <p><span>"He told me about it this morning when I called to get an update of their progress on the various cases. It sounds like quite a few of the parents they've been in touch with have gotten together and are hiring some bigwig legal eagle from Chicago to represent them in a class action suit against the church. With over 3,000 confirmed victims of what was goin' on here, some of whom have taken their own lives, there's not gonna be much left when the dust settles."</span></p> <p><span>"Good for them," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"You should add your name to the suit," Derek continued. "You'd get a hell of a payout when it's all over."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't want their fuckin' blood money," I spat in response. "I'll do just fine sitting on the sidelines and cheering on the other families in their drive to see justice is done for themselves and their kids."</span></p> <p><span>"That's what I figured you'd say," Derek smiled.</span></p> <p><span>I looked to Tom and said, "Take me home, hon. I need to get out of these wet fuckin' clothes and into a shower to wash off this annoying stench. I reek"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you do," Tom retorted. "Your chariot awaits, babe," he added with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Jason, Derek, thanks for making this happen today. I know I wasn't looking forward to coming back here, but you have no idea what trashing that room did for me and I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you for the support you've given me today." I gave both men huge hugs of thanks and appreciation before we took our leave and headed for home.</span></p> <p><span>After Max and Tom had left, Jason sank heavily into the chair Max had just vacated and he looked absolutely terrified. I settled my butt on the desk before turning to Jason and asking, "So, Dr. Biggs, did that go how you expected?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a bit," he replied wiping off the sweat that had formed on his forehead. "I had no idea how Max would react going back into that room and for a few minutes there, I thought I was gonna have to call 9-1-1 to get out here to deal with him."</span></p> <p><span>"Seriously?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're damn right. I thought he'd really snapped and wasn't comin' back."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy shit," I breathed after realizing just how close we'd come to a complete disaster. "How come we weren't better prepared?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Derek, the biggest reason is everybody's different. And while I can't say much specifically about Max's case for obvious reasons, I can tell you that in the discussions we've had so far, he's always seemed to be in complete control of his emotions. Almost to the point of being obsessive-compulsive. And even though there were <i>some</i> warning signs of just how buttoned up he was, I never dreamed it'd come out like it did today."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you're sayin' we got lucky?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You have no idea how lucky," Jason answered with a huge sigh of relief. "Sure, I've dealt with difficult patients before and I would have maybe expected some of them to go off the rails, but I didn't believe Max was capable of losing control like he did."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what happens with him now," I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We keep talking," Jason answered simply with a crooked grin and a wink.</span></p> <p><span>"Gotcha," I nodded, "You can't tell me or you'd have to kill me, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Somethin' like that," Jason chuckled in reply.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you can take off if you want. I'm gonna hang around for the plumber to show up so the new pastor or secretary don't have to deal with them."</span></p> <p><span>As Jason left the chair, he commented, "Thanks for being here with us and letting us in, Derek. I truly hope you're not in hot water with the F.B.I. over what happened down there."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll deal with it," I replied. "Hey, if you ever need assistance with anything, let me know. I'll be glad to help you out any time you need it, Dr. Biggs."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do that. And if you ever know someone who needs some help from a quack like me, give me ring."</span></p> <p><span>We both laughed as we shook hands. On that note, Jason left me alone and it was my turn to sink into the chair and contemplate just how badly we'd almost fucked up today.</span></p> <p><span>Just after pulling onto the interstate, Tom prodded, "Are you really sure you're okay, babe?"</span></p> <p><span>I laid a reassuring hand on his and answered with, "Yeah, I really am. I'm sorry you had to be there to see me lose my shit like that. I hope I haven't scared you off," I added with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a chance, Max," my honey retorted smartly. "Like you keep saying we're in this shit together, for better or worse, and you're absolutely right about that. I gotta admit, though, you scared the crap outta all of us when you threw that first chair the way you did. Those things are pretty heavy to be tossed around like a flippin' Frisbee."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, not sure where the hell <i>that</i> came from, but I'm glad I missed all of you with it."</span></p> <p><span>"It was probably an adrenalin rush. I could see somethin' serious was cookin' with ya, but we had no idea you'd go postal like you did."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't feel bad, I didn't either. It was just like every emotion I've kept bottled up for the last twenty plus years suddenly decided to rear its ugly head at the same instant. And once I got started, I couldn't stop myself for anything. I was about to give up on killing that fuckin' table until I finally heard it crack. Once that happened, it was game on until it was game over. Then, when I finally gave up on tryin' to beat the sink off the wall, I just collapsed. I've never been that fuckin' worn out in my life."</span></p> <p><span>"You'll probably be sore as hell later, too. God knows you're aren't usually that physical," he added with a little chortle.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, don't you start picking on me for bein' a little chubby and lazy," I joked. "Especially after that little demonstration of how I deal with anger."</span></p> <p><span>"Trust me, babe, the last thing I ever want to do is piss you off," my teddy bear laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Good thinkin', bubba. Remember, there's still a cemetery on the property," I retorted with my own laugh. "I hope you don't mind, hon, but I need to close my eyes."</span></p> <p><span>"You go right ahead, you've earned it, slugger. I'll let you know when we're home."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks." On that note, I reclined my seat as far back as it would go and allowed myself the pleasure of zoning out for the remainder of the trip. I was jarred back to life when my chauffer hit the massive pothole in the driveway that was just past the bus shelter. As I sat up and returned my seatback to its more upright position, I commented, "Really? You couldn't miss that damn thing just once?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, not my fault," he countered. "That hole was here long before I was."</span></p> <p><span>"Hard to argue with that logic, I guess. Remind me to call John and have him get estimates on blacktopping the drive all the way to the houses. I'm tired of having to have rock hauled out and spread every couple of years."</span></p> <p><span>"That's gonna take a big chunk of money," Tom whistled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, so what? With our parents, Dylan, Rick, Eric, Josh and who knows how many others gonna be around all the time, I'd much rather pay to deal with the drive once than to have to take care of their car repair bills every other day."</span></p> <p><span>"Can't really argue that point with ya," Tom agreed with a cheeky smirk. "So, ya kickin' LeVar out?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, but do me a favor, please."</span></p> <p><span>"Name it."</span></p> <p><span>"While I'm washing away the stink, pull LeVar aside and let him know that I'm not up to talkin' `bout what happened just yet. Maybe before he goes back to L.A."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, babe," Tom replied as he pulled in the garage and shut off the engine.</span></p> <p><span>After climbing from our chariot, we headed inside the house. On reaching the living room, we discovered the whole group relaxing around a nice fire and talking up a storm. I gave everyone a quick wave before continuing on to our bedroom and a much-needed cleansing of my body and soul, assuming Tom was having a brief talk with LeVar. I didn't stay under the pounding spray for as long as I really wanted to and when I came back out of the bathroom, Tom was waiting patiently for me.</span></p> <p><span>"You feel any better?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Cleaner, for sure, and I don't stink to high heaven any longer," I admitted. "At least I feel like I can be around other people without offending them," I added with a light chuckle. As I gave my furry teddy bear another hug, I said, "Thanks for not giving up on me, hon. I need you."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know," he laughed as we separated, earning him a sharp smack to the ass. "C'mon, babe, let's go find out what Ron's fixed for lunch."</span></p> <p><span>When we stepped into the kitchen, it was obvious to us the boys were completely in charge of today's menu. There were hot dogs rolling around on the griddle, Ron was stirring a big pot of boiling macaroni and all the other ingredients needed were on the counter, waiting to be added at the proper time. Baskets were filled with four different kinds of chips, and in a minor nod to the adults, a big bowl of tossed salad was ready to be moved to the table.</span></p> <p><span>"Salad with dogs and macaroni?" Tom asked. "Seems to be an odd combo."</span></p> <p><span>"Stuart's a vegan and it's the only thing I could think of that would work on short notice," Ron replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's hope it's satisfactory," I retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"So, how'd it go at the church?" Ron asked with curiosity.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll fill ya in later," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>After a quick nod of acknowledgement, Ron called out, "Boys, table!!" </span></p> <p><span>As usual, the house shook as the herd rumbled in to take care of their task. When T.J. finished putting the plates on the table so Mike and Andy could take care of the silverware and napkins, he came over, wrapped me in a hug and commented, "I'm happy for you, Dad."</span></p> <p><span>"For what?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"For lettin' go of all that crap this mornin'," he answered with smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, buddy," I replied as I returned his hug and ruffled his hair. "Just do me a favor and ..."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, my lips are zipped," he interrupted while drawing his fingers across his mouth. "Like a lot of the other tall tales `round here, ain't my story to tell. But you better make sure the twins know that."</span></p> <p><span>"We do already, T.J.," Alex called over his shoulder as he was pouring drinks into glasses.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, guys," I offered lamely, truly realizing how difficult it is to keep any kind of secret in this house.</span></p> <p><span>Soon enough, Ron had everything ready to go and he yelled, "Come `n' get it!" </span></p> <p><span>As LeVar and his group joined us in the kitchen to fill bowls and plates with their dining choices, I finally noticed that Michelle had joined the rest of the crowd and lost her clothes while we were gone. I was guessing that had happened only a short time before Tom and I returned due to her slightly nervous demeanor, but she was giving it a fair shot. With fifteen people in the house, we let the boys, Ron, Stuart, Rex and Greg have the dining room while the rest of us ate in the living room. Conversation was light and, thankfully, the little chatter that was taking place stayed well clear of my experience at the church.</span></p> <p><span>When everyone was done eating and the kitchen was back in shape, everybody settled back into the living room to continue our interviews. Tom and I learned that the boys had all talked to Rex, Greg and Stuart, each man recording their talks and taking voluminous notes on different aspects of the boys' lives. While Rex was concentrating on their lives before moving in, Stuart was gathering information on the time since they'd arrived on February twenty-second. For his part, Greg was digging into their personalities, likes, dislikes and all the other little quirks that made each one the unique individual he is.</span></p> <p><span>After about an hour of all of us being involved in the conversation, the boys got bored and asked if they could go play some games in the theater. With our blessing and thanks for sticking with it as long as they had, they made short work of disappearing across the house. The rest of us continued to talk for about two more hours before LeVar called a halt to the proceedings. We had certainly not known how long he was planning to stay this afternoon, but I was thankful for his decision. We had a long day ahead of us tomorrow and it was another one I wasn't much looking forward to dealing with. Although, if it turned out as well as today had, it might not be too horrible.</span></p> <p><span>Once our inquisitors were appropriately clad for their trip back to town, we called the boys from their game so we could all say our goodbyes. After the boys had shared their regular hugs with LeVar and his crew, the boys disappeared back into the theater to return to the game they'd put on pause when we called them out.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what's your plan for tomorrow," Tom asked as he shared a handshake with LeVar and his group.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, after talking to your parents on the phone this afternoon, we're meeting at Jim and Rose's to have our talks with them there. We're supposed to arrive about noon, join them for lunch and then we'll have the rest of the afternoon for our discussions."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to us, LeVar," I commented. "Better than our day is going to be, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"I have faith that it's all going to work out just fine for Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope to hell you're right," I replied. "Though we've been saying the same thing to him, I just have a hard time believing it myself."</span></p> <p><span>"Trust the system, guys," LeVar reaffirmed with confidence. </span></p> <p><span>With those final words, LeVar and his people took their leave and we finally had the house back to ourselves. I, for one, was looking forward to a quiet and relaxing evening before crashing early so I'd be in the right frame of mind when we took off in the morning.</span></p> <p><span>After Tom, Dylan and I retook our seats in the living room, Tom commented, "Dylan, I gotta say sorry for forcing you to deal with the interviews you had scheduled for us today. When we talked about our schedule the other day, I'd completely forgotten about Max's appointment with Jason today and what the plans were for that."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it, boss," Dylan replied. "Shit happens sometimes, don't it?" </span></p> <p><span>"More than I care to think about," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Just don't blow off the one in J-ville in the morning `cause the one I'm takin' is scheduled for the same time and as good as I am, I sure as hell can't be in two places at the same time."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, partner," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"So, how'd it go at the church?" Dylan asked, looking to me to supply the answer.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's just say it was interesting and leave it at that for the moment," I responded flatly.</span></p> <p><span>"Ya don't wanna talk about it, right?" he prodded. After a negative shake of my head, he continued, "That's all right, brother. I feel ya. Just know if you need anything from me, I'll do whatever I can to help."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, Dylan, and I appreciate it." </span></p> <p><span>We chatted about nothing of import for a bit before Dylan decided he'd had enough fun for one day and was ready to head for home. After saying goodbye to one another and Dylan making the required trip through the theater to share hugs with the boys, he took off. Ron suggested we all relax this evening and we were in no position, nor were we of the mind, to argue his suggestion. After the sumptuous feast we had for lunch, he also volunteered to make a run over to the Subway sandwich shop at the truck stop in New Berlin to pick up supper for everyone when folks started to get hungry. With agreement from all, we picked up our books to escape from real life for a while.</span></p> <p><span>The boys suddenly emerged from the theater around six, all claiming they were about to die of starvation. To avoid adding six more bodies to the cemetery, Ron quickly made a list of what type of sandwich everyone was hungry for and he headed out to pick up our food. By the time he returned, the table was all laid out with the necessary accouterments of enjoying a civilized if somewhat simple meal, including an assortment of various chips and dips and some carrots and cabbage. About halfway through our meal, the subject I'd been avoiding since coming back home suddenly floated to the surface.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Dad, you never told us how it went at the church this morning," Alex commented.</span></p> <p><span>"What, you don't already know?" I asked with surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, me, Joey and, T.J. know, but the others don't," he replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we ain't said nothin' `bout it all day since it ain't ours to share," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine," I vented with a touch of frustration. While I struggled to hold a tight rein to the onslaught of oppressive negativity that had run roughshod over me for almost two-thirds of my life, I managed to relay the story to the whole group with minimal problems. Ron, Logan, Mike and Andy were all surprised by what I'd done, but once I finished telling my tale, they all gave me a thumbs up or some other type of positive acknowledgement.</span></p> <p><span>"I think I know how you must have felt, Dad," Logan offered.</span></p> <p><span>I was seriously confused at his comment and what he could possibly be comparing from his life to my own experience and asked, "Yeah? How so?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, ya remember that night daddy came over after he got outta jail and I beat the crap outta him? Or tried to?" After a quick nod of acknowledgement from me, he continued. "I done put up with his beatin' on me for `bout two years by then and I was pissed as hell at him for it. I'd always wanted to hurt him back just to see if he could take it like he dished it out, and I saw my chance to get a little bit even with him, so I frikkin' took it. I tell ya, that first punch to his jaw felt so damn good after takin' his crap for years, I couldn't stop `til I was plum tuckered out."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you <i>do</i> know how I felt this morning, don't you?" I agreed. "Yeah, it was pretty much just like that. Once the first chair smashed the hell out of that crappy little cabinet by the sink, it just felt so right to keep goin'. So I did, and didn't stop until I could barely move. By the time I collapsed in the corner, I had nothin' left to give. And I never felt better in my whole stinkin' life. Well, except for that day I recorded Frank and Iris at the police station, now <i>that</i> was a great day."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you think you're all better now," Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, guys. I may not be one-hundred percent just yet, but I'm a lot closer to it now than I was this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"That good news, Dad," Alex offered.</span></p> <p><span>"What time we leavin' for Dexter in the mornin'," Joey asked in a quick change of subject matter.</span></p> <p><span>"We need to leave here by nine," I answered. "It's not a long flight, but I want to make sure we have plenty of time to get a rental car and have something to eat before we have to be in court."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be ready to boogie when you are," Logan replied. </span></p> <p><span>"I still wish I could go with you guys," Mike groaned in defeat.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry `bout it, bro," Logan responded. "You need to talk to Dr. Paul and see if he can help you with your nightmares. I slept with you a few times, now, and when those things get fired up, you can sure get to kickin'. And when that happens, I grab my junk and just hope you don't land one <i>there</i>." All six boys snickered as they knew the rude and painful awakening that would follow after receiving such a low blow.</span></p> <p><span>With the feeding frenzy over, the boys took care of the minor cleanup that was needed, and we all adjourned to the theater for another night of <i>Star Trek</i>. Filling the snack requests between the second and third episodes of the night took a few minutes, but once everyone had theirs, the last show of the night was started. Forty-five minutes later, the boys dropped their dessert dishes into the dishwasher and charged on across the house to shower and climb into bed.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I followed along ten minutes later and after dispensing hugs, kisses and `love yous' to the sensational six-pack, we retreated to our own bedroom, wishing Ron a good night's sleep as we passed him in the hallway while he was headed to his own room.</span></p> <p><span>As Tom and I zipped through a shower, I commented, "I'm really worried about this court thing with Logan tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"You don't trust Clarence?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"If I didn't trust him, I wouldn't have suckered him into representing Logan. It's the rednecks we'll be dealin' with down there I don't trust half as far as I could throw `em."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's gonna be Clarence's problem, isn't it?" Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose so, but if somethin' goes wrong, we may never see Logan again."</span></p> <p><span>"You worry too much, babe," Tom retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"I can't help it," I countered. "If Logan loses tomorrow, the other five might just stage a mutiny. And who's to say that scumbag Troy isn't all buddy, buddy with the prosecutor and the judge down there? We know nothin' about what we're walkin' into."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, shit, now ya got me thinkin' bad things are gonna happen to our boy," Tom relented. "You better stop that shit right now," he added as he smacked the back of my head.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do my best, but I can't make any promises. I'll probably spend the whole time in court with my fingers, toes, arms and legs crossed. Hell, I'll probably even cross my eyes and see if that'll help."</span></p> <p><span>"Just so long as you wait to do all that crap until you get into the courtroom. I don't want you tryin' to fly contorted like that," Tom commented with a little giggle.</span></p> <p><span>Despite my apprehension at what tomorrow might hold for us, I couldn't suppress my own giggle and when I was done with my little fit, I replied, "Thanks, I needed that, hon."</span></p> <p><span>"You ready to crawl into bed?" he asked as he turned off the water and I grabbed our towels.</span></p> <p><span>"With you? Always," I admitted with a big smile of serenity.</span></p> <p><span>With both of us dried off, we fell onto the bed, pulled the cover up and curled up together. I think I heard my honey whisper, `I love you', but after the day I'd had, I was too far gone to return the sentiment.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-4.html

Building a Family 4 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 4 � Meeting the Boys After just a few moments, the office door opened and in walked four boys. They filed into the room with a minimum of pushing and prodding and sat together on the couch while James and I moved to separate chairs at each end of the couch. Anna began the conversation with, "Boys, this is Mr. Maxwill Sanders and he is hoping to adopt a child. We thought you four might be interested in meeting him and we can see what happens." I gave the boys a little wave with a sheepish look on my face. The boys' faces lit up with anticipation and hope at the news that they were being considered for adoption. Anna continued, "Now before you all get wild ideas and dreams going on in your heads, there are a few things you need to know. Mr. Sanders is not married so he will be a single parent. While he is not the type of person we regularly consider as being an adoptive parent since he is single, we feel that whichever one of you he decides to adopt will be very well taken care of. He lives alone in a large house that sits in the middle a large copse of trees. He built the house some years ago in the hopes of marrying and having children, but those plans have not worked out for him. He is now trying to adopt. Out of all the children in our system, you four, we felt, were the most likely candidates to become Mr. Sanders' son. The gentleman with Mr. Sanders is his attorney, Mr. Cantrell. Now, I'll turn the rest of this meeting over to Mr. Sanders. If you need anything, I'll be at my desk right over there working on some paperwork, okay?" Anna received affirmative nods from all six of us and moved off to her desk. I looked at the four boys and started the conversation. "Hi guys, it's great to meet you. As Anna said, my name is Maxwill Sanders, but you can call me Max. Everybody else does. As Anna told you, I'm a single guy and I have always wanted to have a family. I'm 34 and life has kept me very busy to this point and I feel now is a good time to get started on that dream. Anna thinks one of you four might like to become my son. I'd like to talk to you a bit, find out a little bit about each of you, and see how you would feel about being adopted. Anna and I have told you a bit about me, why don't you each tell me a little bit about yourselves?" The four boys looked at each other with a look in their eyes that said, "I'm not going first, you do it." All four looked back at me, mute. I decided I was going to have to give a little prod to get things going here. I looked at Alexander and asked, "Why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself, Alexander?" He stammered, "I don't know what to say. I've given up on being adopted. Since my brother and I are twins, we've been here a long time `cause nobody wants to take two kids and I won't go anywhere without my brother. He won't go anywhere without me, either." "Well, I'll be honest with you. I had planned on adopting only one child at this time, but if things work out and it seems like we'd be a good fit, I wouldn't have a problem taking both of you into my home." Alexander and Joseph looked at each other with relief in their eyes as they took in the news that this just might work out for them. Joseph looked back at me and asked, "Really? You'd be willing to adopt both of us? Wow, that'd be great." "I sure would," I replied. "Now, can either or both of you tell me a little bit more about you?" Alexander started, "Well, our parents died when we were four. They were in a bad car wreck and they were killed while we were at home with a babysitter. We've been here ever since." Joseph added, "Me and Alexander do everything together and always have. That's why we won't leave the other one here. We couldn't stand being separated." "Well, you don't have to worry about that, boys. Like I said, I would be willing to adopt both of you." "Would we get our own bedrooms?" Alexander asked. "We've never had separate rooms and the foster family we've lived with thinks that since we're twins, we should always be in the same room together." "Well, I have three unused bedrooms in my home, so, yeah, I don't see why you each couldn't have your own if you wanted." "Cool," said Joseph. "What about you, Michael? Would you like to come live with me and have me as your dad?" "I guess," he said meekly. "I never really thought about it much. I just figured I'd live with my foster parents until I got out of school." I looked at Thomas next and he started talking before I could open my mouth. "Why ain't you married? Are you one of them fags? I ain't gonna' to live with no damn fag! Is that other guy queer, too?" he demanded. I was stunned at the question from the youngster and I looked over at Anna to see how she reacted. Anna gave me a slight nod that I took to mean it's a valid question and one that deserves an answer. I looked Thomas straight in the eyes and replied, "While I didn't expect that question today and the way you worded it was quite rude, I'll give you an honest answer. The word fag is not one I like and I don't want to hear it again. Now, to answer your question, yes, I am gay." I caught a quick, knowing look pass between Joseph and Alexander, but they remained silent. "I prefer the company of another man. Since I just recently settled that question myself, I have been alone as I dealt with my feelings all these years. It would not have been fair to marry some nice lady while I was figuring things out for myself. Now that I realize the truth about myself, I can move on with the rest of my life. As to James, I'm pretty sure he is not gay since he's been married 25 years and has three kids. Heck, he didn't even know I was until I told him just last week. James is my attorney and he is here to help me work through this process. Does that answer your question?" "Yeah, I guess. I still don't think I want to live with you." "Let me tell you all something. While I may be gay, I have no interest in boys. You would all be perfectly safe. If you become my son or sons, I will protect you with every fiber of my being and do my best to make sure no one hurts you ever again. Does that sound okay to you?" I received nods from all four boys, though Thomas still seemed a bit reluctant to accept what I said. All four boys looked at me like I was a demon come to steal their souls. Joseph asked the next question, "Are you talking to only boys are you going to talk to girls also?" Again, I glanced at Anna and received a nod to continue. "Well, over the years, I've thought a lot about the type of family I would like to have and I really don't have a preference as to whether I adopt a boy or a girl. But to tell you truth, I just don't think I would do very well dealing with some of the issues girls deal with as they get older. I think I would be much more comfortable and helpful dealing with boys as they grow up. I'm much more familiar with their issues." All four looked at each other again and seemed to accept this. The questions returned to your more normal questions from six to eight-year-old kids and we chatted about a bit of everything for the next hour. At the end of our time, Anna excused the boys and asked them to wait with her receptionist for a bit while we talked a bit more. Each boy came to shake my hand and thank me for talking to them. Thomas was last and added in a small whisper, "Sorry for being rude. I think I might like to live with you after all. If I didn't make you mad and you'll let me." "Thanks, Thomas, I appreciate and accept your apology. As far as I'm concerned, it never happened." Thomas wrapped his arms around my neck and gave me a quick hug. I hugged him back to show there were no hard feelings and patted him on the back letting him know he needed to catch up to the others. The boys left the office and Anna rejoined James and myself. "Well, Max, what did you think of the boys?" "I think they're all great. Thomas seems to be a bit rough around the edges, and his first question really surprised me, but I still think he's a great kid." "I must say his question shocked me quite a bit, also. But then again, Thomas has always been quite outspoken and not afraid to share his thoughts. You handled your response very well, though, and I appreciated your honesty and candor. I think that really helped put an end to that line of questions in a very tactful way." "Well, I didn't know what else to say so I figured the truth was the best way to go. I know they're just kids, but kids today seem to know so much more than we give them credit for." "Too true," replied Anna. "Now that you've met the boys, what are your thoughts?" asked Anna. "My first thoughts are that, like I said, they are all great boys. I could see myself adopting any of them. It's really kind of hard to form a real opinion based on such a short conversation with the four of them together. But I really liked the way they treated each other. They all seemed pretty comfortable together," I said. "That's true Max, but this was meant to be just a quick meeting to see how things went. If you have particular interest in any of the boys, we will schedule a couple more meetings and perhaps and outing or two so you can get better acquainted with all four boys individually. Plus, we must do inspections of your home to make sure we approve of the living conditions and other things before we could proceed any further." "That sounds great Anna, but I have another idea for you to consider." "And what would that be, Max?" "As you know from the information sent over by James, here, I have a large house just waiting for someone to help me finally make it a home. What would you think of all four boys coming out and spending a weekend at the house with me? That would give us a better chance to get to know each other. They could see where they would be living, do some swimming, walk through the woods on some of the trails I've created and get a few days away to have some fun. One of your staff would be welcome to come along. With three empty bedrooms, Alexander and Joseph could use one, Thomas and Michael could use one and your staff member could use the third one. That would give me a good chance to see how the boys react to life in the woods and give you and your staff someone onsite to see how things go. That would kill two birds with one stone." "Well, now, I hadn't thought about that, but it could possibly work. Let me talk to my staff about it I'll get back to you in a few days and let you know." "Don't hesitate to contact me if you need. You have my phone numbers and if you can't get in touch with me, you are welcome to contact James. I can't imagine not being available for anything, but just in case. Feel free to work with James as you do your investigation and background checks and whatever else you need to do." "I'll do that, Max. It was a pleasure to meet with you two again today and I'll be in touch as soon as possible." "Come on, James, let's get out of here so Anna can get to work." We left Anna's office and as we passed the boys sitting in the lobby, they each came up again to say goodbye. I told them all that I hoped to see them again soon and James and I headed out for the car ride back to his office. It was a quiet ride as my brain swirled with thoughts of suddenly becoming a father after the last 12 years of living alone. I was anxious and scared all at the same time. James tried to start a conversation several times, but I was lost in my own mind. When we arrived as James' office, he invited me in to chat a bit. I accepted and we headed to his office. Once seated, James asked, "So, what thoughts are percolating through that gray matter you laughingly call a brain, Max?" "Everything, man. Am I sure about this? Am I doing the right thing? Can I really provide a good home to any of those kids? Am I in too deep? What the hell am I doing?!?" James came back with, "Yes, yes, yes, damn right and losing your mind." I shook my head to clear my mind and asked, "Huh? What sort of gibberish is that?" James smiled and said, "I was just answering your questions. Yes, you're sure about this or we wouldn't be here, having this discussion. Yes, you are doing the right thing. Yes, you can give a good home to any of those boys and will be happy doing so. Damn right you are in too deep, but you can swim back to the surface any time. As to what the hell you're doing, that is losing your mind, but in a very good way, Max." "God, I hope so. This is happening so fast, I keep having to pinch myself to make sure it's not a dream. After our first meeting, did you really think we'd be making this kind of progress already?" "Absolutely not. I was certain nobody would even talk to us once I informed them of your sexuality. Like I told you during our first meeting, it's extremely rare that a single male, especially a gay one, would be even considered for adoption." "But you made calls anyway. Why?" "I'm your attorney, Max, and it's my job to do as you request, no matter the result. Still, I tried several other agencies before finding Anna and her group. They were semi-willing to consider a single parent but once they heard that the person was a single, gay male, they quickly lost all interest. One even said, and I quote, `You've got to be fucking kidding me. Take a hike pervert. I hope you rot in hell.' Even Anna wasn't thrilled at the prospect, but, having met you, I think she's coming around. I must say I'm nicely surprised." "I'm just surprised as hell. I didn't think this would be easy, but Anna sure does seem willing to help." "Yes, she does. I think the need for adoptive parents is great and that's why she's considering it for you. We'll just have to wait and see how things go the next few weeks and months before we declare victory." "That's not a problem, James. I've waited this long, I can wait some more. It won't be easy, but I'll survive it. Well, I better get going and let you take care of some other clients, though you probably won't need them with all the money you're charging me right now. Thanks for all your help, James, and if anything comes up, let me know." "I'll keep you updated with any new developments, Max. Now, go home and keep working on your lists and getting ready to be a father." We shook hands and I headed for my car. Once ensconced in the leather seats of the Shelby, I rested my head on the steering wheel for a few minutes before trying to drive. I had to collect my thoughts before I headed out so I wouldn't be hazard to the other folks with whom I'd be sharing the road. Once I pulled myself back together, I headed out of the parking lot and instead of heading directly home, I turned in the direction of the Ford dealer so I could talk to the Herb and check the status of my new Flex. I arrived at the dealership and asked the receptionist to see Herb, the sales manager. She checked and told me he was in a meeting with a customer and it would be about 15 to 20 minutes before he was available. I wandered the sales floor while I waited. After seeing the other cars Ford was currently offering, I decided that I had made a good decision on the selecting the Flex. It looked like it would have plenty of room and be comfortable for everyone. It wasn't nearly as big as the Excursion, but I really didn't want anything that big. Driving that monstrosity would be like driving a semi after tooling around in the Shelby. Herb finally freed up about 30 minutes later and called me into his office. After taking seats, Herb asked, "How ya' doing Max? That Shelby still treating you well?" "It's great, Herb. Best damn car I've ever had. I wanted to stop by and see what's up with the Flex I ordered last week." "Well, the order's placed with the factory, let me check the production schedule and see what we're looking at for delivery. Give me just a moment." Herb punched some keys on his computer and pulled up the schedule. After a moment and a few more keystrokes, "At this time, the computer's showing the start of production is scheduled for three weeks from yesterday. It usually takes a few days to build and quality check the vehicle, then about two or three weeks for delivery to the dealership." "That sounds like it should be just perfect, Herb. I can't wait to get it." "Can I ask a question, Max?" "Sure, what do you want to know?" "Well, it just seems a bit odd for you to be buying a Flex when you have the Shelby. You're not planning on trading it in, are you?" "Oh no, I love that car too much to consider doing that. I'm just going to need a bigger vehicle shortly and want to be prepared when the time comes." "Okay, now my curiosity meter's pinging off the dial. Why would a single guy like you be needing a bigger vehicle?" "Well, I hate to say anything for fear I'll jinx it, but I'm hoping to adopt and I figured that with a kid and friends and their stuff, the Shelby would be quickly packed to the gills. I want to be ready with a bigger car when the time comes." "Congratulations, that's great Max, and the Flex will be perfect for that. Plenty of room for you, a couple kids and whatever else you will need to haul." "I just figured it would make more sense than trying to stuff it all in the `Stang. Now, how do you want to handle payment? I've brought my checkbook so I can give you a deposit on the car." "Don't worry about that, Max. I know you're good for it. With tax, title, license and other fees, you're looking at about 52 to 53 grand. If you can bring a cashier's check for the final total once the car comes in, I'll even knock a few grand off the price for ya'." "That sounds fine, Herb. Let me know the total when the time comes, and I'll do just that. But, instead of reducing the price of the vehicle, would you consider donating to a worthy organization in the same amount?" "That's a great idea, Max. It's not like you need the money yourself, is it?" he chuckled. I laughed along with him. "No, I don't, but I do know a place that would make good use of a donation." "Once we have everything settled on the car, we'll make the donation in your name." "Oh, no, you can't use my name. I want the donation to go to the agency I'm working with on the adoption process and I don't want them thinking I'm trying to buy their decision in any way. You will need to send the money in either your name or the dealership's name. My name can't be involved in any way, shape or form with it." "Gotcha, Max. No problem. We'll use the dealership, that way I can reduce my tax bill next year." "Thanks, Herb, I knew you'd understand. Well, I'll get out of your hair and let you get back to selling some cars." "Happy to help, Max. I'll be in touch as we get closer delivery of the car." "Sounds good, Herb. Have a great afternoon."

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 4</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free.&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc472549853">Chapter 4 � Meeting the Boys</a></h2> <p><span>After just a few moments, the office door opened and in walked four boys. They filed into the room with a minimum of pushing and prodding and sat together on the couch while James and I moved to separate chairs at each end of the couch. </span></p> <p><span>Anna began the conversation with, "Boys, this is Mr. Maxwill Sanders and he is hoping to adopt a child. We thought you four might be interested in meeting him and we can see what happens." </span></p> <p><span>I gave the boys a little wave with a sheepish look on my face. The boys' faces lit up with anticipation and hope at the news that they were being considered for adoption. </span></p> <p><span>Anna continued, "Now before you all get wild ideas and dreams going on in your heads, there are a few things you need to know. Mr. Sanders is not married so he will be a single parent. While he is not the type of person we regularly consider as being an adoptive parent since he is single, we feel that whichever one of you he decides to adopt will be very well taken care of. He lives alone in a large house that sits in the middle a large copse of trees. He built the house some years ago in the hopes of marrying and having children, but those plans have not worked out for him. He is now trying to adopt. Out of all the children in our system, you four, we felt, were the most likely candidates to become Mr. Sanders' son. The gentleman with Mr. Sanders is his attorney, Mr. Cantrell. Now, I'll turn the rest of this meeting over to Mr. Sanders. If you need anything, I'll be at my desk right over there working on some paperwork, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>Anna received affirmative nods from all six of us and moved off to her desk.</span></p> <p><span>I looked at the four boys and started the conversation. "Hi guys, it's great to meet you. As Anna said, my name is Maxwill Sanders, but you can call me Max. Everybody else does. As Anna told you, I'm a single guy and I have always wanted to have a family. I'm 34 and life has kept me very busy to this point and I feel now is a good time to get started on that dream. Anna thinks one of you four might like to become my son. I'd like to talk to you a bit, find out a little bit about each of you, and see how you would feel about being adopted. Anna and I have told you a bit about me, why don't you each tell me a little bit about yourselves?"</span></p> <p><span>The four boys looked at each other with a look in their eyes that said, "I'm not going first, you do it." All four looked back at me, mute. I decided I was going to have to give a little prod to get things going here. I looked at Alexander and asked, "Why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself, Alexander?"</span></p> <p><span>He stammered, "I don't know what to say. I've given up on being adopted. Since my brother and I are twins, we've been here a long time `cause nobody wants to take two kids and I won't go anywhere without my brother. He won't go anywhere without me, either."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'll be honest with you. I had planned on adopting only one child at this time, but if things work out and it seems like we'd be a good fit, I wouldn't have a problem taking both of you into my home."</span></p> <p><span>Alexander and Joseph looked at each other with relief in their eyes as they took in the news that this just might work out for them. Joseph looked back at me and asked, "Really? You'd be willing to adopt both of us? Wow, that'd be great."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure would," I replied. "Now, can either or both of you tell me a little bit more about you?"</span></p> <p><span>Alexander started, "Well, our parents died when we were four. They were in a bad car wreck and they were killed while we were at home with a babysitter. We've been here ever since."</span></p> <p><span>Joseph added, "Me and Alexander do everything together and always have. That's why we won't leave the other one here. We couldn't stand being separated."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you don't have to worry about that, boys. Like I said, I would be willing to adopt both of you."</span></p> <p><span>"Would we get our own bedrooms?" Alexander asked. "We've never had separate rooms and the foster family we've lived with thinks that since we're twins, we should always be in the same room together."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I have three unused bedrooms in my home, so, yeah, I don't see why you each couldn't have your own if you wanted."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool," said Joseph. </span></p> <p><span>"What about you, Michael? Would you like to come live with me and have me as your dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess," he said meekly. "I never really thought about it much. I just figured I'd live with my foster parents until I got out of school."</span></p> <p><span>I looked at Thomas next and he started talking before I could open my mouth.</span></p> <p><span>"Why ain't you married? Are you one of them fags? I ain't gonna' to live with no damn fag! Is that other guy queer, too?" he demanded.</span></p> <p><span>I was stunned at the question from the youngster and I looked over at Anna to see how she reacted. Anna gave me a slight nod that I took to mean it's a valid question and one that deserves an answer.</span></p> <p><span>I looked Thomas straight in the eyes and replied, "While I didn't expect that question today and the way you worded it was quite rude, I'll give you an honest answer. The word fag is not one I like and I don't want to hear it again. Now, to answer your question, yes, I am gay." I caught a quick, knowing look pass between Joseph and Alexander, but they remained silent. "I prefer the company of another man. Since I just recently settled that question myself, I have been alone as I dealt with my feelings all these years. It would not have been fair to marry some nice lady while I was figuring things out for myself. Now that I realize the truth about myself, I can move on with the rest of my life. As to James, I'm pretty sure he is not gay since he's been married 25 years and has three kids. Heck, he didn't even know I was until I told him just last week. James is my attorney and he is here to help me work through this process. Does that answer your question?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess. I still don't think I want to live with you."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me tell you all something. While I may be gay, I have no interest in boys. You would all be perfectly safe. If you become my son or sons, I will protect you with every fiber of my being and do my best to make sure no one hurts you ever again. Does that sound okay to you?"</span></p> <p><span>I received nods from all four boys, though Thomas still seemed a bit reluctant to accept what I said.</span></p> <p><span>All four boys looked at me like I was a demon come to steal their souls. Joseph asked the next question, "Are you talking to only boys are you going to talk to girls also?"</span></p> <p><span>Again, I glanced at Anna and received a nod to continue. "Well, over the years, I've thought a lot about the type of family I would like to have and I really don't have a preference as to whether I adopt a boy or a girl. But to tell you truth, I just don't think I would do very well dealing with some of the issues girls deal with as they get older. I think I would be much more comfortable and helpful dealing with boys as they grow up. I'm much more familiar with their issues."</span></p> <p><span>All four looked at each other again and seemed to accept this. The questions returned to your more normal questions from six to eight-year-old kids and we chatted about a bit of everything for the next hour. At the end of our time, Anna excused the boys and asked them to wait with her receptionist for a bit while we talked a bit more. Each boy came to shake my hand and thank me for talking to them. Thomas was last and added in a small whisper, "Sorry for being rude. I think I might like to live with you after all. If I didn't make you mad and you'll let me."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Thomas, I appreciate and accept your apology. As far as I'm concerned, it never happened." Thomas wrapped his arms around my neck and gave me a quick hug. I hugged him back to show there were no hard feelings and patted him on the back letting him know he needed to catch up to the others.</span></p> <p><span>The boys left the office and Anna rejoined James and myself. "Well, Max, what did you think of the boys?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think they're all great. Thomas seems to be a bit rough around the edges, and his first question really surprised me, but I still think he's a great kid."</span></p> <p><span>"I must say his question shocked me quite a bit, also. But then again, Thomas has always been quite outspoken and not afraid to share his thoughts. You handled your response very well, though, and I appreciated your honesty and candor. I think that really helped put an end to that line of questions in a very tactful way."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I didn't know what else to say so I figured the truth was the best way to go. I know they're just kids, but kids today seem to know so much more than we give them credit for."</span></p> <p><span>"Too true," replied Anna. "Now that you've met the boys, what are your thoughts?" asked Anna.</span></p> <p><span>"My first thoughts are that, like I said, they are all great boys. I could see myself adopting any of them. It's really kind of hard to form a real opinion based on such a short conversation with the four of them together. But I really liked the way they treated each other. They all seemed pretty comfortable together," I said.</span></p> <p><span>"That's true Max, but this was meant to be just a quick meeting to see how things went. If you have particular interest in any of the boys, we will schedule a couple more meetings and perhaps and outing or two so you can get better acquainted with all four boys individually. Plus, we must do inspections of your home to make sure we approve of the living conditions and other things before we could proceed any further."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds great Anna, but I have another idea for you to consider."</span></p> <p><span>"And what would that be, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"As you know from the information sent over by James, here, I have a large house just waiting for someone to help me finally make it a home. What would you think of all four boys coming out and spending a weekend at the house with me? That would give us a better chance to get to know each other. They could see where they would be living, do some swimming, walk through the woods on some of the trails I've created and get a few days away to have some fun. One of your staff would be welcome to come along. With three empty bedrooms, Alexander and Joseph could use one, Thomas and Michael could use one and your staff member could use the third one. That would give me a good chance to see how the boys react to life in the woods and give you and your staff someone onsite to see how things go. That would kill two birds with one stone."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, now, I hadn't thought about that, but it could possibly work. Let me talk to my staff about it I'll get back to you in a few days and let you know."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't hesitate to contact me if you need. You have my phone numbers and if you can't get in touch with me, you are welcome to contact James. I can't imagine not being available for anything, but just in case. Feel free to work with James as you do your investigation and background checks and whatever else you need to do."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do that, Max. It was a pleasure to meet with you two again today and I'll be in touch as soon as possible."</span></p> <p><span>"Come on, James, let's get out of here so Anna can get to work."</span></p> <p><span>We left Anna's office and as we passed the boys sitting in the lobby, they each came up again to say goodbye. I told them all that I hoped to see them again soon and James and I headed out for the car ride back to his office. It was a quiet ride as my brain swirled with thoughts of suddenly becoming a father after the last 12 years of living alone. I was anxious and scared all at the same time. James tried to start a conversation several times, but I was lost in my own mind.</span></p> <p><span>When we arrived as James' office, he invited me in to chat a bit. I accepted and we headed to his office. Once seated, James asked, "So, what thoughts are percolating through that gray matter you laughingly call a brain, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Everything, man. Am I sure about this? Am I doing the right thing? Can I really provide a good home to any of those kids? Am I in too deep? What the hell am I doing?!?"</span></p> <p><span>James came back with, "Yes, yes, yes, damn right and losing your mind."</span></p> <p><span>I shook my head to clear my mind and asked, "Huh? What sort of gibberish is that?"</span></p> <p><span>James smiled and said, "I was just answering your questions. Yes, you're sure about this or we wouldn't be here, having this discussion. Yes, you are doing the right thing. Yes, you can give a good home to any of those boys and will be happy doing so. Damn right you are in too deep, but you can swim back to the surface any time. As to what the hell you're doing, that is losing your mind, but in a very good way, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"God, I hope so. This is happening so fast, I keep having to pinch myself to make sure it's not a dream. After our first meeting, did you really think we'd be making this kind of progress already?"</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely not. I was certain nobody would even talk to us once I informed them of your sexuality. Like I told you during our first meeting, it's extremely rare that a single male, especially a gay one, would be even considered for adoption."</span></p> <p><span>"But you made calls anyway. Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm your attorney, Max, and it's my job to do as you request, no matter the result. Still, I tried several other agencies before finding Anna and her group. They were semi-willing to consider a single parent but once they heard that the person was a single, gay male, they quickly lost all interest. One even said, and I quote, `You've got to be fucking kidding me. Take a hike pervert. I hope you rot in hell.' Even Anna wasn't thrilled at the prospect, but, having met you, I think she's coming around. I must say I'm nicely surprised."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just surprised as hell. I didn't think this would be easy, but Anna sure does seem willing to help."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, she does. I think the need for adoptive parents is great and that's why she's considering it for you. We'll just have to wait and see how things go the next few weeks and months before we declare victory."</span></p> <p><span>"That's not a problem, James. I've waited this long, I can wait some more. It won't be easy, but I'll survive it. Well, I better get going and let you take care of some other clients, though you probably won't need them with all the money you're charging me right now. Thanks for all your help, James, and if anything comes up, let me know." </span></p> <p><span>"I'll keep you updated with any new developments, Max. Now, go home and keep working on your lists and getting ready to be a father."</span></p> <p><span>We shook hands and I headed for my car. Once ensconced in the leather seats of the Shelby, I rested my head on the steering wheel for a few minutes before trying to drive. I had to collect my thoughts before I headed out so I wouldn't be hazard to the other folks with whom I'd be sharing the road. Once I pulled myself back together, I headed out of the parking lot and instead of heading directly home, I turned in the direction of the Ford dealer so I could talk to the Herb and check the status of my new Flex.</span></p> <p><span>I arrived at the dealership and asked the receptionist to see Herb, the sales manager. She checked and told me he was in a meeting with a customer and it would be about 15 to 20 minutes before he was available. I wandered the sales floor while I waited. After seeing the other cars Ford was currently offering, I decided that I had made a good decision on the selecting the Flex. It looked like it would have plenty of room and be comfortable for everyone. It wasn't nearly as big as the Excursion, but I really didn't want anything that big. Driving that monstrosity would be like driving a semi after tooling around in the Shelby. </span></p> <p><span>Herb finally freed up about 30 minutes later and called me into his office. After taking seats, Herb asked, "How ya' doing Max? That Shelby still treating you well?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's great, Herb. Best damn car I've ever had. I wanted to stop by and see what's up with the Flex I ordered last week."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the order's placed with the factory, let me check the production schedule and see what we're looking at for delivery. Give me just a moment." Herb punched some keys on his computer and pulled up the schedule. After a moment and a few more keystrokes, "At this time, the computer's showing the start of production is scheduled for three weeks from yesterday. It usually takes a few days to build and quality check the vehicle, then about two or three weeks for delivery to the dealership."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like it should be just perfect, Herb. I can't wait to get it."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I ask a question, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, what do you want to know?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it just seems a bit odd for you to be buying a Flex when you have the Shelby. You're not planning on trading it in, are you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh no, I love that car too much to consider doing that. I'm just going to need a bigger vehicle shortly and want to be prepared when the time comes."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, now my curiosity meter's pinging off the dial. Why would a single guy like you be needing a bigger vehicle?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I hate to say anything for fear I'll jinx it, but I'm hoping to adopt and I figured that with a kid and friends and their stuff, the Shelby would be quickly packed to the gills. I want to be ready with a bigger car when the time comes."</span></p> <p><span>"Congratulations, that's great Max, and the Flex will be perfect for that. Plenty of room for you, a couple kids and whatever else you will need to haul."</span></p> <p><span>"I just figured it would make more sense than trying to stuff it all in the `Stang. Now, how do you want to handle payment? I've brought my checkbook so I can give you a deposit on the car."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about that, Max. I know you're good for it. With tax, title, license and other fees, you're looking at about 52 to 53 grand. If you can bring a cashier's check for the final total once the car comes in, I'll even knock a few grand off the price for ya'."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds fine, Herb. Let me know the total when the time comes, and I'll do just that. But, instead of reducing the price of the vehicle, would you consider donating to a worthy organization in the same amount?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's a great idea, Max. It's not like you need the money yourself, is it?" he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>I laughed along with him. "No, I don't, but I do know a place that would make good use of a donation."</span></p> <p><span>"Once we have everything settled on the car, we'll make the donation in your name."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no, you can't use my name. I want the donation to go to the agency I'm working with on the adoption process and I don't want them thinking I'm trying to buy their decision in any way. You will need to send the money in either your name or the dealership's name. My name can't be involved in any way, shape or form with it."</span></p> <p><span>"Gotcha, Max. No problem. We'll use the dealership, that way I can reduce my tax bill next year."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Herb, I knew you'd understand. Well, I'll get out of your hair and let you get back to selling some cars."</span></p> <p><span>"Happy to help, Max. I'll be in touch as we get closer delivery of the car."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good, Herb. Have a great afternoon."</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-35.html

Building a Family 35 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 35 � Monday Tom and I spent the next hour and a half becoming more intimately aware of each other. Part of the time was spent with him working on a further expansion of my anal sphincter with the next size aid from his box of surprises. Even though he started working on me with the first one we'd used, it hurt like hell when he went up to the next size. After about ten minutes of his careful manipulation of the dildo, I was finally relaxed enough to start enjoying the feeling of my ass being spread wide open. Of course, the fact he had my cock buried deep in his mouth may have had something to do with me forgetting the pain. I was happy that he'd turned himself around so I could suckle on his monster while he worked me over down below. After we'd both been to the brink three or four times, Tom said, "Okay, enough of this playing around shit, I want you in my ass now. I can't wait any longer to come." We changed positions and I mounted him like a stud horse, slowly sliding my throbbing hardness into his waiting ass. I started a slow fucking motion and slowly increased my speed as I reached around him, wrapped one hand around his cock that was hovering over the bed and grabbed his balls with the other. I started stroking him, matching the rhythm with which I was pounding his ass, all while gently tugging his scrotum and squeezing the tender orbs nestled inside. It seemed that in no time, I felt his balls pull up and his cock enlarge in my hand as he reached the point of no return, pumping his semen all over the bed. With each shot of cum, his sphincter clamped my cock even tighter and I soon started coating his insides with my own load. With both of us totally spent after a long session of love-making, we collapsed onto the bed, my softening cock still buried in his ass. As I continued to wilt, little Willy slowly retreated from the warm confines of his ass and upon complete extraction, Tom moaned at the loss. "Oh, my god, Tom, that was wonderful. We should do that more often." "You said it, lover. I relish the moments when you're buried deep in my ass." "I'm looking forward to the day I can return the favor. When you first stuffed that salami-sized dildo in me, I wasn't too sure I wanted you to continue, but after I relaxed some and got used it, it started feeling really good. I can't wait for the real thing to get there." "Soon, Max, very soon." "I think we should get a shower and get cleaned up, then we can wash our sheets and grab some lunch. I still need to find a moving company to get your stuff and empty the room for your new office." "Sounds good to me, let's go." We tenderly cleaned each other in the shower, keeping the water spray off his stiches and once we were dried off, Tom helped me strip the bed and get the laundry going. Next, we headed to the kitchen to grab some grub. "How does a grilled cheese sound to you," I asked. "Really, grilled cheese? I haven't had one of those forever. Got any tomato soup to go with it?" "I think so, check in the pantry and I'll get the sandwiches going." Tom found the tomato soup, dumped it into a pan and I told him, "Set the heat real low. The sandwiches will take about 20 minutes before they're ready." "Are you freakin' kiddin' me? What the hell takes so long?" "I like the bread real crispy and cheese real melty. 20 minutes is about average. Sometimes, I'll let `em go even longer. All depends on how hungry I am when I start `em." "This better be good," he said. "Holy crap, how much cheese you puttin' in those?" he asked as I put them together. "Just the regular. A slice of sharp cheddar, a slice of Velveeta, some parmesan cheese and another slice of the cheddar. Once the Velveeta melts, the parmesan isn't going anywhere." "Never had one like that. Sounds yummy. Hope I can wait for it." "Me, too. If you can't wait that long, I'll eat yours." I laughed. While we waited for the sandwiches and soup, the phone rang and caller ID told me it was Carol. "Good afternoon, Carol." "I'm not so sure about that, Max. I've certainly had better days." "I'm sorry to hear that. What's going on?" "I'm calling about Andy. You were right this morning, it looks like his mom's going to jail for quite a while and I can't find any family members who are willing to take him in. I don't know what I'm gonna' do, now." "Carol, he's already here, we just need to get the rest of his things from his house and he can stay here. Problem solved." "It's not quite that easy, Max. With you already adopting the other four boys, Anna's hesitant to add Andy to the mix, especially if it ends up he can't be adopted." "I don't give a rat's behind about that, Carol. Would I adopt Andy if I could? In a heartbeat. Don't even have to think about it. He's a good kid, he's already living here, and he's getting along well with the others. Really, what's there to think about?" "Look, Max, it's a bit of a different situation with Andy. I haven't told you this before, but I had many meetings with Anna about allowing you to adopt the other four and she wasn't even really considering it. It wasn't until I told her what I knew about their budding sexuality that she finally saw the wisdom of allowing you to proceed. If those four weren't already showing signs they're most likely gay, they wouldn't be with you right now. And we really know nothing about Andy except he has a shitty mom with exceptionally bad taste in men." "I still don't understand what the problem is." "Anna doesn't believe a gay man should be raising a straight boy. She finally gave in on the others, but she's holding fast on Andy. I can't seem to budge her." "I'm willing to talk to her, if you think it'd help." "It's worth a try. You sure can't do any worse than I have. Let me add her to the call, we'll be right back." I was put on hold and a minute later, Carol came back on the line, "Okay, Max, I've got Anna on the call with us, why don't you go ahead." "Hi, Anna, how are you today?" "Busy, Max, what did you want to talk about?" "Andy Cox. I understand from Carol you're not too interested in him staying here. May I ask why?" "Because we know so little about him. If he's not homosexual, I don't think it would be a good idea for him to live there with you and the other boys?" "Why do you think that, Anna? Do you honestly believe we'd somehow corrupt him and turn him into a flaming fag?" "I don't know what to think, Max, but, while I wouldn't have said it quite that way, I'd be lying to you if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind." "Anna, you can rest assured that you cannot change who someone is. Both my parents are straight, but that obviously made no difference to me, I'm still gay. Just like me or the boys being gay will have no effect on Andy if he's straight. Almost every gay person who has ever existed was born to straight parents. I couldn't change that, nor would I want to." "Do you really think he could grow up in your house and be all right." "Anna, gay or straight, if he grows up to be a kind, considerate and loving person, that's my only concern. It should be your only concern also. Tom, the boys and I can help him do that. People like the Mueller's can't. And we certainly won't be near as bad as his own mother was." "When you put it that way, it's kind of hard to argue with that logic, I guess. Carol, you still there?" "Right here, Anna." "Let's do this, let's have Andy stay where he is until the end of the school year, at least. At that time, we'll talk to all involved and see how things are going. If Andy's doing well in the situation, I'll rethink my position at that time and perhaps the living situation can be made permanent then. Does that sound reasonable to both of you?" "It works for me, Anna," Carol responded. "That sounds fair, Anna," I added. "I'm sure you'll see in a few months' time your fears are completely unfounded." "I sure hope so, Max. Don't make me regret this decision. Carol, make it happen." "Thanks, Anna, I will." Anna left the call and Carol continued, "What is this magic power you have, Max? I've been working on her for hours and made no progress. Five minutes on the phone with you and she caves. I just don't understand it." "I don't either, Carol, but let's not worry about that. What do we want to do about getting the rest of Andy's things from his house?" "I'll have to check with Dylan and find out if they're done inside the house. I don't want to interfere if they're still searching." "Well, once you have an answer, let me know and Tom and I will meet you there, get what's Andy's and get back out. The sooner the better." "I will, Max. Thanks for helping me out, again." "Just trying to do my part. We'll be waiting to see what Dylan says. Talk to you later and I hope you have a better afternoon, now." We ended our call and I passed on to Tom what was going on. "You want me to call Dylan? I'll get a faster answer than Carol will." "No, let's let Carol deal with it. That's her job. Besides, it's not your job any more, is it?" "No, I guess it isn't. It's gonna' take a while to get used to that." "Well, our lunch finally looks ready. Let's eat. By the way, you can have all the soup. I never much liked tomato soup with my grilled cheese, too much like putting ketchup on the thing." "Fine with me, Max. I love tomato soup." Tom poured the soup into a large bowl while I put the sandwiches on plates and we sat at the counter to eat. "Oh, good god, Max, this thing is delicious. I'll have to remember how you make these so I can make one if you're not around and I get hungry." "It's really pretty basic, just gotta' have the right mix of cheeses, then a low cooking heat. If the heat's too high, the bread's done way before the cheese completely melts. And that just sucks. Too bad I didn't have any ham to add to them today. Maybe next time." "Make sure you put it on the shopping list. The boys will love these." When we were done eating and had cleaned up our dishes and pans, I got on the phone to find a mover who could help us clean out the spare bedroom, Tom's new office and move what's left in his apartment. Four phone calls later, I finally found a company that could accomplish both tasks this week. Arrangements were made for the movers to come to the house tomorrow to empty the two rooms here and we would meet them Friday morning at Tom's apartment to supervise the packing and moving of his stuff still there. I then called Harry at the complex to let him know we would be there Friday morning so he could also be around if he wanted to. We were just about to sit by the fireplace and read when my brain kicked into gear. "Oh, crap, I just remembered I need to call Steve and let him know about Andy. I told I'd let him know what we discovered and I forgot all about it." I dialed the school and after little miss perky and cheerful answered the phone, I was connected with Steve. "Good afternoon, Steve, Max Sanders here. How are you this wonderful Monday afternoon?" "Wonderful? Who are you kidding, Max? It is still Monday." "Oh, come on, Steve, we're alive and breathing, aren't we? Every day I wake up is wonderful. Especially after the weekend we just had." "If you say so. How can I help you this afternoon?" "I forgot to call over the weekend to let you know about Andy Cox." "Ah, yes, what did you discover?" I relayed the story of our weekend and the fact that Andy was now a member of the household, if only for a few months. "Damn, sounds like you all had the weekend from hell. I do hope Tom's going to be okay." "He's on the road to recovery, Steve. And unemployed." "Sorry to hear that, but I'd imagine you're both feeling pretty good about his early retirement." "We are. Lousy way for it to happen, but we're dealing with it. So, back to Andy, after talking with Carol and Anna this morning, it looks likes Andy will be living here through the end of the school year, at least. I wanted to let you know. Sorry for not calling over the weekend to pass on the news." "Oh, don't worry about it. It sounds like you've had more than enough to deal with. But thanks for letting me know. I'll have Gloria update Andy's emergency contact information to you." "While she's doing that, Steve, you might want to have her check the contact info for my four sons, also. I hadn't thought about that last week and I'm sure it hasn't been done. Oh, and who is Gloria? I don't believe I've met her, yet." Steve laughed, "Sure you have, every time you've been here, I'd imagine. Gloria is the young lady who answers the phone and greets visitors to our fair school. She takes care of too many other things to list." "That's her name? I just thought of her as `perky and cheerful'." "She's that also, Max," he chuckled. "That's one of the reasons she answers phones and greets visitors around here. I like to have a positive vibe going." "You've certainly accomplished that. Well, I just wanted to let you know about Andy. Have a good day and we'll talk to you later." "Thanks for calling, Max. You have a good day also." "Okay, that's dealt with. What's next on the hit parade?" "I don't know about you, but I'm going to grab my book and cop a squat by the fireplace for a while," Tom answered. "That works for me, Tom. Mind if I join you?" "I'd be upset if you didn't." The rest of the afternoon was passing quietly as Tom and I relaxed and read our books by the fireplace. Until Tom blurted, "Now, there's an idea." "Huh, what are you talking about?" "You remember the other night when Dylan was here? He started telling us about his buddy, you know, shit, what's his name?" he asked while snapping his finger as if that would help him remember. "Oh, you mean Malcom?" "Yeah, that's it." "What about him?" "Remember Dylan saying that if his family hadn't moved, they'd probably still be together?" "So?" "I don't think Dylan knows where he is. I'm gonna' try to find him and see if he might want to come back and see Dylan again?" "You really think that's a good idea?" "I don't know, but you heard the way Dylan talked about him. He was in love. Sure, it mighta' just been teenager hormones, but I think it was way more than that. There's only one way to find out." "How hard do you think finding him will be?" "Not a clue until I try it. We'll see if I've learned anything the last five years, that's for sure." "And what are you gonna' do if and when you find him?" "First, see if he's married or not. If he isn't, I'll ask if he's interested in seeing Dylan again. If he says he'd like to see Dylan, then I'll offer to fly him here and set up a meeting for them. Maybe we could do it here. That'd be cool. Have Malcom here and invite Dylan out for supper or a swim or something. Surprise the hell out of him." "You do like to live dangerously, don't you?" "Not anymore, but I do like surprises." "Well, I sure won't stop you. If you can find him, I'll help arrange the surprise." "Excellent, mind if I make use of your computer?" "Knock yourself out, Sherlock." Tom headed to the study and called out a moment later, "Yo, what's your password!?" "Sorry, didn't think about that," I yelled back. "Capital M, lower w, 6, 4, lower case t, s, 6, 1." "Thanks," he yelled back. I went back to reading my book while he played private dick. A half-hour later, it was almost time to go meet the boys as they got off the bus, so I headed to the bedroom to get some clothes on. I stopped by the study on the way to see if Tom was having any luck in his search for Dylan's friend. "How's it goin' in here?" I asked. "You're not gonna' believe this, but I think I found him. Hell, I don't believe it. Ya' gotta' love Facebook." "No way, you've only been in here 30 minutes." "This is the fifth Malcom White I've looked at so far and the only one who seems to be a real possibility. Here, look at this guy and tell me what you think. Malcom White, looks about the same age as Dylan, from Springfield, moved to Chicago about 20 years ago. If I'm right about their ages, he'd have been about 15 to 17 when he moved. Seems about right for all of it, doesn't it?" "It sure does. Is there a phone number for him?" "No, no number, but I can send him a message through Facebook and see if he responds." "Well, what are you waiting for? Do it." Tom spent a few minutes composing a message for the person he'd found and sent it on its way while I dressed to pick up the boys. Before I headed out, I reminded Tom that John was coming in a bit to show us his ideas for Joey and Alex's room and he should probably pull on something, also. He gave a grumble of acknowledgment and I hopped in the Flex. The bus was pulling up just as I reached the end of the drive and the fantastic five sprinted off the bus to meet me. I got out, waved to Carl, and received a hug from each of the boys before they wandered over to the new covered concrete slab for their bus shelter. "I knew you were having something built over here," Joey stated matter-of-factly. "Guilty," I pleaded. "What is it, dad? Tell us," Alex begged. "No can do boys, it's still a secret." "Whatever it is, it's not very big, is it?" T.J. asked. "Big enough for its intended purpose. C'mon, let's get to the house," I said and we all piled into the car for the short trip. "Did you have a good day at school and who has homework tonight?" I asked as I turned the car around. "It was okay, I guess," T.J. answered. "I have new spelling words to work on this week and a little math to do, too." "Okay, anything else?" "Nothing for Andy or me, dad. And we had a great day," Mike answered. "Good, I'm glad to hear it." "Yeah," Andy added, "it's a lot better bein' friends. We had a great time with Mark and Billy, too." "What about you two?" I asked Alex and Joey. "Just some math, again, but we'll have it done in no time," Alex answered. "Yeah, piece o' cake," Joey agreed. "How's Uncle Tom feeling, dad? Is he getting better?" T.J. asked "He's doing just great," I said as we pulled in the garage. "Let's get set up at the kitchen counter and get the homework out of the way and you can have a snack while we do that. Sound okay to you guys?" "Might as well," Joey answered. "Maybe we can play some Uno before supper, guys." "What's Uno?" Andy asked. "A card game," Mike answered. "Ain't you never played it?" "No, Mom and Russ didn't like to play games with me." "Don't worry about it, Andy," Alex said. "We can show you how to play. It's easy." "Thanks. I feel stupid not knowing about it." "Don't be that way, Andy. Not everybody knows about everything," I said as we entered the house. "I bet you do, Uncle Max." "You'd lose that bet," I laughed, "but thanks for the vote of confidence. You guys can change clothes and we'll meet in the kitchen. You need to pull on a pair of shorts, please. John's coming by in a little bit to show us what he wants to do with your rooms, okay." "All right!" Alex yelled. "Cool!" Joey added. The boys peeled off to their rooms to change clothes while I headed on to find Tom, wearing shorts and a shirt already, reading by the fireplace. "Brace yourself, you're about to be mugged by the fantastic five," I warned him. "Tell `em to bring it on, I'm ready," he said as he marked his place and set the book on the table. No sooner had he finished uttering those words than all five boys rounded the corner and smothered him with hugs. "How you feelin', today, Uncle Tom?" Joey asked. "Doing just fine, guys, thanks for asking. How was your day?" "We had a great day, Uncle Tom," Alex answered. "Glad to hear it. Did anybody give you any grief over your new haircuts?" "A few tried to, but once we told them why we did it, they shut up pretty quick," T.J. answered. "All the guys in our class thought it was pretty cool," Mike said. "Yeah, and Billy and Mark want to get their hair cut the same way," Andy added. "But their mom's pro'lly won't let them do it." "Hey, dad, can you draw the stitches on us tomorrow morning?" Mike asked. "Sure thing. You need to get up early enough for me to do it, but as long as we have time, consider it done." "Cool," Andy grinned. "Mark and Billy will really want to get it done then." "Okay, boys, let's see if you can get your homework done before John comes back." Joey, Alex and T.J. sat at the kitchen counter and got started on their work while I set out a snack for each of them. Mike had started writing his spelling words three times each as he'd done last week while the twins started whipping through their math. "Andy, I need to tell you what we found out about your mom today," I said as I walked around the counter to stand beside him while I gave him the bad news. "What," he whimpered. "I'm sorry to be the one that has to tell you this, but it looks like she's going to be in jail for a while." "Oh, man, what's gonna' happen to me?" he cried. "Oh, don't cry, Andy, it's gonna be okay," I said as I wrapped him in a hug. "I talked to Carol this afternoon and she's set it up so you can live with us until, at least, the end of the school year. After school is out, we'll find out what happens next." "Thanks, Uncle, Max," he sobbed. "I don't want to go anywhere else." "I know you don't Andy, and I'll do what I can so you stay here with us." I walked back around the counter while Mike held onto Andy and saw Joey and Alex were done with their work already. "Oh, man, I'd forgotten to talk to your teacher about those tests he'd mentioned. I'll try to get in touch with him tomorrow or the next day." "Thanks, dad, this stuff is way too easy for us," Joey said. "Yeah, we're bored as heck with it but we know we have to do the work anyway," Alex added. "Don't worry, you two, I'll take care of it. How you doin', T.J.?" "Done with writing them down, dad. You ready to quiz me?" "You bet, give me the list." T.J. handed the list over and I proceeded to give him the words in random order. At the end of the list, he had missed only three and I had him write each word ten times to help reinforce their proper spelling. Joey and Alex then helped T.J. get through his math work and once they were all done, I had them put their stuff back in their backpacks so they'd have it tomorrow morning and we went to join Tom in the living room. "So, when's this John guy supposed to get here?" Alex asked impatiently. "I don't know. We didn't set a particular time, so whenever he gets here, I guess." "I wish he'd hurry up. I want to see what he's planning," Joey said. "Patience, boys, you're not the only ones he's coming to see. He's going to go over changes to the storage room to make it into an office for Tom's new investigation job." "Cool, you're gonna' work from home?" T.J. asked. "Looks like it," he answered with a grin. "Then, maybe we can help you," Joey said. "We'll see, boys, but don't get your hopes too high. Like I said before, this type of work is best left for adults. I don't want to you guys to get dragged into or see situations you're not ready for." "Hey, we're almost nine, we can handle it," Alex complained. "Like I said, we'll see." The drive sensor dinged at that moment, halting continued discussion of the boys' budding careers as investigators. I headed to the door to greet John while the others went to sit at the dining room table so we'd have room for everyone and whatever John brought with him. "Afternoon, John. Thanks for coming back this late." "No problem, Max. I stopped by the new slab to make a quick check and everything there looks fine. Where's the family?" "They're all waiting in the dining room. You want something to drink?" I asked as we headed that direction ourselves. "Nah, I'm good." We reached the dining room and I introduced the boys to John. "Boys, this is John Hasara and he's going to be fixing up your rooms for you. John, from this corner and going clockwise, we have Joey, Mike, T.J., Andy and Alex." "Wait, I thought you said were adopting four boys? Did I miscount or have you found another boy to add to your growing collection?" "Nice catch, John. Andy joined us Saturday afternoon." "Well, all-righty then. Do I hear another room that's going to be redone?" "Not, yet, John. For the time being, he's bunking in with T.J. and Mike. And we're not too sure, just yet, if he'll be here past the end of the school year. We'll have to wait and see what happens." "Okay, well, if I understood correctly this morning, the first room is for Joey and Alex, right?" "Yep, that's why they sat on each side of the table and left the end seat for you." "Let me show you two what I've come up with and you can tell me if it's what you want or if I need to make some changes." John sat at the end of the table and pulled some computer-generated renderings from his briefcase, which he then spread on the table in front of him and the twins. "Oh, wow, that is so cool. It looks so real," Joey commented. "I like the way the desks are built-in along the wall, with the shelves above and storage below. That's sweet," Alex added. "Here's my idea for your closet, boys. I've lowered the shelf about six inches to make it easier for you to reach, the added another shelf above it for stuff you don't want to get rid of but also don't need much. Then, on each end, I added drawers to replace your dresser. Your dads thought getting the dresser out of the way would give you a little more floor space in the room itself." "I like that, dad, Uncle Tom," Alex said. "Will we be leaving the TV where it is now?" Joey asked. "That would be the easiest, guys. That way we don't have to move any wiring for it. You good with that?" I asked. "Yeah, that's cool," they answered in chorus. "Anything else you want done?" John asked. "What about paint?" Joey asked. John pulled the paint sample book from his case and passed it over. "Here you go, boys. If it's not here, it's can't be done." "Wow, that's a bunch. And we can have any color we want?" Alex asked, looking to me for approval. "Within reason, boys," I answered. "Let's not go too crazy or wild." "Can we do different colors on different walls?" "I don't see why not, as long as they complement each other." "What's that mean, dad?" Joey asked. "They need to go together. You wouldn't want to mix, say, purple with hot pink, would you?" "Yuck, that'd be ugly," Joey answered. "And I hate pink," Alex added. "That was just an example, you two, not a suggestion," I laughed. Joey and Alex spent a few minutes going through the flip-book and finally ended up with three colors they both liked, a dark blue for the wall behind the desks, a lighter blue for inside the closet and the wall where its door was located and reddish-brown color for the hallway wall. They decided to leave the wall where the TV was mounted white. We all agreed on wood for the desks and shelves and I requested John use maple for that with a lighter color stained finish since the wall behind it all was going to be dark. John also suggested a light fixture that could be placed on the top of the shelves as bridge between the two shelf sections in the center of each desk area to eliminate the need for a separate desk lamp. With all those decisions made, I asked, "John, how do you feel about building a platform bed frame with storage drawers underneath?" "Not me, Max, but I do know a guy who builds custom furniture for a reasonable price. Would you want to use the same maple that we're using for the desks and shelves?" "Of course, I want it all to match." "No problem. I'll have him give you a call tomorrow and you can tell him what you're looking for. No sense in me being in the middle of that. I'll coordinate the wood and stain with him so we can make sure everything matches." "What do you think about him building the desk and shelf units, also, John. I'll still pay you for your time to work with him to make sure everything fits properly." "That's not a half-bad idea, Max. That would free me up to work on the closet and painting along with that other project I'm in the middle of. Besides, I'm more of sheetrock and mud type of guy. I hate the finish work and always hire a sub do trim and fine work for me." "Sounds good, John. And it sounds like we have a plan for the twins' room. Mike, T.J., and Andy's room will probably end up about the same. Except for the colors, of course. Lord know what those three will pick." "Hey, y'all," Tom interrupted, "Aren't you forgetting something? What about my office?" "No, Tom, we haven't forgotten about your office. What do you think about having the same guy who builds the furniture for Joey and Alex's room building what you need? You can pick the wood and finish you want used." "You can't be serious, Max. That'll cost a fortune. I can't afford that." "You don't have to, bubba. This is on me." "Oh, no you don't. I told you I'm not here for a free ride. I expect to pay for my own stuff." "Would you consider it a wedding present from me to you?" "That still sounds extreme. I don't want you spending that much on me because you think you should. We can just go to Office Max to get what I need." "And what will you get for your money, there? Some cheap particle board crap covered in woodgrain plastic. You deserve better than that. Having it custom built from real wood won't cost that much more, it'll last ten times longer and look 100 times better that the junk they sell." "All good points, Max, but I still can't afford it." "Tom, think about what's in this house. Does it look like I give a rat's behind what things cost? Just in case you haven't figured it out yet, let me clue you in, big guy. I don't." "I still don't like it. It's way too expensive, Max, but if you insist on doing it that way, I'll let you. Don't know how I'll ever repay it." "Don't even think about it. It's a gift and it's my pleasure. I'd pay any price necessary to help keep you off the streets and safe." I turned back to John and continued, "I'll talk to your guy about Tom's desk, shelves and other things we'll need for his office. Why don't you toss that color book down here so he can pick out the color he wants on the walls? Oh, and did you bring anything on ceiling fans?" "Sure did." John reached in his case again and pulled out a catalog from Hunter, then passed that and the color book to Tom. Tom spent a few minutes perusing the available colors and settled on color called `Ambience White', which is an off-white with just a hint of green and yellow. It will give a little color to the room, and still be bright. Then he went through the fan catalog and selected one he liked with a nice light kit. "Did you come up with anything else you need, Tom?" "Not really. The only thing I think I'd like to have is a remote control for the fan and light so I can change settings from the desk." "Not a problem, Tom," John answered. "I'd planned on that anyway." "Anything else you guys," I asked, looking to Alex and Joey. "Nah, we're cool, dad," Joey answered. "Can't wait until we can move into our new room," Alex added. "Tom?" "Other than you goin' overboard on furniture, I'm good," he grumped. "Well, John, it sounds like we've got a plan of attack. I have movers coming tomorrow to empty both rooms. Can you come back sometime the next couple of days to get more detailed dimensions?" "That'd be a good idea, Max." "If you could come back Wednesday, that would work out best for us. Tom and I need to be in court Thursday and we're meeting the movers at his old apartment Friday to have the rest of his things moved out here. I have no idea how long we'll be tied up either day." "Wednesday, it is, then. I'll come out that afternoon." "Perfect, John. Thanks for coming back out today and we'll see you Wednesday." "Boys, it was nice meeting all of you. T.J., Mike, Andy, start thinking about what you want done in your room when the time comes." "We will, Mr. Hasara," T.J. answered. I walked with John to the front door and said a final goodbye as he stepped out into the sun. When I returned to the kitchen, I discovered the boys were absent and Tom still sitting at the table with a big frown on his face. "Where'd the boys disappear to?" I asked. "They went to undress. Said they couldn't stand wearing clothes any longer," he mumbled. "Why the gloomy Gus look?" I asked as I sat next to him and wrapped an arm over his shoulder. "Look, Max, I know you could buy me 20 times over and not feel a thing, but I really don't want you paying to have a desk and shelves built for my office. That's way over the line." "Why? What's wrong about me doing something special for the man I love?" "There's nothing wrong with it, I guess, but I don't think I'll ever be able to match it." "Who says you have to?" "I do. Call me crazy, if you want, but that's the way I was raised. Giving gifts is fine, but they should at least be close to equal in value. I'll never have the money you do and I won't ever be able to give back what you deserve." "Tom, look at me." He sat up straighter and turned his head to meet my eyes. "I don't care how much money you do or don't have, or even the money I have. I love you, not your belongings, not your money, you. Don't you get that?" "I do, because I'd still love you even if you were penniless and homeless. But that doesn't mean I have to like how you spend your money on me. I'm not for sale, you know." "I know that, and it's a good thing `cause you're off the market anyway. You are off the market, aren't you?" "Of course, I am." "Phew, that's good to hear," I said as I wiped my brow in mock relief. "Look, Tom, I told you before that you're going to have to get comfortable with being semi-wealthy. It's who I am and I can't do anything about that." "I know, Max. This is my problem and I need to figure out how to deal with it. I've just always been on the poorer side of life, living paycheck to paycheck. It wasn't until just the last couple of years that I've could actually start saving something back each pay. For some reason, having money is uncomfortable for me and I'm having a hard time adjusting to not having to worry about it." "I know all about that, Tom. With mom and dad being teachers, we never had a lot of extra money when I was growing up, either. When I first started receiving royalty checks after the release of my first book, I was flabbergasted. I didn't know how I could ever spend it all. I sure as hell tried, though. This house and property is proof of that. And the money hasn't stopped coming in. I still receive regular checks from the publishers. And if I see something I want, I buy it." "I hope that doesn't include me." "Of course, it doesn't. I would never try to `buy' you or your love. I'd rather have you with me and be flat broke than the other way around. Having all the money in the world without you to share it with would be unbearable." "Just out of curiosity, how much are you worth? You've never said and I never felt comfortable asking, but since we're talking about it..." "Ha, you just couldn't resist, could you? You sure you want to know?" "One part of me does, but there's another part that doesn't." "Between you, me and the wall over there, last time I paid attention, I think the total of all my investments and property was somewhere around 45 to 50 million." "Holy, crap, Max. I had no idea. I thought you might have two or three mill. Boy, was I ever off." "And half of that's yours, now. Well, not right now, but soon." "What? How?" "Well, once we get married, half of what's mine is yours and vice-versa." "So, I get, say 25 mill, and you get maybe 5 or 6 grand. Yeah, I guess I can live with that," he laughed. "Now, do you see why I don't care what some silly furniture costs?" "Yeah, okay, I get it. Just don't know if I'll ever get used to it." "It takes some time, Tom, but you will, just like I did. You'll discover in time that it's nice not having to worry about it." "I sure as hell hope so." The boys picked that moment to return, begging for food like they were starving. I looked at Tom and said, "I guess it's time for supper, what do you think." "It looks like if we don't feed them soon, they'll start munching on us. Don't want that, do we?" "Not today, I don't," I said as I grinned at Tom. I turned to the five hungry waifs and asked, "How does fish and fries sound for supper tonight?" A chorus of `yay' rang through the dining room. "Okay, let me get the fryer out to do the fries and get the fish in the oven. While the fryer heats up, Tom and I can get join the comfort crew. Why don't you guys get the table set and get drinks while we get things going?" The boys jumped to work while Tom pulled out the fryer and got it plugged in and I pulled the fish from the freezer and got it in the oven. Once we had that taken care, we headed to the bedroom to get comfortable. The fryer was ready when we returned and Tom got the fries going while I flipped the fish filets and pushed them back in the oven to finish. "Hey, dad, what do you and Uncle Tom want to drink?" Joey asked. "I think I'll have a Pepsi tonight, what about you Tom?" "Pepsi for me, too, please." "You got it," Joey replied. He and Alex got our drinks and added them to the table with the others already there. Ten minutes later and we were ready to sit. Supper was a pretty quiet affair since everyone's mouth was full, but at one point, Alex asked, "Hey, dad, what do you think we should we should call Uncle Tom when you two get married? We asked him when you left Saturday to pick up Mike's friends and he said he didn't know, that we'd figure it out when the time came." "Gee, I hadn't thought about it, yet. What do you guys think?" "I don't think we can call you both `dad', that would get confusing," Joey replied. "I still like `big guy' since his dick's so big," T.J. laughed. Unfortunately, I was taking a drink when he said that and I sprayed Pepsi out of my nose as I tried not to choke on it. Damn, that shit hurts. "Um, I think we can come up with something better than that, T.J.," I said as I wiped up the table. "How about `pop' or `pops'," Mike asked. "I kinda like that, what do you think, Tom?" "I could live with that. It would definitely cut the confusion about who they're talking to and it's a whole lot better than hearing `big guy' all the time." "There's your answer, boys, pops it is." "Can we start now?" Mike asked. "Why not, good for you, pops?" I asked with a grin. "Sure, I might as well get used to it." "What about me," Andy asked. "Can I call you pops, too?" "You bet, buddy," Tom answered. "I'd be happy if you did." "And what about you, Uncle Max? Can I call you dad?" Andy asked, turning to me. "You might as well. With luck, we'll make that official someday." "I sure hope so." With supper completed, the boys cleaned the table while Tom and I took care of the fryer and the pan I used for the fish. That chore completed, we headed to the theater to watch some TV for a while. After about half an hour, Andy came to me and whispered, "Um, can I talk to you about something?"

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 35</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc477791016"><span>Chapter 35 � Monday</span></a></h2> <p><span>Tom and I spent the next hour and a half becoming more intimately aware of each other. Part of the time was spent with him working on a further expansion of my anal sphincter with the next size aid from his box of surprises. Even though he started working on me with the first one we'd used, it hurt like hell when he went up to the next size. After about ten minutes of his careful manipulation of the dildo, I was finally relaxed enough to start enjoying the feeling of my ass being spread wide open. Of course, the fact he had my cock buried deep in his mouth may have had something to do with me forgetting the pain. I was happy that he'd turned himself around so I could suckle on his monster while he worked me over down below.</span></p> <p><span>After we'd both been to the brink three or four times, Tom said, "Okay, enough of this playing around shit, I want you in my ass now. I can't wait any longer to come."</span></p> <p><span>We changed positions and I mounted him like a stud horse, slowly sliding my throbbing hardness into his waiting ass. I started a slow fucking motion and slowly increased my speed as I reached around him, wrapped one hand around his cock that was hovering over the bed and grabbed his balls with the other. I started stroking him, matching the rhythm with which I was pounding his ass, all while gently tugging his scrotum and squeezing the tender orbs nestled inside. It seemed that in no time, I felt his balls pull up and his cock enlarge in my hand as he reached the point of no return, pumping his semen all over the bed. With each shot of cum, his sphincter clamped my cock even tighter and I soon started coating his insides with my own load.</span></p> <p><span>With both of us totally spent after a long session of love-making, we collapsed onto the bed, my softening cock still buried in his ass. As I continued to wilt, little Willy slowly retreated from the warm confines of his ass and upon complete extraction, Tom moaned at the loss.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my god, Tom, that was wonderful. We should do that more often."</span></p> <p><span>"You said it, lover. I relish the moments when you're buried deep in my ass."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm looking forward to the day I can return the favor. When you first stuffed that salami-sized dildo in me, I wasn't too sure I wanted you to continue, but after I relaxed some and got used it, it started feeling really good. I can't wait for the real thing to get there."</span></p> <p><span>"Soon, Max, very soon."</span></p> <p><span>"I think we should get a shower and get cleaned up, then we can wash our sheets and grab some lunch. I still need to find a moving company to get your stuff and empty the room for your new office."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to me, let's go."</span></p> <p><span>We tenderly cleaned each other in the shower, keeping the water spray off his stiches and once we were dried off, Tom helped me strip the bed and get the laundry going. Next, we headed to the kitchen to grab some grub. "How does a grilled cheese sound to you," I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Really, grilled cheese? I haven't had one of those forever. Got any tomato soup to go with it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think so, check in the pantry and I'll get the sandwiches going." Tom found the tomato soup, dumped it into a pan and I told him, "Set the heat real low. The sandwiches will take about 20 minutes before they're ready."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you freakin' kiddin' me? What the hell takes so long?"</span></p> <p><span>"I like the bread real crispy and cheese real melty. 20 minutes is about average. Sometimes, I'll let `em go even longer. All depends on how hungry I am when I start `em."</span></p> <p><span>"This better be good," he said. "Holy crap, how much cheese you puttin' in those?" he asked as I put them together.</span></p> <p><span>"Just the regular. A slice of sharp cheddar, a slice of Velveeta, some parmesan cheese and another slice of the cheddar. Once the Velveeta melts, the parmesan isn't going anywhere."</span></p> <p><span>"Never had one like that. Sounds yummy. Hope I can wait for it."</span></p> <p><span>"Me, too. If you can't wait that long, I'll eat yours." I laughed. While we waited for the sandwiches and soup, the phone rang and caller ID told me it was Carol.</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, Carol."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not so sure about that, Max. I've certainly had better days."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry to hear that. What's going on?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm calling about Andy. You were right this morning, it looks like his mom's going to jail for quite a while and I can't find any family members who are willing to take him in. I don't know what I'm gonna' do, now."</span></p> <p><span>"Carol, he's already here, we just need to get the rest of his things from his house and he can stay here. Problem solved."</span></p> <p><span>"It's not quite that easy, Max. With you already adopting the other four boys, Anna's hesitant to add Andy to the mix, especially if it ends up he can't be adopted."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't give a rat's behind about that, Carol. Would I adopt Andy if I could? In a heartbeat. Don't even have to think about it. He's a good kid, he's already living here, and he's getting along well with the others. Really, what's there to think about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Look, Max, it's a bit of a different situation with Andy. I haven't told you this before, but I had many meetings with Anna about allowing you to adopt the other four and she wasn't even really considering it. It wasn't until I told her what I knew about their budding sexuality that she finally saw the wisdom of allowing you to proceed. If those four weren't already showing signs they're most likely gay, they wouldn't be with you right now. And we really know nothing about Andy except he has a shitty mom with exceptionally bad taste in men."</span></p> <p><span>"I still don't understand what the problem is."</span></p> <p><span>"Anna doesn't believe a gay man should be raising a straight boy. She finally gave in on the others, but she's holding fast on Andy. I can't seem to budge her."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm willing to talk to her, if you think it'd help."</span></p> <p><span>"It's worth a try. You sure can't do any worse than I have. Let me add her to the call, we'll be right back." I was put on hold and a minute later, Carol came back on the line, "Okay, Max, I've got Anna on the call with us, why don't you go ahead."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Anna, how are you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Busy, Max, what did you want to talk about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Andy Cox. I understand from Carol you're not too interested in him staying here. May I ask why?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because we know so little about him. If he's not homosexual, I don't think it would be a good idea for him to live there with you and the other boys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why do you think that, Anna? Do you honestly believe we'd somehow corrupt him and turn him into a flaming fag?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know what to think, Max, but, while I wouldn't have said it quite that way, I'd be lying to you if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind."</span></p> <p><span>"Anna, you can rest assured that you cannot change who someone is. Both my parents are straight, but that obviously made no difference to me, I'm still gay. Just like me or the boys being gay will have no effect on Andy if he's straight. Almost every gay person who has ever existed was born to straight parents. I couldn't change that, nor would I want to."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you really think he could grow up in your house and be all right."</span></p> <p><span>"Anna, gay or straight, if he grows up to be a kind, considerate and loving person, that's my only concern. It should be your only concern also. Tom, the boys and I can help him do that. People like the Mueller's can't. And we certainly won't be near as bad as his own mother was."</span></p> <p><span>"When you put it that way, it's kind of hard to argue with that logic, I guess. Carol, you still there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Right here, Anna."</span></p> <p><span>"Let's do this, let's have Andy stay where he is until the end of the school year, at least. At that time, we'll talk to all involved and see how things are going. If Andy's doing well in the situation, I'll rethink my position at that time and perhaps the living situation can be made permanent then. Does that sound reasonable to both of you?"</span></p> <p><span>"It works for me, Anna," Carol responded.</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds fair, Anna," I added. "I'm sure you'll see in a few months' time your fears are completely unfounded."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure hope so, Max. Don't make me regret this decision. Carol, make it happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Anna, I will." Anna left the call and Carol continued, "What is this magic power you have, Max? I've been working on her for hours and made no progress. Five minutes on the phone with you and she caves. I just don't understand it."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't either, Carol, but let's not worry about that. What do we want to do about getting the rest of Andy's things from his house?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll have to check with Dylan and find out if they're done inside the house. I don't want to interfere if they're still searching."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, once you have an answer, let me know and Tom and I will meet you there, get what's Andy's and get back out. The sooner the better."</span></p> <p><span>"I will, Max. Thanks for helping me out, again."</span></p> <p><span>"Just trying to do my part. We'll be waiting to see what Dylan says. Talk to you later and I hope you have a better afternoon, now."</span></p> <p><span>We ended our call and I passed on to Tom what was going on.</span></p> <p><span>"You want me to call Dylan? I'll get a faster answer than Carol will."</span></p> <p><span>"No, let's let Carol deal with it. That's her job. Besides, it's not your job any more, is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I guess it isn't. It's gonna' take a while to get used to that."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, our lunch finally looks ready. Let's eat. By the way, you can have all the soup. I never much liked tomato soup with my grilled cheese, too much like putting ketchup on the thing."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine with me, Max. I love tomato soup." Tom poured the soup into a large bowl while I put the sandwiches on plates and we sat at the counter to eat. </span></p> <p><span>"Oh, good god, Max, this thing is delicious. I'll have to remember how you make these so I can make one if you're not around and I get hungry."</span></p> <p><span>"It's really pretty basic, just gotta' have the right mix of cheeses, then a low cooking heat. If the heat's too high, the bread's done way before the cheese completely melts. And that just sucks. Too bad I didn't have any ham to add to them today. Maybe next time."</span></p> <p><span>"Make sure you put it on the shopping list. The boys will love these."</span></p> <p><span>When we were done eating and had cleaned up our dishes and pans, I got on the phone to find a mover who could help us clean out the spare bedroom, Tom's new office and move what's left in his apartment. Four phone calls later, I finally found a company that could accomplish both tasks this week. Arrangements were made for the movers to come to the house tomorrow to empty the two rooms here and we would meet them Friday morning at Tom's apartment to supervise the packing and moving of his stuff still there. I then called Harry at the complex to let him know we would be there Friday morning so he could also be around if he wanted to.</span></p> <p><span>We were just about to sit by the fireplace and read when my brain kicked into gear. "Oh, crap, I just remembered I need to call Steve and let him know about Andy. I told I'd let him know what we discovered and I forgot all about it." I dialed the school and after little miss perky and cheerful answered the phone, I was connected with Steve. "Good afternoon, Steve, Max Sanders here. How are you this wonderful Monday afternoon?"</span></p> <p><span>"Wonderful? Who are you kidding, Max? It <i>is</i> still Monday."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, come on, Steve, we're alive and breathing, aren't we? Every day I wake up is wonderful. Especially after the weekend we just had."</span></p> <p><span>"If you say so. How can I help you this afternoon?"</span></p> <p><span>"I forgot to call over the weekend to let you know about Andy Cox."</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, yes, what did you discover?" I relayed the story of our weekend and the fact that Andy was now a member of the household, if only for a few months. "Damn, sounds like you all had the weekend from hell. I do hope Tom's going to be okay."</span></p> <p><span>"He's on the road to recovery, Steve. And unemployed."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry to hear that, but I'd imagine you're both feeling pretty good about his early retirement."</span></p> <p><span>"We are. Lousy way for it to happen, but we're dealing with it. So, back to Andy, after talking with Carol and Anna this morning, it looks likes Andy will be living here through the end of the school year, at least. I wanted to let you know. Sorry for not calling over the weekend to pass on the news."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't worry about it. It sounds like you've had more than enough to deal with. But thanks for letting me know. I'll have Gloria update Andy's emergency contact information to you."</span></p> <p><span>"While she's doing that, Steve, you might want to have her check the contact info for my four sons, also. I hadn't thought about that last week and I'm sure it hasn't been done. Oh, and who is Gloria? I don't believe I've met her, yet."</span></p> <p><span>Steve laughed, "Sure you have, every time you've been here, I'd imagine. Gloria is the young lady who answers the phone and greets visitors to our fair school. She takes care of too many other things to list."</span></p> <p><span>"That's her name? I just thought of her as `perky and cheerful'."</span></p> <p><span>"She's that also, Max," he chuckled. "That's one of the reasons she answers phones and greets visitors around here. I like to have a positive vibe going."</span></p> <p><span>"You've certainly accomplished that. Well, I just wanted to let you know about Andy. Have a good day and we'll talk to you later."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for calling, Max. You have a good day also."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, that's dealt with. What's next on the hit parade?" </span></p> <p><span>"I don't know about you, but I'm going to grab my book and cop a squat by the fireplace for a while," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"That works for me, Tom. Mind if I join you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd be upset if you didn't." The rest of the afternoon was passing quietly as Tom and I relaxed and read our books by the fireplace.</span></p> <p><span>Until Tom blurted, "Now, there's an idea."</span></p> <p><span>"Huh, what are you talking about?"</span></p> <p><span>"You remember the other night when Dylan was here? He started telling us about his buddy, you know, shit, what's his name?" he asked while snapping his finger as if that would help him remember.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you mean Malcom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's it."</span></p> <p><span>"What about him?"</span></p> <p><span>"Remember Dylan saying that if his family hadn't moved, they'd probably still be together?"</span></p> <p><span>"So?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think Dylan knows where he is. I'm gonna' try to find him and see if he might want to come back and see Dylan again?"</span></p> <p><span>"You really think that's a good idea?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, but you heard the way Dylan talked about him. He was in love. Sure, it mighta' just been teenager hormones, but I think it was way more than that. There's only one way to find out."</span></p> <p><span>"How hard do you think finding him will be?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue until I try it. We'll see if I've learned anything the last five years, that's for sure."</span></p> <p><span>"And what are you gonna' do if and when you find him?"</span></p> <p><span>"First, see if he's married or not. If he isn't, I'll ask if he's interested in seeing Dylan again. If he says he'd like to see Dylan, then I'll offer to fly him here and set up a meeting for them. Maybe we could do it here. That'd be cool. Have Malcom here and invite Dylan out for supper or a swim or something. Surprise the hell out of him."</span></p> <p><span>"You do like to live dangerously, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not anymore, but I do like surprises."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I sure won't stop you. If you can find him, I'll help arrange the surprise." </span></p> <p><span>"Excellent, mind if I make use of your computer?"</span></p> <p><span>"Knock yourself out, Sherlock."</span></p> <p><span>Tom headed to the study and called out a moment later, "Yo, what's your password!?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, didn't think about that," I yelled back. "Capital M, lower w, 6, 4, lower case t, s, 6, 1."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks," he yelled back. </span></p> <p><span>I went back to reading my book while he played private dick. A half-hour later, it was almost time to go meet the boys as they got off the bus, so I headed to the bedroom to get some clothes on. I stopped by the study on the way to see if Tom was having any luck in his search for Dylan's friend.</span></p> <p><span>"How's it goin' in here?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You're not gonna' believe this, but I think I found him. Hell, I don't believe it. Ya' gotta' love Facebook."</span></p> <p><span>"No way, you've only been in here 30 minutes."</span></p> <p><span>"This is the fifth Malcom White I've looked at so far and the only one who seems to be a real possibility. Here, look at this guy and tell me what you think. Malcom White, looks about the same age as Dylan, from Springfield, moved to Chicago about 20 years ago. If I'm right about their ages, he'd have been about 15 to 17 when he moved. Seems about right for all of it, doesn't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"It sure does. Is there a phone number for him?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, no number, but I can send him a message through Facebook and see if he responds."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what are you waiting for? Do it."</span></p> <p><span>Tom spent a few minutes composing a message for the person he'd found and sent it on its way while I dressed to pick up the boys. Before I headed out, I reminded Tom that John was coming in a bit to show us his ideas for Joey and Alex's room and he should probably pull on something, also. He gave a grumble of acknowledgment and I hopped in the Flex. The bus was pulling up just as I reached the end of the drive and the fantastic five sprinted off the bus to meet me. I got out, waved to Carl, and received a hug from each of the boys before they wandered over to the new covered concrete slab for their bus shelter.</span></p> <p><span>"I knew you were having something built over here," Joey stated matter-of-factly.</span></p> <p><span>"Guilty," I pleaded.</span></p> <p><span>"What is it, dad? Tell us," Alex begged.</span></p> <p><span>"No can do boys, it's still a secret."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever it is, it's not very big, is it?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Big enough for its intended purpose. C'mon, let's get to the house," I said and we all piled into the car for the short trip.</span></p> <p><span>"Did you have a good day at school and who has homework tonight?" I asked as I turned the car around.</span></p> <p><span>"It was okay, I guess," T.J. answered. "I have new spelling words to work on this week and a little math to do, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, anything else?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing for Andy or me, dad. And we had a great day," Mike answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I'm glad to hear it."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," Andy added, "it's a lot better bein' friends. We had a great time with Mark and Billy, too."</span></p> <p><span>"What about you two?" I asked Alex and Joey.</span></p> <p><span>"Just some math, again, but we'll have it done in no time," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, piece o' cake," Joey agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"How's Uncle Tom feeling, dad? Is he getting better?" T.J. asked</span></p> <p><span>"He's doing just great," I said as we pulled in the garage. "Let's get set up at the kitchen counter and get the homework out of the way and you can have a snack while we do that. Sound okay to you guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Might as well," Joey answered. "Maybe we can play some Uno before supper, guys."</span></p> <p><span>"What's Uno?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"A card game," Mike answered. "Ain't you never played it?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, Mom and Russ didn't like to play games with me."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it, Andy," Alex said. "We can show you how to play. It's easy."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks. I feel stupid not knowing about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't be that way, Andy. Not everybody knows about everything," I said as we entered the house.</span></p> <p><span>"I bet you do, Uncle Max."</span></p> <p><span>"You'd lose that bet," I laughed, "but thanks for the vote of confidence. You guys can change clothes and we'll meet in the kitchen. You need to pull on a pair of shorts, please. John's coming by in a little bit to show us what he wants to do with your rooms, okay."</span></p> <p><span>"All right!" Alex yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Cool!" Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>The boys peeled off to their rooms to change clothes while I headed on to find Tom, wearing shorts and a shirt already, reading by the fireplace. </span></p> <p><span>"Brace yourself, you're about to be mugged by the fantastic five," I warned him.</span></p> <p><span>"Tell `em to bring it on, I'm ready," he said as he marked his place and set the book on the table.</span></p> <p><span>No sooner had he finished uttering those words than all five boys rounded the corner and smothered him with hugs.</span></p> <p><span>"How you feelin', today, Uncle Tom?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Doing just fine, guys, thanks for asking. How was your day?"</span></p> <p><span>"We had a great day, Uncle Tom," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it. Did anybody give you any grief over your new haircuts?"</span></p> <p><span>"A few tried to, but once we told them why we did it, they shut up pretty quick," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>"All the guys in our class thought it was pretty cool," Mike said.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and Billy and Mark want to get their hair cut the same way," Andy added. "But their mom's pro'lly won't let them do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, dad, can you draw the stitches on us tomorrow morning?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing. You need to get up early enough for me to do it, but as long as we have time, consider it done."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool," Andy grinned. "Mark and Billy will <i>really</i> want to get it done then."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, boys, let's see if you can get your homework done before John comes back." Joey, Alex and T.J. sat at the kitchen counter and got started on their work while I set out a snack for each of them. Mike had started writing his spelling words three times each as he'd done last week while the twins started whipping through their math. </span></p> <p><span>"Andy, I need to tell you what we found out about your mom today," I said as I walked around the counter to stand beside him while I gave him the bad news.</span></p> <p><span>"What," he whimpered.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry to be the one that has to tell you this, but it looks like she's going to be in jail for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, what's gonna' happen to me?" he cried.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't cry, Andy, it's gonna be okay," I said as I wrapped him in a hug. "I talked to Carol this afternoon and she's set it up so you can live with us until, at least, the end of the school year. After school is out, we'll find out what happens next."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Uncle, Max," he sobbed. "I don't want to go anywhere else."</span></p> <p><span>"I know you don't Andy, and I'll do what I can so you stay here with us." I walked back around the counter while Mike held onto Andy and saw Joey and Alex were done with their work already. "Oh, man, I'd forgotten to talk to your teacher about those tests he'd mentioned. I'll try to get in touch with him tomorrow or the next day."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, dad, this stuff is way too easy for us," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we're bored as heck with it but we know we have to do the work anyway," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, you two, I'll take care of it. How you doin', T.J.?"</span></p> <p><span>"Done with writing them down, dad. You ready to quiz me?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, give me the list." T.J. handed the list over and I proceeded to give him the words in random order. At the end of the list, he had missed only three and I had him write each word ten times to help reinforce their proper spelling. Joey and Alex then helped T.J. get through his math work and once they were all done, I had them put their stuff back in their backpacks so they'd have it tomorrow morning and we went to join Tom in the living room.</span></p> <p><span>"So, when's this John guy supposed to get here?" Alex asked impatiently.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know. We didn't set a particular time, so whenever he gets here, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"I wish he'd hurry up. I want to see what he's planning," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"Patience, boys, you're not the only ones he's coming to see. He's going to go over changes to the storage room to make it into an office for Tom's new investigation job."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, you're gonna' work from home?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Looks like it," he answered with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Then, maybe we <i>can</i> help you," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see, boys, but don't get your hopes too high. Like I said before, this type of work is best left for adults. I don't want to you guys to get dragged into or see situations you're not ready for."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, we're almost nine, we can handle it," Alex complained.</span></p> <p><span>"Like I said, we'll see."</span></p> <p><span>The drive sensor dinged at that moment, halting continued discussion of the boys' budding careers as investigators. I headed to the door to greet John while the others went to sit at the dining room table so we'd have room for everyone and whatever John brought with him.</span></p> <p><span>"Afternoon, John. Thanks for coming back this late."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Max. I stopped by the new slab to make a quick check and everything there looks fine. Where's the family?"</span></p> <p><span>"They're all waiting in the dining room. You want something to drink?" I asked as we headed that direction ourselves.</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, I'm good."</span></p> <p><span>We reached the dining room and I introduced the boys to John. "Boys, this is John Hasara and he's going to be fixing up your rooms for you. John, from this corner and going clockwise, we have Joey, Mike, T.J., Andy and Alex."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, I thought you said were adopting four boys? Did I miscount or have you found another boy to add to your growing collection?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nice catch, John. Andy joined us Saturday afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, all-righty then. Do I hear another room that's going to be redone?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not, yet, John. For the time being, he's bunking in with T.J. and Mike. And we're not too sure, just yet, if he'll be here past the end of the school year. We'll have to wait and see what happens."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, well, if I understood correctly this morning, the first room is for Joey and Alex, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, that's why they sat on each side of the table and left the end seat for you."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me show you two what I've come up with and you can tell me if it's what you want or if I need to make some changes." John sat at the end of the table and pulled some computer-generated renderings from his briefcase, which he then spread on the table in front of him and the twins.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, wow, that is so cool. It looks so real," Joey commented.</span></p> <p><span>"I like the way the desks are built-in along the wall, with the shelves above and storage below. That's sweet," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"Here's my idea for your closet, boys. I've lowered the shelf about six inches to make it easier for you to reach, the added another shelf above it for stuff you don't want to get rid of but also don't need much. Then, on each end, I added drawers to replace your dresser. Your dads thought getting the dresser out of the way would give you a little more floor space in the room itself."</span></p> <p><span>"I like that, dad, Uncle Tom," Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"Will we be leaving the TV where it is now?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"That would be the easiest, guys. That way we don't have to move any wiring for it. You good with that?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's cool," they answered in chorus.</span></p> <p><span>"Anything else you want done?" John asked.</span></p> <p><span>"What about paint?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>John pulled the paint sample book from his case and passed it over. "Here you go, boys. If it's not here, it's can't be done."</span></p> <p><span>"Wow, that's a bunch. And we can have any color we want?" Alex asked, looking to me for approval.</span></p> <p><span>"Within reason, boys," I answered. "Let's not go too crazy or wild."</span></p> <p><span>"Can we do different colors on different walls?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't see why not, as long as they complement each other."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that mean, dad?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"They need to go together. You wouldn't want to mix, say, purple with hot pink, would you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yuck, that'd be ugly," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"And I hate pink," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"That was just an example, you two, not a suggestion," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>Joey and Alex spent a few minutes going through the flip-book and finally ended up with three colors they both liked, a dark blue for the wall behind the desks, a lighter blue for inside the closet and the wall where its door was located and reddish-brown color for the hallway wall. They decided to leave the wall where the TV was mounted white. We all agreed on wood for the desks and shelves and I requested John use maple for that with a lighter color stained finish since the wall behind it all was going to be dark. John also suggested a light fixture that could be placed on the top of the shelves as bridge between the two shelf sections in the center of each desk area to eliminate the need for a separate desk lamp.</span></p> <p><span>With all those decisions made, I asked, "John, how do you feel about building a platform bed frame with storage drawers underneath?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not me, Max, but I do know a guy who builds custom furniture for a reasonable price. Would you want to use the same maple that we're using for the desks and shelves?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I want it all to match."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem. I'll have him give you a call tomorrow and you can tell him what you're looking for. No sense in me being in the middle of that. I'll coordinate the wood and stain with him so we can make sure everything matches."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you think about him building the desk and shelf units, also, John. I'll still pay you for your time to work with him to make sure everything fits properly."</span></p> <p><span>"That's not a half-bad idea, Max. That would free me up to work on the closet and painting along with that other project I'm in the middle of. Besides, I'm more of sheetrock and mud type of guy. I hate the finish work and always hire a sub do trim and fine work for me."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good, John. And it sounds like we have a plan for the twins' room. Mike, T.J., and Andy's room will probably end up about the same. Except for the colors, of course. Lord know what those three will pick."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, y'all," Tom interrupted, "Aren't you forgetting something? What about my office?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, Tom, we haven't forgotten about your office. What do you think about having the same guy who builds the furniture for Joey and Alex's room building what you need? You can pick the wood and finish you want used."</span></p> <p><span>"You can't be serious, Max. That'll cost a fortune. I can't afford that."</span></p> <p><span>"<i>You</i> don't have to, bubba. This is on me."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no you don't. I told you I'm not here for a free ride. I expect to pay for my own stuff."</span></p> <p><span>"Would you consider it a wedding present from me to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"That still sounds extreme. I don't want you spending that much on me because you think you should. We can just go to Office Max to get what I need."</span></p> <p><span>"And what will you get for your money, there? Some cheap particle board crap covered in woodgrain plastic. You deserve better than that. Having it custom built from real wood won't cost <i>that</i> much more, it'll last ten times longer and look 100 times better that the junk they sell."</span></p> <p><span>"All good points, Max, but I still can't afford it."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, think about what's in this house. Does it look like I give a rat's behind what things cost? Just in case you haven't figured it out yet, let me clue you in, big guy. I don't."</span></p> <p><span>"I still don't like it. It's way too expensive, Max, but if you insist on doing it that way, I'll let you. Don't know how I'll ever repay it."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't even think about it. It's a gift and it's my pleasure. I'd pay any price necessary to help keep you off the streets and safe." I turned back to John and continued, "I'll talk to your guy about Tom's desk, shelves and other things we'll need for his office. Why don't you toss that color book down here so he can pick out the color he wants on the walls? Oh, and did you bring anything on ceiling fans?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure did." John reached in his case again and pulled out a catalog from Hunter, then passed that and the color book to Tom. Tom spent a few minutes perusing the available colors and settled on color called `Ambience White', which is an off-white with just a hint of green and yellow. It will give a little color to the room, and still be bright. Then he went through the fan catalog and selected one he liked with a nice light kit.</span></p> <p><span>"Did you come up with anything else you need, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really. The only thing I think I'd like to have is a remote control for the fan and light so I can change settings from the desk."</span></p> <p><span>"Not a problem, Tom," John answered. "I'd planned on that anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Anything else you guys," I asked, looking to Alex and Joey.</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, we're cool, dad," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Can't wait until we can move into our new room," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Other than you goin' overboard on furniture, I'm good," he grumped.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, John, it sounds like we've got a plan of attack. I have movers coming tomorrow to empty both rooms. Can you come back sometime the next couple of days to get more detailed dimensions?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be a good idea, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"If you could come back Wednesday, that would work out best for us. Tom and I need to be in court Thursday and we're meeting the movers at his old apartment Friday to have the rest of his things moved out here. I have no idea how long we'll be tied up either day."</span></p> <p><span>"Wednesday, it is, then. I'll come out that afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, John. Thanks for coming back out today and we'll see you Wednesday."</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, it was nice meeting all of you. T.J., Mike, Andy, start thinking about what you want done in your room when the time comes."</span></p> <p><span>"We will, Mr. Hasara," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>I walked with John to the front door and said a final goodbye as he stepped out into the sun. When I returned to the kitchen, I discovered the boys were absent and Tom still sitting at the table with a big frown on his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Where'd the boys disappear to?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"They went to undress. Said they couldn't stand wearing clothes any longer," he mumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Why the gloomy Gus look?" I asked as I sat next to him and wrapped an arm over his shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>"Look, Max, I know you could buy me 20 times over and not feel a thing, but I really don't want you paying to have a desk and shelves built for my office. That's way over the line."</span></p> <p><span>"Why? What's wrong about me doing something special for the man I love?"</span></p> <p><span>"There's nothing wrong with it, I guess, but I don't think I'll ever be able to match it."</span></p> <p><span>"Who says you have to?"</span></p> <p><span>"I do. Call me crazy, if you want, but that's the way I was raised. Giving gifts is fine, but they should at least be close to equal in value. I'll never have the money you do and I won't ever be able to give back what you deserve."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, look at me." He sat up straighter and turned his head to meet my eyes. "I don't care how much money you do or don't have, or even the money I have. I love <i>you</i>, not your belongings, not your money, <i>you</i>. Don't you get that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I do, because I'd still love you even if you were penniless and homeless. But that doesn't mean I have to like how you spend your money on me. I'm not for sale, you know."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that, and it's a good thing `cause you're off the market anyway. You <i>are</i> off the market, aren't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I am."</span></p> <p><span>"Phew, that's good to hear," I said as I wiped my brow in mock relief. "Look, Tom, I told you before that you're going to have to get comfortable with being semi-wealthy. It's who I am and I can't do anything about that."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, Max. This is my problem and I need to figure out how to deal with it. I've just always been on the poorer side of life, living paycheck to paycheck. It wasn't until just the last couple of years that I've could actually start saving something back each pay. For some reason, having money is uncomfortable for me and I'm having a hard time adjusting to not having to worry about it."</span></p> <p><span>"I know all about that, Tom. With mom and dad being teachers, we never had a lot of extra money when I was growing up, either. When I first started receiving royalty checks after the release of my first book, I was flabbergasted. I didn't know how I could ever spend it all. I sure as hell tried, though. This house and property is proof of that. And the money hasn't stopped coming in. I still receive regular checks from the publishers. And if I see something I want, I buy it."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope that doesn't include me."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, it doesn't. I would never try to `buy' you or your love. I'd rather have you with me and be flat broke than the other way around. Having all the money in the world without you to share it with would be unbearable."</span></p> <p><span>"Just out of curiosity, how much are you worth? You've never said and I never felt comfortable asking, but since we're talking about it..."</span></p> <p><span>"Ha, you just couldn't resist, could you? You sure you want to know?"</span></p> <p><span>"One part of me does, but there's another part that doesn't."</span></p> <p><span>"Between you, me and the wall over there, last time I paid attention, I think the total of all my investments and property was somewhere around 45 to 50 million."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy, crap, Max. I had no idea. I thought you might have two or three mill. Boy, was I ever off."</span></p> <p><span>"And half of that's yours, now. Well, not <i>right</i> now, but soon."</span></p> <p><span>"What? How?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, once we get married, half of what's mine is yours and vice-versa."</span></p> <p><span>"So, I get, say 25 mill, and you get maybe 5 or 6 grand. Yeah, I guess I can live with that," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Now, do you see why I don't care what some silly furniture costs?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay, I get it. Just don't know if I'll ever get used to it."</span></p> <p><span>"It takes some time, Tom, but you will, just like I did. You'll discover in time that it's nice not having to worry about it."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure as hell hope so."</span></p> <p><span>The boys picked that moment to return, begging for food like they were starving. I looked at Tom and said, "I guess it's time for supper, what do you think."</span></p> <p><span>"It looks like if we don't feed them soon, they'll start munching on us. Don't want that, do we?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not today, I don't," I said as I grinned at Tom. I turned to the five hungry waifs and asked, "How does fish and fries sound for supper tonight?" A chorus of `yay' rang through the dining room. "Okay, let me get the fryer out to do the fries and get the fish in the oven. While the fryer heats up, Tom and I can get join the comfort crew. Why don't you guys get the table set and get drinks while we get things going?"</span></p> <p><span>The boys jumped to work while Tom pulled out the fryer and got it plugged in and I pulled the fish from the freezer and got it in the oven. Once we had that taken care, we headed to the bedroom to get comfortable. The fryer was ready when we returned and Tom got the fries going while I flipped the fish filets and pushed them back in the oven to finish.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, dad, what do you and Uncle Tom want to drink?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I think I'll have a Pepsi tonight, what about you Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pepsi for me, too, please."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it," Joey replied. He and Alex got our drinks and added them to the table with the others already there. Ten minutes later and we were ready to sit. </span></p> <p><span>Supper was a pretty quiet affair since everyone's mouth was full, but at one point, Alex asked, "Hey, dad, what do you think we should we should call Uncle Tom when you two get married? We asked him when you left Saturday to pick up Mike's friends and he said he didn't know, that we'd figure it out when the time came."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, I hadn't thought about it, yet. What do you guys think?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think we can call you both `dad', that would get confusing," Joey replied.</span></p> <p><span>"I still like `big guy' since his dick's so big," T.J. laughed. Unfortunately, I was taking a drink when he said that and I sprayed Pepsi out of my nose as I tried not to choke on it. Damn, that shit hurts.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, I think we can come up with something better than that, T.J.," I said as I wiped up the table.</span></p> <p><span>"How about `pop' or `pops'," Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I kinda like that, what do you think, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"I could live with that. It would definitely cut the confusion about who they're talking to and it's a whole lot better than hearing `big guy' all the time."</span></p> <p><span>"There's your answer, boys, pops it is."</span></p> <p><span>"Can we start now?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Why not, good for you, pops?" I asked with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, I might as well get used to it."</span></p> <p><span>"What about me," Andy asked. "Can I call you pops, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, buddy," Tom answered. "I'd be happy if you did."</span></p> <p><span>"And what about you, Uncle Max? Can I call you dad?" Andy asked, turning to me.</span></p> <p><span>"You might as well. With luck, we'll make that official someday."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure hope so."</span></p> <p><span>With supper completed, the boys cleaned the table while Tom and I took care of the fryer and the pan I used for the fish. That chore completed, we headed to the theater to watch some TV for a while. </span></p> <p><span>After about half an hour, Andy came to me and whispered, "Um, can I talk to you about something?"</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-34.html

Building a Family 34 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 34 � Truth be Told I let the water wash over my head and run down my back as I pondered the predicament. Joey and Alex have both asked us, on several occasions, to join them in their sex play. But it's wrong. Why is it wrong? Because society says it is. But didn't I want the same thing from my dad when I was their age? I did, more than anything else, I wanted him to love me like that. Why didn't I just ask him for it? Because I knew it would be a waste of time and he'd probably beat me senseless asking for such a faggot thing. Did the twins really know what they were asking for? Again, if I knew at eight, there's no doubt in my mind they know. So, why not? Because if anybody ever found out, I'd be in jail, or worse. Besides, it's wrong. But don't I just love the feeling of those hard, little peckers sliding all over my wet body? You bet your sweet ass I do. And such beautiful little rods, too. Just about three inches long, a little thicker than my middle finger, sweet pink helmet heads, Joey's curving to the right, Alex's to the left as they stood up towards their belly-buttons. Hey, there's another way to tell them apart. And those sweet little balls, my god, absolute perfection. Just a bit bigger than a marble, swaddled in their tight, wrinkled sacks. And hairless, just like me. Maybe that's where that particular kink in my brain comes from. I secretly want to look at naked young boys and their hair-free bodies, so I make mine look like theirs. I wonder what those sweet lads taste like. Do they taste like Tom, or do they have their own special flavor? Will I ever be able to get the answer to that question? But it's wrong, dammit! But, why? Sure, if you force someone to do something they don't want, it's wrong. Absolutely. But what if they want it, is it still wrong? And those two have made it clear they both want it. I'm not so sure it's so wrong anymore. I used to be, but I don't know what to think anymore. Do they want just me, just Tom, or both of us? Does that matter if you continue to deny their advances? No, I guess not. If they want just one of us, will the other get upset or jealous? Will they continue pushing for it if we keep saying no or will they just push harder? Oh, yes, please, push it in me harder. Wait, where the fuck did that come from? Knowing those two, they'll push more. Should I deny them the love they desire because most of the world says it's wrong? I don't have the answer to that question. My dad didn't really deny me, but then I never gave him that chance since I never asked him for it. Maybe I should have, and maybe we'd be closer now. Providing he didn't kill me for asking. God, I can't believe I'm even considering this. I open my eyes and see my cock is as hard as it's ever been and oozing pre-cum freely. I reach down, wrap a hand around it and start to slowly stroke myself. I wonder what it would feel like to have Joey's hand wrapped around my cock, stroking it like I'm doing right now, while Alex laps at the tip with his tongue before taking my helmet head inside his warm, wet mouth and swirling his tongue around it. Oh, my god, is that Joey sticking a finger up my ass, oh, yeah, go for it, son. Turn around here Alex, let me take your sweet little cocklet in my mouth. Holy fuck, Alex, your little pecker tastes so sweet, yeah Joey, stroke me faster and push that finger deeper in my ass to find that magic spot. Oh, my god, Alex, your mouth feels so good wrapped around my cock, take me just a little deeper into that sweet mouth of yours. Dammit, Joey's taken his finger out of my ass and stopped stroking my cock. What the hell is he doing down there? I can't see with Alex's body blocking my view. Wait, he's pushing my legs up. Guess he wants better access to my ass, okay, there you go buddy. Wait, what's that, that doesn't feel like a finger. Holy fuck, he's sticking his dick in my ass. God, that feels so good. Not as filling as the dildo Tom used on me, but it still feels better, more natural. Alex has my dick fully engulfed in his mouth and I'm tickling the back of his throat now. What a glorious feeling, I can tell this sweet young lad has had some serious practice sucking dick. I lift my head just a little so I can suck his hairless marbles into my mouth along with his pecker. Joey's got a smooth, easy rhythm going now as he fucks me up the ass and every stroke is intensifying the pleasure I'm feeling. Alex has started bobbing his head up and down on my cock to the same tempo his brother has going in my ass and I am in heaven. Faster, Joey, fuck me harder, pound that ass, make me feel it, pull on my balls, Alex, suck me deeper. Yeah, that's it, boys. Make daddy happy. Suddenly, I feel Joey's little cock stretch my sphincter just a bit more as he shoves it in as deep as he can and he holds his position as it starts to jerk and twitch in my ass. That triggers something in me and I start pumping shot after shot of cum deep down Alex's throat and he swallows each one. That kicks Alex in the balls and his cock starts pulsing and twitching in my mouth as he hits his dry orgasmic peak. With all three of us spent, Alex collapses on top of me and Joey falls onto Alex to form a delicious Alex sandwich. As we recover from our carnal bliss, Joey slides off to my right and Alex to my left. Alex then turns around and my young sons lay their heads on my shoulders and I wrap both in my arms and pull them closer so their soft little peckers are squished against my pelvis. Joey reaches down and cups my now empty balls in his hand while Alex wraps a hand around my flagging penis and we lay together for several minutes before I can recover enough to say, `I love you both so much' and they answer me with, `we love you, too, dad'. I slowly open my eyes and find myself laying on the shower floor, legs pulled up to my chest, a finger shoved deep in my ass, my other hand wrapped around my now lifeless cock and my chest is covered with cum. As I slowly become more aware of my surroundings, I hear clapping from outside the shower. I let go of my cock, pull the finger from my ass and stand to see who's there. Through the fog on the glass, I can make out Tom's figure sitting on the sink cabinet. Oh, fuck, how am I going to explain this? "That was quite a show you put on there, lover. You should sell tickets to that shit. You could get rich. Again." "Dammit, Tom, how long have you been here?" "Long enough. So, if I deciphered your mumblings properly, Joey was fucking you in the ass while Alex was sucking your dick and you were sucking his. Sounds like quite the sexy three-way. Hope I get to join in someday and we can make it a four-way." "Oh, fuck, it's not what it sounds like. I just got carried away." "You sure as hell did. You've been in here almost 45 minutes. Hope you like high water bills." "Crap! What are the boys doing?" "Eatin' supper. They couldn't wait for you so I tossed some corn dogs in the oven. If I hadn't, they'd be starving to death waiting, while you're in here, getting your rocks off." "Thanks, Tom. I'm sorry I took so long." I had washed the cum off my chest and turned off the water while he was giving me grief. I opened the shower door and asked, "Toss me a towel, please." "You want to talk about it?" "Later, after the boys are in bed." "I'm gonna' hold you to that." I got dried off and we joined the boys in the kitchen so Tom and I could eat. Thankfully, he'd baked enough extra corn dogs that the boys had actually left a few for us. I popped them in the microwave to warm them up just a bit before we sat to eat. "What's on the schedule for tonight guys?" I asked. "How about the next Star Wars movie?" T.J. asked. "Why not? I can always watch a movie." "Why were you in the shower for so long, dad?" Alex asked. "I was feeling a little stressed after seeing mom and dad and the hot water felt so good, I didn't want to get out," I lied while Tom sat there with a knowing grin gracing his mug. "I'm feeling more relaxed now." "I should hope so," Tom laughed. I shot him a glance to try to shut him down and it caused him to laugh even louder. "I'm glad it was your parents. I was worried it might have been something else," Joey said glumly. "We're good, Joey." The twins shared a quick glance that could be best described as hopeful. Once Tom and I had finished our supper, the boys rinsed and stacked the dishes in the sink as they always do and headed to the theater to get ready for the movie. All except for Joey. He hung around with a worried look on his face. "What's up, buddy?" I asked. "Can we talk a minute, dad?" "Sure, just you and me or is Tom included, also? And here or in the study?" "Uncle Tom should be there, too. And can we go to the study? I don't want the others to hear this." The three of us headed to the study and I closed the door once we were all inside. We took our seats and I asked, "What's up, Joey?" "I wanted to say I'm sorry," Joey started, while looking at the floor. "For what?" "For what I did in the pool. I know I shouldn't do things like that, but I kinda lost control." Tom raised an eyebrow at me, asking what happened. I mouthed `later' to him and he nodded in understanding. "I'm glad you apologized. I need you, and Alex, to understand that that type of behavior and contact between us could kill any chances of the adoption actually happening." "I know, dad, but Alex and I both know that we're gay, there's no doubt in our minds about that, and even though we know we shouldn't, we both want to play with you and Uncle Tom the way we do with each other." Tom's grin grew even wider and he wiggled his eyebrows at me after Joey's pronouncement. "I understand that, Joey. You two are very much like me when I was your age. I wanted my own dad to love me the same way when I was your age but I also knew that it would never happen." Tom and Joey's eyes opened wide in surprise. "Really? You wanted your dad like that, too?" "I did, but you saw what he's like today, how do you think it would have turned out?" "Not too good, I guess. But, he's not gay like you and Uncle Tom, so we were hoping you'd think about it." "I'm sorry son, it's just too risky, if word got out..." "But, dad, we'd never say anything about it to anybody." "Kinda like not saying anything about us being nudists? How'd that work out for ya', young man?" "That was all Alex's fault. And it just slipped out. Besides, it turned out okay, didn't it? Mark, Billy and Andy were cool with it and they swore they wouldn't tell no one." "You guys made the same promise to us, and yet look at what happened. Besides, they conned you into keeping the news a secret by saying they would keep quiet only if we all got nude, didn't they?" "Yeah, I guess. But what about Aunt Lee and Uncle Carl? They know and you don't think they're gonna tell someone." "I don't think it, Joey, I know it. And they're different, in this respect, young man. First, they're family and we need to trust our family. Second, Lee and Carl have known about me being a nudist for years and they've never said a word about it to anyone, not even our mom and dad. I trust them with my life." "Wait, Mama and Papa don't know you spend your days naked?" "No, they don't, and they don't need to. They're already convinced I'm a child molester simply because I'm gay. And now, not only am I gay, I'm also adopting the four of you, which just adds fuel to that fire. Imagine what they'd do if they knew we were nude almost all the time we're at home." "I could see it getting pretty ugly." "Exactly. Do you understand the importance of keeping certain things quiet, now?" "Yeah, but that doesn't mean we don't still want to play with you and Uncle Tom. I swear, we won't never say nothin' to nobody?" "I don't think it's a risk we can take. The damage that could be done would be irreparable." "Okay," Joey said glumly. "If you say so." "Good, now let's join the others and watch our movie, okay?" The three of us headed to theater, stopping in the kitchen to get doughnuts and drinks for everyone. I pulled the box from Krispy Kreme out of the pantry and set it on the counter. "Whoa, you got doughnuts today? You didn't tell me `bout them," Tom said with glee in his voice. "We sure did. It was Andy's idea, so make sure you tell him thanks." Tom and Joey carried the drinks in while I started to put doughnuts on separate plates for everyone. Tom then came back to help carry them to the boys. "What the hell was that talk all about?" Tom asked when he returned. "Like I said after my `shower', we'll talk about it after the boys are in bed." "If you say so, but I'm feeling left out of something important." "It's important, all right, but at the moment, I would like to keep the other three out of this discussion and we can't do that when they're out of bed." With doughnuts on plates for everyone and napkins to wipe hands, we returned to the theater to join them and enjoy the movie. The boys were really liking the Return of the Jedi and absolutely loved the Ewoks. I was kinda partial to the furry little critters myself. When the movie was over, I told the boys it was time to get into bed since they had school in the morning and I wanted them to have a good night's sleep. They took off to their rooms to brush teeth while Tom and I took care of the plates and glasses from the movie snack. With the dishwasher loaded and set on a timer to run in a couple hours, we headed to their rooms to say our goodnights. T.J., Mike and Andy were just crawling in their bed when we entered their room. Tom and I got them tucked in, gave kisses and said I love you to each lad after we helped pull the covers over their lovely naked forms. Next was Alex and Joey and I almost dreaded what we might find. When we got there, we found Joey curled in a ball in the middle of the bed, his head in Alex's lap, and they were both crying. Fearing one or both had been hurt, I ran to the bed to see had happened. "What's going on boys, who got hurt?" I asked as I sat on the edge of the bed. "We're not hurt, dad," Alex said as he looked up at me with tears running down his face. "Not physically, anyway." "Then why are you crying? What's wrong?" "You don't love us, you were just lying to us. You need to call Carol tomorrow and tell her to find us somewhere else to live." "Wait a minute, where's this coming from? What makes you think we don't love you?" "Joey told me what you said when he talked to you. We don't keep secrets from each other. You said that you don't want to play with us like someone who really loves us." "Alex, that is not what I said. I never said I don't want to, I just said it's not a good idea." Wait, what the fuck did I just say? "Besides, there are many kinds of love that don't involve sex." "But, dad, as much we love each other, we love you and Uncle Tom, too. And we want to show you both how much we love you." I crawled onto the bed and crossed my legs, then patted my thighs and said, "Come here, you two." Joey slowly uncurled himself and they both crawled into my lap while Tom sat on the edge of the next to me. I wrapped both in my arms and hugged them tightly. "You two should know that we both love you more than we can every truly show you. There are just some things than men and boys aren't supposed to do together." "Why not," Joey whimpered. "Because, most of the world frowns on it and if anyone ever found out about it, Tom and I would go to jail and you five would be sent to new homes." "But, dad," Alex started, "what if the boys want to do it, anyway. You wouldn't be forcing us into anything. Doesn't that make it okay?" "As much as I'd like to say yes (dammit, there I go again), it's not up to me. Since you two are so young, it wouldn't make any difference whether you wanted it to happen or not, it's still against the law." "How old do we have to be before it would be okay?" "17 or 18, I think." "That's too long to wait. You might as well send us back to the Mueller's right now. If we can't show our own dads how much we love them, we might as well be living with them. At least I don't want to fuck him," Joey said. "Listen you two, we love you both very much and we'd love to show you just how much (I have to quit saying shit like that), but that's just not possible. Come on, let's table this discussion for now and get some sleep. You'll feel better about things in the morning." They crawled off my lap and Tom and I got off the bed so we could pull down the covers. Both sweethearts laid down holding each other and we pulled the cover back up. When we leaned in to give them their goodnight kisses and say I love you, they pulled the cover up over their heads, so Tom and I kissed the cover and still told them we loved them. We turned out the light as we left their room and headed to our bedroom in silence. I closed the door and sat in one of the chairs, holding my aching head in my hands while my elbows rested on my knees. Tom pulled the other chair over so we were sitting knee to knee like we had the other night. "Will you please tell me what's going on?" "You remember that talk we had the other night? You know, the one about resisting temptation with the boys?" "Yeah, what about it?" I proceeded to tell him what had happened in the pool with Joey and what he said to me as he held on to my neck. I held my hand up and, while holding my thumb and forefinger up with about a quarter inch gap between them, I added "I was this close to saying fuck it all, lifting him completely out of the water and taking his sweet, beautiful, hard pecker into my mouth and sucking him off right there. It took every ounce of will-power in my body and mind to peel him off me and head for deeper waters." "Max, Max, Max, my poor, sweet, confused, lover. I thought you said you didn't have those impulses." "I don't! I didn't. I never have before. What the hell is going on with me?" And why the hell is Tom grinning at me like that? What the fuck does that mean? "It looks to me like another part of who you are is starting to express itself." "What the fuck are you talking about, Tom?" "Okay, it's time for some truth, lover boy. First, I want you to know that I truly love you and I would whether the boys were here or not. I don't want you freaking out with what I'm about to tell you." "And I love you, too, but what do the boys have to with that? And why the hell would I freak out?" "I wasn't entirely truthful with you the other night when we talked." "What!?" "I told you, when we met on the Mueller's front porch, that something just clicked between us." "Yeah, it did with me, too." "I think, now, it goes well beyond both of us just being gay, for why we clicked. One of the reasons I followed you home Saturday was to meet the four boys you're adopting. I fell in love with all four of them as soon I saw them. And after everybody else left and they asked if they could take their clothes off, I was in heaven. God, they're so fuckin' cute. Then when you started to strip right there in the kitchen, too, I decided, fuck it, why look a gift horse in the mouth." "What the hell are getting at, Tom?" "Max, lover, sweetheart, I'm a boylover. And I think you're slowly discovering you are, too." "What the hell are you talking about?" "Max, I care deeply for the boys. So deeply, in fact, that if I were to act on my impulses the way I really want to, I'd go to prison for a very long time. Well, actually, it would probably be a short time. Folks in prisons don't much like cops and they absolutely hate guys who love young kids. I'd probably get shanked my first week inside." "Oh, my god, what have I done?" "You didn't do anything, Max. I've known my true nature from when I first started playing around with my friends at 11 and 12. I told you some of this the other night, but not all of it. I didn't care if they were gay, straight, purple, whatever, if they had a dick, I wanted it either in my mouth or my ass. And at that age, even the straight dudes didn't care whose lips were wrapped around their cock or whose ass they were pounding, as long they got their rocks off. The one thing that did change as I got older was that the ages of my suck and fuck buddies didn't. In fact, if anything, they got younger. By the time I was 16 or 17, my buddies were nine and ten-year old kids in the neighborhood. When I turned 18 and became an `adult', I quit that shit entirely over the fear of going to jail." "Holy shit, Tom. That's a lot to take in. Why didn't you tell me all this the other night?" "Honestly, I didn't know how. Guys like me, maybe us, live a very lonely life, knowing that we can never enjoy the thrill of giving the people of our affection the love we so desperately want to share with them. And I do mean share. I used to absolutely love feeling my buds writhe in pleasure and knowing that I was doing that to them. I never forced any of them to do anything they didn't want. If they didn't want to suck me off, that was fine with me. And I certainly never fucked any of them, not after my dick grew up, anyway. I didn't want to hurt anybody and god knows I would have with my size. I still don't want to fuck them, but I do want to give them the pleasure they deserve and if they want to return it, I'll let them. Boys are sexual creatures, with needs and wants, just like us. Why do you think Joey and Alex are so involved with each other? They know what they want and they're willing to share it with each other. And, apparently, us." "I don't know, Tom, this is all too bizarre for me to deal with right now. You say you love me and you say you also love the boys. I get that, I really do, because I love every one of you, too. But you're also telling me you not only want to have sex with me, but with the boys, too?" "Only if they want to. I will never, ever force anybody to do anything they don't want to do." "And you also think that, deep down, I want to have sex with the boys, too?" "I don't know, Max, but from what I've seen so far, and what I saw and heard during your shower, I thinks it's a possibility you need to consider. I mean, think about it, every time they attack you in the pool, you get hard. Every time you find them in their beds pleasuring each other, you get hard. You're thinking about them right now and you're hard." I looked down at my lap, saw he was telling the truth and I shook my head in disgust. "Now, just because we have these feelings doesn't mean we have to act on them. I've kept it under control with some serious fantasies for almost ten years now. It hasn't been easy, but when I remind myself the alternative is prison and what would happen to me there, it's the only logical choice. I rather be free, frustrated and getting by with my fantasies, than tossed somewhere I probably wouldn't last a week." "So, where do we go from here?" "That's entirely up to you. I truly love you and really do want to marry you. I can't imagine ever finding another man I want to share the rest of my life with. I also love those boys with all my heart, too, but if you say nothing happens between them and us, then nothing happens. Just being here, with you, with them, helping out and watching them grow into men who know who they are and fully accept themselves, that will make me a very happy man. The ball's in your court, Max. You hold all the cards and I'll accept whatever decisions you make." "I need to think about this, Tom." "I know that." "In less than a week, you've helped me see and know things about myself and feel things I never thought I would. And now, to find out that I may love those boys in a way I never dreamed, it's a shock to my system and what I've believed for 30 some-odd years. Don't get me wrong, I've known I'm gay for a long time, but the thought of doing anything with those boys is startling. On one hand, I know it's wrong to even think things like that, but I can't seem to help myself. On the other hand, I keep thinking, would it really be that wrong." "Keep going, Max. You need to figure this out yourself." "Okay, when I was the twin's age, I so badly wanted my dad to love me in that way, but I also knew he would have no part of it. But still, I wanted to take him in my mouth and suck him off. I wanted him to stick his big hairy cock up my ass and fuck me until he came inside me. But I also knew that it would never happen and if I'd tried, he probably would've cut my nuts off and I sure as hell didn't want that. I'd even thought about hanging around bathrooms in the mall and other public places to see if I could find a man who would let me suck him off and wanted to fuck my ass, but I was too scared of who I might find to actually do it. Some parts of my brain were working properly, but others weren't. "I also desperately wanted to get with my friend David and explore the feelings I was having for him and see if he was feeling the same things, but I never had the balls to do that either. As much as I wanted my dad, I wanted David even more. Now, it kinda makes sense why. It's because he was younger. Even as I got older and realized that I couldn't act on my feelings with another person, I was still looking at cute boys, checking them out, wondering what they'd look like naked and hard, how it would feel to wrap a hand around their cock and what it would feel like to have their hand wrapped around mine, what their cocks would taste like and how they'd feel stuck in my ass. Even at 15, 16, I was scoping out kids who were probably eight to thirteen. "By the time I was out of high school and going off to college, I knew that I could never have what I wanted, so I buried it, deep, hoping to forget it and move on with my life, whatever it was gonna' be. I guess it finally started to resurface when I met with James, my attorney, and he asked me what age kid I wanted to adopt. I hadn't thought too much about that yet, and after a moment's consideration, I told him someone in the six to ten-year-old range. Even when he asked if I wanted to adopt a boy or girl, I guess I was subconsciously pushing for a boy, my rationale being that I wouldn't deal well with girls. When, really, it looks like maybe I was angling towards finding someone who was like me when I was first figuring out who I was. "And now, what have I done? I have five boys living under the same roof as two fucked up, perverted, bastard child molesters." "Whoa, Nellie, back the truck up, bubba. I may be fucked up, I may be perverted, but I have never, ever molested a child. I have had sex with boys, but only when I was still a boy myself. When I became an adult, all that stopped. Not for lack of desire or want, mind you, but it stopped. And for the record, I'm not a bastard, either, I know who my daddy is," he chuckled. "Okay, I haven't either, but I can feel us sliding down the slippery slope to becoming molesters, can't you?" "It's my opinion, Max, twisted though it may be, that if the child is a willing participant and not forced into anything they don't want, you're not molesting them, you're loving them to the fullest extent of yours and their desires. No more, no less." "I suppose you could rationalize it that way. You almost make it sound logical, but it still doesn't make it right." "Right for who? For us, for the boys, for the rest of the fucking world? It's painfully obvious to me that Joey and Alex, at a minimum, would love to jump into bed with us. They've asked both of us to join them on several different occasions. So far, we've maintained our cools and declined. But like I said, it's entirely up to you. Whatever you decide, I'll accept it. I may not like it much, but I'll live with it." "Thanks, Tom, but I still need to do some more thinking on this." "Of course, you do. Let me leave you with one last thing to think about while you're ruminating on the rest of it. If you ultimately decide that there is to be no sexual contact between us and the boys, just remember that you will be denying them exactly what you most wanted at their age and what they've already asked for several times. Is that fair? To them, or you?" "Dammit, Tom, will you please quit being Spock and trying to use logic on me. The brain in the little head doesn't know what logic is. Hell, right now, I'm not even sure the brain in the big head knows." "Live long and prosper, Max." "Very funny, clown. We better get to bed and get some sleep. The alarm goes off awfully early." "What do you suggest we do about our dripping cocks." "Well, damn, guess there's another reason to sit on towels. Keeps those stains off the furniture." "I'm gonna' hop in the shower and jerk off until I spray the wall with my cum. Wanna' join me?" Tom asked as he stood and winked at me. "Best offer I've had all day, let's go." "Actually, it's the second-best offer, but you turned Joey down, remember?" "God, I'm marrying a monster." "No, just a horny motherfucker with a monster cock," he snickered. I followed Tom to the bathroom, and true to his word, he did indeed jerk off until he sprayed his cum on the shower wall. I was right behind him and added my own deposit to the mural on the glass. We quickly rinsed off, keeping the water off his head, dried ourselves, then climbed in bed, curling up with each other. "What are we gonna' do, Tom?" "Oh, no you don't, this is your decision. I've told you my feelings, things I've never told anyone else. Honestly, I never thought I'd have the chance to have that discussion outside my own head. You need to figure this out by yourself. You'd have to deal with the issue even if I weren't here, so think about how you'd handle the situation if it was just you, then add me to the equation and see if you arrive at the same conclusion." "Well, the twins have shown multiple times they want more than they are getting from just themselves. God knows they didn't get much love from the Mueller's and I'm sure they're starving for it. T.J. and Mike haven't asked for that, yet, though they may at some time. And Andy could only be here a short time. I think whatever I decide, those three should be left out of it, at least for now." "I think that's reasonable. Especially with Andy, though he is a cute little fucker with a sweet little dick I desperately want to wrap my lips around. Of course, that's true of all of them." "Tom, please, you're not making this any easier. But, I guess, if I'm to be honest with myself, I want to do the same. But as wrong as it feels to do anything with any of them, I really think T.J., Mike and Andy are too young for that. The twins, however, I guess I could see something happening with them. We just have to make sure they understand, if it happens, it doesn't leave this house." "That goes without saying, Max. Like I said earlier, I don't want to go to jail." "Well, let me do some more thinking on this and we'll see what happens." Finally, we both fell asleep, though mine was rather a restless sleep. I wasn't feeling very well rested when the alarm went off at 6:00 telling me it was time to start a new day. I left Tom snoozing while I headed to the boys' rooms to wake them up and get them moving in the right direction. T.J., Mike and Andy were curled together as usual and shaking T.J.'s shoulder started the process of getting them moving. I headed next to roust Joey and Alex and found them twisted in their regular pretzel, covers kicked to the foot of the bed and their beautiful young bodies exposed. Knowing the other three would be busy in the bathroom and couldn't hear me, I sat on the twins' bed and gently shook both boys. When they opened their eyes, I put a finger to my lips asking them to be quiet. "Good morning, boys, I hope you slept well." My greeting was met with frowns of silence. "Okay, I can see you're both still unhappy about our talks last night." I received an emphatic single nod from both. "Well, I need to tell you something that I think will cheer you up a bit." I received puzzled, but hopeful, looks from them. "Tom and I talked a lot last night after you were in bed and I've done a lot of thinking about our discussions." Grins started spreading across their faces. "I understand where you're coming from because I was there at one time myself. And I also know exactly what you're asking for." The grins got even wider and eyes wilder in anticipation. I held a finger to my lips again, reminding them to be quiet. "I'm not saying yes to what you want." The grins quickly disappeared and very severe looks returned to their faces. "But I'm also not saying no, either. Not just yet, anyway. I still need to do some more thinking on it and we need to talk some more. So, for right now, I'm saying maybe. Can you two live with that and be patient with me while I figure this all out?" They both nodded their heads so hard I thought they might fly off. "Good, now come give me a hug, then get your skinny little asses out of bed and get ready for school." I received my hugs, both boys burying their hard, little peckers in my belly while they each whispered, `I love you, dad' in my ears. I broke the hug, swatted each on the behind and said, "Good, I love you, too. Now, GO! I'll meet y'all in the kitchen for some breakfast shortly." I returned to our bedroom to wake Tom and get him moving. He was half-covered and I pulled the cover just a bit lower to expose his beautiful half-hard penis. While giving him a light kiss on the lips, I gently stroked him to a fully erect state. His eyes fluttered open and when they were focusing on me, I asked, "How's your head this morning?" "Um, which one?" he purred. "The one with the bald spot and a big gash." "Think you could narrow it down a little more. Both could fit that description right now." "How about the one with all the stitches? I'm feeling the other one right now and it seems to be just fine." "Oh, that one. Not too bad, the ache is almost entirely gone and so is that damn itching." "Good. Is your brain in gear yet? I need to tell you something." "Can I pee first?" "Sure, I'll pull on some sweats while I wait." I was sitting on the bed when he came back into the bedroom. "You'll want to pull on some sweats for the morning, too. John is going to be here to pour the shelter slab at the end of the drive and when he's done out there, he's coming up to the house to look at the bedroom to redo for Alex and Joey." "So, they've decided they don't want to move after all," he said as he dug in the dresser for some pants. "Not after what I told them when I went to wake them." "And what was that?" "I told them `maybe', they just need to be a little patient with me while I thought more about it and we talked some more." "And which direction are you leaning, yes or no?" "At this moment, yes." Tom gave me a wide grin in agreement. "Yeah, I knew you'd like that. After everything we talked about last night, I realize that I'm just like you. I had just buried it so deep, it took a firm kick in my ass to dislodge it from its grave. Thanks for that, by the way, I think. I do love the boys and I think I'm almost ready to share that love completely with Joey and Alex. And you." "I'm glad to hear it, Max. I've waited years to find someone who shares my mindset. I think this really proves the point that we should be together." "My biggest concern is that one of them will let it slip out to somebody like what happened with the nudity thing. To us, neither should be a big deal, but you know how it would look to others. And I hate to say this out loud, but one of the main reasons I'm thinking about going ahead with it is to try and avoid situations like we had with Dylan last week. I'm hoping if the twins are having their curiosities and desires fulfilled by us, then maybe they won't go around grabbing other guys like they did with him. He dealt with it okay and saw the humor in it, but can you imagine the stink that would have happened if they'd done that to Carl?" "No, it wouldn't have pretty, that's for sure." "Exactly. I know it's a weak excuse for giving them what they want, but I guess it's better that it's us and not someone else who won't be as understanding as Dylan. And I sure as hell don't want them staking out bathrooms for the obvious reasons. Those two are persistent enough that if they can't get what they want at home, I have no doubt they'd go somewhere else to fulfill their needs." "You got that right, Max. Despite this being one of the hardest things you've had to deal with, I think you're making the right decision. And I'm not saying that just because I want to suck those pretty little peckers." "Yeah, right. Come on, we need to feed five boys and get them out to meet the bus." We headed to the kitchen where the boys were ready and waiting for us and we set them up with cereal and toast while Tom and I enjoyed a couple English muffins. "You guys ready for a fun-filled Monday at school?" I asked. "Not really, dad, but it's not like we have a say in it, do we?" "Not really, Alex. Sorry, buddy. Andy, how you doin' this morning?" "I'm okay, Uncle Max. I'm worried about mom, but I can't really do nothin' about it, either." "I'm sorry, Andy. We'll try to find out what's going on with her later. You're welcome to stay here as long you need to." "Thanks, Uncle Max." With the feeding frenzy over, the boys headed to get their backpacks and coats and met me in the garage for the trip to the end of the drive. When we got there, John was there and inspecting his guys work. I got out to talk to him a minute while we waited for the bus to arrive. When the bus appeared, the boys hopped out of the car and ran to join the other riders. When I turned to wave goodbye, I saw Carl was stepping off the bus and heading towards me. "Morning, Carl, what's up?" I asked. "Just wanted to come over and personally say thanks and shake your hand," he answered as he extended his hand. "What'd I do?" I asked as I shook his hand. "You managed to accomplish something we been tryin' to do for years." I shook my head and asked, "What the heck are you talking about?" "Getting rid of Valerie, of course. Nobody ever liked her and we're all happy she's finally gone. Just wanted to say thanks." "Carl, she did it to herself. My involvement was minimal." "That may be, but you pushed back and won. And we all thank you for it." With that, he hopped back on the bus and took off with a final wave in my direction. I turned back to John, "So, when's the truck showing up?" "Supposed to be here about 8:00. Won't take long to pour this and give it a quick float and trowel. Once that's done, I'll come on in to the house so we can look at what you want done there." "Sounds good, John, see you in a few." I drove back to the house and found Tom sitting by the fireplace reading. "I see you've found something to read." "Oh, yeah, I could read for years with what you already have in the study." "Good, I know I have. How does it feel to be free from being a cop?" "Honestly, a little weird. I've done it for so long, it'll take a while to get used to not pulling on my vest and strapping on a gun before leaving the house." "You're keeping the gun, though, aren't you?" "For sure. I'll make sure it's secured so the boys can't get to it." "Oh hell, I hadn't even thought about that." "Our first lesson on gun safety is to always assume a gun is loaded, even when you know it isn't. The second is safe storage at home. The department doesn't want to be responsible for some kid accidentally shooting someone because the gun wasn't properly stored in a locked box, locker or safe." "Where do you plan to store it? Have you found a good location?" "I gonna' keep it in the lockbox I already have and I'll put that on the top shelf in the closet. Is that gonna' be okay, or you got something safer in mind?" "Come with me," I said as I stood and wiggled my finger for him to follow. When we got to the bedroom, I opened the closet and stepped in with Tom right behind me. I spread a section of my clothes out to create a two-foot-wide gap in the middle of the wall, exposing the wall safe that was installed when the house was built. "Will this work? It uses a fingerprint to open." I demonstrated, using the middle finger on my left hand to unlock the door. "We can program your fingerprint to open it also." "Well, hell, you're just full of surprises. That's perfect, Max. Funny that you used your middle finger." "I just wanted to be less obvious than you would normally expect. I'll have to find the manual to refresh my brain on programming your print, but we'll get it done. No chance of the boys getting it if we keep it here." "I agree. When it gets warmer, maybe we could do some shooting and I can teach the boys about gun safety." "That'd probably be a good idea since we'll have one in the house. Next question for ya'?" "Shoot. Not literally, of course." "Have you given any thought about what you want to do for office space for your new agency?" "Not too much, really. This is all happening so fast and I haven't had much time to sit and think about it. I was thinking I'd rent a small space in town. Why, you got something better in mind?" "Follow me again, I might have the solution for ya'." I led Tom to the storage room across the hall from the boys' bedrooms and opened the door. "How `bout this room? Think it would be big enough for you?" "Well, hell, I hadn't even looked in here yet. How big is it?" "About 12' by 14'." "That's plenty big. Course, we'd have to move all this crap out of here," he laughed as he ducked the punch I had aimed for his shoulder. "No, seriously, all I'll need is a desk and chair, a bookshelf, file cabinet, phone and a computer with internet access. If I get busy enough, we could always add another desk." "Good, we'll have John check this room out when he comes to the house." "Excellent. Thanks for helping make this happen, Max. I wondered how I was going to get things going. This will make it a lot easier to get set up. Plus, I have the added benefit of working nude at the office. Not many people can make that claim." "Nor would they want to. I'm happy to do it for you, Tom, for us. Now, one more thing to deal with," I said as I turned back to the living and we sat by the fireplace again. "Oh, lord, now what?" "Your apartment. Do you still want us to take care of it or is it okay if I call a mover to do it for us?" "As much as I'd like to deal with it ourselves, I think you're right about having movers do it. The whole one trip thing makes a lot more sense than us struggling with more than one trip and moving the furniture down the stairs. There's that, plus the fact I really don't think I'll be up to dealing with hauling a bunch of shit down stairs before this weekend. I'm feeling better, but I don't want to push my luck." "Good, I'll make some calls after we're done with John this morning. I'm sure I'll be able to find someone who can take care of it for us this week. Oh, that reminds me, I need to call Carol at some point and check into what's going to happen with Andy. Think you could check with Dylan and see if he has any news on his mom?" "Sure, I'll do that now." Tom made the call and, after getting Dylan on the line, he asked what was happening with Andy's mom and listened to Dylan's answer for a few minutes, then said, "Thanks for the info, Dylan," nodded and hung up. "You can scratch her from being a free human. After they got her into interrogation, she finally crumbled and told them she was in on everything. Russ was the main man, but she and Cal were reaping the benefits and involved in everything. She spilled it on the promise of a lighter sentence for testifying against Russ, but it looks like she's still gonna go away for quite a while." "Good, now I can call Carol and see if she has any alternatives for Andy or if he's going to be staying with us. Hand me the phone, would ya'?" I dialed the agency's number and when Marcy answered the phone, I asked for Carol. "Carol Ward, how can I help you?" "Good morning, Carol, how are you this bright and beautiful Monday?" "Just lovely, Max, how are you guys doing out there? And how's Tom doing?" "Couldn't be better. Tom's healing nicely and the boys are off to school." "That's great, Max. So, what can I do for you today." "More like I'm going to do for you, Carol. Tom just got off the phone with Dylan and found out that Andy's mom is going to be going to jail for quite a while. I wanted to let you know that as soon as I could so you could take it into account as you work on finding a more permanent placement for Andy." "Well, that certainly changes what I have to do. I had hoped that I could work with his mom to get the house cleaned up so Andy could go back home, but if she's not gonna' be around, I guess that plan's gone right out the window. Not sure what I'll do now. Let make some phone calls and get back to you this afternoon, will that be okay?" "That's fine, Carol. I'd hate for the little guy to have to move somewhere that would have him change schools and lose his friends, but if that's what has to happen, I'll help in way I can. You know that." "I know you will, Max, and we thank you for that. Let me get busy and I'll get back to you later. Thanks for calling." "We'll be here, Carol. Thanks, and have a great day." I hung up and looked to Tom, "Well, that sucks. Carol's not sure where Andy's going to go now that his mom is out of the picture." "We knew that was a possibility, Max. That's always a risk when dealing with foster care and kids with problems like his." "I know that, but knowing it doesn't make it suck any less." The doorbell rang at that moment, so I got up and opened the door to greet John. "Good morning, again, John. All done with the shelter slab?" "For now, I'll stop on my way out and give it little more troweling before I cover it up. So, where's the rooms we're going to be working on?" "In a minute, John, I have someone you need to meet." I led John to the living room where Tom was still sitting by the fireplace. "John, I'd like you to meet my fianc�, Tom Wright, Tom, this is John Hasara, my contractor and all-around good guy." Tom stood and they shook hands. "Nice to meet you, John." "Good to meet you, too, Tom. Max might be exaggerating with `all-around good guy' crap, but I try. Hope you don't mind me asking, but what the hell happened to your head?" Tom and I chuckled as we told of Saturday's events. "You are one lucky son-of-a-bitch, Tom. First you hook up with Max and then you dodge a bullet. You should start buying lottery tickets." "My bullet dodging skills must have been on vacation Saturday, John. That little fucker still got me, despite my best efforts" Tom laughed. John turned back to me and asked, "Did I hear you right? You two getting married? When did that happen?" "Saturday morning, just before he went off and got shot. Makes me wonder if he was serious when he said `yes'," I grinned. "Well, congrats, you two. When's the big day?" "Not a clue John, but I'll make sure you're on the list of folks we plan to invite." "Look forward to it, Max. Now, let's see these rooms you want me to work on." I led the way to the unused bedroom. When I opened the door, I suddenly realized I was supposed to have it empty this morning. "Dammit." "What's wrong," Tom asked. "I forgot I meant to have this room emptied out for John this morning. With everything else that happened this weekend, it completely slipped my mind." "Don't worry about it, Max. I can still get the measurements I need." And he proceeded to do just that. "16' by 18', pretty good sized bedroom, Max. Now, what are we doing?" "This is going to be the twins' bedroom when it's done. They said they wanted separate areas so they could get away from each other for homework, reading or whatever. I was thinking about maybe putting a divider of some type coming into the room from the exterior wall, just like six feet or so, and then having a desk area with storage underneath and shelves on top of the desk to the bottom of the windows. They want to keep the king-sized bed though." "So, one big bed and separate areas? The closet's okay as it is?" "Actually, we might want to lower the shelf a little so it's easier for them to reach to hang stuff up and get it down. We might also want to consider putting drawers in the closet for folded clothes, that way we can get rid of the dresser and make some more room out in the main area. What do you think, Tom?" "That's a good idea. I don't see any of the boys needing a lot of hanging space, so it would be a good idea to change that around." "Okay, redoing the closet is added to the list. What about wiring, Max?" John asked. "That adds to the difficulty of whatever we're going to do." "I think we should be good in that respect, John. There's plenty of outlets along the wall where the desks will be, and if we need lights there, we can just get some small desk lamps." "What about paint? Will we be adding some color?" "I'm sure the boys will want something other than the white it is now. I'd like to keep the ceiling white, but I don't know what they'll want for the walls, so why don't you bring a bunch of those little color samples with you when you come back?" "No problem. I have one of those flip books from Sherwin-Williams. If they can't find something they like in there, it doesn't exist. Any changes to make in the bathroom?" "No, I think it's fine, John." "Good, I didn't want to have mess with that if we didn't have to. Okay, what's next?" I led him to the storage room across the hall. "We also need to turn this room into an office for Tom for the new investigation agency he's starting." "You're gonna have to get all this crap outta' here, Max, before I can do anything." "Funny you should say that, John. I said the same thing just a few minutes ago," Tom laughed. "Fine, you two. When I find the movers to get Tom's stuff from his apartment, I'll have them deal with these two rooms at the same time. Good thing I have plenty of room in my storage building." Tom looked at me, surprised, "Wait, you've got another building out here I haven't seen?" "Yeah, I had it built several years ago, back in the trees a little bit so you couldn't see it from the house." "Guess that's a good thing seeing as we're going to have lots of stuff to stash for a while." "Now, back to you, John, any problems here?" "Shouldn't be. Is any of this going to stay here or will it all go?" "We'll move it all out." I turned to Tom, "You want any paint or anything else done?" "I think some color would be nice. Nothing wild, mind you, but something that's not white. And maybe a ceiling fan with a light to replace the light that's there now?" "The fan's a good idea, Tom. Since I planned this as a storage room only, I didn't have one installed when the house was built. We can check out office furniture another day. If we can get that selected and delivered, maybe we can talk John and his guys into putting it together for us." "Be happy to do it, Max. Tom can look at paint colors when I come back with some ideas for the boy's room. We can get all the paint at one time that way." "Sounds like a plan to me, John. You got everything you need at the moment?" "I think so, let me get back to my office and get some things drawn up for you to see before we start any work. I'll be back late this afternoon so we can sit down with your boys and they can see what we're planning. Sound okay?" "Perfect, John. How's the bus shelter coming along?" "Real close. The walls are built, insulated, and ready to set on the slab. The inside sheathing is painted and ready to attach to the walls once they're anchored to the slab. I have the door and hardware already, along with the window. The heater, solar panel and battery should be delivered by the end of the week." "Good, the boys are driving me nuts with questions about what's happening out there. I don't know how much longer I can keep it a secret." "Well, there won't be any more changes out there until we come back to set up the shelter. We should be able to complete it while they're gone to school one day next week." "That's perfect, John. Thanks for coming out today and we'll see you later. You got anything special you want for your office, Tom?" "Can't think of anything at the moment. But I probably will before you come back, John." "Just let me know and I'll take care of it." We followed John to the front door, said goodbye and closed the door as he backed out of the drive. As soon as the door closed, Tom turned me around, wrapped me in a bear hug and his tongue invaded my mouth. When we finally broke for air, I asked, "What was that for?" "Just to remind you know how much I love you. Got any plans?" "No, what's on your mind?" "This is the first time we've been alone since last weekend with almost unlimited time to ourselves and I intend to take advantage of it." "You sure you're up to it?" "In more ways than one," he grinned. "Come on, lover." As he stepped back and took my hand, I could tell from the obscene bulge in his sweatpants that he was definitely up for it and I eagerly followed his lead.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 34</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc477791015"><span>Chapter 34 � Truth be Told</span></a></h2> <p><span>I let the water wash over my head and run down my back as I pondered the predicament. Joey and Alex have both asked us, on several occasions, to join them in their sex play. But it's wrong. Why is it wrong? Because society says it is. But didn't I want the same thing from my dad when I was their age? I did, more than anything else, I wanted him to love me like that. Why didn't I just ask him for it? Because I knew it would be a waste of time and he'd probably beat me senseless asking for such a faggot thing. Did the twins really know what they were asking for? Again, if I knew at eight, there's no doubt in my mind they know. So, why not? Because if anybody ever found out, I'd be in jail, or worse. Besides, it's wrong.</span></p> <p><span>But don't I just love the feeling of those hard, little peckers sliding all over my wet body? You bet your sweet ass I do. And such beautiful little rods, too. Just about three inches long, a little thicker than my middle finger, sweet pink helmet heads, Joey's curving to the right, Alex's to the left as they stood up towards their belly-buttons. Hey, there's another way to tell them apart. And those sweet little balls, my god, absolute perfection. Just a bit bigger than a marble, swaddled in their tight, wrinkled sacks. And hairless, just like me. Maybe that's where that particular kink in my brain comes from. I secretly want to look at naked young boys and their hair-free bodies, so I make mine look like theirs. I wonder what those sweet lads taste like. Do they taste like Tom, or do they have their own special flavor? Will I ever be able to get the answer to that question?</span></p> <p><span>But it's wrong, dammit! But, why? Sure, if you force someone to do something they don't want, it's wrong. Absolutely. But what if they want it, is it still wrong? And those two have made it clear they both want it. I'm not so sure it's so wrong anymore. I used to be, but I don't know what to think anymore. Do they want just me, just Tom, or both of us? Does that matter if you continue to deny their advances? No, I guess not. If they want just one of us, will the other get upset or jealous? Will they continue pushing for it if we keep saying no or will they just push harder? Oh, yes, please, push it in me harder. Wait, where the fuck did that come from? Knowing those two, they'll push more. Should I deny them the love they desire because most of the world says it's wrong? I don't have the answer to that question. My dad didn't really deny me, but then I never gave him that chance since I never asked him for it. Maybe I should have, and maybe we'd be closer now. Providing he didn't kill me for asking.</span></p> <p><span>God, I can't believe I'm even considering this. I open my eyes and see my cock is as hard as it's ever been and oozing pre-cum freely. I reach down, wrap a hand around it and start to slowly stroke myself. I wonder what it would feel like to have Joey's hand wrapped around my cock, stroking it like I'm doing right now, while Alex laps at the tip with his tongue before taking my helmet head inside his warm, wet mouth and swirling his tongue around it. Oh, my god, is that Joey sticking a finger up my ass, oh, yeah, go for it, son. Turn around here Alex, let me take your sweet little cocklet in my mouth. Holy fuck, Alex, your little pecker tastes so sweet, yeah Joey, stroke me faster and push that finger deeper in my ass to find that magic spot. Oh, my god, Alex, your mouth feels so good wrapped around my cock, take me just a little deeper into that sweet mouth of yours. Dammit, Joey's taken his finger out of my ass and stopped stroking my cock. What the hell is he doing down there? I can't see with Alex's body blocking my view.</span></p> <p><span>Wait, he's pushing my legs up. Guess he wants better access to my ass, okay, there you go buddy. Wait, what's that, that doesn't feel like a finger. Holy fuck, he's sticking his dick in my ass. God, that feels so good. Not as filling as the dildo Tom used on me, but it still feels better, more natural. Alex has my dick fully engulfed in his mouth and I'm tickling the back of his throat now. What a glorious feeling, I can tell this sweet young lad has had some serious practice sucking dick. I lift my head just a little so I can suck his hairless marbles into my mouth along with his pecker. Joey's got a smooth, easy rhythm going now as he fucks me up the ass and every stroke is intensifying the pleasure I'm feeling. Alex has started bobbing his head up and down on my cock to the same tempo his brother has going in my ass and I am in heaven. Faster, Joey, fuck me harder, pound that ass, make me feel it, pull on my balls, Alex, suck me deeper. Yeah, that's it, boys. Make daddy happy.</span></p> <p><span>Suddenly, I feel Joey's little cock stretch my sphincter just a bit more as he shoves it in as deep as he can and he holds his position as it starts to jerk and twitch in my ass. That triggers something in me and I start pumping shot after shot of cum deep down Alex's throat and he swallows each one. That kicks Alex in the balls and his cock starts pulsing and twitching in my mouth as he hits his dry orgasmic peak. With all three of us spent, Alex collapses on top of me and Joey falls onto Alex to form a delicious Alex sandwich. As we recover from our carnal bliss, Joey slides off to my right and Alex to my left. Alex then turns around and my young sons lay their heads on my shoulders and I wrap both in my arms and pull them closer so their soft little peckers are squished against my pelvis. Joey reaches down and cups my now empty balls in his hand while Alex wraps a hand around my flagging penis and we lay together for several minutes before I can recover enough to say, `I love you both so much' and they answer me with, `we love you, too, dad'.</span></p> <p><span>I slowly open my eyes and find myself laying on the shower floor, legs pulled up to my chest, a finger shoved deep in my ass, my other hand wrapped around my now lifeless cock and my chest is covered with cum. As I slowly become more aware of my surroundings, I hear clapping from outside the shower. I let go of my cock, pull the finger from my ass and stand to see who's there. Through the fog on the glass, I can make out Tom's figure sitting on the sink cabinet. Oh, fuck, how am I going to explain this?</span></p> <p><span>"That was quite a show you put on there, lover. You should sell tickets to that shit. You could get rich. Again."</span></p> <p><span>"Dammit, Tom, how long have you been here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Long enough. So, if I deciphered your mumblings properly, Joey was fucking you in the ass while Alex was sucking your dick and you were sucking his. Sounds like quite the sexy three-way. Hope I get to join in someday and we can make it a four-way."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, fuck, it's not what it sounds like. I just got carried away."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure as hell did. You've been in here almost 45 minutes. Hope you like high water bills."</span></p> <p><span>"Crap! What are the boys doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"Eatin' supper. They couldn't wait for you so I tossed some corn dogs in the oven. If I hadn't, they'd be starving to death waiting, while you're in here, getting your rocks off."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Tom. I'm sorry I took so long." I had washed the cum off my chest and turned off the water while he was giving me grief. I opened the shower door and asked, "Toss me a towel, please."</span></p> <p><span>"You want to talk about it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Later, after the boys are in bed."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm gonna' hold you to that."</span></p> <p><span>I got dried off and we joined the boys in the kitchen so Tom and I could eat. Thankfully, he'd baked enough extra corn dogs that the boys had actually left a few for us. I popped them in the microwave to warm them up just a bit before we sat to eat. "What's on the schedule for tonight guys?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"How about the next Star Wars movie?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Why not? I can always watch a movie."</span></p> <p><span>"Why were you in the shower for so long, dad?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I was feeling a little stressed after seeing mom and dad and the hot water felt so good, I didn't want to get out," I lied while Tom sat there with a knowing grin gracing his mug. "I'm feeling more relaxed now."</span></p> <p><span>"I should hope so," Tom laughed. I shot him a glance to try to shut him down and it caused him to laugh even louder.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad it was your parents. I was worried it might have been something else," Joey said glumly.</span></p> <p><span>"We're good, Joey." The twins shared a quick glance that could be best described as hopeful.</span></p> <p><span>Once Tom and I had finished our supper, the boys rinsed and stacked the dishes in the sink as they always do and headed to the theater to get ready for the movie. All except for Joey. He hung around with a worried look on his face.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, buddy?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Can we talk a minute, dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, just you and me or is Tom included, also? And here or in the study?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uncle Tom should be there, too. And can we go to the study? I don't want the others to hear this."</span></p> <p><span>The three of us headed to the study and I closed the door once we were all inside. We took our seats and I asked, "What's up, Joey?"</span></p> <p><span>"I wanted to say I'm sorry," Joey started, while looking at the floor.</span></p> <p><span>"For what?"</span></p> <p><span>"For what I did in the pool. I know I shouldn't do things like that, but I kinda lost control." Tom raised an eyebrow at me, asking what happened. I mouthed `later' to him and he nodded in understanding.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad you apologized. I need you, and Alex, to understand that that type of behavior and contact between us could kill any chances of the adoption actually happening."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, dad, but Alex and I both know that we're gay, there's no doubt in our minds about that, and even though we know we shouldn't, we both want to play with you and Uncle Tom the way we do with each other." Tom's grin grew even wider and he wiggled his eyebrows at me after Joey's pronouncement.</span></p> <p><span>"I understand that, Joey. You two are very much like me when I was your age. I wanted my own dad to love me the same way when I was your age but I also knew that it would never happen." Tom and Joey's eyes opened wide in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Really? You wanted your dad like that, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"I did, but you saw what he's like today, how do you think it would have turned out?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not too good, I guess. But, he's not gay like you and Uncle Tom, so we were hoping you'd think about it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry son, it's just too risky, if word got out..."</span></p> <p><span>"But, dad, we'd never say anything about it to anybody."</span></p> <p><span>"Kinda like not saying anything about us being nudists? How'd that work out for ya', young man?"</span></p> <p><span>"That was all Alex's fault. And it just slipped out. Besides, it turned out okay, didn't it? Mark, Billy and Andy were cool with it and they swore they wouldn't tell no one."</span></p> <p><span>"You guys made the same promise to us, and yet look at what happened. Besides, they conned you into keeping the news a secret by saying they would keep quiet only if we <i>all</i> got nude, didn't they?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess. But what about Aunt Lee and Uncle Carl? They know and you don't think they're gonna tell someone."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think it, Joey, I <i>know</i> it. And they're different, in this respect, young man. First, they're family and we need to trust our family. Second, Lee and Carl have known about me being a nudist for years and they've never said a word about it to anyone, not even our mom and dad. I trust them with my life."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, Mama and Papa don't know you spend your days naked?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, they don't, and they don't need to. They're already convinced I'm a child molester simply because I'm gay. And now, not only am I gay, I'm also adopting the four of you, which just adds fuel to that fire. Imagine what they'd do if they knew we were nude almost all the time we're at home."</span></p> <p><span>"I could see it getting pretty ugly."</span></p> <p><span>"Exactly. Do you understand the importance of keeping certain things quiet, now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, but that doesn't mean we don't still want to play with you and Uncle Tom. I swear, we won't never say nothin' to nobody?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think it's a risk we can take. The damage that could be done would be irreparable."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay," Joey said glumly. "If you say so."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, now let's join the others and watch our movie, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>The three of us headed to theater, stopping in the kitchen to get doughnuts and drinks for everyone. I pulled the box from Krispy Kreme out of the pantry and set it on the counter. </span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, you got doughnuts today? You didn't tell me `bout them," Tom said with glee in his voice.</span></p> <p><span>"We sure did. It was Andy's idea, so make sure you tell him thanks."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and Joey carried the drinks in while I started to put doughnuts on separate plates for everyone. Tom then came back to help carry them to the boys.</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell was that talk all about?" Tom asked when he returned.</span></p> <p><span>"Like I said after my `shower', we'll talk about it after the boys are in bed."</span></p> <p><span>"If you say so, but I'm feeling left out of something important."</span></p> <p><span>"It's important, all right, but at the moment, I would like to keep the other three out of this discussion and we can't do that when they're out of bed."</span></p> <p><span>With doughnuts on plates for everyone and napkins to wipe hands, we returned to the theater to join them and enjoy the movie. The boys were really liking the Return of the Jedi and absolutely loved the Ewoks. I was kinda partial to the furry little critters myself. When the movie was over, I told the boys it was time to get into bed since they had school in the morning and I wanted them to have a good night's sleep. They took off to their rooms to brush teeth while Tom and I took care of the plates and glasses from the movie snack. With the dishwasher loaded and set on a timer to run in a couple hours, we headed to their rooms to say our goodnights.</span></p> <p><span>T.J., Mike and Andy were just crawling in their bed when we entered their room. Tom and I got them tucked in, gave kisses and said I love you to each lad after we helped pull the covers over their lovely naked forms. Next was Alex and Joey and I almost dreaded what we might find. When we got there, we found Joey curled in a ball in the middle of the bed, his head in Alex's lap, and they were both crying. Fearing one or both had been hurt, I ran to the bed to see had happened.</span></p> <p><span>"What's going on boys, who got hurt?" I asked as I sat on the edge of the bed.</span></p> <p><span>"We're not hurt, dad," Alex said as he looked up at me with tears running down his face. "Not physically, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Then why are you crying? What's wrong?"</span></p> <p><span>"You don't love us, you were just lying to us. You need to call Carol tomorrow and tell her to find us somewhere else to live."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait a minute, where's this coming from? What makes you think we don't love you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Joey told me what you said when he talked to you. <i>We</i> don't keep secrets from each other. You said that you don't want to play with us like someone who <i>really</i> loves us."</span></p> <p><span>"Alex, that is <i>not</i> what I said. I never said I don't <i>want</i> to, I just said it's not a good idea." Wait, what the fuck did I just say? "Besides, there are many kinds of love that don't involve sex."</span></p> <p><span>"But, dad, as much we love each other, we love you and Uncle Tom, too. And we want to show you both how much we love you."</span></p> <p><span>I crawled onto the bed and crossed my legs, then patted my thighs and said, "Come here, you two." Joey slowly uncurled himself and they both crawled into my lap while Tom sat on the edge of the next to me. I wrapped both in my arms and hugged them tightly. "You two should know that we both love you more than we can every truly show you. There are just some things than men and boys aren't supposed to do together."</span></p> <p><span>"Why not," Joey whimpered.</span></p> <p><span>"Because, most of the world frowns on it and if anyone ever found out about it, Tom and I would go to jail and you five would be sent to new homes."</span></p> <p><span>"But, dad," Alex started, "what if the boys <i>want</i> to do it, anyway. You wouldn't be forcing us into anything. Doesn't that make it okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"As much as I'd like to say yes (dammit, there I go again), it's not up to me. Since you two are so young, it wouldn't make any difference whether you wanted it to happen or not, it's still against the law."</span></p> <p><span>"How old do we have to be before it would be okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"17 or 18, I think."</span></p> <p><span>"That's too long to wait. You might as well send us back to the Mueller's right now. If we can't show our own dads how much we love them, we might as well be living with them. At least I don't want to fuck him," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"Listen you two, we love you both very much and we'd love to show you just how much (I have to quit saying shit like that), but that's just not possible. Come on, let's table this discussion for now and get some sleep. You'll feel better about things in the morning." They crawled off my lap and Tom and I got off the bed so we could pull down the covers. Both sweethearts laid down holding each other and we pulled the cover back up. When we leaned in to give them their goodnight kisses and say I love you, they pulled the cover up over their heads, so Tom and I kissed the cover and still told them we loved them. We turned out the light as we left their room and headed to our bedroom in silence.</span></p> <p><span>I closed the door and sat in one of the chairs, holding my aching head in my hands while my elbows rested on my knees. Tom pulled the other chair over so we were sitting knee to knee like we had the other night. "Will you please tell me what's going on?"</span></p> <p><span>"You remember that talk we had the other night? You know, the one about resisting temptation with the boys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what about it?"</span></p> <p><span>I proceeded to tell him what had happened in the pool with Joey and what he said to me as he held on to my neck. I held my hand up and, while holding my thumb and forefinger up with about a quarter inch gap between them, I added "I was this close to saying fuck it all, lifting him completely out of the water and taking his sweet, beautiful, hard pecker into my mouth and sucking him off right there. It took every ounce of will-power in my body and mind to peel him off me and head for deeper waters."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, Max, Max, my poor, sweet, confused, lover. I thought you said you didn't have those impulses."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't! I didn't. I never have before. What the hell is going on with me?" And why the hell is Tom grinning at me like that? What the fuck does that mean? </span></p> <p><span>"It looks to me like another part of who you are is starting to express itself."</span></p> <p><span>"What the fuck are you talking about, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, it's time for some truth, lover boy. First, I want you to know that I truly love you and I would whether the boys were here or not. I don't want you freaking out with what I'm about to tell you."</span></p> <p><span>"And I love you, too, but what do the boys have to with that? And why the hell would I freak out?"</span></p> <p><span>"I wasn't entirely truthful with you the other night when we talked."</span></p> <p><span>"What!?"</span></p> <p><span>"I told you, when we met on the Mueller's front porch, that something just clicked between us."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it did with me, too."</span></p> <p><span>"I think, now, it goes well beyond both of us just being gay, for why we clicked. One of the reasons I followed you home Saturday was to meet the four boys you're adopting. I fell in love with all four of them as soon I saw them. And after everybody else left and they asked if they could take their clothes off, I was in heaven. God, they're so fuckin' cute. Then when you started to strip right there in the kitchen, too, I decided, fuck it, why look a gift horse in the mouth."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell are getting at, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max, lover, sweetheart, I'm a boylover. And I think you're slowly discovering you are, too."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell are you talking about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max, I care deeply for the boys. So deeply, in fact, that if I were to act on my impulses the way I really want to, I'd go to prison for a very long time. Well, actually, it would probably be a short time. Folks in prisons don't much like cops and they absolutely hate guys who love young kids. I'd probably get shanked my first week inside."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my god, what have I done?"</span></p> <p><span>"You didn't <i>do</i> anything, Max. I've known my true nature from when I first started playing around with my friends at 11 and 12. I told you some of this the other night, but not all of it. I didn't care if they were gay, straight, purple, whatever, if they had a dick, I wanted it either in my mouth or my ass. And at that age, even the straight dudes didn't care whose lips were wrapped around their cock or whose ass they were pounding, as long they got their rocks off. The one thing that did change as I got older was that the ages of my suck and fuck buddies didn't. In fact, if anything, they got younger. By the time I was 16 or 17, my buddies were nine and ten-year old kids in the neighborhood. When I turned 18 and became an `adult', I quit that shit entirely over the fear of going to jail."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy shit, Tom. That's a lot to take in. Why didn't you tell me all this the other night?"</span></p> <p><span>"Honestly, I didn't know how. Guys like me, maybe us, live a very lonely life, knowing that we can never enjoy the thrill of giving the people of our affection the love we so desperately want to share with them. And I do mean share. I used to absolutely love feeling my buds writhe in pleasure and knowing that I was doing that to them. I never forced any of them to do anything they didn't want. If they didn't want to suck me off, that was fine with me. And I certainly never fucked any of them, not after my dick grew up, anyway. I didn't want to hurt anybody and god knows I would have with my size. I still don't want to fuck them, but I do want to give them the pleasure they deserve and if they <i>want</i> to return it, I'll let them. Boys are sexual creatures, with needs and wants, just like us. Why do you think Joey and Alex are so involved with each other? They know what they want and they're willing to share it with each other. And, apparently, us."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Tom, this is all too bizarre for me to deal with right now. You say you love me and you say you also love the boys. I get that, I really do, because I love every one of you, too. But you're also telling me you not only want to have sex with me, but with the boys, <i>too</i>?"</span></p> <p><span>"<i>Only</i> if they <i>want</i> to. I will never, <i>ever</i> force anybody to do anything they don't want to do."</span></p> <p><span>"And you also think that, deep down, I want to have sex with the boys, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Max, but from what I've seen so far, and what I saw and heard during your shower, I thinks it's a possibility you need to consider. I mean, think about it, every time they attack you in the pool, you get hard. Every time you find them in their beds pleasuring each other, you get hard. You're thinking about them right now and you're hard." I looked down at my lap, saw he was telling the truth and I shook my head in disgust. "Now, just because we have these feelings doesn't mean we have to act on them. I've kept it under control with some serious fantasies for almost ten years now. It hasn't been easy, but when I remind myself the alternative is prison and what would happen to me there, it's the only logical choice. I rather be free, frustrated and getting by with my fantasies, than tossed somewhere I probably wouldn't last a week."</span></p> <p><span>"So, where do we go from here?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's entirely up to you. I truly love you and really do want to marry you. I can't imagine ever finding another man I want to share the rest of my life with. I also love those boys with all my heart, too, but if you say nothing happens between them and us, then nothing happens. Just being here, with you, with them, helping out and watching them grow into men who know who they are and fully accept themselves, that will make me a very happy man. The ball's in your court, Max. You hold all the cards and I'll accept whatever decisions you make."</span></p> <p><span>"I need to think about this, Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that."</span></p> <p><span>"In less than a week, you've helped me see and know things about myself and feel things I never thought I would. And now, to find out that I may love those boys in a way I never dreamed, it's a shock to my system and what I've believed for 30 some-odd years. Don't get me wrong, I've known I'm gay for a long time, but the thought of doing anything with those boys is startling. On one hand, I know it's wrong to even think things like that, but I can't seem to help myself. On the other hand, I keep thinking, would it really be <i>that</i> wrong."</span></p> <p><span>"Keep going, Max. You need to figure this out yourself."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, when I was the twin's age, I so badly wanted my dad to love me in that way, but I also knew he would have no part of it. But still, I wanted to take him in my mouth and suck him off. I wanted him to stick his big hairy cock up my ass and fuck me until he came inside me. But I also knew that it would never happen and if I'd tried, he probably would've cut my nuts off and I sure as hell didn't want that. I'd even thought about hanging around bathrooms in the mall and other public places to see if I could find a man who would let me suck him off and wanted to fuck my ass, but I was too scared of who I might find to actually do it. Some parts of my brain were working properly, but others weren't.</span></p> <p><span>"I also desperately wanted to get with my friend David and explore the feelings I was having for him and see if he was feeling the same things, but I never had the balls to do that either. As much as I wanted my dad, I wanted David even more. Now, it kinda makes sense why. It's because he was younger. Even as I got older and realized that I couldn't act on my feelings with another person, I was still looking at cute boys, checking them out, wondering what they'd look like naked and hard, how it would feel to wrap a hand around their cock and what it would feel like to have their hand wrapped around mine, what their cocks would taste like and how they'd feel stuck in my ass. Even at 15, 16, I was scoping out kids who were probably eight to thirteen.</span></p> <p><span>"By the time I was out of high school and going off to college, I knew that I could never have what I wanted, so I buried it, deep, hoping to forget it and move on with my life, whatever it was gonna' be. I guess it finally started to resurface when I met with James, my attorney, and he asked me what age kid I wanted to adopt. I hadn't thought too much about that yet, and after a moment's consideration, I told him someone in the six to ten-year-old range. Even when he asked if I wanted to adopt a boy or girl, I guess I was subconsciously pushing for a boy, my rationale being that I wouldn't deal well with girls. When, really, it looks like maybe I was angling towards finding someone who was like me when I was first figuring out who I was.</span></p> <p><span>"And now, what have I done? I have five boys living under the same roof as two fucked up, perverted, bastard child molesters."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, Nellie, back the truck up, bubba. I may be fucked up, I may be perverted, but I have never, ever <i>molested</i> a child. I <i>have</i> had sex with boys, but <i>only</i> when I was still a boy myself. When I became an adult, all that stopped. Not for lack of desire or want, mind you, but it stopped. And for the record, I'm not a bastard, either, I know who my daddy is," he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I haven't either, but I can feel us sliding down the slippery slope to becoming molesters, can't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's my opinion, Max, twisted though it may be, that if the child is a <i>willing</i> participant and not <i>forced</i> into anything they don't want, you're not molesting them, you're loving them to the fullest extent of yours and their desires. No more, no less."</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose you could rationalize it that way. You almost make it sound logical, but it still doesn't make it right."</span></p> <p><span>"Right for who? For us, for the boys, for the rest of the fucking world? It's painfully obvious to me that Joey and Alex, at a minimum, would love to jump into bed with us. They've asked both of us to join them on several different occasions. So far, we've maintained our cools and declined. But like I said, it's entirely up to you. Whatever you decide, I'll accept it. I may not like it much, but I'll live with it."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Tom, but I still need to do some more thinking on this."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, you do. Let me leave you with one last thing to think about while you're ruminating on the rest of it. If you ultimately decide that there is to be no sexual contact between us and the boys, just remember that you will be denying them exactly what you most wanted at their age and what they've already asked for several times. Is that fair? To them, or you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Dammit, Tom, will you please quit being Spock and trying to use logic on me. The brain in the little head doesn't know what logic is. Hell, right now, I'm not even sure the brain in the big head knows."</span></p> <p><span>"Live long and prosper, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Very funny, clown. We better get to bed and get some sleep. The alarm goes off awfully early."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you suggest we do about our dripping cocks."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, damn, guess there's another reason to sit on towels. Keeps those stains off the furniture."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm gonna' hop in the shower and jerk off until I spray the wall with my cum. Wanna' join me?" Tom asked as he stood and winked at me.</span></p> <p><span>"Best offer I've had all day, let's go."</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, it's the second-best offer, but you turned Joey down, remember?"</span></p> <p><span>"God, I'm marrying a monster."</span></p> <p><span>"No, just a horny motherfucker with a monster cock," he snickered. I followed Tom to the bathroom, and true to his word, he did indeed jerk off until he sprayed his cum on the shower wall. I was right behind him and added my own deposit to the mural on the glass. We quickly rinsed off, keeping the water off his head, dried ourselves, then climbed in bed, curling up with each other.</span></p> <p><span>"What are we gonna' do, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no you don't, this is your decision. I've told you my feelings, things I've <i>never</i> told anyone else. Honestly, I never thought I'd have the chance to have that discussion outside my own head. You need to figure this out by yourself. You'd have to deal with the issue even if I weren't here, so think about how you'd handle the situation if it was just you, then add me to the equation and see if you arrive at the same conclusion."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the twins have shown multiple times they want more than they are getting from just themselves. God knows they didn't get much love from the Mueller's and I'm sure they're starving for it. T.J. and Mike haven't asked for that, yet, though they may at some time. And Andy could only be here a short time. I think whatever I decide, those three should be left out of it, at least for now."</span></p> <p><span>"I think that's reasonable. Especially with Andy, though he is a cute little fucker with a sweet little dick I desperately want to wrap my lips around. Of course, that's true of all of them."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, please, you're not making this any easier. But, I guess, if I'm to be honest with myself, I want to do the same. But as wrong as it feels to do anything with any of them, I really think T.J., Mike and Andy are too young for that. The twins, however, I guess I could see something happening with them. We just have to make sure they understand, if it happens, it doesn't leave this house."</span></p> <p><span>"That goes without saying, Max. Like I said earlier, I don't want to go to jail."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let me do some more thinking on this and we'll see what happens."</span></p> <p><span>Finally, we both fell asleep, though mine was rather a restless sleep. I wasn't feeling very well rested when the alarm went off at 6:00 telling me it was time to start a new day. I left Tom snoozing while I headed to the boys' rooms to wake them up and get them moving in the right direction. T.J., Mike and Andy were curled together as usual and shaking T.J.'s shoulder started the process of getting them moving. I headed next to roust Joey and Alex and found them twisted in their regular pretzel, covers kicked to the foot of the bed and their beautiful young bodies exposed. Knowing the other three would be busy in the bathroom and couldn't hear me, I sat on the twins' bed and gently shook both boys. </span></p> <p><span>When they opened their eyes, I put a finger to my lips asking them to be quiet. "Good morning, boys, I hope you slept well." My greeting was met with frowns of silence. "Okay, I can see you're both still unhappy about our talks last night." I received an emphatic single nod from both. "Well, I need to tell you something that I think will cheer you up a bit." I received puzzled, but hopeful, looks from them. "Tom and I talked a lot last night after you were in bed and I've done a lot of thinking about our discussions." Grins started spreading across their faces. "I understand where you're coming from because I was there at one time myself. And I also know exactly what you're asking for." The grins got even wider and eyes wilder in anticipation. I held a finger to my lips again, reminding them to be quiet. "I'm not saying yes to what you want." The grins quickly disappeared and very severe looks returned to their faces. "But I'm also not saying no, either. Not just yet, anyway. I still need to do some more thinking on it and we need to talk some more. So, for right now, I'm saying maybe. Can you two live with that and be patient with me while I figure this all out?" They both nodded their heads so hard I thought they might fly off. "Good, now come give me a hug, then get your skinny little asses out of bed and get ready for school."</span></p> <p><span>I received my hugs, both boys burying their hard, little peckers in my belly while they each whispered, `I love you, dad' in my ears. I broke the hug, swatted each on the behind and said, "Good, I love you, too. Now, GO! I'll meet y'all in the kitchen for some breakfast shortly." </span></p> <p><span>I returned to our bedroom to wake Tom and get him moving. He was half-covered and I pulled the cover just a bit lower to expose his beautiful half-hard penis. While giving him a light kiss on the lips, I gently stroked him to a fully erect state. His eyes fluttered open and when they were focusing on me, I asked, "How's your head this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, which one?" he purred.</span></p> <p><span>"The one with the bald spot and a big gash."</span></p> <p><span>"Think you could narrow it down a little more. Both could fit that description right now."</span></p> <p><span>"How about the one with all the stitches? I'm feeling the other one right now and it seems to be just fine."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, <i>that</i> one. Not too bad, the ache is almost entirely gone and so is that damn itching."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Is your brain in gear yet? I need to tell you something."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I pee first?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, I'll pull on some sweats while I wait."</span></p> <p><span>I was sitting on the bed when he came back into the bedroom. "You'll want to pull on some sweats for the morning, too. John is going to be here to pour the shelter slab at the end of the drive and when he's done out there, he's coming up to the house to look at the bedroom to redo for Alex and Joey."</span></p> <p><span>"So, they've decided they don't want to move after all," he said as he dug in the dresser for some pants.</span></p> <p><span>"Not after what I told them when I went to wake them."</span></p> <p><span>"And what was that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I told them `maybe', they just need to be a little patient with me while I thought more about it and we talked some more."</span></p> <p><span>"And which direction are you leaning, yes or no?"</span></p> <p><span>"At this moment, yes." Tom gave me a wide grin in agreement. "Yeah, I knew you'd like that. After everything we talked about last night, I realize that I'm just like you. I had just buried it so deep, it took a firm kick in my ass to dislodge it from its grave. Thanks for that, by the way, I think. I do love the boys and I think I'm almost ready to share that love completely with Joey and Alex. And you."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it, Max. I've waited years to find someone who shares my mindset. I think this really proves the point that we should be together."</span></p> <p><span>"My biggest concern is that one of them will let it slip out to somebody like what happened with the nudity thing. To us, neither should be a big deal, but you know how it would look to others. And I hate to say this out loud, but one of the main reasons I'm thinking about going ahead with it is to try and avoid situations like we had with Dylan last week. I'm hoping if the twins are having their curiosities and desires fulfilled by us, then maybe they won't go around grabbing other guys like they did with him. He dealt with it okay and saw the humor in it, but can you imagine the stink that would have happened if they'd done that to Carl?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, it wouldn't have pretty, that's for sure."</span></p> <p><span>"Exactly. I know it's a weak excuse for giving them what they want, but I guess it's better that it's us and not someone else who won't be as understanding as Dylan. And I sure as hell don't want them staking out bathrooms for the obvious reasons. Those two are persistent enough that if they can't get what they want at home, I have no doubt they'd go somewhere else to fulfill their needs."</span></p> <p><span>"You got that right, Max. Despite this being one of the hardest things you've had to deal with, I think you're making the right decision. And I'm not saying that just because I want to suck those pretty little peckers."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right. Come on, we need to feed five boys and get them out to meet the bus." We headed to the kitchen where the boys were ready and waiting for us and we set them up with cereal and toast while Tom and I enjoyed a couple English muffins. </span></p> <p><span>"You guys ready for a fun-filled Monday at school?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, dad, but it's not like we have a say in it, do we?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, Alex. Sorry, buddy. Andy, how you doin' this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm okay, Uncle Max. I'm worried about mom, but I can't really do nothin' about it, either."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Andy. We'll try to find out what's going on with her later. You're welcome to stay here as long you need to."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Uncle Max."</span></p> <p><span>With the feeding frenzy over, the boys headed to get their backpacks and coats and met me in the garage for the trip to the end of the drive. When we got there, John was there and inspecting his guys work. I got out to talk to him a minute while we waited for the bus to arrive. When the bus appeared, the boys hopped out of the car and ran to join the other riders. When I turned to wave goodbye, I saw Carl was stepping off the bus and heading towards me.</span></p> <p><span>"Morning, Carl, what's up?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just wanted to come over and personally say thanks and shake your hand," he answered as he extended his hand.</span></p> <p><span>"What'd I do?" I asked as I shook his hand.</span></p> <p><span>"You managed to accomplish something we been tryin' to do for years."</span></p> <p><span>I shook my head and asked, "What the heck are you talking about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Getting rid of Valerie, of course. Nobody ever liked her and we're all happy she's finally gone. Just wanted to say thanks."</span></p> <p><span>"Carl, she did it to herself. My involvement was minimal."</span></p> <p><span>"That may be, but you pushed back and won. And we all thank you for it." With that, he hopped back on the bus and took off with a final wave in my direction.</span></p> <p><span>I turned back to John, "So, when's the truck showing up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Supposed to be here about 8:00. Won't take long to pour this and give it a quick float and trowel. Once that's done, I'll come on in to the house so we can look at what you want done there."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good, John, see you in a few." I drove back to the house and found Tom sitting by the fireplace reading. "I see you've found something to read."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, I could read for years with what you already have in the study."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I know I have. How does it feel to be free from being a cop?"</span></p> <p><span>"Honestly, a little weird. I've done it for so long, it'll take a while to get used to not pulling on my vest and strapping on a gun before leaving the house."</span></p> <p><span>"You're keeping the gun, though, aren't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"For sure. I'll make sure it's secured so the boys can't get to it."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh hell, I hadn't even thought about that."</span></p> <p><span>"Our first lesson on gun safety is to always assume a gun is loaded, even when you know it isn't. The second is safe storage at home. The department doesn't want to be responsible for some kid accidentally shooting someone because the gun wasn't properly stored in a locked box, locker or safe."</span></p> <p><span>"Where do you plan to store it? Have you found a good location?"</span></p> <p><span>"I gonna' keep it in the lockbox I already have and I'll put that on the top shelf in the closet. Is that gonna' be okay, or you got something safer in mind?"</span></p> <p><span>"Come with me," I said as I stood and wiggled my finger for him to follow. When we got to the bedroom, I opened the closet and stepped in with Tom right behind me. I spread a section of my clothes out to create a two-foot-wide gap in the middle of the wall, exposing the wall safe that was installed when the house was built. "Will this work? It uses a fingerprint to open." I demonstrated, using the middle finger on my left hand to unlock the door. "We can program your fingerprint to open it also."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hell, you're just full of surprises. That's perfect, Max. Funny that you used your middle finger."</span></p> <p><span>"I just wanted to be less obvious than you would normally expect. I'll have to find the manual to refresh my brain on programming your print, but we'll get it done. No chance of the boys getting it if we keep it here."</span></p> <p><span>"I agree. When it gets warmer, maybe we could do some shooting and I can teach the boys about gun safety."</span></p> <p><span>"That'd probably be a good idea since we'll have one in the house. Next question for ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Shoot. Not literally, of course."</span></p> <p><span>"Have you given any thought about what you want to do for office space for your new agency?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not too much, really. This is all happening so fast and I haven't had much time to sit and think about it. I was thinking I'd rent a small space in town. Why, you got something better in mind?"</span></p> <p><span>"Follow me again, I might have the solution for ya'." I led Tom to the storage room across the hall from the boys' bedrooms and opened the door. "How `bout this room? Think it would be big enough for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hell, I hadn't even looked in here yet. How big is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"About 12' by 14'."</span></p> <p><span>"That's plenty big. Course, we'd have to move all this crap out of here," he laughed as he ducked the punch I had aimed for his shoulder. "No, seriously, all I'll need is a desk and chair, a bookshelf, file cabinet, phone and a computer with internet access. If I get busy enough, we could always add another desk."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, we'll have John check this room out when he comes to the house."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent. Thanks for helping make this happen, Max. I wondered how I was going to get things going. This will make it a lot easier to get set up. Plus, I have the added benefit of working nude at the office. Not many people can make that claim."</span></p> <p><span>"Nor would they want to. I'm happy to do it for you, Tom, for us. Now, one more thing to deal with," I said as I turned back to the living and we sat by the fireplace again.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, lord, now what?"</span></p> <p><span>"Your apartment. Do you still want us to take care of it or is it okay if I call a mover to do it for us?"</span></p> <p><span>"As much as I'd like to deal with it ourselves, I think you're right about having movers do it. The whole one trip thing makes a lot more sense than us struggling with more than one trip and moving the furniture down the stairs. There's that, plus the fact I really don't think I'll be up to dealing with hauling a bunch of shit down stairs before this weekend. I'm feeling better, but I don't want to push my luck."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I'll make some calls after we're done with John this morning. I'm sure I'll be able to find someone who can take care of it for us this week. Oh, that reminds me, I need to call Carol at some point and check into what's going to happen with Andy. Think you could check with Dylan and see if he has any news on his mom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, I'll do that now." Tom made the call and, after getting Dylan on the line, he asked what was happening with Andy's mom and listened to Dylan's answer for a few minutes, then said, "Thanks for the info, Dylan," nodded and hung up. "You can scratch her from being a free human. After they got her into interrogation, she finally crumbled and told them she was in on everything. Russ was the main man, but she and Cal were reaping the benefits and involved in everything. She spilled it on the promise of a lighter sentence for testifying against Russ, but it looks like she's still gonna go away for quite a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, now I can call Carol and see if she has any alternatives for Andy or if he's going to be staying with us. Hand me the phone, would ya'?" I dialed the agency's number and when Marcy answered the phone, I asked for Carol.</span></p> <p><span>"Carol Ward, how can I help you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Carol, how are you this bright and beautiful Monday?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just lovely, Max, how are you guys doing out there? And how's Tom doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"Couldn't be better. Tom's healing nicely and the boys are off to school."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, Max. So, what can I do for you today."</span></p> <p><span>"More like I'm going to do for you, Carol. Tom just got off the phone with Dylan and found out that Andy's mom is going to be going to jail for quite a while. I wanted to let you know that as soon as I could so you could take it into account as you work on finding a more permanent placement for Andy."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that certainly changes what I have to do. I had hoped that I could work with his mom to get the house cleaned up so Andy could go back home, but if she's not gonna' be around, I guess that plan's gone right out the window. Not sure what I'll do now. Let make some phone calls and get back to you this afternoon, will that be okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, Carol. I'd hate for the little guy to have to move somewhere that would have him change schools and lose his friends, but if that's what has to happen, I'll help in way I can. You know that."</span></p> <p><span>"I know you will, Max, and we thank you for that. Let me get busy and I'll get back to you later. Thanks for calling."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be here, Carol. Thanks, and have a great day." I hung up and looked to Tom, "Well, that sucks. Carol's not sure where Andy's going to go now that his mom is out of the picture."</span></p> <p><span>"We knew that was a possibility, Max. That's always a risk when dealing with foster care and kids with problems like his."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that, but knowing it doesn't make it suck any less." The doorbell rang at that moment, so I got up and opened the door to greet John. "Good morning, again, John. All done with the shelter slab?"</span></p> <p><span>"For now, I'll stop on my way out and give it little more troweling before I cover it up. So, where's the rooms we're going to be working on?"</span></p> <p><span>"In a minute, John, I have someone you need to meet." I led John to the living room where Tom was still sitting by the fireplace. "John, I'd like you to meet my fianc�, Tom Wright, Tom, this is John Hasara, my contractor and all-around good guy." Tom stood and they shook hands.</span></p> <p><span>"Nice to meet you, John."</span></p> <p><span>"Good to meet you, too, Tom. Max might be exaggerating with `all-around good guy' crap, but I try. Hope you don't mind me asking, but what the hell happened to your head?" Tom and I chuckled as we told of Saturday's events. "You are one lucky son-of-a-bitch, Tom. First you hook up with Max and then you dodge a bullet. You should start buying lottery tickets."</span></p> <p><span>"My bullet dodging skills must have been on vacation Saturday, John. That little fucker still got me, despite my best efforts" Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>John turned back to me and asked, "Did I hear you right? You two getting married? When did that happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"Saturday morning, just before he went off and got shot. Makes me wonder if he was serious when he said `yes'," I grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, congrats, you two. When's the big day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue John, but I'll make sure you're on the list of folks we plan to invite."</span></p> <p><span>"Look forward to it, Max. Now, let's see these rooms you want me to work on."</span></p> <p><span>I led the way to the unused bedroom. When I opened the door, I suddenly realized I was supposed to have it empty this morning. "Dammit."</span></p> <p><span>"What's wrong," Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I forgot I meant to have this room emptied out for John this morning. With everything else that happened this weekend, it completely slipped my mind."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it, Max. I can still get the measurements I need." And he proceeded to do just that.</span></p> <p><span>"16' by 18', pretty good sized bedroom, Max. Now, what are we doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"This is going to be the twins' bedroom when it's done. They said they wanted separate areas so they could get away from each other for homework, reading or whatever. I was thinking about maybe putting a divider of some type coming into the room from the exterior wall, just like six feet or so, and then having a desk area with storage underneath and shelves on top of the desk to the bottom of the windows. They want to keep the king-sized bed though."</span></p> <p><span>"So, one big bed and separate areas? The closet's okay as it is?"</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, we might want to lower the shelf a little so it's easier for them to reach to hang stuff up and get it down. We might also want to consider putting drawers in the closet for folded clothes, that way we can get rid of the dresser and make some more room out in the main area. What do you think, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good idea. I don't see any of the boys needing a lot of hanging space, so it would be a good idea to change that around."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, redoing the closet is added to the list. What about wiring, Max?" John asked. "That adds to the difficulty of whatever we're going to do."</span></p> <p><span>"I think we should be good in that respect, John. There's plenty of outlets along the wall where the desks will be, and if we need lights there, we can just get some small desk lamps."</span></p> <p><span>"What about paint? Will we be adding some color?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure the boys will want something other than the white it is now. I'd like to keep the ceiling white, but I don't know what they'll want for the walls, so why don't you bring a bunch of those little color samples with you when you come back?"</span></p> <p><span>"No problem. I have one of those flip books from Sherwin-Williams. If they can't find something they like in there, it doesn't exist. Any changes to make in the bathroom?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I think it's fine, John."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I didn't want to have mess with that if we didn't have to. Okay, what's next?"</span></p> <p><span>I led him to the storage room across the hall. "We also need to turn this room into an office for Tom for the new investigation agency he's starting."</span></p> <p><span>"You're gonna have to get all this crap outta' here, Max, before I can do anything."</span></p> <p><span>"Funny you should say that, John. I said the same thing just a few minutes ago," Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, you two. When I find the movers to get Tom's stuff from his apartment, I'll have them deal with these two rooms at the same time. Good thing I have plenty of room in my storage building."</span></p> <p><span>Tom looked at me, surprised, "Wait, you've got another building out here I haven't seen?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I had it built several years ago, back in the trees a little bit so you couldn't see it from the house."</span></p> <p><span>"Guess that's a good thing seeing as we're going to have lots of stuff to stash for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, back to you, John, any problems here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Shouldn't be. Is any of this going to stay here or will it all go?"</span></p> <p><span>"We'll move it all out." I turned to Tom, "You want any paint or anything else done?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think some color would be nice. Nothing wild, mind you, but something that's <i>not</i> white. And maybe a ceiling fan with a light to replace the light that's there now?"</span></p> <p><span>"The fan's a good idea, Tom. Since I planned this as a storage room only, I didn't have one installed when the house was built. We can check out office furniture another day. If we can get that selected and delivered, maybe we can talk John and his guys into putting it together for us."</span></p> <p><span>"Be happy to do it, Max. Tom can look at paint colors when I come back with some ideas for the boy's room. We can get all the paint at one time that way."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a plan to me, John. You got everything you need at the moment?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think so, let me get back to my office and get some things drawn up for you to see before we start any work. I'll be back late this afternoon so we can sit down with your boys and they can see what we're planning. Sound okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, John. How's the bus shelter coming along?"</span></p> <p><span>"Real close. The walls are built, insulated, and ready to set on the slab. The inside sheathing is painted and ready to attach to the walls once they're anchored to the slab. I have the door and hardware already, along with the window. The heater, solar panel and battery should be delivered by the end of the week."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, the boys are driving me nuts with questions about what's happening out there. I don't know how much longer I can keep it a secret."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, there won't be any more changes out there until we come back to set up the shelter. We should be able to complete it while they're gone to school one day next week."</span></p> <p><span>"That's perfect, John. Thanks for coming out today and we'll see you later. You got anything special you want for your office, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Can't think of anything at the moment. But I probably will before you come back, John."</span></p> <p><span>"Just let me know and I'll take care of it."</span></p> <p><span>We followed John to the front door, said goodbye and closed the door as he backed out of the drive. As soon as the door closed, Tom turned me around, wrapped me in a bear hug and his tongue invaded my mouth. When we finally broke for air, I asked, "What was that for?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just to remind you know how much I love you. Got any plans?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, what's on your mind?"</span></p> <p><span>"This is the first time we've been alone since last weekend with almost unlimited time to ourselves and I intend to take advantage of it."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure you're up to it?"</span></p> <p><span>"In more ways than one," he grinned. "Come on, lover." As he stepped back and took my hand, I could tell from the obscene bulge in his sweatpants that he was definitely up for it and I eagerly followed his lead.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-3.html

Building a Family 3 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Chapter 3 � Return Meeting I headed for home and after getting comfortable, I started making list after list of things to do before any kid could move into this home. Bedroom furniture was first on the list. While the other three bedrooms were already fully furnished, they weren't exactly what you would call kid-friendly. That would have to change. And not just the furniture, but probably some paint and other decorating, also. Clothes were the next major item on a list, but those would have to wait until I knew what sizes would be needed. I would also have to acquire some things for entertainment purposes, but again, I would need to know what the child wanted before I went too far. As the week passed, the lists and plans were worked on and organized as best as could be expected. When Friday finally arrived, I was wound tight in anticipation. I thought about calling James several times throughout the day but didn't want to appear that anxious. Finally, at 4:00, when I couldn't wait any longer, I headed to the study to call James. Just as I opened the study door, the phone started ringing. I sprinted to the desk with anticipation and answered on the third ring. "Hello," I said while trying to catch my breath. "Max, it's James. I have some news for you. Are you sitting down?" "Yes!" I exclaimed. "Just spit it out." "I just got off the phone with Anna and she believes she has some good candidates for consideration. She would like us to come to the agency Monday afternoon so you can meet them and see how things go. Are you available then?" "Hell, yes. Shall we meet at your office again and go together?" "That will probably be the easiest. Why don't you get here about 1:00? That will give us time to be there for our meeting at 2:00." "That's perfect James. I'll be there with bells on." "I'll be waiting for you, but you just might want to leave the bells at home," James laughed. "Okay, I'll be there without the damn bells. Thanks for making this happen, James." "No problems, Max. That's why I get paid the big bucks. Just remember, Max, this is just a meet and greet type of thing. That does not mean anything is going to happen. Have a good weekend and I'll see you Monday afternoon." I knew this was going to be the longest weekend of my life. As the Monday dawn crawled into existence, I was getting ready for the most important meeting of my life. I left home at noon for the trip to James' office and after a quick lunch, arrived promptly at 1:00. After being led into James' office, James asked, "Are you ready this meeting, Max?" "More ready than I have been for anything else in my life." "Then let's not waste time sitting around here. Get your things and let's go." We rode to the meeting at the agency's office in silence, both of us lost in their own thoughts. I was anxious to meet my possible son and James worried about my reaction if things fell through. We arrived at the agency with plenty of extra time and headed inside for our meeting. After a short wait, Anna came out of her office to greet us and then lead us back to her office. Anna started the meeting with, "Welcome back you two. I want you to know that there have been some very lively discussions around the agency this past week about your request. While a few expressed concerns about allowing a gay man to adopt a boy, I think we are all finally of a mind that there is no reason why this can't be successful. We just have to be cautious and aware that every decision made from here on will face severe scrutiny by the public at large." "I completely understand and I'll do whatever's needed to calm any concerns that anyone may have. I have waited way too long to reverse course now." "I'm glad to hear that, Max. During our discussions this week, we were also creating a list of potential adoptees for you to meet today. We've narrowed the list down to four boys. They are Alexander and Joseph Allison, Thomas Bruce and Michael Broadhead. Alexander and Joseph are eight-year old twins in 3rd grade, Thomas is seven in 2nd grade and Michael is six and in 1st grade. All 4 boys attend the same school as all their foster parents live on the far West side of town. All of them are doing pretty well in the school and maintaining decent grades despite their circumstances. I also want to give you a bit of background on these boys before you meet them. All the boys, unfortunately, come from situations that no longer require the severing of parental rights, so you won't have to worry about that. "Alexander and Joseph came to us after their parents were killed in car crash about 4 years ago, and are lived in the same foster those four years. They have adjusted as well as can be expected considering the circumstances. They miss their parents terribly, but due to their age, we have been unable to find an acceptable adoptive family to take both of them. I know you were expecting to adopt a single child, but I'll tell you right now that we have no intentions of allowing these boys to be split up. They rely on each other way too much to allow that to happen. They have just been in the system too long and they deserve a forever home and family. "Thomas' mother has been incarcerated for some time now and his father is unknown. It is unlikely that his mother will ever be released from prison and that's why her rights have been severed. There is a slim possibility his biological father may show up at some point in the future, but without knowing who he is, it's nearly impossible to be certain of anything. He may not even know he has a son, which would be the best at this point in Thomas' life. "Michael has had a rough six years in his short life. He was severely abused by his parents and removed from their home only seven weeks ago. Due to the severity of the abuse, his parent's rights have already been severed and there is no chance he will be going back to live with them. He will need some very special care in the near term, and possibly in the long term also. When he came under our care, he was malnourished and quite behind in his education. He is very withdrawn now, but we are hoping that the proper environment will help pull him out the protective shell he has created. Only time will tell. "I think that's all for now. I'll let the boys provide any more information you may want. How does that sound, Max?" "That sounds just fine, Anna. I'm glad I got that information from you as I hadn't considered the reasons you would have care of these kids. I'll make sure to tread lightly when we talk to them. It sounds like they all have some challenges in their futures, but I'm more than willing to help them in any way possible." "Very well, are you ready to meet the boys?" "Very ready, Anna." "Do you want to meet them one at a time or all together?" A crazy thought has been forming in my mind during our conversation, so I replied, "Why don't we meet all four at the same time. While I'm anxious to meet them, I'd also like to see how they interact with each other." Anna reached for the phone on the end table, dialed her secretary's extension and asked, "Marcy, would you please bring the boys in? Thank you."

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 3</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free.&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc472178162"><span>Chapter 3 � Return Meeting</span></a></h2> <p><span>I headed for home and after getting comfortable, I started making list after list of things to do before any kid could move into this home. Bedroom furniture was first on the list. While the other three bedrooms were already fully furnished, they weren't exactly what you would call kid-friendly. That would have to change. And not just the furniture, but probably some paint and other decorating, also. Clothes were the next major item on a list, but those would have to wait until I knew what sizes would be needed. I would also have to acquire some things for entertainment purposes, but again, I would need to know what the child wanted before I went too far.</span></p> <p><span>As the week passed, the lists and plans were worked on and organized as best as could be expected. When Friday finally arrived, I was wound tight in anticipation. I thought about calling James several times throughout the day but didn't want to appear that anxious. Finally, at 4:00, when I couldn't wait any longer, I headed to the study to call James. Just as I opened the study door, the phone started ringing. I sprinted to the desk with anticipation and answered on the third ring.</span></p> <p><span>"Hello," I said while trying to catch my breath.</span></p> <p><span>"Max, it's James. I have some news for you. Are you sitting down?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes!" I exclaimed. "Just spit it out."</span></p> <p><span>"I just got off the phone with Anna and she believes she has some good candidates for consideration. She would like us to come to the agency Monday afternoon so you can meet them and see how things go. Are you available then?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hell, yes. Shall we meet at your office again and go together?"</span></p> <p><span>"That will probably be the easiest. Why don't you get here about 1:00? That will give us time to be there for our meeting at 2:00."</span></p> <p><span>"That's perfect James. I'll be there with bells on."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be waiting for you, but you just might want to leave the bells at home," James laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I'll be there without the damn bells. Thanks for making this happen, James."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, Max. That's why I get paid the big bucks. Just remember, Max, this is just a meet and greet type of thing. That does not mean anything is going to happen. Have a good weekend and I'll see you Monday afternoon." I knew this was going to be the longest weekend of my life.</span></p> <p><span>As the Monday dawn crawled into existence, I was getting ready for the most important meeting of my life. I left home at noon for the trip to James' office and after a quick lunch, arrived promptly at 1:00. After being led into James' office, James asked, "Are you ready this meeting, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"More ready than I have been for anything else in my life."</span></p> <p><span>"Then let's not waste time sitting around here. Get your things and let's go."</span></p> <p><span>We rode to the meeting at the agency's office in silence, both of us lost in their own thoughts. I was anxious to meet my possible son and James worried about my reaction if things fell through. We arrived at the agency with plenty of extra time and headed inside for our meeting. After a short wait, Anna came out of her office to greet us and then lead us back to her office.</span></p> <p><span>Anna started the meeting with, "Welcome back you two. I want you to know that there have been some very lively discussions around the agency this past week about your request. While a few expressed concerns about allowing a gay man to adopt a boy, I think we are all finally of a mind that there is no reason why this can't be successful. We just have to be cautious and aware that every decision made from here on will face severe scrutiny by the public at large."</span></p> <p><span>"I completely understand and I'll do whatever's needed to calm any concerns that anyone may have. I have waited way too long to reverse course now."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear that, Max. During our discussions this week, we were also creating a list of potential adoptees for you to meet today. We've narrowed the list down to four boys. They are Alexander and Joseph Allison, Thomas Bruce and Michael Broadhead. Alexander and Joseph are eight-year old twins in 3^rd grade, Thomas is seven in 2^nd grade and Michael is six and in 1^st grade. All 4 boys attend the same school as all their foster parents live on the far West side of town. All of them are doing pretty well in the school and maintaining decent grades despite their circumstances. I also want to give you a bit of background on these boys before you meet them. All the boys, unfortunately, come from situations that no longer require the severing of parental rights, so you won't have to worry about that.</span></p> <p><span>"Alexander and Joseph came to us after their parents were killed in car crash about 4 years ago, and are lived in the same foster those four years. They have adjusted as well as can be expected considering the circumstances. They miss their parents terribly, but due to their age, we have been unable to find an acceptable adoptive family to take both of them. I know you were expecting to adopt a single child, but I'll tell you right now that we have no intentions of allowing these boys to be split up. They rely on each other way too much to allow that to happen. They have just been in the system too long and they deserve a forever home and family.</span></p> <p><span>"Thomas' mother has been incarcerated for some time now and his father is unknown. It is unlikely that his mother will ever be released from prison and that's why her rights have been severed. There is a slim possibility his biological father may show up at some point in the future, but without knowing who he is, it's nearly impossible to be certain of anything. He may not even know he has a son, which would be the best at this point in Thomas' life.</span></p> <p><span>"Michael has had a rough six years in his short life. He was severely abused by his parents and removed from their home only seven weeks ago. Due to the severity of the abuse, his parent's rights have already been severed and there is no chance he will be going back to live with them. He will need some very special care in the near term, and possibly in the long term also. When he came under our care, he was malnourished and quite behind in his education. He is very withdrawn now, but we are hoping that the proper environment will help pull him out the protective shell he has created. Only time will tell.</span></p> <p><span>"I think that's all for now. I'll let the boys provide any more information you may want. How does that sound, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds just fine, Anna. I'm glad I got that information from you as I hadn't considered the reasons you would have care of these kids. I'll make sure to tread lightly when we talk to them. It sounds like they all have some challenges in their futures, but I'm more than willing to help them in any way possible."</span></p> <p><span>"Very well, are you ready to meet the boys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Very ready, Anna."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you want to meet them one at a time or all together?"</span></p> <p><span>A crazy thought has been forming in my mind during our conversation, so I replied, "Why don't we meet all four at the same time. While I'm anxious to meet them, I'd also like to see how they interact with each other."</span></p> <p><span>Anna reached for the phone on the end table, dialed her secretary's extension and asked, "Marcy, would you please bring the boys in? Thank you."</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-58.html

Building a Family 58 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 58 � The Fallout Begins "I just saw a teaser for the local news and it looks like their lead story is about the preacher at our old church killing himself this morning." "WHAT!?!?" I yelled as I dropped the phone on the floor. Tom quickly picked up the phone and asked, "What's going on, Lee?" "Like I just told Max, the preacher at our old church killed himself. Watch the local news." "Thanks for letting us know. We'll watch, gotta go." Tom hung up the phone and cradled me in his arms. "Sh-h-h, it's okay, babe," he whispered while he tried to comfort me. As I lifted my head back up, six boys rounded the corner and joined us. "What's going on?" Joey demanded. "It's nothing, boys," Tom answered. "Go back to bed." "If it's nothin', how come Dad's whimpering like a two-year-old?" Alex asked. "It's about something Aunt Lee just told us. Please, go back to bed," Tom pleaded. "No way, Pops," T.J. retorted. "We're stayin' right here until you tell why Dad's so freaked out." "Fine! Aunt Lee called to tell us to watch the news tonight. They have a story about the preacher at Max's old church killing himself." "Well, what are we sittin' out here for?" Joey asked. "Let's go watch," Alex added. "You up for this, babe?" Tom asked. "Yeah. I'm just shocked. I never meant for anyone to die. This is all my fault." "No, it isn't," Tom replied with conviction. "They have only themselves to blame." "My brain agrees with you, but my heart doesn't. Okay, everyone, let's go watch the news," I said as I stood up, starting the long walk to the theater, dreading what we were about to hear. Well, it really isn't that far under normal circumstances, but I don't know what `normal' is any longer. When everyone had taken their seat, I turned on the satellite and tuned it to the local network for the first time in years. We'd waited only two minutes when the station's talking heads made their appearance. The first head, a pert young blonde woman of about thirty began the broadcast with, "News from a local church this morning as its Pastor has been found dead, the result of an apparent suicide. Details remain sketchy at this time, but we've learned that Pastor Warren Lancaster of the South Shores First Evangelical Church committed suicide in his office this morning, the result of a drug overdose. Foul play is not expected to be a factor as his body was discovered behind his locked office door and an empty pill bottle was found on his desk. No word yet as to whether he left a message behind explaining his actions." The second head, a slightly older man who was obviously supposed to be the more serious of the two continued, "Anonymous sources in the Sherriff's Department have confirmed that his death may be related to an investigation over allegations of child sexual abuse taking place at the church and possible child pornography. Nothing has been confirmed at this time as the officer in charge of the investigation, Sergeant Dylan Brock, has remained unavailable for comment. Department sources have also told us twenty-six church members were arrested last night in what has been described as a sting operation. It is assumed those arrested are somehow related to the investigation, though no details are available as to any pending charges." The blonde came back with, "That's all we have on this story at the moment, but we will keep you updated as future developments occur and details are released. Now, let's got to Skip for a quick look at tonight's weather..." "Oh, fuck, what have I done?" I moaned as I turned the satellite off. Joey whipped his head around in anger and yelled, "Hey, you ain't done nothin' wrong, Dad!" "They did! And now they get to pay for it!" Alex added. "They're right, Max, you've done nothing wrong. If he was involved and couldn't live with it, then who are we to judge how he chose to deal with it. Taking his life was his own choice." "Besides, he saved somebody a bullet, didn't he?" Logan asked with a smile. Despite my feelings at that moment, I managed to give a weak smile to Logan in return. "Boy, I'm glad I'm not on the force any longer," Tom commented. "I would not want to be at the station in the morning. Dylan's gonna be so pissed off, I'll be surprised if he doesn't rip new assholes in the whole department." "Why didn't he tell us about this when we were there?" I asked. "He probably didn't think it was that important to us. The guy wasn't around when you were, so he probably didn't think we needed to know about it." "I guess that makes sense, but I would have rather heard the news from him instead of those two cheery assholes we just watched." The phone picked that moment to announce an incoming call. "Boys, back to bed, please," Tom called out. "I'll get the phone, babe." The boys started to leave, but not without stopping to give me hugs and remind me they loved me. I thanked them all for their support and sent them on their way with a light swat on the behind. After they were gone, I joined Tom in the kitchen. As I did, I heard him saying, "No, we won't be commenting on whatever story you're writing. Goodbye." "Who was that?" I asked. "Nobody important, just the Journal-Register asking for you to comment on tonight's big news story." "WHAT!? How the fuck did they get my name? And, even more important, our unlisted number?" "I don't know, babe, but I can tell you one thing for sure, heads are gonna roll in the morning." The phone rang again and after seeing it was Lee calling back, Tom answered. "Hey, Lee. Sorry about being so short earlier. Max needed me. ... Yeah, we saw it. ... Damn right, he's pissed off. And upset with himself. ... He thinks it's his fault since he talked to the cops. ... Sure, he's standing right here, hang on." Tom handed me the phone and added, "She wants to talk to you." "What's up, Sis?" I asked in greeting. "Now, you listen to me, little brother. Don't you blame yourself for that cocksucker offing himself, you hear me? That was his decision. You had absolutely nothing to do with it. Besides, he's only been at the church for about a year, so he had nothing to do with what happened to you. I remember the `rents telling me about him when he started. They were so happy they'd finally found a replacement for the previous scumbag. And he's the one you should be pissed at." "I know all that, but it still doesn't make me feel any better. Whatever happened to dear old Donnie?" "He got sent to a new church down around Carbondale or somewhere like that, I think." "Good, I hope Dylan can track his ass down. I want to hear what he has to say about all this." "I do, too, Max, but please stop blaming yourself for any of this. Remember, you're the survivor, not them." "Have you talked to mom and dad? Do they know what's happened?" "Yes, I called them before I called you back. They saw the news, too, and are completely shell-shocked by it. I don't know what to tell them." "I have more information than the news released tonight, but I don't think I should be sharing it." "Oh, c'mon, bro, don't clam up on me now." "Oh, what the hell. Get Carl and put your phone on speaker so you don't have to remember all this." We waited a minute until Carl had joined the conversation before I continued. "Okay, what I'm about to tell you can't be shared. I talked to Dylan yesterday morning, here at the house. I told him about everything the Mullers did to me, where they did it and for how long it went on. They got a search warrant for the church yesterday afternoon. Dylan confirmed everything I'd told him, including the location of the room. They also found file cabinets that hold close to 3,000 files of kids who've been abused in the church for over thirty years." "Holy shit!" Carl exclaimed. "My God!" Lee uttered. "3,000 over thirty years. In our church?" "Not my church, sis, not even God's church. As a result of the search, Dylan and whole group of other cops arrested twenty-six people who were all church elders. We didn't know anything about the suicide until we heard it on the news just now. So, the news report tonight was basically accurate, even if it was missing a bunch of details. About the only thing they didn't tell tonight was why the investigation got started in the first place. And I'm guessing they don't have that info or you can be sure they would have." "What an unholy nightmare," Lee replied. "I've got some good news, though. You want to hear it?" "Sure, we could use something good right now." "I saw a therapist today who's going to work with me." "That is good news, Max," Carl agreed. "I also went to the jail to say hi to my old friends, the Muellers." "You did WHAT!?" Lee exclaimed. "Yep, I wanted them to know I was the one who put the cops on to them and the others. Recorded the whole damn thing, including when the son-of-a-bitch threatened the twins and me with rape and murder. You should have seen their faces when I pulled my phone out stopped my recording. Absolutely priceless." "Jesus, Max, have you lost your mind?" "As a matter of fact, I have. And there's no telling how long it will take to get it back. But, by confronting those assholes, I got a big chunk back today. I haven't felt this good in years. Just knowing none of them will ever be able hurt another kid makes it all worthwhile." "If you say so, I'll just have to take your word for it. I'm proud of you, you know, for surviving all that. And for having the strength and courage to do the right thing now. I don't think I could have done it." "Lee, where the heck do you work. You deal with this crap all day long and have for years. You're stronger than you know." "Thanks, Max," Carl replied. "I've been tellin' her that for years and she refuses to believe me." "Keep tellin' her, Carl. Someday, she'll actually believe you." "Well, we gotta get to bed, bro. We love all you guys and if you need anything, let us know." "We will, thanks for calling." After hanging up, I looked at Tom and asked, "Should we call Dylan to find out what the hell's going on?" "You really think I want to talk to that pissed off black dude tonight?" "Why not? What have we got to lose?" "Besides our heads? You want to talk to him so bad, you make the damn call," Tom cracked. "Fine, what's his number?" "You're serious, aren't you?" "Of course, I am." I punched the speakerphone button and said, "Number, please." Tom dialed the number while shaking his head in disbelief. When Dylan finally answered the phone, I greeted him with, "Dylan, old buddy, old pal o' mine. Max and Tom here. How the hell are ya'?" "Madder than a goddam hornet, that's how I am. How the fuck you think I am?" "Good, then we're in the same boat, then. Want me to make your life even better?" "Just how you gonna do that?" "After the news report on the boob tube, we got a call here, on an unlisted number, no less, from the paper asking for me to comment on a story they're working on. Apparently, someone at the paper watches TV. Who'd a thunk it? How do you suppose they got my name and number?" "You're shittin' me! When I get my hands on the motherfucker that leaked this shit, I'm gonna fuckin' kill him. Or her." "Let me know if you want help with that, will you? We knew this wouldn't stay off the media's radar for long, Dylan. The story's just too big for that to happen." "Yeah, I know, but for it come just a day later? Fucking unreal. We will be having some serious discussions at the department tomorrow, I promise you that." "Just remember, no castrations. We don't want to see that headline, okay." "Yeah, whatever. So, now that I've had a chance to vent some anger, how ya' doin'?" "Finer than frog's hair, man. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it." I heard a light chuckle from Dylan before he said, "I'm glad to hear it. You really scared the shit out of me at the church." "Me, too. I'm just glad Tom's strong as an ox and was able to get me outta there. How'd you do at the church?" "We've emptied all the file cabinets and those materials are securely locked in my office. We counted them as we boxed `em up for the move and the official tally is 3,157 files. There's going to be a lot of work involved to find all these people. The desk yielded a computer that was connected to the camera, some ledgers and other materials that will be helpful in tracking down other people involved in this nightmare. I plan to make a delivery to the FBI tomorrow to have them take it over. The less I have to deal with this shit, the better off I'll be. Mentally, anyway." "I don't envy you, my friend," Tom commented. "I'm glad I'm not there to deal with that crap any longer." "So, when do you think you'll be done with collecting evidence from the room?" I asked. "At the speed Perry and Zach are moving, next week some time. There's a lot of area to cover and after spraying luminol everywhere, we really need to get samples from every surface. It looked like a damn Rorschach test on steroids after they turned on the black lights. What a fuckin' nightmare." "Well, let me know when they're done, would you?" "Why the hell do you care?" "I want, no, need to see that room again." "WHAT!?" Tom exclaimed. "I'm with Tom on this one. I don't think that's a good idea, Max." "I know, and I can't really explain it to myself right now, but I have to try." "I'll think about it," Dylan replied. "Thanks, Dylan. One other thing I wanted to ask is how's Frank doin' after his wife got done with him?" Dylan chucked a bit before answering. "Severely swollen and bruised. He may still lose his left nut, but the doctor's gonna give him a few days and see what happens. Right now, he's curled up in his cell with ice packs on his balls to help reduce the swelling." "I hope they end up cuttin' `em both off." "That may very well happen. We'll see. Well, look, I gotta get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be another long and shitty day. Thanks for callin'. I'll try to keep you updated as best I can." "Thanks, Dylan. Talk to you later." Tom looked at me with a very troubled look in his eye and asked, "Jesus christ, Max, have you lost your fucking mind?" "Didn't I just answer that question a few minutes ago?" "Maybe so, but I'm really beginning to wonder." "Look, I know this is gonna sound stupid as hell, but the best way I can describe it is this; if I walk into that damn place of my own free will and come back out of it, again, of my own free will, I think I'll feel like I've jumped a major hurdle in putting all this shit behind me. Will it be easy to do? Absolutely not. It'll probably be the hardest thing I'll ever do in my life. Will it be a miracle cure? I'm sure it won't and I don't expect it to be. Will you be there with me to help me get through it? Damn right you will be." "I think you need to talk to Dr. Schaid about this next Tuesday and see what she thinks. I guess if she says it'll be okay, I'll make it happen for you." "I know you will. Look, I really know what I'm thinking right now may not be rational to others, but for me, it seems like something I have to do. Facing my fears and the Muellers this morning was healing for me. The longer we sat there and listened to Frank rant his nonsensical bullshit, the more I felt I was taking control of my life back from them. I have never felt as powerful and free from fear as I did when we walked out on those two this morning." "All right, I get it, babe. I just don't want you to push yourself too hard, okay. I'm worried about you." "I'm worried about me, too, hon. I'm worried about how having this hanging over me like a thundercloud will affect us, our boys and our families. I don't want that and I know you don't either. And I'm gonna work my ass off to make sure it doesn't. Okay?" "Yeah, okay." "Good. Now that we've solved all the world's problems, can we please go to bed?" "Love to." We headed to our bedroom and after a quick stop in the bathroom, climbed into bed. After sharing a sweet kiss and I love you, I laid my head on my furry teddy bear's chest and quickly zoned out. I was still zoned out when Tom came back in the bedroom in the morning to wake me up. "C'mon, Max, time to rise and shine!" he yelled as he crossed the threshold. "I don't wanna," I whined back. "Too bad, we got six kids that need food before they get on the bus." "You're not plannin' on feedin' me to `em, are ya?" "Not a chance. While they might enjoy the light snack, there's not enough meat on your bones to fill their bellies. No, we need real food this morning." "All right, all right. And I thought you loved me." "Oh, I do. But I love them, too, and feeding them some gristly old hunk of round steak just ain't right." He deftly dodged the pillow I had tossed in his direction and he laughed at my weak attempt of revenge. "I'll get even with you for that remark." "What, you mean this fine specimen of prime rib standing before you. Never." With that, he left the room to start breakfast. I crawled out of bed and visited the bathroom before joining the rest of the family in the kitchen. "Pop Tarts?" I exclaimed. "You call that real food?" "Well, no, but it's about all we got left. These eating machines have just about wiped us out of everything." "Hey! We're growing boys, not eating machines," T.J. complained. "Six of one, half-dozen of the other," I commented. "What's that mean, Dad?" Andy asked. "That the two, eating machines and growing boys, are pretty much the same thing." The boys all gave a hearty chuckle at the comparison and finally agreed we were probably right. "Okay, after you guys are off to school, I guess we'll go restock some food. See if we can keep you from munching on the two of us for a few days." "I don't know, Dad, that sounds like it might be fun," Joey hinted with a little wiggle of his eyebrows. "That's it boys, go get dressed and ready to roll. We'll meet you in the garage." As they took off across the house, Tom leaned in and whispered, "I have to agree with Joey." Once the two of us were presentable to the public, we joined the boys in the garage and made the trip to the end of the drive to await the bus's arrival. When Carl stopped and opened the door, the boys gave us our hugs and took off for the bus. As they were climbing on, Carl stepped off and walked over to Tom and me. "Morning, Carl, what's up?" "I just wanted to ask if y'all are runnin' an unlicensed home for wayward boys here? Seems like every couple of weeks, you're adding to the head count." Tom and I chuckled. "It does seem that way, doesn't it?" I answered. "No, we're just helping Logan for a while. He'll be going back to live with his dad at some point." "Who, Charlie? He's a miserable guy. Freakin' hates the world and everybody in it." "He's going to be getting some help with that, Carl. Don't write him off just yet." "We'll see. Okay, gotta run. If I ever have an extra kid on the bus, I know where I can drop `em." Carl turned and ran for the bus while Tom and I stood there and enjoyed a good laugh. "See, bubba, I told you it was a good idea. Even Carl thinks so." "And I still think you're rushin' things just a tad, babe," Tom answered as we climbed in the car and headed to town to do our shopping. "Let's get you well first, then we can talk about it. I'm not disagreein' with you at all, I just want you in the right frame of mind when it happens." "Ah-ha, gotcha. You just said when it happens, not if. You love the idea and are already on board, aren't ya'?" "I never said I wasn't." "Good, I want to talk to our parents this afternoon, see what they think." "Oh, crap, there's just no stoppin' you, is there?" "Nope, and you better get used to it. Besides, I told you that having a goal in mind, something to look forward to, something real to be involved in for once will help keep me moving forward. I'll be looking ahead at what's going to happen and not backward at what happened half a lifetime ago. That's what's going to help me heal, put all that bad shit behind me and never look back." "We'll see, babe." I thundered into the station and demanded everyone's attention. "All right, people, listen up!" I yelled. "I don't know who opened their fuckin' mouth last night and blabbed to the news, but I guarantee you, right now, whoever did it is done with this department. If you come to me, admit you screwed up and accept your punishment like an adult, I'll think about letting you keep your pension and collect unemployment while you look for a new job. If you hide behind your fellow officers like a fuckin' two-year-old and I have to find you myself, you can kiss your pension and unemployment goodbye. You have thirty minutes. Spread the word. If the asshole doesn't come forward by then, I start searchin'." I stormed into my office and slammed the door, amazed the glass didn't break. I sat at my desk and started to pick up the phone when there was a knock and the door opened a few inches. I looked up to see Derek standing there, fear etched in his face. "Ah, Derek, please tell me it wasn't you. You're too good a man to lose." "Hell no, Sarge. I know better than to talk about ongoing investigations." "Thank God. At least somebody out there is usin' their fuckin' brain. C'mon in and have a seat. Tell me what's goin' on this morning." "I've sent Henry, Andrew, Zach and Perry back to the church to continue their work. I figured Henry and Andrew should be there to keep anyone from interfering with Zach and Perry. I think the sooner we get that done, the sooner we can turn this all over to the FBI." "Thanks, Derek. Do me a favor and make sure they hear the announcement I just gave. I don't think any of them would have talked out of turn, but I need to know it. Also, ensure any of the troops on patrol hear it. I want that leaker out of here. We can't have shit like that happening as it compromises all our work. And I don't need their help with that as I seem to be doing it just fine, all by myself." "Consider it done, Boss. Anything else?" "Yeah, call someone at the local FBI office and get them over here so we can pass this crap on to them to deal with. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make a phone call." Derek took off to take care of his tasks and I picked the phone up, then re-cradled the receiver. I decided this wasn't a call I should make on a department phone. I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed a number I knew all too well. "Mornin', Dylan. What's up today?" "Mornin' to you, too, Tom. Max close by? I need to talk to him, again." "Sittin' in the passenger seat, as usual. But you keep callin' and askin' to talk my fianc�, I might just start to get upset with you two." "Nothin' to worry about, Tom, he's all yours. He's just a bit too pasty for my tastes. Max, got another shitty favor to ask of you." "Pasty, huh? What now, copper?" I chuckled. "I have one more tiny problem with your file that I need your help with." "What now?" I moaned. "There's this little matter of yours and Tom's fingerprints, along with mine, being on the file and pictures. Since neither Derek or I could identify you with absolute certainty, I'd like you to come in so you can go through the motions of doing that. I'll regretfully forget to have us use gloves while you, uh, peruse the folder and its contents. I know I'm asking for a lot, but I'd really appreciate your help." "Damn it, Dylan. I swear, this is the last time I'm gonna pull your fat out of the fire." "And I promise it's the last time I'll ask you to do so." "When do you want us there?" "As soon as you can. I'm hoping to turn all these files and the other evidence we've collected so far over to the FBI this afternoon." "Well, I guess you'll be our first stop when we get to town, then. See you in about twenty minutes." "I can't thank you enough. See you when you get here." I ended the call and slipped my phone back into my pocket. Derek was back at my door and I waved him in. "Tell me good news, Derek." "First, everyone who wasn't in this morning knows about your announcement. By their reactions, it wasn't any of them. Second, Special Agent Fix of the FBI's sex crimes unit will be here this afternoon about two to see what we have." "Good news on both fronts, thanks. Look, Max and Tom will be here in about fifteen minutes. Have them come in when they get here." "You got it, boss. What's next?" "I'd like to have a quick chat with Mr. Mueller. Can you have him brought into interrogation room one? And I want you in the room with me to make sure I don't rip his head off." "Three minutes, we'll be ready." Derek left to retrieve our prisoner while I grabbed Max's file to take with me along with a copy of his recording. I walked into the interrogation room to find Frank sitting on one side of the table, handcuffs securely fastened to the ring in the table. Derek was sitting on the opposite side, waiting patiently for my arrival. As soon as I entered the room and closed the door, Frank exploded with anger. "What's the meaning of this!? I'm not sayin' a damn thing without my lawyer present!" "That's just fine, Mr. Mueller. I hope you're feeling better today and the swelling has gone down. I'd like to apologize for our lax security that allowed the assault by your wife to occur. I'm rather embarrassed about that turn of events. If you'd like to press charges against her, just let me know and we'll add that one to all the others we have for her. Now, even though all of you were read your rights Monday night when you were arrested, we're going to do it again, just for good measure. Derek, if you would?" Derek repeated the Miranda warning for Frank to which he mumbled something unintelligible. I'm pretty sure it was something along the lines of `go fuck yourself', but whatever it was, it wasn't really that important. "Now, you've been apprised of your rights and I assume you understand them. This little meeting is going be a one-sided discussion, Mr. Mueller. I'm going to do all the talking, you just sit there and keep your mouth shut like a good little boy. We wouldn't want to violate your rights in any way." I paused for just a moment before continuing. "I have something here I'd like to show you and something else for you to listen to." I opened the evidence bag and removed the file, then spread a couple of the pictures on the table in front of Frank. "You see these, Mr. Mueller? While I'm no expert, I must say that the man in these pictures bears a striking resemblance to you and the woman is almost certainly your lovely wife. And after judging certain physical characteristics of the second male in these pictures, I'd venture a guess he is most definitely under age. Unfortunately for the two of you, sexual relations with any person under the age of majority is illegal in this state. Do you have anything you'd like to say about these pictures?" Frank shook his head in disgust at being confronted in this manner, but he did manage to cough and spit on the pictures. "Now look what you've done. You contaminated evidence in an active investigation." I dried the pictures with a paper towel and put them back in their file and then in the evidence bag. "Now for your listening pleasure, I give you this." I set the recorder on the table and punched play. The recording Max made during his visit yesterday filled the room. I let it play all the way through before pressing stop. "Now, as if the pictures weren't bad enough for you, we have a recording of you and your wife admitting your crimes. And the threat to Mr. Sanders life and his sons' lives is what's going to get you both life in prison, with no possibility of parole." "You can't use that recording," Frank grumbled. "Our lawyer wasn't present." "Your lawyer didn't need to be present, Frank. That little chat wasn't an interrogation. Neither Mr. Sanders or Mr. Wright are employed by this department, so that was simply a discussion between a victim and his abusers. And as such, it is admissible and I'm going to make sure your lawyer, the judge and everyone else in the courtroom hears this recording. So, let's recap the evidence we have against you and your wife so far. Photographs of the two of you engaged in sex acts with a minor. We also have a recording of both you and your wife admitting to the repeated sexual abuse of at least one victim and possibly many, many more, if I believe what we just heard, and I am inclined to do so. We also have you threatening the life of one your victims and his sons. All told, Mr. Mueller, you and your wife would be lucky to be out of prison in 500 years or so. You have anything you'd like to say?" Frank's only response was a grunt, so I concluded our chat with, "You let all your coconspirators know what they're facing. But when you do, I want to make sure you include this in your talks with them. The first person, and only the first, who agrees to work with us and supply information to our investigation will be treated accordingly. That is not going to be a get out of jail free card. What they'll get in return for cooperating with us is a single life sentence, a chance at parole in twenty-five years and their time will be served at a facility that will protect them during their incarceration. Everybody else does their time in the general population in the most disgusting prison in the state. So, a lifetime of relative peace and security with a very slim chance of freedom, or a lifetime and more of the most degrading treatment possible in the most disgusting of places possible. It's their choice. Oh, and one more thing, this offer is not available to you or your wife. I think we're done here. Deputy Timmons, please return Mr. Mueller to his cell." "With pleasure, Sarge. Come with me Mr. Mueller." I left the room to return to my office to wait for Max to come in. I'm not sure how I did it, but I managed to keep my soul intact, and more importantly, my hands to myself during our little chat. At least Frank's head was still firmly attached to his shoulders. As I passed through the main office, Kelly stopped me. "What's up, Kelly?" I asked. "One of the dispatchers, Jordy, I think his name is, is waiting in your office for you." With a nod of acknowledgement, I continued my trek. When I entered my office, Jordy was sitting in the chair in front of my desk, bouncing his legs nervously. I closed the door and saw him jump as it latched. "And what brings you to my office this morning, Jordy?" I asked more calmly than I felt as I walked around my desk and sat down. "Um, I heard about your announcement this morning, Sergeant Brock," he answered with fear in his voice. "And ...?" "I'm the guy your lookin' for, I'm the moron who talked to the news." "Thank you for coming forward and admitting it. You've saved me a bunch of time. I have two questions before I ask for your department ID and send you on your way. The first is why?" "Money, sir. And to help a friend. He got a job at the news station a couple months ago and he's tryin' to make himself look good to his bosses by giving them something they didn't have any other way to get. He's tryin' to get promoted. I was giving him information and he was payin' me a hundred bucks a month to do it." "The second question is this, did you give your friend, or anybody else, the name and phone number of the victim in this case." "No sir, absolutely not! I might not be the brightest bulb in the box, but I'm not a total idiot." "Then it looks like we have more than one leak around here that needs to be plugged." I stood and walked around the desk to stand in front of the scared young man. "Well, Jordy, I appreciate your honesty this morning. Unfortunately, it's too little, too late, to allow you to keep your job. Since you came forward, the county won't fight your unemployment. I need your department ID. Kelly will escort you outside and good luck with your job search." After he handed me his ID, I stepped to the door, opened it and called Kelly over. "Would you please escort Jordy out of the building. He no longer works for the department." I turned around to return to my desk and as I sat down, Jordy said, "Sergeant Brock, I'm really sorry I let you down." "Me too, Jordy. Me too." We parked in the lot across the street from the county building and made our way to see Dylan. Fortunately, our arrival today was a much more subdued affair than it was yesterday with only a few waves of the hand and a quick howdy or two. When Derek saw us, he came over and told us Dylan was waiting in his office for us. He led us the rest of the way and knocked on the door. "Come in," Dylan responded. Derek opened the door, let us through and then closed it behind us as he returned to his desk. "I would hope we were allowed in since you begged us to come." "Hidey-ho gents. Have a seat." After we'd sat down, he continued. "I know you don't want to be here, but I appreciate it. Like both Tom and Derek have pointed out, I've been a dumbass and I'm doing everything I can to make sure none of these people go free because of my stupidity." "If we can help with that, we will. I don't want them roaming free any more than you do." "Like I said on the phone, I just need you guys to handle the folder and pictures so there's a reason for your fingerprints to be on them. You can close your eyes if you want to so you don't have to see them, I don't care." "Give it here," I said. Dylan handed the folder over and as I acted like I was looking at the pictures, I made sure my prints were all over them. I had just handed the folder to Tom when Derek returned. "Sarge, what the hell are you doing?" he exclaimed after closing the door. "I'm having our accuser verify the young man in the pictures is actually him. I told you they were coming in to do that." "But where's their damn gloves? I can't believe you'd be that careless." "Oh, shit! I wasn't thinking. Tom, give me that. Wait, better yet, since you've already got it, just slip it back in the evidence bag. Damn, I can't believe I didn't have you wear gloves." Not one to miss a chance to act out a scene, I tossed out, "We're sorry if we screwed up anything, Sergeant Brock. I hope it doesn't come back to haunt you," I added with a sly grin. "It'll be my fault if it does. Well, thanks for coming in this morning. The department appreciates your help in this matter. If we need anything else, we'll be in touch." "When will they be going to court?" Tom asked. "Preliminary hearings will probably be next Friday. After that, who knows. Depends on the court's docket." "I want to be there when the Muellers are." "Mr. Sanders, there's absolutely no reason for you to be present in court. We have your sworn statement, your file and your recording." "Maybe not for you, but there is for me. I started all this, and I intend to finish it, right on through to the bitter end." "That's your decision. We'll try to keep you updated with what's going on." "Thank you. Anything else you wanted from us today?" "No, Mr. Sanders. Thanks, again." I watched as Max and Tom left to continue with whatever plans they had for the rest of the day. After Derek closed my door, he looked back at me and asked, "Okay, boss, I know you might be addle-brained right now, but you never forget gloves. What the hell is going on?" "Sit, Derek," I commanded. After he was comfortable, I continued, "Max, Tom, and I all handled that folder and the pictures inside it. It hit me last night that that would be a problem as the FBI checks all these damn things for prints. I needed to have some semi-plausible excuse for why there may be traces of us on the thing. When Agent Fix comes over this afternoon, I'll explain Max's file is separated from all the others since he's our only complainant at the moment. Then I'll plead temporary insanity for contaminating the evidence with our prints and Mr. Mueller's saliva." "You just keep digging that hole deeper and deeper, don't you?" "I can't seem to help it lately, Derek. I think it's time I considered other options. This job, much as I love it, is starting to really wear on me. This case in particular. Part of that may be the fact a man I consider to be a friend is involved in the worst possible way. Once this is all turned over to the FBI, I'm putting in my papers." "You can't do that!" Derek exclaimed. "Who the hell else we got around here that is qualified to take your place? I can't think of one person out there I'd want to work for." "That may be, but do you think they'd be willing to work for you?" "WHAT!? You think I want your job?" "I don't know if you want it or not, but I'm going to request the county board appoint you to finish out my term. If you want to run for the position after that, that's up to you. You're a good cop, a good leader and you have excellent instincts, Derek. I can't think of anybody else I'd rather see have the job." "Holy shit, boss. I don't know about this. I gotta talk to Suzy, see what she thinks." "Well, the hours aren't all that different from what you're doing now. You won't have to go out on patrol any longer, and you get better pay and this office. So, talk to Suzy and let me know. I'd like to make the recommendation for my replacement when I turn in my papers, just so the board knows they'll have a qualified person to take over." "I guess I should say thanks or something, but I gotta think about it. This place won't be the same without you here." "That should be a good thing, Derek. Now, get outta here and go do some real work, would ya'? And let me know when Agent Fix arrives." As Derek walked out of my office, I brooded on the fact I still had another leak to find since whoever it was seemed to be too much of a chicken-shit to face the music like a man. Lunch with Tom was rather quiet for once. I was lost in my thoughts of everything that had happened in the last week and I'm sure he was, too. I finally broke the silence between us with, "A penny for your thoughts." "A penny? My thoughts are worth a whole more than that." "Okay, a nickel, then." After a quick shake of his head, I upped the ante, "Okay, how `bout a quarter? Will that loosen your tongue?" "I still think you could do better than that, but I'll take it. Look, I know you want to move forward and I'm more than willing to do anything I can to help you, but I'm really uncomfortable with you tryin' to go back to the church and goin' back in that room." I started to interrupt, but Tom kept going. "Hang on there, Skippy, let me finish. I understand what you told me last night, really, I do. I'm just not sure you're ready for that. I saw the terror in your eyes yesterday afternoon. You couldn't get any closer than thirty feet to that hellhole. You're no more ready to go back there than I'm ready to go live on Mars. I can't let you do that to yourself, to us." "You done?" After a quick nod, I plowed on, "Good. Because I think you're absolutely right." I could see the wave of relief wash over him. "See, this is why I need you in my life. To keep me from doin' stupid shit that would hurt more than help. I do want to go back there at some point, but I realize it's way too soon. After thinking about it more since last night, I know I'm not ready for it. What else are you thinking?" "That we need to finish our lunch, get our shopping done and get home. We have guests coming this evening, you know?" "I do remember that. It should be interesting, don't you think." "Without a doubt, babe." After we crawled out of the booth, I leaned in to give Tom a kiss and asked, "Have I told you today how much I love you?" "Actually, no. But I never get tired of hearing it." We strolled out of Red Lobster, locked arm in arm, like a couple of giddy teenagers out on their first date. I stuck my head out the door of my office and called out, "Derek, Kelly, you two have a minute?" I returned to my desk and after both had taken a seat, I said, "Okay, I want your thoughts on something. Jordy admitted to feeding information to a friend of his at the local news station and Jordy is now gone. But he told me he never gave his friend our accuser's name or phone number. Yet, somehow, our victim received a call from the paper asking for his comment on a story they were writing, presumably about the church and our investigation. Any idea how the paper would have gotten his name and unlisted phone number?" "It almost has to be someone in the department or the judge's office, boss," Kelly offered. "I know you and Derek talked to the victim Monday morning and went straight to the judge to get the search warrant for the church. Hell, I was at the church with you Monday afternoon and I still don't know who you got your information from." "Derek?" I asked. "Well, you and I know who he is, the judge knows, his bailiff might know, depends on what the judge might have told him after we left. Then you add in all the other people who helped get the arrest warrants for us Monday afternoon, they might have seen or heard our victim's name, also." "Well, I highly doubt Judge Corgan or his bailiff would have talked to anyone at the paper, so let's rule them out. I know I didn't, and I'm fairly confident I know you two well enough to rule you out also. That leaves us with whoever helped get the arrest warrants, and Zach, Perry, Andrew, Henry and Barry who were at the church with us. Any of them could have had access to our paperwork or could have overheard something. I want to talk to every one of them, sooner rather than later. Let's get `em all in here for a little chat. When you call Zach, tell him to make damn sure that office is locked before they leave the church. GO!" As they disappeared to contact everyone, I settled back in my chair to think about how I would approach this discussion. I had a pretty good idea who the culprit was, but I wanted to see if he had the balls to admit it to my face. I decided to spend my time waiting for everyone to arrive by checking on my lead suspect. By the time everyone I wanted to talk to was assembled half an hour later, I knew beyond a shadow of doubt who it was. Time to test my acting skills, again. "I want to thank all of you for dropping whatever you were doing and coming to this little meeting." "Didn't seem we had much of a choice, Sergeant," Zach replied. "It certainly wasn't my impression from Kelly that attendance was voluntary." "You're right, Zach. You all know what this meeting's about, so I'll get straight to the point. I've already ended the career of one leak this morning and I'm about to deal with the second one. Sitting in this room right now is a traitor. That person talked to a reporter at the paper last night and divulged information that should have never been shared with the press." As I let my eyes wander over the group, I noticed my choice of suspect looked away from me when our eyes met. If I had had any doubts before, they were quickly dispelled. "As if this case isn't bad enough, already, our victim's name and unlisted phone number were given to someone outside this department. That is a serious breach of ethics and shows me that person has no loyalty to this department or his fellow officers. That ends today, right now." The assembled group took a quick look at everyone else in the room, trying to figure out who the guilty party was. All, that is, except for my suspect since he knew. He started to raise his hand and I called him out, "Something you'd like to say, Barry?" "It was me. I talked to the newspaper and gave her Mr. Sanders' name and number." "I already know that, Barry. The rest of you get out of here and get back to work. Barry and I need to have a heart to heart." The rest of the group filtered out of my office, trading whispers as they did. When Barry was the last one remaining, I closed my door and sat down next to him. "Was it just about the money, Barry? Or did you have more pressing issues?" I asked calmly. "Money, mostly, but other issues, too. I got a wife that can't work, three kids and a gambling problem. I'm in deep to a loan shark and he's threatened my family. I had to do somethin' to come up with what I owe him and sharing some anonymous information seemed like the only way to do it." "I wish you'd have come to me and told me what was going on, Barry. We could have figured out another way for you deal with your problems. The first thing we would have done was set up a sting on your loan shark so we could bust his ass and lock him away. Then, with him out of the picture, we would have arranged some counseling to help with your gambling. But now, it's too late for all that. You've broken all trust you ever had with anyone in the department." "I know, Sarge. I was fuckin' stupid, but I couldn't let them hurt my family." "Of course, you couldn't. Here's what we're going to do. Your last official act as a member of this department is to help us arrest the man who threatened you. We'll get the money you owe him and you set up a meeting with him. You'll be wearing a wire so we can hear everything that's said. I need you to get this person to admit what they were doing and, if possible, the threats against your family. Once we have that, we can arrest him. Think you can do that?" "I'm sure I can. He's never been shy about his threats. Actually, he seems to enjoy it. Way too much." "Good. That should make doing this a lot easier. You help us collar this guy and you can keep your pension and unemployment while you search for a new job. You understand why I can't let you continue in the department, don't you?" "As much as it sucks, yeah I understand. I knew this was gonna happen, sooner or later. I did it to myself, so I can't really complain about it, can I?" "I'm sorry it has to be this way, Barry, I really am. But by giving that reporter a victim's name and phone number, you compromised his privacy and his family's safety. I can't let that happen again. Give me your badge and gun, then go call your shark and set up the meet." Barry did as I demanded and walked out to a desk in the main office to make his call. He made three people who have exited the department in the past few few weeks and I was going to be the fourth, and hopefully, the last for long time to come. Tom and I had finished our shopping and were headed out of the store when we walked by a newspaper machine. Glaringly obvious through the window on the front of the machine was the headline that read `LOCAL CHURCH ROCKED BY CHILD SEX ABUSE CHARGES'. I kept walking but soon noticed I was all alone. When I stopped and turned around to find Tom, I discovered he was feeding quarters into the machine to get the paper. Needless to say I was surprised, but as he rejoined me at our cart, he said, "Might as well see what they're saying." "Why? Don't you have an inside source?" "Sure I do, but I'd like to know what rumors are being floated out there. I'd rather be informed of what's being said than blindsided by some outright lie." "I guess. I hope you can wait to read it until we get home." "Since I'm drivin', that seems to be the logical thing to do." We loaded our purchases into the trunk of the Shelby and hit the road for home. Once there, we got everything inside and put away. After that was accomplished, we got comfortable and settled into the living room. Tom grabbed the paper and opened it with a flourish. "You want me to read it out loud?" "Oh, why the hell not?" "Okay, here goes: Springfield's South Shores First Evangelical Church has been rocked by charges of sexual abuse of minors and child pornography. The church becomes the latest to join the ranks of other churches implicated by similar stories of rampant abuse that have come out in recent years. The charges have been leveled against the church by local author Maxwill Sanders. Mr. Sanders alleges the abuse against him took place in a room in the church's basement approximately twenty years ago over a period of three years. It is unknown at this time if any other children may have been involved before or since that time. Ground was broken for construction of the church on May 5, 2002 and completed August 15, 2003. First services in the church were held August 17, 2003. A search of building permits and plans filed for the church at the time of construction show no such basement exists. Anonymous sources in the Sangamon County Sherriff's department have confirmed twenty-six people were arrested at the church Monday evening as the result of a sting operation. None of the people arrested have been charged with any crimes at this time. It is believed all will be charged with multiple counts of child sexual abuse and child pornography, among other unspecified charges. It is possible more arrests will happen as the investigation continues. The scandal comes on the heels of the church's Pastor, Warren Lancaster, committing suicide inside his locked office at the church. It is unclear whether the Pastor's death is in any way related to the charges by Mr. Sanders and the resulting investigation. The man in charge of the investigation, Sergeant Dylan Brock, of the Sherriff's department, has been unavailable for comment. A call asking for comment was placed to Mr. Sanders residence as this story was being developed. The call was answered by a man who refused to comment. It is unknown if the man was Mr. Sanders or someone else. This story will be updated as more details become available. That's all they have." "I'd say it's plenty. Nice of them to publish my name without asking, don't you think. I guess I should be happy they didn't print our phone number." "If they had, it'd be ringing off the hook. I guess I'm getting my fifteen minutes of fame as the unknown man who answers your phone," he chuckled. "It's a good role, enjoy it while you can. Too bad I didn't get that part in this psychotic play." "Oh, you could never pull it off. You're definitely the leading man type. No B-roles for the star." "Gee, thanks. Makeup!" Barry came back and knocked on my door. After I let him in, he took a seat and I asked, "Everything set up with the shark?" "Yes, sir. We're supposed to meet in forty-five minutes at a bar on Highland." "Which one?" "Harry's Adult DayCare." "God, what a dive." "Yeah, I know, but that's where he wants to go." "Okay, go get changed into your street clothes. I've made arrangements to get the cash we need and it should be here any time. Once you're changed, come back here and we'll get you setup to record your meeting." Barry stood and headed to the locker room. As he did, Derek came back in my office. "You got everything set up?" I asked. "Two cars are waiting to roll. They're just waiting to find out where they're goin'." "Harry's Adult DayCare on Highland. Between 2nd and 3rd Streets. Our guys should be able to wait on Summit or Maple, south of the bar." "I'll let them know so they can be in position before the suspect shows up." "Barry's changing clothes, then he's coming back so we can get him wired, then he's on his way." Derek returned to his desk to pass along the location and while he did that, Barry came back. "Okay, Barry, here's what I have for you. This pair of glasses has a camera and microphone that will transmit about half a mile. I need you to make sure he says the threat to your family is over. It would also be good if you can get him to say something about the agreement you had with him. The more you can get him to say, the better off we'll be. We'll be waiting a block away from Harry's and when we hear you say, `Thanks, I'll be leaving now', we'll move in. Any problems?" "Only one that I can think of, Sergeant. I don't wear glasses." "Well, tell him you lost a contact this afternoon and haven't had time to go home or something." "Yeah, that ought to work." "You don't have to do this, you know. You're off the job." "Yeah, I do. Even though I fucked everything up, I need to prove to myself, and to you, that I know what the right thing is and I can still do it. I also owe it to you for giving information to that reporter. I knew it was the wrong thing to do, but I couldn't see another way out of my problems. With Rollie out of my pocket, I think we'll be okay until I can get another job." "Good man, Barry. You better get out of here and be there when Rollie shows up. We don't want to keep him waiting. Remember, `Thanks, I'll be leaving now' is our cue. Say that and then get the hell out of there, you got it?" "Yeah, I got it. See ya' later, Sergeant. Nice workin' with ya'," he answered flatly. After Barry left, I called Derek in. "What now, boss?" "I'm not sure. Barry's attitude just kinda put me off a bit. I think he's planning something we don't know about and it's makin' me nervous. Do me a favor, get changed into your street clothes and get over to Harry's. I want you inside to keep an eye on things. And make sure you've got an ankle holster." "On my way. I'll let you know what happens." "Thanks, Derek." I sat there and stewed on the problem and my concerns longer than I should have. If this kept up, I was going to develop an ulcer. After about twenty unproductive minutes, Kelly rang me. "Yes, Kelly," I answered. "Special Agent Fix is here to see you, sir." "Send him in, please. Thanks." I stood and was just turning the corner of my desk when a broad-shouldered man about six-foot-tall and 250 pounds filled my doorway. "Special Agent Fix, I presume." "Yes sir. And you must be Sergeant Brock." "Come in, Agent Fix, and have a seat. Would you like something to drink?" After he stepped inside, I closed the door so we could talk in private. "No, thanks for the offer, though. Since it sounds like we'll be working together for a while, please call me Joel and if it's okay with you, I'd like to use Dylan." "That works fine for me, Joel. You ready to hear what we have?" I asked. After receiving a curt nod from Joel, I gave him a quick description of how the case got started and what we had done so far, including Zach and Perry continuing their work at the church to collect evidence from the hellhole. When I finally wound down, I paused and waited patiently for Joel to ask his first question. "It sounds like you've done good work so far. I'm wondering why you're calling us in for help." "To be blunt, Joel, we simply don't have the manpower or facilities to deal with the number of different cases involved." "You said you boxed up files from three file cabinets, right? Just how many files do you think you have, three to four hundred?" "You're way short in your estimate. We counted as we boxed them up and our final total is 3,157." "Oh, my God. You can't be serious." "See those twenty-four boxes stacked along the wall over there?" I asked while pointing towards them. "That's them. We didn't see any duplicate names as we emptied the drawers. I've only looked in three of them, and then, just to verify my suspicions of what they held. We also had our complainant come in and verify the pictures contained in the folder bearing his name were actually him. He did that this morning." "So, what do you want from the Bureau?" "I want you to take all twenty-four of these boxes, scour them for fingerprints and DNA, if you can, and start locating the other 3,156 kids these people abused. Every single one of them deserves to know that we've finally caught their abusers and they will all be going to jail. Next, I want twenty-four of those scumbags out of my jail and in federal detention until you can prosecute them so nobody goes free." "That's a mighty big request, Dylan. Why do you think we would want to do that for you?" "Because it's your damn job, that's why. Those kids could be anywhere now. This was obviously a major child pornography ring that's been in operation for over thirty years. And as such, it crosses not only state lines, but international ones as well. We don't deal with anything out side this county. Here, you want to see what those animals did, take a look at this." I pulled Max's file out of the evidence envelope and handed it to Joel. I watched as his face lost all color as he flipped through the pictures. After he handed the folder back to me, I added, "That's just what they did to one kid. You hear me Joel, ONE! And there are over 3,000 more out there just like him. I happen to know this man today and the shit he's dealing with right now would blow your fuckin' mind. "Thanks to his courage in coming forward, we've shut down a very large and, I'm sure, profitable ring. His story checks out from top to bottom and I have no doubt when you start finding the others, you'll hear the exact same story from them. I also want a full accounting of where these people hid their money. I don't care if it's in Switzerland, the Cayman Islands, Belize, wherever. I want it all brought back to this country and a fund set up to help these kids receive any medical help they need after what they've been through. Now, pull your goddam government issue Special Agent cell phone out of your damn pocket, call your fucking office and get someone over here to get these files and start working on them." I stared him down for a few seconds and he finally did pull his phone out and make the call. "A van and two more agents will be here in fifteen minutes. I apologize for reacting the way I did. I think the sheer size of this nightmare has me a little out of sorts." "Welcome to the club, Joel. We've been out of sorts around here for several days, now. And my friend, Mr. Sanders, who knows if he'll ever be normal again?" "Why don't we get his file in with the others?" "No way. I've changed my mind on that and I'm keeping his file and his case right here. The two scumbags that did this shit to him are all mine. He's in my county, the defendants are in my county and their gonna get tried in my county. The other 3,156 victims and twenty-four abusers are all yours, now. You use those files to make your cases against the other twenty-four people and put them out of circulation, permanently." "We'll do our best, Dylan." "I know that, Joel. All I ask is you keep us updated on your progress. I want a weekly report delivered to this department detailing the people you've found, the money you've found and how close you are to prosecuting the suspects." "Why are you demanding to keep Mr. Sanders' file and the prosecution of his abusers?" "Because I'm personally involved in that case. As I said, Mr. Sanders and his family are friends of mine. The man who abused him has threatened his life and the lives of two of his sons. I'm going to make sure he never again sees the fucking light of day." "Anything else we can do to help?" "You could send a forensics team out to the church to complete the work there. We need our guys back so they can deal with our other cases. We'll turn over everything they've collected so far for you guys to process." "Consider it done. I'll have a team out there this afternoon so your guys can tell them what they've already done so we don't duplicate that work. Once my people know where to pick up, you can have yours back." "Thank you, Joel. Oh, it appears your helpers have arrived, why don't you bring them in and get them started on loading these boxes." Joel opened the door and flagged his guys down. They came in with two hand dollies, so they were prepared for the work ahead of them. Fifteen minutes later, all the files and other evidence we had were loaded up in their van and on the way to be processed by others. "Well, Dylan, I'd like to say it's been a pleasure to meet you, but I'd be lying to you. With what you've dropped in our laps, this will keep us busy for a long time to come." "It certainly will, Joel. We thank you for taking this nightmare off our hands." We shook hands and Joel left the station to get to work. I didn't envy him or the work he was facing. As I sat back behind my desk, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Now that I'd passed the majority of the work to someone else, I decided it was time to write that letter to the county board. Tom and I had been reading quietly for a while when I suddenly remembered something I'd wanted to do. I put my book down and said, "Hey, let's call the `rents and see what they think about my idea." "You're just not gonna give up, are you?" "Absolutely not. And I'd like to do it before the boys get home so they don't hear the call." "Okay, let's do it," he acquiesced. "Great. I'll call my mom and dad on this phone, you call yours on the kitchen phone and then I'll conference them together here." Tom headed to the kitchen to make his call while I did the same in the living room. In no time at all, all six of us were tied together. After all the greetings and niceties were out of the way, I brought up the reason for the call. "Okay, I know you're wondering why we called and wanted all of us to talk at the same time. Here it is; Tom and I have been thinking about it and we don't want you to build a new house here." "WHAT!?" Bill exclaimed amid similar protests from the others. "Hang on, people. I'm not done. We want to give you our house after we build a bigger one for us." "Have you lost your mind, son?" Jim asked. I laughed and answered, "You're the third person to ask me that question in less than twenty-four hours, Dad. I'm beginning to believe you all think I'm insane. "What the hell do you need with a bigger house?" Rose asked. "Well, we picked up another kid on Sunday, so now we have six. And we've also hired a young guy to come live with us and help us out with things. It's starting to get a little crowded around here and I think we need more space." "Max," Jim began, "You do know that filling your house and life with kids won't fix your shitty childhood, don't you?" "Sure, I do, Dad, but I'm not worried about my childhood any more. I'm worried about all these other kids' childhoods. And they are all kids who need help. Carol said they have a severe shortage of space for kids, especially gay ones, in this part of the state. I intend to help fix that problem. And Tom's with me on this, aren't you?" "Well, to be honest, I think Max is pushing things a bit, but yeah, I'm with him. If we can help more kids, I'm all for it. I'd like to wait until he's had a little bit longer to deal with things, but it does seem silly for you four to build a new house when you could just have this one." "Why don't you just add on to the house you already have?" Estelle asked. "Because the layout we have isn't really conducive to doing that. I'd want to add four to six more bedrooms, space for a gym and some other things. There's just no easy way to do all that and make the new flow with old. It'd be easier to just start over with a blank sheet of paper. I think if we get John on board with this quick, we'll still have the bigger place for us built by this fall and you folks can still be here before Thanksgiving. What do you all think?" "If that's what you want to do, I don't have a problem with it," Jim answered. "I say go for it, son," Rose replied. "I think it's a great idea, boys," Estelle added. "I think if we combined two of the bedrooms the boys are using into another Master Suite, it'll work out great," Bill agreed. "Glad to hear you're all on-board with my crazy ideas. We're gonna need your help when you get here." "I still think we're rushing into this, but I seem to be outvoted," Tom relented. "I'm in." "Great, everyone. I swear, this will be great. I can't wait to start helping more than we already are. And this is just the first step. There'll be more to follow." "What's that mean, babe?" Tom asked. "You'll see. I've got all kinds of great ideas. Well, look, the boys should be home soon, so we gotta go. Thanks for your support and we'll talk to y'all later." "Bye, sons," Estelle said, "Take care of our boys and tell `em we love them." "Same for us, son," Jim added. After everyone had said goodbye, we disconnected the call and I let out a loud whoop of satisfaction. "Whoa, tiger, calm down." "I can't, bubba, I'm too fuckin' happy." DING! DING! DING! "Whoops, looks like the boys are here. I'll be back with the herd in a minute or two." "I'll steel myself for the stampede." I was sitting at my desk waiting for Derek to call and turning over our case against the Muellers in my mind. I was trying to make sure we hadn't missed anything and my fuckups had been corrected. I'd just decided we were in good shape when my phone rang. I picked up the receiver and answered, "Talk to me Derek." "Good news, bad news, Sarge." "Not too surprising, what's happened." "Well, Barry was waitin' at the bar when Rollie came in and once he showed up, they moved to a table in the corner. Barry did what he was supposed to do, got Rollie to admit everything, including the threat against his family. That's when he went off script. Instead of giving the signal for the others to move in and leaving, he tried to arrest Rollie, himself. Everything went to shit after that." "Just spit it out, what the fuck happened?" "Rollie pulled a gun and shot Barry." "Oh, Jesus, how bad?" "He's didn't make it, Sarge. Never had a chance. Bullet went right through his heart and he was gone before he hit the floor." "Aw, fuck! That's not how this was supposed to go down. What the hell was he thinking?" "I wish I could tell ya', boss, but I ain't got a clue. Ambulance is on the way, though we know it's a waste of time and effort. Rollie's in my car waiting for a ride to the station to be booked on first degree murder. Since there was loan-sharking involved and Barry's a cop, he's looking at a lethal injection in ten to fifteen years, if he survives that long. A lot of guys are gonna want to kill him outright for what he did." "Fine, get that fucker's ass back here and lock him up. I gotta go talk to Barry's wife, give her the bad news before word gets out. Damn it all to hell!" I yelled as I slammed the receiver back on the phone. I took a few minutes to regain my composure and get my priorities in order. The first thing I did was complete my letter of resignation and seal it in an envelope. I'd already decided I was done with this shit, but Barry's death further solidified my resolve and told me I'd made the right decision. His death is my own damn fault for pushing him into facing his shark and I was gonna have to live with that decision for the rest of my life. Before leaving my office, I located Barry's address and on my way out the door, I let Kelly know where I was going and why. I could see she was fighting the same breakdown I was. I pulled out of the parking lot and made the turn that would take me to his home where Helen was waiting for him. I hated having to make the trip, but I wasn't going to have her hear the news from anyone else. After the fifteen-minute drive to the west side of town, I pulled in the driveway and slowly climbed from the car. I made my way to the front door, dreading the conversation I was about to have, and rang the bell. As soon as Helen opened the door, she knew something was wrong and my asking to come in didn't make it any better. I spent the next half hour consoling Barry's widow, letting her know that she would receive his pension, tax-free, for the rest of her life, along with the proceeds of the county's life insurance policy they provide for all the department's employees. One clause in that policy doubles the payout to survivors if the employee's death happens in the line of duty. I neglected to mention why Barry was involved in this arrest as I saw no reason at this point to sully his memory. Helen's life with three kids was going to be hard enough without Barry around, it just didn't make sense to make it even harder. When I finally left Helen, I was at loose ends and really didn't know where to go from here. So, I got in my car and wandered aimlessly for a couple of hours, trying to put it all into its proper perspective. We were just finishing our supper when Tom and I told the boys about our call to their grandparents and what we'd decided. They were thrilled with the idea of having more room for more kids to live with us. Of course, they wanted to help us design the new house, and I was more than willing to have their input to make it a place that would be functional for everyone. They loved the idea of a bigger pool, along with the gym so they could play basketball. I think the part they loved the most, though, was having the chance to help kids in trouble. When we were done with our supper cleanup, we retreated to the living room to await our guests for the evening. Tom, Logan and I picked up our books to read during our wait while the other five decided a rousing game of Uno was the perfect way to kill some time. After about twenty minutes, the drive sensor announced a car pulling in the drive. I looked at the clock really quick and said, "Looks like Rick's a little early." "No big deal," Tom commented, "that'll just give the boys more time to have some fun." I made my way to the front door and was surprised to find a seemingly lost and shell-shocked Dylan standing on our front porch. "Dylan, what the hell are you doin' here?" "I'm not sure, Max. I guess this is the place my car thinks I need to be right now." "Tom," I called across the house, "Get over here!"

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 58</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family"><span>enderwiggin61@outlook.com</span></a></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html"><span>http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</span></a><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments"><span>https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</span></a></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk494143114"></a><a name="_Hlk494064346"></a><a name="_Toc494099994"><span>Chapter 58 � The Fallout Begins</span></a></h2> <p><span>"I just saw a teaser for the local news and it looks like their lead story is about the preacher at our old church killing himself this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!?!?" I yelled as I dropped the phone on the floor.</span></p> <p><span>Tom quickly picked up the phone and asked, "What's going on, Lee?"</span></p> <p><span>"Like I just told Max, the preacher at our old church killed himself. Watch the local news."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for letting us know. We'll watch, gotta go." Tom hung up the phone and cradled me in his arms. "Sh-h-h, it's okay, babe," he whispered while he tried to comfort me. As I lifted my head back up, six boys rounded the corner and joined us.</span></p> <p><span>"What's going on?" Joey demanded.</span></p> <p><span>"It's nothing, boys," Tom answered. "Go back to bed."</span></p> <p><span>"If it's nothin', how come Dad's whimpering like a two-year-old?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It's about something Aunt Lee just told us. Please, go back to bed," Tom pleaded.</span></p> <p><span>"No way, Pops," T.J. retorted. "We're stayin' right here until you tell why Dad's so freaked out."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine! Aunt Lee called to tell us to watch the news tonight. They have a story about the preacher at Max's old church killing himself."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what are we sittin' out here for?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's go watch," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"You up for this, babe?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah. I'm just shocked. I never meant for anyone to die. This is all my fault."</span></p> <p><span>"<i>No</i>, it isn't," Tom replied with conviction. "They have only themselves to blame."</span></p> <p><span>"My brain agrees with you, but my heart doesn't. Okay, everyone, let's go watch the news," I said as I stood up, starting the long walk to the theater, dreading what we were about to hear. Well, it really isn't that far under normal circumstances, but I don't know what `normal' is any longer. When everyone had taken their seat, I turned on the satellite and tuned it to the local network for the first time in years. We'd waited only two minutes when the station's talking heads made their appearance.</span></p> <p><span>The first head, a pert young blonde woman of about thirty began the broadcast with, "News from a local church this morning as its Pastor has been found dead, the result of an apparent suicide. Details remain sketchy at this time, but we've learned that Pastor Warren Lancaster of the South Shores First Evangelical Church committed suicide in his office this morning, the result of a drug overdose. Foul play is not expected to be a factor as his body was discovered behind his locked office door and an empty pill bottle was found on his desk. No word yet as to whether he left a message behind explaining his actions."</span></p> <p><span>The second head, a slightly older man who was obviously supposed to be the more serious of the two continued, "Anonymous sources in the Sherriff's Department have confirmed that his death may be related to an investigation over allegations of child sexual abuse taking place at the church and possible child pornography. Nothing has been confirmed at this time as the officer in charge of the investigation, Sergeant Dylan Brock, has remained unavailable for comment. Department sources have also told us twenty-six church members were arrested last night in what has been described as a sting operation. It is assumed those arrested are somehow related to the investigation, though no details are available as to any pending charges."</span></p> <p><span>The blonde came back with, "That's all we have on this story at the moment, but we will keep you updated as future developments occur and details are released. Now, let's got to Skip for a quick look at tonight's weather..."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, fuck, what have I done?" I moaned as I turned the satellite off.</span></p> <p><span>Joey whipped his head around in anger and yelled, "Hey, y<i>ou</i> ain't done nothin' wrong, Dad!"</span></p> <p><span>"They did! And now they get to pay for it!" Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"They're right, Max, you've done nothing wrong. If he was involved and couldn't live with it, then who are we to judge how he chose to deal with it. Taking his life was his own choice."</span></p> <p><span>"Besides, he saved somebody a bullet, didn't he?" Logan asked with a smile. Despite my feelings at that moment, I managed to give a weak smile to Logan in return.</span></p> <p><span>"Boy, I'm glad I'm not on the force any longer," Tom commented. "I would <i>not</i> want to be at the station in the morning. Dylan's gonna be so pissed off, I'll be surprised if he doesn't rip new assholes in the whole department."</span></p> <p><span>"Why didn't he tell us about this when we were there?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He probably didn't think it was that important to us. The guy wasn't around when you were, so he probably didn't think we needed to know about it."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess that makes sense, but I would have rather heard the news from him instead of those two cheery assholes we just watched." The phone picked that moment to announce an incoming call.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, back to bed, please," Tom called out. "I'll get the phone, babe."</span></p> <p><span>The boys started to leave, but not without stopping to give me hugs and remind me they loved me. I thanked them all for their support and sent them on their way with a light swat on the behind. After they were gone, I joined Tom in the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>As I did, I heard him saying, "No, we won't be commenting on whatever story you're writing. Goodbye."</span></p> <p><span>"Who was that?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nobody important, just the Journal-Register asking for you to comment on tonight's big news story."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!? How the fuck did they get my name? And, even more important, our unlisted number?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, babe, but I can tell you one thing for sure, heads are gonna roll in the morning."</span></p> <p><span>The phone rang again and after seeing it was Lee calling back, Tom answered. "Hey, Lee. Sorry about being so short earlier. Max needed me. ... Yeah, we saw it. ... Damn right, he's pissed off. And upset with himself. ... He thinks it's his fault since he talked to the cops. ... Sure, he's standing right here, hang on." Tom handed me the phone and added, "She wants to talk to you."</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, Sis?" I asked in greeting.</span></p> <p><span>"Now, you listen to me, little brother. Don't you blame yourself for that cocksucker offing himself, you hear me? That was his decision. You had absolutely nothing to do with it. Besides, he's only been at the church for about a year, so he had nothing to do with what happened to you. I remember the `rents telling me about him when he started. They were so happy they'd finally found a replacement for the previous scumbag. And <i>he's</i> the one you should be pissed at."</span></p> <p><span>"I know all that, but it still doesn't make me feel any better. Whatever happened to dear old Donnie?"</span></p> <p><span>"He got sent to a new church down around Carbondale or somewhere like that, I think."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I hope Dylan can track his ass down. I want to hear what he has to say about all this."</span></p> <p><span>"I do, too, Max, but please stop blaming yourself for any of this. Remember, <i>you're</i> the survivor, not them."</span></p> <p><span>"Have you talked to mom and dad? Do they know what's happened?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I called them before I called you back. They saw the news, too, and are completely shell-shocked by it. I don't know what to tell them."</span></p> <p><span>"I have more information than the news released tonight, but I don't think I should be sharing it."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon, bro, don't clam up on me now."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, what the hell. Get Carl and put your phone on speaker so you don't have to remember all this." We waited a minute until Carl had joined the conversation before I continued. "Okay, what I'm about to tell you can't be shared. I talked to Dylan yesterday morning, here at the house. I told him about everything the Mullers did to me, where they did it and for how long it went on. They got a search warrant for the church yesterday afternoon. Dylan confirmed everything I'd told him, including the location of the room. They also found file cabinets that hold close to 3,000 files of kids who've been abused in the church for over thirty years."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy shit!" Carl exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"My God!" Lee uttered. "3,000 over thirty years. In our church?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not my church, sis, not even God's church. <a name="_Hlk494143993">As a result of the search, Dylan and whole group of other cops arrested twenty-six people who were all church elders. </a>We didn't know anything about the suicide until we heard it on the news just now. So, the news report tonight was basically accurate, even if it was missing a bunch of details. About the only thing they didn't tell tonight was why the investigation got started in the first place. And I'm guessing they don't have that info or you can be sure they would have."</span></p> <p><span>"What an unholy nightmare," Lee replied.</span></p> <p><span>"I've got some good news, though. You want to hear it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, we could use something good right now."</span></p> <p><span>"I saw a therapist today who's going to work with me."</span></p> <p><span>"That is good news, Max," Carl agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"I also went to the jail to say hi to my old <i>friends</i>, the Muellers."</span></p> <p><span>"You did WHAT!?" Lee exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, I wanted them to know <i>I</i> was the one who put the cops on to them and the others. Recorded the whole damn thing, including when the son-of-a-bitch threatened the twins and me with rape and murder. You should have seen their faces when I pulled my phone out stopped my recording. Absolutely priceless."</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus, Max, have you lost your mind?"</span></p> <p><span>"As a matter of fact, I have. And there's no telling how long it will take to get it back. But, by confronting those assholes, I got a big chunk back today. I haven't felt this good in years. Just knowing none of them will ever be able hurt another kid makes it all worthwhile."</span></p> <p><span>"If you say so, I'll just have to take your word for it. I'm proud of you, you know, for surviving all that. And for having the strength and courage to do the right thing now. I don't think I could have done it."</span></p> <p><span>"Lee, where the heck do you work. You deal with this crap all day long and have for years. You're stronger than you know."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max," Carl replied. "I've been tellin' her that for years and she refuses to believe me."</span></p> <p><span>"Keep tellin' her, Carl. Someday, she'll actually believe you."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we gotta get to bed, bro. We love all you guys and if you need anything, let us know."</span></p> <p><span>"We will, thanks for calling." After hanging up, I looked at Tom and asked, "Should we call Dylan to find out what the hell's going on?"</span></p> <p><span>"You really think I want to talk to <i>that</i> pissed off black dude tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why not? What have we got to lose?"</span></p> <p><span>"Besides our heads? You want to talk to him so bad, you make the damn call," Tom cracked.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, what's his number?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're serious, aren't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I am." I punched the speakerphone button and said, "Number, please." Tom dialed the number while shaking his head in disbelief. When Dylan finally answered the phone, I greeted him with, "Dylan, old buddy, old pal o' mine. Max and Tom here. How the hell are ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Madder than a goddam hornet, that's how I am. How the fuck you think I am?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good, then we're in the same boat, then. Want me to make your life even better?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just how you gonna do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"After the news report on the boob tube, we got a call here, on an unlisted number, no less, from the paper asking for me to comment on a story they're working on. Apparently, someone at the paper watches TV. Who'd a thunk it? How do you suppose they got my name and number?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're shittin' me! When I get my hands on the motherfucker that leaked this shit, I'm gonna fuckin' kill him. Or her."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me know if you want help with that, will you? We knew this wouldn't stay off the media's radar for long, Dylan. The story's just too big for that to happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, but for it come just a day later? Fucking unreal. We will be having some serious discussions at the department tomorrow, I promise you that."</span></p> <p><span>"Just remember, no castrations. We don't want to see <i>that</i> headline, okay."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, whatever. So, now that I've had a chance to vent some anger, how ya' doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Finer than frog's hair, man. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it." </span></p> <p><span>I heard a light chuckle from Dylan before he said, "I'm glad to hear it. You really scared the shit out of me at the church."</span></p> <p><span>"Me, too. I'm just glad Tom's strong as an ox and was able to get me outta there. How'd you do at the church?"</span></p> <p><span>"We've emptied all the file cabinets and those materials are securely locked in my office. We counted them as we boxed `em up for the move and the official tally is 3,157 files. There's going to be a lot of work involved to find all these people. The desk yielded a computer that was connected to the camera, some ledgers and other materials that will be helpful in tracking down other people involved in this nightmare. I plan to make a delivery to the FBI tomorrow to have them take it over. The less I have to deal with this shit, the better off I'll be. Mentally, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't envy you, my friend," Tom commented. "I'm glad I'm not there to deal with that crap any longer."</span></p> <p><span>"So, when do you think you'll be done with collecting evidence from the room?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"At the speed Perry and Zach are moving, next week some time. There's a lot of area to cover and after spraying luminol everywhere, we really need to get samples from every surface. It looked like a damn </span><span>Rorschach </span><span>test on steroids after they turned on the black lights. What a fuckin' nightmare."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let me know when they're done, would you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why the hell do you care?"</span></p> <p><span>"I want, no, <i>need</i> to see that room again."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!?" Tom exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm with Tom on this one. I don't think that's a good idea, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, and I can't really explain it to myself right now, but I have to try."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll think about it," Dylan replied. </span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dylan. One other thing I wanted to ask is how's Frank doin' after his wife got done with him?"</span></p> <p><span>Dylan chucked a bit before answering. "Severely swollen and bruised. He may still lose his left nut, but the doctor's gonna give him a few days and see what happens. Right now, he's curled up in his cell with ice packs on his balls to help reduce the swelling."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope they end up cuttin' `em both off."</span></p> <p><span>"That may very well happen. We'll see. Well, look, I gotta get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be another long and shitty day. Thanks for callin'. I'll try to keep you updated as best I can."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dylan. Talk to you later." </span></p> <p><span>Tom looked at me with a very troubled look in his eye and asked, "Jesus christ, Max, have you lost your fucking mind?"</span></p> <p><span>"Didn't I just answer that question a few minutes ago?"</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe so, but I'm really beginning to wonder."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, I know this is gonna sound stupid as hell, but the best way I can describe it is this; if I walk into that damn place of my own free will and come back out of it, again, of my own free will, I think I'll feel like I've jumped a major hurdle in putting all this shit behind me. Will it be easy to do? Absolutely not. It'll probably be the hardest thing I'll ever do in my life. Will it be a miracle cure? I'm sure it won't and I don't expect it to be. Will you be there with me to help me get through it? Damn right you will be."</span></p> <p><span>"I think you need to talk to Dr. Schaid about this next Tuesday and see what she thinks. I guess if she says it'll be okay, I'll make it happen for you."</span></p> <p><span>"I know you will. Look, I really know what I'm thinking right now may not be rational to others, but for me, it seems like something I have to do. Facing my fears and the Muellers this morning was healing for me. The longer we sat there and listened to Frank rant his nonsensical bullshit, the more I felt I was taking control of my life back from them. I have never felt as powerful and free from fear as I did when we walked out on those two this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"All right, I get it, babe. I just don't want you to push yourself too hard, okay. I'm worried about you."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm worried about me, too, hon. I'm worried about how having this hanging over me like a thundercloud will affect us, our boys and our families. I don't want that and I know you don't either. And I'm gonna work my ass off to make sure it doesn't. Okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Now that we've solved all the world's problems, can we please go to bed?"</span></p> <p><span>"Love to."</span></p> <p><span>We headed to our bedroom and after a quick stop in the bathroom, climbed into bed. After sharing a sweet kiss and I love you, I laid my head on my furry teddy bear's chest and quickly zoned out. I was still zoned out when Tom came back in the bedroom in the morning to wake me up.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, Max, time to rise and shine!" he yelled as he crossed the threshold.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't wanna," I whined back.</span></p> <p><span>"Too bad, we got six kids that need food before they get on the bus."</span></p> <p><span>"You're not plannin' on feedin' me to `em, are ya?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a chance. While they might enjoy the light snack, there's not enough meat on your bones to fill their bellies. No, we need real food this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"All right, all right. And I thought you loved me."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I do. But I love them, too, and feeding them some gristly old hunk of round steak just ain't right." He deftly dodged the pillow I had tossed in his direction and he laughed at my weak attempt of revenge.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll get even with you for that remark."</span></p> <p><span>"What, you mean this fine specimen of prime rib standing before you. Never." </span></p> <p><span>With that, he left the room to start breakfast. I crawled out of bed and visited the bathroom before joining the rest of the family in the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>"Pop Tarts?" I exclaimed. "You call that <i>real food</i>?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, no, but it's about all we got left. These eating machines have just about wiped us out of everything."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey! We're growing boys, not eating machines," T.J. complained.</span></p> <p><span>"Six of one, half-dozen of the other," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"What's that mean, Dad?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"That the two, eating machines and growing boys, are pretty much the same thing." The boys all gave a hearty chuckle at the comparison and finally agreed we were probably right. "Okay, after you guys are off to school, I guess we'll go restock some food. See if we can keep you from munching on the two of us for a few days."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Dad, that sounds like it might be fun," Joey hinted with a little wiggle of his eyebrows.</span></p> <p><span>"That's it boys, go get dressed and ready to roll. We'll meet you in the garage."</span></p> <p><span>As they took off across the house, Tom leaned in and whispered, "I have to agree with Joey."</span></p> <p><span>Once the two of us were presentable to the public, we joined the boys in the garage and made the trip to the end of the drive to await the bus's arrival. When Carl stopped and opened the door, the boys gave us our hugs and took off for the bus. As they were climbing on, Carl stepped off and walked over to Tom and me.</span></p> <p><span>"Morning, Carl, what's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"I just wanted to ask if y'all are runnin' an unlicensed home for wayward boys here? Seems like every couple of weeks, you're adding to the head count."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I chuckled. "It <i>does</i> seem that way, doesn't it?" I answered. "No, we're just helping Logan for a while. He'll be going back to live with his dad at some point."</span></p> <p><span>"Who, Charlie? He's a miserable guy. Freakin' hates the world and everybody in it."</span></p> <p><span>"He's going to be getting some help with that, Carl. Don't write him off just yet."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see. Okay, gotta run. If I ever have an extra kid on the bus, I know where I can drop `em."</span></p> <p><span>Carl turned and ran for the bus while Tom and I stood there and enjoyed a good laugh. "See, bubba, I told you it was a good idea. Even Carl thinks so."</span></p> <p><span>"And I still think you're rushin' things just a tad, babe," Tom answered as we climbed in the car and headed to town to do our shopping. "Let's get you well first, <i>then</i> we can talk about it. I'm not disagreein' with you at all, I just want you in the right frame of mind when it happens."</span></p> <p><span>"Ah-ha, gotcha. You just said <i>when</i> it happens, not <i>if</i>. You love the idea and are already on board, aren't ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"I never said I wasn't."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I want to talk to our parents this afternoon, see what they think."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, crap, there's just no stoppin' you, is there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, and you better get used to it. Besides, I told you that having a goal in mind, something to look forward to, something <i>real</i> to be involved in for once will help keep me moving forward. I'll be looking ahead at what's going to happen and not backward at what happened half a lifetime ago. <i>That's</i> what's going to help me heal, put all that bad shit behind me and never look back."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see, babe."</span></p> <p><span>I thundered into the station and demanded everyone's attention. "All right, people, listen up!" I yelled. "I don't know who opened their fuckin' mouth last night and blabbed to the news, but I guarantee you, right now, whoever did it is done with this department. If you come to me, admit you screwed up and accept your punishment like an adult, I'll think about letting you keep your pension and collect unemployment while you look for a new job. If you hide behind your fellow officers like a fuckin' two-year-old and I have to find you myself, you can kiss your pension and unemployment goodbye. You have thirty minutes. Spread the word. If the asshole doesn't come forward by then, I start searchin'."</span></p> <p><span>I stormed into my office and slammed the door, amazed the glass didn't break. I sat at my desk and started to pick up the phone when there was a knock and the door opened a few inches. I looked up to see Derek standing there, fear etched in his face. "Ah, Derek, please tell me it wasn't you. You're too good a man to lose."</span></p> <p><span>"Hell no, Sarge. I know better than to talk about ongoing investigations."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank God. At least somebody out there is usin' their fuckin' brain. C'mon in and have a seat. Tell me what's goin' on this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"I've sent Henry, Andrew, Zach and Perry back to the church to continue their work. I figured Henry and Andrew should be there to keep anyone from interfering with Zach and Perry. I think the sooner we get that done, the sooner we can turn this all over to the FBI."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Derek. Do me a favor and make sure they hear the announcement I just gave. I don't think any of them would have talked out of turn, but I need to <i>know</i> it. Also, ensure any of the troops on patrol hear it. I want that leaker out of here. We can't have shit like that happening as it compromises all our work. And I don't need their help with that as I seem to be doing it just fine, all by myself."</span></p> <p><span>"Consider it done, Boss. Anything else?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, call someone at the local FBI office and get them over here so we can pass this crap on to them to deal with. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make a phone call." Derek took off to take care of his tasks and I picked the phone up, then re-cradled the receiver. I decided this wasn't a call I should make on a department phone. I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed a number I knew all too well.</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin', Dylan. What's up today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin' to you, too, Tom. Max close by? I need to talk to him, again."</span></p> <p><span>"Sittin' in the passenger seat, as usual. But you keep callin' and askin' to talk my fianc�, I might just start to get upset with you two."</span></p> <p><span>"Nothin' to worry about, Tom, he's all yours. He's just a bit too pasty for my tastes. Max, got another shitty favor to ask of you."</span></p> <p><span>"Pasty, huh? What now, copper?" I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"I have one more tiny problem with your file that I need your help with."</span></p> <p><span>"What now?" I moaned.</span></p> <p><span>"There's this little matter of yours and Tom's fingerprints, along with mine, being on the file and pictures. Since neither Derek or I could identify you with absolute certainty, I'd like you to come in so you can go through the motions of doing that. I'll regretfully forget to have us use gloves while you, uh, peruse the folder and its contents. I know I'm asking for a lot, but I'd really appreciate your help."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn it, Dylan. I swear, this is the last time I'm gonna pull your fat out of the fire."</span></p> <p><span>"And I promise it's the last time I'll ask you to do so."</span></p> <p><span>"When do you want us there?"</span></p> <p><span>"As soon as you can. I'm hoping to turn all these files and the other evidence we've collected so far over to the FBI this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess you'll be our first stop when we get to town, then. See you in about twenty minutes."</span></p> <p><span>"I can't thank you enough. See you when you get here."</span></p> <p><span>I ended the call and slipped my phone back into my pocket. Derek was back at my door and I waved him in. "Tell me good news, Derek."</span></p> <p><span>"First, everyone who wasn't in this morning knows about your announcement. By their reactions, it wasn't any of them. Second, Special Agent Fix of the FBI's sex crimes unit will be here this afternoon about two to see what we have."</span></p> <p><span>"Good news on both fronts, thanks. Look, Max and Tom will be here in about fifteen minutes. Have them come in when they get here."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, boss. What's next?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like to have a quick chat with Mr. Mueller. Can you have him brought into interrogation room one? And I want you in the room with me to make sure I don't rip his head off."</span></p> <p><span>"Three minutes, we'll be ready."</span></p> <p><span>Derek left to retrieve our prisoner while I grabbed Max's file to take with me along with a copy of his recording. I walked into the interrogation room to find Frank sitting on one side of the table, handcuffs securely fastened to the ring in the table. Derek was sitting on the opposite side, waiting patiently for my arrival. As soon as I entered the room and closed the door, Frank exploded with anger.</span></p> <p><span>"What's the meaning of this!? I'm not sayin' a damn thing without my lawyer present!"</span></p> <p><span>"That's just fine, Mr. Mueller. I hope you're feeling better today and the swelling has gone down. I'd like to apologize for our lax security that allowed the assault by your wife to occur. I'm rather embarrassed about that turn of events. If you'd like to press charges against her, just let me know and we'll add that one to all the others we have for her. Now, even though all of you were read your rights Monday night when you were arrested, we're going to do it again, just for good measure. Derek, if you would?" Derek repeated the Miranda warning for Frank to which he mumbled something unintelligible. I'm pretty sure it was something along the lines of `go fuck yourself', but whatever it was, it wasn't really that important.</span></p> <p><span>"Now, you've been apprised of your rights and I assume you understand them. This little meeting is going be a one-sided discussion, Mr. Mueller. I'm going to do all the talking, you just sit there and keep your mouth shut like a good little boy. We wouldn't want to violate your rights in any way." I paused for just a moment before continuing. "I have something here I'd like to show you and something else for you to listen to." I opened the evidence bag and removed the file, then spread a couple of the pictures on the table in front of Frank. "You see these, Mr. Mueller? While I'm no expert, I must say that the man in these pictures bears a striking resemblance to you and the woman is almost certainly your lovely wife. And after judging certain physical characteristics of the second male in these pictures, I'd venture a guess he is most definitely under age. Unfortunately for the two of you, sexual relations with any person under the age of majority is illegal in this state. Do you have anything you'd like to say about these pictures?"</span></p> <p><span>Frank shook his head in disgust at being confronted in this manner, but he did manage to cough and spit on the pictures.</span></p> <p><span>"Now look what you've done. You contaminated evidence in an active investigation." I dried the pictures with a paper towel and put them back in their file and then in the evidence bag. "Now for your listening pleasure, I give you this." I set the recorder on the table and punched play. The recording Max made during his visit yesterday filled the room. I let it play all the way through before pressing stop. "Now, as if the pictures weren't bad enough for you, we have a recording of you and your wife admitting your crimes. And the threat to Mr. Sanders life and his sons' lives is what's going to get you both life in prison, with no possibility of parole."</span></p> <p><span>"You can't use that recording," Frank grumbled. "Our lawyer wasn't present."</span></p> <p><span>"Your lawyer didn't <i>need</i> to be present, Frank. That little chat wasn't an interrogation. Neither Mr. Sanders or Mr. Wright are employed by this department, so that was simply a discussion between a victim and his abusers. And as such, it <i>is</i> admissible and I'm going to make sure your lawyer, the judge and everyone else in the courtroom hears this recording. So, let's recap the evidence we have against you and your wife so far. Photographs of the two of you engaged in sex acts with a minor. We also have a recording of both you and your wife admitting to the repeated sexual abuse of at least one victim and possibly many, many more, if I believe what we just heard, and I am inclined to do so. We also have you threatening the life of one your victims <i>and</i> his sons. All told, Mr. Mueller, you and your wife would be lucky to be out of prison in 500 years or so. You have anything you'd like to say?"</span></p> <p><span>Frank's only response was a grunt, so I concluded our chat with, "You let all your coconspirators know what they're facing. But when you do, I want to make sure you include this in your talks with them. The <i>first</i> person, and <i>only</i> the first, who agrees to work with us and supply information to our investigation will be treated accordingly. That is <i>not</i> going to be a get out of jail free card. What they'll get in return for cooperating with us is a single life sentence, a chance at parole in twenty-five years and their time will be served at a facility that will protect them during their incarceration. Everybody else does their time in the general population in the most disgusting prison in the state. So, a lifetime of relative peace and security with a very slim chance of freedom, or a lifetime and more of the most degrading treatment possible in the most disgusting of places possible. It's their choice. Oh, and one more thing, this offer is not available to you or your wife. I think we're done here. Deputy Timmons, please return Mr. Mueller to his cell."</span></p> <p><span>"With pleasure, Sarge. Come with me Mr. Mueller." I left the room to return to my office to wait for Max to come in. I'm not sure how I did it, but I managed to keep my soul intact, and more importantly, my hands to myself during our little chat. At least Frank's head was still firmly attached to his shoulders. As I passed through the main office, Kelly stopped me.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, Kelly?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"One of the dispatchers, Jordy, I think his name is, is waiting in your office for you." </span></p> <p><span>With a nod of acknowledgement, I continued my trek. When I entered my office, Jordy was sitting in the chair in front of my desk, bouncing his legs nervously. I closed the door and saw him jump as it latched. "And what brings you to my office this morning, Jordy?" I asked more calmly than I felt as I walked around my desk and sat down.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, I heard about your announcement this morning, Sergeant Brock," he answered with fear in his voice.</span></p> <p><span>"And ...?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm the guy your lookin' for, I'm the moron who talked to the news."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you for coming forward and admitting it. You've saved me a bunch of time. I have two questions before I ask for your department ID and send you on your way. The first is why?"</span></p> <p><span>"Money, sir. And to help a friend. He got a job at the news station a couple months ago and he's tryin' to make himself look good to his bosses by giving them something they didn't have any other way to get. He's tryin' to get promoted. I was giving him information and he was payin' me a hundred bucks a month to do it."</span></p> <p><span>"The second question is this, did you give your friend, or anybody else, the name and phone number of the victim in this case."</span></p> <p><span>"No sir, absolutely not! I might not be the brightest bulb in the box, but I'm not a total idiot."</span></p> <p><span>"Then it looks like we have more than one leak around here that needs to be plugged." I stood and walked around the desk to stand in front of the scared young man. "Well, Jordy, I appreciate your honesty this morning. Unfortunately, it's too little, too late, to allow you to keep your job. Since you came forward, the county won't fight your unemployment. I need your department ID. Kelly will escort you outside and good luck with your job search." After he handed me his ID, I stepped to the door, opened it and called Kelly over. "Would you please escort Jordy out of the building. He no longer works for the department."</span></p> <p><span>I turned around to return to my desk and as I sat down, Jordy said, "Sergeant Brock, I'm really sorry I let you down."</span></p> <p><span>"Me too, Jordy. Me too."</span></p> <p><span>We parked in the lot across the street from the county building and made our way to see Dylan. Fortunately, our arrival today was a much more subdued affair than it was yesterday with only a few waves of the hand and a quick howdy or two. When Derek saw us, he came over and told us Dylan was waiting in his office for us. He led us the rest of the way and knocked on the door.</span></p> <p><span>"Come in," Dylan responded. Derek opened the door, let us through and then closed it behind us as he returned to his desk.</span></p> <p><span>"I would hope we were allowed in since you begged us to come."</span></p> <p><span>"Hidey-ho gents. Have a seat." After we'd sat down, he continued. "I know you don't want to be here, but I appreciate it. Like both Tom and Derek have pointed out, I've been a dumbass and I'm doing everything I can to make sure none of these people go free because of my stupidity."</span></p> <p><span>"If we can help with that, we will. I don't want them roaming free any more than you do."</span></p> <p><span>"Like I said on the phone, I just need you guys to handle the folder and pictures so there's a reason for your fingerprints to be on them. You can close your eyes if you want to so you don't have to see them, I don't care."</span></p> <p><span>"Give it here," I said. Dylan handed the folder over and as I acted like I was looking at the pictures, I made sure my prints were all over them. I had just handed the folder to Tom when Derek returned.</span></p> <p><span>"Sarge, what the hell are you doing?" he exclaimed after closing the door.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm having our accuser verify the young man in the pictures is actually him. I told you they were coming in to do that."</span></p> <p><span>"But where's their damn gloves? I can't believe you'd be that careless."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit! I wasn't thinking. Tom, give me that. Wait, better yet, since you've already got it, just slip it back in the evidence bag. Damn, I can't believe I didn't have you wear gloves."</span></p> <p><span>Not one to miss a chance to act out a scene, I tossed out, "We're sorry if we screwed up anything, Sergeant Brock. I hope it doesn't come back to haunt you," I added with a sly grin.</span></p> <p><span>"It'll be my fault if it does. Well, thanks for coming in this morning. The department appreciates your help in this matter. If we need anything else, we'll be in touch."</span></p> <p><span>"When will they be going to court?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Preliminary hearings will probably be next Friday. After that, who knows. Depends on the court's docket."</span></p> <p><span>"I want to be there when the Muellers are."</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Sanders, there's absolutely no reason for you to be present in court. We have your sworn statement, your file and your recording."</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe not for you, but there is for me. I started all this, and I intend to finish it, right on through to the bitter end."</span></p> <p><span>"That's your decision. We'll try to keep you updated with what's going on."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you. Anything else you wanted from us today?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, Mr. Sanders. Thanks, again." I watched as Max and Tom left to continue with whatever plans they had for the rest of the day.</span></p> <p><a name="_Hlk494144304"><span>After Derek closed my door, he looked back at me and asked, "Okay, boss, I know you might be addle-brained right now, but you <i>never</i> forget gloves. What the hell is going on?"</span></a></p> <p><span>"Sit, Derek," I commanded. After he was comfortable, I continued, "Max, Tom, and I all handled that folder and the pictures inside it. It hit me last night that that would be a problem as the FBI checks all these damn things for prints. I needed to have some semi-plausible excuse for why there may be traces of us on the thing. When Agent Fix comes over this afternoon, I'll explain Max's file is separated from all the others since he's our only complainant at the moment. Then I'll plead temporary insanity for contaminating the evidence with our prints and Mr. Mueller's saliva."</span></p> <p><span>"You just keep digging that hole deeper and deeper, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can't seem to help it lately, Derek. I think it's time I considered other options. This job, much as I love it, is starting to really wear on me. This case in particular. Part of that may be the fact a man I consider to be a friend is involved in the worst possible way. Once this is all turned over to the FBI, I'm putting in my papers."</span></p> <p><span>"You can't do that!" Derek exclaimed. "Who the hell else we got around here that is qualified to take your place? I can't think of one person out there I'd want to work for."</span></p> <p><span>"That may be, but do you think they'd be willing to work for <i>you</i>?"</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!? You think I want your job?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know if you want it or not, but I'm going to request the county board appoint you to finish out my term. If you want to run for the position after that, that's up to you. You're a good cop, a good leader and you have excellent instincts, Derek. I can't think of anybody else I'd rather see have the job."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy shit, boss. I don't know about this. I gotta talk to Suzy, see what she thinks."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the hours aren't all that different from what you're doing now. You won't have to go out on patrol any longer, and you get better pay and this office. So, talk to Suzy and let me know. I'd like to make the recommendation for my replacement when I turn in my papers, just so the board knows they'll have a qualified person to take over."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess I should say thanks or something, but I gotta think about it. This place won't be the same without you here."</span></p> <p><span>"That should be a good thing, Derek. Now, get outta here and go do some real work, would ya'? And let me know when Agent Fix arrives."</span></p> <p><span>As Derek walked out of my office, I brooded on the fact I still had another leak to find since whoever it was seemed to be too much of a chicken-shit to face the music like a man.</span></p> <p><span>Lunch with Tom was rather quiet for once. I was lost in my thoughts of everything that had happened in the last week and I'm sure he was, too. I finally broke the silence between us with, "A penny for your thoughts."</span></p> <p><span>"A penny? My thoughts are worth a whole more than that."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, a nickel, then." After a quick shake of his head, I upped the ante, "Okay, how `bout a quarter? Will that loosen your tongue?"</span></p> <p><span>"I still think you could do better than that, but I'll take it. Look, I know you want to move forward and I'm more than willing to do anything I can to help you, but I'm really uncomfortable with you tryin' to go back to the church and goin' back in that room." I started to interrupt, but Tom kept going. "Hang on there, Skippy, let me finish. I understand what you told me last night, really, I do. I'm just not sure you're ready for that. I saw the terror in your eyes yesterday afternoon. You couldn't get any closer than thirty feet to that hellhole. You're no more ready to go back there than I'm ready to go live on Mars. I can't let you do that to yourself, to us."</span></p> <p><span>"You done?" After a quick nod, I plowed on, "Good. Because I think you're absolutely right." I could see the wave of relief wash over him. "See, this is why I need you in my life. To keep me from doin' stupid shit that would hurt more than help. I <i>do</i> want to go back there at some point, but I realize it's way too soon. After thinking about it more since last night, I know I'm not ready for it. What else are you thinking?"</span></p> <p><span>"That we need to finish our lunch, get our shopping done and get home. We have guests coming this evening, you know?"</span></p> <p><span>"I do remember that. It should be interesting, don't you think."</span></p> <p><span>"Without a doubt, babe."</span></p> <p><span>After we crawled out of the booth, I leaned in to give Tom a kiss and asked, "Have I told you today how much I love you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, no. But I never get tired of hearing it." We strolled out of Red Lobster, locked arm in arm, like a couple of giddy teenagers out on their first date.</span></p> <p><span>I stuck my head out the door of my office and called out, "Derek, Kelly, you two have a minute?" I returned to my desk and after both had taken a seat, I said, "Okay, I want your thoughts on something. Jordy admitted to feeding information to a friend of his at the local news station and Jordy is now gone. But he told me he never gave his friend our accuser's name or phone number. Yet, somehow, our victim received a call from the paper asking for his comment on a story they were writing, presumably about the church and our investigation. Any idea how the paper would have gotten his name and unlisted phone number?"</span></p> <p><span>"It almost has to be someone in the department or the judge's office, boss," Kelly offered. "I know you and Derek talked to the victim Monday morning and went straight to the judge to get the search warrant for the church. Hell, I was at the church with you Monday afternoon and I still don't know who you got your information from."</span></p> <p><span>"Derek?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you and I know who he is, the judge knows, his bailiff might know, depends on what the judge might have told him after we left. Then you add in all the other people who helped get the arrest warrants for us Monday afternoon, they might have seen or heard our victim's name, also."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I highly doubt Judge Corgan or his bailiff would have talked to anyone at the paper, so let's rule them out. I know I didn't, and I'm fairly confident I know you two well enough to rule you out also. That leaves us with whoever helped get the arrest warrants, and Zach, Perry, Andrew, Henry and Barry who were at the church with us. Any of them could have had access to our paperwork or could have overheard something. I want to talk to every one of them, sooner rather than later. Let's get `em all in here for a little chat. When you call Zach, tell him to make damn sure that office is locked before they leave the church. GO!"</span></p> <p><span>As they disappeared to contact everyone, I settled back in my chair to think about how I would approach this discussion. I had a pretty good idea who the culprit was, but I wanted to see if he had the balls to admit it to my face. I decided to spend my time waiting for everyone to arrive by checking on my lead suspect. By the time everyone I wanted to talk to was assembled half an hour later, I knew beyond a shadow of doubt who it was. Time to test my acting skills, again.</span></p> <p><span>"I want to thank all of you for dropping whatever you were doing and coming to this little meeting."</span></p> <p><span>"Didn't seem we had much of a choice, Sergeant," Zach replied. "<a name="_Hlk494144528">It certainly wasn't my impression from Kelly that attendance was voluntary.</a>"</span></p> <p><span>"You're right, Zach. You all know what this meeting's about, so I'll get straight to the point. I've already ended the career of one leak this morning and I'm about to deal with the second one. Sitting in this room right now is a traitor. That person talked to a reporter at the paper last night and divulged information that should have never been shared with the press." As I let my eyes wander over the group, I noticed my choice of suspect looked away from me when our eyes met. If I had had any doubts before, they were quickly dispelled. "As if this case isn't bad enough, already, our victim's name and unlisted phone number were given to someone outside this department. That is a serious breach of ethics and shows me that person has no loyalty to this department or his fellow officers. That ends today, right now."</span></p> <p><span>The assembled group took a quick look at everyone else in the room, trying to figure out who the guilty party was. All, that is, except for my suspect since he knew. He started to raise his hand and I called him out, "Something you'd like to say, Barry?"</span></p> <p><span>"It was me. I talked to the newspaper and gave her Mr. Sanders' name and number."</span></p> <p><span>"I already know that, Barry. The rest of you get out of here and get back to work. Barry and I need to have a heart to heart." The rest of the group filtered out of my office, trading whispers as they did. When Barry was the last one remaining, I closed my door and sat down next to him. "Was it just about the money, Barry? Or did you have more pressing issues?" I asked calmly.</span></p> <p><span>"Money, mostly, but other issues, too. I got a wife that can't work, three kids and a gambling problem. I'm in deep to a loan shark and he's threatened my family. I had to do somethin' to come up with what I owe him and sharing some anonymous information seemed like the only way to do it." </span></p> <p><span>"I wish you'd have come to me and told me what was going on, Barry. We could have figured out another way for you deal with your problems. The first thing we would have done was set up a sting on your loan shark so we could bust his ass and lock him away. Then, with him out of the picture, we would have arranged some counseling to help with your gambling. But now, it's too late for all that. You've broken all trust you ever had with anyone in the department."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, Sarge. I was fuckin' stupid, but I couldn't let them hurt my family."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, you couldn't. Here's what we're going to do. Your last official act as a member of this department is to help us arrest the man who threatened you. We'll get the money you owe him and you set up a meeting with him. You'll be wearing a wire so we can hear everything that's said. I need you to get this person to admit what they were doing and, if possible, the threats against your family. Once we have that, we can arrest him. Think you can do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure I can. He's never been shy about his threats. Actually, he seems to enjoy it. Way too much."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. That should make doing this a lot easier. You help us collar this guy and you can keep your pension and unemployment while you search for a new job. You understand why I can't let you continue in the department, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"As much as it sucks, yeah I understand. I knew this was gonna happen, sooner or later. I did it to myself, so I can't really complain about it, can I?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry it has to be this way, Barry, I really am. But by giving that reporter a victim's name and phone number, you compromised his privacy and his family's safety. I can't let that happen again. Give me your badge and gun, then go call your shark and set up the meet."</span></p> <p><a name="_Hlk493776101"><span>Barry did as I demanded and walked out to a desk in the main office to make his call. He made three people who have exited the department in the past few few weeks and I was going to be the fourth, and hopefully, the last for long time to come.</span></a></p> <p><a name="_Hlk493773412"><span>Tom and I had finished our shopping and were headed out of the store when we walked by a newspaper machine. Glaringly obvious through the window on the front of the machine was the headline that read `LOCAL CHURCH ROCKED BY CHILD SEX ABUSE CHARGES'. I kept walking but soon noticed I was all alone. When I stopped and turned around to find Tom, I discovered he was feeding quarters into the machine to get the paper. Needless to say I was surprised, but as he rejoined me at our cart, he said, "Might as well see what they're saying."</span></a></p> <p><span>"Why? Don't you have an inside source?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure I do, but I'd like to know what rumors are being floated out there. I'd rather be informed of what's being said than blindsided by some outright lie."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess. I hope you can wait to read it until we get home."</span></p> <p><span>"Since I'm drivin', that seems to be the logical thing to do."</span></p> <p><span>We loaded our purchases into the trunk of the Shelby and hit the road for home. Once there, we got everything inside and put away. After that was accomplished, we got comfortable and settled into the living room. Tom grabbed the paper and opened it with a flourish.</span></p> <p><span>"You want me to read it out loud?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, why the hell not?"</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, here goes: </span></p> <p><span>Springfield's South Shores First Evangelical Church has been rocked by charges of sexual abuse of minors and child pornography. The church becomes the latest to join the ranks of other churches implicated by similar stories of rampant abuse that have come out in recent years. </span></p> <p><span>The charges have been leveled against the church by local author Maxwill Sanders. Mr. Sanders alleges the abuse against him took place in a room in the church's basement approximately twenty years ago over a period of three years. It is unknown at this time if any other children may have been involved before or since that time. </span></p> <p><span>Ground was broken for construction of the church on May 5, 2002 and completed August 15, 2003. First services in the church were held August 17, 2003. A search of building permits and plans filed for the church at the time of construction show no such basement exists. </span></p> <p><span>Anonymous sources in the Sangamon County Sherriff's department have confirmed twenty-six people were arrested at the church Monday evening as the result of a sting operation. None of the people arrested have been charged with any crimes at this time. It is believed all will be charged with multiple counts of child sexual abuse and child pornography, among other unspecified charges. It is possible more arrests will happen as the investigation continues.</span></p> <p><span>The scandal comes on the heels of the church's Pastor, Warren Lancaster, committing suicide inside his locked office at the church. It is unclear whether the Pastor's death is in any way related to the charges by Mr. Sanders and the resulting investigation. </span></p> <p><span>The man in charge of the investigation, Sergeant Dylan Brock, of the Sherriff's department, has been unavailable for comment. A call asking for comment was placed to Mr. Sanders residence as this story was being developed. The call was answered by a man who refused to comment. It is unknown if the man was Mr. Sanders or someone else. This story will be updated as more details become available. </span></p> </div><div> <p><span>That's all they have."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd say it's plenty. Nice of them to publish my name without asking, don't you think. I guess I should be happy they didn't print our phone number."</span></p> <p><span>"If they had, it'd be ringing off the hook. I guess I'm getting my fifteen minutes of fame as the unknown man who answers your phone," he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"It's a good role, enjoy it while you can. Too bad I didn't get that part in this psychotic play."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you could never pull it off. You're definitely the leading man type. No B-roles for the star."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks. Makeup!"</span></p> <p><span>Barry came back and knocked on my door. After I let him in, he took a seat and I asked, "Everything set up with the shark?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir. We're supposed to meet in forty-five minutes at a bar on Highland."</span></p> <p><span>"Which one?"</span></p> <p><span>"Harry's Adult DayCare."</span></p> <p><span>"God, what a dive."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, but that's where he wants to go."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, go get changed into your street clothes. I've made arrangements to get the cash we need and it should be here any time. Once you're changed, come back here and we'll get you setup to record your meeting." Barry stood and headed to the locker room. As he did, Derek came back in my office. "You got everything set up?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Two cars are waiting to roll. They're just waiting to find out where they're goin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Harry's Adult DayCare on Highland. Between 2^nd and 3^rd Streets. Our guys should be able to wait on Summit or Maple, south of the bar."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll let them know so they can be in position before the suspect shows up."</span></p> <p><span>"Barry's changing clothes, then he's coming back so we can get him wired, then he's on his way." Derek returned to his desk to pass along the location and while he did that, Barry came back. "Okay, Barry, here's what I have for you. This pair of glasses has a camera and microphone that will transmit about half a mile. I need you to make sure he says the threat to your family is over. It would also be good if you can get him to say something about the agreement you had with him. The more you can get him to say, the better off we'll be. We'll be waiting a block away from Harry's and when we hear you say, `Thanks, I'll be leaving now', we'll move in. Any problems?"</span></p> <p><span>"Only one that I can think of, Sergeant. I don't wear glasses."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, tell him you lost a contact this afternoon and haven't had time to go home or something."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that ought to work."</span></p> <p><span>"You don't have to do this, you know. You're off the job."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I do. Even though I fucked everything up, I need to prove to myself, and to you, that I know what the right thing is and I can still do it. I also owe it to you for giving information to that reporter. I knew it was the wrong thing to do, but I couldn't see another way out of my problems. With Rollie out of my pocket, I think we'll be okay until I can get another job."</span></p> <p><span>"Good man, Barry. You better get out of here and be there when Rollie shows up. We don't want to keep him waiting. Remember, `Thanks, I'll be leaving now' is our cue. Say that and then get the hell out of there, you got it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I got it. See ya' later, Sergeant. Nice workin' with ya'," he answered flatly. After Barry left, I called Derek in.</span></p> <p><span>"What now, boss?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not sure. Barry's attitude just kinda put me off a bit. I think he's planning something we don't know about and it's makin' me nervous. Do me a favor, get changed into your street clothes and get over to Harry's. I want you inside to keep an eye on things. And make sure you've got an ankle holster."</span></p> <p><span>"On my way. I'll let you know what happens."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Derek." I sat there and stewed on the problem and my concerns longer than I should have. If this kept up, I was going to develop an ulcer. After about twenty unproductive minutes, Kelly rang me. "Yes, Kelly," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Special Agent Fix is here to see you, sir."</span></p> <p><span>"Send him in, please. Thanks." I stood and was just turning the corner of my desk when a broad-shouldered man about six-foot-tall and 250 pounds filled my doorway. "Special Agent Fix, I presume."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes sir. And you must be Sergeant Brock."</span></p> <p><span>"Come in, Agent Fix, and have a seat. Would you like something to drink?" After he stepped inside, I closed the door so we could talk in private.</span></p> <p><span>"No, thanks for the offer, though. Since it sounds like we'll be working together for a while, please call me Joel and if it's okay with you, I'd like to use Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"That works fine for me, Joel. You ready to hear what we have?" I asked. After receiving a curt nod from Joel, I gave him a quick description of how the case got started and what we had done so far, including Zach and Perry continuing their work at the church to collect evidence from the hellhole. When I finally wound down, I paused and waited patiently for Joel to ask his first question.</span></p> <p><span>"It sounds like you've done good work so far. I'm wondering why you're calling us in for help."</span></p> <p><span>"To be blunt, Joel, we simply don't have the manpower or facilities to deal with the number of different cases involved."</span></p> <p><span>"You said you boxed up files from three file cabinets, right? Just how many files do you think you have, three to four hundred?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're way short in your estimate. We counted as we boxed them up and our final total is 3,157."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my God. You can't be serious."</span></p> <p><span>"See those twenty-four boxes stacked along the wall over there?" I asked while pointing towards them. "That's them. We didn't see any duplicate names as we emptied the drawers. I've only looked in three of them, and then, just to verify my suspicions of what they held. We also had our complainant come in and verify the pictures contained in the folder bearing his name were actually him. He did that this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what do you want from the Bureau?"</span></p> <p><span>"I want you to take all twenty-four of these boxes, scour them for fingerprints and DNA, if you can, and start locating the other 3,156 kids these people abused. Every single one of them deserves to know that we've finally caught their abusers and they will all be going to jail. Next, I want twenty-four of those scumbags out of my jail and in federal detention until you can prosecute them so nobody goes free."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a mighty big request, Dylan. Why do you think we would want to do that for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because it's your damn job, that's why. Those kids could be anywhere now. This was obviously a major child pornography ring that's been in operation for over thirty years. And as such, it crosses not only state lines, but international ones as well. We don't deal with anything out side this county. Here, you want to see what those animals did, take a look at this." I pulled Max's file out of the evidence envelope and handed it to Joel. I watched as his face lost all color as he flipped through the pictures. After he handed the folder back to me, I added, "That's just what they did to one kid. You hear me Joel, ONE! And there are over 3,000 more out there just like him. I happen to know this man today and the shit he's dealing with right now would blow your fuckin' mind. </span></p> <p><span>"Thanks to his courage in coming forward, we've shut down a very large and, I'm sure, profitable ring. His story checks out from top to bottom and I have no doubt when you start finding the others, you'll hear the exact same story from them. I also want a full accounting of where these people hid their money. I don't care if it's in Switzerland, the Cayman Islands, Belize, wherever. I want it <i>all</i> brought back to this country and a fund set up to help these kids receive any medical help they need after what they've been through. Now, pull your goddam government issue Special Agent cell phone out of your damn pocket, call your fucking office and get someone over here to get these files and start working on them." I stared him down for a few seconds and he finally did pull his phone out and make the call.</span></p> <p><span>"A van and two more agents will be here in fifteen minutes. I apologize for reacting the way I did. I think the sheer size of this nightmare has me a little out of sorts."</span></p> <p><span>"Welcome to the club, Joel. We've been out of sorts around here for several days, now. And my friend, Mr. Sanders, who knows if he'll ever be <i>normal</i> again?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't we get his file in with the others?"</span></p> <p><span>"No way. I've changed my mind on that and I'm keeping his file and his case right here. The two scumbags that did this shit to him are all mine. He's in my county, the defendants are in my county and their gonna get tried in my county. The other 3,156 victims and twenty-four abusers are all yours, now. You use those files to make your cases against the other twenty-four people and put them out of circulation, permanently."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll do our best, Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that, Joel. All I ask is you keep us updated on your progress. I want a weekly report delivered to this department detailing the people you've found, the money you've found and how close you are to prosecuting the suspects."</span></p> <p><span>"Why are you demanding to keep Mr. Sanders' file and the prosecution of his abusers?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because I'm personally involved in that case. As I said, Mr. Sanders and his family are friends of mine. The man who abused him has threatened his life and the lives of two of his sons. I'm going to make sure he never again sees the fucking light of day."</span></p> <p><span>"Anything else we can do to help?"</span></p> <p><span>"You could send a forensics team out to the church to complete the work there. We need our guys back so they can deal with our other cases. We'll turn over everything they've collected so far for you guys to process."</span></p> <p><span>"Consider it done. I'll have a team out there this afternoon so your guys can tell them what they've already done so we don't duplicate that work. Once my people know where to pick up, you can have yours back."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Joel. Oh, it appears your helpers have arrived, why don't you bring them in and get them started on loading these boxes." Joel opened the door and flagged his guys down. They came in with two hand dollies, so they were prepared for the work ahead of them. Fifteen minutes later, all the files and other evidence we had were loaded up in their van and on the way to be processed by others.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Dylan, I'd like to say it's been a pleasure to meet you, but I'd be lying to you. With what you've dropped in our laps, this will keep us busy for a long time to come."</span></p> <p><span>"It certainly will, Joel. We thank you for taking this nightmare off our hands." We shook hands and Joel left the station to get to work. I didn't envy him or the work he was facing. As I sat back behind my desk, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Now that I'd passed the majority of the work to someone else, I decided it was time to write that letter to the county board.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I had been reading quietly for a while when I suddenly remembered something I'd wanted to do. I put my book down and said, "Hey, let's call the `rents and see what they think about my idea."</span></p> <p><span>"You're just not gonna give up, are you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely not. And I'd like to do it before the boys get home so they don't hear the call."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, let's do it," he acquiesced.</span></p> <p><span>"Great. I'll call my mom and dad on this phone, you call yours on the kitchen phone and then I'll conference them together here." Tom headed to the kitchen to make his call while I did the same in the living room. In no time at all, all six of us were tied together. After all the greetings and niceties were out of the way, I brought up the reason for the call.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I know you're wondering why we called and wanted all of us to talk at the same time. Here it is; Tom and I have been thinking about it and we don't want you to build a new house here."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!?" Bill exclaimed amid similar protests from the others.</span></p> <p><span>"Hang on, people. I'm not done. We want to give you our house after we build a bigger one for us."</span></p> <p><span>"Have you lost your mind, son?" Jim asked. </span></p> <p><span>I laughed and answered, "You're the third person to ask me that question in less than twenty-four hours, Dad. I'm beginning to believe you all think I'm insane. </span></p> <p><span>"What the hell do you need with a bigger house?" Rose asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we picked up another kid on Sunday, so now we have six. And we've also hired a young guy to come live with us and help us out with things. It's starting to get a little crowded around here and I think we need more space."</span></p> <p><span>"Max," Jim began, "You do know that filling your house and life with kids won't fix your shitty childhood, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, I do, Dad, but I'm not worried about <i>my</i> childhood any more. I'm worried about all these other kids' childhoods. And they are all kids who need help. Carol said they have a severe shortage of space for kids, especially gay ones, in this part of the state. I intend to help fix that problem. And Tom's with me on this, aren't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, to be honest, I think Max is pushing things a bit, but yeah, I'm with him. If we can help more kids, I'm all for it. I'd like to wait until he's had a little bit longer to deal with things, but it does seem silly for you four to build a new house when you could just have this one."</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you just add on to the house you already have?" Estelle asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Because the layout we have isn't really conducive to doing that. I'd want to add four to six more bedrooms, space for a gym and some other things. There's just no easy way to do all that and make the new flow with old. It'd be easier to just start over with a blank sheet of paper. I think if we get John on board with this quick, we'll still have the bigger place for us built by this fall and you folks can still be here before Thanksgiving. What do you all think?"</span></p> <p><span>"If that's what you want to do, I don't have a problem with it," Jim answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I say go for it, son," Rose replied.</span></p> <p><span>"I think it's a great idea, boys," Estelle added.</span></p> <p><span>"I think if we combined two of the bedrooms the boys are using into another Master Suite, it'll work out great," Bill agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear you're all on-board with my crazy ideas. We're gonna need your help when you get here."</span></p> <p><span>"I still think we're rushing into this, but I seem to be outvoted," Tom relented. "I'm in."</span></p> <p><span>"Great, everyone. I swear, this will be great. I can't wait to start helping more than we already are. And this is just the first step. There'll be more to follow."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that mean, babe?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You'll see. I've got all kinds of great ideas. Well, look, the boys should be home soon, so we gotta go. Thanks for your support and we'll talk to y'all later."</span></p> <p><span>"Bye, sons," Estelle said, "Take care of our boys and tell `em we love them."</span></p> <p><span>"Same for us, son," Jim added. After everyone had said goodbye, we disconnected the call and I let out a loud whoop of satisfaction.</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, tiger, calm down."</span></p> <p><span>"I can't, bubba, I'm too fuckin' happy." DING! DING! DING! "Whoops, looks like the boys are here. I'll be back with the herd in a minute or two."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll steel myself for the stampede."</span></p> <p><span>I was sitting at my desk waiting for Derek to call and turning over our case against the Muellers in my mind. I was trying to make sure we hadn't missed anything and my fuckups had been corrected. I'd just decided we were in good shape when my phone rang. I picked up the receiver and answered, "Talk to me Derek."</span></p> <p><span>"Good news, bad news, Sarge."</span></p> <p><span>"Not too surprising, what's happened."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Barry was waitin' at the bar when Rollie came in and once he showed up, they moved to a table in the corner. Barry did what he was supposed to do, got Rollie to admit everything, including the threat against his family. That's when he went off script. Instead of giving the signal for the others to move in and leaving, he tried to arrest Rollie, himself. Everything went to shit after that."</span></p> <p><span>"Just spit it out, what the fuck happened?"</span></p> <p><span>"Rollie pulled a gun and shot Barry."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, Jesus, how bad?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's didn't make it, Sarge. Never had a chance. Bullet went right through his heart and he was gone before he hit the floor."</span></p> <p><span>"Aw, fuck! That's <i>not</i> how this was supposed to go down. What the hell was he thinking?"</span></p> <p><span>"I wish I could tell ya', boss, but I ain't got a clue. Ambulance is on the way, though we know it's a waste of time and effort. Rollie's in my car waiting for a ride to the station to be booked on first degree murder. Since there was loan-sharking involved and Barry's a cop, he's looking at a lethal injection in ten to fifteen years, if he survives that long. A lot of guys are gonna want to kill him outright for what he did."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, get that fucker's ass back here and lock him up. I gotta go talk to Barry's wife, give her the bad news before word gets out. Damn it all to hell!" I yelled as I slammed the receiver back on the phone. I took a few minutes to regain my composure and get my priorities in order. The first thing I did was complete my letter of resignation and seal it in an envelope. I'd already decided I was done with this shit, but Barry's death further solidified my resolve and told me I'd made the right decision. His death is my own damn fault for pushing him into facing his shark and I was gonna have to live with that decision for the rest of my life. Before leaving my office, I located Barry's address and on my way out the door, I let Kelly know where I was going and why. I could see she was fighting the same breakdown I was.</span></p> <p><span>I pulled out of the parking lot and made the turn that would take me to his home where Helen was waiting for him. I hated having to make the trip, but I wasn't going to have her hear the news from anyone else. After the fifteen-minute drive to the west side of town, I pulled in the driveway and slowly climbed from the car. I made my way to the front door, dreading the conversation I was about to have, and rang the bell. As soon as Helen opened the door, she knew something was wrong and my asking to come in didn't make it any better.</span></p> <p><span>I spent the next half hour consoling Barry's widow, letting her know that she would receive his pension, tax-free, for the rest of her life, along with the proceeds of the county's life insurance policy they provide for all the department's employees. One clause in that policy doubles the payout to survivors if the employee's death happens in the line of duty. I neglected to mention why Barry was involved in this arrest as I saw no reason at this point to sully his memory. Helen's life with three kids was going to be hard enough without Barry around, it just didn't make sense to make it even harder. When I finally left Helen, I was at loose ends and really didn't know where to go from here. So, I got in my car and wandered aimlessly for a couple of hours, trying to put it all into its proper perspective.</span></p> <p><span>We were just finishing our supper when Tom and I told the boys about our call to their grandparents and what we'd decided. They were thrilled with the idea of having more room for more kids to live with us. Of course, they wanted to help us design the new house, and I was more than willing to have their input to make it a place that would be functional for everyone. They loved the idea of a bigger pool, along with the gym so they could play basketball. I think the part they loved the most, though, was having the chance to help kids in trouble. When we were done with our supper cleanup, we retreated to the living room to await our guests for the evening. Tom, Logan and I picked up our books to read during our wait while the other five decided a rousing game of Uno was the perfect way to kill some time. </span></p> <p><span>After about twenty minutes, the drive sensor announced a car pulling in the drive. I looked at the clock really quick and said, "Looks like Rick's a little early."</span></p> <p><span>"No big deal," Tom commented, "that'll just give the boys more time to have some fun."</span></p> <p><span>I made my way to the front door and was surprised to find a seemingly lost and shell-shocked Dylan standing on our front porch. "Dylan, what the hell are you doin' here?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not sure, Max. I guess this is the place my car thinks I need to be right now."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom," I called across the house, "Get over here!"</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-85.html

Building a Family Chapter 85 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 85 � And the Winner is ... Kelly? On leaving the cemetery, I was happy to discover the lack of interest I'd perceived was reserved solely for the burial vault at the base of the hill behind the tomb. The boys couldn't stop talking about the tomb itself, Lincoln's family and all the good luck they should have coming their way after rubbing the nose of his bronze bust. In a bit of a switch, Alex, Joey and Logan had clambered into the back-row seat for once, allowing T.J., Andy and Mike to take the middle row. I glanced in the mirror on the sun visor and spied the three wild ones in that back row were quietly peeling their shirts over their heads and quietly giggling amongst themselves. I was pretty certain their shoes, socks and shorts would soon follow. Providing they hadn't already been unceremoniously dropped to the floor of the car, that is. While I wasn't too surprised at this development since it had become an almost daily occurrence when we'd pick them up at the bus shelter after school, doing so as we headed around Springfield south on Veteran's Parkway was a new development. The only other time I could remember them getting undressed in the car when we weren't in our own driveway was the afternoon we'd spent at Lee and Carl's after visiting Dad in the hospital. An evil thought formed in my mind and I reached over to tap Tom's arm. When he glanced in my direction, I mouthed, "Play along." With a nod of acknowledgement and a crooked smirk from our driver, I said loud enough for all to hear, "Ya know, hon, I don't think Ron was plannin' on anything special for supper. Why don't we stop at Chili's or Olive Garden before we go home?" "Sure, sounds like a great idea to me," Tom agreed with an innocent smile. I chanced another quick peek in the mirror and the looks of surprise on Joey, Alex and Logan's faces were priceless and not something I'll forget anytime soon. "Well, don't that just figger," Logan drawled quietly. "No!" Alex squealed. "We gotta go home, Dads," Joey quickly added. "Why's that?" I asked innocently. T.J. turned around and quickly provided the answer to my query. " `Cause those fools ain't got no clothes on," he laughed. That comment made Andy and Mike whip their heads around to make sure T.J. was telling the truth. "Hey, if they can take their clothes off, why can't we?" Mike asked. "Well, if we're goin' anywhere `sides home to eat, I'm keepin' mine on," Andy retorted with a snicker. As quick as a Ferrari off the line, Logan responded with, "Hey, those signs on the door say `no shirt, no shoes, no service'. They don't say nothin' `bout pants." "So, we pull on our shoes and shirts and we're good to go, right?" Alex offered with a devil-may-care grin. Tom and I were both giggling internally at the ongoing conversation, but I finally decided it was time to bring it to a halt before they got any more wild ideas. "We're not going to Chili's, guys, but I think you should put your clothes back on, please." "Why, Dad, what's the big deal?" Joey asked in all seriousness. "Yeah, ain't like nobody can see we're naked," Logan added. "That's beside the point. We've talked before about places where it's appropriate for us to be nude and driving around Springfield is not one of those places. What if we were in an accident or Tom got stopped by the police for speeding or running a red light? What happens then?" "Well, if we're in an accident, won't the ambulance people take our clothes off so they can check us over?" Alex asked, trying to inject some logic into his argument. "We're just savin' them some time, aren't we?" "And if Pops is goin' so fast he gets pulled over, well, I guess that cop's gonna get the surprise of his life," Joey added with a laugh. "Clothes back on now, you clowns, or clothes for the next three days. Your choice." "Oh, man, you're no fun, Dad," Joey grumped as he retrieved his shirt from the floor and started to pull it back over his head. All three grumbled their dissatisfaction as they got redressed but were soon properly covered as we continued home. As soon as we pulled into the driveway twenty minutes later, however, clothes started flying all over the car as all six of the rugrats commenced stripping off. T.J.'s shirt somehow landed on Tom's head and his quick reflexes in pulling it from over his eyes is all that kept us from hitting a tree. The Flex was jounced wildly as he jerked the steering wheel, tossing kids to and fro as he centered back up on the drive. "What the heck was that all about?" Logan asked. "Somebody's shirt landed on my head and covered my eyes. We almost hit a tree, you lunatics," Tom grumbled. "I'd suggest you all be more careful where you throw your clothes while getting undressed in the car. If you want to make it home in one piece, that is," I commented. "Sorry, Pops," T.J. offered guiltily as he retrieved his shirt. "I'll be more careful next time." "Thank you, son. I really don't want to have a wreck in our own driveway," Tom agreed. Since it was still so warm and sunny, once we were parked in the garage and the car was shut off, the sensational six-pack flooded from the car and charged outside. Tom and I followed as far as the big door and found the herd wrestling around in the grass and having a ton of fun. While it was tempting to join the melee, we opted to head inside and make sure Ron's trip to town was successful. "Y'all remember to grab your clothes on the way in," Tom yelled to the scrum taking place twenty feet from where we watched the wild bunch. "We will, Pops," Joey yelled back as we turned for the house. "And Mike, you be careful," I quickly added. "Don't worry, Dads," T.J. responded. "We ain't gonna hurt his cute little butt!" Crossing the garage, Tom commented, "I wish I had that much energy left." "What? The walk around the tomb wear you out?" I asked. "As much as I hate to admit, it kinda did. This lack of regular exercise is really startin' to get to me. Well, that and Ron's cookin'," he added with a chuckle. "I'm with ya on that, hon. I'm eating way more than I'm used to, but he does know his way around a kitchen, doesn't he?" "Too well, I think. I've put on ten pounds since he started workin' here." "Oh, heaven forbid!" I exclaimed sarcastically. "What could be worse?" "Another ten pounds," Tom grumbled as we stepped inside. "I really need to start workin' out again." "Well, don't let me stop you." "And you're gonna join me," he added with a twisted smirk. "Come again?" I asked with surprise. "Uh, maybe later," Tom chortled as he leaned in and kissed my cheek. Before I could utter the witty retort I had for that comment, we'd reached his office, stepped inside and he asked, "How's it goin', partner?" "Just dandy, boss," Dylan replied. "All the prelims are done on the new checks from Carol and we have interviews set up with everybody for Thursday and Friday." "Wow! You're not wasting any time, are you?" "Nope. Hope you can take a couple of them." "I can do some of them on Thursday, but I need to go to Normal Friday afternoon." "I remembered that and scheduled accordingly. I'll take the two Thursday morning and one in the afternoon while you take the other two that day. Then we each have one that I set up for Friday. We can finish our reports for Carol and Anna on Monday." "Sounds like a plan to me," Tom agreed. "Anything else of interest I need to know about." "You and Max, actually. Have a seat, you two," Dylan intoned seriously. "I don't think I like the sound of that," I muttered. "It's not great news, but it could be a whole lot worse." Tom and I pulled chairs up to the front of Dylan's desk and after we'd taken our seats, the big man continued, "I talked to Logan's lawyer while you were gone." "Excuse me!?" I blurted out. "I know I shouldn't have, but since we didn't know when you'd be back home, Ron felt it was important enough to rope me into takin' his call." "So, what did he have to say?" Tom inquired. "The prosecutor for Stoddard county had called Clarence to let him know the preliminary hearing for Logan will be held Friday afternoon at one," Dylan relayed. "He also told Clarence that after talking to Troy, he's hittin' Logan with some pretty serious charges for the kid castratin' his uncle." "Like what?" I asked with serious concern. "Assault, battery, assault with intent, etcetera, etcetera. The worst charge, though, is attempted murder," Dylan intoned gravely. "I can't believe this shit!" I yelled, banging my fist on the desk in rage. "Troy takes Logan against his will, locks him in a hellhole for a fuckin' week, threatens him with death multiple times and Logan's the one being charged. That's fuckin' bullshit!" "Max, calm down," Dylan responded peacefully. It wasn't easy, but I forced myself to breathe deeply for a couple of minutes and once I'd somewhat regained my composure, Dylan carried on. "Clarence says it's all for show. He's done some digging into the situation down there and found the prosecutor's up for re-election later this year and he wants to be seen as being tough on crime to help his campaign. The first and biggest problem he's got is Logan's only nine years old. Most folks, even the rednecks in that area, won't look too kindly on a kid his age bein' charged with attempted murder, regardless of what he or she did. "And Clarence is sure the prosecutor is working solely off Troy's account of what happened. Obviously, nobody down there has talked to Logan to get his side of the story and they apparently aren't taking Arlene's version of events into account. Clarence feels once the judge and prosecutor see the videos Logan recorded that week and hear his side of things, it's all gonna go away like it never happened." "I hope to hell he's right about all that," I voiced in a much calmer manner than I felt. "He seems pretty confident," Dylan reiterated. "Now, all you have to do is make sure Logan shows up at the courthouse on time." "Well, that's not a problem. I've already told Clarence I'd fly us down once we knew when we needed to be there." "Wait, what about Mike's appointment with Paul?" Tom asked. "Wasn't that set for two the same afternoon?" "Oh, crap, I forgot about that," I muttered. "I guess one of us should call Paul and see if we can reschedule for next week." "Why do that?" Dylan interjected. "I'd be happy to take him. Or Ron can. Hell, even your mom or dad could take care of that. All you gotta do is ask." "Hadn't thought about that," I agreed. "I just feel like Tom or I should take him to his first appointment." "Babe," Tom began, "we can't do all of this shit by ourselves and you know it. We hired Ron to help out around here and Dylan's offering to do the same. Besides, I can't pick up William until after five, so I don't have to leave for Normal until three-thirty at the earliest. That gives me plenty of time to take Mike to see Paul at two, bring him back home, and still get to Normal and talk to the director of that detention center before he bugs out for the weekend." Tom turned to Dylan and asked, "Where and when is my interview on Friday?" "Well, I was gonna have you take the one o'clock in Plains, but that would probably make you late for the appointment with Paul. Why don't I take that one and you take the interview in Jacksonville at ten? That should give you plenty of time to deal with those folks and then get back here to pick Mike up." "Perfect, Dylan," Tom agreed. "Thanks for being so flexible." "No sweat, man," the big man replied. "You're the boss `round here, I'm just the hired help," he added with a chortle. "I'm glad your brains are still firing on all thrusters, guys. I'm so stressed about goin' to the church Thursday, I can hardly think straight." "So, skip it," Tom suggested blandly with a slight twinkle of hope in his eye. "Not a chance, hon. I know you don't like me goin' back there, but it's something I have to do." "I'm going with. You know that, right?" "Damn right you are. I hope Ron will be okay with the boys for a couple of hours." "I'm sure they'll be fine," Tom offered. "How much trouble can they get into?" "Ya wanna know somethin', hon? I love you dearly, but sometimes, you ask the dumbest questions I've ever heard," I laughed. "Ron and the boys home alone. What could possibly go wrong? The easier question to answer is `what couldn't go wrong'?" I chuckled. After receiving a very well-earned slap to the back of my head for my joke, I asked, "What time is it?" After a quick glance at his computer, Dylan answered, "Four twenty-three. Why?" "I better call Clarence back to make some travel arrangements. Then we need to sit down with Logan and let him know what's going on." "You make the call, babe, and I'll see if I can get the munchkins inside," Tom offered. As I headed across the house to take care of my call, I found Ron in the living room, curled up by a roaring fire and reading. "Hey, Max, how was the afternoon?" he called out as I passed through. "Pretty nice. The boys enjoyed it, anyway, and that's all that matters." "Glad to hear it. Dylan tell you about Clarence callin'?" he asked. "Just now. On my way to call him back." "Good luck. Sounds like you're gonna need it," Ron commented. "Just a bump in the road, buddy. We'll get through it just fine," I replied with way more confidence than I was really feeling. On that note, I continued my trek and was soon settled in at my desk and dialing the phone number I'd used all too often the past couple of months. "Cantrell law office, how may I help you?" the receptionist answered. "It's Max Sanders returning his call," I replied. "One moment, Mr. Sanders, he's been waiting for you." I was on hold for less than ten seconds when Clarence came on the line with, "Better warm up that jet, Max. We have a trip to make." "So I've been told." "Already talked to Dylan, then, I take it?" "He dropped the news on us as soon as we got in the door," I replied. "That bastard is really going for attempted murder charges against Logan? After the hell Troy put the kid through? What's he thinking?" "He thinks he wants to get re-elected," Clarence chuckled. "But don't you worry, Max. With the evidence we have against Troy, the prosecutor's gonna be lucky to be elected dogcatcher when I'm done with him." "You better be right about that," I retorted with a little chuckle of my own. "So, what time do we want to leave Friday morning?" he asked. "Well, I've done some checking and the nearest airport is in Sikeston, so we'll only be in the air about thirty to forty minutes. With the county's courthouse being in Bloomfield, that's about a thirty-five to forty-minute drive. Add in time to get a rental car and a bite to eat beforehand, we should probably leave here by ten in the morning, I think. That should give us plenty of spare time to be at the courthouse on time." "Sounds like a plan to me. Do you want to meet at the airport?" "That would probably be the easiest, Clarence. My hangar's at the north entrance." "No problem. I've flown with other clients from the same FBO, so I know a few of the guys up there." "Then unless something else comes up, I'll see you Friday morning," I offered. "It's a date, Max. Again, don't worry about a thing." "I'll try. Thanks for all your help." After ending the call, I leaned back in my chair and stewed about the conversation we needed to have with Logan. He obviously knows there are going to be repercussions for his attack on Troy, but I'm sure he didn't realize just how serious they would be. Hell, I didn't think they'd be as potentially life-altering as they are, so how could he? All Tom and I can do is reassure him that everything would work out fine in the end. With my mind settled, I headed across the hallway to get comfortable and bumped into the love of my life on his way out of the bedroom. "Get everything arranged with Clarence?" he asked as he followed me back into our room and sat in one of the chairs while I undressed. "Yep, we'll take off at ten, so Logan and I'll need to leave here by nine to make sure I'll have time to do my pre-flight." "Sounds good, babe," Tom agreed. "And I'll make sure to take Mike to his appointment with Paul, then head up to Normal afterward to pick up William. I was thinking I might just take Mike with me to save some time in case his appointment runs a little long." "I'm sure he'd enjoy spending some one on one time with you. Probably think it's cool to meet William before any of the others do, too." "Wouldn't surprise me in the least," Tom agreed. "What car do you want?" "Whichever one you don't," I replied. "Since you're so fond of driving my Shelby, I guess Logan and I'll take the Flex." "Um, I was actually thinking we'd take the Flex Friday, if that's all right with you?" My jaw dropped in surprise at Tom passing on an opportunity to drive the Shelby for once and he quickly added, "The seats and suspension are bit less bone-jarring than the `Stang's and I think Mike'll be more comfortable in it." "Good thinkin', hon," I agreed. "You still might want to take a pillow with you for him to sit on." "Consider it done," he agreed. "I know it's not a long drive, but I'd rather he be comfortable than miserable. So, you ready to talk to Logan about Friday?" "No, but I never will be, will I? We might as well include them all so everyone knows what's going on." Before leaving the bedroom, we took a few minutes to look over the things Ron had picked up for us this afternoon. Seeing that everything, including T.J.'s new bike, was accounted for, we headed for the living room. Surprisingly, the space was devoid of human life when we arrived, so I turned for the theater while Tom continued on down the hallway as we began our search for six missing boys. I located Alex, Joey, and Logan in the theater, pulled them away from the game they were in the middle of and returned to the living room with three grumbling youngsters. On our arrival, we met Tom, T.J., Mike and Andy coming in to join us from the opposite end of the house. "Have a seat, guys," I said as I settled in my chair. "We need to have a little chat." "Oh, carp, what'd we do now?" Joey asked. "Nothing, buddy," Tom replied. "We just want to let you guys know what's coming up the rest of the week." "Phew, that's good," Alex giggled. "I was worried about bein' stuck with wearin' clothes. Again." "Nope, you're all good. For now, anyway," I offered. "As you already know, we're headed to Chicago tomorrow morning to visit Harry and see how he's getting along." "That's cool," T.J. enthused. "We've all been worried `bout him. `Specially since it's kinda our fault his dad hit him the way he did." "Well, it really isn't, T.J.," Tom countered, "that's all on him for being such a hateful ignorant pr..., uh jerk." "Moving on," I continued, "Wednesday afternoon is T.J.'s birthday party. We've already told the parents of the kids we invited that at least the time in the pool will most likely be without swimsuits, so I think we're squared away on that front. Since there are going to be a few girls in attendance this time, we expect all of you to be on your best behavior." "Don't worry, Dads," Logan offered. "We promise not to scare the little girls with our big ol' honkin' peckers," he added with a laugh while wiggling his penis with his hand. "We're glad to hear that, Logan," Tom chuckled. "What're we doin' Thursday?" Andy asked. "Well, I have my appointment with Jason and Pops is going with me this time, so you guys will be staying home with Ron." Alex and Joey's faces lit up with decidedly evil grins. "Don't go gettin' any wild ideas, you two. You will not be tyin' Ron up to take advantage of the situation. Or him, either," I added quickly. "Dang it, Dad, you're no fun," Joey grumped. "Yeah, Dads, where's your sense of adventure?" Ron quipped with a cheeky smirk as he passed us by with an armload of clean clothes destined for delivery to our bedroom. The sensational six-pack all enjoyed a little giggle of agreement as Ron continued his trek. Once the crew had settled back down, Logan asked, "What about Friday?" "Friday's a mixed bag of things," I began. "First, Mike has his appointment with Dr. Kirkland at two and Tom will be taking him. After they're done there, they have to make a trip up to Bloomington/Normal." "What're the rest of us gonna do?" T.J. asked. "Well, Logan, Clarence and I have to make a trip to Dexter," I answered solemnly. "Oh, crap," Logan muttered. "I knew that was comin'. Just didn't think it'd be this quick." "We don't control the schedule, buddy, we just have to deal with it. Clarence called while we were out and here's what's happening; the prosecutor is charging you with some pretty serious offenses, but the worst one is attempted murder." "WHAT!?" Logan screamed and the other five joined him in protest. "But Clarence assures us you have nothing to worry about," Tom interrupted in an attempt to calm the herd. "Easy for him to say, ain't it?" Logan retorted. "Ain't his ass on the line." "No, it isn't, but you knew you'd be facing charges of some kind for what you did to Troy." "That bastard deserved ever'thing he got. And then some." "We won't argue that point with you, Logan," Tom agreed, "but that doesn't magically get you out of your problems. You still have to go and tell your side of the story. Once the judge hears what you have to say and sees the videos you recorded, we think you'll be okay." "Well, if that judge is stupid `nough to believe a thing Uncle Dirtbag has to say, maybe he should lose his balls, too," Logan vented testily. "You will not be taking your knife to court with you, young man," I intoned seriously. "Yeah, that's pro'lly a good thing. I ain't had time to sharpen it back up after slicin' and dicin' that last pig. It'd hurt a whole lot more with a dull blade." Tom and I shook our heads in disbelief at Logan's attitude, but we couldn't really fault him for feeling the way he did. I was finally shaken from my thought processes when T.J. asked, "If Mikey's goin' with Pops and you're goin' down to Dexter, what're the rest of us gonna do?" "Again, you four will stay here with Ron," I replied. "Huh-uh!" Joey grunted. "Ain't no way in h-e double-hockey-sticks we're stayin' here while our brother's goin' to court." "We're goin' with you guys, Dad," Alex demanded. "Yeah, we gotta be there to support our brother," Andy added. I looked to Tom for his take on the idea and his response was a simple, "Why not?" "But why?" I asked back. "Well, they're all brothers now, ya know. It only makes sense for them to be there." "It'll be a tight fit on the way home, then. I was plannin' to bring Arlene and her boys back with me." "Well, you, Clarence, and five boys makes seven of ya. Add three for Arlene, Daril and Arley, you only got ten people in all. You'll be fine." "Yeah, I guess so," I acquiesced. I turned back to refocus my attention on the herd and continued, "Okay, looks like we have a plan of attack for Friday. You'll all have to be ready to roll by eight-thirty so we aren't late. If you miss the bus, you'll be stuck here all day." "We'll be ready, Dad," T.J. replied with assurance. "We ain't gonna let Logan try to deal with that mess on his own." Alex, Joey and Andy nodded their heads with firm resolve in agreement to that statement. "Thanks, dudes," Logan muttered. "You guys are the best brothers anybody could ever want." The fantastic five stood as one and surrounded Logan in a group hug we thought would never end. When they finally broke up, tears were flowing freely from Logan's eyes and T.J. quickly pulled some Kleenex from the box on the table and handed them over so the munchkin could dry his face. "Sorry I can't be there with you, too, Logan," Mike muttered sadly. "Don't worry `bout it, dude. I know you got more `portant things to deal with than me." "Ain't nobody more important than family, bro," Mike replied with conviction. "Thanks, guys. I love all you, too," Logan offered through his sniffles. "Okay, everybody knows what's goin' on," I commented. "Have you had a chance to talk to Vinnie about moving Arlene's things?" I asked while looking to Tom. "Yeah, I did. He plans to go down Thursday afternoon, spend the night and then go out to the house Friday morning to load up everything Arlene tells him to. Once they're done, he'll hit the road back home." "Good, I want this to go as smoothly as possible for her and the boys. She's got more than enough to deal with just gettin' everything ready. We'll call her in a bit to make arrangements for them to meet us at the airport when we're ready to come back." "Don't you think she'll probably be in court?" Tom asked. "Well, yeah, I guess she will. That'll sure make it easier to deal with things, but I still want to talk to her and make sure she hasn't changed her mind about accepting Logan's offer." "We can do that after supper," Tom commented. "Okay, guys, you can go back to whatever you were doing. Supper should be ready soon and Ron will let you know when it's time to set the table." All six hustled off, the three oldest returned to the theater to resume their game and the others headed back to their own room and whatever Tom had interrupted. As for the two of us, we grabbed our books and settled back to escape reality for a while. We heard Tom's office phone ring about twenty minutes later and as soon as the light went out, Dylan joined us, looking more serious than I'd seen from him previously. "What's up, partner?" Tom asked after the big man had taken up residence on the loveseat. "Got some news for Max," he intoned seriously. "Oh, crap, what now?" I muttered with concern. "That was Derek on the phone. He was callin' to let me know Kelly won one of the pools this afternoon." "What the hell you talkin' about?" I asked in confusion. "No shit!?" Tom whooped, "Which one?" I shot my honey a quizzical look and he quickly answered my silent question. "Frank or Iris?" Recognition of our conversation's topic crashed over me like a tsunami pounding a lonely empty beach. I turned back to Dylan and waited for him to supply the answer. "It was Iris," he answered flatly. "Do you know what happened?" I asked. "Somebody got to her in the exercise yard, despite the extra precautions the prison took to keep just that from actually happening. When it was time to go back to their cells this afternoon, all those women just walked inside and left Iris sittin' at a table like nothin' had happened. When the first guard reached her, she thought Iris'd just gone to sleep with her head layin' on her arms. It wasn't until she tried to wake Iris up that she fell over and the guard saw the shiv stickin' out of her chest. Whoever did it knew exactly what they were doin'. The sharpened point of that toothbrush handle went straight into her heart. Forty convicts and damn near as many guards and nobody saw a damn thing. Or that's what they're sayin', anyway." "Unreal," I muttered in disbelief. "I knew it was gonna happen, wished for it, actually, and now it has. And a lot quicker than I thought it would." "Yeah, I'm kinda surprised it happened this soon, too," Dylan agreed. "They'd even put Iris in a cell by herself so a bunkmate couldn't off her, for all the good that did `em." "Well, one down, one to go," Tom voiced cheerily. "How can you be that happy about someone losing their life?" I asked. "After what those two did to you and I don't know how many others, I consider it justice. Brutal justice, for sure, but nothing less than she deserved, babe. And now she can't ever fuck up another kid's life." "There is that, I guess," I agreed. Turning back to Dylan, I asked, "Any word on how Frank's gettin' along in his new situation?" "According to Derek, he's wishing he were already dead," Dylan chortled. "What's that mean?" Tom asked. "Well, while he's not truly segregated from the general population, he does have a cell to himself, so as long as he's in there, he's safe. Meal, exercise and shower times are a whole other story, though. He's apparently being force fed some rather nasty tube steaks in the ding hall for breakfast, lunch and supper. Out in the yard, it's not unusual to find a whole gang of cons in one corner torturing the bastard even more, in one nasty way or another. And as for the showers, the others don't even wait for him to drop the soap, they just rip him a new one every single day. Sometimes three or four will gang up on him at the same time and take turns. The guards are turning a blind eye to all of it and refusing to put Frank in solitary, even though he's begged them to do just that." "Sounds like true justice is being served then. I give all those other cons my blessing to continue his never-ending punishment." "Yeah, I just bet you do," Dylan snickered. "Well, I'm done for the day, so I'm gonna take off." "You're not stayin' for supper tonight?" Tom quizzed the big guy with a chortle. "I'd like to, but I'm going out to supper with mom and dad. I haven't seen them in over a month and I need to let them know about all the changes in my life." "Good luck with that," I chuckled. "Hope they react better than my `rents did." "Well, they've known I'm gay since Malcom moved, obviously, but I still need to let `em know I've quit the department and the two of us are getting married. Pretty sure Mom'll be cool with all of it, but who knows what dad'll do or say? Maybe him finally becoming a grandfather will help. He's always wanted a grandson he could take fishin' or to a ball game, and now he'll finally get the chance." "Sure shouldn't hurt," Tom offered. "We'll see," Dylan replied noncommittally. "What time you guys leavin' for Chicago?" "We'll leave here about ten, that should put us in town by noon," I answered. "Then we'll have lunch before we go see Harry. I figure we'll spend a couple hours with him and his mom before heading back to the airport." "Well, have a safe trip and I'll see y'all Wednesday." "You're gonna be here for T.J.'s birthday party?" Tom asked. "Well, I plan to actually do some work, but we'll see how that goes. Oh yeah, forgot to tell ya, the fence guy is supposed to be coming out that day to get started on that security upgrade you wanted." "Great," I replied. "I'll be glad when that project's done. Any idea on when the windows are going to be dealt with?" "They're supposed to start on those early next week. They figure it'll take a day, maybe two, but the fence will probably take a couple of weeks." "No problem. Thanks for letting us know. Hope you have a good supper with your parents, and we'll see you Wednesday." On that note, Dylan returned to the office to retrieve his clothes before hitting the road for home. Tom and I returned to our books and were still engrossed in them when Ron announced supper was ready through the intercom. The house shook as the boys charged from different ends of the structure to take care of setting the table. Once their task was completed, they helped Ron move the food to the table and we came together over a meal of lasagna, garlic bread and salads. After taking my first bite, I looked to Ron and commented, "This isn't the Stouffer's I usually get, is it?" "Nope, made it myself," he replied proudly. "Well, you did a great job, this is delicious," Tom said. "Thanks, Tom. It's nice to know my mom's training actually sunk in." "Can we have lasagna every night?" the twins chimed. "Yeah, this is the best I've ever had," Mike added. Ron was blushing mightily at the gushing compliments when he answered, "Not every night guys, but often enough you won't get sick of it." "Don't think that'll ever happen, Skinny," Logan drawled with a giggle. "Thanks, guys. I'm glad you like it," Ron replied before returning to his meal. The rest of supper was a pretty quiet affair except for the occasional purr of contentment from all of us as we enjoyed our repast. With the lasagna pan emptied and our plates and bowls cleaned within an inch of their lives, the boys got busy with their cleanup while Tom, Ron and I leaned back in our chairs and groaned happily, rubbing our distended bellies. "He keeps feedin' us like that, Max, we're gonna need that new gym long before the new house is built," Tom laughed. "Don't hold your breath, bucko. I don't know where the heck we could set up anything at the moment." "How about the storage building?" Tom asked. "It's gettin' warmer out and I wouldn't have a problem goin' out there to get in a workout." "That's not a bad idea," I agreed. "We wouldn't have to move too much around to make space and then we'd have the equipment you want in the new house when it's done. Make it so, hon." "I expect you to join me out there on a semi-regular basis, babe." "Unlikely in the extreme, hon," I laughed. "Tell you what, you can call Eric and he can come over to work out with you." "I'm sure he'd be happy to join me," Tom grinned. "I know I'd enjoy it," he added with a little wiggle of his eyebrows. "Bet Ron would be more than happy to join us, too." "In a heartbeat, man," Ron quickly agreed with a sinister laugh. "I'd like nothing more than to watch that little hottie gettin' all hot and sweaty." "Well," I began, "I guess that means I'll have to join the three of you, if for no other reason than to make sure things don't get out of hand." "Oh, no worries there, man," Ron countered. "I'd make sure my hands never left the kid's body. I'd just have to make sure Rich and Eric aren't here at the same time." "Why does that not surprise me?" I asked with a chuckle. "It seems like someone has gotten over his concerns of enjoying some of life's little pleasures." "Yeah, I guess so. I mean, why fight it, right?" "A decision you won't regret, buddy," Tom agreed. Having completed their portion of the cleanup, the munchkins rejoined us and Alex asked, "Can we watch some more Star Trek?" "Sure, guys," Tom answered. "Snack now or after a couple episodes?" "Later, Pops," Joey replied. "Yeah, we're all too stuffed for anything else right now," Logan added. "Well, head on into the theater and we'll be right behind you." As they disappeared, I turned to Ron and asked, "You gonna join us?" "Yeah, that sounds like fun. Let me get the lasagna pan soakin' and I'll be there." Tom and I joined the boys and I got the next disc into the player. We waited a couple of minutes for Ron to get settled and then started the show. After watching two episodes, we took a break to drain our bladders and fix popcorn and drinks for all. Hands full with our snacks, we returned to watch our third show of the night. Upon its completion, it was time for showers and bed so we could get an early start in the morning. Five of the six rugrats stampeded out of the theater and on across the house to get cleaned up and brush their teeth. Mike, however, hung back and when Tom reached the aisle, the young lad grabbed his hand and said, "C'mon, Pops, it's your turn to help me tonight," a funky little smirk flooding his face. "Well, let's get a move on, then," Tom replied. "Can I get a ride?" Mike begged with his sad puppy dog face. Tom's answer was to turn the munchkin around, slip his hands in Mike's armpits and lift him over his head, settling his behind on his shoulders with the sore spot hanging out over the big guy's back. "Don't forget to duck when we go through doors," Tom suggested, and Mike just giggled as he shrunk himself as low as he could go as the pair headed for our bathroom. "I'll be in the living room when you're done, hon," I called out to their backs as they passed through the kitchen where Mike smartly rapped Ron on the head as they passed him by. "Hey, what was that for?" Ron squawked. "Just sayin' hi," Mike giggled. After retrieving my book from the table and settling in my chair, I wondered if Tom was going to survive whatever plans Mike may have for their mutual bathing. And, more importantly, if he'd have anything left to share with me when it was my turn. When I first had Mike settled on my shoulders, I couldn't help but notice how his genitals were seemingly squished beyond recovery against the nape of my neck. I had worried needlessly, though, because the more he bounced on my shoulders with every step I took, the more I could feel his penis beginning to react to the constant friction against my skin. By the time we reached the bathroom and I set him back on the floor, his sweet little cocklet was proudly sticking straight out from his hairless pubic mound. Whether it was the stimulation from the ride or his anticipation of our taking a shower together, I couldn't determine. He seemed quite proud of the fact he had a bouncing baby boy boner and he made no attempts to cover up or hide it from my wanton stare. After stepping into the shower and adjusting the water temperature so we'd be comfortable, I opened the door and waved my hand to beckon him to join me. When I did so, Mike had his hands raised way above his head and he was stretching backwards, hips thrust forward, making his little stiffie seem slightly longer than it had been just moments ago. I swallowed hard at the lovely sight and waited for him to step inside before closing the shower door again. Once that was done, I lifted him up on the bench to help keep his tender behind above the pounding spray from the shower. "So, what are we doing first, buddy?" I asked my partner. "You might as well start with washing my hair, Pops, then work your way down from there," he answered with a sly grin. "Your wish is my command, young man," I replied. I had Mike turn sideways and bend over so I could get his head wet using the handheld showerhead, but not have water run down his back and get his behind wet. I poured a bit of shampoo into my hand and worked it into a lather before placing my hands on his head and working the suds into his hair and scalp. As I massaged his cranium with my fingertips, Mike had leaned a little further forward and grasped my still limp penis in his tiny hands. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I first felt his fingers wrap around my prong and he giggled sweetly at my reaction. "You okay, Pops?" he asked innocently. "Uh, yeah, kiddo, just a little surprised," I replied. "Well, get a grip on yourself, old man, or your gonna pass out before we're done in here." "I don't need to, kiddo," I retorted. "Your tight grip is more than enough for me right now." As I continued to work on Mike's hair, he started sliding his hands back and forth on my steadily growing cock and by the time I'd moved on to wash his neck and back, I was fully engorged. Finishing with his back, I gently caressed the uninjured smooth globe of his ass with my soapy hand and proceeded to gently wash his behind. As my fingers slipped into his rear cleft, they lightly brushed his tight pucker and a low growling groan of delight emanated from deep inside his tiny body with the intimate contact. I could feel the vibrations of excitement in my fingertips as they grazed his hole. Finished with washing what I could while he was in this position, I retrieved the handheld unit from the bench and started rinsing him off. In an effort to minimize the amount of water reaching his injury, I placed the edge of my left hand into his crack, creating a defensive wall to block the overspray, then started moving the showerhead from his behind up his back and on to his head. Since I no longer had to worry about the large scab on his butt getting damp, I stepped closer to his head so I could use my now available left hand to work the cleansing water through his hair and make sure I got all the suds rinsed out. This change of position must have been exactly what Mike was waiting for. As I started working diligently to ensure no shampoo remained, I felt his tongue slip from between his lips and caress my knob. Without conscious thought, I stood even taller on the tips of my toes and the next wild sensation I received from below my waist was a small pair of lips wrapping themselves around my glans. There is absolutely nothing in this world that can adequately prepare you for the feeling of your horny six-year-old son wrapping his lips around your cock's mushroom head and taking it into his warm, wet and welcoming mouth. I felt as if I'd died and moved into heaven. When I was finally satisfied with the rinsing of his hair, and trying to avoid pumping a load into Mike's mouth way earlier than I was ready for, I patted his back and said, "Time to get the rest of you clean." "Oh, goody," Mike squealed happily after setting my bouncing stiffness free and standing up straight. Still holding onto the showerhead, I quickly dowsed Mike from his forehead to his toes, not missing the fact his two-inch hard rod was still eagerly awaiting some attention. I filled my hand with body wash and started working on Mike's shoulders before moving down to his chest. I couldn't resist the temptation to tweak his light brown nipples as I worked my way down his torso and I watched his pecker bounce every time I did so. When I reached his waist, the little guy was moving around erratically, trying to force his hardness into either of my soap-slickened hands. I purposely bypassed the immediate area and moved on to his feet. The sound that escaped his lips as I started work on his toes could best be described as a hiss, almost as if a snake was curled up in the corner of the shower behind Mike. Had this been a Harry Potter movie, evil Lord Voldemort would have been mightily impressed with the youngster's ability to speak Parseltongue. I slowly continued my work, moving up the youngster's skinny calves and shins, past his knees and on up his taut thighs. On the back side of his legs, I stopped at the point where his butt bubbled out from the rest of his body to avoid the sore spot. The back of his legs done, it was time to finish the front side. I slid my hands back around the front and slipped my thumbs between his thighs. Mike took the silent hint and moved his right foot about eight inches to give me a little more room to work. Sliding my hands up his legs, my thumbs soon reached the inside crease where his legs meet the rest of his body. I gingerly kept moving upwards, allowing my thumbs to slip through that crease, then traced a path over his snug, smooth scrotum holding his tender marble-sized balls. I continued moving up so my thumbs ran along each side of the sweetest piece of young boy meat I've had the opportunity to clean in this manner. The shudder of delight Mike experienced and moan of ecstasy he released was sheer music to my ears. With my fingers holding his hips in place, I allowed my opposing digits to wander all over his erection and snug sack, bringing him even closer to release. After just a couple of minutes of protracted teasing, I abruptly stopped my ministrations, grabbed the showerhead again and proceeded to rinse the soap from his slender body. The look he shot at me when the clean water hit his body would have immediately killed a lesser being, but I was too strong with lust at this point for it to make even the smallest of dents. Wanding the water down his body and forcing the bubbles from his smooth skin and down the drain, it was impossible to miss seeing the aching desire radiating from his body by way of his sweet and tender cocklet as it strained to reach the ceiling. Though Mike said nothing, he was constantly thrusting his pelvis forward, trying to make any contact he could between his pecker and me. Setting the showerhead back on the bench, I pulled Mike into a hug and kissed his forehead. As soon as his tumescent toy touched my gut, he was rocking his hips and rubbing himself against me. "Would you like a little special cleaning now?" I sweetly whispered into his ear. "Oh, please, Pops, more than anything," he moaned in anticipation. I sat on the bench and moved Mike so his feet were outside my thighs. I then carefully grasped him by the waist and pulled his ass towards my face. "Lean forward just a little bit, buddy," I instructed. "Whatcha gonna do?" he asked with a quiver of excitement. "Ya gonna stick a finger up my butt like Dad did last night? I really liked that," he added. "You'll see soon enough," I replied. With Mike in the proper position, I found a place I could cup his injured side with one hand and placed my other hand around the other half, then using my thumbs, I gently spread his cheeks as far apart as I could. Holding him in that position, I leaned in and ran my tongue from the top of his crack, down over his quivering sphincter and all the way to the back of his scrotum as he leaned over even further and put his hands on my knees. The sweet sound that escaped his lips was nothing less than sheer anticipation for what was soon to follow. I returned to his wrinkled rosebud, curled and stiffened my tongue, then dove right in, impaling the youngster. The squeal of surprise he loosed surpassed the sound of even the sweetest symphony ever composed. I continued working his tight hole and loved the feeling of his muscles clamping my tongue repeatedly. I worked one hand around to his front and grasped the vibrating stiffness jutting out from his body. Stimulating both sides of his being and his mind all at the same time in the manner I was, I had Mike bucking wildly in no time at all. The feel of his cocklet jerking in my hand while his hole strangled my tongue to the same syncopated rhythm was heaven on earth. "Oh, oh, fuck, don't stop, uh, shit, go, Pops, go!" Mike grunted as the orgasm flooded his body from the tips of his toes to the top of his head, blowing his young mind. I had never truly realized how much I'd missed helping another boy get off in the most mind-blowing of ways until this moment. While I'd survived the last twelve or so years with just my hands, toys and fantasies, they paled in comparison to being able to bring such joy and contentment to a young boy. The unbridled passion and desire they have inside their souls comes second to nothing. With my shower mate rapidly wilting from the sensory overload he'd just experienced, I carefully turned him around and let him settle his tender behind on my thighs. As can only happen in our younger years, his little cock was still hard as a nail as I pulled him into my body and directed his stiff member alongside my own still rampant ramrod. Mike laid his head on my chest and gradually recovered, his labored breathing and racing heart slowly returning to their more normal patterns. When he finally recovered his voice, he looked into my eyes and asked, "What the fuck was that? That felt even better than having a finger up my butt." "It's called rimming, little buddy," I replied. "Oh, man, that was so fuckin' hot. We ain't never done that to each other." "One thing you need to remember is to make sure everyone is super clean before you do it." "Yeah, I bet," he giggled. "I sure don't want shit in my mouth." "Well, you usually can't get your tongue deep enough for that to happen, but still, you want to be careful." "Don't worry, Pops." He then leaned back, looked down between our bodies at our stiff dicks nestled snugly together and asked, "What about you?" "Don't you worry `bout me, kiddo," I responded as I ruffled his hair. "Your Dad will take care of that in a little bit." "Oh, no you don't!" Mike protested. "I want to see your spermies shoot out, too. I got to see Dad's last night and now I wanna see yours." With that, Mike wrapped his hands around my stiff pole and started jerking me off. While he obviously hadn't had any practice with a dick the size of mine, he knew what he was doing. He allowed his thumbs to glide over the head every couple of strokes and the fact his stiffness was now rubbing against the base of mine thanks to the rocking motion of his body, I was rapidly approaching the point of no return. I'd always loved the feel of another hard dick rubbing against my own when I was a teenager and that hadn't changed as I'd gotten older. Of course, as steamed up as I was before he started stroking me, I wasn't even contemplating trying to make him stop. All too soon for my desires, I felt the tingling begin in my balls as they pulled up in preparation for release. "Almost there, buddy," I groaned. "You ready for it?" "Yeah, Pops, let it go," he replied eagerly as he increased the tempo, eyes focused on my gleaming head like lasers and watching anxiously for the impending eruption. It took only four or five more strokes of my now super-sensitive member for the floodgates to open wide and release a torrent of semen, flooding both of our chests and bellies with milky white fluid. Mike slowed his stroking action but continued to milk my softening cock for every last drop he could get. I finally had to force his hands away as I simply couldn't take the continuing tingles he was coaxing from me any longer. "Damn, Pops, I bet horses don't shoot that much," he commented with a hearty laugh and I couldn't help but laugh along with him. "Well we better get rinsed off again so you can crawl into bed. T.J. and Andy are going to wonder what's taking so long." "No they won't," Mike retorted. "I told them all about what Dad and I did last night, and they know I was gonna do the same thing with you tonight. They can't wait to hear all about it." "Be that as it may, we still need to clean up -- again," I chuckled. I had Mike stand up in front of me and I sat up straighter so I could lick him clean. As I moved from his neck down his chest and on to his belly, he was constantly moaning in contentment, almost the way a cat happily purrs when you stroke it just right. When I reached his waist, I discovered some of the mess had dribbled onto Mike's still erect pinky-thin prick. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, I took his entire package into my mouth and gave him a tongue bath he'd not forget anytime soon. I didn't quit slurping and lapping on his cocklet and balls until he bucked a couple of times into my face and I felt his sweet morsel jerking madly on my tongue as he succumbed to a second round of sexual bliss. As his penis finally wilted and slipped from my mouth, I gently set him on the bench and grabbed the showerhead to wash the remaining evidence of our deeds from my own body and down the drain. Once I was satisfied we were both as clean as we could get, I turned off the shower and grabbed our towels. I dried Mike first, gently patting his wounded behind and the scab that covered a large area of his posterior. With him taken care of, I applied the other towel to myself. With both of us dried off and ready to move on, I picked up my son and carried him across the house to put him to bed. Passing through the living room, I found Max reading his book. He looked up with a large and knowing grin filling his mug. After a quick stop so Mike could say good night to his dad, I gave him a smile back before turning down the hallway. When we reached the bedroom Mike shared with T.J. and Andy, we discovered both were already asleep and snoring lightly. I carefully set Mike on the edge of the bed, where we shared our hug, kiss and `love you' before he wiggled into position in Andy's arms. After turning out the light and closing the door, I stopped in Joey, Alex and Logan's bedroom to say my good nights there and found all three of them wide awake and watching TV. "Aren't you guys supposed to be asleep already?" I asked. "We were waitin' to say good night to you, Pops," Joey replied. "Yeah," Alex agreed. "Did you and Mikey have fun?" I blushed a little bit at them knowing what had just happened between the two of us but wasn't really that surprised. "Um, yeah, we did," I admitted. "Good for you, Pops," Logan commented with a grin. "Mikey's been champin' at the bit all day." "Really?" I queried with surprise. "Yep," Logan nodded. "Now, when the hell do I get my turn?" he asked with a giggle. "Not tonight, buddy, that's for sure," I chuckled and all three joined me. I leaned in to take care of our nightly rituals and after saying good night to the trio, I turned off the TV and lights, closed the door and turned for the living room. As I settled into my chair next to Max, he was still grinning madly at me. While everyone was otherwise occupied, I decided to take advantage of the quiet time to place my call to Arlene before it got any later, so I set my book back down and dialed her number. "Hello?" she answered nervously. "Arlene, it's Max Sanders. How're you and the boys doing?" With an audible sigh of relief on hearing who was calling, she answered, "Oh, we're hangin' in there, I s'pose. Those stupid cops in town went and let Troy out of the pokey today." "Are you safe?" I asked with concern. "I think so," Arlene replied. "I had all the locks changed over the weekend so he can't get back in without breakin' a window or door. The boys and I are hunkered down and stayin' inside `til we can get the hell outta here. We don't think it'd be too awful smart to be out and about with that prick on the loose." "I'm glad to hear it. Look, the reason I'm calling is to let you know that I'm bringing Logan down Friday for court." "I figgered y'all'd be here, too. Daril, Arley `n' me'll be there hopin' they throw the book at that god-awful bastard I married." "Well, if you're ready to move, we'd be happy to have you come back with us. We've also arranged for a moving crew to be at your house Friday morning to load up anything you want to bring with you." "That sounds great, Max. `Specially the movers. We're not plannin' to bring that much with us, but I have a piano that was my momma's and I ain't leavin' that here for Troy to destroy after we're gone. I hope they'll be able to handle the thing `cause it's massive." "I'm sure they'll take good care of it for you," I offered, thinking of all the muscle Vinnie was sure to have with him. "We'll see you at the courthouse, then. Oh, will you need a ride to get there?" "Naw, already got that arranged with a neighbor. He knows all `bout Troy from livin' next to us and he'll be armed so can't nothin' keep us from gettin' there." "Sounds like you've got everything set, then," I commented. " `Bout as much as I can." "Are you sure you're ready to start over in a strange town?" I asked. "Been ready for a long time, Max, just never had any way to make it happen. Me and the boys can't thank you and Logan near `nough for all the help in finally makin' it real." "Just doin' what's right, Arlene. You three stay safe and we'll see you Friday." After ending the call, I settled back in with my book. Twenty minutes passed before Tom and Mike finally returned from their shower, both looking quite pleased with themselves. Tom stopped briefly so I could share a hug, kiss and `love you' with Mike before they continued on down the hallway. When the big guy rejoined me after making his rounds, he sank heavily into his chair next to me while I watched him with a cheesy grin. "What?" Tom asked once he'd gotten comfortable. "I have to assume you and Mike had at least a little bit of fun since you were in there so damn long." "Well, duh," he deadpanned. "How can you not have fun when showering with a horny kid?" "I don't know, hon," I responded. "I'm just wondering if the little rugrat left anything for me?" "I don't know, babe, I'm pretty tapped out," Tom giggled. "I'll do my best to see you go to sleep happy, though," he added. "I should hope so," I quipped as I stood, grabbed his hand and dragged him to our bedroom. Forty-five minutes and a quick run through the shower later, we curled up together and promptly fell into a very deep and happy sleep. When our alarms announced the start of a new day at seven-thirty, we rolled out of bed, visited the bathroom to take care of our early-morning needs and struck out across the house to get the boys moving in the right direction. Ron was already busy in the kitchen as we passed the kitchen and by the time the boys straggled in to join us, our breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, orange juice and milk was waiting for them. They each filled their plates and dug in as if they hadn't eaten for a week. "What time we leavin' this mornin'?" Alex asked. "We need to leave here by ten," I replied. "By the time we get to the airport and I do my pre-flight inspection, it'll be close to eleven before we take off. An hour in the air and another hour for lunch before we go to Harry's should put us at his place about one to one-thirty." DING! "Yay, Uncle Dylan's here," Andy cheered. "Good timing, too. He almost missed breakfast," Alex giggled. "No, that shouldn't be Dylan," Tom commented. "He wasn't coming out today since we're going to be gone." "Well, crud monkeys," Logan hissed. "Guess we better get some shorts on dudes." "You guys, too," Joey added as he left his chair but looked over his shoulder at Ron, Tom and me. "We should be okay, guys, but why don't you get the door since you're already up, Joey?" I said. "With nothin' on?" he asked seriously. "Yeah, go ahead," Tom agreed. "Ya'll just remember you said I could," Joey retorted as he left the dining room. Thirty seconds later, a loud whoop of excitement rang through the house. While Tom and I knew the reason why, the others were completely in the dark. "Yee-hah, what's Josh and Eric doin' here?" Joey yelled from the foyer. "They're going with us today," I yelled back. "Is Brent comin', too?" Alex quickly asked with a hint of begging in his voice. "Yes, Alex, Brent should be here shortly," Tom answered. "Sweet," he grinned like a maniac. Joey soon arrived with the two newcomers, who had somehow already lost their clothes. Assuming, of course, they'd had any on when they got here, that is. "Did you guys forget something this morning?" I asked with a chuckle. "Nah, we left our clothes on the couch, Mr. Sanders," Eric replied with a cheeky grin. "But we figured we'd be here for a while `fore we had to leave, so why bother keepin' `em on since we knew you guys'd all be naked," Josh added. "Well, pull up a chair, you two," Tom offered. "Grab a plate if you want." "We're good, Mr. Wright," Eric replied. "We had breakfast with Dad before we left home." The three settled in at the table, Josh taking an empty chair next to Joey and Eric sitting next to Ron. The two shared a little smirk before Ron returned to his meal. The boys were busy chatting about our trip but still managed to pack away the food in a timely fashion. The drive sensor announced another arrival about ten minutes later and assuming it would be Brent coming to join the circus, Alex jumped off his chair and fairly ran to the front door. A minute later, we heard Alex say, "Hi, Mrs. Miller. Thanks for bringing Brent over so he can go with us today." Tom and I both jumped a little once we realized Monica had actually come to the door with her son. "No problem, Alex," Monica replied. "Once your dad called to see if he could join you, there was no way Brent was going to stay home. Do you think I could talk to your dads for just a moment?" The two of us shared a quick nervous glance before accepting the fact we were stuck and decided our best course of action was to remain seated and at least partially hidden under the table. "Sure, c'mon in. They're in the dining room right over there," Alex offered as he closed the front door. Eric squeaked out a quick `eep' at knowing Monica was going to join us and he slipped his hands under the table and into his lap. I'm not sure what he thought he'd accomplish by doing so, considering he was as well-hidden beneath the wooden tabletop as the rest of us were, but the mind plays some weird tricks on you when you least expect it. Soon enough, there was a little knock at the corner of the dining room and Monica asked, "Is it safe to come in?" "About as safe as it gets around here, Monica," I replied. She stepped around the corner and on seeing the table surrounded by nine naked bodies let go a little giggle before sinking into an empty chair. "I'm so glad I caught you all in your, uh, natural habitat," she laughed as Alex and a now naked Brent rejoined us. Neither appeared to have the slightest concern Brent's mom was there with us. In all honesty, only Eric, Ron, Tom and myself were even the slightest bit fazed by her presence. "Good morning, Monica," I greeted our surprise guest as I started to rise to shake her hand. "No, don't bother getting up on my account, Max," she countered. I quickly resumed my seat with a silent sigh of relief as she continued. "I have a little favor to ask of you." "Go right ahead," Tom replied. "Ben and I have a company awards dinner party to attend this evening and these things have a nasty habit of running quite late. Would you mind if Brent stayed the night with you?" Tom and I shared a quick look and with both of us shrugging our shoulders, Tom answered, "We don't see a problem with that, Monica. Does Brent have everything he needs?" "Well, I figured once you guys get back home, he won't be needing clean clothes or much of anything else really, until I pick him up tomorrow, so he should be okay with what he wore over here. Especially since they won't be on him long enough to really get that dirty." She looked to her son for confirmation and he gave her a thumbs up. "See, problem solved," she added, and all the boys cracked up at that. "I'll be here to take him off your hands tomorrow morning." "Hey," T.J. interrupted, "if he's spending the night, why doesn't he just stay for my birthday party?" "Yeah!" Brent replied with enthusiasm. "Oh, I don't know about that, young man," Monica said. "I don't think that would be appropriate since your other guests will more likely be your own friends and not your brother's." "Well, Brent might be Alex's boyfriend, but he's my friend, too," T.J. commented. "If it's all right with your dads, then, I guess he can stay." "Ple-e-e-ase, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Wright," Brent begged while aiming a very effective sad puppy dog face in our direction. "As long as T.J. is fine with you joining us, I don't have a problem with it," I agreed. "Same here," Tom offered. "Sweet!" Brent replied before turning to T.J. and adding, "Thanks, dude." "No sweat, Brent. We'll have fun, for sure. `Course, there's gonna be some girls here this time. Hope that won't bother you." "Ph-h-ht, won't bother me none, man. Won't raise the ol' flagpole, either," he quickly added with a snicker. "Brent, how could you even think such a thing?" Monica exclaimed. " `Cause I'm gay, Mom, remember?" Brent laughed in response. "A naked chick ain't gonna do nothin' for me. Now, a naked Alex, that's a whole other story," he added with a lascivious grin. "Brent Christopher Miller, you keep that up and you're going back home with me right now," Monica flustered. Brent looked down to his lap, then back at is mom and came back with, "Nope, not up a bit, guess I get to stay, then." The boys at the table could no longer hold it in and they all broke out into an uproarious fit of laughter. "See ya sometime tomorrow afternoon, Mom," Brent added as he grabbed Alex's empty plate in one hand, Alex's hand in the other, and headed for the kitchen. Tom and I could hear them snickering to each other as they passed behind us. "Well, I never," Monica muttered to herself as the other boys suddenly decided it was a good time to make themselves scarce as they joined their brother and his boyfriend in the kitchen. Well, all of them but Eric who seemed to still be a touch embarrassed at being nude with Monica sitting directly across the table from him. She turned to us and added, "I'm so sorry for Brent behaving like this, you two. He sure doesn't talk about such things at home." Tom and I were still laughing internally, but I tried to put her mind at ease. "Don't worry about it, Monica. With nine guys living here, you can rest assured somebody's making some sort of joke about the male anatomy on a fairly regular basis." "Well, yes, I suppose I can see where that would be a fairly common occurrence around here," she giggled lightly. "I'm just not used to it being so out in the open, I suppose." "Hang around much more and those boys will scare the pants right off of ya with some of the things that come out of their mouths," Tom laughed. "Pops, you really shouldn't be putting that kinda image in her head," Alex quipped as the herd exited the kitchen and turned for their bedrooms. "At least he didn't say nothin' about the things we put in our mouths," Joey laughed as the crew disappeared across the house. Monica flushed crimson with embarrassment at Joey's comment and bowed her head in abject defeat. Eric took immediate advantage of the temporary distraction and jumped at the opportunity to vanish with the rest of the boys, hands carefully maintaining his minimal cover all the way across the living room. He even had Josh grab his pile of clothes from the couch so his hands never left his crotch. I guess he wasn't overly concerned about his ass being on public display. "I think I'll go now," Monica offered timidly. "I hope you all have a safe trip and I'll retrieve my son tomorrow afternoon." "Thanks, we hope to, Monica," Tom replied. "We're sorry if the boys offended you." "Oh, don't worry about it," she responded as she regained her normal coloring. "We all know that boys will be boys. I'm just gonna have to get used to it, I guess," she added with a touch of resignation in her voice. "Monica," I began, "it's just one of those things us guys seem to do. It's almost like it's a competition between us as to who can cause their parents the greatest degree of discomfort and embarrassment." "Well, I have to say our boys sure got the best of us this morning, didn't they?" she asked with a giggle. "For now, sure, but don't you worry, we'll get even with them for you," I laughed. "Wish I could be there to see it happen, guys, but I really need to get a move on or I'll be late for my mani/pedi. Again, thanks for inviting Brent to go with you and for letting him stay here tonight. Ben and I really appreciate it." "No worries. Hope you enjoy your dinner tonight," Tom offered. We started to get up to follow Monica to the front door, but she waved us back to our seats and commented, "No, please don't you two. I've already seen more than enough penises today." On that final note, Monica disappeared around the corner into the living room and the last we heard of her was the front door closing softly behind her as she left the house. I waited thirty seconds to give her a chance to reach her car before yelling, "Boys! Front and center!" When all nine had returned to the dining room and Ron had moved into the kitchen to begin his part of the cleanup, I asked, "You wanna tell me what the heck that was all about?" "What, Dad?" Joey asked, feigning complete innocence. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. `In our mouths'? Really?" "Sorry, Dad, I got carried away," Joey apologized as he hung his head low. "You sure did," I agreed. "But Brent started it all with his `flagpole'," Alex countered. "Doesn't matter who starts it, guys, you know better. At least I thought you did," I groused. "I'm really sorry, Dads," Joey offered with sincere feeling. "It just popped in my brain and I couldn't stop it from coming out my mouth. I'll apologize to his mom when she comes to pick him up." "We're gonna hold you to that promise, young man," Tom intoned seriously. "If you don't, it'll be ..." "Clothes for a week," Joey finished the thought. "Yeah, I know. And I'd deserve it." After a short hesitation, he quietly added, "I hate to ask after all that, but do you think Josh could spend the night, too? T.J. says it's cool with him. Eric, too, since they're pretty much family now." Tom and I shared another quick glance and we both nodded in agreement at the same time. "Yeah, why not? I'm not sure where everyone will sleep tonight, but I guess we can figure that out later." A loud cheer of jubilation echoed through the house and the boys turned tail for their rooms again. "You all need to be ready to roll in about forty-five, fifty minutes!" I yelled to their rapidly retreating backsides. "We'll be ready, Dads," T.J. yelled back. With Ron busy in the kitchen and the boys entertaining themselves in their rooms, Tom and I headed for the bedroom to pull out the clothes we planned to wear. Passing through the kitchen, I asked, "So, what're you gonna do today with nobody around to bug ya?" "I'm gonna lounge around and do nothin, guys, just enjoy the peace and quiet for once," Ron answered with a very peaceful smile gracing his face. "I don't blame you a bit, buddy," Tom commented. "I think this'll be the first time you've had the house all to yourself since you moved in. We hope you enjoy it." "I fully intend to do just that." That settled, we moved on. "Okay guys," Alex started, "who's sleeping where tonight?" "Well, duh! I'm with you dude," Brent answered. "And I'm wherever Joey's sleeping," Josh added. Logan commented, "Well, if you four numbskulls are gonna be in the same bed, I'm gonna crash with T.J., Mike and Andy. Otherwise, I won't get no sleep at all." "What about you, Eric?" Mike asked. "Well, if it's okay with you guys, I'll join Logan and stay with you four. With three of ya bein' smaller, there should be plenty o' room for all five of us." "That's cool," Andy replied. "And if we decide we can't all fit without killin' each other, I'll move to the couch," Eric offered. "We'll be fine," T.J. responded. "Sounds like we got a plan, dudes," Joey commented. "What're we gonna do `til it's time to leave?" "I know what I'd like to do," Josh answered as he leaned in and shared a sweet kiss with Joey. "Me too," Alex added after kissing Brent. "Then let's quit wastin' time," T.J. added. With our clothes laid out on the bed, Tom and I returned to the living room to read and relax for a bit. At ten minutes to ten, we dropped our books on the table and headed across the house to get dressed. Passing the hallway to the boys' rooms, I yelled down the hall it was time to get ready. I received a muffled response from the far end of the hallway before turning to follow Tom. We were ready to roll five minutes later and hoped the boys had heeded my warning. On our way back through the house, we found Ron lazily reclined in my chair, reading. "Enjoy the day," Tom offered. "Yeah, you, too. Hope you have a smooth flight," Ron replied before diving back into his novel. Proceeding down the hallway, we noticed it seemed awfully quiet compared to normal and when we stepped into the garage, we weren't too surprised to find the boys filling the Flex and Shelby, buckled in place and ready for the trip to the airport. I punched the buttons by the door to open the big doors behind the cars. "I hope you don't mind, but can I drive my Shelby today?" I asked. "Oh, I suppose so. You've been a good boy lately, I guess you've earned a little treat," Tom replied with sarcasm. "Thank you so much," I retorted. "I promise to keep it under a hundred," I added with a laugh. "You better. Let's leave the flying part of the trip to when we're in the airplane, please," Tom replied as he aimed for the Flex. I fell into the Mustang where Eric, Josh and Brent waited patiently, started the car and backed out of the garage. I waited until Tom was backed out on the driveway before punching the buttons to close the both doors, then shifted the machine into first gear and slipped the clutch to get us moving in the right direction. On reaching the airport twenty-five minutes later, we parked side by side and headed into the FBO. Having been here before, the crew headed directly for the door leading to the ramp while I met with Jeff at the counter. After reviewing and approving the flight plan they'd filed for me, it was time to get this circus into the air. I did my regular pre-flight inspection of the plane as the others climbed inside and made themselves at home. I let Mike know he was going to be my copilot this morning and he was over the moon with giddiness as he climbed the short ladder, anxious to take his spot in the cockpit. With Tom taking the seat by the door again and all the other boys but Mike secured in the same seats they occupied on our last flight, I finally settled in my own seat and strapped myself in place. I helped Mike don the headset and explained how to use it, including the admonition he couldn't talk to me when I was on the radio. With a quick nod of understanding from the youngster, we were ready to start engines. With both running and all indicators in the green, I eased off the brakes and began the long roll to the end of the runway where I gently brought the plane to a halt and wait for clearance from the tower. We had to sit still for a couple of minutes for another plane to land, but once he was on the taxiways and aimed for the small terminal building, it was time to roll. Releasing the brakes, I pushed the throttles to about fifty percent and guided our winged chariot to the centerline of the runway. One more quick glance at the instruments let me know we were ready to take to the skies. Pushing the throttles to ninety-five percent, our speed rapidly increased and I pulled the yoke towards my gut. The nose wheel was soon in the slipstream, anxiously waiting the main gear to join it in flight. After covering less than half the length of available runway, the main gear lifted off the ground and we were clawing our way up, up and away. After being released from our 5,000 foot initial altitude, I started the climb to today's cruise level of 37,000 feet. Soon enough, we were settled in and floating through the heavens. I pressed the button on the yoke that would let me use the intercom to let everyone know if they wanted a drink or snack, now was the time to get it. "Thanks for letting me ride up here with you, Dad," Mike said. "This is really cool." "I'm happy you're enjoying it. Are you going to get something to drink, too?" "If it's okay for me to have it up here, sure," he replied. "Do me a couple of favors when you go back then, please. Grab a Pepsi for me and check on Pops." "You got it," he agreed as he started releasing the straps holding him in place. Once free, he gingerly crawled out of his seat and scooted into the cabin. On his return a couple of minutes later, he handed both drinks to me so he could get situated in his seat and strap himself back into place. After slipping the headset back over his ears, I opened the small bottle of apple juice he'd selected for himself and handed it to him. He quickly took a big gulp, put the lid back on the bottle and set it in the cup holder. "So, how's Pops doin? Still hangin' in there?" I asked. "Yeah, he seems okay. Better than he was the last time, anyway," Mike giggled. "Good, maybe he'll get over his fear of flying one of these days. And what about your brothers? Are they being good?" I added. "They still got their clothes on, if that's what you're askin'," Mike sniggered. "Well, not really, but it's still good to hear they do have at least a little bit of self-control," I chuckled. After a short hesitation I asked, "So, how're you doin', buddy?" "What d'ya mean?" Mike asked with curiosity. "Well, first, I guess I'm a little worried about our shower the other night and I want to make sure you're okay with everything that happened." "Yeah, that was lots of fun, wasn't it?" Mike giggled. "Last night with Pops was great, too. Why you worried `bout that?" "Well, after you told me about what your dad did, I'm just concerned about you and how you'd react or feel about us doing the same thing to you." "They ain't the same thing, Dad," he retorted adamantly. "What you and Pops and I did together in the shower only happened `cause I wanted it to, not `cause you wanted it. And we made each other feel really good `cause we love each other so much. When my old man did that crap to me, there wasn't no love, just anger and hate for me bein' like I am. I may be just a little kid but even I know the difference `tween love and hate. `Sides, neither one o' you guys stuck your dick up my butt, or even tried to. It'll happen someday but I know I ain't ready for that just yet." "Well, okay then. I just need to be sure. Do you think you still want to talk to Dr. Paul?" "Yeah, I guess. Not sure what to tell him, though." "Just tell him what you told me, Mike. About what your mom and dad did, the nightmares you've been having, and anything else you think is important. Well, maybe a slightly cleaner version," I added. "What? You think he don't know what fuckin' is?" I couldn't suppress the laugh that escaped from deep inside me but quickly regained my serious attitude and replied, "Well, no, I'm sure he knows all about that, but he may not be ready to hear it come from you." "Dad, he deals with screwed up kids, like, all the time. Ain't nothin' I can say gonna surprise him none." "I guess you're right about that. You tell your story any way you want, buddy. I'm sure Paul will understand." "Don't worry, man, I can do this," the youngster assured me. "And I also know not to say nothin' `bout the things me and my brothers do to each other, or `bout you and Pops. I ain't a complete dope." "I never thought you were, kiddo," I responded as I reached across the console between us and ruffled his hair. "We love you, little guy." "Yeah, I know. I love all you guys, too," Mike replied quietly. "Well, we're getting close to starting our descent, so I need to get back to actually flying this thing instead of letting the computers do it all. You ready?" "You bet, Dad. Let's make it so." With the exception of a few bumps in the road as we floated over the small burg of Dwight, the flight was otherwise smooth and uneventful, the kind of trip every pilot dreams of. Following directions from the air traffic controllers at O'Hare, we were soon handed off to receive our final guidance from the personnel at Chicago Executive. Once on the ground, I followed their directions and we were soon parked on the tarmac at the FBO we used on our last trip. Mike helped me run my checklist by reading each item from the list and waiting for me to respond with `check' before continuing on down the list. With the plane secured, I flipped off the battery and we exited the cockpit. While Mike joined the other boys, I popped open the hatch and lowered the stairs to the ground. After a quick wave of my arm through the open door and a reminder to line up in front of the wing, the crew headed out into the bright sunshine. Once the last one started his descent to the ground, I stepped over to Tom who was still buckled in place and had his eyes closed. "Okay, big guy, time to go," I suggested quietly. "You sure about that?" he asked nervously. "As sure as I can be," I replied. "Mike said you seemed to be doing better this time around. What happened?" "Those potholes you hit about fifteen minutes ago, that's what happened," he vented as his eyes snapped open. "I damn near shit a brick." "Ooh, I'm glad you didn't. These leather seats aren't cheap to replace." "It ain't funny, you clown. I thought we were all gonna die." "It was just a little turbulence, hon. We were never in any danger," I offered in an attempt to calm the still shaken Tom. "Easy for you to say, bucko. I felt like the floor was pulled out from under me." "It's solidly back under you now. C'mon on, let's go," I replied as I held out my hand to help him up. Once he released this seatbelt, I helped him up and we stepped outside to join the boys. While Tom rounded the crew up and then let Eric help guide him into the FBO since he was still a bit shaky, I turned and found Marty coming my way. "Mornin', Marty. How are you today?" I greeted. "Not too bad. Smooth flight?" he responded "Except for right around Dwight," I answered. "So what can we do for you today, uh, Mr., um, sorry, I forgot your name." "Max Sanders." "Yeah, that's it!" he grinned. "I apologize, Mr. Sanders. I'm horrible with faces, and even worse with names. But I never forget a tail number. N3433ST, a Citation CJ4 that seats ten people, eleven in a crunch. You were through here just `bout a month ago, wasn't it?" "Yep, sounds about right," I agreed. "I think all we need is a parking space for a few hours this time around. We're headed back to Springfield later this afternoon." "No problem, sir. We'll keep a good watch on her for ya, make sure she doesn't blow away. See you when ya come back." "Thanks, Marty." I turned, strolled across the tarmac and into the FBO. After checking in at the counter and leaving the key to the plane with the counter man, I collected the rest of my crew and we headed outside. As I had planned and expected, Tony was waiting for us, the stretched Expedition gleaming in the sun behind him. The reflection was so bright, it almost appeared as if mirrors had been smoothly molded over the metal body. "Morning, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Wright. How're you guys today?" Tony greeted us. "Still alive, barely," Tom grunted. "We're great, Tony, how about you?" I greeted in return as we shook hands. "And remember, it's Max and Tom," I added with a smile. "Couldn't be better," he replied happily while opening the back door of the monstrous vehicle. The boys wasted no time in clambering inside and staking their claims to a seat. "Where we headed today?" Tony asked as Tom joined the others and settled into the very back seat. "Hoffman Estates," I answered. I handed Tony the slip of paper I'd written Harry's address on and added, "We'd like to find somewhere simple for a quick lunch before we get there, though. Think you could find a place big enough for the whole group between here and there?" "Shouldn't be a problem, Max. Have a seat and I'll plug this address into the satnav, then get us moving in that direction. Any preference on the type of food you want?" "Not really, just something quick and easy." "So, McDonald's or something similar would be okay?" After a quick nod from me, Tony added, "Well, climb in and I'll get us rolling." Following his instructions, I hoisted myself into the gleaming machine, taking my place next to Tom on the back seat. We were on our way just a few minutes later and after quite a bit of weaving through stop and go traffic, Tony pulled the leviathan into a Wendy's. Having learned their lesson the hard way on our first trip, the boys were lined up and patiently waiting when Tony opened the door for them. Patience was tossed to the wind once they hit the ground again as they took off across the parking lot like a herd of wild mustangs on the open prairie. I grabbed Tom's hand with my right and laid my left on Tony's shoulder to guide us across the parking lot and to our lunch. On entering the building, we found the boys waiting quietly for us before joining the other rats in the maze that led to the young lady taking orders. As they told her what they wanted, they were very polite and as soon as each had placed their order, they moved on and found tables for us. Since Tom was the one last in line, he ended up paying for our meals. He still seemed to enjoy using his new debit card without having to worry about whether the transaction would be approved or not. After filling drink orders and joining the boys, our food was delivered to us and the eating machines inhaled their food in record time. Apparently, they were anxious to get moving again. Tom, Tony and I were trying to enjoy the visit a bit, but the glares aimed our way from the munchkins spurred us on and we were soon ready to go. Having already dealt with their own trash, Alex and Joey grabbed our trays as soon as they were empty and dumped the refuse in the bin on their way to the door. Taking the not so subtle hint, the adults soon joined the nine boys as they led the way across the parking lot. Once we'd retaken our places inside the limo, Tony wasted no time in getting us back on the road. A few short minutes later, we pulled into the parking lot of a large apartment complex that looked to be well maintained and clean. After some quick searching, Tony found enough empty spots in the parking lot that would accommodate the Expedition and promptly filled four out of six of them. He opened the door and let us back out into the sun, then commented, "I don't have a clue which place is the one you're looking for, but the office we passed over there should be able to tell you." "Thanks, Tony. We'll be a couple of hours so if you have something else to take care of, that's fine. Just be back here about three so we can get back home with plenty of daylight." "Thanks, Max, but I am not running errands in that thing," he laughed in response while hooking a thumb over his shoulder. "I'll be fine waiting right here." "Your call, I guess," Tom chuckled. That settled, Tom struck off across the parking lot in the direction Tony had indicated, the rest of the crew playing follow the leader. On reaching the office, Tom went inside to get directions while the rest of us waited outside. With directions firmly in his mind, it was time for another round of follow the leader, the big guy in front and me bringing up the rear to make sure none of the herd strayed away. I was pretty sure that wasn't going to happen, as they were all excited to see Harry again and they kept up a constant chatter as we climbed the stairs to a third-floor end unit of the five-story building. Before Tom could knock on the door to announce our arrival, I felt the odd parental compulsion to remind the herd to be good during our visit. Nine heads swiveled in my direction and eighteen eyes rolled inside their skulls as the group showed me exactly what they thought of my attempt to exert my minimal authority. Only Joey felt the need to voice his displeasure at my air-wasting utterance when he retorted with a simple, "Well, duh!" Having been properly put into my place, Tom turned back to the door and began to knock. The door swung open before his second strike could occur. Maureen greeted us with a cheery, "Good afternoon, guys. Brought the whole group, I see. Get your tails in here," she added as she stepped back and held the door for us. We stepped into a basic cramped, but nicely decorated, dwelling and found Harry stretched out on the couch in the living room, Angela firmly ensconced in the chair right next to him. "Hey, guys," Harry began, "it's good to see you again." "Good to see you, too," Joey replied as all the boys invaded the space and copped a squat on the floor around Harry and Angela. "How ya doin'?" Alex quickly added. "Pretty good," Harry answered. "Friday afternoon, I had to go for a new scan to see if I'm still on the mend and everything looked great. The blood vessel that was torn looks fine and the skull fracture is about half healed up. The doctors said I'm really a little bit ahead of schedule compared to what they originally thought." "That's good news, Harry. We're really glad your recovery is progressing so smoothly," I replied. "Are you keeping up with your schoolwork?" Tom asked. "Yeah, thanks for that, too," he replied with a hint of sarcasm tinging his words. "That freakin' tutor comes every morning and drills junk into my brain for four straight hours." "Don't be like that," Angela scolded. "At least you'll be able to move on to tenth grade with the rest of us." "Yeah, I know. That's the only reason I'm puttin' up with her," Harry grumbled. "Does anyone want a drink?" Maureen offered. "We just had lunch, so I think we're okay for now," I replied. "But is there somewhere we could talk?" I asked while pointing a finger at her, then Tom and finally myself. "Oh, sure," she answered. "As long as you don't mind sittin' in the kitchen." "That would be fine, Maureen," Tom agreed. As she turned for the back of the apartment, I told the boys, "We're going to talk to Maureen for a while. Try to keep it to a dull roar in here, okay?" "Don't we always?" Logan drawled with a little giggle. It was my turn to roll my eyes and I made sure all of them saw it before I fell in place behind Tom, leaving a laughing crew behind. As we took seats at the kitchen table, I noticed Maureen sank heavily into her chair and she slumped over the table, resting her head in her hands. "So, tell us, how are you really doin'?" Tom asked. Maureen lifted her head and with tears in her eyes, answered, "Comin' apart at the seams, Tom. This whole thing is just wearin' me down." "We're sorry to hear that," I offered. "Is there anything we can do to help?" "Haven't you already done enough?" Maureen asked in surprise at my offer. "You payin' for Harry's care has been the only thing that's allowed me to maintain my tenuous grip on what little sanity I've got left. Well, that and the fact Angela's basically moved in with us until the doctors release Harry and say he can go back to school. Having her here to help him through the day while I'm at work has been a godsend. If it weren't for her, I'd have completely lost it weeks ago." "I'm glad she's been able to do that. Isn't that impacting her schoolwork, though?" I asked. "Not really, since she's been working with Harry and the tutor, too. I honestly don't know how she keeps up with everything she's taken on." "She's younger and she obviously cares about Harry. A lot," Tom commented. "Well, yeah, I s'pose so," she agreed. "How's your job treating you?" I asked. "They aren't a bit happy with me, but I don't give a rat's ass `bout them right now. When I asked to take off this afternoon to be here when you were, they threatened to fire me. Well, after all the crap they've dumped on me since Harry got hurt, I told `em to `bite me' and stormed out. At this moment, I'm not sure I still have a job. But all I want is my Harry back healthy and happy again. If I can get that, then I'll be fine." I looked to Tom and raised an eyebrow in silent question. He nodded in agreement and I whispered, "It was your idea, you should be the one to ask." "What idea?" Maureen queried. "So what's gonna happen to your dad?" I asked. "Not sure, Alex," Harry answered. "At the moment, he's still in jail. He's been to court where he lied his ass off and swore he never hit me or my mom, but Angie and the ambulance guys were there and they told the judge what really happened. `Course, it didn't hurt that the aquarium gave mom's lawyer a copy of their surveillance video from that day, either. Once the judge saw that, the old man's goose was cooked." "You weren't there, were you? In court, I mean," Joey said. "Nah, Mom hasn't let me go out since I got home," Harry answered. "But Angie told me all about it." "Is your mom gonna leave your dad?" Mike asked. "That's the plan, I guess, `specially with him bein' where he is. I hope like hell she follows through." "You think she won't?" T.J. asked. "Who knows? I know it's been hard on her dealin' with me. She's been workin' her ass off, tryin' to make sure we don't get kicked outta this dump into someplace even worse since the loser ain't givin' us any money. She's probably tempted to take him back just so we don't have to move." "I bet our dads would be happy to help you guys out," Logan commented. "That'd be nice, but I ain't gonna hold my breath, dude. We'll figure it out and if it turns out we have to move, that's what we'll do." "But where would you guys go?" Angela asked with concern. "There aren't many places around here that are this cheap for rent." "I don't know, girlfriend," Harry admitted. "But we'll find somethin'." Harry then turned his attention back to the boys and asked, "So, tell us what it's like havin' two dads. And just how many of you are gay?" The gaggle on the floor laughed heartily as six raised their hands to full extension and one raised his halfway. "Why only halfway Eric?" Harry queried. "You not sure yet?" "Nah, but I'm pretty sure I'm bi." The conversation took off from there as the boys filled Harry and Angela in on who they are in their hearts. "You two are serious?" Maureen asked in surprise at the offer Tom had just made. After a quick nod from both of us, she continued. "I can't believe this. First, you pay for Harry's hospital bill and now this?" "It's just something for you and Harry to think about," I volunteered. "The job wouldn't actually start until sometime this fall, but if you think you might be interested, now's the time to start makin' plans." "I'd love the opportunity, but I'm pretty sure Harry won't want to move and leave Angela behind." "That's not an insurmountable obstacle," I offered. "We'd be more than willing to help Angela and her family make the move as well. I don't think we'd have a job available for her parents, but we could certainly help them find something in the area. We also happen to know of a decent house in New Berlin that's going to be coming up for sale soon. I'm sure it would be adequate for either you and Harry or Angie and her family. With a little legwork, we can probably find another one close by, too." "Well, you can be sure we'll talk about it. As much as I'd love this new challenge and no matter how good I think it might be for us, if Harry says no, then I'll have to pass." "We understand that, Maureen," Tom replied. "Just give it some serious thought." "You can be sure we'll do just that" "Well, I think we've taken up enough of your time," I commented. "We should get out of your way and let you get back to your normal day." "Nonsense, you two," Maureen objected. "It was really nice of you to bring the boys up to visit. Harry's been pretty down and quiet since he got to come home, but he's been talking nonstop about your crew and I know your coming today has been the highlight of the last couple of weeks for him. For all of us, really." "We're glad we could do it. We're just sorry our boys provoked Hank the way they did." "Don't you worry about it. Angie's told me over and over that it was just a matter of time before something like this happened. Him blaming your boys as the cause is just him shirking his responsibilities for his actions, just like he's done for years. And if it wasn't them, it'd been some other ignorant thing he'd blame for settin' him off." "Thanks for that, Maureen. While we know it wasn't really the boys' fault for what happened, we still feel at least some responsibility to take care of Harry and you." I turned to Tom and asked, "Shall we round up the herd and move `em out?" "Let's make it so," Tom agreed. As we stood to take our leave and turned for the living room, Maureen followed along behind us. As Tom hit the living room first since he was playing the leader again, he said, "Come on, guys. Say goodbye and get ready to go." "Already, Dads," T.J. grumped. "We barely got here." "We've been here two and half hours, boys. And I want to get in the air soon so we can be back on the ground before dark." "Wait, you have your own plane?" Maureen asked with surprise. "I just assumed you drove up today." "Yep, it's waiting for us at Executive." "Then I guess my concern about you bein' able to afford to pay me what you offered is a moot point, isn't it?" she giggled lightly. "Yes, no worries on that," I agreed. "What're you talkin' `bout, Mom?" Harry quizzed. "Yeah, Dads, what the heck is she talkin' about?" Alex added. "We'll have that conversation when we get back home," Tom answered. "And you, Angela and I will talk about it over supper, son," Maureen volunteered. "Now, c'mon and say your goodbyes so they can get moving." That was all it took as the boys jumped up off the floor and formed a line to share a hug and say goodbye to Harry and Angela. As each finished with those two, they shared the same with Maureen before heading out into the hallway to wait for all of us to be together before actually taking off. After Tom and I had taken care of our social graces, Maureen followed us into the hall. "Thanks, again, for coming up today," Maureen said. "I'll let you know what we decide as soon as I can." "No need to hurry with that, Maureen," Tom offered. "There's plenty of time." On that final note, Tom and I finally began the trek down the hallway to the stairs where Eric was trailing the rest of the crew. As we stepped back out into the sunny day, we discovered the boys had patiently waited for us to join them before they high-tailed it across the parking lot to our ride where Tony was already holding the door open. The munchkins wasted no time in climbing inside and taking their seats. As Tom and I drew closer, Tony asked, "Back to the airport, I assume?" "Yep, thanks, Tony." I replied. "I'll have you there in a jiffy." With the two of us comfortably settled into the back seat again, Tony closed the door and got us moving in the right direction. Sooner than I thought possible while dealing with Chicago traffic, he was pulling up to the FBO's entrance where the loading process was reversed and the herd scrambled back out of their seats and through the door. They charged towards the entrance with Tom following closely behind them while I thanked Tony for his excellent service and slipped him a hundred-dollar tip for the few hours he spent with us today. Before we separated, I promised to let him know the next time we'd be in town so he'd be prepared to take care of us again. After joining the rest of the crew inside, checking our flight plan and retrieving the plane's key at the service counter, we exited the other side of the building and headed for our transport. "Who gets to fly up front on the way home, Dad?" Mike asked. "I guess we'll let Andy take a turn," I answered which put a big smile on the tyke's face and frowns on most of the others. "Why him," Logan asked. "Well I figured Joey and Alex would want to sit with Josh and Brent, and T.J., Eric and Mike have had a turn up front, already. That leaves you and Andy who haven't had a chance yet. Since I figured you'd want to take your turn up front Friday, now would be a good time for Andy to get his." "Yeah, guess that makes sense," Logan agreed happily having turned his frown upside-down. As my crew climbed aboard and took their seats, T.J. joined me on my pre-flight again and I was surprised to see how much of the process he remembered from the last time we'd done this. As we rounded the nose and he scampered off to join the others inside, Marty strolled over to say goodbye. "Leavin' us so soon, Mr. Sanders?" he asked with a cheesy grin at having remembered my name. "Yep, we have a birthday party tomorrow and need to be well rested for that." "Don't blame ya there. I know you didn't ask for it when you landed, but we went ahead and topped off the tanks for ya and charged it to the same card you used last time. Hope that's okay." "Not a problem. Guess we'll see you next time," I offered as we shook hands. "You bet," he agreed heartily. "I'll hang close so I can pull the chocks once you have the engines fired up. Y'all have a smooth flight back home." "Thanks, Marty." On that note, I climbed in, raised the steps, closed the door and joined this afternoon's copilot in the cockpit. "You ready, kiddo?" I asked as I checked his straps to make sure he was secured in his seat. "You bet, Dad, let's go hop some clouds," he answered happily. Without any further delay, I took my seat and lit off the first engine. A minute later the second was also running and less than ten minutes after that, we were in the air and on our way to Springfield. With a nice tailwind to help push us home this time, we landed at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport only fifty minutes later. We left the plane outside my hangar and in the capable hands of the ground crew as we headed for the FBO's office. The rest of the herd continued through the building to mount up for the ride home while I stopped to make arrangements with Jeff to have the plane prepped and ready for a ten o'clock Friday morning flight. With his assurances the plane would be ready to roll when we got here, I joined the rest of the family, settled into my favorite seat in the world behind the wheel of the Shelby, and led the parade back home. Once back at the house, the boys wasted no time heading inside to dispense with their clothing while Tom and I did the same. When Tom and I returned to the living room, I spied Ron enjoying a quiet swim. We'd all just settled into the living room when Alex said, "Okay, spit it out, Dad. What did you, Pops and Harry's mom talk about?"

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 85</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family"><span>enderwiggin61@outlook.com</span></a></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html"><span>http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</span></a><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments"><span>https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</span></a></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk34445128"></a><a name="_Toc34820920"><span>Chapter 85 � And the Winner is ... Kelly?</span></a></h2> <p><span>On leaving the cemetery, I was happy to discover the lack of interest I'd perceived was reserved solely for the burial vault at the base of the hill behind the tomb. The boys couldn't stop talking about the tomb itself, Lincoln's family and all the good luck they should have coming their way after rubbing the nose of his bronze bust. In a bit of a switch, Alex, Joey and Logan had clambered into the back-row seat for once, allowing T.J., Andy and Mike to take the middle row. </span></p> <p><span>I glanced in the mirror on the sun visor and spied the three wild ones in that back row were quietly peeling their shirts over their heads and quietly giggling amongst themselves. I was pretty certain their shoes, socks and shorts would soon follow. Providing they hadn't already been unceremoniously dropped to the floor of the car, that is. While I wasn't too surprised at this development since it had become an almost daily occurrence when we'd pick them up at the bus shelter after school, doing so as we headed around Springfield south on Veteran's Parkway was a new development. The only other time I could remember them getting undressed in the car when we weren't in our own driveway was the afternoon we'd spent at Lee and Carl's after visiting Dad in the hospital.</span></p> <p><span>An evil thought formed in my mind and I reached over to tap Tom's arm. When he glanced in my direction, I mouthed, "Play along." With a nod of acknowledgement and a crooked smirk from our driver, I said loud enough for all to hear, "Ya know, hon, I don't think Ron was plannin' on anything special for supper. Why don't we stop at Chili's or Olive Garden before we go home?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, sounds like a great idea to me," Tom agreed with an innocent smile.</span></p> <p><span>I chanced another quick peek in the mirror and the looks of surprise on Joey, Alex and Logan's faces were priceless and not something I'll forget anytime soon.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, don't that just figger," Logan drawled quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"No!" Alex squealed.</span></p> <p><span>"We gotta go home, Dads," Joey quickly added.</span></p> <p><span>"Why's that?" I asked innocently.</span></p> <p><span>T.J. turned around and quickly provided the answer to my query. " `Cause those fools ain't got no clothes on," he laughed. That comment made Andy and Mike whip their heads around to make sure T.J. was telling the truth.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, if they can take their clothes off, why can't we?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if we're goin' anywhere `sides home to eat, I'm keepin' mine on," Andy retorted with a snicker.</span></p> <p><span>As quick as a Ferrari off the line, Logan responded with, "Hey, those signs on the door say `no shirt, no shoes, no service'. They don't say nothin' `bout pants."</span></p> <p><span>"So, we pull on our shoes and shirts and we're good to go, right?" Alex offered with a devil-may-care grin. Tom and I were both giggling internally at the ongoing conversation, but I finally decided it was time to bring it to a halt before they got any more wild ideas.</span></p> <p><span>"We're not going to Chili's, guys, but I think you should put your clothes back on, please."</span></p> <p><span>"Why, Dad, what's the big deal?" Joey asked in all seriousness.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, ain't like nobody can see we're naked," Logan added.</span></p> <p><span>"That's beside the point. We've talked before about places where it's appropriate for us to be nude and driving around Springfield is <i>not</i> one of those places. What if we were in an accident or Tom got stopped by the police for speeding or running a red light? What happens then?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if we're in an accident, won't the ambulance people take our clothes off so they can check us over?" Alex asked, trying to inject some logic into his argument. "We're just savin' them some time, aren't we?"</span></p> <p><span>"And if Pops is goin' so fast he gets pulled over, well, I guess that cop's gonna get the surprise of his life," Joey added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Clothes back on now, you clowns, or clothes for the next three days. Your choice."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, you're no fun, Dad," Joey grumped as he retrieved his shirt from the floor and started to pull it back over his head. All three grumbled their dissatisfaction as they got redressed but were soon properly covered as we continued home. As soon as we pulled into the driveway twenty minutes later, however, clothes started flying all over the car as all six of the rugrats commenced stripping off. T.J.'s shirt somehow landed on Tom's head and his quick reflexes in pulling it from over his eyes is all that kept us from hitting a tree. The Flex was jounced wildly as he jerked the steering wheel, tossing kids to and fro as he centered back up on the drive.</span></p> <p><span>"What the heck was that all about?" Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Somebody's shirt landed on my head and covered my eyes. We almost hit a tree, you lunatics," Tom grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"I'd suggest you all be more careful where you throw your clothes while getting undressed in the car. If you want to make it home in one piece, that is," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Pops," T.J. offered guiltily as he retrieved his shirt. "I'll be more careful next time."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, son. I really don't want to have a wreck in our own driveway," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>Since it was still so warm and sunny, once we were parked in the garage and the car was shut off, the sensational six-pack flooded from the car and charged outside. Tom and I followed as far as the big door and found the herd wrestling around in the grass and having a ton of fun. While it was tempting to join the melee, we opted to head inside and make sure Ron's trip to town was successful.</span></p> <p><span>"Y'all remember to grab your clothes on the way in," Tom yelled to the scrum taking place twenty feet from where we watched the wild bunch.</span></p> <p><span>"We will, Pops," Joey yelled back as we turned for the house.</span></p> <p><span>"And Mike, you be careful," I quickly added.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, Dads," T.J. responded. "We ain't gonna hurt his cute little butt!"</span></p> <p><span>Crossing the garage, Tom commented, "I wish I had that much energy left."</span></p> <p><span>"What? The walk around the tomb wear you out?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"As much as I hate to admit, it kinda did. This lack of regular exercise is really startin' to get to me. Well, that and Ron's cookin'," he added with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm with ya on that, hon. I'm eating way more than I'm used to, but he does know his way around a kitchen, doesn't he?"</span></p> <p><span>"Too well, I think. I've put on ten pounds since he started workin' here."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, heaven forbid!" I exclaimed sarcastically. "What could be worse?"</span></p> <p><span>"Another ten pounds," Tom grumbled as we stepped inside. "I really need to start workin' out again."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, don't let me stop you."</span></p> <p><span>"And you're gonna join me," he added with a twisted smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Come again?" I asked with surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, maybe later," Tom chortled as he leaned in and kissed my cheek. Before I could utter the witty retort I had for that comment, we'd reached his office, stepped inside and he asked, "How's it goin', partner?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just dandy, boss," Dylan replied. "All the prelims are done on the new checks from Carol and we have interviews set up with everybody for Thursday and Friday."</span></p> <p><span>"Wow! You're not wasting any time, are you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope. Hope you can take a couple of them."</span></p> <p><span>"I can do some of them on Thursday, but I need to go to Normal Friday afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"I remembered that and scheduled accordingly. I'll take the two Thursday morning and one in the afternoon while you take the other two that day. Then we each have one that I set up for Friday. We can finish our reports for Carol and Anna on Monday."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a plan to me," Tom agreed. "Anything else of interest I need to know about."</span></p> <p><span>"You <i>and</i> Max, actually. Have a seat, you two," Dylan intoned seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think I like the sound of that," I muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"It's not great news, but it could be a whole lot worse." Tom and I pulled chairs up to the front of Dylan's desk and after we'd taken our seats, the big man continued, "I talked to Logan's lawyer while you were gone."</span></p> <p><span>"Excuse me!?" I blurted out.</span></p> <p><span>"I know I shouldn't have, but since we didn't know when you'd be back home, Ron felt it was important enough to rope me into takin' his call."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what did he have to say?" Tom inquired.</span></p> <p><span>"The prosecutor for Stoddard county had called Clarence to let him know the preliminary hearing for Logan will be held Friday afternoon at one," Dylan relayed. "He also told Clarence that after talking to Troy, he's hittin' Logan with some pretty serious charges for the kid castratin' his uncle."</span></p> <p><span>"Like what?" I asked with serious concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Assault, battery, assault with intent, etcetera, etcetera. The worst charge, though, is attempted murder," Dylan intoned gravely.</span></p> <p><span>"I can't believe this shit!" I yelled, banging my fist on the desk in rage. "Troy takes Logan against his will, locks him in a hellhole for a fuckin' week, threatens him with death multiple times and <i>Logan's</i> the one being charged. That's fuckin' bullshit!"</span></p> <p><span>"Max, calm down," Dylan responded peacefully. It wasn't easy, but I forced myself to breathe deeply for a couple of minutes and once I'd somewhat regained my composure, Dylan carried on. </span></p> <p><span>"Clarence says it's all for show. He's done some digging into the situation down there and found the prosecutor's up for re-election later this year and he wants to be seen as being tough on crime to help his campaign. The first and biggest problem he's got is Logan's only nine years old. Most folks, even the rednecks in that area, won't look too kindly on a kid his age bein' charged with attempted murder, regardless of what he or she did. </span></p> <p><span>"And Clarence is sure the prosecutor is working solely off Troy's account of what happened. Obviously, nobody down there has talked to Logan to get his side of the story and they apparently aren't taking Arlene's version of events into account. Clarence feels once the judge and prosecutor see the videos Logan recorded that week and hear his side of things, it's all gonna go away like it never happened."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope to hell he's right about all that," I voiced in a much calmer manner than I felt.</span></p> <p><span>"He seems pretty confident," Dylan reiterated. "Now, all you have to do is make sure Logan shows up at the courthouse on time."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's not a problem. I've already told Clarence I'd fly us down once we knew when we needed to be there."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, what about Mike's appointment with Paul?" Tom asked. "Wasn't that set for two the same afternoon?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, crap, I forgot about that," I muttered. "I guess one of us should call Paul and see if we can reschedule for next week."</span></p> <p><span>"Why do that?" Dylan interjected. "I'd be happy to take him. Or Ron can. Hell, even your mom or dad could take care of that. All you gotta do is ask."</span></p> <p><span>"Hadn't thought about that," I agreed. "I just feel like Tom or I should take him to his first appointment."</span></p> <p><span>"Babe," Tom began, "we can't do <i>all</i> of this shit by ourselves and you know it. We hired Ron to help out around here and Dylan's offering to do the same. Besides, I can't pick up William until after five, so I don't have to leave for Normal until three-thirty at the earliest. That gives me plenty of time to take Mike to see Paul at two, bring him back home, and still get to Normal and talk to the director of that detention center before he bugs out for the weekend." Tom turned to Dylan and asked, "Where and when is my interview on Friday?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I was gonna have you take the one o'clock in Plains, but that would probably make you late for the appointment with Paul. Why don't I take that one and you take the interview in Jacksonville at ten? That should give you plenty of time to deal with those folks and then get back here to pick Mike up."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, Dylan," Tom agreed. "Thanks for being so flexible."</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, man," the big man replied. "You're the boss `round here, I'm just the hired help," he added with a chortle.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad your brains are still firing on all thrusters, guys. I'm so stressed about goin' to the church Thursday, I can hardly think straight."</span></p> <p><span>"So, skip it," Tom suggested blandly with a slight twinkle of hope in his eye.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a chance, hon. I know you don't like me goin' back there, but it's something I <i>have</i> to do."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm going with. You know that, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right you are. I hope Ron will be okay with the boys for a couple of hours."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure they'll be fine," Tom offered. "How much trouble can they get into?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ya wanna know somethin', hon? I love you dearly, but sometimes, you ask the dumbest questions I've ever heard," I laughed. "Ron and the boys home alone. What could possibly go wrong? The easier question to answer is `what <i>couldn't</i> go wrong'?" I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>After receiving a very well-earned slap to the back of my head for my joke, I asked, "What time is it?"</span></p> <p><span>After a quick glance at his computer, Dylan answered, "Four twenty-three. Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"I better call Clarence back to make some travel arrangements. Then we need to sit down with Logan and let him know what's going on."</span></p> <p><span>"You make the call, babe, and I'll see if I can get the munchkins inside," Tom offered. As I headed across the house to take care of my call, I found Ron in the living room, curled up by a roaring fire and reading.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Max, how was the afternoon?" he called out as I passed through.</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty nice. The boys enjoyed it, anyway, and that's all that matters."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it. Dylan tell you about Clarence callin'?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just now. On my way to call him back."</span></p> <p><span>"Good luck. Sounds like you're gonna need it," Ron commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Just a bump in the road, buddy. We'll get through it just fine," I replied with way more confidence than I was really feeling. On that note, I continued my trek and was soon settled in at my desk and dialing the phone number I'd used all too often the past couple of months.</span></p> <p><span>"Cantrell law office, how may I help you?" the receptionist answered.</span></p> <p><span>"It's Max Sanders returning his call," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"One moment, Mr. Sanders, he's been waiting for you." </span></p> <p><span>I was on hold for less than ten seconds when Clarence came on the line with, "Better warm up that jet, Max. We have a trip to make."</span></p> <p><span>"So I've been told."</span></p> <p><span>"Already talked to Dylan, then, I take it?"</span></p> <p><span>"He dropped the news on us as soon as we got in the door," I replied. "That bastard is really going for attempted murder charges against Logan? After the hell Troy put the kid through? What's he thinking?"</span></p> <p><span>"He thinks he wants to get re-elected," Clarence chuckled. "But don't you worry, Max. With the evidence we have against Troy, the prosecutor's gonna be lucky to be elected dogcatcher when I'm done with him."</span></p> <p><span>"You better be right about that," I retorted with a little chuckle of my own.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what time do we want to leave Friday morning?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I've done some checking and the nearest airport is in Sikeston, so we'll only be in the air about thirty to forty minutes. With the county's courthouse being in Bloomfield, that's about a thirty-five to forty-minute drive. Add in time to get a rental car and a bite to eat beforehand, we should probably leave here by ten in the morning, I think. That should give us plenty of spare time to be at the courthouse on time."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a plan to me. Do you want to meet at the airport?"</span></p> <p><span>"That would probably be the easiest, Clarence. My hangar's at the north entrance."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem. I've flown with other clients from the same FBO, so I know a few of the guys up there."</span></p> <p><span>"Then unless something else comes up, I'll see you Friday morning," I offered.</span></p> <p><span>"It's a date, Max. Again, don't worry about a thing."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll try. Thanks for all your help."</span></p> <p><span>After ending the call, I leaned back in my chair and stewed about the conversation we needed to have with Logan. He obviously knows there are going to be repercussions for his attack on Troy, but I'm sure he didn't realize just how serious they would be. Hell, I didn't think they'd be as potentially life-altering as they are, so how could he? All Tom and I can do is reassure him that everything would work out fine in the end. With my mind settled, I headed across the hallway to get comfortable and bumped into the love of my life on his way out of the bedroom.</span></p> <p><span>"Get everything arranged with Clarence?" he asked as he followed me back into our room and sat in one of the chairs while I undressed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, we'll take off at ten, so Logan and I'll need to leave here by nine to make sure I'll have time to do my pre-flight."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good, babe," Tom agreed. "And I'll make sure to take Mike to his appointment with Paul, then head up to Normal afterward to pick up William. I was thinking I might just take Mike with me to save some time in case his appointment runs a little long."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure he'd enjoy spending some one on one time with you. Probably think it's cool to meet William before any of the others do, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Wouldn't surprise me in the least," Tom agreed. "What car do you want?"</span></p> <p><span>"Whichever one you don't," I replied. "Since you're so fond of driving <i>my</i> Shelby, I guess Logan and I'll take the Flex."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, I was actually thinking we'd take the Flex Friday, if that's all right with you?" My jaw dropped in surprise at Tom passing on an opportunity to drive the Shelby for once and he quickly added, "The seats and suspension are bit less bone-jarring than the `Stang's and I think Mike'll be more comfortable in it."</span></p> <p><span>"Good thinkin', hon," I agreed. "You still might want to take a pillow with you for him to sit on."</span></p> <p><span>"Consider it done," he agreed. "I know it's not a long drive, but I'd rather he be comfortable than miserable. So, you ready to talk to Logan about Friday?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, but I never will be, will I? We might as well include them all so everyone knows what's going on." Before leaving the bedroom, we took a few minutes to look over the things Ron had picked up for us this afternoon. Seeing that everything, including T.J.'s new bike, was accounted for, we headed for the living room.</span></p> <p><span>Surprisingly, the space was devoid of human life when we arrived, so I turned for the theater while Tom continued on down the hallway as we began our search for six missing boys. I located Alex, Joey, and Logan in the theater, pulled them away from the game they were in the middle of and returned to the living room with three grumbling youngsters. On our arrival, we met Tom, T.J., Mike and Andy coming in to join us from the opposite end of the house.</span></p> <p><span>"Have a seat, guys," I said as I settled in my chair. "We need to have a little chat."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, carp, what'd we do now?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing, buddy," Tom replied. "We just want to let you guys know what's coming up the rest of the week."</span></p> <p><span>"Phew, that's good," Alex giggled. "I was worried about bein' stuck with wearin' clothes. Again."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, you're all good. For now, anyway," I offered. "As you already know, we're headed to Chicago tomorrow morning to visit Harry and see how he's getting along."</span></p> <p><span>"That's cool," T.J. enthused. "We've all been worried `bout him. `Specially since it's kinda our fault his dad hit him the way he did."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it really isn't, T.J.," Tom countered, "that's all on him for being such a hateful ignorant pr..., uh jerk."</span></p> <p><span>"Moving on," I continued, "Wednesday afternoon is T.J.'s birthday party. We've already told the parents of the kids we invited that at least the time in the pool will most likely be without swimsuits, so I think we're squared away on that front. Since there are going to be a few girls in attendance this time, we expect all of you to be on your best behavior."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, Dads," Logan offered. "We promise not to scare the little girls with our big ol' honkin' peckers," he added with a laugh while wiggling his penis with his hand.</span></p> <p><span>"We're glad to hear that, Logan," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"What're we doin' Thursday?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I have my appointment with Jason and Pops is going with me this time, so you guys will be staying home with Ron." Alex and Joey's faces lit up with decidedly evil grins. "Don't go gettin' any wild ideas, you two. You will <i>not</i> be tyin' Ron up to take advantage of the situation. Or him, either," I added quickly.</span></p> <p><span>"Dang it, Dad, you're no fun," Joey grumped.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dads, where's your sense of adventure?" Ron quipped with a cheeky smirk as he passed us by with an armload of clean clothes destined for delivery to our bedroom. The sensational six-pack all enjoyed a little giggle of agreement as Ron continued his trek.</span></p> <p><span>Once the crew had settled back down, Logan asked, "What about Friday?"</span></p> <p><span>"Friday's a mixed bag of things," I began. "First, Mike has his appointment with Dr. Kirkland at two and Tom will be taking him. After they're done there, they have to make a trip up to Bloomington/Normal."</span></p> <p><span>"What're the rest of us gonna do?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Logan, Clarence and I have to make a trip to Dexter," I answered solemnly.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, crap," Logan muttered. "I knew that was comin'. Just didn't think it'd be this quick."</span></p> <p><span>"We don't control the schedule, buddy, we just have to deal with it. Clarence called while we were out and here's what's happening; the prosecutor is charging you with some pretty serious offenses, but the worst one is attempted murder."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!?" Logan screamed and the other five joined him in protest.</span></p> <p><span>"But Clarence assures us you have nothing to worry about," Tom interrupted in an attempt to calm the herd.</span></p> <p><span>"Easy for him to say, ain't it?" Logan retorted. "Ain't his ass on the line."</span></p> <p><span>"No, it isn't, but you knew you'd be facing charges of some kind for what you did to Troy."</span></p> <p><span>"That bastard deserved ever'thing he got. And then some."</span></p> <p><span>"We won't argue that point with you, Logan," Tom agreed, "but that doesn't magically get you out of your problems. You still have to go and tell your side of the story. Once the judge hears what you have to say and sees the videos you recorded, we think you'll be okay."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if that judge is stupid `nough to believe a thing Uncle Dirtbag has to say, maybe he should lose his balls, too," Logan vented testily.</span></p> <p><span>"You will <i>not</i> be taking your knife to court with you, young man," I intoned seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's pro'lly a good thing. I ain't had time to sharpen it back up after slicin' and dicin' that last pig. It'd hurt a whole lot more with a dull blade."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I shook our heads in disbelief at Logan's attitude, but we couldn't really fault him for feeling the way he did.</span></p> <p><span>I was finally shaken from my thought processes when T.J. asked, "If Mikey's goin' with Pops and you're goin' down to Dexter, what're the rest of us gonna do?"</span></p> <p><span>"Again, you four will stay here with Ron," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Huh-uh!" Joey grunted. "Ain't no way in h-e double-hockey-sticks we're stayin' here while our brother's goin' to court."</span></p> <p><span>"We're goin' with you guys, Dad," Alex demanded.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we gotta be there to support our brother," Andy added.</span></p> <p><span>I looked to Tom for his take on the idea and his response was a simple, "Why not?"</span></p> <p><span>"But why?" I asked back.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, they're all brothers now, ya know. It only makes sense for them to be there."</span></p> <p><span>"It'll be a tight fit on the way home, then. I was plannin' to bring Arlene and her boys back with me."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you, Clarence, and five boys makes seven of ya. Add three for Arlene, Daril and Arley, you only got ten people in all. You'll be fine."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess so," I acquiesced. I turned back to refocus my attention on the herd and continued, "Okay, looks like we have a plan of attack for Friday. You'll all have to be ready to roll by eight-thirty so we aren't late. If you miss the bus, you'll be stuck here all day."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be ready, Dad," T.J. replied with assurance. "We ain't gonna let Logan try to deal with that mess on his own." Alex, Joey and Andy nodded their heads with firm resolve in agreement to that statement.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, dudes," Logan muttered. "You guys are the best brothers anybody could ever want."</span></p> <p><span>The fantastic five stood as one and surrounded Logan in a group hug we thought would never end. When they finally broke up, tears were flowing freely from Logan's eyes and T.J. quickly pulled some Kleenex from the box on the table and handed them over so the munchkin could dry his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry I can't be there with you, too, Logan," Mike muttered sadly.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry `bout it, dude. I know you got more `portant things to deal with than me."</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't nobody more important than family, bro," Mike replied with conviction.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, guys. I love all you, too," Logan offered through his sniffles.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, everybody knows what's goin' on," I commented. "Have you had a chance to talk to Vinnie about moving Arlene's things?" I asked while looking to Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I did. He plans to go down Thursday afternoon, spend the night and then go out to the house Friday morning to load up everything Arlene tells him to. Once they're done, he'll hit the road back home."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I want this to go as smoothly as possible for her and the boys. She's got more than enough to deal with just gettin' everything ready. We'll call her in a bit to make arrangements for them to meet us at the airport when we're ready to come back."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you think she'll probably be in court?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I guess she will. That'll sure make it easier to deal with things, but I still want to talk to her and make sure she hasn't changed her mind about accepting Logan's offer."</span></p> <p><span>"We can do that after supper," Tom commented. "Okay, guys, you can go back to whatever you were doing. Supper should be ready soon and Ron will let you know when it's time to set the table."</span></p> <p><span>All six hustled off, the three oldest returned to the theater to resume their game and the others headed back to their own room and whatever Tom had interrupted. As for the two of us, we grabbed our books and settled back to escape reality for a while. We heard Tom's office phone ring about twenty minutes later and as soon as the light went out, Dylan joined us, looking more serious than I'd seen from him previously.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, partner?" Tom asked after the big man had taken up residence on the loveseat.</span></p> <p><span>"Got some news for Max," he intoned seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, crap, what now?" I muttered with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"That was Derek on the phone. He was callin' to let me know Kelly won one of the pools this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell you talkin' about?" I asked in confusion.</span></p> <p><span>"No shit!?" Tom whooped, "Which one?" I shot my honey a quizzical look and he quickly answered my silent question. "Frank or Iris?" Recognition of our conversation's topic crashed over me like a tsunami pounding a lonely empty beach. I turned back to Dylan and waited for him to supply the answer.</span></p> <p><span>"It was Iris," he answered flatly.</span></p> <p><span>"Do you know what happened?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Somebody got to her in the exercise yard, despite the extra precautions the prison took to keep just that from actually happening. When it was time to go back to their cells this afternoon, all those women just walked inside and left Iris sittin' at a table like nothin' had happened. When the first guard reached her, she thought Iris'd just gone to sleep with her head layin' on her arms. It wasn't until she tried to wake Iris up that she fell over and the guard saw the shiv stickin' out of her chest. Whoever did it knew exactly what they were doin'. The sharpened point of that toothbrush handle went straight into her heart. Forty convicts and damn near as many guards and nobody saw a damn thing. Or that's what they're sayin', anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Unreal," I muttered in disbelief. "I knew it was gonna happen, wished for it, actually, and now it has. And a lot quicker than I thought it would."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'm kinda surprised it happened this soon, too," Dylan agreed. "They'd even put Iris in a cell by herself so a bunkmate couldn't off her, for all the good that did `em."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, one down, one to go," Tom voiced cheerily.</span></p> <p><span>"How can you be that happy about someone losing their life?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"After what those two did to you and I don't know how many others, I consider it justice. Brutal justice, for sure, but nothing less than she deserved, babe. And now she can't ever fuck up another kid's life."</span></p> <p><span>"There is that, I guess," I agreed. Turning back to Dylan, I asked, "Any word on how Frank's gettin' along in his new situation?"</span></p> <p><span>"According to Derek, he's wishing he were already dead," Dylan chortled.</span></p> <p><span>"What's that mean?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, while he's not truly segregated from the general population, he does have a cell to himself, so as long as he's in there, he's safe. Meal, exercise and shower times are a whole other story, though. He's apparently being force fed some rather nasty tube steaks in the ding hall for breakfast, lunch and supper. Out in the yard, it's not unusual to find a whole gang of cons in one corner torturing the bastard even more, in one nasty way or another. And as for the showers, the others don't even wait for him to drop the soap, they just rip him a new one every single day. Sometimes three or four will gang up on him at the same time and take turns. The guards are turning a blind eye to all of it and refusing to put Frank in solitary, even though he's begged them to do just that."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like true justice is being served then. I give all those other cons my blessing to continue his never-ending punishment."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I just bet you do," Dylan snickered. "Well, I'm done for the day, so I'm gonna take off."</span></p> <p><span>"You're not stayin' for supper tonight?" Tom quizzed the big guy with a chortle.</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like to, but I'm going out to supper with mom and dad. I haven't seen them in over a month and I need to let them know about all the changes in my life."</span></p> <p><span>"Good luck with that," I chuckled. "Hope they react better than my `rents did."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, they've known I'm gay since Malcom moved, obviously, but I still need to let `em know I've quit the department and the two of us are getting married. Pretty sure Mom'll be cool with all of it, but who knows what dad'll do or say? Maybe him finally becoming a grandfather will help. He's always wanted a grandson he could take fishin' or to a ball game, and now he'll finally get the chance."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure shouldn't hurt," Tom offered.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see," Dylan replied noncommittally. "What time you guys leavin' for Chicago?"</span></p> <p><span>"We'll leave here about ten, that should put us in town by noon," I answered. "Then we'll have lunch before we go see Harry. I figure we'll spend a couple hours with him and his mom before heading back to the airport."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, have a safe trip and I'll see y'all Wednesday."</span></p> <p><span>"You're gonna be here for T.J.'s birthday party?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I plan to actually do some work, but we'll see how that goes. Oh yeah, forgot to tell ya, the fence guy is supposed to be coming out that day to get started on that security upgrade you wanted."</span></p> <p><span>"Great," I replied. "I'll be glad when that project's done. Any idea on when the windows are going to be dealt with?"</span></p> <p><span>"They're supposed to start on those early next week. They figure it'll take a day, maybe two, but the fence will probably take a couple of weeks."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem. Thanks for letting us know. Hope you have a good supper with your parents, and we'll see you Wednesday." On that note, Dylan returned to the office to retrieve his clothes before hitting the road for home. </span></p> <p><span>Tom and I returned to our books and were still engrossed in them when Ron announced supper was ready through the intercom. The house shook as the boys charged from different ends of the structure to take care of setting the table. Once their task was completed, they helped Ron move the food to the table and we came together over a meal of lasagna, garlic bread and salads.</span></p> <p><span>After taking my first bite, I looked to Ron and commented, "This isn't the Stouffer's I usually get, is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, made it myself," he replied proudly.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you did a great job, this is delicious," Tom said.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Tom. It's nice to know my mom's training actually sunk in."</span></p> <p><span>"Can we have lasagna every night?" the twins chimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, this is the best I've ever had," Mike added.</span></p> <p><span>Ron was blushing mightily at the gushing compliments when he answered, "Not every night guys, but often enough you won't get sick of it."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't think that'll ever happen, Skinny," Logan drawled with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, guys. I'm glad you like it," Ron replied before returning to his meal.</span></p> <p><span>The rest of supper was a pretty quiet affair except for the occasional purr of contentment from all of us as we enjoyed our repast. With the lasagna pan emptied and our plates and bowls cleaned within an inch of their lives, the boys got busy with their cleanup while Tom, Ron and I leaned back in our chairs and groaned happily, rubbing our distended bellies.</span></p> <p><span>"He keeps feedin' us like that, Max, we're gonna need that new gym long before the new house is built," Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't hold your breath, bucko. I don't know where the heck we could set up anything at the moment."</span></p> <p><span>"How about the storage building?" Tom asked. "It's gettin' warmer out and I wouldn't have a problem goin' out there to get in a workout."</span></p> <p><span>"That's not a bad idea," I agreed. "We wouldn't have to move too much around to make space and then we'd have the equipment you want in the new house when it's done. Make it so, hon."</span></p> <p><span>"I expect you to join me out there on a semi-regular basis, babe."</span></p> <p><span>"Unlikely in the extreme, hon," I laughed. "Tell you what, you can call Eric and <i>he</i> can come over to work out with you."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure he'd be happy to join me," Tom grinned. "I know I'd enjoy it," he added with a little wiggle of his eyebrows. "Bet Ron would be more than happy to join us, too."</span></p> <p><span>"In a heartbeat, man," Ron quickly agreed with a sinister laugh. "I'd like nothing more than to watch that little hottie gettin' all hot and sweaty."</span></p> <p><span>"Well," I began, "I guess that means I'll have to join the three of you, if for no other reason than to make sure things don't get out of hand."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no worries there, man," Ron countered. "I'd make sure my hands never left the kid's body. I'd just have to make sure Rich and Eric aren't here at the same time."</span></p> <p><span>"Why does that not surprise me?" I asked with a chuckle. "It seems like someone has gotten over his concerns of enjoying some of life's little pleasures."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess so. I mean, why fight it, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"A decision you won't regret, buddy," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>Having completed their portion of the cleanup, the munchkins rejoined us and Alex asked, "Can we watch some more <i>Star Trek</i>?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, guys," Tom answered. "Snack now or after a couple episodes?"</span></p> <p><span>"Later, Pops," Joey replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we're all too stuffed for anything else right now," Logan added.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, head on into the theater and we'll be right behind you." As they disappeared, I turned to Ron and asked, "You gonna join us?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that sounds like fun. Let me get the lasagna pan soakin' and I'll be there."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I joined the boys and I got the next disc into the player. We waited a couple of minutes for Ron to get settled and then started the show. After watching two episodes, we took a break to drain our bladders and fix popcorn and drinks for all. Hands full with our snacks, we returned to watch our third show of the night. Upon its completion, it was time for showers and bed so we could get an early start in the morning. </span></p> <p><span>Five of the six rugrats stampeded out of the theater and on across the house to get cleaned up and brush their teeth. Mike, however, hung back and when Tom reached the aisle, the young lad grabbed his hand and said, "C'mon, Pops, it's your turn to help me tonight," a funky little smirk flooding his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's get a move on, then," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Can I get a ride?" Mike begged with his sad puppy dog face. Tom's answer was to turn the munchkin around, slip his hands in Mike's armpits and lift him over his head, settling his behind on his shoulders with the sore spot hanging out over the big guy's back.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't forget to duck when we go through doors," Tom suggested, and Mike just giggled as he shrunk himself as low as he could go as the pair headed for our bathroom.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be in the living room when you're done, hon," I called out to their backs as they passed through the kitchen where Mike smartly rapped Ron on the head as they passed him by.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, what was that for?" Ron squawked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just sayin' hi," Mike giggled.</span></p> <p><span>After retrieving my book from the table and settling in my chair, I wondered if Tom was going to survive whatever plans Mike may have for their mutual bathing. And, more importantly, if he'd have anything left to share with me when it was my turn.</span></p> <p><span>When I first had Mike settled on my shoulders, I couldn't help but notice how his genitals were seemingly squished beyond recovery against the nape of my neck. I had worried needlessly, though, because the more he bounced on my shoulders with every step I took, the more I could feel his penis beginning to react to the constant friction against my skin. By the time we reached the bathroom and I set him back on the floor, his sweet little cocklet was proudly sticking straight out from his hairless pubic mound. Whether it was the stimulation from the ride or his anticipation of our taking a shower together, I couldn't determine. He seemed quite proud of the fact he had a bouncing baby boy boner and he made no attempts to cover up or hide it from my wanton stare.</span></p> <p><span>After stepping into the shower and adjusting the water temperature so we'd be comfortable, I opened the door and waved my hand to beckon him to join me. When I did so, Mike had his hands raised way above his head and he was stretching backwards, hips thrust forward, making his little stiffie seem slightly longer than it had been just moments ago. I swallowed hard at the lovely sight and waited for him to step inside before closing the shower door again. Once that was done, I lifted him up on the bench to help keep his tender behind above the pounding spray from the shower.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what are we doing first, buddy?" I asked my partner.</span></p> <p><span>"You might as well start with washing my hair, Pops, then work your way down from there," he answered with a sly grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Your wish is my command, young man," I replied. I had Mike turn sideways and bend over so I could get his head wet using the handheld showerhead, but not have water run down his back and get his behind wet. I poured a bit of shampoo into my hand and worked it into a lather before placing my hands on his head and working the suds into his hair and scalp. As I massaged his cranium with my fingertips, Mike had leaned a little further forward and grasped my still limp penis in his tiny hands. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I first felt his fingers wrap around my prong and he giggled sweetly at my reaction.</span></p> <p><span>"You okay, Pops?" he asked innocently.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, yeah, kiddo, just a little surprised," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, get a grip on yourself, old man, or your gonna pass out before we're done in here."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't need to, kiddo," I retorted. "Your tight grip is more than enough for me right now." As I continued to work on Mike's hair, he started sliding his hands back and forth on my steadily growing cock and by the time I'd moved on to wash his neck and back, I was fully engorged. Finishing with his back, I gently caressed the uninjured smooth globe of his ass with my soapy hand and proceeded to gently wash his behind. As my fingers slipped into his rear cleft, they lightly brushed his tight pucker and a low growling groan of delight emanated from deep inside his tiny body with the intimate contact. I could feel the vibrations of excitement in my fingertips as they grazed his hole.</span></p> <p><span>Finished with washing what I could while he was in this position, I retrieved the handheld unit from the bench and started rinsing him off. In an effort to minimize the amount of water reaching his injury, I placed the edge of my left hand into his crack, creating a defensive wall to block the overspray, then started moving the showerhead from his behind up his back and on to his head. Since I no longer had to worry about the large scab on his butt getting damp, I stepped closer to his head so I could use my now available left hand to work the cleansing water through his hair and make sure I got all the suds rinsed out.</span></p> <p><span>This change of position must have been exactly what Mike was waiting for. As I started working diligently to ensure no shampoo remained, I felt his tongue slip from between his lips and caress my knob. Without conscious thought, I stood even taller on the tips of my toes and the next wild sensation I received from below my waist was a small pair of lips wrapping themselves around my glans. There is absolutely nothing in this world that can adequately prepare you for the feeling of your horny six-year-old son wrapping his lips around your cock's mushroom head and taking it into his warm, wet and welcoming mouth. I felt as if I'd died and moved into heaven.</span></p> <p><span>When I was finally satisfied with the rinsing of his hair, and trying to avoid pumping a load into Mike's mouth way earlier than I was ready for, I patted his back and said, "Time to get the rest of you clean."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, goody," Mike squealed happily after setting my bouncing stiffness free and standing up straight.</span></p> <p><span>Still holding onto the showerhead, I quickly dowsed Mike from his forehead to his toes, not missing the fact his two-inch hard rod was still eagerly awaiting some attention. I filled my hand with body wash and started working on Mike's shoulders before moving down to his chest. I couldn't resist the temptation to tweak his light brown nipples as I worked my way down his torso and I watched his pecker bounce every time I did so. When I reached his waist, the little guy was moving around erratically, trying to force his hardness into either of my soap-slickened hands. I purposely bypassed the immediate area and moved on to his feet.</span></p> <p><span>The sound that escaped his lips as I started work on his toes could best be described as a hiss, almost as if a snake was curled up in the corner of the shower behind Mike. Had this been a Harry Potter movie, evil Lord Voldemort would have been mightily impressed with the youngster's ability to speak Parseltongue. I slowly continued my work, moving up the youngster's skinny calves and shins, past his knees and on up his taut thighs. On the back side of his legs, I stopped at the point where his butt bubbled out from the rest of his body to avoid the sore spot. The back of his legs done, it was time to finish the front side.</span></p> <p><span>I slid my hands back around the front and slipped my thumbs between his thighs. Mike took the silent hint and moved his right foot about eight inches to give me a little more room to work. Sliding my hands up his legs, my thumbs soon reached the inside crease where his legs meet the rest of his body. I gingerly kept moving upwards, allowing my thumbs to slip through that crease, then traced a path over his snug, smooth scrotum holding his tender marble-sized balls. I continued moving up so my thumbs ran along each side of the sweetest piece of young boy meat I've had the opportunity to clean in this manner. The shudder of delight Mike experienced and moan of ecstasy he released was sheer music to my ears.</span></p> <p><span>With my fingers holding his hips in place, I allowed my opposing digits to wander all over his erection and snug sack, bringing him even closer to release. After just a couple of minutes of protracted teasing, I abruptly stopped my ministrations, grabbed the showerhead again and proceeded to rinse the soap from his slender body. The look he shot at me when the clean water hit his body would have immediately killed a lesser being, but I was too strong with lust at this point for it to make even the smallest of dents.</span></p> <p><span>Wanding the water down his body and forcing the bubbles from his smooth skin and down the drain, it was impossible to miss seeing the aching desire radiating from his body by way of his sweet and tender cocklet as it strained to reach the ceiling. Though Mike said nothing, he was constantly thrusting his pelvis forward, trying to make any contact he could between his pecker and me. Setting the showerhead back on the bench, I pulled Mike into a hug and kissed his forehead. As soon as his tumescent toy touched my gut, he was rocking his hips and rubbing himself against me. </span></p> <p><span>"Would you like a little special cleaning now?" I sweetly whispered into his ear.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, please, Pops, more than anything," he moaned in anticipation.</span></p> <p><span>I sat on the bench and moved Mike so his feet were outside my thighs. I then carefully grasped him by the waist and pulled his ass towards my face. "Lean forward just a little bit, buddy," I instructed.</span></p> <p><span>"Whatcha gonna do?" he asked with a quiver of excitement. "Ya gonna stick a finger up my butt like Dad did last night? I really liked that," he added.</span></p> <p><span>"You'll see soon enough," I replied. With Mike in the proper position, I found a place I could cup his injured side with one hand and placed my other hand around the other half, then using my thumbs, I gently spread his cheeks as far apart as I could. Holding him in that position, I leaned in and ran my tongue from the top of his crack, down over his quivering sphincter and all the way to the back of his scrotum as he leaned over even further and put his hands on my knees. The sweet sound that escaped his lips was nothing less than sheer anticipation for what was soon to follow.</span></p> <p><span>I returned to his wrinkled rosebud, curled and stiffened my tongue, then dove right in, impaling the youngster. The squeal of surprise he loosed surpassed the sound of even the sweetest symphony ever composed. I continued working his tight hole and loved the feeling of his muscles clamping my tongue repeatedly. I worked one hand around to his front and grasped the vibrating stiffness jutting out from his body. Stimulating both sides of his being and his mind all at the same time in the manner I was, I had Mike bucking wildly in no time at all. The feel of his cocklet jerking in my hand while his hole strangled my tongue to the same syncopated rhythm was heaven on earth.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, oh, fuck, don't stop, uh, shit, go, Pops, go!" Mike grunted as the orgasm flooded his body from the tips of his toes to the top of his head, blowing his young mind.</span></p> <p><span>I had never truly realized how much I'd missed helping another boy get off in the most mind-blowing of ways until this moment. While I'd survived the last twelve or so years with just my hands, toys and fantasies, they paled in comparison to being able to bring such joy and contentment to a young boy. The unbridled passion and desire they have inside their souls comes second to nothing.</span></p> <p><span>With my shower mate rapidly wilting from the sensory overload he'd just experienced, I carefully turned him around and let him settle his tender behind on my thighs. As can only happen in our younger years, his little cock was still hard as a nail as I pulled him into my body and directed his stiff member alongside my own still rampant ramrod. Mike laid his head on my chest and gradually recovered, his labored breathing and racing heart slowly returning to their more normal patterns.</span></p> <p><span>When he finally recovered his voice, he looked into my eyes and asked, "What the fuck was <i>that</i>? That felt even better than having a finger up my butt."</span></p> <p><span>"It's called rimming, little buddy," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, that was so fuckin' hot. We ain't never done that to each other."</span></p> <p><span>"One thing you need to remember is to make sure everyone is super clean <i>before</i> you do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I bet," he giggled. "I sure don't want shit in my mouth."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you usually can't get your tongue deep enough for that to happen, but still, you want to be careful."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, Pops." He then leaned back, looked down between our bodies at our stiff dicks nestled snugly together and asked, "What about you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you worry `bout me, kiddo," I responded as I ruffled his hair. "Your Dad will take care of that in a little bit."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no you don't!" Mike protested. "I want to see your spermies shoot out, too. I got to see Dad's last night and now I wanna see yours." </span></p> <p><span>With that, Mike wrapped his hands around my stiff pole and started jerking me off. While he obviously hadn't had any practice with a dick the size of mine, he knew what he was doing. He allowed his thumbs to glide over the head every couple of strokes and the fact his stiffness was now rubbing against the base of mine thanks to the rocking motion of his body, I was rapidly approaching the point of no return. I'd always loved the feel of another hard dick rubbing against my own when I was a teenager and that hadn't changed as I'd gotten older. Of course, as steamed up as I was before he started stroking me, I wasn't even contemplating trying to make him stop. All too soon for my desires, I felt the tingling begin in my balls as they pulled up in preparation for release.</span></p> <p><span>"Almost there, buddy," I groaned. "You ready for it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Pops, let it go," he replied eagerly as he increased the tempo, eyes focused on my gleaming head like lasers and watching anxiously for the impending eruption.</span></p> <p><span>It took only four or five more strokes of my now super-sensitive member for the floodgates to open wide and release a torrent of semen, flooding both of our chests and bellies with milky white fluid. Mike slowed his stroking action but continued to milk my softening cock for every last drop he could get. I finally had to force his hands away as I simply couldn't take the continuing tingles he was coaxing from me any longer.</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, Pops, I bet horses don't shoot that much," he commented with a hearty laugh and I couldn't help but laugh along with him.</span></p> <p><span>"Well we better get rinsed off again so you can crawl into bed. T.J. and Andy are going to wonder what's taking so long."</span></p> <p><span>"No they won't," Mike retorted. "I told them all about what Dad and I did last night, and they know I was gonna do the same thing with you tonight. They can't wait to hear all about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Be that as it may, we still need to clean up -- again," I chuckled. I had Mike stand up in front of me and I sat up straighter so I could lick him clean. As I moved from his neck down his chest and on to his belly, he was constantly moaning in contentment, almost the way a cat happily purrs when you stroke it just right. When I reached his waist, I discovered some of the mess had dribbled onto Mike's still erect pinky-thin prick. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, I took his entire package into my mouth and gave him a tongue bath he'd not forget anytime soon. I didn't quit slurping and lapping on his cocklet and balls until he bucked a couple of times into my face and I felt his sweet morsel jerking madly on my tongue as he succumbed to a second round of sexual bliss.</span></p> <p><span>As his penis finally wilted and slipped from my mouth, I gently set him on the bench and grabbed the showerhead to wash the remaining evidence of our deeds from my own body and down the drain. Once I was satisfied we were both as clean as we could get, I turned off the shower and grabbed our towels. I dried Mike first, gently patting his wounded behind and the scab that covered a large area of his posterior. With him taken care of, I applied the other towel to myself. With both of us dried off and ready to move on, I picked up my son and carried him across the house to put him to bed.</span></p> <p><span>Passing through the living room, I found Max reading his book. He looked up with a large and knowing grin filling his mug. After a quick stop so Mike could say good night to his dad, I gave him a smile back before turning down the hallway. When we reached the bedroom Mike shared with T.J. and Andy, we discovered both were already asleep and snoring lightly. I carefully set Mike on the edge of the bed, where we shared our hug, kiss and `love you' before he wiggled into position in Andy's arms. After turning out the light and closing the door, I stopped in Joey, Alex and Logan's bedroom to say my good nights there and found all three of them wide awake and watching TV.</span></p> <p><span>"Aren't you guys supposed to be asleep already?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We were waitin' to say good night to you, Pops," Joey replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," Alex agreed. "Did you and Mikey have fun?"</span></p> <p><span>I blushed a little bit at them knowing what had just happened between the two of us but wasn't really that surprised. "Um, yeah, we did," I admitted.</span></p> <p><span>"Good for you, Pops," Logan commented with a grin. "Mikey's been champin' at the bit all day."</span></p> <p><span>"Really?" I queried with surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep," Logan nodded. "Now, when the hell do I get <i>my</i> turn?" he asked with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"Not tonight, buddy, that's for sure," I chuckled and all three joined me. I leaned in to take care of our nightly rituals and after saying good night to the trio, I turned off the TV and lights, closed the door and turned for the living room. As I settled into my chair next to Max, he was still grinning madly at me.</span></p> <p><span>While everyone was otherwise occupied, I decided to take advantage of the quiet time to place my call to Arlene before it got any later, so I set my book back down and dialed her number.</span></p> <p><span>"Hello?" she answered nervously.</span></p> <p><span>"Arlene, it's Max Sanders. How're you and the boys doing?"</span></p> <p><span>With an audible sigh of relief on hearing who was calling, she answered, "Oh, we're hangin' in there, I s'pose. Those stupid cops in town went and let Troy out of the pokey today."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you safe?" I asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"I think so," Arlene replied. "I had all the locks changed over the weekend so he can't get back in without breakin' a window or door. The boys and I are hunkered down and stayin' inside `til we can get the hell outta here. We don't think it'd be too awful smart to be out and about with that prick on the loose."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it. Look, the reason I'm calling is to let you know that I'm bringing Logan down Friday for court."</span></p> <p><span>"I figgered y'all'd be here, too. Daril, Arley `n' me'll be there hopin' they throw the book at that god-awful bastard I married."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you're ready to move, we'd be happy to have you come back with us. We've also arranged for a moving crew to be at your house Friday morning to load up anything you want to bring with you."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds great, Max. `Specially the movers. We're not plannin' to bring that much with us, but I have a piano that was my momma's and I ain't leavin' that here for Troy to destroy after we're gone. I hope they'll be able to handle the thing `cause it's massive."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure they'll take good care of it for you," I offered, thinking of all the muscle Vinnie was sure to have with him. "We'll see you at the courthouse, then. Oh, will you need a ride to get there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Naw, already got that arranged with a neighbor. He knows all `bout Troy from livin' next to us and he'll be armed so can't nothin' keep us from gettin' there."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like you've got everything set, then," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>" `Bout as much as I can."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you sure you're ready to start over in a strange town?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Been ready for a long time, Max, just never had any way to make it happen. Me and the boys can't thank you and Logan near `nough for all the help in finally makin' it real."</span></p> <p><span>"Just doin' what's right, Arlene. You three stay safe and we'll see you Friday."</span></p> <p><span>After ending the call, I settled back in with my book. Twenty minutes passed before Tom and Mike finally returned from their shower, both looking quite pleased with themselves. Tom stopped briefly so I could share a hug, kiss and `love you' with Mike before they continued on down the hallway. When the big guy rejoined me after making his rounds, he sank heavily into his chair next to me while I watched him with a cheesy grin.</span></p> <p><span>"What?" Tom asked once he'd gotten comfortable.</span></p> <p><span>"I have to assume you and Mike had at least a little bit of fun since you were in there so damn long."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, duh," he deadpanned. "How can you not have fun when showering with a horny kid?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, hon," I responded. "I'm just wondering if the little rugrat left anything for me?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, babe, I'm pretty tapped out," Tom giggled. "I'll do my best to see you go to sleep happy, though," he added.</span></p> <p><span>"I should hope so," I quipped as I stood, grabbed his hand and dragged him to our bedroom. Forty-five minutes and a quick run through the shower later, we curled up together and promptly fell into a very deep and happy sleep. </span></p> <p><span>When our alarms announced the start of a new day at seven-thirty, we rolled out of bed, visited the bathroom to take care of our early-morning needs and struck out across the house to get the boys moving in the right direction. Ron was already busy in the kitchen as we passed the kitchen and by the time the boys straggled in to join us, our breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, orange juice and milk was waiting for them. They each filled their plates and dug in as if they hadn't eaten for a week.</span></p> <p><span>"What time we leavin' this mornin'?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We need to leave here by ten," I replied. "By the time we get to the airport and I do my pre-flight inspection, it'll be close to eleven before we take off. An hour in the air and another hour for lunch before we go to Harry's should put us at his place about one to one-thirty." DING!</span></p> <p><span>"Yay, Uncle Dylan's here," Andy cheered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good timing, too. He almost missed breakfast," Alex giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"No, that shouldn't be Dylan," Tom commented. "He wasn't coming out today since we're going to be gone."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, crud monkeys," Logan hissed. "Guess we better get some shorts on dudes."</span></p> <p><span>"You guys, too," Joey added as he left his chair but looked over his shoulder at Ron, Tom and me.</span></p> <p><span>"We should be okay, guys, but why don't you get the door since you're already up, Joey?" I said.</span></p> <p><span>"With nothin' on?" he asked seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, go ahead," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Ya'll just remember you said I could," Joey retorted as he left the dining room. Thirty seconds later, a loud whoop of excitement rang through the house. While Tom and I knew the reason why, the others were completely in the dark.</span></p> <p><span>"Yee-hah, what's Josh and Eric doin' here?" Joey yelled from the foyer.</span></p> <p><span>"They're going with us today," I yelled back.</span></p> <p><span>"Is Brent comin', too?" Alex quickly asked with a hint of begging in his voice.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, Alex, Brent should be here shortly," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Sweet," he grinned like a maniac. Joey soon arrived with the two newcomers, who had somehow already lost their clothes. Assuming, of course, they'd had any on when they got here, that is.</span></p> <p><span>"Did you guys forget something this morning?" I asked with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, we left our clothes on the couch, Mr. Sanders," Eric replied with a cheeky grin.</span></p> <p><span>"But we figured we'd be here for a while `fore we had to leave, so why bother keepin' `em on since we knew you guys'd all be naked," Josh added.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, pull up a chair, you two," Tom offered. "Grab a plate if you want."</span></p> <p><span>"We're good, Mr. Wright," Eric replied. "We had breakfast with Dad before we left home."</span></p> <p><span>The three settled in at the table, Josh taking an empty chair next to Joey and Eric sitting next to Ron. The two shared a little smirk before Ron returned to his meal. The boys were busy chatting about our trip but still managed to pack away the food in a timely fashion. The drive sensor announced another arrival about ten minutes later and assuming it would be Brent coming to join the circus, Alex jumped off his chair and fairly ran to the front door.</span></p> <p><span>A minute later, we heard Alex say, "Hi, Mrs. Miller. Thanks for bringing Brent over so he can go with us today." Tom and I both jumped a little once we realized Monica had actually come to the door with her son.</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Alex," Monica replied. "Once your dad called to see if he could join you, there was no way Brent was going to stay home. Do you think I could talk to your dads for just a moment?" The two of us shared a quick nervous glance before accepting the fact we were stuck and decided our best course of action was to remain seated and at least partially hidden under the table.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, c'mon in. They're in the dining room right over there," Alex offered as he closed the front door. Eric squeaked out a quick `eep' at knowing Monica was going to join us and he slipped his hands under the table and into his lap. I'm not sure what he thought he'd accomplish by doing so, considering he was as well-hidden beneath the wooden tabletop as the rest of us were, but the mind plays some weird tricks on you when you least expect it.</span></p> <p><span>Soon enough, there was a little knock at the corner of the dining room and Monica asked, "Is it safe to come in?"</span></p> <p><span>"About as safe as it gets around here, Monica," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>She stepped around the corner and on seeing the table surrounded by nine naked bodies let go a little giggle before sinking into an empty chair. "I'm so glad I caught you all in your, uh, <i>natural</i> habitat," she laughed as Alex and a now naked Brent rejoined us. Neither appeared to have the slightest concern Brent's mom was there with us. In all honesty, only Eric, Ron, Tom and myself were even the slightest bit fazed by her presence.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Monica," I greeted our surprise guest as I started to rise to shake her hand.</span></p> <p><span>"No, don't bother getting up on my account, Max," she countered. I quickly resumed my seat with a silent sigh of relief as she continued. "I have a little favor to ask of you."</span></p> <p><span>"Go right ahead," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Ben and I have a company awards dinner party to attend this evening and these things have a nasty habit of running quite late. Would you mind if Brent stayed the night with you?"</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I shared a quick look and with both of us shrugging our shoulders, Tom answered, "We don't see a problem with that, Monica. Does Brent have everything he needs?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I figured once you guys get back home, he won't be needing clean clothes or much of anything else really, until I pick him up tomorrow, so he should be okay with what he wore over here. Especially since they won't be on him long enough to really get that dirty." She looked to her son for confirmation and he gave her a thumbs up. "See, problem solved," she added, and all the boys cracked up at that. "I'll be here to take him off your hands tomorrow morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey," T.J. interrupted, "if he's spending the night, why doesn't he just stay for my birthday party?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah!" Brent replied with enthusiasm.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I don't know about that, young man," Monica said. "I don't think that would be appropriate since your other guests will more likely be your own friends and not your brother's."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Brent might be Alex's boyfriend, but he's my friend, too," T.J. commented.</span></p> <p><span>"If it's all right with your dads, then, I guess he can stay."</span></p> <p><span>"Ple-e-e-ase, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Wright," Brent begged while aiming a very effective sad puppy dog face in our direction.</span></p> <p><span>"As long as T.J. is fine with you joining us, I don't have a problem with it," I agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Same here," Tom offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Sweet!" Brent replied before turning to T.J. and adding, "Thanks, dude."</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, Brent. We'll have fun, for sure. `Course, there's gonna be some girls here this time. Hope that won't bother you."</span></p> <p><span>"Ph-h-ht, won't bother me none, man. Won't raise the ol' flagpole, either," he quickly added with a snicker.</span></p> <p><span>"Brent, how could you even think such a thing?" Monica exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>" `Cause I'm gay, Mom, remember?" Brent laughed in response. "A naked chick ain't gonna do nothin' for me. Now, a naked Alex, that's a whole <i>other</i> story," he added with a lascivious grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Brent Christopher Miller, you keep that up and you're going back home with me right now," Monica flustered.</span></p> <p><span>Brent looked down to his lap, then back at is mom and came back with, "Nope, not up a bit, guess I get to stay, then." The boys at the table could no longer hold it in and they all broke out into an uproarious fit of laughter. "See ya sometime tomorrow afternoon, Mom," Brent added as he grabbed Alex's empty plate in one hand, Alex's hand in the other, and headed for the kitchen. Tom and I could hear them snickering to each other as they passed behind us.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I never," Monica muttered to herself as the other boys suddenly decided it was a good time to make themselves scarce as they joined their brother and his boyfriend in the kitchen. Well, all of them but Eric who seemed to still be a touch embarrassed at being nude with Monica sitting directly across the table from him. She turned to us and added, "I'm so sorry for Brent behaving like this, you two. He sure doesn't talk about such things at home."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I were still laughing internally, but I tried to put her mind at ease. "Don't worry about it, Monica. With nine guys living here, you can rest assured somebody's making some sort of joke about the male anatomy on a fairly regular basis."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yes, I suppose I can see where that would be a fairly common occurrence around here," she giggled lightly. "I'm just not used to it being so out in the open, I suppose."</span></p> <p><span>"Hang around much more and those boys will scare the pants right off of ya with some of the things that come out of their mouths," Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Pops, you really shouldn't be putting that kinda image in her head," Alex quipped as the herd exited the kitchen and turned for their bedrooms. </span></p> <p><span>"At least he didn't say nothin' about the <i>things</i> we put <i>in</i> our mouths," Joey laughed as the crew disappeared across the house.</span></p> <p><span>Monica flushed crimson with embarrassment at Joey's comment and bowed her head in abject defeat. Eric took immediate advantage of the temporary distraction and jumped at the opportunity to vanish with the rest of the boys, hands carefully maintaining his minimal cover all the way across the living room. He even had Josh grab his pile of clothes from the couch so his hands never left his crotch. I guess he wasn't overly concerned about his ass being on public display.</span></p> <p><span>"I think I'll go now," Monica offered timidly. "I hope you all have a safe trip and I'll retrieve my son tomorrow afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, we hope to, Monica," Tom replied. "We're sorry if the boys offended you."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't worry about it," she responded as she regained her normal coloring. "We all know that boys will be boys. I'm just gonna have to get used to it, I guess," she added with a touch of resignation in her voice.</span></p> <p><span>"Monica," I began, "it's just one of those things us guys seem to do. It's almost like it's a competition between us as to who can cause their parents the greatest degree of discomfort and embarrassment."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I have to say our boys sure got the best of us this morning, didn't they?" she asked with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"For now, sure, but don't you worry, we'll get even with them for you," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Wish I could be there to see it happen, guys, but I really need to get a move on or I'll be late for my mani/pedi. Again, thanks for inviting Brent to go with you and for letting him stay here tonight. Ben and I really appreciate it."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries. Hope you enjoy your dinner tonight," Tom offered.</span></p> <p><span>We started to get up to follow Monica to the front door, but she waved us back to our seats and commented, "No, please don't you two. I've already seen more than enough penises today." On that final note, Monica disappeared around the corner into the living room and the last we heard of her was the front door closing softly behind her as she left the house. </span></p> <p><span>I waited thirty seconds to give her a chance to reach her car before yelling, "Boys! Front and center!"</span></p> <p><span>When all nine had returned to the dining room and Ron had moved into the kitchen to begin his part of the cleanup, I asked, "You wanna tell me what the heck that was all about?"</span></p> <p><span>"What, Dad?" Joey asked, feigning complete innocence.</span></p> <p><span>"You know exactly what I'm talking about. `In our mouths'? Really?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Dad, I got carried away," Joey apologized as he hung his head low.</span></p> <p><span>"You sure did," I agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"But Brent started it all with his `flagpole'," Alex countered.</span></p> <p><span>"Doesn't matter who starts it, guys, you know better. At least I thought you did," I groused.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm really sorry, Dads," Joey offered with sincere feeling. "It just popped in my brain and I couldn't stop it from coming out my mouth. I'll apologize to his mom when she comes to pick him up."</span></p> <p><span>"We're gonna hold you to that promise, young man," Tom intoned seriously. "If you don't, it'll be ..."</span></p> <p><span>"Clothes for a week," Joey finished the thought. "Yeah, I know. And I'd deserve it." After a short hesitation, he quietly added, "I hate to ask after all that, but do you think Josh could spend the night, too? T.J. says it's cool with him. Eric, too, since they're pretty much family now."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I shared another quick glance and we both nodded in agreement at the same time. "Yeah, why not? I'm not sure where everyone will sleep tonight, but I guess we can figure that out later." A loud cheer of jubilation echoed through the house and the boys turned tail for their rooms again. "You all need to be ready to roll in about forty-five, fifty minutes!" I yelled to their rapidly retreating backsides.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be ready, Dads," T.J. yelled back.</span></p> <p><span>With Ron busy in the kitchen and the boys entertaining themselves in their rooms, Tom and I headed for the bedroom to pull out the clothes we planned to wear. </span></p> <p><span>Passing through the kitchen, I asked, "So, what're you gonna do today with nobody around to bug ya?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm gonna lounge around and do nothin, guys, just enjoy the peace and quiet for once," Ron answered with a very peaceful smile gracing his face.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't blame you a bit, buddy," Tom commented. "I think this'll be the first time you've had the house all to yourself since you moved in. We hope you enjoy it."</span></p> <p><span>"I fully intend to do just that."</span></p> <p><span>That settled, we moved on.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay guys," Alex started, "who's sleeping where tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, duh! I'm with you dude," Brent answered.</span></p> <p><span>"And I'm wherever Joey's sleeping," Josh added.</span></p> <p><span>Logan commented, "Well, if you four numbskulls are gonna be in the same bed, I'm gonna crash with T.J., Mike and Andy. Otherwise, I won't get no sleep at all."</span></p> <p><span>"What about you, Eric?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if it's okay with you guys, I'll join Logan and stay with you four. With three of ya bein' smaller, there should be plenty o' room for all five of us."</span></p> <p><span>"That's cool," Andy replied.</span></p> <p><span>"And if we decide we can't all fit without killin' each other, I'll move to the couch," Eric offered.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be fine," T.J. responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like we got a plan, dudes," Joey commented. "What're we gonna do `til it's time to leave?"</span></p> <p><span>"I know what I'd like to do," Josh answered as he leaned in and shared a sweet kiss with Joey.</span></p> <p><span>"Me too," Alex added after kissing Brent.</span></p> <p><span>"Then let's quit wastin' time," T.J. added.</span></p> <p><span>With our clothes laid out on the bed, Tom and I returned to the living room to read and relax for a bit. At ten minutes to ten, we dropped our books on the table and headed across the house to get dressed. Passing the hallway to the boys' rooms, I yelled down the hall it was time to get ready. I received a muffled response from the far end of the hallway before turning to follow Tom. We were ready to roll five minutes later and hoped the boys had heeded my warning. On our way back through the house, we found Ron lazily reclined in my chair, reading.</span></p> <p><span>"Enjoy the day," Tom offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you, too. Hope you have a smooth flight," Ron replied before diving back into his novel.</span></p> <p><span>Proceeding down the hallway, we noticed it seemed awfully quiet compared to normal and when we stepped into the garage, we weren't too surprised to find the boys filling the Flex and Shelby, buckled in place and ready for the trip to the airport. I punched the buttons by the door to open the big doors behind the cars.</span></p> <p><span>"I hope you don't mind, but can I drive <i>my</i> Shelby today?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I suppose so. You've been a good boy lately, I guess you've earned a little treat," Tom replied with sarcasm.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you so much," I retorted. "I promise to keep it under a hundred," I added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"You better. Let's leave the flying part of the trip to when we're in the airplane, please," Tom replied as he aimed for the Flex.</span></p> <p><span>I fell into the Mustang where Eric, Josh and Brent waited patiently, started the car and backed out of the garage. I waited until Tom was backed out on the driveway before punching the buttons to close the both doors, then shifted the machine into first gear and slipped the clutch to get us moving in the right direction. On reaching the airport twenty-five minutes later, we parked side by side and headed into the FBO. Having been here before, the crew headed directly for the door leading to the ramp while I met with Jeff at the counter. After reviewing and approving the flight plan they'd filed for me, it was time to get this circus into the air.</span></p> <p><span>I did my regular pre-flight inspection of the plane as the others climbed inside and made themselves at home. I let Mike know he was going to be my copilot this morning and he was over the moon with giddiness as he climbed the short ladder, anxious to take his spot in the cockpit. With Tom taking the seat by the door again and all the other boys but Mike secured in the same seats they occupied on our last flight, I finally settled in my own seat and strapped myself in place.</span></p> <p><span>I helped Mike don the headset and explained how to use it, including the admonition he couldn't talk to me when I was on the radio. With a quick nod of understanding from the youngster, we were ready to start engines. With both running and all indicators in the green, I eased off the brakes and began the long roll to the end of the runway where I gently brought the plane to a halt and wait for clearance from the tower.</span></p> <p><span>We had to sit still for a couple of minutes for another plane to land, but once he was on the taxiways and aimed for the small terminal building, it was time to roll. Releasing the brakes, I pushed the throttles to about fifty percent and guided our winged chariot to the centerline of the runway. One more quick glance at the instruments let me know we were ready to take to the skies. Pushing the throttles to ninety-five percent, our speed rapidly increased and I pulled the yoke towards my gut. The nose wheel was soon in the slipstream, anxiously waiting the main gear to join it in flight. After covering less than half the length of available runway, the main gear lifted off the ground and we were clawing our way up, up and away.</span></p> <p><span>After being released from our 5,000 foot initial altitude, I started the climb to today's cruise level of 37,000 feet. Soon enough, we were settled in and floating through the heavens. I pressed the button on the yoke that would let me use the intercom to let everyone know if they wanted a drink or snack, now was the time to get it.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for letting me ride up here with you, Dad," Mike said. "This is really cool."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm happy you're enjoying it. Are you going to get something to drink, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"If it's okay for me to have it up here, sure," he replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Do me a couple of favors when you go back then, please. Grab a Pepsi for me and check on Pops."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it," he agreed as he started releasing the straps holding him in place. Once free, he gingerly crawled out of his seat and scooted into the cabin. On his return a couple of minutes later, he handed both drinks to me so he could get situated in his seat and strap himself back into place. After slipping the headset back over his ears, I opened the small bottle of apple juice he'd selected for himself and handed it to him. He quickly took a big gulp, put the lid back on the bottle and set it in the cup holder.</span></p> <p><span>"So, how's Pops doin? Still hangin' in there?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he seems okay. Better than he was the last time, anyway," Mike giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, maybe he'll get over his fear of flying one of these days. And what about your brothers? Are they being good?" I added.</span></p> <p><span>"They still got their clothes on, if that's what you're askin'," Mike sniggered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, not really, but it's still good to hear they do have at least a little bit of self-control," I chuckled. After a short hesitation I asked, "So, how're you doin', buddy?"</span></p> <p><span>"What d'ya mean?" Mike asked with curiosity.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, first, I guess I'm a little worried about our shower the other night and I want to make sure you're okay with everything that happened."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that was lots of fun, wasn't it?" Mike giggled. "Last night with Pops was great, too. Why you worried `bout that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, after you told me about what your dad did, I'm just concerned about you and how you'd react or feel about us doing the same thing to you."</span></p> <p><span>"They ain't the same thing, Dad," he retorted adamantly. "What you and Pops and I did together in the shower only happened `cause I wanted it to, not `cause <i>you</i> wanted it. And we made each other feel really good `cause we love each other so much. When my old man did that crap to me, there wasn't no love, just anger and hate for me bein' like I am. I may be just a little kid but even I know the difference `tween love and hate. `Sides, neither one o' you guys stuck your dick up my butt, or even tried to. It'll happen someday but I know I ain't ready for that just yet."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay then. I just need to be sure. Do you think you still want to talk to Dr. Paul?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess. Not sure what to tell him, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Just tell him what you told me, Mike. About what your mom and dad did, the nightmares you've been having, and anything else you think is important. Well, maybe a slightly cleaner version," I added.</span></p> <p><span>"What? You think he don't know what fuckin' is?"</span></p> <p><span>I couldn't suppress the laugh that escaped from deep inside me but quickly regained my serious attitude and replied, "Well, no, I'm sure he knows all about that, but he may not be ready to hear it come from you."</span></p> <p><span>"Dad, he deals with screwed up kids, like, all the time. Ain't nothin' I can say gonna surprise him none."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess you're right about that. You tell your story any way you want, buddy. I'm sure Paul will understand."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, man, I can do this," the youngster assured me. "And I also know not to say nothin' `bout the things me and my brothers do to each other, or `bout you and Pops. I ain't a complete dope."</span></p> <p><span>"I never thought you were, kiddo," I responded as I reached across the console between us and ruffled his hair. "We love you, little guy."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know. I love all you guys, too," Mike replied quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we're getting close to starting our descent, so I need to get back to actually flying this thing instead of letting the computers do it all. You ready?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, Dad. Let's make it so."</span></p> <p><span>With the exception of a few bumps in the road as we floated over the small burg of Dwight, the flight was otherwise smooth and uneventful, the kind of trip every pilot dreams of. Following directions from the air traffic controllers at O'Hare, we were soon handed off to receive our final guidance from the personnel at Chicago Executive. Once on the ground, I followed their directions and we were soon parked on the tarmac at the FBO we used on our last trip. Mike helped me run my checklist by reading each item from the list and waiting for me to respond with `check' before continuing on down the list.</span></p> <p><span>With the plane secured, I flipped off the battery and we exited the cockpit. While Mike joined the other boys, I popped open the hatch and lowered the stairs to the ground. After a quick wave of my arm through the open door and a reminder to line up in front of the wing, the crew headed out into the bright sunshine. Once the last one started his descent to the ground, I stepped over to Tom who was still buckled in place and had his eyes closed.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, big guy, time to go," I suggested quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"You sure about that?" he asked nervously.</span></p> <p><span>"As sure as I can be," I replied. "Mike said you seemed to be doing better this time around. What happened?"</span></p> <p><span>"Those potholes you hit about fifteen minutes ago, that's what happened," he vented as his eyes snapped open. "I damn near shit a brick."</span></p> <p><span>"Ooh, I'm glad you didn't. These leather seats aren't cheap to replace."</span></p> <p><span>"It ain't funny, you clown. I thought we were all gonna die."</span></p> <p><span>"It was just a little turbulence, hon. We were never in any danger," I offered in an attempt to calm the still shaken Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"Easy for you to say, bucko. I felt like the floor was pulled out from under me."</span></p> <p><span>"It's solidly back under you now. C'mon on, let's go," I replied as I held out my hand to help him up.</span></p> <p><span>Once he released this seatbelt, I helped him up and we stepped outside to join the boys. While Tom rounded the crew up and then let Eric help guide him into the FBO since he was still a bit shaky, I turned and found Marty coming my way.</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin', Marty. How are you today?" I greeted.</span></p> <p><span>"Not too bad. Smooth flight?" he responded</span></p> <p><span>"Except for right around Dwight," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"So what can we do for you today, uh, Mr., um, sorry, I forgot your name."</span></p> <p><span>"Max Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's it!" he grinned. "I apologize, Mr. Sanders. I'm horrible with faces, and even worse with names. But I never forget a tail number. N3433ST, a Citation CJ4 that seats ten people, eleven in a crunch. You were through here just `bout a month ago, wasn't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, sounds about right," I agreed. "I think all we need is a parking space for a few hours this time around. We're headed back to Springfield later this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, sir. We'll keep a good watch on her for ya, make sure she doesn't blow away. See you when ya come back."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Marty." </span></p> <p><span>I turned, strolled across the tarmac and into the FBO. After checking in at the counter and leaving the key to the plane with the counter man, I collected the rest of my crew and we headed outside. As I had planned and expected, Tony was waiting for us, the stretched Expedition gleaming in the sun behind him. The reflection was so bright, it almost appeared as if mirrors had been smoothly molded over the metal body.</span></p> <p><span>"Morning, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Wright. How're you guys today?" Tony greeted us.</span></p> <p><span>"Still alive, barely," Tom grunted.</span></p> <p><span>"We're great, Tony, how about you?" I greeted in return as we shook hands. "And remember, it's Max and Tom," I added with a smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Couldn't be better," he replied happily while opening the back door of the monstrous vehicle. The boys wasted no time in clambering inside and staking their claims to a seat. "Where we headed today?" Tony asked as Tom joined the others and settled into the very back seat.</span></p> <p><span>"Hoffman Estates," I answered. I handed Tony the slip of paper I'd written Harry's address on and added, "We'd like to find somewhere simple for a quick lunch before we get there, though. Think you could find a place big enough for the whole group between here and there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Shouldn't be a problem, Max. Have a seat and I'll plug this address into the satnav, then get us moving in that direction. Any preference on the type of food you want?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, just something quick and easy."</span></p> <p><span>"So, McDonald's or something similar would be okay?" After a quick nod from me, Tony added, "Well, climb in and I'll get us rolling." Following his instructions, I hoisted myself into the gleaming machine, taking my place next to Tom on the back seat. We were on our way just a few minutes later and after quite a bit of weaving through stop and go traffic, Tony pulled the leviathan into a Wendy's.</span></p> <p><span>Having learned their lesson the hard way on our first trip, the boys were lined up and patiently waiting when Tony opened the door for them. Patience was tossed to the wind once they hit the ground again as they took off across the parking lot like a herd of wild mustangs on the open prairie. I grabbed Tom's hand with my right and laid my left on Tony's shoulder to guide us across the parking lot and to our lunch.</span></p> <p><span>On entering the building, we found the boys waiting quietly for us before joining the other rats in the maze that led to the young lady taking orders. As they told her what they wanted, they were very polite and as soon as each had placed their order, they moved on and found tables for us. Since Tom was the one last in line, he ended up paying for our meals. He still seemed to enjoy using his new debit card without having to worry about whether the transaction would be approved or not.</span></p> <p><span>After filling drink orders and joining the boys, our food was delivered to us and the eating machines inhaled their food in record time. Apparently, they were anxious to get moving again. Tom, Tony and I were trying to enjoy the visit a bit, but the glares aimed our way from the munchkins spurred us on and we were soon ready to go. Having already dealt with their own trash, Alex and Joey grabbed our trays as soon as they were empty and dumped the refuse in the bin on their way to the door. Taking the not so subtle hint, the adults soon joined the nine boys as they led the way across the parking lot.</span></p> <p><span>Once we'd retaken our places inside the limo, Tony wasted no time in getting us back on the road. A few short minutes later, we pulled into the parking lot of a large apartment complex that looked to be well maintained and clean. After some quick searching, Tony found enough empty spots in the parking lot that would accommodate the Expedition and promptly filled four out of six of them. He opened the door and let us back out into the sun, then commented, "I don't have a clue which place is the one you're looking for, but the office we passed over there should be able to tell you."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Tony. We'll be a couple of hours so if you have something else to take care of, that's fine. Just be back here about three so we can get back home with plenty of daylight."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max, but I am <i>not</i> running errands in <i>that</i> thing," he laughed in response while hooking a thumb over his shoulder. "I'll be fine waiting right here."</span></p> <p><span>"Your call, I guess," Tom chuckled. That settled, Tom struck off across the parking lot in the direction Tony had indicated, the rest of the crew playing follow the leader. On reaching the office, Tom went inside to get directions while the rest of us waited outside. With directions firmly in his mind, it was time for another round of follow the leader, the big guy in front and me bringing up the rear to make sure none of the herd strayed away. I was pretty sure that wasn't going to happen, as they were all excited to see Harry again and they kept up a constant chatter as we climbed the stairs to a third-floor end unit of the five-story building.</span></p> <p><span>Before Tom could knock on the door to announce our arrival, I felt the odd parental compulsion to remind the herd to be good during our visit. Nine heads swiveled in my direction and eighteen eyes rolled inside their skulls as the group showed me exactly what they thought of my attempt to exert my minimal authority. Only Joey felt the need to voice his displeasure at my air-wasting utterance when he retorted with a simple, "Well, duh!" Having been properly put into my place, Tom turned back to the door and began to knock. The door swung open before his second strike could occur.</span></p> <p><span>Maureen greeted us with a cheery, "Good afternoon, guys. Brought the whole group, I see. Get your tails in here," she added as she stepped back and held the door for us. We stepped into a basic cramped, but nicely decorated, dwelling and found Harry stretched out on the couch in the living room, Angela firmly ensconced in the chair right next to him.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, guys," Harry began, "it's good to see you again."</span></p> <p><span>"Good to see you, too," Joey replied as all the boys invaded the space and copped a squat on the floor around Harry and Angela.</span></p> <p><span>"How ya doin'?" Alex quickly added.</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty good," Harry answered. "Friday afternoon, I had to go for a new scan to see if I'm still on the mend and everything looked great. The blood vessel that was torn looks fine and the skull fracture is about half healed up. The doctors said I'm really a little bit ahead of schedule compared to what they originally thought."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good news, Harry. We're really glad your recovery is progressing so smoothly," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Are you keeping up with your schoolwork?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, thanks for that, too," he replied with a hint of sarcasm tinging his words. "That freakin' tutor comes every morning and drills junk into my brain for four straight hours."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't be like that," Angela scolded. "At least you'll be able to move on to tenth grade with the rest of us."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know. That's the only reason I'm puttin' up with her," Harry grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Does anyone want a drink?" Maureen offered.</span></p> <p><span>"We just had lunch, so I think we're okay for now," I replied. "But is there somewhere <i>we</i> could talk?" I asked while pointing a finger at her, then Tom and finally myself.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, sure," she answered. "As long as you don't mind sittin' in the kitchen."</span></p> <p><span>"That would be fine, Maureen," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>As she turned for the back of the apartment, I told the boys, "We're going to talk to Maureen for a while. Try to keep it to a dull roar in here, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't we always?" Logan drawled with a little giggle.</span></p> <p><span>It was my turn to roll my eyes and I made sure all of them saw it before I fell in place behind Tom, leaving a laughing crew behind. As we took seats at the kitchen table, I noticed Maureen sank heavily into her chair and she slumped over the table, resting her head in her hands.</span></p> <p><span>"So, tell us, how are you <i>really</i> doin'?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>Maureen lifted her head and with tears in her eyes, answered, "Comin' apart at the seams, Tom. This whole thing is just wearin' me down."</span></p> <p><span>"We're sorry to hear that," I offered. "Is there anything we can do to help?"</span></p> <p><span>"Haven't you already done enough?" Maureen asked in surprise at my offer. "You payin' for Harry's care has been the only thing that's allowed me to maintain my tenuous grip on what little sanity I've got left. Well, that and the fact Angela's basically moved in with us until the doctors release Harry and say he can go back to school. Having her here to help him through the day while I'm at work has been a godsend. If it weren't for her, I'd have completely lost it weeks ago."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad she's been able to do that. Isn't that impacting her schoolwork, though?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, since she's been working with Harry and the tutor, too. I honestly don't know how she keeps up with everything she's taken on."</span></p> <p><span>"She's younger and she obviously cares about Harry. A lot," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I s'pose so," she agreed. </span></p> <p><span>"How's your job treating you?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"They aren't a bit happy with me, but I don't give a rat's ass `bout them right now. When I asked to take off this afternoon to be here when you were, they threatened to fire me. Well, after all the crap they've dumped on me since Harry got hurt, I told `em to `bite me' and stormed out. At this moment, I'm not sure I still have a job. But all I want is my Harry back healthy and happy again. If I can get that, then I'll be fine."</span></p> <p><span>I looked to Tom and raised an eyebrow in silent question. He nodded in agreement and I whispered, "It was your idea, you should be the one to ask."</span></p> <p><span>"What idea?" Maureen queried.</span></p> <p><span>"So what's gonna happen to your dad?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not sure, Alex," Harry answered. "At the moment, he's still in jail. He's been to court where he lied his ass off and swore he never hit me or my mom, but Angie and the ambulance guys were there and they told the judge what really happened. `Course, it didn't hurt that the aquarium gave mom's lawyer a copy of their surveillance video from that day, either. Once the judge saw that, the old man's goose was cooked."</span></p> <p><span>"You weren't there, were you? In court, I mean," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, Mom hasn't let me go out since I got home," Harry answered. "But Angie told me all about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Is your mom gonna leave your dad?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"That's the plan, I guess, `specially with him bein' where he is. I hope like hell she follows through."</span></p> <p><span>"You think she won't?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Who knows? I know it's been hard on her dealin' with me. She's been workin' her ass off, tryin' to make sure we don't get kicked outta this dump into someplace even worse since the loser ain't givin' us any money. She's probably tempted to take him back just so we don't have to move."</span></p> <p><span>"I bet our dads would be happy to help you guys out," Logan commented.</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be nice, but I ain't gonna hold my breath, dude. We'll figure it out and if it turns out we have to move, that's what we'll do."</span></p> <p><span>"But where would you guys go?" Angela asked with concern. "There aren't many places around here that are this cheap for rent."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, girlfriend," Harry admitted. "But we'll find somethin'." Harry then turned his attention back to the boys and asked, "So, tell us what it's like havin' two <i>dads</i>. And just how many of you are gay?" The gaggle on the floor laughed heartily as six raised their hands to full extension and one raised his halfway. "Why only halfway Eric?" Harry queried. "You not sure yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, but I'm pretty sure I'm bi."</span></p> <p><span>The conversation took off from there as the boys filled Harry and Angela in on who they are in their hearts.</span></p> <p><span>"You two are serious?" Maureen asked in surprise at the offer Tom had just made. After a quick nod from both of us, she continued. "I can't believe this. First, you pay for Harry's hospital bill and now this?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's just something for you and Harry to think about," I volunteered. "The job wouldn't actually start until sometime this fall, but if you think you might be interested, now's the time to start makin' plans."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd love the opportunity, but I'm pretty sure Harry won't want to move and leave Angela behind."</span></p> <p><span>"That's not an insurmountable obstacle," I offered. "We'd be more than willing to help Angela and her family make the move as well. I don't think we'd have a job available for her parents, but we could certainly help them find something in the area. We also happen to know of a decent house in New Berlin that's going to be coming up for sale soon. I'm sure it would be adequate for either you and Harry or Angie and her family. With a little legwork, we can probably find another one close by, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you can be sure we'll talk about it. As much as I'd love this new challenge and no matter how good I think it might be for us, if Harry says no, then I'll have to pass."</span></p> <p><span>"We understand that, Maureen," Tom replied. "Just give it some serious thought."</span></p> <p><span>"You can be sure we'll do just that"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I think we've taken up enough of your time," I commented. "We should get out of your way and let you get back to your normal day."</span></p> <p><span>"Nonsense, you two," Maureen objected. "It was really nice of you to bring the boys up to visit. Harry's been pretty down and quiet since he got to come home, but he's been talking nonstop about your crew and I know your coming today has been the highlight of the last couple of weeks for him. For all of us, really."</span></p> <p><span>"We're glad we could do it. We're just sorry our boys provoked Hank the way they did."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you worry about it. Angie's told me over and over that it was just a matter of time before something like this happened. Him blaming your boys as the cause is just him shirking his responsibilities for his actions, just like he's done for years. And if it wasn't them, it'd been some other ignorant thing he'd blame for settin' him off."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for that, Maureen. While we know it wasn't really the boys' fault for what happened, we still feel at least <i>some</i> responsibility to take care of Harry and you." I turned to Tom and asked, "Shall we round up the herd and move `em out?"</span></p> <p><span>"Let's make it so," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>As we stood to take our leave and turned for the living room, Maureen followed along behind us. As Tom hit the living room first since he was playing the leader again, he said, "Come on, guys. Say goodbye and get ready to go."</span></p> <p><span>"Already, Dads," T.J. grumped. "We barely got here."</span></p> <p><span>"We've been here two and half hours, boys. And I want to get in the air soon so we can be back on the ground before dark."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, you have your own plane?" Maureen asked with surprise. "I just assumed you drove up today."</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, it's waiting for us at Executive."</span></p> <p><span>"Then I guess my concern about you bein' able to afford to pay me what you offered is a moot point, isn't it?" she giggled lightly.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, no worries on that," I agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"What're you talkin' `bout, Mom?" Harry quizzed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dads, what the heck <i>is</i> she talkin' about?" Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll have that conversation when we get back home," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"And you, Angela and I will talk about it over supper, son," Maureen volunteered. "Now, c'mon and say your goodbyes so they can get moving."</span></p> <p><span>That was all it took as the boys jumped up off the floor and formed a line to share a hug and say goodbye to Harry and Angela. As each finished with those two, they shared the same with Maureen before heading out into the hallway to wait for all of us to be together before actually taking off. After Tom and I had taken care of our social graces, Maureen followed us into the hall. </span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, again, for coming up today," Maureen said. "I'll let you know what we decide as soon as I can."</span></p> <p><span>"No need to hurry with that, Maureen," Tom offered. "There's plenty of time."</span></p> <p><span>On that final note, Tom and I finally began the trek down the hallway to the stairs where Eric was trailing the rest of the crew. As we stepped back out into the sunny day, we discovered the boys had patiently waited for us to join them before they high-tailed it across the parking lot to our ride where Tony was already holding the door open. The munchkins wasted no time in climbing inside and taking their seats. </span></p> <p><span>As Tom and I drew closer, Tony asked, "Back to the airport, I assume?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, thanks, Tony." I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll have you there in a jiffy." </span></p> <p><span>With the two of us comfortably settled into the back seat again, Tony closed the door and got us moving in the right direction. Sooner than I thought possible while dealing with Chicago traffic, he was pulling up to the FBO's entrance where the loading process was reversed and the herd scrambled back out of their seats and through the door. They charged towards the entrance with Tom following closely behind them while I thanked Tony for his excellent service and slipped him a hundred-dollar tip for the few hours he spent with us today. Before we separated, I promised to let him know the next time we'd be in town so he'd be prepared to take care of us again. After joining the rest of the crew inside, checking our flight plan and retrieving the plane's key at the service counter, we exited the other side of the building and headed for our transport.</span></p> <p><span>"Who gets to fly up front on the way home, Dad?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I guess we'll let Andy take a turn," I answered which put a big smile on the tyke's face and frowns on most of the others.</span></p> <p><span>"Why him," Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well I figured Joey and Alex would want to sit with Josh and Brent, and T.J., Eric and Mike have had a turn up front, already. That leaves you and Andy who haven't had a chance yet. Since I figured you'd want to take your turn up front Friday, now would be a good time for Andy to get his."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, guess that makes sense," Logan agreed happily having turned his frown upside-down.</span></p> <p><span>As my crew climbed aboard and took their seats, T.J. joined me on my pre-flight again and I was surprised to see how much of the process he remembered from the last time we'd done this. As we rounded the nose and he scampered off to join the others inside, Marty strolled over to say goodbye.</span></p> <p><span>"Leavin' us so soon, Mr. Sanders?" he asked with a cheesy grin at having remembered my name.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, we have a birthday party tomorrow and need to be well rested for that."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't blame ya there. I know you didn't ask for it when you landed, but we went ahead and topped off the tanks for ya and charged it to the same card you used last time. Hope that's okay."</span></p> <p><span>"Not a problem. Guess we'll see you next time," I offered as we shook hands.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet," he agreed heartily. "I'll hang close so I can pull the chocks once you have the engines fired up. Y'all have a smooth flight back home."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Marty." On that note, I climbed in, raised the steps, closed the door and joined this afternoon's copilot in the cockpit. "You ready, kiddo?" I asked as I checked his straps to make sure he was secured in his seat.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, Dad, let's go hop some clouds," he answered happily.</span></p> <p><span>Without any further delay, I took my seat and lit off the first engine. A minute later the second was also running and less than ten minutes after that, we were in the air and on our way to Springfield. With a nice tailwind to help push us home this time, we landed at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport only fifty minutes later. We left the plane outside my hangar and in the capable hands of the ground crew as we headed for the FBO's office. </span></p> <p><span>The rest of the herd continued through the building to mount up for the ride home while I stopped to make arrangements with Jeff to have the plane prepped and ready for a ten o'clock Friday morning flight. With his assurances the plane would be ready to roll when we got here, I joined the rest of the family, settled into my favorite seat in the world behind the wheel of the Shelby, and led the parade back home. Once back at the house, the boys wasted no time heading inside to dispense with their clothing while Tom and I did the same. When Tom and I returned to the living room, I spied Ron enjoying a quiet swim. </span></p> <p><span>We'd all just settled into the living room when Alex said, "Okay, spit it out, Dad. What did you, Pops and Harry's mom talk about?"</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-86.html

Building a Family Chapter 86 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 86 � Happy Birthday, T.J. "So much for tryin' to keep it under our hats," Tom muttered with resignation. "You should know better than that happening around here," I agreed. "I'm actually kinda surprised they're asking about our conversation instead of just divining the answer straight from our minds." Turning to face the boys, I answered Alex's query with, "You guys know about the charitable foundation I want to set up to help gay kids find good foster and forever homes, right?" With nods from all, I continued. "Well, I'm not sure how much time I'll have to devote to that since we'll be quite busy with raising six of you and helping who knows how many other kids, so we offered the job of running the whole thing to Maureen." "Really?" Joey asked with surprise. "Could she do that living in Chicago?" T.J. queried. "Yes, Joey, really," Tom replied before adding, "And we offered to help her and Harry move down here so Max and Maureen could work together closely as they get things set up and running smoothly." "That'd be cool," Andy offered. "But what about Harry's girlfriend," Mike asked. "Well, we also suggested we'd be happy to help them with a change of address as well," I answered. "Wow!" Logan exclaimed. "First Aunt Arlene and Things One and Two, and now Harry, his mom, his girlfriend and her family. How much land you got `round here, Dad? You hidin' some acreage you ain't told us `bout?" he added with a snicker. "No," I laughed. "But we know Rick, Eric and Josh's house will be coming up for sale pretty soon and I'm sure we'll be able to find another one nearby for Angie and her family." I'd noticed Alex and Joey had been whispering between themselves and my curiosity couldn't be held in check any longer. "And just what sort of evil plans are you two hatching over there?" I asked the devious duo. "Uh, nothin', Dad," Alex replied innocently. "Don't you start lyin' to us now," Tom admonished the pair. "Well, if ya really wanna know" Joey began, "we're just wonderin' what with Harry bein' as cute as he is, what he looked like naked." The rest of the crew let go of a little snicker at their interest in the young man. "Um, you do understand he's got a girlfriend, right?" Tom commented. "Well yeah, Pops, we ain't blind," Alex offered. "That doesn't mean we can't look, does it?" Joey added with a devilish smirk. "No, I suppose not," I chuckled. "Just keep in mind, if Maureen accepts our offer and they do end up moving down here, you will not pressure anybody to do something they don't want to do." "Yeah, we know, Dads," the two chimed. The door to the great outdoors and the pool opened as Ron came back inside and said, "Oh hey, didn't know you guys were back already." "No problems, buddy," Tom replied. "Did you enjoy your quiet day?" "Ya know, I thought I would, but it's actually been too quiet and kinda lonely. Guess I've gotten use to the three-ring circus that's usually goin' on `round here," Ron answered with a chuckle. "Did ya have a good trip? And how's that Harry kid I keep hearin' about?" "The trip was fine and Harry's doin' well," I replied. "Glad to hear it. So, what d'y'all want for supper?" "Somethin' easy's fine with us." "Pizza and breadsticks from Capone's okay with everyone?" Ron inquired. With cheers from the nine lads, he added, "Guess I better get it ordered, then. I'll even run over to pick it up since I don't have to fix it," he offered as he turned for the kitchen to make the phone call and place the order. After he was gone, I said, "We didn't have much of a chance to talk to Harry today, guys. How'd your visit with him and Angela go?" The crew spent the next twenty minutes filling us in on how the two were getting along. The best news they shared was the fact that Harry was getting and feeling better day by day. And while Maureen was being overly protective of her son's health, her intense attitude was driving Harry crazy. The only saving grace as far as Harry was concerned was Angela being there to help him and take some of the load off of Maureen who was still trying to keep her current employer happy. It was a thin line she was walking, but thanks to Angela, Maureen was managing. The one thing that got them all laughing was Maureen's insistence that Harry would not be allowed to take a shower by himself since she was afraid of him slipping and falling, possibly causing even more damage than Hank has already done. And since Harry wasn't even going to consider his mom helping him, that task fell to Angela. Though he was still somewhat embarrassed at not being allowed to shower alone, he didn't seem at all bothered with Angela joining him. The biggest problem they had all faced for that particular idea was the resistance they'd received from Angela's dad. He was fine with the idea of Angela basically moving in with Harry and his mom for a couple of months to help Maureen deal with things while Harry recuperated. However, he was not at all pleased with the idea of the two teens showering together. At first, Harry and Angela had promised to wear their swimsuits while cleaning up and when that didn't appear to sway Mr. Magee's thinking, Harry asked his mom and Angela to leave the room so he could talk to Angela's dad alone. With Alex and Joey taking turns to play the two parts, Joey using a deeper voice for Don's part, the conversation between the two guys went something like this: Harry � I really want to thank you for letting Angie stay with us and help me. Don � Don't worry about it, Harry, her mom and I are glad she's willing to do it. Harry � So, what's the big deal about her helping me get my shower? Don � I just don't think it's right for two young people to shower together. Harry � But we promised to wear our swimsuits, so it's not like we'd be naked in the shower, or even see each other naked. Don � Doesn't matter, young man. It's not gonna happen. Harry � Well, I got a big problem, then, Mr. Magee. Mom refuses to let me shower by myself. And if Angie can't help, that means Mom's gonna insist on doing it. Don � Sorry, young man, that's my decision. Harry � Can I ask you somethin'? Don � Shoot. Harry � If you were me right now, would you want your mom helping you in the shower. Even if you were both wearing swimsuits? Don � Hell no! Ain't no way that'd ever happen. Harry � What about your dad? Would you let him help? Don � He'd be the more likely of the two I'd want, that's for damn sure, but I still think I'd feel weird about him joining me in a shower on a daily basis. Harry � So, you see my problem. No way am I gonna let mom help, and since Dad's in jail right now for being an abusive jackass, he's out of the picture, too. And since you don't want Angie to help me out, I guess I got only one other option, then. Don � What's that? Harry � How `bout you come over every night about nine so you can make sure I don't slip, fall and kill myself. Don � I like you, Harry, a lot, but I'm not climbin' in a shower with you for the next couple o' months. Harry � Then please let Angie do it, sir. I promise nothin'll happen `tween us, we won't ever see each other naked and I'll wash my privates myself. Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye. Don � You're serious, aren't you. You sure nothin's gonna happen? Harry � Swear to God, man. Angie and I love each other a whole lot, but we both know we're not ready for anything more than a kiss here and there. Don � I don't know, kid. Still sounds like a father's worst nightmare come true. Harry � Maybe with some other dude, but not with me, sir. Don � Okay, okay, you've convinced me. But know this, young man, if anything should happen between the two of you and I find out about it later, I will haunt you for the rest of our days on this rock we call home. Harry � Thank you, Mr. Magee. I really appreciate the trust you're giving me and I won't betray it. Don � You better not or there'll be hell to pay. "And that's how Harry talked Angie's dad into her helpin' him get cleaned up," Alex said as the two wrapped up their tale. " `Course, they both promptly forgot all about their swimsuits," Joey laughed with all of us joining in the hilarity. "And even though Harry's mom knows what happenin', they ain't sayin' a word to Angie's dad. She's just glad that Harry can get cleaned up and she doesn't have to worry about him," T.J. added with a giggle. "Well, their secret's safe with us," Tom said with a sly grin. "Did Harry really tell you guys about that?" I asked. "Well, not out loud," Alex hedged while looking to the floor. "So how do you know that's what passed between them?" Tom inquired. "Harry and Angie were kinda droppin' hints and skirtin' `round the whole thing," Joey began. "But we dug a little deeper and pulled the real story out of him," Alex concluded. "Guys, you two know you shouldn't be doing that," I scolded the pair. "Especially with people who don't know about your mental abilities." "Sorry, Dads, but we've never tried shuttin' it down before," Alex apologized. "Yeah, we're not as smart T.J.," Joey complained. "Sure you are," Tom disagreed. "You just need to try. Since you two seem to have brought T.J.'s gift to the surface, maybe he can teach you how to exert some control over what you can do." The two shared a meaningful glance and finally chorused, "Yeah, all right. We'll try." "That's all we ask for boys, that you at least give it a try. If it doesn't work for you like it does for T.J., then you've lost nothing but a little bit of time." We heard the door to the garage slam shut and Ron called out, "Time to set the table, munchkins!" The crew jumped from their seats and had reached the kitchen before Ron even made it to the living room. "Looks like they're a bit hungry," Ron chuckled as he passed us by. "Uh, what was your first clue?" I asked sarcastically. "The cloud of dust they kicked up in their wake," he replied before stepping into the dining room and setting the food on the table. After turning around and waving his hands maniacally to disperse the imaginary dust cloud, he inched his way back towards us and added, "You guys really oughta think about hirin' somebody to come in and clean this dump every once in a while," Ron laughed. "Actually thought we'd already done that," Tom retorted smartly. "Maybe we should revisit that decision, babe," he added with a smirk while looking to me. "Oh, most definitely," I immediately agreed. "This first clown we hired for the job just doesn't seem to be holding up his end of our agreement," I joked. "Oh yeah?" Ron asked half seriously. "Good luck findin' somebody else who'd put up with the insanity `round this place for more than a day or two," he added with a hearty guffaw, knowing full well how right he was. "Your job's safe, buddy," I commented as Tom and I finally joined the rest of the crew at the table. The seating arrangement tonight was a bit interesting but not altogether unexpected. I was in my regular seat at one end of the table and Tom was to my left as usual. Next was Andy, then Joey and Josh. Eric had taken the seat between his brother and Ron, who was at the far end of the table. Running back down the other side, there was T.J., Logan, Brent, Alex and finally, Mike on my right. Despite the feeling I'd always had that this table was way bigger than I would ever need, at this particular moment, it was absolutely perfect and I silently thanked my lucky stars for having it. And despite the number of kids crowded around the space, it was much quieter than one would normally expect for a group this size. Of course, the fact we were all stuffing our faces with mass quantities of pizza and breadsticks may have had some impact on the expected noise level. As the boys reached their fill, they began their after-meal cleanup with Josh, Eric and Brent joining in the task. All three boys had truly become part of the family, whether they lived with us or not. Once their own messes were taken care of, they disappeared into the theater and left the rest of the cleanup to Tom, Ron and me. "So, have you given any serious thought to the sleeping arrangements tonight?" Tom asked. "I haven't, but I can guarantee you the boys have it all figured out," I replied. "Yeah, you're probably right," Tom agreed. "If they're gonna be crowded, and it seems like they will be since there's nine of them and only two beds, if one or two wanted to bunk with me for the night, I'd be willing to share," Ron offered with a cheeky grin. "Yeah, we just bet you would," Tom chuckled. "I promise I'd be good," he offered with sincerity. "It's not you we'd be worried about, Ron," I chuckled. "Well, except for you actually surviving the night." All three of us enjoyed a good laugh on that comment. After recovering our more serious sides, Ron lamented, "Well, I better get the rest of these dishes taken care of before I get fired. Will one of you take care of the empty boxes?" "I'll get `em," Tom offered. "Why don't you go cue up the next Star Trek disc, babe, and we'll join you guys for another mini-marathon in a few minutes?" "Sounds like a nice relaxing plan to me guys," I agreed, aiming myself for the theater as the two got up to take of their tasks. The herd was watching Animal Planet when I walked in, but with wholehearted agreement from the assemblage, I located the disc I needed, slipped it into the player and settled in my seat. While we waited for the other two to join us, I asked, "So, have you guys figured out who's sleeping where tonight?" "Yeah, we had that settled before we left this morning," Alex volunteered. "And everyone's in agreement with their berthing assignments?" I prodded. "Sure, Dad," Joey replied. "Why wouldn't we be?" "No reason, I guess, just making sure." "The only one who might have a problem is Eric," Logan commented. "Why's that?" I asked. "Well, he said he'd sleep with us and Logan so the other four could have the room to themselves," T.J. replied with a knowing grin. "But if I think we're gonna be too crowded, I'll move to the couch," Eric added. I was sorely tempted to offer space in our bed to any interested party, but I bit my tongue and choked back the words before the thought could find its voice. "As long as you guys have it solved to your satisfaction and are happy with the arrangements you've made, we'll stay out of it then." Tom and Ron finally joined us, and we were able to start tonight's shows. As had become our regular routine, after the first two episodes, we took a bathroom break and returned to the theater for the third show of the night. But not until after arranging snacks and drinks for everyone. With the exception of a few hushed giggles between Brent and Alex, along with Joey and Josh sharing similar snickers between themselves, the crew maintained their normal quiet and attentive demeanor throughout the evening. On ending the third episode for the night, the boys knew what was coming next and with no prompting from us, they headed across the house to hop in their showers. All except for Mike who was waiting patiently in the kitchen. "What's up, kiddo," I asked as Tom, Ron and I ambled in to drop our own things in the dishwasher. "Well, I thought I should maybe get help with gettin' cleaned up again tonight," he replied with a crooked smirk. "Is this gonna become a regular habit?" Tom asked. "Nah, I'll probably go back to showerin' with T.J. and Andy tomorrow night, but I've had so much fun with you guys the last two, I thought I'd try for one more go `round." "Well, who's gonna be your assistant tonight, me or Pops? Or you want both of us?" I asked. "Naw, you guys already had your turns. I thought Ron might want to help me this time," he answered. The tone of voice Mike used was quite innocent, but the big smile on his face sure wasn't. "Really?" Ron asked with surprise. "You sure `bout that, dudelet?" "Yeah, I'm sure or I wouldn't've asked, ya goofball," Mike giggled. The little guy reached out his right hand, snagged Ron's left in a firm grip and as he dragged the confused young man through the house, added, "C'mon, dude, we ain't got all night." Ron turned his head and shot us a look of surprise over his shoulder that fairly screamed `help me', but Tom and I simply grinned back at the duo and we both gave him a thumbs up and a nod as he was led away to an unknown fate. "Have fun, guys," I volunteered. "Don't do anything we wouldn't do," Tom added with a chortle. As we strolled across the living room to settle into our chairs and read before checking in on the boys, I asked, "You think he'll survive it?" "We came through relatively unscathed, I'm pretty sure Ron can handle it," Tom replied with a snicker. When the two of us realized the inadvertent pun Tom had created with his word choice, we both cracked up. Once our conniptions of hilarity were back under control, we picked up our books and dove in. "C'mon, dude, hurry the heck up," I complained to Ron as he was still resisting my lead. "I ain't too sure `bout this, buddy," Ron replied with worry. "Oh, don't be such a big chicken," I retorted. "It ain't like I'm gonna jump your bones. Or even your boner," I added with a giggle. "But I don't have a boner," he complained. "Not yet, but you pro'lly will `fore it's all over," I snickered as we finally reached his room and I pulled him into the bathroom. "Go ahead and turn on the shower, dude. I gotta take a piss," I said as I stepped up to the toilet. "You don't just pee in the shower?" he asked. "Yuck, that's gross, man," I hissed. "No it's not, Mike. Think about it, dudelet, you've got warm water runnin' everything right down the drain. Besides, all guys do it." "Well, I don't," I replied as the waterworks started. "You must have better control than I do, then. Once the water hits me, I can't help it." "Then get your butt in there and take care of it. I don't want you pissin' all over me," I retorted as I turned to face Ron and scrunched my face in disgust. "Yo!" Ron yelled from inside the shower where he was adjusting the water temperature. "Watch where you're aimin' that thing, keep it pointed at the bowl." "Sorry, man, my bad," I yelled back as I looked back down and made a minor adjustment so the stream exiting my body was splashing lightly into the bowl below me. When I was finally drained, I flushed the toilet and grabbed a towel from beside the sink to wipe up the little mess I'd made on the floor. That done, I dropped the towel in the hamper, then turned towards the shower and asked, "You done bein' nasty in there?" "Yeah, it's safe, kiddo. Get in here and let's get you ready for bed." I joined Ron in the shower and closed the glass door behind me before climbing up on the bench built into the wall away from where the water came through the wall. Ron grabbed the showerhead on the hose and stepped closer before turning the spray on me. "Don't forget ya gotta keep my butt dry," I reminded him quickly. "I got this, Mike, don't worry" he replied. He started soaking me by aiming the water straight into my face and running it down the front of my body, right over my tiny two-inch wiener that was already stiff with anticipation. After setting the showerhead on the bench and making sure it was pointed away from us, Ron grabbed the bottle of body wash and squirted a line of the stuff from my shoulders to my toes. He set the bottle on the bench next to the sprayer and started working the soap into my shoulders with his bare hands. As he moved lower and lower over my chest and belly, I was practically vibrating with expectation when his soft, slick hands reached my waist. I got really bummed out when he moved down to my feet and started working his way back up. But, since Dad and Pops has done the same thing the last two nights, I was still anxiously waiting for his hands to reach my hard wiener to see what surprise he might have in store for me. When he finally reached my crotch, he sure had a surprise for me, just not the one I was silently begging for. He took two quick swipes over my aching dick and snug ball-sack before standing up straight and grabbing the hose from the bench. He quickly rinsed me off and when he reached my feet with the sprayer, looked up at me and said, "Done on the front, buddy. Turn around." With a tight pout on my face, I did as he instructed and the sprayer was immediately aimed at my back, spraying from right to left across my shoulders to try to keep water off my aching butt. As he moved down my back, he shifted the showerhead to the center of my ass, then back to the right as he continued down my legs. After setting the sprayer down on the bench again, he poured more body wash into his hands, then started working at my shoulders and quickly moved downward. When he reached my behind, one hand slipped in my crack and I felt his fingertips brush my hole as he kept moving southward. That was it as he didn't stop moving on down to my legs, finally reaching my feet. Grabbing the showerhead again, he rinsed my back from top to bottom, shifting the spray to the left again as went over my ass. As he put the hose back in its holder by the regular showerhead, I turned around and pushed my hips forward, straining to get Ron to give me some of the special attention I was craving. He turned off the water, opened the shower door and grabbed a towel. Stepping back to me, he started drying me off. He ran the towel over my front side barley lingering over my hard as steel boner before turning me around and drying my backside, taking special care to only pat the big scab on my ass. Done with me, he made quick work of drying himself and draped the towel over the glass door. I was not a happy camper. "All done, buddy. Scoot on outta here and crawl in bed, okay?" Ron said. "That's it!?" I asked indignantly. "But I still got a boner, man. You gotta fix that." "No, I don't," Ron retorted. "You let your brothers take care of it for you." "But I thought ...," I started before he interrupted. "You thought wrong, Mike. Sorry." "But why won't you do it?" "Because, while I thought I might have been ready for that, I realize I still need to think about it. Again, I'm really sorry this didn't go the way you thought it would. Give me a little more time to wrap my head around the idea of playing with you little guys like that and we'll see what happens." He wrapped me in real squeezy hug and kissed the top of my head before whispering, "I love all you guys and I don't ever want you to think I don't, Mike. Just be patient with me, okay?" "Yeah, okay, Ron. Sorry if was too pushy," I offered lamely, still disappointed I didn't get rise out him. "We're all good, buddy. Now, let's get a move on," he added as he picked me up off the bench and set me down on the rug outside the shower. As the two of us went our separate ways in the hallway, Ron offered a lame, "Sleep tight, Mike, don't let the bedbugs bite." "Whatever," I grumped as I headed for my room, stiff and lonely little pecker pointing the way, and he strolled off towards the living room. Ron joined us in the living room and flopped heavily onto the loveseat, a look of total exasperation filling his face. "What's up, Ron?" Tom asked. "I think I just pissed off Mike," he answered with a frown. "What'd you do?" I asked with a slightly accusing tone. "Not a damn thing, man," Ron protested. "Even though he made it pretty obvious he was waiting for me to do something, I just got him cleaned up and sent him on his way." "Yep, that probably upset him," Tom snickered. "Why didn't you have a little fun? We thought you'd come to terms with the problem." "Well yeah, I did, too. I guess I'm just second-guessing myself. For some reason I can't quite explain, when it was time to wash his privates, I just couldn't shake the idea that what I was thinking about doing was wrong. So, like the idiot I am I just gave him a quick swipe and moved on." "Well, if you'd just brushed aside my hard dick, I'd probably be pissed at you, too," I chuckled. "Oh, don't get me wrong, guys. I've thought about it a lot the past few days, had convinced myself that if the little buggers wanted it, I'd be more than happy to oblige their whims. But when I had the opportunity to actually do it, had Mike's hard little pecker right where I thought I wanted it, I just couldn't make my hand wrap itself around the spike that was vibrating under my palm." "You'll get over your hesitation in due time," I offered. "I give `im a week before he caves, hon. What say you?" I asked as I turned to face Tom. "He won't last anywhere near that long," Tom retorted. "Four, five days tops, before he lets the rugrats have their way with him," he added with a laugh. "Four days, huh? I'll take that bet," I giggled. "Okay, you guys are just bein' mean, now. I think I'll go to bed," Ron vented with frustration. "See you in the mornin', buddy," I offered. "Sweet dreams." "Get some good sleep, Ron, we've got a busy day tomorrow," Tom added as Ron levered himself into an upright position and turned for his bedroom. "Yeah, yeah, whatever," he grumbled as he disappeared down the hallway. When we heard his door close, I turned to Tom again and asked, "You really think he's gonna get a bit of sleep tonight? You do know what's gonna be happenin' in the two rooms he's between, right?" "Sure, I do," Tom answered. "I'd be surprised if the four in the first bedroom aren't already having howling monkey sex. And I'm sure the other five will be going after it with wild abandon now that Mike's joined the party in that room." "Be surprised if they weren't," I laughed in agreement. "Think we should say our good nights before they all get too carried away?" "We can sure try, but I bet we're way too late," Tom chuckled. After marking our places and leaving our books on the table, we headed off to make our nightly bed checks. When we reached Joey and Alex's room, we hesitated for just a moment. The noises we heard escaping from inside the room were nothing less than unbridled passion and we could practically smell the raw sex oozing through the closed door. I was just about to knock when Tom reached over and grabbed my hand. "What?" I asked as I turned to face him. "Um, maybe we should just skip tonight," he offered quietly. "But we always say good night and make sure everybody's tucked in," I retorted. "Yeah, I know, but would you want them interrupting us in the middle of an intimate moment?" "Well, they've done it to us before," I countered. "I don't see why we can't return the favor." "And we've done it to them, too, babe. Just not with their boyfriends. I think they'd much rather keep what's happening right now between the four of them, don't you? C'mon, let's go to bed and leave them be." "Yeah, I guess you're right," I finally agreed, though with hesitation. As Tom pulled my hand into his and we made the turn to the other end of the house, I realized we'd both developed erections as we contemplated the shenanigans the foursome were up to behind that closed door. Whatever it was, it couldn't be that much different from our own sexual explorations that kept the two of us entertained and intertwined for the next hour or so. Physically exhausted but sufficiently sated, we stumbled into the shower to clean up and then fell back into bed where we both fell into a deep and dreamless sleep. I lay there for about fifteen minutes after Logan, T.J., Mike and Andy had all fallen asleep before I realized I wasn't ready to join them in the dreamworld just yet. I carefully slipped out of bed so I wouldn't wake any of them and padded silently to the bathroom to take a quick leak before venturing out into the silent hallway. As I headed for the kitchen, I noticed light peeking out from the bottom of one of the other doors and knew someone else was still awake. My mind raced as I drew closer and closer to the wooden slab and I surprised myself when I actually stopped and rapped lightly on it. I heard what sounded like some quick shuffling taking place inside before a simple but nervous, "Yeah?" slipped under the door with the light. "Ps-s-s-st, Ron, it's Eric. Can I come in?" I asked. "I guess," he replied with a bit of an edge to his voice. I pushed the door open, stepped inside and quietly closed the door behind me. "Sorry to bug ya, man, but I can't sleep, either," I offered in the way of an apology as I crossed the room to sit on the edge of Ron's bed. "Hope I didn't interrupt nothin' important," I quietly added as I looked down to the floor and away from the sheet covering his raised legs. "No big deal, Eric. What's up, can't sleep in a strange place?" "Well, not really. I mean, it's never been a problem for me before. Guess it's just too early." "I'm with ya, dude. `Sides, that shower with little Mikey has me really thinkin' about some things." "Really? Like what?" I pried. "Like whether or not it's right to think about doin' certain things with `em," Ron answered morosely. "Dude, we already talked `bout this, `member?" I retorted with a chuckle. "Yeah, I know, Eric, but it somehow seems different to think about doing those things with you than it does with them," he replied with a tight grin. "Why would it be any different?" I asked seriously. "I'm not that much older than they are, ya know. I'm still jailbait to an old fart like you," I added with a laugh. "Maybe, but at least you got some development goin' on down there that puts you closer to a bein' a man than a little kid. For some stupid reason, I feel like doin' anything with the others would be like molesting a baby." "But they aren't babies, Ron. Sure, they're younger, but they know who they like and what they want. Like I told you before, if they're okay with it and ask you to have some fun, there's no reason in the world you shouldn't take `em up on the offer. `Specially if Max and Tom have said it's okay with them." "Well, they did, ya know. And I thought I was cool with it, but I guess I'm not." "You'll get there `ventually, dude. Bein' `round those six hot and horny little fuckers, they'll wear you down at some point," I giggled. "You're pretty hot, too, kiddo," Ron muttered quietly. "Thanks, man," I blushed. "Hey, would you be willing to do me a big favor?" I asked. "Depends on what it is?" he answered with some serious hesitation. "Well, I can't ask dad for help since he obviously doesn't do it, and askin' Josh would be a complete waste of time since he's not old enough yet. I thought about askin' Max, but with him bein' so old, I thought he might feel a little weird about guidin' me, even though he did give me a hands-on tutorial on how to spank the monkey. That brings me to askin' you for some assistance." "Okay, I'm intrigued, but you still haven't told me what you want," he replied with caution. "Would you teach me how to shave?" I asked while looking directly into his eyes so he'd know I was serious. "What, you wanna get rid of that wispy little caterpillar on your upper lip?" "Well, yeah, that too, I guess." "Wait, what d'ya mean by `too'?" Ron asked with surprise. "I was really askin' `bout shavin' these wispies," I replied as I spread my legs and ran my fingertips through my slightly furry pubic patch. "My pits, too," I added as I raised my hands over my head to expose the meager growth under my arms. Ron's eyes flew wide open in disbelief. Or maybe it was terror, I'm not quite sure how to properly gauge his response. "Oh, c'mon, you obviously know how to do it. Help a young pup out, will ya?" "I don't know, man," he hesitated. "Won't the other guys at school think you're a freak when you take your showers after P.E.?" "Yeah, right, like anybody takes a shower at school any longer," I scoffed. "Too many prudish parents stopped that a long time ago, afraid their kid might get raped in the locker room or some other stupid shit. I really wanna do it but I'm afraid I'll screw up and cut my dick off." Ron suffered through a little giggle fit before replying with, "Well, that's always a possibility if you're usin' a straight razor, I guess, but not much of a risk with a regular razor. Yeah, c'mon, Eric, let's do this," he finally gave in as he threw the sheet off his lower body and exposed his stiff cock to me. "Oh shit, I really did interrupt somethin', didn't I?" I asked nervously. "No biggie, dude. Besides, maybe you'd be willin' to help me finish off what I started," he offered as he grabbed my hand and started pulling me towards his bathroom. "I'm up for it if you are," I giggled anxiously. "Yeah, I can see that," Ron retorted with a giggle of his own. "Oh, this is gonna be some serious fun," he added as he stepped into his shower and turned on the water. When Tom and I woke up Wednesday morning, I was surprised we didn't have an audience staring us down already. With it being T.J.'s birthday, I'd have almost bet there'd be at least one kid anxiously champing at the bit to get the day started. I was happy we were all alone, though, as that meant Alex and Joey could now return the birthday morning wakeup call the other monsters had given them. After a quick stop in the bathroom, we left the bedroom to get the munchkins moving. Passing by the kitchen, we found Ron was already awake and working on our morning meal. "Mornin', Ron," Tom greeted as we stepped in and helped ourselves to a cup of coffee before moving on. "Mornin', guys," Ron replied. "Sleep well?" "Like rocks, man. How `bout you? And are you ready for the busy day ahead?" I asked. "Yes, and as much as I can be," Ron replied. "Glad at least one of is," Tum grumbled sourly. "We're about to wake the boys, how soon for breakfast?" " `Bout ten or fifteen minutes. Plenty of time for them to wake up and hit the bathroom," Ron answered before adding, "Oh, and give Eric a bit before you try to roust him out of bed." "Oh, why's that?" I asked with curiosity. "Well, he, um, and, uh, I had, er, a bit of a late night," Ron sputtered with a crooked smirk. "So, he ended up in your bed for the night?" Tom quizzed the embarrassed young man. "Yeah, he did. Hope that's not a problem with you two," Ron retorted defensively. "Not a bit, buddy," I answered calmly. "Like we told you before, Eric writes his own rules, even in this house. I guess my only question is this; did you two have fun?" "More than should be allowed," Ron answered quite happily. "That's the way it should be," Tom agreed while giving Ron a solid pat on his shoulder. "C'mon, babe, let's go roust the rest of the crew," he added as he turned for the other end of the house. I followed along and we were soon standing outside Alex and Joey's bedroom. "Should we knock or just go on in?" he asked. "I usually never knock in the morning, but given the circumstances, they'd probably like a little advanced warning before we just barge in." That said, Tom gave the door a solid rap before turning the knob and pushing open the door. The quadruple pretzel that greeted us this morning was nothing short of complete eroticism. Arms, legs and torsos were entangled across the bed and the covers were kicked to the floor as usual. And while all four munchkins were still sound asleep, we could make a pretty good guess as to the type of dreams they were currently enjoying. In the midst of the tangle mass of flesh covering the mattress, four prepubescent penises were standing proud and reaching for the ceiling, their owners completely unaware of the compromising positions they were in. While I'd seen Brent up close and very personal on Alex and Joey's birthday, this was the first time I'd really had a chance to pay attention to young Josh in this state. The youngster was just a bit smaller than his older brother at about four and a half inches long, cut, of course, and, on closer inspection, not a hair to be found. Pretty decent size for an eleven-year-old kid, but Brent was no slouch in that department as his four inches would surely put any other nine-year-old boy to shame. Well, except for maybe Alex and Joey who were super proud their three-inch peckers were the biggest of the kids who actually lived here and they already knew that size doesn't matter. "So, how do we want to handle this," I asked quietly while gazing longingly at the display before us. "I think `handle' is the perfect word to use to describe how I'd like to wake them up," Tom grinned evilly. I looked at my honey, raised an eyebrow in question and after a quick nod, I shrugged my shoulders and whispered, "I'm in. How about you take Brent and Alex on the other side of the bed and I'll wake Josh and Joey?" "Deal, babe," Tom happily agreed as he moved around the foot of the bed and gently sat on the edge of the mattress. As we each wrapped our hands around the trembling tumescent tools, eight eyes snapped wide open so fast you could almost feel the breeze they'd stirred to life. All four moaned with intense delight at being woken in this manner. As if to reinforce the fact the dreams they'd been enjoying were suddenly real, the quartet was soon quivering as one as they succumbed to their feelings and were quickly enveloped in the throes of ecstasy. As soon as the boys returned to earth, there was a mad scramble for the bathroom so they could drain their bladders. While Tom and I waited patiently for their return, I felt obliged to use my tongue to clean up the miniscule deposit of clear fluid that had escaped Josh's underdeveloped testes and landed on the web between my thumb and forefinger. If the rest of him tasted as sweet as that treat, it would be a meal I'd truly enjoy devouring. With their bathroom needs dealt with, they soon rejoined us and all four gave us a quick a hug and thank you for their wakeup call. "You get T.J. up, yet?" Alex asked. "Nope, we thought you guys would like that honor this morning," I replied. "After what they did to us on our birthday, you bet your sweet ass we do," Joey agreed. "What was that," Brent asked. "Dad turned `em loose on us first thing in the mornin'," Alex replied. "Yeah, I still don't know how we survived the attack," Joey added with a giggle. "Well, time for you to get even," Tom commented as he led the way out the door and down the hallway to where four unsuspecting rugrats still slept. As soon as Tom opened the door, the four wild ones charged into the room, jumped on the bed and started dancing around as if their lives depended on how much mayhem they could cause. By the time Logan, Andy and Mike had joined the feverish dance party, poor T.J. didn't stand a chance. Tom and I are still amazed the melee ended without requiring a trip to the emergency room to set a broken bone or two. Tom finally called an end to the festivities when he called out, "Okay, you monsters, time to break it up and go help Ron get ready for breakfast!" Joey, Josh, Brent and Alex left the room at a run, laughing all the way, while Logan, Mike and Andy hit the bathroom before making themselves scarce as well, giggling madly at T.J.'s misfortunes. "Are those whack-jobs finally gone?" T.J. whimpered from under the blankets where he'd curled into a ball for protection. "Yes, it's safe to come out, T.J.,' I replied. "Good," he retorted as he threw off the covers and jumped off the bed. "I gotta piss, and like, right now. Get the heck outta my way, you goofballs." As Tom and I separated, T.J. squeezed between us and darted for the open doorway. As the sound of trickling water reached our ears, we also heard an audible sigh of relief from the young man as he emptied his bladder. After flushing the toilet and washing his face and hands, T.J. rejoined us and greeted us with a bright smile and cheerful, "Mornin', Dads!" "Good morning to you, too buddy," I replied as I gave him a hug and kissed the top of his head. "And happy birthday, too," I added before handing him off to Tom. "Happy birthday, T.J. I love you, little man," Tom offered during his hug with our now eight-year-old son. "I love you guys, too," T.J. replied as he climbed on the bed and sat between us. "But let me tell you right now, you better hide on your birthdays if you know what's good for you," he added with a sweet giggle. Tom and I joined him as we remembered how Alex had threatened retaliation for his and Joey's rude awakening, as well. "Oh, we'll be ready for it," I commented. "Good," T.J. retorted. "I don't want to sound greedy, but I hope I get the same special birthday present you guys gave to Joey and Alex." "I don't know what you're talkin' about, T.J.," I responded innocently. "Like heck you don't!" he countered. "I picked up what was goin' on `tween the four of you the moment it started. And I want the same `gift' for my big day," T.J. demanded. "We'll see what we can do, T.J.," Tom agreed. "Hey, and maybe Logan can join us, too, so he can finally get a turn with you guys. You know he wants to do it at least once," T.J. volunteered. "We'll think about it, buddy," I replied noncommittally, unsure as to whether Logan was really interested in such a thing happening despite bringing it up a few times. That would be a discussion to be had later. "Well, you ready to get your day started?" I asked as I stood up. "You bet!" T.J. agreed enthusiastically as he and Tom joined me on the floor. "Let's go!" he added as he charged out of the room, enthusiasm and excitement leaking from every pore. As we followed behind, Tom asked, "You sure about Logan joining the three of us later?" "Only if he truly wants to," I replied. "I know he's brought it up a couple of times before, but I always assumed he was probably joking about it since I'm pretty sure he's straight as an arrow. All we can do is ask and see what he says." "Sounds fair to me," Tom concurred. "I'd hate to shut him out of the fun if he's serious." "Me too," I agreed as we reached the dining room to find all the food on the table and the rest of the crew diving into their meals. Tom and I joined the crowd and soon had our plates filled with waffles, eggs, sausage and bacon. Tons of praise were being heaped on Ron for the delicious food from all of us and he blushed lightly at the compliments. It took me longer than it should have, but I finally realized we were short one person. "Um, where's Eric," I asked. The boys all laughed out loud at my question. "I tried, guys," Ron answered, "but he just wasn't ready to get up." The snorts of laughter that quickly filled the room on that statement drowned out any possible response. "He does know he's missing breakfast, doesn't he?" Tom inquired when things had calmed back down. "I've got some saved back for him and it's in the oven to keep warm," Ron answered. "I'm sure you'll take good care of our guest," I offered. "I think he already did that last night," Josh snorted loudly. While the herd cracked up on that comment, Ron aimed his face at his plate and turned pink with embarrassment. "Boys, that's enough," Tom admonished the group and they suddenly became very quiet. "Would you like to talk about what was going on in your room last night Alex?" he asked pointedly. "Um, not really," Alex answered as he joined Ron in turning pink. "How about you Joey?" "Nope, ain't goin' there, Dads," Joey replied as he ducked the question, too. "Then leave Ron alone," Tom reiterated. "If you're going to pry into anybody else's private activities, you can be sure the others will stick their noses into yours." "Any one of y'all can stick your nose in my business. I wouldn't mind it a bit," Brent snickered, drawing another loud gale of laughter from all of us, even Ron. A very tired looking Eric suddenly appeared, still wiping the sleep from his eyes and he greeted us with, "Geez, think you guys could make any more noise?" before slumping into the empty chair next to Ron. Ron quickly disappeared into the kitchen to retrieve the plate he'd saved for young man. Just as the Eric's waist slipped out of sight below the top of the table, I noticed the physical change from before he went to bed last night and caught Tom's attention. After he turned to face me, I mouthed, `he's shaved'. At first Tom didn't seem to register my meaning, but enlightenment slowly dawned on him and he shot me a knowing grin. Ron returned soon enough with Eric's breakfast and set the plate in front him so he could dig in. I thought nobody else caught the lack of Eric's body hair until Josh quickly and rudely disabused of me that notion. "Yo, bro, where the fuck's your hair?" Josh asked with a smirk. "On top of my head, you obnoxious little dweeb," Eric retorted angrily. "Hey, you can't say that!" Alex yelled as he pointed to Josh. "What?" Josh asked. "The f-word, dude," Joey chimed. "I warned you `bout that, man." "Oh yeah, sorry, guys. I forgot," Josh apologized. He then turned to us and offered a sincere, "I'm really sorry, Mr. Wright, Mr. Sanders." "We'll let it slide this time, young man," Tom replied, "but try to get a tighter rein on your words, please," he added in all seriousness. "I will, promise," Josh agreed. He then turned back to Eric and continued his interrogation. "That's not the hair I'm talkin' `bout and you know it, ya jerk." "Oh, that," Eric grinned. "Yeah, that!" Josh retorted. "What're you goin' on about?" T.J. asked in confusion. "I don't see nothin' any different." Eric grinned widely, silently thanking T.J. for his meager assistance. "I dare ya to stand up, bro," Josh challenged Eric who's smile faded just as quickly as it had developed. Resigned to his fate, Eric slowly stood up, raised his hands high above his head and performed a little pirouette to show off his new appearance. Appreciative whistles and a few catcalls from the herd echoed around the room before he took his seat again and returned to his breakfast. After stuffing another bite of waffle into his mouth, Eric mumbled, "Happy, butthead?" "Yeah, I think it looks cool, bro. I'm just surprised you'd do it." "Why?" Eric asked. "Well, you were pretty proud of those hairs around your di..., uh, penis and in your pits even if you didn't show them off too much the past few months until after our first time comin' over here. I can't wait `til mine starts growin'," Josh added with a little smile. "Yeah, well, I just thought I'd try it and see if I like bein' hairless again. I like the way it looks on Max and Ron, but I ain't too sure `bout how it looks on me." "I think you look hot," T.J. grinned. "I mean, you were already smokin', but you're on fire now, dude." Eric blushed mightily on T.J.'s compliments, but nobody contradicted the munchkin, either. "He's right, Eric," Ron admitted. "And I was happy to be the one to help you." "Did you shave everywhere, dude?" Andy asked. "Yep," Eric replied proudly. "The only hair left on me right now is on the top o' my head." "Are you gonna keep doin' it?" Mike asked. "Haven't decided yet," Eric admitted. "Guess it depends on if I can find someone who'll help me with a few hard to reach places." "Like where?" Logan asked. "Well, my back and butt, of course. I can get everywhere else just fine, but my arms just don't bend the way they need to reach those two spots. My eyes don't either," he added with a quick laugh. "I'll help ya, bro," Josh immediately offered. "I will, too," Ron grinned. "Especially when it comes to your cute butt," Ron added while licking his lips. "Guys, I think it's time for us to get busy and prepare for the party that's coming up really quickly," I interjected into the conversation. "How about you get started with your part of the meal cleanup and we'll move on from there?" "Sure thing, Dad," Joey agreed. "C'mon guys, let's hop to it." On that note, the herd jumped up from their chairs and started carrying plates into the kitchen. All of them except for T.J., of course. Following the precedent that had been set on the twins' birthday, T.J. was exempt from any and all chores for the day. When Mike came back into the dining room to grab T.J.'s plate, Ron called him over to have a little chat. When Mike rounded the corner of the table with a frown on his face, Ron picked him up and set him on his leg before draping one arm around his shoulders and resting the other on Mike's thigh, his fingers tracing little circles on the pale skin. "Uh, listen, dudelet, about our shower last night," Ron began. "Yeah, what about it?" Mike retorted testily. "I wanna say I'm sorry it didn't go quite the way you hoped it would." Mike's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree on that and his demeanor made a drastic U-turn before Ron continued. "If you'll give me another chance, I'd like to make it up to you." "When?" Mike asked anxiously. "Anytime you want, buddy." "Like, right now?" After Ron stopped laughing at the youngster's eagerness, he answered, "No, not right now, ya horny little rugrat. We've got a party to get ready for, remember?" "Then tonight, okay?" Mike prodded eagerly. "Yeah, we can probably arrange that," Ron agreed. "Thanks, dude. You better not let me down again," Mike threatened seriously. "Wouldn't dream of it," Ron agreed. "Now, get back to work," he added as he set Mike back on the floor and gave the uninjured side of his butt a light swat. Mike scampered off after grabbing T.J.'s plate and T.J. followed along to sit at the bar and watch the others do all the work. When it was down to just the three of us still at the table, Tom quietly asked, "What brought about this sudden change in attitude?" "Eric, man. It's all his fault," Ron whispered. "How so?" I asked with interest, though I was fairly sure I already knew the answer. "Well, after showing him how to shave last night and providing a fair amount of hands-on assistance, neither one of us was really ready for sleep and what can I say? One thing led to another which led to even more. Suffice it to say that you two were on the money when you said that kid's got a sweet ass. In more ways than one," he added with a lascivious smile. "Fuckin' insatiable, too," he added while still whispering. "Thanks, Ron," Eric giggled as he led the parade out of the kitchen. "I had lots of fun, too, man." I leaned over to Tom and whispered, "Sounds like we both lost that bet." Tom tried but failed miserably at reining in his snort of laughter. "What's next, Dads?" T.J. prompted. "Why don't you guys attack your bedrooms really quick and get that out of the way?" I suggested. "Eric, Brent, Josh, would you mind grabbing all the towels from around the house and taking them to the laundry room. We'll get them going as soon as you have `em there. Oh, and bring clean ones back out and drop them on the furniture as you pass back through. Thanks." "We got our assignments, dudes!" Joey called out. "Time to get busy." Our six headed for their rooms to give them a quick once-over while the other three turned for the theater to start retrieving towels. Ron aimed himself for the kitchen to finish the work that needed to be done there and to make sure it was ready for Justine and her crew. As for Tom and me, we headed for the living room to take care of the minimal cleanup needed to make the space presentable. Just as we were about to finish tidying up the area, the drive sensor announced someone pulling into the drive. Assuming it was just Dylan arriving to deal with some work before the party, we thought nothing of it and continued what we were doing. It wasn't until the doorbell rang a couple of minutes later that we came to understand whoever was here wasn't someone we were expecting. We both shared a nervous glance and as we were about to turn for the door, all the boys rejoined us. "Is that Uncle Dylan," T.J. asked excitedly. "I don't think so guys," Tom answered. "He doesn't usually ring the bell, does he?" "Oh, right. So who is it?" Alex asked. "Can't be any of T.J.'s friends," Joey volunteered. "Yeah, way too early for any o' them to be showin' up," Logan agreed. "You guys duck down the hallway and we'll find out," I said. "If we yell `shorts', hit your rooms and get covered up." The herd backed up a few feet and while they craned their necks around the corner to keep an eye on things, I headed for the front door, staying as far away as possible from the glass on the left side. Just before reaching the door, I caught a glimpse of Ron peeking out of the kitchen to see if he'd have to run for cover as well. I nervously inched my head towards the window and when I could see the porch, I discovered a group of five or six people I didn't know waiting to be allowed inside. I was just about call out for everyone to get dressed when a familiar face suddenly appeared on the other side of the invisible barrier between us, big grin on his face and eyes filled with mirth at the potentially awkward situation he'd created by showing up unannounced. Though I was somewhat surprised we'd forgotten he was coming today, I breathed a huge sigh of relief on knowing our guest and stood up straight to open the door. "It's okay, everyone, it's LeVar and his group," I called out. Loud cheers of excitement rang through the house and threatened to shatter the glass of all the windows. I could feel the wave of relief that washed over everyone as Tom and the boys joined me at the door. When I finally opened it and welcomed our guests inside with a wave of my hand, LeVar and two of his group stepped over the threshold as if it wasn't all that unusual to be greeted by eleven people who weren't dressed. LeVar turned back to the two who were still standing outside, hesitant to join their compatriots and gawking at the spectacle before them, and commented, "C'mon, people. I told you what to expect before we left L.A. and gave you the chance to back out of coming with me. You all said you wouldn't have a problem with the lack of dress code around here, so hop to it." He then turned back to us and greeted us like we are all family. "Max, Tom, good to see you guys again. You, too, boys," he added with a warm smile as he faced the munchkins surrounding him. Levar introduced his co-workers, Rex, Greg, Stuart and Michelle, to us and all the adults shared quick handshakes with each other while the boys would settle for nothing less than their regular hugs, even with the four new individuals. And despite some initial hesitation from two of those four, they still accepted the hugs from all nine of the boys. When LeVar reached the end of the line and it was Logan's turn, he knelt to his knees and pulled the young man into an affectionate and caring squeeze. When they finally separated a minute later, LeVar looked into Logan' eyes and quietly asked, "How're you doing, Logan? I've been really worried about you and how you're handling yourself." "I guess I'm doin' al'right most days, Mr. Burton. Still miss my daddy bunches, but least I get to stay here with my new dads and brothers," Logan replied with a mixture of sadness and glee. "I'm happy to hear that, young man. I thought maybe you'd end up having to move away from your friends to live with somebody else." "Well, I was s'posed to go live with that lowlife dirtbag uncle of mine, but I done fixed that god-awful nonsense real quick-like. `Course, now I gots to go to court on Friday `cause a what I did to that loser, but my new Dads and lawyer keep sayin' it'll all turn out just fine." "I'm sure they're right, buddy," LeVar replied as he looked to Tom and me with a questioning look. I mouthed `later' to LeVar and after a quick nod, he returned his attention to Logan and continued. "You just let them take care of you and I'm sure you'll be fine." "I am," Logan agreed. On that note, LeVar stood back up and asked, "Okay, we've met everyone but Ron. Where's he hidin'?" "In the kitchen last time I saw him," I answered. "Boys, get back to your tasks, please. We still have to get ready for a party, remember?" As the herd disappeared down the hallway to return to their rooms, I added, "C'mon, LeVar, let's see if we can locate the elusive Ron," turning towards the kitchen with the rest of the adults falling in line behind me. On entering the area, we found Ron still cleaning a couple of dishes at the sink. I have to say we were surprised to find he was wearing an apron and Tom and I couldn't control our burst of laughter when he finally turned to face us. LeVar and the others joined us in our mirth. "Nice, uh, accessorizing, Ron," Tom finally managed to spit out when he'd regained control of his senses. "Laugh it up, fuzzball," Ron retorted. "Who's that?" he asked pointedly while aiming an accusatory finger to the group of strangers behind us. "Ron, this is LeVar Burton and some of his people, Stuart, Michelle, Rex and Greg," I answered. "And what're they doin' here? You didn't say anything to me `bout `other people' bein' here today besides T.J.'s friends." "I was sure you were included when we found out LeVar was coming this week, but if I didn't, I'm sorry. As to why they're here, LeVar is the man who's going to turn my books into movies. He's also planning to create a new TV series about my life." "Oh, yeah, I do remember somethin' `bout somebody comin' for that. Guess I didn't realize it was today." Ron reached a hand over the counter and added, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Burton. Sorry for the lousy greeting." "You're fine, Ron," LeVar replied as the two shook hands. "And it's LeVar, okay?" "If you say so, man. How long you gonna be around?" "Probably through Saturday or Sunday to get everything we want," LeVar answered. "Well, if you or your people need anything while you're here, just let me know," Ron offered. "I think the first thing I need," LeVar began, "is a room where I can shed my clothes." "Wait, you're serious about that?" Stuart complained. "Of course, I am, Stuart," LeVar retorted. LeVar held out his hand holding the key fob for their car and added, "If you don't think you can deal with it, here's the thingie to the car. Take it and go back to the hotel. Just know that if you leave now, when you get back to L.A., you'll be looking for a new job." "Oh, c'mon, boss," he whined. "You can't be real." "You should know by now I don't joke about things that serious," LeVar replied calmly. "Besides, if we're going to be successful in pulling off this show about Max, his family and his life, you're gonna have to get used to bein' `round a whole bunch of naked people. Whether it's me or others. This seems like the perfect opportunity for you to get over your hang-ups about the nude human form. Good practice for when you'll have to deal with it on a daily basis for ten to fourteen hours a day. Your call." "Fine," Stuart responded testily, crossing his arms across his chest in anger. "Do whatever the hell you want. It's your damn company." "And don't you ever forget that," LeVar retorted seriously with a touch of anger. "How about it, guys?" he asked as he turned back to Tom and me. "Well, our room's right down the hall and through the double doors on the right," Tom answered while pointing the way. "Excellent," LeVar smiled. As he turned down the hall, he asked, "Anyone else gonna join me in the most liberating experience you'll ever have in your entire life?" "I'll give it a whirl, LeVar," Rex agreed as he followed his boss. The other three just milled about uncomfortably, none looking too happy about the situation they'd found themselves in. In an attempt to help ease their minds, I offered, "Look, we know that family or social nudism isn't for everyone. And though we're nudists, we'll be willing to cover up if you're that uncomfortable with it. But, if you think you can accept us as we are, then we'll accept you as you are. We never force anybody to take off their clothes if they don't want to." "Um, thanks, Max," Michelle muttered unconvincingly. "While we knew you and your family would most likely not be wearing anything while we were here, I think we were a bit surprised you'd actually answer the door that way." "Well, we were all ready to pull on shorts if we needed to, but once I saw who was here, we figured what the hell? I mean, LeVar's been here before and he certainly knew what to expect from us, and we could only assume he'd have properly prepared all of you for what you'd find. Again, if you'd like us to get dressed, we'll do so." "Doesn't make much sense for y'all to do that if the boss is gonna be naked," Greg offered lamely. "Who knows," Tom started, "by the time you folks head back to California, you might get just as comfortable being nude as we are." "Yeah, fat freakin' chance of that," Stuart scoffed. Realizing we were fighting a losing battle with these three, we decided to shut up and leave well enough alone. LeVar and Rex reappeared soon enough, LeVar calm, confident and relaxed, and Rex trying to appear the same though his true feelings were given away by the light pink flush tinting his body. Stuart made no attempt to hide his look of disgust on seeing his boss and co-worker without their clothes. As for Greg and Michelle, they seemed to accept things as they were, though still a touch embarrassed at the situation. "Why don't we sit in the living room and chat for a bit while the boys take care of their work?" I offered. "Sounds good, Max," LeVar agreed and he was the first to turn that direction. Tom and I ended up in our regular chairs, LeVar and Rex settled in on the loveseat and the other three filled the couch. After everyone was comfortable, LeVar asked "So, what party are we crashing by being here today?" "Today is T.J.'s birthday and we're having a party with some of his friends from school," Tom answered. "Oh, man, I wish I'd known that," LeVar responded, adding, "I would have brought him something." "Don't worry about it. He'll get more than enough gifts from our families at his second party with them this Saturday," I commented. "Oh, good, so I still have a chance," LeVar retorted with a smile. "Well," Stuart interrupted, "I hope to God you all get dressed before any more kids get here." "We'll expect any adults will be wearing shorts at a minimum, for sure, but the boys and girls T.J. invited won't be unless they want to," I replied. "Girls?" Stuart squeaked in horror. "You're going to have girls over here? And they're gonna be around all those naked boys? That's disgusting." "Well, not really," LeVar countered. "You only think that way because of your narrow and closed mind, Stuart. Why don't you give it a chance and see for yourself?" "Besides," Tom began, "we informed all the parents of the kids T.J. invited what to expect and I don't think anyone else had a problem with it. Why should you?" he asked pointedly. Stuart quickly clammed up and kept his thoughts to himself after that as he pouted at the far end of the of the couch. Our continuing conversation was little more than idle chatter as we tried to set a tone that what was going on was nothing unusual. And to Tom, LeVar and me, it wasn't, but to the others we might as well been having this conversation on Mars, or even Pluto. I noticed Stuart could hardly stand to look at any of us and spent most of his time focused on something on the other side of the glass wall behind Tom and myself. Shortly after we'd gotten comfortable, the drive sensor went off to let us know someone else was about to join us. The house rumbled as the herd left their rooms and hauled ass into the living room. "Is that Uncle Dylan?" T.J. queried. "Probably," Tom replied. "You guys all done with your rooms?" "Yeah, Pops," Alex replied. Soon enough, the front door popped open and Dylan stepped inside, already dressed in his usual work attire. Which, of course, means he had nothing on. With whoops of excitement, the boys hustled over to enjoy their regular hugfest greeting with the big buy. When they finally broke up, the whole group ambled over to join us. Rex, Michelle and Greg openly gawked at Dylan's body but otherwise kept their thoughts to themselves. Stuart continued to stare outside, his discomfort growing with each passing second. On reaching the living room, Dylan shared with a handshake and cheery greeting for LeVar. "Hey, LeVar, good to see you again. What brings you back to this neck of the woods?" "Just came to get some background info from Max, Tom and their sons for the new series I'm developing," LeVar replied. "Well, good luck with that," Dylan chuckled. "Those boys will drive you crazy. If you can get them to sit still long enough to actually talk to you," he added with a hearty laugh. "Oh, c'mon, Uncle Dylan, we ain't that bad," Joey retorted, puffing his chest out with pride. "No, you're really not," Dylan agreed with a chuckle while ruffling the munchkin's hair. "Well, I showed up early so I could deal with a little work before the party gets started. Guess I better get to it," Dylan added. "Um, Dylan," Tom began, "Are you planning to be here during the party?" "Well, yeah. I thought you and Max might like a little extra help this afternoon." "Oh, we will, for sure, but you do understand the adults will be wearing shorts when T.J.'s guests get here, right?" "Well, du-u-u-u-h," Dylan replied as he rolled his eyes. "Wha'd'ya think I've got in this bag?" he asked as he held up his right hand. "Just makin' sure," Tom commented. "Look, partner, I may still be a bit of a newbie at this whole bein' naked thing, but my momma didn't raise a complete moron." "Oh, get outta here," Tom replied, reinforcing his words with a little shooing motion of his hands. "Yessir, massa," Dylan laughed as he turned and headed down the hallway towards his office. With the work on their rooms completed, the boys aimed themselves for the theater to kill some time before T.J.'s guests started arriving. Once we heard the office door close behind Dylan, Stuart abruptly turned to face LeVar and said, "Okay, boss, I really tried, but I want outta here." "Well, the doohickey for the car is with my clothes. Get it and go. I'll call you later so you know when to come back out and pick us up. I am not going to have Max or Tom go out of their way to bring us back just to soothe your frazzled and fragile ego." Without further comment, Stuart hustled across the house and soon disappeared out the front door. "You're not really gonna can him, are you, LeVar?" Rex asked after Stuart was gone. "Nah, but the possibility of that happening should give him something to stew on this afternoon. I'd really like for Stu to be involved with this new series, but if he can't handle bein' around naked people for even a few hours, I don't know how the heck he'd survive dealing with it for days and weeks on end when we actually start shooting. Bringing him along on this trip was really more of a test for him and I just had this feeling he was going to fail miserably. Sadly, I was right." "Well, at least he'll still have a job," Greg commented. "Are you testing me, Michelle and Rex, too?" "Maybe a little bit," LeVar agreed, "and I'm glad to see you three are at least giving things a fair shot despite how uncomfortable you are with this new situation." "What do ya mean?" Michelle asked. "We're still here, aren't we?" "And I stripped right off with ya," Rex complained. "And you were embarrassed as hell to do it, Rex," LeVar countered. "We could all see that; it was as plain as the nose on our face." He then turned to face the other two and added, "I've also noticed you two exchanging sideways glances between you. But that's cool, I understand it completely. My first visit here was, um, how can I say this? Oh yeah, weird but enlightening." "How so, boss?" Michelle asked with interest. "Well, like so many other people, I'd always equated simple nudity with somehow being sexual in nature. Despite being in a multitude of locker rooms with other naked men over the years, and there was absolutely nothing sexual about that, I fell into the same trap that so many of us do. But, after spending a few days with Max and his family, I learned that isn't the situation at all, it's just living your life in complete comfort." "So, did you lose your clothes immediately like I did," Rex asked. "Hell, no!" LeVar retorted. "I was too worried about how I'd react to even think about it. But after spending the afternoon and evening around the boys, and then going for a swim with Tom and Max that first night, I finally decided to risk embarrassing myself when it was just me and Max here." "How'd that turn out?" Greg asked with sincere interest. "Well, I was still pretty wary when I came out of my bedroom the next morning, but I was also determined to give it a chance. It took me, what, about an hour to feel really at ease with bein' naked around somebody else. Sound about right to you, Max?" "Yeah. And by the time we had lunch that day, you were acting like you'd always been a nudist." "So, you see, it's not just you guys who feel like you do right now," LeVar commented. "How about you, Rex? You doin' okay?" "Yeah, so far, I guess. Though I tend to spend a fair share of my evenings at home in just my boxers, I live alone, so it's not a big deal, is it? This whole bein' naked `round other people is still makin' me feel a bit self-conscious, but I'm getting used to it. Of course, I've never been really happy with my body and what I look like without clothes, so I've stayed away from pools and gyms because of it." "And why don't you like your body? Is it the lack of skin color since you spend most of your days in a building? Or your little bit of a belly? Or do you feel like you've got too much hair, or maybe not enough?" "All of the above, really," Rex admitted quietly. "Put those together with my smaller than average size, uh, down there," he added while tipping his head forward, "and you can see why I don't think other people would want to see me without my clothes on." Michelle couldn't hold in the little giggle she let go and commented, "You're bigger than my hubby, you bonehead, so you got nothin' to be ashamed about there." Rex blushed yet again at being on display with his co-workers, but he kept any comment he may have had to himself. "Rex, that's nothing you have to worry about around here," LeVar commented in an attempt to put the man more at ease. "Look folks," I interrupted, "it's like this. If you're going to spend any time at all in a nudist environment, the first and most important thing you need to do is be happy with who you are and accept your body as it is. From my limited experience with being around other people while nude, if you're hung up on how you think you look, you'll never relax enough to really enjoy the experience. I struggled for years with feelings of inadequacy, but like Rex, I lived out here by myself, so it wasn't that big of a deal." Rex, Greg and Michelle all snickered at my unintentional pun. "But after the boys moved in, and then Tom joined the zoo, too, we've had more people over who have wholeheartedly embraced the life. That includes Dylan, his fianc� Malcom, Malcom's son Damon, Ron, our parents, my sister and brother-in-law and several others. After seeing so many naked bodies, you soon realize people come in all shapes and sizes, some flattering, some not so much. But all of us accepts everyone else for who they are in their hearts and not what they look like." "Or, as I like to say it, size don't matter," Tom interrupted my little soliloquy with a laugh which coaxed a large round of shared hilarity from everybody. We spent the next couple of hours talking about a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Ron finally joined us after having finished with his work getting the kitchen ready for Justine. He even managed to screw up the courage to leave the apron behind, though he did hold the dining room chair in front of himself as he brought it with him so he'd have somewhere to sit since every other seat was already taken. With the party supposed to start at one o'clock, at twelve-thirty, I recommended it was time we get ready for our guests. While four of us who needed to cover up adjourned to our bedroom to do so, Ron turned for his room to do the same after informing Dylan it was that time. We left Greg and Michelle to do a bit of exploring on their own. As I was pulling swim shorts out for us to don, Greg quietly slipped into the room and asked, "You got an extra pair for me?" "I'm sure we can find something for you, Greg," I replied as I continued to rummage through the dresser to obtain a proper garment for everyone. Tom had already pulled his shorts from the dresser and passed a second pair on to LeVar. I located my own, found another pair I tossed to Rex and continued digging. Scraping the bottom of the drawer, I found an item that I thought would create a bit of humor and without looking behind me, pitched it over my shoulder towards Greg. He grabbed the unknown article from the air and was soon holding my old pair of Speedos by the waistband at arm's length, a sour look flooding his face. "Oh, hell no!" Greg exclaimed. "No way my fat ass is gonna fit into these." The rest of us cracked up in laughter and after a few moments of hilarity, I handed him another pair of gym-style shorts and retrieved the skimpy briefs from his tenuous grip. "That's much better, Max. Thanks," the very relieved man breathed. "Sorry, man, couldn't help myself," I chuckled. With all of us appropriately dressed for a pool party, we headed out of the bedroom. While Tom and the others continued to the living room, I took a quick detour through the theater to let the boys know it was time to shut things down and come on out to greet T.J.'s guests. Without hesitation, they turned off the TV and jumped from their chairs to follow me. Crossing the dining room, I asked, "Are you planning to pull on shorts to greet your guests, T.J.?" "What's the point, Dad? We're just gonna take `em back off in twenty minutes to jump in the pool." "That's your call, young man, but I expect you to answer the door to meet everyone when they get here. If you feel comfortable enough doing so without shorts, I'm fine with it, too." "Well, you said you and Pops told everyone we'd be naked in the pool, so nobody should be surprised we ain't wearin' nothin', right?" "That's one way to look at it, I guess," I admitted with some reservation. While it was true we'd made sure everyone knew what to expect this afternoon, I was hoping none of the parents would be put off being greeted by a nude child. We'd find out soon enough. The first ding from the drive sensor at a quarter to one had T.J. charging towards the front door, bouncing with excitement as he waited for the car to pull up to the door. I was surprised when he suddenly stood stock still and gawked out the window beside the front door. He abruptly turned away from the door and headed our direction while announcing, "That's not one of my friends. It's some truck pulling a trailer filled with a bunch of weird looking tools." Dylan was the first to react, commenting, "That must be the fence guys finally getting here. They're way later than they thought they would be." On that note, he left the house to take charge of the group outside and get them started on their long project. I didn't envy them the task of trying to install a fence around our eighteen acres and having to deal with all the trees that would invariably be in their way. But, considering how much they were charging for the job, that was going to be their headache to deal with and not mine. I just wanted it done and done right. Soon enough, the drive sensor announced another incoming vehicle and T.J. took off for the door again. He waited patiently, peering out the window to see who was coming in. We watched as a car pulled around the circle drive and stopped at the steps up to the porch and T.J. began dancing excitedly as his first guest climbed out of the car. He threw open the door and yelled, "Ralphie, c'mon in, dude!" We could all hear Ralphie laugh at seeing T.J. bobbing with excitement and by the time the boy stepped inside, he'd already pulled off his shirt and was working on dropping his shorts, too. It was a difficult task with his shoes on, so he held on to T.J.'s shoulder for support as he doffed his shoes beside the door and then stepped out of the shorts that had already slipped to the floor and puddled around his ankles. As he bent over to pick them up, his father stepped in behind him and Tom and I walked across the house to meet the first arrivals. As the two boys happily hugged each other, Tom greeted the man with, "Good afternoon. I'm Tom Wright and this is my fianc�, Max Sanders," he added as he extended his hand. "And I'm Ralph's dad, Ralph, Sr. Nice to meet you guys." "Pleasure to meet you, too," I offered as we shared a handshake. "What time should I come back to pick up my boy?" "The party we had for the twins' birthday last month wrapped up around six," I replied. "Sounds good. You should know my wife wasn't too thrilled about little Ralph comin' here this afternoon. She's more than a little worried about the boys all swimming without swimsuits." "You have nothing to worry about," I assured the man. "We'll keep a close eye on everyone and make sure all are safe." "We'll see, I guess," Ralph admitted. He then turned to his boy, knelt down to his level and asked, "You sure you wanna do this, son?" "Yeah, why wouldn't I, Dad?" "Well, you quit lettin' your mom and me help with your bath when you were about four and a half, so I'm just surprised you're so willing to lose your clothes around a bunch of strangers as private as you've become the past few years." "T.J. ain't a stranger, Dad, he's my bestest friend from school. And if he ain't wearin' his clothes this afternoon, I sure ain't goin' to, either." "That's fine, little buddy. We talked about this and you're welcome to do as you want. Now, you be good while you're here." "Aw, c'mon, old man. You know me," Ralphie replied with a little pout. "That's exactly why I needed to remind you to be good," Ralph, Sr. chuckled as he gave his son a light swat on the behind. He then pulled his son in for a hug and as soon he released the little scoundrel, he and T.J. disappeared down the hallway to drop Ralphie's clothes in T.J.'s bedroom. "Well, good luck this afternoon, guys," Ralph, Sr. offered to Tom and me as he stood upright. "I'll be back around six." On that note, he turned and headed for his car. Before we could close the door, the drive sensor went off again. Since it was a warm enough afternoon, we left the door open as we backed away and T.J. and Ralphie rounded the corner at full speed to greet whoever was coming in next. And that's the way it went for the next fifteen minutes as parents arrived to drop their kids off, most of the boys shucking their clothes as they came up the sidewalk to the porch. Surprisingly, only one parent showed any hesitation at leaving their child with a bunch of boys and one other girl who weren't dressed. As T.J., Ralphie and the rest of the party guests dragged Emily down the hallway towards the bedroom, her mother, Cassie remained standing just inside the front door. "I hate to impose," she began, "but I hope you don't mind me staying to keep an eye on my daughter. While she likes T.J. and I've heard plenty about him from her since he started going to school out here, I'm still rather uncomfortable with her being here." "We don't have a problem with that," Tom replied. "The more, the merrier." "Thank you," she sighed. "I just don't understand how anybody would think it's acceptable to allow a group of boys and girls to attend a party while not wearing their clothes," she muttered. "Emily, of course, will not be joining that insanity," Cassie added savagely as the whole herd reappeared in the living room, ready to start their swim. "C'mon, Dads, let's get this party goin'!" T.J. called out with enthusiasm as he led the crowd to the glass wall leading to the pool. "Be right with you!" Tom yelled back. "Does everyone have a towel?" he quickly added. Twenty-seven hands, each tightly clutching a clean towel, were raised as high each kid could reach. With everyone ready, we pushed through the crowd and led the parade outside. I managed to unlock and open the shelter door in record time and the kids wasted little more in discarding their towels wherever they saw fit and jumped right in. "Emily!" Cassie screeched in horror as she watched her naked daughter slip under the water for the first time. As soon as the young girl had resurfaced, Cassie added, "Where's your swimsuit?" "In T.J.'s room, why?" the young girl replied nonchalantly. "You agreed to wear it even if everyone else wasn't wearing theirs," Cassie admonished the girl who was now embarrassed at the scene her mother was creating. "I changed my mind when I found out Chloe wasn't gonna wear hers. What's the big deal?" Emily asked. "It's just not right," Cassie retorted angrily. "You shouldn't be letting boys see you like that." Emily climbed from the pool, stepped over to Cassie and while looking her mom straight in the eye, said, "Mother, will you quit makin' such a big deal outta nothin'? We all know that boys got dicks and girls don't. We're not the stupid little kids you like to think we are." Cassie blanched at her daughter speaking to her in such a manner. "Go talk to T.J.'s dads or somethin' and let me have fun," she added flatly before turning around and jumping back into the water with the others. Resigned to the fact she'd just been dismissed, Cassie finally joined me at the table while Tom and Ron lowered themselves into the pool to try to keep anyone from drowning. When Dylan finally rejoined us, he climbed in with the others and soon enough, six to nine-year-old kids were flying through the air all willy-nilly and splashing happily back down, only to rejoin the lines for another toss. Eric and Josh stayed out of the lineup, which I'm sure the child throwers appreciated. "Well, this is a fun party," LeVar commented with a laugh as he and his group joined us. "Just who are you?" Cassie asked angrily as her frustration boiled over. "Oh, right, we haven't been introduced, have we?" LeVar replied. "Hi, LeVar Burton, nice to meet you. And these are a few of my people, Greg, Rex and Michelle. And you are?" he asked politely despite her rather testy greeting. You could see the surprise on Cassie's face as she recognized LeVar's name even if she didn't recognize his face. "I'm Cassie Sinclair. It's nice to meet you, too," she replied with some deference. "Why are you here?" "I'm here to talk to Max, Tom and their families about a couple of projects we're going to create together." "And you think it's acceptable for all these kids to be naked and frolicking around like brain-damaged buffoons?" "As a matter of fact, I do," LeVar replied sincerely. "So, you've been brainwashed too, huh?" Cassie pressed. "More like converted, ma'am," LeVar retorted. "I was here a couple of weeks ago and learned for myself how normal and natural the nudist lifestyle really is. Why, if it wasn't for Max's insistence the adults all wear these stupid shorts, I'd be just as bare-assed naked as all those kids right now," he added with a devilish grin while tilting his head towards the pool. Inserting a quick change of subject, he turned to Greg and Rex and asked, "Why don't you guys join the party in the pool and send Tom out so we can talk for a bit?" "Sure thing, Boss," Greg replied as the two left their chairs and aimed for the crowded water. When the pair joined the melee already in progress, Rex tapped Tom's shoulder and once he had Tom's attention, jerked his head towards us. Tom nodded and was soon climbing from the pool, dripping water as he crossed the concrete to join us. With the noise level in the shelter, I understood the need for efficient silent communication in the midst of it all. After quickly swiping a towel across his head and shoulders, Tom settled into the empty chair next to me. "What's up, boss?" he asked. "LeVar wants to talk about something, so ask him?" I replied. Turning to face our guest, Tom reiterated, "What's up, boss?" "Well, besides this party, I wanted to see what else we might be interrupting with our presence. I know we're here to get those family interviews taken care of, but I also don't want to put a crimp in any other plans you may already have. Oh, and what was Logan talking about when he said he had to go to court on Friday?" "Yeah, that," I muttered. We spent a few minutes bringing LeVar and Michelle up to speed on Logan's issues and to say they were surprised at what the young man had been through the past few weeks would be a serious understatement. More like flabbergasted. I then told him about my appointment with Jason tomorrow and that we were planning to go to back to the church, and LeVar was about to have a conniption fit. Cassie was looking just as surprised as LeVar when we ended the summation of our schedule for the next couple of days. "Well, you guys sure know how to pack the action into life, don't you?" LeVar whistled appreciatively. "So, how do we want to handle things the next few days so we can still get our interviews accomplished?" "Well, Tom and I can talk with you this afternoon while the kids watch their movie and again later tonight to get ours out of the way. Then, while we're gone tomorrow, maybe you could talk to the boys, Ron and Dylan. As for Friday, our parents should be available to you as Tom's mom and dad are coming up tomorrow night and staying with my parents until Sunday." "That sounds workable to me," LeVar agreed. "What do you think, Michelle?" "Yep, all that works for me, too," she concurred before turning to me and asking, "What about your sister and brother-in-law LeVar mentioned?" "Saturday afternoon would probably be the best opportunity to talk to them," I offered. "They'll be coming out for T.J.'s party with the rest of the family. Carol Ward, who's helping us with the adoptions, will be here as well. Oh, and Dylan's fianc� and son will be here Saturday, too, so you should be able to talk to them that night." "That sounds like we've covered everybody then," LeVar responded. Tom and I agreed with LeVar's assessment, and it was then I finally noticed that Michelle had produced a small notebook from thin air and she'd been making notes during the entire conversation. With our scheduling for the next three days more or less resolved, Tom jumped back in the pool and the four us still at the table continued to chat about a little bit of everything. Cassie was finally calming down and slowly coming to understand that there was nothing inherently wrong with letting kids be kids, even if it meant they were doing so while nude. As for her part, Michelle would occasionally put pen to paper and continue adding thoughts to her growing list. We'd eventually reached a short lull in our ongoing chat and I turned to survey the action in the pool. The kids had finally ended their flying lessons, though whether that was up to the kids or their instructor pilots was up for grabs. I was happy to see all the older boys were mixing it up with T.J.'s guests and not just sequestered in a corner by themselves. I also spied the birthday boy and his friend Ralphie sitting on the steps and they seemed to be involved in a pretty serious conversation of their own. I couldn't imagine what the pair was chatting about, but that small bit of confusion on my part was cleared up when T.J. leaned in and planted a little kiss on his friend's cheek. While Ralphie initially registered visible surprise at the small token of affection, that feeling was quickly replaced with something altogether different as he leaned into T.J. and gave him a sweet little peck on the nose, followed by a very wide grin of understanding and acceptance. Before I had a real chance to form my own reaction to these developments, the drive sensor blasted its announcement of someone new turning in the drive. I excused myself and headed into the house to greet the new arrivals. I wasn't much surprised when I looked through the window and saw Justine's two vans pull up to the sidewalk on the circle drive. I opened the front door as she and her crew climbed out and began to haul what seemed to be an excessive amount of food into the house, followed by two tables and about a dozen folding chairs. After the last person was inside, I followed along to make sure they had everything they needed. "Good afternoon, Justine," I greeted the leader of the pack. "How is everyone today?" "We're good, Max, thanks for askin'," she replied. "How's everyone out here," she asked as her crew started working on the food preparations. "We're hangin' in there. Did you get the message I left this morning?" "Yes, and just in time, too," she replied. "We should have enough with us to feed thirty-five to forty people." "Excellent," I agreed. "That should work out just about right. Well, I better go out to the pool and see if we can get kids running through showers so they can be ready when the food is." "We'll be prepared to serve in about thirty minutes," she offered, swinging the ever-present and menacing hand towel over her head as if she were about to start whipping her employees into shape. Accepting my dismissal, I headed back outside and after closing the shelter door behind me, let go a loud whistle to get everyone's attention. When the noise had abated and all eyes were focused on me, I announced, "Lunch has arrived and will be ready to go shortly. Everybody out and hit the showers." A mass exodus from the pool ensued and as Emily and Chloe passed by me, I stopped them for a moment and said, "You two may want use the bathroom across the hallway from T.J.'s bedroom, okay?" "Thanks, Mr. Sanders," Chloe replied. "Um," Emily started nervously, "Do we have to get dressed after?" "That's entirely up to you," I answered. "I don't think T.J. is planning on doing so." "Cool," the girls giggled together before Emily added, "It's a lot of fun not wearin' anything." On that note, the two continued into the house. As the adults started to follow the younger set, I asked, "Ron, would you please help guide the kids through the showers three or four at a time? And have them use yours, too, so they'll all be done before the food is." "No sweat, Max," he assured me as he turned left after entering the house. With that handled, I suggested, "Greg, Rex, do you two mind sharing our shower?" The two exchanged a quick nervous glance and finally nodded their assent. "Thanks. Tom and Dylan can follow you two, then, and Ron can clean up after all the kids are done. I think that covers everyone," I commented before turning towards the laundry room to start running wet towels through the washing machine again.. Cassie followed me down the hallway and commented, "Im going to check on the girls and make sure they're doing okay." "I'm sure they're fine, but make sure you knock before you just barge in on them," I replied. "Why should I have to do that?" she questioned me testily. "That's one of the rules of the house, you have to knock on any closed door before entering. And that rule applies to the people who live here as well as any and all guests," I explained calmly. The scorching glare she gave me would have caused even the heartiest of flowers to immediately wilt, but I listened closely after stepping into the laundry room, heard her rap on the door sharply and wait for a muffled reply from within before she stepped inside. After tossing a load of towels into the waiting machine and starting it up, I headed back towards the living room, passing Ron in the process. "You need any help directing traffic down here or you got a handle on it?" I asked. "Naw, I got this under control, Max," he replied. "You go on and make sure everything else is ready." "Thanks, buddy." When I reached the living room, I found LeVar and Michelle filling the loveseat, Tom and Dylan were sitting on the stone hearth in front of the fireplace, wet swim shorts leaving ass-prints beneath them as they waited for our shower to open up, and two of Justine's crew were setting up the extra tables and chairs in the area to accommodate the overflow crowd. I allowed myself to sit for a minute and let go a little sigh of relief that things had gone well so far. "What do you want, Mom?" I asked after she closed the bathroom door. "I'm just checking to make sure you two are okay, Emily," she answered. "We're fine," I huffed in reply. "We'll be back out in a few minutes. We still have to wash our hair." "Do you want help with that?" Mom asked. "We're not little babies. We can help each other if we need to," I answered, hoping she would leave us alone. "You are going to get properly dressed when you're done in here," Mom demanded. I turned to Chloe and asked, "Are you gonna wear anything?" "Nothin' but my smile," she giggled. " `Specially if none of the others are gonna get dressed. I think it'd be way weird if I had my clothes on and none o' them do." "Cool," I agreed. I turned back to my mom and answered, "Nope, gonna be like Chloe and stay naked. Heck, bein' naked is so much fun, I may never wear anything ever again," I laughed. "Now listen here you snot-nosed little brat ..." she started before I interrupted her. "No, Mom," I retorted with some force. "We all been naked for the last hour or so, so what's the point of gettin' dressed now? It ain't like they're gonna see any more o' us than they already have." "Well, we're gonna talk about this when we get home, I hope you know that." "I just bet we will. Now, would you go on and let us finish so we don't miss lunch," I said. Mom left in a snit and Chloe and I started taking care of our hair. "Aren't you gonna be in deep you-know-what for talkin' to your mom like that?" Chloe asked. "Probably, yeah, but I'm having fun and I'm tired of her tryin' to ruin it all," I answered. "Are you havin' as much fun as I am?" "Yeah, this has been the best day of my life," Chloe gushed. "I've never been swimmin' naked before, but it's a lot better without a swimsuit." "I think so, too," I agreed. "What about bein' `round all the boys? Did that freak you out?" "For, like, ten, fifteen seconds, maybe," my shower partner admitted. "I mean, yeah, it was kinda weird seein' all their dicks, but so what, right?" "I'm with ya, Chloe. Since I don't have a little brother, I've always wondered what guys look like under their clothes and now I know," I laughed. "Yep," Chloe laughed along with me as she started rinsing the shampoo out of her hair. After I took care of my own hair, we turned off the shower, stepped out onto the rug and grabbed clean towels to dry off. With both of us sparkling clean, we headed out of the bathroom to rejoin the party. Kids started slowly filtering back into the living room, cleaned, dried and ready for food. None of the adults were too surprised to see that each one of them had left all their clothes and cares behind in T.J.'s bedroom. Soon enough, a rather perturbed looking Cassie came back from the far end of the house and she sank heavily onto one of the folding chairs at the table near the front door, resting her forehead on her forearms. Feeling somewhat responsible for her being in this state, I decided to try to talk to her some more, so I left my chair and ambled over to join her at the table where she was sitting all alone. "You want to talk about it?" I asked quietly as I took the chair next to her. A decidedly surly look filled her face as she lifted her head and glared angrily at me. "This is all your fault," she grumbled. "What's that?" I asked with curiosity. "My little Emily is becoming just like all those stupid little boys," she retorted. "And that's a bad thing?" I asked in surprise. "How so?" "Kids their ages shouldn't be willingly showing themselves off to anybody who wants a peek," she vented. "It's just not right?" "I happen to think it's the most natural thing in the world, Cassie. And the kids seem to think so, too. If they're all okay with being nude together, why should that bother us? That speaks more to our own issues and ingrained attitudes about simple nudity than it does to theirs." "I guess I hadn't thought about it that way," Cassie admitted. "I was just raised in a home where you never saw anybody else without their clothes on." "Well, I was too. But I eventually outgrew that outdated mindset. And it's been my experience that kids tend to be more accepting of new ideas and being nude together is one of those ideas. If they're happy and comfortable as they are, why should we put a damper on that enthusiasm?" "No reason, I guess," she finally admitted after some serious thought. At that moment, Emily and Chloe returned from their shower and came over to join us. "I'm sorry for being such an obnoxious little brat, Mom, but I'm really havin' fun. This is the best party I've ever been to," Emily offered as she gave Cassie a hug. "I know you are, baby," Cassie acquiesced. "And you're fine, it's just mommy bein' a little crazy and uncomfortable with all this. I'll try to be better, okay? You go on now and enjoy lunch." "We will," Emily happily agreed as she grabbed Chloe's hand and the two skipped across the house to rejoin their friends. "I hope you'll join us in enjoying lunch. Justine says she has plenty of food for everyone," I offered. "I'll be happy to do that, Max. And thanks for talking me off the ledge," she added with a weak smile. "Food's ready, kids!" Justine called out from the kitchen. The house vibrated as the oversized herd rumbled towards the kitchen and formed a line that snaked its way through the dining room and halfway across the living room. T.J. ended up in the middle of the queue, but he was rapidly shoved forward by his friends until he was first in line. As each one picked what they wanted to eat, Justine's crew worked efficiently to fill plates with the requested foodstuffs and directed them to seats at the various tables. Drinks were delivered to each kid to minimize the chance of accidental spills. I was a bit surprised that none of Justine's crew seemed too surprised to be serving food to a large group of naked kids, but they all took care of their tasks as if it was second nature. Tom and I were the last to go through the line and the pickings were rather slim by that time. We still managed to get full plates, though, and we retreated to the living to sit on the hearth, allowing the other adults the luxury of eating their meals while ensconced on much more comfortable furniture. I was glad Dylan and Tom's wet ass-prints had evaporated before we settled ourselves into place. Conversation was minimal during the meal and the kids, of course, rapidly cleaned their plates and returned their dirty dishes to the kitchen. The crew retook their places, patiently waiting for the adults to finish eating so we could indulge ourselves with the cake and ice cream that is an obligatory part of any birthday party. Soon enough, we were all ready for the main event and T.J. was ushered to a table in the living room since all thirty-six people wouldn't fit into the dining room. Justine set the cake on the table in front of the birthday boy, eight flaming candles in the middle of it, and the crowd broke into a boisterous rendition of Happy Birthday. T.J. paused maybe five seconds after the last strain of the song had echoed around us before taking a deep breath and blowing out all the candles in one shot. Though repeatedly prodded by his guests to reveal his wish, T.J. kept it to himself, which is rather uncharacteristic for him considering his normal outspoken attitude about almost anything else. As soon as she could reach around T.J., Justine swept the cake back into the kitchen and her crew soon reappeared, delivering bowls of ice cream and cake to everyone. Silence settled over us once again as everyone tucked into T.J.'s choice of a spice cake with maple frosting. While I'd never had such a concoction before, I had to admit that it was quite yummy. And judging by how quickly everyone finished their dessert, I assumed they all enjoyed it just as much as T.J. and I did. With bowls emptied and the noise level starting to rise again, Tom quickly suggested the older boys start hauling dining and folding chairs into the theater so the party could continue in there. Without argument, Eric led Logan, Alex, Josh, Brent and Joey to the dining room to attack the mission they'd been given. While they took care of those arrangements, T.J. zipped down the hall to his bedroom to select the movie for the afternoon. He quickly returned with The Last Airbender and I followed along to get the show started. After waiting for everyone to find a seat and get comfortable, I punched play and left them to their entertainment. Passing behind the hushed assemblage, I spied T.J. and Ralphie had settled comfortably into the chair I normally use and they had their arms tightly wrapped around each other's shoulders. Passing by the kitchen, I found Justine's crew making rapid progress on cleaning up the space, Ron providing directions from the opposite side of the counter to make sure everything was put in its proper place. I tapped Justine on the shoulder, and she followed me to my study so I could pay her. After closing the door to drown out some of the noise, I settled at my desk and offered Justine a chair across from me. "Another successful party, Justine, and we can't thank you enough for taking care of it for us." "We're always happy to help out. I'm just glad we had enough extra hamburgers, brats and hot dogs on hand to make sure everyone got something to eat." "Well, you pulled it off and that's all that matters. When I gave you the headcount the other day, I wasn't banking on three extra boys being here and we'd completely forgotten LeVar and some of his people were going to be here as well." "I'm just glad it all worked out. Not many leftovers this time, was there," she grinned. "Nope," I agreed with a grin of my own. "What's the damage," I asked as I pulled my checkbook from the center drawer. After hearing the total, I wasn't too surprised to discover it had gone up about thirty percent from what she'd quoted me before considering the late addition of the extra people. I happily filled out the check, signed it with a little flourish, then retrieved another five hundred in cash from the drawer before handing it all over to her. A look of mild surprise flashed across Justine's face at the unexpected windfall, but it quickly disappeared as she stuffed it all into her shirt pocket. "Thank you so much, Mr. Sanders." "Oh no, thank you for taking such good care of us today. And it's Max, please," I replied. "And just to give you a little heads up, our next birthday is Mike's on May fifth." Justine retrieved her phone from her pants pocket and quickly opened the calendar app to mark the date. "The fifth is a Monday this year, Max. Do you want to have Mike's party the weekend before or the one after?" "Why don't we shoot for the Saturday before. Tom and I are getting married on the seventeenth and I think the extra weekend between the two events will be much needed." "Yes, I know about the wedding and we're looking forward to serving you that day as well," she smiled in reply. "Well, you know more about our wedding day plans than we do," I laughed. "We'll have to see what else we can find out from our parents when they're here this Saturday." "Okay, I have Mike's party scheduled. Same time and menu?" "I think so on the time. It seems to work out well for all the kids they want to invite to be able to be here. As for the menu, we'll check with Mike to see if he wants something different and let you know. I'll also try to give you plenty of notice with the number of guests well in advance this time." "And don't forget to ask about anyone with special dietary needs," she reminded me. "We got lucky this time, but it probably won't happen a second time like that." "Very true. I'll let you know what we come up with," I added as I slipped the checkbook back into its place and stood up. Justine followed my cue and we left the study. On the way down the hallway towards the kitchen, I asked, "Is it going to be okay to keep some of the folding chairs since they're in use?" "No problem, Max. And since we'll be back in just a few weeks, we'll just leave them here for that party and pick them up then." "Thanks, Justine. We truly appreciate everything you do." "That's our job," she commented as she turned into the kitchen to round up her crew and I headed across the house to join the others relaxing in the living room. Thirty minutes later, Justine and her people had completed their cleanup to Ron's satisfaction and were ready to leave. Tom and I joined them at the door and again thanked everyone for their fine work that allowed us to be involved in and enjoy the afternoon. As they started to file out the door, Justine hesitated for a moment, then turned and with a wry grin and a little chuckle, commented, "That young man, Ron, is quite the stickler for detail, isn't he?" "Yes, he sure is," Tom agreed. "Well, you guys are lucky you found him before I did. I'd have snapped him up in a heartbeat." With another laugh, she turned, crossed the porch towards her vehicles, climbed in and departed. Tom and I shared a quick chuckle between us at our good fortunes of having hired Ron when we did, then closed the door and rejoined the adults and their ongoing conversation. Despite wanting to begin our conversation with LeVar, we held off on any discussion of substance since Cassie was still with us. The movie ended about five-forty and the herd let us know that when the doors to the theater banged open and the house rumbled again as they headed our way. "Movie's over?" Tom quizzed the leader of the pack. "Well, du-u-uh!" T.J. groaned. "You think we'd be out here if it wasn't?" he added with a crooked smirk. "Then everyone should find their clothes and get ready to go home," Tom replied to the cheeky little bugger. The mass of human flesh paraded past us and on down the hallway to retrieve their clothes and be prepared to leave when their parents arrived to pick them up. Just a few minutes later, the herd began coming back and was milling around aimlessly as they waited for their rides. Surprisingly, Monica was the first to arrive to retrieve her wayward charge. After sharing a quick kiss at the front door with Alex amid plenty of giggles from T.J.'s friends, Brent followed his mom to their car, and they continued on around the circle drive. Cassie and Emily were the next to depart, both thanking us for a fun afternoon and Cassie apologizing for her reaction to something she was wholly unprepared for. We impressed upon her how well we understood her reaction and we hoped she was feeling better about her decision to stay with her daughter and how the party had turned out so well. With her assurance that she and Emily were going to be fine, the two took their leave as well. Another twenty minutes passed before all the guests had moved on, every one of them leaving us with thanks for the best afternoon they'd ever had. With all of T.J.'s guests on the way to their homes, Tom, Dylan, LeVar, Rex, Greg and I adjourned to the bedroom where we could finally lose our shorts and rejoin the ranks of those who preferred life without them. We were still waiting for Rick to swing by to pick up Eric and Josh, but that was expected since Rick's shift didn't end until seven. As the boys finally disappeared to their rooms to play Uno for a while, the adults settled into the living room and we shared a collective sigh of relief the afternoon was over and that we'd all survived it. After about fifteen minutes of idle chatter, Dylan headed for his home and a peaceful night's sleep. The rest of us continued to talk as Michelle had produced her notepad again and continued jotting down little missives from time to time. Though I knew LeVar was very interested in my appointment with Jason tomorrow, he thankfully stayed away from the touchy subject. Rick finally arrived about seven-thirty and we said goodbye to the trio with our thanks to Josh and Eric for being so helpful during the party. Shortly after Dylan left, LeVar had called Stuart to come back and he arrived about ten minutes later to pick up his boss and coworkers for the trip back to their hotel for the night. With the house to ourselves at last, Tom, Ron and I collapsed in our seats and kicked our feet up. It felt exceptionally good to just relax for a few minutes. And a few minutes was all we got as Mike soon returned and carefully climbed into Ron's lap to avoid putting any pressure on his still tender behind. "What's up, buddy?" Ron asked though he knew exactly what the answer was going to be. "Um, are you ready to help me with my shower, Ron?" Mike asked innocently, though his innocence was somewhat tempered by the look of pure evil intent in his dancing eyes. "Seems I did make you that promise earlier, didn't I?" Ron replied. "Yep, and now it's time to pay up, dude," the munchkin retorted while sliding off Ron's lap, grabbing his hand and pulling him to his feet. As the duo disappeared down the hallway, I turned to Tom and asked with a chuckle, "What do think of Ron's chances getting through the night in one piece?" " `Bout fifty/fifty," Tom answered with a sly smirk. "How'd you come up with that?" I asked with curiosity. "We-e-e-ll, if Ron makes good on the promise he made this morning, he'll be just fine." "And if he doesn't?" I prodded, dying to hear the other possibility. "Let's just say if he gets cold feet and backs out of it again, Sammy's gonna have to make some space in that cemetery for a new neighbor," the big guy chortled. I lost it and practically fell out of my chair with the laughter I couldn't hold in. When we'd finally regained some of our composure, we were surprised to see T.J. and Logan round the corner from the hallway, evil grins gracing both of their faces. They strolled over and stood directly in front of us, quite proud of the stiff little pokers jutting straight out from their skinny little bodies and dancing in rhythm to their heartbeats. I'm not sure why I even bothered to ask the stupid question that popped in my mind since I already knew the answer, but it escaped my throat before I could exert any self-control. "What's up guys?" "Can I get my birthday present from you and Pops now?" T.J. murmured quietly. I shot a quick glance to Tom and his simple but clear response to the question was to snag Logan in his arms and turn for our bedroom. I have to admit that I was right behind him after scooping up the birthday boy and I was really looking forward to giving our sweet young sons a present they'd never forget.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 86</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family"><span>enderwiggin61@outlook.com</span></a></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html"><span>http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</span></a><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments"><span>https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</span></a></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk35893927"></a><a name="_Hlk34821295"></a><a name="_Toc37082818"><span>Chapter 86 � Happy Birthday, T.J.</span></a></h2> <p><span>"So much for tryin' to keep it under our hats," Tom muttered with resignation.</span></p> <p><span>"You should know better than that happening around here," I agreed. "I'm actually kinda surprised they're asking about our conversation instead of just divining the answer straight from our minds." Turning to face the boys, I answered Alex's query with, "You guys know about the charitable foundation I want to set up to help gay kids find good foster and forever homes, right?" With nods from all, I continued. "Well, I'm not sure how much time I'll have to devote to that since we'll be quite busy with raising six of you and helping who knows how many other kids, so we offered the job of running the whole thing to Maureen."</span></p> <p><span>"Really?" Joey asked with surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Could she do that living in Chicago?" T.J. queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, Joey, really," Tom replied before adding, "And we offered to help her and Harry move down here so Max and Maureen could work together closely as they get things set up and running smoothly."</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be cool," Andy offered.</span></p> <p><span>"But what about Harry's girlfriend," Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we also suggested we'd be happy to help them with a change of address as well," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Wow!" Logan exclaimed. "First Aunt Arlene and Things One and Two, and now Harry, his mom, his girlfriend and her family. How much land you got `round here, Dad? You hidin' some acreage you ain't told us `bout?" he added with a snicker.</span></p> <p><span>"No," I laughed. "But we know Rick, Eric and Josh's house will be coming up for sale pretty soon and I'm sure we'll be able to find another one nearby for Angie and her family." I'd noticed Alex and Joey had been whispering between themselves and my curiosity couldn't be held in check any longer. "And just what sort of evil plans are you two hatching over there?" I asked the devious duo.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, nothin', Dad," Alex replied innocently.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you start lyin' to us now," Tom admonished the pair.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if ya really wanna know" Joey began, "we're just wonderin' what with Harry bein' as cute as he is, what he looked like naked." The rest of the crew let go of a little snicker at their interest in the young man.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, you do understand he's got a <i>girl</i>friend, right?" Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Well yeah, Pops, we ain't blind," Alex offered.</span></p> <p><span>"That doesn't mean we can't look, does it?" Joey added with a devilish smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"No, I suppose not," I chuckled. "Just keep in mind, if Maureen accepts our offer and they do end up moving down here, you will not pressure anybody to do something they don't want to do."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we know, Dads," the two chimed.</span></p> <p><span>The door to the great outdoors and the pool opened as Ron came back inside and said, "Oh hey, didn't know you guys were back already."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, buddy," Tom replied. "Did you enjoy your quiet day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ya know, I thought I would, but it's actually been too quiet and kinda lonely. Guess I've gotten use to the three-ring circus that's usually goin' on `round here," Ron answered with a chuckle. "Did ya have a good trip? And how's that Harry kid I keep hearin' about?"</span></p> <p><span>"The trip was fine and Harry's doin' well," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it. So, what d'y'all want for supper?"</span></p> <p><span>"Somethin' easy's fine with us."</span></p> <p><span>"Pizza and breadsticks from Capone's okay with everyone?" Ron inquired. With cheers from the nine lads, he added, "Guess I better get it ordered, then. I'll even run over to pick it up since I don't have to fix it," he offered as he turned for the kitchen to make the phone call and place the order.</span></p> <p><span>After he was gone, I said, "We didn't have much of a chance to talk to Harry today, guys. How'd your visit with him and Angela go?"</span></p> <p><span>The crew spent the next twenty minutes filling us in on how the two were getting along. The best news they shared was the fact that Harry was getting and feeling better day by day. And while Maureen was being overly protective of her son's health, her intense attitude was driving Harry crazy. The only saving grace as far as Harry was concerned was Angela being there to help him and take some of the load off of Maureen who was still trying to keep her current employer happy. It was a thin line she was walking, but thanks to Angela, Maureen was managing.</span></p> <p><span>The one thing that got them all laughing was Maureen's insistence that Harry would not be allowed to take a shower by himself since she was afraid of him slipping and falling, possibly causing even more damage than Hank has already done. And since Harry wasn't even going to consider his mom helping him, that task fell to Angela. Though he was still somewhat embarrassed at not being allowed to shower alone, he didn't seem at all bothered with Angela joining him.</span></p> <p><span>The biggest problem they had all faced for that particular idea was the resistance they'd received from Angela's dad. He was fine with the idea of Angela basically moving in with Harry and his mom for a couple of months to help Maureen deal with things while Harry recuperated. However, he was not at all pleased with the idea of the two teens showering together. At first, Harry and Angela had promised to wear their swimsuits while cleaning up and when that didn't appear to sway Mr. Magee's thinking, Harry asked his mom and Angela to leave the room so he could talk to Angela's dad alone. With Alex and Joey taking turns to play the two parts, Joey using a deeper voice for Don's part, the conversation between the two guys went something like this:</span></p> <p><span>Harry � I really want to thank you for letting Angie stay with us and help me.</span></p> <p><span>Don � Don't worry about it, Harry, her mom and I are glad she's willing to do it.</span></p> <p><span>Harry � So, what's the big deal about her helping me get my shower?</span></p> <p><span>Don � I just don't think it's right for two young people to shower together.</span></p> <p><span>Harry � But we promised to wear our swimsuits, so it's not like we'd be naked in the shower, or even see each other naked.</span></p> <p><span>Don � Doesn't matter, young man. It's not gonna happen.</span></p> <p><span>Harry � Well, I got a big problem, then, Mr. Magee. Mom refuses to let me shower by myself. And if Angie can't help, that means Mom's gonna insist on doing it.</span></p> <p><span>Don � Sorry, young man, that's my decision.</span></p> <p><span>Harry � Can I ask you somethin'?</span></p> <p><span>Don � Shoot.</span></p> <p><span>Harry � If you were me right now, would you want <i>your</i> mom helping <i>you</i> in the shower. Even if you were both wearing swimsuits?</span></p> <p><span>Don � Hell no! Ain't no way that'd ever happen.</span></p> <p><span>Harry � What about your dad? Would you let him help?</span></p> <p><span>Don � He'd be the more likely of the two I'd want, that's for damn sure, but I still think I'd feel weird about him joining me in a shower on a daily basis.</span></p> <p><span>Harry � So, you see my problem. No way am I gonna let mom help, and since Dad's in jail right now for being an abusive jackass, he's out of the picture, too. And since you don't want Angie to help me out, I guess I got only one other option, then.</span></p> <p><span>Don � What's that?</span></p> <p><span>Harry � How `bout <i>you</i> come over every night about nine so you can make sure I don't slip, fall and kill myself.</span></p> <p><span>Don � I like you, Harry, a lot, but I'm not climbin' in a shower with you for the next couple o' months.</span></p> <p><span>Harry � Then please let Angie do it, sir. I promise nothin'll happen `tween us, we won't ever see each other naked and I'll wash my privates myself. Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.</span></p> <p><span>Don � You're serious, aren't you. You sure nothin's gonna happen?</span></p> <p><span>Harry � Swear to God, man. Angie and I love each other a whole lot, but we both know we're not ready for anything more than a kiss here and there.</span></p> <p><span>Don � I don't know, kid. Still sounds like a father's worst nightmare come true.</span></p> <p><span>Harry � Maybe with some other dude, but not with <i>me</i>, sir.</span></p> <p><span>Don � Okay, okay, you've convinced me. But know this, young man, if anything should happen between the two of you and I find out about it later, I will haunt you for the rest of our days on this rock we call home.</span></p> <p><span>Harry � Thank you, Mr. Magee. I really appreciate the trust you're giving me and I won't betray it.</span></p> <p><span>Don � You better not or there'll be hell to pay.</span></p> <p><span>"And that's how Harry talked Angie's dad into her helpin' him get cleaned up," Alex said as the two wrapped up their tale.</span></p> <p><span>" `Course, they both promptly forgot all about their swimsuits," Joey laughed with all of us joining in the hilarity.</span></p> <p><span>"And even though Harry's mom knows what happenin', they ain't sayin' a word to Angie's dad. She's just glad that Harry can get cleaned up and she doesn't have to worry about him," T.J. added with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, their secret's safe with us," Tom said with a sly grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Did Harry really tell you guys about that?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, not out loud," Alex hedged while looking to the floor.</span></p> <p><span>"So how do you know that's what passed between them?" Tom inquired.</span></p> <p><span>"Harry and Angie were kinda droppin' hints and skirtin' `round the whole thing," Joey began.</span></p> <p><span>"But we dug a little deeper and pulled the <i>real</i> story out of him," Alex concluded.</span></p> <p><span>"Guys, you two know you shouldn't be doing that," I scolded the pair. "Especially with people who don't know about your mental abilities."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Dads, but we've never tried shuttin' it down before," Alex apologized.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we're not as smart T.J.," Joey complained.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure you are," Tom disagreed. "You just need to try. Since you two seem to have brought T.J.'s gift to the surface, maybe he can teach you how to exert some control over what you can do."</span></p> <p><span>The two shared a meaningful glance and finally chorused, "Yeah, all right. We'll try."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all we ask for boys, that you at least give it a try. If it doesn't work for you like it does for T.J., then you've lost nothing but a little bit of time."</span></p> <p><span>We heard the door to the garage slam shut and Ron called out, "Time to set the table, munchkins!" The crew jumped from their seats and had reached the kitchen before Ron even made it to the living room. "Looks like they're a bit hungry," Ron chuckled as he passed us by.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, what was your first clue?" I asked sarcastically.</span></p> <p><span>"The cloud of dust they kicked up in their wake," he replied before stepping into the dining room and setting the food on the table. After turning around and waving his hands maniacally to disperse the imaginary dust cloud, he inched his way back towards us and added, "You guys really oughta think about hirin' somebody to come in and clean this dump every once in a while," Ron laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Actually thought we'd already done that," Tom retorted smartly. "Maybe we should revisit that decision, babe," he added with a smirk while looking to me.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, most definitely," I immediately agreed. "This first clown we hired for the job just doesn't seem to be holding up his end of our agreement," I joked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh yeah?" Ron asked half seriously. "Good luck findin' somebody else who'd put up with the insanity `round this place for more than a day or two," he added with a hearty guffaw, knowing full well how right he was.</span></p> <p><span>"Your job's safe, buddy," I commented as Tom and I finally joined the rest of the crew at the table.</span></p> <p><span>The seating arrangement tonight was a bit interesting but not altogether unexpected. I was in my regular seat at one end of the table and Tom was to my left as usual. Next was Andy, then Joey and Josh. Eric had taken the seat between his brother and Ron, who was at the far end of the table. Running back down the other side, there was T.J., Logan, Brent, Alex and finally, Mike on my right. </span></p> <p><span>Despite the feeling I'd always had that this table was way bigger than I would ever need, at this particular moment, it was absolutely perfect and I silently thanked my lucky stars for having it. And despite the number of kids crowded around the space, it was much quieter than one would normally expect for a group this size. Of course, the fact we were all stuffing our faces with mass quantities of pizza and breadsticks may have had some impact on the expected noise level.</span></p> <p><span>As the boys reached their fill, they began their after-meal cleanup with Josh, Eric and Brent joining in the task. All three boys had truly become part of the family, whether they lived with us or not. Once their own messes were taken care of, they disappeared into the theater and left the rest of the cleanup to Tom, Ron and me.</span></p> <p><span>"So, have you given any serious thought to the sleeping arrangements tonight?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I haven't, but I can guarantee you the boys have it all figured out," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you're probably right," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"If they're gonna be crowded, and it seems like they will be since there's nine of them and only two beds, if one or two wanted to bunk with me for the night, I'd be willing to share," Ron offered with a cheeky grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we just bet you would," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"I promise I'd be good," he offered with sincerity.</span></p> <p><span>"It's not you we'd be worried about, Ron," I chuckled. "Well, except for you actually surviving the night." All three of us enjoyed a good laugh on that comment.</span></p> <p><span>After recovering our more serious sides, Ron lamented, "Well, I better get the rest of these dishes taken care of before I get fired. Will one of you take care of the empty boxes?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll get `em," Tom offered. "Why don't you go cue up the next <i>Star Trek</i> disc, babe, and we'll join you guys for another mini-marathon in a few minutes?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a nice relaxing plan to me guys," I agreed, aiming myself for the theater as the two got up to take of their tasks. The herd was watching Animal Planet when I walked in, but with wholehearted agreement from the assemblage, I located the disc I needed, slipped it into the player and settled in my seat. While we waited for the other two to join us, I asked, "So, have you guys figured out who's sleeping where tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we had that settled before we left this morning," Alex volunteered.</span></p> <p><span>"And everyone's in agreement with their berthing assignments?" I prodded.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, Dad," Joey replied. "Why wouldn't we be?"</span></p> <p><span>"No reason, I guess, just making sure."</span></p> <p><span>"The only one who might have a problem is Eric," Logan commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Why's that?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he said he'd sleep with us and Logan so the other four could have the room to themselves," T.J. replied with a knowing grin.</span></p> <p><span>"But if I think we're gonna be too crowded, I'll move to the couch," Eric added. I was sorely tempted to offer space in our bed to any interested party, but I bit my tongue and choked back the words before the thought could find its voice. </span></p> <p><span>"As long as you guys have it solved to your satisfaction and are happy with the arrangements you've made, we'll stay out of it then."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and Ron finally joined us, and we were able to start tonight's shows. As had become our regular routine, after the first two episodes, we took a bathroom break and returned to the theater for the third show of the night. But not until after arranging snacks and drinks for everyone. With the exception of a few hushed giggles between Brent and Alex, along with Joey and Josh sharing similar snickers between themselves, the crew maintained their normal quiet and attentive demeanor throughout the evening. On ending the third episode for the night, the boys knew what was coming next and with no prompting from us, they headed across the house to hop in their showers. All except for Mike who was waiting patiently in the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, kiddo," I asked as Tom, Ron and I ambled in to drop our own things in the dishwasher.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I thought I should maybe get help with gettin' cleaned up again tonight," he replied with a crooked smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Is this gonna become a regular habit?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, I'll probably go back to showerin' with T.J. and Andy tomorrow night, but I've had so much fun with you guys the last two, I thought I'd try for one more go `round."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, who's gonna be your assistant tonight, me or Pops? Or you want both of us?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Naw, you guys already had your turns. I thought Ron might want to help me this time," he answered. The tone of voice Mike used was quite innocent, but the big smile on his face sure wasn't.</span></p> <p><span>"Really?" Ron asked with surprise. "You sure `bout that, dudelet?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'm sure or I wouldn't've asked, ya goofball," Mike giggled. The little guy reached out his right hand, snagged Ron's left in a firm grip and as he dragged the confused young man through the house, added, "C'mon, dude, we ain't got all night." Ron turned his head and shot us a look of surprise over his shoulder that fairly screamed `help me', but Tom and I simply grinned back at the duo and we both gave him a thumbs up and a nod as he was led away to an unknown fate.</span></p> <p><span>"Have fun, guys," I volunteered.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't do anything we wouldn't do," Tom added with a chortle.</span></p> <p><span>As we strolled across the living room to settle into our chairs and read before checking in on the boys, I asked, "You think he'll survive it?"</span></p> <p><span>"We came through relatively unscathed, I'm pretty sure Ron can handle it," Tom replied with a snicker. When the two of us realized the inadvertent pun Tom had created with his word choice, we both cracked up. Once our conniptions of hilarity were back under control, we picked up our books and dove in.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, dude, hurry the heck up," I complained to Ron as he was still resisting my lead.</span></p> <p><span>"I ain't too sure `bout this, buddy," Ron replied with worry.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't be such a big chicken," I retorted. "It ain't like I'm gonna jump your bones. Or even your boner," I added with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"But I don't have a boner," he complained.</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet, but you pro'lly will `fore it's all over," I snickered as we finally reached his room and I pulled him into the bathroom. "Go ahead and turn on the shower, dude. I gotta take a piss," I said as I stepped up to the toilet.</span></p> <p><span>"You don't just pee in the shower?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yuck, that's gross, man," I hissed.</span></p> <p><span>"No it's not, Mike. Think about it, dudelet, you've got warm water runnin' everything right down the drain. Besides, all guys do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I don't," I replied as the waterworks started.</span></p> <p><span>"You must have better control than I do, then. Once the water hits me, I can't help it."</span></p> <p><span>"Then get your butt in there and take care of it. I don't want you pissin' all over me," I retorted as I turned to face Ron and scrunched my face in disgust.</span></p> <p><span>"Yo!" Ron yelled from inside the shower where he was adjusting the water temperature. "Watch where you're aimin' that thing, keep it pointed at the bowl."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, man, my bad," I yelled back as I looked back down and made a minor adjustment so the stream exiting my body was splashing lightly into the bowl below me. When I was finally drained, I flushed the toilet and grabbed a towel from beside the sink to wipe up the little mess I'd made on the floor. That done, I dropped the towel in the hamper, then turned towards the shower and asked, "You done bein' nasty in there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it's safe, kiddo. Get in here and let's get you ready for bed."</span></p> <p><span>I joined Ron in the shower and closed the glass door behind me before climbing up on the bench built into the wall away from where the water came through the wall. Ron grabbed the showerhead on the hose and stepped closer before turning the spray on me. </span></p> <p><span>"Don't forget ya gotta keep my butt dry," I reminded him quickly.</span></p> <p><span>"I got this, Mike, don't worry" he replied.</span></p> <p><span>He started soaking me by aiming the water straight into my face and running it down the front of my body, right over my tiny two-inch wiener that was already stiff with anticipation. After setting the showerhead on the bench and making sure it was pointed away from us, Ron grabbed the bottle of body wash and squirted a line of the stuff from my shoulders to my toes. He set the bottle on the bench next to the sprayer and started working the soap into my shoulders with his bare hands.</span></p> <p><span>As he moved lower and lower over my chest and belly, I was practically vibrating with expectation when his soft, slick hands reached my waist. I got really bummed out when he moved down to my feet and started working his way back up. But, since Dad and Pops has done the same thing the last two nights, I was still anxiously waiting for his hands to reach my hard wiener to see what surprise he might have in store for me. When he finally reached my crotch, he sure had a surprise for me, just not the one I was silently begging for. He took two quick swipes over my aching dick and snug ball-sack before standing up straight and grabbing the hose from the bench. </span></p> <p><span>He quickly rinsed me off and when he reached my feet with the sprayer, looked up at me and said, "Done on the front, buddy. Turn around."</span></p> <p><span>With a tight pout on my face, I did as he instructed and the sprayer was immediately aimed at my back, spraying from right to left across my shoulders to try to keep water off my aching butt. As he moved down my back, he shifted the showerhead to the center of my ass, then back to the right as he continued down my legs. After setting the sprayer down on the bench again, he poured more body wash into his hands, then started working at my shoulders and quickly moved downward.</span></p> <p><span>When he reached my behind, one hand slipped in my crack and I felt his fingertips brush my hole as he kept moving southward. That was it as he didn't stop moving on down to my legs, finally reaching my feet. Grabbing the showerhead again, he rinsed my back from top to bottom, shifting the spray to the left again as went over my ass. As he put the hose back in its holder by the regular showerhead, I turned around and pushed my hips forward, straining to get Ron to give me some of the special attention I was craving.</span></p> <p><span>He turned off the water, opened the shower door and grabbed a towel. Stepping back to me, he started drying me off. He ran the towel over my front side barley lingering over my hard as steel boner before turning me around and drying my backside, taking special care to only pat the big scab on my ass. Done with me, he made quick work of drying himself and draped the towel over the glass door. I was not a happy camper.</span></p> <p><span>"All done, buddy. Scoot on outta here and crawl in bed, okay?" Ron said.</span></p> <p><span>"That's it!?" I asked indignantly. "But I still got a boner, man. You gotta fix that."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I don't," Ron retorted. "You let your brothers take care of it for you."</span></p> <p><span>"But I thought ...," I started before he interrupted.</span></p> <p><span>"You thought wrong, Mike. Sorry."</span></p> <p><span>"But why won't you do it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because, while I thought I might have been ready for that, I realize I still need to think about it. Again, I'm really sorry this didn't go the way you thought it would. Give me a little more time to wrap my head around the idea of playing with you little guys like that and we'll see what happens." He wrapped me in real squeezy hug and kissed the top of my head before whispering, "I love all you guys and I don't ever want you to think I don't, Mike. Just be patient with me, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay, Ron. Sorry if was too pushy," I offered lamely, still disappointed I didn't get rise out him.</span></p> <p><span>"We're all good, buddy. Now, let's get a move on," he added as he picked me up off the bench and set me down on the rug outside the shower. As the two of us went our separate ways in the hallway, Ron offered a lame, "Sleep tight, Mike, don't let the bedbugs bite."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever," I grumped as I headed for my room, stiff and lonely little pecker pointing the way, and he strolled off towards the living room.</span></p> <p><span>Ron joined us in the living room and flopped heavily onto the loveseat, a look of total exasperation filling his face.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, Ron?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I think I just pissed off Mike," he answered with a frown.</span></p> <p><span>"What'd you do?" I asked with a slightly accusing tone.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a damn thing, man," Ron protested. "Even though he made it pretty obvious he was waiting for me to do something, I just got him cleaned up and sent him on his way."</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, that probably upset him," Tom snickered. "Why didn't you have a little fun? We thought you'd come to terms with the problem."</span></p> <p><span>"Well yeah, I did, too. I guess I'm just second-guessing myself. For some reason I can't quite explain, when it was time to wash his privates, I just couldn't shake the idea that what I was thinking about doing was wrong. So, like the idiot I am I just gave him a quick swipe and moved on."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you'd just brushed aside my hard dick, I'd probably be pissed at you, too," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't get me wrong, guys. I've thought about it a lot the past few days, had convinced myself that if the little buggers wanted it, I'd be more than happy to oblige their whims. But when I had the opportunity to actually do it, had Mike's hard little pecker right where I thought I wanted it, I just couldn't make my hand wrap itself around the spike that was vibrating under my palm."</span></p> <p><span>"You'll get over your hesitation in due time," I offered. "I give `im a week before he caves, hon. What say you?" I asked as I turned to face Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"He won't last anywhere near that long," Tom retorted. "Four, five days tops, before he lets the rugrats have their way with him," he added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Four days, huh? I'll take that bet," I giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, you guys are just bein' mean, now. I think I'll go to bed," Ron vented with frustration.</span></p> <p><span>"See you in the mornin', buddy," I offered. "Sweet dreams."</span></p> <p><span>"Get some good sleep, Ron, we've got a busy day tomorrow," Tom added as Ron levered himself into an upright position and turned for his bedroom.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he grumbled as he disappeared down the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>When we heard his door close, I turned to Tom again and asked, "You really think he's gonna get a bit of sleep tonight? You <i>do</i> know what's gonna be happenin' in the two rooms he's between, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, I do," Tom answered. "I'd be surprised if the four in the first bedroom aren't already having howling monkey sex. And I'm sure the other five will be going after it with wild abandon now that Mike's joined the party in that room."</span></p> <p><span>"Be surprised if they weren't," I laughed in agreement. "Think we should say our good nights before they all get too carried away?"</span></p> <p><span>"We can sure try, but I bet we're way too late," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>After marking our places and leaving our books on the table, we headed off to make our nightly bed checks. When we reached Joey and Alex's room, we hesitated for just a moment. The noises we heard escaping from inside the room were nothing less than unbridled passion and we could practically smell the raw sex oozing through the closed door. I was just about to knock when Tom reached over and grabbed my hand.</span></p> <p><span>"What?" I asked as I turned to face him.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, maybe we should just skip tonight," he offered quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"But we always say good night and make sure everybody's tucked in," I retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, but would you want them interrupting <i>us</i> in the middle of an intimate moment?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, they've done it to us before," I countered. "I don't see why we can't return the favor."</span></p> <p><span>"And we've done it to them, too, babe. Just not with their boyfriends. I think they'd much rather keep what's happening right now between the four of them, don't you? C'mon, let's go to bed and leave them be."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess you're right," I finally agreed, though with hesitation. As Tom pulled my hand into his and we made the turn to the other end of the house, I realized we'd both developed erections as we contemplated the shenanigans the foursome were up to behind that closed door. Whatever it was, it couldn't be that much different from our own sexual explorations that kept the two of us entertained and intertwined for the next hour or so. Physically exhausted but sufficiently sated, we stumbled into the shower to clean up and then fell back into bed where we both fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.</span></p> <p><span>I lay there for about fifteen minutes after Logan, T.J., Mike and Andy had all fallen asleep before I realized I wasn't ready to join them in the dreamworld just yet. I carefully slipped out of bed so I wouldn't wake any of them and padded silently to the bathroom to take a quick leak before venturing out into the silent hallway. As I headed for the kitchen, I noticed light peeking out from the bottom of one of the other doors and knew someone else was still awake. My mind raced as I drew closer and closer to the wooden slab and I surprised myself when I actually stopped and rapped lightly on it. </span></p> <p><span>I heard what sounded like some quick shuffling taking place inside before a simple but nervous, "Yeah?" slipped under the door with the light.</span></p> <p><span>"Ps-s-s-st, Ron, it's Eric. Can I come in?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I guess," he replied with a bit of an edge to his voice.</span></p> <p><span>I pushed the door open, stepped inside and quietly closed the door behind me. "Sorry to bug ya, man, but I can't sleep, either," I offered in the way of an apology as I crossed the room to sit on the edge of Ron's bed. "Hope I didn't interrupt nothin' important," I quietly added as I looked down to the floor and away from the sheet covering his raised legs.</span></p> <p><span>"No big deal, Eric. What's up, can't sleep in a strange place?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, not really. I mean, it's never been a problem for me before. Guess it's just too early."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm with ya, dude. `Sides, that shower with little Mikey has me really thinkin' about some things."</span></p> <p><span>"Really? Like what?" I pried.</span></p> <p><span>"Like whether or not it's right to think about doin' certain things with `em," Ron answered morosely.</span></p> <p><span>"Dude, we already talked `bout this, `member?" I retorted with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, Eric, but it somehow seems different to think about doing those things with <i>you</i> than it does with <i>them</i>," he replied with a tight grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Why would it be any different?" I asked seriously. "I'm not that much older than they are, ya know. I'm still jailbait to an old fart like you," I added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe, but at least you got some development goin' on down there that puts you closer to a bein' a man than a little kid. For some stupid reason, I feel like doin' anything with the others would be like molesting a baby."</span></p> <p><span>"But they aren't babies, Ron. Sure, they're younger, but they know who they like and what they want. Like I told you before, if they're okay with it and ask you to have some fun, there's no reason in the world you shouldn't take `em up on the offer. `Specially if Max and Tom have said it's okay with them."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, they did, ya know. And I thought I was cool with it, but I guess I'm not."</span></p> <p><span>"You'll get there `ventually, dude. Bein' `round those six hot and horny little fuckers, they'll wear you down at some point," I giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"You're pretty hot, too, kiddo," Ron muttered quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, man," I blushed. "Hey, would you be willing to do me a <i>big</i> favor?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Depends on what it is?" he answered with some serious hesitation.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I can't ask dad for help since he obviously doesn't do it, and askin' Josh would be a complete waste of time since he's not old enough yet. I thought about askin' Max, but with him bein' so old, I thought he might feel a little weird about guidin' me, even though he did give me a <i>hands-on</i> tutorial on how to spank the monkey. That brings me to askin' you for some assistance."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I'm intrigued, but you still haven't told me what you want," he replied with caution.</span></p> <p><span>"Would you teach me how to shave?" I asked while looking directly into his eyes so he'd know I was serious.</span></p> <p><span>"What, you wanna get rid of that wispy little caterpillar on your upper lip?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, that too, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, what d'ya mean by `too'?" Ron asked with surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"I was really askin' `bout shavin' these wispies," I replied as I spread my legs and ran my fingertips through my slightly furry pubic patch. "My pits, too," I added as I raised my hands over my head to expose the meager growth under my arms. Ron's eyes flew wide open in disbelief. Or maybe it was terror, I'm not quite sure how to properly gauge his response. "Oh, c'mon, you obviously know how to do it. Help a young pup out, will ya?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, man," he hesitated. "Won't the other guys at school think you're a freak when you take your showers after P.E.?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right, like anybody takes a shower at school any longer," I scoffed. "Too many prudish parents stopped that a long time ago, afraid their kid might get raped in the locker room or some other stupid shit. I really wanna do it but I'm afraid I'll screw up and cut my dick off." </span></p> <p><span>Ron suffered through a little giggle fit before replying with, "Well, that's always a possibility if you're usin' a straight razor, I guess, but not much of a risk with a regular razor. Yeah, c'mon, Eric, let's do this," he finally gave in as he threw the sheet off his lower body and exposed his stiff cock to me.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh shit, I really did interrupt somethin', didn't I?" I asked nervously.</span></p> <p><span>"No biggie, dude. Besides, maybe you'd be willin' to help me finish off what I started," he offered as he grabbed my hand and started pulling me towards his bathroom.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm up for it if you are," I giggled anxiously.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I can see that," Ron retorted with a giggle of his own. "Oh, this is gonna be some serious fun," he added as he stepped into his shower and turned on the water.</span></p> <p><span>When Tom and I woke up Wednesday morning, I was surprised we didn't have an audience staring us down already. With it being T.J.'s birthday, I'd have almost bet there'd be at least one kid anxiously champing at the bit to get the day started. I was happy we were all alone, though, as that meant Alex and Joey could now return the birthday morning wakeup call the other monsters had given them. After a quick stop in the bathroom, we left the bedroom to get the munchkins moving. Passing by the kitchen, we found Ron was already awake and working on our morning meal.</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin', Ron," Tom greeted as we stepped in and helped ourselves to a cup of coffee before moving on.</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin', guys," Ron replied. "Sleep well?"</span></p> <p><span>"Like rocks, man. How `bout you? And are you ready for the busy day ahead?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, and as much as I can be," Ron replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Glad at least one of is," Tum grumbled sourly. "We're about to wake the boys, how soon for breakfast?"</span></p> <p><span>" `Bout ten or fifteen minutes. Plenty of time for them to wake up and hit the bathroom," Ron answered before adding, "Oh, and give Eric a bit before you try to roust him out of bed."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, why's that?" I asked with curiosity.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he, um, and, uh, I had, er, a bit of a late night," Ron sputtered with a crooked smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"So, he ended up in your bed for the night?" Tom quizzed the embarrassed young man.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he did. Hope that's not a problem with you two," Ron retorted defensively.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a bit, buddy," I answered calmly. "Like we told you before, Eric writes his own rules, even in this house. I guess my only question is this; did you two have fun?"</span></p> <p><span>"More than should be allowed," Ron answered quite happily.</span></p> <p><span>"That's the way it should be," Tom agreed while giving Ron a solid pat on his shoulder. "C'mon, babe, let's go roust the rest of the crew," he added as he turned for the other end of the house. I followed along and we were soon standing outside Alex and Joey's bedroom. "Should we knock or just go on in?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I usually never knock in the morning, but given the circumstances, they'd probably like a little advanced warning before we just barge in." That said, Tom gave the door a solid rap before turning the knob and pushing open the door. The quadruple pretzel that greeted us this morning was nothing short of complete eroticism. Arms, legs and torsos were entangled across the bed and the covers were kicked to the floor as usual. And while all four munchkins were still sound asleep, we could make a pretty good guess as to the type of dreams they were currently enjoying. </span></p> <p><span>In the midst of the tangle mass of flesh covering the mattress, four prepubescent penises were standing proud and reaching for the ceiling, their owners completely unaware of the compromising positions they were in. While I'd seen Brent up close and very personal on Alex and Joey's birthday, this was the first time I'd really had a chance to pay attention to young Josh in this state. The youngster was just a bit smaller than his older brother at about four and a half inches long, cut, of course, and, on closer inspection, not a hair to be found. Pretty decent size for an eleven-year-old kid, but Brent was no slouch in that department as his four inches would surely put any other nine-year-old boy to shame. Well, except for maybe Alex and Joey who were super proud their three-inch peckers were the biggest of the kids who actually lived here and they already knew that size doesn't matter.</span></p> <p><span>"So, how do we want to handle this," I asked quietly while gazing longingly at the display before us.</span></p> <p><span>"I think `handle' is the perfect word to use to describe how I'd like to wake them up," Tom grinned evilly. </span></p> <p><span>I looked at my honey, raised an eyebrow in question and after a quick nod, I shrugged my shoulders and whispered, "I'm in. How about you take Brent and Alex on the other side of the bed and I'll wake Josh and Joey?"</span></p> <p><span>"Deal, babe," Tom happily agreed as he moved around the foot of the bed and gently sat on the edge of the mattress.</span></p> <p><span>As we each wrapped our hands around the trembling tumescent tools, eight eyes snapped wide open so fast you could almost feel the breeze they'd stirred to life. All four moaned with intense delight at being woken in this manner. As if to reinforce the fact the dreams they'd been enjoying were suddenly real, the quartet was soon quivering as one as they succumbed to their feelings and were quickly enveloped in the throes of ecstasy. As soon as the boys returned to earth, there was a mad scramble for the bathroom so they could drain their bladders. </span></p> <p><span>While Tom and I waited patiently for their return, I felt obliged to use my tongue to clean up the miniscule deposit of clear fluid that had escaped Josh's underdeveloped testes and landed on the web between my thumb and forefinger. If the rest of him tasted as sweet as that treat, it would be a meal I'd truly enjoy devouring. With their bathroom needs dealt with, they soon rejoined us and all four gave us a quick a hug and thank you for their wakeup call.</span></p> <p><span>"You get T.J. up, yet?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, we thought you guys would like that honor this morning," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"After what they did to us on <i>our</i> birthday, you bet your sweet ass we do," Joey agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"What was that," Brent asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Dad turned `em loose on us first thing in the mornin'," Alex replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I still don't know how we survived the attack," Joey added with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, time for you to get even," Tom commented as he led the way out the door and down the hallway to where four unsuspecting rugrats still slept. As soon as Tom opened the door, the four wild ones charged into the room, jumped on the bed and started dancing around as if their lives depended on how much mayhem they could cause. By the time Logan, Andy and Mike had joined the feverish dance party, poor T.J. didn't stand a chance. Tom and I are still amazed the melee ended without requiring a trip to the emergency room to set a broken bone or two.</span></p> <p><span>Tom finally called an end to the festivities when he called out, "Okay, you monsters, time to break it up and go help Ron get ready for breakfast!" Joey, Josh, Brent and Alex left the room at a run, laughing all the way, while Logan, Mike and Andy hit the bathroom before making themselves scarce as well, giggling madly at T.J.'s misfortunes.</span></p> <p><span>"Are those whack-jobs finally gone?" T.J. whimpered from under the blankets where he'd curled into a ball for protection.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, it's safe to come out, T.J.,' I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Good," he retorted as he threw off the covers and jumped off the bed. "I gotta piss, and like, right now. Get the heck outta my way, you goofballs." As Tom and I separated, T.J. squeezed between us and darted for the open doorway. As the sound of trickling water reached our ears, we also heard an audible sigh of relief from the young man as he emptied his bladder. After flushing the toilet and washing his face and hands, T.J. rejoined us and greeted us with a bright smile and cheerful, "Mornin', Dads!"</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning to you, too buddy," I replied as I gave him a hug and kissed the top of his head. "And happy birthday, too," I added before handing him off to Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"Happy birthday, T.J. I love you, little man," Tom offered during his hug with our now eight-year-old son.</span></p> <p><span>"I love you guys, too," T.J. replied as he climbed on the bed and sat between us. "But let me tell you right now, you better hide on your birthdays if you know what's good for you," he added with a sweet giggle. Tom and I joined him as we remembered how Alex had threatened retaliation for his and Joey's rude awakening, as well.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, we'll be ready for it," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Good," T.J. retorted. "I don't want to sound greedy, but I hope I get the same special birthday present you guys gave to Joey and Alex."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know what you're talkin' about, T.J.," I responded innocently.</span></p> <p><span>"Like heck you don't!" he countered. "I picked up what was goin' on `tween the four of you the moment it started. And I want the same `gift' for my big day," T.J. demanded.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see what we can do, T.J.," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, and maybe Logan can join us, too, so he can finally get a turn with you guys. You know he wants to do it at least once," T.J. volunteered.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll think about it, buddy," I replied noncommittally, unsure as to whether Logan was really interested in such a thing happening despite bringing it up a few times. That would be a discussion to be had later. "Well, you ready to get your day started?" I asked as I stood up.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet!" T.J. agreed enthusiastically as he and Tom joined me on the floor. "Let's go!" he added as he charged out of the room, enthusiasm and excitement leaking from every pore.</span></p> <p><span>As we followed behind, Tom asked, "You sure about Logan joining the three of us later?"</span></p> <p><span>"Only if he truly wants to," I replied. "I know he's brought it up a couple of times before, but I always assumed he was probably joking about it since I'm pretty sure he's straight as an arrow. All we can do is ask and see what he says."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds fair to me," Tom concurred. "I'd hate to shut him out of the fun if he's serious."</span></p> <p><span>"Me too," I agreed as we reached the dining room to find all the food on the table and the rest of the crew diving into their meals.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I joined the crowd and soon had our plates filled with waffles, eggs, sausage and bacon. Tons of praise were being heaped on Ron for the delicious food from all of us and he blushed lightly at the compliments. It took me longer than it should have, but I finally realized we were short one person.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, where's Eric," I asked. The boys all laughed out loud at my question.</span></p> <p><span>"I tried, guys," Ron answered, "but he just wasn't ready to get up." The snorts of laughter that quickly filled the room on that statement drowned out any possible response.</span></p> <p><span>"He does know he's missing breakfast, doesn't he?" Tom inquired when things had calmed back down.</span></p> <p><span>"I've got some saved back for him and it's in the oven to keep warm," Ron answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure you'll take good care of our guest," I offered.</span></p> <p><span>"I think he already did that last night," Josh snorted loudly. While the herd cracked up on that comment, Ron aimed his face at his plate and turned pink with embarrassment.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, that's enough," Tom admonished the group and they suddenly became very quiet. "Would you like to talk about what was going on in <i>your</i> room last night Alex?" he asked pointedly.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, not really," Alex answered as he joined Ron in turning pink. </span></p> <p><span>"How about you Joey?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, ain't goin' there, Dads," Joey replied as he ducked the question, too.</span></p> <p><span>"Then leave Ron alone," Tom reiterated. "If you're going to pry into anybody else's private activities, you can be sure the others will stick their noses into yours."</span></p> <p><span>"Any one of y'all can stick your nose in <i>my</i> business. I wouldn't mind it a bit," Brent snickered, drawing another loud gale of laughter from all of us, even Ron.</span></p> <p><span>A very tired looking Eric suddenly appeared, still wiping the sleep from his eyes and he greeted us with, "Geez, think you guys could make any more noise?" before slumping into the empty chair next to Ron. Ron quickly disappeared into the kitchen to retrieve the plate he'd saved for young man.</span></p> <p><span>Just as the Eric's waist slipped out of sight below the top of the table, I noticed the physical change from before he went to bed last night and caught Tom's attention. After he turned to face me, I mouthed, `he's shaved'. At first Tom didn't seem to register my meaning, but enlightenment slowly dawned on him and he shot me a knowing grin. Ron returned soon enough with Eric's breakfast and set the plate in front him so he could dig in. I thought nobody else caught the lack of Eric's body hair until Josh quickly and rudely disabused of me that notion.</span></p> <p><span>"Yo, bro, where the fuck's your hair?" Josh asked with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"On top of my head, you obnoxious little dweeb," Eric retorted angrily.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, you can't say that!" Alex yelled as he pointed to Josh.</span></p> <p><span>"What?" Josh asked.</span></p> <p><span>"The f-word, dude," Joey chimed. "I warned you `bout that, man."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh yeah, sorry, guys. I forgot," Josh apologized. He then turned to us and offered a sincere, "I'm really sorry, Mr. Wright, Mr. Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll let it slide this time, young man," Tom replied, "but try to get a tighter rein on your words, please," he added in all seriousness.</span></p> <p><span>"I will, promise," Josh agreed. He then turned back to Eric and continued his interrogation. "That's <i>not</i> the hair I'm talkin' `bout and you know it, ya jerk."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, <i>that</i>," Eric grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that!" Josh retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"What're you goin' on about?" T.J. asked in confusion. "I don't see nothin' any different." Eric grinned widely, silently thanking T.J. for his meager assistance.</span></p> <p><span>"I dare ya to stand up, bro," Josh challenged Eric who's smile faded just as quickly as it had developed.</span></p> <p><span>Resigned to his fate, Eric slowly stood up, raised his hands high above his head and performed a little pirouette to show off his new appearance. Appreciative whistles and a few catcalls from the herd echoed around the room before he took his seat again and returned to his breakfast.</span></p> <p><span>After stuffing another bite of waffle into his mouth, Eric mumbled, "Happy, butthead?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I think it looks cool, bro. I'm just surprised you'd do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Why?" Eric asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you were pretty proud of those hairs around your di..., uh, penis and in your pits even if you didn't show them off too much the past few months until after our first time comin' over here. I can't wait `til mine starts growin'," Josh added with a little smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, well, I just thought I'd try it and see if I like bein' hairless again. I like the way it looks on Max and Ron, but I ain't too sure `bout how it looks on me."</span></p> <p><span>"I think you look hot," T.J. grinned. "I mean, you were already smokin', but you're on fire now, dude." Eric blushed mightily on T.J.'s compliments, but nobody contradicted the munchkin, either.</span></p> <p><span>"He's right, Eric," Ron admitted. "And I was happy to be the one to help you."</span></p> <p><span>"Did you shave everywhere, dude?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep," Eric replied proudly. "The only hair left on me right now is on the top o' my head."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you gonna keep doin' it?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Haven't decided yet," Eric admitted. "Guess it depends on if I can find someone who'll help me with a few hard to reach places."</span></p> <p><span>"Like where?" Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, my back and butt, of course. I can get everywhere else just fine, but my arms just don't bend the way they need to reach those two spots. My eyes don't either," he added with a quick laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll help ya, bro," Josh immediately offered.</span></p> <p><span>"I will, too," Ron grinned. "Especially when it comes to your cute butt," Ron added while licking his lips.</span></p> <p><span>"Guys, I think it's time for us to get busy and prepare for the party that's coming up really quickly," I interjected into the conversation. "How about you get started with your part of the meal cleanup and we'll move on from there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Dad," Joey agreed. "C'mon guys, let's hop to it." </span></p> <p><span>On that note, the herd jumped up from their chairs and started carrying plates into the kitchen. All of them except for T.J., of course. Following the precedent that had been set on the twins' birthday, T.J. was exempt from any and all chores for the day. When Mike came back into the dining room to grab T.J.'s plate, Ron called him over to have a little chat. When Mike rounded the corner of the table with a frown on his face, Ron picked him up and set him on his leg before draping one arm around his shoulders and resting the other on Mike's thigh, his fingers tracing little circles on the pale skin.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, listen, dudelet, about our shower last night," Ron began.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what about it?" Mike retorted testily.</span></p> <p><span>"I wanna say I'm sorry it didn't go quite the way you hoped it would." Mike's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree on that and his demeanor made a drastic U-turn before Ron continued. "If you'll give me another chance, I'd like to make it up to you."</span></p> <p><span>"When?" Mike asked anxiously.</span></p> <p><span>"Anytime you want, buddy."</span></p> <p><span>"Like, right now?"</span></p> <p><span>After Ron stopped laughing at the youngster's eagerness, he answered, "No, not right now, ya horny little rugrat. We've got a party to get ready for, remember?"</span></p> <p><span>"Then tonight, okay?" Mike prodded eagerly.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we can probably arrange that," Ron agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, dude. You better not let me down again," Mike threatened seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"Wouldn't dream of it," Ron agreed. "Now, get back to work," he added as he set Mike back on the floor and gave the uninjured side of his butt a light swat. Mike scampered off after grabbing T.J.'s plate and T.J. followed along to sit at the bar and watch the others do all the work.</span></p> <p><span>When it was down to just the three of us still at the table, Tom quietly asked, "What brought about this sudden change in attitude?"</span></p> <p><span>"Eric, man. It's all his fault," Ron whispered.</span></p> <p><span>"How so?" I asked with interest, though I was fairly sure I already knew the answer.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, after showing him how to shave last night and providing a fair amount of <i>hands-on</i> assistance, neither one of us was really ready for sleep and what can I say? One thing led to another which led to even more. Suffice it to say that you two were on the money when you said that kid's got a sweet ass. In more ways than one," he added with a lascivious smile. "Fuckin' insatiable, too," he added while still whispering.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Ron," Eric giggled as he led the parade out of the kitchen. "I had lots of fun, too, man."</span></p> <p><span>I leaned over to Tom and whispered, "Sounds like we both lost that bet." Tom tried but failed miserably at reining in his snort of laughter.</span></p> <p><span>"What's next, Dads?" T.J. prompted.</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you guys attack your bedrooms really quick and get that out of the way?" I suggested. "Eric, Brent, Josh, would you mind grabbing all the towels from around the house and taking them to the laundry room. We'll get them going as soon as you have `em there. Oh, and bring clean ones back out and drop them on the furniture as you pass back through. Thanks."</span></p> <p><span>"We got our assignments, dudes!" Joey called out. "Time to get busy." Our six headed for their rooms to give them a quick once-over while the other three turned for the theater to start retrieving towels.</span><span> Ron aimed himself for the kitchen to finish the work that needed to be done there and to make sure it was ready for Justine and her crew. As for Tom and me, we headed for the living room to take care of the minimal cleanup needed to make the space presentable.</span></p> <p><span>Just as we were about to finish tidying up the area, the drive sensor announced someone pulling into the drive. Assuming it was just Dylan arriving to deal with some work before the party, we thought nothing of it and continued what we were doing. It wasn't until the doorbell rang a couple of minutes later that we came to understand whoever was here wasn't someone we were expecting. We both shared a nervous glance and as we were about to turn for the door, all the boys rejoined us.</span></p> <p><span>"Is that Uncle Dylan," T.J. asked excitedly.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think so guys," Tom answered. "He doesn't usually ring the bell, does he?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, right. So who is it?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Can't be any of T.J.'s friends," Joey volunteered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, way too early for any o' them to be showin' up," Logan agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"You guys duck down the hallway and we'll find out," I said. "If we yell `shorts', hit your rooms and get covered up." The herd backed up a few feet and while they craned their necks around the corner to keep an eye on things, I headed for the front door, staying as far away as possible from the glass on the left side. Just before reaching the door, I caught a glimpse of Ron peeking out of the kitchen to see if he'd have to run for cover as well.</span></p> <p><span>I nervously inched my head towards the window and when I could see the porch, I discovered a group of five or six people I didn't know waiting to be allowed inside. I was just about call out for everyone to get dressed when a familiar face suddenly appeared on the other side of the invisible barrier between us, big grin on his face and eyes filled with mirth at the potentially awkward situation he'd created by showing up unannounced. Though I was somewhat surprised we'd forgotten he was coming today, I breathed a huge sigh of relief on knowing our guest and stood up straight to open the door.</span></p> <p><span>"It's okay, everyone, it's LeVar and his group," I called out. Loud cheers of excitement rang through the house and threatened to shatter the glass of all the windows. I could feel the wave of relief that washed over everyone as Tom and the boys joined me at the door. When I finally opened it and welcomed our guests inside with a wave of my hand, LeVar and two of his group stepped over the threshold as if it wasn't all that unusual to be greeted by eleven people who weren't dressed.</span></p> <p><span>LeVar turned back to the two who were still standing outside, hesitant to join their compatriots and gawking at the spectacle before them, and commented, "C'mon, people. I told you what to expect before we left L.A. and gave you the chance to back out of coming with me. You all said you wouldn't have a problem with the lack of dress code around here, so hop to it." He then turned back to us and greeted us like we are all family.</span></p> <p><span>"Max, Tom, good to see you guys again. You, too, boys," he added with a warm smile as he faced the munchkins surrounding him. Levar introduced his co-workers, Rex, Greg, Stuart and Michelle, to us and all the adults shared quick handshakes with each other while the boys would settle for nothing less than their regular hugs, even with the four new individuals. And despite some initial hesitation from two of those four, they still accepted the hugs from all nine of the boys. When LeVar reached the end of the line and it was Logan's turn, he knelt to his knees and pulled the young man into an affectionate and caring squeeze.</span></p> <p><span>When they finally separated a minute later, LeVar looked into Logan' eyes and quietly asked, "How're you doing, Logan? I've been really worried about you and how you're handling yourself."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess I'm doin' al'right most days, Mr. Burton. Still miss my daddy bunches, but least I get to stay here with my new dads and brothers," Logan replied with a mixture of sadness and glee.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm happy to hear that, young man. I thought maybe you'd end up having to move away from your friends to live with somebody else."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I was s'posed to go live with that lowlife dirtbag uncle of mine, but I done fixed that god-awful nonsense real quick-like. `Course, now I gots to go to court on Friday `cause a what I did to that loser, but my new Dads and lawyer keep sayin' it'll all turn out just fine."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure they're right, buddy," LeVar replied as he looked to Tom and me with a questioning look. I mouthed `later' to LeVar and after a quick nod, he returned his attention to Logan and continued. "You just let them take care of you and I'm sure you'll be fine."</span></p> <p><span>"I am," Logan agreed.</span></p> <p><span>On that note, LeVar stood back up and asked, "Okay, we've met everyone but Ron. Where's he hidin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"In the kitchen last time I saw him," I answered. "Boys, get back to your tasks, please. We still have to get ready for a party, remember?" As the herd disappeared down the hallway to return to their rooms, I added, "C'mon, LeVar, let's see if we can locate the elusive Ron," turning towards the kitchen with the rest of the adults falling in line behind me. On entering the area, we found Ron still cleaning a couple of dishes at the sink. I have to say we were surprised to find he was wearing an apron and Tom and I couldn't control our burst of laughter when he finally turned to face us. LeVar and the others joined us in our mirth.</span></p> <p><span>"Nice, uh, accessorizing, Ron," Tom finally managed to spit out when he'd regained control of his senses.</span></p> <p><span>"Laugh it up, fuzzball," Ron retorted. "Who's that?" he asked pointedly while aiming an accusatory finger to the group of strangers behind us.</span></p> <p><span>"Ron, this is LeVar Burton and some of his people, Stuart, Michelle, Rex and Greg," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"And what're they doin' here? You didn't say anything to me `bout `other people' bein' here today besides T.J.'s friends."</span></p> <p><span>"I was sure you were included when we found out LeVar was coming this week, but if I didn't, I'm sorry. As to why they're here, LeVar is the man who's going to turn my books into movies. He's also planning to create a new TV series about my life."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, I do remember somethin' `bout somebody comin' for that. Guess I didn't realize it was today." Ron reached a hand over the counter and added, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Burton. Sorry for the lousy greeting."</span></p> <p><span>"You're fine, Ron," LeVar replied as the two shook hands. "And it's LeVar, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"If you say so, man. How long you gonna be around?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably through Saturday or Sunday to get everything we want," LeVar answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you or your people need anything while you're here, just let me know," Ron offered.</span></p> <p><span>"I think the first thing <i>I</i> need," LeVar began, "is a room where I can shed my clothes."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, you're serious about that?" Stuart complained.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I am, Stuart," LeVar retorted. LeVar held out his hand holding the key fob for their car and added, "If you don't think you can deal with it, here's the thingie to the car. Take it and go back to the hotel. Just know that if you leave now, when you get back to L.A., you'll be looking for a new job."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon, boss," he whined. "You can't be real."</span></p> <p><span>"You should know by now I don't joke about things that serious," LeVar replied calmly. "Besides, if we're going to be successful in pulling off this show about Max, his family and his life, you're gonna have to get used to bein' `round a whole bunch of naked people. Whether it's me or others. This seems like the perfect opportunity for you to get over your hang-ups about the nude human form. Good practice for when you'll have to deal with it on a daily basis for ten to fourteen hours a day. Your call."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine," Stuart responded testily, crossing his arms across his chest in anger. "Do whatever the hell you want. It's your damn company."</span></p> <p><span>"And don't you ever forget that," LeVar retorted seriously with a touch of anger. "How about it, guys?" he asked as he turned back to Tom and me.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, our room's right down the hall and through the double doors on the right," Tom answered while pointing the way.</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent," LeVar smiled. As he turned down the hall, he asked, "Anyone else gonna join me in the most liberating experience you'll ever have in your entire life?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll give it a whirl, LeVar," Rex agreed as he followed his boss. The other three just milled about uncomfortably, none looking too happy about the situation they'd found themselves in.</span></p> <p><span>In an attempt to help ease their minds, I offered, "Look, we know that family or social nudism isn't for everyone. And though we're nudists, we'll be willing to cover up if you're that uncomfortable with it. But, if you think you can accept us as we are, then we'll accept you as you are. We never force anybody to take off their clothes if they don't want to."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, thanks, Max," Michelle muttered unconvincingly. "While we knew you and your family would most likely not be wearing anything while we were here, I think we were a bit surprised you'd actually answer the door that way."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we were all ready to pull on shorts if we needed to, but once I saw who was here, we figured what the hell? I mean, LeVar's been here before and he certainly knew what to expect from us, and we could only assume he'd have properly prepared all of you for what you'd find. Again, if you'd like us to get dressed, we'll do so."</span></p> <p><span>"Doesn't make much sense for y'all to do that if the boss is gonna be naked," Greg offered lamely.</span></p> <p><span>"Who knows," Tom started, "by the time you folks head back to California, you might get just as comfortable being nude as we are."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, fat freakin' chance of that," Stuart scoffed. </span></p> <p><span>Realizing we were fighting a losing battle with these three, we decided to shut up and leave well enough alone. LeVar and Rex reappeared soon enough, LeVar calm, confident and relaxed, and Rex trying to appear the same though his true feelings were given away by the light pink flush tinting his body. Stuart made no attempt to hide his look of disgust on seeing his boss and co-worker without their clothes. As for Greg and Michelle, they seemed to accept things as they were, though still a touch embarrassed at the situation.</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't we sit in the living room and chat for a bit while the boys take care of their work?" I offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good, Max," LeVar agreed and he was the first to turn that direction. Tom and I ended up in our regular chairs, LeVar and Rex settled in on the loveseat and the other three filled the couch. After everyone was comfortable, LeVar asked "So, what party are we crashing by being here today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Today is T.J.'s birthday and we're having a party with some of his friends from school," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, I wish I'd known that," LeVar responded, adding, "I would have brought him something."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it. He'll get more than enough gifts from our families at his second party with them this Saturday," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, good, so I still have a chance," LeVar retorted with a smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Well," Stuart interrupted, "I hope to God you all get dressed before any more kids get here."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll expect any adults will be wearing shorts at a minimum, for sure, but the boys and girls T.J. invited won't be unless they want to," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Girls?" Stuart squeaked in horror. "You're going to have girls over here? And they're gonna be around all those naked boys? That's disgusting."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, not really," LeVar countered. "You only think that way because of your narrow and closed mind, Stuart. Why don't you give it a chance and see for yourself?"</span></p> <p><span>"Besides," Tom began, "we informed all the parents of the kids T.J. invited what to expect and I don't think anyone else had a problem with it. Why should you?" he asked pointedly. Stuart quickly clammed up and kept his thoughts to himself after that as he pouted at the far end of the of the couch.</span></p> <p><span>Our continuing conversation was little more than idle chatter as we tried to set a tone that what was going on was nothing unusual. And to Tom, LeVar and me, it wasn't, but to the others we might as well been having this conversation on Mars, or even Pluto. I noticed Stuart could hardly stand to look at any of us and spent most of his time focused on something on the other side of the glass wall behind Tom and myself. Shortly after we'd gotten comfortable, the drive sensor went off to let us know someone else was about to join us. The house rumbled as the herd left their rooms and hauled ass into the living room.</span></p> <p><span>"Is that Uncle Dylan?" T.J. queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Probably," Tom replied. "You guys all done with your rooms?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Pops," Alex replied.</span></p> <p><span>Soon enough, the front door popped open and Dylan stepped inside, already dressed in his usual work attire. Which, of course, means he had nothing on. With whoops of excitement, the boys hustled over to enjoy their regular hugfest greeting with the big buy. When they finally broke up, the whole group ambled over to join us. Rex, Michelle and Greg openly gawked at Dylan's body but otherwise kept their thoughts to themselves. Stuart continued to stare outside, his discomfort growing with each passing second. On reaching the living room, Dylan shared with a handshake and cheery greeting for LeVar.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, LeVar, good to see you again. What brings you back to this neck of the woods?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just came to get some background info from Max, Tom and their sons for the new series I'm developing," LeVar replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, good luck with that," Dylan chuckled. "Those boys will drive you crazy. If you can get them to sit still long enough to actually talk to you," he added with a hearty laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon, Uncle Dylan, we ain't that bad," Joey retorted, puffing his chest out with pride.</span></p> <p><span>"No, you're really not," Dylan agreed with a chuckle while ruffling the munchkin's hair. "Well, I showed up early so I could deal with a little work before the party gets started. Guess I better get to it," Dylan added.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, Dylan," Tom began, "Are you planning to be here during the party?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah. I thought you and Max might like a little extra help this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, we will, for sure, but you do understand the adults will be wearing shorts when T.J.'s guests get here, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, du-u-u-u-h," Dylan replied as he rolled his eyes. "Wha'd'ya think I've got in this bag?" he asked as he held up his right hand.</span></p> <p><span>"Just makin' sure," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Look, partner, I may still be a bit of a newbie at this whole bein' naked thing, but my momma didn't raise a complete moron."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, get outta here," Tom replied, reinforcing his words with a little shooing motion of his hands.</span></p> <p><span>"Yessir, massa," Dylan laughed as he turned and headed down the hallway towards his office. With the work on their rooms completed, the boys aimed themselves for the theater to kill some time before T.J.'s guests started arriving.</span></p> <p><span>Once we heard the office door close behind Dylan, Stuart abruptly turned to face LeVar and said, "Okay, boss, I really tried, but I want outta here."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the doohickey for the car is with my clothes. Get it and go. I'll call you later so you know when to come back out and pick us up. I am <i>not </i>going to have Max or Tom go out of their way to bring us back just to soothe your frazzled and fragile ego." Without further comment, Stuart hustled across the house and soon disappeared out the front door.</span></p> <p><span>"You're not really gonna can him, are you, LeVar?" Rex asked after Stuart was gone.</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, but the possibility of that happening should give him something to stew on this afternoon. I'd really like for Stu to be involved with this new series, but if he can't handle bein' around naked people for even a few hours, I don't know how the heck he'd survive dealing with it for days and weeks on end when we actually start shooting. Bringing him along on this trip was really more of a test for him and I just had this feeling he was going to fail miserably. Sadly, I was right."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, at least he'll still have a job," Greg commented. "Are you testing me, Michelle and Rex, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe a little bit," LeVar agreed, "and I'm glad to see you three are at least giving things a fair shot despite how uncomfortable you are with this new situation."</span></p> <p><span>"What do ya mean?" Michelle asked. "We're still here, aren't we?"</span></p> <p><span>"And I stripped right off with ya," Rex complained.</span></p> <p><span>"And you were embarrassed as hell to do it, Rex," LeVar countered. "We could all see that; it was as plain as the nose on our face." He then turned to face the other two and added, "I've also noticed you two exchanging sideways glances between you. But that's cool, I understand it completely. My first visit here was, um, how can I say this? Oh yeah, weird but enlightening."</span></p> <p><span>"How so, boss?" Michelle asked with interest.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, like so many other people, I'd always equated simple nudity with somehow being sexual in nature. Despite being in a multitude of locker rooms with other naked men over the years, and there was absolutely nothing sexual about that, I fell into the same trap that so many of us do. But, after spending a few days with Max and his family, I learned that isn't the situation at all, it's just living your life in complete comfort."</span></p> <p><span>"So, did you lose your clothes immediately like I did," Rex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Hell, no!" LeVar retorted. "I was too worried about how I'd react to even think about it. But after spending the afternoon and evening around the boys, and then going for a swim with Tom and Max that first night, I finally decided to risk embarrassing myself when it was just me and Max here."</span></p> <p><span>"How'd that turn out?" Greg asked with sincere interest.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I was still pretty wary when I came out of my bedroom the next morning, but I was also determined to give it a chance. It took me, what, about an hour to feel really at ease with bein' naked around somebody else. Sound about right to you, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah. And by the time we had lunch that day, you were acting like you'd always been a nudist."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you see, it's not just you guys who feel like you do right now," LeVar commented. "How about you, Rex? You doin' okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, so far, I guess. Though I tend to spend a fair share of my evenings at home in just my boxers, I live alone, so it's not a big deal, is it? This whole bein' naked `round other people is still makin' me feel a bit self-conscious, but I'm getting used to it. Of course, I've never been really happy with my body and what I look like without clothes, so I've stayed away from pools and gyms because of it."</span></p> <p><span>"And why don't you like your body? Is it the lack of skin color since you spend most of your days in a building? Or your little bit of a belly? Or do you feel like you've got too much hair, or maybe not enough?"</span></p> <p><span>"All of the above, really," Rex admitted quietly. "Put those together with my smaller than average size, uh, down there," he added while tipping his head forward, "and you can see why I don't think other people would want to see me without my clothes on." </span></p> <p><span>Michelle couldn't hold in the little giggle she let go and commented, "You're bigger than my hubby, you bonehead, so you got nothin' to be ashamed about there." Rex blushed yet again at being on display with his co-workers, but he kept any comment he may have had to himself.</span></p> <p><span>"Rex, that's nothing you have to worry about around here," LeVar commented in an attempt to put the man more at ease.</span></p> <p><span>"Look folks," I interrupted, "it's like this. If you're going to spend any time at all in a nudist environment, the first and most important thing you need to do is be happy with who you are and accept your body as it is. From my limited experience with being around other people while nude, if you're hung up on how you think you look, you'll never relax enough to really enjoy the experience. I struggled for years with feelings of inadequacy, but like Rex, I lived out here by myself, so it wasn't that big of a deal." Rex, Greg and Michelle all snickered at my unintentional pun. </span></p> <p><span>"But after the boys moved in, and then Tom joined the zoo, too, we've had more people over who have wholeheartedly embraced the life. That includes Dylan, his fianc� Malcom, Malcom's son Damon, Ron, our parents, my sister and brother-in-law and several others. After seeing so many naked bodies, you soon realize people come in all shapes and sizes, some flattering, some not so much. But all of us accepts everyone else for who they are in their hearts and not what they look like."</span></p> <p><span>"Or, as I like to say it, size don't matter," Tom interrupted my little soliloquy with a laugh which coaxed a large round of shared hilarity from everybody.</span></p> <p><span>We spent the next couple of hours talking about a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Ron finally joined us after having finished with his work getting the kitchen ready for Justine. He even managed to screw up the courage to leave the apron behind, though he did hold the dining room chair in front of himself as he brought it with him so he'd have somewhere to sit since every other seat was already taken. With the party supposed to start at one o'clock, at twelve-thirty, I recommended it was time we get ready for our guests. While four of us who needed to cover up adjourned to our bedroom to do so, Ron turned for his room to do the same after informing Dylan it was that time. We left Greg and Michelle to do a bit of exploring on their own. </span></p> <p><span>As I was pulling swim shorts out for us to don, Greg quietly slipped into the room and asked, "You got an extra pair for me?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure we can find something for you, Greg," I replied as I continued to rummage through the dresser to obtain a proper garment for everyone. Tom had already pulled his shorts from the dresser and passed a second pair on to LeVar. I located my own, found another pair I tossed to Rex and continued digging. Scraping the bottom of the drawer, I found an item that I thought would create a bit of humor and without looking behind me, pitched it over my shoulder towards Greg. He grabbed the unknown article from the air and was soon holding my old pair of Speedos by the waistband at arm's length, a sour look flooding his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hell no!" Greg exclaimed. "No way my fat ass is gonna fit into <i>these</i>." The rest of us cracked up in laughter and after a few moments of hilarity, I handed him another pair of gym-style shorts and retrieved the skimpy briefs from his tenuous grip. "That's much better, Max. Thanks," the very relieved man breathed.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, man, couldn't help myself," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>With all of us appropriately dressed for a pool party, we headed out of the bedroom. While Tom and the others continued to the living room, I took a quick detour through the theater to let the boys know it was time to shut things down and come on out to greet T.J.'s guests. Without hesitation, they turned off the TV and jumped from their chairs to follow me.</span></p> <p><span>Crossing the dining room, I asked, "Are you planning to pull on shorts to greet your guests, T.J.?"</span></p> <p><span>"What's the point, Dad? We're just gonna take `em back off in twenty minutes to jump in the pool."</span></p> <p><span>"That's your call, young man, but I expect you to answer the door to meet everyone when they get here. If you feel comfortable enough doing so without shorts, I'm fine with it, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you said you and Pops told everyone we'd be naked in the pool, so nobody should be surprised we ain't wearin' nothin', right?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's one way to look at it, I guess," I admitted with some reservation. </span></p> <p><span>While it was true we'd made sure everyone knew what to expect this afternoon, I was hoping none of the parents would be put off being greeted by a nude child. We'd find out soon enough. The first ding from the drive sensor at a quarter to one had T.J. charging towards the front door, bouncing with excitement as he waited for the car to pull up to the door. I was surprised when he suddenly stood stock still and gawked out the window beside the front door.</span></p> <p><span>He abruptly turned away from the door and headed our direction while announcing, "That's not one of <i>my</i> friends. It's some truck pulling a trailer filled with a bunch of weird looking tools."</span></p> <p><span>Dylan was the first to react, commenting, "That must be the fence guys finally getting here. They're way later than they thought they would be." </span></p> <p><span>On that note, he left the house to take charge of the group outside and get them started on their long project. I didn't envy them the task of trying to install a fence around our eighteen acres and having to deal with all the trees that would invariably be in their way. But, considering how much they were charging for the job, that was going to be their headache to deal with and not mine. I just wanted it done and done right.</span></p> <p><span>Soon enough, the drive sensor announced another incoming vehicle and T.J. took off for the door again. He waited patiently, peering out the window to see who was coming in. We watched as a car pulled around the circle drive and stopped at the steps up to the porch and T.J. began dancing excitedly as his first guest climbed out of the car.</span></p> <p><span>He threw open the door and yelled, "Ralphie, c'mon in, dude!" We could all hear Ralphie laugh at seeing T.J. bobbing with excitement and by the time the boy stepped inside, he'd already pulled off his shirt and was working on dropping his shorts, too. It was a difficult task with his shoes on, so he held on to T.J.'s shoulder for support as he doffed his shoes beside the door and then stepped out of the shorts that had already slipped to the floor and puddled around his ankles. As he bent over to pick them up, his father stepped in behind him and Tom and I walked across the house to meet the first arrivals.</span></p> <p><span>As the two boys happily hugged each other, Tom greeted the man with, "Good afternoon. I'm Tom Wright and this is my fianc�, Max Sanders," he added as he extended his hand.</span></p> <p><span>"And I'm Ralph's dad, Ralph, Sr. Nice to meet you guys."</span></p> <p><span>"Pleasure to meet you, too," I offered as we shared a handshake.</span></p> <p><span>"What time should I come back to pick up my boy?"</span></p> <p><span>"The party we had for the twins' birthday last month wrapped up around six," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good. You should know my wife wasn't too thrilled about little Ralph comin' here this afternoon. She's more than a little worried about the boys all swimming without swimsuits."</span></p> <p><span>"You have nothing to worry about," I assured the man. "We'll keep a close eye on everyone and make sure all are safe."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see, I guess," Ralph admitted. He then turned to his boy, knelt down to his level and asked, "You sure you wanna do this, son?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, why wouldn't I, Dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you quit lettin' your mom and me help with your bath when you were about four and a half, so I'm just surprised you're so willing to lose your clothes around a bunch of strangers as private as you've become the past few years."</span></p> <p><span>"T.J. ain't a stranger, Dad, he's my bestest friend from school. And if he ain't wearin' his clothes this afternoon, I sure ain't goin' to, either."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, little buddy. We talked about this and you're welcome to do as you want. Now, you be good while you're here."</span></p> <p><span>"Aw, c'mon, old man. You know me," Ralphie replied with a little pout.</span></p> <p><span>"That's exactly why I needed to remind you to be good," Ralph, Sr. chuckled as he gave his son a light swat on the behind. He then pulled his son in for a hug and as soon he released the little scoundrel, he and T.J. disappeared down the hallway to drop Ralphie's clothes in T.J.'s bedroom. "Well, good luck this afternoon, guys," Ralph, Sr. offered to Tom and me as he stood upright. "I'll be back around six."</span></p> <p><span>On that note, he turned and headed for his car. Before we could close the door, the drive sensor went off again. Since it was a warm enough afternoon, we left the door open as we backed away and T.J. and Ralphie rounded the corner at full speed to greet whoever was coming in next. And that's the way it went for the next fifteen minutes as parents arrived to drop their kids off, most of the boys shucking their clothes as they came up the sidewalk to the porch. Surprisingly, only one parent showed any hesitation at leaving their child with a bunch of boys and one other girl who weren't dressed. As T.J., Ralphie and the rest of the party guests dragged Emily down the hallway towards the bedroom, her mother, Cassie remained standing just inside the front door.</span></p> <p><span>"I hate to impose," she began, "but I hope you don't mind me staying to keep an eye on my daughter. While she likes T.J. and I've heard plenty about him from her since he started going to school out here, I'm still rather uncomfortable with her being here."</span></p> <p><span>"We don't have a problem with that," Tom replied. "The more, the merrier."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you," she sighed. "I just don't understand how anybody would think it's acceptable to allow a group of boys and girls to attend a party while not wearing their clothes," she muttered. "Emily, of course, will <i>not</i> be joining that insanity," Cassie added savagely as the whole herd reappeared in the living room, ready to start their swim.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, Dads, let's get this party goin'!" T.J. called out with enthusiasm as he led the crowd to the glass wall leading to the pool.</span></p> <p><span>"Be right with you!" Tom yelled back. "Does everyone have a towel?" he quickly added.</span></p> <p><span>Twenty-seven hands, each tightly clutching a clean towel, were raised as high each kid could reach. With everyone ready, we pushed through the crowd and led the parade outside. I managed to unlock and open the shelter door in record time and the kids wasted little more in discarding their towels wherever they saw fit and jumped right in.</span></p> <p><span>"Emily!" Cassie screeched in horror as she watched her naked daughter slip under the water for the first time. As soon as the young girl had resurfaced, Cassie added, "Where's your swimsuit?"</span></p> <p><span>"In T.J.'s room, why?" the young girl replied nonchalantly.</span></p> <p><span>"You agreed to wear it even if everyone else wasn't wearing theirs," Cassie admonished the girl who was now embarrassed at the scene her mother was creating.</span></p> <p><span>"I changed my mind when I found out Chloe wasn't gonna wear hers. What's the big deal?" Emily asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It's just not right," Cassie retorted angrily. "You shouldn't be letting boys see you like that."</span></p> <p><span>Emily climbed from the pool, stepped over to Cassie and while looking her mom straight in the eye, said, "Mother, will you quit makin' such a big deal outta nothin'? We <i>all</i> know that boys got dicks and girls don't. We're not the stupid little kids you like to think we are." Cassie blanched at her daughter speaking to her in such a manner. "Go talk to T.J.'s dads or somethin' and let me have fun," she added flatly before turning around and jumping back into the water with the others.</span></p> <p><span>Resigned to the fact she'd just been dismissed, Cassie finally joined me at the table while Tom and Ron lowered themselves into the pool to try to keep anyone from drowning. When Dylan finally rejoined us, he climbed in with the others and soon enough, six to nine-year-old kids were flying through the air all willy-nilly and splashing happily back down, only to rejoin the lines for another toss. Eric and Josh stayed out of the lineup, which I'm sure the child throwers appreciated.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, this is a fun party," LeVar commented with a laugh as he and his group joined us.</span></p> <p><span>"Just who are you?" Cassie asked angrily as her frustration boiled over.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, right, we haven't been introduced, have we?" LeVar replied. "Hi, LeVar Burton, nice to meet you. And these are a few of my people, Greg, Rex and Michelle. And you are?" he asked politely despite her rather testy greeting. You could see the surprise on Cassie's face as she recognized LeVar's name even if she didn't recognize his face.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm Cassie Sinclair. It's nice to meet you, too," she replied with some deference. "Why are you here?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm here to talk to Max, Tom and their families about a couple of projects we're going to create together."</span></p> <p><span>"And you think it's acceptable for all these kids to be naked and frolicking around like brain-damaged buffoons?"</span></p> <p><span>"As a matter of fact, I do," LeVar replied sincerely.</span></p> <p><span>"So, you've been brainwashed too, huh?" Cassie pressed.</span></p> <p><span>"More like converted, ma'am," LeVar retorted. "I was here a couple of weeks ago and learned for myself how normal and natural the nudist lifestyle really is. Why, if it wasn't for Max's insistence the adults all wear these stupid shorts, I'd be just as bare-assed naked as all those kids right now," he added with a devilish grin while tilting his head towards the pool. Inserting a quick change of subject, he turned to Greg and Rex and asked, "Why don't you guys join the party in the pool and send Tom out so we can talk for a bit?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Boss," Greg replied as the two left their chairs and aimed for the crowded water. When the pair joined the melee already in progress, Rex tapped Tom's shoulder and once he had Tom's attention, jerked his head towards us. Tom nodded and was soon climbing from the pool, dripping water as he crossed the concrete to join us. With the noise level in the shelter, I understood the need for efficient silent communication in the midst of it all. After quickly swiping a towel across his head and shoulders, Tom settled into the empty chair next to me.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, boss?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"LeVar wants to talk about something, so ask him?" I replied.</span></p> <p><span>Turning to face our guest, Tom reiterated, "What's up, boss?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, besides this party, I wanted to see what else we might be interrupting with our presence. I know we're here to get those family interviews taken care of, but I also don't want to put a crimp in any other plans you may already have. Oh, and what was Logan talking about when he said he had to go to court on Friday?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that," I muttered. We spent a few minutes bringing LeVar and Michelle up to speed on Logan's issues and to say they were surprised at what the young man had been through the past few weeks would be a serious understatement. More like flabbergasted. I then told him about my appointment with Jason tomorrow and that we were planning to go to back to the church, and LeVar was about to have a conniption fit. Cassie was looking just as surprised as LeVar when we ended the summation of our schedule for the next couple of days.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you guys sure know how to pack the action into life, don't you?" LeVar whistled appreciatively. "So, how do we want to handle things the next few days so we can still get our interviews accomplished?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Tom and I can talk with you this afternoon while the kids watch their movie and again later tonight to get ours out of the way. Then, while we're gone tomorrow, maybe you could talk to the boys, Ron and Dylan. As for Friday, our parents should be available to you as Tom's mom and dad are coming up tomorrow night and staying with my parents until Sunday."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds workable to me," LeVar agreed. "What do you think, Michelle?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, all that works for me, too," she concurred before turning to me and asking, "What about your sister and brother-in-law LeVar mentioned?"</span></p> <p><span>"Saturday afternoon would probably be the best opportunity to talk to them," I offered. "They'll be coming out for T.J.'s party with the rest of the family. Carol Ward, who's helping us with the adoptions, will be here as well. Oh, and Dylan's fianc� and son will be here Saturday, too, so you should be able to talk to them that night."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like we've covered everybody then," LeVar responded.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I agreed with LeVar's assessment, and it was then I finally noticed that Michelle had produced a small notebook from thin air and she'd been making notes during the entire conversation. With our scheduling for the next three days more or less resolved, Tom jumped back in the pool and the four us still at the table continued to chat about a little bit of everything. Cassie was finally calming down and slowly coming to understand that there was nothing inherently wrong with letting kids be kids, even if it meant they were doing so while nude. As for her part, Michelle would occasionally put pen to paper and continue adding thoughts to her growing list.</span></p> <p><span>We'd eventually reached a short lull in our ongoing chat and I turned to survey the action in the pool. The kids had finally ended their flying lessons, though whether that was up to the kids or their instructor pilots was up for grabs. I was happy to see all the older boys were mixing it up with T.J.'s guests and not just sequestered in a corner by themselves. I also spied the birthday boy and his friend Ralphie sitting on the steps and they seemed to be involved in a pretty serious conversation of their own. </span></p> <p><span>I couldn't imagine what the pair was chatting about, but that small bit of confusion on my part was cleared up when T.J. leaned in and planted a little kiss on his friend's cheek. While Ralphie initially registered visible surprise at the small token of affection, that feeling was quickly replaced with something altogether different as he leaned into T.J. and gave him a sweet little peck on the nose, followed by a very wide grin of understanding and acceptance. Before I had a real chance to form my own reaction to these developments, the drive sensor blasted its announcement of someone new turning in the drive.</span></p> <p><span>I excused myself and headed into the house to greet the new arrivals. I wasn't much surprised when I looked through the window and saw Justine's two vans pull up to the sidewalk on the circle drive. I opened the front door as she and her crew climbed out and began to haul what seemed to be an excessive amount of food into the house, followed by two tables and about a dozen folding chairs. After the last person was inside, I followed along to make sure they had everything they needed.</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, Justine," I greeted the leader of the pack. "How is everyone today?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're good, Max, thanks for askin'," she replied. "How's everyone out here," she asked as her crew started working on the food preparations.</span></p> <p><span>"We're hangin' in there. Did you get the message I left this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, and just in time, too," she replied. "We should have enough with us to feed thirty-five to forty people."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent," I agreed. "That should work out just about right. Well, I better go out to the pool and see if we can get kids running through showers so they can be ready when the food is."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be prepared to serve in about thirty minutes," she offered, swinging the ever-present and menacing hand towel over her head as if she were about to start whipping her employees into shape.</span></p> <p><span>Accepting my dismissal, I headed back outside and after closing the shelter door behind me, let go a loud whistle to get everyone's attention. When the noise had abated and all eyes were focused on me, I announced, "Lunch has arrived and will be ready to go shortly. Everybody out and hit the showers." A mass exodus from the pool ensued and as Emily and Chloe passed by me, I stopped them for a moment and said, "You two may want use the bathroom across the hallway from T.J.'s bedroom, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Mr. Sanders," Chloe replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Um," Emily started nervously, "Do we have to get dressed after?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's entirely up to you," I answered. "I don't think T.J. is planning on doing so."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool," the girls giggled together before Emily added, "It's a lot of fun not wearin' anything." On that note, the two continued into the house.</span></p> <p><span>As the adults started to follow the younger set, I asked, "Ron, would you please help guide the kids through the showers three or four at a time? And have them use yours, too, so they'll all be done before the food is."</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, Max," he assured me as he turned left after entering the house. </span></p> <p><span>With that handled, I suggested, "Greg, Rex, do you two mind sharing our shower?" The two exchanged a quick nervous glance and finally nodded their assent. "Thanks. Tom and Dylan can follow you two, then, and Ron can clean up after all the kids are done. I think that covers everyone," I commented before turning towards the laundry room to start running wet towels through the washing machine again..</span></p> <p><span>Cassie followed me down the hallway and commented, "Im going to check on the girls and make sure they're doing okay."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure they're fine, but make sure you knock before you just barge in on them," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Why should I have to do that?" she questioned me testily.</span></p> <p><span>"That's one of the rules of the house, you have to knock on any closed door before entering. And that rule applies to the people who live here as well as any and all guests," I explained calmly. </span></p> <p><span>The scorching glare she gave me would have caused even the heartiest of flowers to immediately wilt, but I listened closely after stepping into the laundry room, heard her rap on the door sharply and wait for a muffled reply from within before she stepped inside. After tossing a load of towels into the waiting machine and starting it up, I headed back towards the living room, passing Ron in the process.</span></p> <p><span>"You need any help directing traffic down here or you got a handle on it?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Naw, I got this under control, Max," he replied. "You go on and make sure everything else is ready."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, buddy." When I reached the living room, I found LeVar and Michelle filling the loveseat, Tom and Dylan were sitting on the stone hearth in front of the fireplace, wet swim shorts leaving ass-prints beneath them as they waited for our shower to open up, and two of Justine's crew were setting up the extra tables and chairs in the area to accommodate the overflow crowd. I allowed myself to sit for a minute and let go a little sigh of relief that things had gone well so far.</span></p> <p><span>"What do you want, Mom?" I asked after she closed the bathroom door.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just checking to make sure you two are okay, Emily," she answered.</span></p> <p><span>"We're fine," I huffed in reply. "We'll be back out in a few minutes. We still have to wash our hair."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you want help with that?" Mom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We're not little babies. We can help each other if we need to," I answered, hoping she would leave us alone.</span></p> <p><span>"You <i>are</i> going to get properly dressed when you're done in here," Mom demanded.</span></p> <p><span>I turned to Chloe and asked, "Are you gonna wear anything?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothin' but my smile," she giggled. " `Specially if none of the others are gonna get dressed. I think it'd be way weird if I had my clothes on and none o' them do."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool," I agreed. I turned back to my mom and answered, "Nope, gonna be like Chloe and stay naked. Heck, bein' naked is so much fun, I may never wear anything ever again," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Now listen here you snot-nosed little brat ..." she started before I interrupted her.</span></p> <p><span>"No, Mom," I retorted with some force. "We all been naked for the last hour or so, so what's the point of gettin' dressed now? It ain't like they're gonna see any more o' us than they already have."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we're gonna talk about this when we get home, I hope you know that."</span></p> <p><span>"I just bet we will. Now, would you go on and let us finish so we don't miss lunch," I said. Mom left in a snit and Chloe and I started taking care of our hair.</span></p> <p><span>"Aren't you gonna be in deep you-know-what for talkin' to your mom like that?" Chloe asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Probably, yeah, but I'm having fun and I'm tired of her tryin' to ruin it all," I answered. "Are you havin' as much fun as I am?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, this has been the best day of my life," Chloe gushed. "I've never been swimmin' naked before, but it's a lot better without a swimsuit."</span></p> <p><span>"I think so, too," I agreed. "What about bein' `round all the boys? Did that freak you out?"</span></p> <p><span>"For, like, ten, fifteen seconds, maybe," my shower partner admitted. "I mean, yeah, it was kinda weird seein' all their dicks, but so what, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm with ya, Chloe. Since I don't have a little brother, I've always wondered what guys look like under their clothes and now I know," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep," Chloe laughed along with me as she started rinsing the shampoo out of her hair. After I took care of my own hair, we turned off the shower, stepped out onto the rug and grabbed clean towels to dry off. With both of us sparkling clean, we headed out of the bathroom to rejoin the party.</span></p> <p><span>Kids started slowly filtering back into the living room, cleaned, dried and ready for food. None of the adults were too surprised to see that each one of them had left all their clothes and cares behind in T.J.'s bedroom. Soon enough, a rather perturbed looking Cassie came back from the far end of the house and she sank heavily onto one of the folding chairs at the table near the front door, resting her forehead on her forearms. Feeling somewhat responsible for her being in this state, I decided to try to talk to her some more, so I left my chair and ambled over to join her at the table where she was sitting all alone.</span></p> <p><span>"You want to talk about it?" I asked quietly as I took the chair next to her.</span></p> <p><span>A decidedly surly look filled her face as she lifted her head and glared angrily at me. "This is all your fault," she grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?" I asked with curiosity.</span></p> <p><span>"My little Emily is becoming just like all those stupid little boys," she retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"And that's a bad thing?" I asked in surprise. "How so?"</span></p> <p><span>"Kids their ages shouldn't be willingly showing themselves off to anybody who wants a peek," she vented. "It's just not right?"</span></p> <p><span>"I happen to think it's the most natural thing in the world, Cassie. And the kids seem to think so, too. If they're all okay with being nude together, why should that bother us? That speaks more to our <i>own</i> issues and ingrained attitudes about simple nudity than it does to theirs."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess I hadn't thought about it that way," Cassie admitted. "I was just raised in a home where you <i>never</i> saw anybody else without their clothes on."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I was too. But I eventually outgrew that outdated mindset. And it's been my experience that kids tend to be more accepting of new ideas and being nude together is one of those ideas. If they're happy and comfortable as they are, why should we put a damper on that enthusiasm?"</span></p> <p><span>"No reason, I guess," she finally admitted after some serious thought. At that moment, Emily and Chloe returned from their shower and came over to join us.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry for being such an obnoxious little brat, Mom, but I'm really havin' fun. This is the best party I've ever been to," Emily offered as she gave Cassie a hug.</span></p> <p><span>"I know you are, baby," Cassie acquiesced. "And you're fine, it's just mommy bein' a little crazy and uncomfortable with all this. I'll try to be better, okay? You go on now and enjoy lunch."</span></p> <p><span>"We will," Emily happily agreed as she grabbed Chloe's hand and the two skipped across the house to rejoin their friends.</span></p> <p><span>"I hope you'll join us in enjoying lunch. Justine says she has plenty of food for everyone," I offered.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be happy to do that, Max. And thanks for talking me off the ledge," she added with a weak smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Food's ready, kids!" Justine called out from the kitchen. </span></p> <p><span>The house vibrated as the oversized herd rumbled towards the kitchen and formed a line that snaked its way through the dining room and halfway across the living room. T.J. ended up in the middle of the queue, but he was rapidly shoved forward by his friends until he was first in line. As each one picked what they wanted to eat, Justine's crew worked efficiently to fill plates with the requested foodstuffs and directed them to seats at the various tables. Drinks were delivered to each kid to minimize the chance of accidental spills. I was a bit surprised that none of Justine's crew seemed too surprised to be serving food to a large group of naked kids, but they all took care of their tasks as if it was second nature.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I were the last to go through the line and the pickings were rather slim by that time. We still managed to get full plates, though, and we retreated to the living to sit on the hearth, allowing the other adults the luxury of eating their meals while ensconced on much more comfortable furniture. I was glad Dylan and Tom's wet ass-prints had evaporated before we settled ourselves into place. Conversation was minimal during the meal and the kids, of course, rapidly cleaned their plates and returned their dirty dishes to the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>The crew retook their places, patiently waiting for the adults to finish eating so we could indulge ourselves with the cake and ice cream that is an obligatory part of any birthday party. Soon enough, we were all ready for the main event and T.J. was ushered to a table in the living room since all thirty-six people wouldn't fit into the dining room. Justine set the cake on the table in front of the birthday boy, eight flaming candles in the middle of it, and the crowd broke into a boisterous rendition of Happy Birthday.</span></p> <p><span>T.J. paused maybe five seconds after the last strain of the song had echoed around us before taking a deep breath and blowing out all the candles in one shot. Though repeatedly prodded by his guests to reveal his wish, T.J. kept it to himself, which is rather uncharacteristic for him considering his normal outspoken attitude about almost anything else. As soon as she could reach around T.J., Justine swept the cake back into the kitchen and her crew soon reappeared, delivering bowls of ice cream and cake to everyone. Silence settled over us once again as everyone tucked into T.J.'s choice of a spice cake with maple frosting. While I'd never had such a concoction before, I had to admit that it was quite yummy. And judging by how quickly everyone finished their dessert, I assumed they all enjoyed it just as much as T.J. and I did.</span></p> <p><span>With bowls emptied and the noise level starting to rise again, Tom quickly suggested the older boys start hauling dining and folding chairs into the theater so the party could continue in there. Without argument, Eric led Logan, Alex, Josh, Brent and Joey to the dining room to attack the mission they'd been given. While they took care of those arrangements, T.J. zipped down the hall to his bedroom to select the movie for the afternoon. He quickly returned with <i>The Last Airbender</i> and I followed along to get the show started. After waiting for everyone to find a seat and get comfortable, I punched play and left them to their entertainment. Passing behind the hushed assemblage, I spied T.J. and Ralphie had settled comfortably into the chair I normally use and they had their arms tightly wrapped around each other's shoulders.</span></p> <p><span>Passing by the kitchen, I found Justine's crew making rapid progress on cleaning up the space, Ron providing directions from the opposite side of the counter to make sure everything was put in its proper place. I tapped Justine on the shoulder, and she followed me to my study so I could pay her. After closing the door to drown out some of the noise, I settled at my desk and offered Justine a chair across from me.</span></p> <p><span>"Another successful party, Justine, and we can't thank you enough for taking care of it for us."</span></p> <p><span>"We're always happy to help out. I'm just glad we had enough extra hamburgers, brats and hot dogs on hand to make sure everyone got something to eat."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you pulled it off and that's all that matters. When I gave you the headcount the other day, I wasn't banking on three extra boys being here and we'd completely forgotten LeVar and some of his people were going to be here as well."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just glad it all worked out. Not many leftovers this time, was there," she grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope," I agreed with a grin of my own. "What's the damage," I asked as I pulled my checkbook from the center drawer. After hearing the total, I wasn't too surprised to discover it had gone up about thirty percent from what she'd quoted me before considering the late addition of the extra people. I happily filled out the check, signed it with a little flourish, then retrieved another five hundred in cash from the drawer before handing it all over to her. A look of mild surprise flashed across Justine's face at the unexpected windfall, but it quickly disappeared as she stuffed it all into her shirt pocket.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you so much, Mr. Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh no, thank you for taking such good care of us today. And it's Max, please," I replied. "And just to give you a little heads up, our next birthday is Mike's on May fifth." Justine retrieved her phone from her pants pocket and quickly opened the calendar app to mark the date.</span></p> <p><span>"The fifth is a Monday this year, Max. Do you want to have Mike's party the weekend before or the one after?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't we shoot for the Saturday before. Tom and I are getting married on the seventeenth and I think the extra weekend between the two events will be much needed."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I know about the wedding and we're looking forward to serving you that day as well," she smiled in reply.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you know more about our wedding day plans than we do," I laughed. "We'll have to see what else we can find out from our parents when they're here this Saturday."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I have Mike's party scheduled. Same time and menu?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think so on the time. It seems to work out well for all the kids they want to invite to be able to be here. As for the menu, we'll check with Mike to see if he wants something different and let you know. I'll also try to give you plenty of notice with the number of guests well in advance this time."</span></p> <p><span>"And don't forget to ask about anyone with special dietary needs," she reminded me. "We got lucky this time, but it probably won't happen a second time like that."</span></p> <p><span>"Very true. I'll let you know what we come up with," I added as I slipped the checkbook back into its place and stood up. Justine followed my cue and we left the study. On the way down the hallway towards the kitchen, I asked, "Is it going to be okay to keep some of the folding chairs since they're in use?"</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Max. And since we'll be back in just a few weeks, we'll just leave them here for that party and pick them up then."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Justine. We truly appreciate everything you do."</span></p> <p><span>"That's our job," she commented as she turned into the kitchen to round up her crew and I headed across the house to join the others relaxing in the living room. Thirty minutes later, Justine and her people had completed their cleanup to Ron's satisfaction and were ready to leave. Tom and I joined them at the door and again thanked everyone for their fine work that allowed us to be involved in and enjoy the afternoon. </span></p> <p><span>As they started to file out the door, Justine hesitated for a moment, then turned and with a wry grin and a little chuckle, commented, "That young man, Ron, is quite the stickler for detail, isn't he?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, he sure is," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you guys are lucky you found him before I did. I'd have snapped him up in a heartbeat." </span></p> <p><span>With another laugh, she turned, crossed the porch towards her vehicles, climbed in and departed. Tom and I shared a quick chuckle between us at our good fortunes of having hired Ron when we did, then closed the door and rejoined the adults and their ongoing conversation. Despite wanting to begin our conversation with LeVar, we held off on any discussion of substance since Cassie was still with us. The movie ended about five-forty and the herd let us know that when the doors to the theater banged open and the house rumbled again as they headed our way.</span></p> <p><span>"Movie's over?" Tom quizzed the leader of the pack.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, du-u-uh!" T.J. groaned. "You think we'd be out here if it wasn't?" he added with a crooked smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Then everyone should find their clothes and get ready to go home," Tom replied to the cheeky little bugger. </span></p> <p><span>The mass of human flesh paraded past us and on down the hallway to retrieve their clothes and be prepared to leave when their parents arrived to pick them up. Just a few minutes later, the herd began coming back and was milling around aimlessly as they waited for their rides. Surprisingly, Monica was the first to arrive to retrieve her wayward charge. After sharing a quick kiss at the front door with Alex amid plenty of giggles from T.J.'s friends, Brent followed his mom to their car, and they continued on around the circle drive.</span></p> <p><span>Cassie and Emily were the next to depart, both thanking us for a fun afternoon and Cassie apologizing for her reaction to something she was wholly unprepared for. We impressed upon her how well we understood her reaction and we hoped she was feeling better about her decision to stay with her daughter and how the party had turned out so well. With her assurance that she and Emily were going to be fine, the two took their leave as well. Another twenty minutes passed before all the guests had moved on, every one of them leaving us with thanks for the best afternoon they'd ever had.</span></p> <p><span>With all of T.J.'s guests on the way to their homes, Tom, Dylan, LeVar, Rex, Greg and I adjourned to the bedroom where we could finally lose our shorts and rejoin the ranks of those who preferred life without them. We were still waiting for Rick to swing by to pick up Eric and Josh, but that was expected since Rick's shift didn't end until seven. As the boys finally disappeared to their rooms to play Uno for a while, the adults settled into the living room and we shared a collective sigh of relief the afternoon was over and that we'd all survived it. After about fifteen minutes of idle chatter, Dylan headed for his home and a peaceful night's sleep.</span></p> <p><span>The rest of us continued to talk as Michelle had produced her notepad again and continued jotting down little missives from time to time. Though I knew LeVar was very interested in my appointment with Jason tomorrow, he thankfully stayed away from the touchy subject. Rick finally arrived about seven-thirty and we said goodbye to the trio with our thanks to Josh and Eric for being so helpful during the party. Shortly after Dylan left, LeVar had called Stuart to come back and he arrived about ten minutes later to pick up his boss and coworkers for the trip back to their hotel for the night.</span></p> <p><span>With the house to ourselves at last, Tom, Ron and I collapsed in our seats and kicked our feet up. It felt exceptionally good to just relax for a few minutes. And a few minutes was all we got as Mike soon returned and carefully climbed into Ron's lap to avoid putting any pressure on his still tender behind.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, buddy?" Ron asked though he knew exactly what the answer was going to be.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, are you ready to help me with my shower, Ron?" Mike asked innocently, though his innocence was somewhat tempered by the look of pure evil intent in his dancing eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"Seems I did make you that promise earlier, didn't I?" Ron replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, and now it's time to pay up, dude," the munchkin retorted while sliding off Ron's lap, grabbing his hand and pulling him to his feet.</span></p> <p><span>As the duo disappeared down the hallway, I turned to Tom and asked with a chuckle, "What do think of Ron's chances getting through the night in one piece?"</span></p> <p><span>" `Bout fifty/fifty," Tom answered with a sly smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"How'd you come up with that?" I asked with curiosity.</span></p> <p><span>"We-e-e-ll, if Ron makes good on the promise he made this morning, he'll be just fine."</span></p> <p><span>"And if he doesn't?" I prodded, dying to hear the other possibility.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's just say if he gets cold feet and backs out of it again, Sammy's gonna have to make some space in that cemetery for a new neighbor," the big guy chortled. I lost it and practically fell out of my chair with the laughter I couldn't hold in.</span></p> <p><span>When we'd finally regained some of our composure, we were surprised to see T.J. and Logan round the corner from the hallway, evil grins gracing both of their faces. They strolled over and stood directly in front of us, quite proud of the stiff little pokers jutting straight out from their skinny little bodies and dancing in rhythm to their heartbeats. I'm not sure why I even bothered to ask the stupid question that popped in my mind since I already knew the answer, but it escaped my throat before I could exert any self-control.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Can I get my birthday present from you and Pops now?" T.J. murmured quietly.</span></p> <p><span>I shot a quick glance to Tom and his simple but clear response to the question was to snag Logan in his arms and turn for our bedroom. I have to admit that I was right behind him after scooping up the birthday boy and I was really looking forward to giving our sweet young sons a present they'd never forget.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-32.html

Building a Family 32 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments I have created a Tumblr site with pictures of what the story's main characters look like in my mind. If you would like to see them, they can be found here: https://enderwiggin61.tumblr.com/ Chapter 32 � The Aftermath Dylan and I found the room where Tom was supposed to be, but it was empty. Dylan flagged down the first medical person he saw and asked, "We're here to see to Tom Wright, but he's not where he should be. Would you please tell us where he is?" "The cop?" the nurse asked. "They took him back for a head CT about 10 minutes ago. He should be back in about 25 or 30 minutes. You're welcome to wait in there until he comes back." "Thank you. Can you tell me where I might find a Mr. Russ Weder, also?" "He was taken up to surgery about 5 minutes ago. The cop that came in with him went up, also. Said he wasn't letting him out of his sight." "Just as he should have. Thanks, again, for your help. We'll wait here for Tom to be brought back." We took seats in the empty room to begin our wait. "So, Max, you and Tom are getting married, huh?" "Yep," I grinned. "You're cool with that, aren't you?" "It seems to be a little sudden to me, but as long as you're sure it's the right thing for you, I'm cool with it." "Good. We hope you'll accept our invite to the event." "Of course, I will. I wouldn't miss it for all the tea in China." "Excellent, Dylan. Now, please tell me exactly what happened today." Dylan relayed the afternoon's events and how Tom got hurt. "So, it was just the fact there was an extra guy you didn't know about." "Pretty much. I feel like shit for putting Tom in danger like that, especially just after getting engaged." "Don't worry about that Dylan. He wasn't letting you go there alone, engaged or not. Besides, he's still a cop and he expects to do his job to the fullest until his very last day." "Well, that day has arrived sooner than he expected." "Huh, what do you mean by that?" "Today is his last day. After an injury like that, his recovery will take longer than the week he has left. He's done." "Well, I'm sorry for the department, but happy for me and the boys. I did nothing but worry about him all day while he was gone. Guess I won't have to do that anymore, will I?" "Nope, you can both rest easy, Tom a little easier, for the next couple of weeks." We sat in silence during the rest of our wait for Tom to come back from his scan. After what seemed hours, but was really closer to 40 minutes, the gurney carrying Tom was finally wheeled back into the treatment room, followed by a doctor and a nurse who was carrying a tray of supplies. Tom's eyes were closed and he appeared to be sleeping. "Afternoon, fellas, I'm Dr. Hansen, who might you be?" "I'm Max Sanders and this is Dylan Brock, Tom's boss." "And what is your relationship to my patient?" "He's my fianc�." "Congratulations. I'm surprised Mabel let you back here since you're not married yet. She's a bit of a stickler for that stupid `family members only' bull." "I have Dylan to thank for getting around that." "And how, may I ask, did you accomplish that feat, Dylan?" "I politely told sweet little old Mabel to `remove her stuck in the middle-ages head from her fat fucking ass'." The nurse covered her mouth with a hand to stifle her laughter as she left the room. "I also had to knock your security guard off his high horse, but you'll be happy to know that no blood was shed." "Good. We already see more than enough blood around here in a day, we don't need to add to it. Glad you were able to knock some sense into those two." "Tell me, doctor," I started, "is Tom going to be okay?" "He should be just fine. He was awake enough to let me know he's severely claustrophobic, so we gave him a mild sedative before feeding him into the machine down the hall. The CT scan showed no internal injuries and the crease in his scalp will heal up just fine once we get him stitched up. He'll have a pretty nice scar to remind him of this day, but that should be it. Well, that and a major headache for the next several days." "Thank the gods for small favors. Will he be able to go home tonight?" "As long as you can stay with him, I don't see why not. He probably has a slight concussion from the impact of the bullet against the side of his skull and he should be watched closely for the next 24 to 48 hours to make sure there's no complications, but I'm sure he'd rather do that at home than here." "That's good news, doc, thanks. Since we live together, I'll be able to keep an eye on him. I'll just have to make sure our boys stay quiet." "Well, let me get his head put back together and we'll get you guys on your way." "One more thing, doc," Dylan interrupted, "What can you tell me about another patient brought in with a gunshot wound, Russ Weder? What's the scoop on him?" "Well, he's not quite as lucky as Mr. Wright, here. His bullet went through the fleshy part of his thigh and out the back of his leg, somehow missing the femoral artery, but still nicking the femur. Broke off several good-sized chunks of bone that will have to be dug out, and he's got some muscle and nerve damage, too. He's gonna' be walking with a pretty pronounced limp the rest of his life." "But, he'll still be able to stand trial when the time comes?" "No reason he shouldn't. Be a week or more before he gets out of here, though. Then, I'm guessing, it's straight to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200 when he does." "You got that right. He'll need to be placed in a room that can be secured and has room for a guard to be with him. I don't want to take any chances that he'll skip. It took us months to find him and I don't want to have to go through that again." "We can arrange that. Now, can I fix this man's head?" "Please do," I said. He called the nurse back in to assist him and they quickly got to work, first shaving the area around the gash and then proceeding to stitch his scalp back together. 40 minutes and 28 stitches later, the job was completed. The last step was to cover the area with a large gauze bandage with tape to help hold it in place. "Okay, he should be good to go once he wakes up, which shouldn't be too much longer. It looks like I got the skin pulled back together pretty cleanly so the scarring should be minimal. I'll give you some instructions on how to take care of him the next couple of days along with some pain meds and extra gauze pads. You can take him to his regular doctor in about one and a half to two weeks to get the stiches removed." "That's great, doctor Hansen. I can't thank you enough. I'll call my sister and let her know we'll be home in a bit." "You'll have to go out to the waiting room for that. You're not allowed to use cell phones in here." "No problem, I'll be right back." I turned to Dylan, "Dylan, thanks for taking care of him this afternoon." "Hey, don't remind me, he got hurt on my watch, not yours. Bet I know one person you won't be calling for babysitting services anytime soon," he snickered. "Are you kidding me, the boys would love to have you come back out to the house. And Tom getting hurt wasn't your fault. That blame belongs to someone else. The main thing is, he's okay. Thanks again and go check on your other guy." I passed the guard and Mabel on my way to the waiting room to make my calls, receiving dirty looks from both. I returned their looks of contempt with a wide smile. Once I was alone in a corner, I called Carol first to let her know what was going on. She was relieved to find out Tom was going to be okay and wanted to know when she could come out to see him. I asked her to wait a couple of days for his headache to diminish, but, after that, she was welcome anytime. My next call was to home. When Lee answered the phone, I said, "Hey sis, how's it going out there?" "It's about time you called," she harped. "We're just fine. How's Tom?" "He's got 28 stitches in the side of his head and the doc says he'll have a bad headache for a couple of days, but, other than that, he's good to go." "That's good news, Max. I glad, for both of you." "We'll be on our way as soon as he wakes up." "They put him out for stitches? I've never heard of that before." "No, they put him out for a CT scan of his head. Apparently, Tom's severely claustrophobic. I guess there's a lot we don't know about each other, yet." "Okay, that makes sense, I guess." "So, back to my original question, how's it going out there." "Oh, those boys are incorrigible." "What'd they do, now?" "Nothin' I didn't expect, I guess. As soon as Carol was out the door with Billy and Mark, your four, no, make that five, said they wanted to go swimming, again. Carl said he'd go with them if I wanted to stay inside and close to the phone. I thought that was a good idea, so I told the boys to get changed and Carl went to your room to find some shorts he could wear. Carl came back into the living room in a pair of shorts just as the five boys rounded the corner, naked as jaybirds. I had to help Carl pick up his jaw from the floor." "You weren't surprised, though." "I wasn't sure what they'd do. I know we told them they could be nude when I was here, but I thought with Carl here, too, they'd show a little more modesty. Boy, was I ever wrong. And that's only half of it. Once Carl recovered from his initial shock, he mumbled something like `ah, fuck it' and pulled his borrowed shorts back off, then led the naked parade out the door to the pool." I busted out laughing, garnering many strange looks for other people in the ER waiting room. "Damn it, Max, it's not funny. He won't even walk around his own house without at least a towel wrapped around him. And now, he's parading around here like he does it all the time." "Sorry, Lee, I guess we're a bad influence." "Oh, don't worry, you'll pay for it. I'm not quite sure how at the moment, but I'll come up with something." "I don't doubt that for a minute, Lee." "Look, you get back in with Tom and tell him we're thinking about him. Well, at least I am, I can't really speak for the lunatics in the pool. We'll see you when you get home." "Thanks, again, for coming out on short notice. I love you guys." I ended the call and headed back to the to check on Tom, receiving daggers of disgust from Mabel and the rent-a-cop as I passed through the doors, chuckling at the thought of straight-laced Carl skinny-dipping with the boys. When I got to Tom's room, he looked like he was still sleeping, so I quietly moved a chair closer to the bed and wrapped my hand around his. "Is that you, Max?" he whispered. "No, it's Brad Pitt and George Clooney," I joked. "Good, that just proves dreams can come true." He lifted his head and grinned mischievously at me. "Careful, big guy, I'm supposed to watch over you for the next couple of days. You don't want to piss off your caretaker, do you?" "No, but I do want to get the hell out of here? I hate hospitals." "Well, at least you know where you are. That's a good sign. Let me get the doctor. Hang on." "I ain't going nowhere. Not in this damn thing," he said as he lifted the flimsy gown and exposed himself. I caught the doctor's attention and he headed our direction. "Sleeping Beauty's awake and says he'd like to get out of here." "We'll see about that." He walked to the bed and helped Tom sit up. "How you feeling, Mr. Wright." "Not too bad, I guess, all things considered. Got a hell of a headache and I'm a bit dizzy, though." "The dizziness should go away shortly. That's a residual effect of the sedative you received before the scan of your head, which came back clean, by the way. The headache's another story. You're going to have that for a few more days, I'm afraid. That bullet smacking your skull is about the same as hitting yourself in the head with a hammer." "I wouldn't know, never done that." "I don't recommend you do it, either. Not for the next few months, anyway. Let me take a quick look at your eyes." He shined a penlight in Tom's eyes, blinking it a couple times in each. "Pupils are good and reactive. I think you're going to be just fine, Tom. Take it easy for a few days. No work until those stitches come out." "But I have another week to go." "No, you don't," I said, "Dylan said you're done, as of today." "Oh, he was here, too?" "While you were getting your head scanned. He told me then, that today is your last day as a cop. He's beatin' himself up pretty badly over you getting hurt." "Hell, it could have been any one of us. But I don't wanna' push my luck either." He turned to the doctor who was writing instructions in his chart. "Uh, doc, you got my clothes handy so I can get dressed. I ain't wearing this flippin' gown outta here." The doctor chuckled and answered, "I'll have the nurse bring them back to you when she brings your discharge papers and pain meds. We put your belongings in a secure locker since you had your weapon on you when you came in." "Thanks. For everything." "Not a problem, Mr. Wright. All part of the job. Take care of yourself. And don't take this the wrong way, but I hope I never see you again." "That makes two of us, doc. Have a good life." "The same to the two of you. Congratulations, by the way. I wish you both the best with your wedding." I stood and shook his hand, "Thanks from me, too, doctor. Don't know what I would've done without him. I'm forever in your debt." "Just take care of him and be happy, Mr. Sanders." With that, he turned and left the room. Tom and I waited quietly until the nurse showed up with his uniform, discharge papers and supplies. "Here you go, Mr. Wright, you're all set. I need you to sign a few things and then I'll help you get dressed and you can be on your way." "Thanks for that offer, but I'll have Max help me get dressed, if you don't mind." "That's fine, but I did help get you undressed, so there's no mystery left in our relationship." "Sorry, dear, but I'm already taken." "Dang it. Oh, well, life rolls on. Let me get a few signatures from you and I'll get out of your way. Just let me know when you're ready and I'll bring a wheelchair in." Tom signed the pages where the nurse indicated and she left, closing the door behind her. "You ready, Tom?" "As ready as I'll ever be. Slip my boxers and pants up my legs, then, you can help me stand up and get them the rest of the way up." I did as he asked and discovered he was pretty unsteady on his feet. I managed to get his shorts and pants pulled up and in position while he held on to the edge of the gurney. We then swapped the gown for his t-shirt and I helped him sit in a chair so we could get his socks and shoes on. Last was his coat and he was ready for the road. I headed out to retrieve the nurse, and then left to get the car while she wheeled him to the door. After I pulled up to the door, we helped Tom get in the car, I thanked the nurse for her help and we hit the road for home. Tom laid his seat back a few inches, rested his head on the headrest and closed his eyes for a much slower trip home. I took it very slowly as we headed up the road to our drive and down the drive to the house due to the potholes and general lousy condition of both. After I pulled in the garage, I lightly shook Tom to wake him up and get ready to go in the house. I walked around the car, opened the door and held onto his arm to help him out. He seemed to be a bit more stable on his feet, but I still didn't let go of him all the way into the house. Once inside, Lee joined us and helped me get Tom to a chair by the fireplace. "The boys and Carl still in the pool?" I asked. "Of course, can't you hear the screaming?" "Now that you mention it, it does sound like some wild animals are out in the back yard. Let me go out and I'll let `em know we're home. Make sure he doesn't fall out of the chair," I said, pointing to Tom. "Ha, ha, very funny," Tom replied. I headed out the door to the pool and as soon as I opened the shelter door, five boys yelled, "Dad", and came running out of the pool to wrap me up in a wet group hug. "Boys, calm down." "How's Uncle Tom?" Joey asked. "He's fine and sitting inside." "C'mon guys, let's go," Alex called. "Whoa, hold it right there. Tom's really unsteady right now and his head hurts really bad. We'll go in, but you need to be quiet and calm, please. First, grab your towels and get dried off." By that time, Carl had joined us. "Evening, Carl, how ya' doing?" I asked as I shook his hand. We walked to the table so he could grab his towel and get dried off, also. "Fine, Max, how's Tom?" "He'll be fine. His head hurts like hell and the doctor says he needs to take it easy for a few days, but he should be okay." "That's good to hear. Lee's been pretty freaked out the last couple of hours waiting to hear something. She was afraid you were going to lose him." "Can't say I was much better until I saw him at the hospital. Once I saw him, though, I knew he'd be fine. Did the boys give you any trouble?" "Nah, they were great. In fact, I don't think I've ever as much fun as I did with them. They made me feel young again." "Young enough to shed your inhibitions. And your clothes, apparently." "Uh, yeah, I guess so," he answered as he blushed form head to toe. "When I first saw them coming around the corner to the living room in their birthday suits, I gotta' tell ya', it surprised the hell out of me. But as I stood there, taking it all in, it hit me." "What hit you?" "I thought, `yeah, what's the big fuckin' deal?', and I pulled off my shorts right there. Lee about collapsed in shock." "I know, she told me when I called from the hospital. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard in my life and everyone waiting in the ER looked at me like I'd lost my mind. I bet she thought you'd never do something like that outside your own home." "Her, hell, I didn't either, but with five other naked people right there, even though they're kids, it just seemed the natural thing to do. So, instead of fightin' `em, I joined `em. Best thing I've ever done in my life. Now I understand why you live out here in the middle of freakin' nowhere." "You're welcome to join us any time, Carl. You know that. But only if you're prepared to see Tom and myself the same way." "Thanks, Max. I'll take you up on that offer." "In all the years you've been my brother-in-law, I don't think I've ever seen you nude, before. You really should do it more often, Carl, you've got a good-looking body." Whoops, there goes that full-body blush, again. "Uh, Max, you know I'm straight, right," he replied rather seriously as he stared at me. "Of course, I do, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a nice body when I see it, does it?" "No, I guess not. It's kinda weird, but I guess I can get used to it." "Okay, guys, let's get inside and remember, quietly and calmly." We walked to the house and the boys followed my instructions and kept it calm and quiet. Until they actually saw Tom with his bandaged head, that is, and then they took off at a dead run. He held his hand up as they ran towards him, telling them to slow down. They hit the brakes and slowly got closer. "How ya' doin' Uncle Tom?" Joey asked. "Yeah, we were scared you wasn't coming back home," Mike whined. "But, I'm here and I'll be fine after a while, but my head feels like it's in a vise." "You need anything, Uncle Tom," Alex asked. "I could use a glass of tea, thanks, Alex. Max, can you get those painkillers they gave ya'?" "You got it." "What's your head look like, Uncle Tom?" T.J. wanted to know. "You'll have to ask Max that question, T.J., `cause they didn't give me a mirror before they covered it up." The boys looked to me for an answer. "It's pretty gnarly, guys. They had to shave the whole side of his head to stitch him back together. You can see it in a bit when I change his bandage," I responded as I pulled the pain pills out of the bag from the hospital. "Cool." "I'm sorry, Mr. Wright," Andy whimpered. "What do you have to be sorry for?" Tom asked. "Well, you only got hurt `cause of me." "Come here, Andy." Andy got closer and after Tom patted his thigh, he carefully climbed up into Tom's lap. "Don't you ever think that me getting hurt is your fault." "But you were only there `cause of me." "No, Andy, I was there because it's my job. Well, it was. Being a cop is dangerous, make no mistake, but that's a risk we all take into account when we accept the job. We always try to be careful, but sometimes things happen that we can't control. Today was one of those times and it just happened to be my turn. It's not your fault that Russ and his friend are bad guys, that's their fault. And you won't have to worry about either one of them ever again." "Did ya' kill `em?" "Not Russ, but his friend Cal, I did. He's the one who shot me. Russ is in the hospital and he'll be going to jail as soon as he gets out. For a very long time." "Good. What happened to my mom?" "I don't know right now Andy, but we'll find out." "Okay. I'm glad you're ok, Mr. Wright." "Me too, buddy, me too. And since it looks like you'll be living here for the time being, why don't you call me Uncle Tom like the others?" "Really, you'd let me do that?" "You bet." "Thanks, Uncle Tom. I'm gonna like living here. I hope I never have to back to that house." "Boys," I said, "time for showers and snacks. GO! Oops, sorry Tom, I shouldn't have yelled that." They took off for their rooms and I turned around to find Carl sitting in the chair behind me, still nude. "Have those boys converted you, Carl? I don't think I've ever seen you more relaxed and comfortable." "They just might have done that. A person could really get used to this." "You better think about that again, bubba," Lee said, "you still have to go home with me. It's one thing for those boys to run around naked all the time, out here in the boonies, but don't go thinking you're gonna' get away with it in my house. What the hell would the neighbors think?" "Uh-oh, I'm sensing trouble in paradise," I laughed. "Oh, by the way, Carl, this is my fianc�, Tom. Tom, my brother-in-law Carl." "Hey, Carl, nice to meet ya'. Hope you don't mind if I don't get up." "Don't you dare move on my account. Good to meet you, too, Tom," he replied as he walked over and shook Tom's hand. "Max, did you tell them our news?" Tom asked. "What news?" I asked. "I can't believe you've already forgotten. It just happened this morning. Hell, I got shot, in the head, no less, and I remember." "Oh, that news. Sorry, no, I've been a little busy." I turned to Lee and Carl and told them about our upcoming nuptials. "What!? And I'm just now finding out? What the hell kind of brother are you?" Lee asked as she punched me in the shoulder. "Like I said, busy." "That's no excuse, dammit," she laughed. "Congratulations you two. When's the big day?" "No clue yet, but we hope before the adoptions are finalized." "If you need any help with planning things, you make sure you let me know." "I will, Lee, don't worry." I looked back to Tom and noticed he was starting to sag in his chair. "Hey, big guy, it looks like you're about ready for bed." "Yeah, I am. I've had a lousy damn day and just want to go try and sleep it off. Maybe I'll wake up in the morning and discover it was all a bad dream." "Can you wait until the boys come back so they can say goodnight and I can change your bandage? You know they want to see your head." "I'll try." "On that note, Max, I think Carl and I will take our leave. That's one thing I don't care to see right now." She turned to Carl and said, "Will you please go get dressed on so we can go home?" "Oh, sure thing, honey, be right back," he replied, then headed to my bedroom to retrieve his clothes. "I really don't know if I'm ready to handle this new and `improved' Carl." "You may not have a choice, Lee. You might even want to try it yourself. I think you'd enjoy it. You know I've never pushed the nudist life on anybody, especially in mixed company, but any time you feel the urge, my home is always open." "I know, little brother, I just don't know that I'm quite ready to be seeing all of you naked, running around like idiots. And I'm sure all you gay men and boys don't particularly want to see a naked female running around, either." "It wouldn't bother us in the least, sis." At that moment, Carl retuned, dressed, and five boys rejoined us, freshly showered and naked. "Boys, say goodbye to Aunt Lee and Uncle Carl." The five swarmed the two to give hugs and say their goodbyes. "Thanks for staying with us, Aunt Lee and Uncle Carl. It was great fun," Joey said. "And thanks for swimming with us Uncle Carl. You look good without your clothes on," Alex added with a smile. Carl blushed, again, at the compliment. "Hope you can come back and do it, again," Mike exclaimed. "Oh, I'll be back," Carl said, grinning wildly. Lee just shook her head and headed for the door, Carl trailing behind a few steps and I followed along. "Thanks for coming out and running herd you two. You have no idea how much I appreciate it. Don't be strangers." After I closed the door, I turned to the boys and said, "Okay, guys, now's your chance to see what Uncle Tom's head looks like under that bandage. He needs to get to bed and I need to change it before he goes." I grabbed the bag of supplies from the ER and started to carefully remove the covering over the wound. Once it was exposed, I had boys come over for a closer look. "Oh, man, that's wicked," Joey said. "Nice hairstyle, Uncle Tom. Can we get our hair done like that?" Alex asked. "How many stitches are there, dad?" T.J. wanted to know. "28." "That's a lot, isn't it?" Mike asked. "I don't have any idea. It's the most I've ever seen in one place." I suddenly realized that I hadn't heard any comment from Andy and when I turned to look for him, I found him curled in one of the chairs, crying quietly. I went over to him, knelt beside the chair and put my hand on his back. "It's okay, Andy. Tom will be just fine." "I know, but it's all my fault he got hurt." "Andy, look at me." He lifted his head and turned to face me. "It is not your fault. It's Russ and Cal's fault. They're the ones who hurt you, your mom, Tom and lord knows how many other people. And they can't hurt anyone else ever again. In time, you'll see the truth in what I'm telling you." "If you say so. I don't think I believe it, though." "I do say so. Now come over and say goodnight to Uncle Tom so I can get his new bandage on, then get him in bed." I walked Andy over to Tom and all five boys gave him a hug goodnight. I put some antibiotic ointment on his scalp, replaced the bandage and helped him to his feet. Once I got him upright, Alex and Joey insisted on helping me, so the three of us helped guide Tom to our bedroom with the other three following close behind. Once we had him sitting on the edge of the bed, I said, "Okay, guys, I got it from here. Why don't you wait in the kitchen and, after I get Tom in bed, I'll be there to get your snacks." "Oh, no you don't, dad, we're all in this together," Joey said and started giving instructions. "T.J., Mike, you get his shoes and socks off, I'll take his shirt, Andy and Alex, when dad lifts him up, you two pull down the covers, and dad can get his pants off after he lays down." The boys jumped to the tasks Joey had given them and we quickly had Tom laid down on his back. I undid his pants and slowly pulled them off his hips and down his legs. I was ready to have Alex and Andy pull the covers back over Tom when he said, "Get those damn boxers off me, too. If I wear those, they'll drive me nuts until I take `em off myself." I grabbed the waistband of his shorts a slowly peeled them down his legs. "Happy now?" "I will be when you can join me." I finally let Alex and Andy cover him up and Tom closed his eyes and promptly fell asleep. "Thanks for your help, boys, you made that a lot easier. Now, will you five go to the kitchen and wait for your snack? It's my turn to get comfortable and I want to make sure he's asleep, then I'll be right out." Each one gave Tom a kiss on the forehead and said `I love you' before the fabulous five quietly padded out of the bedroom. I picked up Tom's clothes and laid them across a chair, then got undressed myself. After a quick visit to the bathroom to wash my face and hands, I checked on Tom. He was breathing slowly as I brushed his forehead and gave him a kiss. Satisfied he was comfortable and down for the count, I headed to the kitchen. I arrived to find five boys lined up on their stools at the counter, waiting patiently for their promised snack. I warmed some caramel dipping sauce in the microwave while I cut four apples into chunks and set everything on the counter along with five small forks. Five glasses of milk soon joined the rest of the snack. "Have you decided where you're going to sleep, Andy? You can have the empty bedroom or you could sleep with the others." "Mike wants me to sleep with him and T.J." "That's fine. If you change your mind, let me know and we can move you into the other room, okay?" "Okay, thanks, Mr. Sanders." "Listen, Andy, why don't you call me Uncle Max?" "Why can't he call you dad like we do?" Mike asked. "Well, because I'm not adopting Andy. He's just living with us until Carol finds another place for him." "But I don't want him to go nowhere else. He's my friend, now, and I want him to be my brother, too." "We'll just have to wait and see what Carol comes up with. What about you, Andy, do you think you'd want to stay here and live with all of us?" "Yeah, that'd be great." "I'll talk to Carol on Monday and let her know that. But in the end, it's up to her and her agency." After the snack was finished and cleaned up, I herded the boys to their beds, tucked them in, gave them their kisses and received kisses from each along with a lot of `I love you' passing back and forth. With the boys and Tom in bed, I collapsed in my favorite chair by the fireplace, lost in the thought that we'd almost lost Tom today. I know that I shouldn't feel this deeply about somebody after knowing him for only a week, but I couldn't help it and I started crying softly to myself. I was done trying to be strong for everybody else today and now it was my turn to feel something, even if I was alone. After a few minutes of wallowing in my own misery, I felt a hand on my arm and a small voice asking, "Dad, you okay?" I opened my eyes to find T.J. standing there, a look of concern on his face. "I heard you crying and got worried." "Not really, but I will be." "What's wrong?" he asked as he crawled into my lap. "I know we've all only known each other for a week, but I love each of you so much. It hurts when I think how close we came to losing Tom today. Now that we've all found each other, I don't ever want to lose any of you. I've been alone for too much of my life already, and I don't ever want to live like that again." "We don't want to lose you either, dad. Or Uncle Tom. We're all glad you two found each other. You two belong together. We all belong together." "Thank you, son, that means a lot to me. How did you get to be so smart and caring?" "Just lucky, I guess." "No, I'm the lucky one. In oh, so many ways." "You feeling better, now, dad?" "You bet," I answered as I wiped my eyes. "Thanks for cheering me up. Come on, let's get you back in bed so I can go to bed, too." I carried my little angel to his room and gently laid him in the bed so as not to wake the other two who were sound asleep. I whispered, "I love you, young man" as I pulled the covers over him, then kissed his forehead again and received a kiss back from him before turning out the light and closing the door. I headed to my bedroom and used the bathroom before checking on Tom. He was snoring lightly as I kissed him goodnight and told him I loved him. Then, I carefully crawled in my side of the bed and fell sound asleep, holding the love of my life and thinking, tomorrow's a new day and I'm done wasting days.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 32</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <p><span>I have created a Tumblr site with pictures of what the story's main characters look like in my mind. If you would like to see them, they can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://enderwiggin61.tumblr.com/">https://enderwiggin61.tumblr.com/</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc477359587"><span>Chapter 32 � The Aftermath</span></a></h2> <p><span>Dylan and I found the room where Tom was supposed to be, but it was empty. Dylan flagged down the first medical person he saw and asked, "We're here to see to Tom Wright, but he's not where he should be. Would you please tell us where he is?"</span></p> <p><span>"The cop?" the nurse asked. "They took him back for a head CT about 10 minutes ago. He should be back in about 25 or 30 minutes. You're welcome to wait in there until he comes back."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you. Can you tell me where I might find a Mr. Russ Weder, also?"</span></p> <p><span>"He was taken up to surgery about 5 minutes ago. The cop that came in with him went up, also. Said he wasn't letting him out of his sight."</span></p> <p><span>"Just as he should have. Thanks, again, for your help. We'll wait here for Tom to be brought back."</span></p> <p><span>We took seats in the empty room to begin our wait.</span></p> <p><span>"So, Max, you and Tom are getting married, huh?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep," I grinned. "You're cool with that, aren't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"It seems to be a little sudden to me, but as long as you're sure it's the right thing for you, I'm cool with it."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. We hope you'll accept our invite to the event."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I will. I wouldn't miss it for all the tea in China."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent, Dylan. Now, please tell me exactly what happened today." Dylan relayed the afternoon's events and how Tom got hurt. "So, it was just the fact there was an extra guy you didn't know about."</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty much. I feel like shit for putting Tom in danger like that, especially just after getting engaged."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about that Dylan. He wasn't letting you go there alone, engaged or not. Besides, he's still a cop and he expects to do his job to the fullest until his very last day."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that day has arrived sooner than he expected."</span></p> <p><span>"Huh, what do you mean by that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Today <i>is</i> his last day. After an injury like that, his recovery will take longer than the week he has left. He's done."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm sorry for the department, but happy for me and the boys. I did nothing but worry about him all day while he was gone. Guess I won't have to do that anymore, will I?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, you can both rest easy, Tom a little easier, for the next couple of weeks."</span></p> <p><span>We sat in silence during the rest of our wait for Tom to come back from his scan. After what seemed hours, but was really closer to 40 minutes, the gurney carrying Tom was finally wheeled back into the treatment room, followed by a doctor and a nurse who was carrying a tray of supplies. Tom's eyes were closed and he appeared to be sleeping.</span></p> <p><span>"Afternoon, fellas, I'm Dr. Hansen, who might you be?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm Max Sanders and this is Dylan Brock, Tom's boss."</span></p> <p><span>"And what is your relationship to my patient?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's my fianc�."</span></p> <p><span>"Congratulations. I'm surprised Mabel let you back here since you're not married yet. She's a bit of a stickler for that stupid `family members only' bull."</span></p> <p><span>"I have Dylan to thank for getting around that."</span></p> <p><span>"And how, may I ask, did you accomplish that feat, Dylan?"</span></p> <p><span>"I politely told sweet little old Mabel to `remove her stuck in the middle-ages head from her fat fucking ass'." The nurse covered her mouth with a hand to stifle her laughter as she left the room. "I also had to knock your security guard off his high horse, but you'll be happy to know that no blood was shed."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. We already see more than enough blood around here in a day, we don't need to add to it. Glad you were able to knock some sense into those two." </span></p> <p><span>"Tell me, doctor," I started, "is Tom going to be okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"He should be just fine. He was awake enough to let me know he's severely claustrophobic, so we gave him a mild sedative before feeding him into the machine down the hall. The CT scan showed no internal injuries and the crease in his scalp will heal up just fine once we get him stitched up. He'll have a pretty nice scar to remind him of this day, but that should be it. Well, that and a major headache for the next several days."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank the gods for small favors. Will he be able to go home tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"As long as you can stay with him, I don't see why not. He probably has a slight concussion from the impact of the bullet against the side of his skull and he should be watched closely for the next 24 to 48 hours to make sure there's no complications, but I'm sure he'd rather do that at home than here."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good news, doc, thanks. Since we live together, I'll be able to keep an eye on him. I'll just have to make sure our boys stay quiet."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let me get his head put back together and we'll get you guys on your way."</span></p> <p><span>"One more thing, doc," Dylan interrupted, "What can you tell me about another patient brought in with a gunshot wound, Russ Weder? What's the scoop on him?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he's not quite as lucky as Mr. Wright, here. His bullet went through the fleshy part of his thigh and out the back of his leg, somehow missing the femoral artery, but still nicking the femur. Broke off several good-sized chunks of bone that will have to be dug out, and he's got some muscle and nerve damage, too. He's gonna' be walking with a pretty pronounced limp the rest of his life."</span></p> <p><span>"But, he'll still be able to stand trial when the time comes?"</span></p> <p><span>"No reason he shouldn't. Be a week or more before he gets out of here, though. Then, I'm guessing, it's straight to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200 when he does."</span></p> <p><span>"You got that right. He'll need to be placed in a room that can be secured and has room for a guard to be with him. I don't want to take any chances that he'll skip. It took us months to find him and I don't want to have to go through that again."</span></p> <p><span>"We can arrange that. Now, can I fix this man's head?"</span></p> <p><span>"Please do," I said. He called the nurse back in to assist him and they quickly got to work, first shaving the area around the gash and then proceeding to stitch his scalp back together. 40 minutes and 28 stitches later, the job was completed. The last step was to cover the area with a large gauze bandage with tape to help hold it in place.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, he should be good to go once he wakes up, which shouldn't be too much longer. It looks like I got the skin pulled back together pretty cleanly so the scarring should be minimal. I'll give you some instructions on how to take care of him the next couple of days along with some pain meds and extra gauze pads. You can take him to his regular doctor in about one and a half to two weeks to get the stiches removed."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, doctor Hansen. I can't thank you enough. I'll call my sister and let her know we'll be home in a bit."</span></p> <p><span>"You'll have to go out to the waiting room for that. You're not allowed to use cell phones in here."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, I'll be right back." I turned to Dylan, "Dylan, thanks for taking care of him this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, don't remind me, he got hurt on my watch, not yours. Bet I know one person you won't be calling for babysitting services anytime soon," he snickered.</span></p> <p><span>"Are you kidding me, the boys would love to have you come back out to the house. And Tom getting hurt wasn't your fault. That blame belongs to someone else. The main thing is, he's okay. Thanks again and go check on your other guy."</span></p> <p><span>I passed the guard and Mabel on my way to the waiting room to make my calls, receiving dirty looks from both. I returned their looks of contempt with a wide smile. Once I was alone in a corner, I called Carol first to let her know what was going on. She was relieved to find out Tom was going to be okay and wanted to know when she could come out to see him. I asked her to wait a couple of days for his headache to diminish, but, after that, she was welcome anytime. My next call was to home.</span></p> <p><span>When Lee answered the phone, I said, "Hey sis, how's it going out there?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's about time you called," she harped. "We're just fine. How's Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's got 28 stitches in the side of his head and the doc says he'll have a bad headache for a couple of days, but, other than that, he's good to go."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good news, Max. I glad, for both of you."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be on our way as soon as he wakes up."</span></p> <p><span>"They put him out for stitches? I've never heard of that before."</span></p> <p><span>"No, they put him out for a CT scan of his head. Apparently, Tom's severely claustrophobic. I guess there's a lot we don't know about each other, yet."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, that makes sense, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"So, back to my original question, how's it going out there."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, those boys are incorrigible."</span></p> <p><span>"What'd they do, now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothin' I didn't expect, I guess. As soon as Carol was out the door with Billy and Mark, your four, no, make that five, said they wanted to go swimming, again. Carl said he'd go with them if I wanted to stay inside and close to the phone. I thought that was a good idea, so I told the boys to get changed and Carl went to your room to find some shorts he could wear. Carl came back into the living room in a pair of shorts just as the five boys rounded the corner, naked as jaybirds. I had to help Carl pick up his jaw from the floor."</span></p> <p><span>"You weren't surprised, though."</span></p> <p><span>"I wasn't sure what they'd do. I know we told them they could be nude when I was here, but I thought with Carl here, too, they'd show a little more modesty. Boy, was I ever wrong. And that's only half of it. Once Carl recovered from his initial shock, he mumbled something like `ah, fuck it' and pulled his borrowed shorts back off, then led the naked parade out the door to the pool." I busted out laughing, garnering many strange looks for other people in the ER waiting room. "Damn it, Max, it's not funny. He won't even walk around his own house without at least a towel wrapped around him. And now, he's parading around here like he does it all the time."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Lee, I guess we're a bad influence."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't worry, you'll pay for it. I'm not quite sure how at the moment, but I'll come up with something."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't doubt that for a minute, Lee."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, you get back in with Tom and tell him we're thinking about him. Well, at least I am, I can't really speak for the lunatics in the pool. We'll see you when you get home."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, again, for coming out on short notice. I love you guys." I ended the call and headed back to the to check on Tom, receiving daggers of disgust from Mabel and the rent-a-cop as I passed through the doors, chuckling at the thought of straight-laced Carl skinny-dipping with the boys. When I got to Tom's room, he looked like he was still sleeping, so I quietly moved a chair closer to the bed and wrapped my hand around his.</span></p> <p><span>"Is that you, Max?" he whispered.</span></p> <p><span>"No, it's Brad Pitt and George Clooney," I joked.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, that just proves dreams can come true." He lifted his head and grinned mischievously at me.</span></p> <p><span>"Careful, big guy, I'm supposed to watch over you for the next couple of days. You don't want to piss off your caretaker, do you?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, but I do want to get the hell out of here? I hate hospitals."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, at least you know where you are. That's a good sign. Let me get the doctor. Hang on."</span></p> <p><span>"I ain't going nowhere. Not in this damn thing," he said as he lifted the flimsy gown and exposed himself. I caught the doctor's attention and he headed our direction.</span></p> <p><span>"Sleeping Beauty's awake and says he'd like to get out of here."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see about that." He walked to the bed and helped Tom sit up. "How you feeling, Mr. Wright."</span></p> <p><span>"Not too bad, I guess, all things considered. Got a hell of a headache and I'm a bit dizzy, though."</span></p> <p><span>"The dizziness should go away shortly. That's a residual effect of the sedative you received before the scan of your head, which came back clean, by the way. The headache's another story. You're going to have that for a few more days, I'm afraid. That bullet smacking your skull is about the same as hitting yourself in the head with a hammer."</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't know, never done that."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't recommend you do it, either. Not for the next few months, anyway. Let me take a quick look at your eyes." He shined a penlight in Tom's eyes, blinking it a couple times in each. "Pupils are good and reactive. I think you're going to be just fine, Tom. Take it easy for a few days. No work until those stitches come out."</span></p> <p><span>"But I have another week to go."</span></p> <p><span>"No, you don't," I said, "Dylan said you're done, as of today."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, he was here, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"While you were getting your head scanned. He told me then, that today is your last day as a cop. He's beatin' himself up pretty badly over you getting hurt."</span></p> <p><span>"Hell, it could have been any one of us. But I don't wanna' push my luck either." He turned to the doctor who was writing instructions in his chart. "Uh, doc, you got my clothes handy so I can get dressed. I ain't wearing this flippin' gown outta here."</span></p> <p><span>The doctor chuckled and answered, "I'll have the nurse bring them back to you when she brings your discharge papers and pain meds. We put your belongings in a secure locker since you had your weapon on you when you came in."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks. For everything."</span></p> <p><span>"Not a problem, Mr. Wright. All part of the job. Take care of yourself. And don't take this the wrong way, but I hope I never see you again."</span></p> <p><span>"That makes two of us, doc. Have a good life."</span></p> <p><span>"The same to the two of you. Congratulations, by the way. I wish you both the best with your wedding."</span></p> <p><span>I stood and shook his hand, "Thanks from me, too, doctor. Don't know what I would've done without him. I'm forever in your debt."</span></p> <p><span>"Just take care of him and be happy, Mr. Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>With that, he turned and left the room. Tom and I waited quietly until the nurse showed up with his uniform, discharge papers and supplies.</span></p> <p><span>"Here you go, Mr. Wright, you're all set. I need you to sign a few things and then I'll help you get dressed and you can be on your way."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for that offer, but I'll have Max help me get dressed, if you don't mind."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, but I did help get you undressed, so there's no mystery left in our relationship."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, dear, but I'm already taken."</span></p> <p><span>"Dang it. Oh, well, life rolls on. Let me get a few signatures from you and I'll get out of your way. Just let me know when you're ready and I'll bring a wheelchair in." Tom signed the pages where the nurse indicated and she left, closing the door behind her.</span></p> <p><span>"You ready, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"As ready as I'll ever be. Slip my boxers and pants up my legs, then, you can help me stand up and get them the rest of the way up." I did as he asked and discovered he was pretty unsteady on his feet. I managed to get his shorts and pants pulled up and in position while he held on to the edge of the gurney. We then swapped the gown for his t-shirt and I helped him sit in a chair so we could get his socks and shoes on. Last was his coat and he was ready for the road. I headed out to retrieve the nurse, and then left to get the car while she wheeled him to the door. After I pulled up to the door, we helped Tom get in the car, I thanked the nurse for her help and we hit the road for home.</span></p> <p><span>Tom laid his seat back a few inches, rested his head on the headrest and closed his eyes for a much slower trip home. I took it very slowly as we headed up the road to our drive and down the drive to the house due to the potholes and general lousy condition of both. After I pulled in the garage, I lightly shook Tom to wake him up and get ready to go in the house. I walked around the car, opened the door and held onto his arm to help him out. He seemed to be a bit more stable on his feet, but I still didn't let go of him all the way into the house. Once inside, Lee joined us and helped me get Tom to a chair by the fireplace. </span></p> <p><span>"The boys and Carl still in the pool?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, can't you hear the screaming?"</span></p> <p><span>"Now that you mention it, it does sound like some wild animals are out in the back yard. Let me go out and I'll let `em know we're home. Make sure he doesn't fall out of the chair," I said, pointing to Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"Ha, ha, very funny," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>I headed out the door to the pool and as soon as I opened the shelter door, five boys yelled, "Dad", and came running out of the pool to wrap me up in a wet group hug. </span></p> <p><span>"Boys, calm down."</span></p> <p><span>"How's Uncle Tom?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He's fine and sitting inside."</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon guys, let's go," Alex called.</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, hold it right there. Tom's really unsteady right now and his head hurts really bad. We'll go in, but you need to be quiet and calm, please. First, grab your towels and get dried off." By that time, Carl had joined us. "Evening, Carl, how ya' doing?" I asked as I shook his hand. We walked to the table so he could grab his towel and get dried off, also.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, Max, how's Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"He'll be fine. His head hurts like hell and the doctor says he needs to take it easy for a few days, but he should be okay."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear. Lee's been pretty freaked out the last couple of hours waiting to hear something. She was afraid you were going to lose him."</span></p> <p><span>"Can't say I was much better until I saw him at the hospital. Once I saw him, though, I knew he'd be fine. Did the boys give you any trouble?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, they were great. In fact, I don't think I've ever as much fun as I did with them. They made me feel young again."</span></p> <p><span>"Young enough to shed your inhibitions. And your clothes, apparently."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, yeah, I guess so," he answered as he blushed form head to toe. "When I first saw them coming around the corner to the living room in their birthday suits, I gotta' tell ya', it surprised the hell out of me. But as I stood there, taking it all in, it hit me."</span></p> <p><span>"What hit you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I thought, `yeah, what's the big fuckin' deal?', and I pulled off my shorts right there. Lee about collapsed in shock."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, she told me when I called from the hospital. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard in my life and everyone waiting in the ER looked at me like I'd lost my mind. I bet she thought you'd never do something like that outside your own home."</span></p> <p><span>"Her, hell, I didn't either, but with five other naked people right there, even though they're kids, it just seemed the natural thing to do. So, instead of fightin' `em, I joined `em. Best thing I've ever done in my life. <i>Now</i> I understand why you live out here in the middle of freakin' nowhere."</span></p> <p><span>"You're welcome to join us any time, Carl. You know that. But only if you're prepared to see Tom and myself the same way."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max. I'll take you up on that offer."</span></p> <p><span>"In all the years you've been my brother-in-law, I don't think I've ever seen you nude, before. You really should do it more often, Carl, you've got a good-looking body." Whoops, there goes that full-body blush, again.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, Max, you know I'm straight, right," he replied rather seriously as he stared at me.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I do, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a nice body when I see it, does it?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I guess not. It's kinda weird, but I guess I can get used to it."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, guys, let's get inside and remember, quietly and calmly." We walked to the house and the boys followed my instructions and kept it calm and quiet. Until they actually saw Tom with his bandaged head, that is, and then they took off at a dead run. He held his hand up as they ran towards him, telling them to slow down. They hit the brakes and slowly got closer.</span></p> <p><span>"How ya' doin' Uncle Tom?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we were scared you wasn't coming back home," Mike whined.</span></p> <p><span>"But, I'm here and I'll be fine after a while, but my head feels like it's in a vise."</span></p> <p><span>"You need anything, Uncle Tom," Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I could use a glass of tea, thanks, Alex. Max, can you get those painkillers they gave ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"You got it."</span></p> <p><span>"What's your head look like, Uncle Tom?" T.J. wanted to know.</span></p> <p><span>"You'll have to ask Max that question, T.J., `cause they didn't give me a mirror before they covered it up." </span></p> <p><span>The boys looked to me for an answer. "It's pretty gnarly, guys. They had to shave the whole side of his head to stitch him back together. You can see it in a bit when I change his bandage," I responded as I pulled the pain pills out of the bag from the hospital.</span></p> <p><span>"Cool."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Mr. Wright," Andy whimpered.</span></p> <p><span>"What do you have to be sorry for?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you only got hurt `cause of me."</span></p> <p><span>"Come here, Andy." Andy got closer and after Tom patted his thigh, he carefully climbed up into Tom's lap. "Don't you ever think that me getting hurt is your fault."</span></p> <p><span>"But you were only there `cause of me."</span></p> <p><span>"No, Andy, I was there because it's my job. Well, it was. Being a cop is dangerous, make no mistake, but that's a risk we all take into account when we accept the job. We always try to be careful, but sometimes things happen that we can't control. Today was one of those times and it just happened to be my turn. It's not your fault that Russ and his friend are bad guys, that's their fault. And you won't have to worry about either one of them ever again."</span></p> <p><span>"Did ya' kill `em?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not Russ, but his friend Cal, I did. He's the one who shot me. Russ is in the hospital and he'll be going to jail as soon as he gets out. For a very long time."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. What happened to my mom?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know right now Andy, but we'll find out."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay. I'm glad you're ok, Mr. Wright."</span></p> <p><span>"Me too, buddy, me too. And since it looks like you'll be living here for the time being, why don't you call me Uncle Tom like the others?"</span></p> <p><span>"Really, you'd let me do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Uncle Tom. I'm gonna like living here. I hope I never have to back to that house."</span></p> <p><span>"Boys," I said, "time for showers and snacks. GO! Oops, sorry Tom, I shouldn't have yelled that." They took off for their rooms and I turned around to find Carl sitting in the chair behind me, still nude. "Have those boys converted you, Carl? I don't think I've ever seen you more relaxed and comfortable."</span></p> <p><span>"They just might have done that. A person could really get used to this."</span></p> <p><span>"You better think about that again, bubba," Lee said, "you still have to go home with me. It's one thing for those boys to run around naked all the time, out here in the boonies, but don't go thinking you're gonna' get away with it in my house. What the hell would the neighbors think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uh-oh, I'm sensing trouble in paradise," I laughed. "Oh, by the way, Carl, this is my fianc�, Tom. Tom, my brother-in-law Carl."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Carl, nice to meet ya'. Hope you don't mind if I don't get up."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you dare move on my account. Good to meet you, too, Tom," he replied as he walked over and shook Tom's hand.</span></p> <p><span>"Max, did you tell them our news?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"What news?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I can't believe you've already forgotten. It just happened this morning. Hell, I got shot, in the head, no less, and <i>I</i> remember."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, <i>that</i> news. Sorry, no, I've been a little busy." I turned to Lee and Carl and told them about our upcoming nuptials.</span></p> <p><span>"What!? And I'm just now finding out? What the hell kind of brother are you?" Lee asked as she punched me in the shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>"Like I said, busy."</span></p> <p><span>"That's no excuse, dammit," she laughed. "Congratulations you two. When's the big day?"</span></p> <p><span>"No clue yet, but we hope before the adoptions are finalized."</span></p> <p><span>"If you need any help with planning things, you make sure you let me know."</span></p> <p><span>"I will, Lee, don't worry." I looked back to Tom and noticed he was starting to sag in his chair. "Hey, big guy, it looks like you're about ready for bed."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I am. I've had a lousy damn day and just want to go try and sleep it off. Maybe I'll wake up in the morning and discover it was all a bad dream."</span></p> <p><span>"Can you wait until the boys come back so they can say goodnight and I can change your bandage? You know they want to see your head."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll try."</span></p> <p><span>"On that note, Max, I think Carl and I will take our leave. That's one thing I don't care to see right now." She turned to Carl and said, "Will you <i>please</i> go get dressed on so we can go home?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, sure thing, honey, be right back," he replied, then headed to my bedroom to retrieve his clothes.</span></p> <p><span>"I really don't know if I'm ready to handle this new and `improved' Carl."</span></p> <p><span>"You may not have a choice, Lee. You might even want to try it yourself. I think you'd enjoy it. You know I've never pushed the nudist life on anybody, especially in mixed company, but any time you feel the urge, my home is always open."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, little brother, I just don't know that I'm quite ready to be seeing all of you naked, running around like idiots. And I'm sure all you gay men and boys don't particularly want to see a naked female running around, either."</span></p> <p><span>"It wouldn't bother us in the least, sis." At that moment, Carl retuned, dressed, and five boys rejoined us, freshly showered and naked. "Boys, say goodbye to Aunt Lee and Uncle Carl." The five swarmed the two to give hugs and say their goodbyes.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for staying with us, Aunt Lee and Uncle Carl. It was great fun," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"And thanks for swimming with us Uncle Carl. You look good without your clothes on," Alex added with a smile. Carl blushed, again, at the compliment.</span></p> <p><span>"Hope you can come back and do it, again," Mike exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I'll be back," Carl said, grinning wildly. Lee just shook her head and headed for the door, Carl trailing behind a few steps and I followed along.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for coming out and running herd you two. You have no idea how much I appreciate it. Don't be strangers." After I closed the door, I turned to the boys and said, "Okay, guys, now's your chance to see what Uncle Tom's head looks like under that bandage. He needs to get to bed and I need to change it before he goes."</span></p> <p><span>I grabbed the bag of supplies from the ER and started to carefully remove the covering over the wound. Once it was exposed, I had boys come over for a closer look.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, that's wicked," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"Nice hairstyle, Uncle Tom. Can we get our hair done like that?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"How many stitches are there, dad?" T.J. wanted to know.</span></p> <p><span>"28."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a lot, isn't it?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't have any idea. It's the most I've ever seen in one place." I suddenly realized that I hadn't heard any comment from Andy and when I turned to look for him, I found him curled in one of the chairs, crying quietly. I went over to him, knelt beside the chair and put my hand on his back. "It's okay, Andy. Tom will be just fine."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, but it's all my fault he got hurt."</span></p> <p><span>"Andy, look at me." He lifted his head and turned to face me. "It is <i>not</i> your fault. It's Russ and Cal's fault. They're the ones who hurt you, your mom, Tom and lord knows how many other people. And they can't hurt anyone else ever again. In time, you'll see the truth in what I'm telling you."</span></p> <p><span>"If you say so. I don't think I believe it, though."</span></p> <p><span>"I do say so. Now come over and say goodnight to Uncle Tom so I can get his new bandage on, then get him in bed." I walked Andy over to Tom and all five boys gave him a hug goodnight. I put some antibiotic ointment on his scalp, replaced the bandage and helped him to his feet. Once I got him upright, Alex and Joey insisted on helping me, so the three of us helped guide Tom to our bedroom with the other three following close behind. </span></p> <p><span>Once we had him sitting on the edge of the bed, I said, "Okay, guys, I got it from here. Why don't you wait in the kitchen and, after I get Tom in bed, I'll be there to get your snacks."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no you don't, dad, we're all in this together," Joey said and started giving instructions. "T.J., Mike, you get his shoes and socks off, I'll take his shirt, Andy and Alex, when dad lifts him up, you two pull down the covers, and dad can get his pants off after he lays down." The boys jumped to the tasks Joey had given them and we quickly had Tom laid down on his back. I undid his pants and slowly pulled them off his hips and down his legs. </span></p> <p><span>I was ready to have Alex and Andy pull the covers back over Tom when he said, "Get those damn boxers off me, too. If I wear those, they'll drive me nuts until I take `em off myself." I grabbed the waistband of his shorts a slowly peeled them down his legs.</span></p> <p><span>"Happy now?"</span></p> <p><span>"I will be when you can join me." I finally let Alex and Andy cover him up and Tom closed his eyes and promptly fell asleep.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for your help, boys, you made that a lot easier. Now, will you five go to the kitchen and wait for your snack? It's my turn to get comfortable and I want to make sure he's asleep, then I'll be right out." Each one gave Tom a kiss on the forehead and said `I love you' before the fabulous five quietly padded out of the bedroom. I picked up Tom's clothes and laid them across a chair, then got undressed myself. After a quick visit to the bathroom to wash my face and hands, I checked on Tom. He was breathing slowly as I brushed his forehead and gave him a kiss. Satisfied he was comfortable and down for the count, I headed to the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>I arrived to find five boys lined up on their stools at the counter, waiting patiently for their promised snack. I warmed some caramel dipping sauce in the microwave while I cut four apples into chunks and set everything on the counter along with five small forks. Five glasses of milk soon joined the rest of the snack.</span></p> <p><span>"Have you decided where you're going to sleep, Andy? You can have the empty bedroom or you could sleep with the others."</span></p> <p><span>"Mike wants me to sleep with him and T.J."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine. If you change your mind, let me know and we can move you into the other room, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, thanks, Mr. Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"Listen, Andy, why don't you call me Uncle Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why can't he call you dad like we do?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, because I'm not adopting Andy. He's just living with us until Carol finds another place for him."</span></p> <p><span>"But I don't want him to go nowhere else. He's my friend, now, and I want him to be my brother, too."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll just have to wait and see what Carol comes up with. What about you, Andy, do you think you'd want to stay here and live with all of us?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that'd be great."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll talk to Carol on Monday and let her know that. But in the end, it's up to her and her agency."</span></p> <p><span>After the snack was finished and cleaned up, I herded the boys to their beds, tucked them in, gave them their kisses and received kisses from each along with a lot of `I love you' passing back and forth. With the boys and Tom in bed, I collapsed in my favorite chair by the fireplace, lost in the thought that we'd almost lost Tom today. I know that I shouldn't feel this deeply about somebody after knowing him for only a week, but I couldn't help it and I started crying softly to myself. I was done trying to be strong for everybody else today and now it was my turn to feel something, even if I was alone.</span></p> <p><span>After a few minutes of wallowing in my own misery, I felt a hand on my arm and a small voice asking, "Dad, you okay?" I opened my eyes to find T.J. standing there, a look of concern on his face. "I heard you crying and got worried." </span></p> <p><span>"Not really, but I will be."</span></p> <p><span>"What's wrong?" he asked as he crawled into my lap.</span></p> <p><span>"I know we've all only known each other for a week, but I love each of you so much. It hurts when I think how close we came to losing Tom today. Now that we've all found each other, I don't ever want to lose any of you. I've been alone for too much of my life already, and I don't ever want to live like that again."</span></p> <p><span>"We don't want to lose you either, dad. Or Uncle Tom. We're all glad you two found each other. You two belong together. We all belong together."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, son, that means a lot to me. How did you get to be so smart and caring?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just lucky, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I'm the lucky one. In oh, so many ways."</span></p> <p><span>"You feeling better, now, dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet," I answered as I wiped my eyes. "Thanks for cheering me up. Come on, let's get you back in bed so I can go to bed, too." I carried my little angel to his room and gently laid him in the bed so as not to wake the other two who were sound asleep. I whispered, "I love you, young man" as I pulled the covers over him, then kissed his forehead again and received a kiss back from him before turning out the light and closing the door.</span></p> <p><span>I headed to my bedroom and used the bathroom before checking on Tom. He was snoring lightly as I kissed him goodnight and told him I loved him. Then, I carefully crawled in my side of the bed and fell sound asleep, holding the love of my life and thinking, tomorrow's a new day and I'm done wasting days.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-57.html

Building a Family 57 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 57 � Confrontation "Good morning," Dr. Schaid greeted us as we sat on the couch in her office and Tom wrapped his hand around mine. "It's nice to meet you. Let's start with which one of you is Mr. Sanders, please." I raised my free hand in acknowledgement and said, "That would be me, and please, I go by Max. This is my fianc�, Tom Wright. It's okay for him to be here, isn't it?" Tom gave her a little wave and crooked smile. "Of course, it is, Max. Our sessions are for you, so, whatever makes you more comfortable. Before we get started, you should know that Dr. Kirkland has given me a little bit of background about why you're here. As I understand the issues, you're dealing with the rather sudden recovery of memories you'd repressed for what, twenty years or so, right? Memories of some rather severe sexual abuse." "Yes, and I'd just as soon forget it all, again, but Dr. Kirkland told me that would be very self-destructive. That now that those memories are back out in the open, it'll be easier to deal with them. Not too sure I believe that." "No, he's absolutely right. One thing to keep in mind as we travel this road together, we can't do anything to help you if we don't know what you want or need help with. Also, whatever we discuss in your sessions will remain confidential unless you give me permission to discuss your case. That would include any possible court proceedings. Without your permission to do so, I can't say anything." "I'm aware of that. I'm just trying to avoid having to relive it again and again and again. I know avoiding my problems won't solve a damn thing, but that's exactly what I want to do. I just want my life back." "Most of my patients start out feeling the same way, but they come to see the value in being open and honest as their lives slowly improve. Why don't you start by telling me how you feel about the memories you've recovered so far?" "If there ever was a loaded question, Dr. Schaid, that's it. How do I feel? I feel hate, anger, disgust, fear, helplessness, frustration, rage, loathing, aloneness, sadness, hate ... wait, I already said that, didn't I?" "And for whom do you feel all those emotions?" "The Muellers, the church, myself, my parents, my sister, damn near everybody and everything." "Max, I won't sugarcoat this. We have some serious work ahead of us, but you'll get through it and be stronger than you ever have been. Are you ready for that?" "Guess we'll find out together, won't we, doc?" I slid the envelope inside my jacket and zipped it shut. "About as ready as I'll ever be. Let's do this." Derek and I walked into the church together and I said, "Come with us, Henry. We may need your help in a moment." We continued down the corridors until we reached Michelle's office where I asked, "Is Pastor Warren still hiding in his office?" "Yes, sir." "Well, we're ready to start our work and I need to talk to him for just a moment before we do. I'll just knock on his door." I stepped over to Warren's door and gave it light rap while testing the knob to find it was, truly, locked. "Pastor, this is Sergeant Brock and Deputy Timmons, we need to have a short chat before we begin our work." I waited for a few moments and when he didn't respond, I knocked again, just a bit more forcefully than I'd done before. "Pastor, if you don't come out to talk, we're coming in." After another short wait with no response from within, I stepped back and kicked at the door knob to break in. As the door flew open, I was mortified to find Warren laid back in his chair, eyes and mouth wide open, skin turning bluish-gray and an open pill bottle in the middle of the desk. "Well, shit, I sure didn't see that comin'," I muttered to no one in particular. "Derek, check him out, though we all know it's a waste of time, then call the morgue and get them out here. Find his keys, too. Henry, Andrew, guard the front doors and don't let anybody in except for Zach, Perry and the medical examiner." My guys followed their orders and while they were all otherwise occupied, I stepped into Michelle's office to deliver some bad news. "What's going on?" she asked. "I'm afraid I have some bad news for you and the church, Michelle. It pains me to be the one to tell you, but Pastor Warren has taken his own life." "WHAT!? Oh, my God. WHY!?!? What am I gonna tell mom?" "What did I miss?" I asked. "He's my dad!" Michelle screamed. I hustled around the desk and pulled Michelle into a hug to try to comfort her. "I'm so sorry, Michelle. I had no idea." I let her weep into my chest until Derek came into the office shaking his head ruefully. Seeing the confused look on his face, I let him know Michelle was much more than just the secretary here. When she had finally gotten some control back, I gently set her back in her chair and asked, "What's your mom's name and where do you live, Michelle? I'll have Derek go pick her up and bring her here to be with you." She gave me a name and an address that was just a few blocks away and I dispatched Derek to retrieve her, but not before I had him give me Warren's keys. I still had a task to perform. "Michelle, there are going to be a bunch of people here very shortly. I don't want you to hear the conversations we're going to have or see what happens next. Why don't you let me take you to the sanctuary and you can wait there with Henry or Andrew until Derek comes back with your mom?" She nodded numbly, so I helped her stand again and led her to the sanctuary. Once she was seated in a front pew, I stepped into the corridor and asked, "Henry, would you please come keep an eye on Michelle? If she needs anything, get it for her." As he headed my direction to do as I asked, I knew this was my opportunity to correct my biggest fuck-up from yesterday. As I headed back down the corridor to the door Andrew was still guarding, I asked, "Andrew, would you watch the front door? I sent Henry to keep an eye on Michelle." "Sure thing, Sarge." As we passed each other in the corridor, I thanked him and the stopped in front of Warren's office. As soon as Andrew rounded the corner, I quietly slid over to the locked office and, after pulling on a pair of gloves, I retrieved the key from my pocket and unlocked the door. After stepping inside, I closed the door behind me. I flipped on the lights and, using Warren's keyring, I found he did, indeed, have the keys to the file cabinets there. Guess we answered the question as to his involvement in events. After unlocking the cabinet I needed to access and removing the steel bar, I pulled out the third drawer. I removed the FedEx envelope from inside my coat, tore it open, retrieved the contents and slipped Max's file back into the cabinet, right where it was originally. I then replaced the steel bar and relocked the cabinet. After taking just a moment to review everything and make sure I hadn't missed anything, I turned the light back off and exited the office while ensuring the door was locked again. I breathed a huge sigh of relief in the corridor as I peeled the gloves back off my hands and stuffed them in my coat pocket. Now, I just had the FedEx envelope to deal with. After a quick look around, I crossed over to the men's bathroom and stood in the stall, shredding the envelope and flushing the bits into oblivion. That done, I took another deep breath, stepped back out into the corridor and headed for the front door to wait with Andrew for Zach, Perry and the medical examiner to arrive. As I made my way through the church, I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text saying, `Mission: Accomplished'. I was slipping my phone back into my pocket as I turned down the corridor to the front door. "Well, Max, we're reaching the end of our time today. And we've covered a lot of ground. Now that I know what we're dealing with, we can come up with a plan of attack to help you reintegrate these memories in a proper manner and deal with your feelings about them. Do you have any questions you'd like to ask? And what about you, Tom? You've been awfully quiet. What would like to see happen next?" "Tom suggested I may want to write about what I've been through. I hope you don't think the same." "Actually, Max, I was going to suggest that. Some of my patients have written remarkable stories of their lives as we've worked through their problems. Admittedly, some haven't, but I do tend to see better outcomes from those that do." "Great," I muttered. "Just another chance to relive all that crap." "I know you don't see it right now, but writing can be very therapeutic. It gives you a chance to really think about the things that are important to you, what you hope to accomplish and where you want to go from here. And since you have a history of writing, rather good books I'd like to add, I think doing so about this would help you immensely." "So, you do know who I am." "Of course, I do. I go to great lengths to know who I'm working with, Max. And even if I didn't, I'd most certainly recognize you. I really enjoyed reading your books." "Well, if I'm going to write about this nightmare, also, I guess you'll get a sneak preview of my next book, won't you? Though I have to admit, my writing did help me, in a roundabout way, come to terms with who I am." "Max, please, you don't have to write a book about it, just your feelings and thoughts. Your hopes and aspirations, what you want to achieve with your life from here on. Now, what about you, Tom? You seem to be itching to ask a question. Speak now or forever hold your peace." "Well, Max has this crazy idea about confronting the people who abused him. I think it's a horrible idea and I can't see anything good coming from it. Do you think that's a wise thing to do?" "If it's something Max wants to do and it can be arranged, then, by all means, do it. At this point, there's really nothing to lose. Some people find some relief by directly confronting their abusers. It's a chance for Max to tell his abusers they no longer have any control over him, that he's taking back what they stole from him all those years ago. Others, though, never regain the strength or resolve to follow through on that dream. If Max feels like he's ready for that to happen, it's not for us to question it, we just need to try and make it happen for him." Jean turned to look at Max and asked, "Are you sure you're ready to confront your abusers?" "No, but I know I have to at some point or I'll never get any peace. And the sooner, the better." "Do you know where they are and can a meeting be arranged?" "They're in jail and we've already set it up. We're headed there next," Tom answered. "I wasn't aware of that," Jean responded. "That certainly makes it an easier situation to deal with then, especially since there won't be any chance of any physical interaction. Under those circumstances, I think it will be a positive for Max." "We'll find out shortly, I guess," Tom begrudgingly agreed. "Well, gentlemen, I think that will end our session for today," Jean said as she stood. "You can exit through this door. It leads straight to the hallway so anybody in the waiting room won't see you." As I stood, I shook Jean's hand and said, "Thanks for your time. I know I'm not going to enjoy our times together, but I also know I need them." "No need to thank me, Max. I'm here any time you feel the need to talk. Shall we make Tuesdays at ten a regular appointment for you?" "Probably, yes. For about the next ten or twenty years," I chuckled. "However long you need me, I'll be here for you, just as Tom is. Well, maybe not just like Tom, since you aren't going to be marrying me, are you?" "No, I don't think that would work out too well," I laughed. "This sweet guy has my heart and everything attached to it. I guess I'll see you next week then." "I'll be here. And if you need anything before then, don't hesitate to call." Tom and I took our leave and as we walked to the car, he pulled out his cell phone. After a brief glance, he said, "If I'm translating this correctly, your visit with the Muellers is a go." "Then, let's quit wastin' time. I'm actually looking forward to this. I can't wait to see their faces when they find out I'm the one who fucked them. Life's sweet when you get the be the fucker and not the fuckee." We settled into the Shelby and headed deeper into town for me to face the past, yet again. Just as my patience was about to wear out, Zach and Perry finally arrived in their van and the medical examiner was following right in their tire tracks. Both pulled up to park next to my car and as Zach exited his vehicle, he asked, "What's the meat wagon doin' here?" "Because we have a body inside. Unless, of course, you want to deal with it?" "Yuck, Sarge, don't be sick. You know I don't deal with dead folks. Never gonna happen." "Then I suggest you and Perry wait outside while they deal with Pastor Warren, okay?" "He's dead!? What the hell happened?" "From initial appearances, it looks like a drug overdose. The medical examiner will be the final judge of that verdict though. And speaking of the Grim Reaper, here he comes. Greetings, Sebastian. How goes the war?" "Can't seem to win for losin', Sergeant. Every time I get my tables cleared off and cleaned up, somebody always seems to find a way to fill `em back up. What, or shall I say, whom do we have here, Sergeant Brock?" "We have Pastor Warren Lancaster, expired at his desk, with an empty pill bottle in plain view. I assume that to be the cause of death unless you rule otherwise. No evidence of foul play since he was alone in a locked office. And please be careful how you speak inside. His daughter is the church's secretary and is currently in the sanctuary with one of my guys. Her mother, the Pastor's wife, should be here shortly." "Now, Sergeant, you, of all people, should know how I discuss these situations around others. I'm nothing if not discreet and respectful." "I'm well aware of that, Sebastian, just wanted to give you a heads up." "Where're we headed?" "Straight down the corridor inside about thirty feet, then take a right. You'll find your victim in the second office on the left. Let me know when you're done and we can take over." "As always. Come on, Chris, grab the gurney and let's get this over with." The two began their trek of doom and, as I turned back to face the street, I saw Derek returning with Mrs. Lancaster. After parking the car, Derek assisted Mrs. Lancaster and they joined me under the drive-up's awning. "Are you in charge here?" she demanded as she strode towards me with purpose. "This young man wouldn't tell me a thing except I was needed and had to come with him. He wouldn't even let me drive myself." "I apologize if he seemed heavy-handed, ma'am, but I didn't want you to have to try and drive after you hear my news. Let's step inside and join your daughter in the Sanctuary. We can talk there." The three of us entered the church and after reaching the sanctuary, Mrs. Lancaster made a beeline for her daughter and pulled her into her arms. The poor girl seemed to be catatonic, but considering the circumstances, that was understandable. I sat on the pew with Mrs. Lancaster and Michelle. After getting her attention, I said, "I have the sad task of letting you know your husband has passed away." "WHAT!? How!? Why?" "I don't have those answers just yet, ma'am, but what I can tell you is we wanted to talk to him this morning. Michelle told us he was locked in his office and had been since they got here this morning. When I knocked on his door and announced our presence, he didn't respond. After another attempt with no response, I forced the door open. Deputy Timmons and I found your husband sitting in his chair and there was an open pill bottle on his desk. After determining there was nothing we could do for your husband, I sent Deputy Timmons to bring you here to be with your daughter and notified the medical examiner to take care of your husband." "I want to see him," she demanded. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but that's not possible right now. When the medical examiner completes his work and is ready to leave, you can see your husband then." "This just doesn't make any sense. Warren was so happy here. He loved his congregation and despite the long hours he invested in this ministry, I've never seen him so content." "Mrs. Lancaster, please know how sorry we are for your loss. I know the pain you're feeling right now. I'll do everything I can to minimize your anguish, but I also have to warn you that we may have some questions for you in a few days that only you will be able to answer." "Ask me whatever it is you think I can tell you." "Not right now, ma'am, not today. All I can tell you at this moment is we're in the middle of an investigation and when we know more, we'll deal with our questions then." "I know what happened here last night, Warren and Michelle could speak of nothing else. Do you think my Warren knew what was going on and did nothing? That's simply not possible. You don't know my husband." No lady, I don't. And you sure as hell didn't know him either. "Warren loved children and would never allow harm to befall an innocent." You're half-right, there, honey, just not the half you think. "As I said, Mrs. Lancaster, we will talk about it later. Right now, you need to concentrate on your daughter and the two of you will need to help each other get through this difficult time. I'm going to check on the medical examiner and see what progress he's made. I'll leave Henry here with you two." Derek and I left the Sanctuary and headed for the pastor's office. We arrived just as Sebastian and Chris were placing Warren's body on the gurney. "You need any help?" I asked. "Nope, we got him," Chris answered. We waited as they got Warren's body positioned and the bag zipped shut. I noticed Sebastian had closed his eyelids and mouth. "So, doc, what's your preliminary findings?" "I'm inclined to agree with you on the drug overdose. The narcotic he had would kill a horse. This poor man never had a chance. From his liver temp, I'd say maybe one to two hours ago. A little lividity in the legs, of course, but no rigor, yet." "Did you find any kind of note he might have left behind?" "Nothing on his body or on the desk. His computer's on, so he may have left something there. If he did, that's for your geek squad to deal with. We're ready to go. I'll have more details for you once we complete the autopsy." "Thanks, Sebastian. His wife and daughter are still in the sanctuary and may want to see him before you leave. You okay with that?" "Up to them. I'll try to dissuade them, but if they demand to see him, I won't stop them, either." Derek and I stood back and watched as Sebastian and Chris wheeled the body away. We stood in silence for a moment and waited to see if our assistance would be needed as they left the church. We finally heard some discussion taking place and then the zipper on the body bag being opened. The next thing we heard was a peal of anguish that morphed into outright rage as Mrs. Lancaster screamed, "Warren, you selfish bastard! What have you done!?" When she quieted down, we heard the zipper again, then the wheels of the gurney squeak as Pastor Warren Lancaster continued his final journey from the church. Next stop, the M.E.'s office for the ultimate insult to a life gone horribly wrong. Knowing Perry and Zach would join us momentarily, Derek turned and quietly asked, "Did you get it done, Sarge?" I looked at him quizzically and replied, "I don't know what you're talking about, Deputy." "You know, getting Max's file back where it belonged." "Deputy, get a hold of yourself. Whatever you're thinking never happened." "What was that, boss, I think my brain just cramped. I forgot what we were talkin' `bout." "Good. See if you can keep it that way." I'd whispered my response, but Derek could definitely hear the seriousness of my words from my tone. The words had no sooner left my mouth than Perry and Zach came around the corner, cases in hand. "Morning, again, gents. Ready to get to work?" "Ready as we'll ever be, boss. What're we doin' today?" "Zach, you're the computer freak. I want to dig through Warren's computer and see what you might find. Look especially hard for anything that might explain his untimely death. Perry, I want you to continue your work in the stairway and the room below. When Zach's done with the computer, he'll join you downstairs in hell." "Gee, thanks, boss," Perry replied sarcastically, "You're all heart." "And don't you ever forget it, Perry," I grinned while patting him on the shoulder. After pulling on a fresh pair of gloves, I opened the office, turned on the lights and located the release for the hidden door. Once his access was restored, Perry got back to his work in the stairway while Zach attacked the computer in the office next door. Derek and I headed out to our cars to retrieve the boxes we'd brought with us to haul away the files and anything else we found. As we passed the sanctuary, Mrs. Lancaster came out and asked, "Do you have someone who can take us home, please. I have a church membership list there that I can use to start making phone calls and let the board know what's happened this morning. I feel that's something I should do, but I prefer to not do it here." "Of course, Mrs. Lancaster. Henry, please drive these two ladies home and then come back. We'll need your help." "Sure thing, Sarge. Ladies, come with me." Henry led them out the front door and to his car as Derek and I followed along to retrieve our boxes. As we reentered the church, I had Andrew join us so he could help with emptying the file cabinets. Once in the office, I said, "Okay, the first thing we need to do I see what's in these file cabinets. Andrew, you take the left, I'll take the center and Derek, that leaves the one on the right for you." We each pulled open the top drawer of our cabinet and goggled at the sheer number of files contained within. Acting as if I hadn't known what was inside for Andrew's benefit, I let go a low whistle and shook my head. Time to put my acting chops to work. "Okay guys, I have a bunch of file folders labeled with names and dates." Derek caught on immediately and added, "Same here, Sarge." "Over here, too, boss." "The first file I have here is dated about 15 years ago. What's yours Andrew?" "About thirty years." "Mine starts about eight years ago," Derek added. "Okay, first thing we need to do is see if we can locate a file with our complainant's name. He alleges his abuse was about twenty years ago, so let's see if we can locate that approximate time. Since the oldest seems to start in the left cabinet, check it first, Andrew." "Last file here is about twenty-six years ago." He closed the top drawer and opened the second. "First file is right after the last in the drawer above and the last date is ... twenty-two years old." After closing the second drawer, he moved on to the third. "Same thing, first one is right after the last in the previous drawer and the last date is ... eighteen years old. Should be in here, Sarge. What name we lookin' for?" "Max or Maxwill Sanders." Andrew started his search at the front of the drawer and worked his way back, folder by folder while Derek and I had a quiet discussion about nothing. When he reached the middle of the drawer, "Might have it here Sarge, the date's about right, but the name is Maxie Sanders." "Give me the file and hold that spot, Andrew. If this isn't our complainant, we want to put it back where it was and keep looking." I opened the file and described the contents. "Okay, I have three discs, marked as DVDs, labeled with the same name on the folder and dated, one disc for each year our complainant alleges the abuse occurred. Next, we have ...," I paused as I made of show of counting the pictures, "nine, no, ten pictures. One juvenile male and one adult male and female. Jesus, this is some sick shit. Victim appears to be fourteen or so. That also matches our complainant's description of being abused by two adults. There is a resemblance to our complainant, but I can't be certain. Derek, what do you think?" "I don't want to look at that shit," he protested. "But you're the only other person here who knows what our complainant looks like today. Here, I'll flip one of the pictures over and cover everything but the victim's face. Will you look at it then, tell me if you think it's a match?" "If I have to," he muttered, scrunching his face in disgust. After rearranging the pictures, I showed it to Derek. "Shit, boss, that poor kid looks like he's howling in pain. But, yeah, I guess it could be a match. Take it away, I don't want to see no more." I put the pictures back in their original order and closed the file. "Okay, I'm going to say we have a match with our complainant. Derek, bag this file and set it aside. I'll have to have him verify that it really is him, I guess. I'd say that makes our case for us. Let's get the rest of these files boxed up. I want them boxed in the same order in which they're filed and a date range on the outside of each box. Let's get to it, boys." Tom and I walked into the office where he'd worked for five years amid cheers and greetings of congratulations. I was introduced to everyone as not just his fianc�, but the love of his life. Every time he said it just made me feel better and better about us and our future lives together. After several minutes of throwaway introductions and numerous handshakes, we finally found the one person Dylan had told us knew of our purpose here today. "Mornin', Kelly, how ya' doing?" Tom asked. "Fair to middlin', Tom. And this must the man who stole you away from us," she added, looking at me. "Guilty as charged," I smiled. "Max Sanders, nice to meet you, Kelly," I greeted her, extending my hand for the obligatory shake. Not content to receive just a handshake, she batted my hand away and gave me hug. "I'm not like the rest of these fools `round here, Max," she commented as she released me. "I ain't afraid to be seen huggin' a guy. Now, from what Dylan told me, you two are here to see a couple of our prisoners, that right?" "Yes," Tom answered. "We want to see Frank and Iris Mueller. Well, he wants to see `em," he added, hooking a thumb in my direction. "No problem, got an interview room set up just for you. Come with me." Kelly led us down a hallway and to a room near the end. After making sure the room was still empty, she let us in and said, "Get as comfortable as you can. I'll be back in just a few minutes." While we waited, I asked, "Can anybody watch or record us in here?" "Not in this room, no. No mirrors, windows, cameras or microphones. This is the one we used when we would discuss interrogation strategies and we didn't want none of that being recorded. And remember, we don't know about the pictures." "Yeah, yeah, I got it." We passed the rest of our wait in silence and true to her word, Kelly returned in couple of minutes with Frank and Iris in tow. "What the hell are these perverts doin' here?" Frank complained. "I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Mueller. As far as I know, you and your wife are the only ones here and this isn't actually happening." Kelly locked their handcuffs to the steel rings embedded in the other side of the table and disappeared without another word. As she did, I tapped on the phone hidden in my pocket to start my own recording. "What do you two faggots want?" Frank yelled. "Good morning, Frank, Iris. It's a lovely day, isn't it?" I greeted them cheerily. "I need to say some things to you both and this may be my only chance. From my understanding of how things are, neither one of you will see the light of day again, ever." "Bullshit!" Frank roared as he tried to stand and promptly fell back into his chair when he'd reached the limit of freedom the cuffs would give him. "Our lawyer will take care of this ridiculous vendetta of yours." "Frank, Iris, I want you to listen to me very closely. It's over. You and all your friends are going away. And you want to know how I know that? Because I'm the one who talked to the police." A wide and evil grin spread across my face as the realization of their tenuous situation hit them and their eyes reflected intense fear back at me. "Yes, you rotten motherfuckers, ME! I get the distinct pleasure of being the one to ruin your fuckin' lives. Seems only fair, though, since you fucking ruined mine for so many years. You want to know the difference between us, though? I'm going to get my life back, finally, while the two of you get to spend your golden years behind bars." "You fucking arrogant little prick!" yelled Frank. "You have no idea who you're messin' with! I was a fuckin' Navy Seal! When I get out of here, I'm gonna fuckin' kill you!" "Only in your dreams Frankie boy, but you'll never get the chance. I told them all about the special lessons you and Iris gave me. I told them about the hidden room in the basement of the church where you took me and who knows how many others. The police are in there right now, collecting evidence that will see you all rot in prison for the rest of your lives. I'm rather looking forward to your time in prison, Frankie. I bet you'll become butt buddies with your cellmate in no time at all, though you really won't have a choice, will you. You want to know happens to child abusers like you in prison, Frankie? Let me tell you. You are going to get your ass reamed day and night for the rest of your miserable fucking life. You'll have every hairy, slimy, disease-infected cock in that prison shoved in your mouth and down your throat until you gag on it. In your cell, in the yard, in the mess hall, it won't matter, somebody's going to be raping you, just for the sheer fun of it. Fun for them, of course, but hell on earth for you." "Never gonna happen, you'll see," Frank replied pompously. "Oh, but it will, you're just too stupid to realize it." Iris had been silent so far, so I turned my attention to her. "And what about sweet little old Iris. Don't be sittin' there thinkin' you're safe from that torture. Oh, no, the same shit is gonna happen to you, too. Those women you'll be locked up with know more than a thing or two about raping other women. So, don't you worry, you'll get your punishment, too. It might be a splintered broom handle, a hair brush, a rusty screwdriver, or maybe even a fist, but it's gonna happen. But, I gotta ask Iris, was I the only boy you two fucked over with your little lessons or were all your victims boys?" Tom was staring at me in disbelief at the crap that was flowing freely from my mouth. "Don't say a goddam thing, Iris!" Frank bellowed. "It was always boys, Maxie," she cooed. "And you were so cute. In fact, you were the cutest of all of them. None of the others could ever hold a candle to your beauty, baby." "SHUT UP YOU STUPID BITCH! What the fuck do you think you're doing?" "I'm telling one of my lovers the truth," she answered, as if it should be plainly obvious. "Of all of them, Maxie, I loved you the most. I loved watching you come, baby, knowing I'm the one who made it happen. The way you quivered and shook with delight as you came was so touching and sweet. And your hairless little dickie tasted so sweet. Then, when you actually started shooting some spunk, oh my God, it was like the nectar of the gods." This whole conversation had kinda jumped right off the rails and was starting to seriously nauseate me, but I let her continue to dig her own hole. "And when you were fucking me, my sweet baby boy, the look in your eyes spoke volumes of your love for me. I loved to feel your little pecker twitch and throb in my pussy when you came" she moaned. "And what do you think your husband got out of all of it, Iris?" "Stop this!" Frank screamed. "Not another fuckin' word, dammit!" "Let me tell you since you're too fucking stupid to figure it out for yourself. He got to live his dream and fuck the shit out of little boys. Because, you see, Iris, he didn't want you, your saggy tits or you're well-worn and skanky cunt. He needed a little boy's tight ass wrapped around his cock. He needed to fill a little boy's mouth with his disgusting cock. He wanted all those little boys to have what he never gave you, his fucking come. That's the only way he could ever get off, wasn't it, Iris? He never came for you, did he? Not once! Oh, but when he was fucking little boys, he could come like a fucking racehorse, and more than once, couldn't he?" Iris turned to look at her husband as if seeing him for the first time, but the rage in her eyes was evident to all of us. "Franklin motherfuckin' Mueller, you rotten bastard! You're were lying to me all those fucking years? All the shit I did for you to help you get boys and that's how you repay me? That's why we never had our own kids, isn't it? Oh, you were goin' through all the right motions, all right, but you never really fucked me, did you? `Cause you could only get your rocks off when you had a captive little boy at your fuckin' mercy. You God damn, motherfuckin', lyin', useless piece of shit!" "You two were fucking made for each other," I spat. "Frankie, a fucking faggot who could only make it with little boys and you, Iris, who helped him and loved to be fucked by little boys, too. God, you both make me sick. The world will be a much better place without the two of you in it." "You make me sick you lyin' faggot!" Frank screamed. "Why the fuck you think anybody believes your lies?" "Iris believes me, Frankie. And now she knows who you really are. Why she needed to hear me say it to really believe what she already knew, I don't know, but whatever it takes, I guess." "Okay, big deal. I like to fuck little boys and come on their faces and in their tight little asses. I fucked your sweet ass for years and nobody ever lifted a finger to stop me, not even your pitiful, weak, faggot lovin' old man. I been fuckin' little boys since long before your faggoty little ass was a gleam in your daddy's eye and I'm gonna keep on fuckin' `em when I get the fuck outta here. And I'm gonna start with those two blond cocksuckers you stole from me, you rotten motherfucker. I'm gonna fuck their brains out while I make you watch, rip their tight little asses' wide fuckin' open just so I can hear `em scream bloody murder. And when I'm done with those little faggots, when their limp and lifeless little bodies have been tossed aside, I'm gonna kill your sorry fuckin' faggot ass, right after I fuck you one more time. Who the fuck you think the cops are gonna believe, me, the fuckin' war hero, or your lyin' faggoty ass?" "Oh, I'm sure they'll believe you, Mr. War Hero Navy Seal. In fact, I hope like hell they do," I replied calmly as I pulled my phone from my pocket and stopped my recording. "Words right from the horse's ass, Frankie. You just toasted yourself. I hope you rot in fucking hell. Let's get outta here, Tom." We stood up and left a shocked and bewildered Frank and Iris behind as we exited the room. "You fuckin' set him up!" Tom gushed in awe after we closed the door. "You planned this from the very beginning." "You're god damn right I did. I wasn't takin' a chance on those fucker's getting cut loose. I knew if I just kept talkin', at some point Frank just couldn't resist the temptation to brag. Their lives end today." "Holy shit! I wish you'd told me what you were doin'." "I thought about it, but I didn't know how it was all gonna go. As it turned out, I think it went pretty well. What do you think?" I deadpanned. "Fuckin' perfect, babe. I couldn't have set them up any better than you did. I bow down to the master," he chuckled as he did, indeed, make a small bow right there in the hallway. "Let's go find Kelly and have her get them back to their cells." "She may need some help this time, bubba. I'm pretty sure they won't go willingly. Not when they know how truly screwed they are." "Good thinkin', babe." As we rounded the corner into the main office, we saw Kelly immediately and waved for her to come over. "We're done with them, Kelly, but you're probably gonna want some help getting them back where they belong." "They came with me easy enough. I can get them back just fine." "Huh-uh," I said, shaking my head. "No way, Kelly. That was before I recorded both of them incriminating themselves. Whatever cool they may have had is long gone." "Get two of the biggest guards from detention and have them take `em back, one at a time," Tom recommended. "If you think so." She grabbed the phone on her desk and made the call. A minute later, we heard a yell from down the hallway, "We need some help down here! Call 9-1-1 and get an ambulance here, FAST!" The three of us ran down the hall to see what was happening and we found Frank curled into a ball on the table, moaning piteously and holding his crotch with both hands. Iris was standing over him, panting heavily, dripping sweat and spitting in Frank's face. "Let's see you come now you useless motherfucker," Iris hissed, to which Frank could only reply with a low moan of anguish. The two guards disconnected Iris from the ring in the table and began leading her out of the room. As they passed by us, she said, "I still love you, Maxie baby, and I always will. It's all his fault we can't be together anymore. It's too bad you had to grow up." Then she blew me a kiss as the guards continued their trip back to her cell. As she disappeared through the door into the detention area, I couldn't take any more of the sickness, turned around and vomited into a bucket that had been conveniently located in the corner. Tom grabbed me and held onto me until I quit heaving. When I finally stood back up, wiping my mouth on my sleeve, he guided me back to the main office and then into the breakroom. He pulled a can of 7UP from the fridge and handed it to me. "Here, drink this, slowly, it'll help settle your stomach." He waited with me until I'd calmed back down and finally asked, "Are you okay?" "Yeah, I think so. Thanks." After a short pause, I added, "Fuck, that was fun. I've waited eighteen years to get that off my chest. You ready for round two?" I asked. "Not on your life." "God, what a sick fucking bitch. She really needs to have her brain rewired." "Or, better yet, removed." "Not that I care or anything, but you think Frank's gonna be okay? I'd sure hate for some murderer to lose his bitch before he even gets there." "Depends on how hard she kicked him. If it was hard enough, she could've exploded his testicles." "HA! Couldn't happen to a better fuckin' piece o' shit." "Well, that's about all the fun I can handle for one day. You ready to head for home?" "That depends. What time is it?" After a quick look at the clock on the wall, "12:15, why?" "Good. Plenty of time for one more stop before we go home to meet Ron at two." "Where the hell you wanna go now?" Tom protested. "The church." "Aw, c'mon, Max. Haven't you had enough for one day? This has got to be killin' you." "Actually, hon, I haven't felt this good in fuckin' years. Besides, I want to Dylan to hear this recording." "If you insist, I'll make it so. But I'm still drivin'." "I wouldn't have it any other way." As we left, we stopped to thank Kelly for her help and apologized for the mess we'd made, both in the room and the bucket in the hall. As we settled into the Shelby, Tom asked one more time, "You sure you wanna do this today?" "We're already in town. Drive, Jeeves." With no further argument, we left the parking lot and made the turn that would take us in the direction of the church. "Okay, that's all the files boxed and ready to go. Henry, Andrew, get these loaded up and back to the station. I want them in my office and the door locked when you're done." "Yes, sir," they replied. They each picked up two boxes of the twenty-four we'd filled and headed out to their car to begin loading them up. "Derek, I want you to start on the desk, please. Every drawer gets emptied into its own box, then sealed. We'll go through them at the station. I'm going to step outside and have a smoke." "You don't smoke, Sarge." "I know, today's gonna be my first in years. After shit like this, I need to pollute my lungs so it's not just my brain that's fucked up. Get to it." As Derek turned to begin work on his task, I headed outside to clear my head and get some fresh air, though a fucking cigarette would certainly ruin that fresh air. The first drag nearly choked me, but I persevered until it no longer hurt to suck that crap into my lungs. I'd finished the first one and was about to light another when a blue Mustang pulled into the parking lot. Great, I thought, a church board member was coming to see what was happening in their damn church. I was surprised, however, to see Tom and Max lever themselves out of the car and start walking in my direction. As they got closer, I called out, "Afternoon, boys. I didn't expect to see you today, especially here. How was your appointment this morning?" "Which one," Max asked. "The doctor, first." "'Bout like you'd expect, it sucked, but I think she can help me, so I'll keep going." "Good, I'm glad to hear it. Now, how'd the second one go?" "That one was quite a bit more interesting. I got something here you need to hear." I pulled out my phone, located the recording and pushed play. I could see Dylan's emotions change as the recording progressed, at one point closing his eyes and shaking his head with disgust. Then, when he finally heard Frank start his admission of guilt, he released a loud `whoop' of excitement. When the recording finally ended, he was practically dancing with joy. "Jesus Christ, Max, you really got them to screw themselves. Too bad we can't use it." "Why not, Boss?" Tom asked. "Their lawyer wasn't present. Hell, I don't know if they even have a lawyer, yet." "Look," Tom started, "we might have been in a police station, but neither one of us is a cop. We're private citizens. And this wasn't an interrogation. It was a conversation between a victim, `scuse me, survivor, and his abusers that somehow got recorded. You gonna look a fuckin' gift horse in the mouth?" "Good points, Tom. I think we could successfully argue the admissibility of the recording since neither of you is on the force. Remind me, again, why I let you quit. I'm really beginning to regret that decision." "And yet, we're still workin' together, aren't we? Funny how life rolls sometimes." "Max, will you come inside so I can have Zach get that recording now?" "Sure, why not. We can't take long, though, we gotta be home by two." "Five minutes, ten tops, I promise." As the three of us headed inside, we were passed by two deputies carrying four boxes outside. "What are they doing?" Max asked. "Uh, loading evidence to go to the station," I replied. "Gotcha, mine in there?" "Not a clue what you're talkin' about," Dylan replied, shaking his head. Max gave me a quick thumbs up to let me know he understood and would say nothing more. As we turned the corner to locate Zach, Max suddenly froze. He hadn't seen this hallway for quite some time, but, to him, it felt like it was just yesterday. After a few more steps, Tom suddenly realized Max wasn't beside him any longer and he turned around to find him standing there like a petrified tree. Which, he kinda was. Petrified, anyway. Though shaking like a tree in the wind, he really didn't look much like a tree. "Dammit, I knew we shouldn't have come here!" Tom exclaimed. "Sarge," he yelled over his shoulder, "I got to get him out of here. Bring Zach outside." Tom picked Max up and carried him outside to stand in the sunlight and fresh air. "You okay, babe?" he asked with serious concern. "Yeah. Sorry, I didn't expect that to happen. I just couldn't go any further." Dylan and Zach arrived and after surrendering my phone to the head geek in charge, he promptly made a copy of the recording and handed my phone back to me. After Zach headed back inside, Dylan apologized, "I'm sorry, Max, I should have known better than to take you back in there." "Don't worry about it. Someday, maybe, I'll be able to do it, but this obviously ain't it." "Look, Max, we better head for home," Tom said. "Ron should be there in about forty-five minutes." "Yeah, okay. Anything else we can do to help you today, Dylan." "You've done more than enough, already, Max. Go home and relax. We got this and, more importantly, we got them. None of them are gonna wiggle their sorry asses outta the jam they're in." "Okay then, let's hit the road, Tom." As we settled back into the Shelby again, Tom commented, "You're really enjoyin' this being chauffeured around shit, aren't you?" "You bet your sweet ass I am. Home, Jeeves." As Tom drove away with Max as the passenger, I envied the two of them and the close relationship they'd created in such a short period of time. I almost hated them for being so damn happy. As I stewed on my thoughts, I pulled out and lit my second cigarette. It had been seven years since my last smoke, but the stress of dealing with this nightmare was gonna kill me, one way or another. And if I was gonna die, it might as well be on my terms. Not like I had that much to live for anyway, going home to an empty damn house every night. What's the point of extending that boring and lonely existence any longer than necessary? As we turned the corner for the house, we saw a Merry Maids truck sitting in the circle drive by the front door. Looked like Ron arrived a little early for his job. He must have seen us drive in as I saw him getting out of the truck as we pulled in the garage. Once back in the comfort of home, we headed to the front door. While I hung our jackets in the closet, Tom opened the door to let Ron in. "Oh, hi," he said with a confused look, "I'm here to do some work for Mr. Sanders." "I know, Ron," Tom replied. "Come in, please." Once he stepped inside, Tom closed the door. Ron took a quick look around and when saw me, said, "Afternoon, Mr. Sanders. Why don't you tell me what you want done and I'll get what I need from my truck so I can get started. I understand from Joyce I'm going to need a ladder." I let go a little laugh and replied, "That's just what I told her so I could be sure she'd send you." "Okay, I'm confused as all get out now. What's going on, Mr. Sanders?" Ron asked. "Come on in and let's sit down. We'll help clear your confusion." I led the way to the living room and once we were all comfortably ensconced, I continued. "First off, please call me Max. Second, you haven't met him before, but this is my fianc�, Tom Wright. We're sorry to get you out here under false pretenses, Ron, but I didn't think Joyce would appreciate the true reason we wanted to talk to you." "And why is that?" the nervous young man asked. "Well, if you're interested in a change of employment, we'd like to offer you a job?" "Are you kiddin' me? As what, a full-time maid? Hell, I already have that job." "No, we don't want you to just do cleaning. Let me tell you what we're thinking about." "I'm all ears." "As I just told you, Tom and I are getting married. That's happening May seventeenth. The other thing that has changed since you were last here is we are in the process of adopting at least four boys, and we're hoping for five, ages six through nine. And, as of Sunday afternoon, there is a sixth boy living with us, at least temporarily, as sort of a foster family thing. While Tom and I have been doing okay by ourselves so far, we can see there are certain things we could use some help with. At some point soon, Tom is going be starting a private investigation business that will take him away from the pleasure of all the mundane necessities of maintaining a household. We're looking for someone to help us out with cooking, cleaning, menus, transportation, whatever might come up." "So, there's the two of you, six boys, this house, the pool, and god knows what else you ain't mentioned yet. And you want me to help you deal with all that." "Oh, one more big thing you should know about. Later this year, our parents will be moving onto the property, as well. We still have some details to work out about how, exactly, that's going to transpire, but it's coming." "And now you're adding elder-care to the job. You don't want much, do you?" I couldn't help but laugh. "No, you won't have to help our parents. They're still young enough that if you offered to help them with anything, they'd probably knock you on your ass. They're moving here to be closer to their family." "Okay, I think I might be interested, but I got two questions you have to answer. First, why me? And second, how much would I get paid?" "Good questions. Let me answer your second question since it's the easiest. We'll double whatever hourly rate you're currently earning with semi-annual reviews and appropriate raises." Ron's eye lit up with excitement. "We'll also include health insurance, dental and vision care, paid vacations and a reasonable annual deposit into a retirement account. How does that sound to you?" "Like I'd be a damn fool to pass it up. Now, answer the other question, why me?" "That one's a little harder to answer, but here it is. When you came out a couple months ago to help clean this place up, I felt some kind of connection with you. Maybe it was just wishful thinkin' on my part, but I'd kinda hoped to hear from you after you'd left. You're handsome, young, strong and, I think, a kind person. You seemed to be the kind of person I was starting to look for to share my life with, but I was too insecure to come right out and say it. I didn't want to offend you in any way, so, as you were leaving, I dropped that not-so-subtle hint of coming back to use the pool in the hope you'd call me sometime. You never did, so I just let it go." "So, what you're telling me is you had the hots for me, but you chickened out." "Well, yes, I guess so," I reflected. "Well, crap. Guess I blew my big chance, didn't I," he laughed. "You still feel the same way?" "Sorry, Ron, no. Since then, Tom and I have found each other and we're committed to our relationship." "Damn. No worries, Max, it's my loss. I gotta tell ya', though, that you held my interest for a while, too, and I thought a lot about takin' you up on your offer, but I was too much of a chicken to follow through, too." We all laughed at his comment. "But it's easy to see how hooked you two are and I wouldn't want to come between you." "Tom and I have talked about this and we're comfortable with it as long as you are. If you think it'd be too weird for you, say so now and we'll find someone else." "Oh, no, don't do that. While it might have been an interesting experiment of sorts to see what might have happened between us, I know how to set my own limits and stick to `em. I was just hopin' it wouldn't be awkward for the two of you if I was around all the time. I'm cool with it if you are." "Good. Just two more things to throw into the pot before you make a decision." "Let me guess, I have to be here early every morning and into the evening and I have to work naked all day long. Am I right?" Tom and I looked at each other briefly and we burst out in laughter, confusing the hell out of poor Ron. "You're right on the first half and almost right on the second." "I was just kiddin' ya', man." "I know that, but you need to know we're not. We get the boys up at 6:30 in the morning to start getting ready for school and that's one of the things we'd like your help with, so early in the morning is a given. We usually eat supper around five to five-thirty, and you'd be welcome to join us if you'd like. To make the long hours easier to deal with, we're prepared to offer you the use of a spare bedroom." "Wait a damn minute! You're basically asking me to move in with you? And get paid for it?" "Well, yeah, I guess we are. Considering the times we really need the help, it seems the logical thing to do." "Okay, that makes sense and I could deal with that. But what about the naked thing? Why'd you laugh and say I was almost right `bout that?" "Here's the thing you really have to think about. We're nudists, Ron." Poor Ron's eyes shot wide open in surprise. "We don't wear clothes when we're at home. And while we won't require you to join us in being nude, you'd be more than welcome to do so. I think you'd probably be more comfortable if you did instead of being the odd man out." "But what about your parents. What happens when they move up here?" "My parents are old hands at it, Ron," Tom answered. "I didn't know it until recently, but they've been nudists for years. Max's parents are, what I guess you'd call, recent converts to the lifestyle. It's still pretty new to them, but they seem to be enjoying it." "Ain't that weird, though? I mean, I'm cool with bein' naked and all, but I ain't too sure `bout doin' it `round my mom and dad. I don't think I could handle that and I know they couldn't." "I won't lie to you, Ron, the first five minutes were a little awkward. But after that, it seemed so normal, I didn't think about it anymore." "If you say so, man. Okay, let me make sure I got this straight. You double my salary, raises, maybe, every six months, a room, the other bennies, and I can be naked if I wanna be. And all I gotta do to get all that is some cookin', cleanin' and drivin' the kids wherever. Damn, that's a hard decision," Ron commented sarcastically. "There's gotta be a catch, but I can't see it." "Tell him what the catch is, Tom." "You sure you wanna hear this, Ron?" Tom asked. After a quick nod, Tom continued, "You ever touch any of our boys anywhere below the rib cage, we cut your dick and balls off, stuff them down your throat and throw you to the wolves for supper." "Whoa," Ron breathed, "That seems a bit extreme." "Tom, I do believe you've scared the shit out of him," I chuckled. "Good, I intended to. Okay, okay, we won't turn you into a eunuch and feed you to any wolves, but we will immediately fire your ass, with no chance for unemployment and we take back any money that's been deposited into the retirement account and give it to your replacement. Got it?" "Yeah, yeah, I got it. You didn't have to threaten me, though. I might be gay, man, but I don't go for little boys, no way. I want a man in my life." "Good, just so we understand each other right up front," I replied. I looked to Tom and asked, "Anything else we forgot?" "Yeah, we probably ought to tell him `bout the other thing." "What other thing?" I asked. Tom looked at me like I suddenly had a grown a second set of genitals in the middle of my forehead. "O-o-o-h, that, yeah." I turned back to the again confused Ron and continued. "Before I tell you any more, we need to know if you're serious about accepting our offer." "Serious as a heart attack, guys. I love the whole idea." "Glad to hear it. Now, we have a few rules here related to our nudity and other things. First, erections happen. It's a normal part of bein' a guy. We all know we have very little control over when they happen or how long they last. It's not a big deal and we don't comment on them when they do happen, whether it's your own or someone else's. If you don't think it will go away on its own, then excuse yourself and deal with it in private. Second, when what we call `other people' are here, we get dressed and remain dressed until they leave. That's common courtesy for any guests that aren't nudists. Third, any sexual activity is to happen in your bedroom with the door closed. That includes masturbation, whether solo or with others, and oral and anal sex. We follow these rules, the boys follow these rules, and you will, also. You're more than welcome to invite a friend over, but if you're gonna get frisky with each other, we don't want to witness it." "That all sounds fair and reasonable and I can live within those rules. You ain't kiddin' `bout the erections, either. The little head's got a mind of its own, doesn't it? Two questions, though, what do you mean by other people and what rules do the boys follow?" "We have a few very select friends and family who know we're nudists and will join us when they visit. One of them is Tom's old boss at the Sherriff's department, also my sister and brother-in-law and, of course, our parents. As for our sons, they follow all the rules." "Wait, you mean they're doin' it? How old did you say they were?" "Six to nine. And, yes, they've all discovered the joys of sex and are quite active. You should probably also know that at least the four we are for sure adopting are gay. Does that bother you?" "Whoa, and I thought I was early at eleven and my brother was twelve. I'm a bit of a slacker compared to your boys," Ron snickered. "No, man, that won't bother me at all either. I woulda been surprised as hell to find it out on my own, though." "Well, we're trying to keep your shocks to a minimum. If we didn't already have the feeling you were going to accept our offer, we would haven't told near as much as we have. So, what's your decision, or do you need some time to think it over?" "I'm all in, guys. When can I start?" "Whenever you want. If you want to give Joyce two weeks' notice, I think that's fair to her, but we'll leave that up to you. That would also give us the time we need to get the second bedroom done for the other boys and get rooms rearranged again. We might have an empty bedroom, but it is completely empty as it's about to get painted and have some new furniture delivered." "That's all right, `cause I'll have to tell my roommate I'm movin' out and give him a chance to find someone else to share the rent." "Is he just a roommate?" Tom asked. "Sure is. He's as straight as an arrow. He really didn't like the idea of sharing the place with me, but he needed help with rent, bad, so he gave in. It's worked out pretty well, though. We've become pretty decent friends the last several months." "Well, I guess the only thing left to say at the moment, Ron, is welcome to the family. We'll look forward to having your help." "Wait a sec, Max, there is one more thing I want to make sure Ron knows," Tom interjected. I looked at Tom in surprise as I couldn't imagine what we'd forgotten. He turned back to Ron and added, "You probably already know this without me saying it, but I'm going to say it anyway. Absolutely nothing that happens here gets discussed anywhere or with anyone outside this family. We'll have a confidentiality agreement you'll have to sign before you can start working here. With Max being who he is, the tabloids would love nothing more than to get a story of any kind that would hurt him or his career." "No worries, guys, my lips are sealed. With what you're going to pay me and everything else, I won't need to worry about money for a long time. I won't betray the trust you have in me in any way." "Good decision, Ron," Tom intoned seriously. "Now, welcome to family," he added as he stood up to shake hands. I followed suit and then we all sat back down. "Now," Ron started, "You got anything you want cleaned? Seems like I need to tell Joyce I did something real this afternoon. Right before I give her my notice," he laughed. "Don't worry about it," I responded. "Just tell her I had you cleaning ceiling fans or something like that. I'll even give you some cash so she can see you got paid for doing something." "Cool, Max. You're a helluva a guy. I think I'm gonna really like working here. Well, I better get going. Thanks, you two. I really appreciate the opportunity and I won't let you down." After a quick look at the clock, I said, "If you hang around about ten more minutes, you can meet the boys, see what you're really getting yourself into." "Yeah, I can do that. Mind if I use the bathroom while we wait?" "Not at all, Ron," Tom answered. "Right down that hall, last door on the right. You want anything to drink?" "That'd be great, thanks," he answered as he stood up and headed for the bathroom. Tom walked to the kitchen and got some tea for all of us and both returned at the same time. As we sat there, Ron piped up and asked a question that surprised me a little. "So, Max, it's obvious you got money. And Tom made that comment about you being who you are. Tell me, man, who the hell are you and what do you do?" After we stopped laughing, "I'm an author, Ron. I've written four books that have all ended up on the New York Times' best-seller list. So, yeah, I've got a bit of cash. You really didn't know?" "If I knew, I wouldn't have asked. I was never much of a reader and that's probably how I missed connecting you to that." "Well, I have some spare copies of all my books here, of course, so if you ever want to give `em a shot, just let me know." DING! DING! DING! "What the hell was that?" Ron asked as Tom stood to grab his jacket and head out to pick up the boys. "We have a sensor at the end of the drive that lets us know when someone's coming. The three dings is the boys' signal telling us they're home from school and ready for a ride. Brace yourself for the stampede." "Be right back," Tom called as he disappeared down the hallway. A weird thought popped in my head as Tom closed the door to the garage and I turned to Ron and said, "Ya', know Ron, this is gonna sound pretty stupid, especially since we've just hired you, but I don't know your last name." Ron almost fell out of chair with laughter before regaining control and answered, "Cain, C-a-i-n." "That's good to know." We sat quietly as we waited for the Tom and the boys to return. As I heard the garage door rumble shut, I waited patiently for the stampede I knew was coming. I was not disappointed when the door slammed open and house shook as twelve feet hauled six bodies down the hall at full speed. Joey was the first to round the corner into the living room before he came to a screeching halt after seeing a stranger in the house. The other five piled into his abruptly inert figure and they tumbled to the floor in a gale of laughter and a wild mass of tangled limbs. Joey, being on the bottom of the pile, received the worst of it all. "Mmph, get off me you clowns, you're killing me," he grunted. When all were finally standing again, Tom squeezed behind the mini-herd to hang his jacket back in the closet. "Hi, Dad. Who's that?" Alex asked bluntly. "Boys, this is Ron Cain. You're going be seeing a lot more of him around here in a couple weeks so come over and say hi." They moved as one in Ron's direction until they stood next to his chair. "Hi, I'm Joey, nicetomeecha. This here's is my brother Alex, next is T.J., then Logan, Andy and Mike." "Hi guys, nice to meet all of you, too. I'm hoping we can all become good friends." "What's he talkin' `bout, dads?" T.J. asked, looking at Tom and me. "Well, we've just hired Ron to come in and help us deal with things. He'll be joining us in a couple of weeks." "You mean, like, all the time, he's gonna be here?" Joey asked. "That's exactly what we mean. Once T.J., Mike and Andy get moved into their new room, then Ron's going to move into their old room." "Oh, man, that's gonna suck big time, dads." Alex whined. "Why do you say that, Alex?" "You know," he answered while pulling at his shirt. "Oh, that. No worries boys, that won't be changing." "Yahoo!!" they all yelled. "Well, see ya' later, Ron," Mike called out as the herd turned and headed down the hallway to drop their coats and backpacks in their rooms. "Well, that was interesting," Ron commented. "They didn't seem too impressed or thrilled at the idea of me bein' here." "Don't worry, Ron, they'll be cool," Tom responded. As if to prove the point, the first two returned and headed to the kitchen to deal with homework and get their snacks, sans clothes, of course. "Hey, Ron, wanna join us for our snack?" Andy asked as he and Mike passed by. "Sure, why not?" We all got up from our chairs and followed the nude lads to the kitchen. As Tom and I got busy setting the boys up with some fruit snacks and milk, Ron hung out at the end of the counter. The remaining four boys slowly materialized and took their places at the counter, also comfortable in their own skin. Thankfully, Ron seemed to take it all in stride. "You want something, Ron?" Tom asked. "Actually, a small glass of milk sounds good right about now." "Comin' right up." With the boys and Ron served, the sensational six-pack cracked open school books and got started on their homework. I noticed Joey and Alex had a book I'd not seen before and asked about it. "Oh, yeah, that, it's the fifth-grade math book. Cool, huh?" Joey commented. "Yeah, Mr. Thomas gave them to us after school," Alex added. "Wait, what grade are you two in?" Ron asked. "Third," they answered together. "Then why do you have a fifth-grade book?" "What we have here, Ron, is a couple of genuine math whiz-kids," Tom answered. "They were bored with their regular math, so we asked the school for some testing to see if they could move up. Turns out, they only do that testing at the beginning of the school year, but Max talked `em into givin' the twins the fourth-grade book, just to see how they'd do." "Yeah? What'd that take `em two, three months to get through it?" "Under two weeks, Ron," I answered. "And they didn't work on them every day." "Holy Toledo. They got me beat. Remind me to never play number games with them, okay?" he chuckled. Ron looked back across the lineup of boys when T.J. suddenly raised his head from his book and stared at him. "What's up, son," I asked. "Yeah, I know I'm a cute little shit, Ron, but I'm taken. Sorry, dude," he quipped, then returned to his work. "What the heck?" Ron exclaimed. "Oh, yeah, we shoulda warned you about that, too," Tom chuckled. "T.J. and the twins all have the talent for seeing images in other people's minds and T.J. can actually pick up thoughts. The longer he's around you, the better he gets at it." "Co-o-o-ol beans, dude. That's awesome." T.J. looked back up and responded, "Yeah, sure, it's cool sometimes, but it really sucks at other times," he opined while looking at me. "I just need to learn how to get a handle on it so I can turn it off when I want to." "Well, don't look to me for help with that," Ron replied. "I can barely read my own mind sometimes, let alone someone else's." The boys laughed at Ron's comment and when they calmed down a bit, T.J. commented, "You're all right, Ron. I think you'll fit in just fine around here." "Well, I guess I'll get out of here and go give Joyce the bad news. Max, Tom, again, thanks for the opportunity. I think this is gonna be great joining your family. Boys, nice to meet all of you. Looking forward to some fun times." Tom and I followed him to the door to let him out. "Thanks for coming out, Ron. We're glad you accepted our offer. We'll be looking forward to having your help around here. And like T.J. said, you'll fit in just fine." "And once you know when you want to move in, let us know so we can be sure we're ready," Tom added. "We'd hate for you to show up and not have a bed for you." "I'd hate that, too," Ron agreed. "Though I suppose I could always bunk with you two until you had a bed for me," he added with a mischievous grin and a lascivious wiggle of his eyebrows. "Don't hold your breath, bucko," Tom countered with a chuckle. With that, Ron got in his truck and headed out. After we watched him pull away and were headed back to the kitchen, I asked, "Are you sure we're doing the right thing?" "Yeah, I think so. Once I get back to work, I'm not gonna have as much time to help out. I think having Ron here will also take some of the load off you. That will give you more time to concentrate on yourself. Besides, after meeting the guy, I really like him, too. I'm still gonna do a background check on him, though." "Good, I'd rather be safe than sorry. And the confidentiality thing is a good idea, too. I hadn't even thought about that. I'll call James and have him come up with something." "Why don't you go do that now? I'll check on the boys and see what they want for supper when the time comes." We went our separate ways and after sitting at my desk, I dialed James' number. "The Cantrell Practice, this is Rose." "Good afternoon, Rose. Max Sanders here, is he available?" "One moment, Mr. Sanders." "Afternoon, Max. You just caught me. I was about to head home for dinner. What's up?" "Then I'll be brief. We need a confidentiality agreement for a household employee. I don't want it to be so severe the guy thinks he's looking at a death penalty if he blabs something, but severe enough to keep him from talking about our private life in public. Can you do that?" "I can have a basic CA for you to review by Friday. I'll fax it to you, make any changes you think you want and fax it back. We'll take it from there and have a completed agreement next Tuesday or Wednesday. Good enough?" "Excellent, James. Thanks for everything. Now, get the hell out of there and go have supper with your family for once. I know they miss seeing you." "Thanks, Max. I'll talk to you later." When I rejoined the family, I asked, "So, did we figure out supper yet?" "I think we've settled on grilled cheese and tomato soup," Tom answered. "Sounds great, let's get busy, then." Tom and I went to work building sandwiches and getting the soup warming in a pan. The boys took care of their task of getting the table ready. I noticed Logan joined right in to help out. I was happy he was fitting in as if he'd always lived here. Thirty minutes later, we were ready to enjoy our simple but yummy supper. I'd just taken my fist bite of sandwich when Joey asked, "Hey, dad, how'd your appointment go this morning?" Oh, hell, here we go. "About like you'd expect, Joey, but I think she can help me out. I'm glad Pops was there to help me get through it." "If you come up with anything we can do to help, you'll tell us, won't you," Alex asked. "Of course, I will." "How was school today, guys?" Tom asked. "Any of you learning anything new today?" "Not us," Alex answered. "It was really pretty much a wasted day." Joey and Logan nodded their agreement. "Well, what happened that makes you say that?" "Mr. Thomas was out sick and the stupid replacement didn't have a clue what she was doin'," Joey answered. "Yeah, they really shouldn't allow people that old to try to fill in," Logan added. "We spent half the day with her askin' us to repeat stuff `cause she couldn't hear nothin'." "Sorry you three had such a rotten day. What about you three?" I asked looking to T.J., Mike and Andy. "It was okay, I guess," T.J. answered. "I'll be glad when school's out, though." "We had a good day, didn't we Andy?" Mike answered. "Yeah, it was Mark's birthday and he brought treats for everyone." "How are Mark and Billy doin?" I asked. "We haven't heard you talk about them for a while." "They're good. They're still hopin' to come back out to go swimmin' some time," Mike answered. "Well, there welcome any time." "Except this Saturday evening, remember?" Tom interjected. "What's happenin' then?" T.J. asked. "We're having a couple guests for dinner and a swim." "Oh, man. Are we gonna have to wear clothes?" "It's Dylan. What do you think?" "Sweet," Alex crowed. "We like Dylan." "Yeah, he can throw us farther in the pool than you guys can," Joey added. "Oh, we have some guests coming over tomorrow night, also," Tom added. "Who?" Mike asked. "You guys remember the EMT Rick who came to help T.J. the night he got hurt in the pool?" "Yeah, I do," T.J. replied. "Why's he comin' over?" "He's bringing his two sons, Josh and Eric, to go swimming." "Cool," Alex enthused. "Any idea how old his kids are?" "Eleven and thirteen." "Are we gonna have to wear shorts when they're here?" Andy asked. "Tom and I will be when they get here, but you guys won't have to if you don't want to. Rick, their dad, knows we live nude and that's why he's bringing his boys out. He says they used to be nude all the time but their bodies have started to change and he thinks they're embarrassed about it. He's hoping that if they're here with all of us, they'll see there's nothing wrong about not wearing clothes." "What time are they comin'?" Logan asked. "Around 6:30 or 7:00. So be ready. And if his boys don't want to be nude, do not pressure them. Let them do what they feel comfortable doing. Got it?" "Got it, Dad." Despite all the gabbing, we'd finished our meal and it was time to clean up. While Tom and I took care of the griddle and pans, the boys took care of the table and loading the dishwasher. When everything was done we decided to watch some more Star Trek and headed to the theater. When the second episode ended, we took a break to use the bathroom, get our popcorn snack and headed back for the third episode of the night. By the time it was over, all six boys were starting to yawn, so we sent them on their way to get ready for bed and finished loading the dishwasher ourselves. When we stopped in to say goodnight to the twins and Logan, they were curled up in the middle of the bed and snoring lightly. We pulled up the covers for them, then gave our nightly kisses and love yous. After turning out the light and closing the door, we turned to do the same for the other three. T.J., Mike and Andy were already curled up and had pulled the covers up, but weren't asleep quite yet, though they were close. We shared our kisses and love yous with them and quietly retreated to relax a bit before going to bed ourselves. We settled in the living room and I heaved a great sigh of contentment. "What?" Tom asked. "Nothin', really. Just had a good day." "You coulda fooled me. You were pretty freaked out earlier." "I know, but overall it was a great day. I really think Jean can help me deal with my issues without me losing my mind. And getting that recording of Frank and Iris, well, that was just icing on the cake. I'm pretty proud of that." "You should be. That took some serious balls to pull off. God, it still gives me the creeps the way Iris talked to you, though. And Frank, sweetheart that he is, threatening to kill the twins and then you. Talk about your sick motherfucker. That's what's gonna get him life." "I'm just glad I was able hold it all together until we were done. I feel really bad about pukin' in that trash can." "Don't. Why do you think those rooms and that hallway are nothing but concrete? I'll tell you why, makes `em easy to clean. A little barf ain't nothin' compared to what else has happened, trust me." "The thing that happened at the church, though, that really freaks me out. I was fine until we turned the corner. Once we did that, I felt like I was thirteen again and just fuckin' froze up. Literally, I couldn't move a muscle. I definitely need to bring that up next Tuesday with Jean." "Hell, I'm surprised you made it through the front door. I should have known better than to take you there." "Don't worry about it, hon. I survived it, thanks to you. I'm kinda surprised we haven't heard from Dylan, though. I figured he call tonight." "He'll call when he has a chance." "Oh, I know. Just anxious I guess." I'd just picked up my book to read for a bit when the phone rang. "Who's calling now? Don't people know we go to bed early?" I looked at the caller ID before answering and saw it was Lee. "Oh, shit, it's Lee. This can't be good." When I finally answered, I greeted her with, "Hey, sis, what's up. Everything okay?" "Are you watching TV?" she asked. "Hell no, I'm getting ready to read." "Do yourself a favor and watch the news in about ten minutes." "Why, what's going on?" I asked with serious concern. "I just saw a teaser for the local news and it looks like their lead story is about the preacher at our old church killing himself this morning." "WHAT!!??" I yelled as I dropped the phone on the floor.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 57</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk493358513"></a><a name="_Hlk493110976"></a><a name="_Toc493546761"><span>Chapter 57 � Confrontation</span></a></h2> <p><span>"Good morning," Dr. Schaid greeted us as we sat on the couch in her office and Tom wrapped his hand around mine. "It's nice to meet you. Let's start with which one of you is Mr. Sanders, please."</span></p> <p><span>I raised my free hand in acknowledgement and said, "That would be me, and please, I go by Max. This is my fianc�, Tom Wright. It's okay for him to be here, isn't it?" Tom gave her a little wave and crooked smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, it is, Max. Our sessions are for you, so, whatever makes you more comfortable. Before we get started, you should know that Dr. Kirkland has given me a little bit of background about why you're here. As I understand the issues, you're dealing with the rather sudden recovery of memories you'd repressed for what, twenty years or so, right? Memories of some rather severe sexual abuse."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, and I'd just as soon forget it all, again, but Dr. Kirkland told me that would be very self-destructive. That now that those memories are back out in the open, it'll be easier to deal with them. Not too sure I believe that."</span></p> <p><span>"No, he's absolutely right. One thing to keep in mind as we travel this road together, we can't do anything to help you if we don't know what you want or need help with. Also, whatever we discuss in your sessions will remain confidential unless you give me permission to discuss your case. That would include any possible court proceedings. Without your permission to do so, I can't say anything."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm aware of that. I'm just trying to avoid having to relive it again and again and again. I know avoiding my problems won't solve a damn thing, but that's exactly what I want to do. I just want my life back."</span></p> <p><span>"Most of my patients start out feeling the same way, but they come to see the value in being open and honest as their lives slowly improve. Why don't you start by telling me how you feel about the memories you've recovered so far?"</span></p> <p><span>"If there ever was a loaded question, Dr. Schaid, that's it. How do I feel? I feel hate, anger, disgust, fear, helplessness, frustration, rage, loathing, aloneness, sadness, hate ... wait, I already said that, didn't I?"</span></p> <p><span>"And for whom do you feel all those emotions?"</span></p> <p><span>"The Muellers, the church, myself, my parents, my sister, damn near everybody and everything."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, I won't sugarcoat this. We have some serious work ahead of us, but you'll get through it and be stronger than you ever have been. Are you ready for that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Guess we'll find out together, won't we, doc?"</span></p> <p><span>I slid the envelope inside my jacket and zipped it shut. "About as ready as I'll ever be. Let's do this."</span></p> <p><span>Derek and I walked into the church together and I said, "Come with us, Henry. We may need your help in a moment." We continued down the corridors until we reached Michelle's office where I asked, "Is Pastor Warren still hiding in his office?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we're ready to start our work and I need to talk to him for just a moment before we do. I'll just knock on his door." I stepped over to Warren's door and gave it light rap while testing the knob to find it was, truly, locked. "Pastor, this is Sergeant Brock and Deputy Timmons, we need to have a short chat before we begin our work." I waited for a few moments and when he didn't respond, I knocked again, just a bit more forcefully than I'd done before. "Pastor, if you don't come out to talk, we're coming in." After another short wait with no response from within, I stepped back and kicked at the door knob to break in.</span></p> <p><span>As the door flew open, I was mortified to find Warren laid back in his chair, eyes and mouth wide open, skin turning bluish-gray and an open pill bottle in the middle of the desk. "Well, shit, I sure didn't see that comin'," I muttered to no one in particular. "Derek, check him out, though we all know it's a waste of time, then call the morgue and get them out here. Find his keys, too. Henry, Andrew, guard the front doors and don't let anybody in except for Zach, Perry and the medical examiner." My guys followed their orders and while they were all otherwise occupied, I stepped into Michelle's office to deliver some bad news.</span></p> <p><span>"What's going on?" she asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm afraid I have some bad news for you and the church, Michelle. It pains me to be the one to tell you, but Pastor Warren has taken his own life."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!? Oh, my God. WHY!?!? What am I gonna tell mom?"</span></p> <p><span>"What did I miss?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He's my dad!" Michelle screamed.</span></p> <p><span>I hustled around the desk and pulled Michelle into a hug to try to comfort her. "I'm so sorry, Michelle. I had no idea." I let her weep into my chest until Derek came into the office shaking his head ruefully. Seeing the confused look on his face, I let him know Michelle was much more than just the secretary here. When she had finally gotten some control back, I gently set her back in her chair and asked, "What's your mom's name and where do you live, Michelle? I'll have Derek go pick her up and bring her here to be with you." She gave me a name and an address that was just a few blocks away and I dispatched Derek to retrieve her, but not before I had him give me Warren's keys. I still had a task to perform.</span></p> <p><span>"Michelle, there are going to be a bunch of people here very shortly. I don't want you to hear the conversations we're going to have or see what happens next. Why don't you let me take you to the sanctuary and you can wait there with Henry or Andrew until Derek comes back with your mom?" She nodded numbly, so I helped her stand again and led her to the sanctuary. Once she was seated in a front pew, I stepped into the corridor and asked, "Henry, would you please come keep an eye on Michelle? If she needs anything, get it for her." As he headed my direction to do as I asked, I knew this was my opportunity to correct my biggest fuck-up from yesterday. As I headed back down the corridor to the door Andrew was still guarding, I asked, "Andrew, would you watch the front door? I sent Henry to keep an eye on Michelle."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Sarge."</span></p> <p><span>As we passed each other in the corridor, I thanked him and the stopped in front of Warren's office. As soon as Andrew rounded the corner, I quietly slid over to the locked office and, after pulling on a pair of gloves, I retrieved the key from my pocket and unlocked the door. After stepping inside, I closed the door behind me. I flipped on the lights and, using Warren's keyring, I found he did, indeed, have the keys to the file cabinets there. Guess we answered the question as to his involvement in events. After unlocking the cabinet I needed to access and removing the steel bar, I pulled out the third drawer. I removed the FedEx envelope from inside my coat, tore it open, retrieved the contents and slipped Max's file back into the cabinet, right where it was originally. I then replaced the steel bar and relocked the cabinet. After taking just a moment to review everything and make sure I hadn't missed anything, I turned the light back off and exited the office while ensuring the door was locked again.</span></p> <p><span>I breathed a huge sigh of relief in the corridor as I peeled the gloves back off my hands and stuffed them in my coat pocket. Now, I just had the FedEx envelope to deal with. After a quick look around, I crossed over to the men's bathroom and stood in the stall, shredding the envelope and flushing the bits into oblivion. That done, I took another deep breath, stepped back out into the corridor and headed for the front door to wait with Andrew for Zach, Perry and the medical examiner to arrive. As I made my way through the church, I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text saying, `Mission: Accomplished'. I was slipping my phone back into my pocket as I turned down the corridor to the front door.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Max, we're reaching the end of our time today. And we've covered a lot of ground. Now that I know what we're dealing with, we can come up with a plan of attack to help you reintegrate these memories in a proper manner and deal with your feelings about them. Do you have any questions you'd like to ask? And what about you, Tom? You've been awfully quiet. What would like to see happen next?"</span></p> <p><span>"Tom suggested I may want to write about what I've been through. I hope you don't think the same."</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, Max, I <i>was</i> going to suggest that. Some of my patients have written remarkable stories of their lives as we've worked through their problems. Admittedly, some haven't, but I do tend to see better outcomes from those that do."</span></p> <p><span>"Great," I muttered. "Just another chance to relive all that crap."</span></p> <p><span>"I know you don't see it right now, but writing can be very therapeutic. It gives you a chance to really think about the things that are important to you, what you hope to accomplish and where you want to go from here. And since you have a history of writing, rather good books I'd like to add, I think doing so about this would help you immensely."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you <i>do</i> know who I am."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I do. I go to great lengths to know who I'm working with, Max. And even if I didn't, I'd most certainly recognize you. I really enjoyed reading your books."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if I'm going to write about this nightmare, also, I guess you'll get a sneak preview of my next book, won't you? Though I have to admit, my writing <i>did</i> help me, in a roundabout way, come to terms with who I am."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, please, you don't have to write a book about it, just your feelings and thoughts. Your hopes and aspirations, what you want to achieve with your life from here on. Now, what about you, Tom? You seem to be itching to ask a question. Speak now or forever hold your peace."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Max has this crazy idea about confronting the people who abused him. I think it's a horrible idea and I can't see anything good coming from it. Do you think that's a wise thing to do?"</span></p> <p><span>"If it's something Max wants to do and it can be arranged, then, by all means, do it. At this point, there's really nothing to lose. Some people find some relief by directly confronting their abusers. It's a chance for Max to tell his abusers they no longer have any control over him, that he's taking back what they stole from him all those years ago. Others, though, never regain the strength or resolve to follow through on that dream. If Max feels like he's ready for that to happen, it's not for us to question it, we just need to try and make it happen for him." Jean turned to look at Max and asked, "Are you sure you're ready to confront your abusers?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, but I know I have to at some point or I'll never get any peace. And the sooner, the better."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you know where they are and can a meeting be arranged?"</span></p> <p><span>"They're in jail and we've already set it up. We're headed there next," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I wasn't aware of that," Jean responded. "That certainly makes it an easier situation to deal with then, especially since there won't be any chance of any physical interaction. Under those circumstances, I think it will be a positive for Max."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll find out shortly, I guess," Tom begrudgingly agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, gentlemen, I think that will end our session for today," Jean said as she stood. "You can exit through this door. It leads straight to the hallway so anybody in the waiting room won't see you."</span></p> <p><span>As I stood, I shook Jean's hand and said, "Thanks for your time. I know I'm not going to enjoy our times together, but I also know I need them."</span></p> <p><span>"No need to thank me, Max. I'm here any time you feel the need to talk. Shall we make Tuesdays at ten a regular appointment for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably, yes. For about the next ten or twenty years," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"However long you need me, I'll be here for you, just as Tom is. Well, maybe not just like Tom, since you aren't going to be marrying me, are you?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I don't think that would work out too well," I laughed. "This sweet guy has my heart and everything attached to it. I guess I'll see you next week then."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be here. And if you need anything before then, don't hesitate to call."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I took our leave and as we walked to the car, he pulled out his cell phone. After a brief glance, he said, "If I'm translating this correctly, your visit with the Muellers is a go."</span></p> <p><span>"Then, let's quit wastin' time. I'm <i>actually</i> looking forward to this. I can't wait to see their faces when they find out <i>I'm</i> the one who fucked <i>them</i>. Life's sweet when you get the be the fuck<i>er </i>and not the fuck<i>ee</i>."</span></p> <p><span>We settled into the Shelby and headed deeper into town for me to face the past, yet again.</span></p> <p><span>Just as my patience was about to wear out, Zach and Perry finally arrived in their van and the medical examiner was following right in their tire tracks. Both pulled up to park next to my car and as Zach exited his vehicle, he asked, "What's the meat wagon doin' here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because we have a body inside. Unless, of course, you want to deal with it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yuck, Sarge, don't be sick. You know I don't deal with dead folks. Never gonna happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Then I suggest you and Perry wait outside while they deal with Pastor Warren, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's dead!? What the hell happened?"</span></p> <p><span>"From initial appearances, it looks like a drug overdose. The medical examiner will be the final judge of that verdict though. And speaking of the Grim Reaper, here he comes. Greetings, Sebastian. How goes the war?"</span></p> <p><span>"Can't seem to win for losin', Sergeant. Every time I get my tables cleared off and cleaned up, somebody always seems to find a way to fill `em back up. What, or shall I say, whom do we have here, Sergeant Brock?"</span></p> <p><span>"We have Pastor Warren Lancaster, expired at his desk, with an empty pill bottle in plain view. I assume that to be the cause of death unless you rule otherwise. No evidence of foul play since he was alone in a locked office. And please be careful how you speak inside. His daughter is the church's secretary and is currently in the sanctuary with one of my guys. Her mother, the Pastor's wife, should be here shortly."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, Sergeant, you, of all people, should know how I discuss these situations around others. I'm nothing if not discreet and respectful."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm well aware of that, Sebastian, just wanted to give you a heads up."</span></p> <p><span>"Where're we headed?"</span></p> <p><span>"Straight down the corridor inside about thirty feet, then take a right. You'll find your victim in the second office on the left. Let me know when you're done and we can take over."</span></p> <p><span>"As always. Come on, Chris, grab the gurney and let's get this over with." The two began their trek of doom and, as I turned back to face the street, I saw Derek returning with Mrs. Lancaster. After parking the car, Derek assisted Mrs. Lancaster and they joined me under the drive-up's awning.</span></p> <p><span>"Are you in charge here?" she demanded as she strode towards me with purpose. "This young man wouldn't tell me a thing except I was needed and had to come with him. He wouldn't even let me drive myself."</span></p> <p><span>"I apologize if he seemed heavy-handed, ma'am, but I didn't want you to have to try and drive after you hear my news. Let's step inside and join your daughter in the Sanctuary. We can talk there." The three of us entered the church and after reaching the sanctuary, Mrs. Lancaster made a beeline for her daughter and pulled her into her arms. The poor girl seemed to be catatonic, but considering the circumstances, that was understandable.</span></p> <p><span>I sat on the pew with Mrs. Lancaster and Michelle. After getting her attention, I said, "I have the sad task of letting you know your husband has passed away."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!? How!? Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't have those answers just yet, ma'am, but what I can tell you is we wanted to talk to him this morning. Michelle told us he was locked in his office and had been since they got here this morning. When I knocked on his door and announced our presence, he didn't respond. After another attempt with no response, I forced the door open. Deputy Timmons and I found your husband sitting in his chair and there was an open pill bottle on his desk. After determining there was nothing we could do for your husband, I sent Deputy Timmons to bring you here to be with your daughter and notified the medical examiner to take care of your husband."</span></p> <p><span>"I want to see him," she demanded.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, ma'am, but that's not possible right now. When the medical examiner completes his work and is ready to leave, you can see your husband then."</span></p> <p><span>"This just doesn't make any sense. Warren was so happy here. He loved his congregation and despite the long hours he invested in this ministry, I've never seen him so content."</span></p> <p><span>"Mrs. Lancaster, please know how sorry we are for your loss. I know the pain you're feeling right now. I'll do everything I can to minimize your anguish, but I also have to warn you that we may have some questions for you in a few days that only you will be able to answer."</span></p> <p><span>"Ask me whatever it is you think I can tell you."</span></p> <p><span>"Not right now, ma'am, not today. All I can tell you at this moment is we're in the middle of an investigation and when we know more, we'll deal with our questions then."</span></p> <p><span>"I know what happened here last night, Warren and Michelle could speak of nothing else. Do you think my Warren <i>knew</i> what was going on and did nothing? That's simply not possible. You don't know my husband." <i>No lady, I don't. And you sure as hell didn't know him either.</i> "Warren loved children and would never allow harm to befall an innocent." <i>You're half-right, there, honey, just not the half you think.</i></span></p> <p><span>"As I said, Mrs. Lancaster, we will talk about it later. Right now, you need to concentrate on your daughter and the two of you will need to help each other get through this difficult time. I'm going to check on the medical examiner and see what progress he's made. I'll leave Henry here with you two."</span></p> <p><span>Derek and I left the Sanctuary and headed for the pastor's office. We arrived just as Sebastian and Chris were placing Warren's body on the gurney.</span></p> <p><span>"You need any help?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, we got him," Chris answered. We waited as they got Warren's body positioned and the bag zipped shut. I noticed Sebastian had closed his eyelids and mouth.</span></p> <p><span>"So, doc, what's your preliminary findings?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm inclined to agree with you on the drug overdose. The narcotic he had would kill a horse. This poor man never had a chance. From his liver temp, I'd say maybe one to two hours ago. A little lividity in the legs, of course, but no rigor, yet."</span></p> <p><span>"Did you find any kind of note he might have left behind?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing on his body or on the desk. His computer's on, so he may have left something there. If he did, that's for your geek squad to deal with. We're ready to go. I'll have more details for you once we complete the autopsy."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Sebastian. His wife and daughter are still in the sanctuary and may want to see him before you leave. You okay with that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Up to them. I'll try to dissuade them, but if they demand to see him, I won't stop them, either." Derek and I stood back and watched as Sebastian and Chris wheeled the body away. We stood in silence for a moment and waited to see if our assistance would be needed as they left the church. We finally heard some discussion taking place and then the zipper on the body bag being opened.</span></p> <p><span>The next thing we heard was a peal of anguish that morphed into outright rage as Mrs. Lancaster screamed, "Warren, you selfish bastard! What <i>have</i> you done!?" When she quieted down, we heard the zipper again, then the wheels of the gurney squeak as Pastor Warren Lancaster continued his final journey from the church. Next stop, the M.E.'s office for the ultimate insult to a life gone horribly wrong.</span></p> <p><span>Knowing Perry and Zach would join us momentarily, Derek turned and quietly asked, "Did you get it done, Sarge?"</span></p> <p><span>I looked at him quizzically and replied, "I don't know what you're talking about, Deputy."</span></p> <p><span>"You know, getting Max's file back where it belonged."</span></p> <p><span>"Deputy, get a hold of yourself. Whatever you're thinking never happened."</span></p> <p><span>"What was that, boss, I think my brain just cramped. I forgot what we were talkin' `bout."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. See if you can keep it that way." I'd whispered my response, but Derek could definitely hear the seriousness of my words from my tone. The words had no sooner left my mouth than Perry and Zach came around the corner, cases in hand. "Morning, again, gents. Ready to get to work?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ready as we'll ever be, boss. What're we doin' today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Zach, you're the computer freak. I want to dig through Warren's computer and see what you might find. Look especially hard for anything that might explain his untimely death. Perry, I want you to continue your work in the stairway and the room below. When Zach's done with the computer, he'll join you downstairs in hell."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks, boss," Perry replied sarcastically, "You're all heart."</span></p> <p><span>"And don't you ever forget it, Perry," I grinned while patting him on the shoulder. After pulling on a fresh pair of gloves, I opened the office, turned on the lights and located the release for the hidden door. Once his access was restored, Perry got back to his work in the stairway while Zach attacked the computer in the office next door. Derek and I headed out to our cars to retrieve the boxes we'd brought with us to haul away the files and anything else we found.</span></p> <p><span>As we passed the sanctuary, Mrs. Lancaster came out and asked, "Do you have someone who can take us home, please. I have a church membership list there that I can use to start making phone calls and let the board know what's happened this morning. I feel that's something I should do, but I prefer to not do it here."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, Mrs. Lancaster. Henry, please drive these two ladies home and then come back. We'll need your help."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Sarge. Ladies, come with me."</span></p> <p><span>Henry led them out the front door and to his car as Derek and I followed along to retrieve our boxes. As we reentered the church, I had Andrew join us so he could help with emptying the file cabinets. Once in the office, I said, "Okay, the first thing we need to do I see what's in these file cabinets. Andrew, you take the left, I'll take the center and Derek, that leaves the one on the right for you." We each pulled open the top drawer of our cabinet and goggled at the sheer number of files contained within. Acting as if I hadn't known what was inside for Andrew's benefit, I let go a low whistle and shook my head. Time to put my acting chops to work. "Okay guys, I have a bunch of file folders labeled with names and dates."</span></p> <p><span>Derek caught on immediately and added, "Same here, Sarge."</span></p> <p><span>"Over here, too, boss."</span></p> <p><span>"The first file I have here is dated about 15 years ago. What's yours Andrew?"</span></p> <p><span>"About thirty years."</span></p> <p><span>"Mine starts about eight years ago," Derek added.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, first thing we need to do is see if we can locate a file with our complainant's name. He alleges his abuse was about twenty years ago, so let's see if we can locate that approximate time. Since the oldest seems to start in the left cabinet, check it first, Andrew."</span></p> <p><span>"Last file here is about twenty-six years ago." He closed the top drawer and opened the second. "First file is right after the last in the drawer above and the last date is ... twenty-two years old." After closing the second drawer, he moved on to the third. "Same thing, first one is right after the last in the previous drawer and the last date is ... eighteen years old. Should be in here, Sarge. What name we lookin' for?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max or Maxwill Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>Andrew started his search at the front of the drawer and worked his way back, folder by folder while Derek and I had a quiet discussion about nothing. When he reached the middle of the drawer, "Might have it here Sarge, the date's about right, but the name is Maxie Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"Give me the file and hold that spot, Andrew. If this isn't our complainant, we want to put it back where it was and keep looking." I opened the file and described the contents. "Okay, I have three discs, marked as DVDs, labeled with the same name on the folder and dated, one disc for each year our complainant alleges the abuse occurred. Next, we have ...," I paused as I made of show of counting the pictures, "nine, no, ten pictures. One juvenile male and one adult male and female. Jesus, this is some sick shit. Victim appears to be fourteen or so. That also matches our complainant's description of being abused by two adults. There is a resemblance to our complainant, but I can't be certain. Derek, what do you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't want to look at that shit," he protested.</span></p> <p><span>"But you're the only other person here who knows what our complainant looks like today. Here, I'll flip one of the pictures over and cover everything but the victim's face. Will you look at it then, tell me if you think it's a match?"</span></p> <p><span>"If I have to," he muttered, scrunching his face in disgust. After rearranging the pictures, I showed it to Derek. "Shit, boss, that poor kid looks like he's howling in pain. But, yeah, I guess it could be a match. Take it away, I don't want to see no more."</span></p> <p><span>I put the pictures back in their original order and closed the file. "Okay, I'm going to say we have a match with our complainant. Derek, bag this file and set it aside. I'll have to have him verify that it really is him, I guess. I'd say that makes our case for us. Let's get the rest of these files boxed up. I want them boxed in the same order in which they're filed and a date range on the outside of each box. Let's get to it, boys."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I walked into the office where he'd worked for five years amid cheers and greetings of congratulations. I was introduced to everyone as not just his fianc�, but the love of his life. Every time he said it just made me feel better and better about us and our future lives together. After several minutes of throwaway introductions and numerous handshakes, we finally found the one person Dylan had told us knew of our purpose here today.</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin', Kelly, how ya' doing?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Fair to middlin', Tom. And this must the man who stole you away from us," she added, looking at me.</span></p> <p><span>"Guilty as charged," I smiled. "Max Sanders, nice to meet you, Kelly," I greeted her, extending my hand for the obligatory shake. Not content to receive just a handshake, she batted my hand away and gave me hug.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not like the rest of these fools `round here, Max," she commented as she released me. "I ain't afraid to be seen huggin' a guy. Now, from what Dylan told me, you two are here to see a couple of our prisoners, that right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes," Tom answered. "We want to see Frank and Iris Mueller. Well, <i>he</i> wants to see `em," he added, hooking a thumb in my direction.</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, got an interview room set up just for you. Come with me." Kelly led us down a hallway and to a room near the end. After making sure the room was still empty, she let us in and said, "Get as comfortable as you can. I'll be back in just a few minutes."</span></p> <p><span>While we waited, I asked, "Can anybody watch or record us in here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not in this room, no. No mirrors, windows, cameras or microphones. This is the one we used when we would discuss interrogation strategies and we didn't want none of that being recorded. And remember, we don't know about the pictures."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, I got it." We passed the rest of our wait in silence and true to her word, Kelly returned in couple of minutes with Frank and Iris in tow.</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell are these perverts doin' here?" Frank complained.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Mueller. As far as I know, you and your wife are the only ones here and this isn't actually happening." Kelly locked their handcuffs to the steel rings embedded in the other side of the table and disappeared without another word. As she did, I tapped on the phone hidden in my pocket to start my own recording.</span></p> <p><span>"What do you two faggots want?" Frank yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Frank, Iris. It's a lovely day, isn't it?" I greeted them cheerily. "I need to say some things to you both and this may be my only chance. From my understanding of how things are, neither one of you will see the light of day again, <i>ever</i>."</span></p> <p><span>"Bullshit!" Frank roared as he tried to stand and promptly fell back into his chair when he'd reached the limit of freedom the cuffs would give him. "Our lawyer will take care of this ridiculous vendetta of yours."</span></p> <p><span>"Frank, Iris, I want you to listen to me very closely. It's over. You and <i>all</i> <i>your</i> <i>friends</i> are going away. And you want to know how I know that? Because <i>I'm</i> the one who talked to the police." A wide and evil grin spread across my face as the realization of their tenuous situation hit them and their eyes reflected intense fear back at me. "Yes, you rotten motherfuckers, <i>ME!</i> I get the distinct pleasure of being the one to ruin your fuckin' lives. Seems only fair, though, since you fucking ruined mine for so many years. You want to know the difference between us, though? I'm going to get my life back, <i>finally</i>, while the two of you get to spend your golden years behind bars."</span></p> <p><span>"You fucking arrogant little prick!" yelled Frank. "You have no idea who you're messin' with! I was a fuckin' Navy Seal! When I get out of here, I'm gonna fuckin' kill you!"</span></p> <p><span>"Only in your dreams Frankie boy, but you'll never get the chance. I told them all about the <i>special lessons</i> you and Iris gave me. I told them about the hidden room in the basement of the church where you took me and who knows how many others. The police are in there right now, collecting evidence that will see you <i>all</i> rot in prison for the rest of your lives. I'm rather looking forward to your time in prison, Frankie. I bet you'll become butt buddies with your cellmate in no time at all, though you really won't have a choice, will you. You want to know happens to child abusers like you in prison, Frankie? Let me tell you. You are going to get your ass reamed day and night for the rest of your miserable fucking life. You'll have every hairy, slimy, disease-infected cock in that prison shoved in your mouth and down your throat until you gag on it. In your cell, in the yard, in the mess hall, it won't matter, somebody's going to be raping you, just for the sheer fun of it. Fun for them, of course, but hell on earth for you."</span></p> <p><span>"Never gonna happen, you'll see," Frank replied pompously.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, but it will, you're just too stupid to realize it." Iris had been silent so far, so I turned my attention to her. "And what about sweet little old Iris. Don't be sittin' there thinkin' you're safe from that torture. Oh, no, the same shit is gonna happen to you, too. Those women you'll be locked up with know more than a thing or two about raping other women. So, don't you worry, you'll get your punishment, too. It might be a splintered broom handle, a hair brush, a rusty screwdriver, or maybe even a fist, but it's gonna happen. But, I gotta ask Iris, was I the only boy you two fucked over with your little <i>lessons</i> or were all your victims boys?" Tom was staring at me in disbelief at the crap that was flowing freely from my mouth.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't say a goddam thing, Iris!" Frank bellowed.</span></p> <p><span>"It was always boys, Maxie," she cooed. "And you were so cute. In fact, you were the cutest of all of them. None of the others could ever hold a candle to your beauty, baby."</span></p> <p><span>"SHUT UP YOU STUPID BITCH! What the fuck do you think you're doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm telling one of my <i>lovers</i> the truth," she answered, as if it should be plainly obvious. "Of all of them, Maxie, I loved you the most. I loved watching you come, baby, knowing I'm the one who made it happen. The way you quivered and shook with delight as you came was so touching and sweet. And your hairless little dickie tasted so sweet. Then, when you actually started shooting some spunk, oh my God, it was like the nectar of the gods." This whole conversation had kinda jumped right off the rails and was starting to seriously nauseate me, but I let her continue to dig her own hole. "And when you were fucking me, my sweet baby boy, the look in your eyes spoke volumes of your love for me. I loved to feel your little pecker twitch and throb in my pussy when you came" she moaned.</span></p> <p><span>"And what do you think your husband got out of all of it, Iris?"</span></p> <p><span>"Stop this!" Frank screamed. "Not another fuckin' word, dammit!"</span></p> <p><span>"Let me tell you since you're too fucking stupid to figure it out for yourself. He got to live his dream and fuck the shit out of little boys. Because, you see, Iris, he didn't want <i>you</i>, your saggy <i>tits</i> or you're well-worn and skanky <i>cunt</i>. He needed a little boy's tight ass wrapped around his cock. He needed to fill a little boy's mouth with his disgusting cock. He wanted all those little boys to have what he never gave you, his fucking come. That's the only way he could ever get off, wasn't it, Iris? He never came for you, did he? <i>Not once!</i> Oh, but when he was fucking little boys, he could come like a fucking racehorse, and more than once, couldn't he?"</span></p> <p><span>Iris turned to look at her husband as if seeing him for the first time, but the rage in her eyes was evident to all of us. "Franklin motherfuckin' Mueller, you rotten bastard! You're were lying to me all those fucking years? All the shit I did for you to help you get boys and that's how you repay me? That's why we never had our own kids, isn't it? Oh, you were goin' through all the right motions, all right, but you never really <i>fucked</i> me, did you? `Cause you could only get your rocks off when you had a captive little boy at your fuckin' mercy. You God damn, motherfuckin', lyin', useless piece of shit!"</span></p> <p><span>"You two were fucking made for each other," I spat. "Frankie, a fucking faggot who could only make it with little boys and you, Iris, who helped him and loved to be fucked by little boys, too. God, you both make me sick. The world will be a much better place without the two of you in it."</span></p> <p><span>"You make me sick you lyin' faggot!" Frank screamed. "Why the fuck you think anybody believes your lies?"</span></p> <p><span>"Iris believes me, Frankie. And now she knows who you really are. Why she needed to hear me say it to really believe what she already knew, I don't know, but whatever it takes, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, big deal. I like to fuck little boys and come on their faces and in their tight little asses. I fucked your sweet ass for <i>years</i> and nobody ever lifted a finger to stop me, not even your pitiful, weak, faggot lovin' old man. I been fuckin' little boys since long before your faggoty little ass was a gleam in your daddy's eye and I'm gonna keep on fuckin' `em when I get the fuck outta here. And I'm gonna start with those two blond cocksuckers you stole from me, you rotten motherfucker. I'm gonna fuck their brains out while I make you watch, rip their tight little asses' wide fuckin' open just so I can hear `em scream bloody murder. And when I'm done with those little faggots, when their limp and lifeless little bodies have been tossed aside, I'm gonna kill your sorry fuckin' faggot ass, right after I fuck you one more time. Who the fuck you think the cops are gonna believe, me, the fuckin' war hero, or <i>your</i> lyin' faggoty ass?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I'm sure they'll believe you, Mr. War Hero Navy Seal. In fact, I hope like hell they do," I replied calmly as I pulled my phone from my pocket and stopped my recording. "Words right from the horse's ass, Frankie. You just toasted yourself. I hope you rot in fucking hell. Let's get outta here, Tom." We stood up and left a shocked and bewildered Frank and Iris behind as we exited the room.</span></p> <p><span>"You fuckin' set him up!" Tom gushed in awe after we closed the door. "You planned this from the very beginning."</span></p> <p><span>"You're god damn right I did. I wasn't takin' a chance on those fucker's getting cut loose. I knew if I just kept talkin', at some point Frank just couldn't resist the temptation to brag. Their lives end <i>today</i>."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy shit! I wish you'd told me what you were doin'."</span></p> <p><span>"I thought about it, but I didn't know how it was all gonna go. As it turned out, I think it went pretty well. What do you think?" I deadpanned.</span></p> <p><span>"Fuckin' perfect, babe. I couldn't have set them up any better than you did. I bow down to the master," he chuckled as he did, indeed, make a small bow right there in the hallway. "Let's go find Kelly and have her get them back to their cells."</span></p> <p><span>"She may need some help this time, bubba. I'm pretty sure they won't go willingly. Not when they know how truly screwed they are."</span></p> <p><span>"Good thinkin', babe." As we rounded the corner into the main office, we saw Kelly immediately and waved for her to come over. "We're done with them, Kelly, but you're probably gonna want some help getting them back where they belong."</span></p> <p><span>"They came with me easy enough. I can get them back just fine."</span></p> <p><span>"Huh-uh," I said, shaking my head. "No way, Kelly. That was before I recorded both of them incriminating themselves. Whatever cool they may have had is long gone."</span></p> <p><span>"Get two of the biggest guards from detention and have <i>them</i> take `em back, one at a time," Tom recommended.</span></p> <p><span>"If you think so." She grabbed the phone on her desk and made the call. </span></p> <p><span>A minute later, we heard a yell from down the hallway, "We need some help down here! Call 9-1-1 and get an ambulance here, FAST!"</span></p> <p><span>The three of us ran down the hall to see what was happening and we found Frank curled into a ball on the table, moaning piteously and holding his crotch with both hands. Iris was standing over him, panting heavily, dripping sweat and spitting in Frank's face.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's see you come now you useless motherfucker," Iris hissed, to which Frank could only reply with a low moan of anguish. The two guards disconnected Iris from the ring in the table and began leading her out of the room. As they passed by us, she said, "I still love you, Maxie baby, and I always will. It's all his fault we can't be together anymore. It's too bad you had to grow up." Then she blew me a kiss as the guards continued their trip back to her cell. As she disappeared through the door into the detention area, I couldn't take any more of the sickness, turned around and vomited into a bucket that had been conveniently located in the corner. </span></p> <p><span>Tom grabbed me and held onto me until I quit heaving. When I finally stood back up, wiping my mouth on my sleeve, he guided me back to the main office and then into the breakroom. He pulled a can of 7UP from the fridge and handed it to me. "Here, drink this, slowly, it'll help settle your stomach." He waited with me until I'd calmed back down and finally asked, "Are you okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I think so. Thanks." After a short pause, I added, "Fuck, <i>that</i> was fun. I've waited eighteen years to get that off my chest. You ready for round two?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not on your life."</span></p> <p><span>"God, what a sick fucking bitch. She really needs to have her brain rewired."</span></p> <p><span>"Or, better yet, removed."</span></p> <p><span>"Not that I care or anything, but you think Frank's gonna be okay? I'd sure hate for some murderer to lose his bitch before he even gets there."</span></p> <p><span>"Depends on how hard she kicked him. If it was hard enough, she could've exploded his testicles."</span></p> <p><span>"HA! Couldn't happen to a better fuckin' piece o' shit."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's about all the fun I can handle for one day. You ready to head for home?"</span></p> <p><span>"That depends. What time is it?"</span></p> <p><span>After a quick look at the clock on the wall, "12:15, why?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Plenty of time for one more stop before we go home to meet Ron at two."</span></p> <p><span>"Where the hell you wanna go now?" Tom protested.</span></p> <p><span>"The church."</span></p> <p><span>"Aw, c'mon, Max. Haven't you had enough for one day? This has got to be killin' you."</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, hon, I haven't felt this good in fuckin' years. Besides, I want to Dylan to hear this recording."</span></p> <p><span>"If you insist, I'll make it so. But I'm still drivin'."</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't have it any other way."</span></p> <p><span>As we left, we stopped to thank Kelly for her help and apologized for the mess we'd made, both in the room and the bucket in the hall. As we settled into the Shelby, Tom asked one more time, "You sure you wanna do this today?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're already in town. Drive, Jeeves." With no further argument, we left the parking lot and made the turn that would take us in the direction of the church.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, that's all the files boxed and ready to go. Henry, Andrew, get these loaded up and back to the station. I want them in my office and the door locked when you're done."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir," they replied. They each picked up two boxes of the twenty-four we'd filled and headed out to their car to begin loading them up.</span></p> <p><span>"Derek, I want you to start on the desk, please. Every drawer gets emptied into its own box, then sealed. We'll go through them at the station. I'm going to step outside and have a smoke."</span></p> <p><span>"You don't smoke, Sarge."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, today's gonna be my first in years. After shit like this, I need to pollute my lungs so it's not just my brain that's fucked up. Get to it." As Derek turned to begin work on his task, I headed outside to clear my head and get some fresh air, though a fucking cigarette would certainly ruin that fresh air. The first drag nearly choked me, but I persevered until it no longer hurt to suck that crap into my lungs. I'd finished the first one and was about to light another when a blue Mustang pulled into the parking lot. Great, I thought, a church board member was coming to see what was happening in their damn church.</span></p> <p><span>I was surprised, however, to see Tom and Max lever themselves out of the car and start walking in my direction. As they got closer, I called out, "Afternoon, boys. I didn't expect to see you today, especially here. How was your appointment this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"Which one," Max asked.</span></p> <p><span>"The doctor, first."</span></p> <p><span>"'Bout like you'd expect, it sucked, but I think she can help me, so I'll keep going."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I'm glad to hear it. Now, how'd the second one go?"</span></p> <p><span>"That one was quite a bit more interesting. I got something here you need to hear." I pulled out my phone, located the recording and pushed play. I could see Dylan's emotions change as the recording progressed, at one point closing his eyes and shaking his head with disgust. Then, when he finally heard Frank start his admission of guilt, he released a loud `whoop' of excitement. When the recording finally ended, he was practically dancing with joy.</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus Christ, Max, you really got them to screw themselves. Too bad we can't use it."</span></p> <p><span>"Why not, Boss?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Their lawyer wasn't present. Hell, I don't know if they even have a lawyer, yet."</span></p> <p><span>"Look," Tom started, "we might have been in a police station, but neither one of us is a cop. We're private citizens. And this wasn't an interrogation. It was a conversation between a victim, `scuse me, survivor, and his abusers that somehow got recorded. You gonna look a fuckin' gift horse in the mouth?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good points, Tom. I think we could successfully argue the admissibility of the recording since neither of you is on the force. Remind me, again, why I let you quit. I'm really beginning to regret that decision."</span></p> <p><span>"And yet, we're still workin' together, aren't we? Funny how life rolls sometimes."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, will you come inside so I can have Zach get that recording now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, why not. We can't take long, though, we gotta be home by two."</span></p> <p><span>"Five minutes, ten tops, I promise."</span></p> <p><span>As the three of us headed inside, we were passed by two deputies carrying four boxes outside.</span></p> <p><span>"What are they doing?" Max asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, loading evidence to go to the station," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Gotcha, mine in there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue what you're talkin' about," Dylan replied, shaking his head. </span></p> <p><span>Max gave me a quick thumbs up to let me know he understood and would say nothing more. As we turned the corner to locate Zach, Max suddenly froze. He hadn't seen this hallway for quite some time, but, to him, it felt like it was just yesterday. After a few more steps, Tom suddenly realized Max wasn't beside him any longer and he turned around to find him standing there like a petrified tree. Which, he kinda was. Petrified, anyway. Though shaking like a tree in the wind, he really didn't look much like a tree.</span></p> <p><span>"Dammit, I knew we shouldn't have come here!" Tom exclaimed. "Sarge," he yelled over his shoulder, "I got to get him out of here. Bring Zach outside." Tom picked Max up and carried him outside to stand in the sunlight and fresh air. "You okay, babe?" he asked with serious concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah. Sorry, I didn't expect <i>that</i> to happen. I just couldn't go any further."</span></p> <p><span>Dylan and Zach arrived and after surrendering my phone to the head geek in charge, he promptly made a copy of the recording and handed my phone back to me.</span></p> <p><span>After Zach headed back inside, Dylan apologized, "I'm sorry, Max, I should have known better than to take you back in there."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it. Someday, maybe, I'll be able to do it, but this obviously ain't it."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, Max, we better head for home," Tom said. "Ron should be there in about forty-five minutes."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay. Anything else we can do to help you today, Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"You've done more than enough, already, Max. Go home and relax. We got this and, more importantly, we got them. None of them are gonna wiggle their sorry asses outta the jam they're in."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay then, let's hit the road, Tom."</span></p> <p><span>As we settled back into the Shelby again, Tom commented, "You're really enjoyin' this being chauffeured around shit, aren't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet your sweet ass I am. Home, Jeeves."</span></p> <p><span>As Tom drove away with Max as the passenger, I envied the two of them and the close relationship they'd created in such a short period of time. I almost hated them for being so damn happy. As I stewed on my thoughts, I pulled out and lit my second cigarette. It had been seven years since my last smoke, but the stress of dealing with this nightmare was gonna kill me, one way or another. And if I was gonna die, it might as well be on my terms. Not like I had that much to live for anyway, going home to an empty damn house every night. What's the point of extending that boring and lonely existence any longer than necessary?</span></p> <p><span>As we turned the corner for the house, we saw a Merry Maids truck sitting in the circle drive by the front door. Looked like Ron arrived a little early for his <i>job</i>. He must have seen us drive in as I saw him getting out of the truck as we pulled in the garage. Once back in the comfort of home, we headed to the front door. While I hung our jackets in the closet, Tom opened the door to let Ron in.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hi," he said with a confused look, "I'm here to do some work for Mr. Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, Ron," Tom replied. "Come in, please."</span></p> <p><span>Once he stepped inside, Tom closed the door. Ron took a quick look around and when saw me, said, "Afternoon, Mr. Sanders. Why don't you tell me what you want done and I'll get what I need from my truck so I can get started. I understand from Joyce I'm going to need a ladder."</span></p> <p><span>I let go a little laugh and replied, "That's just what I told her so I could be sure she'd send you."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I'm confused as all get out now. What's going on, Mr. Sanders?" Ron asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Come on in and let's sit down. We'll help clear your confusion." I led the way to the living room and once we were all comfortably ensconced, I continued. "First off, please call me Max. Second, you haven't met him before, but this is my fianc�, Tom Wright. We're sorry to get you out here under false pretenses, Ron, but I didn't think Joyce would appreciate the true reason we wanted to talk to you."</span></p> <p><span>"And why is that?" the nervous young man asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you're interested in a change of employment, we'd like to offer you a job?"</span></p> <p><span>"Are you kiddin' me? As what, a full-time maid? Hell, I already have <i>that</i> job."</span></p> <p><span>"No, we don't want you to just do cleaning. Let me tell you what we're thinking about."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm all ears."</span></p> <p><span>"As I just told you, Tom and I are getting married. That's happening May seventeenth. The other thing that has changed since you were last here is we are in the process of adopting at least four boys, and we're hoping for five, ages six through nine. And, as of Sunday afternoon, there is a sixth boy living with us, at least temporarily, as sort of a foster family thing. While Tom and I have been doing okay by ourselves so far, we can see there are certain things we could use some help with. At some point soon, Tom is going be starting a private investigation business that will take him away from the pleasure of all the mundane necessities of maintaining a household. We're looking for someone to help us out with cooking, cleaning, menus, transportation, whatever might come up."</span></p> <p><span>"So, there's the two of you, six boys, this house, the pool, and god knows what else you ain't mentioned yet. And you want <i>me</i> to help you deal with all that."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, one more big thing you should know about. Later this year, our parents will be moving onto the property, as well. We still have some details to work out about how, exactly, that's going to transpire, but it's coming."</span></p> <p><span>"And now you're adding elder-care to the job. You don't want much, do you?" I couldn't help but laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"No, you won't have to help our parents. They're still young enough that if you offered to help them with anything, they'd probably knock you on your ass. They're moving here to be closer to their family."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I think I might be interested, but I got two questions you have to answer. First, why me? And second, how much would I get paid?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good questions. Let me answer your second question since it's the easiest. We'll double whatever hourly rate you're currently earning with semi-annual reviews and appropriate raises." Ron's eye lit up with excitement. "We'll also include health insurance, dental and vision care, paid vacations and a reasonable annual deposit into a retirement account. How does that sound to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Like I'd be a damn fool to pass it up. Now, answer the other question, why me?"</span></p> <p><span>"That one's a little harder to answer, but here it is. When you came out a couple months ago to help clean this place up, I felt some kind of connection with you. Maybe it was just wishful thinkin' on my part, but I'd kinda hoped to hear from you after you'd left. You're handsome, young, strong and, I think, a kind person. You seemed to be the kind of person I was starting to look for to share my life with, but I was too insecure to come right out and say it. I didn't want to offend you in any way, so, as you were leaving, I dropped that not-so-subtle hint of coming back to use the pool in the hope you'd call me sometime. You never did, so I just let it go."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what you're telling me is you had the hots for me, but you chickened out."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yes, I guess so," I reflected.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, crap. Guess I blew my big chance, didn't I," he laughed. "You still feel the same way?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Ron, no. Since then, Tom and I have found each other and we're committed to our relationship."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn. No worries, Max, it's my loss. I gotta tell ya', though, that you held my interest for a while, too, and I thought a lot about takin' you up on your offer, but I was too much of a chicken to follow through, too." We all laughed at his comment. "But it's easy to see how hooked you two are and I wouldn't want to come between you."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom and I have talked about this and we're comfortable with it as long as you are. If you think it'd be too weird for you, say so now and we'll find someone else."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no, don't do that. While it might have been an interesting experiment of sorts to see what might have happened between us, I know how to set my own limits and stick to `em. I was just hopin' it wouldn't be awkward for the two of you if I was around all the time. I'm cool with it if you are."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Just two more things to throw into the pot before you make a decision."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me guess, I have to be here early every morning and into the evening and I have to work naked all day long. Am I right?"</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I looked at each other briefly and we burst out in laughter, confusing the hell out of poor Ron.</span></p> <p><span>"You're right on the first half and almost right on the second."</span></p> <p><span>"I was just kiddin' ya', man."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that, but you need to know we're not. We get the boys up at 6:30 in the morning to start getting ready for school and that's one of the things we'd like your help with, so early in the morning is a given. We usually eat supper around five to five-thirty, and you'd be welcome to join us if you'd like. To make the long hours easier to deal with, we're prepared to offer you the use of a spare bedroom."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait a damn minute! You're basically asking me to move in with you? And get paid for it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I guess we are. Considering the times we really need the help, it seems the logical thing to do."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, that makes sense and I could deal with that. But what about the naked thing? Why'd you laugh and say I was almost right `bout that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Here's the thing you really have to think about. We're nudists, Ron." Poor Ron's eyes shot wide open in surprise. "We don't wear clothes when we're at home. And while we won't <i>require</i> you to join us in being nude, you'd be more than welcome to do so. I think you'd probably be more comfortable if you did instead of being the odd man out."</span></p> <p><span>"But what about your parents. What happens when they move up here?"</span></p> <p><span>"My parents are old hands at it, Ron," Tom answered. "I didn't know it until recently, but they've been nudists for years. Max's parents are, what I guess you'd call, recent converts to the lifestyle. It's still pretty new to them, but they seem to be enjoying it."</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't that weird, though? I mean, I'm cool with bein' naked and all, but I ain't too sure `bout doin' it `round my mom and dad. I don't think I could handle that and I <i>know</i> they couldn't."</span></p> <p><span>"I won't lie to you, Ron, the first five minutes <i>were</i> a little awkward. But after that, it seemed so normal, I didn't think about it anymore."</span></p> <p><span>"If you say so, man. Okay, let me make sure I got this straight. You double my salary, raises, maybe, every six months, a room, the other bennies, and I can be naked if I wanna be. And all I gotta do to get all that is some cookin', cleanin' and drivin' the kids wherever. Damn, that's a hard decision," Ron commented sarcastically. "There's gotta be a catch, but I can't see it."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell him what the catch is, Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure you wanna hear this, Ron?" Tom asked. After a quick nod, Tom continued, "You <i>ever</i> touch any of our boys anywhere below the rib cage, we cut your dick and balls off, stuff them down your throat and throw you to the wolves for supper."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa," Ron breathed, "That seems a bit extreme."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, I do believe you've scared the shit out of him," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I intended to. Okay, okay, we won't turn you into a eunuch and feed you to any wolves, but we <i>will </i>immediately fire your ass, with no chance for unemployment <i>and</i> we take back any money that's been deposited into the retirement account and give it to your replacement. Got it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, I got it. You didn't have to threaten me, though. I might be gay, man, but I don't go for little boys, no way. I want a <i>man</i> in my life."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, just so we understand each other right up front," I replied. I looked to Tom and asked, "Anything else we forgot?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we probably ought to tell him `bout the other thing."</span></p> <p><span>"What other thing?" I asked. Tom looked at me like I suddenly had a grown a second set of genitals in the middle of my forehead. "O-o-o-h, that, yeah." I turned back to the again confused Ron and continued. "Before I tell you any more, we need to know if you're serious about accepting our offer."</span></p> <p><span>"Serious as a heart attack, guys. I love the whole idea."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it. Now, we have a few rules here related to our nudity and other things. First, erections happen. It's a normal part of bein' a guy. We all know we have very little control over when they happen or how long they last. It's not a big deal and we don't comment on them when they do happen, whether it's your own or someone else's. If you don't think it will go away on its own, then excuse yourself and deal with it in private. Second, when what we call `other people' are here, we get dressed and remain dressed until they leave. That's common courtesy for any guests that aren't nudists. Third, any sexual activity is to happen in your bedroom with the door closed. That includes masturbation, whether solo or with others, and oral and anal sex. We follow these rules, the boys follow these rules, and you will, also. You're more than welcome to invite a friend over, but if you're gonna get frisky with each other, we don't want to witness it."</span></p> <p><span>"That all sounds fair and reasonable and I can live within those rules. You ain't kiddin' `bout the erections, either. The little head's got a mind of its own, doesn't it? Two questions, though, what do you mean by other people and what rules do the boys follow?"</span></p> <p><span>"We have a few <i>very</i> select friends and family who know we're nudists and will join us when they visit. One of them is Tom's old boss at the Sherriff's department, also my sister and brother-in-law and, of course, our parents. As for our sons, they follow <i>all</i> the rules."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, you mean they're <i>doin' it</i>? How old did you say they were?"</span></p> <p><span>"Six to nine. And, yes, they've all discovered the joys of sex and are quite active. You should probably also know that at least the four we are for sure adopting are gay. Does that bother you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, and I thought I was early at eleven and my brother was twelve. I'm a bit of a slacker compared to your boys," Ron snickered. "No, man, that won't bother me at all either. I woulda been surprised as hell to find it out on my own, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we're trying to keep your shocks to a minimum. If we didn't already have the feeling you were going to accept our offer, we would haven't told near as much as we have. So, what's your decision, or do you need some time to think it over?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm all in, guys. When can I start?"</span></p> <p><span>"Whenever you want. If you want to give Joyce two weeks' notice, I think that's fair to her, but we'll leave that up to you. That would also give us the time we need to get the second bedroom done for the other boys and get rooms rearranged again. We might have an empty bedroom, but it is completely empty as it's about to get painted and have some new furniture delivered."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right, `cause I'll have to tell my roommate I'm movin' out and give him a chance to find someone else to share the rent."</span></p> <p><span>"Is he <i>just</i> a roommate?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure is. He's as straight as an arrow. He really didn't like the idea of sharing the place with me, but he needed help with rent, bad, so he gave in. It's worked out pretty well, though. We've become pretty decent friends the last several months."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess the only thing left to say at the moment, Ron, is welcome to the family. We'll look forward to having your help."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait a sec, Max, there is one more thing I want to make sure Ron knows," Tom interjected. I looked at Tom in surprise as I couldn't imagine what we'd forgotten. He turned back to Ron and added, "You probably already know this without me saying it, but I'm going to say it anyway. Absolutely nothing that happens here gets discussed anywhere or with anyone outside this family. We'll have a confidentiality agreement you'll have to sign before you can start working here. With Max being who he is, the tabloids would love nothing more than to get a story of any kind that would hurt him or his career."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, guys, my lips are sealed. With what you're going to pay me and everything else, I won't need to worry about money for a long time. I won't betray the trust you have in me in any way."</span></p> <p><span>"Good decision, Ron," Tom intoned seriously. "Now, welcome to family," he added as he stood up to shake hands. I followed suit and then we all sat back down.</span></p> <p><span>"Now," Ron started, "You got anything you want cleaned? Seems like I need to tell Joyce I did <i>something</i> real this afternoon. Right before I give her my notice," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it," I responded. "Just tell her I had you cleaning ceiling fans or something like that. I'll even give you some cash so she can see you got paid for doing something."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, Max. You're a helluva a guy. I think I'm gonna really like working here. Well, I better get going. Thanks, you two. I really appreciate the opportunity and I won't let you down."</span></p> <p><span>After a quick look at the clock, I said, "If you hang around about ten more minutes, you can meet the boys, see what you're really getting yourself into."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I can do that. Mind if I use the bathroom while we wait?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all, Ron," Tom answered. "Right down that hall, last door on the right. You want anything to drink?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be great, thanks," he answered as he stood up and headed for the bathroom. Tom walked to the kitchen and got some tea for all of us and both returned at the same time. As we sat there, Ron piped up and asked a question that surprised me a little. "So, Max, it's obvious you got money. And Tom made that comment about you being who you are. Tell me, man, who the hell <i>are</i> you and <i>what</i> do you do?"</span></p> <p><span>After we stopped laughing, "I'm an author, Ron. I've written four books that have all ended up on the <i>New York Times'</i> best-seller list. So, yeah, I've got a bit of cash. You really didn't know?"</span></p> <p><span>"If I knew, I wouldn't have asked. I was never much of a reader and that's probably how I missed connecting you to that."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I have some spare copies of all my books here, of course, so if you ever want to give `em a shot, just let me know." DING! DING! DING!</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell was that?" Ron asked as Tom stood to grab his jacket and head out to pick up the boys.</span></p> <p><span>"We have a sensor at the end of the drive that lets us know when someone's coming. The three dings is the boys' signal telling us they're home from school and ready for a ride. Brace yourself for the stampede."</span></p> <p><span>"Be right back," Tom called as he disappeared down the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>A weird thought popped in my head as Tom closed the door to the garage and I turned to Ron and said, "Ya', know Ron, this is gonna sound pretty stupid, especially since we've just hired you, but I don't know your last name."</span></p> <p><span>Ron almost fell out of chair with laughter before regaining control and answered, "Cain, C-a-i-n."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to know." We sat quietly as we waited for the Tom and the boys to return. As I heard the garage door rumble shut, I waited patiently for the stampede I knew was coming. I was not disappointed when the door slammed open and house shook as twelve feet hauled six bodies down the hall at full speed. Joey was the first to round the corner into the living room before he came to a screeching halt after seeing a stranger in the house. The other five piled into his abruptly inert figure and they tumbled to the floor in a gale of laughter and a wild mass of tangled limbs. Joey, being on the bottom of the pile, received the worst of it all.</span></p> <p><span>"Mmph, get off me you clowns, you're killing me," he grunted. When all were finally standing again, Tom squeezed behind the mini-herd to hang his jacket back in the closet.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Dad. Who's that?" Alex asked bluntly.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, this is Ron Cain. You're going be seeing a lot more of him around here in a couple weeks so come over and say hi." They moved as one in Ron's direction until they stood next to his chair.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, I'm Joey, nicetomeecha. This here's is my brother Alex, next is T.J., then Logan, Andy and Mike."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi guys, nice to meet all of you, too. I'm hoping we can all become good friends."</span></p> <p><span>"What's he talkin' `bout, dads?" T.J. asked, looking at Tom and me.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we've just hired Ron to come in and help us deal with things. He'll be joining us in a couple of weeks."</span></p> <p><span>"You mean, like, all the time, he's gonna be here?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"That's exactly what we mean. Once T.J., Mike and Andy get moved into their new room, then Ron's going to move into their old room."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, that's gonna suck big time, dads." Alex whined.</span></p> <p><span>"Why do you say that, Alex?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know," he answered while pulling at his shirt.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, <i>that</i>. No worries boys, that won't be changing."</span></p> <p><span>"Yahoo!!" they all yelled. </span></p> <p><span>"Well, see ya' later, Ron," Mike called out as the herd turned and headed down the hallway to drop their coats and backpacks in their rooms.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that was interesting," Ron commented. "They didn't seem too impressed or thrilled at the idea of me bein' here."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, Ron, they'll be cool," Tom responded. As if to prove the point, the first two returned and headed to the kitchen to deal with homework and get their snacks, sans clothes, of course.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Ron, wanna join us for our snack?" Andy asked as he and Mike passed by.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, why not?" We all got up from our chairs and followed the nude lads to the kitchen. As Tom and I got busy setting the boys up with some fruit snacks and milk, Ron hung out at the end of the counter. The remaining four boys slowly materialized and took their places at the counter, also comfortable in their own skin. Thankfully, Ron seemed to take it all in stride.</span></p> <p><span>"You want something, Ron?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, a small glass of milk sounds good right about now."</span></p> <p><span>"Comin' right up." With the boys and Ron served, the sensational six-pack cracked open school books and got started on their homework. I noticed Joey and Alex had a book I'd not seen before and asked about it.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, that, it's the fifth-grade math book. Cool, huh?" Joey commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Mr. Thomas gave them to us after school," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, what grade are you two in?" Ron asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Third," they answered together.</span></p> <p><span>"Then why do you have a fifth-grade book?"</span></p> <p><span>"What we have here, Ron, is a couple of genuine math whiz-kids," Tom answered. "They were bored with their regular math, so we asked the school for some testing to see if they could move up. Turns out, they only do that testing at the beginning of the school year, but Max talked `em into givin' the twins the fourth-grade book, just to see how they'd do."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah? What'd that take `em two, three months to get through it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Under two weeks, Ron," I answered. "And they didn't work on them every day."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy Toledo. They got me beat. Remind me to never play number games with them, okay?" he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>Ron looked back across the lineup of boys when T.J. suddenly raised his head from his book and stared at him.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, son," I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know I'm a cute little shit, Ron, but I'm taken. Sorry, dude," he quipped, then returned to his work.</span></p> <p><span>"What the heck?" Ron exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, we shoulda warned you about that, too," Tom chuckled. "T.J. and the twins all have the talent for seeing images in other people's minds and T.J. can actually pick up thoughts. The longer he's around you, the better he gets at it."</span></p> <p><span>"Co-o-o-ol beans, dude. That's awesome."</span></p> <p><span>T.J. looked back up and responded, "Yeah, sure, it's cool sometimes, but it really sucks at other times," he opined while looking at me. "I just need to learn how to get a handle on it so I can turn it off when I want to."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, don't look to me for help with that," Ron replied. "I can barely read my own mind sometimes, let alone someone else's." </span></p> <p><span>The boys laughed at Ron's comment and when they calmed down a bit, T.J. commented, "You're all right, Ron. I think you'll fit in just fine around here."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess I'll get out of here and go give Joyce the bad news. Max, Tom, again, thanks for the opportunity. I think this is gonna be great joining your family. Boys, nice to meet all of you. Looking forward to some fun times." </span></p> <p><span>Tom and I followed him to the door to let him out. "Thanks for coming out, Ron. We're glad you accepted our offer. We'll be looking forward to having your help around here. And like T.J. said, you'll fit in just fine."</span></p> <p><span>"And once you know when you want to move in, let us know so we can be sure we're ready," Tom added. "We'd hate for you to show up and not have a bed for you."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd hate that, too," Ron agreed. "Though I suppose I could always bunk with you two until you had a bed for me," he added with a mischievous grin and a lascivious wiggle of his eyebrows.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't hold your breath, bucko," Tom countered with a chuckle. With that, Ron got in his truck and headed out.</span></p> <p><span>After we watched him pull away and were headed back to the kitchen, I asked, "Are you sure we're doing the right thing?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I think so. Once I get back to work, I'm not gonna have as much time to help out. I think having Ron here will also take some of the load off you. That will give you more time to concentrate on yourself. Besides, after meeting the guy, I really like him, too. I'm still gonna do a background check on him, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I'd rather be safe than sorry. And the confidentiality thing is a good idea, too. I hadn't even thought about that. I'll call James and have him come up with something."</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you go do that now? I'll check on the boys and see what they want for supper when the time comes." We went our separate ways and after sitting at my desk, I dialed James' number.</span></p> <p><span>"The Cantrell Practice, this is Rose."</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, Rose. Max Sanders here, is he available?"</span></p> <p><span>"One moment, Mr. Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"Afternoon, Max. You just caught me. I was about to head home for dinner. What's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Then I'll be brief. We need a confidentiality agreement for a household employee. I don't want it to be so severe the guy thinks he's looking at a death penalty if he blabs something, but severe enough to keep him from talking about our private life in public. Can you do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can have a basic CA for you to review by Friday. I'll fax it to you, make any changes you think you want and fax it back. We'll take it from there and have a completed agreement next Tuesday or Wednesday. Good enough?"</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent, James. Thanks for everything. Now, get the hell out of there and go have supper with your family for once. I know they miss seeing you."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max. I'll talk to you later."</span></p> <p><span>When I rejoined the family, I asked, "So, did we figure out supper yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think we've settled on grilled cheese and tomato soup," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds great, let's get busy, then." Tom and I went to work building sandwiches and getting the soup warming in a pan. The boys took care of their task of getting the table ready. I noticed Logan joined right in to help out. I was happy he was fitting in as if he'd always lived here. Thirty minutes later, we were ready to enjoy our simple but yummy supper.</span></p> <p><span>I'd just taken my fist bite of sandwich when Joey asked, "Hey, dad, how'd your appointment go this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>Oh, hell, here we go. "About like you'd expect, Joey, but I think she can help me out. I'm glad Pops was there to help me get through it."</span></p> <p><span>"If you come up with anything we can do to help, you'll tell us, won't you," Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I will."</span></p> <p><span>"How was school today, guys?" Tom asked. "Any of you learning anything new today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not us," Alex answered. "It was really pretty much a wasted day." Joey and Logan nodded their agreement.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what happened that makes you say that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Thomas was out sick and the stupid replacement didn't have a clue what she was doin'," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, they really shouldn't allow people that old to try to fill in," Logan added. "We spent half the day with her askin' us to repeat stuff `cause she couldn't hear nothin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry you three had such a rotten day. What about you three?" I asked looking to T.J., Mike and Andy.</span></p> <p><span>"It was okay, I guess," T.J. answered. "I'll be glad when school's out, though."</span></p> <p><span>"We had a good day, didn't we Andy?" Mike answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it was Mark's birthday and he brought treats for everyone."</span></p> <p><span>"How are Mark and Billy doin?" I asked. "We haven't heard you talk about them for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"They're good. They're still hopin' to come back out to go swimmin' some time," Mike answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, there welcome any time."</span></p> <p><span>"Except this Saturday evening, remember?" Tom interjected.</span></p> <p><span>"What's happenin' then?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We're having a couple guests for dinner and a swim."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man. Are we gonna have to wear clothes?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's Dylan. What do you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sweet," Alex crowed. "We like Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he can throw us farther in the pool than you guys can," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, we have some guests coming over tomorrow night, also," Tom added.</span></p> <p><span>"Who?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You guys remember the EMT Rick who came to help T.J. the night he got hurt in the pool?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I do," T.J. replied. "Why's he comin' over?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's bringing his two sons, Josh and Eric, to go swimming."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool," Alex enthused. "Any idea how old his kids are?"</span></p> <p><span>"Eleven and thirteen."</span></p> <p><span>"Are we gonna have to wear shorts when they're here?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Tom and I will be when they get here, but you guys won't have to if you don't want to. Rick, their dad, knows we live nude and that's why he's bringing his boys out. He says they used to be nude all the time but their bodies have started to change and he thinks they're embarrassed about it. He's hoping that if they're here with all of us, they'll see there's nothing wrong about not wearing clothes."</span></p> <p><span>"What time are they comin'?" Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Around 6:30 or 7:00. So be ready. And if his boys don't want to be nude, do <i>not</i> pressure them. Let them do what they feel comfortable doing. Got it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Got it, Dad."</span></p> <p><span>Despite all the gabbing, we'd finished our meal and it was time to clean up. While Tom and I took care of the griddle and pans, the boys took care of the table and loading the dishwasher. When everything was done we decided to watch some more <i>Star Trek</i> and headed to the theater. When the second episode ended, we took a break to use the bathroom, get our popcorn snack and headed back for the third episode of the night. By the time it was over, all six boys were starting to yawn, so we sent them on their way to get ready for bed and finished loading the dishwasher ourselves. </span></p> <p><span>When we stopped in to say goodnight to the twins and Logan, they were curled up in the middle of the bed and snoring lightly. We pulled up the covers for them, then gave our nightly kisses and love yous. After turning out the light and closing the door, we turned to do the same for the other three. T.J., Mike and Andy were already curled up and had pulled the covers up, but weren't asleep quite yet, though they were close. We shared our kisses and love yous with them and quietly retreated to relax a bit before going to bed ourselves. We settled in the living room and I heaved a great sigh of contentment.</span></p> <p><span>"What?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nothin', really. Just had a good day."</span></p> <p><span>"You coulda fooled me. You were pretty freaked out earlier."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, but overall it was a great day. I really think Jean can help me deal with my issues without me losing my mind. And getting that recording of Frank and Iris, well, that was just icing on the cake. I'm pretty proud of that."</span></p> <p><span>"You should be. That took some serious balls to pull off. God, it still gives me the creeps the way Iris talked to you, though. And Frank, sweetheart that he is, threatening to kill the twins and then you. Talk about your sick motherfucker. That's what's gonna get him life."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just glad I was able hold it all together until we were done. I feel really bad about pukin' in that trash can."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't. Why do you think those rooms and that hallway are nothing but concrete? I'll tell you why, makes `em easy to clean. A little barf ain't nothin' compared to what else has happened, trust me."</span></p> <p><span>"The thing that happened at the church, though, that really freaks me out. I was fine until we turned the corner. Once we did that, I felt like I was thirteen again and just fuckin' froze up. Literally, I couldn't move a muscle. I definitely need to bring that up next Tuesday with Jean."</span></p> <p><span>"Hell, I'm surprised you made it through the front door. I should have known better than to take you there."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it, hon. I survived it, thanks to you. I'm kinda surprised we haven't heard from Dylan, though. I figured he call tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"He'll call when he has a chance."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I know. Just anxious I guess." I'd just picked up my book to read for a bit when the phone rang. "Who's calling now? Don't people know we go to bed early?" I looked at the caller ID before answering and saw it was Lee. "Oh, shit, it's Lee. This can't be good." When I finally answered, I greeted her with, "Hey, sis, what's up. Everything okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Are you watching TV?" she asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Hell no, I'm getting ready to read."</span></p> <p><span>"Do yourself a favor and watch the news in about ten minutes."</span></p> <p><span>"Why, what's going on?" I asked with serious concern.</span></p> <p><span>"I just saw a teaser for the local news and it looks like their lead story is about the preacher at our old church killing himself this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!!??" I yelled as I dropped the phone on the floor.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-2.html

Building a Family 2 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Chapter 2 – Meeting Anna I left James' office with a new attitude. I felt the meeting went well and was looking forward to finally making some changes in my life for the better. On my way home, I stopped by a furniture store to get some ideas for new furnishings for a kid's bedroom. I didn't buy anything because I didn't want to get my hopes up only to have them dashed later. I also stopped by the local toy store to get some ideas on things I may need there. Upon returning home, I parked the Mustang Shelby in the garage and suddenly realized that as much as I loved the car, it wasn't going to be very practical when I had a kid to haul around. I first headed to my bedroom and undressed to get comfortable, then went to my study and fired up the computer to do some car shopping. Since I am a diehard Ford guy, I surfed to their website and started perusing the selection of available vehicles. After spending some time looking, I decided on a Flex Limited with all the available options. I figured if I was successful in adopting, he or she is going to have friends and I would, at times, need to transport more than one kid on multiple occasions and they might as well be comfortable. My decision made, I called the Ford dealer where I bought the Shelby and asked if I could order a car over the phone. The salesman balked at the idea, but when the sales manager, Herb, got on the phone and discovered who was asking, he gave his absolute approval. I told him what I was looking for, thanked and told him I would be in the next week to make payment arrangements. While I was buying the new car, James got on the phone and started making inquiries of adoption and family service agencies in the area. On his fourth call, James finally had some luck. The agency did, indeed, have some children available for adoption to the right couple, a girl and several boys. James provided some basic information to the agency's director and asked if they thought I would an acceptable parent. The director, Anna, stated that, usually, they only dealt with couples, but would be willing to discuss in more detail a single parent situation. When asked if they would have any problem with the parent being a gay man, the director suddenly lost all interest. James persisted and was finally able to get the director to agree to an interview the next Monday. James called me to pass on the good news. "Max, it's James and I have some news for you." "Already? I just left your office a few hours ago," I responded. "I can't believe you have been successful this quickly." "It wasn't easy, Max. She wasn't too impressed with the idea of a single gay man adopting, but after talking to her for some time, I finally got her to agree to at least give us an interview. Are you doing anything next Monday at 1:00 that would prevent you from attending?" "Hmmm, I don't know, give me a moment to think about it. I was thinking about weeding the garden, but since it's January, and weeds are covered with six inches of snow, I guess I can put that off until later. Hell no!! You tell me where and I'll be there." "Well, here's my thought, Max. Why don't you come to my office and we'll go to the interview in my car? It's about a half-hour drive, so you should be here no later than 12:15. That should insure we are a bit early to their office." "No problem, James. I'll be there. Thanks for the quick action and results." The rest of the week and weekend seemed to drag, but when Monday arrived, I was ready to go. I arrived at James' office at noon and we headed to the interview shortly after. We arrived at the agency's office with 10 minutes to spare and headed into the lobby. After waiting for a few minutes, the director came out to greet us. "Good afternoon, gentlemen. My name is Anna Stewart and I am the director of the agency." James extended his hand, introduced himself and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you Anna." He then turned to me and added, "I'd like to introduce my client, Maxwill Sanders. Max, this is the wonderful woman I had to sweettalk on your behalf last week." I shook hands with Anna and said, "It's nice to meet you, also, Anna. I'm looking forward to working with you." Anna said, "I'm pleased to meet both of you, as well. Won't you please follow me and we can talk in my office." Once in the office, Anna took a seat in comfortable chair away from her desk and offered the couch to James and me. Anna quickly studied both of us to get a feel of our personalities and she liked what her intuition was telling her. James started the conversation. James started the meeting with, "Thanks for seeing us today, Anna. As we discussed on the phone last week, my client, Max, is interested in adopting a child in the six to ten-year old range. In our conversation, I relayed most of the information you would need in making your decision except for Max's identity. As I'm sure you can understand, Max preferred to keep his name out of the decision-making process until he was able to talk to someone face-to-face." "That is not how we normally do things here, James, but upon meeting your client, I certainly understand the need for discretion. May I say to you, Mr. Sanders, that it is certainly a pleasure to finally meet you. I didn't realize you lived in the area. I have read all four of your books and I am looking forward to number five." Max looked at the floor for a moment and then at Anna and replied, "First, please call me Max, everyone else does. Second, I'm afraid you are going to have a long wait for a fifth book, Anna. I have stopped writing for the time being. My writing was a kind of therapy for myself while I dealt with the issue of who I am. It took me a long time to accept the reality that I am gay. You are only the second person who knows that and I would appreciate it greatly if you would keep it to yourself. That realization has not dampened my desire for a family and I feel adoption is the only realistic way I can achieve that goal. I have a lot to offer to any child and have stopped writing so I can devote my time in that direction. I may write again later, but for now, that emotional outlet has been shut down." "I'll certainly do that, Max. As with most all adoptions, virtually everything is kept sealed and confidential, but in light your notoriety, I don't know how long we would be able to maintain that confidentiality." "Understood, Anna. I expect the news that I'm gay will come out in due time, I just want to be the one to do so, on my own terms, not someone else's." "Well, the news will not come from this office. I can guarantee that to you right now." "Thank you, Anna." "Now, on to our interview. James tells me you are hoping to adopt a boy in the six to ten-year old range. Please tell me why a boy and why that age range." "Like I told James when I first talked to him, I picked the age based on the realities of raising a child from a younger age. Let's face it, I'm a single guy and in all honesty, while I really want to have a family to share in my life, I don't think I do well with diaper changes, middle-of-the-night feedings and the toddler years all by myself. I would like to avoid having to hire someone to help me, not that I couldn't afford it, but I just like doing things myself. I also know that older children tend to be more difficult to place in homes and I truly think that's a shame. It's almost like they are being punished just by growing up, which they obviously can't help. "As to why a boy, again, in all honesty, I don't think I could adequately and properly care for a girl from puberty on through the teen years. Since I'm gay, all the things you have deal with while girls are growing up would make me very uncomfortable and I would be a very bad source of information or inspiration to a girl. There is no doubt in my mind that she would end up hating me and I just couldn't accept that." "Well, I appreciate your candor, Max. Now, let me be just as candid back. I understand your misgivings about raising a girl and would rule that option out for you because I think you are 100% correct, given your feelings as you stated them, as to how things would turn out. That said, I also have serious concerns about allowing a gay man to adopt a boy. I know it's not politically correct to say this, but I'm going to anyway, as politely as I can. I would always have a fear that a gay man would take advantage of his position of authority over a boy and force him to do things that would land the man in prison for a very long time and the boy back in the system." "I would NEVER do anything to a child that would be considered improper. I understand your thoughts and I don't hold that against you. I knew that would be a concern and you are doing your job in looking out for the best interests of the child. That is my intention also. I have a lot that I can share with any child and I would like to do so. I am hopeful that we can work together to give a child a happy, stable and loving home." "You have certainly given me something to think about, Max, and I will have discussions with some of our case workers this week. I'll keep your name out of those discussions a long as absolutely possible. If I think we have a child that would fit well in the situation, I'll let James know on Friday and we can have you come back to meet him next week. I will warn you now that if we proceed and you are successful in adopting, we will be keeping a very close watch on you for some time. At the very first hint of anything improper, you will lose the child and be in jail. Do you understand?" "I most certainly do and we'll be waiting for your call. Thanks for your time today and I hope to be seeing you again soon." We shook hands with Anna, left the office and headed for the car. Once in the car and on the way back to the James' office, I asked James, "Well, how do you think that went?" James replied, "Better than what I expected after talking to her last week. At least she didn't shoot you down right out of the gate, which I was sure would happen. We'll just have to wait for Friday to see if she was serious about helping you."

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 2</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free.&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc472178161"><span>Chapter 2 – Meeting Anna</span></a></h2> <p><span>I left James' office with a new attitude. I felt the meeting went well and was looking forward to finally making some changes in my life for the better. On my way home, I stopped by a furniture store to get some ideas for new furnishings for a kid's bedroom. I didn't buy anything because I didn't want to get my hopes up only to have them dashed later. I also stopped by the local toy store to get some ideas on things I may need there.</span></p> <p><span>Upon returning home, I parked the Mustang Shelby in the garage and suddenly realized that as much as I loved the car, it wasn't going to be very practical when I had a kid to haul around. I first headed to my bedroom and undressed to get comfortable, then went to my study and fired up the computer to do some car shopping. Since I am a diehard Ford guy, I surfed to their website and started perusing the selection of available vehicles. After spending some time looking, I decided on a Flex Limited with all the available options. I figured if I was successful in adopting, he or she is going to have friends and I would, at times, need to transport more than one kid on multiple occasions and they might as well be comfortable. My decision made, I called the Ford dealer where I bought the Shelby and asked if I could order a car over the phone. The salesman balked at the idea, but when the sales manager, Herb, got on the phone and discovered who was asking, he gave his absolute approval. I told him what I was looking for, thanked and told him I would be in the next week to make payment arrangements. </span></p> <p><span>While I was buying the new car, James got on the phone and started making inquiries of adoption and family service agencies in the area. On his fourth call, James finally had some luck. The agency did, indeed, have some children available for adoption to the right couple, a girl and several boys. James provided some basic information to the agency's director and asked if they thought I would an acceptable parent. </span></p> <p><span>The director, Anna, stated that, usually, they only dealt with couples, but would be willing to discuss in more detail a single parent situation. When asked if they would have any problem with the parent being a gay man, the director suddenly lost all interest. James persisted and was finally able to get the director to agree to an interview the next Monday. James called me to pass on the good news.</span></p> <p><span>"Max, it's James and I have some news for you."</span></p> <p><span>"Already? I just left your office a few hours ago," I responded. "I can't believe you have been successful this quickly."</span></p> <p><span>"It wasn't easy, Max. She wasn't too impressed with the idea of a single gay man adopting, but after talking to her for some time, I finally got her to agree to at least give us an interview. Are you doing anything next Monday at 1:00 that would prevent you from attending?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hmmm, I don't know, give me a moment to think about it. I was thinking about weeding the garden, but since it's January, and weeds are covered with six inches of snow, I guess I can put that off until later. Hell no!! You tell me where and I'll be there."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, here's my thought, Max. Why don't you come to my office and we'll go to the interview in my car? It's about a half-hour drive, so you should be here no later than 12:15. That should insure we are a bit early to their office."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, James. I'll be there. Thanks for the quick action and results."</span></p> <p><span>The rest of the week and weekend seemed to drag, but when Monday arrived, I was ready to go. I arrived at James' office at noon and we headed to the interview shortly after. We arrived at the agency's office with 10 minutes to spare and headed into the lobby. After waiting for a few minutes, the director came out to greet us.</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, gentlemen. My name is Anna Stewart and I am the director of the agency." </span></p> <p><span>James extended his hand, introduced himself and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you Anna." He then turned to me and added, "I'd like to introduce my client, Maxwill Sanders. Max, this is the wonderful woman I had to sweettalk on your behalf last week."</span></p> <p><span>I shook hands with Anna and said, "It's nice to meet you, also, Anna. I'm looking forward to working with you."</span></p> <p><span>Anna said, "I'm pleased to meet both of you, as well. Won't you please follow me and we can talk in my office."</span></p> <p><span>Once in the office, Anna took a seat in comfortable chair away from her desk and offered the couch to James and me. Anna quickly studied both of us to get a feel of our personalities and she liked what her intuition was telling her. James started the conversation.</span></p> <p><span>James started the meeting with, "Thanks for seeing us today, Anna. As we discussed on the phone last week, my client, Max, is interested in adopting a child in the six to ten-year old range. In our conversation, I relayed most of the information you would need in making your decision except for Max's identity. As I'm sure you can understand, Max preferred to keep his name out of the decision-making process until he was able to talk to someone face-to-face."</span></p> <p><span>"That is not how we normally do things here, James, but upon meeting your client, I certainly understand the need for discretion. May I say to you, Mr. Sanders, that it is certainly a pleasure to finally meet you. I didn't realize you lived in the area. I have read all four of your books and I am looking forward to number five."</span></p> <p><span>Max looked at the floor for a moment and then at Anna and replied, "First, please call me Max, everyone else does. Second, I'm afraid you are going to have a long wait for a fifth book, Anna. I have stopped writing for the time being. My writing was a kind of therapy for myself while I dealt with the issue of who I am. It took me a long time to accept the reality that I am gay. You are only the second person who knows that and I would appreciate it greatly if you would keep it to yourself. That realization has not dampened my desire for a family and I feel adoption is the only realistic way I can achieve that goal. I have a lot to offer to any child and have stopped writing so I can devote my time in that direction. I may write again later, but for now, that emotional outlet has been shut down."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll certainly do that, Max. As with most all adoptions, virtually everything is kept sealed and confidential, but in light your notoriety, I don't know how long we would be able to maintain that confidentiality."</span></p> <p><span>"Understood, Anna. I expect the news that I'm gay will come out in due time, I just want to be the one to do so, on my own terms, not someone else's."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the news will not come from this office. I can guarantee that to you right now."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Anna."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, on to our interview. James tells me you are hoping to adopt a boy in the six to ten-year old range. Please tell me why a boy and why that age range."</span></p> <p><span>"Like I told James when I first talked to him, I picked the age based on the realities of raising a child from a younger age. Let's face it, I'm a single guy and in all honesty, while I really want to have a family to share in my life, I don't think I do well with diaper changes, middle-of-the-night feedings and the toddler years all by myself. I would like to avoid having to hire someone to help me, not that I couldn't afford it, but I just like doing things myself. I also know that older children tend to be more difficult to place in homes and I truly think that's a shame. It's almost like they are being punished just by growing up, which they obviously can't help.</span></p> <p><span>"As to why a boy, again, in all honesty, I don't think I could adequately and properly care for a girl from puberty on through the teen years. Since I'm gay, all the things you have deal with while girls are growing up would make me very uncomfortable and I would be a very bad source of information or inspiration to a girl. There is no doubt in my mind that she would end up hating me and I just couldn't accept that."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I appreciate your candor, Max. Now, let me be just as candid back. I understand your misgivings about raising a girl and would rule that option out for you because I think you are 100% correct, given your feelings as you stated them, as to how things would turn out. That said, I also have serious concerns about allowing a gay man to adopt a boy. I know it's not politically correct to say this, but I'm going to anyway, as politely as I can. I would always have a fear that a gay man would take advantage of his position of authority over a boy and force him to do things that would land the man in prison for a very long time and the boy back in the system."</span></p> <p><span>"I would NEVER do anything to a child that would be considered improper. I understand your thoughts and I don't hold that against you. I knew that would be a concern and you are doing your job in looking out for the best interests of the child. That is my intention also. I have a lot that I can share with any child and I would like to do so. I am hopeful that we can work together to give a child a happy, stable and loving home."</span></p> <p><span>"You have certainly given me something to think about, Max, and I will have discussions with some of our case workers this week. I'll keep your name out of those discussions a long as absolutely possible. If I think we have a child that would fit well in the situation, I'll let James know on Friday and we can have you come back to meet him next week. I will warn you now that if we proceed and you are successful in adopting, we will be keeping a very close watch on you for some time. At the very first hint of anything improper, you will lose the child and be in jail. Do you understand?"</span></p> <p><span>"I most certainly do and we'll be waiting for your call. Thanks for your time today and I hope to be seeing you again soon." We shook hands with Anna, left the office and headed for the car. Once in the car and on the way back to the James' office, I asked James, "Well, how do you think that went?"</span></p> <p><span>James replied, "Better than what I expected after talking to her last week. At least she didn't shoot you down right out of the gate, which I was sure would happen. We'll just have to wait for Friday to see if she was serious about helping you."</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-33.html

Building a Family 33 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments I have created a Tumblr site with pictures of what the story's main characters look like in my mind. If you would like to see them, they can be found here: https://enderwiggin61.tumblr.com/ Chapter 33 – It's a New Day Despite being worn out from yesterday's events, I woke early Sunday morning, still curled up with Tom in my arms. I carefully pulled my arm from under his head, hoping I wouldn't wake him. I figured he would probably spend most of the day in bed and I pulled the blinds over the windows so the sun wouldn't blind him if and when he did wake up. After washing my face and hands, I headed to the kitchen to start a breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage. I also pulled out the toaster so it would be ready to go if anybody wanted toast. Next, it was time to wake the boys and get them moving. My first stop was to roust T.J., Mike and Andy, who I found curled together under the covers in the middle of the bed, T.J. holding Mike, who was in turn holding Andy. I gently shook T.J.'s shoulder to wake him and let him know breakfast would be ready soon. "Okay, dad, we'll be there," he answered as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned. Next to wake was Joey and Alex, and I found them tangled in their regular pretzel, covers kicked off and beautiful young bodies exposed. I gave Alex a quick tickle in the ribs to get him moving and he woke his brother as he untangled himself. "Breakfast soon, boys, let's get a move on." Both were grumping as they headed to the bathroom, morning erections pointing the way, much like a compass pointing the proper direction to travel. I headed back to the kitchen to continue cooking and discovered Tom moving slowly down the hallway, holding one hand to the wall to help steady himself. "Hey, babe, what are you doing up? I was gonna' let you sleep." "I didn't think you'd appreciate having to change a wet bed this morning, so I got up to go to the bathroom and smelled bacon. I may look and feel like I've been hit by a truck, but I ain't passing up bacon." "Well, here, let me help you." I took his arm and helped him get to the table and seated in his chair without falling over. "You need anything? Drink, pain pill?" "A glass of milk sounds good Max. Don't think my head's quite ready for a jolt of caffeine this morning. Let's hold off on the pill until after we eat." "You got it, be right back." I gave the eggs a quick stir, flipped the bacon and sausage, then poured a glass of milk and took it back to him. The boys started to straggle in and I put them to work setting the table after they'd had a chance to say good morning to Tom. With, the table set and the food ready, we sat down to eat. "How ya' feeling this morning?" I asked Tom. "Like shit," he grumbled as he munched a strip of bacon. "I'm guessing you're not up to going out today, are you?" "Not by a longshot, Max. I'm going back to bed as soon as I'm done eating. You got something planned?" "No, that's fine, Tom. I need to make a run to the store and get restock our food supplies. The pantry's starting to look pretty bare. Thought I'd take these noisemakers with me so you could have some peace and quiet to relax." "That's fine. I know we need more food. Guess we're gonna have to skip getting things from my apartment today, too." "Tell you what, if you give me a list of the things you want and the key, we can still get some of it. It's not out of the way or anything." "You sure you don't mind?" "Don't worry about it, the boys will be happy to help, won't you?" "You bet," T.J. answered with nods from the others. "That's settled, then. Get your list together while we're getting ready and we'll take care of it, Tom." "Thanks, guys, appreciate it." "I'll need to change your bandage and put some more ointment on your head before we go. Then I'll make sure you have water and your pain pills close by if you need any while we're gone, okay?" "That'll be fine. I don't see me moving much today except for the occasional trip to the bathroom." We finished our breakfast and the boys got the table cleaned up while I took care of the rest of the mess. That completed, I got pen and paper for Tom to make his list, then headed to the bedroom to get dressed while the boys did the same. Returning to the kitchen, I grabbed the bag of supplies to change Tom's bandage. While I had the bandage off, Alex's question from last night popped in my head, so I grabbed my phone and quickly took a picture of the side of Tom's head. "What the hell was that for?" he asked after hearing the phone click. "Posterity. I don't ever want to forget this." "Well, I do, but whatever boats your float. So much for wishing it was all a dream. More like my worst freakin' nightmare come true." "Remember what Nietzsche said, Tom, `That which does not kill us makes us stronger'." "If that's really true, I must be Atlas or Samson by now." "Don't know if I'd go quite that far. Maybe the Incredible Hulk, though." "Oh, that's cold, Max," he retorted as we both chuckled. I applied the cream and a new bandage, then sat down with Tom so he could go over his list and let me know where everything could be found. The boys returned just as we finished that and they were ready to roll, so I walked to the bedroom with Tom to make sure he didn't fall and ensured water and his medicine were close by if he needed them. Once Tom was settled and comfortable, the boys and I loaded into the car and took off for our shopping trip. I didn't much like the idea of leaving him alone, but I couldn't deny the fact we needed food. When we got to Tom's apartment, I put the boys to work locating the things on Tom's list and getting everything in the boxes we'd brought with us. I was impressed with the amount of care they took in collecting the items and bringing them to me to box up. With everything packed, we each grabbed a box and headed down the stairs to load them into the car. Just as I was closing the tailgate, I noticed a man walking across the lot towards us. "Boy's, go ahead and hop in the car and get buckled. This guy looks like he wants to talk to me." "Hey, there, I don't recognize you or that car. You wanna' tell me who you are what you're doing here," the man called from ten feet away. "That depends on who you are." "I'm Harry, the manager of the complex," he responded while his extending his hand for a shake. I took his hand and gave him a quick shake. "In that case, Harry, my name is Max Sanders and I came to pick up some of fiancé's things." "And who might that be?" "Tom Wright, he lives, or I guess I should say lived, in 216." "Where's he at? I ain't seen him all week." "That's no big surprise since he pretty much moved in with us last Sunday. I don't think he's been back here since, except to pick up a few things." "He hasn't told me he's moving out." "He'd planned to that today, sorry." "Too bad about him movin' out, it was kinda nice havin' a cop live here. It sure helped in keeping it quiet around here. Why isn't he here with you today?" "He got hurt on the job yesterday and wasn't up to coming with us to pick up a few things he needs." "He got hurt? What happened?" "He was trying to arrest someone and got shot for his efforts." "Damn, that's too bad, hope he's gonna' be okay." "He'll be fine in little while. It was just a graze, but it still took 28 stitches to put his head back together." "Son-of-a..., 28 stitches, huh. Glad to hear it was just a graze, but I bet it still hurt like hell. Any idea when he'll have the place emptied out? No rush, mind you, I just like to keep on top of things. And he's already paid his rent for next month, so he's got plenty of time. I just need to get an ad in the paper to re-rent it and want to know how soon I should think about doing that." "Hopefully by next weekend. It all depends on when he thinks he can handle it. If we can't get to it ourselves by then, I'll arrange to have a moving crew come in to pack up all his things and bring them out to our home." "That's fine, Max. If you end up going with the movers, all I ask is a phone call to let me know when they'll be coming." "I'll make sure we do that, Harry. Now, if you don't mind, I want to ask about his lease, when does it end and will there be any charges for him breaking the lease?" "He's got two more months after the next on his lease. Normally, I'd stick it to someone who breaks their lease, but since he was such a great tenant and he's got a good reason to move, I'll let it slide for him. It's not like he's tryin' to skip out, is it?" "Not at all, we've just had a very busy week and with him getting hurt, it kinda messed things up today. Thanks for being so good about it. I appreciate it and I know he will, too." "Don't worry about it. After you get everything out, I'll check the place over and as long as there's no major cleanup or repairs to do, I'll refund his overpaid rent and deposit, too. Why don't you give me your address so I can mail it to him once we have everything settled?" I gave Harry the address and phone number and he wrote it all on the back of one of his own business cards. "Here's one of my cards for you. You need anything, just let me know." "I will, thanks Harry. I hope to see you next weekend." "Y'all take care and take care of Tom, too. I sucks he got hurt, but I'm glad he'll be okay." "I'll let him know you asked about him and wished him a speedy recovery. Thanks again." I hopped in the car and we took off. I had another stop I decided to make before we went shopping. After driving across town, I pulled up in front of a non-descript grey clapboard house in one of the older subdivisions in town. As I got out of the car, I said, "Come on, boys, I've got someone you need to meet." "Who is it, dad?" Joey asked. "You'll see. Patience, young man." When we were all on the wide front porch, boys standing behind me to keep them hidden, I rang the bell, hoping the occupants were home since I hadn't called ahead to warn them I was coming. The inside door opened and I leaned over, peeking through the storm door to see who had answered the doorbell. "Hi, mom, how ya' doing?" "Max, what are you doing here? Why didn't you call?" "Well, some things have come up that I didn't want to tell you over the phone or have you hear from someone else, so, here I am. Actually, I should say, here we are. Boys, step out here and say hi to my mom." "Hi, Mrs. Sanders," Joey cheerfully started. "How are you today, Mrs. Sanders?" Alex asked. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Sanders," T.J. added. "Are you gonna' be our new grandma?" Mike wanted to know. "Hi, there," squeaked Andy. "Can we come in?" I asked. "Of course, you can. Despite everything else, you're still our son, Max." "Thanks," I said as I opened the storm door. "Is dad here, too?" I asked as I entered the house where I'd grown up and spent the first 19 years of my life. "Yeah, I'll go get him. Go ahead and have a seat." I took a quick glance around and realized nothing much had changed since the last time I was here to give them the news I was gay. I had the boys sit on the couch and then took the chair at the end so we were all lined up when mom came back with dad in tow. "Hi, dad, how are you?" I asked. "Above ground and taking sustenance," he answered. "What are you doing here?" "Like I told mom, there've been some new developments since we talked last Sunday and I wanted you to hear it all from me and not someone else. Also, despite what I said last week, I want you to meet your soon-to-be grandsons. Starting on this end, we have Alex, Mike, Andy, T.J., and Joey." I pointed to each as I said their name and they each gave a little wave to mom and dad. "That's five boys. I thought you said it was four." "It was, Andy's a new addition as of yesterday afternoon. I don't know if I'll be adopting him yet, but we're hoping." "They're all so cute, Max," mom gushed. "How did you all get so dang cute?" "Just lucky, I guess, Mrs. Sanders," Alex answered. "Please, don't call me that, it makes me feel old. Not that grandmother or grandma would make me feel any younger. How about, Mama? Does that sound okay, boys?" "You bet, Mama," answered T.J. "What should we call Mr. Sanders?" "I'm not answering for him. Jim, what's your preference?" "If you're gonna' be Mama, then I guess I should be Papa." "Hi, Papa," Mike giggled. "Boys, give them a hug." All five got up, gave mom and dad hugs, then sat back on the couch while mom and dad took their chairs by the fireplace. "Andy is one of the new developments I mentioned. He was at our yesterday with a couple other boys, visiting Mike, when the man living with his mom was arrested and another man at his home was killed." "Oh, that's horrible. What happened?" I related yesterday's events and the surprise in my mom's face grew with each new detail. "That's why we're not sure how long Andy will be with us. If his mom's not in jail and gets her house in order, he can go back to live with her. If she goes to jail, then I don't know what's going to happen." "Well, I'm glad you're keeping him safe from those monsters," mom said. "I feel like there's more you're not telling us just yet, son," dad commented. "There is. I told you about the deputy who got hurt during the arrest. Well, he's not just a deputy, he's my fiancé, also. We're getting married." Mom's hand flew to mouth in an attempt to cover her gasp of surprise and dad just shook his head. "He's at home resting and recovering from his injury." "When did that happen? You two deciding to get married?" mom wanted to know. "Yesterday morning, shortly before he left to help with the arrest." "And the five of you don't have a problem with that?" dad asked. "Why would we?" Joey asked. "We think it's great," T.J. started, "They love each other, why shouldn't they get married." "Because they're both men," dad answered. "So? Why is that a problem?" Alex asked. "We think it's wrong, just like a lot of other people do." "Well, we think you're wrong, Papa," Joey said. "I guess that's your right." "When is that gonna' happen, Max?" mom asked. "We haven't had a chance to set a date, but after all that happened yesterday, as soon as we can. I've waited too long already to get married and I don't want to wait any longer than I have to. I'm hoping you two will be willing to attend the event and the party afterward at our house." "We'll have to think about it, son," dad replied. "Papa, can I ask you a question?" "Go ahead, Joey, or are you Alex? It's kinda hard to tell which is which." "I'm Joey," he giggled. "I hope you won't get mad at me for asking, but why do you think it's wrong for two men to get married?" "Because the Bible says so. It clearly states that marriage is a sacred covenant between one man and one woman." "Is that the same bible that also says marriage can also be between one man and more than one woman, or a man and his brother's widow, or a rapist and his victim, or what about between a soldier and his prisoner?" I sat there, dumbfounded at the question and noticed my father squirming uncomfortably as he listened to Joey. "Well, yes," dad stuttered, "I suppose the Bible does say those things, also, but we don't believe in those definitions of marriage anymore." "If they're in the Bible, and you believe and follow what it says, why don't you believe in them, also?" Joey pressed. "Because times change, people change, morals change." "Couldn't this be one of those times, maybe, for another change? For the world to be more accepting and loving?" "I can't answer that right now, young man," dad finally replied after what looked like seriously painful thought. "That's all right," Joey said, "It's just something to think about. Thanks for letting me ask." I looked at young Joey with a new respect. He had managed to do something I had so far been unable to accomplish, make my father actually think about why he believed what he did, and I was impressed. He might have a problem being something of potty mouth, but his brain was obviously working on a much higher plane of consciousness than mine was. "Was there any other news you wanted to dump on us today?" dad asked. "Let's see, I'm still gay," I started, as I ticked off each point by raising my fingers, "at least three and possibly four of my soon-to-be adopted sons are gay, I've added another boy to the family, at least temporarily, and I've fallen in love with a soon-to-be ex-cop who was almost killed yesterday afternoon while doing his job and we're going to get married as soon as we can. No, I think that brings us up to date on all the important stuff. Can you guys think of anything I might have forgotten?" I asked, looking at the boys. "No, dad, I think you pretty much covered all of it," Alex snickered. "Wait, you forgot about our birthday!" Joey exclaimed. "Oh, right, that." I turned back to mom and dad and added, "Joey and Alex's birthday is coming up March 13 and we're going to do something small that night at home and have a bigger party with some of their friends from school on the Saturday after. I'd really like it if you could come out for one of them." "Oh, I don't know. That's a lot to absorb in such a short time, son," mom replied. "You understand it will take us time to accept all this, don't you?" "Of course, I do. I'm just hopeful that someday, in to the not-too-distant future, you will actually accept me for who I am and be happy for me. That's all I'm asking. For the first time, in a very long time, I'm truly happy with who I am and I know how I want to spend the rest of my life." "We'll try, son, we really will. We'll always love you, you know that," mom said. "Sure, I do. And I hope, in time, you'll love my entire family as much as you do me." I looked at my watch and added, "Well, I hate to cut this visit short, but we still have to get food for home and we need to get back and check on Tom. He's probably sleeping, but I still worry about him." "Of course, you do, son. Just like we've worried about you over the years." "Come on, boys, say your goodbyes and let's get rolling." The boys got up and each took their turn giving mom and dad hugs. I noticed mom was giving real, squeezy hugs back and dad was actually trying. I think I saw mom give Andy an extra squeeze before she let him go and I was going to have to ask him what she whispered in his ear. When I made the decision leaving Tom's apartment, I wasn't sure if coming here today and confronting my parents like this was a good idea or not, but, overall, it went better than I thought it would. At least they didn't kick me out when I told them about Tom and me getting married. Maybe you can teach old dogs new tricks. Once out the door, the boys ran to the car laughing and playing and hopped in. I turned back to mom and dad and said, "I'm sorry Tom wasn't able to come in with us this afternoon and meet you, but he really wasn't up to going out. I hope you'll come out to the house soon so you can meet him." "We'll see, son," dad replied. "Be careful out there, son, and remember, we love you," mom added. "I love you both, too. We'll see you later." On that final note, I turned and fairly floated to the car with joy in my heart at what I thought might be the ice-cold hearts harbored in my parent's bodies finally melting, even if just a little bit. After leaving mom and dad's, we headed to Walmart to eat some lunch and do our shopping. I found out what each boy wanted to eat from the McDonald's and had them find a table while I waited for our order. I managed to get our drink cups before our food and had Joey and Alex get everybody's drinks. Once I was seated and the food was passed out, I asked Andy what my mom had whispered in his ear during his hug. "Oh, that? She just said she was sorry for everything I'd been through and was hoping everything got better for me." "And has it? Gotten better, that is." "You bet. You got a great house and we all get along real good," he answered looking at the other four, from whom he received nods of agreement. "I really like the not wearin' clothes part," he giggled. "That's great, Andy. I'm glad you're happy with us. Now, Joey, I need to ask, what possessed you to ask dad the question you did?" "I overheard you telling Tom about your mom and dad and their reaction to you being gay. I knew they wouldn't be willing to accept you two getting married, so I just wanted to give him something to think about." "And what, exactly, were you hoping to accomplish?" "I was hoping that maybe he'd see that if those other ideas of marriage were no longer right, maybe he could make room in his mind for a new version." "And just how do you know about those other ideas of marriage?" "The only book the Mueller's would ever let us read at home was the Bible. They got one for us not too long after we got there and I've read it a lot in the last four years. Mostly out of boredom." "What about you, Alex, did you read it, too?" "Nah, I started to once, but I couldn't stand it. You couldn't pay me enough to actually read the whole thing." "Okay, back to you, Joey. What did you think about what you read?" "Some of it wasn't too bad, you know, being good, doing the right thing, helping other people, but other parts almost sound like science fiction. Talking snakes and burning bushes, parting seas, creating the earth in 6 days, giant floods, blah, blah, blah. How does anybody believe in that junk?" "I don't know, son, but there are a lot of people who do." "Well, after reading the thing several times, I think you either believe it all and follow it the way it's written, or you don't believe any of it and just be a good person. I don't think it's right to pick and choose just the parts you like and think are right `cause what's right for you may not be right for someone else." "I agree with you, son, 100%. Tell me, how did you get so smart about such things at your age." "Well, the Mueller's wouldn't let us play what they thought were silly games or watch much TV, so I've had the last four years to read and think about a lot of things. I've also read a lot of books at school that are for the older kids and I learned a lot from those, too. I like to read and the Mueller's couldn't stop what they didn't know about." "Okay, glad to hear I've got a brainiac in the family. Now, I have a question for all of you." "What is it dad," T.J. asked. "Last night, after you saw Tom's head, Alex asked if you guys could get your hair cut so you'd look like him. Do you really want to do that or was it just a flip question?" "You'd really let us?" Alex asked. "Why not? It's only hair, it'll grow back." "Cool, let's go." We cleaned up our table and dumped the trash, then headed across the front of the store to the hair salon. "Yes, sir, how can I help you today?" asked a chipper little blond with Amy on her nametag. "Hi, I have five boys who all want a very special haircut. If I show you a picture of what they want, do you think you could recreate it?" "Probably, we work off pictures all the time." I retrieved my phone from my pocket and pulled up the picture I had taken of Tom's head this morning. "That's pretty gnarly, what happened to him?" I gave a brief description of how Tom got hurt and added, "The boys want to get their hair done like his as a show of love and support. Think you can do it?" "I'll sure try. Let's get one done and make sure you like the results before I get another stylist to help with the others. Who wants to go first?" Alex raised his hand. "C'mon, little dude, hop in the chair." Alex wasted no time settling in and getting ready for his new hair style. Amy got to work and after about 30 minutes working with clippers and a razor, and referring to the picture a few times, had a look that was pretty close to the real thing. "I think that's about as close as I can get, sir. What do you think?" "Looks good to me, Amy, what do you guys think?" "Oh, yeah, she nailed it." Joey said. "I'm next," he added as he swapped places with Alex. Amy got another stylist working on T.J., using Alex as an example to follow. With Joey and T.J. taken care of, it was Mike and Andy's turn in the chairs. While the last two were getting a new hairstyle, Alex tugged on my shirt sleeve and asked, "Dad, what are we gonna' do about the stitches? I think it'd look really cool if we added them, too." "I'll ask Amy and see what she thinks we might be able to do. Short of getting real stitches, of course." "Hey, don't get all crazy on us here. Don't get me wrong, we love Tom, too, but not to the point of getting real stitches." I laughed and asked Amy the question. "Well, gee, I don't know. I don't have anything here that would do the trick. Maybe in the makeup area, you could maybe find something and draw them on? That'd my best guess." "That's a good idea, Amy. Thanks, we'll check over there." With all five haircuts completed, I paid the total with a generous tip for both stylists and we headed to the makeup department to find something I could use to draw stitches on the sides of the boys' heads. I found a clerk in the area, explained what I was looking for and asked her if she could recommend something that would do the trick. After just a few moments and more than a few giggles, she directed me to an eyeliner pencil that could be sharpened to a fine tip and I picked up several since I didn't know how long the boys would want stitches drawn on their heads. That task completed, we headed to the grocery department to restore our food supplies. As we made our way across the store, we had to pass the books and electronics area and I was inundated with requests to get some more movies. I allowed each of the boys to pick two movies they wanted and tossed them all in the cart. We finally got to the groceries and quickly filled the cart with what we needed. One thing I noticed as we moved through the store was the funny looks the boys were receiving from other shoppers due to their new haircuts. The boys, however, seemed oblivious to the stares and pointing fingers as they were busy chattering amongst themselves. After checking out and paying what seemed like a king's ransom for our food and movies, we headed to the car. Joey and Alex helped me load our purchases into the car while the other three climbed in the back seat and got buckled. While I stashed our cart in the corral, Joey and Alex joined the others and before pulling out I asked, "Have we forgotten anything or anyone." "I don't think so, dad," Joey answered. "Can we make one more stop?" Andy asked. "Sure thing, Andy, where?" "I thought we might get some doughnuts for Uncle Tom." "That's a grand idea, Andy. The Mel-O-Creams are all closed today, but there's that new Krispy Kreme and it's kinda on the way home. How about we swing by and we'll get some for all of us?" All of them cheered at that suggestion, so we left Walmart to pick up some doughnuts. When we got to the Krispy Kreme, I let the boys pick out what they wanted and got several extras for Tom and myself, then we loaded back in the car and headed for home. Once we arrived, we quietly unloaded the car and, with the boys helping, put everything away. There was no sign of Tom, so I assumed he was still in bed, asleep. Once everything was stashed, I had the boys sit on the stools at the bar counter and opened one of the makeup pencils. After sharpening the tip, I proceeded to draw 28 stitches on each shaved head, re-sharpening the pencil as needed. Once completed, the boys ran to their rooms to check themselves out in the mirrors in their bathrooms. While they did that, I went to check on Tom. I found him sleeping soundly, cover kicked off and his beautiful body fully exposed. I quietly closed and locked the door, then crept to the bed where I knelt on the floor and wrapped a hand around his six-inch flaccid cock. In just a few strokes, he began to become erect and was very quickly at full mast. Having attained my desired result, I slowly lowered my head over his groin and took the mushroom head into my mouth, swirling my tongue all around. Tom started to move around a bit but I could tell by his mostly relaxed state that he was still asleep. How anybody could sleep through getting their dick sucked remains a mystery to me, but he somehow managed to do just that. After just a few minutes of stimulation, I was rewarded for my efforts when I felt his body stiffen as his orgasm took over and he deposited his sweet milk of life in my hungry mouth. I went to the bathroom to get a drink of water, then returned to the bed and sat on the edge of the mattress. I gently brushed Tom's forehead several times which slowly roused him from his deep slumber. It amazes me that a brush on the forehead would wake him up, but a blowjob wouldn't. When his eyes were fully open and focusing, I said, "Good morning, er, afternoon, sleeping beauty. How ya' feeling?" "Pretty good, I guess, considering the options. Been having some wild ass dreams, though. Must be the painkillers." "Do you remember any of them?" I grinned. "The last one I clearly remember was getting my dick sucked." "That was no dream and it wasn't the drugs, big guy, that was real." "Holy shit! I can't believe I slept through that. Hell of a nice way to wake up. Feel free to wake me up that way any time, okay?" "You got it. You feel like getting up and joining the human race for a while?" "Yeah, much as I love this bed and the person I share it with, my back's starting to ache a bit. I need to get up and sit or stand for a while." I stood, took his hand and helped him into a sitting position with his feet on the floor. "It actually feels good to sit up. What makes it even better is I'm not feeling dizzy anymore." "How's your head feeling," I asked as I got undressed. "Not too bad. It itches pretty bad but I'm afraid to scratch it." "Let's get that bandage off and put some more ointment on it. That might help." "Sounds good to me. I want to look in the mirror and see what the old melon looks like, anyway." I stood in front of him and started to gently remove the tape holding the bandage in place. While I did that, I felt one of Tom's hands cup my balls and the other wrap around my still semi-hard cock. He started to gently stroke me to full erection and once that was accomplished, he swallowed me all the way to my bare pubic mound. I had to stop working on his head and put my hands on his shoulders to help me stay on my feet. I had been close to my own release while pleasuring him and it didn't take him long to return me to that point. I practically wilted as Tom swallowed my offering. When he pulled his mouth off my softening penis and licked his lips, I sat next him to recover some steadiness in my legs before I went back to work on his head. "Dammit, Tom, I need to concentrate on what I'm doin' so I don't hurt you." "You're complaining? There's some gratitude for ya'." "Not complaining about getting sucked, just taking my mind off the task at hand. Can we finish this so you can join the rest of us?" "Thought I just did," he chuckled. "I'd smack you if you weren't hurt already, smartass." Having regained the strength in my legs, I stood again to finish removing his bandage and carefully put some more cream on it, leaving the bandage off to let some fresh air to the area and hopefully reduce the itching further. "Does that feel better? Still itching?" "Much better, thanks. Now, I want a mirror to see what it looks like." "Right this way." I led him to bathroom and stood back. "Damn, that's ugly," he said as he turned his head to get a better look. "Could've been a lot worse, though, so I guess I can live with it. Don't have much choice, really, do I?" "I'm just glad you're still alive so you can see it yourself." "Yeah, me too." "Can we join the boys now? They have something to show you." "What?" "I'm not ruining the surprise, you'll just have to wait." We headed out to search for the boys and after a quick tour of the house, we finally found them in the theater, watching one of their new movies. Fortunately, when we walked through the door, we could only see the right side of their heads that was unchanged from this morning. I walked Tom to the end of the row of occupied chairs and said, "Hey guys, look who decided to join the rest of the family." The boys turned and when they saw Tom, jumped out their chairs to give him hugs. When he could finally see the left sides of their heads, I saw his eyes filling with tears. "What the heck did you guys do to your heads?" "We didn't want you thinkin' you were going through this alone," Joey said. "Yeah, like dad said, we're all in this together," Alex added. "You realize you have to go to school like this now, don't you? It's not gonna' grow back overnight." "That's okay, Uncle Tom," T.J. said, "we don't care." "And what if someone asks you why your hair is all screwed up?" "I know what I'll say," started Andy, "I'll tell `em my new Uncle Tom got hurt savin' me from a bad man and I'm showin' him how much I love him for it." Tom turned away from the boys so they wouldn't see the tears running down his cheeks. It was a wasted movement, though, as they all knew he was crying. "Don't cry Uncle Tom," Mike said. "You saved my friend and that's `xactly what I'll say, too." "You guys are too much, you know that, don't you? Thank you for doing this. I'll always remember it. Max, we have to get a picture of them like this. Maybe all of us together." "We can sure do that, Tom." I turned back to the boys and asked, "Why don't you guys keep watching the movie for a bit? I need to tell Tom where we went today." Tom gave me a funny look as I took his hand in mine and led him to our chairs by the fireplace. "So, where'd you go?" he asked after we'd sat down. "Well, we'd just finished getting the things at your apartment and... Oh, that reminds me, Harry, the manager, came out as we were about to leave and we talked a bit. First, he wanted me to tell you he's sorry you got hurt, but he's glad you'll be okay and he hopes you get better fast. Second, I let him know that you'd moved in with us." "I forgotten I planned to do that today. What did he have to say about that?" "He was sorry you were moving, thought it was nice to have a cop living in the complex." "Did he tell you how much I was gonna' owe for breakin' my lease." "Nothing." "But I got two more months before the lease ends. According to the terms, that's two months' rent I should owe." "He said to forget it. You were a great tenant and have a good reason for moving out. He also said that as long as the cleaning and repairs were minimal, he'd refund your security deposit and the rent you've already paid for March." "Oh, man, that's a load off my mind. At 1200 bucks a month, I was looking at owing another $2400. And now, instead of having to pay that much, I'm gonna' get almost that much back? I always knew I liked Harry, now I know why. Did he say anything about me getting the rest of my things?" "I told him we'd try to get everything by next Sunday and if it didn't look like you'd be up to dealing with it yourself, I'd hire some movers to go pack it all up and bring it out here." "You don't have to do that, Max." "I know I don't have to, I want to. I'd rather pay someone else to do it than try to move it ourselves. They can get it all in one trip, where we'd have to rent a trailer and still make several trips. It'll be much easier to have someone do it for us." "Guess that makes sense. I hadn't given it that much thought yet. Okay, now that that problem's resolved, where else did you go that you don't want to tell me about." "Right, that. Last night when I came to bed, I decided that I wasn't going to waste any more days of my life on negative bullshit, so, after we left your place, I decided to go see my mom and dad." "No shit?" "No shit. There's been too much happening in my life to just leave them out of the loop to stew with their ancient thinking." "How'd that go?" "Better than I expected, actually. They didn't kick us out like I thought they would. Mom loved the boys, thought they were all just too cute." "She's not wrong, you know, they are all cute as hell." "I know. They were both surprised at there being a fifth boy, but not as surprised as when I told them about us getting married." "Oh, my god, Max, you're serious about not wasting any more days, aren't you?" "Damn right I am. After everybody was in bed last night, I kinda broke down and had a little crying fit while sitting by the fireplace. I can't stand the thought of losing any one of you, not after it taking me so long to figure my life out. And after almost doing just that yesterday, I decided that I'm really going to start living my own life and to hell with what the rest of the world thinks. They either accept us as we are or they can go fuck themselves." "Well, okay, then. I'm glad and I'm with you 100%. Well, maybe only 70 or 75% right now, but give my head time to heal, and I'll be back at 100%." "Speaking of your head, is it feeling better now?" "The itching has stopped, thank god. For now, anyway. And thanks for not putting a new bandage on when you put the cream on it, that's helping a lot. And the throbbing has gone from full blown jackhammer to a small rubber mallet, also. It still looks like hell, though, and I noticed some bruising developing when I looked in the mirror." "I'm glad you're feeling better. And don't worry about how you look. You're still beautiful to me." "I find that hard to believe, but thanks for trying to make me feel better. Did you make the boys do that to their heads?" "Nope, not my idea. Don't you remember?" "Not really. Everything yesterday, after the bullet bouncing off my skull, is just a bit fuzzy." "Last night, when I changed your bandage before putting you to bed, Alex said he thought your hair looked cool and asked if they could get their hair done the same way so they looked like you. Then, when we were having lunch today, I asked if he was serious and when they all said they were, our next stop was the haircut place at Walmart. I showed them the picture I took of your head this morning and they took it from there. None of the boys hesitated a bit." "And what about the stitches? How'd that come about?" "Again, Alex. After he was sporting the `Tom Wright Special' and the last two were getting theirs done, he asked me about how we could do it. With a little help from a clerk in the makeup department, we found an eyeliner pencil that can be sharpened to a point fine enough to draw lines to look like stitches. I figured that would be better than using a permanent marker. Alex said that while they loved you, he wasn't quite ready to get real stitches for you," I laughed. "Oh, man, that's funny," he chuckled. "I love that kid." "You're gonna' love Joey even more." "What'd he do?" "At mom and dad's, while they were still getting over the initial shock of us getting married, he asked dad why he believed two men getting married was wrong. Dad, of course, spouted the same old bullshit about it being against what the bible says about one man, one woman, yadda, yadda, yadda. Joey then asked if that was the same bible that said marriage could be between one man and many women, or a rapist and his victim, and a couple of other examples. I could see the old man's blood pressure rising with every word. He tried to blow that off as times and people change and Joey threw it right back at him, that maybe it was time, again, for people to change." "Oh, man, bet that went over just great." "Actually, dad was pretty calm about it, despite being called out by an eight-year old. Joey certainly gave him something to think about." "Good for him. I'm glad he's willing to stand up for what he feels is right." "Me, too, I guess. He's a brave kiddo." The boys picked that moment to come charging out of the theater. "Movie's over, I take it." "Yeah, can we go swimming, dad?" T.J. asked. "Sure thing, get your towels and I'll grab the key." They took off down the hall to their rooms and I looked at Tom, "You gonna' join us?" "I don't think so, Max. I might be feeling better, but I'm not quite up to the noise level out there. I'd be feeling that jackhammer making a return engagement in no time." "No problems, Tom. I assumed as much. Why don't you grab a book and hang out here by the fireplace? When we're done, I'll get supper going." "Thanks, Max. I'll do that." The boys were back with their towels and I still had to get my own and grab the shelter key. I headed to the bedroom, got what I needed and rejoined the boys by the glass doors to the pool. "You need anything, Tom, send up a flare and I'll come running." "I'll be fine, get outta' here." The boys and I headed on out to the pool and, as usual, as soon as I opened the shelter door, 5 sets of pearly white buns flashed by me, towels were tossed on the table and 5 huge splashes occurred as they jumped in the pool. Since I was the lone supervisor today, I was instantly mugged by all five when I walked down the steps into the water. I hated to admit it to myself, but I was starting to really enjoy having the boys crawl all over me and feeling their hard, little peckers rubbing all over my body. At one point, Joey wrapped his arms around my neck and his legs around my waist and I could feel his stiff three-inch poker stabbing me in the belly. He relaxed his neck grip just enough to allow his body to slide down mine until my inflated penis was snugly nestled in his rear cleft and his was sandwiched between us, pressing obscenely into my bare pubis. I looked into his eyes and saw nothing but deliberation reflected back at me. That and his wicked grin told me he knew exactly what he was doing and what he wanted. I leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "No, this can't happen." "Why not? It sure feels like you're enjoying it and I know I am," he whispered back as he wiggled his tight little ass over my cock and his hard pecker around my groin. "It just can't," I repeated as I gently pried his arms from around my neck and peeled the horny youngster off me. I really didn't want to, but I knew I couldn't allow this to continue or I was going to step over a serious line from which there was no return. I slowly retreated to deeper waters to be alone with my thoughts and as I looked back towards the boys, I could see Joey whispering something to a wide-eyed Alex. I knew that what Joey was pushing was supposed to be wrong, but why was I suddenly thinking that maybe it wasn't. Sure, he's only eight, soon to be nine, but didn't I want the same thing at his age? Damn right I did, but I knew better than to ask my old man for something like that. I had some hard thinking to do and I sure as hell needed to talk to Tom about this latest development. I let them play for another 30 minutes, then had Mike work with the boys on their swimming for 30 more minutes as I'd promised him. By the time the hour had passed, I could see they were starting to tire and my hands had long ago turned into prunes. I climbed out of the pool and as I walked towards my towel, I called the boys to let them know it was time for showers and to get ready for supper. I watched as they climbed the steps and made their way to the towels on the table where I was already drying off and noticed that every one of them was sporting an erection. As the boys headed to their bathrooms to rinse off the pool water, I checked on Tom and, finding he was doing fine, headed to my own shower to do some serious thinking.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 33</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <p><span>I have created a Tumblr site with pictures of what the story's main characters look like in my mind. If you would like to see them, they can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://enderwiggin61.tumblr.com/">https://enderwiggin61.tumblr.com/</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc477431752"><span>Chapter 33 – It's a New Day</span></a></h2> <p><span>Despite being worn out from yesterday's events, I woke early Sunday morning, still curled up with Tom in my arms. I carefully pulled my arm from under his head, hoping I wouldn't wake him. I figured he would probably spend most of the day in bed and I pulled the blinds over the windows so the sun wouldn't blind him if and when he did wake up. After washing my face and hands, I headed to the kitchen to start a breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage. I also pulled out the toaster so it would be ready to go if anybody wanted toast.</span></p> <p><span>Next, it was time to wake the boys and get them moving. My first stop was to roust T.J., Mike and Andy, who I found curled together under the covers in the middle of the bed, T.J. holding Mike, who was in turn holding Andy. I gently shook T.J.'s shoulder to wake him and let him know breakfast would be ready soon. "Okay, dad, we'll be there," he answered as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned. </span></p> <p><span>Next to wake was Joey and Alex, and I found them tangled in their regular pretzel, covers kicked off and beautiful young bodies exposed. I gave Alex a quick tickle in the ribs to get him moving and he woke his brother as he untangled himself. "Breakfast soon, boys, let's get a move on." Both were grumping as they headed to the bathroom, morning erections pointing the way, much like a compass pointing the proper direction to travel.</span></p> <p><span>I headed back to the kitchen to continue cooking and discovered Tom moving slowly down the hallway, holding one hand to the wall to help steady himself. </span></p> <p><span>"Hey, babe, what are you doing up? I was gonna' let you sleep."</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't think you'd appreciate having to change a wet bed this morning, so I got up to go to the bathroom and smelled bacon. I may look and feel like I've been hit by a truck, but I ain't passing up bacon."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, here, let me help you." I took his arm and helped him get to the table and seated in his chair without falling over. "You need anything? Drink, pain pill?"</span></p> <p><span>"A glass of milk sounds good Max. Don't think my head's quite ready for a jolt of caffeine this morning. Let's hold off on the pill until after we eat."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, be right back." I gave the eggs a quick stir, flipped the bacon and sausage, then poured a glass of milk and took it back to him. The boys started to straggle in and I put them to work setting the table after they'd had a chance to say good morning to Tom. With, the table set and the food ready, we sat down to eat. </span></p> <p><span>"How ya' feeling this morning?" I asked Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"Like shit," he grumbled as he munched a strip of bacon.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm guessing you're not up to going out today, are you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not by a longshot, Max. I'm going back to bed as soon as I'm done eating. You got something planned?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, that's fine, Tom. I need to make a run to the store and get restock our food supplies. The pantry's starting to look pretty bare. Thought I'd take these noisemakers with me so you could have some peace and quiet to relax."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine. I know we need more food. Guess we're gonna have to skip getting things from my apartment today, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell you what, if you give me a list of the things you want and the key, we can still get some of it. It's not out of the way or anything."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure you don't mind?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it, the boys will be happy to help, won't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet," T.J. answered with nods from the others.</span></p> <p><span>"That's settled, then. Get your list together while we're getting ready and we'll take care of it, Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, guys, appreciate it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll need to change your bandage and put some more ointment on your head before we go. Then I'll make sure you have water and your pain pills close by if you need any while we're gone, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'll be fine. I don't see me moving much today except for the occasional trip to the bathroom."</span></p> <p><span>We finished our breakfast and the boys got the table cleaned up while I took care of the rest of the mess. That completed, I got pen and paper for Tom to make his list, then headed to the bedroom to get dressed while the boys did the same. Returning to the kitchen, I grabbed the bag of supplies to change Tom's bandage. While I had the bandage off, Alex's question from last night popped in my head, so I grabbed my phone and quickly took a picture of the side of Tom's head.</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell was that for?" he asked after hearing the phone click.</span></p> <p><span>"Posterity. I don't ever want to forget this."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I do, but whatever boats your float. So much for wishing it was all a dream. More like my worst freakin' nightmare come true."</span></p> <p><span>"Remember what </span><span>Nietzsche said, Tom, `That which does not kill us makes us stronger'."</span></p> <p><span>"If that's really true, I must be Atlas or Samson by now."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't know if I'd go quite that far. Maybe the Incredible Hulk, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that's cold, Max," he retorted as we both chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>I applied the cream and a new bandage, then sat down with Tom so he could go over his list and let me know where everything could be found. The boys returned just as we finished that and they were ready to roll, so I walked to the bedroom with Tom to make sure he didn't fall and ensured water and his medicine were close by if he needed them. Once Tom was settled and comfortable, the boys and I loaded into the car and took off for our shopping trip. I didn't much like the idea of leaving him alone, but I couldn't deny the fact we needed food.</span></p> <p><span>When we got to Tom's apartment, I put the boys to work locating the things on Tom's list and getting everything in the boxes we'd brought with us. I was impressed with the amount of care they took in collecting the items and bringing them to me to box up. With everything packed, we each grabbed a box and headed down the stairs to load them into the car. Just as I was closing the tailgate, I noticed a man walking across the lot towards us.</span></p> <p><span>"Boy's, go ahead and hop in the car and get buckled. This guy looks like he wants to talk to me."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, there, I don't recognize you or that car. You wanna' tell me who you are what you're doing here," the man called from ten feet away.</span></p> <p><span>"That depends on who you are."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm Harry, the manager of the complex," he responded while his extending his hand for a shake.</span></p> <p><span>I took his hand and gave him a quick shake. "In that case, Harry, my name is Max Sanders and I came to pick up some of fiancé's things."</span></p> <p><span>"And who might that be?"</span></p> <p><span>"Tom Wright, he lives, or I guess I should say lived, in 216."</span></p> <p><span>"Where's he at? I ain't seen him all week."</span></p> <p><span>"That's no big surprise since he pretty much moved in with us last Sunday. I don't think he's been back here since, except to pick up a few things."</span></p> <p><span>"He hasn't told me he's moving out."</span></p> <p><span>"He'd planned to that today, sorry."</span></p> <p><span>"Too bad about him movin' out, it was kinda nice havin' a cop live here. It sure helped in keeping it quiet around here. Why isn't he here with you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"He got hurt on the job yesterday and wasn't up to coming with us to pick up a few things he needs."</span></p> <p><span>"He got hurt? What happened?"</span></p> <p><span>"He was trying to arrest someone and got shot for his efforts."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, that's too bad, hope he's gonna' be okay."</span></p> <p><span>"He'll be fine in little while. It was just a graze, but it still took 28 stitches to put his head back together."</span></p> <p><span>"Son-of-a..., 28 stitches, huh. Glad to hear it was just a graze, but I bet it still hurt like hell. Any idea when he'll have the place emptied out? No rush, mind you, I just like to keep on top of things. And he's already paid his rent for next month, so he's got plenty of time. I just need to get an ad in the paper to re-rent it and want to know how soon I should think about doing that." </span></p> <p><span>"Hopefully by next weekend. It all depends on when he thinks he can handle it. If we can't get to it ourselves by then, I'll arrange to have a moving crew come in to pack up all his things and bring them out to our home."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, Max. If you end up going with the movers, all I ask is a phone call to let me know when they'll be coming."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll make sure we do that, Harry. Now, if you don't mind, I want to ask about his lease, when does it end and will there be any charges for him breaking the lease?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's got two more months after the next on his lease. Normally, I'd stick it to someone who breaks their lease, but since he was such a great tenant and he's got a good reason to move, I'll let it slide for him. It's not like he's tryin' to skip out, is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all, we've just had a very busy week and with him getting hurt, it kinda messed things up today. Thanks for being so good about it. I appreciate it and I know he will, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it. After you get everything out, I'll check the place over and as long as there's no major cleanup or repairs to do, I'll refund his overpaid rent and deposit, too. Why don't you give me your address so I can mail it to him once we have everything settled?" I gave Harry the address and phone number and he wrote it all on the back of one of his own business cards. "Here's one of my cards for you. You need anything, just let me know."</span></p> <p><span>"I will, thanks Harry. I hope to see you next weekend." </span></p> <p><span>"Y'all take care and take care of Tom, too. I sucks he got hurt, but I'm glad he'll be okay."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll let him know you asked about him and wished him a speedy recovery. Thanks again."</span></p> <p><span>I hopped in the car and we took off. I had another stop I decided to make before we went shopping. After driving across town, I pulled up in front of a non-descript grey clapboard house in one of the older subdivisions in town. As I got out of the car, I said, "Come on, boys, I've got someone you need to meet."</span></p> <p><span>"Who is it, dad?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You'll see. Patience, young man."</span></p> <p><span>When we were all on the wide front porch, boys standing behind me to keep them hidden, I rang the bell, hoping the occupants were home since I hadn't called ahead to warn them I was coming. The inside door opened and I leaned over, peeking through the storm door to see who had answered the doorbell.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, mom, how ya' doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max, what are you doing here? Why didn't you call?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, some things have come up that I didn't want to tell you over the phone or have you hear from someone else, so, here I am. Actually, I should say, here <i>we</i> are. Boys, step out here and say hi to my mom."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Mrs. Sanders," Joey cheerfully started.</span></p> <p><span>"How are you today, Mrs. Sanders?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Sanders," T.J. added.</span></p> <p><span>"Are you gonna' be our new grandma?" Mike wanted to know.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, there," squeaked Andy.</span></p> <p><span>"Can we come in?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, you can. Despite everything else, you're still our son, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks," I said as I opened the storm door. "Is dad here, too?" I asked as I entered the house where I'd grown up and spent the first 19 years of my life.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'll go get him. Go ahead and have a seat."</span></p> <p><span>I took a quick glance around and realized nothing much had changed since the last time I was here to give them the news I was gay. I had the boys sit on the couch and then took the chair at the end so we were all lined up when mom came back with dad in tow.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, dad, how are you?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Above ground and taking sustenance," he answered. "What are you doing here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Like I told mom, there've been some new developments since we talked last Sunday and I wanted you to hear it all from me and not someone else. Also, despite what I said last week, I want you to meet your soon-to-be grandsons. Starting on this end, we have Alex, Mike, Andy, T.J., and Joey." I pointed to each as I said their name and they each gave a little wave to mom and dad.</span></p> <p><span>"That's five boys. I thought you said it was four."</span></p> <p><span>"It was, Andy's a new addition as of yesterday afternoon. I don't know if I'll be adopting him yet, but we're hoping."</span></p> <p><span>"They're all so cute, Max," mom gushed. "How did you all get so dang cute?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just lucky, I guess, Mrs. Sanders," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Please, don't call me that, it makes me feel old. Not that grandmother or grandma would make me feel any younger. How about, Mama? Does that sound okay, boys?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, Mama," answered T.J. "What should we call Mr. Sanders?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not answering for him. Jim, what's your preference?"</span></p> <p><span>"If you're gonna' be Mama, then I guess I should be Papa."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Papa," Mike giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, give them a hug." All five got up, gave mom and dad hugs, then sat back on the couch while mom and dad took their chairs by the fireplace. "Andy is one of the new developments I mentioned. He was at our yesterday with a couple other boys, visiting Mike, when the man living with his mom was arrested and another man at his home was killed."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that's horrible. What happened?" </span></p> <p><span>I related yesterday's events and the surprise in my mom's face grew with each new detail. </span></p> <p><span>"That's why we're not sure how long Andy will be with us. If his mom's not in jail and gets her house in order, he can go back to live with her. If she goes to jail, then I don't know what's going to happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm glad you're keeping him safe from those monsters," mom said.</span></p> <p><span>"I feel like there's more you're not telling us just yet, son," dad commented.</span></p> <p><span>"There is. I told you about the deputy who got hurt during the arrest. Well, he's not just a deputy, he's my fiancé, also. We're getting married." Mom's hand flew to mouth in an attempt to cover her gasp of surprise and dad just shook his head. "He's at home resting and recovering from his injury."</span></p> <p><span>"When did that happen? You two deciding to get married?" mom wanted to know.</span></p> <p><span>"Yesterday morning, shortly before he left to help with the arrest."</span></p> <p><span>"And the five of you don't have a problem with that?" dad asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Why would we?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We think it's great," T.J. started, "They love each other, why shouldn't they get married."</span></p> <p><span>"Because they're both men," dad answered.</span></p> <p><span>"So? Why is that a problem?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We think it's wrong, just like a lot of other people do."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we think you're wrong, Papa," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"I guess that's your right."</span></p> <p><span>"When is that gonna' happen, Max?" mom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We haven't had a chance to set a date, but after all that happened yesterday, as soon as we can. I've waited too long already to get married and I don't want to wait any longer than I have to. I'm hoping you two will be willing to attend the event and the party afterward at our house."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll have to think about it, son," dad replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Papa, can I ask you a question?"</span></p> <p><span>"Go ahead, Joey, or are you Alex? It's kinda hard to tell which is which."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm Joey," he giggled. "I hope you won't get mad at me for asking, but why do you think it's wrong for two men to get married?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because the Bible says so. It clearly states that marriage is a sacred covenant between one man and one woman."</span></p> <p><span>"Is that the same bible that also says marriage can also be between one man and more than one woman, or a man and his brother's widow, or a rapist and his victim, or what about between a soldier and his prisoner?" I sat there, dumbfounded at the question and noticed my father squirming uncomfortably as he listened to Joey.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yes," dad stuttered, "I suppose the Bible does say those things, also, but we don't believe in those definitions of marriage anymore."</span></p> <p><span>"If they're in the Bible, and you believe and follow what it says, why don't you believe in them, also?" Joey pressed.</span></p> <p><span>"Because times change, people change, morals change."</span></p> <p><span>"Couldn't this be one of those times, maybe, for another change? For the world to be more accepting and loving?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can't answer that right now, young man," dad finally replied after what looked like seriously painful thought.</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right," Joey said, "It's just something to think about. Thanks for letting me ask."</span></p> <p><span>I looked at young Joey with a new respect. He had managed to do something I had so far been unable to accomplish, make my father actually think about why he believed what he did, and I was impressed. He might have a problem being something of potty mouth, but his brain was obviously working on a much higher plane of consciousness than mine was.</span></p> <p><span>"Was there any other news you wanted to dump on us today?" dad asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's see, I'm still gay," I started, as I ticked off each point by raising my fingers, "at least three and possibly four of my soon-to-be adopted sons are gay, I've added another boy to the family, at least temporarily, and I've fallen in love with a soon-to-be ex-cop who was almost killed yesterday afternoon while doing his job and we're going to get married as soon as we can. No, I think that brings us up to date on all the important stuff. Can you guys think of anything I might have forgotten?" I asked, looking at the boys.</span></p> <p><span>"No, dad, I think you pretty much covered all of it," Alex snickered.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, you forgot about our birthday!" Joey exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, right, that." I turned back to mom and dad and added, "Joey and Alex's birthday is coming up March 13 and we're going to do something small that night at home and have a bigger party with some of their friends from school on the Saturday after. I'd really like it if you could come out for one of them."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I don't know. That's a lot to absorb in such a short time, son," mom replied. "You understand it will take us time to accept all this, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I do. I'm just hopeful that someday, in to the not-too-distant future, you will actually accept me for who I am and be happy for me. That's all I'm asking. For the first time, in a very long time, I'm truly happy with who I am and I know how I want to spend the rest of my life."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll try, son, we really will. We'll always love you, you know that," mom said.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, I do. And I hope, in time, you'll love my entire family as much as you do me." I looked at my watch and added, "Well, I hate to cut this visit short, but we still have to get food for home and we need to get back and check on Tom. He's probably sleeping, but I still worry about him." </span></p> <p><span>"Of course, you do, son. Just like we've worried about you over the years."</span></p> <p><span>"Come on, boys, say your goodbyes and let's get rolling." The boys got up and each took their turn giving mom and dad hugs. I noticed mom was giving real, squeezy hugs back and dad was actually trying. I think I saw mom give Andy an extra squeeze before she let him go and I was going to have to ask him what she whispered in his ear. When I made the decision leaving Tom's apartment, I wasn't sure if coming here today and confronting my parents like this was a good idea or not, but, overall, it went better than I thought it would. At least they didn't kick me out when I told them about Tom and me getting married. Maybe you <i>can</i> teach old dogs new tricks.</span></p> <p><span>Once out the door, the boys ran to the car laughing and playing and hopped in. I turned back to mom and dad and said, "I'm sorry Tom wasn't able to come in with us this afternoon and meet you, but he really wasn't up to going out. I hope you'll come out to the house soon so you can meet him."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see, son," dad replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Be careful out there, son, and remember, we love you," mom added.</span></p> <p><span>"I love you both, too. We'll see you later." On that final note, I turned and fairly floated to the car with joy in my heart at what I thought might be the ice-cold hearts harbored in my parent's bodies finally melting, even if just a little bit. After leaving mom and dad's, we headed to Walmart to eat some lunch and do our shopping. I found out what each boy wanted to eat from the McDonald's and had them find a table while I waited for our order. I managed to get our drink cups before our food and had Joey and Alex get everybody's drinks.</span></p> <p><span>Once I was seated and the food was passed out, I asked Andy what my mom had whispered in his ear during his hug.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that? She just said she was sorry for everything I'd been through and was hoping everything got better for me."</span></p> <p><span>"And has it? Gotten better, that is."</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. You got a great house and we all get along real good," he answered looking at the other four, from whom he received nods of agreement. "I really like the not wearin' clothes part," he giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, Andy. I'm glad you're happy with us. Now, Joey, I need to ask, what possessed you to ask dad the question you did?"</span></p> <p><span>"I overheard you telling Tom about your mom and dad and their reaction to you being gay. I knew they wouldn't be willing to accept you two getting married, so I just wanted to give him something to think about."</span></p> <p><span>"And what, exactly, were you hoping to accomplish?"</span></p> <p><span>"I was hoping that maybe he'd see that if those other ideas of marriage were no longer right, maybe he could make room in his mind for a new version."</span></p> <p><span>"And just how do you know about those other ideas of marriage?"</span></p> <p><span>"The only book the Mueller's would ever let us read at home was the Bible. They got one for us not too long after we got there and I've read it a lot in the last four years. Mostly out of boredom."</span></p> <p><span>"What about you, Alex, did you read it, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, I started to once, but I couldn't stand it. You couldn't pay me enough to actually read the whole thing."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, back to you, Joey. What did you think about what you read?"</span></p> <p><span>"Some of it wasn't too bad, you know, being good, doing the right thing, helping other people, but other parts almost sound like science fiction. Talking snakes and burning bushes, parting seas, creating the earth in 6 days, giant floods, blah, blah, blah. How does anybody believe in that junk?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, son, but there are a lot of people who do."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, after reading the thing several times, I think you either believe it all and follow it the way it's written, or you don't believe any of it and just be a good person. I don't think it's right to pick and choose just the parts you like and think are right `cause what's right for you may not be right for someone else."</span></p> <p><span>"I agree with you, son, 100%. Tell me, how did you get so smart about such things at your age."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the Mueller's wouldn't let us play what they thought were silly games or watch much TV, so I've had the last four years to read and think about a lot of things. I've also read a lot of books at school that are for the older kids and I learned a lot from those, too. I like to read and the Mueller's couldn't stop what they didn't know about."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, glad to hear I've got a brainiac in the family. Now, I have a question for all of you."</span></p> <p><span>"What is it dad," T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Last night, after you saw Tom's head, Alex asked if you guys could get your hair cut so you'd look like him. Do you really want to do that or was it just a flip question?"</span></p> <p><span>"You'd really let us?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Why not? It's only hair, it'll grow back."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, let's go." We cleaned up our table and dumped the trash, then headed across the front of the store to the hair salon.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir, how can I help you today?" asked a chipper little blond with Amy on her nametag.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, I have five boys who all want a very special haircut. If I show you a picture of what they want, do you think you could recreate it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably, we work off pictures all the time." I retrieved my phone from my pocket and pulled up the picture I had taken of Tom's head this morning.</span></p> <p><span>"That's pretty gnarly, what happened to him?" </span></p> <p><span>I gave a brief description of how Tom got hurt and added, "The boys want to get their hair done like his as a show of love and support. Think you can do it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll sure try. Let's get one done and make sure you like the results before I get another stylist to help with the others. Who wants to go first?" Alex raised his hand. "C'mon, little dude, hop in the chair."</span></p> <p><span>Alex wasted no time settling in and getting ready for his new hair style. Amy got to work and after about 30 minutes working with clippers and a razor, and referring to the picture a few times, had a look that was pretty close to the real thing.</span></p> <p><span>"I think that's about as close as I can get, sir. What do you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Looks good to me, Amy, what do you guys think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, she nailed it." Joey said. "I'm next," he added as he swapped places with Alex. Amy got another stylist working on T.J., using Alex as an example to follow. With Joey and T.J. taken care of, it was Mike and Andy's turn in the chairs. </span></p> <p><span>While the last two were getting a new hairstyle, Alex tugged on my shirt sleeve and asked, "Dad, what are we gonna' do about the stitches? I think it'd look really cool if we added them, too."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll ask Amy and see what she thinks we might be able to do. Short of getting real stitches, of course."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, don't get all crazy on us here. Don't get me wrong, we love Tom, too, but not to the point of getting real stitches." I laughed and asked Amy the question.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, gee, I don't know. I don't have anything here that would do the trick. Maybe in the makeup area, you could maybe find something and draw them on? That'd my best guess."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good idea, Amy. Thanks, we'll check over there."</span></p> <p><span>With all five haircuts completed, I paid the total with a generous tip for both stylists and we headed to the makeup department to find something I could use to draw stitches on the sides of the boys' heads. I found a clerk in the area, explained what I was looking for and asked her if she could recommend something that would do the trick. After just a few moments and more than a few giggles, she directed me to an eyeliner pencil that could be sharpened to a fine tip and I picked up several since I didn't know how long the boys would want stitches drawn on their heads.</span></p> <p><span>That task completed, we headed to the grocery department to restore our food supplies. As we made our way across the store, we had to pass the books and electronics area and I was inundated with requests to get some more movies. I allowed each of the boys to pick two movies they wanted and tossed them all in the cart. We finally got to the groceries and quickly filled the cart with what we needed. One thing I noticed as we moved through the store was the funny looks the boys were receiving from other shoppers due to their new haircuts. The boys, however, seemed oblivious to the stares and pointing fingers as they were busy chattering amongst themselves.</span></p> <p><span>After checking out and paying what seemed like a king's ransom for our food and movies, we headed to the car. Joey and Alex helped me load our purchases into the car while the other three climbed in the back seat and got buckled. While I stashed our cart in the corral, Joey and Alex joined the others and before pulling out I asked, "Have we forgotten anything or anyone."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think so, dad," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Can we make one more stop?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Andy, where?"</span></p> <p><span>"I thought we might get some doughnuts for Uncle Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a grand idea, Andy. The Mel-O-Creams are all closed today, but there's that new Krispy Kreme and it's kinda on the way home. How about we swing by and we'll get some for all of us?" All of them cheered at that suggestion, so we left Walmart to pick up some doughnuts. When we got to the Krispy Kreme, I let the boys pick out what they wanted and got several extras for Tom and myself, then we loaded back in the car and headed for home.</span></p> <p><span>Once we arrived, we quietly unloaded the car and, with the boys helping, put everything away. There was no sign of Tom, so I assumed he was still in bed, asleep. Once everything was stashed, I had the boys sit on the stools at the bar counter and opened one of the makeup pencils. After sharpening the tip, I proceeded to draw 28 stitches on each shaved head, re-sharpening the pencil as needed. Once completed, the boys ran to their rooms to check themselves out in the mirrors in their bathrooms. While they did that, I went to check on Tom.</span></p> <p><span>I found him sleeping soundly, cover kicked off and his beautiful body fully exposed. I quietly closed and locked the door, then crept to the bed where I knelt on the floor and wrapped a hand around his six-inch flaccid cock. In just a few strokes, he began to become erect and was very quickly at full mast. Having attained my desired result, I slowly lowered my head over his groin and took the mushroom head into my mouth, swirling my tongue all around. Tom started to move around a bit but I could tell by his mostly relaxed state that he was still asleep. How anybody could sleep through getting their dick sucked remains a mystery to me, but he somehow managed to do just that. After just a few minutes of stimulation, I was rewarded for my efforts when I felt his body stiffen as his orgasm took over and he deposited his sweet milk of life in my hungry mouth.</span></p> <p><span>I went to the bathroom to get a drink of water, then returned to the bed and sat on the edge of the mattress. I gently brushed Tom's forehead several times which slowly roused him from his deep slumber. It amazes me that a brush on the forehead would wake him up, but a blowjob wouldn't. When his eyes were fully open and focusing, I said, "Good morning, er, afternoon, sleeping beauty. How ya' feeling?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty good, I guess, considering the options. Been having some wild ass dreams, though. Must be the painkillers."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you remember any of them?" I grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"The last one I clearly remember was getting my dick sucked."</span></p> <p><span>"That was no dream and it wasn't the drugs, big guy, that was real."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy shit! I can't believe I slept through that. Hell of a nice way to wake up. Feel free to wake me up that way any time, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"You got it. You feel like getting up and joining the human race for a while?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, much as I love this bed and the person I share it with, my back's starting to ache a bit. I need to get up and sit or stand for a while." I stood, took his hand and helped him into a sitting position with his feet on the floor. "It actually feels good to sit up. What makes it even better is I'm not feeling dizzy anymore."</span></p> <p><span>"How's your head feeling," I asked as I got undressed.</span></p> <p><span>"Not too bad. It itches pretty bad but I'm afraid to scratch it."</span></p> <p><span>"Let's get that bandage off and put some more ointment on it. That might help."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to me. I want to look in the mirror and see what the old melon looks like, anyway." I stood in front of him and started to gently remove the tape holding the bandage in place. While I did that, I felt one of Tom's hands cup my balls and the other wrap around my still semi-hard cock. He started to gently stroke me to full erection and once that was accomplished, he swallowed me all the way to my bare pubic mound. I had to stop working on his head and put my hands on his shoulders to help me stay on my feet. I had been close to my own release while pleasuring him and it didn't take him long to return me to that point. I practically wilted as Tom swallowed my offering. When he pulled his mouth off my softening penis and licked his lips, I sat next him to recover some steadiness in my legs before I went back to work on his head. </span></p> <p><span>"Dammit, Tom, I need to concentrate on what I'm doin' so I don't hurt you."</span></p> <p><span>"You're complaining? There's some gratitude for ya'."</span></p> <p><span>"Not complaining about getting sucked, just taking my mind off the task at hand. Can we finish this so you can join the rest of us?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thought I just did," he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"I'd smack you if you weren't hurt already, smartass." Having regained the strength in my legs, I stood again to finish removing his bandage and carefully put some more cream on it, leaving the bandage off to let some fresh air to the area and hopefully reduce the itching further. "Does that feel better? Still itching?"</span></p> <p><span>"Much better, thanks. Now, I want a mirror to see what it looks like."</span></p> <p><span>"Right this way." I led him to bathroom and stood back.</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, that's ugly," he said as he turned his head to get a better look. "Could've been a lot worse, though, so I guess I can live with it. Don't have much choice, really, do I?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just glad you're still alive so you can see it yourself."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, me too."</span></p> <p><span>"Can we join the boys now? They have something to show you."</span></p> <p><span>"What?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not ruining the surprise, you'll just have to wait." We headed out to search for the boys and after a quick tour of the house, we finally found them in the theater, watching one of their new movies. Fortunately, when we walked through the door, we could only see the right side of their heads that was unchanged from this morning. I walked Tom to the end of the row of occupied chairs and said, "Hey guys, look who decided to join the rest of the family."</span></p> <p><span>The boys turned and when they saw Tom, jumped out their chairs to give him hugs. When he could finally see the left sides of their heads, I saw his eyes filling with tears. "What the heck did you guys do to your heads?"</span></p> <p><span>"We didn't want you thinkin' you were going through this alone," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, like dad said, we're all in this together," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"You realize you have to go to school like this now, don't you? It's not gonna' grow back overnight."</span></p> <p><span>"That's okay, Uncle Tom," T.J. said, "we don't care."</span></p> <p><span>"And what if someone asks you why your hair is all screwed up?"</span></p> <p><span>"I know what I'll say," started Andy, "I'll tell `em my new Uncle Tom got hurt savin' me from a bad man and I'm showin' him how much I love him for it."</span></p> <p><span>Tom turned away from the boys so they wouldn't see the tears running down his cheeks. It was a wasted movement, though, as they all knew he was crying.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't cry Uncle Tom," Mike said. "You saved my friend and that's `xactly what I'll say, too."</span></p> <p><span>"You guys are too much, you know that, don't you? Thank you for doing this. I'll always remember it. Max, we have to get a picture of them like this. Maybe all of us together."</span></p> <p><span>"We can sure do that, Tom." I turned back to the boys and asked, "Why don't you guys keep watching the movie for a bit? I need to tell Tom where we went today." Tom gave me a funny look as I took his hand in mine and led him to our chairs by the fireplace. </span></p> <p><span>"So, where'd you go?" he asked after we'd sat down.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we'd just finished getting the things at your apartment and... Oh, that reminds me, Harry, the manager, came out as we were about to leave and we talked a bit. First, he wanted me to tell you he's sorry you got hurt, but he's glad you'll be okay and he hopes you get better fast. Second, I let him know that you'd moved in with us."</span></p> <p><span>"I forgotten I planned to do that today. What did he have to say about that?"</span></p> <p><span>"He was sorry you were moving, thought it was nice to have a cop living in the complex."</span></p> <p><span>"Did he tell you how much I was gonna' owe for breakin' my lease."</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing."</span></p> <p><span>"But I got two more months before the lease ends. According to the terms, that's two months' rent I should owe."</span></p> <p><span>"He said to forget it. You were a great tenant and have a good reason for moving out. He also said that as long as the cleaning and repairs were minimal, he'd refund your security deposit and the rent you've already paid for March."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, that's a load off my mind. At 1200 bucks a month, I was looking at owing another $2400. And now, instead of having to pay that much, I'm gonna' get almost that much back? I always knew I liked Harry, now I know why. Did he say anything about me getting the rest of my things?"</span></p> <p><span>"I told him we'd try to get everything by next Sunday and if it didn't look like you'd be up to dealing with it yourself, I'd hire some movers to go pack it all up and bring it out here."</span></p> <p><span>"You don't have to do that, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"I know I don't <i>have</i> to, I <i>want</i> to. I'd rather pay someone else to do it than try to move it ourselves. They can get it all in one trip, where we'd have to rent a trailer and still make several trips. It'll be much easier to have someone do it for us."</span></p> <p><span>"Guess that makes sense. I hadn't given it that much thought yet. Okay, now that that problem's resolved, where else did you go that you don't want to tell me about."</span></p> <p><span>"Right, that. Last night when I came to bed, I decided that I wasn't going to waste any more days of my life on negative bullshit, so, after we left your place, I decided to go see my mom and dad."</span></p> <p><span>"No shit?"</span></p> <p><span>"No shit. There's been too much happening in my life to just leave them out of the loop to stew with their ancient thinking."</span></p> <p><span>"How'd that go?"</span></p> <p><span>"Better than I expected, actually. They didn't kick us out like I thought they would. Mom loved the boys, thought they were all just too cute."</span></p> <p><span>"She's not wrong, you know, they are all cute as hell."</span></p> <p><span>"I know. They were both surprised at there being a fifth boy, but not as surprised as when I told them about us getting married."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my god, Max, you're serious about not wasting any more days, aren't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right I am. After everybody was in bed last night, I kinda broke down and had a little crying fit while sitting by the fireplace. I can't stand the thought of losing any one of you, not after it taking me so long to figure my life out. And after almost doing just that yesterday, I decided that I'm really going to start living my own life and to hell with what the rest of the world thinks. They either accept us as we are or they can go fuck themselves."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay, then. I'm glad and I'm with you 100%. Well, maybe only 70 or 75% right now, but give my head time to heal, and I'll be back at 100%."</span></p> <p><span>"Speaking of your head, is it feeling better now?"</span></p> <p><span>"The itching has stopped, thank god. For now, anyway. And thanks for not putting a new bandage on when you put the cream on it, that's helping a lot. And the throbbing has gone from full blown jackhammer to a small rubber mallet, also. It still looks like hell, though, and I noticed some bruising developing when I looked in the mirror."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad you're feeling better. And don't worry about how you look. You're still beautiful to me."</span></p> <p><span>"I find that hard to believe, but thanks for trying to make me feel better. Did you make the boys do that to their heads?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, not my idea. Don't you remember?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really. Everything yesterday, after the bullet bouncing off my skull, is just a bit fuzzy."</span></p> <p><span>"Last night, when I changed your bandage before putting you to bed, Alex said he thought your hair looked cool and asked if they could get their hair done the same way so they looked like you. Then, when we were having lunch today, I asked if he was serious and when they all said they were, our next stop was the haircut place at Walmart. I showed them the picture I took of your head this morning and they took it from there. None of the boys hesitated a bit."</span></p> <p><span>"And what about the stitches? How'd that come about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Again, Alex. After he was sporting the `Tom Wright Special' and the last two were getting theirs done, he asked me about how we could do it. With a little help from a clerk in the makeup department, we found an eyeliner pencil that can be sharpened to a point fine enough to draw lines to look like stitches. I figured that would be better than using a permanent marker. Alex said that while they loved you, he wasn't quite ready to get real stitches for you," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, that's funny," he chuckled. "I love that kid."</span></p> <p><span>"You're gonna' love Joey even more."</span></p> <p><span>"What'd he do?"</span></p> <p><span>"At mom and dad's, while they were still getting over the initial shock of us getting married, he asked dad why he believed two men getting married was wrong. Dad, of course, spouted the same old bullshit about it being against what the bible says about one man, one woman, yadda, yadda, yadda. Joey then asked if that was the same bible that said marriage could be between one man and many women, or a rapist and his victim, and a couple of other examples. I could see the old man's blood pressure rising with every word. He tried to blow that off as times and people change and Joey threw it right back at him, that maybe it was time, again, for people to change."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, bet that went over just great."</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, dad was pretty calm about it, despite being called out by an eight-year old. Joey certainly gave him something to think about."</span></p> <p><span>"Good for him. I'm glad he's willing to stand up for what he feels is right."</span></p> <p><span>"Me, too, I guess. He's a brave kiddo." The boys picked that moment to come charging out of the theater. "Movie's over, I take it."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, can we go swimming, dad?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, get your towels and I'll grab the key." They took off down the hall to their rooms and I looked at Tom, "You gonna' join us?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think so, Max. I might be feeling better, but I'm not quite up to the noise level out there. I'd be feeling that jackhammer making a return engagement in no time."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, Tom. I assumed as much. Why don't you grab a book and hang out here by the fireplace? When we're done, I'll get supper going."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max. I'll do that."</span></p> <p><span>The boys were back with their towels and I still had to get my own and grab the shelter key. I headed to the bedroom, got what I needed and rejoined the boys by the glass doors to the pool. "You need anything, Tom, send up a flare and I'll come running."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be fine, get outta' here."</span></p> <p><span>The boys and I headed on out to the pool and, as usual, as soon as I opened the shelter door, 5 sets of pearly white buns flashed by me, towels were tossed on the table and 5 huge splashes occurred as they jumped in the pool. Since I was the lone supervisor today, I was instantly mugged by all five when I walked down the steps into the water. I hated to admit it to myself, but I was starting to really enjoy having the boys crawl all over me and feeling their hard, little peckers rubbing all over my body. At one point, Joey wrapped his arms around my neck and his legs around my waist and I could feel his stiff three-inch poker stabbing me in the belly. He relaxed his neck grip just enough to allow his body to slide down mine until my inflated penis was snugly nestled in his rear cleft and his was sandwiched between us, pressing obscenely into my bare pubis. I looked into his eyes and saw nothing but deliberation reflected back at me. That and his wicked grin told me he knew exactly what he was doing and what he wanted. </span></p> <p><span>I leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "No, this can't happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Why not? It sure feels like you're enjoying it and I know I am," he whispered back as he wiggled his tight little ass over my cock and his hard pecker around my groin.</span></p> <p><span>"It just can't," I repeated as I gently pried his arms from around my neck and peeled the horny youngster off me. I really didn't want to, but I knew I couldn't allow this to continue or I was going to step over a serious line from which there was no return. I slowly retreated to deeper waters to be alone with my thoughts and as I looked back towards the boys, I could see Joey whispering something to a wide-eyed Alex. I knew that what Joey was pushing was supposed to be wrong, but why was I suddenly thinking that maybe it wasn't. Sure, he's only eight, soon to be nine, but didn't I want the same thing at his age? Damn right I did, but I knew better than to ask my old man for something like that. I had some hard thinking to do and I sure as hell needed to talk to Tom about this latest development.</span></p> <p><span>I let them play for another 30 minutes, then had Mike work with the boys on their swimming for 30 more minutes as I'd promised him. By the time the hour had passed, I could see they were starting to tire and my hands had long ago turned into prunes. I climbed out of the pool and as I walked towards my towel, I called the boys to let them know it was time for showers and to get ready for supper. I watched as they climbed the steps and made their way to the towels on the table where I was already drying off and noticed that every one of them was sporting an erection. </span></p> <p><span>As the boys headed to their bathrooms to rinse off the pool water, I checked on Tom and, finding he was doing fine, headed to my own shower to do some serious thinking.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-84.html

Building a Family Chapter 84 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 84 – Mikey Spills his Guts Monday morning began like almost every other day at the zoo. Tom and I crawled out of bed, visited the bathroom to take care of our regular early morning needs, then we headed out to see who else was moving about. As we emerged from the hallway into the kitchen, we found Ron busy fixing a simple breakfast of cereal, toast, and fruit. The boys, as usual, were lined up on their stools at the bar counter and heckling the young man as they liked to do. And though they were relentlessly teasing Ron, they were noticeably staying away from certain words, replacing them with slightly more acceptable terms. Perhaps our talk yesterday had actually had the desired effect. While I was hopeful that would be the case, I wasn't going to hold my breath. "Boys, if you don't start bein' nicer to Ron, he's gonna feed ya nothin' but the worst glop you could imagine," Tom commented in greeting. "But, Dad," T.J. started with a bit of a whine, "if we didn't pick on Ron at least a little bit, he'd think we didn't love him no more." Before my caffeine-deprived brain could begin to formulate a proper thought to add some reinforcement to Tom's greeting, Ron retorted, "If that's the way you demons show love for someone, I don't think I wanna see how you talk to someone you don't." "No, you really don't, dude," Joey responded flatly, receiving a round of giggles from the rest of the lineup at the counter. Ron quickly turned to face us and added, "We're good, guys." "Glad to hear it, Ron," I replied. "But if they get out of control and take it too far, just let us know and we'll give those reins a quick yank, again, see if we can't pull them up short." "Geez, we ain't horses, Dad," Logan moaned. "Really?" I asked in mock surprise. "The way you six stampede through the house and down food like a pack of wild mustangs, positive there's not gonna be any more tomorrow, ya sure coulda fooled me." "Well, ya put it like that, maybe we are," Logan drawled. "C'mon guys, let's ride!" the munchkin cried out with wild abandon as all six hopped off their stools and proceeded to prove my point as they galloped through the house from the kitchen to the garage and back through the theater before taking their places at the counter again, snorting and chuffing from their exertions, wide grins of mischief filling their faces. "I think the plates for the new Flex are right on the money, babe," Tom chuckled, changing the subject. "You had any doubts about that?" I asked. "Not really," he agreed with a smirk. Ron finally had the boys lined up with their breakfast selections and they wasted no time in shoving their faces into their feed troughs. The three adults left the herd at the counter as we adjourned to the dining room for our simple meal, away from the crazy and animalistic antics of the six-pack. As we took our seats, I asked, "Are you really okay with them talking to you like they were, Ron? Some of that could be considered bullying and abusive." "It's fine, Max, really," Ron replied. "They're boys, what do you expect? I wasn't that much different from them when I was their age, so no harm, no foul in my book." "As long as you're sure. We really don't want them to get in the habit of talking to others like that." "Trust me, if I think they go too far, I'll deal with it. I'm a big boy now, Dad," he added with a fair amount of sarcasm. "Obviously, but if you want us to deal with it, just let us know." I then turned my attention to Tom and asked, "You ready to get started with your day?" "You bet. I think Carol's supposed to have some more checks for us to start working on, so I'm anxious to get into those. Right after I call that place in Normal about you-know-who?" I was suddenly confused as to why Tom was seemingly speaking in riddles. Right up to the point when he silently mouthed `William' to me and that old five-watt bulb rattling around in my otherwise empty skull flickered back to life and I nodded in acknowledgement when I finally got it. "Any idea when Dylan's gonna be here?" Ron asked. "Should be anytime, now," Tom answered. "He seems to enjoy getting his breakfast out here." "Lunch and supper, too," Ron laughed. "Though he'll probably be sorely disappointed at this morning's meager offerings." "Well, now that you mention it, I have noticed that," I agreed with a chuckle. "You may have to start docking his pay to make up for all the free meals he's gettin', hon." "Hell, he'd probably end up owin' us at the end of the month with all he packs away." "Can't be any more than those six rugrats in the kitchen," Ron laughed, and we joined him in the moment of comic relief. "I think I've bought more snack-type food for them in the past couple of weeks than I have in my entire life before I moved in here." Just as we were about to finish up, the front door cracked open and Dylan called out, "Hope y'all left room for some Mel-O-Cream!" The boys flew off their stools to begin their daily mugging of the big guy as he struggled to join us in the dining room. When he finally made it, he set two boxes of doughnuts in the middle of the table and added, "Help yourself, guys." Before we knew what hit us, the boys had both boxes opened and had absconded with half of the two-dozen tasty treats, returning to their barstools to continue chowing down. "Jesus, Tom, don't you ever feed them kids?" Dylan asked with a chuckle. "Only all day, every day," Tom retorted. "Mornin' partner. Thanks for the doughnuts. I've been missin' my regular stop there since I'm not in town every mornin' like I used to be." He then promptly snagged a caramel-iced cinnamon roll, took a bite and leaned back in his chair looking like he'd just taken a bite of ambrosia fit for a king. "No sweat, man. I was kinda jonesin' for some, too. Figured I better bring enough to share, though." "You got that right," Ron agreed. "Those boys woulda gnawed you to the bone if you didn't bring enough for them, too." "I'm cool with that as long as they don't think they can gnaw on the bone," Dylan laughed as he started to pull his shirt off. While I had a snappy comeback for him, I just shook my head and kept it to myself. "So, what's on the docket today, boss?" he added as he dropped his shorts, took a chair and grabbed a white-iced long john from the selection the boys had left us. "Carol's supposed to have some more background checks for us, so we'll see what comes in. I have to make some other calls this morning, then I'm taking the afternoon off to go to Lincoln's tomb with Max and the munchkins." "That sounds like fun. After the week we had in Dexter, you deserve to spend a little quality time with the family. Have fun." "We should," I replied before taking a bite of the glazed old-fashioned doughnut I'd picked from the box. "The boys thought the tomb was pretty impressive when we passed by it on the way to Barry's burial and I promised them we'd go back soon. With Logan being gone last week, this is really the first chance we've had to make it so." "How're Malcom and Damon doing?" Ron asked. "They're great. Since they already had plans for the weekend to see a play at ISU, I went up to spend the weekend there. Good thing Malcom was able to get me a ticket for the show or I'da been stuck in his apartment all by myself Saturday night." "What show did you guys see?" Tom queried. "Somethin' I'd never heard of before Saturday night, `Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad'. It was a bit of a farce, but we all had a great time." "How's Damon's mom doin', you know, whatshername?" I asked. "Oh, yeah, Mia," Dylan frowned with disgust. "I actually got to meet her when she showed up Sunday afternoon to pick up Damon. And no longer than she was there, I could tell she's not playin' with a full deck." "What's Malcom gonna do?" Tom asked. Dylan turned to look into the kitchen to make sure the boys were still there and otherwise occupied before turning back to us and whispering, "He's already done it. He saw his attorney on Tuesday, and they've initiated a change of custody request to the court in Bloomington. He figures if he can get her in front of a judge, he or she will see the shape she's in, decide she's got no business tryin' to raise an almost teenager son, and grant the request. We've all got our fingers and toes crossed hopin' it turns out the way we want, Damon included." "So, Damon knows?" I asked in surprise. "He should since it was his idea in the first place," Dylan chuckled. "Wow, that's a bit of a surprise," Tom muttered. "Not really," Dylan disagreed. "Not once you get to know the kid better, anyway. Damon loves his mom, but he feels he's really in danger with her current state of mind. And after seeing how she is first-hand, I can't say I disagree with him. If that whackadoodle was my mom, I'd be scared shitless of what she might do next." "Hey, you can't say words like that!" Andy exclaimed as the herd joined us. "Yeah, you're bein' a bad zample for us," Mike added. Ron, Tom and I all laughed while Dylan's face flooded with a look of confusion. "Sorry, Dylan," I said as I began my explanation, "we had a little chat with the boys yesterday about them cleaning up their language and we promised to do the same to provide a better example for them to follow." "Well, excu-u-u-u-se me," the big guy chuckled. "Now that I know the rules, I'll try to do better, too." "You better, Uncle Dylan," T.J. offered. "We'd hate to see you get in trouble with Dad and Pops. Wearin' clothes ain't no fun." "No, you're right, it isn't. Good thing I get to work out here with your Pops, isn't it? Say, how'd your little ghost hunt go Saturday afternoon?" "Unreal," Alex answered. "Yeah, we all actually saw Sammy," Joey added. "You can't be serious!" Dylan exclaimed. That was all it took for the herd to hijack the next thirty minutes of our conversation as they told Dylan all about our weekend adventures, leaving no stone unturned. To say he was stunned at our encounter with Sammy would be a major understatement. Add in T.J.'s conversation with Charlie and you could see Dylan was in awe of the three mind-readers and their mental abilities. When the boys finally ran dry, Dylan sat back in his chair and stared blankly towards the ceiling. He finally broke his silence when he turned to T.J. and said, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm sorry I didn't go with you guys. I would have paid dang near anything to see that happen." "Hey, it's your own fault," Joey giggled. "Yeah, we asked you to go with us several times," Alex added. "I know," Dylan murmured. "Next time a ghost finds you, T.J., you better not let me talk myself out of joining the hunt." "I'll do my best, Uncle Dylan, but I can't help it if you're nothin' but a big chicken." Logan quickly added the clucking of a chicken to further rub in the humiliation. "Yeah, thanks for that you little smart-as..., uh, alecks. Move along now, munchkins, we have work to do," Dylan retorted. "Do we hafta, Dad?" Mike asked. "Yes, please. Pops and Uncle Dylan have work to deal with and I need to make some phone calls. Do you think you can entertain yourselves for a little while?" I asked. "Sure, Dads. We're gonna read our books. Let us know when it's time to get ready to go to town," Alex responded. As the crew turned for their rooms to retrieve their books, I asked Ron if he'd be willing to read with Mike and Andy, and he said he'd be happy to do so. With the rest of the crew occupied for a while, Tom and Dylan turned for their office to attack their day and I settled in my study to make my phone calls. The first was to Harry to make sure it would be okay for us to come up for a visit tomorrow. With his resounding approval and making sure I had his address, the second call was to the FBO at the airport to ensure the plane would be ready for takeoff at nine in the morning. I also asked them to file our flight plans for the day, accounting for eleven souls on board, and also arrange for Tony to pick us up at the airport about ten. I wanted to make the trip an early one so we could be back home in time to prepare for T.J.'s birthday party on Wednesday. Feeling good about having Tuesday mapped out, I called Justine to finalize arrangements for T.J.'s party, giving her the number of guests we were expecting and the menu for the big day. She was a bit surprised the party was happening Wednesday since the last time we'd talked about it, we'd settled on the Saturday after. The change made complete sense to Justine once I explained the boys were not in school this week due to spring break. Fortunately, we got lucky she had nothing else planned and was able to make the adjustment in her schedule without creating any conflicts. With Justine taken care of, I called Jason's office to verify my Thursday morning appointment with him and ensure he remembered my intention to go back to the church that day to confront my past and see the hellhole where my life had been derailed for so many years. Tim let me know that he had already talked to Derek about meeting us at the church and he would be there about eleven-thirty with the keys to grant us access. He also warned me we would have to wear gloves and booties since it was still considered a crime scene. I thought about that for about five seconds before deciding that was a small price I was more than willing to pay to have the chance to permanently slam the door shut on that part of my life and move on. With all that settled, I called Monica and Rick about Brent, Eric and Josh joining us for our trip to visit Harry. Monica sounded like she'd be glad to have Brent out from under her feet for a day and she promised to have him here by eight in the morning so we could make it to the airport on time. Rick was already at work for the day, but Eric was enthusiastic about the opportunity to see Harry again, and told me he'd have his dad call back as soon as he got home later in the afternoon. With all those calls out of the way, I started my last one to LeVar to see what, if any, plans he had for coming back to take care of those interviews he wanted to do with us. Now that we'd agreed to be involved in his projects about our family and the Jake Franklin movies, I was anxious to get started on both. Nervous as hell, but still anxious. "Burton Productions," the receptionist answered cheerily. "How may I direct your call?" "Good morning," I replied. "I'd like to speak with Mr. Burton, please." "May I tell him who's calling, please?" she asked. "Max Sanders." "Well, good morning, Mr. Sanders. It's a pleasure to meet you, such as it is," she added with a little giggle. "You and your family have been the major topic of conversations around the office these past few weeks. I'd like to welcome you to our little group and say how much we all look forward to working with you." "Well, thanks, I think," I muttered, somewhat surprised at being fodder for their gossip grist mill. "Is Mr. Burton available?" "It's LeVar, Mr. Sanders, remember that. He hates when people call him `mister anything'. One moment and I'll connect you." The call switched over to music on hold for less than ten seconds when it suddenly went away and LeVar came on the line with, "Morning, Max. How're you and the rest of the family doing?" "We're great, LeVar. How about yourself?" "I can't complain, thanks for asking. Not that anybody around here listens or cares when I do," he added with a chuckle. "So, what can I do for you today?" "Well, we were just wondering if you had any thoughts on when you might be coming back to do those interviews you talked about." "As a matter of fact, we do. We were thinking about coming to Illinois next week to spend several days with you and your family. I figured we could spend the days talking with the adults and deal with the boys' interviews during the evenings after they get home from school. How does that sound?" "I think we'd all be good with that," I answered. "What day would you arrive?" "We'll fly in Tuesday afternoon so we can start our interviews first thing Wednesday morning. I figure three or four days to get everything we need, then come back home on Saturday, maybe Sunday, depending on how things go." "Sounds good to me. I'll make sure everyone here knows what to expect and when they should be here, just to make sure this goes as smoothly as possible." "Perfect, Max. I'll send you an e-mail later this week with a bit of a schedule of who we'd like to talk to and when. And just to make sure we don't miss anybody, I've got you, Tom and your boys, of course, your parents and Tom's, and I believe you mentioned you have a sister and brother-in-law, too. Does that sound like everyone we'd want to talk to?" "Well, there's also Ron, the guy we've hired who lives with us. I can't think of anybody else at the moment, but you may find others you want to talk to after everybody else." "Ah, didn't know about him. He must have shown up after I was there. As for anyone else, I guess we'll find the answer to that question when we're done with the immediate family. Maybe we should allow a few extra days to deal with them." "I'll leave that to you, LeVar. It's your show." "No, Max, it's your show. Yours and your family's. I'm just the guy who's going to share it with the rest of the world." "Gee, thanks for reminding me. You better stop talking like that or I just might change my mind," I laughed. "Too late for that, buddy. You already signed the contracts, remember?" LeVar retorted. "Oh, yeah, there is that minor detail, I guess. Well, we'll look forward to seeing you and your people next week, then. I'll make sure Ron has plenty of food on hand so nobody goes hungry." "Sounds like a plan to me, Max. Oh, I have one more quick question before we hang up." "What's that?" "Will these interviews be, um, clothing optional?" "I'll leave that up to you," I replied with a chuckle. "If you think your folks won't be too put out or offended by us not wearing clothes, I believe you'll get more honest answers to your questions. As to what you and your group do, again, that's something only you can decide." "Well, you can be sure I'll be joining the family in true comfort while we're there. Don't know what the others on my team will think or say about that, but I really don't give a damn, either," LeVar laughed. "Whatever boats your float, LeVar. We'll see you next week." "Looking forward to it, Max. Tell all the guys I said hi." "I'll do that." I hung up the phone and leaned back in my chair. I almost laughed out loud at LeVar's quick and enthusiastic acceptance of the nudist lifestyle but internalized my mirth. After getting myself back under control, I headed across the house to relay the results of all my calls to Tom. Crossing the entryway, I spotted Ron and the boys all comfortably lounging by the fireplace, noses stuck in their books. I was feeling pretty good about the scene as I know a lot of kids hate to read, and being an author, I truly think that's a shame. There are so many worlds out there to explore through reading, the possibilities are almost endless. I received some waves of the hand as I passed the very relaxed crew and turned down the hallway. On reaching the sleuths' office, I lightly rapped on the closed door. After receiving a muffled `c'mon in' from the other side, I stepped inside and quietly closed the door so our conversation couldn't be easily overheard. "So, how's it goin' in here?" I asked as Tom and Dylan looked up from their desks. "Not too badly," Tom answered. "Carol has seven more background checks for us to deal with and Dylan's been working on them while I made a few calls. How'd all your calls go?" "Excellent," I answered before continuing to give the duo a rundown on each. When I finished, I added, "LeVar will probably want to talk to Carol or Anna, too, I suppose." "I bet he'll want to talk to me, too," Dylan commented. Tom and I both glared at him in surprise before he continued. "Don't you two look at me like that. I am working here on a daily basis, aren't I? `Sides, since you guys are my brothers, I'm part of the family, aren't I? Malcom and Damon, too. And boy, oh boy, do we have some juicy secrets to share," he added with an evil and hearty guffaw while rubbing his hands together like a mad scientist about to awaken his latest creation. "Hadn't considered that," Tom replied flatly, gazing blankly at Dylan. He then turned to me and asked warily, but with a wink, "Is it too late to call the whole thing off?" Tom never saw the hand coming that smacked the back of his head and I could do nothing but laugh. "Hey, what the hell, man?" he squawked as he turned back around to face his abuser while rubbing the back of his head. "That's what happens when you speak ill of family," Dylan replied calmly. "So, how'd your calls go, hon?" I interjected to disrupt the bickering. "Yeah, that," Tom replied morosely. "It wasn't easy, but I finally got the detention center to agree to a weekend pass." "Why was it so hard?" I asked with curiosity. "Well, I figured I ought to talk to William's case worker first and I had to call Carol to get his number. Once I had Pete on the phone, he gave me some more background on the kid and let me tell you, he's a piece of work, all right." "Uh, what's that mean?" I queried with serious concern. "He's skipped so much school, they basically have him listed as a dropout. Seems he's out way more days than he's in. Then add in multiple shoplifting charges and vandalizing the school, he's in a fair amount of trouble with the authorities in both Bloomington and Normal." "Any ideas on why he's still in the system?" "Not really. Of course, Pete couldn't tell me too much of William's history due to privacy rules, but, apparently, he wasn't a very healthy baby and any potential adoptees tended to shy away from him because of their concerns of ongoing medical issues. Whatever health problems he had as a little kid, they seem to have resolved themselves. Pete says William's as healthy as an ox these days and he's proved it every time he's run away from the cops. Seems that when he's properly motivated, the kid can run like the wind. The cops never could catch him in a foot race and would end up just going to his foster home to pick him up." "Jesus, that's pathetic," I muttered. "I'd really hate to see him locked away for the few remaining years of his childhood. He should be out having fun with friends and family, not stuck in some facility for criminals." "Well, with his record, he kinda is a criminal, babe," Tom countered. "Whatever," I fumed. "So, what's it gonna take to spring him from the pokey?" "Well, I'm gonna have to drive up to Normal to pick him up Friday afternoon and then take him back Sunday afternoon." "Why won't they let Malcom bring him down." "When Pete called the juvenile detention center he's in, they initially refused to let him out for anything. He was finally able to sweet-talk the assistant director into it only by promising him that this weekend could be the first step in somebody finally adopting William and taking him off their hands. Of course, that meant they want whoever is going to claim responsibility for him to be the one to pick him up and take him back. I also think they only allowed it because that person is a former cop and they figured if anyone could deal with him, it would be me." "Well, we knew we'd have to jump through some serious hoops to make it happen and I'm glad you're willing to go the extra mile to help William." "He's Logan's brother, of course I'll do whatever it takes." "Glad to hear it, hon. Not a word to Logan about this until you get back from Normal, understood? I don't want to get Logan's hopes up and then have those people change their mind at the last minute about letting William out for a few days." "My lips are sealed, babe." "Mine, too," Dylan added with a smile. "Malcom, Damon and I are looking forward to meeting William. Hope you won't mind some visitors on Saturday." "Nope, you and your family are always welcome here, brother." "Phew, glad to hear it," Dylan retorted with a mock wiping of his brow. "Okay, sounds like everything is set for the week unless Clarence calls with news from Dexter. We'll just have to roll with whatever comes from them. I guess I'll go do some more work on the book for a while. I figured we'd just eat lunch here and head to the tomb afterward. Sound okay to you?" "Yup," Tom agreed. "Now, begone and let us do some real work, will ya?" Despite his command, I didn't leave without first sharing a hug and a kiss with my other half. That done, though, I headed back across the house. As I passed the group in the living room with their books six inches in front of their faces, I suddenly remembered I wanted to have a little chat with Mike about what had happened between us last night. "Hey, Mike, would you come with me for a few minutes?" I asked. "Sure, Dad," he answered as he slowly maneuvered himself off the loveseat, leaving Ron and Andy by themselves. As he headed my direction, he turned back for just a moment and said, "You better not read no more `til I get back. I don't wanna miss nothin'." "We'll wait for you, dudelet," Ron replied with a grin as Mike joined me and I laid a hand on his shoulder. I steered the young lad to my study and on closing the door behind us, I said, "Have a seat, buddy." "What's up, Dad?" he asked as he gingerly climbed into a chair and settled in, still leaning to his left. "Well, first, I wanted to see how your behind was feeling. Is it any better?" "It still hurts like the devil, but it ain't bleedin' no more, so that's cool," Mike answered as he stood up and turned around to show me his backside. "Still looks pretty gnarly, there, buddy," I commented as he gingerly retook his chair. "And, you've got a pretty bad bruise that's even bigger than the area that got scraped up, so I'm not too surprised it hurts. You're gonna be sore for a while." "Yeah, I know, I just hope when we go back to school next week I can sit straight. This leanin' to the side is a pain in the a..., uh, behind," he commented with a little smirk. "I'm sure it is. Sorry, buddy, there's not much I can do to help that." "Yeah, I know," Mike muttered. "I'll be okay." "I don't doubt that one bit, you're one tough cookie. The second thing I wanted to talk about is Wednesday is T.J.'s birthday and I need to find out what you'd like to give him. Once I have a list from all you guys, I'll see if we can get Ron to run out and pick it all up this afternoon while we're visiting Lincoln's tomb." "Gee, I don't know what he'd want so I ain't got a clue." "It doesn't have to be anything major. Maybe a book, a game, a movie, some music, whatever." "Well, when we're in the theater playin' games, he's usually listenin' to some of your music that none of us have ever heard before. Some of it ain't too bad, I guess." "Is there anything or anyone in particular he listens to more than some others?" "Well, he seems to really like this one group o' dudes who called themselves the Beatles. That's a pretty stupid name for a band, but their music was pretty cool, I guess. And what's that other one he listens to a lot? Oh, yeah, Punk Floyd!" he exclaimed as he snapped his fingers. "He seems to really like them, too." I snickered lightly before replying, "Um, I think you mean Pink Floyd. And yes, both groups are good. At least, I think so. Do you really think he'd like to have some CDs of his own?" "Well, duh," Mike retorted. "He keeps playin' yours like he is now, he'll wear the dang things out." "Well, you can't really wear out a CD, kiddo, but I get your drift. I'm sure we can make it happen." "Okay, can I go back to readin' with Ron and Andy?" "Um, not quite yet. I wanted to talk to you about what happened in the shower last night." "Yeah, that was a lot of fun, wasn't it?" Mike grinned happily. "I have to say I enjoyed it. I just want to make sure you were okay with everything that happened." "Hey, you've always said if we wanted somethin', we had to ask for it. And I did. If I didn't want you to play with me like that, I woulda kept my mouth shut." "Yes, I know that, but you've always seemed to be a bit more reluctant than Joey, Alex, and T.J." "Well, yeah, I guess so. But I got reasons, too." "Like what," I pressed. "NO! I don't wanna talk `bout it." I scooted closer and pulled Mike's hands into mine before looking into his eyes and calmly saying, "Listen, there's nothing you could tell me that would surprise or shock me. We've never pushed you to talk about what your life was like before you came to live with us, figuring it was up to you, and that once you were settled in and had gotten comfortable, you might eventually feel like you wanted to unload whatever you're keeping bottled up." Mike's lips quivered in fear, but he didn't look away from me or pull his hands from mine. If anything, he seemed to grip my hands even more tightly. I smoothly added, "If you think you might be ready to let it go, I'm here to support and help you in any way I can. If you feel you're not quite ready, I'll let you go back to your reading and patiently wait for the time when you are." I could see the worry in his eyes as he debated with himself about what he should do. I thought I could see the wall he'd built to hide everything behind slowly crumbling, but until his shoulders sagged in defeat, I wasn't sure what was going to happen next. He finally muttered faintly, "Yeah, all right." "So, what happened," I asked with concern. "Can I say anything and not get in trouble?" he asked with a note of worry filling his trembling words. "Of course, you can, just let it out." "I ain't told nobody none o' this, not even the lady who took me away, but since just beatin' on me didn't work out too well, my real daddy used to fuck me. Like, all the time," he sobbed. I carefully pulled the munchkin into my lap and held him tightly as he continued to cry. Though I knew my words were going to be wholly inadequate to the news I'd just heard, the only thing I could think to say at the moment was, "Oh, Mike, I'm so sorry you had to go through that." We sat there for several minutes with my boy crying softly and me just holding him, trying to silently reassure him that everything would be okay. Since his head was buried in my chest, by the time he'd regained a modicum of control, I was soaking wet down to my navel. I finally pulled some Kleenex from the box on my desk and used them to first dry Mike's eyes and face, and finally my gut. "Do you want to talk about it?" I asked the shaking child. "I don't know," he mumbled. "Did you feel better after you talked about what happened to you?" "Actually, yes, I did. And I still do. I've told Tom, the police, our parents, the newspaper, Ray and some others about my abuse. And now I'm writing a book about it. And each and every time I tell the story, it's gotten easier and easier to do so, and I've felt a little bit better each time, also. So, whatever you want to tell me, I'm here for you." "And you won't say nothin' to the others?" Mike asked with concern. "Well, I can't very well keep anything from Pops, can I? He needs to know everything I do so he can help you deal with things, just like I will. And as for your brothers, I bet T.J., Alex and Joey already know your secret. But, they also probably know you weren't ready to talk about it, so they've let it slide." "Oh, crap, I didn't think `bout that," Mike giggled as he finally picked his head up and flashed me a toothy grin. "Yeah, knowin' those three, they cheated, didn't they?" "I'd be surprised if they didn't, buddy. Nothing we can do about it though, is there?" "Nope," he agreed. "Well, since they pro'lly already know, I guess I might as well tell you, too. I'm kinda surprised they ain't told you already." "Well, they know it should be you and not them to be the one to say something." Mike took a moment to steel himself and when he finally felt he was ready, started with, "So, whenever Mom and Dad would catch me wearin' her clothes, they'd get all kinds of pissed off. They'd yell crap at me like `you're a boy dammit, not some wimpy little girl'. And I knew that already `cause I got a dick and not a pussy, right, but I just felt really close to Mom with her stuff on, ya know. Then, after Mom would go away, Dad was always like, `You wanna see what it's like to be a girl, ya little pervert, I'm gonna show ya'. "That's when he'd take her clothes off me and he'd take his off, too. And he looks really nasty when he ain't got nothin' on. He made me do some really sick shit, but it always ended up with him throwin' me on my bed and fuckin' me as hard as he could. He'd say crap like `how do ya like havin' my cock stuffed in your tight little pussy, you little bitch' and `fuckin' wanna be a little girl now?'. Just stupid crap like that to try and make me feel bad about playin' in Mom's clothes. And sometimes, Mom would come back in my room and egg him on to fuck me even harder and hurt me even more. `Course, the more he was fuckin' me, the less he was fuckin' her, and maybe that's what she wanted." "Mike, I can't tell you how sorry I am they hurt you like that." "Well, that's the really weird thing, Dad." "What?" "Well, the first time he did it to me when I was like four, it hurt like hell when he jammed his dick in my ass, and I cried for `bout an hour after it was over `cause it hurt so damn much. But after the fifth or sixth time him doin' it to me, it didn't hurt near as much as it did that first time. In fact, after a while, I really got to like it when he'd fuck me. My little weiner'd get all hard and ever'thing, and even though he was smackin' my ass for bein' bad while he fucked me, I'd get my tingles almost every time. And I know he knew what was happenin' `cause he had to feel my asshole squeezin' his dick. I mean, I could feel it happenin', he sure had to, right? And whenever that'd happen, he'd get even more pissed `cause I was likin' it. "I guess what confuses me the most about all of it was I knew what he was doin' was wrong and I really hated it, but I also really, really liked it. I hated his guts, but I also loved him so much that I'd get caught on purpose, just so he'd fuck me again and hopin, maybe, he might actually love me. It's all so twisted `round in my brain, sometimes I can't make no sense of it. Does that mean I'm a sick little kid?" he asked sadly. "Not at all, little buddy. Confused and hurt, for sure, but definitely not sick. Now, your mom and dad, on the other hand ..." "Well, see, now we come to the really big problem," Mike interrupted. "Oh god, there's more?" I mumbled in a bit of a daze. "Yeah. They found out just `fore I got taken away that Mom's gonna have another baby." "That's not good," I muttered. "No, it ain't. I don't know if it's gonna be a girl or a boy yet, but whatever it is, it shouldn't have them for a mom and dad. Who knows what the fuck they'll do to another kid?" "Nothing good, I'd imagine. Listen, Mike, I'm glad you finally felt you could trust me enough to tell me what you went through. I really don't know what to say right now that's gonna make you feel better, but I'm going to work on it with you, see if we can't help you figure it all out. But I have one more really important question for you and I want the truth, understand?" "Yes, sir," he muttered. "You were calling me `daddy' last night and that's not something you've ever done before. Were you doing that because of what your dad did to you?" "Well, yeah, I guess so. Whenever he'd be fuckin' me, he demanded I call him `daddy'. I don't know why. But I pro'lly just slipped back into that last night `cause I was likin' it so much." "That's okay, I understand. Just do me a small favor, please." "What's that?" he asked with raised eyebrows. "Don't ever call me `daddy' again. I don't want you to think I could, or would, be like your birth father." "No problem with that. What he did to me and the way he did it was all `cause he hated me. What you and me did in the shower together was `cause we love each other so much," he smiled serenely. "I'm glad you can understand the difference. Now, we can't let them be responsible for another kid. Would you be willing to talk to Dr. Paul and Dylan so we can keep that from happenin'?" "I won't like it much, but yeah, I'll do it. I don't want my little brother or sister to have to go through the same crap I did. What the hell kinda big brother would I be if I let that happen?" "I'm glad to hear you say that. I'll call Dr. Paul and see if he can talk to you Friday to get things rolling and make sure the baby's protected." "Whenever it is, I'll go. I like the Kirklands and would like to see them again, anyway." "Good man, Mike." "Thanks, Dad. Um, can I ask you somethin' now?" "Go on, spit it out." "Are you gonna help me with my shower again tonight?" the imp asked with a vicious smirk. "No, I think it's Pops' turn for that particular task," I replied with my own crooked smirk. "Sweet," Mike cooed with delight. "Maybe I'll get him to shoot his spermies out for me, too," he giggled with glee. "I bet he'll be happy to have your help, little buddy. Why don't you scoot along now, and send Andy back here?" "Why you want him? My dad didn't fuck him, too, did he?" "Lord, I hope not," I answered in exasperation. "I just want to ask him what he wants to give T.J. for his birthday, remember?" "Oh, yeah. Thanks for listenin' to me, Dad. I know you really didn't want to hear all that crap, but you asked." "And I'm proud of you for bein' so brave and telling me the truth. We'll get busy on taking care of your parents. Now move it, munchkin." Before he slid off my lap, Mike wrapped his arms around my neck and squeezed me almost hard enough to have my brain pop right out of the top of my skull. Another half-pound of pressure and it might have happened. Fortunately, he eased up just before the ultimate disaster could occur, whispered `I love you, Dad' into my ear, and gave me a quick peck on the cheek before disappearing out the door on the way back to the living room. I figured I had maybe thirty seconds before Andy arrived to pull myself back together and grabbed another handful of Kleenexes to dry my eyes and face again. I'd just managed to toss the sodden mass of tissues into the trash can under the desk when the youngster zoomed into the room, made a beeline to my chair and crawled up in my lap, face adorned with the most innocent and angelic smile I'd seen in quite a while. After a quick chat with Andy and getting his gift idea for T.J., I sent him on his way with the request to have Alex join me. And so it went for five or so minutes until I had the items Ron needed to pick up for T.J. I wrote down everything I wanted him to get for us and where he should go, including Ace Bicycle Shop on South MacArthur to retrieve the bike from Tom and myself. Just as I was about to leave my study, T.J. stepped inside and closed the door behind him. "What's up, young man?" I asked. "Well, you've talked to all the other goobers but me, so you must know what they're giving me for my birthday," he cracked. "As a matter of fact, I do. Do you already know what you're getting?" "Nope. I've shut that part down for the next couple o' days. I want to be surprised when I open everything Wednesday," he added with a twisted grin. "I'm glad to hear it. This is one time your special gift could ruin an otherwise good time. I wasn't aware you'd learned enough control over it to be able to close it down like that." "Well, it's not perfect, just yet, so we'll see how it goes. I'm gettin' a lot better at it, though." "Good for you. So, if you're not here to snoop on your big day, what else can I do for you?" "If I read it right, Mike just told you `bout what his dad did to him." My heart fell at the confirmation of what I'd already suspected. This poor kid was going to end up scarred for life because of all the shit done to the people he cares about and not to himself. "Nah, Dad, I'll be fine." I was so shocked he was so straight-forward at contradicting my thought, I couldn't respond. "I've known about Mike's dad almost as long as I've known about what happened to you." "But you never said anything," I complained. "Why not?" " `Cause it wasn't my story to tell, was it? It was Mike's. `Sides, I knew he'd `ventually screw up the courage to tell you. Took `im longer than I thought it would, though, but he finally did it and that's the important part, that he was able to do it himself." "What do you mean?" "Well, he's been wantin' to say something for a while now. Really, ever since you told all of us `bout the Muellers. But he was afraid `bout how you'd react after your little breakdown out at the pool that one day." "Yeah, I can understand that. His experience with his dad is very similar to my own and I'm sure he was afraid he'd react like I did." "Yeah, that's part of it, for sure. But he also didn't want you to think he didn't want to do things with you and Pops like what happened during your shower last night, `cause he really does. He was afraid if you knew what his dad had done, you wouldn't ever give Mike what he really, really wants since you'd think you were being just like his dad." "Well, he's got a point there, doesn't he? I have to ask myself, and have many times already, just what makes me and Pops different from people like the Muellers and Mike's dad for doing those kinds of things with you guys?" "You already know the answer to that, you just don't believe it," T.J. retorted. "Well, do me a big favor and clue me in, little Mr. Smarty Pants," I replied sarcastically. "Uh, Dad, I ain't got no pants on, or have you gone blind?" the munchkin giggled uncontrollably before recovering his serious side and continuing. "It's love, ya big goofball. You love us and we love you. We ask you, beg you sometimes, to let us show you and Pops how much we love you for bringing us all together to make a real family, and for you and Pops to show us how much you love us back. People like the Muellers and Mike's dad wouldn't know what the hell love is if it smacked `em upside their stupid heads. All they know and understand is hate, power and control over someone else. And that ain't love, is it?" "Not in my book, no," I agreed with my young philosopher. "Tell me, young man, how'd you become so wise at such a tender age?" "Not a clue, old man. Just lucky, I guess," he giggled in reply. "No, Pops and I are the lucky ones. Lucky to have found each other, lucky to have found you boys when we did, just lucky to be alive and truly enjoying our lives together, really." "Sounds like a formula for success to me, Dad," he commented as he leaned in closer and wrapped his arms around my neck. While his squeeze wasn't quite as constricting as Mike's a little bit ago, it was darn close. At least I stood a fair chance of not only keeping my head attached to the top of my shoulders where it belongs, but I was confident it would be completely intact and nobody was going to have to scrape any brain matter from the walls or ceiling. As he began to relax his grip, I leaned in, kissed the top of his head and whispered, "Thanks, T.J., I really needed to hear that." "Yeah, I know," he giggled back at my ear. "I love ya, ya little bugger." "Yep, knew that, too, ya old fart. Love you right back." "Okay, I need to go talk to Pops and Dylan, so let's get the heck outta here." I left my chair and T.J. grabbed my hand to lead me through the house. "Ya gonna tell Pops `bout Mike?" he asked as we stepped into the hallway. "Well, yeah, I think I should. Don't you?" "Of course, you have to. How else you gonna protect Mike's new little brother or sister when they're born?" "Is there anything you don't know?" I asked with concern. "Uh, not much, really. But nothin' I can do `bout it, is there?" he asked in all seriousness. "I suppose not," I replied sadly. "Do the other boys know about what happened to Mike yet?" "Alex and Joey do, but Logan and Andy ain't got a clue." "Well, tell the twins to keep it under their hats until Mike's ready to tell the others himself." "What, you think we're idiots?" T.J. asked in disbelief. "We agreed to that a long time ago." "Thanks, buddy." By that time, we'd reached the living room and T.J. released my hand to return to his book while I continued on down the hallway to relay yet another sad story to the love of my life and his business partner. After knocking on the closed door, I pushed it open, stepped inside, re-closed the door and leaned heavily against the wooden slab. "Uh-oh, I don't think I like the look on your face," Tom muttered. "Nope," I agreed flatly. "And you're gonna like it even less when I tell you the story I just heard." I pulled a chair up next to his desk before sinking into it and launching into my narrative. Tom and Dylan gave me their undivided attention, both becoming angrier and angrier with each passing word. I couldn't really fault them for their reactions as I was feeling exactly the same way. By the time I was done sharing Mike's story with them, I knew exactly how Mike felt when he told me. Of course, having been through it myself, it all hit me a bit closer to home than the pissed off duo before me. "Why the hell do parents insist on ruining their kids' lives before they've barely begun," Dylan groaned. "If I could answer that question, I could fix every problem on this miserable planet," I replied somberly. "So, what happens next?" Tom inquired. "I'm going to call Paul and see if he has an opening Friday to talk to Mike. First, to start getting the kid the help he's gonna need to sort out his feelings and second, to get the process started on making sure Mike's little brother or sister does not grow up with those two pathetic excuses for human beings." "I almost hate to ask this question," Dylan began, "but what's gonna happen with the baby? I mean, you're not thinking about adopting it since it's gonna be Mike's sibling, are you?" "I don't know," I admitted. While the prospect of doing just that had flashed through my mind as soon as Mike told me his mom was pregnant, I wasn't sure we were really prepared to follow that path. I had another thought, also, but it seemed to be so ludicrous that I almost immediately discarded the idea. But the more I cogitated on it, I decided I should at least make a phone call to see if it was an option. Shaking my head to clear away the clouding thoughts, I continued, "The first thing that needs to happen is to call Paul, then Carol to let her know what we've learned. The two of them can lead the charge to see his parents in jail where they belong. Everything else can be dealt with later." "I'll talk to Carol to get her started on her end," Tom offered. "I can only assume Paul will notify Derek after he's talked to Mike, but I'll still give Derek a call, just to give him a heads up." "Sounds good, guys," I admitted. "I'm going to make Mike's appointment and then crash until time for lunch. I'd planned to do some work on the book, but my brain's just not up for that torture right now." As I got up to leave, Tom stood and pulled me into a calming hug. As we embraced each other, he whispered, `just like everything else, babe, we'll get through this'. With a simple nod of acknowledgement from me, we separated, and I plodded back to my study. After unceremoniously falling back into my chair, I looked up Paul's number since it wasn't coming to me like numbers usually do and placed the call. "Kirkland home and practice, how may I help you?" Joy answered cheerfully. "Morning, Joy, Max Sanders here. How're you today?" I replied as if on autopilot. "We're doing great, Max. How's everybody out there?" "We've had better days, that's for sure." "Uh-oh, am I sensing some trouble in paradise?" she asked with concern. "You could put it that way. The reason I'm calling is I need to make an appointment for Mike to see Paul and I'm hoping he has some time open Friday afternoon." "Of course, let me check his schedule." I could hear pages flipping in a notebook as she fast forwarded to Friday. She came back to me soon enough with, "Looks like he has slots at two and four open that afternoon, Max. Which one do you want?" "I think the two o'clock time slot will work just fine, Joy. Thanks." "I'm guessing Mike finally decided to open up to someone." "Yeah, and it's not a nice story. Since Mike really likes Paul, he's the logical choice of someone for Mike to talk to." "You can be sure Paul will do whatever he can to help. We both really like Mike. He's such a charming kid, I just don't think he was with us long enough for him to feel really comfortable talking with us much. I'm glad he's finally found someone he trusts to be there for him." "I am, too. Well, we'll see you Friday." "Thanks for calling, Max. Try to have a good week." I hung up the phone and took a few moments to ponder the other insane idea that had popped into my mind while talking with Mike before picking the receiver back up and dialing a number I knew all too well. "Thank you for calling the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault. How may I direct your call?" "I'd like to talk to Lee Nichols, please," I requested. "One moment, sir," the receptionist replied before placing me on hold. Less than twenty seconds passed when I heard, "This is Lee, how may I help you?" "Hey, sis, how's your day goin'?" I asked flatly. "Not bad, bro, but what's up with you? You sound like you've been hit by a truck," she commented with a bit of a giggle. "Well, it missed me, but just barely. It damn near splattered Mike all over the highway, though." "WHAT!?? Is he okay? Oh, god, please tell me he's not hurt," Lee groaned in my ear. "I'm sorry, didn't mean to scare you, Lee. I was speaking figuratively, not literally," I said in a calming tone of voice. "Jesus, Max, don't do shit like that to me," she scolded. "Look, I've got a question for you but I'm not sure how to ask it without upsetting you." "Oh, come on, Max. After all our discussions over the last year, how do you think you could ever upset me in any way? Besides telling me one of my adorable nephews was just run over by a truck, of course." "Well, this one's way more personal than just about anything else we've discussed and if it's none of my business or I'm way the hell off base, just slap me around a bit and I'll shut up." "Well, it'll be a little hard to slap you through the phone, but I'll do my best if it's called for." "I don't doubt that a bit. What I want to know is why you and Carl have never had any kids. I mean, did you not want them, or was it just not possible?" The silence emanating from the other end of the line was mortifying and I immediately felt as if I'd crossed an unseen line in the sand. I waited maybe thirty seconds before breaking the silence with, "Uh, you still there?" "Yeah, sorry, Max. You just caught me way off guard. I guess we've never talked about it, have we?" "Well, no, hence my asking now. And if you don't want to talk about it, I'll understand, go away and forget I ever asked." "No, it's fine, bro. When Carl and I first got serious about each other, the one thing we most wanted to come out of our being together was kids. Before we even got married, we agreed that we'd have four, hopefully two boys and two girls, though you never know, do you? Then, after we got married and were seriously trying to make that dream become reality, we discovered that due to some medical issues, it was never gonna happen for us. So, we readjusted our priorities and lives to move forward in what we thought would be the best way for us." "I'm sorry to hear that, sis. I guess in the back of my mind, I always wondered, but a chat with Mike this morning pulled those thoughts front and center." "What kind of talk could you have possibly had with him that would make you think about Carl and me having kids? I don't see any possible connection there, Max, and I gotta tell ya, I'm pretty confused." "Well, join the club in that regard. We've told you about some of what Mike went through before being taken away from his parents, right?" After a quick acknowledgement from Lee that we had actually done so, I plowed on. "Well, just this morning, Mike told me more. A whole lot more. Turns out his dad abused Mike in much the same way Frank and Iris did me." "Oh my God, Max! That's horrible. How's he holding up?" "Pretty well, I guess, all things considered." "I'm still wondering how his abuse could possibly tie in with us having kids." "Yeah, I know. I'm getting there, okay? Mike also told me that just before he was removed from their care, they found out his mom is pregnant. And we can't let them keep that baby, especially after what they did to Mike." "Oh, hell to the no!" Lee exclaimed. "Are you and Tom thinking of adopting another one?" "Um, no, even though that idea briefly flitted through my mind. No, the whacked out thought that popped in after I dismissed the first option was to see if you and Carl might be interested in adopting." "Yeah, right," Lee scoffed with a chuckle. "Wait, you're serious, aren't you?" she quickly added with serious surprise. "I wouldn't have asked the question if I wasn't serious, sis." "Oh, crap, you're really puttin' me on the spot, ya jerk. If I say yes, I'm a hero, and if I say no, then I'm a heartless bitch. Nice, bro, real nice," she added with a considerable dose of sarcasm. "That's not my intent and you know it, Lee. I just want you and Carl to have a serious discussion about the possibility and give it some thought. Since that baby is going to be Mike's little brother or sister, I'd like to know where it goes so the two can grow up knowing each other." "Well, you just shot my afternoon to hell. I won't be able to think about anything else the rest of the day. Tell you what, I'll talk to Carl tonight and we'll see what happens. I'm not making any promises at this point." "I understand. There's a ways to go before the baby arrives, so take your time and really think about it, please. If you two decide you want to go that route, we'll do everything we can to help." "Thanks, Max, I know you will. Look, I gotta try to get back to some real work, but I promise you'll be hearing from us soon." "Love you, Lee." "Love you, too, asshole, uh, I mean Max," she chuckled just before hanging up on me. `Asshole, huh? We'll see about that, you heartless bitch,' I thought before re-cradling the receiver. I leaned back in my chair and rehashed the conversation I'd just had to make sure I understood everything I'd just learned. Lee and Carl had planned to have kids, but for whatever reason, it wasn't in the cards for them. I wondered if they'd tried other routes of becoming parents or if the news it wouldn't happen naturally hurt them so badly, they just gave up on that dream. And why hadn't I known about their problems? For some odd and completely selfish reason, I was hurt that I didn't know about their struggles. Not that I could have done anything to solve the problem for them, mind you. True, on one hand, it was really none of my business and I'd never asked the question before, but on the other hand, why hadn't they shared that part of their lives with me, either. Do Mom and Dad know? And if they do, why the hell didn't I? Again, I returned to the simple fact it was their life and not mine, so why would they have told me. Beyond the heartache they've dealt with since they got married twelve years ago, I'm sure there was a touch of shame or humiliation to go along with what must have seemed to be a major failure in their lives. By the time I was done beating them up over not sharing one of the most intimate aspects of their lives with me, I realized Lee was absolutely right about one thing; I am an asshole, and she's not the heartless bitch she claims to be. Here I was thinking it was horrible of them to have not included me in their troubles when in reality, I'm taking the easy way out and adopting six kids. Yeah, like that's easy. I just got lucky. And it was my fervent hope they might finally have some good luck of their own and be willing to accept a baby into their lives. Well, I've done all I can do at the moment by making the suggestion. The ball's in their court now. With my brain having been tortured to the limit by the emotional ups and downs of the morning, I retreated to the bedroom to take some Advil and see if my pillows still loved me. "Well, what did Carol have to say?" Dylan asked when I hung up the phone. "Unfortunately, she wasn't too surprised. She said she always knew Mike wasn't telling them everything his parents had done to him. She was hoping it hadn't been as ugly as it was, but deep down, she already knew. They just couldn't get Mike to open up about it so they could do what really needed to be done. She's starting the paperwork right now to take the baby as soon as it's born." "I guess you work her job long enough, you develop a sixth sense for things like that. Always hoping for the best but expecting the worst." "Yeah, I guess so. But we had the same thing in our job, didn't we?" I replied. "True enough. It always pissed me off when we'd run into situations like that. The only saving grace was that while we couldn't dispense the appropriate justice immediately, we knew they'd eventually get what they had coming when their sorry asses landed in jail. I don't know what it is with cons, but they absolutely hate anybody who abuses kids in any way, and they make sure those sick fuckers get back what they gave out. Ten times over." "Yep, always love to hear it when some sicko gets his just rewards. Makes me wonder how Frank and Iris are faring in their new confines," I added with a twisted grin. "Do you really care?" Dylan asked with interest. "Not a whit. Whatever happens to those two is less than they deserve." "So, Tom, do you think you and Max are going to adopt this baby?" Dylan prodded me. The sudden change of topic caught me by surprise, and I hesitated a moment before supplying an answer. "I'd be surprised if he's not thinkin' about it already," I admitted with reservation. "Not sure I'm ready for that, though." "Oh, come on, man. It would make perfect sense since you're already takin' Mike." "Well, I guess it does, but I think the six we already have is more than enough. And now he wants to add William to the crew. And a baby!? I mean, what the hell is Max thinkin'?" "He's thinkin' all these kids need a good home to live in and a loving family to grow up with." "I'm not arguin' that point a bit, Dylan, because I'd be wastin' my breath. But just where do you draw the line? I mean, when does it all become too much to handle?" "Sounds like somebody's havin' second thoughts about the commitment they've made," Dylan commented. "I'd be lyin' through my teeth if I said I wasn't. Don't get me wrong, I love Max with all my heart, and I'd follow him to the ends of the universe to be with him. And those boys? How can you not love them? They're all so kind, considerate, smart and cute, you'd have to be the most heartless villain in the world to not love them, right? I'm just not sure I've got enough in me to go around," I quietly admitted. "Tom, listen to me," the big guy demanded. I picked my head up and looked Dylan in the eyes as he continued. "We've worked together almost daily for what, over five years now, right? And I think I know you better than almost anybody else. Except, maybe, Malcom, that is. You may not believe this, but you've got more love in you to give than you think is possible. How do I know that, you ask? Because I've seen you in action, seen the way you deal with people and treat them. Even the lowest of lowlife scumbags you've come across in the job gets way better than they deserve. Like the Muellers. I know how much you wanted to clean Frank's clock that day, just wipe that smug `I'm better than you' smirk right off his face so hard it'd never come back. But you didn't. Even as pissed off as you were at him and Iris, you still treated them with respect they didn't come close to deserving. It's who you are and there's not a damn thing you could do to change that." "Thanks for that, Dylan, I guess. But still, there's gotta be a limit, right? I just have this feeling, way down deep in my gut, that we're biting off way more than either of us can chew." "And maybe you are, but you wanna know somethin'? If anybody can do it and succeed, it's you and Max. Sure, you'll have to make some minor adjustments as you go along, but it'll all work out. Whether it's just the six kids you have now or the hundred and fifty-six I think Max wants, you'll adapt as needed and everyone will be better off because of the love you two have for each other and however many kids you eventually end up with." "Oh, don't go there, man. A hundred and fifty-six? No way, José. I draw the line at, let's say, sixty-six. Yeah, that's a good number, I think. Nice and round, divisible by two and three, so you can split things up easily. More than enough for four football teams or what, 12 basketball teams, and still have some left over to be cheerleaders. Yep, that's my limit, sixty-six and not one more." I ended my daydream with a sheepish grin on my face and looked back to Dylan, only to find him staring at me with the widest smirk I'd ever seen on his face. "What?" I asked. "I think I'm takin' the rest of the day off as my work here is done," he laughed heartily. "Not by a longshot, Bubba. Get back on the phone," I demanded with a chuckle. "Yessir, massa," Dylan laughed again as I shot him a dirty look. "Well, guys, I think it's time to take a break and get started on lunch," I suggested. "What do you want to eat today?" The suggestions from the herd were flying so fast, it was hard to keep up with them all, but once Logan mentioned tacos, the other five suddenly forgot their own ideas and all six were begging for the same. "Well, let's go see if we have what we need to make it happen." They followed me to the kitchen and into the pantry where I pulled the two eighteen-pack boxes of taco shells off the shelf along with four packs of taco seasoning. Joey grabbed the jar of salsa from another shelf while Alex lifted Andy to grab the bag of Tostitos Scoops from the high shelf that was their home. Back in the kitchen, I pulled two packs of ground sirloin from the freezer and dropped them in a large pan on the stove to start the thawing and browning process. "Okay, I've got things going in here, why don't you rugrats get the table set, then let your dads and Dylan know lunch'll be ready in thirty minutes?" I asked. Without question or argument, the six-pack got to work and soon had everything we'd need on the table except for our drinks. That minor chore completed, Alex, Joey and T.J. aimed themselves down the hallway to get Max while Andy, Mike and Logan traipsed across the house to spread the word to Tom and Dylan. I knocked on the door to Dad's study and we waited for an answer. I didn't wait long, though, before pushing the door open to find nothing but an empty room. "Well, where'd he go?" I wondered out loud. "Don't know, Alex," T.J. answered. "Last time I saw him, he was headed this way," Joey added. "Must be in the bedroom, then" I decided, and we turned around to knock on that door. Again, we waited for an answer and when none came, T.J. cracked the door just enough for us to spy Dad splayed out on the bed like a guy who'd been staked to the ground, just waiting for the vultures to show up for dinner. As usual, he'd kicked off the covers and his stiff dick was standing at attention. "Aw, isn't that cute?" T.J. giggled. "He must be dreamin' `bout Pops, again," Joey added with a snicker. "Naw, he's pro'lly dreamin' about his shower with Mikey last night," I offered with a quiet laugh. "Wait, you guys know `bout that?" T.J. asked. "Well, du-u-u-h," I answered. "Mikey can't keep nothin' from us, can he Joey?" "Nope. His mind's way too easy to pick." "You guys think maybe now that he's talked to Dad about what his dad did to him, he might actually tell us, too?" "Who knows?" Joey replied. "But if he wants to talk `bout it, we'll listen, won't we?" "You know it," Alex added. "I wish we could do somethin' to help him feel better." "We will, dude," Alex replied. "Just in our own way." "Well, let's get the old fart up and go eat," Joey said. "Well, he's already up, ain't he?" he added with a giggle when he turned back and looked through the open door. "Guess I shoulda said movin'." On that note, the three of us moved in for the kill. Logan knocked on the door to Pops and Uncle Dylan's office and when we heard the `come in' echo from the other side, Andy pushed the door open and we stepped inside. "What's up, kiddos?" Pops asked. "Ron's started lunch and he told us to let you guys know it'd be ready in thirty minutes," I answered. "Yum!" Dylan replied while rubbing his stomach. "Those doughnuts are wearin' out awful quick and I'm startin' to get hungry. What're we havin' today?" "Tacos," Andy replied. "Chips and salsa, too," Logan added. "Thanks for letting us know. We'll be out in about twenty minutes," Pops said. "Why don't you three scoot and we'll see you in a few." Logan and Andy quickly returned to the kitchen to see if they could help Ron with anything, but I stayed where I was, looking down at the floor and kind of shuffling my feet. "What's up, Mike? You have something else to add?" Pops asked. "Um, yeah. I guess Dad pro'lly told you what I told him this mornin', didn't he?" Pops left his chair and knelt in front of me before answering. After putting his hands on my shoulders, he finally said, "He did and I'm sure you know this already, but we're all really sorry you had to go through that. We're just glad you finally said something to us so we can get you the help you need to deal with your feelings about what your mom and dad did." "Did he also tell you the part about me really gettin' to like it?" "Yes, but that still doesn't make what they did right. And you can be sure they're going to be punished for what they did." "How do you know that?" I asked finally peeling my eyes away from the floor and looking into Pops' eyes. "Because I'm gonna make sure of it, little buddy," Uncle Dylan answered. I jumped a little in surprise when he said something because I was so focused on the floor, I had kind of forgotten he was in the room. I turned to him with a smile and said, "Thanks, Uncle Dylan. I knew I could count on you guys." "Always, Mike," Pops replied. He pulled me into a big hug and just about squeezed the stuffings right out of me. Before letting me go, he whispered, "I love you, son." "I love you, too, Pops," I echoed, then gave him a little kiss on the cheek. I ran over to Uncle Dylan's desk to give him a hug and kiss, too, and when I got there, he picked me up by my armpits and spun us around while he was sitting in his chair. That got me really giggling before we finally slowed down and he set me back on the floor. "Thanks Uncle Dylan. I love you, too," I added as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Love you, too, munchkin," he replied before I let go of him and turned to follow Andy and Logan. Mike had just left our office, closing the door as he did, and I turned to look at Tom who was still kneeling in the same position and hiding his face behind his hands. Despite his attempt to be covert, on closer inspection, I could see the tears running from his eyes and dripping from his cheeks on to the new wood flooring. "You okay there, Buckwheat," I asked with concern. "Yeah, fine," he croaked in response. As he started to stand up and return to his chair, he continued, "I just hate what all these kids have been through in their short lives so far. I don't know if any of them will ever be able to have a normal fuckin' life, not with all the crap they've got to deal with." "Tom, it's like that for every damn kid in the world, whether they've had a rough life or not. It's all a matter of them having good role models to emulate and learning how to properly deal with any problems they may have along the way. And just look at the role models your boys have, they've got me, Max, Malcom, your parents, Lee and Carl. Hell, even you're gonna be a pretty good person to follow once you pull your head outta your ass and get with the program. It's those decisions we make throughout our lives that make us who we are." "Look, I get that, okay, but these six boys are so far behind the eight-ball right now, how the hell will they ever recover?" "With lots and lots of love and support from you, Max, and whoever else you all decide to add to the family over time." "How can you be so damn sure about that?" Tom muttered in despair. "Easy. Look at our pal, Vinnie, and what he's accomplished. A few years ago, he was just a few steps shy of spending some serious time behind bars, wasn't he? Then you and I got just a little involved with him, tried to show him a more positive side of life, a better way to live. And where is he now, you ask? He has his own moving company that not only keeps him on the straight and narrow, but half his family, too. If that's not a turnaround worth celebrating, I don't know what is. And he did all that with the minimum of input from us. Just think of the effect all of us working together will have on those kids in the next ten to fifteen years as they grow up. By the time they're ready to move out of this dump and get on with the rest of their lives, they'll have the world by the balls and be ready to squeeze the shit outta them. Just ask Logan's Uncle Dirtbag `bout what happens to people who get in their way." Despite what he'd been feeling ever since Max came in the last time, Tom laughed heartily at what I'd said, and I joined him in the first light-hearted moment we'd had all morning. "There, you see I'm right, don't you?" "Well, I sure hope you are," Tom tentatively agreed. "So, what's your limit on kids now that you have a fresh perspective?" "What'd I say before? Sixty-six, right? Yeah, fuck that, way too low. Maybe five hundred sixty-six. If your gonna go for it, might as well go all out, right?" he replied with a wide smile. "Now, there's the Tom Wright I know. Welcome back to the real world, bonehead." "Yeah, thanks, Dylan. Love you, too, smart-ass." " `Least I'm a smart one and not a dumb one," I chuckled. "Says you," Tom retorted with his own chuckle before looking back to the file on his desk and picking up his phone to arrange an interview with a couple looking to adopt a baby. While that all by itself was a good sign, what I thought was even more important was the simple fact the smile he'd lost earlier was firmly plastered across his face and I saw no sign of him losing it this time. Lunch was a rather quiet affair after Mike's news this morning, but it didn't the keep the boys from packing away the food like they always do. After Tom, Dylan and Ron provided some assistance to Andy, Mike and T.J. in putting their tacos together (meat and cheese only, thank you very much), we whipped up our own. Of course, ours included lettuce, onions and some tomato chunks Ron had prepared to add a bit more flavor to an otherwise rather plain taco. Alex and Joey took the easy way out and crumbled the shell into tiny bits on their plates before dumping two tacos worth of meat on top of the shredded shells, then adding almost as much cheese to the pile already on their plates before digging in with their forks. In all my life, I'd never seen anyone eat a taco in such a manner. Though, after struggling to keep all the fillings in the shell as I took a bite of my own and tried to not make a mess, I was beginning to see the method in their shared madness. I'll have to tuck that little trick into the back of my mind and pull it back out the next time Ron was inspired to fix food from south of the border. Wasting little time by virtually inhaling their meals, the boys were obviously anxious to get their afternoon adventure started. As each finished with emptying their plates, they immediately took them and their silverware into the kitchen, rinsed it all in the sink and then dropped it in the dishwasher. Their minor chore completed, they headed to their rooms to get dressed and ready to leave. Alex was the last one to take care of his cleanup and as he came back through the dining room, he looked to Tom and I and bluntly suggested, "C'mon, you two, hurry the heck up! Time's a wastin' and we gotta get movin'." I looked at Alex and commented, "Um, you do realize Lincoln's not going anywhere, don't you?" "Well, I sure hope not," he giggled in agreement. "But still, let's get rollin'. We don't wanna be cooped up in the house all day, Dads." "You go get ready, buddy, and we'll be with you soon enough," Tom offered with a smile. As Alex turned for his room to get dressed, Tom looked back to me and commented, "Geez, you'd think we never take them anywhere." "Well, except for grocery shopping, the occasional meal out and our trip to Chicago, we really haven't," I countered. "Yeah, all right. We better get movin' or they're liable to leave without us." "Yeah, good luck with that. They don't have keys to the cars," I chuckled. "Uh, Max," Ron interjected, "did you forget about the hooks we put in the garage that hold the keys and fobs to every vehicle you own, including the `Vette and Ferrari?" "Oh, shit," I muttered. I looked back to Tom and asked, "What the hell you waitin' for, an engraved invitation? Get your ass up and movin'," I added as I grabbed my plate, silverware and glass, and turned for the kitchen on my way to the bedroom. I could hear Ron and Dylan laughing their asses off as I dropped my stuff in the dishwasher and aimed for the bedroom, Tom following closely behind. While we didn't really rush through getting dressed and ready to go, soon enough, we were presentable to the public at large and headed back through the house. Passing through the dining room on the way to the garage where we were sure the boys were waiting for us, we found Dylan and Ron still chuckling to themselves. I interrupted their continuing chortles with, "Ron, I've left a list on my desk of items we'd like for you to pick up this afternoon while we're gone. Once you're done with your cleanup, would you please take care of that and when you get back, stash it all in our bedroom?" "You bet. You guys go have fun." "We're gonna try," Tom said as we left the pair of still-giggling fools behind. Stepping into the garage, we found the sensational six-pack waiting patiently in the car. That, in and of itself, wasn't really much of a surprise. The surprising part was finding Joey had taken up residence in the driver's seat, the engine running and every window and roof panel on the car wide open. The look on our faces must have been something to see as all six kiddos cracked up with laughter. After gathering our wits, Tom called out, "Move it munchkin! I'm not goin' anywhere with you behind the wheel." "Aw, c'mon, Pops, where's your sense of adventure?" Joey retorted with a crooked smirk. "Still in bed and enjoying a very peaceful nap. Now, skedaddle." "You're no fun at all, old man," Logan crowed loudly as Joey climbed over the back of the driver's seat and settled himself in between Logan and Alex in the middle row. "You got that right," Tom agreed as he took his place behind the wheel and I sank into the passenger seat. I buckled my seat belt, then turned around to face the wild ones and said, "You guys should know better than to start a car. What the devil were you thinkin'?" "Oh, don't have a cow, man," Alex replied. "All he did was push the button on the dash. He didn't touch nothin' else, I swear. We're not complete dummies, ya know." "Then how did the windows and roof get opened?" I asked as Tom backed out of the garage and got us on our way to town. "That was me," Alex confessed with a smile. "It's such a nice day, we thought we'd enjoy some fresh air on the way." I smiled internally as the same thought had occurred to me as Tom and I were getting dressed, but I was still upset with Joey actually starting the car. "Any of you ever starts a car without us being there and asking you to do so, you'll be wearin' clothes for a week. You got me?" "Geez, man, take a pill and chill," Joey muttered quietly. "What was that, young man?" I asked as I spun around as far as my seatbelt would allow. "Nothin'," he grunted. By that time, we'd reached the end of the drive and Tom had just turned onto the road that would take us to the Old Jacksonville Road and Springfield. "That's it," I fumed in disgust at their behavior. I turned back to Tom and demanded, "Turn the car around, we're not takin' these little brats anywhere." "Nope, no can do, babe," Tom replied wistfully as the boys erupted in protest from the back seats. "What're you talkin' about?" I questioned our driver. "He's right, Max, would you just take a pill and chill?" he asked with a smile. He then reached his right hand over the console between us, pulled my left into his and gently squeezed while adding, "You're just stressed and an afternoon out of the house is just what the doctor ordered." "Oh yeah," I retorted angrily. "You wanna tell me what quack gave you that shitty advice?" Another round of protests ensued from the back seats, this time all of them calling me on my word selection. "Why me, of course," Tom replied with serene bliss. "I wanna see your diploma," I demanded, though the humor of the situation was finally breaking through the denser than normal fabric of my mind and a tight smile was slowly forming on my face. "I'll show you anything you want when we're back home and in bed, babe," my honey whispered seductively as he winked at me. That was all it took, and I completely lost it, laughing hysterically at the absurdity of the whole situation and my extremely overboard reaction to the boys' actions and comments. I turned in my seat again and offered, "I'm really sorry guys. I overreacted and went way off the deep end. I promise I'm in a better mood, now, and I'll try to stay that way, okay?" "You better, Dad," Joey retorted. He then turned towards Tom and asked, "What, did you promise to give him a blowjob if he chilled out?" "Or was it just a handjob?" Alex added. "Nah, I bet it was a whole lot more than either one o' them," Logan laughed aloud. Tom's only response to their gibes was a simple `no comment' as I turned almost as red as the outside of the car in embarrassment. All six munchkins were now giggling uncontrollably. Whether it was the new color tone of my skin or the thought of their dads enjoying some intimate time later was up for debate. Right up until this small voice from the backseat called out, "Hey, don't forget my shower tonight, Pops. I'm really looking forward to it." "Don't worry, Mike, there's plenty of me to go `round," Tom replied. "Ain't that the truth," T.J. retorted. That got all of us laughing yet again and we remained in high spirits the rest of the way into town. I was headed down the hallway towards the garage, but before I left the house to run the errands Max had asked me to take care of, I wanted to have a quick chat with Dylan. I stopped and knocked on the door, then stepped inside after receiving the all clear signal. "What's up, Ron?" he asked as I stood in front of his desk, feeling as nervous as a little kid standing before the school principal about it for some odd reason. "Hey, man, I just wanted to ask you somethin' `fore I headed out." "Well, spit it out, boy," Dylan grumbled as he leaned back in his chair. "I hope I'm not oversteppin' my bounds and I don't want anybody thinkin' I was eavesdroppin' or anything, but I can't help but overhear things sometimes that I probably shouldn't be hearin'. Ya know what I'm sayin'?" I asked with trepidation. After a quick nod from the muscle-bound and surly-looking naked black dude on the other side of the desk, I carried on. "Well, I've heard what I think are some rather interesting whispers this mornin' and I just gotta know if any of it's true." "I guess that depends on what you think you heard," Dylan responded evenly. "Well, first was about what happened between Mike and his parents. And then, there was something `bout this kid named William. And to top all that off, I could swear I heard somethin' `bout Max and Tom adopting a baby. I mean, is any o' that true?" "Every bit of it. And let me tell you somethin' right now, Ron," he began with a glower that put the fear of God in me, "no sense in you wasting time and money on a visit to an audiologist `cause let me tell you, there ain't a damn thing wrong with your ears," he quickly added with a laugh. "Pull up a chair, buddy, and I'll tell you what I know so far." I gratefully accepted his offer and after settling in, he continued. Dylan quickly confirmed the basics of what I'd asked about while fleshing out a few of the more confusing details for me. He finally ended his summation with, "Ya got any questions?" "Tons, but I should probably save them for Max and Tom, don't ya think?" "Well, yeah, that would be the smart thing to do. While I know enough about each story to get us all in big trouble, I don't know it all. Obviously, Max and Tom are your best bets for complete details." "Thanks, Dylan. I can see why they all like you so much. You're a good guy and a great friend to have. Well, I need to go get this stuff and be back before the guys return from the tomb. Sorry to have bothered you and wasted your time with stupid questions, but I'm just tryin' to keep on top of what's goin' on `round here. I was about to ask Max about all of it before they left, but he didn't seem to be in a very good mood." "No, I'm sure he wasn't. He's been pretty down ever since Mike talked to him this morning. All we can do here is hope they have a good afternoon and are in a better mood when they come back home." "I'll keep my fingers crossed. See you when I get back." "You know it. By the way, what's on the menu for supper tonight?" Dylan added with a laugh. "Pork tenderloin sandwiches with onion rings and coleslaw." "Sounds yummy as usual, bud. Hope you've got enough for me." "Always do, Dylan, always do," I chuckled as I turned and headed towards the garage to take care of my errands. After pulling into Oak Ridge Cemetery and passing by the World War II, Korean War and Vietnam Veteran's memorials, Tom weaved and wiggled his way through the parklike grounds to finally reach the parking lot for Lincoln's tomb. And the lot was quite full for a Monday in April, I thought. But we weren't too far past the 160th anniversary of the great man's assassination, so I shouldn't have been too surprised. Add to that, the number of area schools closed this week for spring break and the crowds made even more sense. "Wow! It looks even bigger than it did the day we saw it for whatshisname's funeral," Alex commented. "Well, we're a bit closer than we were that day, so I'm sure it does," I commented. "Wait until we're standing right at the base and it'll seem even taller." Once Tom had found a parking spot and shut off the car, the boys wasted no time in clamoring outside and taking off across the lot. We let them go as I figured they couldn't go far enough to be out of our sight and we slowly ambled towards the bronze bust of Lincoln in front of the tomb. By the time we'd re-joined the boys, they were in line to do what almost every other visitor was doing, rubbing Lincoln's nose. "Dad, why do people rub his nose?" Mike asked. "Because they think it will bring them good luck. Kinda like finding a penny face up on the ground." "Is that why his nose is so shiny, and the rest is almost black?" Andy queried. "Exactly, buddy," Tom replied. As we waited for their turn, it became obvious that while Logan, Alex and Joey could probably reach Lincoln's nose on their own by standing on the large block in front of the statue, the other three were going to require a boost to accomplish the task. Fortunately, Tom was more than capable of lifting T.J., Mike and Andy high enough so they could take their turn, being extra-careful while hoisting Mike to avoid hurting his still-tender behind. With the last one back on the ground, we walked towards the tomb's entry and joined yet another line for our tour. "Hey, can we go up there?" Logan asked while pointing to the platform surrounding the 117-foot-tall obelisk that is the main focal point of the site. While not nearly as tall as the 555-foot-tall Washington monument in Washington, D.C., it's still a pretty impressive sight to behold in the flat farmland of central Illinois. "I don't think so, Logan. See the chains blocking the steps up?" I answered. "Well, that stinks," Joey grumbled. "Yeah, why is it closed off?" Alex asked. "I don't have a clue, boys. Maybe they're doing some work up there," Tom answered. While I was sure the boys already knew it, I felt the irrational need to remind them to be quiet and respectful as we meandered through the tomb itself. The dirty looks shot my direction from all six confirmed my initial thought and I felt bad for even bringing it up. I chalked it up to being just one of those things parents do without thinking it all the way through. As we followed the line inside and aimed for the burial chamber, we saw eight smaller bronze statues set into niches in the marble-lined corridor, each depicting Lincoln at various stages of his life. Turning the second corner of the hallway brought us to the burial chamber itself and the boys lined up along the rope separating the walkway from the seven-ton cenotaph that marks Lincoln's final resting place. Well, almost. After a failed attempt to steal Lincoln's body back in 1876, his mortal remains were eventually laid to rest in a concrete vault thirty inches behind and ten feet below the enormous reddish marble marker that bore his name and the years in which he was born and died. The boys silently took in all the details of the room, as did Tom and I. From the black and white marble walls surrounding the same materials comprising the floor to the gold leaf ceiling above, and on to the nine flags evenly placed along the perimeter of the semi-circular room. Seven of those flags commemorate the states that Lincoln and his ancestors called home. The other two flags, of course, are the US and Presidential flags. The quote `Now he belongs to the ages', credited as being said by Lincoln's Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton on Lincoln's death, is inscribed in the wall above the US flag. While I wasn't what anyone would consider to be a frequent visitor to the tomb, I wasn't surprised at any of the details the boys were soaking up on their first visit, but I always stood in awe of the place and the subtle grace imparted by the room. As we turned to continue our tour, the boys were suddenly drawn to the south wall of the burial room and the eight crypts that lined the wall. Four of those were occupied by Lincoln's wife, Mary Todd, and three of their four sons, Edward, William and Thomas, while the other four were currently unused and likely to stay that way. As we passed the crypts, I could see the surprise register on the boys faces at just how young Abe and Mary's sons were when they died, Eddie just a month before his fourth birthday, Willie was only eleven and Tad had reached the ripe old age of eighteen. I watched as T.J. flinched a bit on realizing their ages and barely heard him whisper to himself, `Wow, that sucks'. I was about to grab his shoulder and reprimand him for his word selection, but suddenly stopped myself, agreeing that dying that young would most certainly suck. And in a nod to Logan, I incorporated his most excellent addendum that it doesn't just suck, it `sucks big ol' donkey dicks'. We continued our journey around the third and fourth corners of the tomb's corridor, eventually returning to the entrance rotunda. Stepping back outside into the bright sunshine, everyone was covering their eyes after having become accustomed to the relative gloom of being inside for the last half-hour. Once outside and away from the tomb some thirty to forty feet, the herd could no longer contain themselves and they all began talking at once about their experience and what they'd seen. All of them were seemingly impressed with our visit, but you could hear the sadness in their voices as they talked about the three young boys buried with their parents. The most interesting comment we heard from the crew was when Mike asked, "So, did ya meet any new spooks, T.J.?" "Thankfully, no," the youngster answered morosely. "And I'm glad none of them are still hangin' `round." "I didn't feel anything either, bro," Alex chimed as he wrapped an arm around T.J.'s shoulder. "And if any o' them were still here, one of us would know." "Nope, I didn't feel nothin', either," Joey agreed. As the group continued on their way towards the parking lot, I asked, "Hey, where y'all headed?" "The car, Dad," Andy answered. "How else we gonna get home?" "Well, there's one more really interesting thing to see here. Follow us." I grabbed Tom's arm and turned off the sidewalk to head to the north side of the tomb and the hill behind it. Reaching the top of the steep incline, I began to slowly pick my way down the slope, followed by seven very confused individuals. On reaching the bottom, I waited for the rest to join me on level ground again before moving on. Once we were all together again, I led everyone to a rather anonymous looking edifice built into the side of the hill, the obelisk of the tomb reaching skyward above us. "What the heck is that nasty-lookin' hole," Joey asked with disinterest. "This is where Lincoln was first buried when he was brought back to Springfield after his assassination on April 15, 1865." "I've been to the tomb before," Tom commented, "but I never knew this was back here." "See, you're never too old to learn somethin' new, are ya?" I asked with a grin. "Apparently not," Tom muttered in agreement. "Is this where he was when those crooks tried to steal him?" Alex asked. "No, that didn't happen until a few years later, but take a closer look through the gates," I added with a wave of my hand. All six lined up and peered through the locked grates that protected the interior from vandalism. "That's pretty gloomy," Logan commented. "Glad my dad ain't in there." "Yeah, he pro'lly is, too," Andy agreed. "I don't remember how long his body was down here, but he was moved around several times before finally being buried where he is now." "Well, that's just bizarre," Alex commented. "Why the heck would they do that?" "The tomb up the hill there wasn't built overnight, guys. It took quite a few years to get that done. Then after those boneheads tried to steal Lincoln's body, he was moved around a couple more times. It wasn't until his oldest son, Robert, requested it, that he finally ended up where he is now." "Okay, I seen enough," Joey interrupted. "Can we go home now?" "Uh, yeah, I guess so," Tom replied. "As long as the others are ready to go, too." "Yeah, let's, boogie, Dads," Alex agreed. "Back up the hill, then, guys," I said as I turned and started clawing my way up the steep incline. The crew fell in behind me and soon enough, we were back on the level ground behind the tomb and headed towards the parking lot. Despite their seeming lack of interest, every one of the munchkins turned back to take one more look at the tomb before climbing in the car and settling in for the trip back home.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 84</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family"><span>enderwiggin61@outlook.com</span></a></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html"><span>http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</span></a><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments"><span>https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</span></a></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk24811454"></a><a name="_Hlk24312677"></a><a name="_Hlk24280527"></a><a name="_Toc24102780"><span>Chapter 84 – Mikey Spills his Guts</span></a></h2> <p><span>Monday morning began like almost every other day at the zoo. Tom and I crawled out of bed, visited the bathroom to take care of our regular early morning needs, then we headed out to see who else was moving about. As we emerged from the hallway into the kitchen, we found Ron busy fixing a simple breakfast of cereal, toast, and fruit. The boys, as usual, were lined up on their stools at the bar counter and heckling the young man as they liked to do. And though they were relentlessly teasing Ron, they were noticeably staying away from certain words, replacing them with slightly more acceptable terms. Perhaps our talk yesterday had actually had the desired effect. While I was hopeful that would be the case, I wasn't going to hold my breath.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, if you don't start bein' nicer to Ron, he's gonna feed ya nothin' but the worst glop you could imagine," Tom commented in greeting.</span></p> <p><span>"But, Dad," T.J. started with a bit of a whine, "if we didn't pick on Ron at least a little bit, he'd think we didn't love him no more."</span></p> <p><span>Before my caffeine-deprived brain could begin to formulate a proper thought to add some reinforcement to Tom's greeting, Ron retorted, "If that's the way you demons show love for someone, I don't think I wanna see how you talk to someone you don't."</span></p> <p><span>"No, you really don't, dude," Joey responded flatly, receiving a round of giggles from the rest of the lineup at the counter.</span></p> <p><span>Ron quickly turned to face us and added, "We're good, guys."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it, Ron," I replied. "But if they get out of control and take it too far, just let us know and we'll give those reins a quick yank, again, see if we can't pull them up short."</span></p> <p><span>"Geez, we ain't horses, Dad," Logan moaned.</span></p> <p><span>"Really?" I asked in mock surprise. "The way you six stampede through the house and down food like a pack of wild mustangs, positive there's not gonna be any more tomorrow, ya sure coulda fooled me."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, ya put it like that, maybe we <i>are</i>," Logan drawled. "C'mon guys, let's ride!" the munchkin cried out with wild abandon as all six hopped off their stools and proceeded to prove my point as they galloped through the house from the kitchen to the garage and back through the theater before taking their places at the counter again, snorting and chuffing from their exertions, wide grins of mischief filling their faces.</span></p> <p><span>"I think the plates for the new Flex are right on the money, babe," Tom chuckled, changing the subject.</span></p> <p><span>"You had any doubts about that?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not really," he agreed with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>Ron finally had the boys lined up with their breakfast selections and they wasted no time in shoving their faces into their feed troughs. The three adults left the herd at the counter as we adjourned to the dining room for our simple meal, away from the crazy and animalistic antics of the six-pack.</span></p> <p><span>As we took our seats, I asked, "Are you really okay with them talking to you like they were, Ron? Some of that could be considered bullying and abusive."</span></p> <p><span>"It's fine, Max, really," Ron replied. "They're boys, what do you expect? I wasn't that much different from them when I was their age, so no harm, no foul in my book."</span></p> <p><span>"As long as you're sure. We really don't want them to get in the habit of talking to others like that."</span></p> <p><span>"Trust me, if I think they go too far, I'll deal with it. I'm a big boy now, <i>Dad</i>," he added with a fair amount of sarcasm.</span></p> <p><span>"Obviously, but if you want us to deal with it, just let us know." I then turned my attention to Tom and asked, "You ready to get started with your day?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. I think Carol's supposed to have some more checks for us to start working on, so I'm anxious to get into those. Right after I call that place in Normal about you-know-who?" I was suddenly confused as to why Tom was seemingly speaking in riddles. Right up to the point when he silently mouthed `William' to me and that old five-watt bulb rattling around in my otherwise empty skull flickered back to life and I nodded in acknowledgement when I finally got it.</span></p> <p><span>"Any idea when Dylan's gonna be here?" Ron asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Should be anytime, now," Tom answered. "He seems to enjoy getting his breakfast out here."</span></p> <p><span>"Lunch and supper, too," Ron laughed. "Though he'll probably be sorely disappointed at this morning's meager offerings."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, now that you mention it, I have noticed that," I agreed with a chuckle. "You may have to start docking his pay to make up for all the free meals he's gettin', hon."</span></p> <p><span>"Hell, he'd probably end up owin' us at the end of the month with all he packs away."</span></p> <p><span>"Can't be any more than those six rugrats in the kitchen," Ron laughed, and we joined him in the moment of comic relief. "I think I've bought more snack-type food for them in the past couple of weeks than I have in my entire life before I moved in here." </span></p> <p><span>Just as we were about to finish up, the front door cracked open and Dylan called out, "Hope y'all left room for some Mel-O-Cream!" The boys flew off their stools to begin their daily mugging of the big guy as he struggled to join us in the dining room. When he finally made it, he set two boxes of doughnuts in the middle of the table and added, "Help yourself, guys."</span></p> <p><span>Before we knew what hit us, the boys had both boxes opened and had absconded with half of the two-dozen tasty treats, returning to their barstools to continue chowing down.</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus, Tom, don't you ever feed them kids?" Dylan asked with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Only all day, every day," Tom retorted. "Mornin' partner. Thanks for the doughnuts. I've been missin' my regular stop there since I'm not in town every mornin' like I used to be." He then promptly snagged a caramel-iced cinnamon roll, took a bite and leaned back in his chair looking like he'd just taken a bite of ambrosia fit for a king.</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, man. I was kinda jonesin' for some, too. Figured I better bring enough to share, though."</span></p> <p><span>"You got that right," Ron agreed. "Those boys woulda gnawed you to the bone if you didn't bring enough for them, too."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm cool with that as long as they don't think they can gnaw on <i>the</i> bone," Dylan laughed as he started to pull his shirt off. While I had a snappy comeback for him, I just shook my head and kept it to myself. "So, what's on the docket today, boss?" he added as he dropped his shorts, took a chair and grabbed a white-iced long john from the selection the boys had left us.</span></p> <p><span>"Carol's supposed to have some more background checks for us, so we'll see what comes in. I have to make some other calls this morning, then I'm taking the afternoon off to go to Lincoln's tomb with Max and the munchkins."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like fun. After the week we had in Dexter, you deserve to spend a little quality time with the family. Have fun."</span></p> <p><span>"We should," I replied before taking a bite of the glazed old-fashioned doughnut I'd picked from the box. "The boys thought the tomb was pretty impressive when we passed by it on the way to Barry's burial and I promised them we'd go back soon. With Logan being gone last week, this is really the first chance we've had to make it so."</span></p> <p><span>"How're Malcom and Damon doing?" Ron asked.</span></p> <p><span>"They're great. Since they already had plans for the weekend to see a play at ISU, I went up to spend the weekend there. Good thing Malcom was able to get me a ticket for the show or I'da been stuck in his apartment all by myself Saturday night."</span></p> <p><span>"What show did you guys see?" Tom queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Somethin' I'd never heard of before Saturday night, `Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad'. It was a bit of a farce, but we all had a great time."</span></p> <p><span>"How's Damon's mom doin', you know, whatshername?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, Mia," Dylan frowned with disgust. "I actually got to meet her when she showed up Sunday afternoon to pick up Damon. And no longer than she was there, I could tell she's not playin' with a full deck."</span></p> <p><span>"What's Malcom gonna do?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>Dylan turned to look into the kitchen to make sure the boys were still there and otherwise occupied before turning back to us and whispering, "He's already done it. He saw his attorney on Tuesday, and they've initiated a change of custody request to the court in Bloomington. He figures if he can get her in front of a judge, he or she will see the shape she's in, decide she's got no business tryin' to raise an almost teenager son, and grant the request. We've all got our fingers and toes crossed hopin' it turns out the way we want, Damon included."</span></p> <p><span>"So, Damon knows?" I asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"He should since it was his idea in the first place," Dylan chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Wow, that's a bit of a surprise," Tom muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"Not really," Dylan disagreed. "Not once you get to know the kid better, anyway. Damon loves his mom, but he feels he's really in danger with her current state of mind. And after seeing how she is first-hand, I can't say I disagree with him. If that whackadoodle was <i>my </i>mom, I'd be scared shitless of what she might do next."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, you can't say words like that!" Andy exclaimed as the herd joined us.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you're bein' a bad zample for us," Mike added.</span></p> <p><span>Ron, Tom and I all laughed while Dylan's face flooded with a look of confusion. "Sorry, Dylan," I said as I began my explanation, "we had a little chat with the boys yesterday about them cleaning up their language and we promised to do the same to provide a better example for them to follow."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, excu-u-u-u-se me," the big guy chuckled. "Now that I know the rules, I'll try to do better, too."</span></p> <p><span>"You better, Uncle Dylan," T.J. offered. "We'd hate to see you get in trouble with Dad and Pops. Wearin' clothes ain't no fun."</span></p> <p><span>"No, you're right, it isn't. Good thing I get to work out here with your Pops, isn't it? Say, how'd your little ghost hunt go Saturday afternoon?"</span></p> <p><span>"Unreal," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we all actually saw Sammy," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"You can't be serious!" Dylan exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>That was all it took for the herd to hijack the next thirty minutes of our conversation as they told Dylan all about our weekend adventures, leaving no stone unturned. To say he was stunned at our encounter with Sammy would be a major understatement. Add in T.J.'s conversation with Charlie and you could see Dylan was in awe of the three mind-readers and their mental abilities. When the boys finally ran dry, Dylan sat back in his chair and stared blankly towards the ceiling.</span></p> <p><span>He finally broke his silence when he turned to T.J. and said, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm sorry I didn't go with you guys. I would have paid dang near anything to see that happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, it's your own fault," Joey giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we asked you to go with us several times," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"I know," Dylan murmured. "Next time a ghost finds you, T.J., you better not let me talk myself out of joining the hunt."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do my best, Uncle Dylan, but I can't help it if you're nothin' but a big chicken." Logan quickly added the clucking of a chicken to further rub in the humiliation.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, thanks for that you little smart-as..., uh, alecks. Move along now, munchkins, we have work to do," Dylan retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Do we hafta, Dad?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, please. Pops and Uncle Dylan have work to deal with and I need to make some phone calls. Do you think you can entertain yourselves for a little while?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, Dads. We're gonna read our books. Let us know when it's time to get ready to go to town," Alex responded.</span></p> <p><span>As the crew turned for their rooms to retrieve their books, I asked Ron if he'd be willing to read with Mike and Andy, and he said he'd be happy to do so. With the rest of the crew occupied for a while, Tom and Dylan turned for their office to attack their day and I settled in my study to make my phone calls. The first was to Harry to make sure it would be okay for us to come up for a visit tomorrow. With his resounding approval and making sure I had his address, the second call was to the FBO at the airport to ensure the plane would be ready for takeoff at nine in the morning. I also asked them to file our flight plans for the day, accounting for eleven souls on board, and also arrange for Tony to pick us up at the airport about ten. I wanted to make the trip an early one so we could be back home in time to prepare for T.J.'s birthday party on Wednesday.</span></p> <p><span>Feeling good about having Tuesday mapped out, I called Justine to finalize arrangements for T.J.'s party, giving her the number of guests we were expecting and the menu for the big day. She was a bit surprised the party was happening Wednesday since the last time we'd talked about it, we'd settled on the Saturday after. The change made complete sense to Justine once I explained the boys were not in school this week due to spring break. Fortunately, we got lucky she had nothing else planned and was able to make the adjustment in her schedule without creating any conflicts. </span></p> <p><span>With Justine taken care of, I called Jason's office to verify my Thursday morning appointment with him and ensure he remembered my intention to go back to the church that day to confront my past and see the hellhole where my life had been derailed for so many years. Tim let me know that he had already talked to Derek about meeting us at the church and he would be there about eleven-thirty with the keys to grant us access. He also warned me we would have to wear gloves and booties since it was still considered a crime scene. I thought about that for about five seconds before deciding that was a small price I was more than willing to pay to have the chance to permanently slam the door shut on that part of my life and move on.</span></p> <p><span>&nbsp;With all that settled, I called Monica and Rick about Brent, Eric and Josh joining us for our trip to visit Harry. Monica sounded like she'd be glad to have Brent out from under her feet for a day and she promised to have him here by eight in the morning so we could make it to the airport on time. Rick was already at work for the day, but Eric was enthusiastic about the opportunity to see Harry again, and told me he'd have his dad call back as soon as he got home later in the afternoon.</span></p> <p><span>With all those calls out of the way, I started my last one to LeVar to see what, if any, plans he had for coming back to take care of those interviews he wanted to do with us. Now that we'd agreed to be involved in his projects about our family and the Jake Franklin movies, I was anxious to get started on both. Nervous as hell, but still anxious.</span></p> <p><span>"Burton Productions," the receptionist answered cheerily. "How may I direct your call?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning," I replied. "I'd like to speak with Mr. Burton, please."</span></p> <p><span>"May I tell him who's calling, please?" she asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Max Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, good morning, Mr. Sanders. It's a pleasure to meet you, such as it is," she added with a little giggle. "You and your family have been <i>the</i> major topic of conversations around the office these past few weeks. I'd like to welcome you to our little group and say how much we all look forward to working with you."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, thanks, I think," I muttered, somewhat surprised at being fodder for their gossip grist mill. "Is Mr. Burton available?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's LeVar, Mr. Sanders, remember that. He hates when people call him `mister anything'. One moment and I'll connect you."</span></p> <p><span>The call switched over to music on hold for less than ten seconds when it suddenly went away and LeVar came on the line with, "Morning, Max. How're you and the rest of the family doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're great, LeVar. How about yourself?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can't complain, thanks for asking. Not that anybody around here listens or cares when I do," he added with a chuckle. "So, what can I do for you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we were just wondering if you had any thoughts on when you might be coming back to do those interviews you talked about."</span></p> <p><span>"As a matter of fact, we do. We were thinking about coming to Illinois next week to spend several days with you and your family. I figured we could spend the days talking with the adults and deal with the boys' interviews during the evenings after they get home from school. How does that sound?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think we'd all be good with that," I answered. "What day would you arrive?"</span></p> <p><span>"We'll fly in Tuesday afternoon so we can start our interviews first thing Wednesday morning. I figure three or four days to get everything we need, then come back home on Saturday, maybe Sunday, depending on how things go."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to me. I'll make sure everyone here knows what to expect and when they should be here, just to make sure this goes as smoothly as possible."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, Max. I'll send you an e-mail later this week with a bit of a schedule of who we'd like to talk to and when. And just to make sure we don't miss anybody, I've got you, Tom and your boys, of course, your parents and Tom's, and I believe you mentioned you have a sister and brother-in-law, too. Does that sound like everyone we'd want to talk to?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, there's also Ron, the guy we've hired who lives with us. I can't think of anybody else at the moment, but you may find others you want to talk to after everybody else."</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, didn't know about him. He must have shown up after I was there. As for anyone else, I guess we'll find the answer to that question when we're done with the immediate family. Maybe we should allow a few extra days to deal with them."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll leave that to you, LeVar. It's your show."</span></p> <p><span>"No, Max, it's <i>your</i> show. Yours and your family's. I'm just the guy who's going to share it with the rest of the world."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks for reminding me. You better stop talking like that or I just might change my mind," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Too late for that, buddy. You already signed the contracts, remember?" LeVar retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, there is that minor detail, I guess. Well, we'll look forward to seeing you and your people next week, then. I'll make sure Ron has plenty of food on hand so nobody goes hungry."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a plan to me, Max. Oh, I have one more quick question before we hang up."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Will these interviews be, um, clothing optional?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll leave that up to you," I replied with a chuckle. "If you think your folks won't be too put out or offended by us not wearing clothes, I believe you'll get more honest answers to your questions. As to what you and your group do, again, that's something only you can decide."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you can be sure I'll be joining the family in true comfort while we're there. Don't know what the others on my team will think or say about that, but I really don't give a damn, either," LeVar laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever <i>boats your float</i>, LeVar. We'll see you next week."</span></p> <p><span>"Looking forward to it, Max. Tell all the guys I said hi."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do that."</span></p> <p><span>I hung up the phone and leaned back in my chair. I almost laughed out loud at LeVar's quick and enthusiastic acceptance of the nudist lifestyle but internalized my mirth. After getting myself back under control, I headed across the house to relay the results of all my calls to Tom. Crossing the entryway, I spotted Ron and the boys all comfortably lounging by the fireplace, noses stuck in their books. I was feeling pretty good about the scene as I know a lot of kids hate to read, and being an author, I truly think that's a shame. There are so many worlds out there to explore through reading, the possibilities are almost endless. I received some waves of the hand as I passed the very relaxed crew and turned down the hallway. On reaching the sleuths' office, I lightly rapped on the closed door. After receiving a muffled `c'mon in' from the other side, I stepped inside and quietly closed the door so our conversation couldn't be easily overheard.</span></p> <p><span>"So, how's it goin' in here?" I asked as Tom and Dylan looked up from their desks.</span></p> <p><span>"Not too badly," Tom answered. "Carol has seven more background checks for us to deal with and Dylan's been working on them while I made a few calls. How'd all your calls go?"</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent," I answered before continuing to give the duo a rundown on each. When I finished, I added, "LeVar will probably want to talk to Carol or Anna, too, I suppose."</span></p> <p><span>"I bet he'll want to talk to me, too," Dylan commented. Tom and I both glared at him in surprise before he continued. "Don't you two look at me like that. I <i>am </i>working here on a daily basis, aren't I? `Sides, since you guys are my brothers, I'm part of the family, aren't I? Malcom and Damon, too. And boy, oh boy, do we have some juicy secrets to share," he added with an evil and hearty guffaw while rubbing his hands together like a mad scientist about to awaken his latest creation.</span></p> <p><span>"Hadn't considered that," Tom replied flatly, gazing blankly at Dylan. He then turned to me and asked warily, but with a wink, "Is it too late to call the whole thing off?" Tom never saw the hand coming that smacked the back of his head and I could do nothing but laugh. "Hey, what the hell, man?" he squawked as he turned back around to face his abuser while rubbing the back of his head.</span></p> <p><span>"That's what happens when you speak ill of family," Dylan replied calmly.</span></p> <p><span>"So, how'd your calls go, hon?" I interjected to disrupt the bickering.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that," Tom replied morosely. "It wasn't easy, but I <i>finally</i> got the detention center to agree to a weekend pass."</span></p> <p><span>"Why was it so hard?" I asked with curiosity.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I figured I ought to talk to William's case worker first and I had to call Carol to get his number. Once I had Pete on the phone, he gave me some more background on the kid and let me tell you, he's a piece of work, all right."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, what's that mean?" I queried with serious concern.</span></p> <p><span>"He's skipped so much school, they basically have him listed as a dropout. Seems he's out way more days than he's in. Then add in multiple shoplifting charges and vandalizing the school, he's in a fair amount of trouble with the authorities in both Bloomington and Normal."</span></p> <p><span>"Any ideas on why he's still in the system?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really. Of course, Pete couldn't tell me too much of William's history due to privacy rules, but, apparently, he wasn't a very healthy baby and any potential adoptees tended to shy away from him because of their concerns of ongoing medical issues. Whatever health problems he had as a little kid, they seem to have resolved themselves. Pete says William's as healthy as an ox these days and he's proved it every time he's run away from the cops. Seems that when he's properly motivated, the kid can run like the wind. The cops never could catch him in a foot race and would end up just going to his foster home to pick him up."</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus, that's pathetic," I muttered. "I'd really hate to see him locked away for the few remaining years of his childhood. He should be out having fun with friends and family, not stuck in some facility for criminals."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, with his record, he kinda is a criminal, babe," Tom countered.</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever," I fumed. "So, what's it gonna take to spring him from the pokey?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm gonna have to drive up to Normal to pick him up Friday afternoon and then take him back Sunday afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Why won't they let Malcom bring him down."</span></p> <p><span>"When Pete called the juvenile detention center he's in, they initially refused to let him out for anything. He was finally able to sweet-talk the assistant director into it only by promising him that this weekend could be the first step in somebody finally adopting William and taking him off their hands. Of course, that meant they want whoever is going to claim responsibility for him to be the one to pick him up and take him back. I also think they only allowed it because that person is a former cop and they figured if anyone could deal with him, it would be me."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we knew we'd have to jump through some serious hoops to make it happen and I'm glad you're willing to go the extra mile to help William."</span></p> <p><span>"He's Logan's brother, of course I'll do whatever it takes."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it, hon. Not a word to Logan about this until you get back from Normal, understood? I don't want to get Logan's hopes up and then have those people change their mind at the last minute about letting William out for a few days."</span></p> <p><span>"My lips are sealed, babe."</span></p> <p><span>"Mine, too," Dylan added with a smile. "Malcom, Damon and I are looking forward to meeting William. Hope you won't mind some visitors on Saturday."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, you and your family are always welcome here, brother."</span></p> <p><span>"Phew, glad to hear it," Dylan retorted with a mock wiping of his brow.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, sounds like everything is set for the week unless Clarence calls with news from Dexter. We'll just have to roll with whatever comes from them. I guess I'll go do some more work on the book for a while. I figured we'd just eat lunch here and head to the tomb afterward. Sound okay to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yup," Tom agreed. "Now, begone and let us do some real work, will ya?"</span></p> <p><span>Despite his command, I didn't leave without first sharing a hug and a kiss with my other half. That done, though, I headed back across the house. As I passed the group in the living room with their books six inches in front of their faces, I suddenly remembered I wanted to have a little chat with Mike about what had happened between us last night.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Mike, would you come with me for a few minutes?" I asked</span><span>.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, Dad," he answered as he slowly maneuvered himself off the loveseat, leaving Ron and Andy by themselves. As he headed my direction, he turned back for just a moment and said, "You better not read no more `til I get back. I don't wanna miss nothin'."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll wait for you, dudelet," Ron replied with a grin as Mike joined me and I laid a hand on his shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>I steered the young lad to my study and on closing the door behind us, I said, "Have a seat, buddy."</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, Dad?" he asked as he gingerly climbed into a chair and settled in, still leaning to his left.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, first, I wanted to see how your behind was feeling. Is it any better?"</span></p> <p><span>"It still hurts like the devil, but it ain't bleedin' no more, so that's cool," Mike answered as he stood up and turned around to show me his backside.</span></p> <p><span>"Still looks pretty gnarly, there, buddy," I commented as he gingerly retook his chair. "And, you've got a pretty bad bruise that's even bigger than the area that got scraped up, so I'm not too surprised it hurts. You're gonna be sore for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, I just hope when we go back to school next week I can sit straight. This leanin' to the side is a pain in the a..., uh, behind," he commented with a little smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure it is. Sorry, buddy, there's not much I can do to help that."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know," Mike muttered. "I'll be okay."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't doubt that one bit, you're one tough cookie. The second thing I wanted to talk about is Wednesday is T.J.'s birthday and I need to find out what you'd like to give him. Once I have a list from all you guys, I'll see if we can get Ron to run out and pick it all up this afternoon while we're visiting Lincoln's tomb."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, I don't know what he'd want so I ain't got a clue."</span></p> <p><span>"It doesn't have to be anything major. Maybe a book, a game, a movie, some music, whatever."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, when we're in the theater playin' games, he's usually listenin' to some of your music that none of us have ever heard before. Some of it ain't too bad, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"Is there anything or anyone in particular he listens to more than some others?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he seems to really like this one group o' dudes who called themselves the Beatles. That's a pretty stupid name for a band, but their music was pretty cool, I guess. And what's that other one he listens to a lot? Oh, yeah, Punk Floyd!" he exclaimed as he snapped his fingers. "He seems to really like them, too."</span></p> <p><span>I snickered lightly before replying, "Um, I think you mean <i>Pink</i> Floyd. And yes, both groups are good. At least, I think so. Do you really think he'd like to have some CDs of his own?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, duh," Mike retorted. "He keeps playin' yours like he is now, he'll wear the dang things out."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you can't really wear out a CD, kiddo, but I get your drift. I'm sure we can make it happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, can I go back to readin' with Ron and Andy?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, not quite yet. I wanted to talk to you about what happened in the shower last night."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that was a lot of fun, wasn't it?" Mike grinned happily.</span></p> <p><span>"I have to say I enjoyed it. I just want to make sure you were okay with everything that happened."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, you've always said if we wanted somethin', we had to ask for it. And I did. If I didn't want you to play with me like that, I woulda kept my mouth shut."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I know that, but you've always seemed to be a bit more reluctant than Joey, Alex, and T.J."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I guess so. But I got reasons, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Like what," I pressed.</span></p> <p><span>"NO! I don't wanna talk `bout it."</span></p> <p><span>I scooted closer and pulled Mike's hands into mine before looking into his eyes and calmly saying, "Listen, there's nothing you could tell me that would surprise or shock me. We've never pushed you to talk about what your life was like before you came to live with us, figuring it was up to you, and that once you were settled in and had gotten comfortable, you might eventually feel like you wanted to unload whatever you're keeping bottled up."</span></p> <p><span>Mike's lips quivered in fear, but he didn't look away from me or pull his hands from mine. If anything, he seemed to grip my hands even more tightly. I smoothly added, "If you think you might be ready to let it go, I'm here to support and help you in any way I can. If you feel you're not quite ready, I'll let you go back to your reading and patiently wait for the time when you are." I could see the worry in his eyes as he debated with himself about what he should do. I thought I could see the wall he'd built to hide everything behind slowly crumbling, but until his shoulders sagged in defeat, I wasn't sure what was going to happen next.</span></p> <p><span>He finally muttered faintly, "Yeah, all right."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what happened," I asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Can I say <i>anything</i> and not get in trouble?" he asked with a note of worry filling his trembling words.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, you can, just let it out."</span></p> <p><span>"I ain't told nobody none o' this, not even the lady who took me away, but since just beatin' on me didn't work out too well, my real daddy used to fuck me. Like, all the time," he sobbed.</span></p> <p><span>I carefully pulled the munchkin into my lap and held him tightly as he continued to cry. Though I knew my words were going to be wholly inadequate to the news I'd just heard, the only thing I could think to say at the moment was, "Oh, Mike, I'm so sorry you had to go through that." We sat there for several minutes with my boy crying softly and me just holding him, trying to silently reassure him that everything would be okay. Since his head was buried in my chest, by the time he'd regained a modicum of control, I was soaking wet down to my navel. I finally pulled some Kleenex from the box on my desk and used them to first dry Mike's eyes and face, and finally my gut.</span></p> <p><span>"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked the shaking child.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know," he mumbled. "Did you feel better after you talked about what happened to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, yes, I did. And I still do. I've told Tom, the police, our parents, the newspaper, Ray and some others about my abuse. And now I'm writing a book about it. And each and every time I tell the story, it's gotten easier and easier to do so, and I've felt a little bit better each time, also. So, whatever you want to tell me, I'm here for you."</span></p> <p><span>"And you won't say nothin' to the others?" Mike asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I can't very well keep anything from Pops, can I? He needs to know everything I do so he can help you deal with things, just like I will. And as for your brothers, I bet T.J., Alex and Joey already know your secret. But, they also probably know you weren't ready to talk about it, so they've let it slide."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, crap, I didn't think `bout that," Mike giggled as he finally picked his head up and flashed me a toothy grin. "Yeah, knowin' those three, they cheated, didn't they?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd be surprised if they didn't, buddy. Nothing we can do about it though, is there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope," he agreed. "Well, since they pro'lly already know, I guess I might as well tell you, too. I'm kinda surprised they ain't told you already." </span></p> <p><span>"Well, they know it should be you and not them to be the one to say something."</span></p> <p><span>Mike took a moment to steel himself and when he finally felt he was ready, started with, "So, whenever Mom and Dad would catch me wearin' her clothes, they'd get all kinds of pissed off. They'd yell crap at me like `you're a boy dammit, not some wimpy little girl'. And I knew that already `cause I got a dick and not a pussy, right, but I just felt really close to Mom with her stuff on, ya know. Then, after Mom would go away, Dad was always like, `You wanna see what it's like to be a girl, ya little pervert, I'm gonna show ya'. </span></p> <p><span>"That's when he'd take her clothes off me and he'd take his off, too. And he looks really nasty when he ain't got nothin' on. He made me do some really sick shit, but it always ended up with him throwin' me on my bed and fuckin' me as hard as he could. He'd say crap like `how do ya like havin' my cock stuffed in your tight little pussy, you little bitch' and `fuckin' wanna be a little girl now?'. Just stupid crap like that to try and make me feel bad about playin' in Mom's clothes. And sometimes, Mom would come back in my room and egg him on to fuck me even harder and hurt me even more. `Course, the more he was fuckin' me, the less he was fuckin' her, and maybe that's what she wanted."</span></p> <p><span>"Mike, I can't tell you how sorry I am they hurt you like that."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's the really weird thing, Dad."</span></p> <p><span>"What?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the first time he did it to me when I was like four, it hurt like hell when he jammed his dick in my ass, and I cried for `bout an hour after it was over `cause it hurt so damn much. But after the fifth or sixth time him doin' it to me, it didn't hurt near as much as it did that first time. In fact, after a while, I really got to like it when he'd fuck me. My little weiner'd get all hard and ever'thing, and even though he was smackin' my ass for bein' bad while he fucked me, I'd get my tingles almost every time. And I know he knew what was happenin' `cause he had to feel my asshole squeezin' his dick. I mean, I could feel it happenin', he sure had to, right? And whenever that'd happen, he'd get even more pissed `cause I was likin' it.</span></p> <p><span>"I guess what confuses me the most about all of it was I knew what he was doin' was wrong and I really hated it, but I also really, really liked it. I hated his guts, but I also loved him so much that I'd get caught on purpose, just so he'd fuck me again and hopin, maybe, he might actually love me. It's all so twisted `round in my brain, sometimes I can't make no sense of it. Does that mean I'm a sick little kid?" he asked sadly.</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all, little buddy. Confused and hurt, for sure, but definitely not sick. Now, your mom and dad, on the other hand ..."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, see, now we come to the <i>really </i>big problem," Mike interrupted.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh god, there's more?" I mumbled in a bit of a daze.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah. They found out just `fore I got taken away that Mom's gonna have another baby."</span></p> <p><span>"That's not good," I muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"No, it ain't. I don't know if it's gonna be a girl or a boy yet, but whatever it is, it shouldn't have <i>them</i> for a mom and dad. Who knows what the fuck they'll do to another kid?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing good, I'd imagine. Listen, Mike, I'm glad you finally felt you could trust me enough to tell me what you went through. I really don't know what to say right now that's gonna make you feel better, but I'm going to work on it with you, see if we can't help you figure it all out. But I have one more really important question for you and I want the truth, understand?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir," he muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"You were calling me `daddy' last night and that's not something you've ever done before. Were you doing that because of what your dad did to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I guess so. Whenever he'd be fuckin' me, he demanded I call him `daddy'. I don't know why. But I pro'lly just slipped back into that last night `cause I was likin' it so much."</span></p> <p><span>"That's okay, I understand. Just do me a small favor, please."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?" he asked with raised eyebrows.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't ever call me `daddy' again. I don't want you to think I could, or would, be like your birth father."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem with that. What he did to me and the way he did it was all `cause he hated me. What you and me did in the shower together was `cause we love each other so much," he smiled serenely.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad you can understand the difference. Now, we can't let them be responsible for another kid. Would you be willing to talk to Dr. Paul and Dylan so we can keep that from happenin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"I won't like it much, but yeah, I'll do it. I don't want my little brother or sister to have to go through the same crap I did. What the hell kinda big brother would I be if I let that happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear you say that. I'll call Dr. Paul and see if he can talk to you Friday to get things rolling and make sure the baby's protected."</span></p> <p><span>"Whenever it is, I'll go. I like the Kirklands and would like to see them again, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Good man, Mike."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dad. Um, can I ask you somethin' now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Go on, spit it out."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you gonna help me with my shower again tonight?" the imp asked with a vicious smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"No, I think it's Pops' turn for that particular task," I replied with my own crooked smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Sweet," Mike cooed with delight. "Maybe I'll get him to shoot his spermies out for me, too," he giggled with glee.</span></p> <p><span>"I bet he'll be happy to have your help, little buddy. Why don't you scoot along now, and send Andy back here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why you want him? My dad didn't fuck him, too, did he?"</span></p> <p><span>"Lord, I hope not," I answered in exasperation. "I just want to ask him what he wants to give T.J. for his birthday, remember?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah. Thanks for listenin' to me, Dad. I know you really didn't want to hear all that crap, but you asked."</span></p> <p><span>"And I'm proud of you for bein' so brave and telling me the truth. We'll get busy on taking care of your parents. Now move it, munchkin." Before he slid off my lap, Mike wrapped his arms around my neck and squeezed me almost hard enough to have my brain pop right out of the top of my skull. Another half-pound of pressure and it might have happened. Fortunately, he eased up just before the ultimate disaster could occur, whispered `I love you, Dad' into my ear, and gave me a quick peck on the cheek before disappearing out the door on the way back to the living room. </span></p> <p><span>I figured I had maybe thirty seconds before Andy arrived to pull myself back together and grabbed another handful of Kleenexes to dry my eyes and face again. I'd just managed to toss the sodden mass of tissues into the trash can under the desk when the youngster zoomed into the room, made a beeline to my chair and crawled up in my lap, face adorned with the most innocent and angelic smile I'd seen in quite a while.</span></p> <p><span>After a quick chat with Andy and getting his gift idea for T.J., I sent him on his way with the request to have Alex join me. And so it went for five or so minutes until I had the items Ron needed to pick up for T.J. I wrote down everything I wanted him to get for us and where he should go, including Ace Bicycle Shop on South MacArthur to retrieve the bike from Tom and myself. Just as I was about to leave my study, T.J. stepped inside and closed the door behind him.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, young man?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you've talked to all the other goobers but me, so you must know what they're giving me for my birthday," he cracked.</span></p> <p><span>"As a matter of fact, I do. Do you already know what you're getting?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope. I've shut that part down for the next couple o' days. I want to be surprised when I open everything Wednesday," he added with a twisted grin.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it. This is one time your special gift could ruin an otherwise good time. I wasn't aware you'd learned enough control over it to be able to close it down like that."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's not perfect, just yet, so we'll see how it goes. I'm gettin' a lot better at it, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Good for you. So, if you're not here to snoop on your big day, what else can I do for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"If I read it right, Mike just told you `bout what his dad did to him." My heart fell at the confirmation of what I'd already suspected. This poor kid was going to end up scarred for life because of all the shit done to the people he cares about and not to himself.</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, Dad, I'll be fine." I was so shocked he was so straight-forward at contradicting my thought, I couldn't respond. "I've known about Mike's dad almost as long as I've known about what happened to you."</span></p> <p><span>"But you never said anything," I complained. "Why not?"</span></p> <p><span>" `Cause it wasn't my story to tell, was it? It was Mike's. `Sides, I knew he'd `ventually screw up the courage to tell you. Took `im longer than I thought it would, though, but he finally did it and that's the important part, that he was able to do it himself."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he's been wantin' to say something for a while now. Really, ever since you told all of us `bout the Muellers. But he was afraid `bout how you'd react after your little breakdown out at the pool that one day."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I can understand that. His experience with his dad is very similar to my own and I'm sure he was afraid he'd react like I did."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's part of it, for sure. But he also didn't want you to think he didn't want to do things with you and Pops like what happened during your shower last night, `cause he really does. He was afraid if you knew what his dad had done, you wouldn't ever give Mike what he really, really wants since <i>you'd</i> think you were being just like his dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he's got a point there, doesn't he? I have to ask myself, and have many times already, just what makes me and Pops different from people like the Muellers and Mike's dad for doing those kinds of things with you guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"You already know the answer to that, you just don't believe it," T.J. retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, do me a big favor and clue me in, little Mr. Smarty Pants," I replied sarcastically.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, Dad, I ain't got no pants on, or have you gone blind?" the munchkin giggled uncontrollably before recovering his serious side and continuing. "It's love, ya big goofball. You love us and we love you. We ask you, beg you sometimes, to let us show you and Pops how much we love you for bringing us all together to make a real family, and for you and Pops to show us how much you love us back. People like the Muellers and Mike's dad wouldn't know what the hell love is if it smacked `em upside their stupid heads. All they know and understand is hate, power and control over someone else. And that ain't love, is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not in my book, no," I agreed with my young philosopher. "Tell me, young man, how'd you become so wise at such a tender age?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue, old man. Just lucky, I guess," he giggled in reply.</span></p> <p><span>"No, Pops and I are the lucky ones. Lucky to have found each other, lucky to have found you boys when we did, just lucky to be alive and truly enjoying our lives together, really."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a formula for success to me, Dad," he commented as he leaned in closer and wrapped his arms around my neck. While his squeeze wasn't quite as constricting as Mike's a little bit ago, it was darn close. At least I stood a fair chance of not only keeping my head attached to the top of my shoulders where it belongs, but I was confident it would be completely intact and nobody was going to have to scrape any brain matter from the walls or ceiling.</span></p> <p><span>As he began to relax his grip, I leaned in, kissed the top of his head and whispered, "Thanks, T.J., I really needed to hear that."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know," he giggled back at my ear.</span></p> <p><span>"I love ya, ya little bugger."</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, knew that, too, ya old fart. Love you right back."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I need to go talk to Pops and Dylan, so let's get the heck outta here."</span></p> <p><span>I left my chair and T.J. grabbed my hand to lead me through the house. "Ya gonna tell Pops `bout Mike?" he asked as we stepped into the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I think I should. Don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, you have to. How else you gonna protect Mike's new little brother or sister when they're born?"</span></p> <p><span>"Is there anything you don't know?" I asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, not much, really. But nothin' I can do `bout it, is there?" he asked in all seriousness.</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose not," I replied sadly. "Do the other boys know about what happened to Mike yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"Alex and Joey do, but Logan and Andy ain't got a clue."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, tell the twins to keep it under their hats until Mike's ready to tell the others himself."</span></p> <p><span>"What, you think we're idiots?" T.J. asked in disbelief. "We agreed to that a long time ago."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, buddy." By that time, we'd reached the living room and T.J. released my hand to return to his book while I continued on down the hallway to relay yet another sad story to the love of my life and his business partner. After knocking on the closed door, I pushed it open, stepped inside, re-closed the door and leaned heavily against the wooden slab.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh-oh, I don't think I like the look on your face," Tom muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope," I agreed flatly. "And you're gonna like it even less when I tell you the story I just heard." I pulled a chair up next to his desk before sinking into it and launching into my narrative. Tom and Dylan gave me their undivided attention, both becoming angrier and angrier with each passing word. I couldn't really fault them for their reactions as I was feeling exactly the same way. By the time I was done sharing Mike's story with them, I knew exactly how Mike felt when he told me. Of course, having been through it myself, it all hit me a bit closer to home than the pissed off duo before me.</span></p> <p><span>"Why the hell do parents insist on ruining their kids' lives before they've barely begun," Dylan groaned.</span></p> <p><span>"If I could answer that question, I could fix every problem on this miserable planet," I replied somberly.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what happens next?" Tom inquired.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm going to call Paul and see if he has an opening Friday to talk to Mike. First, to start getting the kid the help he's gonna need to sort out his feelings and second, to get the process started on making sure Mike's little brother or sister does <i>not</i> grow up with those two pathetic excuses for human beings."</span></p> <p><span>"I almost hate to ask this question," Dylan began, "but what's gonna happen with the baby? I mean, you're not thinking about adopting it since it's gonna be Mike's sibling, are you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know," I admitted. While the prospect of doing just that had flashed through my mind as soon as Mike told me his mom was pregnant, I wasn't sure we were really prepared to follow that path. I had another thought, also, but it seemed to be so ludicrous that I almost immediately discarded the idea. But the more I cogitated on it, I decided I should at least make a phone call to see if it was an option. Shaking my head to clear away the clouding thoughts, I continued, "The first thing that needs to happen is to call Paul, then Carol to let her know what we've learned. The two of them can lead the charge to see his parents in jail where they belong. Everything else can be dealt with later."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll talk to Carol to get her started on her end," Tom offered. "I can only assume Paul will notify Derek after he's talked to Mike, but I'll still give Derek a call, just to give him a heads up."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good, guys," I admitted. "I'm going to make Mike's appointment and then crash until time for lunch. I'd planned to do some work on the book, but my brain's just not up for that torture right now." As I got up to leave, Tom stood and pulled me into a calming hug. As we embraced each other, he whispered, `just like everything else, babe, we'll get through this'. With a simple nod of acknowledgement from me, we separated, and I plodded back to my study. After unceremoniously falling back into my chair, I looked up Paul's number since it wasn't coming to me like numbers usually do and placed the call.</span></p> <p><span>"Kirkland home and practice, how may I help you?" Joy answered cheerfully.</span></p> <p><span>"Morning, Joy, Max Sanders here. How're you today?" I replied as if on autopilot.</span></p> <p><span>"We're doing great, Max. How's everybody out there?"</span></p> <p><span>"We've had better days, that's for sure."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh-oh, am I sensing some trouble in paradise?" she asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"You could put it that way. The reason I'm calling is I need to make an appointment for Mike to see Paul and I'm hoping he has some time open Friday afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, let me check his schedule." I could hear pages flipping in a notebook as she fast forwarded to Friday. She came back to me soon enough with, "Looks like he has slots at two and four open that afternoon, Max. Which one do you want?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think the two o'clock time slot will work just fine, Joy. Thanks."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm guessing Mike finally decided to open up to someone."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and it's not a nice story. Since Mike really likes Paul, he's the logical choice of someone for Mike to talk to."</span></p> <p><span>"You can be sure Paul will do whatever he can to help. We both really like Mike. He's such a charming kid, I just don't think he was with us long enough for him to feel really comfortable talking with us much. I'm glad he's finally found someone he trusts to be there for him."</span></p> <p><span>"I am, too. Well, we'll see you Friday."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for calling, Max. Try to have a good week."</span></p> <p><span>I hung up the phone and took a few moments to ponder the other insane idea that had popped into my mind while talking with Mike before picking the receiver back up and dialing a number I knew all too well.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you for calling the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault. How may I direct your call?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like to talk to Lee Nichols, please," I requested.</span></p> <p><span>"One moment, sir," the receptionist replied before placing me on hold.</span></p> <p><span>Less than twenty seconds passed when I heard, "This is Lee, how may I help you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, sis, how's your day goin'?" I asked flatly.</span></p> <p><span>"Not bad, bro, but what's up with you? You sound like you've been hit by a truck," she commented with a bit of a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it missed me, but just barely. It damn near splattered Mike all over the highway, though."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!?? Is he okay? Oh, god, please tell me he's not hurt," Lee groaned in my ear.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, didn't mean to scare you, Lee. I was speaking figuratively, not literally," I said in a calming tone of voice.</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus, Max, don't do shit like that to me," she scolded.</span></p> <p><span> "Look, I've got a question for you but I'm not sure how to ask it without upsetting you."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, come on, Max. After all our discussions over the last year, how do you think you could ever upset me in any way? Besides telling me one of my adorable nephews was just run over by a truck, of course."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, this one's way more personal than just about anything else we've discussed and if it's none of my business or I'm way the hell off base, just slap me around a bit and I'll shut up."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it'll be a little hard to slap you through the phone, but I'll do my best if it's called for."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't doubt that a bit. What I want to know is why you and Carl have never had any kids. I mean, did you not want them, or was it just not possible?" The silence emanating from the other end of the line was mortifying and I immediately felt as if I'd crossed an unseen line in the sand. I waited maybe thirty seconds before breaking the silence with, "Uh, you still there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, sorry, Max. You just caught me <i>way</i> off guard. I guess we've never talked about it, have we?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, no, hence my asking now. And if you don't want to talk about it, I'll understand, go away and forget I ever asked."</span></p> <p><span>"No, it's fine, bro. When Carl and I first got serious about each other, the one thing we most wanted to come out of our being together was kids. Before we even got married, we agreed that we'd have four, hopefully two boys and two girls, though you never know, do you? Then, after we got married and were seriously trying to make that dream become reality, we discovered that due to some medical issues, it was never gonna happen for us. So, we readjusted our priorities and lives to move forward in what we thought would be the best way for us."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry to hear that, sis. I guess in the back of my mind, I always wondered, but a chat with Mike this morning pulled those thoughts front and center."</span></p> <p><span>"What kind of talk could you have possibly had with him that would make you think about Carl and me having kids? I don't see any possible connection there, Max, and I gotta tell ya, I'm pretty confused."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, join the club in that regard. We've told you about some of what Mike went through before being taken away from his parents, right?" After a quick acknowledgement from Lee that we had actually done so, I plowed on. "Well, just this morning, Mike told me more. A whole lot more. Turns out his dad abused Mike in much the same way Frank and Iris did me."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh my God, Max! That's horrible. How's he holding up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty well, I guess, all things considered."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm still wondering how his abuse could possibly tie in with us having kids."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know. I'm getting there, okay? Mike also told me that just before he was removed from their <i>care</i>, they found out his mom is pregnant. And we can't let them keep that baby, especially after what they did to Mike."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hell to the no!" Lee exclaimed. "Are you and Tom thinking of adopting another one?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, no, even though that idea briefly flitted through my mind. No, the whacked out thought that popped in after I dismissed the first option was to see if you and Carl might be interested in adopting."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right," Lee scoffed with a chuckle. "Wait, you're serious, aren't you?" she quickly added with serious surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't have asked the question if I wasn't serious, sis."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, crap, you're really puttin' me on the spot, ya jerk. If I say yes, I'm a hero, and if I say no, then I'm a heartless bitch. Nice, bro, real nice," she added with a considerable dose of sarcasm.</span></p> <p><span>"That's not my intent and you know it, Lee. I just want you and Carl to have a serious discussion about the possibility and give it some thought. Since that baby is going to be Mike's little brother or sister, I'd like to know where it goes so the two can grow up knowing each other."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you just shot my afternoon to hell. I won't be able to think about anything else the rest of the day. Tell you what, I'll talk to Carl tonight and we'll see what happens. I'm not making any promises at this point."</span></p> <p><span>"I understand. There's a ways to go before the baby arrives, so take your time and really think about it, please. If you two decide you want to go that route, we'll do everything we can to help."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max, I know you will. Look, I gotta try to get back to some real work, but I promise you'll be hearing from us soon."</span></p> <p><span>"Love you, Lee."</span></p> <p><span>"Love you, too, asshole, uh, I mean Max," she chuckled just before hanging up on me.</span></p> <p><span>`<i>Asshole, huh? We'll see about that, you heartless bitch</i>,' I thought before re-cradling the receiver. I leaned back in my chair and rehashed the conversation I'd just had to make sure I understood everything I'd just learned. Lee and Carl had planned to have kids, but for whatever reason, it wasn't in the cards for them. I wondered if they'd tried other routes of becoming parents or if the news it wouldn't happen naturally hurt them so badly, they just gave up on that dream. And why hadn't I known about their problems? For some odd and completely selfish reason, I was hurt that I didn't know about their struggles. Not that I could have done anything to solve the problem for them, mind you. </span></p> <p><span>True, on one hand, it was really none of my business and I'd never asked the question before, but on the other hand, why hadn't they shared that part of their lives with me, either. Do Mom and Dad know? And if they do, why the hell didn't I? Again, I returned to the simple fact it was their life and not mine, so why would they have told me. Beyond the heartache they've dealt with since they got married twelve years ago, I'm sure there was a touch of shame or humiliation to go along with what must have seemed to be a major failure in their lives.</span></p> <p><span>By the time I was done beating them up over not sharing one of the most intimate aspects of their lives with me, I realized Lee was absolutely right about one thing; I <i>am</i> an asshole, and she's not the heartless bitch she claims to be. Here I was thinking it was horrible of them to have not included me in their troubles when in reality, I'm taking the easy way out and adopting six kids. Yeah, like that's easy. I just got lucky. And it was my fervent hope they might finally have some good luck of their own and be willing to accept a baby into their lives. Well, I've done all I can do at the moment by making the suggestion. The ball's in their court now.</span></p> <p><span>With my brain having been tortured to the limit by the emotional ups and downs of the morning, I retreated to the bedroom to take some Advil and see if my pillows still loved me.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what did Carol have to say?" Dylan asked when I hung up the phone.</span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, she wasn't too surprised. She said she always knew Mike wasn't telling them everything his parents had done to him. She was hoping it hadn't been as ugly as it was, but deep down, she already knew. They just couldn't get Mike to open up about it so they could do what really needed to be done. She's starting the paperwork right now to take the baby as soon as it's born."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess you work her job long enough, you develop a sixth sense for things like that. Always hoping for the best but expecting the worst."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess so. But we had the same thing in our job, didn't we?" I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"True enough. It always pissed me off when we'd run into situations like that. The only saving grace was that while we couldn't dispense the appropriate justice immediately, we knew they'd eventually get what they had coming when their sorry asses landed in jail. I don't know what it is with cons, but they absolutely hate anybody who abuses kids in any way, and they make sure those sick fuckers get back what they gave out. Ten times over."</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, always love to hear it when some sicko gets his just rewards. Makes me wonder how Frank and Iris are faring in their new confines," I added with a twisted grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Do you really care?" Dylan asked with interest.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a whit. Whatever happens to those two is less than they deserve."</span></p> <p><span>"So, Tom, do you think you and Max are going to adopt this baby?" Dylan prodded me. </span></p> <p><span>The sudden change of topic caught me by surprise, and I hesitated a moment before supplying an answer. "I'd be surprised if he's not thinkin' about it already," I admitted with reservation. "Not sure I'm ready for that, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, come on, man. It would make perfect sense since you're already takin' Mike."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess it does, but I think the six we already have is <i>more</i> than enough. And now he wants to add William to the crew. <i>And </i>a baby!? I mean, what the hell is Max thinkin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's thinkin' all these kids need a good home to live in and a loving family to grow up with."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not arguin' that point a bit, Dylan, because I'd be wastin' my breath. But just where do you draw the line? I mean, when does it all become too much to handle?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like somebody's havin' second thoughts about the commitment they've made," Dylan commented.</span></p> <p><span>"I'd be lyin' through my teeth if I said I wasn't. Don't get me wrong, I love Max with all my heart, and I'd follow him to the ends of the universe to be with him. And those boys? How can you not love them? They're all so kind, considerate, smart and cute, you'd have to be the most heartless villain in the world to not love them, right? I'm just not sure I've got enough in me to go around," I quietly admitted.</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, listen to me," the big guy demanded. I picked my head up and looked Dylan in the eyes as he continued. "We've worked together almost daily for what, over five years now, right? And I think I know you better than almost anybody else. Except, maybe, Malcom, that is. You may not believe this, but you've got more love in you to give than you think is possible. How do I know that, you ask? Because I've seen you in action, seen the way you deal with people and treat them. Even the lowest of lowlife scumbags you've come across in the job gets way better than they deserve. Like the Muellers. I know how much you wanted to clean Frank's clock that day, just wipe that smug `I'm better than you' smirk right off his face so hard it'd never come back. But you didn't. Even as pissed off as you were at him and Iris, you still treated them with respect they didn't come close to deserving. It's who you are and there's not a damn thing you could do to change that."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for that, Dylan, I guess. But still, there's gotta be a limit, right? I just have this feeling, way down deep in my gut, that we're biting off way more than either of us can chew."</span></p> <p><span>"And maybe you are, but you wanna know somethin'? If anybody can do it and succeed, it's you and Max. Sure, you'll have to make some minor adjustments as you go along, but it'll all work out. Whether it's just the six kids you have now or the hundred and fifty-six I think Max wants, you'll adapt as needed and everyone will be better off because of the love you two have for each other and however many kids you eventually end up with."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't go there, man. A hundred and fifty-six? No way, José. I draw the line at, let's say, sixty-six. Yeah, that's a good number, I think. Nice and round, divisible by two <i>and</i> three, so you can split things up easily. More than enough for four football teams or what, 12 basketball teams, and still have some left over to be cheerleaders. Yep, that's my limit, sixty-six and not one more." I ended my daydream with a sheepish grin on my face and looked back to Dylan, only to find him staring at me with the widest smirk I'd ever seen on his face. </span></p> <p><span>"What?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I think I'm takin' the rest of the day off as my work here is done," he laughed heartily.</span></p> <p><span>"Not by a longshot, Bubba. Get back on the phone," I demanded with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Yessir, massa," Dylan laughed again as I shot him a dirty look.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, guys, I think it's time to take a break and get started on lunch," I suggested. "What do you want to eat today?" The suggestions from the herd were flying so fast, it was hard to keep up with them all, but once Logan mentioned tacos, the other five suddenly forgot their own ideas and all six were begging for the same. "Well, let's go see if we have what we need to make it happen."</span></p> <p><span>They followed me to the kitchen and into the pantry where I pulled the two eighteen-pack boxes of taco shells off the shelf along with four packs of taco seasoning. Joey grabbed the jar of salsa from another shelf while Alex lifted Andy to grab the bag of Tostitos Scoops from the high shelf that was their home. Back in the kitchen, I pulled two packs of ground sirloin from the freezer and dropped them in a large pan on the stove to start the thawing and browning process.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I've got things going in here, why don't you rugrats get the table set, then let your dads and Dylan know lunch'll be ready in thirty minutes?" I asked. Without question or argument, the six-pack got to work and soon had everything we'd need on the table except for our drinks. That minor chore completed, Alex, Joey and T.J. aimed themselves down the hallway to get Max while Andy, Mike and Logan traipsed across the house to spread the word to Tom and Dylan.</span></p> <p><span>I knocked on the door to Dad's study and we waited for an answer. I didn't wait long, though, before pushing the door open to find nothing but an empty room.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, where'd he go?" I wondered out loud.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't know, Alex," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Last time I saw him, he was headed this way," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"Must be in the bedroom, then" I decided, and we turned around to knock on that door. Again, we waited for an answer and when none came, T.J. cracked the door just enough for us to spy Dad splayed out on the bed like a guy who'd been staked to the ground, just waiting for the vultures to show up for dinner. As usual, he'd kicked off the covers and his stiff dick was standing at attention.</span></p> <p><span>"Aw, isn't that cute?" T.J. giggled. </span></p> <p><span>"He must be dreamin' `bout Pops, again," Joey added with a snicker.</span></p> <p><span>"Naw, he's pro'lly dreamin' about his shower with Mikey last night," I offered with a quiet laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, you guys know `bout that?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, du-u-u-h," I answered. "Mikey can't keep nothin' from us, can he Joey?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope. His mind's way too easy to pick."</span></p> <p><span>"You guys think maybe now that he's talked to Dad about what his dad did to him, he might actually tell us, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"Who knows?" Joey replied. "But if he wants to talk `bout it, we'll listen, won't we?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know it," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"I wish we could do somethin' to help him feel better."</span></p> <p><span>"We will, dude," Alex replied. "Just in our own way."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's get the old fart up and go eat," Joey said. "Well, he's already <i>up</i>, ain't he?" he added with a giggle when he turned back and looked through the open door. "Guess I shoulda said movin'."</span></p> <p><span>On that note, the three of us moved in for the kill.</span></p> <p><span>Logan knocked on the door to Pops and Uncle Dylan's office and when we heard the `come in' echo from the other side, Andy pushed the door open and we stepped inside.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, kiddos?" Pops asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Ron's started lunch and he told us to let you guys know it'd be ready in thirty minutes," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yum!" Dylan replied while rubbing his stomach. "Those doughnuts are wearin' out awful quick and I'm startin' to get hungry. What're we havin' today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Tacos," Andy replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Chips and salsa, too," Logan added.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for letting us know. We'll be out in about twenty minutes," Pops said. "Why don't you three scoot and we'll see you in a few." Logan and Andy quickly returned to the kitchen to see if they could help Ron with anything, but I stayed where I was, looking down at the floor and kind of shuffling my feet. "What's up, Mike? You have something else to add?" Pops asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, yeah. I guess Dad pro'lly told you what I told him this mornin', didn't he?"</span></p> <p><span>Pops left his chair and knelt in front of me before answering. After putting his hands on my shoulders, he finally said, "He did and I'm sure you know this already, but we're all really sorry you had to go through that. We're just glad you finally said something to us so we can get you the help you need to deal with your feelings about what your mom and dad did."</span></p> <p><span>"Did he also tell you the part about me really gettin' to like it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, but that still doesn't make what they did right. And you can be sure they're going to be punished for what they did."</span></p> <p><span>"How do you know that?" I asked finally peeling my eyes away from the floor and looking into Pops' eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"Because I'm gonna make sure of it, little buddy," Uncle Dylan answered. I jumped a little in surprise when he said something because I was so focused on the floor, I had kind of forgotten he was in the room.</span></p> <p><span>I turned to him with a smile and said, "Thanks, Uncle Dylan. I knew I could count on you guys."</span></p> <p><span>"Always, Mike," Pops replied. He pulled me into a big hug and just about squeezed the stuffings right out of me. Before letting me go, he whispered, "I love you, son."</span></p> <p><span>"I love you, too, Pops," I echoed, then gave him a little kiss on the cheek. I ran over to Uncle Dylan's desk to give him a hug and kiss, too, and when I got there, he picked me up by my armpits and spun us around while he was sitting in his chair. That got me really giggling before we finally slowed down and he set me back on the floor. "Thanks Uncle Dylan. I love you, too," I added as I wrapped my arms around his neck.</span></p> <p><span>"Love you, too, munchkin," he replied before I let go of him and turned to follow Andy and Logan.</span></p> <p><span>Mike had just left our office, closing the door as he did, and I turned to look at Tom who was still kneeling in the same position and hiding his face behind his hands. Despite his attempt to be covert, on closer inspection, I could see the tears running from his eyes and dripping from his cheeks on to the new wood flooring. "You okay there, Buckwheat," I asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, fine," he croaked in response. As he started to stand up and return to his chair, he continued, "I just hate what all these kids have been through in their short lives so far. I don't know if any of them will ever be able to have a <i>normal</i> fuckin' life, not with all the crap they've got to deal with."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, it's like that for every damn kid in the world, whether they've had a rough life or not. It's all a matter of them having good role models to emulate and learning how to properly deal with any problems they may have along the way. And just look at the role models your boys have, they've got me, Max, Malcom, your parents, Lee and Carl. Hell, even <i>you're</i> gonna be a pretty good person to follow once you pull your head outta your ass and get with the program. It's those decisions we make throughout our lives that make us who we are."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, I get that, okay, but these six boys are so far behind the eight-ball right now, how the hell will they ever recover?"</span></p> <p><span>"With lots and lots of love and support from you, Max, and whoever else you all decide to add to the family over time."</span></p> <p><span>"How can you be so damn sure about that?" Tom muttered in despair.</span></p> <p><span>"Easy. Look at our pal, Vinnie, and what he's accomplished. A few years ago, he was just a few steps shy of spending some serious time behind bars, wasn't he? Then you and I got just a little involved with him, tried to show him a more positive side of life, a better way to live. And where is he now, you ask? He has his own moving company that not only keeps him on the straight and narrow, but half his family, too. If that's not a turnaround worth celebrating, I don't know what is. And he did all that with the minimum of input from us. Just think of the effect all of us working together will have on those kids in the next ten to fifteen years as they grow up. By the time they're ready to move out of this dump and get on with the rest of their lives, they'll have the world by the balls and be ready to squeeze the shit outta them. Just ask Logan's Uncle Dirtbag `bout what happens to people who get in their way."</span></p> <p><span>Despite what he'd been feeling ever since Max came in the last time, Tom laughed heartily at what I'd said, and I joined him in the first light-hearted moment we'd had all morning. "There, you see I'm right, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I sure hope you are," Tom tentatively agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what's your limit on kids now that you have a fresh perspective?"</span></p> <p><span>"What'd I say before? Sixty-six, right? Yeah, fuck that, way too low. Maybe five hundred sixty-six. If your gonna go for it, might as well go all out, right?" he replied with a wide smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Now, there's the Tom Wright <i>I</i> know. Welcome back to the real world, bonehead."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, thanks, Dylan. Love you, too, smart-ass."</span></p> <p><span>" `Least I'm a smart one and not a dumb one," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Says you," Tom retorted with his own chuckle before looking back to the file on his desk and picking up his phone to arrange an interview with a couple looking to adopt a baby. While that all by itself was a good sign, what I thought was even more important was the simple fact the smile he'd lost earlier was firmly plastered across his face and I saw no sign of him losing it this time.</span></p> <p><span>Lunch was a rather quiet affair after Mike's news this morning, but it didn't the keep the boys from packing away the food like they always do. After Tom, Dylan and Ron provided some assistance to Andy, Mike and T.J. in putting their tacos together (meat and cheese only, thank you very much), we whipped up our own. Of course, ours included lettuce, onions and some tomato chunks Ron had prepared to add a bit more flavor to an otherwise rather plain taco. </span></p> <p><span>Alex and Joey took the easy way out and crumbled the shell into tiny bits on their plates before dumping two tacos worth of meat on top of the shredded shells, then adding almost as much cheese to the pile already on their plates before digging in with their forks. In all my life, I'd never seen anyone eat a taco in such a manner. Though, after struggling to keep all the fillings in the shell as I took a bite of my own and tried to not make a mess, I was beginning to see the method in their shared madness. I'll have to tuck that little trick into the back of my mind and pull it back out the next time Ron was inspired to fix food from south of the border.</span></p> <p><span>Wasting little time by virtually inhaling their meals, the boys were obviously anxious to get their afternoon adventure started. As each finished with emptying their plates, they immediately took them and their silverware into the kitchen, rinsed it all in the sink and then dropped it in the dishwasher. Their minor chore completed, they headed to their rooms to get dressed and ready to leave.</span></p> <p><span>Alex was the last one to take care of his cleanup and as he came back through the dining room, he looked to Tom and I and bluntly suggested, "C'mon, you two, hurry the heck up! Time's a wastin' and we gotta get movin'."</span></p> <p><span>I looked at Alex and commented, "Um, you do realize Lincoln's not going anywhere, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I sure hope not," he giggled in agreement. "But still, let's get rollin'. We don't wanna be cooped up in the house <i>all</i> day, Dads."</span></p> <p><span>"You go get ready, buddy, and we'll be with you soon enough," Tom offered with a smile. As Alex turned for his room to get dressed, Tom looked back to me and commented, "Geez, you'd think we never take them anywhere."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, except for grocery shopping, the occasional meal out and our trip to Chicago, we really haven't," I countered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, all right. We better get movin' or they're liable to leave without us."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, good luck with that. They don't have keys to the cars," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, Max," Ron interjected, "did you forget about the hooks we put in the garage that hold the keys and fobs to <i>every</i> vehicle you own, including the `Vette and Ferrari?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit," I muttered. I looked back to Tom and asked, "What the hell you waitin' for, an engraved invitation? Get your ass up and movin'," I added as I grabbed my plate, silverware and glass, and turned for the kitchen on my way to the bedroom. I could hear Ron and Dylan laughing their asses off as I dropped my stuff in the dishwasher and aimed for the bedroom, Tom following closely behind.</span></p> <p><span>While we didn't really rush through getting dressed and ready to go, soon enough, we were presentable to the public at large and headed back through the house. Passing through the dining room on the way to the garage where we were sure the boys were waiting for us, we found Dylan and Ron still chuckling to themselves. I interrupted their continuing chortles with, "Ron, I've left a list on my desk of items we'd like for you to pick up this afternoon while we're gone. Once you're done with your cleanup, would you please take care of that and when you get back, stash it all in our bedroom?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. You guys go have fun."</span></p> <p><span>"We're gonna try," Tom said as we left the pair of still-giggling fools behind. </span></p> <p><span>Stepping into the garage, we found the sensational six-pack waiting patiently in the car. That, in and of itself, wasn't really much of a surprise. The surprising part was finding Joey had taken up residence in the driver's seat, the engine running and every window and roof panel on the car wide open. The look on our faces must have been something to see as all six kiddos cracked up with laughter.</span></p> <p><span>After gathering our wits, Tom called out, "Move it munchkin! I'm not goin' anywhere with you behind the wheel."</span></p> <p><span>"Aw, c'mon, Pops, where's your sense of adventure?" Joey retorted with a crooked smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Still in bed and enjoying a very peaceful nap. Now, skedaddle."</span></p> <p><span>"You're no fun at all, old man," Logan crowed loudly as Joey climbed over the back of the driver's seat and settled himself in between Logan and Alex in the middle row.</span></p> <p><span>"You got that right," Tom agreed as he took his place behind the wheel and I sank into the passenger seat.</span></p> <p><span>I buckled my seat belt, then turned around to face the wild ones and said, "You guys should know better than to start a car. What the devil were you thinkin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't have a cow, man," Alex replied. "All he did was push the button on the dash. He didn't touch nothin' else, I swear. We're not complete dummies, ya know."</span></p> <p><span>"Then how did the windows and roof get opened?" I asked as Tom backed out of the garage and got us on our way to town.</span></p> <p><span>"That was me," Alex confessed with a smile. "It's such a nice day, we thought we'd enjoy some fresh air on the way."</span></p> <p><span>I smiled internally as the same thought had occurred to me as Tom and I were getting dressed, but I was still upset with Joey actually starting the car. "Any of you ever starts a car without us being there and asking you to do so, you'll be wearin' clothes for a week. You got me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Geez, man, take a pill and chill," Joey muttered quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"What was that, young man?" I asked as I spun around as far as my seatbelt would allow.</span></p> <p><span>"Nothin'," he grunted. By that time, we'd reached the end of the drive and Tom had just turned onto the road that would take us to the Old Jacksonville Road and Springfield.</span></p> <p><span>"That's it," I fumed in disgust at their behavior. I turned back to Tom and demanded, "Turn the car around, we're not takin' these little brats anywhere."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, no can do, babe," Tom replied wistfully as the boys erupted in protest from the back seats.</span></p> <p><span>"What're you talkin' about?" I questioned our driver.</span></p> <p><span>"He's right, Max, would you just take a pill and chill?" he asked with a smile. He then reached his right hand over the console between us, pulled my left into his and gently squeezed while adding, "You're just stressed and an afternoon out of the house is just what the doctor ordered."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh yeah," I retorted angrily. "You wanna tell me what quack gave you that shitty advice?" Another round of protests ensued from the back seats, this time all of them calling me on my word selection.</span></p> <p><span>"Why me, of course," Tom replied with serene bliss.</span></p> <p><span>"I wanna see your diploma," I demanded, though the humor of the situation was finally breaking through the denser than normal fabric of my mind and a tight smile was slowly forming on my face.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll show you anything you want when we're back home and in bed, babe," my honey whispered seductively as he winked at me. That was all it took, and I completely lost it, laughing hysterically at the absurdity of the whole situation and my extremely overboard reaction to the boys' actions and comments.</span></p> <p><span>I turned in my seat again and offered, "I'm really sorry guys. I overreacted and went way off the deep end. I promise I'm in a better mood, now, and I'll try to stay that way, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"You better, Dad," Joey retorted. He then turned towards Tom and asked, "What, did you promise to give him a blowjob if he chilled out?"</span></p> <p><span>"Or was it just a handjob?" Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, I bet it was a whole lot more than either one o' them," Logan laughed aloud.</span></p> <p><span>Tom's only response to their gibes was a simple `no comment' as I turned almost as red as the outside of the car in embarrassment. All six munchkins were now giggling uncontrollably. Whether it was the new color tone of my skin or the thought of their dads enjoying some intimate time later was up for debate.</span></p> <p><span>Right up until this small voice from the backseat called out, "Hey, don't forget my shower tonight, Pops. I'm really looking forward to it."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, Mike, there's plenty of me to go `round," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't that the truth," T.J. retorted. That got all of us laughing yet again and we remained in high spirits the rest of the way into town.</span></p> <p><span>I was headed down the hallway towards the garage, but before I left the house to run the errands Max had asked me to take care of, I wanted to have a quick chat with Dylan. I stopped and knocked on the door, then stepped inside after receiving the all clear signal.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, Ron?" he asked as I stood in front of his desk, feeling as nervous as a little kid standing before the school principal about it for some odd reason.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, man, I just wanted to ask you somethin' `fore I headed out."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, spit it out, boy," Dylan grumbled as he leaned back in his chair.</span></p> <p><span>"I hope I'm not oversteppin' my bounds and I don't want anybody thinkin' I was eavesdroppin' or anything, but I can't help but overhear things sometimes that I probably shouldn't be hearin'. Ya know what I'm sayin'?" I asked with trepidation. After a quick nod from the muscle-bound and surly-looking naked black dude on the other side of the desk, I carried on. "Well, I've heard what I think are some rather interesting whispers this mornin' and I just gotta know if any of it's true."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess that depends on what you think you heard," Dylan responded evenly.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, first was about what happened between Mike and his parents. And then, there was something `bout this kid named William. And to top all that off, I could swear I heard somethin' `bout Max and Tom adopting a baby. I mean, is any o' that true?"</span></p> <p><span>"Every bit of it. And let me tell you somethin' right now, Ron," he began with a glower that put the fear of God in me, "no sense in you wasting time and money on a visit to an audiologist `cause let me tell you, there ain't a damn thing wrong with your ears," he quickly added with a laugh. "Pull up a chair, buddy, and I'll tell you what I know so far." I gratefully accepted his offer and after settling in, he continued. Dylan quickly confirmed the basics of what I'd asked about while fleshing out a few of the more confusing details for me. He finally ended his summation with, "Ya got any questions?"</span></p> <p><span>"Tons, but I should probably save them for Max and Tom, don't ya think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, that would be the smart thing to do. While I know enough about each story to get us all in big trouble, I don't know it all. Obviously, Max and Tom are your best bets for complete details."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dylan. I can see why they all like you so much. You're a good guy and a great friend to have. Well, I need to go get this stuff and be back before the guys return from the tomb. Sorry to have bothered you and wasted your time with stupid questions, but I'm just tryin' to keep on top of what's goin' on `round here. I was about to ask Max about all of it before they left, but he didn't seem to be in a very good mood."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I'm sure he wasn't. He's been pretty down ever since Mike talked to him this morning. All we can do here is hope they have a good afternoon and are in a better mood when they come back home."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll keep my fingers crossed. See you when I get back."</span></p> <p><span>"You know it. By the way, what's on the menu for supper tonight?" Dylan added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Pork tenderloin sandwiches with onion rings and coleslaw."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds yummy as usual, bud. Hope you've got enough for me."</span></p> <p><span>"Always do, Dylan, always do," I chuckled as I turned and headed towards the garage to take care of my errands.</span></p> <p><span>After pulling into Oak Ridge Cemetery and passing by the World War II, Korean War and Vietnam Veteran's memorials, Tom weaved and wiggled his way through the parklike grounds to finally reach the parking lot for Lincoln's tomb. And the lot was quite full for a Monday in April, I thought. But we weren't too far past the 160<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the great man's assassination, so I shouldn't have been too surprised. Add to that, the number of area schools closed this week for spring break and the crowds made even more sense.</span></p> <p><span>"Wow! It looks even bigger than it did the day we saw it for whatshisname's funeral," Alex commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we're a bit closer than we were that day, so I'm sure it does," I commented. "Wait until we're standing right at the base and it'll seem even taller."</span></p> <p><span>Once Tom had found a parking spot and shut off the car, the boys wasted no time in clamoring outside and taking off across the lot. We let them go as I figured they couldn't go far enough to be out of our sight and we slowly ambled towards the bronze bust of Lincoln in front of the tomb. By the time we'd re-joined the boys, they were in line to do what almost every other visitor was doing, rubbing Lincoln's nose.</span></p> <p><span>"Dad, why do people rub his nose?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Because they think it will bring them good luck. Kinda like finding a penny face up on the ground."</span></p> <p><span>"Is that why his nose is so shiny, and the rest is almost black?" Andy queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Exactly, buddy," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>As we waited for their turn, it became obvious that while Logan, Alex and Joey could probably reach Lincoln's nose on their own by standing on the large block in front of the statue, the other three were going to require a boost to accomplish the task. Fortunately, Tom was more than capable of lifting T.J., Mike and Andy high enough so they could take their turn, being extra-careful while hoisting Mike to avoid hurting his still-tender behind. With the last one back on the ground, we walked towards the tomb's entry and joined yet another line for our tour.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, can we go up there?" Logan asked while pointing to the platform surrounding the 117-foot-tall obelisk that is the main focal point of the site. While not nearly as tall as the 555-foot-tall Washington monument in Washington, D.C., it's still a pretty impressive sight to behold in the flat farmland of central Illinois.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think so, Logan. See the chains blocking the steps up?" I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that stinks," Joey grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, why is it closed off?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't have a clue, boys. Maybe they're doing some work up there," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>While I was sure the boys already knew it, I felt the irrational need to remind them to be quiet and respectful as we meandered through the tomb itself. The dirty looks shot my direction from all six confirmed my initial thought and I felt bad for even bringing it up. I chalked it up to being just one of those things parents do without thinking it all the way through. As we followed the line inside and aimed for the burial chamber, we saw eight smaller bronze statues set into niches in the marble-lined corridor, each depicting Lincoln at various stages of his life. </span></p> <p><span>Turning the second corner of the hallway brought us to the burial chamber itself and the boys lined up along the rope separating the walkway from the seven-ton cenotaph that marks Lincoln's final resting place. Well, almost. After a failed attempt to steal Lincoln's body back in 1876, his mortal remains were eventually laid to rest in a concrete vault thirty inches behind and ten feet below the enormous reddish marble marker that bore his name and the years in which he was born and died.</span></p> <p><span>The boys silently took in all the details of the room, as did Tom and I. From the black and white marble walls surrounding the same materials comprising the floor to the gold leaf ceiling above, and on to the nine flags evenly placed along the perimeter of the semi-circular room. Seven of those flags commemorate the states that Lincoln and his ancestors called home. The other two flags, of course, are the US and Presidential flags. The quote `Now he belongs to the ages', credited as being said by Lincoln's Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton on Lincoln's death, is inscribed in the wall above the US flag.</span></p> <p><span>While I wasn't what anyone would consider to be a frequent visitor to the tomb, I wasn't surprised at any of the details the boys were soaking up on their first visit, but I always stood in awe of the place and the subtle grace imparted by the room. As we turned to continue our tour, the boys were suddenly drawn to the south wall of the burial room and the eight crypts that lined the wall. Four of those were occupied by Lincoln's wife, Mary Todd, and three of their four sons, Edward, William and Thomas, while the other four were currently unused and likely to stay that way.</span></p> <p><span>As we passed the crypts, I could see the surprise register on the boys faces at just how young Abe and Mary's sons were when they died, Eddie just a month before his fourth birthday, Willie was only eleven and Tad had reached the ripe old age of eighteen. I watched as T.J. flinched a bit on realizing their ages and barely heard him whisper to himself, `Wow, that sucks'. I was about to grab his shoulder and reprimand him for his word selection, but suddenly stopped myself, agreeing that dying that young would most certainly suck. And in a nod to Logan, I incorporated his most excellent addendum that it doesn't just suck, it `sucks big ol' donkey dicks'.</span></p> <p><span>We continued our journey around the third and fourth corners of the tomb's corridor, eventually returning to the entrance rotunda. Stepping back outside into the bright sunshine, everyone was covering their eyes after having become accustomed to the relative gloom of being inside for the last half-hour. Once outside and away from the tomb some thirty to forty feet, the herd could no longer contain themselves and they all began talking at once about their experience and what they'd seen. All of them were seemingly impressed with our visit, but you could hear the sadness in their voices as they talked about the three young boys buried with their parents.</span></p> <p><span>The most interesting comment we heard from the crew was when Mike asked, "So, did ya meet any new spooks, T.J.?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thankfully, no," the youngster answered morosely. "And I'm glad none of them are still hangin' `round."</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't feel anything either, bro," Alex chimed as he wrapped an arm around T.J.'s shoulder. "And if any o' them were still here, one of us would know."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, I didn't feel nothin', either," Joey agreed.</span></p> <p><span>As the group continued on their way towards the parking lot, I asked, "Hey, where y'all headed?"</span></p> <p><span>"The car, Dad," Andy answered. "How else we gonna get home?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, there's one more really interesting thing to see here. Follow us." I grabbed Tom's arm and turned off the sidewalk to head to the north side of the tomb and the hill behind it. Reaching the top of the steep incline, I began to slowly pick my way down the slope, followed by seven very confused individuals. On reaching the bottom, I waited for the rest to join me on level ground again before moving on. Once we were all together again, I led everyone to a rather anonymous looking edifice built into the side of the hill, the obelisk of the tomb reaching skyward above us.</span></p> <p><span>"What the heck is that nasty-lookin' hole," Joey asked with disinterest.</span></p> <p><span>"This is where Lincoln was first buried when he was brought back to Springfield after his assassination on April 15, 1865."</span></p> <p><span>"I've been to the tomb before," Tom commented, "but I never knew this was back here."</span></p> <p><span>"See, you're never too old to learn somethin' new, are ya?" I asked with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Apparently not," Tom muttered in agreement.</span></p> <p><span>"Is this where he was when those crooks tried to steal him?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No, that didn't happen until a few years later, but take a closer look through the gates," I added with a wave of my hand. All six lined up and peered through the locked grates that protected the interior from vandalism.</span></p> <p><span>"That's pretty gloomy," Logan commented. "Glad my dad ain't in there."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he pro'lly is, too," Andy agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't remember how long his body was down here, but he was moved around several times before finally being buried where he is now."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's just bizarre," Alex commented. "Why the heck would they do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"The tomb up the hill there wasn't built overnight, guys. It took quite a few years to get that done. Then after those boneheads tried to steal Lincoln's body, he was moved around a couple more times. It wasn't until his oldest son, Robert, requested it, that he finally ended up where he is now."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I seen enough," Joey interrupted. "Can we go home now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, yeah, I guess so," Tom replied. "As long as the others are ready to go, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, let's, boogie, Dads," Alex agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Back up the hill, then, guys," I said as I turned and started clawing my way up the steep incline. The crew fell in behind me and soon enough, we were back on the level ground behind the tomb and headed towards the parking lot. Despite their seeming lack of interest, every one of the munchkins turned back to take one more look at the tomb before climbing in the car and settling in for the trip back home.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-1.html

Building a Family 1 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Chapter 1 - Introduction I had a quiet, comfortable life living in a large house surrounded by 18 acres of trees. I'd bought the property and built the house 12 years ago, after the success of my first book. It's my oasis from the rest of the world and I loved the home's location. I'm about 3 miles from a small town that has a couple of restaurants, a gas station and a Dollar General and 12 miles west of the state capitol of Springfield. I just couldn't imagine living anywhere else with neighbors ten feet away. The solitude of living in the middle of 18 acres of trees also allowed me the freedom to live a nudist lifestyle. I rarely wore clothes at home and enjoyed the comfort, both indoors and out. I had created several trails through the trees and enjoyed regular walks as a form of exercise and relaxation. About the only time I ever wore clothes of any kind was when I had to leave the property or on those rare occasions I had guests to the house. After considerable success with four books, I am now essentially retired and am living off my investments and residual income from the books. I may write again in the future, but only time will tell. And I was alone. The 4500-square foot house contained 4 bedrooms for the rare guests and the family I had originally planned to have one day. Those days were rapidly fading away and the family was no closer to being a reality than it was when I built the house. I realized shortly after moving in that I had to come to terms with myself before I could even consider marriage and children. And that meant less writing in the future so I would have more time available for the family I wanted. Despite the success of my first book, I decided I should write a few more before taking a break to work on the family thing and to allow my current comfort to continue. As I worked on the next three books, I also spent a lot of time analyzing my feelings, needs and desires. A lot of time was spent lounging by the in-ground pool, my brain swirling with thoughts of what I wanted out of life and what I needed to do to achieve those goals. By the time the fourth book had been released to the bookstores, I had finally accepted the fact I was gay and the hopes of having any kind of family were dwindling rapidly. In reality, I always knew the truth, I had just refused to accept it. There were inklings of being different from other boys earlier in my life, and those inklings became undeniable forces during my early teens, but I had buried them deep inside in some vague hope they could be squashed like a bug and I could live a `normal' life. Now, at 34, the feelings of my true self could no longer be denied and I was glad that I had never decided to marry. I could not envision the hell life would have been when any possible spouse discovered who I truly was. Everyone involved would be miserable in that situation, especially any kids, and I was glad that I was only one miserable now. I fought depression because I couldn't just delete the thoughts of having a family from my brain. I desperately wanted someone else in my life who could enjoy what I had to offer. After much thought and introspection, I came to a decision one cold January afternoon while blindly staring at the sun glaring off the snow outside the sunroom. I finally decided to investigate the possibility of adopting to help give some meaning to my otherwise sad and lonely existence. I contacted my attorney, James Cantrell, and asked for a meeting to discuss some personal business, telling him to allow a couple of hours for the meeting. Since I was one of James' more prominent clients, we set an appointment for early the next week. I was so excited to be doing something positive for once, I arrived for the meeting 30 minutes early. James' receptionist, Rose, asked me to have a seat and James would be with me shortly. I waited impatiently on the edge of my seat for the appointed time and at 10:00, James escorted his previous client out of his office and motioned me to come in. Once the office door was closed and we both were seated, James looked at me and said, "Good morning, Max. How's my favorite literary hack doing these days? Still pumping out the cheesy romances stories, I assume. I hope you've been well." "I'm not doing too badly, you old horse thief, how about yourself?" "Well, when I'm not busy stealing any horses, I manage to keep busy with divorces, trials, wills and such. You know, the life-blood of a being a lawyer." "Glad to hear it, James." "You were pretty cryptic on the phone last week. What possible personal business do you have to discuss that requires my services?" I steeled myself and said, "James, I'm lonely and bored and I need to make some changes to in my life." "Well, why don't you get the hell out of that shack you call a home occasionally and find yourself a nice lady with whom you can share your good fortunes?" "That might work for most guys, James, but it won't work for me. I'm so glad this conversation is happening as attorney and client so you can't repeat this to another living soul without my permission. I haven't told anyone else yet, but since it will, I'm sure, have some bearing on our discussion, you need to know that I am gay." Despite knowing and working with Max for many years, this was certainly news to James and the surprise showed on his face. "I know you weren't expecting to hear that particular tidbit of news today, but it's important to our discussion," I continued. "Well, I'm glad you feel you could tell me and trust me to keep this confidential. I'm sorry for the `deer-in-the-headlights' look, but you caught me off-guard Max. I've known you for years, since before your first book was released, and I never would have suspected you were gay. That was the absolute last thing I expected to hear when you said you wanted to meet about some `personal business'." "It took me a long time to come to terms with that fact, James, and it wasn't easy to say to anyone else since I only settled that battle in my own mind recently. But, that's not the big news. I'm sure the fact that I am gay will influence the main subject of this meeting." "Well, now you have certainly piqued my interest, Max. What could you possibly want to discuss that your sexuality will have any bearing." I took a deep breath and blurted, "I want to adopt a kid." "What!?" asked James as he stuck a finger in his ear as if to clear some blockage that was messing with his hearing. I inhaled and slowly repeated, "I want to adopt a child. I have always wanted a family and since I won't scam any woman into a farce of a marriage to accomplish that goal, I want to adopt. Now, can you see how being gay will have some bearing on how best to make that dream a reality?" "Most certainly, James. It's rare that a single male is allowed to adopt, and even rarer for a single gay male. In fact, it's practically unheard of, not in this state, anyway. I'm sure you realize that's the case or you wouldn't be here. But, I'll be glad to help in any way I possibly can. I guess the first question I have to ask you is what age child were you thinking about?" "That's the first question you have?? I figured you would be asking if I wanted to adopt a boy or girl. Isn't that what everyone else will be asking?" "You're probably right about that, but I think the age is more important." "Well, I hadn't really thought that much about it, James, but now that asked, give me a moment." I looked out the window and pondered the question for a few minutes, then brought my focus back to James and said, "Okay, after some quick thought, I think maybe a child in the six to ten-year old range." "Why that age, Max? Most folks who adopt prefer to adopt babies." "Well, to be quite honest, while I have always wanted to have a family, I was never that thrilled about the whole diaper-changing, middle-of-the-night feeding, toddler aspect of having a kid. And if I can skip over that period of life, it would be perfect." "Okay, that's one important question down. Now to the second important question. Would you prefer to adopt a boy, girl, or does it matter?" "Now this one, I have thought about. A lot. And despite how it sounds, I think I would prefer to adopt a boy. I may not be the manliest man, but I'm definitely not a girly-man either. I could offer a lot to either a boy or a girl and will accept either as my child, but I think I would deal better with a boy. I just don't think I could deal with all the girl stuff of puberty and beyond." "That's a good honest answer, Max, and it will definitely be important as we proceed. My next question is how soon would you like this happen? This is January, and adoptions under normal circumstances can take a year or more. And we really aren't dealing with what you would call `normal' circumstances, now, are we?" "No, we're not, James and that's why I wanted you involved from the very beginning. I had hoped that we could accomplish this by June so we would have the summer to get settled in and get a routine established before we have to deal with starting school and all that." "So, June, next year, right?" James asked. "Oh, no, June this year," I replied. "Now that I've made this decision, I don't want to put it off any longer than I have to. I'm not getting any younger, you know." "Well, that's certainly pushing the time frame, but let me make some inquiries and see what I can do. Now, I'll need to provide some pretty detailed personal information about you to whoever I talk to, things like income, debt, health, etc. Do I have your permission to do so?" "Since you're my attorney, you have all that info available and you are free to share anything and everything necessary to help the process." "Including the fact about you being gay?" James asked. "Everything," I replied. "I don't want to hide anything. I fear if we hide that and it comes out later, then folks will get the wrong idea and I'll be unjustly persecuted for being a sick pervert. I don't want that happening. The only request I have is that you hold that particular detail until after things look promising." "Max, if we don't disclose your sexuality up front, then it will most assuredly look like you are trying to do something sneaky. How about we disclose all the important information, including your sexuality, first and withhold just your name until we can meet with someone?" I thought for a moment and replied, "That should work, James. Me being gay will eventually come out and be news for while, but I'll deal with it as needed. Since I'm still working on that acceptance process myself, I don't want to have to deal with the media hype and bullshit at the same time. I should have a firm handle on the situation by the time it becomes public and I'll be in a better frame of mind to cope with it." "That sound like a fair plan to me, Max. I don't think there's anything else I need from you at this time, so why don't you go home and start thinking about what you need to do to prepare your home for a life as a parent. I obviously can't promise quick results, but I will do my best." "I know you can't make any promises, but get started, James. Now that I've made this realization and decision, I'm anxious to get started with the rest of my life. I finally have something to look forward to."

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 1</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free.&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc472178160"><span>Chapter 1 - Introduction</span></a></h2> <p><span>I had a quiet, comfortable life living in a large house surrounded by 18 acres of trees. I'd bought the property and built the house 12 years ago, after the success of my first book. It's my oasis from the rest of the world and I loved the home's location. I'm about 3 miles from a small town that has a couple of restaurants, a gas station and a Dollar General and 12 miles west of the state capitol of Springfield. I just couldn't imagine living anywhere else with neighbors ten feet away. The solitude of living in the middle of 18 acres of trees also allowed me the freedom to live a nudist lifestyle. I rarely wore clothes at home and enjoyed the comfort, both indoors and out. I had created several trails through the trees and enjoyed regular walks as a form of exercise and relaxation. About the only time I ever wore clothes of any kind was when I had to leave the property or on those rare occasions I had guests to the house. After considerable success with four books, I am now essentially retired and am living off my investments and residual income from the books. I may write again in the future, but only time will tell.</span></p> <p><span>And I was alone. The 4500-square foot house contained 4 bedrooms for the rare guests and the family I had originally planned to have one day. Those days were rapidly fading away and the family was no closer to being a reality than it was when I built the house. I realized shortly after moving in that I had to come to terms with myself before I could even consider marriage and children. And that meant less writing in the future so I would have more time available for the family I wanted. Despite the success of my first book, I decided I should write a few more before taking a break to work on the family thing and to allow my current comfort to continue.</span></p> <p><span>As I worked on the next three books, I also spent a lot of time analyzing my feelings, needs and desires. A lot of time was spent lounging by the in-ground pool, my brain swirling with thoughts of what I wanted out of life and what I needed to do to achieve those goals. By the time the fourth book had been released to the bookstores, I had finally accepted the fact I was gay and the hopes of having any kind of family were dwindling rapidly. In reality, I always knew the truth, I had just refused to accept it. There were inklings of being different from other boys earlier in my life, and those inklings became undeniable forces during my early teens, but I had buried them deep inside in some vague hope they could be squashed like a bug and I could live a `normal' life.</span></p> <p><span>Now, at 34, the feelings of my true self could no longer be denied and I was glad that I had never decided to marry. I could not envision the hell life would have been when any possible spouse discovered who I truly was. Everyone involved would be miserable in that situation, especially any kids, and I was glad that I was only one miserable now. I fought depression because I couldn't just delete the thoughts of having a family from my brain. I desperately wanted someone else in my life who could enjoy what I had to offer.</span></p> <p><span>After much thought and introspection, I came to a decision one cold January afternoon while blindly staring at the sun glaring off the snow outside the sunroom. I finally decided to investigate the possibility of adopting to help give some meaning to my otherwise sad and lonely existence. I contacted my attorney, James Cantrell, and asked for a meeting to discuss some personal business, telling him to allow a couple of hours for the meeting. Since I was one of James' more prominent clients, we set an appointment for early the next week.</span></p> <p><span>I was so excited to be doing something positive for once, I arrived for the meeting 30 minutes early. James' receptionist, Rose, asked me to have a seat and James would be with me shortly. I waited impatiently on the edge of my seat for the appointed time and at 10:00, James escorted his previous client out of his office and motioned me to come in. Once the office door was closed and we both were seated, James looked at me and said, "Good morning, Max. How's my favorite literary hack doing these days? Still pumping out the cheesy romances stories, I assume. I hope you've been well."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not doing too badly, you old horse thief, how about yourself?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, when I'm not busy stealing any horses, I manage to keep busy with divorces, trials, wills and such. You know, the life-blood of a being a lawyer."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it, James."</span></p> <p><span>"You were pretty cryptic on the phone last week. What possible personal business do you have to discuss that requires my services?"</span></p> <p><span>I steeled myself and said, "James, I'm lonely and bored and I need to make some changes to in my life."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, why don't you get the hell out of that shack you call a home occasionally and find yourself a nice lady with whom you can share your good fortunes?"</span></p> <p><span>"That might work for most guys, James, but it won't work for me. I'm so glad this conversation is happening as attorney and client so you can't repeat this to another living soul without my permission. I haven't told anyone else yet, but since it will, I'm sure, have some bearing on our discussion, you need to know that I am gay." Despite knowing and working with Max for many years, this was certainly news to James and the surprise showed on his face. "I know you weren't expecting to hear that particular tidbit of news today, but it's important to our discussion," I continued.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm glad you feel you could tell me and trust me to keep this confidential. I'm sorry for the `deer-in-the-headlights' look, but you caught me off-guard Max. I've known you for years, since before your first book was released, and I never would have suspected you were gay. That was the absolute last thing I expected to hear when you said you wanted to meet about some `personal business'."</span></p> <p><span>"It took me a long time to come to terms with that fact, James, and it wasn't easy to say to anyone else since I only settled that battle in my own mind recently. But, that's not the big news. I'm sure the fact that I am gay will influence the main subject of this meeting."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, now you have certainly piqued my interest, Max. What could you possibly want to discuss that your sexuality will have any bearing."</span></p> <p><span>I took a deep breath and blurted, "I want to adopt a kid."</span></p> <p><span>"What!?" asked James as he stuck a finger in his ear as if to clear some blockage that was messing with his hearing.</span></p> <p><span>I inhaled and slowly repeated, "I want to adopt a child. I have always wanted a family and since I won't scam any woman into a farce of a marriage to accomplish that goal, I want to adopt. Now, can you see how being gay will have some bearing on how best to make that dream a reality?"</span></p> <p><span>"Most certainly, James. It's rare that a single male is allowed to adopt, and even rarer for a single gay male. In fact, it's practically unheard of, not in this state, anyway. I'm sure you realize that's the case or you wouldn't be here. But, I'll be glad to help in any way I possibly can. I guess the first question I have to ask you is what age child were you thinking about?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's the first question you have?? I figured you would be asking if I wanted to adopt a boy or girl. Isn't that what everyone else will be asking?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're probably right about that, but I think the age is more important."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I hadn't really thought that much about it, James, but now that asked, give me a moment." I looked out the window and pondered the question for a few minutes, then brought my focus back to James and said, "Okay, after some quick thought, I think maybe a child in the six to ten-year old range."</span></p> <p><span>"Why that age, Max? Most folks who adopt prefer to adopt babies."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, to be quite honest, while I have always wanted to have a family, I was never that thrilled about the whole diaper-changing, middle-of-the-night feeding, toddler aspect of having a kid. And if I can skip over that period of life, it would be perfect."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, that's one important question down. Now to the second important question. Would you prefer to adopt a boy, girl, or does it matter?"</span></p> <p><span>"Now this one, I have thought about. A lot. And despite how it sounds, I think I would prefer to adopt a boy. I may not be the manliest man, but I'm definitely not a girly-man either. I could offer a lot to either a boy or a girl and will accept either as my child, but I think I would deal better with a boy. I just don't think I could deal with all the girl stuff of puberty and beyond."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good honest answer, Max, and it will definitely be important as we proceed. My next question is how soon would you like this happen? This is January, and adoptions under normal circumstances can take a year or more. And we really aren't dealing with what you would call `normal' circumstances, now, are we?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, we're not, James and that's why I wanted you involved from the very beginning. I had hoped that we could accomplish this by June so we would have the summer to get settled in and get a routine established before we have to deal with starting school and all that."</span></p> <p><span>"So, June, next year, right?" James asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no, June this year," I replied. "Now that I've made this decision, I don't want to put it off any longer than I have to. I'm not getting any younger, you know."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's certainly pushing the time frame, but let me make some inquiries and see what I can do. Now, I'll need to provide some pretty detailed personal information about you to whoever I talk to, things like income, debt, health, etc. Do I have your permission to do so?"</span></p> <p><span>"Since you're my attorney, you have all that info available and you are free to share anything and everything necessary to help the process."</span></p> <p><span>"Including the fact about you being gay?" James asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Everything," I replied. "I don't want to hide anything. I fear if we hide that and it comes out later, then folks will get the wrong idea and I'll be unjustly persecuted for being a sick pervert. I don't want that happening. The only request I have is that you hold that particular detail until after things look promising."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, if we don't disclose your sexuality up front, then it will most assuredly look like you are trying to do something sneaky. How about we disclose all the important information, including your sexuality, first and withhold just your name until we can meet with someone?"</span></p> <p><span>I thought for a moment and replied, "That should work, James. Me being gay will eventually come out and be news for while, but I'll deal with it as needed. Since I'm still working on that acceptance process myself, I don't want to have to deal with the media hype and bullshit at the same time. I should have a firm handle on the situation by the time it becomes public and I'll be in a better frame of mind to cope with it."</span></p> <p><span>"That sound like a fair plan to me, Max. I don't think there's anything else I need from you at this time, so why don't you go home and start thinking about what you need to do to prepare your home for a life as a parent. I obviously can't promise quick results, but I will do my best."</span></p> <p><span>"I know you can't make any promises, but get started, James. Now that I've made this realization and decision, I'm anxious to get started with the rest of my life. I finally have something to look forward to."</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-31.html

Building a Family 31 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. I have created a Tumblr site with pictures of what the story's main characters look like in my mind. If you would like to see them, they can be found here: https://enderwiggin61.tumblr.com/ Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 31 � Big Trouble Time seemed to crawl as I sat there, dark thoughts swirling through my brain, and I simply couldn't focus on the movie. When `Cars' ended, the boys asked if they could watch another. Since we had nothing but time, I let Andy select the movie this time. He chose `The Spiderwick Chronicles' and I got it started, then retook my seat and sat in a daze waiting to hear from Tom or Carol. "So, you and Max are getting serious pretty quick, aren't you, Tom?" Dylan asked while we waited for our backup to arrive. "I know it seems like it, Sarge, but we really do feel we've known each other our whole lives. Everything just seemed to click between us and fall into place." "I am truly happy for you, Tom. Maybe, someday, I'll get lucky and find the right guy, too." "If it can happen for me, Sarge, it can happen for you." "From the mouths of babes... Ah, here's our backup. Let's have a chat before we go get this scum." We got out of our cars and met for a short discussion. "Afternoon, Doug, Neil, you ready for this?" "Afternoon, Sarge, Tom. What do we got?" Neil asked. "We have a suspect, Russ Weder, holed up in a house in town here. We've been trying to find him for months and got a tip this afternoon that he'd been located." "Where'd the tip come from? Is it a reliable source?" "Anonymous to you guys, but I know the man and believe his information is good. Tom and I will attempt to come in through the front door. I want you two to take positions at the back corners of the house so you can see everything that goes on back there and keep sight lines up each side, also. I don't want this guy getting away, again. And I want him alive, got it?" "You got it Sarge." "Ms. Ward will be waiting in her car while we get the suspect under control." "What's she doing here?" Doug asked. "Well, in addition to all the other problems for Mr. Weder, she's adding child abuse to the pile. It turns out our felon likes to beat on women and kids, too." "Well, let's quit wasting time and go get him." "Okay, let's move out. No sirens or lights. No sense announcing our arrival before we have to." "Got it, boss. Lead the way." We climbed back in our cars and took off. When we arrived at the house, Doug and Neil took their positions at the rear and once they were set, Dylan pounded on the front door. A voice from inside yelled, "Who's there and what the fuck you want?" "Police, Russ. Come outside so we can talk, please." We immediately heard loud crashing from inside the house like a herd of buffalo had been turned loose. Dylan kicked the front door open and we charged inside just in time to see Russ darting through the kitchen on his way to the back door. As soon as he flew out into the cold, sunny afternoon, we saw Russ raise an arm and a flurry of gunshots ensued. We continued on through the house and met Doug and Neil in the back yard, with Russ writhing on the ground and holding his right thigh. "What the hell's goin' on back here? I said I wanted him alive." "Look, boss, he's still alive. Can't you hear his pitiful moaning?" Neil asked with a grin. "Besides, when he hit the door, he had a gun. When he raised his arm like he was gonna shoot Doug, I took the shot and hit him in the leg. He lost his gun when he collapsed and it flew over there," the deputy recited as he pointed to the gun laying on the ground ten feet away. "All right, good work, Neil. Now, put cuffs on that piece of shit and find something to tie off his leg. I don't want him bleedin' out. Doug, call an ambulance. Tom, why don't you get Carol after you check inside and make sure there's no other bad guys in there." "You got it, Sarge." I turned to follow my instructions and just as I did, another male in camouflage burst through the door, gun raised, aimed directly at me. I pulled mine just as he fired his first shot and managed to get a shot off before I collapsed to the ground, then heard another flurry of shots as my partners dispatched the late arrival. Then, the lights went out. I still hadn't heard anything from Tom, Dylan or Carol and was getting antsy. They'd left only 45 minutes ago, but they didn't have that far to go. I should have heard something by now. The boys were engrossed in the movie, but I couldn't concentrate on what was happening on the screen. "You guys want a drink or anything?" I asked in a lame attempt to distract myself from the nasty thoughts swirling around in my head. "Juice sounds good, dad, you want some help?" Alex asked as he turned in his chair. "You bet, big guy, thanks." We headed to the kitchen and I retrieved seven juice boxes of assorted flavors from the fridge. "When's Uncle Tom coming back home?" Alex asked as we stabbed the little straw into each box. "I don't know, Alex. Soon I hope," I answered as we carefully carried the juice boxes back to the theater. We handed out one to each boy and, again, I took my seat behind them to stew in silence. The next thing I knew, Dylan was crouched over me, one arm reaching to the left side of my head and his hand holding it still, yelling, "Wake up dammit. You ain't dyin' on my watch." "Whoa, Sarge, I'm here. And quit screamin' would ya', my head's killing me." "As it should, mister. You got a hell of a crease down your left temple and just above your ear. Good thing you got a damn hard head." "How bad is it? Will I still need to part my hair when I comb it?" "You'll end up with a nice scar once they get you stitched up, but I think you'll be okay. They'll have to shave this mop you call hair to fix you up, though." "Who gives a shit about that, it'll grow back. As long as I'm still in one piece, more or less, that's all that counts. Crap, I gotta call Max and let him know what's happened." "Don't worry `bout that, Tom, I'll take care of it. By the way, good shootin', Tex. You plugged that bastard right in the heart." "Nice to know all that practice was good for somethin'. Five years on the job and I've never had to pull my gun, and then it has to happen in my last week. Just my damn luck. Go figure." "Now that you're awake again, you hold this compress to your head while I deal with the mess we've created." "Thanks, boss, I'll just lay here and bleed all over the yard." "Best thing you can do right now, Tom." He stood and got on his radio, "Dispatch, this is Brock, we need another ambulance and a meat wagon at this location, pronto." "On the way, Sarge, Neil already called it in," the dispatcher replied. "Good." He turned to Neil and said, "Neil, check the house for any other idiots who think they want to die today. If it's clear, get Ms. Ward so she can check out the house and see if the young man who lives here can come back home tonight." "On my way, boss." The first ambulance finally arrived, and as the paramedics came around the house and headed towards Russ, Dylan directed, "Oh no you don't, that scum can wait for the next one. You take care of this man, first. And you better do it right. He's got a man and four boys waiting at home for him." The crew exchanged confused looks but headed my direction anyway. They gently lifted me on the gurney and took a quick look at the crease in my scalp. "Sergeant Brock," one of them began, "we better get him to the emergency room. They'll want to do some scans and make sure there's no internal damage." "Then load him up and get him the fuck outta' here!" Dylan screamed. "Yes, SIR! You got it." The paramedics started wheeling me through the yard and when we rounded the corner at the front of the house, we met Neil leading Carol inside. "Oh, my god Tom, what happened?" she cried as she ran over to see me. "Just a scratch, Carol, I'll be fine," I managed to mutter through teeth tightly clenched from the pain gripping my skull. "You better be fine or I'm gonna' kill ya'. You got a wedding to plan." "Damn right I do. You take care of Andy and make sure he's gonna' be safe." "I will." She turned to the paramedics, "What the hell are you two waitin' for, an engraved invitation, get him outta' here." "Well, we just heard something about a wedding, so, yeah, we're waiting for our invite." "I'll personally hand-deliver it to you, if you get going? Happy?" "We're gone, lady." With that, we were on the move again. Once on the road, the paramedic in the back with me asked, "You feelin' okay, Deputy?" "You mean besides feelin' like my melon's been split in half and throbbin' to beat all hell. Yeah, other than that, I'm just peachy dandy fine." "Good, we'll be at the ER shortly. Just lay back and enjoy the ride." "Yeah, right. No siren though, okay, I don't think I could take that right now," I joked as my lights went out for the second time. "Come on, Ms. Ward," Neil called, "let's get inside so you can see what you need to, just don't touch anything you don't have to. We have more units on the way with a search warrant. We need to keep any disturbance to a minimum." We stepped inside and I immediately retched at the stench that permeated the house. "How can anyone live in a hellhole like this, Neil?" "Not a clue ma'am." "Well, I can tell you right now there's no way I'm allowing Andy back in this house, not tonight anyway, this is despicable. Even without his abuser being here, this place isn't fit for anybody to live in." "No arguments from me, ma'am," Neil answered. "I need to find his room and get him more of his clothes and some other things. Can you help me with that, please?" "Those are my instructions, ma'am, let's get on with it." "Doug," I started, "Get a sheet or something from the house and cover that up," I said, hooking a thumb over my shoulder to the lifeless body sprawled on the ground behind me. "I'll keep an eye on Mr. Weder. Not like he's in any shape to run away, is it." "You got it, Sarge." I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and dialed Max's number for the call nobody ever wants to make. I heard the phone finally ring, jumped from my chair and ran to the kitchen to answer. I didn't recognize the number on Caller ID and felt my worst fears welling up from deep inside. "This is Max, who's this?" "Max, it's Dylan." "This can't be good news. Not with you calling." "Not the worst possible, but not great, either. We got the scumbag we came for and one of his pals will be worm food soon." "I don't give a shit about them, tell me why Tom isn't making this call." "Well, these morons must have thought they were at the OK Corral and came out with guns blazing. Tom took a crease to his temple, but the paramedics say he should be okay. He's on the way to the ER to get checked over and stitched up." "Fuck, I just knew something bad was gonna' happen today. Which hospital, Dylan? I'm on the way." "Memorial, but you can't really go anywhere, Max. You got seven boys out there with you, and three of them aren't yours." "Shit, I wasn't thinking. What am I going to do?" "You stay there with the boys. I'll go to the hospital take care of Tom when I'm done cleaning up this mess." "Okay, fine, what about Andy? Is Carol there?" "Hang on one sec, here she comes now." Dylan handed his phone to Carol. "Max, is that you?" "Yeah, what's the story with Andy?" "He's not coming back here tonight. This place is a pigsty." "What's gonna' happen with him?" "This late on a Saturday, I don't know. I'll have to find an emergency placement for him for the weekend and then something more permanent on Monday." "What if he just stays here? Would that solve your problem?" "Sure, it would, but don't you have enough to deal with already?" "Oh, what the hell, Carol? I'm just a glutton for punishment and love a challenge. Besides, he's already here and if that place is as bad as you say, it sounds like he won't be going home tomorrow either. If he stays here, he won't have to miss any school." "Yeah, okay, I guess that'll work, Max. Let me call Anna, get her input, and I'll let you know, okay?" "I'll be here. For a while anyway. I'm gonna' call my sister and see if she'll come watch the boys so I can get to the hospital and be with Tom. And I have two other boys here who still need to get back home." "Tell you what, Max, I'm about the head your way with more of Andy's things. You call your sister, and when I get there, you can go on to the hospital. I'll stay with the boys until your sister can come out. Then, when she gets there, I can take the other two back home for you." "I like the way you think, Carol. Thanks, you're lifesaver. See you soon." I hung up with Carol and called Lee. "Lee, thank god you're home. I need some help and hope you have the time." "What's going on, Max? You sound stressed." "Too much to tell you right now. Is there any way you could come out and stay with the boys for a while? I need to get to the hospital." "Hospital? You sick?" "No, not me. It's Tom. He went with Dylan and two others to arrest a local loser and Tom ended up getting shot. I need to get there to be with him." "Oh, lord, Max! I'm so sorry. I hope he'll be okay." "Dylan, his boss, says it's just a crease and he should be fine, but I don't want Tom there alone." "Good, glad to hear it. We'll be right there, Max. I'll drag Carl along, too. He needs to get the hell out of the house, anyway." "Good idea, Lee, especially since there's three extra boys here this afternoon. Carl will be good help. See you soon, and thanks." I hung up before she could ask any other questions and headed to the theater to tell the boys what was going on. I was not looking forward to this conversation. I paused the movie and pulled a chair around in front of the boys. "What's going on, dad?" Joey asked with a scared tremor in his voice. "Well, good news first, I guess. Russ is gone, Andy, but it looks like you won't be going back home for a while." "Why not?" "Because Ms. Ward won't allow it. Part of her job is protecting kids from bad homes. She said that until your house is cleaned up, you're not going back there." "But where `m I gonna go?" "It looks like you'll be staying here until she thinks it's safe for you to go back home or finds another foster family for you to live with." "That'll be cool. I like it here." "What else is going on, dad," Alex asked warily. "God, this is hard," I mumbled as I looked down to the floor for a moment. I looked back up, took a deep breath and continued, "Okay, I don't know all the details, but Tom's been hurt and is on the way to the hospital." "C'mon, we gotta' go!" T.J. yelled as he jumped out of his chair. "No, we can't, T.J. Tom will be in the emergency room and there are too many of you take in there. And Mark and Billy need to go back home shortly." "What're we gonna do, dad? We can't leave Uncle Tom all alone," Mike cried. "We're not. I've called Aunt Lee and she and Uncle Carl will be out soon. I'm going to the hospital to be with Tom while they stay here with you." "But what about Mark and Billy? How're they gonna' get home?" "Carol's bringing some things for Andy from his home. She'll stay here until Lee and Carl get here, then she'll take Mark and Billy home." "What are we supposed to do? Just sit around with our thumbs up our butts?" Joey asked. "Maybe Lee and Carl will let you swim for a while, or you can play some Xbox, or Uno, whatever. I'm confident you'll find something to do to entertain yourselves. I want you to be good for Lee and Carl while I'm gone. Understood?" "Yeah," the twins grumped, upset at having to stay home. "Good, now I have to get ready to leave." I resumed the movie and headed to the bedroom to change clothes to something more suitable for a hospital. Just as I pulled on a clean shirt, I heard the ding of the drive sensor. I met Carol at the door and took the bag with Andy's things from her. She gave me a hug, then asked, "Where're the boys?" "In the theater watching `The Spiderwick Chronicles'. How was Tom?" "Tryin' to joke about it, but you could see the pain in his eyes." "So, at least he was conscious." "He was when I saw him. Dylan told me he was out for a bit right after it happened, but he was awake when I saw him." "Thanks, Carol, I appreciate everything. I'm gonna get out of here. I'll call you when I know something. Lee should be here soon." "Go be with Tom, Max, we'll be fine. Oh, and I spoke with Anna after talking to you and Andy will be staying here until we can find another foster home for him." "Thanks, Carol. I just want to make sure he stays safe." I gave her a kiss on the cheek, hopped in the Shelby and took off for the hospital. "Hey, Sarge," Doug called from inside the house, "You need to see this." Since Russ had been taken away in the second ambulance with Neil as his chaperone, and I was just waiting for the coroner to show up, I headed inside. That poor schmuck wasn't going anywhere. "What do ya' got, Doug?" "A whole stash of drugs and guns in the crawlspace. This dude was into some serious shit. Probably dealing both to support his own bad habits." "Wonderful. Tag it all and get it out of here. Make sure you have pictures of everything that comes out of there." "Will do, boss. Glad we finally found him." "Yeah, me too. Any word on the boy's mom yet?" "Yeah, good idea to put out a BOLO for her. Last I heard, she'd been spotted at Walmart and was leaving the parking lot, assumed to be headed home. Could be here anytime." "Let's stash our cars where they won't be seen until she's in the driveway. I don't want her rollin' by and us miss her. She had to know what Weder was doing here. No way you have that much shit under the floor and not know it's there." We moved our cars to a more hidden spot and I waited quietly at the back of the house while Doug resumed his work inside. It didn't have to wait for long until Ms. Cox pulled in the drive. As soon as she got out of her car, I stepped away from the corner of the house and announced my presence. "Afternoon, Ms. Cox. How are you today?" "Fine. Who the hell are you?" "I'm Sergeant Brock of the Sherriff's department." "What're you doing here, pig?" "Well, just waiting for you. Seeing as Russ is on his way to the hospital and his buddy is laying in the back yard with a sheet over him, I had nothin' else to do." "Russ, is at the hospital? Cal's dead?" she asked, then abruptly changed her tune, "Don't know `em. Was they robbin' my house? And where the hell is my son?" "Oh, no, nothing like that. But you already know that. You ain't got nothin' in there worth stealin'. And don't you be worrying yourself about Andy. He's safe and sound. You won't have to worry about him for a long, long time, lady." "What're you talkin' `bout? I want my son." "Shit in one hand, wish is the other and let's see which gets filled first. You're in deep shit and apparently don't have a clue." "What? I didn't do nothin'." "Including protecting yourself and your son from lowlife scumbags like Weder and `Cal', you said? You can't expect me to believe you didn't know what your man was doing. What with all the drugs and guns in your crawlspace, and his beating you and your son whenever he felt like it. Now, you get to join him in jail, `cause that's where you're both going. Well, after he gets out of the hospital, that is." "I ain't goin' nowhere." "You really don't have a choice. Put your purse on the ground and your hands on the hood of the car. Be gentle, now, we've already shot two people here today, one more won't faze me a bit." She did as she was told and I carefully rounded the car to put cuffs on her. Just as I cleared the front bumper, she struck out at me like a demon possessed. Now, I don't normally condone hitting women, but when they're coming at you, spitting and hissing, claws extended and aiming for the eyes, there's only one thing you can do. I clocked that bitch right on the chin and she crumpled to the ground like the lifeless heap of trash she was. I rolled her over on her front side and cuffed her. "Doug, get your ass out here," I yelled. "What's up, Sarge?" Doug asked as he exited the house. "Put this lady in the back of your car with leg irons and get her outta' here. I want her booked and locked up, ASAP." "Gladly, Boss." "You guys about done in there?" "I think so. We're still checking out the crawlspace and the boy's room, but I think that about all that's left." "You think the others got a handle on it?" "They should. Why?" "I want to get to the hospital, check on Tom and see how the scumbag who lived is doing." "Go ahead, boss. I'll stay long enough to meet the coroner, then I'll head out to get her to the county building and processed." "Excellent. Good work today, Doug. Appreciate your help." "Well, except for Tom getting hit." "Yeah, except for that. We'll have to sit down and discuss what happened today and see what we can do to avoid situations like that again. I'm headed to the hospital. Get things wrapped up here and I'll see you Monday." I hopped in my car and took off for the hospital. It was a good thing I knew where most of the Sangamon county cops were this afternoon as I arrived at the hospital 20 minutes after leaving home, a trip that would have normally taken 35-40 minutes. This felt like a good time to let the Shelby stretch its legs for a bit. I found a parking spot and headed inside to find Tom. After a few wrong turns, I finally found the ER check-in and walked up to the counter. "Good afternoon, sir, how may I help you?" the receptionist asked. "I'm Max Sanders and I'm looking for Tom Wright. He's a Sangamon County cop who was brought in a little while ago with a gunshot wound." "One moment, sir." She tapped on her keyboard a few times and came back with, "Yes, sir, he's here, in treatment room 1." "Thank you," I said and started to walk away from her. "Hold on, sir," she called as she stood up to block my way and stop me from proceeding. "Are you family, or with the Sheriff's department?" "Not yet, no." "What, exactly, does that mean?" "Well, if you must know, it means we're getting married, so we'll be family soon." "Sorry, sir, you're not allowed into the treatment area. Only family members are allowed in with patients." "Look," I said, trying to hide the frustration that building inside me, "his parents live down by St. Louis and can't be here right now. Hell, I haven't even had time to call and let them know their son's been hurt. I'm the closest thing to family he has in the area and I'm going back there." I started to move around her and as I did, she moved to block me again and wiggled a finger over her shoulder. She was soon joined by a hulking man in uniform and a name badge signifying he was hospital security. "What's seems to be the problem, Mabel?" he grumbled. "This gentleman is attempting to enter the ER when he has no family in there." "I'm sorry, sir, you'll have to wait out here. Only family members are allowed in with patients." "Look, I just told her that Tom and I are going to be married soon and his parents aren't in the area. I'm going in." "No, sir, you're not. You are going to sit in a chair over there and wait. If the patient is admitted, you can go to his room, otherwise you'll have to wait out here until he's released from the ER." Fuming internally, I acquiesced and took the nearest empty seat I could find to the ER doors. Apparently, these morons had not moved into the 21st century just yet. I sat in the theater with the boys, waiting for Max's sister to arrive and take over. When I heard the ding of the drive sensor, I headed to the front door to meet her. Upon opening the door, I was met by a lovely looking woman with short brown hair and a handsome man with short and spiky blonde hair. "Hi, I'm Carol Ward, you must be Max's sister. Thanks for coming out so quickly." "Hi, I'm Lee Nichols and this is my husband Carl. It's nice to meet you Carol." "Nice to meet the two of you, too. Too bad it had to be like this." "Tell us, have you heard anything about Tom?" "I was there when it happened and talked to him before they took him to the hospital. He should be okay." "Thank god, Max didn't have time to tell me much of anything, just that he'd been shot and he needed to get to the hospital. We jumped in the car and headed right out. Thanks for waiting for us." "Oh, no problem, Lee. Well, let me get the two extra boys out of here so I can get them home." "Wait, Max said there were three extra boys here this afternoon? Did one go home already? "Unfortunately, no, he's staying here with Max and his boys. It was his house where Tom got hurt and the inside of it looked like a bomb had gone off. Absolutely disgusting. I can't let him go home and Max volunteered to let him stay here for the time being so he won't miss any school or anything." "And the hits keep coming, don't they?" Carl asked. "Well, the boys are watching a movie, why don't we interrupt them?" "No time like the present." "Boys, Your Aunt Lee and Uncle Carl are here," Carol called after opening the door to the theater. "Yay!!" my four yelled and ran to smother Lee with hugs. They shied away from Carl until he knelt down to their level and said, "Come on guys, don't be strangers, I don't bite, ya' know. I've been wanting to meet y'all since Lee told me you were here. Besides, every hug is worth a buck to ya'." "Carl, stop that," Lee reprimanded, smacking him on the back of the head. "Make a promise like that and they'll never let go and we aren't that rich." "Bah, what's a few bucks for some hugs?" "Mark, Billy, let's get your things and hit the road," Carol called out. "I'd like to get back home sometime tonight." "We're coming." Mike followed them to his room to make sure they got everything. Once they had all their belongings, Billy said, "Mike, thanks for having us over. We had a great time and I hope we can do it again sometime." "Yeah, we really were jerks to you and we're sorry. I hope we can be friends," Mark added. "Sure thing, guys. I'm glad we had fun, too, and we'll do it again, for sure. Remember, you can't say nothin' about the naked thing." "Lips are zipped, Mike. We want to be able to come back," Mark said. "Yeah, my ma would have a cow if she knew `bout that," Billy added with a conspiratorial grin. The three boys headed to the front door to meet Carol and after waving goodbye to Carol and his new friends, Mike headed back to the theater to rejoin the rest of the family. 25 minutes after taking my seat, Dylan stormed into the ER and headed to the reception counter. I got up from my chair and joined him. "I'm here to see two people, Tom Wright and Russ Weder. Where can I find them?" While Mabel retrieved the info from her computer, I tapped Dylan on the shoulder to get his attention. He spun around in surprise. "Max, what the hell are you doing out here, you should be in there with Tom." "I'd love to do just that, but miss Mabel, here, and that rent-a-cop over there don't agree with you, spouting some silly shit about me not being family." "We'll see about that." He turned back to Mabel. "Would you please explain to me why this man is not in there with his fianc�?" "He's not family and only family members are allowed in the treatment rooms." "Did he tell you they're getting married?" "He did, but that means they're not married yet and, therefore, not family yet." "If Mr. Wright's fianc�e was a female, would she be allowed in the treatment room, or if Mr. Sanders' fianc�e was a female would he be allowed in?" "But, of course." "So, tell me why the fuck he's still sitting out here like he's got the fuckin' plague or something." "Sir, I don't care who you are, you will not speak to me like that." "Do me a favor, Mabel. Remove your stuck in the middle-ages head from your fat, fuckin' ass and let this man be with his fianc�. And I'll talk to you any god damn way I fuckin' want to." "Well, I never..." "Obviously, lady, get with the modern world. C'mon, Max." Dylan turned and headed for the treatment rooms leaving a stunned Mabel in his wake and I fell in step beside him. As we approached the doors separating the waiting area from the treatment area, the rent-a-cop stepped over to block our path. "Don't think you're stopping me, buddy." "You can go anywhere you like, sir, but he's not going in," he said, pointing his finger at me. "Look, asshole, I've had a really bad fuckin' day. I've already shot two assholes who deserved it and punched a lady in the face. Get the fuck outta' our way." "As I said, you're free to go where you like, but he's got no business in there." Dylan looked at me while shaking his head in disgust and then turned back to the guard. He extended himself fully and dwarfed even the hulking silhouette of the guard, who seemed to suddenly shrink in stature. Dylan then put his face inches from the guard's and quietly said, "You really think you want to take me on, mister? My dog takes shits bigger than you, but if you want to try it, feel free to take the first shot. I'd love to throw another asshole in jail today." The guard shrank even further under Dylan's withering stare and he swallowed hard. He apparently decided common sense should prevail today and stepped aside to allow our passage. As we passed through the portal into the inner sanctum, I said, "Thanks, Dylan." "Don't mention it. I was dead fuckin' serious about being tired of dealing with assholes today. Also, just to clear up a wild rumor that's been making the rounds, I don't have a dog," he snickered. "Now, let's go find our man."

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 31</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>I have created a Tumblr site with pictures of what the story's main characters look like in my mind. If you would like to see them, they can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://enderwiggin61.tumblr.com/">https://enderwiggin61.tumblr.com/</a></span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc476942436"><span>Chapter 31 � Big Trouble</span></a></h2> <p><span>Time seemed to crawl as I sat there, dark thoughts swirling through my brain, and I simply couldn't focus on the movie. When `Cars' ended, the boys asked if they could watch another. Since we had nothing but time, I let Andy select the movie this time. He chose `The Spiderwick Chronicles' and I got it started, then retook my seat and sat in a daze waiting to hear from Tom or Carol.</span></p> <p><span>"So, you and Max are getting serious pretty quick, aren't you, Tom?" Dylan asked while we waited for our backup to arrive.</span></p> <p><span>"I know it seems like it, Sarge, but we really do feel we've known each other our whole lives. Everything just seemed to click between us and fall into place."</span></p> <p><span>"I am truly happy for you, Tom. Maybe, someday, I'll get lucky and find the right guy, too."</span></p> <p><span>"If it can happen for me, Sarge, it can happen for you."</span></p> <p><span>"From the mouths of babes... Ah, here's our backup. Let's have a chat before we go get this scum." We got out of our cars and met for a short discussion. "Afternoon, Doug, Neil, you ready for this?"</span></p> <p><span>"Afternoon, Sarge, Tom. What do we got?" Neil asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We have a suspect, Russ Weder, holed up in a house in town here. We've been trying to find him for months and got a tip this afternoon that he'd been located."</span></p> <p><span>"Where'd the tip come from? Is it a reliable source?"</span></p> <p><span>"Anonymous to you guys, but I know the man and believe his information is good. Tom and I will attempt to come in through the front door. I want you two to take positions at the back corners of the house so you can see everything that goes on back there and keep sight lines up each side, also. I don't want this guy getting away, again. And I want him alive, got it?"</span></p> <p><span>"You got it Sarge."</span></p> <p><span>"Ms. Ward will be waiting in her car while we get the suspect under control."</span></p> <p><span>"What's she doing here?" Doug asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, in addition to all the other problems for Mr. Weder, she's adding child abuse to the pile. It turns out our felon likes to beat on women and kids, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's quit wasting time and go get him."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, let's move out. No sirens or lights. No sense announcing our arrival before we have to."</span></p> <p><span>"Got it, boss. Lead the way."</span></p> <p><span>We climbed back in our cars and took off. When we arrived at the house, Doug and Neil took their positions at the rear and once they were set, Dylan pounded on the front door. A voice from inside yelled, "Who's there and what the fuck you want?"</span></p> <p><span>"Police, Russ. Come outside so we can talk, please." We immediately heard loud crashing from inside the house like a herd of buffalo had been turned loose. Dylan kicked the front door open and we charged inside just in time to see Russ darting through the kitchen on his way to the back door. As soon as he flew out into the cold, sunny afternoon, we saw Russ raise an arm and a flurry of gunshots ensued. We continued on through the house and met Doug and Neil in the back yard, with Russ writhing on the ground and holding his right thigh. </span></p> <p><span>"What the hell's goin' on back here? I said I wanted him alive."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, boss, he's still alive. Can't you hear his pitiful moaning?" Neil asked with a grin. "Besides, when he hit the door, he had a gun. When he raised his arm like he was gonna shoot Doug, I took the shot and hit him in the leg. He lost his gun when he collapsed and it flew over there," the deputy recited as he pointed to the gun laying on the ground ten feet away.</span></p> <p><span>"All right, good work, Neil. Now, put cuffs on that piece of shit and find something to tie off his leg. I don't want him bleedin' out. Doug, call an ambulance. Tom, why don't you get Carol after you check inside and make sure there's no other bad guys in there."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Sarge." I turned to follow my instructions and just as I did, another male in camouflage burst through the door, gun raised, aimed directly at me. I pulled mine just as he fired his first shot and managed to get a shot off before I collapsed to the ground, then heard another flurry of shots as my partners dispatched the late arrival. Then, the lights went out.</span></p> <p><span>I still hadn't heard anything from Tom, Dylan or Carol and was getting antsy. They'd left only 45 minutes ago, but they didn't have that far to go. I should have heard something by now. The boys were engrossed in the movie, but I couldn't concentrate on what was happening on the screen.</span></p> <p><span>"You guys want a drink or anything?" I asked in a lame attempt to distract myself from the nasty thoughts swirling around in my head.</span></p> <p><span>"Juice sounds good, dad, you want some help?" Alex asked as he turned in his chair.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, big guy, thanks." We headed to the kitchen and I retrieved seven juice boxes of assorted flavors from the fridge. </span></p> <p><span>"When's Uncle Tom coming back home?" Alex asked as we stabbed the little straw into each box.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Alex. Soon I hope," I answered as we carefully carried the juice boxes back to the theater. We handed out one to each boy and, again, I took my seat behind them to stew in silence.</span></p> <p><span>The next thing I knew, Dylan was crouched over me, one arm reaching to the left side of my head and his hand holding it still, yelling, "Wake up dammit. You ain't dyin' on my watch."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, Sarge, I'm here. And quit screamin' would ya', my head's killing me."</span></p> <p><span>"As it should, mister. You got a hell of a crease down your left temple and just above your ear. Good thing you got a damn hard head."</span></p> <p><span>"How bad is it? Will I still need to part my hair when I comb it?"</span></p> <p><span>"You'll end up with a nice scar once they get you stitched up, but I think you'll be okay. They'll have to shave this mop you call hair to fix you up, though." </span></p> <p><span>"Who gives a shit about that, it'll grow back. As long as I'm still in one piece, more or less, that's all that counts. Crap, I gotta call Max and let him know what's happened."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry `bout that, Tom, I'll take care of it. By the way, good shootin', Tex. You plugged that bastard right in the heart."</span></p> <p><span>"Nice to know all that practice was good for somethin'. Five years on the job and I've never had to pull my gun, and then it has to happen in my last week. Just my damn luck. Go figure."</span></p> <p><span>"Now that you're awake again, you hold this compress to your head while I deal with the mess we've created."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, boss, I'll just lay here and bleed all over the yard."</span></p> <p><span>"Best thing you can do right now, Tom." He stood and got on his radio, "Dispatch, this is Brock, we need another ambulance and a meat wagon at this location, pronto."</span></p> <p><span>"On the way, Sarge, Neil already called it in," the dispatcher replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Good." He turned to Neil and said, "Neil, check the house for any other idiots who think they want to die today. If it's clear, get Ms. Ward so she can check out the house and see if the young man who lives here can come back home tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"On my way, boss."</span></p> <p><span>The first ambulance finally arrived, and as the paramedics came around the house and headed towards Russ, Dylan directed, "Oh no you don't, that scum can wait for the next one. You take care of this man, first. And you better do it right. He's got a man and four boys waiting at home for him."</span></p> <p><span>The crew exchanged confused looks but headed my direction anyway. They gently lifted me on the gurney and took a quick look at the crease in my scalp. "Sergeant Brock," one of them began, "we better get him to the emergency room. They'll want to do some scans and make sure there's no internal damage."</span></p> <p><span>"Then load him up and get him the fuck outta' here!" Dylan screamed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, SIR! You got it." The paramedics started wheeling me through the yard and when we rounded the corner at the front of the house, we met Neil leading Carol inside.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my god Tom, what happened?" she cried as she ran over to see me.</span></p> <p><span>"Just a scratch, Carol, I'll be fine," I managed to mutter through teeth tightly clenched from the pain gripping my skull. </span></p> <p><span>"You better be fine or I'm gonna' kill ya'. You got a wedding to plan."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right I do. You take care of Andy and make sure he's gonna' be safe."</span></p> <p><span>"I will." She turned to the paramedics, "What the hell are you two waitin' for, an engraved invitation, get him outta' here."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we just heard something about a wedding, so, yeah, we're waiting for our invite."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll personally hand-deliver it to you, <i>if</i> you get going? Happy?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're gone, lady." With that, we were on the move again.</span></p> <p><span>Once on the road, the paramedic in the back with me asked, "You feelin' okay, Deputy?"</span></p> <p><span>"You mean besides feelin' like my melon's been split in half and throbbin' to beat all hell. Yeah, other than that, I'm just peachy dandy fine."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, we'll be at the ER shortly. Just lay back and enjoy the ride."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right. No siren though, okay, I don't think I could take that right now," I joked as my lights went out for the second time.</span></p> <p><span>"Come on, Ms. Ward," Neil called, "let's get inside so you can see what you need to, just don't touch anything you don't have to. We have more units on the way with a search warrant. We need to keep any disturbance to a minimum."</span></p> <p><span>We stepped inside and I immediately retched at the stench that permeated the house. "How can anyone live in a hellhole like this, Neil?" </span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue ma'am."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I can tell you right now there's no way I'm allowing Andy back in this house, not tonight anyway, this is despicable. Even without his abuser being here, this place isn't fit for anybody to live in."</span></p> <p><span>"No arguments from me, ma'am," Neil answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I need to find his room and get him more of his clothes and some other things. Can you help me with that, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Those are my instructions, ma'am, let's get on with it."</span></p> <p><span>"Doug," I started, "Get a sheet or something from the house and cover that up," I said, hooking a thumb over my shoulder to the lifeless body sprawled on the ground behind me. "I'll keep an eye on Mr. Weder. Not like he's in any shape to run away, is it."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Sarge."</span></p> <p><span>I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and dialed Max's number for the call nobody ever wants to make.</span></p> <p><span>I heard the phone finally ring, jumped from my chair and ran to the kitchen to answer. I didn't recognize the number on Caller ID and felt my worst fears welling up from deep inside.</span></p> <p><span>"This is Max, who's this?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max, it's Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"This can't be good news. Not with you calling."</span></p> <p><span>"Not the worst possible, but not great, either. We got the scumbag we came for and one of his pals will be worm food soon."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't give a shit about them, tell me why Tom isn't making this call."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, these morons must have thought they were at the OK Corral and came out with guns blazing. Tom took a crease to his temple, but the paramedics say he should be okay. He's on the way to the ER to get checked over and stitched up."</span></p> <p><span>"Fuck, I just knew something bad was gonna' happen today. Which hospital, Dylan? I'm on the way."</span></p> <p><span>"Memorial, but you can't really go anywhere, Max. You got seven boys out there with you, and three of them aren't yours."</span></p> <p><span>"Shit, I wasn't thinking. What am I going to do?"</span></p> <p><span>"You stay there with the boys. I'll go to the hospital take care of Tom when I'm done cleaning up this mess."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, fine, what about Andy? Is Carol there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hang on one sec, here she comes now." Dylan handed his phone to Carol.</span></p> <p><span>"Max, is that you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what's the story with Andy?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's not coming back here tonight. This place is a pigsty."</span></p> <p><span>"What's gonna' happen with him?"</span></p> <p><span>"This late on a Saturday, I don't know. I'll have to find an emergency placement for him for the weekend and then something more permanent on Monday."</span></p> <p><span>"What if he just stays here? Would that solve your problem?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, it would, but don't you have enough to deal with already?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, what the hell, Carol? I'm just a glutton for punishment and love a challenge. Besides, he's already here and if that place is as bad as you say, it sounds like he won't be going home tomorrow either. If he stays here, he won't have to miss any school."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay, I guess that'll work, Max. Let me call Anna, get her input, and I'll let you know, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be here. For a while anyway. I'm gonna' call my sister and see if she'll come watch the boys so I can get to the hospital and be with Tom. And I have two other boys here who still need to get back home."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell you what, Max, I'm about the head your way with more of Andy's things. You call your sister, and when I get there, you can go on to the hospital. I'll stay with the boys until your sister can come out. Then, when she gets there, I can take the other two back home for you."</span></p> <p><span>"I like the way you think, Carol. Thanks, you're lifesaver. See you soon."</span></p> <p><span>I hung up with Carol and called Lee.</span></p> <p><span>"Lee, thank god you're home. I need some help and hope you have the time."</span></p> <p><span>"What's going on, Max? You sound stressed."</span></p> <p><span>"Too much to tell you right now. Is there any way you could come out and stay with the boys for a while? I need to get to the hospital."</span></p> <p><span>"Hospital? You sick?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, not me. It's Tom. He went with Dylan and two others to arrest a local loser and Tom ended up getting shot. I need to get there to be with him."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, lord, Max! I'm so sorry. I hope he'll be okay."</span></p> <p><span>"Dylan, his boss, says it's just a crease and he should be fine, but I don't want Tom there alone."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, glad to hear it. We'll be right there, Max. I'll drag Carl along, too. He needs to get the hell out of the house, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Good idea, Lee, especially since there's three extra boys here this afternoon. Carl will be good help. See you soon, and thanks." I hung up before she could ask any other questions and headed to the theater to tell the boys what was going on. I was not looking forward to this conversation.</span></p> <p><span>I paused the movie and pulled a chair around in front of the boys.</span></p> <p><span>"What's going on, dad?" Joey asked with a scared tremor in his voice.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, good news first, I guess. Russ is gone, Andy, but it looks like you won't be going back home for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Why not?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because Ms. Ward won't allow it. Part of her job is protecting kids from bad homes. She said that until your house is cleaned up, you're not going back there."</span></p> <p><span>"But where `m I gonna go?"</span></p> <p><span>"It looks like you'll be staying here until she thinks it's safe for you to go back home or finds another foster family for you to live with."</span></p> <p><span>"That'll be cool. I like it here."</span></p> <p><span>"What else is going on, dad," Alex asked warily.</span></p> <p><span>"God, this is hard," I mumbled as I looked down to the floor for a moment. I looked back up, took a deep breath and continued, "Okay, I don't know all the details, but Tom's been hurt and is on the way to the hospital."</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, we gotta' go!" T.J. yelled as he jumped out of his chair.</span></p> <p><span>"No, we can't, T.J. Tom will be in the emergency room and there are too many of you take in there. And Mark and Billy need to go back home shortly."</span></p> <p><span>"What're we gonna do, dad? We can't leave Uncle Tom all alone," Mike cried.</span></p> <p><span>"We're not. I've called Aunt Lee and she and Uncle Carl will be out soon. I'm going to the hospital to be with Tom while they stay here with you."</span></p> <p><span>"But what about Mark and Billy? How're they gonna' get home?"</span></p> <p><span>"Carol's bringing some things for Andy from his home. She'll stay here until Lee and Carl get here, then she'll take Mark and Billy home."</span></p> <p><span>"What are we supposed to do? Just sit around with our thumbs up our butts?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe Lee and Carl will let you swim for a while, or you can play some Xbox, or Uno, whatever. I'm confident you'll find something to do to entertain yourselves. I want you to be good for Lee and Carl while I'm gone. Understood?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," the twins grumped, upset at having to stay home.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, now I have to get ready to leave." I resumed the movie and headed to the bedroom to change clothes to something more suitable for a hospital. Just as I pulled on a clean shirt, I heard the ding of the drive sensor. I met Carol at the door and took the bag with Andy's things from her. </span></p> <p><span>She gave me a hug, then asked, "Where're the boys?"</span></p> <p><span>"In the theater watching `The Spiderwick Chronicles'. How was Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Tryin' to joke about it, but you could see the pain in his eyes."</span></p> <p><span>"So, at least he was conscious."</span></p> <p><span>"He was when I saw him. Dylan told me he was out for a bit right after it happened, but he was awake when I saw him."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Carol, I appreciate everything. I'm gonna get out of here. I'll call you when I know something. Lee should be here soon."</span></p> <p><span>"Go be with Tom, Max, we'll be fine. Oh, and I spoke with Anna after talking to you and Andy will be staying here until we can find another foster home for him."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Carol. I just want to make sure he stays safe." I gave her a kiss on the cheek, hopped in the Shelby and took off for the hospital.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Sarge," Doug called from inside the house, "You need to see this."</span></p> <p><span>Since Russ had been taken away in the second ambulance with Neil as his chaperone, and I was just waiting for the coroner to show up, I headed inside. That poor schmuck wasn't going anywhere. "What do ya' got, Doug?"</span></p> <p><span>"A whole stash of drugs and guns in the crawlspace. This dude was into some serious shit. Probably dealing both to support his own bad habits."</span></p> <p><span>"Wonderful. Tag it all and get it out of here. Make sure you have pictures of everything that comes out of there."</span></p> <p><span>"Will do, boss. Glad we finally found him."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, me too. Any word on the boy's mom yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, good idea to put out a BOLO for her. Last I heard, she'd been spotted at Walmart and was leaving the parking lot, assumed to be headed home. Could be here anytime."</span></p> <p><span>"Let's stash our cars where they won't be seen until she's in the driveway. I don't want her rollin' by and us miss her. She had to know what Weder was doing here. No way you have that much shit under the floor and not know it's there." We moved our cars to a more hidden spot and I waited quietly at the back of the house while Doug resumed his work inside. It didn't have to wait for long until Ms. Cox pulled in the drive. As soon as she got out of her car, I stepped away from the corner of the house and announced my presence.</span></p> <p><span>"Afternoon, Ms. Cox. How are you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Fine. Who the hell are you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm Sergeant Brock of the Sherriff's department."</span></p> <p><span>"What're you doing here, pig?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, just waiting for you. Seeing as Russ is on his way to the hospital and his buddy is laying in the back yard with a sheet over him, I had nothin' else to do."</span></p> <p><span>"Russ, is at the hospital? Cal's dead?" she asked, then abruptly changed her tune, "Don't know `em. Was they robbin' my house? And where the hell is my son?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no, nothing like that. But you already know that. You ain't got nothin' in there worth stealin'. And don't you be worrying yourself about Andy. He's safe and sound. You won't have to worry about him for a long, long time, lady."</span></p> <p><span>"What're you talkin' `bout? I want my son."</span></p> <p><span>"Shit in one hand, wish is the other and let's see which gets filled first. You're in deep shit and apparently don't have a clue."</span></p> <p><span>"What? I didn't do nothin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Including protecting yourself and your son from lowlife scumbags like Weder and `Cal', you said? You can't expect me to believe you didn't know what your man was doing. What with all the drugs and guns in your crawlspace, and his beating you and your son whenever he felt like it. Now, you get to join him in jail, `cause that's where you're both going. Well, after he gets out of the hospital, that is."</span></p> <p><span>"I ain't goin' nowhere."</span></p> <p><span>"You really don't have a choice. Put your purse on the ground and your hands on the hood of the car. Be gentle, now, we've already shot two people here today, one more won't faze me a bit." She did as she was told and I carefully rounded the car to put cuffs on her. Just as I cleared the front bumper, she struck out at me like a demon possessed. Now, I don't normally condone hitting women, but when they're coming at you, spitting and hissing, claws extended and aiming for the eyes, there's only one thing you can do. I clocked that bitch right on the chin and she crumpled to the ground like the lifeless heap of trash she was. I rolled her over on her front side and cuffed her. "Doug, get your ass out here," I yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, Sarge?" Doug asked as he exited the house.</span></p> <p><span>"Put this <i>lady</i> in the back of your car with leg irons and get her outta' here. I want her booked and locked up, ASAP."</span></p> <p><span>"Gladly, Boss."</span></p> <p><span>"You guys about done in there?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think so. We're still checking out the crawlspace and the boy's room, but I think that about all that's left."</span></p> <p><span>"You think the others got a handle on it?"</span></p> <p><span>"They should. Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"I want to get to the hospital, check on Tom and see how the scumbag who lived is doing."</span></p> <p><span>"Go ahead, boss. I'll stay long enough to meet the coroner, then I'll head out to get her to the county building and processed."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent. Good work today, Doug. Appreciate your help."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, except for Tom getting hit."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, except for that. We'll have to sit down and discuss what happened today and see what we can do to avoid situations like that again. I'm headed to the hospital. Get things wrapped up here and I'll see you Monday." I hopped in my car and took off for the hospital.</span></p> <p><span>It was a good thing I knew where most of the Sangamon county cops were this afternoon as I arrived at the hospital 20 minutes after leaving home, a trip that would have normally taken 35-40 minutes. This felt like a good time to let the Shelby stretch its legs for a bit. I found a parking spot and headed inside to find Tom. After a few wrong turns, I finally found the ER check-in and walked up to the counter.</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, sir, how may I help you?" the receptionist asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm Max Sanders and I'm looking for Tom Wright. He's a Sangamon County cop who was brought in a little while ago with a gunshot wound."</span></p> <p><span>"One moment, sir." She tapped on her keyboard a few times and came back with, "Yes, sir, he's here, in treatment room 1."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you," I said and started to walk away from her.</span></p> <p><span>"Hold on, sir," she called as she stood up to block my way and stop me from proceeding. "Are you family, or with the Sheriff's department?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet, no."</span></p> <p><span>"What, exactly, does that mean?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you must know, it means we're getting married, so we'll be family soon."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, sir, you're not allowed into the treatment area. Only family members are allowed in with patients."</span></p> <p><span>"Look," I said, trying to hide the frustration that building inside me, "his parents live down by St. Louis and can't be here right now. Hell, I haven't even had time to call and let them know their son's been hurt. I'm the closest thing to family he has in the area and I'm going back there." I started to move around her and as I did, she moved to block me again and wiggled a finger over her shoulder. She was soon joined by a hulking man in uniform and a name badge signifying he was hospital security.</span></p> <p><span>"What's seems to be the problem, Mabel?" he grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"This gentleman is attempting to enter the ER when he has no <i>family</i> in there."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, sir, you'll have to wait out here. Only family members are allowed in with patients."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, I just told her that Tom and I are going to be married soon and his parents aren't in the area. I'm going in."</span></p> <p><span>"No, sir, you're not. You are going to sit in a chair over there and wait. If the patient is admitted, you can go to his room, otherwise you'll have to wait out here until he's released from the ER."</span></p> <p><span>Fuming internally, I acquiesced and took the nearest empty seat I could find to the ER doors. Apparently, these morons had not moved into the 21<sup>st</sup> century just yet. </span></p> <p><span>I sat in the theater with the boys, waiting for Max's sister to arrive and take over. When I heard the ding of the drive sensor, I headed to the front door to meet her. Upon opening the door, I was met by a lovely looking woman with short brown hair and a handsome man with short and spiky blonde hair.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, I'm Carol Ward, you must be Max's sister. Thanks for coming out so quickly."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, I'm Lee Nichols and this is my husband Carl. It's nice to meet you Carol."</span></p> <p><span>"Nice to meet the two of you, too. Too bad it had to be like this."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell us, have you heard anything about Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"I was there when it happened and talked to him before they took him to the hospital. He should be okay."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank god, Max didn't have time to tell me much of anything, just that he'd been shot and he needed to get to the hospital. We jumped in the car and headed right out. Thanks for waiting for us."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no problem, Lee. Well, let me get the two extra boys out of here so I can get them home."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, Max said there were three extra boys here this afternoon? Did one go home already?</span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, no, he's staying here with Max and his boys. It was his house where Tom got hurt and the inside of it looked like a bomb had gone off. Absolutely disgusting. I can't let him go home and Max volunteered to let him stay here for the time being so he won't miss any school or anything."</span></p> <p><span>"And the hits keep coming, don't they?" Carl asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the boys are watching a movie, why don't we interrupt them?"</span></p> <p><span>"No time like the present."</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, Your Aunt Lee and Uncle Carl are here," Carol called after opening the door to the theater.</span></p> <p><span>"Yay!!" my four yelled and ran to smother Lee with hugs. </span></p> <p><span>They shied away from Carl until he knelt down to their level and said, "Come on guys, don't be strangers, I don't bite, ya' know. I've been wanting to meet y'all since Lee told me you were here. Besides, every hug is worth a buck to ya'."</span></p> <p><span>"Carl, stop that," Lee reprimanded, smacking him on the back of the head. "Make a promise like that and they'll never let go and we aren't that rich."</span></p> <p><span>"Bah, what's a few bucks for some hugs?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mark, Billy, let's get your things and hit the road," Carol called out. "I'd like to get back home sometime tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"We're coming." Mike followed them to his room to make sure they got everything.</span></p> <p><span>Once they had all their belongings, Billy said, "Mike, thanks for having us over. We had a great time and I hope we can do it again sometime."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we really were jerks to you and we're sorry. I hope we can be friends," Mark added.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, guys. I'm glad we had fun, too, and we'll do it again, for sure. Remember, you can't say nothin' about the naked thing."</span></p> <p><span>"Lips are zipped, Mike. We want to be able to come back," Mark said.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, my ma would have a cow if she knew `bout that," Billy added with a conspiratorial grin.</span></p> <p><span>The three boys headed to the front door to meet Carol and after waving goodbye to Carol and his new friends, Mike headed back to the theater to rejoin the rest of the family.</span></p> <p><span>25 minutes after taking my seat, Dylan stormed into the ER and headed to the reception counter. I got up from my chair and joined him.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm here to see two people, Tom Wright and Russ Weder. Where can I find them?"</span></p> <p><span>While Mabel retrieved the info from her computer, I tapped Dylan on the shoulder to get his attention. He spun around in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Max, what the hell are you doing out here, you should be in there with Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd love to do just that, but miss Mabel, here, and that rent-a-cop over there don't agree with you, spouting some silly shit about me not being family."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see about that." He turned back to Mabel. "Would you please explain to me why this man is not in there with his fianc�?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's not family and only family members are allowed in the treatment rooms."</span></p> <p><span>"Did he tell you they're getting married?"</span></p> <p><span>"He did, but that means they're not married yet and, therefore, not family yet."</span></p> <p><span>"If Mr. Wright's fianc�e was a female, would she be allowed in the treatment room, or if Mr. Sanders' fianc�e was a female would he be allowed in?"</span></p> <p><span>"But, of course."</span></p> <p><span>"So, tell me why the fuck he's still sitting out here like he's got the fuckin' plague or something."</span></p> <p><span>"Sir, I don't care who you are, you will not speak to me like that."</span></p> <p><span>"Do me a favor, Mabel. Remove your stuck in the middle-ages head from your fat, fuckin' ass and let this man be with his fianc�. And I'll talk to you any god damn way I fuckin' want to."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I never..."</span></p> <p><span>"Obviously, lady, get with the modern world. C'mon, Max." Dylan turned and headed for the treatment rooms leaving a stunned Mabel in his wake and I fell in step beside him. As we approached the doors separating the waiting area from the treatment area, the rent-a-cop stepped over to block our path. "Don't think you're stopping me, buddy."</span></p> <p><span>"You can go anywhere you like, sir, but he's not going in," he said, pointing his finger at me.</span></p> <p><span>"Look, asshole, I've had a really bad fuckin' day. I've already shot two assholes who deserved it and punched a lady in the face. Get the fuck outta' our way."</span></p> <p><span>"As I said, you're free to go where you like, but he's got no business in there."</span></p> <p><span>Dylan looked at me while shaking his head in disgust and then turned back to the guard. He extended himself fully and dwarfed even the hulking silhouette of the guard, who seemed to suddenly shrink in stature. Dylan then put his face inches from the guard's and quietly said, "You really think you want to take me on, mister? My dog takes shits bigger than you, but if you want to try it, feel free to take the first shot. I'd love to throw another asshole in jail today." The guard shrank even further under Dylan's withering stare and he swallowed hard. He apparently decided common sense should prevail today and stepped aside to allow our passage.</span></p> <p><span>As we passed through the portal into the inner sanctum, I said, "Thanks, Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't mention it. I was dead fuckin' serious about being tired of dealing with assholes today. Also, just to clear up a wild rumor that's been making the rounds, I don't have a dog," he snickered. "Now, let's go find our man."</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-55.html

Building a Family 55 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 55 � The Investigation Begins "No time like the present, I guess," I replied and led the way to the living room to join Tom. After taking our seats, I asked, "You ready to get this show on the road?" "Before we start, Max, I want you to know how sorry we are that we have to have this discussion." "Welcome to the club, Dylan, `cause I don't want to have it either." "I understand and sympathize with you on that point, but If we don't, these two people will remain free to continue their crimes and we can't allow that to happen." "I'm well aware of that and that's the only reason I'm allowing this interview to happen. The Muellers should be in prison, or better yet, under the prison." "The other thing I want you to know up front is that Derek and I usually aren't involved in cases such as yours. They're normally handled by a different unit, but I asked to be the one to do your interview because I thought you might feel a bit more comfortable if you were talking to someone you knew instead of some stranger." "That's a nice thought, Dylan, and I appreciate it, but quite unnecessary since I have an appointment tomorrow morning with a psychologist I don't know from Adam and I get to do it all over again with her. It'll be fun times, I'm sure," I added, sarcasm fairly dripping from the words. "Now, though we know each other personally and have socialized on a few occasions, I'm going to call you Mr. A during the interview. Deputy Timmons will do the same. We'll do this in an effort to protect your identity as much as possible, but I don't expect we'll be able to keep that quiet forever. We'll refer to Tom as Mr. B if we need to, but I expect most of this interview to be just you." "You're welcome to do that if you want, but, quite frankly, I don't care. I'd almost prefer you use my real name so we're not worrying about when the secret slips out. I'm already dealing with one big secret, I don't think I can deal with two of them at the same time. And getting my name out there on this may actually help me deal with the other one." "Really? What's the other one?" "Just the one about me being gay. I'm kind of expecting the shit to hit the fan with my readers when that little factoid becomes more widely known. But, the more I think about it, if both my name and sexuality come out at the same time connected to this nightmare, the abuse side of the story may overshadow the gay side of the story, especially since I was abused because I'm gay." "If that's what you prefer, then we'll proceed using your real name, though we'll use Mr. Sanders instead of Max to avoid the appearance of bias or familiarity. We're also going to use words like alleged and supposed because this is just the beginning of the investigation and we have no proof that anybody has done anything wrong at this point. When I say things like that, I don't want you to get upset or think I don't believe you, because I do believe you, 100%, but I still have to work under the presumption of innocence of the accused. Now that that's all out of the way, let get started." "How do you want to do this?" I asked. "Well, if it's okay with you, I'd like you to just tell your story, as best as you can remember it. With your permission, I'd like to record this interview so nobody can later claim whether certain things were said or not. This protects both you and us from spurious claims. If you talk about something we'd like more information on, we'll just make a quick note to ourselves. Then, when you're done, we'll go back and clear up any of the questions we've written down. Does that sound okay to you?" "Whatever you want to do, I just want to get this over with." "Okay, here goes." Dylan started the recorder and spoke directly into it. "Today's date is Monday, March 17 and the time is 9:45 AM. This is Sergeant Dylan Brock of the Sangamon County Sherriff's Department and I have Deputy Derek Timmons with me as a witness for this interview. This interview is being recorded with the full knowledge and permission of the complainant, Mr. Maxwill Sanders. Also present for the interview is Mr. Thomas Wright, formerly a Deputy of the Sherriff's department. Mr. Sanders, whenever you're ready, please begin." I looked at the three people in the room with me and as my gaze drifted from Derek sitting across from me to Tom sitting next to me, I caught a glimpse of a small head peeking around the corner from the dining room. "I'm sorry, guys, just a minute." Dylan stopped the recorder and as I stood up, the head disappeared in a flash. When I entered the kitchen, I found Logan just resettling himself on a stool. "Um, Logan, I know you're very interested in the discussion we're about to have, but it's not something you should hear. Would you do me a favor, please, and go to the twins' room and continue your work at one of the desks in there. And if you finish your homework, you can watch TV in there also." Logan hung his head low and muttered, "I'm sorry, Max. I know I shouldn't have tried to listen, but I couldn't help myself." He grabbed his books and things, hopped off the stool and started to slink away. "Logan, come back here a second, please." I knelt so I could look into his eyes as I explained myself. "I've already told you and the others all you need to know. What I'm going to be sharing with Dylan and Derek will be details of what happened that you guys shouldn't know about. You saw yesterday how this is affecting me, I don't want you to have to deal with things you're not ready for. Do you understand what I'm saying?" "Yeah, I got it, Max. I'll go and I won't cause no more problems, I promise." "Thank you, young man. We'll let you know when you can come back out and talk to Dylan, okay?" With a slight nod, he turned and left the kitchen. I returned to the living room, took my seat next to Tom and waited for the bedroom door to close before continuing. "Sorry about that, but Logan was trying to listen in and I don't want him to hear this." Dylan leaned back over and restarted the recorder. "Okay, it all started shortly after my thirteenth birthday ...," I said as I began recounting the story of the three most terrifying and miserable years of my life. I gave Dylan and Derek much the same story I'd given to Tom just a few nights ago, adding details I thought would be important or ones I'd remembered since my last telling. I couldn't help but notice the loss of color in both their faces as they blanched with disgust at what they were hearing. Tom, thank my lucky stars, never wavered and never relinquished his grip on my hand. The strength he was feeding me through that contact allowed me to continue the story without hesitation. Having already heard most of what of what I was telling these newcomers, there wasn't much I could add that could surprise him. When I finally wound down an hour-and-a-half later, I ended with, "And that's it, the whole sordid, disgusting tale of my betrayal and abuse at the hands of those monsters." Silence reigned supreme in the house for several moments before Dylan reached over to the table and stopped the recorder. "My god, Max! How the hell did you survive that?" "I honestly don't have a clue, Dylan. Something kept me going and wanted me to live. I do know one thing, though, god had absolutely nothing to with it. I think maybe that's one of the reasons I'm an atheist now. I just can't believe that a loving, all-knowing and all-powerful being would allow something that deplorable to happen to anybody, especially a kid. And in a building built for the sole purpose of praising that supposed being, of all places. Shit like that proves to me, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there is no god and if that's the god you believe in, then I weep for your soul." "I hate to interrupt, but I could sure use a bathroom break, if you don't mind," Derek said. "Sure thing, Derek," Tom replied. "Right down the hall, last door on the right. While you do that, I'm gonna grab a drink. Anybody else want something?" "Diet soda, if you have it," Derek answered as he turned the corner into the hallway. "Tea for me, please, Tom," from Dylan. "I wouldn't say no to a tall glass of Jack Daniels," I chuckled. "Sorry, babe, no Jack left. Will a Pepsi work?" "Well, what kind of establishment are you running here?" I asked sarcastically. "The kind that caters to a much younger clientele, sir," he replied politely, but just as sarcastically. "Well, if Pepsi's the strongest you have, I guess it'll have to do." "Back in just a few." With just me and Dylan left, I asked, "So, do you think you have a case against them?" "Nope." Seeing the stunned look on my face, he continued, "I know I do. Now it's just a matter of trying to gather the evidence to prove your story in court. And, unfortunately, that's not going to be easy after all this time." "But you're going to try, aren't you?" "Damn right we are. I'm not lettin' these people get away." "Good. As far as I know, nobody took any pictures, so you won't have that. Though I suppose I should be glad there aren't any. The only other thing I can think of is to check that room in the basement of the church. I'm sure it's been repurposed in the last twenty years, but you never know what might have been missed." "That's going to be the first action I take. On our way back into town this afternoon, we're going to the courthouse, fill out the form for a search warrant, then get a judge to sign it. Once it's signed, we'll head straight to the church to serve the warrant and execute our search. I'll call for a forensics team to be ready to roll on a moment's notice." "What will you have to do get a judge to sign the warrant?" I asked. "Usually, they'll take our word for it that we have either reliable information or reasonable suspicion that a crime's been committed and approve it. Due to the time lapse we're dealing with on this, though, I may have to play part of your interview to get him to agree." "If you think you have to do that, do me one favor, please." "Just ask, Max, and I'll do whatever I can." "I'm sure he doesn't normally deal with cases like this since he's a family court judge, but take it Judge Corgan. I think if he hears the recording and knows who it is, he'll agree with you and approve the warrant without asking any questions." "Are you sure you want him involved in this case?" "Why not? He's going to know about it soon enough, anyway. I know you guys will do your best to keep it under wraps while the investigation is still going on, but it won't stay that way for long." Dylan started to object, but I continued, "Look, I know it won't come from you or Derek, but this is going to be a big story. There's no way in hell you're gonna to keep it quiet for long. Somebody will let it leak, I know it, and so do you." Dylan hung his head in shame and responded, "Yeah, I know. But I swear to you, Max, if it happens, I, personally, will track him down and cut his balls off." I laughed for the first time since I started telling my story. "Gee, I'm not sure which headline will be better, `Child Sex Scandal at Local Church' or `Gay Sherriff Cuts off Department Leak and Balls of Leaker'." "Gay Sherriff!" Derek asked as he rounded the corner from the hallway and rejoined us. "What the hell are you talkin' `bout Max?" "Oh, damn, sorry, Dylan." "Sit down Derek, there's something I need to tell you," Dylan ordered. Derek sat down next to Dylan, surprise filling his face. "I'm going to say this once and only once. What you just heard, while it's true, you really didn't hear it, you just thought you did. And if I find out from somebody else that you did hear it and are spreading the news to anyone who will listen, I'll bust your ass all the way down school crossing guard, you got me, mister?" "Are you freakin' kidding me?" "About bein' gay, absolutely not. I am and always have been, so I don't kid about that. The rest of it, of course, I am. I wouldn't dream of bustin' ya', but I would appreciate it if you'd keep it to yourself. I'll let the troops know when I feel it's appropriate to do so." "Geez, first Tom and now you. Is there somethin' in the water?" Derek asked with a chuckle. Tom finally rejoined us with our requested drinks and, "What about me and Dylan?" "Oh, nothin', I guess," Derek answered. "Just surprised to find out Dylan's gay, too, and hopin' there's nothin' in the water to cause it. I don't think Suzy would appreciate me comin' home one night, tellin' her I've switched teams and go for the guys now," he chuckled. "You are kidding, I hope. You do know that's not how it works." "Of course, I do Max, just tryin' to be funny." "So, anything else, Dylan? You haven't asked me any questions and I'm sure you have some." "As a matter of fact, I do have a few. Let me get the recorder going again and we'll get this finished." Dylan started the recorder again and asked, "Thank you for telling us your story Mr. Sanders. I have a few questions I need to ask to clear up just a few things. If you don't mind." "No, go ahead." "First, do you remember where, exactly, this supposed room is located in the basement of the church where you allege these assaults took place." I burned inside at the words `supposed' and `allege', but I remained calm since I knew that was just part of the game the cops have to play. "Of course, I do. I'll never forget that hellhole." I closed my eyes as I described the church to them. "When you enter the church from the main front door, the worship hall, or whatever they call it, is straight ahead and through a set of double doors on the left. Maybe twenty or twenty-five feet down the entry hall. About fifteen or twenty feet past that, there's a hallway that leads to the right. Down that hall are restrooms on the right, the church offices on the left and then four classrooms at the end of the hall. The room where kids my age had Sunday school classes was the last room on the left. "When our class was done and it was time for my `special lessons', as Frank liked to call them, they'd lead me out of the classroom, back to the first office on the right, and then into the office. There's a hidden door in that office. Back then, the left wall of the office had two or three file cabinets lined up along it and the office door covered the first one or two when it was open. Past the last one, there's a recessed space. In the very top-right corner of that recess is a small button you have to push in about half an inch to release the latch on the door. Once the latch has been released, the door pops open a few inches. That door swings into the room. Behind the door is a set of narrow stairs going down and to the left that leads to the room under the office." "Can you describe the room for us, please, Mr. Sanders?" "About twelve foot by twelve foot, all poured concrete, bare concrete floor. Kind of a mop sink in the corner diagonally opposite the door. Next to the sink was a small wooden cabinet that held towels and other things. There was a table in the center of the room and four folding metal chairs. A single light was on the ceiling with no shade to block the glare. That's about it," I concluded, reopening my eyes. "You have no doubts as to the location of the room?" "None, whatsoever. It's there and that hidden door is the only way in or out of it." "The last question I have for you is if you remember any distinguishing marks, tattoos or anything about the bodies of the two people in question. The type of thing that would normally be hidden by clothing." "What you're really asking is they have any tattoos on their ass or a mole on a dick, isn't it?" "Yes, sir, that's exactly what I'm asking about." "Let me think a minute." I closed my eyes again and forced myself back into that room with my tormentors, shuddering as I did. As I focused on the images in my mind, I realized both of them did, indeed, have such marks. "I can see Iris has a birthmark or freckles or something like that on the inside of her left thigh and Frank has a tattoo on his right bicep, about half-way between his shoulder and elbow. I can't tell you exactly what it is, but I think it's a military insignia of some kind." "Thank you, Mr. Sanders, that's type of detail that will help us as our investigation moves forward. That's all I had. Deputy Timmons, do you have any questions for Mr. Sanders?" "Just one, sir. Why has it taken you almost twenty years to come forward with this information?" "Because I didn't remember any of it until last Thursday." "I'm sorry, sir, but do you really expect us to believe that all this really happened that long ago and you didn't remember any of it until just a few days ago?" I was furious at the question and almost let my anger get the better of me. Fortunately, Tom felt it coming and squeezed my hand to remind me of what was at stake. "You may believe what you like, Deputy Timmons. I know what was done to me. The fact that I blocked it from my own mind all this time really has no bearing on whether it happened or not. I've already talked to one psychologist about it and he's the one who helped me recover those memories." "Recover? Or did he plant these memories?" "Who the fuck do you think would plant shit like that into anybody's mind!? If you don't believe what I'm saying, you are more than welcome to discuss it directly with him. That's it, this interview is over!" Dylan turned off the recorder and as he did, I stood and started to take a step towards Derek when Tom pulled me back to my chair. "Max, calm down," Tom scolded me as if I was thirteen all over again. "Derek's just doing his job." "Mr. Sanders ... Max ... please forgive me," Derek pleaded. "I knew those were going to be ugly questions and I also knew they'd upset you." "Then why didn't you fuckin' warn me you were gonna ask them?" I vented. "Because I wanted your denial and true emotions to be evident on the recording. If I'd told you beforehand, you wouldn't have reacted naturally when I did ask them for the recording. I know that sucks and if you're pissed at me, so be it. But, you should know that anybody else who hears this recording will have absolutely no doubts about the story you've told us today. They'll know it's the truth, without question, just from conviction in your voice." "Okay, Derek, I understand, I'm sorry I was about punch your lights out." "You have nothing to be sorry for, Max." He turned to Tom and added, "Thanks for savin' my bacon, again, partner." "No problem, just don't pull that shit again. Next time, I let him go." We all enjoyed a light-hearted chuckle after that comment. "Well, Max, thanks for your time. I know how much it hurts for people to have to relive abuse like this having done these interviews more than I like to think about, but you did great. This is the first step to getting Frank and Iris off the street. Just two more things before we go, can we get the list of names from your sons and I still want to have a chat with Logan." "Oh, yeah. Tom, why don't you grab the list off the desk in the study and I'll retrieve Logan." We left Dylan and Derek in the living room as we took care of our tasks. When I reached the twins' room, I turned the doorknob, but the door wouldn't open when I gave it a push. I gave a quick knock and called, "Logan?" I heard a quick scuffling away from the door, so I tried again. This time the door opened freely and I found Logan curled up on the floor, crying. I took two steps, picked him up off the floor and carried him to the bed, where I sat down with him in my lap. "Logan, what's wrong, did you hurt yourself?" Through his sniffles, he whimpered, "No." "Then why are you crying." "I'm sorry, Max, I'm just a nosy little brat and I listened to you through the door. I can't believe what those people did to you," he sobbed. "Oh, Logan, it's okay. It was a long time ago," I empathized as I hugged him and rocked him in my lap. "Now I know why you freaked out yesterday. It scared me when it happened, but now that I know why, it makes sense. That's why I wanted to listen to what you were sayin'. `Cause what happened yesterday just didn't seem like the guy I saw at the party on Saturday." "Well, in one sense, I was, but in another sense, I also wasn't. Do you see that?" "Yeah. It's like the change in my dad before momma died and after. Before she died, he was like you were during the party. But after, he's been like you were yesterday, all pissed off at everything and nothing." "Do you understand now why I didn't want you to be there to hear all that?" "Uh-huh," he answered with a little nod. "Maybe, just maybe, the next time someone says they need to have a private talk, you'll let them have it." "Damn right, I will," he answered which caused me to chuckle. "Good, despite all the bad stuff you just heard, I think you've learned a good lesson. Dylan and Derek are about ready to leave, but Dylan wants to talk to you be he goes. You ready to do that?" "Yeah, let me go pee and clean up my face and I'll come out." "Okay, see you in a minute or two." I headed for the hallway, setting Logan down at the bathroom door before continuing back to the living room. Tom was already back and Dylan was looking at the list of names from Alex and Joey. "He'll be here in just a minute. He had to use the bathroom." "Jesus, Max, this list is unreal. How many names did you say are here?" "I counted sixty-three when I typed them in." "These can't all be kids they abused, can it?" "I sure as hell hope not, but that's for you and Carol to figure out. Carol picked up a copy of it yesterday so she could start working on it this morning. I wonder if she's found any matches in her cross-reference. You want me to find out?" "That'd be great," Dylan answered. I picked up the phone and dialed Carol's number. She answered the phone with, "Hi, Max. What's up?" "I'm just gave the list to Dylan and I was wondering if you've had a chance to check your records to see if you have any matches, yet." "I'm still working through it, but I've found three possibilities so far. I'm trying to track where those three might be now. We have about twenty more names to check against our files, and I have other people working on that while I search for these first three." "I know even three isn't good, but it could be a whole lot worse. What are the names of the three you're looking for so I can let Dylan know?" "I've got a Jack, which could also be John, a Trevor and a Lance. According to our records, they are all adults now, so finding them won't be an easy thing." "Okay, got it. If you get any more matches, let Dylan or Derek know, okay?" "You bet. How'd your talk with Dylan go?" "About like you'd expect. But, he's leaving here and going to get a warrant to search the church, so that's something good happening already." "I'm glad to hear it. Look, I don't want to be rude, but I've got to get back to work on these names." "Go, then. We'll talk later. Thanks, Carol." I hung up the phone and turned to Dylan. "She says they've matched three names so far with another twenty names to check. She's already working on trying to find the three. Those names are Jack, Trevor and Lance. She said the Jack could also be John, possibly." "That means the rest of these names are probably kids from the church, then. I hate this, absolutely fuckin' hate it." He turned to Derek and added, "Make sure when we talk to the judge that we include church membership lists in our request for the warrant. They'll fight givin' us those, but we're going to need them to help track all these people down." "You got it, Sarge." At that moment, Logan finally emerged from the bedroom and he walked over and stood by me. "Logan," I started, "you already know Deputy Timmons. The other gentleman with him today is his boss, Sergeant Brock and he has some questions he wants to ask you." "Sure." "How are you feeling today, Logan?" "I'm a little better, but my butt still hurts and my eyes look like crap." "Would you come closer so I can get a better look at you, please?" Logan stepped over to stand right in front of Dylan. "Yes, I can see the puffiness and bruising around your eyes. Where else did your dad hit you?" "All over, man, here, look." Logan lifted his shirt up, then slowly turned in a circle so Dylan could see both his front and back. "And that ain't all. Look at this crap." With that, he held his shirt up with one hand and then, with his other hand, pulled the string to untie and loosen his shorts, letting them drop to the floor. After just a quick glance, Dylan said, "Okay, Logan, I've seen enough. You can pull your shorts back up." We waited patiently while he pulled the shorts up off the floor and retied the string so they'd stay in place above his skinny hips. When he was done, he turned back to face Dylan. "Can you take a seat on the table here so I can ask you a few things?" Logan was only too happy to follow Dylan's request, allowing a grin to stretch across his face as he did. "Thanks, Logan," Dylan said as he leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. "From what Deputy Timmons told me this morning, your mom passed away a few years ago, it that right?" "Yes, sir, she got leukemia and the doctors couldn't do nothin' for it." "Can you tell me what your dad was like before she passed?" "He was always happy and in good mood. Helped me with my homework, we played baseball in the yard, he helped our neighbors when they needed it. He was a really good guy. He don't do none of that stuff now. He's always grumpy, don't help nobody with nothin', not even me with my school stuff." "And all that happened after your mom got sick?" "Pretty much. It got a lot worse after she died, though. He didn't start beatin' on me until after." "Do you have any idea why he hurt you so severely Saturday night." "He was pissed off that I didn't want to go home with him." Then, Logan leaned in and whispered, "He also weren't none too happy about them bein' gay," while pointing his thumb over his shoulder at us. "But that don't bother me none," he added with a giggle. "If your father got some help to learn how to control his anger, do you think you'd want to live with him?" "Sure, I would. I love my daddy, but I just ain't gonna put up with him beatin' on me whenever he feels like it. That ain't right." "You're right, Logan, it isn't. Here's what I think, young man. I think your dad's still really upset about losing your mom. He's never had or taken the time to grieve for her the way he needed. But, I also think if we can get him some help, he'll get better. He may still be sad, but I think we can get him to stop hurting you." "You're talkin' `bout a shrink, aren't you? That'd be great, Sergeant Brock. I mean I'm still sad about my momma, too, and sometimes at night, when I go to bed, I cry `cause miss her, but I don't beat on nobody." "If we can find somebody to help your dad, would you be willing to talk to the same doctor?" "I'd do just about anything so I could live with daddy, as long as ain't beatin' me." "Good, Logan. Let me talk to a few people and see what we can do. You think you'll be okay staying with Max, Tom and their boys for a bit while we sort all this out?" "Oh, yeah, it's great here. And we all get along real good." "I'm glad to hear it." Dylan turned to Derek and said, "I think that's all we needed, Deputy. What say we get that search warrant and go ruin somebody's day?" "Sounds like fun to me, Sarge." Dylan stood to leave and said, "Max, Tom, thanks for your time. I know you weren't looking forward to our time together today, but your part is done. For now, at least. If the Muellers ever see the inside of a courtroom, you'll have to testify, of course. But, if this turns out how I think it will, I don't think it'll come to that." "What do you think is going to happen?" I asked. "Personally, I think the D.A. will offer them a deal to put them away for the rest of their lives and then some. We'll see, though." He then knelt in front of Logan and added, "Logan it was very nice to meet you this morning. I'm sorry it had to be under these circumstances. I want you to know that I'm going to do everything I possibly can to get you and your dad back together." Logan stepped into Dylan's outstretched arms and wrapped the big guy in a hug and said, "Thanks, Mr. Brock. I need my daddy." "We all need our dads, young man. Let these guys take care of you in the meantime, though, okay?" "I will." We let Dylan and Derek out so they could get back work, then returned to the living room. Logan was taking his shirt and shorts off as he walked and Tom and I joined him in getting comfortable. After the three of us had sat down again, I commented, "Gee, that was fun, wasn't it? And to think I get to do it all over again tomorrow. I can hardly wait." "You can lie to yourself all you want, babe, but we know better." "Can I ask a question, Max?" Logan asked. "As long as it's not a hard one, go right ahead." "What're we gonna do for lunch?" Considering all the questions he could possibly think of at this moment, the simplicity of the one he selected made me laugh. Typical nine-year-old eating machine needs fuel. When I calmed down, "That's a good question, young man. But I think today is Tom's turn to fix lunch, so let's ask him." I turned to Tom and asked, "And what culinary delight do you have for us today, Chef Wright?" "H-m-m, how about lightly grilled tube-shaped meat on a brioche bun with a cucumber and vinegar relish and a light drizzle of a tomato reduction? And, perhaps a side of crispy potato wafers, lightly salted." "What the heck are you talkin' `bout?" Logan asked. "Hot dogs with relish, ketchup and potato chips. Sound okay to you guys?" "Yeah, that sounds great!" Logan enthused. "Works for me, too, bubba. You want help?" "Nah, I think I can handle this. Why don't you relax a bit?" "Thanks. After that, I'm wiped out and would like to decompress for a bit. Logan, would you help Tom get our lunch ready? Please and thank you." "Sure thing, Max." He jumped off the couch and said, "C'mon, Tom, tell me what I can do," he said as he grabbed Tom's hand and dragged him into the kitchen. As the two disappeared into the kitchen, I laid my head back on the chair, closed my eyes and tried to think of nothing for a few minutes. I succeeded beyond my wildest dreams as Logan was shaking my shoulder twenty minutes later to wake me up. "C'mon, sleepyhead, lunch is ready." "Wha...? Oh, hey, buddy. Be right there." As he zipped back to the kitchen, I forced myself to get up and follow along. When I arrived, Tom had everything lined up on the counter and ready go, so I climbed on a stool, doctored my dog and dug in. "Thanks for taking care of lunch guys. I don't know what happened. I laid my head back for just a minute and I was out." "Well, you said you were wiped, guess you weren't kidding." "If my reaction today is any indicator, it's a good thing you're going with me tomorrow morning. It'd be a bit difficult to drive home if I'm sleeping." "Don't worry about it, babe. I'm here for ya'." "Hey, Max, I'm wonderin' somethin'," said Logan. "And what's that?" "How could you go through all that, what those people did to you, and not remember it?" I was so surprised at the question, now, that half the Pepsi in my mouth sprayed out my nose, again. Have I mentioned how much it hurts when that happens? After cleaning up the counter and gathering my composure, I answered. "To be real honest, Logan, I'm not real sure how that happens. The doctor I talked to last Thursday explained it to me and basically, when something really bad happens to you, the brain will sometimes hide it from you as a form of self-protection." "But why is coming back to you now?" "Well, the people who abused me were also the people Joey and Alex were living with the last four years. My best guess, and the doctor's, also, is that dealing with them again is what brought it all back to me. If I'd never seen them again, I'd probably never have remembered any of it." "What I don't get, though, is this; if they were married to each other, why didn't they just have sex together like normal people do?" It was Tom's turn to spray his drink in surprise, yet, somehow, he managed to keep it from exiting through his nose. "I wish I knew, buddy," I lamented. "Besides, I wouldn't really want to call them `normal people' either. Did you get your homework finished?" "Oh, yeah, I had it done before the cops showed up. I just acted like I didn't so I could listen to you guys talk. I thought if you thought I was still dealing with that, you wouldn't be thinking about me listening to you. It almost worked, too," he grinned mischievously. "Right up to the point where I caught you sticking your head around the corner, you little sneak." "I'm still sorry I did it, though. Besides being the wrong thing to do, you were right, I really didn't need to hear all that junk." "Well, I hope it doesn't cause you nightmares or anything like it does me right now." "Yeah, me too. It'll be my own fault if it does. Guess we'll find out, won't we?" "I suppose we will," I mused. When we finished eating, we worked together, as usual, to clean up after ourselves. "What're we gonna do now?" Logan asked. "I'm going to sit by a fire and read," I answered. "Same here, Logan," Tom replied. "I like to read, too. What kinda books you got?" "Well, I don't have much for kids your age, yet, and the Spiderwick books I ordered won't be here until Wednesday. Why don't you come to the study with me and let's see what we can find." I led Logan down the hall and when I opened the door, his jaw dropped and eyes went wide with surprise at the number of books he saw. "Holy moly, Max, you got more books than the library at school." "Let's look around and see what we can find for you to read this afternoon." We started to browse the shelves, Logan looking low and me looking high. We were about half-way around the room when I came to a series I hadn't read for a while but I thought he might enjoy. "Do you like science fiction stories?" "Yeah, they're usually pretty cool. I like reading about the future." "Then this set might be just the thing for you. I'd forgotten I had them." I pulled the first volume off the shelf and handed it to him. "Ender's Game? What kind of story is this?" "It's about a young boy who is taken from his home to a school in space in the hope that he is the one person on Earth who can save the human race from an alien species. There's about nine or ten books in the whole series. If you like the first one, you're welcome to read the others." "Thanks, Max, that sounds really cool." We returned to the living where we all got comfortable in our chairs and spent next few hours reading. As we hit the road to town, I told Derek, "Get on your phone. Call Judge Corgan and see if he has time to see us in about half an hour, then, call the office and tell the forensics team to get ready to move." "You got it Sarge." Five minutes and four phone calls later, Derek came back with, "Judge Corgan says he'll wait to start his afternoon session until he's seen us. I told him it was important. I finally tracked down forensics at a crime scene, but they say they'll be done there shortly. I told `em to go ahead, get some lunch and we'd call `em back when it was time to go. I also told `em that they might be working late." "Good job, Derek, thanks. So, what do you think about Max's story? Do you really believe everything he just told us?" "I gotta admit, when Max first told me yesterday what this was all about, I wasn't real sure. But after listening to him for the last, what, almost two hours, I'd be crazy to not believe him. Nobody would make up a story like that, with that much detail, just for the fun of it. I mean, I know he's a writer and all, and that's what those people do, but you just don't make up shit like that without it having some basis in reality." "Good, Derek keep thinking along those lines. I hadn't considered the possibility that he was testing out some bizarre storyline for a new book. But, even if I had thought that initially, I wouldn't be now. He really was about to rearrange your face after your questions, ya' know. You can't fake that much anger." "Damn good thing Tom was there to reel him back in," Derek chuckled. "No kidding." "I hope Max understands I was just askin' questions that the other side will be askin'. And I hope he can get a tighter rein on his emotions if this does end up a court. A jury wouldn't take that kind of display very well." "No, they sure wouldn't. And he also knows you were doing your job. He's a smart enough guy to know those questions are going to come up. He may not like `em, but he knows." After a short pause, I added, "So, Derek, anything else you want to talk about? Now's your chance." "Nope, can't think of a thing, Sarge." "You're sure about that. Max dropped a bit of bomb on ya'. I thought you might have some concerns about my ability to do my job properly." "What? You think I give a shit `bout you bein' gay? Let me tell ya' somethin', boss. I spent five years workin' almost daily with Tom. We trusted each other to have the other's back. Granted, I didn't know he was gay until he quit, but he was one of the smartest and most dedicated guys in the department. In the brains and balls contest, I'd rank him second to only you." "Thank you, Derek. That's quite the compliment." "And I mean it, too, boss. As far as I'm concerned, as long as you're doin' the job and you ain't tryin' to get me in bed with you, it's none of my damn business. Or anybody else's either." "Well, okay then. I'll just shut the fuck up about it then." "Good idea, Dylan. We got work to do." "You have a blank warrant form in the car?" "Always, Sarge." "Well, get to work on it. I want it ready for the judge's signature when we get there." Ten minutes later, we pulled into the parking lot of the county building and headed for Judge Corgan's court on the third floor. As we entered the courtroom, it was empty except for Gary, the bailiff. As we crossed the courtroom, Gary stood and asked, "Good afternoon, Sergeant, Deputy. You're here to meet with the judge?" "Yes, please," I answered. "One moment while I let him know you're here." Gary took the few steps to the door separating the courtroom from his chambers, opened the door about a foot and stuck his head through the gap. When he pulled his head back, he said, "He's ready for you, gentlemen. Please try to be quick, we have a full docket this afternoon." "Thank you, Gary, we'll be a quick as we can." We passed through the open door and Gary closed it behind us. "Afternoon, Judge Corgan." "Good afternoon to you also, Sergeant, Deputy. What sort of hellish misery are you bringing me today?" "The worst possible kind, your honor. We need to obtain a search warrant and a subpoena for records for a church." "I probably don't want to know what you're investigating, do I? Yet, you're going to tell me." "Yes, your honor. I have a recording of an interview we conducted this morning and we have reason to believe that multiple crimes have taken place in this church. We need the warrant to conduct our search and the subpoena to obtain the church's membership list." "Fine, let's hear it," the judge said with disgust. I forwarded the recording to a point just past my introduction and our complainant's name so he would have no bias when deciding whether to issue the warrant. When I pushed play, the recorder came to life with the voice of a very haunted individual, `Okay, it all started shortly after my thirteenth birthday ...'. The recording played for about twenty minutes before Judge Corgan waved a hand in disgust, asking me to stop it. I did as he requested, and silence enveloped the room as he forced himself to remain calm. "How long is this recording?" the judge inquired. "Just under two hours, your honor. And the longer it goes, the worse it gets." "Why do those names, Frank and Iris, sound familiar? And the voice on the tape? I know that voice." "Because we were all in your courtroom just a couple weeks ago." I could see the judge mentally reviewing his recent cases as he closed his eyes and considered what I'd just told him. After a few minutes, his eyes opened and shock contorted his face. "The Muellers! And the voice, that's Max Sanders, isn't it?" he asked with dread. "Yes, sir." "If I'm guessing correctly, Mr. Sanders is in his early to mid-thirties. And these events began after he turned thirteen, so we're talking about something from around twenty years ago. Why now?" "Apparently, your honor, he'd repressed the memories of the abuse until last Thursday. Mr. Sanders talked to a psychologist that afternoon who helped him re-integrate those memories back into his conscious memories. I received the doctor's mandatory reporting on Saturday morning and made arrangements that afternoon to interview Mr. Sanders this morning. I took Deputy Timmons with me as a second witness to the interview. After Mr. Sanders related his story, we each asked him a few questions. I'd like to forward the recording to that point so you can hear it yourself." "By all means, please do so. While you do that, let me tell Gary we'll be a bit longer." While the judge informed his bailiff of the delay, I found the spot where I wanted to restart the playback. When he sat behind his desk again, he asked, "You ready, sergeant?" After I nodded, he added, "Continue, please." `Thank you for telling us your story Mr. Sanders. I have a few questions I need to ask to clear up just a few things. If you don't mind.' `No, go ahead.' `First, do you remember where, exactly, this supposed room is located in the basement of the church where you allege these assaults took place.' `Of course, I do. I'll never forget that hellhole.' ... `I've already talked to one psychologist about it and he's the one who helped me recover those memories.' `Recover? Or did he plant these memories?' `Who the fuck do you think would plant shit like that into anybody's mind!? If you don't believe what I'm saying, you are more than welcome to discuss it directly with him. That's it, this interview is over!' I stopped the playback and waited for the judge to comment on what he'd heard. "Do either of you doubt the veracity of this man or the authenticity of his story?" "No, sir," I answered. "Absolutely not, your honor," Derek concurred. "The hell he must be going through. Then and now." He took a deep breath before continuing. "I don't know Mr. Sanders that well, having only met him that one day in my court, but I believe him to be an honest man. And believing that, I can't help but also believe the abuse he has described in this recording. You can't dream up some of those details he provided." "There's one more thing you need to know, your honor." "What's that Sergeant?" "Mr. Sanders has also given us a list of sixty-three names of other boys that are potential victims." "What!? How did he get that?" "Um, he didn't, sir, two of his sons did." "Which two and how could they have done that?" "Do you remember the twins, Joey and Alex, that were in court that same day?" I asked. "Of course, I do, cute little buggers, they were. Oh, wait, I get it, the twins lived with the Muellers for, what, four or five years? And they got the names from them due their mental abilities? But if that's how they did it, we can't use it for evidence." "No, your honor, we can't. But we can use it to help track down other possible victims." "Excellent plan, sergeant. Make it happen, as quickly as possible. Do you have your request for a search warrant and records subpoena ready?" Derek handed over the completed forms and said, "Right here, your honor. All we need is your signature and we're ready to go. The forensics team is standing by, waiting for our call." Judge Corgan signed the applications with a flourish, handed it back and said, "There you go gentlemen. Time for you to get to work. And no screw-ups. We don't want these people roaming loose amongst our civilized population." "No, sir, we don't. And thank you, your honor. Let's go, Deputy, I'm afraid we have a long night ahead of us." Derek and I stood, leaving the judge alone in his chambers. As we left his office and entered the courtroom, I said to the bailiff, "We're sorry we took so long. Hope we didn't ruin your afternoon schedule." "We'll deal with it Sergeant Brock. Whatever you had must have been important." When we reached our car, Derek asked, "I know we want to get started on this search, Sarge, but can we stop on the way to grab some food? If we're going to be late like you think, I don't want to wait until midnight to eat lunch." "Good idea, Derek. You care what kind of food it is?" "Anything's fine with me, sir. You're drivin' and I'm just along for the ride." "Call the forensics team and tell them to meet us at the church in thirty minutes." After a quick swing through the drive-up at Wendy's, we continued on to the church. Just as I pulled in the parking lot, I saw the forensics van turning the corner to meet us. Derek and I wolfed down our food while we waited for the team to park and get ready to collect any evidence. By the time we'd finished eating, the team was standing next our car, waiting patiently. Of course, I use the term team generously since it was just two guys with cameras and tackle boxes of tools. "You ready for this?" I asked. "Ready as I'll ever be, boss." "Then let's do it." We got out of the car and greeted our 'team'. "Afternoon Perry, Zach. How you guys doin'?" "Just great, Sergeant. Mind tellin' us why we're at a church and just what we're supposed to be looking for?" "Deputy Timmons and I conducted an interview this morning where we heard allegations of sexual abuse happening in this building. We are executing a search warrant to find evidence of those crimes. I hope you brought lots of Luminol and your black lights have fresh batteries `cause you're gonna need them," I answered. I turned to Derek and said, "Derek, call dispatch and have them get another car over here. I want someone guarding the front door so nobody can come in. Also, have them send a unit, unmarked if possible, to keep an eye on our suspects. I don't want to take any chances of them trying to do a disappearing act. Once you've made your calls, follow us in." "Got it, Sarge. Be right behind you." I led Perry and Zach to the main entry door and walked inside. Following Max's directions, we proceeded straight down the entry corridor, ignoring the glass-enclosed corridor the lead to the right. "About twenty-five in and on the left, should be the sanctuary. Yep, got it, now fifteen or twenty feet further along, another corridor to the right. Bingo! Bathrooms on the right, offices on the left. Thar, she blows, gents." A young lady in the first office we came to asked, "May I help you, please." "Yes, I'm sergeant Dylan Brock of the Sangamon County Sherriff's department. May I have your name, please, and are you in charge around here." "Yeah, right," she scoffed. "Really, who are you?" I stepped into the office, handed her my ID and answered, "Exactly who I said I am, ma'am. Now, your name, please." "Michelle and if you think I'm the boss around here, you're sorely mistaken. That would be Warren in the next office," she responded, point to the next doorway. "Thank you, Michelle. Would you please step out here in the hallway and stand by the water fountain right there? Thank you." Michelle stepped out of her office, handing my ID to me as she did, then stood where directed. I turned to Zach and Perry and said, "Keep an eye on her until Deputy Timmons rejoins us. She's not to touch anything." "Yes, sir." I moved to the next doorway and opened it without knocking. "And just who are you? Don't you believe in knocking?" the man behind the desk bellowed as he hung up the phone. I handed him my ID and watched as surprise took over his face. "What's the meaning of this rude interruption. That was a very important phone from a valued member of our congregation." "Are you Warren, the man Michelle says is in charge here?" "Of course, I am. That's my name on the door right there. Now, answer my questions." "I'll answer any reasonable question you may have, sir, once you step out here in the hall and join your secretary." Flushed with anger, he did as I asked and when he was standing with Michelle, Derek returned. "Everything all set?" "Backup will be here in about twenty, twenty-five minutes. Surveillance of our suspects will start in about ten." "Excellent, Deputy." I turned to Warren and Michelle and explained our presence this afternoon. "We have a warrant to search this church and a subpoena to retrieve listings of your membership rosters." "You can't do that," Warren complained. "This is a house of God and you have no authority here." "Wrong, sir! Here, this paperwork will explain it to you. Take a few minutes and read it. Otherwise, all you have to do is stay out of our way." I handed him the warrant and turned to my people as he began to read it. "Derek, I want you to stay right here keep an eye on these two until our backup arrives. Zach, I want you to dig through every file cabinet, storage box and computer you can find. Find every membership list you can, I don't care how old. Perry, you come with me." We continued down the corridor to the very end. "Okay last door on the left was the classroom the victim says he started in. Then he says was led back down the corridor to the first office on the right." We walked about fifteen feet to a closed door. "This should be it," I said as I grabbed the doorknob and turned it. Or, more accurately, tried to turn it, because it was locked. "Warren, where is the key for this door?" I called down the hallway. "On my keyring, but nobody really uses that office very much. Here," he said as he started to walk towards us. "Stay where you are and toss the keys to me. I'll find the right one." He tossed the keys my direction with an underhand throw and they landed about five feet away. I retrieved them and then spent a minute testing keys until I found the right one. With the door unlocked, I pushed it open. "Gloves and booties time, Perry," I commented as I pulled a pair of each out of my jacket pocket and started pulling them on. Finally prepared and sure not to leave any stray fingerprints anywhere, I pushed the door fully open then reached in, flipped the light switch and took two steps into the room. Just as Max said, there were three file cabinets to the left of the door and the open door covered up exactly one and half of the three. I noticed that all the cabinets were secured with steel bars and padlocks, which seemed odd for a church. Again, true to his word, there was a recess just beyond the third cabinet. Half hoping that this would still turn out some extremely realistic dream he'd had, I stepped into the recess and began feeling around in the upper right-hand corner for a button that would release a hidden door. "What the hell are you doing, Sarge?" Perry asked. "Feeling for a button of some kind to release a latch to a hidden door." "Are you kidding me," Perry asked incredulously. "That sounds like something out of a horror movie." No sooner had the words exited his mouth, I felt a very slight depression in the wall that was virtually invisible to the naked eye. I gave it a push with my index finger, heard a click from inside the wall and a section of the wall magically swung out about three inches. "Holy shit!" Perry exclaimed as he jumped back about 3 feet. "Welcome to my house of horrors, young man. Watch your step as we descend into Hell on earth. Leave your case up here for the moment. Bring just your camera and a light. I want to do a visual check before we go hi-tech with all your other goodies." "Yes, sir." I shined a light into the cavity behind the wall and found the stairway just as Max described, going down and to the left. I also found a light switch and flipped it on, providing illumination from a light on the ceiling of the stairs. I could see a subdued glow coming from under a door at the bottom of the stairs and to the left. Chills ran down my spine and the hairs on my neck stood at attention as I began my descent. The stairs were, indeed, quite narrow and I had to turn my body slightly to avoid brushing the walls on both sides. When I finally reached the bottom and Perry was standing on the next to last step, I opened the door. Upon seeing that this room really did exist and wasn't just some figment of imagination from the overactive mind of an author, I wanted to vomit. Somehow, I quelled that feeling and stepped into the room just far enough to allow Perry to follow me inside. Much to my dismay, the room before me matched the exact description Max had given us this morning, though I had no doubt it would once I found the release for the hidden door. "Okay, Perry, I'm going to stand at the bottom of the stairs with the door closed. I want you to photograph this room from every possible position and angle." "No way, Sarge. I ain't stayin' in here alone. You close the door and then stand beside or behind me while I take the pictures." "Fine, let's get on with it. I also want every square inch of that tabletop, the chairs and the sink in the highest resolution possible. Get to it," I snapped as I closed the door. Perry immediately and methodically began snapping his pictures. After seeing the flash go off about fifty times, I was wishing I had my sunglasses with me. Good thing neither one of us suffered from epilepsy. Forty-five minutes later, Perry announced he was done taking pictures and ready to start in with his other tools. We climbed the stairs, again twisting our bodies to avoid rubbing the walls. When we stepped back into the office, Derek was standing there with an expectant look on his face. "What's your feeling, Sarge? Does it match our witness's recollection?" "Nothing but pure disgust. And, yes, unfortunately, it does. Since you're here, I assume our backup has arrived." "Yes, sir. They sent two cars. I have two of the troops guarding the entrance and the other two guarding Michelle and Warren." "Is surveillance in place on our suspects?" "Affirmative, also. Where do you want me?" "While Perry dusts every surface in the stairway for prints, I want you in the room with me going over every inch of wall, floor, everything. Get gloves, booties and a light and follow me. Don't brush the walls on your way down." "Right behind you, sir." I turned and headed back down the stairs while Derek got ready to join me. I had just begun eyeballing the wall by the door when he appeared in the doorway. "Oh, god," he muttered after taking a quick look around. "So much for this all bein' some writer's sick fantasy." "I want you to start in the corner at the sink and eyeball every surface, floor to ceiling. I'm going to start right here at the door and do the same thing. We'll work left to right until we reach our own starting point. That way we both see everything. Got it?" "Whatever you say, Sarge." We got to work checking the walls first. Not ten minutes into it, Derek interrupted me with, "Sarge, come tell me what you think this is." I walked over to where Derek was pointing to a shiny spot on the wall, about two inches in diameter. After just a few seconds of consideration, I knew exactly what that spot was. "Come with me, Derek." I turned and yelled, "Perry, make a hole, we're comin' up, right now!" I went up the stairs as fast as I could, Derek right behind me. With Derek panting beside me in the office, I said, "C'mon, let's move this damn desk a couple feet." We got on the front and back side, lifted the desk and moved it away from the wall. "Just what I thought," I grumbled after looking into the gap between the desk and wall. "What are you talkin' `bout?" Derek asked. "Pull that cable comin' out of the wall." Derek did as I asked. When he reached the end of the cable and discovered the camera attached to the end of it, he dropped the whole mess on the floor, ran out of the office and into the bathroom, holding his mouth all the way. Must not be any sound insulation in those walls as you could hear him losing his lunch from twenty-five feet away. It took every ounce of strength I could muster to not join him. "Perry, get your ass back in that stairway and keep dusting." I stepped out into the hall and walked towards the bathrooms. "Warren, we need to have a talk. Will one of you please escort him to the sanctuary? I'll be there as soon as check on Timmons." Kelly took Warren's elbow in her hand and escorted him down the corridor while I ducked into the bathroom to check on Derek. I found him right where I expected, kneeling on the floor in front of the porcelain throne, holding his gut and sobbing. I knelt beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Derek, you gonna be okay?" "Yeah, boss, sorry `bout that. Don't know what came over me." "The same thing that almost had me joining you in here. Don't worry about it, I've seen bigger men brought down by much less than what we have here. Come join me in the sanctuary when you feel up to it. I'm going to talk to Warren." "Make sure you read the bastard his rights." "Always thinkin', Derek. Good man." I left the bathroom and made my way to the sanctuary. I found Warren kneeling near the lectern at the front of the room and Kelly standing just inside the door. I walked up the aisle and sat in the first pew while he finished whatever prayer he was making. When he finally finished, and stood up, I said, "Join me here, Warren, we need to have a chat." I waited until he joined me on the pew and continued, "Warren, I assume you're the pastor here." "I am. Can you please tell me what is going on?" "We'll get to that in a few minutes. For the moment, this is just a little chat between us, but there's something I have to say before we get started. You have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer my questions. Anything you do say may be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to me and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish. If you decide to answer questions now without an attorney present, you will still have the right to stop answering at any time until you talk to an attorney. Knowing and understanding your rights as I have explained them to you, are you willing to answer my questions without an attorney present?" "Why did you read me my rights? Am I under arrest? I don't even know what you're doing here." "Are you willing to answer my questions without an attorney?" "Of course, I've done nothing wrong." Derek finally joined us and sat on the other side of the pastor. "How long have you been the pastor here?" "Just under a year. My anniversary is coming up next month." "Besides you, how many other people have a key to that office?" "Ten or twelve, I think. I'd have to consult our list of church elders." "Have you ever used that office yourself?" "No, sir. When I was hired, the church board told me that office was reserved for use by only the elders who have the key to it." "And can you tell me what the elders use that office for?" "I was told that some of them use it for special counseling of troubled youth. But, again, I've never been involved with that so I really can't tell you anything." "Do you know what kind of counseling they do?" "No, absolutely not. When they need to use it, they come in with the child they're going to counsel, use their own key to unlock the door and then they relock the door once they're inside. And with no windows in the office, I can't even see who is in there." "Does Michelle have any idea about what happens in there?" "I don't know how she could. She's only been working here for a couple of months. Now, I've answered your questions, would you please tell me what's going on?" "Would it surprise you, Pastor, to find out there's a room under that office?" "What? There can't be. This building is built on a concrete slab." "Trust me, sir, there is a room under there and it's holding some very deep and nasty secrets from you. Before I say any more to you, I'm going to need that list of people who hold keys to that office. Give me that and I'll let you know what's going on." "Come with me, then. I'll do whatever you want." We followed Warren back to his office, Kelly trailing behind the three of us. He stepped behind his desk, opened the center drawer and handed me a sheet of paper with thirteen names, addresses and phone numbers listed on it. After a quick glance, I found Frank Mueller on the eighth line, along with some other familiar names of people known for doing good works for their hometown. "There's your list. Do whatever you want with it." "One moment, please. I'll be right back." I turned to Derek and led him out of the office. Michelle was still standing by the water fountain, but I could see the was getting restless. "I'm sorry, Michelle, would you like a chair so you can sit down?" "Yes, please. Thank you." "Kelly, would you please get this young lady a chair from her office? And if she'd like a soda, coffee or something else to drink, get it for her. Thank you." I turned back to Derek and said, "Here's what I want you to do. Call Judge Corgan's office and get his fax number. Then, find a fax machine and send this list to him. On the cover page, give a brief description of what we've found so far and request an arrest warrant be issued for every person on this list. There are only men's names here, but since we know at least one spouse was involved, we're going to want them included on all the warrants. "Once you've done that, call dispatch and tell them we're going to need either a couple vans or a bunch of cars to haul up to twenty-six people away. If they have to get a school bus, I don't care. Tell them to figure out how they're going to do it because we don't have time to deal with it ourselves. Also, tell them to park in the lot behind the shopping center next door and wait there until we call them in. And keep your gloves on. Go to it." Derek turned into Michelle's office to take care of his task while I returned to Warren's office to enlighten him. He was sitting at his desk, holding his head in his hands when I took the chair across from him. When he heard the chair creak, he looked up and asked, "Look, I've answered your questions, given you a confidential list of very important church members, I've cooperated in every way I possibly can. I think I deserve to know what you're doing here." "And I'm going to tell you, Pastor, though you're not going to like what you hear. Deputy Timmons and I conducted an interview this morning with a gentleman who used to be a member of this church twenty years ago, along with his parents and sister. During our conversation, he alleged he had been sexually assaulted by two adult members of this church for a period of almost three years, from age thirteen to sixteen, when he quit coming to church with his parents." "That can't be true. Our members would never do anything so heinous." "Please, Pastor, let me continue. My witness explained in very graphic details what was done to him. And we believe him or we wouldn't be here. He also gave us very explicit directions on how to locate the room where the assaults happened. Following his instructions, we have located that room and it will be analyzed from ceiling to floor. The room we found matched the description he gave us this morning. We have also discovered there was a camera hidden in the wall in that room allowing whatever happened there to be recorded." "I can't believe this. You're taking the word of a man based on something that supposedly happened twenty years ago. What makes you believe his story?" "The simple fact that everything we've found so far matches his story, detail by detail. I have no reason to disbelieve him at this point. Now, I have another question for you. Do you have the keys to the file cabinets in that office?" "No, sir. Only the elders with a key to the office have keys to the cabinets." "ZACH! Get your butt in here," I yelled. "Yeah, boss," he answered as he came into the office thirty seconds later. "How are your lock-picking skills?" "Not bad, boss, what do you need broken into." "I want you to unlock all three file cabinets in the office next door. Do not open the drawers, just the locks. Got it?" "Yes, sir, two minutes, sir." Warren and I waited while Zach worked his magic. A minute and half later, Zach was back and said, "All done boss." "Good job, young man, thank you. Stay here, Warren, I'll be right back." I walked next door, removed the padlock and steel bar from the first cabinet behind the door, then opened the top drawer. To my horror, I found the drawer filled with files, neatly labeled with names and dates. The first date in the drawer I'd selected was just over thirty years ago. I pulled out the first file and found several pictures of a young girl who looked to be about ten years old engaged in a sex act with an adult male and what appeared to be a CD or DVD. I could feel the gorge starting to rise again, but I swallowed hard to keep everything inside. I put the file back and checked the next drawer. Again, completely full, but closer to the dates I was looking for. In the third drawer, I found the file for which I was searching. A quick look inside told me it was, indeed, the one I wanted. I quietly slid it inside my coat and zipped it shut. I then pulled the file from the very front of the drawer and quickly checked the contents. Same as the other two I'd looked at, pictures and a disc, this time of a boy who appeared to about thirteen or fourteen. I returned to Warren's office with the file in hand and retook the chair I'd just vacated. "Let me show you one sample of what some of your parishioners have been doing, Pastor, just so you understand the scope of what's been happening here. If you ever tell anyone I showed you this, I will deny it. Please, whatever you do, do not touch the folder or anything inside it. I would not want your fingerprints to be on here because we will check every file in that room for prints." I laid the folder on the desk and lifted the front flap. Poor Warren turned white as a sheet as the blood drained from his face and he turned his head to look away. I closed the folder and continued. "The men on that list you gave me have been sexually assaulting children in that room under the office next door for over thirty years. There are three file cabinets, four drawers per cabinet and I'd have to guess anywhere from 200 to 250 files per drawer, maybe even more. By my math, that could mean up to 3000 or more files of materials like this. 3000 or more children! Is this the type of people you want in your church?" "My God, how can you even ask a question like that? Of course, I don't. None of us do." "I'm glad to hear you say that. I'm going to give you a chance prove that to me and redeem yourself, to all of us." "What do you want? I'll do anything." "It's 3:30 right now. I want you to call every person on that list you gave me and tell them you have to meet with them. Today, at say, 5:30?" "But what should I tell them the meeting's about?" "Make up something, Warren. You deal in fairy tales for a living, it shouldn't be too difficult for you to come up with a new one. I believe in you and you can do it. Think about it for a while and when you come up with something, let me know what it is. Once we agree on the subject for the meeting, you can start making phone calls to get them here. Tell you what, let's set the time for 6:00. And to further entice them to attend, tell `em you're going to feed them supper." I left his office and stood in the corridor for a moment before returning the file in my hand to the cabinet in which it belonged. That done, I quickly checked the other nine drawers and all but the last drawer were completely full. The latest date on the files in the last drawer was less than two weeks ago. I closed all the drawers, inserted the steel bars and relocked all three cabinets. I then stepped outside to catch my breath for a minute while my people continued working inside. Taking advantage of the moment alone, I slipped the file from inside my coat, into my car and under the seat, then locked the door. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and sent a text message that read, `Have something for you. Will bring it by later. Don't call.' That done, I put my phone away and went back inside. Derek was walking down the corridor towards me with a look of earnestness in his eye. "What have you got for me, Derek?" "Judge Corgan says he'll have the warrants delivered here by 4:30 for all thirteen on the list plus any spouses they can find through a records search of marriage licenses. He's pulled out all the stops at the county building to get it all done in time, including cancelling his afternoon session. He's also going to send a few signed warrants with no name so if somebody unexpected shows, we can bring them in with the rest. Also, two vans and six cars including four from the city will be here at 5:00. I've also notified the surveillance team that our suspects will be moving shortly and if they go anywhere but here, to stop and arrest them. I'll call them back when we have a better idea what time they might be leaving home so they'll be ready to move." "Good work, Derek. You do realize the unholy mess we have on our hands, don't you?" "Absolutely, sir." "Good, take Henry and get our vehicles out of sight. Especially the forensics van. Also, have the guards at the front door move into building a bit further so they're not visible to passers-by. No need to advertise our presence. While you two take care of that, I'm going back to talk to Warren, see if he's come up with a plausible idea to get the people on that list here." Derek corralled Henry and they headed out to move our cars next door. I found Warren in his office looking like the most miserable man on the planet. "Okay, Pastor, what have you come up with?" "I'm sorry, Sergeant Brock. My mind is a complete blank right now. I just can't understand how anybody can do what these animals have done. And in a house of worship, no less. I am utterly disgusted and bereft at the depths to which they've sunk. Hell, sir, was created by God to punish the sinners of this world, but I think even Hell is much too good for these people." "I certainly won't argue that point with you, Pastor. I had an idea I thought I'd toss out there and see what you think of it. What if you were to tell the individuals that thanks to their efforts, you've hit a fundraising goal of some kind and the dinner is to honor them for their good works." "I don't think if I could just lie to them, Sergeant. I would be breaking one of the Ten Commandments by doing so." "Excuse me, Pastor, but isn't what they've done even worse? Isn't it worth breaking one to help right all the wrongs they've done to these children?" "You're right, of course. I will later ask God for forgiveness for my own sins to see justice is served. These people have been major donors to our church over the years, so a recognition dinner wouldn't be terribly out of line. I'll need Michelle's assistance to make this work. Will you allow her to do that?" "You can have Michelle and any of my people you need, Pastor. Let's get started." Warren drafted Michelle and Kelly to set up the Fellowship Hall to resemble a dinner meeting, complete with tablecloths and place settings for the supposed guests of honor. While they got started on their task, he made his first call to one of our suspects while I sat across the desk and listened to his spiel. By the time he ended the call, I was somewhat impressed with the man's acting skills as he wheedled and cajoled the first of the `honorees' into canceling whatever plans they already had and had agreed to be here at 6:00 for the dinner. Warren continued down the list and when he reached the Mueller's, I paid special attention to the call because I wanted to make sure they were here. I had worried needlessly as Warren poured on the charm and soon had their commitment to attend, also. After forty-five minutes of phone calls filled with flattery, gushing appreciation and some of the most blatant lying I'd ever heard, Warren had managed to get all thirteen of the elders and their spouses to be present. "Excellent job, Pastor. If the preaching gig doesn't work out for you, you may want to consider a new career as an actor." "Please, Sergeant, there's no need to be nasty about this. I've done everything you've asked of me today, though I'm sure I'll be going to Hell for it." "Absolutely not, you have just reserved your suite in heaven, Pastor. If your god would send you to Hell for stopping these people, then he doesn't deserve to be followed by good people like you. Let's go check on Michelle and Kelly." The two of us headed to the Fellowship Hall and found the two women rapidly converting the space into a fine banquet hall. Warren and I added our bodies to the process and in no time, the room was as ready as it ever would be. But something was missing, I just couldn't put my finger on it. Until Derek returned and commented, "Looks great in here, too bad it doesn't smell great." "What are you talking about, Deputy?" "How're you get these people to believe their here for a dinner when you can't smell any food?" I smacked myself on the forehead at what should have been the most obvious thing we'd missed. "Derek, if we pull this thing off tonight, I'm putting you in for a commendation for brilliant thinking under high stress situations. Get back on your phone and let dispatch know we need food of some kind delivered before 5:30. It can be anything, KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonald's for all I care, but whatever it is, it needs to smell good. Well, okay, not McDonald's, then." As Derek pulled his phone from his pocket and turned away to make the call, I turned to Warren and asked, "Do you have any small fans here?" "Sure, Michelle and I each have one in our offices. Why?" "Your kitchen is over there behind the folding screen, right?" After receiving a nod from him, I continued. "We need to open that screen, just a foot or two, then place the fans in the gap with whatever food we get right behind them. The fans can then blow the odors out into the main room here." Warren's eye lit up with understanding and he turned to Michelle, "Go get our fans and get them in here and ready to go. Move it." With a quick nod, she left the hall and returned in just a few minutes with both fans as requested. We set up our deception rather quickly and were soon missing only the food. Derek came back to join us and said, "Food will be here about twenty after five, boss. That should give the fans plenty of time to spread the smells of dinner through the room." "Good. Let's think clearly for a few minutes, folks, and see if we've missed anything else." We all stood quietly in the Fellowship Hall and considered what we'd done so far and compared that to what we were trying to accomplish. Kelly was the first to break the silence. "I think the most obvious thing is we need to be out of sight when our suspects start arriving. In the building and close by, but still hidden." "Pastor?" I asked. "There's a large pantry in the back of the kitchen. It could hold eight or ten people, I suppose. And our guests would have no reason to go in there tonight." "Perfect. That's where we'll be. Once our guests, by the way, good word, Pastor, are all seated and ready to enjoy a delicious meal, I'll radio our vehicles it's time to move in. Then we'll come out and get to work. Kelly, Henry, I want you to set up a position at the doors leading towards the offices to keep anyone from going out that way. Barry, Andrew, I want you at the doors leading to the front entry. Zach and Perry will stay at the rear emergency exit from the kitchen. Derek and I will begin our arrests at the table nearest the kitchen and when our reinforcements arrive, they can work their way towards us. Anything else we need to do?" Perry piped up, "I think we should close the door to that room and lock the office just in case someone wanders before everyone is here." "Do it, Perry, and then get back here." Michelle offered, "What about place cards on the tables for each person?" "Excellent idea, Michelle. Can you take care of that, please? I have only one request. I want Frank and Iris Mueller to be seated as close as possible to the kitchen. I want them to be the first two we put cuffs on. CUFFS!" I yelled as I smacked my forehead, again. "Derek, were going to need a bunch more. I hate to have you do it, but run over to the car and grab that box of zip-tie wrist restraints from the trunk." Michelle and Derek disappeared to take care of their tasks. It was Warren's turn to speak up. "One thing we always do when we have meals such as this is we place an event-related bible verse at each place setting. I think if we don't have that, suspicions may be raised before you want." "Thank you for thinking of that, Pastor. Can you think of any verse that would be appropriate to use for arresting a large group of pedophiles?" "Certainly not! Not in my Bible, anyway. However, I'm sure I can find something along the lines of words for the condemned. How does that sound?" "Oddly fitting. Please, do what you can. I want these guests completely unaware of what is about to happen." "I shall return shortly," he replied, then turned and went to his own office. "Barry, Andrew, what are you thinking?" "Sounds like you got all the bases covered, boss." Michelle was the first to return and she began placing the name cards at each seat, ensuring the Muellers were seated where I'd requested. Derek came back next, panting again from running, with the wrist restraints and I had him put them in the pantry so they would be easy to grab when they were needed. He'd also met an officer at the door who was delivering our arrest warrants and those were left in the pantry with the restraints. After a few more minutes of waiting, Warren finally returned and he handed me a slip of paper. "What do you think of these selections, Sergeant Brock?" When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin. - Psalms 109:7 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. - Matthew 12:37 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: - Romans 8:3 I read his selections and nodded my approval with each one. "Fine selections, Pastor. Very appropriate to our circumstances." I handed the stack of verses to Michelle and asked, "Would you please make sure each seat has one of these, also? What else have we missed?" "I almost hate to mention this now, Sarge," Derek began, "but shouldn't we notify the FBI? This seems to be a rather large and organized group who are most certainly dealing in the child pornography trade." "I'm sure your right about that, Deputy, but it's way too late to try and get them involved now. Once we've made our arrests and all these people are adjusting to their new lodgings in the county jail, then we'll call the FBI and see if they want to take the reins. I'll be more than happy to turn the rest of the investigation and the prosecutions over to them. Not to mention trying to locate all the kids that have been victimized over the years. We're not equipped to handle what will essentially amount to 3000 plus missing persons cases." "Works for me, boss. Just tossin' ideas into the fan to see what flies." I looked at my watch and saw the time was 5:25. "Where's that damn food," I vented. "If they don't get here soon, we're gonna be screwed." "Please, Sergeant," Warren began, "despite current appearances, this is still a house of the Lord." "You're absolutely correct, Pastor. Please excuse my outburst." From the entry hall, we heard a yell, "Who ordered KFC to be delivered?" "It's about time," I yelled back. "Get in here." Four more cops walked into the hall, each loaded with buckets of chicken and tubs of mashed potatoes and gravy. "On the counter over there," I pointed. "Michelle, is there a large pan we can put the chicken on?" "Sure thing, follow me." I followed Michelle and the food into the kitchen. Michelle went to a cabinet by the ovens and retrieved two large baking sheets. We spread the chicken on one and potatoes and gravy on the other, then lined them up behind the two fans which were already running. As we returned to the main hall, we could already smell the scent of dinner wafting into the room. "Thanks for bringing the food, guys. Now, get outta here and wait until we call you back." "Whenever you're ready, Sergeant, just give three clicks on the radio and we'll be on the way." "You got it. When you meet the others, let them know." The four left us in the hall and returned to their cars. I turned to the others and asked, "Is everybody ready for this?" My people nodded they were, so I turned to Warren and Michelle, "What about you two? Can you do this?" "We can and we will. I am ashamed these people were members, elders even, of our church and I will be very happy to be rid of them. I fear what will happen to our congregation when news of these atrocities comes out." "I sympathize with you, Pastor, but let's not get the cart before the horse." "I wouldn't dream of it, sir. I just know what difficulties lie ahead for us." "What I'd like for you and Michelle to do is just mingle with the group as they come in, thank them for putting aside their other plans so they could join the dinner. When everyone's arrived, get them seated at their tables, then excuse yourselves to begin serving the meal. When you do that, come get us out of the pantry and we'll take over from there." "Thank you, Sergeant Brock, for trusting us to assist you when you had no reason to do so. We truly appreciate having the opportunity to convince you that we knew nothing of what was going on right in front of our noses." I saw a flash of headlights in the corridor and knew it was time. I engaged the radio and said, "Looks like our first suspect, excuse me, guest has just arrived. Places everyone and be ready to move on my signal."

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 55</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk492054423"></a><a name="_Toc492223319"></a><a name="_Toc491772323"><span>Chapter 55 � The Investigation Begins</span></a></h2> <p><span>"No time like the present, I guess," I replied and led the way to the living room to join Tom.&nbsp; After taking our seats, I asked, "You ready to get this show on the road?"</span></p> <p><span>"Before we start, Max, I want you to know how sorry we are that we have to have this discussion."</span></p> <p><span>"Welcome to the club, Dylan, `cause I don't want to have it either."</span></p> <p><span>"I understand and sympathize with you on that point, but If we don't, these two people will remain free to continue their crimes and <i>we</i> can't allow that to happen."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm well aware of that and that's the only reason I'm allowing this <i>interview</i> to happen.&nbsp; The Muellers should be in<i> </i>prison, or better yet, <i>under</i> the prison."</span></p> <p><span>"The other thing I want you to know up front is that Derek and I usually aren't involved in cases such as yours.&nbsp; They're normally handled by a different unit, but I asked to be the one to do your interview because I thought you might feel a bit more comfortable if you were talking to someone you knew instead of some stranger."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a nice thought, Dylan, and I appreciate it, but quite unnecessary since I have an appointment tomorrow morning with a psychologist I don't know from Adam and I get to do it all over again with her.&nbsp; It'll be fun times, I'm sure," I added, sarcasm fairly dripping from the words.</span></p> <p><span>"Now, though we know each other personally and have socialized on a few occasions, I'm going to call you Mr. A during the interview.&nbsp; Deputy Timmons will do the same.&nbsp; We'll do this in an effort to protect your identity as much as possible, but I don't expect we'll be able to keep that quiet forever.&nbsp; We'll refer to Tom as Mr. B if we need to, but I expect most of this interview to be just you."</span></p> <p><span>"You're welcome to do that if you want, but, quite frankly, I don't care.&nbsp; I'd almost prefer you use my real name so we're not worrying about when the secret slips out.&nbsp; I'm already dealing with one big secret, I don't think I can deal with two of them at the same time.&nbsp; And getting my name out there on this may actually help me deal with the other one."</span></p> <p><span>"Really?&nbsp; What's the other one?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just the one about me being gay.&nbsp; I'm kind of expecting the shit to hit the fan with my readers when that little factoid becomes more widely known.&nbsp; But, the more I think about it, if both my name and sexuality come out at the same time connected to this nightmare, the abuse side of the story may overshadow the gay side of the story, especially since I was abused because I'm gay."</span></p> <p><span>"If that's what you prefer, then we'll proceed using your real name, though we'll use Mr. Sanders instead of Max to avoid the appearance of bias or familiarity.&nbsp; We're also going to use words like <i>alleged</i> and <i>supposed</i> because this is just the beginning of the investigation and we have no proof that anybody has done anything wrong at this point.&nbsp; When I say things like that, I don't want you to get upset or think I don't believe you, because I do believe you, 100%, but I still have to work under the presumption of innocence of the accused. Now that that's all out of the way, let get started."</span></p> <p><span>"How do you want to do this?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if it's okay with you, I'd like you to just tell your story, as best as you can remember it.&nbsp; With your permission, I'd like to record this interview so nobody can later claim whether certain things were said or not. &nbsp;This protects both you and us from spurious claims.&nbsp; If you talk about something we'd like more information on, we'll just make a quick note to ourselves.&nbsp; Then, when you're done, we'll go back and clear up any of the questions we've written down.&nbsp; Does that sound okay to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever you want to do, I just want to get this over with."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, here goes."&nbsp; Dylan started the recorder and spoke directly into it.&nbsp; "Today's date is Monday, March 17 and the time is 9:45 AM.&nbsp; This is Sergeant Dylan Brock of the Sangamon County Sherriff's Department and I have Deputy Derek Timmons with me as a witness for this interview.&nbsp; This interview is being recorded with the full knowledge and permission of the complainant, Mr. Maxwill Sanders.&nbsp; Also present for the interview is Mr. Thomas Wright, formerly a Deputy of the Sherriff's department.&nbsp; Mr. Sanders, whenever you're ready, please begin."</span></p> <p><span>I looked at the three people in the room with me and as my gaze drifted from Derek sitting across from me to Tom sitting next to me, I caught a glimpse of a small head peeking around the corner from the dining room.&nbsp; "I'm sorry, guys, just a minute."&nbsp; Dylan stopped the recorder and as I stood up, the head disappeared in a flash.&nbsp; When I entered the kitchen, I found Logan just resettling himself on a stool.&nbsp; "Um, Logan, I know you're very interested in the discussion we're about to have, but it's not something you should hear.&nbsp; Would you do me a favor, please, and go to the twins' room and continue your work at one of the desks in there.&nbsp; And if you finish your homework, you can watch TV in there also."</span></p> <p><span>Logan hung his head low and muttered, "I'm sorry, Max.&nbsp; I know I shouldn't have tried to listen, but I couldn't help myself."&nbsp; He grabbed his books and things, hopped off the stool and started to slink away.</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, come back here a second, please."&nbsp; I knelt so I could look into his eyes as I explained myself.&nbsp; "I've already told you and the others all you need to know.&nbsp; What I'm going to be sharing with Dylan and Derek will be details of what happened that you guys shouldn't know about.&nbsp; You saw yesterday how this is affecting me, I don't want you to have to deal with things you're not ready for.&nbsp; Do you understand what I'm saying?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I got it, Max.&nbsp; I'll go and I won't cause no more problems, I promise."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, young man.&nbsp; We'll let you know when you can come back out and talk to Dylan, okay?"&nbsp; With a slight nod, he turned and left the kitchen.&nbsp; I returned to the living room, took my seat next to Tom and waited for the bedroom door to close before continuing.&nbsp; "Sorry about that, but Logan was trying to listen in and I don't want him to hear this."&nbsp; Dylan leaned back over and restarted the recorder.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, it all started shortly after my thirteenth birthday ...," I said as I began recounting the story of the three most terrifying and miserable years of my life.&nbsp; I gave Dylan and Derek much the same story I'd given to Tom just a few nights ago, adding details I thought would be important or ones I'd remembered since my last telling.&nbsp; I couldn't help but notice the loss of color in both their faces as they blanched with disgust at what they were hearing.&nbsp; Tom, thank my lucky stars, never wavered and never relinquished his grip on my hand.&nbsp; The strength he was feeding me through that contact allowed me to continue the story without hesitation.&nbsp; Having already heard most of what of what I was telling these newcomers, there wasn't much I could add that could surprise him.&nbsp; When I finally wound down an hour-and-a-half later, I ended with, "And that's it, the whole sordid, disgusting tale of my betrayal and abuse at the hands of those monsters."&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>Silence reigned supreme in the house for several moments before Dylan reached over to the table and stopped the recorder.&nbsp; "My god, Max!&nbsp; How the hell did you survive that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I honestly don't have a clue, Dylan.&nbsp; Something kept me going and wanted me to live.&nbsp; I do know one thing, though, <i>god</i> had absolutely nothing to with it.&nbsp; I think maybe that's one of the reasons I'm an atheist now.&nbsp; I just can't believe that a loving, all-knowing and all-powerful being would allow something that deplorable to happen to anybody, especially a kid.&nbsp; And in a building built for the sole purpose of praising that supposed being, of all places.&nbsp; Shit like that proves to me, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there is no god and if that's the god you believe in, then I weep for your soul."</span></p> <p><span>"I hate to interrupt, but I could sure use a bathroom break, if you don't mind," Derek said.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Derek," Tom replied.&nbsp; "Right down the hall, last door on the right.&nbsp; While you do that, I'm gonna grab a drink.&nbsp; Anybody else want something?"</span></p> <p><span>"Diet soda, if you have it," Derek answered as he turned the corner into the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>"Tea for me, please, Tom," from Dylan.</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't say no to a tall glass of Jack Daniels," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, babe, no Jack left.&nbsp; Will a Pepsi work?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what kind of establishment are you running here?" I asked sarcastically.</span></p> <p><span>"The kind that caters to a much younger clientele, sir," he replied politely, but just as sarcastically.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if Pepsi's the strongest you have, I guess it'll have to do."</span></p> <p><span>"Back in just a few."</span></p> <p><span>With just me and Dylan left, I asked, "So, do you think you have a case against them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope."&nbsp; Seeing the stunned look on my face, he continued, "I <i>know</i> I do.&nbsp; Now it's just a matter of trying to gather the evidence to prove your story in court.&nbsp; And, unfortunately, that's not going to be easy after all this time."</span></p> <p><span>"But you're going to try, aren't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right we are.&nbsp; I'm not lettin' these people get away."</span></p> <p><span>"Good.&nbsp; As far as I know, nobody took any pictures, so you won't have that.&nbsp; Though I suppose I should be glad there aren't any.&nbsp; The only other thing I can think of is to check that room in the basement of the church.&nbsp; I'm sure it's been repurposed in the last twenty years, but you never know what might have been missed."</span></p> <p><span>"That's going to be the first action I take.&nbsp; On our way back into town this afternoon, we're going to the courthouse, fill out the form for a search warrant, then get a judge to sign it.&nbsp; Once it's signed, we'll head straight to the church to serve the warrant and execute our search.&nbsp; I'll call for a forensics team to be ready to roll on a moment's notice."</span></p> <p><span>"What will you have to do get a judge to sign the warrant?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Usually, they'll take our word for it that we have either reliable information or reasonable suspicion that a crime's been committed and approve it.&nbsp; Due to the time lapse we're dealing with on this, though, I may have to play part of your interview to get him to agree."</span></p> <p><span>"If you think you have to do that, do me one favor, please."</span></p> <p><span>"Just ask, Max, and I'll do whatever I can."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure he doesn't normally deal with cases like this since he's a family court judge, but take it Judge Corgan.&nbsp; I think if he hears the recording and knows who it is, he'll agree with you and approve the warrant without asking any questions."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you sure you want him involved in this case?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why not?&nbsp; He's going to know about it soon enough, anyway.&nbsp; I know you guys will do your best to keep it under wraps while the investigation is still going on, but it won't stay that way for long."&nbsp; Dylan started to object, but I continued, "Look, I know it won't come from you or Derek, but this is going to be a big story.&nbsp; There's no way in hell you're gonna to keep it quiet for long.&nbsp; Somebody will let it leak, I know it, and so do you."</span></p> <p><span>Dylan hung his head in shame and responded, "Yeah, I know.&nbsp; But I swear to you, Max, if it happens, I, personally, will track him down and cut his balls off."</span></p> <p><span>I laughed for the first time since I started telling my story.&nbsp; "Gee, I'm not sure which headline will be better, `Child Sex Scandal at Local Church' or `Gay Sherriff Cuts off Department Leak and Balls of Leaker'."</span></p> <p><span>"<i>Gay Sherriff</i>!" Derek asked as he rounded the corner from the hallway and rejoined us.&nbsp; "What the hell are you talkin' `bout Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, damn, sorry, Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"Sit down Derek, there's something I need to tell you," Dylan ordered.&nbsp; Derek sat down next to Dylan, surprise filling his face.&nbsp; "I'm going to say this once and only once.&nbsp; What you just heard, while it's true, you really didn't hear it, you just thought you did.&nbsp; And if I find out from somebody else that you did hear it and are spreading the news to anyone who will listen, I'll bust your ass all the way down school crossing guard, you got me, mister?"</span></p> <p><span>"Are you freakin' kidding me?"</span></p> <p><span>"About bein' gay, absolutely not.&nbsp; I am and always have been, so I don't kid about that.&nbsp; The rest of it, of course, I am.&nbsp; I wouldn't dream of bustin' ya', but I would appreciate it if you'd keep it to yourself.&nbsp; I'll let the troops know when I feel it's appropriate to do so."</span></p> <p><span>"Geez, first Tom and now you.&nbsp; Is there somethin' in the water?" Derek asked with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>Tom finally rejoined us with our requested drinks and, "What about me and Dylan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, nothin', I guess," Derek answered.&nbsp; "Just surprised to find out Dylan's gay, too, and hopin' there's nothin' in the water to cause it.&nbsp; I don't think Suzy would appreciate me comin' home one night, tellin' her I've switched teams and go for the guys now," he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"You <i>are</i> kidding, I hope.&nbsp; You do know that's not how it works."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I do Max, just tryin' to be funny."</span></p> <p><span>"So, anything else, Dylan?&nbsp; You haven't asked me any questions and I'm sure you have some."</span></p> <p><span>"As a matter of fact, I do have a few.&nbsp; Let me get the recorder going again and we'll get this finished."&nbsp; Dylan started the recorder again and asked, "Thank you for telling us your story Mr. Sanders.&nbsp; I have a few questions I need to ask to clear up just a few things.&nbsp; If you don't mind."</span></p> <p><span>"No, go ahead."</span></p> <p><span>"First, do you remember where, exactly, this supposed room is located in the basement of the church where you allege these assaults took place."</span></p> <p><span>I burned inside at the words `supposed' and `allege', but I remained calm since I knew that was just part of the game the cops have to play.&nbsp; "Of course, I do.&nbsp; I'll never forget that hellhole."&nbsp; I closed my eyes as I described the church to them.&nbsp; "When you enter the church from the main front door, the worship hall, or whatever they call it, is straight ahead and through a set of double doors on the left.&nbsp; Maybe twenty or twenty-five feet down the entry hall.&nbsp; About fifteen or twenty feet past that, there's a hallway that leads to the right.&nbsp; Down that hall are restrooms on the right, the church offices on the left and then four classrooms at the end of the hall.&nbsp; The room where kids my age had Sunday school classes was the last room on the left.</span></p> <p><span>"When our class was done and it was time for my `special lessons', as Frank liked to call them, they'd lead me out of the classroom, back to the first office on the right, and then into the office.&nbsp; There's a hidden door in that office.&nbsp; Back then, the left wall of the office had two or three file cabinets lined up along it and the office door covered the first one or two when it was open.&nbsp; Past the last one, there's a recessed space.&nbsp; In the very top-right corner of that recess is a small button you have to push in about half an inch to release the latch on the door.&nbsp; Once the latch has been released, the door pops open a few inches.&nbsp; That door swings into the room.&nbsp; Behind the door is a set of narrow stairs going down and to the left that leads to the room under the office."</span></p> <p><span>"Can you describe the room for us, please, Mr. Sanders?"</span></p> <p><span>"About twelve foot by twelve foot, all poured concrete, bare concrete floor.&nbsp; Kind of a mop sink in the corner diagonally opposite the door.&nbsp; Next to the sink was a small wooden cabinet that held towels and other things.&nbsp; There was a table in the center of the room and four folding metal chairs.&nbsp; A single light was on the ceiling with no shade to block the glare.&nbsp; That's about it," I concluded, reopening my eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"You have no doubts as to the location of the room?"</span></p> <p><span>"None, whatsoever.&nbsp; It's there and that hidden door is the only way in or out of it."</span></p> <p><span>"The last question I have for you is if you remember any distinguishing marks, tattoos or anything about the bodies of the two people in question.&nbsp; The type of thing that would normally be hidden by clothing."</span></p> <p><span>"What you're really asking is they have any tattoos on their ass or a mole on a dick, isn't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir, that's exactly what I'm asking about."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me think a minute."&nbsp; I closed my eyes again and forced myself back into that room with my tormentors, shuddering as I did.&nbsp; As I focused on the images in my mind, I realized both of them did, indeed, have such marks.&nbsp; "I can see Iris has a birthmark or freckles or something like that on the inside of her left thigh and Frank has a tattoo on his right bicep, about half-way between his shoulder and elbow.&nbsp; I can't tell you exactly what it is, but I think it's a military insignia of some kind."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Mr. Sanders, that's type of detail that will help us as our investigation moves forward. &nbsp;That's all I had.&nbsp; Deputy Timmons, do you have any questions for Mr. Sanders?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just one, sir.&nbsp; Why has it taken you almost twenty years to come forward with this information?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because I didn't remember any of it until last Thursday."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, sir, but do you really expect us to believe that all this really happened that long ago and you didn't remember <i>any</i> of it until just a few days ago?"</span></p> <p><span>I was furious at the question and almost let my anger get the better of me.&nbsp; Fortunately, Tom felt it coming and squeezed my hand to remind me of what was at stake.&nbsp; "You may believe what you like, Deputy Timmons.&nbsp; I know what was done to me.&nbsp; The fact that I blocked it from my own mind all this time really has no bearing on whether it happened or not.&nbsp; I've already talked to one psychologist about it and he's the one who helped me recover those memories."</span></p> <p><span>"<i>Recover</i>?&nbsp; Or did he <i>plant</i> these <i>memories</i>?"</span></p> <p><span>"Who the fuck do you think would <i>plant</i> shit like that into anybody's mind!?&nbsp; If you don't believe what I'm saying, you are more than welcome to discuss it directly with him.&nbsp; That's it, this <i>interview </i>is over!"</span></p> <p><span>Dylan turned off the recorder and as he did, I stood and started to take a step towards Derek when Tom pulled me back to my chair.&nbsp; "Max, calm down," Tom scolded me as if I was thirteen all over again.&nbsp; "Derek's just doing his job."</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Sanders ... Max ... please forgive me," Derek pleaded.&nbsp; "I knew those were going to be ugly questions and I also knew they'd upset you."</span></p> <p><span>"Then why didn't you fuckin' warn me you were gonna ask them?" I vented.</span></p> <p><span>"Because I wanted your denial and true emotions to be evident on the recording.&nbsp; If I'd told you beforehand, you wouldn't have reacted naturally when I did ask them for the recording.&nbsp; I know that sucks and if you're pissed at me, so be it.&nbsp; But, you should know that anybody else who hears this recording will have absolutely no doubts about the story you've told us today.&nbsp; They'll know it's the truth, without question, just from conviction in your voice."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Derek, I understand, I'm sorry I was about punch your lights out."</span></p> <p><span>"You have nothing to be sorry for, Max."&nbsp; He turned to Tom and added, "Thanks for savin' my bacon, again, partner."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, just don't pull that shit again.&nbsp; Next time, I let him go."&nbsp; We all enjoyed a light-hearted chuckle after that comment.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Max, thanks for your time.&nbsp; I know how much it hurts for people to have to relive abuse like this having done these interviews more than I like to think about, but you did great.&nbsp; This is the first step to getting Frank and Iris off the street.&nbsp; Just two more things before we go, can we get the list of names from your sons and I still want to have a chat with Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah.&nbsp; Tom, why don't you grab the list off the desk in the study and I'll retrieve Logan."&nbsp; We left Dylan and Derek in the living room as we took care of our tasks.&nbsp; When I reached the twins' room, I turned the doorknob, but the door wouldn't open when I gave it a push.&nbsp; I gave a quick knock and called, "Logan?"&nbsp; I heard a quick scuffling away from the door, so I tried again.&nbsp; This time the door opened freely and I found Logan curled up on the floor, crying. &nbsp;I took two steps, picked him up off the floor and carried him to the bed, where I sat down with him in my lap.&nbsp; "Logan, what's wrong, did you hurt yourself?"</span></p> <p><span>Through his sniffles, he whimpered, "No."</span></p> <p><span>"Then why are you crying."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Max, I'm just a nosy little brat and I listened to you through the door.&nbsp; I can't believe what those people did to you," he sobbed.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, Logan, it's okay.&nbsp; It was a long time ago," I empathized as I hugged him and rocked him in my lap.</span></p> <p><span>"Now I know why you freaked out yesterday.&nbsp; It scared me when it happened, but now that I know why, it makes sense.&nbsp; That's why I wanted to listen to what you were sayin'.&nbsp; `Cause what happened yesterday just didn't seem like the guy I saw at the party on Saturday."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, in one sense, I was, but in another sense, I also wasn't.&nbsp; Do you see that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah.&nbsp; It's like the change in my dad before momma died and after.&nbsp; Before she died, he was like you were during the party.&nbsp; But after, he's been like you were yesterday, all pissed off at everything and nothing."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you understand now why I didn't want you to be there to hear all that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uh-huh," he answered with a little nod.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe, just maybe, the next time someone says they need to have a private talk, you'll let them have it."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right, I will," he answered which caused me to chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, despite all the bad stuff you just heard, I think you've learned a good lesson.&nbsp; Dylan and Derek are about ready to leave, but Dylan wants to talk to you be he goes.&nbsp; You ready to do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, let me go pee and clean up my face and I'll come out."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, see you in a minute or two."&nbsp; I headed for the hallway, setting Logan down at the bathroom door before continuing back to the living room.&nbsp; Tom was already back and Dylan was looking at the list of names from Alex and Joey.&nbsp; "He'll be here in just a minute.&nbsp; He had to use the bathroom."</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus, Max, this list is unreal.&nbsp; How many names did you say are here?"</span></p> <p><span>"I counted sixty-three when I typed them in."</span></p> <p><span>"These can't <i>all</i> be kids they abused, can it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I sure as hell hope not, but that's for you and Carol to figure out.&nbsp; Carol picked up a copy of it yesterday so she could start working on it this morning.&nbsp; I wonder if she's found any matches in her cross-reference.&nbsp; You want me to find out?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be great," Dylan answered.</span></p> <p><span>I picked up the phone and dialed Carol's number.&nbsp; She answered the phone with, "Hi, Max.&nbsp; What's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just gave the list to Dylan and I was wondering if you've had a chance to check your records to see if you have any matches, yet."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm still working through it, but I've found three possibilities so far.&nbsp; I'm trying to track where those three might be now.&nbsp; We have about twenty more names to check against our files, and I have other people working on that while I search for these first three."</span></p> <p><span>"I know even three isn't good, but it could be a whole lot worse.&nbsp; What are the names of the three you're looking for so I can let Dylan know?"</span></p> <p><span>"I've got a Jack, which could also be John, a Trevor and a Lance.&nbsp; According to our records, they are all adults now, so finding them won't be an easy thing."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, got it.&nbsp; If you get any more matches, let Dylan or Derek know, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet.&nbsp; How'd your talk with Dylan go?"</span></p> <p><span>"About like you'd expect.&nbsp; But, he's leaving here and going to get a warrant to search the church, so that's something good happening already."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it.&nbsp; Look, I don't want to be rude, but I've got to get back to work on these names."</span></p> <p><span>"Go, then.&nbsp; We'll talk later.&nbsp; Thanks, Carol."</span></p> <p><span>I hung up the phone and turned to Dylan.&nbsp; "She says they've matched three names so far with another twenty names to check.&nbsp; She's already working on trying to find the three.&nbsp; Those names are Jack, Trevor and Lance.&nbsp; She said the Jack could also be John, possibly."</span></p> <p><span>"That means the rest of these names are probably kids from the church, then.&nbsp; I hate this, absolutely fuckin' hate it."&nbsp; He turned to Derek and added, "Make sure when we talk to the judge that we include church membership lists in our request for the warrant.&nbsp; They'll fight givin' us those, but we're going to need them to help track all these people down."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Sarge."</span></p> <p><span>At that moment, Logan finally emerged from the bedroom and he walked over and stood by me.&nbsp; "Logan," I started, "you already know Deputy Timmons.&nbsp; The other gentleman with him today is his boss, Sergeant Brock and he has some questions he wants to ask you."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure."</span></p> <p><span>"How are you feeling today, Logan?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm a little better, but my butt still hurts and my eyes look like crap."</span></p> <p><span>"Would you come closer so I can get a better look at you, please?"&nbsp; Logan stepped over to stand right in front of Dylan.&nbsp; "Yes, I can see the puffiness and bruising around your eyes.&nbsp; Where else did your dad hit you?"</span></p> <p><span>"All over, man, here, look."&nbsp; Logan lifted his shirt up, then slowly turned in a circle so Dylan could see both his front and back.&nbsp; "And that ain't all.&nbsp; Look at this crap."&nbsp; With that, he held his shirt up with one hand and then, with his other hand, pulled the string to untie and loosen his shorts, letting them drop to the floor.</span></p> <p><span>After just a quick glance, Dylan said, "Okay, Logan, I've seen enough.&nbsp; You can pull your shorts back up."&nbsp; We waited patiently while he pulled the shorts up off the floor and retied the string so they'd stay in place above his skinny hips.&nbsp; When he was done, he turned back to face Dylan.&nbsp; "Can you take a seat on the table here so I can ask you a few things?"&nbsp; Logan was only too happy to follow Dylan's request, allowing a grin to stretch across his face as he did.&nbsp; "Thanks, Logan," Dylan said as he leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees.&nbsp; "From what Deputy Timmons told me this morning, your mom passed away a few years ago, it that right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir, she got leukemia and the doctors couldn't do nothin' for it."</span></p> <p><span>"Can you tell me what your dad was like before she passed?"</span></p> <p><span>"He was always happy and in good mood.&nbsp; Helped me with my homework, we played baseball in the yard, he helped our neighbors when they needed it.&nbsp; He was a really good guy.&nbsp; He don't do none of that stuff now.&nbsp; He's always grumpy, don't help nobody with nothin', not even me with my school stuff."</span></p> <p><span>"And all that happened after your mom got sick?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty much.&nbsp; It got a lot worse after she died, though.&nbsp; He didn't start beatin' on me until after."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you have any idea why he hurt you so severely Saturday night."</span></p> <p><span>"He was pissed off that I didn't want to go home with him."&nbsp; Then, Logan leaned in and whispered, "He also weren't none too happy about them bein' gay," while pointing his thumb over his shoulder at us. &nbsp;"But that don't bother me none," he added with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"If your father got some help to learn how to control his anger, do you think you'd want to live with him?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, I would.&nbsp; I love my daddy, but I just ain't gonna put up with him beatin' on me whenever he feels like it.&nbsp; That ain't right."</span></p> <p><span>"You're right, Logan, it isn't.&nbsp; Here's what I think, young man.&nbsp; I think your dad's still really upset about losing your mom.&nbsp; He's never had or taken the time to grieve for her the way he needed.&nbsp; But, I also think if we can get him some help, he'll get better. &nbsp;He may still be sad, but I think we can get him to stop hurting you."</span></p> <p><span>"You're talkin' `bout a shrink, aren't you?&nbsp; That'd be great, Sergeant Brock.&nbsp; I mean I'm still sad about my momma, too, and sometimes at night, when I go to bed, I cry `cause miss her, but I don't beat on <i>nobody</i>."</span></p> <p><span>"If we can find somebody to help your dad, would you be willing to talk to the same doctor?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd do just about anything so I could live with daddy, as long as ain't beatin' me."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, Logan.&nbsp; Let me talk to a few people and see what we can do.&nbsp; You think you'll be okay staying with Max, Tom and their boys for a bit while we sort all this out?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, it's great here.&nbsp; And we all get along real good."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it."&nbsp; Dylan turned to Derek and said, "I think that's all we needed, Deputy.&nbsp; What say we get that search warrant and go ruin somebody's day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like fun to me, Sarge."</span></p> <p><span>Dylan stood to leave and said, "Max, Tom, thanks for your time.&nbsp; I know you weren't looking forward to our time together today, but your part is done.&nbsp; For now, at least.&nbsp; If the Muellers ever see the inside of a courtroom, you'll have to testify, of course. &nbsp;But, if this turns out how I think it will, I don't think it'll come to that."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you think is going to happen?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Personally, I think the D.A. will offer them a deal to put them away for the rest of their lives and then some.&nbsp; We'll see, though."&nbsp; He then knelt in front of Logan and added, "Logan it was very nice to meet you this morning.&nbsp; I'm sorry it had to be under these circumstances.&nbsp; I want you to know that I'm going to do everything I possibly can to get you and your dad back together."&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>Logan stepped into Dylan's outstretched arms and wrapped the big guy in a hug and said, "Thanks, Mr. Brock.&nbsp; I need my daddy."</span></p> <p><span>"We all need our dads, young man.&nbsp; Let these guys take care of you in the meantime, though, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"I will."</span></p> <p><span>We let Dylan and Derek out so they could get back work, then returned to the living room.&nbsp; Logan was taking his shirt and shorts off as he walked and Tom and I joined him in getting comfortable.&nbsp; After the three of us had sat down again, I commented, "Gee, that was fun, wasn't it?&nbsp; And to think I get to do it all over again tomorrow.&nbsp; I can hardly wait."</span></p> <p><span>"You can lie to yourself all you want, babe, but we know better."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I ask a question, Max?" Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"As long as it's not a hard one, go right ahead."</span></p> <p><span>"What're we gonna do for lunch?"</span></p> <p><span>Considering all the questions he could possibly think of at this moment, the simplicity of the one he selected made me laugh.&nbsp; Typical nine-year-old eating machine needs fuel.&nbsp; When I calmed down, "That's a good question, young man.&nbsp; But I think today is Tom's turn to fix lunch, so let's ask him."&nbsp; I turned to Tom and asked, "And what culinary delight do you have for us today, Chef Wright?"</span></p> <p><span>"H-m-m, how about lightly grilled tube-shaped meat on a brioche bun with a cucumber and vinegar relish and a light drizzle of a tomato reduction?&nbsp; And, perhaps a side of crispy potato wafers, lightly salted."</span></p> <p><span>"What the heck are you talkin' `bout?" Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Hot dogs with relish, ketchup and potato chips.&nbsp; Sound okay to you guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that sounds great!" Logan enthused.</span></p> <p><span>"Works for me, too, bubba.&nbsp; You want help?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, I think I can handle this.&nbsp; Why don't you relax a bit?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks.&nbsp; After that, I'm wiped out and would like to decompress for a bit.&nbsp; Logan, would you help Tom get our lunch ready?&nbsp; Please and thank you."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Max."&nbsp; He jumped off the couch and said, "C'mon, Tom, tell me what I can do," he said as he grabbed Tom's hand and dragged him into the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>As the two disappeared into the kitchen, I laid my head back on the chair, closed my eyes and tried to think of nothing for a few minutes.&nbsp; I succeeded beyond my wildest dreams as Logan was shaking my shoulder twenty minutes later to wake me up.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, sleepyhead, lunch is ready."</span></p> <p><span>"Wha...?&nbsp; Oh, hey, buddy.&nbsp; Be right there."&nbsp; As he zipped back to the kitchen, I forced myself to get up and follow along.&nbsp; When I arrived, Tom had everything lined up on the counter and ready go, so I climbed on a stool, doctored my dog and dug in.&nbsp; "Thanks for taking care of lunch guys.&nbsp; I don't know what happened.&nbsp; I laid my head back for just a minute and I was out."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you said you were wiped, guess you weren't kidding."</span></p> <p><span>"If my reaction today is any indicator, it's a good thing you're going with me tomorrow morning.&nbsp; It'd be a bit difficult to drive home if I'm sleeping."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it, babe.&nbsp; I'm here for ya'."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Max, I'm wonderin' somethin'," said Logan.</span></p> <p><span>"And what's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"How could you go through all that, what those people did to you, and not remember it?"</span></p> <p><span>I was so surprised at the question, now, that half the Pepsi in my mouth sprayed out my nose, again.&nbsp; Have I mentioned how much it hurts when that happens?&nbsp; After cleaning up the counter and gathering my composure, I answered.&nbsp; "To be real honest, Logan, I'm not real sure how that happens.&nbsp; The doctor I talked to last Thursday explained it to me and basically, when something really bad happens to you, the brain will sometimes hide it from you as a form of self-protection."</span></p> <p><span>"But why is coming back to you now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the people who abused me were also the people Joey and Alex were living with the last four years.&nbsp; My best guess, and the doctor's, also, is that dealing with them again is what brought it all back to me.&nbsp; If I'd never seen them again, I'd probably never have remembered any of it."</span></p> <p><span>"What I don't get, though, is this; if they were married to each other, why didn't they just have sex together like normal people do?"&nbsp; It was Tom's turn to spray his drink in surprise, yet, somehow, he managed to keep it from exiting through his nose.</span></p> <p><span>"I wish I knew, buddy," I lamented.&nbsp; "Besides, I wouldn't really want to call them `normal people' either.&nbsp; Did you get your homework finished?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, I had it done before the cops showed up.&nbsp; I just acted like I didn't so I could listen to you guys talk.&nbsp; I thought if you thought I was still dealing with that, you wouldn't be thinking about me listening to you.&nbsp; It almost worked, too," he grinned mischievously.</span></p> <p><span>"Right up to the point where I caught you sticking your head around the corner, you little sneak."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm still sorry I did it, though.&nbsp; Besides being the wrong thing to do, you were right, I really didn't need to hear all that junk."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I hope it doesn't cause you nightmares or anything like it does me right now."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, me too.&nbsp; It'll be my own fault if it does.&nbsp; Guess we'll find out, won't we?"</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose we will," I mused.</span></p> <p><span>When we finished eating, we worked together, as usual, to clean up after ourselves.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>"What're we gonna do now?" Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm going to sit by a fire and read," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Same here, Logan," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"I like to read, too.&nbsp; What kinda books you got?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I don't have much for kids your age, yet, and the Spiderwick books I ordered won't be here until Wednesday.&nbsp; Why don't you come to the study with me and let's see what we can find."&nbsp; I led Logan down the hall and when I opened the door, his jaw dropped and eyes went wide with surprise at the number of books he saw.</span></p> <p><span>"Holy moly, Max, you got more books than the library at school."</span></p> <p><span>"Let's look around and see what we can find for you to read this afternoon."&nbsp; We started to browse the shelves, Logan looking low and me looking high.&nbsp; We were about half-way around the room when I came to a series I hadn't read for a while but I thought he might enjoy.&nbsp; "Do you like science fiction stories?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, they're usually pretty cool.&nbsp; I like reading about the future."</span></p> <p><span>"Then this set might be just the thing for you.&nbsp; I'd forgotten I had them."&nbsp; I pulled the first volume off the shelf and handed it to him.</span></p> <p><span>"<i>Ender's Game</i>? What kind of story is this?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's about a young boy who is taken from his home to a school in space in the hope that he is the one person on Earth who can save the human race from an alien species.&nbsp; There's about nine or ten books in the whole series.&nbsp; If you like the first one, you're welcome to read the others."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max, that sounds really cool."&nbsp; We returned to the living where we all got comfortable in our chairs and spent next few hours reading.</span></p> <p><span>As we hit the road to town, I told Derek, "Get on your phone.&nbsp; Call Judge Corgan and see if he has time to see us in about half an hour, then, call the office and tell the forensics team to get ready to move."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it Sarge."&nbsp; Five minutes and four phone calls later, Derek came back with, "Judge Corgan says he'll wait to start his afternoon session until he's seen us.&nbsp; I told him it was important.&nbsp; I finally tracked down forensics at a crime scene, but they say they'll be done there shortly.&nbsp; I told `em to go ahead, get some lunch and we'd call `em back when it was time to go.&nbsp; I also told `em that they might be working late."</span></p> <p><span>"Good job, Derek, thanks.&nbsp; So, what do you think about Max's story?&nbsp; Do you <i>really</i> believe everything he just told us?"</span></p> <p><span>"I gotta admit, when Max first told me yesterday what this was all about, I wasn't real sure.&nbsp; But after listening to him for the last, what, almost two hours, I'd be crazy to <i>not</i> believe him.&nbsp; Nobody would make up a story like that, with that much detail, just for the fun of it.&nbsp; I mean, I know he's a writer and all, and that's what those people do, but you just don't make up shit like that without it having some basis in reality."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, Derek keep thinking along those lines.&nbsp; I hadn't considered the possibility that he was testing out some bizarre storyline for a new book.&nbsp; But, even if I had thought that initially, I wouldn't be now.&nbsp; He really was about to rearrange your face after your questions, ya' know.&nbsp; You can't fake that much anger."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn good thing Tom was there to reel him back in," Derek chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"No kidding."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope Max understands I was just askin' questions that the other side will be askin'.&nbsp; And I hope he can get a tighter rein on his emotions if this does end up a court.&nbsp; A jury wouldn't take that kind of display very well."</span></p> <p><span>"No, they sure wouldn't.&nbsp; And he also knows you were doing your job.&nbsp; He's a smart enough guy to know those questions are going to come up.&nbsp; He may not like `em, but he knows."&nbsp; After a short pause, I added, "So, Derek, <i>anything else</i> you want to talk about?&nbsp; Now's your chance."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, can't think of a thing, Sarge."</span></p> <p><span>"You're sure about that.&nbsp; Max dropped a bit of bomb on ya'.&nbsp; I thought you might have some concerns about my ability to do my job properly."</span></p> <p><span>"What?&nbsp; You think I give a shit `bout you bein' gay?&nbsp; Let me tell ya' somethin', boss.&nbsp; I spent five years workin' almost daily with Tom.&nbsp; We trusted each other to have the other's back.&nbsp; Granted, I didn't know he was gay until he quit, but he was one of the smartest and most dedicated guys in the department.&nbsp; In the brains and balls contest, I'd rank him second to only you."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Derek.&nbsp; That's quite the compliment."</span></p> <p><span>"And I mean it, too, boss.&nbsp; As far as I'm concerned, as long as you're doin' the job and you ain't tryin' to get <i>me</i> in bed with you, it's none of my damn business.&nbsp; Or anybody else's either."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay then.&nbsp; I'll just shut the fuck up about it then."</span></p> <p><span>"Good idea, Dylan.&nbsp; We got work to do."</span></p> <p><span>"You have a blank warrant form in the car?"</span></p> <p><span>"Always, Sarge."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, get to work on it.&nbsp; I want it ready for the judge's signature when we get there."</span></p> <p><span>Ten minutes later, we pulled into the parking lot of the county building and headed for Judge Corgan's court on the third floor.&nbsp; As we entered the courtroom, it was empty except for Gary, the bailiff.</span></p> <p><span>As we crossed the courtroom, Gary stood and asked, "Good afternoon, Sergeant, Deputy.&nbsp; You're here to meet with the judge?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, please," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"One moment while I let him know you're here."&nbsp; Gary took the few steps to the door separating the courtroom from his chambers, opened the door about a foot and stuck his head through the gap.&nbsp; When he pulled his head back, he said, "He's ready for you, gentlemen.&nbsp; Please try to be quick, we have a full docket this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Gary, we'll be a quick as we can."&nbsp; We passed through the open door and Gary closed it behind us.&nbsp; "Afternoon, Judge Corgan."</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon to you also, Sergeant, Deputy.&nbsp; What sort of hellish misery are you bringing me today?"</span></p> <p><span>"The worst possible kind, your honor.&nbsp; We need to obtain a search warrant and a subpoena for records for a church."</span></p> <p><span>"I probably don't want to know what you're investigating, do I?&nbsp; Yet, you're going to tell me."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, your honor.&nbsp; I have a recording of an interview we conducted this morning and we have reason to believe that multiple crimes have taken place in this church.&nbsp; We need the warrant to conduct our search and the subpoena to obtain the church's membership list."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, let's hear it," the judge said with disgust.</span></p> <p><span>I forwarded the recording to a point just past my introduction and our complainant's name so he would have no bias when deciding whether to issue the warrant. &nbsp;When I pushed play, the recorder came to life with the voice of a very haunted individual,&nbsp;`Okay, it all started shortly after my thirteenth birthday ...'.&nbsp; The recording played for about twenty minutes before Judge Corgan waved a hand in disgust, asking me to stop it.&nbsp; I did as he requested, and silence enveloped the room as he forced himself to remain calm.</span></p> <p><span>"How long is this recording?" the judge inquired.</span></p> <p><span>"Just under two hours, your honor.&nbsp; And the longer it goes, the worse it gets."</span></p> <p><span>"Why do those names, Frank and Iris, sound familiar?&nbsp; And the voice on the tape?&nbsp; I know that voice."</span></p> <p><span>"Because we were all in your courtroom just a couple weeks ago."&nbsp; I could see the judge mentally reviewing his recent cases as he closed his eyes and considered what I'd just told him.&nbsp; After a few minutes, his eyes opened and shock contorted his face.</span></p> <p><span>"The Muellers!&nbsp; And the voice, that's Max Sanders, isn't it?" he asked with dread.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir."</span></p> <p><span>"If I'm guessing correctly, Mr. Sanders is in his early to mid-thirties.&nbsp; And these events began after he turned thirteen, so we're talking about something from around twenty years ago.&nbsp; Why now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Apparently, your honor, he'd repressed the memories of the abuse until last Thursday.&nbsp; Mr. Sanders talked to a psychologist that afternoon who helped him re-integrate those memories back into his conscious memories.&nbsp; I received the doctor's mandatory reporting on Saturday morning and made arrangements that afternoon to interview Mr. Sanders this morning.&nbsp; I took Deputy Timmons with me as a second witness to the interview.&nbsp; After Mr. Sanders related his story, we each asked him a few questions.&nbsp; I'd like to forward the recording to that point so you can hear it yourself."</span></p> <p><span>"By all means, please do so.&nbsp; While you do that, let me tell Gary we'll be a bit longer."&nbsp; While the judge informed his bailiff of the delay, I found the spot where I wanted to restart the playback.&nbsp; When he sat behind his desk again, he asked, "You ready, sergeant?"&nbsp; After I nodded, he added, "Continue, please."</span></p> <p><span>`Thank you for telling us your story Mr. Sanders.&nbsp; I have a few questions I need to ask to clear up just a few things.&nbsp; If you don't mind.'</span></p> <p><span>`No, go ahead.'</span></p> <p><span>`First, do you remember where, exactly, this supposed room is located in the basement of the church where you allege these assaults took place.'</span></p> <p><span>&nbsp;`Of course, I do.&nbsp; I'll never forget that hellhole.'&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>...</span></p> <p><span>`I've already talked to one psychologist about it and he's the one who helped me recover those memories.'</span></p> <p><span>`<i>Recover</i>?&nbsp; Or did he <i>plant</i> these <i>memories</i>?'</span></p> <p><span>`Who the fuck do you think would <i>plant</i> shit like that into anybody's mind!?&nbsp; If you don't believe what I'm saying, you are more than welcome to discuss it directly with him.&nbsp; That's it, this <i>interview </i>is over!'</span></p> <p><span>I stopped the playback and waited for the judge to comment on what he'd heard.</span></p> <p><span>"Do either of you doubt the veracity of this man or the authenticity of his story?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, sir," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely not, your honor," Derek concurred.</span></p> <p><span>"The hell he must be going through.&nbsp; Then <i>and</i> now."&nbsp; He took a deep breath before continuing.&nbsp; "I don't know Mr. Sanders that well, having only met him that one day in my court, but I believe him to be an honest man.&nbsp; And believing that, I can't help but also believe the abuse he has described in this recording.&nbsp; You can't dream up some of those details he provided."</span></p> <p><span>"There's one more thing you need to know, your honor."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that Sergeant?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Sanders has also given us a list of sixty-three names of other boys that are potential victims."</span></p> <p><span>"What!?&nbsp; How did he get that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, he didn't, sir, two of his sons did."</span></p> <p><span>"Which two and how could they have done that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Do you remember the twins, Joey and Alex, that were in court that same day?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I do, cute little buggers, they were.&nbsp; Oh, wait, I get it, the twins lived with the Muellers for, what, four or five years?&nbsp; And they got the names from them due their mental abilities?&nbsp; But if that's how they did it, we can't use it for evidence."</span></p> <p><span>"No, your honor, we can't.&nbsp; But we <i>can</i> use it to help track down other possible victims."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent plan, sergeant.&nbsp; Make it happen, as quickly as possible.&nbsp; Do you have your request for a search warrant and records subpoena ready?"</span></p> <p><span>Derek handed over the completed forms and said, "Right here, your honor.&nbsp; All we need is your signature and we're ready to go.&nbsp; The forensics team is standing by, waiting for our call."</span></p> <p><span>Judge Corgan signed the applications with a flourish, handed it back and said, "There you go gentlemen.&nbsp; Time for you to get to work.&nbsp; And no screw-ups.&nbsp; We don't want these people roaming loose amongst our civilized population."</span></p> <p><span>"No, sir, we don't.&nbsp; And thank you, your honor.&nbsp; Let's go, Deputy, I'm afraid we have a long night ahead of us."&nbsp; Derek and I stood, leaving the judge alone in his chambers.&nbsp; As we left his office and entered the courtroom, I said to the bailiff, "We're sorry we took so long.&nbsp; Hope we didn't ruin your afternoon schedule."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll deal with it Sergeant Brock.&nbsp; Whatever you had must have been important."</span></p> <p><span>When we reached our car, Derek asked, "I know we want to get started on this search, Sarge, but can we stop on the way to grab some food?&nbsp; If we're going to be late like you think, I don't want to wait until midnight to eat lunch."</span></p> <p><span>"Good idea, Derek.&nbsp; You care what kind of food it is?"</span></p> <p><span>"Anything's fine with me, sir.&nbsp; You're drivin' and I'm just along for the ride."</span></p> <p><span>"Call the forensics team and tell them to meet us at the church in thirty minutes."&nbsp; After a quick swing through the drive-up at Wendy's, we continued on to the church.&nbsp; Just as I pulled in the parking lot, I saw the forensics van turning the corner to meet us.&nbsp; Derek and I wolfed down our food while we waited for the team to park and get ready to collect any evidence.&nbsp; By the time we'd finished eating, the team was standing next our car, waiting patiently.&nbsp; Of course, I use the term team generously since it was just two guys with cameras and tackle boxes of tools.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>"You ready for this?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Ready as I'll ever be, boss."</span></p> <p><span>"Then let's do it."&nbsp; We got out of the car and greeted our 'team'.&nbsp; "Afternoon Perry, Zach.&nbsp; How you guys doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just great, Sergeant.&nbsp; Mind tellin' us why we're at a church and just what we're supposed to be looking for?"</span></p> <p><span>"Deputy Timmons and I conducted an interview this morning where we heard allegations of sexual abuse happening in this building.&nbsp; We are executing a search warrant to find evidence of those crimes.&nbsp; I hope you brought lots of Luminol and your black lights have fresh batteries `cause you're gonna need them," I answered.&nbsp; I turned to Derek and said, "Derek, call dispatch and have them get another car over here.&nbsp; I want someone guarding the front door so nobody can come in.&nbsp; Also, have them send a unit, unmarked if possible, to keep an eye on our suspects.&nbsp; I don't want to take any chances of them trying to do a disappearing act.&nbsp; Once you've made your calls, follow us in."</span></p> <p><span>"Got it, Sarge.&nbsp; Be right behind you."</span></p> <p><span>I led Perry and Zach to the main entry door and walked inside.&nbsp; Following Max's directions, we proceeded straight down the entry corridor, ignoring the glass-enclosed corridor the lead to the right.&nbsp; "About twenty-five in and on the left, should be the sanctuary.&nbsp; Yep, got it, now fifteen or twenty feet further along, another corridor to the right.&nbsp; Bingo!&nbsp; Bathrooms on the right, offices on the left.&nbsp; Thar, she blows, gents."</span></p> <p><span>A young lady in the first office we came to asked, "May I help you, please."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I'm sergeant Dylan Brock of the Sangamon County Sherriff's department.&nbsp; May I have your name, please, and are you in charge around here."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right," she scoffed.&nbsp; "Really, who are you?"</span></p> <p><span>I stepped into the office, handed her my ID and answered, "Exactly who I said I am, ma'am.&nbsp; Now, your name, please."</span></p> <p><span>"Michelle and if you think I'm the boss around here, you're sorely mistaken.&nbsp; That would be Warren in the next office," she responded, point to the next doorway.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Michelle.&nbsp; Would you please step out here in the hallway and stand by the water fountain right there?&nbsp; Thank you."&nbsp; Michelle stepped out of her office, handing my ID to me as she did, then stood where directed.&nbsp; I turned to Zach and Perry and said, "Keep an eye on her until Deputy Timmons rejoins us.&nbsp; She's not to touch anything."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir."</span></p> <p><span>I moved to the next doorway and opened it without knocking.</span></p> <p><span>"And just who are you?&nbsp; Don't you believe in knocking?" the man behind the desk bellowed as he hung up the phone.&nbsp; I handed him my ID and watched as surprise took over his face.&nbsp; "What's the meaning of this rude interruption.&nbsp; That was a very important phone from a valued member of our congregation."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you Warren, the man Michelle says is in charge here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I am.&nbsp; That's my name on the door right there.&nbsp; Now, answer my questions."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll answer any reasonable question you may have, sir, once you step out here in the hall and join your secretary."&nbsp; Flushed with anger, he did as I asked and when he was standing with Michelle, Derek returned.&nbsp; "Everything all set?"</span></p> <p><span>"Backup will be here in about twenty, twenty-five minutes.&nbsp; Surveillance of our suspects will start in about ten."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent, Deputy."&nbsp; I turned to Warren and Michelle and explained our presence this afternoon.&nbsp; "We have a warrant to search this church and a subpoena to retrieve listings of your membership rosters."</span></p> <p><span>"You can't do that," Warren complained.&nbsp; "This is a house of God and you have no authority here."</span></p> <p><span>"Wrong, sir!&nbsp; Here, this paperwork will explain it to you.&nbsp; Take a few minutes and read it.&nbsp; Otherwise, all you have to do is stay out of our way."&nbsp; I handed him the warrant and turned to my people as he began to read it.&nbsp; "Derek, I want you to stay right here keep an eye on these two until our backup arrives.&nbsp; Zach, I want you to dig through every file cabinet, storage box and computer you can find.&nbsp; Find every membership list you can, I don't care how old.&nbsp; Perry, you come with me."&nbsp; We continued down the corridor to the very end.&nbsp; "Okay last door on the left was the classroom the victim says he started in.&nbsp; Then he says was led back down the corridor to the first office on the right."&nbsp; We walked about fifteen feet to a closed door.&nbsp; "This should be it," I said as I grabbed the doorknob and turned it.&nbsp; Or, more accurately, tried to turn it, because it was locked.&nbsp; "Warren, where is the key for this door?" I called down the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>"On my keyring, but nobody really uses that office very much.&nbsp; Here," he said as he started to walk towards us.</span></p> <p><span>"Stay where you are and toss the keys to me.&nbsp; I'll find the right one."&nbsp; He tossed the keys my direction with an underhand throw and they landed about five feet away.&nbsp; I retrieved them and then spent a minute testing keys until I found the right one.&nbsp; With the door unlocked, I pushed it open.&nbsp; "Gloves and booties time, Perry," I commented as I pulled a pair of each out of my jacket pocket and started pulling them on.&nbsp; Finally prepared and sure not to leave any stray fingerprints anywhere, I pushed the door fully open then reached in, flipped the light switch and took two steps into the room.&nbsp; Just as Max said, there were three file cabinets to the left of the door and the open door covered up exactly one and half of the three.&nbsp; I noticed that all the cabinets were secured with steel bars and padlocks, which seemed odd for a church.&nbsp; Again, true to his word, there was a recess just beyond the third cabinet.&nbsp; Half hoping that this would still turn out some extremely realistic dream he'd had, I stepped into the recess and began feeling around in the upper right-hand corner for a button that would release a hidden door.</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell are you doing, Sarge?" Perry asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Feeling for a button of some kind to release a latch to a hidden door."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you kidding me," Perry asked incredulously.&nbsp; "That sounds like something out of a horror movie."&nbsp; No sooner had the words exited his mouth, I felt a very slight depression in the wall that was virtually invisible to the naked eye.&nbsp; I gave it a push with my index finger, heard a click from inside the wall and a section of the wall magically swung out about three inches.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>"Holy shit!" Perry exclaimed as he jumped back about 3 feet.</span></p> <p><span>"Welcome to my house of horrors, young man.&nbsp; Watch your step as we descend into Hell on earth.&nbsp; Leave your case up here for the moment.&nbsp; Bring just your camera and a light.&nbsp; I want to do a visual check before we go hi-tech with all your other goodies."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir."</span></p> <p><span>I shined a light into the cavity behind the wall and found the stairway just as Max described, going down and to the left.&nbsp; I also found a light switch and flipped it on, providing illumination from a light on the ceiling of the stairs.&nbsp; I could see a subdued glow coming from under a door at the bottom of the stairs and to the left.&nbsp; Chills ran down my spine and the hairs on my neck stood at attention as I began my descent.&nbsp; The stairs were, indeed, quite narrow and I had to turn my body slightly to avoid brushing the walls on both sides.&nbsp; When I finally reached the bottom and Perry was standing on the next to last step, I opened the door.&nbsp; Upon seeing that this room really did exist and wasn't just some figment of imagination from the overactive mind of an author, I wanted to vomit.&nbsp; Somehow, I quelled that feeling and stepped into the room just far enough to allow Perry to follow me inside.&nbsp; Much to my dismay, the room before me matched the exact description Max had given us this morning, though I had no doubt it would once I found the release for the hidden door.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Perry, I'm going to stand at the bottom of the stairs with the door closed.&nbsp; I want you to photograph this room from every possible position and angle."</span></p> <p><span>"No way, Sarge.&nbsp; I ain't stayin' in here alone.&nbsp; You close the door and then stand beside or behind me while I take the pictures."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, let's get on with it.&nbsp; I also want every square inch of that tabletop, the chairs and the sink in the highest resolution possible.&nbsp; Get to it," I snapped as I closed the door.&nbsp; Perry immediately and methodically began snapping his pictures.&nbsp; After seeing the flash go off about fifty times, I was wishing I had my sunglasses with me.&nbsp; Good thing neither one of us suffered from epilepsy.&nbsp; Forty-five minutes later, Perry announced he was done taking pictures and ready to start in with his other tools.&nbsp; We climbed the stairs, again twisting our bodies to avoid rubbing the walls.&nbsp; When we stepped back into the office, Derek was standing there with an expectant look on his face.</span></p> <p><span>"What's your feeling, Sarge?&nbsp; Does it match our witness's recollection?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing but pure disgust.&nbsp; And, yes, unfortunately, it does.&nbsp; Since you're here, I assume our backup has arrived."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir.&nbsp; They sent two cars. &nbsp;I have two of the troops guarding the entrance and the other two guarding Michelle and Warren."</span></p> <p><span>"Is surveillance in place on our suspects?"</span></p> <p><span>"Affirmative, also.&nbsp; Where do you want me?"</span></p> <p><span>"While Perry dusts every surface in the stairway for prints, I want you in the room with me going over every inch of wall, floor, everything.&nbsp; Get gloves, booties and a light and follow me.&nbsp; Don't brush the walls on your way down."</span></p> <p><span>"Right behind you, sir."&nbsp; I turned and headed back down the stairs while Derek got ready to join me.&nbsp; I had just begun eyeballing the wall by the door when he appeared in the doorway.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, god," he muttered after taking a quick look around.&nbsp; "So much for this all bein' some writer's sick fantasy."</span></p> <p><span>"I want you to start in the corner at the sink and eyeball every surface, floor to ceiling. &nbsp;I'm going to start right here at the door and do the same thing.&nbsp; We'll work left to right until we reach our own starting point.&nbsp; That way we both see everything.&nbsp; Got it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever you say, Sarge."&nbsp; We got to work checking the walls first.&nbsp; Not ten minutes into it, Derek interrupted me with, "Sarge, come tell me what you think this is."&nbsp; I walked over to where Derek was pointing to a shiny spot on the wall, about two inches in diameter.&nbsp; After just a few seconds of consideration, I knew exactly what that spot was.</span></p> <p><span>"Come with me, Derek."&nbsp; I turned and yelled, "Perry, make a hole, we're comin' up, right now!"&nbsp; I went up the stairs as fast as I could, Derek right behind me.&nbsp; With Derek panting beside me in the office, I said, "C'mon, let's move this damn desk a couple feet."&nbsp; We got on the front and back side, lifted the desk and moved it away from the wall.&nbsp; "Just what I thought," I grumbled after looking into the gap between the desk and wall.</span></p> <p><span>"What are you talkin' `bout?" Derek asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Pull that cable comin' out of the wall."&nbsp; Derek did as I asked.&nbsp; When he reached the end of the cable and discovered the camera attached to the end of it, he dropped the whole mess on the floor, ran out of the office and into the bathroom, holding his mouth all the way.&nbsp; Must not be any sound insulation in those walls as you could hear him losing his lunch from twenty-five feet away.&nbsp; It took every ounce of strength I could muster to not join him.&nbsp; "Perry, get your ass back in that stairway and keep dusting."&nbsp; I stepped out into the hall and walked towards the bathrooms.&nbsp; "Warren, we need to have a talk.&nbsp; Will one of you please escort him to the sanctuary?&nbsp; I'll be there as soon as check on Timmons."&nbsp; Kelly took Warren's elbow in her hand and escorted him down the corridor while I ducked into the bathroom to check on Derek.&nbsp; I found him right where I expected, kneeling on the floor in front of the porcelain throne, holding his gut and sobbing.&nbsp; I knelt beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.&nbsp; "Derek, you gonna be okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, boss, sorry `bout that.&nbsp; Don't know what came over me."</span></p> <p><span>"The same thing that almost had me joining you in here.&nbsp; Don't worry about it, I've seen bigger men brought down by much less than what we have here.&nbsp; Come join me in the sanctuary when you feel up to it.&nbsp; I'm going to talk to Warren."</span></p> <p><span>"Make sure you read the bastard his rights."</span></p> <p><span>"Always thinkin', Derek.&nbsp; Good man."&nbsp; I left the bathroom and made my way to the sanctuary.&nbsp; I found Warren kneeling near the lectern at the front of the room and Kelly standing just inside the door.&nbsp; I walked up the aisle and sat in the first pew while he finished whatever prayer he was making.&nbsp; When he finally finished, and stood up, I said, "Join me here, Warren, we need to have a chat."&nbsp; I waited until he joined me on the pew and continued, "Warren, I assume you're the pastor here."</span></p> <p><span>"I am.&nbsp; Can you please tell me what is going on?"</span></p> <p><span>"We'll get to that in a few minutes.&nbsp; For the moment, this is just a little chat between us, but there's something I have to say before we get started.&nbsp; You have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer my questions.&nbsp; Anything you do say may be used against you in a court of law.&nbsp; You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to me and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future.&nbsp; If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish.&nbsp; If you decide to answer questions now without an attorney present, you will still have the right to stop answering at any time until you talk to an attorney.&nbsp; Knowing and understanding your rights as I have explained them to you, are you willing to answer my questions without an attorney present?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why did you read me my rights?&nbsp; Am I under arrest?&nbsp; I don't even know what you're doing here."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you willing to answer my questions without an attorney?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I've done nothing wrong."</span></p> <p><span>Derek finally joined us and sat on the other side of the pastor.&nbsp; "How long have you been the pastor here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just under a year.&nbsp; My anniversary is coming up next month."</span></p> <p><span>"Besides you, how many other people have a key to that office?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ten or twelve, I think.&nbsp; I'd have to consult our list of church elders."</span></p> <p><span>"Have you ever used that office yourself?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, sir.&nbsp; When I was hired, the church board told me that office was reserved for use by only the elders who have the key to it."</span></p> <p><span>"And can you tell me what the elders use that office for?"</span></p> <p><span>"I was told that some of them use it for special counseling of troubled youth.&nbsp; But, again, I've never been involved with that so I really can't tell you anything."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you know what kind of counseling they do?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, absolutely not.&nbsp; When they need to use it, they come in with the child they're going to counsel, use their own key to unlock the door and then they relock the door once they're inside.&nbsp; And with no windows in the office, I can't even see who is in there."</span></p> <p><span>"Does Michelle have any idea about what happens in there?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know how she could.&nbsp; She's only been working here for a couple of months.&nbsp; Now, I've answered your questions, would you please tell me what's going on?"</span></p> <p><span>"Would it surprise you, Pastor, to find out there's a room under that office?"</span></p> <p><span>"What?&nbsp; There can't be.&nbsp; This building is built on a concrete slab."</span></p> <p><span>"Trust me, sir, there <i>is</i> a room under there and it's holding some very deep and nasty secrets from you.&nbsp; Before I say any more to you, I'm going to need that list of people who hold keys to that office.&nbsp; Give me that and I'll let you know what's going on."</span></p> <p><span>"Come with me, then.&nbsp; I'll do whatever you want."&nbsp; We followed Warren back to his office, Kelly trailing behind the three of us.&nbsp; He stepped behind his desk, opened the center drawer and handed me a sheet of paper with thirteen names, addresses and phone numbers listed on it.&nbsp; After a quick glance, I found Frank Mueller on the eighth line, along with some other familiar names of people known for doing good works for their hometown.&nbsp; "There's your list.&nbsp; Do whatever you want with it."</span></p> <p><span>"One moment, please.&nbsp; I'll be right back."&nbsp; I turned to Derek and led him out of the office.&nbsp; Michelle was still standing by the water fountain, but I could see the was getting restless.&nbsp; "I'm sorry, Michelle, would you like a chair so you can sit down?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, please. Thank you."</span></p> <p><span>"Kelly, would you please get this young lady a chair from her office?&nbsp; And if she'd like a soda, coffee or something else to drink, get it for her.&nbsp; Thank you."&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>I turned back to Derek and said, "Here's what I want you to do.&nbsp; Call Judge Corgan's office and get his fax number.&nbsp; Then, find a fax machine and send this list to him.&nbsp; On the cover page, give a brief description of what we've found so far and request an arrest warrant be issued for every person on this list.&nbsp; There are only men's names here, but since we know at least one spouse was involved, we're going to want them included on all the warrants.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>"Once you've done that, call dispatch and tell them we're going to need either a couple vans or a bunch of cars to haul up to twenty-six people away.&nbsp; If they have to get a school bus, I don't care. Tell them to figure out how they're going to do it because we don't have time to deal with it ourselves.&nbsp; Also, tell them to park in the lot behind the shopping center next door and wait there until we call them in.&nbsp; And keep your gloves on.&nbsp; Go to it."&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>Derek turned into Michelle's office to take care of his task while I returned to Warren's office to enlighten him.&nbsp; He was sitting at his desk, holding his head in his hands when I took the chair across from him.&nbsp; When he heard the chair creak, he looked up and asked, "Look, I've answered your questions, given you a confidential list of very important church members, I've cooperated in every way I possibly can.&nbsp; I think I deserve to know what you're doing here."</span></p> <p><span>"And I'm going to tell you, Pastor, though you're not going to like what you hear.&nbsp; Deputy Timmons and I conducted an interview this morning with a gentleman who used to be a member of this church twenty years ago, along with his parents and sister.&nbsp; During our conversation, he alleged he had been sexually assaulted by two adult members of this church for a period of almost three years, from age thirteen to sixteen, when he quit coming to church with his parents."</span></p> <p><span>"That can't be true.&nbsp; Our members would never do anything so heinous."</span></p> <p><span>"Please, Pastor, let me continue.&nbsp; My witness explained in very graphic details what was done to him.&nbsp; And we believe him or we wouldn't be here.&nbsp; He also gave us very explicit directions on how to locate the room where the assaults happened.&nbsp; Following his instructions, we have located that room and it will be analyzed from ceiling to floor.&nbsp; The room we found matched the description he gave us this morning.&nbsp; We have also discovered there was a camera hidden in the wall in that room allowing whatever happened there to be recorded."</span></p> <p><span>"I can't believe this.&nbsp; You're taking the word of a man based on something that supposedly happened twenty years ago.&nbsp; What makes you believe his story?"</span></p> <p><span>"The simple fact that everything we've found so far matches his story, detail by detail.&nbsp; I have no reason to disbelieve him at this point.&nbsp; Now, I have another question for you.&nbsp; Do you have the keys to the file cabinets in that office?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, sir.&nbsp; Only the elders with a key to the office have keys to the cabinets."</span></p> <p><span>"ZACH!&nbsp; Get your butt in here," I yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, boss," he answered as he came into the office thirty seconds later.</span></p> <p><span>"How are your lock-picking skills?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not bad, boss, what do you need broken into."</span></p> <p><span>"I want you to unlock all three file cabinets in the office next door.&nbsp; Do <i>not</i> open the drawers, just the locks.&nbsp; Got it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir, two minutes, sir."&nbsp; Warren and I waited while Zach worked his magic.&nbsp; A minute and half later, Zach was back and said, "All done boss."</span></p> <p><span>"Good job, young man, thank you.&nbsp; Stay here, Warren, I'll be right back."&nbsp; I walked next door, removed the padlock and steel bar from the first cabinet behind the door, then opened the top drawer.&nbsp; To my horror, I found the drawer filled with files, neatly labeled with names and dates.&nbsp; The first date in the drawer I'd selected was just over thirty years ago.&nbsp; I pulled out the first file and found several pictures of a young girl who looked to be about ten years old engaged in a sex act with an adult male and what appeared to be a CD or DVD.&nbsp; I could feel the gorge starting to rise again, but I swallowed hard to keep everything inside.&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>I put the file back and checked the next drawer.&nbsp; Again, completely full, but closer to the dates I was looking for.&nbsp; In the third drawer, I found the file for which I was searching.&nbsp; A quick look inside told me it was, indeed, the one I wanted.&nbsp; I quietly slid it inside my coat and zipped it shut.&nbsp; I then pulled the file from the very front of the drawer and quickly checked the contents.&nbsp; Same as the other two I'd looked at, pictures and a disc, this time of a boy who appeared to about thirteen or fourteen.&nbsp; I returned to Warren's office with the file in hand and retook the chair I'd just vacated.</span></p> <p><span>"Let me show you one sample of what some of your parishioners have been doing, Pastor, just so you understand the scope of what's been happening here.&nbsp; If you ever tell anyone I showed you this, I will deny it.&nbsp; Please, whatever you do, do not touch the folder or anything inside it.&nbsp; I would not want your fingerprints to be on here because we <i>will</i> check every file in that room for prints."&nbsp; I laid the folder on the desk and lifted the front flap.&nbsp; Poor Warren turned white as a sheet as the blood drained from his face and he turned his head to look away.&nbsp; I closed the folder and continued.&nbsp; "The men on that list you gave me have been sexually assaulting children in that room under the office next door for over thirty years.&nbsp; There are three file cabinets, four drawers per cabinet and I'd have to guess anywhere from 200 to 250 files per drawer, maybe even more.&nbsp; By my math, that could mean up to 3000 or more files of materials like this.&nbsp; 3000 or more children!&nbsp; Is this the type of people you want in your church?"</span></p> <p><span>"My God, how can you even ask a question like that?&nbsp; Of course, I don't.&nbsp; None of us do."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear you say that.&nbsp; I'm going to give you a chance prove that to me and redeem yourself, to all of us."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you want?&nbsp; I'll do anything."</span></p> <p><span>"It's 3:30 right now.&nbsp; I want you to call every person on that list you gave me and tell them you have to meet with them.&nbsp; Today, at say, 5:30?"</span></p> <p><span>"But what should I tell them the meeting's about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Make up something, Warren.&nbsp; You deal in fairy tales for a living, it shouldn't be too difficult for you to come up with a new one.&nbsp; I believe in you and you can do it.&nbsp; Think about it for a while and when you come up with something, let me know what it is.&nbsp; Once we agree on the subject for the meeting, you can start making phone calls to get them here.&nbsp; Tell you what, let's set the time for 6:00.&nbsp; And to further entice them to attend, tell `em you're going to feed them supper."</span></p> <p><span>I left his office and stood in the corridor for a moment before returning the file in my hand to the cabinet in which it belonged.&nbsp; That done, I quickly checked the other nine drawers and all but the last drawer were completely full.&nbsp; The latest date on the files in the last drawer was less than two weeks ago.&nbsp; I closed all the drawers, inserted the steel bars and relocked all three cabinets.&nbsp; I then stepped outside to catch my breath for a minute while my people continued working inside.&nbsp; Taking advantage of the moment alone, I slipped the file from inside my coat, into my car and under the seat, then locked the door.&nbsp; I pulled my phone out of my pocket and sent a text message that read, `Have something for you.&nbsp; Will bring it by later.&nbsp; Don't call.'</span></p> <p><span>That done, I put my phone away and went back inside.&nbsp; Derek was walking down the corridor towards me with a look of earnestness in his eye.</span></p> <p><span>"What have you got for me, Derek?"</span></p> <p><span>"Judge Corgan says he'll have the warrants delivered here by 4:30 for all thirteen on the list plus any spouses they can find through a records search of marriage licenses.&nbsp; He's pulled out all the stops at the county building to get it all done in time, including cancelling his afternoon session.&nbsp; He's also going to send a few signed warrants with no name so if somebody unexpected shows, we can bring them in with the rest. Also, two vans and six cars including four from the city will be here at 5:00.&nbsp; I've also notified the surveillance team that our suspects will be moving shortly and if they go anywhere but here, to stop and arrest them.&nbsp; I'll call them back when we have a better idea what time they might be leaving home so they'll be ready to move."</span></p> <p><span>"Good work, Derek.&nbsp; You do realize the unholy mess we have on our hands, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely, sir."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, take Henry and get our vehicles out of sight.&nbsp; Especially the forensics van.&nbsp; Also, have the guards at the front door move into building a bit further so they're not visible to passers-by.&nbsp; No need to advertise our presence.&nbsp; While you two take care of that, I'm going back to talk to Warren, see if he's come up with a plausible idea to get the people on that list here."&nbsp; Derek corralled Henry and they headed out to move our cars next door.&nbsp; I found Warren in his office looking like the most miserable man on the planet.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Pastor, what have you come up with?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Sergeant Brock.&nbsp; My mind is a complete blank right now.&nbsp; I just can't understand how anybody can do what these animals have done.&nbsp; And in a house of worship, no less.&nbsp; I am utterly disgusted and bereft at the depths to which they've sunk.&nbsp; Hell, sir, was created by God to punish the sinners of this world, but I think even Hell is much too good for these people."</span></p> <p><span>"I certainly won't argue that point with you, Pastor.&nbsp; I had an idea I thought I'd toss out there and see what you think of it.&nbsp; What if you were to tell the individuals that thanks to their efforts, you've hit a fundraising goal of some kind and the dinner is to honor them for their good works."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think if I could just lie to them, Sergeant.&nbsp; I would be breaking one of the Ten Commandments by doing so."</span></p> <p><span>"Excuse me, Pastor, but isn't what they've done even worse?&nbsp; Isn't it worth breaking one to help right all the wrongs they've done to these children?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're right, of course.&nbsp; I will later ask God for forgiveness for my own sins to see justice is served.&nbsp; These people <i>have </i>been major donors to our church over the years, so a recognition dinner wouldn't be terribly out of line.&nbsp; I'll need Michelle's assistance to make this work.&nbsp; Will you allow her to do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"You can have Michelle and any of my people you need, Pastor.&nbsp; Let's get started."&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>Warren drafted Michelle and Kelly to set up the Fellowship Hall to resemble a dinner meeting, complete with tablecloths and place settings for the supposed guests of honor.&nbsp; While they got started on their task, he made his first call to one of our suspects while I sat across the desk and listened to his spiel.&nbsp; By the time he ended the call, I was somewhat impressed with the man's acting skills as he wheedled and cajoled the first of the `honorees' into canceling whatever plans they already had and had agreed to be here at 6:00 for the dinner.&nbsp; Warren continued down the list and when he reached the Mueller's, I paid special attention to the call because I wanted to make sure they were here.&nbsp; I had worried needlessly as Warren poured on the charm and soon had their commitment to attend, also.&nbsp; After forty-five minutes of phone calls filled with flattery, gushing appreciation and some of the most blatant lying I'd ever heard, Warren had managed to get all thirteen of the elders and their spouses to be present.</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent job, Pastor.&nbsp; If the preaching gig doesn't work out for you, you may want to consider a new career as an actor."</span></p> <p><span>"Please, Sergeant, there's no need to be nasty about this.&nbsp; I've done everything you've asked of me today, though I'm sure I'll be going to Hell for it."</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely not, you have just reserved your suite in heaven, Pastor.&nbsp; If your god would send you to Hell for stopping these people, then he doesn't deserve to be followed by good people like you.&nbsp; Let's go check on Michelle and Kelly."&nbsp; The two of us headed to the Fellowship Hall and found the two women rapidly converting the space into a fine banquet hall.&nbsp; Warren and I added our bodies to the process and in no time, the room was as ready as it ever would be.&nbsp; But something was missing, I just couldn't put my finger on it.</span></p> <p><span>Until Derek returned and commented, "Looks great in here, too bad it doesn't smell great."</span></p> <p><span>"What are you talking about, Deputy?"</span></p> <p><span>"How're you get these people to believe their here for a dinner when you can't smell any food?"</span></p> <p><span>I smacked myself on the forehead at what should have been the most obvious thing we'd missed.&nbsp; "Derek, if we pull this thing off tonight, I'm putting you in for a commendation for brilliant thinking under high stress situations.&nbsp; Get back on your phone and let dispatch know we need food of some kind delivered before 5:30. &nbsp;It can be anything, KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonald's for all I care, but whatever it is, it needs to smell good. Well, okay, <i>not</i> McDonald's, then."&nbsp; As Derek pulled his phone from his pocket and turned away to make the call, I turned to Warren and asked, "Do you have any small fans here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, Michelle and I each have one in our offices.&nbsp; Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"Your kitchen is over there behind the folding screen, right?"&nbsp; After receiving a nod from him, I continued.&nbsp; "We need to open that screen, just a foot or two, then place the fans in the gap with whatever food we get right behind them.&nbsp; The fans can then blow the odors out into the main room here."&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span>Warren's eye lit up with understanding and he turned to Michelle, "Go get our fans and get them in here and ready to go.&nbsp; Move it."&nbsp; With a quick nod, she left the hall and returned in just a few minutes with both fans as requested.&nbsp; We set up our deception rather quickly and were soon missing only the food.</span></p> <p><span>Derek came back to join us and said, "Food will be here about twenty after five, boss.&nbsp; That should give the fans plenty of time to spread the smells of dinner through the room."</span></p> <p><span>"Good.&nbsp; Let's think clearly for a few minutes, folks, and see if we've missed anything else."&nbsp; We all stood quietly in the Fellowship Hall and considered what we'd done so far and compared that to what we were trying to accomplish.</span></p> <p><span>Kelly was the first to break the silence.&nbsp; "I think the most obvious thing is we need to be out of sight when our suspects start arriving.&nbsp; In the building and close by, but still hidden."</span></p> <p><span>"Pastor?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"There's a large pantry in the back of the kitchen.&nbsp; It could hold eight or ten people, I suppose.&nbsp; And our <i>guests</i> would have no reason to go in there tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect.&nbsp; That's where we'll be.&nbsp; Once our guests, by the way, good word, Pastor, are all seated and ready to enjoy a delicious meal, I'll radio our vehicles it's time to move in.&nbsp; Then we'll come out and get to work.&nbsp; Kelly, Henry, I want you to set up a position at the doors leading towards the offices to keep anyone from going out that way. &nbsp;Barry, Andrew, I want you at the doors leading to the front entry.&nbsp; Zach and Perry will stay at the rear emergency exit from the kitchen.&nbsp; Derek and I will begin our arrests at the table nearest the kitchen and when our reinforcements arrive, they can work their way towards us.&nbsp; Anything else we need to do?"</span></p> <p><span>Perry piped up, "I think we should close the door to that room and lock the office just in case someone wanders before everyone is here."</span></p> <p><span>"Do it, Perry, and then get back here."</span></p> <p><span>Michelle offered, "What about place cards on the tables for each person?"</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent idea, Michelle.&nbsp; Can you take care of that, please?&nbsp; I have only one request.&nbsp; I want Frank and Iris Mueller to be seated as close as possible to the kitchen.&nbsp; I want them to be the first two we put cuffs on.&nbsp; CUFFS!" I yelled as I smacked my forehead, again.&nbsp; "Derek, were going to need a bunch more.&nbsp; I hate to have you do it, but run over to the car and grab that box of zip-tie wrist restraints from the trunk."&nbsp; Michelle and Derek disappeared to take care of their tasks.</span></p> <p><span>It was Warren's turn to speak up.&nbsp; "One thing we always do when we have meals such as this is we place an event-related bible verse at each place setting.&nbsp; I think if we don't have that, suspicions may be raised before you want."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you for thinking of that, Pastor.&nbsp; Can you think of any verse that would be appropriate to use for arresting a large group of pedophiles?"</span></p> <p><span>"Certainly not!&nbsp; Not in <i>my</i> Bible, anyway.&nbsp; However, I'm sure I can find something along the lines of words for the condemned.&nbsp; How does that sound?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oddly fitting.&nbsp; Please, do what you can.&nbsp; I want these guests completely unaware of what is about to happen."</span></p> <p><span>"I shall return shortly," he replied, then turned and went to his own office.</span></p> <p><span>"Barry, Andrew, what are you thinking?"</span></p> <p><a name="_Hlk492052457"><span>"Sounds like you got all the bases covered, boss."</span></a></p> <p><span>Michelle was the first to return and she began placing the name cards at each seat, ensuring the Muellers were seated where I'd requested.&nbsp; Derek came back next, panting again from running, with the wrist restraints and I had him put them in the pantry so they would be easy to grab when they were needed.&nbsp; He'd also met an officer at the door who was delivering our arrest warrants and those were left in the pantry with the restraints. After a few more minutes of waiting, Warren finally returned and he handed me a slip of paper.</span></p> <p><span>"What do you think of these selections, Sergeant Brock?"</span></p> <tabletable> <p><span>When he shall be judged, let him be&nbsp;</span><span>condemned<span>: and let his prayer become sin. - </span></span><a href="https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Psalms-109-7/" title="Psalms 109:7 - When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin."><span>Psalms 109:7</span></a></p> <p><span>For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be&nbsp;</span><span>condemned<span>. - </span></span><a href="https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-12-37/" title="Matthew 12:37 - For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."><span>Matthew 12:37</span></a></p> <p><span>For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin,&nbsp;</span><span>condemned<span>&nbsp;sin in the flesh: - </span></span><a href="https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Romans-8-3/" title="Romans 8:3 - For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:"><span>Romans 8:3</span></a></p> <p><span>I read his selections and nodded my approval with each one. "Fine selections, Pastor.&nbsp; Very appropriate to our circumstances."&nbsp; I handed the stack of verses to Michelle and asked, "Would you please make sure each seat has one of these, also? What else have we missed?"</span></p> <p><span>"I almost hate to mention this now, Sarge," Derek began, "but shouldn't we notify the FBI? This seems to be a rather large and organized group who are most certainly dealing in the child pornography trade."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure your right about that, Deputy, but it's way too late to try and get them involved now. Once we've made our arrests and all these people are adjusting to their new lodgings in the county jail, <i>then</i> we'll call the FBI and see if they want to take the reins. I'll be more than happy to turn the rest of the investigation and the prosecutions over to them. Not to mention trying to locate all the kids that have been victimized over the years. We're not equipped to handle what will essentially amount to 3000 plus missing persons cases."</span></p> <p><span>"Works for me, boss. Just tossin' ideas into the fan to see what flies."</span></p> <p><span>I looked at my watch and saw the time was 5:25. "Where's that damn food," I vented. "If they don't get here soon, we're gonna be screwed."</span></p> <p><span>"Please, Sergeant," Warren began, "despite current appearances, this is <i>still</i> a house of the Lord."</span></p> <p><span>"You're absolutely correct, Pastor. Please excuse my outburst."</span></p> <p><span>From the entry hall, we heard a yell, "Who ordered KFC to be delivered?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's about time," I yelled back. "Get in here." Four more cops walked into the hall, each loaded with buckets of chicken and tubs of mashed potatoes and gravy. "On the counter over there," I pointed. "Michelle, is there a large pan we can put the chicken on?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, follow me." I followed Michelle and the food into the kitchen. Michelle went to a cabinet by the ovens and retrieved two large baking sheets. We spread the chicken on one and potatoes and gravy on the other, then lined them up behind the two fans which were already running. As we returned to the main hall, we could already smell the scent of dinner wafting into the room.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for bringing the food, guys. Now, get outta here and wait until we call you back."</span></p> <p><span>"Whenever you're ready, Sergeant, just give three clicks on the radio and we'll be on the way."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it. When you meet the others, let them know." The four left us in the hall and returned to their cars. I turned to the others and asked, "Is everybody ready for this?" My people nodded they were, so I turned to Warren and Michelle, "What about you two? Can you do this?"</span></p> <p><span>"We can and we will. I am ashamed these people were members, elders even, of our church and I will be very happy to be rid of them. I fear what will happen to our congregation when news of these atrocities comes out."</span></p> <p><span>"I sympathize with you, Pastor, but let's not get the cart before the horse."</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't dream of it, sir. I just know what difficulties lie ahead for us."</span></p> <p><span>"What I'd like for you and Michelle to do is just mingle with the group as they come in, thank them for putting aside their other plans so they could join the dinner. When everyone's arrived, get them seated at their tables, then excuse yourselves to begin serving the meal. When you do that, come get us out of the pantry and we'll take over from there."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Sergeant Brock, for trusting us to assist you when you had no reason to do so. We truly appreciate having the opportunity to convince you that we knew nothing of what was going on right in front of our noses."</span></p> <p><span>I saw a flash of headlights in the corridor and knew it was time. I engaged the radio and said, "Looks like our first suspect, excuse me, <i>guest</i> has just arrived. Places everyone and be ready to move on my signal."</span></p> </tabletable></div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-56.html

Building a Family 56 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 56 � The End of the Road? A little earlier in the afternoon, at the ranch... "So, what did Steve have to say when you gave him Joey and Alex's notebooks?" I asked after Tom returned home from his morning errand. "What could he say? He just sat there, stunned and shaking his head in disbelief as he flipped through them. I don't think he's ever run into math whizzes like them before." "I know I've never seen anything like them in my life. I think they'll continue to surprise us as we watch them grow up." "I don't doubt that for a second." I looked over to Logan who was engrossed in his book and asked, "How're you liking the book so far?" He pulled his nose out of the book, looked at me and said, "This is cool. I can't he believe he just killed that one kid. And when he was only five or six. Knocked him on his ass and just kept kickin' him. I wanted to that to my daddy Saturday night." "Have you read enough to understand why he did it, though?" "Yeah, I think so. The kid was a bully and Ender wanted to fight him only once. So, he caused maximum damage to show the other bullies he wasn't gonna be messed with. I don't think Ender knew Stilson was dead, though." "What book did you give him, babe? Kids killin' kids? Sounds a little gruesome to me." "Ender's Game," I answered. "It does have some sick moments, but it's really about survival against all odds and all enemies, regardless of their size. I remember readin' it during the time the Muellers were abusing me. And while it didn't give me the courage to fight back like Ender did, it did give me the courage and desire to survive it all. It also gave me the courage to stand up to my parents when I told them I wasn't going to church with them any longer." "Well, I'm glad you found it when you did. If you hadn't, I still be just a poor, dumb schmuck tryin' to survive on a cop's salary, worried about gettin' to go back home in one piece every night. No, instead of that miserable existence, here I am, living in the lap of luxury." "Maybe poor, Tom, but never dumb or a schmuck." "I wish I could go to Battle School," Logan commented. "That sounds really cool, school in space." "Keep reading, young man." I turned to Tom and mused, "Speakin' of cops, I wonder what Dylan and Derek are doing? Do you think they were able to get the search warrant they needed?" "I don't have any idea, babe," Tom answered. "I can't imagine any judge who listened to any part of your story denying the warrant, but stranger things have happened. I'm sure we'll hear something when they have a chance." We all returned to our books as we waited for the boys to signal their return from school. Back at the church, a few hours later... I saw a flash of headlights in the corridor and knew it was time. I engaged the radio and said, "Looks like our first suspect, excuse me, guest, has just arrived. Places, everyone, and be ready to move on my signal." Warren and Michelle headed for the front door to greet whoever was arriving, while my group of eight turned to the kitchen and stuffed ourselves into the pantry. It was a bit tight with eight of us in the smallish space, but we'd survive it. We had nothing to do now but wait for Warren to come let us know when everyone was seated. By the time we heard a hand on the latch to the pantry door some twenty minutes later, the temperature inside the confining space had risen about fifteen degrees and we were beginning to become quite uncomfortable. We all heaved a huge sigh of relief when the door was finally pulled open and we could breathe normally again. "Okay, Sergeant Brock," Warren whispered. "Everyone is seated and from what Michelle and I could discern, no one suspects this get-together is anything more than a dinner at church with their friends. We'll stay out of your way and let do your job." "Thank you, Pastor. We'll try to make this quick." I looked at my team and raised my eyebrows to see if they were ready. After receiving nods from all, I clicked my radio three times to signal the others it was time to move in and received one acknowledgment click in return. I motioned for Perry and Zach to take their position at the kitchen door, then tapped the other four on their shoulders for them assume their assigned positions. Derek and I remained in the kitchen, watching our people move quietly across the hall, until the exits were secured. Many of the `guests' faces revealed mild surprise at the sudden appearance of four uniformed police at their dinner, while a handful or others registered nothing less than stark terror. Once our team was in position, Derek and I walked out of the kitchen. Several of the `guests' recognized me from charitable functions and began to point at us and whisper amongst themselves as we quietly stalked our way across the room to stand behind Frank and Iris. Frank was just starting to turn his head to look behind him when I put a hand on his shoulder. When he felt the contact, he whipped his head on around and looked up to see who was there. I saw a flash of recognition in his eyes that quickly morphed into something for which no words could ever do justice. It was mixture of terror, defeat, anger, defiance, all rolled into one hideously ugly countenance. "Good evening, Mr. Mueller. Pleasure to see you, again. Nice to see you, too, Mrs. Mueller. We're so glad you could join us on this very special occasion," I said in greeting, with my most polite voice. "What are you doing here, you unholy faggot lover?" "I'm here to tell you and all your friends that your days as child rapists and sex abusers are at an end." "I don't know what you're talking about," Frank protested. "Sure, you do, Frank. There's no point trying to lie your way out of it. I know what's inside the file cabinets in the office just down the hall over there. I've seen the room where you forced children to do things no civilized human would ever do. I found the camera hidden in the wall all of you used to record your sick and sordid activities. I have an interview with one of your victims, recorded for posterity, where he explains in graphic detail the hell you and your wife put him through. By the time we get done with you and your friends here, you're going to wish you'd never been born." I could see his resolve melt with each statement and by the time I was ready to utter my final statement, he'd wilted like a flower in the middle of an August drought. "Frank Mueller, I'm placing you under arrest for multiple counts of child abuse, sexual assault of a minor, child endangerment, unlawful detainment, kidnapping and whatever else we can think of. Stand up you sickening sack of shit." "What's going on here?" came a voice from the other side of the room. "Please, sir, take your seat. Your turn's coming," I called back. Several other guests stood and searched for an open exit. But when they realized they'd all been blocked, they sat back down and nervously awaited their fates. Looking utterly defeated, he placed his hands on the table and slowly levered himself upright. When I started to place the cuffs around his left wrist, his right hand suddenly left the tabletop, aimed directly at my face. I dodged the shot, and, since I already had his left hand in my grasp, I spun him back around and slammed his face into the table. "Frank, Frank, Frank. I tried to be nice, polite even, and you just had to go and ruin it." By now, Iris was screaming at full volume, going on and on about police brutality and how she was going to sue the department, blah, blah, blah. After both of Frank's arms were pulled behind his back and the cuffs securely locked around both wrists, I planted his sorry ass back in his chair. "Don't move a muscle you disgusting pile of filth," I growled. I then turned to the screaming hyena named Iris and roared right back at her, "Shut your pie-hole you ignorant, child abusing bitch!" Amazingly, she did just that as she sat there, stunned that someone would ever deign to give back what she dished out. "Stand up, Iris." When she hesitated, Derek, um, assisted her. While he held her in place, I slipped a brand-new pair of shiny silver bracelets around her wrists, all the while telling her she was also under arrest for the same charges as her husband. Derek then assisted her, none too gently, as she sat back down. I turned back to Frank and lifted his chin so I could see his face. Upon seeing the blood flowing freely from his nose, across his lips and dripping off his chin onto what I was sure was his Sunday best white shirt, I said, "Oh, my, I am so sorry Mr. Mueller, but it appears you've somehow broken your nose. Well, look at it this way, it could always be worse. Guess you should be glad I didn't decide to turn you into a eunuch with a dull and rusty knife." I finally turned my attention to the rest of the gathering and discovered my timing was impeccable as our reinforcements had arrived and were streaming into the room. I held up a hand to have them stop where they were. I then announced, "All of you are being arrested for the same charges as Frank and Iris Mueller, child abuse, sexual assault of a minor, child endangerment, unlawful detainment, and kidnapping. Please remain in your seats and we will be with you shortly to handcuff and lead you from the building. Your next stop will be the county building for booking. If anyone resists, you will be treated accordingly. Mr. Mueller, here, is an example of what could happen if you decide to be uncooperative. Get to work, guys and gals, everyone goes out of here in handcuffs, or wrist restraints if we run out of cuffs." I stood back and supervised as the remaining twenty-four submitted to their fates, most calmly, but there were a few others, like Frank, who didn't appreciate missing out on their free dinner. Nothing too serious, though, as, apparently, nobody else wanted to see what a broken nose, or worse, felt like. It took almost forty-five minutes to corral all twenty-six individuals, but when the whole group had been loaded into vehicles like cattle going off to be slaughtered, Derek and I found Warren and Michelle waiting calmly in the kitchen. "Pastor, we're done here for tonight. However, we'll be back tomorrow to continue our work in that office and the room below it. We'll be removing the materials from the file cabinets and obtaining evidence in the form of fingerprints and body fluids. We will also assist in putting your Fellowship Hall back to normal if you'd like. We will make every attempt to minimize our impact on your lives as we continue our investigation, but I can't make any guarantees. One request I have for you is to give me your key to that office. It's a crime scene and we need to control access to it until we are done here." Warren reached into his pocket, pulled out his keys and removed the offending key from the rest before pressing it into my hand. "Thank you, sir. I want to thank you both for your help tonight. I truly hated to draft you into our nightmare and have you deceive people you thought you knew, but I felt it was best to get them all at one time and this seemed like the best way and place to do it. Had we tried to arrest them at their homes or elsewhere, it's possible that word of what was happening would have spread before we could have found them all. The risk of any one of them taking off was more than I was willing to allow. You have performed a great service to your church and your community and I intend to see you are recognized for your efforts. Before we go, is there anything we can do for you?" "Will you please pray for our souls for allowing such wickedness to occur?" "I will be happy to do so, Pastor." "What should we do with all this food?" Michelle asked. "It seems such a waste to just throw it out." "You might try one of the soup kitchens for the homeless downtown or the Salvation Army. I'm sure they would make good use of whatever you want to give them. We're going to get out of your way now. Please, go home and rest, for tomorrow's another day. And if you need anything, don't hesitate to call Derek or myself." Derek and I turned and left the church, leaving Warren and Michelle to begin dealing with the fallout that was sure to come their way. As we settled in our car and buckled in, I said, "Now, that was a good day's work, Derek. Makes all those other days of doing nothing much seem worthwhile, doesn't it?" "What happens now, boss?" "Tomorrow, we come back and clean out that office. There are thousands of files in those cabinets. Every one of them is a kid who's been abused and had their lives screwed up by all those people. Some of them may remember it and just never said anything to anyone. I'd imagine quite a few have done what Max did, blocked it out. But, we still owe it to every one of them to let them know their abusers have been caught and will pay for what they've done." "I'm not looking forward to that, Sarge. Opening old wounds, forcing people to relive that shit. After seein' what it's done to Max, I can't imagine the reaction some of these others will have." "It's not going to be pretty, but it still needs to be done. The thing I want to find out is how and when this all got started. The oldest file I saw is over thirty years old and the most recent is two weeks. And that room had to be created when the church was built, so, to me, it sounds like the pastor at that time knew what was going on and was probably involved. We have to locate him, too." "What if he's already dead?" "Then good riddance to bad rubbish." We drove the rest of the way through town to the county building in silence. As we walked into our office, there was a line of suspects against the wall waiting their turn to be processed. I walked up to Kelly who was in charge for the moment and said, "Make sure these individuals are treated properly. I don't want to have to worry about lawsuits for excessive force or anything else. Also, we may have to move around some of the other inmates already inside to make room for all these new people. I want them in a safe location, so no other prisoner can get to them. Understood?" "Absolutely, Sarge. Kid gloves, I promise." "Good work, tonight, Kelly. Pass that on to everyone who was there to help." "You got it. Thanks, boss." I turned to head for my office and almost ran over Derek who had snuck up behind me. "Damn it, Derek, don't do that." "Sorry, boss," he chuckled as if he wasn't sorry at all. "What do you want me to do?" "Go home, give your wife and kiddos a kiss and some hugs and enjoy a peaceful evening with your family. Tomorrow, the real work begins." "Thank you, sir. See you in the morning." Derek turned and took a hike just as quickly as his feet could carry him. I started leave also, but turned back at the last minute to give a few more instructions to Kelly. "Kelly, a moment of your time, please." We walked a few feet away before I continued. "It's going to take several hours to get all of these people through intake and settled into their new accommodations. Send somebody out to McDonald's, Hardees or Wendy's and have them get some food. They did miss their supper, after all. Raid petty cash, take up collection, whatever. Just make sure I get the receipt so whoever pays can be reimbursed." "Yes, sir. Anything else?" "You know we normally separate the men and women into different cells. If couples want to stay together tonight, I'm fine with that and we'll deal with splitting them up tomorrow." "Aw, aren't you the sweetheart?" "Not really. I really couldn't care less, but for most of them, this will be their last night together. I'll let `em have that. See ya' tomorrow." With that, I turned and left the building. I still had one more stop to make before I could go home. After climbing in my car, I pulled my phone out and sent another quick text, `On my way. Half-hour.' Meanwhile, back at the ranch... "That was a good supper, bubba. Thanks for cooking again, today," I complimented Tom. "No problem. You feeling any better?" "I'm awake, if that's what you mean? That's a whole lot better than earlier today." "Hey, Dad," Alex started, "You were gonna talk to Mr. Brock today, weren't you?" "I was and I did." "How'd it go?" Joey asked. "It was pretty rough reliving what I went through, but I managed to get through it in one piece, thanks to Pops sticking beside me. If he hadn't been there, I don't know..." "So, what do they do now?" "They'll have to search the church, talk to a lot of people to see who knows what, all kinds of things." "Well, when will the Muellers go to jail?" Alex asked. "It'll be months before that happens, guys. The police have to do their job first, then turn everything over to attorneys who'll decide what charges to press, next they go to a grand jury to get indictments, then they get arrested. Once all that's done, they'll finally go to trial, and if the police and the attorneys do their jobs properly, the jury will say they're guilty and finally, after months and months of legal maneuvering and wrangling, they'll actually get sent to prison." "Geez, that sounds ridiculous," Logan commented. "After what I heard this morning, why not just get it over with quick and shoot `em now?" "As good an idea as that is, Logan, that's not the way the justice system works." "What do you mean `heard', Logan," Joey asked. "Oops, shouldn't a said that." "What's he talkin' `bout, Dad?" Alex asked. "Logan managed to listen to my conversation with Dylan and Derek this morning." "WHAT!? How come he got hear everything and we didn't?" Joey yelled. "Because I didn't know he was doing it. He was sitting on the floor of your room, just inside the door." "That's not fair, we wanted you to tell us everything, but you wouldn't." "Dudes!" Logan yelled, "Chill out. Trust me, you don't want to know. It's some really sick shit." "Listen up, all of you," Tom interjected. "We didn't want Logan to know any more than the rest of you do. We can't help that he eavesdropped. And just because he did, don't expect to learn anything more. It's not gonna happen. Now, we're gonna quit talkin' about it and move on, got it?" "Yeah, we got it, Pops," Joey answered. "Don't like it much, but hey, we're just kids. Guess we don't count," Alex bemoaned. "Boys," I started, "you count more than you'll ever know. If you weren't here right now to help me through this, I'd be completely lost. I need all of you to guide me, to give me a reason to keep fighting. Promise me you'll do that." "I will, Dad," Mike chirped. "Me, too," Andy added. "Three," came from Alex. T.J. offered up, "Four." "Five," said Joey. "Six?" Logan asked. "You bet, buddy. I'll take all the help I can get," I responded while ruffling his hair. "Now, can we please do something besides talk about my past?" I begged. "I cast my vote for a swim. Who's with me?" Tom offered. With cheers of agreement from all, we grabbed towels and headed outside. The boys immediately jumped in and started playing as they usually do while Tom and I headed for deeper and calmer waters at the opposite end of the pool. We'd been settled in for about fifteen minutes, just enjoying watching the boys' antics, when the drive sensor announced someone coming in. I looked at Tom and asked, "You expecting anyone?" "Nope, you?" "Not hardly." "I'll see who it is and get rid of them," Tom offered. He got out of the pool, grabbed a towel and did a quick dry off before wrapping the towel around his waist and heading to the house. Since you can see the front door of the house from the pool, I watched intently as Tom walked through the living room and opened it. I was amazed to see Dylan filling the doorway as Tom let him in. I jumped out of the pool and as I headed to grab my own towel, I called out, "Boys, out of the pool, please." "But we just got in!" Joey yelled back. "I know, but Dylan's here and I have go see what's going on." "Woo-hoo!" T.J. squealed. "Is he here to swim, too?" "I don't think so," I answered while drying off. "Can you all sit at the table and chat for a bit, please? Tom and I will be back out soon." "But we wanna say hi," Mike whined. "And you will, right after Tom and I have talked to him. I promise, okay?" "Okay," they all moaned. "Thanks, guys. We'll be back soon." I wrapped the towel around me and ran into the house. "Dylan, what are you doing here?" "Didn't Tom tell you I was coming? I sent him a text." "Whoops, sorry, Sarge. I left the phone in the bedroom." "No problem. I've got some news for you and I thought you'd like to hear it straight from the horse's mouth. Can we sit?" "Sure." As we head headed to the living room, Dylan commented, "Nice wraps, guys. Very, uh, manly," he chuckled. "Ha-ha, very funny, smartass, uh, boss," Tom laughed. "Thanks, I try. And I'm not your boss any more, or did you forget you quit?" he cracked as we took our seats. "Please, please, please, tell me you have good news," I begged. "Oh, I could, but I'd be lyin' to ya'." My face sagged as I muttered several unintelligible bad words. "No, what I have is great news." I lifted my head back up and waved my hands telling him to spit it out already since I'd seemed to have lost my voice. "Frank and Iris are now long-term guests of the county jail. Looks like it's the end of the yellow-brick road for them," he grinned. "Wha ... already ... how!?" "I'd like to say it was brilliant police work, but these people were dumb." "What do you mean, `these people'?" "Let me back up a couple of hours and start over. It'll make a lot more sense to ya'." Dylan spent the next half-hour telling us how he, Derek and the others had spent the afternoon and early evening. I was absolutely floored when he told us about the file cabinets and their contents, let alone the other twenty-four people who were arrested with the Muellers. I was also petrified at the possibility there were pictures of me floating around out there somewhere and only god, scumbag that he is, knew where. When Dylan finally wound down, he paused for a moment and then added, "Oh, here, I have something for you." He reached into his coat, pulled out a file and handed it to me. A quick peek at the label on the folder told me I wanted nothing to do with it and I passed it on to Tom. Tom took one look at the label, nodded gravely, then shoved the folder under his leg. "Uh, I hate to ask the obvious question, Dylan, but aren't you gonna be in deep shit for tampering with evidence?" Tom asked. "Who the fuck's gonna know? Nobody saw me take it, I made sure of that. As far as I'm concerned right now, that folder and what's in it doesn't exist and never did. There're so many more, nobody's going to miss one. I figure I owe you that for helping us nail these fuckers." "You didn't look inside?" I asked. "Only for a moment, Max, just long enough to be pretty sure it was yours. I didn't want to invade your privacy any more than absolutely necessary." "So, you don't know for sure that the pictures inside are me." "No, I don't. I'm pretty sure they are, but not absolutely positive. I have no clue what you looked like back then." "Give it to me, Tom." "You sure about that?" After a curt nod from me, he pulled the file from under his leg and passed it back. I flipped the file open and was horrified at the contents. There were ten pictures of me, Frank and Iris engaged in a wide variety of sex acts and not just one, or even two DVDs, but three of the damn things. I could only imagine what those discs contained and it was making me sick. After a few moments, I closed the folder, handed it back to Tom and he stuffed it back under his leg. "Yep, it's me, all right. Those fucking scumbags! I can't believe this fuckin' shit! First, they rape me for what seems like forever, and even now, they're still fucking with my life. Is there any way to know who else might have these?" I asked. "The truth? Probably not, Max," Dylan admitted. "We're going back in tomorrow to remove the other files and whatever else we can find. I didn't search the desk today, but will be doing that tomorrow, also. I'm pretty sure there's a computer inside the desk since the cable from the camera was run through the side of it. It has to be connected to something. I'm hoping we'll find some type of financial records in the desk or computer that will lead to others." "What's going to happen to everything you find?" "Well, we're going to turn it all over the FBI and let them deal with it. There's just way too much material for our department to deal with alone. I'm going to leave it up to them to track down all these kids, many of whom are obviously adults by now. Since I'm sure we're dealing with an international child pornography ring, investigative agencies all around the world will be getting involved." "Oh, christ! Are you sure this is the only file with my name on it?" "I'm assuming so. I didn't see any other files with duplicate names and by the date range on the label, since it covers almost three years, I'm pretty sure that's the only one you have to worry about." "But since the investigation was started because of information from me, won't it be obvious to someone, somewhere, that there's no file that matches the name on the tape." "I'll cross that bridge when and if we ever get to it. I know you want to dispose of that file as quickly as possible, but I have to ask you to hold on to it for a while, just in case." "I don't know how I can ever thank you Dylan." "Don't worry about it. I'm just doing my job and you made it easy for once. Well, those idiots did, too. I couldn't believe how stupid they were to keep all that shit in the church. Oh, there's one other tidbit I forgot to tell you that I think you're really gonna like." "What's that?" I asked. "Frank was the first person I tried to cuff. He, uh, wasn't being very cooperative and in the ensuing scuffle, I kinda broke his nose when I slammed his face into the table," Dylan said with an evil smile. "Too bad you didn't just kill the bastard." "I thought about it, believe me, but figured the piece of shit wasn't worth losing my job over." "No, you're right, of course. We appreciate you coming back out tonight to tell us what's happened. It's a huge load off my mind. Just knowing I'll never have to worry about them again is such a relief. Of course, them getting arrested tonight means they'll probably never pay the hotline." "I've got an idea on that," Dylan responded. "I don't know if the county's ever done it before, but I'm going to check into having a lien placed on their home and any other assets we can locate. Considering the size and scope of this thing, they almost have to be sitting on a fairly large amount money. Finding it could be difficult, but I won't stop until I do." "Good thinking. As much as I want to see them in prison, I want those damages paid. I'll check with James in the morning, see if he can help you with that since he was going to be working on it anyway." "That'd be great, Max. Well look, I better get going," Dylan said as he stood up. "I just wanted to give you the good news and that file." "Oh, no you don't, you're not getting out of here that easy. We have six boys just dying to say hi. Tom, why don't you put that in the safe and I'll take Dylan out to see the boys." "You got it, babe. Be out there in just a minute." Tom headed to the bedroom while Dylan and I went out to the pool. Bedlam reigned as soon as I opened the door to the shelter and all six lads scampered across the deck and wrapped Dylan in hugs. "Hey, Mr. Brock. How ya' doin?" Joey asked. "You wanna go swimmin'?" T.J. begged. "I'm good and I think I'll take a pass on swimmin' tonight. I need to get home and relax," he answered. "Oh, c'mon, Mr. Brock," Alex cajoled. "What's more realxin' than takin' a swim?" "He does have a point, Dylan," I commented. "Oh, what the hell, y'all talked me into it," he relented. He'd just started getting undressed when Tom rejoined us. "You're gonna join us, I see," Tom chuckled. "You know I can't say no to these munchkins," Dylan laughed. "Hey, we're not munchkins anymore," Joey complained. "We're nine now, ya' know." "I seem to recall something about that since I was here for your party," Dylan laughed. As he finally removed his boxers, Logan's eye shot open in surprise and I caught him whisper to Alex and Joey, "Holy shit, man, his dick's huge!" I couldn't stifle my laugh. As we walked to the pool, Joey asked, "So, what'd you do today, Mr. Brock?" "I arrested the Mueller's and put `em jail." "No shit!" Alex yelled. "No shit, guys. They're gonna go away for a lo-o-o-ng time." "Thanks, Mr. Brock," T.J. responded. "Maybe Dad can start workin' towards gettin' better, now." "I hope so, too, son," I said as I wrapped an arm around his shoulder and gave him a light squeeze. Once we were all in the water, the boys paired up and began their assaults, Joey and Logan going after Dylan, Alex and Andy coming after me and T.J. and Mike attacking Tom. We allowed the boys to frolic and have some fun for half an hour before I was worn out and excused myself from the melee and headed for calmer waters. Tom and Dylan followed suit and soon the three of us were comfortably ensconced in a corner well away from the sensational six-pack. "Damn, those guys give you a helluva workout, don't they?" "That they do," Tom agreed. "I could almost give up goin' to the `Y' to work out." "I'm sure the boys would welcome you with open arms." "I gotta ask, though, are they always hard as nails like that?" "When we're in the pool, pretty much," I answered. "Oh, to be young and carefree, again," Dylan opined. "Look I gotta tell you two somethin'," he started with a sheepish grin. "Ever since that first night I came out here and told y'all about Malcom, I can't get him out of my head." Tom and I exchanged a furtive glance, but said nothing. "I never really realized how much I miss that dude. I've done a little searchin' for him since then, but can't seem to find a trace of his sorry ass. You guys know a competent investigator who could help me out? I'm willing to pay." "Well, my office isn't ready yet, but when it is in a couple weeks, I could spend some spare time helpin' you out," Tom deadpanned. "Really, you'd do that?" "I'd be happy to, boss. Everybody deserves to have some happiness in their lives, even crusty old dudes like you." "What the hell you takin' `bout, `crusty old dudes'?" Dylan asked indignantly. "I'm only a couple years older than your fianc�." "Yeah, I know. He's a crusty old dude, too," Tom answered with a laugh. I splashed water into Tom's face and when he quit sputtering, he continued, "But I don't love him any less because of it." "You two really are good together, you know that, don't you? It's almost like you complete each other." "I knew that the moment we met at the Mueller's," I responded. "That's why I asked Tom to marry me. I know to everyone else it seems like we're rushing into it, but we know we're not. We really have known each other forever, it just took us a while to find the one we're supposed be with." "I'm really happy for both of you. I can tell you're going to have a good and fulfilling life." "Once my `drain bamage' is fixed, we will. I've got some work ahead of me to get my life back from Frank and Iris, but I'm gonna do it, come hell or high water. Having Tom here to help guide me through that process and the support of the boys and our parents will help." "Wish I could expect a happy ending for me, too, but I just don't see that happening." "Give yourself some time, man," Tom replied. "Remember, patience is a virtue." "Guess I ain't too virtuous, then, `cause I got no patience," Dylan laughed. "It'll happen, eventually," I said. "Well, look, I appreciate the swim and relaxation, but I gotta get my tired ass home. Tomorrow's gonna be a long damn day and I need some sleep." We climbed out of the water and I called to the boys, "C'mon guys. You need to say goodbye to Dylan and then hit the showers. We'll have a snack when you're cleaned up." They all moaned in defeat, but didn't argue as they climbed out of the water. We met at the table to grab towels and started drying off. While we were doing that, Dylan asked, "How you doin' tonight, Logan?" "Eh, better I guess. At least I can sit down without my ass hurtin'. I still look kinda raccoonish, though," he giggled. "Hey, did you talk to my old man today?" "I'm sorry, Logan, I didn't have time. I will tomorrow, though, I promise." "Thanks, Sergeant Brock." Dylan wrapped his clothes into a ball, tucked them under his arm and said, "Well, I'm outta here guys. I'll talk to y'all later." "Wait," Logan started, "you ain't gettin' dressed?" "Nope." "Damn, wish I could that. Drivin' `round naked sounds like fun." "It is. Someday, you'll get to find out." "Wait, Dylan," I called out before he could move. I stepped over to him, stood on my toes to make myself tall enough, wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a little peck on the cheek. "Thanks for believing in me and what you did today. It really means a lot. Maybe I can finally start putting all this shit behind me." "Happy to do it. I'll call you tomorrow and let you know what's goin' on." With that, he turned and led the way to the house. As we crossed through the house, they boys all gave Dylan a hug before they turned towards their rooms to get cleaned up. Once they'd disappeared down the hall, Tom and I followed Dylan to the door and let him out. When he was in the car and pulling away, Tom turned to me and said, "That was pretty ballsy of you." "What?" I asked innocently. "Givin' my old boss a hug and a kiss, right in front of me." "I was just telling him thanks, Tom, no reason to get all jealous." "I'm just hopin' you saved some for me," he pouted. Without delay, I dropped my towel on the floor, wrapped my arms around my big teddy bear, and kissed him passionately, tongue darting between his lips as I did. I could feel his interest, among other things, rising the longer we kissed. We were still standing at the front door, lost in each other's embrace, when we heard a cough and Joey's voice piped up from behind us, "Oh, geez, they're at it again. Would you two get a room already?" We separated and turned as one to find Joey, Alex and Logan headed to the kitchen for their snack. "And would you put those things away, please? There's young children present," Alex laughed. "Not like you three have a lot of room to talk, is there? Maybe you should put yours away. There's old farts here, ya know? What makes you think we want to see that?" They all looked down and immediately started laughing, "No, I guess not," Alex giggled. "Besides, we know you two like lookin' at us when we're hard." I shook my head chidingly, knowing we'd just crossed a line with Logan being there. "Don't worry `bout it, Dad. He's cool." I turned to Tom, "Let's get our own shower so we can get their snacks and put them to bed." "Don't take forever in there," Joey yelled at our backs with a laugh as we retreated to our room. In our shower, we got busy washing off the pool and Tom said, "I need to tell you somethin'." "What? That you really are jealous of Dylan?" "Oh, hell no, that didn't bother me at all. No, and I don't want you to be pissed at me or nothin', either." I gave him a strange look before he continued, "Before I put that folder in the safe, I looked in it," he said, hanging his head in shame. "That's all right, big guy. I'd be more surprised if you hadn't. You had to be curious." "Well, yeah, I was. And as sickening as those pictures are, I gotta tell ya', you were one hot little fucker. That one shot of just you, naked, hard and hairless, I really like that one. One look at that one and I was hard, just like that," he said as he snapped his fingers. "That's what took me so long to join you guys at the pool. I had to will myself soft, again, and it wasn't easy to do." "I guess I should accept that as a compliment, though considering the circumstances of when those pictures were taken, it's a bit difficult to do." "I know that, and that's what's freakin' me out a bit. I know what was goin' on, but I can't get over how cute you were." "I'd like to think I'm still kinda cute," I retorted with a bit of a pout. "Oh, you are, in spades, but ..." "But what?" "I don't know, babe, that's my problem. I'm startin' to think I'm just like them, Frank and Iris, and all their sick friends." "Oh, no you don't. You would never do what they did. Do you remember what you said to me the other night? What they did came from hate and the feeling of power they had, not love, and that's the difference between them and us. We know that if anything happens between us and our sons, it's going to come from our love for each other and it's going to be something they want, that they've asked to share something special with us. It's not going to be something only we want and we won't ever force them to do anything they don't want to." "You seem so sure about that. How?" "Because, even as sick and twisted as my mind is, I know I could never, ever hurt another person the way I was. I won't allow myself to repeat that. I will never dictate the terms because if I do that, then I'm no better than they are. Our sons will tell us what they want, and, if it's reasonable, I'll think about it. If they ask for something I know will inflict pain or damage, it won't happen, no matter how much they might beg for it." "You make it sound so simple." "And I know it really isn't, but that's the way it has to be." "Agreed. Hey, we better get out of here before they come lookin' for us." We quickly rinsed off, dried ourselves and joined the boys in the kitchen. All six were lined up on the five stools, patiently awaiting our return. We set them up with some milk and cookies and they wasted no time inhaling them. Typical eating machines, and now we have six of them. Time for another visit to the grocery store. With their plates and glasses empty and bellies full again, they rinsed everything and dropped it in the dishwasher. "Y'all go get in bed and we'll be in soon to say goodnight," Tom said. "We knew that, Pops. We're goin'." T.J. cracked. The sensational six-pack headed towards their rooms without further comment. Tom and I were quite content to stand there and watch those six beautiful behinds jiggle and shake all the way across the house until they disappeared into the hallway. I wondered what it would be like to have ten, twelve or even more to watch and I shivered as the image flashed through my brain. We finished cleaning up the kitchen while we gave the boys a few minutes to go to the bathroom one more time and climb in bed before we followed in their footsteps. We stopped in Mike, Andy and T.J.'s room first and they were all curled up in the middle of the bed, waiting for the covers to be pulled up. We quickly took care of that task, then leaned in from each side of the bed to exchange hugs, kisses, love yous and goodnights. As we left the room, I said, "Sleep well guys, we love you," then turned out the light and closed the door. "Those three look so cute and innocent when they cuddle under the covers like that." "Looks can be deceiving, big guy. Didn't you see the hands roaming under the covers?" "No! How the hell did I miss that?" "Not a clue, but it was happening. I think those three are about to catch up to their brothers in experience," I chuckled. We entered the other bedroom currently in use to find Alex, Logan and Joey quietly enjoying each other's bodies. While not a big surprise, I cleared my throat to get their attention and after Logan had scrambled to cover up, I asked, "Logan, are you sure you're okay with this? The twins aren't pushing you into doing things you don't want, are they?" "Oh, no sir! Besides, this is nothin' compared to what we did in the shower yesterday, and that was loads of fun. I ain't never felt so good as I did after that." "Is that why you all were gigglin' your butts off when I came in to get ya'?" Tom asked. "No, that was just `cause of somethin' Logan said after," Alex giggled. "I don't need to hear it, okay?" I replied. "Logan, I'm glad you're enjoying your stay here, but just remember, you can say `no' to anything at any time." "Thanks, Max, but I don't think I need to worry `bout that. They've always asked before they done anything. And I ain't said no yet," he added with a grin and a giggle. "But I am learnin' some really cool things." "That's good to hear, I think. Do you think you're going to school tomorrow?" "I might as well. My eyes aren't as bad as they were. I think I'll be okay." "That's fine, but if you change your mind in the morning, let me know. Now get over here so we can get our hugs." All three waddled over on their knees, their erections bouncing freely with each movement. When they reached the two of us, they pulled us in for their hugs. When I started to kiss Alex's forehead, he suddenly lifted his face so I ended up kissing him on the lips. He eagerly returned the kiss, slipping his tongue through my lips as he did. I hadn't expected that and my reaction to it was sudden and uncontrollable as I rose to the occasion and started to stab Alex's bellybutton with my engorged cock. As I broke the lad's assault on my mouth, I looked to Tom and saw he was getting the same treatment from Joey, resulting in the same reaction for him. From somewhere in the middle of the mish-mash of bodies came this small, muffled voice, "Hey where's my kiss?" Logan begged. Tom and I turned our attention to Logan and planted a kiss on each cheek. "There, you happy now?" Tom asked. "Yeah, thanks. I love you guys, too." "Thanks, Logan. Now, all three of you, lay down so we can get the covers pulled up." They crawled to middle of the bed and curled up together, Logan in the middle of a twin sandwich. Thinking of where those erections were now nestled kept me inflated as we pulled up the covers, turned out the light and closed the door behind us. "I wonder what that was all about," Tom commented as we headed to the living room to relax. "Not a freakin' clue, big guy, but I'll admit, it piqued my interest." "It piqued a hell of lot more than my interest." "I can see that. Hell, the neighbors we don't have can see that," I laughed. I tossed a log in the fireplace and got a small fire going to help keep us warm while we read for a while. Though, after that last goodnight experience, we were both already pretty hot. "So, what do ya' think, Logan," Alex whispered. "That was pretty cool. I didn't think you'd really do it." "You said you wanted to see `em boned up. Now tell us why," Joey whispered. "Well, this is gonna sound stupid, but I seen my daddy naked a bunch, but never with a hardon. I just wanted to see how big it might get when he's hard." "And?" Alex asked. "When he's soft, I'd say he's between your dad and your pops, so probably `bout the same hard, in the middle somewhere." "That still doesn't answer the question dude. Why you so interested?" Alex asked. "Yeah, okay. My old man don't hardly talk to me `bout nothin, right? Homework, chores, how my day was, what's on TV, nothin' I tell ya'. How the hell am I s'posed to ask him about shit like that? I know some of what's comin' in a couple years when we all start changin', but I wanna know it all before it starts. And if I ask him `bout it, knowin' what he thinks about guys like you and your dads, he'd pro'lly think I was gay, too, and try to beat it outta me." "Now, what about our question," Joey asked. "Oh, yeah, that. I think you can forget your pops. If he tried to fuck you, he'd rip you wide open. No, his dick's way too big around for your tiny assholes. Now, your dad, that's another story. He's plenty long but he ain't that big around. I think if you work your way up to three or four fingers, he'd slide in real smooth and easy." "You sure you're not gay?" Joey asked. "You seem to be enjoying the last couple days. A lot. And it sounds like you know a lot more about guys fucking guys than a straight kid should know or even think about." "Like you said, I'm just gettin' off. And damn, it does feel good. But when I play with it at home, I always have one of my daddy's dirty mags, and I'm beatin' off lookin' at titties and pussies. He's even got a couple of gay mags mixed in with the others. Not a clue why, but I've read some of the stories in `em so, yeah, I pro'lly know more than any of the other guys in our class. The pictures just don't do nothing nothin' for me. No, naked chicks are what gets me hard." "That ain't all that gets you goin', dude," Alex whispered in response as he wrapped a hand around Logan's erection and prodded at his hole with his own stiff member. "M-m-m-m, that does feel good," Logan moaned, "but damn near anything that feels good will get me boned up. You, too, obviously," he added as he grabbed Joey's hardness and started to stroke him. "But you liked havin' Alex's dick up your ass, dude, and that's about as gay as it gets," Joey countered. "That may be, but it also felt great. Felt better than his finger. I never dreamed stickin' something in your ass could do that to ya'. When I get to move back home with daddy, I'll have to find somethin' so I can do it to myself." "You can come here any time you want, and we'll fill your ass for you," Alex said. "Don't fuckin' tempt me, man. Wait, on second thought, why don't I roll over so Joey can fuck me this time and I can fuck you." Alex and Joey loved the suggestion and places were swapped around to properly arrange themselves. As hard dicks were slipped into willing assholes, moans of intense pleasure escaped all three boys. Logan snaked an arm over Alex's side so he could play with his otherwise unoccupied pecker. For the next twenty minutes, they rocked and rolled their way to sweet bliss. After all three had achieved their release, they quickly fell asleep, dicks still buried deep in an ass and Alex's gently wrapped in his friend's hand. "Hey, you guys hear that?" T.J. whispered to his bedmates. "What?" Mike asked. "Don't tell me you can't hear the other three gruntin', groanin' and moanin' from down the hall. They must be really goin' at it." "I can hear `em," Andy said. "Sounds like it's comin' from the vent in the floor." "Well, I don't know `bout you two, but I got a boner from hearin' them do it," T.J. giggled. "Who wants to help me make it go away?" "I'll suck yours if you'll suck mine," Mike answered. "But if you two are suckin' each other, who's gonna do me?" Andy whined. "Okay, how `bout we do it this way?" T.J. asked. "Mike can suck me, I'll suck Andy and you can suck on Mike's noodle. Does that work?" "Yeah," Andy answered. "Let's do it," Mike added. The three quickly rearranged themselves and soon, faces were buried in crotches and the small, stiff cocklets located there were hidden from view as they were swallowed whole. As the threesome continued to pleasure each other, T.J. decided to try something new. He let one of his hands roam around to Andy's backside and he slowly started probing for the tight hole he knew was located there. After just a moment's search, he found his target and slowly started to wiggle his finger around to trace the pucker. Andy pulled his mouth off Mike's cocklet and whispered, "Hey, what the hell you doin' playin' with my asshole?" "It's something I saw from Alex and Joey. From what I could tell, they liked it, so I thought I'd try it. You okay with it?" "Yeah, it kinda tickles, but if they're doin' it, it must feel good. Go ahead." After giving permission for T.J. to continue his exploration, Andy swallowed Mike again while T.J. slurped Andy's dick back into his own mouth. T.J. pulled his finger back, slipped it in his mouth next to Andy's pecker and got it nice and slick with his spit. That done, he began to search for Andy's hole again. When he found it, instead of circling the wrinkled dimple, he pressed his finger forward until the tip slid smoothly inside. Andy let go a gasp of surprise around the prize in his mouth at the sudden intrusion. T.J. continued to apply light pressure until his whole finger was as deep inside Andy as it could get. Once that was accomplished, he started slowly sliding the finger in and out of the snug confines of Andy's ass. Despite the new feelings of having a finger filling his hole, Andy didn't stop working on Mike's dick for even a second. If anything, the new source of stimulation made him even more interested in the morsel in his mouth. After a few minutes, he decided that he really liked what he was feeling from his backside and it only made sense that Mike would, too. So, Andy slipped a finger into his mouth to slick it up and then began to probe Mike's cleft. After quickly locating the bullseye, he wasted no time in giving the push needed and he quickly impaled Mike's ass. Unprepared for the assault on his rear flank, Mike nearly clamped his jaws shut but stopped just before causing his older brother serious pain. Once he became accustomed to the new anal invader, Mike started rocking his hips up and down. On the up motion, he was burying his cock in Andy's mouth and on the down motion, filling his ass with Andy's finger. The young lad was in heaven. Discovering the intense pleasure he was now feeling, it was now Mike's turn to assist T.J. Without bothering to moisten his finger, Mike searched for and found T.J.'s virgin pucker, and promptly shoved his finger deep inside. "Hey," T.J. squealed as he pulled his mouth off Andy's dick, "that fuckin' hurt. Slick that finger up a bit, would you?" "Sorry," Mike mumbled around T.J.'s dick. He pulled his finger back out of T.J.'s ass, slicked it up as requested and immediately returned it from whence it came. The boys spent the next ten minutes working each other over, all of them lost in the pursuit of sexual release. When the orgasms finally hit, their bodies were quaking with jolts of pleasure. The vibrations caused by their moans of delight only heightened the sensations their partners felt resonating in their cocklets. Dicks were dancing wildly in mouths as they spasmed in delight and with each jerk of their cocklet, they could feel their assholes clamping tightly around the fingers that were firmly ensconced within. As the feelings abated and a sense of deep contentment washed over them, dicks finally slipped from mouths and fingers were slowly removed from asses. "Oh, fuck, that was fuckin' awesome," T.J. moaned. "We need to do more of that," Mike agreed in a lustful tone. "I gotta piss," Andy commented, "and wash my hand." All three climbed from the bed and headed to the bathroom. After draining their bladders one more time and washing their hands, they got back in bed, pulled up the covers and curled together for a very good night's sleep. "Did you hear something?" I asked looking up from my book. "Don't think so," Tom answered. "What'd it sound like?" "Like the wind moaning through the trees. But there's no trees close enough to the house that we'd hear it unless the windows were open. Then I thought heard running water." "Well, ya' got me babe. Probably just the icemaker. All those years shootin' on the practice range has kinda numbed my hearing so I don't hear shit like that too well." "Maybe it was just my imagination. Look, I'm pooped and have that doctor's appointment in the morning. You don't mind if hit the sack do ya'?" "Nah, go ahead. I'm just gonna finish this chapter and I'll be right behind you." I leaned over as I passed by and gave him a kiss, whispered `I love you' in his ear and headed for our bedroom. He joined me about ten minutes later and wrapped me up in his arms again and held on to me as I dozed off to another fitful night of sleep. After turning off the alarm in the morning, I crawled out of bed to start the day. After a quick stop in the bathroom, I made the trip to the other side of the house to get the boys moving. Stopping in the twins' room first, I found Alex, Logan and Joey curled together in the middle of the bed, no pretzel this morning. They looked so sweet and peaceful I almost hated to wake them up. But, school wasn't going to come to them, so that meant they had to go to it. I brushed the hair out of Alex's eyes and kissed him on the forehead. As his eyes fluttered into life, I whispered, "Mornin', buddy, time to get movin'." "Oh, hey, Dad. Mornin'," he yawned. As he started to move, Logan yelped, "Wait, that's my dick you're tryin' to take with ya'." I gave a quick cough and said, "Morning, Logan." "Shit! I meant shoot. Sorry, Max. Guess you pro'lly didn't want to know that." "That's all right. Boys will be boys, but it's time to get moving." "Yeah, all right," he muttered as he slipped a hand between him and Joey and gave Joey a little push backwards. "Oh, man, I'm gonna miss that feeling all day." Then he rolled over to face Joey and yelled, "Yo, dude, time to get up!" "Hey, you don't have to freakin' yell. I'm right here and I ain't deaf. Not yet, anyway." I giggled to myself as I left the room to continue my rounds. Popping in to wake Mike, Andy, and T.J., I found them curled together under the covers. I shook shoulders for all three and when I could see they were starting to move, headed back to get Tom going, also. As I reentered the bedroom, I called out, "C'mon, big guy. Time to get moving." "Yeah, yeah, whatever," he grumped. "I need you to run the boys out to the bus again this morning so I can call James, let him know about Frank and Iris's arrest and get him to work with the county's attorney on placing a lien on their house and whatever else they can find." "You're serious about them paying up, aren't you?" "Damn right, I am. They literally screwed the wrong motherfucker when they picked me and I'm going to make them regret they ever knew me." "Babe, they're sittin' in the jail, I'm pretty sure they regret it already." "They might, but not for the reason they think they do. They have no idea it was me who talked to the police. I intend to correct that misconception. When we're done with my appointment with Dr. Schaid, I want to go to the county building and say hi, just for old time's sake." "Are you freakin' kiddin' me? You really want to confront them." "I do. I feel like I have to. I want that to be my first step in taking my damn life back from them." "If that's what you want, then that's exactly what we'll do. And I'll be with you for this step and all the others." "I knew you would be and I love you all the more for it. Now, let's get out of here and feed some hungry boys. Don't want them missing the bus." We headed to the kitchen and got busy whipping up some scrambled eggs and sausage patties for breakfast while the boys set the table. As I finally sat down to eat, my mind was focused on one thing and one thing only this morning: make the Muellers and all the others pay for what they've done. I'd arrived at the department early this morning, thanks to not sleeping well last night. I screwed up big time yesterday and now I had figure out how to fix it. I spent some time going over all the processing paperwork for our twenty-six new guests, making sure everything with that had been done properly, at least. I didn't want there to be any further mistakes on the part of the department that would allow these people to walk out of here, free as a bird. And I knew I had correct two major fuckups from yesterday or that's exactly what was going to happen. When I saw Derek arrive for his shift, I stuck my head out my office door and called across the room, "Derek, I need you for a few minutes." After he'd joined me, I said, "Close the door, please, and take a pew." "What's up, Sarge?" Derek asked. "I wanted to talk to you about Pastor Warren. Did you think anything seemed a little off about him yesterday?" "Damn, I was gonna ask you the same thing. I been thinkin' `bout it since we left the church last night, and in my book, I think he was way too helpful." "Yeah, that's part of it, for sure. One other thing I've been thinkin' about is him having a key to that office. Since he says he was told by the board that only the elders had a key as they were the only ones supposed to use it, doesn't it seem odd that Warren would have one also." "Well, I just assumed he'd have a key for everything in the building since he's the pastor. But I think you could make a case that he shouldn't have had it if he wasn't an elder." "I also noticed when I was searching for the right key, there were several smaller keys on his ring. Those could have been to the padlocks on the file cabinets." Derek's eyes widened in surprise at the implication. "One more thing that pinged my scumbag radar `bout him was the phone calls he made while I sat there and listened. He was lyin' his ass off to those folks, but doin' it in such a way that unless you were used to be lied to all the time like we are, you'd probably miss it. I even joked to the bastard about him bein' an actor if the preachin' thing didn't work out for him. The more I thought about it last night, I think the only time we saw the real Warren was when I first opened his office door, arrogant and full of self-importance. After that moment and when he knew why we were there, the rest of it was all an act. He was doin' everything he could to avoid havin' us suspect him along with the rest." "Oh, shit! He's one of them, isn't he? And we just left him there? That ain't good boss." "I know. I've already got a team down there to keep an eye on things until we can get there. When Warren shows up, they're going inside to guard that office. We can't take a chance he's got another key stashed in some hidey-hole we don't know about. And if he does, we can only hope he hasn't already used it." "Good thinkin', boss." "Thanks. I need you to fill out an application for his arrest warrant, then hightail it up to Judge Corgan's office and get it signed. Explain our suspicions, and I don't think he'll have a problem with it." "You got it, anything else?" "Unfortunately, yeah. I pretty much screwed the pooch yesterday and I need you to help me unscrew it." "I'll do what I can. What do you need?" "Two things. Since those files cabinets are possibly not under church control or church property, I think we need a separate warrant to open and search them. I need you to get that from Judge Corgan, also, so we can do that today, legally this time. If we lose those files as evidence, we're fucked and all those assholes walk." "Yeah, that would be beyond bad for us. What's the second thing you need done?" "I need you to zip out to Max and Tom's." "What for? You need some more information or something from him? I thought we already had everything we needed from Max." "This is my really big fuckup, Derek, and I need you to keep your mouth shut about it, you hear me?" After a quick nod of acknowledgement from him, I continued. "After I had Zach open the locks on the cabinets, I took a quick look through every drawer, just to see what we were dealing with. In the third drawer, I found a file with a familiar name on it." "Let me guess, Max Sanders. Right? What'd you do, you dumbass?" "Normally, I'd bust your ass for a crack like that. But, you're right on the money as usual. I took the file, slipped it inside my coat and the next time I stepped outside, I hid it under the seat of our car. And to remove any further doubts from your mind about me bein' a dumbass, I gave it to Max last night." "Jesus Christ, Sarge, that's tamperin' with evidence! What the fuck were you thinkin'?" "I know, I know, I was a damn idiot, what else can I say? I was thinkin' I was protectin' a good friend's name from getting dragged through the mud. But, we need to get that file back to the church and in that cabinet before we start emptying drawers. Can you do that for me? At least get the fuckin' thing back to the church, anyway. I'll deal with it from there." "Sure thing. I just hope it works. I'll get the two warrants first, then haul ass out to Max's and beg him for the file. Once I have it, I'll head straight for the church." "I'll call and let him know you're coming. He's got a doctor's appointment this morning, so you need to be quick with the warrants. Get to it, Derek. I'll make the call and let them know you'll be out there in about an hour." As Derek left my office to get to work, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Maybe, just maybe, I could pull this off and keep those people where they belonged. I picked up the phone and dialed Max's number. "SW Ranch," Tom answered with a chuckle. "Mornin', Tom. It's Dylan. I need to talk to Max." "Sure, one second, he's right here." A moment later, Max was on the phone, "What's up Dylan?" "You know that file I gave you last night?" "Of course. I told you thanks for that last night." "Well, I hate to do this, but I need it back. Derek will be there in about an hour to pick it up." "Well, shit." "Yeah, I know, and I'm sorry, Max. But, about three this morning, I fully realized what I'd done. At the moment, you're the only complainant I have. If there's no evidence concerning you in those cabinets when we go to empty them today, then the case falls apart and Frank, Iris and the rest of them walk. I need corroboration of your story there. Without it, we're screwed." "Guess it's a good thing I didn't throw it in the fireplace last night, then, isn't it? I sure thought about it, you know." "Don't even joke about that. Getting it back is only half my problem. I've still got to figure out how to get your file back in the cabinet without anybody but me, Derek and you guys knowing it went missing. If I can accomplish that feat of magic, then, when this is all over, I'll see what I can do about getting it back to you." "That's more than I should ask for, Dylan. We won't leave for my appointment until Derek's been here." "Thanks, man. I owe you big time if we pull this off." "Well, you can pay me back this morning." "How?" "I want to see Frank and Iris. This morning, after I've seen Dr. Schaid." "Why the hell would you want to do that?" "So I can tell them, face to face, that I'm the one who pulled the rug out from under their feet. I want them to know it was me that ruined their fucking life, just like they ruined mine. Granted, I'm gonna get my life back, but they aren't gonna be that lucky." "I can probably arrange that for you, but it has to wait until I get your file back where it belongs. If I can do it before your appointment ends, I'll let you know." "Thanks, Dylan. We'll wait for Derek. I'll put the file in a FedEx envelope so when he gets to the church, it won't be visible as to what it really is." "Good thinkin', Max. I appreciate it. I'll send a text to Tom when the deed is done." After hanging up the phone, I leaned back in my chair for a moment and puzzled over how I was going to make the impossible possible. "What'd Dylan want?" Tom asked. "He wants the damn file back." "What!? Why?" "He says since I'm the only known victim at the moment, if my file's not there when they start to take them all out, he doesn't have a case anymore. Since I don't want to touch the fuckin' thing, would you get it out of the safe, then put it in a FedEx envelope from the study?" "Sure. Give me just a few." "I'm glad you already took the boys out for the bus. They don't need to know about this." Tom disappeared and was back in about two minutes with a sealed envelope camouflaging the file. "Thanks, hon. Guess we get to wait for Derek, now. I hope he doesn't make us late for my appointment." "I'm sure he'll get here as fast as he can." We settled in the living room and read until finally, at twenty after nine, the drive sensor went off. Tom grabbed the envelope and headed for the front door. He opened the door just as Derek stepped onto the porch. "Here ya' go, Derek. Good luck," Tom intoned as he handed over the envelope to Derek. "Thanks, partner, we're gonna need all the luck we can get to pull this shit off. God, what a fuckin' dumbass. See ya' later." With that, Derek spun on his heels and got back in his car to leave. "You ready to roll, babe?" Tom asked as he closed the door. "No, but then, I never will be, either. Let's go get this over with," I answered as I grabbed my jacket from the closet. We headed to the garage, climbed into the Shelby and with Tom driving, hit the road for town. There was a light rap on my door, then Kelly popped the door open and announced, "Here's the prisoner you asked for, Sergeant Brock." "Thank you, Kelly. I'll take it from here." After guiding my visitor to a chair and shaking his hand, I said, "Good morning, Mr. Campbell. How are you today?" "I'd be a whole lot better if I was at home, takin' care of my son and my farm. I got cows and hogs to feed, ya' know." "I'm sure you would be, sir. But, it's my understanding your neighbors are taking care of those chores for you right now, so don't worry about your livestock for the moment. I only have a few minutes this morning before I have to leave, but I wanted to talk to you about you and your son, if you don't mind?" "You mean about how I lost my mind and beat the shit out of him the other night?" "No, sir. I want to talk about your relationship with him and where we need to go from here. I talked to your son yesterday, Mr. Campbell. Logan is a very intelligent and sensitive young man. And he cares about you and loves you very much. But, he's tired of you hurting him the way you have been the last couple years and he's not going to take that abuse any longer. That's why he called us Sunday morning. He was very scared of what might happen after what had happened the night before." "Well, he shoulda listened and come home with me Saturday instead of stayin' at them pervert's house. I was just tryin' to protect my son." "Yes, that's what you told me then, but I know Mr. Sanders and Mr. Wright. In fact, until just a few weeks ago, Mr. Wright was one of my deputies here in this department. I can tell you right now, sir, that both are good, honorable men and they would never hurt a child. Your son could not be any safer than he was Saturday or right now, even, since he is staying with Max, Tom and their boys while we resolve your problems with the law." "You mean my kid is actually sleepin' there with them fags." "Mr. Campbell, if you don't stop referring to them with derogatory terms, I'm not going to help you. They're men, same as you me." "Oh, no they're not." "Please, I'd like to talk about Logan. He says he wants to go back home and live with you. He needs you in his life right now, especially after you two lost your wife and his mother a few years ago. From what Logan told me, you started changing when your wife got sick and you've changed even more after she passed." "That damned leukemia," he spat. "And them damn doctors couldn't do a fuckin' thing to help her. Yeah, I changed. I got mean and nasty and fuckin `pissed off at the world for takin' her away from us. So, what? You would, too, if you lost your wife." "You're right, I probably would. But do you want to know one thing I would never do? I would never, ever take out my anger and frustration at the world, its impotent doctors and its vicious diseases on my innocent son. A son who is feeling the same loss you are. Your son worships you, Mr. Campbell, he loves you with all his heart. And he's still hurting from losing his mother, just as you are. I'd like to help you, Mr. Campbell, if you'll let me?" "And what do you think you can do for me?" "I'd like to arrange some counseling for you and Logan to help you both learn to deal with the grief of your loss, and you to deal with the anger you have at how unfairly you've been treated. Would you be willing to do that?" "Why do you want to help us so damn bad?" "Because, sir, a boy needs his dad. And if his own dad can't help him, then he needs to find someone to take his place. I see how much he cares for and needs you. I believe you feel the same way about him. Am I wrong about that?" "No, you're not," Mr. Campbell answered through quivering lips. "Good, I didn't think so. Will you accept my offer of some help and counseling for you and Logan?" "Yes, sir, I will. But why are you doing this? I should rot in hell for the way I hurt him. It was wrong and I know it. I don't deserve your help." "Sure, you do. Everyone deserves a second chance to do the right thing. But let me tell you right now, if this works out the way we both hope it will and Logan does move back in with you, if you ever hurt him again, I will do everything I possibly can to ensure you do rot in hell. I want to make sure you understand that half of our bargain." "Yes, sir, I do." "Good. Look, I have leave shortly to deal with another case, but I'll make some phone calls late this afternoon to find someone to work with you. Once I have those arrangements made, and when we get to court, I'll speak on your behalf to let the judge know that you'll be getting counseling to help you with your problems." "When will I be able to go home? And what about Logan? When will he come home?" "You should be able to return home fairly soon, I think. As for Logan, it won't be immediately, I'll tell you that right now. That will be up to the counselor. When he feels that the danger to your son has passed, then he can recommend to the court that Logan be allowed to return home with you. That could be a few weeks or a few months. That will all depend on you. And until the judge says he can return home, he'll be staying right where he is." I stood and walked back around my desk to stand next to Mr. Campbell. "Thank you for helping us, Sergeant Brock," Charlie said as he stood and shook Dylan's hand. "I'm happy to do it, Mr. Campbell. Just don't make me regret it. I appreciate you talking to me this morning." "Not like I had anywhere else to be this mornin', is it?" he chuckled. "No, I suppose not. I'll have Kelly escort you back to your cell." We walked to the door and I called Kelly over. "Would you please return Mr. Campbell to his temporary lodgings?" "Sure thing, Sarge. After you, Mr. Campbell." As they walked away, I heard Charlie comment, "Ya' wanna know somethin' deputy, I ain't never had much use for cops, but your boss seems like a damn good guy." "He's the best there is, Mr. Campbell," Kelly replied as they turned the corner and headed towards the detention area. As I closed my door and turned back to my desk, I allowed a small smile of success to creep across my face. When my cell phone rang and I saw who was calling, the smile disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. "Speak to me, Derek," I answered gruffly. "I have it and I'm on my way to the church." "Good work. I'll meet you there in about twenty-five minutes. Here's what I want to do when we get there," I started as I laid out my plan for getting the file back where it belonged. We walked into Dr. Schaid's reception room, and after registering with the young woman behind the desk, took a seat to wait the last ten minutes for my appointment. "Do you want me to come in with you?" Tom asked. "I don't know. Haven't you already heard enough of this crap?" I asked. "And I'll hear it until the cows come home if I need to. Whatever you need, I'm here for you." "I know that. Let me think about it while we wait. I'm just glad there's nobody else here who might recognize me. That would be embarrassing." "I know it sounds weird, but I think you'll actually be relieved when all this comes out." "To a certain extent, I think I will. I've hidden shit from people for so long, it's just a habit anymore, I do it without even thinking about it. I will be glad when it's over, when I can just be myself, again. At least I'm not worried about my career as an author. Those days are over." "Oh, c'mon, don't talk like that. Maybe writing about your life would help with your therapy." "Not likely," I chuffed. "If I don't want this shit in my brain, why the hell would I commit it to paper?" "Mr. S, the doctor's ready for you." I stood up and headed to the door separating the reception area from Dr. Schaid's office, then stopped and asked, "You comin' or are you just gonna sit there like a lump of cold mashed potatoes?" Tom jumped up from his chair and when he joined with me, I grabbed his hand and whispered, "Thanks for being here for me. And whatever you do, don't let go." "Forever, babe." I pulled into the parking lot at the church and found it was empty except for a couple of cars, one of which belonged to the surveillance team I'd sent out early this morning. I met the first of my people just inside the front door. "Morning, Sarge." "Morning to you, too, Henry. Where's Andrew?" I asked. "He's blocking access to the office, standing right in the middle of the door. A tank couldn't budge him." "Good. Stay here and let me know when Derek arrives. He should be here soon." "You got it, boss." I headed deeper into the church and when I turned the corner into the office's corridor, I couldn't miss Andrew. As big as I am, he's even bigger and he stood out like a sore thumb, or, more accurately, a huge slab of granite. As I drew closer, he acknowledged me with a curt nod just before I turned into Michelle's office. "Good morning, Michelle. How are you today?" I asked politely. "I'm still shaken by what's happened, but I'll get over it." "Were you able to find someone to take the food last night." "Oh, yes, sir. Pastor Warren and I packed it all back up and he took it to St. John's breadline last night. They were very happy to have it." "I'm glad to hear it. And how is the Pastor this morning?" "He seems pretty shaken up, also." Yeah, I bet he's quakin' is his boots right about now, thinkin' how lucky is to not be sitting in the jail with the rest of them. "He's been locked in his office since he got here." "Well, we won't disturb him just yet, then. I'm waiting for Deputy Timmons to arrive before we get to work. Zach and Perry will be here shortly also. I'll let you know when we're ready to proceed." I left Michelle's office and headed back to the front door of the church. "I'm going to wait outside for Timmons," I said to Henry as I walked by him. I stepped out into the sunlight and headed to my car. After sitting inside, I picked up the radio to check on Derek's status. Just before I clicked the transmit button, I saw him pulling into lot and then taking the spot next to me on the passenger side of my car. Derek got out of his car and joined me in mine. He held a FedEx envelope in his hand and offered it up to me. "Here's that delivery you were waiting on. And the two new warrants. You ready, Sarge?" I slid the envelope inside my jacket and zipped it shut. "About as ready as I'll ever be. Let's do this."

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 56</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk492927902"></a><a name="_Toc493279121"><span>Chapter 56 � The End of the Road?</span></a></h2> <div> <p><i><span>A little earlier in the afternoon, at the ranch...</span></i></p> <p><span>"So, what did Steve have to say when you gave him Joey and Alex's notebooks?" I asked after Tom returned home from his morning errand.</span></p> <p><span>"What could he say? He just sat there, stunned and shaking his head in disbelief as he flipped through them. I don't think he's ever run into math whizzes like them before."</span></p> <p><span>"I know I've never seen anything like them in my life. I think they'll continue to surprise us as we watch them grow up."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't doubt that for a second."</span></p> <p><span>I looked over to Logan who was engrossed in his book and asked, "How're you liking the book so far?"</span></p> <p><span>He pulled his nose out of the book, looked at me and said, "This is cool. I can't he believe he just killed that one kid. And when he was only five or six. Knocked him on his ass and just kept kickin' him. I wanted to that to my daddy Saturday night."</span></p> <p><span>"Have you read enough to understand why he did it, though?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I think so. The kid was a bully and Ender wanted to fight him only once. So, he caused maximum damage to show the other bullies he wasn't gonna be messed with. I don't think Ender knew Stilson was dead, though."</span></p> <p><span>"What book did you give him, babe? Kids killin' kids? Sounds a little gruesome to me."</span></p> <p><span>"<i>Ender's Game</i>," I answered. "It does have some sick moments, but it's really about survival against all odds and all enemies, regardless of their size. I remember readin' it during the time the Muellers were abusing me. And while it didn't give me the courage to fight back like Ender did, it did give me the courage and desire to survive it all. It also gave me the courage to stand up to my parents when I told them I wasn't going to church with them any longer."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm glad you found it when you did. If you hadn't, I still be just a poor, dumb schmuck tryin' to survive on a cop's salary, worried about gettin' to go back home in one piece every night. No, instead of that miserable existence, here I am, living in the lap of luxury."</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe poor, Tom, but never dumb or a schmuck."</span></p> <p><span>"I wish I could go to Battle School," Logan commented. "That sounds really cool, school in space."</span></p> <p><span>"Keep reading, young man." I turned to Tom and mused, "Speakin' of cops, I wonder what Dylan and Derek are doing? Do you think they were able to get the search warrant they needed?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't have any idea, babe," Tom answered. "I can't imagine any judge who listened to any part of your story denying the warrant, but stranger things have happened. I'm sure we'll hear something when they have a chance."</span></p> <p><span>We all returned to our books as we waited for the boys to signal their return from school.</span></p> </div> <p><i><span>Back at the church, a few hours later...</span></i></p> <p><span>I saw a flash of headlights in the corridor and knew it was time. I engaged the radio and said, "Looks like our first suspect, excuse me, <i>guest</i>, has just arrived. Places, everyone, and be ready to move on my signal."</span></p> <p><span>Warren and Michelle headed for the front door to greet whoever was arriving, while my group of eight turned to the kitchen and stuffed ourselves into the pantry. It was a bit tight with eight of us in the smallish space, but we'd survive it. We had nothing to do now but wait for Warren to come let us know when everyone was seated. By the time we heard a hand on the latch to the pantry door some twenty minutes later, the temperature inside the confining space had risen about fifteen degrees and we were beginning to become quite uncomfortable. We all heaved a huge sigh of relief when the door was finally pulled open and we could breathe normally again.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Sergeant Brock," Warren whispered. "Everyone is seated and from what Michelle and I could discern, no one suspects this get-together is anything more than a dinner at church with their friends. We'll stay out of your way and let do your job."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Pastor. We'll try to make this quick." I looked at my team and raised my eyebrows to see if they were ready. After receiving nods from all, I clicked my radio three times to signal the others it was time to move in and received one acknowledgment click in return. I motioned for Perry and Zach to take their position at the kitchen door, then tapped the other four on their shoulders for them assume their assigned positions. Derek and I remained in the kitchen, watching our people move quietly across the hall, until the exits were secured. Many of the `guests' faces revealed mild surprise at the sudden appearance of four uniformed police at their dinner, while a handful or others registered nothing less than stark terror.</span></p> <p><span>Once our team was in position, Derek and I walked out of the kitchen. Several of the `guests' recognized me from charitable functions and began to point at us and whisper amongst themselves as we quietly stalked our way across the room to stand behind Frank and Iris. Frank was just starting to turn his head to look behind him when I put a hand on his shoulder. When he felt the contact, he whipped his head on around and looked up to see who was there. I saw a flash of recognition in his eyes that quickly morphed into something for which no words could ever do justice. It was mixture of terror, defeat, anger, defiance, all rolled into one hideously ugly countenance.</span></p> <p><span>"Good evening, Mr. Mueller. Pleasure to see you, again. Nice to see you, too, Mrs. Mueller. We're so glad you could join us on this very special occasion," I said in greeting, with my most polite voice.</span></p> <p><span>"What are you doing here, you unholy faggot lover?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm here to tell you and all your friends that your days as child rapists and sex abusers are at an end."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know what you're talking about," Frank protested.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, you do, Frank. There's no point trying to lie your way out of it. I know what's inside the file cabinets in the office just down the hall over there. I've seen the room where you forced children to do things no <i>civilized</i> human would ever do. I found the camera hidden in the wall all of you used to record your sick and sordid activities. I have an interview with one of your victims, recorded for posterity, where he explains in graphic detail the hell you and your wife put him through. By the time we get done with you and your friends here, you're going to wish you'd never been born." I could see his resolve melt with each statement and by the time I was ready to utter my final statement, he'd wilted like a flower in the middle of an August drought. "Frank Mueller, I'm placing you under arrest for multiple counts of child abuse, sexual assault of a minor, child endangerment, unlawful detainment, kidnapping and whatever else we can think of. Stand up you sickening sack of shit."</span></p> <p><span>"What's going on here?" came a voice from the other side of the room.</span></p> <p><span>"Please, sir, take your seat. Your turn's coming," I called back. Several other guests stood and searched for an open exit. But when they realized they'd all been blocked, they sat back down and nervously awaited their fates.</span></p> <p><span>Looking utterly defeated, he placed his hands on the table and slowly levered himself upright. When I started to place the cuffs around his left wrist, his right hand suddenly left the tabletop, aimed directly at my face. I dodged the shot, and, since I already had his left hand in my grasp, I spun him back around and slammed his face into the table. "Frank, Frank, Frank. I tried to be nice, polite even, and you just had to go and ruin it." By now, Iris was screaming at full volume, going on and on about police brutality and how she was going to sue the department, blah, blah, blah. After both of Frank's arms were pulled behind his back and the cuffs securely locked around both wrists, I planted his sorry ass back in his chair. "Don't move a muscle you disgusting pile of filth," I growled.</span></p> <p><span>I then turned to the screaming hyena named Iris and roared right back at her, "Shut your pie-hole you ignorant, child abusing bitch!" Amazingly, she did just that as she sat there, stunned that someone would ever deign to give back what she dished out. "Stand up, Iris." When she hesitated, Derek, um, assisted her. While he held her in place, I slipped a brand-new pair of shiny silver bracelets around her wrists, all the while telling her she was also under arrest for the same charges as her husband. Derek then assisted her, none too gently, as she sat back down. I turned back to Frank and lifted his chin so I could see his face. Upon seeing the blood flowing freely from his nose, across his lips and dripping off his chin onto what I was sure was his Sunday best white shirt, I said, "Oh, my, I am so sorry Mr. Mueller, but it appears you've somehow broken your nose. Well, look at it this way, it could always be worse. Guess you should be glad I didn't decide to turn you into a eunuch with a dull and rusty knife."</span></p> <p><span>I finally turned my attention to the rest of the gathering and discovered my timing was impeccable as our reinforcements had arrived and were streaming into the room. I held up a hand to have them stop where they were. I then announced, "All of you are being arrested for the same charges as Frank and Iris Mueller, child abuse, sexual assault of a minor, child endangerment, unlawful detainment, and kidnapping. Please remain in your seats and we will be with you shortly to handcuff and lead you from the building. Your next stop will be the county building for booking. If anyone resists, you will be treated accordingly. Mr. Mueller, here, is an example of what could happen if you decide to be uncooperative. Get to work, guys and gals, everyone goes out of here in handcuffs, or wrist restraints if we run out of cuffs."</span></p> <p><span>I stood back and supervised as the remaining twenty-four submitted to their fates, most calmly, but there were a few others, like Frank, who didn't appreciate missing out on their free dinner. Nothing too serious, though, as, apparently, nobody else wanted to see what a broken nose, or worse, felt like. It took almost forty-five minutes to corral all twenty-six individuals, but when the whole group had been loaded into vehicles like cattle going off to be slaughtered, Derek and I found Warren and Michelle waiting calmly in the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>"Pastor, we're done here for tonight. However, we'll be back tomorrow to continue our work in that office and the room below it. We'll be removing the materials from the file cabinets and obtaining evidence in the form of fingerprints and body fluids. We will also assist in putting your Fellowship Hall back to normal if you'd like. We will make every attempt to minimize our impact on your lives as we continue our investigation, but I can't make any guarantees. One request I have for you is to give me your key to that office. It's a crime scene and we need to control access to it until we are done here." Warren reached into his pocket, pulled out his keys and removed the offending key from the rest before pressing it into my hand.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, sir. I want to thank you both for your help tonight. I truly hated to draft you into our nightmare and have you deceive people you thought you knew, but I felt it was best to get them all at one time and this seemed like the best way and place to do it. Had we tried to arrest them at their homes or elsewhere, it's possible that word of what was happening would have spread before we could have found them all. The risk of any one of them taking off was more than I was willing to allow. You have performed a great service to your church and your community and I intend to see you are recognized for your efforts. Before we go, is there anything we can do for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Will you please pray for our souls for allowing such wickedness to occur?"</span></p> <p><span>"I will be happy to do so, Pastor."</span></p> <p><span>"What should we do with all this food?" Michelle asked. "It seems such a waste to just throw it out."</span></p> <p><span>"You might try one of the soup kitchens for the homeless downtown or the Salvation Army. I'm sure they would make good use of whatever you want to give them. We're going to get out of your way now. Please, go home and rest, for tomorrow's another day. And if you need anything, don't hesitate to call Derek or myself."</span></p> <p><span>Derek and I turned and left the church, leaving Warren and Michelle to begin dealing with the fallout that was sure to come their way. As we settled in our car and buckled in, I said, "Now, <i>that</i> was a good day's work, Derek. Makes all those other days of doing nothing much seem worthwhile, doesn't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"What happens now, boss?"</span></p> <p><span>"Tomorrow, we come back and clean out that office. There are thousands of files in those cabinets. Every one of them is a kid who's been abused and had their lives screwed up by all those people. Some of them may remember it and just never said anything to anyone. I'd imagine quite a few have done what Max did, blocked it out. But, we still owe it to every one of them to let them know their abusers have been caught and will pay for what they've done."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not looking forward to that, Sarge. Opening old wounds, forcing people to relive that shit. After seein' what it's done to Max, I can't imagine the reaction some of these others will have."</span></p> <p><span>"It's not going to be pretty, but it still needs to be done. The thing I want to find out is how and when this all got started. The oldest file I saw is over thirty years old and the most recent is two weeks. And that room <i>had</i> to be created when the church was built, so, to me, it sounds like the pastor at that time <i>knew</i> what was going on and was probably involved. We have to locate him, too."</span></p> <p><span>"What if he's already dead?"</span></p> <p><span>"Then good riddance to bad rubbish." We drove the rest of the way through town to the county building in silence. As we walked into our office, there was a line of suspects against the wall waiting their turn to be processed. I walked up to Kelly who was in charge for the moment and said, "Make sure these individuals are treated properly. I don't want to have to worry about lawsuits for excessive force or anything else. Also, we may have to move around some of the other inmates already inside to make room for all these new people. I want them in a safe location, so no other prisoner can get to them. Understood?"</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely, Sarge. Kid gloves, I promise."</span></p> <p><span>"Good work, tonight, Kelly. Pass that on to everyone who was there to help."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it. Thanks, boss."</span></p> <p><span>I turned to head for my office and almost ran over Derek who had snuck up behind me. "Damn it, Derek, don't do that."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, boss," he chuckled as if he wasn't sorry at all. "What do you want me to do?"</span></p> <p><span>"Go home, give your wife and kiddos a kiss and some hugs and enjoy a peaceful evening with your family. Tomorrow, the real work begins."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, sir. See you in the morning." Derek turned and took a hike just as quickly as his feet could carry him.</span></p> <p><span>I started leave also, but turned back at the last minute to give a few more instructions to Kelly. "Kelly, a moment of your time, please." We walked a few feet away before I continued. "It's going to take several hours to get all of these people through intake and settled into their new accommodations. Send somebody out to McDonald's, Hardees or Wendy's and have them get some food. They did miss their supper, after all. Raid petty cash, take up collection, whatever. Just make sure I get the receipt so whoever pays can be reimbursed."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir. Anything else?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know we normally separate the men and women into different cells. If couples want to stay together tonight, I'm fine with that and we'll deal with splitting them up tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"Aw, aren't you the sweetheart?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really. I really couldn't care less, but for most of them, this will be their last night together. I'll let `em have that. See ya' tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>With that, I turned and left the building. I still had one more stop to make before I could go home. After climbing in my car, I pulled my phone out and sent another quick text, `On my way. Half-hour.'</span></p> <p><i><span>Meanwhile, back at the ranch...</span></i></p> <p><span>"That was a good supper, bubba. Thanks for cooking again, today," I complimented Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"No problem. You feeling any better?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm awake, if that's what you mean? That's a whole lot better than earlier today."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Dad," Alex started, "You were gonna talk to Mr. Brock today, weren't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I was and I did."</span></p> <p><span>"How'd it go?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It was pretty rough reliving what I went through, but I managed to get through it in one piece, thanks to Pops sticking beside me. If he hadn't been there, I don't know..."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what do they do now?"</span></p> <p><span>"They'll have to search the church, talk to a lot of people to see who knows what, all kinds of things."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, when will the Muellers go to jail?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It'll be months before that happens, guys. The police have to do their job first, then turn everything over to attorneys who'll decide what charges to press, next they go to a grand jury to get indictments, then they get arrested. Once all that's done, they'll finally go to trial, and if the police and the attorneys do their jobs properly, the jury will say they're guilty and finally, after months and months of legal maneuvering and wrangling, they'll actually get sent to prison."</span></p> <p><span>"Geez, that sounds ridiculous," Logan commented. "After what I heard this morning, why not just get it over with quick and shoot `em now?"</span></p> <p><span>"As good an idea as that is, Logan, that's not the way the justice system works."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean `heard', Logan," Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oops, shouldn't a said that."</span></p> <p><span>"What's he talkin' `bout, Dad?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Logan managed to listen to my conversation with Dylan and Derek this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!? How come he got hear everything and we didn't?" Joey yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Because I didn't know he was doing it. He was sitting on the floor of your room, just inside the door."</span></p> <p><span>"That's not fair, we wanted you to tell us everything, but you wouldn't."</span></p> <p><span>"Dudes!" Logan yelled, "Chill out. Trust me, you don't want to know. It's some really sick shit."</span></p> <p><span>"Listen up, all of you," Tom interjected. "We didn't want Logan to know any more than the rest of you do. We can't help that he eavesdropped. And just because he did, don't expect to learn anything more. It's not gonna happen. Now, we're gonna quit talkin' about it and move on, got it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we got it, Pops," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't like it much, but hey, we're just kids. Guess we don't count," Alex bemoaned.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys," I started, "you count more than you'll ever know. If you weren't here right now to help me through this, I'd be completely lost. I need all of you to guide me, to give me a reason to keep fighting. Promise me you'll do that."</span></p> <p><span>"I will, Dad," Mike chirped.</span></p> <p><span>"Me, too," Andy added.</span></p> <p><span>"Three," came from Alex.</span></p> <p><span>T.J. offered up, "Four."</span></p> <p><span>"Five," said Joey.</span></p> <p><span>"Six?" Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, buddy. I'll take all the help I can get," I responded while ruffling his hair. "Now, can we <i>please</i> do something besides talk about my past?" I begged.</span></p> <p><span>"I cast my vote for a swim. Who's with me?" Tom offered. </span></p> <p><span>With cheers of agreement from all, we grabbed towels and headed outside. The boys immediately jumped in and started playing as they usually do while Tom and I headed for deeper and calmer waters at the opposite end of the pool. We'd been settled in for about fifteen minutes, just enjoying watching the boys' antics, when the drive sensor announced someone coming in.</span></p> <p><span>I looked at Tom and asked, "You expecting anyone?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not hardly."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll see who it is and get rid of them," Tom offered. </span></p> <p><span>He got out of the pool, grabbed a towel and did a quick dry off before wrapping the towel around his waist and heading to the house. Since you can see the front door of the house from the pool, I watched intently as Tom walked through the living room and opened it. I was amazed to see Dylan filling the doorway as Tom let him in. I jumped out of the pool and as I headed to grab my own towel, I called out, "Boys, out of the pool, please."</span></p> <p><span>"But we just got in!" Joey yelled back.</span></p> <p><span>"I know, but Dylan's here and I have go see what's going on."</span></p> <p><span>"Woo-hoo!" T.J. squealed. "Is he here to swim, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think so," I answered while drying off. "Can you all sit at the table and chat for a bit, please? Tom and I will be back out soon."</span></p> <p><span>"But we wanna say hi," Mike whined.</span></p> <p><span>"And you will, right after Tom and I have talked to him. I promise, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Okay," they all moaned.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, guys. We'll be back soon." I wrapped the towel around me and ran into the house. "Dylan, what are you doing here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Didn't Tom tell you I was coming? I sent him a text."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoops, sorry, Sarge. I left the phone in the bedroom."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem. I've got some news for you and I thought you'd like to hear it straight from the horse's mouth. Can we sit?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure."</span></p> <p><span>As we head headed to the living room, Dylan commented, "Nice wraps, guys. Very, uh, manly," he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Ha-ha, very funny, smartass, uh, boss," Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, I try. And I'm not your boss any more, or did you forget you quit?" he cracked as we took our seats.</span></p> <p><span>"Please, please, please, tell me you have good news," I begged.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I could, but I'd be lyin' to ya'." My face sagged as I muttered several unintelligible bad words. "No, what I have is <i>great</i> news." I lifted my head back up and waved my hands telling him to spit it out already since I'd seemed to have lost my voice. "Frank and Iris are now long-term guests of the county jail. Looks like it's the end of the yellow-brick road for them," he grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"Wha ... already ... how!?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like to say it was brilliant police work, but these people were dumb."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean, `these people'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Let me back up a couple of hours and start over. It'll make a lot more sense to ya'." Dylan spent the next half-hour telling us how he, Derek and the others had spent the afternoon and early evening. I was absolutely floored when he told us about the file cabinets and their contents, let alone the other twenty-four people who were arrested with the Muellers. I was also petrified at the possibility there were pictures of me floating around out there somewhere and only god, scumbag that he is, knew where. When Dylan finally wound down, he paused for a moment and then added, "Oh, here, I have something for you." He reached into his coat, pulled out a file and handed it to me. A quick peek at the label on the folder told me I wanted nothing to do with it and I passed it on to Tom.</span></p> <p><span>Tom took one look at the label, nodded gravely, then shoved the folder under his leg. "Uh, I hate to ask the obvious question, Dylan, but aren't you gonna be in deep shit for tampering with evidence?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Who the fuck's gonna know? Nobody saw me take it, I made sure of that. As far as I'm concerned right now, that folder and what's in it doesn't exist and never did. There're so many more, nobody's going to miss one. I figure I owe you that for helping us nail these fuckers."</span></p> <p><span>"You didn't look inside?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Only for a moment, Max, just long enough to be pretty sure it was yours. I didn't want to invade your privacy any more than absolutely necessary."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you don't know for sure that the pictures inside are me."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I don't. I'm pretty sure they are, but not absolutely positive. I have no clue what you looked like back then."</span></p> <p><span>"Give it to me, Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure about that?" </span></p> <p><span>After a curt nod from me, he pulled the file from under his leg and passed it back. I flipped the file open and was horrified at the contents. There were ten pictures of me, Frank and Iris engaged in a wide variety of sex acts and not just one, or even two DVDs, but three of the damn things. I could only imagine what those discs contained and it was making me sick. After a few moments, I closed the folder, handed it back to Tom and he stuffed it back under his leg.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, it's me, all right. Those fucking scumbags! I can't believe this fuckin' shit! First, they rape me for what seems like forever, and even now, they're still fucking with my life. Is there any way to know who else might have these?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"The truth? Probably not, Max," Dylan admitted. "We're going back in tomorrow to remove the other files and whatever else we can find. I didn't search the desk today, but will be doing that tomorrow, also. I'm pretty sure there's a computer inside the desk since the cable from the camera was run through the side of it. It has to be connected to something. I'm hoping we'll find some type of financial records in the desk or computer that will lead to others."</span></p> <p><span>"What's going to happen to everything you find?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we're going to turn it all over the FBI and let them deal with it. There's just way too much material for our department to deal with alone. I'm going to leave it up to them to track down all these kids, many of whom are obviously adults by now. Since I'm sure we're dealing with an international child pornography ring, investigative agencies all around the world will be getting involved."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, christ! Are you sure this is the only file with my name on it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm assuming so. I didn't see any other files with duplicate names and by the date range on the label, since it covers almost three years, I'm pretty sure that's the only one you have to worry about."</span></p> <p><span>"But since the investigation was started because of information from me, won't it be obvious to someone, somewhere, that there's no file that matches the name on the tape."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll cross that bridge when and if we ever get to it. I know you want to dispose of that file as quickly as possible, but I have to ask you to hold on to it for a while, just in case."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know how I can ever thank you Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it. I'm just doing my job and you made it easy for once. Well, those idiots did, too. I couldn't believe how stupid they were to keep all that shit in the church. Oh, there's one other tidbit I forgot to tell you that I think you're really gonna like."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Frank was the first person I tried to cuff. He, uh, wasn't being very cooperative and in the ensuing scuffle, I kinda broke his nose when I slammed his face into the table," Dylan said with an evil smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Too bad you didn't just kill the bastard."</span></p> <p><span>"I thought about it, believe me, but figured the piece of shit wasn't worth losing my job over."</span></p> <p><span>"No, you're right, of course. We appreciate you coming back out tonight to tell us what's happened. It's a huge load off my mind. Just knowing I'll never have to worry about them again is such a relief. Of course, them getting arrested tonight means they'll probably never pay the hotline."</span></p> <p><span>"I've got an idea on that," Dylan responded. "I don't know if the county's ever done it before, but I'm going to check into having a lien placed on their home and any other assets we can locate. Considering the size and scope of this thing, they almost have to be sitting on a fairly large amount money. Finding it could be difficult, but I won't stop until I do."</span></p> <p><span>"Good thinking. As much as I want to see them in prison, I want those damages paid. I'll check with James in the morning, see if he can help you with that since he was going to be working on it anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be great, Max. Well look, I better get going," Dylan said as he stood up. "I just wanted to give you the good news and that file."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no you don't, you're not getting out of here that easy. We have six boys just dying to say hi. Tom, why don't you put that in the safe and I'll take Dylan out to see the boys."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, babe. Be out there in just a minute." Tom headed to the bedroom while Dylan and I went out to the pool. Bedlam reigned as soon as I opened the door to the shelter and all six lads scampered across the deck and wrapped Dylan in hugs.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Mr. Brock. How ya' doin?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You wanna go swimmin'?" T.J. begged.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm good and I think I'll take a pass on swimmin' tonight. I need to get home and relax," he answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon, Mr. Brock," Alex cajoled. "What's more realxin' than takin' a swim?"</span></p> <p><span>"He does have a point, Dylan," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, what the hell, y'all talked me into it," he relented. He'd just started getting undressed when Tom rejoined us.</span></p> <p><span>"You're gonna join us, I see," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"You know I can't say no to these munchkins," Dylan laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, we're not munchkins anymore," Joey complained. "We're nine now, ya' know."</span></p> <p><span>"I seem to recall something about that since I was here for your party," Dylan laughed.</span></p> <p><span>As he finally removed his boxers, Logan's eye shot open in surprise and I caught him whisper to Alex and Joey, "Holy shit, man, his dick's huge!" I couldn't stifle my laugh.</span></p> <p><span>As we walked to the pool, Joey asked, "So, what'd you do today, Mr. Brock?"</span></p> <p><span>"I arrested the Mueller's and put `em jail."</span></p> <p><span>"No shit!" Alex yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"No shit, guys. They're gonna go away for a lo-o-o-ng time."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Mr. Brock," T.J. responded. "Maybe Dad can start workin' towards gettin' better, now."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope so, too, son," I said as I wrapped an arm around his shoulder and gave him a light squeeze.</span></p> <p><span>Once we were all in the water, the boys paired up and began their assaults, Joey and Logan going after Dylan, Alex and Andy coming after me and T.J. and Mike attacking Tom. We allowed the boys to frolic and have some fun for half an hour before I was worn out and excused myself from the melee and headed for calmer waters. Tom and Dylan followed suit and soon the three of us were comfortably ensconced in a corner well away from the sensational six-pack.</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, those guys give you a helluva workout, don't they?"</span></p> <p><span>"That they do," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"I could almost give up goin' to the `Y' to work out."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure the boys would welcome you with open arms."</span></p> <p><span>"I gotta ask, though, are they always hard as nails like that?"</span></p> <p><span>"When we're in the pool, pretty much," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, to be young and carefree, again," Dylan opined. "Look I gotta tell you two somethin'," he started with a sheepish grin. "Ever since that first night I came out here and told y'all about Malcom, I can't get him out of my head." Tom and I exchanged a furtive glance, but said nothing. "I never really realized how much I miss that dude. I've done a little searchin' for him since then, but can't seem to find a trace of his sorry ass. You guys know a competent investigator who could help me out? I'm willing to pay."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, my office isn't ready yet, but when it is in a couple weeks, I could spend some spare time helpin' you out," Tom deadpanned.</span></p> <p><span>"Really, you'd do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd be happy to, boss. Everybody deserves to have some happiness in their lives, even crusty old dudes like you."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell you takin' `bout, `crusty old dudes'?" Dylan asked indignantly. "I'm only a couple years older than your fianc�."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know. He's a crusty old dude, too," Tom answered with a laugh. I splashed water into Tom's face and when he quit sputtering, he continued, "But I don't love him any less because of it."</span></p> <p><span>"You two really are good together, you know that, don't you? It's almost like you complete each other."</span></p> <p><span>"I knew that the moment we met at the Mueller's," I responded. "That's why I asked Tom to marry me. I know to everyone else it seems like we're rushing into it, but we know we're not. We really have known each other forever, it just took us a while to find the one we're supposed be with."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm really happy for both of you. I can tell you're going to have a good and fulfilling life."</span></p> <p><span>"Once my `drain bamage' is fixed, we will. I've got some work ahead of me to get my life back from Frank and Iris, but I'm gonna do it, come hell or high water. Having Tom here to help guide me through that process and the support of the boys and our parents will help."</span></p> <p><span>"Wish I could expect a happy ending for me, too, but I just don't see that happening."</span></p> <p><span>"Give yourself some time, man," Tom replied. "Remember, patience is a virtue."</span></p> <p><span>"Guess I ain't too virtuous, then, `cause I got no patience," Dylan laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"It'll happen, eventually," I said.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, look, I appreciate the swim and relaxation, but I gotta get my tired ass home. Tomorrow's gonna be a long damn day and I need some sleep."</span></p> <p><span>We climbed out of the water and I called to the boys, "C'mon guys. You need to say goodbye to Dylan and then hit the showers. We'll have a snack when you're cleaned up." They all moaned in defeat, but didn't argue as they climbed out of the water. We met at the table to grab towels and started drying off. </span></p> <p><span>While we were doing that, Dylan asked, "How you doin' tonight, Logan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Eh, better I guess. At least I can sit down without my ass hurtin'. I still look kinda raccoonish, though," he giggled. "Hey, did you talk to my old man today?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Logan, I didn't have time. I will tomorrow, though, I promise."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Sergeant Brock."</span></p> <p><span>Dylan wrapped his clothes into a ball, tucked them under his arm and said, "Well, I'm outta here guys. I'll talk to y'all later."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait," Logan started, "you ain't gettin' dressed?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, wish I could that. Drivin' `round naked sounds like fun."</span></p> <p><span>"It is. Someday, you'll get to find out."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, Dylan," I called out before he could move. I stepped over to him, stood on my toes to make myself tall enough, wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a little peck on the cheek. "Thanks for believing in me and what you did today. It really means a lot. Maybe I can finally start putting all this shit behind me."</span></p> <p><span>"Happy to do it. I'll call you tomorrow and let you know what's goin' on." With that, he turned and led the way to the house. As we crossed through the house, they boys all gave Dylan a hug before they turned towards their rooms to get cleaned up. Once they'd disappeared down the hall, Tom and I followed Dylan to the door and let him out. </span></p> <p><span>When he was in the car and pulling away, Tom turned to me and said, "That was pretty ballsy of you."</span></p> <p><span>"What?" I asked innocently.</span></p> <p><span>"Givin' my old boss a hug and a kiss, right in front of me."</span></p> <p><span>"I was just telling him thanks, Tom, no reason to get all jealous."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just hopin' you saved some for me," he pouted.</span></p> <p><span>Without delay, I dropped my towel on the floor, wrapped my arms around my big teddy bear, and kissed him passionately, tongue darting between his lips as I did. I could feel his interest, among other things, rising the longer we kissed. We were still standing at the front door, lost in each other's embrace, when we heard a cough and Joey's voice piped up from behind us, "Oh, geez, they're at it again. Would you two get a room already?" We separated and turned as one to find Joey, Alex and Logan headed to the kitchen for their snack. </span></p> <p><span>"And would you put those things away, please? There's young children present," Alex laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Not like you three have a lot of room to talk, is there? Maybe you should put yours away. There's old farts here, ya know? What makes you think we want to see <i>that</i>?" </span></p> <p><span>They all looked down and immediately started laughing, "No, I guess not," Alex giggled. "Besides, we know you two like lookin' at us when we're hard." I shook my head chidingly, knowing we'd just crossed a line with Logan being there. "Don't worry `bout it, Dad. He's cool."</span></p> <p><span>I turned to Tom, "Let's get our own shower so we can get their snacks and put them to bed."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't take forever in there," Joey yelled at our backs with a laugh as we retreated to our room.</span></p> <p><span>In our shower, we got busy washing off the pool and Tom said, "I need to tell you somethin'."</span></p> <p><span>"What? That you really <i>are</i> jealous of Dylan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hell no, that didn't bother me at all. No, and I don't want you to be pissed at me or nothin', either." I gave him a strange look before he continued, "Before I put that folder in the safe, I looked in it," he said, hanging his head in shame.</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right, big guy. I'd be more surprised if you hadn't. You had to be curious."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I was. And as sickening as those pictures are, I gotta tell ya', you were one hot little fucker. That one shot of just you, naked, hard and hairless, I really like that one. One look at that one and I was hard, just like that," he said as he snapped his fingers. "That's what took me so long to join you guys at the pool. I had to will myself soft, again, and it wasn't easy to do."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess I should accept that as a compliment, though considering the circumstances of when those pictures were taken, it's a bit difficult to do."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that, and that's what's freakin' me out a bit. I know what was goin' on, but I can't get over how cute you were."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like to think I'm still kinda cute," I retorted with a bit of a pout.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you are, in spades, but ..."</span></p> <p><span>"But what?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, babe, that's my problem. I'm startin' to think I'm just like <i>them</i>, Frank and Iris, and all their sick friends."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no you don't. You would never do what they did. Do you remember what you said to me the other night? What they did came from hate and the feeling of power they had, not love, and <i>that's</i> the difference between them and us. We know that if anything happens between us and our sons, it's going to come from our love for each other and it's going to be something <i>they</i> want, that <i>they've</i> asked to share something special with us. It's not going to be something only <i>we</i> want and we won't <i>ever</i> force them to do anything they don't want to."</span></p> <p><span>"You seem so sure about that. How?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because, even as sick and twisted as my mind is, I know I could never, ever hurt another person the way I was. I won't allow myself to repeat that. I will never dictate the terms because if I do that, then I'm no better than they are. Our sons will tell us what they want, and, if it's reasonable, I'll think about it. If they ask for something I know will inflict pain or damage, it won't happen, no matter how much they might beg for it."</span></p> <p><span>"You make it sound so simple."</span></p> <p><span>"And I know it really isn't, but that's the way it has to be."</span></p> <p><span>"Agreed. Hey, we better get out of here before they come lookin' for us."</span></p> <p><span>We quickly rinsed off, dried ourselves and joined the boys in the kitchen. All six were lined up on the five stools, patiently awaiting our return. We set them up with some milk and cookies and they wasted no time inhaling them. Typical eating machines, and now we have six of them. Time for another visit to the grocery store. With their plates and glasses empty and bellies full again, they rinsed everything and dropped it in the dishwasher.</span></p> <p><span>"Y'all go get in bed and we'll be in soon to say goodnight," Tom said.</span></p> <p><span>"We knew that, Pops. We're goin'." T.J. cracked.</span></p> <p><span>The sensational six-pack headed towards their rooms without further comment. Tom and I were quite content to stand there and watch those six beautiful behinds jiggle and shake all the way across the house until they disappeared into the hallway. I wondered what it would be like to have ten, twelve or even more to watch and I shivered as the image flashed through my brain. We finished cleaning up the kitchen while we gave the boys a few minutes to go to the bathroom one more time and climb in bed before we followed in their footsteps. </span></p> <p><span>We stopped in Mike, Andy and T.J.'s room first and they were all curled up in the middle of the bed, waiting for the covers to be pulled up. We quickly took care of that task, then leaned in from each side of the bed to exchange hugs, kisses, love yous and goodnights. As we left the room, I said, "Sleep well guys, we love you," then turned out the light and closed the door.</span></p> <p><span>"Those three look so cute and innocent when they cuddle under the covers like that."</span></p> <p><span>"Looks can be deceiving, big guy. Didn't you see the hands roaming under the covers?"</span></p> <p><span>"No! How the hell did I miss that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue, but it was happening. I think those three are about to catch up to their brothers in experience," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>We entered the other bedroom currently in use to find Alex, Logan and Joey quietly enjoying each other's bodies. While not a big surprise, I cleared my throat to get their attention and after Logan had scrambled to cover up, I asked, "Logan, are you sure you're okay with this? The twins aren't pushing you into doing things you don't want, are they?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no sir! Besides, this is nothin' compared to what we did in the shower yesterday, and that was loads of fun. I ain't never felt so good as I did after that."</span></p> <p><span>"Is that why you all were gigglin' your butts off when I came in to get ya'?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No, that was just `cause of somethin' Logan said after," Alex giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't need to hear it, okay?" I replied. "Logan, I'm glad you're enjoying your stay here, but just remember, you can say `no' to anything at any time."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max, but I don't think I need to worry `bout that. They've always asked before they done anything. And I ain't said no yet," he added with a grin and a giggle. "But I am learnin' some really cool things."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear, I think. Do you think you're going to school tomorrow?"</span></p> <p><span>"I might as well. My eyes aren't as bad as they were. I think I'll be okay."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, but if you change your mind in the morning, let me know. Now get over here so we can get our hugs." All three waddled over on their knees, their erections bouncing freely with each movement. When they reached the two of us, they pulled us in for their hugs. When I started to kiss Alex's forehead, he suddenly lifted his face so I ended up kissing him on the lips. He eagerly returned the kiss, slipping his tongue through my lips as he did. I hadn't expected that and my reaction to it was sudden and uncontrollable as I rose to the occasion and started to stab Alex's bellybutton with my engorged cock. As I broke the lad's assault on my mouth, I looked to Tom and saw he was getting the same treatment from Joey, resulting in the same reaction for him.</span></p> <p><span>From somewhere in the middle of the mish-mash of bodies came this small, muffled voice, "Hey where's my kiss?" Logan begged.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I turned our attention to Logan and planted a kiss on each cheek. "There, you happy now?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, thanks. I love you guys, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Logan. Now, all three of you, lay down so we can get the covers pulled up." They crawled to middle of the bed and curled up together, Logan in the middle of a twin sandwich. Thinking of where those erections were now nestled kept me inflated as we pulled up the covers, turned out the light and closed the door behind us.</span></p> <p><span>"I wonder what that was all about," Tom commented as we headed to the living room to relax.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a freakin' clue, big guy, but I'll admit, it piqued my interest."</span></p> <p><span>"It piqued a hell of lot more than my interest."</span></p> <p><span>"I can see that. Hell, the neighbors we don't have can see <i>that</i>," I laughed. I tossed a log in the fireplace and got a small fire going to help keep us warm while we read for a while. Though, after that last goodnight experience, we were both already pretty hot.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what do ya' think, Logan," Alex whispered.</span></p> <p><span>"That was pretty cool. I didn't think you'd really do it."</span></p> <p><span>"You said you wanted to see `em boned up. Now tell us why," Joey whispered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, this is gonna sound stupid, but I seen my daddy naked a bunch, but never with a hardon. I just wanted to see how big it might get when he's hard."</span></p> <p><span>"And?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"When he's soft, I'd say he's between your dad and your pops, so probably `bout the same hard, in the middle somewhere."</span></p> <p><span>"That still doesn't answer the question dude. Why you so interested?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay. My old man don't hardly talk to me `bout nothin, right? Homework, chores, how my day was, what's on TV, nothin' I tell ya'. How the hell am I s'posed to ask him about shit like that? I know some of what's comin' in a couple years when we all start changin', but I wanna know it all <i>before</i> it starts. And if I ask <i>him</i> `bout it, knowin' what he thinks about guys like you and your dads, he'd pro'lly think I was gay, too, and try to beat it outta me."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, what about our question," Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, that. I think you can forget your pops. If he tried to fuck you, he'd rip you wide open. No, his dick's way too big around for your tiny assholes. Now, your dad, that's another story. He's plenty long but he ain't that big around. I think if you work your way up to three or four fingers, he'd slide in real smooth and easy."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure you're <i>not</i> gay?" Joey asked. "You seem to be enjoying the last couple days. A lot. And it sounds like you know a lot more about guys fucking guys than a straight kid should know or even think about."</span></p> <p><span>"Like you said, I'm just gettin' off. And damn, it does feel good. But when I play with it at home, I always have one of my daddy's dirty mags, and I'm beatin' off lookin' at titties and pussies. He's even got a couple of gay mags mixed in with the others. Not a clue why, but I've read some of the stories in `em so, yeah, I pro'lly know more than any of the other guys in our class. The pictures just don't do nothing nothin' for me. No, naked chicks are what gets me hard."</span></p> <p><span>"That ain't all that gets you goin', dude," Alex whispered in response as he wrapped a hand around Logan's erection and prodded at his hole with his own stiff member.</span></p> <p><span>"M-m-m-m, that does feel good," Logan moaned, "but damn near anything that feels good will get me boned up. You, too, obviously," he added as he grabbed Joey's hardness and started to stroke him.</span></p> <p><span>"But you liked havin' Alex's dick up your ass, dude, and that's about as gay as it gets," Joey countered.</span></p> <p><span>"That may be, but it also felt great. Felt better than his finger. I never dreamed stickin' something in your ass could do that to ya'. When I get to move back home with daddy, I'll have to find somethin' so I can do it to myself."</span></p> <p><span>"You can come here any time you want, and we'll fill your ass for you," Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't fuckin' tempt me, man. Wait, on second thought, why don't I roll over so Joey can fuck me this time and I can fuck you."</span></p> <p><span>Alex and Joey loved the suggestion and places were swapped around to properly arrange themselves. As hard dicks were slipped into willing assholes, moans of intense pleasure escaped all three boys. Logan snaked an arm over Alex's side so he could play with his otherwise unoccupied pecker. For the next twenty minutes, they rocked and rolled their way to sweet bliss. After all three had achieved their release, they quickly fell asleep, dicks still buried deep in an ass and Alex's gently wrapped in his friend's hand.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, you guys hear that?" T.J. whispered to his bedmates.</span></p> <p><span>"What?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't tell me you can't hear the other three gruntin', groanin' and moanin' from down the hall. They must be really goin' at it."</span></p> <p><span>"I can hear `em," Andy said. "Sounds like it's comin' from the vent in the floor."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I don't know `bout you two, but I got a boner from hearin' them do it," T.J. giggled. "Who wants to help me make it go away?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll suck yours if you'll suck mine," Mike answered.</span></p> <p><span>"But if you two are suckin' each other, who's gonna do me?" Andy whined.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, how `bout we do it this way?" T.J. asked. "Mike can suck me, I'll suck Andy and you can suck on Mike's noodle. Does that work?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," Andy answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's do it," Mike added.</span></p> <p><span>The three quickly rearranged themselves and soon, faces were buried in crotches and the small, stiff cocklets located there were hidden from view as they were swallowed whole. As the threesome continued to pleasure each other, T.J. decided to try something new. He let one of his hands roam around to Andy's backside and he slowly started probing for the tight hole he knew was located there. After just a moment's search, he found his target and slowly started to wiggle his finger around to trace the pucker.</span></p> <p><span>Andy pulled his mouth off Mike's cocklet and whispered, "Hey, what the hell you doin' playin' with my asshole?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's something I saw from Alex and Joey. From what I could tell, they liked it, so I thought I'd try it. You okay with it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it kinda tickles, but if they're doin' it, it must feel good. Go ahead." After giving permission for T.J. to continue his exploration, Andy swallowed Mike again while T.J. slurped Andy's dick back into his own mouth. T.J. pulled his finger back, slipped it in his mouth next to Andy's pecker and got it nice and slick with his spit. That done, he began to search for Andy's hole again. When he found it, instead of circling the wrinkled dimple, he pressed his finger forward until the tip slid smoothly inside. Andy let go a gasp of surprise around the prize in his mouth at the sudden intrusion. T.J. continued to apply light pressure until his whole finger was as deep inside Andy as it could get. Once that was accomplished, he started slowly sliding the finger in and out of the snug confines of Andy's ass.</span></p> <p><span>Despite the new feelings of having a finger filling his hole, Andy didn't stop working on Mike's dick for even a second. If anything, the new source of stimulation made him even more interested in the morsel in his mouth. After a few minutes, he decided that he really liked what he was feeling from his backside and it only made sense that Mike would, too. So, Andy slipped a finger into his mouth to slick it up and then began to probe Mike's cleft. After quickly locating the bullseye, he wasted no time in giving the push needed and he quickly impaled Mike's ass. </span></p> <p><span>Unprepared for the assault on his rear flank, Mike nearly clamped his jaws shut but stopped just before causing his older brother serious pain. Once he became accustomed to the new anal invader, Mike started rocking his hips up and down. On the up motion, he was burying his cock in Andy's mouth and on the down motion, filling his ass with Andy's finger. The young lad was in heaven. Discovering the intense pleasure he was now feeling, it was now Mike's turn to assist T.J. Without bothering to moisten his finger, Mike searched for and found T.J.'s virgin pucker, and promptly shoved his finger deep inside.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey," T.J. squealed as he pulled his mouth off Andy's dick, "that fuckin' hurt. Slick that finger up a bit, would you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry," Mike mumbled around T.J.'s dick. He pulled his finger back out of T.J.'s ass, slicked it up as requested and immediately returned it from whence it came. The boys spent the next ten minutes working each other over, all of them lost in the pursuit of sexual release. When the orgasms finally hit, their bodies were quaking with jolts of pleasure. The vibrations caused by their moans of delight only heightened the sensations their partners felt resonating in their cocklets. Dicks were dancing wildly in mouths as they spasmed in delight and with each jerk of their cocklet, they could feel their assholes clamping tightly around the fingers that were firmly ensconced within. As the feelings abated and a sense of deep contentment washed over them, dicks finally slipped from mouths and fingers were slowly removed from asses.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, fuck, that was fuckin' awesome," T.J. moaned.</span></p> <p><span>"We need to do more of that," Mike agreed in a lustful tone.</span></p> <p><span>"I gotta piss," Andy commented, "and wash my hand."</span></p> <p><span>All three climbed from the bed and headed to the bathroom. After draining their bladders one more time and washing their hands, they got back in bed, pulled up the covers and curled together for a very good night's sleep.</span></p> <p><span>"Did you hear something?" I asked looking up from my book.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't think so," Tom answered. "What'd it sound like?"</span></p> <p><span>"Like the wind moaning through the trees. But there's no trees close enough to the house that we'd hear it unless the windows were open. Then I thought heard running water."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, ya' got me babe. Probably just the icemaker. All those years shootin' on the practice range has kinda numbed my hearing so I don't hear shit like that too well."</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe it was just my imagination. Look, I'm pooped and have that doctor's appointment in the morning. You don't mind if hit the sack do ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, go ahead. I'm just gonna finish this chapter and I'll be right behind you."</span></p> <p><span>I leaned over as I passed by and gave him a kiss, whispered `I love you' in his ear and headed for our bedroom. He joined me about ten minutes later and wrapped me up in his arms again and held on to me as I dozed off to another fitful night of sleep.</span></p> <p><span>After turning off the alarm in the morning, I crawled out of bed to start the day. After a quick stop in the bathroom, I made the trip to the other side of the house to get the boys moving. Stopping in the twins' room first, I found Alex, Logan and Joey curled together in the middle of the bed, no pretzel this morning. They looked so sweet and peaceful I almost hated to wake them up. But, school wasn't going to come to them, so that meant they had to go to it. I brushed the hair out of Alex's eyes and kissed him on the forehead.</span></p> <p><span>As his eyes fluttered into life, I whispered, "Mornin', buddy, time to get movin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hey, Dad. Mornin'," he yawned.</span></p> <p><span>As he started to move, Logan yelped, "Wait, that's my dick you're tryin' to take with ya'."</span></p> <p><span>I gave a quick cough and said, "Morning, Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"Shit! I meant shoot. Sorry, Max. Guess you pro'lly didn't want to know that."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right. Boys <i>will</i> be boys, but it's time to get moving."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, all right," he muttered as he slipped a hand between him and Joey and gave Joey a little push backwards. "Oh, man, I'm gonna miss that feeling all day." Then he rolled over to face Joey and yelled, "Yo, dude, time to get up!"</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, you don't have to freakin' yell. I'm right here and I ain't deaf. Not yet, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>I giggled to myself as I left the room to continue my rounds. Popping in to wake Mike, Andy, and T.J., I found them curled together under the covers. I shook shoulders for all three and when I could see they were starting to move, headed back to get Tom going, also. As I reentered the bedroom, I called out, "C'mon, big guy. Time to get moving."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he grumped. </span></p> <p><span>"I need you to run the boys out to the bus again this morning so I can call James, let him know about Frank and Iris's arrest and get him to work with the county's attorney on placing a lien on their house and whatever else they can find."</span></p> <p><span>"You're serious about them paying up, aren't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right, I am. They literally screwed the wrong motherfucker when they picked me and I'm going to make them regret they ever knew me."</span></p> <p><span>"Babe, they're sittin' in the jail, I'm pretty sure they regret it already."</span></p> <p><span>"They might, but not for the reason they think they do. They have no idea it was me who talked to the police. I intend to correct that misconception. When we're done with my appointment with Dr. Schaid, I want to go to the county building and say hi, just for old time's sake."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you freakin' kiddin' me? You really want to confront them."</span></p> <p><span>"I do. I feel like I have to. I want that to be my first step in taking my damn life back from them."</span></p> <p><span>"If that's what you want, then that's exactly what we'll do. And I'll be with you for this step and all the others."</span></p> <p><span>"I knew you would be and I love you all the more for it. Now, let's get out of here and feed some hungry boys. Don't want them missing the bus." We headed to the kitchen and got busy whipping up some scrambled eggs and sausage patties for breakfast while the boys set the table. As I finally sat down to eat, my mind was focused on one thing and one thing only this morning: make the Muellers and all the others pay for what they've done.</span></p> <p><span>I'd arrived at the department early this morning, thanks to not sleeping well last night. I screwed up big time yesterday and now I had figure out how to fix it. I spent some time going over all the processing paperwork for our twenty-six new guests, making sure everything with that had been done properly, at least. I didn't want there to be any further mistakes on the part of the department that would allow these people to walk out of here, free as a bird. And I knew I had correct two major fuckups from yesterday or that's exactly what was going to happen. </span></p> <p><span>When I saw Derek arrive for his shift, I stuck my head out my office door and called across the room, "Derek, I need you for a few minutes." After he'd joined me, I said, "Close the door, please, and take a pew."</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, Sarge?" Derek asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I wanted to talk to you about Pastor Warren. Did you think anything seemed a little off about him yesterday?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, I was gonna ask you the same thing. I been thinkin' `bout it since we left the church last night, and in my book, I think he was way too helpful."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's part of it, for sure. One other thing I've been thinkin' about is him having a key to that office. Since he says he was told by the board that only the elders had a key as they were the only ones supposed to use it, doesn't it seem odd that Warren would have one also."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I just assumed he'd have a key for everything in the building since he's the pastor. But I think you could make a case that he shouldn't have had it if he wasn't an elder."</span></p> <p><span>"I also noticed when I was searching for the right key, there were several smaller keys on his ring. Those could have been to the padlocks on the file cabinets." Derek's eyes widened in surprise at the implication. "One more thing that pinged my scumbag radar `bout him was the phone calls he made while I sat there and listened. He was lyin' his ass off to those folks, but doin' it in such a way that unless you were used to be lied to all the time like we are, you'd probably miss it. I even joked to the bastard about him bein' an actor if the preachin' thing didn't work out for him. The more I thought about it last night, I think the only time we saw the <i>real</i> Warren was when I first opened his office door, arrogant and full of self-importance. After that moment and when he knew why we were there, the rest of it was all an act. He was doin' everything he could to avoid havin' us suspect him along with the rest."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit! He's one of them, isn't he? And we just left him there? That ain't good boss."</span></p> <p><span>"I know. I've already got a team down there to keep an eye on things until we can get there. When Warren shows up, they're going inside to guard that office. We can't take a chance he's got another key stashed in some hidey-hole we don't know about. And if he does, we can only hope he hasn't already used it."</span></p> <p><span>"Good thinkin', boss."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks. I need you to fill out an application for his arrest warrant, then hightail it up to Judge Corgan's office and get it signed. Explain our suspicions, and I don't think he'll have a problem with it."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, anything else?"</span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, yeah. I pretty much screwed the pooch yesterday and I need you to help me unscrew it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do what I can. What do you need?"</span></p> <p><span>"Two things. Since those files cabinets are possibly not under church control or church property, I think we need a separate warrant to open and search them. I need you to get that from Judge Corgan, also, so we can do that today, legally this time. If we lose those files as evidence, we're fucked and all those assholes walk."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that would be beyond bad for us. What's the second thing you need done?"</span></p> <p><span>"I need you to zip out to Max and Tom's."</span></p> <p><span>"What for? You need some more information or something from him? I thought we already had everything we needed from Max."</span></p> <p><span>"This is my really big fuckup, Derek, and I need you to keep your mouth shut about it, you hear me?" After a quick nod of acknowledgement from him, I continued. "After I had Zach open the locks on the cabinets, I took a quick look through every drawer, just to see what we were dealing with. In the third drawer, I found a file with a familiar name on it."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me guess, Max Sanders. Right? What'd you do, you dumbass?"</span></p> <p><span>"Normally, I'd bust your ass for a crack like that. But, you're right on the money as usual. I took the file, slipped it inside my coat and the next time I stepped outside, I hid it under the seat of our car. And to remove any further doubts from your mind about me bein' a dumbass, I gave it to Max last night."</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus Christ, Sarge, that's tamperin' with evidence! What the fuck were you thinkin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"I know, I know, I was a damn idiot, what else can I say? I was thinkin' I was protectin' a good friend's name from getting dragged through the mud. But, we need to get that file back to the church and in that cabinet <i>before</i> we start emptying drawers. Can you do that for me? At least get the fuckin' thing back to the church, anyway. I'll deal with it from there."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing. I just hope it works. I'll get the two warrants first, then haul ass out to Max's and beg him for the file. Once I have it, I'll head straight for the church."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll call and let him know you're coming. He's got a doctor's appointment this morning, so you need to be quick with the warrants. Get to it, Derek. I'll make the call and let them know you'll be out there in about an hour."</span></p> <p><span>As Derek left my office to get to work, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Maybe, just maybe, I could pull this off and keep those people where they belonged. I picked up the phone and dialed Max's number.</span></p> <p><span>"SW Ranch," Tom answered with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin', Tom. It's Dylan. I need to talk to Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, one second, he's right here."</span></p> <p><span>A moment later, Max was on the phone, "What's up Dylan?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know that file I gave you last night?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course. I told you thanks for that last night."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I hate to do this, but I need it back. Derek will be there in about an hour to pick it up."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, shit."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, and I'm sorry, Max. But, about three this morning, I fully realized what I'd done. At the moment, you're the <i>only</i> complainant I have. If there's no evidence concerning you in those cabinets when we go to empty them today, then the case falls apart and Frank, Iris and the rest of them walk. I need corroboration of your story <i>there.</i> Without it, we're screwed."</span></p> <p><span>"Guess it's a good thing I didn't throw it in the fireplace last night, then, isn't it? I sure thought about it, you know."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't even joke about that. Getting it back is only half my problem. I've still got to figure out how to get your file back in the cabinet without anybody but me, Derek and you guys knowing it went missing. If I can accomplish that feat of magic, then, when this is all over, I'll see what I can do about getting it back to you."</span></p> <p><span>"That's more than I should ask for, Dylan. We won't leave for my appointment until Derek's been here."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, man. I owe you big time if we pull this off."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you can pay me back this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"How?"</span></p> <p><span>"I want to see Frank and Iris. This morning, after I've seen Dr. Schaid."</span></p> <p><span>"Why the hell would you want to do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"So I can tell them, face to face, that <i>I'm</i> the one who pulled the rug out from under their feet. I want them to know it was me that ruined their fucking life, just like they ruined mine. Granted, I'm gonna get my life back, but they aren't gonna be that lucky."</span></p> <p><span>"I can probably arrange that for you, but it has to wait until I get your file back where it belongs. If I can do it before your appointment ends, I'll let you know."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dylan. We'll wait for Derek. I'll put the file in a FedEx envelope so when he gets to the church, it won't be visible as to what it really is."</span></p> <p><span>"Good thinkin', Max. I appreciate it. I'll send a text to Tom when the deed is done."</span></p> <p><span>After hanging up the phone, I leaned back in my chair for a moment and puzzled over how I was going to make the impossible possible.</span></p> <p><span>"What'd Dylan want?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He wants the damn file back."</span></p> <p><span>"What!? Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"He says since I'm the only known victim at the moment, if my file's not there when they start to take them all out, he doesn't have a case anymore. Since I don't want to touch the fuckin' thing, would you get it out of the safe, then put it in a FedEx envelope from the study?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure. Give me just a few."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad you already took the boys out for the bus. They don't need to know about this." Tom disappeared and was back in about two minutes with a sealed envelope camouflaging the file. "Thanks, hon. Guess we get to wait for Derek, now. I hope he doesn't make us late for my appointment."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure he'll get here as fast as he can." We settled in the living room and read until finally, at twenty after nine, the drive sensor went off. Tom grabbed the envelope and headed for the front door. He opened the door just as Derek stepped onto the porch. "Here ya' go, Derek. Good luck," Tom intoned as he handed over the envelope to Derek.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, partner, we're gonna need all the luck we can get to pull this shit off. God, what a fuckin' dumbass. See ya' later." With that, Derek spun on his heels and got back in his car to leave.</span></p> <p><span>"You ready to roll, babe?" Tom asked as he closed the door.</span></p> <p><span>"No, but then, I never will be, either. Let's go get this over with," I answered as I grabbed my jacket from the closet.</span></p> <p><span>We headed to the garage, climbed into the Shelby and with Tom driving, hit the road for town.</span></p> <p><span>There was a light rap on my door, then Kelly popped the door open and announced, "Here's the prisoner you asked for, Sergeant Brock."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Kelly. I'll take it from here." After guiding my visitor to a chair and shaking his hand, I said, "Good morning, Mr. Campbell. How are you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd be a whole lot better if I was at home, takin' care of my son and my farm. I got cows and hogs to feed, ya' know."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure you would be, sir. But, it's my understanding your neighbors are taking care of those chores for you right now, so don't worry about your livestock for the moment. I only have a few minutes this morning before I have to leave, but I wanted to talk to you about you and your son, if you don't mind?"</span></p> <p><span>"You mean about how I lost my mind and beat the shit out of him the other night?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, sir. I want to talk about your relationship with him and where we need to go from here. I talked to your son yesterday, Mr. Campbell. Logan is a very intelligent and sensitive young man. And he cares about you and loves you very much. But, he's tired of you hurting him the way you have been the last couple years and he's not going to take that abuse any longer. That's why he called us Sunday morning. He was very scared of what <i>might</i> happen after what <i>had</i> happened the night before."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he shoulda listened and come home with me Saturday instead of stayin' at them pervert's house. I was just tryin' to protect my son."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, that's what you told me then, but I know Mr. Sanders and Mr. Wright. In fact, until just a few weeks ago, Mr. Wright was one of my deputies here in this department. I can tell you right now, sir, that both are good, honorable men and they would never hurt a child. Your son could not be any safer than he was Saturday or right now, even, since he is staying with Max, Tom and their boys while we resolve your problems with the law."</span></p> <p><span>"You mean my kid is actually sleepin' there with them fags."</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Campbell, if you don't stop referring to them with derogatory terms, I'm not going to help you. They're men, same as you me."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no they're not."</span></p> <p><span>"Please, I'd like to talk about Logan. He says he wants to go back home and live with you. He needs you in his life right now, especially after you two lost your wife and his mother a few years ago. From what Logan told me, you started changing when your wife got sick and you've changed even more after she passed."</span></p> <p><span>"That damned leukemia," he spat. "And them damn doctors couldn't do a fuckin' thing to help her. Yeah, I changed. I got mean and nasty and fuckin `pissed off at the world for takin' her away from us. So, what? You would, too, if you lost your wife."</span></p> <p><span>"You're right, I probably would. But do you want to know one thing I would never do? I would never, ever take out my anger and frustration at the world, its impotent doctors and its vicious diseases on my innocent son. A son who is feeling the same loss you are. Your son worships you, Mr. Campbell, he loves you with all his heart. And he's still hurting from losing his mother, just as you are. I'd like to help you, Mr. Campbell, if you'll let me?"</span></p> <p><span>"And what do you think you can do for me?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like to arrange some counseling for you and Logan to help you both learn to deal with the grief of your loss, and you to deal with the anger you have at how unfairly you've been treated. Would you be willing to do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why do you want to help us so damn bad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because, sir, a boy needs his dad. And if his own dad can't help him, then he needs to find someone to take his place. I see how much he cares for and needs you. I believe you feel the same way about him. Am I wrong about that?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, you're not," Mr. Campbell answered through quivering lips.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I didn't think so. Will you accept my offer of some help and counseling for you and Logan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir, I will. But why are you doing this? I should rot in hell for the way I hurt him. It was wrong and I know it. I don't deserve your help."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, you do. Everyone deserves a second chance to do the right thing. But let me tell you right now, if this works out the way we both hope it will and Logan does move back in with you, if you <i>ever</i> hurt him again, I will do everything I possibly can to ensure you do rot in hell. I want to make sure you understand that half of our bargain."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir, I do."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Look, I have leave shortly to deal with another case, but I'll make some phone calls late this afternoon to find someone to work with you. Once I have those arrangements made, and when we get to court, I'll speak on your behalf to let the judge know that you'll be getting counseling to help you with your problems."</span></p> <p><span>"When will I be able to go home? And what about Logan? When will he come home?"</span></p> <p><span>"You should be able to return home fairly soon, I think. As for Logan, it won't be immediately, I'll tell you that right now. That will be up to the counselor. When he feels that the danger to your son has passed, then he can recommend to the court that Logan be allowed to return home with you. That could be a few weeks or a few months. That will all depend on you. And until the judge says he can return home, he'll be staying right where he is." I stood and walked back around my desk to stand next to Mr. Campbell.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you for helping us, Sergeant Brock," Charlie said as he stood and shook Dylan's hand.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm happy to do it, Mr. Campbell. Just don't make me regret it. I appreciate you talking to me this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Not like I had anywhere else to be this mornin', is it?" he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"No, I suppose not. I'll have Kelly escort you back to your cell." We walked to the door and I called Kelly over. "Would you please return Mr. Campbell to his temporary lodgings?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Sarge. After you, Mr. Campbell."</span></p> <p><span>As they walked away, I heard Charlie comment, "Ya' wanna know somethin' deputy, I ain't never had much use for cops, but your boss seems like a damn good guy."</span></p> <p><span>"He's the best there is, Mr. Campbell," Kelly replied as they turned the corner and headed towards the detention area. </span></p> <p><span>As I closed my door and turned back to my desk, I allowed a small smile of success to creep across my face. When my cell phone rang and I saw who was calling, the smile disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. "Speak to me, Derek," I answered gruffly.</span></p> <p><span>"I have it and I'm on my way to the church."</span></p> <p><span>"Good work. I'll meet you there in about twenty-five minutes. Here's what I want to do when we get there," I started as I laid out my plan for getting the file back where it belonged.</span></p> <p><span>We walked into Dr. Schaid's reception room, and after registering with the young woman behind the desk, took a seat to wait the last ten minutes for my appointment.</span></p> <p><span>"Do you want me to come in with you?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know. Haven't you already heard enough of this crap?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"And I'll hear it until the cows come home if I need to. Whatever you need, I'm here for you."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that. Let me think about it while we wait. I'm just glad there's nobody else here who might recognize me. That would be embarrassing."</span></p> <p><span>"I know it sounds weird, but I think you'll actually be relieved when all this comes out."</span></p> <p><span>"To a certain extent, I think I will. I've hidden shit from people for so long, it's just a habit anymore, I do it without even thinking about it. I <i>will</i> be glad when it's over, when I can just be myself, again. At least I'm not worried about my career as an author. Those days are over."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon, don't talk like that. Maybe writing about your life would help with your therapy."</span></p> <p><span>"Not likely," I chuffed. "If I don't want this shit in my brain, why the hell would I commit it to paper?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. S, the doctor's ready for you."</span></p> <p><span>I stood up and headed to the door separating the reception area from Dr. Schaid's office, then stopped and asked, "You comin' or are you just gonna sit there like a lump of cold mashed potatoes?" Tom jumped up from his chair and when he joined with me, I grabbed his hand and whispered, "Thanks for being here for me. And whatever you do, don't let go."</span></p> <p><span>"Forever, babe."</span></p> <p><span>I pulled into the parking lot at the church and found it was empty except for a couple of cars, one of which belonged to the surveillance team I'd sent out early this morning. I met the first of my people just inside the front door.</span></p> <p><span>"Morning, Sarge."</span></p> <p><span>"Morning to you, too, Henry. Where's Andrew?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He's blocking access to the office, standing right in the middle of the door. A tank couldn't budge him."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Stay here and let me know when Derek arrives. He should be here soon."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, boss."</span></p> <p><span>I headed deeper into the church and when I turned the corner into the office's corridor, I couldn't miss Andrew. As big as I am, he's even bigger and he stood out like a sore thumb, or, more accurately, a huge slab of granite. As I drew closer, he acknowledged me with a curt nod just before I turned into Michelle's office.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Michelle. How are you today?" I asked politely.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm still shaken by what's happened, but I'll get over it."</span></p> <p><span>"Were you able to find someone to take the food last night."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yes, sir. Pastor Warren and I packed it all back up and he took it to St. John's breadline last night. They were very happy to have it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it. And how is the Pastor this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"He seems pretty shaken up, also." <i>Yeah, I bet he's quakin' is his boots right about now, thinkin' how lucky is to not be sitting in the jail with the rest of them.</i> "He's been locked in his office since he got here."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we won't disturb him just yet, then. I'm waiting for Deputy Timmons to arrive before we get to work. Zach and Perry will be here shortly also. I'll let you know when we're ready to proceed." I left Michelle's office and headed back to the front door of the church. "I'm going to wait outside for Timmons," I said to Henry as I walked by him. I stepped out into the sunlight and headed to my car. After sitting inside, I picked up the radio to check on Derek's status. Just before I clicked the transmit button, I saw him pulling into lot and then taking the spot next to me on the passenger side of my car. </span></p> <p><span>Derek got out of his car and joined me in mine. He held a FedEx envelope in his hand and offered it up to me. "Here's that delivery you were waiting on. And the two new warrants. You ready, Sarge?"</span></p> <p><span>I slid the envelope inside my jacket and zipped it shut. "About as ready as I'll ever be. Let's do this."</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-83.html

Building a Family Chapter 83 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 83 � Risky Behaviors On the way across the house to the kitchen, the boys were demanding macaroni and cheese with hot dogs, so Tom and I got busy with our cooking, Tom grilling the dogs while I worked on the macaroni. While the boys began getting the table ready for our meal, their regular conversation rapidly morphed into something neither of us was quite ready for when Joey asked, "So, Mikey, what was keepin' Ron so busy he couldn't come fix lunch?" Tom and I quickly shared the look all parents get when their kids start asking such questions, one of abject fear. "He was, uh, you know ..." Mike muttered. "No, we don't know," T.J. retorted. "That's why he asked, ya dweeb," Logan offered. "C'mon, dude, spill it," Andy pushed. "He was, um, playin' with himself," Mike finally muttered in defeat as he gave up the secret. Not that that bit of news was really much of a secret or surprise around here. With nine guys in the same house and all of us being naked all the time, it would indeed be a rare moment when at least one of us didn't have his hand on a penis, whether it was his own or someone else's. We could just be making a small adjustment, flogging the ol' flagpole or having full-on sex, but you could be sure a hand was on a dick 24/7 around here. "That's it?" Alex questioned with astonishment. "He was just jerkin' the gherkin?" "Well, no, not really," Mike answered slowly. "He was playin' with his butthole, too," the youngster added with a hint of embarrassment. "So, big deal," Joey retorted. "I bet T.J. and Andy have played with your pretty little butthole plenty o' times, haven't they?" While both named boys nodded their heads in agreement, Mike countered with, "Well, yeah, all the time, but he wasn't usin' his fingers back there like we do. He had somethin' else." "What was it?" Alex asked with his interest piqued as to what Ron might have had. "I ain't sure," Mike offered. "It looked kinda like a dick, but made out of rubber or somethin', I think. `Course, I never saw the whole thing since he was slidin' it in and out of his ass the whole time," he added with a little giggle. Tom and I again shared a quick look and I whispered, "Oh shit, you just know they're gonna ask us about that, don't you? What do we do now?" "Ain't my problem, babe," Tom chuckled. "You're the one who said they could ask any question at any time and we'd give them an honest answer. Can't wait to see how you deal with this one," he added with a crooked smirk of mirth. Before I could even begin formulating my response to Tom, a voice from the dining room called out, "Hey, Dads!" That call was followed by the sensational six-pack coming back into the kitchen and filling up the barstools at the counter, wide grins of not-so-innocent curiosity plastered on their faces. "I already know what you're going to ask, but can we wait a bit, please?" "Why, Dad?" Joey complained. "You always say we can ask you anything." "I know that, and I'm more than happy to give you guys a truthful answer, but I'd like to chat about it with Ron first, just to make sure I'm not lying about what Mike saw. Sound fair to you?" "Yeah, I s'pose," Alex grunted. "Besides, I think this conversation will give us chance to have that other discussion we put off last night because Rich and Carrie were here." "Cool, Dads," T.J. grinned, rubbing his hands together with gleeful anticipation. With a quiet sigh of relief, I returned to my macaroni and the madly grinning Tom still coaxing the dogs on the grill. With our backs to the munchkins, I leaned over to Tom and whispered, "Fat lotta help you are, big guy." All I got in return was a look that said, `who, me?' After a quick elbow to his ribs, my timer dinged to let me know the pasta was done. After a quick drain, I mixed in the milk, Parkay and the powdered cheese along with some extra sharp cheddar cheese, and we were ready to eat. We'd been at the table about a minute and were all stuffing our faces when Ron finally joined us, a decidedly guilty look flooding his face. He took his seat next to Tom and dug into the food like he hadn't had any breakfast, somehow accomplishing that feat while simultaneously avoiding all eye contact with the rest of us. I had also noticed a light flushing as if he were embarrassed to be here at the moment. "What's up, Ron?" I asked. "Everything okay?" He finally looked at me and quietly replied, "Yeah, I guess. Just not sure what to say right now." "Well, you really don't have to say anything, but I would like to ask you a question." "What?" he grumbled. "Well, it has to do with what Mike saw when he interrupted your private time just now." "Damn it, I just knew y'all was talkin' `bout me out here. Probably laughin' your asses off `bout how I have to take care of myself." "Not at all, Ron," Tom replied to the accusation. "But, due to Mike's untimely disruption of a private moment, the boys now have some questions and we'd like to give them an honest answer." "You gotta be kiddin' me! It's bad enough the little twerp caught me in the act, man, but now you want me to actually explain that? Fat chance of that happenin'," Ron muttered with disgust. "Ron, listen to me, please," I began in a tone that would demand his undivided attention. Once his eyes were locked onto mine, I calmly continued, "Since the boys moved in, we've stressed the importance of always telling the truth, no matter how uncomfortable that may be to do. And to our knowledge, they've always given honest answers to us and we've returned that sign of respect to them. Including those sometimes embarrassing queries. Tom and I would really appreciate it if you'd continue that trend with us and them." "You're serious, aren't you?" Ron asked in surprise. "Of course, we are," Tom replied. "They're all just as curious about things as any other kid and we don't want to stifle that curiosity as they grow up. We want them to feel as comfortable as possible to ask us any question they have, no matter how awkward, knowing that they'll get a truthful answer from us." "Jeesh, this is so different from my family, I can't begin to tell ya. We never talked `bout crap like this when I was growin' up." "Dad don't like to talk `bout this stuff much, either, `specially while we're eatin'," T.J. giggled. "But he will, and all of us really like that. It makes us feel like we're important." "And you guys are," I agreed with a big smile. "The most important things in our lives," I added as I reached over and pulled Tom's hand into mine, receiving a wide grin of agreement from the big guy. "Yeah, okay," Ron finally relented. He turned his focus to the boys and asked, "Wha' do ya rugrats wanna know?" "Mike, you're the one who saw what he was doin', so why don't you start," Alex offered. A big smirk filled the youngster's face before he began with, "Well, we already know `bout jerkin', suckin' and humpin' each other, but what was ya doin' with your butt? I mean, we've all used our fingers on the others, but it looked like you had somethin' in your hand and we wanna know what it was." After a quick look to Tom and me and receiving simple nods from us in return, Ron answered with, "That's what's called a dildo, guys." "Is that like a dick made out of Play-Doh?" Andy asked. "Well, it's shaped like a dick, for sure, but it's not made out of Play-Doh. That stuff would eventually start comin' apart and make a real mess of things. No, that particular toy is made out of a flexible PVC material so it's easy to use and even easier to clean up." "And how do ya use it," T.J. asked. "You put a little lube on the dildo, and I usually put some on my hole, too. Then you just grab the base, line it up with your hole and give it a little push. Once it's inside ya, ya start slidin' it in and out just like another guy was havin' sex with ya." "Does it feel good?" Joey asked. "You have no idea, little dude. It's as close to the real thing as you can get." "Don't it hurt like a bitch, though?" Logan wanted to know. "It did when I first started usin' that one, but I've had it long enough, now, that I'm used to it. I gave my smaller ones to Rich last night." "Do you ever suck on it, thinkin' it's some guy's dick?" Alex queried as he was next in line to continue the interrogation. "Sometimes, yeah. But only before I use it back there. Besides, I'd much rather suck a real dick." "Yeah, me, too," T.J. giggled in response and we all cracked up on that comment. "Can we see it, Ron?" Joey begged. After another look to us and another quick nod from Tom, Ron replied, "Uh, can I finish eatin' first?" "Sure, dude," Alex agreed. "We'll clean up the rest while you do. But you better eat fast," he added with an evil laugh. The sensational six-pack jumped up from their chairs and began clearing the dishes from the table. By the time they had everything rinsed and loaded in the dishwasher, Ron had finished his own meal and Logan grabbed his plate and bowl before returning to the kitchen. Before leaving his chair, Ron asked, "You sure you're okay with me showing it to `em?" "Might as well, buddy," Tom replied. "You should know by now they just aren't gonna let somethin' like this slide by." "Ain't that the truth," Ron chuckled. "Okay, be right back." Ron turned for his room and was back shortly with the toy in hand and a big grin on his face. Since the boys were still finishing their cleanup task in the kitchen, Ron stood the dildo in the middle of the table. While Tom and I were obviously not strangers to such items, seeing the bright pink dong wobbling obscenely, but proudly, in the middle of our dining room table caused us to double over in fits of laughter. That was all it took to draw the boys back to the table and their eyes went as wide as saucers when they laid eyes on the dildo. "Wow, that's freakin' cool," Joey exclaimed. "You really had that thing buried in your ass?" Logan questioned with concern. "Yep," Ron replied with pride. "I hope you cleaned it up before you put in the middle of the table," Andy giggled. "Always. Toys like this last a lot longer when you take proper care of them, boys," Ron replied seriously. "How big is it?" Alex quizzed the toy's owner. "This one's about seven and a half inches long and an inch and a half in diameter, so a little bigger than your dad and a bit smaller than your pops." "Is that the only size you can get?" Mike wondered out loud. "Nope, dildos come in all sizes. Some are smaller than this one and I've also seen some that are almost as big as Dylan, maybe even bigger. There are a lot of different shapes and colors, too. They even make small wands designed specifically for stimulating your prostate." "You think they got any that would fit our tight and tiny holes?" T.J. asked in complete seriousness. "I don't know, guys, but I'm sure some company out there makes `em your size. You and your dads would have to do some searchin' to find `em though." All six munchkins turned to look at the two of us and without any of them saying a word, we knew what we'd have to do later today. I can honestly say that I never expected, at this point in my life, that I would be looking for tiny dildoes for my sons, but here we are. And by the looks on their faces, they wanted them sooner rather than later. "Okay, okay," I acquiesced, "we'll see what we can find." "That'll be so cool, Dads. Thanks," Alex responded. "Will you show us how to use them, too?" Joey asked. "That could probably be arranged," I agreed. "If you're gonna have some of your own, you should know what to do with them, including cleaning them up after you're done using them." "Sweet!" T.J. crowed. "Can we have that other chat that keeps gettin' pushed aside?" "Might as well," Tom replied. He then turned to me and said, "The floor is yours." After shooting him a dirty look for throwing me to the wolves, I refocused on the rest of the table and began. "Okay, guys, here's the scoop. We had a chat with Ron the other night and told him the truth about us. All of us." "Whatchu talkin `bout, Dad?" Mike asked. "We let him know that three of you so far have been in bed with us and some of what we've done together." All six of their faces flooded with surprise before I carried on. "The reason we did so is because Ron was really concerned about his reaction after finding all six of you in bed together and going after each other with wild abandon." "What you really mean is he freaked the hell out `bout gettin' hard after he found us all fuckin' and suckin' each other, right?" Logan asked. "Well, yeah. He was worried to the point that he was thinking about quitting." "You can't do that!" Joey exclaimed as he whipped his head around to face Ron. "Yeah, we really like you, dude," Alex added in a much calmer tone of voice. "Boys, relax," Tom interrupted. "We think we've talked him into staying, but with some rules he has to follow. You need to know those rules, too, so listen up." I took over the conversation, adding, "Okay, here's the deal, guys. If any of you should ever want to enjoy some sex play with Ron, you're welcome to do so." A loud cheer filled the house and I had to wait for the echoes to die out before I could move on. "He's agreed to the ground rules we laid out and we expect all of you to do the same. The biggest rule you have to follow is this; Ron is not allowed to have anal intercourse with any of you." "That's a good thing, Dad. He's damn near as big as Pops," Alex giggled. "But can we, you know, do it to him?" Joey asked. "If he's willing to allow it, then yes, you may," Tom replied. "All the other rules we've already laid out still need to be followed, too, like behind closed doors, everyone involved has to agree to anything and everything that may happen, and on and on." "Any questions from you guys or Ron?" I asked. "I got one, Dad," T.J. said as he raised his hand. After a nod from me, he asked the one question I wasn't quite ready for. "Will you ever let us get, um, you know, by any of you guys? I mean, I know it'd hurt a little, but I think we'd be able to handle it. It can't be that bad, can it?" "I can't really answer that question, young man. Not right now, anyway." "But why won't you even think about it?" Alex asked seriously. I took a deep breath before answering. When I finally felt I was ready to do so, I answered with, "You all remember what I told you about what Frank and Iris did to me?" After a round of nods, I added, "Well, I know all too well how much anal sex can and will hurt if you're not ready for it. I was older than you guys are when it happened to me and believe me when I say it hurt like hell and I thought I was gonna die. Actually wished I would. I can't and won't allow that happen to the six of you." "But you'd never had anything up there before that happened, right?" Joey said pointedly. "And you seem to be cool with Pops doin' it to ya now. What'd be so bad `bout you doin' it to us if we wanted you to?" "First, Pops and I spent some time preparing me for it with some toys much like the one in the middle of the table right now. If it hadn't been for that, I'd have screamed bloody murder when it happened. I still experienced some minor pain even with our preparations, but I got through it okay and now it doesn't hurt hardly at all. Second, when Pops and I have sex, it's because we love each other and want to share that love in the most intimate of possible ways. What Frank and Iris did to me was not love at all. Third, we don't want you guys to think we love you only for your bodies. We love the whole person, not just your ass for what we could with it." "But what if you get these toys for us and we work with them on our holes for a while? Would you do it to us then?" Joey wanted to know. "I'll have to think about it, boys. I'd want to make sure that if it should ever happen, you won't be hurt in any way. I just couldn't live with myself if we hurt you the way Frank hurt me." "So that's a maybe, then, right?" T.J. asked with sincere curiosity. "I suppose it is. Are you all okay with that?" Another round of nods and we had our answer. "Okay, if we're done here, why don't you put your toy away, Ron, and then join us in the theater for some more Star Trek episodes? It's been over a week since we've been able to watch any, and I'd like to fix that omission this afternoon." Another round of cheers flooded the house as everyone left the table and headed for the theater. Well, everybody but Ron who first had to make the detour to his room to return his toy to wherever he kept it, but he joined us soon enough and we settled in for a quiet afternoon. After the first two shows of the day, it was time for a bathroom break. As everyone was returning to the theater, we congregated in the kitchen for a moment to arrange some snacks for the boys before returning for the third show. With cookies and juice boxes in hand, we once again inhabited our favorite chairs, then continued with the boys' preferred show. At the end of the third show, the boys decided they wanted to spend some time outside riding their bikes and seeing what other kinds of trouble they could get into. Since it was sunny and the temperature was in the mid-seventies this afternoon, we happily sent them on their way with the reminder that anyone riding a bike should be wearing their helmet. Sure, it seems a touch crazy to expect them to wear helmets when they'd have nothing else on to protect the rest of their bodies, but a skinned knee or elbow is a lot easier to doctor than a cracked skull. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. The herd charged pell-mell out of the theater and after a quick stop in their rooms to don socks and shoes, they disappeared down the hallway towards the garage. We knew they'd left the house and us behind when the door to the garage slammed shut after the last munchkin had passed through it. Tom, Ron and I all shared a quick smile of understanding at their desire to get outside. With some luck, they'd burn off some pent-up energy and return in a much calmer and more relaxed state. It seemed unlikely but we can dream, can't we? "So, Ron, was that little show and tell as bad as you thought it would be?" I asked as we settled into the living room. "No, not really," he replied. "You sure about that," Tom queried seriously. "That wasn't your regular everyday discussion with a bunch of young kids." "You ain't kiddin', man, but you guys're right. They're all curious as hell and there's no need to kill that curiosity, is there? I mean, they're not cats, are they? Besides, they'll figure all this shit out themselves soon enough and they might as well learn it at home where you actually have some control over what and how they learn certain things." "That's my thinking, too. Especially since I'm just now learning some of these things for myself." "What're you talkin' about, Max?" Ron asked with surprise. "Well, since I really just accepted being gay last year, I'd never used a toy of any kind when I was pleasuring myself. I didn't get to enjoy that experience until after Tom moved in and brought his toys with him." "Jesus, man, your boys probably have more experience than you do," Ron laughed. "I'm sure they do. Joey and Alex, anyway. Can't really say much about the others except they all seem to be learning the same things at about the same time." "Why do you think Joey and Alex are ahead of the others on the learning curve?" "Well, it's my understanding they discovered the joy of sleeping nude quite some time ago and rather enjoyed the fact doing so pissed off the Muellers. And I know that pretty soon after I started going to bed naked, I quickly learned how to rub my dick on the sheet and make myself feel really good. It only makes sense that with the two of them sleeping in the same bed and being naked, they'd just as quickly figure out that while humping the mattress might feel good, doing so against each would feel even better." "Yeah, that makes sense," Ron agreed. "What about you, Tom? When did you learn?" "Um, I guess it was shortly after Dad had `the talk' with me. I think I was about eleven or twelve when he finally broke down and decided he couldn't put it off any longer. Not that he had to worry about me knockin' up the homecoming queen or anything like that, but he didn't know that at the time. Once he told me a dick could be used for more than takin' a piss, I just had to find out what he was talkin' `bout. I had my first dry come that night and I haven't stopped gettin' off since. You're turn, bud." "Well, my old man never said shit `bout nothin' havin' to do with sex of any kind. No, I began my education with my best friend, Pat. It was the night of my tenth birthday, and I don't think I'll ever forget that first time. He was spending the night with me for my first sleepover. We took our bath together and the screwin' `round started there. When we finally climbed out of the tub twenty minutes after climbin' in, we were both hard as nails and horny as fuck. We dried off as fast as we could, picked up our dirty clothes and held them in front of our crotches to hide our little boners as we high-tailed it down the hallway to my room. We figured my `rents would be pissed as hell if they saw us with hard-ons. "Once we got to my room, I closed and locked my door, we dropped our shit on the floor and jumped on the bed. I continued our fun by layin' my head on his belly and getting' a really good look at his little pecker. I'd seen it plenty of times before but never that close up, and never hard. Then I grabbed him with a thumb and two fingers and started jerkin' him off. I really didn't have a clue what the fuck I was doin', but that didn't stop me for one second. Pat was moanin' and gigglin' his ass off, but thanks to the way I was layin' on him, he ended up grabbin' me and returning the favor. In no time at all, we were both moanin' in pleasure at the new feelings we'd found and after about ten minutes of just playin' with each other, I decided I wanted to see what his dick tasted like. "That just took things to a whole new level and before I knew what was happenin', he'd rolled us around and with his head now in my crotch, he didn't waste a moment as he sucked me into his warm wet mouth, balls and all. I was on fuckin' cloud nine, let me tell you. Nobody else had touched my dick since I got out of diapers and now it was buried in Pat's mouth and he was givin' me one helluva tongue bath. So, I went from bein' a complete idiot about all things havin' to do with sex to bein' in a sixty-nine with my best bud in no more than thirty minutes. And I've learned all kinds of new tricks since then," Ron added with a laugh. At that moment, the garage door banged open and we heard, "Hey, Dads!! Get your asses out here!" echo down the hallway. Unsure what was happening, Tom and I charged down the hall, through the door that had been left open, and flew out the open garage door behind Ron's car. What we found when we finally got outside were five boys surrounding Mike who was laid out on the ground with his belly down and his bare butt pointed towards the sky. Our confusion as to what was going on was cleared up as we drew closer and saw the six-inch round raspberry colored mark on the side of his right butt cheek. Mike was whimpering softly as the others just stood there and gawked at the spectacle before them. "What happened?" Tom asked. "He hit the brakes, skidded and landed on his ass," Joey answered. "What the hell you think happened?" "Good thing he was wearin' the helmet or that could be his head lookin' like that," T.J. chuckled. "That's pretty raw, Pops," Alex added. "You guys think you can deal with it or is he gonna have to go to the doctor?" "I ain't goin' to no doctor!" Mike yelled through his continued sniffling. "Let me have a look, buddy," I replied calmly. I knelt beside our young son and gently placed a hand near the raw spot. Mike let loose a low groan of pain as I flattened his tender cheek to get a better view at the possible damage to his behind. While the bleeding from the wound was minimal, it looked to me like he should probably go see a doctor to get cleaned up and make sure no small bits of dirt or rocks were embedded in the tender tissues. Confident in my diagnosis of the situation, I said, "Sorry, Mike, but I think we need to make a trip to Urgent Care." "Why?" he demanded. "It don't hurt that much no more." "We want to make sure it gets cleaned up properly and there's nothing buried in there that could cause an infection. We don't want you getting gangrene in your butt, do we?" I asked with a hint of humor to try and lighten the mood a little bit. "What's that," Mike asked with concern. "That's where your ass turns green before it falls off," Logan offered with a laugh. "No! I can't lose my ass," Mike wailed. "What'll I sit on?" "I'm sure you'll be just fine, kiddo," Tom interjected. "But Max is right, a doctor should take care of this to make sure that doesn't happen." I was pretty sure nobody was going to lose any part of their butt today and couldn't help but laugh along with the others. "C'mon, Mike, let's get you up and get ready to go." I stood up and grabbed Mike's hands to help him to his feet. He winced in pain as he stirred and started moving slowly to the house, dropping the helmet on the floor of the garage as he passed through it, the rest of us following in his wake. Once inside, I told him, "Pull on a shirt and the loosest pair of shorts you can find while I get dressed. I'll have Ron get an old towel or something to put on your behind so you don't bleed all over the car on the way." "Figures," Mike muttered glumly, "more worried about your stinkin' car than my ass, ain't ya?" "Not at all, little man. The towel is to keep you from ruining a brand-new pair of shorts, too." "Yeah, whatever," he grumbled as he turned into his room and I continued on across the house. I dressed quickly and met Mike back in the living room. Ron appeared with one of the older hand towels and I held the waistband of Mike's shorts down while Ron put the towel in place and added some medical tape to help hold it in place. With our preparations complete, the two of us headed out to the garage and our trip to town. Fortunately, the Urgent Care facility was open on Sunday afternoons and we could avoid the extra expense of having to go to the emergency room. Though Mike was in the middle row of seats, looking in the rear-view mirror, I could tell he was sitting a bit sideways to help keep the pressure off his sore behind. But even doing that, I saw he was more than uncomfortable as he would wince or groan with every ripple and minor bump in the road. Fifteen minutes after leaving the driveway, we pulled into the practically empty parking lot of the doctor's office. I helped Mike out of the car and he held his arms up in the air asking for a ride into the building. I couldn't resist the pleading in his eyes and lifted him up, resting his uninjured cheek on my arm while he wrapped his arms around my neck. Once inside, I checked him in, and we were told to have a seat for a few minutes as we waited for the doctor to become available. I found a couple of empty chairs for us to use but that proved to be a waste of time as once I was seated, Mike gingerly crawled into my lap and took fifteen seconds to find a way he could sit that wouldn't hurt too much. His wiggling around almost caused an improper reaction below my waist, but I somehow managed to shut that problem down before it became obvious to Mike. A few minutes later, we were called back and I held onto my rugrat as I stood and followed the nurse to an exam room. Once inside, she asked, "And what brings you to see us this afternoon?" "Mike had a little accident while riding a bike and while I don't think he's seriously hurt, he has a pretty raw spot on his behind that should probably be properly cleaned and checked out." "Well, hop up on the table, young man, and we'll see what's going on." "Lady, I can't hop nothin' right now," Mike retorted. "My butt hurts too much." "Perhaps your dad can set you up here, then," she suggested while looking to me. Still cradling Mike in my arms, I stood up, stepped over to the exam table and gently set him down. The nurse saw him scrunch his face in pain and heard his whimper as I let him go. He promptly leaned to one side to relieve the pressure on his sore side. "Let's check your temperature, blood pressure and a few other things first, Mike, and then we'll take a look at your problem." She quickly took care of the preliminaries including the `open wide and say ah' part of any trip to a doctor. That dealt with, she asked Mike to roll over onto his stomach so she could inspect his injury. "I need to pull your shorts down now so we can see what you've done back here. Is that okay with you?" "Ya might as well take `em all the way off, lady. Won't bother me none," Mike replied flatly. "If you're sure that's okay, that would probably be the easiest," she responded while looking to me for confirmation. After a quick nod of agreement from me, she added, "Can you lift your hips just a bit, young man? It will make it a lot easier to do this." Mike placed his hands on the table and lifted his upper body in kind of a half push up. While he held his body up, the nurse carefully lifted the waistband of his shorts and pulled the back of them down past the towel to expose his butt. She then slid her fingers around to his sides and slipped the front down. "Perfect, Mike, thank you for helping me with that. You can lay back down now." Mike lowered his body then snaked a hand under his midsection to make a minor adjustment so he was more comfortable. The nurse then slipped the shorts off his legs and handed them to me before placing a drape over his backside, leaving only the taped-on towel exposed. She next worked on removing the tape and towel so she could actually see the road rash. "Oh my," she said softly, "that looks like it hurt." "It did. And still does," Mike grunted with disgust. "Let me get some light on the area and take a closer look." She proceeded to do just as she said and after spending several minutes examining Mike's behind, added, "Yes, it's a good thing you came in to get this taken care of. I can see some dirt embedded pretty deeply and it also looks like there might be a chunk or two of rock in there as well. We'll get the doctor in here so she can debride the wound, make sure nothing's left behind." Mike let go a little chuckle at her unintentional pun and that caused both of us to share a smirk. Despite what had happened and where we were, it was good to see Mike hadn't lost his sense of humor. "Good for you, young man. Laughter is the best kind of medicine," she commented. "Let me get the doctor and we'll be back to get you fixed right up." On that note, she left Mike and I alone. As soon as the door was closed, Mike turned his head so he could see me and said, "I'm sorry for screwin' up the afternoon, Dad." "Don't you worry about it, buddy. Accidents happen and takin' your kid to see a doctor is just a part of life." "It feels kinda weird, though." "What does," I asked. "Layin' here almost naked with half my butt out in the open." "Not really that different from bein' at home and your whole butt exposed, is it?" "Well, I guess not. Maybe it's just that I'm still wearin' my shirt and only part of my butt is showin'. I think I'd feel more normal if I didn't have anything on like we do at home." "If you think you'd be more comfortable without your shirt, go ahead and take it off." "Ya sure that'd be okay with the doc? I don't wanna freak her out or nothin' by bein' naked when she comes in." After a quick nod from me, he asked, "Can you help me? I don't think I can get it off while I'm laying down like this." "Sure thing." I left his shorts on the chair as I took the three steps to the exam table and helped him remove the offending article of clothing. After it was in my hand, I asked, "Feel better, now?" "Loads, thanks, Dad." "Happy to help," I replied as I patted the middle of his back before I retook my seat. "Hey, what did she mean by `debride'?" Mike asked with nervous concern while glaring into my eyes. "That's what they call cleaning up an injury like yours." "Is it gonna hurt?" "I can only guess it probably will but I'm sure they'll do the best they can so it doesn't hurt any more than it has to." "I sure hope so," Mike muttered. "I don't like gettin' hurt. I done had enough o' that crap from Mom and Dad. I don't need these people hurtin' me, too." "We'll just have to see what the doctor says and does when she comes in, buddy," I replied trying to reassure my young son. We didn't have to wait very long as the nurse and doctor soon returned and announced themselves with a light rap on the door before stepping into the room and closing the door behind them. To my nice surprise, I was warmly greeted by an equally shocked Dr. Finney. "Well, good afternoon, Max. It's good to see you again," she said as we shook hands. "Good to see you, too, Doc. I didn't know you worked here in addition to having your own practice." "One weekend a month, Max. That's part of the deal for maintaining an office in the building. Sure, I hate to give up a day with my family, but it beats the heck out having my own office somewhere else where I have to pay for everything. At least here, all the basic expenses are shared with all the other doctors in the building." "Makes sense to me," I agreed. "So, what brings you here today?" "A bike accident. Mike, here, decided to find out which was tougher, the driveway or his behind. Unfortunately, his behind lost the battle" "I hope to God he was wearing a helmet." "A helmet's all he was wearing, Doc." That comment caused the nurse to raise her eyebrows in question. "Well, let's take a look and see what damage was done. Besides poor Mike's pride, of course." She finally turned to Mike and gently laid a hand on his back before asking, "How're you doing, Mike?" "Not too bad, I guess. Except for the pain in my butt." "Yes, I can see where this would hurt quite a bit. Probably down to a stinging sensation by now, though, isn't it?" "Pretty much," Mike agreed. "It hurt a lot more when it happened." "I bet it did," Marcia replied. "Um," the nurse interrupted, "when I left you, didn't you have a shirt on?" "Yeah," Mike answered, "but it felt weird to have it on when my butt's out in the open like it is, so I had Dad help me take it off." "Why would you do that?" Marcia jumped into the discussion with, "Max and his family are nudists, Sylvia. I'm sure Mike feels much more comfortable like he is, more like he's at home than in a doctor's office. Isn't that right, Mike?" "Yep," the munchkin agreed with a cheesy grin and emphatic nod of his head. Marcia took a few minutes to inspect the problem area under a bright light and she was shaking her head the whole time. She finally stood upright and crossed her arms over her chest before saying, "Well, despite your attempt to feel like you're at home, I'm going to tell you now that cleaning this abrasion is not going to feel too good." "I don't like the sound of that," Mike muttered. "I'm really sorry, young man, but there's just no easy way to clean the dirt out of an injury like this. I also see at least one small chip of rock or concrete that has buried itself about a quarter of an inch deep into your buttock and that is going to have to be removed. We don't want you develop an infection by leaving that in place. Chances are good that nothing would ever come of it, but better safe than sorry." "Can you do anything to minimize the pain, Marcia," I asked. "Like what?" she asked as she turned to face me. "Um, can we talk outside for a minute?" I asked. After receiving a nod from her, I added "We'll be right back, buddy. Don't you go anywhere." "Where the heck am I gonna go without my clothes, Dad?" he retorted with a smirk. "Just about anywhere, I'd imagine," I replied with my own smirk. "Ya gotta point there," the munchkin laughed. "Don't worry, old man, I ain't goin' nowhere without you, Pops and my brothers." Marcia and I finally stepped into the hall and she promptly asked, "What's the problem, Max?" "I don't know all the details because Mike's never told us, but he was severely abused by his parents before he came to live with us. He's had more pain in his life than any kid ever should, and he's really worried about how much his treatment might hurt." "I can understand that, Max, but there's really not much we can do to ease the problem. I'll give him a local to dig out the one chip I've found so far, simply because it's so deep I'm going to have to cut it out. If I find any other chips after cleaning the rest of the area, I'll give him a little shot to pull those out, too." "Any chance of spraying some lidocaine or something on the area just to deaden it a bit?" "Well, if we had a spray here, yeah, we could try it. But all we have on hand is in a shot. And it would take probably ten shots to his backside to numb the whole area we have to work on. That would be just about as painful as doing the cleaning without it. And we'll have to give Mike a tetanus shot, too, just to make sure he's covered on that. He should have been vaccinated long before now, but without access to his medical records, I have no way of knowing that for sure. And I'd much rather be safe than sorry." "It is what it is, I guess. I know you'll be as gentle as possible." "Of course, I will. You should never doubt that." "I don't." "Good, now let me go take care of my patient, shall we?" We reentered the room to find Mike laying comfortably on the exam table and the nurse hovering nearby getting the materials ready for the task at hand. I pulled my chair to the head of the table so I could hold Mike's hands to keep them out of Marcia's way and provide whatever support I could to the youngster. I knew this was going to hurt way more than when it happened, but I kept my mouth shut and stared into Mike's eyes with what I hoped was a reassuring smile plastered on my face. While I was getting settled in, Marcia and Sylvia had pulled on latex gloves and were ready to get to work. "Okay, Mike," Marcia began, "we're ready to start cleaning this up, but I'm not going to lie to you and tell you it won't hurt, because it will. We'll do our best to minimize the pain, but there's nothing we can do about it. You ready?" "Ready as I'll ever be," Mike grunted in defeat. "Okay, here we go. You go right ahead and scream or cry or whatever you feel you need to do." Without any more hesitation, the two got busy cleaning Mike's sore butt. He squeezed my hands so tightly when they used a brush on his butt, I thought he might break some of my fingers. I could hear him whispering things like `sonofabitch', `dammit, that hurts,' and `please stop, I'll be good', and my heart ached for my boy and the indignity he was enduring. I really hadn't expected to hear things like that from him but considering what he'd probably heard from his parents before he was taken from them, I can't say I was really that surprised. Instead of correcting him, I just let him go knowing we could have a discussion about language after we got home. I'll have to admit he was being a tough little guy right up to the point when Marcia stabbed a needle into his cheek several times in preparation for removing the chip of concrete she'd seen. Once that happened and after all the other pain he'd already survived, the tears started flowing freely from his eyes. I asked for some tissues to staunch the flow and Sylvia handed me a full box of Kleenex to help dry Mike's face. A few minutes later we heard the soft tink of something solid hitting the glass of a petri dish. A few more minutes passed when we heard two more tinks in quick succession. I looked over Mike's head to Marcia and saw her smiling at me while giving me an okay sign with her fingers. I put my mouth close to Mike's ear and whispered, "Almost done, buddy." "Damn good thing. That cleaning hurt like hell. What were those funky sounds?" "The three chips of something she had to dig out of your behind." "I didn't even feel that. Why not?" "The shots she gave you was to numb your butt so it wouldn't hurt when she pulled them out." "Well, why the hell didn't she do that for the rest of my ass?" "I asked about that and she said it would probably take about ten shots to deaden the whole area. She didn't think you'd like that many shots at one time." "You got that right!" Mike agreed emphatically. "What's she doin' now?" he added while twisting his head around to try to see what was going on. "I'm putting in a few stiches to hold your butt together where I had to dig out the fragments of concrete. Couldn't leave you leaking, could I?" "Nope, I only need just the one hole in my ass," Mike replied with a loud laugh. The absurdity of his comment got all of us to join in his laughter. It was good to hear him crack a joke like that after what he'd just been through. The thought flashed through my mind that he was somehow channeling Joey, but Mike had not shown any such talents, so I put it down to just being around Joey was enough for his twisted sense of humor to start rubbing off on his brother. I hoped that's all it was, anyway, because I wasn't prepared to have another mind reader in the family. Three of them were more than enough. "Okay, Mike, just one more thing to take care of," Marcia commented. "Yeah, what's that?" Mike asked looking back over his shoulder again. "That tetanus shot you need." "Oh, crap, I thought you already done that," the young man muttered. "Nope, but give me just a minute," Marcia replied. She picked up the hypodermic from the tray along with an alcohol wipe to clean the spot she was going to stab. After ripping open the package containing the wipe, she started to run the towelette in a circular motion on Mike's shoulder to prep the spot for the shot. "Hey!" Mike yelled in surprise, straining his neck to look over his shoulder one more time. "There ain't nothin' wrong with my shoulder. Why don't you stick that thing in the side o' my ass that's numb? At least it won't hurt back there." "Sorry, Mike, that won't work. The gluteus maximus muscle has a layer of fat that limits the shot's effectiveness. That, plus the site of injection can be painful or be tender for several days. I think you've got enough issues with sitting right now, why make the problem even worse? "I guess," he grumbled in reply. "You're going to feel a little prick, Mike, and it'll be all done." Mike giggled madly at Marcia's comment and I knew exactly why because I was trying to stifle my own giggle. Suddenly, Mike yelled, "Sonofabitch! That hurt like hell!" Poor Sylvia almost knocked over the tray holding all the detritus from their work and Marcia visibly blanched. "Sorry, ladies, I don't think he was quite ready for that," I offered in apology. "Not the worst I've ever heard, Max, so no worries. Sorry about that, Mike." "Whatever," Mike grumbled angrily while rubbing his shoulder. Sylvia started to clean up their instruments and Marcia gave Mike a light pat on his good cheek while saying, "You're almost ready to go, young man. Let me get some gauze to cover this area so you don't bleed out on your way home and you'll be as good as new. Well, almost, anyway." A few more minutes of work and Marcia stood back admiring her work and proclaimed Mike as fit as a fiddle, taking a minor exception for having a broken string or two, but assuring him he'd heal up just fine. She also let me know to bring him to her office in two weeks to remove the stitches. "Thanks, Doctor Finney," Mike said. "You were right about it hurtin', but I got through it." "You were great, kiddo," Marcia replied. "I wish all my patients were as strong and brave as you were today. Your backside is going to be awfully tender for a few days, but once you get past that, you'll be back to your normal self, again. Would you like to see the chips we pulled out of your behind?" "Sure," he grinned in reply. Marcia picked up the petri dish and set in on the exam table below Mike's face. "Wow, that one's pretty big," Mike exclaimed. "Yes, about a quarter of an inch in diameter and it was the deepest at about half and inch. It's size and depth are why I had to cut it out instead of just removing it with tweezers. The other two weren't quite as bad." "Can I keep these to show my brothers?" Mike asked. "I don't see why not. Let me get them cleaned up and then I'll put them in a pill bottle for you." "Sweet, they'll freak out when they see these. Can I get dressed now?" Mike asked with a chuckle. "That would probably be a good idea since the only way out of here is through the lobby. Don't want you scaring anyone who might be waiting to see me." "Ph-h-t, wouldn't faze me a bit," Mike grinned. "No, probably not, but it might them, and we don't want to do that, do we?" "I guess not," Mike agreed as he slowly slithered his way off the table and started pulling on his t-shirt. "Any limitations on what he can do until the stitches come out, Doc?" I asked. "Just be careful and no swimming." "What!? I can't swim at T.J.'s party?" Mike squealed. "You could," Marcia answered, "but the longer that spot stays wet or even damp will just prolong the healing." "Well, that sucks," he muttered with a frown as he pulled his shorts on and tied the string to hold them in place. Marcia then continued instructions for her patient with, "I'd also limit his bathing to a sponge bath until he's got a good scab developed over the wound in a couple of days. I'd usually recommend to parents to leave the gauze off as much as possible as fresh air will help speed the healing process, but I know that's not going to be a problem at your home. You could probably get by with putting the gauze on just the first couple of nights so if there is some bleeding, he doesn't ruin any sheets. And since I'm sure you don't have large enough pads at home, we'll give you a supply and some tape to get you through a few days." "We can handle all that," I agreed. "We won't have to worry about furniture getting stained since we always have towels on the chairs." "I assumed as much," Marcia commented. "I've heard the same from my other patients and their parents who also live naturally. Besides, Mike probably won't want to put too much pressure on that side for a week or so, so he'll probably be leaning left when he sits for a little bit." Marcia received a rather emphatic nod from the young man on that comment and we all shared a little chuckle. "Wait, you know other families in the area who are nudists?" I asked in surprise. "You bet I do. You treat one nudist kid and word spreads rather quickly to the other families they know who enjoy the same lifestyle. The best advertising you can have is positive word-of-mouth." "No doubt about that. Well, thanks for taking such great care of Mike today. I really appreciate the way you approach your job and the kids you work with." "Thanks, Max. Don't forget to schedule appointments for your whole crew before school this fall." "We'll be switching to home schooling this next year, but we'll still do the physicals if for no other reason than to make sure they're all current with their immunizations." "That's good to hear. Well, that's all for today. You two take care and we'll see you next time." "Count on it, Doc," I replied with a smile as we shook hands. On that note, Mike and I left the exam room and aimed for the lobby to settle our bill for today. As we left the building and crossed the parking lot to the car, I complimented Mike on his bravery as Marcia was taking care of him. "I didn't much like it, but only `cause it hurt like a bitch. It's better now since I can't feel a thing back there," he added with a laugh. I wrapped an arm around his shoulder and when we got to the car, I helped him climb inside and get buckled in place. Despite his comment about not feeling a thing, he was still leaning on the door to help alleviate any pressure or pain as much as possible. I tried to take it easy on the way home, but some of those bumps in the road just can't be avoided. The half-mile trip from the end of the drive to the house was the most tortuous part of the whole outing for Mike. I decided in that moment that when the new houses are built, I'm going to check into having the driveway blacktopped from the road to all three houses and the storage building. I was tired of dealing with that damn rock driveway year after year and it was time to do something about it. It had been okay when I was single and never really had much company, but now that there are nine people living here and we have people coming and going all the time, I could see the rock taking a beating and requiring much more maintenance than it ever had. After parking in the garage and closing the big door, I helped Mike out of the car and he hobbled slowly into the house, me following closely behind. As he ducked into his room, I said, "Mike, when you're comfortable again, come out to the living room and we'll peel that gauze off your behind so it can breathe." "Yeah, whatever," he mumbled morosely. I stopped abruptly, turned around and followed Mike into his room. I found him lying on his belly on the bed and he appeared to be crying softly. I sat next to him and stroked his hair while asking, "What's up, kiddo?" "Nothin'," he sniffled. "Don't you dare try to con a conman, buddy. I know somethin's buggin' you. If you won't tell me what it is, I can't help solve the problem." "We was all havin' a great day and lots of fun and I done went and ruined it all. I bet the other guys are pissed off at me for crashin' Alex's dang bike." "Mike, I'm sure the absolute last thing they'd be upset about is that. They're more likely to be worried about you and how you're doin'." "Yeah, right," Mike scoffed. "I know Alex'll be mad as hell for me scratchin' the crap outta his new bike. I mean, he just got it for his birthday, and I just know he's gonna beat my ass for wreckin' it." "Nothing could be further from the truth, young man. You get undressed, come on out to the living room and see for yourself." "Do I hafta?" he asked. "Yeah, you do. C'mon and let's see if we can get that fun goin' again." "I guess," he groaned in defeat. "Be there in a few minutes. I gotta pee first." "We'll see you in a few, then. Love ya, little dude," I added as I pulled him off the bed and into my arms for a squeezy hug which he returned. "Thanks, Dad, love you, too." On that note, I made my exit and headed for the living room. When I reached the area, I found Tom and Ron sitting by the fireplace and reading. Tom looked at me with an eyebrow raised in silent question. "We're good," I replied in answering his unspoken query. "Mike's just feeling down about wrecking Alex's bicycle, afraid Alex'll be mad at him." "Well, I don't see that happening," Tom replied. "The boys have done nothin' but worry about the kid since you two left. How's his butt?" "Raw and sore, for sure. He also has a few stitches where Dr. Finney had to dig out a few chips of concrete that were pretty deep." "Is he able to sit?" Ron asked with concern. "More or less," I answered. "He's been leaning to his left to keep the pressure off his behind, but he's figuring it all out." Mike finally arrived to join us, stepped in front of me and turned around to direct his butt in my direction before asking, "You wanna pull this crap off my butt? I can't reach it well enough to get a grip on the tape." "You sure that's a good idea?" Tom asked. "Marcia said it was the best thing to do as the fresh air will help with the scabbing over and healing," I replied. I carefully started picking at a corner of the tape and once I had enough loose to actually pinch it between my fingers, I peeled the rest of the tape off the tender cheek. The gauze, of course, came off with the tape as I expected. "There ya go, kiddo," I commented as I lightly patted the cheek that wasn't injured. "Thanks, Dad. Where's the others?" he asked as he looked to Tom and Ron for the answer. "In the theater playing some silly ass game on the X-box," Ron answered. "Why don't you go bring them out here, Mike. I'd like to have a quick chat about something that effects all of you." "What'd we do now?" Mike asked with worry flooding his face. "Nothing really major, buddy, so nobody's in trouble. Move along, please." "Okay," he responded glumly. "I just hope Alex don't kick my ass for what I did to his bike. It hurts more than enough already, don't need him makin' it even worse." "I'm sure he won't," I reassured him as he plodded across the living room and passed through the dining room. I noticed he was carrying the pill bottle holding the concrete chips that had been removed from his backside and was sure there would be a little `show and tell' taking place very soon. "What's this talk about, or do I wanna know?" Tom asked with hesitation. "Just their language. We've been pretty lax about the things they say sometimes, and I think that needs to change. Mike let slip a few words at the doctor's office that were a touch embarrassing and I'd like to get a better handle on the problem before they go way too far in the wrong company." "Good thinkin', babe. I've noticed `em takin' some liberties, too, but didn't know if it was to the point where we needed to say something about it." "Well, I've noticed it more with Logan than the others and I've been really hesitant in correcting him since he was just going to be living with us temporarily. But now that his situation has changed and he's becoming a full-fledged member of the family, I think the time has come to yank their reins and try to reel them back in." "No, I agree with you. I'd noticed the same thing with Logan, and I think our lack of correcting him has rubbed off on the other munchkins. Hopefully, they won't fight us too much on the issue." "We can always hope," I agreed with a chuckle. I quietly opened the theater door because I was scared as hell about what Alex might do to me, but I told Dad I'd bring them out for a chat, so here I am about to interrupt their game. "Yo, buttwipes!" I yelled after silently closing the door. "C'mon, the dads want to talk to us `bout somethin'." "Mike, you're back!" Alex yelled immediately. "C'mere, you little turd," he added with what sounded like anger. "No!" I yelled back. "I ain't gonna let you hurt me." "Why the hell would I do that?" Alex asked in confusion as he crossed the theater to join me at the door. " `Cause I wrecked your damn bike, ya bonehead." "So what? It's just a bike, dude. You're way more important than any ol' bike." "But you just got it and now it's all scratched up," I responded in fear. "Don't worry `bout it, bro. It was gonna happen sooner or later. It was only a question of when and who it happened to, so no worries. How's your ass?" he added with a laugh. "Sore as hell," I answered. "That shot she gave me to numb it has started to wear off." "They numbed your butt? Why?" "There were a couple chunks of concrete buried so deep she had to cut them out. She also had to put some stitches in those spots so I wouldn't bleed all over the place. Got a tet'nus shot, too, whatever that's for." "Cool, let me see," Alex enthused. "You can look but don't touch it, please," I begged before I turned around so he could see my butt When he could, he grunted, "Ouch, man. Cute stitches, though," he quickly added with a giggle. "So, other than bein' sore as hell, you're okay?" "Yeah, I will be." "That's good to hear, bro. We were all worried `bout you." "Yeah, sure, I can tell. Those bozos won't even quit playing their stupid game to see how I am." "Well, they're just a bunch o' heartless fools, they are, so what d'ya expect. What's the Dads wanna talk about?" "Ain't gotta clue, they didn't say." "We better go find out `fore they get pissed," Alex muttered before turning back to the others and yelling, "Come on, ya boneheads! The Dads are waitin' for us." "One more minute!" T.J. yelled back. "I'm `bout to kick Logan's ass into next week." "Like hell you is, twerp," Logan retorted. "NO! Move it, now!" Alex yelled back so forcefully I jumped in surprise. That got their attention and the game was quickly paused before the four started shuffling across the room to join us at the door. "Hey, Mikey, how ya doin'?" Logan asked when they reached us. "I've had better days, that's for damn sure," I retorted. "You gonna be okay?" Andy asked. "Yeah, but I'm gonna have to be on the outside of the sandwich in bed for a while. Don't want either o' you numbskulls rubbin' `gainst my ass right now. It hurts too much for that shit." "Looks like somebody's not gonna get any for a while," T.J. chuckled. "Maybe not back there, but there ain't nothin' wrong with my dick, dudes." "Dibs on that!" Andy crowed with a smirk. "Here, take a look at these," I said as held up the little bottle holding the chunks the doctor pulled out of my butt. I gave it a little shake so all three rattled around inside." "What's that," Andy asked. "Chunks of concrete that were buried in my ass," I answered. "The doc had to pull them out so I wouldn't get an infection." "That one looks awful big," Joey commented. "Yeah, and she said it was deepest. Had to cut that sucker out. Good thing she put my butt to sleep `fore she did or it woulda hurt like hell." "Yeah, I bet," Joey agreed. "You gonna keep those?" Logan asked. "Might as well," I replied. "Well, we better go see what's up," I added as we finally headed back across the house to join our dads in the living room. " `Bout time you rugrats got here," Tom commented as the herd joined us and promptly filled up the couch and loveseat, Alex and Mike opting to occupy the loveseat where Alex draped an arm around his younger brother as Mike leaned into him. "Sorry, Dads," Mike started, "I told `em you wanted us for somethin', but those four boneheads wouldn't quit playin' that stupid game," he finished the thought off as he pointed to the quartet ensconced on the couch. "No worries, guys," I replied. "You're here now, and that's what counts." I turned to the two munchkins on the loveseat and asked, "Alex, you okay?" "Sure, Dad. Why wouldn't I be?" "Mike was worried you might be upset with him for dinging your bike. I told him that wouldn't be the case and I just wanted to make sure I wasn't lying to him." "We're fine, Dad. The bike's just a thing. Mike's my brother and he's way more important than a silly ol' bike. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love my bike `cause it's the first birthday present I got from my new dads, but as much as I love it, I love my little brother even more," Alex replied as he pulled Mike even closer and planted a little kiss on the top of his head. The loving action from his older brother caused Mike to blush with embarrassment and I heard him whisper, `Thanks, bro. Love you, too.' "Okay, now that we know Alex ain't gonna pound the crap outta Mike, what's up, Dads?" T.J. asked in his regular damn-the torpedoes, straight-ahead tactlessness. "Well, I hate to ruin the positive vibe we've got goin' today, but we wanted to talk to you six about your language." "What about it?" Joey asked bluntly. "You are all saying things you know shouldn't really be coming from kids your age. We've talked about this before and we thought we had asserted a little control over your potty mouths, but since Logan joined us, your lack of self-control has been rearing its ugly head again." "Sorry, Dads," Logan began somberly. "I really don't mean to be no trouble." "That's okay, buddy. I let it slide with you because you were only going to be living with us until you could move back home with your dad." Logan hung his head in sadness at the reminder his dad was gone. "I didn't feel it was our job to correct you when your stay with us was supposed to be a temporary thing. But, since you're going to be a part of us for the rest of your life, I think it's about time to nip this problem in the bud. I know the others have been taking advantage of the situation and kinda following your lead, but that's our fault for letting it continue as long we did, not yours." "Phew, that's good to hear," Logan muttered as he breathed a sigh of relief. "Least I ain't gonna get in trouble for being the problem child." "You are not a problem child, Logan. A child with some problems, maybe, but definitely not the other way around." "You wanna give us an example of what you're talkin' `bout?" Andy asked. "Well, just today at the doctor's, Mike said things like `sonofabitch', `dammit', `crap', those kinds of words. And Joey has gone way outside the box today, too, when we first got outside. You all know better than that and every time I hear words like that from you, I'm a little bit disappointed that you can't exert some better control over your word choices. Especially you, Joey, after you and Alex had your little punishment for the same problem the day of the school workshop," I added while waggling a finger in his direction. "Well, if it's okay for you to say those things, why can't we," Joey asked seriously. "They're just not the kinds of things people expect to hear from younger kids," Tom replied. "And once you're in the habit of saying them, you'll have a really hard time not saying them when you shouldn't." "When shouldn't we say words like them?" T.J. asked. "When we're out shopping or eating a meal out, when your grandparents are around, at school, places like that," I answered. "We'd really appreciate it if you could do the same even around us at home." "But why?" Joey queried. "Because if you get into the habit around us, then you won't even have to think about it when you're around other people because it'll just be second nature," Tom offered. "And to prove how important this is, we'll do the same as you guys, try to give you a better example to follow." "What about when we're in bed doin', well, you know," Alex added to the conversation. "That's one time and place where you can say whatever you want without inhibitions or worries of getting in trouble." "That's a big-ass bullet we dodged there, guys," Joey laughed, and the rest of the herd joined him. "I can't imagine how weird it would it be to tell Logan `please insert your penis into my anus with force, sir' instead of just `fuck me harder, dude'." Despite the crudeness in the way he made his point, everyone cracked up on Joey's comment. "What if we have a question `bout somethin', Dads? Do we have to be careful then, too?" I quickly looked to Tom for his input before answering and received nothing more than a very non-committal type shrug of the shoulders from him. Without any real support from my better half, I answered the question with, "I guess we'll have to play that by ear. You can still ask any question you want at any time, but we'd prefer to hear the question in more socially acceptable terms. At least to start the conversation. If a change of language is called for, we'll let you know. How's that sound?" "Yeah, we can live with that, can't we, guys?" Andy answered. Nods of agreement from all six sealed the deal between us and I was feeling a little better about the issue. Only time would tell if they took the conversation as seriously as we had. My hopes were almost immediately quashed like a bad subpoena as the crew left their seats and turned for the theater. "C'mon, Logan, we need to go finish our game so I can trounce your sorry ass," T.J. laughed. "Not on your life, you steamin' little pile o' crap," Logan retorted. "Boys!" I called to their backs. "Did that entire discussion just go in one ear and out the other." T.J. turned back around and offered, "Sorry, Dads, we'll do better, we promise." He then just as quickly rejoined the herd as they continued their trip across the house. "Geez, it's like trying to train a bunch of cats to come when they're called," I muttered in defeat. "It'd probably be easier to teach pigs to sing," I added with a chuckle. "Nice chat, Dad," Tom laughed out loud. "Very effective." "Hey, at least we can say we tried." With a sour taste in my mouth, I picked up my book and began to read, completely ignoring the continuing smirk aimed my direction from my partner in crime. Tom followed suit and the only sounds that could be heard were the noises from the kitchen as Ron continued working on our supper. Forty-five minutes had passed when Ron finally yelled from the kitchen, "Round up the little rascals, food's about ready and they need to set the table!" "They're playing games in the theater, Ron, so get `em yourself since you're closer," I yelled back. "Fine, I see how ya are," he laughed as he passed through the dining room. He was back ten seconds later and shaking his head in disgust. "Those brats just don't know what rules are, do they?" he muttered. "What're you talkin' about," Tom asked. "I thought we were only supposed to do that shit in our bedrooms with the door closed." "They are," I replied. "Well, Dads, it looks like it's time for another chat," Ron chuckled. "I'm tired of having that conversation," I muttered to myself. "So, why bother?" Tom asked. "At least they're not doin' that shit on the dining room table." I couldn't help but laugh as an image of all six boys molesting each other on the table where we shared our meals flashed through my mind. "What's so funny?" Tom asked. "Never mind, hon, you're better off not knowing," I replied with a sick chuckle. "So, Ron, did you interrupt them?" Tom asked. "Oh, hell no. Don't want them little buggers pissed at me." "Fine," I retorted. "Tom, it's your turn. Feel free to knock some heads together, see if the message finally sinks in." "Yeah, fat chance of that," Tom chortled as he left his chair and aimed for the theater to break up the party so we could eat. He returned shortly with a large smile gracing his mug as he turned into the kitchen. "You need any help, Ron?" "Nope. Thanks for askin', man, but I got a handle on it." "What're we havin' tonight?" I asked as I joined them. "Thought I'd fry up some shrimps for the shrimps. Toss in a salad and baked `taters, and ya got yourself a meal that'll stick to your ribs for a while." "Sounds good, bud. How soon should we be at the table?" I asked. "Two minutes, tops. Where are those munchkins? If they don't get here soon, we're gonna have to eat off the damn floor." "Speak of the devils, here they come," Tom commented as the herd charged in and started to pull plates and silverware out before he stopped them with, "Don't you rugrats think you should go wash your hands before you handle our dinner plates and silver?" "Oh, yeah, good idea, Pops," Alex laughed as he closed the cabinet and the group disappeared across the house. They returned soon enough and got busy with their work. It didn't take very long before we were ready to sit and eat. The boys dug right into their shrimp and potatoes and moans of delight filled the room, the three adults joining them in enjoying our meal. Poor Mike was still leaning to the left, of course, but that didn't slow him down a bit as he stuffed food into his face. It took the munchkins a while, but they finally tested their salads and thanks to the cheese and croutons added to their bowls, all six finished them rather quickly. Though we were lagging behind the others, the six-pack was soon done eating and began cleaning up their own plates and bowls. By the time all their dishes and silver were rinsed off and dropped in the dishwasher, Tom, Ron and I had finally finished our own meals and Joey came in to retrieve our utensils. With their part of the cleanup completed, they headed back to the theater to continue their game. We just hoped it was a game appropriate for the room they were in. "You want any help cleaning up, Ron?" I asked. "Not from you crusty old dudes," Ron replied with a chuckle. "Now, if Rich were here, I'd be all over him. Helping, that is." "Probably other things, too, once the work in the kitchen was done," Tom commented with his own fit of laughter. "No doubt about it, dude. He's a hottie, for sure." "We're with ya, Ron," I agreed, "but we won't make you share." "That's a good thing, boss, `cause I'd fight you for thinkin' you could have him. He's all mine, guys," Ron added with a crooked smirk as he left his chair and stepped into the kitchen to finish his work. Tom and I adjourned to the living room where Tom settled into his chair and after lighting a fire, I joined him in getting comfortable. "So, what do you and Dylan have planned for tomorrow?" I queried. "I'm going to get in touch with the facility William's in and try to arrange a furlough for him for next weekend. I'd really like for him to come down and meet his brother. Well, the rest of us, too." "Are you thinking what I'm thinking with him?" "Guess that depends on what you're thinking," my honey chuckled. "Him moving in with us, too, so he and Logan can finish growing up together like real brothers should." "Yep, we're on the same wavelength," Tom grinned. "I was hoping I wasn't the only one considering the possibility." "Nope, you're not alone. I just don't know where he'd sleep. All the bedrooms are already filled to overflowing." "I've got an idea, but I don't think you'll like it much." "Hit me, hon." "Your study," Tom replied flatly. I shot him a very dirty look for even thinking such a thing and he was ready with his response. "It would only be until we get moved into the new house, babe. You can have your study back then." "And just where would I move my desk and such so I can keep writing before we move in? I'm in the middle of a book right now, ya know?" I asked with some attitude. "Dylan and I can rearrange our office to make room for you. Think that would work for you?" "Well, I think it might be a little snug for all three of us to be in the same room, but yeah, I guess that would work. For no longer than we'd have to go that route, anyway." "Well, I figure it would take a couple months, at least, to figure out what all William's problems are and know what hoops we'd have to jump through to make it happen." "You think you and Dylan bein' ex-cops might be able to smooth the path forward." "Sure can't hurt, I think, but until we know what we're dealing with as far as his issues go, I don't have a real answer. That's a question I plan to ask when I talk to them about him coming down for a visit." "Sounds good, Tom. I like the way you think." "Gee, thanks. That's a pretty high compliment comin' from you. What're your plans for tomorrow?" "Well, I need to make several calls in the morning and then I thought I'd take the boys to see Lincoln's tomb in the afternoon since there's no school." "Good idea, babe. With some luck dealing with things in the morning, maybe I'll be able to come along. It's been a long time since I've been able to see the tomb. What calls do you have to make?" "First one is to the airport to make sure the plane will be ready for Tuesday's trip to see Harry, then I need to call Justine about T.J.'s party to make sure she knows it's on Wednesday and how many people will be here. After I'm done with those two, I'm thinkin' about callin' Levar to see what plans he might have about when he and his people will be coming to talk to all of us." "Oh crap, I'd forgotten all about that. We'll have to make sure our parents are available when he's here since he said he wanted to talk to them, too." "That shouldn't be a problem, hon. I'm sure they'll cherish the opportunity to dish to somebody new about our childhoods and what pains in the asses we were," I laughed. "No doubt," Tom agreed. "Say, what do you think about a rousing family game of Uno." "I'm in if you think you can pry the boys away from that stupid X-box." I made the call to the theater and after Mike answered, made the suggestion they join us for a game, an idea that was greeted with glee. We soon heard the herd charge out of the room and while Alex continued to his room to grab the cards, the rest helped us do a quick rearrangement of the furniture by the fireplace to make it easier for everyone to reach the middle of the table where the cards would land. Mike had gently settled onto the loveseat so he could lean on the arm to his left and still be close enough to reach the table. Andy sat next to him to help him out. Once Alex returned with the cards, Tom shuffled the deck and handed them to T.J. for the first deal. We were enjoying a great game and having a lot fun together despite the interruption of earlier in the day. The lead was going back and forth between Alex and Joey as those two somehow seemed to always get the damn wild draw four cards. I'd have accused them of having them stuffed up their sleeves but they, of course, had no sleeves. Nor anywhere else to hide a card or two. When the game ended an hour later, it was Alex who became the victor and he lorded it over all of us. "Na-na, na-na, boo, boo, all ya boobs can all kiss my lily-white ass," he crowed with glee. "Alex! What did we just talk about this afternoon?" I called out interrupting his celebration. "What, Dad?" he asked with confusion. " `Ass' is one of those words you guys are supposed to stay away from." "But why?" Logan asked. "What's so bad about `ass'? It's just another word for a donkey or mule, ain't it?" "Um, he's kinda gotcha there, babe," Tom giggled. "Well, I guess you're right about that, but I'd much prefer you guys stick with behind or butt." "Geez, Dad, you're no fun at all," T.J. moaned. "You munchkins need to put the cards away and get ready for bed, please," I replied, effectively ending the conversation on the use of `ass'. "But, Dad, it's still early," Logan complained. "I know, but Tom or I need to help Mike with his shower to try to keep his behind as dry as possible." "Yeah, likely story, old man," Joey grunted. "You're just tryin' to get rid of us." "Ya caught me, dudelet," I giggled. "Now, y'all move along while Mike comes with me." "He better not," Andy retorted glibly as he jumped off his perch next to Mike. "He's all mine, tonight," he added with a giggle. "TMI, buddy," I countered with a chuckle. "C'mon, Mike, let's get the rest of you cleaned up since all Doctor Finney took care was that ugly spot on your behind." "My butt ain't ugly," Mike complained with a frown. "Not according to T.J. and Andy, anyway." "Well, they're absolutely right, young man. You do have a very cute butt. Except for that one spot right now, but that won't last long, and you'll be right back to your regular all-over cuteness." "Thanks, Dad," he replied with a smile that quickly turned into a tight pout when he asked, "Will you give me a ride again?" "Sure thing, buddy. Stand up and I'll take you the rest of the way." Mike carefully stood up on the loveseat and held his arms up so he could wrap them around my neck. And once I had his skinny little thighs nestled on my forearm and his butt hanging in the wind, he did just that. Before walking away, I turned and asked Tom, "You gonna join us or wait for later?" "I think I'll wait, babe. With all three of us in there at the same time, it might get a little crowded and I don't want to take a chance of bumpin' into his behind and hurtin' him. Pretty sure he wouldn't like that much." An emphatic negative shake of Mike's noggin signaled his complete agreement with his Pops' thinking. "The three of us can't take up any more space than Dylan, Malcom and Damon and they seemed to survive the experience in one piece." "Fair point, I suppose, but I still think I'll wait until later. No sense pushin' our luck." "Fine, just be that way, then." I turned back to face my passenger and added, "Looks like it's just you and me, buddy." "That's all right, Daddy, we can have more fun without him," he said with a cheesy grin. I shot him a questioning look and got nothing back but the same cheesy grin. When we reached the bathroom, I stood Mike on the bench seat along the back wall before adjusting the shower head away from his small body and turning on the water. I took a minute to set the water temperature to make sure it wouldn't be too hot, then grabbed a washcloth from the hook on the wall, got it wet and filled it with soap. I also plucked a second washcloth from the next hook to flood with just water so I could get Mike wet before trying to soap him up. Stepping over to the patiently waiting midget, I ran the wet washcloth over the front of his body from his head to his toes. That accomplished, I dropped that cloth on the bench and went to work with the soapy one, starting at his toes and slowly working my way up his skinny little legs. When I reached his groin area, I bypassed that spot for the moment and moved up to take care of Mike's face, neck, shoulders, chest and belly. Upon reaching his waist, I grabbed the cloth from the bench, stepped back over to the still-flowing water and got both soaking wet again. I then refilled the one in my right hand with soap before returning to the rugrat. I had Mike turn around so I could take care of his back and behind, along with the backside of his legs, being extra careful when I reached his behind to ensure I didn't hit that raw spot with any more soap and water than possible. Mike giggled quite a bit as I ran the soapy cloth between his cheeks and brushed against his anus. He looked over his shoulder at me and said, "T.J. always does my butt without the washcloth." I took the not so subtle hint and dropped both washcloths on the bench at Mike's feet before resuming my cleaning of his cute little ass. As I ran my fingers through his crevice, I brushed his tight pucker again and a low moan of pleasure escaped from somewhere deep inside the tiny body before me. "Whoops, sorry, Mike," I muttered needlessly. "Don't be sorry, that felt good," he grunted as he looked at me over his shoulder. "Do it again," he added in a demanding tone. "I don't think that's a very good idea with your butt in its current condition," I replied trying to shut down things before they went too far. Mike was having none of that as he pleaded, "Please, Daddy." Unable to refuse the munchkin anything he wanted, I again ran my fingers through his vertical smile while making sure I brushed his hole with all four fingertips. The hiss of delight I heard as he sucked in two lungsful of air through his tightly pursed lips left no doubt he was enjoying the intimate touching just as much as I was. "Oh, god, that feels good," he muttered to no one in particular while leaning against the wall above the bench with his two hands planted firmly above his head. "Push one inside me and make sure I'm clean there, too." "Are you sure you want me to do that?" I questioned seriously. "If ya don't, I'm gonna hafta hurt ya," he retorted with a demanding note to his voice. To avoid the beating I was sure would come if I didn't agree to his request, I carefully slid just my middle finger into his crack, located his rosebud and gave the digit a push. Mike's body bucked madly at the intrusion which only served to get my finger impaled even deeper inside him. I decided at that moment that he was fully in charge of whatever was happening and froze my position, finger buried to the second knuckle inside his tight ass. About thirty seconds later, I felt Mike's body subtly shift as he pushed his ass towards my face, allowing the intruding finger to become fully lodged inside him. To my amazement, Mike held that position for a full minute before he started to pull away again. Just before my fingertip would have been released from his sphincter's tight grip, he reversed course, impaling himself again. And again, and over and over. This six-year-old horndog was literally fucking himself on my finger. And it had to be one of the absolute hottest things I've ever had the pleasure to be involved in. He continued his actions for several more minutes before abruptly pulling himself off my finger and turning around to face me, his rampant hardon mere inches from my nose. "Please suck my little dick, Daddy," he begged. At that moment, I would have done just about anything the youngster wanted and I happily leaned into his body, allowing his pecker to invade my mouth. While I was no longer a stranger to sucking dicks, Mike's was the smallest, and tastiest, one I had in my mouth so far. Please, god, don't ever let Tom pick up that brainwave I thought to myself. Mike was still fully in charge of this set of events and after he realized that for himself, he started to forcefully hump his sweet and stiff morsel in and out of my mouth. I was truly enjoying every moment of this encounter with my young son and loved it when his hairless pubis would slam into my nose as he tried to bury his cocklet as deeply as possible in my hot and wet mouth. "Quick, Daddy, stick a finger up my ass. I'm about to come," he moaned with delight. I followed his demand and slowly re-inserted my middle finger as deeply as I could into his rapidly moving ass. It wasn't easy to hit the moving target, but he slowed his movements just enough to make it easier to locate. With my finger fully embedded, Mike was off to the races again and he continued humping my face with wild abandon and unbridled lust. As I wiggled my finger deep inside his tight hole, I found his undeveloped magic button and made a conscious effort to bump or stroke that small nodule on each of his movements. Soon enough, Mike started muttering, "Oh god, oh fuck, yes Daddy, fuck my ass with your finger, oh god, oh, oh, ah, ah-h-h, yeah, right there, uh-uh-uh-uh." With one last grunt, he grabbed the back of my head and pulled my face into his belly, burying his pecker as deeply into my mouth as he could. He squealed with glee as his anal sphincter started rapidly clamping and releasing my finger, and his sweet little cocklet jerked, bounced and danced madly in my mouth as the orgasm took over his young body from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. If I hadn't been holding his thighs as snugly as I was, he would have surely landed on the floor of the shower as his steam-slickened body refused to remain in place. How we managed to get through the whole thing without him slipping from my grasp will remain a puzzle to be solved at a much later time. I continued to hold Mike up since I knew he couldn't really sit down at the moment and when he'd finally come back down to earth from his sexual high, he glared at me with the widest and wildest grin I'd ever seen on his face. As he looked down at me sitting on the bench and still holding his thighs tightly to ensure he didn't fall over, he said, "Thanks, Daddy, that was fuckin' awesome. Oops, shouldn't a said that," he quickly added as he clamped a hand over his mouth. "You're fine, buddy, I understand. The feelings you just had override all thoughts. Besides, this is one of those times you can say anything you want, remember?" "That's a good thing or I'd be in really deep shit right now, wouldn't I?" he giggled madly. "Without a doubt, buddy. I'm glad you enjoyed your shower." "I freakin' loved, it, Daddy. I always want to take a shower with you now. You're a lot better at that finger thing than T.J. or Andy." "Well, my fingers are a bit longer than theirs, so I can see how you might think that." "I don't think it, I know it. Now, what about you?" "What do you mean, Mike?" I asked. "Well, look at your dick, old man. It's harder than I've ever seen it." I chanced a quick glance below my waist and realized Mike was telling the truth. I'd been so focused on doing whatever the kid wanted, I hadn't even noticed my own cock was pointed straight towards the ceiling and leaking profusely. "We can't let you go back out there like that, can we?" Mike asked seriously. "Sit back and let me help you like you helped me," he added with his trademark smirk. In no real position or having the desire to argue with him at this point, I followed his order and leaned against the wall of the shower, waiting to see what he had in mind for payback. I didn't have to wait long as he quickly climbed down from the bench and stood in front of me before wrapping his small hands around my throbbing meat. While Tom and I had jerked each other off many times since we got together, nothing in this world can properly prepare you for having your hardness enveloped by the fingers of your six-year-old son. I was already so on edge from pleasuring Mike that I almost blew my load the moment he had me wrapped up in his tight grip. "T.J. told Andy and me all about you and Pops shootin' out your spermies when you come, and I've wanted to see that happen ever since. And now, I finally get to `cause I'm gonna make it happen," the munchkin gloated evilly as he started to slowly stroke my cock. For my part, I could do nothing but sit there and moan as Mike worked me over. After a couple minutes of his tender ministrations, he decided to take things a step further as he leaned over and slurped the pre-cum off my cock before it could just run uselessly down the shaft. Thanks to all the steam generated by the still-running shower, it sure wasn't needed for lubrication and when Mike was done cleaning out my piss slit, he stood up, looked me straight in the eyes and licked his lips. "That's pretty yummy stuff, Daddy." "I'm glad you like it," I smiled. "You keep strokin' my cock like that and there'll be more for you to drink up in no time." "Sweet," he gushed as his hands continued to slide smoothly up and down my aching prick. Just as I'd promised him, my dick head was soon covered with more slime and he eagerly lapped it up. After the third or fourth round of me oozing pre-cum and Mike cleaning me up (to be brutally honest, I lost count due to the euphoria I was experiencing), I gave Mike the warning he'd been waiting for. "Heads up, buddy, it's about to happen," I grunted. "Cool, Daddy, let it go," he squealed in anticipation. Mike had no sooner than uttered those words when sweet release hit me and my cock shot six or seven volleys of sticky goo all over the both of us, landing on both our faces, chests and bellies. One thing I can see Mike needs to learn is how to properly aim an exploding cock to minimize the mess created and the cleanup required after the fact, but that will remain a lesson for another day. And one I certainly look forward to teaching him. Completely wasted by the earth-shattering orgasm I'd just experienced at the hands and mouth of my young son, I couldn't move for a couple of minutes. While I leaned against the wall and recovered, Mike took it upon himself to start cleaning me up. With his tongue. That action brought me back to life and I smiled at my son as he seemed to enjoy the task. Of course, the continual licking of my chest and belly was causing a physical reaction I'd not expected. I was getting hard again, simply from Mike's tongue running across my body and flicking at my nipples. "How the devil did you get so good at that?" I quizzed my shower mate. "Easy, Daddy, T.J. and Andy both love when I lick their boobies. I figured if they did, you would, too." "You got that right, kiddo. C'mon and let's get rinsed off so we can get out of here, cover your behind and get you guys to bed." "Okay," he answered as he stepped closer and pulled me into a smothering hug. "Thanks, Daddy, I loved what we did and I love you, too," he whispered into my ear. "I love you more, my sweet baby boy," I whispered back. We finally let go of each other and I stepped Mike back a couple of feet, then grabbed the shower head on the extension hose and let it rain down over Mike to get him all cleaned up and rinsed off. It just wouldn't do to have him climb in bed with his brothers while he was splattered with my semen. Satisfied all evidence of our misdeeds had been washed off his sweet body, I sat on the bench and let Mike return the favor. With both of us rinsed off within an inch of our lives, I turned off the water and grabbed towels so we could dry off. I had Mike stand on the bench so I could help him towel off, and when it was time to dry his shrunken penis and retracted testicles, he giggled madly as he was still a bit sensitive from our previous actions. When I had him turn around to take care of his back, he promptly bent over at the waist and pulled his good cheek away so I could dry his light pink pucker. He moaned in desire when I made contact with his tight hole, but I didn't press the issue, or a finger into him again, despite desperately wanting to do so. With the rest of him dried off, I lightly patted the raw spot on his bad cheek to get it as dry as I could without hurting him. He still jumped once or twice when I made contact but seemed none the worse for wear when I was done. With his drying completed, he grabbed the other towel and told me to turn around. He quickly dried my back and ordered me to bend over. After I did so, he took his time drying my rear cleft, lingering on my hole a couple of times. By the time he was done back there, my dick was fully inflamed again, so when he had me turn around to take care of my front, my hardness almost smacked him in the face. He giggled at that and then spent way more time than necessary to dry my smaller than average cock. Not that I minded it a bit, and in fact, I rather enjoyed his soft touch. By the time he was happy with his work, I was damn near ready to pop off a second time, but managed to exert a minor bit of control over my lower half and held on to that thought for later. With both of us sparkling clean and dry, we finally left the bathroom and headed back out to rejoin the rest of the family. Ambling into the living room, we drew the whole crew's attention as they gawked at us. Tom gave me a questioning look and tapped his wrist where a watch would normally be, alluding to the fact Mike and I were in the shower much longer than we should have been. Still half hard from the experience I'd just had, all I could do at the moment was shrug my shoulders and try to look as innocent as possible, fully expecting to have to explain our absence when the two of us climbed into bed in a bit. "Mike, go grab the supplies Doctor Finney gave us and we'll get your behind covered up so you can get in bed. When you come back, stretch out on the loveseat so this is easy to deal with." "You got it, Dad," he answered as he bypassed the living room and continued on down the hallway to his bedroom. I silently wondered about the switch from `Daddy' while in the shower to `Dad' around the others, but not for long as I figured it wasn't something I'd be able solve by myself. Sitting next to Tom, he fixed me with a quizzical stare yet again, and I mouthed, `later' in response to his silent question. I received a thumbs up in acknowledgement from him as Mike came back with the bag of supplies from the doctor's office. Seeing Logan and Andy still lounging on the loveseat, he said, "Move your behinds, boneheads." He shot us a quick look of cockiness for his word selection and Tom and I both gave him a thumbs up. Both vacated the seat and Mike climbed up and assumed the position required to place a new gauze pad where it would do the most good. Two minutes of very gentle work later, he was as ready for bed as he could be. We hustled the sensational six-pack into their rooms and gave them time to make one more stop in a bathroom before we followed along for our regular nightly rituals. With all six of them down for the count and after saying goodnight to Ron, Tom and I headed for our own room and a good night's sleep before a busy day tomorrow. Or so I thought as I crawled into bed and under the sheet. "What the hell took you two so long in the shower?" Tom asked while sitting on the bed next to me and giving me a dirty look "Um, Mike wanted a little special fatherly attention," I answered with extreme guilt flooding my reply. I then added some details to my answer so Tom would understand exactly what I was really saying. "You bastard!" Tom squelched. "When do I get a turn with one of them?" "Anytime you want, hon. You had the chance to join us tonight but decided not to. It's not my fault I didn't know Mike had plans other than just taking a shower. According to Dr. Finney, he should have help with his bathing for a couple of nights, so why don't you take tomorrow night and I'll stay in the living room." "Now that sounds like a great idea," Tom grinned as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "So, did the little rugrat leave anything for me or did he completely drain you?" "Well, I thought I was done for the night, but not so much anymore," I replied as I lifted the sheet and exposed my hard cock to my honey. "Sweet," Tom hissed as he lowered his head to my groin and began what turned into an hour-long session of lovemaking. By the time we were both satisfied, neither of us had anything left to give the other, so we limped our way into the shower for a quick cleaning before returning to bed and snuggling together for that good night's sleep.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 83</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk19221875"></a><a name="_Toc19720927"><span>Chapter 83 � Risky Behaviors</span></a></h2> <p><span>On the way across the house to the kitchen, the boys were demanding macaroni and cheese with hot dogs, so Tom and I got busy with our cooking, Tom grilling the dogs while I worked on the macaroni.</span></p> <p><span>While the boys began getting the table ready for our meal, their regular conversation rapidly morphed into something neither of us was quite ready for when Joey asked, "So, Mikey, what was keepin' Ron so busy he couldn't come fix lunch?" Tom and I quickly shared the look all parents get when their kids start asking such questions, one of abject fear.</span></p> <p><span>"He was, uh, you know ..." Mike muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"No, we don't know," T.J. retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"That's why he asked, ya dweeb," Logan offered.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, dude, spill it," Andy pushed.</span></p> <p><span>"He was, um, playin' with himself," Mike finally muttered in defeat as he gave up the secret. Not that that bit of news was really much of a secret or surprise around here. With nine guys in the same house and all of us being naked all the time, it would indeed be a rare moment when at least one of us didn't have his hand on a penis, whether it was his own or someone else's. We could just be making a small adjustment, flogging the ol' flagpole or having full-on sex, but you could be sure a hand was on a dick 24/7 around here.</span></p> <p><span>"That's it?" Alex questioned with astonishment. "He was just jerkin' the gherkin?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, no, not really," Mike answered slowly. "He was playin' with his butthole, too," the youngster added with a hint of embarrassment.</span></p> <p><span>"So, big deal," Joey retorted. "I bet T.J. and Andy have played with your pretty little butthole plenty o' times, haven't they?"</span></p> <p><span>While both named boys nodded their heads in agreement, Mike countered with, "Well, yeah, all the time, but he wasn't usin' his fingers back there like we do. He had somethin' else."</span></p> <p><span>"What was it?" Alex asked with his interest piqued as to what Ron might have had.</span></p> <p><span>"I ain't sure," Mike offered. "It looked kinda like a dick, but made out of rubber or somethin', I think. `Course, I never saw the whole thing since he was slidin' it in and out of his ass the whole time," he added with a little giggle.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I again shared a quick look and I whispered, "Oh shit, you just know they're gonna ask us about that, don't you? What do we do now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't my problem, babe," Tom chuckled. "<i>You're</i> the one who said they could ask any question at any time and we'd give them an honest answer. Can't wait to see how you deal with this one," he added with a crooked smirk of mirth.</span></p> <p><span>Before I could even begin formulating my response to Tom, a voice from the dining room called out, "Hey, Dads!" That call was followed by the sensational six-pack coming back into the kitchen and filling up the barstools at the counter, wide grins of not-so-innocent curiosity plastered on their faces.</span></p> <p><span>"I already know what you're going to ask, but can we wait a bit, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why, Dad?" Joey complained. "You always say we can ask you anything."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that, and I'm more than happy to give you guys a truthful answer, but I'd like to chat about it with Ron first, just to make sure I'm not lying about what Mike saw. Sound fair to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I s'pose," Alex grunted.</span></p> <p><span>"Besides, I think this conversation will give us chance to have that <i>other</i> discussion we put off last night because Rich and Carrie were here."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, Dads," T.J. grinned, rubbing his hands together with gleeful anticipation.</span></p> <p><span>With a quiet sigh of relief, I returned to my macaroni and the madly grinning Tom still coaxing the dogs on the grill. With our backs to the munchkins, I leaned over to Tom and whispered, "Fat lotta help you are, big guy." All I got in return was a look that said, `who, me?' After a quick elbow to his ribs, my timer dinged to let me know the pasta was done. After a quick drain, I mixed in the milk, Parkay and the powdered cheese along with some extra sharp cheddar cheese, and we were ready to eat.</span></p> <p><span>We'd been at the table about a minute and were all stuffing our faces when Ron finally joined us, a decidedly guilty look flooding his face. He took his seat next to Tom and dug into the food like he hadn't had any breakfast, somehow accomplishing that feat while simultaneously avoiding all eye contact with the rest of us. I had also noticed a light flushing as if he were embarrassed to be here at the moment.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, Ron?" I asked. "Everything okay?"</span></p> <p><span>He finally looked at me and quietly replied, "Yeah, I guess. Just not sure what to say right now."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you really don't have to say anything, but I would like to ask you a question."</span></p> <p><span>"What?" he grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it has to do with what Mike saw when he interrupted your private time just now."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn it, I just knew y'all was talkin' `bout me out here. Probably laughin' your asses off `bout how I have to take care of myself."</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all, Ron," Tom replied to the accusation. "But, due to Mike's untimely disruption of a private moment, the boys now have some questions and we'd like to give them an honest answer."</span></p> <p><span>"You gotta be kiddin' me! It's bad enough the little twerp caught me in the act, man, but now you want me to actually explain that? Fat chance of that happenin'," Ron muttered with disgust.</span></p> <p><span>"Ron, listen to me, please," I began in a tone that would demand his undivided attention. Once his eyes were locked onto mine, I calmly continued, "Since the boys moved in, we've stressed the importance of always telling the truth, no matter how uncomfortable that may be to do. And to our knowledge, they've always given honest answers to us and we've returned that sign of respect to them. Including those sometimes embarrassing queries. Tom and I would really appreciate it if you'd continue that trend with us and them."</span></p> <p><span>"You're serious, aren't you?" Ron asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, we are," Tom replied. "They're all just as curious about things as any other kid and we don't want to stifle that curiosity as they grow up. We want them to feel as comfortable as possible to ask us any question they have, no matter how awkward, knowing that they'll get a truthful answer from us."</span></p> <p><span>"Jeesh, this is so different from my family, I can't begin to tell ya. We never talked `bout crap like this when I was growin' up."</span></p> <p><span>"Dad don't like to talk `bout this stuff much, either, `specially while we're eatin'," T.J. giggled. "But he will, and all of us really like that. It makes us feel like we're important."</span></p> <p><span>"And you guys are," I agreed with a big smile. "The most important things in our lives," I added as I reached over and pulled Tom's hand into mine, receiving a wide grin of agreement from the big guy.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay," Ron finally relented. He turned his focus to the boys and asked, "Wha' do ya rugrats wanna know?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mike, you're the one who saw what he was doin', so why don't you start," Alex offered.</span></p> <p><span>A big smirk filled the youngster's face before he began with, "Well, we already know `bout jerkin', suckin' and humpin' each other, but what was ya doin' with your butt? I mean, we've all used our fingers on the others, but it looked like you had somethin' in your hand and we wanna know what it was."</span></p> <p><span>After a quick look to Tom and me and receiving simple nods from us in return, Ron answered with, "That's what's called a dildo, guys."</span></p> <p><span>"Is that like a dick made out of Play-Doh?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's shaped like a dick, for sure, but it's not made out of Play-Doh. That stuff would eventually start comin' apart and make a real mess of things. No, that particular toy is made out of a flexible PVC material so it's easy to use and even easier to clean up."</span></p> <p><span>"And how do ya use it," T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You put a little lube on the dildo, and I usually put some on my hole, too. Then you just grab the base, line it up with your hole and give it a little push. Once it's inside ya, ya start slidin' it in and out just like another guy was havin' sex with ya."</span></p> <p><span>"Does it feel good?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You have no idea, little dude. It's as close to the real thing as you can get."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't it hurt like a bitch, though?" Logan wanted to know.</span></p> <p><span>"It did when I first started usin' that one, but I've had it long enough, now, that I'm used to it. I gave my smaller ones to Rich last night."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you ever suck on it, thinkin' it's some guy's dick?" Alex queried as he was next in line to continue the interrogation.</span></p> <p><span>"Sometimes, yeah. But only <i>before</i> I use it back there. Besides, I'd much rather suck a real dick."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, me, too," T.J. giggled in response and we all cracked up on that comment.</span></p> <p><span>"Can we see it, Ron?" Joey begged.</span></p> <p><span>After another look to us and another quick nod from Tom, Ron replied, "Uh, can I finish eatin' first?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, dude," Alex agreed. "We'll clean up the rest while you do. But you better eat fast," he added with an evil laugh. The sensational six-pack jumped up from their chairs and began clearing the dishes from the table. By the time they had everything rinsed and loaded in the dishwasher, Ron had finished his own meal and Logan grabbed his plate and bowl before returning to the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>Before leaving his chair, Ron asked, "You sure you're okay with me showing it to `em?"</span></p> <p><span>"Might as well, buddy," Tom replied. "You should know by now they just aren't gonna let somethin' like this slide by."</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't that the truth," Ron chuckled. "Okay, be right back."</span></p> <p><span>Ron turned for his room and was back shortly with the toy in hand and a big grin on his face. Since the boys were still finishing their cleanup task in the kitchen, Ron stood the dildo in the middle of the table. While Tom and I were obviously not strangers to such items, seeing the bright pink dong wobbling obscenely, but proudly, in the middle of our dining room table caused us to double over in fits of laughter. That was all it took to draw the boys back to the table and their eyes went as wide as saucers when they laid eyes on the dildo.</span></p> <p><span>"Wow, that's freakin' cool," Joey exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"You really had that thing buried in your ass?" Logan questioned with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep," Ron replied with pride.</span></p> <p><span>"I hope you cleaned it up before you put in the middle of the table," Andy giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Always. Toys like this last a lot longer when you take proper care of them, boys," Ron replied seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"How big is it?" Alex quizzed the toy's owner.</span></p> <p><span>"This one's about seven and a half inches long and an inch and a half in diameter, so a little bigger than your dad and a bit smaller than your pops."</span></p> <p><span>"Is that the only size you can get?" Mike wondered out loud.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, dildos come in all sizes. Some are smaller than this one and I've also seen some that are almost as big as Dylan, maybe even bigger. There are a lot of different shapes and colors, too. They even make small wands designed specifically for stimulating your prostate."</span></p> <p><span>"You think they got any that would fit our tight and tiny holes?" T.J. asked in complete seriousness.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, guys, but I'm sure some company out there makes `em your size. You and your dads would have to do some searchin' to find `em though."</span></p> <p><span>All six munchkins turned to look at the two of us and without any of them saying a word, we knew what we'd have to do later today. I can honestly say that I never expected, at this point in my life, that I would be looking for tiny dildoes for my sons, but here we are. And by the looks on their faces, they wanted them sooner rather than later.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, okay," I acquiesced, "we'll see what we can find."</span></p> <p><span>"That'll be so cool, Dads. Thanks," Alex responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Will you show us how to use them, too?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"That could probably be arranged," I agreed. "If you're gonna have some of your own, you should know what to do with them, including cleaning them up after you're done using them."</span></p> <p><span>"Sweet!" T.J. crowed. "Can we have that other chat that keeps gettin' pushed aside?"</span></p> <p><span>"Might as well," Tom replied. He then turned to me and said, "The floor is yours."</span></p> <p><span>After shooting him a dirty look for throwing me to the wolves, I refocused on the rest of the table and began. "Okay, guys, here's the scoop. We had a chat with Ron the other night and told him the truth about us. All of us."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatchu talkin `bout, Dad?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We let him know that three of you so far have been in bed with us and some of what we've done together." All six of their faces flooded with surprise before I carried on. "The reason we did so is because Ron was really concerned about his reaction after finding all six of you in bed together and going after each other with wild abandon."</span></p> <p><span>"What you really mean is he freaked the hell out `bout gettin' hard after he found us all fuckin' and suckin' each other, right?" Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah. He was worried to the point that he was thinking about quitting."</span></p> <p><span>"You can't do that!" Joey exclaimed as he whipped his head around to face Ron.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we really like you, dude," Alex added in a much calmer tone of voice.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, relax," Tom interrupted. "We think we've talked him into staying, but with some rules he has to follow. You need to know those rules, too, so listen up."</span></p> <p><span>I took over the conversation, adding, "Okay, here's the deal, guys. If any of you should ever want to enjoy some sex play with Ron, you're welcome to do so." A loud cheer filled the house and I had to wait for the echoes to die out before I could move on. "He's agreed to the ground rules we laid out and we expect all of you to do the same. The biggest rule you have to follow is this; Ron is not allowed to have anal intercourse with any of you."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good thing, Dad. He's damn near as big as Pops," Alex giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"But can we, you know, do it to him?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"If he's willing to allow it, then yes, you may," Tom replied. "All the other rules we've already laid out still need to be followed, too, like behind closed doors, everyone involved has to agree to anything and everything that may happen, and on and on."</span></p> <p><span>"Any questions from you guys or Ron?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I got one, Dad," T.J. said as he raised his hand. After a nod from me, he asked the one question I wasn't quite ready for. "Will you <i>ever</i> let us get, um, you know, by any of you guys? I mean, I know it'd hurt a little, but I think we'd be able to handle it. It can't be that bad, can it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can't really answer that question, young man. Not right now, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"But why won't you even think about it?" Alex asked seriously.</span></p> <p><span>I took a deep breath before answering. When I finally felt I was ready to do so, I answered with, "You all remember what I told you about what Frank and Iris did to me?" After a round of nods, I added, "Well, I know all too well how much anal sex can and will hurt if you're not ready for it. I was older than you guys are when it happened to me and believe me when I say it hurt like hell and I thought I was gonna die. Actually wished I would. I can't and won't allow that happen to the six of you."</span></p> <p><span>"But you'd never had anything up there before that happened, right?" Joey said pointedly. "And you seem to be cool with Pops doin' it to ya now. What'd be so bad `bout you doin' it to us if we wanted you to?"</span></p> <p><span>"First, Pops and I spent some time preparing me for it with some toys much like the one in the middle of the table right now. If it hadn't been for that, I'd have screamed bloody murder when it happened. I still experienced some minor pain even with our preparations, but I got through it okay and now it doesn't hurt hardly at all. Second, when Pops and I have sex, it's because we love each other and want to share that love in the most intimate of possible ways. What Frank and Iris did to me was <i>not</i> love at all. Third, we don't want you guys to think we love you only for your bodies. We love the whole person, not just your ass for what we <i>could</i> with it."</span></p> <p><span>"But what if you get these toys for us and we work with them on our holes for a while? Would you do it to us then?" Joey wanted to know.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll have to think about it, boys. I'd want to make sure that if it should ever happen, you won't be hurt in any way. I just couldn't live with myself if we hurt you the way Frank hurt me."</span></p> <p><span>"So that's a maybe, then, right?" T.J. asked with sincere curiosity.</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose it is. Are you all okay with that?" Another round of nods and we had our answer. "Okay, if we're done here, why don't you put your toy away, Ron, and then join us in the theater for some more <i>Star Trek </i>episodes? It's been over a week since we've been able to watch any, and I'd like to fix that omission this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>Another round of cheers flooded the house as everyone left the table and headed for the theater. Well, everybody but Ron who first had to make the detour to his room to return his toy to wherever he kept it, but he joined us soon enough and we settled in for a quiet afternoon.</span><span> After the first two shows of the day, it was time for a bathroom break. As everyone was returning to the theater, we congregated in the kitchen for a moment to arrange some snacks for the boys before returning for the third show. With cookies and juice boxes in hand, we once again inhabited our favorite chairs, then continued with the boys' preferred show.</span></p> <p><span>At the end of the third show, the boys decided they wanted to spend some time outside riding their bikes and seeing what other kinds of trouble they could get into. Since it was sunny and the temperature was in the mid-seventies this afternoon, we happily sent them on their way with the reminder that anyone riding a bike should be wearing their helmet. Sure, it seems a touch crazy to expect them to wear helmets when they'd have nothing else on to protect the rest of their bodies, but a skinned knee or elbow is a lot easier to doctor than a cracked skull. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.</span></p> <p><span>The herd charged pell-mell out of the theater and after a quick stop in their rooms to don socks and shoes, they disappeared down the hallway towards the garage. We knew they'd left the house and us behind when the door to the garage slammed shut after the last munchkin had passed through it. Tom, Ron and I all shared a quick smile of understanding at their desire to get outside. With some luck, they'd burn off some pent-up energy and return in a much calmer and more relaxed state. It seemed unlikely but we can dream, can't we?</span></p> <p><span>"So, Ron, was that little show and tell as bad as you thought it would be?" I asked as we settled into the living room.</span></p> <p><span>"No, not really," he replied.</span></p> <p><span>"You sure about that," Tom queried seriously. "That wasn't your regular everyday discussion with a bunch of young kids."</span></p> <p><span>"You ain't kiddin', man, but you guys're right. They're all curious as hell and there's no need to kill that curiosity, is there? I mean, they're not cats, are they? Besides, they'll figure all this shit out themselves soon enough and they might as well learn it at home where you actually have some control over what and how they learn certain things."</span></p> <p><span>"That's my thinking, too. Especially since I'm just now learning some of these things for myself."</span></p> <p><span>"What're you talkin' about, Max?" Ron asked with surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, since I really just accepted being gay last year, I'd never used a toy of any kind when I was pleasuring myself. I didn't get to enjoy that experience until after Tom moved in and brought his toys with him."</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus, man, your boys probably have more experience than you do," Ron laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure they do. Joey and Alex, anyway. Can't really say much about the others except they all seem to be learning the same things at about the same time."</span></p> <p><span>"Why do you think Joey and Alex are ahead of the others on the learning curve?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's my understanding they discovered the joy of sleeping nude quite some time ago and rather enjoyed the fact doing so pissed off the Muellers. And I know that pretty soon after I started going to bed naked, I quickly learned how to rub my dick on the sheet and make myself feel really good. It only makes sense that with the two of them sleeping in the same bed and being naked, they'd just as quickly figure out that while humping the mattress might feel good, doing so against each would feel even better."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that makes sense," Ron agreed. "What about you, Tom? When did you learn?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, I guess it was shortly after Dad had `the talk' with me. I think I was about eleven or twelve when he finally broke down and decided he couldn't put it off any longer. Not that he had to worry about me knockin' up the homecoming queen or anything like that, but he didn't know that at the time. Once he told me a dick could be used for more than takin' a piss, I just had to find out what he was talkin' `bout. I had my first dry come that night and I haven't stopped gettin' off since. You're turn, bud."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, my old man never said shit `bout nothin' havin' to do with sex of any kind. No, I began my education with my best friend, Pat. It was the night of my tenth birthday, and I don't think I'll ever forget that first time. He was spending the night with me for my first sleepover. We took our bath together and the screwin' `round started there. When we finally climbed out of the tub twenty minutes after climbin' in, we were both hard as nails and horny as fuck. We dried off as fast as we could, picked up our dirty clothes and held them in front of our crotches to hide our little boners as we high-tailed it down the hallway to my room. We figured my `rents would be pissed as hell if they saw us with hard-ons.</span></p> <p><span>"Once we got to my room, I closed and locked my door, we dropped our shit on the floor and jumped on the bed. I continued our fun by layin' my head on his belly and getting' a really good look at his little pecker. I'd seen it plenty of times before but never that close up, and never hard. Then I grabbed him with a thumb and two fingers and started jerkin' him off. I really didn't have a clue what the fuck I was doin', but that didn't stop me for one second. Pat was moanin' and gigglin' his ass off, but thanks to the way I was layin' on him, he ended up grabbin' me and returning the favor. In no time at all, we were both moanin' in pleasure at the new feelings we'd found and after about ten minutes of just playin' with each other, I decided I wanted to see what his dick tasted like.</span></p> <p><span>"That just took things to a whole new level and before I knew what was happenin', he'd rolled us around and with his head now in my crotch, he didn't waste a moment as he sucked me into his warm wet mouth, balls and all. I was on fuckin' cloud nine, let me tell you. Nobody else had touched my dick since I got out of diapers and now it was buried in Pat's mouth and he was givin' me one helluva tongue bath. So, I went from bein' a complete idiot about all things havin' to do with sex to bein' in a sixty-nine with my best bud in no more than thirty minutes. And I've learned all kinds of new tricks since then," Ron added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>At that moment, the garage door banged open and we heard, "Hey, Dads!! Get your asses out here!" echo down the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>Unsure what was happening, Tom and I charged down the hall, through the door that had been left open, and flew out the open garage door behind Ron's car. What we found when we finally got outside were five boys surrounding Mike who was laid out on the ground with his belly down and his bare butt pointed towards the sky. Our confusion as to what was going on was cleared up as we drew closer and saw the six-inch round raspberry colored mark on the side of his right butt cheek. Mike was whimpering softly as the others just stood there and gawked at the spectacle before them.</span></p> <p><span>"What happened?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He hit the brakes, skidded and landed on his ass," Joey answered. "What the hell you think happened?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good thing he was wearin' the helmet or that could be his head lookin' like that," T.J. chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"That's pretty raw, Pops," Alex added. "You guys think you can deal with it or is he gonna have to go to the doctor?"</span></p> <p><span>"I ain't goin' to no doctor!" Mike yelled through his continued sniffling.</span></p> <p><span>"Let me have a look, buddy," I replied calmly. I knelt beside our young son and gently placed a hand near the raw spot. Mike let loose a low groan of pain as I flattened his tender cheek to get a better view at the possible damage to his behind. While the bleeding from the wound was minimal, it looked to me like he should probably go see a doctor to get cleaned up and make sure no small bits of dirt or rocks were embedded in the tender tissues. Confident in my diagnosis of the situation, I said, "Sorry, Mike, but I think we need to make a trip to Urgent Care."</span></p> <p><span>"Why?" he demanded. "It don't hurt that much no more."</span></p> <p><span>"We want to make sure it gets cleaned up properly and there's nothing buried in there that could cause an infection. We don't want you getting gangrene in your butt, do we?" I asked with a hint of humor to try and lighten the mood a little bit.</span></p> <p><span>"What's that," Mike asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"That's where your ass turns green before it falls off," Logan offered with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"No! I can't lose my ass," Mike wailed. "What'll I sit on?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure you'll be just fine, kiddo," Tom interjected. "But Max is right, a doctor should take care of this to make sure that doesn't happen." I was pretty sure nobody was going to lose any part of their butt today and couldn't help but laugh along with the others.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, Mike, let's get you up and get ready to go." I stood up and grabbed Mike's hands to help him to his feet. He winced in pain as he stirred and started moving slowly to the house, dropping the helmet on the floor of the garage as he passed through it, the rest of us following in his wake. Once inside, I told him, "Pull on a shirt and the loosest pair of shorts you can find while I get dressed. I'll have Ron get an old towel or something to put on your behind so you don't bleed all over the car on the way."</span></p> <p><span>"Figures," Mike muttered glumly, "more worried about your stinkin' car than my ass, ain't ya?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all, little man. The towel is to keep you from ruining a brand-new pair of shorts, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, whatever," he grumbled as he turned into his room and I continued on across the house. I dressed quickly and met Mike back in the living room. Ron appeared with one of the older hand towels and I held the waistband of Mike's shorts down while Ron put the towel in place and added some medical tape to help hold it in place. With our preparations complete, the two of us headed out to the garage and our trip to town. Fortunately, the Urgent Care facility was open on Sunday afternoons and we could avoid the extra expense of having to go to the emergency room.</span></p> <p><span>Though Mike was in the middle row of seats, looking in the rear-view mirror, I could tell he was sitting a bit sideways to help keep the pressure off his sore behind. But even doing that, I saw he was more than uncomfortable as he would wince or groan with every ripple and minor bump in the road. Fifteen minutes after leaving the driveway, we pulled into the practically empty parking lot of the doctor's office. I helped Mike out of the car and he held his arms up in the air asking for a ride into the building. I couldn't resist the pleading in his eyes and lifted him up, resting his uninjured cheek on my arm while he wrapped his arms around my neck.</span></p> <p><span>Once inside, I checked him in, and we were told to have a seat for a few minutes as we waited for the doctor to become available. I found a couple of empty chairs for us to use but that proved to be a waste of time as once I was seated, Mike gingerly crawled into my lap and took fifteen seconds to find a way he could sit that wouldn't hurt too much. His wiggling around almost caused an improper reaction below my waist, but I somehow managed to shut that problem down before it became obvious to Mike. A few minutes later, we were called back and I held onto my rugrat as I stood and followed the nurse to an exam room.</span></p> <p><span>Once inside, she asked, "And what brings you to see us this afternoon?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mike had a little accident while riding a bike and while I don't think he's seriously hurt, he has a pretty raw spot on his behind that should probably be properly cleaned and checked out."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hop up on the table, young man, and we'll see what's going on."</span></p> <p><span>"Lady, I can't hop nothin' right now," Mike retorted. "My butt hurts too much."</span></p> <p><span>"Perhaps your dad can set you up here, then," she suggested while looking to me.</span></p> <p><span>Still cradling Mike in my arms, I stood up, stepped over to the exam table and gently set him down. The nurse saw him scrunch his face in pain and heard his whimper as I let him go. He promptly leaned to one side to relieve the pressure on his sore side.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's check your temperature, blood pressure and a few other things first, Mike, and then we'll take a look at your problem." She quickly took care of the preliminaries including the `open wide and say ah' part of any trip to a doctor. That dealt with, she asked Mike to roll over onto his stomach so she could inspect his injury. "I need to pull your shorts down now so we can see what you've done back here. Is that okay with you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ya might as well take `em all the way off, lady. Won't bother me none," Mike replied flatly.</span></p> <p><span>"If you're sure that's okay, that would probably be the easiest," she responded while looking to me for confirmation. After a quick nod of agreement from me, she added, "Can you lift your hips just a bit, young man? It will make it a lot easier to do this." Mike placed his hands on the table and lifted his upper body in kind of a half push up. While he held his body up, the nurse carefully lifted the waistband of his shorts and pulled the back of them down past the towel to expose his butt. She then slid her fingers around to his sides and slipped the front down. "Perfect, Mike, thank you for helping me with that. You can lay back down now."</span></p> <p><span>Mike lowered his body then snaked a hand under his midsection to make a minor adjustment so he was more comfortable. The nurse then slipped the shorts off his legs and handed them to me before placing a drape over his backside, leaving only the taped-on towel exposed. She next worked on removing the tape and towel so she could actually see the road rash. "Oh my," she said softly, "that looks like it hurt."</span></p> <p><span>"It did. And still does," Mike grunted with disgust.</span></p> <p><span>"Let me get some light on the area and take a closer look." She proceeded to do just as she said and after spending several minutes examining Mike's behind, added, "Yes, it's a good thing you came in to get this taken care of. I can see some dirt embedded pretty deeply and it also looks like there might be a chunk or two of rock in there as well. We'll get the doctor in here so she can debride the wound, make sure nothing's left behind." </span></p> <p><span>Mike let go a little chuckle at her unintentional pun and that caused both of us to share a smirk. Despite what had happened and where we were, it was good to see Mike hadn't lost his sense of humor.</span></p> <p><span>"Good for you, young man. Laughter is the best kind of medicine," she commented. "Let me get the doctor and we'll be back to get you fixed right up." On that note, she left Mike and I alone.</span></p> <p><span>As soon as the door was closed, Mike turned his head so he could see me and said, "I'm sorry for screwin' up the afternoon, Dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you worry about it, buddy. Accidents happen and takin' your kid to see a doctor is just a part of life."</span></p> <p><span>"It feels kinda weird, though."</span></p> <p><span>"What does," I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Layin' here almost naked with half my butt out in the open."</span></p> <p><span>"Not really that different from bein' at home and your whole butt exposed, is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess not. Maybe it's just that I'm still wearin' my shirt and only part of my butt is showin'. I think I'd feel more normal if I didn't have anything on like we do at home."</span></p> <p><span>"If you think you'd be more comfortable without your shirt, go ahead and take it off."</span></p> <p><span>"Ya sure that'd be okay with the doc? I don't wanna freak her out or nothin' by bein' naked when she comes in." After a quick nod from me, he asked, "Can you help me? I don't think I can get it off while I'm laying down like this."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing." I left his shorts on the chair as I took the three steps to the exam table and helped him remove the offending article of clothing. After it was in my hand, I asked, "Feel better, now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Loads, thanks, Dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Happy to help," I replied as I patted the middle of his back before I retook my seat.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, what did she mean by `debride'?" Mike asked with nervous concern while glaring into my eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"That's what they call cleaning up an injury like yours."</span></p> <p><span>"Is it gonna hurt?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can only guess it probably will but I'm sure they'll do the best they can so it doesn't hurt any more than it has to."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure hope so," Mike muttered. "I don't like gettin' hurt. I done had enough o' that crap from Mom and Dad. I don't need these people hurtin' me, too."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll just have to see what the doctor says and does when she comes in, buddy," I replied trying to reassure my young son.</span></p> <p><span>We didn't have to wait very long as the nurse and doctor soon returned and announced themselves with a light rap on the door before stepping into the room and closing the door behind them. To my nice surprise, I was warmly greeted by an equally shocked Dr. Finney.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, good afternoon, Max. It's good to see you again," she said as we shook hands.</span></p> <p><span>"Good to see you, too, Doc. I didn't know you worked here in addition to having your own practice."</span></p> <p><span>"One weekend a month, Max. That's part of the deal for maintaining an office in the building. Sure, I hate to give up a day with my family, but it beats the heck out having my own office somewhere else where <i>I</i> have to pay for everything. At least here, all the basic expenses are shared with all the other doctors in the building."</span></p> <p><span>"Makes sense to me," I agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what brings you here today?"</span></p> <p><span>"A bike accident. Mike, here, decided to find out which was tougher, the driveway or his behind. Unfortunately, his behind lost the battle"</span></p> <p><span>"I hope to God he was wearing a helmet."</span></p> <p><span>"A helmet's <i>all</i> he was wearing, Doc." That comment caused the nurse to raise her eyebrows in question.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's take a look and see what damage was done. Besides poor Mike's pride, of course." She finally turned to Mike and gently laid a hand on his back before asking, "How're you doing, Mike?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not too bad, I guess. Except for the pain in my butt."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I can see where this would hurt quite a bit. Probably down to a stinging sensation by now, though, isn't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty much," Mike agreed. "It hurt a lot more when it happened."</span></p> <p><span>"I bet it did," Marcia replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Um," the nurse interrupted, "when I left you, didn't you have a shirt on?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," Mike answered, "but it felt weird to have it on when my butt's out in the open like it is, so I had Dad help me take it off."</span></p> <p><span>"Why would you do that?"</span></p> <p><span>Marcia jumped into the discussion with, "Max and his family are nudists, Sylvia. I'm sure Mike feels much more comfortable like he is, more like he's at home than in a doctor's office. Isn't that right, Mike?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep," the munchkin agreed with a cheesy grin and emphatic nod of his head.</span></p> <p><span>Marcia took a few minutes to inspect the problem area under a bright light and she was shaking her head the whole time. She finally stood upright and crossed her arms over her chest before saying, "Well, despite your attempt to feel like you're at home, I'm going to tell you now that cleaning this abrasion is <i>not</i> going to feel too good."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't like the sound of that," Mike muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm really sorry, young man, but there's just no easy way to clean the dirt out of an injury like this. I also see at least one small chip of rock or concrete that has buried itself about a quarter of an inch deep into your buttock and that is going to have to be removed. We don't want you develop an infection by leaving that in place. Chances are good that nothing would ever come of it, but better safe than sorry."</span></p> <p><span>"Can you do anything to minimize the pain, Marcia," I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Like what?" she asked as she turned to face me.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, can we talk outside for a minute?" I asked. After receiving a nod from her, I added "We'll be right back, buddy. Don't you go anywhere."</span></p> <p><span>"Where the heck am I gonna go without my clothes, Dad?" he retorted with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Just about anywhere, I'd imagine," I replied with my own smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Ya gotta point there," the munchkin laughed. "Don't worry, old man, I ain't goin' nowhere without you, Pops and my brothers."</span></p> <p><span>Marcia and I finally stepped into the hall and she promptly asked, "What's the problem, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know all the details because Mike's never told us, but he was severely abused by his parents before he came to live with us. He's had more pain in his life than any kid ever should, and he's really worried about how much his treatment might hurt."</span></p> <p><span>"I can understand that, Max, but there's really not much we can do to ease the problem. I'll give him a local to dig out the one chip I've found so far, simply because it's so deep I'm going to have to cut it out. If I find any other chips after cleaning the rest of the area, I'll give him a little shot to pull those out, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Any chance of spraying some lidocaine or something on the area just to deaden it a bit?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if we had a spray here, yeah, we could try it. But all we have on hand is in a shot. And it would take probably ten shots to his backside to numb the whole area we have to work on. That would be just about as painful as doing the cleaning without it. And we'll have to give Mike a tetanus shot, too, just to make sure he's covered on that. He should have been vaccinated long before now, but without access to his medical records, I have no way of knowing that for sure. And I'd much rather be safe than sorry."</span></p> <p><span>"It is what it is, I guess. I know you'll be as gentle as possible."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I will. You should never doubt that."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, now let me go take care of my patient, shall we?"</span></p> <p><span>We reentered the room to find Mike laying comfortably on the exam table and the nurse hovering nearby getting the materials ready for the task at hand. I pulled my chair to the head of the table so I could hold Mike's hands to keep them out of Marcia's way and provide whatever support I could to the youngster. I knew this was going to hurt way more than when it happened, but I kept my mouth shut and stared into Mike's eyes with what I hoped was a reassuring smile plastered on my face. While I was getting settled in, Marcia and Sylvia had pulled on latex gloves and were ready to get to work.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Mike," Marcia began, "we're ready to start cleaning this up, but I'm not going to lie to you and tell you it won't hurt, because it will. We'll do our best to minimize the pain, but there's nothing we can do about it. You ready?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ready as I'll ever be," Mike grunted in defeat.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, here we go. You go right ahead and scream or cry or whatever you feel you need to do." Without any more hesitation, the two got busy cleaning Mike's sore butt. He squeezed my hands so tightly when they used a brush on his butt, I thought he might break some of my fingers. I could hear him whispering things like `sonofabitch', `dammit, that hurts,' and `please stop, I'll be good', and my heart ached for my boy and the indignity he was enduring. I really hadn't expected to hear things like that from him but considering what he'd probably heard from his parents before he was taken from them, I can't say I was really that surprised. Instead of correcting him, I just let him go knowing we could have a discussion about language after we got home.</span></p> <p><span>I'll have to admit he was being a tough little guy right up to the point when Marcia stabbed a needle into his cheek several times in preparation for removing the chip of concrete she'd seen. Once that happened and after all the other pain he'd already survived, the tears started flowing freely from his eyes. I asked for some tissues to staunch the flow and Sylvia handed me a full box of Kleenex to help dry Mike's face. A few minutes later we heard the soft tink of something solid hitting the glass of a petri dish. A few more minutes passed when we heard two more tinks in quick succession. I looked over Mike's head to Marcia and saw her smiling at me while giving me an okay sign with her fingers.</span></p> <p><span>I put my mouth close to Mike's ear and whispered, "Almost done, buddy."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn good thing. That cleaning hurt like hell. What were those funky sounds?"</span></p> <p><span>"The three chips of something she had to dig out of your behind."</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't even feel that. Why not?"</span></p> <p><span>"The shots she gave you was to numb your butt so it wouldn't hurt when she pulled them out."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, why the hell didn't she do that for the rest of my ass?"</span></p> <p><span>"I asked about that and she said it would probably take about ten shots to deaden the whole area. She didn't think you'd like that many shots at one time."</span></p> <p><span>"You got that right!" Mike agreed emphatically. "What's she doin' now?" he added while twisting his head around to try to see what was going on.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm putting in a few stiches to hold your butt together where I had to dig out the fragments of concrete. Couldn't leave you leaking, could I?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, I only need just the one hole in my ass," Mike replied with a loud laugh. The absurdity of his comment got all of us to join in his laughter. It was good to hear him crack a joke like that after what he'd just been through. The thought flashed through my mind that he was somehow channeling Joey, but Mike had not shown any such talents, so I put it down to just being around Joey was enough for his twisted sense of humor to start rubbing off on his brother. I hoped that's all it was, anyway, because I wasn't prepared to have another mind reader in the family. Three of them were more than enough.</span></p> <p><a name="_Hlk22673637"><span>"Okay, Mike, just one more thing to take care of," Marcia commented.</span></a></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what's that?" Mike asked looking back over his shoulder again.</span></p> <p><span>"That tetanus shot you need."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, crap, I thought you already done that," the young man muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, but give me just a minute," Marcia replied. She picked up the hypodermic from the tray along with an alcohol wipe to clean the spot she was going to stab. After ripping open the package containing the wipe, she started to run the towelette in a circular motion on Mike's shoulder to prep the spot for the shot.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey!" Mike yelled in surprise, straining his neck to look over his shoulder one more time. "There ain't nothin' wrong with my shoulder. Why don't you stick that thing in the side o' my ass that's numb? At least it won't hurt back there."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Mike, that won't work. The gluteus maximus muscle has a layer of fat that limits the shot's effectiveness. That, plus the site of injection can be painful or be tender for several days. I think you've got enough issues with sitting right now, why make the problem even worse?</span></p> <p><span>"I guess," he grumbled in reply.</span></p> <p><span>"You're going to feel a little prick, Mike, and it'll be all done." Mike giggled madly at Marcia's comment and I knew exactly why because I was trying to stifle my own giggle.</span></p> <p><span>Suddenly, Mike yelled, "Sonofabitch! That hurt like hell!" Poor Sylvia almost knocked over the tray holding all the detritus from their work and Marcia visibly blanched.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, ladies, I don't think he was quite ready for that," I offered in apology.</span></p> <p><span>"Not the worst I've ever heard, Max, so no worries. Sorry about that, Mike."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever," Mike grumbled angrily while rubbing his shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>Sylvia started to clean up their instruments and Marcia gave Mike a light pat on his good cheek while saying, "You're almost ready to go, young man. Let me get some gauze to cover this area so you don't bleed out on your way home and you'll be as good as new. Well, almost, anyway." A few more minutes of work and Marcia stood back admiring her work and proclaimed Mike as fit as a fiddle, taking a minor exception for having a broken string or two, but assuring him he'd heal up just fine. She also let me know to bring him to her office in two weeks to remove the stitches.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Doctor Finney," Mike said. "You were right about it hurtin', but I got through it."</span></p> <p><span>"You were great, kiddo," Marcia replied. "I wish all my patients were as strong and brave as you were today. Your backside is going to be awfully tender for a few days, but once you get past that, you'll be back to your normal self, again. Would you like to see the chips we pulled out of your behind?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure," he grinned in reply. Marcia picked up the petri dish and set in on the exam table below Mike's face. "Wow, that one's pretty big," Mike exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, about a quarter of an inch in diameter and it was the deepest at about half and inch. It's size and depth are why I had to cut it out instead of just removing it with tweezers. The other two weren't quite as bad."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I keep these to show my brothers?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't see why not. Let me get them cleaned up and then I'll put them in a pill bottle for you."</span></p> <p><span>"Sweet, they'll freak out when they see these. Can I get dressed now?" Mike asked with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"That would probably be a good idea since the only way out of here is through the lobby. Don't want you scaring anyone who might be waiting to see me."</span></p> <p><span>"Ph-h-t, wouldn't faze me a bit," Mike grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"No, probably not, but it might them, and we don't want to do that, do we?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess not," Mike agreed as he slowly slithered his way off the table and started pulling on his t-shirt.</span></p> <p><span>"Any limitations on what he can do until the stitches come out, Doc?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just be careful and no swimming."</span></p> <p><span>"What!? I can't swim at T.J.'s party?" Mike squealed.</span></p> <p><span>"You could," Marcia answered, "but the longer that spot stays wet or even damp will just prolong the healing."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that sucks," he muttered with a frown as he pulled his shorts on and tied the string to hold them in place.</span></p> <p><span>Marcia then continued instructions for her patient with, "I'd also limit his bathing to a sponge bath until he's got a good scab developed over the wound in a couple of days. I'd usually recommend to parents to leave the gauze off as much as possible as fresh air will help speed the healing process, but I know that's not going to be a problem at your home. You could probably get by with putting the gauze on just the first couple of nights so if there is some bleeding, he doesn't ruin any sheets. And since I'm sure you don't have large enough pads at home, we'll give you a supply and some tape to get you through a few days."</span></p> <p><span>"We can handle all that," I agreed. "We won't have to worry about furniture getting stained since we always have towels on the chairs."</span></p> <p><span>"I assumed as much," Marcia commented. "I've heard the same from my other patients and their parents who also live naturally. Besides, Mike probably won't want to put too much pressure on that side for a week or so, so he'll probably be leaning left when he sits for a little bit." Marcia received a rather emphatic nod from the young man on that comment and we all shared a little chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, you know other families in the area who are nudists?" I asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet I do. You treat one nudist kid and word spreads rather quickly to the other families they know who enjoy the same lifestyle. The best advertising you can have is positive word-of-mouth."</span></p> <p><span>"No doubt about that. Well, thanks for taking such great care of Mike today. I really appreciate the way you approach your job and the kids you work with."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max. Don't forget to schedule appointments for your whole crew before school this fall."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be switching to home schooling this next year, but we'll still do the physicals if for no other reason than to make sure they're all current with their immunizations."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear. Well, that's all for today. You two take care and we'll see you next time."</span></p> <p><span>"Count on it, Doc," I replied with a smile as we shook hands.</span></p> <p><span>On that note, Mike and I left the exam room and aimed for the lobby to settle our bill for today. As we left the building and crossed the parking lot to the car, I complimented Mike on his bravery as Marcia was taking care of him.</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't much like it, but only `cause it hurt like a bitch. It's better now since I can't feel a thing back there," he added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>I wrapped an arm around his shoulder and when we got to the car, I helped him climb inside and get buckled in place. Despite his comment about not feeling a thing, he was still leaning on the door to help alleviate any pressure or pain as much as possible. I tried to take it easy on the way home, but some of those bumps in the road just can't be avoided. The half-mile trip from the end of the drive to the house was the most tortuous part of the whole outing for Mike. </span></p> <p><span>I decided in that moment that when the new houses are built, I'm going to check into having the driveway blacktopped from the road to all three houses and the storage building. I was tired of dealing with that damn rock driveway year after year and it was time to do something about it. It had been okay when I was single and never really had much company, but now that there are nine people living here and we have people coming and going all the time, I could see the rock taking a beating and requiring much more maintenance than it ever had.</span></p> <p><span>After parking in the garage and closing the big door, I helped Mike out of the car and he hobbled slowly into the house, me following closely behind. As he ducked into his room, I said, "Mike, when you're comfortable again, come out to the living room and we'll peel that gauze off your behind so it can breathe."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, whatever," he mumbled morosely.</span></p> <p><span>I stopped abruptly, turned around and followed Mike into his room. I found him lying on his belly on the bed and he appeared to be crying softly. I sat next to him and stroked his hair while asking, "What's up, kiddo?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothin'," he sniffled.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you dare try to con a conman, buddy. I know somethin's buggin' you. If you won't tell me what it is, I can't help solve the problem."</span></p> <p><span>"We was all havin' a great day and lots of fun and I done went and ruined it all. I bet the other guys are pissed off at me for crashin' Alex's dang bike."</span></p> <p><span>"Mike, I'm sure the absolute <i>last </i>thing they'd be upset about is that. They're more likely to be worried about you and how you're doin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right," Mike scoffed. "I know Alex'll be mad as hell for me scratchin' the crap outta his new bike. I mean, he just got it for his birthday, and I just know he's gonna beat my ass for wreckin' it."</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing could be further from the truth, young man. You get undressed, come on out to the living room and see for yourself." </span></p> <p><span>"Do I hafta?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you do. C'mon and let's see if we can get that fun goin' again."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess," he groaned in defeat. "Be there in a few minutes. I gotta pee first."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see you in a few, then. Love ya, little dude," I added as I pulled him off the bed and into my arms for a squeezy hug which he returned.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dad, love you, too."</span></p> <p><span>On that note, I made my exit and headed for the living room. When I reached the area, I found Tom and Ron sitting by the fireplace and reading. Tom looked at me with an eyebrow raised in silent question.</span></p> <p><span>"We're good," I replied in answering his unspoken query. "Mike's just feeling down about wrecking Alex's bicycle, afraid Alex'll be mad at him."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I don't see that happening," Tom replied. "The boys have done nothin' but worry about the kid since you two left. How's his butt?"</span></p> <p><span>"Raw and sore, for sure. He also has a few stitches where Dr. Finney had to dig out a few chips of concrete that were pretty deep."</span></p> <p><span>"Is he able to sit?" Ron asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"More or less," I answered. "He's been leaning to his left to keep the pressure off his behind, but he's figuring it all out." </span></p> <p><span>Mike finally arrived to join us, stepped in front of me and turned around to direct his butt in my direction before asking, "You wanna pull this crap off my butt? I can't reach it well enough to get a grip on the tape."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure that's a good idea?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Marcia said it was the best thing to do as the fresh air will help with the scabbing over and healing," I replied. I carefully started picking at a corner of the tape and once I had enough loose to actually pinch it between my fingers, I peeled the rest of the tape off the tender cheek. The gauze, of course, came off with the tape as I expected. "There ya go, kiddo," I commented as I lightly patted the cheek that wasn't injured.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dad. Where's the others?" he asked as he looked to Tom and Ron for the answer.</span></p> <p><span>"In the theater playing some silly ass game on the X-box," Ron answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you go bring them out here, Mike. I'd like to have a quick chat about something that effects all of you."</span></p> <p><span>"What'd we do now?" Mike asked with worry flooding his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing really major, buddy, so nobody's in trouble. Move along, please."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay," he responded glumly. "I just hope Alex don't kick my ass for what I did to his bike. It hurts more than enough already, don't need him makin' it even worse."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure he won't," I reassured him as he plodded across the living room and passed through the dining room. I noticed he was carrying the pill bottle holding the concrete chips that had been removed from his backside and was sure there would be a little `show and tell' taking place very soon.</span></p> <p><span>"What's this talk about, or do I wanna know?" Tom asked with hesitation.</span></p> <p><span>"Just their language. We've been pretty lax about the things they say sometimes, and I think that needs to change. Mike let slip a few words at the doctor's office that were a touch embarrassing and I'd like to get a better handle on the problem before they go way too far in the wrong company."</span></p> <p><span>"Good thinkin', babe. I've noticed `em takin' some liberties, too, but didn't know if it was to the point where we needed to say something about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I've noticed it more with Logan than the others and I've been really hesitant in correcting him since he was just going to be living with us temporarily. But now that his situation has changed and he's becoming a full-fledged member of the family, I think the time has come to yank their reins and try to reel them back in."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I agree with you. I'd noticed the same thing with Logan, and I think our lack of correcting him has rubbed off on the other munchkins. Hopefully, they won't fight us too much on the issue."</span></p> <p><span>"We can always hope," I agreed with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>I quietly opened the theater door because I was scared as hell about what Alex might do to me, but I told Dad I'd bring them out for a chat, so here I am about to interrupt their game.</span></p> <p><span>"Yo, buttwipes!" I yelled after silently closing the door. "C'mon, the dads want to talk to us `bout somethin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Mike, you're back!" Alex yelled immediately. "C'mere, you little turd," he added with what sounded like anger.</span></p> <p><span>"No!" I yelled back. "I ain't gonna let you hurt me."</span></p> <p><span>"Why the hell would I do that?" Alex asked in confusion as he crossed the theater to join me at the door.</span></p> <p><span>" `Cause I wrecked your damn bike, ya bonehead."</span></p> <p><span>"So what? It's just a bike, dude. You're way more important than any ol' bike."</span></p> <p><span>"But you just got it and now it's all scratched up," I responded in fear.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry `bout it, bro. It was gonna happen sooner or later. It was only a question of when and who it happened to, so no worries. How's your ass?" he added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Sore as hell," I answered. "That shot she gave me to numb it has started to wear off."</span></p> <p><span>"They numbed your butt? Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"There were a couple chunks of concrete buried so deep she had to cut them out. She also had to put some stitches in those spots so I wouldn't bleed all over the place. Got a tet'nus shot, too, whatever that's for."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, let me see," Alex enthused. </span></p> <p><span>"You can look but don't touch it, please," I begged before I turned around so he could see my butt </span></p> <p><span>When he could, he grunted, "Ouch, man. Cute stitches, though," he quickly added with a giggle. "So, other than bein' sore as hell, you're okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I will be."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear, bro. We were all worried `bout you."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, sure, I can tell. Those bozos won't even quit playing their stupid game to see how I am."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, they're just a bunch o' heartless fools, they are, so what d'ya expect. What's the Dads wanna talk about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't gotta clue, they didn't say."</span></p> <p><span>"We better go find out `fore they get pissed," Alex muttered before turning back to the others and yelling, "Come on, ya boneheads! The Dads are waitin' for us."</span></p> <p><span>"One more minute!" T.J. yelled back. "I'm `bout to kick Logan's ass into next week."</span></p> <p><span>"Like hell you is, twerp," Logan retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"NO! Move it, <i>now</i>!" Alex yelled back so forcefully I jumped in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>That got their attention and the game was quickly paused before the four started shuffling across the room to join us at the door.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Mikey, how ya doin'?" Logan asked when they reached us.</span></p> <p><span>"I've had better days, that's for damn sure," I retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"You gonna be okay?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, but I'm gonna have to be on the outside of the sandwich in bed for a while. Don't want either o' you numbskulls rubbin' `gainst my ass right now. It hurts too much for that shit."</span></p> <p><span>"Looks like somebody's not gonna get any for a while," T.J. chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe not back there, but there ain't nothin' wrong with my dick, dudes."</span></p> <p><span>"Dibs on that!" Andy crowed with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Here, take a look at these," I said as held up the little bottle holding the chunks the doctor pulled out of my butt. I gave it a little shake so all three rattled around inside."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that," Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Chunks of concrete that were buried in my ass," I answered. "The doc had to pull them out so I wouldn't get an infection."</span></p> <p><span>"That one looks awful big," Joey commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and she said it was deepest. Had to cut that sucker out. Good thing she put my butt to sleep `fore she did or it woulda hurt like hell."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I bet," Joey agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"You gonna keep those?" Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Might as well," I replied. "Well, we better go see what's up," I added as we finally headed back across the house to join our dads in the living room.</span></p> <p><span>" `Bout time you rugrats got here," Tom commented as the herd joined us and promptly filled up the couch and loveseat, Alex and Mike opting to occupy the loveseat where Alex draped an arm around his younger brother as Mike leaned into him.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Dads," Mike started, "I told `em you wanted us for somethin', but those four boneheads wouldn't quit playin' that stupid game," he finished the thought off as he pointed to the quartet ensconced on the couch.</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, guys," I replied. "You're here now, and that's what counts." I turned to the two munchkins on the loveseat and asked, "Alex, you okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, Dad. Why wouldn't I be?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mike was worried you might be upset with him for dinging your bike. I told him that wouldn't be the case and I just wanted to make sure I wasn't lying to him."</span></p> <p><span>"We're fine, Dad. The bike's just a <i>thing</i>. Mike's my brother and he's way more important than a silly ol' bike. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love my bike `cause it's the first birthday present I got from my new dads, but as much as I love it, I love my little brother even more," Alex replied as he pulled Mike even closer and planted a little kiss on the top of his head. The loving action from his older brother caused Mike to blush with embarrassment and I heard him whisper, `Thanks, bro. Love you, too.'</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, now that we know Alex ain't gonna pound the crap outta Mike, what's up, Dads?" T.J. asked in his regular damn-the torpedoes, straight-ahead tactlessness.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I hate to ruin the positive vibe we've got goin' today, but we wanted to talk to you six about your language."</span></p> <p><span>"What about it?" Joey asked bluntly.</span></p> <p><span>"You are all saying things you know shouldn't really be coming from kids your age. We've talked about this before and we thought we had asserted a little control over your potty mouths, but since Logan joined us, your lack of self-control has been rearing its ugly head again."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Dads," Logan began somberly. "I really don't mean to be no trouble."</span></p> <p><span>"That's okay, buddy. I let it slide with you because you were only going to be living with us until you could move back home with your dad." Logan hung his head in sadness at the reminder his dad was gone. "I didn't feel it was our job to correct you when your stay with us was supposed to be a temporary thing. But, since you're going to be a part of us for the rest of your life, I think it's about time to nip this problem in the bud. I know the others have been taking advantage of the situation and kinda following your lead, but that's our fault for letting it continue as long we did, not yours."</span></p> <p><span>"Phew, that's good to hear," Logan muttered as he breathed a sigh of relief. "Least I ain't gonna get in trouble for being the problem child."</span></p> <p><span>"You are <i>not</i> a problem child, Logan. A child with some problems, maybe, but definitely not the other way around."</span></p> <p><span>"You wanna give us an example of what you're talkin' `bout?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, just today at the doctor's, Mike said things like `sonofabitch', `dammit', `crap', those kinds of words. And Joey has gone way outside the box today, too, when we first got outside. You all know better than that and every time I hear words like that from you, I'm a little bit disappointed that you can't exert some better control over your word choices. Especially you, Joey, after you and Alex had your little punishment for the same problem the day of the school workshop," I added while waggling a finger in his direction.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if it's okay for you to say those things, why can't we," Joey asked seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"They're just not the kinds of things people expect to hear from younger kids," Tom replied. "And once you're in the habit of saying them, you'll have a really hard time <i>not</i> saying them when you shouldn't."</span></p> <p><span>"When <i>shouldn't </i>we say words like them?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"When we're out shopping or eating a meal out, when your grandparents are around, at school, places like that," I answered. "We'd really appreciate it if you could do the same even around us at home."</span></p> <p><span>"But why?" Joey queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Because if you get into the habit around us, then you won't even have to think about it when you're around other people because it'll just be second nature," Tom offered. "And to prove how important this is, we'll do the same as you guys, try to give you a better example to follow."</span></p> <p><span>"What about when we're in bed doin', well, you know," Alex added to the conversation.</span></p> <p><span>"That's one time and place where you can say whatever you want without inhibitions or worries of getting in trouble."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a big-ass bullet we dodged there, guys," Joey laughed, and the rest of the herd joined him. "I can't imagine how weird it would it be to tell Logan `please insert your penis into my anus with force, sir' instead of just `fuck me harder, dude'." Despite the crudeness in the way he made his point, everyone cracked up on Joey's comment.</span></p> <p><span>"What if we have a question `bout somethin', Dads? Do we have to be careful then, too?"</span></p> <p><span>I quickly looked to Tom for his input before answering and received nothing more than a very non-committal type shrug of the shoulders from him. Without any real support from my better half, I answered the question with, "I guess we'll have to play that by ear. You can still ask any question you want at any time, but we'd prefer to hear the question in more socially acceptable terms. At least to start the conversation. If a change of language is called for, we'll let you know. How's that sound?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we can live with that, can't we, guys?" Andy answered. Nods of agreement from all six sealed the deal between us and I was feeling a little better about the issue. Only time would tell if they took the conversation as seriously as we had. My hopes were almost immediately quashed like a bad subpoena as the crew left their seats and turned for the theater.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, Logan, we need to go finish our game so I can trounce your sorry ass," T.J. laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Not on your life, you steamin' little pile o' crap," Logan retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys!" I called to their backs. "Did that entire discussion just go in one ear and out the other."</span></p> <p><span>T.J. turned back around and offered, "Sorry, Dads, we'll do better, we promise." He then just as quickly rejoined the herd as they continued their trip across the house.</span></p> <p><span>"Geez, it's like trying to train a bunch of cats to come when they're called," I muttered in defeat. "It'd probably be easier to teach pigs to sing," I added with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Nice chat, <i>Dad</i>," Tom laughed out loud. "Very effective."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, at least we can say we tried." With a sour taste in my mouth, I picked up my book and began to read, completely ignoring the continuing smirk aimed my direction from my partner in crime. Tom followed suit and the only sounds that could be heard were the noises from the kitchen as Ron continued working on our supper.</span></p> <p><span>Forty-five minutes had passed when Ron finally yelled from the kitchen, "Round up the little rascals, food's about ready and they need to set the table!"</span></p> <p><span>"They're playing games in the theater, Ron, so get `em yourself since you're closer," I yelled back.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, I see how ya are," he laughed as he passed through the dining room. He was back ten seconds later and shaking his head in disgust. "Those brats just don't know what rules are, do they?" he muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"What're you talkin' about," Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I thought we were only supposed to do that shit in our bedrooms with the door closed."</span></p> <p><span>"They are," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, <i>Dads</i>, it looks like it's time for another chat," Ron chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm tired of having that conversation," I muttered to myself.</span></p> <p><span>"So, why bother?" Tom asked. "At least they're not doin' that shit on the dining room table." I couldn't help but laugh as an image of all six boys molesting each other on the table where we shared our meals flashed through my mind. "What's so funny?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Never mind, hon, you're better off not knowing," I replied with a sick chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"So, Ron, did you interrupt them?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hell no. Don't want them little buggers pissed at <i>me</i>."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine," I retorted. "Tom, it's your turn. Feel free to knock some heads together, see if the message finally sinks in."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, fat chance of that," Tom chortled as he left his chair and aimed for the theater to break up the party so we could eat. He returned shortly with a large smile gracing his mug as he turned into the kitchen. "You need any help, Ron?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope. Thanks for askin', man, but I got a handle on it."</span></p> <p><span>"What're we havin' tonight?" I asked as I joined them.</span></p> <p><span>"Thought I'd fry up some shrimps for the shrimps. Toss in a salad and baked `taters, and ya got yourself a meal that'll stick to your ribs for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good, bud. How soon should we be at the table?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Two minutes, tops. Where are those munchkins? If they don't get here soon, we're gonna have to eat off the damn floor."</span></p> <p><span>"Speak of the devils, here they come," Tom commented as the herd charged in and started to pull plates and silverware out before he stopped them with, "Don't you rugrats think you should go wash your hands before you handle our dinner plates and silver?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, good idea, Pops," Alex laughed as he closed the cabinet and the group disappeared across the house. They returned soon enough and got busy with their work. It didn't take very long before we were ready to sit and eat. The boys dug right into their shrimp and potatoes and moans of delight filled the room, the three adults joining them in enjoying our meal. Poor Mike was still leaning to the left, of course, but that didn't slow him down a bit as he stuffed food into his face. It took the munchkins a while, but they finally tested their salads and thanks to the cheese and croutons added to their bowls, all six finished them rather quickly.</span></p> <p><span>Though we were lagging behind the others, the six-pack was soon done eating and began cleaning up their own plates and bowls. By the time all their dishes and silver were rinsed off and dropped in the dishwasher, Tom, Ron and I had finally finished our own meals and Joey came in to retrieve our utensils. With their part of the cleanup completed, they headed back to the theater to continue their game. We just hoped it was a game appropriate for the room they were in.</span></p> <p><span>"You want any help cleaning up, Ron?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not from you crusty old dudes," Ron replied with a chuckle. "Now, if Rich were here, I'd be all over him. Helping, that is."</span></p> <p><span>"Probably other things, too, once the work in the kitchen was done," Tom commented with his own fit of laughter.</span></p> <p><span>"No doubt about it, dude. He's a hottie, for sure."</span></p> <p><span>"We're with ya, Ron," I agreed, "but we won't make you share."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good thing, boss, `cause I'd fight you for thinkin' you could have him. He's all mine, guys," Ron added with a crooked smirk as he left his chair and stepped into the kitchen to finish his work. Tom and I adjourned to the living room where Tom settled into his chair and after lighting a fire, I joined him in getting comfortable.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what do you and Dylan have planned for tomorrow?" I queried.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm going to get in touch with the facility William's in and try to arrange a furlough for him for next weekend. I'd really like for him to come down and meet his brother. Well, the rest of us, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you thinking what I'm thinking with him?"</span></p> <p><span>"Guess that depends on what you're thinking," my honey chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Him moving in with us, too, so he and Logan can finish growing up together like real brothers should."</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, we're on the same wavelength," Tom grinned. "I was hoping I wasn't the only one considering the possibility."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, you're not alone. I just don't know where he'd sleep. All the bedrooms are already filled to overflowing."</span></p> <p><span>"I've got an idea, but I don't think you'll like it much."</span></p> <p><span>"Hit me, hon."</span></p> <p><span>"Your study," Tom replied flatly. I shot him a very dirty look for even thinking such a thing and he was ready with his response. "It would only be until we get moved into the new house, babe. You can have your study back then."</span></p> <p><span>"And just where would I move my desk and such so I can keep writing before we move in? I'm in the middle of a book right now, ya know?" I asked with some attitude.</span></p> <p><span>"Dylan and I can rearrange our office to make room for you. Think that would work for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I think it might be a little snug for all three of us to be in the same room, but yeah, I guess that would work. For no longer than we'd have to go that route, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I figure it would take a couple months, at least, to figure out what all William's problems are and know what hoops we'd have to jump through to make it happen."</span></p> <p><span>"You think you and Dylan bein' ex-cops might be able to smooth the path forward."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure can't hurt, I think, but until we know what we're dealing with as far as his issues go, I don't have a real answer. That's a question I plan to ask when I talk to them about him coming down for a visit."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good, Tom. I like the way you think."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks. That's a pretty high compliment comin' from you. What're your plans for tomorrow?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I need to make several calls in the morning and then I thought I'd take the boys to see Lincoln's tomb in the afternoon since there's no school."</span></p> <p><span>"Good idea, babe. With some luck dealing with things in the morning, maybe I'll be able to come along. It's been a long time since I've been able to see the tomb. What calls do you have to make?"</span></p> <p><span>"First one is to the airport to make sure the plane will be ready for Tuesday's trip to see Harry, then I need to call Justine about T.J.'s party to make sure she knows it's on Wednesday and how many people will be here. After I'm done with those two, I'm thinkin' about callin' Levar to see what plans he might have about when he and his people will be coming to talk to all of us."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh crap, I'd forgotten all about that. We'll have to make sure our parents are available when he's here since he said he wanted to talk to them, too."</span></p> <p><span>"That shouldn't be a problem, hon. I'm sure they'll cherish the opportunity to dish to somebody new about our childhoods and what pains in the asses we were," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"No doubt," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Say, what do you think about a rousing family game of Uno."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm in if you think you can pry the boys away from that stupid X-box."</span></p> <p><span>I made the call to the theater and after Mike answered, made the suggestion they join us for a game, an idea that was greeted with glee. We soon heard the herd charge out of the room and while Alex continued to his room to grab the cards, the rest helped us do a quick rearrangement of the furniture by the fireplace to make it easier for everyone to reach the middle of the table where the cards would land. Mike had gently settled onto the loveseat so he could lean on the arm to his left and still be close enough to reach the table. Andy sat next to him to help him out. Once Alex returned with the cards, Tom shuffled the deck and handed them to T.J. for the first deal.</span></p> <p><span>We were enjoying a great game and having a lot fun together despite the interruption of earlier in the day. The lead was going back and forth between Alex and Joey as those two somehow seemed to always get the damn wild draw four cards. I'd have accused them of having them stuffed up their sleeves but they, of course, had no sleeves. Nor anywhere else to hide a card or two. When the game ended an hour later, it was Alex who became the victor and he lorded it over all of us.</span></p> <p><span>"Na-na, na-na, boo, boo, all ya boobs can all kiss my lily-white ass," he crowed with glee.</span></p> <p><span>"Alex! What did we just talk about this afternoon?" I called out interrupting his celebration.</span></p> <p><span>"What, Dad?" he asked with confusion.</span></p> <p><span>" `Ass' is one of those words you guys are supposed to stay away from."</span></p> <p><span>"But why?" Logan asked. "What's so bad about `ass'? It's just another word for a donkey or mule, ain't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, he's kinda gotcha there, babe," Tom giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess you're right about that, but I'd much prefer you guys stick with behind or butt."</span></p> <p><span>"Geez, Dad, you're no fun at all," T.J. moaned.</span></p> <p><span>"You munchkins need to put the cards away and get ready for bed, please," I replied, effectively ending the conversation on the use of `ass'.</span></p> <p><span>"But, Dad, it's still early," Logan complained.</span></p> <p><span>"I know, but Tom or I need to help Mike with his shower to try to keep his behind as dry as possible."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, likely story, old man," Joey grunted. "You're just tryin' to get rid of us."</span></p> <p><span>"Ya caught me, dudelet," I giggled. "Now, y'all move along while Mike comes with me."</span></p> <p><span>"He better not," Andy retorted glibly as he jumped off his perch next to Mike. "He's all mine, tonight," he added with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"TMI, buddy," I countered with a chuckle. "C'mon, Mike, let's get the rest of you cleaned up since all Doctor Finney took care was that ugly spot on your behind." </span></p> <p><span>"My butt ain't ugly," Mike complained with a frown. "Not according to T.J. and Andy, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, they're absolutely right, young man. You do have a very cute butt. Except for that one spot right now, but that won't last long, and you'll be right back to your regular all-over cuteness."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dad," he replied with a smile that quickly turned into a tight pout when he asked, "Will you give me a ride again?" </span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, buddy. Stand up and I'll take you the rest of the way." Mike carefully stood up on the loveseat and held his arms up so he could wrap them around my neck. And once I had his skinny little thighs nestled on my forearm and his butt hanging in the wind, he did just that. Before walking away, I turned and asked Tom, "You gonna join us or wait for later?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think I'll wait, babe. With all three of us in there at the same time, it might get a little crowded and I don't want to take a chance of bumpin' into his behind and hurtin' him. Pretty sure he wouldn't like that much." An emphatic negative shake of Mike's noggin signaled his complete agreement with his Pops' thinking.</span></p> <p><span>"The three of us can't take up any more space than Dylan, Malcom and Damon and they seemed to survive the experience in one piece."</span></p> <p><span>"Fair point, I suppose, but I still think I'll wait until later. No sense pushin' our luck."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, just be that way, then." I turned back to face my passenger and added, "Looks like it's just you and me, buddy."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right, Daddy, we can have more fun without him," he said with a cheesy grin. </span></p> <p><span>I shot him a questioning look and got nothing back but the same cheesy grin. When we reached the bathroom, I stood Mike on the bench seat along the back wall before adjusting the shower head away from his small body and turning on the water. I took a minute to set the water temperature to make sure it wouldn't be too hot, then grabbed a washcloth from the hook on the wall, got it wet and filled it with soap. I also plucked a second washcloth from the next hook to flood with just water so I could get Mike wet before trying to soap him up.</span></p> <p><span>Stepping over to the patiently waiting midget, I ran the wet washcloth over the front of his body from his head to his toes. That accomplished, I dropped that cloth on the bench and went to work with the soapy one, starting at his toes and slowly working my way up his skinny little legs. When I reached his groin area, I bypassed that spot for the moment and moved up to take care of Mike's face, neck, shoulders, chest and belly. Upon reaching his waist, I grabbed the cloth from the bench, stepped back over to the still-flowing water and got both soaking wet again. I then refilled the one in my right hand with soap before returning to the rugrat.</span></p> <p><span>I had Mike turn around so I could take care of his back and behind, along with the backside of his legs, being extra careful when I reached his behind to ensure I didn't hit that raw spot with any more soap and water than possible. Mike giggled quite a bit as I ran the soapy cloth between his cheeks and brushed against his anus. He looked over his shoulder at me and said, "T.J. always does my butt without the washcloth."</span></p> <p><span>I took the not so subtle hint and dropped both washcloths on the bench at Mike's feet before resuming my cleaning of his cute little ass. As I ran my fingers through his crevice, I brushed his tight pucker again and a low moan of pleasure escaped from somewhere deep inside the tiny body before me.</span></p> <p><span>"Whoops, sorry, Mike," I muttered needlessly.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't be sorry, that felt good," he grunted as he looked at me over his shoulder. "Do it again," he added in a demanding tone.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think that's a very good idea with your butt in its current condition," I replied trying to shut down things before they went too far.</span></p> <p><span>Mike was having none of that as he pleaded, "Please, Daddy." Unable to refuse the munchkin anything he wanted, I again ran my fingers through his vertical smile while making sure I brushed his hole with all four fingertips. The hiss of delight I heard as he sucked in two lungsful of air through his tightly pursed lips left no doubt he was enjoying the intimate touching just as much as I was. "Oh, god, that feels good," he muttered to no one in particular while leaning against the wall above the bench with his two hands planted firmly above his head. "Push one inside me and make sure I'm clean there, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you sure you want me to do that?" I questioned seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"If ya don't, I'm gonna hafta hurt ya," he retorted with a demanding note to his voice.</span></p> <p><span>To avoid the beating I was sure would come if I didn't agree to his request, I carefully slid just my middle finger into his crack, located his rosebud and gave the digit a push. Mike's body bucked madly at the intrusion which only served to get my finger impaled even deeper inside him. I decided at that moment that he was fully in charge of whatever was happening and froze my position, finger buried to the second knuckle inside his tight ass. About thirty seconds later, I felt Mike's body subtly shift as he pushed his ass towards my face, allowing the intruding finger to become fully lodged inside him.</span></p> <p><span>To my amazement, Mike held that position for a full minute before he started to pull away again. Just before my fingertip would have been released from his sphincter's tight grip, he reversed course, impaling himself again. And again, and over and over. This six-year-old horndog was literally fucking himself on my finger. And it had to be one of the absolute hottest things I've ever had the pleasure to be involved in. He continued his actions for several more minutes before abruptly pulling himself off my finger and turning around to face me, his rampant hardon mere inches from my nose.</span></p> <p><span>"Please suck my little dick, Daddy," he begged.</span></p> <p><span>At that moment, I would have done just about anything the youngster wanted and I happily leaned into his body, allowing his pecker to invade my mouth. While I was no longer a stranger to sucking dicks, Mike's was the smallest, and tastiest, one I had in my mouth so far. Please, god, <i>don't ever let Tom pick up that brainwave</i> I thought to myself. Mike was still fully in charge of this set of events and after he realized that for himself, he started to forcefully hump his sweet and stiff morsel in and out of my mouth. I was truly enjoying every moment of this encounter with my young son and loved it when his hairless pubis would slam into my nose as he tried to bury his cocklet as deeply as possible in my hot and wet mouth.</span></p> <p><span>"Quick, Daddy, stick a finger up my ass. I'm about to come," he moaned with delight. I followed his demand and slowly re-inserted my middle finger as deeply as I could into his rapidly moving ass. It wasn't easy to hit the moving target, but he slowed his movements just enough to make it easier to locate. With my finger fully embedded, Mike was off to the races again and he continued humping my face with wild abandon and unbridled lust. As I wiggled my finger deep inside his tight hole, I found his undeveloped magic button and made a conscious effort to bump or stroke that small nodule on each of his movements.</span></p> <p><span>Soon enough, Mike started muttering, "Oh god, oh fuck, yes Daddy, fuck my ass with your finger, oh god, oh, oh, ah, ah-h-h, yeah, right there, uh-uh-uh-uh." With one last grunt, he grabbed the back of my head and pulled my face into his belly, burying his pecker as deeply into my mouth as he could. He squealed with glee as his anal sphincter started rapidly clamping and releasing my finger, and his sweet little cocklet jerked, bounced and danced madly in my mouth as the orgasm took over his young body from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. If I hadn't been holding his thighs as snugly as I was, he would have surely landed on the floor of the shower as his steam-slickened body refused to remain in place. How we managed to get through the whole thing without him slipping from my grasp will remain a puzzle to be solved at a much later time.</span></p> <p><span>I continued to hold Mike up since I knew he couldn't really sit down at the moment and when he'd finally come back down to earth from his sexual high, he glared at me with the widest and wildest grin I'd ever seen on his face. As he looked down at me sitting on the bench and still holding his thighs tightly to ensure he didn't fall over, he said, "Thanks, Daddy, that was fuckin' awesome. Oops, shouldn't a said that," he quickly added as he clamped a hand over his mouth.</span></p> <p><span>"You're fine, buddy, I understand. The feelings you just had override all thoughts. Besides, this is one of those times you can say anything you want, remember?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good thing or I'd be in really deep shit right now, wouldn't I?" he giggled madly.</span></p> <p><span>"Without a doubt, buddy. I'm glad you enjoyed your shower."</span></p> <p><span>"I freakin' loved, it, Daddy. I <i>always</i> want to take a shower with you now. You're a lot better at that finger thing than T.J. or Andy."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, my fingers <i>are</i> a bit longer than theirs, so I can see how you might think that."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think it, I <i>know </i>it. Now, what about you?"</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean, Mike?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, look at your dick, old man. It's harder than I've ever seen it." I chanced a quick glance below my waist and realized Mike was telling the truth. I'd been so focused on doing whatever the kid wanted, I hadn't even noticed my own cock was pointed straight towards the ceiling and leaking profusely. "We can't let you go back out there like that, can we?" Mike asked seriously. "Sit back and let me help you like you helped me," he added with his trademark smirk.</span></p> <p><span>In no real position or having the desire to argue with him at this point, I followed his order and leaned against the wall of the shower, waiting to see what he had in mind for payback. I didn't have to wait long as he quickly climbed down from the bench and stood in front of me before wrapping his small hands around my throbbing meat. While Tom and I had jerked each other off many times since we got together, nothing in this world can properly prepare you for having your hardness enveloped by the fingers of your six-year-old son. I was already so on edge from pleasuring Mike that I almost blew my load the moment he had me wrapped up in his tight grip.</span></p> <p><span>"T.J. told Andy and me all about you and Pops shootin' out your spermies when you come, and I've wanted to see that happen ever since. And now, I finally get to `cause I'm gonna make it happen," the munchkin gloated evilly as he started to slowly stroke my cock. For my part, I could do nothing but sit there and moan as Mike worked me over. After a couple minutes of his tender ministrations, he decided to take things a step further as he leaned over and slurped the pre-cum off my cock before it could just run uselessly down the shaft. Thanks to all the steam generated by the still-running shower, it sure wasn't needed for lubrication and when Mike was done cleaning out my piss slit, he stood up, looked me straight in the eyes and licked his lips.</span></p> <p><span>"That's pretty yummy stuff, Daddy."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad you like it," I smiled. "You keep strokin' my cock like that and there'll be more for you to drink up in no time."</span></p> <p><span>"Sweet," he gushed as his hands continued to slide smoothly up and down my aching prick. Just as I'd promised him, my dick head was soon covered with more slime and he eagerly lapped it up. After the third or fourth round of me oozing pre-cum and Mike cleaning me up (to be brutally honest, I lost count due to the euphoria I was experiencing), I gave Mike the warning he'd been waiting for.</span></p> <p><span>"Heads up, buddy, it's about to happen," I grunted.</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, Daddy, let it go," he squealed in anticipation.</span></p> <p><span>Mike had no sooner than uttered those words when sweet release hit me and my cock shot six or seven volleys of sticky goo all over the both of us, landing on both our faces, chests and bellies. One thing I can see Mike needs to learn is how to properly aim an exploding cock to minimize the mess created and the cleanup required after the fact, but that will remain a lesson for another day. And one I certainly look forward to teaching him. Completely wasted by the earth-shattering orgasm I'd just experienced at the hands and mouth of my young son, I couldn't move for a couple of minutes. While I leaned against the wall and recovered, Mike took it upon himself to start cleaning me up. With his tongue.</span></p> <p><span>That action brought me back to life and I smiled at my son as he seemed to enjoy the task. Of course, the continual licking of my chest and belly was causing a physical reaction I'd not expected. I was getting hard again, simply from Mike's tongue running across my body and flicking at my nipples. </span></p> <p><span>"How the devil did you get so good at that?" I quizzed my shower mate.</span></p> <p><span>"Easy, Daddy, T.J. and Andy both love when I lick their boobies. I figured if they did, you would, too."</span></p> <p><span>"You got that right, kiddo. C'mon and let's get rinsed off so we can get out of here, cover your behind and get you guys to bed."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay," he answered as he stepped closer and pulled me into a smothering hug. "Thanks, Daddy, I loved what we did and I love you, too," he whispered into my ear.</span></p> <p><span>"I love you more, my sweet baby boy," I whispered back. </span></p> <p><span>We finally let go of each other and I stepped Mike back a couple of feet, then grabbed the shower head on the extension hose and let it rain down over Mike to get him all cleaned up and rinsed off. It just wouldn't do to have him climb in bed with his brothers while he was splattered with my semen. Satisfied all evidence of our misdeeds had been washed off his sweet body, I sat on the bench and let Mike return the favor. With both of us rinsed off within an inch of our lives, I turned off the water and grabbed towels so we could dry off. </span></p> <p><span>I had Mike stand on the bench so I could help him towel off, and when it was time to dry his shrunken penis and retracted testicles, he giggled madly as he was still a bit sensitive from our previous actions. When I had him turn around to take care of his back, he promptly bent over at the waist and pulled his good cheek away so I could dry his light pink pucker. He moaned in desire when I made contact with his tight hole, but I didn't press the issue, or a finger into him again, despite desperately wanting to do so. </span></p> <p><span>With the rest of him dried off, I lightly patted the raw spot on his bad cheek to get it as dry as I could without hurting him. He still jumped once or twice when I made contact but seemed none the worse for wear when I was done. With his drying completed, he grabbed the other towel and told me to turn around. </span></p> <p><span>He quickly dried my back and ordered me to bend over. After I did so, he took his time drying my rear cleft, lingering on my hole a couple of times. By the time he was done back there, my dick was fully inflamed again, so when he had me turn around to take care of my front, my hardness almost smacked him in the face. He giggled at that and then spent way more time than necessary to dry my smaller than average cock. Not that I minded it a bit, and in fact, I rather enjoyed his soft touch. By the time he was happy with his work, I was damn near ready to pop off a second time, but managed to exert a minor bit of control over my lower half and held on to that thought for later.</span></p> <p><span>With both of us sparkling clean and dry, we finally left the bathroom and headed back out to rejoin the rest of the family. Ambling into the living room, we drew the whole crew's attention as they gawked at us. Tom gave me a questioning look and tapped his wrist where a watch would normally be, alluding to the fact Mike and I were in the shower much longer than we should have been. Still half hard from the experience I'd just had, all I could do at the moment was shrug my shoulders and try to look as innocent as possible, fully expecting to have to explain our absence when the two of us climbed into bed in a bit.</span></p> <p><span>"Mike, go grab the supplies Doctor Finney gave us and we'll get your behind covered up so you can get in bed. When you come back, stretch out on the loveseat so this is easy to deal with."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Dad," he answered as he bypassed the living room and continued on down the hallway to his bedroom. I silently wondered about the switch from `Daddy' while in the shower to `Dad' around the others, but not for long as I figured it wasn't something I'd be able solve by myself. Sitting next to Tom, he fixed me with a quizzical stare yet again, and I mouthed, `later' in response to his silent question. I received a thumbs up in acknowledgement from him as Mike came back with the bag of supplies from the doctor's office. Seeing Logan and Andy still lounging on the loveseat, he said, "Move your behinds, boneheads." He shot us a quick look of cockiness for his word selection and Tom and I both gave him a thumbs up.</span></p> <p><span>Both vacated the seat and Mike climbed up and assumed the position required to place a new gauze pad where it would do the most good. Two minutes of very gentle work later, he was as ready for bed as he could be. We hustled the sensational six-pack into their rooms and gave them time to make one more stop in a bathroom before we followed along for our regular nightly rituals. With all six of them down for the count and after saying goodnight to Ron, Tom and I headed for our own room and a good night's sleep before a busy day tomorrow.</span></p> <p><span>Or so I thought as I crawled into bed and under the sheet.</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell took you two so long in the shower?" Tom asked while sitting on the bed next to me and giving me a dirty look</span></p> <p><span>"Um, Mike wanted a little special fatherly attention," I answered with extreme guilt flooding my reply. I then added some details to my answer so Tom would understand exactly what I was really saying.</span></p> <p><span>"You bastard!" Tom squelched. "When do I get a turn with one of them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Anytime you want, hon. You had the chance to join us tonight but decided not to. It's not my fault I didn't know Mike had plans other than just taking a shower. According to Dr. Finney, he should have help with his bathing for a couple of nights, so why don't you take tomorrow night and I'll stay in the living room."</span></p> <p><span>"Now that sounds like a great idea," Tom grinned as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "So, did the little rugrat leave anything for me or did he completely drain you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I thought I was done for the night, but not so much anymore," I replied as I lifted the sheet and exposed my hard cock to my honey.</span></p> <p><span>"Sweet," Tom hissed as he lowered his head to my groin and began what turned into an hour-long session of lovemaking. By the time we were both satisfied, neither of us had anything left to give the other, so we limped our way into the shower for a quick cleaning before returning to bed and snuggling together for that good night's sleep.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-54.html

Building a Family 54 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 54 � The Sunday from Hell I picked up the receiver and answered, "Hey, Carol, how ya' doing?" "Great, Max, how about you guys? Everybody good?" "About as well as can be expected. Had an interesting party yesterday with the twins and all their friends, but we survived it and the house still stands. How was your weekend with your mom and dad?" "We had a wonderful time, thanks for asking. Look, I'm sorry to call you on a Sunday afternoon when you're probably trying to enjoy a day with your family, but you did leave a message telling me to do so." "So I did. Listen, I talked to Alex and Joey about the Muellers Friday night and you'll be happy to know they never abused the twins. At least, not like they did me." "Oh, thank, God," Carol breathed with a sigh of relief. "Wait, there's more. I've already told Dylan about this and I figured you'd want to know, too. Alex and Joey have given me a list of sixty names that they've picked up from the Mueller's over the last several years." "What do you mean by picked up?" "You know how twins can sometimes feel things from the other twin without actually knowing about it, right?" "Sure." "Well, with Joey and Alex, it goes quite a bit further than that. They can also pick up emotions from other people, not just each other. And from what they've told me, the more time they spend around the same people, they actually start to get thoughts and images from them also. Joey saw a flicker of an image from me the other night, straight from my mind. And it wasn't a good thing to see." "Oh, my. I bet that unsettled him." "Both of them, really. Without going into any serious details with them, they know what the Muellers did to me, Carol. There was nothing I could do to stop it from happening. And poor T.J. saw a whole lot more." "What!?" "Yeah, he told me yesterday morning that he's seen every image that's flashed through my mind the last several days. And even though we haven't told the boys about what happened at Walmart on Thursday, T.J. said it was too bad Tom stopped me from killing Frank. The only way he'd know about that is by seeing it from somewhere in my mind" "I had no idea T.J. could do that." "Apparently, he didn't either until he started spending a bunch of time with the twins. Their ability for certain feats of mental magic has awakened his own gift and he has already passed up what Joey and Alex can do." "Well, it sure sounds like your lives are going to be interesting. Now, back to this list of names. Did I hear you right, you have sixteen names the twins got from Frank and Iris?" "No, Carol not sixteen, sixty. Actually, it's sixty-three." "Oh, hell, this is so much worse than we thought." "You don't have to tell me that. I'm guessing that most of those are not kids your agency placed with them over the years, but who knows for sure? Since they got me at the church, it seems reasonable to assume that most of those involved will be from there." "What do I have to do to get that list, Max? I'll come out now to pick it up if it's okay with you." "If you want to, that's fine. Or you can wait until you can get it from Dylan. He's coming out tomorrow morning to talk me and I'm going to give his copy to him then. Whatever you want to do." "I'd just as soon have it today. That way, I can start checking our files first thing tomorrow morning." "I understand. We're going to be out in the pool, but I'll leave the front door unlocked for you. Just come on out to the pool when you get here." "I'll do that. See you guys in a while." I hung up the phone and finally joined the rest of the family in the pool. When I opened the door to the shelter, the noise level almost deafened me. You'd have thought yesterday's party was still going on. I gave a loud whistle to get their attention and silence settled except for the quiet lapping of the waves. "Thank you, boys. Can we please keep the volume level at `dull roar'? Mike, have you done your half hour of swimming lessons with the others, yet?" "No, `cause nobody'll listen to me." "Well, here's your chance. Boy's, time to listen to and learn from your brother." Mike took it from there and soon had the other four holding on to the side of the pool and working on their kick. I moseyed on around the pool and joined Tom in the deep end. "That took longer than you thought, didn't it?" "It was Carol. No way I could tell her to take a hike. She's coming out to get the list Joey and Alex created, said she be here in a while." "Should we get out of the pool?" "Why bother? She knows we swim nude and she's seen every one of us nude at one time or another, hasn't she?" "Oh, yeah, didn't think about that. I'm cool with it if you are." "Might as well be, shouldn't we? And this fall, we're gonna have four other adults living here full time and we're gonna have to get used to that, too. I'm about ready to put a sign by the front door that says, `Beyond this portal, you will encounter nude bodies. If that offends you, go away!' What do you think?" "Um, that might be just a bit over the top, don't ya' think?" "Oh, I don't know. I'm just gettin' tired of living by other people's rules. It's our house, damn it. We should be able to live however we want here and if they can't deal with it, then it's their own damn problem, not mine." "Whoa, big dog. Don't bite my head off `cause you're pissed off at the world." "I know. Sorry `bout that. I can't seem to think straight about anything right now." "Well, there's a good reason for that, ya' know. I mean, think about it, how the hell is gay guy supposed to think straight about anything, anyway." It was a weak damn joke, but I had to laugh. "Thanks, I needed that. Keep me laughing." "If I don't, they will," he chuckled, pointing to the five wild monkeys at the other end of the pool. "Good point." DING! "I bet that's Carol. She's sooner than I thought she would be." "Who's gonna answer the door?" "I left it unlocked for her and told her to come on out to the pool." We waited for a couple of minutes and when Carol didn't come out, I commented, "I wonder if she got lost. I better go check." I climbed out of the pool, grabbed a towel to dry off and then wrapped it around it my waist. As I entered the house, I called out, "Carol!?" I got no response except to hear the doorbell ring. "Oh, c'mon Carol, I left the door unlocked for ya'." I walked across the house and opened the door to a big, and little, surprise standing on the front porch. I suddenly felt very self-conscious and somehow exposed standing there with just a towel around my waist. "Afternoon, Max, how ya' doin'?" Derek greeted me with a cheery smile. "Derek, what the heck are you doin' here? We didn't call the cops." "Nope, you sure didn't, but young Logan Campbell did. Step on out here young man." Logan moved from his hiding spot behind Derek and looked up at me with tears flooding his eyes. At least, what you could see of his eyes, swollen, and black, blue and yellow with bruises the way they were. "Oh, my god, Logan, what happened!" I cried as I knelt down to his level. "Were you in an accident? Are you oaky?" "I wish I was, Mr. Sanders," he whimpered. "No, my daddy did this to me after I got home last night." I looked up to Derek who nodded solemnly. "I called 9-1-1 this morning `cause I thought he might start beatin' on me some more. A bunch of cops showed up and they took my daddy away. And since my momma's gone, they couldn't leave me at home and Deputy Timmons said he'd take care of me. I didn't know he was bringing me here." I stood back up, holding my towel to ensure it stayed in place, and said, "Get in here, you two." After they were in the house and I closed the door, I asked, "So what happens now, Derek?" "Well, that kinda depends on you, Max. I was hopin' you might be willing to give Logan a place to stay for a bit while we figure out what's gonna happen with his dad." "Oh, I don't know, shouldn't you be contacting a child welfare agency or something?" "Um, can we talk privately for a moment?" Derek asked. "Sure. Logan, Tom and the boys are all out in the pool. Why don't you go on out and join them?" "Sure thing, Mr. Sanders, thanks." He limped slowly through the house, dropping his bag on the couch as he went by it, on through the glass doors and into the shelter. We could see him pulling off his shirt as soon as he was inside the shelter and getting ready to jump in the pool. "Let's sit down, Derek." I led the way to the living room and after getting comfortable, I asked, "So, what about calling DCFS?" "Normally, yeah, we would, but I hate the idea of Logan getting dumped into that system. You have no idea what those kids go through." "Not in detail, no, but I'm learning more from our boys every day." At that moment, Tom appeared, sans towel wrap, and asked, "What the fuck happened to Logan!? He's got bruises coverin' him from head to toe." He then realized Derek was sitting there with me and tried to cover himself with his hands while muttering, "Whoops, sorry, Derek, didn't realize you were here." "No problem, Tom. We've shared a locker room enough times, there's not much we ain't seen already, is there?" "S'pose not. So, answer me, what the hell happened?" "Logan's father decided to express his anger last night by beating his son. He's now in custody and getting booked at the county building for child abuse. Since Logan's mom is dead, we couldn't just leave him at home, could we? It was my idea to bring him here. I'm hoping that's okay with y'all." DING! "What the hell was that?" "Just the drive sensor telling us someone else is here. Probably Carol. Tom, you might want to find a towel or something." "What? My hands not good enough for ya?" he chuckled. "Seriously, though, good idea, be right back." He zipped back out to the pool and returned still wrapping the towel around his waist. "I had the boys get out of the pool and they're yakkin' up a storm `til we get back out there." "Who's Carol," Derek asked. "Carol Ward. She works at the agency helping us with our adoption of the boys. She's here for another reason, but she should get involved with this also." "Damn it, I wanted to keep those people out of this," Derek complained. "Don't worry, Derek, Carol's a good guy, or gal, actually," Tom replied. "She'll do the right thing." The front door opened and Carol stepped inside. "Well, hi guys, thought you were gonna be in the pool. And I didn't expect Dylan to be here. Thought you were talking to him tomorrow," she said as crossed over to join us. "Wait, you're not Dylan." "What was your first clue, there, Carol, his lack of tan?" Tom laughed. "No, this is my former partner, Derek Timmons. Derek, Carol Ward." After a mutual greeting and handshake, Tom continued. "We have a teeny, tiny problem, Carol, and you should know about it." "Oh, lord, now what?" she groaned. "The father of one of the party guests yesterday severely beat his son last night after I took him home," Derek answered. "The kid called 9-1-1 this morning and his dad's been arrested and I brought Logan here for lack of other decent options." "Jesus Christ, will this shit ever end? Where is he now?" Carol asked. "He's out at the pool with our boys," I answered. "I'd like to see him. Can you bring him in?" "Sure thing, be right back." I held on to my towel as I walked back out to the pool. When I opened the door, the six boys were all sitting at the table and chattering away as kids will do, Alex and Joey sitting next to Logan with their arms wrapped around his shoulders. "Logan, I hate to interrupt, but there's someone here who'd like to talk to you." As he stood up, I could finally see the extent of the bruises and marks his father's beating had left. There was barely any place on the young man's body that had been spared and I felt sick to my stomach. As he started to walk to me, I added, "You may want to wrap a towel around you since the person who wants to see you is a lady." He quickly turned around and grabbed another towel from table, wrapping it around his waist as he came back. "Who is it, Dad?" Alex asked. "Ms. Ward." "Can we come say hi?" T.J. asked. "Um, not right now, please. Let's let her talk to Logan first, and you all can say hi before she leaves, okay?" "Sure, dad, just don't forget us," Joey answered. "Not a chance of that, buddy." Logan had rejoined me and I tenderly placed my hand on his shoulder as we headed back inside. Once there, Logan sat in my chair with me and I introduced him to Carol. "Logan, this is Ms. Ward. She's helping us with the adoptions of our sons and she needs to ask you some questions about what happened last night with your dad. You okay with that?" "Sure," he answered calmly, then turned to Carol and continued. "Shoot, Ms. Ward. Ask me whatever you want." "Hi, Logan. I'm sorry your dad hurt you, but I'm here to help you." Logan jumped off my chair, walked over and stood right in front of Carol, hands on his hips, before he responded. "Lady, he didn't hurt me, he freakin' beat my ass, and everywhere else, too. And all `cause he was pissed off I wouldn't do as he said. I wanted to stay here for Joey and Alex's birthday party, I didn't care what he said. They're my friends and I wanted to have some damn fun, for once. Who gives a crap if they're gay? I knew I was gonna pay for not listenin' to him, but I didn't care." "You say you knew he was going to hurt you. Why? Has he done this before?" "Sure he has, but last night was the worst he ever done and I ain't gonna take it no more. And would you quit sayin' he hurt me. I'm nine years old, Ms. Ward, and if I can call it a beatin', you can to." "I'm sorry, Logan. That's just the way we deal with these things in my job. We do everything we can to protect children, and sometimes we get carried with it." "Well, you can start protectin' me by keepin' that asshole away from me. Now, what else do ya' wanna know?" "I can see where he's hit your face, body and back. Did he hit you anywhere else?" "Damn right he did, look at this." With that, he turned around to face me and pulled the towel from around his waist. Carol recoiled in disgust at the evidence before her. Logan turned his head to look over his shoulder and continued, "There, is that what you wanna see? I tell ya', I can hardly sit right now, my ass hurts so bad. And look at my legs. Why the hell did he have to beat my damn legs. I won't be able to wear shorts outside the house for a month, at least. `Bout the only place he didn't hit me was my crotch, but I think he wanted to, since I was hangin' out with a buncha fags all day. Teach me a lesson, my ass. He don't know jack shit. I'd like to take his freakin' belt and stuff it up his ass." He wrapped the towel around him again and turned back to look Carol in the face again. "So now, what ya' gonna do about it?" "Logan, I'm going to take care of you, don't worry about that. Why don't you go back out to the pool and hang out with the others while we talk about this. Once we have a solution, we'll let you know." Logan was shaking his head and saying, "Huh-uh. If has to do with me, you all can talk about it with me right here." After that comment, Logan walked over and climbed back in my chair with me. "Well, okay, then," Carol replied. She then turned to Derek and asked, "Derek, what did you witness last night and today?" "Not much last night. I drove Logan home and then waited around in my unit for a couple of minutes to see if there were any immediate problems. When I saw or heard nothing obvious, I left. Today, though, I was first on the scene and as soon I got out of my unit, I could hear Mr. Campbell yelling at Logan. I ran up the steps to the front porch and pounded on the door, identifying myself as Sherriff's Department. Mr. Campbell opened the door and he was sweating and panting. Logan was coming down the stairs and even from twenty feet away, I knew we had a serious problem. I immediately radioed for backup, placed Mr. Campbell under arrest, handcuffed him and put him in my unit. I then returned to the house to check on Logan. "I found him sitting on bottom step of the stairway, holding his head in his hands and crying. I asked him if he remembered me from last night and he said he did. I then asked if I could check him out for injuries, though I could see most of them since all he was wearing was a pair of shorts. He stood up, dropped his shorts and turned around so I could see the bruising and marks on backside. I asked him for and received his permission to photograph his body to be presented as evidence. Since he obviously has injuries almost everywhere, I photographed his entire body except for his genitals and groin area. Since there were no visible injuries there, I saw no reason to document it. When that was done, I had him get dressed, then helped him pack a bag with clothes, toiletries and the other things he'll need wherever he ends up staying until this can all be sorted out. After another deputy arrived to transport Mr. Campbell to jail, I drove Logan here in the hopes that he might be able to stay with some friendly faces for a few days." "Have you called DCFS and reported Mr. Campbell?" Carol asked. "Not yet. Since he's already been arrested and we have photo evidence, I was hoping we could work something out without getting them involved. If we have to, though, I'll take care of it." She then turned to me and asked, "Okay, Max, it's up to you. Will you allow Logan to stay here for a few days while I try to make other arrangements?" Logan immediately turned his head and looked at me with the most pitiful and sad puppy-dog look I've ever seen. "Oh, no you don't, young man. Aim that look somewhere else." And so he did, right at Tom, causing Derek and Carol to laugh. "Yeah, okay," Tom wilted. "I can't say no to that face." The sad look immediately gave way to one of the biggest and brightest smiles you could ever hope to see. "Good, I was hoping you'd say that," Carol chuckled. "Okay, looks like you've got a place to stay for a few days. That doesn't mean you'll be staying here indefinitely, though. I'm going to check with your other family members and see if they'll be willing to take you in." "NO! I don't like any of them. They' just like my daddy. I wanna stay here." "Give us some time, Logan," I said calmly. "We'll figure something out that works for everybody, I promise." "That sounds better, Mr. Sanders. Thanks. Can I go back out with the others now?" "Sure, go ahead." He hopped off my lap and slowly headed to rejoin the fantastic five. As soon as he stepped outside and closed the door, he whipped the towel away from his waist and over his shoulder. I turned to Carol and asked, "What the hell, Carol? Am I running a home for lost, abused and wayward kids, now? This all started with me wanting to adopt one, and just one, kid. That magically turned into four, then we added Andy, and now Logan? I'm gonna have to build another damn house if this keeps up!" "Sure, why not?" she giggled. "That wouldn't be so bad, would it? You've got plenty of space out here. Besides, we could sure use a good home for these kids in this part of the state." "Huh-uh," I replied, shaking my head. "I have my limits and you just keep pushing them." "And you keep letting me so don't you try to blame me for all this," she responded with an evil grin. "You're just taking advantage of my big heart." "Guilty as charged," she agreed. "Now, where's that list of names you got from Joey and Alex? I've solved one crisis this afternoon, might as well get started on the next." "Let me get it for you." I walked to the office, grabbed the list I'd typed into the computer and printed, then took it back to Carol. "Here you go," I said as I handed it to her. "I typed them all in because the twins' handwriting isn't that easy to decipher. Unfortunately, it's only first names, but I figure that at least gives you and Dylan a starting point to work from." "This is perfect, Max. All our records back to the 1950's have been computerized over the last few years, so I can enter the names of the foster-parents and print a list of every child who's ever been placed in the home. Once I have that, I can compare that list to this one and pull files for any names that match." "What's this all about, folks?" Derek asked. "You tell him, Tom. I can't deal with it right now. I'm going back out so the kids can get in the pool again. Carol, the boys all want to say hi before you leave, so come out when y'all are done here. Derek, thanks, I think, for bring Logan to us, we'll take good care of him." With that, I turned and left the house. "Well, that was kinda rude," Derek commented. "There's a reason for it, Derek," Tom replied. "When Max was a young teenager, he was sexually abused by a couple at the church his family went to. But he'd repressed all of it until just last week when he was about to kill his abuser in Walmart. That's why Dylan's coming out tomorrow, to talk to Max about what happened twenty years ago. On top of that, the same couple who abused Max were fostering the twins we're adopting and because of a mental quirk, they were able to give us list of some sixty names of other boys who could possibly be in the same boat as Max. Since, these people were also foster-parents for many years, Carol needs the list to compare to the kids they've placed with the couple." "Okay, now it all makes sense. I knew Sarge was coming tomorrow, but didn't know why. Looks like we'll be working on this together, then, Carol." "I'm sure we will. And nothin' personal, Derek, but I can't say I'm looking forward to it." "No, neither am I, but let's nail these bastards. Okay, Tom, I'll write up my report that Logan's been left in yours and Max's care with Carol's approval. I'll try to let you guys know what gonna happen with dear old dad, though a nice pair of concrete boots would fix that problem for us." "Thanks, Derek. It's always good to see you. You might want to check with Dylan about coming with him tomorrow so you'll be in on the investigation from the very beginning. You might think of something he won't, and vice-versa, when you're talkin' to Max." "I'll do that, Tom," he replied as he stood. "Tell Max I appreciate you guys helpin' out with Logan, I just couldn't think of a better place for him to be right now. Carol, nice to meet ya', I'm sure we'll be in touch in the coming days and weeks. Guess I'll get back to work, now. See y'all later." With that, Derek crossed the living room and headed back out into the cool March afternoon. "Well, Carol, you ready to say hi to the boys?" "Always. I love those kids just as much as you and Max do." Tom led the way to the pool where they found Max sitting at the table, deep in thought, and six boys flailing about in the pool. Once the boys saw Carol, though, the pool emptied rather quickly. All except for Logan who stayed in the concealing depths of the water. "Guys, what're you doin'!?" Logan yelled. "You're still naked." "Yeah, so what?" Joey asked as he grabbed a towel to dry off a bit before giving Carol a hug. "She's already seen all of us this way. Ain't no big deal, Logan." After our five had all given Carol a hug and said hi, they rejoined Logan, who'd merely given Carol a quick wave of acknowledgement. With the greetings completed, we sat at the table with Max. "Hey, Carol," I mumbled without looking at her. "Hey, yourself," Carol replied. "Are you really okay with Logan staying here? `Cause if it's a problem, let me know and I'll take him with me, find another place for him." "Oh, no, he'll be fine." "Of course, he will, but I'm worried about you, too. Are you sure you're okay? You seem a bit numb." "Numb, disconnected, lost, all of the above. I can't seem to get out of my own way lately." "You're not re-thinking the adoptions, are you?" "I'd be lyin' if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind." "Max," Tom began, "we've been over this. Stopping the adoptions isn't a possibility. We just need to get over this bump in the road and everything will turn out great. You'll see." "Bump!?" I screamed, startling Tom and Carol and attracting the attention of the boys, also. "You call this a fucking BUMP! Those fuckers raped me for three fuckin' years!" I cried out in anguish, then laid my head on the table and began to sob. Tom turned to the boys, snapped his fingers and thrust his thumb towards the house. Without hesitation, all six climbed out of the pool, grabbed a towel and ran for the house, fear etched on all their faces at my outburst. Tom and Carol wrapped their arms around my shoulders in an attempt to comfort me, but I jerked away at the contact. "NO! Don't touch me! I don't want to be touched!" I screamed. "MAX! Snap out of it!" Tom bellowed. Tom wrapped his strong arms around and refused to let go until I quick shaking, no matter how hard I fought his embrace. "That's better, babe. You're okay, you're safe here. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly." "Damn it! What the hell is wrong with me," I moaned in resignation. "I can't tell you for sure, but with what I've seen from guys on the force, especially the ex-military, I'd guess you're dealing with PTSD." "NOW!? Twenty years after the fact? What the hell are you talking about?" "Max, PTSD doesn't always hit someone immediately. Since all your repressed memories just flooded back into your conscious mind the other day, I'm not surprised you're reacting like this." "Damn it! I gotta get a handle on this shit, and fast." "Max," Carol started, "there is no quick relief from what you're dealing with. Once you start talking to whoever Dr. Kirkland refers you to, you'll see that. It will get better, in time, but don't go in there expecting an immediate fix. It just doesn't happen." "Okay, okay, I'm stuck with what I got. But I don't think the boys are safe with me bein' like this. What if one them tries to give me a hug and I freak out on `em? I could really hurt them without even tryin'. And the last thing I want to do is have them scared of me." "Don't you worry about that," Tom replied. "They know what you're dealing with and they understand. All of them just want to help you get better and if you let `em, it'll happen that much faster." "I sure as hell hope you're right, Tom. Okay, let's go inside so we can deal with what just happened." As I stood to follow my own suggestion, my towel remained draped on the chair. Carol let out a little chuckle at my accidental exposure and I said, "Sorry, Carol, but my brain's just not in gear today," as I grabbed it and wrapped back around me. "Not a problem, Max," she replied. "C'mon, let's go talk with your boys." We slowly walked back to the house and found them waiting for us in the living room, towels wrapped around their waists and sitting on the couch with looks of concern on their faces. As soon as door was closed, Alex asked, "You okay, Dad?" "I don't know guys. I'm sorry you had to see and hear that." "S'okay," Joey responded. "If it'd been us, we'd have a hard time dealing with it, too." "I'm sorry, Mr. Sanders. I don't want to cause no problems," Logan whined. "What just happened with me, Logan, has nothing to do with you or you being here. I'm glad we have space for you and you're welcome to say with us as long as you need to, okay?" "Yeah, okay. You just scared me. That's kinda how my dad was actin' last night, all out of control." I walked over to Logan, knelt in front of him, took his hands in mine and said, "I'm sorry I scared you. I certainly didn't mean to. But, I'm kinda scared of some things right now, too." "Dad, can I ask a question?" Mike asked. "Of course, you can," I answered while turning my head his direction. "What is it?" "What's raped mean?" "Mike! You can't ask that?" Tom scolded. "It's okay, Tom. Oh, geez, I just had to say that, didn't I? Okay, now listen, all of you, and listen good. First you know what sex is, right?" I received nods from all six boys. "Second, you know, in this house, you have to ask and get a yes before you do anything with each other." I paused and received six more nods, one from a wide-eyed Logan. "Rape is when you force someone to have sex when they don't want to. It's a horrible thing to do and you go to jail for it." I saw Joey and Alex exchange a scared and wild look with each other as a light bulb went off in their minds. "And the Muellers forced you to have sex with them? Why?" Andy asked. "And why aren't they in jail?" Mike added. Realizing this conversation had taken a turn I hadn't anticipated, I sat in my chair so I could easily face all the boys. "To answer your first question, yes, that's what the Muellers did. As to why, I can only guess. And they aren't in jail because I never told anybody about what they'd done. I'd kinda blocked it out of my mind for a long time. But it all came back to me Thursday and I'm having a hard time dealing with it." "What can we do to help?" T.J. asked. "Just you guys being here will help me a lot, and know that no matter how weird or spacey I might get sometimes, that doesn't change how much I love and need you in my life. I'm going to be getting help to learn how to control and deal with things, but it's just gonna take a while to work through all this." "Okay, Dad," they replied. "Thanks for being so understanding and not pushing me on this. We didn't plan on giving you this much detail, but now that you know, please don't say anything to anyone outside the family. We don't want the Muellers to find out they're being investigated. Do you all understand that?" "Yeah, Dad," Joey answered, "we might be kids, but we're not total idiots, ya' know? "I would never say or even think you are. You guys are the some of the smartest people I know. I'm just trying to impress on you how important this is, to all of us." After receiving nods from all six, I added, "Good, come say goodbye to Carol and then run through the showers to wash the pool off." All six followed my instructions and once they'd disappeared down the hall, I turned to Carol and asked, "How'd I do?" "Considering the meltdown I just saw, pretty damn good. You told the boys the truth in an age-appropriate manner, and gave them the basics without diving into any sordid details. But, I think, more importantly, you've calmed any fears they may have had after seeing what happened out at the pool. You've sure calmed my fears and I gotta tell ya', you scared the ever-loving shit outta me." "I'm sorry about that, but then, I scared myself, too. "Me three," Tom chimed. "But you got through it. That's what matters. After twenty damn years of keeping all that bottled up, you have the right to express some of your rage and anger and hate. And now that the boys know where it's coming from and why, I think they'll be all right." "I sure as hell hope so," I responded. "Well, I'm gonna get outta here, guys," Carol said. "I have some things I need to deal with at home before I get to work tomorrow. I have the feeling once I start digging into this list, I'm not gonna like what I find." "I wish you the best and hope none of your other kids were tortured like I was. If there's anything we can do to help, let us know." "I think you've already done more than your fair share, Max, but if something comes up, I'll be sure to ask. Hope you all enjoy the rest of the day. I'll keep you updated on what I find about another placement for Logan." "No hurry on that, Carol," Tom replied. "He's fine right where he is for as long as he needs. Besides, that list you have is much more important." "Still, thanks, you two. We really appreciate everything you do. Well, adios amigos. Y'all be good." "So, do you guys really, you know, play around with each other like your dad said?" Logan asked as he and the twins stepped into the shower. Joey gave a sly grin and answered, "Sure we do, but we're supposed to stay in our rooms with the door closed when we do or we'll get in trouble." "And we have to ask to touch someone before we actually do and they have to agree to it." "Isn't it, like, weird doin' that shit with your brother?" "Who else we gonna do it with, you?" Alex asked. "Hell no, I ain't gay!" "You think there's somethin' wrong with bein' gay?" Joey queried. "No, I just ... I mean ... oh hell, I don't know." "Look, Logan, do you ever play with your own dick?" Alex asked. "Well, maybe," he stuttered. "That means `yes'," Joey retorted glancing at Alex and receiving a nod of agreement. He looked back to Logan and ask, "Does it feel good when you do it to yourself?" "If I did, I guess it would," he answered with a blush of embarrassment flooding his face. "Well, as good as it feels to do it to yourself...," Joey started. "...it feels even better when someone else does it to you," Alex continued. "Bullshit! I don't believe that for a second. You're just wantin' to play with my dick." "Why would we want to do that when we got each other?" Alex asked. "And we can do it whenever we want to," Joey added. With his interest now piqued, Logan asked "So, what all have ya' done with each other?" "Oh, you know, jerked each other off, sucked each other and just this mornin' we fucked. Oh, man, that was awesome," Alex answered. "No, you didn't! Did you?" "We're not lyin' to ya', dude," Alex replied. "Want us to do it right now?" Joey asked. "Yeah, go ahead, I dare ya'. I bet you won't." "C'mon, bro, let's show him how it's done," Joey said. Joey leaned over, placed his hands on the bench seat and pushed his ass up for Alex. Alex, who had been absentmindedly stroking his pecker, stepped over, slid his slim cock inside his brother and started to hump his ass. Logan just stood there under the spray of the shower, gawking in disbelief at what he was seeing. "You ain't really fucking him, are ya'? You're just rubbin' your dick in his crack." "Come take a closer look, dude," Alex replied. Logan stepped closer and looked down into the gap between Alex's stomach and Joey's ass. After seeing Alex's dick slide smoothly into Joey's tight hole and disappear from view, Logan's knees got weak and he sat on the bench next to where Joey was holding himself up. The twins could not miss seeing the rampant and throbbing piece of hard young cock protruding from Logan's groin. Nor did they miss glazed look on his face. "Still think we're lyin' dude?" "Oh my god! You're really fuckin' doin' it! What's it feel like?" "Like nothin' you ever felt before," Joey moaned. "You wanna find out?" "What? Really, you'd let me fuck you, Joey? If I do, will that make me gay, too?" "Why not? And no, it won't make you gay. All you're gonna do is get off in the most mind-blowing way than you ever done before. Alex, help him out." Alex slipped his dick out of Joey's ass and stepped over to help Logan stand up. He guided him into position behind Joey, then grabbed Logan's stiff three-and-a-half-inch rod between his thumb and forefinger to help guide him to his brother's hole. Once he had the head properly positioned, he said, "Okay, dude, just push forward with your hips and you'll slip right on in." Logan did as he was told and soon felt Joey's hole release as his own cock slipped inside his friend's deliciously warm body. And he kept pushing until his hairless pubic mound was nestled in between his buddy's smooth globes. "Oh, god," he moaned. "My hand could never feel this good, no matter how much spit or oil I used. What do I do now?" "Well, don't just stand there like a fool, fuck me," Joey groaned with pleasure. "How?" "Jesus Christ! Alex, show him what to do, the kid's fucking clueless." Alex took Logan's hands and put them on Joey's hips, then stepped behind Logan and placed his own hands on his friend's hips. Looking around Logan, he pulled his hips back until the impaling rod almost came out of his brother, then stopped and pushed him back in. "There, Logan, just keep doin' that. Start slow and easy." Logan, again, followed the instructions he was given as was soon screwing Joey like he'd been doing it his whole life. Not to be left out of the action, Alex leaned close to Logan's ear and whispered, "Can I play with your balls and asshole while you fuck my brother?" After receiving an emphatic nod of agreement, Alex knelt behind Logan's rocking ass, reached one hand up between his legs to play with his balls and with his other hand, he gently started to spread Logan's cheeks in search of his virgin pucker. Once located, Alex held his finger in position and followed the in and out motion until, on one of Logan's retreats, he held his finger in position. As Logan continued to back out of Joey, Alex's finger slipped smoothly into his ass, causing Logan to gasp with delight. "Oh, fuck, you two, this is out of this fuckin' world. I ain't never felt this good," Logan growled. After several minutes of fingering Logan, Alex stood up, leaned in close to Logan's ear again and whispered, "You like my finger up your ass?" The poor boy was so lost in new feelings, all he could do was nod and pant his agreement. "Can I swap my finger with my dick?" "Oh, fuck yes, do it." That was all the invitation Alex needed as he moved back behind Logan, removed his finger from his friend's tight hole and then positioned himself so his pecker could fill the now empty orifice. The next time Logan slid back, Alex maintained his position and felt his cock penetrate the warm confines he sought. He then followed Logan's push back into Joey to maintain maximum impalement. They continued that way for several minutes, Alex fucking Logan as Logan fucked Joey, while the tempo and need for release continued to build in all three boys. When it finally happened, Logan felt an explosion of previously unfulfilled sexual tension as all three hit their orgasmic peak at the same moment. They moaned with lust as the orgasms overtook their young bodies and the threesome shuddered with pleasure. Completely spent and with sexual appetites satisfied, the three wilted lads sat on the bench together to recover. "Oh, fuck me, that was fuckin' awesome, dudes! Oh wait, you just did!" Logan exclaimed as they caught their breath while fighting off a major attack of the giggles at his comment. "Hey, dads, can we watch some more Star Trek?" T.J. asked as he, Mike and Andy came back to the living room after their showers. "Sure, that sounds like a good way to kill some time this afternoon," Tom answered. "Why don't I go get things ready in the theater while you check on the three still in the shower?" I asked. "I don't think I need to be doing that for a while." "Sounds like a plan to me, babe," Tom answered. "We'll join you four in a few minutes." While Tom when to check on Joey, Alex and Logan, the rest of us headed to the theater to get ready to watch some good science fiction. Upon entering, I discovered we never got towels back on the chairs after the party, so I sent T.J., Mike and Andy to the laundry room to grab some clean ones for us. While they were gone, I located the next disc we needed, got everything turned on and ready to go. The terrific trio returned with the towels and I had them drop one in every chair. As they were doing that, Tom finally came in and joined us. "So, what's takin' them so long?" I asked. "Who knows, babe. They were just sitting there on the bench, giggling their asses off, and letting the bathroom become a freakin' sauna. You should have seen the steam roll out when I opened the door. I told `em we're getting' ready to watch some Star Trek and they said they'd be right here." "And speak of the naked little devils, there they are. Let's get this show rollin'." We settled into our chairs and I got today's first episode playing. As the starting credits began to roll, I absentmindedly realized my prescient planning at having installed ten recliners in the theater seemed to be just about right. Of course, if the family kept growing the way it has so far, I was going to have come up with a new plan to accommodate everyone for the same show. And when our parents finally joined us on the property, the situation was going to get even more cramped. Since I'd seen all these shows before, I allowed my mind to wander a bit and I had what I like to call a `flash of brilliance'. Or maybe it was one of those stinkin' brain farts I've been having lately. Whatever it was, when the first episode ended, I tapped Tom on the shoulder and signaled for him to follow me. "What?" he asked as I closed the door behind us. "I just had an idea." "Oh, shit, here it comes," he laughed. "No, it's a really good one this time, I swear." "Yeah, right, seems I've heard this story before." "Fine! Just be that way. I'm going back to the show." I turned to go back to the theater, but Tom stopped me with a gentle hand on my shoulder. I turned back around and asked with as much sarcasm as I could muster, "Yes, may I help you?" "C'mon, spit it out. What's this great idea you've had?" "Okay, promise you won't laugh." After a curt nod, I continued, "You know how are parents are going to build a house up here, right?" "Um, yeah, I've don't think I've missed any of the meetings yet." "Well, I've lived here for almost thirteen years now and, with the exception of last month or so, this house has been too damn big. Now, suddenly, it's getting too damn small. How about instead of our parents building a house, why don't we build a bigger one and let the `rents have this one?" "What!? Are you freakin' kiddin' me!?" "Not a bit. Think about it for a minute. Bigger house, more bedrooms, bigger garage, bigger theater, bigger pool, bigger everything," I ended with a big wave of my hands. "And I suppose with a bigger house comes a bigger family?" "Sure, why not?" I asked. "Think how many kids we could help. We wouldn't have to adopt `em all, but at least we'd have some extra room for them to stay for a while as other things get worked out." "I don't know, Max, that seems like a big chunk to be bitin' off as we try to raise the ones we are adopting." "But our moms and dads will be here to help us." I was really warming to the idea now. "We could really make this work and make a difference in so many lives. Look I know this is comin' out of left field, but please, please, please give it some serious thought. I need something to keep me focused and moving forward. I don't want my past to define who I am. I want my future to do that." Tom sat down heavily in a chair at the dining room table. "That's an awful lot to take in there, babe, but I promise to think about. How much time to I have before I have to give you an answer?" "Take all the time you need." I waited five seconds and added, "Okay, time's up. What's your answer?" "What! I thought I could take all the time I needed." "I'm just shittin' ya', man." I finally joined him at the table, punching him in the shoulder. "I know I'm askin' for a lot, Tom, but I really want to do this. All I can think about is this, `what if I'd had a place like that when I was thirteen, fourteen, fifteen?'. I'll tell ya'. I would've left mom and dad's and moved in someplace where the Mueller's couldn't have found me ever again. How many other kids are out there, right now, dealing with shit beyond their control? We can help them." "I'm with ya', Max, really, I am. I know exactly what you're talkin' about `cause I used to see it all the time. Shitty parents fuckin' up their kids because of drugs, alcohol, or just bein' ignorant abusive asses to each or their kids. But to take that on by ourselves, that's a big damn leap." "I know it is, but I think, together, we can pull it off and make it work." "Oh, I don't doubt that for one second. We need to talk to our parents, first, and second, I think we need to talk to Carol about this. Since what you want to do will, I'm sure, be involving kids she and her group work with, we should get their input, also, before we go off the deep end, don't ya' think?" "Good idea, I'll call her tomorrow morning." "Uh, hold on there, Skippy. Dylan's coming in the morning, remember." "Oh, yeah. Thanks for that reminder," I replied glumly. "You sure know how to bring a person back down to earth, don't ya'?" "I'm sorry, babe. I want you to be able to do whatever you want to do, but I also know you've got to focus on one thing at a time. And right now, dealing with the Muellers should take priority." "You're right, of course. Damn, I'll be glad to have them out of the picture forever." "I know you will. We all will. But let's try to tilt just one windmill at a time, okay? When we finish one, then we'll move on to the next one. Sound reasonable?" "I suppose. But, do you really like the idea or are you just goin' with flow, hopin' I don't freak out, again." "No, I like it, truly I do, but you need to deal with your own demons before you go off half-cocked and start tryin' fix someone else's problems." "There ya' go, again, makin' fun of my manhood, again, half-cocked, my ass," I laughed. "Yeah, yeah, all right. I get what you're sayin' and I agree. One set of demons at a time. Thanks, lover, I knew you wouldn't let me down." The boys started to wander out of the theater and hover. "What's up guys, that episode over?" "Yeah, we was just wonderin' where you and Pops disappeared to," Joey answered. "Besides, we all gotta pee before we start then next one," T.J. added. "Okay, go ahead. Y'all want popcorn for the next episode?" "Does an Eskimo have a cold nose?" Alex laughed as they continued on towards their rooms. "I'm gonna take that as a yes, babe," Tom chuckled. "That'd be my best guess, too. Let's go get some movie snacks." We got busy in the kitchen and as the boys came back from their bathroom break, they climbed up on their stools to wait with us. Joey and Alex pushed their stools together so Logan could share with them. "How you doin', Logan?" I asked. "I'm okay, Mr. Sanders. I'm pissed off at my daddy at what he done last night, but I always knew it was gonna happen sometime. He's been mad at the whole damn world since momma died two years ago." "I'm sorry to hear that, and I'm really sorry about your mom." "It is what it is. She started gettin' sick about a year before and by the time they figured out it was leukemia, it was too late to do anything to help her. Daddy's been pissed off ever since and sometimes it boils over and he takes it out on me, like, somehow, it's my fault she got sick in the first place. But last night was somethin' else. He ain't never been that freakin' mad and outta control `bout nothin' and he just kinda lost it." "If your dad got help to deal with his anger, would you want to live with him again?" "Well, sure. He's a great guy when he ain't mad and I love him, I just wish he wouldn't beat me the way he does. Maybe I shouldn't a stood up to him like I did yesterday." "Logan," Tom started, "it takes a brave person to stand up to an authority figure who's doing the wrong thing. What you did yesterday and this morning, I call that bravery." "Weren't no bravery this mornin' Mr. Wright. That was all about self-preservation and survival." "You can call what you want, young man, I call it bravery." "Now, I've got another question for you, Logan." "Shoot, Mr. Sanders." "I'm assume, since you're sitting there, you don't have a problem with all of us bein' nude, do you?" "Nope, don't bother me a damn bit. Since it's been just me and my daddy at home the last couple years, we don't worry too much `bout wearin' clothes. Course, he's usually wearin' his boxers, but I don't wear nothin' and he don't bitch about it, so I just enjoy it. Unless somebody drops by and that don't happen too much since he's such an asshole to other people. Don't nobody want to hang around too much. Never knew there was other folks who did the same thing, though. Kinda nice to know we're not so different, after all." "Nope, not so different at all. Well, Logan, welcome to the zoo. You're gonna fit in just dandy with the other monkeys that live here. There's one other rule in this house you need to know about..." "Joey and Alex already told me, Mr. Sanders. In their rooms with the door closed. That is what you were gonna say, wasn't it?" I detected just a light tinting of pink occurring in his ears as he said it. "As a matter of fact, it was, but seeing as they've already taken care of it, I'll just shut the heck up." All six gave a big giggle at that. "Well, looks like our popcorn's ready, shall we start the third show?" With agreement from everyone, we grabbed our bowls and drinks and returned to the theater. Though I assumed Logan wouldn't be living with us for very long, it was nice to see how easily he fit in with the rest of the crew. Maybe this wouldn't be too bad, after all. When our show ended, I ordered pizzas from Capone's for supper and while I made the trip to pick them up, the boys were busy setting the table and getting everyone's drinks. By the time I got back home, everyone else was already seated and ready to dig in. I set the pizzas and breadsticks on the table, then continued on to the bedroom to get undressed. As I walked through the kitchen, I yelled, "Y'all try to leave some for me please." A loud and long chorus of laughter followed me all the way down the hall. One thing I am quickly learning is to not turn your back on food when there's a group of hungry, growing boys anywhere nearby. When I got back to the table, I noticed Tom had filled my plate for me, so I needn't have worried about getting some supper. Before taking my own chair, I gave him a kiss and whispered, "Thanks for making sure I didn't starve tonight." "No problem. I almost got a fork in the back of my hand for it, but I fought `em all off." The boys all laughed heartily at that, and I did, too. "Well, I thank you for your bravery against such formidable opponents. I trust you fought honorably." "Never. Especially when food's involved. It's first come, first served." The three oldest boys cracked up with laughter. Tom gave them a sideways glance and asked, "Do I wanna know what that's all about?" "Probably not, Pops," Joey answered through his continuing giggles. To change the topic from the direction I felt it was headed, I asked, "Logan, are you going to try to go to school tomorrow or would you rather stay here?" "I think I'd like to stay here, if that's okay with you, Mr. Sanders. I'd really hate to be there lookin' like a freakin' raccoon all day. Maybe my eyes won't look so bad on Tuesday." "That's fine. I'll call the office in the morning to let them know where you are." "Thanks, Mr. Sanders, I really appreciate it." "Oh, and as long you're here, please can call me Max or Dad, and use Tom or Pops for the big guy over here. Calling us Mr. just makes sound a lot older than we are." "Mmmph, big guy," he chortled. "I guess if the shoe fits, right?" "We're referring to his muscles, Logan, nothin' else." "Yeah, right," he retorted with a snicker. "He's bigger than my old man." "You'll find out as you go through life that there all shapes and sizes of bodies in this world, but on the inside, we're all the same, and that's the part that matters." "Whatever," he mumbled. "Next question, we have a spare bedroom, but there's no bed in it right now. Will you be okay sharing a bed with Alex and Joey until we can get the bed brought back from my storage building?" Logan turned to his friends and, after seeing the sly grins on their faces, knew what his answer was going to be. "Oh, yeah, that's fine with me, Mr. San..., uh, Max," he answered with his own wicked grin. Their bed is huge and there should plenty of room for all three of us, no sweat." "Well, another problem solved. We're on a roll, Tom, what's next?" "Um, I can't think of anything. Sounds like we got it all squared away to me." The rest of the meal was fairly quiet, the only comments coming from the boys about school tomorrow morning. When we were all done eating, we worked together to clean up the table, put the extra pizza and breadsticks in the fridge for lunch tomorrow and then settled in the living room to relax by the fireplace for a while. Mike pulled out the Uno cards and the boys played on the floor while Tom and I returned to our books. I started yawning about an hour later and decided it was time to head for bed. "Boys, it' been a long weekend and tomorrow has `long day' written all over it. I think it's time we all hit the sack so we can start tomorrow bright-eyed and bushy-tailed." "Aw-w-w, do we hafta?" whined Mike. "You don't necessarily need to go sleep right now, but I'd really appreciate if you'd climb in bed. If you want to talk or watch TV in your rooms for a half hour, that's fine. As long you promise us that lights and TVs go off then. How does that sound?" "That's cool, Dad, thanks." "No problem. Come give us our hugs before you go." One by one, they came by and we swapped hugs, kisses, goodnights and love yous before trudging on to their rooms. All expect for Alex, who held back until he heard the last door close, then sat on the coffee table in front of me. "Yes, son?" "Dad, I know we told you we were sorry about what happened yesterday but I want to say it again. We know we were wrong to push you, but something you said this afternoon made Joey and I realize how really wrong we were." "What did I say?" "It's when you were telling us about what rape is, about how it's when you force someone into sex. When you said it, Joey and I suddenly realized that's kinda what we did to you. When we pulled your shorts down so Brent could see your penis, we forced you into something you really didn't want to happen. I noticed even then that you kinda went into zombie mode or somethin', but I was too horned up to stop it. Then when you almost left the bathroom still hangin' out of your shorts, I knew we'd really screwed up. All three of us are really, really sorry we did that to you and we won't never do nothin' like that ever again, we promise. Please don't send us to jail for rapin' you, please!" He had already started to tear up when he began apologizing, but he was really crying when he finished. "Come here, buddy." Alex came over, crawled up in my lap and I wrapped my arms around his quivering body. "What happened was a mistake, yes, but I wouldn't call it rape and I wouldn't ever dream of you going to jail for it. Let me tell you something. When you guys pulled my shorts down, I felt like I was losing control, kind of like I did 20 years ago when I was abused by the Muellers and that's why I spaced out." "Oh, god, I knew it, we're just like them. Maybe we should be in jail," he sobbed. Tom came over, laid a hand on his back, then calmly said, "Alex, listen to me. You guys are nothing like the Muellers and you're not going to jail." "Really?" Alex whined. "Really. But after what your dad's been through, you and your brothers need understand that he's in a really fragile state of mind. Something that maybe wouldn't have been a problem a week ago can now become a big problem very quickly. Our biggest concern over the whole thing is involving Brent in it. Had it been just you and Joey, it wouldn't be as big an issue. Including Brent could open us up to all kinds of problems, especially if he ever tells anybody about it." "He said he'd never say a word. He promised!" "And we hope he doesn't, but if he does, there's no end to the problems we could have. Do you understand that?" "Yeah, I guess so." "Good. Why don't you go to our bathroom, straighten up your face, dry your eyes and blow your nose? That way when you go to your room, you might not look too much like you've been crying." "Okay." Alex hopped of my lap and headed to our bedroom. "Whoa, I didn't see that comin'," Tom said quietly. "I sure didn't either, but I'm glad they truly realize it was a mistake and something like that can't happen again. Although..." "What?" "The last thing Brent said to me before going to get dressed was he still wants to return the favor." "Holy crap, are you kiddin' me?" "Nope." "Max, you can't let that happen." "I know, bubba, I know." Alex reappeared on his way back from our bathroom and stopped between Tom and me. He grabbed our necks, one in each arm, and whispered, "We really love you guys, we hope you know that." "We do, buddy. And we love you, too." "Oh, one more thing, we also want to say thanks for helpin' us out last night. We couldn't figure out what we was doin' wrong. We didn't have no problems this mornin' though," he giggled through his grin. "I'm glad for you guys. That's a big step to take. We're glad we could give you some guidance so you didn't hurt yourselves." "We're kinda sorry for interruptin' your own, um, love makin', but I think you two really liked us bein' there with ya'." Tom and I exchanged a sheepish glance before he answered, "To be honest, we enjoyed watchin' you two. We might like to do that again sometime." "Next time, if there is a next time, the two of us wanna do it to you two." "We'll see buddy. Now scoot, please, I need some sleep." As Alex walked away, he turned back and winked, then disappeared down the hall. "Oh, my, life is going to be very, very interesting, isn't it?" Tom asked. "You're just now figuring that out? Took ya' long enough. I've known that since the first time I met these guys. But that's okay, it sure beats the hell out of boring. Well, look, this has been a long damn day and I'm beat. Also, I can hear my pillows calling me. You comin' to bed with me?" "It's still pretty early for me, babe. I thought I'd read a little more by the fire, it you don't mind." "Whatever you want." I leaned over and gave Tom a kiss and a hug. "I love you, big buy. See you in the morning." "I love you, too. I'll try not to wake you when I come to bed." I strolled into the bedroom, visited the bathroom one more time, then crawled under the covers where I promptly fell asleep. I have no idea when Tom came to bed, but I still managed to entwine myself in his strong, safe arms during the night. Considering the dreams I kept having, that was a good place to find myself when I woke up to start the new day. As I made my way to the bathroom, my mind was swirling with the thoughts of having to relive my abuse at the hand of the Muellers again as I told my story to Dylan. I was not looking forward to the day at all. In fact, I wanted nothing more at that moment than to crawl back in bed, pull the covers over my head, and hide from the world. Unfortunately, that wasn't an option if I wanted to see them in prison where they belonged. I ambled across the house to wake the boys and get them moving as they start another fun-filled week of school. I stopped to wake the twins and Logan first and found them in their regular pretzeled position with Logan in the middle. The covers had been shoved to the side and their beautiful bodies were on full display. The most intriguing part of this morning's twining was each lad had a hand wrapped around the turgid member of another. Damn, but I love mornings. I hated to wake them, but two were going to school so I leaned over and shook Alex's shoulder. As his eyes fluttered open, he made no attempt to remove his hand from Logan's hardness, but looked up at me and mumbled, "Oh, hey, Dad. Time to get up?" "Why else would I be waking you? Get those other two lumps movin', will ya'? I got three more to roust." "Sure thing." He turned to the other two and yelled, "YO! Time to move sleepyheads!" Though I knew I needed to move on, I couldn't tear my eyes away from the tableau in front of me, so, I stood there like a statue and watched as Logan and Joey's eyes snapped open in a flash of confusion. Logan immediately realized he was exposed and there was a hand holding his perfect pecker. Then the confusion on his face grew even deeper as he realized it wasn't his own hand because that was wrapped around Joey's sweet meat. "Oh, shit!" he exclaimed removing hands from various locations and scrambling for the covers. "Chill out, dude, Dad's cool," Alex said. "He knows what boners are and what they look like. He should since he sees `em every morning." "Sorry, man, I wasn't thinkin'. My old man's never seen me hard. Bein' `round him always makes it wilt in a hurry." "Ain't no big deal `round here, goofball," Joey replied, laying his head in Logan's lap and giving the stiff, hot cocksicle located there a quick lick, eliciting a giggle from Logan. "Dicks get hard, dicks get soft, who gives a fu..., uh, rat's behind?" "Good catch, young man," I commented. "Up and at `em boys. Breakfast in fifteen." I left that trio to their own devices and moved on to the next. Opening the door to their room, I found T.J., Mike and Andy in a similar position as the other three, covers pushed to the end of the bed, legs and arms entwined, and hands wrapped around engorged cocklets. Someday, I'm going to have to take some pictures of these young lads in this state, if for no other reason than to embarrass them later in life. But now that I think about it some more, they probably just think, `yeah, I knew what I liked, even when I was asleep'. I shook Mike's shoulder to wake him up and soon as I did, he began disentangling himself from the other two while mumbling, "Yeah, Dad, we're movin'." He shook Andy and T.J., receiving moans from them at having to move. "Breakfast in fifteen," I called out as I left the room to wake the furry teddy bear still sleeping at the other end of the house. There was no pretzel happening here since Tom was alone, but there was no hiding the obscene bulge pushing the sheet up and forming a tent over his midsection. I snaked my hand under the sheet and wrapped it around the stiff pole supporting the peak of the tent. His eyes flew open and a throaty growl of lust emanated from deep within his body, causing vibrations to emanate through his shaft and tickle my palm. "C'mon, big guy, time to get movin'," I chided as I pulled my hand out from under the sheet. "Oh, man, don't tease me like that. It's not nice to leave a guy high and dry like that." "You were already high, bubba, but not so dry," I laughed as I licked the ooze from my hand. "Serves ya' right, jerk," he grumbled as he got up and headed to the bathroom. "See you in the kitchen. I'll have coffee ready when you get there." "You sure as hell better." I disappeared down the hall and entered the kitchen just as Alex, Joey and Logan arrived and hopped up on their stools, all three still sharing two stools. "Looks like I need to buy another stool, doesn't it?" "We're okay, Max. I don't mind sharin'," Logan answered. "We'll see. How does cereal and toast sound to you guys this morning?" "Fine with us, Dad," Alex answered. "Do we really have to go to school today?" Joey asked as I put the cereal, bowls and milk on the counter. "Of course, you do, why would you ask such a silly question?" "I was hopin' since Logan was stayin' here today, we could, too." "Sorry, boys, not gonna happen. Logan has a valid excuse to miss a day," I answered, pulling the toaster from the cabinet and getting it set up. Next, I got the coffee going so it would be ready when Tom joined us. "Dang it," Alex exclaimed. Mike, T.J. and Andy finally joined us and I filled their bowls with their cereal of choice and milk. "You guys ready for another fun-filled of school?" "No!" was the answer from all six. "Well, y'all better get ready, there's lots to learn and school's the place to learn it." Since the coffee was done brewing, I poured two cups and had just taken my first sip when Tom meandered down the hall and joined us. "Mornin', Grumpy. Coffee's on the counter, as promised." "Thanks, I needed that. You seem awfully chipper this morning, all things considered." "I feel pretty chipper, too, despite the lousy dreams and worrying about talking to Dylan this morning. I can't explain why, but it feels good." "I'm glad to hear you're feeling better. Any English muffins left?" "Should be some in the bread drawer. I'll take one, too, if you don't mind." Tom took care of the muffins for us and I pulled out the honey so I could put some on mine. When the boys finished their cereal, they rinsed their bowls and dropped `em in the dishwasher, then returned to their rooms to get dressed for school. While we munched our muffins I asked, "Do you mind runnin' the boys out to the bus this morning? I've got a few things deal with before Dylan gets here." "Sure, what are you dealing with?" "I want to call James and get him to push the Mueller's to make their restitution to the twins before they go to prison. Then, I want to call Ron about coming out to talk to him about coming to work out here, if you're still cool with that idea?" "Sounds good to me, still." "Good, I was hoping you'd say that. I also need to get the Spiderwick books ordered. After losin' it yesterday, I kinda forgot all about it." "Oops. I hate when that happens. Forgettin' shit, that is. You can't really control the other." "That's the other thing I need to do, call Paul and see if he's found someone I can talk to. I want to get started with that as soon as I can, try and get things under better control." The boys were filtering back in and waiting for Tom to run them out to the bus shelter. "You better get a move on, Tom, the bus will be here any minute." "Just need to pull on some sweats. Be right back." As he turned down the hall to get dressed, Logan climbed up on the stool. "What am I supposed to do today?" he asked. "Do you have any homework to work on that you didn't get done over the weekend?" "A little bit, but it won't take long for me to finish it." "Well, why don't you grab it real quick and get started on it. I need to call the school and let them know where you are." "You want me to do it out here?" "If you want, or you can use one of the desks in the twins' room, whichever you prefer, Logan." "Okay, I'll be back in a minute." As he headed to grab his backpack, Tom stopped by to give me a kiss before delivering the boys to the end of the drive. After getting my goodbye hugs from the boys, they headed to the garage. Logan returned with his backpack and pulled out his work to get started on it. While he was doing that, I picked up the phone and called the school. "New Berlin schools, may I help you?" Gloria asked in greeting. "Good morning, Gloria, Max Sanders here, how are you this beautiful Monday morning?" "It's Monday, Mr. Sanders, do you really have to ask?" she chuckled. "No, probably not. The reason I'm calling this morning is to let you know that Logan Campbell won't be at school today?" "Well, thanks for calling to let us know, but why are you calling for him? Why isn't his father calling?" "Um, how can I say this? Let's just say that Mr. Campbell is currently indisposed and not allowed to make phone calls. As a result, Logan is staying with us for the time being." "Okay," she responded slowly. "Do I want to know what happened or is it none of my business." "I'm sure you'll find out in due time, Gloria. I expect Logan should be ready to return to school tomorrow, but if that changes, I'll let you know. Could you please make sure either Alex or Joey has whatever assignments Logan will need to work on so they can bring home whatever he needs?" "Thanks, Mr. Sanders, and sure, I'll let Mr. Thomas know. Anything else I can do for you this morning?" "Actually, yes, is Mr. Furman available?" "One moment, please." Ten seconds later, Steve answered the phone, "Mornin', Max. How ya' doin'?" "I've had better days, but I'll survive it." "Nothing serious, I hope." "It's serious, but nothing we can't deal with. Listen, I wanted to talk to you to let you know that Joey and Alex have finished working on the fourth-grade math text." "What!?" Logan exclaimed in one ear. "What!? Are you serious?" Steve shouted in my other ear. I put a finger to my lips to ask Logan to be quiet, then continued my call with Steve. "Of course, I am. I checked over their work and didn't find any mistakes, but I'll bring the texts and their notebooks to you this afternoon or tomorrow so you can see them. I hope you were serious about giving the fifth-grade texts." "Without a doubt, Max. I'll look forward to seeing how they do with it." "That's good news, Steve, they'll love it. One more thing I want you to know about. Logan Campbell won't be at school today. I told Gloria already, but I didn't tell her why." "Uh-oh, that doesn't sound like good news." "It's not. He was here for the twins' birthday party Saturday, and his father took umbrage with Tom and me being gay. When Logan returned home after the party, his dad beat him pretty badly and Charlie's sitting in the county jail right now and facing child abuse charges." "Is Logan okay? How badly was he hurt?" "He's pretty well bruised from his shoulders to his knees, including two black eyes. Logan asked if he could stay here today so he wouldn't be looking like a raccoon at school." "No problem, Max. I'd imagine he's pretty miserable right now. If he wants to take a couple days, that's fine. I'll make sure we send any assignments home with Alex and Joey." "I've already asked Gloria to do that and she said she let Mr. Thomas know." "Excellent. Look, you take care of Logan and he can come back when he's ready." "We'll do that Steve. Thanks. We'll talk to you later." "Thanks for calling, Max. Have a good day." After hanging up, I turned to Logan and said, "Okay, buddy, you're all set. The school said you take as many days as you need to feel better, and the twins will be bringing home any work you need to do. Cool with you?" "Yeah, that's great, Max. Thanks. And thanks for letting me stay here. I don't know where else I'd go." "Don't you worry about it." "What was that you were saying about Joey and Alex having a fourth-grade math book?" "Well, we're supposed to keep it quiet, but since you're living here, you're bound to find out. They're both really, really good with numbers and math and they were bored with the work in the class, so I asked the school to give them next year's book and see what they did with it." "Knowing those two, they probably flew right through the dang thing. I've noticed they're always the first ones done with any homework or tests. How long did it take `em to finish it, a couple months?" "Less than two weeks." "Holy crap! I could never do that." "Well, I don't think I could either, so don't feel too bad." Tom finally returned from dropping the boys at the shelter and headed directly to the bedroom to get undressed. When he came back, I said, "Just got off the phone with the school to let them know about Logan. Now, I'm getting ready to call James to sic him on the Mueller's. Before I do, though, I want to ask a favor of you." "If I can do it, I will. Shoot." "Would you mind taking those fourth-grade math texts and the twins' notebooks to the school this afternoon. Steve would like to review them before he gives them the next text." "Sure thing. Was he surprised when you told him they were done with it?" "More like astonished. Thanks, bubba, I appreciate it. Now, James." I dialed his number and since it was still a bit early, he answered his own phone. "James Cantrell, Attorney-at-Law, how may I help you." "You still chargin' those outrageous fees, you shyster?" I asked with a laugh. "Damn right, I am. You still writin' books nobody wants to read?" he joked back. "Is there any other kind?" "Not for you, there isn't. So, what's up, Max. You never call me unless you need something." "I need you to go after Frank and Iris Mueller." "For what? I didn't represent you with that case." "I know, but you were there in the court when the judge rendered his decision. The damages they were supposed to pay to the boys were to go to a gay youth suicide hotline. I'm betting they haven't done it. I need you to find out if they've paid, and if they haven't, I want you to hound whoever you have to make it happen, and quick." "I'll be happy to it, but why the pressure?" "Because I don't think they're going to be able to stay out of prison very much longer and once they're inside, they won't be able to pay. I want to make sure it's done before they go away." "What the hell are you talking about?" "Let's just say they're about to get swallowed up in a child sex abuse investigation and once that investigation is completed, they'll no longer be free people." "And just how do you know that's going to happen." "Because I was one of their victims and I'm talking to the police this morning." "Oh, shit, Max. I had no idea." "I didn't either, really, until just last week, again. So, do me a favor and get their money while they still have some. Once they have to pay for lawyers to try to save their sorry asses, there won't be any left for the hotline." "You got it Max. We'll get right on it and I'll let you know when it's done. And since I'll enjoy this, I'm not even gonna charge you this time." "That's great, although I'll be happy to do so." "Nope, this one's on the house. Do you want to sue them, also?" "No need. There's no statute of limitation on the criminal charges they'll be facing, so putting them in prison is the best outcome. Besides, I don't want any of their damn money. It'd just be another reminder I don't need." "Understood. Well, I better quit wastin' time on the phone with you and get busy. Thanks for the call and if you need anything, call me." "Will do, James. Give `em hell for me." I hung up the phone, turned to Tom and asked, "Okay who was next?" "Ron, and then Paul. Or was it Paul first? Either way." "Paul first, I think. Maybe I can get to him before he's with a patient." I dialed his number and waited patiently for an answer. "You've reached the Kirkland home and office, this is Joy." "Good morning, Joy, Max Sanders here. How are you this bright and beautiful Monday?" "Oh, morning, Max. We're good, how are you doing?" "Nothin' but better days ahead, I hope. Hey, is Paul available?" "Sure thing, he's just finishing his coffee, one second." She handed the phone to her husband and he greeted me with, "Mornin' Max. How you feelin' today?" "I'm not real sure. Better than I was last time you saw me, but not by much." "What's going on?" "Well, I kinda freaked out yesterday and lost control. Scared the crap out of all of us. Tom was able to help me regain control, but it was a struggle. From his experience on the force, he thinks I might be dealing with PTSD. Is that really possible after all this time?" "Not only possible, but very probable. You're dealing with emotions and feelings that have been bottled up and festering for over twenty years. I'd actually be surprised if things didn't boil over and explode from time to time." "Great, just freakin' great. Any luck on finding someone else I can talk to so I can learn to deal with this?" "As a matter of fact, I was going to be calling you in a bit to give you a name and number. She has some time slots open this week and she's waiting for you to call. Let me get to my office and I'll give you her information." After a brief moment on hold, he came back on the line. "Okay, you ready?" "You bet." "Her name is Jean Schaid. Her office is in Clocktower, so it should be easy for you to get to and here's her number." I wrote down all the information as he gave it to me because I knew I wouldn't be able to remember it otherwise. "She's a no-nonsense type of psychologist and believes in attacking things head-on. If there's anyone in town who can help you, it's her. I talked to her briefly and gave her a little bit of background on your situation, so she knows what she'll be dealin' with." "Thanks, Paul, I really appreciate this. And we are all very thankful for your help last week. I'm not sure what would have happened if you hadn't come out when you did." "I'm always happy to help out a friend, Max. By the way, you should be hearing from the police soon. I turned over my report to them Friday." "Funny you should mention that. Dylan's coming out to talk to me this morning." "Good, I'd figured they wouldn't waste any time, not with the information I included in the report." "The sooner I get done dealing with this insanity, the sooner we can move on with our lives out here. Oh, hey, that reminds me of something I don't think we've talked about yet." "What's that?" "Tom and I are getting married May seventeenth. We'd really like it if you and Joy could be here." "We'd love to join you. I'll let Joy know." "We'll be sending out invitations in a bit, but I wanted to give you a little advanced notice." "Thanks for that, you can count on us being there." "Excellent, we'll look forward to it. Thanks again for Jean's name and number. I'll call her right now." "No problems, Max. I wish you the best of luck and if you need me for anything, just call." That call completed, I dialed Jean's number. "The Schaid practice, how can we help you." "Good morning, I was given Dr. Schaid's name by Dr. Paul Kirkland and I'd like to make an appointment." "May I have your name, sir?" "Max Sanders." "Oh, yes, the doctor told me to expect your call. Let me pull up her schedule. Okay, here we go, she has appointments available tomorrow at ten, Wednesday at two and Friday at eleven. Which one would you like to have?" "Tomorrow at ten would be perfect." "No problem, Mr. Sanders. I have you down and we'll look for you then. Do you have our address?" "Yes, Dr. Kirkland gave it to me." "Then we'll see you tomorrow morning, Mr. Sanders. Have a good day." "Thanks, you too." After hanging up the phone again, I turned to Tom and told him, "Appointment tomorrow morning at ten with Dr. Schaid. Do not let me forget it." "You want me to go with you, babe?" "Probably not a bad idea. God knows what kind of shape I'll be in after." "What about me," Logan asked. "Well, buddy, if you don't go to school, I guess you go with us," Tom answered. "Cool. It'll be like a field trip." "I guess so," I answered, leaning across the counter and ruffling his hair. "Okay, Ron was next, right?" "Yep, then Amazon, Spiderwick." I dialed the number for Merry Maids. "Merry Maids, this is Joyce, how can we brighten your day?" "Joyce, this is Max Sanders, how are you?" "I'm well, thanks for asking." "Look, I had a crew of yours out a while back to give my home a quick cleaning. I have some more things I'd like to have done and I'd like to arrange for Ron to come take care of them for me." "We can certainly do that, Mr. Sanders. Any particular reason you're requesting Ron?" "Well, some of what I want done will require use of a tall ladder," I said as the reason while looking to Tom and shrugging my shoulders. "I just thought Ron might be more willing to accept the challenge." After a quick chuckle, Joyce replied, "No doubt about that. Most of my ladies won't do ladders more than three foot tall. When would you like Ron to come out?" "If possible, tomorrow afternoon, say, around two or so? I expect he'll be here for a couple hours." "Let me look at his schedule, one moment." After a few moments, she came back on the call, "Shouldn't be a problem, Mr. Sanders. I just talked to him and he's looking forward to coming out. Thanks for calling and have a great day." "Okay, Ron will be here around two tomorrow. We'll see if we can get some real help around here keeping things clean. Now, I need a computer to order those books." I headed to office and five minutes later, the whole series of Spiderwick Chronicles books were ordered and they were scheduled to arrive Wednesday. As I rejoined Tom and Logan in the kitchen, I commented, "Okay, I think that's everybody and everything I wanted to take care of this morning. Have I missed anything?" "Let's see, school, James, Paul, Jean, Ron, Amazon. Nope that sounds like everyone I knew about. You didn't want to call the pope or the president, did ya'." "Gee, let me think about that. First, the Pope. Since I'm an atheist, I think I'm the absolute last person with whom he wants to have a discussion, on any topic, so I think we can safely rule him out. Second, our president. As for the poor imitation of a world leader currently residing in our White House, I wouldn't walk across the street to piss on him if he was on fire. So, I think I'll pass on the opportunity to place that particular call, also. Guess that means I'm done. Guess we should get ready for Dylan to show up." "What do ya' mean," Logan asked. "When people come to the house, Logan, we get dressed." "But we didn't yesterday, we just wrapped a towel around ourselves." "Yesterday was kind of a fluke and we didn't have the time to actually get shorts. Tom and I will have on shorts and a t-shirt today. I expect you to have on shorts, at least, okay." "But if this is your house, why do you get dressed? Why don't you make people get naked like you?" "It's called courtesy, Logan. Yes, it's our house and they're just visiting, but still, we don't want anyone to feel awkward when they're here. Besides, you said you and your dad do the same at your home, right?" "Yeah, we do. Okay, I'll get a pair of shorts, I think I brought some with me." "If you didn't, you can borrow some from Alex or Joey, okay?" DING! "And now's the time, so scoot, young man." Logan headed across the house to the twins' room while Tom and I headed to our room. Just as we were coming back down the hall, the doorbell rang. I headed to the door as Tom continued to the living room and Logan returned to the kitchen to continue his homework. I opened the front door to find Dylan and Derek. "Mornin', guys, come on in. I didn't know you were bringing backup with you today, Dylan." "Well, I hadn't planned on it, but Derek asked me this morning if he could join me, and I figured two heads are better than one, so I brought him with me. I hope that's okay." "That's fine. Why don't we talk in the living room? It's the most comfortable." Logan stuck his head out of the kitchen and said, "Hi, Mr. Timmons." "Good morning to you, too, Logan. How ya' doin' today?" "Pretty good, but Max let me stay home from school." "Is he the young man you assisted yesterday, Deputy?" Dylan asked. "Yes, sir." "Logan, I'd like to talk to you when I'm done talking with Mr. Sanders. Is that all right?" "You bet, whenever." "Good, I'll let you know when." Dylan turned back to me and asked, "Well, shall we get this interview started?" "No time like the present, I guess," I replied and led the way to the living room to join Tom.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 54</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc491772322"><span>Chapter 54 � The Sunday from Hell</span></a></h2> <p><span>I picked up the receiver and answered, "Hey, Carol, how ya' doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"Great, Max, how about you guys? Everybody good?"</span></p> <p><span>"About as well as can be expected. Had an interesting party yesterday with the twins and all their friends, but we survived it and the house still stands. How was your weekend with your mom and dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"We had a wonderful time, thanks for asking. Look, I'm sorry to call you on a Sunday afternoon when you're probably trying to enjoy a day with your family, but you <i>did</i> leave a message telling me to do so."</span></p> <p><span>"So I did. Listen, I talked to Alex and Joey about the Muellers Friday night and you'll be happy to know they never abused the twins. At least, not like they did me."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, thank, God," Carol breathed with a sigh of relief.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, there's more. I've already told Dylan about this and I figured you'd want to know, too. Alex and Joey have given me a list of sixty names that they've picked up from the Mueller's over the last several years."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean by <i>picked up</i>?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know how twins can sometimes feel things from the other twin without actually <i>knowing</i> about it, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, with Joey and Alex, it goes quite a bit further than that. They can also pick up emotions from other people, not just each other. And from what they've told me, the more time they spend around the same people, they actually start to get thoughts and images from them also. Joey <i>saw</i> a flicker of an image from me the other night, straight from my mind. And it wasn't a good thing to see."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my. I bet that unsettled him."</span></p> <p><span>"Both of them, really. Without going into any serious details with them, they <i>know</i> what the Muellers did to me, Carol. There was nothing I could do to stop it from happening. And poor T.J. saw a whole lot more."</span></p> <p><span>"What!?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he told me yesterday morning that he's seen every image that's flashed through my mind the last several days. And even though we haven't told the boys about what happened at Walmart on Thursday, T.J. said it was too bad Tom stopped me from killing Frank. The <i>only</i> way he'd know about that is by seeing it from somewhere in my mind"</span></p> <p><span>"I had no idea T.J. could do that."</span></p> <p><span>"Apparently, he didn't either until he started spending a bunch of time with the twins. Their ability for certain feats of mental magic has awakened his own gift and he has already passed up what Joey and Alex can do."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it sure sounds like your lives are going to be interesting. Now, back to this list of names. Did I hear you right, you have sixteen names the twins got from Frank and Iris?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, Carol <i>not</i> sixteen, <i>sixty</i>. Actually, it's sixty-three."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hell, this is so much worse than we thought."</span></p> <p><span>"You don't have to tell me that. I'm guessing that most of those are not kids your agency placed with them over the years, but who knows for sure? Since they got me at the church, it seems reasonable to assume that most of those involved will be from there."</span></p> <p><span>"What do I have to do to get that list, Max? I'll come out now to pick it up if it's okay with you."</span></p> <p><span>"If you want to, that's fine. Or you can wait until you can get it from Dylan. He's coming out tomorrow morning to talk me and I'm going to give his copy to him then. Whatever you want to do."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd just as soon have it today. That way, I can start checking our files first thing tomorrow morning."</span></p> <p><span>"I understand. We're going to be out in the pool, but I'll leave the front door unlocked for you. Just come on out to the pool when you get here."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do that. See you guys in a while."</span></p> <p><span>I hung up the phone and finally joined the rest of the family in the pool. When I opened the door to the shelter, the noise level almost deafened me. You'd have thought yesterday's party was still going on. I gave a loud whistle to get their attention and silence settled except for the quiet lapping of the waves. "Thank you, boys. Can we please keep the volume level at `dull roar'? Mike, have you done your half hour of swimming lessons with the others, yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, `cause nobody'll listen to me."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, here's your chance. Boy's, time to listen to and learn from your brother." Mike took it from there and soon had the other four holding on to the side of the pool and working on their kick. I moseyed on around the pool and joined Tom in the deep end.</span></p> <p><span>"That took longer than you thought, didn't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"It was Carol. No way I could tell her to take a hike. She's coming out to get the list Joey and Alex created, said she be here in a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Should we get out of the pool?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why bother? She knows we swim nude and she's seen every one of us nude at one time or another, hasn't she?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, didn't think about that. I'm cool with it if you are."</span></p> <p><span>"Might as well be, shouldn't we? And this fall, we're gonna have four other adults living here full time and we're gonna have to get used to that, too. I'm about ready to put a sign by the front door that says, `Beyond this portal, you <i>will</i> encounter nude bodies. If that offends you, go away!' What do you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, that might be just a bit over the top, don't ya' think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I don't know. I'm just gettin' tired of living by other people's rules. It's our house, damn it. We should be able to live however we want here and if they can't deal with it, then it's their own damn problem, not mine."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, big dog. Don't bite <i>my</i> head off `cause you're pissed off at the world."</span></p> <p><span>"I know. Sorry `bout that. I can't seem to think straight about anything right now."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, there's a good reason for that, ya' know. I mean, think about it, how the hell is gay guy supposed to think <i>straight </i>about anything, anyway." It was a weak damn joke, but I had to laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, I needed that. Keep me laughing."</span></p> <p><span>"If I don't, they will," he chuckled, pointing to the five wild monkeys at the other end of the pool.</span></p> <p><span>"Good point." DING! "I bet that's Carol. She's sooner than I thought she would be."</span></p> <p><span>"Who's gonna answer the door?"</span></p> <p><span>"I left it unlocked for her and told her to come on out to the pool." We waited for a couple of minutes and when Carol didn't come out, I commented, "I wonder if she got lost. I better go check." I climbed out of the pool, grabbed a towel to dry off and then wrapped it around it my waist. As I entered the house, I called out, "Carol!?" I got no response except to hear the doorbell ring. "Oh, c'mon Carol, I left the door unlocked for ya'." I walked across the house and opened the door to a big, and little, surprise standing on the front porch. I suddenly felt very self-conscious and somehow exposed standing there with just a towel around my waist.</span></p> <p><span>"Afternoon, Max, how ya' doin'?" Derek greeted me with a cheery smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Derek, what the heck are you doin' here? We didn't call the cops."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, you sure didn't, but young Logan Campbell <i>did</i>. Step on out here young man."</span></p> <p><span>Logan moved from his hiding spot behind Derek and looked up at me with tears flooding his eyes. At least, what you could see of his eyes, swollen, and black, blue and yellow with bruises the way they were. "Oh, my god, Logan, what happened!" I cried as I knelt down to his level. "Were you in an accident? Are you oaky?"</span></p> <p><span>"I wish I was, Mr. Sanders," he whimpered. "No, my daddy did this to me after I got home last night." I looked up to Derek who nodded solemnly. "I called 9-1-1 this morning `cause I thought he might start beatin' on me some more. A bunch of cops showed up and they took my daddy away. And since my momma's gone, they couldn't leave me at home and Deputy Timmons said he'd take care of me. I didn't know he was bringing me here."</span></p> <p><span>I stood back up, holding my towel to ensure it stayed in place, and said, "Get in here, you two." After they were in the house and I closed the door, I asked, "So what happens now, Derek?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that kinda depends on you, Max. I was hopin' you might be willing to give Logan a place to stay for a bit while we figure out what's gonna happen with his dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I don't know, shouldn't you be contacting a child welfare agency or something?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, can we talk privately for a moment?" Derek asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure. Logan, Tom and the boys are all out in the pool. Why don't you go on out and join them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Mr. Sanders, thanks." He limped slowly through the house, dropping his bag on the couch as he went by it, on through the glass doors and into the shelter. We could see him pulling off his shirt as soon as he was inside the shelter and getting ready to jump in the pool.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's sit down, Derek." I led the way to the living room and after getting comfortable, I asked, "So, what about calling DCFS?"</span></p> <p><span>"Normally, yeah, we would, but I hate the idea of Logan getting dumped into that system. You have no idea what those kids go through."</span></p> <p><span>"Not in detail, no, but I'm learning more from our boys every day." </span></p> <p><span>At that moment, Tom appeared, sans towel wrap, and asked, "What the fuck happened to Logan!? He's got bruises coverin' him from head to toe." He then realized Derek was sitting there with me and tried to cover himself with his hands while muttering, "Whoops, sorry, Derek, didn't realize you were here."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Tom. We've shared a locker room enough times, there's not much we ain't seen already, is there?"</span></p> <p><span>"S'pose not. So, answer me, what the hell happened?"</span></p> <p><span>"Logan's father decided to express his anger last night by beating his son. He's now in custody and getting booked at the county building for child abuse. Since Logan's mom is dead, we couldn't just leave him at home, could we? It was my idea to bring him here. I'm hoping that's okay with y'all." DING! "What the hell was that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just the drive sensor telling us someone else is here. Probably Carol. Tom, you might want to find a towel or something."</span></p> <p><span>"What? My hands not good enough for ya?" he chuckled. "Seriously, though, good idea, be right back." He zipped back out to the pool and returned still wrapping the towel around his waist. "I had the boys get out of the pool and they're yakkin' up a storm `til we get back out there."</span></p> <p><span>"Who's Carol," Derek asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Carol Ward. She works at the agency helping us with our adoption of the boys. She's here for another reason, but she should get involved with this also."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn it, I wanted to keep those people out of this," Derek complained.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, Derek, Carol's a good guy, or gal, actually," Tom replied. "She'll do the right thing."</span></p> <p><span>The front door opened and Carol stepped inside. "Well, hi guys, thought you were gonna be in the pool. And I didn't expect Dylan to be here. Thought you were talking to him tomorrow," she said as crossed over to join us. "Wait, you're not Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"What was your first clue, there, Carol, his lack of tan?" Tom laughed. "No, this is my former partner, Derek Timmons. Derek, Carol Ward." After a mutual greeting and handshake, Tom continued. "We have a teeny, tiny problem, Carol, and you should know about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, lord, now what?" she groaned.</span></p> <p><span>"The father of one of the party guests yesterday severely beat his son last night after I took him home," Derek answered. "The kid called 9-1-1 this morning and his dad's been arrested and I brought Logan here for lack of other decent options."</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus Christ, will this shit ever end? Where is he now?" Carol asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He's out at the pool with our boys," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like to see him. Can you bring him in?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, be right back." I held on to my towel as I walked back out to the pool. When I opened the door, the six boys were all sitting at the table and chattering away as kids will do, Alex and Joey sitting next to Logan with their arms wrapped around his shoulders. "Logan, I hate to interrupt, but there's someone here who'd like to talk to you." As he stood up, I could finally see the extent of the bruises and marks his father's beating had left. There was barely any place on the young man's body that had been spared and I felt sick to my stomach. As he started to walk to me, I added, "You may want to wrap a towel around you since the person who wants to see you is a lady." He quickly turned around and grabbed another towel from table, wrapping it around his waist as he came back.</span></p> <p><span>"Who is it, Dad?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Ms. Ward."</span></p> <p><span>"Can we come say hi?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, not right now, please. Let's let her talk to Logan first, and you all can say hi before she leaves, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, dad, just don't forget us," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a chance of that, buddy." Logan had rejoined me and I tenderly placed my hand on his shoulder as we headed back inside. Once there, Logan sat in my chair with me and I introduced him to Carol. "Logan, this is Ms. Ward. She's helping us with the adoptions of our sons and she needs to ask you some questions about what happened last night with your dad. You okay with that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure," he answered calmly, then turned to Carol and continued. "Shoot, Ms. Ward. Ask me whatever you want."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Logan. I'm sorry your dad hurt you, but I'm here to help you." Logan jumped off my chair, walked over and stood right in front of Carol, hands on his hips, before he responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Lady, he didn't <i>hurt</i> me, he freakin' <i>beat my ass</i>, and everywhere else, too. And all `cause he was pissed off I wouldn't do as he said. I wanted to stay here for Joey and Alex's birthday party, I didn't care what he said. They're my friends and I wanted to have some damn fun, for once. Who gives a crap if they're gay? I <i>knew</i> I was gonna pay for not listenin' to him, but I didn't care."</span></p> <p><span>"You say you <i>knew</i> he was going to hurt you. Why? Has he done this before?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure he has, but last night was the worst he ever done and I ain't gonna take it no more. And would you quit sayin' he <i>hurt</i> me. I'm nine years old, Ms. Ward, and if I can call it a beatin', you can to."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Logan. That's just the way we deal with these things in my job. We do everything we can to protect children, and sometimes we get carried with it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you can start protectin' me by keepin' that asshole away from me. Now, what else do ya' wanna know?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can see where he's hit your face, body and back. Did he hit you anywhere else?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right he did, look at this." With that, he turned around to face me and pulled the towel from around his waist. Carol recoiled in disgust at the evidence before her. Logan turned his head to look over his shoulder and continued, "There, is that what you wanna see? I tell ya', I can hardly sit right now, my ass hurts so bad. And look at my legs. Why the hell did he have to beat my damn legs. I won't be able to wear shorts outside the house for a month, at least. `Bout the only place he didn't hit me was my crotch, but I think he wanted to, since I was <i>hangin' out with a buncha fags all day</i>. Teach me a lesson, my ass. He don't know jack shit. I'd like to take his freakin' belt and stuff it up his ass." He wrapped the towel around him again and turned back to look Carol in the face again. "So now, what ya' gonna do about it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, I'm going to take care of you, don't worry about that. Why don't you go back out to the pool and hang out with the others while we talk about this. Once we have a solution, we'll let you know."</span></p> <p><span>Logan was shaking his head and saying, "Huh-uh. If has to do with me, you all can talk about it with me right here." <a name="_Hlk491952755">After that comment, Logan walked over and climbed back in my chair with me.</a></span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay, then," Carol replied. She then turned to Derek and asked, "Derek, what did you witness last night and today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not much last night. I drove Logan home and then waited around in my unit for a couple of minutes to see if there were any immediate problems. When I saw or heard nothing obvious, I left. Today, though, I was first on the scene and as soon I got out of my unit, I could hear Mr. Campbell yelling at Logan. I ran up the steps to the front porch and pounded on the door, identifying myself as Sherriff's Department. Mr. Campbell opened the door and he was sweating and panting. Logan was coming down the stairs and even from twenty feet away, I knew we had a serious problem. I immediately radioed for backup, placed Mr. Campbell under arrest, handcuffed him and put him in my unit. I then returned to the house to check on Logan. </span></p> <p><span>"I found him sitting on bottom step of the stairway, holding his head in his hands and crying. I asked him if he remembered me from last night and he said he did. I then asked if I could check him out for injuries, though I could see most of them since all he was wearing was a pair of shorts. He stood up, dropped his shorts and turned around so I could see the bruising and marks on backside. I asked him for and received his permission to photograph his body to be presented as evidence. Since he obviously has injuries almost everywhere, I photographed his entire body except for his genitals and groin area. Since there were no visible injuries there, I saw no reason to document it. When that was done, I had him get dressed, then helped him pack a bag with clothes, toiletries and the other things he'll need wherever he ends up staying until this can all be sorted out. After another deputy arrived to transport Mr. Campbell to jail, I drove Logan here in the hopes that he might be able to stay with some friendly faces for a few days."</span></p> <p><span>"Have you called DCFS and reported Mr. Campbell?" Carol asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet. Since he's already been arrested and we have photo evidence, I was hoping we could work something out without getting them involved. If we have to, though, I'll take care of it."</span></p> <p><span>She then turned to me and asked, "Okay, Max, it's up to you. Will you allow Logan to stay here for a few days while I try to make other arrangements?" Logan immediately turned his head and looked at me with the most pitiful and sad puppy-dog look I've ever seen.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no you don't, young man. Aim that look somewhere else." And so he did, right at Tom, causing Derek and Carol to laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay," Tom wilted. "I can't say no to that face." The sad look immediately gave way to one of the biggest and brightest smiles you could ever hope to see.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I was hoping you'd say that," Carol chuckled. "Okay, looks like you've got a place to stay for a few days. That doesn't mean you'll be staying here indefinitely, though. I'm going to check with your other family members and see if they'll be willing to take you in."</span></p> <p><span>"NO! I don't like any of them. They' just like my daddy. I wanna stay here."</span></p> <p><span>"Give us some time, Logan," I said calmly. "We'll figure something out that works for everybody, I promise."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds better, Mr. Sanders. Thanks. Can I go back out with the others now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, go ahead." He hopped off my lap and slowly headed to rejoin the fantastic five. As soon as he stepped outside and closed the door, he whipped the towel away from his waist and over his shoulder. I turned to Carol and asked, "What the hell, Carol? Am I running a home for lost, abused and wayward kids, now? This all started with me wanting to adopt one, and just one, kid. That magically turned into four, then we added Andy, and now Logan? I'm gonna have to build another damn house if this keeps up!"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, why not?" she giggled. "That wouldn't be so bad, would it? You've got plenty of space out here. Besides, we could sure use a good home for these kids in this part of the state."</span></p> <p><span>"Huh-uh," I replied, shaking my head. "I have my limits and you just keep pushing them."</span></p> <p><span>"And you keep letting me so don't you try to blame me for all this," she responded with an evil grin.</span></p> <p><span>"You're just taking advantage of my big heart."</span></p> <p><span>"Guilty as charged," she agreed. "Now, where's that list of names you got from Joey and Alex? I've solved one crisis this afternoon, might as well get started on the next."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me get it for you." I walked to the office, grabbed the list I'd typed into the computer and printed, then took it back to Carol. "Here you go," I said as I handed it to her. "I typed them all in because the twins' handwriting isn't that easy to decipher. Unfortunately, it's only first names, but I figure that at least gives you and Dylan a starting point to work from."</span></p> <p><span>"This is perfect, Max. All our records back to the 1950's have been computerized over the last few years, so I can enter the names of the foster-parents and print a list of every child who's ever been placed in the home. Once I have that, I can compare that list to this one and pull files for any names that match."</span></p> <p><span>"What's this all about, folks?" Derek asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You tell him, Tom. I can't deal with it right now. I'm going back out so the kids can get in the pool again. Carol, the boys all want to say hi before you leave, so come out when y'all are done here. Derek, thanks, I think, for bring Logan to us, we'll take good care of him." With that, I turned and left the house.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that was kinda rude," Derek commented.</span></p> <p><span>"There's a reason for it, Derek," Tom replied. "When Max was a young teenager, he was sexually abused by a couple at the church his family went to. But he'd repressed all of it until just last week when he was about to kill his abuser in Walmart. That's why Dylan's coming out tomorrow, to talk to Max about what happened twenty years ago. On top of that, the same couple who abused Max were fostering the twins we're adopting and because of a mental quirk, they were able to give us list of some sixty names of other boys who could possibly be in the same boat as Max. Since, these people were also foster-parents for many years, Carol needs the list to compare to the kids they've placed with the couple."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, now it all makes sense. I knew Sarge was coming tomorrow, but didn't know why. Looks like we'll be working on this together, then, Carol."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure we will. And nothin' personal, Derek, but I can't say I'm looking forward to it."</span></p> <p><span>"No, neither am I, but let's nail these bastards. Okay, Tom, I'll write up my report that Logan's been left in yours and Max's care with Carol's approval. I'll try to let you guys know what gonna happen with dear old dad, though a nice pair of concrete boots would fix that problem for us."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Derek. It's always good to see you. You might want to check with Dylan about coming with him tomorrow so you'll be in on the investigation from the very beginning. You might think of something he won't, and vice-versa, when you're talkin' to Max."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do that, Tom," he replied as he stood. "Tell Max I appreciate you guys helpin' out with Logan, I just couldn't think of a better place for him to be right now. Carol, nice to meet ya', I'm sure we'll be in touch in the coming days and weeks. Guess I'll get back to work, now. See y'all later." With that, Derek crossed the living room and headed back out into the cool March afternoon.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Carol, you ready to say hi to the boys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Always. I love those kids just as much as you and Max do." </span></p> <p><span>Tom led the way to the pool where they found Max sitting at the table, deep in thought, and six boys flailing about in the pool. Once the boys saw Carol, though, the pool emptied rather quickly. All except for Logan who stayed in the concealing depths of the water.</span></p> <p><span>"Guys, what're you doin'!?" Logan yelled. "You're still naked."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, so what?" Joey asked as he grabbed a towel to dry off a bit before giving Carol a hug. "She's already seen all of us this way. Ain't no big deal, Logan."</span></p> <p><span>After our five had all given Carol a hug and said hi, they rejoined Logan, who'd merely given Carol a quick wave of acknowledgement. With the greetings completed, we sat at the table with Max.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Carol," I mumbled without looking at her.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, yourself," Carol replied. "Are you really okay with Logan staying here? `Cause if it's a problem, let me know and I'll take him with me, find another place for him."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no, he'll be fine."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, he will, but I'm worried about you, too. Are you sure you're okay? You seem a bit numb."</span></p> <p><span>"Numb, disconnected, lost, all of the above. I can't seem to get out of my own way lately."</span></p> <p><span>"You're not re-thinking the adoptions, are you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd be lyin' if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind."</span></p> <p><span>"Max," Tom began, "we've been over this. Stopping the adoptions isn't a possibility. We just need to get over this bump in the road and everything will turn out great. You'll see."</span></p> <p><span>"Bump!?" I screamed, startling Tom and Carol and attracting the attention of the boys, also. "You call this a fucking <i>BUMP</i>! Those fuckers raped me for three fuckin' years!" I cried out in anguish, then laid my head on the table and began to sob.</span></p> <p><span>Tom turned to the boys, snapped his fingers and thrust his thumb towards the house. Without hesitation, all six climbed out of the pool, grabbed a towel and ran for the house, fear etched on all their faces at my outburst.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and Carol wrapped their arms around my shoulders in an attempt to comfort me, but I jerked away at the contact. "NO! Don't touch me! I don't want to be touched!" I screamed.</span></p> <p><span>"MAX! Snap out of it!" Tom bellowed. Tom wrapped his strong arms around and refused to let go until I quick shaking, no matter how hard I fought his embrace. "That's better, babe. You're okay, you're safe here. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn it! What the hell is wrong with me," I moaned in resignation.</span></p> <p><span>"I can't tell you for sure, but with what I've seen from guys on the force, especially the ex-military, I'd guess you're dealing with PTSD."</span></p> <p><span>"NOW!? Twenty years after the fact? What the hell are you talking about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max, PTSD doesn't always hit someone immediately. Since all your repressed memories just flooded back into your conscious mind the other day, I'm not surprised you're reacting like this."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn it! I gotta get a handle on this shit, and fast."</span></p> <p><span>"Max," Carol started, "there is no quick relief from what you're dealing with. Once you start talking to whoever Dr. Kirkland refers you to, you'll see that. It <i>will</i> get better, in time, but don't go in there expecting an immediate fix. It just doesn't happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, okay, I'm stuck with what I got. But I don't think the boys are safe with me bein' like this. What if one them tries to give me a hug and I freak out on `em? I could really hurt them without even tryin'. And the last thing I want to do is have them scared of me."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you worry about that," Tom replied. "They know what you're dealing with and they understand. All of them just want to help you get better and if you let `em, it'll happen that much faster."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure as hell hope you're right, Tom. Okay, let's go inside so we can deal with what just happened." As I stood to follow my own suggestion, my towel remained draped on the chair. Carol let out a little chuckle at my accidental exposure and I said, "Sorry, Carol, but my brain's just not in gear today," as I grabbed it and wrapped back around me.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a problem, Max," she replied. "C'mon, let's go talk with your<i> </i>boys." We slowly walked back to the house and found them waiting for us in the living room, towels wrapped around their waists and sitting on the couch with looks of concern on their faces.</span></p> <p><span>As soon as door was closed, Alex asked, "You okay, Dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know guys. I'm sorry you had to see and hear that."</span></p> <p><span>"S'okay," Joey responded. "If it'd been us, we'd have a hard time dealing with it, too."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Mr. Sanders. I don't want to cause no problems," Logan whined.</span></p> <p><span>"What just happened with me, Logan, has nothing to do with you or you being here. I'm glad we have space for you and you're welcome to say with us as long as you need to, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay. You just scared me. That's kinda how my dad was actin' last night, all out of control."</span></p> <p><span>I walked over to Logan, knelt in front of him, took his hands in mine and said, "I'm sorry I scared you. I certainly didn't mean to. But, I'm kinda scared of some things right now, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Dad, can I ask a question?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, you can," I answered while turning my head his direction. "What is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"What's <i>raped</i> mean?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mike! You can't ask that?" Tom scolded.</span></p> <p><span>"It's okay, Tom. Oh, geez, I just <i>had</i> to say that, didn't I? Okay, now listen, all of you, and listen good. First you know what sex is, right?" I received nods from all six boys. "Second, you know, in this house, you have to ask and get a yes before you do anything with each other." I paused and received six more nods, one from a wide-eyed Logan. "Rape is when you <i>force</i> someone to have sex when they don't want to. It's a horrible thing to do and you go to jail for it." I saw Joey and Alex exchange a scared and wild look with each other as a light bulb went off in their minds.</span></p> <p><span>"And the Muellers forced you to have sex with them? Why?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"And why aren't they in jail?" Mike added.</span></p> <p><span>Realizing this conversation had taken a turn I hadn't anticipated, I sat in my chair so I could easily face all the boys. "To answer your first question, yes, that's what the Muellers did. As to why, I can only guess. And they aren't in jail because I never told anybody about what they'd done. I'd kinda blocked it out of my mind for a long time. But it all came back to me Thursday and I'm having a hard time dealing with it."</span></p> <p><span>"What can we do to help?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just you guys being here will help me a lot, and know that no matter how weird or spacey I might get sometimes, that doesn't change how much I love and need you in my life. I'm going to be getting help to learn how to control and deal with things, but it's just gonna take a while to work through all this."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Dad," they replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for being so understanding and not pushing me on this. We didn't plan on giving you this much detail, but now that you know, please don't say anything to anyone outside the family. We don't want the Muellers to find out they're being investigated. Do you all understand that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dad," Joey answered, "we might be kids, but we're not total idiots, ya' know?</span></p> <p><span>"I would <i>never</i> say or even think you are. You guys are the some of the smartest people I know. I'm just trying to impress on you how important this is, to all of us." After receiving nods from all six, I added, "Good, come say goodbye to Carol and then run through the showers to wash the pool off." All six followed my instructions and once they'd disappeared down the hall, I turned to Carol and asked, "How'd I do?"</span></p> <p><span>"Considering the meltdown I just saw, pretty damn good. You told the boys the truth in an age-appropriate manner, and gave them the basics without diving into any sordid details. But, I think, more importantly, you've calmed any fears they may have had after seeing what happened out at the pool. You've sure calmed my fears and I gotta tell ya', you scared the ever-loving shit outta me."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry about that, but then, I scared myself, too.</span></p> <p><span>"Me three," Tom chimed. "But you got through it. That's what matters. After twenty damn years of keeping all that bottled up, you have the right to express some of your rage and anger and hate. And now that the boys know where it's coming from and why, I think they'll be all right."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure as hell hope so," I responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm gonna get outta here, guys," Carol said. "I have some things I need to deal with at home before I get to work tomorrow. I have the feeling once I start digging into this list, I'm not gonna like what I find."</span></p> <p><span>"I wish you the best and hope none of your other kids were tortured like I was. If there's anything we can do to help, let us know."</span></p> <p><span>"I think you've already done more than your fair share, Max, but if something comes up, I'll be sure to ask. Hope you all enjoy the rest of the day. I'll keep you updated on what I find about another placement for Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"No hurry on that, Carol," Tom replied. "He's fine right where he is for as long as he needs. Besides, that list you have is much more important."</span></p> <p><span>"Still, thanks, you two. We really appreciate everything you do. Well, adios amigos. Y'all be good."</span></p> <p><span>"So, do you guys really, you know, play around with each other like your dad said?" Logan asked as he and the twins stepped into the shower.</span></p> <p><span>Joey gave a sly grin and answered, "Sure we do, but we're supposed to stay in our rooms with the door closed when we do or we'll get in trouble."</span></p> <p><span>"And we have to ask to touch someone before we actually do and they have to agree to it."</span></p> <p><span>"Isn't it, like, weird doin' that shit with your brother?"</span></p> <p><span>"Who else we gonna do it with, you?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Hell no, I ain't gay!"</span></p> <p><span>"You think there's somethin' wrong with bein' gay?" Joey queried.</span></p> <p><span>"No, I just ... I mean ... oh hell, I don't know."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, Logan, do you ever play with your own dick?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, maybe," he stuttered.</span></p> <p><span>"That means `yes'," Joey retorted glancing at Alex and receiving a nod of agreement. He looked back to Logan and ask, "Does it feel good when you do it to yourself?"</span></p> <p><span>"If I did, I guess it would," he answered with a blush of embarrassment flooding his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, as good as it feels to do it to yourself...," Joey started.</span></p> <p><span>"...it feels even better when someone else does it to you," Alex continued.</span></p> <p><span>"Bullshit! I don't believe that for a second. You're just wantin' to play with my dick."</span></p> <p><span>"Why would we want to do that when we got each other?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"And we can do it whenever we want to," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>With his interest now piqued, Logan asked "So, what all have ya' done with each other?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you know, jerked each other off, sucked each other and just this mornin' we fucked. Oh, man, that was awesome," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"No, you didn't! Did you?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're not lyin' to ya', dude," Alex replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Want us to do it right now?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, go ahead, I dare ya'. I bet you won't."</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, bro, let's show him how it's done," Joey said. Joey leaned over, placed his hands on the bench seat and pushed his ass up for Alex. Alex, who had been absentmindedly stroking his pecker, stepped over, slid his slim cock inside his brother and started to hump his ass. Logan just stood there under the spray of the shower, gawking in disbelief at what he was seeing.</span></p> <p><span>"You ain't really fucking him, are ya'? You're just rubbin' your dick in his crack."</span></p> <p><span>"Come take a closer look, dude," Alex replied. Logan stepped closer and looked down into the gap between Alex's stomach and Joey's ass. After seeing Alex's dick slide smoothly into Joey's tight hole and disappear from view, Logan's knees got weak and he sat on the bench next to where Joey was holding himself up. The twins could not miss seeing the rampant and throbbing piece of hard young cock protruding from Logan's groin. Nor did they miss glazed look on his face. "Still think we're lyin' dude?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh my god! You're really fuckin' doin' it! What's it feel like?"</span></p> <p><span>"Like nothin' you ever felt before," Joey moaned. "You wanna find out?"</span></p> <p><span>"What? Really, you'd let me fuck you, Joey? If I do, will that make me gay, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why not? And no, it won't make you gay. All you're gonna do is get off in the most mind-blowing way than you ever done before. Alex, help him out."</span></p> <p><span>Alex slipped his dick out of Joey's ass and stepped over to help Logan stand up. He guided him into position behind Joey, then grabbed Logan's stiff three-and-a-half-inch rod between his thumb and forefinger to help guide him to his brother's hole. Once he had the head properly positioned, he said, "Okay, dude, just push forward with your hips and you'll slip right on in." Logan did as he was told and soon felt Joey's hole release as his own cock slipped inside his friend's deliciously warm body. And he kept pushing until his hairless pubic mound was nestled in between his buddy's smooth globes.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, god," he moaned. "My hand could <i>never</i> feel this good, no matter how much spit or oil I used. What do I do now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, don't just stand there like a fool, fuck me," Joey groaned with pleasure.</span></p> <p><span>"How?"</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus Christ! Alex, show him what to do, the kid's fucking clueless." Alex took Logan's hands and put them on Joey's hips, then stepped behind Logan and placed his own hands on his friend's hips. Looking around Logan, he pulled his hips back until the impaling rod almost came out of his brother, then stopped and pushed him back in.</span></p> <p><span>"There, Logan, just keep doin' that. Start slow and easy." Logan, again, followed the instructions he was given as was soon screwing Joey like he'd been doing it his whole life. Not to be left out of the action, Alex leaned close to Logan's ear and whispered, "Can I play with your balls and asshole while you fuck my brother?" After receiving an emphatic nod of agreement, Alex knelt behind Logan's rocking ass, reached one hand up between his legs to play with his balls and with his other hand, he gently started to spread Logan's cheeks in search of his virgin pucker. Once located, Alex held his finger in position and followed the in and out motion until, on one of Logan's retreats, he held his finger in position. As Logan continued to back out of Joey, Alex's finger slipped smoothly into his ass, causing Logan to gasp with delight.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, fuck, you two, this is out of this fuckin' world. I ain't never felt this good," Logan growled.</span></p> <p><span>After several minutes of fingering Logan, Alex stood up, leaned in close to Logan's ear again and whispered, "You like my finger up your ass?" The poor boy was so lost in new feelings, all he could do was nod and pant his agreement. "Can I swap my finger with my dick?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, fuck yes, do it." That was all the invitation Alex needed as he moved back behind Logan, removed his finger from his friend's tight hole and then positioned himself so his pecker could fill the now empty orifice. The next time Logan slid back, Alex maintained his position and felt his cock penetrate the warm confines he sought. He then followed Logan's push back into Joey to maintain maximum impalement. They continued that way for several minutes, Alex fucking Logan as Logan fucked Joey, while the tempo and need for release continued to build in all three boys.</span></p> <p><span>When it finally happened, Logan felt an explosion of previously unfulfilled sexual tension as all three hit their orgasmic peak at the same moment. They moaned with lust as the orgasms overtook their young bodies and the threesome shuddered with pleasure. Completely spent and with sexual appetites satisfied, the three wilted lads sat on the bench together to recover.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, fuck me, that was fuckin' awesome, dudes! Oh wait, you just did!" Logan exclaimed as they caught their breath while fighting off a major attack of the giggles at his comment.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, dads, can we watch some more <i>Star Trek</i>?" T.J. asked as he, Mike and Andy came back to the living room after their showers.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, that sounds like a good way to kill some time this afternoon," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't I go get things ready in the theater while you check on the three still in the shower?" I asked. "I don't think I need to be doing that for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a plan to me, babe," Tom answered. "We'll join you four in a few minutes."</span></p> <p><span>While Tom when to check on Joey, Alex and Logan, the rest of us headed to the theater to get ready to watch some good science fiction. Upon entering, I discovered we never got towels back on the chairs after the party, so I sent T.J., Mike and Andy to the laundry room to grab some clean ones for us. While they were gone, I located the next disc we needed, got everything turned on and ready to go. The terrific trio returned with the towels and I had them drop one in every chair. As they were doing that, Tom finally came in and joined us.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what's takin' them so long?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Who knows, babe. They were just sitting there on the bench, giggling their asses off, and letting the bathroom become a freakin' sauna. You should have seen the steam roll out when I opened the door. I told `em we're getting' ready to watch some <i>Star Trek</i> and they said they'd be right here."</span></p> <p><span>"And speak of the naked little devils, there they are. Let's get this show rollin'." We settled into our chairs and I got today's first episode playing. As the starting credits began to roll, I absentmindedly realized my prescient planning at having installed ten recliners in the theater seemed to be just about right. Of course, if the family kept growing the way it has so far, I was going to have come up with a new plan to accommodate everyone for the same show. And when our parents finally joined us on the property, the situation was going to get even more cramped. Since I'd seen all these shows before, I allowed my mind to wander a bit and I had what I like to call a `flash of brilliance'. Or maybe it was one of those stinkin' brain farts I've been having lately. Whatever it was, when the first episode ended, I tapped Tom on the shoulder and signaled for him to follow me.</span></p> <p><span>"What?" he asked as I closed the door behind us.</span></p> <p><span>"I just had an idea."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit, here it comes," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"No, it's a really good one this time, I swear."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right, seems I've heard this story before."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine! Just be that way. I'm going back to the show." I turned to go back to the theater, but Tom stopped me with a gentle hand on my shoulder. I turned back around and asked with as much sarcasm as I could muster, "Yes, may I help you?"</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, spit it out. What's this great idea you've had?"</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, promise you won't laugh." After a curt nod, I continued, "You know how are parents are going to build a house up here, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, yeah, I've don't think I've missed any of the meetings yet."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I've lived here for almost thirteen years now and, with the exception of last month or so, this house has been too damn big. Now, suddenly, it's getting too damn small. How about instead of our parents building a house, why don't <i>we</i> build a bigger one and let the `rents have this one?"</span></p> <p><span>"What!? Are you freakin' kiddin' me!?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a bit. Think about it for a minute. Bigger house, more bedrooms, bigger garage, bigger theater, bigger pool, bigger <i>everything</i>," I ended with a big wave of my hands.</span></p> <p><span>"And I suppose with a bigger house comes a bigger family?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, why not?" I asked. "Think how many kids we could help. We wouldn't have to adopt `em all, but at least we'd have some extra room for them to stay for a while as other things get worked out."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Max, that seems like a big chunk to be bitin' off as we try to raise the ones we <i>are</i> adopting."</span></p> <p><span>"But our moms and dads will be here to help us." I was really warming to the idea now. "We could really make this work and make a difference in so many lives. Look I know this is comin' out of left field, but please, please, please give it some serious thought. I need something to keep me focused and moving forward. I don't want my past to define who I am. I want my future to do that."</span></p> <p><span>Tom sat down heavily in a chair at the dining room table. "That's an awful lot to take in there, babe, but I promise to think about. How much time to I have before I have to give you an answer?"</span></p> <p><span>"Take all the time you need." I waited five seconds and added, "Okay, time's up. What's your answer?"</span></p> <p><span>"What! I thought I could take all the time I needed."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just shittin' ya', man." I finally joined him at the table, punching him in the shoulder. "I know I'm askin' for a lot, Tom, but I really want to do this. All I can think about is this, `what if I'd had a place like that when I was thirteen, fourteen, fifteen?'. I'll tell ya'. I would've left mom and dad's and moved in someplace where the Mueller's couldn't have found me ever again. How many other kids are out there, right now, dealing with shit beyond their control? We can help them."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm with ya', Max, really, I am. I know exactly what you're talkin' about `cause I used to see it all the time. Shitty parents fuckin' up their kids because of drugs, alcohol, or just bein' ignorant abusive asses to each or their kids. But to take that on by ourselves, that's a big damn leap."</span></p> <p><span>"I know it is, but I think, together, we can pull it off and make it work."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I don't doubt that for one second. We need to talk to our parents, first, and second, I think we need to talk to Carol about this. Since what you want to do will, I'm sure, be involving kids she and her group work with, we should get their input, also, before we go off the deep end, don't ya' think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good idea, I'll call her tomorrow morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, hold on there, Skippy. Dylan's coming in the morning, remember."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah. Thanks for <i>that</i> reminder," I replied glumly. "You sure know how to bring a person back down to earth, don't ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, babe. I want you to be able to do whatever you want to do, but I also know you've got to focus on one thing at a time. And right now, dealing with the Muellers should take priority."</span></p> <p><span>"You're right, of course. Damn, I'll be glad to have them out of the picture forever."</span></p> <p><span>"I know you will. We all will. But let's try to tilt just one windmill at a time, okay? When we finish one, <i>then</i> we'll move on to the next one. Sound reasonable?"</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose. But, do you really like the idea or are you just goin' with flow, hopin' I don't freak out, again."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I like it, truly I do, but you need to deal with your own demons before you go off half-cocked and start tryin' fix someone else's problems."</span></p> <p><span>"There ya' go, again, makin' fun of my manhood, again, half-cocked, my ass," I laughed. "Yeah, yeah, all right. I get what you're sayin' and I agree. One set of demons at a time. Thanks, lover, I knew you wouldn't let me down." The boys started to wander out of the theater and hover. "What's up guys, that episode over?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we was just wonderin' where you and Pops disappeared to," Joey answered. </span></p> <p><span>"Besides, we all gotta pee before we start then next one," T.J. added.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, go ahead. Y'all want popcorn for the next episode?"</span></p> <p><span>"Does an Eskimo have a cold nose?" Alex laughed as they continued on towards their rooms.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm gonna take that as a yes, babe," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be my best guess, too. Let's go get some movie snacks." We got busy in the kitchen and as the boys came back from their bathroom break, they climbed up on their stools to wait with us. Joey and Alex pushed their stools together so Logan could share with them. "How you doin', Logan?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm okay, Mr. Sanders. I'm pissed off at my daddy at what he done last night, but I always knew it was gonna happen sometime. He's been mad at the whole damn world since momma died two years ago."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry to hear that, and I'm really sorry about your mom."</span></p> <p><span>"It is what it is. She started gettin' sick about a year before and by the time they figured out it was leukemia, it was too late to do anything to help her. Daddy's been pissed off ever since and sometimes it boils over and he takes it out on me, like, somehow, it's my fault she got sick in the first place. But last night was somethin' else. He ain't never been that freakin' mad and outta control `bout nothin' and he just kinda lost it."</span></p> <p><span>"If your dad got help to deal with his anger, would you want to live with him again?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, sure. He's a great guy when he ain't mad and I love him, I just wish he wouldn't beat me the way he does. Maybe I shouldn't a stood up to him like I did yesterday."</span></p> <p><span>"Logan," Tom started, "it takes a brave person to stand up to an authority figure who's doing the wrong thing. What you did yesterday and this morning, I call that bravery."</span></p> <p><span>"Weren't no bravery this mornin' Mr. Wright. That was all about self-preservation and survival."</span></p> <p><span>"You can call what you want, young man, I call it bravery."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, I've got another question for you, Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"Shoot, Mr. Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm assume, since you're sitting there, you don't have a problem with all of us bein' nude, do you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, don't bother me a damn bit. Since it's been just me and my daddy at home the last couple years, we don't worry too much `bout wearin' clothes. Course, he's usually wearin' his boxers, but I don't wear nothin' and he don't bitch about it, so I just enjoy it. Unless somebody drops by and that don't happen too much since he's such an asshole to other people. Don't nobody want to hang around too much. Never knew there was other folks who did the same thing, though. Kinda nice to know we're not so different, after all."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, not so different at all. Well, Logan, welcome to the zoo. You're gonna fit in just dandy with the other monkeys that live here. There's one other rule in this house you need to know about..."</span></p> <p><span>"Joey and Alex already told me, Mr. Sanders. In their rooms with the door closed. That is what you were gonna say, wasn't it?" I detected just a light tinting of pink occurring in his ears as he said it.</span></p> <p><span>"As a matter of fact, it was, but seeing as they've already taken care of it, I'll just shut the heck up." All six gave a big giggle at that. "Well, looks like our popcorn's ready, shall we start the third show?" With agreement from everyone, we grabbed our bowls and drinks and returned to the theater. Though I assumed Logan wouldn't be living with us for very long, it was nice to see how easily he fit in with the rest of the crew. Maybe this wouldn't be too bad, after all. </span></p> <p><span>When our show ended, I ordered pizzas from Capone's for supper and while I made the trip to pick them up, the boys were busy setting the table and getting everyone's drinks. By the time I got back home, everyone else was already seated and ready to dig in. I set the pizzas and breadsticks on the table, then continued on to the bedroom to get undressed. As I walked through the kitchen, I yelled, "Y'all try to leave some for me please." A loud and long chorus of laughter followed me all the way down the hall. One thing I am quickly learning is to not turn your back on food when there's a group of hungry, growing boys anywhere nearby.</span></p> <p><span>When I got back to the table, I noticed Tom had filled my plate for me, so I needn't have worried about getting some supper. Before taking my own chair, I gave him a kiss and whispered, "Thanks for making sure I didn't starve tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem. I almost got a fork in the back of my hand for it, but I fought `em all off." The boys all laughed heartily at that, and I did, too.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I thank you for your bravery against such formidable opponents. I trust you fought honorably."</span></p> <p><span>"Never. Especially when food's involved. It's first come, first served." The three oldest boys cracked up with laughter. Tom gave them a sideways glance and asked, "Do I wanna know what that's all about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably not, Pops," Joey answered through his continuing giggles.</span></p> <p><span>To change the topic from the direction I felt it was headed, I asked, "Logan, are you going to try to go to school tomorrow or would you rather stay here?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think I'd like to stay here, if that's okay with you, Mr. Sanders. I'd really hate to be there lookin' like a freakin' raccoon all day. Maybe my eyes won't look so bad on Tuesday."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine. I'll call the office in the morning to let them know where you are."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Mr. Sanders, I really appreciate it."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, and as long you're here, please can call me Max or Dad, and use Tom or Pops for the big guy over here. Calling us Mr. just makes sound a lot older than we are."</span></p> <p><span>"Mmmph, big guy," he chortled. "I guess if the shoe fits, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're referring to his muscles, Logan, nothin' else."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right," he retorted with a snicker. "He's bigger than my old man."</span></p> <p><span>"You'll find out as you go through life that there all shapes and sizes of bodies in this world, but on the inside, we're all the same, and that's the part that matters."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever," he mumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Next question, we have a spare bedroom, but there's no bed in it right now. Will you be okay sharing a bed with Alex and Joey until we can get the bed brought back from my storage building?"</span></p> <p><span>Logan turned to his friends and, after seeing the sly grins on their faces, knew what his answer was going to be. "Oh, yeah, that's fine with me, Mr. San..., uh, Max," he answered with his own wicked grin. Their bed is huge and there should plenty of room for all three of us, no sweat."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, another problem solved. We're on a roll, Tom, what's next?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, I can't think of anything. Sounds like we got it all squared away to me."</span></p> <p><span>The rest of the meal was fairly quiet, the only comments coming from the boys about school tomorrow morning. When we were all done eating, we worked together to clean up the table, put the extra pizza and breadsticks in the fridge for lunch tomorrow and then settled in the living room to relax by the fireplace for a while. Mike pulled out the Uno cards and the boys played on the floor while Tom and I returned to our books. I started yawning about an hour later and decided it was time to head for bed.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, it' been a long weekend and tomorrow has `long day' written all over it. I think it's time we all hit the sack so we can start tomorrow bright-eyed and bushy-tailed."</span></p> <p><span>"Aw-w-w, do we hafta?" whined Mike.</span></p> <p><span>"You don't necessarily need to go sleep right now, but I'd really appreciate if you'd climb in bed. If you want to talk or watch TV in your rooms for a half hour, that's fine. As long you promise us that lights and TVs go off then. How does that sound?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's cool, Dad, thanks."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem. Come give us our hugs before you go." One by one, they came by and we swapped hugs, kisses, goodnights and love yous before trudging on to their rooms. All expect for Alex, who held back until he heard the last door close, then sat on the coffee table in front of me. "Yes, son?"</span></p> <p><span>"Dad, I know we told you we were sorry about what happened yesterday but I want to say it again. We know we were wrong to push you, but something you said this afternoon made Joey and I realize how really wrong we were."</span></p> <p><span>"What did I say?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's when you were telling us about what rape is, about how it's when you force someone into sex. When you said it, Joey and I suddenly realized that's kinda what we did to you. When we pulled your shorts down so Brent could see your penis, we <i>forced</i> you into something you really didn't want to happen. I noticed even then that you kinda went into zombie mode or somethin', but I was too horned up to stop it. Then when you almost left the bathroom still hangin' out of your shorts, I knew we'd really screwed up. All three of us are really, really sorry we did that to you and we won't never do nothin' like that ever again, we promise. Please don't send us to jail for rapin' you, please!" He had already started to tear up when he began apologizing, but he was really crying when he finished.</span></p> <p><span>"Come here, buddy." Alex came over, crawled up in my lap and I wrapped my arms around his quivering body. "What happened was a mistake, yes, but I wouldn't call it rape and I wouldn't ever dream of you going to jail for it. Let me tell you something. When you guys pulled my shorts down, I felt like I was losing control, kind of like I did 20 years ago when I was abused by the Muellers and that's why I spaced out."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, god, I knew it, we're just like them. Maybe we should be in jail," he sobbed.</span></p> <p><span>Tom came over, laid a hand on his back, then calmly said, "Alex, listen to me. You guys are nothing like the Muellers and you're not going to jail."</span></p> <p><span>"Really?" Alex whined.</span></p> <p><span>"Really. But after what your dad's been through, you and your brothers need understand that he's in a really fragile state of mind. Something that maybe wouldn't have been a problem a week ago can now become a big problem very quickly. Our biggest concern over the whole thing is involving Brent in it. Had it been just you and Joey, it wouldn't be as big an issue. Including Brent could open us up to all kinds of problems, especially if he ever tells anybody about it."</span></p> <p><span>"He said he'd never say a word. He promised!"</span></p> <p><span>"And we hope he doesn't, but if he does, there's no end to the problems we could have. Do you understand that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess so."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Why don't you go to our bathroom, straighten up your face, dry your eyes and blow your nose? That way when you go to your room, you might not look too much like you've been crying."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay." Alex hopped of my lap and headed to our bedroom.</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, I didn't see that comin'," Tom said quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"I sure didn't either, but I'm glad they truly realize it was a mistake and something like that can't happen again. Although..."</span></p> <p><span>"What?"</span></p> <p><span>"The last thing Brent said to me before going to get dressed was he still wants to return the favor."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy crap, are you kiddin' me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, you can't let that happen."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, bubba, I know."</span></p> <p><span>Alex reappeared on his way back from our bathroom and stopped between Tom and me. He grabbed our necks, one in each arm, and whispered, "We really love you guys, we hope you know that."</span></p> <p><span>"We do, buddy. And we love you, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, one more thing, we also want to say thanks for helpin' us out last night. We couldn't figure out what we was doin' wrong. We didn't have no problems this mornin' though," he giggled through his grin.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad for you guys. That's a big step to take. We're glad we could give you some guidance so you didn't hurt yourselves."</span></p> <p><span>"We're kinda sorry for interruptin' your own, um, love makin', but I think you two really liked us bein' there with ya'."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I exchanged a sheepish glance before he answered, "To be honest, we enjoyed watchin' you two. We might like to do that again sometime."</span></p> <p><span>"Next time, if there is a next time, the two of us wanna do it to you two."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see buddy. Now scoot, please, I need some sleep."</span></p> <p><span>As Alex walked away, he turned back and winked, then disappeared down the hall.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my, life is going to be very, very interesting, isn't it?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You're just now figuring that out? Took ya' long enough. I've known that since the first time I met these guys. But that's okay, it sure beats the hell out of boring. Well, look, this has been a long damn day and I'm beat. Also, I can hear my pillows calling me. You comin' to bed with me?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's still pretty early for me, babe. I thought I'd read a little more by the fire, it you don't mind."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever you want." I leaned over and gave Tom a kiss and a hug. "I love you, big buy. See you in the morning."</span></p> <p><span>"I love you, too. I'll try not to wake you when I come to bed."</span></p> <p><span>I strolled into the bedroom, visited the bathroom one more time, then crawled under the covers where I promptly fell asleep. I have no idea when Tom came to bed, but I still managed to entwine myself in his strong, safe arms during the night. Considering the dreams I kept having, that was a good place to find myself when I woke up to start the new day. As I made my way to the bathroom, my mind was swirling with the thoughts of having to relive my abuse at the hand of the Muellers again as I told my story to Dylan. I was <i>not</i> looking forward to the day at all. In fact, I wanted nothing more at that moment than to crawl back in bed, pull the covers over my head, and hide from the world. Unfortunately, that wasn't an option if I wanted to see them in prison where they belonged.</span></p> <p><span>I ambled across the house to wake the boys and get them moving as they start another fun-filled week of school. I stopped to wake the twins and Logan first and found them in their regular pretzeled position with Logan in the middle. The covers had been shoved to the side and their beautiful bodies were on full display. The most intriguing part of this morning's twining was each lad had a hand wrapped around the turgid member of another. Damn, but I love mornings. I hated to wake them, but two were going to school so I leaned over and shook Alex's shoulder. </span></p> <p><span>As his eyes fluttered open, he made no attempt to remove his hand from Logan's hardness, but looked up at me and mumbled, "Oh, hey, Dad. Time to get up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why else would I be waking you? Get those other two lumps movin', will ya'? I got three more to roust."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing." He turned to the other two and yelled, "YO! Time to move sleepyheads!" Though I knew I needed to move on, I couldn't tear my eyes away from the tableau in front of me, so, I stood there like a statue and watched as Logan and Joey's eyes snapped open in a flash of confusion. Logan immediately realized he was exposed and there was a hand holding his perfect pecker. Then the confusion on his face grew even deeper as he realized it wasn't his own hand because <i>that</i> was wrapped around Joey's sweet meat.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit!" he exclaimed removing hands from various locations and scrambling for the covers.</span></p> <p><span>"Chill out, dude, Dad's cool," Alex said. "He knows what boners are and what they look like. He should since he sees `em every morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, man, I wasn't thinkin'. My old man's never seen me hard. Bein' `round him always makes it wilt in a hurry."</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't no big deal `round here, goofball," Joey replied, laying his head in Logan's lap and giving the stiff, hot cocksicle located there a quick lick, eliciting a giggle from Logan. "Dicks get hard, dicks get soft, who gives a fu..., uh, rat's behind?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good catch, young man," I commented. "Up and at `em boys. Breakfast in fifteen." </span></p> <p><span>I left that trio to their own devices and moved on to the next. Opening the door to their room, I found T.J., Mike and Andy in a similar position as the other three, covers pushed to the end of the bed, legs and arms entwined, and hands wrapped around engorged cocklets. Someday, I'm going to have to take some pictures of these young lads in this state, if for no other reason than to embarrass them later in life. But now that I think about it some more, they probably just think, `yeah, I knew what I liked, even when I was asleep'.</span></p> <p><span>I shook Mike's shoulder to wake him up and soon as I did, he began disentangling himself from the other two while mumbling, "Yeah, Dad, we're movin'." He shook Andy and T.J., receiving moans from them at having to move.</span></p> <p><span>"Breakfast in fifteen," I called out as I left the room to wake the furry teddy bear still sleeping at the other end of the house. There was no pretzel happening here since Tom was alone, but there was no hiding the obscene bulge pushing the sheet up and forming a tent over his midsection. I snaked my hand under the sheet and wrapped it around the stiff pole supporting the peak of the tent. His eyes flew open and a throaty growl of lust emanated from deep within his body, causing vibrations to emanate through his shaft and tickle my palm. "C'mon, <i>big</i> guy, time to get movin'," I chided as I pulled my hand out from under the sheet.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, don't tease me like that. It's not nice to leave a guy high and dry like that."</span></p> <p><span>"You were already high, bubba, but not so dry," I laughed as I licked the ooze from my hand.</span></p> <p><span>"Serves ya' right, jerk," he grumbled as he got up and headed to the bathroom.</span></p> <p><span>"See you in the kitchen. I'll have coffee ready when you get there."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure as hell better."</span></p> <p><span>I disappeared down the hall and entered the kitchen just as Alex, Joey and Logan arrived and hopped up on their stools, all three still sharing two stools. "Looks like I need to buy another stool, doesn't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're okay, Max. I don't mind sharin'," Logan answered.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see. How does cereal and toast sound to you guys this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"Fine with us, Dad," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Do we really have to go to school today?" Joey asked as I put the cereal, bowls and milk on the counter.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, you do, why would you ask such a silly question?"</span></p> <p><span>"I was hopin' since Logan was stayin' here today, we could, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, boys, not gonna happen. Logan has a valid excuse to miss a day," I answered, pulling the toaster from the cabinet and getting it set up. Next, I got the coffee going so it would be ready when Tom joined us.</span></p> <p><span>"Dang it," Alex exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>Mike, T.J. and Andy finally joined us and I filled their bowls with their cereal of choice and milk. "You guys ready for another fun-filled of school?"</span></p> <p><span>"No!" was the answer from all six.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, y'all better get ready, there's lots to learn and school's the place to learn it." Since the coffee was done brewing, I poured two cups and had just taken my first sip when Tom meandered down the hall and joined us. "Mornin', Grumpy. Coffee's on the counter, as promised."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, I needed that. You seem awfully chipper this morning, all things considered."</span></p> <p><span>"I feel pretty chipper, too, despite the lousy dreams and worrying about talking to Dylan this morning. I can't explain why, but it feels good."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear you're feeling better. Any English muffins left?"</span></p> <p><span>"Should be some in the bread drawer. I'll take one, too, if you don't mind." Tom took care of the muffins for us and I pulled out the honey so I could put some on mine. When the boys finished their cereal, they rinsed their bowls and dropped `em in the dishwasher, then returned to their rooms to get dressed for school. While we munched our muffins I asked, "Do you mind runnin' the boys out to the bus this morning? I've got a few things deal with before Dylan gets here."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, what are you dealing with?"</span></p> <p><span>"I want to call James and get him to push the Mueller's to make their restitution to the twins before they go to prison. Then, I want to call Ron about coming out to talk to him about coming to work out here, if you're still cool with that idea?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to me, still."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I was hoping you'd say that. I also need to get the Spiderwick books ordered. After losin' it yesterday, I kinda forgot all about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Oops. I hate when that happens. Forgettin' shit, that is. You can't really control the other."</span></p> <p><span>"That's the other thing I need to do, call Paul and see if he's found someone I can talk to. I want to get started with that as soon as I can, try and get things under better control." The boys were filtering back in and waiting for Tom to run them out to the bus shelter. "You better get a move on, Tom, the bus will be here any minute."</span></p> <p><span>"Just need to pull on some sweats. Be right back." As he turned down the hall to get dressed, Logan climbed up on the stool.</span></p> <p><span>"What am I supposed to do today?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Do you have any homework to work on that you didn't get done over the weekend?"</span></p> <p><span>"A little bit, but it won't take long for me to finish it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, why don't you grab it real quick and get started on it. I need to call the school and let them know where you are."</span></p> <p><span>"You want me to do it out here?"</span></p> <p><span>"If you want, or you can use one of the desks in the twins' room, whichever you prefer, Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I'll be back in a minute."</span></p> <p><span>As he headed to grab his backpack, Tom stopped by to give me a kiss before delivering the boys to the end of the drive. After getting my goodbye hugs from the boys, they headed to the garage. Logan returned with his backpack and pulled out his work to get started on it. While he was doing that, I picked up the phone and called the school.</span></p> <p><span>"New Berlin schools, may I help you?" Gloria asked in greeting.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Gloria, Max Sanders here, how are you this beautiful Monday morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's Monday, Mr. Sanders, do you really have to ask?" she chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"No, probably not. The reason I'm calling this morning is to let you know that Logan Campbell won't be at school today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, thanks for calling to let us know, but why are you calling for him? Why isn't his father calling?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, how can I say this? Let's just say that Mr. Campbell is currently indisposed and not allowed to make phone calls. As a result, Logan is staying with us for the time being."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay," she responded slowly. "Do I want to know what happened or is it none of my business."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure you'll find out in due time, Gloria. I expect Logan should be ready to return to school tomorrow, but if that changes, I'll let you know. Could you please make sure either Alex or Joey has whatever assignments Logan will need to work on so they can bring home whatever he needs?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Mr. Sanders, and sure, I'll let Mr. Thomas know. Anything else I can do for you this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, yes, is Mr. Furman available?"</span></p> <p><span>"One moment, please."</span></p> <p><span>Ten seconds later, Steve answered the phone, "Mornin', Max. How ya' doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"I've had better days, but I'll survive it."</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing serious, I hope."</span></p> <p><span>"It's serious, but nothing we can't deal with. Listen, I wanted to talk to you to let you know that Joey and Alex have finished working on the fourth-grade math text."</span></p> <p><span>"What!?" Logan exclaimed in one ear.</span></p> <p><span>"What!? Are you serious?" Steve shouted in my other ear.</span></p> <p><span>I put a finger to my lips to ask Logan to be quiet, then continued my call with Steve. "Of course, I am. I checked over their work and didn't find any mistakes, but I'll bring the texts and their notebooks to you this afternoon or tomorrow so you can see them. I hope you were serious about giving the fifth-grade texts."</span></p> <p><span>"Without a doubt, Max. I'll look forward to seeing how they do with it."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good news, Steve, they'll love it. One more thing I want you to know about. Logan Campbell won't be at school today. I told Gloria already, but I didn't tell her why."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh-oh, that doesn't sound like good news."</span></p> <p><span>"It's not. He was here for the twins' birthday party Saturday, and his father took umbrage with Tom and me being gay. When Logan returned home after the party, his dad beat him pretty badly and Charlie's sitting in the county jail right now and facing child abuse charges."</span></p> <p><span>"Is Logan okay? How badly was he hurt?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's pretty well bruised from his shoulders to his knees, including two black eyes. Logan asked if he could stay here today so he wouldn't be looking like a raccoon at school."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Max. I'd imagine he's pretty miserable right now. If he wants to take a couple days, that's fine. I'll make sure we send any assignments home with Alex and Joey."</span></p> <p><span>"I've already asked Gloria to do that and she said she let Mr. Thomas know."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent. Look, you take care of Logan and he can come back when he's ready."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll do that Steve. Thanks. We'll talk to you later."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for calling, Max. Have a good day."</span></p> <p><span>After hanging up, I turned to Logan and said, "Okay, buddy, you're all set. The school said you take as many days as you need to feel better, and the twins will be bringing home any work you need to do. Cool with you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's great, Max. Thanks. And thanks for letting me stay here. I don't know where else I'd go."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you worry about it." </span></p> <p><span>"What was that you were saying about Joey and Alex having a fourth-grade math book?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we're supposed to keep it quiet, but since you're living here, you're bound to find out. They're both really, really good with numbers and math and they were bored with the work in the class, so I asked the school to give them next year's book and see what they did with it."</span></p> <p><span>"Knowing those two, they probably flew right through the dang thing. I've noticed they're always the first ones done with any homework or tests. How long did it take `em to finish it, a couple months?"</span></p> <p><span>"Less than two weeks."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy crap! I could never do that."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I don't think I could either, so don't feel too bad." Tom finally returned from dropping the boys at the shelter and headed directly to the bedroom to get undressed. When he came back, I said, "Just got off the phone with the school to let them know about Logan. Now, I'm getting ready to call James to sic him on the Mueller's. Before I do, though, I want to ask a favor of you."</span></p> <p><span>"If I can do it, I will. Shoot."</span></p> <p><span>"Would you mind taking those fourth-grade math texts and the twins' notebooks to the school this afternoon. Steve would like to review them before he gives them the next text."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing. Was he surprised when you told him they were done with it?"</span></p> <p><span>"More like astonished. Thanks, bubba, I appreciate it. Now, James." I dialed his number and since it was still a bit early, he answered his own phone.</span></p> <p><span>"James Cantrell, Attorney-at-Law, how may I help you."</span></p> <p><span>"You still chargin' those outrageous fees, you shyster?" I asked with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right, I am. You still writin' books nobody wants to read?" he joked back.</span></p> <p><span>"Is there any other kind?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not for you, there isn't. So, what's up, Max. You never call me unless you need something."</span></p> <p><span>"I need you to go after Frank and Iris Mueller."</span></p> <p><span>"For what? I didn't represent you with that case."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, but you were there in the court when the judge rendered his decision. The damages they were supposed to pay to the boys were to go to a gay youth suicide hotline. I'm betting they haven't done it. I need you to find out if they've paid, and if they haven't, I want you to hound whoever you have to make it happen, and quick."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be happy to it, but why the pressure?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because I don't think they're going to be able to stay out of prison very much longer and once they're inside, they won't be able to pay. I want to make sure it's done before they go away."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell are you talking about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Let's just say they're about to get swallowed up in a child sex abuse investigation and once that investigation is completed, they'll no longer be free people."</span></p> <p><span>"And just how do you know that's going to happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Because I was one of their victims and I'm talking to the police this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit, Max. I had no idea."</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't either, really, until just last week, again. So, do me a favor and get their money while they still have some. Once they have to pay for lawyers to try to save their sorry asses, there won't be any left for the hotline."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it Max. We'll get right on it and I'll let you know when it's done. And since I'll enjoy this, I'm not even gonna charge you this time."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, although I'll be happy to do so."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, this one's on the house. Do you want to sue them, also?"</span></p> <p><span>"No need. There's no statute of limitation on the criminal charges they'll be facing, so putting them in prison is the best outcome. Besides, I don't want any of their damn money. It'd just be another reminder I don't need."</span></p> <p><span>"Understood. Well, I better quit wastin' time on the phone with you and get busy. Thanks for the call and if you need anything, call me."</span></p> <p><span>"Will do, James. Give `em hell for me." I hung up the phone, turned to Tom and asked, "Okay who was next?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ron, and then Paul. Or was it Paul first? Either way."</span></p> <p><span>"Paul first, I think. Maybe I can get to him before he's with a patient." I dialed his number and waited patiently for an answer.</span></p> <p><span>"You've reached the Kirkland home and office, this is Joy."</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Joy, Max Sanders here. How are you this bright and beautiful Monday?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, morning, Max. We're good, how are you doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothin' but better days ahead, I hope. Hey, is Paul available?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, he's just finishing his coffee, one second."</span></p> <p><span>She handed the phone to her husband and he greeted me with, "Mornin' Max. How you feelin' today?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not real sure. Better than I was last time you saw me, but not by much."</span></p> <p><span>"What's going on?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I kinda freaked out yesterday and lost control. Scared the crap out of all of us. Tom was able to help me regain control, but it was a struggle. From his experience on the force, he thinks I might be dealing with PTSD. Is that really possible after all this time?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not only possible, but very probable. You're dealing with emotions and feelings that have been bottled up and festering for over twenty years. I'd actually be surprised if things didn't boil over and explode from time to time."</span></p> <p><span>"Great, just freakin' great. Any luck on finding someone else I can talk to so I can learn to deal with this?"</span></p> <p><span>"As a matter of fact, I was going to be calling you in a bit to give you a name and number. She has some time slots open this week and she's waiting for you to call. Let me get to my office and I'll give you her information." After a brief moment on hold, he came back on the line. "Okay, you ready?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet."</span></p> <p><span>"Her name is Jean Schaid. Her office is in Clocktower, so it should be easy for you to get to and here's her number." I wrote down all the information as he gave it to me because I knew I wouldn't be able to remember it otherwise. "She's a no-nonsense type of psychologist and believes in attacking things head-on. If there's anyone in town who can help you, it's her. I talked to her briefly and gave her a little bit of background on your situation, so she knows what she'll be dealin' with."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Paul, I really appreciate this. And we are all very thankful for your help last week. I'm not sure what would have happened if you hadn't come out when you did."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm always happy to help out a friend, Max. By the way, you should be hearing from the police soon. I turned over my report to them Friday."</span></p> <p><span>"Funny you should mention that. Dylan's coming out to talk to me this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I'd figured they wouldn't waste any time, not with the information I included in the report."</span></p> <p><span>"The sooner I get done dealing with this insanity, the sooner we can move on with our lives out here. Oh, hey, that reminds me of something I don't think we've talked about yet."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Tom and I are getting married May seventeenth. We'd really like it if you and Joy could be here."</span></p> <p><span>"We'd love to join you. I'll let Joy know."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be sending out invitations in a bit, but I wanted to give you a little advanced notice."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for that, you can count on us being there."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent, we'll look forward to it. Thanks again for Jean's name and number. I'll call her right now."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, Max. I wish you the best of luck and if you need me for anything, just call."</span></p> <p><span>That call completed, I dialed Jean's number.</span></p> <p><span>"The Schaid practice, how can we help you."</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, I was given Dr. Schaid's name by Dr. Paul Kirkland and I'd like to make an appointment."</span></p> <p><span>"May I have your name, sir?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yes, the doctor told me to expect your call. Let me pull up her schedule. Okay, here we go, she has appointments available tomorrow at ten, Wednesday at two and Friday at eleven. Which one would you like to have?"</span></p> <p><span>"Tomorrow at ten would be perfect."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Mr. Sanders. I have you down and we'll look for you then. Do you have our address?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, Dr. Kirkland gave it to me."</span></p> <p><span>"Then we'll see you tomorrow morning, Mr. Sanders. Have a good day."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, you too." After hanging up the phone again, I turned to Tom and told him, "Appointment tomorrow morning at ten with Dr. Schaid. Do <i>not</i> let me forget it."</span></p> <p><span>"You want me to go with you, babe?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably not a bad idea. God knows what kind of shape I'll be in after."</span></p> <p><span>"What about me," Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, buddy, if you don't go to school, I guess you go with us," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Cool. It'll be like a field trip."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess so," I answered, leaning across the counter and ruffling his hair. "Okay, Ron was next, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, then Amazon, Spiderwick."</span></p> <p><span>I dialed the number for Merry Maids.</span></p> <p><span>"Merry Maids, this is Joyce, how can we brighten your day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Joyce, this is Max Sanders, how are you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm well, thanks for asking."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, I had a crew of yours out a while back to give my home a quick cleaning. I have some more things I'd like to have done and I'd like to arrange for Ron to come take care of them for me."</span></p> <p><span>"We can certainly do that, Mr. Sanders. Any particular reason you're requesting Ron?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, some of what I want done will require use of a tall ladder," I said as the reason while looking to Tom and shrugging my shoulders. "I just thought Ron might be more willing to accept the challenge."</span></p> <p><span>After a quick chuckle, Joyce replied, "No doubt about that. Most of my ladies won't do ladders more than three foot tall. When would you like Ron to come out?"</span></p> <p><span>"If possible, tomorrow afternoon, say, around two or so? I expect he'll be here for a couple hours."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me look at his schedule, one moment." After a few moments, she came back on the call, "Shouldn't be a problem, Mr. Sanders. I just talked to him and he's looking forward to coming out. Thanks for calling and have a great day."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Ron will be here around two tomorrow. We'll see if we can get some real help around here keeping things clean. Now, I need a computer to order those books." I headed to office and five minutes later, the whole series of Spiderwick Chronicles books were ordered and they were scheduled to arrive Wednesday. As I rejoined Tom and Logan in the kitchen, I commented, "Okay, I think that's everybody and everything I wanted to take care of this morning. Have I missed anything?"</span></p> <p><span>"Let's see, school, James, Paul, Jean, Ron, Amazon. Nope that sounds like everyone I knew about. You didn't want to call the pope or the president, did ya'."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, let me think about that. First, the Pope. Since I'm an atheist, I think I'm the absolute last person with whom he wants to have a discussion, on <i>any</i> topic, so I think we can safely rule him out. Second, our president. As for the poor imitation of a world leader currently residing in our White House, I wouldn't walk across the street to piss on him if he was on fire. So, I think I'll pass on the opportunity to place that particular call, also. Guess that means I'm done. Guess we should get ready for Dylan to show up."</span></p> <p><span>"What do ya' mean," Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"When people come to the house, Logan, we get dressed."</span></p> <p><span>"But we didn't yesterday, we just wrapped a towel around ourselves."</span></p> <p><span>"Yesterday was kind of a fluke and we didn't have the time to actually get shorts. Tom and I will have on shorts and a t-shirt today. I expect you to have on shorts, at least, okay."</span></p> <p><span>"But if this is your house, why do you get dressed? Why don't you make people get naked like you?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's called courtesy, Logan. Yes, it's our house and they're just visiting, but still, we don't want anyone to feel awkward when they're here. Besides, you said you and your dad do the same at your home, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we do. Okay, I'll get a pair of shorts, I think I brought some with me."</span></p> <p><span>"If you didn't, you can borrow some from Alex or Joey, okay?" DING! "And now's the time, so scoot, young man." Logan headed across the house to the twins' room while Tom and I headed to our room. Just as we were coming back down the hall, the doorbell rang. I headed to the door as Tom continued to the living room and Logan returned to the kitchen to continue his homework.</span></p> <p><span>I opened the front door to find Dylan and Derek. "Mornin', guys, come on in. I didn't know you were bringing backup with you today, Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I hadn't planned on it, but Derek asked me this morning if he could join me, and I figured two heads are better than one, so I brought him with me. I hope that's okay."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine. Why don't we talk in the living room? It's the most comfortable." </span></p> <p><span>Logan stuck his head out of the kitchen and said, "Hi, Mr. Timmons."</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning to you, too, Logan. How ya' doin' today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty good, but Max let me stay home from school."</span></p> <p><span>"Is he the young man you assisted yesterday, Deputy?" Dylan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir."</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, I'd like to talk to you when I'm done talking with Mr. Sanders. Is that all right?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, whenever."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I'll let you know when." Dylan turned back to me and asked, "Well, shall we get this interview started?"</span></p> <p><span>"No time like the present, I guess," I replied and led the way to the living room to join Tom.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-29.html

Building a Family 29 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. I have created a Tumblr site with pictures of what the story's main characters look like in my mind. If you would like to see them, they can be found here: https://enderwiggin61.tumblr.com/ Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 29 � First Lesson and Visitors "I like the way you think," he said as I closed the bedroom door. He pulled open the nightstand drawer, retrieved an assortment of what he had euphemistically called `aids' and spread them on the bed. They ranged from a rather smallish butt plug to a dildo that almost put Dylan to shame. My jaw dropped and eyes opened wide with surprise. He grabbed the plug and held it up, "I started with this and worked my way up." "Damn, you've had that monster up your ass? No wonder you didn't have a problem with my little cock." "Once and only once, and it hurt like hell. I discovered I do have limits. And would you please quit saying you're little. I've seen more than my share of dicks in locker rooms over the years and you're absolutely perfect. I wouldn't want you any other way." "I'm not sure I believe that, but if you say so. Are you ready to start teaching me how to use these?" "Your wish is my command. Give the word." "Consider it given. What do I have to do?" "Just lay down and relax. The key is to be as relaxed as you can be." "You want me on my back or belly?" "Either one. It might be easier if you started on your belly, otherwise you'll have to pull your legs way up to give me access." I rolled over on my stomach, carefully adjusting my hard cock into a comfortable position. "Hang on, slide this pillow under you." I positioned the pillow as requested, and got comfortable again. I felt Tom spread my cheeks apart with one hand as he drizzled oil in my crack. He immediately began to spread the oil, paying special attention to my tight, virgin pucker. "You ready for this?" All I could do was nod with all the new sensations I was feeling and anticipating. He slowly started inserting his finger into my anus. He stopped pushing when I felt his first knuckle hit the edge of my opening and held it there for a moment. When he felt my sphincter relax, he increased the pressure slightly, allowing the digit to sink deeper to the second knuckle. I moaned as he stopped again and asked, "You okay so far?" My tongue was still not functioning and I could only nod in response. That must have been his cue to increase the pressure again as the next thing I felt was his finger sliding ever deeper. I inhaled deeply as he reached maximum depth and then held his hand still as I grew accustomed to his anal invader. He must have felt me relax again as he started to pull the finger back out. I almost cried out in anguish at the thought of losing this feeling, but before I could, he started sliding the finger back in. He built up a smooth, steady rhythm and I was soon in heaven. After maybe a minute, he completely removed the finger and I moaned `no' at the sudden emptiness I felt. That feeling didn't last long as I soon felt more oil drizzling on my tender hole, followed by two fingers assaulting my back door. I sucked in air as my tight sphincter muscle relaxed to eagerly accept both. Again, Tom slowly increased the speed of his finger fucking and he had soon reached that same rhythm I'd felt before. As he was working his fingers in and out, he started to wiggle them around inside me. Every couple of strokes, he would brush something deep inside me that sent electric shocks throughout my entire body. Had my cock not been buried between my stomach and the pillow, it would have been dancing wildly. After a couple more minutes of deep and intense pleasure, he asked, "You ready for the next step?" "God, yes," I moaned as I discovered my tongue had started working again. "This is the smallest toy I have, about the same size as my two fingers, just longer." "Quit talking and get on with it." Tom wasted no more time and I soon felt the tip of the dildo make contact with my pucker. He pushed slowly until all of it was inside me but the half-inch he was gripping. I thought his fingers felt good, but this new feeling was even more intense. I could my feel my cock leaking copious amounts of pre-cum into the pillow, but I didn't care. Tom started fucking me with the dildo, gently at first and slowly increasing speed and intensity as time lost all meaning. He paused his manipulations, eliciting another grown from me and said, "Roll over, I want to see this." I wasn't sure what he wanted to see, but I was not prepared to argue at this point as I just wanted this to continue forever. I rolled onto my back, positioning my ass on the pillow. "Pull your legs up and hold on to your knees," he whispered. Once in my new position, he grasped the end of the dildo and continued fucking me with it. In this new position, he was hitting that magic spot on almost every thrust. I reached down to wrap a hand around my throbbing cock, but he batted my hand away. I was close to losing complete control of my senses and body when he leaned in and gently sucked both of my balls into his mouth. That was all it took as my cock began pumping a copious amount of cum all over my face, chest and stomach. I finally reached the point where I couldn't take any more stimulation and grabbed his head with both hands to make him stop. He slowly removed the imitation cock from my ass, let my balls fall from his mouth, and then lifted his head just enough for me to see the wicked grin on his face. "I'm guessing you've never come without touching your cock." "Never. God, what a feeling." "Yeah, I know. My first time was unreal, too. Hang on, let me get a towel and clean you up." "I think it's gonna take more than a towel, maybe a trip through a car wash, though, would do the trick," I laughed. "Towel first, car wash second," he said as headed to the bathroom. He returned and wiped most of the mess off me, then helped me stand and make my way to the shower on wobbly legs and weak knees. He got me in the shower and on the bench, then headed back to the bedroom. He was back in moments with the dildo he'd just used to fuck my virgin ass. He climbed in the shower with me and commented, "Gotta' keep `em clean, you know." I suddenly realized that Tom was still hard as a rock and knew he had to be desperate for release. When he got close enough, I grabbed his cock, pulled him closer and took him in my mouth. In no time at all, I was receiving his second load of the day directly into my throat. He collapsed on the bench next to me. "Thanks, I needed that." "That's the least I could do after what you just did for me. C'mon, let's get cleaned up and get to bed. We have three more rugrats here tomorrow afternoon, remember?" "Oh, yeah. Whose bright idea was that?" "Guilty. I figured between helping Mike get along with those three and seeing if Andy's being abused, it's worth it." "You're right, of course." "Of course, I am, get used to it," I laughed. We finished our shower and climbed in bed, me holding Tom, and fell into a deep sleep. The morning sun was streaming through the window into my eyes when I realized a pair of very intense hazel eyes set in a field of freckles was staring at me. "Morning, munchkin, what's up? Where's your brothers?" "They're all still in bed, dad. I had to pee and didn't want get back in bed with T.J., so I came to see if you was awake yet." "I am now, hop up here." Mike jumped up on the bed and crawled over to give me a hug, which I eagerly returned. I was learning to love the smell of fresh boy in the morning. I lifted the cover between Tom and me and said, "Crawl in." When he was settled, I curled up behind him, pulled him into my arms and promptly fell back to sleep. My next waking moment was to someone violently shaking my shoulder. I rolled over to find T.J., jumping up and down, screaming something about Mike being missing. Tom sat straight up wanting to know what was going on and I pushed the covers down just enough to show T.J. that Mike was safe. "I appreciate your concern, T.J., but please stop screaming." "Oh, thank god, I was scared to death. We've looked everywhere and couldn't find him. I thought he sneaked out." "More like he snuck in. Feeling better now?" "Yeah." "Okay, scoot on out of here and we'll be out in a few minutes." "Okay, dad. I'll tell Joey and Alex I found him and they can stop the search." T.J. left and I turned to find Mike giggling in the middle of the bed. "Oh, you think that's funny, do ya'?" "Yeah, the look on his face was wicked." "Well, do ya' think this is funny?" I asked as I started to tickle his ribs. "No, stop, I gotta pee again!" "Well get outta' our bed and go, ya' little booger." He tossed the covers off all of us and proceeded to crawl over me, dragging his hard, little pecker across mine as he did so. He left the room at a run, giggling as his bare behind turned the corner into the hallway. "C'mon, big guy, time to get moving. We've got a long day ahead of us." "Yeah, yeah, I know." We crawled out of bed, hit the john, washed faces and hands and headed to the kitchen to rustle up some breakfast. "How do pancakes sound this morning, folks?" "Yeah!!" "Well, get the table set while I make the mix and heat the syrup." The boys hopped off their stools and proceeded to take care of getting everything but the pancakes on table. By the time they had everything in place and their glasses of milk and juice, the first pancakes were ready to be eaten. I gave each a couple to get them started, thankful I had the big griddle plate that covered two burners on the stove. As fast as I could get them made, the boys were eating them. When they finally slowed down, Tom and I got our turns to enjoy breakfast. When the boys finished, they started cleaning their dishes and waited patiently while Tom and I finished with ours. With the meal completed and the dishes ready for the dishwasher, it was time to make plans for later this afternoon. "So, what are your plans with your guests this afternoon, Mike?" "Sic T.J., Joey and Alex on them. Let's see if they like getting picked on," he grinned evilly while rubbing his hands together. "Now, as fun as that might sound, you're trying to turn them into friends, not create bigger enemies." "I know, dad, I was just kidding. Maybe we can take a walk in the trees, see if we can find the deer again. Definitely wanna' swim for a while, then could we watch a movie?" "Sounds like you've got a full afternoon, there, but I like it. Do you want your brothers with you for any of it?" "Well, sure. Maybe we can all be friends. That'd be cool." "Alex, T.J., Joey, do you want to help Mike with his guests?" "Why not, what else we gonna' do? Sit around and watch them have all the fun?" Joey asked. "I thought you might rather join in the fun than not. Thanks, I appreciate it. Mike, I think we should leave here about 12:30 to start picking them up. You'll be ready to roll, right?" "Yeah, dad, I'll be ready." "Good, now, why don't you four go watch some TV for a while before lunch." They took off to the theater, leaving Tom and I alone. "Are you ready for this?" "As ready as I'll ever be. Will we still have time this evening or tomorrow to go get some things from my apartment?" "Oh, man, I'm so sorry Tom, but I'd forgotten all about that. I'm glad you reminded me. We'll take care of that tomorrow. We'll go in the morning and make as many trips as needed to get the things you want now, including your car. With your car and the Flex, we should be able to get quite a bit." "I don't really have a lot there I'm worried about. It's not like I'm going to need a 32" TV or my stereo. Hell, you got bigger screens in the bedrooms here than what I had in my living room. Same goes for the few dishes I had. Don't really need that junk out here, do we? Or my furniture, either. None of it would really fit in with what you already have. I'm beginning to wonder if I really do belong here, despite how much I want it." "Tom, don't be like that," I said as I gave him a hug. "We'll bring everything out and decide later what you want to keep. We can rearrange, replace, add, whatever. We're in this together and we'll work it out." "Thanks for that, Max. As much I've grown attached to you and those four boys over the last week, I still have moments where I wonder if we're really doing the right thing." "Don't you doubt that for one second. I've never felt so right about anything in my life. Sure, a lot has happened in a very short time, but it's all good things. I want you here, the boys want you here, we all love you, too." "But, I'm not bringing much to the party, am I?" "You're bringing the most important thing you can, yourself. The rest is just stuff. We can deal with stuff, yours, mine and the boys." "I thank Carol every day for calling me to help you last Saturday." "Me too, bubba, me too. Hey, I've got an idea for ya'." "Oh, shit, here it comes. Again," he laughed. "Laugh it up fuzzball," I said as I smacked him on the shoulder. "You know the bus shelter we're going to have soon. What do you think about putting some of your stuff out there for the boys to use? No reason it can't be nice, is there?" "That's a good idea, Max. It sure beats the hell out of trying to sell it or give it somebody. And I sure can't leave it where it is. Oh, crap, I need to let the apartment manager I'm moving. I hope they don't screw me for breaking the lease." "Don't worry about it, Tom. If they want anything, I'll pay it." "Whoa, I'm not here for a free ride. I expect to pay my fair share." "And you will, but don't stress yourself over the penny-ante shit." "Easy for you to say mister rich and famous author. That's big shit to regular folk like me." "Tom, you live here now. You're a part of this family and I hope to make that official as soon as we can, so you better get used to `rich and famous'." He whipped his head around and stared in my eyes, mouth wide open in surprise. "What?" "That almost sounded like a proposal. Did you just ask me to marry you?" "Um, maybe. I guess that depends on your answer." "Well, I had planned to wait at least another day before asking you. I mean, it's not even been a full seven days since we first met and I think that's rushing things a bit, don't you? Eight days would seem to be much more appropriate, don't you think?" His grin grew wider with every word. "Well, gee, since you put it that way, maybe we should wait a little longer ... Okay, that's long enough." I got down on my knee, grabbed Tom's hand and said, "Tom Wright, I've never met anyone who makes me feel like you do. You complete me. I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?" "Get up here, you hopeless romantic." As I stood, Tom wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in for hug. "Yes," he whispered in my ear. From behind me, I heard, "Would you two get a room, please? This is embarrassing." I turned to find Joey opening the refrigerator. "What are you doing in here? Eavesdropping again?" "Nah, just came to get us some drinks. I'll be gone soon and you two can carry on," he smirked. After Joey returned to the others with their drinks, Tom and I busted out laughing. Over our laughing, we could hear cheers of joy escaping the closed theater door. Said door fairly burst open as four exuberant lads ran out. "Is what Joey just told us real?" yelled Alex. "Depends on what he told you," I answered. "He said you two was gettin' married," T.J. said. "Then, yes, it's real. I asked Tom to marry me and he said yes." Their cheers practically raised the roof off the house. "When?" "I don't know, it just happened, we haven't had time to discuss a date just yet. When we do, we'll be sure to let you know, okay?" "Cool. Will we get to be in the wedding?" "I'm sure you will." I looked at the clock and realized lunchtime was creeping up on us and I asked if hotdogs and chips would be okay for a quick lunch before leaving to pick up Andy, Mark and Billy. After receiving agreements from everyone, I got the dogs on a griddle while the boys set the table and got the buns, ketchup, mustard and relish out while Tom dealt with the chips. With the feeding frenzy completed, the boys cleaned and stacked the dishes to go into the dishwasher and I noticed Mike and I had to get a move on so we could pick up his guests. "Mike, let's get dressed so we can get out of here. The rest of you, please, please, please, have some clothes on when we get back home. I don't want to scare these three when we get back." Mike and I headed to our rooms to get dressed and met back in the living room. "You ready, munchkin?" "Yeah, dad, let's go." "Be back in about a half hour, guys" I called over my shoulder as I put my hand on Mike's shoulder and led him out to the garage. "So, Uncle Tom, when you two get married, what are we gonna' call you then?" Joey asked. "Yeah, Uncle won't seem right and we can't call you both dad," Alex commented. "How `bout, `big guy', you know, since his dick's so big?" T.J. laughed. "I don't know, yet, guys. We'll figure things out as they need to be figured out." "I hope it happens before we go to court for the adoption," Joey mused. "That would be nice, but we'll just have to wait and see." "It's gonna be great having two dads," Alex said. "Two really cool dads," T.J. added. "Thanks for that, boys. Well, Max, Mike and the others will be back shortly and we told them we'd be decent when they got here, so let's get some shorts on and be ready for them, I guess. Actually, if you're going to go for a walk through the woods, you might as well put on some warm clothes so you'll be ready to go when they get back." "Okay, daddy," T.J. said as he came over and gave me a hug. With that, the three took off down the hall to get dressed and I headed to my bedroom to do the same, wiping tears of joy from eyes. Mike and I arrived at Billy's home and headed to the door. I had Mike knock to announce our arrival while I stood behind him. Sarah answered the door with her son standing behind her, holding a backpack. "Hi, there, you must be Max and Mike." "We are," I answered. "I'm obviously Max and this munchkin is my soon-to-be son, Mike," patting him on the head. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Is Billy ready to go?" "Right here," she said, guiding her son in front of her. Sarah knelt in front of her son and said, "You be a good boy and do as Max says, you hear me?" "Yes, ma'am. Thanks for letting me go." "What time will you bring him home?" she asked, turning back to me. "I think around 6'ish, if that's okay with you?" "That'll be fine. I'll hold off fixing supper until then." As soon as Billy was out the door, he and Mike took off running for the car. They were both in and buckled before I joined them and we headed to Mark's home to repeat the process. When we arrived, both boys hopped out of the car and ran to the door. Mike had knocked and Mark's mother opened the door before I joined the boys on the porch. "Hi Mrs. Reynolds, we're here to pick up Mark," Billy said. "Hang on." She turned back into the house and yelled, "Mark, your friends are here. Get a move on, young man." She turned back to the door and asked, "Hi there, I'm Peggy. Are you Mr. Sanders?" "That's me, I'm Max and this is my son, Mike. I assume you know Billy." "Hi Mike, nice to meet another one of Mark's friends. Hi, Billy, how are you today?" "I'm good, Mrs. Reynolds. We're going to Mike's to swim." "I know, Mark hasn't shut up about it all morning. Are you sure you're ready to handle four boys for the afternoon?" "Actually, it'll be seven. My own four plus Mark, Billy and Andy." "You're either very brave or very crazy," Peggy joked. "I'd prefer to think brave, but it's more likely I'm crazy," I laughed. Mark appeared at his mom's side at that moment. "You got everything, Mark?" Peggy asked. "Yeah, ma." "Swimsuit, clean clothes, including underwear?" "Ma-a-a-a! Not in front of the guys," he whined as he turned pink with embarrassment. I turned my head to hide my chuckle. "Well, get out of here, then, and go have some fun. And you listen to Mr. Sanders and do as he says. I don't want to hear you've been bad." "I'm sure he'll be fine, Peggy." With that, the three boys ran to the car and got ready to go pick up Andy. "I'll have him back around 6, is that okay?" "That'll be fine. Thanks, have fun and good luck." I joined the boys in the car and we headed to Andy's home. Before we got there, I told the boys that I would go to the door by myself this time. They weren't happy with that, but they'd have to live with it. When we got to Andy's house, I got out of the car, walked to the front door and rang the bell. The door opened to reveal a rather large man with a gruff look on his face. "Yeah?" "Good afternoon," I said politely. "My name is Max Sanders and I'm here to pick up Andy. Is he ready to go?" "What the fuck you want with that pain-in-the-ass kid? The old lady didn't say nothin' `bout him goin' nowhere." "Well, my son and I talked to your wife last evening and we invited Andy to come to our house to spend an afternoon with my son and two of his other friends, Billy and Mark." "I ain't married to that skank. If you really want him, take him, I don't give a fuck." He turned to the inside of the house and yelled, "Yo, shithead, get your ass in here. Your loser friends are here to take you away." "We're going to my house so the boys can go swimming and watch a movie." "I don't care what he does, just get the little turd outta my sight for the day and I'll be happy." Andy had come up behind the man and was trying to sneak around him to get out the door. "You better not fuck up kid or you'll pay for it when you get home." "I know, sir. Bye, sir." "Come on, Andy, the others are waiting in the car." I put my hand on his shoulder as I turned towards the car, but I turned back to the door and said, "I'll have him back home about 6:00 or 6:15. Is that all right?" "Why the fuck would I care? His mom'll be home then and she can deal with his sorry ass." I could feel Andy shrink under my hand as we walked to the car. "The middle seat's full, Andy, why don't you hop in the front with me?" "Really, he never lets me sit in the front." "Well, you're not supposed to, but we're not going that far." "Thanks, Mr. Sanders." As we pulled away, the boys all said hi to each other and it sounded like they might actually enjoy themselves this afternoon. After they had calmed down, I asked Andy, "Does your dad always talk to you like that?" "He ain't my dad! He's just mom's boyfriend." "He doesn't seem very nice." "He ain't and I wish she'd get rid of him." "Okay then, sorry you have to deal with that." "It ain't too bad as long as I stay in my room when he's around." "What's his name," I asked. "Russ Weedman, or something like that." By that time, we had reached the drive and I'd made the turn to the house. "Hey, where we goin'? Nobody lives back here," Andy said. "I do," Mike called from the back. We'd just reach the clearing in the center of the trees and the boys got their first look at the house. "Whoa, you live here, Mike," Mark asked. "Yep, with my dad and brothers." "Cool place. Never knew it was back here," Billy said. "Wait `til you see the inside," Mike said as I pulled in the garage. "C'mon, guys, let's go." All four took off for the house, hauling their backpacks with them, as I followed in their footsteps. There was no need to announce our return as I'm sure the others could hear the peals of laughter. I found Tom in the living room holding his hands over his ears and I had to laugh. "What, you expected quiet? Dreamer." "Hey, don't burst the bubble, man, it's my dream." Mike and his guests came into the living room at a run after dropping backpacks in Mike's room. "Hey, who's the other dude, Mike?" Andy asked as they came to a sudden halt. "He's gonna be my other dad as soon as they get married." "Two guys can't get married," Andy protested. "Why not?" "It's just wrong, that's why not." "Boys, come here and Mike can introduce you." They came closer and Mike started with, "Uncle Tom, this is Andy, Mark and Billy. They're in my class at school." "Hi, guys, nice to meet you. I hope you have fun this afternoon." "He's a cop and if you're bad, he'll haul you off to jail." Mike added. "I'll be good, sir," Billy started, "I don't wanna' go to jail." "Me neither," Mark added. "Don't worry boys, I don't take kids to jail." "Hey, dad, can I show `em the theater?" Mike asked as he turned to face me. "Sure, but weren't you planning to go on a walk to look for deer?" "In a minute, I want `em to see where we're gonna' watch a movie later." "Okay, go ahead." They scooted off and returned in a few minutes chattering wildly. "You guys ready for your walk now?" "Yeah, can we go swimming when we get back?" "You bet. Are your brothers going with you?" "I think so. They said they would." "Okay, if you do find deer, remember to be careful around them and don't get too close." "We won't, dad." The four headed to Mike's room to get ready for their walk and came back shortly with T.J., Alex and Joey following. "Alex, Joey, watch after them and don't let anybody get too far apart. I don't want to have to send out a search party later to find you. And make sure you stay away from where the bodies are buried," I joked. "We'll keep an eye on `em dad," Joey said "And we'll stay away from your secret corner," Alex added while grinning evilly and rubbing his hands together. With that, the seven lads turned and headed for the front door. As the door opened, I heard `Is he serious? About bodies out there?' Tom and I chuckled as the door closed. "So, how did picking the boys up go?" "Getting them was fine, taking them back is going to be another story." "Why?" "Let's just say I don't think we'd be doing Andy any favors taking him back to that house." I told Tom what I heard from the man who answered the door. "Do I need to call Dylan?" "Not yet. Let's see if we see any bruises or marks on Andy when we go for a swim." "Just say the word and I'm on the phone." "I know, Tom. Thanks." "So, Mike, how long has Mr. Sanders been your dad?" Billy asked. "We got here last Friday. Didn't know for sure we'd get to stay until the next day, though." "Yeah, we thought we'd be going back to our foster homes on Sunday," T.J. said. "You guys like it here?" Mark asked. "What's not to like? We got a great house, theater, pool, everything we ever wanted," Joey answered. "Yeah, and most of the time, we don't wear no clothes," Alex tossed into the conversation and promptly clapped his hands over his mouth when he realized what he'd done. "Dang it, Alex, you weren't s'posed to say nothin' `bout that." "I know, sorry," he mumbled as he hung his head and stared at the ground. "Wait, you guys run around naked all the time?" Andy asked, surprise showing on his face. "Since big-mouth screwed up and let it slip, yeah, we do" Joey said. "Ain't that weird?" Mark asked. "A little at first, maybe, but now we been doin' it for a week, so not no more," Mike answered. "What `bout your dad and the other dude?" Billy quizzed. "They don't wear no clothes, either?" T.J., Mike, Joey and Alex exchanged a glance with each other. Finally, T.J. shrugged his shoulders and said, "Yeah, them, too. Why wouldn't they?" "Wow!" Billy said. "I ain't never seen my dad naked." "Me either," Mark added. "I don't even know my dad," Andy mumbled, looking down at the ground. "And I sure don't want to see Russ naked. He probably looks as nasty as his moods are." "Look, guys," Joey interrupted, "we weren't s'posed to say nothin' and you guys ain't s'posed know about it. You can't tell no one," he begged. "Yeah, if you say anything, it could screw up our adoption. We don't want that to happen," Alex said. "We can't go back to where we were." "Please, say you won't say nothin'," T.J. pleaded. "Hang on, I ain't too sure `bout that. This don't sound right," Andy said. "Mark, Billy, come here a sec." While Andy, Mark and Billy huddled into a serious talk, Joey turned to Alex, "Man, Alex, you really fucked up this time." "I know. I'm really sorry guys, I just hope they keep their mouths shut." "We'll find out soon enough. Here they come," T.J. said pointing towards the other three. "Okay, here's what we'll do. I think you'll like it. We'll keep your secret on one condition." Andy said. "What!? That sounds like you're gonna' blackmail us," Joey responded. "Call it what you want. You wanna' hear the condition?" "Probably not, but spit it out anyway." "Okay, we'll keep quiet if we get to join you when we get back to the house." "Wait, you guys want to go naked, too?" Mike asked. "Why not?" Billy asked. "None of us got anything special to hide, do we?" "Not compared to Uncle Tom, we don't," T.J. giggled. "Oh, and one more thing," Andy said, "Your dad and that Tom dude have to get naked, too." "Uh-oh, that could be a problem. I don't think they'll do it with you three here," Alex said. "That's the deal, take or leave it." "It's our turn to talk, Andy, give us a minute, okay?" Joey said. My four made their own huddle and returned with an action plan. "Okay," Joey started, "Here's what we'll do," and he explained the plan. "You think that'll work?" "It's worth trying," Andy answered as he grinned mischievously. After about 30 minutes of being outside, we heard the front door open as the seven boys returned. "Hi guys, did you enjoy the walk?" "Yeah, it's pretty neat out there," Andy said. "Even though we didn't find any deer or bodies," Mark laughed. "You got any more trails out here?" Billy asked. "Several of them. You'll have to come back when it's warmer and try them out." "That'd be cool, thanks, Mr. Sanders." "You want some hot chocolate before we go swimming?" "That'd be great, dad," Mike answered. It took Tom and I five minutes to get the warm drinks made and set on the table for the boys. "Tom and I will get ready to swim while you warm up a bit. Don't forget to put your cups in the sink when you're done." "We will, dad," Alex answered. Tom and I headed to our bedroom to change. When I closed the bedroom door, I looked at him and asked, "Does something seem a little off to you?" "What? I didn't notice anything." "It might just be my imagination, but they seemed awfully quiet when they came back in from their walk. Especially for seven boys." "That's fine with me," Tom laughed. "Sure beats hearing them screaming in the pool." "We'll see." We got our swim shorts on, grabbed towels and headed out the living room to wait for the boys to be ready. As we passed the kitchen, we noticed the table was empty, so we assumed the boys were changing in their rooms. Tom and I sat by the fireplace and we didn't have long to wait before we could hear the giggles of seven boys coming down the hall from their rooms. I'm not sure why, but I was shocked as they turned the corner into the living room and formed a line in front of us, towels tossed over their shoulders. "Okay, dad, we're ready, let's go," Mike grinned.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 29</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>I have created a Tumblr site with pictures of what the story's main characters look like in my mind. If you would like to see them, they can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://enderwiggin61.tumblr.com/">https://enderwiggin61.tumblr.com/</a></span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc476239332"><span>Chapter 29 � First Lesson and Visitors</span></a></h2> <p><span>"I like the way you think," he said as I closed the bedroom door. He pulled open the nightstand drawer, retrieved an assortment of what he had euphemistically called `aids' and spread them on the bed. They ranged from a rather smallish butt plug to a dildo that almost put Dylan to shame. My jaw dropped and eyes opened wide with surprise.</span></p> <p><span>He grabbed the plug and held it up, "I started with this and worked my way up."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, you've had that monster up your ass? No wonder you didn't have a problem with my little cock."</span></p> <p><span>"Once and only once, and it hurt like hell. I discovered I do have limits. And would you please quit saying you're little. I've seen more than my share of dicks in locker rooms over the years and you're absolutely perfect. I wouldn't want you any other way."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not sure I believe that, but if you say so. Are you ready to start teaching me how to use these?"</span></p> <p><span>"Your wish is my command. Give the word."</span></p> <p><span>"Consider it given. What do I have to do?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just lay down and relax. The key is to be as relaxed as you can be."</span></p> <p><span>"You want me on my back or belly?"</span></p> <p><span>"Either one. It might be easier if you started on your belly, otherwise you'll have to pull your legs way up to give me access." I rolled over on my stomach, carefully adjusting my hard cock into a comfortable position. "Hang on, slide this pillow under you." I positioned the pillow as requested, and got comfortable again. I felt Tom spread my cheeks apart with one hand as he drizzled oil in my crack. He immediately began to spread the oil, paying special attention to my tight, virgin pucker.</span></p> <p><span>"You ready for this?" All I could do was nod with all the new sensations I was feeling and anticipating. He slowly started inserting his finger into my anus. He stopped pushing when I felt his first knuckle hit the edge of my opening and held it there for a moment. When he felt my sphincter relax, he increased the pressure slightly, allowing the digit to sink deeper to the second knuckle. I moaned as he stopped again and asked, "You okay so far?" My tongue was still not functioning and I could only nod in response. That must have been his cue to increase the pressure again as the next thing I felt was his finger sliding ever deeper. I inhaled deeply as he reached maximum depth and then held his hand still as I grew accustomed to his anal invader.</span></p> <p><span>He must have felt me relax again as he started to pull the finger back out. I almost cried out in anguish at the thought of losing this feeling, but before I could, he started sliding the finger back in. He built up a smooth, steady rhythm and I was soon in heaven. After maybe a minute, he completely removed the finger and I moaned `no' at the sudden emptiness I felt. That feeling didn't last long as I soon felt more oil drizzling on my tender hole, followed by two fingers assaulting my back door. I sucked in air as my tight sphincter muscle relaxed to eagerly accept both. Again, Tom slowly increased the speed of his finger fucking and he had soon reached that same rhythm I'd felt before. </span></p> <p><span>As he was working his fingers in and out, he started to wiggle them around inside me. Every couple of strokes, he would brush something deep inside me that sent electric shocks throughout my entire body. Had my cock not been buried between my stomach and the pillow, it would have been dancing wildly. </span></p> <p><span>After a couple more minutes of deep and intense pleasure, he asked, "You ready for the next step?"</span></p> <p><span>"God, yes," I moaned as I discovered my tongue had started working again.</span></p> <p><span>"This is the smallest toy I have, about the same size as my two fingers, just longer."</span></p> <p><span>"Quit talking and get on with it."</span></p> <p><span>Tom wasted no more time and I soon felt the tip of the dildo make contact with my pucker. He pushed slowly until all of it was inside me but the half-inch he was gripping. I thought his fingers felt good, but this new feeling was even more intense. I could my feel my cock leaking copious amounts of pre-cum into the pillow, but I didn't care. Tom started fucking me with the dildo, gently at first and slowly increasing speed and intensity as time lost all meaning. He paused his manipulations, eliciting another grown from me and said, "Roll over, I want to see this." I wasn't sure what he wanted to see, but I was not prepared to argue at this point as I just wanted this to continue forever. I rolled onto my back, positioning my ass on the pillow. "Pull your legs up and hold on to your knees," he whispered.</span></p> <p><span>Once in my new position, he grasped the end of the dildo and continued fucking me with it. In this new position, he was hitting that magic spot on almost every thrust. I reached down to wrap a hand around my throbbing cock, but he batted my hand away. I was close to losing complete control of my senses and body when he leaned in and gently sucked both of my balls into his mouth. That was all it took as my cock began pumping a copious amount of cum all over my face, chest and stomach. I finally reached the point where I couldn't take any more stimulation and grabbed his head with both hands to make him stop. He slowly removed the imitation cock from my ass, let my balls fall from his mouth, and then lifted his head just enough for me to see the wicked grin on his face.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm guessing you've never come without touching your cock."</span></p> <p><span>"Never. God, what a feeling."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know. My first time was unreal, too. Hang on, let me get a towel and clean you up."</span></p> <p><span>"I think it's gonna take more than a towel, maybe a trip through a car wash, though, would do the trick," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Towel first, car wash second," he said as headed to the bathroom. He returned and wiped most of the mess off me, then helped me stand and make my way to the shower on wobbly legs and weak knees. He got me in the shower and on the bench, then headed back to the bedroom. He was back in moments with the dildo he'd just used to fuck my virgin ass. He climbed in the shower with me and commented, "Gotta' keep `em clean, you know." I suddenly realized that Tom was still hard as a rock and knew he had to be desperate for release. When he got close enough, I grabbed his cock, pulled him closer and took him in my mouth. In no time at all, I was receiving his second load of the day directly into my throat. He collapsed on the bench next to me. "Thanks, I needed that."</span></p> <p><span>"That's the least I could do after what you just did for me. C'mon, let's get cleaned up and get to bed. We have three more rugrats here tomorrow afternoon, remember?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah. Whose bright idea was that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Guilty. I figured between helping Mike get along with those three and seeing if Andy's being abused, it's worth it."</span></p> <p><span>"You're right, of course."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I am, get used to it," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>We finished our shower and climbed in bed, me holding Tom, and fell into a deep sleep. The morning sun was streaming through the window into my eyes when I realized a pair of very intense hazel eyes set in a field of freckles was staring at me. </span></p> <p><span>"Morning, munchkin, what's up? Where's your brothers?"</span></p> <p><span>"They're all still in bed, dad. I had to pee and didn't want get back in bed with T.J., so I came to see if you was awake yet."</span></p> <p><span>"I am now, hop up here." Mike jumped up on the bed and crawled over to give me a hug, which I eagerly returned. I was learning to love the smell of fresh boy in the morning. I lifted the cover between Tom and me and said, "Crawl in." When he was settled, I curled up behind him, pulled him into my arms and promptly fell back to sleep. My next waking moment was to someone violently shaking my shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>I rolled over to find T.J., jumping up and down, screaming something about Mike being missing. Tom sat straight up wanting to know what was going on and I pushed the covers down just enough to show T.J. that Mike was safe. "I appreciate your concern, T.J., but please stop screaming."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, thank god, I was scared to death. We've looked everywhere and couldn't find him. I thought he sneaked out."</span></p> <p><span>"More like he snuck in. Feeling better now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, scoot on out of here and we'll be out in a few minutes."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, dad. I'll tell Joey and Alex I found him and they can stop the search." T.J. left and I turned to find Mike giggling in the middle of the bed.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you think that's funny, do ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, the look on his face was wicked."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, do ya' think this is funny?" I asked as I started to tickle his ribs.</span></p> <p><span>"No, stop, I gotta pee again!"</span></p> <p><span>"Well get outta' our bed and go, ya' little booger." He tossed the covers off all of us and proceeded to crawl over me, dragging his hard, little pecker across mine as he did so. He left the room at a run, giggling as his bare behind turned the corner into the hallway. "C'mon, big guy, time to get moving. We've got a long day ahead of us."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, I know."</span></p> <p><span>We crawled out of bed, hit the john, washed faces and hands and headed to the kitchen to rustle up some breakfast.</span></p> <p><span>"How do pancakes sound this morning, folks?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah!!"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, get the table set while I make the mix and heat the syrup."</span></p> <p><span>The boys hopped off their stools and proceeded to take care of getting everything but the pancakes on table. By the time they had everything in place and their glasses of milk and juice, the first pancakes were ready to be eaten. I gave each a couple to get them started, thankful I had the big griddle plate that covered two burners on the stove. As fast as I could get them made, the boys were eating them. When they finally slowed down, Tom and I got our turns to enjoy breakfast. When the boys finished, they started cleaning their dishes and waited patiently while Tom and I finished with ours. With the meal completed and the dishes ready for the dishwasher, it was time to make plans for later this afternoon.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what are your plans with your guests this afternoon, Mike?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sic T.J., Joey and Alex on them. Let's see if they like getting picked on," he grinned evilly while rubbing his hands together.</span></p> <p><span>"Now, as fun as that might sound, you're trying to turn them into friends, not create bigger enemies."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, dad, I was just kidding. Maybe we can take a walk in the trees, see if we can find the deer again. Definitely wanna' swim for a while, then could we watch a movie?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like you've got a full afternoon, there, but I like it. Do you want your brothers with you for any of it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, sure. Maybe we can all be friends. That'd be cool."</span></p> <p><span>"Alex, T.J., Joey, do you want to help Mike with his guests?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why not, what else we gonna' do? Sit around and watch them have all the fun?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I thought you might rather join in the fun than not. Thanks, I appreciate it. Mike, I think we should leave here about 12:30 to start picking them up. You'll be ready to roll, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dad, I'll be ready."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, now, why don't you four go watch some TV for a while before lunch." They took off to the theater, leaving Tom and I alone. "Are you ready for this?"</span></p> <p><span>"As ready as I'll ever be. Will we still have time this evening or tomorrow to go get some things from my apartment?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, I'm so sorry Tom, but I'd forgotten all about that. I'm glad you reminded me. We'll take care of that tomorrow. We'll go in the morning and make as many trips as needed to get the things you want now, including your car. With your car and the Flex, we should be able to get quite a bit."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't really have a lot there I'm worried about. It's not like I'm going to need a 32" TV or my stereo. Hell, you got bigger screens in the bedrooms here than what I had in my living room. Same goes for the few dishes I had. Don't really need that junk out here, do we? Or my furniture, either. None of it would really fit in with what you already have. I'm beginning to wonder if I really do belong here, despite how much I want it."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, don't be like that," I said as I gave him a hug. "We'll bring everything out and decide later what you want to keep. We can rearrange, replace, add, whatever. We're in this together and we'll work it out."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for that, Max. As much I've grown attached to you and those four boys over the last week, I still have moments where I wonder if we're really doing the right thing."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you doubt that for one second. I've never felt so right about anything in my life. Sure, a lot has happened in a very short time, but it's all good things. I <i>want</i> you here, the boys <i>want</i> you here, we all love you, too."</span></p> <p><span>"But, I'm not bringing much to the party, am I?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're bringing the most important thing you can, yourself. The rest is just stuff. We can deal with stuff, yours, mine and the boys."</span></p> <p><span>"I thank Carol every day for calling me to help you last Saturday."</span></p> <p><span>"Me too, bubba, me too. Hey, I've got an idea for ya'."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit, here it comes. Again," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Laugh it up fuzzball," I said as I smacked him on the shoulder. "You know the bus shelter we're going to have soon. What do you think about putting some of your stuff out there for the boys to use? No reason it can't be nice, is there?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good idea, Max. It sure beats the hell out of trying to sell it or give it somebody. And I sure can't leave it where it is. Oh, crap, I need to let the apartment manager I'm moving. I hope they don't screw me for breaking the lease."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it, Tom. If they want anything, I'll pay it."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, I'm not here for a free ride. I expect to pay my fair share."</span></p> <p><span>"And you will, but don't stress yourself over the penny-ante shit."</span></p> <p><span>"Easy for you to say mister rich and famous author. That's big shit to regular folk like me."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, you live here now. You're a part of this family and I hope to make that official as soon as we can, so you better get used to `rich and famous'." He whipped his head around and stared in my eyes, mouth wide open in surprise. "What?"</span></p> <p><span>"That almost sounded like a proposal. Did you just ask me to marry you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, maybe. I guess that depends on your answer."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I had planned to wait at least another day before asking you. I mean, it's not even been a full seven days since we first met and I think that's rushing things a bit, don't you? Eight days would seem to be much more appropriate, don't you think?" His grin grew wider with every word.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, gee, since you put it that way, maybe we should wait a little longer ... Okay, that's long enough." I got down on my knee, grabbed Tom's hand and said, "Tom Wright, I've never met anyone who makes me feel like you do. You complete me. I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Get up here, you hopeless romantic." As I stood, Tom wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in for hug. "Yes," he whispered in my ear.</span></p> <p><span>From behind me, I heard, "Would you two get a room, please? This is embarrassing." I turned to find Joey opening the refrigerator.</span></p> <p><span>"What are you doing in here? Eavesdropping again?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, just came to get us some drinks. I'll be gone soon and you two can carry on," he smirked. After Joey returned to the others with their drinks, Tom and I busted out laughing. Over our laughing, we could hear cheers of joy escaping the closed theater door. Said door fairly burst open as four exuberant lads ran out.</span></p> <p><span>"Is what Joey just told us real?" yelled Alex.</span></p> <p><span>"Depends on what he told you," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"He said you two was gettin' married," T.J. said.</span></p> <p><span>"Then, yes, it's real. I asked Tom to marry me and he said yes." Their cheers practically raised the roof off the house. </span></p> <p><span>"When?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, it just happened, we haven't had time to discuss a date just yet. When we do, we'll be sure to let you know, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Cool. Will we get to be in the wedding?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure you will." I looked at the clock and realized lunchtime was creeping up on us and I asked if hotdogs and chips would be okay for a quick lunch before leaving to pick up Andy, Mark and Billy. After receiving agreements from everyone, I got the dogs on a griddle while the boys set the table and got the buns, ketchup, mustard and relish out while Tom dealt with the chips. With the feeding frenzy completed, the boys cleaned and stacked the dishes to go into the dishwasher and I noticed Mike and I had to get a move on so we could pick up his guests. "Mike, let's get dressed so we can get out of here. The rest of you, please, please, please, have some clothes on when we get back home. I don't want to scare these three when we get back." Mike and I headed to our rooms to get dressed and met back in the living room. "You ready, munchkin?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dad, let's go."</span></p> <p><span>"Be back in about a half hour, guys" I called over my shoulder as I put my hand on Mike's shoulder and led him out to the garage.</span></p> <p><span>"So, Uncle Tom, when you two get married, what are we gonna' call you then?" Joey asked. </span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Uncle won't seem right and we can't call you both dad," Alex commented.</span></p> <p><span>"How `bout, `big guy', you know, since his dick's so big?" T.J. laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, yet, guys. We'll figure things out as they need to be figured out."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope it happens before we go to court for the adoption," Joey mused.</span></p> <p><span>"That would be nice, but we'll just have to wait and see."</span></p> <p><span>"It's gonna be great having two dads," Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"Two really cool dads," T.J. added.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for that, boys. Well, Max, Mike and the others will be back shortly and we told them we'd be decent when they got here, so let's get some shorts on and be ready for them, I guess. Actually, if you're going to go for a walk through the woods, you might as well put on some warm clothes so you'll be ready to go when they get back."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, daddy," T.J. said as he came over and gave me a hug. With that, the three took off down the hall to get dressed and I headed to my bedroom to do the same, wiping tears of joy from eyes.</span></p> <p><span>Mike and I arrived at Billy's home and headed to the door. I had Mike knock to announce our arrival while I stood behind him. Sarah answered the door with her son standing behind her, holding a backpack.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, there, you must be Max and Mike."</span></p> <p><span>"We are," I answered. "I'm obviously Max and this munchkin is my soon-to-be son, Mike," patting him on the head. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Is Billy ready to go?"</span></p> <p><span>"Right here," she said, guiding her son in front of her. Sarah knelt in front of her son and said, "You be a good boy and do as Max says, you hear me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, ma'am. Thanks for letting me go."</span></p> <p><span>"What time will you bring him home?" she asked, turning back to me.</span></p> <p><span>"I think around 6'ish, if that's okay with you?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'll be fine. I'll hold off fixing supper until then."</span></p> <p><span>As soon as Billy was out the door, he and Mike took off running for the car. They were both in and buckled before I joined them and we headed to Mark's home to repeat the process. When we arrived, both boys hopped out of the car and ran to the door. Mike had knocked and Mark's mother opened the door before I joined the boys on the porch.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi Mrs. Reynolds, we're here to pick up Mark," Billy said.</span></p> <p><span>"Hang on." She turned back into the house and yelled, "Mark, your friends are here. Get a move on, young man." She turned back to the door and asked, "Hi there, I'm Peggy. Are you Mr. Sanders?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's me, I'm Max and this is my son, Mike. I assume you know Billy."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi Mike, nice to meet another one of Mark's friends. Hi, Billy, how are you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm good, Mrs. Reynolds. We're going to Mike's to swim."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, Mark hasn't shut up about it all morning. Are you sure you're ready to handle four boys for the afternoon?"</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, it'll be seven. My own four plus Mark, Billy and Andy."</span></p> <p><span>"You're either very brave or very crazy," Peggy joked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'd prefer to think brave, but it's more likely I'm crazy," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>Mark appeared at his mom's side at that moment. </span></p> <p><span>"You got everything, Mark?" Peggy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, ma."</span></p> <p><span>"Swimsuit, clean clothes, including underwear?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ma-a-a-a! Not in front of the guys," he whined as he turned pink with embarrassment. I turned my head to hide my chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, get out of here, then, and go have some fun. And you listen to Mr. Sanders and do as he says. I don't want to hear you've been bad."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure he'll be fine, Peggy." With that, the three boys ran to the car and got ready to go pick up Andy. "I'll have him back around 6, is that okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'll be fine. Thanks, have fun and good luck."</span></p> <p><span>I joined the boys in the car and we headed to Andy's home. Before we got there, I told the boys that I would go to the door by myself this time. They weren't happy with that, but they'd have to live with it. When we got to Andy's house, I got out of the car, walked to the front door and rang the bell. The door opened to reveal a rather large man with a gruff look on his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon," I said politely. "My name is Max Sanders and I'm here to pick up Andy. Is he ready to go?"</span></p> <p><span>"What the fuck you want with that pain-in-the-ass kid? The old lady didn't say nothin' `bout him goin' nowhere."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, my son and I talked to your wife last evening and we invited Andy to come to our house to spend an afternoon with my son and two of his other friends, Billy and Mark."</span></p> <p><span>"I ain't married to that skank. If you really want him, take him, I don't give a fuck." He turned to the inside of the house and yelled, "Yo, shithead, get your ass in here. Your loser friends are here to take you away."</span></p> <p><span>"We're going to my house so the boys can go swimming and watch a movie."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't care what he does, just get the little turd outta my sight for the day and I'll be happy." Andy had come up behind the man and was trying to sneak around him to get out the door. "You better not fuck up kid or you'll pay for it when you get home."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, sir. Bye, sir."</span></p> <p><span>"Come on, Andy, the others are waiting in the car." I put my hand on his shoulder as I turned towards the car, but I turned back to the door and said, "I'll have him back home about 6:00 or 6:15. Is that all right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why the fuck would I care? His mom'll be home then and she can deal with his sorry ass."</span></p> <p><span>I could feel Andy shrink under my hand as we walked to the car. "The middle seat's full, Andy, why don't you hop in the front with me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Really, he never lets me sit in the front."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you're not supposed to, but we're not going that far."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Mr. Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>As we pulled away, the boys all said hi to each other and it sounded like they might actually enjoy themselves this afternoon. After they had calmed down, I asked Andy, "Does your dad always talk to you like that?"</span></p> <p><span>"He ain't my dad! He's just mom's boyfriend."</span></p> <p><span>"He doesn't seem very nice."</span></p> <p><span>"He ain't and I wish she'd get rid of him."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay then, sorry you have to deal with that."</span></p> <p><span>"It ain't too bad as long as I stay in my room when he's around."</span></p> <p><span>"What's his name," I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Russ Weedman, or something like that."</span></p> <p><span>By that time, we had reached the drive and I'd made the turn to the house.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, where we goin'? Nobody lives back here," Andy said.</span></p> <p><span>"I do," Mike called from the back.</span></p> <p><span>We'd just reach the clearing in the center of the trees and the boys got their first look at the house.</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, you live here, Mike," Mark asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, with my dad and brothers."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool place. Never knew it was back here," Billy said.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait `til you see the inside," Mike said as I pulled in the garage. "C'mon, guys, let's go."</span></p> <p><span>All four took off for the house, hauling their backpacks with them, as I followed in their footsteps. There was no need to announce our return as I'm sure the others could hear the peals of laughter. I found Tom in the living room holding his hands over his ears and I had to laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"What, you expected quiet? Dreamer."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, don't burst the bubble, man, it's my dream."</span></p> <p><span>Mike and his guests came into the living room at a run after dropping backpacks in Mike's room.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, who's the other dude, Mike?" Andy asked as they came to a sudden halt.</span></p> <p><span>"He's gonna be my other dad as soon as they get married."</span></p> <p><span>"Two guys can't get married," Andy protested.</span></p> <p><span>"Why not?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's just wrong, that's why not."</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, come here and Mike can introduce you."</span></p> <p><span>They came closer and Mike started with, "Uncle Tom, this is Andy, Mark and Billy. They're in my class at school."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, guys, nice to meet you. I hope you have fun this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"He's a cop and if you're bad, he'll haul you off to jail." Mike added.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be good, sir," Billy started, "I don't wanna' go to jail."</span></p> <p><span>"Me neither," Mark added.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry boys, I don't take kids to jail."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, dad, can I show `em the theater?" Mike asked as he turned to face me.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, but weren't you planning to go on a walk to look for deer?"</span></p> <p><span>"In a minute, I want `em to see where we're gonna' watch a movie later."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, go ahead." They scooted off and returned in a few minutes chattering wildly. "You guys ready for your walk now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, can we go swimming when we get back?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. Are your brothers going with you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think so. They said they would."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, if you do find deer, remember to be careful around them and don't get too close."</span></p> <p><span>"We won't, dad." The four headed to Mike's room to get ready for their walk and came back shortly with T.J., Alex and Joey following.</span></p> <p><span>"Alex, Joey, watch after them and don't let anybody get too far apart. I don't want to have to send out a search party later to find you. And make sure you stay away from where the bodies are buried," I joked.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll keep an eye on `em dad," Joey said</span></p> <p><span>"And we'll stay away from your secret corner," Alex added while grinning evilly and rubbing his hands together.</span></p> <p><span>With that, the seven lads turned and headed for the front door. As the door opened, I heard `Is he serious? About bodies out there?' Tom and I chuckled as the door closed.</span></p> <p><span>"So, how did picking the boys up go?"</span></p> <p><span>"Getting them was fine, taking them back is going to be another story."</span></p> <p><span>"Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"Let's just say I don't think we'd be doing Andy any favors taking him back to that house." I told Tom what I heard from the man who answered the door.</span></p> <p><span>"Do I need to call Dylan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet. Let's see if we see any bruises or marks on Andy when we go for a swim."</span></p> <p><span>"Just say the word and I'm on the phone."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, Tom. Thanks."</span></p> <p><span>"So, Mike, how long has Mr. Sanders been your dad?" Billy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We got here last Friday. Didn't know for sure we'd get to stay until the next day, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we thought we'd be going back to our foster homes on Sunday," T.J. said.</span></p> <p><span>"You guys like it here?" Mark asked.</span></p> <p><span>"What's not to like? We got a great house, theater, pool, everything we ever wanted," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and most of the time, we don't wear no clothes," Alex tossed into the conversation and promptly clapped his hands over his mouth when he realized what he'd done.</span></p> <p><span>"Dang it, Alex, you weren't s'posed to say nothin' `bout that."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, sorry," he mumbled as he hung his head and stared at the ground.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, you guys run around naked all the time?" Andy asked, surprise showing on his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Since big-mouth screwed up and let it slip, yeah, we do" Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't that weird?" Mark asked.</span></p> <p><span>"A little at first, maybe, but now we been doin' it for a week, so not no more," Mike answered.</span></p> <p><span>"What `bout your dad and the other dude?" Billy quizzed. "They don't wear no clothes, either?"</span></p> <p><span>T.J., Mike, Joey and Alex exchanged a glance with each other. Finally, T.J. shrugged his shoulders and said, "Yeah, them, too. Why wouldn't they?"</span></p> <p><span>"Wow!" Billy said. "I ain't never seen my dad naked."</span></p> <p><span>"Me either," Mark added.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't even know my dad," Andy mumbled, looking down at the ground. "And I sure don't want to see Russ naked. He probably looks as nasty as his moods are."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, guys," Joey interrupted, "we weren't s'posed to say nothin' and you guys ain't s'posed know about it. You can't tell no one," he begged.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, if you say anything, it could screw up our adoption. We don't want that to happen," Alex said. "We <i>can't</i> go back to where we were."</span></p> <p><span>"Please, say you won't say nothin'," T.J. pleaded.</span></p> <p><span>"Hang on, I ain't too sure `bout that. This don't sound right," Andy said. "Mark, Billy, come here a sec."</span></p> <p><span>While Andy, Mark and Billy huddled into a serious talk, Joey turned to Alex, "Man, Alex, you really fucked up this time."</span></p> <p><span>"I know. I'm really sorry guys, I just hope they keep their mouths shut."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll find out soon enough. Here they come," T.J. said pointing towards the other three.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, here's what we'll do. I think you'll like it. We'll keep your secret on one condition." Andy said.</span></p> <p><span>"What!? That sounds like you're gonna' blackmail us," Joey responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Call it what you want. You wanna' hear the condition?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably not, but spit it out anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, we'll keep quiet if we get to join you when we get back to the house."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, you guys want to go naked, too?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Why not?" Billy asked. "None of us got anything special to hide, do we?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not compared to Uncle Tom, we don't," T.J. giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, and one more thing," Andy said, "Your dad and that Tom dude have to get naked, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh-oh, that could be a problem. I don't think they'll do it with you three here," Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"That's the deal, take or leave it."</span></p> <p><span>"It's our turn to talk, Andy, give us a minute, okay?" Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>My four made their own huddle and returned with an action plan.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay," Joey started, "Here's what we'll do," and he explained the plan. "You think that'll work?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's worth trying," Andy answered as he grinned mischievously.</span></p> <p><span>After about 30 minutes of being outside, we heard the front door open as the seven boys returned.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi guys, did you enjoy the walk?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it's pretty neat out there," Andy said.</span></p> <p><span>"Even though we didn't find any deer or bodies," Mark laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"You got any more trails out here?" Billy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Several of them. You'll have to come back when it's warmer and try them out."</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be cool, thanks, Mr. Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"You want some hot chocolate before we go swimming?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be great, dad," Mike answered.</span></p> <p><span>It took Tom and I five minutes to get the warm drinks made and set on the table for the boys. "Tom and I will get ready to swim while you warm up a bit. Don't forget to put your cups in the sink when you're done."</span></p> <p><span>"We will, dad," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I headed to our bedroom to change. When I closed the bedroom door, I looked at him and asked, "Does something seem a little off to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"What? I didn't notice anything."</span></p> <p><span>"It might just be my imagination, but they seemed awfully quiet when they came back in from their walk. Especially for seven boys."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine with me," Tom laughed. "Sure beats hearing them screaming in the pool."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see." We got our swim shorts on, grabbed towels and headed out the living room to wait for the boys to be ready. As we passed the kitchen, we noticed the table was empty, so we assumed the boys were changing in their rooms. Tom and I sat by the fireplace and we didn't have long to wait before we could hear the giggles of seven boys coming down the hall from their rooms. I'm not sure why, but I was shocked as they turned the corner into the living room and formed a line in front of us, towels tossed over their shoulders.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, dad, we're ready, let's go," Mike grinned.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-30.html

Building a Family 30 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. I have created a Tumblr site with pictures of what the story's main characters look like in my mind. If you would like to see them, they can be found here: https://enderwiggin61.tumblr.com/ Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 30 � Surprise! "Um, I do believe you're forgetting something," I said to the lineup of seven naked boys as Tom buried his face in his hands to hide his laughter, which earned him an elbow to the ribs. "I told you they were up to something," I whispered. I took a just moment to review the lineup and noticed two of the newcomers, Andy and Billy were not circumcised, so T.J. would no longer be an odd man out. The boys looked at each other, giggling, then looked back to Tom and me, goofy grins on their faces. "Nope, we didn't forget nothin'," Joey said. "Would you please explain to me where your swimsuits are?" "Ours are still wet and they forgot to bring theirs," Alex answered. "I'm not buying that, and you know it. Now, what gives. I thought I was pretty plain when I laid out the rules for this afternoon." "You were, dad, but Alex screwed up while we were on our walk," Joey answered. "What'd you do, Alex?" "We were just tellin' `em what it's like to live here and it kinda' slipped out how we go naked most of the time. Sorry, dad." "That still doesn't fully explain why you're all standing there without swimsuits." "Well," Joey started, "we told `em they couldn't tell nobody or they'd screw up our adoption and they told us they'd keep quiet only if they could get naked, too. It seemed like a good idea to us. We don't like wearing clothes and they wanted to try it, too." "I have the distinct feeling I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop." "We ain't got no shoes on, dad," Mike giggled. "Well," started Alex, "youhavtajoinus," he mumbled to the floor. "Excuse me, I didn't quite catch that." "Fine," he said, looking directly in my eyes, "You. Have. To. Join. Us. Did you catch it all that time?" "Loud and clear, young man." Tom was practically rolling on the floor with laughter by now. "You really think this is funny, fuzzball?" I asked as I turned to him for some help. "Yeah, I do. I figured they come up with some way to get us all naked this afternoon. Nice to know my finely-honed powers of detection are running true to form." "You could have warned me." "Qu�? No hablo Ingl�s, se�or," he responded and cracked up again. "Fine, I can see I'm outnumbered here. I've created monsters, I tell ya'." "Yeah, c'mon, dad, it ain't no big deal, right?" T.J. asked. "Okay, c'mon, bubba, let's join the crowd." We stood up, pulled off our shorts, dropped them on the chairs and turned to face the boys. "Okay, you happy? Can we please go swimming, now?" "Yeah, let's go!" yelled Mike. I led the way since I had the shelter key and I heard a voice whispering behind me, "Man, you weren't kidding, T.J., Tom's got a big one." I unlocked the shelter and the boys tossed their towels on the table as they ran past me to jump in the pool. Tom caught up with me and as we headed to deeper waters, I said, "I'm not sure this is such a good idea, Tom." "Why not? You see anybody picking on anybody? They're all playing together and having fun. Who cares if they're not wearing their swimsuits. They sure as hell don't. They're all equal in each other's eyes right now. I think this may actually help solve Mike's problem at school." "We can hope. But, we're not all equal. I heard one of them whisper to T.J. on the way out that you `have a big one'. Not exactly what I expected to hear today." "He ain't lyin', is he?" "Oh, I suppose not. Oops, I just thought of something, be right back." I waded to the middle of the pool, calling Alex to come join me. Once he arrived, I cautioned, "I'm telling you and you need to quietly pass this on to you brothers. Keep your hands to yourself. There is to be no grabbing of dangling body parts below the waist. Understood?" "Got it, dad. It's probably too late for that," he snickered, "but I'll pass it on, anyway." "Good, go have fun." I waded back to Tom and he asked, "What was that about?" "I told him to pass on to his brothers that they were to keep their hands to themselves." "Yeah," he snorted, "good luck with that." "I know, but I had to try. You realize, I hope, that we're setting a precedent here." "And...?" "I imagine the twins are now going to expect to have their upcoming birthday party nude." "Oh, crap, I didn't think about that." "Bet you are now," I laughed. "By the way, I thought of something I wanted to ask you about." "Go ahead." "Last Saturday when Carol called you to come help me out at the Mueller's, she said you owed her a favor. What'd she do that you owed her for?" "Oh, that," he said as he blushed. "Yeah, that. Fess up, big boy." "Well, shortly after she got to town, I was sent to her apartment complex on a call. There was a B & E in an apartment down the hall from hers and I was assigned to get witness statements from all the residents on the floor. When it was her turn, she invited me into her place to have a cup of coffee while we talked. Since she was the last person I needed to interview, we ended up talking quite a while and during the conversation, I swung my arm or something, hit my coffee cup and dumped it all over my lap." "Ouch, I bet that stung." "More than you know. I was burning and, without thinking, I just stood up and dropped my pants and boxers to my ankles. God, it was embarrassing, standing there in her kitchen with my burning junk on display." "I'd imagine. So, what happened next?" "Well, she turned her head, but she'd already gotten the full Monty and I was still in some serious pain. She really felt bad about it because she'd just refilled our cups, so she gave me a towel to cover myself and had me sit back down on a dry chair. Then she got me an ice bag to help with the burning issue and tossed my clothes in her washer. So, there I sat, in a strange woman's apartment, bare-assed, ice bag and towel covering my crotch for the next hour and a half while she washed and dried my clothes. We talked about a lot during that hour and a half." I couldn't help but snicker at the image that had formed in my brain while he told the story. "When my clothes were finally dry and the burning in my crotch had finally receded, I excused myself to the bathroom to get dressed. When I came back, she was sitting there just giggling her ass off. When I thanked her for everything and started to leave, she stopped me, gave me a kiss and asked me for a date." "Oh, my god, Tom. That's freakin' hilarious." "Eh, not so much, man. I had to break her heart and tell it could never work out for us since I'm gay. She freaked, initially, but slowly regained her composure and apologized for kissing me and just assuming I was straight. I told her it was no big deal. I mean, I'd just sat there for what seemed forever, almost naked, in a strange woman's apartment, and me being gay just didn't come up. What can I say? She swore she'd take the secret of that night to her grave." "That story makes something she said last Friday make a whole more sense." "What was that?" "I'd just gotten out of the pool and was drying off when she asked `Why are all the hot guys gay?'. I couldn't understand, then, where it came from, but now it makes sense." "Nice to know the ladies think I'm hot, not that it does them any good." "Don't worry, Tom, I think you're hot, too." "Thanks, Max, I think the same of you." "So, you owed Carol a favor for keeping her mouth shut, huh? Are you paid up yet?" "Not by a longshot. I'll owe her for that the rest of my life," he laughed. We continued lounging and the boys played for another half-hour when I asked, "Well, shall we get out of here and get a movie going?" "Sounds like a plan to me, lead the way." We climbed out of the pool and headed to grab our towels. "Boys, time to get out and start your movie." All seven climbed out and grabbed their towels to dry off before heading back into the house. "T.J., why don't you shower with the twins today and Andy, Mark and Billy can jump in with Mike." "Why do we have to take a shower, Mr. Sanders? Isn't the pool clean?" Billy asked. "Oh, it's clean, but you don't want to spend the rest of the day coated with chlorine, do you?" "Didn't think `bout that, I guess." "That's why we take showers after every swim, Billy." They all took off to get cleaned up while Tom and I got popcorn and drinks ready for the movie. I'd half hoped the boys would come back from their showers dressed, but was pretty sure that wasn't going to happen. I was not disappointed when seven naked lads came down the hallway and crossed the living room, chattering away, on their way to the theater. "Mike, why don't you pick out the movie you want and Tom and I will bring refreshments in a minute. Make sure all the chairs have towels down before you sit." "Okay, dad." "What're the towels for?" Mark asked. "They keep the chairs clean when we sit on them. All nudists do that," I answered. "Are we nudists, now?" Andy asked. "I don't know about when you're at home, but it looks like you are when you're visiting here. Are you enjoying it?" "Yeah, it's cool," Andy answered. "I spend so much time in my room because of Russ, maybe I can do it at home, too." "That may not be a good idea, Andy. Russ probably wouldn't like it if he found you nude, would he?" "Yeah, you're right," he answered dejectedly. "He'd probably beat my ass with his belt just like he does when I do anything else he doesn't like." "Does that happen a lot," Tom asked in his cop voice. "Oh, crap, I shoulda' kept my mouth shut. `Specially `round a cop. I don't want to make no trouble and give him another reason to beat me." "Andy, come here, please," I said. "The rest of you get settled in the theater and we'll be there shortly." The other six headed to the theater while Andy came into the kitchen with Tom and me. "Andy, I'm going to ask you some questions and I want you to tell me the truth, okay." "Yeah, okay," he mumbled in response while looking at the floor. "Does Russ really hit you with a belt?" "Sometimes, but only when I'm bad." "What does he consider `bad'?" "You know, not taking out the trash, not keeping my room clean, staying up too late, whatever." "Come closer, Andy." He hesitated and I added, "Come on, Andy, we're not going to hurt you, we just want to check you for bruises and other marks. I promise, that's it." I guess he finally decided we were okay and came over. We looked over his front side and saw nothing of concern. I asked him to turn around so we could check his back side. Tom and I were appalled at what we saw. Faded bruises were very apparent on his lower back, buttocks and upper thighs. They were barely visible now, which explains why we hadn't noticed them earlier in the pool, but with him this close and dry, there was no doubt that Andy had been severely beaten. Multiple times. "Thanks, Andy. Does Russ hit your mom, also?" "Yeah, but not with a belt. He uses his fists on her." "You don't like it when he hits you or your mom, do you?" "I hate it, but he's too big for me to fight and I can't do nothin' to make him stop. I been afraid to say anything to anybody `cause who knows what he'd do to me if he found out." "Maybe you can't, Andy, but we can. And we will. You've done the right in trusting us. Now, why don't you go join the others in the theater and we'll be right behind you?" Andy scampered off while Tom and I grabbed bowls of popcorn and drinks in cups with lids and followed his lead. Mike had selected the movie `Cars', and once I had the movie started, Tom and I retreated to the kitchen. "I knew that man was trouble the instant he opened the door." "Am I making a call?" Tom asked. "Damn right you are, this shit stops right now." "You know Dylan's gonna' come here first and he'll want to know how we know, don't you? Are you ready for that explanation?" "I'm not worried about Dylan. He, of all people, knows how we live out here and he also knows that there's nothing wrong with it." "As long as you're sure." Tom picked up the phone and dialed Dylan's cell phone. "Sarge? Deputy Wright here." "I have to assume, since were using titles, this is an official and not a social call." "Absolutely. We have a situation out here that needs your attention." "Where's here, Tom?" "Max's home." "What's going on?" "Mike has some kids over from school to try and make friends with them this afternoon. Max picked the boys up and had a bad feeling about one the kids." "What kind of bad feeling?" "The man who answered the door was verbally abusive towards Andy and after our swim, he said that Russ beat him with a belt at times. He also told us this guy also beats his mom with his fists. Max and I checked Alex over and found fading bruises on his back, behind and thighs." "Dare I ask how you found bruising on his behind?" "Well, you know how the boys are." "What the hell, Tom. Can't you keep clothes on anybody out there?" "It's a long story, Sarge, but we need to deal with this before the boys go home. We won't leave Andy at that house with this guy." "Did you get anything for a name besides Russ?" "Andy said it was Weedman, or something like that," I answered. "Okay, let me do a search and see what I can find. I'll be out there in a little bit." "Thanks, Sarge, we appreciate it." I turned to Tom and said, "We need to let the boys know that Dylan's coming out and we all need to get some clothes on. Normally, I wouldn't worry about it, but with this being an official call, I think that'd be best." "They ain't gonna' like it. Especially since Dylan's been here before." "I know, but that was social, this is business. They need to start learning the difference as to when being nude is acceptable and not." "You're right, let's go tell `em." We headed to the theater and paused the movie to get their attention. "Boys, Tom's boss will be here shortly." "Mr. Brock's comin' out, too. Can we go swimmin' again?" T.J. asked. "He's not coming for that kind of visit. He's coming out to help fix Andy's problem." "Really, Mr. Sanders?" Andy asked. "Really, Andy. And we all need to have clothes on when he gets here." "Why, dad, he knows we go naked all the time. He even joined us the other night," Alex said. "That was what we call a social visit, boys. This is a business visit. You need to learn that we sometimes need to wear clothes at home. This is one of those times. Why don't you all go pull on a pair of shorts and a shirt, then you can come back and continue your movie until he gets here? Go!" Seven bare, white behinds flew by Tom and I as they took off to get dressed. "I guess we need to follow suit and pull something on, too." "If this dude, Russ, is as big as you say he is, I should probably put my uniform on and go with Dylan so he's got some backup. I don't want him going there alone." "That's probably a good idea. We know he beats women and little kids, but there's no telling how he'll react to the cops showin' up on his doorstep." After we got dressed, we met the boys in the theater and got the movie going again, then Tom and I retreated to the kitchen to wait for Dylan. "Do you think I should call Carol and get her out here, too? We are dealing with child abuse and that's part of what she does." "That'd be a good idea. With the situation, she could provide more grounds for whatever Dylan and I end up having to do with Russ." I dialed Carol's number and waited for her answer. "Hello, Max, ready to return the boys?" she laughed. "Not on your life, lady. Listen, Carol, we have a situation here and I think you need to be involved." "What's going on, Max?" "Mike has some boys over from school this afternoon and one of them shows signs of abuse." "What signs?" "He has bruising on his back, behind, and thighs, and he was the leader of the three who were picking on Mike at school." "And just how did you see this bruising?" "We all went for a swim this afternoon and..." "'Nuff said, Max. Give me 25 to 30 minutes and I'll be there. Do I need to call law enforcement?" "Already done and Dylan's on the way. He should be here already by the time you get here." "Good, I'm on the way. Don't do anything until I get there." "Thanks, Carol. See you soon." I turned to Tom, "Okay, she's on the way and said not to do anything until she gets here." "Good, it'll be nice to have her input." 20 minutes later, the drive sensor announced an arrival. I went to the door and saw a Sangamon County Sherriff's car pull in and Dylan get out of the car. I opened the door as he was coming up the walk and said, "Afternoon, Dylan, how ya' doin'?" "I've had better days. How `bout yourself, Max?" "Hectic, but you have to expect that with three extra boys in the house." "How's Tom?" he asked as he stepped through the door. "Ask him, yourself. He's waiting in the kitchen." "He's here already?" "He should be since he living here now." "Guess he forgot to file a change of address form with the department," he grinned. "Give him a break, will ya', we've been busy." "I guess so." We'd reached the kitchen and Dylan said, "Afternoon, Tom. How's the new living quarters workin' out?" "Great, Sarge. Thanks for asking." "Why're you in uniform, you're not on duty today." "Max told me this Russ dude's pretty big and mean. I'm not letting you go there alone." "Good, `cause with what I found out on the search, this is one sick mothe..., uh, individual." "What'd you find?" I asked. "First, I need a description of the guy you saw to make sure I got the right info `cause the last name is different from what you said on the phone." "I'd guess about 6'-1", 225 to 250 pounds, brownish hair, tattoos on both arms that I could see, ugly." "Sounds like a match to me. Let me show you the picture the system spit out." Dylan pulled a picture out of a folder and slid it across the counter to me. "That's him, no doubt in my mind." "Good. This guy's bad news. Multiple arrests for drunk and disorderly, assault, burglary, etc., etc. He has multiple warrants out on him right now, including drugs, armed robbery, another assault. We've been looking for him for a while, but he's been flying below the radar. Nice to finally know where the scumbag's been hiding. It'll be good to get his nasty ass off the streets." "Glad I could find him for you. Pure luck." "I'll take what I can get. Now, I need to speak with the abuse victim." "You'll have to wait a few more minutes, Sarge." "Why? I want to get this guy while we know where he is." "That's my fault, Dylan. After Tom talked to you, I called Carol since we thought we were dealing with abuse only. She's on her way out and told us not to do anything until she gets here. She wants to be here when we talk to Andy." "Didn't think about that, sorry for jumping the gun. She's absolutely correct that she should be here. I can't question a minor without someone there to protect their interests, no matter what." "So, boss, while we wait for Carol, there's something I need to tell you." "Spit it out, boy." "I've moved in with Max and we're going to get married." "I knew the first since Max told me at the door, but the second is certainly news. When did you two make that decision?" "This morning, boss." "When's this gonna' happen?" "We haven't gotten that far yet, Dylan," I said. "We're hoping we can make it official before the adoption is finalized so both our names can be included on the court papers." "Whenever it happens, I better be invited. Congrats to both of you. I wish you nothing but the best, for all of you." "You got it, boss." Dylan gave each of us a hug just as the drive sensor dinged to announce Carol's arrival. I met her at the door and led her into the kitchen to meet with Dylan and Tom. "Well, afternoon, boys. How's everybody doing?" "Great, Carol. I'm glad you're here," Dylan answered. "This guy is bad news and we need to get him out of that house." "Do you have grounds to do that, besides his abuse of the young man visiting here this afternoon?" "Plenty, but if we can throw another charge at him, it'll keep him jail and away from his victims even longer." "Victims?? I was only told about the one boy, who else?" "Andy told Tom and me that he beats his mom, also." "Okay, let's talk to him and get this show on the road. Can we use your study, Max?" "Of course, why don't you and Dylan head in there and I'll bring Andy along in a minute?" "We'll be waiting. Thanks, Max. Come on Dylan." Carol and Dylan headed for the study while I turned to the theater to get Andy. "Andy, I hate to interrupt the movie, but would you please come with me for a little bit?" "What's up Mr. Sanders?" "I have a couple of people who need to talk to you." "Do I have to?" "If you want Russ out of your home, I think you should." "Okay, let's go," he said dejectedly. I rested my hand on his shoulder and guided him to the study. After entering, I closed the door behind us. "Andy, I want you to meet Carol Ward and Sergeant Dylan Brock of the Sangamon County Sherriff's department. Carol is working with me on the boys' adoption and she's here to help protect you. Sergeant Brock is here to help get Russ out of your house. They need to ask you some questions and they need truthful answers." "Okay," he mumbled. "Thanks, Max," Dylan said. "We'll take it from here. Can you wait outside with Deputy Wright, please?" I'd turned to leave when I felt Andy grab my hand and he pulled me back by his side. "If he ain't stayin', I ain't sayin' nothin'." I knelt in front of him and said, "Andy, it's okay. Just answer their questions and they'll take care of everything else." "I'll tell `em whatever they wanna' know, but not without you here, Mr. Sanders." I looked to the others and received nods of acceptance from both. I sat in my chair behind the desk while Carol and Dylan took seats on the other side. Once I was seated, Andy crawled up in my lap and made himself comfortable. Carol started her questions with, "Andy, can you tell me your last name, please, and your mom's name?" "My mom's name is Arlene and our last name is Cox." "Okay, good. How long has Russ been living with you?" "Since before Christmas." "Do you know where your mom met him?" "Not a clue." "That's all right Andy. Now you told Mr. Sanders that Russ has beaten you and your mom. Is that true?" "It sure is. He uses a belt on me and his fists on my mom." "How many times has he done this?" "He's hurt me five or six times since he showed up, but he's hurt mom lots more." "Okay, now I need to ask you a question that you won't like, but I need a truthful answer." "What?" "Has Russ ever touched you in a place he shouldn't?" "What, you mean, like, my di...?" "Unfortunately, yes. I know this is uncomfortable, Andy, but I need to know if anything like that has happened." "NO! Never!" "I'm sorry to upset you, but I need to know these things. Now, I need one last thing." "Now what?" "Max told me when he called this afternoon that you had some bruising on your lower back, behind and legs. You're not going to like this, but I need to see the bruises and take pictures of them for evidence." "No way! I ain't showin' you my butt and you ain't takin' no pictures of it!" "Andy, I know you don't want to do it, but if we're going to punish Russ for hurting you, we need to have proof that it happened. Without proof, we can't put him jail." "Well, get your proof some other way `cause I ain't showin' you my butt." I held up my hand to interrupt Carol and said, "Andy, remember, you already let Tom and me check you out all over." "Well, yeah, you're guys, that's different." "Can we do it this way? We can ask Carol to step out of the room, then you can show Dylan the bruises. That way, we can get the proof we need and Carol won't see your behind." "I guess that'd be okay. I mean, you already seen it, and he's a guy. Yeah, that'll work." "Will you let Dylan take the pictures they need?" "I don't want to, but I guess so. If it'll help get that jerk outta my house, I'll do it." "Good deal, Andy. Carol, would you excuse us for a few minutes, please?" "Sure. I'll be waiting outside the door." "Thanks, Carol." She left the study and closed the door behind her. "Okay, Andy, Carol's gone, can we do this now?" "Okay," he grumped. He jumped off my lap, turned around, lifted his shirt and dropped his shorts to the floor. "Can you see the bruises, Dylan?" "Barely, it's hard to tell if their bruises or shadows from this angle. Any chance of getting better light on the area?" I knelt in front of Andy and gently asked, "Andy, I know this is embarrassing, but we need to get more light on your backside. Will you let me lift you up on the desk so we can turn on the desk lamp and make the bruises easier to see?" "Oh, why not? Hurry up and get this over with." I put my hands under his arms and lifted him up so he was standing on the desk, his shorts dropping off his feet and remaining on the floor. I then turned on the light and directed it to illuminate the proper area. "There ya' go, Max. That's perfect. Okay, Andy, I'm going to take the pictures now." "Just do it," he mumbled. Dylan took the pictures he needed of Andy's back side, then had him turn around so he could verify there was no bruising on his front side. When we were done, I set Andy back on the floor and he pulled his shorts back on. "Andy," I said, "I know you didn't want to go through that and it's embarrassing as all get out, but I'm proud of you for doing it." "Me, too, Andy," Dylan added. "It takes a big man to let other people see you like that. You did great." "Thanks, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Brock. If it'll get that jerk gone and keep him from hurting anybody else, it was worth it." "Consider it done, young man," Dylan responded. "Can he go back to his friends, now?" I asked. "I don't see why not." He knelt in front of Andy and said, "You did a great thing, young man and I thank you for helping out the department today. I promise that nobody will ever see these pictures unless they can prove to me it's absolutely necessary. And once Russ is in jail where he belongs, I'll personally destroy them. Now, why don't you go back to your movie and let us take it from here?" Dylan held out his hand, Andy gave him a quick shake and ran out of the study. Carol came back in and asked, "Well?" "There is definitely bruising. It's pretty faded, but still visible, so there's another charge against this scum we can use." "Do you need anything else from me, Dylan?" Carol asked. "Well, Max said the boy's mother wasn't home when he picked Andy up so I don't if she'll be there when we go get Russ. Since you're already out here, you may want to go along and check out the home after we get him out of the way." "That's a good idea. Thanks. Shall I take my own car or should I ride with you?" "You'll probably want your own car there since mine will be occupied with the scum of the earth." "Good point. If I had to be in the same car with him, I'd kill the son-of-a-bitch." "Whoa, Carol, take a deep breath and relax. I don't want to have to arrest you, too. Okay, I'm going to call for another car to meet us at the truck stop and then we'll continue on from there. Once we have Russ under control and in the car, we'll search the house and make sure whether the mother is or isn't home." "Sounds like a plan to me, Dylan," I said. "Anything I can do?" "You've already done it by calling us, Max. It's our job now. You stay here and take care of the boys until Tom gets back." "I can do that. Thanks, you two." "No, thank you, Max. Like I said, we've been looking for this guy, just didn't know where he was hiding. Now, we can get his sorry ass off the streets and in a jail where it belongs now. Let me go out to my unit and make a call and we'll be ready to go." We left the study and as Dylan headed outside, Carol and I returned into the kitchen where Tom was waiting. "Hi Carol. Where's Sarge?" "He went out to call another car to help you two corral Russ." "Good. The more, the merrier." "So," Carol began, "How're you two doing? And how's our boys?" "We're great, Carol, and so are the boys. We do have a little bit of news to give you since you're here, though." "Will I like it?" "I hope so. And I hope it won't hurt the adoption." "Oh lord, what have you two done now?" "This morning, before I went to pick up Mike's friends, I asked Tom if he'd marry me." "And I said yes." "Oh, my god! Congratulations to both of you. I'm so happy for you." "You're not freaked?" I asked. "You were pretty shook up earlier this week when I told you about us getting together, but this you're okay with?" "I'm over that, Max. You're both grown men and can make your own decisions. I realized after you left my office that I was overreacting. And it should have no effect whatsoever on your adoption." "That's good to hear." I looked to Tom and, with a sly wink, asked, "So, what do you think? Should we invite her to our wedding?" "Gee, I don't know, Max. She seems like quite the troublemaker to me," he grinned in response. "Look, you two, if I'm not invited, that will most definitely hurt the adoption," Carol responded sarcastically. "Don't worry, milady, you will most certainly be invited. It was, after all, you who brought us together. It's all your fault." At that moment, Dylan came back in. "Okay, another unit's on the way, we better get to the truck stop and be ready to roll. Ms. Ward, I'm going ask you to stay in your car until we have the situation under control." "No problem, Dylan." I followed Dylan, Carol and Tom to the door and after Dylan and Carol had stepped outside, I grabbed Tom and spun him back around. I wrapped my arms around him and whispered in his ear, "You be careful and come home in one piece, you hear me?" "I hear ya'. I'll be back soon." Then, he turned to join Dylan in the car and I slowly closed the door, then headed to the theater to wait it out with the boys.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 30</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>I have created a Tumblr site with pictures of what the story's main characters look like in my mind. If you would like to see them, they can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://enderwiggin61.tumblr.com/">https://enderwiggin61.tumblr.com/</a></span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc476239333"><span>Chapter 30 � Surprise!</span></a></h2> <p><span>"Um, I do believe you're forgetting something," I said to the lineup of seven naked boys as Tom buried his face in his hands to hide his laughter, which earned him an elbow to the ribs. "I told you they were up to something," I whispered. I took a just moment to review the lineup and noticed two of the newcomers, Andy and Billy were not circumcised, so T.J. would no longer be an odd man out. The boys looked at each other, giggling, then looked back to Tom and me, goofy grins on their faces. </span></p> <p><span>"Nope, we didn't forget nothin'," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"Would you please explain to me where your swimsuits are?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ours are still wet and they forgot to bring theirs," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not buying that, and you know it. Now, what gives. I thought I was pretty plain when I laid out the rules for this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"You were, dad, but Alex screwed up while we were on our walk," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"What'd you do, Alex?"</span></p> <p><span>"We were just tellin' `em what it's like to live here and it kinda' slipped out how we go naked most of the time. Sorry, dad."</span></p> <p><span>"That still doesn't fully explain why you're all standing there without swimsuits."</span></p> <p><span>"Well," Joey started, "we told `em they couldn't tell nobody or they'd screw up our adoption and they told us they'd keep quiet only if they could get naked, too. It seemed like a good idea to us. We don't like wearing clothes and they wanted to try it, too."</span></p> <p><span>"I have the distinct feeling I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop."</span></p> <p><span>"We ain't got no shoes on, dad," Mike giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Well," started Alex, "youhavtajoinus," he mumbled to the floor.</span></p> <p><span>"Excuse me, I didn't quite catch that."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine," he said, looking directly in my eyes, "You. Have. To. Join. Us. Did you catch it all that time?"</span></p> <p><span>"Loud and clear, young man." Tom was practically rolling on the floor with laughter by now. "You really think this is funny, fuzzball?" I asked as I turned to him for some help.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I do. I figured they come up with some way to get us all naked this afternoon. Nice to know my finely-honed powers of detection are running true to form."</span></p> <p><span>"You could have warned me."</span></p> <p><span>"Qu�? No hablo Ingl�s, se�or," he responded and cracked up again.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, I can see I'm outnumbered here. I've created monsters, I tell ya'."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, c'mon, dad, it ain't no big deal, right?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, c'mon, bubba, let's join the crowd." We stood up, pulled off our shorts, dropped them on the chairs and turned to face the boys. "Okay, you happy? Can we please go swimming, now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, let's go!" yelled Mike. </span></p> <p><span>I led the way since I had the shelter key and I heard a voice whispering behind me, "Man, you weren't kidding, T.J., Tom's got a big one." I unlocked the shelter and the boys tossed their towels on the table as they ran past me to jump in the pool. Tom caught up with me and as we headed to deeper waters, I said, "I'm not sure this is such a good idea, Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"Why not? You see anybody picking on anybody? They're all playing together and having fun. Who cares if they're not wearing their swimsuits. They sure as hell don't. They're all equal in each other's eyes right now. I think this may actually help solve Mike's problem at school."</span></p> <p><span>"We can hope. But, we're not all equal. I heard one of them whisper to T.J. on the way out that you `have a big one'. Not exactly what I expected to hear today."</span></p> <p><span>"He ain't lyin', is he?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I suppose not. Oops, I just thought of something, be right back." I waded to the middle of the pool, calling Alex to come join me. Once he arrived, I cautioned, "I'm telling you and you need to quietly pass this on to you brothers. Keep your hands to yourself. There is to be no grabbing of dangling body parts below the waist. Understood?"</span></p> <p><span>"Got it, dad. It's probably too late for that," he snickered, "but I'll pass it on, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, go have fun."</span></p> <p><span>I waded back to Tom and he asked, "What was that about?"</span></p> <p><span>"I told him to pass on to his brothers that they were to keep their hands to themselves."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," he snorted, "good luck with that."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, but I had to try. You realize, I hope, that we're setting a precedent here."</span></p> <p><span>"And...?"</span></p> <p><span>"I imagine the twins are now going to expect to have their upcoming birthday party nude."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, crap, I didn't think about that."</span></p> <p><span>"Bet you are now," I laughed. "By the way, I thought of something I wanted to ask you about."</span></p> <p><span>"Go ahead."</span></p> <p><span>"Last Saturday when Carol called you to come help me out at the Mueller's, she said you owed her a favor. What'd she do that you owed her for?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that," he said as he blushed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that. Fess up, big boy."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, shortly after she got to town, I was sent to her apartment complex on a call. There was a B &amp; E in an apartment down the hall from hers and I was assigned to get witness statements from all the residents on the floor. When it was her turn, she invited me into her place to have a cup of coffee while we talked. Since she was the last person I needed to interview, we ended up talking quite a while and during the conversation, I swung my arm or something, hit my coffee cup and dumped it all over my lap."</span></p> <p><span>"Ouch, I bet that stung."</span></p> <p><span>"More than you know. I was burning and, without thinking, I just stood up and dropped my pants and boxers to my ankles. God, it was embarrassing, standing there in her kitchen with my burning junk on display."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd imagine. So, what happened next?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, she turned her head, but she'd already gotten the full Monty and I was still in some serious pain. She really felt bad about it because she'd just refilled our cups, so she gave me a towel to cover myself and had me sit back down on a dry chair. Then she got me an ice bag to help with the burning issue and tossed my clothes in her washer. So, there I sat, in a strange woman's apartment, bare-assed, ice bag and towel covering my crotch for the next hour and a half while she washed and dried my clothes. We talked about a lot during that hour and a half."</span></p> <p><span>I couldn't help but snicker at the image that had formed in my brain while he told the story. "When my clothes were finally dry and the burning in my crotch had finally receded, I excused myself to the bathroom to get dressed. When I came back, she was sitting there just giggling her ass off. When I thanked her for everything and started to leave, she stopped me, gave me a kiss and asked me for a date."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my god, Tom. That's freakin' hilarious."</span></p> <p><span>"Eh, not so much, man. I had to break her heart and tell it could never work out for us since I'm gay. She freaked, initially, but slowly regained her composure and apologized for kissing me and just assuming I was straight. I told her it was no big deal. I mean, I'd just sat there for what seemed forever, almost naked, in a strange woman's apartment, and me being gay just didn't come up. What can I say? She swore she'd take the secret of that night to her grave."</span></p> <p><span>"That story makes something she said last Friday make a whole more sense."</span></p> <p><span>"What was that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd just gotten out of the pool and was drying off when she asked `Why are all the hot guys gay?'. I couldn't understand, then, where it came from, but now it makes sense."</span></p> <p><span>"Nice to know the ladies think I'm hot, not that it does them any good."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, Tom, I think you're hot, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max, I think the same of you."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you owed Carol a favor for keeping her mouth shut, huh? Are you paid up yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not by a longshot. I'll owe her for that the rest of my life," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>We continued lounging and the boys played for another half-hour when I asked, "Well, shall we get out of here and get a movie going?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a plan to me, lead the way."</span></p> <p><span>We climbed out of the pool and headed to grab our towels.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, time to get out and start your movie." All seven climbed out and grabbed their towels to dry off before heading back into the house. "T.J., why don't you shower with the twins today and Andy, Mark and Billy can jump in with Mike."</span></p> <p><span>"Why do we have to take a shower, Mr. Sanders? Isn't the pool clean?" Billy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, it's clean, but you don't want to spend the rest of the day coated with chlorine, do you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Didn't think `bout that, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"That's why we take showers after every swim, Billy." They all took off to get cleaned up while Tom and I got popcorn and drinks ready for the movie. I'd half hoped the boys would come back from their showers dressed, but was pretty sure that wasn't going to happen. I was not disappointed when seven naked lads came down the hallway and crossed the living room, chattering away, on their way to the theater. "Mike, why don't you pick out the movie you want and Tom and I will bring refreshments in a minute. Make sure all the chairs have towels down before you sit."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, dad."</span></p> <p><span>"What're the towels for?" Mark asked.</span></p> <p><span>"They keep the chairs clean when we sit on them. All nudists do that," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Are we nudists, now?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know about when you're at home, but it looks like you are when you're visiting here. Are you enjoying it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it's cool," Andy answered. "I spend so much time in my room because of Russ, maybe I can do it at home, too."</span></p> <p><span>"That may not be a good idea, Andy. Russ probably wouldn't like it if he found you nude, would he?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you're right," he answered dejectedly. "He'd probably beat my ass with his belt just like he does when I do anything else he doesn't like."</span></p> <p><span>"Does that happen a lot," Tom asked in his cop voice.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, crap, I shoulda' kept my mouth shut. `Specially `round a cop. I don't want to make no trouble and give him another reason to beat me."</span></p> <p><span>"Andy, come here, please," I said. "The rest of you get settled in the theater and we'll be there shortly." The other six headed to the theater while Andy came into the kitchen with Tom and me. </span></p> <p><span>"Andy, I'm going to ask you some questions and I want you to tell me the truth, okay."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay," he mumbled in response while looking at the floor.</span></p> <p><span>"Does Russ really hit you with a belt?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sometimes, but only when I'm bad."</span></p> <p><span>"What does he consider `bad'?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know, not taking out the trash, not keeping my room clean, staying up too late, whatever."</span></p> <p><span>"Come closer, Andy." He hesitated and I added, "Come on, Andy, we're not going to hurt you, we just want to check you for bruises and other marks. I promise, that's it." I guess he finally decided we were okay and came over. We looked over his front side and saw nothing of concern. I asked him to turn around so we could check his back side. Tom and I were appalled at what we saw. Faded bruises were very apparent on his lower back, buttocks and upper thighs. They were barely visible now, which explains why we hadn't noticed them earlier in the pool, but with him this close and dry, there was no doubt that Andy had been severely beaten. Multiple times. </span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Andy. Does Russ hit your mom, also?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, but not with a belt. He uses his fists on her."</span></p> <p><span>"You don't like it when he hits you or your mom, do you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I hate it, but he's too big for me to fight and I can't do nothin' to make him stop. I been afraid to say anything to anybody `cause who knows what he'd do to me if he found out."</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe you can't, Andy, but we can. And we will. You've done the right in trusting us. Now, why don't you go join the others in the theater and we'll be right behind you?" Andy scampered off while Tom and I grabbed bowls of popcorn and drinks in cups with lids and followed his lead. Mike had selected the movie `Cars', and once I had the movie started, Tom and I retreated to the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>"I knew that man was trouble the instant he opened the door."</span></p> <p><span>"Am I making a call?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right you are, this shit stops right now."</span></p> <p><span>"You know Dylan's gonna' come here first and he'll want to know how we know, don't you? Are you ready for that explanation?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not worried about Dylan. He, of all people, knows how we live out here and he also knows that there's nothing wrong with it."</span></p> <p><span>"As long as you're sure." Tom picked up the phone and dialed Dylan's cell phone. </span></p> <p><span>"Sarge? Deputy Wright here."</span></p> <p><span>"I have to assume, since were using titles, this is an official and not a social call."</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely. We have a situation out here that needs your attention."</span></p> <p><span>"Where's here, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max's home."</span></p> <p><span>"What's going on?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mike has some kids over from school to try and make friends with them this afternoon. Max picked the boys up and had a bad feeling about one the kids."</span></p> <p><span>"What kind of bad feeling?"</span></p> <p><span>"The man who answered the door was verbally abusive towards Andy and after our swim, he said that Russ beat him with a belt at times. He also told us this guy also beats his mom with his fists. Max and I checked Alex over and found fading bruises on his back, behind and thighs."</span></p> <p><span>"Dare I ask how you found bruising on his behind?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you know how the boys are."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell, Tom. Can't you keep clothes on anybody out there?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's a long story, Sarge, but we need to deal with this before the boys go home. We won't leave Andy at that house with this guy."</span></p> <p><span>"Did you get anything for a name besides Russ?"</span></p> <p><span>"Andy said it was Weedman, or something like that," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, let me do a search and see what I can find. I'll be out there in a little bit."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Sarge, we appreciate it."</span></p> <p><span>I turned to Tom and said, "We need to let the boys know that Dylan's coming out and we all need to get some clothes on. Normally, I wouldn't worry about it, but with this being an official call, I think that'd be best."</span></p> <p><span>"They ain't gonna' like it. Especially since Dylan's been here before."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, but that was social, this is business. They need to start learning the difference as to when being nude is acceptable and not."</span></p> <p><span>"You're right, let's go tell `em."</span></p> <p><span>We headed to the theater and paused the movie to get their attention. "Boys, Tom's boss will be here shortly."</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Brock's comin' out, too. Can we go swimmin' again?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He's not coming for that kind of visit. He's coming out to help fix Andy's problem."</span></p> <p><span>"Really, Mr. Sanders?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Really, Andy. And we all need to have clothes on when he gets here."</span></p> <p><span>"Why, dad, he knows we go naked all the time. He even joined us the other night," Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"That was what we call a social visit, boys. This is a business visit. You need to learn that we sometimes need to wear clothes at home. This is one of those times. Why don't you all go pull on a pair of shorts and a shirt, then you can come back and continue your movie until he gets here? Go!" Seven bare, white behinds flew by Tom and I as they took off to get dressed. "I guess we need to follow suit and pull something on, too."</span></p> <p><span>"If this dude, Russ, is as big as you say he is, I should probably put my uniform on and go with Dylan so he's got some backup. I don't want him going there alone."</span></p> <p><span>"That's probably a good idea. We know he beats women and little kids, but there's no telling how he'll react to the cops showin' up on his doorstep."</span></p> <p><span>After we got dressed, we met the boys in the theater and got the movie going again, then Tom and I retreated to the kitchen to wait for Dylan.</span></p> <p><span>"Do you think I should call Carol and get her out here, too? We are dealing with child abuse and that's part of what she does."</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be a good idea. With the situation, she could provide more grounds for whatever Dylan and I end up having to do with Russ."</span></p> <p><span>I dialed Carol's number and waited for her answer.</span></p> <p><span>"Hello, Max, ready to return the boys?" she laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Not on your life, lady. Listen, Carol, we have a situation here and I think you need to be involved."</span></p> <p><span>"What's going on, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mike has some boys over from school this afternoon and one of them shows signs of abuse."</span></p> <p><span>"What signs?"</span></p> <p><span>"He has bruising on his back, behind, and thighs, and he was the leader of the three who were picking on Mike at school."</span></p> <p><span>"And just how did you see this bruising?"</span></p> <p><span>"We all went for a swim this afternoon and..."</span></p> <p><span>"'Nuff said, Max. Give me 25 to 30 minutes and I'll be there. Do I need to call law enforcement?"</span></p> <p><span>"Already done and Dylan's on the way. He should be here already by the time you get here."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I'm on the way. Don't do anything until I get there."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Carol. See you soon." I turned to Tom, "Okay, she's on the way and said not to do anything until she gets here."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, it'll be nice to have her input."</span></p> <p><span>20 minutes later, the drive sensor announced an arrival. I went to the door and saw a Sangamon County Sherriff's car pull in and Dylan get out of the car. I opened the door as he was coming up the walk and said, "Afternoon, Dylan, how ya' doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"I've had better days. How `bout yourself, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hectic, but you have to expect that with three extra boys in the house."</span></p> <p><span>"How's Tom?" he asked as he stepped through the door.</span></p> <p><span>"Ask him, yourself. He's waiting in the kitchen."</span></p> <p><span>"He's here already?"</span></p> <p><span>"He should be since he living here now."</span></p> <p><span>"Guess he forgot to file a change of address form with the department," he grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"Give him a break, will ya', we've been busy."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess so." We'd reached the kitchen and Dylan said, "Afternoon, Tom. How's the new living quarters workin' out?"</span></p> <p><span>"Great, Sarge. Thanks for asking."</span></p> <p><span>"Why're you in uniform, you're not on duty today."</span></p> <p><span>"Max told me this Russ dude's pretty big and mean. I'm not letting you go there alone."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, `cause with what I found out on the search, this is one sick mothe..., uh, individual."</span></p> <p><span>"What'd you find?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"First, I need a description of the guy you saw to make sure I got the right info `cause the last name is different from what you said on the phone."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd guess about 6'-1", 225 to 250 pounds, brownish hair, tattoos on both arms that I could see, ugly."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a match to me. Let me show you the picture the system spit out." Dylan pulled a picture out of a folder and slid it across the counter to me.</span></p> <p><span>"That's him, no doubt in my mind."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. This guy's bad news. Multiple arrests for drunk and disorderly, assault, burglary, etc., etc. He has multiple warrants out on him right now, including drugs, armed robbery, another assault. We've been looking for him for a while, but he's been flying below the radar. Nice to finally know where the scumbag's been hiding. It'll be good to get his nasty ass off the streets."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad I could find him for you. Pure luck."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll take what I can get. Now, I need to speak with the abuse victim."</span></p> <p><span>"You'll have to wait a few more minutes, Sarge."</span></p> <p><span>"Why? I want to get this guy while we know where he is."</span></p> <p><span>"That's my fault, Dylan. After Tom talked to you, I called Carol since we thought we were dealing with abuse only. She's on her way out and told us not to do anything until she gets here. She wants to be here when we talk to Andy."</span></p> <p><span>"Didn't think about that, sorry for jumping the gun. She's absolutely correct that she should be here. I can't question a minor without someone there to protect their interests, no matter what."</span></p> <p><span>"So, boss, while we wait for Carol, there's something I need to tell you."</span></p> <p><span>"Spit it out, boy."</span></p> <p><span>"I've moved in with Max and we're going to get married."</span></p> <p><span>"I knew the first since Max told me at the door, but the second is certainly news. When did you two make that decision?"</span></p> <p><span>"This morning, boss."</span></p> <p><span>"When's this gonna' happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"We haven't gotten that far yet, Dylan," I said. "We're hoping we can make it official before the adoption is finalized so both our names can be included on the court papers."</span></p> <p><span>"Whenever it happens, I better be invited. Congrats to both of you. I wish you nothing but the best, for all of you."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, boss." Dylan gave each of us a hug just as the drive sensor dinged to announce Carol's arrival. I met her at the door and led her into the kitchen to meet with Dylan and Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, afternoon, boys. How's everybody doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"Great, Carol. I'm glad you're here," Dylan answered. "This guy is bad news and we need to get him out of that house."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you have grounds to do that, besides his abuse of the young man visiting here this afternoon?"</span></p> <p><span>"Plenty, but if we can throw another charge at him, it'll keep him jail and away from his victims even longer."</span></p> <p><span>"Victims?? I was only told about the one boy, who else?"</span></p> <p><span>"Andy told Tom and me that he beats his mom, also."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, let's talk to him and get this show on the road. Can we use your study, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, why don't you and Dylan head in there and I'll bring Andy along in a minute?"</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be waiting. Thanks, Max. Come on Dylan." Carol and Dylan headed for the study while I turned to the theater to get Andy.</span></p> <p><span>"Andy, I hate to interrupt the movie, but would you please come with me for a little bit?"</span></p> <p><span>"What's up Mr. Sanders?"</span></p> <p><span>"I have a couple of people who need to talk to you."</span></p> <p><span>"Do I have to?"</span></p> <p><span>"If you want Russ out of your home, I think you should."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, let's go," he said dejectedly. I rested my hand on his shoulder and guided him to the study. After entering, I closed the door behind us.</span></p> <p><span>"Andy, I want you to meet Carol Ward and Sergeant Dylan Brock of the Sangamon County Sherriff's department. Carol is working with me on the boys' adoption and she's here to help protect you. Sergeant Brock is here to help get Russ out of your house. They need to ask you some questions and they need truthful answers."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay," he mumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max," Dylan said. "We'll take it from here. Can you wait outside with Deputy Wright, please?"</span></p> <p><span>I'd turned to leave when I felt Andy grab my hand and he pulled me back by his side. "If he ain't stayin', I ain't sayin' nothin'."</span></p> <p><span>I knelt in front of him and said, "Andy, it's okay. Just answer their questions and they'll take care of everything else."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll tell `em whatever they wanna' know, but not without you here, Mr. Sanders." I looked to the others and received nods of acceptance from both. I sat in my chair behind the desk while Carol and Dylan took seats on the other side. Once I was seated, Andy crawled up in my lap and made himself comfortable.</span></p> <p><span>Carol started her questions with, "Andy, can you tell me your last name, please, and your mom's name?"</span></p> <p><span>"My mom's name is Arlene and our last name is Cox."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, good. How long has Russ been living with you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Since before Christmas."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you know where your mom met him?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right Andy. Now you told Mr. Sanders that Russ has beaten you and your mom. Is that true?"</span></p> <p><span>"It sure is. He uses a belt on me and his fists on my mom."</span></p> <p><span>"How many times has he done this?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's hurt me five or six times since he showed up, but he's hurt mom lots more."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, now I need to ask you a question that you won't like, but I need a truthful answer."</span></p> <p><span>"What?"</span></p> <p><span>"Has Russ ever touched you in a place he shouldn't?"</span></p> <p><span>"What, you mean, like, my di...?"</span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, yes. I know this is uncomfortable, Andy, but I need to know if anything like that has happened."</span></p> <p><span>"NO! Never!"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry to upset you, but I need to know these things. Now, I need one last thing."</span></p> <p><span>"Now what?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max told me when he called this afternoon that you had some bruising on your lower back, behind and legs. You're not going to like this, but I need to see the bruises and take pictures of them for evidence."</span></p> <p><span>"No way! I ain't showin' you my butt and you ain't takin' no pictures of it!"</span></p> <p><span>"Andy, I know you don't want to do it, but if we're going to punish Russ for hurting you, we need to have proof that it happened. Without proof, we can't put him jail."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, get your proof some other way `cause I ain't showin' you my butt."</span></p> <p><span>I held up my hand to interrupt Carol and said, "Andy, remember, you already let Tom and me check you out all over."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, you're guys, that's different."</span></p> <p><span>"Can we do it this way? We can ask Carol to step out of the room, then you can show Dylan the bruises. That way, we can get the proof we need and Carol won't see your behind."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess that'd be okay. I mean, you already seen it, and he's a guy. Yeah, that'll work."</span></p> <p><span>"Will you let Dylan take the pictures they need?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't want to, but I guess so. If it'll help get that jerk outta my house, I'll do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Good deal, Andy. Carol, would you excuse us for a few minutes, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure. I'll be waiting outside the door."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Carol." She left the study and closed the door behind her. "Okay, Andy, Carol's gone, can we do this now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Okay," he grumped.</span></p> <p><span>He jumped off my lap, turned around, lifted his shirt and dropped his shorts to the floor.</span></p> <p><span>"Can you see the bruises, Dylan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Barely, it's hard to tell if their bruises or shadows from this angle. Any chance of getting better light on the area?"</span></p> <p><span>I knelt in front of Andy and gently asked, "Andy, I know this is embarrassing, but we need to get more light on your backside. Will you let me lift you up on the desk so we can turn on the desk lamp and make the bruises easier to see?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, why not? Hurry up and get this over with."</span></p> <p><span>I put my hands under his arms and lifted him up so he was standing on the desk, his shorts dropping off his feet and remaining on the floor. I then turned on the light and directed it to illuminate the proper area. </span></p> <p><span>"There ya' go, Max. That's perfect. Okay, Andy, I'm going to take the pictures now."</span></p> <p><span>"Just do it," he mumbled.</span></p> <p><span>Dylan took the pictures he needed of Andy's back side, then had him turn around so he could verify there was no bruising on his front side. When we were done, I set Andy back on the floor and he pulled his shorts back on.</span></p> <p><span>"Andy," I said, "I know you didn't want to go through that and it's embarrassing as all get out, but I'm proud of you for doing it."</span></p> <p><span>"Me, too, Andy," Dylan added. "It takes a big man to let other people see you like that. You did great."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Brock. If it'll get that jerk gone and keep him from hurting anybody else, it was worth it."</span></p> <p><span>"Consider it done, young man," Dylan responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Can he go back to his friends, now?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't see why not." He knelt in front of Andy and said, "You did a great thing, young man and I thank you for helping out the department today. I promise that nobody will ever see these pictures unless they can prove to me it's absolutely necessary. And once Russ is in jail where he belongs, I'll personally destroy them. Now, why don't you go back to your movie and let us take it from here?" Dylan held out his hand, Andy gave him a quick shake and ran out of the study.</span></p> <p><span>Carol came back in and asked, "Well?"</span></p> <p><span>"There is definitely bruising. It's pretty faded, but still visible, so there's another charge against this scum we can use."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you need anything else from me, Dylan?" Carol asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Max said the boy's mother wasn't home when he picked Andy up so I don't if she'll be there when we go get Russ. Since you're already out here, you may want to go along and check out the home after we get him out of the way."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good idea. Thanks. Shall I take my own car or should I ride with you?"</span></p> <p><span>"You'll probably want your own car there since mine will be occupied with the scum of the earth."</span></p> <p><span>"Good point. If I had to be in the same car with him, I'd kill the son-of-a-bitch."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, Carol, take a deep breath and relax. I don't want to have to arrest you, too. Okay, I'm going to call for another car to meet us at the truck stop and then we'll continue on from there. Once we have Russ under control and in the car, we'll search the house and make sure whether the mother is or isn't home."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a plan to me, Dylan," I said. "Anything I can do?"</span></p> <p><span>"You've already done it by calling us, Max. It's our job now. You stay here and take care of the boys until Tom gets back."</span></p> <p><span>"I can do that. Thanks, you two."</span></p> <p><span>"No, thank you, Max. Like I said, we've been looking for this guy, just didn't know where he was hiding. Now, we can get his sorry ass off the streets and in a jail where it belongs now. Let me go out to my unit and make a call and we'll be ready to go."</span></p> <p><span>We left the study and as Dylan headed outside, Carol and I returned into the kitchen where Tom was waiting.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi Carol. Where's Sarge?"</span></p> <p><span>"He went out to call another car to help you two corral Russ."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. The more, the merrier."</span></p> <p><span>"So," Carol began, "How're you two doing? And how's our boys?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're great, Carol, and so are the boys. We do have a little bit of news to give you since you're here, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Will I like it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I hope so. And I hope it won't hurt the adoption."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh lord, what have you two done now?"</span></p> <p><span>"This morning, before I went to pick up Mike's friends, I asked Tom if he'd marry me."</span></p> <p><span>"And I said yes."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my god! Congratulations to both of you. I'm so happy for you."</span></p> <p><span>"You're not freaked?" I asked. "You were pretty shook up earlier this week when I told you about us getting together, but this you're okay with?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm over that, Max. You're both grown men and can make your own decisions. I realized after you left my office that I was overreacting. And it should have no effect whatsoever on your adoption."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear." I looked to Tom and, with a sly wink, asked, "So, what do you think? Should we invite her to our wedding?" </span></p> <p><span>"Gee, I don't know, Max. She seems like quite the troublemaker to me," he grinned in response.</span></p> <p><span>"Look, you two, if I'm not invited, that will most definitely hurt the adoption," Carol responded sarcastically.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, milady, you will most certainly be invited. It was, after all, you who brought us together. It's all your fault."</span></p> <p><span>At that moment, Dylan came back in. "Okay, another unit's on the way, we better get to the truck stop and be ready to roll. Ms. Ward, I'm going ask you to stay in your car until we have the situation under control."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>I followed Dylan, Carol and Tom to the door and after Dylan and Carol had stepped outside, I grabbed Tom and spun him back around. I wrapped my arms around him and whispered in his ear, "You be careful and come home in one piece, you hear me?"</span></p> <p><span>"I hear ya'. I'll be back soon." Then, he turned to join Dylan in the car and I slowly closed the door, then headed to the theater to wait it out with the boys.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-53.html

Building a Family 53 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 53 � The Party Continues We had the boys start lining up to get their lunch and by the time they were organized, Joey, Alex and Brent decided to rejoin the party. All three had ear-to-ear shit-eating grins on their faces. Just as they joined the back of the queue, Justine popped her head out of the kitchen and said they were ready for us. As they moved through the line, getting their plates filled with their selections by two of the servers, a couple other servers were taking drink requests, filling cups and taking them to the table in the dining room. We had to split the group up so some ate at the dining room table and the others ate in the living room with Tom and me. There was still a fair number of hot dogs and hamburgers left when everyone had been through the line, so if anyone wanted seconds, it wouldn't be a problem. Tom and I sat on each side of the fireplace and let the boys have the chairs, couch and love seat. It was a tight fit, but we managed. My choice of hardwood floors was looking like it was a good idea as things got dropped on the floor. I didn't even want to think about the hassle involved in cleaning carpets. Most of the conversation between the boys was basic chatter about school and their teachers, what TV shows they liked and why, and what video games they liked. It wasn't until most of us were done eating and the boys from the dining room had rejoined us when the conversation took an abrupt left turn. "Hey, Alex, I wanted to ask if you guys liked living here better than at the Mueller's," Jesse asked. Damn it, there I go again with that fucking twitch. "You bet. Those two are the worst excuses for human beings you'll ever meet. At least Joey and I can really be ourselves, now." "What do you mean?" Kenny asked. "We're gay, ya' dingdong," Joey answered. That admission drew lots of surprised looks from the other boys. "I'm amazed the whole school don't know `bout us by now. Especially after the workshop the other day." "And as long as we lived with them, we had to keep bein' gay hidden or who knows what they woulda done to us," Alex continued. I gave the twins a quick shake of my head to stop them from following that road any further. Fortunately, then next question accomplished that task all by itself. "Wait, you two think you like guys instead of girls?" "We don't think it, Aaron, we know it," Joey answered. "Known it for a couple years. That's why our dads are being allowed to adopt us." "Wow! I never woulda guessed that," Jason said. "Hope you guys will still be friends with us," Alex lamented. "Why wouldn't we?" the other Jesse asked. "You're still a just a couple of goofballs like us." "Yeah, but you saw how Logan's dad reacted when he found out our dads are gay. You might be cool with it, but your `rents might not like you hangin' out with us, afraid we'll make you gay, too, or something stupid like that." "Hey, that's just how my dad is," Logan countered. "And I don't give a crap what he thinks. You guys could be Martians and I'd still want to be your friend. Hell, you could be gay Martians and I still wouldn't give a rat's ass." A resounding fit of laughter filled the living room. "What are you talking about with the workshop? We weren't in school that day," Mason commented. "Maybe you weren't, but we were. So was our brother T.J. and our dads." "What was that all about anyway?" Grayson asked. "They always have those things but we never hear what they do." "This one was about letting teachers know about kids our age and older killing themselves because they can't accept bein' gay or bein' bullied because they are and what they can do to help them." "We also told them that kids our age can know they're gay, even if most adults don't believe we can. Our aunt and mama and papa were there, too." "Why were you there, Mr. Sanders?" Zach asked. "To support T.J., Alex and Joey. I also talked about my own struggle with depression, the problems I had with my parents when I came out to them and about how close I came to killing myself." "Wow, you really almost did it?" "I did. Fortunately, I've pulled myself out of that hole and don't think it about anymore." "How do you know if you're gay?" Brent asked quietly. Alex answered, "When you think about boys more than girls." "'Specially when you're playin' with yourself," Joey added. "What are you talkin' `bout?" Teddy asked. "Oh, c'mon, dude, don't try to tell me you don't play with your dick," Joey snorted. "Man, I can't talk about this. Not with them here," Jeff said while pointing to Tom and me. "Hey, we can talk to our dads about everything. And if you think you might be gay, who better to talk to than a gay person? Right, Pops?" "I guess so," Tom answered. "I mean, we've already been through it all, so we can answer your questions honestly and we'll usually have a better understanding of what you're going through. And we're not going to try to convince you you're not gay or don't want to be." "Besides," Alex began, "bein' gay isn't a choice, it's just who you are." "Why don't you tell them about the group you and your brother are going to start at the school?" I asked. "Oh, yeah," Alex enthused. "We're going to work with Mr. Thomas and Mr. Furman to set up a support group for gay students. We're gonna have information on suicide prevention and other support groups in the area for kids like us." "We know we can't be the only gay kids in this school, but we're gonna do what we can to help any others who are," Joey added. "Why is Mr. Thomas going to help you with it?" Randy asked. "You'll have to ask him that question," Alex answered. "Sounds like he might be gay, too," Jake mused. "Can I help you with it? The group, that is?" Brent asked. "You bet, we're gonna need all the help we can get." "Well, yeah, but you might help me out, too." Joey and Alex looked at each other for a moment and then nodded. I knew they'd just had one of their private chats and agreed to whatever it was. T.J., who was sitting on the floor between Tom and me, let loose a little snicker of amusement. I was pretty sure he just seen something he shouldn't have. I tapped his behind with my foot and when he looked up at me, I gave him a little shake of my head. He nodded in understanding, mouthed `sorry, Dad', then turned back to the others. By the time the conversation wound down, the twins had five or six more volunteers to help work with the support group. I was impressed with the positive attitudes of the whole group and their understanding of the issues involved. The fact that none of them immediately shunned our boys was a pleasant surprise. That, and their willingness to get involved made me wonder what happens to people as they mature to ruin the positive outlooks and `live and let live' ideals kids this age had. But then I flashed to people like the Muellers and Charlie and was rudely reminded of what it was. T.J. elbowed me in the shin and when I looked down, he shook his head and mouthed, `Stop that'. Now it was my turn to nod solemnly and I echoed, `sorry, T.J.' back to him. "Who's ready for cake and ice cream?" Tom asked. Thirty hands reached for the ceiling as some of the boys felt one hand wasn't enough to get their message across. "Then let's head back to the dining room." The boys ran the few feet to get there as quickly as they could while Tom and I were a bit more sedate in joining them. The caterers had pulled the cake out of the pantry, put eighteen candles on it in two groups of nine, just as we had on Thursday, and placed the cake at the end of the table. Alex and Joey took their places and once Justine lit the candles, we were treated to really loud and horrible rendition of `Happy Birthday'. The twins closed their eyes in deep thought for a moment before opening them again to blow out the candles. Once the candles were extinguished, Justine took the cake back to the kitchen so she and her crew could cut and serve the cake with ice cream. I followed her into the kitchen and told her, "We have one guest who is diabetic, Justine. His mom said he could have some cake and ice cream, but small servings." "Well, you're going to have a very happy guest then, Mr. Sanders, as I planned ahead. You can't have this many kids at a party and not have at least one who has special dietary needs." "What do you mean?" "I brought a sugarless cake and ice cream with us today. I like to be prepared for anything." "Well, you're going to make one lad quite happy, then. Thanks for thinking ahead." "That's what you pay us for, isn't it?" she chuckled. "You just let me know who gets it, okay?" "It sure is." I looked into the dining room really quick to locate the correct Jesse, then turned back to Justine. "He's sitting next to Joey at the right end of the table. He's the boy with the really brown skin and straight black hair." "Got it, now you get back to the party and let us do our jobs, please." I knew when I wasn't needed. I returned to the dining room and was soon followed by servers bringing dessert. Jesse started to complain that his piece of cake and ice cream was too much, but once Justine told him it was special just for him, he dug right in. The rest of the boys wasted no time in tucking into their desserts, either. Of course, Tom and I didn't either. It was crowded around the table with 2 boys per chair, but I didn't want to risk messes happening anywhere else in the house. As the plates were emptied, one of Justine's crew was on hand to whisk them out of the way. By the time Tom and I had finished ours, all the plates, cups and silver from the meal and dessert were loaded in the dishwasher. Justine and her crew had left nothing for Tom and me to deal with as far as clean up and that was just fine with me. "Justine, we want to thank you for coming out today and taking care of all of this for us. This is our boys' first birthday with us and we didn't want to miss a minute of it." "No problem, you two. We're always happy to help, that's what we're here for. I'm glad I thought to bring sugarless dessert for Jesse. It looked like it just made his day." "I have no doubt that it did," Tom replied. He looked at me added, "Do you think he should check himself before we start the movie?" "Probably a good idea, Tom. Why don't you take him the sack his mom left?" "Your wish is my command," he answered, then grabbed Jesse's supplies and headed back to the dining room. "So, Justine, how much do we owe you for your service today?" After hearing the total, I said, "You do take cash, don't you?" "We love cash, Mr. Sanders," she answered with a wide smile. "Be right back." While I was gone, she had her crew start loading up their vehicles with the equipment they'd brought with them. When I returned, I handed her the payment she'd requested plus, of course, a generous tip for her and her crew. "Our next birthday party will be in about five weeks. Why don't you put us down on your schedule now for the Saturday after the twenty-third?" "Let me do that right now." She pulled her phone from her pocket, opened her calendar and created a new event for the day. "That looks like it'll be the 26th, then. Done. About a week before, give me a call and let me know how many we'll be feeding and I'll have everything ready. You want to stick with the same menu as we had today?" "Probably, but I'll check with T.J. and see if he wants something different. I'll give you that answer when I call about how many. Also, when I call to invite his guests, I'll make a point to ask if anybody has allergies or other conditions we need to plan for." "Good thinking, Max. It sure makes life easier to know those things well in advance. I'll look forward to your call in about a month, then. Hope all the boys enjoy the rest of the party." "The movie's up next, so I'm sure they will. Thanks for everything today and please tell all your people I said thanks. Hope you all enjoy the rest of the weekend." I led the way to the door and after we said goodbye to each other, closed the door and returned the dining room. What I found happening there was nothing short of amazing. Jesse was giving everyone a little lecture and demonstration on how people deal with diabetes. I stood behind him engrossed as he explained how the tester worked and what he had to do if his blood sugar reading was too high. Once he did the actual test on himself, he grinned and pronounced himself in good shape. I patted him on the shoulder and when he turned and saw me, he said, "Thanks for having the sugarless cake and ice cream for me, Mr. Sanders. That was great." "I wish I could take credit for that idea, Jesse, but it was Justine who deserves the thanks. I'll make sure I pass it along to her." "Have you picked out the movie you want to watch," Tom asked. "Yeah," Alex answered, "We wanna watch the first `Star Trek: The Next Generation' again. None of these guys have seen it and after we told `em about it, they want to. Is that okay?" "It's your party, boys, if that's what you want, that's what you get," I answered. "You all go get settled in and I'll be there in a minute to start it. You'll have to share chairs or sit on the floor." The floors rumbled again as the herd departed for the theater. I gave them a minute to get comfortable before following along to start the show. As I entered the theater, the boys got real quiet in anticipation. I popped the disc in the player and handed the remote to Alex so he could start the second episode. As I leaned over the back of my usual chair to do so, I found Alex and Joey sharing the chair with Brent sandwiched between them. All three had somehow lost their shorts on the way into the theater. I shook my head and turned to leave the room and rejoin Tom in the Living room. As I passed through the door, I noticed a whole pile of shorts on the floor. As I sat in my favorite chair by the fireplace, Tom looked up from his book and asked, "Get `em all set up, Boss?" I nodded dumbly and replied, "Yes. And judging by the pile of shorts by the door, they're all naked again. I swear, give those boys inch and they're gonna take at least a mile and maybe more." Tom laughed and countered with, "There you go again, being surprised about something you should expect." "Yeah, I know, crazy, right?" I leaned forward, resting my forearms on my legs and added, "Listen, I need to tell you something." "Uh-oh, that sounds serious." "It is. I screwed up big-time." I took a deep breath and told him about what happened when I checked on Alex, Joey and Brent in the shower. "Aw-w-w, Max, what the hell were you thinking?" "I don't know, Tom. I don't understand what happened exactly. It wasn't like the other night with Joey and Alex. As soon as Joey and Alex pulled my shorts down, it felt like I was back in that basement with Frank and Iris, just doing what I was told. One moment, I'm handing them towels, the next, I'm hanging out of my shorts and on my knees." "Did your viewpoint change like it did with them?" "Not really, no. I was still seeing everything with my own eyes, but it was like my brain was disconnected from being able to control the rest of me and I was kinda on auto-pilot. It was weirder than hell. I was so spaced out that I started to leave with my shorts still tucked under my balls. Alex called me back, put me away and rearranged everything. And I just stood there like a fuckin' zombie and let it happen. What the hell is wrong with me?" "I don't know, babe, but I'd guess it's related to what they did to you years ago. Normally, I'd say you need to talk to that head doctor about it, but if you do, you'll really be in deep shit." "No shit, Sherlock. So, what do we do, now?" "I don't know, man. We have to think about this. It'll take some time, but we'll figure it all out." "I hope so, but in the meantime, watch me, will ya'? It's risky enough to do that stuff with Joey and Alex, but to get another kid involved with it? I don't think I can be trusted." "Don't worry, babe, we'll all watch out for ya'. Are you still thinking about talking to T.J. later?" "I think I have to, don't you? I need to make sure he's okay and all that junk he picked up isn't going to cause him any major problems." "You think we should include the others in that conversation? I know we wanted to keep Mike and Andy out of all that, but with the other three knowing about it, it's gonna slip out somewhere along the line. Besides, if they all know what's going on, we'll all be in a better position to help." "As much as I hate to admit it, you're probably right. And I think they should all know about T.J.'s gift and just how far he can go with it. It'll be damn hard for anyone to keep any kind of secrets around here with his abilities." "Ain't' that the truth? We'll have to be very careful about what we think." After that comment, we settled back into our chairs to read while the boys watched their show. After about thirty minutes, the whole naked herd came out of the theater in search of bathrooms. Tom and I noticed the leaders of the herd, Alex, Joey, and Brent were sporting erections as they led the way to their bedrooms. Not that they were the only ones, just the most prominent, and seemingly proud of the fact. They passed us by without a word and soon we could hear toilets in all four bathrooms at that end of the house flushing as the boys took their turns relieving themselves. The leaders, of course, were the first to return to the living room. "You three seem to be enjoying the show," I commented. "We are," Joey grinned. "The first one just ended and everybody had to piss before we start the second." "Well, I hope you're not distracting the others from enjoying it." "Nope, we're being good," Alex added. "Just lettin' our hands wander a little bit." "You okay with that, Brent?" Tom asked. Brent blushed but answered, "Yeah, it's cool. It feels different when it's somebody else's hand. Better." "As long as you're okay with it. That's our rule." "Well, after the bathroom, a hand in my crotch is nothing," Brent retorted. Now it was my turn to blush. "No, I guess not." I was about to add something else, but more boys started drifting in to join us, so I held onto my thoughts. When the whole crew had come back from the bathroom, I asked, "Are you guys enjoying the show?" "Yeah," Randy answered, "it's great. We'll have to come back again so we can watch more." "I'm glad to hear it. You're all welcome here anytime. You better go get the second half started. Your parents will be coming in about an hour to start picking you up." They turned as one and headed for the theater to continue their show. All but Joey. When the others had disappeared, I asked, "What's up, son?" "I wanted to tell you we're really sorry about what happened with Brent. We shouldn't have put you on the spot like that. But we saw you staring at him when we got out of the pool and we thought, well, we thought you'd enjoy it. But seeing how you reacted, we know we were wrong. What happened to you, anyway?" "Thanks, Joey, I'm appreciate that and I'm glad you understand that it shouldn't have happened. And I'm not sure what happened." "Well, we're really sorry, Dad. We were wondering, though, would it be okay if Brent spent the night with us?" "Not tonight, Joey. After your guests are gone, we need to talk to you all about a few things. Another night, though, okay? Besides, didn't you and Alex have something special planned?" "Well, yeah, but we were thinking Brent would like to join us. But that's okay, we can wait." "Thanks, now go watch your show." Joey disappeared through the dining room as Tom and I resumed reading. Forty-five minutes later, the naked herd started to filter out of the theater as the second show had ended. "You guys better head on down and get dressed. Your parents will be along shortly to start picking you up and I don't think you'd like them to find you all nude." I knew I didn't want them found that way. "Go on, now, move it." As they rumbled on down the hall to get redressed, Tom said, "I better grab their things from the dryer and make sure everybody gets what's theirs." Tom disappeared to take care of that while Joey, Brent and Alex sat on the couch across from me. "What's up, boys?" "Mr. Sanders, I wanted to apologize for what happened this afternoon," Brent said. "It was all my idea and I kept pushing for them to help me see you guys naked." "Thanks, Brent, I appreciate that. But Joey and Alex know better." "Don't be mad at them, please. It's all my fault. If you wanna be pissed at someone, it should be me." "I'm not that upset, Brent, just surprised and a bit confused." "Whew, thank god. If my mom knew what I did, she'd freakin' kill me, but I ain't sayin' nothin'." The three of them stood and started to head to the bedroom to get dressed, but Brent stepped over to give me a hug. As he did, he whispered in my ear, "I was dead serious about returning the favor." With that, he turned and followed the twins down the hall. I was stunned at Brent's parting shot. Stunned, but also excited at the prospect. Shortly after all the boys were properly dressed and had all their shorts and swimsuits back in their possession, the parents started arriving to retrieve their wayward charges. After about fifteen minutes of goodbyes, thank yous, hugs and questions from parents as to their son's behavior, the herd had been reduced to the seven who actually lived here along with Jesse and Jos�, though that was expected as Karla had called to let us know they were running a bit late. Derek had come back to return Logan to his home. Despite Joe's offer to take him home with the other three boy's he'd brought, we preferred having Derek deal with that situation. As we sat in the living room waiting their arrival, Jesse commented, "Mr. Sanders, Jos� and me really want to say thanks for having us out today." "Well, I'm glad Joey and Alex told us about you so we could. I hope you guys had fun." "We, did," Jos� enthused, "especially the swimmin'," he added with a giggle. "We never swum naked before." "We do it all the time," Alex informed them. "We hope we can come back out and do it again," Jesse replied. "Now that we know where you guys are, we hope we can still be friends." "For sure, dude" Joey answered. "We want that, too." "So, what happened with the Muellers?" Jesse asked. "Nothin', really, we just got lucky our dad talked to the people who had us livin' there," Joey answered. "Yeah, once we met him the first time, we were pretty sure we'd be movin', but didn't say nothin' to nobody `cause we didn't wanna jinx it," Alex added. "Then we came out for a weekend visit," Joey started, "and everything happened really fast and we never went back there." "Well, you got a sweet deal here. This is a great house with the pool and all. I wouldn't mind livin' here myself." "Whoa, hold on there, Jesse," I laughed. "You guys are welcome to visit anytime, but I don't think we're quite ready for you to move in. Besides, your mom and dad might have something to say about that." "Ha, I bet they would," Jos� laughed. "But, it'd still be fun." DING! "I'd imagine that's your mom and dad, now, guys. You got everything? Jesse, do you have your tester and supplies?" "Sure do, Mr. Sanders." "Good, I'd hate for you to forget it. If you and Jos� become regular visitors, which we hope you will, we'll get one and have it here all the time for you. That way you won't have carry it back and forth." "Wow, thanks, that'd be cool. I hate havin' to take that thing every time I go somewhere." Joey had gone to the door and let Karla and Rick in, then led them into the living room to join the rest of us. "Well, the house is still in one piece," Karla laughed. "Guess the party was successful." "It was," Tom answered. "All the boys had a great time and Jesse and Jos� were perfect gentlemen." Karla looked at her boys and asked, "Okay, who are you two and what have you done with my boys?" "No, really, mom, we were good," Jos� complained. "We know you were, boys, we're just kiddin' ya'," Rick replied as he ruffled Jos�'s hair. "Jesse, you okay? Did you check yourself?" Karla asked. "I'm fine, Ma. I not only tested, but I showed all the guys what I have to do. They thought it was cool, but then, they don't have to do it every day like I do. And everything was great `cause the lady who did the food today brought a sugarless cake and ice cream." "Well, that was awful nice of you, Max." "I wish I could take the credit for it, but that was all Justine." "Well, you guys ready to go?" Rick asked. "We have to get home and get supper." Jesse and Jos� jumped up to join their parents and the rest of us did the same, following their lead towards the front door. "Hey, Dad, can we come back sometime," Jos� asked. "I don't see why not. Alex and Joey are welcome at our house anytime, too." "Maybe they'd like to say hi to Frank and Iris some time," Karla commented. "No chance of that happenin'," Joey scoffed. "Maybe when hell freezes over," Alex added acidly. "Excuse me?" Rick asked. "You guys lived with them for a long time. You don't want to let them know how you're doing in your new home?" "If we ever see them again, it'll be too soon," Joey said. "Especially after what they did to our dad," Alex added. "What are you talking about, boys?" Karla asked. "It's a long story, Karla," I commented. "And right now isn't the time," I added, waving a hand at the gaggle of boys surrounding us. Karla and Rick nodded in understanding and Rick said, "Well, let's get a move on boys. Supper's not going to fix it self." As Jesse and Jos� ran to the car, he turned to us and added, "Thanks again for inviting the boys out to the party. It really meant a lot to them. And, Joey, Alex, it was great to see you two again. We miss you guys in the neighborhood but it looks like you've found a great family here." "We were happy to do it and we hope they can come out again," Tom replied. With handshakes from Tom and me and hugs from the boys, Rick and Karla joined their sons in the car and headed for home. After closing the door, Tom asked, "Anybody but me hungry again? I could sure use another burger, right after I get out of these freakin' clothes." Everybody raised their hands in agreement, so we headed to our rooms to get comfortable, then rejoined in the kitchen to pull out the leftovers and have a bite for supper. "What do you suppose that was all about?" Rick asked as they pulled away. "Not a clue, honey," Karla answered. "Jesse, Jos�, do you know?" "A little bit," Jesse answered, "but we're not s'posed to talk about it." "Who said you're not supposed to talk about it?" Karla asked. "Joey and Alex, both." "Well, you can tell us. We know how to keep a secret, you know." "I guess so. Like I said, we don't know much, but it sounds like Mr. and Mrs. Mueller did some really bad things to Mr. Sanders when he was a kid. They said the cops were gonna be investigatin' and everything." "Now, that just doesn't sound right, Jesse. The Muellers seem like such nice people, I can't imagine them doing anything to hurt anyone." "All we know is Joey and Alex said they're really bad people and to stay away from them," Jos� commented. "And we're going to," Jesse added. Karla looked at Rick who just shrugged his shoulders and said, "I guess we need to talk to Max to find out what's going on." As we sat in the dining room to have our snupper (kind of a snack/supper), I said, "Boys, we need to talk about a few things." "Oh, boy, here it comes, Alex," Joey moaned. "Yeah, we're probably in deep poo after this afternoon," Alex agreed. "Nobody's in trouble, so don't worry about that." The twins exchanged shocked looks at their good fortune. "First, while we hope you all had fun today, we didn't appreciate the time in the pool becoming a nudist event. But, that's just as much our fault as yours since we didn't do a better job at enforcing the rules. We don't care if you want to have nude swims, obviously, but if that's your plan, we need to know it before so we can let your friends' parents know it might happen. I rather be upfront about it than try to be sneaky and have it come back and bite us in the butt later. Understood?" I received nods of agreement from all five boys. "Good, the second topic for tonight has to do with T.J." "What about me?" he asked. "You boys already know how Joey and Alex can communicate without actually saying the words out loud, but did you know that T.J. can do it, too, and more than that, T.J can see into your minds." A resounding `what' echoed through the house while T.J. hung his head. "T.J., don't be like that. You have a gift and we don't expect you to hide it. You just need to learn to control it better." I looked back to the others and continued, "Joey, you know how you picked up an image from my mind the other night when we were talking?" "Yeah, that was sick." "Well, T.J. told me this morning he saw not only that from me, but he saw a lot more, too. He also told me that he worked his way around the blocks you and Alex had put up to keep him from seeing it from you." "What!" Alex exclaimed. "You can't do that! Those are private." "I know," T.J. responded, "and I'm sorry. Like I told Dad this morning, I didn't know I could do anything like this until I met you two. I'm trying to learn how to stop it from happening, but sometimes, I just can't. It happens more when you're feeling really strongly about something. And there's been a lot of that around here the last couple of days." "What are you talkin' about, T.J.?" Mike asked. "You have to ask dad that question." "What's he talkin' about, Dad?" "That's the third thing. Alex, Joey and T.J. already know some of this and I'm not going into any detail with you and Andy, but since they know what's happened, we've decided you should, too." Mike and Andy gave me their full attention. After a moment's pause to catch my breath, I continued, "A long time ago, when I was just a kid a few years older than the twins, the Muellers hurt me, really badly." "What!?" Andy squealed. "Why didn't you say something about that before now?" Mike asked. "Because I didn't really remember any of it until just the other day. I'd blocked it out of my conscious thoughts because what they did was so ugly. Alex, Joey and T.J. know some of what happened to me because of what they can do. I just wanted you to hear about it from me." "Well, what's gonna happen to them? They gonna go to jail or somethin'?" Mike asked. "I don't know yet, Mike. The police will investigate them and if they find what I think they will, I'm sure they'll be going to prison for a long time. As least, I hope that's what happens." "Is that why you been actin' a little weird the last couple days?" Andy asked. "Unfortunately, yes. And I may be weird for a while to come, but I'll get better. It's going to take me some time, though. All I ask is from you guys, despite my rule that you can ask any question, this subject will be off limits for a while." "Why?" Andy asked. "Well, it's hard to deal with all that happened after so much time. I've already told Tom about it and Monday, I have to talk to Dylan about it, too. Dr. Kirkland is going to find me a special doctor to help me deal with the fallout and I'll have to talk to him or her about it, too. And all that's way more talkin' than I want to do, but I need to. I also think you're all a bit too young to know, but in time, you will. You just have to be patient with me, okay?" "Yeah, Dad, okay," Mike answered. "Thank you. T.J., I need to know you're okay. Since you've seen a lot more than Joey and Alex, I'm worried about how you're dealing with it." "I'm okay, Dad. It's just sucks knowing there are people who would do that kind of thing to a kid. I mean, I guess I already knew it could happen, I just never knew anybody who actually went through it." "Well, it's gonna be hard to keep anything from you, I know, but I ask that whatever you might see, you keep it to yourself. If you want to talk about it, come to Tom or me and we'll help you try to understand what you've seen. Deal?" "Deal. Thanks, Dad." "Okay, who wants to watch a movie?" "Can we play Uno, dads? All of us?" Mike asked. I looked to Tom and he answered for both of us, "Sure, why not? Let's get all this cleaned up, we'll light a fire and play at the coffee table in the living room. Sound all right to you guys?" "Yeah!" yelled Mike. "Let's go!" The boys jumped up to take care of cleaning the table while Tom and I cleaned up the minor mess we'd created in the kitchen. With the cleanup completed and the dishwasher running, Mike retrieved the Uno cards from his bedroom while Tom got a fire going. With Joey and Alex's help, we moved the chairs and couch closer to the coffee table so nobody had to sit on the floor. Once we all settled in and got comfortable, we spent the next hour enjoying a rousing but relaxing game of cards. It was close race between Alex and T.J., but in the end, T.J. won the game. At the end of the game, we worked together to get the furniture all back into its proper spot and once that was done, I suggested the boys get ready for bed. I was beat from the long day and the party and I was pretty sure they were, too. When no one argued about not being tired, I knew I was right. Mike, T.J. and Andy headed to their room while Tom and I followed the twins to theirs. Knowing these two had special plans tonight, I wanted to be in and out of their room as quickly as possible. After going to the bathroom one more time, we gave them their hugs and kisses goodnight and they climbed in bed, immediately wrapping their arms around the other and kissing each other quite passionately. They made no attempt to hide their tongues darting into each other's mouth or the mad grinding of their crotches together. I quietly reminded them to be careful and after a wave from Alex, Tom and I took the not-so-subtle hint and quietly retreated from the room, pulling the door closed behind us. "Think they're in a bit of a hurry?" Tom chuckled. "Gee, could be," I deadpanned. "To be honest, I was tempted to stay and watch, but I think their first time should be just two of them." We continued to the trio's room where we traded hugs, goodnights and love yous with all three. With all the boys in bed, Tom and I headed to our room and proceeded to become engaged with our own bodies "Damn, Joey, I love it when you suck my balls. I'm gonna hate the day they're too big for you to get both in your mouth at the same time." With a mouthful of his brother's delicate nuggets, all Joey could do was moan in agreement. The little nod he gave tenderly pulled on those nuggets, enhancing the pleasure Alex was feeling. Alex was lying flat on his back, legs spread wide to give Joey the access he needed. "C'mon, dude, quit fuckin' teasin' me. Lick my hole and get on with it. I want your dick in my ass." Joey wasted no time, pushing his brother's legs up in the air and lifting his smooth ass up to expose the pink rosebud that was his next target. He tenderly licked around the orifice, unsure what to expect. He soon decided that licking his brother's virgin hole wasn't so bad, tasting just a bit of light boy musk as he did. Joey soon directed all his efforts to giving Alex his first ever anal tongue bath. At the same time he was preparing the target for impending invasion, he was lightly stroking Alex's throbbing three-inch pecker. Alex was writhing in pleasure as Joey assaulted his ass. He couldn't believe getting your asshole licked could feel so good. He just hoped when it was his turn to return the favor, Joey would experience the same feelings. After several minutes of stimulating and moistening Alex's tight hole, Joey couldn't wait any longer. He wanted to feel his cock buried in his brother's ass. Joey pulled his face from between Alex's smooth globes and waddled on his knees to place the tip of his own pecker at the rear entrance to his brother's body. "You ready, bro?" Joey whispered. "Just fuckin' do it already," Alex moaned wantonly. "Okay, here goes." Joey shifted his hips forward, expecting his dick to slip smoothly inside his brother. Instead, it slid wildly off the mark and stabbed Alex in the balls. "Damn it." "Ya' gotta hold it in place, dude, guide it, okay?" "Yeah, yeah, I got it. I ain't never done this before, ya' know." Joey repositioned himself, tip of his dick lined up with Alex's hole, again. While holding his dick in position this time, he slowly pressed forward. Again, his aim was off and his dick skipped off its intended target and slid down Alex's crack towards the bed. "C'mon, man, loosen up a bit or I ain't never gonna get it in you." "How the fuck am I s'posed to do that?" "I don't know, man, you're the one who read about guys fuckin' each other. I'm just doin' what you told me to do." "Well, let's swap places and see if I can do it to you." "Sounds good to me," Joey quickly agreed. The twins rapidly changed positions until Joey was lying on his back, knees lifted to his shoulders, virgin ass exposed for Alex. Alex dove right in, first sucking on Joey's dick and balls for a bit before moving further down and orally assaulting his sphincter while continuing to stimulate his wet pecker with a hand. As Joey had discovered, licking and slurping at his brother's ass didn't disgust Alex at all, and if anything, it got him even more excited. After a few minutes of Alex's oral stimulation, he was ready to impale his brother and Joey was panting in anticipation. Alex crawled slowly up to his brother's ass, guiding the head of his dick to the target glistening with his own spit. When he made contact with the tight pucker, Joey gasped loudly, relishing what was to happen next. Alex slowly pushed forward, willing his dick into Joey's ass, but he had no more luck at penetrating than Joey had as his hard dick bent in half, causing himself some pain. "Oh, fuck, that hurt like hell. What the fuck is going on, dude? Why the hell can't we do this?" "I don't know, Alex, but I'm getting really pissed off. I want your dick in me so bad..." "Yeah, me too. Think we should go ask the dads what we're doing wrong?" "What the hell are you thinking!? We can't go askin' them about how to fuck each other? Can we?" "Why not? They said if we ever had any question, we could ask it. Besides, they already know what we were gonna do tonight." "Well, yeah, I guess they do, don't they?" "So, what are we waitin' for? C'mon, let's go. I want you to fuck me tonight if it kills us." The two climbed out of bed and, with their erections leading the way, quietly left their room in search of their dads. After working each other over for the last half-hour, Tom was begging me to fuck him. I was all too willing to oblige his demand. He assumed the position and I was just lining my cock up to make the plunge when there was a light knock at the door. Holy fuck, talk about bad timing. Before we could move, the door cracked open and Joey and Alex stuck their heads through the opening. "Oops, sorry, Dads, but we got a problem and need some help," Alex begged. I rolled off my lover and quickly pulled the sheet up to provide minimal cover, though I'm not sure why, after what they'd already seen. "Does it have to be right now," I asked, exasperation evident in my voice. "Well, I guess not, but since what you were about to do with Pops is what our problem is, this is as good as time as any, isn't it?" Joey commented, just as bold as brass. "Oh, hell, why not? Get in here and tell us what your problem is," I acquiesced while Tom moaned in disappointment and sat up. They pushed the door wide open and walked into the room, hard peckers bouncing lightly with every step. After they climbed up on the bed, they sat in front of us and crossed their legs, making no effort to cover themselves. "Okay, shoot, what seems to be the problem?" I asked. "You told us if we wanted to know about anything, we're supposed to ask, right?" Joey queried cautiously. "Yes." "Well, it's kinda weird to ask your dads about something like this, but we want a real answer and not some stupid bullshit," Alex said. "If you never get your question out, we can't give you any kind of answer, can we?" They shot a quick glance at each other, nodded quickly and looked back to us. "Okay, here goes," Joey said seriously. "We been trying to screw each other the last half-hour and we can't get our dicks to go in." "We know you two got to be fuckin' each other and we figured that since our dicks are so much smaller, we wouldn't have a problem doin' it, but it just ain't workin'. Please tell us what we're doin' wrong," Alex moaned plaintively. Tom and I both snorted with laughter. After regaining our composure, I said, "Why don't you tell us what you've tried so far and we'll see if we can help you out." The two took turns explaining every step they'd followed, right up to the point where their dicks refused to enter the other's ass. When they became quiet, I asked, "Did you do anything to stretch or loosen your sphincter muscles?" "What? How do you do that?" Alex asked. "There's several ways to do it," Tom answered, "but the easiest thing to use is your fingers." "What!" Joey exclaimed. "You think I want to stick my finger in his ass? That's gross." "From what you've already told us, you've licked each other there, haven't you? Is your finger worse than your tongue?" I asked. "Well, I guess not, but I wasn't pushing my tongue inside it either," Alex answered. Tom continued with his explanation. "You put something slick on your finger and slowly push it into your partner's hole. After they get used to one finger sliding in and out, you add another finger. You do it gently and slowly for a little bit. Once your partner doesn't feel any pain with two fingers, you should be able replace them with your penis." Joey and Alex looked at each other briefly then looked back to us. "Show us," Joey demanded. "Oh, come one, guys," I complained, "Why don't you go back to your own room and try it?" "No! We'll just screw it up again. Please, Dads, show us how to do it," Alex begged. Now it was my turn to look at Tom and all I got for my effort was a shrug of the shoulders. "Okay, fine, which one of you wants to be first?" "ME!" Joey yelled. I tossed off the sheet and told Tom to get ready. He got in position to demonstrate what we were talking about and I told Joey, "Okay, you get in the same position as Tom and I'll show Alex what to do, okay?" I moved over to Tom so I could show our sons what to do. Joey quickly moved to where I'd been sitting and laid down next to Tom, holding his knees up to his chest and exposing his virgin pucker to Alex and me. "Yeah! `Bout fuckin' time." Joey answered, "C'mon, Alex, get over here, dude." Alex crossed the bed so he was positioned where he had access to his brother's beautiful ass and could still see what I was doing with Tom. I retrieved the lube we used from the nightstand and drizzled a little on my index finger, then did the same to Alex's outstretched index finger. I began to slowly insert my finger into Tom and once I knew I was on target, I glanced at the twins to see how Alex was doing. Alex had the tip of finger pushing gently on Joey's tight sphincter, but had not yet penetrated. "What's wrong Alex?" I asked. "I'm pushing, but it won't go in. He's clenching too much." I looked up to Joey and said, "Buddy, you have to relax a little bit or it's never gonna happen." Joey opened his eyes and looked to me and asked, "How the hell do you do that?" "Just take deep breaths and loosen up. You may also want to give your ass a little push, almost like you have to go to the bathroom." "Okay, I'll try." He closed his eyes again and began breathing deeply. After just a few seconds of that, I could see him give a little grimace. When I looked back to Alex's hand, I could see his finger had finally slid inside his brother's ass for the first time and it was buried just to the first knuckle. "Good, there ya' go. Now, Alex, just keep pushing, gently and slowly so Joey can get used to the feel of your finger sliding into him." He followed my instructions and shortly had his entire finger sunk deeply into Joey. "How's that feel, Joey?" I asked. "Like I gotta poop, and it hurts a little bit," he grunted. "That's normal, it'll pass in a minute. Alex, just hold still for a bit until Joey says it okay to move." I returned my attention to Tom and found him staring wide-eyed at the pair of lads next to us, wicked grin cutting across his face. I twisted my finger around, stroked his prostate and a light moan escaped past his lips. I continued to finger my lover while waiting for the boys to continue. After about a minute or two, Joey finally whispered, "Okay, go ahead, I think I'm ready." Alex looked at me with the question `what now' written across his face. "Well, pull your finger back out, but not all the way. Leave the tip just inside. Then wait a few seconds and slowly push it back it in." Alex did as I said and as I looked up to Joey's face, I saw his eyes open wide as Alex pulled his finger out. "NO!" Joey cried, "push it back in." Alex did just that, and a bit more forcefully than he should have, eliciting a bit of a grunt from Joey, but the satisfied smile on his face let me know he was doing just fine. "Good, Alex, just keep doing that, in and out until you have a nice smooth rhythm going. Tom really likes it when I play with his cock and balls while I'm doing this. I bet Joey will, too." Alex used his free hand, wrapped it tightly around Joey's throbbing pecker and began to slowly stroke him while he continued to finger fuck his asshole. I could see Joey was really starting to enjoy his brother's stimulation. Tom was rather enjoying the show, also, as I could feel his hole clamp tightly around my finger with each insertion. "Alex, you want to drive your brother really crazy?" I asked. He looked at me and grinned. "Does a bear shit in the woods? Yeah, what do I gotta do?" "Turn your hand over so your finger will bend up." He did what I told him and asked, "Like this?" "Perfect, now wiggle your fingertip around inside him a little bit. You'll feel a little knob in there." I could see him concentrating on it and surprise filled his eyes when he finally found it. "That little knob is called the prostate. If you bump or stroke it with your finger every now and then, it feels really good. Watch Joey's face as you do it." Alex continued his ministrations and I enjoyed watching Joey's eyes light up each time Alex touched that magic spot. In no time at all, Joey moaned, "Oh, fuck, I'm comin'." Alex kept up his work and giggled, "His hole is grabbin' my finger every time his dick twitches in my hand, that's cool. It's like they're connected." "You ready for him to try two fingers, Joey?" I asked. All he could do was nod. Alex pulled his finger completely out of Joey's ass and held it to me with a second finger for more lube. I added a little bit to the offered fingers and warned, "This may hurt a little bit, again, Joey, but just relax and the pain will go away." He nodded again and then gasped deeply as Alex inserted the two fingers. "You okay, J?" Alex asked. "That hurt like hell. Wait a sec, okay?" Thirty seconds later, he added, "Okay, I'm good, get back to work, bro." Alex didn't hesitate as he started working slowly with the two fingers and slowly built up speed to a nice, even tempo. I was doing the same to Tom and I could tell he was getting real close to orgasm, so I slowed things downs a bit with him and quit rubbing his prostate. Joey had lost control and was tossing his head side to side as Alex' stimulation continued to work its magic. He'd also started raising his hips on each stroke Alex made in an effort to get his fingers as deep inside as he could. In just a couple of minutes, he finally groaned, "Oh, god, bro, I want your dick in me. C'mon on dude, fuck me for real." Alex followed his brother's directions as he pulled his finger out of Joey's ass, crawled up and positioned his dick at the rear entrance to his body. This time, when he pushed his hips forward, his dick slid right in until his bare pubic mound was smothering Joey's balls. Watching that stiff three-inch rod disappear as if by magic was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever witnessed. I quickly followed suit and buried my cock deep in my lover's ass, also. We both started our humping motion at the same time. It was hotter than hell watching our young sons fuck right next to us and I could see Tom was feeling as randy as I was at the show taking place in our bed. Alex and Joey, both, had their eyes clamped shut as they reveled in the new sensations they were feeling. I didn't expect either one to last very long considering it was their first fuck and the amount of stimulation they both already experienced. Not that I was going to last very long, either. I always enjoyed making love with Tom, but tonight was extra special with the twins there with us. All too soon, I could feel my body tightening up as my orgasm crept closer and closer. And next to us, we could hear both Joey and Alex moaning with pleasure and Joey whispering, "Oh, god, Alex, fuck me. Go, dude, go, I'm about to come. Come with me. Oh, oh, oh, fuck, oh fuck yes-s-s-s-s," he hissed. And then it hit me, like slamming into a brick wall. I gave one final push and buried myself as deeply as I could. "Oh, fuck," I moaned as I unloaded the contents of my nuts into Tom's ass. Tom began to grunt as his cock started pumping out copious amounts of semen over his chest and gut. The next thing I heard was Alex growling as he pushed his pecker deep into Joey's ass and held it there. I looked over and could see Joey's cock twitching and bouncing as his second orgasm overtook his young body. God, what a sight that was, to see both of them trembling uncontrollably as wave after wave of pleasure racked their young bodies. As they recovered from the throes of sexual delight, Joey was the first to find his voice. "Oh, my god, that was fucking awesome." Alex pulled his wilted dick out of his brother's ass, rolled over on his back and squealed, "My turn!" "Dude, are you fuckin' kiddin' me?" Joey whined. "My dick's so limp right now, it looks like a piece of boiled spaghetti. I couldn't get it in your ass if I taped it to a popsicle stick." Tom and I could do nothing but laugh while Alex whined, "C'mon, man, that's not fair, damn it! I fucked you, you're supposed to fuck me." "Alex, ya' gotta give Joey some time to recover," Tom started. "Besides, it's getting really late. How about we get a shower and get some sleep. Then he can make love to you in the morning. You can take the lube so you'll have it with you." "Yeah, I guess," he answered, dejection filling his voice at having to wait. "C'mon, you two," I said. "You can use our shower so you don't wake the trio with yours this late." The four of us headed into the shower and spent the next thirty minutes washing each other, along with just a bit play, of course. By the time we were clean and drying off, Joey and Alex were both yawning. Knowing how tired they were after their long day and active day, Tom and I carried them back to their bedroom and tucked them in for a good night's sleep, leaving the bottle of lubricant on the headboard for them. As we headed back to our own bed, Tom commented, "You know I love you, right?" "Just as I love you, big guy," I answered while taking his hand in mine. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but that was freakin' hot." "I was just about to tell you the same thing," I chuckled. "Watchin' those two go at it like rabbits, oh my god. And they were both so into it. We're gonna have a real problem keepin' them from fuckin' each other silly." "Tell me about it. But then I have hard time not fuckin' you silly all day long, so I can't really fault them if they do." "And what's stoppin' ya'?" "My recovery time's a lot longer than it used to be, bubba," I answered as I closed the door and we climbed in bed. "They make a pill for that, ya' know," Tom laughed. "Yeah, right, like I need a four-hour hard-on. But listen, I got a serious question for ya'." "What?" "What are we gonna do if those two decide they want us to screw `em?" "Ain't gonna happen, babe. Oh, don't get me wrong, I'd love it, but I'd never hurt them like that, and you know it would probably seriously tear something if I tried. If they want me in their ass, they're gonna have to wait about ten years to grow up and be a lot looser than they are now. Now, if they want to fuck me, go for it, I sure as hell won't say no." "Yeah, you're probably right. As much I'd like to give it a shot, I don't want to hurt `em either." "Babe, if that happened, it might hurt for a minute or two, but you're not big enough to do the damage I would." "Gee, thanks, asshole, love you, too," I laughed. "Oh, you know what I mean." "Yeah, I know. Besides, even if they begged for it to happen, I think I'd be flashin' back to what Frank and Iris did to me, feeling like I was becoming like them, and I couldn't live with that." "Don't you ever compare yourself to those two. What they did was out of power and hate, there was no love involved. If something happens between the boys and us, it's gonna be because of the love we have for them and the love they have for us." I finally ran out of steam and curled up next to Tom, laying my head on his furry chest and draping an arm across his taut stomach. "Love you, big guy," I whispered. "Love you more," he answered. With that, we both drifted off to sleep. Neither one of us moved until about 9:30 Sunday morning when there was a light knock on the door. I struggled to open my eyes and sit up before answering. "Yeah," I mumbled, "come on in." The door opened about a foot to reveal T.J., Mike and Andy looking through the gap at me. "Mornin', guys, what's up? Besides you, that is?" T.J. pushed door all the way open and all three ran across the room and jumped on the bed. T.J. crawled over and laid his head on Tom's belly while Mike and Andy curled up against my sides, me ending up with an arm draped over each one. "We're hungry, Dad," T.J. whined. "You gotta get up and fix breakfast." "And what's up with Joey and Alex?" Mike asked. "Yeah, we knocked on their door, and they told us to go away," Andy added. "Um, their doin' somethin' special with each other." I caught T.J. give quite the eye roll at my answer. "What do you guys want for breakfast?" "Can we do waffles or pancakes?" T.J. asked. "We ain't had them in a while." "Sure, that sounds good to me, too. Bacon or sausage to go with?" "Both!" all three agreed. "Okay, scoot on outta here and give us a few to get moving. We'll be there in a few minutes." The trio hopped off the bed and disappeared down the hall. I shook Tom's shoulder and received an `mmph' in reply. "C'mon, big guy, time to get up and feed the monkeys." "Do I hafta?" he grumbled. "Yes, you hafta. Waffles, bacon and sausage for breakfast. Let's move it!" "Okay, okay," the bear mumbled as he tossed the sheet off his body. He rolled over to me and laid his head my lap, then wrapped his hand around my morning erection and began to slowly stroke me. As much as I enjoyed the thought behind his actions, I gently removed his hand and said, "Huh-uh, we got things to do." "But I'm still horny from last night," he whined. "If you're a good boy, maybe we can get the boys to watch a movie after breakfast and we can have some private time for you to show just how much you love me." "Ooh, that sounds like a plan. Let's make it so." "Whatever, Jean Luc. Right now, we need to get food going." I climbed out of bed and Tom followed me to the bathroom where we took care of our morning rituals. Finally, ready to face the day, we made the trek to the kitchen to start on breakfast. Andy, Mike and T.J. were waiting patiently on their stools at the bar counter and as we joined them, and Tom asked, "Where's the other two?" "Locked in their room," Mike answered. "Yeah, we knocked and they told us to get lost," Andy added. "Ahhh," Tom replied in understanding. "Okay, babe, you doing the waffles or the bacon and sausage?" "I'll take the meat." Tom snorted in laughter at my answer and I just rolled my eyes at him. I turned to the threesome patiently awaiting their breakfast and asked, "You guys want to take care of setting the table this morning?" "But what about the drinks? Joey and Alex usually do that, but they ain't here." "Pops or I will take care of the drinks. And since the twins aren't here to do their part at the moment, they can take care of the cleanup when we're done. Sound fair to you?" I asked. "Yeah!" Mike answered. "C'mon you two, we don't need their help. We got this." With that, they hopped off their stools and got busy setting the table for our meal. "Hey, Dad, should we set places for them?" T.J. asked. "Of course, you should. They could join us at any time and they'll definitely want breakfast when they do." "Okie-dokie," he answered as he pulled the plates out of the cabinet. We were finally ready to sit down about twenty minutes later and we dug into the food like we hadn't eaten for a week. Really, after the cake and ice cream yesterday, the last thing we needed was more sweet from the syrup, but it was pretty damn yummy. I'd just finished my first waffle when the dynamic duo finally decided to put in an appearance. The look deeply etched on both of their faces was nothing but complete satisfaction and contentment. Without a word from them, they took their seats at the table and dug into the spread before them. "'Bout time you came out of your room," Mike commented. "Yeah," Andy added, "What's the big idea lockin' us out?" Despite the light blush filling his face, Alex responded, "Better get used to it. For a while anyway." "We were having a little private time, is that okay?" Joey added. "What're you talkin' `bout?" Mike asked. "I explain it to you later, guys," T.J. answered. "We don't talk `bout that while we're eatin', okay?" "You better," Andy replied testily. "Boys," Tom started, "You know what a closed door means around here. Just because they're actually doing it now, that should be all you need to know." Enlightenment dawned on both Mike and Andy and they grinned mischievously at each other and we all enjoyed a brief chuckle, Alex and Joey turning bright red as they joined in. The rest of the meal finished rather quietly after that and when we were all done eating, I told Alex and Joey that they got to clean up the table since they missed helping set it. They offered no argument and got straight to work. The cleanup was completed in short order and everyone was ready for whatever came next. "Don't you guys have another new movie from your birthday you haven't watched yet?" Tom asked. "Yeah, why?" Alex asked. "Because the two of us would like to have a little bit of private time, if you don't mind," I answered honestly and receiving knowing snickers from all five. "We thought maybe we could talk you five into entertaining yourselves for a while." "'Nuff said, dads, you two go have some fun," Joey answered with a quick smile. "We'll be fine." "Yeah, and don't do anything we wouldn't do," Alex laughed. Now it was my turn to blush a bit, but I the way I figure it, if you want honesty from your kids, you better be prepared to return that honesty. I wrapped Tom's hand in mine and we disappeared down the hallway to our room. I then closed and locked the door to prevent any unnecessary distractions from the outside. The two of us spent the next hour and a half engaged in all sorts of carnal delights, culminating in Tom flat on his back in the middle of the bed with me sitting astride his midsection, his cock buried deep inside me and flooding my ass with his life essence. When we were both spent, I laid down on top of my lover and kissed him lightly, murmuring, "Okay, you love me more." "This time, maybe," he whispered back, "but next time, it's your turn to love me more." "Deal, lover. I think we should run through a shower and wash the stink off before we rejoin the boys. What say you?" "Lead the way, `cause you reek," he laughed. "You're not smelling much like a rose either, sweetheart," I replied sarcastically. I started to move and moaned with loss as his wilting cock slipped from my ass. We zipped through the shower and dried ourselves off, then headed out to resume our fatherly duties. When we finally emerged from our room, we both carried the same look of satisfaction and contentment we'd seen on the twins' faces not so long ago. I couldn't help but notice the air in the rest house smelled fresher since the heavy odor of sweat and sex didn't permeate the atmosphere. "Remind me later to wash our sheets." "Yeah, I noticed it, too, and was about to tell you to remind me. Guess we can do it together," he grinned. "Uh, don't we always?" I asked innocently. For reasons I don't quite understand, I received a smack to the back of my head. "Hey, I have to take some time this afternoon to shave and trim, you wanna join me?" "Um-m-m-m, I've been thinking about it, but I'm not quite ready for that. You don't mind, do you?" "Not at all. I've just been hairless so long, it kind of starts bugging me when it starts getting longer and it's been a couple weeks. If you're happy with your hair, keep it. I don't mind it all as long as it's on someone else. It'd be really helpful if you'd take care of my back, though. That's the hardest part to get by myself." "Sure, I can do that." "Just remember, if you ever change your mind, I'm here to help you." "Thanks for that kind offer, babe, but don't hold your breath. I wonder if the movie's over yet." "If you really want to know, go check. I'm gonna sit and read by a fire for a bit." I continued to the fireplace to get a fire going while Tom headed to the theater. I just taken my chair and picked up my book when he returned. "So, is the movie done." "Oh, yeah, it's done, but the boys aren't." "Think you could explain that so it makes sense to my tired brain?" "There's a five-way circle-jerk happening on the floor under the screen. It seemed pretty intense so I left `em alone." "They're not supposed be doing that shit in there," I complained. "Well, they did have the door closed. Guess I should've knocked," he chuckled. "Looks like they need a small reminder to contain those activities to the bedrooms." "Oh, c'mon, don't yell at them for it. I mean they were probably just horny knowing what we were doing." "I wasn't going to yell, just remind `em, I promise." We both settled down to read for a while and about a half hour later, a very flushed fantastic five joined us. "Hi guys, what movie did you watch and how was it?" "We watched The Spiderwick Chronicles and it was way cool," Alex answered with enthusiasm. "I read those books a long time ago," Tom answered. "If you liked the movie, you'd love the books." "What!? There're are actually books based on the movie?" Joey asked. "No," I answered, "but there are books the movie was based on. They've been around since about 2002 or 2003, so they're a little over twenty years old." "We'd like to read `em. Do you have them, Dad?" T.J. asked. "No, I never bought them, I just checked them out from the library." "What about you, Pops? You got `em?" queried Mike. "Nope, library for me too. Sorry, fellas." "Well, how are we gonna read `em if y'all don't have `em?" Andy wanted to know. "I think I can fix that, boys. Later this afternoon, I'll hop on the computer and order the series from Amazon. They should be here in a few days, okay?" "Cool!" crowed Alex. "So, did you two have fun while we watched our movie?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows. "Funny you should ask that question, young man. I was just about to ask if you guys had fun after your movie ended?" I asked with a grin. "Don't know what you're talkin' `bout, dad," T.J. responded innocently. "Tom saw y'all but left you alone. What's the rule around here about your sex play?" "But the door was closed," Joey rebutted. "And Pops didn't knock, either, did he?" "That may be, but it wasn't a bedroom door, was it?" "Well, no," Alex mumbled. "In your bedrooms with the doors closed. If I have to remind you guys again, it's clothes for a whole week. Got it?" "We got it, dads," all five grumbled. "Good, I don't want to have this discussion again. Moving on to other things, how are you and Alex doing with those fourth-grade math books, Joey?" "Oh, we forgot to tell ya'. We finished `em Thursday night," he answered with a big smile. "Are you kidding me?" "Nope, want to see `em?" "Please. If you're really done with them, I'll have to call Mr. Furman and let him know. He'll be amazed." Joey ran to their room and quickly returned with one of the math books and their notebooks they'd done their work in. I spent about twenty minutes going through their work and the text and found no mistakes. "Holy crap, boys. I'm shocked you got through them this quickly. Pleased and happy, but still shocked. You make me very proud to be your dad." Both of the twins blushed and Joey answered, "It was easy, Dad. We're ready for the next one." "I'll see what I can work out, then. You five have any other plans for your day?" "We wanna go ride our bikes." Alex answered. "It should be warm enough and most of the snow is gone now so we can go further down the drive. Is that okay?" "That sounds like a great idea. That'll give you a chance to see a little more of the property, too. Y'all haven't seen that much of it except for the one trail we walked and it was still pretty white then. We'll join you outside and we can all see more." "All right!" T.J. yelled. "Well, let's get dressed and head on out. We'll meet you guys in the garage." Everyone headed to their rooms to get some warm clothes on and met up in the garage. "Where can we ride, Dad?" Joey asked. "Well, I thought we'd go back to the storage building and make sure everything there is okay, but why don't you two ride on down to the turn in the drive and then come back this way? We'll be on down the drive that way," I said, pointing the way. They took off one direction while the rest of us ambled off the other. We were about halfway to the storage building when the twins caught up with us and flew by, laughing with pure joy. That was a wonderful sound to hear on this cool day in mid-March. I was really looking forward to more of that when summer really hit. As we walked up the concrete apron of the storage building, Joey asked, "This thing is huge, what all you got in here?" "You wanna see?" "Yeah!" all five boys cheered. I opened the door, turned off the alarm and turned on the lights, then stood back and let the boys go in before Tom and I joined them. They scattered in all different directions, trying to see whatever they could find. Andy was the first to find the cars in the corner covered by their tarps. "What're you hiding under here, Dad!?" he yelled. That caught the attention of the other four who quickly joined him around the cars. "C'mon, show us!" Tom and I strolled over and pulled the covers off both cars. "You got a freakin' Ferrari!?" Joey yelled. "Well, we have a Ferrari, but I'm not sure it `freaks' very much since there have never been any baby Ferraris roaming around," I laughed. "What's kinda car is this one, Dad?" Mike asked, pointing to the `Vette. "It looks really old." "It's called a Corvette. This one is from 1966 and it's even older than I am." "Can we go for a ride?" T.J. asked. "When it's warmer and nicer out, sure, but not today." "I'd call `shotgun'," Alex commented, "but you only got room for one other person, anyway." I could tell I was going to need a mop to clean up the drool the boys were leaving on the floor around the two cars. When their interest finally waned, they went back to exploring the rest of the building again while Tom and I pulled the covers back over the cars. "You really got a bunch of junk in here, don't you?" Joey asked. "To others, it might be junk, but it's mostly stuff I don't need in the house but I'm not quite ready to get rid of it, either. I guess you could call me a hoarder of sorts, but at least I'm organized about it," I chuckled. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm about ready for a swim." "Yeah, cool, Dad," Mike answered. "Let's go guys." "Hey, Joey, can I ride your bike back to the house?" T.J. asked. "Sure, go ahead. I'll walk with the others." "Thanks, bro." With that parting comment, T.J. jumped on Joey's bike and took off after Alex. As the rest of us drew closer to the house, we could see Alex and T.J. coming back down the drive from the turn and head for the garage to park the bikes. They patiently waited for us to join them, but once we were all together again, the fantastic five disappeared to their rooms to get ready for our swim, coats and clothes being discarded along the way. By the time Tom and I were ready to go also, all five boys were jumping and dancing at the glass doors. Just as I put my hand on the door knob, the phone rang. I gave Tom the key to the shelter and said, "Go ahead. I'll get rid of whoever's on the phone and be right out." As I turned to grab the nearest phone, the others continued through the doors and on to the pool. A quick glance at the caller ID told me I couldn't just blow off this caller. I picked up the receiver and answered, "Hey, Carol, how ya' doing?"

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 53</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><span>Chapter 53 � The Party Continues</span></h2> <p><span>We had the boys start lining up to get their lunch and by the time they were organized, Joey, Alex and Brent decided to rejoin the party. All three had ear-to-ear shit-eating grins on their faces. Just as they joined the back of the queue, Justine popped her head out of the kitchen and said they were ready for us. As they moved through the line, getting their plates filled with their selections by two of the servers, a couple other servers were taking drink requests, filling cups and taking them to the table in the dining room. We had to split the group up so some ate at the dining room table and the others ate in the living room with Tom and me. There was still a fair number of hot dogs and hamburgers left when everyone had been through the line, so if anyone wanted seconds, it wouldn't be a problem.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I sat on each side of the fireplace and let the boys have the chairs, couch and love seat. It was a tight fit, but we managed. My choice of hardwood floors was looking like it was a good idea as things got dropped on the floor. I didn't even want to think about the hassle involved in cleaning carpets. Most of the conversation between the boys was basic chatter about school and their teachers, what TV shows they liked and why, and what video games they liked. It wasn't until most of us were done eating and the boys from the dining room had rejoined us when the conversation took an abrupt left turn.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Alex, I wanted to ask if you guys liked living here better than at the Mueller's," Jesse asked. </span></p> <p><span>Damn it, there I go again with that fucking twitch.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. Those two are the worst excuses for human beings you'll ever meet. At least Joey and I can really be ourselves, now."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean?" Kenny asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We're gay, ya' dingdong," Joey answered. That admission drew lots of surprised looks from the other boys. "I'm amazed the whole school don't know `bout us by now. Especially after the workshop the other day." </span></p> <p><span>"And as long as we lived with them, we had to keep bein' gay hidden or who knows what they woulda done to us," Alex continued. I gave the twins a quick shake of my head to stop them from following that road any further. Fortunately, then next question accomplished that task all by itself.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, you two think you like guys instead of girls?"</span></p> <p><span>"We don't think it, Aaron, we know it," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Known it for a couple years. That's why our dads are being allowed to adopt us."</span></p> <p><span>"Wow! I never woulda guessed that," Jason said.</span></p> <p><span>"Hope you guys will still be friends with us," Alex lamented.</span></p> <p><span>"Why wouldn't we?" the other Jesse asked. "You're still a just a couple of goofballs like us."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, but you saw how Logan's dad reacted when he found out our dads are gay. You might be cool with it, but your `rents might not like you hangin' out with us, afraid we'll make you gay, too, or something stupid like that."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, that's just how my dad is," Logan countered. "And I don't give a crap what he thinks. You guys could be Martians and I'd still want to be your friend. Hell, you could be gay Martians and I still wouldn't give a rat's ass." A resounding fit of laughter filled the living room.</span></p> <p><span>"What are you talking about with the workshop? We weren't in school that day," Mason commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe you weren't, but we were. So was our brother T.J. and our dads."</span></p> <p><span>"What was that all about anyway?" Grayson asked. "They always have those things but we never hear what they <i>do</i>."</span></p> <p><span>"This one was about letting teachers know about kids our age and older killing themselves because they can't accept bein' gay or bein' bullied because they are and what they can do to help them."</span></p> <p><span>"We also told them that kids our age <i>can</i> know they're gay, even if most adults don't believe we can. Our aunt and mama and papa were there, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Why were you there, Mr. Sanders?" Zach asked.</span></p> <p><span>"To support T.J., Alex and Joey. I also talked about my own struggle with depression, the problems I had with my parents when I came out to them and about how close I came to killing myself."</span></p> <p><span>"Wow, you <i>really</i> almost did it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I did. Fortunately, I've pulled myself out of that hole and don't think it about anymore."</span></p> <p><span>"How do you know if you're gay?" Brent asked quietly.</span></p> <p><span>Alex answered, "When you think about boys more than girls."</span></p> <p><span>"'Specially when you're playin' with yourself," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"What are you talkin' `bout?" Teddy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon, dude, don't try to tell me you don't play with your dick," Joey snorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Man, I can't talk about this. Not with them here," Jeff said while pointing to Tom and me.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, we can talk to our dads about everything. And if you think you might be gay, who better to talk to than a gay person? Right, Pops?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess so," Tom answered. "I mean, we've already been through it all, so we can answer your questions honestly and we'll usually have a better understanding of what you're going through. And we're not going to try to convince you you're not gay or don't want to be."</span></p> <p><span>"Besides," Alex began, "bein' gay isn't a <i>choice</i>, it's just who you are."</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you tell them about the group you and your brother are going to start at the school?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah," Alex enthused. "We're going to work with Mr. Thomas and Mr. Furman to set up a support group for gay students. We're gonna have information on suicide prevention and other support groups in the area for kids like us."</span></p> <p><span>"We know we can't be the <i>only</i> gay kids in this school, but we're gonna do what we can to help any others who are," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"Why is Mr. Thomas going to help you with it?" Randy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You'll have to ask <i>him</i> that question," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like he might be gay, too," Jake mused.</span></p> <p><span>"Can I help you with it? The group, that is?" Brent asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, we're gonna need all the help we can get."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, but you might help me out, too." Joey and Alex looked at each other for a moment and then nodded. I knew they'd just had one of their private chats and agreed to whatever it was. T.J., who was sitting on the floor between Tom and me, let loose a little snicker of amusement. I was pretty sure he just seen something he shouldn't have. I tapped his behind with my foot and when he looked up at me, I gave him a little shake of my head. He nodded in understanding, mouthed `sorry, Dad', then turned back to the others.</span></p> <p><span>By the time the conversation wound down, the twins had five or six more volunteers to help work with the support group. I was impressed with the positive attitudes of the whole group and their understanding of the issues involved. The fact that none of them immediately shunned our boys was a pleasant surprise. That, and their willingness to get involved made me wonder what happens to people as they mature to ruin the positive outlooks and `live and let live' ideals kids this age had. But then I flashed to people like the Muellers and Charlie and was rudely reminded of what it was. T.J. elbowed me in the shin and when I looked down, he shook his head and mouthed, `Stop that'. Now it was my turn to nod solemnly and I echoed, `sorry, T.J.' back to him.</span></p> <p><span>"Who's ready for cake and ice cream?" Tom asked. Thirty hands reached for the ceiling as some of the boys felt one hand wasn't enough to get their message across. "Then let's head back to the dining room." The boys ran the few feet to get there as quickly as they could while Tom and I were a bit more sedate in joining them. The caterers had pulled the cake out of the pantry, put eighteen candles on it in two groups of nine, just as we had on Thursday, and placed the cake at the end of the table. Alex and Joey took their places and once Justine lit the candles, we were treated to really loud and horrible rendition of `Happy Birthday'. The twins closed their eyes in deep thought for a moment before opening them again to blow out the candles. Once the candles were extinguished, Justine took the cake back to the kitchen so she and her crew could cut and serve the cake with ice cream.</span></p> <p><span>I followed her into the kitchen and told her, "We have one guest who is diabetic, Justine. His mom said he could have some cake and ice cream, but small servings."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you're going to have a very happy guest then, Mr. Sanders, as I planned ahead. You can't have this many kids at a party and not have at least one who has special dietary needs."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean?"</span></p> <p><span>"I brought a sugarless cake and ice cream with us today. I like to be prepared for anything."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you're going to make one lad quite happy, then. Thanks for thinking ahead."</span></p> <p><span>"That's what you pay us for, isn't it?" she chuckled. "You just let me know who gets it, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"It sure is." I looked into the dining room really quick to locate the correct Jesse, then turned back to Justine. "He's sitting next to Joey at the right end of the table. He's the boy with the really brown skin and straight black hair."</span></p> <p><span>"Got it, now you get back to the party and let us do our jobs, please."</span></p> <p><span>I knew when I wasn't needed. I returned to the dining room and was soon followed by servers bringing dessert. Jesse started to complain that his piece of cake and ice cream was too much, but once Justine told him it was special just for him, he dug right in. The rest of the boys wasted no time in tucking into their desserts, either. Of course, Tom and I didn't either. It was crowded around the table with 2 boys per chair, but I didn't want to risk messes happening anywhere else in the house. As the plates were emptied, one of Justine's crew was on hand to whisk them out of the way. By the time Tom and I had finished ours, all the plates, cups and silver from the meal and dessert were loaded in the dishwasher. Justine and her crew had left nothing for Tom and me to deal with as far as clean up and that was just fine with me.</span></p> <p><span>"Justine, we want to thank you for coming out today and taking care of all of this for us. This is our boys' first birthday with us and we didn't want to miss a minute of it."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, you two. We're always happy to help, that's what we're here for. I'm glad I thought to bring sugarless dessert for Jesse. It looked like it just made his day."</span></p> <p><span>"I have no doubt that it did," Tom replied. He looked at me added, "Do you think he should check himself before we start the movie?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably a good idea, Tom. Why don't you take him the sack his mom left?"</span></p> <p><span>"Your wish is my command," he answered, then grabbed Jesse's supplies and headed back to the dining room.</span></p> <p><span>"So, Justine, how much do we owe you for your service today?" After hearing the total, I said, "You do take cash, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"We love cash, Mr. Sanders," she answered with a wide smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Be right back." While I was gone, she had her crew start loading up their vehicles with the equipment they'd brought with them. When I returned, I handed her the payment she'd requested plus, of course, a generous tip for her and her crew. "Our next birthday party will be in about five weeks. Why don't you put us down on your schedule now for the Saturday after the twenty-third?"</span></p> <p><span>"Let me do that right now." She pulled her phone from her pocket, opened her calendar and created a new event for the day. "That looks like it'll be the 26^th, then. Done. About a week before, give me a call and let me know how many we'll be feeding and I'll have everything ready. You want to stick with the same menu as we had today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably, but I'll check with T.J. and see if he wants something different. I'll give you that answer when I call about how many. Also, when I call to invite his guests, I'll make a point to ask if anybody has allergies or other conditions we need to plan for."</span></p> <p><span>"Good thinking, Max. It sure makes life easier to know those things well in advance. I'll look forward to your call in about a month, then. Hope all the boys enjoy the rest of the party."</span></p> <p><span>"The movie's up next, so I'm sure they will. Thanks for everything today and please tell all your people I said thanks. Hope you all enjoy the rest of the weekend." I led the way to the door and after we said goodbye to each other, closed the door and returned the dining room. What I found happening there was nothing short of amazing. Jesse was giving everyone a little lecture and demonstration on how people deal with diabetes. I stood behind him engrossed as he explained how the tester worked and what he had to do if his blood sugar reading was too high. Once he did the actual test on himself, he grinned and pronounced himself in good shape.</span></p> <p><span>I patted him on the shoulder and when he turned and saw me, he said, "Thanks for having the sugarless cake and ice cream for me, Mr. Sanders. That was great."</span></p> <p><span>"I wish I could take credit for that idea, Jesse, but it was Justine who deserves the thanks. I'll make sure I pass it along to her."</span></p> <p><span>"Have you picked out the movie you want to watch," Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," Alex answered, "We wanna watch the first `<i>Star Trek: The Next Generation</i>' again. None of these guys have seen it and after we told `em about it, they want to. Is that okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's your party, boys, if that's what you want, that's what you get," I answered. "You all go get settled in and I'll be there in a minute to start it. You'll have to share chairs or sit on the floor." The floors rumbled again as the herd departed for the theater. I gave them a minute to get comfortable before following along to start the show. As I entered the theater, the boys got real quiet in anticipation. I popped the disc in the player and handed the remote to Alex so he could start the second episode. As I leaned over the back of my usual chair to do so, I found Alex and Joey sharing the chair with Brent sandwiched between them. All three had somehow lost their shorts on the way into the theater. I shook my head and turned to leave the room and rejoin Tom in the Living room. As I passed through the door, I noticed a whole pile of shorts on the floor.</span></p> <p><span>As I sat in my favorite chair by the fireplace, Tom looked up from his book and asked, "Get `em all set up, Boss?"</span></p> <p><span>I nodded dumbly and replied, "Yes. And judging by the pile of shorts by the door, they're all naked again. I swear, give those boys inch and they're gonna take at least a mile and maybe more."</span></p> <p><span>Tom laughed and countered with, "There you go again, being surprised about something you should expect."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, crazy, right?" I leaned forward, resting my forearms on my legs and added, "Listen, I need to tell you something."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh-oh, that sounds serious."</span></p> <p><span>"It is. I screwed up big-time." I took a deep breath and told him about what happened when I checked on Alex, Joey and Brent in the shower.</span></p> <p><span>"Aw-w-w, Max, what the hell were you thinking?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Tom. I don't understand what happened exactly. It wasn't like the other night with Joey and Alex. As soon as Joey and Alex pulled my shorts down, it felt like I was back in that basement with Frank and Iris, just doing what I was told. One moment, I'm handing them towels, the next, I'm hanging out of my shorts and on my knees."</span></p> <p><span>"Did your viewpoint change like it did with them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, no. I was still seeing everything with my own eyes, but it was like my brain was disconnected from being able to control the rest of me and I was kinda on auto-pilot. It was weirder than hell. I was so spaced out that I started to leave with my shorts still tucked under my balls. Alex called me back, put me away and rearranged everything. And I just stood there like a fuckin' zombie and let it happen. What the hell is wrong with me?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, babe, but I'd guess it's related to what they did to you years ago. Normally, I'd say you need to talk to that head doctor about it, but if you do, you'll really be in deep shit."</span></p> <p><span>"No shit, Sherlock. So, what do we do, now?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, man. We have to think about this. It'll take some time, but we'll figure it all out."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope so, but in the meantime, watch me, will ya'? It's risky enough to do that stuff with Joey and Alex, but to get another kid involved with it? I don't think I can be trusted."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, babe, we'll all watch out for ya'. Are you still thinking about talking to T.J. later?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think I have to, don't you? I need to make sure he's okay and all that junk he picked up isn't going to cause him any major problems."</span></p> <p><span>"You think we should include the others in that conversation? I know we wanted to keep Mike and Andy out of all that, but with the other three knowing about it, it's gonna slip out somewhere along the line. Besides, if they all know what's going on, we'll all be in a better position to help."</span></p> <p><span>"As much as I hate to admit it, you're probably right. And I think they should <i>all</i> know about T.J.'s gift and just how far he can go with it. It'll be damn hard for anyone to keep any kind of secrets around here with his abilities."</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't' that the truth? We'll have to be <i>very</i> careful about what we think."</span></p> <p><span>After that comment, we settled back into our chairs to read while the boys watched their show. After about thirty minutes, the whole naked herd came out of the theater in search of bathrooms. Tom and I noticed the leaders of the herd, Alex, Joey, and Brent were sporting erections as they led the way to their bedrooms. Not that they were the only ones, just the most prominent, and seemingly proud of the fact. They passed us by without a word and soon we could hear toilets in all four bathrooms at that end of the house flushing as the boys took their turns relieving themselves. The leaders, of course, were the first to return to the living room.</span></p> <p><span>"You three seem to be enjoying the show," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"We are," Joey grinned. "The first one just ended and everybody had to piss before we start the second."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I hope you're not distracting the others from enjoying it."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, we're being good," Alex added. "Just lettin' our hands wander a little bit."</span></p> <p><span>"You okay with that, Brent?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>Brent blushed but answered, "Yeah, it's cool. It feels different when it's somebody else's hand. Better."</span></p> <p><span>"As long as you're okay with it. That's our rule."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, after the bathroom, a hand in my crotch is nothing," Brent retorted.</span></p> <p><span>Now it was my turn to blush. "No, I guess not." I was about to add something else, but more boys started drifting in to join us, so I held onto my thoughts. When the whole crew had come back from the bathroom, I asked, "Are you guys enjoying the show?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," Randy answered, "it's great. We'll have to come back again so we can watch more."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it. You're all welcome here anytime. You better go get the second half started. Your parents will be coming in about an hour to start picking you up." They turned as one and headed for the theater to continue their show. All but Joey. When the others had disappeared, I asked, "What's up, son?"</span></p> <p><span>"I wanted to tell you we're really sorry about what happened with Brent. We shouldn't have put you on the spot like that. But we saw you staring at him when we got out of the pool and we thought, well, we thought you'd enjoy it. But seeing how you reacted, we know we were wrong. What happened to you, anyway?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Joey, I'm appreciate that and I'm glad you understand that it shouldn't have happened. And I'm not sure what happened." </span></p> <p><span>"Well, we're really sorry, Dad. We were wondering, though, would it be okay if Brent spent the night with us?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not tonight, Joey. After your guests are gone, we need to talk to you all about a few things. Another night, though, okay? Besides, didn't you and Alex have something special planned?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, but we were thinking Brent would like to join us. But that's okay, we can wait."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, now go watch your show." Joey disappeared through the dining room as Tom and I resumed reading. Forty-five minutes later, the naked herd started to filter out of the theater as the second show had ended. "You guys better head on down and get dressed. Your parents will be along shortly to start picking you up and I don't think you'd like them to find you all nude." I knew I didn't want them found that way. "Go on, now, move it."</span></p> <p><span>As they rumbled on down the hall to get redressed, Tom said, "I better grab their things from the dryer and make sure everybody gets what's theirs." Tom disappeared to take care of that while Joey, Brent and Alex sat on the couch across from me.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, boys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Sanders, I wanted to apologize for what happened this afternoon," Brent said. "It was all my idea and I kept pushing for them to help me see you guys naked."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Brent, I appreciate that. But Joey and Alex know better."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't be mad at them, please. It's all my fault. If you wanna be pissed at someone, it should be me."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not that upset, Brent, just surprised and a bit confused."</span></p> <p><span>"Whew, thank god. If my mom knew what I did, she'd freakin' kill me, but I ain't sayin' nothin'." The three of them stood and started to head to the bedroom to get dressed, but Brent stepped over to give me a hug. As he did, he whispered in my ear, "I was dead serious about returning the favor." With that, he turned and followed the twins down the hall. I was stunned at Brent's parting shot. Stunned, but also excited at the prospect.</span></p> <p><span>Shortly after all the boys were properly dressed and had all their shorts and swimsuits back in their possession, the parents started arriving to retrieve their wayward charges. After about fifteen minutes of goodbyes, thank yous, hugs and questions from parents as to their son's behavior, the herd had been reduced to the seven who actually lived here along with Jesse and Jos�, though that was expected as Karla had called to let us know they were running a bit late. Derek had come back to return Logan to his home. Despite Joe's offer to take him home with the other three boy's he'd brought, we preferred having Derek deal with that situation.</span></p> <p><span>As we sat in the living room waiting their arrival, Jesse commented, "Mr. Sanders, Jos� and me really want to say thanks for having us out today."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm glad Joey and Alex told us about you so we could. I hope you guys had fun."</span></p> <p><span>"We, did," Jos� enthused, "especially the swimmin'," he added with a giggle. "We never swum naked before."</span></p> <p><span>"We do it all the time," Alex informed them.</span></p> <p><span>"We hope we can come back out and do it again," Jesse replied. "Now that we know where you guys are, we hope we can still be friends."</span></p> <p><span>"For sure, dude" Joey answered. "We want that, too."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what happened with the Muellers?" Jesse asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nothin', really, we just got lucky our dad talked to the people who had us livin' there," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, once we met him the first time, we were pretty sure we'd be movin', but didn't say nothin' to nobody `cause we didn't wanna jinx it," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"Then we came out for a weekend visit," Joey started, "and everything happened really fast and we never went back there."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you got a sweet deal here. This is a great house with the pool and all. I wouldn't mind livin' here myself."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, hold on there, Jesse," I laughed. "You guys are welcome to visit anytime, but I don't think we're quite ready for you to move in. Besides, your mom and dad might have something to say about that."</span></p> <p><span>"Ha, I bet they would," Jos� laughed. "But, it'd still be fun." DING!</span></p> <p><span>"I'd imagine that's your mom and dad, now, guys. You got everything? Jesse, do you have your tester and supplies?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure do, Mr. Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I'd hate for you to forget it. If you and Jos� become regular visitors, which we hope you will, we'll get one and have it here all the time for you. That way you won't have carry it back and forth."</span></p> <p><span>"Wow, thanks, that'd be cool. I hate havin' to take that thing every time I go somewhere." Joey had gone to the door and let Karla and Rick in, then led them into the living room to join the rest of us.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the house is still in one piece," Karla laughed. "Guess the party was successful."</span></p> <p><span>"It was," Tom answered. "All the boys had a great time and Jesse and Jos� were perfect gentlemen."</span></p> <p><span>Karla looked at her boys and asked, "Okay, who are you two and what have you done with my boys?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, really, mom, we were good," Jos� complained.</span></p> <p><span>"We know you were, boys, we're just kiddin' ya'," Rick replied as he ruffled Jos�'s hair.</span></p> <p><span>"Jesse, you okay? Did you check yourself?" Karla asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm fine, Ma. I not only tested, but I showed all the guys what I have to do. They thought it was cool, but then, they don't have to do it every day like I do. And everything was great `cause the lady who did the food today brought a sugarless cake and ice cream."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that was awful nice of you, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"I wish I could take the credit for it, but that was all Justine."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you guys ready to go?" Rick asked. "We have to get home and get supper." Jesse and Jos� jumped up to join their parents and the rest of us did the same, following their lead towards the front door. </span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Dad, can we come back sometime," Jos� asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't see why not. Alex and Joey are welcome at our house anytime, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe they'd like to say hi to Frank and Iris some time," Karla commented.</span></p> <p><span>"No chance of that happenin'," Joey scoffed.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe when hell freezes over," Alex added acidly.</span></p> <p><span>"Excuse me?" Rick asked. "You guys lived with them for a long time. You don't want to let them know how you're doing in your new home?"</span></p> <p><span>"If we ever see them again, it'll be too soon," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"Especially after what they did to our dad," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"What are you talking about, boys?" Karla asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It's a long story, Karla," I commented. "And right now isn't the time," I added, waving a hand at the gaggle of boys surrounding us.</span></p> <p><span>Karla and Rick nodded in understanding and Rick said, "Well, let's get a move on boys. Supper's not going to fix it self." As Jesse and Jos� ran to the car, he turned to us and added, "Thanks again for inviting the boys out to the party. It really meant a lot to them. And, Joey, Alex, it was great to see you two again. We miss you guys in the neighborhood but it looks like you've found a great family here."</span></p> <p><span>"We were happy to do it and we hope they can come out again," Tom replied. With handshakes from Tom and me and hugs from the boys, Rick and Karla joined their sons in the car and headed for home. After closing the door, Tom asked, "Anybody but me hungry again? I could sure use another burger, right after I get out of these freakin' clothes." Everybody raised their hands in agreement, so we headed to our rooms to get comfortable, then rejoined in the kitchen to pull out the leftovers and have a bite for supper.</span></p> <p><span>"What do you suppose that was all about?" Rick asked as they pulled away.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue, honey," Karla answered. "Jesse, Jos�, do you know?"</span></p> <p><span>"A little bit," Jesse answered, "but we're not s'posed to talk about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Who said you're not supposed to talk about it?" Karla asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Joey and Alex, both."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you can tell us. We know how to keep a secret, you know."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess so. Like I said, we don't know much, but it sounds like Mr. and Mrs. Mueller did some really bad things to Mr. Sanders when he was a kid. They said the cops were gonna be investigatin' and everything."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, that just doesn't sound right, Jesse. The Muellers seem like such nice people, I can't imagine them doing anything to hurt anyone."</span></p> <p><span>"All we know is Joey and Alex said they're really bad people and to stay away from them," Jos� commented.</span></p> <p><span>"And we're going to," Jesse added.</span></p> <p><span>Karla looked at Rick who just shrugged his shoulders and said, "I guess we need to talk to Max to find out what's going on."</span></p> <p><span>As we sat in the dining room to have our snupper (kind of a snack/supper), I said, "Boys, we need to talk about a few things."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, boy, here it comes, Alex," Joey moaned.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we're probably in deep poo after this afternoon," Alex agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Nobody's in trouble, so don't worry about that." The twins exchanged shocked looks at their good fortune. "First, while we hope you all had fun today, we didn't appreciate the time in the pool becoming a nudist event. But, that's just as much our fault as yours since we didn't do a better job at enforcing the rules. We don't care if you want to have nude swims, obviously, but if that's your plan, we need to know it <i>before</i> so we can let your friends' parents know it might happen. I rather be upfront about it than try to be sneaky and have it come back and bite us in the butt later. Understood?" I received nods of agreement from all five boys.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, the second topic for tonight has to do with T.J."</span></p> <p><span>"What about me?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"</span><span>You boys already know how Joey and Alex can communicate </span><span>without actually saying the words out loud</span><span>, but did you know that T.J. can do it, too, and more than that, T.J can see into your minds.</span><span>" A resounding `what' echoed through the house while T.J. hung his head. "T.J., don't be like that. You have a gift and we don't expect you to hide it. You just need to learn to control it better." I looked back to the others and continued, "Joey, you know how you picked up an image from my mind the other night when we were talking?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that was sick."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, T.J. told me this morning he saw not only that from me, but he saw a lot more, too. He also told me that he worked his way around the blocks you and Alex had put up to keep him from seeing it from you."</span></p> <p><span>"What!" Alex exclaimed. "You can't do that! Those are private."</span></p> <p><span>"I know," T.J. responded, "and I'm sorry. Like I told Dad this morning, I didn't know I could do anything like this until I met you two. I'm trying to learn how to stop it from happening, but sometimes, I just can't. It happens more when you're feeling really strongly about something. And there's been a lot of that around here the last couple of days."</span></p> <p><span>"What are you talkin' about, T.J.?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You have to ask dad that question."</span></p> <p><span>"What's he talkin' about, Dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's the third thing. Alex, Joey and T.J. already know some of this and I'm not going into any detail with you and Andy, but since they know what's happened, we've decided you should, too." Mike and Andy gave me their full attention. After a moment's pause to catch my breath, I continued, "A long time ago, when I was just a kid a few years older than the twins, the Muellers hurt me, really badly."</span></p> <p><span>"What!?" Andy squealed.</span></p> <p><span>"Why didn't you say something about that before now?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Because I didn't really remember any of it until just the other day. I'd blocked it out of my conscious thoughts because what they did was so ugly. Alex, Joey and T.J. know some of what happened to me because of what they can do. I just wanted you to hear about it from me."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what's gonna happen to them? They gonna go to jail or somethin'?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know yet, Mike. The police will investigate them and if they find what I think they will, I'm sure they'll be going to prison for a long time. As least, I hope that's what happens."</span></p> <p><span>"Is that why you been actin' a little weird the last couple days?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, yes. And I may be weird for a while to come, but I'll get better. It's going to take me some time, though. All I ask is from you guys, despite my rule that you can ask any question, this subject will be off limits for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Why?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's hard to deal with all that happened after so much time. I've already told Tom about it and Monday, I have to talk to Dylan about it, too. Dr. Kirkland is going to find me a special doctor to help me deal with the fallout and I'll have to talk to him or her about it, too. And all that's way more talkin' than I <i>want</i> to do, but I <i>need</i> to. I also think you're all a bit too young to know, but in time, you will. You just have to be patient with me, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dad, okay," Mike answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you. T.J., I need to know you're okay. Since you've seen a lot more than Joey and Alex, I'm worried about how you're dealing with it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm okay, Dad. It's just sucks knowing there are people who would do that kind of thing to a kid. I mean, I guess I already knew it could happen, I just never knew anybody who actually went through it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's gonna be hard to keep anything from you, I know, but I ask that whatever you might <i>see,</i> you keep it to yourself. If you want to talk about it, come to Tom or me and we'll help you try to understand what you've seen. Deal?"</span></p> <p><span>"Deal. Thanks, Dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, who wants to watch a movie?"</span></p> <p><span>"Can we play Uno, dads? All of us?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>I looked to Tom and he answered for both of us, "Sure, why not? Let's get all this cleaned up, we'll light a fire and play at the coffee table in the living room. Sound all right to you guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah!" yelled Mike. "Let's go!" The boys jumped up to take care of cleaning the table while Tom and I cleaned up the minor mess we'd created in the kitchen. With the cleanup completed and the dishwasher running, Mike retrieved the Uno cards from his bedroom while Tom got a fire going. With Joey and Alex's help, we moved the chairs and couch closer to the coffee table so nobody had to sit on the floor. Once we all settled in and got comfortable, we spent the next hour enjoying a rousing but relaxing game of cards. It was close race between Alex and T.J., but in the end, T.J. won the game. </span></p> <p><span>At the end of the game, we worked together to get the furniture all back into its proper spot and once that was done, I suggested the boys get ready for bed. I was beat from the long day and the party and I was pretty sure they were, too. When no one argued about not being tired, I knew I was right. Mike, T.J. and Andy headed to their room while Tom and I followed the twins to theirs. Knowing these two had special plans tonight, I wanted to be in and out of their room as quickly as possible.</span></p> <p><span>After going to the bathroom one more time, we gave them their hugs and kisses goodnight and they climbed in bed, immediately wrapping their arms around the other and kissing each other quite passionately. They made no attempt to hide their tongues darting into each other's mouth or the mad grinding of their crotches together. I quietly reminded them to be careful and after a wave from Alex, Tom and I took the not-so-subtle hint and quietly retreated from the room, pulling the door closed behind us.</span></p> <p><span>"Think they're in a bit of a hurry?" Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, could be," I deadpanned. "To be honest, I was tempted to stay and watch, but I think their first time should be just two of them." We continued to the trio's room where we traded hugs, goodnights and love yous with all three. With all the boys in bed, Tom and I headed to our room and proceeded to become engaged with our own bodies</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, Joey, I love it when you suck my balls. I'm gonna hate the day they're too big for you to get both in your mouth at the same time." With a mouthful of his brother's delicate nuggets, all Joey could do was moan in agreement. The little nod he gave tenderly pulled on those nuggets, enhancing the pleasure Alex was feeling. Alex was lying flat on his back, legs spread wide to give Joey the access he needed. "C'mon, dude, quit fuckin' teasin' me. Lick my hole and get on with it. I want your dick in my ass."</span></p> <p><span>Joey wasted no time, pushing his brother's legs up in the air and lifting his smooth ass up to expose the pink rosebud that was his next target. He tenderly licked around the orifice, unsure what to expect. He soon decided that licking his brother's virgin hole wasn't so bad, tasting just a bit of light boy musk as he did. Joey soon directed all his efforts to giving Alex his first ever anal tongue bath. At the same time he was preparing the target for impending invasion, he was lightly stroking Alex's throbbing three-inch pecker. Alex was writhing in pleasure as Joey assaulted his ass. He couldn't believe getting your asshole licked could feel so good. He just hoped when it was his turn to return the favor, Joey would experience the same feelings.</span></p> <p><span>After several minutes of stimulating and moistening Alex's tight hole, Joey couldn't wait any longer. He wanted to feel his cock buried in his brother's ass. Joey pulled his face from between Alex's smooth globes and waddled on his knees to place the tip of his own pecker at the rear entrance to his brother's body. </span></p> <p><span>"You ready, bro?" Joey whispered.</span></p> <p><span>"Just fuckin' do it already," Alex moaned wantonly.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, here goes." Joey shifted his hips forward, expecting his dick to slip smoothly inside his brother. Instead, it slid wildly off the mark and stabbed Alex in the balls. "Damn it."</span></p> <p><span>"Ya' gotta hold it in place, dude, guide it, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, I got it. I ain't never done this before, ya' know." Joey repositioned himself, tip of his dick lined up with Alex's hole, again. While holding his dick in position this time, he slowly pressed forward. Again, his aim was off and his dick skipped off its intended target and slid down Alex's crack towards the bed. "C'mon, man, loosen up a bit or I ain't never gonna get it in you."</span></p> <p><span>"How the fuck am I s'posed to do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, man, you're the one who read about guys fuckin' each other. I'm just doin' what you told me to do."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's swap places and see if I can do it to you."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to me," Joey quickly agreed. The twins rapidly changed positions until Joey was lying on his back, knees lifted to his shoulders, virgin ass exposed for Alex. Alex dove right in, first sucking on Joey's dick and balls for a bit before moving further down and orally assaulting his sphincter while continuing to stimulate his wet pecker with a hand. As Joey had discovered, licking and slurping at his brother's ass didn't disgust Alex at all, and if anything, it got him even more excited. After a few minutes of Alex's oral stimulation, he was ready to impale his brother and Joey was panting in anticipation. Alex crawled slowly up to his brother's ass, guiding the head of his dick to the target glistening with his own spit.</span></p> <p><span>When he made contact with the tight pucker, Joey gasped loudly, relishing what was to happen next. Alex slowly pushed forward, willing his dick into Joey's ass, but he had no more luck at penetrating than Joey had as his hard dick bent in half, causing himself some pain.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, fuck, that hurt like hell. What the fuck is going on, dude? Why the hell can't we do this?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Alex, but I'm getting really pissed off. I want your dick in me so bad..."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, me too. Think we should go ask the dads what we're doing wrong?"</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell are you thinking!? We can't go askin' them about how to fuck each other? Can we?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why not? They said if we ever had <i>any</i> question, we could ask it. Besides, they already know what we were gonna do tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I guess they do, don't they?"</span></p> <p><span>"So, what are we waitin' for? C'mon, let's go. I want you to fuck me tonight if it kills us." The two climbed out of bed and, with their erections leading the way, quietly left their room in search of their dads.</span></p> <p><span>After working each other over for the last half-hour, Tom was begging me to fuck him. I was all too willing to oblige his demand. He assumed the position and I was just lining my cock up to make the plunge when there was a light knock at the door. Holy fuck, talk about bad timing. Before we could move, the door cracked open and Joey and Alex stuck their heads through the opening.</span></p> <p><span>"Oops, sorry, Dads, but we got a problem and need some help," Alex begged.</span></p> <p><span>I rolled off my lover and quickly pulled the sheet up to provide minimal cover, though I'm not sure why, after what they'd already seen. "Does it have to be <i>right </i>now," I asked, exasperation evident in my voice.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess not, but since what you were about to do with Pops is what our problem is, this is as good as time as any, isn't it?" Joey commented, just as bold as brass.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hell, why not? Get in here and tell us what your problem is," I acquiesced while Tom moaned in disappointment and sat up. They pushed the door wide open and walked into the room, hard peckers bouncing lightly with every step. After they climbed up on the bed, they sat in front of us and crossed their legs, making no effort to cover themselves. "Okay, shoot, what seems to be the problem?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You told us if we wanted to know about <i>anything</i>, we're supposed to ask, right?" Joey queried cautiously.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's kinda weird to ask your dads about something like this, but we want a real answer and not some stupid bullshit," Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"If you never get your question out, we can't give you any kind of answer, can we?" They shot a quick glance at each other, nodded quickly and looked back to us.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, here goes," Joey said seriously. "We been trying to screw each other the last half-hour and we can't get our dicks to go in."</span></p> <p><span>"We know you two got to be fuckin' each other and we figured that since our dicks are so much smaller, we wouldn't have a problem doin' it, but it just ain't workin'. Please tell us what we're doin' wrong," Alex moaned plaintively.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I both snorted with laughter. After regaining our composure, I said, "Why don't you tell us what you've tried so far and we'll see if we can help you out." The two took turns explaining every step they'd followed, right up to the point where their dicks refused to enter the other's ass. When they became quiet, I asked, "Did you do anything to stretch or loosen your sphincter muscles?"</span></p> <p><span>"What? How do you do that?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"There's several ways to do it," Tom answered, "but the easiest thing to use is your fingers."</span></p> <p><span>"What!" Joey exclaimed. "You think I want to stick my finger in his ass? That's gross."</span></p> <p><span> "From what you've already told us, you've licked each other there, haven't you? Is your finger worse than your tongue?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess not, but I wasn't pushing my tongue inside it either," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>Tom continued with his explanation. "You put something slick on your finger and slowly push it into your partner's hole. After they get used to one finger sliding in and out, you add another finger. You do it gently and slowly for a little bit. Once your partner doesn't feel any pain with two fingers, you should be able replace them with your penis."</span></p> <p><span>Joey and Alex looked at each other briefly then looked back to us. "Show us," Joey demanded.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, come one, guys," I complained, "Why don't you go back to your own room and try it?"</span></p> <p><span>"No! We'll just screw it up again. Please, Dads, show us how to do it," Alex begged.</span></p> <p><span>Now it was my turn to look at Tom and all I got for my effort was a shrug of the shoulders. "Okay, fine, which one of you wants to be first?"</span></p> <p><span>"ME!" Joey yelled.</span></p> <p><span>I tossed off the sheet and told Tom to get ready. He got in position to demonstrate what we were talking about and I told Joey, "Okay, you get in the same position as Tom and I'll show Alex what to do, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>I moved over to Tom so I could show our sons what to do. Joey quickly moved to where I'd been sitting and laid down next to Tom, holding his knees up to his chest and exposing his virgin pucker to Alex and me.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah! `Bout fuckin' time." Joey answered, "C'mon, Alex, get over here, dude."</span></p> <p><span>Alex crossed the bed so he was positioned where he had access to his brother's beautiful ass and could still see what I was doing with Tom. I retrieved the lube we used from the nightstand and drizzled a little on my index finger, then did the same to Alex's outstretched index finger. I began to slowly insert my finger into Tom and once I knew I was on target, I glanced at the twins to see how Alex was doing. Alex had the tip of finger pushing gently on Joey's tight sphincter, but had not yet penetrated.</span></p> <p><span>"What's wrong Alex?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm pushing, but it won't go in. He's clenching too much."</span></p> <p><span>I looked up to Joey and said, "Buddy, you have to relax a little bit or it's never gonna happen."</span></p> <p><span>Joey opened his eyes and looked to me and asked, "How the hell do you do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just take deep breaths and loosen up. You may also want to give your ass a little push, almost like you have to go to the bathroom."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I'll try." He closed his eyes again and began breathing deeply. After just a few seconds of that, I could see him give a little grimace. When I looked back to Alex's hand, I could see his finger had finally slid inside his brother's ass for the first time and it was buried just to the first knuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, there ya' go. Now, Alex, just keep pushing, gently and slowly so Joey can get used to the feel of your finger sliding into him." He followed my instructions and shortly had his entire finger sunk deeply into Joey. "How's that feel, Joey?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Like I gotta poop, and it hurts a little bit," he grunted.</span></p> <p><span>"That's normal, it'll pass in a minute. Alex, just hold still for a bit until Joey says it okay to move." I returned my attention to Tom and found him staring wide-eyed at the pair of lads next to us, wicked grin cutting across his face. I twisted my finger around, stroked his prostate and a light moan escaped past his lips. I continued to finger my lover while waiting for the boys to continue. </span></p> <p><span>After about a minute or two, Joey finally whispered, "Okay, go ahead, I think I'm ready." Alex looked at me with the question `what now' written across his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, pull your finger back out, but not all the way. Leave the tip just inside. Then wait a few seconds and slowly push it back it in." Alex did as I said and as I looked up to Joey's face, I saw his eyes open wide as Alex pulled his finger out.</span></p> <p><span>"NO!" Joey cried, "push it back in." Alex did just that, and a bit more forcefully than he should have, eliciting a bit of a grunt from Joey, but the satisfied smile on his face let me know he was doing just fine.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, Alex, just keep doing that, in and out until you have a nice smooth rhythm going. Tom really likes it when I play with his cock and balls while I'm doing this. I bet Joey will, too." Alex used his free hand, wrapped it tightly around Joey's throbbing pecker and began to slowly stroke him while he continued to finger fuck his asshole. I could see Joey was really starting to enjoy his brother's stimulation. Tom was rather enjoying the show, also, as I could feel his hole clamp tightly around my finger with each insertion.</span></p> <p><span>"Alex, you want to drive your brother really crazy?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>He looked at me and grinned. "Does a bear shit in the woods? Yeah, what do I gotta do?"</span></p> <p><span>"Turn your hand over so your finger will bend up."</span></p> <p><span>He did what I told him and asked, "Like this?"</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, now wiggle your fingertip around inside him a little bit. You'll feel a little knob in there." I could see him concentrating on it and surprise filled his eyes when he finally found it. "That little knob is called the prostate. If you bump or stroke it with your finger every now and then, it feels really good. Watch Joey's face as you do it." Alex continued his ministrations and I enjoyed watching Joey's eyes light up each time Alex touched that magic spot. </span></p> <p><span>In no time at all, Joey moaned, "Oh, fuck, I'm comin'."</span></p> <p><span>Alex kept up his work and giggled, "His hole is grabbin' my finger every time his dick twitches in my hand, that's cool. It's like they're connected."</span></p> <p><span>"You ready for him to try two fingers, Joey?" I asked. All he could do was nod. Alex pulled his finger completely out of Joey's ass and held it to me with a second finger for more lube. I added a little bit to the offered fingers and warned, "This may hurt a little bit, again, Joey, but just relax and the pain will go away." He nodded again and then gasped deeply as Alex inserted the two fingers.</span></p> <p><span>"You okay, J?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"That hurt like hell. Wait a sec, okay?" Thirty seconds later, he added, "Okay, I'm good, get back to work, bro." Alex didn't hesitate as he started working slowly with the two fingers and slowly built up speed to a nice, even tempo. I was doing the same to Tom and I could tell he was getting real close to orgasm, so I slowed things downs a bit with him and quit rubbing his prostate. Joey had lost control and was tossing his head side to side as Alex' stimulation continued to work its magic. He'd also started raising his hips on each stroke Alex made in an effort to get his fingers as deep inside as he could.</span></p> <p><span>In just a couple of minutes, he finally groaned, "Oh, god, bro, I want your dick in me. C'mon on dude, fuck me for real." Alex followed his brother's directions as he pulled his finger out of Joey's ass, crawled up and positioned his dick at the rear entrance to his body. This time, when he pushed his hips forward, his dick slid right in until his bare pubic mound was smothering Joey's balls. Watching that stiff three-inch rod disappear as if by magic was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever witnessed. I quickly followed suit and buried my cock deep in my lover's ass, also. We both started our humping motion at the same time. It was hotter than hell watching our young sons fuck right next to us and I could see Tom was feeling as randy as I was at the show taking place in our bed.</span></p> <p><span>Alex and Joey, both, had their eyes clamped shut as they reveled in the new sensations they were feeling. I didn't expect either one to last very long considering it was their first fuck and the amount of stimulation they both already experienced. Not that I was going to last very long, either. I always enjoyed making love with Tom, but tonight was extra special with the twins there with us. All too soon, I could feel my body tightening up as my orgasm crept closer and closer. And next to us, we could hear both Joey and Alex moaning with pleasure and Joey whispering, "Oh, god, Alex, fuck me. Go, dude, go, I'm about to come. Come with me. Oh, oh, oh, fuck, oh fuck yes-s-s-s-s," he hissed.</span></p> <p><span>And then it hit me, like slamming into a brick wall. I gave one final push and buried myself as deeply as I could. "Oh, fuck," I moaned as I unloaded the contents of my nuts into Tom's ass. Tom began to grunt as his cock started pumping out copious amounts of semen over his chest and gut. The next thing I heard was Alex growling as he pushed his pecker deep into Joey's ass and held it there. I looked over and could see Joey's cock twitching and bouncing as his second orgasm overtook his young body. God, what a sight that was, to see both of them trembling uncontrollably as wave after wave of pleasure racked their young bodies.</span></p> <p><span>As they recovered from the throes of sexual delight, Joey was the first to find his voice. "Oh, my god, that was fucking awesome."</span></p> <p><span>Alex pulled his wilted dick out of his brother's ass, rolled over on his back and squealed, "My turn!"</span></p> <p><span>"Dude, are you fuckin' kiddin' me?" Joey whined. "My dick's so limp right now, it looks like a piece of boiled spaghetti. I couldn't get it in your ass if I taped it to a popsicle stick."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I could do nothing but laugh while Alex whined, "C'mon, man, that's not fair, damn it! I fucked you, you're supposed to fuck me."</span></p> <p><span>"Alex, ya' gotta give Joey some time to recover," Tom started. "Besides, it's getting really late. How about we get a shower and get some sleep. Then he can make love to you in the morning. You can take the lube so you'll have it with you."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess," he answered, dejection filling his voice at having to wait.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, you two," I said. "You can use our shower so you don't wake the trio with yours this late." The four of us headed into the shower and spent the next thirty minutes washing each other, along with just a bit play, of course. By the time we were clean and drying off, Joey and Alex were both yawning. Knowing how tired they were after their long day and active day, Tom and I carried them back to their bedroom and tucked them in for a good night's sleep, leaving the bottle of lubricant on the headboard for them.</span></p> <p><span>As we headed back to our own bed, Tom commented, "You know I love you, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just as I love you, big guy," I answered while taking his hand in mine.</span></p> <p><span>"Please don't take this the wrong way, but that was freakin' hot."</span></p> <p><span>"I was just about to tell you the same thing," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Watchin' those two go at it like rabbits, oh my god. And they were both so into it. We're gonna have a real problem keepin' them from fuckin' each other silly."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell me about it. But then I have hard time not fuckin' you silly all day long, so I can't really fault them if they do."</span></p> <p><span>"And what's stoppin' ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"My recovery time's a lot longer than it used to be, bubba," I answered as I closed the door and we climbed in bed.</span></p> <p><span>"They make a pill for that, ya' know," Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right, like I need a four-hour hard-on. But listen, I got a serious question for ya'."</span></p> <p><span>"What?"</span></p> <p><span>"What are we gonna do if those two decide they want us to screw `em?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't gonna happen, babe. Oh, don't get me wrong, I'd love it, but I'd never hurt them like that, and you know it would probably seriously tear something if I tried. If they want me in their ass, they're gonna have to wait about ten years to grow up and be a lot looser than they are now. Now, if they want to fuck me, go for it, I sure as hell won't say no."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you're probably right. As much I'd like to give it a shot, I don't want to hurt `em either."</span></p> <p><span> "Babe, if that happened, it might hurt for a minute or two, but you're not big enough to do the damage I would."</span></p> <p><span> "Gee, thanks, asshole, love you, too," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you know what I mean."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know. Besides, even if they begged for it to happen, I think I'd be flashin' back to what Frank and Iris did to me, feeling like I was becoming like them, and I couldn't live with that."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you <i>ever</i> compare yourself to those two. What they did was out of power and hate, there was no love involved. If something happens between the boys and us, it's gonna be because of the love we have for them and the love they have for us."</span></p> <p><span>I finally ran out of steam and curled up next to Tom, laying my head on his furry chest and draping an arm across his taut stomach. "Love you, big guy," I whispered.</span></p> <p><span>"Love you more," he answered.</span></p> <p><span>With that, we both drifted off to sleep. Neither one of us moved until about 9:30 Sunday morning when there was a light knock on the door. I struggled to open my eyes and sit up before answering.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," I mumbled, "come on in." The door opened about a foot to reveal T.J., Mike and Andy looking through the gap at me. "Mornin', guys, what's up? Besides you, that is?"</span></p> <p><span>T.J. pushed door all the way open and all three ran across the room and jumped on the bed. T.J. crawled over and laid his head on Tom's belly while Mike and Andy curled up against my sides, me ending up with an arm draped over each one.</span></p> <p><span>"We're hungry, Dad," T.J. whined. "You gotta get up and fix breakfast."</span></p> <p><span>"And what's up with Joey and Alex?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we knocked on their door, and they told us to go away," Andy added.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, their doin' somethin' special with each other." I caught T.J. give quite the eye roll at my answer. "What do you guys want for breakfast?"</span></p> <p><span>"Can we do waffles or pancakes?" T.J. asked. "We ain't had them in a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, that sounds good to me, too. Bacon or sausage to go with?"</span></p> <p><span>"Both!" all three agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, scoot on outta here and give us a few to get moving. We'll be there in a few minutes." The trio hopped off the bed and disappeared down the hall. I shook Tom's shoulder and received an `mmph' in reply. "C'mon, big guy, time to get up and feed the monkeys."</span></p> <p><span>"Do I hafta?" he grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, you hafta. Waffles, bacon and sausage for breakfast. Let's move it!"</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, okay," the bear mumbled as he tossed the sheet off his body. He rolled over to me and laid his head my lap, then wrapped his hand around my morning erection and began to slowly stroke me. </span></p> <p><span>As much as I enjoyed the thought behind his actions, I gently removed his hand and said, "Huh-uh, we got things to do."</span></p> <p><span>"But I'm still horny from last night," he whined.</span></p> <p><span>"If you're a good boy, maybe we can get the boys to watch a movie after breakfast and we can have some private time for you to show just how much you love me."</span></p> <p><span>"Ooh, that sounds like a plan. Let's make it so."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever, Jean Luc. Right now, we need to get food going." I climbed out of bed and Tom followed me to the bathroom where we took care of our morning rituals. Finally, ready to face the day, we made the trek to the kitchen to start on breakfast. </span></p> <p><span>Andy, Mike and T.J. were waiting patiently on their stools at the bar counter and as we joined them, and Tom asked, "Where's the other two?"</span></p> <p><span>"Locked in their room," Mike answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we knocked and they told us to get lost," Andy added.</span></p> <p><span>"Ahhh," Tom replied in understanding. "Okay, babe, you doing the waffles or the bacon and sausage?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll take the meat." Tom snorted in laughter at my answer and I just rolled my eyes at him. I turned to the threesome patiently awaiting their breakfast and asked, "You guys want to take care of setting the table this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"But what about the drinks? Joey and Alex usually do that, but they ain't here."</span></p> <p><span>"Pops or I will take care of the drinks. And since the twins aren't here to do their part at the moment, they can take care of the cleanup when we're done. Sound fair to you?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah!" Mike answered. "C'mon you two, we don't need their help. We got this." With that, they hopped off their stools and got busy setting the table for our meal.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Dad, should we set places for them?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, you should. They could join us at any time and they'll definitely want breakfast when they do."</span></p> <p><span>"Okie-dokie," he answered as he pulled the plates out of the cabinet. </span></p> <p><span>We were finally ready to sit down about twenty minutes later and we dug into the food like we hadn't eaten for a week. Really, after the cake and ice cream yesterday, the last thing we needed was more sweet from the syrup, but it was pretty damn yummy. I'd just finished my first waffle when the dynamic duo finally decided to put in an appearance. The look deeply etched on both of their faces was nothing but complete satisfaction and contentment. Without a word from them, they took their seats at the table and dug into the spread before them.</span></p> <p><span>"'Bout time you came out of your room," Mike commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," Andy added, "What's the big idea lockin' us out?"</span></p> <p><span>Despite the light blush filling his face, Alex responded, "Better get used to it. For a while anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"We were having a little <i>private</i> time, is that okay?" Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"What're you talkin' `bout?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I explain it to you later, guys," T.J. answered. "We don't talk `bout that while we're eatin', okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"You better," Andy replied testily.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys," Tom started, "You know what a closed door means around here. Just because they're actually doing it now, that should be all you need to know."</span></p> <p><span>Enlightenment dawned on both Mike and Andy and they grinned mischievously at each other and we all enjoyed a brief chuckle, Alex and Joey turning bright red as they joined in. The rest of the meal finished rather quietly after that and when we were all done eating, I told Alex and Joey that they got to clean up the table since they missed helping set it. They offered no argument and got straight to work. The cleanup was completed in short order and everyone was ready for whatever came next.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you guys have another new movie from your birthday you haven't watched yet?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, why?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Because the two of us would like to have a little bit of private time, if you don't mind," I answered honestly and receiving knowing snickers from all five. "We thought maybe we could talk you five into entertaining yourselves for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"'Nuff said, dads, you two go have some fun," Joey answered with a quick smile. "We'll be fine."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and don't do anything we wouldn't do," Alex laughed.</span></p> <p><span>Now it was my turn to blush a bit, but I the way I figure it, if you want honesty from your kids, you better be prepared to return that honesty. I wrapped Tom's hand in mine and we disappeared down the hallway to our room. I then closed and locked the door to prevent any unnecessary distractions from the outside. The two of us spent the next hour and a half engaged in all sorts of carnal delights, culminating in Tom flat on his back in the middle of the bed with me sitting astride his midsection, his cock buried deep inside me and flooding my ass with his life essence.</span></p> <p><span>When we were both spent, I laid down on top of my lover and kissed him lightly, murmuring, "Okay, you love me more."</span></p> <p><span>"This time, maybe," he whispered back, "but next time, it's your turn to love me more."</span></p> <p><span>"Deal, lover. I think we should run through a shower and wash the stink off before we rejoin the boys. What say you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Lead the way, `cause you reek," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"You're not smelling much like a rose either, sweetheart," I replied sarcastically. I started to move and moaned with loss as his wilting cock slipped from my ass. We zipped through the shower and dried ourselves off, then headed out to resume our fatherly duties. When we finally emerged from our room, we both carried the same look of satisfaction and contentment we'd seen on the twins' faces not so long ago. I couldn't help but notice the air in the rest house smelled fresher since the heavy odor of sweat and sex didn't permeate the atmosphere. "Remind me later to wash our sheets."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I noticed it, too, and was about to tell you to remind me. Guess we can do it together," he grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, don't we always?" I asked innocently. For reasons I don't quite understand, I received a smack to the back of my head. "Hey, I have to take some time this afternoon to shave and trim, you wanna join me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um-m-m-m, I've been thinking about it, but I'm not quite ready for that. You don't mind, do you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all. I've just been hairless so long, it kind of starts bugging me when it starts getting longer and it's been a couple weeks. If you're happy with your hair, keep it. I don't mind it all as long as it's on someone else. It'd be really helpful if you'd take care of my back, though. That's the hardest part to get by myself."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, I can do that."</span></p> <p><span>"Just remember, if you ever change your mind, I'm here to help you."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for that kind offer, babe, but don't hold your breath. I wonder if the movie's over yet."</span></p> <p><span>"If you really want to know, go check. I'm gonna sit and read by a fire for a bit." I continued to the fireplace to get a fire going while Tom headed to the theater. I just taken my chair and picked up my book when he returned.</span></p> <p><span>"So, is the movie done."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, it's done, but the boys aren't."</span></p> <p><span>"Think you could explain that so it makes sense to my tired brain?"</span></p> <p><span>"There's a five-way circle-jerk happening on the floor under the screen. It seemed pretty intense so I left `em alone."</span></p> <p><span>"They're not supposed be doing that shit in there," I complained.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, they did have the door closed. Guess I should've knocked," he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Looks like they need a small reminder to contain those activities to the bedrooms."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon, don't yell at them for it. I mean they were probably just horny knowing what we were doing."</span></p> <p><span>"I wasn't going to yell, just remind `em, I promise." We both settled down to read for a while and about a half hour later, a very flushed fantastic five joined us. "Hi guys, what movie did you watch and how was it?"</span></p> <p><span>"We watched <i>The Spiderwick Chronicles</i> and it was way cool," Alex answered with enthusiasm.</span></p> <p><span>"I read those books a long time ago," Tom answered. "If you liked the movie, you'd love the books."</span></p> <p><span>"What!? There're are actually books based on the movie?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No," I answered, "but there <i>are</i> books the movie was based on. They've been around since about 2002 or 2003, so they're a little over twenty years old."</span></p> <p><span>"We'd like to read `em. Do you have them, Dad?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No, I never bought them, I just checked them out from the library."</span></p> <p><span>"What about you, Pops? You got `em?" queried Mike.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, library for me too. Sorry, fellas."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, how are we gonna read `em if y'all don't have `em?" Andy wanted to know.</span></p> <p><span>"I think I can fix that, boys. Later this afternoon, I'll hop on the computer and order the series from Amazon. They should be here in a few days, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Cool!" crowed Alex. "So, did you two have fun while we watched our movie?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.</span></p> <p><span>"Funny you should ask that question, young man. I was just about to ask if you guys had fun after your movie ended?" I asked with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't know what you're talkin' `bout, dad," T.J. responded innocently.</span></p> <p><span>"Tom saw y'all but left you alone. What's the rule around here about your sex play?"</span></p> <p><span>"But the door <i>was</i> closed," Joey rebutted. "And Pops didn't knock, either, did he?"</span></p> <p><span>"That may be, but it wasn't a <i>bedroom </i>door, was it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, no," Alex mumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"In your bedrooms with the doors closed. If I have to remind you guys again, it's clothes for a whole week. Got it?"</span></p> <p><span>"We got it, dads," all five grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I don't want to have this discussion again. Moving on to other things, how are you and Alex doing with those fourth-grade math books, Joey?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, we forgot to tell ya'. We finished `em Thursday night," he answered with a big smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Are you kidding me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, want to see `em?"</span></p> <p><span>"Please. If you're really done with them, I'll have to call Mr. Furman and let him know. He'll be amazed." Joey ran to their room and quickly returned with one of the math books and their notebooks they'd done their work in. I spent about twenty minutes going through their work and the text and found no mistakes. "Holy crap, boys. I'm shocked you got through them this quickly. Pleased and happy, but still shocked. You make me very proud to be your dad."</span></p> <p><span>Both of the twins blushed and Joey answered, "It was easy, Dad. We're ready for the next one."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll see what I can work out, then. You five have any other plans for your day?"</span></p> <p><span>"We wanna go ride our bikes." Alex answered. "It should be warm enough and most of the snow is gone now so we can go further down the drive. Is that okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like a great idea. That'll give you a chance to see a little more of the property, too. Y'all haven't seen that much of it except for the one trail we walked and it was still pretty white then. We'll join you outside and we can all see more."</span></p> <p><span>"All right!" T.J. yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's get dressed and head on out. We'll meet you guys in the garage." Everyone headed to their rooms to get some warm clothes on and met up in the garage.</span></p> <p><span>"Where can we ride, Dad?" Joey asked. </span></p> <p><span>"Well, I thought we'd go back to the storage building and make sure everything there is okay, but why don't you two ride on down to the turn in the drive and then come back this way? We'll be on down the drive that way," I said, pointing the way. They took off one direction while the rest of us ambled off the other. We were about halfway to the storage building when the twins caught up with us and flew by, laughing with pure joy. That was a wonderful sound to hear on this cool day in mid-March. I was really looking forward to more of that when summer really hit.</span></p> <p><span>As we walked up the concrete apron of the storage building, Joey asked, "This thing is huge, what all you got in here?"</span></p> <p><span>"You wanna see?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah!" all five boys cheered.</span></p> <p><span>I opened the door, turned off the alarm and turned on the lights, then stood back and let the boys go in before Tom and I joined them. They scattered in all different directions, trying to see whatever they could find. Andy was the first to find the cars in the corner covered by their tarps.</span></p> <p><span>"What're you hiding under here, Dad!?" he yelled. That caught the attention of the other four who quickly joined him around the cars. "C'mon, show us!" Tom and I strolled over and pulled the covers off both cars.</span></p> <p><span>"You got a freakin' Ferrari!?" Joey yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, <i>we</i> have a Ferrari, but I'm not sure it `freaks' very much since there have never been any baby Ferraris roaming around," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"What's kinda car is this one, Dad?" Mike asked, pointing to the `Vette. "It looks really old."</span></p> <p><span>"It's called a Corvette. This one is from 1966 and it's even older than I am."</span></p> <p><span>"Can we go for a ride?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"When it's warmer and nicer out, sure, but not today."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd call `shotgun'," Alex commented, "but you only got room for one other person, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>I could tell I was going to need a mop to clean up the drool the boys were leaving on the floor around the two cars. When their interest finally waned, they went back to exploring the rest of the building again while Tom and I pulled the covers back over the cars.</span></p> <p><span>"You really got a bunch of junk in here, don't you?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"To others, it might be junk, but it's mostly stuff I don't need in the house but I'm not quite ready to get rid of it, either. I guess you could call me a hoarder of sorts, but at least I'm organized about it," I chuckled. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm about ready for a swim."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, cool, Dad," Mike answered. "Let's go guys."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Joey, can I ride your bike back to the house?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, go ahead. I'll walk with the others."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, bro." </span></p> <p><span>With that parting comment, T.J. jumped on Joey's bike and took off after Alex. As the rest of us drew closer to the house, we could see Alex and T.J. coming back down the drive from the turn and head for the garage to park the bikes. They patiently waited for us to join them, but once we were all together again, the fantastic five disappeared to their rooms to get ready for our swim, coats and clothes being discarded along the way. By the time Tom and I were ready to go also, all five boys were jumping and dancing at the glass doors. Just as I put my hand on the door knob, the phone rang.</span></p> <p><span>I gave Tom the key to the shelter and said, "Go ahead. I'll get rid of whoever's on the phone and be right out." As I turned to grab the nearest phone, the others continued through the doors and on to the pool. A quick glance at the caller ID told me I couldn't just blow off this caller. </span></p> <p><span>I picked up the receiver and answered, "Hey, Carol, how ya' doing?"</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-82.html

Building a Family Chapter 82 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 82 � It's Official As we lounged by the fireplace and enjoyed a bit of quiet, I decided this would be a good time to have our discussion with the boys about proper personal hygiene. While Tom and I had been well aware of the issue Ron had broached, we never took the time to do or say anything about it. We just scrunched our noses, tossed the nastiness into the washer with a bunch of bleach and hoped for the best. But since someone else was now taking care of our laundry, it seemed like the time had come to deal with the ongoing problem. "Boys, while we wait for Rich to get here, we need to talk about something," I began. "What's up, Dad?" Alex asked. "Well, Ron has brought something to our attention that disturbs him quite a bit and he's asked for our to help resolve the problem." "Hey, ain't our fault he came in our room when we was busy," Logan complained. "Yeah," Joey chimed, "if ya can't take the heat, then stay the hell outta the kitchen." All six rugrats laughed out loud on that comment. "That's not the problem, guys," Tom interjected. "And that's a different discussion for another time. What we're talkin' about is your lack of due diligence after going to the bathroom." "Whatchu talkin' `bout, Pops?" Mike asked. "Well, to be disgustingly blunt," I began, "none of you seem to understand how toilet paper is supposed to work and that needs to change. Ron says if you can't learn how to properly wipe your butts, he's going to have to buy every bottle of bleach in Springfield just to keep your underwear clean. He's gettin' really tired of dealin' with poopy skid-marked drawers and we don't blame him one bit for feeling that way." "So, we quit wearin' underwear, problem solved, right?" T.J. giggled. "No, T.J., that doesn't solve the problem," Tom replied. "It just transfers it to your pants, shorts or whatever else you sit on. Besides, we don't want Ron to have to start washing the towels on all the chairs every day. That's not what we hired him for." "So, here's what's gonna happen," I said as I took over. "Before any of you sit on anything, we're going to make sure you're clean, just so you don't leave little bits of yourselves everywhere you go." "Yeah, how ya gonna do that?" Andy asked. "You're going to bend over and spread your butt cheeks so we can make sure you've properly cleaned yourself. Once we've determined you're okay, you can sit down." "So that's what this is really all about," Joey said. "You all just want to look at our buttholes, don't ya?" Alex added. After the laughter died back down, Tom said, "No, guys, that's not it at all. You're all old enough that you should know how to clean yourself properly. And if you don't, it's our job to teach you." "So, what's gonna happen if you don't think we're clean enough?" Mike asked with a nervous tremble in his voice. "I'm gonna take ya outside, bend ya over and stick the hose up your ass," Ron threatened with a growl. "Ooooh, that sounds like it might be fun, Skinny," Logan retorted. "Wanna give me a demonstration right now?" he added with a laugh. "Maybe later, Farm-Boy, if you don't get your shit together," Ron retorted. An uproarious round of laughter filled the house on that comment. "Look, guys, while it's fine for you to think this is funny, it really isn't. You know we're proud of all of you, but you should have enough pride in yourselves to be your best all the time. And part of that should be making sure that you're taking proper care of your bodies. Besides, with some of the things we know you're all doing with each other, we think you'd want to make sure your partners are clean. Otherwise, you could get really sick." "You mean, like, lickin' each other and stickin' our di..." Joey started. "Exactly," Tom quickly interrupted. "We don't want anyone becoming ill because you're bein' lazy." "Ron, you got anything else you wanna say?" I asked. "Yeah, I'm gonna start buyin' those wet wipes, a bunch of cheap white washcloths and some small trash cans for all the bathrooms. If they start usin' them every time they hafta poop, then we can nip this problem in the bud. It's either that or they start takin' a shower every time they take a dump." "That's a good idea," I agreed. "One rule with those wipes, though, is they don't get flushed down the toilet. They'd have the septic tank clogged in a heartbeat and gettin' that pumped out is a nasty job." "So, you guys good with that?" Tom asked. "Yeah, Pops," Joey replied with nods of agreement from the others. "Sorry for makin' your job ugly, Ron," Alex added. "That's all right, dudes. We're cool. But I'm dead serious `bout usin' the hose on ya if ya don't straighten up," he added with a laugh. "I'm ready whenever you are, Ron-boy," Logan cracked in return. "Can we have that other talk, now," T.J. asked. DING! "Later, buddy. It sounds like Rich is here and he doesn't need to be in the middle of that. Why don't you meet him at the door?" "You bet," T.J. grinned in agreement before he jumped off the loveseat and ran to the front door. When he reached the entry, he stood to the side so he could watch for Rich through the sidelight. Seeing his car pull around the circle drive and stop at the base of the steps, T.J. opened the door and was dancing with excitement on seeing his buddy. We soon heard two car doors slam and T.J. immediately stood stock still and muttered, "Well, crap." He then turned towards us and called out, "He brought his sister with him." Fortunately, we were still had on the shorts and t-shirts we'd worn for our visit with David and Gabriel so we didn't have to make a mad dash to cover up. Though we were a bit surprised Rich had brought Carrie with him, Tom and I strolled across the house to greet our guests. As we did, Ron made his way towards the kitchen to continue working on the supper he'd started while the rest of us had visited Sammy's tree and the cemetery. "Hi, Rich. Hi, Carrie. How're you two doing?" I asked on reaching the door. "Not too bad, Mr. Sanders," Rich replied. "I hope you don't mind Carrie coming with me, but Dad had other plans tonight and he's still worried about the Wicked Witch of the West." "No, that's fine," Tom replied. "Hey, Rich," T.J. grumbled. "What's up, dudelet?" Rich inquired. "You don't seem very happy." "Sorry, man, but with your sister bein' here, our dads are pro'lly gonna make us wear our shorts when we go swimmin'." " `Scuse me?" "C'mon in and have a seat," Tom replied. "We'll explain what T.J.'s saying." After closing the door, we headed across the house to join the boys who had remained in the living room, all of whom were sporting frowns of displeasure with Carrie's presence. Once we'd all taken a seat and gotten comfortable, Rich commented, "Geez, it looks like they're all pissed off `bout somethin'. What's up with you guys?" "I think they're just surprised Carrie's with you, Rich," Tom offered. "Well, I promised Dad I wouldn't leave her home alone. If you want, we'll go and I'll come back another time when he's gonna be home." "No, don't worry about that," I replied. "Though you've both been here before, there's a part of our lives you don't know about." "Yeah, what's that?" Carrie asked. "When we're at home, we normally don't wear clothes," I answered. "And the boys don't like the idea we're going to make them wear shorts when we swim later since you're here, Carrie." "Oh," she muttered in surprise. "I'm sorry. I could stay inside," she offered. "No, that wouldn't be fair to you," Tom replied. "They'll either swim with their shorts or they won't swim. It'll be their choice." "Hey, guys, let me talk to Carrie a minute," Rich interrupted. He grabbed her hand and said, "C'mon, sis," before the two quickly disappeared down the hallway towards the garage, leaving Tom and me with six surly munchkins. A few short minutes later, they returned and retook their places on the loveseat. "Okay, here's the scoop. If the boys want to swim naked, that's cool with us." The sensational six-pack suddenly became joyful again and let go a loud cheer. "Now, there's the happy kids I'm used to seein' `round here," Rich commented after they'd quieted back down. "Are you sure it's okay with you, Carrie?" Tom asked. "We don't want you to be uncomfortable." "Naw, it's fine, Mr. Wright. If they don't care if I see `em naked, I don't care, either." "Listen, guys," Rich interjected, "Carrie sometimes babysits for a couple that lives close to us and she has to be in the bathroom to supervise the brats when they're takin' their bath. If she isn't, they make a total freakin' mess and water ends up everywhere. So, she's used to bein' around younger boys who aren't dressed. Bein' around your six won't be any different from dealin' with them." "But we'll be wearing our swimsuits," Carrie added quickly. "We will, too," Tom offered. "Hey, if you're used to swimmin' without shorts, it's fine with us. I'd be tempted to join you if it weren't for Carrie bein' here," Rich replied with a wicked grin. "Not without talking to your dad about it first," I replied. "Well, I can fix that right now," Rich offered as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and quickly dialed Stan's number. "Hey, Dad, hate to bug ya, but I got a question for ya. ... Well, we're at Mr. Sanders' house and it turns out they, uh, like to, um, skinny-dip. ... Well, Carrie says it's okay with her, but Max and Tom aren't comfortable doing so without you sayin' whether it's okay with you or not. ... Well, yeah, I'd kinda like to give it a try, but if you don't think it'd be cool, I won't. ... Yeah, hang on a sec." Rich then turned to Carrie, handed her the phone and said, "He wants to talk to you, now." Carrie rolled her eyes but took the phone from her brother's hand and said, "Yeah, Dad, what's up? ... Like I told Rich, I don't care so long as they don't expect to me strip down, too. ... Well, yeah, but I've seen both you and Rich that way before as you guys head for a bathroom or back to your rooms after a shower, so what's the big deal? Besides, a dick's just a dick, right?" she asked eliciting a round of giggles from the boys. "And as long they don't waggle the dang thing right in front of my face, I'm fine with it. ... Yeah, okay, hang on." She next handed the phone to me with a giggle of her own while adding, "Your turn, Mr. Sanders." "Hi, Stan," I greeted the man warily. "Evening, Max. You aren't tryin' to corrupt my kids, are ya?" he asked with a serious tone of voice. "Absolutely not!" I protested. "Just tryin' to explain to Rich and Carrie why the boys were unhappy." "I'm just givin' ya some shit, Max. Loosen up a bit, will ya?" "Sorry, Stan, but we're very careful about sharing certain aspects of our lives with folks outside the family." "Well, if Rich's gonna be playin' you, `scuse me, Jake, in your movies, that makes us more than just family, doesn't it? He's pretty much gonna be, like, a clone of you, don't ya think?" "Yeah, I s'pose you could say that," I agreed with a chuckle. "We just don't want to do anything that would offend or upset you or your kids." "You're fine, Max. If Carrie says she's okay with it, then I am too. I trust my kids to use their common sense and they need to learn to deal with life as it is, in all its myriad forms. Besides, with most of y'all bein' gay, I kinda figured some, uh, hijinks might be takin' place out there anyway. Wasn't thinkin' about Carrie taggin' along and puttin' a crimp in anybody's plans." "Um, now that you mention that, Stan, I've got a question for you. Hang on a second." I left the living room and the rest of the crew to talk amongst themselves while heading down the hallway Rich and Carrie had just vacated. Once out of earshot of the family, I quietly continued, "We know you said you were fine with Rich being gay and you seemed willing to help him discover himself in a safe manner. Were you serious about that?" "Um, yeah, but I haven't made any progress on the best way to accomplish that goal. You got somethin' in mind?" Stan asked with a bit of hesitation. "Maybe. I'm going to toss an odd suggestion out to ya, and you tell me if you're okay with it. We recently hired a young man to live with us and help us out with cooking, cleaning and the like. His name is Ron Cain, he's twenty-three and also gay. The day he started, I asked Ron if he might be willing to, I guess, help Rich with some, um lessons, I suppose you'd call them. Ron gave it some serious thought and finally said he'd be willing to help Rich once he'd had a chance to meet him. While I know it's really up to Rich if anything happens between them, I wanted to make sure it's okay with you, too, before we put the idea to Rich." "You say this Ron guy's only been with you for a couple of weeks, huh? That really concerns me. Just how much do you really know about him?" Stan asked. "Well, knowing he'd be living with us, Tom did a very thorough background check on him and didn't find anything that would cause us to worry about anything. Beyond that, he's mixed right in with the rest of us and he fits in well with the group. He takes his job here very seriously and he does it well. The best recommendation I can think of, though, is that all our boys like him and they're a tough crowd to please. And honestly, Stan, I highly doubt anything would happen tonight, especially with Carrie coming along for the ride. All I see coming out of it right now is the two meeting each other and possibly talking about it." "Yeah, you're probably right. I'd kinda like to meet this Ron guy myself before they jump off a cliff together, but if you feel confident things'll be okay, I trust you to make that call. Look, I gotta go, but I really appreciate you talkin' to me `bout this and for lookin' out for my kid. He's smart enough, I know, but I still worry about him getting into a situation he may think he's ready for, but really isn't. You get what I'm sayin'?" "Of course, I do. We'll be responsible chaperones." "That's all I ask for, Max. Okay, gotta run. I'm startin' to get dirty looks from the others at the table." "Thanks, Stan. Have a fun evening." I ended the call and returned to the living room, handing the phone back to Rich before taking my seat. "Okay, looks like your dad's okay with everything," I commented. "Boys, you can swim without your shorts, all I ask is for you to wrap your towels around your waists until you're ready to jump in the pool." I then turned to Tom and added, "That goes for us, too, bubba." "Um, I think I'll be keeping my shorts on tonight," he muttered in reply. "Don't feel like you have to hide yourself on my account, Mr. Wright," Carrie offered with a smirk. "I swear I won't look," she giggled lightly before quietly adding, "more than two or three times, anyway." Everyone enjoyed a good laugh at her funny comment. When we'd finally gone quiet, we heard, "Supper in five, y'all! Time for the brats to set the table!" resonate loudly from the kitchen. Nothing else had to be said as the sensational six-pack jumped from the couch and hustled into the kitchen to take care of their duties. "Carrie, would you mind givin' them a hand?" I asked. "Sure thing, Mr. Sanders," she agreed as she left Rich, Tom and me alone. "Now that it's just the three of us, Rich, we have something we want to talk to you about," I said. "What's that, Mr. Sanders?" Rich asked with interest. "First, our names are Max and Tom. You're more or less an adult now, so please use them." "Uh, thanks, Max. What's second?" "Yeah, that. From what you told Tom, you were engaging in some pretty risky behavior before you talked to him at the school." "Don't you really mean stupid behavior," Rich asked as he blushed. "Yeah, I was, but like I said on the phone, that's all over now so ya don't hafta worry `bout that anymore. Why'd you bring that up?" "Well, we might have a solution for you," Tom answered. "If you're interested, that is." "Well, duh!!" Rich retorted. "Is the pope a pedo?" he added with a laugh. "That's pretty much a given," I agreed with a laugh. "Okay, so, here's the deal. You haven't met Ron just yet, but he's been with us for a couple of weeks now, and after I asked him, he said he'd be willing to help you discover more about yourself than you ever thought you knew, if for no other reason than to help keep you out of the bars. He wants to meet you before he fully commits to anything, but he's interested in the idea." "Yeah, me, too," Rich panted with excitement. "Is this Ron dude cute?" "Well, we think so," Tom replied, "but you'll have to be the final judge on if he ticks all the checkboxes on your cuteness scorecard." "Sweet," Rich cooed happily. "I might finally get the chance to find out if a blowjob's really everything I've heard it is," he added with extreme eagerness. "Whoa, hang on there, buddy. We expect tonight to be just a meet and greet, get to know each other a little bit type of night. And your dad just told me that while he's okay with you two testing the waters, he'd also like to meet Ron before anything serious happens between you." "Wait, you actually talked to my dad about this? And he was cool with it?" Rich asked. "Yeah, he was. Does that shock you?" I replied. "Damn, he's just full of surprises lately. First, he's cool with me bein' a queer, and now he's okay with me gettin' some. Unreal." "Parents can sure be surprising, can't they?" Tom asked. "We both know all too well how that goes when it turns out bad." "Tell me `bout it. We haven't heard a peep outta the old lady since Dad kicked her ass out. Don't have a clue where she went, and we really don't care. Her flat out sayin' she'd rather have me dead than gay completely blows my mind. I'm just glad Dad is standin' by and supportin' me as I try to deal with all this." "Have you said anything to any of your friends, yet? And what's their reaction been?" "A few of `em, yeah. As to their reaction, it turns out I've only got one real friend. The whole basketball team turned their backs on me, but I pretty much expected that. Buncha ignorant jocks, anyways. None of `em wanna be naked `round a faggot, afraid I'll rape `em in the shower or somethin', I guess." "We're sorry, Rich," Tom offered. "Unfortunately, that just the way it goes sometimes. You've got friends here, though." "Yeah, I know. Hope to get another one soon, too," he added with another crooked smirk of hope. "All in good time. You have to have a little patience, okay?" I replied. "I'm tryin', guys, but it's hard." On realizing his unintentional pun, Rich snorted in laughter, then added, "Guess I shoulda said difficult." "Okay you three, get your butts in here or we're gonna eat without you," Ron yelled from the dining room. Rich did a bit of a double-take on seeing Ron for the first time and quietly muttered, "That's Ron!? Fuck me runnin', dudes, he's fuckin' hot." "Down, boy, easy there," Tom chuckled at Rich's reaction. We joined the rest of the crew at the table, Tom and I taking our regular places and Rich settling in next to T.J. and across the table from Ron. The boys had finally gotten over their worries about Carrie being here and were including her in their ongoing discussions about a myriad of subjects. She was surprised to discover Alex and Joey were working their way through the sixth-grade math text, but after they gave her a few examples of their prowess with numbers, she understood completely. As for Rich and Ron, they were being pretty quiet but still exchanging subtle glances between themselves that reminded me of the looks that passed between Carrie and Eric the night they shared a table under our roof. The barbeque ribs, au-gratin potatoes and coleslaw Ron had fixed for our meal were delicious, as usual, and we wasted little time in packing it away. When the serving bowls and platters had been emptied, the boys jumped on their regular task of cleaning up the table and loading the dishwasher, Carrie happily joining the crew and seeming to enjoy helping out. With their job completed, all seven disappeared into the theater until it was time for our swim. Before Ron could return to the kitchen to complete the cleanup process, Rich commented, "That was delicious, Ron, thanks for fixin' it. What barbeque sauce did you use?" "It's the house's special recipe. Max makes it himself." "You're kiddin' me," Rich replied in surprise before turning to me and asking, "What all do you put in it, Max? That stuff was the best sauce I've ever tasted." "Well, let's see. There's ketchup, mustard, a little worcestershire, a tiny bit of soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, and a dash of salt. That's it, I guess. You just mix and taste until you reach the flavoring you like." "Sounds pretty simple," Rich commented. "It is, but I've always preferred to make my own over buying somebody else's." "Well, let me finish cleaning up the kitchen and we can hit the pool," Ron commented. "You need any help?" Rich asked. "Sure, why not? Two bodies will get the job done quicker than one," Ron agreed, willingly accepting help for the first time since he'd moved in. Tom and I took that to mean it was time to make ourselves scarce, so we adjourned to sit by the fireplace to read and relax. "So, you're the idiot kid who was hittin' the gay bar in town, huh?" Ron asked as he started washing the pan the ribs had been cooked in. "Yeah, that's me," Rich admitted guiltily. "How the hell'd you even get in there? I tried when I was your age and couldn't swing it until I could prove I was twenty-one. And even then, they thought it was a fake ID," Ron responded with a crooked grin. "Well, don't tell anybody, but the bouncer is a friend of my dad's and he'd let me in," Rich whispered with a giggle. "Made sure I drank nothin' but soda or water all night, too. He knew my old man would kick his ass if I'd ever gone home even slightly tipsy." "I can't believe he kept his mouth shut. Sure, you got in, but what if he'd told your dad what you were doin'?" Ron asked. "I was safe on that account, Ron. Since the dude's gay and my dad didn't know it at the time, we both kept each other's secret," Rich answered as he started drying the pan Ron had handed him. "Man, you got lucky with him guarding the gates, didn't you?" Ron commented as he started working on the potato dish. "Sorta, I guess. `Course, I never really accomplished anything except for gettin' outta the house and away from the family for a while. Never could get a dude to do anything." "You're lucky you didn't. Most of the guys in that dump are grade-A assholes. All they want to do is get off, and they don't give two shits about who or what they have to do to make it happen. And once they get started, they won't stop for nothin'." "But I want to get in bed with another guy so bad, Ron, I can't stand it. I'm gettin' really damn tired of my hands bein' my only outlet." "What, don't you have any toys?" Ron asked with surprise while passing the potato dish to his helper and snagging the next item to be washed. "Hell, no," Rich retorted. "How could I since I'm not old enough to get into a store that sells that shit?" "Uh, you have heard of the internet, haven't you?" Ron asked with a chuckle. "Who hasn't," Rich replied with a chuckle of his own. "How the hell you think I found all the gay porn I have? But I don't have a credit or debit card I can use to buy anything. No PayPal account, either. Besides, my dad would fuckin' freak the hell out if he opened up a box addressed to me and it was filled with nothin' but dildos, butt plugs, vibrators and lube." "How do you know that? Have you asked him?" "Oh, fuck no, man. That'd be way too embarrassing," Rich answered while setting the potato dish on the counter and accepting the next item to dry from Ron. "Look, from what I've heard, your dad's okay with you bein' gay, even offering to help you out somehow. So what would be so bad about askin' him to get some toys so you could start experimenting? What's the worst he could do, say no?" "Well, when you put it that way ..." "Exactly. Sometimes a dude's gotta be proactive and go after what he really wants. Maybe I can help you out with a few items to get you started," Ron offered. "You'd really do that?" Rich asked with surprise. "Why the hell not? I've got a few things that don't feel quite like they did when I first got them since I've moved up a bit in size. They'd be perfect for a newbie like you. Big enough to know you've got something goin' on back there, but not so big that they'll cause you any serious pain. Sure, the first few times might hurt a bit, but as long as you're careful and take your time, once you get used to them, you'll be just fine." "Wow, that's really nice o' you, dude." "I'm always happy to help when I can, man. `Sides, as you play with them, you'll figure out real quick whether you're a top, bottom or you don't care." "Huh?" Rich asked in confusion. "Jesus, you really don't know shit about any of this, do ya?" Ron giggled. "Consider this your first lesson in gay sex. A top is a dude who prefers to be the fucker while a bottom wants to be the fuckee. Then you have your versatiles who don't give a shit how they get it, just as long they're gettin' some." "Ah, gotcha," Rich chuckled. "So, which are you?" he added with a sly grin. "We-e-e-ll, while I've allowed a few guys the privilege of bein' inside me, I'm more of a topper. Don't get me wrong, I like somethin' in my ass every now and then, too, but most dudes don't know how to be calm and take their time. And when they get too freakin' out of control, it can hurt like a bitch. So, I tend to stick with my toys since I'm the one in control of them." "Guess that means I better get ready to have my ass reamed," Rich responded with a lascivious grin. "All in good time, my young Padawan," Ron retorted with a chuckle. "Remember, patience is the key. You've got the rest of your life ahead of you and after the first Jake Franklin movie hits the screen, you'll have every hot and horny young stud in the country chasin' after your sweet ass." Rich blushed mightily at the compliment and hung his head low. "Don't be like that, man," Ron voiced in an encouraging tone while lifting Rich's head with his fingers. "You're hotter than hell and if it weren't for you still bein' a virgin, I'd bend you over that counter and fuck you right here and now." Ron handed the last item to dry to Rich and smiled as Rich blushed an even deeper shade of pink. "Oh, c'mon," Ron began, "don't you dare try to make me think you don't know how hot you are." "It's not so much that, I guess. My mom always used to tell me how cute she thought I was. `Course, that was before she knew I was a fag. I'm just not used to hearin' it from another guy." "What, your dad never told you he thought you were cute?" "Well, yeah, he used to, but he doesn't wanna fuck me, either. It somehow sounds different comin' from somebody who does." "Listen, buddy, after meetin' ya tonight and gettin' to know you a bit, I'll be more than happy to do anything you want to do, just let it happen naturally, okay? Don't try to force or rush the issue. And before you go home, I'll get you fixed up with the Ron Cain approved `horny boy home care package'." "You're all right, man," Rich sighed. "Thanks for the straight talk." "Weren't no straight talk there, Rich, that was nothin' but the truth." "Whatever, smart ass. By the way," Rich started with a whisper, "you're pretty fuckin' hot, too." "Thanks for noticin'," Ron replied with pride. "I shaved today, just for you." "You're shittin' me?" Rich asked eagerly. "Nope, wanna see?" Ron asked in a teasing tone of voice. After a quick and enthusiastic nod from Rich, Ron hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his shorts and lowered them just far enough for Rich to see nothing but the pale and bare skin of his groin. Releasing his shorts to their normal position, Ron added, "You can see the rest when we get ready for our swim." "I can't wait," Rich enthused. Thirty minutes had passed and Tom and I were no longer hearing the rattle and clatter of dishes being cleaned in the kitchen. We assumed the two fine young men were finally done with the task and were just about to see if they were ready to jump in the pool when they came through the dining room and joined us. "I thought it was supposed to take less time to clean up with two of you working together," Tom cracked. "Well, we were talkin', too," Ron retorted smartly. "That okay with you guys?" "Fine with us," I agreed. "One of you wanna tell the kids we're ready." "I'll do it," Rich offered before he spun on his heels and aimed for the theater. "You two have a nice chat?" Tom asked. "Yeah," Ron replied. "Rich is a nice kid. Kid bein' the most important word there. But I think we'll be all right. He's eager enough, that's for damn sure," Ron giggled. "You two just be careful and take your time," I reminded Ron with a note of seriousness. "Always, man. That's the only way I know how to operate." Rich returned with the boys and Carrie in tow, and they continued on down the hallway to their rooms to grab towels and get ready for our swim. Carrie grabbed her bag and Ron directed her to the bathroom at the far end of the hall so she could get changed. As Tom and I crossed the living room on the way to our own room, we heard Ron call out to Rich, "C'mon, dude, we can get ready in my room." We quietly continued on our way with wide and knowing grins of mischief plastered on our faces. "Well, Rich and Ron seem to be hitting it off pretty well, don't ya think?" Tom asked as he peeled off his t-shirt. "Better than I thought they might," I agreed as I dropped my shorts to the floor and grabbed the towel to wrap around my waist. "Well, ya ready to get wet?" Tom asked as he twisted his own towel to keep it in place. "Lead the way, bubba," I agreed with a wave of the hand. When we rejoined the crew waiting at the glass doors leading outside, everyone had a towel wrapped around their waist except for Carrie, who was wearing a cute and colorful one-piece suit that did little to hide the delicate curves of her young but maturing figure. The boys were paying no attention to the young lady in their midst as they were all chattering away as they normally do. Well, except for Logan and Andy, that is, who were sneaking sideways glances at Carrie every chance they could. Once inside the pool shelter, the boys had no qualms about ripping their towels from their waists and jumping into the pool, Carrie following suit right behind them. The rest of us walked to the deep end before we dispensed with our towels and jumped in, Tom and I settling into one corner and Ron and Rich perching themselves in the other. As Tom and I talked about upcoming events, we kept watch over the crew as the boys and Carrie played together and Rich and Ron carried on a hushed conversation in their corner. After about 45 minutes of wild playtime, I let the younger crowd know it was time for Mike's regular swimming lesson. Mike immediately took control of the other six and started putting them through their paces. At the end of the thirty-minute lesson, seven very tired kids hauled their weary bones out of the pool and collapsed on chairs and chaises to recover from their exertions. The boys didn't even bother to grab towels to cover themselves and Carrie didn't seem to care a bit as she was just as pooped out as they were. "Well, that's a first," Tom commented. "What's that?" "Them getting out first," he retorted with a chuckle. "You're not complaining, are you?" I asked with a grin. "Not a bit. I guess we should follow their example," he added as he started to climb the ladder. I followed my lover up the ladder, never letting my eyes stray from his taut ass. As soon as our feet hit concrete, we quickly grabbed our towels and wrapped them around us to minimize any possible embarrassment to Carrie or ourselves. The cool water had performed its regular magic and we were both mere shadows of our normal selves thanks to the shrinkage every guy must deal with. As we turned to join the others, I called out, "Ron, Rich, you guys comin'?" "Uh, in a minute," Ron replied guiltily while Rich snorted in laughter at my question. "Not in the pool, guys. Please and thank you." "If you're going to be a little bit longer, Ron, do you mind if Carrie uses your shower?" Tom asked. "Yeah, that's cool," he answered. "I don't think I've left anything out she doesn't need to see." "Should we check it before she goes in?" I asked. "Naw, I'm sure it's cool." On that note, we headed inside, the boys and Carrie disappearing down the hallway to run through a shower while Tom and I continued to our own room to do the same. By the time we had regrouped in the kitchen for dessert, Rich and Ron were just coming back inside the house with wide smiles on their faces and they quickly turned for Ron's room to take their own shower. We set the kids up at the dining room table with a slice of the pecan pie Ron had baked this afternoon, adding a dip of ice cream to their plates to complement the extremely rich treat, along with a glass of milk. Once all seven kids had theirs, Tom and I joined them with our own plates full of deliciousness. By the time the two stragglers tried to join the crew, the boys and Carrie had already finished their desert, dropped their dishes in the dishwasher and hightailed it to the theater to play some X-Box games before Rich and Carrie headed for home. Ron and Rich wasted no time in creating their own plates and joining Tom and me at the table. As Rich took his seat, he laid his rolled up wet towel on the chair next to him and grinned crookedly at Ron who was sitting next to him. "You two seem to be getting along pretty well," Tom commented with a smirk. "Well, yeah, I guess so," Ron admitted. "What was that grin all about?" I asked with curiosity. "Uh, nothin'," Rich replied with embarrassment. "I just gave him a few things I don't need any longer," Ron answered. "Figured he'd like to get a little practice in before he comes back for the real thing," he added with a chuckle. "Jesus, Ron, would you stop that?" Rich breathed with embarrassment. "I don't want everyone knowin' my business, man." "Chill out, buddy," Ron retorted while wrapping an arm around Rich's shoulder. "You think those two don't have some toys they play with on a regular basis?" he added while pointing a finger in our direction. "I'd bet my left nut they got more than I do. Or even used to," he chuckled. "I'm gonna plead the fifth on that accusation," Tom muttered. All four of us cracked up with that comment. If anyone should know when to take the fifth, it would be an ex-cop. "Just be careful and take your time, Rich," I offered seriously. "Yeah, that's what Ron said," he replied while nodding in agreement. "I just don't know when I'll be able to try anything. It's a rare day when I'm home alone." "Just close and lock your door, or put a sign on it if you can't lock it," Ron offered as a solution. "But then Dad and Carrie'll know what I'm doin'," Rich responded. "Maybe," Tom began, "but at least they won't be able to see you." "Oh shit, I'd rather die than have that happen," Rich moaned in exasperation. The three of us blanched at Rich's flip comment and he quickly backpedaled. "Sorry, guys, I shouldn't a said that. I'm not even thinkin' about that anymore. I just meant I'd be embarrassed to hell and back if that happened," he added seriously. "We're glad to hear it," I replied with concern. "We really worry about how you're doing." "Well, I'm doin' okay, especially considerin' what I was about to do a couple of weeks ago. Damn, I still can't believe I was ready to kill myself. What a fuckin' dumb ass," he moaned. "Not dumb, Rich," Tom responded. "Hurt, lonely, scared, confused, desperate? For sure, but definitely not dumb." "Thanks, Tom. I needed that," Rich replied with a tight smile. "Well, Carrie and I should be goin'. I'm sure it's about time for your boys to be in bed. Give me your plate, Ron, and I'll drop it in the dishwasher with mine." "Nope, I got it, man. You go tell the brats it's that time," he added while patting Rich's shoulder. Rich excused himself and turned for the theater while Ron grabbed their plates and aimed for the kitchen. After hearing the dishwasher starting up, the next sound heard was the rumble of the herd leaving the theater. As the group circled the table, Carrie said, "Thanks for letting us come out Mr. Sanders, Mr. Wright. We had a great time. Maybe we can do it again." "We'd like that, Carrie," I replied. "We hope you weren't too put off by our swimming nude," Tom added. "I admit, it was a little awkward at first, but after a while, I realized it really wasn't that big a deal. I might even give it a whirl the next time," she grinned. "That's fine with us as long as it's okay with your dad," I answered. "I'm sure he'll be cool with it," Carrie replied. "I'll probably test the waters at home first, though. When Dad and Rich aren't around, that is," she added with a smirk. Everyone enjoyed a hearty laugh at that. When quiet had been reestablished, she turned to the boys and said, "For a buncha rugrats, you all are okay. Thanks for letting me join in and have some fun tonight. Even the swimming lesson was fun, Mike." "Th-thanks, Carrie," Mike gushed and blushed. "C'mon, bro, let's roll." "Lead the way little sister." That was all it took for an all-out hugfest to take place and five minutes later, Rich and Carrie headed out the door on their way home. As soon as the door was closed, the boys immediately dropped their shorts before turning tail and running for their rooms to climb in bed, Ron following along at a much more sedate pace. "We'll be right behind to say good night, guys," Tom called out as he locked the door and set the alarm. "Hit the john and brush teeth." "Yeah, yeah, we know the drill, Pops," Logan yelled back. "God, I missed that kid this past week," I muttered quietly. "How much do I owe you and Dylan for your efforts?" I asked with a little giggle. "I figure somewhere around twenty-five to thirty grand should just about cover it," Tom replied in all seriousness. "And worth every damn penny," I grinned. "You two earned it." "I won't argue that point with ya, babe. I'll take my share out in trade for sexual favors, but don't you dare think `bout doin' that with Dylan." "Sounds like too good a deal to pass up," I laughed. "Your deal, anyway, not Dylan's. I'll have his check on his desk first thing in the morning." On that note, we headed down the hallway and aimed for T.J., Mike and Andy's room first. All three were just coming out of the bathroom and we followed them to the bed to share our regular nighttime rituals as they climbed in. With those three tucked in and down for the count, we turned off the light and closed the door before turning to follow suit with the twins and Logan. They were climbing on the bed as we entered the room and waited at the edge of the king-sized mattress for us to join them. After sharing our hugs, kisses, good nights and love yous, they curled up in the middle of the bed. We pulled up their covers, turned out the lights, closed the door and aimed for our own bedroom. Though we were both tired from the long and stressful week, we had other plans besides just sleeping. After a quick stop in the bathroom and crawling into bed, we shared a tender and loving embrace before spending the next hour making up for the time we lost throughout the week. By the time all our carnal desires had been vanquished, we needed another shower and quickly took care of that before falling back into bed, melting into each other's arms and falling into the deepest sleep we'd had in a while. Carrie and I had been home about ten minutes, and Dad still wasn't back from his night out with his buddies from work. As we sat in the family room watching some mindless TV, Carrie finally turned to face me with a look of seriousness on her face. "Hey, Rich, can I ask you somethin' personal?" she queried. "Yeah, I guess," I answered after muting the noisemaker hanging on the wall above the fireplace. "Why are you gay and I'm not?" "How the hell should I know, sis? I just am." "Are you sure?" "Yeah, I'm sure," I muttered. I couldn't believe the two of us were having this conversation this long after everything else had happened, but here we are. "Can I ask somethin' else?" she whispered. After a quick nod from me, she continued with, "Have you ever had sex with either another boy or girl?" Jesus, right for the jugular, I thought. "No." "Then how can you know you're gay if you've never had sex?" "Geez, how can I explain something I'm still tryin' to figure out for myself?" I muttered. I thought about my answer for a few moments before answering. "I guess it all comes down to who looks cute and I think might want to get in the same bed with me. And girls just don't catch my eye or hold my interest in any way. But guys, yeah, there are several I've seen I'd love to jump into bed with. And Ron's one of `em." "So, when you, you know, masturbate in your room at night, you're thinkin' about some guy and doing sex things with him, right?" she asked. "Well, yeah, I guess so," I flustered. "Yeah, me, too," she giggled. "Oh really?" I asked, surprised at her admission since I'd never thought about girls pleasuring themselves the way guys do. "Any boy in particular?" I teased. "Well, it used to be Chris Watkins, but after meeting him at Max's a couple weeks ago, I think about Eric now. A lot." "Well, I can sure understand that. He is a cute little fucker, isn't he?" I chuckled. "Yeah. Wait, are you sayin' you'd want to get in bed with him, too?" Carrie asked in surprise. "Well, if he was gay and closer to my age, I'd sure consider it." "Well, you can't have him, he's mine." "Oh really? Does he know that?" I asked with a laugh. "Um, not yet, I guess. I haven't gotten up the nerve to talk to him since that night." "Well, you better hurry up, sis. As hot as he is, he won't be free for long." She giggled quietly before I continued. "But, before you do anything, you need talk to Dad about getting on the pill or some other kind of protection." "You really think he'd be okay with me having sex. I'm only fourteen ya know." "Of course, I know, ya goof. And I honestly don't know how he'd react, but I bet almost anything his feelings would follow this order; no sex until he's dead, and maybe not even then," I started in a stern voice like Dad would use, but with a smirk so she'd know I was joking, "then safe sex whenever you decide the time is right, and lastly, unprotected sex. The last thing he'd want for you is to get pregnant at your age." "Well, yeah, I don't want that either. I know I'm not ready to be a mom yet, but damn it, I wanna fuck Eric's brains out so bad I can taste it. I wish he'd been there tonight just so I could see him naked." I couldn't help but laugh at her admission of interest in the kid. "Oh, shit, don't tell Dad I said that," she squealed in horror. "He'll think I'm some sort of pervert." "No, he wouldn't, Carrie. If he doesn't think I am, he sure won't think you are." "So, what do I do?" "First, talk to Dad, tell him what you're feeling and see what he says." "But what if he freaks out?" she asked with serious concern. "I don't think he'll do that, sis. He might worry or stew about it for a while, but he won't freak out. He knows you're growing up and the conversation's going to come up at some point, especially with Mom out of the picture. And the sooner, the better, I'm sure." "Would you be willing to help me start that talk with him?" "If you really want me to, sure." "Thanks for listening to me, Rich. All this shit scares the hell out of me." "Me, too, Carrie. Just one of those things we all have to deal with at some point. Now, can I ask you a question?" I waited for her to nod and asked, "Were you really okay with all us guys bein' naked tonight?" After a quick giggle, she answered with, "Yeah. It was actually pretty cool bein' able to check you all out without feelin' like I was doin' somethin' wrong." "But you told Dad you've seen us naked before and it didn't bother you." "Well, I lied about that because every time I did it, I was sneaking around tryin' to see a real dick for once. And I kinda felt bad about peeping on you guys, but my curiosity got the better of me. But when you all were naked tonight, it was kinda like lookin' at the steaks on display in the meat counter at County Market." "So, what'd you think?" "Well, I gotta take back somethin' I told Dad on the phone." "Yeah, what's that?" I asked with interest. "That not all dicks are just dicks," she laughed, and I joined her. "I mean the boys were no big deal, and you and Max seemed pretty normal, I guess, but Tom and Ron blew my mind. I never thought dicks could get that big. I bet it'd hurt like hell to be fucked by either one of them." "I'll let you know after I get with Ron," I replied with a crooked smirk. "What?" she squeaked. "You're really gonna let him fuck you? Like, in the butt?" "Well, since I don't have your plumbing, if I wanna get fucked, yeah, it's gonna have be up the butt." "Jesus! Good luck with that, bro." "Thanks, sis. I'm gonna need it." I woke in the middle of the night with a jerk after another one of those freakin' weird ass dreams. I don't have a clue how I didn't wake Andy and Mike as I thrashed about, but both of them were still snoring lightly as I sat in the middle of the bed and shivered uncontrollably, rehashing the conversation I'd just had in my mind. I pulled the covers back up over my shoulders as I sat there, then looked at the clock to see what time it was. Two-twelve in the freakin' mornin'. Jesus, I thought I was over this insanity after Sammy disappeared into the trees this afternoon, but no such luck, I guess. Tonight's bizarreness was similar to all those whacked-out dreams that involved Sammy, but still different. I had been surrounded by a stark whiteness just like in Sammy's dreams, but instead of being next to the tree he died in or by his grave in the cemetery, I was sitting in a house that seemed familiar. And I felt like I should have recognized the man who came to sit on the couch next to me, too, but I was having a hard time placing him or the house we were in. I stewed on what he'd said to me for a while before my mind suddenly snapped to the obvious. God, why did it take me so long to figure it out? Oh yeah, he always said `my son' and never used his name. I can be pretty flippin' dense sometimes, but then it was the middle of the night and my brain wasn't firing on all thrusters, so I guess I can let it slide. Now knowing what I had to do, I slid off the bed and traipsed down the hallway to Alex, Joey and Logan's bedroom. I quietly pushed the door open and tiptoed inside hoping the light in the hallway would be enough to make sure I woke up the right person. On reaching their bed, I discovered I'd gotten lucky with their sleeping arrangement as Logan was on the outside of the sandwich tonight and they weren't all tangled together yet like they would be in the morning. I reached over and pushed on Logan's shoulder while hissing, "Ps-s-s-st, Logan, wake your ass up." "What," he grumbled as he turned to stare blankly at me. "Get up, ya bozo, we gotta talk." "What time is it?" "Like, a little after two in the morning." "Then leave me the hell alone and go back to bed, ya twit," he mumbled. "No, now," I retorted as I poked him in the ribs a couple of times. That really pissed him off, but he finally rolled out of bed and followed me to the living room, grumbling all the way. Once we sat down on the loveseat together, he asked, "What the hell's so all fire important ya gotta get me outta bed in the middle of the night?" "I just had one of those dreams like the ones I had `bout Sammy." "He's still talkin' to ya? I thought he was long gone by now." "He is, but your dad isn't," I replied. "WHAT!?" Logan screamed. "Sh-h-h-h, don't wake up the whole house, ya bonehead," I whispered. I took Logan's hands in mine and started, "Yeah, I just talked to your dad and he wanted me to pass some things on to you." "What, that I'm a pain-in-the-ass brat and he misses beatin' the crap outta me?" "Nothing like that, dude. First, he told me loves you with all his heart and though he knows it won't be easy for you, he hopes you'll be okay. He's also found your mom and she's good. She was happy to see your dad, again, but sad that he'd been taken from you so soon and left you all alone. She still loves and misses you big time, but she knows she'll get to see you again." "Yeah, when?" "A long, long time from now, so don't worry `bout that. Second, your dad wanted me to make sure you know how sorry he is for treatin' you the way he did the last couple of years. He knows it was wrong to hurt you like he that, but he just didn't know how to deal with his anger after your mom got sick and died. He hopes that someday you'll forgive him for bein' such a jackass." "I already have, T.J.," Logan whimpered. "Did he say anything else?" "Yeah, he's glad you're back here with us and he hopes you can stay with us forever. He said if he could tell that to a judge, he would." "But you can tell `im, can't you?" "What judge in his right mind is ever gonna believe your dad came to me in a dream and told me you should stay here?" "Judge Corgan would, I bet. `Specially after what happened this afternoon with Sammy." "Hm-m-m-m, you might be on to somethin' there. I'll have to talk to Dad about that. The next thing he wanted me to tell you is that he wants you to help your Aunt Arlene and cousins get away from Troy for good. He always knew Troy was a piece of crap and he hated the idea of you goin' to live with them, but since he was the only other family you had left, that's where he wanted you to go. Until he met us." "Once he'd gotten over his old ideas about queers bein' nothin' but perverts, he knew you'd be a lot happier and better off with us than Troy. Your dad was plannin' to go see his lawyer in Jacksonville to change that part of his will, but he died before he could do it. He's really sorry you had to leave for even a week, but both he and your mom are really happy you're back here. He also thinks you cuttin' off Troy's balls is hilarious and he's damn proud of you standin' up to that asshole the way you did." I could see the tears glistening in Logan's eyes, but I had one more thing to tell him. "Here's the last thing he told me, dude. He knows what you plan to do with the money you're gonna get and he's all for it. He just wishes he and your mom could be here to help you do it. They'd had some big plans of what to do with all that money your mom had gotten, but they like your idea better. He says to trust Dad and Pops and they'll make sure it happens. That's it, I guess. For now, anyway." By the time I was done telling Logan everything his dad wanted me to pass on, the kid was a sobbing heap. I reached out, pulled my brother from another mother into my arms and just let him go. He slowly sagged down so his head was in my lap and I just stroked his hair and back as he continued to cry. I stretched over to the table to grab him some Kleenexes and after he wiped his eyes and nose, he let the tissue fall to the floor. Ten minutes later, his breathing had finally smoothed out and I realized he'd fallen back to sleep. Not wanting to wake him again, I slowly moved out from under him and gently laid Logan's head down on the cushion. Next, I quietly scuttled down the hallway to grab an extra blanket from the laundry room, then went back to the living room. I carefully covered up Logan before crawling back onto the loveseat and curling up behind him. Since he was so much bigger than Mike and Andy, I wasn't really that comfortable since my chin was jammed into the back of his neck, but I sure as hell wasn't gonna leave him all alone on the loveseat for the rest of the night. Nope, that's not how you show how much you love and care for someone, you stick with them through all the good stuff and the bad stuff. ` "Max, wake up, you're doing it again," Tom whispered in my ear as he shook my shoulder. "Huh? Wha..." I muttered as I struggled into borderline consciousness. "You're having a bad night again, babe," Tom replied softly. "Well, shit," I groaned in despair. "Were you having a bad dream?" "You could call it that, I guess. Feels more like a nightmare, though." "Do you remember what it was about?" he asked with concern. "Unfortunately," I grunted. "I was about to be dragged back into that hellhole at the church by them," I spat. "That doesn't surprise me too much. You should probably talk to Jason about these nightmares and see if there's anything he can do to help ease the situation." "I suppose so. I woulda thought havin' them in prison would've taken care of that for me, but apparently not. I'll call him Monday and see if he can make arrangements to go to the church when I go for my session next Thursday. Maybe that'll help." "You sure you're ready for that?" "Not really, no. But I'm as ready as I'm ever gonna be, I guess." "I'll make sure I'm available that morning, then. And after you talk to Jason, you need to talk to Derek, too." "Why?" I asked wondering why Derek would need to know what was happening. "Because Dylan told me the only keys to that office are in the hands of the police and the FBI, so Derek will have to meet you there so you can get in." "Yeah, that makes sense. As much sense as all the rest of it, I guess. Can we go back to sleep now?" "I'll give it my best shot, babe." "Hold me," I whispered as I curled into my teddy bear. "Always," Tom whispered back as we fell back into a restful sleep. The next time I opened my eyes, the sun was streaming brightly through the windows and flooding our bedroom with a celestial good morning. My sweet and lovable teddy bear still had his arms wrapped snugly around me and I had to assume I'd slept soundly after my rude mid-morning awakening. I gently brushed the hair out of his eyes before leaning in and giving him a kiss, waking him in the process. "Mornin', babe," he greeted me with a serene smile. "How're you this mornin'?" he asked with concern. "Pretty damn good considering the night I had," I answered. "How `bout you?" "Let me check." He tossed the covers off the both of us and proceeded to make a show of checking his body over. "Well, I don't see any bruises anywhere, so I'm good to go," he finally answered with a cheesy grin and a light-hearted chuckle. "Glad to hear it, hon. You ready for breakfast?" "Always, let's see if Ron's got things going." We made a quick stop in the bathroom before heading out to see if anyone else was up. When we reached the kitchen, we found Ron as busy as any beaver had ever been and it appeared our morning meal was just minutes from being ready to serve. The only odd thing this Sunday morning was the fact the boys weren't sitting at the bar counter and heckling the young man as they like to do. "Where's the kiddos?" Tom asked. "Check the living room," Ron replied. "Not sure what that's all about, but I bet there's a damn good story to go with it." Tom and I followed Ron's suggestion and turned for the living room. As we crossed the entry, we could see the backs of Alex, Joey, Mike and Andy's heads poking above the back of the couch as they sat quietly and were seemingly staring off into space. It wasn't until we got closer and could see over the tops of their heads that we spied T.J. and Logan curled together under a blanket on the loveseat and still sleeping, blissfully unaware they had an audience. "Mornin', guys," I whispered as we stood behind the couch. As the four youngsters turned to look at us, Tom asked, "Any idea what's up with those two?" "Not a clue, Pops," Alex answered quietly. "Yeah, we found `em like that," Joey added. "I thought T.J. was just in the bathroom when I woke up," Mike shared. "Didn't know they was out here until we were on our way to wake you two up," Andy commented. "Why don't you guys start setting the table for breakfast and we'll get them moving?" I suggested. The mini herd headed for the kitchen to take care of their task while we stepped around the couch to the loveseat to wake T.J. and Logan. We sat on the coffee table and just stared at the dozing duo for a few moments before disturbing them. T.J. was curled up behind Logan, his nose was buried in Logan's hair and though the blanket was still doing its job, it appeared T.J.'s arms were wrapped around his older brother. "Two-minute warning!" echoed from the kitchen. Tom reached over to the curled cuteness and shook Logan's shoulder while saying, "Logan, T.J., time to wake up. Breakfast is ready in two minutes." Logan's eyes snapped open and reflected a mixture of surprise and confusion as he took in his surroundings. Finally realizing he was being held from behind, he called out, "Let me go, Alex, I gotta pee." "I'm not Alex, ya dummy," T.J. retorted. "Now, get the heck outta my way, turdball, or I'm gonna whiz all over your back." That was all it took for both boys to discard the blanket, jump off the loveseat and hightail it down the hallway to their bathrooms. Tom and I were still confused as to why the pair were on the loveseat to begin with, but we were hoping we'd learn the answer to that puzzle during our morning meal. By the time we'd joined the rest of the crew already assembled around the dining room table, the food was in place and they were all filling their plates. Tom and I took our places and joined in loading up our own plates as serving bowls and platters were passed around. We were just taking our first bite of scrambled eggs when the darling duo joined us and slipped into their chairs. "Thanks for leavin' us some grub, y'all," Logan deadpanned as he dipped the spoon into the few remaining eggs and dropped them on his plate before passing the bowl on to T.J. "Yeah, we'll remember this the next time any of you jerks are late to the table," T.J. added scornfully while glaring at the now empty bowl. "Sorry, T.J., I shouldn't have taken `em all. Here, bro, you can have some of mine," Logan offered. "Naw, that's all right. I don't really want eggs anyway," T.J. responded with a grump. "What d'ya want, buddy?" Ron asked. "I'll be happy to fix whatever." "I'll just eat their extra bacon and sausage," T.J. retorted with a twisted grin. "Maybe that'll teach `em a lesson." "Pro'lly not," Logan muttered. "Hey, Ron, we got any Frosted Flakes left? Or did these buttwipes eat all them, too?" T.J. queried. "Yeah, we still got some. Be right back, buddy." Ron disappeared into the kitchen and returned shortly with the requested cereal, a bowl, spoon and the milk. He set it all in front of T.J. before retaking his chair. "Thanks, man." "No sweat." Tom changed topics when he asked, "So, what's the story with you two sleepin' in the living room last night?" "Oh, that," T.J. muttered. "I just had another one of those stinkin' weird-ass dreams again." "About Sammy? I thought he moved on yesterday?" I asked. "He did," T.J. answered. "No, it was my dad this time," Logan interjected. "Really?" Alex asked with surprise. "What'd he say, T.J.?" Joey added. The two spent the next ten minutes telling all of us about T.J.'s conversation with Charlie and why they stayed on the loveseat the rest of night. Seeing the compassion T.J. had for Logan was inspiring. These two boys had known each other for less than two months and they were still closer than any brothers I'd ever met. "Your dad's right, you know," I said once they finished telling their story. "We'll do everything we can to help with your idea." "You really don't care if I give my money away?" Logan asked with surprise. "It's your money, buddy," Tom replied. "Whatever you want to do with it, we're behind you all the way." "Thanks, Dads." "Can I ask you somethin', Logan?" I said with reservation. "Well, yeah, `course you can." "At your dad's funeral, when you went up to the casket by yourself, I saw you slip a piece of paper into his hand. I was just wondering what was on it." "Oh, that," Logan answered with a tight smirk. "Nothin' major, really. It just said `dile'." "Dial?" I asked with curiosity. "Why that?" "Well, when I first started goin' to school, Dad'd walk me to the end of the drive and stay with me until the bus got there. After I'd give him a hug goodbye, he'd always say `see ya later, alligator' as I climbed on the bus and I'd say `after a while, crocodile' back at him." "My dad and I always did the same thing," Tom interrupted. "Yeah, mine, too," Ron offered. "Well, as I got older, he `ventually cut it down to just `gator'. I did the same and would answer with `dile'. Even after momma got sick and died, we'd still walk down the drive together and the last thing we'd say to each other every mornin' was `gator' and `dile'. So, the note I gave him was just the word `dile', tellin' him I'll see him again. I've missed doin' that with him since I've been here and now I ain't ever gonna hear him say it again," he added sadly while tears started flooding his eyes. T.J. immediately reached over and pulled Logan into a hug. A quick glance around the table told me everyone was feeling Logan's emotions. Once we'd reined ourselves back in, Tom broke the ensuing silence when he offered, "We'd be more than happy to continue what you and your dad started. If you want us to, that is." "Thanks for offerin' Pops, but it just wouldn't be the same. `Sides, I kinda like your `be good and learn somethin' new today' as we head out the door. It's different, for sure, but it's a positive note to start a new day with. I think we all need to hear that." "And so you will," Tom smirked while looking at me, encouraging me to say it if he wasn't here to do it himself. I quickly nodded in agreement and the deal was sealed. "Hey," T.J. interrupted after releasing Logan, "weren't we supposed to go see Harry this weekend?" "Well, heck," I mumbled, "I knew I'd forgotten something important." "It's not too late," Mike commented. "Yeah, we could leave now and still be back home for supper," Andy added. "Another day, guys. The folks at the airport like a little more than a half hours' notice to get the plane pulled out and ready to go." "Bummer," Joey grumped. "We were lookin' forward to seein' him again." "Tell you what, let's plan that trip for Tuesday morning. That'll let me call the airport tomorrow so they have fair warning, and also a chance to check with Maureen and Harry to make sure it's okay to come by. Sound good to you guys?" "Yeah, Dad, that's great," Alex agreed. "What about Josh, Eric and Brent? Can they go, too?" Joey queried. "We can ask, I suppose. It'll be up to their parents whether they can go or not." "Speaking of important things, T.J.," Tom interrupted, "we still need a list of the kids you want to invite to your party Wednesday or there won't be one." "Oh, cra..., uh, crud!" T.J. exclaimed as he smacked himself in the forehead. "I forgot all `bout that." He jumped off his chair and dashed into kitchen. After a few minutes of hearing drawers opening and closing, he returned to the table with a notepad and pen to fill out his guest list. A few minutes later, he ripped the top page from the pad, handed it to Logan who passed it on to Mike who, in turn, handed it to me. I quickly scanned the list while counting and ended up with eighteen names. A few of the names caught me by surprise and I passed the list to Tom for him to peruse. He obviously saw the same thing I did and looked at me with an eyebrow raised in question. I shrugged my shoulders in response before returning my attention to T.J. "I thought you planned on having a nude swim for your party." "Well, yeah, why?" "You have several girls on your guest list. Are you sure you want to include them if you're not going to be wearing your swim shorts?" I asked seriously. "Why not? Ain't like my dick's big enough to scare none of `em," T.J. retorted with a giggle. "Ain't that the truth," Joey howled in laughter. "But, they see me or Alex naked, they're gonna poop their panties," he quickly added with even more hilarity. "Your little worms ain't scarin' nobody, ya twints," Logan cracked. "Now, if it was Uncle Dylan, I could see `em bein' scared `bout that thing." "What the hell's a `twint'?" Alex asked. "A twin who's also a twit," Logan laughed. "That ain't funny, dude," Joey complained. "Yeah, it kinda is," Andy snickered. "Ya twint," he added with a whisper. "Boys, enough!" I hollered. Once they'd quieted back down, I continued, "Pops and I will make calls this afternoon. We'll make sure the parents know the swim will likely end up being a nude event, if not the whole afternoon. We'll also check to see if anyone has any allergies or other issues we should know about. Now, what kind of food and cake do you want?" "Hamburgers, dogs and brats is cool. Chips or `Ditos, too. I'd like the cake to be a spice cake with a maple frosting. Mom used to make that for me `fore she went to jail." "Sounds good to me. Ron, you up for it or do you want to me call the catering service we used for Joey and Alex's party?" "That many kids, let's use the catering. I could do it, but I'd much rather join the party and enjoy the day with the rest of you." "Good answer, buddy," Tom responded. "We'd like that, too. I guess we'll plan the family party for Saturday." "Cool, Pops," T.J. agreed wholeheartedly. "I hope Uncles Dylan, Malcom and Damon can be here." "I'm sure they'll be here, kiddo, along with Carol, too. Okay, boys, get busy with your cleanup and Pops and I will get on the phones to make arrangements for the next couple of days. We'll be back out after we're done with our calls." As usual, the boys jumped right to their cleanup and since they were making so much noise in the kitchen and wouldn't hear me, I told Ron, "When they're done in there, tell the boys to watch a movie or find some other way to entertain themselves for a bit, will ya?" "Sure. I better be careful how I say it or you know where they'll be," Ron chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, whatever," Tom groaned. The two of us headed for Tom's office and he took his desk while I commandeered Dylan's for the task at hand. After spending a few minutes perusing phone books to locate numbers, we got busy with our calls. By the time we were done some thirty minutes later, we had ten kids coming for sure with eight maybes. Considering we were making sure every parent knew about how at least the swimming portion of the day would likely transpire, few seemed to be that concerned about it, putting it down to having fun. That reaction from them was a bit of fresh air in our lives and we were feeling pretty good about it. Even the parents of the two girls who said yes to the invitation were accepting of the situation and said their daughters were looking forward to being included. My calls to the airport, bakery and caterer would have to wait until tomorrow morning. With our calls completed, we left the office in search of the munchkins. As we crossed the house to check in the theater, I asked, "Do you think we should tell Logan about us tryin' to adopt him or is it too soon to do that?" "No, I think now would be fine," Tom answered. "Knowing what our plans are might help put his mind at ease about what's gonna happen with him. Especially after what he went through with Troy last week." "That's kinda what I was thinkin', too, but I wanted to make sure you agreed." On entering the theater, we found the herd engrossed in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. I was surprised enough to find them watching the movie, but truly amazed that they were so intently focused on what was happening. They were close to the middle of the show, at the point where Dr. Floyd was about to touch the monolith that had been discovered on the moon. Tom and I stood quietly as the scene played out and when the movie moved on to the Jupiter mission, I paused the playback so we could have a short chat. "Hey, what's the big idea?" Joey grumbled at the interruption. "Sorry to intrude, but we wanted to talk about a few things," I replied. "We won't take long and when we're done, you can go back to the movie." "Good," Alex said, "This one's really cool, Dads." "What'd you want to talk `bout?" Logan asked. "First, for T.J., we've called all the parents of the kids on your guest list and have ten kids who will be here for sure and eight maybes," Tom answered. "Cool," T.J. enthused. "Anybody have a problem with us swimmin' naked?" "Not really," I answered. "Though that may be the reason we have that many unsure about their kids comin', they didn't say one way or the other. It sounded more like they may have other plans or transportation issues." "Well, you'll pick `em up if they can't get here another way, won't you?" T.J. begged. "Of course, we will, son," Tom responded. "Sounds great, Dads. We're gonna have a blast." "That's one," Joey commented flatly. "Yeah, what else did you wanna talk `bout?" Alex queried. "Well, before we get to that, I want to ask about the movie you guys picked. How'd you decide to watch 2001?" "Easy, Dad," Logan answered. "We seen all the movies we got plenty and wanted something like Star Trek, but we didn't want to watch any of those without you guys, so we went diggin'." "Yeah, and T.J. found this in the library ya got and we all thought it'd be neat since it's `bout space and stuff," Alex added. "And what do you think about what you've seen so far?" I asked with serious interest. "It's weirder than hell, but cool at the same time," Joey answered. "Yeah, that sounds about right," Tom chuckled. "Well, when it's over, I want to talk about it some more and see if you really understand it," I commented. "That'll be cool, Dads," T.J. said. "Okay, before we go and let you get back to your movie, there's one more thing we want to tell you guys." "Hope it's good news," Mike muttered. "We think so, but we'll let you be the judge of that," I replied. I turned my head to focus on Logan and asked, "You remember talkin' to Clarence the other day?" "Yeah," he answered with hesitation. "I ain't got no big problems with the cops in Dexter, do I?" "Not that we know of. Not yet, anyway. After you were done with him and left the study, I talked to him a bit longer about something really important." "Yeah, what's that?" "About where you're going to live." "Oh shit, I knew this was comin'," Logan muttered sadly. "I'm gonna have to go back and live with that redneck hillbilly Troy, ain't I?" "Not if Judge Corgan has anything to say about it," Tom answered. "Watchu talkin' `bout, Pops?" Mike asked. "Well, after I was done talkin' with Clarence, he drafted a request for us to adopt Logan and he took it to the judge that afternoon. And Judge Corgan said that once all your problems down south were resolved, he'd be more than happy to sign it and make it official for you to join our family." All six sat there with stunned looks filling their faces for at least ten seconds before five of them began to dance their happy dances all around the theater. Logan, for his part, collapsed where he sat and began crying his heart out. The others quickly calmed back down, surrounded their new brother-to-be and showered him with congratulations, hugs and kisses. Logan finally looked at the two of us and asked between his continuing sniffles, "You serious?" "As a heart attack, buddy," Tom answered with a giant smile. "Welcome to the zoo, son." In a haze of happy delirium, Logan launched himself from his chair and into our arms, wrapping his own arms around both our necks as he continued to sob with abundant joy. He held onto us for several minutes and the other boys surrounded us and joined in the eight-way hug to end all hugs. When we finally felt Logan's grip relaxing, we gently lowered him back to floor to stand on his two feet. "Thanks, Dads," he whispered. "I ain't been this happy for years. I don't know what to say." "Your reaction pretty much says it all, Logan," I commented as a tear rolled off my cheek to land on the top of his head. "We hope we can be done with your little legal problems so we can include you in the ceremony we're gonna have on the seventeenth next month." "That'd be so sweet, I hope it happens, too." "Well, we'll let you guys go back to your movie and we'll see you when it's over." Logan pulled us both into another hug and said, "I love you guys and I'm gonna love bein' here with y'all." "We love you too, buddy," Tom replied. On that note, we left the munchkins to finish their show and settled in the living room to relax for a while. An hour later, the sensational six-pack came charging out of the theater signaling the end of the movie. After stopping in the kitchen briefly to grab a juice box each, they joined us as they filled up the couch and loveseat. "So, how was the flick?" I asked. "Really cool," the twins chimed. "And what do you think the movie was about?" "Not a clue," Alex answered with a giggle before adding, "but that doesn't mean we won't watch it again to try to figure it out." Tom and I both chuckled at his answer. "I think I might know," T.J. offered. "Let's hear it, young man." "It was about the evolution of man from prehistoric times to sometime in the future." "My god, T.J., how did you get that?" "Well, it started with the funny apes that kinda looked like they might be man's ancestor or somethin', then jumped way forward in time to man being in space with space stations and exploring the moon. It then jumped even further into the future with that Dave guy gettin' old, dyin' and I guess reborn as that baby." "And what about the monolith? What do you think its purpose was in the story?" "I'm guessing at this, but I think it was what gave man the smarts to evolve. But they never really say where it came from, it just showed up from time to time." "Where do you think it came from?" I asked. "I guess from some aliens who were trying to help create intelligent life on earth. I mean, where else could it come from?" "And why do you think the monolith was the root cause of the evolutionary steps man has taken?" "Well, each time one showed up and somebody touched the dang thing, it seemed like there was a major change in them." "Can you give me an example?" "Sure. The most obvious was with the apes. Before the monolith, they were just a bunch of chickens, scared of their own shadows. But once it showed up and they touched it, they suddenly learned how to use the bones from dead animals as clubs. That's when they started to kill other animals and each other." "And what about the monolith on the moon?" "Well, it beamed that signal to Jupiter and in just a couple of years, we were on a mission to Jupiter to try and find out why. Before Dr. Floyd touched the monolith on the moon, it didn't seem like we'd gotten past that point. I think when he touched it, he was given the knowledge of how to explore space past the moon." "You are blowin' my mind, child. What about the last one?" I asked in awe of his grasp of the movie. "That one's easy. Like I said already, after Dave died in that bedroom, he was reborn as the next step in the evolution of humans. I'm just not sure if that baby came back to earth or is living among the planets and stars." When T.J. was done with his thoughts, the other five just stared at him in shock. But I was feeling a bit of shock as well that a kid T.J.'s age would truly understand the real meaning of the movie. I had to watch the damn thing five or six times to achieve the same level of comprehension he had in one viewing. And I was twenty-seven when that finally happened. "You hit the nail on the head, young man. I'm impressed with the reasoning and logic behind your conclusions." "Thanks, but don't be too happy `bout it, Dad," T.J. replied with a crooked smirk. "Why not?" I queried. "I really got most of what I just said from you and what you were thinkin' just now." "What!?" I yelped as everyone else began laughing. "Yeah, I cheated," the little imp grinned evilly. "I know you've thought about showing us the movie before, but you also didn't think we'd understand it, so when we went lookin' for somethin' to watch this mornin', I picked that one on purpose. Gotcha!" he laughed along with the others. "Why, you little stinker," I moaned. "You really had me goin'." "I could tell. It's really a good movie, though, and thanks to you, it makes sense, now." "Why I oughta ..." "Yeah, what? You ain't gonna spank me for trickin' ya, are ya?" "Absolutely not," I retorted. "But I'll think of somethin' to get back at ya." "Yeah, good luck with that," Alex grinned. "He'll know what you wanna do way before you even try it, Dad," Joey added with a laugh. "Well, crap, I didn't think about that." Knowing that I'd just been bested by a seven-year-old caused all the boys to laugh heartily. "Hey, Dads," Logan interjected, "can we talk `bout somethin'?" "Sure, what's on your mind?" Tom asked. "I been thinkin' `bout this since Daddy died and you read his will that day. The farm and all is really mine now, right?" "Yes," I replied hesitantly, unsure where he was headed with this. "Well, since it looks like I'm gonna be livin' here for real and not goin' back there any time soon, I got an idea. Somebody still needs to take care of the animals and everything else. And while I `ppreciate Mr. Bartley and Ryan's help with that so far, I don't want them to have to take on any more of my problems when they got their own farm to deal with, too." "So, what're you thinking?" Tom asked. "Part of what Daddy told T.J. last night was he wanted me to help Aunt Arlene, Daril and Arley get away from Uncle Dirtbag, right? What do ya think about me lettin' `em live on the farm and take care of the animals for me? That kinda fixes two problems at the same time, don't it?" "It sure does," I agreed. "Have you thought about what you want to do with the land? I think you inherited about 240 acres of prime farmland with the house and everything else." "Yeah, I have," he answered slowly. "I don't think I want to sell it `cause I might want to keep the farm and move back in at some time. But, I also don't think it should all just lay fallow until I'm ready to do that. So, I think I'll take Mr. Bartley up on his offer and rent him the land to farm. Does that sound okay?" "I believe you're thinking along the right lines, Logan. It's nice of you to offer the opportunity to your aunt and cousins, and I'm sure Joe will be happy with the idea, too." "Good, I was hopin' you'd think that was all okay. Since I don't know nothin' `bout how to rent the land, do you think you could help me deal with that?" "I'm not sure how much help I could be, Logan, since I don't know anything about farming. I guess we could talk to Clarence about it and see if he might be able to deal with that for you." "Yeah, that'd be cool. I'm sure I'll have to talk to him again soon `bout my other problems, we can talk `bout the farm then. Ya think we could call Aunt Arlene now?" "Sure, let's do it." I used my phone to locate her number, then dialed the number on the house line and put it on speakerphone. She answered the phone on the third ring with a seemingly uncertain, "Hello?" "Hey, Aunt Arlene, it's me, Logan. How ya doin'?" "Oh, Logan, I'm so happy to hear from you. We've been really worried about you since you disappeared last Thursday. Are you back home and safe?" "Yeah, I'm okay. How `bout you? Are y'all safe?" "As long as Troy's in jail, we are. We're gonna have to get out of here before he's turned loose, though, or it's gonna be really ugly. I just don't know where we can go that we'll be safe from him." "I do," Logan replied. "How would you, Daril and Arley like to come up here and live on my farm?" "Are you serious, Logan? I can't believe you'd do that for us after the way we treated you?" "That was all Uncle Dirtbag, you didn't have nothin' to do with it." We all heard Arlene snicker at Logan's name for Troy. "The note Daril and Arley gave me on the way down to Dexter last week told me all `bout what you guys been puttin' up with." "They gave you a note?" Arlene asked in surprise. "Yep. And ain't nobody should have put up with crap like that." "Well, thank you for the offer, Logan. Let me talk to Daril and Arley and see what they think. I'm pretty sure they'll be happy to get out of here, too, since Troy didn't care who he was beatin' on." "Well, ya ain't gotta worry `bout that no more," Logan replied. "Hello, Arlene," I interjected. "This is Max Sanders, Logan's been living with me and my family." "Hi, Max." "I know this is all pretty sudden, but we think the sooner you can get up here, the better off you'll be. Will you be needing any help?" "Probably. We only have the truck and equipment for the orchard, so I don't know how we'd be able to get there. I can't believe you'd be willing to help us after all the crap Troy pulled." "Like Logan said, that's all on him, not you and your sons. And since Logan's farmhouse is fully furnished, all you'll really need to bring with you is your clothes and any personal items you don't want to leave." "But what're we gonna do about the orchard?" Arlene asked with serious concern. "Well, from what Troy told Logan, he's about to lose it anyway, so don't worry about it. You need to just walk away and let him deal with the mess he's gotten himself into." "I really like the sound of that," Arlene giggled. " `Bout time he took care of his problems his own damn self. `Course, it won't be easy to do from jail, but that's on him, I guess. Them boys he's borrowed money from won't be none too happy with him, though." "Again, not yours to worry about. You three just get your things together and we'll talk later this week about getting you moved. Sound good to you?" "You have no idea. I really wanna thank y'all for your help in makin' this happen. And thank you Logan for standin' up to that bastard and makin' him pay for bein' such a godawful prick all these years." "Well, I feel awful bad `bout cuttin' him the way I did, but I really thought he was gonna kill me." "And that's exactly what we told Captain McCord, that Troy planned to kill you as soon as he had control of your money. I always knew Troy wasn't dealin' with a full deck, but I never realized he was that evil." "Thanks, Aunt Arlene. How's that bastard doin'?" "He spent a couple of nights in the hospital after they sewed his useless and empty sack back together, just to make sure no infections took hold, but he was moved from the hospital to jail this morning. Despite the cops thinking he's the victim in all this, I think we finally managed to convince them he ain't." "Well, look, you three get ready to move," I said. "We'll take it from there." "We'll do that. Again, thanks for your help. We'll look forward to gettin' to know y'all better once we get settled in. Especially you, Logan. We owe you for this, young man." "Aw, don't worry `bout it. I'm just glad I can help. Talk to y'all later." After ending the call, we sat back a moment to think about the commitment we'd just made. While there was no love lost between us and Arlene, I had to admit we didn't really know them that well. And since it was Logan's decision to help them out and they were soon going to be a part of our extended family, it made sense that we should bury any hatchets we may have and start anew. As long as Troy was out of the picture, I hoped we could all work together and create a good outcome for everyone involved. I turned to Tom and asked, "You think Vinnie might be willing to help them get moved up here?" "I don't think he'd turn down any job that pays cash. I'll call him in the morning and see what he says." "Perfect. I wonder what Ron's fixing for lunch? I'm startin' to get hungry." "Yeah, us, too," Andy giggled. "I'll find out," Mike offered as he jumped off the loveseat and hightailed it down the hall. We heard him knock on the door to Ron's room and then say `whoops, sorry dude' before he came back to rejoin us. "He's, um, busy, guys. We might want to fix our own lunch today," he said with a huge grin on his face. "Well, let's make it so," Tom said as he led the way to the kitchen.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 82</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk18705386"></a><a name="_Hlk13501156"></a><a name="_Toc10738464"><span>Chapter 82 � </span></a><span>It's Official</span></h2> <p><span>As we lounged by the fireplace and enjoyed a bit of quiet, I decided this would be a good time to have our discussion with the boys about proper personal hygiene. While Tom and I had been well aware of the issue Ron had broached, we never took the time to do or say anything about it. We just scrunched our noses, tossed the nastiness into the washer with a bunch of bleach and hoped for the best. But since someone else was now taking care of our laundry, it seemed like the time had come to deal with the ongoing problem.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, while we wait for Rich to get here, we need to talk about something," I began.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, Dad?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Ron has brought something to our attention that disturbs him quite a bit and he's asked for our to help resolve the problem."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, ain't our fault he came in our room when we was <i>busy</i>," Logan complained.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," Joey chimed, "if ya can't take the heat, then stay the hell outta the kitchen." All six rugrats laughed out loud on that comment.</span></p> <p><span>"That's not the problem, guys," Tom interjected. "And that's a different discussion for another time. What we're talkin' about is your lack of due diligence after going to the bathroom."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatchu talkin' `bout, Pops?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, to be disgustingly blunt," I began, "none of you seem to understand how toilet paper is supposed to work and that needs to change. Ron says if you can't learn how to properly wipe your butts, he's going to have to buy every bottle of bleach in Springfield just to keep your underwear clean. He's gettin' really tired of dealin' with poopy skid-marked drawers and we don't blame him one bit for feeling that way."</span></p> <p><span>"So, we quit wearin' underwear, problem solved, right?" T.J. giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"No, T.J., that doesn't solve the problem," Tom replied. "It just transfers it to your pants, shorts or whatever else you sit on. Besides, we don't want Ron to have to start washing the towels on all the chairs every day. That's not what we hired him for."</span></p> <p><span>"So, here's what's gonna happen," I said as I took over. "Before any of you sit on anything, we're going to make sure you're clean, just so you don't leave little bits of yourselves everywhere you go."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, how ya gonna do that?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You're going to bend over and spread your butt cheeks so we can make sure you've properly cleaned yourself. Once we've determined you're okay, you can sit down."</span></p> <p><span>"So that's what this is really all about," Joey said. </span></p> <p><span>"You all just want to look at our buttholes, don't ya?" Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>After the laughter died back down, Tom said, "No, guys, that's not it at all. You're all old enough that you should know how to clean yourself properly. And if you don't, it's our job to teach you."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what's gonna happen if you don't think we're clean enough?" Mike asked with a nervous tremble in his voice.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm gonna take ya outside, bend ya over and stick the hose up your ass," Ron threatened with a growl.</span></p> <p><span>"Ooooh, that sounds like it might be fun, Skinny," Logan retorted. "Wanna give me a demonstration right now?" he added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe later, Farm-Boy, if you don't get your shit together," Ron retorted. An uproarious round of laughter filled the house on that comment.</span></p> <p><span>"Look, guys, while it's fine for you to think this is funny, it really isn't. You know we're proud of all of you, but you should have enough pride in yourselves to be your best all the time. And part of that should be making sure that you're taking proper care of your bodies. Besides, with some of the things we know you're all doing with each other, we think you'd want to make sure your partners are clean. Otherwise, you could get really sick."</span></p> <p><span>"You mean, like, lickin' each other and stickin' our di..." Joey started.</span></p> <p><span>"Exactly," Tom quickly interrupted. "We don't want anyone becoming ill because you're bein' lazy."</span></p> <p><span>"Ron, you got anything else you wanna say?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'm gonna start buyin' those wet wipes, a bunch of cheap white washcloths and some small trash cans for all the bathrooms. If they start usin' them every time they hafta poop, then we can nip this problem in the bud. It's either that or they start takin' a shower every time they take a dump."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good idea," I agreed. "One rule with those wipes, though, is they don't get flushed down the toilet. They'd have the septic tank clogged in a heartbeat and gettin' that pumped out is a nasty job."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you guys good with that?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Pops," Joey replied with nods of agreement from the others.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry for makin' your job ugly, Ron," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right, dudes. We're cool. But I'm dead serious `bout usin' the hose on ya if ya don't straighten up," he added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm ready whenever you are, Ron-boy," Logan cracked in return.</span></p> <p><span>"Can we have that <i>other</i> talk, now," T.J. asked. DING!</span></p> <p><span>"Later, buddy. It sounds like Rich is here and he doesn't need to be in the middle of that. Why don't you meet him at the door?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet," T.J. grinned in agreement before he jumped off the loveseat and ran to the front door. When he reached the entry, he stood to the side so he could watch for Rich through the sidelight. Seeing his car pull around the circle drive and stop at the base of the steps, T.J. opened the door and was dancing with excitement on seeing his buddy. We soon heard two car doors slam and T.J. immediately stood stock still and muttered, "Well, crap." He then turned towards us and called out, "He brought his sister with him." Fortunately, we were still had on the shorts and t-shirts we'd worn for our visit with David and Gabriel so we didn't have to make a mad dash to cover up.</span></p> <p><span>Though we were a bit surprised Rich had brought Carrie with him, Tom and I strolled across the house to greet our guests. As we did, Ron made his way towards the kitchen to continue working on the supper he'd started while the rest of us had visited Sammy's tree and the cemetery.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Rich. Hi, Carrie. How're you two doing?" I asked on reaching the door.</span></p> <p><span>"Not too bad, Mr. Sanders," Rich replied. "I hope you don't mind Carrie coming with me, but Dad had other plans tonight and he's still worried about the Wicked Witch of the West."</span></p> <p><span>"No, that's fine," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Rich," T.J. grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, dudelet?" Rich inquired. "You don't seem very happy."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, man, but with your sister bein' here, our dads are pro'lly gonna make us wear our shorts when we go swimmin'."</span></p> <p><span>" `Scuse me?"</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon in and have a seat," Tom replied. "We'll explain what T.J.'s saying." After closing the door, we headed across the house to join the boys who had remained in the living room, all of whom were sporting frowns of displeasure with Carrie's presence.</span></p> <p><span>Once we'd all taken a seat and gotten comfortable, Rich commented, "Geez, it looks like they're all pissed off `bout somethin'. What's up with you guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think they're just surprised Carrie's with you, Rich," Tom offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I promised Dad I wouldn't leave her home alone. If you want, we'll go and I'll come back another time when he's gonna be home."</span></p> <p><span>"No, don't worry about that," I replied. "Though you've both been here before, there's a part of our lives you don't know about."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what's that?" Carrie asked.</span></p> <p><span>"When we're at home, we normally don't wear clothes," I answered. "And the boys don't like the idea we're going to make them wear shorts when we swim later since you're here, Carrie."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh," she muttered in surprise. "I'm sorry. I could stay inside," she offered.</span></p> <p><span>"No, that wouldn't be fair to you," Tom replied. "They'll either swim with their shorts or they won't swim. It'll be their choice."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, guys, let me talk to Carrie a minute," Rich interrupted. He grabbed her hand and said, "C'mon, sis," before the two quickly disappeared down the hallway towards the garage, leaving Tom and me with six surly munchkins. A few short minutes later, they returned and retook their places on the loveseat. "Okay, here's the scoop. If the boys want to swim naked, that's cool with us." The sensational six-pack suddenly became joyful again and let go a loud cheer. </span></p> <p><span>"Now, there's the happy kids I'm used to seein' `round here," Rich commented after they'd quieted back down.</span></p> <p><span>"Are you sure it's okay with you, Carrie?" Tom asked. "We don't want you to be uncomfortable."</span></p> <p><span>"Naw, it's fine, Mr. Wright. If they don't care if I see `em naked, I don't care, either."</span></p> <p><span>"Listen, guys," Rich interjected, "Carrie sometimes babysits for a couple that lives close to us and she has to be in the bathroom to supervise the brats when they're takin' their bath. If she isn't, they make a total freakin' mess and water ends up everywhere. So, she's used to bein' around younger boys who aren't dressed. Bein' around your six won't be any different from dealin' with them." </span></p> <p><span>"But we'll be wearing our swimsuits," Carrie added quickly.</span></p> <p><span>"We will, too," Tom offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, if you're used to swimmin' without shorts, it's fine with us. I'd be tempted to join you if it weren't for Carrie bein' here," Rich replied with a wicked grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Not without talking to your dad about it first," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I can fix that right now," Rich offered as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and quickly dialed Stan's number. "Hey, Dad, hate to bug ya, but I got a question for ya. ... Well, we're at Mr. Sanders' house and it turns out they, uh, like to, um, skinny-dip. ... Well, Carrie says it's okay with her, but Max and Tom aren't comfortable doing so without you sayin' whether it's okay with you or not. ... Well, yeah, I'd kinda like to give it a try, but if you don't think it'd be cool, I won't. ... Yeah, hang on a sec." Rich then turned to Carrie, handed her the phone and said, "He wants to talk to you, now."</span></p> <p><span>Carrie rolled her eyes but took the phone from her brother's hand and said, "Yeah, Dad, what's up? ... Like I told Rich, I don't care so long as they don't expect to me strip down, too. ... Well, yeah, but I've seen both you and Rich that way before as you guys head for a bathroom or back to your rooms after a shower, so what's the big deal? Besides, a dick's just a dick, right?" she asked eliciting a round of giggles from the boys. "And as long they don't waggle the dang thing right in front of my face, I'm fine with it. ... Yeah, okay, hang on." She next handed the phone to me with a giggle of her own while adding, "Your turn, Mr. Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Stan," I greeted the man warily.</span></p> <p><span>"Evening, Max. You aren't tryin' to corrupt my kids, are ya?" he asked with a serious tone of voice.</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely not!" I protested. "Just tryin' to explain to Rich and Carrie why the boys were unhappy."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just givin' ya some shit, Max. Loosen up a bit, will ya?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Stan, but we're very careful about sharing certain aspects of our lives with folks outside the family."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if Rich's gonna be playin' you, `scuse me, Jake, in your movies, that makes us more than just family, doesn't it? He's pretty much gonna be, like, a clone of you, don't ya think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I s'pose you could say that," I agreed with a chuckle. "We just don't want to do anything that would offend or upset you or your kids."</span></p> <p><span>"You're fine, Max. If Carrie says she's okay with it, then I am too. I trust my kids to use their common sense and they need to learn to deal with life as it is, in all its myriad forms. Besides, with most of y'all bein' gay, I kinda figured some, uh, hijinks might be takin' place out there anyway. Wasn't thinkin' about Carrie taggin' along and puttin' a crimp in anybody's plans."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, now that you mention that, Stan, I've got a question for you. Hang on a second." I left the living room and the rest of the crew to talk amongst themselves while heading down the hallway Rich and Carrie had just vacated. Once out of earshot of the family, I quietly continued, "We know you said you were fine with Rich being gay and you seemed willing to help him discover himself in a safe manner. Were you serious about that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, yeah, but I haven't made any progress on the best way to accomplish that goal. You got somethin' in mind?" Stan asked with a bit of hesitation.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe. I'm going to toss an odd suggestion out to ya, and you tell me if you're okay with it. We recently hired a young man to live with us and help us out with cooking, cleaning and the like. His name is Ron Cain, he's twenty-three and also gay. The day he started, I asked Ron if he might be willing to, I guess, help Rich with some, um lessons, I suppose you'd call them. Ron gave it some serious thought and finally said he'd be willing to help Rich once he'd had a chance to meet him. While I know it's really up to Rich if anything happens between them, I wanted to make sure it's okay with you, too, before we put the idea to Rich."</span></p> <p><span>"You say this Ron guy's only been with you for a couple of weeks, huh? That really concerns me. Just how much do you really know about him?" Stan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, knowing he'd be living with us, Tom did a very thorough background check on him and didn't find anything that would cause us to worry about anything. Beyond that, he's mixed right in with the rest of us and he fits in well with the group. He takes his job here very seriously and he does it well. The best recommendation I can think of, though, is that all our boys like him and they're a tough crowd to please. And honestly, Stan, I highly doubt anything would happen tonight, especially with Carrie coming along for the ride. All I see coming out of it right now is the two meeting each other and possibly talking about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you're probably right. I'd kinda like to meet this Ron guy myself before they jump off a cliff together, but if you feel confident things'll be okay, I trust you to make that call. Look, I gotta go, but I really appreciate you talkin' to me `bout this and for lookin' out for my kid. He's smart enough, I know, but I still worry about him getting into a situation he may think he's ready for, but really isn't. You get what I'm sayin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I do. We'll be responsible chaperones."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all I ask for, Max. Okay, gotta run. I'm startin' to get dirty looks from the others at the table."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Stan. Have a fun evening." I ended the call and returned to the living room, handing the phone back to Rich before taking my seat. "Okay, looks like your dad's okay with everything," I commented. "Boys, you can swim without your shorts, all I ask is for you to wrap your towels around your waists until you're ready to jump in the pool." I then turned to Tom and added, "That goes for us, too, bubba."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, I think I'll be keeping my shorts on tonight," he muttered in reply.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't feel like you have to hide yourself on my account, Mr. Wright," Carrie offered with a smirk. "I swear I won't look," she giggled lightly before quietly adding, "more than two or three times, anyway." Everyone enjoyed a good laugh at her funny comment.</span></p> <p><span>When we'd finally gone quiet, we heard, "Supper in five, y'all! Time for the brats to set the table!" resonate loudly from the kitchen. Nothing else had to be said as the sensational six-pack jumped from the couch and hustled into the kitchen to take care of their duties. </span></p> <p><span>"Carrie, would you mind givin' them a hand?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Mr. Sanders," she agreed as she left Rich, Tom and me alone.</span></p> <p><span>"Now that it's just the three of us, Rich, we have something we want to talk to you about," I said.</span></p> <p><span>"What's that, Mr. Sanders?" Rich asked with interest.</span></p> <p><span>"First, our names are Max and Tom. You're more or less an adult now, so please use them."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, thanks, Max. What's second?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that. From what you told Tom, you were engaging in some pretty risky behavior before you talked to him at the school."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you really mean <i>stupid </i>behavior," Rich asked as he blushed. "Yeah, I was, but like I said on the phone, that's all over now so ya don't hafta worry `bout that anymore. Why'd you bring that up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we might have a solution for you," Tom answered. "If you're interested, that is."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, duh!!" Rich retorted. "Is the pope a pedo?" he added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"That's pretty much a given," I agreed with a laugh. "Okay, so, here's the deal. You haven't met Ron just yet, but he's been with us for a couple of weeks now, and after I asked him, he said he'd be willing to help you discover more about yourself than you ever thought you knew, if for no other reason than to help keep you out of the bars. He wants to meet you before he fully commits to anything, but he's interested in the idea."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, me, too," Rich panted with excitement. "Is this Ron dude cute?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we think so," Tom replied, "but you'll have to be the final judge on if he ticks all the checkboxes on <i>your</i> cuteness scorecard."</span></p> <p><span>"Sweet," Rich cooed happily. "I might finally get the chance to find out if a blowjob's really everything I've heard it is," he added with extreme eagerness.</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, hang on there, buddy. We expect tonight to be just a meet and greet, get to know each other a little bit type of night. And your dad just told me that while he's okay with you two testing the waters, he'd also like to meet Ron before anything serious happens between you."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, you actually talked to my dad about this? And he was cool with it?" Rich asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he was. Does that shock you?" I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, he's just full of surprises lately. First, he's cool with me bein' a queer, and now he's okay with me gettin' some. Unreal."</span></p> <p><span>"Parents can sure be surprising, can't they?" Tom asked. "We both know all too well how that goes when it turns out bad."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell me `bout it. We haven't heard a peep outta the old lady since Dad kicked her ass out. Don't have a clue where she went, and we really don't care. Her flat out sayin' she'd rather have me dead than gay completely blows my mind. I'm just glad Dad is standin' by and supportin' me as I try to deal with all this."</span></p> <p><span>"Have you said anything to any of your friends, yet? And what's their reaction been?"</span></p> <p><span>"A few of `em, yeah. As to their reaction, it turns out I've only got one <i>real</i> friend. The whole basketball team turned their backs on me, but I pretty much expected that. Buncha ignorant jocks, anyways. None of `em wanna be naked `round a faggot, afraid I'll rape `em in the shower or somethin', I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"We're sorry, Rich," Tom offered. "Unfortunately, that just the way it goes sometimes. You've got friends here, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know. Hope to get another one soon, too," he added with another crooked smirk of hope.</span></p> <p><span>"All in good time. You have to have a little patience, okay?" I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm tryin', guys, but it's hard." On realizing his unintentional pun, Rich snorted in laughter, then added, "Guess I shoulda said difficult."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay you three, get your butts in here or we're gonna eat without you," Ron yelled from the dining room.</span></p> <p><span>Rich did a bit of a double-take on seeing Ron for the first time and quietly muttered, "That's Ron!? Fuck me runnin', dudes, he's fuckin' hot."</span></p> <p><span>"Down, boy, easy there," Tom chuckled at Rich's reaction.</span></p> <p><span>We joined the rest of the crew at the table, Tom and I taking our regular places and Rich settling in next to T.J. and across the table from Ron. The boys had finally gotten over their worries about Carrie being here and were including her in their ongoing discussions about a myriad of subjects. She was surprised to discover Alex and Joey were working their way through the sixth-grade math text, but after they gave her a few examples of their prowess with numbers, she understood completely. As for Rich and Ron, they were being pretty quiet but still exchanging subtle glances between themselves that reminded me of the looks that passed between Carrie and Eric the night they shared a table under our roof.</span></p> <p><span>The barbeque ribs, au-gratin potatoes and coleslaw Ron had fixed for our meal were delicious, as usual, and we wasted little time in packing it away. When the serving bowls and platters had been emptied, the boys jumped on their regular task of cleaning up the table and loading the dishwasher, Carrie happily joining the crew and seeming to enjoy helping out. With their job completed, all seven disappeared into the theater until it was time for our swim.</span></p> <p><span>Before Ron could return to the kitchen to complete the cleanup process, Rich commented, "That was delicious, Ron, thanks for fixin' it. What barbeque sauce did you use?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's the house's special recipe. Max makes it himself."</span></p> <p><span>"You're kiddin' me," Rich replied in surprise before turning to me and asking, "What all do you put in it, Max? That stuff was the best sauce I've ever tasted."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's see. There's ketchup, mustard, a little worcestershire, a tiny bit of soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, and a dash of salt. That's it, I guess. You just mix and taste until you reach the flavoring you like."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds pretty simple," Rich commented.</span></p> <p><span>"It is, but I've always preferred to make my own over buying somebody else's."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let me finish cleaning up the kitchen and we can hit the pool," Ron commented.</span></p> <p><span>"You need any help?" Rich asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, why not? Two bodies will get the job done quicker than one," Ron agreed, willingly accepting help for the first time since he'd moved in. Tom and I took that to mean it was time to make ourselves scarce, so we adjourned to sit by the fireplace to read and relax.</span></p> <p><span>"So, you're the idiot kid who was hittin' the gay bar in town, huh?" Ron asked as he started washing the pan the ribs had been cooked in.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's me," Rich admitted guiltily.</span></p> <p><span>"How the hell'd you even get in there? I tried when I was your age and couldn't swing it until I could prove I was twenty-one. And even then, they thought it was a fake ID," Ron responded with a crooked grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, don't tell anybody, but the bouncer is a friend of my dad's and he'd let me in," Rich whispered with a giggle. "Made sure I drank nothin' but soda or water all night, too. He knew my old man would kick his ass if I'd ever gone home even slightly tipsy."</span></p> <p><span>"I can't believe he kept his mouth shut. Sure, you got in, but what if he'd told your dad what you were doin'?" Ron asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I was safe on that account, Ron. Since the dude's gay and my dad didn't know it at the time, we both kept each other's secret," Rich answered as he started drying the pan Ron had handed him.</span></p> <p><span>"Man, you got lucky with him guarding the gates, didn't you?" Ron commented as he started working on the potato dish.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorta, I guess. `Course, I never really accomplished anything except for gettin' outta the house and away from the family for a while. Never could get a dude to do anything."</span></p> <p><span>"You're lucky you didn't. Most of the guys in that dump are grade-A assholes. All they want to do is get off, and they don't give two shits about who or what they have to do to make it happen. And once they get started, they won't stop for nothin'."</span></p> <p><span>"But I want to get in bed with another guy so bad, Ron, I can't stand it. I'm gettin' really damn tired of my hands bein' my only outlet."</span></p> <p><span>"What, don't you have any toys?" Ron asked with surprise while passing the potato dish to his helper and snagging the next item to be washed.</span></p> <p><span>"Hell, no," Rich retorted. "How could I since I'm not old enough to get into a store that sells that shit?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, you <i>have</i> heard of the internet, haven't you?" Ron asked with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Who hasn't," Rich replied with a chuckle of his own. "How the hell you think I found all the gay porn I have? But I don't have a credit or debit card I can use to buy anything. No PayPal account, either. Besides, my dad would fuckin' freak the hell out if he opened up a box addressed to me and it was filled with nothin' but dildos, butt plugs, vibrators and lube."</span></p> <p><span>"How do you know that? Have you asked him?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, fuck no, man. That'd be way too embarrassing," Rich answered while setting the potato dish on the counter and accepting the next item to dry from Ron.</span></p> <p><span>"Look, from what I've heard, your dad's okay with you bein' gay, even offering to help you out somehow. So what would be so bad about askin' him to get some toys so you could start experimenting? What's the worst he could do, say no?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, when you put it that way ..."</span></p> <p><span>"Exactly. Sometimes a dude's gotta be proactive and go after what he really wants. Maybe I can help you out with a few items to get you started," Ron offered.</span></p> <p><span>"You'd really do that?" Rich asked with surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Why the hell not? I've got a few things that don't feel quite like they did when I first got them since I've moved up a bit in size. They'd be perfect for a newbie like you. Big enough to know you've got something goin' on back there, but not so big that they'll cause you any serious pain. Sure, the first few times might hurt a bit, but as long as you're careful and take your time, once you get used to them, you'll be just fine."</span></p> <p><span>"Wow, that's really nice o' you, dude."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm always happy to help when I can, man. `Sides, as you play with them, you'll figure out real quick whether you're a top, bottom or you don't care."</span></p> <p><span>"Huh?" Rich asked in confusion.</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus, you really don't know shit about any of this, do ya?" Ron giggled. "Consider this your first lesson in gay sex. A top is a dude who prefers to be the fucker while a bottom wants to be the fuckee. Then you have your versatiles who don't give a shit how they get it, just as long they're gettin' some."</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, gotcha," Rich chuckled. "So, which are you?" he added with a sly grin.</span></p> <p><span>"We-e-e-ll, while I've allowed a few guys the privilege of bein' inside me, I'm more of a topper. Don't get me wrong, I like somethin' in my ass every now and then, too, but most dudes don't know how to be calm and take their time. And when they get too freakin' out of control, it can hurt like a bitch. So, I tend to stick with my toys since I'm the one in control of them."</span></p> <p><span>"Guess that means I better get ready to have my ass reamed," Rich responded with a lascivious grin.</span></p> <p><span>"All in good time, my young Padawan," Ron retorted with a chuckle. "Remember, patience is the key. You've got the rest of your life ahead of you and after the first Jake Franklin movie hits the screen, you'll have every hot and horny young stud in the country chasin' after your sweet ass." Rich blushed mightily at the compliment and hung his head low. </span></p> <p><span>"Don't be like that, man," Ron voiced in an encouraging tone while lifting Rich's head with his fingers. "You're hotter than hell and if it weren't for you still bein' a virgin, I'd bend you over that counter and fuck you right here and now." Ron handed the last item to dry to Rich and smiled as Rich blushed an even deeper shade of pink.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon," Ron began, "don't you dare try to make me think you don't know how hot you are."</span></p> <p><span>"It's not so much that, I guess. My mom always used to tell me how cute she thought I was. `Course, that was before she knew I was a fag. I'm just not used to hearin' it from another guy."</span></p> <p><span>"What, your dad never told you he thought you were cute?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, he used to, but he doesn't wanna fuck me, either. It somehow sounds different comin' from somebody who does."</span></p> <p><span>"Listen, buddy, after meetin' ya tonight and gettin' to know you a bit, I'll be more than happy to do anything you want to do, just let it happen naturally, okay? Don't try to force or rush the issue. And before you go home, I'll get you fixed up with the Ron Cain approved `horny boy home care package'."</span></p> <p><span>"You're all right, man," Rich sighed. "Thanks for the straight talk."</span></p> <p><span>"Weren't no <i>straight</i> talk there, Rich, that was nothin' but the truth."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever, smart ass. By the way," Rich started with a whisper, "you're pretty fuckin' hot, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for noticin'," Ron replied with pride. "I shaved today, just for you."</span></p> <p><span>"You're shittin' me?" Rich asked eagerly.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, wanna see?" Ron asked in a teasing tone of voice. After a quick and enthusiastic nod from Rich, Ron hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his shorts and lowered them just far enough for Rich to see nothing but the pale and bare skin of his groin. Releasing his shorts to their normal position, Ron added, "You can see the rest when we get ready for our swim."</span></p> <p><span>"I can't wait," Rich enthused.</span></p> <p><span>Thirty minutes had passed and Tom and I were no longer hearing the rattle and clatter of dishes being cleaned in the kitchen. We assumed the two fine young men were finally done with the task and were just about to see if they were ready to jump in the pool when they came through the dining room and joined us.</span></p> <p><span>"I thought it was supposed to take less time to clean up with two of you working together," Tom cracked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we were talkin', too," Ron retorted smartly. "That okay with you guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Fine with us," I agreed. "One of you wanna tell the kids we're ready."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do it," Rich offered before he spun on his heels and aimed for the theater.</span></p> <p><span>"You two have a nice chat?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," Ron replied. "Rich is a nice kid. <i>Kid</i> bein' the most important word there. But I think we'll be all right. He's eager enough, that's for damn sure," Ron giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"You two just be careful and take your time," I reminded Ron with a note of seriousness.</span></p> <p><span>"Always, man. That's the only way I know how to operate."</span></p> <p><span>Rich returned with the boys and Carrie in tow, and they continued on down the hallway to their rooms to grab towels and get ready for our swim. Carrie grabbed her bag and Ron directed her to the bathroom at the far end of the hall so she could get changed. As Tom and I crossed the living room on the way to our own room, we heard Ron call out to Rich, "C'mon, dude, we can get ready in my room." We quietly continued on our way with wide and knowing grins of mischief plastered on our faces.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Rich and Ron seem to be hitting it off pretty well, don't ya think?" Tom asked as he peeled off his t-shirt.</span></p> <p><span>"Better than I thought they might," I agreed as I dropped my shorts to the floor and grabbed the towel to wrap around my waist.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, ya ready to get wet?" Tom asked as he twisted his own towel to keep it in place.</span></p> <p><span>"Lead the way, bubba," I agreed with a wave of the hand.</span></p> <p><span>When we rejoined the crew waiting at the glass doors leading outside, everyone had a towel wrapped around their waist except for Carrie, who was wearing a cute and colorful one-piece suit that did little to hide the delicate curves of her young but maturing figure. The boys were paying no attention to the young lady in their midst as they were all chattering away as they normally do. Well, except for Logan and Andy, that is, who were sneaking sideways glances at Carrie every chance they could.</span></p> <p><span>Once inside the pool shelter, the boys had no qualms about ripping their towels from their waists and jumping into the pool, Carrie following suit right behind them. The rest of us walked to the deep end before we dispensed with our towels and jumped in, Tom and I settling into one corner and Ron and Rich perching themselves in the other. As Tom and I talked about upcoming events, we kept watch over the crew as the boys and Carrie played together and Rich and Ron carried on a hushed conversation in their corner. </span></p> <p><span>After about 45 minutes of wild playtime, I let the younger crowd know it was time for Mike's regular swimming lesson. Mike immediately took control of the other six and started putting them through their paces. At the end of the thirty-minute lesson, seven very tired kids hauled their weary bones out of the pool and collapsed on chairs and chaises to recover from their exertions. The boys didn't even bother to grab towels to cover themselves and Carrie didn't seem to care a bit as she was just as pooped out as they were.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's a first," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Them getting out first," he retorted with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"You're not complaining, are you?" I asked with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a bit. I guess we should follow their example," he added as he started to climb the ladder.</span></p> <p><span>I followed my lover up the ladder, never letting my eyes stray from his taut ass. As soon as our feet hit concrete, we quickly grabbed our towels and wrapped them around us to minimize any possible embarrassment to Carrie or ourselves. The cool water had performed its regular magic and we were both mere shadows of our normal selves thanks to the shrinkage every guy must deal with.</span></p> <p><span>As we turned to join the others, I called out, "Ron, Rich, you guys comin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, in a minute," Ron replied guiltily while Rich snorted in laughter at my question.</span></p> <p><span>"Not in the pool, guys. Please and thank you."</span></p> <p><span>"If you're going to be a little bit longer, Ron, do you mind if Carrie uses your shower?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's cool," he answered. "I don't think I've left anything out she doesn't need to see."</span></p> <p><span>"Should we check it before she goes in?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Naw, I'm sure it's cool."</span></p> <p><span>On that note, we headed inside, the boys and Carrie disappearing down the hallway to run through a shower while Tom and I continued to our own room to do the same. By the time we had regrouped in the kitchen for dessert, Rich and Ron were just coming back inside the house with wide smiles on their faces and they quickly turned for Ron's room to take their own shower. We set the kids up at the dining room table with a slice of the pecan pie Ron had baked this afternoon, adding a dip of ice cream to their plates to complement the extremely rich treat, along with a glass of milk. Once all seven kids had theirs, Tom and I joined them with our own plates full of deliciousness.</span></p> <p><span>By the time the two stragglers tried to join the crew, the boys and Carrie had already finished their desert, dropped their dishes in the dishwasher and hightailed it to the theater to play some X-Box games before Rich and Carrie headed for home. Ron and Rich wasted no time in creating their own plates and joining Tom and me at the table. As Rich took his seat, he laid his rolled up wet towel on the chair next to him and grinned crookedly at Ron who was sitting next to him.</span></p> <p><span>"You two seem to be getting along pretty well," Tom commented with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I guess so," Ron admitted.</span></p> <p><span>"What was that grin all about?" I asked with curiosity.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, nothin'," Rich replied with embarrassment.</span></p> <p><span>"I just gave him a few things I don't need any longer," Ron answered. "Figured he'd like to get a little practice in before he comes back for the real thing," he added with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus, Ron, would you stop that?" Rich breathed with embarrassment. "I don't want everyone knowin' my business, man."</span></p> <p><span>"Chill out, buddy," Ron retorted while wrapping an arm around Rich's shoulder. "You think those two don't have some toys they play with on a regular basis?" he added while pointing a finger in our direction. "I'd bet my left nut they got more than I do. Or even used to," he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm gonna plead the fifth on that accusation," Tom muttered. All four of us cracked up with that comment. If anyone should know when to take the fifth, it would be an ex-cop.</span></p> <p><span>"Just be careful and take your time, Rich," I offered seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's what Ron said," he replied while nodding in agreement. "I just don't know when I'll be able to try anything. It's a rare day when I'm home alone."</span></p> <p><span>"Just close and lock your door, or put a sign on it if you can't lock it," Ron offered as a solution.</span></p> <p><span>"But then Dad and Carrie'll know what I'm doin'," Rich responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe," Tom began, "but at least they won't be able to see you."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh shit, I'd rather die than have that happen," Rich moaned in exasperation. The three of us blanched at Rich's flip comment and he quickly backpedaled. "Sorry, guys, I shouldn't a said that. I'm not even thinkin' about that anymore. I just meant I'd be embarrassed to hell and back if that happened," he added seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"We're glad to hear it," I replied with concern. "We really worry about how you're doing."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm doin' okay, especially considerin' what I was about to do a couple of weeks ago. Damn, I still can't believe I was ready to kill myself. What a fuckin' dumb ass," he moaned.</span></p> <p><span>"Not dumb, Rich," Tom responded. "Hurt, lonely, scared, confused, desperate? For sure, but definitely <i>not</i> dumb."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Tom. I needed that," Rich replied with a tight smile. "Well, Carrie and I should be goin'. I'm sure it's about time for your boys to be in bed. Give me your plate, Ron, and I'll drop it in the dishwasher with mine."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, I got it, man. You go tell the brats it's that time," he added while patting Rich's shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>Rich excused himself and turned for the theater while Ron grabbed their plates and aimed for the kitchen. After hearing the dishwasher starting up, the next sound heard was the rumble of the herd leaving the theater. </span></p> <p><span>As the group circled the table, Carrie said, "Thanks for letting us come out Mr. Sanders, Mr. Wright. We had a great time. Maybe we can do it again."</span></p> <p><span>"We'd like that, Carrie," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"We hope you weren't too put off by our swimming nude," Tom added.</span></p> <p><span>"I admit, it was a little awkward at first, but after a while, I realized it really wasn't that big a deal. I might even give it a whirl the next time," she grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine with us as long as it's okay with your dad," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure he'll be cool with it," Carrie replied. "I'll probably test the waters at home first, though. When Dad and Rich aren't around, that is," she added with a smirk. Everyone enjoyed a hearty laugh at that. When quiet had been reestablished, she turned to the boys and said, "For a buncha rugrats, you all are okay. Thanks for letting me join in and have some fun tonight. Even the swimming lesson was fun, Mike."</span></p> <p><span>"Th-thanks, Carrie," Mike gushed and blushed.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, bro, let's roll."</span></p> <p><span>"Lead the way little sister."</span></p> <p><span>That was all it took for an all-out hugfest to take place and five minutes later, Rich and Carrie headed out the door on their way home. As soon as the door was closed, the boys immediately dropped their shorts before turning tail and running for their rooms to climb in bed, Ron following along at a much more sedate pace.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be right behind to say good night, guys," Tom called out as he locked the door and set the alarm. "Hit the john and brush teeth."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, we know the drill, Pops," Logan yelled back.</span></p> <p><span>"God, I missed that kid this past week," I muttered quietly. "How much do I owe you and Dylan for your efforts?" I asked with a little giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"I figure somewhere around twenty-five to thirty grand should just about cover it," Tom replied in all seriousness.</span></p> <p><span>"And worth every damn penny," I grinned. "You two earned it."</span></p> <p><span>"I won't argue that point with ya, babe. I'll take my share out in trade for sexual favors, but don't you dare think `bout doin' that with Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like too good a deal to pass up," I laughed. "Your deal, anyway, not Dylan's. I'll have his check on his desk first thing in the morning."</span></p> <p><span>On that note, we headed down the hallway and aimed for T.J., Mike and Andy's room first. All three were just coming out of the bathroom and we followed them to the bed to share our regular nighttime rituals as they climbed in. With those three tucked in and down for the count, we turned off the light and closed the door before turning to follow suit with the twins and Logan. They were climbing on the bed as we entered the room and waited at the edge of the king-sized mattress for us to join them. After sharing our hugs, kisses, good nights and love yous, they curled up in the middle of the bed. We pulled up their covers, turned out the lights, closed the door and aimed for our own bedroom. </span></p> <p><span>Though we were both tired from the long and stressful week, we had other plans besides just sleeping. After a quick stop in the bathroom and crawling into bed, we shared a tender and loving embrace before spending the next hour making up for the time we lost throughout the week. By the time all our carnal desires had been vanquished, we needed another shower and quickly took care of that before falling back into bed, melting into each other's arms and falling into the deepest sleep we'd had in a while.</span></p> <p><span>Carrie and I had been home about ten minutes, and Dad still wasn't back from his night out with his buddies from work. As we sat in the family room watching some mindless TV, Carrie finally turned to face me with a look of seriousness on her face.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Rich, can I ask you somethin' personal?" she queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess," I answered after muting the noisemaker hanging on the wall above the fireplace.</span></p> <p><span>"Why are you gay and I'm not?"</span></p> <p><span>"How the hell should I know, sis? I just am."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you sure?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'm sure," I muttered. I couldn't believe the two of us were having this conversation this long after everything else had happened, but here we are.</span></p> <p><span>"Can I ask somethin' else?" she whispered. After a quick nod from me, she continued with, "Have you ever had sex with either another boy or girl?"</span></p> <p><span>Jesus, right for the jugular, I thought. "No."</span></p> <p><span>"Then how can you know you're gay if you've never had sex?"</span></p> <p><span>"Geez, how can I explain something I'm still tryin' to figure out for myself?" I muttered. I thought about my answer for a few moments before answering. "I guess it all comes down to who looks cute and I think <i>might</i> want to get in the same bed with me. And girls just don't catch my eye or hold my interest in any way. But guys, yeah, there are several I've seen I'd love to jump into bed with. And Ron's one of `em."</span></p> <p><span>"So, when you, you know, masturbate in your room at night, you're thinkin' about some guy and doing sex things with him, right?" she asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I guess so," I flustered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, me, too," she giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh really?" I asked, surprised at her admission since I'd never thought about girls pleasuring themselves the way guys do. "Any boy in particular?" I teased.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it used to be Chris Watkins, but after meeting him at Max's a couple weeks ago, I think about Eric now. A lot."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I can sure understand that. He is a cute little fucker, isn't he?" I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah. Wait, are you sayin' you'd want to get in bed with him, too?" Carrie asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if he was gay and closer to my age, I'd sure consider it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you can't have him, he's mine."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh really? Does he know that?" I asked with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, not yet, I guess. I haven't gotten up the nerve to talk to him since that night."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you better hurry up, sis. As hot as he is, he won't be free for long." She giggled quietly before I continued. "But, before you do anything, you need talk to Dad about getting on the pill or some other kind of protection."</span></p> <p><span>"You really think he'd be okay with me having sex. I'm only fourteen ya know."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I know, ya goof. And I honestly don't know how he'd react, but I bet almost anything his feelings would follow this order; no sex until he's dead, and maybe not even then," I started in a stern voice like Dad would use, but with a smirk so she'd know I was joking, "then safe sex whenever you decide the time is right, and lastly, unprotected sex. The last thing he'd want for you is to get pregnant at your age."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I don't want that either. I know I'm not ready to be a mom yet, but damn it, I wanna fuck Eric's brains out so bad I can taste it. I wish he'd been there tonight just so I could see him naked." I couldn't help but laugh at her admission of interest in the kid. "Oh, shit, don't tell Dad I said that," she squealed in horror. "He'll think I'm some sort of pervert."</span></p> <p><span>"No, he wouldn't, Carrie. If he doesn't think I am, he sure won't think you are."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what do I do?"</span></p> <p><span>"First, talk to Dad, tell him what you're feeling and see what he says."</span></p> <p><span>"But what if he freaks out?" she asked with serious concern.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think he'll do that, sis. He might worry or stew about it for a while, but he won't freak out. He knows you're growing up and the conversation's going to come up at some point, especially with Mom out of the picture. And the sooner, the better, I'm sure."</span></p> <p><span>"Would you be willing to help me start that talk with him?"</span></p> <p><span>"If you really want me to, sure."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for listening to me, Rich. All this shit scares the hell out of me."</span></p> <p><span>"Me, too, Carrie. Just one of those things we all have to deal with at some point. Now, can I ask you a question?" I waited for her to nod and asked, "Were you really okay with all us guys bein' naked tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>After a quick giggle, she answered with, "Yeah. It was actually pretty cool bein' able to check you all out without feelin' like I was doin' somethin' wrong."</span></p> <p><span>"But you told Dad you've seen us naked before and it didn't bother you."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I lied about that because every time I did it, I was sneaking around tryin' to see a real dick for once. And I kinda felt bad about peeping on you guys, but my curiosity got the better of me. But when you all were naked tonight, it was kinda like lookin' at the steaks on display in the meat counter at County Market."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what'd you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I gotta take back somethin' I told Dad on the phone."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what's that?" I asked with interest.</span></p> <p><span>"That not <i>all</i> dicks are just dicks," she laughed, and I joined her. "I mean the boys were no big deal, and you and Max seemed pretty normal, I guess, but Tom and Ron blew my mind. I never thought dicks could get <i>that</i> big. I bet it'd hurt like hell to be fucked by either one of them."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll let you know after I get with Ron," I replied with a crooked smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"What?" she squeaked. "You're really gonna let him fuck you? Like, in the butt?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, since I don't have your plumbing, if I wanna get fucked, yeah, it's gonna have be up the butt."</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus! Good luck with that, bro."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, sis. I'm gonna need it."</span></p> <p><span>I woke in the middle of the night with a jerk after another one of those freakin' weird ass dreams. I don't have a clue how I didn't wake Andy and Mike as I thrashed about, but both of them were still snoring lightly as I sat in the middle of the bed and shivered uncontrollably, rehashing the conversation I'd just had in my mind. I pulled the covers back up over my shoulders as I sat there, then looked at the clock to see what time it was. Two-twelve in the freakin' mornin'. Jesus, I thought I was over this insanity after Sammy disappeared into the trees this afternoon, but no such luck, I guess.</span></p> <p><span>Tonight's bizarreness was similar to all those whacked-out dreams that involved Sammy, but still different. I had been surrounded by a stark whiteness just like in Sammy's dreams, but instead of being next to the tree he died in or by his grave in the cemetery, I was sitting in a house that seemed familiar. And I felt like I should have recognized the man who came to sit on the couch next to me, too, but I was having a hard time placing him or the house we were in. I stewed on what he'd said to me for a while before my mind suddenly snapped to the obvious. God, why did it take me so long to figure it out? Oh yeah, he always said `my son' and never used his name. I can be pretty flippin' dense sometimes, but then it was the middle of the night and my brain wasn't firing on all thrusters, so I guess I can let it slide.</span></p> <p><span>Now knowing what I had to do, I slid off the bed and traipsed down the hallway to Alex, Joey and Logan's bedroom. I quietly pushed the door open and tiptoed inside hoping the light in the hallway would be enough to make sure I woke up the right person. On reaching their bed, I discovered I'd gotten lucky with their sleeping arrangement as Logan was on the outside of the sandwich tonight and they weren't all tangled together yet like they would be in the morning.</span></p> <p><span>I reached over and pushed on Logan's shoulder while hissing, "Ps-s-s-st, Logan, wake your ass up."</span></p> <p><span>"What," he grumbled as he turned to stare blankly at me.</span></p> <p><span>"Get up, ya bozo, we gotta talk."</span></p> <p><span>"What time is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Like, a little after two in the morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Then leave me the hell alone and go back to bed, ya twit," he mumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"No, now," I retorted as I poked him in the ribs a couple of times.</span></p> <p><span>That really pissed him off, but he finally rolled out of bed and followed me to the living room, grumbling all the way. Once we sat down on the loveseat together, he asked, "What the hell's so all fire important ya gotta get me outta bed in the middle of the night?"</span></p> <p><span>"I just had one of those dreams like the ones I had `bout Sammy."</span></p> <p><span>"He's still talkin' to ya? I thought he was long gone by now."</span></p> <p><span>"He is, but your dad isn't," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!?" Logan screamed.</span></p> <p><span>"Sh-h-h-h, don't wake up the whole house, ya bonehead," I whispered. I took Logan's hands in mine and started, "Yeah, I just talked to your dad and he wanted me to pass some things on to you."</span></p> <p><span>"What, that I'm a pain-in-the-ass brat and he misses beatin' the crap outta me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing like that, dude. First, he told me loves you with all his heart and though he knows it won't be easy for you, he hopes you'll be okay. He's also found your mom and she's good. She was happy to see your dad, again, but sad that he'd been taken from you so soon and left you all alone. She still loves and misses you big time, but she knows she'll get to see you again."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, when?"</span></p> <p><span>"A long, long time from now, so don't worry `bout that. Second, your dad wanted me to make sure you know how sorry he is for treatin' you the way he did the last couple of years. He knows it was wrong to hurt you like he that, but he just didn't know how to deal with his anger after your mom got sick and died. He hopes that someday you'll forgive him for bein' such a jackass."</span></p> <p><span>"I already have, T.J.," Logan whimpered. "Did he say anything else?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he's glad you're back here with us and he hopes you can stay with us forever. He said if he could tell that to a judge, he would."</span></p> <p><span>"But you can tell `im, can't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"What judge in his right mind is ever gonna believe your dad came to me in a dream and told me you should stay here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Judge Corgan would, I bet. `Specially after what happened this afternoon with Sammy."</span></p> <p><span>"Hm-m-m-m, you might be on to somethin' there. I'll have to talk to Dad about that. The next thing he wanted me to tell you is that he wants you to help your Aunt Arlene and cousins get away from Troy for good. He always knew Troy was a piece of crap and he hated the idea of you goin' to live with them, but since he was the only other family you had left, that's where he wanted you to go. Until he met us."</span></p> <p><span>"Once he'd gotten over his old ideas about queers bein' nothin' but perverts, he knew you'd be a lot happier and better off with us than Troy. Your dad was plannin' to go see his lawyer in Jacksonville to change that part of his will, but he died before he could do it. He's really sorry you had to leave for even a week, but both he and your mom are really happy you're back here. He also thinks you cuttin' off Troy's balls is hilarious and he's damn proud of you standin' up to that asshole the way you did." I could see the tears glistening in Logan's eyes, but I had one more thing to tell him.</span></p> <p><span>"Here's the last thing he told me, dude. He knows what you plan to do with the money you're gonna get and he's all for it. He just wishes he and your mom could be here to help you do it. They'd had some big plans of what to do with all that money your mom had gotten, but they like your idea better. He says to trust Dad and Pops and they'll make sure it happens. That's it, I guess. For now, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>By the time I was done telling Logan everything his dad wanted me to pass on, the kid was a sobbing heap. I reached out, pulled my brother from another mother into my arms and just let him go. He slowly sagged down so his head was in my lap and I just stroked his hair and back as he continued to cry. I stretched over to the table to grab him some Kleenexes and after he wiped his eyes and nose, he let the tissue fall to the floor.</span></p> <p><span>Ten minutes later, his breathing had finally smoothed out and I realized he'd fallen back to sleep. Not wanting to wake him again, I slowly moved out from under him and gently laid Logan's head down on the cushion. Next, I quietly scuttled down the hallway to grab an extra blanket from the laundry room, then went back to the living room. I carefully covered up Logan before crawling back onto the loveseat and curling up behind him. Since he was so much bigger than Mike and Andy, I wasn't really that comfortable since my chin was jammed into the back of his neck, but I sure as hell wasn't gonna leave him all alone on the loveseat for the rest of the night. Nope, that's not how you show how much you love and care for someone, you stick with them through all the good stuff and the bad stuff. </span></p> <p><span>`</span></p> <p><span>"Max, wake up, you're doing it again," Tom whispered in my ear as he shook my shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>"Huh? Wha..." I muttered as I struggled into borderline consciousness.</span></p> <p><span>"You're having a bad night again, babe," Tom replied softly.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, shit," I groaned in despair.</span></p> <p><span>"Were you having a bad dream?"</span></p> <p><span>"You could call it that, I guess. Feels more like a nightmare, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you remember what it was about?" he asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately," I grunted. "I was about to be dragged back into that hellhole at the church by <i>them</i>," I spat.</span></p> <p><span>"That doesn't surprise me too much. You should probably talk to Jason about these nightmares and see if there's anything he can do to help ease the situation."</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose so. I woulda thought havin' them in prison would've taken care of that for me, but apparently not. I'll call him Monday and see if he can make arrangements to go to the church when I go for my session next Thursday. Maybe that'll help."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure you're ready for that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, no. But I'm as ready as I'm ever gonna be, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll make sure I'm available that morning, then. And after you talk to Jason, you need to talk to Derek, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Why?" I asked wondering why Derek would need to know what was happening.</span></p> <p><span>"Because Dylan told me the only keys to that office are in the hands of the police and the FBI, so Derek will have to meet you there so you can get in."</span></p> <p><span>"</span><span>Yeah, that makes sense. As much sense as all the rest of it, I guess. Can we go back to sleep now?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll give it my best shot, babe."</span></p> <p><span>"Hold me," I whispered as I curled into my teddy bear.</span></p> <p><span>"Always," Tom whispered back as we fell back into a restful sleep.</span></p> <p><span>The next time I opened my eyes, the sun was streaming brightly through the windows and flooding our bedroom with a celestial good morning. My sweet and lovable teddy bear still had his arms wrapped snugly around me and I had to assume I'd slept soundly after my rude mid-morning awakening. I gently brushed the hair out of his eyes before leaning in and giving him a kiss, waking him in the process.</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin', babe," he greeted me with a serene smile. "How're you this mornin'?" he asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty damn good considering the night I had," I answered. "How `bout you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Let me check." He tossed the covers off the both of us and proceeded to make a show of checking his body over. "Well, I don't see any bruises anywhere, so I'm good to go," he finally answered with a cheesy grin and a light-hearted chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it, hon. You ready for breakfast?"</span></p> <p><span>"Always, let's see if Ron's got things going."</span></p> <p><span>We made a quick stop in the bathroom before heading out to see if anyone else was up. When we reached the kitchen, we found Ron as busy as any beaver had ever been and it appeared our morning meal was just minutes from being ready to serve. The only odd thing this Sunday morning was the fact the boys weren't sitting at the bar counter and heckling the young man as they like to do.</span></p> <p><span>"Where's the kiddos?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Check the living room," Ron replied. "Not sure what that's all about, but I bet there's a damn good story to go with it."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I followed Ron's suggestion and turned for the living room. As we crossed the entry, we could see the backs of Alex, Joey, Mike and Andy's heads poking above the back of the couch as they sat quietly and were seemingly staring off into space. It wasn't until we got closer and could see over the tops of their heads that we spied T.J. and Logan curled together under a blanket on the loveseat and still sleeping, blissfully unaware they had an audience.</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin', guys," I whispered as we stood behind the couch.</span></p> <p><span>As the four youngsters turned to look at us, Tom asked, "Any idea what's up with those two?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue, Pops," Alex answered quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we found `em like that," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"I thought T.J. was just in the bathroom when I woke up," Mike shared.</span></p> <p><span>"Didn't know they was out here until we were on our way to wake you two up," Andy commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you guys start setting the table for breakfast and we'll get them moving?" I suggested. </span></p> <p><span>The mini herd headed for the kitchen to take care of their task while we stepped around the couch to the loveseat to wake T.J. and Logan. We sat on the coffee table and just stared at the dozing duo for a few moments before disturbing them. T.J. was curled up behind Logan, his nose was buried in Logan's hair and though the blanket was still doing its job, it appeared T.J.'s arms were wrapped around his older brother.</span></p> <p><span>"Two-minute warning!" echoed from the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>Tom reached over to the curled cuteness and shook Logan's shoulder while saying, "Logan, T.J., time to wake up. Breakfast is ready in two minutes."</span></p> <p><span>Logan's eyes snapped open and reflected a mixture of surprise and confusion as he took in his surroundings. Finally realizing he was being held from behind, he called out, "Let me go, Alex, I gotta pee."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not Alex, ya dummy," T.J. retorted. "Now, get the heck outta my way, turdball, or I'm gonna whiz all over your back."</span></p> <p><span>That was all it took for both boys to discard the blanket, jump off the loveseat and hightail it down the hallway to their bathrooms. Tom and I were still confused as to why the pair were on the loveseat to begin with, but we were hoping we'd learn the answer to that puzzle during our morning meal. By the time we'd joined the rest of the crew already assembled around the dining room table, the food was in place and they were all filling their plates. Tom and I took our places and joined in loading up our own plates as serving bowls and platters were passed around. We were just taking our first bite of scrambled eggs when the darling duo joined us and slipped into their chairs.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for leavin' us some grub, y'all," Logan deadpanned as he dipped the spoon into the few remaining eggs and dropped them on his plate before passing the bowl on to T.J.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we'll remember this the next time any of you jerks are late to the table," T.J. added scornfully while glaring at the now empty bowl.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, T.J., I shouldn't have taken `em all. Here, bro, you can have some of mine," Logan offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Naw, that's all right. I don't really want eggs anyway," T.J. responded with a grump.</span></p> <p><span>"What d'ya want, buddy?" Ron asked. "I'll be happy to fix whatever."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll just eat their extra bacon and sausage," T.J. retorted with a twisted grin. "Maybe that'll teach `em a lesson."</span></p> <p><span>"Pro'lly not," Logan muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Ron, we got any Frosted Flakes left? Or did these buttwipes eat all them, too?" T.J. queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we still got some. Be right back, buddy." Ron disappeared into the kitchen and returned shortly with the requested cereal, a bowl, spoon and the milk. He set it all in front of T.J. before retaking his chair.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, man."</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat."</span></p> <p><span>Tom changed topics when he asked, "So, what's the story with you two sleepin' in the living room last night?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that," T.J. muttered. "I just had another one of those stinkin' weird-ass dreams again."</span></p> <p><span>"About Sammy? I thought he moved on yesterday?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He did," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>"No, it was my dad this time," Logan interjected.</span></p> <p><span>"Really?" Alex asked with surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"What'd he say, T.J.?" Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>The two spent the next ten minutes telling all of us about T.J.'s conversation with Charlie and why they stayed on the loveseat the rest of night. Seeing the compassion T.J. had for Logan was inspiring. These two boys had known each other for less than two months and they were still closer than any brothers I'd ever met.</span></p> <p><span>"Your dad's right, you know," I said once they finished telling their story. "We'll do everything we can to help with your idea."</span></p> <p><span>"You really don't care if I give my money away?" Logan asked with surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"It's your money, buddy," Tom replied. "Whatever you want to do with it, we're behind you all the way."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dads."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I ask you somethin', Logan?" I said with reservation.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, `course you can."</span></p> <p><span>"At your dad's funeral, when you went up to the casket by yourself, I saw you slip a piece of paper into his hand. I was just wondering what was on it."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that," Logan answered with a tight smirk. "Nothin' major, really. It just said `dile'."</span></p> <p><span>"Dial?" I asked with curiosity. "Why that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, when I first started goin' to school, Dad'd walk me to the end of the drive and stay with me until the bus got there. After I'd give him a hug goodbye, he'd always say `see ya later, alligator' as I climbed on the bus and I'd say `after a while, crocodile' back at him."</span></p> <p><span>"My dad and I always did the same thing," Tom interrupted.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, mine, too," Ron offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, as I got older, he `ventually cut it down to just `gator'. I did the same and would answer with `dile'. Even after momma got sick and died, we'd still walk down the drive together and the last thing we'd say to each other every mornin' was `gator' and `dile'. So, the note I gave him was just the word `dile', tellin' him I'll see him again. I've missed doin' that with him since I've been here and now I ain't ever gonna hear him say it again," he added sadly while tears started flooding his eyes. T.J. immediately reached over and pulled Logan into a hug. A quick glance around the table told me everyone was feeling Logan's emotions.</span></p> <p><span>Once we'd reined ourselves back in, Tom broke the ensuing silence when he offered, "We'd be more than happy to continue what you and your dad started. If you want us to, that is."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for offerin' Pops, but it just wouldn't be the same. `Sides, I kinda like your `be good and learn somethin' new today' as we head out the door. It's different, for sure, but it's a positive note to start a new day with. I think we all need to hear that."</span></p> <p><span>"And so you will," Tom smirked while looking at me, encouraging me to say it if he wasn't here to do it himself. I quickly nodded in agreement and the deal was sealed.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey," T.J. interrupted after releasing Logan, "weren't we supposed to go see Harry this weekend?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, heck," I mumbled, "I knew I'd forgotten something important."</span></p> <p><span>"It's not too late," Mike commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we could leave now and still be back home for supper," Andy added.</span></p> <p><span>"Another day, guys. The folks at the airport like a little more than a half hours' notice to get the plane pulled out and ready to go."</span></p> <p><span>"Bummer," Joey grumped. "We were lookin' forward to seein' him again."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell you what, let's plan that trip for Tuesday morning. That'll let me call the airport tomorrow so they have fair warning, and also a chance to check with Maureen and Harry to make sure it's okay to come by. Sound good to you guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dad, that's great," Alex agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"What about Josh, Eric and Brent? Can they go, too?" Joey queried.</span></p> <p><span>"We can ask, I suppose. It'll be up to their parents whether they can go or not."</span></p> <p><span>"Speaking of important things, T.J.," Tom interrupted, "we still need a list of the kids you want to invite to your party Wednesday or there won't be one."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, cra..., uh, crud!" T.J. exclaimed as he smacked himself in the forehead. "I forgot all `bout that." He jumped off his chair and dashed into kitchen. After a few minutes of hearing drawers opening and closing, he returned to the table with a notepad and pen to fill out his guest list. A few minutes later, he ripped the top page from the pad, handed it to Logan who passed it on to Mike who, in turn, handed it to me. </span></p> <p><span>I quickly scanned the list while counting and ended up with eighteen names. A few of the names caught me by surprise and I passed the list to Tom for him to peruse. He obviously saw the same thing I did and looked at me with an eyebrow raised in question. I shrugged my shoulders in response before returning my attention to T.J.</span></p> <p><span>"I thought you planned on having a nude swim for your party."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, why?"</span></p> <p><span>"You have several girls on your guest list. Are you sure you want to include them if you're not going to be wearing your swim shorts?" I asked seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"Why not? Ain't like my dick's big enough to scare none of `em," T.J. retorted with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't that the truth," Joey howled in laughter. "But, they see me or Alex naked, they're gonna poop their panties," he quickly added with even more hilarity.</span></p> <p><span>"Your little worms ain't scarin' nobody, ya twints," Logan cracked. "Now, if it was Uncle Dylan, I could see `em bein' scared `bout that thing."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell's a `twint'?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"A twin who's also a twit," Logan laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"That ain't funny, dude," Joey complained.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it kinda is," Andy snickered. "Ya twint," he added with a whisper.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, enough!" I hollered. Once they'd quieted back down, I continued, "Pops and I will make calls this afternoon. We'll make sure the parents know the swim will likely end up being a nude event, if not the whole afternoon. We'll also check to see if anyone has any allergies or other issues we should know about. Now, what kind of food and cake do you want?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hamburgers, dogs and brats is cool. Chips or `Ditos, too. I'd like the cake to be a spice cake with a maple frosting. Mom used to make that for me `fore she went to jail."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to me. Ron, you up for it or do you want to me call the catering service we used for Joey and Alex's party?"</span></p> <p><span>"That many kids, let's use the catering. I could do it, but I'd much rather join the party and enjoy the day with the rest of you."</span></p> <p><span>"Good answer, buddy," Tom responded. "We'd like that, too. I guess we'll plan the family party for Saturday."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, Pops," T.J. agreed wholeheartedly. "I hope Uncles Dylan, Malcom and Damon can be here."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure they'll be here, kiddo, along with Carol, too. Okay, boys, get busy with your cleanup and Pops and I will get on the phones to make arrangements for the next couple of days. We'll be back out after we're done with our calls." As usual, the boys jumped right to their cleanup and since they were making so much noise in the kitchen and wouldn't hear me, I told Ron, "When they're done in there, tell the boys to watch a movie or find some other way to entertain themselves for a bit, will ya?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure. I better be careful how I say it or you know where they'll be," Ron chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Tom groaned.</span></p> <p><span>The two of us headed for Tom's office and he took his desk while I commandeered Dylan's for the task at hand. After spending a few minutes perusing phone books to locate numbers, we got busy with our calls. By the time we were done some thirty minutes later, we had ten kids coming for sure with eight maybes. Considering we were making sure every parent knew about how at least the swimming portion of the day would likely transpire, few seemed to be that concerned about it, putting it down to having fun. That reaction from them was a bit of fresh air in our lives and we were feeling pretty good about it. Even the parents of the two girls who said yes to the invitation were accepting of the situation and said their daughters were looking forward to being included. My calls to the airport, bakery and caterer would have to wait until tomorrow morning.</span></p> <p><span>With our calls completed, we left the office in search of the munchkins. As we crossed the house to check in the theater, I asked, "Do you think we should tell Logan about us tryin' to adopt him or is it too soon to do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I think now would be fine," Tom answered. "Knowing what our plans are might help put his mind at ease about what's gonna happen with him. Especially after what he went through with Troy last week."</span></p> <p><span>"That's kinda what I was thinkin', too, but I wanted to make sure you agreed." On entering the theater, we found the herd engrossed in the movie <i>2001: A Space Odyssey</i>. I was surprised enough to find them watching the movie, but truly amazed that they were so intently focused on what was happening. They were close to the middle of the show, at the point where Dr. Floyd was about to touch the monolith that had been discovered on the moon. Tom and I stood quietly as the scene played out and when the movie moved on to the Jupiter mission, I paused the playback so we could have a short chat.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, what's the big idea?" Joey grumbled at the interruption.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry to intrude, but we wanted to talk about a few things," I replied. "We won't take long and when we're done, you can go back to the movie."</span></p> <p><span>"Good," Alex said, "This one's really cool, Dads."</span></p> <p><span>"What'd you want to talk `bout?" Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"First, for T.J., we've called all the parents of the kids on your guest list and have ten kids who will be here for sure and eight maybes," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Cool," T.J. enthused. "Anybody have a problem with us swimmin' naked?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really," I answered. "Though that may be the reason we have that many unsure about their kids comin', they didn't say one way or the other. It sounded more like they may have other plans or transportation issues."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you'll pick `em up if they can't get here another way, won't you?" T.J. begged.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, we will, son," Tom responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds great, Dads. We're gonna have a blast."</span></p> <p><span>"That's one," Joey commented flatly.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what else did you wanna talk `bout?" Alex queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, before we get to that, I want to ask about the movie you guys picked. How'd you decide to watch <i>2001</i>?"</span></p> <p><span>"Easy, Dad," Logan answered. "We seen all the movies we got plenty and wanted something like <i>Star Trek</i>, but we didn't want to watch any of those without you guys, so we went diggin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and T.J. found this in the library ya got and we all thought it'd be neat since it's `bout space and stuff," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"And what do you think about what you've seen so far?" I asked with serious interest.</span></p> <p><span>"It's weirder than hell, but cool at the same time," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that sounds about right," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, when it's over, I want to talk about it some more and see if you really understand it," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"That'll be cool, Dads," T.J. said.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, before we go and let you get back to your movie, there's one more thing we want to tell you guys."</span></p> <p><span>"Hope it's good news," Mike muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"We think so, but we'll let you be the judge of that," I replied. I turned my head to focus on Logan and asked, "You remember talkin' to Clarence the other day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," he answered with hesitation. "I ain't got no big problems with the cops in Dexter, do I?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not that we know of. Not yet, anyway. After you were done with him and left the study, I talked to him a bit longer about something really important."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"About where you're going to live."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh shit, I knew this was comin'," Logan muttered sadly. "I'm gonna have to go back and live with that redneck hillbilly Troy, ain't I?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not if Judge Corgan has anything to say about it," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Watchu talkin' `bout, Pops?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, after I was done talkin' with Clarence, he drafted a request for us to adopt Logan and he took it to the judge that afternoon. And Judge Corgan said that once all your problems down south were resolved, he'd be more than happy to sign it and make it official for you to join our family."</span></p> <p><span>All six sat there with stunned looks filling their faces for at least ten seconds before five of them began to dance their happy dances all around the theater. Logan, for his part, collapsed where he sat and began crying his heart out. The others quickly calmed back down, surrounded their new brother-to-be and showered him with congratulations, hugs and kisses.</span></p> <p><span>Logan finally looked at the two of us and asked between his continuing sniffles, "You serious?"</span></p> <p><span>"As a heart attack, buddy," Tom answered with a giant smile. "Welcome to the zoo, <i>son</i>."</span></p> <p><span>In a haze of happy delirium, Logan launched himself from his chair and into our arms, wrapping his own arms around both our necks as he continued to sob with abundant joy. He held onto us for several minutes and the other boys surrounded us and joined in the eight-way hug to end all hugs. When we finally felt Logan's grip relaxing, we gently lowered him back to floor to stand on his two feet.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dads," he whispered. "I ain't been this happy for years. I don't know what to say."</span></p> <p><span>"Your reaction pretty much says it all, Logan," I commented as a tear rolled off my cheek to land on the top of his head. "We hope we can be done with your little legal problems so we can include you in the ceremony we're gonna have on the seventeenth next month."</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be so sweet, I hope it happens, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we'll let you guys go back to your movie and we'll see you when it's over."</span></p> <p><span>Logan pulled us both into another hug and said, "I love you guys and I'm gonna love bein' here with y'all."</span></p> <p><span>"We love you too, buddy," Tom replied. On that note, we left the munchkins to finish their show and settled in the living room to relax for a while. An hour later, the sensational six-pack came charging out of the theater signaling the end of the movie. After stopping in the kitchen briefly to grab a juice box each, they joined us as they filled up the couch and loveseat.</span></p> <p><span>"So, how was the flick?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Really cool," the twins chimed.</span></p> <p><span>"And what do you think the movie was about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue," Alex answered with a giggle before adding, "but that doesn't mean we won't watch it again to try to figure it out." Tom and I both chuckled at his answer.</span></p> <p><span>"I think I might know," T.J. offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's hear it, young man."</span></p> <p><span>"It was about the evolution of man from prehistoric times to sometime in the future."</span></p> <p><span>"My god, T.J., how did you get that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it started with the funny apes that kinda looked like they might be man's ancestor or somethin', then jumped way forward in time to man being in space with space stations and exploring the moon. It then jumped even further into the future with that Dave guy gettin' old, dyin' and I guess reborn as that baby."</span></p> <p><span>"And what about the monolith? What do you think its purpose was in the story?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm guessing at this, but I think it was what gave man the smarts to evolve. But they never really say where it came from, it just showed up from time to time."</span></p> <p><span>"Where do you think it came from?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I guess from some aliens who were trying to help create intelligent life on earth. I mean, where else could it come from?"</span></p> <p><span>"And why do you think the monolith was the root cause of the evolutionary steps man has taken?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, each time one showed up and somebody touched the dang thing, it seemed like there was a major change in them."</span></p> <p><span>"Can you give me an example?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure. The most obvious was with the apes. Before the monolith, they were just a bunch of chickens, scared of their own shadows. But once it showed up and they touched it, they suddenly learned how to use the bones from dead animals as clubs. That's when they started to kill other animals and each other."</span></p> <p><span>"And what about the monolith on the moon?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it beamed that signal to Jupiter and in just a couple of years, we were on a mission to Jupiter to try and find out why. Before Dr. Floyd touched the monolith on the moon, it didn't seem like we'd gotten past that point. I think when he touched it, he was given the knowledge of how to explore space past the moon."</span></p> <p><span>"You are blowin' my mind, child. What about the last one?" I asked in awe of his grasp of the movie.</span></p> <p><span>"That one's easy. Like I said already, after Dave died in that bedroom, he was reborn as the next step in the evolution of humans. I'm just not sure if that baby came back to earth or is living among the planets and stars." When T.J. was done with his thoughts, the other five just stared at him in shock. But I was feeling a bit of shock as well that a kid T.J.'s age would truly understand the real meaning of the movie. I had to watch the damn thing five or six times to achieve the same level of comprehension he had in one viewing. And I was twenty-seven when that finally happened.</span></p> <p><span>"You hit the nail on the head, young man. I'm impressed with the reasoning and logic behind your conclusions."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, but don't be too happy `bout it, Dad," T.J. replied with a crooked smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Why not?" I queried.</span></p> <p><span>"I really got most of what I just said from you and what you were thinkin' just now."</span></p> <p><span>"What!?" I yelped as everyone else began laughing.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I cheated," the little imp grinned evilly. "I know you've thought about showing us the movie before, but you also didn't think we'd understand it, so when we went lookin' for somethin' to watch this mornin', I picked that one on purpose. Gotcha!" he laughed along with the others.</span></p> <p><span>"Why, you little stinker," I moaned. "You really had me goin'."</span></p> <p><span>"I could tell. It's really a good movie, though, and thanks to you, it makes sense, now."</span></p> <p><span>"Why I oughta ..."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what? You ain't gonna spank me for trickin' ya, are ya?"</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely not," I retorted. "But I'll think of somethin' to get back at ya."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, good luck with that," Alex grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"He'll know what you wanna do way before you even try it, Dad," Joey added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, crap, I didn't think about that." Knowing that I'd just been bested by a seven-year-old caused all the boys to laugh heartily.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Dads," Logan interjected, "can we talk `bout somethin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, what's on your mind?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I been thinkin' `bout this since Daddy died and you read his will that day. The farm and all is really mine now, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes," I replied hesitantly, unsure where he was headed with this.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, since it looks like I'm gonna be livin' here for real and not goin' back there any time soon, I got an idea. Somebody still needs to take care of the animals and everything else. And while I `ppreciate Mr. Bartley and Ryan's help with that so far, I don't want them to have to take on any more of my problems when they got their own farm to deal with, too."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what're you thinking?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Part of what Daddy told T.J. last night was he wanted me to help Aunt Arlene, Daril and Arley get away from Uncle Dirtbag, right? What do ya think about me lettin' `em live on the farm and take care of the animals for me? That kinda fixes two problems at the same time, don't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"It sure does," I agreed. "Have you thought about what you want to do with the land? I think you inherited about 240 acres of prime farmland with the house and everything else."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I have," he answered slowly. "I don't think I want to sell it `cause I might want to keep the farm and move back in at some time. But, I also don't think it should all just lay fallow until I'm ready to do that. So, I think I'll take Mr. Bartley up on his offer and rent him the land to farm. Does that sound okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"I believe you're thinking along the right lines, Logan. It's nice of you to offer the opportunity to your aunt and cousins, and I'm sure Joe will be happy with the idea, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I was hopin' you'd think that was all okay. Since I don't know nothin' `bout how to rent the land, do you think you could help me deal with that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not sure how much help I could be, Logan, since I don't know anything about farming. I guess we could talk to Clarence about it and see if he might be able to deal with that for you."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that'd be cool. I'm sure I'll have to talk to him again soon `bout my other problems, we can talk `bout the farm then. Ya think we could call Aunt Arlene now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, let's do it." I used my phone to locate her number, then dialed the number on the house line and put it on speakerphone.</span></p> <p><span>She answered the phone on the third ring with a seemingly uncertain, "Hello?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Aunt Arlene, it's me, Logan. How ya doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, Logan, I'm so happy to hear from you. We've been really worried about you since you disappeared last Thursday. Are you back home and safe?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'm okay. How `bout you? Are y'all safe?"</span></p> <p><span>"As long as Troy's in jail, we are. We're gonna have to get out of here before he's turned loose, though, or it's gonna be really ugly. I just don't know where we can go that we'll be safe from him."</span></p> <p><span>"I do," Logan replied. "How would you, Daril and Arley like to come up here and live on my farm?"</span></p> <p><span>"Are you serious, Logan? I can't believe you'd do that for us after the way we treated you?"</span></p> <p><span>"That was all Uncle Dirtbag, you didn't have nothin' to do with it." We all heard Arlene snicker at Logan's name for Troy. "The note Daril and Arley gave me on the way down to Dexter last week told me all `bout what you guys been puttin' up with."</span></p> <p><span>"They gave you a note?" Arlene asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep. And ain't nobody should have put up with crap like that."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, thank you for the offer, Logan. Let me talk to Daril and Arley and see what they think. I'm pretty sure they'll be happy to get out of here, too, since Troy didn't care who he was beatin' on."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, ya ain't gotta worry `bout that no more," Logan replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Hello, Arlene," I interjected. "This is Max Sanders, Logan's been living with me and my family."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"I know this is all pretty sudden, but we think the sooner you can get up here, the better off you'll be. Will you be needing any help?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably. We only have the truck and equipment for the orchard, so I don't know how we'd be able to get there. I can't believe you'd be willing to help us after all the crap Troy pulled."</span></p> <p><span>"Like Logan said, that's all on him, not you and your sons. And since Logan's farmhouse is fully furnished, all you'll really need to bring with you is your clothes and any personal items you don't want to leave."</span></p> <p><span>"But what're we gonna do about the orchard?" Arlene asked with serious concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, from what Troy told Logan, he's about to lose it anyway, so don't worry about it. You need to just walk away and let him deal with the mess he's gotten himself into."</span></p> <p><span>"I really like the sound of that," Arlene giggled. " `Bout time he took care of his problems his own damn self. `Course, it won't be easy to do from jail, but that's on him, I guess. Them boys he's borrowed money from won't be none too happy with him, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Again, not yours to worry about. You three just get your things together and we'll talk later this week about getting you moved. Sound good to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"You have no idea. I really wanna thank y'all for your help in makin' this happen. And thank you Logan for standin' up to that bastard and makin' him pay for bein' such a godawful prick all these years."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I feel awful bad `bout cuttin' him the way I did, but I really thought he was gonna kill me."</span></p> <p><span>"And that's exactly what we told Captain McCord, that Troy planned to kill you as soon as he had control of your money. I always knew Troy wasn't dealin' with a full deck, but I never realized he was that evil."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Aunt Arlene. How's that bastard doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"He spent a couple of nights in the hospital after they sewed his useless and empty sack back together, just to make sure no infections took hold, but he was moved from the hospital to jail this morning. Despite the cops thinking he's the victim in all this, I think we finally managed to convince them he ain't."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, look, you three get ready to move," I said. "We'll take it from there."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll do that. Again, thanks for your help. We'll look forward to gettin' to know y'all better once we get settled in. Especially you, Logan. We owe you for this, young man."</span></p> <p><span>"Aw, don't worry `bout it. I'm just glad I can help. Talk to y'all later."</span></p> <p><span>After ending the call, we sat back a moment to think about the commitment we'd just made. While there was no love lost between us and Arlene, I had to admit we didn't really know them that well. And since it was Logan's decision to help them out and they were soon going to be a part of our extended family, it made sense that we should bury any hatchets we may have and start anew. As long as Troy was out of the picture, I hoped we could all work together and create a good outcome for everyone involved.</span></p> <p><span>I turned to Tom and asked, "You think Vinnie might be willing to help them get moved up here?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think he'd turn down any job that pays cash. I'll call him in the morning and see what he says."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect. I wonder what Ron's fixing for lunch? I'm startin' to get hungry."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, us, too," Andy giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll find out," Mike offered as he jumped off the loveseat and hightailed it down the hall. We heard him knock on the door to Ron's room and then say `whoops, sorry dude' before he came back to rejoin us. "He's, um, busy, guys. We might want to fix our own lunch today," he said with a huge grin on his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's make it so," Tom said as he led the way to the kitchen.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-81.html

Building a Family Chapter 81 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 81 � Samuel Patrick Corgan "What's up Ron," Tom asked with concern. "Much as I hate to say it, I don't think this is gonna work out, guys," Ron replied nervously. "What do you mean? You've been great," I replied. "Yeah, I thought everything was goin' real cool, too. Until this morning, anyway." "What happened, then, that's changed your mind," Tom asked. "Well, I was doin' laundry and I had to go into Joey, Alex, and Logan's room to get their dirty clothes. I know you warned me `bout doin' that, Max, but I really wanted to get it all done this morning so I could have the afternoon to deal with my shoppin'. So, I knocked on the door since it was closed, and one of `em said to come on in, so I did. Let me tell ya, I shoulda listened to Max and stayed the hell outta there." "Oh, c'mon Ron, it couldn't have been that bad," I interrupted. "Big deal, you caught them have havin' a little bit of fun. You said it yourself, it wouldn't be the first time." "Well, yeah, but I never expected to have the reaction I had today." "And what was that?" Tom queried. "As soon as I saw all six of them little horndogs enjoying each other the way they were and caught whiff of the raw sex that was happening right in front of me, I popped a boner faster than a Ferrari can hit a hundred." Tom and I both snickered at Ron's discomfort before he could continue. "I swear, guys, I've never thought about kids like that before and I don't know what the hell happened. It was all I could do to not jump on the damn bed and join them." "Tell us you didn't," Tom muttered. "No way, man. Like I said when we talked originally, I ain't into little kids, but goddam, those little buggers got me all hot and bothered." "What did you do," I asked calmly. "I grabbed their shit and got the hell outta there as quick as I could. I wasn't gonna tempt fate. Then, I went and sorted all their shit with the other stuff I already had, trying to think about somethin' else, anything else, really, and will myself soft again. Unfortunately, it wasn't workin' worth a crap, so I went to my room and pummeled my cock `til I had the come of my life, all while images of the six of `em flashed through my mind. If shit like that keeps happenin' to me, I'm not sure I can trust myself to just walk away next time. And I don't want you guys thinkin' you can't trust me, either." I put a hand on Ron's shoulder to try and calm him down a bit before addressing his concern. "Listen, Ron, you did the right thing going to your room and dealing with the problem there. And trust me, you aren't the only one in the house that gets turned on by those boys and their, uh, antics." Ron lifted his head and a look of surprise filled his face. "Yes, they have the same effect on us, too, so we know all too well what you're experiencing." "So, what do you do?" "We go to our room and have some of the hottest, rawest, hangin' from the ceiling fan kind of sex either of us has ever had," Tom answered with a cheesy grin. "Well, that's cool for you guys, but then, you've got each other, don't you? All I got is my hands. And I don't care what you do, that just ain't the same thing, is it?" "Sounds to me like someone needs to get laid," Tom laughed. "I won't argue that point with ya, man," Ron agreed. "And way more than I ever thought I did," he added with a nervous laugh. "Maybe I should call Rich and see if he can come out tomorrow," I mused. "Out, in, don't matter at this point, Max," Ron laughed again. "I'll take it any way I can get it." "We'll see what we can do to help you out, buddy," I said. "Look, we gotta get our shower and get ready for our meeting with Ryan. You gonna be okay?" "Yeah, I think so. I just wanted to let you guys know what happened. I really don't want to lose this job `cause I love it here." "You're safe, Ron." Tom said. "You ever have a problem, let us know and we'll deal with it, okay?" "Well, now that you mention it, there is one more thing I could sure use your help with," Ron answered seriously. "Yeah, what's that?" I asked. "You two need to talk to those rugrats about the proper use of toilet paper. I've used more bleach on their underwear in the last couple of weeks than I've used in the last year on my own stuff." After the seriousness of the previous subject, Tom and I couldn't help but laugh at the sudden change of topic. "It's not funny, guys. I don't know how they can stand bein' around themselves." "We'll see what we can to make your life easier, Ron. Can we get our shower now?" "Yeah, go ahead. Thanks for listenin' to me, guys." "No worries. Oh, by the way, you'll need to pull on some shorts, at least, in a bit, too," Tom reminded him. "For a while, anyway. Once Ryan leaves, we can all get comfortable, again." "I figured as much. `Other people rule', right?" Ron chuckled. "Exactly. Thanks, Ron." With our conversation over, Tom and I retreated to our room and hopped in the shower. As we washed off the remnants of the pool still clinging to our bodies, I asked, "So, what, if anything, do you think we should do about Ron's little problem? Or should we just leave it up to him to resolve on his own?" "I'm not sure, babe. Besides talking to Rich, I don't know what else we could do." "I had an idea, but I'm not sure you'll like it." "Is this one of those brilliant flashes you're always so proud of?" Tom asked with more than a hint sarcasm. "I'll let you be the judge of that," I replied. "You remember how Joey and Alex begged us for something special? Do you think they'd be interested in ...?" "What!?" Tom squawked in surprise. "You can't be serious." "Never mind, shitty thought. Forget I ever brought it up." "Damn right it is!" Tom insisted. "How the hell could you ever think it was a possibility?" "Like I said, just forget it." "Besides, those two would chew Ron up and spit him right back out. There's no way in hell he could take them on and survive it," Tom laughed. "You're not wrong about that," I agreed, joining his laughter. "Let's see how things work out with Rich before contemplating any other routes of relief." "Yeah, okay." With our shower completed, we pulled on shorts and t-shirts and left the bedroom to rejoin the rest of the family. Much to our surprise, Rick, Eric and Josh had arrived and they were chatting up a storm in the living room with the boys. We couldn't believe how anyone could make sense out of the multiple conversations taking place simultaneously, but that didn't stop us from joining the confusion. "Hey, Rick," I greeted. "Glad you could bring Eric over to sit in on our meeting." "No problem. I know he wants to see what Ryan's come up with and hear a bit about how he did it." "Are you gonna hang around, too?" Tom asked. "Yeah, I want to talk to Ryan about our new house, too. I figure once he's done working on yours, he better get started on ours." "Sounds like a good idea," I agreed. "We think we've found the best sites for both our places. We'll show you and Ryan a satellite view of the property and you can decide if the spots we selected are good with you and your boys." "Perfect. I'm really looking forward to this, guys, and I can't thank you enough for the job offer." "We are, too," I agreed. I quickly surveyed the rest of the crowd and found Eric talking with Logan and Alex about our new houses while T.J., Mike and Andy were engrossed in their own conversation on the same subject. As for Joey and Josh, they were sitting on the hearth, arms around each other's shoulders and foreheads touching as they were deeply involved in their own whispered discussion. I silently directed Tom and Rick's attention to the young couple, and both were soon sporting wide grins of understanding. "Those two are so cute together," Rick muttered quietly. "Yeah, I'm glad they found each other. It's so hard for young gay kids to find someone they care about like that, especially since most are terrified to be true to themselves out of the fear of being bullied by the other kids they know." "At least they seem to be on the same wavelength in their feelings for each other," Tom commented. We continued to visit while we waited for Ryan to arrive for our meeting. Just about five, Ron finally joined us, and he was quickly introduced to Rick and his boys. Ryan arrived at twenty after five and the drive sensor chimed to let us know he was here. While Tom and Eric headed to the kitchen to get drinks for us, I met Ryan at the front door. "Good afternoon, Ryan," I greeted him as he stepped inside. "How're you this afternoon." "Can't complain, Max, not that anyone listens when I do," he answered with a chortle. "You ready to see the latest and greatest?" "You bet, let's head for the dining room. Tom and Eric will have drinks for us." The two of us made our way across the house, leaving Rick and Ron to supervise the boys for a while. Joining Tom and Eric, we all took our seats at the table as Ryan unrolled a thick set of plans and spread them across the table. The color rendering of the front of the house on the cover page caught all our eyes. "Wow! That's freakin' cool lookin'," Eric exclaimed. "Thanks, Eric. I'm glad you like it. I'm wondering what Max and Tom think about it, though." "Looks perfect to me," I replied. "Me too," Tom added. "Well, let's take a look at the plan itself and see if you like what I've done on the inside." Ryan flipped the cover page over, bypassing the elevations and what looked like a foundation plan and floor system layout to reveal the actual floor plan to us. On our first glance, it appeared to be just what we'd requested, including the modification of converting the boys' bedrooms into a single large bunkroom with a large bathroom area for them all to share. At the very west end of the new building would be our private four-car garage that connected to the house with a covered walkway. The kitchen had been expanded to hold two of every major appliance including oversized Sub-Zero refrigerators and a residential-sized icemaker. Space had also been left in the pantry to accommodate two large upright freezers. Our end of the house had its own utility room with space for two washers, two dryers, a large mop sink, and the unit for the central vacuum system. Closer to the front of the house was our bedroom with my study across the hall, and Tom and Dylan's new office was located at the end of the wing with a small parking lot for their clients' use. Ron's bedroom and bathroom were tucked behind the kitchen between the pantry and utility rooms and the boys' bunkroom. Each of the bedrooms had its own private outside deck area nestled in the twenty-foot gap between the garage and the house. The central living room and entry were easily twice the size of the area we had now, and the dining room was also larger to make room for the enormous table needed to seat up to twenty-four people at one time. The whole exterior wall of the living and dining rooms was comprised of series of glass wall panels that could all be moved from the center of the space to the ends, allowing us to open the entire area to the great outdoors. The fireplace was now located between the living and dining areas and was surrounded by glass so the fire could be seen and enjoyed from all four sides. As you moved to the opposite end of the house, a six-foot wide hallway split the three bedrooms on either side. Each bedroom was large enough to accept two queen-size beds and had its own bathroom containing dual showers and sinks. Ryan explained that would allow each of the room's occupants to take showers at the same time without having to share. The width of the central hallway was set to allow easy passage of a multitude of people in both directions and it ended at a set of double doors leading to the gymnasium. While slightly smaller than your average school gym due to the lack of bleachers for spectators and a stage for theatrical productions, it still contained a full-sized basketball court with the options of installing the appropriate net to allow for volleyball, badminton or tennis to be played in the same area. Boys' and girls' locker rooms were at the north end of the gym on each side of a hallway leading to the covered swimming pool. The pool itself was three times bigger than our current pool and included a diving board at the twelve-foot deep end. A large workout room with an assortment of equipment was also located at the north end of the gym, along with a second utility room containing two more washers and dryers to handle the towels from pool and locker rooms along with the bedding from the six bedrooms. Also located in the utility room were the filters and pumps for the pool. In the center of the gym's east wall was another set of double doors that granted access to the four-car garage on this end of the home. That garage would be used by Ken, Jason and any other people we had working with us. The entire south-facing roof areas of the two garages and central part of the house would be covered with a new style of solar energy shingles that should make the house practically self-sufficient. The batteries for that system would be located in the north end of the garage by the gym. Ryan told us there had been vast improvements over the past few years to the solar energy shingle and they were much more efficient and cost effective than they had been even ten years ago. He also planned to supplement that solar power generation with a separate windmill generator behind the house and hidden among the trees. Heating for all the rooms in the house would be provided by a radiant floor system with thermostats in each room so the temperature could be set as each desired. The gym, workout room and locker rooms would all be heated by a standard forced-air furnace located in the gym's utility room. While not the most efficient of methods, Ryan felt the glass wall on the south end of the gym would provide the majority of the heat in the space during the winter months. Plus, that wall had the added benefit of being fully opened up when it was warm outside, just like the glass wall in the house. All the rooms would also be wired to accommodate multiple TV and network jacks to handle everyone's needs. Ryan pointedly held off describing the most amazing feature of our new home. "Okay, we've been over everything. What do you guys think?" he asked. "I think it looks great," Eric enthused. "I just wish I could live in it," he quickly added with a laugh. "Max, Tom, your thoughts?" "Looks you hit all the checkboxes on my list, Ryan," Tom commented. "What you've got here looks just fine, Ryan, but you've completely left out the theater," I complained. "I thought it was gonna be off the living room where the pool is now. "Oh, yeah, he did," Tom agreed. "How the hell'd I miss that?" " `Cause all you were worried about was your flippin' workout room," I joked while punching him in the shoulder. "Once you saw that, you didn't care `bout anything else." "Fair point, babe," Tom laughed. He turned back to Ryan and asked the obvious question, "Okay, where'd you hide it?" "In plain sight, of course," Ryan answered with a crooked smirk as he flipped to the next page of the plan. "See, it's right there, just where you expected it to be." "But why wasn't it on the other page with the rest of the house," I asked in confusion. "I mean, it looks like a completely separate room. How the hell are we supposed to get to it?" "Piece of cake, Max. Let's backtrack a second." He flipped the plan back to the main house and began his explanation. "You see this empty spot along the exterior wall behind the fireplace right here?" he asked while pointing to the area on the page. After Eric, Tom and I nodded, he continued. "Well, that's between the glass walls of the living and dining rooms, right?" We all nodded again. "There's an opening in the wall here that leads to a ramp to take you down to the theater." The three of us gawked in surprise as Ryan flipped the page back to the home theater. "The theater's underground?" I asked in amazement. "Why?" "Partially, yes. When we talked the first time a couple of weeks ago, you expressed concern about losing all the glass up here, but you decided you were okay with that so the theater could be located at the center of the house. Well, I took your concern to heart and decided to sink the theater into the ground eight feet and about twenty feet away from the house. That lets you keep the glass walls in the living and dining rooms, leaves plenty of room outside for either a deck or patio between the house and the theater and allows for the theater to be darker since it's mostly underground. With the ten-foot tall walls in the theater, we'll have some small windows above ground level along the side walls of the room that can be easily covered with automatic blinds. There will also be stairs and exit doors at the end of the theater away from the house in case of a fire or other emergency." "But won't having the roof for the room jutting up out of the ground be ugly as hell?" Tom asked. "It would be, I guess, if it weren't going to be made of pre-stressed concrete slabs and covered with grass and flowers. From the house or deck, it'll look just like a garden on a small hill." "My god, Ryan, that's a beautiful idea. I would never have thought about sinking the room like that. Or covering the roof in plants." "Yeah, I know. That's why you're paying me the big bucks," Ryan laughed and the three of us joined him. "So, comments or questions." "I can't think of anything right now," Tom answered. "I love what you've come up with and can't wait to get moved into it." "Max?" Ryan prodded. "The only thing that's come up since we originally talked that I can think of is this, we don't want anyone to be able to see inside the house, gym or pool from the outside, so we need some kind of reflective finish on all the glass." "That's an easy thing to include in the project specs. Can I ask why you want to go to that added expense? While it's done on office buildings all the time, you rarely see it on a residence." "Well, to be honest with you, Ryan, we live a nudist lifestyle. And while we've not had a problem before, we have a couple of projects coming up that will probably increase the levels of interest and scrutiny our family will be subjected to." "Like what?" Ryan asked with confusion in his voice. "I'm guessing John has told you who I am?" I asked. After a simple nod of acknowledgement from Ryan, I continued. "Okay, here's the scoop. I talked to someone a few weeks ago about turning my books into movies and after we agreed to the basics on that project, he told us he also wants to make a TV series based on my life. While both projects will be a good thing for us, we're concerned about maintaining a respectable amount of privacy while we're at home. In light of that, we want the reflective finish to prevent anyone from being able to get pictures or video of us when we're here." "No problem, Max. I can understand that, and I'll make sure to include that demand in our instructions for bidders. Of course, we'll leave out the explanation you just gave me out of those instructions," he added with a chuckle. "Anything else?" "There are only two other questions I can think of at this moment. First, do you have an estimated cost, and second, when can John get started?" After a quick laugh at my anxiousness, Ryan replied, "Well, the final cost will, of course, vary depending on the fixtures and finishes you select for the flooring, faucets, countertops, that kind of thing. A rough estimate of the basic framing, wiring, plumbing and drywall is in the neighborhood of, say, three and a half to four million. As for John, he can get started any time he wants. The first thing he'll have to do is see the site you select and get the land cleared. Once that's done, he'll be ready to start digging the hole for the crawlspace." "The price is about what I expected, so no big deal there. Does John know where we stand with the plan?" "Yep, I talked to him on Wednesday and e-mailed him what I had at that time so he'd be mentally prepared for the work ahead. He's anxious to get started and it's my understanding he's already lining up the plumber, electrician and mechanical subs he wants to use." "Excellent. I knew he wouldn't waste any time." " `Scuse me, Ryan," Tom interrupted, "what are those other plans you brought with you. Are those extra copies of our house?" "Nope," he replied with a grin. "I brought those to show Eric." "What!?" the teenager exclaimed in surprise. "Well, I thought you'd like to see what a real finished blueprint looks like." Ryan moved our plan out of the way, then grabbed the two rolls at the end of the table and spread them out on the table with a flourish. "Go ahead, Eric, take a gander at those and tell me what you see." Eric slowly flipped through the pages of the first plan, moving through the four elevations, then the foundation and floor framing plans, before finally pausing on the floorplan of the house. After just a few seconds, he looked up to Ryan in shock. He quickly swapped to the second plan and started flipping through it before settling in on the floorplan for that home. "Th-the-these are the p-plans I dr-drew, aren't they?" Eric stuttered. After a quick nod from Ryan, Eric yelled, "Dad, get in here!" A visibly concerned Rick soon joined us in the dining room and a look of confusion mixed with concern filled his face. "What's up, son?" "Look at these two plans, Dad. These are the ones I drew and gave to Ryan." Rick took a few moments to look at both before saying, "Wow, this is really cool, Eric." He then turned his attention to Ryan and added, "You didn't have to do this." "Yeah, I know," Ryan agreed. "But I wanted to. I wanted Eric to see what a finished blueprint of his rough sketches would look like." "But why?" Rick asked. "Well, if he truly wants to become an architect, he should see what he's getting into and some of the process of what we do. Like I told Eric the night he gave me his drawings, we wouldn't have to change much, and I was right. One of my draftsmen took his sketches and created these. Sure, he fudged some of the room sizes a bit to make everything work out, but they're really close to what Eric gave me." "Wow!" Eric enthused. "I can't believe you did this. What do you think, Dad?" "I think both plans are really nice, Eric, but I think I like this second one better." "Why's that?" Eric queried with sincere interest. "Well, I really like this large central area that combines the kitchen, dining and great rooms. That would make entertaining guests while also fixing a meal a lot easier. The deck off the back would be a great place to relax at the end of a long day, especially with the right view. The garage is large enough to include a workbench and small shop area, too. But what I like the most is that my bedroom's a little farther away from yours and Josh's so I can't hear that noise you two call music when you crank up the tunes." Eric whipped his head around in surprise so fast I thought it might spin right off his shoulders. He gawked at his dad for a bit before muttering, "You can't be serious. Can you?" "As a heart attack, buddy. I think we're looking at our new home." Eric jumped out of his chair and wrapped Rick in a smothering hug, muttering, "Thanks, Dad," to the overwhelmed man. "Hey, I told you and your brother I wanted your input on our new place and I was dead serious. You can't have much more input than creating the plan for it, can you?" Eric was sobbing happily into Rick's shoulder as they held each other tightly. As the two finally started to break up, Rick whispered, "I love you, son and I'll be proud to live in your house." "I love you, too, Dad," Eric whispered back before wiping his eyes on his shirt. He then bounded around the table to wrap Ryan in a hug and thanking him for taking his rough sketch and running with it. "I was happy to do it, buddy," Ryan replied. "I think you've got a great career ahead of you. After you graduate from college and are ready to do your apprenticeship, there's an empty stool with your name on it waiting for you at my drafting table." That comment only deepened Eric's emotional reaction and he quickly disappeared down the hallway towards the theater to find a private spot until he could reclaim his calmness. Rick took the chair Eric had vacated and asked, "So, what happens next?" "Well, we need to review these with a fine-tooth comb just to make sure we haven't missed anything. I'd like you guys to spend some time doing the same thing and make any notes about changes you'd like made before we finalize it all. If you have time to do that now, that'd be great." "Consider it done, Ryan," I responded. Ryan continued after my interruption. "Great, then we can incorporate those mods at the same time we do our review. Once the plans are finalized and you've signed off on them, they'll have to be submitted to the county for their review and approval process. It will take a week or two to deal with those idiots, but there's no bypassing them. I figure it should take at least that long to clear the building sites of the trees necessary, anyway, so we won't really be losing any time." "Let me get some paper from my office and we'll make our notes right now." I disappeared to my study, pulled some paper from the shelf behind my desk, grabbed the satellite picture of the property off the desk and headed back to the dining room. When I returned, I found Eric had also rejoined us and he and Rick were already going over the plan for their home. I took my chair next to Tom and after sliding pen and paper to Rick, we dove into our own review. During the process, all of us were asking Ryan questions about various details and adding to our lists as he answered every query we posited. Among the items on our list were bronze-toned quartz countertops in all the bathrooms and kitchen, a brushed-nickel finish on all the fixtures, along with maple cabinets, six-panel oak doors and oak flooring for every room except the bathrooms where we wanted vinyl flooring to minimize possible damages from water. I also requested all the doors be changed to a minimum of three feet in width to make sure we wouldn't have any accessibility problems if a kid we took in was in a wheelchair. The pantry, utility rooms, workout room and locker rooms would all be outfitted with motion activated light switches so the lights would only be on when those spaces were in use. Rick and Eric's list was similar to ours except most of the finishes they selected were made of more economical materials. I was a bit surprised that he would go that route and asked him about it. "Rick, it seems to me you're going awfully cheap on some of that stuff. You're gonna be living in this house for a long time, we hope. You should dress it up a little and go with some better-quality materials so they'll last for years." "I'd love to, Max, but I simply can't afford that. We won't get near enough out of our current house to be able to pay for the new one. And if I'm gonna have to take out a mortgage, I need to make sure I can afford the payments." "Don't worry about that. You get whatever you want. We're paying for the place, anyway." "I can't let you do that," Rick protested vehemently. "Rick, listen to me closely. Perhaps we weren't clear with our intentions, but I think you misunderstood our offer when we asked if you wanted to move onto the property with us. We're paying for your new home. Whether it's you and your boys living in it or someone else, we need it done so whoever we hire to handle our medical needs is close by. It's just your lucky day we asked you to fill that position." The befuddled man almost fell out of his chair in shock on hearing my announcement, but Eric grabbed his dad and held him in place before he could hit the floor. When Rick finally recovered from my news, he replied, "I ... I don't know what to say, Max. Thanks doesn't seem to be nearly enough for what you guys are doing for us." "There's nothing to say, Rick," Tom offered. "We'll be glad to have you here." "I don't want you two to take this the wrong way, but I'm happy T.J. got hurt in the pool that night and I was on duty when the call came in. The changes in our lives since we met have been mind-boggling." "That's what friends and family are all about, buddy," I assured Rick while patting him on the shoulder. Our meeting continued for a few more minutes before we handed our lists of changes to Ryan. With assurances from him that all the modifications would be done by next Friday, I laid out the satellite photo of the property so we could select the building sites. While Ryan thought the area east of the storage building would be the perfect location for our new home, our explanation of why we couldn't build there was met with skepticism. He finally realized we were deadly serious and reluctantly agreed that sites north of the current house and storage building would work out just as well. The driveway to our new home would extend straight north from our current one and Rick's drive would turn north at the storage building. That spacing would leave a section of trees about a hundred foot wide between us. A new path would be cut through the trees in between our two homes to facilitate easy access to both residences with the driveways connecting us to what would become our parents' home. With all that settled, we broke up, Rick and Eric returning to the living room with their arms around each other. Tom and I stayed behind to walk Ryan out. As we reached the front door, I said, "Ryan, we really want to thank you for jumping on this project so quickly. We're anxious to get started with helping other kids." "No problems, guys. I'll get the final plans to you and John next Friday. Once you've signed off on them, I'll forward them to the county for their review and stamp of approval. You may want to let John know where we're gonna be building so he can get someone out here to start clearing trees." "I'll take care of that tomorrow so he might be able to get them started Monday." "Sounds like a plan to me," Ryan agreed as he turned towards the porch. "You sure you don't want to stay for supper?" Tom asked. "No, thanks for the offer, though. Hope you guys all have a great weekend." "Thanks, Ryan. You, too," Tom replied as Ryan crossed the porch and settled into his car before pulling away. As we joined the rest of the family in the living room, I asked, "Are you and the boys joining us for supper, Rick?" "Sure, why not?" Rick responded. "Saves me from havin' to think of somethin' to cook when we get home," he added with a laugh. "Since the other dude's finally gone, does that mean we can lose our clothes, now?" Josh asked. "If it's cool with Tom and Max, I don't see why not," Rick replied, looking to us for confirmation. "Sounds good to us, too, Josh," I agreed. "Everyone get comfortable and we'll figure out supper." All the boys jumped from their seats and disappeared down the hallway to their rooms, peeling their shirts off along the way. Rick, Tom and I adjourned to our room to do the same and Rick was following the example set by the youngsters, pulling his shirt over his head as soon we turned into the hallway just off the kitchen. No sooner had we stepped through the doorway into our room than Rick was kicking off his shoes and dropping his shorts to the floor, shuffling his feet in order to avoid tripping due to the useless cloth now tangled around his ankles. "Somebody looks like they're a little eager," I cracked as Rick finally stopped moving and stepped out of his shorts before bending over to pick them up from the floor. "Well yeah, I guess so. Let me tell you somethin', guys. I know it's only been a few weeks since we came over for a swim that night, but I've become so used to not wearin' clothes most of the time that I absolutely hate leavin' the house." "We're with ya on that, Rick," Tom laughed. "That's why I suggested we hire Ron to come in and help with the cookin', cleanin' and shoppin'. Now he has to go out for supplies and not us." I smacked my honey on the back of his head for claiming my idea as his own again and Rick laughed out loud at my actions. "Whoa, do I need to call the cops for a domestic violence incident?" Rick asked. "Nah, with his hard head, he probably didn't even feel that love tap," I chuckled. With the three of us comfortable, we headed for the kitchen to see what Ron had in mind for supper. We found him busy as ever, working on grilling some hamburgers and brats. At the other end of the counter, the fryer was busy with crisping up some French fries for the crew. "Smells good in here Ron," Tom commented. "Can we help with anything?" "Nope, I got a handle on it," Ron replied. "Why are you still wearing your shorts?" I asked with curiosity. "That have anything to do with our chat earlier?" "Maybe a little bit," Ron confessed. "Until I can get better control over things, I think I'll stay covered." "What's his problem, guys?" Rick asked. "He walked in on the boys havin' some fun this mornin' and didn't like how his body reacted to what was happenin'," Tom answered. "Not that a loose-fitting pair of shorts like he's got on now will hide anything." "I got more than just shorts on," Ron muttered with discomfort. "And it sounds like that strap's cuttin' you a bit too tight in the just the wrong place," Rick chuckled. "Get over it, already, Ron. You think you're the only dude to get turned on by our boys screwin' around with each other?" "Well, no, I guess not, but I still don't like it much." "Hell, it happens to me every time I catch Josh and Eric, and I'm as straight as you can get. But like any other dude who's got a pulse, I can't help but bone up when I see sex happenin', even when it's my boys. Oh, and you should talk to Eric about the jock strap thing. He can tell you from personal experience that it's a damn lousy idea, can't he Max?" "Yep. We cured him of that bad habit, though." "Sure as hell did," Rick agreed. "Now, when he gets a boner that won't go away, he goes to his room and cranks one out. Or he has Josh do it for him, one way or another." "Like I told Max and Tom earlier, that's not an option for me. I just can't take advantage of the boys that way. It wouldn't be right." "Your loss, buddy" Rick opined. "Guess you'll just have to suffer the consequences." "Yeah, don't remind me. Well, the food's about ready." "Good thing, man, we're gettin' hungry," Tom retorted. "Where's the rugrats?" Ron asked. "Good question," I answered. "I'll go let `em know supper's about ready." I headed across the house and on entering the twins' and Logan's room, I found all the boys enjoying an eight-way circle jerk in the middle of the bed. Jesus, Ron was right earlier when he said it was hotter than hell in the room. "C'mon guys, we're about ready to eat and you need to set the table." "We're tryin', Dad," Joey groaned in delight. "I can see that, trust me." Alex opened his eyes and after seeing I was hard, giggled, "Yeah, he sure can." I quickly turned around and left them alone, saying, "Make sure everyone washes their hands before joining us in the dining room. And don't take too long in there or your food will get cold." "All right, Dad, we're right behind you," T.J. grunted. When I returned to the kitchen, I was still seeing those eight kids working each other over in my mind and the continuing visions had done nothing to resolve the problem I had. If anything, they'd made the situation even more difficult to get under control. When I rounded the corner from the dining room into the kitchen, Tom gawked at me in surprise. "They're at it again?" he asked. "Gee, great bit of detecting there, Sherlock," I cracked. "What tipped you off?" "Uh, that," Tom laughed as he pointed to my crotch. "What can I say?" I offered in way of the lamest excuse ever. The boys soon joined us, and they got busy with setting the table for our meal. While I hoped they'd all washed their hands as I'd requested, it was obvious none of them had reached their desired goal as they proudly paraded around the room with their stiff members on full display and bouncing freely with every movement. It was quite the show to behold and I could see Tom and Rick were enjoying it just as much as I was. At one point, I saw Ron turn his back to us and he used his hand to make a minor adjustment to ease the embarrassing discomfort he was fighting. "I saw that, Ron," T.J. teased the flushed young man. "Yeah, whatchu hidin' over there, Skinny?" Logan yelled. "Nothin', ya nosy brat," Ron vented. "C'mon, dude, take those stinkin' shorts off and join the crowd," Joey chided. "I don't think so, buddy," Ron retorted. "Why not?" Josh pushed. "All of us got boners, even the old farts. Geez, you're as afraid of somebody else seein' your stiff dick as Eric used to be. Why you hidin' yours?" "Just because!" Ron yelled. "Now, sit your butts down and eat. And get those wieners outta my face." That was the absolute last thing Ron should have said to this group of munchkins. The extremely excited eight formed a line between Ron and the table, wrapped their arms around each other's shoulders and proceeded to wiggle their hips back and forth. The resulting display of all eight young peckers dancing wildly was a sight to behold. From Andy's two-inch stiff cocklet, head still concealed inside his foreskin, all the way up to Eric's bouncing five-inch almost adult cock with the smattering of hair above it, none of us could peel our eyes away from the spectacle, including Ron. When the lineup finally disbanded amid gales of laughter thirty seconds later, Eric stepped over to Ron, wrapped an arm around his shoulder and whispered, "Loosen up and enjoy yourself, dude." "But I'm stiff as a board," Ron protested quietly. "So what? You afraid we're all bigger than you or somethin'?" Eric giggled. "Hell no," Ron retorted. "Then lose the shorts and jock, and hand `em over." "How do you know I'm wearin' a jock?" Ron asked in surprise. " `Cause if you weren't, your shorts would look like a twelve-person tent right now." I could only imagine the tug-of-war Ron was having in his mind at the moment, but he finally gave in to the pressure from the thirteen-year-old still hanging on to him and he reached down to the waistband of his shorts. While Josh was thrumming a drumroll on the table with his dancing fingers, Ron slowly slipped his thumbs inside the elastic and pushed his shorts and jock strap to the floor. The boys all gave a little cheer or whistle of support as Ron stepped out of his discarded garments, picked them up from the floor and handed them to Eric. "Way to be a man, dude," Eric congratulated the flustered young man. "Now, let's eat." Still somewhat flushed with embarrassment, Ron started moving all the food to the table. As he took care of that, Rick and Eric had a hushed conversation before we all took our seats at the table and dug into our dinner. Quiet slowly descended on us as we stuffed ourselves with hamburgers, bratwurst, chips, and coleslaw. The quiet allowed me to review in my mind what I'd witnessed pass between Rick and Eric. The look of surprise on Eric's face intrigued me, but I couldn't imagine what Rick had said to elicit such a response. That look was slowly replaced by a devious grin that split the lower half of Eric's face and a quick nod of agreement soon followed. I had no clue what the two were cooking up, but I was pretty sure we'd find out before the night was over. When everyone had reached their fill, the boys got busy with cleaning off the table and loading our dishes into the dishwasher. After they had finished their part of the cleanup, Ron kicked them all out of the kitchen and took over to finish the task. As the eight wild ones returned to the dining room, Eric asked, "Hey, Dad, can we stay for a while longer and go for a swim?" "Fine with me if it's okay with Max and Tom." The teenager shot me a quick look and I responded with, "We've been in the pool once already today, but I suppose another dunk wouldn't hurt us any. It might even help wear our boys out a bit more so they can get a good night's sleep." With agreement from all, we grabbed our towels and headed outside. Tom led the parade to the pool while I stopped briefly in the kitchen. "Hey, Ron, you doin' okay with things?" "Yeah, I guess," he muttered. "Didn't much appreciate that punk pushing me to strip off, though." "He's a good kid, Ron, give `im a break, okay? Besides, he had a point, hiding problems never resolves them. It might actually make them worse." "Whatever, Max." "Well, look, we're gonna hit the pool again. You're welcome to join us, and I hope you do. But, I'll understand if you decide not to." "We'll see," Ron retorted with just a tinge of anger. I almost told Ron he needed to calm down, but I know all too well that usually doesn't work, so I kept my mouth shut and turned to join the rest of the family in the pool. While I hoped Ron would join us soon, I wasn't going to hold my breath waiting for him. As it turned out, I ended up having to hold my breath anyway, but for an entirely different reason. As soon as I was in the water, I was mugged by all eight munchkins. I can usually hold my own okay against our six, but with Eric and Josh included in tonight's attack, I didn't stand a chance. After kissing the bottom of the pool, the herd finally relented and I was allowed to resurface, gasping for a breath of fresh air as soon as my head broke free of the water. "Y'all tryin' to kill me?" I asked when I finally recovered from their attack. "Sorry, Dad," T.J. apologized. "We got a little carried away." "I'll let it slide this time, ya rugrats, but let's calm things down a bit, okay?" "We gotcha, Dad," Alex replied. "Mike, this might be a good time for your class," I suggested as I turned and headed for the corner where Rick and Tom were relaxing and laughing their asses off. As I floated away from the rowdy bunch, I heard Mike yell, `All right ya bozos, grab the edge of pool and start kickin'.' As I drew closer to the pair in the corner, I commented, "Geez, those guys are wound for sound tonight." "Tell us about it," Tom replied as I settled in. "They pulled the same dirty trick on the two of us." "Yeah, sorry, guys," Rick said softly. "It's all Eric and Josh's fault. They're both excited as hell to be movin' into a new place next door to you. I guess that's rubbin' off on your crew." "No worries, Rick," I laughed. "But trust us, they don't need any help to get like that." "Where's Ron?" Tom asked. "Still dealin' with the kitchen. I hope he'll be out soon." "You think he may not?" Rick queried. "Well, he's a bit ticked at Eric right now, so who knows?" " `Bout what?" Rick asked with concern. "Well, Ron has been really upset today about his reaction to catchin' our boys in the act. And Eric didn't help things much the way he basically forced Ron to get undressed." "Oh, shit," Rick muttered. "What?" Tom asked. "Hang on guys, be right back." On that note, Rick moved to the middle of the pool and pulled Eric into another hushed conversation. The two separated a minute later and when Rick rejoined us, he said, "Okay, disaster averted." "What the hell was that all about?" Tom asked with concern. "Well, after the whole thing in the kitchen with the boys and their little show that had us all boned up, I had what I thought was a great idea." "And what was that?" I asked. "After seein' how bothered Ron was, I kinda suggested to Eric he might want to, uh, show Ron just how much fun he could have if he'd just give it a try. With a kid, that is." "Jesus, Rick, what the hell were you thinkin'?" Tom vented. "Well, Eric and Josh have taught me a few things the past several weeks, and even though I consider myself to be your basic straight dude, I've enjoyed it. Quite a bit more than I thought I would, I might add. And after your little adventure in Chicago, you two know what I'm talkin' `bout." "Yeah, we do. Eric said he'd tell you about what happened between us, but he also said he'd make sure you knew it was his idea." "And he did. Sure, I was surprised as hell he'd do that with anyone but me or Josh, but what's the big deal? I love my boys with all my heart, and I want them to learn all about the infinite varieties of sex available, but I also want them to do it safely, too. There's nobody safer to learn from than family, and we consider you guys to be part of our family. And that includes Ron," Rick said. "Ron's gay and young, Eric's probably bi and a little bit younger. I bet both of them love to get their rocks off any way they can. And trust me, the kid gives as good as he gets. Who knows, he just might teach ol' Ron a few new tricks," Rick added with a chuckle. "Well, I'm glad you called him off," I muttered. "I'd hate for Ron to completely freak out and leave us today." "No sweat, guys. It seemed the right thing to do under the circumstances. I also told Eric he needs to apologize to Ron for puttin' `im on the spot like that. It was kinda funny to us, I guess, but I can see where Ron sure wouldn't have thought that at all." "No, I'm sure he didn't," I agreed. The three of us continued to chat about various subjects while waiting for Ron to put in his appearance. The most interesting item discussed, of course, was Sammy and what we were going to do about him. Interesting to Rick, anyway. Since we were living with the situation, I have to admit we just hope the issue can be resolved quickly and Sammy will feel like he could finally move on to whatever's next. The whole visit from a spirit thing was forcing me to seriously reevaluate some of my beliefs. Not to the point of believing in and accepting the concepts of heaven and hell, mind you. Or even coming close to believing that `god', whoever the fuck he's supposed to be, really exists. There are way too many horrors in this world that could ever sway my thinking into the belief that an all-knowing, loving and benevolent god who keeps watch over us 24/7 could ever be real. No, if that sky spook existed, he should be able to stop wars, droughts, famine and a whole host of other problems with a single and simple snap of his fingers. And yet, we still have those atrocities and more still happening all over the world and he's not doing a damn thing about any of them. Hell, he can't even keep his own priests from raping and abusing kids in `his' fucking church. So no, no god exists. But, life, death and even the possibility of a life after death, I guess, had become all too real in the past few weeks. For all of us. With Charlie's death, I had come to hope that there might be something more for us after we've died, if for no other reason than to bring some comfort to Logan as he dealt with his loss. And with Sammy reaching out to T.J., I was forced to admit to myself that there must be something more for us beyond life as we know it. I couldn't begin to fathom the answers to that riddle, but I was sure I'd find them in due time, hopefully at some point in the very distant future. After forty-five minutes had passed with Ron still not joining us, we decided to call it a night. We climbed from the pool, and headed for our towels, the boys following along without argument. As we entered the house, the boys disappeared to get their showers and we offered Rick the use of our shower while we set up an evening snack for the herd. Ron was nowhere to be seen and we assumed he was in his room. Whether he was watching TV, reading a book, contemplating his navel or just stewing about his predicament, we hadn't a clue. The herd started to filter back in and took seats at the dining room table to enjoy their snack of fresh chocolate chip cookies that Ron had baked this afternoon. Tom and I were going to be really bummed out if Ron decided he couldn't handle the stress and decided to leave. Granted, we'd done okay by ourselves before he joined us, but that was before Tom started his new work and I'd started writing a book. With much of our daily lives taken up by those two things, we didn't want to think about having to resume all the responsibilities we'd handed off to Ron. Oh well, there didn't seem to be much we could do to alleviate the problem, so we'd just have to wait and see what happened. Rick came back from his shower with his clothes in hand and said, "C'mon, boys, we should get home." "But Dad, I haven't had a chance to talk to Ron yet," Eric complained. "Well, take care of it, please. I don't want to let that slide." "Yeah, I'm going," Eric grumbled as he left his chair. "Don't leave without me, old man." "Not a chance, buddy. Don't think Tom and Max are quite ready to add to the headcount `round here." We both shook our heads in agreement and the remaining boys all cracked up in laughter as Eric plodded slowly across the house and down the hallway to Ron's room. I still wasn't sure why I was doing this, but Dad insisted on it, so here I am, standing in the hallway outside Ron's room. His door was still closed and I briefly thought about just turning around and telling Dad that Ron wouldn't answer me, but I couldn't just outright lie to my old man, so I rapped lightly on the wooden slab and softly asked, "Hey Ron, ya got a minute?" "Yeah, I guess. C'mon in." Boy, did he sound grumpy. I slowly opened the door and stepped into his room, closing the door behind me before saying, "I need to say somethin' to you, man. Can I sit down?" After a quick nod from him, I stepped over and sat at the foot of the bed. I looked directly at Ron's face and began, "Look, I'm really sorry `bout what I did to you in the kitchen. I know you're still kinda new to this whole bein' naked thing, and there might be times when you're not comfortable strippin' off. I was way outta line when I pushed you to get naked, too, and I know I shouldn't a done that. I hope you'll forgive me for bein' an asshole." "Thanks, Eric, I really appreciate you sayin' that." "It's just that Dad, Josh and I don't wear clothes at home, either, so we're pretty used to it. I guess I just assumed that after livin' here the past couple weeks, you shouldn't have a problem with gettin' naked, even if you got a boner. None of us guys give two shits if somebody sees us hard, so I figured you wouldn't care either. Obviously, I was wrong and I really fucked up. I swear, I'll never do that again." "Don't worry about it, buddy. I overreacted to what happened tonight, but after this morning, I'm really worried `bout bein' able to keep this job." "What, you mean poppin' wood after goin' in the twins' room when they was all screwin' `round?" "Well, yeah, that's never happened to me before. Not around kids, anyways. And I don't want it to, either. That shit ain't right." "Well, yes and no, Ron," I replied. "What do you mean by that, Eric?" Ron asked with surprise. "Well, it's my feeling that if you force a kid to do somethin' they don't wanna do, then yeah, it's wrong as hell and you deserve to get the shit beat out of ya. But if the kid wanted to do it with you and nobody was forced to do anything they didn't wanna do, then what's the big deal? See, that's one of the big rules at my house. You can do whatever you want with whoever you want as long as everybody agrees to what's happenin'." "That might be okay with you guys, but I'm pretty sure Max and Tom wouldn't much appreciate me chasin' after their boys." "Maybe not, but it wouldn't hurt to ask the question, would it? I know Joey and Alex would probably be interested. They've both talked about how cute you are. But ya gotta ask first, okay? Well, look, we gotta head for home, but I had to tell you I'm sorry for bein' such a jerk before we go. And if you ever decide you wanna try out somethin' with a kid, I'd be up for it." "I just bet you would, ya little horndog." "In case you didn't notice earlier, it ain't that little, Ron," I retorted as I stood up and proudly displayed my stiff dick. "No, I guess not," Ron snickered. "C'mere, punk." I slowly moved closer as Ron crawled off the bed, unsure what he wanted. When I got close enough, he pulled me into a hug and our hard cocks ground together between us. "I'll think about it, okay?" Ron whispered in my ear. "No hard feelings, then?" I asked. "Only two I'm aware of at the moment," he chuckled. "Look, maybe next time, okay?" "Sounds like fun, man. I can't wait. You're a good guy, Ron. Don't let them horny little fuckers drive you away." "I'll do my best," he replied with a snicker. "Now, get outta here before I tie you down to the bed and have my way with you." "Like you said, maybe next time," I retorted. "See ya later, man, be cool." On that note, I left a much happier Ron and headed back out so we could go home. "There you are," Rick called out when Eric finally returned. "Thought I was gonna have to come rescue you from the clutches of a frustrated Ron." "Not this time, Dad," Eric replied with a little giggle. "You guys ready to boogie?" "Just waitin' on your sorry ass, bro," Josh retorted. He then turned to Rick and asked, "Hey, Dad, can Joey spend the night?" "Uh, yeah, as long as it's okay with his dads." Rick turned to us for our reaction and after a quick glance between Tom and I, we simply shrugged our shoulders before Tom said, "Sounds okay to us as long as he's back home before noon." "Sweet, Dads, thanks," Joey squealed in delight. "I better grab my stuff," he added as he jumped from his chair and ran to his room. Once Joey had the few things he needed to spend the night with Josh, that group headed for home with the promise Joey would be back well before our guests arrived tomorrow afternoon. Surprisingly, Alex was not showing any adverse signs of his brother being away for the night, so he must be getting used to the fact that Joey had someone else in his life. We then hustled the rest of the herd to bed with our regular rituals before retreating to the living room to read and relax for a bit. Tom picked up his book to start reading while I grabbed the phone to call Rich. "You've reached the Weavers, this is Rich," he greeted me. "Hey, Rich, Max here. How ya doin?" "Pretty good, Max. How's it goin' with you guys?" he asked. "Just another day in paradise," I replied with a chuckle. "I wanted to find out if you had anything planned for tomorrow night." "Well," he drawled, "I was contemplatin' going back to that gay bar in town. You know, for old times sake," he laughed. "I thought you gave up on that idea," I replied with concern. "I did, don't worry. Besides, Dad threatened to kick my ass if I ever went back there. And when he was done with my ass, he was gonna sell my car so I couldn't go anyway," he laughed. "So, what's up?" "Well, I wanted to see if you'd like to come out for supper and a swim with the boys. I know T.J. would like it if you could join us. He's still worried about you, you know." "Yeah, I know," Rich giggled. "Every time the shrimp sees me in the hall at school, he asks how I'm doin'. And I always give him the same answer, I'm gettin' better every day." "I'm really happy to hear that, Rich." "No more than I am, believe me. And yeah, I'd love to come out, thanks for the invite. What time?" "Good, we'll look forward to it. Let's say we'll eat about five-thirty and swim after." "Perfect, man, I'll be there." I ended the call and let Tom know we'd be having company tomorrow night. Since his nose was buried in my third book, I was lucky to get a quick nod and grunt of acknowledgment from him. I finally picked up the book I was in the middle of and dove into it headfirst. After the week we'd had, it was nice to be able to just kick back and relax for a bit. The peace and quiet that had settled over us was abruptly shattered when the quiet was suddenly pierced by blood-curdling screams of terror coming from the far end of the hallway. Tom and I ran down the hall and exploded through the door to see what the hell was going on. After turning on the lights, we found Mike sitting bolt upright in the middle of the bed, T.J. and Andy standing beside it with looks of intense fear flooding their faces. Mike's arms were flailing about wildly and he was kicking his legs like a frenzied salsa dancer. It looked like he was trying to get away from something that was scaring the life out of him and he kept screaming things like `Get away from me', `I swear, I'll be good' and `No, don't hit me". Tom immediately scooped Mike into his arms as he tried to calm the agitated youngster while I knelt behind T.J. and Andy to hold them. "What's wrong with Mike," Andy asked with a tremor of fear. "I don't know, buddy," I answered. "Looks like he's having a nightmare, though." "Well, whatever it is, he sure scared the crap outta us," T.J. breathed. Mike's screams had obviously awakened Alex, Logan and Ron as they, too, had joined the confusion and were standing just inside the bedroom door, looks of concern plastered on their faces. Despite being hit repeatedly by Mike, Tom refused to let the whirling dervish go. If anything, he was holding him even tighter and whispering softly, "You're okay, buddy. Calm down and wake up. You're safe. Nobody's gonna hurt you." After several minutes of that, Mike started to relax in Tom's tight embrace. When he finally opened his eyes and realized where he was, he melted into Tom and began to cry. "What was that all about?" Tom asked softly. "Just a bad dream, Pops," Mike sniffled. "Musta been really bad for you to be kickin' and screamin' like you were. Do you remember what scared you?" "Yeah, I'd done somethin' stupid and was hidin' in my closet. My mom and dad had just found me, and they were pissed as hell. Dad already had his belt out, Mom had the paddle and they was both gonna beat me again. I was tryin' to get away from `em, but I knew I was trapped." "You musta been terrified, and I'm really sorry they came back to haunt you," Tom agreed. "But you're safe here, Mike. Your mom and dad can never hurt you again." "Thanks, Pops," Mike whimpered in relief. T.J. and Andy had climbed back on the bed and crawled over to the pair to join in the cuddle fest taking place, whispering their own words of encouragement and support to their brother. As for me, I could only stand there in stunned silence and disbelief that a nightmare like the one Mike had just experienced could come so long after being removed from his parents and moving in with us. But then I remembered how long it took me to recall all the horrible shit in my own life, and I completely understood. You let your guard down for one moment and boom, you're right back in the middle of it. I finally jerked myself back to reality and joined the others on the bed. "You're gonna be just fine, Mike," I offered weakly. "You know we'll protect you and keep you safe." "Yeah, I know, Dad." "If you ever decide you want to talk about things, you know we're here and will help with whatever we can. We can even call Paul if you want to talk to him about what's bothering you." "Naw, you don't need to do that. I'll be fine." "If you're sure," Tom said with concern. "Yeah, I'm sure. Thanks, guys." "You ready to get back to sleep?" I asked. "I think so," Mike muttered. "Long as T.J. and Andy are here with me, I'll be okay." "We ain't goin' nowhere, bro," Andy replied with conviction. "You're the meat in the middle of the sandwich tonight, dude," T.J. added. "All three of you are the meat," Alex stated as he and Logan crossed the room and climbed on the bed. "Yeah, make room for two more, ya bozos," Logan added. With that, Tom and I extricated ourselves from the hug fest and crawled off the bed. True to their words, when we pulled the covers over the five munchkins, Mike was between T.J. and Andy and they were both holding him very closely. Alex and Logan had taken their spots behind T.J. and Andy and were curled up tightly with their bothers. I'd be surprised if any of them got any real sleep the rest of the night. With another round of hugs, kisses, love yous and good nights, we turned off the light and closed the door, then returned to the living room. Ron peeled off into his own room with a good night of his own for us. "Jesus, I wasn't prepared for that," Tom muttered as we sank into our chairs. "I'm pretty sure no parent ever is," I commented. "I just hope these night terrors don't become a regular occurrence." "You never know, do you?" Tom asked. "I guess not, but I'd have thought he'd be past his worries after being here the past couple months." "Not like you've got a lot o' room to talk there, Max," Tom muttered. "What're you talkin' about?" I asked with concern. "Well, you've not been a lot of fun to share a bed with the past month or so." I gawked at my human teddy bear before he continued. "Yeah, you have good and bad nights, too. Not the screaming and fighting kinda bad nights Mike just had, but you've had more than just a few thrashing, twisting, turning kinda nights the past month. I'm surprised in the mornings when I wake up and I'm not bruised from head to toe after a night of that. And the worst part of it is that you never seem to remember it." "Jesus, Tom, I had no clue that was happening. Why didn't say you something?" "Well, I knew somethin' was goin' on with you, but I also figured if you wanted to talk about it, you'd bring it up on your own. I know you're still dealin' with a lot of crap and I never know if I should bring it up or not. I don't want to put any added pressure on you." "But I can't talk about what I don't know about. I wish you'd said something before now. I'll be honest, I always feel kinda worn out, but I just assumed that was from tryin `to keep up with the boys. I never realized it was because I wasn't getting enough good sleep." "You wanna talk about it now?" Tom asked sheepishly. "I would if I knew what was goin' on or what to say. But I'll make a deal with ya. Next time I have one of those bad nights, do me a favor and wake me the hell up. Maybe I'll be able to remember what's causing it if I wake up in the middle of one of those episodes." "You got yourself a deal, babe." Ron chose that moment to put in an appearance as he rounded the corner from the hallway and slumped onto the loveseat, bringing our conversation to a quick ending. "What's up, Ron?" Tom queried the nervous looking young man. "I just wanted to say sorry for being such a pain in the ass jerk today." "That's all right, buddy. We understand." "No, I really don't think you do. Like I told you before, I've never been turned on by a kid before today, never even thought it was a possibility. Yet, here I am, stuck in a house with six horny as fuck boys that are makin' me think about things I've never even thought could happen before this morning." I looked to Tom and quietly asked, "Do we tell him the full truth?" He gave me a concerned look for just a moment before giving me a quick nod of agreement. Turning back to Ron, I continued with, "Listen, Ron, you've been here long enough, we should tell you the full truth about us." "What the hell are you talkin' about?" Ron asked in confusion. "Well, to be bluntly honest with you, Alex, Joey and T.J. have all been in our bed with us. And before Logan's dad died, he asked what it would take to get in bed with us, too." "Wait," Tom interrupted. "Don't forget about Eric, too. Oh, and that thing with Brent." "WHAT!?" "Just listen for minute and we'll try to explain. First and foremost, Tom and I truly love each other deeply and we're going to get married in less than a month. That said, we love our boys just as much." "Well, I love the little rugrats, too, but not to the point of hoppin' into bed with them. Or them with me for that matter." "And we're not saying you should. But, we all have to acknowledge the fact our boys are very sexual creatures. And while neither of us expected anything would ever happen between us and them, the few times we've allowed it to happen have been wonderful for all of us and we love each other even more because of it," I explained calmly. Tom continued with, "And even though we let the boys join us in bed and we've loved every moment of our time together, it was always on the boys' terms, not ours. They led our interactions and told us exactly what we could and could not do with them." "Uh, you wanna give me a hint what you're talkin' about?" Ron begged. "Well, from the very first night they moved in," I began, "Alex and Joey had been begging us to join them whenever we'd go say our good nights and they were already occupied with each other. But the two of us needed some time to process their request and decide how to handle it. The night of their birthday party with our families, we finally relented to their continual pressure and gave them a very special present. Then the night after the party with their friends from school, they wanted to give each other something extra special for their gift to each other, but were having some minor difficulties, so they came to ask for our help." "Like what?" "Well, the two buggers wanted to have anal sex, but couldn't get inside the other," Tom answered with a chuckle. "After several attempts and facing utter failure, they begged us to show them how to do it. Since we were already horny as hell after being around twenty or so very cute and very naked boys all afternoon, we were about to do the deed ourselves, so we had them join us so they could see what they needed to do and how it works." "So, you basically taught the twins how to fuck each other?" Ron asked in surprise. "Yeah, we did," I replied. "And it was one of the hottest nights of sex we've ever had. Watchin' Alex bury his dick in Joey's ass for the very first time was hotter than hell. When we put them back to bed that night, we left our lube in their room so Joey could return the favor in the morning." "I can't believe this," Ron muttered. "What about T.J.?" "Well," I began, "Joey and Alex had told T.J. about what happened between the four of us and he wanted to give it a try to see if it was as much fun as the twins said it was. We're pretty sure he enjoyed it just as much, if not more than Joey and Alex. And before you ask, Eric was the same way. The three of us enjoyed two wonderful nights of sex with each other when we were in Chicago. Let me tell ya, Ron, that boy tastes just as sweet as he looks." "And he is one very sweet lookin' little hottie," Ron agreed with a grin. "And we know that Joey and Alex have taught Logan to enjoy sex even though Logan says he's not gay," Tom continued. "And he may not be, but he doesn't let that stop him from enjoying being in bed with the twins. But here's the most important thing you need to take out of this conversation; every one of the boys we've done something with has specifically asked for it to happen. We didn't go to them and ask, we didn't force them to do anything they didn't want to do, they took the lead and we abided by their wishes." "That's what Eric said," Ron admitted. "When he came in my room to apologize before they left, he told me his dad had the rule that any of them could do whatever they wanted with each other as long as they all agreed to it." "And you need to know that we have the same rule here, Ron. If the boys ask to get in bed with us, we're happy to let them. And we'll do anything and everything they ask for except for one thing. No matter how much they beg, plead or cajole us, we will not penetrate them anally with anything more than our finger ... and you won't either." "Wait, are you tellin `me if they ask me to do that shit with them, I can? And you won't turn me into a eunuch before you feed me to the wolves?" Tom and I both chuckled at the question before he answered, "Look, we love the boys and would move heaven and the earth to protect them. But we're also smart enough to know that we could never control their sexual impulses and desires, not that we would necessarily want to. All we ask for is common sense and a bit of self-control." "Uh, you didn't really answer my question," Ron chuckled. "How's this for an answer, Ron?" I replied. "If any of the boys comes to you and asks you to indulge them with some sex, yes, you can do so. But, I swear to you right now, if you ever, and I mean ever, stick your dick where it don't belong, it's gonna be time for you to meet not only the wolves, but a pack of very hungry hyenas, too. Don't forget, we have a cemetery on the property," I reminded him with a laugh. "So, let me be clear on this. If they want me to suck them off, that's a go. If they wanna suck me, that's cool, too. Circle jerk with any or all of them, a-okay. They wanna fuck my ass, winner, winner, chicken dinner. They want me to fuck them, I better run for the fuckin' hills and never come back." "Sounds like you understand, buddy," Tom grinned. "But what about Eric?" Ron persisted. "Eric writes his own rules," I replied. "If he's cool with you fuckin' him, then that's his call, not ours. And since we've both been granted that pleasure already, I don't doubt he'd let you do it, too." "Holy shit! You've really done it with him?" "Yes, we have. And it's an experience you won't want to pass up if he gives you the opportunity." "Dammit! Wish I'd known that a couple hours ago," Ron moaned. "If he made the offer already, chances are real good you'll get another shot," Tom commented. "I sure as hell hope so," Ron grinned. "Well, look guys, it's getting late. I really appreciate you talkin' to me. I'm glad to hear you don't think I'm some sort of sick pervert for gettin' turned on by the boys. Now that I know the full deal, I feel a lot better about myself. And you can trust me to do the right thing." With our conversation seemingly over, we stood to say good night to each other. As we did, three very erect cocks were freed from their hiding places and placed on full display for us all to see. "Looks like we could all use a little bit of relief before we turn in," Ron giggled. "Yeah, we could," I agreed with a grin as I looked to Tom and raised my eyebrow in question. Tom nodded and suggested, "Would you like a little help tonight, Ron?" The confused young man gave us a look that said, `are you kiddin'?'. Tom responded to that look with a simple, "Then come with us, buddy." "Oh, god, I sure hope to," Ron muttered in disbelief as he fell into step behind us. By the time all our carnal desires had been fulfilled an hour later, we had become intimately familiar with almost every square inch of Ron's finely-honed body and he with ours. While none of us expected such a meeting of minds and bodies to become a regular occurrence in our lives, by the time we were done with our shower afterward, we also knew we wouldn't say no should the opportunity arise in the future. With Tom and I completely exhausted by the events of the day and night, and after Ron had returned to his own bedroom, we quickly fell asleep after sharing our regular hug, kiss and I love you. We slept soundly until our wakeup call came through the door and jumped on the bed at nine-thirty in the morning. We were rather rudely informed we were late for breakfast and Joey, Alex and Logan were doing everything they could to push us out of bed and onto the floor. We got lucky they never combined their efforts on one of us at a time or they would have succeeded. With assurances from Tom and me that we would join them shortly, the terrible trio hustled their butts out of the bedroom, laughing all the way. After our morning bathroom stop, we finally managed to make our way to the dining room to join the breakfast already in progress. We settled into our chairs amid a round of greetings from the others already assembled and stuffing their faces with the steak and eggs breakfast Ron had basically promised them. Our greeting from Ron was a simple `mornin' but it was followed up with a wide grin of deep satisfaction. Such looks often catch the attention of at least one of the munchkins and this one was not going to be an exception. "You three finally did it, didn't you?" Joey cracked with a knowing smirk, garnering attention from the others. "I don't believe that's any of your business, young man," Tom retorted. "Oh, c'mon, Pops," Alex continued. "Don't lie to us. You know we know the truth," he added with his own gleeful smirk. "That may be, Alex, but you also know we don't discuss these things while we're eating," I reminded the nosy young rugrat. "The important thing is did y'all agree to it and have fun?" T.J. asked. "Well, if you must know, the answers are yes and yes," I responded. "Good for you guys," Logan commented. "Did Skinny pass the test? And does that mean we get him next?" "Holy crap, guys," Ron groaned. "is that the only thing you think about?" he asked. "Well, not the only thing, Ron, but more than most other things, for sure," Alex giggled. "Lord, give me strength," Ron murmured quietly. Before the conversation went completely off the rails, I said, "By the way, Rich is coming over tonight for supper and a swim." "Cool," T.J. enthused. "I've been hopin' he'd be able to sometime soon." "Well, I'd hoped to have him out before now, but it was difficult to arrange these past couple of weeks with everything we've had to deal with." "Sorry, Dads," Logan muttered. "I never meant to be a problem," he added sadly. "You're fine, buddy," Tom replied. "But, before Rich gets here, Judge Corgan is coming out about two this afternoon, and he's bringing his dad with him so he can see their family cemetery. And you'll have to be dressed while they're here. Especially if you want to join us on the walk." "Cool!" T.J. crowed. "I hope they know more about Sammy." "We hope so, too," Tom replied. "We'd like to get this situation dealt with and done." "Sammy would, too, Pops," Alex retorted. "Yeah, he's tired of hangin' `round all this time," Joey agreed. "Still, it'll be nice to not have to worry about him any longer," Tom muttered with resignation. Since the boys had gotten a head start on their breakfast, they were done well before Tom and I were, and they started cleaning up their dishes and loading the dishwasher. Once they were done with their things, they adjourned to the theater with the disc for Real Steel, one of their favorite movies. I assumed it was one of their favorites because they all thought Dakota Goyo was cuter than hell when the movie was made. With the sensational six-pack out of earshot, Ron finally commented, "I really want to thank you guys for last night. That was truly one of the hottest nights I've ever had in my life." "Don't get too used to it, Ron," Tom replied. "We generally prefer it to be just the two of us." "But we kinda felt guilty for what you were dealin' with yesterday and wanted to make up for it." "No worries. While I enjoyed it a lot, I really don't want to come between you two." Tom and I shot Ron a strange look before we cracked up laughing and I retorted, "Didn't seem to bother you a bit last night, buddy." Finally realizing the unintentional pun he'd tossed out like a hand grenade with its pin already pulled, Ron joined us in our mirth. "You know what I meant. Jesus, you two are as bad as the boys," he flustered. "Yeah, we do. Just the way you said it was funny," I replied. "That was a great breakfast, by the way. Don't think I've ever had steak and eggs before, but I'd be willing to make a habit out of it," I added with a chuckle. "Yeah, I just bet you would," Ron retorted. "Tell ya what, you start doin' the cookin' again and you're welcome to have it as often as you like." "You want any help cleaning up," Tom asked. "Naw, I got it, guys. You go relax and get ready for your guests." That was all we needed to hear to make a hasty exit from the dining room and head to the living room to read for a while. Lunch today was a simple affair with Ron fixing grilled ham and cheese along with the obligatory tomato soup. The boys would have probably strung him up by his gonads if he'd forgotten the soup. Once our midday meal was completed and the cleanup finished, everyone retreated to their rooms to get dressed for our afternoon visitors. When the drive sensor announced their arrival at ten after two, Joey and Alex charged across the entry to greet Judge Corgan and his dad. "Hi, Mr. Corgan," Alex greeted the pair when he opened the door. "It's good to see you again," Joey added. "It's good to see the two of you again, also," David replied as he and his father stepped inside. "How are you guys doing?" "We're great," Joey answered. "How `bout you?" Alex added. "I'm doing just fine, thanks for asking. I'd like you to meet my dad, Gabriel. Dad, these two fine young lads are Joey and Alex Allison." "Nuh-uh," Joey disagreed. "Our last name's Sanders-Wright." "My most humble apologies Joey and Alex Sanders-Wright," David replied with a grin. "It's nice to meet you, boys," Gabriel replied. "Well, c'mon in. Our dads and brothers are waiting over there," Alex commented while pointing in our direction. We watched the foursome cross the entry and as they drew closer, we all stood up to greet and shake hands with our guests. After David had introduced his dad to everyone, he knelt in front of Logan and offered, "I was so sorry to hear about your father's death, Logan, and what you went through with your uncle. You'll be happy to hear that your uncle's guardianship of you has been revoked and ..." Tom and I quickly caught David's attention and waved him off before he could say anything more since we hadn't yet told Logan about our petition to adopt him. We watched him as understanding took root and he smoothly continued, "I hope you're okay staying here until we can settle a few things." "Thanks, Mr. Corgan. I never wanted to live with that scumbag loser anyway. I just hope I get to stay here with my new dads and brothers." "Well, we'll have to wait and see what the future holds for you, won't we?" David offered. "Yeah, I guess so," Logan agreed with a hint of sadness. "Well, are we ready to take a walk?" David asked as he stood back up and looked to Tom and me. "Um, not quite yet," I answered. "We'd like to talk to you and your dad before we do that." "About what?" Gabriel asked. "First, let's have a seat. This may make take more than just a few minutes to fully explain." Everyone settled in and got comfortable before I continued. "We'd like to know whatever you can tell us about Samuel." "All I know about him is he's one of the people buried in the cemetery," David offered. He turned to his dad and asked, "You know anything about him, Dad?" A look of sadness took over Gabriel before he solemnly answered, "Yes, poor Samuel is a sad chapter in our family's history, I'm afraid. But, I'm rather curious as to why you would be asking about him in particular?" "T.J., I think we'll let you take over from here," I said softly while turning to face him. "Yeah, all right, Dad," he replied before facing David and Gabriel to begin his story. "We went out to see your cemetery the day after Logan's dad died. While we were out there, I, uh, felt somethin' that scared the cra..., um, heck outta me, somethin' I ain't never felt before. Since then, I've had several weird dreams and in one of `em, I dreamt I was walkin' through the woods when Sammy grabbed my wrist, pulled me off the trail and deeper into the trees." Shock registered on David and his dad's faces before T.J. carried on. "Then, yesterday, all of us went for a walk on the same trail and when we reached the point where Sammy had pulled me off the trail, we followed along in the direction he'd taken me. We ended up in this clearing out there with a single giant tree growin' right smack in the middle of it. Joey, Alex and me got close enough to touch the tree, and when we did, we could see Sammy hangin' from a big branch way off the ground. Then, we watched as his spirit left his body when he finally died and he kinda floated down to the ground. That's when the three of us huddled around him and he told us what had happened to him." David interrupted T.J.'s account with, "Well, the story I've heard since I was your ages was that Samuel was always a strange kid, preferring to be by himself most of the time. He'd spend most of his time wandering the woods all alone, going back to the cabin only when it was time to eat. The family always assumed he was a victim of depression for some unknown reason and that's why he ended up hanging himself. From what I've heard, his body wasn't found for several days after that happened and he was buried soon after he was found." "Well, whoever told you that story was either lyin' through their teeth or didn't know the truth," T.J. objected. "How could you possibly know anything about what happened back then," a flabbergasted David asked. "Like I said, Sammy told me. And Joey and Alex, too." "But how could he could do that?" Gabriel begged. "He's been dead over a hundred years." "The three of us have some weird brain thing where we can read minds and stuff like that," T.J. replied. "And Sammy told us all about it when we surrounded his spirit at the base of the tree." David and Gabriel looked to Joey and Alex who nodded their heads in confirmation of what T.J. had said. "Well, I know you two have a very strong twin link after that day in my courtroom. I never realized it went way beyond that," David muttered. "So, what did Samuel tell you three," Gabriel asked with interest. "That he didn't hang himself," T.J. replied. "He was killed by a man named Bo Sheppard. We watched as the man kicked a chair out from under Sammy, then stood there and did nothin' but laugh as he let Sammy die." "Oh, my God!" Gabriel exclaimed as he covered his mouth with his hands. "I know that name." "Sammy said you probably would," Alex offered. David looked at his dad in surprise and asked, "What do you know about this Bo person?" "Again, from the stories passed down through the family, he was a bad man. He showed up in Berlin in the late 1800s and caused nothin' but trouble for a long time. The rumor at the time was that he was a former slave hunter for some rich plantation owner down in Louisiana or Mississippi somewhere. Since it was well after the Civil War had ended and slavery had been abolished, nobody put much stock in those rumors." "But they were right," Joey interjected. "What else did Samuel say?" Gabriel asked. "He told us his momma, Lucinda, was the daughter of an escaped slave. His grandma, Malissa, had run away in the middle of the night after her owner had raped her and she made her way north. It took her months to get here, but she finally settled into a tiny cabin on the edge of town where she'd mostly be left alone. After she had her baby, she started doin' some work for the townsfolks like cookin' and cleanin', takin' her baby daughter with her. It wasn't until the baby was a little older that folks started to realize her skin color was a lot lighter than her mom's, so they all knew the girl's daddy had to be a white man. "When Lucinda grew up, she fell in love with a man named Lonnie and they got married. Sammy was their son and he was born about a year after they got married. His skin was even lighter than his momma's, but not light enough to not realize he was at least part black. That was the main reason Sammy kept to himself, he knew he was different and wouldn't be accepted by the white folk in town. None of the other kids from the area wanted to be `round him since his skin was darker than theirs. There was still a lot hate for black folks, even `round here. "Well, this Bo guy had finally tracked down Sammy's grandma and he lynched her for runnin' away. It didn't make no difference to him that the war was over and she was a free woman. He was followin' his boss's orders when he killed her. And since his boss was of the mind that Malissa was still his property, any of her children were his property, too. So, Bo hung around until he found out `bout Sammy and he lynched him, too. "It took Bo a few more years to get Sammy's momma, Lucinda, but he finally did. It took longer to get her `cause she rarely left Lonnie's side after what happened to Sammy. But, he hung her up just like he did to Sammy and Malissa. He didn't care that Lucinda and Sammy were his boss's daughter and grandson, just that they was supposedly his boss's property. Lonnie killed himself shortly after that happened `cause he couldn't deal with losin' both his wife and son. So, that's the story he told us. Sammy wanted us to make sure you knew the truth about what happened to your family. He even knew you'd be comin' out today and that's why he told us everything." Alex and Joey were nodding their heads in unison to back up T.J.'s narrative. "I never knew or even heard any hint of that story until just his moment," Gabriel wept. "How could anybody ever be so evil or cruel to do such things?" "It was a different time, Dad," David replied. "Evil is evil, son, no matter when it happens." Gabriel turned his attention back to T.J. and asked, "May I ask why you keep calling him Sammy instead of Samuel?" " `Cause that's what he likes," T.J. answered bluntly. "And I suppose he told you that, too." "Well, more or less, yeah. The first time I felt his presence was the day we saw the cemetery. Even though he scared the bejeebers outta me, I felt that come through. Besides, while he may be well over a hundred years old, he's still a pissed off fourteen-year-old kid and he likes the name Sammy a lot more than Samuel. Does the rest of the story he told us make any sense to you?" "Yes, it does," Gabriel answered. "The names you gave us just now are correct. At least they are from my recollection of our family tree. I believe Lonnie was my grandfather's brother, so that would make him my great or great-great-uncle or something like that, I think. I never knew that Malissa was an escaped slave, though. That's a very interesting bit of news to add to our family's history and it makes a lot of sense of why Lonnie settled on this property away from other people." Gabriel looked back to me and asked, "Can you take us to the tree where Samuel died, please? I feel like I need to see it." "Sure," I answered. "It's not very easy to get to, but if you're up for the challenge, we'll get you there." "Then let's get movin'. I still want to see the cemetery, too." With that statement, we all left our chairs and headed for the front door. T.J. took the lead, again, with Joey and Alex right behind him, and the trio set a quick pace. When we reached the point on the trail where we needed to head north, they had waited for everyone to catch up before diving headfirst into the trees. Once we had regrouped, however, T.J. started blazing the trail that would lead us to Sammy's tree. When we broke out into the clearing, David and Gabriel both gasped in surprise at the size of the giant oak that filled the space. "My Lord, that thing's a monster," David muttered. "Wasn't near that big in 1892," T.J. replied flatly. "Is Samuel here now?" Gabriel asked. "Nope, he's waitin' for us in the cemetery." "Do you think we'll be able to see him," David queried. "Depends on if he lets you. That's all up to him." T.J., Alex and Joey spent the next five minutes explaining again what they'd seen and felt during our last visit to this place, including identifying the branch the rope went over and the spot where Bo stood and watched Sammy die. When they ran out of things to share, David looked to me and said, "It seems rather odd that this tree is surrounded by this little clearing. Especially when you consider how dense the surrounding woods are. Did you clear this spot yourself, Max?" "Dad didn't do this," Alex answered. "No, this is all Sammy's doing," Joey added. "You can't be serious," Gabriel retorted. "We sure are, Mr. Corgan," T.J. responded. "Sammy knew that someday he'd finally find someone who could hear him, someone to tell his story to and he's kept this space cleared out since he died so it would be easier to locate." "Unbelievable," Gabriel muttered. David and Gabriel then walked all the way around the clearing, gazing up at the tree at the center while the rest of us stood still and waited for them to rejoin us. When they completed their circle, Gabriel said, "Thanks for bringing us here. It really means a lot to me to know the true story and see where Samuel died. I think I'm ready to see the cemetery now." "Well, let's move on, then," I said as I turned to head back the way we came in. "Dad!" T.J. called out, bringing me to a halt. "Why you goin' that way? It'll be a lot shorter to go the other way." "But T.J., we don't know how far it is to the cleared area around the storage building." "I do," T.J. retorted. "It's only about twenty-five or thirty feet through the trees." "How could you possibly know that?" Tom asked. "Easy, Sammy showed me last time we were here." "And we're supposed to trust him," Tom scoffed. "Why wouldn't we?" Alex asked. "Yeah, he ain't done nothin' wrong," Joey said. That was all it took for T.J. to make his way to the north side of the clearing and disappear into the trees again, Joey and Alex on his heels. The rest of us followed the threesome again and in just a few short minutes, broke out of the trees just east of the storage building. The trio continued to lead the way, aiming directly for the trail that leads to the cemetery. Five minutes later, we stood outside the gate and I pulled the key from my pocket to unlock it. After opening the gate, I stood to the side so David and Gabriel could go in first. T.J. abruptly blocked their way and said, "Uh, hang on a sec. I need to go in by myself first." "Why? Is Samuel here? Right now?" Gabriel asked. "Uh, yeah, and believe it or not, he's a little scared with all of us bein' here." While we were all surprised at T.J.'s announcement, we waited patiently outside the gate while he threaded his way through the tombstones to stand next to Sammy's grave. We watched slack-jawed as he appeared to be having a conversation with the air around him. I finally pulled my head out of my ass and extracted my phone from my pocket so I could record whatever might happen next. After several minutes of us shivering in discomfort, T.J. finally turned to us and said, "Okay, Mr. Corgan, Sammy says you can come in now." "Uh, which one," David asked. "Both of you, of course. And you better hurry `cause Sammy says he won't hang around much longer." The father and son quickly stepped through the gate, followed the same path T.J. had taken and soon joined him at Sammy's grave. We watched in awe as a hazy figure slowly took form next to T.J. We didn't know what to expect when we left house an hour ago, but to see Sammy suddenly materialize from nothing was a shock to all of us. Mike and Andy huddled next to Tom and me while the twins and Logan stood right in front of us, arms wrapped tightly around each other's shoulders. As we gawked at the amazing scene taking place before us, T.J. was apparently relaying what Sammy was saying to him on to David and Gabriel, and they were replying directly to the shimmering figure. Several minutes had passed when T.J. suddenly turned and pulled Sammy's translucent form into a hug. When the two separated, Sammy gave a quick hug to both David and Gabriel before turning around and silently gliding through the fence and into the trees surrounding the cemetery, where he gradually disappeared from our vision. After David and Gabriel had shared a hug with T.J., the munchkin finally called out, "Okay, you all can come in now." We joined the trio hovering around Sammy's grave, still a bit unsure of what had just happened even though we witnessed the whole thing with our own eyes. "That was freakin' cool, dude," Joey gushed with excitement as he hugged T.J. "What's it like to get hugged by a spirit," Alex quizzed his younger brother as the two shared a high five. "Pretty cool," T.J. grinned happily. "Is he gone for good?" Andy asked with a bit of a begging tone to his voice. "Yeah, I think so. He was really happy to meet some of his family and finally be able tell them his story. Now that he's been able to do that, he's gonna go look for Lonnie, Lucinda and Malissa." We stood in silence for a few moments, just gazing at the stone that marked Sammy's grave. Though we knew it would be receiving an addition soon, the stone was currently engraved with: Samuel Patrick Corgan October 12, 1877 � January 17, 1892 Beloved Son "Oh crap," I muttered quietly. "I never paid attention to this before now, but Sammy and I share the same birthdate. Talk about your coincidences." "That's not a coincidence, Dad. That was Karma bringin' you and Sammy together. He knew that even if you couldn't hear him, you'd have kids someday who would." "Gee, thanks for tellin' me that, T.J. I always thought I bought this property because it was my choice." "Nope, wasn't a choice at all. You were meant to buy it and there was nothin' you coulda done to get out of it, either," T.J. answered with a giggle. I felt a little shudder of trepidation run down my back on hearing that bit of news, but I also finally understood why I fell in love with the property long before I ever saw it. It was Sammy connecting with me and I silently thanked him for having the faith in me to help him complete his journey. If it hadn't been for his guidance, I wouldn't be here now with my soon-to-be husband and sons, and poor Sammy would still be wandering the woods on his own, waiting for someone to come along and set him free from whatever had shackled him to this place. "What do you and your dad think, David?" Tom asked. "This has been the most amazing day of my life," Gabriel muttered. "Mine, too. If I hadn't been here to see this happen myself, I don't think I'd have believed it when Dad told me about it." "I know I wouldn't have believed it if you came to me with some cockamamie ghost story," Gabriel chuckled. "I have some work cut out for me as I update the family tree with Sammy's story and let other members of the family know about our experience today. God knows they'll all think I've lost a few more of those loose screws they keep goin' on about and want to put me in a facility for the mentally deranged." "Well, if they don't believe you, you can just show them the video I recorded of the whole thing," I offered. "Hopefully, that'll be enough to keep the hounds at bay." "That just might do the trick, Max. Thanks for the offer of backup. Oh, and before you do it, Sammy told us about his request to have `Free at Last' added to his gravestone. I'll make arrangements first thing Monday morning for that to happen so you don't have to deal with it." "I'm happy to take care of it, Gabriel." "Don't you dare. Sammy is my family and it's my responsibility to take care of him now. You've already done more than anyone should ever expect by taking care of the rest of the cemetery. It's my turn to step up and do something for them." "If you say, so, I'll let you take it from here." "Good. I won't have it any other way. Now, that we've solved that little mystery and said goodbye to Sammy, I'd like to see the rest of the cemetery." On that note, we broke up our little group and allowed David to lead his dad around. The boys had migrated to a corner and they were pumping T.J. for details about his encounter with Sammy. He was only too happy to share as many details as he could. As for Tom and me, we were just happy that Sammy's time with our family had seemingly come to a peaceful end. After half an hour of walking around the cemetery with his dad taking pictures of every marker with a real camera, David finally said, "Well, I think we're done here, guys. We can't thank you enough for letting us come out today and be part of the wonderous events taking place out here." "We're glad you could be here, too. It seems rather fitting that you should be here to see Sammy off on his way to whatever's next for him." We stepped out of the cemetery and while I took a moment to close and lock the gate behind us, Gabriel knelt in front of T.J. and said, "Young man, you have given me the greatest gift I never knew I wanted. Having Sammy tell us his story so we can fix a glaring error in our family's history is absolutely wonderful." "I'm just glad Dad gets to adopt me. If he hadn't been allowed to do that, I'da never met Sammy." T.J. lowered his voice to a whisper before adding with a giggle, "I just hope no more spooks or spirits find me." "I bet not," Gabriel laughed loudly. He then leaned in and gave T.J. a hug and kissed the top of his head before standing back up and saying, "C'mon, David, we've got to get back and help Margie with dinner." With that, Gabriel grabbed T.J.'s hand and the two led the way back to the house. On reaching the house, both David and Gabriel refused our offers of a drink before they left, insisting on getting home as soon as possible. After sharing a complete round of hugs with the boys and handshakes with Tom and me, the two departed and left us to relax for a while before Rich arrived in a little over an hour. Before I settled in with the rest of the crew, I decided to take a few minutes and e-mail the video I'd recorded at the cemetery to David. "Hey, bubba, do you know David's home e-mail address?" I asked. "Yeah, why?" "I want to send the video to him. Come on," I prodded him as I turned and headed for my study. Tom dutifully followed along and after entering my study, I connected my phone to the computer and settled in my chair. I quickly located the video file and dragged it onto my desktop. Before creating the e-mail, we decided to watch it ourselves, just to make sure I'd captured everything. I clicked the file and the video player opened. What we saw stunned both of us. Or, to be more accurate, what we didn't see. While T.J., David and Gabriel were in full view on the screen, there was no hint whatsoever of Sammy being there with them. It was obvious the trio was involved in a conversation of some kind, but they appeared to be talking to thin air. And since we were so far away from them, we couldn't hear their voices, just the whisper of the breeze meandering through the trees surrounding us. When their chat ended, we watched in disbelief as all three appeared to hug someone who didn't exist. With the hugs over, all three turned to the north and T.J. gave a little wave to the trees. At that point, T.J. turned back to us and called out, "Okay, you all can come in now." The video ended abruptly, and Tom and I sat and just stared at the blank screen for a moment. Tom finally broke the unnatural silence that had settled over us when he muttered, "What the fuck, man?" "I don't know. I guess Sammy's a little camera-shy," I answered with a light-hearted giggle. "That shit's just too fuckin' weird." "No argument from me on that, hon." "We did see him, didn't we?" Tom asked warily. "I sure as hell did. Go get the boys, I want them to see this." Tom did as I requested, and we were soon joined by the sensational six-pack. I turned the screen so they could stand on the other side of the desk where there was more room for them. "What's up, Dad?" Joey asked. "I thought you guys would like to see the video I recorded at the cemetery," I answered. "Cool," T.J. enthused. Without further delay, I clicked play and stepped around the desk to stand behind the boys with Tom. They were completely engrossed in the playback and remained silent as it progressed. Right up to the point where David and Gabriel joined T.J. at Sammy's grave, that is. While we all knew that was the moment Sammy allowed himself to be seen, his absence on the video was blindingly obvious. "Wait, where's Sammy?" T.J. asked with surprise as the video continued. "He should be there by now." "I don't know, son," I answered. The crew remained silent throughout the rest of the show, only daring to speak when it was over. "That was freakin' unreal," Logan commented. "He was there, wasn't he?" Andy asked. "Sure, he was," Alex answered. "We all saw him. Didn't we?" Everybody nodded in agreement that we all had, indeed, actually seen Sammy. "So, where'd he go?" Mike queried. "We don't know," Tom replied. "Well, I know he was there!" T.J. said adamantly. "I freakin' talked to him. Hugged him and felt him, too. I know he was real." "We all saw him, kiddo, so we don't doubt him or you one bit. I just can't explain why he's not in the video." "Oh, man, that just sucks," Joey groaned. "Why's that," I asked. "We coulda gotten rich with a video of a real live spook," Joey giggled. "Spirit, Joey," T.J. quietly corrected his brother. "Whatever," Joey retorted. "Okay, you guys boogie on outta here. I'm gonna send this to David." The herd disappeared, talking non-stop about the day's events and the video they'd just watched. I settled back in my chair and turned the screen back around so I could get the bizarre movie on its way. "What are you gonna say in your e-mail?" Tom asked. "Not a clue. Just `here it is', I guess. What the hell else could I possibly say that would prepare him for what's there? Or not there?" "That'll work, I suppose," Tom chuckled. I started a new e-mail and after filling in David's e-mail address supplied by Tom, I attached the video file, then added the simple note, `Here's the video of our visit to the cemetery this afternoon. Can't wait to hear what you and your dad think of it.' With the click of a button, I dispatched the missive into the ether, knowing that we'd eventually hear from David or Gabriel. That task completed, we retreated to the living room to settle in with the boys until Rich arrived.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 81</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk10727117"></a><a name="_Hlk10486948"></a><a name="_Toc10316494"><span>Chapter 81 � Samuel Patrick Corgan</span></a></h2> <p><span>"What's up Ron," Tom asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Much as I hate to say it, I don't think this is gonna work out, guys," Ron replied nervously.</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean? You've been great," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I thought everything was goin' real cool, too. Until this morning, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"What happened, then, that's changed your mind," Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I was doin' laundry and I had to go into Joey, Alex, and Logan's room to get their dirty clothes. I know you warned me `bout doin' that, Max, but I really wanted to get it all done this morning so I could have the afternoon to deal with my shoppin'. So, I knocked on the door since it was closed, and one of `em said to come on in, so I did. Let me tell ya, I shoulda listened to Max and stayed the hell outta there."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon Ron, it couldn't have been that bad," I interrupted. "Big deal, you caught them have havin' a little bit of fun. You said it yourself, it wouldn't be the first time."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, but I never expected to have the reaction I had today."</span></p> <p><span>"And what was that?" Tom queried.</span></p> <p><span>"As soon as I saw all six of them little horndogs enjoying each other the way they were and caught whiff of the raw sex that was happening right in front of me, I popped a boner faster than a Ferrari can hit a hundred." Tom and I both snickered at Ron's discomfort before he could continue. </span></p> <p><span>"I swear, guys, I've never thought about kids like that before and I don't know what the hell happened. It was all I could do to not jump on the damn bed and join them."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell us you didn't," Tom muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"No way, man. Like I said when we talked originally, I ain't into little kids, but goddam, those little buggers got me all hot and bothered."</span></p> <p><span>"What <i>did</i> you do," I asked calmly.</span></p> <p><span>"I grabbed their shit and got the hell outta there as quick as I could. I wasn't gonna tempt fate. Then, I went and sorted all their shit with the other stuff I already had, trying to think about somethin' else, <i>anything</i> else, really, and will myself soft again. Unfortunately, it wasn't workin' worth a crap, so I went to my room and pummeled my cock `til I had the come of my life, all while images of the six of `em flashed through my mind. If shit like that keeps happenin' to me, I'm not sure I can trust myself to just walk away next time. And I don't want you guys thinkin' you can't trust me, either."</span></p> <p><span>I put a hand on Ron's shoulder to try and calm him down a bit before addressing his concern. "Listen, Ron, you did the right thing going to your room and dealing with the problem there. And trust me, you aren't the only one in the house that gets turned on by those boys and their, uh, antics." Ron lifted his head and a look of surprise filled his face. "Yes, they have the same effect on us, too, so we know all too well what you're experiencing."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what do you do?"</span></p> <p><span>"We go to our room and have some of the hottest, rawest, hangin' from the ceiling fan kind of sex either of us has ever had," Tom answered with a cheesy grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's cool for you guys, but then, you've got each other, don't you? All I got is my hands. And I don't care what you do, that just ain't the same thing, is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds to me like someone needs to get laid," Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"I won't argue that point with ya, man," Ron agreed. "And way more than I ever thought I did," he added with a nervous laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe I should call Rich and see if he can come out tomorrow," I mused.</span></p> <p><span>"Out, in, don't matter at this point, Max," Ron laughed again. "I'll take it any way I can get it."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see what we can do to help you out, buddy," I said. "Look, we gotta get our shower and get ready for our meeting with Ryan. You gonna be okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I think so. I just wanted to let you guys know what happened. I really don't want to lose this job `cause I love it here."</span></p> <p><span>"You're safe, Ron." Tom said. "You ever have a problem, let us know and we'll deal with it, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, now that you mention it, there is one more thing I could sure use your help with," Ron answered seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what's that?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You two need to talk to those rugrats about the proper use of toilet paper. I've used more bleach on their underwear in the last couple of weeks than I've used in the last year on my own stuff." After the seriousness of the previous subject, Tom and I couldn't help but laugh at the sudden change of topic. "It's not funny, guys. I don't know how they can stand bein' around themselves."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see what we can to make your life easier, Ron. Can we get our shower now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, go ahead. Thanks for listenin' to me, guys."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries. Oh, by the way, you'll need to pull on some shorts, at least, in a bit, too," Tom reminded him. "For a while, anyway. Once Ryan leaves, we can all get comfortable, again."</span></p> <p><span>"I figured as much. `Other people rule', right?" Ron chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Exactly. Thanks, Ron."</span></p> <p><span>With our conversation over, Tom and I retreated to our room and hopped in the shower. As we washed off the remnants of the pool still clinging to our bodies, I asked, "So, what, if anything, do you think we should do about Ron's little problem? Or should we just leave it up to him to resolve on his own?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not sure, babe. Besides talking to Rich, I don't know what else we could do."</span></p> <p><span>"I had an idea, but I'm not sure you'll like it."</span></p> <p><span>"Is this one of those brilliant flashes you're always so proud of?" Tom asked with more than a hint sarcasm.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll let you be the judge of that," I replied. "You remember how Joey and Alex begged us for something special? Do you think they'd be interested in ...?"</span></p> <p><span>"What!?" Tom squawked in surprise. "You can't be serious."</span></p> <p><span>"Never mind, shitty thought. Forget I ever brought it up."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right it is!" Tom insisted. "How the hell could you ever think it was a possibility?"</span></p> <p><span>"Like I said, just forget it."</span></p> <p><span>"Besides, those two would chew Ron up and spit him right back out. There's no way in hell he could take them on and survive it," Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"You're not wrong about that," I agreed, joining his laughter.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's see how things work out with Rich before contemplating any other routes of relief."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay."</span></p> <p><span>With our shower completed, we pulled on shorts and t-shirts and left the bedroom to rejoin the rest of the family. Much to our surprise, Rick, Eric and Josh had arrived and they were chatting up a storm in the living room with the boys. We couldn't believe how anyone could make sense out of the multiple conversations taking place simultaneously, but that didn't stop us from joining the confusion. </span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Rick," I greeted. "Glad you could bring Eric over to sit in on our meeting."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem. I know he wants to see what Ryan's come up with and hear a bit about how he did it."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you gonna hang around, too?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I want to talk to Ryan about our new house, too. I figure once he's done working on yours, he better get started on ours."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a good idea," I agreed. "We think we've found the best sites for both our places. We'll show you and Ryan a satellite view of the property and you can decide if the spots we selected are good with you and your boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect. I'm really looking forward to this, guys, and I can't thank you enough for the job offer."</span></p> <p><span>"We are, too," I agreed. I quickly surveyed the rest of the crowd and found Eric talking with Logan and Alex about our new houses while T.J., Mike and Andy were engrossed in their own conversation on the same subject. As for Joey and Josh, they were sitting on the hearth, arms around each other's shoulders and foreheads touching as they were deeply involved in their own whispered discussion. I silently directed Tom and Rick's attention to the young couple, and both were soon sporting wide grins of understanding.</span></p> <p><span>"Those two are so cute together," Rick muttered quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'm glad they found each other. It's so hard for young gay kids to find someone they care about like that, especially since most are terrified to be true to themselves out of the fear of being bullied by the other kids they know."</span></p> <p><span>"At least they seem to be on the same wavelength in their feelings for each other," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>We continued to visit while we waited for Ryan to arrive for our meeting. Just about five, Ron finally joined us, and he was quickly introduced to Rick and his boys. Ryan arrived at twenty after five and the drive sensor chimed to let us know he was here. While Tom and Eric headed to the kitchen to get drinks for us, I met Ryan at the front door.</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, Ryan," I greeted him as he stepped inside. "How're you this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Can't complain, Max, not that anyone listens when I do," he answered with a chortle. "You ready to see the latest and greatest?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, let's head for the dining room. Tom and Eric will have drinks for us." The two of us made our way across the house, leaving Rick and Ron to supervise the boys for a while. Joining Tom and Eric, we all took our seats at the table as Ryan unrolled a thick set of plans and spread them across the table. The color rendering of the front of the house on the cover page caught all our eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"Wow! That's freakin' cool lookin'," Eric exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Eric. I'm glad you like it. I'm wondering what Max and Tom think about it, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Looks perfect to me," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Me too," Tom added.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's take a look at the plan itself and see if you like what I've done on the inside." Ryan flipped the cover page over, bypassing the elevations and what looked like a foundation plan and floor system layout to reveal the actual floor plan to us. On our first glance, it appeared to be just what we'd requested, including the modification of converting the boys' bedrooms into a single large bunkroom with a large bathroom area for them all to share.</span></p> <p><span>At the very west end of the new building would be our private four-car garage that connected to the house with a covered walkway. The kitchen had been expanded to hold two of every major appliance including oversized Sub-Zero refrigerators and a residential-sized icemaker. Space had also been left in the pantry to accommodate two large upright freezers. Our end of the house had its own utility room with space for two washers, two dryers, a large mop sink, and the unit for the central vacuum system. Closer to the front of the house was our bedroom with my study across the hall, and Tom and Dylan's new office was located at the end of the wing with a small parking lot for their clients' use. Ron's bedroom and bathroom were tucked behind the kitchen between the pantry and utility rooms and the boys' bunkroom. Each of the bedrooms had its own private outside deck area nestled in the twenty-foot gap between the garage and the house.</span></p> <p><span>The central living room and entry were easily twice the size of the area we had now, and the dining room was also larger to make room for the enormous table needed to seat up to twenty-four people at one time. The whole exterior wall of the living and dining rooms was comprised of series of glass wall panels that could all be moved from the center of the space to the ends, allowing us to open the entire area to the great outdoors. The fireplace was now located between the living and dining areas and was surrounded by glass so the fire could be seen and enjoyed from all four sides.</span></p> <p><span>As you moved to the opposite end of the house, a six-foot wide hallway split the three bedrooms on either side. Each bedroom was large enough to accept two queen-size beds and had its own bathroom containing dual showers and sinks. Ryan explained that would allow each of the room's occupants to take showers at the same time without having to share. The width of the central hallway was set to allow easy passage of a multitude of people in both directions and it ended at a set of double doors leading to the gymnasium. </span></p> <p><span>While slightly smaller than your average school gym due to the lack of bleachers for spectators and a stage for theatrical productions, it still contained a full-sized basketball court with the options of installing the appropriate net to allow for volleyball, badminton or tennis to be played in the same area. Boys' and girls' locker rooms were at the north end of the gym on each side of a hallway leading to the covered swimming pool. The pool itself was three times bigger than our current pool and included a diving board at the twelve-foot deep end. A large workout room with an assortment of equipment was also located at the north end of the gym, along with a second utility room containing two more washers and dryers to handle the towels from pool and locker rooms along with the bedding from the six bedrooms. Also located in the utility room were the filters and pumps for the pool.</span></p> <p><span>In the center of the gym's east wall was another set of double doors that granted access to the four-car garage on this end of the home. That garage would be used by Ken, Jason and any other people we had working with us. The entire south-facing roof areas of the two garages and central part of the house would be covered with a new style of solar energy shingles that should make the house practically self-sufficient. The batteries for that system would be located in the north end of the garage by the gym. Ryan told us there had been vast improvements over the past few years to the solar energy shingle and they were much more efficient and cost effective than they had been even ten years ago. He also planned to supplement that solar power generation with a separate windmill generator behind the house and hidden among the trees.</span></p> <p><span>Heating for all the rooms in the house would be provided by a radiant floor system with thermostats in each room so the temperature could be set as each desired. The gym, workout room and locker rooms would all be heated by a standard forced-air furnace located in the gym's utility room. While not the most efficient of methods, Ryan felt the glass wall on the south end of the gym would provide the majority of the heat in the space during the winter months. Plus, that wall had the added benefit of being fully opened up when it was warm outside, just like the glass wall in the house. All the rooms would also be wired to accommodate multiple TV and network jacks to handle everyone's needs.</span></p> <p><span>Ryan pointedly held off describing the most amazing feature of our new home.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, we've been over everything. What do you guys think?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I think it looks great," Eric enthused. "I just wish I could live in it," he quickly added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Max, Tom, your thoughts?"</span></p> <p><span>"Looks you hit all the checkboxes on my list, Ryan," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"What you've got here looks just fine, Ryan, but you've completely left out the theater," I complained. "I thought it was gonna be off the living room where the pool is now.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, he did," Tom agreed. "How the hell'd I miss that?"</span></p> <p><span>" `Cause all you were worried about was your flippin' workout room," I joked while punching him in the shoulder. "Once you saw that, you didn't care `bout anything else."</span></p> <p><span>"Fair point, babe," Tom laughed. He turned back to Ryan and asked the obvious question, "Okay, where'd you hide it?"</span></p> <p><span>"In plain sight, of course," Ryan answered with a crooked smirk as he flipped to the next page of the plan. "See, it's right there, just where you expected it to be."</span></p> <p><span>"But why wasn't it on the other page with the rest of the house," I asked in confusion. "I mean, it looks like a completely separate room. How the hell are we supposed to get to it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Piece of cake, Max. Let's backtrack a second." He flipped the plan back to the main house and began his explanation. "You see this empty spot along the exterior wall behind the fireplace right here?" he asked while pointing to the area on the page. After Eric, Tom and I nodded, he continued. "Well, that's between the glass walls of the living and dining rooms, right?" We all nodded again. "There's an opening in the wall here that leads to a ramp to take you <i>down</i> to the theater." The three of us gawked in surprise as Ryan flipped the page back to the home theater.</span></p> <p><span>"The theater's underground?" I asked in amazement. "Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"Partially, yes. When we talked the first time a couple of weeks ago, you expressed concern about losing all the glass up here, but you decided you were okay with that so the theater could be located at the center of the house. Well, I took your concern to heart and decided to sink the theater into the ground eight feet and about twenty feet away from the house. That lets you keep the glass walls in the living and dining rooms, leaves plenty of room outside for either a deck or patio between the house and the theater and allows for the theater to be darker since it's mostly underground. With the ten-foot tall walls in the theater, we'll have some small windows above ground level along the side walls of the room that can be easily covered with automatic blinds. There will also be stairs and exit doors at the end of the theater away from the house in case of a fire or other emergency."</span></p> <p><span>"But won't having the roof for the room jutting up out of the ground be ugly as hell?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It would be, I guess, if it weren't going to be made of pre-stressed concrete slabs and covered with grass and flowers. From the house or deck, it'll look just like a garden on a small hill."</span></p> <p><span>"My god, Ryan, that's a beautiful idea. I would never have thought about sinking the room like that. Or covering the roof in plants."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know. That's why you're paying me the big bucks," Ryan laughed and the three of us joined him. "So, comments or questions."</span></p> <p><span>"I can't think of anything right now," Tom answered. "I love what you've come up with and can't wait to get moved into it."</span></p> <p><span>"Max?" Ryan prodded.</span></p> <p><span>"The only thing that's come up since we originally talked that I can think of is this, we don't want anyone to be able to see inside the house, gym or pool from the outside, so we need some kind of reflective finish on all the glass."</span></p> <p><span>"That's an easy thing to include in the project specs. Can I ask why you want to go to that added expense? While it's done on office buildings all the time, you rarely see it on a residence."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, to be honest with you, Ryan, we live a nudist lifestyle. And while we've not had a problem before, we have a couple of projects coming up that will probably increase the levels of interest and scrutiny our family will be subjected to."</span></p> <p><span>"Like what?" Ryan asked with confusion in his voice.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm guessing John has told you who I am?" I asked. After a simple nod of acknowledgement from Ryan, I continued. "Okay, here's the scoop. I talked to someone a few weeks ago about turning my books into movies and after we agreed to the basics on that project, he told us he also wants to make a TV series based on my life. While both projects will be a good thing for us, we're concerned about maintaining a respectable amount of privacy while we're at home. In light of that, we want the reflective finish to prevent anyone from being able to get pictures or video of us when we're here."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Max. I can understand that, and I'll make sure to include that demand in our instructions for bidders. Of course, we'll leave out the explanation you just gave me out of those instructions," he added with a chuckle. "Anything else?"</span></p> <p><span>"There are only two other questions I can think of at this moment. First, do you have an estimated cost, and second, when can John get started?"</span></p> <p><span>After a quick laugh at my anxiousness, Ryan replied, "Well, the final cost will, of course, vary depending on the fixtures and finishes you select for the flooring, faucets, countertops, that kind of thing. A rough estimate of the basic framing, wiring, plumbing and drywall is in the neighborhood of, say, three and a half to four million. As for John, he can get started any time he wants. The first thing he'll have to do is see the site you select and get the land cleared. Once that's done, he'll be ready to start digging the hole for the crawlspace."</span></p> <p><span>"The price is about what I expected, so no big deal there. Does John know where we stand with the plan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, I talked to him on Wednesday and e-mailed him what I had at that time so he'd be mentally prepared for the work ahead. He's anxious to get started and it's my understanding he's already lining up the plumber, electrician and mechanical subs he wants to use."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent. I knew he wouldn't waste any time."</span></p> <p><span>" `Scuse me, Ryan," Tom interrupted, "what are those other plans you brought with you. Are those extra copies of our house?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope," he replied with a grin. "I brought those to show Eric."</span></p> <p><span>"What!?" the teenager exclaimed in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I thought you'd like to see what a real finished blueprint looks like." Ryan moved our plan out of the way, then grabbed the two rolls at the end of the table and spread them out on the table with a flourish. "Go ahead, Eric, take a gander at those and tell me what you see."</span></p> <p><span>Eric slowly flipped through the pages of the first plan, moving through the four elevations, then the foundation and floor framing plans, before finally pausing on the floorplan of the house. After just a few seconds, he looked up to Ryan in shock. He quickly swapped to the second plan and started flipping through it before settling in on the floorplan for that home.</span></p> <p><span>"Th-the-these are the p-plans I dr-drew, aren't they?" Eric stuttered. After a quick nod from Ryan, Eric yelled, "Dad, get in here!" A visibly concerned Rick soon joined us in the dining room and a look of confusion mixed with concern filled his face.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, son?"</span></p> <p><span>"Look at these two plans, Dad. These are the ones I drew and gave to Ryan."</span></p> <p><span>Rick took a few moments to look at both before saying, "Wow, this is really cool, Eric." He then turned his attention to Ryan and added, "You didn't have to do this."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know," Ryan agreed. "But I wanted to. I wanted Eric to see what a finished blueprint of his rough sketches would look like."</span></p> <p><span>"But why?" Rick asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if he truly wants to become an architect, he should see what he's getting into and some of the process of what we do. Like I told Eric the night he gave me his drawings, we wouldn't have to change much, and I was right. One of my draftsmen took his sketches and created these. Sure, he fudged some of the room sizes a bit to make everything work out, but they're really close to what Eric gave me."</span></p> <p><span>"Wow!" Eric enthused. "I can't believe you did this. What do you think, Dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think both plans are really nice, Eric, but I think I like this second one better."</span></p> <p><span>"Why's that?" Eric queried with sincere interest.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I really like this large central area that combines the kitchen, dining and great rooms. That would make entertaining guests while also fixing a meal a lot easier. The deck off the back would be a great place to relax at the end of a long day, especially with the right view. The garage is large enough to include a workbench and small shop area, too. But what I like the most is that my bedroom's a little farther away from yours and Josh's so I can't hear that noise you two call music when you crank up the tunes."</span></p> <p><span>Eric whipped his head around in surprise so fast I thought it might spin right off his shoulders. He gawked at his dad for a bit before muttering, "You can't be serious. Can you?"</span></p> <p><span>"As a heart attack, buddy. I think we're looking at our new home." </span></p> <p><span>Eric jumped out of his chair and wrapped Rick in a smothering hug, muttering, "Thanks, Dad," to the overwhelmed man.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, I told you and your brother I wanted your input on our new place and I was dead serious. You can't have much more input than creating the plan for it, can you?" Eric was sobbing happily into Rick's shoulder as they held each other tightly. As the two finally started to break up, Rick whispered, "I love you, son and I'll be proud to live in <i>your</i> house."</span></p> <p><span>"I love you, too, Dad," Eric whispered back before wiping his eyes on his shirt. He then bounded around the table to wrap Ryan in a hug and thanking him for taking his rough sketch and running with it.</span></p> <p><span>"I was happy to do it, buddy," Ryan replied. "I think you've got a great career ahead of you. After you graduate from college and are ready to do your apprenticeship, there's an empty stool with your name on it waiting for you at my drafting table." That comment only deepened Eric's emotional reaction and he quickly disappeared down the hallway towards the theater to find a private spot until he could reclaim his calmness.</span></p> <p><span>Rick took the chair Eric had vacated and asked, "So, what happens next?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we need to review these with a fine-tooth comb just to make sure we haven't missed anything. I'd like you guys to spend some time doing the same thing and make any notes about changes you'd like made before we finalize it all. If you have time to do that now, that'd be great."</span></p> <p><span>"Consider it done, Ryan," I responded.</span></p> <p><span>Ryan continued after my interruption. "Great, then we can incorporate those mods at the same time we do our review. Once the plans are finalized and you've signed off on them, they'll have to be submitted to the county for their review and approval process. It will take a week or two to deal with those idiots, but there's no bypassing them. I figure it should take at least that long to clear the building sites of the trees necessary, anyway, so we won't really be losing any time."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me get some paper from my office and we'll make our notes right now." I disappeared to my study, pulled some paper from the shelf behind my desk, grabbed the satellite picture of the property off the desk and headed back to the dining room. When I returned, I found Eric had also rejoined us and he and Rick were already going over the plan for their home. I took my chair next to Tom and after sliding pen and paper to Rick, we dove into our own review.</span></p> <p><span>During the process, all of us were asking Ryan questions about various details and adding to our lists as he answered every query we posited. Among the items on our list were bronze-toned quartz countertops in all the bathrooms and kitchen, a brushed-nickel finish on all the fixtures, along with maple cabinets, six-panel oak doors and oak flooring for every room except the bathrooms where we wanted vinyl flooring to minimize possible damages from water. I also requested all the doors be changed to a minimum of three feet in width to make sure we wouldn't have any accessibility problems if a kid we took in was in a wheelchair. The pantry, utility rooms, workout room and locker rooms would all be outfitted with motion activated light switches so the lights would only be on when those spaces were in use.</span></p> <p><span>Rick and Eric's list was similar to ours except most of the finishes they selected were made of more economical materials. I was a bit surprised that he would go that route and asked him about it.</span></p> <p><span>"Rick, it seems to me you're going awfully cheap on some of that stuff. You're gonna be living in this house for a long time, we hope. You should dress it up a little and go with some better-quality materials so they'll last for years."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd love to, Max, but I simply can't afford that. We won't get near enough out of our current house to be able to pay for the new one. And if I'm gonna have to take out a mortgage, I need to make sure I can afford the payments."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about that. You get whatever you want. We're paying for the place, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"I can't let you do that," Rick protested vehemently.</span></p> <p><span>"Rick, listen to me closely. Perhaps we weren't clear with our intentions, but I think you misunderstood our offer when we asked if you wanted to move onto the property with us. We're paying for your new home. Whether it's you and your boys living in it or someone else, we need it done so whoever we hire to handle our medical needs is close by. It's just your lucky day we asked you to fill that position." The befuddled man almost fell out of his chair in shock on hearing my announcement, but Eric grabbed his dad and held him in place before he could hit the floor.</span></p> <p><span>When Rick finally recovered from my news, he replied, "I ... I don't know what to say, Max. Thanks doesn't seem to be nearly enough for what you guys are doing for us."</span></p> <p><span>"There's nothing to say, Rick," Tom offered. "We'll be glad to have you here."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't want you two to take this the wrong way, but I'm happy T.J. got hurt in the pool that night and I was on duty when the call came in. The changes in our lives since we met have been mind-boggling."</span></p> <p><span>"That's what friends and family are all about, buddy," I assured Rick while patting him on the shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>Our meeting continued for a few more minutes before we handed our lists of changes to Ryan. With assurances from him that all the modifications would be done by next Friday, I laid out the satellite photo of the property so we could select the building sites. While Ryan thought the area east of the storage building would be the perfect location for our new home, our explanation of why we couldn't build there was met with skepticism. He finally realized we were deadly serious and reluctantly agreed that sites north of the current house and storage building would work out just as well. </span></p> <p><span>The driveway to our new home would extend straight north from our current one and Rick's drive would turn north at the storage building. That spacing would leave a section of trees about a hundred foot wide between us. A new path would be cut through the trees in between our two homes to facilitate easy access to both residences with the driveways connecting us to what would become our parents' home. With all that settled, we broke up, Rick and Eric returning to the living room with their arms around each other. Tom and I stayed behind to walk Ryan out.</span></p> <p><span>As we reached the front door, I said, "Ryan, we really want to thank you for jumping on this project so quickly. We're anxious to get started with helping other kids."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, guys. I'll get the final plans to you and John next Friday. Once you've signed off on them, I'll forward them to the county for their review and stamp of approval. You may want to let John know where we're gonna be building so he can get someone out here to start clearing trees."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll take care of that tomorrow so he might be able to get them started Monday."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a plan to me," Ryan agreed as he turned towards the porch.</span></p> <p><span>"You sure you don't want to stay for supper?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No, thanks for the offer, though. Hope you guys all have a great weekend."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Ryan. You, too," Tom replied as Ryan crossed the porch and settled into his car before pulling away.</span></p> <p><span>As we joined the rest of the family in the living room, I asked, "Are you and the boys joining us for supper, Rick?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, why not?" Rick responded. "Saves me from havin' to think of somethin' to cook when we get home," he added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Since the other dude's finally gone, does that mean we can lose our clothes, now?" Josh asked.</span></p> <p><span>"If it's cool with Tom and Max, I don't see why not," Rick replied, looking to us for confirmation.</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to us, too, Josh," I agreed. "Everyone get comfortable and we'll figure out supper."</span></p> <p><span>All the boys jumped from their seats and disappeared down the hallway to their rooms, peeling their shirts off along the way. Rick, Tom and I adjourned to our room to do the same and Rick was following the example set by the youngsters, pulling his shirt over his head as soon we turned into the hallway just off the kitchen. No sooner had we stepped through the doorway into our room than Rick was kicking off his shoes and dropping his shorts to the floor, shuffling his feet in order to avoid tripping due to the useless cloth now tangled around his ankles.</span></p> <p><span>"Somebody looks like they're a little eager," I cracked as Rick finally stopped moving and stepped out of his shorts before bending over to pick them up from the floor.</span></p> <p><span>"Well yeah, I guess so. Let me tell you somethin', guys. I know it's only been a few weeks since we came over for a swim that night, but I've become so used to not wearin' clothes most of the time that I absolutely hate leavin' the house."</span></p> <p><span>"We're with ya on that, Rick," Tom laughed. "That's why I suggested we hire Ron to come in and help with the cookin', cleanin' and shoppin'. Now he has to go out for supplies and not us." I smacked my honey on the back of his head for claiming my idea as his own again and Rick laughed out loud at my actions.</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, do I need to call the cops for a domestic violence incident?" Rick asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, with his hard head, he probably didn't even feel that love tap," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>With the three of us comfortable, we headed for the kitchen to see what Ron had in mind for supper. We found him busy as ever, working on grilling some hamburgers and brats. At the other end of the counter, the fryer was busy with crisping up some French fries for the crew.</span></p> <p><span>"Smells good in here Ron," Tom commented. "Can we help with anything?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, I got a handle on it," Ron replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Why are you still wearing your shorts?" I asked with curiosity. "That have anything to do with our chat earlier?"</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe a little bit," Ron confessed. "Until I can get better control over things, I think I'll stay covered."</span></p> <p><span>"What's his problem, guys?" Rick asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He walked in on the boys havin' some fun this mornin' and didn't like how his body reacted to what was happenin'," Tom answered. "Not that a loose-fitting pair of shorts like he's got on now will hide anything."</span></p> <p><span>"I got more than just shorts on," Ron muttered with discomfort.</span></p> <p><span>"And it sounds like that strap's cuttin' you a bit too tight in the just the wrong place," Rick chuckled. "Get over it, already, Ron. You think you're the only dude to get turned on by our boys screwin' around with each other?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, no, I guess not, but I still don't like it much."</span></p> <p><span>"Hell, it happens to me every time I catch Josh and Eric, and I'm as straight as you can get. But like any other dude who's got a pulse, I can't help but bone up when I see sex happenin', even when it's my boys. Oh, and you should talk to Eric about the jock strap thing. He can tell you from personal experience that it's a damn lousy idea, can't he Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep. We cured him of that bad habit, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure as hell did," Rick agreed. "Now, when he gets a boner that won't go away, he goes to his room and cranks one out. Or he has Josh do it for him, one way or another."</span></p> <p><span>"Like I told Max and Tom earlier, that's not an option for me. I just can't take advantage of the boys that way. It wouldn't be right."</span></p> <p><span>"Your loss, buddy" Rick opined. "Guess you'll just have to suffer the consequences."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, don't remind me. Well, the food's about ready."</span></p> <p><span>"Good thing, man, we're gettin' hungry," Tom retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Where's the rugrats?" Ron asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Good question," I answered. "I'll go let `em know supper's about ready." I headed across the house and on entering the twins' and Logan's room, I found all the boys enjoying an eight-way circle jerk in the middle of the bed. Jesus, Ron was right earlier when he said it was hotter than hell in the room. "C'mon guys, we're about ready to eat and you need to set the table."</span></p> <p><span>"We're tryin', Dad," Joey groaned in delight.</span></p> <p><span>"I can see that, trust me."</span></p> <p><span>Alex opened his eyes and after seeing I was hard, giggled, "Yeah, he sure can." </span></p> <p><span>I quickly turned around and left them alone, saying, "Make sure everyone washes their hands before joining us in the dining room. And don't take too long in there or your food will get cold."</span></p> <p><span>"All right, Dad, we're right behind you," T.J. grunted.</span></p> <p><span>When I returned to the kitchen, I was still seeing those eight kids working each other over in my mind and the continuing visions had done nothing to resolve the problem I had. If anything, they'd made the situation even more difficult to get under control. When I rounded the corner from the dining room into the kitchen, Tom gawked at me in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"They're at it again?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, great bit of detecting there, Sherlock," I cracked. "What tipped you off?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, that," Tom laughed as he pointed to my crotch.</span></p> <p><span>"What can I say?" I offered in way of the lamest excuse ever.</span></p> <p><span>The boys soon joined us, and they got busy with setting the table for our meal. While I hoped they'd all washed their hands as I'd requested, it was obvious none of them had reached their desired goal as they proudly paraded around the room with their stiff members on full display and bouncing freely with every movement. It was quite the show to behold and I could see Tom and Rick were enjoying it just as much as I was. At one point, I saw Ron turn his back to us and he used his hand to make a minor adjustment to ease the embarrassing discomfort he was fighting.</span></p> <p><span>"I saw that, Ron," T.J. teased the flushed young man.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, whatchu hidin' over there, Skinny?" Logan yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Nothin', ya nosy brat," Ron vented.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, dude, take those stinkin' shorts off and join the crowd," Joey chided.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think so, buddy," Ron retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Why not?" Josh pushed. "All of us got boners, even the old farts. Geez, you're as afraid of somebody else seein' your stiff dick as Eric used to be. Why you hidin' yours?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just because!" Ron yelled. "Now, sit your butts down and eat. And get those wieners outta my face."</span></p> <p><span>That was the absolute last thing Ron should have said to this group of munchkins. The extremely excited eight formed a line between Ron and the table, wrapped their arms around each other's shoulders and proceeded to wiggle their hips back and forth. The resulting display of all eight young peckers dancing wildly was a sight to behold. From Andy's two-inch stiff cocklet, head still concealed inside his foreskin, all the way up to Eric's bouncing five-inch almost adult cock with the smattering of hair above it, none of us could peel our eyes away from the spectacle, including Ron.</span></p> <p><span>When the lineup finally disbanded amid gales of laughter thirty seconds later, Eric stepped over to Ron, wrapped an arm around his shoulder and whispered, "Loosen up and enjoy yourself, dude."</span></p> <p><span>"But I'm stiff as a board," Ron protested quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"So what? You afraid we're all bigger than you or somethin'?" Eric giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Hell no," Ron retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Then lose the shorts and jock, and hand `em over."</span></p> <p><span>"How do you know I'm wearin' a jock?" Ron asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>" `Cause if you weren't, your shorts would look like a twelve-person tent right now." </span></p> <p><span>I could only imagine the tug-of-war Ron was having in his mind at the moment, but he finally gave in to the pressure from the thirteen-year-old still hanging on to him and he reached down to the waistband of his shorts. While Josh was thrumming a drumroll on the table with his dancing fingers, Ron slowly slipped his thumbs inside the elastic and pushed his shorts and jock strap to the floor. The boys all gave a little cheer or whistle of support as Ron stepped out of his discarded garments, picked them up from the floor and handed them to Eric.</span></p> <p><span>"Way to be a man, dude," Eric congratulated the flustered young man. "Now, let's eat."</span></p> <p><span>Still somewhat flushed with embarrassment, Ron started moving all the food to the table. As he took care of that, Rick and Eric had a hushed conversation before we all took our seats at the table and dug into our dinner. Quiet slowly descended on us as we stuffed ourselves with hamburgers, bratwurst, chips, and coleslaw. The quiet allowed me to review in my mind what I'd witnessed pass between Rick and Eric. The look of surprise on Eric's face intrigued me, but I couldn't imagine what Rick had said to elicit such a response. That look was slowly replaced by a devious grin that split the lower half of Eric's face and a quick nod of agreement soon followed. I had no clue what the two were cooking up, but I was pretty sure we'd find out before the night was over.</span></p> <p><span>When everyone had reached their fill, the boys got busy with cleaning off the table and loading our dishes into the dishwasher. After they had finished their part of the cleanup, Ron kicked them all out of the kitchen and took over to finish the task.</span></p> <p><span>As the eight wild ones returned to the dining room, Eric asked, "Hey, Dad, can we stay for a while longer and go for a swim?"</span></p> <p><span>"Fine with me if it's okay with Max and Tom."</span></p> <p><span>The teenager shot me a quick look and I responded with, "We've been in the pool once already today, but I suppose another dunk wouldn't hurt us any. It might even help wear our boys out a bit more so they can get a good night's sleep." With agreement from all, we grabbed our towels and headed outside. Tom led the parade to the pool while I stopped briefly in the kitchen. </span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Ron, you doin' okay with things?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess," he muttered. "Didn't much appreciate that punk pushing me to strip off, though."</span></p> <p><span>"He's a good kid, Ron, give `im a break, okay? Besides, he had a point, hiding problems never resolves them. It might actually make them worse."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, look, we're gonna hit the pool again. You're welcome to join us, and I hope you do. But, I'll understand if you decide not to."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see," Ron retorted with just a tinge of anger.</span></p> <p><span>I almost told Ron he needed to calm down, but I know all too well that usually doesn't work, so I kept my mouth shut and turned to join the rest of the family in the pool. While I hoped Ron would join us soon, I wasn't going to hold my breath waiting for him. As it turned out, I ended up having to hold my breath anyway, but for an entirely different reason. As soon as I was in the water, I was mugged by all eight munchkins. I can usually hold my own okay against our six, but with Eric and Josh included in tonight's attack, I didn't stand a chance. After kissing the bottom of the pool, the herd finally relented and I was allowed to resurface, gasping for a breath of fresh air as soon as my head broke free of the water.</span></p> <p><span>"Y'all tryin' to kill me?" I asked when I finally recovered from their attack.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Dad," T.J. apologized. "We got a little carried away."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll let it slide this time, ya rugrats, but let's calm things down a bit, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"We gotcha, Dad," Alex replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Mike, this might be a good time for your class," I suggested as I turned and headed for the corner where Rick and Tom were relaxing and laughing their asses off. As I floated away from the rowdy bunch, I heard Mike yell, `All right ya bozos, grab the edge of pool and start kickin'.'</span></p> <p><span>As I drew closer to the pair in the corner, I commented, "Geez, those guys are wound for sound tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell us about it," Tom replied as I settled in. "They pulled the same dirty trick on the two of us."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, sorry, guys," Rick said softly. "It's all Eric and Josh's fault. They're both excited as hell to be movin' into a new place next door to you. I guess that's rubbin' off on your crew."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, Rick," I laughed. "But trust us, they don't need any help to get like that."</span></p> <p><span>"Where's Ron?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Still dealin' with the kitchen. I hope he'll be out soon."</span></p> <p><span>"You think he may not?" Rick queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he's a bit ticked at Eric right now, so who knows?"</span></p> <p><span>" `Bout what?" Rick asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Ron has been really upset today about his reaction to catchin' our boys in the act. And Eric didn't help things much the way he basically forced Ron to get undressed."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit," Rick muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"What?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Hang on guys, be right back." On that note, Rick moved to the middle of the pool and pulled Eric into another hushed conversation. The two separated a minute later and when Rick rejoined us, he said, "Okay, disaster averted."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell was that all about?" Tom asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, after the whole thing in the kitchen with the boys and their little show that had us all boned up, I had what I thought was a great idea."</span></p> <p><span>"And what was that?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"After seein' how bothered Ron was, I kinda suggested to Eric he might want to, uh, show Ron just how much fun he could have if he'd just give it a try. With a kid, that is."</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus, Rick, what the hell were you thinkin'?" Tom vented.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Eric and Josh have taught me a few things the past several weeks, and even though I consider myself to be your basic straight dude, I've enjoyed it. Quite a bit more than I thought I would, I might add. And after your little adventure in Chicago, you two know what I'm talkin' `bout."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we do. Eric said he'd tell you about what happened between us, but he also said he'd make sure you knew it was his idea."</span></p> <p><span>"And he did. Sure, I was surprised as hell he'd do that with anyone but me or Josh, but what's the big deal? I love my boys with all my heart, and I want them to learn all about the infinite varieties of sex available, but I also want them to do it safely, too. There's nobody safer to learn from than family, and we consider you guys to be part of our family. And that includes Ron," Rick said. "Ron's gay and young, Eric's probably bi and a little bit younger. I bet both of them love to get their rocks off any way they can. And trust me, the kid gives as good as he gets. Who knows, he just might teach ol' Ron a few new tricks," Rick added with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm glad you called him off," I muttered. "I'd hate for Ron to completely freak out and leave us today."</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, guys. It seemed the right thing to do under the circumstances. I also told Eric he needs to apologize to Ron for puttin' `im on the spot like that. It was kinda funny to us, I guess, but I can see where Ron sure wouldn't have thought that at all."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I'm sure he didn't," I agreed.</span></p> <p><span>The three of us continued to chat about various subjects while waiting for Ron to put in his appearance. The most interesting item discussed, of course, was Sammy and what we were going to do about him. Interesting to Rick, anyway. Since we were living with the situation, I have to admit we just hope the issue can be resolved quickly and Sammy will feel like he could finally move on to whatever's next. </span></p> <p><span>The whole visit from a spirit thing was forcing me to seriously reevaluate some of my beliefs. Not to the point of believing in and accepting the concepts of heaven and hell, mind you. Or even coming close to believing that `god', whoever the fuck he's supposed to be, really exists. There are way too many horrors in this world that could ever sway my thinking into the belief that an all-knowing, loving and benevolent god who keeps watch over us 24/7 could ever be real. No, if that sky spook existed, he should be able to stop wars, droughts, famine and a whole host of other problems with a single and simple snap of his fingers. And yet, we still have those atrocities and more still happening all over the world and he's not doing a damn thing about any of them. Hell, he can't even keep his own priests from raping and abusing kids in `his' fucking church. So no, no god exists.</span></p> <p><span>But, life, death and even the possibility of a life after death, I guess, had become all too real in the past few weeks. For all of us. With Charlie's death, I had come to hope that there might be something more for us after we've died, if for no other reason than to bring some comfort to Logan as he dealt with his loss. And with Sammy reaching out to T.J., I was forced to admit to myself that there must be something more for us beyond life as we know it. I couldn't begin to fathom the answers to that riddle, but I was sure I'd find them in due time, hopefully at some point in the very distant future.</span></p> <p><span>After forty-five minutes had passed with Ron still not joining us, we decided to call it a night. We climbed from the pool, and headed for our towels, the boys following along without argument. As we entered the house, the boys disappeared to get their showers and we offered Rick the use of our shower while we set up an evening snack for the herd. Ron was nowhere to be seen and we assumed he was in his room. Whether he was watching TV, reading a book, contemplating his navel or just stewing about his predicament, we hadn't a clue.</span></p> <p><span>The herd started to filter back in and took seats at the dining room table to enjoy their snack of fresh chocolate chip cookies that Ron had baked this afternoon. Tom and I were going to be really bummed out if Ron decided he couldn't handle the stress and decided to leave. Granted, we'd done okay by ourselves before he joined us, but that was before Tom started his new work and I'd started writing a book. With much of our daily lives taken up by those two things, we didn't want to think about having to resume all the responsibilities we'd handed off to Ron. Oh well, there didn't seem to be much we could do to alleviate the problem, so we'd just have to wait and see what happened.</span></p> <p><span>Rick came back from his shower with his clothes in hand and said, "C'mon, boys, we should get home."</span></p> <p><span>"But Dad, I haven't had a chance to talk to Ron yet," Eric complained.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, take care of it, please. I don't want to let that slide."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'm going," Eric grumbled as he left his chair. "Don't leave without me, old man."</span></p> <p><span>"Not a chance, buddy. Don't think Tom and Max are quite ready to add to the headcount `round here." We both shook our heads in agreement and the remaining boys all cracked up in laughter as Eric plodded slowly across the house and down the hallway to Ron's room.</span></p> <p><span>I still wasn't sure why I was doing this, but Dad insisted on it, so here I am, standing in the hallway outside Ron's room. His door was still closed and I briefly thought about just turning around and telling Dad that Ron wouldn't answer me, but I couldn't just outright lie to my old man, so I rapped lightly on the wooden slab and softly asked, "Hey Ron, ya got a minute?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess. C'mon in." Boy, did he sound grumpy.</span></p> <p><span>I slowly opened the door and stepped into his room, closing the door behind me before saying, "I need to say somethin' to you, man. Can I sit down?" After a quick nod from him, I stepped over and sat at the foot of the bed. I looked directly at Ron's face and began, "Look, I'm really sorry `bout what I did to you in the kitchen. I know you're still kinda new to this whole bein' naked thing, and there might be times when you're not comfortable strippin' off. I was way outta line when I pushed you to get naked, too, and I know I shouldn't a done that. I hope you'll forgive me for bein' an asshole."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Eric, I really appreciate you sayin' that."</span></p> <p><span>"It's just that Dad, Josh and I don't wear clothes at home, either, so we're pretty used to it. I guess I just assumed that after livin' here the past couple weeks, you shouldn't have a problem with gettin' naked, even if you got a boner. None of us guys give two shits if somebody sees us hard, so I figured you wouldn't care either. Obviously, I was wrong and I really fucked up. I swear, I'll never do that again."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it, buddy. I overreacted to what happened tonight, but after this morning, I'm really worried `bout bein' able to keep this job."</span></p> <p><span>"What, you mean poppin' wood after goin' in the twins' room when they was all screwin' `round?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, that's never happened to me before. Not around kids, anyways. And I don't want it to, either. That shit ain't right."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yes and no, Ron," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean by that, Eric?" Ron asked with surprise. </span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's my feeling that if you <i>force</i> a kid to do somethin' they don't wanna do, then yeah, it's wrong as hell and you deserve to get the shit beat out of ya. But if the kid <i>wanted</i> to do it with you and nobody was forced to do anything they didn't wanna do, then what's the big deal? See, that's one of the big rules at my house. You can do whatever you want with whoever you want as long as everybody agrees to what's happenin'."</span></p> <p><span>"That might be okay with you guys, but I'm pretty sure Max and Tom wouldn't much appreciate me chasin' after their boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe not, but it wouldn't hurt to ask the question, would it? I know Joey and Alex would probably be interested. They've both talked about how cute you are. But ya gotta ask first, okay? Well, look, we gotta head for home, but I had to tell you I'm sorry for bein' such a jerk before we go. And if you ever decide you wanna try out somethin' with a kid, I'd be <i>up</i> for it."</span></p> <p><span>"I just bet you would, ya little horndog."</span></p> <p><span>"In case you didn't notice earlier, it ain't that little, Ron," I retorted as I stood up and proudly displayed my stiff dick.</span></p> <p><span>"No, I guess not," Ron snickered. "C'mere, punk." I slowly moved closer as Ron crawled off the bed, unsure what he wanted. When I got close enough, he pulled me into a hug and our hard cocks ground together between us. "I'll think about it, okay?" Ron whispered in my ear.</span></p> <p><span>"No hard feelings, then?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Only two I'm aware of at the moment," he chuckled. "Look, maybe next time, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like fun, man. I can't wait. You're a good guy, Ron. Don't let them horny little fuckers drive you away."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do my best," he replied with a snicker. "Now, get outta here before I tie you down to the bed and have my way with you."</span></p> <p><span>"Like you said, maybe next time," I retorted. "See ya later, man, be cool." On that note, I left a much happier Ron and headed back out so we could go home.</span></p> <p><span>"There you are," Rick called out when Eric finally returned. "Thought I was gonna have to come rescue you from the clutches of a frustrated Ron."</span></p> <p><span>"Not this time, Dad," Eric replied with a little giggle. "You guys ready to boogie?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just waitin' on your sorry ass, bro," Josh retorted. He then turned to Rick and asked, "Hey, Dad, can Joey spend the night?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, yeah, as long as it's okay with his dads." </span></p> <p><span>Rick turned to us for our reaction and after a quick glance between Tom and I, we simply shrugged our shoulders before Tom said, "Sounds okay to us as long as he's back home before noon."</span></p> <p><span>"Sweet, Dads, thanks," Joey squealed in delight. "I better grab my stuff," he added as he jumped from his chair and ran to his room. Once Joey had the few things he needed to spend the night with Josh, that group headed for home with the promise Joey would be back well before our guests arrived tomorrow afternoon. Surprisingly, Alex was not showing any adverse signs of his brother being away for the night, so he must be getting used to the fact that Joey had someone else in his life. We then hustled the rest of the herd to bed with our regular rituals before retreating to the living room to read and relax for a bit.</span></p> <p><span>Tom picked up his book to start reading while I grabbed the phone to call Rich.</span></p> <p><span>"You've reached the Weavers, this is Rich," he greeted me.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Rich, Max here. How ya doin?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty good, Max. How's it goin' with you guys?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just another day in paradise," I replied with a chuckle. "I wanted to find out if you had anything planned for tomorrow night."</span></p> <p><span>"Well," he drawled, "I was contemplatin' going back to that gay bar in town. You know, for old times sake," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"I thought you gave up on that idea," I replied with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"I did, don't worry. Besides, Dad threatened to kick my ass if I ever went back there. And when he was done with my ass, he was gonna sell my car so I couldn't go anyway," he laughed. "So, what's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I wanted to see if you'd like to come out for supper and a swim with the boys. I know T.J. would like it if you could join us. He's still worried about you, you know."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know," Rich giggled. "Every time the shrimp sees me in the hall at school, he asks how I'm doin'. And I always give him the same answer, I'm gettin' better every day."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm really happy to hear that, Rich."</span></p> <p><span>"No more than I am, believe me. And yeah, I'd love to come out, thanks for the invite. What time?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good, we'll look forward to it. Let's say we'll eat about five-thirty and swim after."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, man, I'll be there."</span></p> <p><span>I ended the call and let Tom know we'd be having company tomorrow night. Since his nose was buried in my third book, I was lucky to get a quick nod and grunt of acknowledgment from him. I finally picked up the book I was in the middle of and dove into it headfirst. After the week we'd had, it was nice to be able to just kick back and relax for a bit. The peace and quiet that had settled over us was abruptly shattered when the quiet was suddenly pierced by blood-curdling screams of terror coming from the far end of the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I ran down the hall and exploded through the door to see what the hell was going on. After turning on the lights, we found Mike sitting bolt upright in the middle of the bed, T.J. and Andy standing beside it with looks of intense fear flooding their faces. Mike's arms were flailing about wildly and he was kicking his legs like a frenzied salsa dancer. It looked like he was trying to get away from something that was scaring the life out of him and he kept screaming things like `Get away from me', `I swear, I'll be good' and `No, don't hit me". Tom immediately scooped Mike into his arms as he tried to calm the agitated youngster while I knelt behind T.J. and Andy to hold them.</span></p> <p><span>"What's wrong with Mike," Andy asked with a tremor of fear.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, buddy," I answered. "Looks like he's having a nightmare, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, whatever it is, he sure scared the crap outta us," T.J. breathed. Mike's screams had obviously awakened Alex, Logan and Ron as they, too, had joined the confusion and were standing just inside the bedroom door, looks of concern plastered on their faces.</span></p> <p><span>Despite being hit repeatedly by Mike, Tom refused to let the whirling dervish go. If anything, he was holding him even tighter and whispering softly, "You're okay, buddy. Calm down and wake up. You're safe. Nobody's gonna hurt you." After several minutes of that, Mike started to relax in Tom's tight embrace. When he finally opened his eyes and realized where he was, he melted into Tom and began to cry.</span></p> <p><span>"What was that all about?" Tom asked softly.</span></p> <p><span>"Just a bad dream, Pops," Mike sniffled.</span></p> <p><span>"Musta been <i>really</i> bad for you to be kickin' and screamin' like you were. Do you remember what scared you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'd done somethin' stupid and was hidin' in my closet. My mom and dad had just found me, and they were pissed as hell. Dad already had his belt out, Mom had the paddle and they was both gonna beat me again. I was tryin' to get away from `em, but I knew I was trapped."</span></p> <p><span>"You musta been terrified, and I'm really sorry they came back to haunt you," Tom agreed. "But you're safe here, Mike. Your mom and dad can never hurt you again."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Pops," Mike whimpered in relief.</span></p> <p><span>T.J. and Andy had climbed back on the bed and crawled over to the pair to join in the cuddle fest taking place, whispering their own words of encouragement and support to their brother. As for me, I could only stand there in stunned silence and disbelief that a nightmare like the one Mike had just experienced could come so long after being removed from his parents and moving in with us. But then I remembered how long it took me to recall all the horrible shit in my own life, and I completely understood. You let your guard down for one moment and boom, you're right back in the middle of it. I finally jerked myself back to reality and joined the others on the bed.</span></p> <p><span>"You're gonna be just fine, Mike," I offered weakly. "You know we'll protect you and keep you safe."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, Dad."</span></p> <p><span>"If you ever decide you want to talk about things, you know we're here and will help with whatever we can. We can even call Paul if you want to talk to him about what's bothering you."</span></p> <p><span>"Naw, you don't need to do that. I'll be fine."</span></p> <p><span>"If you're sure," Tom said with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'm sure. Thanks, guys."</span></p> <p><span>"You ready to get back to sleep?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I think so," Mike muttered. "Long as T.J. and Andy are here with me, I'll be okay."</span></p> <p><span>"We ain't goin' nowhere, bro," Andy replied with conviction.</span></p> <p><span>"You're the meat in the middle of the sandwich tonight, dude," T.J. added.</span></p> <p><span>"All three of you are the meat," Alex stated as he and Logan crossed the room and climbed on the bed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, make room for two more, ya bozos," Logan added.</span></p> <p><span>With that, Tom and I extricated ourselves from the hug fest and crawled off the bed. True to their words, when we pulled the covers over the five munchkins, Mike was between T.J. and Andy and they were both holding him very closely. Alex and Logan had taken their spots behind T.J. and Andy and were curled up tightly with their bothers. I'd be surprised if any of them got any real sleep the rest of the night. With another round of hugs, kisses, love yous and good nights, we turned off the light and closed the door, then returned to the living room. Ron peeled off into his own room with a good night of his own for us.</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus, I wasn't prepared for that," Tom muttered as we sank into our chairs.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm pretty sure no parent ever is," I commented. "I just hope these night terrors don't become a regular occurrence."</span></p> <p><span>"You never know, do you?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I guess not, but I'd have thought he'd be past his worries after being here the past couple months."</span></p> <p><span>"Not like you've got a lot o' room to talk there, Max," Tom muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"What're you talkin' about?" I asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you've not been a lot of fun to share a bed with the past month or so." I gawked at my human teddy bear before he continued. "Yeah, you have good and bad nights, too. Not the screaming and fighting kinda bad nights Mike just had, but you've had more than just a few thrashing, twisting, turning kinda nights the past month. I'm surprised in the mornings when I wake up and I'm not bruised from head to toe after a night of that. And the worst part of it is that you never seem to remember it."</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus, Tom, I had no clue that was happening. Why didn't say you something?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I knew somethin' was goin' on with you, but I also figured if you wanted to talk about it, you'd bring it up on your own. I know you're still dealin' with a lot of crap and I never know if I should bring it up or not. I don't want to put any added pressure on you."</span></p> <p><span>"But I can't talk about what I don't know about. I wish you'd said something before now. I'll be honest, I always feel kinda worn out, but I just assumed that was from tryin `to keep up with the boys. I never realized it was because I wasn't getting enough good sleep."</span></p> <p><span>"You wanna talk about it now?" Tom asked sheepishly.</span></p> <p><span>"I would if I knew what was goin' on or what to say. But I'll make a deal with ya. Next time I have one of those bad nights, do me a favor and wake me the hell up. Maybe I'll be able to remember what's causing it if I wake up in the middle of one of those episodes."</span></p> <p><span>"You got yourself a deal, babe." Ron chose that moment to put in an appearance as he rounded the corner from the hallway and slumped onto the loveseat, bringing our conversation to a quick ending.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, Ron?" Tom queried the nervous looking young man.</span></p> <p><span>"I just wanted to say sorry for being such a pain in the ass jerk today."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right, buddy. We understand."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I really don't think you do. Like I told you before, I've <i>never</i> been turned on by a kid before today, never even thought it was a possibility. Yet, here I am, stuck in a house with six horny as fuck boys that are makin' me think about things I've never even thought could happen before this morning."</span></p> <p><span>I looked to Tom and quietly asked, "Do we tell him the full truth?" He gave me a concerned look for just a moment before giving me a quick nod of agreement. Turning back to Ron, I continued with, "Listen, Ron, you've been here long enough, we should tell you the full truth about us."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell are you talkin' about?" Ron asked in confusion.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, to be bluntly honest with you, Alex, Joey and T.J. have all been in our bed with us. And before Logan's dad died, he asked what it would take to get in bed with us, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait," Tom interrupted. "Don't forget about Eric, too. Oh, and that thing with Brent."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just listen for minute and we'll try to explain. First and foremost, Tom and I truly love each other deeply and we're going to get married in less than a month. That said, we love our boys just as much."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I love the little rugrats, too, but not to the point of hoppin' into bed with them. Or them with me for that matter."</span></p> <p><span>"And we're not saying you should. But, we all have to acknowledge the fact our boys are very sexual creatures. And while neither of us expected anything would ever happen between us and them, the few times we've allowed it to happen have been wonderful for all of us and we love each other even more because of it," I explained calmly.</span></p> <p><span>Tom continued with, "And even though we let the boys join us in bed and we've loved every moment of our time together, it was always on the boys' terms, not ours. They led our interactions and told us exactly what we could and could not do with them."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, you wanna give me a hint what you're talkin' about?" Ron begged.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, from the very first night they moved in," I began, "Alex and Joey had been begging us to join them whenever we'd go say our good nights and they were already occupied with each other. But the two of us needed some time to process their request and decide how to handle it. The night of their birthday party with our families, we finally relented to their continual pressure and gave them a very special present. Then the night after the party with their friends from school, they wanted to give each other something extra special for their gift to each other, but were having some minor difficulties, so they came to ask for our help."</span></p> <p><span>"Like what?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the two buggers wanted to have anal sex, but couldn't get inside the other," Tom answered with a chuckle. "After several attempts and facing utter failure, they begged us to show them how to do it. Since we were already horny as hell after being around twenty or so very cute and very naked boys all afternoon, we were about to do the deed ourselves, so we had them join us so they could see what they needed to do and how it works."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you basically taught the twins how to fuck each other?" Ron asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we did," I replied. "And it was one of the hottest nights of sex we've ever had. Watchin' Alex bury his dick in Joey's ass for the very first time was hotter than hell. When we put them back to bed that night, we left our lube in their room so Joey could return the favor in the morning."</span></p> <p><span>"I can't believe this," Ron muttered. "What about T.J.?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well," I began, "Joey and Alex had told T.J. about what happened between the four of us and he wanted to give it a try to see if it was as much fun as the twins said it was. We're pretty sure he enjoyed it just as much, if not more than Joey and Alex. And before you ask, Eric was the same way. The three of us enjoyed two wonderful nights of sex with each other when we were in Chicago. Let me tell ya, Ron, that boy tastes just as sweet as he looks."</span></p> <p><span>"And he is one very sweet lookin' little hottie," Ron agreed with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"And we know that Joey and Alex have taught Logan to enjoy sex even though Logan says he's not gay," Tom continued. "And he may not be, but he doesn't let that stop him from enjoying being in bed with the twins. But here's the most important thing you need to take out of this conversation; every one of the boys we've done something with has specifically asked for it to happen. We didn't go to them and ask, we didn't force them to do anything they didn't want to do, they took the lead and we abided by their wishes."</span></p> <p><span>"That's what Eric said," Ron admitted. "When he came in my room to apologize before they left, he told me his dad had the rule that any of them could do whatever they wanted with each other as long as they all agreed to it."</span></p> <p><span>"And you need to know that we have the same rule here, Ron. If the boys ask to get in bed with us, we're happy to let them. And we'll do anything and everything they ask for except for one thing. No matter how much they beg, plead or cajole us, we will <i>not</i> penetrate them anally with anything more than our finger ... and you won't either."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, are you tellin `me if they ask me to do that shit with them, I can? And you won't turn me into a eunuch before you feed me to the wolves?"</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I both chuckled at the question before he answered, "Look, we love the boys and would move heaven and the earth to protect them. But we're also smart enough to know that we could never control their sexual impulses and desires, not that we would necessarily want to. All we ask for is common sense and a bit of self-control."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, you didn't really answer my question," Ron chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"How's this for an answer, Ron?" I replied. "If any of the boys comes to you and asks you to indulge them with some sex, yes, you can do so. But, I swear to you right now, if you ever, and I mean <i>ever</i>, stick your dick where it don't belong, it's gonna be time for you to meet not only the wolves, but a pack of very hungry hyenas, too. Don't forget, we have a cemetery on the property," I reminded him with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"So, let me be clear on this. If they want me to suck them off, that's a go. If they wanna suck me, that's cool, too. Circle jerk with any or all of them, a-okay. They wanna fuck my ass, winner, winner, chicken dinner. They want me to fuck them, I better run for the fuckin' hills and never come back."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like you understand, buddy," Tom grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"But what about Eric?" Ron persisted.</span></p> <p><span>"Eric writes his own rules," I replied. "If he's cool with you fuckin' him, then that's his call, not ours. And since we've both been granted that pleasure already, I don't doubt he'd let you do it, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy shit! You've really done it with him?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, we have. And it's an experience you won't want to pass up if he gives you the opportunity."</span></p> <p><span>"Dammit! Wish I'd known that a couple hours ago," Ron moaned.</span></p> <p><span>"If he made the offer already, chances are real good you'll get another shot," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"I sure as hell hope so," Ron grinned. "Well, look guys, it's getting late. I really appreciate you talkin' to me. I'm glad to hear you don't think I'm some sort of sick pervert for gettin' turned on by the boys. Now that I know the full deal, I feel a lot better about myself. And you can trust me to do the right thing." With our conversation seemingly over, we stood to say good night to each other. As we did, three very erect cocks were freed from their hiding places and placed on full display for us all to see. "Looks like we could all use a little bit of relief before we turn in," Ron giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we could," I agreed with a grin as I looked to Tom and raised my eyebrow in question.</span></p> <p><span>Tom nodded and suggested, "Would you like a little help tonight, Ron?" The confused young man gave us a look that said, `are you kiddin'?'. Tom responded to that look with a simple, "Then come with us, buddy."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, god, I sure hope to," Ron muttered in disbelief as he fell into step behind us.</span></p> <p><span>By the time all our carnal desires had been fulfilled an hour later, we had become intimately familiar with almost every square inch of Ron's finely-honed body and he with ours. While none of us expected such a meeting of minds and bodies to become a regular occurrence in our lives, by the time we were done with our shower afterward, we also knew we wouldn't say no should the opportunity arise in the future.</span></p> <p><span>With Tom and I completely exhausted by the events of the day and night, and after Ron had returned to his own bedroom, we quickly fell asleep after sharing our regular hug, kiss and I love you. We slept soundly until our wakeup call came through the door and jumped on the bed at nine-thirty in the morning. We were rather rudely informed we were late for breakfast and Joey, Alex and Logan were doing everything they could to push us out of bed and onto the floor. We got lucky they never combined their efforts on one of us at a time or they would have succeeded. With assurances from Tom and me that we would join them shortly, the terrible trio hustled their butts out of the bedroom, laughing all the way.</span></p> <p><span>After our morning bathroom stop, we finally managed to make our way to the dining room to join the breakfast already in progress. We settled into our chairs amid a round of greetings from the others already assembled and stuffing their faces with the steak and eggs breakfast Ron had basically promised them. Our greeting from Ron was a simple `mornin' but it was followed up with a wide grin of deep satisfaction. Such looks often catch the attention of at least one of the munchkins and this one was not going to be an exception.</span></p> <p><span>"You three finally did it, didn't you?" Joey cracked with a knowing smirk, garnering attention from the others.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't believe that's any of your business, young man," Tom retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon, Pops," Alex continued. "Don't lie to us. You know we know the truth," he added with his own gleeful smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"That may be, Alex, but you also know we don't discuss these things while we're eating," I reminded the nosy young rugrat.</span></p> <p><span>"The important thing is did y'all agree to it and have fun?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you must know, the answers are yes and yes," I responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Good for you guys," Logan commented. "Did Skinny pass the test? And does that mean we get him next?"</span></p> <p><span>"Holy crap, guys," Ron groaned. "is that the only thing you think about?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, not the only thing, Ron, but more than most other things, for sure," Alex giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Lord, give me strength," Ron murmured quietly.</span></p> <p><span>Before the conversation went completely off the rails, I said, "By the way, Rich is coming over tonight for supper and a swim."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool," T.J. enthused. "I've been hopin' he'd be able to sometime soon."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'd hoped to have him out before now, but it was difficult to arrange these past couple of weeks with everything we've had to deal with."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Dads," Logan muttered. "I never meant to be a problem," he added sadly.</span></p> <p><span>"You're fine, buddy," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"But, before Rich gets here, Judge Corgan is coming out about two this afternoon, and he's bringing his dad with him so he can see their family cemetery. And you'll have to be dressed while they're here. Especially if you want to join us on the walk."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool!" T.J. crowed. "I hope they know more about Sammy."</span></p> <p><span>"We hope so, too," Tom replied. "We'd like to get this situation dealt with and done."</span></p> <p><span>"Sammy would, too, Pops," Alex retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he's tired of hangin' `round all this time," Joey agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Still, it'll be nice to not have to worry about him any longer," Tom muttered with resignation.</span></p> <p><span>Since the boys had gotten a head start on their breakfast, they were done well before Tom and I were, and they started cleaning up their dishes and loading the dishwasher. Once they were done with their things, they adjourned to the theater with the disc for <i>Real Steel</i>, one of their favorite movies. I assumed it was one of their favorites because they all thought Dakota Goyo was cuter than hell when the movie was made.</span></p> <p><span>With the sensational six-pack out of earshot, Ron finally commented, "I really want to thank you guys for last night. That was truly one of the hottest nights I've ever had in my life."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't get too used to it, Ron," Tom replied. "We generally prefer it to be just the two of us."</span></p> <p><span>"But we kinda felt guilty for what you were dealin' with yesterday and wanted to make up for it."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries. While I enjoyed it a lot, I really don't want to come between you two." </span></p> <p><span>Tom and I shot Ron a strange look before we cracked up laughing and I retorted, "Didn't seem to bother you a bit last night, buddy." Finally realizing the unintentional pun he'd tossed out like a hand grenade with its pin already pulled, Ron joined us in our mirth.</span></p> <p><span>"You know what I meant. Jesus, you two are as bad as the boys," he flustered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we do. Just the way you said it was funny," I replied. "That was a great breakfast, by the way. Don't think I've ever had steak and eggs before, but I'd be willing to make a habit out of it," I added with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I just bet you would," Ron retorted. "Tell ya what, you start doin' the cookin' again and you're welcome to have it as often as you like."</span></p> <p><span>"You want any help cleaning up," Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Naw, I got it, guys. You go relax and get ready for your guests."</span></p> <p><span>That was all we needed to hear to make a hasty exit from the dining room and head to the living room to read for a while. Lunch today was a simple affair with Ron fixing grilled ham and cheese along with the obligatory tomato soup. The boys would have probably strung him up by his gonads if he'd forgotten the soup. Once our midday meal was completed and the cleanup finished, everyone retreated to their rooms to get dressed for our afternoon visitors. When the drive sensor announced their arrival at ten after two, Joey and Alex charged across the entry to greet Judge Corgan and his dad.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Mr. Corgan," Alex greeted the pair when he opened the door.</span></p> <p><span>"It's good to see you again," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"It's good to see the two of you again, also," David replied as he and his father stepped inside. "How are you guys doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're great," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"How `bout you?" Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm doing just fine, thanks for asking. I'd like you to meet my dad, Gabriel. Dad, these two fine young lads are Joey and Alex Allison."</span></p> <p><span>"Nuh-uh," Joey disagreed. "Our last name's Sanders-Wright."</span></p> <p><span>"My most humble apologies Joey and Alex Sanders-Wright," David replied with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"It's nice to meet you, boys," Gabriel replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, c'mon in. Our dads and brothers are waiting over there," Alex commented while pointing in our direction.</span></p> <p><span>We watched the foursome cross the entry and as they drew closer, we all stood up to greet and shake hands with our guests. After David had introduced his dad to everyone, he knelt in front of Logan and offered, "I was so sorry to hear about your father's death, Logan, and what you went through with your uncle. You'll be happy to hear that your uncle's guardianship of you has been revoked and ..." Tom and I quickly caught David's attention and waved him off before he could say anything more since we hadn't yet told Logan about our petition to adopt him. We watched him as understanding took root and he smoothly continued, "I hope you're okay staying here until we can settle a few things."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Mr. Corgan. I never wanted to live with that scumbag loser anyway. I just hope I get to stay here with my new dads and brothers."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we'll have to wait and see what the future holds for you, won't we?" David offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess so," Logan agreed with a hint of sadness.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, are we ready to take a walk?" David asked as he stood back up and looked to Tom and me.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, not quite yet," I answered. "We'd like to talk to you and your dad before we do that."</span></p> <p><span>"About what?" Gabriel asked.</span></p> <p><span>"First, let's have a seat. This may make take more than just a few minutes to fully explain." Everyone settled in and got comfortable before I continued. "We'd like to know whatever you can tell us about Samuel."</span></p> <p><span>"All I know about him is he's one of the people buried in the cemetery," David offered. He turned to his dad and asked, "You know anything about him, Dad?"</span></p> <p><span>A look of sadness took over Gabriel before he solemnly answered, "Yes, poor Samuel is a sad chapter in our family's history, I'm afraid. But, I'm rather curious as to why you would be asking about him in particular?"</span></p> <p><span>"T.J., I think we'll let you take over from here," I said softly while turning to face him.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, all right, Dad," he replied before facing David and Gabriel to begin his story. "We went out to see your cemetery the day after Logan's dad died. While we were out there, I, uh, felt somethin' that scared the cra..., um, heck outta me, somethin' I ain't never felt before. Since then, I've had several weird dreams and in one of `em, I dreamt I was walkin' through the woods when Sammy grabbed my wrist, pulled me off the trail and deeper into the trees." Shock registered on David and his dad's faces before T.J. carried on.</span></p> <p><span>"Then, yesterday, all of us went for a walk on the same trail and when we reached the point where Sammy had pulled me off the trail, we followed along in the direction he'd taken me. We ended up in this clearing out there with a single giant tree growin' right smack in the middle of it. Joey, Alex and me got close enough to touch the tree, and when we did, we could see Sammy hangin' from a big branch way off the ground. Then, we watched as his spirit left his body when he finally died and he kinda floated down to the ground. That's when the three of us huddled around him and he told us what had happened to him."</span></p> <p><span>David interrupted T.J.'s account with, "Well, the story I've heard since I was your ages was that Samuel was always a strange kid, preferring to be by himself most of the time. He'd spend most of his time wandering the woods all alone, going back to the cabin only when it was time to eat. The family always assumed he was a victim of depression for some unknown reason and that's why he ended up hanging himself. From what I've heard, his body wasn't found for several days after that happened and he was buried soon after he was found."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, whoever told you that story was either lyin' through their teeth or didn't know the truth," T.J. objected.</span></p> <p><span>"How could you possibly know anything about what happened back then," a flabbergasted David asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Like I said, Sammy told me. And Joey and Alex, too."</span></p> <p><span>"But how could he could do that?" Gabriel begged. "He's been dead over a hundred years."</span></p> <p><span>"The three of us have some weird brain thing where we can read minds and stuff like that," T.J. replied. "And Sammy told us all about it when we surrounded his spirit at the base of the tree." David and Gabriel looked to Joey and Alex who nodded their heads in confirmation of what T.J. had said.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I know you two have a very strong twin link after that day in my courtroom. I never realized it went way beyond that," David muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what did Samuel tell you three," Gabriel asked with interest.</span></p> <p><span>"That he didn't hang himself," T.J. replied. "He was killed by a man named Bo Sheppard. We watched as the man kicked a chair out from under Sammy, then stood there and did nothin' but laugh as he let Sammy die."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my God!" Gabriel exclaimed as he covered his mouth with his hands. "I know that name."</span></p> <p><span>"Sammy said you probably would," Alex offered.</span></p> <p><span>David looked at his dad in surprise and asked, "What do you know about this Bo person?"</span></p> <p><span>"Again, from the stories passed down through the family, he was a bad man. He showed up in Berlin in the late 1800s and caused nothin' but trouble for a long time. The rumor at the time was that he was a former slave hunter for some rich plantation owner down in Louisiana or Mississippi somewhere. Since it was well after the Civil War had ended and slavery had been abolished, nobody put much stock in those rumors."</span></p> <p><span>"But they were right," Joey interjected.</span></p> <p><span>"What else did Samuel say?" Gabriel asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He told us his momma, Lucinda, was the daughter of an escaped slave. His grandma, Malissa, had run away in the middle of the night after her owner had raped her and she made her way north. It took her months to get here, but she finally settled into a tiny cabin on the edge of town where she'd mostly be left alone. After she had her baby, she started doin' some work for the townsfolks like cookin' and cleanin', takin' her baby daughter with her. It wasn't until the baby was a little older that folks started to realize her skin color was a lot lighter than her mom's, so they all knew the girl's daddy had to be a white man.</span></p> <p><span>"When Lucinda grew up, she fell in love with a man named Lonnie and they got married. Sammy was their son and he was born about a year after they got married. His skin was even lighter than his momma's, but not light enough to not realize he was at least part black. That was the main reason Sammy kept to himself, he knew he was different and wouldn't be accepted by the white folk in town. None of the other kids from the area wanted to be `round him since his skin was darker than theirs. There was still a lot hate for black folks, even `round here. </span></p> <p><span>"Well, this Bo guy had finally tracked down Sammy's grandma and he lynched her for runnin' away. It didn't make no difference to him that the war was over and she was a free woman. He was followin' his boss's orders when he killed her. And since his boss was of the mind that Malissa was still his property, any of her children were his property, too. So, Bo hung around until he found out `bout Sammy and he lynched him, too.</span></p> <p><span>"It took Bo a few more years to get Sammy's momma, Lucinda, but he finally did. It took longer to get her `cause she rarely left Lonnie's side after what happened to Sammy. But, he hung her up just like he did to Sammy and Malissa. He didn't care that Lucinda and Sammy were his boss's daughter and grandson, just that they was supposedly his boss's property. Lonnie killed himself shortly after that happened `cause he couldn't deal with losin' both his wife and son. So, that's the story he told us. Sammy wanted us to make sure you knew the truth about what happened to your family. He even knew you'd be comin' out today and that's why he told us everything." Alex and Joey were nodding their heads in unison to back up T.J.'s narrative.</span></p> <p><span>"I never knew or even heard any hint of that story until just his moment," Gabriel wept. "How could anybody ever be so evil or cruel to do such things?"</span></p> <p><span>"It was a different time, Dad," David replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Evil is evil, son, no matter when it happens." Gabriel turned his attention back to T.J. and asked, "May I ask why you keep calling him Sammy instead of Samuel?"</span></p> <p><span>" `Cause that's what he likes," T.J. answered bluntly.</span></p> <p><span>"And I suppose he told you that, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, more or less, yeah. The first time I felt his presence was the day we saw the cemetery. Even though he scared the bejeebers outta me, I felt that come through. Besides, while he may be well over a hundred years old, he's still a pissed off fourteen-year-old kid and he likes the name Sammy a lot more than Samuel. Does the rest of the story he told us make any sense to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, it does," Gabriel answered. "The names you gave us just now are correct. At least they are from my recollection of our family tree. I believe Lonnie was my grandfather's brother, so that would make him my great or great-great-uncle or something like that, I think. I never knew that Malissa was an escaped slave, though. That's a very interesting bit of news to add to our family's history and it makes a lot of sense of why Lonnie settled on this property away from other people." Gabriel looked back to me and asked, "Can you take us to the tree where Samuel died, please? I feel like I need to see it."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure," I answered. "It's not very easy to get to, but if you're up for the challenge, we'll get you there."</span></p> <p><span>"Then let's get movin'. I still want to see the cemetery, too."</span></p> <p><span>With that statement, we all left our chairs and headed for the front door. T.J. took the lead, again, with Joey and Alex right behind him, and the trio set a quick pace. When we reached the point on the trail where we needed to head north, they had waited for everyone to catch up before diving headfirst into the trees. Once we had regrouped, however, T.J. started blazing the trail that would lead us to Sammy's tree. When we broke out into the clearing, David and Gabriel both gasped in surprise at the size of the giant oak that filled the space.</span></p> <p><span>"My Lord, that thing's a monster," David muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"Wasn't near that big in 1892," T.J. replied flatly.</span></p> <p><span>"Is Samuel here now?" Gabriel asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, he's waitin' for us in the cemetery."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you think we'll be able to see him," David queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Depends on if he lets you. That's all up to him." T.J., Alex and Joey spent the next five minutes explaining again what they'd seen and felt during our last visit to this place, including identifying the branch the rope went over and the spot where Bo stood and watched Sammy die.</span></p> <p><span>When they ran out of things to share, David looked to me and said, "It seems rather odd that this tree is surrounded by this little clearing. Especially when you consider how dense the surrounding woods are. Did you clear this spot yourself, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Dad didn't do this," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"No, this is all Sammy's doing," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"You can't be serious," Gabriel retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"We sure are, Mr. Corgan," T.J. responded. "Sammy knew that someday he'd finally find someone who could hear him, someone to tell his story to and he's kept this space cleared out since he died so it would be easier to locate."</span></p> <p><span>"Unbelievable," Gabriel muttered. David and Gabriel then walked all the way around the clearing, gazing up at the tree at the center while the rest of us stood still and waited for them to rejoin us. When they completed their circle, Gabriel said, "Thanks for bringing us here. It really means a lot to me to know the true story and see where Samuel died. I think I'm ready to see the cemetery now."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's move on, then," I said as I turned to head back the way we came in.</span></p> <p><span>"Dad!" T.J. called out, bringing me to a halt. "Why you goin' that way? It'll be a lot shorter to go the other way."</span></p> <p><span>"But T.J., we don't know how far it is to the cleared area around the storage building."</span></p> <p><span>"I do," T.J. retorted. "It's only about twenty-five or thirty feet through the trees."</span></p> <p><span>"How could you possibly know that?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Easy, Sammy showed me last time we were here."</span></p> <p><span>"And we're supposed to trust him," Tom scoffed.</span></p> <p><span>"Why wouldn't we?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he ain't done nothin' wrong," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>That was all it took for T.J. to make his way to the north side of the clearing and disappear into the trees again, Joey and Alex on his heels. The rest of us followed the threesome again and in just a few short minutes, broke out of the trees just east of the storage building. The trio continued to lead the way, aiming directly for the trail that leads to the cemetery. Five minutes later, we stood outside the gate and I pulled the key from my pocket to unlock it. After opening the gate, I stood to the side so David and Gabriel could go in first.</span></p> <p><span>T.J. abruptly blocked their way and said, "Uh, hang on a sec. I need to go in by myself first."</span></p> <p><span>"Why? Is Samuel here? Right now?" Gabriel asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, yeah, and believe it or not, he's a little scared with all of us bein' here." While we were all surprised at T.J.'s announcement, we waited patiently outside the gate while he threaded his way through the tombstones to stand next to Sammy's grave. We watched slack-jawed as he appeared to be having a conversation with the air around him. I finally pulled my head out of my ass and extracted my phone from my pocket so I could record whatever might happen next. After several minutes of us shivering in discomfort, T.J. finally turned to us and said, "Okay, Mr. Corgan, Sammy says you can come in now."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, which one," David asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Both of you, of course. And you better hurry `cause Sammy says he won't hang around much longer." The father and son quickly stepped through the gate, followed the same path T.J. had taken and soon joined him at Sammy's grave. We watched in awe as a hazy figure slowly took form next to T.J. We didn't know what to expect when we left house an hour ago, but to see Sammy suddenly materialize from nothing was a shock to all of us. Mike and Andy huddled next to Tom and me while the twins and Logan stood right in front of us, arms wrapped tightly around each other's shoulders.</span></p> <p><span>As we gawked at the amazing scene taking place before us, T.J. was apparently relaying what Sammy was saying to him on to David and Gabriel, and they were replying directly to the shimmering figure. Several minutes had passed when T.J. suddenly turned and pulled Sammy's translucent form into a hug. When the two separated, Sammy gave a quick hug to both David and Gabriel before turning around and silently gliding through the fence and into the trees surrounding the cemetery, where he gradually disappeared from our vision.</span></p> <p><span>After David and Gabriel had shared a hug with T.J., the munchkin finally called out, "Okay, you all can come in now." We joined the trio hovering around Sammy's grave, still a bit unsure of what had just happened even though we witnessed the whole thing with our own eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"That was freakin' cool, dude," Joey gushed with excitement as he hugged T.J.</span></p> <p><span>"What's it like to get hugged by a spirit," Alex quizzed his younger brother as the two shared a high five.</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty cool," T.J. grinned happily.</span></p> <p><span>"Is he gone for good?" Andy asked with a bit of a begging tone to his voice.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I think so. He was really happy to meet some of his family and finally be able tell them his story. Now that he's been able to do that, he's gonna go look for Lonnie, Lucinda and Malissa."</span></p> <p><span>We stood in silence for a few moments, just gazing at the stone that marked Sammy's grave. Though we knew it would be receiving an addition soon, the stone was currently engraved with:</span></p> <p><span>Samuel Patrick Corgan</span></p> <p><span>October 12, 1877 � January 17, 1892</span></p> <p><span>Beloved Son</span></p> <p><span>"Oh crap," I muttered quietly. "I never paid attention to this before now, but Sammy and I share the same birthdate. Talk about your coincidences."</span></p> <p><span>"That's not a coincidence, Dad. That was Karma bringin' you and Sammy together. He knew that even if you couldn't hear him, you'd have kids someday who would."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks for tellin' me that, T.J. I always thought I bought this property because it was my choice."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, wasn't a choice at all. You were meant to buy it and there was nothin' you coulda done to get out of it, either," T.J. answered with a giggle. I felt a little shudder of trepidation run down my back on hearing that bit of news, but I also finally understood why I fell in love with the property long before I ever saw it. It was Sammy connecting with me and I silently thanked him for having the faith in me to help him complete his journey. If it hadn't been for his guidance, I wouldn't be here now with my soon-to-be husband and sons, and poor Sammy would still be wandering the woods on his own, waiting for someone to come along and set him free from whatever had shackled him to this place.</span></p> <p><span>"What do you and your dad think, David?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"This has been the most amazing day of my life," Gabriel muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"Mine, too. If I hadn't been here to see this happen myself, I don't think I'd have believed it when Dad told me about it."</span></p> <p><span>"I know I wouldn't have believed it if you came to me with some cockamamie ghost story," Gabriel chuckled. "I have some work cut out for me as I update the family tree with Sammy's story and let other members of the family know about our experience today. God knows they'll all think I've lost a few more of those loose screws they keep goin' on about and want to put me in a facility for the mentally deranged."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if they don't believe you, you can just show them the video I recorded of the whole thing," I offered. "Hopefully, that'll be enough to keep the hounds at bay."</span></p> <p><span>"That just might do the trick, Max. Thanks for the offer of backup. Oh, and before you do it, Sammy told us about his request to have `Free at Last' added to his gravestone. I'll make arrangements first thing Monday morning for that to happen so you don't have to deal with it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm happy to take care of it, Gabriel."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you dare. Sammy is <i>my</i> family and it's my responsibility to take care of him now. You've already done more than anyone should ever expect by taking care of the rest of the cemetery. It's my turn to step up and do something for them."</span></p> <p><span>"If you say, so, I'll let you take it from here." </span></p> <p><span>"Good. I won't have it any other way. Now, that we've solved that little mystery and said goodbye to Sammy, I'd like to see the rest of the cemetery." On that note, we broke up our little group and allowed David to lead his dad around. The boys had migrated to a corner and they were pumping T.J. for details about his encounter with Sammy. He was only too happy to share as many details as he could. As for Tom and me, we were just happy that Sammy's time with our family had seemingly come to a peaceful end.</span></p> <p><span>After half an hour of walking around the cemetery with his dad taking pictures of every marker with a real camera, David finally said, "Well, I think we're done here, guys. We can't thank you enough for letting us come out today and be part of the wonderous events taking place out here."</span></p> <p><span>"We're glad you could be here, too. It seems rather fitting that you should be here to see Sammy off on his way to whatever's next for him."</span></p> <p><span>We stepped out of the cemetery and while I took a moment to close and lock the gate behind us, Gabriel knelt in front of T.J. and said, "Young man, you have given me the greatest gift I never knew I wanted. Having Sammy tell us his story so we can fix a glaring error in our family's history is absolutely wonderful."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just glad Dad gets to adopt me. If he hadn't been allowed to do that, I'da never met Sammy." T.J. lowered his voice to a whisper before adding with a giggle, "I just hope no more spooks or spirits find me."</span></p> <p><span>"I bet not," Gabriel laughed loudly. He then leaned in and gave T.J. a hug and kissed the top of his head before standing back up and saying, "C'mon, David, we've got to get back and help Margie with dinner." With that, Gabriel grabbed T.J.'s hand and the two led the way back to the house.</span></p> <p><a name="_Hlk10639438"><span>On reaching the house, both David and Gabriel refused our offers of a drink before they left, insisting on getting home as soon as possible. After sharing a complete round of hugs with the boys and handshakes with Tom and me, the two departed and left us to relax for a while before Rich arrived in a little over an hour.</span></a><span> Before I settled in with the rest of the crew, I decided to take a few minutes and e-mail the video I'd recorded at the cemetery to David.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, bubba, do you know David's home e-mail address?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, why?"</span></p> <p><span>"I want to send the video to him. Come on," I prodded him as I turned and headed for my study.</span></p> <p><span>Tom dutifully followed along and after entering my study, I connected my phone to the computer and settled in my chair. I quickly located the video file and dragged it onto my desktop. Before creating the e-mail, we decided to watch it ourselves, just to make sure I'd captured everything. I clicked the file and the video player opened. What we saw stunned both of us. </span></p> <p><span>Or, to be more accurate, what we didn't see. While T.J., David and Gabriel were in full view on the screen, there was no hint whatsoever of Sammy being there with them. It was obvious the trio was involved in a conversation of some kind, but they appeared to be talking to thin air. And since we were so far away from them, we couldn't hear their voices, just the whisper of the breeze meandering through the trees surrounding us. When their chat ended, we watched in disbelief as all three appeared to hug someone who didn't exist. With the hugs over, all three turned to the north and T.J. gave a little wave to the trees.</span></p> <p><span>At that point, T.J. turned back to us and called out, "Okay, you all can come in now." The video ended abruptly, and Tom and I sat and just stared at the blank screen for a moment.</span></p> <p><span>Tom finally broke the unnatural silence that had settled over us when he muttered, "What the fuck, man?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know. I guess Sammy's a little camera-shy," I answered with a light-hearted giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"That shit's just too fuckin' weird."</span></p> <p><span>"No argument from me on that, hon."</span></p> <p><span>"We <i>did</i> see him, didn't we?" Tom asked warily.</span></p> <p><span>"I sure as hell did. Go get the boys, I want them to see this." Tom did as I requested, and we were soon joined by the sensational six-pack. I turned the screen so they could stand on the other side of the desk where there was more room for them.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, Dad?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I thought you guys would like to see the video I recorded at the cemetery," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Cool," T.J. enthused. </span></p> <p><span>Without further delay, I clicked play and stepped around the desk to stand behind the boys with Tom. They were completely engrossed in the playback and remained silent as it progressed. Right up to the point where David and Gabriel joined T.J. at Sammy's grave, that is. While we all knew that was the moment Sammy allowed himself to be seen, his absence on the video was blindingly obvious.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, where's Sammy?" T.J. asked with surprise as the video continued. "He should be there by now."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, son," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>The crew remained silent throughout the rest of the show, only daring to speak when it was over.</span></p> <p><span>"That was freakin' unreal," Logan commented.</span></p> <p><span>"He was there, wasn't he?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, he was," Alex answered. "We all saw him. Didn't we?" Everybody nodded in agreement that we all had, indeed, actually seen Sammy.</span></p> <p><span>"So, where'd he go?" Mike queried.</span></p> <p><span>"We don't know," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I know he was there!" T.J. said adamantly. "I freakin' talked to him. Hugged him and felt him, too. I <i>know</i> he was real."</span></p> <p><span>"We all saw him, kiddo, so we don't doubt him or you one bit. I just can't explain why he's not in the video."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, that just sucks," Joey groaned.</span></p> <p><span>"Why's that," I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We coulda gotten rich with a video of a real live spook," Joey giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Spirit, Joey," T.J. quietly corrected his brother.</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever," Joey retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, you guys boogie on outta here. I'm gonna send this to David."</span></p> <p><span>The herd disappeared, talking non-stop about the day's events and the video they'd just watched. I settled back in my chair and turned the screen back around so I could get the bizarre movie on its way.</span></p> <p><span>"What are you gonna say in your e-mail?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue. Just `here it is', I guess. What the hell else could I possibly say that would prepare him for what's there? Or not there?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'll work, I suppose," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>I started a new e-mail and after filling in David's e-mail address supplied by Tom, I attached the video file, then added the simple note, `Here's the video of our visit to the cemetery this afternoon. Can't wait to hear what you and your dad think of it.' With the click of a button, I dispatched the missive into the ether, knowing that we'd eventually hear from David or Gabriel. That task completed, we retreated to the living room to settle in with the boys until Rich arrived.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-52.html

Building a Family 52 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 52 � Who Wants to PARTY!? Since it was Saturday, I was thankful the alarm didn't go off until eight. As I lay in bed, thinking about the day ahead, I began to wonder just exactly what we thought we were doing. We have five boys of our own, there are sixteen more of the twins' friends from school coming and two more from where they used to live. Shit, that's twenty-three boys from six to nine years old. What the fuck was I thinking? Oh, yeah, I wanted us to be the cool dads, the good dads who gave their kids anything they wanted. And we were setting a hell of precedent for the other boys' birthdays. Oh well, nothing to do now but tough it out. "C'mon, big guy, time to get our asses in gear. Might well get this day started." "Do I have to?" he moaned. "Damn right you do. I ain't dealin' with this by myself. When you signed on with this circus, it was for everything." "Okay, okay, I'm movin', see?" I looked over and saw he'd stuck a leg and arm out from under the covers and was waving them around. "I'll be a lot more impressed when your feet hit the floor, bubba." "Man, you drive a hard bargain. Okay, here goes nothin'." He slowly sat up, swung his legs off the bed and planted his feet on the floor. "Happy now?" "I'm getting' there." I visited the bathroom to relieve the pressure in my bladder. When I returned to the bedroom, Tom's feet were still on the floor, but his back was flat on the bed. I climbed on top of him, settled my ass on his thighs and wrapped a hand around his morning erection. "Am I gonna have to lead you around all day with this?" He grinned wickedly and moaned, "Oh, if only that were possible." I slid off his thighs while retaining my grip on his manhood and prodded, "C'mon, big guy, up and at `em. Oh, wait, you're already up, well, kinda anyway. How `bout rise and shine. Nope, that really doesn't work, either. Oh, wait, let's try this one. Get your ass out of bed or I'm gonna sic my minions on you." With that, his eyes opened fully and he sat up again. "You wouldn't dare," he argued. "Don't try me, bubba," I smirked. When he finally stood, I gave him a quick hug and kiss and disappeared to get the boys moving. The twins were my first stop and when I opened the door to their room, I found them both wide awake and enjoying each other quite thoroughly. "Whoops, sorry boys, didn't think you'd be awake. Breakfast in fifteen." I got a response that kinda sounded like `we'll be there', but I wasn't 100% sure since both mouths were occupied when they mumbled their answer. I reclosed the door and trooped on to roust T.J., Mike and Andy. When I opened their door, I found all three still asleep and curled together. I gently shook T.J. and said, "Time to move guys. Breakfast in fifteen. Hit the john and help Andy with his steroid treatment, okay?" "Yeah, dad, be out in a few." I returned to the kitchen to get some breakfast going. Tom arrived shortly after I did and between the two us, we couldn't think of anything to do that sounded quick and easy, so we pulled the cereal, bowls and milk out and had it all ready when the boys came in and mounted their stools. The twins showed up a few minutes after the other three with very wide smiles gracing their sweet faces. While the boys dug into their cereal, I asked Tom, "So, who's going to get the cake today, you or me?" "I'll get the cake," he volunteered, "if you pick up the kids that need to be." "Sounds like a fair trade-off to me. You got yourself a deal," I agreed. "We'll get busy around here doing some last-minute cleaning for the party. Plus, I need to empty the dishwasher and get the kitchen ready for the caterers to use. I don't want to deal with any of that when the kids' friends arrive." "What time do you think I should leave? It'll take about an hour to get there and get back home." "Why don't you scoot out about 9:30? That should get you back here before Jesse and Jos� arrive. Oh, and why don't you swing by the Walgreens on Koke Mill and pick up Andy's prescription. Those samples Dr. Finney gave us won't last very long." "Works for me, babe. What can I do before I go?" "I know you hate dealing with laundry, but would you mind checking to make sure we have plenty of clean towels?" "Consider it done. I'll go ahead and grab the ones from the theater, the study and the bedrooms and toss `em in the washer. Better to have extra than not enough. And it's a good thing you got that big-ass washer. We're gonna need it." "Good thinking. I know all the other towels should be clean since we haven't used the pool for a week, but it's probably not enough. Thanks." As Tom headed to the theater to retrieve towels, I called the boys to join me. "Okay guys, Jesse and Jos� will be here in a couple of hours. I'd like you to make sure your rooms are picked up and your beds are made. Then when that's done, please grab the vacuum from the laundry room and zip it through all three bedrooms and the bathroom down there, okay?" "You got it, Dad," Joey replied. He turned to the others and said, "C'mon guys, let's get this done." As four of the five headed down the hall, T.J. came over, climbed up on the counter and sat down. "And what can I do for you, young man with the long face? Why so glum?" I asked as I placed my hands on the counter on each side of his legs and leaned closer. "You're supposed to be helping Mike and Andy." "I just wanna make sure you're okay." "Why wouldn't I be? I'm great," I bluffed. "Aw, c'mon, Dad, don't lie to me. I know what Joey and Alex know." "What?? I don't know what you're talking about, T.J." "Uh, the Mueller's abusing you? That ring any bells?" "Well, hell, they weren't to say anything to you three about that." "They didn't have to, and even though they tried to hide it from me, I worked my way around their roadblocks. Not that I really needed to. They don't know I can do that yet. I never knew I could do any of this `til I met them," he confessed. "So, answer my question, are you okay today?" Faced with no easy retreat from the question, I answered him honestly, "Well, no, I'm not great, but I'm a whole lot better than I was Thursday. Thanks for asking." "Just so you know, I can see the pictures in your mind, too. That's why I didn't have to work too hard getting it from them. So, I probably know more about what happened to you than they do `cause Joey only caught the one flash of somethin'. But I've seen all of it," he added sadly. "Oh, T.J., I'm so sorry," I said as I wrapped him in a comforting hug. "I had no idea you could do that and I never meant to burden you with all of that junk. But, you can't just go rifling through people's minds like that. You're invading their privacy and that's not a good thing." "I know, dad, but sometimes I can't help it. When the emotions are really strong, like yours have been the last two days, it just kinda overflows from your mind and into mine. I wish I knew a way of stopping it, but I haven't learned enough about how to control it yet. I will, though, don't worry." "I sure hope so, T.J. I could see this gift getting you into big trouble someday." "Yeah, me too, that's why I'm tryin' to figure out how to control it better." "Good. I wish I could help you with that, but since I don't understand how you do what you can do, I'm at a complete loss. But, thanks for caring and asking about me. It really means a lot to me to have your support." I leaned in closer and gave him another hug and whispered, "Love you, kiddo." "Love you too, Dad." Then he hopped off the counter and headed towards the bedrooms to help the others. Just before he left me alone in the kitchen, I started to say, "And remember, T.J., not ..." He turned to face me and interrupted, "Don't worry, dad, I won't say anything to Mike or Andy. Believe me, I didn't really want to know all that, and I sure don't want them knowin' `bout it. They'd have nightmares for months. And don't worry, they can't see what I'm thinking, so they won't get it that way either." He started to walk away again, but stopped again and added, "By the way, it's too bad Pops stopped you from killin' that bastard. If there was ever someone who deserves killin', it's him." With that, he turned again and headed off to help his brothers. I was standing in the kitchen, still dumbfounded, when Tom came back from the laundry room. "What's up, babe, you look a bit lost." "You are not going to believe the conversation I just had with T.J. Hell, I was in the middle of it and I still don't believe it." "What, aliens land in the back yard?" he laughed. "That would be easier to handle, for sure. No, he just told me it's too bad you stopped me from killing Frank." "WHAT!? How the hell does he know about that? Did Joey and Alex tell him?" "No, he pulled it from my mind. Well, no, that's not really what he said. He said, it all just overflowed from my mind into his. Now, I'm kinda freaked out." "Oh, the twins doin' that shit was just fine, but now that T.J. can do same damn thing, suddenly you're freaked out." "T.J. says he can see a lot more than Joey and Alex. And as a result, he's seen every flash of memory that's gone through my mind the last two days." "Oh, fuck. That's been some pretty nasty stuff." "Tell me about it. And now, he's got to deal with all that, too. I'll have a chat him after the party and see if he wants to talk about what he's seen. It's bound to cause problems of some kind. It's sure caused me plenty of problems over the years." "Damn, how much worse can this get, Max?" "Oh, please, don't ask questions like that. We probably won't like the answers we get." "You're right about that. Look, I need to get out of here to get the cake and pick up Andy's prescription. Can you think of anything else I need to pick up while I'm in town? Soda, juice, munchies of any kind?" "Not at the moment, no. The caterers should be bringing everything like that." "Okay. If you think of anything, call or text me and I'll take care of it." "I'll do that. Which car you takin'?" "Since I'm by myself, the Shelby, of course." "I shoulda' known, shouldn't I?" Tom laughed all the way down the hall to the bedroom to get dressed. I got busy cleaning the kitchen counters, emptying the dishwasher and generally making sure the kitchen was ready when the caterers arrived. As Tom came back through to grab his coat, he yelled, "I'll be back as soon as I can!" "Hey, get your butt back here!" I yelled back. As he moseyed back into the kitchen, pulling on his coat, he asked, "What? You remember something I need to get?" "No, but you forgot something, bucko. Where's my damn hug?" "I didn't forget, I was just grabbin' my coat first." "Yeah, right, quick thinkin there to come up with that little fib." As we hugged each other, I whispered, "Hurry back, please." "I will. You'll be fine." With that, we separated and off he went, stopping by the boys' bedrooms to trade hugs with them on his way out of the house. I continued my cleaning in the kitchen and soon heard the whirring of the vacuum from the far end of the house. Good, the boys were doing as I asked, which really wasn't that big of a surprise. I knew they'd do just about anything I asked them to. When I finished in the kitchen, I headed to the living room to straighten up tables and pick up a few loose items. I looked over the fireplace and realized I hadn't hung the pictures T.J. had given Alex and Joey for their birthday. I took down large Ansel Adams print that I'd bought just after moving into the house and moved it into the study. I then went off in search of the boys' pictures. I found them in the twins' bedroom and, since the boys were all cleaning up in the now empty bedroom, I quietly hung their present in its rightful spot. The new frame was smaller than the print that had been there, but it looked just right. We'd have to add some smaller picture sets to the wall as time passed to help fill in some white space. As I continued picking up some loose ends, the boys came charging down the hallway. They rounded the corner into the living room, vacuum in tow. "Hey, Dad, you want us to clean the floors out here, too?" Alex asked. "You sure can, but if you'd like to do it quicker, there's a big dust mop in the laundry room. That's what I usually use in the open areas out here." "Got it," Joey answered. "Wrap the cord up on this T.J. and I'll grab the mop." Joey hurried down the hall and returned shortly with the dust mop. T.J. wheeled the vacuum back to the laundry room and parked it. "Okay, Joey, just start over by the front door and go back and forth across the floors in the entry, kitchen, dining room and living room. Then get the hallways. When you've done all that, just push the mop back into the laundry room and we'll clean up all the collected dust later." Joey followed my instructions to a tee, making motor noises and squealing at each change of direction as if going around a corner too fast. The other four sat back and watched, laughing at his antics as he injected some fun into our cleaning. In very short time and with only one wreck to his credit, the floors were all done and the dust mop stashed out of sight. While he was doing that, I had moved the towels Tom had washed into the dryer. "Okay, guys, I think we're finally ready for your friends to arrive. Thanks for all your help this morning. Why don't we go ahead and get dressed? Jesse and Jos� should be here anytime." The boys headed to their rooms while I headed to mine. Once I was covered enough, with my shorts and t-shirt, to be publicly acceptable, I headed back out to the main part of the house. The drive sensor dinged just as I reached the living room. I walked to the front door to see who was here and found the Shelby making the turn to pull into the garage. I headed down the hall to open the door for Tom since he'd have his hands full with the cake. I didn't want to take a chance on him dropping it trying to get through by himself. "Welcome back, bubba. Any problems?" "Nope, and the cake looks great," he answered, then added, "Got Andy's prescription, too," as he came through the door into the house. "Thanks for getting the door, babe." "No problem. Why don't you put the cake in the pantry? It'll be out of the way in there." I followed along to open the pantry door and once the cake was on an empty shelf, I gave Tom a hug and told him I loved him, again. Damn, I've to get over this insecurity. "You okay, babe?" "Yeah, just being needy and greedy. I'll get over it, I promise." "Well, don't rush yourself. In the meantime, you ready for a party with a bunch of wild animals?" "Hell, yeah, I ready to have some fun." As I closed the pantry door, the sensor dinged announcing, I assumed, the arrival of Jesse and Jos�. We heard what sounded like thunder rolling as the fantastic five charged down the hallway to be at the front door, Alex and Joey leading the pack. They opened the door before anybody on the other side could ring the bell and welcomed Jesse, Jos� and their parents. The four boys were wrapped together in a four-way hug, jumping and squealing with joy at seeing each other after a month apart. "Hi, I'm Max Sanders and this is my partner, Tom Wright. I assume you're Karla," I greeted as we walked over and extended our hands in friendship. "Morning, Max, Tom, nice to meet you," Karla replied. "This is my husband, Rick and the two dancing boys are, of course, Jesse and Jos�." With handshakes all around, she continued, "You sure you're ready for these two? They can get pretty wild." "They can't be any worse than our own boys, Karla," I laughed. "Although, it appears combining them could be disastrous. I'm sure they'll be fine, though." "Well, they've both been really concerned about Joey and Alex the last month," Rick offered. "Neither one had said anything about the possibility of being adopted and when they were just suddenly gone, we didn't know what to think. And, unfortunately, since we're not family, the agency in charge of their placement with the Mueller's wouldn't give us any information when we called to ask." I flinched a bit at the mention of that damn name, but I hoped neither picked up on it. "Yeah, it all happened very quickly. There hasn't been a dull moment around here since then." "No, I bet not," Karla chuckled. "Life was never dull in the neighborhood with those two around. I kinda miss that." "Well, now that you know where they've landed, your boys are welcome here any time. We're not that far apart, you know." "No, we aren't," Rick said. "It'll be good to see smiles on Jesse and Jos�'s faces again. Seeing them mope around the house the last month has been a sad sight to see. Well, look, we better get moving if we're going to get our running done. What time should we come pick them up?" I looked to Tom and asked, "What do you think, around six sound good?" "Yeah, we'll all be tired by then, I'm sure. I'm sure the boys will want to swim first, then eat, then time for a movie. Yeah, six sounds just about right." "Great, we'll be back then," Karla said. "Oh, wait, I almost forgot to give you this," she added, handing over a small package. "What's this?" I asked, taking the package from her. "Jesse's diabetic. That's his tester, some honey and crackers if he needs a snack, and an insulin pen if he needs it. He's pretty good about knowing when he needs to check himself and he knows how to use the pen." "Can he have some cake and ice cream with the others? And what about drinks?" "A small piece of cake and a small dip of ice cream will be okay. He can drink anything that's diet, tea, milk or water but keep him away from juice boxes or pouches. Those things are loaded with sugar and as much as he loves them, they'll wreak havoc on him." "I'm glad you let us know. We'll keep an eye on him. It's nice to meet you both and we'll see you around six, then." "Thanks for inviting them," Rick replied. "Boys, come say goodbye." Jesse and Jos� ran over and gave Karla and Rick hugs. "You two be good, you hear me?" "Yeah, dad, we hear ya'," Jesse answered. "Good, we'll be back around six to get you, okay? Have fun." With that parting comment, Karla and Rick headed out to their car and took off. The boys had turned tail and were running for their bedroom when I called out, "Hey, aren't you forgetting something?" "Oh, yeah," Alex answered as they hit the brakes and turned around. "Dads, this is Jesse and Jos�, J & J, this is our dads, Max Sanders and Tom Wright." "Nice to meet both of you, now, which is which?" The two giggled and one said, "Sorry, I'm Jesse and he's Jos�," pointing to his brother. "How old are you?" Tom asked. "I'm eight," Jos� answered, "and he's ten." "Jesse, your mom gave me some things for you. I'm going to put them in the kitchen. If you need them, just let me know, okay?" "I will, Mr. Sanders, thanks." With that, all seven turned around and ran to the twins' bedroom to do only the gods knew what. "I wonder where Jesse and Jos� are from," Tom mused as we headed to sit by the fireplace. "What are you talkin' about? They're from Springfield, ya' bonehead." "That may true, now, but that ain't where they came from originally. You can't be so blind as to not notice their skin tone and facial features. They're so dark, they look like they spend all their time under the sun. And with their more roundish faces, they sure aren't from around central Illinois. If I had to guess, I'd say probably Mexico or Central America, somewhere." "Well, now you've piqued my curiosity. Let's find out." I turned towards the hallway and yelled, "JOEY!" "Don't you dare," Tom hissed as he grabbed my arm. "Too late, bubba." Ten seconds later a head popped around the corner and said, "Yeah, dad, what's up?" "Tom and I were wondering if you knew where your friends are from." "Oh, sure. They were born in Guatemala, but the Jacksons adopted them when they were babies." "Thanks, buddy, go have fun." I turned back to Tom and said, "See, that wasn't so bad, was it. And you were absolutely right. Good guess, Sherlock. If I didn't know better, I'd guess you were an investigator of some kind." "That's embarrassing, Max." "What? You had a question and I got the answer for you. Remember, the only stupid question is one not asked." "Yeah, yeah, whatever, Dad." That smart comment earned him a smack to back of his head. Glad those stitches were finally gone. We spent the next hour reading and enjoying the calm before the storm. It was nice to hear the occasional peals of laughter emanating from the twins' bedroom as the seven boys had some fun together and T.J., Mike and Andy got to know Jesse and Jos� better. I was looking forward to seeing more of Jesse and Jos� as I fully intended to have them around more so they could continue their friendship with Joey and Alex. I silently hoped Rick and Karla were agreeable. About 12:30, I told Tom it was time for me to start my pickup rounds. After another hug and kiss, I tapped Alex to go with me since he knew these kids and we were off. After making a wrong turn and correcting our course, I finally found our first stop. Alex and I hopped out of the car, walked up the sidewalk and climbed the steps to the front porch. Since it was his party, I had him knock on the door. When a man my age answered the door, Alex greeted him with, "Hi Mr. Cole, we're here to pick up Jake, is he ready to go?" "He sure is," Mr. Cole answered. He turned to the inside of the house and yelled, "Jake! Your ride's here. Get a move on." While we waited for Jake to appear, I introduced myself. "Good afternoon, Mr. Cole, My name's Max Sanders. I'm Alex and Joey's dad. We're glad Jake could join the party." "Afternoon, Max, nice to meet you. And my name's Henry. Jake's been waitin' all week for today. I've never seen him so excited about a freakin' party. You really got a covered pool?" "I sure do and it's going to get a workout this afternoon. Will we need to bring Jake home later, or will you be picking him up?" "Nah, we'll come get him. I woulda brought Jake out, but we only have one car and my wife is at work. She should be back home in a bit and we can pick him up. What time do ya' think?" "No problem, Henry. We have five more stops to make for similar reasons. I think we'll try to wrap things up about six, is that all right?" "That sounds good. We'll see you then." Jake had appeared at his father's side while we chatted and after a reminder to be good, he and Alex ran to the car. With a wave over my shoulder to Henry, I joined Alex and Jake and we headed to our next stop. After five more similar stops, I had a car loaded with seven boys, Alex, Jake, Zach, Brent, Aaron, Jeff and Sam, all chattering non-stop about the fun they were going to have this afternoon. As I turned in the drive and the guests saw we were disappearing into the trees, they got very quiet. But, when I rounded the corner in the drive and they could finally see the house, there were appreciative oohs and aahs coming from all of them. "Wow, you really live here, Alex?" Brent asked. "Yep, pretty neat, huh?" "For sure, dude," Jake replied. "This place makes my house look like a freakin' dump." "Wait `til you see the inside," Alex teased. I parked in the garage and the miniature herd of boys ran into the house, leaving me in their dust. As I entered the house, I could see all seven turning into the twins' bedroom and heard more exclamations of surprise as the new boys saw the bedroom. I found Tom right where I left him, reading a book in the living room. "Hey, you made it back in one piece," he joked. "Yeah, what was your first clue? My smiling face or the rumble of the stampede coming down the hall?" "I'm gonna have to go with that rumble thing," he laughed. "Well, bubba, I think it's time to put the book away and steel yourself for the afternoon. Anybody else show up yet?" "Two so far, Kenny and Teddy, I think it was. They disappeared to the twins' room so fast, I'm not really sure." "Well, that's fifteen or so, the rest should be showing up shortly. Did Brad and his cohort show up yet?" "Nope, just the two boys." "Well, I hope he shows up soon. I don't want to have to tell the boys and their friends they can't go swimming. They'd kill us," I joked. `DING!' went the drive sensor. I started towards the front door to greet whoever was arriving, but when I heard the rumble from the hallway, I retreated to my chair out of a sense of self-preservation. After the stampede had passed us by, we joined them at the door. Joey had the door opened and waiting, surrounded by the remaining herd, Tom and I lurking in the background. We were surprised to see three cute blondes stroll inside and be immediately surrounded by the others. A rather dazed looking woman followed in their wake. After the herd disappeared again, I greeted the lone woman. "Good afternoon, I'm Max Sanders and this is my partner, Tom. We're Joey and Alex's dads." "Hi, I'm Marcia, and those three that just disappeared with the others are Jason, Mason and Grayson. Nice to meet you two." "Nice to meet you, also," Tom replied, shaking her hand. "So, how many kids are you having here this afternoon?" she asked. "At last count, twenty-three," I answered. "You two must be utterly bonkers. You'll be lucky to have a house by the time they all go home," Marcia laughed. Tom and I laughed with her and I responded, "We have reinforcements in the guise of two lifeguards and a catering crew still to arrive. I think we'll be okay." "Well, I wish you luck. What time should I pick up my trio?" "Around six, we think," Tom answered. "I'll be here, see you then." With a toss of her head and a chuckle, she turned, walked back to her car and left. Just as I closed the door, the drive sensor announced another arrival so we stayed at the door and the rolling earthquake returned from down the hall. This vehicle pulled into the drive and up to the garage, so I assumed it wasn't a guest for the party. "False alarm, boys, not one of your friends." As they returned from whence they came, quieter than I thought possible, I looked out the window to see two beefy, young guys in sweats strutting up the walk and I opened the door before they could ring the bell. "You Mr. Sanders?" beefcake number one asked. "I was when I got out of bed this morning. I'm guessing you're Brad from the `Y'." "That's me," number one said, "and my partner in crime today is Duane," hooking a thumb over his shoulder. "C'mon in. Any problems finding the place?" I asked as I closed the door. "Nope. Thanks for telling me `bout that bright red shed at the end of the drive, though, or I woulda zipped right on past ya'." "Yeah, that's a pretty good landmark. Nice to meet you both. I appreciate you coming out today." "No problem, Mr. Sanders," Duane answered. "We're always happy to help people have a safe pool party." "Please, my name's Max and this is my partner, Tom. You mind if we use Brad and Duane?" "Not at all," Brad replied. All four of us shook hands. "So, where's the pool?" "Right through the glass doors over there," I answered, waving my hand towards the glass wall on the other side of the living room. "Let us give you a quick tour of the place before we go out there, though." I led the way to the hallway to the garage and added, "The last door on the right is a small bathroom where you can change. The three bedrooms on the left are our boys' rooms. This is the living room, of course, kitchen and dining over there," again pointing the way. "Past that and to the right is the theater and game room, to the left, a study and our bedroom and bathroom. Now that I think about it, you two might want to use our bathroom to change and clean up after you're through today. It's bigger than the other bathrooms in the house and if you don't mind sharing the room, it should do nicely for you." "That'll be fine with us, Max, thanks. We're used to a locker room atmosphere. Won't bother us at all to share a shower, will it Duane?" Brad responded and received a negative shake of the head and a wily grin. "Now can we see the pool?" I laughed at his impatience and answered, "Sure, right this way." I led the way through the glass doors, across the patio, unlocked the shelter and let Brad and Duane in, Tom and I following them inside. "Here it is. The shelter's heated to about sixty or sixty-five degrees and the pool's about eighty or so. There's a couple of floats and a hook at the far end if they're needed." "Looks just great, Max. You want us in the pool or on the sides?" "Whatever you two think is best, Brad, that's why I hired you." DING! "Crap! Tom, can you meet whoever's here? I'll be there in a minute." "Sure thing, babe." As he turned to leave the shelter and answer the door, I returned my attention to Brad and Duane, who had started to remove their sweats when my back was turned. The sight that greeted me was breathtaking. These two hunks were wearing the skimpiest Speedos I'd ever seen and both had the slim, taut build of a serious swimmer. "Well, I'll let you two get set up out here," I sputtered in surprise. "If you need any drinks, food or a bathroom, come on in the house. I have a crew coming in a bit to fix food for the boys and their friends and you're welcome to have some when we're done swimming." "We'll be fine Max," Brad replied. "If it's okay with you, we're gonna get a quick swim to loosen up before the party comes out here," Duane added. "Fine with, me guys. We're still waiting for a few more to show up. Shouldn't be too much longer and we'll be out. Hope you're ready." I turned around to join Tom at the door and heard two splashes behind me as I left the shelter. Oh, this was going to be an interesting afternoon. When I joined Tom and the rest of the crew at the front door, Tom said, "Ah, there he is. Mr. Campbell, this is my partner, Max." I extended my hand and started to say, "Hi, there, nice ...," "Now, wait just a damn minute, you two are homos?" "Well, we prefer the word gay," Tom answered, "but homo works, too, I guess. Why, is that a problem?" "Ain't no way I'm leavin' my son with a couple of fags. Come on, Logan, we're outta here." "Please, Mr. Campbell, don't speak like that in front of the boys," I requested politely. "I'll say whatever I goddam want to and there ain't nothin' you can do about it." One of the boys in the middle of the group complained, "Aw, dad, would you just go home? I'll be fine." "Besides, Mr. Campbell," Joey interrupted, "you won't be leavin' Logan with a couple of homo fags, you'll be leavin' him with at least six of us, maybe even more" he proudly added. "What the fuck is going on around here?" he asked, looking rather confused. "I must ask you to leave. We'll make sure Logan gets home about six." "He ain't stayin with the likes of you, he's goin' with me." "No, I'm not, Dad, these are all my friends and I'm stayin'!" "Get your ass out here, boy. We're leaving, NOW!" With Logan surrounded by eighteen other boys, they quickly started walking back to the twins' bedroom. "Bye, Dad, see you when they bring me home," Logan yelled as the group made the turn into the hallway. "Well, we'll see what the cops have to say this. I ain't leavin' without my boy." "Do what you think you must, Mr. Campbell, but do it outside," I said as I slammed the door in his face. "Assholes like that just piss me off to no end." "No arguments from me, babe. You think he's really gonna call the cops?" I looked out the window and saw a red-faced Mr. Campbell angrily pacing the front porch, cell phone glued to his ear, gesticulating wildly with his free hand and mouth moving a mile a minute. "No doubt about it, look," I answered, pointing out the window. "Just freakin' great. I ain't havin' this prick ruin the boys party. I'm callin' Dylan. If county gets dispatched, I'd rather it was him who dealt with this jerk." DING! "Incoming!" Tom yelled and the herd of now nineteen boys rejoined us at the front door to see who was arriving. Tom then walked to the kitchen to make his phone call away from the ruckus at the door. When the boys formed ranks, they positioned Logan at the rear of the pack and as soon as I opened the door to admit the incoming guest, Mr. Campbell walked towards me as if to come in. I stood in the middle of the door to block his way and politely said, "No, sir, you're not allowed in the house. You are welcome to wait on the porch for either your son or the police, but you are not coming in. Now step aside and let these others in." "You're kidnapping my boy, you pervert!" "No, I'm not. He is free to stay or go and it appears he wants to stay. Now, would you please move out of the way and let these others in? Thank you." As another man with three more boys approached the door, Mr. Campbell turned to the newcomer and yelled, "Don't let your boy in there, Joe, these guys are sickos!" I waved them inside and closed the door in Mr. Campbell's face, again. I turned to greet the newcomers, extended my hand and said, "Hi, sorry about that. I'm Max Sanders. Welcome to the party." "Nice to meet ya', Max," the man answered as he shook my offered hand. "I'm Joe Bartley. I'm dropping off Ryan, Pat and Randy. Ryan's mine and Pat and Randy live close to us, so I volunteered to bring them all out. I wasn't sure I was in the right place, what with him screamin' into his phone like an idiot out there." As we continued to chat, the boys headed back to their bedroom. "Nope, you're in the right place, Joe. He's just a little upset about something." "Want me to get rid of him for ya'? He lives just down the road from us and I know what an ass he can be." "Thanks for the offer Joe, but I believe he's already called the police and we'll let them deal with him." "Mind if I ask what his problem is this time?" Before I could answer Joe's question, Tom rejoined us and said, "Dylan's on his way, he said ten minutes." "Joe, I'd like you to meet my partner, Tom." The two quickly shook hands. "Ah-h-h, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what Charlie's problem is, then. He's a helluva farmer, but with his mindset, he'd probably still be using horses to pull his plows if he could get by with it. Why the hell can't people live in the 21st century?" "That's a good question, but I've given up on trying to get the answer to it. Thanks for your offer to help with him, but help is already on the way." "No Sweat, Max. What time should I come back to get the boys?" "We're hoping everything is wound down by six." "Perfect, we'll see you then. Good luck with that jackass," he added, pointing towards the porch. Charlie again moved towards the door and Tom promptly closed it on him. "Goddammit, I want by boy out of there right now!" he yelled through the door. Tom cracked the door and calmly explained, "The police will be here in less than ten minutes, Mr. Campbell. They'll deal with you when they arrive." As Joe pulled away from the house, we heard another DING! That must be the last guest. Finally, we could get the party underway. I was shocked to see blue and red flashing lights come around the turn in the drive and pull up to the front door. "Hell, he musta been closer than he thought," Tom commented as he cracked the door open. As the cop climbed out of his car, we could see it wasn't Dylan, but another county deputy. "We're okay, Max, it's my former partner, Derek." Charlie started yelling as soon the deputy closed his car door. "These perverts got my son in there with whole bunch of other little boys! I want them arrested for kidnapping! I want my damn son back!" "Good evening, sir. I'm Deputy Timmons, what seems to be the problem here?" "I just told you what the fuckin' problem is you fuckin' moron! Arrest these faggots now and get my son out here!" "I'm sorry, sir, but if you don't calm down and quit yelling, I'm not going to be able to help you. Now, would you repeat that, please?" "I done told you once, already, you idiot. Those faggots got my boy trapped in there and they won't let him go." "Are you talking about the two gentlemen at the open door?" "Well, who the fuck else would I be talkin' about? Of course, I'm talkin' `bout them." "Would you please give me your son's name, sir? I'd like to talk to him." "It's Logan, now go in there and get him." Derek turned to us and said with a wink, "Excuse me, sirs, would one of please bring Logan, um, wait just second, please." He turned back to Charlie and said, "I'm sorry, sir, I didn't get your last name. I'd like to make sure we bring the right boy to the door." "It's Campbell, you fool. Now, get on with it." Derek turned back to us with a rather wide smile and asked, "Would one of you ask a Mr. Logan Campbell to join me here, please?" "Be right back, Deputy," I said and headed to the twins' room, leaving Tom to guard the door. When I crossed the threshold into the room, it was absolute bedlam, but there were twenty-two boys jammed into that space, so I guess bedlam should be expected. I'd have to give Bob a serious compliment on the strength of the bedframe. I never thought I'd live to see the frame strong enough to withstand that many kids on it at one time. I gave a loud whistle which immediately got their attention. Once it was quiet, I ask, "Logan, would you come with me please? A policeman at the front door would like to talk to you." "A cop wants to talk to me? 'Bout what?" he asked nervously. "Why don't we go find out together?" I asked and held out my hand to hold his and lead the way. As the two of us left the room, we were followed by the remaining twenty-one boys. When we returned to the front door, Tom was securely holding the door, Derek was standing just outside, blocking Charlie's way in, and Logan and I calmly walked up and stopped about a foot from the threshold. The remainder of the boys stayed well behind me. Derek knelt down to Logan's level and asked, "Are you Logan Campbell?" "Yes, sir," Logan answered quietly. "I need to ask you some questions Logan and I need you to tell me the truth, understand?" "Yes, sir." "Do you know all these people in the house with you?" "Well, sure, that there is Ryan, Pat and Randy," he answered, pointing out the three he named. "They live just down the road from me, and there's Jason and Kenny and Sam and all the other guys in my class from school. And those two who look the same, them's Alex and Joey. It's their birthday party we're here for. Those other two darker boys, I don't really know `cause I just met them, but they seem pretty cool." "Well, it sounds like you got a whole bunch of friends here with you. What about the man holding your hand and the one holding the door? Do you know who they are?" "Well, duh, does a bear shit in the woods?" Everybody but Charlie broke out in laughter. "This here is Mr. Sanders and the other guy is Mr. Wright. They're Alex and Joey's dads." "Thank you, Logan. This next question is really important. Did Mr. Wright and Mr. Sanders force you to come to their house this afternoon?" "Well, what kinda stupid question is that? My daddy brought me here so I could go swimmin' and watch a movie with my friends. And we're gonna have hamburgers and hot dogs and cake and ice cream." "Your father wants you to leave with him. Do you want to leave, or do you want to stay?" "Can I ask you a question, mister?" "Sure, go right ahead." "If you had your choice of sittin' at home, watchin' paint dry, or goin' to a party with your friends, what would you do?" "I believe I'd go to the party," Derek answered. "Well, that's exactly what I'm doin', too. I'm goin' to a damn party. My daddy can just go on home and Mr. Wright or Mr. Sanders will bring me home when the party's over." Derek stood and looked at Tom and I and then asked, "Mr. Wright, Mr. Sanders, are you holding any of these boys against their will" "Absolutely not, Deputy. If any of them want to leave with you, they are certainly welcome to do so." I turned to the group assembled behind me and asked, "Do any of you want to leave with the Deputy?" A chorus of `Huh-uhs', `nos' and even a couple of `Hell nos' rang out. "There's your answer, Deputy." "Well, I apologize for interrupting your party, boys. Please, carry on and have some fun for me." The boys disappeared as if they'd been transported to the Enterprise, herself. "Mr. Sanders, Mr. Wright, I apologize for the problem this afternoon." He turned to Charlie and said, "Mr. Campbell, I believe that now would be a good time for you to go home." "You're just gonna leave my boy in there with them damn perverts?" "Sir, your son has requested to stay and I can't see where he's in any imminent danger from anyone at this residence. Based on that, I think it best for you to leave the premises and allow your son to enjoy the party this afternoon." "I'm gonna talk to your boss Monday, boy and I'm gonna have your badge. You don't deserve to wear that uniform." Another set of flashing lights pulled around the corner and up the circle drive behind Derek's car. This time, Dylan climbed out of the car. "Well, Mr. Campbell, looks like we just saved you a call, here's my boss right here. Why don't you go over and voice your displeasure with my decision directly to him?" "I'll do that. Don't you go nowhere, you goddamn faggot lover." With that, he turned and stalked over to where Dylan was crossing the yard. As the two began a very animated discussion, Derek turned to Tom and asked, "How the hell you been, partner?" while wrapping him in a big hug. "You don't call, you don't write, I never hear from you unless you need somethin'," he added with a laugh. "I couldn't be any better, Derek, if I was king of the world," Tom answered. "Old partner, meet my new partner, Max Sanders. This is the guy who stole my heart away from you." "Nice to meet you, Max," Derek replied, giving me a hug, also. "You found yourself a hell of a good man, here. If I weren't straight, married and had three kids, I'd think about takin' a shot at him myself." All three of us chuckled at that. "I sure wouldn't blame you, Derek. Thanks for comin' out today. I thought we were gonna have a real problem with him." "Jerks like that just need to pull on their big girl panties and grow the fuck up. I'm just glad I was close by. I figured Sarge would come out, but when dispatch told me it was Tom callin', I high-tailed over here. How's your head doin' there, bubba?" "Great, finally got the stitches out yesterday," Tom answered as he turned his head so Derek could see it better. "Well, I was a little worried when I first heard you got hit, but then I knew nothin' could penetrate that thick skull of yours. Sorry for not comin' out to see you before now, but Sarge has really screwed with the schedules covering for your sorry ass." "Sorry, man, but I got more important things to live for than I used to." "Damn right, you do. And don't be sorry, Tom, be happy. We're all happy for ya', man. But I gotta tell ya' something." "What's that?" "Five years, man, five long years, cooped up in that damn car together and you never once said nothin' about bein' gay. What the hell, Tom, didn't you trust me? That hurt, man." "I'm really sorry about that, Derek, but I didn't trust anybody with that news. You know what it's like for a cop to be out of the closet. It's hell, and I knew it. I wasn't gonna put up with anyone's shit about it. I didn't want you to deal with any of that, either. Besides, I trusted you with my life and that's way more important than me bein' gay, don't ya' think?" "Well, yeah, you got a point there. No worries, Tom, I'm over it now, but when Sarge first told me you was quittin the job and why, I damn near fell outta my chair. I've never been more surprised in my life. Well, except for when we found out Suzy was pregnant the first time. Six months before the damn wedding. Now, that was a real shocker. Her old man nearly killed me," Derek laughed. "Well, you've survived two big shocks, now, Derek," I commented. "Hope you don't have another one anytime soon." "You and me, both, Max." I noticed Charlie staking across the yard, then get in his car and leave. Dylan came up to join us on the porch. "Afternoon, Max, Tom, Derek. How y'all doin'?" "Better now, Dylan, thanks for dealing with him," I answered. "He shouldn't cause you any more trouble today, but I'm going to have Derek stay close to the area this afternoon. If he comes back, call Derek directly and he'll be back. Give `em your number, Derek." He did and I added it to my phone. "And, when it's time for Logan to go home, call Derek and I'll have him take care of it. I don't want you to have any more contact with Mr. Campbell if possible. Derek, when you take the boy home, hang around outside for a minute or two and make sure that bastard doesn't pull any shit on his son. If he does, arrest him. I'll back you on it." "You got it, Sarge." He turned to Tom and me and added, "Well, I'll get out of here, but if you need me back, just call. I won't more than ten minutes away at any time. Hope you still have a good party." He started to walk to his car, then stopped short, turned around and added with a laugh, "Tom, if I'm not invited to your wedding, I'm gonna haunt you `til the end of time." "Don't worry about the wedding, you'll be here, I promise." With a wave over his shoulder, Derek got in his car and took off. "You guys okay, now?" Dylan asked. "I was always fine, Dylan," I answered. "It was Mr. Campbell who called first. That's when Tom called you." "No worries, you two. Protect and Serve. But let me tell you, watch out for that guy. I can see him causin' y'all some problems." "We've dealt with worse, Dylan. We can handle him," Tom replied. "Before I go Max, I got one more thing for you. I finally received the report from Dr. Kirkland this morning. I wasn't gonna say anything about it until Monday, but since I'm here, I'd like to arrange a time to do an interview with you. When would be a good time?" "The sooner, the better. Monday morning works for me if it works for you. I just as soon do it when the boys aren't around." "I figured as much. How about I come out about 9:30 or 10:00 Monday morning? That should give us plenty of time." "That should be fine. I'll see you then. And thanks, again, for coming out today." As Dylan climbed in his car to leave, another one made the turn to pull up to the house. As Dylan pulled away, the new arrival stopped in the space he'd vacated. A very harried-looking woman and boy got out of the car and ran up to the porch. "Oh, my god, I'm sorry we're so late. I got lost out here and couldn't find you. Damn navigation system, anyway." "No problems. I'm Max Sanders and this is my partner Tom Wright. Who do we have here?" "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm Darla Jackson and this is my son Jesse" "Excuse me?" I asked. "We already have a Jesse Jackson here," I laughed. "Well, I'll just have to make sure I get the right boy when I come back later, won't I?" she chuckled. "I'm pretty sure that won't be a problem, Darla." "What time should I come back?" "Around six should be good. That okay?" "I'll be here, thanks." She turned to Jesse and added, "You have a good time, Jesse, and try to make some new friends, okay? You need to get out more." "Yes, mother," he answered, rolling his eyes. "Good, see later, baby. Love you." "Love you too, mom," he muttered with an eye roll so severe I thought they'd never return. When she was out of earshot, he added, "God, she's embarrassing sometimes." I placed a hand on Jesse's shoulder and the three of us stepped into the house. After closing the door, I told Jesse, "The boys are all in Joey and Alex's room. Just go to that hall over there and their room is the first on the left. I'm sure you'll be able to hear them just fine once you're closer. Let `em all know it's time to get changed and go swimming, okay." "Thanks, Mr. Sanders, we'll be ready." With that, he took off to join the others, peeling his shirt over his head on the way. Tom and I retreated to our room to change into swim shorts. While Brad and Duane may be comfortable wearing their skimpy Speedos, I wasn't taking a chance of my body betraying me around twenty-three cute, young and barely dressed young lads. "You know one thing we forgot to get for today?" I asked as I pulled my shorts up and started tying the string. "What's that?" Tom asked. "It's not too late. I could run out and get whatever it is," he added with an evil smirk. "Earplugs. We'll be deaf by the time we're done swimming. And you're not going anywhere but to the pool with me. Nice try, though," I laughed. He snapped his fingers and muttered, "Damn, that close." "Let's go, big guy. Time to face the music." I led the way to the living room and found the boys filtering in from the other end of the house and lining up at the glass doors to the outside. Once all twenty-three were ready for the mad dash to the pool shelter through the March chill, I announced, "Okay, listen up, all of you." When they quieted down, I continued. "I have two lifeguards from the `Y' here to help supervise this afternoon, along with Tom and myself. If any of us ask you to do something like get out of the pool, calm down, whatever, we expect you to do just that. The most important rule you have to follow this afternoon is no running around the pool. The surface can be slick and I don't want anybody getting hurt. Everybody understand?" With nods of acceptance from all the boys, I added, "Good, now let's go have some fun," then opened the door. They ran like demons to get inside the shelter, but once inside, they heeded my warning about running, dropped their towels on the tables, chairs and loungers and walked to the pool, where they jumped in. Brad and Duane were ready for us and standing on each side of the pool. They were being very attentive to the boys so Tom and I joined them in the pool. Andy and Mike quickly latched onto me while T.J. and Jos� took control of Tom. Alex and Joey were a little closer to the deeper end with some of the other boys, but everybody was having a good time and the noise soon reached the level normally not heard outside of an airport. Shortly, Tom and I started flipping boys out of the water into the middle of the pool, being careful to not throw one in the same direction as another. Once we started that, they formed in lines behind us so they could each get a turn, or more accurately, turns. Everything was going smoothly through the first round until it was Teddy's turn. I cupped my hands under the water and he carefully stood in them, putting his hands on my shoulders to steady himself. I bent low in the water to be able lift him as high as possible and, as I stood up in a rush, lifting my arms to attain maximum flippage, his shorts slid down his legs to his ankles. I caught the briefest flash of shrunken penis and scrotum as they flew by, just inches from my nose. As Teddy's feet left my hands and he began his flip, the shorts flew completely off his feet in one direction as Teddy soared in another. I thought the laughter from all the other boys was going to shatter the glass that was dutifully keeping out the cold. Poor naked Teddy surfaced slowly and searched frantically for his shorts. I swam ten feet away and retrieved them for the embarrassed young lad, then swam fifteen feet back to return them to him. I held the shorts under the water, and while Teddy held onto my shoulders again, he lifted his feet up and managed to get them slipped back inside the shorts. He slowly lowered himself back down into the water and his shorts as I held them. At one point in his maneuvering, he twisted sideways a little, forcing his genitals across the back of my hand. "Whoops, sorry, Teddy," I apologized immediately for the accidental contact. "Don't worry, Mr. Sanders. It ain't no big deal, believe me. I probably got the smallest dick here. Besides, I hate these damn shorts, I can't never keep `em on. I guess my ass is just too skinny," he grinned. "Nothing to worry about, young man. Your time will come," I replied, towing him back to shallower water. "Can't be too soon for me." With that, he returned to the end of the line while I took my position to continue flipping boys who'd patiently awaited my return. Tom and I carried on, tossing laughing boys all around the pool until I found Teddy was next on the hit list again. I looked at him and asked, "You sure `bout this?" "Eh, what's the worst that could happen?" he laughed. "Okay, buddy, you asked for it." I assumed my launch position and Teddy did the same. Just as happened before, as soon as his body left the water, he lost his shorts again amid much hilarity. He had so much flip action going this time, they flew all the way to the concrete apron. Brad grabbed them and tossed them back to me, large smile cutting across his face. When Teddy drew close enough, he grabbed my shoulders and repeated the process to get back into his shorts. As he slid down into them this time, his twist was more deliberate and he intentionally slid his genitals across the back of my hand again. In a surprising move, he actually lifted himself up a bit before slowly sliding all the way down. I also noticed that he seemed to be considerably more extended and firm this time around. I, again, towed him back to shallower water, but this time he'd wrapped his legs around my waist and I could definitely feel his hard, little rod sliding up and down my back with each step. When we reached the line again, he slid off my back and murmured, "Thanks, Mr. Sanders," then moved to the end of the line. I resumed my duty and the next boy in line was Jake. "You ready, Jake?" I asked. "You bet, this is fun." "Maybe for you flippees," I commented, "but not so much for us flippers. I think this is gonna have to be the last round. My shoulders are about to give out." We assumed our positions and as soon as Jake's body left the water, off came his trunks. What the hell is going on here? I retrieved his trunks and found the string had been untied. Realizing he had planned to lose his trunks, I tossed them back to him. "You're not gonna help me get back into `em?" he asked innocently. After my most recent experience with Teddy, I chickened out and said, "I think you can handle it yourself." "Bah, who needs `em, anyway?" he asked as he tossed them to the concrete and swam away. I quickly looked over to Tom to see what he thought of this development and discovered the boy he'd just tossed, Randy, had also lost his trunks mid-flip. Tom looked back at me in surprise and just shrugged his shoulders. The remaining twenty-one boys finally gave up all pretense as swimsuits and shorts started flying in all directions. I nodded my head towards the stairs into the pool and Tom and I beat a hasty exit from the water to take a seat on the sidelines of this now nude swim party. "What the hell just happened?" I asked as we dried ourselves. "I'm not sure, but I ain't gonna argue with it. I'm just gonna sit back and enjoy the view." "I think we were set up. I bet those little stinkers Joey and Alex planned this from the very beginning." "Wouldn't surprise me a bit, babe. You've seen all the whispering and giggling they been doin' the last couple weeks. And you know they hate wearing clothes, especially when we're swimming. I can't believe you're actually surprised." "I guess I shouldn't be, should I?" Duane and Brad were still walking around and around the pool, watching the boys intently for any sign of trouble. On one of the rounds, I waved Brad over and asked, "You two doin' okay." "Yep, were great, Max. We haven't had a pool party like this since last summer." "What!? You've seen this happen before?" Tom asked. "All the time, man. Boys don't give a rat's behind about who sees `em naked. Especially this age group. There's usually a few who are too embarrassed to lose their shorts, but that doesn't seem to be a problem with this group. Give `em a few years, though. Once their bodies start changing, that's when they tend to get a bit more reserved." "Well, this is our first party and I just didn't expect it to go quite this way." "Sorry, man, I shoulda warned ya' it would probably turn into a free-for-all. I just figured you already knew." "No sweat, Brad, it is what it is." He then strolled off to continue his rounds. For the next hour, Tom and I sat by the table and just enjoyed watching the boys swimming, playing and having fun, all seemingly at complete ease with being nude together. Aaron, Jason and Ryan came over and begged us to rejoin them, but we politely declined, feigning sore backs and shoulders. Close to the end of the hour, I noticed Alex, Joey and Brent hanging on to the side of the pool at a corner in deep end. Their bodies were pretty close together and you could see the one hand each had in the water was rhythmically moving back and forth. There wasn't a doubt in my mind what those three were doing. I elbowed Tom to get his attention and directed his eyes to the trio. His eyes widened in shock at the brazen action in which they were engaged. "Oh, please," I started, "don't tell me you're surprised at that," I said, looking at Tom. "Well, not with Joey and Alex, no. They do that shit every time we swim. But adding Brent to the action is a bit of an unexpected twist." "You heard what Alex said in the car yesterday about Brent, seems as though their trying to verify his observation, don't you think." "Um, I'm think they're way past that, now. Look again." I looked back to the corner and saw all three had closed their eyes and their underwater hand movements were now creating quite a surface disturbance. I choked back my surprise at the sudden change of activity and quietly commented, "I think it's time we ended the pool part of this party. The last thing I want to see happening today is a twenty-three-way circle jerk." "Oh, I don't know. I bet that'd be hotter than hell." "Yeah, and end up in prison with the Mueller's? No, I don't think so, bubba. Besides, we got witnesses, remember?" "Killjoy." Tom stood and let loose the loudest whistle I'd ever heard. After everybody had turned his way, he yelled, "All right guys, our lunch should be arriving soon. Let's find your shorts, and hit the showers. You can probably fit three or four of you in one shower and there are three showers in the boys' side of the house, so you should be able to move through them pretty quickly. Alex, Joey, lead everyone to the laundry room and drop your shorts in there on the way to the shower so we can run them through the dryer. Let's move!" The boys all started wading towards the steps out of the pool and, after climbing out, found a towel to dry off a bit before running back to the house. None of them displayed a bit of self-consciousness at being naked even though about half of them had developed erections and there was fair amount of grab-ass going on. Which was all fine with me as I was rather enjoying the show. The wide variety of tasty morsels displayed on the smorgasbord menu was mouth-watering. One thing I did notice was that Alex's comment about Brent was completely accurate. While Joey and Alex were no slouches in length for their age, Brent easily surpassed them. I could only imagine the size Brent's endowment would attain when fully stimulated. So as not to be caught staring at any one particular boy, my mind was busily snapping pictures of each and every one of them. As they began the short trek to the house and their showers, Alex turned and asked, "Hey, dads, do we have to get dressed after our showers?" "Yes, you do," Tom answered. "But why?" Joey complained. "We been naked the last hour. Why cover up now?" "Because we don't want to scare off the caterers, so shorts, at least, for everybody," I answered. "Awright," he grumped, then led the way to the house. Brad and Duane grabbed their things and joined Tom and me. Brad commented, "Well, it looks like we're done for the day. Is that offer of using your shower still open?" "You bet, guys. Once you're inside, go past the kitchen and down the hall. Our bedroom is through the double door on the right." "Thanks, Max. We won't be long. C'mon, Duane." After they'd left, I looked to Tom and said, "Well that was fun." "I think the boys enjoyed themselves. I know I did. That was the most fantastic display of boy candy I've seen in a long time." "Yeah? When was the last time you came anywhere close to that?" "About a year ago at the `Y'. Some family was having a similar party there and I'll tell you what, while they don't allow nude swimming anymore, the locker room as they got ready to leave was something else. Those boys were having almost as much fun as these guys were today." "We shoulda known Alex and Joey had something up their sleeves. I just hope none of them tell their parents about what happened." "You think any of them would do that? I can't imagine a single one of them going back home and sayin', `Hey, ma, guess what we did this afternoon? We all got naked and it was a blast. And that one kid, Brent, his dick is super long.' No, I just don't see that being a problem, babe," Tom laughed. "Yeah, laugh it up fuzzball. I sure as hell hope they keep it to themselves." DING! "Sounds like the food has arrived. Better get inside and get them going. The boys are probably starving by now." "I sure am, it's way past my lunch time," Tom laughed again. We grabbed our towels and headed into the house. As we crossed the living room, Tom added, "Why don't you get them started and I'll head to the bedroom to get changed." "You got it." We separated and I opened the door to let the caterers in just as the first group of boys was coming down the hall. Fortunately, they were all wearing at least a pair of shorts, though several were still shirtless. "Why don't you guys all gather around the fireplace while I deal with the caterers? I'll let them in and get them going, then light a fire for y'all." I opened the front door to greet them and found a crew of six people, arms loaded with everything needed to feed what looked like an army. "Hi there, I'm Max, come on in." "Thank you, Mr. Sanders. Where's the kitchen?" the apparent leader asked as she stepped through the door. "Well, so much for small talk. You don't waste time, do you?" "Sorry, sir, we're later than we planned to be. My name's Justine and this is my help for the afternoon. Now, where's that kitchen?" she laughed. "Right this way." I led the way and added, "Everything should be ready for you. Help yourselves to anything you need. If you can't find something, just ask." "Thanks, we will, Mr. Sanders. We should have food coming off the grill in about twenty minutes. Now, skedaddle and let us get busy." "Yes, ma'am. You don't have to tell me twice." I hustled myself out of the kitchen and walked across the living room to light the fire I'd promised the boys. As I was placing logs in the fireplace, I asked, "So, you guys having fun today?" "You bet, Mr. Sanders," Mason answered. "We never been swimming naked before and that was lots of fun." "Well, that wasn't supposed to happen, Mason, but I'm glad you all enjoyed it." "And don't worry, Mr. Sanders," Grayson began, "we all know not to say nothin' to our `rents." "Yeah, Joey and Alex told us to keep that part to ourselves," Jason concluded. "I'm glad of that, I guess." I got the kindling in the fireplace lit and added, "Well, I better go get changed. We'll be ready to eat shortly, okay?" "We're not goin' nowhere," Kenny replied, "We're all starvin'." Typical growing boys, always hungry. "Well, food should be ready in about twenty minutes, guys. Think you'll survive that long?" "We'll try, Mr. Sanders," Pat groaned pitifully. I headed to the bedroom and met Tom in the hallway. "Well, don't you look all clean and pretty?" I asked as I gave him a hug. "Clean, for sure, but pretty? I guess that depends on your point of view." "You are from mine and that's the only one that matters. Brad and Duane still in the shower?" "Uh, yeah. Don't go in there unless you have to, though." "Why?" "I started to, but changed my mind after I opened the door. They're a bit busy, if you get my drift. I think they rather enjoyed the last couple hours." "Thanks for the warning, I'll steer clear." I continued on my way, running the towel over my head to dry my hair as much as possible. After closing the bedroom door, I untied the string holding my shorts up and peeled the cold, wet, nasty things off my legs. Whatever prude who came up with the idea of wearing anything while swimming needs to be shot. I grabbed my towel again and dried the rest of my body. As I was doing that, the bathroom door opened and Brad and Duane stepped out, still naked, and drying their hair after their shower. "Whoops, sorry, Max, didn't know you were in here. It got a little steamy in there." Both men had dropped their towels to their waists to cover their still semi-erect cocks. Damn, they both had nice pieces of meat and the rest of their bodies were pretty sweet, too. "That's what Tom told me. I'm guessing you two enjoyed yourselves this afternoon," I commented while pulling on a clean pair of shorts and shirt. Both men turned bright pink with embarrassment at having been caught. "Uh, yeah, I guess so," Duane muttered. "Well, you're secret's safe with us, guys. And I'm sure you'll have the chance to come back for more pool parties, but I do have one request." "What's that, Max?" Brad asked. "Please don't fuck each other in the shower right afterward. I don't want to take the chance of one of the boys coming in here for some reason to find that going on. Understood?" "Sure thing, Max. Sorry `bout that." "'Nuff said. Oh, and you don't have to cover yourselves, either. We all know what a dick looks like around here. When you're decent again, come across the hall to the study and I'll pay you." I crossed the hallway myself and sat behind the desk, pulling cash from the drawer. A few minutes later, Brad and Duane let themselves in. Both were still a bit pink and they had a sheepish look on their faces. "Have a seat, boys." After both had done so, I continued, "Okay, we agreed to fifty bucks and hour each for two to three hours, right, Brad?" "Yes sir." "So, the two of you were here and on duty for about two and half hours, let's round that up to three, so I make that to be $300.00. Here's $500.00 for you, split the extra however you want." "Thanks, Mr. Sanders," Duane enthused. "You don't have to do that." "I know, but you've earned it. I'll let you know when the next party will happen a couple weeks beforehand. Sound good to you?" "Sounds, great, Max," Brad answered. "We'll look forward to it." "Good. And remember, I'm serious about the screwing around afterward. Like I keep having to remind our sons, there's a time and place for everything and our shower ain't it. Not for the two of you, anyway." "Yes, sir," they agreed. "Good, thanks for helping us out today, both of you. You'll be hearing from me again, I promise." We all shook hands and left the study. I led them towards the front door and as we got close, all the boys ran over to say thanks and share some hugs with the guys. Once the twenty assembled had returned to the living room to wait for lunch, I opened the door and said, "You guys enjoy the rest of your afternoon." "We will, thanks. Good luck with the rest of the party, Max," Brad replied, then they turned and headed down the walk to their car. As I joined the group impatiently waiting for lunch, I asked Tom, "Who are we missing?" "Alex, Joey and Brent. They're still in the shower since they waited for everyone else to get through first." "Ah, okay. I'm going to get all the shorts and swimsuits tossed in the dryer, then I'll check on them when I come back. Lunch should be ready soon." I headed down the hall and turned into the laundry room to find a pile of sodden clothes on the floor. I wrung out the excess water from each pair of shorts into the sink, then tossed them all into the dryer. Setting the temp on high, I headed back towards the living room, making a quick stop in the twins' room to see what was taking these three so long. What I found when I opened the bathroom door took my breath away and made the old heart skip a few beats. Joey, Alex and Brent were lying on the floor of the shower, water spraying their fine bodies and each one had his lips wrapped around another's cock. My own cock got immediately hard and I had to make a quick adjustment for fear it would snap in half. I stepped to the glass door and rapped on it sharply. All three opened their eyes and when they saw who had knocked, Joey and Alex started laughing while poor Brent almost caused himself considerable injury trying to cover his crotch as quickly as possible. "C'mon guys, we've got a party goin' on out here. You're party, as a matter of fact." "Sorry, dad, we got a little carried away," Joey answered as he stood up and turned off the water. Alex pushed the shower door open and asked, "Would you please hand us our towels, Dad?" The twins stood there, erections proudly on display while Brent was still hiding his behind his hands. "Guys, your dicks are still hard," Brent whispered. "Yeah, so what?" Alex asked. "But your dad's right there," he hissed. "Brent, get over it. He knows what a hard dick looks like, especially ours" Joey deadpanned. "Besides, you think he ain't hard right now after seeing what we was just doin' in here?" Brent looked back to me and, after a quick glance below my waist, realized Joey knew what he was talking about, then he turned back to look at Joey. "He and pops always get hard when they see us screwing around. And they're usually naked when it happens, so there's no mysteries around here." Brent looked back to me again and I nodded my head. He slowly extended one hand towards me to grab the towel I was holding for him and lowered his other, fully exposing his uncut hardness to me for the first time and the question that formed in my mind as he exited pool was answered. I thought the twins were perfect from the very first time I'd seen them this way, but Brent was a stunner. His hard cock looked to be about four inches long and an inch in diameter while the twins were about three inches long and three-fourths of an inch. I stood and watched as all three dried themselves, my cock aching to be released from confinement. Little did I know that wish was about to come true. As the three stepped out of the shower to finish drying, their hard peckers bounced lightly. Joey and Alex came over to me, gave me a hug, and Alex whispered in my ear, "Go on, Dad, let him see it. He's been waiting all afternoon." "I can't do that, son. It wouldn't be right," I muttered dully. "Well, can we show it to him?" Joey asked. "He really wants to see a what a grownup's dick looks like." I was numb with shock at the request and since I didn't answer immediately, the twins took it upon themselves to make it happen. They each grabbed the waistband of my shorts and briefs, pulled them straight out and slowly lowered them below my scrotum, where they tucked them in, leaving me completely exposed. Joey wrapped a hand around me while Alex gently cupped my sack. "C'mere, Brent." Brent stepped closer, wide-eyed. When he was only a foot away, Joey added, "Go ahead, grab it, it won't bite. It might spew, but it definitely won't bite." As the third hand wrapped itself around my shaft, I nearly passed out. These three hot young lads had me completely under their control. I stood there lost in the feelings of now six hands caressing my manhood and balls as they'd dropped their towels on the floor. After spending the better part of the last two hours in a near constant state of arousal, it didn't take long before they managed to coax the come from me. Brent, who was standing directly in front me, took two shots to the face while the next four hit him lower in the chest and belly and the last one landed directly on his dick. "Ohmigod, that was fucking awesome!" Brent exclaimed. "I never seen a dude come before." "Hey, Dad," Joey started, "Alex and I will clean up his face and chest. Why don't you clean off his dick for us?" Still dazed at what was happening, I slowly knelt in front of Brent and took his stiff, sweet boycock into my mouth, tasting my own come for the first time. I made love to that tender piece of meat with my mouth for several minutes, wrapping my tongue around the shaft and grabbing Brent's ass with my hands to make sure I was getting the whole thing in my mouth every time I buried my nose in his hairless pubic mound. As my hands continued to caress his globes, my fingers searched for and found his tight pucker. As I slipped a finger inside him, Brent groaned appreciatively at the invasion. I could see out of the corners of my eyes, Joey and Alex stood on each side of us, furiously jerking their own cocks. As my finger probed ever deeper into the warm confines of Brent's tight ass, I found his undeveloped prostate and began to rub it. I was soon rewarded for my efforts as the boy lost all control over his body and his cock started twitching violently in my mouth as his orgasm took him. If it hadn't been for my hands holding onto his ass, he would have collapsed as his knees buckled. When I finally released the prize from my mouth, Brent sighed, "Mr. Sanders, Joey and Alex are good, but you know how to suck a dick. That was the most mind-blowing thing I've ever felt. I'll return the favor someday." I stood slowly and mumbled, "Hurry up guys, the food is about ready." I then turned and started to leave the bathroom, still a bit dazed about what just occured. "Uh, Dad, I think you're forgetting something," Alex said to my back. I turned back around to face the boys and asked, "What?" Alex stepped over to me, grabbed the waistband of my shorts and briefs that were still tucked under my balls, then lifted them up and over my wilted cock. After gently arranging things inside my briefs, he patted me on the ass, and said, "There ya' go, all tucked away, nice and neat. Nobody'll ever know you just got off." "Thanks, buddy." I turned again and left the twins and Brent alone to get dressed. When I wandered into the living room, Tom asked, "'Bout time you came back. Where's the other three?" "They'll be out in another minute. Is the food ready to go?" "Justine just told me two more minutes." "Good, I'm famished." Quick Note: Before you start writing to tell me that a cop would never allow a nine-year-old to make his own decision and override his father, as happened in this chapter with Logan and his dad, I'm well aware of that. But, since this is obviously a fictional tale, some rules can be bent beyond the breaking point to further the plot and that's one I chose to break. Thanks for understanding and accepting this minor twist. (along with all the other twists and turns I've thrown at you 😉).

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 52</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk488960552"></a><a name="_Toc488488863"><span>Chapter 52 � Who Wants to PARTY!?</span></a></h2> <p><span>Since it was Saturday, I was thankful the alarm didn't go off until eight. As I lay in bed, thinking about the day ahead, I began to wonder just exactly what we thought we were doing. </span></p> <p><i><span>We have five boys of our own, there are sixteen more of the twins' friends from school coming and two more from where they used to live. Shit, that's twenty-three boys from six to nine years old. What the fuck was I thinking? Oh, yeah, I wanted us to be the cool dads, the good dads who gave their kids anything they wanted. And we were setting a hell of precedent for the other boys' birthdays. Oh well, nothing to do now but tough it out.</span></i></p> <p><span>"C'mon, big guy, time to get our asses in gear. Might well get this day started."</span></p> <p><span>"Do I have to?" he moaned.</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right you do. I ain't dealin' with this by myself. When you signed on with this circus, it was for everything."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, okay, I'm movin', see?" I looked over and saw he'd stuck a leg and arm out from under the covers and was waving them around.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be a lot more impressed when your feet hit the floor, bubba."</span></p> <p><span>"Man, you drive a hard bargain. Okay, here goes nothin'." He slowly sat up, swung his legs off the bed and planted his feet on the floor. "Happy now?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm getting' there." I visited the bathroom to relieve the pressure in my bladder. When I returned to the bedroom, Tom's feet were still on the floor, but his back was flat on the bed. I climbed on top of him, settled my ass on his thighs and wrapped a hand around his morning erection. "Am I gonna have to lead you around all day with this?"</span></p> <p><span>He grinned wickedly and moaned, "Oh, if only that were possible."</span></p> <p><span>I slid off his thighs while retaining my grip on his manhood and prodded, "C'mon, big guy, up and at `em. Oh, wait, you're already up, well, kinda anyway. How `bout rise and shine. Nope, that really doesn't work, either. Oh, wait, let's try this one. Get your ass out of bed or I'm gonna sic my minions on you." </span></p> <p><span>With that, his eyes opened fully and he sat up again. "You wouldn't dare," he argued.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't try me, bubba," I smirked. When he finally stood, I gave him a quick hug and kiss and disappeared to get the boys moving. The twins were my first stop and when I opened the door to their room, I found them both wide awake and enjoying each other quite thoroughly. "Whoops, sorry boys, didn't think you'd be awake. Breakfast in fifteen." I got a response that kinda sounded like `we'll be there', but I wasn't 100% sure since both mouths were occupied when they mumbled their answer. I reclosed the door and trooped on to roust T.J., Mike and Andy. When I opened their door, I found all three still asleep and curled together. I gently shook T.J. and said, "Time to move guys. Breakfast in fifteen. Hit the john and help Andy with his steroid treatment, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dad, be out in a few."</span></p> <p><span>I returned to the kitchen to get some breakfast going. Tom arrived shortly after I did and between the two us, we couldn't think of anything to do that sounded quick and easy, so we pulled the cereal, bowls and milk out and had it all ready when the boys came in and mounted their stools. The twins showed up a few minutes after the other three with very wide smiles gracing their sweet faces. While the boys dug into their cereal, I asked Tom, "So, who's going to get the cake today, you or me?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll get the cake," he volunteered, "if you pick up the kids that need to be."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a fair trade-off to me. You got yourself a deal," I agreed. "We'll get busy around here doing some last-minute cleaning for the party. Plus, I need to empty the dishwasher and get the kitchen ready for the caterers to use. I don't want to deal with any of that when the kids' friends arrive."</span></p> <p><span>"What time do you think I should leave? It'll take about an hour to get there and get back home."</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you scoot out about 9:30? That should get you back here before Jesse and Jos� arrive. Oh, and why don't you swing by the Walgreens on Koke Mill and pick up Andy's prescription. Those samples Dr. Finney gave us won't last very long."</span></p> <p><span>"Works for me, babe. What can I do before I go?"</span></p> <p><span>"I know you hate dealing with laundry, but would you mind checking to make sure we have plenty of clean towels?"</span></p> <p><span>"Consider it done. I'll go ahead and grab the ones from the theater, the study and the bedrooms and toss `em in the washer. Better to have extra than not enough. And it's a good thing you got that big-ass washer. We're gonna need it."</span></p> <p><span>"Good thinking. I know all the other towels should be clean since we haven't used the pool for a week, but it's probably not enough. Thanks." As Tom headed to the theater to retrieve towels, I called the boys to join me. "Okay guys, Jesse and Jos� will be here in a couple of hours. I'd like you to make sure your rooms are picked up and your beds are made. Then when that's done, please grab the vacuum from the laundry room and zip it through all three bedrooms and the bathroom down there, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Dad," Joey replied. He turned to the others and said, "C'mon guys, let's get this done." As four of the five headed down the hall, T.J. came over, climbed up on the counter and sat down.</span></p> <p><span>"And what can I do for you, young man with the long face? Why so glum?" I asked as I placed my hands on the counter on each side of his legs and leaned closer. "You're supposed to be helping Mike and Andy." </span></p> <p><span>"I just wanna make sure you're okay."</span></p> <p><span>"Why wouldn't I be? I'm great," I bluffed.</span></p> <p><span>"Aw, c'mon, Dad, don't lie to me. I know what Joey and Alex know."</span></p> <p><span>"What?? I don't know what you're talking about, T.J."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, the Mueller's abusing you? That ring any bells?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hell, they weren't to say anything to you three about that."</span></p> <p><span>"They didn't have to, and even though they tried to hide it from me, I worked my way around their roadblocks. Not that I really needed to. They don't know I can do that yet. I never knew I could do any of this `til I met them," he confessed. "So, answer my question, are you okay today?"</span></p> <p><span>Faced with no easy retreat from the question, I answered him honestly, "Well, no, I'm not great, but I'm a whole lot better than I was Thursday. Thanks for asking."</span></p> <p><span>"Just so you know, I can see the pictures in your mind, too. That's why I didn't have to work too hard getting it from them. So, I probably know more about what happened to you than they do `cause Joey only caught the one flash of somethin'. But I've seen all of it," he added sadly.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, T.J., I'm so sorry," I said as I wrapped him in a comforting hug. "I had no idea you could do that and I never meant to burden you with all of that junk. But, you can't just go rifling through people's minds like that. You're invading their privacy and that's not a good thing."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, dad, but sometimes I can't help it. When the emotions are really strong, like yours have been the last two days, it just kinda overflows from your mind and into mine. I wish I knew a way of stopping it, but I haven't learned enough about how to control it yet. I will, though, don't worry."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure hope so, T.J. I could see this gift getting you into big trouble someday."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, me too, that's why I'm tryin' to figure out how to control it better."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. I wish I could help you with that, but since I don't understand how you do what you can do, I'm at a complete loss. But, thanks for caring and asking about me. It really means a lot to me to have your support." I leaned in closer and gave him another hug and whispered, "Love you, kiddo."</span></p> <p><span>"Love you too, Dad." </span></p> <p><span>Then he hopped off the counter and headed towards the bedrooms to help the others. Just before he left me alone in the kitchen, I started to say, "And remember, T.J., not ..."</span></p> <p><span>He turned to face me and interrupted, "Don't worry, dad, I won't say anything to Mike or Andy. Believe me, I didn't really want to know all that, and I sure don't want them knowin' `bout it. They'd have nightmares for months. And don't worry, they can't see what I'm thinking, so they won't get it that way either." He started to walk away again, but stopped again and added, "By the way, it's too bad Pops stopped you from killin' that bastard. If there was ever someone who deserves killin', it's him." With that, he turned again and headed off to help his brothers.</span></p> <p><span>I was standing in the kitchen, still dumbfounded, when Tom came back from the laundry room. "What's up, babe, you look a bit lost."</span></p> <p><span>"You are <i>not</i> going to believe the conversation I just had with T.J. Hell, I was in the middle of it and <i>I</i> still don't believe it."</span></p> <p><span>"What, aliens land in the back yard?" he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"<i>That </i>would be easier to handle, for sure. No, he just told me it's too bad you stopped me from killing Frank."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!? How the hell does he know about that? Did Joey and Alex tell him?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, he pulled it from my mind. Well, no, that's not really what he said. He said, it <i>all</i> just overflowed from my mind into his. <i>Now</i>, I'm kinda freaked out."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, the twins doin' that shit was just fine, but <i>now</i> that T.J. can do same damn thing, suddenly you're freaked out."</span></p> <p><span>"T.J. says he can see a lot more than Joey and Alex. And as a result, he's seen every flash of memory that's gone through my mind the last two days."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, fuck. That's been some pretty nasty stuff."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell me about it. And now, he's got to deal with all that, too. I'll have a chat him after the party and see if he wants to talk about what he's seen. It's bound to cause problems of some kind. It's sure caused me plenty of problems over the years."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, how much worse can this get, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, please, don't ask questions like that. We probably won't like the answers we get."</span></p> <p><span>"You're right about that. Look, I need to get out of here to get the cake and pick up Andy's prescription. Can you think of anything else I need to pick up while I'm in town? Soda, juice, munchies of any kind?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not at the moment, no. The caterers should be bringing everything like that."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay. If you think of anything, call or text me and I'll take care of it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do that. Which car you takin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Since I'm by myself, the Shelby, of course."</span></p> <p><span>"I shoulda' known, shouldn't I?" Tom laughed all the way down the hall to the bedroom to get dressed. I got busy cleaning the kitchen counters, emptying the dishwasher and generally making sure the kitchen was ready when the caterers arrived. </span></p> <p><span>As Tom came back through to grab his coat, he yelled, "I'll be back as soon as I can!"</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, get your butt back here!" I yelled back.</span></p> <p><span>As he moseyed back into the kitchen, pulling on his coat, he asked, "What? You remember something I need to get?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, but you forgot something, bucko. Where's my damn hug?"</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't forget, I was just grabbin' my coat first."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right, quick thinkin there to come up with that little fib." As we hugged each other, I whispered, "Hurry back, please."</span></p> <p><span>"I will. You'll be fine." With that, we separated and off he went, stopping by the boys' bedrooms to trade hugs with them on his way out of the house. I continued my cleaning in the kitchen and soon heard the whirring of the vacuum from the far end of the house. Good, the boys were doing as I asked, which really wasn't that big of a surprise. I knew they'd do just about anything I asked them to. When I finished in the kitchen, I headed to the living room to straighten up tables and pick up a few loose items. </span></p> <p><span>I looked over the fireplace and realized I hadn't hung the pictures T.J. had given Alex and Joey for their birthday. I took down large Ansel Adams print that I'd bought just after moving into the house and moved it into the study. I then went off in search of the boys' pictures. I found them in the twins' bedroom and, since the boys were all cleaning up in the now empty bedroom, I quietly hung their present in its rightful spot. The new frame was smaller than the print that had been there, but it looked just right. We'd have to add some smaller picture sets to the wall as time passed to help fill in some white space.</span></p> <p><span>As I continued picking up some loose ends, the boys came charging down the hallway. They rounded the corner into the living room, vacuum in tow. "Hey, Dad, you want us to clean the floors out here, too?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You sure can, but if you'd like to do it quicker, there's a big dust mop in the laundry room. That's what I usually use in the open areas out here."</span></p> <p><span>"Got it," Joey answered. "Wrap the cord up on this T.J. and I'll grab the mop." Joey hurried down the hall and returned shortly with the dust mop. T.J. wheeled the vacuum back to the laundry room and parked it.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Joey, just start over by the front door and go back and forth across the floors in the entry, kitchen, dining room and living room. Then get the hallways. When you've done all that, just push the mop back into the laundry room and we'll clean up all the collected dust later." Joey followed my instructions to a tee, making motor noises and squealing at each change of direction as if going around a corner too fast. The other four sat back and watched, laughing at his antics as he injected some fun into our cleaning. In very short time and with only one wreck to his credit, the floors were all done and the dust mop stashed out of sight. While he was doing that, I had moved the towels Tom had washed into the dryer.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, guys, I think we're finally ready for your friends to arrive. Thanks for all your help this morning. Why don't we go ahead and get dressed? Jesse and Jos� should be here anytime." The boys headed to their rooms while I headed to mine. Once I was covered enough, with my shorts and t-shirt, to be publicly acceptable, I headed back out to the main part of the house. The drive sensor dinged just as I reached the living room. I walked to the front door to see who was here and found the Shelby making the turn to pull into the garage. I headed down the hall to open the door for Tom since he'd have his hands full with the cake. I didn't want to take a chance on him dropping it trying to get through by himself.</span></p> <p><span>"Welcome back, bubba. Any problems?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, and the cake looks great," he answered, then added, "Got Andy's prescription, too," as he came through the door into the house. "Thanks for getting the door, babe."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem. Why don't you put the cake in the pantry? It'll be out of the way in there." I followed along to open the pantry door and once the cake was on an empty shelf, I gave Tom a hug and told him I loved him, again. Damn, I've to get over this insecurity.</span></p> <p><span>"You okay, babe?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, just being needy and greedy. I'll get over it, I promise."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, don't rush yourself. In the meantime, you ready for a party with a bunch of wild animals?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hell, yeah, I ready to have some fun." As I closed the pantry door, the sensor dinged announcing, I assumed, the arrival of Jesse and Jos�. We heard what sounded like thunder rolling as the fantastic five charged down the hallway to be at the front door, Alex and Joey leading the pack. They opened the door before anybody on the other side could ring the bell and welcomed Jesse, Jos� and their parents. The four boys were wrapped together in a four-way hug, jumping and squealing with joy at seeing each other after a month apart.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, I'm Max Sanders and this is my partner, Tom Wright. I assume you're Karla," I greeted as we walked over and extended our hands in friendship.</span></p> <p><span>"Morning, Max, Tom, nice to meet you," Karla replied. "This is my husband, Rick and the two dancing boys are, of course, Jesse and Jos�." With handshakes all around, she continued, "You sure you're ready for these two? They can get pretty wild."</span></p> <p><span>"They can't be any worse than our own boys, Karla," I laughed. "Although, it appears combining them could be disastrous. I'm sure they'll be fine, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, they've both been really concerned about Joey and Alex the last month," Rick offered. "Neither one had said anything about the possibility of being adopted and when they were just suddenly gone, we didn't know what to think. And, unfortunately, since we're not family, the agency in charge of their placement with the Mueller's wouldn't give us any information when we called to ask."</span></p> <p><span>I flinched a bit at the mention of that damn name, but I hoped neither picked up on it. "Yeah, it all happened very quickly. There hasn't been a dull moment around here since then."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I bet not," Karla chuckled. "Life was never dull in the neighborhood with those two around. I kinda miss that."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, now that you know where they've landed, your boys are welcome here any time. We're not that far apart, you know."</span></p> <p><span>"No, we aren't," Rick said. "It'll be good to see smiles on Jesse and Jos�'s faces again. Seeing them mope around the house the last month has been a sad sight to see. Well, look, we better get moving if we're going to get our running done. What time should we come pick them up?"</span></p> <p><span>I looked to Tom and asked, "What do you think, around six sound good?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we'll all be tired by then, I'm sure. I'm sure the boys will want to swim first, then eat, then time for a movie. Yeah, six sounds just about right."</span></p> <p><span>"Great, we'll be back then," Karla said. "Oh, wait, I almost forgot to give you this," she added, handing over a small package.</span></p> <p><span>"What's this?" I asked, taking the package from her.</span></p> <p><span>"Jesse's diabetic. That's his tester, some honey and crackers if he needs a snack, and an insulin pen if he needs it. He's pretty good about knowing when he needs to check himself and he knows how to use the pen."</span></p> <p><span>"Can he have some cake and ice cream with the others? And what about drinks?"</span></p> <p><span>"A small piece of cake and a small dip of ice cream will be okay. He can drink anything that's diet, tea, milk or water but keep him away from juice boxes or pouches. Those things are loaded with sugar and as much as he loves them, they'll wreak havoc on him."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad you let us know. We'll keep an eye on him. It's nice to meet you both and we'll see you around six, then."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for inviting them," Rick replied. "Boys, come say goodbye." Jesse and Jos� ran over and gave Karla and Rick hugs. "You two be good, you hear me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dad, we hear ya'," Jesse answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, we'll be back around six to get you, okay? Have fun." With that parting comment, Karla and Rick headed out to their car and took off. </span></p> <p><span>The boys had turned tail and were running for their bedroom when I called out, "Hey, aren't you forgetting something?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah," Alex answered as they hit the brakes and turned around. "Dads, this is Jesse and Jos�, J &amp; J, this is our dads, Max Sanders and Tom Wright."</span></p> <p><span>"Nice to meet both of you, now, which is which?"</span></p> <p><span>The two giggled and one said, "Sorry, I'm Jesse and he's Jos�," pointing to his brother.</span></p> <p><span>"How old are you?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm eight," Jos� answered, "and he's ten."</span></p> <p><span>"Jesse, your mom gave me some things for you. I'm going to put them in the kitchen. If you need them, just let me know, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"I will, Mr. Sanders, thanks."</span></p> <p><span>With that, all seven turned around and ran to the twins' bedroom to do only the gods knew what. "I wonder where Jesse and Jos� are from," Tom mused as we headed to sit by the fireplace.</span></p> <p><span>"What are you talkin' about? They're from Springfield, ya' bonehead."</span></p> <p><span>"That may true, now, but that ain't where they came from originally. You can't be so blind as to not notice their skin tone and facial features. They're so dark, they look like they spend all their time under the sun. And with their more roundish faces, they sure aren't from around central Illinois. If I had to guess, I'd say probably Mexico or Central America, somewhere."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, now you've piqued my curiosity. Let's find out." I turned towards the hallway and yelled, "JOEY!"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you dare," Tom hissed as he grabbed my arm.</span></p> <p><span>"Too late, bubba." </span></p> <p><span>Ten seconds later a head popped around the corner and said, "Yeah, dad, what's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Tom and I were wondering if you knew where your friends are from."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, sure. They were born in Guatemala, but the Jacksons adopted them when they were babies."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, buddy, go have fun." I turned back to Tom and said, "See, that wasn't so bad, was it. And you were absolutely right. Good guess, Sherlock. If I didn't know better, I'd guess you were an investigator of some kind."</span></p> <p><span>"That's embarrassing, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"What? You had a question and I got the answer for you. Remember, the only stupid question is one not asked."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, whatever, <i>Dad</i>." That smart comment earned him a smack to back of his head. Glad those stitches were finally gone.</span></p> <p><span>We spent the next hour reading and enjoying the calm before the storm. It was nice to hear the occasional peals of laughter emanating from the twins' bedroom as the seven boys had some fun together and T.J., Mike and Andy got to know Jesse and Jos� better. I was looking forward to seeing more of Jesse and Jos� as I fully intended to have them around more so they could continue their friendship with Joey and Alex. I silently hoped Rick and Karla were agreeable. About 12:30, I told Tom it was time for me to start my pickup rounds. After another hug and kiss, I tapped Alex to go with me since he knew these kids and we were off.</span></p> <p><span>After making a wrong turn and correcting our course, I finally found our first stop. Alex and I hopped out of the car, walked up the sidewalk and climbed the steps to the front porch. Since it was his party, I had him knock on the door. When a man my age answered the door, Alex greeted him with, "Hi Mr. Cole, we're here to pick up Jake, is he ready to go?"</span></p> <p><span>"He sure is," Mr. Cole answered. He turned to the inside of the house and yelled, "Jake! Your ride's here. Get a move on."</span></p> <p><span>While we waited for Jake to appear, I introduced myself. "Good afternoon, Mr. Cole, My name's Max Sanders. I'm Alex and Joey's dad. We're glad Jake could join the party."</span></p> <p><span>"Afternoon, Max, nice to meet you. And my name's Henry. Jake's been waitin' all week for today. I've never seen him so excited about a freakin' party. You really got a covered pool?"</span></p> <p><span>"I sure do and it's going to get a workout this afternoon. Will we need to bring Jake home later, or will you be picking him up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, we'll come get him. I woulda brought Jake out, but we only have one car and my wife is at work. She should be back home in a bit and we can pick him up. What time do ya' think?"</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Henry. We have five more stops to make for similar reasons. I think we'll try to wrap things up about six, is that all right?"</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds good. We'll see you then." </span></p> <p><span>Jake had appeared at his father's side while we chatted and after a reminder to be good, he and Alex ran to the car. With a wave over my shoulder to Henry, I joined Alex and Jake and we headed to our next stop. After five more similar stops, I had a car loaded with seven boys, Alex, Jake, Zach, Brent, Aaron, Jeff and Sam, all chattering non-stop about the fun they were going to have this afternoon. As I turned in the drive and the guests saw we were disappearing into the trees, they got very quiet. But, when I rounded the corner in the drive and they could finally see the house, there were appreciative oohs and aahs coming from all of them.</span></p> <p><span>"Wow, you really live here, Alex?" Brent asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, pretty neat, huh?"</span></p> <p><span>"For sure, dude," Jake replied. "This place makes my house look like a freakin' dump."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait `til you see the inside," Alex teased. </span></p> <p><span>I parked in the garage and the miniature herd of boys ran into the house, leaving me in their dust. As I entered the house, I could see all seven turning into the twins' bedroom and heard more exclamations of surprise as the new boys saw the bedroom. I found Tom right where I left him, reading a book in the living room.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, you made it back in one piece," he joked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what was your first clue? My smiling face or the rumble of the stampede coming down the hall?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm gonna have to go with that rumble thing," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, bubba, I think it's time to put the book away and steel yourself for the afternoon. Anybody else show up yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"Two so far, Kenny and Teddy, I think it was. They disappeared to the twins' room so fast, I'm not really sure."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's fifteen or so, the rest should be showing up shortly. Did Brad and his cohort show up yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, just the two boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I hope he shows up soon. I don't want to have to tell the boys and their friends they can't go swimming. They'd kill us," I joked. `DING!' went the drive sensor. I started towards the front door to greet whoever was arriving, but when I heard the rumble from the hallway, I retreated to my chair out of a sense of self-preservation. After the stampede had passed us by, we joined them at the door. Joey had the door opened and waiting, surrounded by the remaining herd, Tom and I lurking in the background. We were surprised to see three cute blondes stroll inside and be immediately surrounded by the others. A rather dazed looking woman followed in their wake. After the herd disappeared again, I greeted the lone woman.</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, I'm Max Sanders and this is my partner, Tom. We're Joey and Alex's dads."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, I'm Marcia, and those three that just disappeared with the others are </span><span>Jason, Mason and Grayson. Nice to meet you two."</span></p> <p><span>"Nice to meet you, also," Tom replied, shaking her hand.</span></p> <p><span>"So, how many kids are you having here this afternoon?" she asked.</span></p> <p><span>"At last count, twenty-three," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"You two must be utterly bonkers. You'll be lucky to have a house by the time they all go home," Marcia laughed.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I laughed with her and I responded, "We have reinforcements in the guise of two lifeguards and a catering crew still to arrive. I think we'll be okay."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I wish you luck. What time should I pick up my trio?"</span></p> <p><span>"Around six, we think," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be here, see you then." With a toss of her head and a chuckle, she turned, walked back to her car and left. </span></p> <p><span>Just as I closed the door, the drive sensor announced another arrival so we stayed at the door and the rolling earthquake returned from down the hall. This vehicle pulled into the drive and up to the garage, so I assumed it wasn't a guest for the party. "False alarm, boys, not one of your friends." As they returned from whence they came, quieter than I thought possible, I looked out the window to see two beefy, young guys in sweats strutting up the walk and I opened the door before they could ring the bell.</span></p> <p><span>"You Mr. Sanders?" beefcake number one asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I was when I got out of bed this morning. I'm guessing you're Brad from the `Y'."</span></p> <p><span>"That's me," number one said, "and my partner in crime today is Duane," hooking a thumb over his shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon in. Any problems finding the place?" I asked as I closed the door.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope. Thanks for telling me `bout that bright red shed at the end of the drive, though, or I woulda zipped right on past ya'."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's a pretty good landmark. Nice to meet you both. I appreciate you coming out today."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Mr. Sanders," Duane answered. "We're always happy to help people have a safe pool party."</span></p> <p><span>"Please, my name's Max and this is my partner, Tom. You mind if we use Brad and Duane?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all," Brad replied. All four of us shook hands. "So, where's the pool?"</span></p> <p><span>"Right through the glass doors over there," I answered, waving my hand towards the glass wall on the other side of the living room. "Let us give you a quick tour of the place before we go out there, though." I led the way to the hallway to the garage and added, "The last door on the right is a small bathroom where you can change. The three bedrooms on the left are our boys' rooms. This is the living room, of course, kitchen and dining over there," again pointing the way. "Past that and to the right is the theater and game room, to the left, a study and our bedroom and bathroom. Now that I think about it, you two might want to use our bathroom to change and clean up after you're through today. It's bigger than the other bathrooms in the house and if you don't mind sharing the room, it should do nicely for you."</span></p> <p><span>"That'll be fine with us, Max, thanks. We're used to a locker room atmosphere. Won't bother us at all to share a shower, will it Duane?" Brad responded and received a negative shake of the head and a wily grin. "<i>Now</i> can we see the pool?"</span></p> <p><span>I laughed at his impatience and answered, "Sure, right this way." I led the way through the glass doors, across the patio, unlocked the shelter and let Brad and Duane in, Tom and I following them inside. "Here it is. The shelter's heated to about sixty or sixty-five degrees and the pool's about eighty or so. There's a couple of floats and a hook at the far end if they're needed."</span></p> <p><span>"Looks just great, Max. You want us in the pool or on the sides?"</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever you two think is best, Brad, that's why I hired you." DING! "Crap! Tom, can you meet whoever's here? I'll be there in a minute."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, babe."</span></p> <p><span>As he turned to leave the shelter and answer the door, I returned my attention to Brad and Duane, who had started to remove their sweats when my back was turned. The sight that greeted me was breathtaking. These two hunks were wearing the skimpiest Speedos I'd ever seen and both had the slim, taut build of a serious swimmer. "Well, I'll let you two get set up out here," I sputtered in surprise. "If you need any drinks, food or a bathroom, come on in the house. I have a crew coming in a bit to fix food for the boys and their friends and you're welcome to have some when we're done swimming."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be fine Max," Brad replied.</span></p> <p><span>"If it's okay with you, we're gonna get a quick swim to loosen up before the party comes out here," Duane added.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine with, me guys. We're still waiting for a few more to show up. Shouldn't be too much longer and we'll be out. Hope you're ready." I turned around to join Tom at the door and heard two splashes behind me as I left the shelter. Oh, this was going to be an interesting afternoon. </span></p> <p><span>When I joined Tom and the rest of the crew at the front door, Tom said, "Ah, there he is. Mr. Campbell, this is my partner, Max."</span></p> <p><span>I extended my hand and started to say, "Hi, there, nice ...,"</span></p> <p><span>"Now, wait just a damn minute, you two are homos?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we prefer the word gay," Tom answered, "but homo works, too, I guess. Why, is that a problem?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't no way I'm leavin' my son with a couple of fags. Come on, Logan, we're outta here."</span></p> <p><span>"Please, Mr. Campbell, don't speak like that in front of the boys," I requested politely.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll say whatever I goddam want to and there ain't nothin' you can do about it."</span></p> <p><span>One of the boys in the middle of the group complained, "Aw, dad, would you just go home? I'll be fine."</span></p> <p><span>"Besides, Mr. Campbell," Joey interrupted, "you won't be leavin' Logan with a <i>couple</i> of homo fags, you'll be leavin' him with at least <i>six</i> of us, maybe even more" he proudly added.</span></p> <p><span>"What the fuck is going on around here?" he asked, looking rather confused.</span></p> <p><span>"I must ask you to leave. We'll make sure Logan gets home about six."</span></p> <p><span>"He ain't stayin with the likes of you, he's goin' with me."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I'm not, Dad, these are all my friends and I'm stayin'!"</span></p> <p><span>"Get your ass out here, boy. We're leaving, NOW!"</span></p> <p><span>With Logan surrounded by eighteen other boys, they quickly started walking back to the twins' bedroom. "Bye, Dad, see you when they bring me home," Logan yelled as the group made the turn into the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we'll see what the cops have to say this. I ain't leavin' without my boy."</span></p> <p><span>"Do what you think you must, Mr. Campbell, but do it outside," I said as I slammed the door in his face. "Assholes like that just piss me off to no end."</span></p> <p><span>"No arguments from me, babe. You think he's really gonna call the cops?"</span></p> <p><span>I looked out the window and saw a red-faced Mr. Campbell angrily pacing the front porch, cell phone glued to his ear, gesticulating wildly with his free hand and mouth moving a mile a minute. "No doubt about it, look," I answered, pointing out the window.</span></p> <p><span>"Just freakin' great. I ain't havin' this prick ruin the boys party. I'm callin' Dylan. If county gets dispatched, I'd rather it was him who dealt with this jerk." DING! "Incoming!" Tom yelled and the herd of now nineteen boys rejoined us at the front door to see who was arriving. Tom then walked to the kitchen to make his phone call away from the ruckus at the door.</span></p> <p><span>When the boys formed ranks, they positioned Logan at the rear of the pack and as soon as I opened the door to admit the incoming guest, Mr. Campbell walked towards me as if to come in. I stood in the middle of the door to block his way and politely said, "No, sir, you're not allowed in the house. You are welcome to wait on the porch for either your son or the police, but you are not coming in. Now step aside and let these others in."</span></p> <p><span>"You're kidnapping my boy, you pervert!"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I'm not. He is free to stay or go and it appears he wants to stay. Now, would you please move out of the way and let these others in? Thank you." As another man with three more boys approached the door, Mr. Campbell turned to the newcomer and yelled, "Don't let your boy in there, Joe, these guys are sickos!"</span></p> <p><span>I waved them inside and closed the door in Mr. Campbell's face, again. I turned to greet the newcomers, extended my hand and said, "Hi, sorry about that. I'm Max Sanders. Welcome to the party."</span></p> <p><span>"Nice to meet ya', Max," the man answered as he shook my offered hand. "I'm Joe Bartley. I'm dropping off Ryan, Pat and Randy. Ryan's mine and Pat and Randy live close to us, so I volunteered to bring them all out. I wasn't sure I was in the right place, what with him screamin' into his phone like an idiot out there." As we continued to chat, the boys headed back to their bedroom.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, you're in the right place, Joe. He's just a little upset about something."</span></p> <p><span>"Want me to get rid of him for ya'? He lives just down the road from us and I know what an ass he can be."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for the offer Joe, but I believe he's already called the police and we'll let them deal with him."</span></p> <p><span>"Mind if I ask what his problem is this time?"</span></p> <p><span>Before I could answer Joe's question, Tom rejoined us and said, "Dylan's on his way, he said ten minutes."</span></p> <p><span>"Joe, I'd like you to meet my partner, Tom." The two quickly shook hands.</span></p> <p><span>"Ah-h-h, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what Charlie's problem is, then. He's a helluva farmer, but with his mindset, he'd probably still be using horses to pull his plows if he could get by with it. Why the hell can't people live in the 21<sup>st</sup> century?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good question, but I've given up on trying to get the answer to it. Thanks for your offer to help with him, but help is already on the way."</span></p> <p><span>"No Sweat, Max. What time should I come back to get the boys?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're hoping everything is wound down by six."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, we'll see you then. Good luck with that jackass," he added, pointing towards the porch. Charlie again moved towards the door and Tom promptly closed it on him.</span></p> <p><span>"Goddammit, I want by boy out of there right now!" he yelled through the door.</span></p> <p><span>Tom cracked the door and calmly explained, "The police will be here in less than ten minutes, Mr. Campbell. They'll deal with you when they arrive." As Joe pulled away from the house, we heard another DING! That must be the last guest. Finally, we could get the party underway. I was shocked to see blue and red flashing lights come around the turn in the drive and pull up to the front door. "Hell, he musta been closer than he thought," Tom commented as he cracked the door open.</span></p> <p><span>As the cop climbed out of his car, we could see it wasn't Dylan, but another county deputy. "We're okay, Max, it's my former partner, Derek."</span></p> <p><span>Charlie started yelling as soon the deputy closed his car door. "These perverts got my son in there with whole bunch of other little boys! I want them arrested for kidnapping! I want my damn son back!"</span></p> <p><span>"Good evening, sir. I'm Deputy Timmons, what seems to be the problem here?"</span></p> <p><span>"I just told you what the fuckin' problem is you fuckin' moron! Arrest these faggots now and get my son out here!"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, sir, but if you don't calm down and quit yelling, I'm not going to be able to help you. Now, would you repeat that, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"I done told you once, already, you idiot. Those faggots got my boy trapped in there and they won't let him go."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you talking about the two gentlemen at the open door?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, who the fuck else would I be talkin' about? Of course, I'm talkin' `bout them."</span></p> <p><span>"Would you please give me your son's name, sir? I'd like to talk to him."</span></p> <p><span>"It's Logan, now go in there and get him."</span></p> <p><span>Derek turned to us and said with a wink, "Excuse me, sirs, would one of please bring Logan, um, wait just second, please." He turned back to Charlie and said, "I'm sorry, sir, I didn't get your last name. I'd like to make sure we bring the right boy to the door."</span></p> <p><span>"It's Campbell, you fool. Now, get on with it."</span></p> <p><span>Derek turned back to us with a rather wide smile and asked, "Would one of you ask a Mr. Logan Campbell to join me here, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Be right back, Deputy," I said and headed to the twins' room, leaving Tom to guard the door. When I crossed the threshold into the room, it was absolute bedlam, but there were twenty-two boys jammed into that space, so I guess bedlam should be expected. I'd have to give Bob a serious compliment on the strength of the bedframe. I never thought I'd live to see the frame strong enough to withstand that many kids on it at one time. I gave a loud whistle which immediately got their attention. Once it was quiet, I ask, "Logan, would you come with me please? A policeman at the front door would like to talk to you."</span></p> <p><span>"A cop wants to talk to me? 'Bout what?" he asked nervously.</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't we go find out together?" I asked and held out my hand to hold his and lead the way. As the two of us left the room, we were followed by the remaining twenty-one boys. When we returned to the front door, Tom was securely holding the door, Derek was standing just outside, blocking Charlie's way in, and Logan and I calmly walked up and stopped about a foot from the threshold. The remainder of the boys stayed well behind me.</span></p> <p><span>Derek knelt down to Logan's level and asked, "Are you Logan Campbell?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir," Logan answered quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"I need to ask you some questions Logan and I need you to tell me the truth, understand?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you know all these people in the house with you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, sure, that there is Ryan, Pat and Randy," he answered, pointing out the three he named. "They live just down the road from me, and there's Jason and Kenny and Sam and all the other guys in my class from school. And those two who look the same, them's Alex and Joey. It's their birthday party we're here for. Those other two darker boys, I don't really know `cause I just met them, but they seem pretty cool."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it sounds like you got a whole bunch of friends here with you. What about the man holding your hand and the one holding the door? Do you know who they are?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, duh, does a bear shit in the woods?" Everybody but Charlie broke out in laughter. "This here is Mr. Sanders and the other guy is Mr. Wright. They're Alex and Joey's dads."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Logan. This next question is really important. Did Mr. Wright and Mr. Sanders force you to come to their house this afternoon?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what kinda stupid question is that? My daddy brought me here so I could go swimmin' and watch a movie with my friends. And we're gonna have hamburgers and hot dogs and cake and ice cream."</span></p> <p><span>"Your father wants you to leave with him. Do you want to leave, or do you want to stay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Can I ask you a question, mister?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, go right ahead."</span></p> <p><span>"If you had your choice of sittin' at home, watchin' paint dry, or goin' to a party with your friends, what would you do?"</span></p> <p><span>"I believe I'd go to the party," Derek answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's exactly what I'm doin', too. I'm goin' to a damn party. My daddy can just go on home and Mr. Wright or Mr. Sanders will bring me home when the party's over."</span></p> <p><span>Derek stood and looked at Tom and I and then asked, "Mr. Wright, Mr. Sanders, are you holding any of these boys against their will"</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely not, Deputy. If any of them want to leave with you, they are certainly welcome to do so." I turned to the group assembled behind me and asked, "Do any of you want to leave with the Deputy?" A chorus of `Huh-uhs', `nos' and even a couple of `Hell nos' rang out. "There's your answer, Deputy."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I apologize for interrupting your party, boys. Please, carry on and have some fun for me." The boys disappeared as if they'd been transported to the Enterprise, herself. "Mr. Sanders, Mr. Wright, I apologize for the problem this afternoon." He turned to Charlie and said, "Mr. Campbell, I believe that now would be a good time for you to go home."</span></p> <p><span>"You're just gonna leave my boy in there with them damn perverts?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sir, your son has requested to stay and I can't see where he's in any imminent danger from anyone at this residence. Based on that, I think it best for you to leave the premises and allow your son to enjoy the party this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm gonna talk to your boss Monday, boy and I'm gonna have your badge. You don't deserve to wear that uniform." Another set of flashing lights pulled around the corner and up the circle drive behind Derek's car. This time, Dylan climbed out of the car.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Mr. Campbell, looks like we just saved you a call, here's my boss right here. Why don't you go over and voice your displeasure with my decision directly to him?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do that. Don't you go nowhere, you goddamn faggot lover." With that, he turned and stalked over to where Dylan was crossing the yard. </span></p> <p><span>As the two began a very animated discussion, Derek turned to Tom and asked, "How the hell you been, partner?" while wrapping him in a big hug. "You don't call, you don't write, I never hear from you unless you need somethin'," he added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"I couldn't be any better, Derek, if I was king of the world," Tom answered. "Old partner, meet my new partner, Max Sanders. This is the guy who stole my heart away from you."</span></p> <p><span>"Nice to meet you, Max," Derek replied, giving me a hug, also. "You found yourself a hell of a good man, here. If I weren't straight, married and had three kids, I'd think about takin' a shot at him myself." All three of us chuckled at that.</span></p> <p><span>"I sure wouldn't blame you, Derek. Thanks for comin' out today. I thought we were gonna have a real problem with him."</span></p> <p><span>"Jerks like that just need to pull on their big girl panties and grow the fuck up. I'm just glad I was close by. I figured Sarge would come out, but when dispatch told me it was Tom callin', I high-tailed over here. How's your head doin' there, bubba?"</span></p> <p><span>"Great, finally got the stitches out yesterday," Tom answered as he turned his head so Derek could see it better.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I was a little worried when I first heard you got hit, but then I knew nothin' could penetrate that thick skull of yours. Sorry for not comin' out to see you before now, but Sarge has really screwed with the schedules covering for your sorry ass."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, man, but I got more important things to live for than I used to."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right, you do. And don't be sorry, Tom, be happy. We're all happy for ya', man. But I gotta tell ya' something."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Five years, man, five long years, cooped up in that damn car together and you never once said nothin' about bein' gay. What the hell, Tom, didn't you trust me? That hurt, man."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm really sorry about that, Derek, but I didn't trust <i>anybody</i> with that news. You know what it's like for a cop to be out of the closet. It's hell, and I knew it. I wasn't gonna put up with anyone's shit about it. I didn't want you to deal with any of that, either. Besides, I trusted you with my life and that's way more important than me bein' gay, don't ya' think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, you got a point there. No worries, Tom, I'm over it now, but when Sarge first told me you was quittin the job and why, I damn near fell outta my chair. I've never been more surprised in my life. Well, except for when we found out Suzy was pregnant the first time. Six months before the damn wedding. Now, <i>that</i> was a real shocker. Her old man nearly killed me," Derek laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you've survived two big shocks, now, Derek," I commented. "Hope you don't have another one anytime soon."</span></p> <p><span>"You and me, both, Max." </span></p> <p><span>I noticed Charlie staking across the yard, then get in his car and leave. Dylan came up to join us on the porch. "Afternoon, Max, Tom, Derek. How y'all doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Better now, Dylan, thanks for dealing with him," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"He shouldn't cause you any more trouble today, but I'm going to have Derek stay close to the area this afternoon. If he comes back, call Derek directly and he'll be back. Give `em your number, Derek." He did and I added it to my phone. "And, when it's time for Logan to go home, call Derek and I'll have him take care of it. I don't want you to have any more contact with Mr. Campbell if possible. Derek, when you take the boy home, hang around outside for a minute or two and make sure that bastard doesn't pull any shit on his son. If he does, arrest him. I'll back you on it."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Sarge." He turned to Tom and me and added, "Well, I'll get out of here, but if you need me back, just call. I won't more than ten minutes away at any time. Hope you still have a good party." He started to walk to his car, then stopped short, turned around and added with a laugh, "Tom, if I'm not invited to your wedding, I'm gonna haunt you `til the end of time."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about the wedding, you'll be here, I promise." With a wave over his shoulder, Derek got in his car and took off.</span></p> <p><span>"You guys okay, now?" Dylan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I was always fine, Dylan," I answered. "It was Mr. Campbell who called first. That's when Tom called you."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, you two. Protect and Serve. But let me tell you, watch out for that guy. I can see him causin' y'all some problems."</span></p> <p><span>"We've dealt with worse, Dylan. We can handle him," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Before I go Max, I got one more thing for you. I finally received the report from Dr. Kirkland this morning. I wasn't gonna say anything about it until Monday, but since I'm here, I'd like to arrange a time to do an interview with you. When would be a good time?"</span></p> <p><span>"The sooner, the better. Monday morning works for me if it works for you. I just as soon do it when the boys aren't around."</span></p> <p><span>"I figured as much. How about I come out about 9:30 or 10:00 Monday morning? That should give us plenty of time."</span></p> <p><span>"That should be fine. I'll see you then. And thanks, again, for coming out today."</span></p> <p><span>As Dylan climbed in his car to leave, another one made the turn to pull up to the house. As Dylan pulled away, the new arrival stopped in the space he'd vacated. A very harried-looking woman and boy got out of the car and ran up to the porch.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my god, I'm sorry we're so late. I got lost out here and couldn't find you. Damn navigation system, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems. I'm Max Sanders and this is my partner Tom Wright. Who do we have here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm Darla Jackson and this is my son Jesse"</span></p> <p><span>"Excuse me?" I asked. "We already have a Jesse Jackson here," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'll just have to make sure I get the right boy when I come back later, won't I?" she chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm pretty sure that won't be a problem, Darla."</span></p> <p><span>"What time should I come back?"</span></p> <p><span>"Around six should be good. That okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be here, thanks." She turned to Jesse and added, "You have a good time, Jesse, and try to make some new friends, okay? You need to get out more."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, mother," he answered, rolling his eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, see later, baby. Love you."</span></p> <p><span>"Love you too, mom," he muttered with an eye roll so severe I thought they'd never return. When she was out of earshot, he added, "God, she's embarrassing sometimes."</span></p> <p><span>I placed a hand on Jesse's shoulder and the three of us stepped into the house. After closing the door, I told Jesse, "The boys are all in Joey and Alex's room. Just go to that hall over there and their room is the first on the left. I'm sure you'll be able to hear them just fine once you're closer. Let `em all know it's time to get changed and go swimming, okay."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Mr. Sanders, we'll be ready." With that, he took off to join the others, peeling his shirt over his head on the way. </span></p> <p><span>Tom and I retreated to our room to change into swim shorts. While Brad and Duane may be comfortable wearing their skimpy Speedos, I wasn't taking a chance of my body betraying me around twenty-three cute, young and barely dressed young lads. "You know one thing we forgot to get for today?" I asked as I pulled my shorts up and started tying the string.</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?" Tom asked. "It's not too late. I could run out and get whatever it is," he added with an evil smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Earplugs. We'll be deaf by the time we're done swimming. And you're not going anywhere but to the pool with me. Nice try, though," I laughed. </span></p> <p><span>He snapped his fingers and muttered, "Damn, that close."</span></p> <p><span>"Let's go, big guy. Time to face the music." I led the way to the living room and found the boys filtering in from the other end of the house and lining up at the glass doors to the outside. Once all twenty-three were ready for the mad dash to the pool shelter through the March chill, I announced, "Okay, listen up, all of you." When they quieted down, I continued. "I have two lifeguards from the `Y' here to help supervise this afternoon, along with Tom and myself. If any of us ask you to do something like get out of the pool, calm down, whatever, we expect you to do just that. The most important rule you have to follow this afternoon is no running around the pool. The surface can be slick and I don't want anybody getting hurt. Everybody understand?" With nods of acceptance from all the boys, I added, "Good, now let's go have some fun," then opened the door.</span></p> <p><span>They ran like demons to get inside the shelter, but once inside, they heeded my warning about running, dropped their towels on the tables, chairs and loungers and walked to the pool, where they jumped in. Brad and Duane were ready for us and standing on each side of the pool. They were being very attentive to the boys so Tom and I joined them in the pool.</span></p> <p><span>Andy and Mike quickly latched onto me while T.J. and Jos� took control of Tom. Alex and Joey were a little closer to the deeper end with some of the other boys, but everybody was having a good time and the noise soon reached the level normally not heard outside of an airport. Shortly, Tom and I started flipping boys out of the water into the middle of the pool, being careful to not throw one in the same direction as another. Once we started that, they formed in lines behind us so they could each get a turn, or more accurately, turns. </span></p> <p><span>Everything was going smoothly through the first round until it was Teddy's turn. I cupped my hands under the water and he carefully stood in them, putting his hands on my shoulders to steady himself. I bent low in the water to be able lift him as high as possible and, as I stood up in a rush, lifting my arms to attain maximum flippage, his shorts slid down his legs to his ankles. I caught the briefest flash of shrunken penis and scrotum as they flew by, just inches from my nose. As Teddy's feet left my hands and he began his flip, the shorts flew completely off his feet in one direction as Teddy soared in another. I thought the laughter from all the other boys was going to shatter the glass that was dutifully keeping out the cold. </span></p> <p><span>Poor naked Teddy surfaced slowly and searched frantically for his shorts. I swam ten feet away and retrieved them for the embarrassed young lad, then swam fifteen feet back to return them to him. I held the shorts under the water, and while Teddy held onto my shoulders again, he lifted his feet up and managed to get them slipped back inside the shorts. He slowly lowered himself back down into the water and his shorts as I held them. At one point in his maneuvering, he twisted sideways a little, forcing his genitals across the back of my hand.</span></p> <p><span>"Whoops, sorry, Teddy," I apologized immediately for the accidental contact.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, Mr. Sanders. It ain't no big deal, believe me. I probably got the smallest dick here. Besides, I hate these damn shorts, I can't never keep `em on. I guess my ass is just too skinny," he grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing to worry about, young man. Your time will come," I replied, towing him back to shallower water.</span></p> <p><span>"Can't be too soon for me." </span></p> <p><span>With that, he returned to the end of the line while I took my position to continue flipping boys who'd patiently awaited my return. Tom and I carried on, tossing laughing boys all around the pool until I found Teddy was next on the hit list again. I looked at him and asked, "You sure `bout this?"</span></p> <p><span>"Eh, what's the worst that could happen?" he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, buddy, you asked for it." I assumed my launch position and Teddy did the same. Just as happened before, as soon as his body left the water, he lost his shorts again amid much hilarity. He had so much flip action going this time, they flew all the way to the concrete apron. Brad grabbed them and tossed them back to me, large smile cutting across his face. When Teddy drew close enough, he grabbed my shoulders and repeated the process to get back into his shorts. As he slid down into them this time, his twist was more deliberate and he intentionally slid his genitals across the back of my hand again. In a surprising move, he actually lifted himself up a bit before slowly sliding all the way down. I also noticed that he seemed to be considerably more extended and firm this time around.</span></p> <p><span>I, again, towed him back to shallower water, but this time he'd wrapped his legs around my waist and I could definitely feel his hard, little rod sliding up and down my back with each step. </span></p> <p><span>When we reached the line again, he slid off my back and murmured, "Thanks, Mr. Sanders," then moved to the end of the line. </span></p> <p><span>I resumed my duty and the next boy in line was Jake. "You ready, Jake?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, this is fun."</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe for you flippees," I commented, "but not so much for us flippers. I think this is gonna have to be the last round. My shoulders are about to give out." We assumed our positions and as soon as Jake's body left the water, off came his trunks. What the hell is going on here? I retrieved his trunks and found the string had been untied. Realizing he had planned to lose his trunks, I tossed them back to him.</span></p> <p><span>"You're not gonna help me get back into `em?" he asked innocently.</span></p> <p><span>After my most recent experience with Teddy, I chickened out and said, "I think you can handle it yourself."</span></p> <p><span>"Bah, who needs `em, anyway?" he asked as he tossed them to the concrete and swam away.</span></p> <p><span>I quickly looked over to Tom to see what he thought of this development and discovered the boy he'd just tossed, Randy, had also lost his trunks mid-flip. Tom looked back at me in surprise and just shrugged his shoulders. The remaining twenty-one boys finally gave up all pretense as swimsuits and shorts started flying in all directions. I nodded my head towards the stairs into the pool and Tom and I beat a hasty exit from the water to take a seat on the sidelines of this now nude swim party.</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell just happened?" I asked as we dried ourselves.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not sure, but I ain't gonna argue with it. I'm just gonna sit back and enjoy the view."</span></p> <p><span>"I think we were set up. I bet those little stinkers Joey and Alex planned this from the very beginning."</span></p> <p><span>"Wouldn't surprise me a bit, babe. You've seen all the whispering and giggling they been doin' the last couple weeks. And you know they hate wearing clothes, especially when we're swimming. I can't believe you're actually surprised."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess I shouldn't be, should I?" Duane and Brad were still walking around and around the pool, watching the boys intently for any sign of trouble. On one of the rounds, I waved Brad over and asked, "You two doin' okay."</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, were great, Max. We haven't had a pool party like this since last summer."</span></p> <p><span>"What!? You've seen this happen before?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"All the time, man. Boys don't give a rat's behind about who sees `em naked. Especially this age group. There's usually a few who are too embarrassed to lose their shorts, but that doesn't seem to be a problem with this group. Give `em a few years, though. Once their bodies start changing, that's when they tend to get a bit more reserved."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, this is our first party and I just didn't expect it to go quite this way."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, man, I shoulda warned ya' it would probably turn into a free-for-all. I just figured you already knew."</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, Brad, it is what it is." He then strolled off to continue his rounds.</span></p> <p><span>For the next hour, Tom and I sat by the table and just enjoyed watching the boys swimming, playing and having fun, all seemingly at complete ease with being nude together. Aaron, Jason and Ryan came over and begged us to rejoin them, but we politely declined, feigning sore backs and shoulders. Close to the end of the hour, I noticed Alex, Joey and Brent hanging on to the side of the pool at a corner in deep end. Their bodies were pretty close together and you could see the one hand each had in the water was rhythmically moving back and forth. There wasn't a doubt in my mind what those three were doing. I elbowed Tom to get his attention and directed his eyes to the trio. His eyes widened in shock at the brazen action in which they were engaged.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, please," I started, "don't tell me you're surprised at that," I said, looking at Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, not with Joey and Alex, no. They do that shit every time we swim. But adding Brent to the action is a bit of an unexpected twist."</span></p> <p><span>"You heard what Alex said in the car yesterday about Brent, seems as though their trying to verify his observation, don't you think."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, I'm think they're way past that, now. Look again." </span></p> <p><span>I looked back to the corner and saw all three had closed their eyes and their underwater hand movements were now creating quite a surface disturbance. I choked back my surprise at the sudden change of activity and quietly commented, "I think it's time we ended the pool part of this party. The last thing I want to see happening today is a twenty-three-way circle jerk." </span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I don't know. I bet that'd be hotter than hell."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and end up in prison with the Mueller's? No, I don't think so, bubba. Besides, we got witnesses, remember?"</span></p> <p><span>"Killjoy." Tom stood and let loose the loudest whistle I'd ever heard. After everybody had turned his way, he yelled, "All right guys, our lunch should be arriving soon. Let's find your shorts, and hit the showers. You can probably fit three or four of you in one shower and there are three showers in the boys' side of the house, so you should be able to move through them pretty quickly. Alex, Joey, lead everyone to the laundry room and drop your shorts in there on the way to the shower so we can run them through the dryer. Let's move!" </span></p> <p><span>The boys all started wading towards the steps out of the pool and, after climbing out, found a towel to dry off a bit before running back to the house. None of them displayed a bit of self-consciousness at being naked even though about half of them had developed erections and there was fair amount of grab-ass going on. Which was all fine with me as I was rather enjoying the show. The wide variety of tasty morsels displayed on the smorgasbord menu was mouth-watering. One thing I did notice was that Alex's comment about Brent was completely accurate. While Joey and Alex were no slouches in length for their age, Brent easily surpassed them. I could only imagine the size Brent's endowment would attain when fully stimulated. So as not to be caught staring at any one particular boy, my mind was busily snapping pictures of each and every one of them.</span></p> <p><span>As they began the short trek to the house and their showers, Alex turned and asked, "Hey, dads, do we have to get dressed after our showers?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, you do," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"But why?" Joey complained. "We been naked the last hour. Why cover up now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because we don't want to scare off the caterers, so shorts, at least, for everybody," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Awright," he grumped, then led the way to the house.</span></p> <p><span>Brad and Duane grabbed their things and joined Tom and me. Brad commented, "Well, it looks like we're done for the day. Is that offer of using your shower still open?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, guys. Once you're inside, go past the kitchen and down the hall. Our bedroom is through the double door on the right."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max. We won't be long. C'mon, Duane."</span></p> <p><span>After they'd left, I looked to Tom and said, "Well that was fun."</span></p> <p><span>"I think the boys enjoyed themselves. I know I did. That was the most fantastic display of boy candy I've seen in a long time."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah? When was the last time you came anywhere close to that?"</span></p> <p><span>"About a year ago at the `Y'. Some family was having a similar party there and I'll tell you what, while they don't allow nude swimming anymore, the locker room as they got ready to leave was something else. Those boys were having almost as much fun as these guys were today."</span></p> <p><span>"We shoulda known Alex and Joey had something up their sleeves. I just hope none of them tell their parents about what happened."</span></p> <p><span>"You think any of them would do that? I can't imagine a single one of them going back home and sayin', `Hey, ma, guess what we did this afternoon? We all got naked and it was a blast. And that one kid, Brent, his dick is super long.' No, I just don't see that being a problem, babe," Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, laugh it up fuzzball. I sure as hell hope they keep it to themselves." DING! "Sounds like the food has arrived. Better get inside and get them going. The boys are probably starving by now."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure am, it's way past my lunch time," Tom laughed again. We grabbed our towels and headed into the house. As we crossed the living room, Tom added, "Why don't you get them started and I'll head to the bedroom to get changed."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it." We separated and I opened the door to let the caterers in just as the first group of boys was coming down the hall. Fortunately, they were all wearing at least a pair of shorts, though several were still shirtless. "Why don't you guys all gather around the fireplace while I deal with the caterers? I'll let them in and get them going, then light a fire for y'all." I opened the front door to greet them and found a crew of six people, arms loaded with everything needed to feed what looked like an army. "Hi there, I'm Max, come on in."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Mr. Sanders. Where's the kitchen?" the apparent leader asked as she stepped through the door.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, so much for small talk. You don't waste time, do you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, sir, we're later than we planned to be. My name's Justine and this is my help for the afternoon. Now, where's that kitchen?" she laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Right this way." I led the way and added, "Everything should be ready for you. Help yourselves to anything you need. If you can't find something, just ask."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, we will, Mr. Sanders. We should have food coming off the grill in about twenty minutes. Now, skedaddle and let us get busy."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, ma'am. You don't have to tell me twice." I hustled myself out of the kitchen and walked across the living room to light the fire I'd promised the boys. As I was placing logs in the fireplace, I asked, "So, you guys having fun today?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, Mr. Sanders," Mason answered. "We never been swimming naked before and that was lots of fun."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that wasn't supposed to happen, Mason, but I'm glad you all enjoyed it."</span></p> <p><span>"And don't worry, Mr. Sanders," Grayson began, "we all know not to say nothin' to our `rents."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Joey and Alex told us to keep that part to ourselves," Jason concluded.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad of that, I guess." I got the kindling in the fireplace lit and added, "Well, I better go get changed. We'll be ready to eat shortly, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're not goin' nowhere," Kenny replied, "We're all starvin'."</span></p> <p><span>Typical growing boys, always hungry. "Well, food should be ready in about twenty minutes, guys. Think you'll survive that long?"</span></p> <p><span>"We'll try, Mr. Sanders," Pat groaned pitifully.</span></p> <p><span>I headed to the bedroom and met Tom in the hallway. "Well, don't you look all clean and pretty?" I asked as I gave him a hug.</span></p> <p><span>"Clean, for sure, but pretty? I guess that depends on your point of view."</span></p> <p><span>"You are from mine and that's the only one that matters. Brad and Duane still in the shower?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, yeah. Don't go in there unless you have to, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"I started to, but changed my mind after I opened the door. They're a bit busy, if you get my drift. I think they rather enjoyed the last couple hours."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for the warning, I'll steer clear." I continued on my way, running the towel over my head to dry my hair as much as possible. After closing the bedroom door, I untied the string holding my shorts up and peeled the cold, wet, nasty things off my legs. Whatever prude who came up with the idea of wearing anything while swimming needs to be shot. I grabbed my towel again and dried the rest of my body. As I was doing that, the bathroom door opened and Brad and Duane stepped out, still naked, and drying their hair after their shower. </span></p> <p><span>"Whoops, sorry, Max, didn't know you were in here. It got a little steamy in there." Both men had dropped their towels to their waists to cover their still semi-erect cocks. Damn, they both had nice pieces of meat and the rest of their bodies were pretty sweet, too.</span></p> <p><span>"That's what Tom told me. I'm guessing you two enjoyed yourselves this afternoon," I commented while pulling on a clean pair of shorts and shirt. Both men turned bright pink with embarrassment at having been caught.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, yeah, I guess so," Duane muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you're secret's safe with us, guys. And I'm sure you'll have the chance to come back for more pool parties, but I do have one request."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that, Max?" Brad asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Please don't fuck each other in the shower right afterward. I don't want to take the chance of one of the boys coming in here for some reason to find that going on. Understood?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Max. Sorry `bout that."</span></p> <p><span>"'Nuff said. Oh, and you don't have to cover yourselves, either. We all know what a dick looks like around here. When you're decent again, come across the hall to the study and I'll pay you." I crossed the hallway myself and sat behind the desk, pulling cash from the drawer. A few minutes later, Brad and Duane let themselves in. Both were still a bit pink and they had a sheepish look on their faces. "Have a seat, boys." After both had done so, I continued, "Okay, we agreed to fifty bucks and hour each for two to three hours, right, Brad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes sir."</span></p> <p><span>"So, the two of you were here and on duty for about two and half hours, let's round that up to three, so I make that to be $300.00. Here's $500.00 for you, split the extra however you want."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Mr. Sanders," Duane enthused. "You don't have to do that."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, but you've earned it. I'll let you know when the next party will happen a couple weeks beforehand. Sound good to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds, great, Max," Brad answered. "We'll look forward to it."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. And remember, I'm serious about the screwing around afterward. Like I keep having to remind our sons, there's a time and place for everything and our shower ain't it. Not for the two of you, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir," they agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, thanks for helping us out today, both of you. You'll be hearing from me again, I promise." We all shook hands and left the study. I led them towards the front door and as we got close, all the boys ran over to say thanks and share some hugs with the guys. Once the twenty assembled had returned to the living room to wait for lunch, I opened the door and said, "You guys enjoy the rest of your afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"We will, thanks. Good luck with the rest of the party, Max," Brad replied, then they turned and headed down the walk to their car.</span></p> <p><span>As I joined the group impatiently waiting for lunch, I asked Tom, "Who are we missing?"</span></p> <p><span>"Alex, Joey and Brent. They're still in the shower since they waited for everyone else to get through first."</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, okay. I'm going to get all the shorts and swimsuits tossed in the dryer, then I'll check on them when I come back. Lunch should be ready soon." I headed down the hall and turned into the laundry room to find a pile of sodden clothes on the floor. I wrung out the excess water from each pair of shorts into the sink, then tossed them all into the dryer. Setting the temp on high, I headed back towards the living room, making a quick stop in the twins' room to see what was taking these three so long. What I found when I opened the bathroom door took my breath away and made the old heart skip a few beats.</span></p> <p><span>Joey, Alex and Brent were lying on the floor of the shower, water spraying their fine bodies and each one had his lips wrapped around another's cock. My own cock got immediately hard and I had to make a quick adjustment for fear it would snap in half. I stepped to the glass door and rapped on it sharply. All three opened their eyes and when they saw who had knocked, Joey and Alex started laughing while poor Brent almost caused himself considerable injury trying to cover his crotch as quickly as possible.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon guys, we've got a party goin' on out here. <i>You're </i>party, as a matter of fact."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, dad, we got a little carried away," Joey answered as he stood up and turned off the water. </span></p> <p><span>Alex pushed the shower door open and asked, "Would you please hand us our towels, Dad?" The twins stood there, erections proudly on display while Brent was still hiding his behind his hands.</span></p> <p><span>"Guys, your dicks are still hard," Brent whispered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, so what?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"But your dad's right there," he hissed.</span></p> <p><span>"Brent, get over it. He knows what a hard dick looks like, especially ours" Joey deadpanned. "Besides, you think he ain't hard right now after seeing what we was just doin' in here?" Brent looked back to me and, after a quick glance below my waist, realized Joey knew what he was talking about, then he turned back to look at Joey. "He and pops always get hard when they see us screwing around. And they're usually naked when it happens, so there's no mysteries around here."</span></p> <p><span>Brent looked back to me again and I nodded my head. He slowly extended one hand towards me to grab the towel I was holding for him and lowered his other, fully exposing his uncut hardness to me for the first time and the question that formed in my mind as he exited pool was answered. I thought the twins were perfect from the very first time I'd seen them this way, but Brent was a stunner. His hard cock looked to be about four inches long and an inch in diameter while the twins were about three inches long and three-fourths of an inch. I stood and watched as all three dried themselves, my cock aching to be released from confinement. Little did I know that wish was about to come true. </span></p> <p><span>As the three stepped out of the shower to finish drying, their hard peckers bounced lightly. Joey and Alex came over to me, gave me a hug, and Alex whispered in my ear, "Go on, Dad, let him see it. He's been waiting all afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"I can't do that, son. It wouldn't be right," I muttered dully.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, can we show it to him?" Joey asked. "He really wants to see a what a grownup's dick looks like." I was numb with shock at the request and since I didn't answer immediately, the twins took it upon themselves to make it happen. They each grabbed the waistband of my shorts and briefs, pulled them straight out and slowly lowered them below my scrotum, where they tucked them in, leaving me completely exposed. Joey wrapped a hand around me while Alex gently cupped my sack. "C'mere, Brent." Brent stepped closer, wide-eyed. When he was only a foot away, Joey added, "Go ahead, grab it, it won't bite. It might spew, but it definitely won't bite."</span></p> <p><span>As the third hand wrapped itself around my shaft, I nearly passed out. These three hot young lads had me completely under their control. I stood there lost in the feelings of now six hands caressing my manhood and balls as they'd dropped their towels on the floor. After spending the better part of the last two hours in a near constant state of arousal, it didn't take long before they managed to coax the come from me. Brent, who was standing directly in front me, took two shots to the face while the next four hit him lower in the chest and belly and the last one landed directly on his dick.</span></p> <p><span>"Ohmigod, that was fucking awesome!" Brent exclaimed. "I never seen a dude come before."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Dad," Joey started, "Alex and I will clean up his face and chest. Why don't you clean off his dick for us?" Still dazed at what was happening, I slowly knelt in front of Brent and took his stiff, sweet boycock into my mouth, tasting my own come for the first time. I made love to that tender piece of meat with my mouth for several minutes, wrapping my tongue around the shaft and grabbing Brent's ass with my hands to make sure I was getting the whole thing in my mouth every time I buried my nose in his hairless pubic mound. </span></p> <p><span>As my hands continued to caress his globes, my fingers searched for and found his tight pucker. As I slipped a finger inside him, Brent groaned appreciatively at the invasion. I could see out of the corners of my eyes, Joey and Alex stood on each side of us, furiously jerking their own cocks. As my finger probed ever deeper into the warm confines of Brent's tight ass, I found his undeveloped prostate and began to rub it. I was soon rewarded for my efforts as the boy lost all control over his body and his cock started twitching violently in my mouth as his orgasm took him. If it hadn't been for my hands holding onto his ass, he would have collapsed as his knees buckled.</span></p> <p><span>When I finally released the prize from my mouth, Brent sighed, "Mr. Sanders, Joey and Alex are good, but you <i>know</i> how to suck a dick. That was the most mind-blowing thing I've ever felt. I'll return the favor someday."</span></p> <p><span>I stood slowly and mumbled, "Hurry up guys, the food is about ready." I then turned and started to leave the bathroom, still a bit dazed about what just occured.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, Dad, I think you're forgetting something," Alex said to my back.</span></p> <p><span>I turned back around to face the boys and asked, "What?"</span></p> <p><span>Alex stepped over to me, grabbed the waistband of my shorts and briefs that were still tucked under my balls, then lifted them up and over my wilted cock. After gently arranging things inside my briefs, he patted me on the ass, and said, "There ya' go, all tucked away, nice and neat. Nobody'll ever know you just got off."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, buddy." I turned again and left the twins and Brent alone to get dressed.</span></p> <p><span>When I wandered into the living room, Tom asked, "'Bout time you came back. Where's the other three?"</span></p> <p><span>"They'll be out in another minute. Is the food ready to go?"</span></p> <p><span>"Justine just told me two more minutes."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I'm famished."</span></p> <p><span>Quick Note: </span><span>Before you start writing to tell me that a cop would never allow a nine-year-old to make his own decision and override his father, as happened in this chapter with Logan and his dad, I'm well aware of that. But, since this is obviously a fictional tale, some rules can be bent beyond the breaking point to further the plot and that's one I chose to break. Thanks for understanding and accepting this minor twist. (along with all the other twists and turns I've thrown at you </span><span>😉</span><span>).</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-28.html

Building a Family 28 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 28 � Friday Friday began like all the other days this week, alarm blaring at 6:00AM. Of course, if it wasn't blaring, it wouldn't wake me up. I hopped out of bed, took care of my morning bathroom needs and shook Tom to wake him. "C'mon, big guy, rise and shine!" "5 more minutes, please," he grumped as he rolled over and pulled the covers over his head. I headed to the other end of the house to wake the boys, receiving much the same greeting I had just gotten from Tom. When I finally managed to get the boys moving in the right direction, I headed back to work on Tom some more. I found him sitting on the edge of the bed holding his head in his hands. "You okay, Tom?" "Yeah, just a freakin' killer of a headache. You got Advil or anything?" "You bet. Behind the mirror in the bathroom. Bring some with you and I'll have some coffee ready for you when you get to the kitchen, okay?" "Sounds good, I'll be there shortly," he moaned. I pulled on some sweatpants and headed to the kitchen to get the coffee and some breakfast going. After looking over the available options, I decided on scrambled eggs this morning. I was just dishing the eggs onto plates when the boys straggled in to join me. I got them set up with their eggs, some toast, and glasses of milk and juice, then headed back to check on Tom since he hadn't made it to the kitchen yet. I found that he'd managed to get dressed, but that was about it. "Are you sure you can work today?" "No, I'm not, but I can't call in sick during my last two weeks on the job." "Sure, you can. Want me to dial the number for ya'?" "Nah, I'm okay, just need some caffeine and Advil and I'll be fine." "If you're sure, then you better get a move on." "Yes, dad," he said, oozing sarcasm. I grabbed a shirt, socks and shoes so I could be ready to drive the boys out to meet the bus and headed back to the kitchen to check on their progress. They were just finishing their breakfast when I returned. While I pulled on my shirt, they started rinsing and stacking their dishes in the sink. As Tom came for his cup of coffee, they took off to their bedrooms to finish getting ready for school. Tom grabbed his mug, popped the Advil into his mouth and followed it with a big gulp of the coffee. "Holy shit, that's hot, why didn't you warn me?" "It's coffee, Tom, it's supposed to be hot." "I know, but still, you coulda' warned me." The boys picked that moment to come back, all seemingly ready to go meet the bus. "You don't look too good, Uncle Tom." "Just a bad headache, Joey, I'll be fine. Well, I better get going or I'll be late." We each got our hug and kiss, the boys on their foreheads and mine on the lips, much to the delight of four whistling boys. "I assume it's okay to take the Shelby, again?" "Get outta' here, ya' big goof." "I gotta tell ya', Max, that is one fun car to drive. All the guys at the cop shop think I musta' won the lottery or something." "We both won the lottery, Tom. When we met on Saturday." "Yeah, I guess we did. I need to go to my old place this weekend and get some things. We can get my car then." "So, you're really moving in?" "Can't think of any reason not to, can you?" "Not a one." "Good. Love you guys and I'll see everybody tonight." With that, he headed down the hall. "Bye, Uncle Tom, be careful out there," Alex called to his back. "Thanks, I will." "Okay, you boys got everything you need?" "Yes, dad, coats, gloves, hats and backpacks," T.J. answered. "Good, get in the car, let me get my shoes and coat on and we'll be off." I met the boys in the garage to find them buckled in and ready to roll. When we got to the end of the drive, we still had a few minutes to wait for the bus to arrive. "So, you're still not gonna tell us what's going on over here, are ya', dad?" Joey asked. "Nope it's still a secret." "It looks like you're having something built," Alex said. "Maybe, you'll just have to wait to find out." I saw the bus coming up the road and we got out of the car. When it finally stopped, I gave each boy a hug, reminded them to be good and learn something new, then pushed them to board the bus. I waved hi to Carl and bye to the boys as I got back in the car and headed to the house. I had a busy morning ahead with several calls to make. After I got undressed, my first call was to John, my builder. "Good morning, John, Max here. How are you this bright and beautiful Friday?" "Great, Max, how `bout yourself?" "Just dandy. How's working going on the bus shelter?" "We have the walls built, insulated and ready to assemble. Once we get that done, we'll get the roof framed and shingled. I'm going to leave the siding off and the door and window separate until we have it sitting on the slab and anchored. Don't want to have to deal with all that extra weight while trying to position the framework and anchor it to the slab." "That sounds great, John. Is the slab and sidewalk still going to be poured Monday?" "That's the plan. I'm glad you thought about adding the sidewalk from the shelter to the drive. I should've thought of that myself." "Well, it didn't make much sense to have a nice warm and dry place for the boys to wait for the bus and then force them to walk through mud to get to it. Now, I've come up with a couple more projects for you and wanted to see if you're interested." "I'm always looking for work this time of year, Max. What's on your mind?" "I need some modifications done to a couple bedrooms in the house so they'll be more what the boys want and actually look like a kid's room." "What kind of changes you thinking about?" "I have two boys in each room and they've asked for separate desks and a space they can call their own. I also want to get some painting done in whatever colors they choose." "That sounds simple enough. How soon do you want this done?" "The twins' birthday is coming up on the 13th next month and I'd like to get their room done and have them moved into it by then. Once they're settled in their new room, we can redo the room they're in now for the other two boys." "Sounds like you've given this some thought, Max. And it sounds like a workable plan. How soon can you have the furniture out of the first room?" "I plan to move it out this weekend." "Perfect. I'll be out Monday morning for the pouring of the shelter slab, anyway. When that's done, I'll come on up to the house and you can show me the rooms we'll be working on. I'll draw up a few options and come back that evening so we show it to the boys and see what they think." "You're a good man, John. I can't thank you enough for making this happen so quickly." "Don't worry about it, Max. It's not like I'm really that busy at the moment. I'll take any work I can get right now, even busy work. Still got to pay the bills, ya' know." "I know, John. I still appreciate the way you've jumped on these projects. Well, have a great weekend and I'll see you Monday." "Thanks, Max, you too." My next task was to try and locate a lifeguard for the twins' birthday party. I didn't have a clue where to begin, so I started my search by calling the YMCA in Springfield. "West Iles Y, this is Brad, how can I help you?" "Good morning, Brad, my name is Max Sanders, I'm looking to hire a lifeguard and I was hoping you could point me in the right direction." "Good morning, Mr. Sanders, I'm sure I can help you. Are you looking to fill a permanent or part-time position?" "Definitely part-time. Very part-time. My twins' 9th birthday is coming up on the 13th and they want to have a pool party at our home the afternoon of the 15th with about 10 or 12 of their friends from school along with my other 2 sons. I feel comfortable with watching my four, but I think 14 or 16 will be a bit much for two adults to handle." "You got that right, especially if they're all boys. I deal with that here all the time and they can certainly be a handful. What hours did you need somebody?" "I'm thinking from maybe 1:00 to 4:00. Three hours in the pool should have them all pretty well worn out and ready to relax for a movie." "I would hope so. How much were you thinking about paying?" "In all honesty, I hadn't thought about it and I have no idea what a lifeguard should be paid." "Well, sir, we usually get 25 or 30 dollars an hour when we're actually pulling lifeguard duty here. That offsets with 10 bucks an hour to answer phones and greet members." "I'd be willing to pay $50 per hour for the three to four hours of the party." "I'll tell you what, Mr. Sanders, I'll ask for that afternoon off from here and I'll be your lifeguard. I'm fully trained and Red Cross certified. I'd love to do it, sounds like it'll be fun. And very different to being here all day." "That's great, Brad, let me give you my phone numbers and address." I passed on the info he would need to get in contact if needed. "If anything happens that you won't be able to make it, just let me know. Otherwise, we'll see you about 1:00 on the 15th, Brad." "Looking forward to it Mr. Sanders. Thanks, and have a great day." My next call was to a bakery I'd used before to talk about the birthday cake. After about 10 minutes on the phone, we had everything settled and the cake would be ready to pick up Saturday morning. After the bakery, I called a catering service to arrange for them to provide and serve the food and drinks for the party. I didn't want to miss any of my sons' first birthdays with me because I was too busy with food and other things. The last call was to Party Creations to arrange for some decorations to be delivered and set up Saturday morning. Wes was happy to hear from me and quickly agreed with my plans to decorate for the party. My last call was to Carol. "Good morning, Carol," I said when she answered. "Morning, Max, what's up?" "Thanks for telling me about the boys' birthdays. You'll be happy to know that the twins are ecstatic about getting to have a party." "That's great, Max. When's it gonna happen?" "Well, since their actual birthday is on a Thursday, we're going to have the party Saturday afternoon, starting about noon. I know you wanted to be there." "Oh, I do, but I can't make it that afternoon. I already have plans with my parents that day." "Well, do you think you might have time to come out Thursday night? I was going to have something small then." "Oh, that'd be great. I really want to see how the boys are doing, anyway, and that will be a good time to do so." "Perfect, Carol. They'll be happy to see you." "I'll look forward to it, Max. See you then." "Bye, Carol, have a good day." I had just hung up the phone when it rang. I recognized the number as the school's and answered, "Max Sanders." "Max, Steve here, how are you today?" "Doing well, Steve. How about yourself." "Not bad. I wanted to call and let you know I've talked to the three boys in Mike's class who are causing problems for him. I've also talked to all their parents so they know what's been going on." "How did that go?" "I'm pretty sure I've impressed two of them, Mark and Billy, that their treatment of Mike is unacceptable and I expect it stop immediately. Andy, however, is going be a tougher nut to crack." "Why is that?" "After our talk this morning, I'm pretty sure Andy is being abused at home and he's taking it out on someone smaller than him who likely won't fight back. I just don't know what I can do about." "Have you reported the situation to the authorities?" "I don't have any evidence abuse is happening, so no, I haven't." "What kind of evidence do you need?" "Bruises or marks of some kind, but I just can't have him lift his shirt up here at school and check him over." "Maybe I can help out with that." "How do you propose to do it?" "Why don't you give me the parent's names and phone numbers of all three boys? I can have Mike invite all three over tomorrow afternoon. I'm pretty sure we could talk the boys into going for a swim and that would be a good opportunity to check him over." "That sounds pretty devious, Max. But, I like it. Here ya' go." I wrote down the parent's info as Steve gave it to me. "You'll let me know if this works." "Bet on it." "The other reason for my call was to see if you'd made a decision as to whether you'd be joining us in the workshop I want to have." "I'll be there, along with Alex, Joey and T.J. Mike was adamant he wasn't coming, which is fine. I didn't expect him to want to be there. I'm not sure about Tom at this moment." "Oh, Tom will be there." "Really, does he know that?" "I don't know. But I did talk to Dylan before calling you and he's agreed to participate. He's the one who told me Tom would also be there." "Ah, the old five-watt bulb just flickered to life. Okay, I guess that makes five out of the six of us. Have you picked a date and time yet?" "Wednesday, March 12 at 1:00PM. That day is already scheduled to be a half-school day for other reasons. That way, nobody has to give up an evening to attend." "I'll have to have my sister stay with Mike that afternoon, then. That's all right, though, she's been wanting an excuse to hang out with the boys, anyway. She'll only have one that day, but she'll still be happy to do it and she can have supper with us that night." "Sounds good, Max. I'd like to talk about it some more before it happens, see if you have any ideas beyond what I already have." "I have one now you may not know exists. My sister is the assistant director of an organization called ICASA. While they deal mostly with rape crisis centers throughout the state, they may have some resources and information we could use." "ICASA? Never heard of it." "Not too surprising. ICASA stands for the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault. I'm sure they'd be happy to be involved. If you'd like, I can check and let you know." "That'd be great, Max. We might get a better reaction if you made first contact, especially since your sister works there." "I'll call Lee this evening, then." "Thanks, Max. Let me know what she says." "I will, Steve. And thanks for trying to help with Mike's issue. Hope you have a great weekend." "You to, Max. Adios, amigo." With all my calls completed, I realized I had nothing to do until it was time to meet the bus after school. I fixed myself a quick bite to eat for lunch and then settled in my chair by the fireplace with my current book. I was about to doze off when the drive sensor announced an incoming visitor a little before 3:00. I zipped to the bedroom to pull on my shorts. Just as I was sliding them up my legs, I heard, "Honey, I'm home!" echo through the house. With a sigh of relief at Tom's safe return, I slid the shorts back off and met him in the living room. "I like coming home to find a naked man in my living room," he laughed when he saw me. "And I like an armed man in uniform finding me in such a state. Shall I raise my hands over my head and assume the position?" "Dressed like that, you can assume just about any position you'd like." We headed to the bedroom where Tom started to get undressed. "When do the boys get home?" "The bus doesn't get here for another 45 minutes or so. Why." "Good, come here lover." Tom grabbed my arm and pulled me in a bear hug, grinding his growing hardness into mine. He backed to the bed, pulling me with him, and we fell onto it in a heap when our legs hit the edge of the mattress. We spent the next half-hour intimately exploring every nook and cranny of each other's bodies, culminating with each of us inhaling the other's stiff members and sucking the life force from each other. As we sprawled on the bed in our post-carnal bliss, Tom mumbled, "God, you're gonna kill me one of these days with that shit, but what a way to die." "I know what you mean. For a guy with little to none supposed real-life experience, you certainly know how to work wonders with that tongue of yours." "You're not complaining, are you?" "Absolutely not. I only hope that someday, you'll teach me some of those tricks." I looked at the clock real quick, "Oh, shit, I've got to meet the boys at the bus." I rolled over and gave Tom a hug and kiss before jumping out of bed and pulling on sweats, shirt and shoes and darting out. My timing was almost perfect as I had just put the car in Park when the bus stopped and the boys flew out, running madly towards me. After they were in and buckled, I made the U-turn to return to the house. As we pulled in the garage, Joey was first to notice that the Shelby was there. "Is Uncle Tom already home?" "He is. He had an early end to his day. Any homework for the weekend?" "Nothing for any of us, dad," Alex answered. "How'd your spelling test go, T.J.?" "Got a 100 on it, dad, thanks to your help." "You could have done the same without my help, but that's what I'm here for. Any time you want help, all you have to do is ask." We entered the house and the boys stopped in their rooms to drop their backpacks and get comfy. I headed to the bedroom to do the same. As I passed the kitchen on the way, I saw Tom rummaging in the fridge for something to eat. "You hungry, big guy?" "Starved. What's for supper?" "I thought we'd get pizza from Capone's tonight. I don't feel much like cooking. Sound okay to you?" "Perfect. The sooner, the better, too." At that moment, four naked boys ran past me and wrapped Tom in a hug, Alex and Joey on each side, T.J. to the rear and poor Mike got the front, his face buried just above that patch of unruly hair surrounding his penis. I turned towards the bedroom with a laugh as I headed to join the comfort crowd. When I returned, the hug had finally broken up and I asked the boys if pizza was good with them again tonight. With all in agreement, I placed the order and was informed our super would be ready to pick up in about 45 minutes. "While we wait to pick up supper, let's have a seat guys. I need to pass on some information I learned today." "I know part of it," Tom commented. "I'm sure you do." "I know part of it, too," Mike said. "How does he know and we don't, dad?" Alex asked. "Because he's the reason for some of it." We all sat in the living room around the fireplace, boys on the couch and Tom and I in chairs facing them. "First, Mike, some of your problems with Andy, Mark and Billy should be resolved. Mr. Furman told me he talked to all three today and Mark and Billy both seemed to understand that the way they've been treating you is unacceptable and he expects they'll stop." "Yeah, I think they will. At lunch, they both came over to sit with me and they told me they were sorry. They were just following Andy because he's their friend." "Did Andy do or say anything?" "No, not today, anyway." "Well I have an idea that may help smooth things over with him, too." "Really, what's that?" "I think you should invite the three of them over for tomorrow afternoon and give all four of you time to get to know each other better." "Wait, you want me to have those meanies over so they can pick on me here?" "I think once you four spend some together, they'll quit picking on you. They'll see you're just another kid like them. You might actually end up liking each other." "Don't think that's gonna' happen." "Mike," Tom interjected, "There's an old saying, `keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer'." "What's that mean, Uncle Tom??" "It means, if you become friends with these three, they won't be your enemy anymore and should stop picking on you." "That kinda' makes sense. I guess it won't hurt to try. But I don't know how to get a hold of them." "I do," I said. "Mr. Furman gave me their parents' names and numbers this morning. Why don't we call them after supper and see if they'd like to come over?" "Okay, if you think so, dad," Mike grumbled. "I don't think it's gonna' work, but I'll try." "Good. The other thing Mr. Furman and I discussed was the workshop. I let him know that Alex, Joey, T.J. and I would be there and he told me that Tom would be there." "Yeah, thanks for that." "Hey, don't blame me. From what he said, it sounds like Dylan volunteered you." "He did, told me this morning right after he got off the phone with Steve. Told him he had the `perfect guy' for him." "Well, you are the perfect guy for me. For the workshop, I'm not too sure. We'll just have to wait and see." Tom leaned over, smacked the back of my head and laughed. I turned back to the boys and continued, "You three who are going need to think about what you want to say between now and then." "When is it?" T.J. asked. "March 12th, the day before the twins' birthday. It was going to be a half-day at school already and Steve thought it would be a better way to spend the afternoon than what was already scheduled." "What about me?" Mike asked. "If you're all going to be over there, what am I gonna do?" "I'm going to call Aunt Lee tonight and see if she'd be willing to spend the afternoon with you." "Oh, goody, that'll be fun." "Wait, if Aunt Lee's gonna' be here, I don't wanna' go." "Sorry, Joey, but you've already committed to being there and we don't back down from our commitments." "Dang it." "Maybe we can convince her to stay for supper when we get home." "Yeah, okay." "I think that settles all that for the moment. Why don't you guys get the table set for supper and I'll go pick it up?" "Hurry, dad, we're hungry," T.J. called to my back as I headed to get dressed again for the trip out. "Be as quick as I can." By the time I returned with supper, Tom and the boys were sitting at the table, silverware in hands, looking at me with hunger written on their face as I placed the pizzas and breadsticks in front of them. "Dig in, I'll be right back." I went to the bedroom to get comfy again and returned to find all five of them stuffing their faces. "Oh, I see how y'all are. You're just here for the food and to heck with me." "Gotta' have your priorities straight, Max," Tom laughed. "Food first, souls second." I filled my plate and joined the others in chowing down. When we were done eating, the boys cleaned up the table while I retrieved the names and numbers of Andy, Mark and Billy's parents so we could make our calls and invite them for tomorrow. While Tom and the other three headed to the theater to start a movie, Mike and I sat by the fireplace to make our calls. I put the phone on speaker so I could hear the whole call, but told Mike it was up to him to do the talking. "Let's call Billy, first," Mike said. "Even though he was with Andy and Mark, he really never did much and I think he's the nicest." "Billy, it is." I dialed the number and we waited as the phone rang. "Hello?" an adult answered. "Hi, is Billy there?" Mike asked. "Just a sec." "Hello," came a timid voice. "Hi, Billy, it's Mike, from school." "Oh, hi, Mike. I was wonderin' who's callin' for me. What's up?" "Look, I know I'm not, like, your best friend or anything, but I wanted to find out if you wanted to come over tomorrow." "Really? After what we done to you? You want me to come over?" "Yeah, I think we could have some fun." "You askin' Andy and Mark, too?" "Plannin' to. I wanted to start with you. Figured if you'd want to, they would, too." "Cool. What're we gonna' do?" "We could walk through the woods, watch a movie, play a game, swim, whatever." "Swim!? It's way too cold for that." "We got a pool that's covered, Billy, and we swim all the time. It's great. C'mon, it'll be fun." "Let me ask my mom, hang on." He set the phone down and came back in a minute. "My mom says it'd be okay, but she wants to talk to your mom or dad, first." "My dad's right here." "Hi Billy. Put your mom on," I said. "Who's this," she asked. "Hi there, I'm Max Sanders, Mike's dad. How're you?" "Oh, hi Max. I'm Sarah White, Billy's mom. You really want him to come over tomorrow?" "I assume you know of the problems the boys have had." "I do, and Billy's been grounded because of his involvement. He knows better than to treat people like that." "I'm glad to hear that Sarah. But, I'd like you make an exception in his grounding for a day. It's my hope that if all four boys involved spend some time together, they might become friends. Do you think you'd allow that?" "I think so. Now, Billy said something about swimming, but it seems the wrong time of year for that." I explained about the pool and its heated shelter. "Aha, now it makes perfect sense. But, he's not a very good swimmer." "That's all right, Sarah, if we do swim, I'll be there, too. The boys can't use the pool if I'm not there." "You have more boys?" "Four. And I'm sure they'll all be swimming." "Sounds like you have your hands full." "I do, but I'm loving it. Why don't you give me your address and we'll pick up Billy about 1:00 tomorrow? Would that be okay?" "That'd be just fine, Max. And thanks. Billy doesn't have many friends." I got the address and thanked Sarah. We called Mark next, and then, Andy. Both were surprised at being invited, but accepted after talking to their parents. Everyone would be bringing swim trunks to use and I just hoped I could convince my four to wear theirs. "See, Mike, that wasn't so hard, was it?" "I guess not. I really hope we have fun." "I do, too. Now, there's something I want you to do for me tomorrow." "What, dad?" "When Mr. Furman talked to Andy, Mark and Billy this morning, he got the impression it might be difficult to get Andy to stop his bad behavior." "Did he say why?" "He thinks Andy is being abused at home, but he has no proof to call the authorities. He thinks he might be picking on you because he's being abused." "Oh." "I'd like you to talk to him and see if you can find out anything, then let me know." "You bet I will. After what I been through, I don't want anyone I know to go through it." "I knew you'd help me out. Thanks, buddy. And please, don't tell your brothers. I don't want them riled up about it, okay." "You got it, dad, thanks. It'll be fun." "Great, now let's go join the others and watch a movie, okay?" "Can I get a ride?" "Sure thing, munchkin, come here." I grabbed him under the arms, then lifted and spun him so he could sit on my shoulders. I obviously wasn't thinking about his genitals being mashed into the back of my neck, but he didn't' seem to have a problem with it. When we rejoined the others, I set him down and he hopped in the chair with T.J. while I sat next to Tom. "How'd that go," he whispered. "Well, it took a little convincing, but all three of the little troublemakers will be here tomorrow. I'll go pick them up about 1:00. I'm hoping Steve's concerns about Andy are unwarranted, but we'll find out tomorrow." "What are you talking about?" "Sorry, I was gonna' tell you when you got home, but I something distracted me and I forgot. Not that I'm complaining." I filled him in on Andy and his possible situation. "I hope you're not forgetting what I do for living for the next week. If I suspect anything, I'm obliged to investigate." "No, I haven't forgotten. In fact, I'm counting on it. I'm hoping you might pick up a hint of something the rest of us might miss." "I'll do what I can. And if I suspect anything, I'll let you know, right after I call Dylan." "Good, it's nice to have some backup." We settled back to enjoy the rest of the movie and when it was over, I asked if they wanted to watch next Star Wars movie. After boisterous agreement from the boys, we headed to the kitchen to get popcorn and drinks for the show. While we waited for the popping to end, I explained to T.J., Alex and Joey about our visitors for tomorrow afternoon. "Okay, guys, Andy, Billy and Mark are coming over tomorrow after lunch to play with Mike. If Mike wants it to be just the four of them, I expect you to honor that. If he wants all of you all to play together, I expect you to join in. Any problems with that?" "That's cool, dad," T.J. answered. "Next, since they obviously won't know about our dress code out here, I'll expect you all to be wearing shorts and if we swim, you'll wear shorts in the pool, also. "Oh, man, that sucks," moaned Joey. "Mouth, son." "Sorry, dad, but it does." I looked to Tom for some support. What I got was, "Don't look at me, he's right, it does." "Fat lot of help you are." He just shrugged his shoulders. I looked back to the boys and continued, "Look, it's going to be their first visit here and I don't want them freaking out and telling their parents we're all a bunch of sickos." "Okay, dad, we'll be good," Alex said. "Thank you. Now, let's go watch a movie." We headed back to the theater and I started the movie. T.J. and Mike were sitting together and the twins were sharing another chair. Before I sat, I remembered I needed to call Lee and let Tom know I'd be back shortly. I headed back to the kitchen and got on the phone. Lee's husband, Carl, answered the phone, "Joe's bar and Grill, what's your pleasure?" "Hey, Carl, how ya' doing?" "Great, Max, how about yourself? You surviving the week as a new dad?" "Barely. These guys are keeping me on the run, but we're all still kicking, so there's that." "Glad to hear it. I thought Lee had dipped into the good shit when she told me you were adopting four boys. Never imagined that happening." "Ha, neither did I, Carl. Maybe we both snuck into your stash." "Sh-h-h-h, careful what you say, Max, you never know who's listening." "Mum's the word. Hey, is Lee there? I need to run a couple things past her." "Yeah, hang on just a sec." I heard him call Lee to the phone and he came back, "She'll be right here, Max. Good talkin' to ya'. Hope to see you and meet my nephews, soon." "Anytime, Carl." "Here's Lee. Talk to you later." "Hey, Max, what's up?" "Got two things for you. First, I need to find out if you'd be available to stay with Mike the afternoon of March 12th. The rest of us are going to be involved in something that Mike doesn't want to go to." "Yeah, I could probably do that. I have some time I can take from work for an afternoon." "That's great. I don't know who else I could call to do it." "Well, if it turns out I can't, maybe Carl would do it." "Either one of you will be great, Lee. Thanks. That's one down, now for the second thing. The reason I need someone to stay with Mike is the rest of us are going to be involved in a workshop at the school that afternoon." "What's that all about?" "Well, there was some excitement at the school this week and now the board president has asked me to be involved in a workshop with the school's staff to discuss the issues faced by gay people in general and, more importantly, the problems gay youth face while growing up. Coming to terms with who they are and the risks of suicide related to that." "That sounds like a great thing to be involved with, Max, but, are you sure you all are ready for that level of exposure?" "Not really, but this sounds way too important to ignore." "Oh, don't get me wrong, it's super important. Suicide among gay youth is on the rise. What's your involvement supposed to be?" "Well, I think our main purpose of being involved is to let the school staff know of the issues and problems gay youth face that they are most likely unaware of and may not understand. As Steve said, despite the smallish size of the school, my four boys can't be the only gay students in the school and he's hoping bringing the subject out in the open will help. Tom's boss Dylan is going to be there to provide a law enforcement point-of-view and I thought maybe ICASA might want to get involved, also. I know this isn't normally the type of thing your office deals with, but you might be able to provide some important insights into other issues." "I'm sure we can. Let me talk to Allison about it tomorrow and see what she says. I can't imagine her not wanting to help out, but we'll see." "That'd be great, Lee. Thanks for not telling me to take a hike. And thanks for staying with Mike that afternoon. Maybe we can all have supper afterward." "I'm sure Carl would like that. I know I would, too. We can talk more between now and the 12th to come up with a real plan." "Great, sis, I knew I could count on you. You two have a great night. Talk to you later." We ended our call and I headed to the theater to rejoin my family for the rest of the movie. I sat next to Tom and took his hand in mine. When the movie finally ended, we discovered we had four snoozing boys again. We got Joey and Alex in bed first, then took care of T.J. and Mike. Once they were all safely tucked in their beds and snoozing, Tom and I headed to bed, also. "You ready for sleep?" Tom asked. I shook my head, grinning madly. "Good, I'm not ready for sleep, either. What's on your mind tonight, lover?" "I want to see what else was hidden in that little box you snuck in the house."

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 28</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free.&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc476239331"><span>Chapter 28 � Friday</span></a></h2> <p><span>Friday began like all the other days this week, alarm blaring at 6:00AM. Of course, if it wasn't blaring, it wouldn't wake me up. I hopped out of bed, took care of my morning bathroom needs and shook Tom to wake him.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, big guy, rise and shine!"</span></p> <p><span>"5 more minutes, please," he grumped as he rolled over and pulled the covers over his head.</span></p> <p><span>I headed to the other end of the house to wake the boys, receiving much the same greeting I had just gotten from Tom. When I finally managed to get the boys moving in the right direction, I headed back to work on Tom some more. I found him sitting on the edge of the bed holding his head in his hands.</span></p> <p><span>"You okay, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, just a freakin' killer of a headache. You got Advil or anything?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. Behind the mirror in the bathroom. Bring some with you and I'll have some coffee ready for you when you get to the kitchen, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good, I'll be there shortly," he moaned.</span></p> <p><span>I pulled on some sweatpants and headed to the kitchen to get the coffee and some breakfast going. After looking over the available options, I decided on scrambled eggs this morning. I was just dishing the eggs onto plates when the boys straggled in to join me. I got them set up with their eggs, some toast, and glasses of milk and juice, then headed back to check on Tom since he hadn't made it to the kitchen yet. I found that he'd managed to get dressed, but that was about it.</span></p> <p><span>"Are you sure you can work today?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I'm not, but I can't call in sick during my last two weeks on the job."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, you can. Want me to dial the number for ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, I'm okay, just need some caffeine and Advil and I'll be fine."</span></p> <p><span>"If you're sure, then you better get a move on."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, dad," he said, oozing sarcasm.</span></p> <p><span>I grabbed a shirt, socks and shoes so I could be ready to drive the boys out to meet the bus and headed back to the kitchen to check on their progress. They were just finishing their breakfast when I returned. While I pulled on my shirt, they started rinsing and stacking their dishes in the sink. As Tom came for his cup of coffee, they took off to their bedrooms to finish getting ready for school. Tom grabbed his mug, popped the Advil into his mouth and followed it with a big gulp of the coffee. </span></p> <p><span>"Holy shit, that's hot, why didn't you warn me?" </span></p> <p><span>"It's coffee, Tom, it's supposed to be hot."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, but still, you coulda' warned me."</span></p> <p><span>The boys picked that moment to come back, all seemingly ready to go meet the bus.</span></p> <p><span>"You don't look too good, Uncle Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"Just a bad headache, Joey, I'll be fine. Well, I better get going or I'll be late." We each got our hug and kiss, the boys on their foreheads and mine on the lips, much to the delight of four whistling boys. "I assume it's okay to take the Shelby, again?"</span></p> <p><span>"Get outta' here, ya' big goof."</span></p> <p><span>"I gotta tell ya', Max, that is one fun car to drive. All the guys at the cop shop think I musta' won the lottery or something."</span></p> <p><span>"We both won the lottery, Tom. When we met on Saturday."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess we did. I need to go to my old place this weekend and get some things. We can get my car then."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you're really moving in?"</span></p> <p><span>"Can't think of any reason not to, can you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a one."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Love you guys and I'll see everybody tonight." With that, he headed down the hall. </span></p> <p><span>"Bye, Uncle Tom, be careful out there," Alex called to his back.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, I will."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, you boys got everything you need?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, dad, coats, gloves, hats and backpacks," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, get in the car, let me get my shoes and coat on and we'll be off." I met the boys in the garage to find them buckled in and ready to roll. When we got to the end of the drive, we still had a few minutes to wait for the bus to arrive. </span></p> <p><span>"So, you're still not gonna tell us what's going on over here, are ya', dad?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope it's still a secret."</span></p> <p><span>"It looks like you're having something built," Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe, you'll just have to wait to find out."</span></p> <p><span>I saw the bus coming up the road and we got out of the car. When it finally stopped, I gave each boy a hug, reminded them to be good and learn something new, then pushed them to board the bus. I waved hi to Carl and bye to the boys as I got back in the car and headed to the house. I had a busy morning ahead with several calls to make. After I got undressed, my first call was to John, my builder.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, John, Max here. How are you this bright and beautiful Friday?"</span></p> <p><span>"Great, Max, how `bout yourself?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just dandy. How's working going on the bus shelter?"</span></p> <p><span>"We have the walls built, insulated and ready to assemble. Once we get that done, we'll get the roof framed and shingled. I'm going to leave the siding off and the door and window separate until we have it sitting on the slab and anchored. Don't want to have to deal with all that extra weight while trying to position the framework and anchor it to the slab."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds great, John. Is the slab and sidewalk still going to be poured Monday?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's the plan. I'm glad you thought about adding the sidewalk from the shelter to the drive. I should've thought of that myself."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it didn't make much sense to have a nice warm and dry place for the boys to wait for the bus and then force them to walk through mud to get to it. Now, I've come up with a couple more projects for you and wanted to see if you're interested."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm always looking for work this time of year, Max. What's on your mind?"</span></p> <p><span>"I need some modifications done to a couple bedrooms in the house so they'll be more what the boys want and actually look like a kid's room."</span></p> <p><span>"What kind of changes you thinking about?"</span></p> <p><span>"I have two boys in each room and they've asked for separate desks and a space they can call their own. I also want to get some painting done in whatever colors they choose."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds simple enough. How soon do you want this done?"</span></p> <p><span>"The twins' birthday is coming up on the 13<sup>th</sup> next month and I'd like to get their room done and have them moved into it by then. Once they're settled in their new room, we can redo the room they're in now for the other two boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like you've given this some thought, Max. And it sounds like a workable plan. How soon can you have the furniture out of the first room?"</span></p> <p><span>"I plan to move it out this weekend."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect. I'll be out Monday morning for the pouring of the shelter slab, anyway. When that's done, I'll come on up to the house and you can show me the rooms we'll be working on. I'll draw up a few options and come back that evening so we show it to the boys and see what they think."</span></p> <p><span>"You're a good man, John. I can't thank you enough for making this happen so quickly."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it, Max. It's not like I'm really that busy at the moment. I'll take any work I can get right now, even busy work. Still got to pay the bills, ya' know."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, John. I still appreciate the way you've jumped on these projects. Well, have a great weekend and I'll see you Monday."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max, you too."</span></p> <p><span>My next task was to try and locate a lifeguard for the twins' birthday party. I didn't have a clue where to begin, so I started my search by calling the YMCA in Springfield.</span></p> <p><span>"West Iles Y, this is Brad, how can I help you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Brad, my name is Max Sanders, I'm looking to hire a lifeguard and I was hoping you could point me in the right direction."</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Mr. Sanders, I'm sure I can help you. Are you looking to fill a permanent or part-time position?"</span></p> <p><span>"Definitely part-time. Very part-time. My twins' 9<sup>th</sup> birthday is coming up on the 13<sup>th</sup> and they want to have a pool party at our home the afternoon of the 15<sup>th</sup> with about 10 or 12 of their friends from school along with my other 2 sons. I feel comfortable with watching my four, but I think 14 or 16 will be a bit much for two adults to handle."</span></p> <p><span>"You got that right, especially if they're all boys. I deal with that here all the time and they can certainly be a handful. What hours did you need somebody?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm thinking from maybe 1:00 to 4:00. Three hours in the pool should have them all pretty well worn out and ready to relax for a movie."</span></p> <p><span>"I would hope so. How much were you thinking about paying?"</span></p> <p><span>"In all honesty, I hadn't thought about it and I have no idea what a lifeguard should be paid."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, sir, we usually get 25 or 30 dollars an hour when we're actually pulling lifeguard duty here. That offsets with 10 bucks an hour to answer phones and greet members."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd be willing to pay $50 per hour for the three to four hours of the party."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll tell you what, Mr. Sanders, I'll ask for that afternoon off from here and I'll be your lifeguard. I'm fully trained and Red Cross certified. I'd love to do it, sounds like it'll be fun. And very different to being here all day."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, Brad, let me give you my phone numbers and address." I passed on the info he would need to get in contact if needed. "If anything happens that you won't be able to make it, just let me know. Otherwise, we'll see you about 1:00 on the 15<sup>th</sup>, Brad."</span></p> <p><span>"Looking forward to it Mr. Sanders. Thanks, and have a great day."</span></p> <p><span>My next call was to a bakery I'd used before to talk about the birthday cake. After about 10 minutes on the phone, we had everything settled and the cake would be ready to pick up Saturday morning. After the bakery, I called a catering service to arrange for them to provide and serve the food and drinks for the party. I didn't want to miss any of my sons' first birthdays with me because I was too busy with food and other things. The last call was to Party Creations to arrange for some decorations to be delivered and set up Saturday morning. Wes was happy to hear from me and quickly agreed with my plans to decorate for the party. My last call was to Carol.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Carol," I said when she answered. </span></p> <p><span>"Morning, Max, what's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for telling me about the boys' birthdays. You'll be happy to know that the twins are ecstatic about getting to have a party."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, Max. When's it gonna happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, since their actual birthday is on a Thursday, we're going to have the party Saturday afternoon, starting about noon. I know you wanted to be there."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I do, but I can't make it that afternoon. I already have plans with my parents that day."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, do you think you might have time to come out Thursday night? I was going to have something small then."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that'd be great. I really want to see how the boys are doing, anyway, and that will be a good time to do so."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, Carol. They'll be happy to see you."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll look forward to it, Max. See you then."</span></p> <p><span>"Bye, Carol, have a good day."</span></p> <p><span>I had just hung up the phone when it rang. I recognized the number as the school's and answered, "Max Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, Steve here, how are you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Doing well, Steve. How about yourself."</span></p> <p><span>"Not bad. I wanted to call and let you know I've talked to the three boys in Mike's class who are causing problems for him. I've also talked to all their parents so they know what's been going on."</span></p> <p><span>"How did that go?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm pretty sure I've impressed two of them, Mark and Billy, that their treatment of Mike is unacceptable and I expect it stop immediately. Andy, however, is going be a tougher nut to crack."</span></p> <p><span>"Why is that?"</span></p> <p><span>"After our talk this morning, I'm pretty sure Andy is being abused at home and he's taking it out on someone smaller than him who likely won't fight back. I just don't know what I can do about."</span></p> <p><span>"Have you reported the situation to the authorities?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't have any evidence abuse is happening, so no, I haven't."</span></p> <p><span>"What kind of evidence do you need?"</span></p> <p><span>"Bruises or marks of some kind, but I just can't have him lift his shirt up here at school and check him over."</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe I can help out with that."</span></p> <p><span>"How do you propose to do it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you give me the parent's names and phone numbers of all three boys? I can have Mike invite all three over tomorrow afternoon. I'm pretty sure we could talk the boys into going for a swim and that would be a good opportunity to check him over."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds pretty devious, Max. But, I like it. Here ya' go." I wrote down the parent's info as Steve gave it to me. "You'll let me know if this works."</span></p> <p><span>"Bet on it."</span></p> <p><span>"The other reason for my call was to see if you'd made a decision as to whether you'd be joining us in the workshop I want to have."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be there, along with Alex, Joey and T.J. Mike was adamant he wasn't coming, which is fine. I didn't expect him to want to be there. I'm not sure about Tom at this moment."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, Tom will be there."</span></p> <p><span>"Really, does he know that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know. But I did talk to Dylan before calling you and he's agreed to participate. He's the one who told me Tom would also be there."</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, the old five-watt bulb just flickered to life. Okay, I guess that makes five out of the six of us. Have you picked a date and time yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"Wednesday, March 12 at 1:00PM. That day is already scheduled to be a half-school day for other reasons. That way, nobody has to give up an evening to attend."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll have to have my sister stay with Mike that afternoon, then. That's all right, though, she's been wanting an excuse to hang out with the boys, anyway. She'll only have one that day, but she'll still be happy to do it and she can have supper with us that night."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good, Max. I'd like to talk about it some more before it happens, see if you have any ideas beyond what I already have."</span></p> <p><span>"I have one now you may not know exists. My sister is the assistant director of an organization called ICASA. While they deal mostly with rape crisis centers throughout the state, they may have some resources and information we could use."</span></p> <p><span>"ICASA? Never heard of it."</span></p> <p><span>"Not too surprising. ICASA stands for the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault. I'm sure they'd be happy to be involved. If you'd like, I can check and let you know."</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be great, Max. We might get a better reaction if you made first contact, especially since your sister works there."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll call Lee this evening, then."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max. Let me know what she says."</span></p> <p><span>"I will, Steve. And thanks for trying to help with Mike's issue. Hope you have a great weekend."</span></p> <p><span>"You to, Max. Adios, amigo."</span></p> <p><span>With all my calls completed, I realized I had nothing to do until it was time to meet the bus after school. I fixed myself a quick bite to eat for lunch and then settled in my chair by the fireplace with my current book. I was about to doze off when the drive sensor announced an incoming visitor a little before 3:00. I zipped to the bedroom to pull on my shorts. Just as I was sliding them up my legs, I heard, "Honey, I'm home!" echo through the house. With a sigh of relief at Tom's safe return, I slid the shorts back off and met him in the living room.</span></p> <p><span>"I like coming home to find a naked man in my living room," he laughed when he saw me.</span></p> <p><span>"And I like an armed man in uniform finding me in such a state. Shall I raise my hands over my head and assume the position?"</span></p> <p><span>"Dressed like that, you can assume just about any position you'd like." We headed to the bedroom where Tom started to get undressed. "When do the boys get home?"</span></p> <p><span>"The bus doesn't get here for another 45 minutes or so. Why."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, come here lover." Tom grabbed my arm and pulled me in a bear hug, grinding his growing hardness into mine. He backed to the bed, pulling me with him, and we fell onto it in a heap when our legs hit the edge of the mattress. We spent the next half-hour intimately exploring every nook and cranny of each other's bodies, culminating with each of us inhaling the other's stiff members and sucking the life force from each other. </span></p> <p><span>As we sprawled on the bed in our post-carnal bliss, Tom mumbled, "God, you're gonna kill me one of these days with that shit, but what a way to die."</span></p> <p><span>"I know what you mean. For a guy with little to none supposed real-life experience, you certainly know how to work wonders with that tongue of yours."</span></p> <p><span>"You're not complaining, are you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely not. I only hope that someday, you'll teach me some of those tricks." I looked at the clock real quick, "Oh, shit, I've got to meet the boys at the bus." I rolled over and gave Tom a hug and kiss before jumping out of bed and pulling on sweats, shirt and shoes and darting out. My timing was almost perfect as I had just put the car in Park when the bus stopped and the boys flew out, running madly towards me. After they were in and buckled, I made the U-turn to return to the house. </span></p> <p><span>As we pulled in the garage, Joey was first to notice that the Shelby was there. "Is Uncle Tom already home?"</span></p> <p><span>"He is. He had an early end to his day. Any homework for the weekend?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing for any of us, dad," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"How'd your spelling test go, T.J.?"</span></p> <p><span>"Got a 100 on it, dad, thanks to your help."</span></p> <p><span>"You could have done the same without my help, but that's what I'm here for. Any time you want help, all you have to do is ask." We entered the house and the boys stopped in their rooms to drop their backpacks and get comfy. I headed to the bedroom to do the same. As I passed the kitchen on the way, I saw Tom rummaging in the fridge for something to eat.</span></p> <p><span>"You hungry, big guy?"</span></p> <p><span>"Starved. What's for supper?"</span></p> <p><span>"I thought we'd get pizza from Capone's tonight. I don't feel much like cooking. Sound okay to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect. The sooner, the better, too." At that moment, four naked boys ran past me and wrapped Tom in a hug, Alex and Joey on each side, T.J. to the rear and poor Mike got the front, his face buried just above that patch of unruly hair surrounding his penis. I turned towards the bedroom with a laugh as I headed to join the comfort crowd. When I returned, the hug had finally broken up and I asked the boys if pizza was good with them again tonight. With all in agreement, I placed the order and was informed our super would be ready to pick up in about 45 minutes.</span></p> <p><span>"While we wait to pick up supper, let's have a seat guys. I need to pass on some information I learned today."</span></p> <p><span>"I know part of it," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure you do."</span></p> <p><span>"I know part of it, too," Mike said.</span></p> <p><span>"How does he know and we don't, dad?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Because he's the reason for some of it." We all sat in the living room around the fireplace, boys on the couch and Tom and I in chairs facing them. "First, Mike, some of your problems with Andy, Mark and Billy should be resolved. Mr. Furman told me he talked to all three today and Mark and Billy both seemed to understand that the way they've been treating you is unacceptable and he expects they'll stop."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I think they will. At lunch, they both came over to sit with me and they told me they were sorry. They were just following Andy because he's their friend."</span></p> <p><span>"Did Andy do or say anything?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, not today, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Well I have an idea that may help smooth things over with him, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Really, what's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think you should invite the three of them over for tomorrow afternoon and give all four of you time to get to know each other better."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, you want me to have those meanies over so they can pick on me here?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think once you four spend some together, they'll quit picking on you. They'll see you're just another kid like them. You might actually end up liking each other."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't think that's gonna' happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Mike," Tom interjected, "There's an old saying, `keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer'."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that mean, Uncle Tom??"</span></p> <p><span>"It means, if you become friends with these three, they won't be your enemy anymore and should stop picking on you."</span></p> <p><span>"That kinda' makes sense. I guess it won't hurt to try. But I don't know how to get a hold of them."</span></p> <p><span>"I do," I said. "Mr. Furman gave me their parents' names and numbers this morning. Why don't we call them after supper and see if they'd like to come over?"</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, if you think so, dad," Mike grumbled. "I don't think it's gonna' work, but I'll try."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. The other thing Mr. Furman and I discussed was the workshop. I let him know that Alex, Joey, T.J. and I would be there and he told me that Tom would be there."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, thanks for that."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, don't blame me. From what he said, it sounds like Dylan volunteered you."</span></p> <p><span>"He did, told me this morning right after he got off the phone with Steve. Told him he had the `perfect guy' for him."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you are the perfect guy for me. For the workshop, I'm not too sure. We'll just have to wait and see."</span></p> <p><span>Tom leaned over, smacked the back of my head and laughed.</span></p> <p><span>I turned back to the boys and continued, "You three who are going need to think about what you want to say between now and then."</span></p> <p><span>"When is it?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"March 12^th, the day before the twins' birthday. It was going to be a half-day at school already and Steve thought it would be a better way to spend the afternoon than what was already scheduled."</span></p> <p><span>"What about me?" Mike asked. "If you're all going to be over there, what am I gonna do?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm going to call Aunt Lee tonight and see if she'd be willing to spend the afternoon with you."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, goody, that'll be fun."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, if Aunt Lee's gonna' be here, I don't wanna' go."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Joey, but you've already committed to being there and we don't back down from our commitments."</span></p> <p><span>"Dang it."</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe we can convince her to stay for supper when we get home."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay."</span></p> <p><span>"I think that settles all that for the moment. Why don't you guys get the table set for supper and I'll go pick it up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hurry, dad, we're hungry," T.J. called to my back as I headed to get dressed again for the trip out.</span></p> <p><span>"Be as quick as I can." By the time I returned with supper, Tom and the boys were sitting at the table, silverware in hands, looking at me with hunger written on their face as I placed the pizzas and breadsticks in front of them. "Dig in, I'll be right back." I went to the bedroom to get comfy again and returned to find all five of them stuffing their faces.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I see how y'all are. You're just here for the food and to heck with me."</span></p> <p><span>"Gotta' have your priorities straight, Max," Tom laughed. "Food first, souls second."</span></p> <p><span>I filled my plate and joined the others in chowing down. When we were done eating, the boys cleaned up the table while I retrieved the names and numbers of Andy, Mark and Billy's parents so we could make our calls and invite them for tomorrow. While Tom and the other three headed to the theater to start a movie, Mike and I sat by the fireplace to make our calls. I put the phone on speaker so I could hear the whole call, but told Mike it was up to him to do the talking. </span></p> <p><span>"Let's call Billy, first," Mike said. "Even though he was with Andy and Mark, he really never did much and I think he's the nicest."</span></p> <p><span>"Billy, it is." I dialed the number and we waited as the phone rang.</span></p> <p><span>"Hello?" an adult answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, is Billy there?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just a sec."</span></p> <p><span>"Hello," came a timid voice.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Billy, it's Mike, from school."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hi, Mike. I was wonderin' who's callin' for me. What's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Look, I know I'm not, like, your best friend or anything, but I wanted to find out if you wanted to come over tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"Really? After what we done to you? You want me to come over?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I think we could have some fun."</span></p> <p><span>"You askin' Andy and Mark, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"Plannin' to. I wanted to start with you. Figured if you'd want to, they would, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool. What're we gonna' do?"</span></p> <p><span>"We could walk through the woods, watch a movie, play a game, swim, whatever."</span></p> <p><span>"Swim!? It's way too cold for that."</span></p> <p><span>"We got a pool that's covered, Billy, and we swim all the time. It's great. C'mon, it'll be fun."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me ask my mom, hang on." He set the phone down and came back in a minute. "My mom says it'd be okay, but she wants to talk to your mom or dad, first."</span></p> <p><span>"My dad's right here."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi Billy. Put your mom on," I said.</span></p> <p><span>"Who's this," she asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi there, I'm Max Sanders, Mike's dad. How're you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hi Max. I'm Sarah White, Billy's mom. You really want him to come over tomorrow?"</span></p> <p><span>"I assume you know of the problems the boys have had."</span></p> <p><span>"I do, and Billy's been grounded because of his involvement. He knows better than to treat people like that."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear that Sarah. But, I'd like you make an exception in his grounding for a day. It's my hope that if all four boys involved spend some time together, they might become friends. Do you think you'd allow that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think so. Now, Billy said something about swimming, but it seems the wrong time of year for that." I explained about the pool and its heated shelter. "Aha, now it makes perfect sense. But, he's not a very good swimmer."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right, Sarah, if we do swim, I'll be there, too. The boys can't use the pool if I'm not there."</span></p> <p><span>"You have more boys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Four. And I'm sure they'll all be swimming."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like you have your hands full."</span></p> <p><span>"I do, but I'm loving it. Why don't you give me your address and we'll pick up Billy about 1:00 tomorrow? Would that be okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be just fine, Max. And thanks. Billy doesn't have many friends." </span></p> <p><span>I got the address and thanked Sarah. We called Mark next, and then, Andy. Both were surprised at being invited, but accepted after talking to their parents. Everyone would be bringing swim trunks to use and I just hoped I could convince my four to wear theirs.</span></p> <p><span>"See, Mike, that wasn't so hard, was it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess not. I really hope we have fun."</span></p> <p><span>"I do, too. Now, there's something I want you to do for me tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"What, dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"When Mr. Furman talked to Andy, Mark and Billy this morning, he got the impression it might be difficult to get Andy to stop his bad behavior."</span></p> <p><span>"Did he say why?"</span></p> <p><span>"He thinks Andy is being abused at home, but he has no proof to call the authorities. He thinks he might be picking on you because he's being abused."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like you to talk to him and see if you can find out anything, then let me know."</span></p> <p><span>"You bet I will. After what I been through, I don't want anyone I know to go through it."</span></p> <p><span>"I knew you'd help me out. Thanks, buddy. And please, don't tell your brothers. I don't want them riled up about it, okay."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, dad, thanks. It'll be fun."</span></p> <p><span>"Great, now let's go join the others and watch a movie, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Can I get a ride?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, munchkin, come here." I grabbed him under the arms, then lifted and spun him so he could sit on my shoulders. I obviously wasn't thinking about his genitals being mashed into the back of my neck, but he didn't' seem to have a problem with it. When we rejoined the others, I set him down and he hopped in the chair with T.J. while I sat next to Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"How'd that go," he whispered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it took a little convincing, but all three of the little troublemakers will be here tomorrow. I'll go pick them up about 1:00. I'm hoping Steve's concerns about Andy are unwarranted, but we'll find out tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"What are you talking about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, I was gonna' tell you when you got home, but I something distracted me and I forgot. Not that I'm complaining." I filled him in on Andy and his possible situation.</span></p> <p><span>"I hope you're not forgetting what I do for living for the next week. If I suspect anything, I'm obliged to investigate."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I haven't forgotten. In fact, I'm counting on it. I'm hoping you might pick up a hint of something the rest of us might miss."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do what I can. And if I suspect anything, I'll let you know, right after I call Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, it's nice to have some backup."</span></p> <p><span>We settled back to enjoy the rest of the movie and when it was over, I asked if they wanted to watch next Star Wars movie. After boisterous agreement from the boys, we headed to the kitchen to get popcorn and drinks for the show. While we waited for the popping to end, I explained to T.J., Alex and Joey about our visitors for tomorrow afternoon.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, guys, Andy, Billy and Mark are coming over tomorrow after lunch to play with Mike. If Mike wants it to be just the four of them, I expect you to honor that. If he wants all of you all to play together, I expect you to join in. Any problems with that?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's cool, dad," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Next, since they obviously won't know about our dress code out here, I'll expect you all to be wearing shorts and if we swim, you'll wear shorts in the pool, also.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, that sucks," moaned Joey.</span></p> <p><span>"Mouth, son."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, dad, but it does."</span></p> <p><span>I looked to Tom for some support. What I got was, "Don't look at me, he's right, it does."</span></p> <p><span>"Fat lot of help you are." He just shrugged his shoulders. I looked back to the boys and continued, "Look, it's going to be their first visit here and I don't want them freaking out and telling their parents we're all a bunch of sickos."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, dad, we'll be good," Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you. Now, let's go watch a movie."</span></p> <p><span>We headed back to the theater and I started the movie. T.J. and Mike were sitting together and the twins were sharing another chair. Before I sat, I remembered I needed to call Lee and let Tom know I'd be back shortly. </span></p> <p><span>I headed back to the kitchen and got on the phone.</span></p> <p><span>Lee's husband, Carl, answered the phone, "Joe's bar and Grill, what's your pleasure?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Carl, how ya' doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"Great, Max, how about yourself? You surviving the week as a new dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Barely. These guys are keeping me on the run, but we're all still kicking, so there's that."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it. I thought Lee had dipped into the good shit when she told me you were adopting four boys. Never imagined that happening."</span></p> <p><span>"Ha, neither did I, Carl. Maybe we both snuck into your stash."</span></p> <p><span>"Sh-h-h-h, careful what you say, Max, you never know who's listening."</span></p> <p><span>"Mum's the word. Hey, is Lee there? I need to run a couple things past her."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, hang on just a sec." I heard him call Lee to the phone and he came back, "She'll be right here, Max. Good talkin' to ya'. Hope to see you and meet my nephews, soon."</span></p> <p><span>"Anytime, Carl."</span></p> <p><span>"Here's Lee. Talk to you later."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Max, what's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Got two things for you. First, I need to find out if you'd be available to stay with Mike the afternoon of March 12^th. The rest of us are going to be involved in something that Mike doesn't want to go to."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I could probably do that. I have some time I can take from work for an afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great. I don't know who else I could call to do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if it turns out I can't, maybe Carl would do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Either one of you will be great, Lee. Thanks. That's one down, now for the second thing. The reason I need someone to stay with Mike is the rest of us are going to be involved in a workshop at the school that afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that all about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, there was some excitement at the school this week and now the board president has asked me to be involved in a workshop with the school's staff to discuss the issues faced by gay people in general and, more importantly, the problems gay youth face while growing up. Coming to terms with who they are and the risks of suicide related to that."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like a great thing to be involved with, Max, but, are you sure you all are ready for that level of exposure?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, but this sounds way too important to ignore."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't get me wrong, it's super important. Suicide among gay youth is on the rise. What's your involvement supposed to be?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I think our main purpose of being involved is to let the school staff know of the issues and problems gay youth face that they are most likely unaware of and may not understand. As Steve said, despite the smallish size of the school, my four boys can't be the only gay students in the school and he's hoping bringing the subject out in the open will help. Tom's boss Dylan is going to be there to provide a law enforcement point-of-view and I thought maybe ICASA might want to get involved, also. I know this isn't normally the type of thing your office deals with, but you might be able to provide some important insights into other issues."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure we can. Let me talk to Allison about it tomorrow and see what she says. I can't imagine her not wanting to help out, but we'll see."</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be great, Lee. Thanks for not telling me to take a hike. And thanks for staying with Mike that afternoon. Maybe we can all have supper afterward."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure Carl would like that. I know I would, too. We can talk more between now and the 12^th to come up with a real plan."</span></p> <p><span>"Great, sis, I knew I could count on you. You two have a great night. Talk to you later." We ended our call and I headed to the theater to rejoin my family for the rest of the movie. I sat next to Tom and took his hand in mine. When the movie finally ended, we discovered we had four snoozing boys again. We got Joey and Alex in bed first, then took care of T.J. and Mike. Once they were all safely tucked in their beds and snoozing, Tom and I headed to bed, also.</span></p> <p><span>"You ready for sleep?" Tom asked. I shook my head, grinning madly. "Good, I'm not ready for sleep, either. What's on your mind tonight, lover?"</span></p> <p><span>"I want to see what else was hidden in that little box you snuck in the house."</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-80.html

Building a Family Chapter 80 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2019 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 80 � Welcome Home, Farm-Boy After ending my chat with Max and dropping the phone on the bed, I continued to lay there for a couple of minutes, just pondering the content of the astounding wake-up call I'd just received. I was ecstatic at hearing Logan was safe and sound at home. I also marveled at his ingenuity and cunning in getting from Dexter all the way back there, and most especially his good fortune at doing so in one piece. I was trying to figure out how he'd managed to slip away from Troy's when Dylan had been watching the front of the house and I'd been keeping eyes on the back, but I was no closer to solving that riddle than I had been when I crawled into bed just a few short hours ago. Without realizing the effects my mental gymnastics were having on me, I was surprised to feel the bed shift and Dylan's hand grasp my shoulder. "You okay, boss? That wasn't the locals on the phone with bad news, was it?" I jerked at the touch and finally opened my eyes to find Dylan glaring down at me with serious concern. "What?" I croaked. "No, man, I'm great," I lied. "Ya sure coulda fooled me, what with your whimperin' and all over here." "Really, I'm happier than hell right now. Logan's back home with Max," I blubbered. "How the fuck did he do that!?" Dylan asked in surprise. "Not a freakin' clue. Can't say I really care how he accomplished it, just glad he did." "Jesus, I'm gonna bust his butt for makin' us worry like we have." "Get in line, man. Right now, we need to call the locals, let them know Logan's been found safe and they can call off their search. Then we need to pack our shit and hit the road." "Hit the road!? It's half past two in the blessed AM!" Dylan howled in protest. "Yeah, I'm well aware of that, but Max wants me back home asap so we can get busy with protectin' Logan first thing in the mornin'." "I s'pose he's got a point there," Dylan acquiesced. "You call the cop shop and I'll start gettin' our shit put together." We both got movin' and after I ended my call with Captain McCord of the Dexter police department, we tossed our things in the trunk, climbed in the Hellcat and aimed ourselves towards Interstate 55 and points north. When we reached Sikeston, I felt my stomach grumble and suggested we find food before too much time passed. Dylan agreed with me wholeheartedly and our search began. Of course, locating a place that was open in the middle of the night in this part of the state was impossible. We finally found an open Flying J truck stop at Pevely, about two and half hours from Dexter. Of course, with Dylan at the wheel, it didn't' take near that long to reach our stop. By the time we'd parked in the lot, we were both in desperate need of a caffeine kick and some serious food intake. As we dug into our very early breakfast, Dylan said, "So, you've been pretty damn quiet since we left Dexter. Tell me, what all McCord had to say?" "First, he was glad to hear Logan's safe, though he's stumped as hell on how he got away without bein' spotted by somebody. Second, he's pretty sure there will be some charges against him for his attack on Troy. He can't say what they'll be at the moment since they're still investigating what happened. It'll all depend on the evidence they find." "Well, that sucks," Dylan lamented. "Yeah, it does, but ya gotta admit, castratin' the son-of-a-bitch is a touch extreme. I'm not sayin' he didn't deserve it, mind you, just that it might be a bit over the top." "Sounds like our Logan, though, doesn't it?" Dylan mused. "That it does. I still can't figure out how the hell the little brat got back home. He obviously got help from somebody, or even several different somebodies, but who'd be crazy enough to take a kid Logan's age across state lines? That's grounds for kidnapping charges." "Well, yeah, it is. Providing, of course, someone wants to press those charges. Whoever it was, though, they deserve a medal for makin' it happen," Dylan retorted. "If they don't spend the next twenty years in prison, I'll see they get one," I laughed. "Um, you aren't gonna really bust his butt are ya'?" Dylan queried quietly. "Not a chance. I am tempted to get a harness and leash for him, though," I chuckled. Dylan laughed heartily at my joke before adding, "Ooh, wait, what about one of those invisible fences and a shock collar? You know, he gets too close and zzzt, zzzt, he gets zapped." "Wait, I got one even better," I laughed. "He's a farm kid, right? We'll just put a hot wire around the property. That might keep the little bugger corralled." We were both laughing our asses off and attracting attention from the few other diners in the restaurant. After the useless week we'd had with no laughs to speak of to break the monotony or stress, it felt really good to enjoy some humor for once. Of course, we both knew our ideas would never see the light of day, but we were still giggling about them as I paid our bill. With that done, Dylan pulled up to the gas pumps to top off the tank before we hit the road one more time. Next stop, home. My alarm went off bright and early Friday morning and I forced my tired ass out of bed. I was halfway through allowing my bladder to drain when I suddenly remembered Logan was back home and in bed with the twins. Once I flushed the toilet, I washed my face and hands to help myself wake up, then headed across the house. Though I knew Ron would be waking the boys soon, I wanted to be there and see their faces when Joey and Alex realized who was in bed with them. I quietly opened the door, stepped into their bedroom and found the three rascals twisted in their trademark pretzel, as usual. I moved closer to the bed and gently pushed the hair out of Logan's eyes before shaking his shoulder to wake him up. His eyes fluttered open and he stared at me for a moment before comprehension set in. "I'm really home, ain't I, Dad?" he quietly asked. "Yep, you sure are, buddy," I agreed with a wide grin. "Thank god," he sighed with relief. "I was dreamin' it was all just some cruel nightmare and I was gonna wake up in that shitty basement again." "No basement here, Logan, so you're safe on that account. You wanna wake up the twins and let `em know you're back home?" "You bet," he replied with an evil smirk. He carefully untangled himself from the other two to avoid waking them up before he was ready for it, then started tapping lightly on their foreheads, slowly increasing the force and frequency of the fingertips prodding their brains to life. "C'mon ya turds!" Logan fairly yelled. "Time to wakey, wakey!" Alex was the first to react to the incessant pecking when he slapped the annoying hand away from his face and grunted, "Cut it out, buttwipe, I'm tryin' to get some sleep here," before rolling away in a weak attempt to avoid the continued thrumming on his cranium. That reaction only served to increase the pressure of the finger driving into his skull. Joey finally responded to the human woodpecker by muttering, "Stab me in the head one more time, ya hillbilly, and I'm gonna kick your skinny little farm-boy ass up `tween your ears." On that comment, the twins opened their eyes wide with surprise as full comprehension finally dawned on them. To say absolute bedlam ensued would be the understatement of the year. "Logan, you're back!" Alex screamed. "How the hell'd you get here!?" Joey yelled. "Yep, and I hitched," Logan grinned madly just before the two mugged him. While the three rolled around on the bed in sheer giddiness, I moved on to wake the other three munchkins so they could join in the celebration. I nudged T.J. first and after waking up, the first question out of his mouth was, "What the hell those two lunatics yellin' `bout down there?" "Why don't you go find out for yourself?" I asked with a hint of mystery. "What about Mike and Andy?" "I'll get them moving, don't worry. Now, scoot." That was all it took, and T.J. darted from the room to find the reason for the ruckus at the other end of the hallway. Not five seconds later, I could hear his cheer of joy join the others. I quickly woke Mike and Andy and since neither was willing to move on their own accord, I scooped them into my arms and carried them to join the fray. Needless to say, once they saw Logan being smothered by the other three, they leapt from my arms and squirmed their way amidst the melee. By the time I left the room again, all six were jumping on the bed, arms tightly wrapped around each other's shoulders. I realized much later than I needed to that I should have borrowed Tom's ear protectors before I woke up the little rascals. As I stepped into the hallway, I bumped into Ron heading into the room and he asked, "What the devil's goin' on in there?" "Look for yourself, Ron," I replied with a laugh as I headed for the kitchen. He'd barely stepped into the room when I heard `Skinny!' emanate from within and Ron yelled `Farm boy!' right back at the rugrat. I continued my trek across the house, laughing all the way, and was soon brewing the coffee I knew I was going to need to keep me going today. As I waited for the incessant dripping to end, the drive sensor let me know somebody was coming in. I hustled to the front door and watched out the window until an ominous looking black car rolled smoothly to stop at the base of the steps leading to the front porch. Not recognizing the car and unable to see inside due to the heavily tinted windows, I'd just decided I needed to find some shorts when the passenger door popped open and Tom stepped out of the gleaming machine. I threw the door open and yelled, "Get your ass in here! You're missin' it!" "Missin' what?" Tom grunted as he mounted the steps to the porch and Dylan climbed from the car. "The party in Joey, Alex and Logan's room," I grinned. "Let `em party without me," he grumbled as I pulled him into a hug. "You okay, hon? You don't seem too happy," I added as we separated. "We just spent four hours on the freakin' road in the middle of the goddam night thanks to some little brat who apparently doesn't know how to use a phone anymore," Tom grumbled. "And that was after gettin only `bout two hours of sleep. Forgive me for not bein' too thrilled right now," he deadpanned. "I'm sorry, hon. I'm glad you're back home, though." Dylan had joined us on the porch and I greeted him with, "Mornin', Dylan. How was the trip?" "Long and boring as hell. We're both glad it's over." "C'mon in. Join us for a cup of coffee?" I offered. "Don't mind if I do," he agreed. "God knows we could use an infusion of caffeine." I led Dylan towards the kitchen and a mug of hot java while Tom headed down the hall and into the room filled with the sounds of abundant joy from six still squealing boys. Ron was leaving the noisy crew and he gave Tom a quick hug to welcome him back home before joining Dylan and me in the kitchen. "Pops! You're back," I yelled when he came in our bedroom. I left my bothers jumping on the bed as I hopped into Pops' widespread arms. I'd never felt safer in my whole life than when he wrapped those arms around me and held me so tightly I could barely breathe. "Yeah, I am. You mind tellin' me why the hell you didn't call to let us know where you were? We were worried sick about you," Pops grunted with displeasure. "The battery on the phone Dad gave me died and I didn't have no way to charge it back up." "You ever hear of a pay phone, ya rugrat?" "Yeah, right," I snorted. "You ever try to find one of those things these days, Pops? They don't exist no more," I giggled. "No, I guess not, what with everyone havin' cell phones." Pops lowered his voice and whispered in my ear, "I'm really glad you're back where you belong, kiddo. We've missed you." "Not no more than I missed you guys," I whispered back. Pops finally set me back down on the floor and with a very serious tone of voice, said, "We're gonna have to talk about what you did to your uncle and the disappearing act you pulled, young man." "Yeah, I know," I replied glumly. "But that bastard deserved it." "I'm not sayin' he didn't, but I'm pretty sure the cops in Dexter will want to talk to you to get your side of the story." "Be s'prised if they didn't," I giggled. "But that's okay, we can just send `em the videos I recorded all week. That should be plenty to prove ol' Uncle Dirtbag got `zactly what he deserved." "We'll see, I guess. Why don't you give me the phone so we can get it charged back up and see what you recorded?" "You bet, one sec." I grabbed my bag off the floor where I'd dropped it last night, then dug through the dirty clothes to pull out the phone and charger. Handing it to Pops, I said, "Here ya go." "Thanks, buddy. See y'all soon for breakfast." On that note, Pops left and I rejoined my five brothers and the trampoline party still taking place in the middle of our bed. "Here's Logan's phone," Tom said as he joined Ron, Dylan and me in the kitchen. "He says it needs charged." "Then let's get it plugged in," I offered. "I'd like to see what he's got." I took care of that small task and then turned back to Tom and asked, "Coffee, hon?" "I thought you'd never ask. Better make it a double." After filling an extra-large mug with Tom's steaming wakeup shot, I handed it to him and he took his first sip before claiming a stool at the bar counter. "So, you hear anything from the Dexter cops?" he asked. "Not a peep," I answered. "You think we're going to?" "No doubt about it. I woke up Captain McCord when I called him this morning to let him know Logan had been located and was safe. He flat told me the kid was lookin' at charges of some type for castratin' Troy." "I figured as much. I'll call Clarence as soon as I can and get him prepared to represent Logan going forward. Then, let's see what Logan recorded on the phone this week and we can send it all to this McCord guy, see what he thinks after he's seen that." "That works for me," Tom agreed. He then turned to Ron and asked, "What's for breakfast?" "How do pancakes or waffles sound to ya?" "Waffles sound great, bud. Better get crackin' so the boys can have some before they have to catch the bus." "What're you talkin' about, Tom?" I asked. "There's no school today, or next week for that matter." "Why the hell not?" the confused man queried. "Well, today's Good Friday, Sunday is Easter and next week is spring break. Have you forgotten all that?" "Obviously so," Tom replied. "I've been so worried about Logan and what might happen with Troy that it completely slipped my mind. Probably a good thing there's no school today `cause I'm sure the kiddos wouldn't want to go, not with Logan bein' back home." "Probably not." I turned to Dylan and asked, "So, you stayin' for breakfast?" "You bet, waffles sound great." "Sounds like I better get busy, then," Ron chuckled. Dylan, Tom and I leaned back on our barstools as Ron got busy whipping up our breakfast. Just as Ron was pouring sugar into the pan to start making the syrup, the herd rounded the corner from the dining room and Logan called out, "Yo, Skinny, what's for breakfast?" amid much laughter from all the boys. "Waffles, Farm-Boy, that okay with you?" Ron retorted. "I s'pose," Logan answered with a pout. "Since all I've had to eat since Sunday are cold five-year-old beans and corn, I was really hopin' for that steak an' eggs we asked for your first day here. But if waffles is the best you can do, guess I'll just have to live with it." "Come here, dude," Ron said as he knelt to Logan's level. When Logan was standing in front of Ron, he placed his hands on Logan's shoulders and said, "I'm glad you're back, munchkin, and if I'd known you were gonna be here for breakfast this morning, I'd have planned better. Tell you what, if you can stomach my waffles today, I'll make up for it tomorrow morning. Deal, buddy?" "Deal, Skinny, but I'm gonna hold ya to that." "I'll make sure I get everything I need when I go shopping this afternoon," Ron replied with a smile. "Now, get your skinny little butt outta my kitchen so I can get back to work." "Ya ain't gotta tell me twice," Logan laughed before turning to the other five and saying, "C'mon, let's go watch some TV while whatshisname whips up our breakfast." On that final note, the sensational six-pack disappeared into the theater. After they were gone, I turned to Tom and Dylan and said, "Okay, what all did you find out about Troy while you were gone?" "Damn little," Dylan grunted. "You're kiddin' me?" I asked in surprise. "I wish we were," Tom agreed. "Surprisingly, he doesn't have a police record, so Arlene apparently never called the cops on `im for abusin' her or their sons." "And despite hearing numerous wild tales of his alleged illegal exploits in the surrounding area, nothin' ever stuck to him. The man must be coated in Teflon," Dylan chuckled. "Well, that sucks," I groaned in defeat. "How are we gonna prove to a judge anywhere that he shouldn't be responsible for and raise Logan?" "Can't answer that at the moment, babe," Tom answered. "Let's see what he recorded on the phone and then decide the next step." "Yeah, I guess," I muttered flatly. "So, while it's just the four of us, you wanna shed some light on how the little stinker managed to get here last night?" Tom asked. "Oh yeah, that," I chuckled. Despite a few holes in the overall story, I relayed the information Larry and Wendy had shared with me this morning after I put Logan to bed. Those details covered most everything from the time some guy named Henry picked Logan up on the east side of Dexter to arriving back home. We still wanted to find out what had happened between the time Logan escaped from Troy's house and Henry, whoever the hell he was, had picked him up. "Jesus," Tom breathed. "You said the little bugger was resourceful, you weren't kiddin', were you?" "Nope. Larry and Wendy both said he poured on the charm at Lambert's and suckered them right in. Then, when he fessed up to the whole truth at the rest stop, they knew they were doing the right thing bringing him here." "Well, he sure got lucky with them," Dylan commented. "Yeah, he did," I agreed. "So, what are you going to do about his legal problems," Ron asked while starting another waffle and adding the one that just finished baking to the others already in the oven to keep them warm. "Logan's going to have to hire an attorney to represent him," I replied. "I'll call Clarence and take care of that right after we eat." "Speakin' of eatin', you wanna get the little rascals back out here?" Ron asked. "I think I've got enough waffles done we can get started." A quick page over the phone was all it took for the herd to rumble back into the kitchen and get busy with setting the table and pouring milk and orange juice for everyone. With the preparations completed, we took our places at the table and dug in, Ron keeping a steady supply of fresh waffles going. During the meal, Logan told us about everything that had happened in Dexter. To hear the lengths Troy went to in order to get his greedy hands on Logan's inheritance only served to further anger all of us. By the time Logan was done telling his story, we all agreed Troy fully deserved the punishment meted out by Logan. With the tale of horror completed, I changed subjects when I asked, "So, T.J., now that Logan's back home, what are you thinking about doing for your birthday next week?" "Oh, geez, I'd forgotten all `bout that," T.J. muttered. "But, hey, since we're out of school all next week, could we have the party on Wednesday `stead of Saturday?" "I don't see why not. Get us a list of the friends you want to invite and we'll take care of it. What do you want to have for lunch?" "Burgers and dogs'd be cool. Everyone likes them and they can pick what they want." "Consider it done. I'll call Justine and have them ready to go. Do you want to eat or swim first?" "We should probably swim, then eat," T.J. replied. "That way we don't have to wait after eatin' to get in the pool." "So, start the swim about noon and eat around two or so? And will the swimming be skinny-dipping?" "Well, duh!!" T.J. laughed. " `Course it will. Ain't none of us six gonna wear a stitch all day. And if my friends don't want to strip off, they don't hafta." "That's fine, buddy. I just want to be able to tell your guests' parents what to expect so there aren't any surprises that day." "That's cool, Dad. Ain't none of us got nothin' we ain't all seen before, anyway." "What do you mean by that? You haven't been doing things you shouldn't be at school again, have you?" "No way, man! I learned my lesson `bout that. But when all you got in the john is an eight-foot-long trough to pee in, ya can't help but see who's packin' what, can ya? Not that any of us are really packin, yet," he added with a giggle. "Glad to hear you're behavin', T.J." Tom intoned seriously. "Don't worry, Pops, I'm bein' good." With our meal completed, the cleanup began as the boys took care of their part and Ron handled the rest. Tom and Dylan adjourned to their office to take care of what needed to be done there and the boys had decided to return to the theater to watch some TV. As they turned to disappear down the hallway, I tapped Logan on the shoulder to get his attention. He turned around and asked, "Yeah, what's up, Dad?" "We need to make a phone call, Logan. Come with me." I led the way to my study and after closing the door, I settled in my chair at the desk and Logan climbed in my lap. "Who we talkin' to?" he asked. "You remember talkin' to my lawyer, Clarence, about changing your dad's will to have John removed as the executor and your trustee?" "Yeah, `course I do. That was only a little over a week ago. Why do I need to talk him again?" "Well, according to Pops, you're probably going to have deal with some legal issues in Missouri for what you did to Troy and you're going to need a lawyer to represent you. I think Clarence will take good care of you, but if you'd rather have someone else do it, we can do that, too." "He takes good care o' you, don't he?" "He certainly does." "Well, if he's good enough for you, then he's plenty good for me. Let's get this over with." I put the phone on speaker and dialed the number. Since it was still a bit early for his regular office hours, Clarence answered the phone with, "Cantrell Law Offices, what is it this time Max?" "Ya gotta love caller ID, don't ya?" I asked with a chuckle. "Yeah, when I saw who was callin', I almost let it roll over to voicemail," Clarence laughed. "But you wouldn't be callin' me this time of day unless it was important." "You're right about that. I have a new client for you." "Yeah, who? Somebody with deep pockets, I hope." "Deep enough, I guess. Do you remember talking to Logan Campbell about his dad's will?" "Sure thing. Still waitin' to hear from court on the change we requested, though. I hope that's not what you're callin' about." "Unfortunately, no. Before we go any further, are you licensed to practice in Missouri?" "Sure am. I have a few clients from the St. Louis area that have business interests in Illinois, too, so I took care of that issue years ago to handle their work in both states." "Good," I replied. "Logan, I think I'll let you take it from there." "Wait a sec," Clarence interrupted. "I thought Logan was supposed to be in Missouri with his aunt and uncle. What the heck is he doing back here?" "He was until yesterday afternoon," I answered. "He, uh, escaped and made his way here. Showed up here about two this morning." "Well, this sounds like it's gonna be a juicy story and I can't wait to hear it. Go on, young man." "What am I supposed to say?" Logan asked. "Just tell Clarence you want to retain him as your attorney and then answer all of his questions." "Yeah, okay," he muttered. He then turned towards the phone and said, "Howdy, Mr. Cantrell. You `member talkin' to me?" "I do, what's going on, Logan?" "Well, I'm gonna need a lawyer to keep my butt outta jail and I want you to be him." "I can do that," Clarence replied, "but why do you think you need a lawyer?" "Well, I went home with my uncle Troy Sunday just like I was s'posed to and when we got there, he locked me in their garbage dump of a basement. He spent part of the next three days tryin' to make me get my money for him `cause he's `bout to lose his orchard. Then, when he came down to the basement yesterday to try again, he threatened to kill me if I didn't do what he wanted, then he punched me in the face. So, after I picked myself back up off the floor, I kicked `im in the balls and got the hell outta there." "So, why do you need me?" Clarence asked in confusion. "Sounds like you acted in self-defense to me." "That's not the whole story, Clarence. Go on, Logan, tell him the rest of it," I prodded. "Yeah, okay, Max. Um, before I took off, I, uh, gelded the bastard, Mr. Cantrell. Oh, and I also stole fifty bucks from him so I could get back home." "'Scuse me!? You what!?" "I stole fifty bucks," Logan reiterated. "No, the part before that," Clarence clarified. "Oh, yeah, I gelded him, just like the dirty pig deserved." "Would mind explaining to me exactly what happened? I want to make sure I fully understand what you're saying." "Well, you know how sometimes you have an aggressive and cantankerous critter on a farm? When you get one like that, sometimes cuttin' their nuts off will calm them down a little bit and make `em easier to handle. Daddy always told me that the loss of testosterone can change an animal's temperament. So, that's what I did to that animal of an uncle, I cut his nuts off." "Holy crap!" the surprised lawyer exclaimed. "And you want me to defend this kid, Max?" "We do. We knew Troy was going to be trouble from the moment we first met him and his actions towards Logan are the proof in the pudding." "Do we have any evidence of Logan's accusations to back up his story." "You bet I do, Mr. Cantrell. I recorded that lowlife all week on the phone Max gave me." "Have you seen the videos, Max?" "Not yet. The phone's battery died and it's being recharged right now. We plan to see what's there as soon as we can. Then, we intend to send them to a Captain McCord of the Dexter, Missouri police department." "Don't you dare do that," Clarence commanded. "Those recordings are evidence for the defense in a criminal case and the police and prosecutors will get them only after they request them through discovery." "So, you'll take Logan as a client?" I asked. "Of course, I will. As soon as that phone is done recharging, I want you to send me whatever Logan recorded. Once I've seen what's there, I'll handle everything with the cops in Missouri. And should this Captain McCord contact you in an attempt to talk to Logan, you tell him the young man has an attorney and any conversations with Logan will have to go through me." "Are you sure that's the best way to handle this, Clarence? It seems to me that playing hardball with those guys will only piss them off even more. I don't want to antagonize them any more than necessary." "Don't worry, Max. This is just the way the game is played. We let Troy shovel his bs story down their throats, get them all hot and bothered to prosecute a kid, and then we drop a bomb in their laps that blows Troy's story completely out of the water. Sure, castrating his uncle is certain to be considered a felony and I'm sure there will be some punishment to Logan for doing that, but once they see he was justified in his retaliation, the punishment will be minor, most likely community service and a fine. Maybe some probation, too, but as long as he keeps his nose clean, he'll end up with no record to worry about." "Well, it sounds like you know what you're doing, so I'm gonna step back and let you take care of it. You just let me know when and where we need to be for anything, and I'll make sure we're there. And if we need to go to Dexter for interviews or court, I'll fly us down on my plane." "That works for me, Max. Sound good to you, Logan?" "Long as I ain't gotta go to jail, I'm good," Logan agreed. "Good. Now, can I talk to Max alone?" Clarence asked. "You bet. Thanks for helpin' me out, Mr. Cantrell. Talk to you later." With that, Logan jumped off my lap and scampered off to join the other boys in the theater. "Okay, he's gone, Clarence. What didn't you want him to hear?" "Well, I'm guessing if what Logan recorded on the phone matches with his description of the events, him living with his uncle until he's an adult is out the window. What do you want to do about his living situation if this all shakes out the way I think it will?" "Why do you even ask such silly questions? To steal one of the boys' phrases, that's like askin' a cop if he likes donuts," I laughed. "I expected as much," Clarence replied and joined me in the laugh. "I'll draft a motion this morning requesting you be allowed to adopt Logan and have it on Judge Corgan's desk this afternoon." "It's like you were readin' my mind." "Not too difficult to read through that pile of moldy swiss cheese in your skull, Max," Clarence chuckled. "With luck, we can have everything approved and ready to roll for the seventeenth of next month, along with all the others." "You pull off that miracle, I'll kiss you on my wedding day instead of Tom." "You're a good man, Max, but you do that, and we'll have both Tom and Sarah gunnin' for us. Save your kisses for your husband and I'll save mine for my wife." "Deal, shyster. Don't forget to bill me for everything." "You can be sure of it, Max. I'll call you after I've seen the videos and let you know what I think." "Thanks for all your help, Clarence. Have a great day." I ended the call and enjoyed a smile as I leaned back in my chair. While it was never my intention for us to adopt Logan when he first moved in, I was more than happy to do so. All of us loved the cheeky little bugger and after being here for the past month, it seemed to be the natural solution to his problem. At least he'd never have to worry about Troy again. I finally decided I needed to let Tom know what I just signed us up for and left the study to do just that. When I reached their office, Tom was ending a phone call with, "Thanks for calling, Carol. I'll pass the word along. Talk to you later." "What'd Carol call about?" I queried. "Before I answer that, where's the boys?" Tom answered. "In the theater turning their brains into mush." "Good," Tom grinned. "I don't want them to know about this until it proves to be true." "God, you're killin' me, just spit it out." "She thinks she's found William." "You're kiddin' me," I replied with enthusiasm. "How the hell'd she pull that off?" "Seems he's still in their system since he's never been adopted. Turns out the kid has had a pretty rough go of things and is now residing in a juvenile correctional center in Normal." "What'd he do to end up there?" "From what Carol's been able to discover so far, he's been picked up several times for shoplifting, vandalizing the school and some other petty issues. Since the foster parents he was living with didn't seem too concerned about his actions or inclined to do much to help, he was removed from their home and put in detention about a year ago." "Well, that sucks," I muttered. "Any idea how old he is?" "According to Carol's info, he's fifteen going on twenty-five. The caseworker who's been dealing with him says he's a cocky little bastard who needs to learn his limits. I'd like to meet the kid and see if there's anything we can do to help him out." "Uh, you may want to rethink that idea when I tell you about the call I just finished." "Oh shit, now what?" Dylan chuckled. "Logan and I just talked to Clarence and he's agreed to represent Logan against whatever comes out of Dexter. He's also going to draft a motion for us to adopt the rugrat and present it to Judge Corgan this afternoon." "No shit?" a stunned Tom muttered. "No shit, Sherlock. It'll all depend on the outcome of his legal issues with Troy, but Clarence believes that shouldn't be anything major. What it does do, though, is eliminate any possibility of Logan staying with them until he's of legal age. And with his mom and dad both gone, where else is he gonna go?" "The seventeenth just keeps get busier and busier, doesn't it, guys," Dylan asked with a grin. "Yep, the more the merrier. We're definitely gonna have to get moving on the new house. Now that you're back home, I'll call Ryan and set up a new meeting to go over the plans he's come up with. He wanted to do it earlier this week, but I put him off until you were here to see it too, hon." "Go call him right now. If he can meet tonight, let's make it happen." "I will. Why don't you call Carol and see what hoops we have to jump through to meet William?" "Consider it done, babe." I returned to my study to make my call while Tom took care of his. I received Ryan's agreement to come out this evening to review the latest plans and he asked if Eric would be here also so he could see what they'd done with the plans he'd created. After assuring Ryan I'd make sure he would join us, we ended our conversation. I was just about to head back across the house to let Tom know about our 5:30 meeting when there was a light rap on the door. "C'mon in," I called out. The door popped open and Logan stepped inside, quietly asking, "Hey, ya got a minute?" "Always, kiddo. What's up?" Logan walked across the office and stood next to my chair before asking in a trembling voice, "I almost hate to ask this, Dad, but do you know what's gonna happen to me?" "What do you mean, Logan?" I asked, unsure of where he was going with his question. "Well, I obviously can't live with Uncle Dirtbag no more, not that I ever wanted to in the first place. And I ain't got no other family I know `bout, so where'm I gonna live now?" Not wanting to tell Logan about what Clarence was doing today, I answered with, "Well, I'm not real sure. I guess we need to talk to Carol and see what she thinks." "Why can't I just stay here with you guys?" he begged. "Gee, I don't know how well that would work out," I joked. "You've been nothin' but trouble since the moment you stepped foot in this house. Not sure we want to take that risk." "Oh, c'mon, man. I ain't been that bad. Have I??" Logan asked seriously. "No, you really haven't been any trouble at all. But until I have a chance to talk to Carol, I can't really answer your question." "Well, call her now." "I tried to do that when I finished with Clarence, but she's not in the office today," I fibbed. "We'll have to wait for her to call back on Monday to see what she thinks." "I hope she thinks it'd be cool for me to stay. I love it here." "I'm glad to hear it, Logan. We like you bein' here, too. What are your brothers doing?" "They were goin' to our room to play." "What, Uno, Mousetrap, or something else?" "Uh, something else, Dad," Logan giggled while absentmindedly stroking himself as young boys will often do. "And I better boogie or I'm gonna miss all the fun. Talk to you later," he added as he scooted out the door after giving me a hug. God, to be so young and innocent again. I'd almost give up everything to have a chance at a mulligan with my life. But then if got it, I probably wouldn't be where I am today, about to be married and adopting five, no, make that six boys. And I wouldn't trade any of that for all the money in the world. Before heading across the house to let Tom know of our meeting this evening, I placed one more quick call to Rick, receiving his assurances that his crew would be here so Eric could sit in our meeting with Ryan and they could possibly discuss plans for their new house on the ranch. That done, I started my trek across the house but as I was leaving my study, I met Ron coming out of our bedroom with an armful of dirty clothes. "Laundry day, I see," I commented. "Yep," he replied as he fell into step beside me. "Uh, do yourself a favor and bypass Joey, Alex and Logan's room for a while," I suggested. "Why? They got dirty clothes that need to be washed, too." "That may be, but it's my understanding all six are in there right now making up for some lost playtime the past couple of weeks. Don't want you to feel awkward about interrupting them." "Pshh, won't be the first time I've caught them horny little buggers enjoying themselves. Pretty damn sure it won't be the last, either," Ron added with a laugh. "No, probably not," I agreed. "Just wanted to give you a heads up." "Bet if I go in there, I get more than just one head up." "Uh, I'm not takin' that bet, Ron. Don't say you weren't warned," I added as I turned into Tom's office and Ron continued down the hall to the utility room. "Okay, Ryan's going to be here about five-thirty to review the latest plans. He's also bringing plans based off the two drawings Eric gave him, so I've called Rick and he along with Eric and Josh will be here, too." "Sounds good to me," Tom replied. "I hope he's close to bein' done with them `cause I know John's eager to get started." "We'll see soon enough, I guess," I commented. "I didn't ask Ryan if John should be here, too. Do you think I should call him?" "You can if you want, I suppose. Not sure how much he'd have to add to our meeting, though." "I guess you have a point there. The only thing we need to do before he can get started on construction is pick a site." "Well, I haven't seen enough of the property to have a clue," Tom replied. "I'm gonna have to go with wherever you decide." "Tell you what, go to Google maps and we can see a satellite view of the whole eighteen acres. Once we pick a spot, we can get Justin started on the process of clearing trees for the drive and house." Tom opened his browser and headed to the site. The map view was centered on Berlin already and after changing the view to the satellite pictures, it was easy to see where the existing drive, house and storage building were located on the property. Tom zoomed in the view until our property filled the screen. You could easily see the two acres at the northwest corner that had been sold off before I bought the rest, or we'd have an even twenty acres. Near the northeast corner, the tiny clearing for the cemetery was just barely visible. Since I wanted to stay as far away from the cemetery as possible, I suggested we extend the driveway past the current turn to the house and add a new turn to the north about 250 to 300 feet deeper into the trees so the new house would be east of the storage building. "Yeah, that spot looks good to me," Tom agreed. "But it's hard to tell from this view since it's covered in trees." "Well, yeah, that's kinda the point, numbskull," I joked. "Completely hidden from outside view, just like this house is. Would you rather have the house right up by the road?" "Not if it's gonna have as much glass as this one does. We'd have gawkers drivin' by 24/7 just to catch a glimpse of the naked freaks at home." "My point, exactly. And from this spot east of the storage building, it would be pretty easy to have a new trail cut through the trees to tie into the drive there. That would make going to and from this house to the new one super easy, especially if we get some golf carts." "Golf carts!?" Dylan laughed. "Have you lost your freakin' mind, Max? Those boys will have one wrapped around a tree in a heartbeat." "The boys, hell," Tom scoffed. "I've ridden with you, partner, and if I hadn't had my eyes closed for most of the trip, you'd be deaf right now from all the screamin'," he added with a hearty laugh. "Hey, I got us here in one piece, so quitcher bitchin'," Dylan retorted. "Boys," I interjected, "play nice or I'll have to separate you." After the two had quieted, I returned to the topic at hand. "So, you think this location's gonna be okay?" I asked while pointing to the spot on the screen. "I don't see why not," Tom agreed. "Where do you think Rick's house should be?" "I think north of the storage building. That gives us a little bit of separation, but still close enough Rick could be here in a hurry if he's needed. "Isn't that gonna put them pretty close to the cemetery?" Dylan queried. "Not if we go to a spot centered between this house and the storage building, then straight north close to the property line, say right about here," I replied while pointing to the screen again. "We can check that spot with Rick tonight and see what he thinks. Why don't you print that view to the inkjet, Tom? Then we can show it to Ryan and Rick and see what they think of those locations." After the picture was spooled to the print queue, Tom asked, "Are there any hills or anything to contend with at either location that would make building a house difficult?" "Pretty sure there aren't," I answered. "As I remember from getting the trails cut, the whole property is pretty flat, so building at either location shouldn't present any problems. Except for clearing out the trees and stumps, of course." "Good. It'll be interesting to see what everyone thinks tonight." "I want to ask about your phone call but hang on a sec." I stepped to the office doorway and stuck my head out. Seeing that the twins' bedroom door was still closed, I assumed the boys were still keeping themselves entertained, so I turned back to Tom and asked, "What did Carol have to say about meeting with William?" "She said it wouldn't be a problem. She can arrange for him to get a weekend out so he could come down, meet everyone and see what happens. Her only concern, really, is where he would sleep while he was here. She knows about Logan being back and that we already have three boys each in two beds and the third is taken by Ron. I think she's a little uncomfortable with a fifteen-year-old sharing a bed with anybody here. Especially since it's unlikely he's gay." "Well, we could always bring one of the beds back in from the storage building, but that would be a real pain in the ass for just a weekend." "You got that right. Those king-sized mattresses are harder than hell to handle." "I've got an idea for you guys to try on," Dylan interjected. We both stared at Dylan expectantly and he continued after a moment's pause. "He could stay at my house." "But how could we get him here?" I asked. "Piece o' cake," Dylan replied. "Malcom can bring him down some Friday night and take him back Sunday night." "We can't ask him to do that," I protested. "Why not? William's in Normal, right? And Malcom lives there, too. It wouldn't be a problem for the two to connect. I'm sure Malcom wouldn't mind a bit." "Well, if you think he's willing to do it, why don't you check and see if we can work out something for next weekend?" "You got it. He'll be on his way down here this afternoon and I'll ask him tonight." "You're a great friend, Dylan. We can't thank you enough for your help." "Happy to do it." "Well, I'm going to let you two get back to work. Guess I'll do some more writing on the book while everyone else is otherwise occupied. See ya in a bit for lunch." I finally had Max and Tom's clothes moved to the dryer, so it was time to start working on the boys' things. I first grabbed T.J., Mike, and Andy's clothes from their room since it's right across the hall from the utility room. After dropping their stuff on the counter and doing a quick sorting to separate the whites that needed to be bleached, I realized I didn't have enough of anything to make a full load. And after a couple weeks of seeing the condition of some of the whites, I completely understood the need for having towels on all the furniture. What the hell is it with young boys and their inability to properly clean themselves after using the bathroom? I reluctantly decided to bring it up with Max or Tom and see if maybe they'd talk to the rugrats about the problem. I poked my head out the door of the utility room and looked down the hallway towards the twins' room and discovered the door was still closed. Well, shit, the munchkins must still be in there doing god knows what. While I knew I should respect their privacy, I really wanted to get the laundry done and over with so I could enjoy a relaxing afternoon. I carried on with my internal debate a minute or two before I finally decided to bite the bullet and interrupt them. I stepped into the hallway and turned towards their room, passing Tom and Dylan's office along the way. Following the important house rule of always knocking on a closed door, I did just that on reaching the oak slab. I could hear some serious giggling and muffled moans coming from within and was about to walk away when I heard, "C'mon in." Still unsure whether I should continue or not, I cracked the door just a couple of inches and called out, "Just want to grab your dirty clothes, guys." "That's cool, Ron," Joey mumbled. Assuming the coast was clear and I wouldn't be intruding on anything important, I pushed the door wide open and stepped inside. The sight that assaulted my eyes and the scents that attacked my nasal passages could only be described as heaven on earth. The room stank of sweat and sex and I reacted immediately to that alone as my cock began to harden and my brain tried to grasp the scene before me. Six naked and very horny young lads were all over the bed in a mishmash of sexual frenzy. Alex was sitting astride Logan's midsection, rocking slowly to and fro, and it was plainly obvious Logan's little pecker was buried in Alex's tight ass. The blissful look on Logan's face was all it took to know the boy was truly enjoying himself. Joey, eyes closed and head pitched back, was standing over Logan in front of Alex and he was force-feeding his young cock into his brother's mouth. T.J. had somehow insinuated himself between the twins and he was bobbing his head back and forth on Alex's stiff boyhood, matching Alex's movements so the prize never left his mouth. Mike was curled up behind T.J. and trying like hell to get his hard cocklet inside his brother's ass. Unfortunately for Mike, he was in the wrong position and his pecker too short to reach his target, so the most he was accomplishing was to occasionally rake his stiffie across T.J.'s pucker. As for Andy, he was kneeling behind Mike's ass, one hand spreading those beautiful mounds of flesh to expose the pinkish rosebud hidden within and he had two fingers working themselves in and out of the snug orifice. I could see from Mike's occasional full-body jerks when Andy would bump and prod his prostate. While I've never been attracted to such young boys, the scene before me was so erotic and awe-inspiring, it took every ounce of will power I could muster to not climb on that bed and swallow Andy's poor neglected hardness. I just had to trust that one or more of the others involved would do the right thing and see to it that Andy received his fair share of pleasuring when they had otherwise reached their limits. Though the herd knew I was in the room, they didn't stop their actions for even one second and the show continued with undiminished fervor and passion as I grabbed the hamper of dirty clothes and Logan's travel bag from the floor. With those in my hands, I turned and left them alone, quietly closing the door behind me. Before heading for the utility room with my load, I carefully maneuvered Logan's bag in an attempt to mask my throbbing erection as I passed by Tom's office. Stepping back into the utility room, I began to sort the new load, mixing them with the piles I had already created. I had hoped that performing such a mundane task would ease the pain that had developed in my groin, but nothing was wiping the memory of what I'd just witnessed from my synapses. If anything, I was even more on edge since I'd left the boys' room. I somehow managed to get the next pile of clothes in the washer and got it started before admitting to myself that I had to deal with a problem that wasn't going away on its own. Returning to my own bedroom, I closed the door and stretched out on my bed before grasping my stiff rod and slowly stroking myself. I was already dripping freely so I didn't need to grab the lube from the nightstand drawer. As I worked myself into a frenzy, I tried to conjure up images of the last guy I'd picked up at the gym. We'd gone to his apartment where we'd fucked our brains out for several hours. But my mind kept flashing images of the six hot and horny rugrats who were doing the exact same thing just on the other side of that wall where the TV was hung. I just couldn't keep my mind focused on Scott. I think that was his name, anyway. The only names I knew were real right now were Joey, Alex, T.J., Mike, Andy and Logan and my mind refused to stray from those six cute young fuckers as I began stroking harder and faster. I felt the tension building and soon enough, my balls were pulling up tight and blessed release was eminent. As I sensed the first surge of orgasm slam into me, my brain flashed the image of Logan's cock buried in Alex's hot ass and I erupted with a force I'd not felt for a long time. The first shot landed on my chin and the follow ups proceeded to leave a trail across my nipples, down my chest, flooded my bellybutton and finally petered out on my bare pubic mound as my staff slowly wilted. Jesus, I'd never been so turned on in my entire life than I'd been by the show in the room next door. If I couldn't get a grip on things (no, not those things), I was gonna lose this cushy job. I grabbed a dirty sock off the floor and wiped most of my mess off me before jumping in the shower to really get cleaned up. Having made myself presentable to the family again, I headed back out to get lunch started and continue with my laundry while wild visions continued to flood my mind. I'd made good progress on my writing, completing three more chapters of my cold and lonely existence, when Ron called us all for lunch. I saved my work and joined the crew in the dining room for a simple lunch of hot dogs and Doritos. I wasn't too surprised to see the boys were all sporting goofy grins of complete bliss and satisfaction, knowing where they'd been and what they'd been doing the past couple of hours. I was glad they'd been able to enjoy themselves and to see smiles on their faces again after a week filled with frowns and sadness due to Logan's absence. Ron seemed to be a bit nervous about something as he took a chair between Tom and Dylan, but I wasn't going ask. I figured if it was something serious, he'd talk to us about it. "So, guys, what are your plans for the afternoon?" Tom asked. "We thought we'd take a walk on that one trail and see if we can find Sammy," T.J. answered. "That sounds like fun," I replied. "You want us to go with you?" "Hang on there, Max," Dylan interjected. "I already told you I wasn't gonna be included in any hunt for a ghost." "Oh, c'mon, Uncle Dylan," Alex protested. "Don't be such a scaredy cat." "No way, kiddos. Like I told your dads, black people don't go messin' `round with spooks or spirits." "Why's that," Logan asked with sincere interest. " `Cause we know they're real and we leave `em alone." "Well, I'm goin'," Mike chirped. "I wanna see this dude." "I thought you were goin' to stay inside with Ron and Andy when we took that walk," I reminded the youngster. "Eh, changed my mind. What can I say?" "What about you, Andy," Tom asked. "If Mike's goin', I might as well go with y'all, too. Don't want them thinkin' I'm a chicken or nothin'." "Nobody would think that, Andy," I countered. "Yeah we would," Alex giggled. After seeing the surly look Andy shot at him, Alex backpedaled with, "I'm just kiddin', bro. If you want to stay here with Ron, we're cool with that." Andy received nods of agreement from all the boys after Alex's statement. "I'm still gonna go with ya. If somethin' happens, I want to see it for myself." "That's settled then," I agreed. "Let's get dressed after we're done eating and we'll go for a walk." "Have fun, guys," Tom grunted. "What? I thought you might want to go with us since we'll be close to the site I pointed out for the new house. This would give us a good chance to look it over. It's not too far into the trees from the loop in the trail, so it should be easy to get to." "If you insist. But I'm not much likin' the ghost hunting idea, though." "Bu-u-u-ck, buck, buck, buck, buck," Joey crowed at the far end of the table, eliciting a round of laughter from all the boys. "Now listen here, young man ..." Tom started while waggling a finger in Joey's direction. "I'm just pickin' on ya, Pops," Joey retorted with a giggle. "If you're that scared o' Sammy, you just stick close to me and I'll make sure nothin' happens to ya." "Gee, thanks, buddy. I feel so much safer now," Tom grinned. "You should, Pops," Alex replied. "Sammy ain't gonna hurt none of us." "Yeah? What makes you so sure about that?" Ron asked. "Um, he told me he wouldn't," T.J. muttered. "Wait, what was that!?" I exclaimed. "Uh, he told me he wouldn't hurt us." "When did that happen?" "In the dream I had Tuesday night." "You didn't tell me about that, young man." "Well, with everyone bein' so bummed out `bout Logan bein' gone and all, I just never found a good time to say somethin' to ya. I'm sorry, Dad," T.J. offered as he lowered his head in sadness. "Don't worry about it, T.J., I understand. Well, if you guys are ready, let's get this show on the road." On that note, we helped Ron clean up our lunch mess and headed to our rooms to get some shorts, shirts and shoes pulled on. While the boys protested wearing anything, after my reminder that it was only about sixty degrees and a bit cloudy, they finally gave in, realizing it might be a touch chilly for a nude walk. Besides, there would be plenty of opportunity for that this summer. We regrouped in the living room and were just about to head out when Dylan came in from his office. "So, we done for the day, boss?" he asked. "Yeah, I think so," Tom agreed. "You sure you don't want to join us?" he added with a chuckle. "Uh, thanks for that kind offer, but another day, maybe. I'm gonna head home and catch some shuteye before Malcom gets here. I didn't get much sleep last night and I'm really startin' to feel it," Dylan commented while glaring at Logan. "I'm sorry, Uncle Dylan. I really didn't mean to cause no problems for nobody." "You didn't, buddy. I just get grumpy when I don't get enough sleep." "Well, thanks for helpin' Pops," Logan replied as he wrapped the big man in a hug. When the two finally separated, the rest of the herd moved in to say goodbye and share a quick hug before Dylan headed out the door. We were just about to follow in his footsteps when I suddenly remembered something I needed to do. I tapped Tom on the shoulder and whispered, "Be right back." Stepping into the kitchen, I grabbed the recharged phone, unlocked it and opened the folder where the videos were stored. I selected all of them and quickly forwarded them to Clarence. Even though we'd not had the chance to watch them ourselves, I still wanted to get them in Clarence's hands as soon as I could. That done, I rejoined the group at the front door, and we began our walk. T.J. was leading the way since he was the only one who knew where we were going. The rest of the boys were following his lead while Tom and I brought up the rear. "What was that about?" Tom asked quietly. "I just sent the videos Logan recorded to Clarence. He needs to see what he's dealing with." "Good thinking," Tom agreed. "Have you watched them?" "Not yet. We can do that when we get back to the house." "Providing me make it back to the house," Tom chuckled. "I still can't believe we're searching for the ghost of some kid who died in 1892." "Stanger things have happened, hon. I just hope we solve the mystery soon and Sammy will leave T.J. alone. This connection he's formed is really bothering me." "It's not doing any wonders for me, either, but what else can we do?" "I don't know," I answered morosely. The two of us fell silent when we turned off the driveway and onto the trail leading us into the woods along the south side of the property. The boys kept up their ongoing chatter despite the feeling of gloom cast by the meager shadows of the still leafless trees. If there were any deer wandering the woods this afternoon, they'd know we were close long before we would see them. About 300 feet from where we'd entered the trail, T.J. suddenly froze, turned left to peer among the trees and the boys went silent. "This is it. This is where I was when Sammy grabbed my wrist and pulled me off the trail." "You sure about that?" I asked. "Like I said, Dad, I'll never forget that dream." "Do you feel or sense anything now?" "Just a little tug, I'd guess you'd call it, telling me we need to go thataway," T.J. replied while pointing towards the north. "It ain't too far from here." "What?" Tom asked with concern. "Not sure, Pops." "No, he's right," Alex muttered. "Yeah, I can feel it, too," Joey agreed with a shudder. That said, T.J. stepped off the trail and began picking his way through the underbrush, moving deeper into the woods. The shadows were much denser and seemingly darker here than they were on the trail and our progress was slow but steady. Even from our position at the rear of the pack, I could see T.J. was visibly shivering from whatever he was sensing. We could feel his trepidation as he burrowed deeper and deeper into the unknown, Joey and Alex right behind him. Five agonizing minutes after turning off the trail, we reached a spot in the woods I hadn't known existed until this very moment. We stepped into a small clearing about thirty feet in diameter with a single oak tree growing in the center. The air felt decidedly cooler in the clearing despite the bright sun peeking through the cloud cover. Judging by the size of its trunk and the spread of its limbs, this tree had been here long before the land had been settled by David's ancestors in the mid-1800s. T.J., Alex and Joey slowly crept closer and closer to the tree, looking all around for any hints of what had drawn them to this spot. The rest of us stayed back a bit to give them room to do whatever they needed. The three adventurers were whispering quietly amongst themselves when T.J. finally looked to us and said, "We're here." "Where's here?" Tom asked nervously. "Where Sammy died," Alex answered flatly. "Go ahead, T.J.," Joey said quietly. "He reached out to you first." "I don't think I wanna do this alone," T.J. muttered. "You dudes do it with me." While the five of us stood back about ten feet, we watched as T.J., Joey and Alex stepped closer, then reached out and placed their hands on the trunk of the arboreal giant. On making contact, T.J.'s reaction was immediate and he jerked his hand away, muttering, "Oh, shit." After shaking himself, he slowly placed his hand back on the trunk and closed his eyes. Thirty silent seconds passed when Alex suddenly announced, "You guys need to move." "Why?" Logan asked. " `Cause you're standing right where he did," Joey answered. "Where who stood," I asked with a shaky voice. "The guy who killed Sammy," T.J. grumbled in an ethereal voice. That was all we needed to know as Andy and Mike immediately jumped away from where we were and all of us moved eight feet to our right. "Yeah, that's better," T.J. commented. "Now don't move from there," he added calmly. How he knew we had moved since he never opened his eyes was beyond our meager mental talents to comprehend. The three of them stood around the tree, occasionally moving their hands from place to place. After several more minutes of unnatural silence, T.J., Alex and Joey peeled their hands away from the tree and formed a tiny huddle, having a silent discussion about whatever had just happened. A couple of minutes later, they broke their huddle and came over to us. "Did you guys see him?" T.J. asked. "We didn't see anything, just the three of you," I answered. "What did you see?" "Sammy was hanging from that branch right there," T.J. replied as he pointed to a huge limb about twenty feet up. "It was a lot closer to the ground back in 1892. When we first saw Sammy, he was standin' on a chair with a rope `round his neck that went up over that limb and was tied to another one a lot lower. After the man kicked the chair out from under `im, Sammy started thrashing and kicking, tryin' to get free, but no matter how hard he tried, nothin' was workin'. And the bastard who did it stood right where you were, laughin' his ass off the whole time. Sammy finally went really still, and we watched as his spirit left his body when he died. He's been here ever since, waitin' for somebody to come along to tell his story to." "Did all three of you see this?" I asked. Solemn nods from Alex and Joey confirmed they had. "Jesus, I never knew anything about that happening." " `Course you didn't, Dad," Alex said. "Sammy said he'd tried to tell you when you'd take your walks, but no matter how hard he worked at it, you just couldn't hear him." "He's really happy he found us, though," Joey commented. "He says he can finally rest now that somebody knows the truth." "Why's that?" Tom asked. " `Cause his momma and daddy always thought he hung himself," T.J. answered. "And they both died a few years later not knowin' what really happened to him." "That's why Sammy and his parents were the last people buried in the cemetery," Alex added. "Yeah, none of the family wanted to live here after three people had died," Joey commented. "They all thought the land was cursed." "Well, it wasn't cursed, really, but it was haunted," T.J. said. "Until now, anyway." "Has Sammy, uh, I don't know, moved on, I guess?" "Not quite yet," T.J. answered. "He wants us to do something for him." "Geez, I can't believe this," Tom uttered with disbelief. "A favor for a freakin' ghost? What's next, a dinner party for the dead?" "He's not a ghost, Pops. It's just his spirit." "Ghost, spirit, what's the difference?" "Big difference, believe me. And Sammy says if we do this, he'll finally be able to move on and leave us alone." "What does he want?" Andy asked. "He wants `Free at Last' added to his gravestone," Joey answered. "I can sure arrange that. But how you know all this." "Well, duh!" T.J. exclaimed. "He told us, didn't he, guys?" Alex and Joey again nodded their assent. "And when did he do that," Tom queried. "Just now, when we were huddled `round him. It's too bad you guys couldn't see him." "Did he say anything else to you?" Mike asked. "Well, he knows who killed him and he told us," Joey answered. "And he wants us to tell Judge Corgan and his dad when they come out tomorrow." "Wait, David hasn't called about doing that," I countered. "Not yet," Alex giggled. "Sammy says he will, though," Joey added. "Oh, and he told us one more thing," T.J. interjected. "We can't build our new house anywhere close to this place. He says we'd be better off north of the house we're in." "Really? He knows we're building a new house, too?" I asked in wonder. "Yep, and he thinks it a great idea, just not here," T.J. replied. "This is his tree and he doesn't want it to get cut down or messed with in any way." "Well, okay, then. I guess we'll be closer to Rick and his boys than we thought." "Sweet," Joey giggled. "The closer, the better. For me, anyway," he added while the others all giggled knowingly. "Are we ready to head back to the house?" Tom asked. "Yeah, we're done here, Pops," T.J. answered. Our ghost whisperer, excuse me, spirit whisperer, took the lead again and dove back into the trees, forging a path for the rest of us. Our return to the trail was a bit easier since most of the gnarly stuff had been cleared out on our way in. Once back on the trail, the clouds moved away and the temperature seemed to go up about fifteen degrees. The boys decided it was warm enough for them to lose their clothes and enjoy the sun and wind bathing their bodies with nature. Still chilled to the bone from our experience in the clearing, Tom and I opted to remain covered until we returned to the house. Once inside, the boys headed to their rooms to drop their clothes while we headed to our room to do the same. As we passed the kitchen, I noticed a new piece of paper attached to the refrigerator with a magnetic clip. It was a note from Ron letting us know he'd headed to town to take care of some shopping he needed to do, including the items necessary to make the steak and eggs breakfast he'd promised the boys. By the time we left the bedroom and headed back out to rejoin the boys, we found Joey and Alex set up at the bar counter with their notebooks and a different book than the one we were used to seeing. "What book is that?" Tom asked. "The sixth-grade math book, Pops," Alex answered. "Your done with the fifth-grade one already? When did you finish it?" "Wednesday night," Joey replied. "We started on this one last night," he added. "Good for you guys," I complimented the pair. "I'm glad you're taking this seriously." "Trust me Dad, we'd do just about anything if we can skip a few years of this junk at school." "Where're the others," Tom asked. "Readin' their books in the living room," Alex answered. "Sounds like a little quiet time then," I responded. "I think Pops and I are going to take Logan's phone to my study so we can watch whatever he recorded. If you guys need something, come get us." "We will, Dads," the two chimed. I unplugged the phone from the charger and Tom and I retreated to the study. While we were anxious to see what had happened in Dexter, we weren't too sure we wanted the boys to see it. They were already pissed off after Logan's description of events during breakfast and lord knows how they'd react if they actually saw Logan being mistreated. We didn't want to further stoke the fires of rage that would most certainly come to pass should they see the videos. Once in the study, Tom closed the door while I connected the phone to my computer so we could watch the videos on the thirty-one-inch screen on the desk instead of the tiny screen on the phone. Once the device was recognized, I opened File Explorer and browsed to the folder on the phone where the vides files were stored. Once Tom had pulled a chair around the desk and was settled in place, I clicked the first file and the video player filled the screen. "Howdy and welcome to my new home," Logan said as he panned the camera from the steps down to the hellhole all the way around the space back to the shelves under the steps. "Ain't this just the loveliest shithole ya ever seen? Believe it or not, it looked even worse when I got locked down here last night. I spent several hours cleanin' all the crap outta here so I could at least get rid of the smell. Hell, I ain't even got a crapper or shower down here I can use. I gotta go outside to piss, take a dump or even wash my hands. Don't have no bed, neither, so I made a bunk on that bottom shelf over there in the corner with some stinky ol' sleepin' bag. Ain't great, but it sure beats the hell outta sleepin' on the floor. "And now Uncle Dirtbag thinks this is where I'm gonna live for the next nine years. Well, let me tell ya, he's wrong `bout that `cause I ain't gonna put up with his shit no more than I hafta. According to the note my cousins gave me on the way down here, he needs my money real bad `cause he's `bout to lose his orchard." Tom and I stared at each other in astonishment for a moment because Logan hadn't told either of us about such a note. "They also said in that note that Unc plans for me to disappear once he's got my money, but I'm ready for him to try it, and boy is he in for a big surprise. I done warned him what was I was gonna do if he ever laid a hand on me, but I don't think he believes I'll do it. Guess we'll find out. Well, I gotta cut this short cause I ain't got no way to recharge the phone down here and I wanna make sure I got plenty o' juice to record when the shithead come down the stairs. Guess I'll see y'all later." "Holy crap, it's even worse than we thought," Tom muttered. "One tough cookie, though, isn't he? We need to ask about that note so I can send it to Clarence. If his cousins warned him Troy was plannin' to kill him all along, that could make a big difference in how to handle his defense." "Let me go ask him about it now, babe." Without waiting for any response from me, Tom disappeared. I found Logan in the living room, nose buried in the next book of the Ender series, Speaker for the Dead. I interrupted his reading when I asked, "Logan, can you get me that note your cousins gave you?" "Oh, yeah, I forgot all `bout that, Pops. Hang on a sec, I'll be right back." Leaving his book on the table, he jumped off the loveseat and hurried down the hallway. A few seconds later, he yelled, "Where's my dang bag that had my clothes in it?" "Ron grabbed it earlier to wash your stuff with ours, ya twit," Joey yelled back. "Oh shit!" Logan cried out. The next thing I saw was the kid sprinting down the hall to the utility room. A few seconds after hurtling through the door, I heard, "Oh, thank you jesus!" A visibly relieved Logan soon returned to the living with a folded-up piece of paper in his hand. "I thought I was gonna hafta kick Skinny in the ass again," he said as he handed the paper to me. "If he'da washed this, I'da been pissed." "Thanks, buddy. We'll keep it safe for you." "Thanks, Pops." With a disaster narrowly averted, I rejoined Max in his study so we could read the note and then continue watching the rest of Logan's videos. Tom returned a few minutes later and we both read the note Daril and Arley had written and given to Logan on their way to Dexter. We were both surprised at what they'd said but a bit gladdened that they weren't just like their father. It was too bad they hadn't said they'd actually help protect Logan, but when their alternative was to be beaten by Troy, we couldn't really fault them for that. "Looks like our suspicions about the asshole were on the money," Tom commented. "It's just sad that Arlene and the boys never stood up to Troy." "Yeah, it is, but you said it yourself, victims of abuse rarely do so as they know what can happen if they do. I'll get this note sent to Clarence when we're done watching the videos." That said, I clicked the next video and we continued our binge watching. As it began to play, we heard someone storming down the stairs and assumed it was the sound of Troy descending into the hellhole. Our assumption proved to be correct when he entered the camera's field of view. "Okay, ya little faggot lovin' piece o' shit, time for you to cough it up," Troy started. "Cough what up, ya dirtbag?" Logan retorted. "MY money, dumbass. I need it and you're gonna get it for me." "Like hell I am, Troy. That's my money and you ain't never gonna see a dime of it." "Look, kid, I ain't playin' no damn games here." "That's a good thing `cause you probably don't understand how to play nothin', not even somethin' as simple as Uno. And any moron can play that game it's so easy." "It's no secret I don't like you, punk. Never did, never will." "Good, `cause I don't like you either." "Never understood what my brother saw in that bitch you called mommy." "Don't you dare talk `bout my momma like that, ya loser!" Logan screamed. "She was a great woman and Daddy loved her with all his heart. It tore him up somethin' awful when she died." "She got what she fuckin' deserved for breakin' our family up!" Troy roared. "She always thought we weren't good `nough for her and she forced Charlie to move." "Good for her. And daddy, too. Ain't nobody should hafta deal with a jackass like you their whole life." We watched dumfounded at the exchange when Troy suddenly grabbed Logan by the shoulders and shook him like a rag doll, all while screaming in face, "Get me my goddam money!!" "I can't, ya freakin' dumbass! It takes two people to sign `fore the bank will give me anything. And the others who can sign won't do it `less I tell `em to. And I ain't gonna do it." "Yeah? Let's see how you feel `bout that in a few days. You ain't goin' nowhere `til I save my orchard." "You wanna save it so goddam bad, why don't you get your lazy ass out there and work for it `stead of hangin' out in the bar all day long? That's what daddy did, he worked hard every day of his life and he took good care of momma and me. You should be more like him. Maybe if you was, your wife and kids might actually love you!" "You little prick!" Troy bellowed as he turned red with rage. "I'd fuckin' kill you right now if I didn't need your money so bad. We'll see if you're feeling more generous tomorrow, ya little bastard." The image of the enraged Troy left the camera's view and we could here him stomp on every step as he went back upstairs. After the door was slammed shut, Logan appeared on camera and he said, "Well, that was fun, wasn't it? I swear on momma and daddy's graves, that fuckin' loser ain't gettin' shit outta me, I don't care what he says or does. Guess I just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow. Hey Siri, stop recording." The video ended and Tom and I just stared at each other for a few moments. I finally broke our shared silence when I muttered, "Jesus, what a fuckin' asshole. I'm glad Logan was able to get away from him." "Yeah, me, too," Tom agreed. "Let's get through the rest of these so you can get that note scanned and sent. I want to hear what Clarence thinks about the videos." We spent the next couple of hours watching all the videos Logan had recorded, some of just himself and others with Troy endlessly berating the youngster about his desperate need for money. Logan displayed his firm resolve as he stood toe-to-toe with Troy and gave back as strongly and defiantly as he received the abuse. When we watched the last video, we were glad that Logan's castrating of his despicable Uncle Troy was just below the camera's frame. Though we could see Logan's head and upper body, and Troy pounding on his back until he passed out, the actual cutting was out of the frame. When we'd seen everything there was to see, I looked to Tom and commented, "Remind me to never piss that kid off. I like my balls and would like to keep them firmly attached to my body." "No shit," Tom agreed. "I think we'll be safe as long as we never hit him," he added with a chuckle. "I'm surprised Charlie survived as long as he did." "He probably wouldn't have if Logan hadn't loved him as much as he did." The phone interrupted us and on seeing it was Clarence calling, I punched the speaker button so Tom could hear everything. "Good afternoon, Clarence," I greeted. "How goes the battle?" "Getting better with every passing moment," Clarence replied happily. "Have you seen the videos Logan recorded of the interactions between him and his uncle?" "Just finished watching them," I answered. "What do you think?" "Slam dunk case of self-defense if ever I saw one. Logan was one smart cookie to record the whole week. Of course, he knew we needed some proof to be able to change his guardianship, so well done by him." "You don't think that last video will hurt him in any way, do you," Tom asked. "Well, if the camera had been aimed just a bit lower and you could actually see that lowlife losing his testicles, maybe. But after being threatened with death multiple times the previous three days, I'm going to claim Logan snapped when his uncle punched him, and he lost all sense of what's right and wrong. Once Troy hit him, Logan was on autopilot and he did what he felt was the prudent thing to do to save his own life. If anybody thinks any different after watching the whole series, then they're dumber than Troy. I can't wait to hear the reaction from the Dexter cops and prosecutors once they have a chance to see the recordings. They're gonna shit themselves." Tom and I both laughed aloud at that comment and when we'd calmed back down, I asked, "You got any other good news for us?" "As a matter of fact, I do. I just got back to my office from delivering your motion to Judge Corgan. I also took Logan's videos with me so he could see them, and he was absolutely appalled at the treatment Logan received while he was in his uncle's supposed care. He's already issued a ruling that Troy's guardianship has been revoked by the court and there is to be no further contact between the two." "That's the best news I've heard since Logan left last Sunday, Clarence. I can't thank you enough for dealing with this mess for us." "I'm not done yet, Max. But before I continue, can the boys hear this call?" "No, we're in my study," I replied. "Good. Okay, here goes, Judge Corgan also told me he would rule in your favor on your petition to adopt Logan when the time comes. It may take a few weeks to settle everything down south, but once that's dealt with, it should be clear sailing for all of you." "Don't know if I'd ever said this to you, Clarence, but you're a miracle worker." "Don't think I've ever heard anyone utter those words for a lawyer, but I thank you for that and humbly accept your compliment." "Don't forget to send me your bill." "And don't you forget to pay it when you see it, after you recover from the sticker shock, that is," Clarence retorted with a laugh. "You know I'm good for it. Besides, you've earned every penny. Thanks for calling and have a great afternoon." "I will. You do the same and have a great weekend." After ending the call, both of us leaned back in our chairs and breathed a huge sigh of relief. Hearing Logan was going to be okay for the assault on his uncle was good enough news in and of itself, but hearing Judge Corgan was planning to approve our adoption of Logan with the others was the cherry on top of the sundae. While we intended to share the news with Logan about him being safe from any severe punishments from the Missouri legal system, we planned to hold back the news of his adoption until after we knew the order had been signed by Judge Corgan. Remembering I still had to send Daril and Arley's note to Clarence, I quickly scanned it, attached it to an e-mail and sent it on its way. We were about to leave the office and see if the boys wanted to go for a swim when the phone rang and kept us anchored to our seats. With the caller ID showing `Private', we had no clue as to who was calling and almost let it roll over to voicemail. Tom finally couldn't stand the ringing any longer and punched the speaker button. "Tom Wright," he answered. "Good afternoon, Tom, it's David. How are you today?" "We're great, David. How `bout yourself." "Still suckin' air and takin' sustenance, so that means I must still be alive. At my age, that's about all one can ask for. Is Max close by? I wanted to talk to both of you for a few minutes." "Right here, David," I answered. "Good, good. I don't know if you've talked to your attorney yet ..." "We just got off the phone with him," Tom interrupted. "Excellent. So, I take it you already know about the change in status of Troy Campbell's guardianship of Logan." "We do, David, and we can't thank you enough for acting so quickly," I responded. "Well, after watching only a couple of those videos Logan managed to record, it was a no-brainer, boys. It was plainly obvious that Mr. Campbell only wanted the guardianship so he could wrest control of Logan's money for his own use and that just won't do. Logan's a very smart and resourceful young man. I hope you'll be able to channel that in the proper direction as he matures." "We'll do our best," Tom agreed. "I expected nothing less. Now that we've dispensed with the official business, I like to talk to you about a bit of personal business, if we could." "I think I know what you're going to ask, but go ahead, David," I said. "I was wondering if it would be possible for me to bring my father out tomorrow to see our family cemetery. If you're not going to be home, we could do it Sunday, also." "Yep, that's exactly what I thought I'd hear. We'll be here all day tomorrow and will look forward to seeing you both." "How could you possibly know what I was going to ask, Max?" David queried with interest. "I just talked to Dad this morning to see if he was up for the trip." "Well, we've had a couple of rather interesting weeks around here. We'll tell you all about it when you're here, though. Otherwise, you probably won't believe the story." "We'll look forward to it. Would two o'clock be okay with you?" "Perfect, sir," Tom answered. "Wonderful, see you guys then. Have a great evening." "Thanks, David, you, too," I replied before ending the call. I looked to Tom and commented, "I guess Sammy knows more than we give him credit for." "Obviously," Tom agreed. "It'll be interesting to hear if David or his dad know more about Sammy's story." "Well find out soon enough. You ready for that swim?" "Let's go," Tom agreed cheerily. We crossed the hall to grab some clean towels, then gathered the herd and headed out for some fun in the pool. The boys had been in no mood for a swim while Logan was gone and the pent up energy they released during our tomfoolery in the pool was off the charts. By the time Tom and I begged off and retreated to our quiet and relaxing corner, we were wiped out, but the six rugrats were still going strong. As we watched them play, we saw Ron return from his shopping trip and he was busily putting everything away. About the time he finished, we called the boys out of the pool and shuffled them off to the showers with a reminder to pull on some shorts since Ryan would be arriving soon. After the herd had disappeared into their rooms, we headed in the direction of our own so we could do the same. As we passed the kitchen, we said hi to Ron and he gave a simple wave of acknowledgement. It appeared as though he was still upset about something and I hesitated to ask him anything so as not to upset him more than he already was. But I also had this feeling that we shouldn't just brush him off since he was an integral part of the family now. I put a hand on Tom's shoulder to get him to stop and turned to Ron. "Okay, Ron, what's ..." "Max, Tom, we need to talk. Like, now," Ron blurted out.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 80</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2019 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk9203958"></a><a name="_Hlk7904809"></a><a name="_Toc9249312"><span>Chapter 80 � Welcome Home, Farm-Boy</span></a></h2> <p><span>After ending my chat with Max and dropping the phone on the bed, I continued to lay there for a couple of minutes, just pondering the content of the astounding wake-up call I'd just received. I was ecstatic at hearing Logan was safe and sound at home. I also marveled at his ingenuity and cunning in getting from Dexter all the way back there, and most especially his good fortune at doing so in one piece. I was trying to figure out how he'd managed to slip away from Troy's when Dylan had been watching the front of the house and I'd been keeping eyes on the back, but I was no closer to solving that riddle than I had been when I crawled into bed just a few short hours ago. Without realizing the effects my mental gymnastics were having on me, I was surprised to feel the bed shift and Dylan's hand grasp my shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>"You okay, boss? That wasn't the locals on the phone with bad news, was it?"</span></p> <p><span>I jerked at the touch and finally opened my eyes to find Dylan glaring down at me with serious concern. "What?" I croaked. "No, man, I'm great," I lied.</span></p> <p><span>"Ya sure coulda fooled me, what with your whimperin' and all over here."</span></p> <p><span>"Really, I'm happier than hell right now. Logan's back home with Max," I blubbered.</span></p> <p><span>"How the fuck did he do that!?" Dylan asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a freakin' clue. Can't say I really care how he accomplished it, just glad he did."</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus, I'm gonna bust his butt for makin' us worry like we have."</span></p> <p><span>"Get in line, man. Right now, we need to call the locals, let them know Logan's been found safe and they can call off their search. Then we need to pack our shit and hit the road."</span></p> <p><span>"Hit the road!? It's half past two in the blessed AM!" Dylan howled in protest.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'm well aware of that, but Max wants me back home asap so we can get busy with protectin' Logan first thing in the mornin'."</span></p> <p><span>"I s'pose he's got a point there," Dylan acquiesced. "You call the cop shop and I'll start gettin' our shit put together."</span></p> <p><span>We both got movin' and after I ended my call with Captain McCord of the Dexter police department, we tossed our things in the trunk, climbed in the Hellcat and aimed ourselves towards Interstate 55 and points north. When we reached Sikeston, I felt my stomach grumble and suggested we find food before too much time passed. Dylan agreed with me wholeheartedly and our search began. Of course, locating a place that was open in the middle of the night in this part of the state was impossible. We finally found an open Flying J truck stop at Pevely, about two and half hours from Dexter. Of course, with Dylan at the wheel, it didn't' take near that long to reach our stop. By the time we'd parked in the lot, we were both in desperate need of a caffeine kick and some serious food intake.</span></p> <p><span>As we dug into our very early breakfast, Dylan said, "So, you've been pretty damn quiet since we left Dexter. Tell me, what all McCord had to say?"</span></p> <p><span>"First, he was glad to hear Logan's safe, though he's stumped as hell on how he got away without bein' spotted by somebody. Second, he's pretty sure there will be some charges against him for his attack on Troy. He can't say what they'll be at the moment since they're still investigating what happened. It'll all depend on the evidence they find."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that sucks," Dylan lamented.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it does, but ya gotta admit, castratin' the son-of-a-bitch is a touch extreme. I'm not sayin' he didn't deserve it, mind you, just that it might be a bit over the top."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like our Logan, though, doesn't it?" Dylan mused.</span></p> <p><span>"That it does. I still can't figure out how the hell the little brat got back home. He obviously got help from somebody, or even several different somebodies, but who'd be crazy enough to take a kid Logan's age across state lines? That's grounds for kidnapping charges."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, it is. Providing, of course, someone wants to press those charges. Whoever it was, though, they deserve a medal for makin' it happen," Dylan retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"If they don't spend the next twenty years in prison, I'll see they get one," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, you aren't gonna really bust his butt are ya'?" Dylan queried quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a chance. I am tempted to get a harness and leash for him, though," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>Dylan laughed heartily at my joke before adding, "Ooh, wait, what about one of those invisible fences and a shock collar? You know, he gets too close and zzzt, zzzt, he gets zapped."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, I got one even better," I laughed. "He's a farm kid, right? We'll just put a hot wire around the property. That <i>might</i> keep the little bugger corralled."</span></p> <p><span>We were both laughing our asses off and attracting attention from the few other diners in the restaurant. After the useless week we'd had with no laughs to speak of to break the monotony or stress, it felt really good to enjoy some humor for once. Of course, we both knew our ideas would never see the light of day, but we were still giggling about them as I paid our bill. With that done, Dylan pulled up to the gas pumps to top off the tank before we hit the road one more time. Next stop, home.</span></p> <p><span>My alarm went off bright and early Friday morning and I forced my tired ass out of bed. I was halfway through allowing my bladder to drain when I suddenly remembered Logan was back home and in bed with the twins. Once I flushed the toilet, I washed my face and hands to help myself wake up, then headed across the house. Though I knew Ron would be waking the boys soon, I wanted to be there and see their faces when Joey and Alex realized who was in bed with them. I quietly opened the door, stepped into their bedroom and found the three rascals twisted in their trademark pretzel, as usual. I moved closer to the bed and gently pushed the hair out of Logan's eyes before shaking his shoulder to wake him up. His eyes fluttered open and he stared at me for a moment before comprehension set in.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm really home, ain't I, Dad?" he quietly asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, you sure are, buddy," I agreed with a wide grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank god," he sighed with relief. "I was dreamin' it was all just some cruel nightmare and I was gonna wake up in that shitty basement again."</span></p> <p><span>"No basement here, Logan, so you're safe on that account. You wanna wake up the twins and let `em know you're back home?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet," he replied with an evil smirk. He carefully untangled himself from the other two to avoid waking them up before he was ready for it, then started tapping lightly on their foreheads, slowly increasing the force and frequency of the fingertips prodding their brains to life. "C'mon ya turds!" Logan fairly yelled. "Time to wakey, wakey!"</span></p> <p><span>Alex was the first to react to the incessant pecking when he slapped the annoying hand away from his face and grunted, "Cut it out, buttwipe, I'm tryin' to get some sleep here," before rolling away in a weak attempt to avoid the continued thrumming on his cranium. That reaction only served to increase the pressure of the finger driving into his skull.</span></p> <p><span>Joey finally responded to the human woodpecker by muttering, "Stab me in the head one more time, ya hillbilly, and I'm gonna kick your skinny little farm-boy ass up `tween your ears." On that comment, the twins opened their eyes wide with surprise as full comprehension finally dawned on them. To say absolute bedlam ensued would be the understatement of the year.</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, you're back!" Alex screamed.</span></p> <p><span>"How the hell'd you get here!?" Joey yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, and I hitched," Logan grinned madly just before the two mugged him.</span></p> <p><span>While the three rolled around on the bed in sheer giddiness, I moved on to wake the other three munchkins so they could join in the celebration. </span></p> <p><span>I nudged T.J. first and after waking up, the first question out of his mouth was, "What the hell those two lunatics yellin' `bout down there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you go find out for yourself?" I asked with a hint of mystery.</span></p> <p><span>"What about Mike and Andy?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll get them moving, don't worry. Now, scoot." That was all it took, and T.J. darted from the room to find the reason for the ruckus at the other end of the hallway. Not five seconds later, I could hear his cheer of joy join the others. I quickly woke Mike and Andy and since neither was willing to move on their own accord, I scooped them into my arms and carried them to join the fray. Needless to say, once they saw Logan being smothered by the other three, they leapt from my arms and squirmed their way amidst the melee. By the time I left the room again, all six were jumping on the bed, arms tightly wrapped around each other's shoulders. I realized much later than I needed to that I should have borrowed Tom's ear protectors <i>before</i> I woke up the little rascals.</span></p> <p><span>As I stepped into the hallway, I bumped into Ron heading into the room and he asked, "What the devil's goin' on in there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Look for yourself, Ron," I replied with a laugh as I headed for the kitchen. He'd barely stepped into the room when I heard `Skinny!' emanate from within and Ron yelled `Farm boy!' right back at the rugrat. I continued my trek across the house, laughing all the way, and was soon brewing the coffee I knew I was going to need to keep me going today. As I waited for the incessant dripping to end, the drive sensor let me know somebody was coming in. I hustled to the front door and watched out the window until an ominous looking black car rolled smoothly to stop at the base of the steps leading to the front porch. Not recognizing the car and unable to see inside due to the heavily tinted windows, I'd just decided I needed to find some shorts when the passenger door popped open and Tom stepped out of the gleaming machine.</span></p> <p><span>I threw the door open and yelled, "Get your ass in here! You're missin' it!"</span></p> <p><span>"Missin' what?" Tom grunted as he mounted the steps to the porch and Dylan climbed from the car.</span></p> <p><span>"The party in Joey, Alex and Logan's room," I grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"Let `em party without me," he grumbled as I pulled him into a hug.</span></p> <p><span>"You okay, hon? You don't seem too happy," I added as we separated.</span></p> <p><span>"We just spent four hours on the freakin' road in the middle of the goddam night thanks to some little brat who apparently doesn't know how to use a phone anymore," Tom grumbled. "And that was after gettin only `bout two hours of sleep. Forgive me for not bein' too thrilled right now," he deadpanned.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, hon. I'm glad you're back home, though." Dylan had joined us on the porch and I greeted him with, "Mornin', Dylan. How was the trip?"</span></p> <p><span>"Long and boring as hell. We're both glad it's over."</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon in. Join us for a cup of coffee?" I offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't mind if I do," he agreed. "God knows we could use an infusion of caffeine."</span></p> <p><span>I led Dylan towards the kitchen and a mug of hot java while Tom headed down the hall and into the room filled with the sounds of abundant joy from six still squealing boys. Ron was leaving the noisy crew and he gave Tom a quick hug to welcome him back home before joining Dylan and me in the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>"Pops! You're back," I yelled when he came in our bedroom. I left my bothers jumping on the bed as I hopped into Pops' widespread arms. I'd never felt safer in my whole life than when he wrapped those arms around me and held me so tightly I could barely breathe.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I am. You mind tellin' me why the hell you didn't call to let us know where you were? We were worried sick about you," Pops grunted with displeasure.</span></p> <p><span>"The battery on the phone Dad gave me died and I didn't have no way to charge it back up."</span></p> <p><span>"You ever hear of a pay phone, ya rugrat?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right," I snorted. "You ever try to find one of those things these days, Pops? They don't exist no more," I giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"No, I guess not, what with everyone havin' cell phones." Pops lowered his voice and whispered in my ear, "I'm really glad you're back where you belong, kiddo. We've missed you."</span></p> <p><span>"Not no more than I missed you guys," I whispered back.</span></p> <p><span>Pops finally set me back down on the floor and with a very serious tone of voice, said, "We're gonna have to talk about what you did to your uncle and the disappearing act you pulled, young man."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know," I replied glumly. "But that bastard deserved it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not sayin' he didn't, but I'm pretty sure the cops in Dexter will want to talk to you to get your side of the story."</span></p> <p><span>"Be s'prised if they didn't," I giggled. "But that's okay, we can just send `em the videos I recorded all week. That should be plenty to prove ol' Uncle Dirtbag got `zactly what he deserved."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see, I guess. Why don't you give me the phone so we can get it charged back up and see what you recorded?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, one sec." I grabbed my bag off the floor where I'd dropped it last night, then dug through the dirty clothes to pull out the phone and charger. Handing it to Pops, I said, "Here ya go."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, buddy. See y'all soon for breakfast." On that note, Pops left and I rejoined my five brothers and the trampoline party still taking place in the middle of our bed.</span></p> <p><span>"Here's Logan's phone," Tom said as he joined Ron, Dylan and me in the kitchen. "He says it needs charged."</span></p> <p><span>"Then let's get it plugged in," I offered. "I'd like to see what he's got." I took care of that small task and then turned back to Tom and asked, "Coffee, hon?"</span></p> <p><span>"I thought you'd never ask. Better make it a double." After filling an extra-large mug with Tom's steaming wakeup shot, I handed it to him and he took his first sip before claiming a stool at the bar counter. "So, you hear anything from the Dexter cops?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a peep," I answered. "You think we're going to?"</span></p> <p><span>"No doubt about it. I woke up Captain McCord when I called him this morning to let him know Logan had been located and was safe. He flat told me the kid was lookin' at charges of some type for castratin' Troy."</span></p> <p><span>"I figured as much. I'll call Clarence as soon as I can and get him prepared to represent Logan going forward. Then, let's see what Logan recorded on the phone this week and we can send it all to this McCord guy, see what he thinks after he's seen that."</span></p> <p><span>"That works for me," Tom agreed. He then turned to Ron and asked, "What's for breakfast?"</span></p> <p><span>"How do pancakes or waffles sound to ya?"</span></p> <p><span>"Waffles sound great, bud. Better get crackin' so the boys can have some before they have to catch the bus."</span></p> <p><span>"What're you talkin' about, Tom?" I asked. "There's no school today, or next week for that matter."</span></p> <p><span>"Why the hell not?" the confused man queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, today's Good Friday, Sunday is Easter and next week is spring break. Have you forgotten all that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Obviously so," Tom replied. "I've been so worried about Logan and what might happen with Troy that it completely slipped my mind. Probably a good thing there's no school today `cause I'm sure the kiddos wouldn't want to go, not with Logan bein' back home."</span></p> <p><span>"Probably not." I turned to Dylan and asked, "So, you stayin' for breakfast?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, waffles sound great."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like I better get busy, then," Ron chuckled.</span><span> Dylan, Tom and I leaned back on our barstools as Ron got busy whipping up our breakfast.</span></p> <p><span>Just as Ron was pouring sugar into the pan to start making the syrup, the herd rounded the corner from the dining room and Logan called out, "Yo, Skinny, what's for breakfast?" amid much laughter from all the boys.</span></p> <p><span>"Waffles, Farm-Boy, that okay with you?" Ron retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"I s'pose," Logan answered with a pout. "Since all I've had to eat since Sunday are cold five-year-old beans and corn, I was really hopin' for that steak an' eggs we asked for your first day here. But if waffles is the best you can do, guess I'll just have to live with it."</span></p> <p><span>"Come here, dude," Ron said as he knelt to Logan's level. When Logan was standing in front of Ron, he placed his hands on Logan's shoulders and said, "I'm glad you're back, munchkin, and if I'd known you were gonna be here for breakfast this morning, I'd have planned better. Tell you what, if you can stomach my waffles today, I'll make up for it tomorrow morning. Deal, buddy?"</span></p> <p><span>"Deal, Skinny, but I'm gonna hold ya to that."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll make sure I get everything I need when I go shopping this afternoon," Ron replied with a smile. "Now, get your skinny little butt outta my kitchen so I can get back to work."</span></p> <p><span>"Ya ain't gotta tell me twice," Logan laughed before turning to the other five and saying, "C'mon, let's go watch some TV while whatshisname whips up our breakfast." On that final note, the sensational six-pack disappeared into the theater.</span></p> <p><span>After they were gone, I turned to Tom and Dylan and said, "Okay, what all did you find out about Troy while you were gone?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn little," Dylan grunted.</span></p> <p><span>"You're kiddin' me?" I asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"I wish we were," Tom agreed. "Surprisingly, he doesn't have a police record, so Arlene apparently never called the cops on `im for abusin' her or their sons."</span></p> <p><span>"And despite hearing numerous wild tales of his alleged illegal exploits in the surrounding area, nothin' ever stuck to him. The man must be coated in Teflon," Dylan chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that sucks," I groaned in defeat. "How are we gonna prove to a judge anywhere that he shouldn't be responsible for and raise Logan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Can't answer that at the moment, babe," Tom answered. "Let's see what he recorded on the phone and then decide the next step."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess," I muttered flatly.</span></p> <p><span>"So, while it's just the four of us, you wanna shed some light on how the little stinker managed to get here last night?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh yeah, that," I chuckled. Despite a few holes in the overall story, I relayed the information Larry and Wendy had shared with me this morning after I put Logan to bed. Those details covered most everything from the time some guy named Henry picked Logan up on the east side of Dexter to arriving back home. We still wanted to find out what had happened between the time Logan escaped from Troy's house and Henry, whoever the hell he was, had picked him up.</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus," Tom breathed. "You said the little bugger was resourceful, you weren't kiddin', were you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope. Larry and Wendy both said he poured on the charm at Lambert's and suckered them right in. Then, when he fessed up to the whole truth at the rest stop, they knew they were doing the right thing bringing him here."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he sure got lucky with them," Dylan commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he did," I agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what are you going to do about his legal problems," Ron asked while starting another waffle and adding the one that just finished baking to the others already in the oven to keep them warm.</span></p> <p><span>"Logan's going to have to hire an attorney to represent him," I replied. "I'll call Clarence and take care of that right after we eat."</span></p> <p><span>"Speakin' of eatin', you wanna get the little rascals back out here?" Ron asked. "I think I've got enough waffles done we can get started."</span></p> <p><span>A quick page over the phone was all it took for the herd to rumble back into the kitchen and get busy with setting the table and pouring milk and orange juice for everyone. With the preparations completed, we took our places at the table and dug in, Ron keeping a steady supply of fresh waffles going. During the meal, Logan told us about everything that had happened in Dexter. To hear the lengths Troy went to in order to get his greedy hands on Logan's inheritance only served to further anger all of us. By the time Logan was done telling his story, we all agreed Troy fully deserved the punishment meted out by Logan.</span></p> <p><span>With the tale of horror completed, I changed subjects when I asked, "So, T.J., now that Logan's back home, what are you thinking about doing for your birthday next week?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, geez, I'd forgotten all `bout that," T.J. muttered. "But, hey, since we're out of school all next week, could we have the party on Wednesday `stead of Saturday?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't see why not. Get us a list of the friends you want to invite and we'll take care of it. What do you want to have for lunch?"</span></p> <p><span>"Burgers and dogs'd be cool. Everyone likes them and they can pick what they want."</span></p> <p><span>"Consider it done. I'll call Justine and have them ready to go. Do you want to eat or swim first?"</span></p> <p><span>"We should probably swim, then eat," T.J. replied. "That way we don't have to wait after eatin' to get in the pool."</span></p> <p><span>"So, start the swim about noon and eat around two or so? And will the swimming be skinny-dipping?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, duh!!" T.J. laughed. " `Course it will. Ain't none of us six gonna wear a stitch all day. And if my friends don't want to strip off, they don't hafta."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, buddy. I just want to be able to tell your guests' parents what to expect so there aren't any surprises that day."</span></p> <p><span>"That's cool, Dad. Ain't none of us got nothin' we ain't all seen before, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean by that? You haven't been doing things you shouldn't be at school again, have you?"</span></p> <p><span>"No way, man! I learned my lesson `bout that. But when all you got in the john is an eight-foot-long trough to pee in, ya can't help but see who's packin' what, can ya? Not that any of us are really packin, yet," he added with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear you're behavin', T.J." Tom intoned seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, Pops, I'm bein' good."</span></p> <p><span>With our meal completed, the cleanup began as the boys took care of their part and Ron handled the rest. Tom and Dylan adjourned to their office to take care of what needed to be done there and the boys had decided to return to the theater to watch some TV. As they turned to disappear down the hallway, I tapped Logan on the shoulder to get his attention.</span></p> <p><span>He turned around and asked, "Yeah, what's up, Dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"We need to make a phone call, Logan. Come with me." I led the way to my study and after closing the door, I settled in my chair at the desk and Logan climbed in my lap.</span></p> <p><span>"Who we talkin' to?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You remember talkin' to my lawyer, Clarence, about changing your dad's will to have John removed as the executor and your trustee?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, `course I do. That was only a little over a week ago. Why do I need to talk him again?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, according to Pops, you're probably going to have deal with some legal issues in Missouri for what you did to Troy and you're going to need a lawyer to represent you. I think Clarence will take good care of you, but if you'd rather have someone else do it, we can do that, too."</span></p> <p><span>"He takes good care o' you, don't he?"</span></p> <p><span>"He certainly does."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if he's good enough for you, then he's plenty good for me. Let's get this over with."</span></p> <p><span>I put the phone on speaker and dialed the number. Since it was still a bit early for his regular office hours, Clarence answered the phone with, "Cantrell Law Offices, what is it this time Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ya gotta love caller ID, don't ya?" I asked with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, when I saw who was callin', I almost let it roll over to voicemail," Clarence laughed. "But you wouldn't be callin' me this time of day unless it was important."</span></p> <p><span>"You're right about that. I have a new client for you."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, who? Somebody with deep pockets, I hope."</span></p> <p><span>"Deep enough, I guess. Do you remember talking to Logan Campbell about his dad's will?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing. Still waitin' to hear from court on the change we requested, though. I hope that's not what you're callin' about."</span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, no. Before we go any further, are you licensed to practice in Missouri?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure am. I have a few clients from the St. Louis area that have business interests in Illinois, too, so I took care of that issue years ago to handle their work in both states."</span></p> <p><span>"Good," I replied. "Logan, I think I'll let you take it from there."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait a sec," Clarence interrupted. "I thought Logan was supposed to be in Missouri with his aunt and uncle. What the heck is he doing back here?"</span></p> <p><span>"He was until yesterday afternoon," I answered. "He, uh, escaped and made his way here. Showed up here about two this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, this sounds like it's gonna be a juicy story and I can't wait to hear it. Go on, young man."</span></p> <p><span>"What am I supposed to say?" Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just tell Clarence you want to retain him as your attorney and then answer all of his questions."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay," he muttered. He then turned towards the phone and said, "Howdy, Mr. Cantrell. You `member talkin' to me?"</span></p> <p><span>"I do, what's going on, Logan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm gonna need a lawyer to keep my butt outta jail and I want you to be him."</span></p> <p><span>"I can do that," Clarence replied, "but why do you think you need a lawyer?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I went home with my uncle Troy Sunday just like I was s'posed to and when we got there, he locked me in their garbage dump of a basement. He spent part of the next three days tryin' to make me get my money for him `cause he's `bout to lose his orchard. Then, when he came down to the basement yesterday to try again, he threatened to kill me if I didn't do what he wanted, then he punched me in the face. So, after I picked myself back up off the floor, I kicked `im in the balls and got the hell outta there."</span></p> <p><span>"So, why do you need me?" Clarence asked in confusion. "Sounds like you acted in self-defense to me."</span></p> <p><span>"That's not the whole story, Clarence. Go on, Logan, tell him the rest of it," I prodded.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay, Max. Um, before I took off, I, uh, gelded the bastard, Mr. Cantrell. Oh, and I also stole fifty bucks from him so I could get back home."</span></p> <p><span>"'Scuse me!? You what!?"</span></p> <p><span>"I stole fifty bucks," Logan reiterated.</span></p> <p><span>"No, the part before that," Clarence clarified.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, I gelded him, just like the dirty pig deserved."</span></p> <p><span>"Would mind explaining to me exactly what happened? I want to make sure I fully understand what you're saying."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you know how sometimes you have an aggressive and cantankerous critter on a farm? When you get one like that, sometimes cuttin' their nuts off will calm them down a little bit and make `em easier to handle. Daddy always told me that the loss of testosterone can change an animal's temperament. So, that's what I did to that animal of an uncle, I cut his nuts off."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy crap!" the surprised lawyer exclaimed. "And you want me to defend this kid, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"We do. We knew Troy was going to be trouble from the moment we first met him and his actions towards Logan are the proof in the pudding."</span></p> <p><span>"Do we have any evidence of Logan's accusations to back up his story."</span></p> <p><span>"You bet I do, Mr. Cantrell. I recorded that lowlife all week on the phone Max gave me."</span></p> <p><span>"Have you seen the videos, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet. The phone's battery died and it's being recharged right now. We plan to see what's there as soon as we can. Then, we intend to send them to a Captain McCord of the Dexter, Missouri police department."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you dare do that," Clarence commanded. "Those recordings are evidence for the defense in a criminal case and the police and prosecutors will get them only after they request them through discovery."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you'll take Logan as a client?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I will. As soon as that phone is done recharging, I want you to send me whatever Logan recorded. Once I've seen what's there, I'll handle everything with the cops in Missouri. And should this Captain McCord contact you in an attempt to talk to Logan, you tell him the young man has an attorney and any conversations with Logan will have to go through me."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you sure that's the best way to handle this, Clarence? It seems to me that playing hardball with those guys will only piss them off even more. I don't want to antagonize them any more than necessary."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, Max. This is just the way the game is played. We let Troy shovel his bs story down their throats, get them all hot and bothered to prosecute a kid, and then we drop a bomb in their laps that blows Troy's story completely out of the water. Sure, castrating his uncle is certain to be considered a felony and I'm sure there will be some punishment to Logan for doing that, but once they see he was justified in his retaliation, the punishment will be minor, most likely community service and a fine. Maybe some probation, too, but as long as he keeps his nose clean, he'll end up with no record to worry about."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it sounds like you know what you're doing, so I'm gonna step back and let you take care of it. You just let me know when and where we need to be for anything, and I'll make sure we're there. And if we need to go to Dexter for interviews or court, I'll fly us down on my plane."</span></p> <p><span>"That works for me, Max. Sound good to you, Logan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Long as I ain't gotta go to jail, I'm good," Logan agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Now, can I talk to Max alone?" Clarence asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. Thanks for helpin' me out, Mr. Cantrell. Talk to you later." With that, Logan jumped off my lap and scampered off to join the other boys in the theater.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, he's gone, Clarence. What didn't you want him to hear?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm guessing if what Logan recorded on the phone matches with his description of the events, him living with his uncle until he's an adult is out the window. What do you want to do about his living situation if this all shakes out the way I think it will?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why do you even ask such silly questions? To steal one of the boys' phrases, that's like askin' a cop if he likes donuts," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"I expected as much," Clarence replied and joined me in the laugh. "I'll draft a motion this morning requesting you be allowed to adopt Logan and have it on Judge Corgan's desk this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"It's like you were readin' my mind."</span></p> <p><span>"Not too difficult to read through that pile of moldy swiss cheese in your skull, Max," Clarence chuckled. "With luck, we can have everything approved and ready to roll for the seventeenth of next month, along with all the others."</span></p> <p><span>"You pull off that miracle, I'll kiss you on my wedding day instead of Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"You're a good man, Max, but you do that, and we'll have both Tom and Sarah gunnin' for us. Save your kisses for your husband and I'll save mine for my wife."</span></p> <p><span>"Deal, shyster. Don't forget to bill me for everything."</span></p> <p><span>"You can be sure of it, Max. I'll call you after I've seen the videos and let you know what I think."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for all your help, Clarence. Have a great day."</span></p> <p><span>I ended the call and enjoyed a smile as I leaned back in my chair. While it was never my intention for us to adopt Logan when he first moved in, I was more than happy to do so. All of us loved the cheeky little bugger and after being here for the past month, it seemed to be the natural solution to his problem. At least he'd never have to worry about Troy again. I finally decided I needed to let Tom know what I just signed us up for and left the study to do just that.</span></p> <p><span>When I reached their office, Tom was ending a phone call with, "Thanks for calling, Carol. I'll pass the word along. Talk to you later."</span></p> <p><span>"What'd Carol call about?" I queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Before I answer that, where's the boys?" Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"In the theater turning their brains into mush."</span></p> <p><span>"Good," Tom grinned. "I don't want them to know about this until it proves to be true."</span></p> <p><span>"God, you're killin' me, just spit it out."</span></p> <p><span>"She thinks she's found William."</span></p> <p><span>"You're kiddin' me," I replied with enthusiasm. "How the hell'd she pull that off?"</span></p> <p><span>"Seems he's still in their system since he's never been adopted. Turns out the kid has had a pretty rough go of things and is now residing in a juvenile correctional center in Normal."</span></p> <p><span>"What'd he do to end up there?"</span></p> <p><span>"From what Carol's been able to discover so far, he's been picked up several times for shoplifting, vandalizing the school and some other petty issues. Since the foster parents he was living with didn't seem too concerned about his actions or inclined to do much to help, he was removed from their home and put in detention about a year ago."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that sucks," I muttered. "Any idea how old he is?"</span></p> <p><span>"According to Carol's info, he's fifteen going on twenty-five. The caseworker who's been dealing with him says he's a cocky little bastard who needs to learn his limits. I'd like to meet the kid and see if there's anything we can do to help him out."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, you may want to rethink that idea when I tell you about the call I just finished."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh shit, now what?" Dylan chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Logan and I just talked to Clarence and he's agreed to represent Logan against whatever comes out of Dexter. He's also going to draft a motion for us to adopt the rugrat and present it to Judge Corgan this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"No shit?" a stunned Tom muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"No shit, Sherlock. It'll all depend on the outcome of his legal issues with Troy, but Clarence believes that shouldn't be anything major. What it does do, though, is eliminate any possibility of Logan staying with them until he's of legal age. And with his mom and dad both gone, where else is he gonna go?"</span></p> <p><span>"The seventeenth just keeps get busier and busier, doesn't it, guys," Dylan asked with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, the more the merrier. We're definitely gonna have to get moving on the new house. Now that you're back home, I'll call Ryan and set up a new meeting to go over the plans he's come up with. He wanted to do it earlier this week, but I put him off until you were here to see it too, hon."</span></p> <p><span>"Go call him right now. If he can meet tonight, let's make it happen."</span></p> <p><span>"I will. Why don't you call Carol and see what hoops we have to jump through to meet William?"</span></p> <p><span>"Consider it done, babe."</span></p> <p><span>I returned to my study to make my call while Tom took care of his. I received Ryan's agreement to come out this evening to review the latest plans and he asked if Eric would be here also so he could see what they'd done with the plans he'd created. After assuring Ryan I'd make sure he would join us, we ended our conversation. I was just about to head back across the house to let Tom know about our 5:30 meeting when there was a light rap on the door.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon in," I called out.</span></p> <p><span>The door popped open and Logan stepped inside, quietly asking, "Hey, ya got a minute?"</span></p> <p><span>"Always, kiddo. What's up?"</span></p> <p><span>Logan walked across the office and stood next to my chair before asking in a trembling voice, "I almost hate to ask this, Dad, but do you know what's gonna happen to me?"</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean, Logan?" I asked, unsure of where he was going with his question.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I obviously can't live with Uncle Dirtbag no more, not that I ever wanted to in the first place. And I ain't got no other family I know `bout, so where'm I gonna live now?"</span></p> <p><span>Not wanting to tell Logan about what Clarence was doing today, I answered with, "Well, I'm not real sure. I guess we need to talk to Carol and see what she thinks."</span></p> <p><span>"Why can't I just stay here with you guys?" he begged.</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, I don't know how well that would work out," I joked. "You've been nothin' but trouble since the moment you stepped foot in this house. Not sure we want to take that risk."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon, man. I ain't been that bad. Have I??" Logan asked seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"No, you really haven't been any trouble at all. But until I have a chance to talk to Carol, I can't really answer your question."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, call her now."</span></p> <p><span>"I tried to do that when I finished with Clarence, but she's not in the office today," I fibbed. "We'll have to wait for her to call back on Monday to see what she thinks."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope she thinks it'd be cool for me to stay. I love it here."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it, Logan. We like you bein' here, too. What are your brothers doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"They were goin' to our room to play."</span></p> <p><span>"What, Uno, Mousetrap, or something else?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, something else, Dad," Logan giggled while absentmindedly stroking himself as young boys will often do. "And I better boogie or I'm gonna miss all the fun. Talk to you later," he added as he scooted out the door after giving me a hug. God, to be so young and innocent again. I'd almost give up everything to have a chance at a mulligan with my life. But then if got it, I probably wouldn't be where I am today, about to be married and adopting five, no, make that six boys. And I wouldn't trade any of that for all the money in the world.</span></p> <p><span>Before heading across the house to let Tom know of our meeting this evening, I placed one more quick call to Rick, receiving his assurances that his crew would be here so Eric could sit in our meeting with Ryan and they could possibly discuss plans for their new house on the ranch. That done, I started my trek across the house but as I was leaving my study, I met Ron coming out of our bedroom with an armful of dirty clothes.</span></p> <p><span>"Laundry day, I see," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep," he replied as he fell into step beside me.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, do yourself a favor and bypass Joey, Alex and Logan's room for a while," I suggested.</span></p> <p><span>"Why? They got dirty clothes that need to be washed, too."</span></p> <p><span>"That may be, but it's my understanding all six are in there right now making up for some lost playtime the past couple of weeks. Don't want you to feel awkward about interrupting them."</span></p> <p><span>"Pshh, won't be the first time I've caught them horny little buggers enjoying themselves. Pretty damn sure it won't be the last, either," Ron added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"No, probably not," I agreed. "Just wanted to give you a heads up."</span></p> <p><span>"Bet if I go in there, I get more than just one head up."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, I'm not takin' that bet, Ron. Don't say you weren't warned," I added as I turned into Tom's office and Ron continued down the hall to the utility room. "Okay, Ryan's going to be here about five-thirty to review the latest plans. He's also bringing plans based off the two drawings Eric gave him, so I've called Rick and he along with Eric and Josh will be here, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to me," Tom replied. "I hope he's close to bein' done with them `cause I know John's eager to get started."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see soon enough, I guess," I commented. "I didn't ask Ryan if John should be here, too. Do you think I should call him?"</span></p> <p><span>"You can if you want, I suppose. Not sure how much he'd have to add to our meeting, though."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess you have a point there. The only thing we need to do before he can get started on construction is pick a site."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I haven't seen enough of the property to have a clue," Tom replied. "I'm gonna have to go with wherever you decide."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell you what, go to Google maps and we can see a satellite view of the whole eighteen acres. Once we pick a spot, we can get Justin started on the process of clearing trees for the drive and house." Tom opened his browser and headed to the site. The map view was centered on Berlin already and after changing the view to the satellite pictures, it was easy to see where the existing drive, house and storage building were located on the property. Tom zoomed in the view until our property filled the screen. </span></p> <p><span>You could easily see the two acres at the northwest corner that had been sold off before I bought the rest, or we'd have an even twenty acres. Near the northeast corner, the tiny clearing for the cemetery was just barely visible. Since I wanted to stay as far away from the cemetery as possible, I suggested we extend the driveway past the current turn to the house and add a new turn to the north about 250 to 300 feet deeper into the trees so the new house would be east of the storage building.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that spot looks good to me," Tom agreed. "But it's hard to tell from this view since it's covered in trees."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, that's kinda the point, numbskull," I joked. "Completely hidden from outside view, just like this house is. Would you rather have the house right up by the road?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not if it's gonna have as much glass as this one does. We'd have gawkers drivin' by 24/7 just to catch a glimpse of the naked freaks at home."</span></p> <p><span>"My point, exactly. And from this spot east of the storage building, it would be pretty easy to have a new trail cut through the trees to tie into the drive there. That would make going to and from this house to the new one super easy, especially if we get some golf carts."</span></p> <p><span>"Golf carts!?" Dylan laughed. "Have you lost your freakin' mind, Max? Those boys will have one wrapped around a tree in a heartbeat."</span></p> <p><span>"The boys, hell," Tom scoffed. "I've ridden with you, partner, and if I hadn't had my eyes closed for most of the trip, you'd be deaf right now from all the screamin'," he added with a hearty laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, I got us here in one piece, so quitcher bitchin'," Dylan retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys," I interjected, "play nice or I'll have to separate you." After the two had quieted, I returned to the topic at hand. "So, you think this location's gonna be okay?" I asked while pointing to the spot on the screen.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't see why not," Tom agreed. "Where do you think Rick's house should be?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think north of the storage building. That gives us a little bit of separation, but still close enough Rick could be here in a hurry if he's needed.</span></p> <p><span>"Isn't that gonna put them pretty close to the cemetery?" Dylan queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Not if we go to a spot centered between this house and the storage building, then straight north close to the property line, say right about here," I replied while pointing to the screen again. "We can check that spot with Rick tonight and see what he thinks. Why don't you print that view to the inkjet, Tom? Then we can show it to Ryan and Rick and see what they think of those locations."</span></p> <p><span>After the picture was spooled to the print queue, Tom asked, "Are there any hills or anything to contend with at either location that would make building a house difficult?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty sure there aren't," I answered. "As I remember from getting the trails cut, the whole property is pretty flat, so building at either location shouldn't present any problems. Except for clearing out the trees and stumps, of course."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. It'll be interesting to see what everyone thinks tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"I want to ask about your phone call but hang on a sec." I stepped to the office doorway and stuck my head out. Seeing that the twins' bedroom door was still closed, I assumed the boys were still keeping themselves entertained, so I turned back to Tom and asked, "What did Carol have to say about meeting with William?"</span></p> <p><span>"She said it wouldn't be a problem. She can arrange for him to get a weekend out so he could come down, meet everyone and see what happens. Her only concern, really, is where he would sleep while he was here. She knows about Logan being back and that we already have three boys each in two beds and the third is taken by Ron. I think she's a little uncomfortable with a fifteen-year-old sharing a bed with anybody here. Especially since it's unlikely he's gay."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we could always bring one of the beds back in from the storage building, but that would be a real pain in the ass for just a weekend."</span></p> <p><span>"You got that right. Those king-sized mattresses are harder than hell to handle."</span></p> <p><span>"I've got an idea for you guys to try on," Dylan interjected. We both stared at Dylan expectantly and he continued after a moment's pause. "He could stay at my house."</span></p> <p><span>"But how could we get him here?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Piece o' cake," Dylan replied. "Malcom can bring him down some Friday night and take him back Sunday night."</span></p> <p><span>"We can't ask him to do that," I protested.</span></p> <p><span>"Why not? William's in Normal, right? And Malcom lives there, too. It wouldn't be a problem for the two to connect. I'm sure Malcom wouldn't mind a bit."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you think he's willing to do it, why don't you check and see if we can work out something for next weekend?"</span></p> <p><span>"You got it. He'll be on his way down here this afternoon and I'll ask him tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"You're a great friend, Dylan. We can't thank you enough for your help."</span></p> <p><span>"Happy to do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm going to let you two get back to work. Guess I'll do some more writing on the book while everyone else is otherwise occupied. See ya in a bit for lunch."</span></p> <p><a name="_Hlk8818277"><span>I finally had Max and Tom's clothes moved to the dryer, so it was time to start working on the boys' things. I first grabbed T.J., Mike, and Andy's clothes from their room since it's right across the hall from the utility room. After dropping their stuff on the counter and doing a quick sorting to separate the whites that needed to be bleached, I realized I didn't have enough of anything to make a full load. And after a couple weeks of seeing the condition of some of the whites, I completely understood the need for having towels on all the furniture. What the hell is it with young boys and their inability to properly clean themselves after using the bathroom? I reluctantly decided to bring it up with Max or Tom and see if maybe they'd talk to the rugrats about the problem.</span></a></p> <p><span>I poked my head out the door of the utility room and looked down the hallway towards the twins' room and discovered the door was still closed. Well, shit, the munchkins must still be in there doing god knows what. While I knew I should respect their privacy, I really wanted to get the laundry done and over with so I could enjoy a relaxing afternoon. I carried on with my internal debate a minute or two before I finally decided to bite the bullet and interrupt them. I stepped into the hallway and turned towards their room, passing Tom and Dylan's office along the way.</span></p> <p><span>Following the important house rule of always knocking on a closed door, I did just that on reaching the oak slab. I could hear some serious giggling and muffled moans coming from within and was about to walk away when I heard, "C'mon in." </span></p> <p><span>Still unsure whether I should continue or not, I cracked the door just a couple of inches and called out, "Just want to grab your dirty clothes, guys."</span></p> <p><span>"That's cool, Ron," Joey mumbled.</span></p> <p><span>Assuming the coast was clear and I wouldn't be intruding on anything important, I pushed the door wide open and stepped inside. The sight that assaulted my eyes and the scents that attacked my nasal passages could only be described as heaven on earth. The room stank of sweat and sex and I reacted immediately to that alone as my cock began to harden and my brain tried to grasp the scene before me.</span></p> <p><span>Six naked and very horny young lads were all over the bed in a mishmash of sexual frenzy. Alex was sitting astride Logan's midsection, rocking slowly to and fro, and it was plainly obvious Logan's little pecker was buried in Alex's tight ass. The blissful look on Logan's face was all it took to know the boy was truly enjoying himself. Joey, eyes closed and head pitched back, was standing over Logan in front of Alex and he was force-feeding his young cock into his brother's mouth. T.J. had somehow insinuated himself between the twins and he was bobbing his head back and forth on Alex's stiff boyhood, matching Alex's movements so the prize never left his mouth. Mike was curled up behind T.J. and trying like hell to get his hard cocklet inside his brother's ass. Unfortunately for Mike, he was in the wrong position and his pecker too short to reach his target, so the most he was accomplishing was to occasionally rake his stiffie across T.J.'s pucker. As for Andy, he was kneeling behind Mike's ass, one hand spreading those beautiful mounds of flesh to expose the pinkish rosebud hidden within and he had two fingers working themselves in and out of the snug orifice. I could see from Mike's occasional full-body jerks when Andy would bump and prod his prostate.</span></p> <p><span>While I've never been attracted to such young boys, the scene before me was so erotic and awe-inspiring, it took every ounce of will power I could muster to not climb on that bed and swallow Andy's poor neglected hardness. I just had to trust that one or more of the others involved would do the right thing and see to it that Andy received his fair share of pleasuring when they had otherwise reached their limits. Though the herd knew I was in the room, they didn't stop their actions for even one second and the show continued with undiminished fervor and passion as I grabbed the hamper of dirty clothes and Logan's travel bag from the floor. With those in my hands, I turned and left them alone, quietly closing the door behind me.</span></p> <p><span>Before heading for the utility room with my load, I carefully maneuvered Logan's bag in an attempt to mask my throbbing erection as I passed by Tom's office. Stepping back into the utility room, I began to sort the new load, mixing them with the piles I had already created. I had hoped that performing such a mundane task would ease the pain that had developed in my groin, but nothing was wiping the memory of what I'd just witnessed from my synapses. If anything, I was even more on edge since I'd left the boys' room. I somehow managed to get the next pile of clothes in the washer and got it started before admitting to myself that I had to deal with a problem that wasn't going away on its own.</span></p> <p><span>Returning to my own bedroom, I closed the door and stretched out on my bed before grasping my stiff rod and slowly stroking myself. I was already dripping freely so I didn't need to grab the lube from the nightstand drawer. As I worked myself into a frenzy, I tried to conjure up images of the last guy I'd picked up at the gym. We'd gone to his apartment where we'd fucked our brains out for several hours. But my mind kept flashing images of the six hot and horny rugrats who were doing the exact same thing just on the other side of that wall where the TV was hung. I just couldn't keep my mind focused on Scott. I think that was his name, anyway. The only names I knew were real right now were Joey, Alex, T.J., Mike, Andy and Logan and my mind refused to stray from those six cute young fuckers as I began stroking harder and faster.</span></p> <p><span>I felt the tension building and soon enough, my balls were pulling up tight and blessed release was eminent. As I sensed the first surge of orgasm slam into me, my brain flashed the image of Logan's cock buried in Alex's hot ass and I erupted with a force I'd not felt for a long time. The first shot landed on my chin and the follow ups proceeded to leave a trail across my nipples, down my chest, flooded my bellybutton and finally petered out on my bare pubic mound as my staff slowly wilted. Jesus, I'd never been so turned on in my entire life than I'd been by the show in the room next door. If I couldn't get a grip on things (no, not <i>those</i> things), I was gonna lose this cushy job.</span></p> <p><span>I grabbed a dirty sock off the floor and wiped most of my mess off me before jumping in the shower to really get cleaned up. Having made myself presentable to the family again, I headed back out to get lunch started and continue with my laundry while wild visions continued to flood my mind.</span></p> <p><span>I'd made good progress on my writing, completing three more chapters of my cold and lonely existence, when Ron called us all for lunch. I saved my work and joined the crew in the dining room for a simple lunch of hot dogs and Doritos. I wasn't too surprised to see the boys were all sporting goofy grins of complete bliss and satisfaction, knowing where they'd been and what they'd been doing the past couple of hours. I was glad they'd been able to enjoy themselves and to see smiles on their faces again after a week filled with frowns and sadness due to Logan's absence.</span></p> <p><span>Ron seemed to be a bit nervous about something as he took a chair between Tom and Dylan, but I wasn't going ask. I figured if it was something serious, he'd talk to us about it.</span></p> <p><span>"So, guys, what are your plans for the afternoon?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We thought we'd take a walk on that one trail and see if we can find Sammy," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like fun," I replied. "You want us to go with you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hang on there, Max," Dylan interjected. "I already told you I wasn't gonna be included in any hunt for a ghost."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon, Uncle Dylan," Alex protested. "Don't be such a scaredy cat."</span></p> <p><span>"No way, kiddos. Like I told your dads, black people don't go messin' `round with spooks or spirits."</span></p> <p><span>"Why's that," Logan asked with sincere interest.</span></p> <p><span>" `Cause we know they're real and we leave `em alone."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm goin'," Mike chirped. "I wanna see this dude."</span></p> <p><span>"I thought you were goin' to stay inside with Ron and Andy when we took that walk," I reminded the youngster.</span></p> <p><span>"Eh, changed my mind. What can I say?"</span></p> <p><span>"What about you, Andy," Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"If Mike's goin', I might as well go with y'all, too. Don't want them thinkin' I'm a chicken or nothin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Nobody would think that, Andy," I countered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah we would," Alex giggled. After seeing the surly look Andy shot at him, Alex backpedaled with, "I'm just kiddin', bro. If you want to stay here with Ron, we're cool with that." Andy received nods of agreement from all the boys after Alex's statement.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm still gonna go with ya. If somethin' happens, I want to see it for myself."</span></p> <p><span>"That's settled then," I agreed. "Let's get dressed after we're done eating and we'll go for a walk."</span></p> <p><span>"Have fun, guys," Tom grunted.</span></p> <p><span>"What? I thought you might want to go with us since we'll be close to the site I pointed out for the new house. This would give us a good chance to look it over. It's not too far into the trees from the loop in the trail, so it should be easy to get to."</span></p> <p><span>"If you insist. But I'm not much likin' the ghost hunting idea, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Bu-u-u-ck, buck, buck, buck, buck," Joey crowed at the far end of the table, eliciting a round of laughter from all the boys.</span></p> <p><span>"Now listen here, young man ..." Tom started while waggling a finger in Joey's direction.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just pickin' on ya, Pops," Joey retorted with a giggle. "If you're that scared o' Sammy, you just stick close to me and I'll make sure nothin' happens to ya."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks, buddy. I feel so much safer now," Tom grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"You should, Pops," Alex replied. "Sammy ain't gonna hurt none of us."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah? What makes you so sure about that?" Ron asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, he told me he wouldn't," T.J. muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, what was that!?" I exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, he told me he wouldn't hurt us."</span></p> <p><span>"When did that happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"In the dream I had Tuesday night."</span></p> <p><span>"You didn't tell me about that, young man."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, with everyone bein' so bummed out `bout Logan bein' gone and all, I just never found a good time to say somethin' to ya. I'm sorry, Dad," T.J. offered as he lowered his head in sadness.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it, T.J., I understand. Well, if you guys are ready, let's get this show on the road."</span></p> <p><span>On that note, we helped Ron clean up our lunch mess and headed to our rooms to get some shorts, shirts and shoes pulled on. While the boys protested wearing anything, after my reminder that it was only about sixty degrees and a bit cloudy, they finally gave in, realizing it might be a touch chilly for a nude walk. Besides, there would be plenty of opportunity for that this summer. We regrouped in the living room and were just about to head out when Dylan came in from his office.</span></p> <p><span>"So, we done for the day, boss?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I think so," Tom agreed. "You sure you don't want to join us?" he added with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, thanks for that kind offer, but another day, maybe. I'm gonna head home and catch some shuteye before Malcom gets here. I didn't get much sleep last night and I'm really startin' to feel it," Dylan commented while glaring at Logan.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Uncle Dylan. I really didn't mean to cause no problems for nobody."</span></p> <p><span>"You didn't, buddy. I just get grumpy when I don't get enough sleep."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, thanks for helpin' Pops," Logan replied as he wrapped the big man in a hug. When the two finally separated, the rest of the herd moved in to say goodbye and share a quick hug before Dylan headed out the door. We were just about to follow in his footsteps when I suddenly remembered something I needed to do.</span></p> <p><span>I tapped Tom on the shoulder and whispered, "Be right back." Stepping into the kitchen, I grabbed the recharged phone, unlocked it and opened the folder where the videos were stored. I selected all of them and quickly forwarded them to Clarence. Even though we'd not had the chance to watch them ourselves, I still wanted to get them in Clarence's hands as soon as I could. That done, I rejoined the group at the front door, and we began our walk. T.J. was leading the way since he was the only one who knew where we were going. The rest of the boys were following his lead while Tom and I brought up the rear.</span></p> <p><span>"What was that about?" Tom asked quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"I just sent the videos Logan recorded to Clarence. He needs to see what he's dealing with."</span></p> <p><span>"Good thinking," Tom agreed. "Have you watched them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet. We can do that when we get back to the house."</span></p> <p><span>"Providing me make it back to the house," Tom chuckled. "I still can't believe we're searching for the ghost of some kid who died in 1892."</span></p> <p><span>"Stanger things have happened, hon. I just hope we solve the mystery soon and Sammy will leave T.J. alone. This connection he's formed is really bothering me."</span></p> <p><span>"It's not doing any wonders for me, either, but what else can we do?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know," I answered morosely.</span></p> <p><span>The two of us fell silent when we turned off the driveway and onto the trail leading us into the woods along the south side of the property. The boys kept up their ongoing chatter despite the feeling of gloom cast by the meager shadows of the still leafless trees. If there were any deer wandering the woods this afternoon, they'd know we were close long before we would see them. About 300 feet from where we'd entered the trail, T.J. suddenly froze, turned left to peer among the trees and the boys went silent.</span></p> <p><span>"This is it. This is where I was when Sammy grabbed my wrist and pulled me off the trail."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure about that?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Like I said, Dad, I'll never forget that dream."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you feel or sense anything now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just a little tug, I'd guess you'd call it, telling me we need to go thataway," T.J. replied while pointing towards the north. "It ain't too far from here."</span></p> <p><span>"What?" Tom asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Not sure, Pops."</span></p> <p><span>"No, he's right," Alex muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I can feel it, too," Joey agreed with a shudder.</span></p> <p><span>That said, T.J. stepped off the trail and began picking his way through the underbrush, moving deeper into the woods. The shadows were much denser and seemingly darker here than they were on the trail and our progress was slow but steady. Even from our position at the rear of the pack, I could see T.J. was visibly shivering from whatever he was sensing. We could feel his trepidation as he burrowed deeper and deeper into the unknown, Joey and Alex right behind him. Five agonizing minutes after turning off the trail, we reached a spot in the woods I hadn't known existed until this very moment.</span></p> <p><span>We stepped into a small clearing about thirty feet in diameter with a single oak tree growing in the center. The air felt decidedly cooler in the clearing despite the bright sun peeking through the cloud cover. Judging by the size of its trunk and the spread of its limbs, this tree had been here long before the land had been settled by David's ancestors in the mid-1800s. T.J., Alex and Joey slowly crept closer and closer to the tree, looking all around for any hints of what had drawn them to this spot. The rest of us stayed back a bit to give them room to do whatever they needed. </span></p> <p><span>The three adventurers were whispering quietly amongst themselves when T.J. finally looked to us and said, "We're here."</span></p> <p><span>"Where's here?" Tom asked nervously.</span></p> <p><span>"Where Sammy died," Alex answered flatly.</span></p> <p><span>"Go ahead, T.J.," Joey said quietly. "He reached out to you first."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think I wanna do this alone," T.J. muttered. "You dudes do it with me." While the five of us stood back about ten feet, we watched as T.J., Joey and Alex stepped closer, then reached out and placed their hands on the trunk of the arboreal giant. On making contact, T.J.'s reaction was immediate and he jerked his hand away, muttering, "Oh, shit." After shaking himself, he slowly placed his hand back on the trunk and closed his eyes.</span></p> <p><span>Thirty silent seconds passed when Alex suddenly announced, "You guys need to move."</span></p> <p><span>"Why?" Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>" `Cause you're standing right where he did," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Where who stood," I asked with a shaky voice.</span></p> <p><span>"The guy who killed Sammy," T.J. grumbled in an ethereal voice.</span></p> <p><span>That was all we needed to know as Andy and Mike immediately jumped away from where we were and all of us moved eight feet to our right.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's better," T.J. commented. "Now don't move from there," he added calmly. How he knew we had moved since he never opened his eyes was beyond our meager mental talents to comprehend.</span></p> <p><span>The three of them stood around the tree, occasionally moving their hands from place to place. After several more minutes of unnatural silence, T.J., Alex and Joey peeled their hands away from the tree and formed a tiny huddle, having a silent discussion about whatever had just happened. A couple of minutes later, they broke their huddle and came over to us.</span></p> <p><span>"Did you guys see him?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We didn't see anything, just the three of you," I answered. "What did you see?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sammy was hanging from that branch right there," T.J. replied as he pointed to a huge limb about twenty feet up. "It was a lot closer to the ground back in 1892. When we first saw Sammy, he was standin' on a chair with a rope `round his neck that went up over that limb and was tied to another one a lot lower. After the man kicked the chair out from under `im, Sammy started thrashing and kicking, tryin' to get free, but no matter how hard he tried, nothin' was workin'. And the bastard who did it stood right where you were, laughin' his ass off the whole time. Sammy finally went really still, and we watched as his spirit left his body when he died. He's been here ever since, waitin' for somebody to come along to tell his story to."</span></p> <p><span>"Did all three of you see this?" I asked. Solemn nods from Alex and Joey confirmed they had. "Jesus, I never knew anything about that happening."</span></p> <p><span>" `Course you didn't, Dad," Alex said. "Sammy said he'd tried to tell you when you'd take your walks, but no matter how hard he worked at it, you just couldn't hear him."</span></p> <p><span>"He's really happy he found us, though," Joey commented. "He says he can finally rest now that somebody knows the truth."</span></p> <p><span>"Why's that?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>" `Cause his momma and daddy always thought he hung himself," T.J. answered. "And they both died a few years later not knowin' what really happened to him."</span></p> <p><span>"That's why Sammy and his parents were the last people buried in the cemetery," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, none of the family wanted to live here after three people had died," Joey commented. "They all thought the land was cursed."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it wasn't cursed, really, but it <i>was</i> haunted," T.J. said. "Until now, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Has Sammy, uh, I don't know, moved on, I guess?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not quite yet," T.J. answered. "He wants us to do something for him."</span></p> <p><span>"Geez, I can't believe this," Tom uttered with disbelief. "A favor for a freakin' ghost? What's next, a dinner party for the dead?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's not a ghost, Pops. It's just his spirit."</span></p> <p><span>"Ghost, spirit, what's the difference?"</span></p> <p><span>"Big difference, believe me. And Sammy says if we do this, he'll finally be able to move on and leave us alone."</span></p> <p><span>"What does he want?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He wants `Free at Last' added to his gravestone," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I can sure arrange that. But how you know all this."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, duh!" T.J. exclaimed. "He told us, didn't he, guys?" Alex and Joey again nodded their assent.</span></p> <p><span>"And when did he do that," Tom queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Just now, when we were huddled `round him. It's too bad you guys couldn't see him."</span></p> <p><span>"Did he say anything else to you?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he knows who killed him and he told us," Joey answered. "And he wants us to tell Judge Corgan and his dad when they come out tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, David hasn't called about doing that," I countered.</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet," Alex giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Sammy says he will, though," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, and he told us one more thing," T.J. interjected. "We can't build our new house anywhere close to this place. He says we'd be better off north of the house we're in."</span></p> <p><span>"Really? He knows we're building a new house, too?" I asked in wonder.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, and he thinks it a great idea, just not here," T.J. replied. "This is his tree and he doesn't want it to get cut down or messed with in any way."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay, then. I guess we'll be closer to Rick and his boys than we thought."</span></p> <p><span>"Sweet," Joey giggled. "The closer, the better. For me, anyway," he added while the others all giggled knowingly.</span></p> <p><span>"Are we ready to head back to the house?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we're done here, Pops," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>Our ghost whisperer, excuse me, spirit whisperer, took the lead again and dove back into the trees, forging a path for the rest of us. Our return to the trail was a bit easier since most of the gnarly stuff had been cleared out on our way in. Once back on the trail, the clouds moved away and the temperature seemed to go up about fifteen degrees. The boys decided it was warm enough for them to lose their clothes and enjoy the sun and wind bathing their bodies with nature. Still chilled to the bone from our experience in the clearing, Tom and I opted to remain covered until we returned to the house.</span></p> <p><span>Once inside, the boys headed to their rooms to drop their clothes while we headed to our room to do the same. As we passed the kitchen, I noticed a new piece of paper attached to the refrigerator with a magnetic clip. It was a note from Ron letting us know he'd headed to town to take care of some shopping he needed to do, including the items necessary to make the steak and eggs breakfast he'd promised the boys. By the time we left the bedroom and headed back out to rejoin the boys, we found Joey and Alex set up at the bar counter with their notebooks and a different book than the one we were used to seeing.</span></p> <p><span>"What book is that?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"The sixth-grade math book, Pops," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Your done with the fifth-grade one already? When did you finish it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Wednesday night," Joey replied. "We started on this one last night," he added.</span></p> <p><span>"Good for you guys," I complimented the pair. "I'm glad you're taking this seriously."</span></p> <p><span>"Trust me Dad, we'd do just about anything if we can skip a few years of this junk at school."</span></p> <p><span>"Where're the others," Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Readin' their books in the living room," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a little quiet time then," I responded. "I think Pops and I are going to take Logan's phone to my study so we can watch whatever he recorded. If you guys need something, come get us."</span></p> <p><span>"We will, Dads," the two chimed.</span></p> <p><span>I unplugged the phone from the charger and Tom and I retreated to the study. While we were anxious to see what had happened in Dexter, we weren't too sure we wanted the boys to see it. They were already pissed off after Logan's description of events during breakfast and lord knows how they'd react if they actually <i>saw</i> Logan being mistreated. We didn't want to further stoke the fires of rage that would most certainly come to pass should they see the videos. Once in the study, Tom closed the door while I connected the phone to my computer so we could watch the videos on the thirty-one-inch screen on the desk instead of the tiny screen on the phone. Once the device was recognized, I opened File Explorer and browsed to the folder on the phone where the vides files were stored. Once Tom had pulled a chair around the desk and was settled in place, I clicked the first file and the video player filled the screen.</span></p> <p><span>"Howdy and welcome to my new home," Logan said as he panned the camera from the steps down to the hellhole all the way around the space back to the shelves under the steps. "Ain't this just the loveliest shithole ya ever seen? Believe it or not, it looked even worse when I got locked down here last night. I spent several hours cleanin' all the crap outta here so I could at least get rid of the smell. Hell, I ain't even got a crapper or shower down here I can use. I gotta go outside to piss, take a dump or even wash my hands. Don't have no bed, neither, so I made a bunk on that bottom shelf over there in the corner with some stinky ol' sleepin' bag. Ain't great, but it sure beats the hell outta sleepin' on the floor.</span></p> <p><span>"And now Uncle Dirtbag thinks this is where I'm gonna live for the next nine years. Well, let me tell ya, he's wrong `bout that `cause I ain't gonna put up with his shit no more than I hafta. According to the note my cousins gave me on the way down here, he needs my money real bad `cause he's `bout to lose his orchard." Tom and I stared at each other in astonishment for a moment because Logan hadn't told either of us about such a note.</span></p> <p><span>"They also said in that note that Unc plans for me to disappear once he's got my money, but I'm ready for him to try it, and boy is he in for a big surprise. I done warned him what was I was gonna do if he ever laid a hand on me, but I don't think he believes I'll do it. Guess we'll find out. Well, I gotta cut this short cause I ain't got no way to recharge the phone down here and I wanna make sure I got plenty o' juice to record when the shithead come down the stairs. Guess I'll see y'all later."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy crap, it's even worse than we thought," Tom muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"One tough cookie, though, isn't he? We need to ask about that note so I can send it to Clarence. If his cousins warned him Troy was plannin' to kill him all along, that could make a big difference in how to handle his defense."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me go ask him about it now, babe." Without waiting for any response from me, Tom disappeared.</span></p> <p><span>I found Logan in the living room, nose buried in the next book of the Ender series, <i>Speaker for the Dead</i>. I interrupted his reading when I asked, "Logan, can you get me that note your cousins gave you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, I forgot all `bout that, Pops. Hang on a sec, I'll be right back." Leaving his book on the table, he jumped off the loveseat and hurried down the hallway. A few seconds later, he yelled, "Where's my dang bag that had my clothes in it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ron grabbed it earlier to wash your stuff with ours, ya twit," Joey yelled back.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh shit!" Logan cried out. The next thing I saw was the kid sprinting down the hall to the utility room. A few seconds after hurtling through the door, I heard, "Oh, thank you jesus!" A visibly relieved Logan soon returned to the living with a folded-up piece of paper in his hand. "I thought I was gonna hafta kick Skinny in the ass again," he said as he handed the paper to me. "If he'da washed this, I'da been pissed."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, buddy. We'll keep it safe for you."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Pops."</span></p> <p><span>With a disaster narrowly averted, I rejoined Max in his study so we could read the note and then continue watching the rest of Logan's videos.</span></p> <p><span>Tom returned a few minutes later and we both read the note Daril and Arley had written and given to Logan on their way to Dexter. We were both surprised at what they'd said but a bit gladdened that they weren't just like their father. It was too bad they hadn't said they'd actually help protect Logan, but when their alternative was to be beaten by Troy, we couldn't really fault them for that.</span></p> <p><span>"Looks like our suspicions about the asshole were on the money," Tom commented. "It's just sad that Arlene and the boys never stood up to Troy."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it is, but you said it yourself, victims of abuse rarely do so as they know what can happen if they do. I'll get this note sent to Clarence when we're done watching the videos." That said, I clicked the next video and we continued our binge watching. As it began to play, we heard someone storming down the stairs and assumed it was the sound of Troy descending into the hellhole. Our assumption proved to be correct when he entered the camera's field of view.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, ya little faggot lovin' piece o' shit, time for you to cough it up," Troy started.</span></p> <p><span>"Cough what up, ya dirtbag?" Logan retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"MY money, dumbass. I need it and you're gonna get it for me."</span></p> <p><span>"Like hell I am, Troy. That's <i>my</i> money and you ain't never gonna see a dime of it."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, kid, I ain't playin' no damn games here."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good thing `cause you probably don't understand how to play nothin', not even somethin' as simple as Uno. And any moron can play that game it's so easy."</span></p> <p><span>"It's no secret I don't like you, punk. Never did, never will."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, `cause I don't like you either."</span></p> <p><span>"Never understood what my brother saw in that bitch you called mommy."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you dare talk `bout my momma like that, ya loser!" Logan screamed. "She was a great woman and Daddy loved her with all his heart. It tore him up somethin' awful when she died."</span></p> <p><span>"She got what she fuckin' deserved for breakin' our family up!" Troy roared. "She always thought we weren't good `nough for her and she forced Charlie to move."</span></p> <p><span>"Good for her. And daddy, too. Ain't nobody should hafta deal with a jackass like you their whole life."</span></p> <p><span>We watched dumfounded at the exchange when Troy suddenly grabbed Logan by the shoulders and shook him like a rag doll, all while screaming in face, "Get me my goddam money!!"</span></p> <p><span>"I can't, ya freakin' dumbass! It takes two people to sign `fore the bank will give me anything. And the others who can sign won't do it `less I tell `em to. And I ain't gonna do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah? Let's see how you feel `bout that in a few days. You ain't goin' nowhere `til I save my orchard."</span></p> <p><span>"You wanna save it so goddam bad, why don't you get your lazy ass out there and work for it `stead of hangin' out in the bar all day long? That's what daddy did, he worked hard every day of his life and he took good care of momma and me. You should be more like him. Maybe if you was, your wife and kids might actually love you!"</span></p> <p><span>"You little prick!" Troy bellowed as he turned red with rage. "I'd fuckin' kill you right now if I didn't need your money so bad. We'll see if you're feeling more generous tomorrow, ya little bastard." The image of the enraged Troy left the camera's view and we could here him stomp on every step as he went back upstairs.</span></p> <p><span>After the door was slammed shut, Logan appeared on camera and he said, "Well, that was fun, wasn't it? I swear on momma and daddy's graves, that fuckin' loser ain't gettin' shit outta me, I don't care what he says or does. Guess I just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow. Hey Siri, stop recording." </span></p> <p><span>The video ended and Tom and I just stared at each other for a few moments. I finally broke our shared silence when I muttered, "Jesus, what a fuckin' asshole. I'm glad Logan was able to get away from him."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, me, too," Tom agreed. "Let's get through the rest of these so you can get that note scanned and sent. I want to hear what Clarence thinks about the videos."</span></p> <p><span>We spent the next couple of hours watching all the videos Logan had recorded, some of just himself and others with Troy endlessly berating the youngster about his desperate need for money. Logan displayed his firm resolve as he stood toe-to-toe with Troy and gave back as strongly and defiantly as he received the abuse. When we watched the last video, we were glad that Logan's castrating of his despicable Uncle Troy was just below the camera's frame. Though we could see Logan's head and upper body, and Troy pounding on his back until he passed out, the actual cutting was out of the frame.</span></p> <p><span>When we'd seen everything there was to see, I looked to Tom and commented, "Remind me to never piss that kid off. I like my balls and would like to keep them firmly attached to my body."</span></p> <p><span>"No shit," Tom agreed. "I think we'll be safe as long as we never hit him," he added with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm surprised Charlie survived as long as he did."</span></p> <p><span>"He probably wouldn't have if Logan hadn't loved him as much as he did."</span></p> <p><span>The phone interrupted us and on seeing it was Clarence calling, I punched the speaker button so Tom could hear everything.</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, Clarence," I greeted. "How goes the battle?"</span></p> <p><span>"Getting better with every passing moment," Clarence replied happily. "Have you seen the videos Logan recorded of the interactions between him and his uncle?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just finished watching them," I answered. "What do you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Slam dunk case of self-defense if ever I saw one. Logan was one smart cookie to record the whole week. Of course, he knew we needed some proof to be able to change his guardianship, so well done by him."</span></p> <p><span>"You don't think that last video will hurt him in any way, do you," Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if the camera had been aimed just a bit lower and you could actually see that lowlife losing his testicles, maybe. But after being threatened with death multiple times the previous three days, I'm going to claim Logan snapped when his uncle punched him, and he lost all sense of what's right and wrong. Once Troy hit him, Logan was on autopilot and he did what he felt was the prudent thing to do to save his own life. If anybody thinks any different after watching the whole series, then they're dumber than Troy. I can't wait to hear the reaction from the Dexter cops and prosecutors once they have a chance to see the recordings. They're gonna shit themselves."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I both laughed aloud at that comment and when we'd calmed back down, I asked, "You got any other good news for us?"</span></p> <p><span>"As a matter of fact, I do. I just got back to my office from delivering your motion to Judge Corgan. I also took Logan's videos with me so he could see them, and he was absolutely appalled at the treatment Logan received while he was in his uncle's supposed <i>care</i>. He's already issued a ruling that Troy's guardianship has been revoked by the court and there is to be no further contact between the two."</span></p> <p><span>"That's the best news I've heard since Logan left last Sunday, Clarence. I can't thank you enough for dealing with this mess for us."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not done yet, Max. But before I continue, can the boys hear this call?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, we're in my study," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Okay, here goes, Judge Corgan also told me he would rule in your favor on your petition to adopt Logan when the time comes. It may take a few weeks to settle everything down south, but once that's dealt with, it should be clear sailing for all of you."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't know if I'd ever said this to you, Clarence, but you're a miracle worker."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't think I've ever heard anyone utter those words for a lawyer, but I thank you for that and humbly accept your compliment."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't forget to send me your bill."</span></p> <p><span>"And don't you forget to pay it when you see it, after you recover from the sticker shock, that is," Clarence retorted with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"You know I'm good for it. Besides, you've earned every penny. Thanks for calling and have a great afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"I will. You do the same and have a great weekend."</span></p> <p><span>After ending the call, both of us leaned back in our chairs and breathed a huge sigh of relief. Hearing Logan was going to be okay for the assault on his uncle was good enough news in and of itself, but hearing Judge Corgan was planning to approve our adoption of Logan with the others was the cherry on top of the sundae. While we intended to share the news with Logan about him being safe from any severe punishments from the Missouri legal system, we planned to hold back the news of his adoption until after we knew the order had been signed by Judge Corgan. Remembering I still had to send Daril and Arley's note to Clarence, I quickly scanned it, attached it to an e-mail and sent it on its way.</span></p> <p><span>We were about to leave the office and see if the boys wanted to go for a swim when the phone rang and kept us anchored to our seats. With the caller ID showing `Private', we had no clue as to who was calling and almost let it roll over to voicemail. Tom finally couldn't stand the ringing any longer and punched the speaker button.</span></p> <p><span>"Tom Wright," he answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, Tom, it's David. How are you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're great, David. How `bout yourself."</span></p> <p><span>"Still suckin' air and takin' sustenance, so that means I must still be alive. At my age, that's about all one can ask for. Is Max close by? I wanted to talk to both of you for a few minutes."</span></p> <p><span>"Right here, David," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, good. I don't know if you've talked to your attorney yet ..."</span></p> <p><span>"We just got off the phone with him," Tom interrupted.</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent. So, I take it you already know about the change in status of Troy Campbell's guardianship of Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"We do, David, and we can't thank you enough for acting so quickly," I responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, after watching only a couple of those videos Logan managed to record, it was a no-brainer, boys. It was plainly obvious that Mr. Campbell only wanted the guardianship so he could wrest control of Logan's money for his own use and that just won't do. Logan's a very smart and resourceful young man. I hope you'll be able to channel that in the proper direction as he matures."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll do our best," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"I expected nothing less. Now that we've dispensed with the official business, I like to talk to you about a bit of personal business, if we could."</span></p> <p><span>"I think I know what you're going to ask, but go ahead, David," I said.</span></p> <p><span>"I was wondering if it would be possible for me to bring my father out tomorrow to see our family cemetery. If you're not going to be home, we could do it Sunday, also."</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, that's exactly what I thought I'd hear. We'll be here all day tomorrow and will look forward to seeing you both."</span></p> <p><span>"How could you possibly know what I was going to ask, Max?" David queried with interest. "I just talked to Dad this morning to see if he was up for the trip."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we've had a couple of rather interesting weeks around here. We'll tell you all about it when you're here, though. Otherwise, you probably won't believe the story."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll look forward to it. Would two o'clock be okay with you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, sir," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Wonderful, see you guys then. Have a great evening."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, David, you, too," I replied before ending the call. I looked to Tom and commented, "I guess Sammy knows more than we give him credit for."</span></p> <p><span>"Obviously," Tom agreed. "It'll be interesting to hear if David or his dad know more about Sammy's story."</span></p> <p><span>"Well find out soon enough. You ready for that swim?"</span></p> <p><span>"Let's go," Tom agreed cheerily.</span></p> <p><span>We crossed the hall to grab some clean towels, then gathered the herd and headed out for some fun in the pool. The boys had been in no mood for a swim while Logan was gone and the pent up energy they released during our tomfoolery in the pool was off the charts. By the time Tom and I begged off and retreated to our quiet and relaxing corner, we were wiped out, but the six rugrats were still going strong. As we watched them play, we saw Ron return from his shopping trip and he was busily putting everything away. About the time he finished, we called the boys out of the pool and shuffled them off to the showers with a reminder to pull on some shorts since Ryan would be arriving soon.</span></p> <p><span>After the herd had disappeared into their rooms, we headed in the direction of our own so we could do the same. As we passed the kitchen, we said hi to Ron and he gave a simple wave of acknowledgement. It appeared as though he was still upset about something and I hesitated to ask him anything so as not to upset him more than he already was. But I also had this feeling that we shouldn't just brush him off since he was an integral part of the family now.</span></p> <p><span>I put a hand on Tom's shoulder to get him to stop and turned to Ron. "Okay, Ron, what's ..."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, Tom, we <i>need</i> to talk. Like, now," Ron blurted out.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-27.html

Building a Family 27 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 27 � Thursday Night As we headed toward the house, I asked what was quickly becoming my daily question. "Did you guys have a good day and do you have any homework?" "Ours was great," Joey started, "since Mr. Thomas was back." "Yeah, thanks for helping him, dad," said Alex. "Oh, and no homework for us." "I have to review my spelling words for our test tomorrow. Will you go over them with me, dad?" T.J. asked. "I'll be happy to, T.J. What about you, Mike?" "No, I'm good," he mumbled in response. "Something wrong, munchkin?" "Not really. Nothin' you can fix," he said as I pulled into the garage. When we got inside the house, I said, "Mike, why don't you come tell me what's going on while the other three hang out in their rooms for a minute?" I nodded my head towards the twins' room and saw Joey, Alex and T.J. duck in while Mike and I headed to the living room to sit by the fireplace. I took my favorite chair and had Mike climb up in my lap. When we were both seated and comfortable, I started with, "Okay, Mike, I can tell something's bugging you. If you won't tell me what it is, I can't do anything to help." "It's just these other boys in my class. They keep picking on me. They been doin' it since I started coming to school here." "Ah, yes. Mrs. Young said something about that during our meeting Tuesday and with everything else that happened, apparently nothing has been done to correct their behavior. What're their names and I'll see if I can do something about it?" "Andy, Mark, and Billy. I try to stay away from them so they won't bug me, but it doesn't matter what I do or where I hide, they find me." "Now that I know who's causing the problem, maybe I can help fix it, okay?" "Okay, dad, thanks. The teacher tried. She even moved them to the other side of the room, but they still find me." "Okay, run along, get comfy and tell your brothers it's time for a snack. I'll make a call about the problem while you eat your cookies." He hopped off my lap and headed down the hall to tell the others it was time for snacks. When the four came charging back into the kitchen, I already had their milk and cookies laid out and ready for them. Once they were seated, I said, "Eat your snack while I get comfy and make a phone call. T.J., find your spelling word list and we'll work on them when I get done." "Okay," he called to my back as I headed down the hall. I called the school and perky and cheerful answered the phone, "New Berlin Schools, may I help you?" "Good afternoon, it's Max Sanders, is Mr. Furman still around?" "Oh, hi again, Mr. Sanders. He was just about to leave, hang on." I was put on hold for a brief moment before Steve answered, "Afternoon, Max, what's up? You make a decision on the workshop already?" "No, Tom's not home yet. Sorry to bother you this late, but I have another small issue I'd like to discuss if you have a couple minutes. With everything else that's happened, I'd forgotten all about it." "I've got all the time the for world for you, my friend." "One of the things that was briefly discussed with Valerie and my sons' teachers Tuesday was a few boys in Mike's class have decided he's a good target for getting picked on. Anita said she's tried to stop the problem and has moved the boys in question to the other side of the classroom, but Mike reminded me tonight they're still causing a problem. Valerie had said she would deal with the issue Tuesday after lunch, but she ended up with bigger fish to fry. I was hoping you might be able to help ease the problem." "That's the least I can do for you, after what you did for us. Do you have the names of the boys involved?" "Mike tells me it's three boys named Andy, Mark and Billy, no last names." "Are they doing this because they think Mike's gay?" "No, I don't think it has anything to do with that. I'm pretty sure it's just because he's the new kid in class and smaller than they are, so he won't fight back." "I shouldn't need last names, Anita will know who they are. I'll deal with this first thing in the morning, Max. Thank you for bringing it to my attention." "Please let me know if there's anything I can do. Thanks, and have a great evening, Steve." "You, too, Max. I hope to hear your decision on the workshop tomorrow." I hung up and when I returned to the kitchen, found the snack plates and glasses rinsed, stacked and waiting in the sink. I got them in the dishwasher and headed off to find T.J. to review his word list. I found him in his room, hugging a crying Mike. "Mike, what's wrong?" I asked as I pulled him into my lap after sitting on the bed. "I just get tired of those jerks. I don't know why they won't leave me alone. They been on me almost every day since I got here." "Well, hopefully, it will stop soon. I just got off the phone with Mr. Furman and he said he would talk to them first thing in the morning and he'd let me know what happens." "I hope he makes them quit. I can't take much more of it." "Don't worry, son, we'll take care of it. Why don't you go play with the twins for a few minutes so I can work with T.J. on his spelling words, okay?" "Sure, dad." He shuffled out of the room looking for the other two. "C'mon, young man, let's get this done with." I sat on the edge of the bed with T.J. sitting right next to me and I started giving him words to spell. When we reached the end of the list, he had missed only two out of 20 words on the list. I asked him to write each word ten times for practice and we'd check them again after supper. I was headed to the kitchen to start preparations for supper when I heard the drive sensor go off. I stopped at the front door just in time to see the Shelby pulling in the drive towards the garage. Tom was home in one piece again tonight, thankfully, and I continued to the kitchen to start supper. "Honey, I'm home!" echoed through the house as he came in from the garage. Cheers followed his announcement and as I stuck my head out of the kitchen, I saw Tom getting mugged by four rowdy lads. When they finally released him from their grasp, he headed to see me in the kitchen. "I've always wanted to say that. Hey, lover, how was your day? And what's for supper?" "Right for the heart, as usual. I had a great day and lasagna with garlic bread. How was your day?" "Sounds delish. Another successful day as a cop. Didn't get shot and didn't have to shoot nobody." "I'll be glad when I don't have to worry about you being out there every day." "You and me both. The boys, too, I'm sure. They `bout squeezed the stuffing out of me just now." "That's just `cause you're just a big damn softy." We kissed each other on the cheek. "Why don't you get comfy and come back. We have something new to talk about this evening." "Oh, shit, here it comes," he laughed as he turned towards our bedroom and I laughed along with him this time. I got the lasagna in the oven and when he returned, I had him gather the boys so we could talk. We settled around the fireplace for our discussion, four grumpy boys and one uncertain adult. "This is good talk for once, so turn those frowns upside down, please." I got half-smiles before I continued. "You all know I met with Mr. Furman this morning at the school. He has proposed something I think we should be involved with, but I want to hear what you think." "After the way they treated Ken, I'm not too sure about that," Tom commented. "That wasn't the board's doing, that was all Valerie. Actually, he came up with the idea because of Valerie's shenanigans. He would like to hold a workshop with the school's staff to enlighten them about the issues faced by gay youth and the problem of teen suicide due to coming to terms with that. He's asked me to be involved in the workshop, along with the boys and you, Tom, if you're interested." "Dad, what's suicide?" asked T.J. "It's when someone is so sad, they take their own life." "That's horrible," Alex said. "Yes, it is. That's why Steve wants to do the workshop." "But why does he want us involved," asked Tom. "Obviously, so we can relate what it's like to be gay in this country. Consider us a positive role model of how things should be. He thinks that since I'm gay and now raising gay sons, we can provide a first-person point-of-view the staff hasn't had the opportunity to see and know." "But dad," Joey started, "we haven't told anybody we're gay yet." "Yeah, and I don't think we're ready to," Alex chimed. "You don't have to go if you don't want to. But I still want you to think about it. Remember Steve and your teachers already know because of what's happened the last couple days. They've promised me they won't say anything to anybody, but once I stand up and tell the rest of the staff about myself, you know they're going to start wondering about you, too. It'll only be a matter of time before they figure things out for themselves." "I'll do it," T.J. stated flatly. "I don't care who knows." "Are you sure? That's a big step to take, especially in front of a crowd." "Yeah, I'm sure. I want them to know kids can know at our age. Most people don't think we can." "It's your choice, T.J. If you want to be there, I'll be glad to have you with me. What about you, Mike? What do you think?" "Huh-uh, I don't want to do it." "That's fine, Mike. This isn't mandatory." I had noticed Tom had been very quiet so far so I looked to him and asked, "What about you, big guy?" "I don't know, Max. When's this supposed to happen. I don't want to do anything that could have any effect on my job." "Probably two weeks from now, after you're done being a cop. And I should warn you that Steve knows Dylan and said he was going to call and ask him to be involved." "You're kidding me. Why the hell would he do that. Do you think he knows Dylan is gay?" "That's not the impression I got, but who knows. He said Dylan's been to the school several times to do a presentation on driver safety. I think he wants to get a law enforcement perspective involved to provide some statistics along with what parents and teachers should be aware of to help prevent suicides." "I guess that makes sense. I'm sure I'll hear about it tomorrow when I see him." "No doubt about it." I looked back to the boys and said, "Okay T.J.'s in, Mike's not, Tom's a maybe. What about you two? Have you thought about it yet?" I asked looking to the twins. They looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders, and looked back to me. "We're in. This is more important than keeping who we are a secret," Joey answered. "Yeah, and like you said, it won't stay hidden very long, will it?" Alex asked. "Probably not. If you both accept who you are, there's no real reason to hide it. I'm proud of you and I'll be happy to have all the backup I can get. Okay, I'll call Steve in the morning and let him know our decision. I'll leave you as a maybe, Tom, until I hear from you." "Can we eat now?" Mike asked. "Now, there's a lad after my heart," Tom piped in. "I'm starved." "Okay, okay," I caved. "Boys, would you set the table and get the drinks, please? You four can have soda, if you'd like, but I'd like a Corona, please," I added as we all headed to the kitchen. "Same for me, please," Tom said. "Tom, would you be so kind as to get a basket and put the bread in it? I'll pull the lasagna out of the oven and get it cut." "Lasagna?? I love that stuff," Mike yelled as he grabbed the silverware. "That's good to hear, Mike. Do you like parmesan cheese on it?" "What's that?" "It's a finely grated cheese a lot of people add to pasta and pizza." "Don't think I've ever had it but I'll try it." "Excellent. I think you'll like it." With everyone working together, we were ready to eat in very short order. I sprinkled a little parmesan on a corner of Mike's lasagna so he could try it before I covered the whole piece. After one bite, he begged for more, so I covered the rest of plate with a light dusting. "That's yummy, dad. Thanks." "Glad you like it. Well, dig in people." By the time everyone was done stuffing their faces, the lasagna was all gone, along with the bread, ruining my plan of having leftovers for lunch tomorrow. The boys got busy cleaning the table, then rinsing and stacking the dishes in the sink. I took care of the lasagna pan and Tom cleaned up the rest. During the process, I called out, "T.J., between." "Huh?" he answered with a confused look on his face. "Your spelling word, between, spell it." "Oh, yeah, b-e-t-w-e-e-n." "Perfect, now around." "A-r-o-u-n-d." "Right, again. Good job. I think you're ready for your test tomorrow." "I hope so." "You'll do just fine, young man." We sat back at the table and I started a new conversation with, "I called Carol earlier and she gave me some very important information she had neglected to pass on when she was here this past weekend." "What's that, dad?" T.J. asked. "I understand we have a birthday coming up soon." "Really, who and when?" Tom asked. Joey and Alex raised their hands while grinning wildly. "There ya' go. The big day is March 13th and they'll be nine this year. Anything special you'd like to do, guys." "Can we have a party?" Alex asked. "Yeah, the Mueller's never let us have a party," Joey complained. "I think a party is a grand idea. Since the 13th is a Thursday this year, we'll have the party on Saturday, though. I know Carol wants to be here for it. Are there any friends you'd like to have come over?" "You bet. How many can we have?" "Give me a list of 10 to 12 kids, I'll contact their parents and make sure they're all invited. Now, what kind of cake do you like?" "Chocolate for me," Alex said, "with chocolate icing." "White with white icing for me," Joey added. "Okay, we can do that. And we now have another way to tell which of you is Alex and which is Joey. We'll have either two cakes or a half and half cake. I'll talk to a bakery and get that taken care of. Now, what's missing?" I asked. "Decorations!" yelled Mike. "Drinks!" was T.J.'s contribution. "Presents!!" yelled Joey and Alex. "Ear plugs and body armor," Tom said as he added his two-cents worth with a grin. "I'll make sure to add those to the list, Tom," I laughed. "Now, do you think you'll want to swim? If so, I'll need to make sure we have someone on hand who's a certified lifeguard. While Tom and I can handle the four of you with no problems, 16 screaming kids in the pool will require more attention than Tom and I have." "Well, duh, we'll definitely want to swim, won't we Alex?" "You bet. That'll be a bunch a' fun." "Okay, that's another call I'll have to make. Anything else? Keep in mind, there'll still be snow on the ground and it'll probably be cold, so we'll be inside most of the day." "How about a movie?" "That's a good idea, Alex. Anything in particular?" "We'll have to think about it and let you know," Joey said. "The sooner, the better, in case you pick something we don't already have. Okay, I think we have the basics set. Get me your list of kids to invite and I'll contact their parents and make arrangements. Now, on to another subject, your rooms." "What about `em, dad?" T.J. asked. "Well, they're pretty plain. I set them up that way when I had the house built so anyone who spent the night wouldn't be assaulted by wild colors or anything. I think it's time to change that." "Really, we can do that?" Mike asked. "Of course, you can. They're your rooms, now, and they should look the way you want them. First, I want to ask if you want to keep sharing the same rooms the way you are now? You two asked about having separate rooms the first time we met," I said while pointing to the twins. "Joey and I are fine just the way we are, dad. It might be good to have a separate space so we can work on our homework alone or whatever." "But we still want to sleep in the same bed. We love that bed and we love sleeping together. But a separate space is a good idea. Much as I love Alex, sometimes I just gotta' get away from him," Joey laughed. "Hey!" Alex yelled as he punched his brother's shoulder, "That wasn't funny." "Here's my idea for you two, then. I know a good builder and I can have him make some changes to the bedroom Carol used to make it the way you want it. When he's done, we'll move you in there. Sound okay?" "That'd be great." I turned to T.J. and Mike, "Okay, they're taken care of, what about you two? Do you want stay in the same room together or do you want separate rooms?" They looked at each other for a moment, exchanged nods and then turned back to me. "I think we want to stay together, dad, right Mike?" "Yeah, I like the way you hold me close at night. I feel safe when you do that." "Well, you're my brother, you'll always be safe with me." I could see tears forming in Mike's eyes after that statement. "Do you want a separate space from each other like Joey and Alex." "That's probably be a good idea, dad. Especially since our homework is different. I'll still help Mike when I can, but it'll be good to have our own desks." "I like the way you think young man. Here's what we'll do. We'll get Joey and Alex's room done, get them moved into it, then redo their room for you two. That'll leave the spare room between you. Does that sound okay?" "Sounds great, dad. When will it happen?" Joey asked. "I'll get in touch with John in the morning and we'll see. It'll depend on if he's busy with other projects. With luck, we can have the twins moved into their room by their birthday." "Sweet, we can show our friends then," Alex said. "Okay, that's settled. Now, who's ready for a swim?" I asked. Six hands shot in the air. "Grab your towels and we'll meet back at the door to outside." Tom and I saw nothing but four bare backsides as the boys took off. Tom and I ambled to our room to grab our towels and the shelter key, then returned to meet the boys. They were bouncing up and down with impatience as we made our way across the living room. Once we were all assembled, I led the way to the pool with Tom bringing up the rear. Once the shelter door was unlocked, the boys squeezed past me, tossed their towels on the table and jumped in. "In a hurry, aren't they?" Tom asked. "They always are," I chuckled. When we reached the pool and got in, we were immediately surrounded by four boys ready for battle. Instead of their normal two-on-one attack, they decided to work together tonight and all four jumped Tom. I lounged against the side of the pool and enjoyed the action. It took almost five minutes, but they eventually managed to get Tom's head shoved underwater. Then, mission accomplished, they changed targets and turned their attack towards me. I tried to get away, but they were just too quick and soon had me in their clutches. I knew what was coming and had just managed to take a deep breath before they were on my back and pushing me under. Tom finally came to my aid and pulled me back up, sputtering for air. "About time you rescued me." "I didn't see you rushing in to help me. Turnabout's fair play, bubba." "Hey, Mike," I called, "how do you feel about teaching your brothers to swim?" "I can do that, dad." "No, you can't," Alex whined. "Yeah, you're too small," T.J. complained. "I ain't listenin' to him," Joey added. "Mike, why don't you show these doubters that you can help them?" He promptly took off, swimming the width of the pool four times without stopping while the other three stared in awe. He finally came to a rest at the side of the pool and looked at his three brothers while sticking out his tongue and blowing raspberries in their direction. "Now, do you still think he can't help you?" I asked. "Maybe he can," they all agreed. "Good, from now on, whenever we go swimming, Mike will spend at least 30 minutes working with you, understood." "Yes, dad," they mumbled. "Mike, it's your class. Take charge." Tom and I headed for deeper water to relax and I felt a disturbance behind me. Just as I turned around to see what it was, Mike jumped out of the water and wrapped his arms around my neck and his legs around my waist. He whispered in my ear, "Thanks, dad," then dropped back in the water and swam back to his brothers. When Tom and I had settled in along the wall, he looked at me and asked, "Have I told you how good you are and how much I love you?" "Several times, but I never get tired of hearing it. I love you, too, you know." "I do. So, you think Steve's serious about this workshop?" "Yeah. After what Valerie almost cost the district with her bullshit, he's serious. He was not a happy camper. He really wants you there, too. I don't think he was really ready to hear me use the term `boyfriend', but he covered it pretty well," I chuckled. "That's one of the things that really bugs me about straight folks. They don't have a problem with saying `boyfriend' and `girlfriend', but heaven forbid, the world's gonna' end if we do the same." "Just more of the same old double standard, Tom. At least we can legally get married, nowadays." "Holy crap, did you really just say that?" "Uh, yeah, I guess I did. That should give you a hint of where I think we're headed. You good with that?" "You have no idea. When I accepted being gay, not being able to get married and have kids was the only thing I hated about it. That's what made it so hard to tell mom and dad, the fact that they could forget any hope they ever had about me giving them grandchildren. I mean, you know how every parent wants to become a grandparent someday." "Tell me about it. That's the biggest issue my mom had when I came out, she wasn't gonna' get to be a grandma. You'd have thought the world was ending. She didn't give a shit about me, just how it affected her and her social standing to have a `faggot' for a son." "Well, hopefully she'll get over it. Mine eventually did. It didn't happen overnight, mind you, but slowly. Think glacial. That reminds me, I need to call mom and dad and let them know about us, the boys, resigning and everything that's happened this week." "You don't think it might be a little early for that?" "Nope. My mind is running on the same wavelength with you. Is it sudden? Damn right it is. Was it expected? Hell, no. Does it feel right? Abso-fuckin'-lutely." "I'm right there with you." "So, you really think we could end up being married with children?" "As long as I'm not Al and you're Peggy," I laughed. "Oh, god, really? I hated that show," Tom groaned. "Well, I think it's time to get out of here and get the boys on the way to bed. I'm starting to get waterlogged and wrinkly." "That's not the water, Max, it's your advanced age," Tom laughed as he pushed off the wall and swam away. "I'll get you for that, mister." "Promises, promises. Catch me if you can, you old fart." "Boys," I called, "shower time, then snacks." They jumped out of the pool, dried off quickly and ran to the house to take their showers. Tom and I followed at a much more sedate pace, pausing for a long hug and kiss before returning to the house. Tom took our towels to our bedroom while I turned into the kitchen to get the snacks ready. I fixed plates with half a Halo orange and glass of milk, and had them set and ready for each boy as they came in and took a seat at the counter. When Tom returned, he stopped and pulled a Corona from the fridge for each of us. "Thanks, Tom." I turned to the boys and asked, "You all ready for school tomorrow?" All four mumbled an unenthusiastic acceptance of their fate. "Oh, cheer up, it's Friday and then you have the whole weekend free." "Whatever," groused Joey. The other three nodded in agreement. "Well, when you're done with your snack, hit the john and climb in bed. We'll be there in a few to say goodnight." One by one, they tromped off to their bedrooms and Tom and I followed after finishing our drink. We stopped at T.J. and Mike's room first, only to find T.J. lying flat on his back, eyes closed, wide grin on his face, and a large lump under the covers. One part of that boy-shaped lump was located about where T.J.'s waist would be and was slowly moving up and down. "Oh, geesh, them too?" Tom moaned. "Apparently. No big surprise, really, is it?" "I guess not. Do we interrupt them?" "Might as well. Who knows how long we'd have to wait, otherwise." We walked to the side of the bed and I cleared my throat to get their attention. T.J. jumped in fear and opened his eyes. Mike threw the covers off, exposing T.J.'s two-inch hard pecker pointing straight up towards the ceiling, glistening with saliva, shiny helmet head exposed due to his foreskin being retracted. T.J. moved his hands to cover his hardness and almost smacked Mike in the face in the process. "Sorry, dad, we should have closed the door," T.J. apologized. "Yes, you should have, but don't worry about it, boys. This may be the first time you've been caught in the act, but I'm sure it won't be the last. And you don't have to cover yourself. Everybody here has seen everybody else with an erection before. It's not a big deal, remember." "Well, mine sure isn't, not compared to that, anyway," he said, uncovering himself and pointing to Tom's crotch. Tom blushed from head to toe in embarrassment. "Oh, stop it, Tom. You are the biggest of the six of us. Be proud of it." "Will mine be that big when I grow up?" "Only time will tell, Mike. I need to know, though, that you want to do this and you're not being forced in any way." "Oh, no, he's never forced me. I wanted to suck him. I kinda' owed him since he sucked me in the shower after our swim." "Okay, that's fine. Remember, you can always say no. Now, come get your hugs and kisses goodnight." Both boys crawled across the mattress and got to their knees in front of us, hard penises poking us in the thighs as they gave us a hug. We wrapped our arms around them and kissed their foreheads, then swapped places so each got their turn. As we swapped places, I felt a small hand graze my hardness, but I didn't see which boy did it. Once each had their hug and kiss, I said, "Lights out in five minutes, boys, tomorrow's still a school day. Sleep well, we love you." "We love you too, dad, Uncle Tom, night." Tom and I headed to the twins' room to take care of our goodnights there. Surprisingly, when we reached the door, the lights were out and we heard no sounds emanating from within. We quietly entered the room and turned on the dresser light so we could see. We found Alex and Joey sleeping soundly, covers shoved to the end of the bed, twisted in a pretzel as usual. The most eye-catching part of the formation in the middle of the king-sized bed was the two three inch penises, standing proudly at full attention. Tom and I pulled the covers over the two, kissed each on the forehead and crept quietly from the room, turning off the light as we passed the dresser. "That's amazing," Tom said as we left the hallway behind us. "What?" "I just assumed it would be the twins we found in bliss, not T.J. and Mike. I guess they're all enjoying each other. Do you think all four have gotten busy together?" "I'd be surprised if they haven't, but I'm not about to ask any of them. It's one thing to just find them pleasuring each other, it's an entirely different thing to ask them about it. If they ask the question first, I'll answer it, but I'm not starting the conversation." "Don't blame you for that, Max." "Now, didn't you have a call you wanted to make?" "Want would be the wrong word. Need would be more accurate." "I'll grab a book and stay out of the way. Why don't you use the phone in the study?" "Oh, no you don't, you big chicken. I want you there with me. If I'm going to tell them everything, I want backup and I ain't calling Dylan." "Fine, let's go." When we entered the study, I had Tom sit at the desk while I took a chair on the other side. He put the phone on speaker and dialed the number. While we waited for the call to connect, I asked, "Where do your parents live? You've never said." "Just outside of St. Louis," he answered as the phone rang. "Hello?" asked an older lady in a cautious voice. "Hi, mom, it's Tom. How're you?" "Fine, now that I know it's you. I recognize your voice, of course, but didn't know the name and number on the caller ID. Who the heck is Maxwill Sanders?" "He's why I'm calling, ma. I need to tell you and dad something. Is he there?" "Sure, hang on a sec." We heard her call in the background, "Bill, pick up the phone, it's Tom." and heard him respond, "Hang on Estelle." His mom came back to us, "Wait a second, Tom. I just remembered why that name, Maxwill Sanders, is familiar. He's an author, isn't he?" "He sure is." "Well, you must be moving up in the world. Hobnobbing with famous authors. Why are you calling from his home? You at a party?" "No, ma, but wait `til dad's on the line, okay." At that moment, we heard the click of an extension being picked up. "Tom, you there? What's up, son?" "Hi, dad. Look, I know you two weren't very happy when I came out to you, but I think we've pretty well cleared that hurdle, haven't we?" "Yes, dear," his mom said. "Not easily," his dad added, "but, yeah." "Good, because I have something important to tell you and I don't want you freaking out." "Spit it out, boy," his dad said. "I've met someone and fallen in love with him." You could have heard a pin drop in the silence that ensued. "There's more. Max is in the process of adopting four boys. If this ends up where we both think it is, you're going to be their grandparents. One set, anyway." "Oh, my, Tom, that's a lot to take in," his mom said. "I know it is. A lot has happened in the last week." "A week. You can't fall in love in a damn week, Tom," Bill claimed. "Yeah, dad, you can. You've told me, yourself, that within days of meeting mom, you knew the two of you would be together the rest of your lives. The same thing's happened to me." "That's true, Bill, and you know it. I suppose congratulations are in order, son," his mom said. "If you're sure about this. Is this Max a good man?" "The best ma, and he's sitting right here. Say hi, Max." "Hello Mr. & Mrs. Wright. It's a pleasure to meet both of you. I want you to know that you've raised a fine man and I've fallen deeply in love with him." "Oh, hello, Mr. Sanders. We didn't know you were there, too," Estelle replied. "Please, Mrs. Wright, call me Max. Mr. Sanders is my dad." "O-o-kay, I guess I can do that," she stammered. "Dad, you still there?" "I'm here, just a little stunned." "Sorry, but there wasn't an easier way to tell you." "Oh, don't worry about that, we'll adjust to this, just like we adjusted to the news about you being gay." "The other thing you need to know is I'm resigning from the force." "Are they forcing you to because of, well, you know?" Bill asked. "Not at all, dad. My boss is real cool and me being gay has nothing to do with it. This is entirely my decision. Having met Max and his new sons, I want to be sure I can come home in one piece every night. I can't stay a cop and do that." "That makes sense, son," said Estelle. "I knew you never liked that part of being a cop. I never liked it much either. I was always worried about you." "What are you going to do now, Tom?" Bill asked. "I'm going to open up my own private investigation service. And I already have a client." "Who's that?" they both asked. "The agency handling Max's adoption. They had a guy who screwed up a background check several months ago, and he almost killed an adoption because of it. They're going to start using me for background and abuse investigations." "That should keep you busy," Bill said. "A lot safer than being a cop, too." "Oh, Tom, that's such a wonderful thing for you to do. I'm happy for you," Estelle added, "for everything." "I'm glad to hear that, mom. Really." "We hope you'll be happy, son," Bill said. "I am and I will be. I'd like it a lot of you could come up and meet everyone." "Are you sure?" "Yeah, I am. The twins' birthday is coming up on the 13th next month and we're having a party for them that Saturday. It would be great if you could be here. I'd really like them to meet their new grandparents." "We'll have to talk about it and let you know. Is that okay?" "That's fine, mom, and I'll understand if you can't make it. Love you both and hope to see you the 15th." "Bye, son, we love you, too." Tom disconnected the call and looked at me. "That went better than I thought it would." "I'm glad for you, Tom. They sound like nice folks." "They are, just a little outdated in their thinking, but they're getting there." "Way ahead of my parents. Now, do you have any interest in going to bed?" "Lead the way, lover." We headed to the bedroom and, after a quick shower to rinse off the chlorine from the pool, curled together for a good night's sleep after a long day. "I love you, Tom Wright," I whispered in his hear. "Love you more, Max Sanders," he whispered back.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 27</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free.&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc474633679"><span>Chapter 27 � Thursday Night</span></a></h2> <p><span>As we headed toward the house, I asked what was quickly becoming my daily question.</span></p> <p><span>"Did you guys have a good day and do you have any homework?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ours was great," Joey started, "since Mr. Thomas was back."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, thanks for helping him, dad," said Alex. "Oh, and no homework for us."</span></p> <p><span>"I have to review my spelling words for our test tomorrow. Will you go over them with me, dad?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be happy to, T.J. What about you, Mike?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I'm good," he mumbled in response.</span></p> <p><span>"Something wrong, munchkin?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really. Nothin' you can fix," he said as I pulled into the garage.</span></p> <p><span>When we got inside the house, I said, "Mike, why don't you come tell me what's going on while the other three hang out in their rooms for a minute?" I nodded my head towards the twins' room and saw Joey, Alex and T.J. duck in while Mike and I headed to the living room to sit by the fireplace. I took my favorite chair and had Mike climb up in my lap. When we were both seated and comfortable, I started with, "Okay, Mike, I can tell something's bugging you. If you won't tell me what it is, I can't do anything to help."</span></p> <p><span>"It's just these other boys in my class. They keep picking on me. They been doin' it since I started coming to school here."</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, yes. Mrs. Young said something about that during our meeting Tuesday and with everything else that happened, apparently nothing has been done to correct their behavior. What're their names and I'll see if I can do something about it?" </span></p> <p><span>"Andy, Mark, and Billy. I try to stay away from them so they won't bug me, but it doesn't matter what I do or where I hide, they find me."</span></p> <p><span>"Now that I know who's causing the problem, maybe I can help fix it, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, dad, thanks. The teacher tried. She even moved them to the other side of the room, but they still find me."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, run along, get comfy and tell your brothers it's time for a snack. I'll make a call about the problem while you eat your cookies." He hopped off my lap and headed down the hall to tell the others it was time for snacks. When the four came charging back into the kitchen, I already had their milk and cookies laid out and ready for them. Once they were seated, I said, "Eat your snack while I get comfy and make a phone call. T.J., find your spelling word list and we'll work on them when I get done."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay," he called to my back as I headed down the hall.</span></p> <p><span>I called the school and perky and cheerful answered the phone, "New Berlin Schools, may I help you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, it's Max Sanders, is Mr. Furman still around?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hi again, Mr. Sanders. He was just about to leave, hang on." </span></p> <p><span>I was put on hold for a brief moment before Steve answered, "Afternoon, Max, what's up? You make a decision on the workshop already?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, Tom's not home yet. Sorry to bother you this late, but I have another small issue I'd like to discuss if you have a couple minutes. With everything else that's happened, I'd forgotten all about it."</span></p> <p><span>"I've got all the time the for world for you, my friend."</span></p> <p><span>"One of the things that was briefly discussed with Valerie and my sons' teachers Tuesday was a few boys in Mike's class have decided he's a good target for getting picked on. Anita said she's tried to stop the problem and has moved the boys in question to the other side of the classroom, but Mike reminded me tonight they're still causing a problem. Valerie had said she would deal with the issue Tuesday after lunch, but she ended up with bigger fish to fry. I was hoping you might be able to help ease the problem."</span></p> <p><span>"That's the least I can do for you, after what you did for us. Do you have the names of the boys involved?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mike tells me it's three boys named Andy, Mark and Billy, no last names."</span></p> <p><span>"Are they doing this because they think Mike's gay?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I don't think it has anything to do with that. I'm pretty sure it's just because he's the new kid in class and smaller than they are, so he won't fight back."</span></p> <p><span>"I shouldn't need last names, Anita will know who they are. I'll deal with this first thing in the morning, Max. Thank you for bringing it to my attention."</span></p> <p><span>"Please let me know if there's anything I can do. Thanks, and have a great evening, Steve."</span></p> <p><span>"You, too, Max. I hope to hear your decision on the workshop tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>I hung up and when I returned to the kitchen, found the snack plates and glasses rinsed, stacked and waiting in the sink. I got them in the dishwasher and headed off to find T.J. to review his word list. I found him in his room, hugging a crying Mike.</span></p> <p><span>"Mike, what's wrong?" I asked as I pulled him into my lap after sitting on the bed.</span></p> <p><span>"I just get tired of those jerks. I don't know why they won't leave me alone. They been on me almost every day since I got here."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hopefully, it will stop soon. I just got off the phone with Mr. Furman and he said he would talk to them first thing in the morning and he'd let me know what happens."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope he makes them quit. I can't take much more of it."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, son, we'll take care of it. Why don't you go play with the twins for a few minutes so I can work with T.J. on his spelling words, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, dad." He shuffled out of the room looking for the other two.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, young man, let's get this done with." I sat on the edge of the bed with T.J. sitting right next to me and I started giving him words to spell. When we reached the end of the list, he had missed only two out of 20 words on the list. I asked him to write each word ten times for practice and we'd check them again after supper. I was headed to the kitchen to start preparations for supper when I heard the drive sensor go off. I stopped at the front door just in time to see the Shelby pulling in the drive towards the garage. Tom was home in one piece again tonight, thankfully, and I continued to the kitchen to start supper.</span></p> <p><span>"Honey, I'm home!" echoed through the house as he came in from the garage. Cheers followed his announcement and as I stuck my head out of the kitchen, I saw Tom getting mugged by four rowdy lads. When they finally released him from their grasp, he headed to see me in the kitchen. "I've always wanted to say that. Hey, lover, how was your day? And what's for supper?"</span></p> <p><span>"Right for the heart, as usual. I had a great day and lasagna with garlic bread. How was your day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds delish. Another successful day as a cop. Didn't get shot and didn't have to shoot nobody."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be glad when I don't have to worry about you being out there every day."</span></p> <p><span>"You and me both. The boys, too, I'm sure. They `bout squeezed the stuffing out of me just now."</span></p> <p><span>"That's just `cause you're just a big damn softy." We kissed each other on the cheek. "Why don't you get comfy and come back. We have something new to talk about this evening."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit, here it comes," he laughed as he turned towards our bedroom and I laughed along with him this time. I got the lasagna in the oven and when he returned, I had him gather the boys so we could talk. We settled around the fireplace for our discussion, four grumpy boys and one uncertain adult.</span></p> <p><span>"This is good talk for once, so turn those frowns upside down, please." I got half-smiles before I continued. "You all know I met with Mr. Furman this morning at the school. He has proposed something I think we should be involved with, but I want to hear what you think."</span></p> <p><span>"After the way they treated Ken, I'm not too sure about that," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"<i>That</i> wasn't the board's doing, that was all Valerie. Actually, he came up with the idea because of Valerie's shenanigans. He would like to hold a workshop with the school's staff to enlighten them about the issues faced by gay youth and the problem of teen suicide due to coming to terms with that. He's asked me to be involved in the workshop, along with the boys and you, Tom, if you're interested."</span></p> <p><span>"Dad, what's suicide?" asked T.J.</span></p> <p><span>"It's when someone is so sad, they take their own life."</span></p> <p><span>"That's horrible," Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, it is. That's why Steve wants to do the workshop."</span></p> <p><span>"But why does he want us involved," asked Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"Obviously, so we can relate what it's like to be gay in this country. Consider us a positive role model of how things <i>should</i> be. He thinks that since I'm gay and now raising gay sons, we can provide a first-person point-of-view the staff hasn't had the opportunity to see and know."</span></p> <p><span>"But dad," Joey started, "we haven't told anybody we're gay yet."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and I don't think we're ready to," Alex chimed.</span></p> <p><span>"You don't have to go if you don't want to. But I still want you to think about it. Remember Steve and your teachers already know because of what's happened the last couple days. They've promised me they won't say anything to anybody, but once I stand up and tell the rest of the staff about myself, you know they're going to start wondering about you, too. It'll only be a matter of time before they figure things out for themselves."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do it," T.J. stated flatly. "I don't care who knows."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you sure? That's a big step to take, especially in front of a crowd."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'm sure. I want them to know kids can know at our age. Most people don't think we can."</span></p> <p><span>"It's your choice, T.J. If you want to be there, I'll be glad to have you with me. What about you, Mike? What do you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Huh-uh, I don't want to do it."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, Mike. This isn't mandatory." I had noticed Tom had been very quiet so far so I looked to him and asked, "What about you, big guy?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Max. When's this supposed to happen. I don't want to do anything that could have any effect on my job."</span></p> <p><span>"Probably two weeks from now, after you're done being a cop. And I should warn you that Steve knows Dylan and said he was going to call and ask him to be involved."</span></p> <p><span>"You're kidding me. Why the hell would he do that. Do you think he knows Dylan is gay?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's not the impression I got, but who knows. He said Dylan's been to the school several times to do a presentation on driver safety. I think he wants to get a law enforcement perspective involved to provide some statistics along with what parents and teachers should be aware of to help prevent suicides."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess that makes sense. I'm sure I'll hear about it tomorrow when I see him."</span></p> <p><span>"No doubt about it." I looked back to the boys and said, "Okay T.J.'s in, Mike's not, Tom's a maybe. What about you two? Have you thought about it yet?" I asked looking to the twins.</span></p> <p><span>They looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders, and looked back to me.</span></p> <p><span>"We're in. This is more important than keeping who we are a secret," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and like you said, it won't stay hidden very long, will it?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Probably not. If you both accept who you are, there's no real reason to hide it. I'm proud of you and I'll be happy to have all the backup I can get. Okay, I'll call Steve in the morning and let him know our decision. I'll leave you as a maybe, Tom, until I hear from you."</span></p> <p><span>"Can we eat now?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Now, there's a lad after my heart," Tom piped in. "I'm starved."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, okay," I caved. "Boys, would you set the table and get the drinks, please? You four can have soda, if you'd like, but I'd like a Corona, please," I added as we all headed to the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>"Same for me, please," Tom said.</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, would you be so kind as to get a basket and put the bread in it? I'll pull the lasagna out of the oven and get it cut."</span></p> <p><span>"Lasagna?? I love that stuff," Mike yelled as he grabbed the silverware.</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear, Mike. Do you like parmesan cheese on it?"</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's a finely grated cheese a lot of people add to pasta and pizza."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't think I've ever had it but I'll try it."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent. I think you'll like it."</span></p> <p><span>With everyone working together, we were ready to eat in very short order. I sprinkled a little parmesan on a corner of Mike's lasagna so he could try it before I covered the whole piece. After one bite, he begged for more, so I covered the rest of plate with a light dusting.</span></p> <p><span>"That's yummy, dad. Thanks."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad you like it. Well, dig in people."</span></p> <p><span>By the time everyone was done stuffing their faces, the lasagna was all gone, along with the bread, ruining my plan of having leftovers for lunch tomorrow. The boys got busy cleaning the table, then rinsing and stacking the dishes in the sink. I took care of the lasagna pan and Tom cleaned up the rest.</span></p> <p><span>During the process, I called out, "T.J., between."</span></p> <p><span>"Huh?" he answered with a confused look on his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Your spelling word, between, spell it."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, b-e-t-w-e-e-n."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, now around."</span></p> <p><span>"A-r-o-u-n-d."</span></p> <p><span>"Right, again. Good job. I think you're ready for your test tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope so."</span></p> <p><span>"You'll do just fine, young man." We sat back at the table and I started a new conversation with, "I called Carol earlier and she gave me some very important information she had neglected to pass on when she was here this past weekend."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that, dad?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I understand we have a birthday coming up soon."</span></p> <p><span>"Really, who and when?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>Joey and Alex raised their hands while grinning wildly.</span></p> <p><span>"There ya' go. The big day is March 13^th and they'll be nine this year. Anything special you'd like to do, guys."</span></p> <p><span>"Can we have a party?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, the Mueller's never let us have a party," Joey complained.</span></p> <p><span>"I think a party is a grand idea. Since the 13^th is a Thursday this year, we'll have the party on Saturday, though. I know Carol wants to be here for it. Are there any friends you'd like to have come over?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. How many can we have?"</span></p> <p><span>"Give me a list of 10 to 12 kids, I'll contact their parents and make sure they're all invited. Now, what kind of cake do you like?"</span></p> <p><span>"Chocolate for me," Alex said, "with chocolate icing."</span></p> <p><span>"White with white icing for me," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, we can do that. And we now have another way to tell which of you is Alex and which is Joey. We'll have either two cakes or a half and half cake. I'll talk to a bakery and get that taken care of. Now, what's missing?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Decorations!" yelled Mike.</span></p> <p><span>"Drinks!" was T.J.'s contribution.</span></p> <p><span>"Presents!!" yelled Joey and Alex.</span></p> <p><span>"Ear plugs and body armor," Tom said as he added his two-cents worth with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll make sure to add those to the list, Tom," I laughed. "Now, do you think you'll want to swim? If so, I'll need to make sure we have someone on hand who's a certified lifeguard. While Tom and I can handle the four of you with no problems, 16 screaming kids in the pool will require more attention than Tom and I have."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, duh, we'll definitely want to swim, won't we Alex?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. That'll be a bunch a' fun."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, that's another call I'll have to make. Anything else? Keep in mind, there'll still be snow on the ground and it'll probably be cold, so we'll be inside most of the day."</span></p> <p><span>"How about a movie?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good idea, Alex. Anything in particular?"</span></p> <p><span>"We'll have to think about it and let you know," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"The sooner, the better, in case you pick something we don't already have. Okay, I think we have the basics set. Get me your list of kids to invite and I'll contact their parents and make arrangements. Now, on to another subject, your rooms."</span></p> <p><span>"What about `em, dad?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, they're pretty plain. I set them up that way when I had the house built so anyone who spent the night wouldn't be assaulted by wild colors or anything. I think it's time to change that."</span></p> <p><span>"Really, we can do that?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, you can. They're your rooms, now, and they should look the way you want them. First, I want to ask if you want to keep sharing the same rooms the way you are now? You two asked about having separate rooms the first time we met," I said while pointing to the twins.</span></p> <p><span>"Joey and I are fine just the way we are, dad. It might be good to have a separate space so we can work on our homework alone or whatever."</span></p> <p><span>"But we still want to sleep in the same bed. We love that bed and we love sleeping together. But a separate space is a good idea. Much as I love Alex, sometimes I just gotta' get away from him," Joey laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey!" Alex yelled as he punched his brother's shoulder, "That wasn't funny."</span></p> <p><span>"Here's my idea for you two, then. I know a good builder and I can have him make some changes to the bedroom Carol used to make it the way you want it. When he's done, we'll move you in there. Sound okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be great."</span></p> <p><span>I turned to T.J. and Mike, "Okay, they're taken care of, what about you two? Do you want stay in the same room together or do you want separate rooms?"</span></p> <p><span>They looked at each other for a moment, exchanged nods and then turned back to me. "I think we want to stay together, dad, right Mike?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I like the way you hold me close at night. I feel safe when you do that."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you're my brother, you'll always be safe with me." I could see tears forming in Mike's eyes after that statement.</span></p> <p><span>"Do you want a separate space from each other like Joey and Alex."</span></p> <p><span>"That's probably be a good idea, dad. Especially since our homework is different. I'll still help Mike when I can, but it'll be good to have our own desks."</span></p> <p><span>"I like the way you think young man. Here's what we'll do. We'll get Joey and Alex's room done, get them moved into it, then redo their room for you two. That'll leave the spare room between you. Does that sound okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds great, dad. When will it happen?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll get in touch with John in the morning and we'll see. It'll depend on if he's busy with other projects. With luck, we can have the twins moved into their room by their birthday."</span></p> <p><span>"Sweet, we can show our friends then," Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, that's settled. Now, who's ready for a swim?" I asked. Six hands shot in the air. "Grab your towels and we'll meet back at the door to outside." Tom and I saw nothing but four bare backsides as the boys took off. Tom and I ambled to our room to grab our towels and the shelter key, then returned to meet the boys. They were bouncing up and down with impatience as we made our way across the living room. Once we were all assembled, I led the way to the pool with Tom bringing up the rear. Once the shelter door was unlocked, the boys squeezed past me, tossed their towels on the table and jumped in.</span></p> <p><span>"In a hurry, aren't they?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"They always are," I chuckled. When we reached the pool and got in, we were immediately surrounded by four boys ready for battle. Instead of their normal two-on-one attack, they decided to work together tonight and all four jumped Tom. I lounged against the side of the pool and enjoyed the action. It took almost five minutes, but they eventually managed to get Tom's head shoved underwater. Then, mission accomplished, they changed targets and turned their attack towards me. I tried to get away, but they were just too quick and soon had me in their clutches. I knew what was coming and had just managed to take a deep breath before they were on my back and pushing me under. Tom finally came to my aid and pulled me back up, sputtering for air.</span></p> <p><span>"About time you rescued me."</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't see you rushing in to help me. Turnabout's fair play, bubba."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Mike," I called, "how do you feel about teaching your brothers to swim?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can do that, dad."</span></p> <p><span>"No, you can't," Alex whined.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you're too small," T.J. complained.</span></p> <p><span>"I ain't listenin' to him," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"Mike, why don't you show these doubters that you can help them?" He promptly took off, swimming the width of the pool four times without stopping while the other three stared in awe. He finally came to a rest at the side of the pool and looked at his three brothers while sticking out his tongue and blowing raspberries in their direction. "Now, do you still think he can't help you?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe he can," they all agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, from now on, whenever we go swimming, Mike will spend at least 30 minutes working with you, understood."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, dad," they mumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Mike, it's your class. Take charge." Tom and I headed for deeper water to relax and I felt a disturbance behind me. Just as I turned around to see what it was, Mike jumped out of the water and wrapped his arms around my neck and his legs around my waist. He whispered in my ear, "Thanks, dad," then dropped back in the water and swam back to his brothers.</span></p> <p><span>When Tom and I had settled in along the wall, he looked at me and asked, "Have I told you how good you are and how much I love you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Several times, but I never get tired of hearing it. I love you, too, you know."</span></p> <p><span>"I do. So, you think Steve's serious about this workshop?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah. After what Valerie almost cost the district with her bullshit, he's serious. He was not a happy camper. He really wants you there, too. I don't think he was really ready to hear me use the term `boyfriend', but he covered it pretty well," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"That's one of the things that really bugs me about straight folks. They don't have a problem with saying `boyfriend' and `girlfriend', but heaven forbid, the world's gonna' end if we do the same."</span></p> <p><span>"Just more of the same old double standard, Tom. At least we can legally get married, nowadays."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy crap, did you really just say that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, yeah, I guess I did. That should give you a hint of where I think we're headed. You good with that?"</span></p> <p><span>"You have no idea. When I accepted being gay, not being able to get married and have kids was the only thing I hated about it. That's what made it so hard to tell mom and dad, the fact that they could forget any hope they ever had about me giving them grandchildren. I mean, you know how every parent wants to become a grandparent someday."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell me about it. That's the biggest issue my mom had when I came out, she wasn't gonna' get to be a grandma. You'd have thought the world was ending. She didn't give a shit about me, just how it affected her and her social standing to have a `faggot' for a son."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hopefully she'll get over it. Mine eventually did. It didn't happen overnight, mind you, but slowly. Think glacial. That reminds me, I need to call mom and dad and let them know about us, the boys, resigning and everything that's happened this week."</span></p> <p><span>"You don't think it might be a little early for that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope. My mind is running on the same wavelength with you. Is it sudden? Damn right it is. Was it expected? Hell, no. Does it feel right? Abso-fuckin'-lutely."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm right there with you."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you really think we could end up being married with children?"</span></p> <p><span>"As long as I'm not Al and you're Peggy," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, god, really? I hated that show," Tom groaned.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I think it's time to get out of here and get the boys on the way to bed. I'm starting to get waterlogged and wrinkly."</span></p> <p><span>"That's not the water, Max, it's your advanced age," Tom laughed as he pushed off the wall and swam away.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll get you for that, mister."</span></p> <p><span>"Promises, promises. Catch me if you can, you old fart."</span></p> <p><span>"Boys," I called, "shower time, then snacks." They jumped out of the pool, dried off quickly and ran to the house to take their showers. Tom and I followed at a much more sedate pace, pausing for a long hug and kiss before returning to the house. Tom took our towels to our bedroom while I turned into the kitchen to get the snacks ready. I fixed plates with half a Halo orange and glass of milk, and had them set and ready for each boy as they came in and took a seat at the counter. When Tom returned, he stopped and pulled a Corona from the fridge for each of us.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Tom." I turned to the boys and asked, "You all ready for school tomorrow?" All four mumbled an unenthusiastic acceptance of their fate. "Oh, cheer up, it's Friday and then you have the whole weekend free."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever," groused Joey. The other three nodded in agreement.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, when you're done with your snack, hit the john and climb in bed. We'll be there in a few to say goodnight."</span></p> <p><span>One by one, they tromped off to their bedrooms and Tom and I followed after finishing our drink. We stopped at T.J. and Mike's room first, only to find T.J. lying flat on his back, eyes closed, wide grin on his face, and a large lump under the covers. One part of that boy-shaped lump was located about where T.J.'s waist would be and was slowly moving up and down.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, geesh, them too?" Tom moaned.</span></p> <p><span>"Apparently. No big surprise, really, is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess not. Do we interrupt them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Might as well. Who knows how long we'd have to wait, otherwise." We walked to the side of the bed and I cleared my throat to get their attention. T.J. jumped in fear and opened his eyes. Mike threw the covers off, exposing T.J.'s two-inch hard pecker pointing straight up towards the ceiling, glistening with saliva, shiny helmet head exposed due to his foreskin being retracted. T.J. moved his hands to cover his hardness and almost smacked Mike in the face in the process. </span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, dad, we should have closed the door," T.J. apologized.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, you should have, but don't worry about it, boys. This may be the first time you've been caught in the act, but I'm sure it won't be the last. And you don't have to cover yourself. Everybody here has seen everybody else with an erection before. It's not a big deal, remember."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, mine sure isn't, not compared to that, anyway," he said, uncovering himself and pointing to Tom's crotch. Tom blushed from head to toe in embarrassment.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, stop it, Tom. You are the biggest of the six of us. Be proud of it."</span></p> <p><span>"Will mine be that big when I grow up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Only time will tell, Mike. I need to know, though, that you want to do this and you're not being forced in any way."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no, he's never forced me. I wanted to suck him. I kinda' owed him since he sucked me in the shower after our swim."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, that's fine. Remember, you can always say no. Now, come get your hugs and kisses goodnight." Both boys crawled across the mattress and got to their knees in front of us, hard penises poking us in the thighs as they gave us a hug. We wrapped our arms around them and kissed their foreheads, then swapped places so each got their turn. As we swapped places, I felt a small hand graze my hardness, but I didn't see which boy did it. Once each had their hug and kiss, I said, "Lights out in five minutes, boys, tomorrow's still a school day. Sleep well, we love you."</span></p> <p><span>"We love you too, dad, Uncle Tom, night."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I headed to the twins' room to take care of our goodnights there. Surprisingly, when we reached the door, the lights were out and we heard no sounds emanating from within. We quietly entered the room and turned on the dresser light so we could see. We found Alex and Joey sleeping soundly, covers shoved to the end of the bed, twisted in a pretzel as usual. The most eye-catching part of the formation in the middle of the king-sized bed was the two three inch penises, standing proudly at full attention. Tom and I pulled the covers over the two, kissed each on the forehead and crept quietly from the room, turning off the light as we passed the dresser.</span></p> <p><span>"That's amazing," Tom said as we left the hallway behind us.</span></p> <p><span>"What?"</span></p> <p><span>"I just assumed it would be the twins we found in bliss, not T.J. and Mike. I guess they're all enjoying each other. Do you think all four have gotten busy together?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd be surprised if they haven't, but I'm not about to ask any of them. It's one thing to just find them pleasuring each other, it's an entirely different thing to ask them about it. If they ask the question first, I'll answer it, but I'm not starting the conversation."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't blame you for that, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, didn't you have a call you wanted to make?"</span></p> <p><span>"Want would be the wrong word. Need would be more accurate."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll grab a book and stay out of the way. Why don't you use the phone in the study?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no you don't, you big chicken. I want you there with me. If I'm going to tell them everything, I want backup and I ain't calling Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, let's go." When we entered the study, I had Tom sit at the desk while I took a chair on the other side. He put the phone on speaker and dialed the number. While we waited for the call to connect, I asked, "Where do your parents live? You've never said."</span></p> <p><span>"Just outside of St. Louis," he answered as the phone rang.</span></p> <p><span>"Hello?" asked an older lady in a cautious voice.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, mom, it's Tom. How're you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, now that I know it's you. I recognize your voice, of course, but didn't know the name and number on the caller ID. Who the heck is Maxwill Sanders?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's why I'm calling, ma. I need to tell you and dad something. Is he there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, hang on a sec." We heard her call in the background, "Bill, pick up the phone, it's Tom." and heard him respond, "Hang on Estelle." His mom came back to us, "Wait a second, Tom. I just remembered why that name, Maxwill Sanders, is familiar. He's an author, isn't he?"</span></p> <p><span>"He sure is."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you must be moving up in the world. Hobnobbing with famous authors. Why are you calling from his home? You at a party?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, ma, but wait `til dad's on the line, okay." At that moment, we heard the click of an extension being picked up.</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, you there? What's up, son?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, dad. Look, I know you two weren't very happy when I came out to you, but I think we've pretty well cleared that hurdle, haven't we?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, dear," his mom said.</span></p> <p><span>"Not easily," his dad added, "but, yeah."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, because I have something important to tell you and I don't want you freaking out."</span></p> <p><span>"Spit it out, boy," his dad said.</span></p> <p><span>"I've met someone and fallen in love with him." You could have heard a pin drop in the silence that ensued. "There's more. Max is in the process of adopting four boys. If this ends up where we both think it is, you're going to be their grandparents. One set, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my, Tom, that's a lot to take in," his mom said.</span></p> <p><span>"I know it is. A lot has happened in the last week."</span></p> <p><span>"A week. You can't fall in love in a damn week, Tom," Bill claimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dad, you can. You've told me, yourself, that within days of meeting mom, you knew the two of you would be together the rest of your lives. The same thing's happened to me."</span></p> <p><span>"That's true, Bill, and you know it. I suppose congratulations are in order, son," his mom said. "If you're sure about this. Is this Max a good man?"</span></p> <p><span>"The best ma, and he's sitting right here. Say hi, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Hello Mr. &amp; Mrs. Wright. It's a pleasure to meet both of you. I want you to know that you've raised a fine man and I've fallen deeply in love with him."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hello, Mr. Sanders. We didn't know you were there, too," Estelle replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Please, Mrs. Wright, call me Max. Mr. Sanders is my dad."</span></p> <p><span>"O-o-kay, I guess I can do that," she stammered.</span></p> <p><span>"Dad, you still there?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm here, just a little stunned."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, but there wasn't an easier way to tell you."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't worry about that, we'll adjust to this, just like we adjusted to the news about you being gay."</span></p> <p><span>"The other thing you need to know is I'm resigning from the force."</span></p> <p><span>"Are they forcing you to because of, well, you know?" Bill asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all, dad. My boss is real cool and me being gay has nothing to do with it. This is entirely my decision. Having met Max and his new sons, I want to be sure I can come home in one piece every night. I can't stay a cop and do that."</span></p> <p><span>"That makes sense, son," said Estelle. "I knew you never liked that part of being a cop. I never liked it much either. I was always worried about you."</span></p> <p><span>"What are you going to do now, Tom?" Bill asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm going to open up my own private investigation service. And I already have a client."</span></p> <p><span>"Who's that?" they both asked.</span></p> <p><span>"The agency handling Max's adoption. They had a guy who screwed up a background check several months ago, and he almost killed an adoption because of it. They're going to start using me for background and abuse investigations."</span></p> <p><span>"That should keep you busy," Bill said. "A lot safer than being a cop, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, Tom, that's such a wonderful thing for you to do. I'm happy for you," Estelle added, "for everything."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear that, mom. Really."</span></p> <p><span>"We hope you'll be happy, son," Bill said.</span></p> <p><span>"I am and I will be. I'd like it a lot of you could come up and meet everyone."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you sure?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I am. The twins' birthday is coming up on the 13^th next month and we're having a party for them that Saturday. It would be great if you could be here. I'd really like them to meet their new grandparents."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll have to talk about it and let you know. Is that okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, mom, and I'll understand if you can't make it. Love you both and hope to see you the 15^th."</span></p> <p><span>"Bye, son, we love you, too."</span></p> <p><span>Tom disconnected the call and looked at me. "That went better than I thought it would."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad for you, Tom. They sound like nice folks."</span></p> <p><span>"They are, just a little outdated in their thinking, but they're getting there."</span></p> <p><span>"Way ahead of my parents. Now, do you have any interest in going to bed?"</span></p> <p><span>"Lead the way, lover."</span></p> <p><span>We headed to the bedroom and, after a quick shower to rinse off the chlorine from the pool, curled together for a good night's sleep after a long day.</span></p> <p><span>"I love you, Tom Wright," I whispered in his hear.</span></p> <p><span>"Love you more, Max Sanders," he whispered back.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-50.html

Building a Family 50 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 50 � HAPPY BIRTHDAY! (finally) When I had finally rejoined the rest of the family, I asked, "Hey did I hear someone say something about a party tonight or what!?" That caused everyone to jump up from their seats. Tom was the first to reach me and he pulled me into another slightly less bone-crushing hug as he whispered, `I love you' in my ear, and I gratefully returned the same sentiment into his ear. We made our way to the kitchen to start getting ready for supper before the actual party. Along the short distance I accepted a hug from everyone since they hadn't had the chance to do so already. I noticed the decorations in the dining room and kitchen and said, "The decorations look great. Thanks to whoever took care of them for us." "That would be your father and me," Rose replied. "Well, you both did a great job. I don't think I could have done it better myself." "We do have a little bit of practice in setting up for a party, Son," Jim answered. "Ah, that you do, Dad. I remember the parties we always had as Lee and I were growing up. Don't know if I've ever said before, but thanks for those. They were always lots of fun." "Well, that's what parents do, isn't it Estelle?" Bill commented. "It sure is. Tom always had a nice party, too. Of course, since he's our only kid, he was a bit spoiled along the way." "Okay, let's get this show on the road," I said. "Tom, why don't you take care of the hot dogs? I'll whip up the mac & cheese, Joey, Alex, will you two get the table set, please?" "Why us, it's our birthday," Joey exclaimed. "Yeah, we shouldn't have to do nothin'," Alex added. "Right you are boys, my bad. Mom, Dad, would you mind setting the table?" "Not at all, c'mon Rose, we have our assignment," Jim responded as he grabbed Rose's hand so they could take care of their task. "What about us, Max?" Bill asked. "What can we do?" "How would you and Estelle like to help T.J., Mike and Andy wrap their gifts to their brothers?" "That sounds like fun," Estelle answered. "Point us in the right direction." "Well, everything is in our bedroom except for the tape and scissors. You'll find those in my desk in the study across the hall. Whatever you do, don't go rummaging through any drawers in the bedroom. No telling what you might find there," I chuckled. "We're on the way, Max," Estelle replied. "Come on you three, let's go," she added, holding out her hands. The five of them disappeared down the hall and just before our bedroom door closed, I heard T.J. yell, `Wow! I can't wait for my birthday!' Oops, I chuckled to myself, we forgot to hide the bikes better. As I leaned against the counter, waiting for the water to start boiling and watching Tom roll the hotdogs on the grill, I felt someone tap me on the shoulder and heard Alex ask, "Hey, Dad, you got a minute?" I turned around to face him, leaned in closer and answered, "For you, young man, always. What's up?" "Are you okay? Something didn't feel right when we got home and I got scared. I'm worried `bout you." "Ya know something, Alex, sometimes, you're too perceptive for your own good. And since we always tell the truth in this house, I admit, I wasn't doing well earlier today, but Dr. Kirkland helped me and I'm feeling a little better now." "Yeah, I could feel that, too, and I'm not scared now, but I'm still worried." I took his hands in mine and, as I looked into his eyes, I said, "I appreciate that, son, I really do, but you don't need to worry about me. I'm going to be just fine. It'll take me a while, but I'll get there, okay?" "Okay, dad. I'm glad to hear it. If you want or need to talk about whatever it is, I got two good ears," he smiled. "I may not able to do much to really help, but I can listen real good." "You and your brothers help plenty just by being here. And, someday, buddy, but not today, okay? Today is your day. And Joey's, too." "Okay, dad, just remember, we love you." "I know that, buddy. I love you guys, too. Oops, gotta go, the water's boiling." I returned to the stove to dump four boxes of macaroni into the water and cut some small chunks of extra sharp cheddar to throw in later. Tom continued to nurse the dogs on the grill and mom and dad put the finishing touches on the table. Little did I know there was a silent conversation going on behind my back. Alex felt the nudge in his mind and the question formed as if it was his own thought. "What was that all about?" Joey wanted to know. "You didn't feel it when we got home?" he answered his brother silently. "Feel what?" "Something was going on with dad and Dr. Kirkland, but I'm not sure what. All I could feel was it was something bad." "How bad?" "I'm not real sure. Best way I can think of to describe it is ugly." "Uh-oh, that ain't good. Hang on a second ... wait, there it is, yeah, I got it now. Oh, shit, you're right, that's bad all right, really bad. How the fuck did I miss that?" "I don't know, you must have been too focused on our grandparents being here." "You're probably right. I always do better picking up the positive while you to get the negative. Why is that, I wonder?" "I don't know, but I'll trade you any time. Just say the word." "What word?" "This ain't the time to be a smart-ass, bro'. Dad's got a problem and we need to help him." "I know, I know. But what the hell can we do? We're just kids, damn it." "I don't know right now, but I'll figure somethin' out." "You always do, don't you?" "Well, not always, but yeah, most of the time. We better stay out of trouble, too, J, at least for a while." "Hey, don't look at me, A, I'm not the one stuck wearin' clothes `til Saturday." "Yeah, yeah, I know. Look, I told you I was sorry, but it was right there in front of me. What the fuck was I supposed to do, just ignore it?" "Well, yeah, the only dick supposed to be in your mouth is mine." "Yeah, like you don't wanna suck that sweet little piece of meat, yourself." "Hey, I was talkin' `bout your mouth, not mine. Wait, was it really sweet?" "Oh, yeah, sweet as honey. Ah, fuck, now I got a boner. I gotta go take care of it `cause it ain't gonna go away on its own." "Yeah, me too. You go first, I'll be there in a minute." "No more than a minute, J, or I won't wait for you." "I'll be there, A, don't you worry." "How long `til supper's ready, dad?" Alex asked. "About seven or eight minutes. Why?" "I gotta go to the bathroom." "Well, you better hurry." "Be as quick as I can," he grinned as he jumped off his stool and took off. Not twenty seconds later, Joey announced, "I'm gonna make sure he doesn't flush himself," as he followed his brother. I elbowed Tom in the ribs and whispered, "You think they're doin' what I think they're doin'?" "Why do you even ask such a silly question, babe? Of course, they are." "Oh, to be young and innocent, again. God knows I could sure use a mulligan." "Hey, I'd do you right here, right now, but I don't want to give your old man a heart attack," Tom snickered. "That'd sure do it," I laughed aloud just as mom and dad came back into the kitchen. "What's so funny, you two?" mom asked. "Trust me, mom, you don't want to know." "Bet they were talkin' `bout doin' each other in the kitchen, dear," dad joked. "I wouldn't bet against you `cause I don't like to lose, Jim," mom replied, pointing at me as I turned pink from head to toe, though all anyone could see was my head. "Oh, shit, they really were, weren't they? I was just kidding." "Well, of course they were. Look at your son's face. It's as pink as my panties. Besides, Jim, they're young and in love. You do remember that time, don't you?" "Rose, honey, I might be old, but I'm not senile. Not yet, anyway. But, just as they don't want to hear about our sex lives, I'd just as soon not hear about theirs. While I've finally learned to accept some things, there's others I ain't quite ready for just yet." "Truce! Uncle! I give! Sex is not a topic for open discussion!" I yelled. "Oh, why not?" Bill asked as he, Estelle and the boys returned from our bedroom. "Sex is fun. Well, I always thought it was. What about you, Estelle." "Oh my, yes, I've always enjoyed sex, too. I don't see anything wrong with a healthy and open chat." "We like it, too, don't we, guys" T.J. exclaimed, receiving emphatic nods from Mike and Andy. Jim stuck his finger in ears, trilling loudly, "La-la-la-la-la. I'm not hearing any of this." "What do you mean, old man?" I asked. "You started it, and if I have to listen to it, so do you." "Okay," dad acquiesced, "I started it, but that doesn't mean I want to hear all about it, especially from your boys." "Well, dear, if you don't want to talk about it, you shouldn't bring it up," Rose scolded. Alex and Joey had finally rejoined us and asked, "What'd we miss?" "Your Papa started something and doesn't know how to stop it," Rose answered. "Yeah? What was it?" Joey asked. "He made some crack about the two of us having sex in the kitchen...," Tom started. "Oh, no, you can't do it in the kitchen, dads!" Joey exclaimed, "That's against the house rules." "Yeah, that's why I have to wear clothes right now, remember?" Alex asked. Jim buried his face in his hands and moaned, "What have I done?" "You opened the door, Jim," Bill answered with a wide grin, "and the rest of us just stepped right through it." "Hey, everyone," I interrupted, "The macaroni's ready, can we sit and eat, please. And no more talking about sex. Not while we're eating, anyway." "Does that mean we can talk about it after?" Joey asked. "Oh, would you please just stuff a sock in it, Joey, okay?" I replied. "Why would I do that, dad, that sounds like it'd hurt like he..., well, you know what." "Stop it, already, please. We're going to eat, then we have to clean up and get ready for our other guests to arrive." Fortunately, as we ate our meal, the conversation returned to safer and more suitable dinner topics such as school, presents, the weather, ice cream, our wedding, presents, our parents new house, cake, Saturday's party, presents. There were enough party clues and hints dropped by Joey and Alex during the meal that even Sherlock Holmes' idiot brother could have solved the non-mystery. I was equally fortunate my earlier revelations had been forgotten, at least for the moment. I had no doubt they would be resurface later, though. Once everyone was done stuffing their faces, we all got busy with the cleanup of our mess. Again, Joey and Alex sat at the counter and watched the rest of us work. I'll have to remember this new rule when my birthday arrives in eight months. Once the cleanup was done, I pulled the cake out of the pantry where I'd hidden it and Joey and Alex got their first look. "Transformers!?" Joey screamed. "How'd you know, dads?" Alex asked. "I didn't, just got lucky. We're glad you like it." I turned to Tom and asked, "Now, do we put on nine candles, or eighteen?" "Hm, good question, babe. Never seen a birthday cake for twins so I don't have a clue." "Let's do the eighteen. Then they each have nine to blow out." "Whatever boats your float." "Guess it's a good thing we got the bigger pack of candles today, then." I added candles to one side of the cake while Tom took care of the other side. "Just keep in mind, though, that'll grow to thirty-six nine years from now. We'll have to have the fire department on call." "Jim, why don't you run out to the car and grab our presents for the birthday boys?" Rose asked. "I suppose I could do that. It'll cost ya', though." "I'll go with you, Jim, and get ours, too," Bill added. "Rose," Estelle started, "would you like to help me grab a few things from the bedroom?" "Love to." "Hey, you two," I called to their backs, "Leave the two unwrapped ones for later, please." "We're not stupid, Son!" Rose yelled back at me. Our timing was working out well because I heard the drive sensor announce a new arrival. When Jim and Bill returned with their arms overflowing with wrapped items, they brought Carl and Lee along with them, also carrying multiple gifts for the birthday boys. The two new arrivals were immediately surrounded by the fantastic five as they gave hugs and squealed with delight. "We're in the kitchen," I yelled. "If you brought presents, they go to the dining room." As the boys dragged the two of them through the kitchen on the way to the dining room to drop their gifts, they snapped off a quick `hi' before disappearing through the doorway. When they'd dropped their load and returned, we traded handshakes and hugs with Carl and Lee. "Hey, you two, long time, no see. What's up?" "Same shit, different day. How `bout you guys?" Lee answered. "I've had better days, but I've survived it, that's what matters." "Anything we can help with, Max?" Carl asked. "Nope, I got a handle on it." "Well, if you change your mind, all you gotta do is ask." "I know, sis, and I will if I need to. Thanks." "So, who are we missing?" Jim asked. "We have two more who are supposed to be here, Carol and Dylan," Tom answered. "And they should show up any time now." The words had just barely escaped his lips when we heard the ding of the sensor. "Well, there's one of `em now. Joey, Alex, why don't you meet our new arrival at the door?" They returned shortly with Carol in tow. "Hey, Carol, glad you could make it," I said as I gave her a hug. "I told you I wouldn't miss it, didn't I?" "It's good to see you again, Carol," Tom added as he gave her a hug also. "How are things going?" "Couldn't be better, for you two, anyway. It looks like your adoptions are all on schedule for mid-June. I even have everything ready for Andy just in case Anna approves his. After talking to him, of course." "That's good news, Carol, and I needed to hear that today," I commented. "Why, what's up?" she asked. "We'll talk about it later. I don't want what we have to tell you to interfere with tonight's festivities." "I'm going to hold you to that, Max," she replied seriously. I nodded my understanding, fearing the worst and knowing the turmoil her office would be in once they heard what I had to tell them about the Muellers. Who knows how many kids have been through their house over the years and I shuddered to think of the damage that could have been done by them. Our parents came back into the kitchen at that moment and Jim said, "Max, I think you're gonna need a bigger table in there." "Yeah, that one has so many presents on it, there's no room for people to sit and eat," Bill laughed. "Are you kidding, me?" I asked. "You can put twelve people around that thing." "Look for yourself, honey," Rose chuckled. I stuck my head through the door to take a quick look and pulled it back, shaking it in disbelief. "I think y'all done lost your ever-loving minds. It's just a birthday, for god's sake." "And it's their first one with their new family," Estelle retorted. "Okay, so maybe, just maybe, we went a little overboard, but we promise to do better in the future. Besides, there' two boys celebrating today." "Yeah, right, fat chance of that," I laughed. "By the way, moms and dads, I don't believe you've met Carol before. Let me introduce all of you to Carol Ward. Carol is helping us with the boys' adoptions. Carol, this is Tom's mom, Estelle, my mom, Rose, my dad, Jim and Tom's dad, Bill. Oh, and the funny looking guy hiding in the corner over there is Lee's husband, Carl." Carl stuck his tongue out at me in response to his introduction. In the middle of a long round of hugs, handshakes and `nice to meet you', the drive sensor dinged again. I was hoping that would be Dylan so we get this party underway. Thirty seconds later, a familiar voice rang through the house as Dylan opened the front door and yelled, "Knock-knock, anybody home." All five boys took off at a dead run to swarm him with hugs. "In the kitchen, Dylan," Tom yelled back. When he finally made his way to join us, Mike and Andy were wrapped around his legs, T.J. was riding on his back and Alex and Joey were wrapped around his waist. His lone free hand was carrying a gift. "Holy crap, man, how can you even walk right now?" Tom laughed. "It ain't easy, Tom, trust me," he laughed in response. "Good to see you again, Dylan," I said as I gave him a hug, stretching up to get my head up to his shoulders. In the middle of the hug, I whispered, "We need to talk later." I felt his head nod next to mine before we separated. "Okay, even though we just did this for Carol, Dylan, meet our parents, Jim and Rose, who you kinda met yesterday, and Bill and Estelle, Tom's parents. You know Lee and Carol, already. The other guy is Lee's husband, Carl. Everybody, this is Dylan Brock. He was Tom's sergeant in the Sherriff's department." Another flurry of handshakes ensued as Dylan made the rounds and greeted everyone. "Okay, everybody's met everybody, so, why don't we get this party rolling? From what I've seen, it looks like we're gonna have to unwrap presents before we'll have the room to eat our cake and ice cream, so, Joey, Alex, do us a favor and lead the way." The two led the way to the dining room and after seeing the table absolutely covered with gifts, happily skipped the last few feet to sit in two chairs at one end of the table. "WOW! If all this is just for our birthday, I can't wait for Christmas," Joey squealed. "Where do we start, bro'?" Alex asked. "Here," Andy said, handing them his present, "how `bout this one." The twins wasted no more words or time as they worked together to shred the wrapping paper, exposing the Sudoku books. "Cool, Andy, these are great, thanks," Joey enthused. "Yeah, you know we love math. We'll have lots of fun with these. Thanks, bro'," Alex added. Mike picked the next one, and it was, of course, the Nerf guns. While the twins were busy unwrapping those, I found the other three for Mike, T.J. and Andy and gave them out so they would all be opened at the same time. After seeing what was inside, and the fact their brothers had also received one, the twins looked at each other and Alex asked, "You know what this means, don't you?" "WAR!" Joey and Alex yelled. The other three joined in the call to war. Oh, dear gods, what have we done, I wondered. "T.J.," I prompted, "You want to give them yours next?" "Not yet, dad, I think we ought to save it for later." "That's your call, but it's a good one, I think." Joey and Alex continued opening their presents receiving several board games, new clothes (thanks grandparents), a few video games, several books, a couple more movies and some CDs. Thanks and hugs were given to each person after each new gift was opened. The pile on the table had finally dwindled down to just T.J.'s gift. When T.J. proudly handed it over to Alex and Joey, he said, "Be careful, guys, it's got glass in it." He then sat back down and watched the twins closely. The two carefully peeled the wrapping from the frame and discovered they were looking at the back of something that was rather oddly shaped. They slowly turned it over to finally see the front and the tears started flowing from their eyes and down their cheeks. "This is beautiful, T.J.," Alex cried, "I can't wait to hang it in our new room." Joey's mouth was moving, but it took him a moment to get his voice working again. I don't think I've ever seen that boy at a loss for words, but I guess there's a first time for everything. "Thanks, bro', this is the best present we've ever gotten." They set the frame on the table and smothered T.J. in the hug to end all hugs. After looking at it again, they carefully passed the picture frame around the table so everyone could see it and, without fail, tears were running down everyone's cheeks. When Tom and I finally got to see it, we were astounded at what T.J. had accomplished. The top picture was one of the twin's mom and dad that I'd had reprinted, below that were pictures of Joey and Alex, the next grouping was of Tom and me on the outside of T.J., Mike and Andy, and the bottom two were each set of grandparents. After drying my eyes on my sleeve, I mumbled, "T.J., how...?" "Piece of cake, dad. Gramma Estelle has been taking pictures since she got here. When I started to put their mom and dad's pictures in the frame, she showed me some of what she'd taken here today and I had a better idea. We went into your study, connected her phone to the network and color printer, then printed the best pictures of us. Once they'd dried for a minute, we slipped `em into the frame. Bingo, bango, bongo, one custom present for my brothers." "This is perfect, young man." I looked to the twins and asked, "Joey, Alex, would you mind if we hung this over the fireplace instead of in your room?" "But what about the picture you got up there now," Alex asked. "That old thing. I'll find another place for it, this one's much more important." "Sure, dad, we'd like that. Besides, we already have the other pictures for our room, anyway," Joey said. "Thanks, guys. Any time you want it moved to your room, just let me know." "Okay," Tom started, "let's get this mess cleaned up so we can have our cake and ice cream." "Wait," Joey yelled, "we didn't see nothin' from you two." "You didn't?" I asked innocently. "There should have been something there from us." I looked at Tom and asked with a conspiratorial wink, "Didn't you wrap that Matchbox car we got them?" Without missing a beat, Tom answered, "Me? I thought you were wrapping it. C'mon, babe, let's get it together." "Matchbox car? What are you talkin' `bout?" Alex protested. "Hey, you said you wanted a car for your birthday, so that's what we got you. It's not our fault you didn't specify the size," I joked, garnering laughs from everyone but the twins. "C'mon on, babe, let's go find it. It must still be in our room somewhere." As we turned to leave, he added, "T.J., would you get a trash bag and you guys clean up all the paper while we search? Please and thank you." We disappeared down the hall, giggling to ourselves. True, we shouldn't be this mean on their first birthday with us, but we couldn't help it. We waited for a minute before walking the twins' two new bikes back out to the living room. I wasn't going to try to get them into the overcrowded dining room. "Okay, boys," I yelled, "we found it. But you're gonna have to come in here to get it." They charged from the dining room, followed by everyone else. When they saw the bikes, they started dancing and jumping and whooping with joy. "Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod, we got new bikes! We never had our own bikes before!" Alex yelled as they mugged us. "I get the red one!" Joey yelled. "How did you know red was my favorite color, dads?" I tried to answer, but nobody could hear us over the continued clamor of excited twins. "Can we ride `em now, dads?" Alex begged. "I'm sure you'd like to do that, but why don't we wait for tomorrow when we can go outside, okay? I'd just as soon they not get ridden in the house." "Okay, but before school though, ple-e-e-ease!!" they whined together. "Yeah, we can do that. And again, in the afternoon, after you get home." "Yippee!!" they screamed. "Who's ready for cake and ice cream?" Tom asked. After receiving affirmative responses from the assembled group, we headed back to the dining room. "Boys, why don't you help Alex and Joey move their gifts to their room so we have some room to eat?" he asked. "We should be ready for the cake when you have that done." All five boys started loading their arms with items and making the trip to the end of the hall to drop them on the twins' bed. It took two trips to get it all, but we finally had room for everyone at the table and when the boys came back, the candles were lit and ready for Joey and Alex to extinguish. After a very off-key rendition of `Happy Birthday', it was time for their big moment. I reminded them to make a wish before they blew out the candles. After just a moment's pause, they huffed and they puffed and they damn near blew the house down. "So, what'd you wish for?" T.J. asked. "We didn't wish for nothin', didn't have to," Joey answered. "Yeah, all our wishes came true when dad found us," Alex added. With a tear forming in my eyes, again, we got busy cutting and serving the cake along with Schwan's ice cream. The group became quiet as they dug into their dessert. All that could be heard was faint hums of appreciation as people enjoyed it. "That's a good cake, Max, where did you get it?" Lee asked. "A little hole-in-the-wall bakery that's done some things for me before when I've had some parties out here. We get to go back there Saturday morning to pick up a bigger cake for the boys' party with their friends from school." "Sorry I had miss that one," Carol started, "but the plans I've with my parents have been in the works for months. I just couldn't blow them off." "No worries, Carol. I don't think any of you would want to spend an afternoon with twenty wild boys, anyway. I'm not even sure I want to, but I don't think these guys will let me out of it," I snickered. "You got that right, dad," Alex agreed. When everyone was finished with dessert, Alex asked, "Can we watch one of our new movies?" "I don't see why not. It's early enough, you should be able to see the whole thing before bed time. Can you get it started, or do you need help?" "We got it, dad, we're not little kids anymore, ya' know," Joey retorted. "Well, hop to it, then, boys." They ran to their bedroom, returned with the movie and disappeared into the theater. I decided that since they wouldn't be able to hear us and I didn't want to keep anybody here longer than necessary, it would be a good time to tell Dylan, Carol, Lee and Carl the news about today's events and revelations. After a quick cleanup of dishes and pouring coffee for everyone, we adjourned to the living room where I lit a fire before starting the conversation. "We're glad you all could come out for the party tonight. It means a lot to me, Tom and the boys that you'd be here to help them celebrate." "I wouldn't have missed this for anything, Max," Carol said. "Same with me, you guys are my friends and I'll be here for every birthday," Dylan added. "You couldn't keep us away if you tried, Max. We're all family now," Carl concluded. "What you four don't know is, this party almost didn't happen tonight," I continued. Tom wrapped my hand in his and asked, "You sure you want to do this now?" "No better time than when it's fresh in your mind, right Dad?" I received a curt nod from him and carried on, "You four late arrivals need to know something about what we've been through today. I know you're going to have questions and concerns, but please keep them to the minimum so I can get through all this before the boys' movie is over." I dove straight into telling them about our shopping trip today and what I'd almost done. When I finished that part of the story, Lee commented, "That doesn't sound like you at all. What the hell happened?" "I didn't get the answer to that question until much later this afternoon. After we got home, Tom put me to bed and then called Mike's foster father and our parents to come see if they could help me figure it all out." "That would be Dr. Kirkland, right?" Carol asked. "Exactly. I spent a couple hours talking with him and, after a bit of hypnosis, we discovered something that explains the issues I've been having with the Mueller's since I met them a couple weeks ago, for what I thought was the first time. Our parents were here this afternoon and know about this already, but I think you four need to know also. Carol and Dylan, what I'm going to tell you will create a whole bunch of work for both of you." I took a short pause to catch my breath before continuing. "Twenty-some years ago, I was repeatedly raped by Frank and Iris Mueller." "WHAT!" Lee screamed. Carol hung her head and moaned, "Oh, fuck." "I'm gonna go kill those motherfuckers, right now!" Dylan vented as he stood up. Tom stood up in front of him and ordered the taller man, "Sit down, Sarge! You ain't killin' nobody. If I can't, you can't, either." To everyone's surprise, Dylan sat back down, then Tom sat back beside me, holding my hand again. "Would you all please calm down? As hard as it is to deal with this after all these years, I'm going to do what I have to do to keep it from happening to anybody else. Paul will be notifying the police about it since he's a mandated reporter. Dylan, you'll be hearing from him in due time, I'm sure, and you can talk to me anytime you want. Just let me know when you want to do it and where. I'll do whatever's necessary to see these people get what they deserve. "Carol, I can't begin to imagine the impact this will have on your office. I think, at the very least, you need to find and interview every person who has ever spent a single night in their home, no matter how much time has passed. I've obviously buried this for a long time, and other victims may have done the same. They may be having problems similar to mine and not know why." "Oh, you can be sure we'll do exactly that. It'll be a nightmare for everyone, but one we have to deal with." "Carol," Dylan started, "we need to work on this together to avoid duplicating our efforts." "Dylan," I interrupted, "you're going to have to do a lot more than just work with Carol, her people and the possible victims from their home. You're going to have to talk to every member of their church, also." "Why?" "Because it all happened at the church." "Oh, shit, you're kidding me. Not another one?" "I wish I were, and yes, another one. There was a secluded room in a corner of the basement they'd take me to when it was time for me `learn my lesson', as they liked to say." "Was there anybody else involved in what they did?" Dylan asked. "Not with me, no, but I don't know if there were other kids or other adults involved over the years. Considering the message that church spews about hate for gays, I'd be amazed if I'm their only victim." I noticed mom and dad hanging their heads in shame and Estelle had an arm wrapped around Rose's shoulder. "Mom, Dad, this is not a reflection on you in any way. I know you weren't involved and didn't know about any of this." "I'm sorry, I think I must have missed something," Dylan interjected. "Why would they think they were?" he asked, confused look on his face. "Think, Dylan," I said, tapping the side of my head. "This happened at church, the church I was taken to by my parents." I watched his eyes open wide in surprise as the penny dropped. "They're two of the people you'll end up talking to. I can tell you right now, though, they had nothing to do with it and knew nothing about any of it. If I'd said something, I know they would have stopped it." "I hate to ask, Max, but I'm going to have to some time. How long did the abuse go on?" Dylan asked. "Almost weekly for about two and a half to three years. That's the best I can remember right now. I'm sure as I think about it more I'll be able to come up with something more definite." "Max," Lee whispered, "I'm so sorry. I shoulda said something to mom and dad." I whipped my head in her direction and asked, "What are you talkin' about, Lee?" "Some of the kids my age were spreading rumors about something happening to another kid about ten years before we were there. I told them they didn't know what they were talking about and they needed to shut up. If I'd told mom and dad, this wouldn't have happened to you." "Lee, you don't know that. Just like I told mom and dad earlier, you have no blame, guilt or responsibility for what those two supposed people did. This is all on them. The worst part for me is, I now have to take back something I said earlier today. I know I asked everybody to not say anything to the boys about this, but something hit me during supper." I paused for just a moment before dropping the bombshell. "Joey and Alex lived in that house for four years." "Oh, my God," mom moaned in anguish. "Mom, I'm pretty sure nothing happened to them because neither one has shown any signs of being abused, no fear of being touched, no qualms about being close to others, no sleepwalking, no unexplained rages, none of the shit I used to do when it was happening to me. And as much as I'd like to keep them all in the dark about this for now, I have to talk to the twins so we can be absolutely sure." "You want me to do that, Max?" Dylan offered. "Thanks, Dylan, but we have very open lines of communication with all the boys. While I'm pretty sure they wouldn't hesitate to talk to you about anything, I'd rather have that conversation with them ourselves. I know they'll both want to know why we're asking and they deserve to know the truth. I don't want to put any of you in the position of lying to them in some misguided effort to protect me or my feelings. It's my story and Tom and I be the ones to deal with that. If they say anything that even remotely sounds like abuse by the Muellers, I'll let you know so you can take it from there, Dylan." "Fair enough. I wanted to offer." "I know and I appreciate it. But just like talking about my struggle with depression and suicide at the workshop eased my burden about those things, talking about this will help lift this one, also. Okay, now, everybody knows everything I know. Like Paul said this afternoon, please don't push me to talk about it. Maybe, in time, I'll be able to do that, but now is not that time. Until I get a handle on this shit, I can't risk losing it like I did this morning, especially around the boys. "I know you'll all be here for me if I ask and I appreciate that, but if I ask for a little space once in a while, it's nothing personal, I just need to breathe. The only three people I will give any details right now about any of this, until I can control it, is Tom, Dylan and whatever therapist Paul recommends. I hope you can all understand that." "Of course, we do, son," Jim responded. "Just know, if you need or want anything, you only have to ask." A round of agreement infused the entire group. "Max," Dylan started, "I'm sorry you had to go through this then and I'm sorry you have to deal with it again now, but I promise you this, I will see these bastards rot in jail." "That's good to hear, Dylan, and I'm going to help you do exactly that." I turned to Carol and added, "Carol, I'm hoping this revelation will not hurt our adoptions in any way. It'd just kill me if that happened." "Don't you worry about that. I'll, of course, have to tell Anna about what's going on so she'll understand why we have to talk to all the other kids who have been placed with Muellers over the years. But I'll also let her know you'll be seeking professional help. I don't see her having a problem with continuing your adoptions of the boys. A lot of fosters and adopters seek counseling for something or other, and it doesn't change a thing." "I'm glad to hear that. Moms, Dads, how's it going with your new house?" I asked as a way to change subjects. "Have you heard anything from John, yet?" "Not yet, Max," Bill answered. "We're supposed to get together with him next Wednesday or Thursday to discuss what he's come up with so far." "That's good news. We're having some guests Wednesday evening or I'd offer to let you all meet here." "Oh, don't worry about that," Estelle responded, "we've already made arrangements with Jim and Rose to come up Wednesday morning and stay with them that night. That way, whenever John is ready, we'll be here." "Sounds like you four have it all worked out," Tom commented. "I guess we'll stay out of it until we can take that walk and find just the right place for you." "What have I missed?" Carol asked. "Whoops, sorry, Carol, I guess we forgot to tell you the news. Tom and I are going to sell our parents a couple of acres out here and they're going build a house. We're hoping they'll all be living on the ranch by this fall." "Wait, what was that!?" Lee squawked. "We knew about Bill and Estelle moving, but this is the first I've heard about our parents moving out here." "Whoopsie," Rose giggled, "I knew we forgot to tell her something, dear." "Guess we know what it was," Jim laughed. "Sorry, Lee, we've been pretty busy and a lot has changed in the past couple of weeks. Yes, we're going to be moving out here, also. We need to make up for lost time with Max, and we want to be closer to our grandsons." "Hey, what about me?" Tom complained with a pitifully fake pout. "Oh, you too, Tom," Rose giggled again. "Wow!" Carl Exclaimed, "That's gonna be a big change for you. I didn't think you'd ever move from your house." "Well, we didn't either, Carl, but if we were ever going to, this is the time," Jim responded. "I can hardly keep up with all the changes happening in our families. It seems like every other day, something new happens." "Well, join the club, sis. You should be in the middle of the game like we are, instead of sitting on the sidelines. And, we're all one family now, Lee, you have to remember that." "I'm trying to, trust me, but y'all don't make it very easy for us to keep score out here in the tall grass." We all enjoyed a nice laugh with that comment. It actually felt good to finally laugh about something today. I hadn't realized so much time had passed since we'd sat down, but the boys had returned to join us. "What's so funny?" Alex asked. "Yeah, what'd we miss?" T.J. added. "We were just laughing at your Aunt Lee for being behind the times." "That's not nice, dad," Joey admonished me. "Sorry, son, but we all needed a good laugh." I turned to Lee and sarcastically said, "Please forgive us for laughing at you, sis." "Oh, would just shut up, you smart-ass?" she retorted, earning another round of laughter. "It's okay, Joey, your dad's right, I deserved that one." "Okay, just making sure," he replied seriously. "Which movie did you watch and did you like it?" Tom asked. "Oh, yeah, it was great. We watched `Up' and it was hilarious," Alex answered. "Yeah that talking dog was ... SQUIRREL!" T.J. added, and all the boys started laughing hilariously. Seeing the perplexed look on my face, Joey explained, "Sorry, dads, you gotta see the movie to understand." "Another night, Son, okay? Hey, it's time for you guys to hit the sack. Say goodnight to everybody and we'll be in to check on you in a few, okay?" All five made the rounds passing out hugs and saying goodnight to everyone, Joey and Alex adding another round of thanks for coming to the party and the gifts they'd received. When they'd seen everyone, the fantastic five disappeared down the hall where I heard Mike yell `squirrel' again, followed by much laughter. I looked at Tom and commented, "I think we need to watch that movie, ourselves," causing all the adults to crack up in laughter. "You know, it's getting bit late for us, too," Jim said. "I think we'll be on our way. Bill, Estelle, you coming to our house again tonight?" "That sounds like a grand idea," Bill answered. "I think we will." "Yes, thanks for asking," Estelle added. "We weren't looking forward to the drive home tonight." The others decided to take their leave, also. Tom and I followed everybody to the front door and as they retrieved their coats from the closet, I was reminded about how much these people love and care about all of us as they each hugged us and offered to help with anything at any time. As we offered our thanks for their help and understanding, they stepped outside and returned to their cars for their trips home. After they'd left, Tom and I turned down the hallway to say goodnight to our sons. Stopping in the trio's room first, we found them rolling around on the bed, giggling senselessly at some unknown joke � unknown to us, anyway. When they finally saw us, they quickly curled up in the middle of the bed, waiting patiently for their covers to be pulled up. "T.J., I haven't asked for a few days, but how's your chest feeling?" "It's good, dad. It don't hurt no more unless I run too much." "We're glad you feeling better, but you still need to be careful for several more weeks, remember." "Yeah, I know," he grumped. "I just wanna be able to go swimming again. I miss not bein' in the pool." "We all do, and you'll get your chance Saturday, okay?" "Can't wait, dads." Tom and I passed out our forehead kisses and said our goodnights and love yous before turning out the light and heading on to see the twins. "How do you feel about giving these two a very special birthday present?" I asked Tom, wiggling my tongue. "I love that idea, babe, and I know they will, too." After quietly closing the bedroom door, we found the two of them with their heads buried in each other's crotches, eagerly attending to the other's needs and desires. Alex was technically still dressed, though his shorts were pulled down to mid-thigh to provide the necessary access for his brother. When we sat on the edge of the bed to wait for them, they immediately broke their lip-lock on each other's engorged pecker and waddled over to us on their knees. Joey moved to me and Alex to Tom, neither bothering to hide their spit-slickened cocklets which, after they'd stopped moving across the bed, continued to bounce lightly, dancing in sync with their heartbeats. "Um, didn't you two do this earlier tonight?" I asked. "So, what?" Joey asked, "That was then, this is now." I couldn't help but snicker at his impeccable logic. "You two were so good tonight, we've decided to give you one more gift, but you have to stand up and close your eyes before you get it." Both immediately stood on the mattress, placing those glistening hard morsels directly in front of our faces and mere inches from our lips. Tom and I wasted no time wrapping our warm hands around their smooth behinds and pulling them forward, taking their offerings into our mouths and lovingly continued the tongue bath they had already started. The moans of pleasure emanating from deep inside their young bodies was music to our ears. After a few minutes of oral stimulation, Joey's knees started to buckle and I gently laid him on the bed, never letting his prize leave the warm, wet confines of my mouth. I could see out of the corner of my eye that Tom's ministrations were having the same effect on Alex and very shortly, he was stretched out on his back next to his brother. We continued to love our boys for several more minutes before Joey arched his back, forcing as much of himself into my mouth as possible. The link between the two boys was running strong because seconds later, Alex followed suit. I soon heard a loud moan of joy from Joey as his hands found the back of my head and he forced my nose into his bare pubic mound. "Oh my god, dad, yes, suck me harder, I'm going to come," he hissed with Alex expressing a similar sentiment to Tom. Joey's orgasm started almost immediately after his lustful utterance and I could feel his cock twitching rapidly in my mouth as I fondled his undeveloped balls. Both boys' bliss seemed to last for minutes but was more likely less than half a minute, but that didn't diminish the amount of pleasure we'd all felt. Amazingly, even after their explosive orgasms, neither lad's pecker was returning to a flaccid state. Ah, the joys of youth, forever ready and no recovery time. Both lay flat on their backs, eyes glazed over, funky grins splitting the lower half of their faces. I looked at Tom and joked, "Uh-oh, I think we broke them." "They may be broke, but they sure as hell ain't deflated. Looks to me like they're ready for more." "Aren't they always?" I chuckled. We came together in a four-way hug and I whispered into their ears, "Happy birthday, boys, we love you." "We love you, too, dads," they chorused. "Thanks for the best birthday present a guy could ask for." "If you two want to have quick bike ride before school, you better get to sleep." They hustled into position, hugging each other in the middle of the bed. We pulled up the covers, gave them kisses and said goodnight before turning out the light and closing the door. Tom and I practically ran to our bedroom, stripping off our clothes along the way, and as soon as our door was closed, we were on the bed in each other's arms. "I need you in me, lover," I whispered "You sure `bout that babe." "Positive. I need to be fucked by someone who knows what love is. And I mean now," I panted as I broke our embrace, rolled onto my back and assumed the position. To his credit, Tom didn't hesitate as he knelt between my upraised legs and slowly positioned himself. I sucked air deep in my lungs as I felt his head make the briefest contact with my tight pucker. He moved his leaking cock around to provide some lubrication and then slowly pushed inside me. Oh, my ass was on fire with pain since we hadn't taken any time to properly prepare for his phallic invasion, but it soon dissipated to a dull throb as he slowly pushed in deeper and by the time his unruly pubic hair started tickling my balls, I was in heaven. "You okay, babe?" "Better than ever, lover," I answered while looking into his concerned and loving eyes. I continued to watch his face as he started to slowly fuck me in the gentlest possible way. When he closed his eyes and lifted his head towards the ceiling, he found the perfect rhythm to induce shockwaves of pleasure throughout my body. His head and shaft were filling me to capacity and he somehow managed to hit my prostate on every stroke. I'd never felt so loved, so needed, in my entire life. And I had never loved or needed someone as much as Tom. As the inevitable drew closer with each stroke, I started moaning loudly and thrashing around as Tom repeatedly impaled me. I held back as long as I possibly could as he fucked my ass, but when I knew the time had arrived, it was my turn to hiss, "Oh, god, fuck me harder, I'm gonna come." Tom was happy to oblige my demand and I felt him give one last push, burying his monster cock deep inside me. My ass then was stretched just a bit more as he exploded into me. I followed his lead and was soon flooding my belly with my own offering, clenching his cock tighter with each shot. With both of us happily sated and completely spent, Tom slowly withdrew from me and headed to the bathroom. He returned shortly with a warm washcloth and proceeded to gently wipe my torso clean. "Think you can get up for a shower with me?" Tom asked. "I'm not sure. You might have to carry me again," I grinned. As he leaned over to pick me up, I started laughing and added, "I can walk, bubba. It's my brain that's crippled, not my legs." "Please don't say shit like that, babe. Your brain is not crippled. Twisted, demented, whacked, and subject to a multitude of brain farts, but it ain't crippled." I smacked his bare ass as I followed him to the shower, asking, "Brain farts? What the hell are those?" "Brain farts are what allow shitty ideas to escape from that part of your brain where they're supposed to stay hidden." I couldn't help but laugh at the joke. We climbed in the shower and after adjusting the water temperature, gently washed the sweat and semen off each other. By the time we were done, I felt like I'd hit a wall and was going to collapse. Tom helped my dry off and then guided me back to the bed. As tired and worn out as I was, I sat up and said, "Okay, go ahead, I know you're dying inside, so ask your questions." He sat up, crossed his legs and asked, "Are you sure? It's been a long damn day. I figured you'd just want to go to sleep." "I do, but I know I'm not gonna get much sleep tonight, and I'm sure you won't either. Maybe we'll both feel better if we get some of this shit out in the open. Besides, I don't want there to be any secrets in this family. The more we all know, the better we can deal with it, together." "You're right about that. I'm wiped, but I don't think I can sleep, not yet anyway. Instead of me asking a bunch of stupid questions, why don't you just tell me what you remember." "Just how did I know you were gonna say that? What do you want to know?" "Whatever you want to tell me." "Okay, here goes. Mom and dad had been taking me to that church for as long as I can remember. I didn't really care for it, but you can't really argue with your parents about it, can you? No, you go along, just keep to the peace. It wasn't too bad early on since a lot my friends from school went to the same church and we always had fun. It wasn't until I realized I liked boys instead of girls that I began to get really uncomfortable with their message. I'd had inklings before, but was about ten or eleven, I guess, when it really took hold. "In our church, when you turned thirteen, you moved into a new Sunday school class, which was fine with me. I'd known the Mueller's for a long time from church lunches and such and I kinda liked them. After about a month in the new class, Frank asked me to hang around for a minute. After all the other kids were gone, he said he thought I needed some `special lessons' the church had just for `kids like me'. I couldn't imagine what he was talking about, but since I'd known them for so long, I just went along with it. I also assumed my mom and dad had arranged for whatever these `lessons' were. He and Iris then led me to this little room in the corner of the basement. They said it was created just for these lessons. "Once we got in there, they closed and locked the door. I thought it was kinda weird they'd do that, but didn't raise a stink about it, either. I knew that something wasn't quite right about this, but I wasn't really in a position to argue it with them. They were adults and I was barely a fucking teenager. I mean, I'd known these people most of my life and I trusted them, my mom and dad trusted them, who the fuck was I to argue with them. I remember thinking, `what could possibly go wrong?' If only I'd listened to myself and all the warning bells that were going off in my head. "It was at that point, Frank told me this room was specially built, heavily insulated and soundproof. He said I could scream my fucking head off, and probably would, and not a soul outside that room would ever hear me. That's when I knew how truly screwed I was. Iris then told me get undressed and I was like no way. I mean my dick had just started to get bigger and I had a few hairs that had finally shown up. I was proud of what my body was doing, but I wasn't gonna let them see that. I told them both to fuck off. That's when Frank smacked me I the back of the head so hard, I almost blacked out. I almost wish I had. One thing that did happen is my point of view seemed to suddenly change. Instead of seeing all this shit happen to me with my own eyes, it was like I was hovering above it all, as if I was watching it happen to someone else. "Since they could see I wasn't going to cooperate, Frank took it upon himself to strip me. He was careful to make sure he didn't rip or tear any of my clothes, but he was furious I'd disobeyed them. When I was finally naked, they were both licking their lips at what they saw. I was so embarrassed and ashamed to be standing there on full display, but there was nowhere to hide. Then, Iris came over to me and started running her hands all over my body. I was disgusted. When she reached my dick, she took it in one hand and started playing with it while she played with my balls with her other hand. "You know a boy at that age has absolutely no control over what and when his dick does what it does. The damn thing has a mind of its own and, as sick I was at what was happening, I was hard as a rock in seconds. She looked over my shoulder at Frank and said, `see, honey, he likes a woman's touch'. Then she told him to give her the tweezers. I'm like, `what the fuck you want those for?' I found out all too soon as that fucking bitch started ripping out my pubic hairs, one at a fucking time. I'd waited thirteen years to get `em and lost `em in thirteen seconds, all eleven of `em. It happened so fast, I couldn't stop her. I got so fucking pissed off that I slapped her as hard as I could. "That was a big fucking mistake. Frank grabbed my arm and spun me around so fast I damn near fell over. That's when I discovered he was naked, too. And hard. And disgusting. I wanted to throw up, but I never got the chance. As soon as I opened my mouth to scream, he shoved his cock into my mouth and down my throat. Let me tell you, it's fucking impossible to scream with a dick in your throat. He fucked my mouth for what seemed like forever, but it was probably only four or five minutes. When he got tired of that, he pulled his dick out of my mouth, spun me back around, bent me over a chair and rammed it in my ass. God, it hurt so fucking bad I felt like I was gonna be split in two. "When I finally cleared enough tears out of my eyes so I could see again, I found Iris, standing in front of me and naked, also. She was even more disgusting thank Frank. She walked up to me and shoved her fucking ugly cunt in my face and told me to start licking her. When I screamed `no', Frank smacked me in the back of the head again, hard. She was so fucking wet, she was dripping on the damn floor before I licked her even once. I knew I didn't have any choice, so I started doing it. Damn, it was fucking gross. So, there I am, my ass getting reamed by Frank and the bitch Iris is forcing my face into her ugly twat. "Apparently, I wasn't pleasing Iris enough and she complained to Frank about it. He told her to lay down on the table that was in the room. When she'd done that, he stood me up and walked me over to her while his dick was still inside me. He lined my dick up with her ugly cunt and shoved me forward with his hips, burying his cock in my ass and forcing mine into her. I could tell they'd done this before from the way they worked together. Iris took one of my hands and made me play with her sagging and sickening tits while Frank would take the other in his hand and force me to rub her clit. When Frank would pull back out of me, I'd slide out of her and then he'd shove his disgusting cock back into me, forcing me back into her. It was the most twisted, disgusting, and vile thing I could imagine. "That went on for I don't know how long, I'd lost all track of time. He was fucking me and forcing me to fuck her, with both of them yelling I was the perverted son of the beast the whole time. Iris kept telling Frank to check my head for some fucking tattoo I had to have. And Frank was yelling for Satan to leave me, that I was a good little straight boy. Yelling that I wasn't a fucking faggot, all while he's got his cock buried in my ass. None of it made a damn bit of sense. Not then and not now. "When Frank finally got his rocks off, he pulled his dick out of my ass, grabbed me by my hips and continued forcing me to fuck his bitch wife by pushing and pulling on me until she finally came. When she finally quit screaming to God about coming, she sat on the chair, took me in her arms and held me in her lap, all of us still naked. She stroked my hair with one hand, all lovey-like, and cooed in my ear about how I really wanted to be straight and not some sick, perverted faggot. She stroked my dick with her other hand, telling me what a pretty little cock I had and how every little girl would just love to have it inside her. Sometimes, she'd get on the floor in front of me, spread my legs wide open and suck me off, just moaning with delight. All the while she's doing that, Frank's standing in the corner, watching though his sick beady eyes, and beating his meat like tomorrow's never gonna come. "When it looked like he was about to yank his cock right off his body for desperation of wanting to come again, he walked over and let it fly all over my face, which Iris promptly cleaned up with her tongue. When she'd be done with that, Frank got some washcloths and got them wet with warm water from a sink in the room. They wiped me down from head to toe first, making sure my pretty little cock and dripping, sore asshole were clean, then he rinsed them out and they cleaned themselves up. They got dressed first, leaving me naked and zoned out on the floor. When they were finally presentable, they worked together to make me look like I had before going into that damn room. They were really careful about getting us all redressed so nothing looked out of place. "And during the whole clean up and getting dressed again, they reminded me these were `special lessons' and they were not to be discussed with anybody, not even my parents, reinforcing to me mom and dad knew what was going on. They stressed how important it was to keep what happened in that room between the three of us. Finally, we left the room together, their arms wrapped around my shoulders, like we were the Three Fucking Musketeers. That's when my point of view returned to my own eyes again. "They did that shit to me for almost three fucking years and I was helpless to stop them. And when I finally was old enough where I could shoot out real come, it got even more violent and sick. It got to the point where if I didn't come four or five times while we were locked in that damn room, they'd slap and yank my dick, beat my ass, fuck me with anything they could find until they were satisfied I had nothing left to give. There were times my dick and ass were so sore I could barely walk, but I couldn't understand why since I'd blocked it out. "I got to the point where I'd leave by mind at the steps to the basement and not pick it back up again until we went back upstairs. Finally, just before I turned 16, I told mom and dad that I was done with going to church. When they asked me why, I just told them I didn't believe in all the same crap they did and I had better ways to spend that two to three hours a week. They didn't like it much, but they also knew they weren't going to change my mind about it. "I thought I was so happy to be watching all this sick shit from somewhere above it all and not actually be involved in it. But I was in it, I just didn't consciously realize it. Paul called it a dissociative state, where the mind takes over and blocks out the bad shit to protect your sanity. Thank the gods for that, or my brain would be crippled, unable to function. I realize now, after talking to Paul, that what those sick fuckers did to me is why I had such a hard accepting being gay. When Paul forced me to knock down that last logjam that was keeping all this shit dammed up, I felt a wave a revulsion overtake me at first, but then, that revulsion slowly morphed into relief as my life made so much more sense to me. Why I'd made the decisions I'd made, why I lived the way I did. All of it, finally, made perfect fucking sense. And maybe, just maybe, I could finally get some peace in my life, for once. "So that's the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. A penny for your thoughts, lover." "Death is too good for those people." "Ha, you get no arguments from me on that. Trust me, I want nothing more right now than to go in there my own damn self and blow their fucking heads off with a fucking howitzer, right after I tell them I remember and see the surprise hit them. But, Paul convinced me that would be wrong. I'm not sure how he did it, but that's where I am. So, how was your day?" I asked in a weak attempt at humor. "Pretty fucking lousy, but compared to yours, I enjoyed a beautiful walk on the beach in the sunshine. How the hell can live with knowin' all that?" "How can I not? I mean, really, what are my choices? Live with it or don't live. Neither choice is very appealing right now, but I'm going with that first option. What happened is long over with, nothin' I can do about it now but learn to deal with it. Integrate it into who I am. Ensure it doesn't happen to some other kid." "I'm going to help you do that, you know." "Damn right, you are. This windmill's just a bit too big for me to go tilting it on my own. I'm gonna need you, the boys, our parents and anybody else I can think of to knock this son-of-a-bitch over. But I'm gonna fuckin' do it, even if it's the last fuckin' thing I do." "I know it was harder than hell for you tell me all that, but I'm glad you did. I'm glad you trust me enough to tell me your deepest, darkest secrets. You're my babe and if I'm gonna help you, I need to know everything." "Well, now you do. Can we please get some fuckin' sleep now? I'm whipped." "You bet, come here." With that, Tom pulled me into those big, strong arms and held me tight as we drifted off. When the alarm went off in the morning, I was still wrapped in those arms and I'd never felt safer. Tom rolled over to turn off the alarm and when he rolled back over to me, I said, "I forgot some really important last night before we fell asleep." "What's that?" "This." I leaned in and gave him a deeply passionate kiss and when I let him go, I leaned back and added, "I love you, big guy, now and forever and I need your strength to prop me up when I get weak and can't handle things. I can't think of anyone on this planet I'd rather share the rest of my life with." "I love you, too, babe. And I'll be here for you until the end of time." "Good, now let's go get the ragamuffins awake. Joey and Alex want to ride their bikes before they have to get on the bus." We climbed out of bed and after a quick visit to the bathroom, headed to the other side of the house. Tom stopped to wake the trio while I got the pleasure of waking the twins. I was surprised to find Joey and Alex sitting on the edge of the bed, fully dressed and wide awake. "What's up guys? Besides yourselves?" "We're wanna go for a ride our bikes while you get breakfast ready, dad," Alex answered. "That okay with you?" Joey asked. "Go on, get outta here," I answered as I waved my hand towards the garage. "We'll yell when food's ready." "Thanks dad, you're the greatest," they chorused as the flew past me. I heard the big door opening as I reversed course and met Tom in the hallway. "How'd it go in there?" I asked. "Oh, just flippin' dandy. Those three are harder than hell to get movin' in the morning. How `bout you?" "Piece o' cake. They were sittin' on the bed, rarin' to go. Boy did I pick the right room," I laughed. "Well, next week, you're back on early duty. This shit's for the birds." "Said the eagle," I cracked. "Careful, there, I might just might have to shit on your head as I fly over," he laughed back. We continued to the bedroom to pull some sweats on when he asked, "How ya' doin' this mornin'?" "Not great, but not as bad as I thought I would be. Tellin' you about it last night seems to have helped. That's one of the reasons I dumped it all on ya' then. Get it all out there, don't let it build and fester." "I'm happy to hear that, babe. I hated hearing what they did, but if it'll help us put `em away, it'll be worth it." "Now, I just get to go over it all again with Dylan and a therapist. Fun times ahead, I'm sure." When we entered the kitchen to fix breakfast, T.J., Mike and Andy were waiting patiently for us. "So, boys, what's for breakfast today?" "Scrambled eggs and toast," T.J. answered. "I didn't hear the magic words, did you Tom?" "Nope." "Please," Mike retorted. "And thank you," added Andy. "Ah, much better. Eggs and toast on the way." Tom pulled out the toaster and got that going while I took care of the eggs. While we were performing our parently duties, T.J. asked, "Where's Joey and Alex?" "Out ridin' their bikes," I answered. "They couldn't wait until after breakfast." "Man, I hope we get bikes for our birthdays," Mike opined. "Me, too," T.J. added. "Three," Andy concluded. "T.J., I wanted to ask you something. It seems that the twins have added you to their little mind link speed dial, but I was wondering just how far that goes." "What do you mean, dad?" "Yeah, what do you mean," Tom asked. "Well, both Alex and Joey can seem to feel things from other people, also. I don't know if they can pick up actual thoughts and words or if it's just feelings they're getting. I was wondering if you can do that with others or is it just with those two?" "Right now, it's just with them, but it'd be cool as he ... uh, all get out if I could do it with other people, too. Why'd you ask?" "Just wondering, that's all." I turned to Andy and asked, "Would you go yell at your brothers and tell them food's on?" "Gee, I don't know, dad. I don't think I heard the magic words." They all snickered at his witty comeback. "Oh, forgive me," I smirked. "Please and thank you. Better?" "Loads. Be right back." He ran down the hall and we heard him yell to his brothers that breakfast was ready and if they didn't get inside, he was going to eat theirs. Andy must have left the door to the garage open as we soon heard tires squealing as they slid across the concrete floor under heavy braking. Next, the door was slammed shut and the two velociraptors ran into the kitchen, mounted their stools and inhaled their eggs and toast. When they're plates and mouths were empty, they chorused, "Thanks for the bikes, dads, they're great." "Well, I got a little worried last night about you not knowing how to ride since you said you'd never had bikes before." "We didn't, but our friends did ...," Alex started. "... and they let us learn to ride on theirs," Joey concluded. "Those are good friends," Tom commented. "Yeah, they were the best. We miss `em though," Alex answered. "They don't go to school out here?" I asked. "Nah, they go to some private school in town," Joey replied. "So, they didn't get invited to your party tomorrow?" I asked. "No. We already had more kids than you said we could have with just the boys in our class," Alex said. "Yeah, and we didn't want to push our luck," Joey concluded. "Why don't you give me their names and I'll see what I can do. It's late notice, but I'll try to get in touch with their parents this morning." "Really!?" Joey yelled. "Thanks dad. They're Jesse and Jose Jackson. They live on Gander Road, right around the corner from the Mueller's," Alex offered. I involuntarily jerked at the mention of the name and the boys caught it. "Dad, you sure you're okay? You been weird since we got home yesterday." "I told you last night, I'll be fine, I just need some time." "For what?" Joey asked. "I'm not ready to tell you just yet, but soon enough, okay. Just bear with me." "Okay, if you say so," Alex replied. "Oh, crap," Tom started, "Look at the time. Boys, coats and packs, we gotta move." They hauled ass to their rooms while Tom grabbed his coat and followed in their wake. I stayed behind to start cleaning up the breakfast mess. When Tom returned, I asked, "Did you make it?" "Just barely. The bus was already sittin' there when I turned the corner in the drive. I saw him start to pull away and I laid on the horn and started flashin' the lights to get his attention. He musta heard or seen me, `cause he stopped and waited for us." "Sorry, Tom. I should have been paying better attention to the time." "No worries, babe. At least I didn't have to drive `em all the way to the school." "Hey, you need to sit down with a phone book and see if you can find a doctor to take out your stitches this afternoon. We're gonna be at the Koke Mill Medical Center. You might get lucky and find another doctor there to take care of it for you." "Hey, good idea. I shoulda done that three days ago, but I kept puttin' off." "No time like the present, big guy. Go ahead, I got this almost done with this," I said, nodding to the egg pan that was still in the sink. He finally joined me in the living room thirty minutes later with a sad look on his face. "What, no joy in Mudville?" "Oh, there's joy, but just barely. I called every doctor in that building and the only one who could see me today was in the pediatrician's office where Andy's appointment is." I couldn't help but laugh at this bit of news. "Yeah, very funny. NOT! It's my own damn fault for putting off calling `til the last minute." "Well, look at it this way, big guy, it saves us another stop in town today." "You're not makin' it any better, you know?" "Yeah, I know," and laughed again. "I've set the timer on my phone to let us know when it's time to pick up Andy. I'm gonna sit and veg `til then. That okay with you?" "Ya' mind if I join you in that veggin'?" "I was hoping you would." I returned to my book and Tom picked his up. We read quietly for the next couple of hours until the timer went off. As we stood to get ready to leave, I leaned in and gave the big guy another kiss. "What was that for?" he asked. "Just for you bein' you. And for bein' here with me." "Good reasons, babe. You can kiss me any time you feel the urge." "Good. Just to forewarn ya', I think I'm gonna be feelin' that urge pretty often for a while." "Then I better start carryin' a Chapstick or somethin'. Wouldn't want the old lips dryin' out, would we?" "I'll help you keep `em moist," I grinned. "I may just take you up on that offer," he answered as we grabbed our coats. "Who's driving?" "Why don't you drive, again, today. I don't want to take the chance of a, what'd you call it last night? Oh, yeah, a `brain fart' happening while I'm driving." "No sweat, let's boogie." I led the way down the hall, be-boppin' my way to some imaginary tune. "I'm tellin' you right now, we are not dancin' together at our wedding if that's the best you got," he laughed. "Don't you threaten me, bubba, you gotta put up with my sad dancin' for evermore." "Oh, boy, I'm really lookin' forward to that," he laughed again. When we got to the school, Tom waited in the car while I headed in to retrieve Andy. "Good morning, Gloria, how are you today?" "Oh, Mr. Sanders," she replied as she looked up from her desk. "I'm doing just fine. What can I do for you today?" she asked. "I need to pick up Andy Cox for a doctor's appointment this afternoon. I figured I should stop here first." "Let me have the teacher's aide in his class bring him up for you." She dialed the classroom and made the request. "He'll be here in just a minute." "Thank you, appreciate it." "Can I tell you something, Mr. Sanders?" "Sure." "I really wanted to thank you for what you and your family did and said Wednesday. I'd never considered what your lives were like, but I have a much better understanding of what gay people deal with now. I've done some checking around in Springfield and found a hotline for gay youth that can use some volunteers. I start training next week." "That's great, Gloria. I think you'll find it to be an eye-opening experience." "Oh, you've already done that. Thanks, again. Ah, there's the young man you're looking for," she added as the office door opened. The aide gave a little wave as she backed out and returned to the class. "Hi, Andy, you ready to go?" I asked. "No," he grumped. "Well, I'm sorry, but we're still going." "Yeah, I know." "Thanks, Gloria, have a good afternoon." "You, too. See ya' Monday, Andy." Andy tossed her a quick wave with one hand as he grabbed mine with the other as we headed down the hall to the exit. As we climbed in the car, Tom asked, "You all ready to roll." "Yep," I replied. "NO!" Andy yelled. "Andy, I know you don't want to do this, but we need to make sure nothing serious is going on." "I know that, but that don't mean I gotta like it." "Fair enough," I replied. It was a very quiet ride to town and we stopped at Uncle Ronnie's to grab a quick bite to eat before continuing to the doctor's office. When we arrived, I checked Andy in at the reception desk while Tom checked himself in, face flushed with embarrassment. After that we sat together to wait our turn. Surprisingly, Tom was called back first, much to Andy's amusement. "Bye, pops, see ya' later," he called out with a giggle as Tom disappeared through the door and into the inner sanctum. I noticed several other parents grinning slyly and several kids suppressing their laughter. It was pretty difficult to maintain my straight face, but I somehow managed to do it. Five minutes later, the door opened again and Andy's name was called. We stood and joined the nurse as she led us through the maze of corridors and exam rooms. What is it with medical offices not knowing what the hell a straight line is? Poor Andy looked like he'd just eaten his last meal and was being led to a firing squad. His eyes never left the floor and if I hadn't been holding onto his hand, he would have walked into several walls and people during our journey. When we finally reached the exam room, the nurse led us in and closed the door. "Why don't you have a seat right there, Mr. Sanders?" she asked, pointing to the empty chair. "Young man, would hop up here, please?" Grudgingly, Andy did as she asked. "I just need to take your temperature and check a few other things. Then, the doctor will be with you in a few minutes, okay?" "Whatever," he grumped again. The young lady got busy and shortly, Andy and I were left alone. As soon as the door closed behind her, Andy jumped off the exam table and climbed in my lap. "I don't want to do this. Why can't T.J. just help me?" "Because we need to make sure there's nothing wrong with your foreskin, buddy. I'll be right here with you the whole time and you'll be just fine." "Easy for you to say, ain't your dick gonna get looked at." "I promise, it'll be over before you know it." At that moment, the door opened and the doctor started to come in, then hesitated to say something to another person in the hall. When the door finally closed and Andy saw the doctor for the first time, he started violently shaking his head and yelled, "Huh-uh, this ain't happenin'!"

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 50</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk487664254"></a><a name="_Toc487316817"><span>Chapter 50 � HAPPY BIRTHDAY! (finally)</span></a></h2> <p><span>When I had finally rejoined the rest of the family, I asked, "Hey did I hear someone say something about a party tonight or what!?"</span></p> <p><span>That caused everyone to jump up from their seats. Tom was the first to reach me and he pulled me into another slightly less bone-crushing hug as he whispered, `I love you' in my ear, and I gratefully returned the same sentiment into his ear. We made our way to the kitchen to start getting ready for supper before the actual party. Along the short distance I accepted a hug from everyone since they hadn't had the chance to do so already. I noticed the decorations in the dining room and kitchen and said, "The decorations look great. Thanks to whoever took care of them for us."</span></p> <p><span>"That would be your father and me," Rose replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you both did a great job. I don't think I could have done it better myself."</span></p> <p><span>"We do have a <i>little</i> bit of practice in setting up for a party, Son," Jim answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, that you do, Dad. I remember the parties we always had as Lee and I were growing up. Don't know if I've ever said before, but thanks for those. They were always lots of fun."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's what parents do, isn't it Estelle?" Bill commented.</span></p> <p><span>"It sure is. Tom always had a nice party, too. Of course, since he's our only kid, he was a bit spoiled along the way."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, let's get this show on the road," I said. "Tom, why don't you take care of the hot dogs? I'll whip up the mac &amp; cheese, Joey, Alex, will you two get the table set, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why us, it's <i>our</i> birthday," Joey exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we shouldn't have to do nothin'," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"Right you are boys, my bad. Mom, Dad, would you mind setting the table?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all, c'mon Rose, we have our assignment," Jim responded as he grabbed Rose's hand so they could take care of their task.</span></p> <p><span>"What about us, Max?" Bill asked. "What can we do?"</span></p> <p><span>"How would you and Estelle like to help T.J., Mike and Andy wrap their gifts to their brothers?"</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like fun," Estelle answered. "Point us in the right direction."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, everything is in our bedroom except for the tape and scissors. You'll find those in my desk in the study across the hall. Whatever you do, don't go rummaging through any drawers in the bedroom. No telling what you might find there," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"We're on the way, Max," Estelle replied. "Come on you three, let's go," she added, holding out her hands. The five of them disappeared down the hall and just before our bedroom door closed, I heard T.J. yell, `Wow! I can't wait for <i>my</i> birthday!' <i>Oops, I chuckled to myself, we forgot to hide the bikes better.</i></span></p> <p><span>As I leaned against the counter, waiting for the water to start boiling and watching Tom roll the hotdogs on the grill, I felt someone tap me on the shoulder and heard Alex ask, "Hey, Dad, you got a minute?"</span></p> <p><span>I turned around to face him, leaned in closer and answered, "For you, young man, always. What's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Are you okay? Something didn't feel right when we got home and I got scared. I'm worried `bout you."</span></p> <p><span>"Ya know something, Alex, sometimes, you're too perceptive for your own good. And since we always tell the truth in this house, I admit, I wasn't doing well earlier today, but Dr. Kirkland helped me and I'm feeling a little better now."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I could feel that, too, and I'm not scared now, but I'm still worried."</span></p> <p><span>I took his hands in mine and, as I looked into his eyes, I said, "I appreciate that, son, I really do, but you don't need to worry about me. I'm going to be just fine. It'll take me a while, but I'll get there, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, dad. I'm glad to hear it. If you want or need to talk about whatever it is, I got two good ears," he smiled. "I may not able to do much to really help, but I can listen real good."</span></p> <p><span>"You and your brothers help plenty just by being here. And, someday, buddy, but not today, okay? Today is your day. And Joey's, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, dad, just remember, we love you."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that, buddy. I love you guys, too. Oops, gotta go, the water's boiling." I returned to the stove to dump four boxes of macaroni into the water and cut some small chunks of extra sharp cheddar to throw in later. Tom continued to nurse the dogs on the grill and mom and dad put the finishing touches on the table. Little did I know there was a silent conversation going on behind my back.</span></p> <p><span>Alex felt the nudge in his mind and the question formed as if it was his own thought.</span></p> <p><span>"What was that all about?" Joey wanted to know.</span></p> <p><span>"You didn't feel it when we got home?" he answered his brother silently.</span></p> <p><span>"Feel what?"</span></p> <p><span>"Something was going on with dad and Dr. Kirkland, but I'm not sure what. All I could feel was it was something bad."</span></p> <p><span>"How bad?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not real sure. Best way I can think of to describe it is ugly."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh-oh, that ain't good. Hang on a second ... wait, there it is, yeah, I got it now. Oh, shit, you're right, that's bad all right, really bad. How the fuck did I miss that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, you must have been too focused on our grandparents being here."</span></p> <p><span>"You're probably right. I always do better picking up the positive while you to get the negative. Why is that, I wonder?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, but I'll trade you any time. Just say the word."</span></p> <p><span>"What word?"</span></p> <p><span>"This ain't the time to be a smart-ass, bro'. Dad's got a problem and we need to help him."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, I know. But what the hell can we do? We're just kids, damn it."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know right now, but I'll figure somethin' out."</span></p> <p><span>"You always do, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, not always, but yeah, most of the time. We better stay out of trouble, too, J, at least for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, don't look at me, A, <i>I'm</i> not the one stuck wearin' clothes `til Saturday."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, I know. Look, I told you I was sorry, but it was right there in front of me. What the fuck was I supposed to do, just ignore it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, the only dick supposed to be in your mouth is mine."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, like you don't wanna suck that sweet little piece of meat, yourself."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, I was talkin' `bout <i>your</i> mouth, not mine. Wait, was it really sweet?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, sweet as honey. Ah, fuck, now I got a boner. I gotta go take care of it `cause it ain't gonna go away on its own."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, me too. You go first, I'll be there in a minute."</span></p> <p><span>"No more than a minute, J, or I won't wait for you."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be there, A, don't you worry."</span></p> <p><span>"How long `til supper's ready, dad?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"About seven or eight minutes. Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"I gotta go to the bathroom."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you better hurry."</span></p> <p><span>"Be as quick as I can," he grinned as he jumped off his stool and took off.</span></p> <p><span>Not twenty seconds later, Joey announced, "I'm gonna make sure he doesn't flush himself," as he followed his brother.</span></p> <p><span>I elbowed Tom in the ribs and whispered, "You think they're doin' what I think they're doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why do you even ask such a silly question, babe? Of course, they are."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, to be young and innocent, again. God knows I could sure use a mulligan."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, I'd do you right here, right now, but I don't want to give your old man a heart attack," Tom snickered.</span></p> <p><span>"That'd sure do it," I laughed aloud just as mom and dad came back into the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>"What's so funny, you two?" mom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Trust me, mom, you don't want to know."</span></p> <p><span>"Bet they were talkin' `bout doin' each other in the kitchen, dear," dad joked.</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't bet against you `cause I don't like to lose, Jim," mom replied, pointing at me as I turned pink from head to toe, though all anyone could see was my head.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit, they really were, weren't they? I was just kidding."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, of course they were. Look at your son's face. It's as pink as my panties. Besides, Jim, they're young and in love. You <i>do</i> remember that time, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Rose, honey, I might be old, but I'm not senile. Not yet, anyway. But, just as they don't want to hear about our sex lives, I'd just as soon not hear about theirs. While I've finally learned to accept some things, there's others I ain't quite ready for just yet."</span></p> <p><span>"Truce! Uncle! I give! Sex is not a topic for open discussion!" I yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, why not?" Bill asked as he, Estelle and the boys returned from our bedroom. "Sex is fun. Well, I always thought it was. What about you, Estelle."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh my, yes, I've always enjoyed sex, too. I don't see anything wrong with a healthy and open chat."</span></p> <p><span>"We like it, too, don't we, guys" T.J. exclaimed, receiving emphatic nods from Mike and Andy.</span></p> <p><span>Jim stuck his finger in ears, trilling loudly, "La-la-la-la-la. I'm not hearing any of this."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean, old man?" I asked. "You started it, and if I have to listen to it, so do you."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay," dad acquiesced, "I started it, but that doesn't mean I want to hear all about it, especially from your boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, dear, if you don't want to talk about it, you shouldn't bring it up," Rose scolded.</span></p> <p><span>Alex and Joey had finally rejoined us and asked, "What'd we miss?"</span></p> <p><span>"Your Papa started something and doesn't know how to stop it," Rose answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah? What was it?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He made some crack about the two of us having sex in the kitchen...," Tom started.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no, you can't do it in the kitchen, dads!" Joey exclaimed, "That's against the house rules."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's why I have to wear clothes right now, remember?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>Jim buried his face in his hands and moaned, "What have I done?"</span></p> <p><span>"You opened the door, Jim," Bill answered with a wide grin, "and the rest of us just stepped right through it."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, everyone," I interrupted, "The macaroni's ready, can we sit and eat, please. And no more talking about sex. Not while we're eating, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Does that mean we can talk about it after?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, would you please just stuff a sock in it, Joey, okay?" I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Why would I do that, dad, that sounds like it'd hurt like he..., well, you know what."</span></p> <p><span>"Stop it, already, please. We're going to eat, then we have to clean up and get ready for our other guests to arrive."</span></p> <p><span>Fortunately, as we ate our meal, the conversation returned to safer and more suitable dinner topics such as school, presents, the weather, ice cream, our wedding, presents, our parents new house, cake, Saturday's party, presents. There were enough party clues and hints dropped by Joey and Alex during the meal that even Sherlock Holmes' idiot brother could have solved the non-mystery. I was equally fortunate my earlier revelations had been forgotten, at least for the moment. I had no doubt they would be resurface later, though.</span></p> <p><span>Once everyone was done stuffing their faces, we all got busy with the cleanup of our mess. Again, Joey and Alex sat at the counter and watched the rest of us work. I'll have to remember this new rule when <i>my</i> birthday arrives in eight months. Once the cleanup was done, I pulled the cake out of the pantry where I'd hidden it and Joey and Alex got their first look.</span></p> <p><span>"Transformers!?" Joey screamed.</span></p> <p><span>"How'd you know, dads?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't, just got lucky. We're glad you like it." I turned to Tom and asked, "Now, do we put on nine candles, or eighteen?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hm, good question, babe. Never seen a birthday cake for twins so I don't have a clue."</span></p> <p><span>"Let's do the eighteen. Then they each have nine to blow out."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever boats your float."</span></p> <p><span>"Guess it's a good thing we got the bigger pack of candles today, then." I added candles to one side of the cake while Tom took care of the other side.</span></p> <p><span>"Just keep in mind, though, that'll grow to thirty-six nine years from now. We'll have to have the fire department on call." </span></p> <p><span>"Jim, why don't you run out to the car and grab our presents for the birthday boys?" Rose asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose I could do that. It'll cost ya', though."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll go with you, Jim, and get ours, too," Bill added.</span></p> <p><span>"Rose," Estelle started, "would you like to help me grab a few things from the bedroom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Love to."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, you two," I called to their backs, "Leave the two unwrapped ones for later, please."</span></p> <p><span>"We're not stupid, Son!" Rose yelled back at me.</span></p> <p><span>Our timing was working out well because I heard the drive sensor announce a new arrival. When Jim and Bill returned with their arms overflowing with wrapped items, they brought Carl and Lee along with them, also carrying multiple gifts for the birthday boys. The two new arrivals were immediately surrounded by the fantastic five as they gave hugs and squealed with delight.</span></p> <p><span>"We're in the kitchen," I yelled. "If you brought presents, they go to the dining room." As the boys dragged the two of them through the kitchen on the way to the dining room to drop their gifts, they snapped off a quick `hi' before disappearing through the doorway. When they'd dropped their load and returned, we traded handshakes and hugs with Carl and Lee. "Hey, you two, long time, no see. What's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Same shit, different day. How `bout you guys?" Lee answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I've had better days, but I've survived it, that's what matters."</span></p> <p><span>"Anything we can help with, Max?" Carl asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, I got a handle on it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you change your mind, all you gotta do is ask."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, sis, and I will if I need to. Thanks."</span></p> <p><span>"So, who are we missing?" Jim asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We have two more who are supposed to be here, Carol and Dylan," Tom answered. "And they should show up any time now." The words had just barely escaped his lips when we heard the ding of the sensor. "Well, there's one of `em now. Joey, Alex, why don't you meet our new arrival at the door?" They returned shortly with Carol in tow.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Carol, glad you could make it," I said as I gave her a hug.</span></p> <p><span>"I told you I wouldn't miss it, didn't I?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's good to see you again, Carol," Tom added as he gave her a hug also. "How are things going?"</span></p> <p><span>"Couldn't be better, for you two, anyway. It looks like your adoptions are all on schedule for mid-June. I even have everything ready for Andy just in case Anna approves his. After talking to him, of course."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good news, Carol, and I needed to hear that today," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Why, what's up?" she asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll talk about it later. I don't want what we have to tell you to interfere with tonight's festivities."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm going to hold you to that, Max," she replied seriously. I nodded my understanding, fearing the worst and knowing the turmoil her office would be in once they heard what I had to tell them about the Muellers. Who knows how many kids have been through their house over the years and I shuddered to think of the damage that could have been done by them.</span></p> <p><span>Our parents came back into the kitchen at that moment and Jim said, "Max, I think you're gonna need a bigger table in there."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that one has so many presents on it, there's no room for people to sit and eat," Bill laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Are you kidding, me?" I asked. "You can put twelve people around that thing."</span></p> <p><span>"Look for yourself, honey," Rose chuckled. </span></p> <p><span>I stuck my head through the door to take a quick look and pulled it back, shaking it in disbelief. "I think y'all done lost your ever-loving minds. It's just a birthday, for god's sake."</span></p> <p><span>"And it's their first one with their new family," Estelle retorted. "Okay, so maybe, just maybe, we went a little overboard, but we promise to do better in the future. Besides, there' two boys celebrating today."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right, fat chance of that," I laughed. "By the way, moms and dads, I don't believe you've met Carol before. Let me introduce all of you to Carol Ward. Carol is helping us with the boys' adoptions. Carol, this is Tom's mom, Estelle, my mom, Rose, my dad, Jim and Tom's dad, Bill. Oh, and the funny looking guy hiding in the corner over there is Lee's husband, Carl." Carl stuck his tongue out at me in response to his introduction. In the middle of a long round of hugs, handshakes and `nice to meet you', the drive sensor dinged again. I was hoping that would be Dylan so we get this party underway.</span></p> <p><span>Thirty seconds later, a familiar voice rang through the house as Dylan opened the front door and yelled, "Knock-knock, anybody home." All five boys took off at a dead run to swarm him with hugs.</span></p> <p><span>"In the kitchen, Dylan," Tom yelled back. When he finally made his way to join us, Mike and Andy were wrapped around his legs, T.J. was riding on his back and Alex and Joey were wrapped around his waist. His lone free hand was carrying a gift. "Holy crap, man, how can you even walk right now?" Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"It ain't easy, Tom, trust me," he laughed in response.</span></p> <p><span>"Good to see you again, Dylan," I said as I gave him a hug, stretching up to get my head up to his shoulders. In the middle of the hug, I whispered, "We need to talk later." I felt his head nod next to mine before we separated. "Okay, even though we just did this for Carol, Dylan, meet our parents, Jim and Rose, who you kinda met yesterday, and Bill and Estelle, Tom's parents. You know Lee and Carol, already. The other guy is Lee's husband, Carl. Everybody, this is Dylan Brock. He was Tom's sergeant in the Sherriff's department." Another flurry of handshakes ensued as Dylan made the rounds and greeted everyone.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, everybody's met everybody, so, why don't we get this party rolling? From what I've seen, it looks like we're gonna have to unwrap presents before we'll have the room to eat our cake and ice cream, so, Joey, Alex, do us a favor and lead the way."</span></p> <p><span>The two led the way to the dining room and after seeing the table absolutely covered with gifts, happily skipped the last few feet to sit in two chairs at one end of the table. "WOW! If all this is just for our birthday, I can't wait for Christmas," Joey squealed.</span></p> <p><span>"Where do we start, bro'?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Here," Andy said, handing them his present, "how `bout this one." The twins wasted no more words or time as they worked together to shred the wrapping paper, exposing the Sudoku books.</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, Andy, these are great, thanks," Joey enthused.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you know we love math. We'll have lots of fun with these. Thanks, bro'," Alex added. Mike picked the next one, and it was, of course, the Nerf guns. While the twins were busy unwrapping those, I found the other three for Mike, T.J. and Andy and gave them out so they would all be opened at the same time.</span></p> <p><span>After seeing what was inside, and the fact their brothers had also received one, the twins looked at each other and Alex asked, "You know what this means, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"WAR!" Joey and Alex yelled. The other three joined in the call to war. Oh, dear gods, what have we done, I wondered.</span></p> <p><span>"T.J.," I prompted, "You want to give them yours next?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet, dad, I think we ought to save it for later."</span></p> <p><span>"That's your call, but it's a good one, I think." Joey and Alex continued opening their presents receiving several board games, new clothes (thanks grandparents), a few video games, several books, a couple more movies and some CDs. Thanks and hugs were given to each person after each new gift was opened. The pile on the table had finally dwindled down to just T.J.'s gift.</span></p> <p><span>When T.J. proudly handed it over to Alex and Joey, he said, "Be careful, guys, it's got glass in it." He then sat back down and watched the twins closely.</span></p> <p><span>The two carefully peeled the wrapping from the frame and discovered they were looking at the back of something that was rather oddly shaped. They slowly turned it over to finally see the front and the tears started flowing from their eyes and down their cheeks. "This is beautiful, T.J.," Alex cried, "I can't wait to hang it in our new room."</span></p> <p><span>Joey's mouth was moving, but it took him a moment to get his voice working again. I don't think I've ever seen that boy at a loss for words, but I guess there's a first time for everything. "Thanks, bro', this is the best present we've ever gotten." They set the frame on the table and smothered T.J. in the hug to end all hugs. After looking at it again, they carefully passed the picture frame around the table so everyone could see it and, without fail, tears were running down everyone's cheeks. When Tom and I finally got to see it, we were astounded at what T.J. had accomplished. The top picture was one of the twin's mom and dad that I'd had reprinted, below that were pictures of Joey and Alex, the next grouping was of Tom and me on the outside of T.J., Mike and Andy, and the bottom two were each set of grandparents.</span></p> <p><span>After drying my eyes on my sleeve, I mumbled, "T.J., how...?"</span></p> <p><span>"Piece of cake, dad. Gramma Estelle has been taking pictures since she got here. When I started to put their mom and dad's pictures in the frame, she showed me some of what she'd taken here today and I had a better idea. We went into your study, connected her phone to the network and color printer, then printed the best pictures of us. Once they'd dried for a minute, we slipped `em into the frame. Bingo, bango, bongo, one custom present for my brothers."</span></p> <p><span>"This is perfect, young man." I looked to the twins and asked, "Joey, Alex, would you mind if we hung this over the fireplace instead of in your room?"</span></p> <p><span>"But what about the picture you got up there now," Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"That old thing. I'll find another place for it, this one's much more important."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, dad, we'd like that. Besides, we already have the other pictures for our room, anyway," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, guys. Any time you want it moved to your room, just let me know."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay," Tom started, "let's get this mess cleaned up so we can have our cake and ice cream."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait," Joey yelled, "we didn't see nothin' from you two."</span></p> <p><span>"You didn't?" I asked innocently. "There should have been something there from us." I looked at Tom and asked with a conspiratorial wink, "Didn't you wrap that Matchbox car we got them?"</span></p> <p><span>Without missing a beat, Tom answered, "Me? I thought you were wrapping it. C'mon, babe, let's get it together."</span></p> <p><span>"Matchbox car? What are you talkin' `bout?" Alex protested.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, you said you wanted a car for your birthday, so that's what we got you. It's not our fault you didn't specify the size," I joked, garnering laughs from everyone but the twins.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon on, babe, let's go find it. It must still be in our room somewhere." As we turned to leave, he added, "T.J., would you get a trash bag and you guys clean up all the paper while we search? Please and thank you."</span></p> <p><span>We disappeared down the hall, giggling to ourselves. True, we shouldn't be this mean on their first birthday with us, but we couldn't help it. We waited for a minute before walking the twins' two new bikes back out to the living room. I wasn't going to try to get them into the overcrowded dining room.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, boys," I yelled, "we found it. But you're gonna have to come in here to get it." They charged from the dining room, followed by everyone else. When they saw the bikes, they started dancing and jumping and whooping with joy.</span></p> <p><span>"Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod, we got new bikes! We never had our own bikes before!" Alex yelled as they mugged us.</span></p> <p><span>"I get the red one!" Joey yelled. "How did you know red was my favorite color, dads?"</span></p> <p><span>I tried to answer, but nobody could hear us over the continued clamor of excited twins.</span></p> <p><span>"Can we ride `em now, dads?" Alex begged.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure you'd like to do that, but why don't we wait for tomorrow when we can go outside, okay? I'd just as soon they not get ridden in the house."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, but before school though, ple-e-e-ease!!" they whined together.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we can do that. And again, in the afternoon, after you get home."</span></p> <p><span>"Yippee!!" they screamed.</span></p> <p><span>"Who's ready for cake and ice cream?" Tom asked. After receiving affirmative responses from the assembled group, we headed back to the dining room. "Boys, why don't you help Alex and Joey move their gifts to their room so we have some room to eat?" he asked. "We should be ready for the cake when you have that done."</span></p> <p><span>All five boys started loading their arms with items and making the trip to the end of the hall to drop them on the twins' bed. It took two trips to get it all, but we finally had room for everyone at the table and when the boys came back, the candles were lit and ready for Joey and Alex to extinguish. After a very off-key rendition of `Happy Birthday', it was time for their big moment. I reminded them to make a wish before they blew out the candles. After just a moment's pause, they huffed and they puffed and they damn near blew the house down.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what'd you wish for?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We didn't wish for nothin', didn't have to," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, all our wishes came true when dad found us," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>With a tear forming in my eyes, again, we got busy cutting and serving the cake along with Schwan's ice cream. The group became quiet as they dug into their dessert. All that could be heard was faint hums of appreciation as people enjoyed it.</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good cake, Max, where did you get it?" Lee asked.</span></p> <p><span>"A little hole-in-the-wall bakery that's done some things for me before when I've had some parties out here. We get to go back there Saturday morning to pick up a bigger cake for the boys' party with their friends from school."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry I had miss that one," Carol started, "but the plans I've with my parents have been in the works for months. I just couldn't blow them off."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, Carol. I don't think any of you would want to spend an afternoon with twenty wild boys, anyway. I'm not even sure I want to, but I don't think these guys will let me out of it," I snickered.</span></p> <p><span>"You got that right, dad," Alex agreed.</span></p> <p><span>When everyone was finished with dessert, Alex asked, "Can we watch one of our new movies?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't see why not. It's early enough, you should be able to see the whole thing before bed time. Can you get it started, or do you need help?"</span></p> <p><span>"We got it, dad, we're not little kids anymore, ya' know," Joey retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hop to it, then, boys." They ran to their bedroom, returned with the movie and disappeared into the theater. I decided that since they wouldn't be able to hear us and I didn't want to keep anybody here longer than necessary, it would be a good time to tell Dylan, Carol, Lee and Carl the news about today's events and revelations. After a quick cleanup of dishes and pouring coffee for everyone, we adjourned to the living room where I lit a fire before starting the conversation.</span></p> <p><span>"We're glad you all could come out for the party tonight. It means a lot to me, Tom and the boys that you'd be here to help them celebrate."</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't have missed this for anything, Max," Carol said.</span></p> <p><span>"Same with me, you guys are my friends and I'll be here for every birthday," Dylan added.</span></p> <p><span>"You couldn't keep us away if you tried, Max. We're <i>all</i> family now," Carl concluded.</span></p> <p><span>"What you four don't know is, this party almost didn't happen tonight," I continued. </span></p> <p><span>Tom wrapped my hand in his and asked, "You sure you want to do this now?"</span></p> <p><span>"No better time than when it's fresh in your mind, right Dad?" I received a curt nod from him and carried on, "You four late arrivals need to know something about what we've been through today. I know you're going to have questions and concerns, but please keep them to the minimum so I can get through all this before the boys' movie is over." I dove straight into telling them about our shopping trip today and what I'd almost done.</span></p> <p><span>When I finished that part of the story, Lee commented, "That doesn't sound like you at all. What the hell happened?"</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't get the answer to that question until much later this afternoon. After we got home, Tom put me to bed and then called Mike's foster father and our parents to come see if they could help me figure it all out."</span></p> <p><span>"That would be Dr. Kirkland, right?" Carol asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Exactly. I spent a couple hours talking with him and, after a bit of hypnosis, we discovered something that explains the issues I've been having with the Mueller's since I met them a couple weeks ago, for what I thought was the first time. Our parents were here this afternoon and know about this already, but I think you four need to know also. Carol and Dylan, what I'm going to tell you will create a whole bunch of work for both of you." I took a short pause to catch my breath before continuing. "Twenty-some years ago, I was repeatedly raped by Frank and Iris Mueller."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!" Lee screamed.</span></p> <p><span>Carol hung her head and moaned, "Oh, fuck."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm gonna go kill those motherfuckers, right now!" Dylan vented as he stood up.</span></p> <p><span>Tom stood up in front of him and ordered the taller man, "Sit down, Sarge! You ain't killin' nobody. If I can't, you can't, either." To everyone's surprise, Dylan sat back down, then Tom sat back beside me, holding my hand again.</span></p> <p><span>"Would you all please calm down? As hard as it is to deal with this after all these years, I'm going to do what I have to do to keep it from happening to anybody else. Paul will be notifying the police about it since he's a mandated reporter. Dylan, you'll be hearing from him in due time, I'm sure, and you can talk to me anytime you want. Just let me know when you want to do it and where. I'll do whatever's necessary to see these people get what they deserve. </span></p> <p><span>"Carol, I can't begin to imagine the impact this will have on your office. I think, at the very least, you need to find and interview every person who has ever spent a single night in their home, no matter how much time has passed. I've obviously buried this for a long time, and other victims may have done the same. They may be having problems similar to mine and not know why."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you can be sure we'll do exactly that. It'll be a nightmare for everyone, but one we have to deal with."</span></p> <p><span>"Carol," Dylan started, "we need to work on this together to avoid duplicating our efforts."</span></p> <p><span>"Dylan," I interrupted, "you're going to have to do a lot more than just work with Carol, her people and the possible victims from their home. You're going to have to talk to every member of their church, also."</span></p> <p><span>"Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because it all happened <i>at</i> the church."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit, you're kidding me. Not another one?"</span></p> <p><span>"I wish I were, and yes, another one. There was a secluded room in a corner of the basement they'd take me to when it was time for me `learn my lesson', as they liked to say."</span></p> <p><span>"Was there anybody else involved in what they did?" Dylan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not with me, no, but I don't know if there were other kids or other adults involved over the years. Considering the message that church spews about hate for gays, I'd be amazed if I'm their only victim." I noticed mom and dad hanging their heads in shame and Estelle had an arm wrapped around Rose's shoulder. "Mom, Dad, this is <i>not</i> a reflection on you in any way. I know you weren't involved and didn't know about any of this."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, I think I must have missed something," Dylan interjected. "Why would they think they were?" he asked, confused look on his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Think, Dylan," I said, tapping the side of my head. "This happened at church, the church I was taken to by my parents." I watched his eyes open wide in surprise as the penny dropped. "They're two of the people you'll end up talking to. I can tell you right now, though, they had nothing to do with it and knew nothing about any of it. If I'd said something, I know they would have stopped it."</span></p> <p><span>"I hate to ask, Max, but I'm going to have to some time. How long did the abuse go on?" Dylan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Almost weekly for about two and a half to three years. That's the best I can remember right now. I'm sure as I think about it more I'll be able to come up with something more definite."</span></p> <p><span>"Max," Lee whispered, "I'm so sorry. I shoulda said something to mom and dad."</span></p> <p><span>I whipped my head in her direction and asked, "What are you talkin' about, Lee?"</span></p> <p><span>"Some of the kids my age were spreading rumors about something happening to another kid about ten years before we were there. I told them they didn't know what they were talking about and they needed to shut up. If I'd told mom and dad, this wouldn't have happened to you."</span></p> <p><span>"Lee, you don't know that. Just like I told mom and dad earlier, you have no blame, guilt or responsibility for what those two supposed <i>people</i> did. This is <i>all</i> on them. The worst part for me is, I now have to take back something I said earlier today. I know I asked everybody to not say anything to the boys about this, but something hit me during supper." I paused for just a moment before dropping the bombshell. "Joey and Alex lived in that house for four years."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my God," mom moaned in anguish.</span></p> <p><span>"Mom, I'm pretty sure nothing happened to them because neither one has shown any signs of being abused, no fear of being touched, no qualms about being close to others, no sleepwalking, no unexplained rages, none of the shit I used to do when it was happening to me. And as much as I'd like to keep them all in the dark about this for now, I <i>have</i> to talk to the twins so we can be absolutely sure."</span></p> <p><span>"You want me to do that, Max?" Dylan offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dylan, but we have very open lines of communication with all the boys. While I'm pretty sure they wouldn't hesitate to talk to you about anything, I'd rather have that conversation with them ourselves. I know they'll both want to know why we're asking and they deserve to know the truth. I don't want to put any of you in the position of lying to them in some misguided effort to protect me or my feelings. It's my story and Tom and I be the ones to deal with that. If they say anything that even remotely sounds like abuse by the Muellers, I'll let you know so you can take it from there, Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"Fair enough. I wanted to offer."</span></p> <p><span>"I know and I appreciate it. But just like talking about my struggle with depression and suicide at the workshop eased my burden about those things, talking about this will help lift this one, also. Okay, now, everybody knows everything I know. Like Paul said this afternoon, please don't push me to talk about it. Maybe, in time, I'll be able to do that, but now is <i>not</i> that time. Until I get a handle on this shit, I can't risk losing it like I did this morning, especially around the boys. </span></p> <p><span>"I know you'll all be here for me if I ask and I appreciate that, but if I ask for a little space once in a while, it's nothing personal, I just need to breathe. The only three people I will give any details right now about any of this, until I can control it, is Tom, Dylan and whatever therapist Paul recommends. I hope you can all understand that."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, we do, son," Jim responded. "Just know, if you need or want anything, you only have to ask." A round of agreement infused the entire group.</span></p> <p><span>"Max," Dylan started, "I'm sorry you had to go through this then and I'm sorry you have to deal with it again now, but I promise you this, I <i>will</i> see these bastards rot in jail."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear, Dylan, and I'm going to help you do exactly that." I turned to Carol and added, "Carol, I'm hoping this revelation will not hurt our adoptions in any way. It'd just kill me if that happened."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you worry about that. I'll, of course, have to tell Anna about what's going on so she'll understand why we have to talk to all the other kids who have been placed with Muellers over the years. But I'll also let her know you'll be seeking professional help. I don't see her having a problem with continuing your adoptions of the boys. A lot of fosters and adopters seek counseling for something or other, and it doesn't change a thing."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear that. Moms, Dads, how's it going with your new house?" I asked as a way to change subjects. "Have you heard anything from John, yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet, Max," Bill answered. "We're supposed to get together with him next Wednesday or Thursday to discuss what he's come up with so far."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good news. We're having some guests Wednesday evening or I'd offer to let you all meet here."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't worry about that," Estelle responded, "we've already made arrangements with Jim and Rose to come up Wednesday morning and stay with them that night. That way, whenever John is ready, we'll be here."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like you four have it all worked out," Tom commented. "I guess we'll stay out of it until we can take that walk and find just the right place for you."</span></p> <p><span>"What have I missed?" Carol asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Whoops, sorry, Carol, I guess we forgot to tell you the news. Tom and I are going to sell our parents a couple of acres out here and they're going build a house. We're hoping they'll all be living on the ranch by this fall."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, what was that!?" Lee squawked. "We knew about Bill and Estelle moving, but this is the first I've heard about <i>our</i> parents moving out here."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoopsie," Rose giggled, "I <i>knew</i> we forgot to tell her something, dear."</span></p> <p><span>"Guess we know what it was," Jim laughed. "Sorry, Lee, we've been pretty busy and a lot has changed in the past couple of weeks. Yes, we're going to be moving out here, also. We need to make up for lost time with Max, and we want to be closer to our grandsons."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, what about me?" Tom complained with a pitifully fake pout.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you too, Tom," Rose giggled again.</span></p> <p><span>"Wow!" Carl Exclaimed, "That's gonna be a big change for you. I didn't think you'd ever move from your house."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we didn't either, Carl, but if we were ever going to, this is the time," Jim responded.</span></p> <p><span>"I can hardly keep up with all the changes happening in our families. It seems like every other day, something new happens."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, join the club, sis. You should be in the middle of the game like we are, instead of sitting on the sidelines. And, we're all one family now, Lee, you have to remember that."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm trying to, trust me, but y'all don't make it very easy for us to keep score out here in the tall grass." We all enjoyed a nice laugh with that comment. It actually felt good to finally laugh about something today. I hadn't realized so much time had passed since we'd sat down, but the boys had returned to join us.</span></p> <p><span>"What's so funny?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what'd we miss?" T.J. added.</span></p> <p><span>"We were just laughing at your Aunt Lee for being behind the times."</span></p> <p><span>"That's not nice, dad," Joey admonished me.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, son, but we all needed a good laugh." I turned to Lee and sarcastically said, "Please forgive us for laughing at you, sis."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, would just shut up, you smart-ass?" she retorted, earning another round of laughter. "It's okay, Joey, your dad's right, I deserved that one."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, just making sure," he replied seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"Which movie did you watch and did you like it?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, it was great. We watched `Up' and it was hilarious," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah that talking dog was ... SQUIRREL!" T.J. added, and all the boys started laughing hilariously.</span></p> <p><span>Seeing the perplexed look on my face, Joey explained, "Sorry, dads, you gotta see the movie to understand."</span></p> <p><span>"Another night, Son, okay? Hey, it's time for you guys to hit the sack. Say goodnight to everybody and we'll be in to check on you in a few, okay?" All five made the rounds passing out hugs and saying goodnight to everyone, Joey and Alex adding another round of thanks for coming to the party and the gifts they'd received. When they'd seen everyone, the fantastic five disappeared down the hall where I heard Mike yell `squirrel' again, followed by much laughter. I looked at Tom and commented, "I think we need to watch that movie, ourselves," causing all the adults to crack up in laughter.</span></p> <p><span>"You know, it's getting bit late for us, too," Jim said. "I think we'll be on our way. Bill, Estelle, you coming to our house again tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like a grand idea," Bill answered. "I think we will."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, thanks for asking," Estelle added. "We weren't looking forward to the drive home tonight."</span></p> <p><span>The others decided to take their leave, also. Tom and I followed everybody to the front door and as they retrieved their coats from the closet, I was reminded about how much these people love and care about all of us as they each hugged us and offered to help with anything at any time. As we offered our thanks for their help and understanding, they stepped outside and returned to their cars for their trips home. After they'd left, Tom and I turned down the hallway to say goodnight to our sons.</span></p> <p><span>Stopping in the trio's room first, we found them rolling around on the bed, giggling senselessly at some unknown joke � unknown to us, anyway. When they finally saw us, they quickly curled up in the middle of the bed, waiting patiently for their covers to be pulled up. </span></p> <p><span>"T.J., I haven't asked for a few days, but how's your chest feeling?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's good, dad. It don't hurt no more unless I run too much."</span></p> <p><span>"We're glad you feeling better, but you still need to be careful for several more weeks, remember."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know," he grumped. "I just wanna be able to go swimming again. I miss not bein' in the pool."</span></p> <p><span>"We all do, and you'll get your chance Saturday, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Can't wait, dads."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I passed out our forehead kisses and said our goodnights and love yous before turning out the light and heading on to see the twins. </span></p> <p><span>"How do you feel about giving these two a very special birthday present?" I asked Tom, wiggling my tongue.</span></p> <p><span>"I love that idea, babe, and I know they will, too."</span></p> <p><span>After quietly closing the bedroom door, we found the two of them with their heads buried in each other's crotches, eagerly attending to the other's needs and desires. Alex was technically still dressed, though his shorts <i>were</i> pulled down to mid-thigh to provide the necessary access for his brother. When we sat on the edge of the bed to wait for them, they immediately broke their lip-lock on each other's engorged pecker and waddled over to us on their knees. Joey moved to me and Alex to Tom, neither bothering to hide their spit-slickened cocklets which, after they'd stopped moving across the bed, continued to bounce lightly, dancing in sync with their heartbeats.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, didn't you two do this earlier tonight?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what?" Joey asked, "That was then, this is now." I couldn't help but snicker at his impeccable logic.</span></p> <p><span>"You two were so good tonight, we've decided to give you one more gift, but you have to stand up and close your eyes before you get it." Both immediately stood on the mattress, placing those glistening hard morsels directly in front of our faces and mere inches from our lips. Tom and I wasted no time wrapping our warm hands around their smooth behinds and pulling them forward, taking their offerings into our mouths and lovingly continued the tongue bath they had already started. The moans of pleasure emanating from deep inside their young bodies was music to our ears.</span></p> <p><span>After a few minutes of oral stimulation, Joey's knees started to buckle and I gently laid him on the bed, never letting his prize leave the warm, wet confines of my mouth. I could see out of the corner of my eye that Tom's ministrations were having the same effect on Alex and very shortly, he was stretched out on his back next to his brother. We continued to love our boys for several more minutes before Joey arched his back, forcing as much of himself into my mouth as possible. The link between the two boys was running strong because seconds later, Alex followed suit. I soon heard a loud moan of joy from Joey as his hands found the back of my head and he forced my nose into his bare pubic mound. </span></p> <p><span>"Oh my god, dad, yes, suck me harder, I'm going to come," he hissed with Alex expressing a similar sentiment to Tom. Joey's orgasm started almost immediately after his lustful utterance and I could feel his cock twitching rapidly in my mouth as I fondled his undeveloped balls. Both boys' bliss seemed to last for minutes but was more likely less than half a minute, but that didn't diminish the amount of pleasure we'd all felt. Amazingly, even after their explosive orgasms, neither lad's pecker was returning to a flaccid state. Ah, the joys of youth, forever ready and no recovery time. Both lay flat on their backs, eyes glazed over, funky grins splitting the lower half of their faces.</span></p> <p><span>I looked at Tom and joked, "Uh-oh, I think we broke them."</span></p> <p><span>"They may be broke, but they sure as hell ain't deflated. Looks to me like they're ready for more."</span></p> <p><span>"Aren't they always?" I chuckled. We came together in a four-way hug and I whispered into their ears, "Happy birthday, boys, we love you."</span></p> <p><span>"We love you, too, dads," they chorused. "Thanks for the best birthday present a guy could ask for."</span></p> <p><span>"If you two want to have quick bike ride before school, you better get to sleep." They hustled into position, hugging each other in the middle of the bed. We pulled up the covers, gave them kisses and said goodnight before turning out the light and closing the door. Tom and I practically ran to our bedroom, stripping off our clothes along the way, and as soon as our door was closed, we were on the bed in each other's arms.</span></p> <p><span>"I need you in me, lover," I whispered</span></p> <p><span>"You sure `bout that babe."</span></p> <p><span>"Positive. I need to be fucked by someone who knows what <i>love</i> is. And I mean now," I panted as I broke our embrace, rolled onto my back and assumed the position. To his credit, Tom didn't hesitate as he knelt between my upraised legs and slowly positioned himself. I sucked air deep in my lungs as I felt his head make the briefest contact with my tight pucker. He moved his leaking cock around to provide some lubrication and then slowly pushed inside me. Oh, my ass was on fire with pain since we hadn't taken any time to properly prepare for his phallic invasion, but it soon dissipated to a dull throb as he slowly pushed in deeper and by the time his unruly pubic hair started tickling my balls, I was in heaven.</span></p> <p><span>"You okay, babe?"</span></p> <p><span>"Better than ever, lover," I answered while looking into his concerned and loving eyes. I continued to watch his face as he started to slowly fuck me in the gentlest possible way. When he closed his eyes and lifted his head towards the ceiling, he found the perfect rhythm to induce shockwaves of pleasure throughout my body. His head and shaft were filling me to capacity and he somehow managed to hit my prostate on every stroke. I'd never felt so loved, so needed, in my entire life. And I had never loved or needed someone as much as Tom.</span></p> <p><span>As the inevitable drew closer with each stroke, I started moaning loudly and thrashing around as Tom repeatedly impaled me. I held back as long as I possibly could as he fucked my ass, but when I knew the time had arrived, it was my turn to hiss, "Oh, god, fuck me harder, I'm gonna come." Tom was happy to oblige my demand and I felt him give one last push, burying his monster cock deep inside me. My ass then was stretched just a bit more as he exploded into me. I followed his lead and was soon flooding my belly with my own offering, clenching his cock tighter with each shot. With both of us happily sated and completely spent, Tom slowly withdrew from me and headed to the bathroom. He returned shortly with a warm washcloth and proceeded to gently wipe my torso clean.</span></p> <p><span>"Think you can get up for a shower with me?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not sure. You might have to carry me again," I grinned. As he leaned over to pick me up, I started laughing and added, "I can walk, bubba. It's my brain that's crippled, not my legs."</span></p> <p><span>"Please don't say shit like that, babe. Your brain is <i>not</i> crippled. Twisted, demented, whacked, and subject to a multitude of brain farts, but it ain't crippled."</span></p> <p><span>I smacked his bare ass as I followed him to the shower, asking, "Brain farts? What the hell are those?"</span></p> <p><span>"Brain farts are what allow shitty ideas to escape from that part of your brain where they're supposed to stay hidden." I couldn't help but laugh at the joke. We climbed in the shower and after adjusting the water temperature, gently washed the sweat and semen off each other. By the time we were done, I felt like I'd hit a wall and was going to collapse. Tom helped my dry off and then guided me back to the bed. </span></p> <p><span>As tired and worn out as I was, I sat up and said, "Okay, go ahead, I know you're dying inside, so ask your questions."</span></p> <p><span>He sat up, crossed his legs and asked, "Are you sure? It's been a long damn day. I figured you'd just want to go to sleep."</span></p> <p><span>"I do, but I know I'm not gonna get much sleep tonight, and I'm sure you won't either. Maybe we'll both feel better if we get some of this shit out in the open. Besides, I don't want there to be any secrets in this family. The more we all know, the better we can deal with it, together."</span></p> <p><span>"You're right about that. I'm wiped, but I don't think I can sleep, not yet anyway. Instead of me asking a bunch of stupid questions, why don't you just tell me what you remember."</span></p> <p><span>"Just how did I know you were gonna say that? What do you want to know?"</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever you want to tell me."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, here goes. Mom and dad had been taking me to that church for as long as I can remember. I didn't really care for it, but you can't really argue with your parents about it, can you? No, you go along, just keep to the peace. It wasn't too bad early on since a lot my friends from school went to the same church and we always had fun. It wasn't until I realized I liked boys instead of girls that I began to get really uncomfortable with their message. I'd had inklings before, but was about ten or eleven, I guess, when it really took hold.</span></p> <p><span>"In our church, when you turned thirteen, you moved into a new Sunday school class, which was fine with me. I'd known the Mueller's for a long time from church lunches and such and I kinda liked them. After about a month in the new class, Frank asked me to hang around for a minute. After all the other kids were gone, he said he thought I needed some `special lessons' the church had just for `kids like me'. I couldn't imagine what he was talking about, but since I'd known them for so long, I just went along with it. I also assumed my mom and dad had arranged for whatever these `lessons' were. He and Iris then led me to this little room in the corner of the basement. They said it was created just for these lessons.</span></p> <p><span>"Once we got in there, they closed and locked the door. I thought it was kinda weird they'd do that, but didn't raise a stink about it, either. I knew that something wasn't quite right about this, but I wasn't really in a position to argue it with them. They were adults and I was barely a fucking teenager. I mean, I'd known these people most of my life and I trusted them, my mom and dad trusted them, who the fuck was I to argue with them. I remember thinking, `what could possibly go wrong?' If only I'd listened to myself and all the warning bells that were going off in my head.</span></p> <p><span>"It was at that point, Frank told me this room was specially built, heavily insulated and soundproof. He said I could scream my fucking head off, and probably would, and not a soul outside that room would ever hear me. <i>That's</i> when I knew how truly screwed I was. Iris then told me get undressed and I was like no way. I mean my dick had just started to get bigger and I had a few hairs that had finally shown up. I was proud of what my body was doing, but I wasn't gonna let them see that. I told them both to fuck off. That's when Frank smacked me I the back of the head so hard, I almost blacked out. I almost wish I had. One thing that did happen is my point of view seemed to suddenly change. Instead of seeing all this shit happen to me with my own eyes, it was like I was hovering above it all, as if I was watching it happen to someone else.</span></p> <p><span>"Since they could see I wasn't going to cooperate, Frank took it upon himself to strip me. He was careful to make sure he didn't rip or tear any of my clothes, but he was furious I'd disobeyed them. When I was finally naked, they were both licking their lips at what they saw. I was so embarrassed and ashamed to be standing there on full display, but there was nowhere to hide. Then, Iris came over to me and started running her hands all over my body. I was disgusted. When she reached my dick, she took it in one hand and started playing with it while she played with my balls with her other hand.</span></p> <p><span>"You know a boy at that age has absolutely no control over what and when his dick does what it does. The damn thing has a mind of its own and, as sick I was at what was happening, I was hard as a rock in seconds. She looked over my shoulder at Frank and said, `see, honey, he likes a woman's touch'. Then she told him to give her the tweezers. I'm like, `what the fuck you want those for?' I found out all too soon as that fucking bitch started ripping out my pubic hairs, one at a fucking time. I'd waited thirteen years to get `em and lost `em in thirteen seconds, all eleven of `em. It happened so fast, I couldn't stop her. I got so fucking pissed off that I slapped her as hard as I could.</span></p> <p><span>"That was a <i>big</i> fucking mistake. Frank grabbed my arm and spun me around so fast I damn near fell over. That's when I discovered he was naked, too. And hard. And disgusting. I wanted to throw up, but I never got the chance. As soon as I opened my mouth to scream, he shoved his cock into my mouth and down my throat. Let me tell you, it's fucking impossible to scream with a dick in your throat. He fucked my mouth for what seemed like forever, but it was probably only four or five minutes. When he got tired of that, he pulled his dick out of my mouth, spun me back around, bent me over a chair and rammed it in my ass. God, it hurt so fucking bad I felt like I was gonna be split in two.</span></p> <p><span>"When I finally cleared enough tears out of my eyes so I could see again, I found Iris, standing in front of me and naked, also. She was even more disgusting thank Frank. She walked up to me and shoved her fucking ugly cunt in my face and told me to start licking her. When I screamed `no', Frank smacked me in the back of the head again, hard. She was so fucking wet, she was dripping on the damn floor before I licked her even once. I knew I didn't have any choice, so I started doing it. Damn, it was fucking gross. So, there I am, my ass getting reamed by Frank and the bitch Iris is forcing my face into her ugly twat. </span></p> <p><span>"Apparently, I wasn't pleasing Iris enough and she complained to Frank about it. He told her to lay down on the table that was in the room. When she'd done that, he stood me up and walked me over to her while his dick was still inside me. He lined my dick up with her ugly cunt and shoved me forward with his hips, burying his cock in my ass and forcing mine into her. I could tell they'd done this before from the way they worked together. Iris took one of my hands and made me play with her sagging and sickening tits while Frank would take the other in his hand and force me to rub her clit. When Frank would pull back out of me, I'd slide out of her and then he'd shove his disgusting cock back into me, forcing me back into her. It was the most twisted, disgusting, and vile thing I could imagine.</span></p> <p><span>"That went on for I don't know how long, I'd lost all track of time. He was fucking me and forcing me to fuck her, with both of them yelling I was the perverted son of the beast the whole time. Iris kept telling Frank to check my head for some fucking tattoo I had to have. And Frank was yelling for Satan to leave me, that I was a good little straight boy. Yelling that I wasn't a fucking faggot, all while he's got his cock buried in my ass. None of it made a damn bit of sense. Not then and not now.</span></p> <p><span>"When Frank finally got his rocks off, he pulled his dick out of my ass, grabbed me by my hips and continued forcing me to fuck his bitch wife by pushing and pulling on me until she finally came. When she finally quit screaming to <i>God</i> about coming, she sat on the chair, took me in her arms and held me in her lap, all of us still naked. She stroked my hair with one hand, all lovey-like, and cooed in my ear about how I really wanted to be straight and not some sick, perverted faggot. She stroked my dick with her other hand, telling me what a pretty little cock I had and how every little girl would just love to have it inside her. Sometimes, she'd get on the floor in front of me, spread my legs wide open and suck me off, just moaning with delight. All the while she's doing that, Frank's standing in the corner, watching though his sick beady eyes, and beating his meat like tomorrow's never gonna come.</span></p> <p><span>"When it looked like he was about to yank his cock right off his body for desperation of wanting to come again, he walked over and let it fly all over my face, which Iris promptly cleaned up with her tongue. When she'd be done with that, Frank got some washcloths and got them wet with warm water from a sink in the room. They wiped me down from head to toe first, making sure my pretty little cock and dripping, sore asshole were clean, then he rinsed them out and they cleaned themselves up. They got dressed first, leaving me naked and zoned out on the floor. When they were finally presentable, they worked together to make me look like I had before going into that damn room. They were really careful about getting us all redressed so nothing looked out of place. </span></p> <p><span>"And during the whole clean up and getting dressed again, they reminded me these were `special lessons' and they were not to be discussed with anybody, not even my parents, reinforcing to me mom and dad knew what was going on. They stressed how important it was to keep what happened in that room between the three of us. Finally, we left the room together, their arms wrapped around my shoulders, like we were the Three Fucking Musketeers. That's when my point of view returned to my own eyes again. </span></p> <p><span>"They did that shit to me for almost three fucking years and I was helpless to stop them. And when I finally was old enough where I could shoot out real come, it got even more violent and sick. It got to the point where if I didn't come four or five times while we were locked in that damn room, they'd slap and yank my dick, beat my ass, fuck me with anything they could find until <i>they</i> were<i> </i>satisfied I had nothing left to give. There were times my dick and ass were so sore I could barely walk, but I couldn't understand why since I'd blocked it out.</span></p> <p><span>"I got to the point where I'd leave by mind at the steps to the basement and not pick it back up again until we went back upstairs. Finally, just before I turned 16, I told mom and dad that I was done with going to church. When they asked me why, I just told them I didn't believe in all the same crap they did and I had better ways to spend that two to three hours a week. They didn't like it much, but they also knew they weren't going to change my mind about it.</span></p> <p><span>"I thought I was so happy to be watching all this sick shit from somewhere above it all and not actually be involved in it. But I <i>was</i> in it, I just didn't consciously realize it. Paul called it a dissociative state, where the mind takes over and blocks out the bad shit to protect your sanity. Thank the gods for that, or my brain <i>would</i> be crippled, unable to function. I realize now, after talking to Paul, that what those sick fuckers did to me is why I had such a hard accepting being gay. When Paul forced me to knock down that last logjam that was keeping all this shit dammed up, I felt a wave a revulsion overtake me at first, but then, that revulsion slowly morphed into relief as my life made so much more sense to me. Why I'd made the decisions I'd made, why I lived the way I did. All of it, <i>finally,</i> made <i>perfect fucking sense</i>. And maybe, just maybe, I could finally get some peace in my life, for once.</span></p> <p><span>"So that's the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. A penny for your thoughts, lover."</span></p> <p><span>"Death is too good for those people."</span></p> <p><span>"Ha, you get no arguments from me on that. Trust me, I want nothing more right now than to go in there my own damn self and blow their fucking heads off with a fucking howitzer, right after I tell them I remember and see the surprise hit them. But, Paul convinced me that would be wrong. I'm not sure how he did it, but that's where I am. So, how was your day?" I asked in a weak attempt at humor.</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty fucking lousy, but compared to yours, I enjoyed a beautiful walk on the beach in the sunshine. How the hell can live with knowin' all that?"</span></p> <p><span>"How can I not? I mean, really, what are my choices? Live with it or don't live. Neither choice is very appealing right now, but I'm going with that first option. What happened is long over with, nothin' I can do about it now but learn to deal with it. Integrate it into who I am. Ensure it doesn't happen to some other kid."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm going to help you do that, you know."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right, you are. This windmill's just a bit too big for me to go tilting it on my own. I'm gonna need you, the boys, our parents and anybody else I can think of to knock this son-of-a-bitch over. But I'm gonna fuckin' do it, even if it's the last fuckin' thing I do."</span></p> <p><span>"I know it was harder than hell for you tell me all that, but I'm glad you did. I'm glad you trust me enough to tell me your deepest, darkest secrets. You're my babe and if I'm gonna help you, I need to know everything."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, now you do. Can we please get some fuckin' sleep now? I'm whipped."</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, come here."</span></p> <p><span>With that, Tom pulled me into those big, strong arms and held me tight as we drifted off. When the alarm went off in the morning, I was still wrapped in those arms and I'd never felt safer. Tom rolled over to turn off the alarm and when he rolled back over to me, I said, "I forgot some really important last night before we fell asleep."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"This." I leaned in and gave him a deeply passionate kiss and when I let him go, I leaned back and added, "I love you, big guy, now and forever and I need your strength to prop me up when I get weak and can't handle things. I can't think of anyone on this planet I'd rather share the rest of my life with."</span></p> <p><span>"I love you, too, babe. And I'll be here for you until the end of time."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, now let's go get the ragamuffins awake. Joey and Alex want to ride their bikes before they have to get on the bus." We climbed out of bed and after a quick visit to the bathroom, headed to the other side of the house. Tom stopped to wake the trio while I got the pleasure of waking the twins. I was surprised to find Joey and Alex sitting on the edge of the bed, fully dressed and wide awake. "What's up guys? Besides yourselves?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're wanna go for a ride our bikes while you get breakfast ready, dad," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"That okay with you?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Go on, get outta here," I answered as I waved my hand towards the garage. "We'll yell when food's ready."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks dad, you're the greatest," they chorused as the flew past me. I heard the big door opening as I reversed course and met Tom in the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>"How'd it go in there?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, just flippin' dandy. Those three are harder than hell to get movin' in the morning. How `bout you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Piece o' cake. They were sittin' on the bed, rarin' to go. Boy did I pick the right room," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, next week, you're back on early duty. This shit's for the birds."</span></p> <p><span>"Said the eagle," I cracked.</span></p> <p><span>"Careful, there, I might just might have to shit on your head as I fly over," he laughed back. We continued to the bedroom to pull some sweats on when he asked, "How ya' doin' this mornin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not great, but not as bad as I thought I would be. Tellin' you about it last night seems to have helped. That's one of the reasons I dumped it all on ya' then. Get it all out there, don't let it build and fester."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm happy to hear that, babe. I hated hearing what they did, but if it'll help us put `em away, it'll be worth it."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, I just get to go over it all again with Dylan and a therapist. Fun times ahead, I'm sure."</span></p> <p><span>When we entered the kitchen to fix breakfast, T.J., Mike and Andy were waiting patiently for us. "So, boys, what's for breakfast today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Scrambled eggs and toast," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't hear the magic words, did you Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope."</span></p> <p><span>"Please," Mike retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"And thank you," added Andy.</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, much better. Eggs and toast on the way." Tom pulled out the toaster and got that going while I took care of the eggs.</span></p> <p><span>While we were performing our parently duties, T.J. asked, "Where's Joey and Alex?"</span></p> <p><span>"Out ridin' their bikes," I answered. "They couldn't wait until after breakfast."</span></p> <p><span>"Man, I hope we get bikes for our birthdays," Mike opined.</span></p> <p><span>"Me, too," T.J. added.</span></p> <p><span>"Three," Andy concluded.</span></p> <p><span>"T.J., I wanted to ask you something. It seems that the twins have added you to their little mind link speed dial, but I was wondering just how far that goes."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean, dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what <i>do</i> you mean," Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, both Alex and Joey can seem to feel things from other people, also. I don't know if they can pick up actual thoughts and words or if it's just feelings they're getting. I was wondering if you can do that with others or is it just with those two?"</span></p> <p><span>"Right now, it's just with them, but it'd be cool as he ... uh, all get out if I could do it with other people, too. Why'd you ask?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just wondering, that's all." I turned to Andy and asked, "Would you go yell at your brothers and tell them food's on?"</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, I don't know, dad. I don't think I heard the magic words." They all snickered at his witty comeback.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, forgive me," I smirked. "Please and thank you. Better?"</span></p> <p><span>"Loads. Be right back." He ran down the hall and we heard him yell to his brothers that breakfast was ready and if they didn't get inside, he was going to eat theirs. Andy must have left the door to the garage open as we soon heard tires squealing as they slid across the concrete floor under heavy braking. Next, the door was slammed shut and the two velociraptors ran into the kitchen, mounted their stools and inhaled their eggs and toast. </span></p> <p><span>When they're plates and mouths were empty, they chorused, "Thanks for the bikes, dads, they're great."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I got a little worried last night about you not knowing how to ride since you said you'd never had bikes before."</span></p> <p><span>"We didn't, but our friends did ...," Alex started.</span></p> <p><span>"... and they let us learn to ride on theirs," Joey concluded.</span></p> <p><span>"Those are good friends," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, they were the best. We miss `em though," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"They don't go to school out here?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, they go to some private school in town," Joey replied.</span></p> <p><span>"So, they didn't get invited to your party tomorrow?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No. We already had more kids than you said we could have with just the boys in our class," Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and we didn't want to push our luck," Joey concluded.</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you give me their names and I'll see what I can do. It's late notice, but I'll try to get in touch with their parents this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Really!?" Joey yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks dad. They're Jesse and Jose Jackson. They live on Gander Road, right around the corner from the Mueller's," Alex offered. I involuntarily jerked at the mention of the name and the boys caught it. "Dad, you sure you're okay? You been weird since we got home yesterday."</span></p> <p><span>"I told you last night, I'll be fine, I just need some time."</span></p> <p><span>"For what?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not ready to tell you just yet, but soon enough, okay. Just bear with me."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, if you say so," Alex replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, crap," Tom started, "Look at the time. Boys, coats and packs, we gotta move." They hauled ass to their rooms while Tom grabbed his coat and followed in their wake. I stayed behind to start cleaning up the breakfast mess. </span></p> <p><span>When Tom returned, I asked, "Did you make it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just barely. The bus was already sittin' there when I turned the corner in the drive. I saw him start to pull away and I laid on the horn and started flashin' the lights to get his attention. He musta heard or seen me, `cause he stopped and waited for us."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Tom. I should have been paying better attention to the time."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, babe. At least I didn't have to drive `em all the way to the school."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, you need to sit down with a phone book and see if you can find a doctor to take out your stitches this afternoon. We're gonna be at the Koke Mill Medical Center. You might get lucky and find another doctor there to take care of it for you."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, good idea. I shoulda done that three days ago, but I kept puttin' off."</span></p> <p><span>"No time like the present, big guy. Go ahead, I got this almost done with this," I said, nodding to the egg pan that was still in the sink. He finally joined me in the living room thirty minutes later with a sad look on his face. "What, no joy in Mudville?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, there's joy, but just barely. I called every doctor in that building and the <i>only </i>one who could see me today was in the pediatrician's office where Andy's appointment is." I couldn't help but laugh at this bit of news. "Yeah, very funny. NOT! It's my own damn fault for putting off calling `til the last minute."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, look at it this way, big guy, it saves us another stop in town today."</span></p> <p><span>"You're not makin' it any better, you know?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know," and laughed again. "I've set the timer on my phone to let us know when it's time to pick up Andy. I'm gonna sit and veg `til then. That okay with you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ya' mind if I join you in that veggin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"I was hoping you would." I returned to my book and Tom picked his up. We read quietly for the next couple of hours until the timer went off. As we stood to get ready to leave, I leaned in and gave the big guy another kiss.</span></p> <p><span>"What was that for?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just for you bein' you. And for bein' here with me."</span></p> <p><span>"Good reasons, babe. You can kiss me any time you feel the urge."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Just to forewarn ya', I think I'm gonna be feelin' that urge pretty often for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Then I better start carryin' a Chapstick or somethin'. Wouldn't want the old lips dryin' out, would we?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll help you keep `em moist," I grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"I may just take you up on that offer," he answered as we grabbed our coats. "Who's driving?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you drive, again, today. I don't want to take the chance of a, what'd you call it last night? Oh, yeah, a `brain fart' happening while I'm driving."</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, let's boogie." I led the way down the hall, be-boppin' my way to some imaginary tune. "I'm tellin' you right now, we are <i>not</i> dancin' together at our wedding if that's the best you got," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you threaten me, bubba, you gotta put up with my sad dancin' for evermore."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, boy, I'm <i>really</i> lookin' forward to that," he laughed again.</span></p> <p><span>When we got to the school, Tom waited in the car while I headed in to retrieve Andy. "Good morning, Gloria, how are you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, Mr. Sanders," she replied as she looked up from her desk. "I'm doing just fine. What can I do for you today?" she asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I need to pick up Andy Cox for a doctor's appointment this afternoon. I figured I should stop here first."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me have the teacher's aide in his class bring him up for you." She dialed the classroom and made the request. "He'll be here in just a minute."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, appreciate it."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I tell you something, Mr. Sanders?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure."</span></p> <p><span>"I really wanted to thank you for what you and your family did and said Wednesday. I'd never considered what your lives were like, but I have a much better understanding of what gay people deal with now. I've done some checking around in Springfield and found a hotline for gay youth that can use some volunteers. I start training next week."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, Gloria. I think you'll find it to be an eye-opening experience."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you've already done that. Thanks, again. Ah, there's the young man you're looking for," she added as the office door opened. The aide gave a little wave as she backed out and returned to the class.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Andy, you ready to go?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No," he grumped.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm sorry, but we're still going."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Gloria, have a good afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"You, too. See ya' Monday, Andy."</span></p> <p><span>Andy tossed her a quick wave with one hand as he grabbed mine with the other as we headed down the hall to the exit. As we climbed in the car, Tom asked, "You all ready to roll."</span></p> <p><span>"Yep," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"NO!" Andy yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Andy, I know you don't want to do this, but we need to make sure nothing serious is going on."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that, but that don't mean I gotta like it."</span></p> <p><span>"Fair enough," I replied. </span></p> <p><span>It was a very quiet ride to town and we stopped at Uncle Ronnie's to grab a quick bite to eat before continuing to the doctor's office. When we arrived, I checked Andy in at the reception desk while Tom checked himself in, face flushed with embarrassment. After that we sat together to wait our turn. Surprisingly, Tom was called back first, much to Andy's amusement.</span></p> <p><span>"Bye, pops, see ya' later," he called out with a giggle as Tom disappeared through the door and into the inner sanctum. I noticed several other parents grinning slyly and several kids suppressing their laughter. It was pretty difficult to maintain my straight face, but I somehow managed to do it.</span></p> <p><span>Five minutes later, the door opened again and Andy's name was called. We stood and joined the nurse as she led us through the maze of corridors and exam rooms. What is it with medical offices not knowing what the hell a straight line is? Poor Andy looked like he'd just eaten his last meal and was being led to a firing squad. His eyes never left the floor and if I hadn't been holding onto his hand, he would have walked into several walls and people during our journey. When we finally reached the exam room, the nurse led us in and closed the door.</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you have a seat right there, Mr. Sanders?" she asked, pointing to the empty chair. "Young man, would hop up here, please?" Grudgingly, Andy did as she asked. "I just need to take your temperature and check a few other things. Then, the doctor will be with you in a few minutes, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever," he grumped again. The young lady got busy and shortly, Andy and I were left alone. As soon as the door closed behind her, Andy jumped off the exam table and climbed in my lap. "I don't want to do this. Why can't T.J. just help me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because we need to make sure there's nothing wrong with your foreskin, buddy. I'll be right here with you the whole time and you'll be just fine."</span></p> <p><span>"Easy for you to say, ain't your dick gonna get looked at."</span></p> <p><span>"I promise, it'll be over before you know it." At that moment, the door opened and the doctor started to come in, then hesitated to say something to another person in the hall. </span></p> <p><span>When the door finally closed and Andy saw the doctor for the first time, he started violently shaking his head and yelled, "Huh-uh, this ain't happenin'!"</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-51.html

Building a Family 51 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 51 � Who Wants to Play Doctor? When the door finally closed and Andy saw the doctor for the first time, he started violently shaking his head and yelled, "Huh-uh, this ain't happenin'! She ain't lookin' at or touchin' my dick!" "Andy! That's enough," I admonished the squirming boy. I turned to the doctor, "I'm sorry, Dr. Finney. He's not normally like this." "That's quite all right, Mr. Sanders, is it? My name's Marcia. Do you mind if I use Max? I've found over the years patients and parents seem to feel a bit more comfortable when I use first names." "Not at all. Young Mr. Squirmy here is Andy." "Good morning, Andy, it's nice to meet you," she greeted, extending a hand, which I shook, but Andy ignored. "And what brings you to my office this afternoon?" "Well, Andy has recently joined our family. He's noticed that his foreskin doesn't roll back completely like one of his brother's does. Since I lost mine many years ago, I'm not really in a position to know if there's a problem or not. That's the main reason we're here, but I think overall checkup would be a good idea." "I'm sorry you had to go through that. Fortunately, with newer research into the function of the nerves and mucosa of the foreskin, and better education of doctors, circumcision is on the decline, but there's still a long way to go." "I obviously don't remember it and what's done is done." "Well, let's get this young man up on the table here and see what makes him tick. Andy, would you join me over here, please?" "I don't wanna'." "Andy, look at me," I chided. When he turned his attention to me, I continued, "You know why we're here. You need to let Dr. Finney examine you so we can make sure there's no problems with your penis and foreskin. When I called to find a doctor for today, I was told that Dr. Finney is the best pediatrician in town." "I don't care. She ain't lookin' at my di ... you know what." Dr. Finney started to say something but I held up my hand so I could continue. "Think about this for a second, Andy. You've been swimming with Gramma Estelle, right, and you've been around Aunt Lee when you're nude, right? Did it bother you for them to see you that way?" "Well, no, I guess not. But they wasn't touching me there, either, were they?" "No, they weren't, but when you asked me to look at the problem and I touched you, did that bother you?" He developed a grin and answered, "Well, no, but you're a guy and that's different." He leaned in close and whispered in my ear, "Besides, that felt kinda good." I barely controlled my snort of laughter before carrying on. "But you still let me do it because you trusted me and you knew I wouldn't hurt you, right?" "Well, yeah, I guess so," he muttered. "That's all Dr. Finney wants to do. I trust her. And since I do, you can trust her, too, and I promise she won't hurt you. She needs to make sure you don't have any serious problems. And I'll be right here with you the whole time. Will you please be a brave boy and let her do her job?" "I guess," he moped. He turned to the doctor and said, "Okay, let get his over with." "Thank you, Andy. Why don't you let your dad lift you up on the table?" "I can do it," he chirped, then he stepped up on the stool and hopped the rest of the way to the table. "I can tell you like to run and jump, don't you?" she asked. "Yep," Andy answered proudly. She sat on the stool and looked up into his eyes so she knew he was focused on her. "Okay, Andy, before I do anything during your exam, I'm going to tell you about it, just so you're not surprised, okay? And I promise that nothing I do today will hurt you in any way. There's going to be some poking and prodding, but none of that will hurt a bit. Are you okay with that?" "Yeah, I guess." "Good. I want to start by listening to you heart, lungs and bowels. I need you to lift your shirt up, or, if you think it's okay, you can just take it off." He didn't waste any time lifting the shirt off his shoulders, then peeling it over his head and tossing it to me. Marcia warmed her stethoscope in her hands and then moved it from spot to spot on his chest and back. "Everything sounds good here. Would you like to hear it, Andy?" "Can I, really?" "Sure, let's just slip these into your ears." She pulled the stethoscope from her own ears and gently placed them in Andy's. As soon as she put the other end on his chest, his eyes opened wide in fascination. "Wow! That's really cool, lub-dub ... lub-dub ... lub-dub. I never heard my own heart before." He pulled the ends from ears, handed them back to Marcia and added, "Thanks, Doctor Finney." "No problem, Andy, the more you know about your own body, the better care you can give it so it lasts a long time. Now, would you lay on your back so I can listen to your gut?" "What's listenin' to my belly gonna tell you?" "It'll let me know if everything moving through your digestive system properly." "What's a `gestive system?" Andy asked. "DI-gestive. Here, let me show you on this model." She removed the front panel of a model of a human torso that was sitting on the counter and proceeded to give Andy (and me) a three-minute tutorial on what happens to the food we eat. When she finished her explanation, she added, "And by listening to the sounds in your gut, I can make sure everything is moving through all that the way it should be." After he laid down, she placed the stethoscope in several places around his belly, listening intently. Andy giggled a couple of times and she commented, "Looks like you're a bit ticklish." He nodded his agreement and giggled again as she hit a new spot. "Okay, everything sounds good there, too. Do you ever have trouble going to the bathroom, Andy?" "Um, no," he answered with a slight blush. "You shouldn't be embarrassed about it, young man, everybody poops. In fact, there's even a book for little kids just learning to use the bathroom named, just that, `Everybody Poops'." She next pulled an instrument from its holder on the wall and said, "Okay, Andy, the next thing I'm going to do is look into your ears, nose, throat and eyes. I'm going to use this instrument, called an otoscope. It has a bright light and a magnifying glass so I can see into those dark places easier, okay?" A simple nod was his only response. She performed all those checks in about three minutes with the usual request to open wide and say `ahhh'. "See, that didn't hurt a bit, did it?" she asked as she tossed the scope's hood in the trash and replaced the device in its bracket. "Nope," he replied, "except for the light in my eyes, but it wasn't too bad." "Good. You're doing just great, Andy. Next, I need to feel around your neck and throat and under your arms to make sure your glands feel okay. You ready for that?" "Yeah, go ahead." She did her exam and, as I expected, when she started feeling under his arm, Andy started giggling uncontrollably. "Oh, my," she said, "you're really ticklish there, aren't you?" "Uh-huh," he nodded, "I hate when my brothers do that." That part of the exam completed, it was time to move on. "Okay, next, I'm going to tap around your chest and belly to make sure I don't hear anything unusual. You ready?" Another quick nod and she proceeded. When she finished, she had Andy sit back up and commented, "You're looking and sounding as fit as a fiddle so far, Andy. Let's take a look at your hands and feet next." We waited a minute while he removed his shoes and socks and handed them to me. Once he was resettled, Marcia carefully checked both hands including the fingernails, then moved on to the feet, eliciting even more giggles from him. "I'd say everything there is in good shape, especially those ticklish little feet." "Okay, Andy, next I need to check your reflexes." "How you gonna do that? Try to scare me and see if I jump?" After a short giggle, she replied, "No, I'm going to take this little rubber hammer right here and lightly tap special places on your arms and legs to see if they react the way they should." "Cool, let's do it." "Can you pull your pants legs above your knee so I can make sure I tap the right spot on your knee." "Um, I don't think so, they kinda tight at the bottom." "Well, the other option would be for you to go ahead and take them off. They'll have to come off in a few minutes, anyway." The boy's eyes widened in surprise at that reminder. "Um, just a sec, I gotta talk to my dad." He hopped off the table and nervously came over to me. He leaned in and whispered, "Uh, dad, I got a problem." "What's that?" I asked. "I ain't wearin' no underwear," he hissed in my ear. "And...?" "Well, if I take my pants off, I'll be naked!" giving up all pretense with whispering. "Yeah, and...?" "You ain't helpin' me here, dad," he admonished me rather seriously, placing his hands on his hips. "Andy, you're going to end up nude, anyway, so Dr. Finney can examine your foreskin, remember? What's the difference if it's now or five minutes from now?" "Oh, yeah. Duh!" I couldn't help but chuckle. "But what if someone else comes in?" I looked to Marcia and she responded, "Andy, all the people who work here know that when an exam room door is closed, they don't just walk in. They need to knock and wait for an answer. If someone does knock because they need me for something, I'll make sure to cover you up before I respond, okay?" "See, Andy, the same rules we have at home, right? And maybe this idea will help you, too. We're nude most every evening and weekends at home, right? So, just think you're at home and watching a movie. You can close your eyes and imagine the movie in your mind. Think you can do that?" "Yeah, I think so. Will you stand next to me and hold my hand?" "You bet, buddy. Now, shuck off those pants so Dr. Finney can finish with us and go help some other kid, okay?" Resigned to his fate, he mumbled, "Yeah, all right." He untied his sweats and let them drop to the floor around his ankles, then stepped out of them and handed them to me. As he did that, I could see a light pink tint of embarrassment flush his body from head to toe. I placed his clothes on the chair, then took his hand in mine and guided him back to the exam table. He was walking backwards and covering his crotch with his other hand. Since he was in no mood to climb onto the table this time, I slipped my hands into his armpits, hoisted him up and set him on the end, leaving his legs dangling. After wrapping his left hand in mine again, he closed his eyes and Marcia continued the exam. "Okay, Andy, I need you to lay your right arm on your right leg and just let it relax." Without conscious thought, he took his right hand away from his crotch and laid his arm on his leg as she asked, leaving his left hand in mine. She proceeded to tap his arm in several locations, looking at the muscle reactions. When she finished with the right arm, she asked, "Okay, your dad and I are going to swap places so he can hold your right hand and I can check your left arm. Just lay your left arm on your leg like you did the other and we'll be good to go." Andy followed her instructions and she did the same to his left arm. "Excellent Andy, time to check your legs." After a quick check of his knee and ankle reflexes, it was time for the reason were here today. "Okay, Andy, we're ready for your final check. Would you slide up the table and lie down for me, please?" Without opening his eyes, he did as requested and was soon stretched out and as ready as he would ever be. "Very good, Andy, thank you. Now, I need to touch your penis so I can see what's going on with your foreskin. It's very possible you will get an erection when I do. Do you know what an erection is?" A curt nod told her he did. "You don't have any reason to be embarrassed about that if it happens. It's a perfectly natural reaction that you have no control over. You ready?" Another quick nod of acceptance was his only response. Dr. Finney slipped on a pair of gloves and began her exam. As soon as her fingers contacted his penis, Andy opened his eyes, giving up on the movie in his mind, and he watched her every move. She started by trying to roll the foreskin back to expose the glans. She discovered the same thing I did, that it just wouldn't stretch quite far enough, even when his penis was flaccid. The head of his penis was about a half-inch around, but the foreskin wouldn't open more than three-eighths of an inch or so. She next inserted a cotton swab on the end of a plastic stick inside the foreskin. I could see the slight bulge at the end of the swab make a ring around the inside of the foreskin as she gently moved it in little circles around the glans several times. This elicited a little giggle from Andy. By the time the swab was removed, nature had taken control over his penis and he had, indeed, developed an erection. "Well, the swab is nice and clean," Marcia commented, "so it appears Andy's managing to adequately clean inside the foreskin. You can see how the penis is being held back from full extension when erect by this slight bulge where it meets his pubis. That's fairly common in cases of phimosis. Also, you could see the foreskin has properly separated all the way around the glans when I used the swab, so that's a good sign. I also don't see any scarring or damage to the foreskin from trying to force the issue or from repeated infections. The only real problem I see is the opening at the tip of the foreskin just isn't stretched far enough to allow for complete retraction. Andy's fortunate in one respect as the foreskin does retract just far and wide enough to not interfere with urination. He's obviously received some instruction as to how properly clean the inside of the foreskin, and that's good, also." "Yeah, my mom showed me what to do a few years ago," Andy volunteered. "But I never knew it was s'posed to go all the way back until I saw my brother T.J. with a boner. Oops, sorry doctor, I meant `rection." "Don't you worry about it, young man. I've been doing this job for many years now and I've seen and heard most anything you can think of." "So, what can we do to help remedy the problem?" I asked. "There are a few options for you to consider, Max. First, Andy's still fairly young and as he grows, the problem may resolve itself. It's not too uncommon for situations like his to continue into puberty or even a little past puberty. Since the foreskin opening is so close to allowing complete retraction, I'm inclined to believe that's what will happen with Andy. "Second, I could also prescribe a steroid cream to be applied to the foreskin twice a day. This will sometimes, but not always, help loosen the foreskin and speed up the natural process. It also has the nice side effect of feeling rather pleasurable." My eyes popped open wide in surprise. "Oh, come on, Max, don't try to tell me that boys, even as young as Andy, don't masturbate." Another giggle escaped Andy which caused both of us to chuckle, also. "It's not that, so much. I'm just surprised you'd talk about it so freely." "Why shouldn't I?" she asked. "Masturbation is as normal and natural as urinating or defecating. No matter what you say or do, it's going to happen, with both boys and girls. There are just some kids who are a bit further along on that particular road of self-discovery than others." Andy let out another giggle and raised his hand a few inches in acknowledgement that he was one of those kids. "I've always been very open with my own kids about their bodies and what I know happens. Open discussions about sex and masturbation are very important to your kids growing up to be well-adjusted adults. "Now, back to the topic at hand. The third option is gentle stretching of the foreskin. You saw how I used the swab to check for possible infection inside the foreskin. You can do the same. Just insert the swab inside the foreskin and gently roll it around the glans. That has the added benefit of helping ensure proper cleaning while also gently stretching the opening at the same time. I'd recommend using swabs with a plastic center section as opposed to paper or wood. The plastic will be much smoother and cause less irritation to the inside of the foreskin. "The absolute last thing you want to do is force the foreskin back over the glans. That can cause a condition called paraphimosis, which is where the foreskin gets stuck behind the glans. That can cause severe pain and the blood circulation can be cut off to the glans and create all sorts of nasty problems. Should that happen, you'll need to take Andy to the emergency room to resolve the problem. And I can almost guarantee their first recommendation will be circumcision. "The last option is surgery. And I do mean last. I absolutely hate to recommend circumcision in any case. I just don't understand the desire or need to mutilate an otherwise perfectly functioning body part. But, in rare instances, it's the only permanent solution to the problem. In my twenty-five years of practice, I've only had to refer one child to a urologist for the procedure. I truly hated to do it, especially since he was a teenager at the time, but his foreskin was so damaged from so many infections and poor care, there was simply no other option. With the proper care, treatment and attention, I see no reason for Andy to ever have to undergo that. "So, there you have it. Any questions?" "Yeah, can I get dressed now?" Andy asked with another chuckle. "You certainly may, Andy," Marcia replied, patting his thigh. "Thank you for being such a good patient." Andy wasted no time in hopping off the exam table and getting dressed. When he rejoined Dr. Finney and me, she asked, "Now, that wasn't so bad, was it, Andy?" "No, I guess not. You're a really good doctor, ya' know." "Why, thank you, young man. It's always nice to receive a compliment now and then. Now did someone else come with you two today? I'd like to talk to your dad for a minute if you have someone to sit with you in the waiting room." "Yeah, my pops came with us, too. He was getting stitches taken out of his head, but I don't know how long that was gonna take." "Well, give me his name and I'll find out." "Tom Wright," I replied. Marcia picked up the phone and called the reception desk. After making the inquiry, she hung up and told us, "Yes, your Pops is waiting out front for you two. An aide will be here in a minute to walk you out so you don't get lost along the way." We waited for just a moment before there was a light knock on the door. Marcia stepped over and opened it. "Ah, Janie, thanks. Would you please guide young Andy, here, back to reception and connect him up with his pops, Tom Wright? Thank you." After Janie took Andy's hand in her own, they left the room as Andy gave a quick wave over his shoulder and Marica closed the door. "What did you want to talk to me about?" I asked rather nervously. "Max, don't get all defensive on me. I just wanted to you ask about something I heard you tell Andy and mention one other thing you could do to help him." "Sorry, but we're a rather unconventional family and I guess I'm worried about certain things. Go ahead." "First, I heard you tell Andy that your family spends most of its evenings and weekends nude and at least his gramma and aunt have seen him nude. I assume from those comments that you live a nudist lifestyle. Would that be a fair assumption to make?" "Yes, I suppose so. You don't have a problem with that do you? You're not going to report us to DCFS, are you?" "No, absolutely not. While my own family has never fully embraced a nudist lifestyle, we weren't what you'd consider body shy in our home. I've found through my reading and own personal experience that simple nudity promotes a positive body image. It also helps resolves many normally unasked questions from kids who are naturally curious about what other people look like under their clothes. I personally have no problems with casual nudity in the family home, but you should be aware there are many other doctors who don't share the same opinion and they are likely to report you. I think you should a bit more circumspect about how much information you share with others." "Thank you, Dr. Finney. I appreciate your concern. One solution to that potential problem would be for you to become our family doctor. Are you in a position where you're accepting new patients?" "Of course, I love taking care of kids. The more the merrier." "Can you handle five more?" "You bet! What ages are we talking about?" "Two that are nine-years old, one who is seven and two more that are six-years old, one of which is Andy." "By all means, let's get them set up as patients. Then we can get them all in for checkups." "Why don't we wait until the start of school this fall. Their adoptions won't be finalized until mid-June and I'm not sure yet whether Andy will actually be adopted by us. Right now, were just fostering him. I'm sure once the adoptions are completed, I won't have any problems getting whatever medical records they have up to now and that would give you a good starting point of what's needed next." "That sounds great, Max. I'll look forward to it. Now, there's one more thing I wanted to talk about as a possible therapy to help Andy with his foreskin issue. I didn't want to say anything about it with Andy in the room in case he might be uncomfortable with this idea. You can also have Andy soak in a bathtub of warm water two or three times a week and again, gently stretch the foreskin after he's out. The warm water will help soften the skin tissue and make it a little easier to stretch. Since it sounds like he and his brother T.J. are pretty close to the same age and they are both intact, perhaps T.J. would be willing to help Andy with that." I stuck a finger in my ear and wiggled it around, then asked, "Excuse me, did I hear that right? Are you actually suggesting his brothers be allowed to help with this?" "Max, I'm not our normal stuffy doctor. I'm a realist. I've raised two sons and a daughter and I know full well what my boys were doing to and with each other from the time they were babies. Despite what many parents think these days, I know that type of curiosity and interplay is a normal part of growing up. Both sons are now married with sons of their own who enjoy the same sense of discovery my boys did." "T.J. already made the offer to help Andy, but I told him not until after we'd seen a doctor and had a professional opinion. He'll be more than happy to help, as will the other six-year old, Mike." "It sounds like you have a plan of attack to help Andy with this, then. Do you want a prescription for the steroid cream so you can use that treatment in conjunction with the others?" "That sounds like a good idea, we might as well do everything we can." "I'll give you a few samples that will get you through a few days until you can pick the prescription up, then, and we'll get you folks on your way." "I appreciate the way you took care of Andy today. He was really scared about seeing any doctor about his problem, but he really freaked out when he saw you were a woman." "I'm used to that, Max. A lot of older boys react that way, but I've found over the years that as long as I'm open with them about what I'm doing and why, they tend to be more accepting of a female doctor. Younger boys, of course, have absolutely no qualms about being nude around anybody." "You don't have to remind me of that, not with five of them at home," I laughed. "No, I suppose I don't," she laughed with me. "Why don't you head on up front and I'll have them get those samples for you. Thanks for coming in. It was a pleasure to meet you and Andy and I look forward to seeing your other boys when the time comes." "Thank you, Dr. Finney." I weaved my way through the seemingly endless hallways to find my way back to the reception area. When I finally rejoined Tom and Andy, Andy jumped into my arms and gave me a big hug while Tom leaned in and lightly kissed my cheek. I turned Tom's head so I could see where the stitches had been and commented, "Looks like the ER doc knew what he was doing. You can barely see the scar." "That's what the doc here said. He was impressed." "How does it feel to have them out." "It's still pretty itchy, but at least I feel like I can scratch it without ripping my head back open. That's gonna be a big relief." "Good, that also means can I give you a smack upside the head now and then when you earn it." "Gee, thanks, love you, too." "Don't mention it. Hey, we gotta get movin' if we're gonna beat the others home. Let me get something for Andy and pay the bill and we'll get out of here." I held Andy out and added, "Do me a favor and take this little monkey." "Happy to, babe," Tom replied with a grin as he took Andy, who promptly laid his head on his pops' shoulder. After receiving the steroid cream and settling our bill for today, we headed out of the building and climbed into the car for the short trip home. As I pulled out of the parking lot, Tom asked, "I wonder if John and Bob are still there working on the twins' new room?" "Hell, I'd forgotten that supposed to happen today. That'll be another nice surprise for them, won't it? I can't wait to see what it looks like." "How'd your exam go, Andy," Tom asked. "It was okay, I guess. I didn't much like a strange lady touching me down there." "But, once you got over your initial fear, Andy, you did just fine," I commented. "I'm proud of you for overcoming that. And you got some good news, didn't you?" "Yeah, at least I don't have to get my dick cut. I didn't like the sound of that." "And after you left us, the doctor said it would be fine if T.J. and Mike wanted to help you." "Now, that sounds like it'll be fun," he giggled. Tom and I had to laugh along with him. Ten minutes later, I looked at the clock on the dash as we pulled in the drive. Seeing as the bus should arrive in just a few minutes, I parked by bus shelter to await their arrival. It didn't make sense to have to drive back out. We didn't have to wait long before the bus pulled up and four wild boys flew down the steps and ran like demons to join us in the car. When they'd all settled down and I started the short drive to the house, Alex asked, "Hey, when did you pick up the new car?" "We got it yesterday, but with the party last night, we kinda forgot about it," I answered. "You guys like it?" "Yeah, dads, this is a sweet ride," Joey answered. Tom asked, "You guys have a good day at school and did you learn something new today?" "Nope," was the resounding consensus from all five. "Oh, c'mon, surely one of you learned something you didn't know before you woke up this morning," I commented. "Well, Dad, I guess I did, but I don't know if it really counts," Alex meekly replied. "Good, Alex, what did you discover today that you didn't know before." "We-e-e-ll, I found out our friend, Brent, has a really long peck ..., uh, penis." "What!?" yelled Joey. I damn near drove the car into a tree as I laughed my ass off. When I got myself and the car back under control, I commented, "Um, no, Alex, you're right. That wasn't quite what I had in mind." "What is it with you, bro'? First Andy, and now Brent. My dick not good enough for you, anymore? Are you really that freakin' horny?" he asked amongst giggles from T.J., Mike and Andy. "Guys, as interesting as this conversation may be, you're gonna have to put it on hold for a while," I said, pulling into the garage. "John and Bob are here working on your room and I don't think they want or need to hear about this, okay?" "Okay, dad, but we are gonna talk about it later," Joey demanded. "That's fine. And thank in advance you for your restraint." After shutting off the car, the fantastic five hauled ass into the house while we were a bit more sedate about it. As Tom and I finally entered the house, the boys were flying back out of their rooms on the way to check out the changes in Joey and Alex's new room. A chorus of `cool', `neat', and a simple `wow' filled the room as Tom and I joined the others. I nodded my head in agreement with their assessment and added, "Bob, this all looks great. And, John, thanks for helping get it all in here and put together. I was worried it would seem too dark in the room overall, due to that one wall, but the lighter wood really mutes that." "Thanks, Max," Bob responded. "My guys worked their tails off since last weekend so we could get this all done and here today. If you and Tom are willing to help, we can get the mattress moved from the other room into here." "You bet, Bob. Boys, go make sure your bed is empty of whatever you might have just dropped on it." As they ran off, I added, "Go ahead and grab your pillows, too. Bring it all in here and put it on your desks." Just as the four adults were turning into the old room, we were almost run over by two anxious and very excited boys headed the other direction, packs, coats and pillows in their hands. With Tom and John on one side and Bob and me on the other, we manhandled the king-sized mattress out of the bedroom, into the hallway and back into the new room. Once the mattress was in place, Joey and Alex wasted no time putting the pillows on it, climbing in and laying down. They were soon joined by T.J., Mike, and Andy as all five gave the new frame a good checking out. "I sure hope that frame's strong and put together well," Tom laughed. "I hope so, too," Bob laughed along. "What do we owe ya', Bob?" I asked. After hearing the price, I gave an appreciative whistle at the total. "That's a little more than I expected, but I can tell it's worth every penny. Everything looks absolutely perfect. Follow, me, and I'll get you a check. I owe you anything for today, John?" "Darn right you do, but I'll just tack today's time onto the invoice for the other work we've done, Max. I was holding onto that until I knew how much to add for today. Plus the required fifteen percent gratuity, of course," he laughed. "Sounds fine to me, John, you've all earned it this past week getting these two rooms redone for us so quickly." I turned and left the room with Bob following to pick up his payment. When we reached the study, I sat at the desk, offered Bob a chair on the other side and pulled my checkbook out of the center drawer. "Before I write the amount on here, do you need any extra to get the materials for Tom's desk and bookshelves. Or do you need more to cover overtime or anything for your crew?" "No, Max, thanks for offering. I order maple by the truck and always have plenty on hand. As for my guys wages, all that is already included in the number I gave you." "Just wanted to make sure." After completing the check and handing it over to Bob, I added, "I really thank you for getting their room done today. Their friends from school are coming tomorrow for a pool party for the twins' birthday and I know Alex an Joey really wanted to show off their new digs." "No problem. I knew that and that's why we worked as hard we did to get everything done." "Now, what about the new furniture for Tom's office? How soon do you think you'll have it done?" "Well, the shelf units aren't a big deal. They're just cutting, gluing, sanding and finishing. I plan to split that long wall into three smaller units just to make them easier to handle when we bring them in the house. The desk is an altogether different story. I'm going to build that myself and it will probably take two weeks to complete it and get it right. None of my crew are quite up to that task, just yet." "No rush, Bob, I was just curious. Also, once Joey and Alex get moved into the new bedroom, we're going to redo the room they were in for the other three. So, we'll need desks, shelves and a bedframe for that room also. The only difference I can think of, we will be wanting three desk areas instead of two." "Sounds good to me, Max. I'll leave room in my schedule for that." As we stood to leave, I extended my hand and when we shook, I slipped $500 cash into Bob's hand. "That's just a little something extra for doing such a good job and doing it so quickly. Take your wife to a nice dinner, throw a party for your guys, whatever." Bob slipped the cash into his pocket without looking at it and said, "Thanks, it's been a pleasure and I'm sure it will be, again. Hope you guys have a great weekend and good luck with your party tomorrow." We left the study and ambled back across the house to find five boys crowding the hallway, loaded down with clothes. "You guys moving out already?" I asked as we drew closer. "No way, dad," T.J. answered. "We're just helpin' `em get their junk out of our room," Mike added with a laugh. "That's good of you guys, thanks." I turned to Bob and commented, "Look like we may need the other bedroom's furniture before Tom's. You okay with that?" "Whatever you want." "Then let's do it. Tom's in no real hurry to get back to work anyway," I laughed. We found Tom and John in the garage. "John, looks you better plan on attacking the second bedroom starting next week." "Why next week? I planned to take the week off so the wife and I could get out of town." "All five boys are in there, right now, moving Alex and Joey's things from their old room to the new one. When I asked if they were moving out, Mike answered they were just helpin' the twins' get `their junk of our room'. I think they're pretty anxious to get moved into their room, too." We all enjoyed a good laugh at the boys' excitement. "Well, okay, then. I'll tell her our trip has been delayed." "Oh, don't you dare. I'll hold `em back best I can, but when you start on it the next week, you better do it fast, or they're liable to string you up." "Thanks for the warning, Max. My guys and I will be here. Well, I hope the boys like their new room. We'll go ahead and get out of your way. See you later." He turned, collected Bob and they left the garage. Tom and I returned to the house to supervise the move to find everything had already been moved and boys were busy putting clothes away and putting things on the shelves. Out on the drive, Bob pulled the cash from his pocket. Upon seeing the $500, he stopped dead in his tracks, baffled at his good luck. "What's up, Bob," John asked. "Max slipped me some extra cash and, while I appreciate it, this too damn much." John gave a quick laugh and said, "Yep, that sounds like something he'd do." "I'm can't accept this." "Bob, do you have any idea who Max is?" "Why?" "His full name is Maxwill Sanders. He's a writer and he's pretty damn rich. 500 bucks is a drop in the bucket to him." "That may be, but this is still outrageous." "Please, Bob, don't offend him by trying to return it. He'll tell you if you don't want it to give to some charity. That's just the way he is." "Damn, I'm not sure, John. It just doesn't seem right. My bill covered everything, including a very nice profit for me. This seems like stealing to me." "No, that's just Max showing his appreciation for a job well done. If you want to keep doing work for him, you better get used to it, and real quick-like. If you refuse him, he'll find someone else to do the work who won't be so uptight about a little unexpected bonus." "Well, okay, then. Guess the wife and I will take a trip to St. Louis this weekend and do some gambling," he grinned. "Don't blow it all on one bet, okay," John laughed as they separated and climbed into their own trucks to head for home. Back in the house, T.J. asked, "Is anybody coming by tonight?" "Not that I know of, why?" I asked. "'Cause I'm sick and tired wearin' these stinkin' clothes," he answered as he started stripping down, quickly followed by everyone else. Everyone, that is, except for poor Alex, who had the saddest hang-dog look I'd ever seen on another person. Everybody then picked up their discarded items and headed to their rooms drop them in the hampers. While Tom and I were in our room, I said, "I got somethin' I'm thinkin' `bout doin' but I want your input before I do it." "What's that?" "Well, you're gonna to be getting back to work in a bit and I think a lot of my time is going to be taken up with the running kids here and there, plus I'm starting to get an idea for a new book." "C'mon, babe, cut to the chase." "What do you think about hiring someone to help out around here with cleaning, laundry, cooking and stuff like that? I don't know how busy you're going be, or how busy the boys are going to keep me, but I think we could use some help, if not right now, but in the near future. What do you think?" "If that's what you want, I'm all for it. I hate cleanin' and doin' laundry. To me, it's worth it to get someone else to deal with that shit." "Good. I was hoping you'd be okay with it. "You got someone in mind or you just gonna place an ad in the paper?" "Actually, I do kinda have someone in mind. He ..." "HE!?" Tom exclaimed, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "Oh, this should be good," he added with a laugh. "As I was trying to say, Ron was one of the members of a cleaning crew I had come before the boys' visit. I hadn't given the place a really good cleaning for probably a year and I wanted it shined up a bit, so I called Merry Maids in Springfield to come take care of it for me. Ron took care of the patio around the pool first so I could get the pool shelter installed. Then, he took the comforters from the three bedrooms to get them cleaned." "And what, exactly, do you know about this Ron? Age, race, background, anything?" "Well, not a whole lot, I guess. We really didn't get to talk much that day, but he's about your age, I'd say, kinda cute, white, and I thought I might take a shot at getting to know him better. I even slipped him an extra fifty bucks, but he never called back. But that was before I met you." "Hm, interesting," Tom opined humorously while stroking his chin. "And what would you have done if he called back?" "Invited him to come out for a swim some evening, see where things went, if they went anywhere." "So, you want to hire this cute young guy, who turned your head once or twice, to come out here and help take care of us, the boys and the house? Is that it?" "Well, now that you put it that way, it does sound pretty ludicrous, doesn't it? All right, forget about Ron and we'll put an ad in the paper. The only reason I was thinking about him was I thought with him bein' a guy, he'd be less bothered by the dress code we don't have. I figured if we found some lady to do it, we'd probably have to make some changes around here I really don't want to make." "Listen, babe, I'm just givin' ya' shit. This is the first I've heard `bout you havin' any interest in another dude. You just caught me a little off-guard is all. I actually think it's pretty damn funny. Overall, you seem to be a pretty good judge of character, and if you think Ron's a good person, I'll take your word for it. But I reserve the right to do a background check on him and make sure of that before he gets hired." "I'm sure he had to have one to get hired at Merry Maids, but I don't have a problem with you checking him out. Um, his background, that is. Don't you go checkin' out anything else about him, got it?" "We'll see, Max. The thoroughness of my checking him out will all depend on how cute he is." After seeing the wide-eyed and open-mouthed expression on my face, Tom added, "Babe, you got nothing to worry about. I'm all yours." "I'm glad to hear it. I guess I'm just a little insecure about things. I know we belong together and wouldn't hurt each other for anything. And we both love the boys, too. I guess I'm just a little bit scared about how I thought you'd react after what happened yesterday. I wasn't sure you'd still want me with my brain being as fractured as it is," I said, looking down at the floor as I did. Tom put his fingertips under my chin, lifted my head up and turned it so he was looking directly into my eyes. "I told you this morning that I'm yours, until the end of time. And I mean that, fractured brain and all your other warts. Whatever troubles you face, we face them together." "Have I told you how much I love you today?" "However much it is, I love you more," he replied and followed that with a sweet kiss. "Okay, one more thing before we go fix supper. We need to talk to Alex and Joey and make sure the Muellers never abused them. Do you want to be in that conversation or do you want to amuse Andy, Mike and T.J. while I talk to the twins?" "Are you sure you're ready for that?" "Well, honestly, no. But then, I don't think I'll ever be ready for it. Still, it has to be done and in my mind, the sooner we know, the better off we'll be. I'm just gonna have to suck it up and do it. Besides, it sounds like one of them might be having a little issue with wandering eyes and I want to get to the bottom of that, also." "Tell you what, why don't you start the conversation yourself and if you need me, I'll join you. I think if I'm with the other three, they'll have fewer questions we aren't ready to deal with quite yet." "You're probably right, although, with T.J. being linked in with Joey and Alex, it probably won't be long before he knows what's going on." "Crap, I didn't think about that. We'll just have to play it by ear, I guess." "Okay, let's go get supper going and I'll talk to the twins after. Plan?" "Plan, babe. Let's boogie." I let go a laugh at the thought of what I'd done this morning after that statement. "Um, on second, thought, how `bout we just walk to the kitchen. I don't think I can handle seein' you boogie again," he laughed. When we reached the kitchen, we found the fantastic five lined up on their stools and from the looks on their face, we were going to have to get some food going fast or Tom and I could end up in a pot on the stove. "What're we havin' for supper, dads." Alex asked. "Grilled ham and cheese, tomato soup, carrots and cabbage," I answered. "Sound good to you guys?" "Yummy, dad," Mike answered while rubbing his belly. "Good, why don't you guys get busy and set the table while we get the sandwiches going?" They'd hopped off their stools and got to work before I even finished my sentence. Tom and I got busy putting together seven sandwiches. Thankfully, I had a large griddle plate that covered two burners on the stove. Once the sandwiches were going on low heat, I pulled out a bag of baby carrots and a head of cabbage to add a little something to the meal besides chips. We'd not really pushed veggies on the boys yet, but I figured it was time for them to start munching something better than chips. Once the table was set and everything else was ready to go we sat together for a bit so I could tell the others about Andy's visit to the doctor. The boys were all ears as I explained the exam to them. T.J. and Mike get real excited when I explained the various treatments we would be doing and that their assistance would be welcomed. "When you guys go to bed later, I'll show you how to apply the steroid cream. And, there's one more thing you need to know before I'll allow you to help." "What's that, dad," T.J. asked eagerly. "Never force Andy's foreskin around the glans. Doing that will cause him severe pain and a we'd have to take Andy to the emergency room to fix it. I do not want that happening." "We'll be careful, dad, we promise. Won't we Mike?" "You bet. I wouldn't hurt my brother." "Good. I'm glad you understand. Oh, and one more thing. While I'm sure you're all going to enjoy helping Andy, this is not just to give you a reason to play with his penis. Not that you need one." After receiving looks of shock from all three, I added, "Look, we know you all enjoy some sex play now and then, and we don't have a problem with that. But you need to separate your sex play from helping Andy with his foreskin. Got it?" "Got it, Dad," they answered together. "Good. I need to go flip the sandwiches and I'll be right back. I have more thing to tell you boys." That done, I came back to rejoin the others. The boys were chattering away about how they were going to help Andy, but quieted down when I took my seat again. "Okay, about another seven or eight minutes and they'll be done. After we get done eating and the cleanup is taken care of, I need to talk with Alex and Joey. Tom will stay with you other three and maybe read some more Huckleberry Finn to you." "Why just them?" T.J. asked. "Yeah, why not all of us," Andy added. "Part of what I want to talk them about is what you heard about in the car. And I'm pretty sure they don't want you in that chat, either. The other part, you three aren't involved in and don't need to know about." "What kinda crap is that, Dad?" T.J. vented. "T.J., mouth," Tom scolded. "Young man, trust me when I say you're not effected by what I need to talk to them about. If you were, you'd be included in the conversation. Someday, I may need to talk to you about something and I'll keep the others out of that, also. Right now, you don't need to be involved. In time, you'll all be told, but it will be a while." "You know they'll tell us, don't you?" "Yes, I know there's a chance they will. But that's a chance I have to take. I'm hoping I can trust them to keep our discussion to themselves. If they break that trust, well, I guess we'll cross that bridge if we get to it. Now, let's go eat." We headed to the dining room and the boys took their seats while Tom and I continued to the kitchen to retrieve and then deliver the food. Everybody got a sandwich, soup, some carrots and a chunk of cabbage. With the plates filled, we joined the boys. Before the boys could take a bite, I warned them, "You guys need to be careful with the sandwiches and soup. The cheese is going to be really hot and runny and the soup is really steaming. You might want to munch a couple of carrots or cabbage first to give the other things a chance to cool a bit." "But I don't like carrots or cabbage," Mike whined. "Well, you're going to get to like them, buddy. Their good for you and really tasty, see?" I asked as I took big bite of my cabbage. The rest of the meal was a pretty quiet affair since the three youngest were in a foul mood. The grilled ham and cheese did seem to brighten them up a bit, though. With the meal finished and the cleanup completed, it was time for me to have my chat with Joey and Alex. Before we disappeared into the study, Tom quietly asked, "Uh, I know why we have to have this chat with them, but you're not telling them everything you told me last night, are you?" "Absolutely not," I answered. "They're getting the bare minimum and only if they push the issue. I'm not going to volunteer anything I don't have to." "Good, that's a relief. Just out of curiosity, why did you tell me all of it? It's not like I really need to know, either." "Come here a sec," I said, then turned down the hall towards the study. When I stopped and turned around to face him again, I continued. "I figured if I didn't tell you everything, one of two things would happen. One, you'd still have questions that you wanted to ask, but were afraid to in an effort to spare my feelings. Two, I also assumed that, over time, you'd probably end up hearing most of it from Dylan or someone else. I didn't want that to happen. I wanted to be the one you heard the details from and now that you have, I don't have to worry about either one of those other things happening. By getting it directly from me, nothing was lost, mistranslated or misconstrued." "Okay. I just wondered. You ready for Alex and Joey?" "As ready as I'll ever be. Send `em on back here. Thanks." After a quick hug, I turned and entered the study while Tom returned to the living room. When the twins came in, I quietly asked, "Will you close the door, please?" and after Alex did so, I added, "Thanks. Have a seat guys." "What's up, Dad?" Joey asked. "A couple different things. First, I want to ask about what Alex said in the car and your reaction to it, Joey. It seemed to me you overreacted a bit and I just want to make sure I'm not missing something." "Nah, you're not missing nothin'," Joey responded. "I just never thought he'd ever want anybody `sides me. We've only had each other the last five years, ya' know." "I know that, but you two just turned nine. Did you expect you'd be together your whole lives?" "I guess I thought so, but maybe not no more," he grumped "What about you, Alex?" "I don't know. I love Joey, always have and always will. But I think I might be able to love somebody else, too. Is it possible to do that, Dad?" "Of course, it is. I love you guys, I love Tom, I love all our parents, and I love Aunt Lee and Uncle Carl. But it's a different kind of love for each of you. Do you understand that?" "Sure, we do, Dad," they chorused. "That's good. As long as you both understand that you can find someone to love the way I love Tom and still love each other as brothers, then you won't have any problems as you get older. " "I was just pissed off at the little horndog, here, for screwin' up last night. And hearin' him say that about Brent just pissed me off even more. I mean, why would he ever want to look at another's guy's dick when I'm right here?" Joey commented. "I remember you saying you were going to try something new last night as a sort of special birthday present to each other, but that Alex messed it up by getting in trouble and not being able to be naked. Do you want to tell me what you had planned?" "Um, I don't know," Joey answered. "I don't want to say nothin' that'll get me in trouble." "This is an open discussion, boys. You can say anything you want and I promise you won't get in trouble. Once we're done here, though, we go back to normal." "Well, we was finally gonna fuck each other," Joey responded. "We figured our dicks were finally long enough to really be able to do it, but I didn't want to have to deal with no clothes getting' in the way. We been plannin' it for a while, now, and he went and fucked it all up." "Okay, that explains a lot. I kinda thought that might have been your intentions. I'm sorry you didn't have the chance to follow through on your plans. But, tomorrow night, you can." "Yeah, Dad, I know, but it won't be the same as doin' it on our birthday," Joey whined. "Look, Joey, only two days will have passed. In the total of your lives, two days is nothin'. I waited thirty-four and a half years to find Tom. You'll be able to do whatever you want to each other tomorrow. It's not the end of the world, you know. And since you're having another birthday party tomorrow, it really won't be that much different from last night. Just think about it as one really long day, okay?" "Yeah, I didn't think `bout that," Joey said with a smile. He turned to his brother and added, "Alex, I'm sorry I was so pissed off. I was just upset we weren't gonna be able to fuck each other like we wanted to. We'll do it tomorrow night, though, I promise." "I'm sorry for looking at Brent's dick, too, but I couldn't help it. I walked into the bathroom to pee and he was in there already and it was just hangin' out it plain view. He didn't try to hide it or nothin'." "Is it really long like you said?" "Damn right, it is. He at least an inch longer than we are, maybe more. I didn't have a chance to measure it, though." I noticed Joey was mindlessly stroking himself while the conversation took place between the two of them and he was soon fully erect. Yeah, I didn't think they'd have any problems with enjoying the ultimate intimacy with each other tomorrow night. "You'll probably get to see it tomorrow since he'll be at our party, ya' know." "Oh, yeah, that sounds good. I can't wait." "Um," I interrupted, "You do know that I expect swimsuits or shorts on you and all your guests tomorrow, right?" "Sure, Dad. But we gotta change into `em, don't we?" he grinned evilly. "Yeah, I guess you do. Okay, just makin' sure you know the rules." "We know, Dad," Alex lamented. "What else did you want to talk about?" "Before we get into that, I need to ask about the link you two have and seem to have added T.J. to. Just how far can you go with it and are you able keep certain things to yourselves?" "Does this have somethin' to do with what happened yesterday with you and Dr. Kirkland," Alex asked. "It does. Now, please answer my questions." They looked at each other guiltily, then refocused on me. "Well, after bein' here with you and the others for the last month, we can pretty much pick up on what anybody's feeling at any time," Alex answered. "Right now, it's still pretty much limited to feelings with you guys, but T.J.'s getting the hang of it quicker than anybody we've known." "Can you actually pick up the thoughts of others as you can with each other? Or is it limited to just feelings?" "The longer we're together, the more we'll be able to do," Joey said. "And the way T.J.'s goin', he'll be caught up with us soon." "Okay, now answer my other question, can you keep T.J. from picking up anything." "Yeah, we both know how to keep something to ourselves. If there's something I don't want Joey knowing, I can kinda hide it and keep it away from him." "Good. What I need to ask you, I don't want your brothers knowing about until they're older. They're not ready to know this and when they are, it will come from me, understood." They both nodded their heads in agreement and I continued, "First, I need to ask if the Mueller's ever did anything to either of you while you lived with them." "You mean `sides treatin' us like dog crap?" Alex asked. "Unfortunately, yes, besides that?" Joey's eye grew wide and he asked, "Wait, you're talkin' like some really sick shit, aren't you?" After I nodded, he continued, "Yeah, I saw that picture that just flashed through your mind. That's gross. No, if they'd ever done that shit to us, I'da cut that fucker's dick off in his sleep." Despite his language, I couldn't help but laugh. I knew exactly how he felt. "I don't doubt that for one second, Joey. And I'm very glad to hear that it didn't happen to you guys. Ecstatic, actually." "But, why you askin' `bout them," Joey asked. "'Specially `bout sick shit like that?" "Because, they did it to him, dummy," Alex answered, shock filling his face at his revelation. "That's what I was feeling from you yesterday, wasn't it, Dad? I just couldn't sort it all out then because it was too jumbled. They fucked you, over and over, didn't they? But it was years ago, why didn't I pick it up before now?" "Because I'd buried it deep, Alex, and it didn't really resurface until yesterday. And you're right, it was very jumbled up in my head." "Oh, crap, I knew!" Alex cried. "I knew something was wrong between y'all at Steak `n Shake. When that bastard saw you, I felt a flash of somethin', but I couldn't put a name to it. It was like a combination of hate and disgust. He knew who you were before you could tell him, didn't he? But he acted like he didn't. Why?" "I don't know Alex. Maybe he thought he could somehow continue to torment me. I really don't know. And in some twisted way, I guess he has been." Alex looked to Joey and asked, "You remember all those names we used to pick up between the two of them?" Joey nodded. "They were all boys' names, weren't they? And the one we thought was Mack, I bet it was Max." The flash hit Joey like a bolt of lightning as his jaw dropped. "Wait, you know names of other boys? How?" "Well, we lived with them for a long time and we'd pretty much tuned `em in. They used to think `bout `em all the time. And whenever I picked up a name and looked at `em, they always had kind of a dreamy look on their faces. It's seemed pretty creepy, but that's all I ever got was names. None of that other crap. I don't know why, though. Emotions that strong usually have something visual to go with `em, but I never saw any of that." "Do you still remember the names? Can you write them down for me?" "Sure, Dad, but why?" Joey asked. "Well, Dylan and Carol will be investigating the Mueller's and if they had a list of names to work from, it would help them out immensely." "You bet, give us some paper and we'll do it right now. We'll do whatever we can to help put those fuckers in jail." I handed a notepad and pen over to each and sat back while they furiously scribbled their lists. A few minutes later, when they handed the pads back to me, it was my turn to be shocked. After quickly looking through both lists, I moaned, "Oh my god, you must have sixty or more names here. And it looks like none are duplicated." "Yeah, I listed the ones from her and Joey did the ones from him." I walked around the desk and gave both boys a hug. "I can't thank you two enough for giving me those names. As hard as it is to remember what those two did to me, I hate that they could have done the same to you or any other kids. I'll have to give these lists to both Dylan and Carol, and they may want to talk to you about anything else you might know. Do you have a problem with that?" "Not if it keeps `em from hurting another kid." "Thanks. And remember, please, keep this to yourselves for now. We have enough to deal with, we don't need the others knowing about it, okay." "You got it, Dad," Alex answered. "We'll do our best," Joey added. "Good, scoot on out of here and ask your Pops to come in, please." They hightailed it out of the study to rejoin their brothers and after a short wait, Tom came in and closed the door. "Well, you were right," I said. "Was there any doubt about that?" he laughed. "How'd it go with them?" "Turns out, they kinda knew already. Apparently, the longer they're around someone, the more they can pick up. And we're going to use that to our benefit and the Mueller's detriment." "How?" "They've written a list of what looks like over sixty names that they picked up those two thinking about over the last four to five years." "Holy shit! I can't believe that." "I don't know what to think, Tom. They're both so smart already, and add to that their ability to read emotions the way they do, anything's possible. When I first asked them if the Mueller's had ever done anything to them, Joey said he caught a glimpse of a picture in my mind that told him what I was really asking. I don't even remember having an image in my mind when I asked, but he still found it." "Oh, geez, I need to figure out some way to keep him out of my head. There's shit up there he don't need to see. So, what's next?" "I need to talk to Dylan and Carol, give them both these names. It may help them narrow their search somewhat." "Will they need to talk to Joey and Alex?" "I don't know, but both boys said they would. I just don't know if I should call them tonight or wait until Monday. I'd hate to ruin their weekends, but I think the sooner they know we have some names for them, the better off they'll be. What do you think?" "Call `em. At least let `em know what you've got." "Okay, here goes nothin'." I picked up the phone and dialed Carol's home number first. She didn't answer the phone, so I left a message for her to call me back as soon as she could. After hanging up and dialing Dylan's number, I commented, "Her plans with her parents for the weekend must have started tonight." Dylan answered the phone with, "Yo, Max, what's up? I didn't expect to be hearing from you tonight." "Hey, Dylan. I've got something for you that you're not going to like." "Oh, shit, now what?" "I talked to the twins a bit ago and found out the Muellers never abused them, not like they did me, anyway." "Well, that's great news, Max, why the hell wouldn't I like that?" "Well, okay, that part you'll like, but you aren't gonna like what comes next. The boys have given me a list of names that they picked up from the Muellers over the last several years. And they're all boys' names." "What, exactly, do you mean by `picked up'?" "I'm sure you've heard stories about the mental link some twins share, right?" "You mean, like one gets hurt in California and the other knows about it in New York? Yeah, who hasn't heard about that happening?" "Well, with Alex and Joey, it goes deeper than that. They have ability to talk to each other without using their voices. They also have the ability to sense emotions in other people rather accurately and if they're around you long enough, they can pick up words and thoughts, also." "Damn, that's spooky, man. Glad they ain't livin' with me, they'd be traumatized by the shit in my brain," he laughed. "Yeah, Tom feels the same way, but I think it's pretty cool." "You go right ahead and think that, boy. Now, what is it you ain't told me yet?" "The lists they gave me has sixty or more names on it." "Ah, fuck, you're shittin' me, Max. Give me one good reason I shouldn't go kill those motherfuckers right now." "Oh, they're gonna die, all right, but I think we should let Beefcake Bubba and Slutty Sally take care of them for us after they're behind bars. You know they won't last a week inside once word of what they've done gets out. Besides, I'd kinda like to hear that both of them have been mercilessly raped to within an inch of their lives before someone sticks `em with a shiv in the chow hall." "Oh, you are one evil motherfucker, but I like the way you're thinkin'. Might was well let the trash take out the trash for us, right?" "Exactly. No sense any of us doin' time when someone who already is will solve our problems for us, don't ya' think? Besides, I think I might know a few people who just might let their, uh, dalliances, shall we say, be known amongst their new friends and neighbors." "Undoubtedly. Though I can't imagine who would do such an evil deed as to spread such rumors and lies," he chuckled. "Look, I haven't received any notification from Dr. Kirkland, yet, so you just hold on to that list. As soon I get his report, I'll make arrangements to pick it up." "No problem, Dylan. I thought you'd want to know I have it for you. I left a message for Carol, also, and she'll probably get it on Monday. It might be easier for you to get it from her." "I'll do that, Max. Thanks for callin' and I hope you guys have a great weekend. Good luck with the party, tomorrow. I have a feeling you're going to need it." "Thanks, Dylan, I do, too. Talk to you later." "Okay, that's done, now who else was I supposed to call today?" "What about the twins' friends who live around the corner from the scumbags?" "That's it! Thanks, big guy. I'm dealing with some serious CRS right now." "What the hell is CRS?" "Can't Remember Shit," I laughed. "And what little I do remember right now, I'd just as soon forget." I looked up the Jackson's phone number in the directory and dialed the number, then punched the button to put the speaker on. "Jackson residence, may I help you, please?" a young voice asked. "Hi, may I talk with your mom or dad, please?" "May I tell her who's calling, please?" "My name is Max Sanders. I'm Joey and Alex Allison's new dad." "OHMIGOD, REALLY!? This is Jos�, how are they!? We haven't seen them for a month and we miss `em really bad. They just disappeared one weekend and we didn't know what'd happened, or where they were." "Hi, Jos�, nice to talk to you. They miss you and your brother, Jesse, also. That's why I'm calling." "Hang on, I'll get my Mom!" I heard the phone rattle as he dropped the receiver and scream, "Mom! Get on the phone, it's Joey and Alex's new dad and he wants to talk to you." He came back on the phone, panting with excitement, and added, "Hang on, she'll be right here." Jos� must have been holding the phone out to his mom as she crossed the room because we could hear him squealing, "C'mon mom, hurry up, please." I then heard him yell, "Jesse, get in here, Alex and Joey's new dad is on the phone." "Hello, who is this, please?" "Mrs. Jackson, I presume. My name is Max Sanders. I'm in the process of adopting Alex and Joey and becoming their new dad." "Oh, Mr. Sanders, you don't know how happy I am to finally hear where those two disappeared to. My two have been worried sick this past month, and more than just a little bit lonely. Joey and Alex were the only other boys in the neighborhood their age." "Well, the mystery has been solved, Mrs. Jackson. And please, call me Max." "I'll do that, thanks. And my name is Karla, by the way. Now that we have all the niceties out of the way, how are those two fiendish rapscallions?" she laughed. "As fiendish as ever," I laughed and Tom joined in. "Actually, the reason I'm calling is their birthday was yesterday..." "Oh, I'm sorry my boys had to miss that. They would have loved to have been there." "Well, there's still a chance, Karla. I apologize for the late notice, but we're having a pool party at our home tomorrow with Alex and Joey's friends from school and just last night they told me they'd love it if Jesse and Jos� could come out and join the fun." "Oh, that sounds great, Max, and I know they'd love it, too, but isn't it a bit chilly for a pool party?" "Don't worry about that, the pool's in-ground, heated and inside a heated shelter. I've also hired two lifeguards from the `Y' to be here. I don't think my partner and I could adequately supervise twenty-some boys." "Max, could you hold on for one second, please, I'm about to be mugged by two wild boys who are bouncing off the walls. Thanks." We could hear Karla telling her sons about the party tomorrow and by the reaction she received, we'd be adding two more to the guest list. "Okay, Max, it's all set. I think these two would bury me in the back yard if I'd said no." "That sounds, great Karla. Joey and Alex will be thrilled to have them here." "Do we need to bring anything beyond their swimsuits?" "No, the twins certainly don't need any more gifts and the food, drink and everything else is being handled. Let me give you our address and some directions." I took care of that and asked Tom, "Can you think of anything else?" After a quick shake of his head, I returned to Karla. "That should be it. The party isn't supposed to start until one, but if your boys would like come out earlier, that'd be fine with us. Seems like there might be some catching up they'd like to do before the rest of the guests arrive." "That's perfect, Max. My husband and I have some running around to do tomorrow afternoon. Would it be okay if we dropped Jesse and Jos� around eleven?" "That'll be just fine, Karla. We'll look forward to seeing you and the boys then." After hanging up the phone, I looked at Tom and said, "We should probably go make sure we still have a house to have a party in, don't you think?" "Ah, they're good kids, how much damage can they do in a few minutes?" "They're boys, Tom, do you really to see the answer to that question?" I laughed. "Uh, now that you mentioned it, no, I don't think so," he answered as he laughed along with me. "Can you stand another hug and kiss?" "Gee, let me think about it." I didn't wait for an answer and when we separated, we headed out to join the boys. "Can I tell the twins the good news?" "Sure." When we had rejoined the boys, Tom wasted no time announcing, "Joey, Alex, we just got off the phone with Mrs. Jackson and she's bringing Jesse and Jos� out ...". If he said anything after that, you sure couldn't hear a word of it as the twins went stark raving crazy, screaming in joy like banshees and jumping around like kangaroos. When they finally calmed down, Tom added, "I'm guessing that's a good thing, huh?" "Understatement of the year, big guy. How about a movie before bed, guys?" "Yeah!" they yelled. "Good, can we watch the one you watched last night? Up was it? I want to see what this `squirrel' thing is all about." All five immediately started laughing while Tom and I looked at each other, confusion etched deeply on our faces. "Popcorn, as usual, I assume?" With a round of nods, we all got busy in the kitchen popping corn, pouring drinks and getting ready for our movie. Joey had gone to their new room to retrieve the movie and when he returned with it, I asked, "So, did you five get everything moved to the twins' new room?" "Moved and put away, dad," Alex answered. "Good job, guys. I'm proud of you three for helping your brothers." "No sweat, dad," T.J. answered. "Now that John guy can start work on our room." "Uh, bad news there, T.J., you're going to have to wait a week before he starts on it." "Why?" Mike asked. "John is taking next week off so he and his wife could take a trip. But he promised me he'd be back the next week and would get started on your room that Monday." "Well, that stinks," T.J. griped. "That may be, T.J., but he's entitled to a little time off. You'll survive an extra week in your current room, I'm sure." "Yeah, okay. Not like we have much choice, is it?" "Not this time, buddy, sorry. Okay, everybody got their popcorn and drink?" With affirmative nods from all, we adjourned to the theater for our movie. I had Joey start the movie since he stated last night that they `weren't little kids anymore'. I still found it quite humorous how one day in a life can seem to make such a big difference to someone. While Tom and I didn't normally watch the animated movies with the boys, I had to admit we enjoyed this one. At least I got see what was so funny about `squirrel' and why the boys found it so dang funny. When the movie ended, it was time to hit the sack as I had a feeling tomorrow was going to a very long day. The fantastic five dropped their bowls and cups in the dishwasher on the way through the kitchen and I got it started so I could empty it in the morning. With that done, we followed in the boys' footsteps for our nightly ritual. With the twins being in their new room, we stopped there first. "Wow, you all did a great job getting everything moved and put away," Tom commented as we entered the room. "Thanks, Pops, the help from Andy, Mike, and T.J. made it a lot easier to do." "Well, it looks great boys, like you've been in this room since you moved in. Good job, all of you." "Night, Dads," they both said as we got our hugs and kissed their foreheads. "G'night, guys. Get some good sleep, you've got a busy day tomorrow." "Love you both," Tom said as we turned out the light. "Love both of you, too," they chimed as we closed the door. Next stop, the terrific trio. As we walked through the door, we could hear giggling emanating from within. And once in the room far enough to see the bed, we found Andy on his back in the middle of the bed, Mike on one side and T.J. on the other. Both had their hands roaming all around Andy's body, but rather intently focused on one particular spot. "You two ready to learn how to help Andy?" I asked. "Yeah, here's the cream you brought home," T.J. volunteered. "Here, Tom, why don't you do it?" "Why me? I never done this before." "Well, neither have any of us, so you might as well. I'll tell you what the doctor told me." "Okay, if you insist. You okay with me doin' this, Andy?" "Sure, Pops, go ahead." "Okay, Max, what am I doin'?" "Just put a little bit of the cream on your fingertip, then spread it around the outside of his foreskin. You want to make sure you get all the way around it, especially the very end where the opening is. Then you just kind of massage it into the skin." "But what if he gets an erection?" "Trust me, bubba, he'll get an erection, won't you, Andy?" "I got one with the lady doc, didn't I?" "The doctor was a woman and she touched your dick!?" Mike exclaimed. "Yeah, I wasn't too happy with the idea, but it wasn't that bad, I guess." "Okay, Andy," Tom interrupted, "you ready?" "Anytime," he answered with a mischievous grin. Tom put a little bit of the cream on his fingertip and then started to rub it around Andy's foreskin. As with any male, with the touch of a hand not his own, Andy's penis was immediately erect. It didn't seem to faze Tom one bit as he continued to gently rub the cream around and around the turgid member until you couldn't see any more of the cream. "Okay, next, you very gently pull the foreskin back to stretch it a little. I know I said this earlier, but whatever you do boys, do not force the foreskin back over the glans." "Can I do this part?" T.J. asked. "I had to do this with my own so I know how." "Sure, T.J., go ahead." After watching him for a minute, it was obvious he knew exactly what he was doing. "Good job, T.J. Why don't you guys do this? Mike can put the cream on and massage it into the skin and T.J. can do the stretching part. Sound good to you?" "Yeah, dads, we can do this. It'll be fun." "Now one other thing," I started, "If you want to do any kind of playing around, do it before you apply the cream and do the stretching, got it?" "Got it dads," T.J. answered. "You okay with them helping you, Andy?" "Yeah, this'll be lots of fun. And it feels really good, too." "Okay, you three, time to hit the hay. Long day for all of us tomorrow." We exchanged our hugs, kisses, love yous and goodnights, then pulled up the covers, turned out the light and closed the door. "I think you rather enjoyed that, big guy," I commented as we started down the hall. "Oh, what makes you think that?" Tom asked. "Oh, I can read the signs," I whispered as I reached a hand over and wrapped it around the dripping eight-inch cock jutting out from his crotch. "Can't get anything past you, can I?" "Not with that monster you can't. What say we go take care of that?" "You got the leash, lead the way, babe." I led the way to our bedroom pulling Tom along by his hard cock and, after closing the door, I made love to that beautiful slab of beef with my mouth for the better part of an hour. I also included his balls and sphincter in my roaming tongue bath. When Tom finally reached the point of almost losing total control over his body, I slowly impaled his sweet ass with my cock until my bare pubis was smothered by his hairy ball sack. I heard him moan lightly, "Oh, god yes, fuck me, babe." I could deny this man I loved nothing and gave him exactly what he'd begged for. I started slowly, then increased my speed ever so slightly until I had a nice smooth rhythm going. I was feeling electric jolts surge through my body all the way to my toes and I could tell Tom was feeling much the same as I poked and prodded his prostate with my cock. After the extended oral bath, it didn't take too long for Tom to reach the point of no return. The growl of lust he emitted when he came sent me over the edge, also. Of course, the rhythmic clamping of his sphincter muscle around my cock also provided another stimulus. Both of us spent, I remained in position as my cock slowly wilted and retreated from his ass. With the final expulsion, I rolled over to his side, panting, and held on to my lover. When I felt I'd regained enough strength in my legs to move, I helped Tom off the bed and into the shower, much the same way he'd done for me the night before. Once we were both clean and dry, we fell into bed and I held my lover until early the next morning as we both enjoyed a good night's sleep.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 51</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk488100590"></a><a name="_Toc487754509"><span>Chapter 51 � Who Wants to Play Doctor?</span></a></h2> <p><span>When the door finally closed and Andy saw the doctor for the first time, he started violently shaking his head and yelled, <a name="_Hlk488183975">"Huh-uh, this ain't happenin'! <i>She</i> ain't lookin' at or touchin' my dick!"</a></span></p> <p><span>"Andy! That's enough," I admonished the squirming boy. I turned to the doctor, "I'm sorry, Dr. Finney. He's not normally like this."</span></p> <p><span>"That's quite all right, Mr. Sanders, is it? My name's Marcia. Do you mind if I use Max? I've found over the years patients and parents seem to feel a bit more comfortable when I use first names."</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all. Young Mr. Squirmy here is Andy."</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Andy, it's nice to meet you," she greeted, extending a hand, which I shook, but Andy ignored. "And what brings you to my office this afternoon?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Andy has recently joined our family. He's noticed that his foreskin doesn't roll back completely like one of his brother's does. Since I lost mine many years ago, I'm not really in a position to know if there's a problem or not. That's the main reason we're here, but I think overall checkup would be a good idea."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry you had to go through that. Fortunately, with newer research into the function of the nerves and mucosa of the foreskin, and better education of doctors, circumcision is on the decline, but there's still a long way to go."</span></p> <p><span>"I obviously don't remember it and what's done is done."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's get this young man up on the table here and see what makes him tick. Andy, would you join me over here, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't wanna'."</span></p> <p><span>"Andy, look at me," I chided. When he turned his attention to me, I continued, "You know why we're here. You need to let Dr. Finney examine you so we can make sure there's no problems with your penis and foreskin. When I called to find a doctor for today, I was told that Dr. Finney is the best pediatrician in town."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't care. She ain't lookin' at my di ... you know what." Dr. Finney started to say something but I held up my hand so I could continue.</span></p> <p><span>"Think about this for a second, Andy. You've been swimming with Gramma Estelle, right, and you've been around Aunt Lee when you're nude, right? Did it bother you for them to see you that way?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, no, I guess not. But they wasn't touching me there, either, were they?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, they weren't, but when you asked me to look at the problem and I touched you, did that bother you?"</span></p> <p><span>He developed a grin and answered, "Well, no, but you're a guy and that's different." He leaned in close and whispered in my ear, "Besides, that felt kinda good." I barely controlled my snort of laughter before carrying on.</span></p> <p><span>"But you still let me do it because you trusted me and you knew I wouldn't hurt you, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I guess so," he muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"That's all Dr. Finney wants to do. I trust her. And since I do, you can trust her, too, and I promise she won't hurt you. She needs to make sure you don't have any serious problems. And I'll be right here with you the whole time. Will you please be a brave boy and let her do her job?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess," he moped. He turned to the doctor and said, "Okay, let get his over with."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Andy. Why don't you let your dad lift you up on the table?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can do it," he chirped, then he stepped up on the stool and hopped the rest of the way to the table.</span></p> <p><span>"I can tell you like to run and jump, don't you?" she asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep," Andy answered proudly.</span></p> <p><span>She sat on the stool and looked up into his eyes so she knew he was focused on her. "Okay, Andy, before I do anything during your exam, I'm going to tell you about it, just so you're not surprised, okay? And I promise that nothing I do today will hurt you in any way. There's going to be some poking and prodding, but none of that will hurt a bit. Are you okay with that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. I want to start by listening to you heart, lungs and bowels. I need you to lift your shirt up, or, if you think it's okay, you can just take it off." He didn't waste any time lifting the shirt off his shoulders, then peeling it over his head and tossing it to me. Marcia warmed her stethoscope in her hands and then moved it from spot to spot on his chest and back. "Everything sounds good here. Would you like to hear it, Andy?"</span></p> <p><span>"Can I, really?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, let's just slip these into your ears." She pulled the stethoscope from her own ears and gently placed them in Andy's. As soon as she put the other end on his chest, his eyes opened wide in fascination.</span></p> <p><span>"Wow! That's really cool, lub-dub ... lub-dub ... lub-dub. I never heard my own heart before." He pulled the ends from ears, handed them back to Marcia and added, "Thanks, Doctor Finney."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Andy, the more you know about your own body, the better care you can give it so it lasts a long time. Now, would you lay on your back so I can listen to your gut?"</span></p> <p><span>"What's listenin' to my belly gonna tell you?"</span></p> <p><span>"It'll let me know if everything moving through your digestive system properly."</span></p> <p><span>"What's a `gestive system?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"DI-gestive. Here, let me show you on this model." She removed the front panel of a model of a human torso that was sitting on the counter and proceeded to give Andy (and me) a three-minute tutorial on what happens to the food we eat. When she finished her explanation, she added, "And by listening to the sounds in your gut, I can make sure everything is moving through all that the way it should be." After he laid down, she placed the stethoscope in several places around his belly, listening intently. Andy giggled a couple of times and she commented, "Looks like you're a bit ticklish." He nodded his agreement and giggled again as she hit a new spot. "Okay, everything sounds good there, too. Do you ever have trouble going to the bathroom, Andy?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, no," he answered with a slight blush.</span></p> <p><span>"You shouldn't be embarrassed about it, young man, everybody poops. In fact, there's even a book for little kids just learning to use the bathroom named, just that, `Everybody Poops'." She next pulled an instrument from its holder on the wall and said, "Okay, Andy, the next thing I'm going to do is look into your ears, nose, throat and eyes. I'm going to use this instrument, called an otoscope. It has a bright light and a magnifying glass so I can see into those dark places easier, okay?" A simple nod was his only response. She performed all those checks in about three minutes with the usual request to open wide and say `ahhh'. "See, that didn't hurt a bit, did it?" she asked as she tossed the scope's hood in the trash and replaced the device in its bracket.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope," he replied, "except for the light in my eyes, but it wasn't too bad."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. You're doing just great, Andy. Next, I need to feel around your neck and throat and under your arms to make sure your glands feel okay. You ready for that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, go ahead."</span></p> <p><span>She did her exam and, as I expected, when she started feeling under his arm, Andy started giggling uncontrollably. "Oh, my," she said, "you're <i>really</i> ticklish there, aren't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uh-huh," he nodded, "I hate when my brothers do that."</span></p> <p><span>That part of the exam completed, it was time to move on. "Okay, next, I'm going to tap around your chest and belly to make sure I don't hear anything unusual. You ready?" Another quick nod and she proceeded. When she finished, she had Andy sit back up and commented, "You're looking and sounding as fit as a fiddle so far, Andy. Let's take a look at your hands and feet next." We waited a minute while he removed his shoes and socks and handed them to me. Once he was resettled, Marcia carefully checked both hands including the fingernails, then moved on to the feet, eliciting even more giggles from him. "I'd say everything there is in good shape, especially those ticklish little feet."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Andy, next I need to check your reflexes."</span></p> <p><span>"How you gonna do that? Try to scare me and see if I jump?"</span></p> <p><span>After a short giggle, she replied, "No, I'm going to take this little rubber hammer right here and lightly tap special places on your arms and legs to see if they react the way they should."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, let's do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Can you pull your pants legs above your knee so I can make sure I tap the right spot on your knee."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, I don't think so, they kinda tight at the bottom."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the other option would be for you to go ahead and take them off. They'll have to come off in a few minutes, anyway." </span></p> <p><span>The boy's eyes widened in surprise at that reminder. "Um, just a sec, I gotta talk to my dad." He hopped off the table and nervously came over to me. He leaned in and whispered, "Uh, dad, I got a problem."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I ain't wearin' no underwear," he hissed in my ear.</span></p> <p><span>"And...?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if I take my pants off, I'll be naked!" giving up all pretense with whispering.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and...?"</span></p> <p><span>"You ain't helpin' me here, dad," he admonished me rather seriously, placing his hands on his hips.</span></p> <p><span>"Andy, you're going to end up nude, anyway, so Dr. Finney can examine your foreskin, remember? What's the difference if it's now or five minutes from now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah. Duh!" I couldn't help but chuckle. "But what if someone else comes in?"</span></p> <p><span>I looked to Marcia and she responded, "Andy, all the people who work here know that when an exam room door is closed, they don't just walk in. They need to knock and wait for an answer. If someone does knock because they need me for something, I'll make sure to cover you up before I respond, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"See, Andy, the same rules we have at home, right? And maybe this idea will help you, too. We're nude most every evening and weekends at home, right? So, just think you're at home and watching a movie. You can close your eyes and imagine the movie in your mind. Think you can do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I think so. Will you stand next to me and hold my hand?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, buddy. Now, shuck off those pants so Dr. Finney can finish with us and go help some other kid, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>Resigned to his fate, he mumbled, "Yeah, all right." He untied his sweats and let them drop to the floor around his ankles, then stepped out of them and handed them to me. As he did that, I could see a light pink tint of embarrassment flush his body from head to toe. I placed his clothes on the chair, then took his hand in mine and guided him back to the exam table. He was walking backwards and covering his crotch with his other hand. Since he was in no mood to climb onto the table this time, I slipped my hands into his armpits, hoisted him up and set him on the end, leaving his legs dangling. After wrapping his left hand in mine again, he closed his eyes and Marcia continued the exam.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Andy, I need you to lay your right arm on your right leg and just let it relax." Without conscious thought, he took his right hand away from his crotch and laid his arm on his leg as she asked, leaving his left hand in mine. She proceeded to tap his arm in several locations, looking at the muscle reactions. When she finished with the right arm, she asked, "Okay, your dad and I are going to swap places so he can hold your right hand and I can check your left arm. Just lay your left arm on your leg like you did the other and we'll be good to go." Andy followed her instructions and she did the same to his left arm. "Excellent Andy, time to check your legs." After a quick check of his knee and ankle reflexes, it was time for the reason were here today.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Andy, we're ready for your final check. Would you slide up the table and lie down for me, please?" Without opening his eyes, he did as requested and was soon stretched out and as ready as he would ever be. "Very good, Andy, thank you. Now, I need to touch your penis so I can see what's going on with your foreskin. It's very possible you will get an erection when I do. Do you know what an erection is?" A curt nod told her he did. "You don't have any reason to be embarrassed about that if it happens. It's a perfectly natural reaction that you have no control over. You ready?" Another quick nod of acceptance was his only response.</span></p> <p><span>Dr. Finney slipped on a pair of gloves and began her exam. As soon as her fingers contacted his penis, Andy opened his eyes, giving up on the movie in his mind, and he watched her every move. She started by trying to roll the foreskin back to expose the glans. She discovered the same thing I did, that it just wouldn't stretch quite far enough, even when his penis was flaccid. The head of his penis was about a half-inch around, but the foreskin wouldn't open more than three-eighths of an inch or so. She next inserted a cotton swab on the end of a plastic stick inside the foreskin. I could see the slight bulge at the end of the swab make a ring around the inside of the foreskin as she gently moved it in little circles around the glans several times. This elicited a little giggle from Andy. By the time the swab was removed, nature had taken control over his penis and he had, indeed, developed an erection.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the swab is nice and clean," Marcia commented, "so it appears Andy's managing to adequately clean inside the foreskin. You can see how the penis is being held back from full extension when erect by this slight bulge where it meets his pubis. That's fairly common in cases of phimosis. Also, you could see the foreskin has properly separated all the way around the glans when I used the swab, so that's a good sign. I also don't see any scarring or damage to the foreskin from trying to force the issue or from repeated infections. The only real problem I see is the opening at the tip of the foreskin just isn't stretched far enough to allow for complete retraction. Andy's fortunate in one respect as the foreskin does retract just far and wide enough to not interfere with urination. He's obviously received <i>some</i> instruction as to how properly clean the inside of the foreskin, and that's good, also."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, my mom showed me what to do a few years ago," Andy volunteered. "But I never knew it was s'posed to go all the way back until I saw my brother T.J. with a boner. Oops, sorry doctor, I meant `rection."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you worry about it, young man. I've been doing this job for many years now and I've seen and heard most anything you can think of."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what can we do to help remedy the problem?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"There are a few options for you to consider, Max. First, Andy's still fairly young and as he grows, the problem <i>may</i> resolve itself. It's not too uncommon for situations like his to continue into puberty or even a little past puberty. Since the foreskin opening is so close to allowing complete retraction, I'm inclined to believe that's what will happen with Andy. </span></p> <p><span>"Second, I could also prescribe a steroid cream to be applied to the foreskin twice a day. This will sometimes, but not always, help loosen the foreskin and speed up the natural process. It also has the nice side effect of feeling rather pleasurable." My eyes popped open wide in surprise. "Oh, come on, Max, don't try to tell me that boys, even as young as Andy, don't masturbate." Another giggle escaped Andy which caused both of us to chuckle, also.</span></p> <p><span>"It's not that, so much. I'm just surprised you'd talk about it so freely."</span></p> <p><span>"Why shouldn't I?" she asked. "Masturbation is as normal and natural as urinating or defecating. No matter what you say or do, it's going to happen, with both boys <i>and</i> girls. There are just some kids who are a bit further along on that particular road of self-discovery than others." Andy let out another giggle and raised his hand a few inches in acknowledgement that he was one of those kids. "I've always been very open with my own kids about their bodies and what I know happens. Open discussions about sex and masturbation are very important to your kids growing up to be well-adjusted adults.</span></p> <p><span>"Now, back to the topic at hand. The third option is gentle stretching of the foreskin. You saw how I used the swab to check for possible infection inside the foreskin. You can do the same. Just insert the swab inside the foreskin and gently roll it around the glans. That has the added benefit of helping ensure proper cleaning while also gently stretching the opening at the same time. I'd recommend using swabs with a plastic center section as opposed to paper or wood. The plastic will be much smoother and cause less irritation to the inside of the foreskin.</span></p> <p><span>"The absolute last thing you want to do is force the foreskin back over the glans. That can cause a condition called paraphimosis, which is where the foreskin gets stuck behind the glans. That can cause severe pain and the blood circulation can be cut off to the glans and create all sorts of nasty problems. Should that happen, you'll need to take Andy to the emergency room to resolve the problem. And I can almost guarantee their first recommendation will be circumcision.</span></p> <p><span>"The last option is surgery. And I do mean <i>last</i>. I absolutely hate to recommend circumcision in any case. I just don't understand the desire or need to mutilate an otherwise perfectly functioning body part. But, in rare instances, it's the only permanent solution to the problem. In my twenty-five years of practice, I've only had to refer one child to a urologist for the procedure. I truly hated to do it, especially since he was a teenager at the time, but his foreskin was so damaged from so many infections and poor care, there was simply no other option. With the proper care, treatment and attention, I see no reason for Andy to ever have to undergo that.</span></p> <p><span>"So, there you have it. Any questions?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, can I get dressed now?" Andy asked with another chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"You certainly may, Andy," Marcia replied, patting his thigh. "Thank you for being such a good patient." Andy wasted no time in hopping off the exam table and getting dressed. When he rejoined Dr. Finney and me, she asked, "Now, that wasn't so bad, was it, Andy?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I guess not. You're a really good doctor, ya' know."</span></p> <p><span>"Why, thank you, young man. It's always nice to receive a compliment now and then. Now did someone else come with you two today? I'd like to talk to your dad for a minute if you have someone to sit with you in the waiting room."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, my pops came with us, too. He was getting stitches taken out of his head, but I don't know how long that was gonna take."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, give me his name and I'll find out."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom Wright," I replied. Marcia picked up the phone and called the reception desk. After making the inquiry, she hung up and told us, "Yes, your Pops is waiting out front for you two. An aide will be here in a minute to walk you out so you don't get lost along the way." We waited for just a moment before there was a light knock on the door. Marcia stepped over and opened it. "Ah, Janie, thanks. Would you please guide young Andy, here, back to reception and connect him up with his pops, Tom Wright? Thank you." After Janie took Andy's hand in her own, they left the room as Andy gave a quick wave over his shoulder and Marica closed the door.</span></p> <p><span>"What did you want to talk to me about?" I asked rather nervously.</span></p> <p><span>"Max, don't get all defensive on me. I just wanted to you ask about something I heard you tell Andy and mention one other thing you could do to help him."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, but we're a rather unconventional family and I guess I'm worried about certain things. Go ahead."</span></p> <p><span>"First, I heard you tell Andy that your family spends most of its evenings and weekends nude and at least his gramma and aunt have seen him nude. I assume from those comments that you live a nudist lifestyle. Would that be a fair assumption to make?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I suppose so. You don't have a problem with that do you? You're not going to report us to DCFS, are you?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, absolutely not. While my own family has never fully embraced a nudist lifestyle, we weren't what you'd consider body shy in our home. I've found through my reading and own personal experience that simple nudity promotes a positive body image. It also helps resolves many normally unasked questions from kids who are naturally curious about what other people look like under their clothes. I personally have no problems with casual nudity in the family home, but you should be aware there are many other doctors who don't share the same opinion and they <i>are</i> likely to report you. I think you should a bit more circumspect about how much information you share with others."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Dr. Finney. I appreciate your concern. One solution to that potential problem would be for you to become our family doctor. Are you in a position where you're accepting new patients?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I love taking care of kids. The more the merrier."</span></p> <p><span>"Can you handle five more?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet! What ages are we talking about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Two that are nine-years old, one who is seven and two more that are six-years old, one of which is Andy."</span></p> <p><span>"By all means, let's get them set up as patients. Then we can get them all in for checkups."</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't we wait until the start of school this fall. Their adoptions won't be finalized until mid-June and I'm not sure yet whether Andy will actually be adopted by us. Right now, were just fostering him. I'm sure once the adoptions are completed, I won't have any problems getting whatever medical records they have up to now and that would give you a good starting point of what's needed next."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds great, Max. I'll look forward to it. Now, there's one more thing I wanted to talk about as a possible therapy to help Andy with his foreskin issue. I didn't want to say anything about it with Andy in the room in case he might be uncomfortable with this idea. You can also have Andy soak in a bathtub of warm water two or three times a week and again, gently stretch the foreskin after he's out. The warm water will help soften the skin tissue and make it a little easier to stretch. Since it sounds like he and his brother T.J. are pretty close to the same age and they are both intact, perhaps T.J. would be willing to help Andy with that."</span></p> <p><span>I stuck a finger in my ear and wiggled it around, then asked, "Excuse me, did I hear that right? Are you actually suggesting his brothers be allowed to help with this?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max, I'm not our normal stuffy doctor. I'm a realist. I've raised two sons and a daughter and I know full well what my boys were doing to and with each other from the time they were babies. Despite what many parents think these days, I know that type of curiosity and interplay is a normal part of growing up. Both sons are now married with sons of their own who enjoy the same sense of discovery my boys did."</span></p> <p><span>"T.J. already made the offer to help Andy, but I told him not until after we'd seen a doctor and had a professional opinion. He'll be more than happy to help, as will the other six-year old, Mike."</span></p> <p><span>"It sounds like you have a plan of attack to help Andy with this, then. Do you want a prescription for the steroid cream so you can use that treatment in conjunction with the others?"</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like a good idea, we might as well do everything we can."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll give you a few samples that will get you through a few days until you can pick the prescription up, then, and we'll get you folks on your way."</span></p> <p><span>"I appreciate the way you took care of Andy today. He was really scared about seeing <i>any</i> doctor about his problem, but he really freaked out when he saw you were a woman."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm used to that, Max. A lot of older boys react that way, but I've found over the years that as long as I'm open with them about what I'm doing and why, they tend to be more accepting of a female doctor. Younger boys, of course, have absolutely no qualms about being nude around anybody."</span></p> <p><span>"You don't have to remind me of that, not with five of them at home," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"No, I suppose I don't," she laughed with me. "Why don't you head on up front and I'll have them get those samples for you. Thanks for coming in. It was a pleasure to meet you and Andy and I look forward to seeing your other boys when the time comes."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Dr. Finney." I weaved my way through the seemingly endless hallways to find my way back to the reception area. When I finally rejoined Tom and Andy, Andy jumped into my arms and gave me a big hug while Tom leaned in and lightly kissed my cheek. I turned Tom's head so I could see where the stitches had been and commented, "Looks like the ER doc knew what he was doing. You can barely see the scar."</span></p> <p><span>"That's what the doc here said. He was impressed."</span></p> <p><span>"How does it feel to have them out."</span></p> <p><span>"It's still pretty itchy, but at least I feel like I can scratch it without ripping my head back open. That's gonna be a big relief."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, that also means can I give you a smack upside the head now and then when you earn it."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks, love you, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't mention it. Hey, we gotta get movin' if we're gonna beat the others home. Let me get something for Andy and pay the bill and we'll get out of here." I held Andy out and added, "Do me a favor and take this little monkey."</span></p> <p><span>"Happy to, babe," Tom replied with a grin as he took Andy, who promptly laid his head on his pops' shoulder. After receiving the steroid cream and settling our bill for today, we headed out of the building and climbed into the car for the short trip home. As I pulled out of the parking lot, Tom asked, "I wonder if John and Bob are still there working on the twins' new room?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hell, I'd forgotten that supposed to happen today. That'll be another nice surprise for them, won't it? I can't wait to see what it looks like."</span></p> <p><span>"How'd your exam go, Andy," Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It was okay, I guess. I didn't much like a strange lady touching me down there."</span></p> <p><span>"But, once you got over your initial fear, Andy, you did just fine," I commented. "I'm proud of you for overcoming that. And you got some good news, didn't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, at least I don't have to get my dick cut. I didn't like the sound of that."</span></p> <p><span>"And after you left us, the doctor said it would be fine if T.J. and Mike wanted to help you."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, <i>that</i> sounds like it'll be fun," he giggled. Tom and I had to laugh along with him.</span></p> <p><span>Ten minutes later, I looked at the clock on the dash as we pulled in the drive. Seeing as the bus should arrive in just a few minutes, I parked by bus shelter to await their arrival. It didn't make sense to have to drive back out. We didn't have to wait long before the bus pulled up and four wild boys flew down the steps and ran like demons to join us in the car.</span></p> <p><span>When they'd all settled down and I started the short drive to the house, Alex asked, "Hey, when did you pick up the new car?"</span></p> <p><span>"We got it yesterday, but with the party last night, we kinda forgot about it," I answered. "You guys like it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dads, this is a sweet ride," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>Tom asked, "You guys have a good day at school and did you learn something new today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope," was the resounding consensus from all five.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon, surely one of you learned something you didn't know before you woke up this morning," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Dad, I guess I did, but I don't know if it really counts," Alex meekly replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, Alex, what did you discover today that you didn't know before."</span></p> <p><span>"We-e-e-ll, I found out our friend, Brent, has a really long peck ..., uh, penis."</span></p> <p><span>"What!?" yelled Joey. </span></p> <p><span>I damn near drove the car into a tree as I laughed my ass off. When I got myself and the car back under control, I commented, "Um, no, Alex, you're right. That wasn't quite what I had in mind."</span></p> <p><span>"What is it with you, bro'? First Andy, and now Brent. My dick not good enough for you, anymore? Are you really that freakin' horny?" he asked amongst giggles from T.J., Mike and Andy.</span></p> <p><span>"Guys, as interesting as this conversation may be, you're gonna have to put it on hold for a while," I said, pulling into the garage. "John and Bob are here working on your room and I don't think they want or need to hear about this, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, dad, but we <i>are</i> gonna talk about it later," Joey demanded.</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine. And thank in advance you for your restraint." After shutting off the car, the fantastic five hauled ass into the house while we were a bit more sedate about it. As Tom and I finally entered the house, the boys were flying back out of their rooms on the way to check out the changes in Joey and Alex's new room. A chorus of `cool', `neat', and a simple `wow' filled the room as Tom and I joined the others.</span></p> <p><span>I nodded my head in agreement with their assessment and added, "Bob, this all looks great. And, John, thanks for helping get it all in here and put together. I was worried it would seem too dark in the room overall, due to that one wall, but the lighter wood really mutes that."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max," Bob responded. "My guys worked their tails off since last weekend so we could get this all done and here today. If you and Tom are willing to help, we can get the mattress moved from the other room into here."</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, Bob. Boys, go make sure your bed is empty of whatever you might have just dropped on it." As they ran off, I added, "Go ahead and grab your pillows, too. Bring it all in here and put it on your desks." Just as the four adults were turning into the old room, we were almost run over by two anxious and very excited boys headed the other direction, packs, coats and pillows in their hands. With Tom and John on one side and Bob and me on the other, we manhandled the king-sized mattress out of the bedroom, into the hallway and back into the new room. Once the mattress was in place, Joey and Alex wasted no time putting the pillows on it, climbing in and laying down. They were soon joined by T.J., Mike, and Andy as all five gave the new frame a good checking out.</span></p> <p><span>"I sure hope that frame's strong and put together well," Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"I hope so, too," Bob laughed along.</span></p> <p><span>"What do we owe ya', Bob?" I asked. After hearing the price, I gave an appreciative whistle at the total. "That's a little more than I expected, but I can tell it's worth every penny. Everything looks absolutely perfect. Follow, me, and I'll get you a check. I owe you anything for today, John?"</span></p> <p><span>"Darn right you do, but I'll just tack today's time onto the invoice for the other work we've done, Max. I was holding onto that until I knew how much to add for today. Plus the required fifteen percent gratuity, of course," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds fine to me, John, you've all earned it this past week getting these two rooms redone for us so quickly." I turned and left the room with Bob following to pick up his payment. When we reached the study, I sat at the desk, offered Bob a chair on the other side and pulled my checkbook out of the center drawer. "Before I write the amount on here, do you need any extra to get the materials for Tom's desk and bookshelves. Or do you need more to cover overtime or anything for your crew?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, Max, thanks for offering. I order maple by the truck and always have plenty on hand. As for my guys wages, all that is already included in the number I gave you."</span></p> <p><span>"Just wanted to make sure." After completing the check and handing it over to Bob, I added, "I really thank you for getting their room done today. Their friends from school are coming tomorrow for a pool party for the twins' birthday and I know Alex an Joey really wanted to show off their new digs."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem. I knew that and that's why we worked as hard we did to get everything done."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, what about the new furniture for Tom's office? How soon do you think you'll have it done?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the shelf units aren't a big deal. They're just cutting, gluing, sanding and finishing. I plan to split that long wall into three smaller units just to make them easier to handle when we bring them in the house. The desk is an altogether different story. I'm going to build that myself and it will probably take two weeks to complete it and get it right. None of my crew are quite up to that task, just yet."</span></p> <p><span>"No rush, Bob, I was just curious. Also, once Joey and Alex get moved into the new bedroom, we're going to redo the room they were in for the other three. So, we'll need desks, shelves and a bedframe for that room also. The only difference I can think of, we will be wanting three desk areas instead of two."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to me, Max. I'll leave room in my schedule for that."</span></p> <p><span>As we stood to leave, I extended my hand and when we shook, I slipped $500 cash into Bob's hand. "That's just a little something extra for doing such a good job and doing it so quickly. Take your wife to a nice dinner, throw a party for your guys, whatever."</span></p> <p><span>Bob slipped the cash into his pocket without looking at it and said, "Thanks, it's been a pleasure and I'm sure it will be, again. Hope you guys have a great weekend and good luck with your party tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>We left the study and ambled back across the house to find five boys crowding the hallway, loaded down with clothes. "You guys moving out already?" I asked as we drew closer.</span></p> <p><span>"No way, dad," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>"We're just helpin' `em get their junk out of <i>our</i> room," Mike added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"That's good of you guys, thanks." I turned to Bob and commented, "Look like we may need the other bedroom's furniture <i>before</i> Tom's. You okay with that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever you want."</span></p> <p><span>"Then let's do it. Tom's in no real hurry to get back to work anyway," I laughed. We found Tom and John in the garage. "John, looks you better plan on attacking the second bedroom starting next week."</span></p> <p><span>"Why next week? I planned to take the week off so the wife and I could get out of town."</span></p> <p><span>"All five boys are in there, right now, moving Alex and Joey's things from their old room to the new one. When I asked if they were moving out, Mike answered they were just helpin' the twins' get `their junk of our room'. I think they're pretty anxious to get moved into their room, too." We all enjoyed a good laugh at the boys' excitement.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay, then. I'll tell her our trip has been delayed."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't you dare. I'll hold `em back best I can, but when you start on it the next week, you better do it fast, or they're liable to string you up."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for the warning, Max. My guys and I will be here. Well, I hope the boys like their new room. We'll go ahead and get out of your way. See you later." He turned, collected Bob and they left the garage. Tom and I returned to the house to supervise the move to find everything had already been moved and boys were busy putting clothes away and putting things on the shelves.</span></p> <p><span>Out on the drive, Bob pulled the cash from his pocket. Upon seeing the $500, he stopped dead in his tracks, baffled at his good luck.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, Bob," John asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Max slipped me some extra cash and, while I appreciate it, this too damn much."</span></p> <p><span>John gave a quick laugh and said, "Yep, that sounds like something he'd do."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm can't accept this."</span></p> <p><span>"Bob, do you have any idea who Max is?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"His full name is Maxwill Sanders. He's a writer and he's pretty damn rich. 500 bucks is a drop in the bucket to him." </span></p> <p><span>"That may be, but this is still outrageous." </span></p> <p><span>"Please, Bob, don't offend him by trying to return it. He'll tell you if you don't want it to give to some charity. That's just the way he is."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, I'm not sure, John. It just doesn't seem right. My bill covered everything, including a very nice profit for me. This seems like stealing to me."</span></p> <p><span>"No, that's just Max showing his appreciation for a job well done. If you want to keep doing work for him, you better get used to it, and real quick-like. If you refuse him, he'll find someone else to do the work who won't be so uptight about a little unexpected bonus."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay, then. Guess the wife and I will take a trip to St. Louis this weekend and do some gambling," he grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't blow it all on one bet, okay," John laughed as they separated and climbed into their own trucks to head for home.</span></p> <p><span>Back in the house, T.J. asked, "Is anybody coming by tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not that I know of, why?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"'Cause I'm sick and tired wearin' these stinkin' clothes," he answered as he started stripping down, quickly followed by everyone else. Everyone, that is, except for poor Alex, who had the saddest hang-dog look I'd ever seen on another person. Everybody then picked up their discarded items and headed to their rooms drop them in the hampers.</span></p> <p><span>While Tom and I were in our room, I said, "I got somethin' I'm thinkin' `bout doin' but I want your input before I do it."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you're gonna to be getting back to work in a bit and I think a lot of my time is going to be taken up with the running kids here and there, plus I'm starting to get an idea for a new book."</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, babe, cut to the chase."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you think about hiring someone to help out around here with cleaning, laundry, cooking and stuff like that? I don't know how busy you're going be, or how busy the boys are going to keep me, but I think we could use some help, if not right now, but in the near future. What do you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"If that's what you want, I'm all for it. I hate cleanin' and doin' laundry. To me, it's worth it to get someone else to deal with that shit."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. I was hoping you'd be okay with it. </span></p> <p><span>"You got someone in mind or you just gonna place an ad in the paper?"</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, I do kinda have someone in mind. He ..."</span></p> <p><span>"HE!?" Tom exclaimed, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "Oh, this should be good," he added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"As I was trying to say, Ron was one of the members of a cleaning crew I had come before the boys' visit. I hadn't given the place a really good cleaning for probably a year and I wanted it shined up a bit, so I called Merry Maids in Springfield to come take care of it for me. Ron took care of the patio around the pool first so I could get the pool shelter installed. Then, he took the comforters from the three bedrooms to get them cleaned."</span></p> <p><span>"And what, exactly, do you know about this <i>Ron</i>? Age, race, background, <i>anything</i>?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, not a whole lot, I guess. We really didn't get to talk much that day, but he's about your age, I'd say, kinda cute, white, and I thought I might take a shot at getting to know him better. I even slipped him an extra fifty bucks, but he never called back. But that was before I met you."</span></p> <p><span>"Hm, interesting," Tom opined humorously while stroking his chin. "And what would you have done if he called back?"</span></p> <p><span>"Invited him to come out for a swim some evening, see where things went, if they went anywhere."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you want to hire this cute young guy, who turned your head once or twice, to come out here and help take care of us, the boys and the house? Is that it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, now that you put it that way, it does sound pretty ludicrous, doesn't it? All right, forget about Ron and we'll put an ad in the paper. The only reason I was thinking about him was I thought with him bein' a guy, he'd be less bothered by the dress code we don't have. I figured if we found some lady to do it, we'd probably have to make some changes around here I really <i>don't </i>want to make."</span></p> <p><span>"Listen, babe, I'm just givin' ya' shit. This is the first I've heard `bout you havin' any interest in another dude. You just caught me a little off-guard is all. I actually think it's pretty damn funny. Overall, you seem to be a pretty good judge of character, and if you think Ron's a good person, I'll take your word for it. But I reserve the right to do a background check on him and make sure of that before he gets hired."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure he had to have one to get hired at Merry Maids, but I don't have a problem with you checking him out. Um, his background, that is. Don't you go checkin' out anything else about him, got it?"</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see, Max. The thoroughness of my checking him out will all depend on how cute he is." After seeing the wide-eyed and open-mouthed expression on my face, Tom added, "Babe, you got nothing to worry about. I'm all yours."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it. I guess I'm just a little insecure about things. I know we belong together and wouldn't hurt each other for anything. And we both love the boys, too. I guess I'm just a little bit scared about how I thought you'd react after what happened yesterday. I wasn't sure you'd still want me with my brain being as fractured as it is," I said, looking down at the floor as I did.</span></p> <p><span>Tom put his fingertips under my chin, lifted my head up and turned it so he was looking directly into my eyes. "I told you this morning that I'm yours, until the end of time. And I mean that, fractured brain and all your other warts. Whatever troubles you face, we face them together."</span></p> <p><span>"Have I told you how much I love you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"However much it is, I love you more," he replied and followed that with a sweet kiss.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, one more thing before we go fix supper. We need to talk to Alex and Joey and make sure the Muellers never abused them. Do you want to be in that conversation or do you want to amuse Andy, Mike and T.J. while I talk to the twins?"</span></p> <p><span>"Are you sure you're ready for that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, honestly, no. But then, I don't think I'll ever be <i>ready</i> for it. Still, it has to be done and in my mind, the sooner we know, the better off we'll be. I'm just gonna have to suck it up and do it. Besides, it sounds like one of them might be having a little issue with wandering eyes and I want to get to the bottom of that, also."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell you what, why don't you start the conversation yourself and if you need me, I'll join you. I think if I'm with the other three, they'll have fewer questions we aren't ready to deal with quite yet."</span></p> <p><span>"You're probably right, although, with T.J. being linked in with Joey and Alex, it probably won't be long before he knows what's going on."</span></p> <p><span>"Crap, I didn't think about that. We'll just have to play it by ear, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, let's go get supper going and I'll talk to the twins after. Plan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Plan, babe. Let's boogie." I let go a laugh at the thought of what I'd done this morning after that statement. "Um, on second, thought, how `bout we just <i>walk</i> to the kitchen. I don't think I can handle seein' you <i>boogie</i> again," he laughed. When we reached the kitchen, we found the fantastic five lined up on their stools and from the looks on their face, we were going to have to get some food going fast or Tom and I could end up in a pot on the stove.</span></p> <p><span>"What're we havin' for supper, dads." Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Grilled ham and cheese, tomato soup, carrots and cabbage," I answered. "Sound good to you guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yummy, dad," Mike answered while rubbing his belly.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, why don't you guys get busy and set the table while we get the sandwiches going?" They'd hopped off their stools and got to work before I even finished my sentence. Tom and I got busy putting together seven sandwiches. Thankfully, I had a large griddle plate that covered two burners on the stove. Once the sandwiches were going on low heat, I pulled out a bag of baby carrots and a head of cabbage to add a little something to the meal besides chips. We'd not really pushed veggies on the boys yet, but I figured it was time for them to start munching something better than chips.</span></p> <p><span>Once the table was set and everything else was ready to go we sat together for a bit so I could tell the others about Andy's visit to the doctor. The boys were all ears as I explained the exam to them. T.J. and Mike get real excited when I explained the various treatments we would be doing and that their assistance would be welcomed. "When you guys go to bed later, I'll show you how to apply the steroid cream. And, there's one more thing you need to know before I'll allow you to help."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that, dad," T.J. asked eagerly.</span></p> <p><span>"Never <i>force</i> Andy's foreskin around the glans. Doing that will cause him severe pain and a we'd have to take Andy to the emergency room to fix it. I do <i>not</i> want that happening."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be careful, dad, we promise. Won't we Mike?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. I wouldn't hurt my brother."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. I'm glad you understand. Oh, and one more thing. While I'm sure you're all going to enjoy helping Andy, this is <i>not</i> just to give you a reason to play with his penis. Not that you need one." After receiving looks of shock from all three, I added, "Look, we know you all enjoy some sex play now and then, and we don't have a problem with that. But you need to separate your sex play from helping Andy with his foreskin. Got it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Got it, Dad," they answered together.</span></p> <p><span>"Good. I need to go flip the sandwiches and I'll be right back. I have more thing to tell you boys." That done, I came back to rejoin the others. The boys were chattering away about how they were going to help Andy, but quieted down when I took my seat again. "Okay, about another seven or eight minutes and they'll be done. After we get done eating and the cleanup is taken care of, I need to talk with Alex and Joey. Tom will stay with you other three and maybe read some more <i>Huckleberry Finn</i> to you."</span></p> <p><span>"Why just them?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, why not all of us," Andy added.</span></p> <p><span>"Part of what I want to talk them about is what you heard about in the car. And I'm pretty sure they don't want you in that chat, either. The other part, you three aren't involved in and don't need to know about."</span></p> <p><span>"What kinda crap is that, Dad?" T.J. vented.</span></p> <p><span>"T.J., mouth," Tom scolded.</span></p> <p><span>"Young man, trust me when I say you're not effected by what I need to talk to them about. If you were, you'd be included in the conversation. Someday, I may need to talk to you about something and I'll keep the others out of that, also. Right now, you don't need to be involved. In time, you'll all be told, but it will be a while."</span></p> <p><span>"You know they'll tell us, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I know there's a chance they will. But that's a chance I have to take. I'm hoping I can trust them to keep our discussion to themselves. If they break that trust, well, I guess we'll cross that bridge if we get to it. Now, let's go eat." </span></p> <p><span>We headed to the dining room and the boys took their seats while Tom and I continued to the kitchen to retrieve and then deliver the food. Everybody got a sandwich, soup, some carrots and a chunk of cabbage. With the plates filled, we joined the boys. Before the boys could take a bite, I warned them, "You guys need to be careful with the sandwiches and soup. The cheese is going to be really hot and runny and the soup is really steaming. You might want to munch a couple of carrots or cabbage first to give the other things a chance to cool a bit."</span></p> <p><span>"But I don't like carrots or cabbage," Mike whined.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you're going to get to like them, buddy. Their good for you and really tasty, see?" I asked as I took big bite of my cabbage. The rest of the meal was a pretty quiet affair since the three youngest were in a foul mood. The grilled ham and cheese did seem to brighten them up a bit, though. With the meal finished and the cleanup completed, it was time for me to have my chat with Joey and Alex. </span></p> <p><span>Before we disappeared into the study, Tom quietly asked, "Uh, I know why we have to have this chat with them, but you're not telling them everything you told me last night, are you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely not," I answered. "They're getting the bare minimum and only if they push the issue. I'm not going to volunteer anything I don't have to."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, that's a relief. Just out of curiosity, why did you tell me all of it? It's not like I really need to know, either."</span></p> <p><span>"Come here a sec," I said, then turned down the hall towards the study. When I stopped and turned around to face him again, I continued. "I figured if I didn't tell you everything, one of two things would happen. One, you'd still have questions that you wanted to ask, but were afraid to in an effort to spare my feelings. Two, I also assumed that, over time, you'd probably end up hearing most of it from Dylan or someone else. I didn't want that to happen. I wanted to be the one you heard the details from and now that you have, I don't have to worry about either one of those other things happening. By getting it directly from me, nothing was lost, mistranslated or misconstrued."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay. I just wondered. You ready for Alex and Joey?"</span></p> <p><span>"As ready as I'll ever be. Send `em on back here. Thanks." After a quick hug, I turned and entered the study while Tom returned to the living room. When the twins came in, I quietly asked, "Will you close the door, please?" and after Alex did so, I added, "Thanks. Have a seat guys."</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, Dad?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"A couple different things. First, I want to ask about what Alex said in the car and your reaction to it, Joey. It seemed to me you overreacted a bit and I just want to make sure I'm not missing something."</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, you're not missing nothin'," Joey responded. "I just never thought he'd ever want anybody `sides me. We've only had each other the last five years, ya' know."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that, but you two just turned nine. Did you expect you'd be together your whole lives?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess I thought so, but maybe not no more," he grumped</span></p> <p><span>"What about you, Alex?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know. I love Joey, always have and always will. But I think I might be able to love somebody else, too. Is it possible to do that, Dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, it is. I love you guys, I love Tom, I love all our parents, and I love Aunt Lee and Uncle Carl. But it's a different kind of love for each of you. Do you understand that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, we do, Dad," they chorused.</span></p> <p><span>"That's good. As long as you both understand that you can find someone to love the way I love Tom and still love each other as brothers, then you won't have any problems as you get older. "</span></p> <p><span>"I was just pissed off at the little horndog, here, for screwin' up last night. And hearin' him say that about Brent just pissed me off even more. I mean, why would he ever want to look at another's guy's dick when I'm right here?" Joey commented.</span></p> <p><span>"I remember you saying you were going to try something new last night as a sort of special birthday present to each other, but that Alex messed it up by getting in trouble and not being able to be naked. Do you want to tell me what you had planned?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, I don't know," Joey answered. "I don't want to say nothin' that'll get me in trouble."</span></p> <p><span>"This is an open discussion, boys. You can say anything you want and I promise you won't get in trouble. Once we're done here, though, we go back to normal."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we was finally gonna fuck each other," Joey responded. "We figured our dicks were finally long enough to really be able to do it, but I didn't want to have to deal with no clothes getting' in the way. We been plannin' it for a while, now, and he went and fucked it all up."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, that explains a lot. I kinda thought that might have been your intentions. I'm sorry you didn't have the chance to follow through on your plans. But, tomorrow night, you can."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dad, I know, but it won't be the same as doin' it on our birthday," Joey whined.</span></p> <p><span>"Look, Joey, only two days will have passed. In the total of your lives, two days is nothin'. I waited thirty-four and a half years to find Tom. You'll be able to do whatever you want to each other tomorrow. It's <i>not</i> the end of the world, you know. And since you're having another birthday party tomorrow, it really won't be <i>that</i> much different from last night. Just think about it as one <i>really</i> long day, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I didn't think `bout that," Joey said with a smile. He turned to his brother and added, "Alex, I'm sorry I was so pissed off. I was just upset we weren't gonna be able to fuck each other like we wanted to. We'll do it tomorrow night, though, I promise."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry for looking at Brent's dick, too, but I couldn't help it. I walked into the bathroom to pee and he was in there already and it was just hangin' out it plain view. He didn't try to hide it or nothin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Is it really long like you said?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right, it is. He at least an inch longer than we are, maybe more. I didn't have a chance to measure it, though." I noticed Joey was mindlessly stroking himself while the conversation took place between the two of them and he was soon fully erect. Yeah, I didn't think they'd have any problems with enjoying the ultimate intimacy with each other tomorrow night. "You'll probably get to see it tomorrow since he'll be at our party, ya' know."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, that sounds good. I can't wait."</span></p> <p><span>"Um," I interrupted, "You do know that I expect swimsuits or shorts on you and all your guests tomorrow, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, Dad. But we gotta change into `em, don't we?" he grinned evilly.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess you do. Okay, just makin' sure you know the rules."</span></p> <p><span>"We know, Dad," Alex lamented. "What else did you want to talk about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Before we get into that, I need to ask about the link you two have and seem to have added T.J. to. Just how far can you go with it and are you able keep certain things to yourselves?"</span></p> <p><span>"Does this have somethin' to do with what happened yesterday with you and Dr. Kirkland," Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It does. Now, please answer my questions."</span></p> <p><span>They looked at each other guiltily, then refocused on me. "Well, after bein' here with you and the others for the last month, we can pretty much pick up on what anybody's feeling at any time," Alex answered. "Right now, it's still pretty much limited to feelings with you guys, but T.J.'s getting the hang of it quicker than anybody we've known."</span></p> <p><span>"Can you actually pick up the thoughts of others as you can with each other? Or is it limited to just feelings?"</span></p> <p><span>"The longer we're together, the more we'll be able to do," Joey said. "And the way T.J.'s goin', he'll be caught up with us soon."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, now answer my other question, can you keep T.J. from picking up anything."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we both know how to keep something to ourselves. If there's something I don't want Joey knowing, I can kinda hide it and keep it away from him."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. What I need to ask you, I don't want your brothers knowing about until they're older. They're not ready to know this and when they are, it will come from me, understood." They both nodded their heads in agreement and I continued, "First, I need to ask if the Mueller's <i>ever</i> did anything to either of you while you lived with them."</span></p> <p><span>"You mean `sides treatin' us like dog crap?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, yes, besides that?"</span></p> <p><span>Joey's eye grew wide and he asked, "Wait, you're talkin' like some really sick shit, aren't you?" After I nodded, he continued, "Yeah, I saw that picture that just flashed through your mind. That's gross. No, if they'd ever done that shit to us, I'da cut that fucker's dick off in his sleep."</span></p> <p><span>Despite his language, I couldn't help but laugh. I knew exactly how he felt. "I don't doubt that for one second, Joey. And I'm very glad to hear that it didn't happen to you guys. Ecstatic, actually."</span></p> <p><span>"But, why you askin' `bout them," Joey asked. "'Specially `bout sick shit like that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because, they did it to him, dummy," Alex answered, shock filling his face at his revelation. "<i>That's </i>what I was feeling from you yesterday, wasn't it, Dad? I just couldn't sort it all out then because it was too jumbled. They fucked you, over and over, didn't they? But it was years ago, why didn't I pick it up before now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because I'd buried it deep, Alex, and it didn't really resurface until yesterday. And you're right, it was very jumbled up in my head."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, crap, I knew!" Alex cried. "I knew something was wrong between y'all at Steak `n Shake. When that bastard saw you, I felt a flash of somethin', but I couldn't put a name to it. It was like a combination of hate and disgust. He <i>knew</i> who you were before you could tell him, didn't he? But he acted like he didn't. Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know Alex. Maybe he thought he could somehow continue to torment me. I really don't know. And in some twisted way, I guess he has been."</span></p> <p><span>Alex looked to Joey and asked, "You remember all those names we used to pick up between the two of them?" Joey nodded. "They were all boys' names, weren't they? And the one we thought was Mack, I bet it was Max." The flash hit Joey like a bolt of lightning as his jaw dropped.</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, you know names of other boys? How?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we lived with them for a long time and we'd pretty much tuned `em in. They used to think `bout `em all the time. And whenever I picked up a name and looked at `em, they always had kind of a dreamy look on their faces. It's seemed pretty creepy, but that's all I ever got was names. None of that other crap. I don't know why, though. Emotions that strong usually have something visual to go with `em, but I never saw any of that."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you still remember the names? Can you write them down for me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, Dad, but why?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Dylan and Carol will be investigating the Mueller's and if they had a list of names to work from, it would help them out immensely."</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, give us some paper and we'll do it right now. We'll do whatever we can to help put those fuckers in jail." I handed a notepad and pen over to each and sat back while they furiously scribbled their lists. </span></p> <p><span>A few minutes later, when they handed the pads back to me, it was my turn to be shocked. After quickly looking through both lists, I moaned, "Oh my god, you must have sixty or more names here. And it looks like none are duplicated."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I listed the ones from her and Joey did the ones from him." </span></p> <p><span>I walked around the desk and gave both boys a hug. "I can't thank you two enough for giving me those names. As hard as it is to remember what those two did to me, I hate that they could have done the same to you or any other kids. I'll have to give these lists to both Dylan and Carol, and they may want to talk to you about anything else you might know. Do you have a problem with that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not if it keeps `em from hurting another kid."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks. And remember, please, keep this to yourselves for now. We have enough to deal with, we don't need the others knowing about it, okay."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Dad," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll do our best," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, scoot on out of here and ask your Pops to come in, please." They hightailed it out of the study to rejoin their brothers and after a short wait, Tom came in and closed the door. "Well, you were right," I said.</span></p> <p><span>"Was there any doubt about that?" he laughed. "How'd it go with them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Turns out, they kinda knew already. Apparently, the longer they're around someone, the more they can pick up. And we're going to use that to our benefit and the Mueller's detriment."</span></p> <p><span>"How?"</span></p> <p><span>"They've written a list of what looks like over sixty names that they picked up those two thinking about over the last four to five years."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy shit! I can't believe that."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know what to think, Tom. They're both so smart already, and add to that their ability to read emotions the way they do, anything's possible. When I first asked them if the Mueller's had ever done anything to them, Joey said he caught a glimpse of a picture in my mind that told him what I was <i>really</i> asking. I don't even remember having an image in my mind when I asked, but he still found it."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, geez, I need to figure out some way to keep him out of my head. There's shit up there he don't need to see. So, what's next?"</span></p> <p><span>"I need to talk to Dylan and Carol, give them both these names. It may help them narrow their search somewhat."</span></p> <p><span>"Will they need to talk to Joey and Alex?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, but both boys said they would. I just don't know if I should call them tonight or wait until Monday. I'd hate to ruin their weekends, but I think the sooner they know we have some names for them, the better off they'll be. What do you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Call `em. At least let `em know what you've got."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, here goes nothin'." I picked up the phone and dialed Carol's home number first. She didn't answer the phone, so I left a message for her to call me back as soon as she could. After hanging up and dialing Dylan's number, I commented, "Her plans with her parents for the weekend must have started tonight."</span></p> <p><span>Dylan answered the phone with, "Yo, Max, what's up? I didn't expect to be hearing from you tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Dylan. I've got something for you that you're not going to like."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit, now what?"</span></p> <p><span>"I talked to the twins a bit ago and found out the Muellers never abused them, not like they did me, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's great news, Max, why the hell wouldn't I like that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay, <i>that </i>part you'll like, but you aren't gonna like what comes next. The boys have given me a list of names that they picked up from the Muellers over the last several years. And they're all boys' names."</span></p> <p><span>"What, exactly, do you mean by `picked up'?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure you've heard stories about the mental link some twins share, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"You mean, like one gets hurt in California and the other knows about it in New York? Yeah, who hasn't heard about that happening?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, with Alex and Joey, it goes deeper than that. They have ability to talk to each other without using their voices. They also have the ability to sense emotions in other people rather accurately and if they're around you long enough, they can pick up words and thoughts, also."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, that's spooky, man. Glad they ain't livin' with me, they'd be traumatized by the shit in my brain," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Tom feels the same way, but I think it's pretty cool."</span></p> <p><span>"You go right ahead and think that, boy. Now, what is it you ain't told me yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"The lists they gave me has sixty or more names on it."</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, fuck, you're shittin' me, Max. Give me one good reason I shouldn't go kill those motherfuckers right now."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, they're gonna die, all right, but I think we should let Beefcake Bubba and Slutty Sally take care of them for us after they're behind bars. You know they won't last a week inside once word of what they've done gets out. Besides, I'd kinda like to hear that both of them have been mercilessly raped to within an inch of their lives before someone sticks `em with a shiv in the chow hall."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you are one evil motherfucker, but I like the way you're thinkin'. Might was well let the trash take out the trash for us, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Exactly. No sense any of us doin' time when someone who already is will solve our problems for us, don't ya' think? Besides, I think I might know a few people who just might let their, uh, dalliances, shall we say, be known amongst their new friends and neighbors."</span></p> <p><span>"Undoubtedly. Though I can't imagine who would do such an evil deed as to spread such rumors and lies," he chuckled. "Look, I haven't received any notification from Dr. Kirkland, yet, so you just hold on to that list. As soon I get his report, I'll make arrangements to pick it up."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Dylan. I thought you'd want to know I have it for you. I left a message for Carol, also, and she'll probably get it on Monday. It might be easier for you to get it from her."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do that, Max. Thanks for callin' and I hope you guys have a great weekend. Good luck with the party, tomorrow. I have a feeling you're going to need it."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dylan, I do, too. Talk to you later."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, that's done, now who else was I supposed to call today?"</span></p> <p><span>"What about the twins' friends who live around the corner from the scumbags?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's it! Thanks, big guy. I'm dealing with some serious CRS right now."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell is CRS?"</span></p> <p><span>"Can't Remember Shit," I laughed. "And what little I <i>do</i> remember right now, I'd just as soon forget." I looked up the Jackson's phone number in the directory and dialed the number, then punched the button to put the speaker on.</span></p> <p><span>"Jackson residence, may I help you, please?" a young voice asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, may I talk with your mom or dad, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"May I tell her who's calling, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"My name is Max Sanders. I'm Joey and Alex Allison's new dad."</span></p> <p><span>"OHMIGOD, REALLY!? This is Jos�, how are they!? We haven't seen them for a month and we miss `em really bad. They just disappeared one weekend and we didn't know what'd happened, or where they were."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Jos�, nice to talk to you. They miss you and your brother, Jesse, also. That's why I'm calling."</span></p> <p><span>"Hang on, I'll get my Mom!" I heard the phone rattle as he dropped the receiver and scream, "Mom! Get on the phone, it's Joey and Alex's new dad and he wants to talk to you." He came back on the phone, panting with excitement, and added, "Hang on, she'll be right here." Jos� must have been holding the phone out to his mom as she crossed the room because we could hear him squealing, "C'mon mom, hurry up, please." I then heard him yell, "Jesse, get in here, Alex and Joey's new dad is on the phone."</span></p> <p><span>"Hello, who is this, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mrs. Jackson, I presume. My name is Max Sanders. I'm in the process of adopting Alex and Joey and becoming their new dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, Mr. Sanders, you don't know how happy I am to finally hear where those two disappeared to. My two have been worried sick this past month, and more than just a little bit lonely. Joey and Alex were the only other boys in the neighborhood their age."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the mystery has been solved, Mrs. Jackson. And please, call me Max."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do that, thanks. And my name is Karla, by the way. Now that we have all the niceties out of the way, how are those two fiendish rapscallions?" she laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"As fiendish as ever," I laughed and Tom joined in. "Actually, the reason I'm calling is their birthday was yesterday..."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I'm sorry my boys had to miss that. They would have loved to have been there."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, there's still a chance, Karla. I apologize for the late notice, but we're having a pool party at our home tomorrow with Alex and Joey's friends from school and just last night they told me they'd love it if Jesse and Jos� could come out and join the fun."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that sounds great, Max, and I know they'd love it, too, but isn't it a bit chilly for a pool party?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about that, the pool's in-ground, heated and inside a heated shelter. I've also hired two lifeguards from the `Y' to be here. I don't think my partner and I could adequately supervise twenty-some boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, could you hold on for one second, please, I'm about to be mugged by two wild boys who are bouncing off the walls. Thanks." We could hear Karla telling her sons about the party tomorrow and by the reaction she received, we'd be adding two more to the guest list. "Okay, Max, it's all set. I think these two would bury me in the back yard if I'd said no."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds, great Karla. Joey and Alex will be thrilled to have them here."</span></p> <p><span>"Do we need to bring anything beyond their swimsuits?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, the twins certainly don't need any more gifts and the food, drink and everything else is being handled. Let me give you our address and some directions." I took care of that and asked Tom, "Can you think of anything else?" After a quick shake of his head, I returned to Karla. "That should be it. The party isn't supposed to start until one, but if your boys would like come out earlier, that'd be fine with us. Seems like there might be some catching up they'd like to do before the rest of the guests arrive."</span></p> <p><span>"That's perfect, Max. My husband and I have some running around to do tomorrow afternoon. Would it be okay if we dropped Jesse and Jos� around eleven?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'll be just fine, Karla. We'll look forward to seeing you and the boys then." After hanging up the phone, I looked at Tom and said, "We should probably go make sure we still have a house to have a party in, don't you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, they're good kids, how much damage can they do in a few minutes?"</span></p> <p><span>"They're boys, Tom, do you really to see the answer to that question?" I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, now that you mentioned it, no, I don't think so," he answered as he laughed along with me.</span></p> <p><span>"Can you stand another hug and kiss?"</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, let me think about it." I didn't wait for an answer and when we separated, we headed out to join the boys. "Can I tell the twins the good news?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure."</span></p> <p><span>When we had rejoined the boys, Tom wasted no time announcing, "Joey, Alex, we just got off the phone with Mrs. Jackson and she's bringing Jesse and Jos� out ...". If he said anything after that, you sure couldn't hear a word of it as the twins went stark raving crazy, screaming in joy like banshees and jumping around like kangaroos. When they finally calmed down, Tom added, "I'm guessing that's a good thing, huh?"</span></p> <p><span>"Understatement of the year, big guy. How about a movie before bed, guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah!" they yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, can we watch the one you watched last night? <i>Up</i> was it? I want to see what this `squirrel' thing is all about." All five immediately started laughing while Tom and I looked at each other, confusion etched deeply on our faces. "Popcorn, as usual, I assume?" With a round of nods, we all got busy in the kitchen popping corn, pouring drinks and getting ready for our movie. Joey had gone to their new room to retrieve the movie and when he returned with it, I asked, "So, did you five get everything moved to the twins' new room?"</span></p> <p><span>"Moved <i>and</i> put away, dad," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good job, guys. I'm proud of you three for helping your brothers."</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, dad," T.J. answered. "Now that John guy can start work on our room."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, bad news there, T.J., you're going to have to wait a week before he starts on it."</span></p> <p><span>"Why?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"John is taking next week off so he and his wife could take a trip. But he promised me he'd be back the next week and would get started on your room that Monday."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that stinks," T.J. griped.</span></p> <p><span>"That may be, T.J., but he's entitled to a little time off. You'll survive an extra week in your current room, I'm sure."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay. Not like we have much choice, is it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not this time, buddy, sorry. Okay, everybody got their popcorn and drink?" With affirmative nods from all, we adjourned to the theater for our movie. I had Joey start the movie since he stated last night that they `weren't little kids anymore'. I still found it quite humorous how one day in a life can seem to make such a big difference to someone. While Tom and I didn't normally watch the animated movies with the boys, I had to admit we enjoyed this one. At least I got see what was so funny about `squirrel' and why the boys found it so dang funny.</span></p> <p><span>When the movie ended, it was time to hit the sack as I had a feeling tomorrow was going to a very long day. The fantastic five dropped their bowls and cups in the dishwasher on the way through the kitchen and I got it started so I could empty it in the morning. With that done, we followed in the boys' footsteps for our nightly ritual. With the twins being in their new room, we stopped there first.</span></p> <p><span>"Wow, you all did a great job getting everything moved and put away," Tom commented as we entered the room.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Pops, the help from Andy, Mike, and T.J. made it a lot easier to do."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it looks great boys, like you've been in this room since you moved in. Good job, all of you."</span></p> <p><span>"Night, Dads," they both said as we got our hugs and kissed their foreheads.</span></p> <p><span>"G'night, guys. Get some good sleep, you've got a busy day tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"Love you both," Tom said as we turned out the light.</span></p> <p><span>"Love both of you, too," they chimed as we closed the door. Next stop, the terrific trio.</span></p> <p><span>As we walked through the door, we could hear giggling emanating from within. And once in the room far enough to see the bed, we found Andy on his back in the middle of the bed, Mike on one side and T.J. on the other. Both had their hands roaming all around Andy's body, but rather intently focused on one particular spot. "You two ready to learn how to help Andy?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, here's the cream you brought home," T.J. volunteered.</span></p> <p><span>"Here, Tom, why don't you do it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why me? I never done this before."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, neither have any of us, so you might as well. I'll tell you what the doctor told me."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, if you insist. You okay with me doin' this, Andy?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, Pops, go ahead."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Max, what am I doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just put a little bit of the cream on your fingertip, then spread it around the outside of his foreskin. You want to make sure you get all the way around it, especially the very end where the opening is. Then you just kind of massage it into the skin."</span></p> <p><span>"But what if he gets an erection?"</span></p> <p><span>"Trust me, bubba, he'll get an erection, won't you, Andy?"</span></p> <p><span>"I got one with the lady doc, didn't I?"</span></p> <p><span>"The doctor was a woman and she touched your dick!?" Mike exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I wasn't too happy with the idea, but it wasn't that bad, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Andy," Tom interrupted, "you ready?"</span></p> <p><span>"Anytime," he answered with a mischievous grin.</span></p> <p><span>Tom put a little bit of the cream on his fingertip and then started to rub it around Andy's foreskin. As with any male, with the touch of a hand not his own, Andy's penis was immediately erect. It didn't seem to faze Tom one bit as he continued to gently rub the cream around and around the turgid member until you couldn't see any more of the cream.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, next, you very gently pull the foreskin back to stretch it a little. I know I said this earlier, but whatever you do boys, do <i>not</i> force the foreskin back over the glans."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I do this part?" T.J. asked. "I had to do this with my own so I know how."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, T.J., go ahead." After watching him for a minute, it was obvious he knew exactly what he was doing. "Good job, T.J. Why don't you guys do this? Mike can put the cream on and massage it into the skin and T.J. can do the stretching part. Sound good to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dads, we can do this. It'll be fun."</span></p> <p><span>"Now one other thing," I started, "If you want to do any kind of playing around, do it <i>before</i> you apply the cream and do the stretching, got it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Got it dads," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>"You okay with them helping you, Andy?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, this'll be lots of fun. And it feels really good, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, you three, time to hit the hay. Long day for all of us tomorrow." We exchanged our hugs, kisses, love yous and goodnights, then pulled up the covers, turned out the light and closed the door.</span></p> <p><span>"I think you rather enjoyed that, big guy," I commented as we started down the hall.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, what makes you think that?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I can read the signs," I whispered as I reached a hand over and wrapped it around the dripping eight-inch cock jutting out from his crotch.</span></p> <p><span>"Can't get anything past you, can I?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not with that monster you can't. What say we go take care of that?"</span></p> <p><span>"You got the leash, lead the way, babe."</span></p> <p><span>I led the way to our bedroom pulling Tom along by his hard cock and, after closing the door, I made love to that beautiful slab of beef with my mouth for the better part of an hour. I also included his balls and sphincter in my roaming tongue bath. When Tom finally reached the point of almost losing total control over his body, I slowly impaled his sweet ass with my cock until my bare pubis was smothered by his hairy ball sack. I heard him moan lightly, "Oh, god yes, fuck me, babe." I could deny this man I loved nothing and gave him exactly what he'd begged for. I started slowly, then increased my speed ever so slightly until I had a nice smooth rhythm going. I was feeling electric jolts surge through my body all the way to my toes and I could tell Tom was feeling much the same as I poked and prodded his prostate with my cock.</span></p> <p><span>After the extended oral bath, it didn't take too long for Tom to reach the point of no return. The growl of lust he emitted when he came sent me over the edge, also. Of course, the rhythmic clamping of his sphincter muscle around my cock also provided another stimulus. Both of us spent, I remained in position as my cock slowly wilted and retreated from his ass. With the final expulsion, I rolled over to his side, panting, and held on to my lover. When I felt I'd regained enough strength in my legs to move, I helped Tom off the bed and into the shower, much the same way he'd done for me the night before. Once we were both clean and dry, we fell into bed and I held my lover until early the next morning as we both enjoyed a good night's sleep.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-79.html

Building a Family Chapter 79 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 79 � Goodbye Logan Sunday, April 13, 2025 will be forever known in our family as the day that began not with a bang, but a thud. Or, to be truly honest, multiple thuds. The thuds of our still-beating hearts being ripped from our chests and thrown to the ground, only to be summarily trampled by a herd of stampeding elephants. When I finally woke up about nine, I was flat on my back and surprised to discover I couldn't move. I felt as if I'd been swallowed by a pit of quicksand due to the extra weight pressing on my body from all directions. I was starting to panic quite a bit and about to start screaming for help when I finally opened my eyes and received the shock of my life. Not two inches above my own eyes, set in a field of freckles, I found a pair of intense green eyes, seemingly boring directly into my soul. "Mornin', Dad," Mike whispered with a cheesy grin. "What's for breakfast?" "Jesus, Mike," I whispered back. "You about scared the crap outta me." "Oh, good thing you didn't do that. Ron just changed all the beds the other day," he giggled madly but quietly. "Well, if you don't move, he's gonna have to change it again. I need a bathroom." "Sorry, no can do, old man. T.J. and Logan kinda got me pinned in." I finally looked to my right and found T.J. curled up next to me and his head was resting on my shoulder. When I peeked to my left, I found Logan was in much the same position on my other side. It was no wonder I felt like the weight of the world was pinning me to the mattress. Looking even further to the left, I discovered the big guy was dealing with the same issue as he had Andy laying on top of him with Joey on his left side and Alex on his right, all four still sleeping soundly. "Well, somethin's got to give, buddy, `cause I really need to pee." "Yeah, I know," the munchkin giggled again. Knowing I couldn't wait any longer, I tossed the covers off the four of us, then gently lifted Mike so I could at least sit up, T.J. and Logan's arms slipping from Mike's back to their sides. Once I'd accomplished that much, I set Mike back down on the bed by my feet, carefully extricated myself from between the two still-sleeping forms beside me and hustled to the bathroom. With my immediate needs taken care of, I washed my face and hands, then returned to roust the others. As I left the bathroom, I glanced at the window over the bed and discovered that the day was overcast, gray and gloomy. It somehow seemed oddly fitting considering it mirrored how all of us felt. "Okay, you lazy bums, time to get movin'," I called out as I reached the overcrowded bed. "We don't wanna, Dad," T.J. mumbled. "Too bad, munchkin. We only have two hours before Troy gets here and I'd like to spend that time together. What do you want for breakfast, Logan?" "DiCarlo's," he muttered. "Sorry, bud, they're not open this early." "Well, hell, that sucks. Don't the condemned get whatever they want for their last meal?" "This won't be your last meal. I'm sure your aunt will make sure you get fed." "Like I'll stand a chance against them two shithead cousins. You seen how big they are?" "Yes, I have, but I'm sure you'll be fine." Tom and his three rugrats has started to move and I added, "Welcome to the real world, guys." I received four grumpy and wholly unintelligible replies to my cheery greeting. "Well, I'm going to start something for breakfast. Y'all better join me soon or you'll go hungry." On that note, I opened the door to leave the bedroom and my nose was immediately assaulted by a host of wonderful odors flooding the hallway. When I reached the kitchen, I found Ron busier than any bee had ever been as he was bustling about with mass quantities of food in various stages of preparation. "Oh hey, mornin', Max. Fresh coffee's in the pot, help yourself," he greeted me happily. "Mornin' to you, too," I replied as I pulled a mug from the cabinet and filled it with warm java. "Looks like you're pullin' out all the stops today. What all you got goin'?" "Eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, hash browns and cinnamon rolls." "I thought we were out of cinnamon rolls," I retorted. "We are, so I made `em myself," Ron replied. "And they smell delicious. Now, if we just had someone here to eat them." "They'll be here, Max, don't worry `bout that. Especially if you left the bedroom door open and they can smell all this." As if Ron had whispered a magical incantation, bodies started filling the kitchen as the crew finally decided it was time to move. "Smells pretty good in here, Ron-Boy," Logan complimented as he joined the group. "It ain't DiCarlo's, but it'll do okay," he added with a chuckle. "I'm glad it meets with your approval, munchkin," Ron retorted. "Now, get your skinny little butt outta my way so I can finish up and get it all on the table." "Careful how you talk to me, buckwheat, or I'll shove your ass in that truck instead o' mine when Uncle Dirtbag gets here." "Gee, thanks, Logan. And here I was, thinkin' you kinda liked me." "Oh, I do, beanpole. ` Least I was gonna put you in it and not under the dang thing." "Gee, thanks, ya little goober. I feel so much better," Ron laughed. With the two done trading barbs, Logan moved on to the dining room and took the chair at one end of the table, the other boys filling the seats next to him, wanting to stay as close together as possible for as long as they could. Tom finally straggled into the kitchen and fixed himself a cup of coffee to get his day started. "What took you so long, big guy?" I asked. "Had to wait for the brats to use the bathroom and it took them forever. And with the extra pressure Andy was puttin' on my bladder, my back teeth were having motorboat races by the time I could get to the toilet." Ron and I were both laughing at his misery. "Yeah, laugh it up, you two. By the time it was my turn, I was `bout to explode." "You feeling any better now?" I asked. "Finally, yes. So, what can we do to help, Ron?" "Not much, Tom, it's almost done. You guys could help get it all to the table though." "You got it," I replied. Tom and I filled our hands and delivered the completed food to the table where it was promptly attacked by the assembled herd. Despite what they may be feeling this morning, there was no denying the eating machines their morning meal. "Hey, you guys wanna leave some for us?" Tom asked. "Not really, Pops," Alex answered with a giggle. Ron soon joined us, carrying a platter filled with the cinnamon rolls smothered with icing, and the boys dug into them with gusto as soon as they hit the table. The three adults finally joined the sensational six-pack at the table and filled our plates with a little bit of everything. Ron was receiving many compliments from all for our hearty breakfast and he was blushing mightily from all the praise. I finally managed to turn the conversation away from food when I asked, "So, Logan, were you able to finish your book yesterday?" "Yeah, it was really good." "Are you ready for the next book in the series?" "Yeah, but not `til I get back here with you guys. I ain't takin' nothin' with me I don't hafta." "That's fine, buddy. It'll be waiting for you. You sorta reminded me of Ender yesterday with your little speech at the cemetery." "Yeah, how'd I do that?" "Well, the second book is titled Speaker for the Dead and it takes place years later when Ender has become one." "And what's a speaker for the dead do?" "He travels from colony to colony among the hundred worlds and tells the true story of someone who's died, regardless of the consequences. That's pretty much what you did yesterday when you talked about your dad." "Mr. McGee and Mr. Bartley did the same thing, though, didn't they?" "Yes, I suppose they did, but you made me think of Ender more than they did." "Hey, we have another birthday comin' up next week, don't we?" Tom asked. T.J. raised his hand and acknowledged the upcoming event. "So, you plannin' on havin' a party like the twins did?" "Nope. Ain't doin' nothin' `til Logan's back and can be here with us." "Ah, dude, don't do that," Logan moaned. "Go ahead and have your party. Who knows when I'll be back?" "Not gonna happen, bro. I won't be in the mood for a party if you ain't here." "None of us will be," Alex added glumly. That statement received nods of agreement from all the boys. "Does Logan really have to leave today?" Mike asked with a whimper of sadness. "Unfortunately, yes," Tom answered. "But he'll be back just as quick as we can work everything out." "He better," Joey vented testily. "When's Dylan gonna get here?" I asked. "He said he'd be here about 10:30," Tom replied. "That way, he'll be here when Troy is and we can be ready to roll as soon as they're on the way." "Good. You do realize I'm paying you two for this, don't you?" "No you're not, babe, this one's a freebie. We all have a vested interest in bringing Logan back home where he's safe and loved. Same with locatin' William when we get back, it's on the house." "Just another reason to love you, hon," I commented as I reached over and squeezed his hand. "Thanks." "Well, it's not like I need the money, is it? Dylan might, but I sure don't." "No, I s'pose not, smart aleck." The rest of our meal was fairly quiet as there didn't seem to be anything left to say. Well, there really was plenty for us to talk about, just nobody could find their steady voice and the few words spoken aloud were accompanied by a multitude of breaks due to the emotions we were all trying to contain. Surprisingly, Logan seemed to be the one person in complete command of his feelings, grinning happily despite his rapidly approaching moment of departure. I was unable to fathom his ability to be so calm and relaxed considering the circumstances, but I was glad to see he was at peace with what would be happening shortly. Once all the food Ron had prepared was finally packed away into our bulging bellies, the cleanup process began in earnest. Though Ron complained about not being allowed to do his job, as usual, the boys took care of loading the plates and silver into the dishwasher. With their part completed, Ron summarily kicked all eight of us out of the kitchen, insisting he would take care of the rest of the cleanup by himself. As we left the kitchen for the living room, I placed a hand on Logan's shoulder and jerked my head towards my study to have him follow me. We plodded down the hallway and after entering the study, I closed the door so we could talk without being interrupted. Sitting in separate chairs at the small table, Logan asked, "What's up, Dad?" "Well, I'm worried about you, buddy. You seem pretty calm in light of the fact you're about to move to Missouri with your uncle," I replied. "Ain't no sense bein' upset `bout it, is there? We knew it was gonna happen." "That may be, but you still seem too, uh, at ease with it, I guess. I want you to know that we're not gonna stop working to get you back here with us, no matter how long it takes." "Yeah, I know that. That's why I ain't that worried right now. If I thought I was gonna hafta stay with them losers forever, it'd be a whole different story, let me tell ya." "I bet it would be." "So, why we in here?" Logan queried. "Right, that. I have something you need to take with you. Hang on a sec." I moved to my desk and retrieved an item from the center desk drawer before rejoining Logan at the table. After taking my seat, I held out the latest iPhone and said, "I picked this up the other day and it's already programmed with Tom's, Dylan's, mine and the house's phone numbers. You need anything, and I mean anything, use it." "Holy shit, Dad, what the hell you thinkin'? Troy's liable to chuck that sucker out the window while we're goin' down the interstate." "Not if he doesn't know you have it," I replied with a conspiratorial grin. "I want you to put this in the middle of your bag so they won't know it's there. When you get there, find somewhere to hide it, but still get to it quickly and easily if something comes up." "Like what somethin'? You mean if it looks like he's gonna beat my ass for no reason?" "That's exactly what I mean, young man. If it ever looks like he might hurt you in any way, you need to call the police and get help." "But they live outside o' town on that orchard I tol' you `bout. By the time the cops could get there, I'll be freakin' dead." "Well, Tom and Dylan will be close by for a few days as they dig into Troy's background, and you should call them first if you need help. But, you may still need it after they've come back home." Logan's eyes filled with tears that stubbornly refused to go away as he crawled in my lap and gave me a bone-jarring hug. "Thanks, Dad. I love you," he whispered in my ear. "We love you, too, buddy. This'll all work out okay, I promise." "I know it will," Logan whimpered. "Okay, we need to get dressed and make sure you're ready to go when they get here. No need to make Troy mad by trying to delay, I guess. And make sure you stash that phone." "You bet I will." As we left the study, I added, "Let the others know it's time to get dressed, will you?" "You got it, Dad." With that, Logan continued down the hall and across the house while I turned into the bedroom to pull on shorts and a shirt. Tom soon joined me, dressing for his road trip with Dylan and quickly packing a bag with the items he'd need for four or five days as the two investigators dug into Troy's background. During that process, he asked, "So what was that little chat with Logan all about?" "I gave him a phone to take with him. It's programmed with all the important numbers he may need." "That's a good idea. I should have thought of that." "Yeah, you should have. But, I'm glad I did, though. He's going to put it in the middle of his bag so it won't be obvious he has it, and then hide it once he gets to Troy's. I'm hoping he won't ever need to use it, but I figure better safe than sorry. You got everything you need?" "Yeah, I think so. As much as I'd like to take my gun, I'm not licensed to carry in Missouri, so I'm leavin' it here." "You think that's wise? You may need it if you have to corral Troy." "We'll be fine without our guns, babe. Troy's nothin' but your average bully and one quick shot with a fist, foot or knee will put his sick ass on the ground." "I'm hoping it doesn't come to that, but if does, make sure the bastard can't get back up." "Oh, I plan on it," Tom agreed with an evil smirk. With both of us dressed and Tom's bag ready to go, we aimed ourselves for the living room. When we arrived, we found the boys had returned and were all packed onto the couch together. It was a good thing the couch was extra-long or somebody would have to have been sitting on the others. The sensational six-pack had been quietly whispering when we first saw them, but they quickly clammed up as Tom and I settled into our chairs. I was about to ask them the reason for their silence when the drive sensor announced a visitor. As we waited for a phone call from the security guard, Logan jerked in reaction to the `ding', then quickly glanced at the clock and muttered, "Figures the jerk would be early. He just can't wait to get his moneygrubbin' little paws on me and my money." Tom calmed Logan down when he responded, "I'm sure that's just Dylan coming in, buddy. He wanted to be here when Troy was, and the two of us are hitting the road right behind you." "Sounds like a good plan to me, Pops. That bastard's probably not gonna wait `til he gets back home to start bein' an asshole." "Probably not," I agreed. "Do you think you might be able to enlist some help from your cousins?" "Don't see that happenin', Dad. Those two twits hate me just as much as Troy does." "What're their names," Alex asked. "Yeah, you never told us," Joey added. "Well, I always just called `em Thing One and Thing Two," Logan answered with a giggle, "but their real names are Daril and Arley. They're both dumber than rocks and meaner than junkyard dogs." "And what's your aunt's name?" Tom asked. "Arlene. Ain't too sure she's the brightest bulb in the box, neither. `Specially since she's stuck with Troy as long as she has. If she had an ounce o' brains, she'd a left that loser a long time ago and taken the two Things with her." "Logan, you understand that if she and your cousins are being abused by Troy, they probably don't think they deserve better or have anywhere to go that's gonna be safe from him. Victims of abuse rarely see a way out of their situation and their self-esteem is completely degraded to the point of not caring anymore. Trust me on that." "That may be, Dad, but they still coulda tried to get out somehow." "Trying to escape often leads to even worse abuse if it doesn't work out, and the victim knows that, so they stay, anyway." "That don't make a damn bit o' sense." "No, it doesn't," Tom agreed, "but that's the way it works most of the time. It takes a really brave and strong person to leave an abusive relationship." The front door flew open at that moment and Dylan stepped inside, closing the door behind him. The munchkins jumped off the couch and ran to greet the big guy, smothering him with hugs. When they'd finally calmed down a bit, Dylan was able to make his way across the house to join us by the fireplace. He opted to take the loveseat while five of the boys returned to the couch. Instead of joining the others, Logan crawled up on the loveseat with Dylan, burrowing deep into his side as the big guy wrapped a protective arm around the youngster's shoulders. "It's gonna be all right, buddy," Dylan whispered to his companion before lifting his head and asking, "You ready to boogie, Boss?" "Ready as I'll ever be, I guess," Tom answered. "You?" "You betcha. We gotta get this young man back where he belongs." "We're with ya on that, Dylan," I agreed. "I still don't get why he has to go in the first place," T.J. muttered. "Because his dad wanted Troy to take care of Logan. We can't change that yet." "It still sucks," Alex moaned. DING! "Oh, shit," Logan mumbled as he attempted to dig even deeper into Dylan's side. The phone rang five seconds later. Tom answered with, "Who is it, Ken?" "Not a clue, Mr. Wright. The bastard flew by me without blinkin'. If I hadn't jumped out of the way, I'd be nothin' but roadkill right now." "Let me guess," Tom started, "a dirty beige pickup with Missouri plates, right?" "How the hell could you know that?" Ken asked with surprise. "You got a camera out here you didn't tell us about?" "No, we've been expecting them. Thanks for the warning, though." After hanging up the phone, Tom said, "I guess this is it. Boys, say your goodbyes now." "Why can't we go outside with Logan?" Joey asked. "Because we don't want you around Troy, simple as that," Tom answered. Tears were running down all their faces as they formed a huddle in front of the fireplace and whispered quietly to each other. While they hugged each other and sobbed together, Dylan took it upon himself to man the front door, watching through the window for Troy's arrival on the porch. When Troy mounted the steps up to the porch, Dylan opened the door to let him in. "Boys, rooms now, please," I commanded. Without hesitation, all six disappeared down the hallway with Ron shepherding the herd. Logan returned moments later with his bag. "Hoo doggy, them uppity faggots got themselves a nice little slave nigger to greet their special guests. Ain't that just fuckin' special?" Troy drawled with disgust. Dylan turned to us and we could see the word `please' desperately wanting to escape his mouth, but he held his tongue as Tom quickly shook his head in the negative. "Time to hit the road, ya disgustin' little faggot lover," Troy yelled across the house. "What the hell is wrong with you, Troy?" Logan asked as we approached the door. "Was you dropped on your head when you was a baby?" "Ain't a damn thing wrong with me, ya turd. Now, get your sorry ass in the truck. Times a wastin' and we gotta go." Logan looked up to us and asked, "I really gotta go with this asshole?" "You know you do, Logan," I answered as we knelt down to his level. "You sure you have everything?" I asked with a wink. "Yep," he answered with a return wink before wrapping both of us in a hug, his head lodged between ours. "I love you guys," he whispered into our ears. "We love you, too, buddy," I whimpered. "You'll be back with us soon, Logan," Tom muttered without commitment. "Sooner than you pro'lly think," Logan giggled. We both jerked back in surprise and I asked, "What's that mean?" "Oh, nothin'," the young man replied as he turned to leave. He stopped at Dylan, wrapped his arms around the big man's waist and said, "Love you, too, Uncle Dylan. See you soon," he added with a smile. "Break up the sick little love fest, boy, and get in the back seat with your cousins," Troy vented. "Can I ride in the very back with all your crap?" Logan asked. "Just so I don't have to breathe the same air as you?" Troy raised a hand as if he was going to smack Logan, but he didn't count on Dylan's quick reflexes stopping the savage blow before he could make contact. As Dylan twisted Troy's arm behind his back, Logan continued out to the truck and climbed in the back seat with his cousins, where he promptly crawled over one of the two hulks to sit between them. "Let go of me, you fuckin' nigger. I'll see your ass in jail," Troy squealed as the pain in his arm increased due to the way Dylan was pulling it up between his shoulder blades. I'll never understand how his arm didn't break into two separate pieces. "You listen to me, asshole, and you listen good," Dylan hissed. "You so much as look at Logan cross-eyed and I'm gonna snap you in two like the useless twig you are." "I ain't `fraid of no damn darkie," Troy retorted as he tried to pull away. "You better be, asshole," Dylan warned as he planted his foot on Troy's ass and shoved him out the door as he released the twisted appendage. Troy stumbled across the porch and when he reached the steps, lost his balance completely before flying off the porch and sprawling face first onto the sidewalk. Logan had turned around to look out the rear window of the truck's cab and we could see he was grinning madly at his uncle's misfortune. Even Arlene, Daril and Arley were watching the events unfold and it appeared as though all three were unsuccessfully trying to suppress their own grins, though it was hard to be sure due to the dirt covering the window. "You fuckin' nigger!" Troy screamed. "I'm gonna kill you for that," he added as he moved back towards the porch. "Give it your best shot, asshole," Dylan replied as he pulled his gun from its holster in the middle of his back and aimed it directly at Troy's head. Apparently deciding common sense was the better part of valor, Troy turned around and headed for the truck. After climbing in, he peeled off down the driveway like an escapee from prison. Dylan slammed the door so hard, we were surprised it didn't end up in the yard. "That rotten mothe... uh, bastard. He better hope I never see him again," Dylan vented. "Let me grab my bag, Dylan, and I'll be ready to go," Tom called over his shoulder as he turned for the bedroom. "Don't forget your gun, Boss. We're goin' into enemy territory." "Why? I don't have a carry license for Missouri." "You do now," Dylan responded as he pulled an ID card from his pocket. Tom returned, pulled the card from Dylan's grasp and gawked at it in surprise. "How the hell'd you pull this off?" Tom asked. "I know some people who know some people. They helped guide our paperwork through Missouri's bureaucracy. The fact we're both former cops helped the applications jump some major hurdles, too," Dylan grinned with satisfaction. "Excellent. I knew workin' with you was gonna be a great experience. I'll be right back." With that, Tom headed towards the bedroom a second time. While he was retrieving his things, I had the boys come back out so they could say their goodbyes to both men when Tom returned. All five were still crying at Logan leaving, but there was nothing we could do at the moment to stop the waterworks. When Tom had rejoined his traveling partner, the goodbyes began in earnest with even more tears flowing freely from everyone. With reassurances from Tom and Dylan to do their best and come back home as quickly as possible, they were soon out the door and on their way. The six of us who were staying home retreated to the living room and curled up on the couch together, too upset with the injustices of life to even think about what came next. On the way to the driveway leading into the garage, I asked, "So, Dylan, whose car are we takin' south?" "Thought we'd take my mine, see how it does on the open highway." "Works for me," I replied. When we turned around the corner of the garage and I laid my eyes on the brand-new gleaming machine parked on the drive, I nearly fell over in surprise. "Where the hell did that come from?" I sputtered. "A little going away present from the county," Dylan grinned. "You like?" "What's not to like," I asked as my eyes caressed the black Hellcat from nose to tail. "Hope you let me drive." "Don't hold your breath there, bucko," Dylan laughed. "C'mon, throw your shit in the trunk and let's get this show on the road." Dylan popped the trunk open, and after my bag was stashed and the trunk closed, we climbed in the hot-rod to head south. Dylan put the car through its paces from the moment we entered Interstate 72 at New Berlin and we'd just veered onto Interstate 55 on the south side of Springfield when we rolled up to the truck bearing our young friend who was bound for who knew what hellish experiences. Dylan let the car coast back down to more legal speeds before setting the cruise control that would allow us to follow Troy at a respectable distance. Once settled in about half a mile behind the truck, we had nothing to do now but wait until we reached southeast Missouri. When Uncle Shithead got in the truck, I knew he was pissed off somethin' awful. But he'd just been embarrassed within an inch of his life by a hulkin' black man with no way to get back at him, so I wasn't that surprised. I'd always believed Troy was a royal pain in the ass and my short time with him so far today was doing nothing to disprove that point. No words had been spoken by anyone since we'd left home forty-five minutes ago and the silence was deafening. I wasn't too happy for having to go along with this insanity, but I knew Dad and Pops wouldn't let anyone or anything stop them from bringin' me back home with them and my brothers, and I was determined to make lemonade outta this fuckin' lemon. Daril and Arley had done nothin' but stare blankly out their windows at the still empty fields as we rolled on down the interstate. Aunt Arlene was quiet as usual as she seemed to be dozing. I was pretty sure she was just fakin' bein' asleep, just so she wouldn't have to talk to Troy, not that I blamed her a bit for that. I turned to look out the back window again, just to say goodbye to Springfield one last time, when I saw this evil-lookin' black car. I couldn't see inside because of the sun's glare on the windshield, but I had this ominous feelin' it was followin' us. I could only hope that whoever was in that black beast wasn't lookin' for me. I was already in enough trouble with Troy just for breathin' and sure didn't need to add to it. I started to shiver in fear a bit and finally settled back into my place between Thing 1 and Thing 2, more or less resigned to my fate, whatever the hell it may be. It was then that Daril pulled a folded-up piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over without lookin' at me. To say I was surprised at this new development would be the understatement of the century. I looked up at his face and did not see any recognition of his action and I was pretty confused as to what was going on. I'd started unfoldin' the paper when Arley put his hand on my back and gently pushed me forward a little bit so the paper was down by my knees and not visible to Troy or Arlene should they turn around. I looked up to Arley and he gave me a miniscule nod of his head encouraging me to continue. I carefully and very quietly unfolded the paper until I could see it was note. I immediately focused my eyes and all my attention on what the note said. `Logan, don't react to this or Dad'll know somethin's up and you don't want that happenin'. First, we both want you know how sorry we are about Aunt Becky dyin' a couple years ago and Uncle Charlie dyin', too. They was good people and we're gonna miss `em. It's too bad it was Uncle Charlie who bought the big one `stead o' our old man.' Tears started to fill my eyes and they were screwing with my ability to focus, but I pressed on. `Second, we tried to convince Dad to let you stay where you was, but he needs your money really bad. The orchard's `bout to go tits up and he don't know what he's gonna do when it happens. He thinks that once you're with us, he can grab the dough and you can disappear with nobody knowin' what's happened. `We're gonna do what we can to protect you, but it ain't gonna be easy. We gotta go to school every day and won't be home, but Dad spends most his days in the bar, anyways, so he ain't `round that much, `cept for at night. We think if you lay low when he's `round, you'll be okay, but ya just never know. Mom's gonna take good care of you when he's outta the house, but don't `spect nothin' from her when he's around. She don't want to get beat no more than she is already and helpin' you would dump a whole heap o' shit on her if Dad finds out `bout it. Same goes for us, we're tired of bein' beat up for nothin' and we ain't gonna add to it if we don't hafta. `So, you be careful and you'll be alright.' The note was signed by both Daril and Arley. Dammit, I had really misjudged my cousins. Not only do they actually care about what happens to me, they could fuckin' write! Talk about surprises that blow your mind. I looked up to try to say somethin' to `em, but both were still staring blankly out the windows, oblivious to the turmoil running through my mind. I very carefully and quietly refolded the note, then slipped it into my pocket so I wouldn't lose it. I grabbed their hands and squeezed them tightly as a way of sayin' thank you. While they remained silent, sullen and still, they lightly squeezed back to let me know they'd received my message. When we pulled up to their house almost four hours later, the three of us were still silently holdin' hands in solidarity. By god, maybe this won't turn out too bad after all. When we saw the truck pull into the driveway of what must be their home, Dylan continued down the road about half a mile before pulling into another drive and turning around. We stopped on the side of the road across from the house to scope out the area and decide how best to keep an eye on things. The house itself didn't seem too bad or rundown, but we've learned from our time on the job to never judge a book by its cover. The ground sloped down behind the house before ending at a small lake. While visibility across the lake would be excellent, reaching the house in a hurry would be a problem. Having seen all we could see at the moment, Dylan put the car back into gear and we slowly drifted past the house in search of the motel we'd reserved. Once checked in, we unloaded our things from the car into the room and got settled into our home away from home for the next few days. I pulled my Surface tablet from its case, connected to the motel's wi-fi and loaded up Google Earth so we could get an aerial view of the house and surrounding area. After a few minutes of perusing the aerial view on the screen, we decided that an empty lot on the other side of the lake would provide the best vantage point to keep an eye on Troy's place. There were trees shrouding the shoreline of the small lake and we decided that would be the ideal spot to set up camp as we'd be able to keep an eye on things and still be close enough to react quickly to any situation that may develop. While I would be watching the house, Dylan would be visiting the county building to dig up any records he could find on Troy, paying special attention to any evidence of a police record. He would also be talking to any people he could entice into a conversation about Troy and family, especially the Dexter police. Local knowledge can be priceless in situations like this. With our plans for tomorrow made, we walked across the parking lot for a quick bite to eat at the family diner next door. Returning to our room, I called Max to let him know we'd arrived safely and were ready to get to work in the morning. We shared our love for each other as best we could over the phone line before I crawled into bed for a good night's sleep. Dylan and I wanted to be well rested before we began working in earnest in the morning. The rest of the day at home seemed to drag on and on with no end in sight. Ron had finally rejoined us in the living room after spending almost an hour in his room. I noticed his eyes were as bloodshot from crying as the rest of us and we all shared in his pain. Despite our original plans for a walk through the woods this afternoon to look for Samuel, the boys decided they just weren't up to a ghost hunt today. Instead, we lazed around and kept our noses buried in our books, trying to keep our minds off our friend and what he could be dealing with. When suppertime rolled around, nobody expressed any real interest in food, so we settled for peanut butter sandwiches with honey or jelly as something easy to fix and cleanup afterward. When the quietest meal this house has seen in the past couple of months was finished, I tried to talk the boys into watching a couple more Star Trek episodes, but they vowed to not watch any until Logan was back with us. Their excuse was they didn't want him to miss out on any important developments in their favorite show. With that decision made, we settled back into the living room to continue reading by the fire. Joey and Alex had swapped Spriderwick books since they'd finished them earlier, and T.J. continued in his. Mike and Andy climbed in my chair with me and we continued digging into The Adventures of Tom Sawyer since Tom had finished Huckleberry Finn last night. When Ron completed his cleanup in the kitchen, he joined us and continued reading the first Jake Franklin book. Needless to say, it was a pretty quiet and depressing evening in the Sanders household. When we parked in the driveway, I thought the house didn't look too bad. It wasn't anything like Dad's house, of course, but it seemed to be in pretty decent shape. Looks can be deceiving, though, and after grabbing our bags from the back of the truck, we all headed inside. As soon as Troy opened the door, the stench of rotten food and dead critters nearly bowled me over. I somehow stifled the urge to puke on Troy's feet as he held the door open for the rest of us to go inside before him. Daril, Arley and Aunt Arlene quickly disappeared deeper into the house, leaving me alone with Uncle Shithead. I'd started to follow along when Troy asked, "Where the fuck you think you're goin'?" "I thought I'd be sleeping with Daril and Arley," I answered. "You think you deserve that luxury, huh? Not a chance, you little prick. Nope, your room is down there," Troy retorted while pointing to the stairway going down to the basement. "Now, get your sorry ass down them stairs and stay fuck outta my way. We'll talk `bout you gettin' me my money later." Resigned to my fate, but somewhat hopeful that being in the basement would add a bit of separation between me and Troy, I followed his orders and started down the creaky steps. I'd barely cleared the third tread when the door slammed behind me and I heard the snick of the lock being engaged. I was swallowed by darkness and carefully felt my way to the bottom of the steps. When I finally stepped onto the dirt floor of my new home, I felt around the wall for the light switch I'd seen from the top of the steps, hoping I could bring some illumination into the space. When my hand finally found the toggle three feet away from the bottom of the stairs, I flipped it up and was horrified at the sight that greeted me. The entire space was filled with garbage and it smelled even worse down here than it did upstairs. With only one light bulb in the center of the dank and moldy space, the corners were still pretty dark and difficult to see. As I moved closer to the nearest one, I spied the skeleton of some animal that had died and been left rot amid the rest of the refuse. From the size of the bones and teeth in its skull, I guessed it had once been a rat. A pretty damn big one, too. Just fuckin' dandy, I thought, trash up to my knees and rats to boot. Thanks, Troy, you're all asshole. The one thing I did discover that gave me a little bit of hope was a door in the back wall. Wishing for a source of fresh air, I waded through the filth and flung the door open. Oh, thank you jesus! The great outdoors was just a step over the threshold, and it was flooded with sunshine and crisp, cool, breathable air. I finally dropped my bag on the ground outside the door and turned around to look back inside. I quickly decided to make the best of a bad situation and started to clean up the dump that was to be my home. Wadin' back amid the trash while looking around, I spied a shovel in the far corner and inched my way over to retrieve it. With shovel in hand, I set myself to work, loading the shovel and hauling the crap twenty feet outside the door before unceremoniously dumpin' it on the ground. Two hours into my task, the sun had finally set, but I kept at it for a couple more hours, hopin' no racoons or coyotes would be attracted to the giant heap of trash I'd created. Yeah, it was mind-numbingly boring work, but it sure beat the hell outta sittin' in all that muck and twiddlin' my thumbs. With the bulk of the job finally done, I grabbed the rake I'd found in another dark corner and proceeded to use it to smooth out the dirt floor as much as possible. Fortunately, all my walkin' `round had stomped the really loose stuff into the harder pack beneath it, so I wasn't creatin' much dust to breathe in and clog up my lungs. By the time I was satisfied with my work, my arms and back ached like hell, my hands were covered in blisters and I was beat. Despite all that, I reveled in a job well done as I sucked in a lungful of the clean, fresh air that had replaced the miasma of filth I'd been breathin'. I think my daddy would have been proud of me for what I'd accomplished in the short time I'd been here so far, and I allowed myself a tight smile at the thought. My next task was to figure out where I was gonna sleep in this hellhole, but before I could do that, I had to pee. Since my new accommodations didn't include a bathroom, I stepped back outside and peed on the first tree I came to, again hoping no racoons or coyotes would sneak up on me and bite my little pecker off. After tuckin' mini-me back into my pants and zipping up, I located the hose faucet I'd seen earlier, washed my hands and got a much-needed drink of cool, clean water. I swished the first gulp around inside my mouth, then spat it out on the ground, just to get all the dirt cleaned out. My next gulp was swallowed and though I was hungry since they hadn't bothered to tell me when it was suppertime, I felt a bit refreshed. Grabbing my bag that had been on the ground outside the door still, I headed back into the musty basement to see what else I needed to do. I pulled out the phone Dad had given me and used the flashlight to explore the storage space under the stairs. While not really clean, I found some shelves that were off the floor, a dank-smelling sleepin' bag and some dusty cans of corn and beans that had been here who knew how long. A quick look at the dates on the cans told me they were almost five years past their shelf life, but they hadn't exploded, and the tops weren't bulgin', so I figured I just found what would have to pass for my supper. I unrolled the sleepin' bag onto the bottom shelf that was about twelve inches off the floor, then opened it up to let it air out. There wasn't much space between the shelves, but I figured I'd rather be a bit cramped than sleep on the nasty dirt floor. Besides, I should be okay as long as I didn't roll around too much or try to sit up. That arranged, I attacked one the cans of corn with my knife. Soon enough, I had the lid peeled back enough that I could eat directly from the can without slicin' my face. With the can emptied, I stepped back outside and tossed it on top of the pile of shit I'd created then headed back to the tree to pee again. A rustle through the dead leaves covering the ground around me scared me shitless, but thanks to the light of the bright moon and the cloudless sky, I discovered it as only a squirrel headin' home for the night and not a hungry critter scavengin' for a bedtime snack. I headed back into the basement, closed the door behind me and crawled in the sleepin' bag. It still stank, but it wasn't quite as bad as it was when I first found it, so I figured I could live with it. I played with the phone for a while to see what all it could do and discovered I could easily get it to record video just by talkin' to it. Before curlin' up alone in my dank and musty room, I sent a text message to Dad and Pops to let them know I was okay and couldn't wait to be back home with them and my brothers. That done, I set the phone on the shelf above where I'd made my bed, nestlin' it between the cans of food, but in a position that it could record the basement if necessary. As I curled up in the bag again and pulled the top flap over my head, I couldn't help but feel like I was Harry Potter in the cupboard under the stairs, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the letter from Hogwarts that would free me from my newfound prison. Oh, if only I was a real damn wizard, I'd show that fuckin' Troy a thing or two. The next several days slipped by practically unnoticed. The boys were as miserable as I'd ever seen them and in pretty foul moods with Logan's absence, but I didn't fault them a bit for that as Ron and I were feeling much the same way. I'd called off the security teams Monday since Troy had gone back home, passing along my thanks for a job well done. During that time, I received several calls a day from Tom and Dylan keeping us updated on their lack of progress in finding a way to bring Logan home with them, but they were still working on it. Every night, I received a text from Logan to let us know he was okay and I always responded immediately to let him know we loved and missed him, too. Though I'd slept alone for the first twelve or so years I'd lived in this house, it felt odd to be doing so again after sharing my bed with Tom the past couple of months. I could only hope Tom was feeling the same sense of absence I was. Four days had passed since Troy had stolen Logan from his home and the two sleuths weren't making any headway in their investigation of Troy. Sure, they'd heard rumors of some dastardly deeds, but there was no evidence to prove any of it. I guess the worst finding was the complete lack of the police record they'd expected. Apparently, Arlene had never filed any charges against the man for spousal or child abuse, even though we suspected there had been countless opportunities for her to do so over the years. It was two-sixteen on Thursday afternoon and I was in the middle of one of my daily calls with Tom when all hell broke loose. "Hey, hon, any progress on anything, yet?" I begged. "Unfortunately, no. Dylan's sittin' in the car down the road from the house a bit and I'm still sittin' on the other side of the lake behind the house. We haven't seen hide nor hair from any of them since we got here." "I'm surprised you haven't seen the boys goin' to and comin' home from school." "Yeah, we are, too, but they seem to be hunkered down for some reason." "Why don't one of you go knock on their door and make sure they're still there?" "We don't want to let them know we've been watchin' them all week, babe. Better chance of catchin' them doin' somethin' stupid if they don't know that." "Yeah, I guess so. How much longer do you and Dylan plan on stayin'?" "If nothin' breaks, we're thinkin' of pullin' up stakes and headin' home tomorrow afternoon." "That seems awfully soon, if you ask me. Why don't you give it few more days?" "What's the poin ...? Wait, what the fuck!?" Tom exclaimed in surprise. "What's happening, Tom?" "Not a clue, but an ambulance just pulled into the drive, I gotta go." With that, the phone went dead. Just as the last three days had gone, Troy came down the steps to join me in the basement about one-thirty. Why this particular time every damn day, I didn't have a clue. I guess he just wanted to harass me some more before he left for the stinkin' bar. I was hoping today's interrogation would be shorter than the others had been the past couple days, but the scumbag had other ideas. The stair door slammed open and I barely had time to yell, "Hey Siri, start recording video," before he tromped down the steps. As he stepped onto the dirt floor, Troy yelled "Okay, I'm tired o' screwin' `round with ya, ya little shit. You're gonna tell me how to get my money today or you're just gonna fuckin' disappear!" "You ain't been listenin' to me, asshole!" I screamed back at him. "I can't get it! It takes two people to sign anything and you ain't one of them." "Then who is, ya bastard?" "Max and Tom and me are the only ones." "Then you're just gonna have to figure out how to get one of them fuckin' faggots to sign a check." "Ain't never gonna happen, ya lowlife. That's my money and I got other plans for it." "Screw your plans, brat, I need that fuckin' money and you're gonna get it for me." "Shit in one hand, wish in the other, Troy. Let's see which gets filled first." That was apparently the wrong thing to say at the moment. He stepped closer to me with his arm raised high above his head and before I could blink, I felt the blinding sting of his fist crashing into my jaw. I flew about five feet across the basement before landing flat on my back and slamming my head into the dirt. I was stunned as stars swirled all around me, but I stood back up teetering on the brink of passin' out, and screamed, "That the best you got, ya fuckin' loser!?" That only served to further enrage Troy and he came after me with a fury I'd never seen from anyone before, not even my daddy when he was at his worst. Troy was pantin' like a bitch in heat and his eyes were filled with a lust for blood as he came closer. Just as he reached out to wrap his scummy hands around my neck, I swung my foot with all the power I could muster and planted it right in his fuckin' balls. Uncle Dirtbag howled in pain, crossed his eyes and fell over backwards, clutching his nuts. "I told you what was gonna happen if you ever laid a hand on me, you bastard! You better get ready!" I yelled, pullin' my knife from my pocket and flippin' out the blade. I stepped closer to the figure writhin' in agony on the floor and his eyes grew wide with fear as he remembered what I'd said on the driveway at home. I yanked his hands from his crotch and sat on them as I straddled his gut, then ripped his pants open. The disgustin' moron wasn't even wearin' underwear, so this was gonna be even easier than I thought. I used my knife to cut his pants out of the way and once I had enough room to work, I got busy. Troy had managed to free one of his hands from under my butt and he was poundin' on my back, but as soon I grabbed his diseased-looking pecker to pull it outta the way, the poundin' stopped as he passed out. With him toasted like a burned-out bulb, my task became a piece o' cake. I quickly and easily slit his sack open, pulled out a nut, clipped the cord that attached it to the rest of his body, then turned around and stuffed the useless piece of flotsam into his mouth. I quickly followed suit with the second one and stuffed it in his mouth with the first. It was a good thing he was breathin' through his nose or he probably would have choked on his own balls. After gettin' up and wipin' my blade clean on his shirt, I put the knife back in my pocket, then grabbed the phone off the shelf and stopped the recording. I stuffed it into my bag, covered it up with the dirty clothes I had and beat feet out the door of the basement. Knowing if I went towards the front of the house to the right I'd end up at the driveway, I turned left and headed for the trees to the south, looking for a good place to hide for a while. I caught a glimpse of somebody swimmin' `cross the lake, but I wanted to be well gone and outta sight before Arlene or my cousins found Troy. I'd just snuck behind a big-ass tree and peeked around it to see whoever'd swum across the lake had started climbin' up the hill towards the driveway. As I headed out towards the road to get movin' again, I saw a car that looked an awful lot like the one that had followed us on the interstate Sunday afternoon, and it was pullin' into the driveway to park beside an ambulance. I quickly ducked behind another tree so whoever was drivin' it wouldn't see me. How the hell an ambulance had gotten here so fast wasn't clickin' in my mind and as soon as everybody had run inside, I hightailed it from my hidin' spot and ran like a demon to get as far away as I could. The phone rang forty-five minutes after Tom had abruptly ended our last call and I answered it halfway through the first ring. "What the hell, Tom? What the fuck's goin' on down there?" "Oh, you ain't gonna believe this shit. It took a while to get the whole story from Arlene, but here's what we know so far. Troy had locked Logan in the basement and was intending to keep him down there until Troy was able get control of Logan's money. Troy was losing his patience with our boy and said he was gonna force Logan to come up with a way to get the money today or he was gonna kill Logan and be done with it. As soon as he went downstairs to confront Logan, she called for the cops and an ambulance." "Oh, fuck!" I groaned. "That's why the ambulance was there? Troy did it, didn't he?" "I'm not done, yet, patience, remember?" Tom chuckled. "This shit ain't funny!" I screamed. "It's about to be fuckin' hilarious, just hang in there another minute, babe. Okay, nobody knows exactly what happened down there, but when the paramedics broke through the door and finally made it into the basement, they found Troy passed out on the floor with both his nuts stuffed in his mouth. We're only guessing at this point, but we're pretty sure Logan followed through on his threat and gelded the useless piece o' shit." "Oh, jesus," I laughed. "How's Logan?" I asked, desperate for some good news. "Now, that's a damn good question. He seems to have escaped out the back door of the basement and hasn't been seen since. The locals are combing the area around the house but haven't found him yet. We're pretty sure he couldn't have gotten too far and should be located shortly." "Look harder, dammit!" I demanded. "You aren't coming home without him, you hear me?" "I hear ya, boss, don't worry. But he can't be too far gone, he's just a little kid, remember?" "He may be a little kid, but he's also headstrong and resourceful. Don't forget, he grew up on a farm surrounded by woods. He probably knows a thing or two about how to hide out." "We'll find him, babe, I promise you that. Whoops, gotta go, the locals want to talk to me again. I'll call back later and let you know what's goin' on." "You sure as hell better," I vented in frustration as Tom ended the call. I kept headin' east towards town and was soon walking through a subdivision on the west edge of Dexter. I hadn't seen anyone since I'd escaped from Troy's, so I felt pretty safe. I figured if the cops found me wanderin' around by myself, they'd take me back there and that was the last place I wanted to be right now. I'd tried to call Dad and Pops to let them know I was free, but the phone's battery had finally died since I hadn't been able to charge it since Sunday. I was just hopin' it'd had enough juice to record Troy smackin' the shit out of me so I could prove his denuttin' was done in self-defense. I continued my trek through town, moving north and east towards the four-lane road that would lead to the interstate back to Springfield. After a couple more hours of walkin', occasionally duckin' behind trees or bushes as a car went by, I finally reached the road I was looking for. Now, if I could just get lucky and find somebody who'd be willin' to give me ride, I'd be fine. I figured if I could just get to the interstate, I could probably find some friendly trucker headin' north who wouldn't mind helpin' a kid out. Lord knows I had plenty of time to come up with a good story. I'd been walkin' along the four-lane highway for about five minutes when a car slowed down and pulled over to the shoulder in front of me. A guy who looked to be about the same age as Papa Jim or Grampa Bill got out and came around the back of the car to talk to me. "You okay, young man?" he asked in a kindly voice as he knelt down in front of me. "Yeah, I guess so," I answered with a bit of a drawl tryin' to sound like a local. "What happened to your face, boy? Were you in a fight?" he asked with serious concern. "Nah, I just tripped and rolled down a hill. Smacked my face `gainst a big-ass rock at the bottom." "Looks like it must hurt pretty bad. You need a doctor?" "Nope, it just stings a little," I replied while rubbing my jaw. "It'll be all right." "Well, what're you doin' walkin' out here by yourself? It's not a very safe road to walk along, `specially for a kid your age," he said with worry. "Well, I live in Sikeston and my class came over to the college here for a spellin' competition. After that was over, we went to the Pizza Hut for lunch. When it was time to leave, I had to pee and missed the bus." "You should have called your parents to come get you." "I woulda, but my phone died and there ain't no payphones anywhere no more, so I decided to walk." "Well, I'd be happy to give you a ride." "Yeah, I just bet you would," I giggled as I backed away from him. "You pro'lly just wanna rape me like my parents always say all you older guys wanna do to little boys like me." "I swear, that's not my intention," the man ruffled in offense. "If you'd prefer, I can always call the Dexter Police to come out and take you home." "No!" I squelched. "I mean, I don't wanna get in trouble with the cops, too. I'm already gonna be in plenty o' trouble with my `rents for missin' the dang bus. I just wanna get home." "Well, then hop in, your chariot awaits." Seein' as my two choices seemed be ridin' with a potential kiddie raper and killer or the cops, stupid me went with the raper. Dumb, I know, but I was desperate to get as far away from Dexter as quick as I could. `Sides, my feet were fuckin' killin' me. We climbed in the car and I asked, "What's your name, mister?" "Henry, what's yours?" "Logan," I answered. "You got a last name there, Logan?" "Uh, yeah, it's Campbell." "Nice to meet you, Logan Campbell," Henry said as he held his hand out. I gave him a quick shake and he asked, "Where we headed, young man?" "Well, my ma works at Lambert's. If you could just drop me there, she can call my pa to come get me. I could get supper, too, while I wait for him." I'd seen the signs for the place on the way down here and seeing as it was the only name I could think of, I ran with it. Lambert's was supposedly famous for being the `home of throwed rolls', whatever the hell that meant. I might even get luckier and find somebody headin' north who would give me another ride. "Sounds like a good plan to me, young man. Just sit back and relax. We'll have you back home in no time." "Thanks, mister Henry, I `ppreciate it." As soon as the man pulled onto the highway, I leaned against the door and promptly fell asleep. When the boys got home from school, I let them get comfortable before calling them into the living room and letting them know what had happened today. They were happy to hear that Logan was no longer at Troy's, but scared to death that he was missing. Of course, they demanded to get in the car and head south to join the search for their missing brother, but I managed to talk them out of that drastic course of action. Only the fact that their Pops and Uncle Dylan were already involved in the search allowed them to relent on their demand. After supper, and three hours after his last call, Tom finally called back and I put the phone on speaker so I wouldn't have to deal with a bunch of questions from the boys when it was over. "What's the word big guy?" I asked. "Disappeared into thin air," Tom answered without enthusiasm. "What the hell you talkin' `bout, Pops?" Joey asked pointedly. "Just what I said. The cops have searched every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse in Dexter and the rural area around it and haven't found a single hint of the rugrat. They're still searchin' in town but have given up on the country for the night. It's just too dark to see anything out there right now." "How the hell could a nine-year-old boy evade the police for this long?" I asked testily. "You said the kid was resourceful, didn't you? He's proving that right now." "Can we come down and help, Pops," T.J. asked. "There's no need for that, T.J. We have plenty of people lookin' already. And if he's not found by the morning, the state police have said they'll bring in dogs and helicopters to expand the search." "Not that I really care, but how's Troy?" I asked. "He'll survive, or so the doctors say. Logan obviously knows how to castrate an animal. Though Troy lost some blood, of course, he wasn't bleeding profusely since the kid did the surgery with a minimal amount of damage." "Don't think Troy will quite see it that way," I chuckled before absentmindedly adding, "I wonder what a redneck asshole's nuts taste like." "Ew, that's gross, Dad," Mike squealed in disgust as the boys cracked up in laughter. "Gross, yeah, but still funnier than hell," Andy giggled. "Dylan and I plan to hang around until they find Logan. Once we know where he is and have him with us, we'll be on the road for home." "Won't the little booger be in deep poo for cuttin' up his uncle?" Alex asked. "I can't answer that, buddy," Tom replied. "Depends on what the cops learn in their investigation." "Well, you two keep lookin' and we'll be waiting for you all to come home. We love you, hon, and hope to see you soon." "Same here, guys. Be good," Tom replied. We ended our call and the boys cracked up in laughter again. I looked at them in confusion and asked, "What the heck is so funny?" " `Be good'," Joey sniggered. "Who does he think he's talkin' to?" "The best group of sons any dads could ever hope to have," I answered proudly. "We sure got you fooled," Alex laughed. "Look," I began, "it's getting late. You munchkins hit the showers and crawl in bed. I'll be along in ten minutes to tuck you in, okay?" With agreement from all, they rumbled down hallway yakking happily about Logan coming back home. I finally woke up when Henry hit a big pothole in the parking lot of Lambert's. He pulled up to the front door of the large restaurant and said, "Here ya go, Logan Campbell. Think you'll be okay from here on?" I had to shake the cobwebs from my mind before I realized where I was. Once I was fully awake, I answered with, "You bet, mister Henry. Thanks for the ride." "You're very welcome, young man. Just do me a favor, please." "What's that?" "Don't ever try walkin' from Dexter to Sikeston again. You could get hurt really bad." "Ya don't have to worry none `bout that," I grinned. "Good. Do you want me to come in with you to find your mom?" "Nah, she works back in the kitchen, so we can't go back there anyway. I'll just have one of the waiters let her know I'm here." I unbuckled my seatbelt and was about to climb out of the car when I changed my mind. I leaned over the console between the two seats and gave mister Henry a big hug and a little kiss on the cheek. The man blushed deeply, but he patted my back in return for the hug. "Thanks, again, for the ride mister Henry, you saved my bacon. If you need money or anything, just let me know and I'll get it from ma." "No problems, Logan. You get outta here and be good." I climbed out and stood in the parking lot as Henry pulled away, both of us wavin' goodbye to each other. When he finally pulled out on the road and headed on into town, I turned and aimed my starvin' self for the front door. After eatin' only cold corn and beans for the last four days, I was lookin' forward to a hot and fillin' meal. I was glad I'd thought to raid Uncle Dirtbag's wallet before I ran away, or I'd be goin' hungry for a few more days as I worked my way back north towards home. He only had `bout fifty bucks on him for the bar, but I figured that'd have to do. My first stop inside was the bathroom `cause I had to take a wicked piss. As I let it fly, my mind was busy figurin' out what I was gonna do when I was done eatin'. I'd noticed several big rigs in the lot before I came in and figured my best bet was to look around for somebody who looked like they might be driving one of `em, give `em a sob story of some kind and hope for the best. Once I was done peein', I tucked myself away, zipped up and headed for the sinks to wash my face and hands. I was glad I was wearin' a dark shirt so the blood from cuttin' unc's nutsack didn't show too much. I was surprised mister Henry didn't say nothin' `bout the blood on my hands. He musta thought that was from rollin' down the hill. As I was dryin' my hands, a large man who looked kinda like every truck driver I'd ever seen deliver somethin' to the farm came into the john. I'm not the type of person who normally believes in stereotypes, but this guy had a pretty big gut, tattoos on his arms, long hair and a grizzled beard. Toppin' it all off was the wallet stickin' out o' his back pocket that was attached to a belt loop by a chain. If that don't just scream `I drive trucks for living', I don't know what does. I left the bathroom before he did and waited just around the corner for him to come out. I didn't have to wait too long, and I followed him back into the main seating area of the place. He took a seat in a booth where a lady was waitin' for him and I sat in the booth that was right behind him. I looked over the menu to pick out somethin' to eat while I listened to `em chat behind my back. I heard her sayin' somethin' `bout Chicago and then goin' on up to Milwaukee. All that said to me was `north!'. After a waiter took my order for a kid's meal, I got on my knees and turned around to look at the lady. She had some rough features in her face from long years on the road with her husband, but the lilt in her voice gave away her inner kindness. "Excuse me," I called over the back of the booth. "Yes, young man?" she asked politely. "Well, I don't want you to think I was eavesdroppin' or nothin', but I couldn't help but hear you was headed to Chicago." "Why, yes we are. Have you ever been there?" she asked. "Yeah, got to go with my dad and brothers `bout a month ago. It's a great place and I can't wait to go back." "Where are your dad and brothers now?" the man asked. "You look like you're here alone." "Well, yeah, I am," I answered with a pout. It was time to tell the story I'd concocted and see if it worked. "Ya see, my ma and pa are divorced. And my brothers got to go live our dad `cause they're older than me and the judge let `em pick who they wanted to live with. The turds all went with him and left me home alone with my ma. I was supposed to go spend the weekend with `em and my ma dropped me at the bus station so I could. As soon as I was outta the car, she took off with her boyfriend and left me there alone. What she didn't know was the bus had already left since we was runnin' late. Now I'm stuck here all weekend `cause she's off somewhere screwin' him and there ain't another bus to Springfield `til Monday. Is there any way you could give me ride that way? I promise I'll pay you when we get there," I ended with a sad whimper. "Well, I don't know about that, buddy," the man said hesitantly. "That just doesn't seem like the right thing to do. We could get in big trouble taking a kid across state lines." "I swear you won't get in trouble," I pleaded. "But if you won't take me, I'll guess I'll just hafta take my chances and hitchhike. I'm sure I can find someone who'll pick me up." The two looked at each other with fear in their eyes and I knew I had them hooked. Soon enough, the man turned back to face me and before he could say a word, I added, "I promise, I won't cause no problems." "What's your name, young man?" he asked. "Logan, sir, Logan Campbell." "Well, Logan, it looks like you have found some traveling companions. My name's Larry and my wife's name is Wendy. Why don't you join us?" "Gee, thanks, mister Larry," I squealed with joy. I jumped out my booth and crawled into theirs next to Wendy. "You guys are the greatest. I can't thank you enough." As I crawled into the booth, miss Wendy asked, "What the red mark on your cheek, honey?" "My ma's boyfriend wacked me this mornin' `cause I sassed him `bout takin' out the trash." "Does that kind of thing happen very often?" mister Larry asked. "Not a whole lot, I guess, but I ain't big `nough to make him stop, neither," I muttered. "That's not right, Logan," mister Larry intoned seriously. "You should call the police." "What? And give him `nother reason to smack me `round? I don't think so," I retorted. "We should probably call your dad and let him know where you are," miss Wendy offered once I was situated. "You could try, I guess, but he probably ain't home. I bet he's still sittin' at the bus station in Springfield waitin' for me to show up." "You better not be lyin' to me, Logan," Larry said sternly. "I don't take too kindly to folks who lie." "No, sir, I wouldn't dream o' doin that. My dad always tells us we should always tell the truth. If'n we don't, we get in trouble big time with him." "I'm gonna take you at your word. But I'm going to verify everything you told me with your dad when we see him." "That's fine, sir. You'll see." I clammed up as the waiter brought my food to me. It was a good thing he did so I could quit lyin' to these nice folks who'd just said they was gonna help me. Now I need figure out how to get Dad to play along when we get there. After I said my good nights to the boys and had them all tucked in, I retreated to the living room where I found Ron in a rather contemplative mood. As I took my chair, I commented, "You look like a man with a lot on his mind." It took a moment for my words to register, but Ron finally looked up and answered, "Yeah, I guess so." "You feel like sharin' whatever's percolatin' through that gray matter?" is asked. "I'm just happy Logan's gotten away from that ass and his family, but I'm really worried about nobody knowin' where he is." "We all are, Ron. He'll be found safe, though, I can feel it." "I'm glad someone can. I wish I could feel as sure about that as you do. I mean, where's a nine-year-old gonna go and how's he gonna get there?" "With Logan, you never know. He's a smart kid and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't do anything that would put himself in danger, so there's that. He's probably just hiding somewhere close to Troy's, afraid he's gonna have to go back there or be in big trouble for castratin' the jerk. Not that Troy deserved to keep his balls." "Ain't that the truth?" Ron lamented. "I've never seen a more useless piece of trash in my life." "No arguments from me on that." "You really think Logan'll be coming back here to stay?" Ron asked warily. "Seems he's gonna hafta deal with some issues in Missouri for what he did." "He probably will, but we'll handle it. Once the dust settles, I'm confident Logan will become the newest member of the family." "I hope you're right about that. After mutilatin' Troy the way he did, I'll be surprised if he doesn't end up in juvie somewhere." "We're not gonna let that happen, so stop worrying about it. What else ya thinkin' about?" "Well, with everything else goin' on, this doesn't seem like the right time to talk about it." "No time like the present, Ron. Go ahead and spit it out." "I've been thinkin' a lot about your idea, you know, helpin' Rich and all." "And ...?" "I guess if he's interested in tryin' some things, I'd be willing to do what I can. I still want to meet the kid before anything would happen, though. I'd wanna make sure we're be in agreement as to what we'd expect from each other." "That sounds reasonable to me. I'd hoped to have him come out for a swim or something so you two could have met each other by now, but with all this crap about Logan and Troy, the timing never worked out. Maybe next week will be calmer and we can make it happen." "Cool, Max. I'm looking forward to it." "Well, I don't know about you, but I've had about all the fun and excitement I can stand for one day, so I'm gonna hit the sack. See you in the morning, Ron." "You can be sure of that. Sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite." "Thanks, you, too," I replied as I left my chair and aimed my tired ass for a shower and a warm, but empty, bed. God, I'll be glad when my honey gets back home. This sleeping alone shit is for the birds. I ran through the shower, then climbed in bed and curled up. As I'd done the last couple of nights, I pulled Tom's pillows towards me and held onto them like I usually did with him. They were a damn poor substitute for the man I loved, but they still held his scent and that was comforting to my tired and fractured brain. In minutes, I was fast asleep. Unfortunately, my dreams tonight were very disturbing as they all centered around Logan and the horrible things that could happen to a kid who was alone. I was having a really bad dream when I felt something shaking me. When I opened my eyes and got them to focus, I saw Wendy was leaning into the sleeper cab from her seat and her hand was on my shoulder. "You okay there, Logan?" she asked in her kindest voice. "Uh, yeah, I think so. Just havin' a bad dream," I answered as I sat up. "I figured that out from the way you were mumblin' in your sleep, young man. You really miss your dad and brothers, don't you?" "You have no idea how much. I can't wait to see them again. It ain't been that long, but it feels like years have gone by so much has happened." "Well, you'll be together again soon enough," she replied. "We're just south of St. Louis and gonna make a quick pit stop. Sound good to you?" "Yeah, that sounds great," I agreed wholeheartedly. "I musta drank too much Coke at supper `cause I really gotta whiz." "Just a couple more minutes, buddy," Larry said. "Can ya hold it that long or do we need to pull over." "Nah, I should be good. Let's keep rollin', mister Larry." I'd fibbed a bit since I was already crossin' my legs, but I didn't wanna hafta pee off the side of the road, neither. If we didn't get to the to rest stop soon, though, I was gonna hafta find a clothespin to put on my dick. Larry was right on the money as the rest stop came into view two minutes later. As soon as the truck came to halt and Wendy opened her door, I climbed over her lap saying, " 'Scuse me, I really gotta go." She set me on the ground and I took off like a flash of lightning. I could hear her and Larry laughin' hysterically behind my back as I dashed across the parking area towards the concrete block building. As soon as mini-me was freed, I let go and was still going when mister Larry stepped up to the urinal beside me. "Guess we got here just in time, didn't we?" "Yes, sir, we sure did," I agreed with a sigh a relief as I looked up to Larry and gave him a smile. "Whoa there, young fella!" Larry yelled with a loud laugh. "Keep your eyes on where you're aimin' that thing. Ya almost pissed on my shoes." "Whoops, sorry, mister Larry. My bad." "That's all right, Logan, but a boy your age should know better than be lookin' `round when he's takin' a leak," Larry replied seriously. "Why's that, you ain't got nothin' I ain't never seen before." "That so?" "Sure, my dads, brothers and me don't wear nothin' when we're at home, so I seen it all before." " 'Scuse me? What do you mean by `dads'?" "Oops, shouldn't a said that," I muttered as I smacked myself in the forehead. "Young man, I think we need to have a serious talk and straighten a few things out before we go any further." "Yes, sir," I mumbled in resignation. We finished in the bathroom, washed our hands and headed back out to the truck. Mister Larry opened his door and helped me inside before climbin' in behind me and settlin' in the driver's seat while I took my spot on the bed in the back. We waited in silence for Wendy to come back and I just knew I was gonna be in deep shit for lyin' my ass off to these nice folks back at Lambert's. I was sweatin' bullets when she finally joined us in the cab and said, "Let's roll, Big Daddy." "I'd like to, dear, but we need to have a little chat with our passenger `fore we go anywhere. Seems he didn't quite tell us the truth at Lambert's, and I want to hear the real story before we move an inch." Miss Wendy turned to look at me with surprise on her face and all I could do was glare guiltily back at her. "Okay, spill it, boy, or we go right back to Sikeston and turn you over to the cops," mister Larry demanded as he stared at me. I looked at the two of `em with tears slippin' from my eyes and started to tell `em my story. I began with Joey and Alex's birthday party and spent the next forty-five minutes tellin' `em everything I'd been through the past month or so, right up to pissin' at this rest stop. When I told `em the part `bout the dirtbag punchin' me in the face this mornin', they was both hoppin' mad. By the time I was done, I was wiped out and the two of them had gone through what seemed like half a box of Kleenex wipin' their own eyes. Completely wrung out, I slouched on the bed and waited for the fireworks to begin. I was surprised, though, when miss Wendy left her seat and joined me on the bed, pullin' me into a smothering' hug. She was almost as big Larry and I practically disappeared into her as she wrapped her arms around me and whispered in my ear, "You're gonna be okay, sweetheart. We're gonna make sure you get home." She picked her head up and almost yelled, "Get this truck a movin', ya big lummox." "You got it, Big Momma," mister Larry replied as he turned around and started the big diesel. In moments, we were on the move again and I was headin' for home, my real home this time. Miss Wendy didn't let go of me for even a second as we were jostled and bounced around the bed as mister Larry got us back on the road. She was brushin' my hair with her hand, cooin' in my ear and holdin' me tightly to her soft and warm body. I was so out of it by that point, I quickly fell back to sleep thanks to the rockin' motion of the truck as it began to eat up the road to Springfield. I was startled from another sick dream when the drive sensor went off. I rolled over to look at the clock and saw it was two in morning. The only person I could think would be coming in this time of the night was Tom, so I rolled back over to go back to sleep. You can only imagine my surprise when I heard the rumblings of large truck on the circle drive, followed shortly by slamming doors and then the ringing of the doorbell. "Who the fuck could be here in the middle of the goddam night?" I grumbled to myself as I sat up and tried to clear my head. Knowing the only way to find out was to answer the door, I fumbled around for a pair of shorts and headed that direction once I'd pulled them on. I flipped on lights as I stumbled through the house and finally reached the door. Not really wanting to deal with whoever was on the other side, I yelled, "Who's there!?" before opening it. "It's me, Dad, Logan!" the rugrat screamed at full volume. "Open the damn door and let me in!" I'd barely unlocked the door when ninety-five pounds of squirming, squealing and sobbing boy launched himself at me, wrapping his arms around my neck and his legs around my waist. I was stunned at his sudden appearance in the middle of the night and I wrapped my arms around his quivering body, never wanting to let go. It was easily two minutes later when I finally opened my own dripping eyes and spotted the older couple on the porch, wide smiles gracing their otherwise stoic faces. Suddenly remembering my manners, I stepped back and said, "Please, come in." The two stepped inside and since my arms were still full of still quivering boy, I kicked the door shut. "Why don't you two have a seat in the living room over there while I put this young man to bed? I'll be right back so we can talk." "Thanks, Max," the man said, "we'd like that." As they settled in on the couch, I turned down the hallway and stepped into the bedroom where Joey and Alex were sleeping soundly and blissfully unaware of unfolding events. Logan had finally calmed down and I had him hit the john before climbing in bed with the twins. Before joining his brothers, I knelt in front of the munchkin, pulled him in close and said, "I don't know how the hell you got here and right now, I don't fuckin' care. I'm just glad you're back where you belong." "Yeah, me, too, Dad," he replied wistfully. "Now get your butt into bed, ya rugrat. We'll talk more in the morning." "I know, I got lots to tell ya." "I'm sure you do." I wrapped my boy in my arms, kissed his forehead, and wished him a good night's sleep. But most importantly, I told him, "I love you, Logan Campbell, and I don't want to ever lose you." "I love all you guys, too, Dad." With that, he carefully climbed into bed and snuggled up behind Alex. How he managed that trick without waking either of the twins was beyond my ability to comprehend, but at this point, I didn't really care. With one last kiss, I left the room and closed the door behind me before joining the two strangers waiting for me in the living room. As I turned the corner and took my regular chair, I started our conversation with, "Hi, I don't believe we've been properly introduced. I'm Max Sanders." "Hi, Max, nice to meet you. I'm Larry Boston and this is my wife Wendy." "Nice to meet you both. Would you mind explaining how you met Logan and what he's doing here?" I asked with as much seriousness as I could muster at the moment. "Well," Wendy began, "we were having supper at Lambert's in Sikeston when the little bugger wormed his way into our hearts. He gave us a sob story about tryin' to get Springfield to see his dad and brothers for the weekend and us two idiots fell for it, hook, line and sinker." "He was very convincing, too," Larry added, "until he made a little mistake just south of St. Louis." "Oh, what was that?" I asked. "We'd stopped at a rest stop and he let slip something about his dads that didn't match with what he'd told us earlier, so we had a very serious chat before we hit the road again," Larry replied. "Yes," Wendy agreed as she picked up the narrative, "he told us all about you, Tom, his brothers, his dad dying and having to go live with his uncle. Once we heard the true story, we felt we were doing the right thing by bringing him here. We hope we were right," she mused. "You absolutely were," I grinned. "And I can't thank you enough for bringing him back to us. Our other boys have been miserable since he was taken from us Sunday morning. They're going to have a very nice surprise later this morning when they find out he's back where he belongs." "We're glad we could help you all out," Larry replied. "But you should make sure he never pulls a stunt like this again. The end result could be much different." "Oh, he knows what he did today was risky, trust me, but he was desperate to get back home, too. And after what he's been through already, he's a really good judge of character. He seems to know really quickly who's a good person and who isn't." Both Larry and Wendy blushed as the sideways compliment. Larry finally regained his voice and said, "Well, we should be goin', Max. We have a long drive ahead of us. We just wanted make sure Logan was safe and sound before we moved on." "Before you go, let me give you something for your troubles." "Not necessary, Max," Wendy began, "we're just happy to see Logan with people who love him." "No, I insist. I'll be right back," I said as I left my chair for the bedroom. After pulling some cash from the safe, I returned and handed it over to Larry. "There's $10,000. Use it however you want." "We can't take that," Larry protested as he jumped up off the couch. "Yes you can, no arguments. It's worth way more than that to have Logan back with us." I wrapped the big but flustered man in a hug and held him for a minute before turning towards Wendy to do the same. "If you're ever in the area again, feel free to stop by and say hi," I said as I let Wendy go. "Well, thanks, Max. We never expected to be rewarded for bringing Logan home, but we'll do good things with this." We headed for the front door and as I opened it to let them out, I said, "I'd expect nothing less from good folks like you. Please have a safe trip and thanks, again, for helping today. Having Logan back home with us means more than you could ever know." I stood at the open door and watched the confused and flustered couple head down the sidewalk to their truck. I waited until they started moving before waving goodbye and closing the door. As I leaned against the wooden slab, my mind was racing with what I needed to do next. I quickly decided my first task should be to call Tom and let him know what's happened. I was so happy to have Logan back home, I practically skipped my way back to the living room where I took my regular seat and picked up the phone. "What?" he groaned. "This better be fuckin' important." "It is, Tom. Wake the hell up." "All right already, I'm awake. What couldn't have waited a couple more hours?" "Pack your shit and get your ass home, NOW!" "I can't," Tom complained. "We still haven't found Logan." "And you're not goin' to. Not down there, anyway," I laughed. "What the hell you talkin' about?" "Logan's here!" "WHAT!? How the hell'd he pull off that trick?" "It's a long story and I'll tell you all about once you're home. Call the cops, tell `em Logan's been located, then you and Dylan hit the road." "You sure I can't go back to sleep?" "Yes, I'm sure, you goofball. We need to start protectin' Logan first thing in the morning." "All right, all right, I get it. We'll be on the way as soon as we can." "Thanks, hon, love you." "Yeah, I love you, too. I think. See ya when we get there." After ending the call, I took a few minutes to try to make sense of everything that had happened since Sunday morning, but finally gave up and crawled back in my empty bed. Tomorrow was going to be another long damn day and I needed some sleep.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 79</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><span>Chapter 79 � Goodbye Logan</span></h2> <p><span>Sunday, April 13, 2025 will be forever known in our family as the day that began not with a bang, but a thud. Or, to be truly honest, multiple thuds. The thuds of our still-beating hearts being ripped from our chests and thrown to the ground, only to be summarily trampled by a herd of stampeding elephants.</span></p> <p><span>When I finally woke up about nine, I was flat on my back and surprised to discover I couldn't move. I felt as if I'd been swallowed by a pit of quicksand due to the extra weight pressing on my body from all directions. I was starting to panic quite a bit and about to start screaming for help when I finally opened my eyes and received the shock of my life. Not two inches above my own eyes, set in a field of freckles, I found a pair of intense green eyes, seemingly boring directly into my soul.</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin', Dad," Mike whispered with a cheesy grin. "What's for breakfast?"</span></p> <p><span>"Jesus, Mike," I whispered back. "You about scared the crap outta me."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, good thing you didn't do that. Ron just changed all the beds the other day," he giggled madly but quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you don't move, he's gonna have to change it again. I need a bathroom."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, no can do, old man. T.J. and Logan kinda got me pinned in."</span></p> <p><span>I finally looked to my right and found T.J. curled up next to me and his head was resting on my shoulder. When I peeked to my left, I found Logan was in much the same position on my other side. It was no wonder I felt like the weight of the world was pinning me to the mattress. Looking even further to the left, I discovered the big guy was dealing with the same issue as he had Andy laying on top of him with Joey on his left side and Alex on his right, all four still sleeping soundly.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, somethin's got to give, buddy, `cause I really need to pee."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know," the munchkin giggled again.</span></p> <p><span>Knowing I couldn't wait any longer, I tossed the covers off the four of us, then gently lifted Mike so I could at least sit up, T.J. and Logan's arms slipping from Mike's back to their sides. Once I'd accomplished that much, I set Mike back down on the bed by my feet, carefully extricated myself from between the two still-sleeping forms beside me and hustled to the bathroom. With my immediate needs taken care of, I washed my face and hands, then returned to roust the others. As I left the bathroom, I glanced at the window over the bed and discovered that the day was overcast, gray and gloomy. It somehow seemed oddly fitting considering it mirrored how all of us felt.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, you lazy bums, time to get movin'," I called out as I reached the overcrowded bed.</span></p> <p><span>"We don't wanna, Dad," T.J. mumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Too bad, munchkin. We only have two hours before Troy gets here and I'd like to spend that time together. What do you want for breakfast, Logan?"</span></p> <p><span>"DiCarlo's," he muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, bud, they're not open this early."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hell, that sucks. Don't the condemned get whatever they want for their last meal?"</span></p> <p><span>"This won't be your last meal. I'm sure your aunt will make sure you get fed."</span></p> <p><span>"Like I'll stand a chance against them two shithead cousins. You seen how big they are?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I have, but I'm sure you'll be fine." Tom and his three rugrats has started to move and I added, "Welcome to the real world, guys." I received four grumpy and wholly unintelligible replies to my cheery greeting. "Well, I'm going to start something for breakfast. Y'all better join me soon or you'll go hungry." On that note, I opened the door to leave the bedroom and my nose was immediately assaulted by a host of wonderful odors flooding the hallway. When I reached the kitchen, I found Ron busier than any bee had ever been as he was bustling about with mass quantities of food in various stages of preparation.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh hey, mornin', Max. Fresh coffee's in the pot, help yourself," he greeted me happily.</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin' to you, too," I replied as I pulled a mug from the cabinet and filled it with warm java. "Looks like you're pullin' out all the stops today. What all you got goin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, hash browns and cinnamon rolls."</span></p> <p><span>"I thought we were out of cinnamon rolls," I retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"We are, so I made `em myself," Ron replied.</span></p> <p><span>"And they smell delicious. Now, if we just had someone here to eat them."</span></p> <p><span>"They'll be here, Max, don't worry `bout that. Especially if you left the bedroom door open and they can smell all this." As if Ron had whispered a magical incantation, bodies started filling the kitchen as the crew finally decided it was time to move.</span></p> <p><span>"Smells pretty good in here, Ron-Boy," Logan complimented as he joined the group. "It ain't DiCarlo's, but it'll do okay," he added with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad it meets with your approval, munchkin," Ron retorted. "Now, get your skinny little butt outta my way so I can finish up and get it all on the table."</span></p> <p><span>"Careful how you talk to me, buckwheat, or I'll shove <i>your</i> ass in that truck instead o' mine when Uncle Dirtbag gets here."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks, Logan. And here I was, thinkin' you kinda liked me."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I do, beanpole. ` Least I was gonna put you <i>in</i> it and not <i>under</i> the dang thing."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks, ya little goober. I feel so much better," Ron laughed.</span></p> <p><span>With the two done trading barbs, Logan moved on to the dining room and took the chair at one end of the table, the other boys filling the seats next to him, wanting to stay as close together as possible for as long as they could. Tom finally straggled into the kitchen and fixed himself a cup of coffee to get his day started.</span></p> <p><span>"What took you so long, big guy?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Had to wait for the brats to use the bathroom and it took them forever. And with the extra pressure Andy was puttin' on my bladder, my back teeth were having motorboat races by the time I could get to the toilet." Ron and I were both laughing at his misery. "Yeah, laugh it up, you two. By the time it was my turn, I was `bout to explode."</span></p> <p><span>"You feeling any better now?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Finally, yes. So, what can we do to help, Ron?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not much, Tom, it's almost done. You guys could help get it all to the table though."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it," I replied. Tom and I filled our hands and delivered the completed food to the table where it was promptly attacked by the assembled herd. Despite what they may be feeling this morning, there was no denying the eating machines their morning meal.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, you guys wanna leave some for us?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, Pops," Alex answered with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>Ron soon joined us, carrying a platter filled with the cinnamon rolls smothered with icing, and the boys dug into them with gusto as soon as they hit the table. The three adults finally joined the sensational six-pack at the table and filled our plates with a little bit of everything. Ron was receiving many compliments from all for our hearty breakfast and he was blushing mightily from all the praise.</span></p> <p><span>I finally managed to turn the conversation away from food when I asked, "So, Logan, were you able to finish your book yesterday?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it was really good."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you ready for the next book in the series?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, but not `til I get back here with you guys. I ain't takin' nothin' with me I don't hafta."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, buddy. It'll be waiting for you. You sorta reminded me of Ender yesterday with your little speech at the cemetery."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, how'd I do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the second book is titled <i>Speaker for the Dead</i> and it takes place years later when Ender has become one."</span></p> <p><span>"And what's a speaker for the dead do?"</span></p> <p><span>"He travels from colony to colony among the hundred worlds and tells the true story of someone who's died, regardless of the consequences. That's pretty much what you did yesterday when you talked about your dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. McGee and Mr. Bartley did the same thing, though, didn't they?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I suppose they did, but you made me think of Ender more than they did."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, we have another birthday comin' up next week, don't we?" Tom asked. T.J. raised his hand and acknowledged the upcoming event. "So, you plannin' on havin' a party like the twins did?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope. Ain't doin' nothin' `til Logan's back and can be here with us."</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, dude, don't do that," Logan moaned. "Go ahead and have your party. Who knows when I'll be back?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not gonna happen, bro. I won't be in the mood for a party if you ain't here."</span></p> <p><span>"None of us will be," Alex added glumly. That statement received nods of agreement from all the boys.</span></p> <p><span>"Does Logan really have to leave today?" Mike asked with a whimper of sadness.</span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, yes," Tom answered. "But he'll be back just as quick as we can work everything out."</span></p> <p><span>"He better," Joey vented testily.</span></p> <p><span>"When's Dylan gonna get here?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He said he'd be here about 10:30," Tom replied. "That way, he'll be here when Troy is and we can be ready to roll as soon as they're on the way."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. You do realize I'm paying you two for this, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"No you're not, babe, this one's a freebie. We all have a vested interest in bringing Logan back home where he's safe and loved. Same with locatin' William when we get back, it's on the house."</span></p> <p><span>"Just another reason to love you, hon," I commented as I reached over and squeezed his hand. "Thanks."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's not like I need the money, is it? Dylan might, but I sure don't."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I s'pose not, smart aleck."</span></p> <p><span>The rest of our meal was fairly quiet as there didn't seem to be anything left to say. Well, there really was plenty for us to talk about, just nobody could find their steady voice and the few words spoken aloud were accompanied by a multitude of breaks due to the emotions we were all trying to contain. Surprisingly, Logan seemed to be the one person in complete command of his feelings, grinning happily despite his rapidly approaching moment of departure. I was unable to fathom his ability to be so calm and relaxed considering the circumstances, but I was glad to see he was at peace with what would be happening shortly.</span></p> <p><span>Once all the food Ron had prepared was finally packed away into our bulging bellies, the cleanup process began in earnest. Though Ron complained about not being allowed to do his job, as usual, the boys took care of loading the plates and silver into the dishwasher. With their part completed, Ron summarily kicked all eight of us out of the kitchen, insisting he would take care of the rest of the cleanup by himself.</span></p> <p><span>As we left the kitchen for the living room, I placed a hand on Logan's shoulder and jerked my head towards my study to have him follow me. We plodded down the hallway and after entering the study, I closed the door so we could talk without being interrupted.</span></p> <p><span>Sitting in separate chairs at the small table, Logan asked, "What's up, Dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm worried about you, buddy. You seem pretty calm in light of the fact you're about to move to Missouri with your uncle," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't no sense bein' upset `bout it, is there? We knew it was gonna happen."</span></p> <p><span>"That may be, but you still seem too, uh, at ease with it, I guess. I want you to know that we're not gonna stop working to get you back here with us, no matter how long it takes."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know that. That's why I ain't that worried right now. If I thought I was gonna hafta stay with them losers forever, it'd be a whole different story, let me tell ya."</span></p> <p><span>"I bet it would be."</span></p> <p><span>"So, why we in here?" Logan queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Right, that. I have something you need to take with you. Hang on a sec." I moved to my desk and retrieved an item from the center desk drawer before rejoining Logan at the table. After taking my seat, I held out the latest iPhone and said, "I picked this up the other day and it's already programmed with Tom's, Dylan's, mine and the house's phone numbers. You need anything, and I mean anything, use it."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy shit, Dad, what the hell you thinkin'? Troy's liable to chuck that sucker out the window while we're goin' down the interstate."</span></p> <p><span>"Not if he doesn't know you have it," I replied with a conspiratorial grin. "I want you to put this in the middle of your bag so they won't know it's there. When you get there, find somewhere to hide it, but still get to it quickly and easily if something comes up."</span></p> <p><span>"Like what somethin'? You mean if it looks like he's gonna beat my ass for no reason?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's exactly what I mean, young man. If it ever looks like he might hurt you in any way, you need to call the police and get help."</span></p> <p><span>"But they live outside o' town on that orchard I tol' you `bout. By the time the cops could get there, I'll be freakin' dead."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Tom and Dylan will be close by for a few days as they dig into Troy's background, and you should call them first if you need help. But, you may still need it after they've come back home."</span></p> <p><span>Logan's eyes filled with tears that stubbornly refused to go away as he crawled in my lap and gave me a bone-jarring hug. "Thanks, Dad. I love you," he whispered in my ear.</span></p> <p><span>"We love you, too, buddy. This'll all work out okay, I promise."</span></p> <p><span>"I know it will," Logan whimpered.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, we need to get dressed and make sure you're ready to go when they get here. No need to make Troy mad by trying to delay, I guess. And make sure you stash that phone."</span></p> <p><span>"You bet I will."</span></p> <p><span>As we left the study, I added, "Let the others know it's time to get dressed, will you?"</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Dad."</span></p> <p><span>With that, Logan continued down the hall and across the house while I turned into the bedroom to pull on shorts and a shirt. Tom soon joined me, dressing for his road trip with Dylan and quickly packing a bag with the items he'd need for four or five days as the two investigators dug into Troy's background. During that process, he asked, "So what was that little chat with Logan all about?"</span></p> <p><span>"I gave him a phone to take with him. It's programmed with all the important numbers he may need."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good idea. I should have thought of that."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you should have. But, I'm glad I did, though. He's going to put it in the middle of his bag so it won't be obvious he has it, and then hide it once he gets to Troy's. I'm hoping he won't ever need to use it, but I figure better safe than sorry. You got everything you need?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I think so. As much as I'd like to take my gun, I'm not licensed to carry in Missouri, so I'm leavin' it here."</span></p> <p><span>"You think that's wise? You may need it if you have to corral Troy."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be fine without our guns, babe. Troy's nothin' but your average bully and one quick shot with a fist, foot or knee will put his sick ass on the ground."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm hoping it doesn't come to that, but if does, make sure the bastard can't get back up."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I plan on it," Tom agreed with an evil smirk.</span></p> <p><span>With both of us dressed and Tom's bag ready to go, we aimed ourselves for the living room. When we arrived, we found the boys had returned and were all packed onto the couch together. It was a good thing the couch was extra-long or somebody would have to have been sitting on the others. The sensational six-pack had been quietly whispering when we first saw them, but they quickly clammed up as Tom and I settled into our chairs. I was about to ask them the reason for their silence when the drive sensor announced a visitor. </span></p> <p><span>As we waited for a phone call from the security guard, Logan jerked in reaction to the `ding', then quickly glanced at the clock and muttered, "Figures the jerk would be early. He just can't wait to get his moneygrubbin' little paws on me and my money."</span></p> <p><span>Tom calmed Logan down when he responded, "I'm sure that's just Dylan coming in, buddy. He wanted to be here when Troy was, and the two of us are hitting the road right behind you."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a good plan to me, Pops. That bastard's probably not gonna wait `til he gets back home to start bein' an asshole."</span></p> <p><span>"Probably not," I agreed. "Do you think you might be able to enlist some help from your cousins?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't see that happenin', Dad. Those two twits hate me just as much as Troy does."</span></p> <p><span>"What're their names," Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you never told us," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I always just called `em Thing One and Thing Two," Logan answered with a giggle, "but their real names are Daril and Arley. They're both dumber than rocks and meaner than junkyard dogs."</span></p> <p><span>"And what's your aunt's name?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Arlene. Ain't too sure she's the brightest bulb in the box, neither. `Specially since she's stuck with Troy as long as she has. If she had an ounce o' brains, she'd a left that loser a long time ago and taken the two Things with her."</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, you understand that if she and your cousins are being abused by Troy, they probably don't think they deserve better or have anywhere to go that's gonna be safe from him. Victims of abuse rarely see a way out of their situation and their self-esteem is completely degraded to the point of not caring anymore. Trust me on that."</span></p> <p><span>"That may be, Dad, but they still coulda tried to get out somehow."</span></p> <p><span>"Trying to escape often leads to even worse abuse if it doesn't work out, and the victim knows that, so they stay, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"That don't make a damn bit o' sense."</span></p> <p><span>"No, it doesn't," Tom agreed, "but that's the way it works most of the time. It takes a really brave and strong person to leave an abusive relationship."</span></p> <p><span>The front door flew open at that moment and Dylan stepped inside, closing the door behind him. The munchkins jumped off the couch and ran to greet the big guy, smothering him with hugs. When they'd finally calmed down a bit, Dylan was able to make his way across the house to join us by the fireplace. He opted to take the loveseat while five of the boys returned to the couch. Instead of joining the others, Logan crawled up on the loveseat with Dylan, burrowing deep into his side as the big guy wrapped a protective arm around the youngster's shoulders.</span></p> <p><span>"It's gonna be all right, buddy," Dylan whispered to his companion before lifting his head and asking, "You ready to boogie, Boss?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ready as I'll ever be, I guess," Tom answered. "You?"</span></p> <p><span>"You betcha. We gotta get this young man back where he belongs."</span></p> <p><span>"We're with ya on that, Dylan," I agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"I still don't get why he has to go in the first place," T.J. muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"Because his dad wanted Troy to take care of Logan. We can't change that yet."</span></p> <p><span>"It still sucks," Alex moaned. DING!</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit," Logan mumbled as he attempted to dig even deeper into Dylan's side. The phone rang five seconds later.</span></p> <p><span>Tom answered with, "Who is it, Ken?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue, Mr. Wright. The bastard flew by me without blinkin'. If I hadn't jumped out of the way, I'd be nothin' but roadkill right now."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me guess," Tom started, "a dirty beige pickup with Missouri plates, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"How the hell could you know that?" Ken asked with surprise. "You got a camera out here you didn't tell us about?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, we've been expecting them. Thanks for the warning, though." After hanging up the phone, Tom said, "I guess this is it. Boys, say your goodbyes now."</span></p> <p><span>"Why can't we go outside with Logan?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Because we don't want you around Troy, simple as that," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>Tears were running down all their faces as they formed a huddle in front of the fireplace and whispered quietly to each other. While they hugged each other and sobbed together, Dylan took it upon himself to man the front door, watching through the window for Troy's arrival on the porch. When Troy mounted the steps up to the porch, Dylan opened the door to let him in.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, rooms now, please," I commanded. Without hesitation, all six disappeared down the hallway with Ron shepherding the herd. Logan returned moments later with his bag.</span></p> <p><span>"Hoo doggy, them uppity faggots got themselves a nice little slave nigger to greet their special guests. Ain't that just fuckin' special?" Troy drawled with disgust. Dylan turned to us and we could see the word `please' desperately wanting to escape his mouth, but he held his tongue as Tom quickly shook his head in the negative. "Time to hit the road, ya disgustin' little faggot lover," Troy yelled across the house.</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell is wrong with you, Troy?" Logan asked as we approached the door. "Was you dropped on your head when you was a baby?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't a damn thing wrong with me, ya turd. Now, get your sorry ass in the truck. Times a wastin' and we gotta go."</span></p> <p><span>Logan looked up to us and asked, "I really gotta go with this asshole?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know you do, Logan," I answered as we knelt down to his level. "You sure you have everything?" I asked with a wink.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep," he answered with a return wink before wrapping both of us in a hug, his head lodged between ours. "I love you guys," he whispered into our ears.</span></p> <p><span>"We love you, too, buddy," I whimpered.</span></p> <p><span>"You'll be back with us soon, Logan," Tom muttered without commitment.</span></p> <p><span>"Sooner than you pro'lly think," Logan giggled.</span></p> <p><span>We both jerked back in surprise and I asked, "What's that mean?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, nothin'," the young man replied as he turned to leave. He stopped at Dylan, wrapped his arms around the big man's waist and said, "Love you, too, Uncle Dylan. See you soon," he added with a smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Break up the sick little love fest, boy, and get in the back seat with your cousins," Troy vented.</span></p> <p><span>"Can I ride in the very back with all your crap?" Logan asked. "Just so I don't have to breathe the same air as you?"</span></p> <p><span>Troy raised a hand as if he was going to smack Logan, but he didn't count on Dylan's quick reflexes stopping the savage blow before he could make contact. As Dylan twisted Troy's arm behind his back, Logan continued out to the truck and climbed in the back seat with his cousins, where he promptly crawled over one of the two hulks to sit between them.</span></p> <p><span>"Let go of me, you fuckin' nigger. I'll see your ass in jail," Troy squealed as the pain in his arm increased due to the way Dylan was pulling it up between his shoulder blades. I'll never understand how his arm didn't break into two separate pieces.</span></p> <p><span>"You listen to me, asshole, and you listen good," Dylan hissed. "You so much as look at Logan cross-eyed and I'm gonna snap you in two like the useless twig you are."</span></p> <p><span>"I ain't `fraid of no damn darkie," Troy retorted as he tried to pull away.</span></p> <p><span>"You better be, asshole," Dylan warned as he planted his foot on Troy's ass and shoved him out the door as he released the twisted appendage. Troy stumbled across the porch and when he reached the steps, lost his balance completely before flying off the porch and sprawling face first onto the sidewalk. Logan had turned around to look out the rear window of the truck's cab and we could see he was grinning madly at his uncle's misfortune. Even Arlene, Daril and Arley were watching the events unfold and it appeared as though all three were unsuccessfully trying to suppress their own grins, though it was hard to be sure due to the dirt covering the window.</span></p> <p><span>"You fuckin' nigger!" Troy screamed. "I'm gonna kill you for that," he added as he moved back towards the porch.</span></p> <p><span>"Give it your best shot, asshole," Dylan replied as he pulled his gun from its holster in the middle of his back and aimed it directly at Troy's head.</span></p> <p><span>Apparently deciding common sense was the better part of valor, Troy turned around and headed for the truck. After climbing in, he peeled off down the driveway like an escapee from prison. Dylan slammed the door so hard, we were surprised it didn't end up in the yard.</span></p> <p><span>"That rotten mothe... uh, bastard. He better hope I never see him again," Dylan vented.</span></p> <p><span>"Let me grab my bag, Dylan, and I'll be ready to go," Tom called over his shoulder as he turned for the bedroom.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't forget your gun, Boss. We're goin' into enemy territory."</span></p> <p><span>"Why? I don't have a carry license for Missouri."</span></p> <p><span>"You do now," Dylan responded as he pulled an ID card from his pocket. Tom returned, pulled the card from Dylan's grasp and gawked at it in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"How the hell'd you pull this off?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I know some people who know some people. They helped guide our paperwork through Missouri's bureaucracy. The fact we're both former cops helped the applications jump some major hurdles, too," Dylan grinned with satisfaction.</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent. I knew workin' with you was gonna be a great experience. I'll be right back." With that, Tom headed towards the bedroom a second time.</span></p> <p><span>While he was retrieving his things, I had the boys come back out so they could say their goodbyes to both men when Tom returned. All five were still crying at Logan leaving, but there was nothing we could do at the moment to stop the waterworks. When Tom had rejoined his traveling partner, the goodbyes began in earnest with even more tears flowing freely from everyone. With reassurances from Tom and Dylan to do their best and come back home as quickly as possible, they were soon out the door and on their way. The six of us who were staying home retreated to the living room and curled up on the couch together, too upset with the injustices of life to even think about what came next.</span></p> <p><span>On the way to the driveway leading into the garage, I asked, "So, Dylan, whose car are we takin' south?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thought we'd take my mine, see how it does on the open highway."</span></p> <p><span>"Works for me," I replied. When we turned around the corner of the garage and I laid my eyes on the brand-new gleaming machine parked on the drive, I nearly fell over in surprise. "Where the hell did <i>that</i> come from?" I sputtered.</span></p> <p><span>"A little going away present from the county," Dylan grinned. "You like?"</span></p> <p><span>"What's not to like," I asked as my eyes caressed the black Hellcat from nose to tail. "Hope you let me drive."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't hold your breath there, bucko," Dylan laughed. "C'mon, throw your shit in the trunk and let's get this show on the road." </span></p> <p><span>Dylan popped the trunk open, and after my bag was stashed and the trunk closed, we climbed in the hot-rod to head south. Dylan put the car through its paces from the moment we entered Interstate 72 at New Berlin and we'd just veered onto Interstate 55 on the south side of Springfield when we rolled up to the truck bearing our young friend who was bound for who knew what hellish experiences. Dylan let the car coast back down to more legal speeds before setting the cruise control that would allow us to follow Troy at a respectable distance. Once settled in about half a mile behind the truck, we had nothing to do now but wait until we reached southeast Missouri.</span></p> <p><span>When Uncle Shithead got in the truck, I knew he was pissed off somethin' awful. But he'd just been embarrassed within an inch of his life by a hulkin' black man with no way to get back at him, so I wasn't that surprised. I'd always believed Troy was a royal pain in the ass and my short time with him so far today was doing nothing to disprove that point. No words had been spoken by anyone since we'd left home forty-five minutes ago and the silence was deafening. I wasn't too happy for having to go along with this insanity, but I knew Dad and Pops wouldn't let anyone or anything stop them from bringin' me back home with them and my brothers, and I was determined to make lemonade outta this fuckin' lemon.</span></p> <p><span>Daril and Arley had done nothin' but stare blankly out their windows at the still empty fields as we rolled on down the interstate. Aunt Arlene was quiet as usual as she seemed to be dozing. I was pretty sure she was just fakin' bein' asleep, just so she wouldn't have to talk to Troy, not that I blamed her a bit for that. I turned to look out the back window again, just to say goodbye to Springfield one last time, when I saw this evil-lookin' black car. I couldn't see inside because of the sun's glare on the windshield, but I had this ominous feelin' it was followin' us. I could only hope that whoever was in that black beast wasn't lookin' for me. I was already in enough trouble with Troy just for breathin' and sure didn't need to add to it.</span></p> <p><span>I started to shiver in fear a bit and finally settled back into my place between Thing 1 and Thing 2, more or less resigned to my fate, whatever the hell it may be. It was then that Daril pulled a folded-up piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over without lookin' at me. To say I was surprised at this new development would be the understatement of the century. I looked up at his face and did not see any recognition of his action and I was pretty confused as to what was going on. I'd started unfoldin' the paper when Arley put his hand on my back and gently pushed me forward a little bit so the paper was down by my knees and not visible to Troy or Arlene should they turn around. I looked up to Arley and he gave me a miniscule nod of his head encouraging me to continue.</span></p> <p><span>I carefully and very quietly unfolded the paper until I could see it was note. I immediately focused my eyes and all my attention on what the note said.</span></p> <p><span>`Logan, don't react to this or Dad'll know somethin's up and you don't want that happenin'. First, we both want you know how sorry we are about Aunt Becky dyin' a couple years ago and Uncle Charlie dyin', too. They was good people and we're gonna miss `em. It's too bad it was Uncle Charlie who bought the big one `stead o' our old man.' Tears started to fill my eyes and they were screwing with my ability to focus, but I pressed on. `Second, we tried to convince Dad to let you stay where you was, but he needs your money really bad. The orchard's `bout to go tits up and he don't know what he's gonna do when it happens. He thinks that once you're with us, he can grab the dough and you can disappear with nobody knowin' what's happened. </span></p> <p><span>`We're gonna do what we can to protect you, but it ain't gonna be easy. We gotta go to school every day and won't be home, but Dad spends most his days in the bar, anyways, so he ain't `round that much, `cept for at night. We think if you lay low when he's `round, you'll be okay, but ya just never know. Mom's gonna take good care of you when he's outta the house, but don't `spect nothin' from her when he's around. She don't want to get beat no more than she is already and helpin' you would dump a whole heap o' shit on her if Dad finds out `bout it. Same goes for us, we're tired of bein' beat up for nothin' and we ain't gonna add to it if we don't hafta.</span></p> <p><span>`So, you be careful and you'll be alright.' </span></p> <p><span>The note was signed by both Daril and Arley. Dammit, I had really misjudged my cousins. Not only do they actually care about what happens to me, they could fuckin' write! Talk about surprises that blow your mind. I looked up to try to say somethin' to `em, but both were still staring blankly out the windows, oblivious to the turmoil running through my mind. I very carefully and quietly refolded the note, then slipped it into my pocket so I wouldn't lose it. I grabbed their hands and squeezed them tightly as a way of sayin' thank you. While they remained silent, sullen and still, they lightly squeezed back to let me know they'd received my message. When we pulled up to their house almost four hours later, the three of us were still silently holdin' hands in solidarity.</span></p> <p><span>By god, maybe this won't turn out too bad after all.</span></p> <p><span>When we saw the truck pull into the driveway of what must be their home, Dylan continued down the road about half a mile before pulling into another drive and turning around. We stopped on the side of the road across from the house to scope out the area and decide how best to keep an eye on things. The house itself didn't seem too bad or rundown, but we've learned from our time on the job to never judge a book by its cover. The ground sloped down behind the house before ending at a small lake. While visibility across the lake would be excellent, reaching the house in a hurry would be a problem.</span></p> <p><span>Having seen all we could see at the moment, Dylan put the car back into gear and we slowly drifted past the house in search of the motel we'd reserved. Once checked in, we unloaded our things from the car into the room and got settled into our home away from home for the next few days. I pulled my Surface tablet from its case, connected to the motel's wi-fi and loaded up Google Earth so we could get an aerial view of the house and surrounding area. </span></p> <p><span>After a few minutes of perusing the aerial view on the screen, we decided that an empty lot on the other side of the lake would provide the best vantage point to keep an eye on Troy's place. There were trees shrouding the shoreline of the small lake and we decided that would be the ideal spot to set up camp as we'd be able to keep an eye on things and still be close enough to react quickly to any situation that may develop.</span></p> <p><span>While I would be watching the house, Dylan would be visiting the county building to dig up any records he could find on Troy, paying special attention to any evidence of a police record. He would also be talking to any people he could entice into a conversation about Troy and family, especially the Dexter police. Local knowledge can be priceless in situations like this. </span></p> <p><span>With our plans for tomorrow made, we walked across the parking lot for a quick bite to eat at the family diner next door. Returning to our room, I called Max to let him know we'd arrived safely and were ready to get to work in the morning. We shared our love for each other as best we could over the phone line before I crawled into bed for a good night's sleep. Dylan and I wanted to be well rested before we began working in earnest in the morning.</span></p> <p><span>The rest of the day at home seemed to drag on and on with no end in sight. Ron had finally rejoined us in the living room after spending almost an hour in his room. I noticed his eyes were as bloodshot from crying as the rest of us and we all shared in his pain. Despite our original plans for a walk through the woods this afternoon to look for Samuel, the boys decided they just weren't up to a ghost hunt today. Instead, we lazed around and kept our noses buried in our books, trying to keep our minds off our friend and what he could be dealing with.</span></p> <p><span>When suppertime rolled around, nobody expressed any real interest in food, so we settled for peanut butter sandwiches with honey or jelly as something easy to fix and cleanup afterward. When the quietest meal this house has seen in the past couple of months was finished, I tried to talk the boys into watching a couple more <i>Star Trek</i> episodes, but they vowed to not watch any until Logan was back with us. Their excuse was they didn't want him to miss out on any important developments in their favorite show.</span></p> <p><span>With that decision made, we settled back into the living room to continue reading by the fire. Joey and Alex had swapped <i>Spriderwick</i> books since they'd finished them earlier, and T.J. continued in his. Mike and Andy climbed in my chair with me and we continued digging into <i>The Adventures of Tom Sawyer</i> since Tom had finished <i>Huckleberry Finn</i> last night. When Ron completed his cleanup in the kitchen, he joined us and continued reading the first <i>Jake Franklin</i> book. Needless to say, it was a pretty quiet and depressing evening in the Sanders household.</span></p> <p><span>When we parked in the driveway, I thought the house didn't look too bad. It wasn't anything like Dad's house, of course, but it seemed to be in pretty decent shape. Looks can be deceiving, though, and after grabbing our bags from the back of the truck, we all headed inside. As soon as Troy opened the door, the stench of rotten food and dead critters nearly bowled me over. I somehow stifled the urge to puke on Troy's feet as he held the door open for the rest of us to go inside before him. Daril, Arley and Aunt Arlene quickly disappeared deeper into the house, leaving me alone with Uncle Shithead.</span></p> <p><span>I'd started to follow along when Troy asked, "Where the fuck you think you're goin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"I thought I'd be sleeping with Daril and Arley," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"You think you deserve that luxury, huh? Not a chance, you little prick. Nope, your room is down there," Troy retorted while pointing to the stairway going down to the basement. "Now, get your sorry ass down them stairs and stay fuck outta my way. We'll talk `bout you gettin' me my money later."</span></p> <p><span>Resigned to my fate, but somewhat hopeful that being in the basement would add a bit of separation between me and Troy, I followed his orders and started down the creaky steps. I'd barely cleared the third tread when the door slammed behind me and I heard the snick of the lock being engaged. I was swallowed by darkness and carefully felt my way to the bottom of the steps. When I finally stepped onto the dirt floor of my new home, I felt around the wall for the light switch I'd seen from the top of the steps, hoping I could bring some illumination into the space.</span></p> <p><span>When my hand finally found the toggle three feet away from the bottom of the stairs, I flipped it up and was horrified at the sight that greeted me. The entire space was filled with garbage and it smelled even worse down here than it did upstairs. With only one light bulb in the center of the dank and moldy space, the corners were still pretty dark and difficult to see. As I moved closer to the nearest one, I spied the skeleton of some animal that had died and been left rot amid the rest of the refuse. From the size of the bones and teeth in its skull, I guessed it had once been a rat. A pretty damn big one, too. Just fuckin' dandy, I thought, trash up to my knees and rats to boot. Thanks, Troy, you're all asshole.</span></p> <p><span>The one thing I did discover that gave me a little bit of hope was a door in the back wall. Wishing for a source of fresh air, I waded through the filth and flung the door open. Oh, thank you jesus! The great outdoors was just a step over the threshold, and it was flooded with sunshine and crisp, cool, breathable air. I finally dropped my bag on the ground outside the door and turned around to look back inside. I quickly decided to make the best of a bad situation and started to clean up the dump that was to be my home.</span></p> <p><span>Wadin' back amid the trash while looking around, I spied a shovel in the far corner and inched my way over to retrieve it. With shovel in hand, I set myself to work, loading the shovel and hauling the crap twenty feet outside the door before unceremoniously dumpin' it on the ground. Two hours into my task, the sun had finally set, but I kept at it for a couple more hours, hopin' no racoons or coyotes would be attracted to the giant heap of trash I'd created. Yeah, it was mind-numbingly boring work, but it sure beat the hell outta sittin' in all that muck and twiddlin' my thumbs. With the bulk of the job finally done, I grabbed the rake I'd found in another dark corner and proceeded to use it to smooth out the dirt floor as much as possible.</span></p> <p><span>Fortunately, all my walkin' `round had stomped the really loose stuff into the harder pack beneath it, so I wasn't creatin' much dust to breathe in and clog up my lungs. By the time I was satisfied with my work, my arms and back ached like hell, my hands were covered in blisters and I was beat. Despite all that, I reveled in a job well done as I sucked in a lungful of the clean, fresh air that had replaced the miasma of filth I'd been breathin'. I think my daddy would have been proud of me for what I'd accomplished in the short time I'd been here so far, and I allowed myself a tight smile at the thought.</span></p> <p><span>My next task was to figure out where I was gonna sleep in this hellhole, but before I could do that, I had to pee. Since my new accommodations didn't include a bathroom, I stepped back outside and peed on the first tree I came to, again hoping no racoons or coyotes would sneak up on me and bite my little pecker off. After tuckin' mini-me back into my pants and zipping up, I located the hose faucet I'd seen earlier, washed my hands and got a much-needed drink of cool, clean water. I swished the first gulp around inside my mouth, then spat it out on the ground, just to get all the dirt cleaned out. My next gulp was swallowed and though I was hungry since they hadn't bothered to tell me when it was suppertime, I felt a bit refreshed.</span></p> <p><span>Grabbing my bag that had been on the ground outside the door still, I headed back into the musty basement to see what else I needed to do. I pulled out the phone Dad had given me and used the flashlight to explore the storage space under the stairs. While not really clean, I found some shelves that were off the floor, a dank-smelling sleepin' bag and some dusty cans of corn and beans that had been here who knew how long. A quick look at the dates on the cans told me they were almost five years past their shelf life, but they hadn't exploded, and the tops weren't bulgin', so I figured I just found what would have to pass for my supper.</span></p> <p><span>I unrolled the sleepin' bag onto the bottom shelf that was about twelve inches off the floor, then opened it up to let it air out. There wasn't much space between the shelves, but I figured I'd rather be a bit cramped than sleep on the nasty dirt floor. Besides, I should be okay as long as I didn't roll around too much or try to sit up. </span></p> <p><span>That arranged, I attacked one the cans of corn with my knife. Soon enough, I had the lid peeled back enough that I could eat directly from the can without slicin' my face. With the can emptied, I stepped back outside and tossed it on top of the pile of shit I'd created then headed back to the tree to pee again. A rustle through the dead leaves covering the ground around me scared me shitless, but thanks to the light of the bright moon and the cloudless sky, I discovered it as only a squirrel headin' home for the night and not a hungry critter scavengin' for a bedtime snack.</span></p> <p><span>I headed back into the basement, closed the door behind me and crawled in the sleepin' bag. It still stank, but it wasn't quite as bad as it was when I first found it, so I figured I could live with it. I played with the phone for a while to see what all it could do and discovered I could easily get it to record video just by talkin' to it. Before curlin' up alone in my dank and musty room, I sent a text message to Dad and Pops to let them know I was okay and couldn't wait to be back home with them and my brothers. That done, I set the phone on the shelf above where I'd made my bed, nestlin' it between the cans of food, but in a position that it could record the basement if necessary.</span></p> <p><span>As I curled up in the bag again and pulled the top flap over my head, I couldn't help but feel like I was Harry Potter in the cupboard under the stairs, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the letter from Hogwarts that would free me from my newfound prison. Oh, if only I was a real damn wizard, I'd show that fuckin' Troy a thing or two.</span></p> <p><span>The next several days slipped by practically unnoticed. The boys were as miserable as I'd ever seen them and in pretty foul moods with Logan's absence, but I didn't fault them a bit for that as Ron and I were feeling much the same way. I'd called off the security teams Monday since Troy had gone back home, passing along my thanks for a job well done. During that time, I received several calls a day from Tom and Dylan keeping us updated on their lack of progress in finding a way to bring Logan home with them, but they were still working on it. Every night, I received a text from Logan to let us know he was okay and I always responded immediately to let him know we loved and missed him, too.</span></p> <p><span>Though I'd slept alone for the first twelve or so years I'd lived in this house, it felt odd to be doing so again after sharing my bed with Tom the past couple of months. I could only hope Tom was feeling the same sense of absence I was. Four days had passed since Troy had stolen Logan from his home and the two sleuths weren't making any headway in their investigation of Troy. Sure, they'd heard rumors of some dastardly deeds, but there was no evidence to prove any of it.</span></p> <p><span>I guess the worst finding was the complete lack of the police record they'd expected. Apparently, Arlene had never filed any charges against the man for spousal or child abuse, even though we suspected there had been countless opportunities for her to do so over the years. It was two-sixteen on Thursday afternoon and I was in the middle of one of my daily calls with Tom when all hell broke loose.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, hon, any progress on anything, yet?" I begged.</span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, no. Dylan's sittin' in the car down the road from the house a bit and I'm still sittin' on the other side of the lake behind the house. We haven't seen hide nor hair from any of them since we got here."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm surprised you haven't seen the boys goin' to and comin' home from school."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we are, too, but they seem to be hunkered down for some reason."</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't one of you go knock on their door and make sure they're still there?"</span></p> <p><span>"We don't want to let them know we've been watchin' them all week, babe. Better chance of catchin' them doin' somethin' stupid if they don't know that."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess so. How much longer do you and Dylan plan on stayin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"If nothin' breaks, we're thinkin' of pullin' up stakes and headin' home tomorrow afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"That seems awfully soon, if you ask me. Why don't you give it few more days?"</span></p> <p><span>"What's the poin ...? Wait, what the fuck!?" Tom exclaimed in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"What's happening, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue, but an ambulance just pulled into the drive, I gotta go." With that, the phone went dead.</span></p> <p><span>Just as the last three days had gone, Troy came down the steps to join me in the basement about one-thirty. Why this particular time every damn day, I didn't have a clue. I guess he just wanted to harass me some more before he left for the stinkin' bar. I was hoping today's interrogation would be shorter than the others had been the past couple days, but the scumbag had other ideas.</span></p> <p><span>The stair door slammed open and I barely had time to yell, "Hey Siri, start recording video," before he tromped down the steps. As he stepped onto the dirt floor, Troy yelled "Okay, I'm tired o' screwin' `round with ya, ya little shit. You're gonna tell me how to get my money <i>today</i> or you're just gonna fuckin' disappear!"</span></p> <p><span>"You ain't been listenin' to me, asshole!" I screamed back at him. "I can't get it! It takes two people to sign anything and you ain't one of them."</span></p> <p><span>"Then who is, ya bastard?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max and Tom and me are the only ones."</span></p> <p><span>"Then you're just gonna have to figure out how to get one of them fuckin' faggots to sign a check."</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't never gonna happen, ya lowlife. That's <i>my</i> money and I got other plans for it."</span></p> <p><span>"Screw your plans, brat, I need that fuckin' money and you're gonna get it for me."</span></p> <p><span>"Shit in one hand, wish in the other, Troy. Let's see which gets filled first." That was apparently the wrong thing to say at the moment. He stepped closer to me with his arm raised high above his head and before I could blink, I felt the blinding sting of his fist crashing into my jaw. I flew about five feet across the basement before landing flat on my back and slamming my head into the dirt. I was stunned as stars swirled all around me, but I stood back up teetering on the brink of passin' out, and screamed, "That the best you got, ya fuckin' loser!?"</span></p> <p><span>That only served to further enrage Troy and he came after me with a fury I'd never seen from anyone before, not even my daddy when he was at his worst. Troy was pantin' like a bitch in heat and his eyes were filled with a lust for blood as he came closer. Just as he reached out to wrap his scummy hands around my neck, I swung my foot with all the power I could muster and planted it right in his fuckin' balls. Uncle Dirtbag howled in pain, crossed his eyes and fell over backwards, clutching his nuts.</span></p> <p><span>"I told you what was gonna happen if you ever laid a hand on me, you bastard! You better get ready!" I yelled, pullin' my knife from my pocket and flippin' out the blade. I stepped closer to the figure writhin' in agony on the floor and his eyes grew wide with fear as he remembered what I'd said on the driveway at home. </span></p> <p><span>I yanked his hands from his crotch and sat on them as I straddled his gut, then ripped his pants open. The disgustin' moron wasn't even wearin' underwear, so this was gonna be even easier than I thought. I used my knife to cut his pants out of the way and once I had enough room to work, I got busy. Troy had managed to free one of his hands from under my butt and he was poundin' on my back, but as soon I grabbed his diseased-looking pecker to pull it outta the way, the poundin' stopped as he passed out.</span></p> <p><span>With him toasted like a burned-out bulb, my task became a piece o' cake. I quickly and easily slit his sack open, pulled out a nut, clipped the cord that attached it to the rest of his body, then turned around and stuffed the useless piece of flotsam into his mouth. I quickly followed suit with the second one and stuffed it in his mouth with the first. It was a good thing he was breathin' through his nose or he probably would have choked on his own balls. After gettin' up and wipin' my blade clean on his shirt, I put the knife back in my pocket, then grabbed the phone off the shelf and stopped the recording. I stuffed it into my bag, covered it up with the dirty clothes I had and beat feet out the door of the basement.</span></p> <p><span>Knowing if I went towards the front of the house to the right I'd end up at the driveway, I turned left and headed for the trees to the south, looking for a good place to hide for a while. I caught a glimpse of somebody swimmin' `cross the lake, but I wanted to be well gone and outta sight before Arlene or my cousins found Troy. I'd just snuck behind a big-ass tree and peeked around it to see whoever'd swum across the lake had started climbin' up the hill towards the driveway. </span></p> <p><span>As I headed out towards the road to get movin' again, I saw a car that looked an awful lot like the one that had followed us on the interstate Sunday afternoon, and it was pullin' into the driveway to park beside an ambulance. I quickly ducked behind another tree so whoever was drivin' it wouldn't see me. How the hell an ambulance had gotten here so fast wasn't clickin' in my mind and as soon as everybody had run inside, I hightailed it from my hidin' spot and ran like a demon to get as far away as I could.</span></p> <p><span>The phone rang forty-five minutes after Tom had abruptly ended our last call and I answered it halfway through the first ring.</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell, Tom? What the fuck's goin' on down there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you ain't gonna believe this shit. It took a while to get the whole story from Arlene, but here's what we know so far. Troy had locked Logan in the basement and was intending to keep him down there until Troy was able get control of Logan's money. Troy was losing his patience with our boy and said he was gonna force Logan to come up with a way to get the money <i>today</i> or he was gonna kill Logan and be done with it. As soon as he went downstairs to confront Logan, she called for the cops and an ambulance."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, fuck!" I groaned. "That's why the ambulance was there? Troy did it, didn't he?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not done, yet, patience, remember?" Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"This shit ain't funny!" I screamed.</span></p> <p><span>"It's about to be fuckin' hilarious, just hang in there another minute, babe. Okay, nobody knows exactly what happened down there, but when the paramedics broke through the door and finally made it into the basement, they found Troy passed out on the floor with both his nuts stuffed in his mouth. We're only guessing at this point, but we're pretty sure Logan followed through on his threat and gelded the useless piece o' shit."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, jesus," I laughed. "How's Logan?" I asked, desperate for some good news.</span></p> <p><span>"Now, that's a damn good question. He seems to have escaped out the back door of the basement and hasn't been seen since. The locals are combing the area around the house but haven't found him yet. We're pretty sure he couldn't have gotten too far and should be located shortly."</span></p> <p><span>"Look harder, dammit!" I demanded. "You aren't coming home without him, you hear me?"</span></p> <p><span>"I hear ya, boss, don't worry. But he can't be too far gone, he's just a little kid, remember?"</span></p> <p><span>"He may be a little kid, but he's also headstrong and resourceful. Don't forget, he grew up on a farm surrounded by woods. He probably knows a thing or two about how to hide out."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll find him, babe, I promise you that. Whoops, gotta go, the locals want to talk to me again. I'll call back later and let you know what's goin' on."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure as hell better," I vented in frustration as Tom ended the call.</span></p> <p><span>I kept headin' east towards town and was soon walking through a subdivision on the west edge of Dexter. I hadn't seen anyone since I'd escaped from Troy's, so I felt pretty safe. I figured if the cops found me wanderin' around by myself, they'd take me back there and that was the last place I wanted to be right now. I'd tried to call Dad and Pops to let them know I was free, but the phone's battery had finally died since I hadn't been able to charge it since Sunday. I was just hopin' it'd had enough juice to record Troy smackin' the shit out of me so I could prove his denuttin' was done in self-defense.</span></p> <p><span>I continued my trek through town, moving north and east towards the four-lane road that would lead to the interstate back to Springfield. After a couple more hours of walkin', occasionally duckin' behind trees or bushes as a car went by, I finally reached the road I was looking for. Now, if I could just get lucky and find somebody who'd be willin' to give me ride, I'd be fine. I figured if I could just get to the interstate, I could probably find some friendly trucker headin' north who wouldn't mind helpin' a kid out. Lord knows I had plenty of time to come up with a good story.</span></p> <p><span>I'd been walkin' along the four-lane highway for about five minutes when a car slowed down and pulled over to the shoulder in front of me. A guy who looked to be about the same age as Papa Jim or Grampa Bill got out and came around the back of the car to talk to me.</span></p> <p><span>"You okay, young man?" he asked in a kindly voice as he knelt down in front of me.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess so," I answered with a bit of a drawl tryin' to sound like a local.</span></p> <p><span>"What happened to your face, boy? Were you in a fight?" he asked with serious concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, I just tripped and rolled down a hill. Smacked my face `gainst a big-ass rock at the bottom."</span></p> <p><span>"Looks like it must hurt pretty bad. You need a doctor?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, it just stings a little," I replied while rubbing my jaw. "It'll be all right."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what're you doin' walkin' out here by yourself? It's not a very safe road to walk along, `specially for a kid your age," he said with worry.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I live in Sikeston and my class came over to the college here for a spellin' competition. After that was over, we went to the Pizza Hut for lunch. When it was time to leave, I had to pee and missed the bus."</span></p> <p><span>"You should have called your parents to come get you."</span></p> <p><span>"I woulda, but my phone died and there ain't no payphones anywhere no more, so I decided to walk."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'd be happy to give you a ride."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I just bet you would," I giggled as I backed away from him. "You pro'lly just wanna rape me like my parents always say all you older guys wanna do to little boys like me."</span></p> <p><span>"I swear, that's not my intention," the man ruffled in offense. "If you'd prefer, I can always call the Dexter Police to come out and take you home."</span></p> <p><span>"No!" I squelched. "I mean, I don't wanna get in trouble with the cops, too. I'm already gonna be in plenty o' trouble with my `rents for missin' the dang bus. I just wanna get home."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, then hop in, your chariot awaits."</span></p> <p><span>Seein' as my two choices seemed be ridin' with a potential kiddie raper and killer or the cops, stupid me went with the raper. Dumb, I know, but I was desperate to get as far away from Dexter as quick as I could. `Sides, my feet were fuckin' killin' me. </span></p> <p><span>We climbed in the car and I asked, "What's your name, mister?"</span></p> <p><span>"Henry, what's yours?"</span></p> <p><span>"Logan," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"You got a last name there, Logan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, yeah, it's Campbell."</span></p> <p><span>"Nice to meet you, Logan Campbell," Henry said as he held his hand out. I gave him a quick shake and he asked, "Where we headed, young man?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, my ma works at Lambert's. If you could just drop me there, she can call my pa to come get me. I could get supper, too, while I wait for him." I'd seen the signs for the place on the way down here and seeing as it was the only name I could think of, I ran with it. Lambert's was supposedly famous for being the `home of throwed rolls', whatever the hell that meant. I might even get luckier and find somebody headin' north who would give me another ride.</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a good plan to me, young man. Just sit back and relax. We'll have you back home in no time."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, mister Henry, I `ppreciate it." As soon as the man pulled onto the highway, I leaned against the door and promptly fell asleep.</span></p> <p><span>When the boys got home from school, I let them get comfortable before calling them into the living room and letting them know what had happened today. They were happy to hear that Logan was no longer at Troy's, but scared to death that he was missing. Of course, they demanded to get in the car and head south to join the search for their missing brother, but I managed to talk them out of that drastic course of action. Only the fact that their Pops and Uncle Dylan were already involved in the search allowed them to relent on their demand. After supper, and three hours after his last call, Tom finally called back and I put the phone on speaker so I wouldn't have to deal with a bunch of questions from the boys when it was over.</span></p> <p><span>"What's the word big guy?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Disappeared into thin air," Tom answered without enthusiasm.</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell you talkin' `bout, Pops?" Joey asked pointedly.</span></p> <p><span>"Just what I said. The cops have searched every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse&nbsp;in Dexter and the rural area around it and haven't found a single hint of the rugrat. They're still searchin' in town but have given up on the country for the night. It's just too dark to see anything out there right now."</span></p> <p><span>"How the hell could a nine-year-old boy evade the police for this long?" I asked testily.</span></p> <p><span>"You said the kid was resourceful, didn't you? He's proving that right now."</span></p> <p><span>"Can we come down and help, Pops," T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"There's no need for that, T.J. We have plenty of people lookin' already. And if he's not found by the morning, the state police have said they'll bring in dogs and helicopters to expand the search."</span></p> <p><span>"Not that I really care, but how's Troy?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He'll survive, or so the doctors say. Logan obviously knows how to castrate an animal. Though Troy lost some blood, of course, he wasn't bleeding profusely since the kid did the surgery with a minimal amount of damage."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't think Troy will quite see it that way," I chuckled before absentmindedly adding, "I wonder what a redneck asshole's nuts taste like."</span></p> <p><span>"Ew, that's gross, Dad," Mike squealed in disgust as the boys cracked up in laughter.</span></p> <p><span>"Gross, yeah, but still funnier than hell," Andy giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Dylan and I plan to hang around until they find Logan. Once we know where he is and have him with us, we'll be on the road for home."</span></p> <p><span>"Won't the little booger be in deep poo for cuttin' up his uncle?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I can't answer that, buddy," Tom replied. "Depends on what the cops learn in their investigation."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you two keep lookin' and we'll be waiting for you all to come home. We love you, hon, and hope to see you soon."</span></p> <p><span>"Same here, guys. Be good," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>We ended our call and the boys cracked up in laughter again. I looked at them in confusion and asked, "What the heck is so funny?"</span></p> <p><span>" `Be good'," Joey sniggered. "Who does he think he's talkin' to?"</span></p> <p><span>"The best group of sons any dads could ever hope to have," I answered proudly.</span></p> <p><span>"We sure got you fooled," Alex laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Look," I began, "it's getting late. You munchkins hit the showers and crawl in bed. I'll be along in ten minutes to tuck you in, okay?" With agreement from all, they rumbled down hallway yakking happily about Logan coming back home.</span></p> <p><span>I finally woke up when Henry hit a big pothole in the parking lot of Lambert's. He pulled up to the front door of the large restaurant and said, "Here ya go, Logan Campbell. Think you'll be okay from here on?"</span></p> <p><span>I had to shake the cobwebs from my mind before I realized where I was. Once I was fully awake, I answered with, "You bet, mister Henry. Thanks for the ride."</span></p> <p><span>"You're very welcome, young man. Just do me a favor, please."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't ever try walkin' from Dexter to Sikeston again. You could get hurt really bad."</span></p> <p><span>"Ya don't have to worry none `bout that," I grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Do you want me to come in with you to find your mom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, she works back in the kitchen, so we can't go back there anyway. I'll just have one of the waiters let her know I'm here." I unbuckled my seatbelt and was about to climb out of the car when I changed my mind. I leaned over the console between the two seats and gave mister Henry a big hug and a little kiss on the cheek. The man blushed deeply, but he patted my back in return for the hug. "Thanks, again, for the ride mister Henry, you saved my bacon. If you need money or anything, just let me know and I'll get it from ma."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, Logan. You get outta here and be good."</span></p> <p><span>I climbed out and stood in the parking lot as Henry pulled away, both of us wavin' goodbye to each other. When he finally pulled out on the road and headed on into town, I turned and aimed my starvin' self for the front door. After eatin' only cold corn and beans for the last four days, I was lookin' forward to a hot and fillin' meal. I was glad I'd thought to raid Uncle Dirtbag's wallet before I ran away, or I'd be goin' hungry for a few more days as I worked my way back north towards home. He only had `bout fifty bucks on him for the bar, but I figured that'd have to do.</span></p> <p><span>My first stop inside was the bathroom `cause I had to take a wicked piss. As I let it fly, my mind was busy figurin' out what I was gonna do when I was done eatin'. I'd noticed several big rigs in the lot before I came in and figured my best bet was to look around for somebody who looked like they might be driving one of `em, give `em a sob story of some kind and hope for the best. Once I was done peein', I tucked myself away, zipped up and headed for the sinks to wash my face and hands. I was glad I was wearin' a dark shirt so the blood from cuttin' unc's nutsack didn't show too much. I was surprised mister Henry didn't say nothin' `bout the blood on my hands. He musta thought that was from rollin' down the hill.</span></p> <p><span>As I was dryin' my hands, a large man who looked kinda like every truck driver I'd ever seen deliver somethin' to the farm came into the john. I'm not the type of person who normally believes in stereotypes, but this guy had a pretty big gut, tattoos on his arms, long hair and a grizzled beard. Toppin' it all off was the wallet stickin' out o' his back pocket that was attached to a belt loop by a chain. If that don't just scream `I drive trucks for living', I don't know what does. I left the bathroom before he did and waited just around the corner for him to come out.</span></p> <p><span>I didn't have to wait too long, and I followed him back into the main seating area of the place. He took a seat in a booth where a lady was waitin' for him and I sat in the booth that was right behind him. I looked over the menu to pick out somethin' to eat while I listened to `em chat behind my back. I heard her sayin' somethin' `bout Chicago and then goin' on up to Milwaukee. All that said to me was `north!'. After a waiter took my order for a kid's meal, I got on my knees and turned around to look at the lady. She had some rough features in her face from long years on the road with her husband, but the lilt in her voice gave away her inner kindness.</span></p> <p><span>"Excuse me," I called over the back of the booth.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, young man?" she asked politely.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I don't want you to think I was eavesdroppin' or nothin', but I couldn't help but hear you was headed to Chicago."</span></p> <p><span>"Why, yes we are. Have you ever been there?" she asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, got to go with my dad and brothers `bout a month ago. It's a great place and I can't wait to go back."</span></p> <p><span>"Where are your dad and brothers now?" the man asked. "You look like you're here alone."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I am," I answered with a pout. It was time to tell the story I'd concocted and see if it worked. "Ya see, my ma and pa are divorced. And my brothers got to go live our dad `cause they're older than me and the judge let `em pick who they wanted to live with. The turds all went with him and left me home alone with my ma. I was supposed to go spend the weekend with `em and my ma dropped me at the bus station so I could. As soon as I was outta the car, she took off with her boyfriend and left me there alone. What she didn't know was the bus had already left since we was runnin' late. Now I'm stuck here all weekend `cause she's off somewhere screwin' him and there ain't another bus to Springfield `til Monday. Is there any way you could give me ride that way? I promise I'll pay you when we get there," I ended with a sad whimper.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I don't know about that, buddy," the man said hesitantly. "That just doesn't seem like the right thing to do. We could get in big trouble taking a kid across state lines."</span></p> <p><span>"I swear you won't get in trouble," I pleaded. "But if you won't take me, I'll guess I'll just hafta take my chances and hitchhike. I'm sure I can find <i>someone</i> who'll pick me up." The two looked at each other with fear in their eyes and I knew I had them hooked. Soon enough, the man turned back to face me and before he could say a word, I added, "I promise, I won't cause no problems."</span></p> <p><span>"What's your name, young man?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, sir, Logan Campbell."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Logan, it looks like you have found some traveling companions. My name's Larry and my wife's name is Wendy. Why don't you join us?"</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks, mister Larry," I squealed with joy. I jumped out my booth and crawled into theirs next to Wendy. "You guys are the greatest. I can't thank you enough."</span></p> <p><span>As I crawled into the booth, miss Wendy asked, "What the red mark on your cheek, honey?"</span></p> <p><span>"My ma's boyfriend wacked me this mornin' `cause I sassed him `bout takin' out the trash."</span></p> <p><span>"Does that kind of thing happen very often?" mister Larry asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a whole lot, I guess, but I ain't big `nough to make him stop, neither," I muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"That's not right, Logan," mister Larry intoned seriously. "You should call the police."</span></p> <p><span>"What? And give him `nother reason to smack me `round? I don't think so," I retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"We should probably call your dad and let him know where you are," miss Wendy offered once I was situated.</span></p> <p><span>"You could try, I guess, but he probably ain't home. I bet he's still sittin' at the bus station in Springfield waitin' for me to show up."</span></p> <p><span>"You better not be lyin' to me, Logan," Larry said sternly. "I don't take too kindly to folks who lie."</span></p> <p><span>"No, sir, I wouldn't dream o' doin that. My dad always tells us we should always tell the truth. If'n we don't, we get in trouble big time with him."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm gonna take you at your word. But I'm going to verify everything you told me with your dad when we see him."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, sir. You'll see." I clammed up as the waiter brought my food to me. It was a good thing he did so I could quit lyin' to these nice folks who'd just said they was gonna help me. Now I need figure out how to get Dad to play along when we get there.</span></p> <p><span>After I said my good nights to the boys and had them all tucked in, I retreated to the living room where I found Ron in a rather contemplative mood. As I took my chair, I commented, "You look like a man with a lot on his mind."</span></p> <p><span>It took a moment for my words to register, but Ron finally looked up and answered, "Yeah, I guess so."</span></p> <p><span>"You feel like sharin' whatever's percolatin' through that gray matter?" is asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just happy Logan's gotten away from that ass and his family, but I'm really worried about nobody knowin' where he is."</span></p> <p><span>"We all are, Ron. He'll be found safe, though, I can feel it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad someone can. I wish I could feel as sure about that as you do. I mean, where's a nine-year-old gonna go and how's he gonna get there?"</span></p> <p><span>"With Logan, you never know. He's a smart kid and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't do anything that would put himself in danger, so there's that. He's probably just hiding somewhere close to Troy's, afraid he's gonna have to go back there or be in big trouble for castratin' the jerk. Not that Troy deserved to keep his balls."</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't that the truth?" Ron lamented. "I've never seen a more useless piece of trash in my life."</span></p> <p><span>"No arguments from me on that."</span></p> <p><span>"You really think Logan'll be coming back here to stay?" Ron asked warily. "Seems he's gonna hafta deal with some issues in Missouri for what he did."</span></p> <p><span>"He probably will, but we'll handle it. Once the dust settles, I'm confident Logan will become the newest member of the family."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope you're right about that. After mutilatin' Troy the way he did, I'll be surprised if he doesn't end up in juvie somewhere."</span></p> <p><span>"We're not gonna let that happen, so stop worrying about it. What else ya thinkin' about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, with everything else goin' on, this doesn't seem like the right time to talk about it."</span></p> <p><span>"No time like the present, Ron. Go ahead and spit it out."</span></p> <p><span>"I've been thinkin' a lot about your idea, you know, helpin' Rich and all."</span></p> <p><span>"And ...?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess if he's interested in tryin' some things, I'd be willing to do what I can. I still want to meet the kid before anything would happen, though. I'd wanna make sure we're be in agreement as to what we'd expect from each other."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds reasonable to me. I'd hoped to have him come out for a swim or something so you two could have met each other by now, but with all this crap about Logan and Troy, the timing never worked out. Maybe next week will be calmer and we can make it happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, Max. I'm looking forward to it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I don't know about you, but I've had about all the fun and excitement I can stand for one day, so I'm gonna hit the sack. See you in the morning, Ron."</span></p> <p><span>"You can be sure of that. Sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, you, too," I replied as I left my chair and aimed my tired ass for a shower and a warm, but empty, bed. God, I'll be glad when my honey gets back home. This sleeping alone shit is for the birds. I ran through the shower, then climbed in bed and curled up. As I'd done the last couple of nights, I pulled Tom's pillows towards me and held onto them like I usually did with him. They were a damn poor substitute for the man I loved, but they still held his scent and that was comforting to my tired and fractured brain. In minutes, I was fast asleep. Unfortunately, my dreams tonight were very disturbing as they all centered around Logan and the horrible things that could happen to a kid who was alone.</span></p> <p><span>I was having a really bad dream when I felt something shaking me. When I opened my eyes and got them to focus, I saw Wendy was leaning into the sleeper cab from her seat and her hand was on my shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>"You okay there, Logan?" she asked in her kindest voice.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, yeah, I think so. Just havin' a bad dream," I answered as I sat up.</span></p> <p><span>"I figured that out from the way you were mumblin' in your sleep, young man. You really miss your dad and brothers, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"You have no idea how much. I can't wait to see them again. It ain't been that long, but it feels like years have gone by so much has happened."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you'll be together again soon enough," she replied. "We're just south of St. Louis and gonna make a quick pit stop. Sound good to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that sounds great," I agreed wholeheartedly. "I musta drank too much Coke at supper `cause I really gotta whiz."</span></p> <p><span>"Just a couple more minutes, buddy," Larry said. "Can ya hold it that long or do we need to pull over."</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, I should be good. Let's keep rollin', mister Larry." I'd fibbed a bit since I was already crossin' my legs, but I didn't wanna hafta pee off the side of the road, neither. If we didn't get to the to rest stop soon, though, I was gonna hafta find a clothespin to put on my dick.</span></p> <p><span>Larry was right on the money as the rest stop came into view two minutes later. As soon as the truck came to halt and Wendy opened her door, I climbed over her lap saying, " 'Scuse me, I really gotta go." She set me on the ground and I took off like a flash of lightning. I could hear her and Larry laughin' hysterically behind my back as I dashed across the parking area towards the concrete block building. As soon as mini-me was freed, I let go and was still going when mister Larry stepped up to the urinal beside me.</span></p> <p><span>"Guess we got here just in time, didn't we?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir, we sure did," I agreed with a sigh a relief as I looked up to Larry and gave him a smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa there, young fella!" Larry yelled with a loud laugh. "Keep your eyes on where you're aimin' that thing. Ya almost pissed on my shoes."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoops, sorry, mister Larry. My bad."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right, Logan, but a boy your age should know better than be lookin' `round when he's takin' a leak," Larry replied seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"Why's that, you ain't got nothin' I ain't never seen before."</span></p> <p><span>"That so?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, my dads, brothers and me don't wear nothin' when we're at home, so I seen it all before."</span></p> <p><span>" 'Scuse me? What do you mean by `dads'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oops, shouldn't a said that," I muttered as I smacked myself in the forehead.</span></p> <p><span>"Young man, I think we need to have a serious talk and straighten a few things out before we go any further."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir," I mumbled in resignation.</span></p> <p><span>We finished in the bathroom, washed our hands and headed back out to the truck. Mister Larry opened his door and helped me inside before climbin' in behind me and settlin' in the driver's seat while I took my spot on the bed in the back. We waited in silence for Wendy to come back and I just knew I was gonna be in deep shit for lyin' my ass off to these nice folks back at Lambert's. </span></p> <p><span>I was sweatin' bullets when she finally joined us in the cab and said, "Let's roll, Big Daddy."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like to, dear, but we need to have a little chat with our passenger `fore we go anywhere. Seems he didn't quite tell us the truth at Lambert's, and I want to hear the <i>real</i> story before we move an inch." Miss Wendy turned to look at me with surprise on her face and all I could do was glare guiltily back at her.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, spill it, boy, or we go right back to Sikeston and turn you over to the cops," mister Larry demanded as he stared at me.</span></p> <p><span>I looked at the two of `em with tears slippin' from my eyes and started to tell `em my story. I began with Joey and Alex's birthday party and spent the next forty-five minutes tellin' `em everything I'd been through the past month or so, right up to pissin' at this rest stop. When I told `em the part `bout the dirtbag punchin' me in the face this mornin', they was both hoppin' mad. By the time I was done, I was wiped out and the two of them had gone through what seemed like half a box of Kleenex wipin' their own eyes. Completely wrung out, I slouched on the bed and waited for the fireworks to begin.</span></p> <p><span>I was surprised, though, when miss Wendy left her seat and joined me on the bed, pullin' me into a smothering' hug. She was almost as big Larry and I practically disappeared into her as she wrapped her arms around me and whispered in my ear, "You're gonna be okay, sweetheart. We're gonna make sure you get home." She picked her head up and almost yelled, "Get this truck a movin', ya big lummox."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Big Momma," mister Larry replied as he turned around and started the big diesel. In moments, we were on the move again and I was headin' for home, my <i>real</i> home this time. Miss Wendy didn't let go of me for even a second as we were jostled and bounced around the bed as mister Larry got us back on the road. She was brushin' my hair with her hand, cooin' in my ear and holdin' me tightly to her soft and warm body. I was so out of it by that point, I quickly fell back to sleep thanks to the rockin' motion of the truck as it began to eat up the road to Springfield.</span></p> <p><span>I was startled from another sick dream when the drive sensor went off. I rolled over to look at the clock and saw it was two in morning. The only person I could think would be coming in this time of the night was Tom, so I rolled back over to go back to sleep. You can only imagine my surprise when I heard the rumblings of large truck on the circle drive, followed shortly by slamming doors and then the ringing of the doorbell. "Who the fuck could be here in the middle of the goddam night?" I grumbled to myself as I sat up and tried to clear my head.</span></p> <p><span>Knowing the only way to find out was to answer the door, I fumbled around for a pair of shorts and headed that direction once I'd pulled them on. I flipped on lights as I stumbled through the house and finally reached the door. Not really wanting to deal with whoever was on the other side, I yelled, "Who's there!?" before opening it.</span></p> <p><span>"It's me, Dad, Logan!" the rugrat screamed at full volume. "Open the damn door and let me in!"</span></p> <p><span>I'd barely unlocked the door when ninety-five pounds of squirming, squealing and sobbing boy launched himself at me, wrapping his arms around my neck and his legs around my waist. I was stunned at his sudden appearance in the middle of the night and I wrapped my arms around his quivering body, never wanting to let go. It was easily two minutes later when I finally opened my own dripping eyes and spotted the older couple on the porch, wide smiles gracing their otherwise stoic faces.</span></p> <p><span>Suddenly remembering my manners, I stepped back and said, "Please, come in." The two stepped inside and since my arms were still full of still quivering boy, I kicked the door shut. "Why don't you two have a seat in the living room over there while I put this young man to bed? I'll be right back so we can talk."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max," the man said, "we'd like that."</span></p> <p><span>As they settled in on the couch, I turned down the hallway and stepped into the bedroom where Joey and Alex were sleeping soundly and blissfully unaware of unfolding events. Logan had finally calmed down and I had him hit the john before climbing in bed with the twins. Before joining his brothers, I knelt in front of the munchkin, pulled him in close and said, "I don't know how the hell you got here and right now, I don't fuckin' care. I'm just glad you're back where you belong."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, me, too, Dad," he replied wistfully.</span></p> <p><span>"Now get your butt into bed, ya rugrat. We'll talk more in the morning."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, I got lots to tell ya."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure you do." I wrapped my boy in my arms, kissed his forehead, and wished him a good night's sleep. But most importantly, I told him, "I love you, Logan Campbell, and I don't want to ever lose you."</span></p> <p><span>"I love all you guys, too, Dad."</span></p> <p><span>With that, he carefully climbed into bed and snuggled up behind Alex. How he managed that trick without waking either of the twins was beyond my ability to comprehend, but at this point, I didn't really care. With one last kiss, I left the room and closed the door behind me before joining the two strangers waiting for me in the living room.</span></p> <p><span>As I turned the corner and took my regular chair, I started our conversation with, "Hi, I don't believe we've been properly introduced. I'm Max Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Max, nice to meet you. I'm Larry Boston and this is my wife Wendy."</span></p> <p><span>"Nice to meet you both. Would you mind explaining how you met Logan and what he's doing here?" I asked with as much seriousness as I could muster at the moment.</span></p> <p><span>"Well," Wendy began, "we were having supper at Lambert's in Sikeston when the little bugger wormed his way into our hearts. He gave us a sob story about tryin' to get Springfield to see his dad and brothers for the weekend and us two idiots fell for it, hook, line and sinker."</span></p> <p><span>"He was very convincing, too," Larry added, "until he made a little mistake just south of St. Louis."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, what was that?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We'd stopped at a rest stop and he let slip something about his <i>dads</i> that didn't match with what he'd told us earlier, so we had a very serious chat before we hit the road again," Larry replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes," Wendy agreed as she picked up the narrative, "he told us all about you, Tom, his brothers, his dad dying and having to go live with his uncle. Once we heard the true story, we felt we were doing the right thing by bringing him here. We hope we were right," she mused.</span></p> <p><span>"You absolutely were," I grinned. "And I can't thank you enough for bringing him back to us. Our other boys have been miserable since he was taken from us Sunday morning. They're going to have a very nice surprise later this morning when they find out he's back where he belongs."</span></p> <p><span>"We're glad we could help you all out," Larry replied. "But you should make sure he never pulls a stunt like this again. The end result could be much different."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, he knows what he did today was risky, trust me, but he was desperate to get back home, too. And after what he's been through already, he's a really good judge of character. He seems to know really quickly who's a good person and who isn't."</span></p> <p><span>Both Larry and Wendy blushed as the sideways compliment. Larry finally regained his voice and said, "Well, we should be goin', Max. We have a long drive ahead of us. We just wanted make sure Logan was safe and sound before we moved on."</span></p> <p><span>"Before you go, let me give you something for your troubles."</span></p> <p><span>"Not necessary, Max," Wendy began, "we're just happy to see Logan with people who love him."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I insist. I'll be right back," I said as I left my chair for the bedroom. After pulling some cash from the safe, I returned and handed it over to Larry. "There's $10,000. Use it however you want."</span></p> <p><span>"We can't take that," Larry protested as he jumped up off the couch.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes you can, no arguments. It's worth way more than that to have Logan back with us." I wrapped the big but flustered man in a hug and held him for a minute before turning towards Wendy to do the same. "If you're ever in the area again, feel free to stop by and say hi," I said as I let Wendy go.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, thanks, Max. We never expected to be rewarded for bringing Logan home, but we'll do good things with this."</span></p> <p><span>We headed for the front door and as I opened it to let them out, I said, "I'd expect nothing less from good folks like you. Please have a safe trip and thanks, again, for helping today. Having Logan back home with us means more than you could ever know."</span></p> <p><span>I stood at the open door and watched the confused and flustered couple head down the sidewalk to their truck. I waited until they started moving before waving goodbye and closing the door. As I leaned against the wooden slab, my mind was racing with what I needed to do next. I quickly decided my first task should be to call Tom and let him know what's happened. I was so happy to have Logan back home, I practically skipped my way back to the living room where I took my regular seat and picked up the phone.</span></p> <p><span>"What?" he groaned. "This better be fuckin' important."</span></p> <p><span>"It is, Tom. Wake the hell up."</span></p> <p><span>"All right already, I'm awake. What couldn't have waited a couple more hours?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pack your shit and get your ass home, NOW!"</span></p> <p><span>"I can't," Tom complained. "We still haven't found Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"And you're not goin' to. Not down there, anyway," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell you talkin' about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Logan's here!"</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!? How the hell'd he pull off that trick?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's a long story and I'll tell you all about once you're home. Call the cops, tell `em Logan's been located, then you and Dylan hit the road."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure I can't go back to sleep?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I'm sure, you goofball. We need to start protectin' Logan first thing in the morning."</span></p> <p><span>"All right, all right, I get it. We'll be on the way as soon as we can."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, hon, love you."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I love you, too. I think. See ya when we get there."</span></p> <p><span>After ending the call, I took a few minutes to try to make sense of everything that had happened since Sunday morning, but finally gave up and crawled back in my empty bed. Tomorrow was going to be another long damn day and I needed some sleep.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-78.html

Building a Family Chapter 78 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 78 � Goodbye Charlie "I can see where that would be pretty scary," I agreed as Tom finally joined us in the kitchen. "Oh, that ain't all of it. It looked like he was tryin' to tell me somethin', but I couldn't hear him, so I moved a little closer. His mouth was movin' a mile a minute, but I still couldn't hear nothin' and he seemed to be gettin frustrated with me for not understandin' him. That's when he grabbed my wrist, pulled me off the trail and dragged me deep into the trees. I was fightin' like hell to get away, but he was too strong. I finally twisted and jerked enough he couldn't hold on to me anymore and I ran like hell to get outta there. I finally found the trail again and kept runnin', but when I came to the end and got away from the trees, the house wasn't here. No drive either. It was like it had never been built. There was just this tiny clearing, kinda like something had been there a long time ago." "Wow, that was a really strange dream. I'm sorry it frightened you, T.J.," I commented while pulling him into a comforting hug. I finally let him go and continued, "But now that you say that, that little clearing you saw is the main reason I built the house where I did. When I first started exploring the property, it was almost solid trees. I just kept moving deeper and deeper into them until I'd stumbled into this spot that didn't have any trees and was confused how it could be like that. "But the more I wandered the clearing, the more I felt it would be the perfect place to build this house. The clear area was only about half an acre in size, and it took a crew about a month to create the drive and then enlarge that small clearing to the three acres that's around the house now. But once that was done and a rock base for the drive had been dumped, construction finally began on the house itself. As they were digging the hole for the crawlspace, they found the remains of an old stone foundation for what we finally decided had been a one or two room log cabin that had been here a long, long time ago. In fact, part of that foundation is still under the house, almost directly below the spot where you're sitting right now." "Oh, geez," T.J. muttered. "You're tellin' me we live right on top of where Sammy used to. Ain't no big surprise why he's picked now to show up, then. With me, Alex, and Joey around, he's got a captive audience, doesn't he?" "You know Samuel's not real and he can't hurt you, right?" I asked. "I don't know, Dad, he felt awful real in my dream," T.J. answered. "It was just a dream, T.J. Nothing in a dream can hurt you because it's not physically real. It's just your subconscious running free." "I sure hope you're right about that," he muttered. I finally turned my focus to the twins and asked, "What about you two, did either of you have a strange dream last night?" "Nope," they answered together before returning to their breakfast. I turned my attention back to T.J. and said, "You said you were walking a trail in your dream. Was it one of the trails you've been on since you moved in? And do you know where on that walk Samuel appeared?" "Yeah, it was the trail we walked that first Saturday we was here," he answered. "And Sammy showed up just about where we spotted the deer that day." "If we walked it again, do you think you'd recognize the spot." "Like I said, Dad, I don't think I'll never forget it." "Well, maybe Sunday, you and I can take a stroll and see if we can find anything." "Don't think that's a very good idea, but if you want to try it, I guess I can go with you." "We'll go with ya, too" Alex said. "Yeah, maybe if the three of us are together, somethin'll happen," Joey added. "Well, I sure ain't goin' with y'all," Logan muttered morosely. "Why not," Tom asked. " `Cause I'm dealin' with enough dead people in my life already. Don't need to be addin' any spooks." "That's fine, Logan. You can stay in the house with Mike and Andy. What about you, Ron, you want to join us?" "Uh, gee, thanks for offering, but I think I'll stay right here with the others. Sounds safer to me." "Whatever you want. Okay, guys, it's time for you to get ready to roll or you're going to miss the bus." After dropping their plates and glasses in the dishwasher, the herd headed to their rooms to get dressed and Ron was right behind them so he could run them out to the shelter. With Tom and I being alone, he turned to me asked, "Were you serious about that foundation being under us?" "Sure, I am. Why would I lie about that? Don't tell me you're scared of Samuel, too." "Not scared, no, but I'm not real comfortable with the idea, either. I was freaked out plenty with Joey, Alex and T.J. when all I thought they could do was read our minds. This shit with a kid's ghost is about to push me beyond my limits of reality." "Hang in there, big guy. We'll get through it just fine. Let's survive the visitation tonight and the funeral tomorrow, then we can deal with Samuel." "Ain't no we on this one, babe. You bought this land and built the house on top of that old foundation, so you can just leave me outta it. Figuring out the resident spook is all yours." "I'll do my best, but I make no promises. Bet you're glad I don't have a Ouija board," I chuckled. "Damn right I am. Those things are nothin' but evil. `Sides, we don't really need one here, do we? Not with T.J. and the twins bein' able to conjure up spirits whenever they feel like it." "Well, now that you mention that, it sure shines a new light on our trip to the cemetery tomorrow, don't ya think?" I asked with a chuckle. "Oh, don't go there, bubba. Not if you want me there, too." "I'm sure it'll be just fine. And T.J. didn't conjure up Samuel, it sounds more like Samuel found T.J. because he has something he wants to say." "You ain't makin' it any better, ya know. You should probably just shut up about this whole nightmare." "Not talkin' about it won't make it go away. You know that, right?" "Yeah, but at least I won't be thinkin' `bout it, either." Ron had returned from his trip out to the bus shelter, resumed his cleanup in the kitchen, and he caught the tail end of our conversation, so I asked, "What about you, Ron? What do you think of all this?" "I'm with Tom, leave me the hell out of it. While I've always thought there could be spirits around us, most of `em are still here only `cause they're pissed off `bout somethin'. And I don't like dealin' with upset people, let alone spirits." "Fine, I see how y'all are. Guess I'll have to deal with it by myself. Unless I can talk Dylan into helpin' solve the mystery." "Good luck with that, babe," Tom snorted. DING! "Bet that's him right now. Ask him, why don't ya?" "I will," I retorted, confident that I could count on Dylan to back me up. We waited quietly in the kitchen for him to join us and as soon as he stepped inside, he called out, "Where's the coffee?" "In here with us," Tom responded. Dylan soon joined the three of us and after pouring a cup for himself, settled on one of the barstools at the counter. "So, what's up with you guys today?" he asked. "Nothin' much," Tom answered. "But Max has a question for you," he added with a smirk. "Hit me, Max." "Okay. T.J.'s gotten himself into an interesting situation and I could use a little help in dealing with it. Tom and Ron are being wimps and saying they don't want to get involved. I was hoping you'd be willing to give me a hand." "Always happy to help one of the kiddos. What's he gotten himself into?" "Well, he's met a fourteen-year-old that seems to need some help, but T.J.'s not exactly sure what he wants or needs. He's tried to talk to the kid, but he's not getting any answers from him." I could see Tom and Ron stifling their laughter as I tried to explain the situation without mentioning where the `kid' came from. "Does the kid go to school out here and he went to T.J. because of the support group?" "Um, no. T.J. ran into him while he was walking one of the trails through the woods." "What!? Is the kid living out there? Why haven't the security guards seen him and said something?" "Well, they probably can't see him. I'm not even sure T.J.'s seen him except in his dream last night." "What the hell are you talkin' about?" Dylan asked in confusion. The other two were about to fall over from their conniptions of laughter they could no longer keep to themselves. "The kid's name is Samuel and he died in 1892. He's one of the residents in the family cemetery on the property. And he's made contact, I guess you'd call it, with T.J." "Whoa, back the truck up," Dylan retorted. "You're tellin' me you're being haunted? By somebody who's been dead over 130 years? Boy, are you barkin' up the wrong tree." "Aw, c'mon, you just said you'd be happy to help. Why you backin' down, now?" "Max, my brother from another mother, let me tell you somethin' you obviously don't know `bout black folk. We don't do spooks." "You're kidding. Why's that?" I asked. "You know how in almost every horror movie, the cute white couple buys the notoriously haunted house thinking everything will be just fine. Even when they go to see the place for the first time and they're warned by a disembodied voice to `get out', they still buy the damn place. Then, they really fuck up and move into the place with big plans to renovate and shit. And everything is just hunky-dory, until it suddenly isn't, and they die a miserable and gruesome death." "Well, yeah, we've all seen that movie. So what?" "Let me tell ya why they never cast black people in those flicks. It's `cause we got brains and we know how to use them," he laughed. "If that were a black couple touring the house and they been walking through it making comments like `I love this place, Gerald", and he comes back with, `Yeah, baby, me too. I can see us livin' here the rest of our lives'. Then comes the voice that tells them to get out, right? Guess what happens. The dude grabs his old lady's hand and while he's dragging her to the door, he's sayin', `Too bad we can't stay'. Ya see, that's the end of the movie, all ten damn minutes of it. And it's all `cause we know spooks are real and we ain't gonna fuck with them. And since we don't fuck with them, they don't fuck with us." "So, T.J. and I are on our own?" "Sure, looks that way," Dylan admitted with a laugh while Ron and Tom joined him. "Fine, I see how y'all are. Don't you guys have some work you should be doing?" As the trio of smart asses broke up to get busy, I was left alone to ponder the situation. Since I didn't have T.J. or the twins' mental capabilities, I was pretty much stuck in an unfamiliar position as I couldn't find any way to solve the mystery without those three with me. And I sure as heck wasn't gonna go looking for Samuel by myself. I was just about to head for the study to get back to work on my book when the drive sensor let us know someone was coming in. When the phone rang ten seconds later, I knew it was Dirk checking on the new arrival. "Morning, Dirk, who do you have?" "Morning to you, too, Mr. Sanders. Got two guys named Justin and Willy out here. Say they're here to finish getting rid of a tree for you. They okay to let in?" "You bet, Dirk. Thanks for checking." I hung up the phone and headed to my study to get to work. I'd been grinding away at it for maybe an hour when Clarence called. "Good morning, Clarence. What news do you have for us today?" "It's a good news, bad news kind of day, Max. Which do you want first?" "Let's start with the good, I guess." "Okay, I've finally completed my review of the contracts from LeVar and don't see any problems with any of them. From what you told me, everything matches up as far as terms and financials go, so you're good to go there. There's also an `out' clause for each side so if either end wants to terminate the agreements for whatever reason, there aren't any penalties for exercising those options. That seems to be the standard from what I've learned this week. The boys' contracts look good, too, but since they're minors, their signatures will need to be witnessed by two others, preferably not you and Tom." "Sounds great, Clarence. We'll sign the originals I have and get them returned to LeVar. What's the bad news?" "It has to do with Logan. Judge Corgan and I have had several conversations this week and neither one of us can come up with a valid reason to challenge the stipulation of Troy becoming Logan's guardian. Not without evidence of some malfeasance on his part." "Well, Tom and Dylan are headed down to Dexter Sunday afternoon to see what they can dig up on the man. We're hoping they can find something that will allow Logan to stay with us." "That's a good plan, but it's going to be too little, too late." "What're you talkin' about?" I protested. "I don't know how he did it, but Troy has already petitioned the court to have the change of guardianship clause of Mr. Campbell's will enforced immediately. And from our understanding, he intends to take Logan home with them Sunday afternoon." "How the hell did he do that!?" "Don't have the answer to that question, Max. All I can tell you is the paperwork hit the judge's desk Wednesday afternoon. I guess what I'm saying is you need to prepare Logan for the move. We know it's not what any of you want to happen, but there's just no way out of it right now. Maybe Tom can get some dirt on Troy while he's down there and give the courts good cause to revoke the guardianship." "As much as it sucks, we pretty well knew that was going to be the case. Thanks for trying, though." "Wish I had better news on that front for you, but it is what it is." "I know. Talk to you later, Clarence." I ended the call, laid my head down on the desk and started to cry. We didn't want Logan to move, most especially with Troy, but it looked like our hands were tied for the moment. I let myself go a few minutes before I pulled my shit back together and headed across the house to share the news with the others. Their reaction was much the same as mine. "Do you want us to go down today and get started on checking Troy out?" Tom asked. "It wouldn't make any difference this weekend, Tom. Besides, you need to be here for the funeral. Logan would never forgive you if you missed it." "I suppose you're right, I can't be in two places at the same time, can I?" "I could go down this afternoon and get started," Dylan offered. "You could, but I think Logan will want you here, too. Malcom and Damon, also." "We planned on it, but I'm willing to change plans if you want me to." "No, let's stick with plan `A'. So, when do we tell Logan he's moving Sunday?" "I'd wait until after the funeral, babe. Whenever we do it, it's not gonna be easy to deal with, but I think waiting until after will be less for Logan to stress over for a little bit." "That's kinda what I was thinking, too. Glad we're in sync on that. Okay, I'm going back to the book. See you two in a bit for lunch." I left the morose pair to get back to their work and as I passed by the living room, I found Ron sitting by himself and softly crying. I sat next to him and asked, "You okay?" "Not really," he replied while turning to face me. "Look, I know I've only been here for five days now, but I really like Logan. He's a great kid and I can't believe that asshole would just move him away from his friends. That shit's just wrong." "I sure won't argue that with you, buddy, but it's not the end of it. We're going to fight to keep Logan here with us. He may be moving Sunday, but he'll be back, I promise. Come hell or high water, I won't rest until it happens." "That's good to hear, Max. Let me know if I can help." "I will. You fixin' lunch for all of us, again?" "As long as you don't mind sandwiches and chips. Don't think I could do anything today that requires serious thought." "That works for me. See you in a bit." After a couple more hours of depressing myself even further than I already was, I couldn't take any more of the self-abuse. I saved my work and shut down the computer before heading towards the kitchen for lunch. My scattered thoughts as I walked down the hallway were interrupted by the doorbell and I turned towards the front door. To reinforce how off-kilter my brain was at the moment, I had neglected to find adequate cover before opening the front door. The surprise that registered on Justin's face on my nude greeting finally clued me in on error of my ways. "Hey, Justin, sorry `bout that," I said as I slipped a hand down to provide at least minimal coverage. "My brain's not firing on all thrusters right now. C'mon in." "That's all right," he muttered in surprise. "I can just mail you a bill if you'd prefer, Mr. Sanders." "Nah, no need to waste a stamp. How much do we owe you?" After receiving the total from him, I added, "I'll be right back," before returning to the study to get the cash I needed. Not bothering to pull on a pair of shorts for thirty seconds, I returned to hand the cash over while saying, "Thanks for comin' back out today. Hope you and Willy have a good weekend." "Thanks, Mr. Sanders. See you later." Justin promptly turned around to escape the awkward situation as quickly as he could. At this point, I was beyond caring. Hell, I was even contemplating going bare-assed to the visitation tonight and to hell with what the rest of the world might think. I knew I could easily convince six boys to join in my minor rebellion, but I finally came to my senses and shelved those plans for another day. I returned to the kitchen and joined the others for our simple lunch. I climbed in the truck where Willy waited for me and as I pulled away from the front of the house said, "You ain't gonna believe what just happened, Willy." "What?" Willy asked. "Max answered the door nekkid as a jaybird and he acted like it wasn't no big deal." "Yeah, so what? If I lived out here, I'd be doin' the same thing, ya know?" "Well, yeah, but you're one whacked-out mofo, Willy. I expect crazy shit like that from you, but not from a rich dude like Max." "Rich like him or poor like me, doesn't make any difference. Besides, I don't see why you're so freaked out. Clothes suck, man. You been to my house before. When the hell have I ever covered up when you been there? Never, and it don't bother me a bit." "Well, yeah, but you live alone, man. I saw three other dudes in there and none of `em had a stitch on." "Big freakin' deal, Justin. Sounds to me like they hate wearin' clothes, just like me. I'da thought you'd be used to it by now." "Well, with you, I am, I guess. Just never realized there might be others out there like you." "Look, Justin, it's like I've told you before. I'm just more comfortable without clothes. `Sides, what's the problem. You act like you ain't never seen another naked dude before and we both know that's bullshit." "Hey, what I do with my boyfriend, we do in private. We don't go puttin' it all out there for the rest of the world to see." "Tell me, dude, did any of them guys have hardons? Were they givin' each other blow jobs in the living room or somethin'?" "Well, no." "Then they were just bein' themselves in their home. And if they know other dudes who enjoy it, who the hell are we to say anything `bout it?" "Nobody, I guess. It just caught me off guard." "Well, loosen up and give it a try sometime, man. You and Ed would probably enjoy it." "You really think Ed could keep his hands to himself if we was both nekkid all the time?" I snickered. "Him, hell, I'd be more worried `bout you controllin' yourself," Willy laughed as we headed back to town. After helping Ron clean up our lunch mess, we went our separate ways, Ron diving back into washing the sheets and remaking beds, Tom and Dylan returning to their office to go back to work and me settling my sorry ass in the theater to watch some mindless drivel, hoping to take my mind off other issues and problems for a few hours. With my mind free to wander for a bit, I suddenly remembered we were supposed to have a meeting tonight with Ryan about the new house. I made the call and while apologizing profusely for the late notice, we rescheduled the meeting for Monday night. I did pass on the change the boys wanted to make to their area with the hope that Ryan could incorporate that modification before the meeting. That problem fixed, I settled back in my chair and pondered my third visit to Jason yesterday. We really hadn't broken into any new territory during the session, mostly due to my inability to really focus on my own issues since I was so concerned about Logan and what he was facing in the near future. I did remember to take the newer parts of the book with me so Jason could read them before my next visit. I was frustrated as hell with our lack of progress, but Jason accepted the fact I wasn't in the right frame of mind and, thankfully, he didn't push me too hard. The one really interesting tidbit Jason had to share with me was that he had arranged to talk to the Muellers before they'd been moved to their new permanent and extremely secure homes. Unfortunately, they didn't tell him much except to say the main reason they'd selected me for their torture was that I was `cuter than hell' and they both `wanted me', their words, not Jason's. They also said another kid had said he thought I was gay, but they couldn't remember who it was, adding that that kid had been `attended to' by another couple from the church. We didn't need a translator to tell us what they'd meant by that, lending some credence to what David had told me and igniting the fires of curiosity in Tom and Dylan who had spent yesterday afternoon and today digging into the mystery. Despite my mind swirling with random thoughts at a seeming thousand miles an hour, the afternoon seemed to drag on forever until I couldn't take it anymore. I turned off the TV and headed back across the house to talk to the two investigators. Both were sitting behind Tom's desk and engaged in a hushed conversation, a conversation that ended abruptly when I stepped through the door and they saw me. "Don't stop on my account," I said. "What have you found out about the other kid? Was it George who told the Muellers to go after me?" The two shared a quick glance before Tom turned to me and said, "We don't know, babe. And we probably never will." "Well, what do you know?" "Derek dug up the file on the investigation into George's suicide and gave it to me," Dylan began. "And after reading it, I remembered the case. Seems appropriate since I wrote most of the damn thing to begin with. You remember me saying during the workshop there was only one case I'd never really resolved?" After a quick nod from me, he continued. "This was it. And it still baffles the hell out of me." "How so," I asked with sincere curiosity. "The first was George's method. He did something I'd never seen before. When his parents found his body a week later, a large garbage bag was taped around his neck. Our best guess was he'd taped the bag in place, then laid down and went to sleep, expiring when the oxygen in the bag finally ran out. There was an almost empty bottle of bourbon on the nightstand next to his bed and that would have pretty well knocked him out and incapable of waking up. No note was found at the scene giving any explanation as to why he'd done it, so we were at a complete loss. "In talking with his family afterwards, none of them described George as anything but happy go lucky, your typical optimist always hoping and looking for the best in people and any situation. There were no outward hints that George was dealing with depression or other issues that would have caused him to take his own life. During the autopsy, the M.E. at the time found no signs of foul play and everything pointed to suicide. After a month of investigating, we finally closed the case as nothing more than a suicide for unknown reasons." "Did you find any hint that he'd talked to a therapist? Or any signs he'd been assaulted in any way?" "No to both counts, Max. If he was talking to anybody, we don't know who. As for his being assaulted, I can only assume you're asking about sexually?" I again nodded my assent before Dylan carried on, "No signs of anything. Of course, since George was most likely gay, if he was in any kind of relationship and sexually active, any signs of previous trauma could have been masked." "Did you find any kind of diary or journal he might have kept?" "There was nothing like that noted in the case file," Tom answered. "If he had any, his parents might have taken them before Dylan had a chance to look for `em. But what makes you think he might have written about anything?" "Don't all us gay guys keep a diary? Hell, I basically wrote one for years, and it ended up becoming four New York Times bestsellers." "I sure as hell don't," Tom replied. "Me either," Dylan added. "Never," Ron chirped lightly as he passed the office doorway on his way down the hallway. "You're tellin' me I'm the only queer here who's written about his life?" I asked in surprise. "Looks that way, babe," Tom chortled lightly. "Fine," I grumbled. "So what's next? Where do you go from here?" "About the only thing we haven't done is talk to George's family to see if they could maybe fill in a few blanks for us. I was hoping we could avoid that, but I don't see how we can now." "Well, fuck it all!" I vented. "Just drop it, guys. I'm not gonna have ya bother his family. Besides, I think what Jason learned from the Muellers pretty much answers my question. Though I never thought I was `cute', I guess that's all it took to twig them." "Max," Dylan started, "please don't take this the wrong way, but I've seen the pictures and despite what was happening at the time, you were a very cute kid. Still are, as a matter of fact," he added with a grin. "I'm with Dylan, babe," Tom agreed with a chuckle. "Gee, thanks ever so much for that rousing endorsement of my cuteness, you two. Well, the boys will be here soon, we should get ready to go the funeral home. The visitation doesn't officially start until five, but I think we should be there about half an hour early." "That's fine with us, babe, we were pretty much done for the day, anyway," Tom answered. "Yeah," Dylan agreed. "Malcom and Damon should be getting here shortly, but not until after you guys head over. They couldn't leave Bloomington until Damon got home from school at three-thirty. Once they're here, we'll be over." "Sounds good, Dylan," I replied. "C'mon big guy, time to get decent." "Right behind you, babe." As we crossed the house to get dressed, we found Ron in the living room reading my first book. I stopped briefly and asked, "So, you found something to read, did you?" "Yeah. Hope you don't mind me helpin' myself, but I was startin' to get bored after finishin' up with the beds this afternoon. "Not a problem, feel free to help yourself. You comin' with us tonight?" "Yeah, I hate funeral homes, but I'll be there to support Logan and help him get through it," he answered. "Would you mind takin' your own car?" "Not a problem, Max. Any particular reason why?" Ron asked. "First, the Flex will be full already. Second, if some of the boys want to come home a little early, I thought maybe you wouldn't mind bringing them home." "That makes sense, I guess, but do you really think any of them will leave Logan?" "Probably not, but I'd like to be prepared in case they spring a surprise on us." "Never hurts to be prepared, I suppose. I'll be ready to go when you guys are." "Thanks, Ron, I appreciate it. We should be ready to roll by twenty after four." With that, Tom and I continued on to our bedroom to get dressed. We were just about ready to go when the herd rumbled through the bedroom door and mugged us. All looked happy to be home and ready for the weekend except for Logan who settled into my chair, where he pulled his legs up into the seat and hugged them tightly. We finished our greetings with the other five, then shooed them on to their rooms with instructions to change clothes and get ready to go. Tom and I knelt in front of Logan and Tom asked, "You okay, buddy?" "More or less, Pops," he grunted in reply. "Just not wantin' to go tonight, but I know I hafta. Seems kinda stupid, really, since ain't no one gonna show up but us." "I don't know, Logan, I think the people around here may surprise you," I offered. "I find that hard to believe. The way my old man treated people since momma got sick, weren't nobody wanted to hang around much. Hell, he was such a jerk, even I didn't wanna be around him anymore than I had to." "We know that, but we still think you should be there tonight," Tom said. "Oh, I will be, don't worry. Just another one of those freakin' steps I gotta take, ain't it?" "I think so," I agreed. "Do you know what you're goin to wear?" "Yeah. It ain't great, but it's the best I got in the house. All my really good stuff is out in the storage building since I didn't think I'd really need it." "We can run out there and dig it out if you want." "Nah, don't do that. `Specially with what Daddy's wearin'. If I wore any of that stuff, I'd be way overdressed," Logan replied with a giggle. "Well, you better scoot on outta here and get changed," Tom said. "All right. I'll be ready in a few." On that sad note, Logan shuffled slowly out of the room. Tom and I looked at each and shook our heads. Once Logan was out of earshot, Tom asked, "What did he mean about what Charlie's wearin'?" "Oh, I guess I forgot to tell you, didn't I?" I replied with a chuckle. "After all the damage that was done at the farm last weekend, the only thing left in Charlie's closet was a garish Hawaiian shirt and a pair of khaki shorts, so that's what Logan took to the funeral home Monday afternoon." "Oh, my god!" Tom laughed. "That sounds like something Logan would do." I continued telling Tom about the trip the two had planned for a few months from now. When I'd finished, Tom added, "We should do that, babe." "What?" "Take the boys to Key West this summer. I bet they'd love the ocean." "That does sound like it would be fun, doesn't it? I'll do some checking on that next week, see if I can find a place that would accommodate us." "Well, whatever you find, it better be a place that doesn't mind nude kids runnin' `round day and night. I don't see this group being very happy anywhere else." "Ain't that the truth?" I chuckled. "I'll do my best to keep everyone happy." "I would hope so," Tom replied. "Well, we should get movin' in that direction," Tom offered. "I suppose. What're we gonna do if Troy and family show up?" "Don't you mean when?" Tom asked. "Well, yeah, I guess so." "Let's see what they do. With any luck, they'll behave like decent people," Tom commented. "Unlikely, I think, but we'll find out soon enough," I responded. We headed towards the living room and found all the boys but Logan waiting patiently for us. I quietly thanked them for looking so nice, then Tom explained the type of behavior we expected from them the next few hours. With agreement from all of them, we were ready to go once Logan was ready to roll. Ron was the next to show up and he was followed shortly by Logan. Dylan finally joined the group and he looked rather spiffy in his suit. "Okay, guys, time to go. Ron's driving his car, so if any of you want to ride over with him, you're welcome to do so." "Why don't he just ride with us," Logan asked. "Well, our car's already full with the eight of us. I also thought if some of you wanted to come home a little earlier than the others, Ron could bring you." "No way, Dad," Joey protested. "We ain't leavin' `til Logan can." Ron and I shared a quick grin at his intuition before I replied, "That's exactly what Ron said, Joey. But the option will still be there if any of you change your minds." "What're we gonna do about supper?" Alex asked. "I don't know how long we'll be at the funeral home, so I figure we'll just go eat at Capone's when we're done with the visitation. Can everybody wait that long, or do you want to take some snacks with you?" "Snacks definitely, Dad," T.J. answered. "We'd die if we didn't." Logan shot him a dirty look and grumbled, "Better to die by starvin' than gettin' chewed up by a tractor, ya little puke." T.J. hung his head in shame at his comment before recovering his empathy and saying, "Oh god, I'm so sorry, Logan. I wasn't thinkin'." "Damn right you wasn't. I oughta kick your skinny little ass for that." Nobody was surprised when T.J. got off the love seat, walked over to Logan and bent over, presenting the perfect target for Logan's foot. "Get your ass outta my face," Logan laughed, "I wasn't serious ya bonehead." "I am," T.J. retorted. "I deserve it for what I said." Logan must have agreed with T.J. as he quickly stood up and firmly planted his boot on T.J.'s upraised rear end. "OW!" T.J. squealed. "That hurt dammit," he added as he stood up straight and rubbed his tender backside. "Good, it was s'posed to, jerk. `Sides, you told me I could. I think we're even now." Instead of lashing out in anger, T.J. grabbed Logan and pulled him into a smothering hug. "I'm really, really sorry, bro. I love you, dude, and didn't mean to hurt you." "I know, and I love you, too, T.J. That's why I didn't kick you as hard as you deserved," Logan snickered as he wrapped his arms around T.J. "Make another crack like that again, though, you best watch yourself `cause I won't hold back," he added with a smirk. I turned to Ron and asked, "Would you grab some munchies and follow along?" "You got it, Max." Tom and I corralled the six boys, herded them to the garage and into the car so we could get moving. We weren't going to be quite as early as I'd planned, but we'd still be there before the visitation was supposed to begin at five. When we pulled into the parking lot of the funeral home, we were surprised at the number of vehicles already filling the street and the crowd of people waiting at the front door. One vehicle we spied that we'd hoped we wouldn't see was a dirty beige truck with Missouri license plates parked right by the front door, letting us know Troy and family were already here. "Well, hell," Logan grumped. "Guess they know how to read after all." "Looks that way, buddy," I agreed as I parked the car by the back door. "We can go back home right now if you want." "Nah, no sense tryin' to hide from `im, Dad. Let's go get this over with," he added as he opened the door and climbed out of the car. Logan waited for the rest of us to join him before turning and heading for the rear door of the funeral home. Just as he was about to open the door, Ron pulled in and parked next to the Flex. He jumped out of his car and grabbed a bag from the passenger seat containing the snacks he'd brought for the boys. By the time Ron had joined the us, I was the only one still waiting to go inside and I held the door for him, then slipped in behind him. As the door closed behind me, the first thing I noticed was the weepy music being piped into the room from very well-hidden speakers. I was about to mention it to Logan, but discovered he was already addressing the situation. "Hey, Mr. McGee, you got somebody else you dealin' with tonight?" "No, Logan, just your father. Why do you ask?" " `Cause this music's got to go. I told you I didn't want to hear junk like this. My Daddy listened to WYMG all the time and that's the kinda music he'd want. Can you change it, please?" "Whatever you want. Anything else?" "Yeah, what the hell's up with all them people out front?" "They're here for your father's visitation." "You can't be serious. Nobody liked the guy my old man turned into after Momma died. I can't believe they'd all show up for him now." "Logan, a lot people loved your mom and dad. Even if they didn't much like your dad lately, they still loved him, and they care a lot about you, too. They're here for you more than anyone else." "Whatever," Logan muttered. "You got Daddy ready and in place?" "I did the best I could, young man. There was a lot of damage done by the equipment, and as much as it pains me to say it, I couldn't do much to improve your dad's appearance. In light of that failure, the casket's closed." "Well, you're just gonna have to open that sucker up `cause I need to see him one more time." "I don't think that's a very good idea," Mr. McGee protested. "Maybe not, but it's gonna happen. `Sides, I already seen him once and you can close it again before anyone else comes in." Mr. McGee looked to me while silently pleading with his eyes to talk Logan out of his plan. I answered just as silently with a negative shake of my head. Seeing no way out of the situation, he turned back to Logan and softly said, "If you insist. Just remember what I said." "Thank you, sir. This won't take long. Maybe you could fix this stupid music while I say goodbye." Mr. McGee turned towards the main room of the funeral home and Logan fell in step behind him. We started to follow the two, but Logan stopped, turned to face us and said, "You guys don't have to go with me. I'll be okay, I swear." "That's fine, Logan," Tom replied, "but we'll be right here if you need us." "Thanks, Pops." During the short exchange between us, Mr. McGee had opened the upper half of the casket's lid and moved a chair next to the bier for Logan to stand on. He then disappeared into the office area to change the music. Logan shuffled slowly to the chair and then climbed up on it so he could look down on his father. While the boys with us were too short to see inside the casket, Tom, Ron and I could plainly see from twenty feet away that Charlie was is no condition for anyone to gaze upon his shattered and broken body, Hawaiian shirt or not. Ron turned away from the spectacle and tried to get the boys to move further away, but they were having no part of that. We stood and watched as Logan pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and then slipped it into his dad's hand. He then leaned over, whispered something into Charlie's ear and kissed his forehead. When he stood back up, he looked surprised about something, let go a little giggle and quickly wiped his lips and nose on his sleeve. He jumped off the chair and hustled to rejoin the group. When he reached us, he asked in a panic, "Did I get it all?" "All what?" Tom asked. "Mr. McGee really plastered the makeup on Daddy's face and there's a print of my lips on his forehead now. I just know I gots makeup on my face `cause I think stuck my nose in it, too." "I don't see anything, buddy," Tom replied. "You must have gotten it all." "Phew, good. It's one thing for a dead guy to be wearin' that junk, but I sure don't want none of it on me." With the music changed to Charlie's favorite radio station, Mr. McGee returned and asked, "May I close the casket now, Logan?" "Yessir, you sure can. And you were right, ain't nobody wants to see that." While Mr. McGee took care of his task, Logan turned to me and asked, "So, what am I s'posed to do or say to all them people?" "Just thank them for coming, I guess." "And what we gonna do `bout Unc and the shitheads?" "That all depends on them, Logan, but let's try to keep calm, okay?" "I'll do my best." "I don't doubt you one bit. We'll be right there with you." Mr. McGee had finally returned and asked, "You ready to get started?" "Ready as I'll ever be, I guess," Logan answered. "Not like I gots a choice, do I? Where'm I s'posed to be?" "That's entirely up to you, young man, but most family will stand or sit by the casket to greet people." "No way, man. I ain't spendin' the whole time standin' in one place, `specially there. I gotta move `round." "Whatever you want to do is fine with us Logan," I commented. "We'll try to stay close by, though, just in case you need something." Mr. McGee had finally opened the front door and allowed the people patiently waiting to pay their respects into the funeral home. True to his word, Logan picked a spot about as far away from the casket as he could and still be inside the building. The rest of us just mingled through the crowd, the boys talking to their friends from school. Despite our mingling, there was always at least one or two of us within a few steps of Logan. Troy and family laid claim to a couch that held all four of them and, thankfully, they managed to sit quietly and stay out of trouble. On one of my rounds, Troy stood to block my path through the crowd and politely asked, "Excuse me, could we talk for a few minutes, please?" "And just what makes you think we have anything to say to each other?" I responded with indifference. "It's about Logan, and since he's been living with you, I thought you'd want to hear what I have to say." "Well, you'd be wrong," I retorted before adding, "Excuse me." I stepped around the obnoxious man and continued my rounds. As I turned a corner and headed towards the front door, Troy fell in step behind me and when we reached the door, he grabbed my arm and pulled me outside. "Listen, I'm tryin' to be nice right now, so don't be such a fuckin' asshole," Troy hissed as the door closed behind us. "You should know that Logan's leaving with us Sunday and he ain't comin' back." "Take your hands off me!" I yelled. "This is not the time or place to discuss this." "I just wanted to let you know what was gonna happen `fore we showed up," Troy replied as he released his grasp on my bicep. He leaned in closer and added, "And there ain't a damn thing you can do stop it," as a sick and evil smirk formed on his ugly mug. "Logan's not going anywhere with you, Troy. We aren't gonna let that happen," I bluffed. "My brother wanted me to take charge o' the brat if he croaked and teach him the difference `tween what's right and what's not. And I got the court order this afternoon naming me as the little shit's new daddy, so you be fucked. You may as well give it up right now. `Sides, if ol' Charlie knew his boy was gonna be stayin' with a bunch o' rump-humpin', kiddie-rapin' faggots like y'all, he'd fuckin' roll over in his grave." "Say what you want, but Logan's not going with you Sunday, or any other day." "Listen up, you pansy-assed bitch. He's mine and so is the farm and all his money. You ain't gettin' none of it. I already talked to the cops and if I have to bring some with me Sunday to get what's mine, I will." "Bring whoever you want, it's your time to waste." With that, I turned around and headed back inside. I located Tom as quickly as I could and told him about what had just happened. As we turned towards the couch, we saw Troy's wife and sons get up and leave the funeral home. The two of us headed for the front door and before we could reach them, the truck was leaving the parking lot and turning towards Springfield. "Damn it, that man is impossible," I vented. "I know, babe, but there's nothin' we can do right now. Have some patience and we'll get it all worked out, I promise." "I don't know if I can wait that long, Tom. I want to kill that prick for thinkin' Logan's nothin' more than a piece of property." "I'm sure he thinks his wife and sons are, too. I can't imagine what their lives are like." "Miserable, I'm sure, but they sure don't look like they're willing to step up and stop him. They probably want the money just as much as Troy does." "Look, at least they didn't try to talk to Logan tonight. That could have been really ugly." "No shit. Well, we better get back inside or Logan's gonna wonder where we disappeared to." As we turned to rejoin the crowd, we heard the quick honk of a car horn pass by. Turning back to the street, we saw Dylan, Malcom and Damon searching for a place to park. We decided to wait for them to join us before heading back inside. As they came up the sidewalk, I greeted them with, "Hi, guys, glad you could make it." "Sorry we're so late, Max," Malcom apologized. "Damon was a little later than normal getting home from school." "You're here, that's what's important," Tom offered. "How's Logan doin'," Damon asked. "He's hangin' tough, even though we know his heart has been ripped apart," I answered. "Yeah, I bet," Damon agreed. "I'd feel the same way if it was my dad." We finally headed inside where the three newcomers joined the line to see Logan just inside the door and Tom and I continued our mingling with the visitors who'd already been through the line. In the main parlor near the casket, we found Joe with his wife and sons and we joined them to chat for a bit. When Dad, Dylan and I finally reached Logan, I pulled him into a hug and said, "I'm really sorry `bout your dad, dude." "Thanks, Damon," Logan answered. "How ya doin' Uncle Dylan, Uncle Malcom?" "We're okay, buddy," Malcom answered. "How about you," Dylan asked. "I ain't worth a shit right now, but I'll get through it." "Well, we're ready to help with whatever you need," Dylan replied. "Yeah, I know, and `ppreciate it. You just get some dirt on Uncle Scumbag so I can stay where I am." "I'll do my best," Dylan said. "You better." The three of us started to move on to let the line continue when Logan grabbed my arm and said, "Stay with me and T.J. for a while. Please." "Sure thing, dude." I turned to Dad and Poppy and said, "I'll find you guys in a bit," then stood by Logan for the next half hour while he mumbled thanks to all the people who continued to come in. As we drew closer, I shook hands with Joe and said, "Evening, Joe, thanks for coming by." "Hi, Max, Tom, good to see you. I'd like you to meet my wife, Daisy and our youngest son, Cail. I think you already know Ryan pretty well." "Yep," Tom answered. "How ya doin' Ryan?" "Pretty good Mr. Wright." "How's everything going with the farm?" I asked. "No problems, really," Joe replied. "Especially since the security company has already replaced the tractor and feed grinder that were destroyed last weekend. At least I can grind feed there now instead of havin' to haul stuff back and forth to our farm." "We hadn't heard that'd been done. I'm glad to hear they're taking care of things the way they said they would. How's Buster doin', Ryan?" I asked. "He's doing great, Mr. Sanders. Every time I take feed out to Bessie, ol' Buster's waitin' at the door for me and he follows me ever'where I go. Silly critter acts more like a dog than a bull," Ryan laughed. "He even likes Cail and follows him `round, too. An' Buster really likes when we brush him." "So, you're helping your brother, are you?" Tom asked. "Nope," Cail retorted, "I'se helpin' Logan." He then turned to Daisy and asked, "Can I go talk to Mike and Andy for a while, Mom?" "Sure, go ahead. We'll find you when it's time to leave." "Thanks." He then turned back to us and added, "Nice to meet y'all. See ya later." "Same here, Cail. And thanks for helpin' out," Tom replied. "It must be nice gettin' some help, Ryan." "It's okay most o' the time, but I wish he wouldn't be such a pest `bout it." "Now, Ryan," Joe started, "You should be happy to have his help." "Oh, I am, but he never lets me brush Bessie or Buster, and I like doin' it, too." "You two should swap every day," Daisy offered as a compromise. "You brush Bessie, Cail brushes Buster one day, and the next day you swap around." "Yeah, that'd work. Why didn't I think o' that?" Ryan pondered. "Because you're both still learnin' how to share responsibilities," Daisy answered. "Do you want me to talk to your brother about it for you?" "Nah, Ma, I can handle it. Thanks for the idea, though. Oh, hey, Joey an' Alex have finally left T.J. with Logan and sat down. I'm gonna go talk to them, okay?" "Sure, go ahead," Joe answered. He then turned his attention back to us and asked, "So, any idea on what Logan's gonna do with the farm?" "Not a clue at this moment," I answered. "We have a little fight ahead of us before that can be settled." "What kind of fight?" Joe asked. We spent the next couple of minutes filling them in on Troy and what was going to happen on Sunday. We also let them know we were going to try to keep Logan's move from being a permanent change of address. "Well, that sure sounds like somethin' Troy would pull. I always wondered if Charlie was tellin' the truth when he'd spin those yarns `bout his `no-good, worthless brother'. I guess he was." "Seems that way," Tom replied. "It's not gonna be fun, that's for sure." As I turned to check on Logan, I saw my mom and dad had arrived and were talking to him. We excused ourselves from Joe and Daisy and headed across the room to talk to them. When we reached the couple, we pulled them into a quiet corner to chat. "Hidey-ho, folks. Thanks for comin' out." "No problem, son," Mom replied. "Bill and Estelle should be here in just a minute. They let us out before they went to find a place to park." "Really?" Tom asked with surprise. "I didn't know they were comin' up tonight." "Well, we kinda talked `em into it," Dad said. "We knew they'd be here tomorrow, so we invited them up early. They'll stay with us tonight and head back home after the funeral tomorrow." "Then we'll wait to tell you some news until they're here. That way, we only have to say it once," Tom said. "What news?" Mom asked. "Just wait, Mom, okay? Since you're all here, do you want to join us for supper later?" "Sure, we didn't eat yet," Dad answered. "Lee and Carl should be showing up soon, too," Mom added. We continued to chat quietly until Bill and Estelle joined us and Dad bluntly asked, "Okay, son, what's going on?" Tom and I gave in and told them about Troy and his plans to take Logan home with them on Sunday. Despite them knowing Logan was most likely going to have to move for short time, they were all surprised that Troy would act so quickly. "You want Bill and me to take Troy out behind the woodshed and, uh, let's say, convince him that's not what's best for Logan," Dad offered with an evil smirk. "Tempting as that offer may be, Dad, I think we'll bypass that option for the time being," I answered. "We have other plans in the works, already." "Well, I hope like hell they work." "We do, too, Jim," Tom replied. Lee and Carl finally arrived and they joined our small group and our ongoing conversations. After inviting them to join us for supper, I excused myself to replace T.J. and Damon near Logan. During the remaining hour of the visitation, it seemed as if half the town had filtered through the funeral home at a snail's pace, Logan politely thanking everyone for coming by as they offered up their condolences. Among the visitors to attend the visitation were the boys' teacher Ken, Steve, Gloria and several other school personnel. Mrs. Billings and her three children also put in an appearance, along with Grant from the bank. A couple of late arrivals were Carol and Derek, who brought his wife and three kids. Both spent several minutes talking with Logan before moving on to visit with others. After talking to Tom and I, Carol moved on and made a point to talk to each of the boys. Derek took a few minutes away from his family to talk to us privately. "What's up, Derek?" Tom asked after we'd stepped outside. "Wanted to let you guys know we caught the creeps that vandalized Logan's farm." "That's good to hear, Derek. Who were they?" "Just a druggie dad and his two stoner sons from Waverly." "So, it wasn't Troy?" Tom asked in surprise. "Any idea why they picked Logan's place?" "Nope, it wasn't Troy. Turns out he was tellin' the truth `bout that. Like I told you the other day, we've had other break-ins recently, and with the help of the Morgan County Sheriff's department, we finally found the three that were responsible for all of them, including Logan's. These guys were robbin' places to support their habits. The father told us they picked Logan's farm because they read about Charlie's death and figured the place would be an easy hit. They didn't bank on the security team bein' there the first time they tried, so they came up with a new plan to deal with the guards when they tried again Monday morning." "Then it wasn't Troy Saturday night, either?" I asked in surprise. "Doesn't look that way, Max. I just thought you guys would like to know." "And what's gonna happen to them" Tom asked. "My best guess would be detox, first, to get them cleaned out and up. Then court and prison. The boys are eighteen and nineteen, so they're adults and will go away with dear ol' dad." "Thanks for telling us, Derek. I've been worried whoever did it would come after our house next." "Well, you shouldn't have to worry any more, Max. You'd probably be okay to let your private security go if you wanted to." "No, I think we'll have them hang around until Troy's gone. While I feel safer knowing the losers who vandalized Logan's place are in jail, I won't feel that way completely until Troy's gone back home." "I don't blame you," Derek agreed. "Well, that's all I had for you guys, so let me find ..." "Wait, Derek, before you go, I wanted to ask if you know what happened that made the Muellers plead guilty. When Tom and I talked to them, Frank sure seemed like he thought he was gonna walk." "Oh yeah, that. I figured Dylan would have told you by now." "No, he just called the day they accepted the plea bargain to let me know about that taking place." "Well, I suppose if anyone deserves to know, it's you, Max. You remember that list of names Alex and Joey came up with?" After a quick nod, Derek continued. "Well, we passed that on to the FBI so they could keep their eyes open for those names as they sifted through the files. Thanks to the extra manpower, they quickly found 219 files matching all sixty-three of those names. They then reduced the count to seventy-seven after comparing pictures of Frank and Iris against the pictures in the files, sixty-three that match the names on the list and fourteen others who didn't, but were definitely more of the Muellers victims. "Once we had a true count of cases against them, along with that confession you recorded, they really didn't have any options but to plead guilty. Not if they wanted to live, anyway. We found a couple of their victims had committed suicide and they were going be charged with their deaths along with everything else, so they were definitely looking at the death penalty. Guess they decided they'd rather live as long as possible. Though I'll be amazed if either one of them survives past the end of next month. Not with what they've done." "You really think someone inside will kill them?" I asked. "No doubt about it, guys." Derek leaned in closer and lowered his voice before adding, "We've already got a couple of pools going in the department on how and when it happens. Whoever is closest to the date wins one and the person who correctly picks the manner of their demise wins the other one. Actually, it's four pools, two for each of them. And at twenty-five bucks a pop, we've collected a fair share of cash." "I can't believe you're allowing that, Derek," Tom commented in surprise. "Gambling on how and when someone in prison dies seems just a bit, uh, repugnant. Even for scum like the Muellers." "Allowing it? Hell, I'm runnin' it," Derek replied with a laugh. "And everyone has agreed that their winnings will go to a group that specializes in services to gay youth." "Sounds like a win-win to me," I laughed. "They get planted and gay kids get the help they need. Is it too late to get in on it?" I asked with a grin. "For now. But if they make it to the first of June, we'll start another round. You could probably get in on that one." "Let me know." "You got it, Max. Well, let me find Suzy and the rugrats and we'll get out of here. It's getting late and bedtime is comin' up soon for the kids." "Well, thanks for comin' out, partner," Tom said as he gave Derek a hug. "I'm sure Logan appreciated it." As we headed inside again, Derek turned left to search for his family while Tom and I turned right to begin corralling our herd. Alex and Joey were with Logan and as we passed the trio, we let them know it was time to leave. You could see the wave of relief wash over Logan as he was anxious to get out of here and be done with dealing with all these people. We left them to greet the last few stragglers and soon found our parents, and Lee and Carl. We let them know we were about to leave and suggested they go to Capone's ahead of us to get a spot picked out for the crowd about to descend on the place. As they headed out into the dark night, we continued our search for our other boys and found T.J., Mike and Andy had staked a claim to the couch previously vacated by Troy and family. A silent wave of the hand was all it took to get them on their feet and moving towards the back door of the funeral home. Mr. Mc Gee was hovering near the front door so he could lock it as soon as the last guest had departed. When the last visitor had finally moved on and the front door was locked, Mr. McGee joined us at the back door. "Well, that was quite the crowd," Mr. McGee commented. "Certainly more than I expected to be here." "Me, too," Logan agreed. "I didn't know half them people." "I told you a lot of people care about you, Logan," Mr. McGee replied. "I guess so." "What time should we be here tomorrow?" Tom asked. "The service is supposed to start at two, so why don't we say one-thirty. That will give you a chance to settle in. And don't forget those three or four songs you wanted, Logan." "Oh, yeah. I'll have Max help me find `em tonight." "How should we get them to you?" I asked. "A flash-drive will work fine," Mr. McGee answered. "Then I can just drop them into my system. I'll give the drive back to you once I've done that." "Well, I guess we'll see you tomorrow afternoon, then." I turned to the surrounding herd and added, "Load `em up, boys, and let's go have supper." "'Bout time, Max," Logan groaned. "I'm starvin' `cause I never could take a break from talkin' to folks." With that, Logan led the parade to the car and we headed for Capone's just a few blocks away. Once inside, we easily found the large table our parents had commandeered and we settled in, Tom and I on each side of Logan. We talked quietly after giving our orders to the server, the adults all skirting the issue of Logan leaving Sunday afternoon. When our meals finally showed up, we dug into the food as if we hadn't eaten for a week. A few minutes later, Logan looked up to me and asked, "So what did Troy have to say when he drug you outside?" "Um, why don't we talk about this at home?" I stalled. "No, I wanna know what the useless jackass said," Logan retorted with just enough volume and edge in his voice to garner the attention of everyone at the table. "He thought we should know that you'll be moving to Dexter with them," I answered quietly. "I already knew that, Dad. What's the big deal?" "He plans on taking you with them when they head back home Sunday afternoon." "Well, that sucks," Logan moaned while the other boys protested loudly. After they'd quieted back down, Logan added "Course, I ain't goin' nowhere with him. He ain't got no say in where I live." "I'm afraid he does, buddy. I talked to my attorney today and he told me there's no way around it. Troy's actually been to court and he already has the orders designating him as your new guardian." "How the hell'd he pull that trick off?" Logan vented. "I was hopin' Pops and Uncle Dylan could find a way to stop that from happenin'." "Clarence didn't know. But they're still going down Sunday to see what they can dig up on Troy. We're not gonna stop fighting until your back home with us, Logan." "You better not or I'll be haunting you just like Sammy is," Logan giggled. "So, looks like I need to get my stuff ready to go after the funeral tomorrow, don't it?" "Unfortunately, yes. I don't know if they'll have enough room to get all your things we dropped in the storage building, though." "Don't worry `bout it, Dad. I won't be there long enough to need any o' that stuff." "We sure hope not." The table fell quiet again as we each contemplated Logan's impending move and the impact it would have on all of us, especially the boys. We knew none of them wanted Logan to leave, but they seemed resigned to that happening. When we finally finished stuffing ourselves, I paid our check and we headed out into the dark night. With lots of hugs and kisses, along with assurances we'd see everyone tomorrow, we finally split up into our separate vehicles and headed for home. Once we got home, everyone disappeared into their rooms to get comfortable for a quiet evening. When we regrouped in the living room, the boys said they all wanted to watch some TV before they went to bed, so off they went. All except for Logan who reminded me he needed my help to find the three songs he'd talked about being played during Charlie's funeral tomorrow. We left Tom and Ron reading by the newly lit fire as Logan grabbed my hand and led the way to my office so we could take care of our search. I settled into my chair and Logan pulled another around the desk to sit beside me. "Okay, what can you tell me about these songs?" I asked. "Two of `em are by a Sarah somebody and the other one is by some other lady." "Gee, Logan, that doesn't narrow the field down very much," I replied with just a tinge of sarcasm. "You got anything else to help me out here?" "Well, the one is about flyin', I think, and the other two, one's somethin' `bout an angel and the other's `bout remembering somebody. It's been a long time since I heard them and that's `bout all I can `member. I just know they seemed to relax momma and made her feel a little bit better when she spent too much time thinkin' `bout what was happenin' to her." I opened the internet browser and searched for `female singer and song about angels'. The first link displayed directed us to a top ten list of songs about angels, so I clicked it to see what was there. As we scrolled down the new page, Logan suddenly said, "Stop! I think that's it." "Which one?" "The third one. I seen that picture before." "Well let's check it out," I commented as I clicked the link to listen to a sample. The music had barely begun when Logan said, "That's the one, Dad. You're really good at this." "Pure luck, buddy. You think the song about remembering was by the same woman?" "Yeah, pretty sure it was." "Well, let's zip over to Amazon and see what we can find. After opening a new tab and Amazon's main page, I searched for Sarah McLachlan, the artist noted on the other site. We quickly found the album that matched the cover from the other site and opened that page. As our luck would have it, I could purchase the track, Angel, for a pittance and I added it to the cart. Next, we needed to find the song about remembering by Sarah. I returned to the listing of her albums and selected the next one. Nothing in the track list there looked promising, so we moved on to the next one. We perused five more of Sarah's albums before striking pay dirt on the sixth, Mirrorball. One of the songs listed on this album was titled I Will Remember You. I clicked the preview button and while it took just a bit longer, Logan eventually confirmed it was the song he was looking for and I added it to the cart, also. Now it was time to find a song by a female artist about flying, so back to the search page. The list of results proved to be pretty much useless as none of them helped us zero in on the mystery tune. I asked Logan if he had any other clues about the song or singer and the only thing he could come up with was he'd probably recognize the album if he saw the cover again. With that bit of information, I started a new search for pictures of album covers by female singers. I knew it was going to be an extreme longshot to find one song this way, but it was about the only thing I could think of. The two of us spent the next five minutes scrolling through oodles of album covers and I was about to give up when Logan suddenly perked up and pointed at the screen. "I think that's the one, Dad," he whispered. "Can we check it on Amazon?" "Sure thing," I answered, hoping we'd finally found what we'd been searching for. I switched back to the Amazon tab and searched for Celine Dion. Once presented with her album listing, I located and clicked on the cover Logan had pointed out, Falling Into You. I wasn't holding my breath for this album to contain the song we were searching for, but the last title in the track list was Fly. I crossed my finger and toes as I clicked the sample button, hoping we were about to be amply rewarded for our patience and perseverance. The song started to play and I watched as Logan closed his eyes and tears started dripping from the corners of his eyes and down his cheeks. I knew immediately that this was the one he wanted and without delay, I added it to the cart with the other two songs. "Anything else you want to search for?" I asked. "No, just those three," Logan answered through his sniffles. "Well, you go join the others in the theater and I'll get these downloaded and ready to take with us tomorrow." "Thanks for your help, Dad," Logan whispered as he hugged me. "I love you," he added before he turned and shuffled sadly from the room. I returned my eyes to the screen, but discovered my focus was way off due to the tears leaking from my own eyes. I took a moment to compose myself before completing the transaction and downloading the songs. Having heard just the short samples before buying the tracks, I took some time to listen to all three before dragging them onto the flash drive. Boy, was that ever a mistake. By the time the third song had played through, I'd laid my head on the desk and was weeping for the pain Logan was struggling with. It had been hard to tell exactly what Logan was feeling throughout the week due to his wildly fluctuating moods. One moment, he'd seem just as giddy as he always had been and the next, it didn't seem as if he could sink any lower. I suppose those types of emotional swings should be expected after losing a parent, but I couldn't see how he could be so strong and seemingly put-together the majority of the time. The poignancy of the songs he'd selected really drove home how he was truly feeling. It was times like this I wished I had a magic wand that I could just wave and take away all his pain. After recovering from my moment of weakness, I pulled a flash drive from the desk drawer, wiped off the files that were already there, then copied the three songs to it. After pulling the device from the USB port, I headed across the hall to put the drive next to my wallet so I couldn't forget to take it with us tomorrow afternoon. I then headed out to join Tom and Ron by the fire. "Did you find the ones he wanted?" Tom asked as I sank into my chair. "Finally. The last one was a deep dig, but we succeeded." "So, we're ready for tomorrow, then?" he asked. "As ready as we'll ever be, I guess." "Can I ask you somethin' without pissin' you off?" After a quick nod, Tom continued, "I thought we'd agreed to wait until after the funeral to tell Logan about havin' to move Sunday. Why'd you change your mind and tell him about that at supper?" "Because as much as we want to protect him from the bad things in life, I'm not gonna outright lie to him. I might stretch the truth or leave somethin' out, but when he asks a question like that, the truth is the only answer he should hear. I don't want to take the chance of hurting him more than he already is by bending or twisting the realities of what he's going through." "That makes sense, babe, and I agree with you. I was just surprised you did it. And a little upset we didn't talk about it before you told him, I guess." "I'm sorry, hon, I didn't mean to upset you. I just didn't think us talking about it after Logan asked the question and then pushed the issue would help at all." "No worries, Max, I'm cool. You made the right decision." "Thanks, I'm tryin'." I finally grabbed my book and the three of us settled in for a bit of low-stress relaxation. I managed to read for about thirty minutes before I dozed off in my chair. It was about ten-thirty when my eyes snapped back open and I felt my world shaking. "C'mon, Max, let's go to bed," Tom was saying. "Uh, yeah, okay. What about the boys?" I asked. "They've been in bed for an hour already." "You sent them to bed without sayin' good night?" "Oh, they said it, all right. Even gave you hugs, but you refused to wake up," Tom chuckled. "I'm guessing this past week has worn you out." "I suppose it has," I agreed as I held out my hand for Tom to help pull me out of the chair. "I'll be glad when life can return to normal." "What if this is our normal?" Tom asked as we crossed the house to our bedroom. "Then let me off this insane ride at the next stop," I replied sarcastically. "Yeah, right. Like you'd get off if you had the chance." "You're right, of course," I agreed. "I've paid the price of admission and I'm stayin' right here `til someone kicks me off the roller coaster." "Glad to hear it, babe." We hit the head one more time before crawling in bed and curling up together. After sharing a kiss and an `I love you', we fell asleep. I'm not sure what Tom's dreams held for him this night, but mine were more disturbing than I care to think about. Of course, they were all about Logan and the holes that would be ripped in our hearts when he moved to Missouri in two days. The worst parts, however, prominently featured Troy, with Logan on the receiving end of serious abuse thinly disguised as punishment for bad behavior. When I finally woke up in the morning, I was sweating bullets and shivering in fear of what Logan might have to deal with until we could convince the court he belonged here. I looked to my companion and discovered his body thrashing about as if he were locked in mortal combat. I poked him in the ribs and said, "C'mon, lumpy, time to wake up." "Whu ...?" he muttered as his eyes opened. "Oh, man why the hell'd you wake me up?" "Because it's that time, bubba." "You should have given me a couple more minutes. I was havin' the greatest dream." "Looked like you were in the fight of your life the way you were jerkin' around." "Well, I wasn't, but Troy sure was. I had my hands locked around his neck and I was chokin' the shit out of the ignorant bastard. His face was turnin' purple and his eyes had rolled so far back all you could see was white between his fluttering eyelids. Another minute and it would have been all over." "Hold on to that thought, hon. You may yet get your chance." After our regular morning stop in the bathroom, we finally headed out to see if anyone else was up and moving. It was obviously later than we'd thought as we found Ron and the boys huddled around the dining room table, stuffing their faces with French toast, sausage and bacon. " `Bout time you two got your lazy butts outta bed," Joey greeted us as we joined them. "Well, you could have gotten us awake before you sat down to eat without us," Tom retorted. "No way, Dads," Alex protested. "We didn't want to have to share the bacon with ya," he added with a giggle. "Fine, I see how y'all are," I chuckled. "And here we were thinkin' you guys actually loved us when all along it's just been a ploy to get our bacon." "Dang right," T.J. agreed. "So, what're we gonna do to waste time until this afternoon?" Mike asked. "I'm gonna keep readin' Ender's Game," Logan answered. "I'm about three-fourths through it and want to try and finish it before I hafta to leave tomorrow since I'm sure I can't take it with me." "What makes you think that?" I asked. "Well, it ain't my book, Dad, it yours." "It's yours now, buddy. If you want to take it with you, you can." "Nah, I wouldn't want to give Troy a heart attack by readin' somethin'. He pro'lly don't even know what a book is." The conversation continued with people's ideas of what to do and finally ended with Mike and Andy playing a game in their room, T.J., Joey and Alex decided to watch a movie, and the rest of us were going to read. With that all settled, we worked together to clean up the kitchen and load the dishwasher despite Ron's continuing protests about it being his job. With that task completed, everyone went their separate ways to kill some time before we regrouped for lunch. At noon, Ron started working on our simple lunch of hot dogs and chips. Twenty minutes later, it was time to eat and everyone converged in the dining room again. It was a pretty quiet meal for once since nobody wanted to talk about what was next on our agenda. With our meal finished and cleanup completed, it was time to get dressed. I followed Alex, Joey and Logan to their room to ensure they selected an appropriate outfit while Tom did the same with T.J., Mike and Andy. With the six of them taken care of, Tom and I retreated to our room to make ourselves presentable. Since we hadn't taken a shower last night before falling into bed, we first cleaned up and then got dressed. Properly attired for a funeral and making sure I had the flash drive in my pocket, we joined the boys and Ron in the living room. With everyone ready to go, we headed to the garage to begin the short trek to the funeral home, the three oldest boys opting to ride with Ron. When we arrived, Mr. McGee was waiting for us and he directed on where we should park to follow the hearse to the cemetery. While the rest of the family headed inside, I took a moment to hand the flash drive to Mr. McGee. "These are the three songs Logan wants played during whatever service happens here," I said. "Thank you, Mr. Sanders. I'll return this to you in just a few minutes." "Any idea how this is going to go?" I asked. "Not a clue. I don't think I've ever handled a service without some type of religious reading or reflection. We'll play one of the songs Logan's selected to get started, I guess, then I'll just open up with a few comments and then see if anyone else has something they'd like to share. We'll play the other two songs in between some of those stories." "I suppose that makes sense since Logan didn't really give you much direction on how to proceed." "It's the only thing I can think of," he lamented. "Unless you have a better idea." "Sorry, funeral's aren't my specialty," I replied. "The only request I have is if Logan's uncle says he has something to say, don't let him. I know he's Charlie's brother, and I'm sure he's hurting right now, too, but I don't want him ruining the service for Logan." "I'll do my best to keep control of things. Does Logan still have something he wants to say during the graveside service?" "He hasn't said anything about that this week, but I'd plan on it if I were you." "I'm prepared for it." Mr. McGee continued to explain what would happen after the service here and the procession to the cemetery. "Our parents and my sister and her husband will be arriving soon and I'd like their cars right behind ours in the line. And if it's possible, we'd like Troy's to be at the end of the line." "We'll just have the people who will be joining the procession leave the keys in their cars when they get here and my son and his friends can rearrange them as needed during the service." I gave him descriptions of the vehicles I was concerned with and he assured me all would be handled. With our conversation completed, I finally joined the rest of the family inside and took the seat they'd saved for me in the front row. Not surprisingly, Logan was situated in the middle of the row between Tom and I, and the other boys and Ron surrounded us. Our parents arrived shortly after we did and they took places in the row behind us, where they were soon joined by Lee and Carl. Dylan, Malcom and Damon filled out the second row with Carol, Rick, Eric and Josh claiming space in the third row. By the time the service was supposed to start, the small funeral home was packed and people were standing against the walls around the fringes of the chairs. It seemed as if all of Joey, Alex, and Logan's classmates were in attendance, along with their parents and siblings, further adding to the crush of bodies. Troy and family had again claimed space on the long sofa against the wall behind us. When it seemed as if nobody else was coming in, Mr. McGee stepped to the podium near the head of Charlie's casket and quietly got everyone's attention. With the crowd silenced, he began, "Friends, we are gathered today to say goodbye to our friend and neighbor, Charlie Campbell. This service will most likely be very different from any other you've attended, but it will still be a remembrance of a life cut drastically short. "At Logan's request, we are going to start with a song he selected. This is one of three songs his mother used to listen to. Logan told me that when she would listen to them during her illness, they seemed to bring her comfort and solace and it's our hope they will do the same for you today." He tapped a button on a remote and the tune Angel by Sarah McLachlan drifted from the hidden speakers. * `I will remember you Will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by Weep not for the memories Remember the good times that we had? I let them slip away from us when things got bad How clearly I first saw you smilin' in the sun Wanna feel your warmth upon me, I wanna be the one I will remember you Will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by Weep not for the memories I'm so tired but I can't sleep Standin' on the edge of something much too deep It's funny how we feel so much but we cannot say a word We are screaming inside, but we can't be heard But I will remember you Will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by Weep not for the memories I'm so afraid to love you, but more afraid to loose Clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose Once there was a darkness, deep and endless night You gave me everything you had, oh you gave me light And I will remember you Will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by Weep not for the memories And I will remember you Will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by Weep not for the memories Weep not for the memories'

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 78</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;<span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></span></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk533157491"></a><a name="_Hlk532928267"></a><a name="_Toc533331937"><span>Chapter 78 � Goodbye Charlie</span></a></h2> <p><span>"I can see where that would be pretty scary," I agreed as Tom finally joined us in the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, that ain't all of it. It looked like he was tryin' to tell me somethin', but I couldn't hear him, so I moved a little closer. His mouth was movin' a mile a minute, but I still couldn't hear nothin' and he seemed to be gettin frustrated with me for not understandin' him. That's when he grabbed my wrist, pulled me off the trail and dragged me deep into the trees. I was fightin' like hell to get away, but he was too strong. I finally twisted and jerked enough he couldn't hold on to me anymore and I ran like hell to get outta there. I finally found the trail again and kept runnin', but when I came to the end and got away from the trees, the house wasn't here. No drive either. It was like it had never been built. There was just this tiny clearing, kinda like something had been there a long time ago."</span></p> <p><span>"Wow, that was a really strange dream. I'm sorry it frightened you, T.J.," I commented while pulling him into a comforting hug. I finally let him go and continued, "But now that you say that, that little clearing you saw is the main reason I built the house where I did. When I first started exploring the property, it was almost solid trees. I just kept moving deeper and deeper into them until I'd stumbled into this spot that didn't have any trees and was confused how it could be like that.</span></p> <p><span>"But the more I wandered the clearing, the more I felt it would be the perfect place to build this house. The clear area was only about half an acre in size, and it took a crew about a month to create the drive and then enlarge that small clearing to the three acres that's around the house now. But once that was done and a rock base for the drive had been dumped, construction finally began on the house itself. As they were digging the hole for the crawlspace, they found the remains of an old stone foundation for what we finally decided had been a one or two room log cabin that had been here a long, long time ago. In fact, part of that foundation is still under the house, almost directly below the spot where you're sitting right now."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, geez," T.J. muttered. "You're tellin' me we live right on top of where Sammy used to. Ain't no big surprise why he's picked now to show up, then. With me, Alex, and Joey around, he's got a captive audience, doesn't he?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know Samuel's not real and he can't hurt you, right?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Dad, he felt awful real in my dream," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>"It was just a dream, T.J. <a name="_Hlk533116585">Nothing in a dream can hurt you because it's not physically real</a>. It's just your subconscious running free."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure hope you're right about that," he muttered.</span></p> <p><span>I finally turned my focus to the twins and asked, "What about you two, did either of you have a strange dream last night?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope," they answered together before returning to their breakfast.</span></p> <p><span>I turned my attention back to T.J. and said, "You said you were walking a trail in your dream. Was it one of the trails you've been on since you moved in? And do you know where on that walk Samuel appeared?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it was the trail we walked that first Saturday we was here," he answered. "And Sammy showed up just about where we spotted the deer that day."</span></p> <p><span>"If we walked it again, do you think you'd recognize the spot."</span></p> <p><span>"Like I said, Dad, I don't think I'll never forget it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, maybe Sunday, you and I can take a stroll and see if we can find anything."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't think that's a very good idea, but if you want to try it, I guess I can go with you."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll go with ya, too" Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, maybe if the three of us are together, somethin'll happen," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I sure ain't goin' with y'all," Logan muttered morosely.</span></p> <p><span>"Why not," Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>" `Cause I'm dealin' with enough dead people in my life already. Don't need to be addin' any spooks."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, Logan. You can stay in the house with Mike and Andy. What about you, Ron, you want to join us?"</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, gee, thanks for offering, but I think I'll stay right here with the others. Sounds safer to me."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever you want. Okay, guys, it's time for you to get ready to roll or you're going to miss the bus." After dropping their plates and glasses in the dishwasher, the herd headed to their rooms to get dressed and Ron was right behind them so he could run them out to the shelter.</span></p> <p><span>With Tom and I being alone, he turned to me asked, "Were you serious about that foundation being under us?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, I am. Why would I lie about that? Don't tell me you're scared of Samuel, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Not scared, no, but I'm not real comfortable with the idea, either. I was freaked out plenty with Joey, Alex and T.J. when all I thought they could do was read our minds. This shit with a kid's ghost is about to push me beyond my limits of reality."</span></p> <p><span>"Hang in there, big guy. We'll get through it just fine. Let's survive the visitation tonight and the funeral tomorrow, then we can deal with Samuel."</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't no <i>we</i> on this one, babe. <i>You</i> bought this land and built the house on top of that old foundation, so you can just leave me outta it. Figuring out the resident spook is all yours."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do my best, but I make no promises. Bet you're glad I don't have a Ouija board," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right I am. Those things are nothin' but evil. `Sides, we don't really need one here, do we? Not with T.J. and the twins bein' able to conjure up spirits whenever they feel like it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, now that you mention that, it sure shines a new light on our trip to the cemetery tomorrow, don't ya think?" I asked with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't go there, bubba. Not if you want me there, too."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure it'll be just fine. And T.J. didn't <i>conjure</i> up Samuel, it sounds more like Samuel found T.J. because he has something he wants to say."</span></p> <p><span>"You ain't makin' it any better, ya know. You should probably just shut up about this whole nightmare."</span></p> <p><span>"Not talkin' about it won't make it go away. You know that, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, but at least I won't be thinkin' `bout it, either." Ron had returned from his trip out to the bus shelter, resumed his cleanup in the kitchen, and he caught the tail end of our conversation, so I asked, "What about you, Ron? What do you think of all this?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm with Tom, leave me the hell out of it. While I've always thought there could be spirits around us, most of `em are still here only `cause they're pissed off `bout somethin'. And I don't like dealin' with upset <i>people</i>, let alone spirits."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, I see how y'all are. Guess I'll have to deal with it by myself. Unless I can talk Dylan into helpin' solve the mystery."</span></p> <p><span>"Good luck with that, babe," Tom snorted. DING! "Bet that's him right now. Ask him, why don't ya?"</span></p> <p><span>"I will," I retorted, confident that I could count on Dylan to back me up. </span></p> <p><span>We waited quietly in the kitchen for him to join us and as soon as he stepped inside, he called out, "Where's the coffee?"</span></p> <p><span>"In here with us," Tom responded. Dylan soon joined the three of us and after pouring a cup for himself, settled on one of the barstools at the counter.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what's up with you guys today?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nothin' much," Tom answered. "But Max has a question for you," he added with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Hit me, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay. T.J.'s gotten himself into an interesting situation and I could use a little help in dealing with it. Tom and Ron are being wimps and saying they don't want to get involved. I was hoping you'd be willing to give me a hand."</span></p> <p><span>"Always happy to help one of the kiddos. What's he gotten himself into?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he's met a fourteen-year-old that seems to need some help, but T.J.'s not exactly sure what he wants or needs. He's tried to talk to the kid, but he's not getting any answers from him." I could see Tom and Ron stifling their laughter as I tried to explain the situation without mentioning where the `kid' came from.</span></p> <p><span>"Does the kid go to school out here and he went to T.J. because of the support group?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, no. T.J. ran into him while he was walking one of the trails through the woods."</span></p> <p><span>"What!? Is the kid living out there? Why haven't the security guards seen him and said something?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, they probably can't see him. I'm not even sure T.J.'s seen him except in his dream last night."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell are you talkin' about?" Dylan asked in confusion. The other two were about to fall over from their conniptions of laughter they could no longer keep to themselves.</span></p> <p><span>"The kid's name is Samuel and he died in 1892. He's one of the residents in the family cemetery on the property. And he's made contact, I guess you'd call it, with T.J."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, back the truck up," Dylan retorted. "You're tellin' me you're being <i>haunted</i>? By somebody who's been dead over 130 years? Boy, are you barkin' up the wrong tree."</span></p> <p><span>"Aw, c'mon, you just said you'd be happy to help. Why you backin' down, now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max, my brother from another mother, let me tell you somethin' you obviously don't know `bout black folk. We don't do spooks."</span></p> <p><span>"You're kidding. Why's that?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You know how in almost every horror movie, the cute white couple buys the notoriously haunted house thinking everything will be just fine. Even when they go to see the place for the first time and they're warned by a disembodied voice to `get out', they still buy the damn place. Then, they really fuck up and move into the place with big plans to renovate and shit. And everything is just hunky-dory, until it suddenly isn't, and they die a miserable and gruesome death."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, we've all seen that movie. So what?"</span></p> <p><span>"Let me tell ya why they never cast black people in those flicks. It's `cause we got brains and we know how to use them," he laughed. "If that were a black couple touring the house and they been walking through it making comments like `I love this place, Gerald", and he comes back with, `Yeah, baby, me too. I can see us livin' here the rest of our lives'. Then comes the voice that tells them to get out, right? Guess what happens. The dude grabs his old lady's hand and while he's dragging her to the door, he's sayin', `Too bad we can't stay'. Ya see, that's the end of the movie, all ten damn minutes of it. And it's all `cause <i>we</i> know spooks are real and we ain't gonna fuck with them. And since we don't fuck with them, they don't fuck with us."</span></p> <p><span>"So, T.J. and I are on our own?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, looks that way," Dylan admitted with a laugh while Ron and Tom joined him.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, I see how y'all are. Don't you guys have some work you should be doing?" As the trio of smart asses broke up to get busy, I was left alone to ponder the situation. Since I didn't have T.J. or the twins' mental capabilities, I was pretty much stuck in an unfamiliar position as I couldn't find any way to solve the mystery without those three with me. And I sure as heck wasn't gonna go looking for Samuel by myself. I was just about to head for the study to get back to work on my book when the drive sensor let us know someone was coming in. When the phone rang ten seconds later, I knew it was Dirk checking on the new arrival.</span></p> <p><span>"Morning, Dirk, who do you have?"</span></p> <p><span>"Morning to you, too, Mr. Sanders. Got two guys named Justin and Willy out here. Say they're here to finish getting rid of a tree for you. They okay to let in?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, Dirk. Thanks for checking." I hung up the phone and headed to my study to get to work. I'd been grinding away at it for maybe an hour when Clarence called. "Good morning, Clarence. What news do you have for us today?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's a good news, bad news kind of day, Max. Which do you want first?"</span></p> <p><span>"Let's start with the good, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I've finally completed my review of the contracts from LeVar and don't see any problems with any of them. From what you told me, everything matches up as far as terms and financials go, so you're good to go there. There's also an `out' clause for each side so if either end wants to terminate the agreements for whatever reason, there aren't any penalties for exercising those options. That seems to be the standard from what I've learned this week. The boys' contracts look good, too, but since they're minors, their signatures will need to be witnessed by two others, preferably not you and Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds great, Clarence. We'll sign the originals I have and get them returned to LeVar. What's the bad news?"</span></p> <p><span>"It has to do with Logan. Judge Corgan and I have had several conversations this week and neither one of us can come up with a valid reason to challenge the stipulation of Troy becoming Logan's guardian. Not without evidence of some malfeasance on his part."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Tom and Dylan are headed down to Dexter Sunday afternoon to see what they can dig up on the man. We're hoping they can find something that will allow Logan to stay with us."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good plan, but it's going to be too little, too late."</span></p> <p><span>"What're you talkin' about?" I protested.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know how he did it, but Troy has already petitioned the court to have the change of guardianship clause of Mr. Campbell's will enforced immediately. And from our understanding, he intends to take Logan home with them Sunday afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"How the hell did he do that!?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't have the answer to that question, Max. All I can tell you is the paperwork hit the judge's desk Wednesday afternoon. I guess what I'm saying is you need to prepare Logan for the move. We know it's not what any of you want to happen, but there's just no way out of it right now. Maybe Tom can get some dirt on Troy while he's down there and give the courts good cause to revoke the guardianship."</span></p> <p><span>"As much as it sucks, we pretty well knew that was going to be the case. Thanks for trying, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Wish I had better news on that front for you, but it is what it is."</span></p> <p><span>"I know. Talk to you later, Clarence." I ended the call, laid my head down on the desk and started to cry. We didn't want Logan to move, most especially with Troy, but it looked like our hands were tied for the moment. I let myself go a few minutes before I pulled my shit back together and headed across the house to share the news with the others. Their reaction was much the same as mine.</span></p> <p><span>"Do you want us to go down today and get started on checking Troy out?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It wouldn't make any difference this weekend, Tom. Besides, you need to be here for the funeral. Logan would never forgive you if you missed it."</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose you're right, I can't be in two places at the same time, can I?"</span></p> <p><span>"I could go down this afternoon and get started," Dylan offered.</span></p> <p><span>"You could, but I think Logan will want you here, too. Malcom and Damon, also."</span></p> <p><span>"We planned on it, but I'm willing to change plans if you want me to."</span></p> <p><span>"No, let's stick with plan `A'. So, when do we tell Logan he's moving Sunday?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd wait until after the funeral, babe. Whenever we do it, it's not gonna be easy to deal with, but I think waiting until after will be less for Logan to stress over for a little bit."</span></p> <p><span>"That's kinda what I was thinking, too. Glad we're in sync on that. Okay, I'm going back to the book. See you two in a bit for lunch." I left the morose pair to get back to their work and as I passed by the living room, I found Ron sitting by himself and softly crying. I sat next to him and asked, "You okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really," he replied while turning to face me. "Look, I know I've only been here for five days now, but I really like Logan. He's a great kid and I can't believe that asshole would just move him away from his friends. That shit's just wrong."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure won't argue that with you, buddy, but it's not the end of it. We're going to fight to keep Logan here with us. He may be moving Sunday, but he'll be back, I promise. Come hell or high water, I won't rest until it happens."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear, Max. Let me know if I can help."</span></p> <p><span>"I will. You fixin' lunch for all of us, again?"</span></p> <p><span>"As long as you don't mind sandwiches and chips. Don't think I could do anything today that requires serious thought."</span></p> <p><span>"That works for me. See you in a bit." After a couple more hours of depressing myself even further than I already was, I couldn't take any more of the self-abuse. I saved my work and shut down the computer before heading towards the kitchen for lunch. My scattered thoughts as I walked down the hallway were interrupted by the doorbell and I turned towards the front door. To reinforce how off-kilter my brain was at the moment, I had neglected to find adequate cover before opening the front door. The surprise that registered on Justin's face on my nude greeting finally clued me in on error of my ways.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Justin, sorry `bout that," I said as I slipped a hand down to provide at least minimal coverage. "My brain's not firing on all thrusters right now. C'mon in."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right," he muttered in surprise. "I can just mail you a bill if you'd prefer, Mr. Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, no need to waste a stamp. How much do we owe you?" After receiving the total from him, I added, "I'll be right back," before returning to the study to get the cash I needed. Not bothering to pull on a pair of shorts for thirty seconds, I returned to hand the cash over while saying, "Thanks for comin' back out today. Hope you and Willy have a good weekend."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Mr. Sanders. See you later." Justin promptly turned around to escape the awkward situation as quickly as he could. At this point, I was beyond caring. Hell, I was even contemplating going bare-assed to the visitation tonight and to hell with what the rest of the world might think. I knew I could easily convince six boys to join in my minor rebellion, but I finally came to my senses and shelved those plans for another day. I returned to the kitchen and joined the others for our simple lunch.</span></p> <p><span>I climbed in the truck where Willy waited for me and as I pulled away from the front of the house said, "You ain't gonna believe what just happened, Willy."</span></p> <p><span>"What?" Willy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Max answered the door nekkid as a jaybird and he acted like it wasn't no big deal."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, so what? If I lived out here, I'd be doin' the same thing, ya know?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, but you're one whacked-out mofo, Willy. I expect crazy shit like that from you, but not from a rich dude like Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Rich like him or poor like me, doesn't make any difference. Besides, I don't see why you're so freaked out. Clothes suck, man. You been to my house before. When the hell have I ever covered up when you been there? Never, and it don't bother me a bit."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, but you live alone, man. I saw three other dudes in there and none of `em had a stitch on."</span></p> <p><span>"Big freakin' deal, Justin. Sounds to me like they hate wearin' clothes, just like me. I'da thought you'd be used to it by now."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, with you, I am, I guess. Just never realized there might be others out there like you."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, Justin, it's like I've told you before. I'm just more comfortable without clothes. `Sides, what's the problem. You act like you ain't never seen another naked dude before and we both know that's bullshit."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, what I do with my boyfriend, we do in private. We don't go puttin' it all out there for the rest of the world to see."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell me, dude, did any of them guys have hardons? Were they givin' each other blow jobs in the living room or somethin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, no."</span></p> <p><span>"Then they were just bein' themselves in their home. And if they know other dudes who enjoy it, who the hell are we to say anything `bout it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nobody, I guess. It just caught me off guard."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, loosen up and give it a try sometime, man. You and Ed would probably enjoy it."</span></p> <p><span>"You really think Ed could keep his hands to himself if we was both nekkid all the time?" I snickered.</span></p> <p><span>"Him, hell, I'd be more worried `bout you controllin' yourself," Willy laughed as we headed back to town.</span></p> <p><span>After helping Ron clean up our lunch mess, we went our separate ways, Ron diving back into washing the sheets and remaking beds, Tom and Dylan returning to their office to go back to work and me settling my sorry ass in the theater to watch some mindless drivel, hoping to take my mind off other issues and problems for a few hours. With my mind free to wander for a bit, I suddenly remembered we were supposed to have a meeting tonight with Ryan about the new house. I made the call and while apologizing profusely for the late notice, we rescheduled the meeting for Monday night. I did pass on the change the boys wanted to make to their area with the hope that Ryan could incorporate that modification before the meeting.</span></p> <p><span>That problem fixed, I settled back in my chair and pondered my third visit to Jason yesterday. We really hadn't broken into any new territory during the session, mostly due to my inability to really focus on my own issues since I was so concerned about Logan and what he was facing in the near future. I did remember to take the newer parts of the book with me so Jason could read them before my next visit. I was frustrated as hell with our lack of progress, but Jason accepted the fact I wasn't in the right frame of mind and, thankfully, he didn't push me too hard.</span></p> <p><span>The one really interesting tidbit Jason had to share with me was that he had arranged to talk to the Muellers before they'd been moved to their new permanent and extremely secure homes. Unfortunately, they didn't tell him much except to say the main reason they'd selected me for their torture was that I was `cuter than hell' and they both `wanted me', their words, not Jason's. They also said another kid had said he thought I was gay, but they couldn't remember who it was, adding that that kid had been `attended to' by another couple from the church. We didn't need a translator to tell us what they'd meant by that, lending some credence to what David had told me and igniting the fires of curiosity in Tom and Dylan who had spent yesterday afternoon and today digging into the mystery.</span></p> <p><span>Despite my mind swirling with random thoughts at a seeming thousand miles an hour, the afternoon seemed to drag on forever until I couldn't take it anymore. I turned off the TV and headed back across the house to talk to the two investigators. Both were sitting behind Tom's desk and engaged in a hushed conversation, a conversation that ended abruptly when I stepped through the door and they saw me.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't stop on my account," I said. "What have you found out about the other kid? Was it George who told the Muellers to go after me?"</span></p> <p><span>The two shared a quick glance before Tom turned to me and said, "We don't know, babe. And we probably never will."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what do you <i>know</i>?"</span></p> <p><span>"Derek dug up the file on the investigation into George's suicide and gave it to me," Dylan began. "And after reading it, I remembered the case. Seems appropriate since I wrote most of the damn thing to begin with. You remember me saying during the workshop there was only one case I'd never really resolved?" After a quick nod from me, he continued. "This was it. And it still baffles the hell out of me."</span></p> <p><span>"How so," I asked with sincere curiosity.</span></p> <p><span>"The first was George's method. He did something I'd never seen before. When his parents found his body a week later, a large garbage bag was taped around his neck. Our best guess was he'd taped the bag in place, then laid down and went to sleep, expiring when the oxygen in the bag finally ran out. There was an almost empty bottle of bourbon on the nightstand next to his bed and that would have pretty well knocked him out and incapable of waking up. No note was found at the scene giving any explanation as to why he'd done it, so we were at a complete loss.</span></p> <p><span>"In talking with his family afterwards, none of them described George as anything but happy go lucky, your typical optimist always hoping and looking for the best in people and any situation. There were no outward hints that George was dealing with depression or other issues that would have caused him to take his own life. During the autopsy, the M.E. at the time found no signs of foul play and everything pointed to suicide. After a month of investigating, we finally closed the case as nothing more than a suicide for unknown reasons."</span></p> <p><span>"Did you find any hint that he'd talked to a therapist? Or any signs he'd been assaulted in any way?"</span></p> <p><span>"No to both counts, Max. If he was talking to anybody, we don't know who. As for his being assaulted, I can only assume you're asking about sexually?" I again nodded my assent before Dylan carried on, "No signs of anything. Of course, since George was most likely gay, if he was in any kind of relationship and sexually active, any signs of previous trauma could have been masked."</span></p> <p><span>"Did you find any kind of diary or journal he might have kept?"</span></p> <p><span>"There was nothing like that noted in the case file," Tom answered. "If he had any, his parents might have taken them before Dylan had a chance to look for `em. But what makes you think he might have written about anything?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't all us gay guys keep a diary? Hell, I basically wrote one for years, and it ended up becoming four New York Times bestsellers."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure as hell don't," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Me either," Dylan added.</span></p> <p><span>"Never," Ron chirped lightly as he passed the office doorway on his way down the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>"You're tellin' me I'm the only queer here who's written about his life?" I asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Looks that way, babe," Tom chortled lightly.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine," I grumbled. "So what's next? Where do you go from here?"</span></p> <p><span>"About the only thing we haven't done is talk to George's family to see if they could maybe fill in a few blanks for us. I was hoping we could avoid that, but I don't see how we can now."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, fuck it all!" I vented. "Just drop it, guys. I'm not gonna have ya bother his family. Besides, I think what Jason learned from the Muellers pretty much answers my question. Though I never thought I was `cute', I guess that's all it took to twig them."</span></p> <p><span>"Max," Dylan started, "please don't take this the wrong way, but I've seen the pictures and despite what was happening at the time, you were a very cute kid. Still are, as a matter of fact," he added with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm with Dylan, babe," Tom agreed with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks ever so much for that rousing endorsement of my cuteness, you two. Well, the boys will be here soon, we should get ready to go the funeral home. The visitation doesn't officially start until five, but I think we should be there about half an hour early."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine with us, babe, we were pretty much done for the day, anyway," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," Dylan agreed. "Malcom and Damon should be getting here shortly, but not until after you guys head over. They couldn't leave Bloomington until Damon got home from school at three-thirty. Once they're here, we'll be over."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good, Dylan," I replied. "C'mon big guy, time to get decent."</span></p> <p><span>"Right behind you, babe."</span></p> <p><span>As we crossed the house to get dressed, we found Ron in the living room reading my first book. I stopped briefly and asked, "So, you found something to read, did you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah. Hope you don't mind me helpin' myself, but I was startin' to get bored after finishin' up with the beds this afternoon.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a problem, feel free to help yourself. You comin' with us tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I hate funeral homes, but I'll be there to support Logan and help him get through it," he answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Would you mind takin' your own car?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a problem, Max. Any particular reason why?" Ron asked.</span></p> <p><span>"First, the Flex will be full already. Second, if some of the boys want to come home a little early, I thought maybe you wouldn't mind bringing them home."</span></p> <p><span>"That makes sense, I guess, but do you really think any of them will leave Logan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably not, but I'd like to be prepared in case they spring a surprise on us."</span></p> <p><span>"Never hurts to be prepared, I suppose. I'll be ready to go when you guys are."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Ron, I appreciate it. We should be ready to roll by twenty after four."</span></p> <p><span>With that, Tom and I continued on to our bedroom to get dressed. We were just about ready to go when the herd rumbled through the bedroom door and mugged us. All looked happy to be home and ready for the weekend except for Logan who settled into my chair, where he pulled his legs up into the seat and hugged them tightly. We finished our greetings with the other five, then shooed them on to their rooms with instructions to change clothes and get ready to go. </span></p> <p><span>Tom and I knelt in front of Logan and Tom asked, "You okay, buddy?"</span></p> <p><span>"More or less, Pops," he grunted in reply. "Just not wantin' to go tonight, but I know I hafta. Seems kinda stupid, really, since ain't no one gonna show up but us."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Logan, I think the people around here may surprise you," I offered.</span></p> <p><span>"I find that hard to believe. The way my old man treated people since momma got sick, weren't nobody wanted to hang around much. Hell, he was such a jerk, even I didn't wanna be around him anymore than I had to."</span></p> <p><span>"We know that, but we still think you should be there tonight," Tom said.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I will be, don't worry. Just another one of those freakin' steps I gotta take, ain't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think so," I agreed. "Do you know what you're goin to wear?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah. It ain't great, but it's the best I got in the house. All my really good stuff is out in the storage building since I didn't think I'd really need it."</span></p> <p><span>"We can run out there and dig it out if you want."</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, don't do that. `Specially with what Daddy's wearin'. If I wore any of that stuff, I'd be way overdressed," Logan replied with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you better scoot on outta here and get changed," Tom said.</span></p> <p><span>"All right. I'll be ready in a few." On that sad note, Logan shuffled slowly out of the room. Tom and I looked at each and shook our heads.</span></p> <p><span>Once Logan was out of earshot, Tom asked, "What did he mean about what Charlie's wearin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I guess I forgot to tell you, didn't I?" I replied with a chuckle. "After all the damage that was done at the farm last weekend, the only thing left in Charlie's closet was a garish Hawaiian shirt and a pair of khaki shorts, so that's what Logan took to the funeral home Monday afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my god!" Tom laughed. "That sounds like something Logan would do." I continued telling Tom about the trip the two had planned for a few months from now. When I'd finished, Tom added, "We should do that, babe."</span></p> <p><span>"What?"</span></p> <p><span>"Take the boys to Key West this summer. I bet they'd love the ocean."</span></p> <p><span>"That does sound like it would be fun, doesn't it? I'll do some checking on that next week, see if I can find a place that would accommodate us."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, whatever you find, it better be a place that doesn't mind nude kids runnin' `round day and night. I don't see this group being very happy anywhere else."</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't that the truth?" I chuckled. "I'll do my best to keep everyone happy."</span></p> <p><span>"I would hope so," Tom replied. "Well, we should get movin' in that direction," Tom offered.</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose. What're we gonna do if Troy and family show up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you mean <i>when</i>?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, I guess so."</span></p> <p><span>"Let's see what they do. With any luck, they'll behave like decent people," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Unlikely, I think, but we'll find out soon enough," I responded. We headed towards the living room and found all the boys but Logan waiting patiently for us. I quietly thanked them for looking so nice, then Tom explained the type of behavior we expected from them the next few hours. With agreement from all of them, we were ready to go once Logan was ready to roll. Ron was the next to show up and he was followed shortly by Logan. Dylan finally joined the group and he looked rather spiffy in his suit.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, guys, time to go. Ron's driving his car, so if any of you want to ride over with him, you're welcome to do so."</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't he just ride with us," Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, our car's already full with the eight of us. I also thought if some of you wanted to come home a little earlier than the others, Ron could bring you."</span></p> <p><span>"No way, Dad," Joey protested. "We ain't leavin' `til Logan can." </span></p> <p><span>Ron and I shared a quick grin at his intuition before I replied, "That's exactly what Ron said, Joey. But the option will still be there if any of you change your minds."</span></p> <p><span>"What're we gonna do about supper?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know how long we'll be at the funeral home, so I figure we'll just go eat at Capone's when we're done with the visitation. Can everybody wait that long, or do you want to take some snacks with you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Snacks definitely, Dad," T.J. answered. "We'd die if we didn't."</span></p> <p><span>Logan shot him a dirty look and grumbled, "Better to die by starvin' than gettin' chewed up by a tractor, ya little puke."</span></p> <p><span>T.J. hung his head in shame at his comment before recovering his empathy and saying, "Oh god, I'm so sorry, Logan. I wasn't thinkin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right you wasn't. I oughta kick your skinny little ass for that." Nobody was surprised when T.J. got off the love seat, walked over to Logan and bent over, presenting the perfect target for Logan's foot. "Get your ass outta my face," Logan laughed, "I wasn't serious ya bonehead."</span></p> <p><span>"I am," T.J. retorted. "I deserve it for what I said." Logan must have agreed with T.J. as he quickly stood up and firmly planted his boot on T.J.'s upraised rear end.</span></p> <p><span>"OW!" T.J. squealed. "That hurt dammit," he added as he stood up straight and rubbed his tender backside. </span></p> <p><span>"Good, it was s'posed to, jerk. `Sides, you told me I could. I think we're even now."</span></p> <p><span>Instead of lashing out in anger, T.J. grabbed Logan and pulled him into a smothering hug. "I'm really, really sorry, bro. I love you, dude, and didn't mean to hurt you."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, and I love you, too, T.J. That's why I didn't kick you as hard as you deserved," Logan snickered as he wrapped his arms around T.J. "Make another crack like that again, though, you best watch yourself `cause I won't hold back," he added with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>I turned to Ron and asked, "Would you grab some munchies and follow along?"</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Max."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I corralled the six boys, herded them to the garage and into the car so we could get moving. We weren't going to be quite as early as I'd planned, but we'd still be there before the visitation was supposed to begin at five. When we pulled into the parking lot of the funeral home, we were surprised at the number of vehicles already filling the street and the crowd of people waiting at the front door. One vehicle we spied that we'd hoped we wouldn't see was a dirty beige truck with Missouri license plates parked right by the front door, letting us know Troy and family were already here.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hell," Logan grumped. "Guess they know how to read after all."</span></p> <p><span>"Looks that way, buddy," I agreed as I parked the car by the back door. "We can go back home right now if you want."</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, no sense tryin' to hide from `im, Dad. Let's go get this over with," he added as he opened the door and climbed out of the car. Logan waited for the rest of us to join him before turning and heading for the rear door of the funeral home. Just as he was about to open the door, Ron pulled in and parked next to the Flex. He jumped out of his car and grabbed a bag from the passenger seat containing the snacks he'd brought for the boys. By the time Ron had joined the us, I was the only one still waiting to go inside and I held the door for him, then slipped in behind him. As the door closed behind me, the first thing I noticed was the weepy music being piped into the room from very well-hidden speakers. I was about to mention it to Logan, but discovered he was already addressing the situation.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Mr. McGee, you got somebody else you dealin' with tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, Logan, just your father. Why do you ask?"</span></p> <p><span>" `Cause this music's got to go. I told you I didn't want to hear junk like this. My Daddy listened to WYMG all the time and that's the kinda music he'd want. Can you change it, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever you want. Anything else?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what the hell's up with all them people out front?"</span></p> <p><span>"They're here for your father's visitation."</span></p> <p><span>"You can't be serious. Nobody liked the guy my old man turned into after Momma died. I can't believe they'd all show up for him now."</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, a lot people loved your mom and dad. Even if they didn't much like your dad lately, they still loved him, and they care a lot about you, too. They're here for you more than anyone else."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever," Logan muttered. "You got Daddy ready and in place?"</span></p> <p><span>"I did the best I could, young man. There was a lot of damage done by the equipment, and as much as it pains me to say it, I couldn't do much to improve your dad's appearance. In light of that failure, the casket's closed."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you're just gonna have to open that sucker up `cause I need to see him one more time."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think that's a very good idea," Mr. McGee protested.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe not, but it's gonna happen. `Sides, I already seen him once and you can close it again before anyone else comes in."</span></p> <p><span>Mr. McGee looked to me while silently pleading with his eyes to talk Logan out of his plan. I answered just as silently with a negative shake of my head. Seeing no way out of the situation, he turned back to Logan and softly said, "If you insist. Just remember what I said."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, sir. This won't take long. Maybe you could fix this stupid music while I say goodbye." Mr. McGee turned towards the main room of the funeral home and Logan fell in step behind him. We started to follow the two, but Logan stopped, turned to face us and said, "You guys don't have to go with me. I'll be okay, I swear."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, Logan," Tom replied, "but we'll be right here if you need us."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Pops." </span></p> <p><span>During the short exchange between us, Mr. McGee had opened the upper half of the casket's lid and moved a chair next to the bier for Logan to stand on. He then disappeared into the office area to change the music. Logan shuffled slowly to the chair and then climbed up on it so he could look down on his father. While the boys with us were too short to see inside the casket, Tom, Ron and I could plainly see from twenty feet away that Charlie was is no condition for anyone to gaze upon his shattered and broken body, Hawaiian shirt or not. Ron turned away from the spectacle and tried to get the boys to move further away, but they were having no part of that.</span></p> <p><span>We stood and watched as Logan pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and then slipped it into his dad's hand. He then leaned over, whispered something into Charlie's ear and kissed his forehead. When he stood back up, he looked surprised about something, let go a little giggle and quickly wiped his lips and nose on his sleeve. He jumped off the chair and hustled to rejoin the group.</span></p> <p><span>When he reached us, he asked in a panic, "Did I get it all?"</span></p> <p><span>"All what?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. McGee really plastered the makeup on Daddy's face and there's a print of my lips on his forehead now. I just know I gots makeup on my face `cause I think stuck my nose in it, too."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't see anything, buddy," Tom replied. "You must have gotten it all."</span></p> <p><span>"Phew, good. It's one thing for a dead guy to be wearin' that junk, but I sure don't want none of it on me."</span></p> <p><span>With the music changed to Charlie's favorite radio station, Mr. McGee returned and asked, "May I close the casket now, Logan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yessir, you sure can. And you were right, ain't nobody wants to see that." While Mr. McGee took care of his task, Logan turned to me and asked, "So, what am I s'posed to do or say to all them people?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just thank them for coming, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"And what we gonna do `bout Unc and the shitheads?"</span></p> <p><span>"That all depends on them, Logan, but let's try to keep calm, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do my best."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't doubt you one bit. We'll be right there with you."</span></p> <p><span>Mr. McGee had finally returned and asked, "You ready to get started?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ready as I'll ever be, I guess," Logan answered. "Not like I gots a choice, do I? Where'm I s'posed to be?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's entirely up to you, young man, but most family will stand or sit by the casket to greet people."</span></p> <p><span> "No way, man. I ain't spendin' the whole time standin' in one place, `specially there. I gotta move `round."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever you want to do is fine with us Logan," I commented. "We'll try to stay close by, though, just in case you need something."</span></p> <p><span>Mr. McGee had finally opened the front door and allowed the people patiently waiting to pay their respects into the funeral home. True to his word, Logan picked a spot about as far away from the casket as he could and still be inside the building. The rest of us just mingled through the crowd, the boys talking to their friends from school. Despite our mingling, there was always at least one or two of us within a few steps of Logan. Troy and family laid claim to a couch that held all four of them and, thankfully, they managed to sit quietly and stay out of trouble. </span></p> <p><span>On one of my rounds, Troy stood to block my path through the crowd and politely asked, "Excuse me, could we talk for a few minutes, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"And just what makes you think we have anything to say to each other?" I responded with indifference.</span></p> <p><span>"It's about Logan, and since he's been living with you, I thought you'd want to hear what I have to say."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you'd be wrong," I retorted before adding, "Excuse me." I stepped around the obnoxious man and continued my rounds. As I turned a corner and headed towards the front door, Troy fell in step behind me and when we reached the door, he grabbed my arm and pulled me outside.</span></p> <p><span>"Listen, I'm tryin' to be nice right now, so don't be such a fuckin' asshole," Troy hissed as the door closed behind us. "You should know that Logan's leaving with us Sunday and he ain't comin' back."</span></p> <p><span>"Take your hands off me!" I yelled. "This is <i>not</i> the time or place to discuss this."</span></p> <p><span>"I just wanted to let you know what was gonna happen `fore we showed up," Troy replied as he released his grasp on my bicep. He leaned in closer and added, "And there ain't a damn thing you can do stop it," as a sick and evil smirk formed on his ugly mug.</span></p> <p><span>"Logan's not going anywhere with you, Troy. We aren't gonna let that happen," I bluffed.</span></p> <p><span>"My brother wanted me to take charge o' the brat if he croaked and teach him the difference `tween what's right and what's not. And I got the court order this afternoon naming me as the little shit's new daddy, so you be fucked. You may as well give it up right now. `Sides, if ol' Charlie knew his boy was gonna be stayin' with a bunch o' rump-humpin', kiddie-rapin' faggots like y'all, he'd fuckin' roll over in his grave."</span></p> <p><span>"Say what you want, but Logan's not going with you Sunday, or any other day."</span></p> <p><span>"Listen up, you pansy-assed bitch. He's mine and so is the farm and all his money. You ain't gettin' none of it. I already talked to the cops and if I have to bring some with me Sunday to get what's mine, I will."</span></p> <p><span>"Bring whoever you want, it's your time to waste." With that, I turned around and headed back inside. I located Tom as quickly as I could and told him about what had just happened. As we turned towards the couch, we saw Troy's wife and sons get up and leave the funeral home. The two of us headed for the front door and before we could reach them, the truck was leaving the parking lot and turning towards Springfield. "Damn it, that man is impossible," I vented.</span></p> <p><span>"I know, babe, but there's nothin' we can do right now. Have some patience and we'll get it all worked out, I promise."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know if I can wait that long, Tom. I want to kill that prick for thinkin' Logan's nothin' more than a piece of property."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure he thinks his wife and sons are, too. I can't imagine what their lives are like."</span></p> <p><span>"Miserable, I'm sure, but they sure don't look like they're willing to step up and stop him. They probably want the money just as much as Troy does."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, at least they didn't try to talk to Logan tonight. That could have been really ugly."</span></p> <p><span>"No shit. Well, we better get back inside or Logan's gonna wonder where we disappeared to." As we turned to rejoin the crowd, we heard the quick honk of a car horn pass by. Turning back to the street, we saw Dylan, Malcom and Damon searching for a place to park. We decided to wait for them to join us before heading back inside. As they came up the sidewalk, I greeted them with, "Hi, guys, glad you could make it."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry we're so late, Max," Malcom apologized. "Damon was a little later than normal getting home from school."</span></p> <p><span>"You're here, that's what's important," Tom offered.</span></p> <p><span>"How's Logan doin'," Damon asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He's hangin' tough, even though we know his heart has been ripped apart," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I bet," Damon agreed. "I'd feel the same way if it was my dad."</span></p> <p><span>We finally headed inside where the three newcomers joined the line to see Logan just inside the door and Tom and I continued our mingling with the visitors who'd already been through the line. In the main parlor near the casket, we found Joe with his wife and sons and we joined them to chat for a bit. </span></p> <p><span>When Dad, Dylan and I finally reached Logan, I pulled him into a hug and said, "I'm really sorry `bout your dad, dude."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Damon," Logan answered. "How ya doin' Uncle Dylan, Uncle Malcom?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're okay, buddy," Malcom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"How about you," Dylan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I ain't worth a shit right now, but I'll get through it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we're ready to help with whatever you need," Dylan replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, and `ppreciate it. You just get some dirt on Uncle Scumbag so I can stay where I am."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do my best," Dylan said.</span></p> <p><span>"You better."</span></p> <p><span>The three of us started to move on to let the line continue when Logan grabbed my arm and said, "Stay with me and T.J. for a while. Please."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, dude." I turned to Dad and Poppy and said, "I'll find you guys in a bit," then stood by Logan for the next half hour while he mumbled thanks to all the people who continued to come in.</span></p> <p><span>As we drew closer, I shook hands with Joe and said, "Evening, Joe, thanks for coming by."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Max, Tom, good to see you. I'd like you to meet my wife, Daisy and our youngest son, Cail. I think you already know Ryan pretty well."</span></p> <p><span>"Yep," Tom answered. "How ya doin' Ryan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty good Mr. Wright."</span></p> <p><span>"How's everything going with the farm?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, really," Joe replied. "Especially since the security company has already replaced the tractor and feed grinder that were destroyed last weekend. At least I can grind feed there now instead of havin' to haul stuff back and forth to our farm."</span></p> <p><span>"We hadn't heard that'd been done. I'm glad to hear they're taking care of things the way they said they would. How's Buster doin', Ryan?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He's doing great, Mr. Sanders. Every time I take feed out to Bessie, ol' Buster's waitin' at the door for me and he follows me ever'where I go. Silly critter acts more like a dog than a bull," Ryan laughed. "He even likes Cail and follows him `round, too. An' Buster really likes when we brush him."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you're helping your brother, are you?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope," Cail retorted, "I'se helpin' Logan." He then turned to Daisy and asked, "Can I go talk to Mike and Andy for a while, Mom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, go ahead. We'll find you when it's time to leave."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks." He then turned back to us and added, "Nice to meet y'all. See ya later."</span></p> <p><span>"Same here, Cail. And thanks for helpin' out," Tom replied. "It must be nice gettin' some help, Ryan."</span></p> <p><span>"It's okay most o' the time, but I wish he wouldn't be such a pest `bout it."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, Ryan," Joe started, "You should be happy to have his help."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I am, but he never lets me brush Bessie or Buster, and I like doin' it, too."</span></p> <p><span>"You two should swap every day," Daisy offered as a compromise. "You brush Bessie, Cail brushes Buster one day, and the next day you swap around."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that'd work. Why didn't I think o' that?" Ryan pondered.</span></p> <p><span>"Because you're both still learnin' how to share responsibilities," Daisy answered. "Do you want me to talk to your brother about it for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, Ma, I can handle it. Thanks for the idea, though. Oh, hey, Joey an' Alex have finally left T.J. with Logan and sat down. I'm gonna go talk to them, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, go ahead," Joe answered. He then turned his attention back to us and asked, "So, any idea on what Logan's gonna do with the farm?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue at this moment," I answered. "We have a little fight ahead of us before that can be settled."</span></p> <p><span>"What kind of fight?" Joe asked. We spent the next couple of minutes filling them in on Troy and what was going to happen on Sunday. We also let them know we were going to try to keep Logan's move from being a permanent change of address. "Well, that sure sounds like somethin' Troy would pull. I always wondered if Charlie was tellin' the truth when he'd spin those yarns `bout his `no-good, worthless brother'. I guess he was."</span></p> <p><span>"Seems that way," Tom replied. "It's not gonna be fun, that's for sure."</span></p> <p><span>As I turned to check on Logan, I saw my mom and dad had arrived and were talking to him. We excused ourselves from Joe and Daisy and headed across the room to talk to them. When we reached the couple, we pulled them into a quiet corner to chat.</span></p> <p><span>"Hidey-ho, folks. Thanks for comin' out."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, son," Mom replied. "Bill and Estelle should be here in just a minute. They let us out before they went to find a place to park."</span></p> <p><span>"Really?" Tom asked with surprise. "I didn't know they were comin' up tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we kinda talked `em into it," Dad said. "We knew they'd be here tomorrow, so we invited them up early. They'll stay with us tonight and head back home after the funeral tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"Then we'll wait to tell you some news until they're here. That way, we only have to say it once," Tom said.</span></p> <p><span>"What news?" Mom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just wait, Mom, okay? Since you're all here, do you want to join us for supper later?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, we didn't eat yet," Dad answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Lee and Carl should be showing up soon, too," Mom added.</span></p> <p><span>We continued to chat quietly until Bill and Estelle joined us and Dad bluntly asked, "Okay, son, what's going on?" Tom and I gave in and told them about Troy and his plans to take Logan home with them on Sunday. Despite them knowing Logan was most likely going to have to move for short time, they were all surprised that Troy would act so quickly.</span></p> <p><span>"You want Bill and me to take Troy out behind the woodshed and, uh, let's say, <i>convince</i> him that's not what's best for Logan," Dad offered with an evil smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Tempting as that offer may be, Dad, I think we'll bypass that option for the time being," I answered. "We have other plans in the works, already."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I hope like hell they work."</span></p> <p><span>"We do, too, Jim," Tom replied. Lee and Carl finally arrived and they joined our small group and our ongoing conversations. After inviting them to join us for supper, I excused myself to replace T.J. and Damon near Logan. During the remaining hour of the visitation, it seemed as if half the town had filtered through the funeral home at a snail's pace, Logan politely thanking everyone for coming by as they offered up their condolences. Among the visitors to attend the visitation were the boys' teacher Ken, Steve, Gloria and several other school personnel. Mrs. Billings and her three children also put in an appearance, along with Grant from the bank.</span></p> <p><span>A couple of late arrivals were Carol and Derek, who brought his wife and three kids. Both spent several minutes talking with Logan before moving on to visit with others. After talking to Tom and I, Carol moved on and made a point to talk to each of the boys. Derek took a few minutes away from his family to talk to us privately.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, Derek?" Tom asked after we'd stepped outside.</span></p> <p><span>"Wanted to let you guys know we caught the creeps that vandalized Logan's farm."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear, Derek. Who were they?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just a druggie dad and his two stoner sons from Waverly."</span></p> <p><span>"So, it wasn't Troy?" Tom asked in surprise. "Any idea why they picked Logan's place?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, it wasn't Troy. Turns out he was tellin' the truth `bout that. Like I told you the other day, we've had other break-ins recently, and with the help of the Morgan County Sheriff's department, we finally found the three that were responsible for all of them, including Logan's. These guys were robbin' places to support their habits. The father told us they picked Logan's farm because they read about Charlie's death and figured the place would be an easy hit. They didn't bank on the security team bein' there the first time they tried, so they came up with a new plan to deal with the guards when they tried again Monday morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Then it wasn't Troy Saturday night, either?" I asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Doesn't look that way, Max. I just thought you guys would like to know."</span></p> <p><span>"And what's gonna happen to them" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"My best guess would be detox, first, to get them cleaned out and up. Then court and prison. The boys are eighteen and nineteen, so they're adults and will go away with dear ol' dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for telling us, Derek. I've been worried whoever did it would come after our house next."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you shouldn't have to worry any more, Max. You'd probably be okay to let your private security go if you wanted to."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I think we'll have them hang around until Troy's gone. While I feel safer knowing the losers who vandalized Logan's place are in jail, I won't feel that way completely until Troy's gone back home."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't blame you," Derek agreed. "Well, that's all I had for you guys, so let me find ..."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, Derek, before you go, I wanted to ask if you know what happened that made the Muellers plead guilty. When Tom and I talked to them, Frank sure seemed like he thought he was gonna walk."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh yeah, that. I figured Dylan would have told you by now."</span></p> <p><span>"No, he just called the day they accepted the plea bargain to let me know about that taking place."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I suppose if anyone deserves to know, it's you, Max. You remember that list of names Alex and Joey came up with?" After a quick nod, Derek continued. "Well, we passed that on to the FBI so they could keep their eyes open for those names as they sifted through the files. Thanks to the extra manpower, they quickly found 219 files matching all sixty-three of those names. They then reduced the count to seventy-seven after comparing pictures of Frank and Iris against the pictures in the files, sixty-three that match the names on the list and fourteen others who didn't, but were definitely more of the Muellers victims.</span></p> <p><span>"Once we had a true count of cases against them, along with that confession you recorded, they really didn't have any options but to plead guilty. Not if they wanted to live, anyway. We found a couple of their victims had committed suicide and they were going be charged with their deaths along with everything else, so they were definitely looking at the death penalty. Guess they decided they'd rather live as long as possible. Though I'll be amazed if either one of them survives past the end of next month. Not with what they've done."</span></p> <p><span>"You really think someone inside will kill them?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No doubt about it, guys." Derek leaned in closer and lowered his voice before adding, "We've already got a couple of pools going in the department on how and when it happens. Whoever is closest to the date wins one and the person who correctly picks the manner of their demise wins the other one. Actually, it's four pools, two for each of them. And at twenty-five bucks a pop, we've collected a fair share of cash."</span></p> <p><span>"I can't believe you're allowing that, Derek," Tom commented in surprise. "Gambling on how and when someone in prison dies seems just a bit, uh, repugnant. Even for scum like the Muellers."</span></p> <p><span>"Allowing it? Hell, I'm runnin' it," Derek replied with a laugh. "And everyone has agreed that their winnings will go to a group that specializes in services to gay youth."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a win-win to me," I laughed. "They get planted and gay kids get the help they need. Is it too late to get in on it?" I asked with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"For now. But if they make it to the first of June, we'll start another round. You could probably get in on that one."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me know."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Max. Well, let me find Suzy and the rugrats and we'll get out of here. It's getting late and bedtime is comin' up soon for the kids."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, thanks for comin' out, partner," Tom said as he gave Derek a hug. "I'm sure Logan appreciated it."</span></p> <p><span>As we headed inside again, Derek turned left to search for his family while Tom and I turned right to begin corralling our herd. Alex and Joey were with Logan and as we passed the trio, we let them know it was time to leave. You could see the wave of relief wash over Logan as he was anxious to get out of here and be done with dealing with all these people. We left them to greet the last few stragglers and soon found our parents, and Lee and Carl. We let them know we were about to leave and suggested they go to Capone's ahead of us to get a spot picked out for the crowd about to descend on the place.</span></p> <p><span>As they headed out into the dark night, we continued our search for our other boys and found T.J., Mike and Andy had staked a claim to the couch previously vacated by Troy and family. A silent wave of the hand was all it took to get them on their feet and moving towards the back door of the funeral home. Mr. Mc Gee was hovering near the front door so he could lock it as soon as the last guest had departed. When the last visitor had finally moved on and the front door was locked, Mr. McGee joined us at the back door.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that was quite the crowd," Mr. McGee commented. "Certainly more than I expected to be here."</span></p> <p><span>"Me, too," Logan agreed. "I didn't know half them people."</span></p> <p><span>"I told you a lot of people care about you, Logan," Mr. McGee replied.</span></p> <p><span>"I guess so."</span></p> <p><span>"What time should we be here tomorrow?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"The service is supposed to start at two, so why don't we say one-thirty. That will give you a chance to settle in. And don't forget those three or four songs you wanted, Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah. I'll have Max help me find `em tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"How should we get them to you?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"A flash-drive will work fine," Mr. McGee answered. "Then I can just drop them into my system. I'll give the drive back to you once I've done that."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess we'll see you tomorrow afternoon, then." I turned to the surrounding herd and added, "Load `em up, boys, and let's go have supper."</span></p> <p><span>"'Bout time, Max," Logan groaned. "I'm starvin' `cause I never could take a break from talkin' to folks." With that, Logan led the parade to the car and we headed for Capone's just a few blocks away. Once inside, we easily found the large table our parents had commandeered and we settled in, Tom and I on each side of Logan. We talked quietly after giving our orders to the server, the adults all skirting the issue of Logan leaving Sunday afternoon. When our meals finally showed up, we dug into the food as if we hadn't eaten for a week.</span></p> <p><span>A few minutes later, Logan looked up to me and asked, "So what did Troy have to say when he drug you outside?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, why don't we talk about this at home?" I stalled.</span></p> <p><span>"No, I wanna know what the useless jackass said," Logan retorted with just enough volume and edge in his voice to garner the attention of everyone at the table.</span></p> <p><span>"He thought we should know that you'll be moving to Dexter with them," I answered quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"I already knew that, Dad. What's the big deal?"</span></p> <p><span>"He plans on taking you with them when they head back home Sunday afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that sucks," Logan moaned while the other boys protested loudly. After they'd quieted back down, Logan added "Course, I ain't goin' nowhere with him. He ain't got no say in where I live."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm afraid he does, buddy. I talked to my attorney today and he told me there's no way around it. Troy's actually been to court and he already has the orders designating him as your new guardian."</span></p> <p><span>"How the hell'd he pull that trick off?" Logan vented. "I was hopin' Pops and Uncle Dylan could find a way to stop that from happenin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Clarence didn't know. But they're still going down Sunday to see what they can dig up on Troy. We're not gonna stop fighting until your back home with us, Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"You better not or I'll be haunting you just like Sammy is," Logan giggled. "So, looks like I need to get my stuff ready to go after the funeral tomorrow, don't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, yes. I don't know if they'll have enough room to get all your things we dropped in the storage building, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry `bout it, Dad. I won't be there long enough to need any o' that stuff."</span></p> <p><span>"We sure hope not."</span></p> <p><span>The table fell quiet again as we each contemplated Logan's impending move and the impact it would have on all of us, especially the boys. We knew none of them wanted Logan to leave, but they seemed resigned to that happening. When we finally finished stuffing ourselves, I paid our check and we headed out into the dark night. With lots of hugs and kisses, along with assurances we'd see everyone tomorrow, we finally split up into our separate vehicles and headed for home.</span></p> <p><span>Once we got home, everyone disappeared into their rooms to get comfortable for a quiet evening. When we regrouped in the living room, the boys said they all wanted to watch some TV before they went to bed, so off they went. All except for Logan who reminded me he needed my help to find the three songs he'd talked about being played during Charlie's funeral tomorrow. We left Tom and Ron reading by the newly lit fire as Logan grabbed my hand and led the way to my office so we could take care of our search. I settled into my chair and Logan pulled another around the desk to sit beside me.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, what can you tell me about these songs?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Two of `em are by a Sarah somebody and the other one is by some other lady."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, Logan, that doesn't narrow the field down very much," I replied with just a tinge of sarcasm. "You got anything else to help me out here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the one is about flyin', I think, and the other two, one's somethin' `bout an angel and the other's `bout remembering somebody. It's been a long time since I heard them and that's `bout all I can `member. I just know they seemed to relax momma and made her feel a little bit better when she spent too much time thinkin' `bout what was happenin' to her."</span></p> <p><span>I opened the internet browser and searched for `female singer and song about angels'. The first link displayed directed us to a top ten list of songs about angels, so I clicked it to see what was there. As we scrolled down the new page, Logan suddenly said, "Stop! I think that's it."</span></p> <p><span>"Which one?"</span></p> <p><span>"The third one. I seen that picture before."</span></p> <p><span>"Well let's check it out," I commented as I clicked the link to listen to a sample. </span></p> <p><span>The music had barely begun when Logan said, "That's the one, Dad. You're really good at this."</span></p> <p><span>"Pure luck, buddy. You think the song about remembering was by the same woman?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, pretty sure it was."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's zip over to Amazon and see what we can find. After opening a new tab and Amazon's main page, I searched for Sarah McLachlan, the artist noted on the other site. We quickly found the album that matched the cover from the other site and opened that page. As our luck would have it, I could purchase the track, <i>Angel</i>, for a pittance and I added it to the cart. Next, we needed to find the song about remembering by Sarah. I returned to the listing of her albums and selected the next one. Nothing in the track list there looked promising, so we moved on to the next one.</span></p> <p><span>We perused five more of Sarah's albums before striking pay dirt on the sixth, <i>Mirrorball.</i> One of the songs listed on this album was titled <i>I Will Remember You</i>. I clicked the preview button and while it took just a bit longer, Logan eventually confirmed it was the song he was looking for and I added it to the cart, also. Now it was time to find a song by a female artist about flying, so back to the search page. The list of results proved to be pretty much useless as none of them helped us zero in on the mystery tune. </span></p> <p><span>I asked Logan if he had any other clues about the song or singer and the only thing he could come up with was he'd probably recognize the album if he saw the cover again. With that bit of information, I started a new search for pictures of album covers by female singers. I knew it was going to be an extreme longshot to find one song this way, but it was about the only thing I could think of. The two of us spent the next five minutes scrolling through oodles of album covers and I was about to give up when Logan suddenly perked up and pointed at the screen.</span></p> <p><span>"I think that's the one, Dad," he whispered. "Can we check it on Amazon?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing," I answered, hoping we'd finally found what we'd been searching for. I switched back to the Amazon tab and searched for Celine Dion. Once presented with her album listing, I located and clicked on the cover Logan had pointed out, <i>Falling Into You.</i> I wasn't holding my breath for this album to contain the song we were searching for, but the last title in the track list was <i>Fly</i>. I crossed my finger and toes as I clicked the sample button, hoping we were about to be amply rewarded for our patience and perseverance.</span></p> <p><span>The song started to play and I watched as Logan closed his eyes and tears started dripping from the corners of his eyes and down his cheeks. I knew immediately that this was the one he wanted and without delay, I added it to the cart with the other two songs.</span></p> <p><span>"Anything else you want to search for?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No, just those three," Logan answered through his sniffles.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you go join the others in the theater and I'll get these downloaded and ready to take with us tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for your help, Dad," Logan whispered as he hugged me. "I love you," he added before he turned and shuffled sadly from the room.</span></p> <p><span>I returned my eyes to the screen, but discovered my focus was way off due to the tears leaking from my own eyes. I took a moment to compose myself before completing the transaction and downloading the songs. Having heard just the short samples before buying the tracks, I took some time to listen to all three before dragging them onto the flash drive. Boy, was that ever a mistake. By the time the third song had played through, I'd laid my head on the desk and was weeping for the pain Logan was struggling with. </span></p> <p><span>It had been hard to tell exactly what Logan was feeling throughout the week due to his wildly fluctuating moods. One moment, he'd seem just as giddy as he always had been and the next, it didn't seem as if he could sink any lower. I suppose those types of emotional swings should be expected after losing a parent, but I couldn't see how he could be so strong and seemingly put-together the majority of the time. The poignancy of the songs he'd selected really drove home how he was truly feeling. It was times like this I wished I had a magic wand that I could just wave and take away all his pain.</span></p> <p><span>After recovering from my moment of weakness, I pulled a flash drive from the desk drawer, wiped off the files that were already there, then copied the three songs to it. After pulling the device from the USB port, I headed across the hall to put the drive next to my wallet so I couldn't forget to take it with us tomorrow afternoon. I then headed out to join Tom and Ron by the fire.</span></p> <p><span>"Did you find the ones he wanted?" Tom asked as I sank into my chair.</span></p> <p><span>"Finally. The last one was a deep dig, but we succeeded."</span></p> <p><span>"So, we're ready for tomorrow, then?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"As ready as we'll ever be, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I ask you somethin' without pissin' you off?" After a quick nod, Tom continued, "I thought we'd agreed to wait until after the funeral to tell Logan about havin' to move Sunday. Why'd you change your mind and tell him about that at supper?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because as much as we want to protect him from the bad things in life, I'm not gonna outright lie to him. I might stretch the truth or leave somethin' out, but when he asks a question like that, the truth is the only answer he should hear. I don't want to take the chance of hurting him more than he already is by bending or twisting the realities of what he's going through."</span></p> <p><span>"That makes sense, babe, and I agree with you. I was just surprised you did it. And a little upset we didn't talk about it before you told him, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, hon, I didn't mean to upset you. I just didn't think us talking about it after Logan asked the question and then pushed the issue would help at all."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, Max, I'm cool. You made the right decision."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, I'm tryin'." I finally grabbed my book and the three of us settled in for a bit of low-stress relaxation. I managed to read for about thirty minutes before I dozed off in my chair. It was about ten-thirty when my eyes snapped back open and I felt my world shaking.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, Max, let's go to bed," Tom was saying.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, yeah, okay. What about the boys?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"They've been in bed for an hour already."</span></p> <p><span>"You sent them to bed without sayin' good night?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, they said it, all right. Even gave you hugs, but you refused to wake up," Tom chuckled. "I'm guessing this past week has worn you out."</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose it has," I agreed as I held out my hand for Tom to help pull me out of the chair. "I'll be glad when life can return to normal."</span></p> <p><span>"What if this <i>is</i> our normal?" Tom asked as we crossed the house to our bedroom.</span></p> <p><span>"Then let me off this insane ride at the next stop," I replied sarcastically.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right. Like you'd get off if you had the chance."</span></p> <p><span>"You're right, of course," I agreed. "I've paid the price of admission and I'm stayin' right here `til someone kicks me off the roller coaster."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it, babe."</span></p> <p><span>We hit the head one more time before crawling in bed and curling up together. After sharing a kiss and an `I love you', we fell asleep. I'm not sure what Tom's dreams held for him this night, but mine were more disturbing than I care to think about. Of course, they were all about Logan and the holes that would be ripped in our hearts when he moved to Missouri in two days. The worst parts, however, prominently featured Troy, with Logan on the receiving end of serious abuse thinly disguised as punishment for bad behavior. When I finally woke up in the morning, I was sweating bullets and shivering in fear of what Logan might have to deal with until we could convince the court he belonged here.</span></p> <p><span>I looked to my companion and discovered his body thrashing about as if he were locked in mortal combat. I poked him in the ribs and said, "C'mon, lumpy, time to wake up."</span></p> <p><span>"Whu ...?" he muttered as his eyes opened. "Oh, man why the hell'd you wake me up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because it's that time, bubba."</span></p> <p><span>"You should have given me a couple more minutes. I was havin' the greatest dream."</span></p> <p><span>"Looked like you were in the fight of your life the way you were jerkin' around."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I wasn't, but Troy sure was. I had my hands locked around his neck and I was chokin' the shit out of the ignorant bastard. His face was turnin' purple and his eyes had rolled so far back all you could see was white between his fluttering eyelids. Another minute and it would have been all over."</span></p> <p><span>"Hold on to that thought, hon. You may yet get your chance."</span></p> <p><span>After our regular morning stop in the bathroom, we finally headed out to see if anyone else was up and moving. It was obviously later than we'd thought as we found Ron and the boys huddled around the dining room table, stuffing their faces with French toast, sausage and bacon.</span></p> <p><span>" `Bout time you two got your lazy butts outta bed," Joey greeted us as we joined them.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you could have gotten us awake before you sat down to eat without us," Tom retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"No way, Dads," Alex protested. "We didn't want to have to share the bacon with ya," he added with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, I see how y'all are," I chuckled. "And here we were thinkin' you guys actually loved us when all along it's just been a ploy to get our bacon."</span></p> <p><span>"Dang right," T.J. agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what're we gonna do to waste time until this afternoon?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm gonna keep readin' <i>Ender's Game</i>," Logan answered. "I'm about three-fourths through it and want to try and finish it before I hafta to leave tomorrow since I'm sure I can't take it with me."</span></p> <p><span>"What makes you think that?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it ain't my book, Dad, it yours."</span></p> <p><span>"It's yours now, buddy. If you want to take it with you, you can."</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, I wouldn't want to give Troy a heart attack by readin' somethin'. He pro'lly don't even know what a book is."</span></p> <p><span>The conversation continued with people's ideas of what to do and finally ended with Mike and Andy playing a game in their room, T.J., Joey and Alex decided to watch a movie, and the rest of us were going to read. With that all settled, we worked together to clean up the kitchen and load the dishwasher despite Ron's continuing protests about it being his job. With that task completed, everyone went their separate ways to kill some time before we regrouped for lunch.</span></p> <p><span>At noon, Ron started working on our simple lunch of hot dogs and chips. Twenty minutes later, it was time to eat and everyone converged in the dining room again. It was a pretty quiet meal for once since nobody wanted to talk about what was next on our agenda. With our meal finished and cleanup completed, it was time to get dressed. I followed Alex, Joey and Logan to their room to ensure they selected an appropriate outfit while Tom did the same with T.J., Mike and Andy. </span></p> <p><span>With the six of them taken care of, Tom and I retreated to our room to make ourselves presentable. Since we hadn't taken a shower last night before falling into bed, we first cleaned up and then got dressed. Properly attired for a funeral and making sure I had the flash drive in my pocket, we joined the boys and Ron in the living room. With everyone ready to go, we headed to the garage to begin the short trek to the funeral home, the three oldest boys opting to ride with Ron.</span></p> <p><span>When we arrived, Mr. McGee was waiting for us and he directed on where we should park to follow the hearse to the cemetery. While the rest of the family headed inside, I took a moment to hand the flash drive to Mr. McGee. </span></p> <p><span>"These are the three songs Logan wants played during whatever service happens here," I said.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Mr. Sanders. I'll return this to you in just a few minutes."</span></p> <p><span>"Any idea how this is going to go?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue. I don't think I've ever handled a service without some type of religious reading or reflection. We'll play one of the songs Logan's selected to get started, I guess, then I'll just open up with a few comments and then see if anyone else has something they'd like to share. We'll play the other two songs in between some of those stories."</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose that makes sense since Logan didn't really give you much direction on how to proceed."</span></p> <p><span>"It's the only thing I can think of," he lamented. "Unless you have a better idea."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, funeral's aren't my specialty," I replied. "The only request I have is if Logan's uncle says he has something to say, don't let him. I know he's Charlie's brother, and I'm sure he's hurting right now, too, but I don't want him ruining the service for Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do my best to keep control of things. Does Logan still have something he wants to say during the graveside service?"</span></p> <p><span>"He hasn't said anything about that this week, but I'd plan on it if I were you."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm prepared for it." Mr. McGee continued to explain what would happen after the service here and the procession to the cemetery.</span></p> <p><span>"Our parents and my sister and her husband will be arriving soon and I'd like their cars right behind ours in the line. And if it's possible, we'd like Troy's to be at the end of the line."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll just have the people who will be joining the procession leave the keys in their cars when they get here and my son and his friends can rearrange them as needed during the service." I gave him descriptions of the vehicles I was concerned with and he assured me all would be handled. With our conversation completed, I finally joined the rest of the family inside and took the seat they'd saved for me in the front row. Not surprisingly, Logan was situated in the middle of the row between Tom and I, and the other boys and Ron surrounded us.</span></p> <p><span>Our parents arrived shortly after we did and they took places in the row behind us, where they were soon joined by Lee and Carl. Dylan, Malcom and Damon filled out the second row with Carol, Rick, Eric and Josh claiming space in the third row. By the time the service was supposed to start, the small funeral home was packed and people were standing against the walls around the fringes of the chairs. It seemed as if all of Joey, Alex, and Logan's classmates were in attendance, along with their parents and siblings, further adding to the crush of bodies. Troy and family had again claimed space on the long sofa against the wall behind us.</span></p> <p><span>When it seemed as if nobody else was coming in, Mr. McGee stepped to the podium near the head of Charlie's casket and quietly got everyone's attention. With the crowd silenced, he began, "Friends, we are gathered today to say goodbye to our friend and neighbor, Charlie Campbell. This service will most likely be very different from any other you've attended, but it will still be a remembrance of a life cut drastically short. </span></p> <p><span>"At Logan's request, we are going to start with a song he selected. This is one of three songs his mother used to listen to. Logan told me that when she would listen to them during her illness, they seemed to bring her comfort and solace and it's our hope they will do the same for you today." He tapped a button on a remote and the tune <i>Angel</i> by Sarah McLachlan drifted from the hidden speakers. <span>*</span></span></p> </div><p><span>`I will remember you<br> Will you remember me?<br> Don't let your life pass you by<br> Weep not for the memories<p> Remember the good times that we had?<br> I let them slip away from us when things got bad<br> How clearly I first saw you smilin' in the sun<br> Wanna feel your warmth upon me, I wanna be the one</p><p> I will remember you<br> Will you remember me?<br> Don't let your life pass you by<br> Weep not for the memories</p><p> I'm so tired but I can't sleep<br> Standin' on the edge of something much too deep<br> It's funny how we feel so much but we cannot say a word<br> We are screaming inside, but we can't be heard </p><p> But I will remember you<br> Will you remember me?<br> Don't let your life pass you by<br> Weep not for the memories</p><p> I'm so afraid to love you, but more afraid to loose<br> Clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose<br> Once there was a darkness, deep and endless night<br> You gave me everything you had, oh you gave me light</p><p> And I will remember you<br> Will you remember me?<br> Don't let your life pass you by<br> Weep not for the memories</p><p> And I will remember you<br> Will you remember me?<br> Don't let your life pass you by<br> Weep not for the memories<br> Weep not for the memories'</p></span></p></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-49.html

Building a Family 49 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 49 � Happy? Birthday Tom's alarm announced the new day promptly at six, also waking me in the process. Though this was still his week to have early duty, I was too excited to waste a single extra moment of this day in bed. The most important one of my life so far (to me, anyway) had finally arrived, Thursday, March 13th, Joey and Alex's first birthday with their new family. Today was sure to be filled with all sorts of new experiences and I just couldn't wait to experience them. * When Tom came out of the bathroom, I was standing by the bedroom door waiting for him, almost dancing because of my giddiness. He took one look at me and said, "Look, if you need the bathroom that bad, it's all yours, I'm done." "I don't need a bathroom, bubba. I'm just excited. Look, I've waited for years to celebrate my kids' birthdays and I finally get to do that today. I can't wait." "Holy crap, man, if you don't chill out, I'm gonna have to tie you to the bed just to keep your ass from floating away." "While that sure sounds like it would be a fun time, lover, today is not the day. C'mon, let's go wake `em up." We quietly padded across the house and stopped to wake the trio first. "C'mon guys, let's get moving." I whispered while poking them in the ribs, Tom watching in astonishment. "Hey, that's not how you told me to wake `em up. You said to be nice and gentle and I'd get a better response." "Sh-h-h, they'll hear ya next door," I whispered back. "Boys, get your buns in gear. We gotta' wake up Alex and Joey and I want your help. Roll on outta' there and hit the can." "Yeah, dad, we're movin'," T.J. moaned, sticking a foot out from the under covers and wiggling it around as if to prove his point. I finally got all three going and each made a quick stop in the bathroom before we motored on. "What're we doin', dads, this don't make sense." "It's their birthday. I want to give them a wakeup call they won't forget. I want you three to run in there and start dancin' and jumpin' all over their bed." "Really?" Andy asked, eyes wide open in surprise. "Really. Just don't land on `em, okay?" We'd reached their door and with my hand on the knob, I asked, "Okay, you guys ready to rumble?" Receiving three eager nods in response, I counted down and then pushed the door open. "Three, two, one, GO!" They were gone in the blink of an eye and Tom and I followed along when we could hear their wild giggles and screams as they started to pummel Alex and Joey. The twins had burrowed deep under the covers to escape the onslaught, but they were fighting a losing battle. Finally, from under covers I heard one of them yell, "Hey! What's the big idea!? We're tryin' to sleep here." "Happy Birthday, sleepyheads!" I yelled. "Time to get up!" Alex finally pulled the covers down far enough to expose his head, looked at me and grumbled, "Look, buster, I will get even for this. You better start sleepin' with one eye open." "Oh, c'mon you two, let's get movin'," I pleaded. "It's a beautiful day and you need to enjoy every second of it. We'll see y'all in the kitchen for breakfast. Let's GO!" Tom and I left the room to get ready for our busy day, picking up the cake and shopping for birthday gifts. I could hear Joey and Alex kicking the others out of their room so they could get up. Ten minutes later, we'd reassembled in the kitchen where the boys decided on cereal for their breakfast while Tom and I had some English muffins with butter and honey. "You guys ready for a great day?" I asked. "What's so great about it," Joey asked. "We still gotta' go to school. Big whoop." "But it's your birthday. Aren't you just a little bit excited?" "Not really," Alex replied. "It's just another day to us, dad. Besides, the party's Saturday." "Yeah, the Mueller's never did anything for our birthdays," Joey added. "Good thing we're not Mueller's, then. Or do you want us to forget about cake, ice cream and presents tonight?" "Hey, if we're not having a party tonight," Tom began, "we better call our parents and tell `em they can stay home tonight. And I guess they can return whatever presents they got. Maybe they can buy something for themselves." "Better call Carol, Dylan, Lee and Carl and tell them, too," I commented as I continued his thought. "No sense in them wastin' their time comin' out if we're not havin' a party." By this time, Joey and Alex's eyes had reached saucer-size and their mouths were wide open. "Close your mouths, you two, you're gonna start catchin' flies," I snickered. "Really!? They're all really comin' out, just for our birthday," Alex exclaimed. "We thought you was just kiddin' `bout that," Joey added. "Boys, I never kid about a party. Of course, they'll all be here tonight. The party Saturday is just for your friends from school. Whatever made you think I wasn't serious about tonight's family party?" "Like I said, the Muellers never did nothin'." "Yeah, I guess we just thought that's what everyone did on their birthdays, nothin." "Not in this family, boys. We celebrate! Now, get happy, let's see at least a little bit of excitement." Joey and Alex looked at each other in surprise, then laid their heads on each other's shoulder and started crying. Startled at this development, I walked around the counter, wrapped an arm around each of them and asked, "What's wrong, guys? You should be happy." Alex looked up at me, tears streaming down his cheeks, and whimpered, "We are happy, dad, happier than we can ever remember." "Well, you sure have a funny way of showin' it." "We both know our real mom and dad loved us," Joey cried, "but we can't remember it." "And the Mueller's never cared about us," Alex continued, "they just wanted the stinkin' money." They looked at each other again and Alex whispered to Joey, "We got a lot to learn `bout bein' in a real family, bro'," receiving a nod in agreement. I signaled Tom to give me a paper towel. After he handed it to me, I dried both faces. "Thanks for findin' us and givin' a real family, dad," Alex said. "And we're glad you're a part of it. Life would be awfully boring around here without you two." I gave each another hug and added, "Look, we better get moving or we're going to miss the bus. All of you, get your bowls rinsed and in the sink. The stuff in the dishwasher is clean and I haven't emptied it yet. Then, get your packs and coats and we'll meet up in the car." The boys disappeared into their rooms. When I turned to collect Tom so we could get ready to go, I noticed his eyes were just as red as Joey and Alex's. "C'mon, softy, I was includin' us in that." "Yeah, just a minute," he replied as he ripped another paper towel off the roll and dried his own eyes. Once he'd done that and forced a smile on his face, he said, "Okay, I'm ready." "Ya sure, big guy? If you're too emotional to deal with this today, I can do it myself," I snickered. "Oh, would you shut the hell up and get moving? Time's a wastin' and we're gonna be late to meet the bus." He took the lead and as we walked through the house, he added, "I fuckin' hate those fuckin' lowlifes. Four years without even acknowledging their birthday. There ought to be a fuckin' law against shit like that. You better hope I never see them again, `cause if I do, you're gonna have to bail my ass outta jail." When we'd reached the end of the drive, I decided to wait for the bus to arrive since we weren't going back to the house. As I saw the bus lumbering up the road, everybody got out of the car and we made sure we got our hugs before the boys ran to climb on. With my usual reminder to `learn something new today', I received four waves and a rather loud `yeah, whatever' from the fantastic five as they headed off to join their peers for the ride to school. About halfway to the bus, Alex suddenly stopped, turned around and ran back to us. He wrapped us is a quick hug and said, "Thanks, again, dads. I love you both." Before we could respond, he was off, again, running to join his brothers. After a quick wave to Carl, Tom and I headed to town to take care of our shopping and other errands. On the way to town, I realized I still hadn't gotten the cashier's check I needed to pay for the new Flex, so the bank was our first stop. As I pulled into the parking lot, Tom asked, "What're we doing here? You gonna rob the place to pay for stuff today." "No, we need to get the cashier's check for the new car. It's supposed to be here tomorrow and I don't want to have to deal with this while trying to take Andy to the doctor and picking up the new car. Why don't you come in with me?" "What, you need a guard? Afraid somebody'll mug your sorry ass on the way out the door?" "No, I want to get you added as a signatory on my accounts." "Uh, don't you think it's a little early for that? I mean, we're not even married yet." "So, what's that got to do with it? We might as well take care of it since we're both here. Besides, you're not changing your last name when we are married, are you?" "Hm-m-m, hadn't thought about that. Mr. Thomas Sanders? Not too sure I like the sound of that. Ooh, wait, how `bout `Mr. Thomas Wright-Sanders?" he asked, giggling. "Yeah, now that, I could get used to. I've always wanted a hyphen, makes you sound like a sophisticate. But, wait a sec," he paused thoughtfully, "why should I change my name, why don't you change yours?" "Because, bonehead, I'm a rich and famous author, remember. We don't change our names for anyone." We both broke up in laughter as we walked into the bank, earning several confused stares from the other customers and employees. As we walked to a teller to get the check, I realized I'd forgotten the note I'd written the total on and made a quick call to Herb to make sure I remembered the amount correctly. As luck would have it, the car had arrived early this morning and Herb said I could pick it up any time. With check in hand, we next met with a personal banker to get Tom's name added to my accounts and safety deposit box. After we had signed all the cards and forms we needed to, Tom leaned over and gave me a kiss, receiving a look of surprise from the person who'd helped us. Before we left the bank to continue our errands, I asked to speak to the bank's President for a moment. After waiting a few minutes, we were led into her expansive and beautifully furnished office and she stood to receive us. "Good morning, Mr. Sanders. Always a pleasure. How are you today?" "I'm doing great, Joy. How are you this bright and beautiful day?" "Not too bad, thanks for asking. Of course, I'd be doing a whole lot better if all the money in that vault out there were actually mine," she laughed. "What can I do for you today?" "First, I'd like you to introduce my fianc�, Tom Wright." "Good morning, Mr. Wright. Nice to meet you," she replied, extending a hand which Tom grasped and gave a perfunctory shake before retaking his seat. "I've just added him to all my accounts and safety deposit box. I'd like to get a new debit card for him, also. And, I need to make sure that he won't have any problems with accessing our accounts should something happen to me." "Max, what the hell!?" Tom asked. He turned to Joy to apologize for his outburst. "I'm sorry Joy, but we haven't talked about this at all. I'm just surprised." He turned back to me and added, "Really, man, what are you talking about? I've told you, I don't want your money." "Tom, if something happens to me, you need to be able to take care of our sons. It's just that simple. I need to talk to James about drawing up a new will and I'll take care of that next week, but I'm just trying to be prepared and make sure our boys are taken care of." "Well, thank god for that, I guess. This whole thing makes me uncomfortable." "I know that, Tom." I turned back to Joy and continued. "So, we won't have any problems, will we?" "We won't. Unless, of course, Mr. Wright is the cause of your untimely demise," she giggled. "Good, I'm glad to hear it. Next, I haven't checked for a while, can you look and tell me the balances in my checking and savings accounts?" She got busy with her computer and finally answered, "After deducting for the cashier's check you just picked up, you have $156,732.56 in checking and $641,985.12 in the savings. Your royalty checks from your publisher are still coming into the savings account and when the checking gets below $100,000.00, we automatically transfer from savings to bring it back up to $250,000.00, as you requested." "Okay, I don't see any reason to change that, do you, Tom?" "Gee, I don't know, Max," he replied sarcastically. "You may want to bump it up to $200,000 and half a mill. Five boys can go through an awful lot in a week." He waved a hand in disgust and turned his head away to look out the window as Joy laughed aloud. I looked back to Joy and calmly said, "I think we'll leave it the way it is for right now. But I still want to get the new debit card. Can you do that for us now?" "Certainly, Mr. Sanders. Give me just a few minutes." She turned her attention to Tom and asked, "What would you like to use for a PIN, Mr. Wright?" "I don't care," he grumbled. "Just make somethin' up." Joy rapidly left her office to obtain the card. "You want to tell me what crawled up your ass and died?" I asked. "NO!" "I thought we'd settled this problem, Tom." "I thought so, too, but I'm still having issues with it, I guess." "Why?" "I don't know. I've worked my ass off since I got out of high school and in all that time, I haven't earned what you have in a damn savings account. And that doesn't even scratch the surface." "Pure luck, bubba. All the money in the world doesn't mean a damn thing to me without you and the boys to share it with." "Yeah, I know, but that still doesn't make it any easier to accept." "Would it be easier for you if I gave it all away?" "Don't you dare. You earned it, fair and square, and you deserve to do what you want with it. It's not your fault I'm havin' a hard time adjustin' to bein' rich. I'll get used to it eventually, but it's gonna take me some time." "You have the rest of your life to get used to it, okay," I grinned. "Thanks, but I hope it won't take me that long," Tom smiled back. Joy returned and hesitantly asked, "Everything okay in here?" "We're fine, Joy. Tom just feels weird about how much money I have." "I'm tryin' to deal with it, but I'm having a hard time." "Well, Mr. Wright, I wish I had some sage advice I could share, but I'm afraid we're a wee bit out of my league on this one. The best recommendation I can give you on the spur of the moment is to just sit back and enjoy the ride," she laughed. "Gee, thanks Joy, that was ever so helpful," he laughed. "I do what I can, sir." She handed Tom the new debit card and added, "Here's your new card, Mr. Wright. The PIN code we selected is 9653. If you'd like something different, just let me know and I'll be happy to set it to whatever you'd like." "No, that's fine," Tom replied as he slipped the new card into his wallet. "Anything else I can help you two with today?" "No, Joy," I answered, "I think that's everything we needed. Thanks for your help and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day." "I will, thanks. Oh, and congratulations on the wedding. I wish you nothing but happiness for your future." "Thanks, Joy," Tom replied. "Again, sorry for the outburst." "No problems, Mr. Wright. Sudden wealth almost always causes unexpected reactions from people." As we climbed into the car to head to our next stop, I asked, "We good, bubba?" "Yeah, I'm getting' there, slowly but surely. What's our next stop?" "Might as well pick up the new car since it's here. Doesn't make sense to load this one up and then move it all later, does it?" "No, I guess not. And it saves us a stop tomorrow. Let's go see Herb, then." When I pulled into the dealership's lot, I parked in front of the rental office to return the car. After settling my bill with them, we headed deeper into the building to find Herb. We finally found him in his office behind a desk covered with numerous deep piles of paper. I stuck my head in the door and commented, "I hope you never have an avalanche in here, it'd take a week to dig you out." Herb raised his head and when he saw who was there, he yelled, "Max, Tom, how's my favorite customers?" "Doing great, Herb, how `bout yourself?" "Busier than a one-legged man at a butt-kickin' contest, as usual. Come on in and have a seat. You ready to order that Shelby?" he joked. "Oh, please, don't get him started," I replied, pointing to Tom. "We already have four cars for two drivers and the Flex will make it five. I don't think we really need to add number six to the stables right now." "Max, you know, it's my opinion that one can never have too many cars." "I'm well aware of that particular kink in your psyche, Herb, but a man's got to know his limitations." "What do you think, Tom?" "I'm with Herb on this one," he answered while looking at me and then turned to Herb and asked, "By the way, do you take debit cards here?" I looked at Tom with surprise on my face. "You bet. I'll take just about any form of payment except for livestock." "Great, I just got a brand new one I'm dyin' to try out to make sure it's real. Just out of curiosity, what's a new Shelby going for these days?" Tom asked with a sly wink to Herb. To his credit, Herb didn't miss a beat as he answered, "Well, they start at about fifty-five grand and you can go up to almost seventy depending on the options. What color you thinkin' about?" "I kinda partial to the dark blue with the white stripes I've seen in some pictures." "Excellent choice, Tom. Now, will that be a cash sale or do I need to arrange for some financing?" "Oh, no, strictly a cash deal. I'm a rich guy, now, ya know," Tom laughed. Herb could no longer maintain a straight face and cracked up laughing along with Tom. "Okay, you two, can we get down to some real business? We've got a lot to do today and don't have much time to get it all done and still be home before the boys return from school." "Whoops, sorry, Max, just give me a moment to grab your file. I know it's here somewhere." He rummaged through the top of the desk first and when that proved unsuccessful, started digging through his desk drawers. "Aha, there you are," he exclaimed as he pulled a file from the bottom drawer. He opened it up and started spreading even more papers across his desk while saying, "I'm going to need your signatures on these where I've circled. And, of course, a cashier's check." After I signed the pages, I slid them over to Tom so he could do the same. When we'd both signed everything, Herb asked, "Do you want personalized plates or whatever's next in line?" I looked to Tom and after receiving a shrug of indifference, I turned back to Herb and said, "How about `SW RANCH'? I think that would be perfect and it suits us to a tee." Tom gave a little snicker of understanding at my choice of plate. "I'll add that request to the paperwork for the Secretary of State and you should have the new plates in about a month." He reached out, cradling the keys, and added, "Here's the keys to your new Flex. As long as it's in your pocket, all you have to do is hit the start button on the dash. The car locks and unlocks automatically as you walk away from or to it. I hope it will give many years of good service and you and your boys enjoy it." "Thanks, Herb, I'm sure we will." I turned to Tom, handed him one of the keys and asked, "Why don't you go find somebody to bring the car around? I need to talk to Herb for a moment before we go." "Sure thing, I'll be waiting outside with it," he responded as he eagerly grabbed the offered key and skipped out of the office. When he was out of earshot, I turned back to Herb and said, "Okay, time for some serious business, Herb. You know that Shelby you two were just talking about, tryin' to give me a heart attack? Get it ordered, with all available options." "You sure about that?" "Damn right, I am. And not a word to Tom. It's going to be my wedding present to him." "Well, hell, Max, you aren't, by any chance, considering having a second husband, are you? I could use a new Shelby, too," he laughed. "Sorry, Herb, but, as tempting a catch as you might be, you're not my type, bein' as your straight and all," I laughed. "Besides, I think I can only handle one husband at a time." "You remember it takes longer to get a Shelby than a regular car, don't you?" "Yeah, I know the drill, Ford builds the car and then sends it to Shelby out in Vegas for them to do their work on it. No rush, though, the wedding not until May 17." "That's only two months and four days from now! There's no way we're going to get it in time." "Yes, you will, I'll make sure of it." "Well, I'll place the factory order this afternoon and put a rush on it. That'll help, but I can't even begin to guess what Shelby's schedule will be." "You just get the car ordered and I'll take care of the rest, Herb." "I'm on it, Max. And my lips are sealed. Thanks for the business. Hope you guys have a great day and wish the boys a happy birthday for me." "I'll do that. Thanks for everything. Oh, by the way, don't forget that donation we discussed, they can really use the help." "Already done and your name is in no way connected with it." "Thank you, Herb." I stood to leave, shook Herb's hand and said, "Always a pleasure, my friend." I headed out to locate Tom and our new Flex. It didn't take long to find the bright red car with the black roof sitting right outside the front door. Tom was happily ensconced in the driver's seat and busy playing with something on the dash, so he didn't see me coming. I slipped into the back seat and cried, "Home, James!" He spun around and retorted, "Get your ass up here. I ain't nobody's chauffer." After I'd moved around to the front passenger seat and buckled my seatbelt, Tom asked, "Where to, boss?" "Why don't we hit Walmart first to get the Nerf guns Mike wants to give the Alex and Joey? Then we can swing by Barnes and Noble to get the puzzle books for Andy's gift to them." Tom started driving as we continued our conversation. "What about the picture frame for T.J., where do you want to look for that?" "We could probably get something cheap at Walmart, but I'd like to find something of a better quality. I think Jeffery Alans further in on Wabash will be a good place to find something nice." "What are you getting them?" "Don't you mean what are we getting them? I was thinking about new bikes. None of the boys came to us with one and I think every growing boy needs a good bike. What do you think?" "That's a helluva lot better than anything I've thought of. Where are we gonna get those? Walmart?" "No, there a good locally-owned bike shop on MacArthur across from Town & Country Shopping Center. Whatever we get there may cost a little more than it would at Walmart, but it'll be a better bike." "Sounds good to me," he replied as he pulled into the parking lot for Walmart. "Hey, while we're here, we should probably get some general food to fill out the pantry a bit. I've noticed we're starting to run out of some things." " "Good thinking. Let's find the Nerf guns first, then we'll swing through the grocery section." As we turned the corner into the Nerf aisle, I was stunned at the wide assortment and variety of the things available. After about fifteen minutes, we finally settled on a couple of medium sized guns for Alex and Joey and some slightly smaller ones for the other three. We almost got a couple extras for ourselves so we could join in the fun, but we resisted that temptation. We did, however, remember to get several packs of refill darts. According to Tom, there's no such thing as having too much ammo. Once those selections were settled, we headed to the grocery side of the store, passing through the cards, wrap and party items area. With wrap, cards and everything else we needed party-wise for tonight, it was on to the grocery section to replenish some food supplies. We started at the back of the store and worked our way forward so we'd be close the checkouts when we were done. We were about halfway to the front of the store when we turned into the bread aisle. Tom abruptly stopped moving and I ran into him with the cart. He turned to face me and said, "No. Turn around right now and pick a different aisle or I'm going to jail. And that ain't happenin' today." I looked around him and saw the reason he changed his mind about getting bread. Damn, what do we have to do to get away from those vile human beings? I made a quick U-turn and we headed to the deli area to get some Virginia Baked Ham so we could have grilled ham and cheese for supper tomorrow night. "Hey, I'm gonna run back across the store to get a small cooler chest for the car. I'll be back in a few minutes." With that, Tom disappeared while I waited in the line at the deli. As I waited, I was dismayed to see the Mueller's getting closer and closer. When it became obvious they were headed for the deli, also, I thought about leaving the area and going back to pick up the bread we'd bypassed. But then I thought, fuck it, I have just as much right to shop at Walmart as they do and I stayed right where I was. And I didn't want to lose my place in the deli line, either. When they finally joined the line with me, Iris was the first to notice who was in front of them. "Frank, look, it's that pervert." I turned around as if I were innocently looking around and when my eyes finally settled on them, I said in my most polite voice, "Well, good morning, Frank and Iris. How are you today?" "What do you care?" Frank hatefully hissed. "What the hell are you doing in our store?" "Your store?" I asked in mock surprise. "Oh, please forgive me, I didn't know you two owned a Walmart." "You know what I mean, fag. Now, answer my damn question," Frank demanded. "Well, if you really must know, today is Joey and Alex's ninth birthday and we're here to get some things we need for their party tonight. I'm not surprised you don't remember that since you never did anything to commemorate the event for the four years they lived with you." "Those little faggots can't have a birthday since they're the evil spawn of the beast," Frank responded. "I bet if you shaved those little blonde heads, you find 666 tattooed under those mops somewhere," Iris added helpfully. "Ya know, I'm getting really tired of you two. I've tried to be polite to you and you simply refuse to return the favor." "Yeah, big deal. What the hell you gonna do about it, pussy? You gonna run and tell your mommy and daddy we were mean to you? Gonna tell your daddy to come beat me up?" "No, Frank, I don't need to tell anybody anything. I'm gonna take care of the problem my own damn self," I answered as I left the cart and took two steps towards him. I'd balled my right hand into a fist and just before that fist found Frank's nose, it was halted mid-flight by a much stronger arm. "Whoa, Sugar Ray!" Tom yelled, breaking my rage-induced trance. "Go back to our cart and don't move, Max. Right now!" I meekly turned and followed his order. Frank was standing in shock at my violent outburst and Iris was yelling for security. Tom hissed, "Frank, Iris, walk away, now." "NO!" Iris screamed. "That bastard assaulted my husband and I want to press charges." "Iris, let me explain the law to you. Max would had to have actually touched Frank for there to have been an assault. That didn't happen. It was close, yes, but no actual contact, so no assault." Security finally arrived and wanted to know what going on. "That man right there assaulted my husband and I want him arrested right now!" Iris screamed. "Ma'am," the guard replied calmly, "If you don't calm down and quit screaming, I'm going to have to ask you to leave the store." The guard turned to Tom asked, "Did you see what happened, sir?" "Unfortunately, no, I was just coming back after picking up this cooler," he answered, lifting the cooler for the guard to see. "I was able to prevent the situation from escalating, though." "I thank you for that." The guard turned to the other shoppers in the deli area and asked, "Did anybody here see what happened." The lady in line in front of me raised her hand and nodded. "Thank you, ma'am, may I talk with you for a moment over here, please?" he asked waving his hand to a spot away from the rest of us. "Certainly." The two stepped several feet away and became involved in a very hushed but animated discussion as Tom rejoined me at the cart. "What the hell was that, Max?" Tom whispered angrily. "I don't know." "What the fuck you mean you don't know?" "Just that, Tom, I don't know. One moment I was just standing here and the next I was ready to beat the ever-loving shit out that sanctimonious motherfucker. I've never done anything like that before," I ended, shaking my head in disbelief at my actions. "Fine, don't move. Can you just stand here and do nothing while I try to keep your ass from getting arrested?" "I think so. I'll try, anyway." I stood in a very confused daze as Tom turned to Frank and Iris. "Frank, are you okay?" "What the hell do you care, fag?" "Frank, despite what think of me personally, I care about all people. I just want to make sure you're not hurt in any way." "Of course, I'm not hurt. That little pussy boyfriend of yours couldn't hurt me no matter how hard he tried. He never could." At that moment, the guard and lady shopper separated and we heard him say, "Thank you ma'am, I'm sorry you had to be a witness to such appalling behavior." The guard returned to us and began talking to the Mueller's before Tom and me. "Excuse, me folks, I'm sorry for what happened here and I intend to see that it never happens again in this store." "Thank you, officer," Frank replied. "I do hope you can keep those kinds of people out of this store in the future," he continued, angrily shaking his finger at us. "What? I'm sorry, sir, you misunderstood my meaning. According to my witness, and what I just heard with my own ears, it was you two who instigated this entire incident with the way you spoke to this gentleman. I hate to inform you of this, but you two are no longer welcome in this store. Please leave your cart where it is, leave the premises immediately and never return. We'll take care of the items in your cart." "WHAT!?" Iris screamed like a banshee in heat. "They're the problem! He was going to hurt my husband! He needs to be in jail! They're both faggots who shouldn't be allowed around normal people!" "Ma'am, that's exactly the type of incendiary language that caused our problem today. And we won't allow that to continue. Please, leave now, before I'm forced to call the police to have them remove you." After the Mueller's stormed off in a huff, the guard finally turned to us. "Please accept my apologies and the store's apologies for what has happened here today, sirs. We certainly don't tolerate that type of behavior in this store. Is there anything I can do for you today?" "No, thank you." Tom answered. "We're just about done with our shopping, anyway." "Before you go, can I talk to you for a minute, sir?" the guard asked Tom. "Sure." Tom turned to me and said, "Go ahead and get the ham, Max, we'll be right over there," pointing to a spot about fifteen feet away. As they walked away, I was still struggling with what I was about to do Frank. Where the hell did that come from? That's NOT who I am. Or is it? I don't think I know, anymore. "What did you want to talk to me about?" I asked. "Sir, I hesitate to get involved in personal matters, but I assume the other gentleman is your partner." "He is." "Well, please don't take this the wrong way, but is he okay?" "Now, that's a damn good question," I answered, scratching my head. "This is the first time I've ever seen something like that happen." "Well, I want to let you know that I was in the security office and watched the whole thing develop on the monitors in there. I even backed up the video to watch it again before coming out here just to make sure I didn't miss something. I've never seen anything like it before, and I work here, for God's sake. Your partner was just standing there, looking around as most shoppers will do as they wait their turn. When he saw who was standing in line behind him, he immediately curled his right hand into a fist. I could see he and the couple were talking to each other, but I couldn't hear what was being said. Then, from out of nowhere, your partner stepped forward and took the swing that you, thankfully, stopped." "When you talked to the other lady, did she tell you what was said?" I asked. "She said your partner just said hello and the couple immediately got loud and very verbally abusive. It appears the last thing they said was something about someone being the `spawn of the beast' and having `666 tattooed on their scalps'. It was at that point, your partner, for lack of a better word, snapped." "We've had a few run-ins with them before. Let's just say we're not friends." "Well, whatever the history may be between y'all, I think you really need to find some counseling for your partner and try to figure what happened here. It sounds to me like today was an aberration, but better safe than sorry." "I agree and thank you for your concern. I also appreciate you telling me what was said. It makes it a little easier for me to understand his reaction. Thanks for your help today." "No problem, sir, I wish you two the best of luck sorting this out." I had just gotten the ham and was rejoining Tom as the security person walked away. "What was that all about?" I asked. "We'll talk about it when we get home, babe. Are you okay?" "I think so. I still don't know what really happened." "I'll tell you about it, later. Let's finish our shopping here and move on. We have several more stops to make and lots to do at home before the boys come home from school." Our next stop was Barnes and Noble for the number puzzle books. We picked up a couple Sudoku books for Andy's gift to the twins and a few other number puzzle books to be stashed for the future. Next up was Jeffery Alans to find a good picture frame for T.J.'s gift. We finally settled on a nice solid wood frame that would hold eight pictures, knowing we had more than enough pictures to fill it. Next on our hit list was the bike shop to pick out two bikes. We went to Ace Bicycle Shop where I'd bought my own bike some years before. After perusing the selection for a bit and receiving some good advice from a very helpful employee, we selected two bikes that were identical except for the colors. Unfortunately, we didn't know what each boys' favorite color is, but we hoped they'd be happy with our selections. It was a bit of a struggle to get both assembled bikes in the car with all our other purchases, but after some careful rearranging, we managed to accomplish the feat. Our last stop before we could return home was to pick up the birthday cake. After letting the car's navigation system direct us, we finally located the bakery. When the cake was brought out for inspection, we decided it was perfect. Assuming, of course, the boys liked the Transformers. I guess we'd get that answer when they saw it tonight. The cake was placed into a box for the trip home and carefully placed in the car to keep it from sliding around. We could only hope nothing among the other stacks in the back of the car would fall on it. The one funny thing throughout all our shopping was Tom's use of his new debit card at each stop. I was happy that he seemed to be enjoying spending money without worry as he grinned wildly with every swipe of the card. Upon our return home, we unloaded the car, stashing the bikes and other gifts in our bedroom. The food, of course went into the pantry or fridge and the party supplies were left on the kitchen counter. When that was all done, I made a quick call to my insurance agent to get the new Flex added to my policy and ensure Tom was listed as a driver for all the cars. When we finally sat down to relax for a bit before the boys returned home, I was drained, both physically and mentally. "Okay," I started, looking at Tom, "Tell me what the hell happened at Wally World. The last thing I remember clearly was seeing the Mueller's in the bread aisle and we made an abrupt about face to avoid them." "Well, we headed to the deli to get ham and while you waited in line there, I zipped back across the store to grab a small cooler. You remember that?" "Vaguely, yes. What happened next?" "Most of this I got from the security guy, so it may not be complete, but hopefully it'll jog your memory. Apparently, the Mueller's got in the deli line behind you. You turned around and saw them and immediately made a fist with your right hand. The three of you then had some sort of conversation during which they said something about `spawn of the beast' and `666 tattooed on their scalps'. It was at that point, you decided you were Sugar Ray Leonard or Michael Spinks and were going to punch Frank. I got back just in time to stop you from blasting him square in the face and probably breaking his nose." "Oh, god, I remember it now. The `beast' thing and that `666' bullshit is what set me off. But I don't know why." "How'd that come about?" "Well, I tried to be polite just by saying hi and asking how they were. I knew it was a waste of breath, but, you know me, I felt I had to try, anyway. Then they asked what we were doing in their store and I told them why we were shopping, but they probably didn't remember it was Joey and Alex's birthday since they never recognized it. That's when Frank said the boys couldn't have a birthday since they were the spawn of the beast. Then Iris added if we shaved their heads, we'd probably find the mark of Satan tattooed there. I tell you, I've never been so fucking furious with anybody. Every little bit of anger I've felt for anybody since I was ten or twelve just burst from nowhere and I was about to rearrange that smug bastard's face." By the time I finished telling the story, my eyes were overflowing tears as I wept in self-pity and anger at my stupidity. Tom moved over to the couch and held my hands as he responded. "Now it makes sense to me. I just couldn't reconcile what I just saw today with what I've seen from you before, Max. I've never seen that type of reaction from you over anything and I couldn't imagine what drove you to that point." "I still don't get it, Tom. I've never felt like that my entire life. I could've killed that son-of-a-bitch right there and felt nothing about it except extreme pleasure at having done so. Where the hell does shit like come from?" "Years and years of repressed anger and pent-up hostility. I saw it several times on the job. Shit builds up over time and people just snap and lose it sometimes." "But, that's not me, Tom, you know that. I've put all that crap behind me in the past year." "Obviously, you haven't, babe. You've just buried it deep. And today, it came back to haunt you." "I'm scared, Tom. I don't know who I am anymore, not after that. I don't think I have any business adopting kids until I figure this out." I had curled up on the couch and was shivering in fear of the monster inside me. Tom embraced me with his strong and comforting arms. "Max, baby, you're gonna be just fine. You're still the same kind, loving guy. You just need some help to deal with your demons. And I'm going to help you through this, we all will." "God, I hope so. I don't what I'd do if lost all of you," I whimpered. "Sh-h-h, don't you worry about it. Come on, let me put you to bed, you'll feel better after a nap." Tom picked me up and carried me to our bedroom. Damn, he's strong. After undressing me, he pulled the covers up to my neck, gave me light kiss and whispered, "I love you, babe. Get some sleep. You'll be better when you wake up." I was out before he closed the bedroom door. Damn it, I love this guy, but what the hell am I getting myself into? I just told him I'd help him get through this, but how? And we've got a fucking party tonight to get ready for. I need some help and I need it now. After checking Max's phone for a number, I placed my first call. "Hello?" "Hi, is this Paul, the guy who used to be Mike Broadhead's foster dad?" "Yes, who's calling, please?" "Paul, this is Tom Wright, Max's partner." "Oh, hi, Tom. What can I do for you today? Everything okay out there?" "Not really. I need some help and I didn't know who else to call, so I thought I'd start with you. I'm hoping you can help or, if you can't, point me in the direction of someone who can." "This sounds serious, Tom, what's going on?" "Well, we had a little problem today while we were out shopping." I continued to explain in as much detail as possible what had happened at Walmart. When I finally wound down, I added, "I've put Max to bed for now, but I don't know where to go from here." "Look, Tom, I'm not going to sugar-coat this, but you're right, you've got a problem, or rather Max does. Max sounds like he's a powder keg just waiting for someone to light the fuse. I'm sure a bulk of the problem is the rejection by his parents, but there could be other issues we're unaware of compounding the problem." "That's what I'm afraid of Paul, but even though I told him I'd help him get through this, whatever it is, I don't have a clue what to do." "You've already taken the first step by calling me. I know Max isn't a child, but it sounds like his issues stem from that time, so I think I can possibly help him. I don't have anybody else scheduled this afternoon, would it be okay if I came out and talked to him. I should be able to tell pretty quickly if this is something I can deal with or if he needs someone else." "Really? You'd do that?" "Of course, I will. I consider you folks to be friends and I'm more than happy to help if I can." "You're a lifesaver, Paul. I can't thank you enough. How soon can you get here?" "Half an hour work for you?" "Perfect. I'll see when you get here. Thank you so much." I hung up the phone and placed my second call. "Wright residence," I heard as dad answered the phone. "Hey, dad, how ya' doin?" "Just fine son. Tryin' to get things ready to hit the road so we can be on time for the party. What's up, you sound a bit out of sorts." "I guess I am, dad. Look, I hate to rush you guys, but can you get here as soon as you can?" "Well, sure. We could be on the way in about ten minutes." "Great, dad, I've got a problem here and I just need some help." "We'll be there as quick as we can, son. Hold down the fort." "Thanks, I love you both. Hurry, but be careful." "Always. See you soon." Time for the third call and as hard as the first two were, I was really dreading this one. "Hello?" Rose answered. "Hi, Rose, it's Tom." "Well, hi, Tom. We still on for a party tonight?" "I sure as hell hope so, but I have a problem out here and I was hoping you and Jim could come out now and see if you can help me." "What's going on, Tom, is it a problem with one of the boys?" "No, something weird happened with Max today while we out shopping for the party..." "Oh, my god, don't say another word, we'll be there as fast we can." "Thanks, see you when you get here." Having called the only people I could think of, I grabbed a soda from the fridge and sat in the living room to stew in my own thoughts, wondering what the hell I needed to do next. I couldn't think about anything except for my babe sleeping in the other room. I hated to see him hurting for any reason and not be able to help him. But, I knew whatever happened today was way beyond my meager talents. I heard the drive sensor ding and got up to meet whoever had arrived. Fortunately, Paul was on the doorstep shortly after I opened the door. "Afternoon, Paul, thanks for coming out," I said as I let him in and closed the door. "Look, Tom, I'm happy to help if I can. Where's Max?" "Still in bed, asleep, you want me to get him?" I asked while hanging his coat in the closet. "Not just yet. Before I talk to Max, I want you to tell me again what happened today. I want to know everything possible before I sit down with him." The drive sensor went off again and I said, "Let's wait a moment on that, Paul. That's probably Max's parents arriving. I called them, too, hoping they might know something that would help. Might as well tell you all the same time." "That's fine, Tom. Can I grab a drink?" "Sure, help yourself, kitchen's right over there," I replied, pointing the direction he needed to go. I opened the door again just as Jim and Rose climbed the two steps up to the porch. "Hi folks, thanks for getting here so quickly." "Are you kidding me, Tom, this is our son we're talking about," Jim responded. "If he needs help, we're going to do whatever we can." "Glad to hear it. Let's get your coats hung up, then we can sit and talk." While hanging up their coats, Paul returned with a can of Pepsi in his hand. "Paul, this is Max's mom, Rose and his dad, Jim. Jim, Rose, this is Dr. Paul Kirkland. He was Mike's foster father and he's a psychologist. I called him to see if he might be able to help Max figure out what's going on." "Well, what is going on?" Rose asked. "Let's all sit down, first." I led the way to the living room and once everyone had taken a seat, I told the story again of what had happened at Walmart this morning. I did my best to remember every detail, leaving out only the name of the Mueller's. "Do you know this couple, Tom?" Paul asked. "Unfortunately, we do. They were the foster parents for Joey and Alex." "Oh, you mean the Mu..." "Stop! I don't want to hear the name. It just pisses me off even more every time I hear it, knowing they're somehow the cause for Max's problem. I don't know how I know that, but I do. Maybe it's my cop's intuition, but whatever it is, I know." "Mr. and Mrs. Sanders, have you ever seen this type behavior from Max before?" "Never," Rose answered. "Our son is the kindest, gentlest person I know. He doesn't have a violent bone in his body." "I hate to ask this next question, but it's important for when I talk to Max." "Go ahead," Jim said. "Has he ever displayed any signs of or have you seen him torturing or killing small animals or insects?" "God, no!" Jim exclaimed. "Good. I'm glad to hear that." Paul turned to me and asked, "Okay, Tom, why don't you go see if you can wake Max? I think I've got everything I need to know for now. I'll leave it up to Max to fill in the blanks." "I'll try, Paul. Do you want me bring him out here?" "No, I think we'd be better off to have this conversation in private." "Okay, I'll be back." I headed back to our bedroom, quietly opened the door, stepped through and closed the door behind me. I moved to the bed and sat on the edge, brushing my babe's hair off his forehead as I did. He looked so peaceful in his sleep and I hated to disturb him, but I needed him awake to talk to Paul. Maybe we could find out what's going on in his mind. "Max, babe, can you wake up, please? Somebody's here to talk to you." "Huh, what's going on? Why am I in bed? We've got a party to get ready for." "Not yet, we don't, babe. I called Paul Kirkland to come out and talk to you, see if we can figure out what happened this morning." "We don't have time for that, Tom. We gotta get ready for our parents and the others who are coming." "Not until you talk to Paul, babe. Please," I begged. "Oh, fine, let's get this over with. We don't have time for this shit today." "Thank you, babe. I appreciate you doing this. Stay here and I'll send Paul in." I left the bedroom and walked back to the living room to get Paul. When I rejoined the others, I said "Okay, Paul, he's awake. He's not happy I'm making him talk to you, but he's waiting for you. Down the hall over there and through the double doors on the right." "Thanks, Tom. I'll be back as soon as I can, folks. It's all up to Max, now." He turned and disappeared down the hall. "What can we do, Tom?" Rose asked. "We bought decorations and stuff for the party and they're on the kitchen counter. If you don't mind, would you please do what you can to make this house look like we're having a party here tonight. Until I know what's going on with Max, I can't think about anything else." "Consider it done, Son," Jim responded as he stood up and patted me on the shoulder. Jim and Rose disappeared into the kitchen and got busy putting up banners, blowing up balloons, and setting up everything they could. When they came back to the living room, Jim said, "Okay, Tom, that's all set up and done. What were you planning to do supper before the party? We could get started on that." "If I remember it right, I think Joey and Alex asked for mac & cheese, so that won't take long to do. We'll probably have to make more than usual with you two and my parents being here for supper, also." "I wondered if you'd called them, also," Rose commented. "We could always grill some hot dogs to go with the mac & cheese. That way you wouldn't have make more." "Good idea, Rose," Jim agreed. "Of course, it is, it's one of mine and I don't have bad ideas," she laughed. "Whatever, dear." The conversation slowly tapered off to silence as we waited patiently to hear from Paul. About an hour later, we heard the drive sensor ding three times, announcing the boys were home from school and waiting in the shelter. Before any of us could move, it dinged again. A minute later, as I was pulling on my coat, the front door opened to reveal my mom and dad standing there, surrounded by the fantastic five. "Look what we found," dad called out as they stepped inside. "Five perfectly good boys, tossed to the side of the road like trash, I assume out the window of a fast-moving car." "Grampa, nobody tossed us out a window, we just got off the bus," Mike giggled. "Oh, sorry Mike, my mistake," he responded, ruffling Mike's hair. "Mama, Papa, you're here already, too," Joey hollered as he ran through the living room to give them hugs. Of course, he was followed by the other four in a mad dash to see who could give the best hug. Another half hour passed with the boys chattering away with our parents while we waited for some sign of Paul. Alex had come to sit with me and quietly asked, "Pops, where's dad? I'm feeling like something bad has happened." "He's in our room talking to Dr. Kirkland about something. He'll join us in a bit." I whispered in response. After what seemed forever, Paul finally came back to the living room. Mike was the first to react to his presence as he nonchalantly said, "Oh, hi, Mr. Kirkland," and then turned back to his conversation with Rose. When it finally clicked in Mike's brain who was here, he jumped up, ran over to Paul and wrapped his arms around his legs, squealing with delight. "What're you doin' here? How's Mrs. Kirkland? I miss you all bunches." "We miss you, too, Mike. How are you doing?" "I'm great, sir. We're a having a party tonight for Alex and Joey's birthday. Are you here for that?" "No, Mike, I'm here for another reason. Listen, I know you all have a lot to talk about and a party later, but I need to talk to the adults privately for a bit. Would you boys mind going to your rooms for a little bit and watch TV or play a game?" The boys truly lived up to their `fantastic five' moniker at that moment as they stood as one and headed down the hall to their bedrooms without complaint or question. As the last one to make the turn down the hall, Alex said knowingly, "Let us know when we can come back." I nodded my acknowledgement of his intuition and turned to face Paul who had taken a seat facing the five of us. He looked very solemn and troubled and I was terrified about what he was going to tell us. "Paul, before you start, you should know the other couple here are my parents, Bill and Estelle. Mom, Dad, Dr. Paul Kirkland." "Hi, there. Nice to meet you, wish it could be under better circumstances." Paul received nods of acknowledgement from my mom and dad, but they remained seated. Then Paul continued, "First, if Max hadn't given me his permission to discuss this with you, I couldn't, due to doctor/patient confidentiality. He reluctantly did so because, as much as he feels this is his problem alone, he also understands you need to know what's going on, and he just isn't ready to do that himself. We have a real problem on our hands, folks, and I don't think Max is ready to deal with this on his own. He's going to need all the love and support he can get from all you." "What's going on Paul?" I nervously asked. "We talked for a while to get things started, but I could feel he was holding something back. I finally got him to agree to hypnosis to try to find the root of his problem. What we discovered under hypnosis is shocking, to say the least. Do the names Frank and Iris Mueller many anything to the rest of you besides Tom, because I know you know them?" "Well, yeah," Jim answered. My eyes widened in shock that Jim could know these people. "And how do you know them, Jim?" "They're members of our church, have been for years. And they used to teach Sunday school to the kids who were in their early teens." "Yeah, that fits with what Max said," Paul intoned. He took a deep breath and continued, "Okay, there's no easy way to tell you this, so I'm just going to say it. Frank Mueller raped Max repeatedly at the church." "What the hell are you talking about!?" Jim yelled. "Oh my god," Rose gasped. I could do nothing but bury my face in my hands and cry. "From what he told me, it sounds like Frank somehow discovered Max was gay. Frank then tried to convince Max he really wanted to be straight by showing him what being gay would be like in the worst and most painful way he could. Best I can determine at this moment, the abuse started shortly after Max turned thirteen and continued almost weekly until Max quit going to church. He quit, of course, because of the repeated abuse. During all those assaults, Frank and Iris repeatedly made comments about Max being the `spawn of the beast' and that he had to have `666 tattooed on him' somewhere since he was a faggot. Frank would also tell Max he was driving Satan out of him as he raped him." "Oh, god," I moaned, "that's what the two of them said about the twins this morning. That's when Max lost control and was going to rip Frank's head off." "I'm not done yet, Tom. Believe it or not, it gets worse. Max also told me that, as another way to convince him that he really wasn't gay, Frank forced him to have intercourse with his wife, Iris. I'm assuming, in their twisted minds, they somehow thought if Max saw how pleasurable sex with a woman was, he would never want to have sex with a man. Again, all this happened somewhere in the church." "So why is this coming out now," I asked, desperate for information. "Basically, Max repressed the memories of the abuse, which is not uncommon in cases like this. People have a way of blocking out things that would otherwise seriously damage their minds and their sense of self-worth. I believe your recent interactions with these people have kicked open the trap door in his mind where those memories were buried. There's also a slim possibility that the workshop you all did at the school yesterday dislodged a few more barriers. From what Max said, some parts of that were pretty intense and that could have caused some unforeseen results. But, it all came to the surface this morning when the Mueller's talked about the twins the same way they'd threatened Max twenty years ago. To Max, he took their comments as a threat to repeat what they'd done to him, only this time with Joey and Alex as their victims. Max's instinct at that moment was to protect your boys at all costs." "So, why didn't he remember all that after I stopped him?" "Because it only surfaced for just a moment. As soon as you stopped him from killing Frank, and I'm sure he would have, everything he'd just felt returned to wherever he'd originally hidden it. Since it's all related to his original trauma, he reburied it almost immediately once he felt the threat to the twins had been neutralized." "Does he remember it all now?" I asked. "Unfortunately, yes. As painful as it is for Max to do so, under hypnosis, I suggested he not hide it again as it would do nothing but continue to eat away at him. He's going to be much better off dealing with it now than keeping it locked away where it could resurface again, without warning like it did this morning." "I'm gonna kill that son-of-a-bitch," Jim growled. "Paul," Rose started, "why didn't Max tell us about this so we could do something to protect him?" "Who knows? Shame, fear, disgust with himself for being gay, all of the above. You can take your pick. But, think about it this way, through his mind's eye at that age. You were all members of the same church. Max knew how the church felt about homosexuality and, by extension, how you felt about it. He obviously knew what Frank felt. I also think Frank probably threatened to tell you Max's dirty little secret. While Max didn't say this, I think he felt if he told you what was happening or if Frank told you he was gay, you just might continue the abuse at home. So, he kept his mouth shut and internalized it all. I also think that's why he left home as soon as he could and never came back to live with you like so many other young adults do." Rose looked at Jim and asked, "My god, Jim what have we done? We put our only son in that monster's care for years. We trusted him to take care of Max in those classes and look at what happened." "But we didn't know!" Jim protested. "How could we protect him from something we didn't know about?" "I don't know, but we should have done something." Bill finally spoke up and asked, "So, Dr. Kirkland, what happens next? What can we do now to help Max deal with and get through this in one piece?" "Well, the first thing I have to do is report these people to the police. I have one victim I know about and there is a good possibility there are more. Due to recent changes in the law, there's no statute of limitations on sexual abuse. I can't believe Max is the only victim of these people. The police will have to investigate and they'll be talking to all of you and other church members who might know about what was happening. What you can't do is force Max to discuss it. Max will talk about it when he's ready to and not before. He may never talk about it with anybody but a therapist, I just don't know. I will also refer Max to a different therapist to help him through this. I think, I hope, that with all your love, support and patience, he'll be fine, but it's going to take some time. There's no such thing as a `quick-fix' for a situation like this." "What should we do tonight, Paul?" I asked. "Do you think we should still have a party? It seems wrong to carry on as if nothing happened." "Oddly enough, Tom, that might be the best thing for him right now. Sure, what he's now remembered will cast a shadow over things for quite a while, but living a normal life can be very beneficial to someone who's been through what he has. The worst thing you could do is treat Max any differently than you normally would. You'll have to be the judge of how best to handle things from here on." "My old boss at the Sherriff's department will be here tonight. I'll let him know about those bastards so he can get an investigation going." "You can do that, Tom, but I still have to report it also." At that moment, Max, came into the living room, "What? You all look like you're at a damn funeral. We've got a party to get ready for." Tom jumped up and hustled over to wrap me in a crushing bear hug. "Whoa, big guy. I still need to breathe." "Max, I'm so sorry. I had no idea you were in such pain." "Don't feel bad, lover, I didn't know it either, until Paul got me to face the truth. I thought the elephant leaving my chest yesterday was a big deal. Shit, that was nothin'. Now I feel like the whole damn circus has finally moved on." "I'm glad to hear it. But we need to deal with this." "And we will, Tom, all in good time," I reassured him. "Let me go talk to our parents and then we can get back to getting ready for a birthday party." Tom and I finished the walk across the living room and sat together on the love seat with the others surrounding us, Tom holding my hand. "I guess Paul's told you all what we learned in there." "He did, Son," Jim replied, "We want you to know how sorry your mom and I are for not protecting you better." "Mom, Dad, before you go any further, what happened to me isn't your fault. How could it be? I never told you what was happening and Frank sure as hell wasn't going to, was he? I don't blame you for anything, so don't be feeling guilty about anything. You guys trusted Frank and Iris. Hell, I trusted them and look where that got me. No, the only blame here lies with those two and if it's the last thing I do, I'll see that they pay dearly for it. "All I ask from all of you right now is to first, don't say anything to the boys, especially Joey and Alex. It would kill them to know what those two pieces of shit have done to me. They'll find out in due time and I'll be the one to tell them when they're old enough to deal with it properly. "Second, let the police do their job. Tom, Dad, Bill, I know the three of you, right now, want nothing more than to drive to their house and kill them. And I don't blame you one little bit, but please don't do it. I couldn't stand to lose any of you right now. And I know I can't be the only boy those sick fuckers got their hands on. Once the cops start digging and the story gets out, more victims will come forward. And the more that do, the longer those two will be in prison. I can't think of a better punishment for the two of them than to spend the rest of their pathetic, useless lives in prison. I think Frank will be the perfect little bitch for some strapping young cellmate. Providing he doesn't get killed his first day there, not that that would bother me in the least. "Last, before y'all get overly concerned, I'm in no danger of regressing and hurting myself, so don't go worrying about that. I have way too much to live for to even think about it. Now that I know what caused my reaction this morning, I can control it and learn to live with it. And live with it, I will." "Max, please don't take this the wrong way," Estelle started, "but you seem way too calm and put together after what you just learned. Are you sure you're okay?" I gave a harsh little laugh and answered her with, "Calm, Estelle? You have no idea the effort I'm putting in right now to appear calm. I'm furious, absolutely seething with rage and hate at what those people did to me. And while that may be an appropriate response to what I've remembered, I can't and won't allow those emotions to run or ruin my life. I made a promise to myself not too long ago that I was done living with negativity. Each day is a gift and I fully intend to unwrap that gift and enjoy whatever's inside each and every day, from now until I take my very last breath, no matter how hard it may be to do so. With the love I know you all have for me and the support you'll continue to give me, my rage and hate will slowly dissipate until I no longer think about it. It'll be just a wisp of a thought that will disappear the instant I think of you and the boys." "Max, I believe you are on the right path," Paul commented. "Positivity can do remarkable things in a person's life." "I well aware of that, Paul. I've surrounded myself with positivity in the form of people I love and who love me back. I don't think I can ask for much more than that." "Max, I have one question I'd like to ask, if you don't mind?" "Now's your chance, Bill." "When you met these people at Steak `n Shake with Alex and Joey, didn't you know who they were?" "Ya know, Bill, that was the weirdest thing. As they walked up to the table, this faint glimmer of recognition flitted through my mind. You know how it is when run into somebody you haven't seen for a long time, you think `I know this person, but from where?' It was like that, and I just couldn't piece it together. Probably a good thing I didn't that night, huh? But then, it had been twenty years since I'd seen them, and I'd buried what happened so deep, who they really were just wasn't clicking. I thought I caught just a flicker of recognition from Frank, also, but I just blew that off because everywhere I go, people know who I am since my picture is on my book jackets. "Thanks, Son, I was just curious." "Well, I think I've done all I can do today," Paul commented. "I should probably head for home so I can have supper with the old ball and chain." Paul stood and headed for the front door with me following behind. As I passed the hallway, I yelled, "Mike! Get your skinny little behind in here. Mr. Kirkland is getting ready to leave." As we waited for the tornado named Mike to appear, I turned to Paul and said, "Paul, I can't thank you enough for your help today. I couldn't understand where my rage came from this morning, but now that I know the source, I can work on it." "I'm glad I was able to help, Max. I'm still going to find another therapist to work with you. I'd do it myself, but I'd much rather keep our relationship on a personal level and not a professional one." "I agree completely. You get me a name and number and I promise I'll follow up with whoever it is." I'd barely finished my sentence when Mike rounded the corner at full tilt boogie and wrapped his arms around Paul's legs again. The other four boys also returned and they joined Tom and their grandparents. "You leavin' already, Mr. Kirkland? You didn't' stay very long and we hardly got a chance to talk." "Yes, Mike, I know and I'm sorry. But Joy is going to have supper ready soon and you know she really likes it when I can be there to eat with her." "Well, you have to come back soon." "I will, Mike, I promise. We'll both come out soon, okay?" "Thanks. I love my new home and family, but I miss you guys." "We miss you, too, little one," Paul replied, kneeling down to return Mike's hug. You take care of yourself, you hear me." "I don't have to do that, sir. I got dad and pops and my brothers for that. See ya' later," he grinned. With that, Mike turned and went to join Tom, his grandparents and his brothers. "Max, I have one more thing to say before I go. Don't you, for even one second, think you're not ready to adopt those boys. You need them just as much they need you. I feel you needed to hear that." "Thank you, Paul. You have no idea what that means to me right now. I was seriously doubting that decision earlier today." "Trust your instincts and go with them. They'll rarely steer you the wrong way." "That may be, but when they do go wrong, they go way wrong." "It can happen to anybody, Max, but you've got the right attitude and a great support group over there. I have a good feeling that you're going to be just fine." "Yeah, you're right," I started, looking back at my family in the living room, "I'd have a hard time finding a better group of people than them to help." I looked back to Paul and asked, "Would you feel weird if I gave you a hug for your help today?" "Not at all, come here." Paul and I hugged for a minute and when we finally separated, there were tears running down both our faces. We ingloriously wiped our faces on our sleeves and shared a bit of a chuckle. "You're a good man, Paul Kirkland, and I'm glad I can count you among my friends." "Ditto, Max. Take care and if you need anything, call me, please." "I will. Tell Joy we said hi and we hope to see you soon." Paul waved over his shoulder as he walked down the sidewalk to his car, then climbed in and drove away. As I headed back to the living room to rejoin the rest of my family, I paused for a few seconds, just to absorb the positive vibes permeating the house at that moment and basked in the glow of warmth I was feeling in my heart thanks to those vibes. When I got out of bed this morning, full of anticipation of the new experiences I expected to experience today, that was definitely not the experience I had expected to experience. But, what the hell, that's life! When I had finally rejoined the rest of the family, I asked, "Hey didn't I hear someone say something about a party tonight or what!?" * I know this an odd thought/sentence, but it comes from something my own dad said many years ago. With both parents being teachers, our family regularly took trips during our summer break. I've been in about 40 of the 48 contiguous states thanks to those travels. Inevitably, the old man would make a wrong turn somewhere and we almost always seemed to wind up on the `wrong side of the tracks' in some god-forsaken hellhole we had no business being in. Thankfully, we always managed to return to civilization before harm could befall any of us. On one those misguided detours, as he was trying to follow the trail of breadcrumbs back to safety, he tossed out the following thought, `Just think, folks, without having this experience, you could never have the experience of telling someone else about having experienced this experience'. Or something really close to that. I do know he had the word `experience' in there at least four times and maybe more than that. Despite our location at that particular moment, some dark and foreboding industrial area of Portland, Oregon, we all found the comment to be quite hilarious, especially considering the circumstances. To this day, with him turning 88 years old earlier this year, we've never let him forget his profound statement of that night. I felt a certain compunction to share this slightly shortened version in this story. 😊

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 49</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk487050102"></a><a name="_Toc487149428"><span>Chapter 49 � Happy? Birthday</span></a></h2> <p><span>Tom's alarm announced the new day promptly at six, also waking me in the process. Though this was still his week to have early duty, I was too excited to waste a single extra moment of this day in bed. The most important one of my life so far (to me, anyway) had finally arrived, Thursday, March 13^th, Joey and Alex's first birthday with their new family. Today was sure to be filled with all sorts of new experiences and I just couldn't wait to experience them. <span>*</span> When Tom came out of the bathroom, I was standing by the bedroom door waiting for him, almost dancing because of my giddiness.</span></p> <p><span>He took one look at me and said, "Look, if you need the bathroom that bad, it's all yours, I'm done."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't need a bathroom, bubba. I'm just excited. Look, I've waited for years to celebrate my kids' birthdays and I finally get to do that today. I can't wait."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy crap, man, if you don't chill out, I'm gonna have to tie you to the bed just to keep your ass from floating away."</span></p> <p><span>"While that sure sounds like it would be a fun time, lover, today is not the day. C'mon, let's go wake `em up."</span></p> <p><span>We quietly padded across the house and stopped to wake the trio first. "C'mon guys, let's get moving." I whispered while poking them in the ribs, Tom watching in astonishment.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, that's not how you told me to wake `em up. You said to be nice and gentle and I'd get a better response."</span></p> <p><span>"Sh-h-h, they'll hear ya next door," I whispered back. "Boys, get your buns in gear. We gotta' wake up Alex and Joey and I want your help. Roll on outta' there and hit the can."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dad, we're movin'," T.J. moaned, sticking a foot out from the under covers and wiggling it around as if to prove his point. I finally got all three going and each made a quick stop in the bathroom before we motored on. "What're we doin', dads, this don't make sense."</span></p> <p><span>"It's their birthday. I want to give them a wakeup call they won't forget. I want you three to run in there and start dancin' and jumpin' all over their bed."</span></p> <p><span>"Really?" Andy asked, eyes wide open in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Really. Just don't land on `em, okay?" We'd reached their door and with my hand on the knob, I asked, "Okay, you guys ready to rumble?" Receiving three eager nods in response, I counted down and then pushed the door open. "Three, two, one, GO!" They were gone in the blink of an eye and Tom and I followed along when we could hear their wild giggles and screams as they started to pummel Alex and Joey. The twins had burrowed deep under the covers to escape the onslaught, but they were fighting a losing battle.</span></p> <p><span>Finally, from under covers I heard one of them yell, "Hey! What's the big idea!? We're tryin' to sleep here."</span></p> <p><span>"Happy Birthday, sleepyheads!" I yelled. "Time to get up!"</span></p> <p><span>Alex finally pulled the covers down far enough to expose his head, looked at me and grumbled, "Look, buster, I <i>will</i> get even for this. You better start sleepin' with one eye open."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon you two, let's get movin'," I pleaded. "It's a beautiful day and you need to enjoy every second of it. We'll see y'all in the kitchen for breakfast. Let's GO!" Tom and I left the room to get ready for our busy day, picking up the cake and shopping for birthday gifts. I could hear Joey and Alex kicking the others out of their room so they could get up. Ten minutes later, we'd reassembled in the kitchen where the boys decided on cereal for their breakfast while Tom and I had some English muffins with butter and honey.</span></p> <p><span>"You guys ready for a great day?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"What's so great about it," Joey asked. "We still gotta' go to school. Big whoop."</span></p> <p><span>"But it's your birthday. Aren't you just a little bit excited?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really," Alex replied. "It's just another day to us, dad. Besides, the party's Saturday."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, the Mueller's never did anything for our birthdays," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"Good thing we're not Mueller's, then. Or do you want us to forget about cake, ice cream and presents tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, if we're not having a party tonight," Tom began, "we better call our parents and tell `em they can stay home tonight. And I guess they can return whatever presents they got. Maybe they can buy something for themselves."</span></p> <p><span>"Better call Carol, Dylan, Lee and Carl and tell them, too," I commented as I continued his thought. "No sense in them wastin' their time comin' out if we're not havin' a party." By this time, Joey and Alex's eyes had reached saucer-size and their mouths were wide open. "Close your mouths, you two, you're gonna start catchin' flies," I snickered.</span></p> <p><span>"Really!? They're all <i>really</i> comin' out, <i>just</i> for <i>our</i> birthday," Alex exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"We thought you was just kiddin' `bout that," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, I <i>never</i> kid about a party. Of course, they'll all be here tonight. The party Saturday is just for your friends from school. Whatever made you think I wasn't serious about tonight's family party?"</span></p> <p><span>"Like I said, the Muellers never did nothin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess we just thought that's what everyone did on their birthdays, nothin."</span></p> <p><span>"Not in this family, boys. We <i>celebrate</i>! Now, get happy, let's see at least a little bit of excitement." Joey and Alex looked at each other in surprise, then laid their heads on each other's shoulder and started crying. Startled at this development, I walked around the counter, wrapped an arm around each of them and asked, "What's wrong, guys? You should be happy."</span></p> <p><span>Alex looked up at me, tears streaming down his cheeks, and whimpered, "We <i>are</i> happy, dad, happier than we can ever remember."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you sure have a funny way of showin' it."</span></p> <p><span>"We both <i>know</i> our real mom and dad loved us," Joey cried, "but we can't <i>remember</i> it."</span></p> <p><span>"And the Mueller's never cared about <i>us</i>," Alex continued, "they just wanted the stinkin' <i>money</i>."</span></p> <p><span>They looked at each other again and Alex whispered to Joey, "We got a lot to learn `bout bein' in a <i>real</i> family, bro'," receiving a nod in agreement. I signaled Tom to give me a paper towel. After he handed it to me, I dried both faces. </span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for findin' us and givin' a real family, dad," Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"And we're glad you're a part of it. Life would be awfully boring around here without you two." I gave each another hug and added, "Look, we better get moving or we're going to miss the bus. All of you, get your bowls rinsed and in the sink. The stuff in the dishwasher is clean and I haven't emptied it yet. Then, get your packs and coats and we'll meet up in the car." The boys disappeared into their rooms. When I turned to collect Tom so we could get ready to go, I noticed his eyes were just as red as Joey and Alex's. "C'mon, softy, I was includin' us in that."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, just a minute," he replied as he ripped another paper towel off the roll and dried his own eyes. Once he'd done that and forced a smile on his face, he said, "Okay, I'm ready."</span></p> <p><span>"Ya sure, big guy? If you're too emotional to deal with this today, I can do it myself," I snickered.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, would you shut the hell up and get moving? Time's a wastin' and we're gonna be late to meet the bus." He took the lead and as we walked through the house, he added, "I fuckin' hate those fuckin' lowlifes. Four years without even acknowledging their birthday. There ought to be a fuckin' law against shit like that. You better hope I never see them again, `cause if I do, you're gonna have to bail my ass outta jail."</span></p> <p><span>When we'd reached the end of the drive, I decided to wait for the bus to arrive since we weren't going back to the house. As I saw the bus lumbering up the road, everybody got out of the car and we made sure we got our hugs before the boys ran to climb on. With my usual reminder to `learn something new today', I received four waves and a rather loud `yeah, whatever' from the fantastic five as they headed off to join their peers for the ride to school. </span></p> <p><span>About halfway to the bus, Alex suddenly stopped, turned around and ran back to us. He wrapped us is a quick hug and said, "Thanks, again, dads. I love you both." Before we could respond, he was off, again, running to join his brothers. After a quick wave to Carl, Tom and I headed to town to take care of our shopping and other errands.</span></p> <p><span>On the way to town, I realized I still hadn't gotten the cashier's check I needed to pay for the new Flex, so the bank was our first stop. As I pulled into the parking lot, Tom asked, "What're we doing here? You gonna rob the place to pay for stuff today."</span></p> <p><span>"No, we need to get the cashier's check for the new car. It's supposed to be here tomorrow and I don't want to have to deal with this while trying to take Andy to the doctor <i>and</i> picking up the new car. Why don't you come in with me?"</span></p> <p><span>"What, you need a guard? Afraid somebody'll mug your sorry ass on the way out the door?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I want to get you added as a signatory on my accounts."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, don't you think it's a little early for that? I mean, we're not even married yet."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what's that got to do with it? We might as well take care of it since we're both here. Besides, you're not changing your last name when we <i>are</i> married, are you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hm-m-m, hadn't thought about that. Mr. Thomas Sanders? Not too sure I like the sound of that. Ooh, wait, how `bout `Mr. Thomas Wright-Sanders?" he asked, giggling. "Yeah, now <i>that,</i> I could get used to. I've always wanted a hyphen, makes you sound like a sophisticate. But, wait a sec," he paused thoughtfully, "why should <i>I</i> change my name, why don't <i>you</i> change yours?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because, bonehead, I'm a rich and famous author, remember. <i>We</i> don't change our names for anyone." We both broke up in laughter as we walked into the bank, earning several confused stares from the other customers and employees. As we walked to a teller to get the check, I realized I'd forgotten the note I'd written the total on and made a quick call to Herb to make sure I remembered the amount correctly. As luck would have it, the car had arrived early this morning and Herb said I could pick it up any time. With check in hand, we next met with a personal banker to get Tom's name added to my accounts and safety deposit box. After we had signed all the cards and forms we needed to, Tom leaned over and gave me a kiss, receiving a look of surprise from the person who'd helped us.</span></p> <p><span>Before we left the bank to continue our errands, I asked to speak to the bank's President for a moment. After waiting a few minutes, we were led into her expansive and beautifully furnished office and she stood to receive us.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Mr. Sanders. Always a pleasure. How are you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm doing great, Joy. How are you this bright and beautiful day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not too bad, thanks for asking. Of course, I'd be doing a whole lot better if all the money in that vault out there were actually mine," she laughed. "What can I do for you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"First, I'd like you to introduce my fianc�, Tom Wright."</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Mr. Wright. Nice to meet you," she replied, extending a hand which Tom grasped and gave a perfunctory shake before retaking his seat.</span></p> <p><span>"I've just added him to all my accounts and safety deposit box. I'd like to get a new debit card for him, also. And, I need to make sure that he won't have any problems with accessing our accounts should something happen to me."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, what the hell!?" Tom asked. He turned to Joy to apologize for his outburst. "I'm sorry Joy, but we haven't talked about this at all. I'm just surprised." He turned back to me and added, "Really, man, what are you talking about? I've told you, I don't want your money."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, if something happens to me, you need to be able to take care of our sons. It's just that simple. I need to talk to James about drawing up a new will and I'll take care of that next week, but I'm just trying to be prepared and make sure our boys are taken care of."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, thank god for that, I guess. This whole thing makes me uncomfortable."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that, Tom." I turned back to Joy and continued. "So, we won't have any problems, will we?"</span></p> <p><span>"We won't. Unless, of course, Mr. Wright is the cause of your untimely demise," she giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I'm glad to hear it. Next, I haven't checked for a while, can you look and tell me the balances in my checking and savings accounts?"</span></p> <p><span>She got busy with her computer and finally answered, "After deducting for the cashier's check you just picked up, you have $156,732.56 in checking and $641,985.12 in the savings. Your royalty checks from your publisher are still coming into the savings account and when the checking gets below $100,000.00, we automatically transfer from savings to bring it back up to $250,000.00, as you requested."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I don't see any reason to change that, do you, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, I don't know, Max," he replied sarcastically. "You may want to bump it up to $200,000 and half a mill. Five boys can go through an awful lot in a week." He waved a hand in disgust and turned his head away to look out the window as Joy laughed aloud.</span></p> <p><span>I looked back to Joy and calmly said, "I think we'll leave it the way it is for right now. But I still want to get the new debit card. Can you do that for us now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Certainly, Mr. Sanders. Give me just a few minutes." She turned her attention to Tom and asked, "What would you like to use for a PIN, Mr. Wright?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't care," he grumbled. "Just make somethin' up." Joy rapidly left her office to obtain the card.</span></p> <p><span>"You want to tell me what crawled up your ass and died?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"NO!"</span></p> <p><span>"I thought we'd settled this problem, Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"I thought so, too, but I'm still having issues with it, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know. I've worked my ass off since I got out of high school and in all that time, I haven't <i>earned</i> what you have in a damn savings account. And that doesn't even scratch the surface."</span></p> <p><span>"Pure luck, bubba. All the money in the world doesn't mean a damn thing to me without you and the boys to share it with."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, but that still doesn't make it any easier to accept."</span></p> <p><span>"Would it be easier for you if I gave it all away?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you dare. You earned it, fair and square, and you deserve to do what you want with it. It's not your fault I'm havin' a hard time adjustin' to bein' rich. I'll get used to it eventually, but it's gonna take me some time."</span></p> <p><span>"You have the rest of your life to get used to it, okay," I grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, but I hope it won't take me that long," Tom smiled back.</span></p> <p><span>Joy returned and hesitantly asked, "Everything okay in here?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're fine, Joy. Tom just feels weird about how much money I have."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm tryin' to deal with it, but I'm having a hard time."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Mr. Wright, I wish I had some sage advice I could share, but I'm afraid we're a wee bit out of my league on this one. The best recommendation I can give you on the spur of the moment is to just sit back and enjoy the ride," she laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks Joy, that was ever so helpful," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"I do what I can, sir." She handed Tom the new debit card and added, "Here's your new card, Mr. Wright. The PIN code we selected is 9653. If you'd like something different, just let me know and I'll be happy to set it to whatever you'd like."</span></p> <p><span>"No, that's fine," Tom replied as he slipped the new card into his wallet.</span></p> <p><span>"Anything else I can help you two with today?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, Joy," I answered, "I think that's everything we needed. Thanks for your help and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day."</span></p> <p><span>"I will, thanks. Oh, and congratulations on the wedding. I wish you nothing but happiness for your future."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Joy," Tom replied. "Again, sorry for the outburst."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, Mr. Wright. Sudden wealth almost always causes unexpected reactions from people."</span></p> <p><span>As we climbed into the car to head to our next stop, I asked, "We good, bubba?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'm getting' there, slowly but surely. What's our next stop?"</span></p> <p><span>"Might as well pick up the new car since it's here. Doesn't make sense to load this one up and then move it all later, does it?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I guess not. And it saves us a stop tomorrow. Let's go see Herb, then."</span></p> <p><span>When I pulled into the dealership's lot, I parked in front of the rental office to return the car. After settling my bill with them, we headed deeper into the building to find Herb. We finally found him in his office behind a desk covered with numerous deep piles of paper.</span></p> <p><span>I stuck my head in the door and commented, "I hope you never have an avalanche in here, it'd take a week to dig you out."</span></p> <p><span>Herb raised his head and when he saw who was there, he yelled, "Max, Tom, how's my favorite customers?"</span></p> <p><span>"Doing great, Herb, how `bout yourself?"</span></p> <p><span>"Busier than a one-legged man at a butt-kickin' contest, as usual. Come on in and have a seat. You ready to order that Shelby?" he joked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, please, don't get him started," I replied, pointing to Tom. "We already have four cars for two drivers and the Flex will make it five. I don't think we really need to add number six to the stables right now."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, you know, it's my opinion that one can never have too many cars."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm well aware of that particular kink in your psyche, Herb, but a man's got to know his limitations."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you think, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm with Herb on this one," he answered while looking at me and then turned to Herb and asked, "By the way, do you take debit cards here?" I looked at Tom with surprise on my face.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. I'll take just about any form of payment except for livestock."</span></p> <p><span>"Great, I just got a brand new one I'm dyin' to try out to make sure it's real. Just out of curiosity, what's a new Shelby going for these days?" Tom asked with a sly wink to Herb.</span></p> <p><span>To his credit, Herb didn't miss a beat as he answered, "Well, they start at about fifty-five grand and you can go up to almost seventy depending on the options. What color you thinkin' about?"</span></p> <p><span>"I kinda partial to the dark blue with the white stripes I've seen in some pictures."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent choice, Tom. Now, will that be a cash sale or do I need to arrange for some financing?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no, strictly a cash deal. I'm a rich guy, now, ya know," Tom laughed. Herb could no longer maintain a straight face and cracked up laughing along with Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, you two, can we get down to some real business? We've got a lot to do today and don't have much time to get it all done and still be home before the boys return from school."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoops, sorry, Max, just give me a moment to grab your file. I know it's here somewhere." He rummaged through the top of the desk first and when that proved unsuccessful, started digging through his desk drawers. "Aha, there you are," he exclaimed as he pulled a file from the bottom drawer. He opened it up and started spreading even more papers across his desk while saying, "I'm going to need your signatures on these where I've circled. And, of course, a cashier's check." After I signed the pages, I slid them over to Tom so he could do the same. When we'd both signed everything, Herb asked, "Do you want personalized plates or whatever's next in line?"</span></p> <p><span>I looked to Tom and after receiving a shrug of indifference, I turned back to Herb and said, "How about `SW RANCH'? I think that would be perfect and it suits us to a tee." Tom gave a little snicker of understanding at my choice of plate.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll add that request to the paperwork for the Secretary of State and you should have the new plates in about a month." He reached out, cradling the keys, and added, "Here's the keys to your new Flex. As long as it's in your pocket, all you have to do is hit the start button on the dash. The car locks and unlocks automatically as you walk away from or to it. I hope it will give many years of good service and you and your boys enjoy it."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Herb, I'm sure we will." I turned to Tom, handed him one of the keys and asked, "Why don't you go find somebody to bring the car around? I need to talk to Herb for a moment before we go."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, I'll be waiting outside with it," he responded as he eagerly grabbed the offered key and skipped out of the office.</span></p> <p><span>When he was out of earshot, I turned back to Herb and said, "Okay, time for some serious business, Herb. You know that Shelby you two were just talking about, tryin' to give me a heart attack? Get it ordered, with all available options."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure about that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right, I am. And not a word to Tom. It's going to be my wedding present to him."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hell, Max, you aren't, by any chance, considering having a second husband, are you? I could use a new Shelby, too," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Herb, but, as tempting a catch as you might be, you're not my type, bein' as your straight and all," I laughed. "Besides, I think I can only handle one husband at a time."</span></p> <p><span>"You remember it takes longer to get a Shelby than a regular car, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know the drill, Ford builds the car and then sends it to Shelby out in Vegas for them to do their work on it. No rush, though, the wedding not until May 17."</span></p> <p><span>"That's only two months and four days from now! There's no way we're going to get it in time."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, you will, I'll make sure of it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'll place the factory order this afternoon and put a rush on it. That'll help, but I can't even begin to guess what Shelby's schedule will be."</span></p> <p><span>"You just get the car ordered and I'll take care of the rest, Herb."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm on it, Max. And my lips are sealed. Thanks for the business. Hope you guys have a great day and wish the boys a happy birthday for me."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do that. Thanks for everything. Oh, by the way, don't forget that donation we discussed, they can really use the help."</span></p> <p><span>"Already done and your name is in no way connected with it."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Herb." I stood to leave, shook Herb's hand and said, "Always a pleasure, my friend." I headed out to locate Tom and our new Flex. It didn't take long to find the bright red car with the black roof sitting right outside the front door. Tom was happily ensconced in the driver's seat and busy playing with something on the dash, so he didn't see me coming. I slipped into the back seat and cried, "Home, James!"</span></p> <p><span>He spun around and retorted, "Get your ass up here. I ain't nobody's chauffer." After I'd moved around to the front passenger seat and buckled my seatbelt, Tom asked, "Where to, boss?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't we hit Walmart first to get the Nerf guns Mike wants to give the Alex and Joey? Then we can swing by Barnes and Noble to get the puzzle books for Andy's gift to them." Tom started driving as we continued our conversation.</span></p> <p><span>"What about the picture frame for T.J., where do you want to look for that?"</span></p> <p><span>"We could probably get something cheap at Walmart, but I'd like to find something of a better quality. I think Jeffery Alans further in on Wabash will be a good place to find something nice."</span></p> <p><span>"What are you getting them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you mean what are <i>we</i> getting them? I was thinking about new bikes. None of the boys came to us with one and I think every growing boy needs a good bike. What do you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's a helluva lot better than anything I've thought of. Where are we gonna get those? Walmart?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, there a good locally-owned bike shop on MacArthur across from Town &amp; Country Shopping Center. Whatever we get there may cost a little more than it would at Walmart, but it'll be a better bike."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to me," he replied as he pulled into the parking lot for Walmart. "Hey, while we're here, we should probably get some general food to fill out the pantry a bit. I've noticed we're starting to run out of some things." "</span></p> <p><span>"Good thinking. Let's find the Nerf guns first, then we'll swing through the grocery section." As we turned the corner into the Nerf aisle, I was stunned at the wide assortment and variety of the things available. After about fifteen minutes, we finally settled on a couple of medium sized guns for Alex and Joey and some slightly smaller ones for the other three. We almost got a couple extras for ourselves so we could join in the fun, but we resisted that temptation. We did, however, remember to get several packs of refill darts. According to Tom, there's no such thing as having too much ammo. Once those selections were settled, we headed to the grocery side of the store, passing through the cards, wrap and party items area. </span></p> <p><span>With wrap, cards and everything else we needed party-wise for tonight, it was on to the grocery section to replenish some food supplies. We started at the back of the store and worked our way forward so we'd be close the checkouts when we were done. We were about halfway to the front of the store when we turned into the bread aisle. Tom abruptly stopped moving and I ran into him with the cart.</span></p> <p><span>He turned to face me and said, "No. Turn around right now and pick a different aisle or I'm going to jail. And that ain't happenin' today." I looked around him and saw the reason he changed his mind about getting bread. Damn, what do we have to do to get away from those vile human beings? I made a quick U-turn and we headed to the deli area to get some Virginia Baked Ham so we could have grilled ham and cheese for supper tomorrow night. "Hey, I'm gonna run back across the store to get a small cooler chest for the car. I'll be back in a few minutes." With that, Tom disappeared while I waited in the line at the deli. </span></p> <p><span>As I waited, I was dismayed to see the Mueller's getting closer and closer. When it became obvious they were headed for the deli, also, I thought about leaving the area and going back to pick up the bread we'd bypassed. But then I thought, fuck it, I have just as much right to shop at Walmart as they do and I stayed right where I was. And I didn't want to lose my place in the deli line, either. When they finally joined the line with me, Iris was the first to notice who was in front of them.</span></p> <p><span>"Frank, look, it's that pervert."</span></p> <p><span>I turned around as if I were innocently looking around and when my eyes finally settled on them, I said in my most polite voice, "Well, good morning, Frank and Iris. How are you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"What do you care?" Frank hatefully hissed. "What the hell are you doing in our store?"</span></p> <p><span>"<i>Your</i> store?" I asked in mock surprise. "Oh, please forgive me, I didn't know you two owned a Walmart."</span></p> <p><span>"You know what I mean, fag. Now, answer my damn question," Frank demanded.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you really must know, today is Joey and Alex's ninth birthday and we're here to get some things we need for their party tonight. I'm not surprised you don't remember that since you never did anything to commemorate the event for the four years they lived with you."</span></p> <p><span>"Those little faggots can't have a <i>birth</i>day since they're the evil spawn of the beast," Frank responded.</span></p> <p><span>"I bet if you shaved those little blonde heads, you find 666 tattooed under those mops somewhere," Iris added helpfully.</span></p> <p><span>"Ya know, I'm getting really tired of you two. I've tried to be polite to you and you simply refuse to return the favor."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, big deal. What the hell you gonna do about it, pussy? You gonna run and tell your mommy and daddy we were mean to you? Gonna tell your daddy to come beat me up?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, Frank, I don't need to tell anybody anything. I'm gonna take care of the problem my own damn self," I answered as I left the cart and took two steps towards him. I'd balled my right hand into a fist and just before that fist found Frank's nose, it was halted mid-flight by a much stronger arm.</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, Sugar Ray!" Tom yelled, breaking my rage-induced trance. "Go back to our cart and don't move, Max. Right now!" I meekly turned and followed his order. Frank was standing in shock at my violent outburst and Iris was yelling for security. Tom hissed, "Frank, Iris, walk away, now."</span></p> <p><span>"NO!" Iris screamed. "That bastard assaulted my husband and I want to press charges."</span></p> <p><span>"Iris, let me explain the law to you. Max would had to have actually touched Frank for there to have been an assault. That didn't happen. It was close, yes, but no actual contact, so no assault."</span></p> <p><span>Security finally arrived and wanted to know what going on.</span></p> <p><span>"That man right there assaulted my husband and I want him arrested right now!" Iris screamed.</span></p> <p><span>"Ma'am," the guard replied calmly, "If you don't calm down and quit screaming, I'm going to have to ask you to leave the store." The guard turned to Tom asked, "Did you see what happened, sir?"</span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, no, I was just coming back after picking up this cooler," he answered, lifting the cooler for the guard to see. "I <i>was</i> able to prevent the situation from escalating, though."</span></p> <p><span>"I thank you for that." The guard turned to the other shoppers in the deli area and asked, "Did anybody here see what happened." The lady in line in front of me raised her hand and nodded. "Thank you, ma'am, may I talk with you for a moment over here, please?" he asked waving his hand to a spot away from the rest of us.</span></p> <p><span>"Certainly." The two stepped several feet away and became involved in a very hushed but animated discussion as Tom rejoined me at the cart.</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell was that, Max?" Tom whispered angrily.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know."</span></p> <p><span>"What the fuck you mean you don't know?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just that, Tom, I don't know. One moment I was just standing here and the next I was ready to beat the ever-loving shit out that sanctimonious motherfucker. I've never done anything like that before," I ended, shaking my head in disbelief at my actions.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, don't move. Can you just stand here and do nothing while I try to keep your ass from getting arrested?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think so. I'll try, anyway." I stood in a very confused daze as Tom turned to Frank and Iris.</span></p> <p><span>"Frank, are you okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell do you care, fag?"</span></p> <p><span>"Frank, despite what think of me personally, I care about all people. I just want to make sure you're not hurt in any way."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I'm not hurt. That little pussy boyfriend of yours couldn't hurt me no matter how hard he tried. He never could."</span></p> <p><span>At that moment, the guard and lady shopper separated and we heard him say, "Thank you ma'am, I'm sorry you had to be a witness to such appalling behavior." The guard returned to us and began talking to the Mueller's before Tom and me. "Excuse, me folks, I'm sorry for what happened here and I intend to see that it never happens again in this store."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, officer," Frank replied. "I do hope you can keep those kinds of people out of this store in the future," he continued, angrily shaking his finger at us.</span></p> <p><span>"What? I'm sorry, sir, you misunderstood my meaning. According to my witness, and what I just heard with my own ears, it was you two who instigated this entire incident with the way you spoke to this gentleman. I hate to inform you of this, but you two are no longer welcome in this store. Please leave your cart where it is, leave the premises immediately and never return. We'll take care of the items in your cart."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!?" Iris screamed like a banshee in heat. "<i>They're</i> the problem! <i>He</i> was going to hurt my husband! He needs to be in jail! They're both faggots who shouldn't be allowed around <i>normal</i> people!"</span></p> <p><span>"Ma'am, that's exactly the type of incendiary language that caused our problem today. And we won't allow that to continue. Please, leave now, before I'm forced to call the police to have them remove you." After the Mueller's stormed off in a huff, the guard finally turned to us. "Please accept my apologies and the store's apologies for what has happened here today, sirs. We certainly don't tolerate that type of behavior in this store. Is there anything I can do for you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, thank you." Tom answered. "We're just about done with our shopping, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Before you go, can I talk to you for a minute, sir?" the guard asked Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure." Tom turned to me and said, "Go ahead and get the ham, Max, we'll be right over there," pointing to a spot about fifteen feet away. As they walked away, I was still struggling with what I was about to do Frank. <i>Where the hell did that come from? That's NOT who I am. Or is it? I don't think I know, anymore.</i></span></p> <p><span>"What did you want to talk to me about?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Sir, I hesitate to get involved in personal matters, but I assume the other gentleman is your partner."</span></p> <p><span>"He is."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, please don't take this the wrong way, but is he okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Now, that's a damn good question," I answered, scratching my head. "This is the first time I've ever seen something like that happen."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I want to let you know that I was in the security office and watched the whole thing develop on the monitors in there. I even backed up the video to watch it again before coming out here just to make sure I didn't miss something. I've never seen anything like it before, and I work here, for God's sake. Your partner was just standing there, looking around as most shoppers will do as they wait their turn. When he saw who was standing in line behind him, he immediately curled his right hand into a fist. I could see he and the couple were talking to each other, but I couldn't hear what was being said. Then, from out of nowhere, your partner stepped forward and took the swing that you, thankfully, stopped."</span></p> <p><span>"When you talked to the other lady, did she tell you what was said?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"She said your partner just said hello and the couple immediately got loud and very verbally abusive. It appears the last thing they said was something about someone being the `spawn of the beast' and having `666 tattooed on their scalps'. It was at that point, your partner, for lack of a better word, snapped."</span></p> <p><span>"We've had a few run-ins with them before. Let's just say we're not friends."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, whatever the history may be between y'all, I think you really need to find some counseling for your partner and try to figure what happened here. It sounds to me like today was an aberration, but better safe than sorry."</span></p> <p><span>"I agree and thank you for your concern. I also appreciate you telling me what was said. It makes it a little easier for me to understand his reaction. Thanks for your help today."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, sir, I wish you two the best of luck sorting this out."</span></p> <p><span>I had just gotten the ham and was rejoining Tom as the security person walked away. "What was that all about?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We'll talk about it when we get home, babe. Are you okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think so. I still don't know what really happened."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll tell you about it, later. Let's finish our shopping here and move on. We have several more stops to make and lots to do at home before the boys come home from school." </span></p> <p><span>Our next stop was Barnes and Noble for the number puzzle books. We picked up a couple Sudoku books for Andy's gift to the twins and a few other number puzzle books to be stashed for the future. Next up was Jeffery Alans to find a good picture frame for T.J.'s gift. We finally settled on a nice solid wood frame that would hold eight pictures, knowing we had more than enough pictures to fill it. </span></p> <p><span>Next on our hit list was the bike shop to pick out two bikes. We went to Ace Bicycle Shop where I'd bought my own bike some years before. After perusing the selection for a bit and receiving some good advice from a very helpful employee, we selected two bikes that were identical except for the colors. Unfortunately, we didn't know what each boys' favorite color is, but we hoped they'd be happy with our selections. It was a bit of a struggle to get both assembled bikes in the car with all our other purchases, but after some careful rearranging, we managed to accomplish the feat.</span></p> <p><span>Our last stop before we could return home was to pick up the birthday cake. After letting the car's navigation system direct us, we finally located the bakery. When the cake was brought out for inspection, we decided it was perfect. Assuming, of course, the boys liked the Transformers. I guess we'd get that answer when they saw it tonight. The cake was placed into a box for the trip home and carefully placed in the car to keep it from sliding around. We could only hope nothing among the other stacks in the back of the car would fall on it. The one funny thing throughout all our shopping was Tom's use of his new debit card at each stop. I was happy that he seemed to be enjoying spending money without worry as he grinned wildly with every swipe of the card. </span></p> <p><span>Upon our return home, we unloaded the car, stashing the bikes and other gifts in our bedroom. The food, of course went into the pantry or fridge and the party supplies were left on the kitchen counter. When that was all done, I made a quick call to my insurance agent to get the new Flex added to my policy and ensure Tom was listed as a driver for all the cars. When we finally sat down to relax for a bit before the boys returned home, I was drained, both physically <i>and</i> mentally.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay," I started, looking at Tom, "Tell me what the hell happened at Wally World. The last thing I remember clearly was seeing the Mueller's in the bread aisle and we made an abrupt about face to avoid them."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we headed to the deli to get ham and while you waited in line there, I zipped back across the store to grab a small cooler. You remember that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Vaguely, yes. What happened next?"</span></p> <p><span>"Most of this I got from the security guy, so it may not be complete, but hopefully it'll jog your memory. Apparently, the Mueller's got in the deli line behind you. You turned around and saw them and immediately made a fist with your right hand. The three of you then had some sort of conversation during which they said something about `spawn of the beast' and `666 tattooed on their scalps'. It was at that point, you decided you were Sugar Ray Leonard or Michael Spinks and were going to punch Frank. I got back just in time to stop you from blasting him square in the face and probably breaking his nose."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, god, I remember it now. The `beast' thing and that `666' bullshit is what set me off. But I don't know why."</span></p> <p><span>"How'd that come about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I tried to be polite just by saying hi and asking how they were. I knew it was a waste of breath, but, you know me, I felt I had to try, anyway. Then they asked what we were doing in <i>their</i> store and I told them why we were shopping, but they probably didn't remember it was Joey and Alex's birthday since they never recognized it. That's when Frank said the boys couldn't have a <i>birth</i>day since they were the spawn of the beast. Then Iris added if we shaved their heads, we'd probably find the mark of Satan tattooed there. I tell you, I've never been so fucking furious with anybody. Every little bit of anger I've felt for anybody since I was ten or twelve just burst from nowhere and I was about to rearrange that smug bastard's face." By the time I finished telling the story, my eyes were overflowing tears as I wept in self-pity and anger at my stupidity. </span></p> <p><span>Tom moved over to the couch and held my hands as he responded. "Now it makes sense to me. I just couldn't reconcile what I just saw today with what I've seen from you before, Max. I've never seen that type of reaction from you over anything and I couldn't imagine what drove you to that point."</span></p> <p><span>"I still don't get it, Tom. I've never felt like that my entire life. I could've killed that son-of-a-bitch right there and felt nothing about it except extreme pleasure at having done so. Where the hell does shit like come from?"</span></p> <p><span>"Years and years of repressed anger and pent-up hostility. I saw it several times on the job. Shit builds up over time and people just snap and lose it sometimes."</span></p> <p><span>"But, that's not me, Tom, you <i>know</i> that. I've put all that crap behind me in the past year."</span></p> <p><span>"Obviously, you haven't, babe. You've just buried it deep. And today, it came back to haunt you."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm scared, Tom. I don't know who I am anymore, not after that. I don't think I have any business adopting kids until I figure this out." I had curled up on the couch and was shivering in fear of the monster inside me. Tom embraced me with his strong and comforting arms.</span></p> <p><span>"Max, baby, you're gonna be just fine. You're still the same kind, loving guy. You just need some help to deal with your demons. And I'm going to help you through this, we all will."</span></p> <p><span>"God, I hope so. I don't what I'd do if lost all of you," I whimpered.</span></p> <p><span>"Sh-h-h, don't you worry about it. Come on, let me put you to bed, you'll feel better after a nap." Tom picked me up and carried me to our bedroom. Damn, he's strong. After undressing me, he pulled the covers up to my neck, gave me light kiss and whispered, "I love you, babe. Get some sleep. You'll be better when you wake up." I was out before he closed the bedroom door.</span></p> <p><span>Damn it, I love this guy, but what the hell am I getting myself into? I just told him I'd help him get through this, but how? And we've got a fucking party tonight to get ready for. I need some help and I need it now. </span></p> <p><span>After checking Max's phone for a number, I placed my first call.</span></p> <p><span>"Hello?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, is this Paul, the guy who used to be Mike Broadhead's foster dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, who's calling, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Paul, this is Tom Wright, Max's partner."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hi, Tom. What can I do for you today? Everything okay out there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really. I need some help and I didn't know who else to call, so I thought I'd start with you. I'm hoping you can help or, if you can't, point me in the direction of someone who can."</span></p> <p><span>"This sounds serious, Tom, what's going on?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we had a little problem today while we were out shopping." I continued to explain in as much detail as possible what had happened at Walmart. When I finally wound down, I added, "I've put Max to bed for now, but I don't know where to go from here."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, Tom, I'm not going to sugar-coat this, but you're right, you've got a problem, or rather Max does. Max sounds like he's a powder keg just waiting for someone to light the fuse. I'm sure a bulk of the problem is the rejection by his parents, but there could be other issues we're unaware of compounding the problem."</span></p> <p><span>"That's what I'm afraid of Paul, but even though I told him I'd help him get through this, whatever it is, I don't have a clue what to do."</span></p> <p><span>"You've already taken the first step by calling me. I know Max isn't a child, but it sounds like his issues stem from that time, so I think I can possibly help him. I don't have anybody else scheduled this afternoon, would it be okay if I came out and talked to him. I should be able to tell pretty quickly if this is something I can deal with or if he needs someone else."</span></p> <p><span>"Really? You'd do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I will. I consider you folks to be friends and I'm more than happy to help if I can."</span></p> <p><span>"You're a lifesaver, Paul. I can't thank you enough. How soon can you get here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Half an hour work for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect. I'll see when you get here. Thank you so much." I hung up the phone and placed my second call.</span></p> <p><span>"Wright residence," I heard as dad answered the phone.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, dad, how ya' doin?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just fine son. Tryin' to get things ready to hit the road so we can be on time for the party. What's up, you sound a bit out of sorts."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess I am, dad. Look, I hate to rush you guys, but can you get here as soon as you can?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, sure. We could be on the way in about ten minutes."</span></p> <p><span>"Great, dad, I've got a problem here and I just need some help."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be there as quick as we can, son. Hold down the fort."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, I love you both. Hurry, but be careful."</span></p> <p><span>"Always. See you soon." Time for the third call and as hard as the first two were, I was really dreading this one.</span></p> <p><span>"Hello?" Rose answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Rose, it's Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hi, Tom. We still on for a party tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"I sure as hell hope so, but I have a problem out here and I was hoping you and Jim could come out now and see if you can help me."</span></p> <p><span>"What's going on, Tom, is it a problem with one of the boys?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, something weird happened with Max today while we out shopping for the party..."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my god, don't say another word, we'll be there as fast we can."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, see you when you get here." Having called the only people I could think of, I grabbed a soda from the fridge and sat in the living room to stew in my own thoughts, wondering what the hell I needed to do next. I couldn't think about anything except for my babe sleeping in the other room. I hated to see him hurting for any reason and not be able to help him. But, I knew whatever happened today was way beyond my meager talents. I heard the drive sensor ding and got up to meet whoever had arrived. Fortunately, Paul was on the doorstep shortly after I opened the door.</span></p> <p><span>"Afternoon, Paul, thanks for coming out," I said as I let him in and closed the door.</span></p> <p><span>"Look, Tom, I'm happy to help if I can. Where's Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Still in bed, asleep, you want me to get him?" I asked while hanging his coat in the closet.</span></p> <p><span>"Not just yet. Before I talk to Max, I want you to tell me again what happened today. I want to know everything possible before I sit down with him."</span></p> <p><span>The drive sensor went off again and I said, "Let's wait a moment on that, Paul. That's probably Max's parents arriving. I called them, too, hoping they might know something that would help. Might as well tell you all the same time."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, Tom. Can I grab a drink?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, help yourself, kitchen's right over there," I replied, pointing the direction he needed to go.</span></p> <p><span>I opened the door again just as Jim and Rose climbed the two steps up to the porch. "Hi folks, thanks for getting here so quickly."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you kidding me, Tom, this is our son we're talking about," Jim responded. "If he needs help, we're going to do whatever we can."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it. Let's get your coats hung up, then we can sit and talk." While hanging up their coats, Paul returned with a can of Pepsi in his hand. "Paul, this is Max's mom, Rose and his dad, Jim. Jim, Rose, this is Dr. Paul Kirkland. He was Mike's foster father and he's a psychologist. I called him to see if he might be able to help Max figure out what's going on."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what <i>is</i> going on?" Rose asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's all sit down, first." I led the way to the living room and once everyone had taken a seat, I told the story again of what had happened at Walmart this morning. I did my best to remember every detail, leaving out only the name of the Mueller's.</span></p> <p><span>"Do you know this couple, Tom?" Paul asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, we do. They were the foster parents for Joey and Alex."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you mean the Mu..."</span></p> <p><span>"Stop! I don't want to hear the name. It just pisses me off even more every time I hear it, knowing they're somehow the cause for Max's problem. I don't know how I know that, but I do. Maybe it's my cop's intuition, but whatever it is, I know."</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. and Mrs. Sanders, have you <i>ever</i> seen this type behavior from Max before?"</span></p> <p><span>"Never," Rose answered. "Our son is the kindest, gentlest person I know. He doesn't have a violent bone in his body."</span></p> <p><span>"I hate to ask this next question, but it's important for when I talk to Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Go ahead," Jim said.</span></p> <p><span>"Has he <i>ever</i> displayed any signs of or have you seen him torturing or killing small animals or insects?"</span></p> <p><span>"God, no!" Jim exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Good. I'm glad to hear that." Paul turned to me and asked, "Okay, Tom, why don't you go see if you can wake Max? I think I've got everything I need to know for now. I'll leave it up to Max to fill in the blanks."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll try, Paul. Do you want me bring him out here?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I think we'd be better off to have this conversation in private."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I'll be back."</span></p> <p><span>I headed back to our bedroom, quietly opened the door, stepped through and closed the door behind me. I moved to the bed and sat on the edge, brushing my babe's hair off his forehead as I did. He looked so peaceful in his sleep and I hated to disturb him, but I needed him awake to talk to Paul. Maybe we could find out what's going on in his mind.</span></p> <p><span>"Max, babe, can you wake up, please? Somebody's here to talk to you."</span></p> <p><span>"Huh, what's going on? Why am I in bed? We've got a party to get ready for."</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet, we don't, babe. I called Paul Kirkland to come out and talk to you, see if we can figure out what happened this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"We don't have time for that, Tom. We gotta get ready for our parents and the others who are coming."</span></p> <p><span>"Not until you talk to Paul, babe. Please," I begged.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, fine, let's get this over with. We don't have time for this shit today."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, babe. I appreciate you doing this. Stay here and I'll send Paul in." I left the bedroom and walked back to the living room to get Paul. When I rejoined the others, I said "Okay, Paul, he's awake. He's not happy I'm making him talk to you, but he's waiting for you. Down the hall over there and through the double doors on the right."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Tom. I'll be back as soon as I can, folks. It's all up to Max, now." He turned and disappeared down the hall.</span></p> <p><span>"What can we do, Tom?" Rose asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We bought decorations and stuff for the party and they're on the kitchen counter. If you don't mind, would you please do what you can to make this house look like we're having a party here tonight. Until I know what's going on with Max, I can't think about anything else."</span></p> <p><span>"Consider it done, Son," Jim responded as he stood up and patted me on the shoulder. Jim and Rose disappeared into the kitchen and got busy putting up banners, blowing up balloons, and setting up everything they could. When they came back to the living room, Jim said, "Okay, Tom, that's all set up and done. What were you planning to do supper before the party? We could get started on that."</span></p> <p><span>"If I remember it right, I think Joey and Alex asked for mac &amp; cheese, so that won't take long to do. We'll probably have to make more than usual with you two and my parents being here for supper, also."</span></p> <p><span>"I wondered if you'd called them, also," Rose commented. "We could always grill some hot dogs to go with the mac &amp; cheese. That way you wouldn't have make more."</span></p> <p><span>"Good idea, Rose," Jim agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, it is, it's one of mine and I don't have bad ideas," she laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever, dear."</span></p> <p><span>The conversation slowly tapered off to silence as we waited patiently to hear from Paul. About an hour later, we heard the drive sensor ding three times, announcing the boys were home from school and waiting in the shelter. Before any of us could move, it dinged again. A minute later, as I was pulling on my coat, the front door opened to reveal my mom and dad standing there, surrounded by the fantastic five.</span></p> <p><span>"Look what we found," dad called out as they stepped inside. "Five perfectly good boys, tossed to the side of the road like trash, I assume out the window of a fast-moving car."</span></p> <p><span>"Grampa, nobody tossed us out a window, we just got off the bus," Mike giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, sorry Mike, my mistake," he responded, ruffling Mike's hair.</span></p> <p><span>"Mama, Papa, you're here already, too," Joey hollered as he ran through the living room to give them hugs. Of course, he was followed by the other four in a mad dash to see who could give the best hug. Another half hour passed with the boys chattering away with our parents while we waited for some sign of Paul. </span></p> <p><span>Alex had come to sit with me and quietly asked, "Pops, where's dad? I'm feeling like something bad has happened."</span></p> <p><span>"He's in our room talking to Dr. Kirkland about something. He'll join us in a bit." I whispered in response.</span></p> <p><span>After what seemed forever, Paul finally came back to the living room. Mike was the first to react to his presence as he nonchalantly said, "Oh, hi, Mr. Kirkland," and then turned back to his conversation with Rose. When it finally clicked in Mike's brain who was here, he jumped up, ran over to Paul and wrapped his arms around his legs, squealing with delight. "What're you doin' here? How's Mrs. Kirkland? I miss you all bunches."</span></p> <p><span>"We miss you, too, Mike. How are you doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm great, sir. We're a having a party tonight for Alex and Joey's birthday. Are you here for that?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, Mike, I'm here for another reason. Listen, I know you all have a lot to talk about and a party later, but I need to talk to the adults privately for a bit. Would you boys mind going to your rooms for a little bit and watch TV or play a game?"</span></p> <p><span>The boys truly lived up to their `fantastic five' moniker at that moment as they stood as one and headed down the hall to their bedrooms without complaint or question. As the last one to make the turn down the hall, Alex said knowingly, "Let us know when we can come back." I nodded my acknowledgement of his intuition and turned to face Paul who had taken a seat facing the five of us. He looked very solemn and troubled and I was terrified about what he was going to tell us.</span></p> <p><span>"Paul, before you start, you should know the other couple here are my parents, Bill and Estelle. Mom, Dad, Dr. Paul Kirkland."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, there. Nice to meet you, wish it could be under better circumstances." Paul received nods of acknowledgement from my mom and dad, but they remained seated. Then Paul continued, "First, if Max hadn't given me his permission to discuss this with you, I couldn't, due to doctor/patient confidentiality. He reluctantly did so because, as much as he feels this is his problem alone, he also understands you need to know what's going on, and he just isn't ready to do that himself. We have a real problem on our hands, folks, and I don't think Max is ready to deal with this on his own. He's going to need all the love and support he can get from all you."</span></p> <p><span>"What's going on Paul?" I nervously asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We talked for a while to get things started, but I could feel he was holding something back. I finally got him to agree to hypnosis to try to find the root of his problem. What we discovered under hypnosis is shocking, to say the least. Do the names Frank and Iris Mueller many anything to the rest of you besides Tom, because I know you know them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah," Jim answered. My eyes widened in shock that Jim could know these people.</span></p> <p><span>"And how do you know them, Jim?"</span></p> <p><span>"They're members of our church, have been for years. And they used to teach Sunday school to the kids who were in their early teens."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that fits with what Max said," Paul intoned. He took a deep breath and continued, "Okay, there's no easy way to tell you this, so I'm just going to say it. Frank Mueller raped Max repeatedly at the church."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell are you talking about!?" Jim yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh my god," Rose gasped.</span></p> <p><span>I could do nothing but bury my face in my hands and cry.</span></p> <p><span>"From what he told me, it sounds like Frank somehow discovered Max was gay. Frank then tried to convince Max he really <i>wanted</i> to be straight by showing him what being gay would be like in the worst and most painful way he could. Best I can determine at this moment, the abuse started shortly after Max turned thirteen and continued almost weekly until Max quit going to church. He quit, of course, because of the repeated abuse. During all those assaults, Frank and Iris repeatedly made comments about Max being the `spawn of the beast' and that he had to have `666 tattooed on him' somewhere since he was a faggot. Frank would also tell Max he was driving Satan out of him as he raped him."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, god," I moaned, "that's what the two of them said about the twins this morning. That's when Max lost control and was going to rip Frank's head off."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not done yet, Tom. Believe it or not, it gets worse. Max also told me that, as another way to convince him that he really wasn't gay, Frank forced him to have intercourse with his wife, Iris. I'm assuming, in their twisted minds, they somehow thought if Max saw how pleasurable sex with a woman was, he would never want to have sex with a man. Again, all this happened somewhere in the church."</span></p> <p><span>"So why is this coming out now," I asked, desperate for information.</span></p> <p><span>"Basically, Max repressed the memories of the abuse, which is not uncommon in cases like this. People have a way of blocking out things that would otherwise seriously damage their minds and their sense of self-worth. I believe your recent interactions with these people have kicked open the trap door in his mind where those memories were buried. There's also a slim possibility that the workshop you all did at the school yesterday dislodged a few more barriers. From what Max said, some parts of that were pretty intense and that could have caused some unforeseen results. But, it all came to the surface this morning when the Mueller's talked about the twins the same way they'd threatened Max twenty years ago. To Max, he took their comments as a threat to repeat what they'd done to him, only this time with Joey and Alex as their victims. Max's instinct at that moment was to protect your boys at all costs."</span></p> <p><span>"So, why didn't he remember all that after I stopped him?"</span></p> <p><span>"Because it only surfaced for just a moment. As soon as you stopped him from killing Frank, and I'm sure he would have, everything he'd just felt returned to wherever he'd originally hidden it. Since it's all related to his original trauma, he reburied it almost immediately once he felt the threat to the twins had been neutralized."</span></p> <p><span>"Does he remember it all now?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, yes. As painful as it is for Max to do so, under hypnosis, I suggested he not hide it again as it would do nothing but continue to eat away at him. He's going to be much better off dealing with it now than keeping it locked away where it could resurface again, without warning like it did this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm gonna kill that son-of-a-bitch," Jim growled.</span></p> <p><span>"Paul," Rose started, "why didn't Max tell us about this so we could do something to protect him?"</span></p> <p><span>"Who knows? Shame, fear, disgust with himself for being gay, all of the above. You can take your pick. But, think about it this way, through his mind's eye at that age. You were all members of the same church. Max knew how the <i>church</i> felt about homosexuality and, by extension, how <i>you</i> felt about it. He obviously <i>knew</i> what Frank felt. I also think Frank probably threatened to tell you Max's dirty little secret. While Max didn't say this, I think he felt if he told you what was happening or if Frank told you he was gay, you just might continue the abuse at home. So, he kept his mouth shut and internalized it all. I also think that's why he left home as soon as he could and never came back to live with you like so many other young adults do."</span></p> <p><span>Rose looked at Jim and asked, "My god, Jim what have we done? We put our only son in that monster's care for years. We trusted him to take care of Max in those classes and look at what happened."</span></p> <p><span>"But we didn't know!" Jim protested. "How could we protect him from something we didn't know about?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, but we should have done something."</span></p> <p><span>Bill finally spoke up and asked, "So, Dr. Kirkland, what happens next? What can we do now to help Max deal with and get through this in one piece?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the first thing I have to do is report these people to the police. I have one victim I know about and there is a good possibility there are more. Due to recent changes in the law, there's no statute of limitations on sexual abuse. I can't believe Max is the only victim of these people. The police will have to investigate and they'll be talking to all of you and other church members who might know about what was happening. What you <i>can't</i> do is force Max to discuss it. Max will talk about it when he's ready to and not before. He may never talk about it with anybody but a therapist, I just don't know. I will also refer Max to a different therapist to help him through this. I think, I hope, that with all your love, support and patience, he'll be fine, but it's going to take some time. There's no such thing as a `quick-fix' for a situation like this."</span></p> <p><span>"What should we do tonight, Paul?" I asked. "Do you think we should still have a party? It seems wrong to carry on as if nothing happened."</span></p> <p><span>"Oddly enough, Tom, that might be the best thing for him right now. Sure, what he's now remembered will cast a shadow over things for quite a while, but living a normal life can be very beneficial to someone who's been through what he has. The worst thing you could do is treat Max any differently than you normally would. You'll have to be the judge of how best to handle things from here on."</span></p> <p><span>"My old boss at the Sherriff's department will be here tonight. I'll let him know about those bastards so he can get an investigation going."</span></p> <p><span>"You can do that, Tom, but I still have to report it also."</span></p> <p><span>At that moment, Max, came into the living room, "What? You all look like you're at a damn funeral. We've got a party to get ready for." Tom jumped up and hustled over to wrap me in a crushing bear hug. "Whoa, big guy. I still need to breathe."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, I'm so sorry. I had no idea you were in such pain."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't feel bad, lover, I didn't know it either, until Paul got me to face the truth. I thought the elephant leaving my chest yesterday was a big deal. Shit, that was nothin'. Now I feel like the whole damn circus has finally moved on."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it. But we need to deal with this."</span></p> <p><span>"And we will, Tom, all in good time," I reassured him. "Let me go talk to our parents and then we can get back to getting ready for a birthday party." Tom and I finished the walk across the living room and sat together on the love seat with the others surrounding us, Tom holding my hand. "I guess Paul's told you all what we learned in there."</span></p> <p><span>"He did, Son," Jim replied, "We want you to know how sorry your mom and I are for not protecting you better."</span></p> <p><span>"Mom, Dad, before you go any further, what happened to me isn't your fault. How could it be? I never told you what was happening and Frank sure as hell wasn't going to, was he? I don't blame you for anything, so don't be feeling guilty about anything. You guys trusted Frank and Iris. Hell, <i>I</i> trusted them and look where that got me. No, the only blame here lies with those two and if it's the last thing I do, I'll see that they pay dearly for it. </span></p> <p><span>"All I ask from all of you right now is to first, don't say anything to the boys, especially Joey and Alex. It would kill them to know what those two pieces of shit have done to me. They'll find out in due time and I'll be the one to tell them when they're old enough to deal with it properly. </span></p> <p><span>"Second, let the police do their job. Tom, Dad, Bill, I know the three of you, right now, want nothing more than to drive to their house and kill them. And I don't blame you one little bit, but please don't do it. I couldn't stand to lose any of you right now. And I <i>know</i> I can't be the only boy those sick fuckers got their hands on. Once the cops start digging and the story gets out, more victims will come forward. And the more that do, the longer those two will be in prison. I can't think of a better punishment for the two of them than to spend the rest of their pathetic, useless lives in prison. I think Frank will be the perfect little bitch for some strapping young cellmate. Providing he doesn't get killed his first day there, not that that would bother me in the least.</span></p> <p><span>"Last, before y'all get overly concerned, I'm in no danger of regressing and hurting myself, so don't go worrying about that. I have way too much to live for to even think about it. Now that I know what caused my reaction this morning, I can control it and learn to live with it. And <i>live</i> with it, I will."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, please don't take this the wrong way," Estelle started, "but you seem way too calm and put together after what you just learned. Are you sure you're okay?"</span></p> <p><span>I gave a harsh little laugh and answered her with, "Calm, Estelle? You have no idea the effort I'm putting in right now to appear calm. I'm furious, absolutely seething with rage and hate at what those people did to me. And while that may be an appropriate response to what I've remembered, I can't and won't allow those emotions to run or ruin my life. I made a promise to myself not too long ago that I was done living with negativity. Each day is a gift and I fully intend to unwrap that gift and enjoy whatever's inside each and every day, from now until I take my very last breath, no matter how hard it may be to do so. With the love I know you all have for me and the support you'll continue to give me, my rage and hate will slowly dissipate until I no longer think about it. It'll be just a wisp of a thought that will disappear the instant I think of you and the boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, I believe you are on the right path," Paul commented. "Positivity can do remarkable things in a person's life."</span></p> <p><span>"I well aware of that, Paul. I've surrounded myself with positivity in the form of people I love and who love me back. I don't think I can ask for much more than that."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, I have one question I'd like to ask, if you don't mind?"</span></p> <p><span>"Now's your chance, Bill."</span></p> <p><span>"When you met these people at Steak `n Shake with Alex and Joey, didn't you know who they were?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ya know, Bill, that was the weirdest thing. As they walked up to the table, this faint glimmer of recognition flitted through my mind. You know how it is when run into somebody you haven't seen for a long time, you think `I know this person, but from where?' It was like that, and I just couldn't piece it together. Probably a good thing I didn't that night, huh? But then, it had been twenty years since I'd seen them, and I'd buried what happened so deep, who they really were just wasn't clicking. I thought I caught just a flicker of recognition from Frank, also, but I just blew that off because everywhere I go, people know who I am since my picture is on my book jackets.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Son, I was just curious."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I think I've done all I can do today," Paul commented. "I should probably head for home so I can have supper with the old ball and chain." Paul stood and headed for the front door with me following behind.</span></p> <p><span>As I passed the hallway, I yelled, "Mike! Get your skinny little behind in here. Mr. Kirkland is getting ready to leave." As we waited for the tornado named Mike to appear, I turned to Paul and said, "Paul, I can't thank you enough for your help today. I couldn't understand where my rage came from this morning, but now that I know the source, I can work on it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad I was able to help, Max. I'm still going to find another therapist to work with you. I'd do it myself, but I'd much rather keep our relationship on a personal level and not a professional one."</span></p> <p><span>"I agree completely. You get me a name and number and I promise I'll follow up with whoever it is." I'd barely finished my sentence when Mike rounded the corner at full tilt boogie and wrapped his arms around Paul's legs again. The other four boys also returned and they joined Tom and their grandparents.</span></p> <p><span>"You leavin' already, Mr. Kirkland? You didn't' stay very long and we hardly got a chance to talk."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, Mike, I know and I'm sorry. But Joy is going to have supper ready soon and you know she really likes it when I can be there to eat with her."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you have to come back soon."</span></p> <p><span>"I will, Mike, I promise. We'll both come out soon, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks. I love my new home and family, but I miss you guys."</span></p> <p><span>"We miss you, too, little one," Paul replied, kneeling down to return Mike's hug. You take care of yourself, you hear me."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't have to do that, sir. I got dad and pops and my brothers for that. See ya' later," he grinned. With that, Mike turned and went to join Tom, his grandparents and his brothers.</span></p> <p><span>"Max, I have one more thing to say before I go. Don't you, for even one second, think you're not ready to adopt those boys. You need them just as much they need you. I feel you needed to hear that."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Paul. You have no idea what that means to me right now. I was seriously doubting that decision earlier today."</span></p> <p><span>"Trust your instincts and go with them. They'll rarely steer you the wrong way."</span></p> <p><span>"That may be, but when they do go wrong, they go <i>way</i> wrong."</span></p> <p><span>"It can happen to anybody, Max, but you've got the right attitude and a great support group over there. I have a good feeling that you're going to be just fine."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you're right," I started, looking back at my family in the living room, "I'd have a hard time finding a better group of people than them to help." I looked back to Paul and asked, "Would you feel weird if I gave you a hug for your help today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all, come here." Paul and I hugged for a minute and when we finally separated, there were tears running down both our faces. We ingloriously wiped our faces on our sleeves and shared a bit of a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"You're a good man, Paul Kirkland, and I'm glad I can count you among my friends."</span></p> <p><span>"Ditto, Max. Take care and if you need <i>anything</i>, call me, please."</span></p> <p><span>"I will. Tell Joy we said hi and we hope to see you soon." Paul waved over his shoulder as he walked down the sidewalk to his car, then climbed in and drove away.</span></p> <p><span>As I headed back to the living room to rejoin the rest of my family, I paused for a few seconds, just to absorb the positive vibes permeating the house at that moment and basked in the glow of warmth I was feeling in my heart thanks to those vibes.</span></p> <p><span>When I got out of bed this morning, full of anticipation of the new experiences I expected to experience today, <i>that </i>was definitely <i>not</i> the experience I had expected to experience. But, what the hell, that's life!</span></p> <p><span>When I had finally rejoined the rest of the family, I asked, "Hey didn't I hear someone say something about a party tonight or what!?"</span></p> <p><span>* </span><span>I know this an odd thought/sentence, but it comes from something my own dad said many years ago. With both parents being teachers, our family regularly took trips during our summer break. I've been in about 40 of the 48 contiguous states thanks to those travels. Inevitably, the old man would make a wrong turn somewhere and we almost always seemed to wind up on the `wrong side of the tracks' in some god-forsaken hellhole we had no business being in. Thankfully, we always managed to return to civilization before harm could befall any of us. On one those misguided detours, as he was trying to follow the trail of breadcrumbs back to safety, he tossed out the following thought, `Just think, folks, without having this experience, you could never have the experience of telling someone else about having experienced this experience'. Or something really close to that. I do know he had the word `experience' in there at least four times and maybe more than that. Despite our location at that particular moment, some dark and foreboding industrial area of Portland, Oregon, we all found the comment to be quite hilarious, especially considering the circumstances. To this day, with him turning 88 years old earlier this year, we've never let him forget his profound statement of that night. I felt a certain compunction to share this slightly shortened version in this story. </span><span>😊</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-26.html

Building a Family 26 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 26 – Thursday Thursday morning dawned with the alarm going off at 6:00. Tom and I were both pretty grumpy this morning as neither of us had slept very well. I stumbled to the bathroom first, then headed to the kitchen to get the caffeine going while Tom used the bathroom and got dressed. With the coffee started, I headed down to wake the boys and get them moving, finding Mike and T.J. curled together and the twins in their normal pretzel configuration. That chore accomplished, I headed back to the bedroom to pull on some sweats and check on Tom. "How ya' doin this morning, big guy?" "Better. Wild dreams last night, but I kinda agree with what you were trying to say last night. Watchin' those two was kinda like a seeing porn. In its own way, it kinda was porn." "Think you can handle it?" "If you can, I can. Won't be easy, but we'll figure it out, Max." "That's the spirit. Now, let's go attack our day." "Point me to some coffee and I'll make a concerted effort." "Follow me and I'll get you all set up." "To the ends of the earth, lover." Tom followed me to the kitchen where he greeted the boys and poured himself a cup of coffee. "Morning, boys, cereal okay this morning?" I asked. I received four nods and mumbles of acceptance so I fixed each a bowl and poured myself a cup of coffee, also. "You guys ready for school?" "Not really," Joey answered. "Never will be," Alex chimed. "Do we have a choice?" asked T.J. "I'm ready, dad," added Mike. "No, sorry, you don't have a choice. At least one of you is ready. That's better than none. How `bout you Tom, you ready for your day?" "As ready as I'll ever be," he grumbled. "C'mon guys, it's a beautiful day. You need to enjoy it." Tom shook his head and complained, "How can you be so dang cheery in the morning?" "Just glad I woke up this morning. So much better than the other option. You eatin' here, Tom, or is it doughnuts again this morning?" "Doughnuts, what else is there? Breakfast of champions." he laughed. He headed to the garage asking, "Okay if I use your car again today." "No problem, you still got the key?" "You bet. You're gonna have pry that from my cold, dead fingers." "Hey, aren't you forgetting something, mister?" "Well, just where are my manners?" He returned to the kitchen, gave us all a kiss and said, "Hope y'all have a good day. Boys, learn something new at school," received moans from the four monkeys, "Max, don't tilt any windmills today, okay?" "Only if they get in my way. I don't go looking for trouble, ya' know." "I know, but it seems to find you, anyway. Love you all and I'll see you tonight." A chorus of `love you, too, Uncle Tom' from the boys followed Tom down the hallway. "You guys about ready to roll? We're running out of time. Grab your stuff and I'll meet you in the garage." I headed to the bedroom to get a shirt and shoes, then headed to the garage. The boys were already loaded in the car and belted, so I climbed in, backed out of the garage and headed to meet the bus. When we arrived, I noticed John's guys hadn't shown up yet to start work on the compacting and forms. That wasn't a big surprise, really, as it was only 7:20 and I didn't expect them to be here until 9:00, according to John. "Tell us what's going on over here, dad," Alex said as he pointed out the window. "Can't, it's a surprise. You'll just have to wait to find out." "That's not fair, man. You're supposed to always tell the truth," Joey tossed out. "I am telling the truth, it's a surprise and you'll just have to wait to find out." "That ain't right," mumbled Alex. "Okay, everybody out, here comes your ride." We got out of the car and I gave each boy a hug before the bus stopped. They climbed on board the bus after Carl opened the door and I gave them a wave. As the bus pulled away, I got back in the car and turned back to the house to wait for my meeting with Steve at the school. I read by the fireplace until time to leave for the school. John's guys had shown up and were compacting the dirt in preparation for placing the forms for the floor slab and I gave them a wave as I rolled by. I arrived about 5 minutes early for my meeting and found one of the town's police cars still parked in front of the school, lights flashing. I was just in time to see Valerie carrying a box and being escorted to her car by a man I can only assume was Steve. I waited in my car until she had left the parking lot to avoid meeting her and after her car disappeared around the corner, I got out and headed inside to meet Steve. I found perky and cheerful behind her desk in the office with a smile on her face. "Ah, good morning, Mr. Sanders, I understand I have you to thank for this morning's change in personnel. Such a glorious day. It should have happened a long time ago." "I know not what you speak of." "Huh? Oh, I get it. Funny. You're here for a meeting with Mr. Furman, correct?" "I am." "Go on in, he's expecting you." "Thanks." I entered Valerie's former office to find a rather large man sitting at the desk. "Good morning, you must be Mr. Furman, I'm Max Sanders," I said in greeting as I extended my hand. Steve came from behind the desk, grasped my offered hand in both of his large, meaty and calloused hands for a long handshake. "Good morning, Max. It's a pleasure to meet you, face to face. I want to sincerely say thank you on the behalf of the entire school board and the district. You have saved us from what would have certainly been a very costly and embarrassing chapter in the district's proud history." He waved me to a chair and added, "Please, have a seat. And remember, it's Steve." "Thanks, Steve. It's a pleasure to meet you, too. I trust Ken is back in his classroom this morning." "He is, and very happy to be there. He should be after what we did for him." "You mean allowing him to retain his job or buying his silence?" "Both, I guess, although I prefer to not refer to the monetary gift as `buying his silence'. Tuesday's events are still quite unsettling. I'd never dreamed Valerie was capable of such destructive thought and actions." "Well, hopefully, you won't have to worry about that any longer." "Oh, no, it'll come back to haunt us. As I was escorting her out of the building, she was vehemently promising to file a lawsuit against the district. For unlawful termination, of all things. Guess she should know all about that." "Yes, no doubt. I'm sorry for inciting all this, Steve. I never intended for anyone to lose their job. Had I known that would happen, I would have kept my mouth shut." "Don't worry about it, Max, it's water over the dam now. We'll deal with it." "So, what can I do you for you, Steve. You wanted to meet me for a reason." "I did, Max, and I thank you for agreeing to meet with me. Especially after what has transpired. First, I wanted to ask if you're the author, Maxwill Sanders, or is the name a coincidence?" "Nope, no coincidence, I'm the author." "Excellent. Have you had any college or background in education?" "Actually, I was writing my first book as I went to the U of I to get my teaching degree. I'd always planned on being a teacher, family curse, I guess." "Your family was in education?" "Yes, mom and dad were both teachers, and I guess I felt I was obligated to follow in their footsteps. Unfortunately, I never finished my degree. I dropped out the last semester as the book had been released and my travel schedule to promote it was causing me to miss too many classes. I figured I'd be better off dropping out than failing." "You were right about that. Colleges don't look too kindly on folks who fail. Have you ever thought about returning to complete your studies?" "Not really. After the success of the first book, I just kept writing. Teaching didn't have the same allure that it had before." "Would you consider it? Finishing your degree, that is?" "I suppose, what are you thinking?" "I'd like to hire you as a high school English and advanced literature teacher. It would do wonders for the district to have such an esteemed author on staff." "Whoa, Steve. I'm not sure about all that. I have a lot of changes happening in my life right now and my first priority is to make sure the four boys I'm in the process of adopting are taken care of properly. I'm starting to think I may have bitten off more than I can chew." "I understand, Max. But please think about it. No, may I ask you a personal question?" "Feel free to ask but I may not give you an answer." "No pressure, Max, just curiosity." "Shoot." "If I heard everything correctly last night, you're gay. Is that correct?" "It is. Do you have a problem with that?" "Not at all. And from what you just said, you're also in the process of adopting four boys." "Also, true. May I ask where you're going with this?" "Simply, it was my understanding that the state and adoption agencies wouldn't allow a single gay man to adopt, especially boys. Can you explain why it's being allowed in your case?" "As I mentioned in our call last night, according to my case worker, Carol Ward, all four boys, despite their ages, have shown that they are most likely gay, also. Carol has been trying for quite a while to find a home where they could grow up to understand and embrace who they are. When I showed up, looking to adopt, she said she'd finally found it." "May I ask the names of the other two boys? I met Joey and Alex on our phone call, but you didn't name the others." "T.J. Bruce who's in the 2nd grade and Mike Broadhead who's in 1st grade. Why do you ask?" "Well, I'm going to make sure that your boys aren't abused by anyone while they're at school, be it other students or the staff." "I thank you for that, Steve, but why?" "My sister is a lesbian with a daughter who went through hell because of her mom's sexuality. I am going to make sure you and your boys don't have to go through that." "Well, guess I have to add another one to the list." "Excuse me, Max, what list is that?" "The list of people I've met in the past couple weeks who are either gay or know someone who is." "You're going to find that list will continue to grow. Now, back to your sons for a moment, if we could. Do you believe they are gay, also?" "Who knows for sure, Steve? They've only lived with me since Saturday, so we're all still trying to figure things out. From what little I've seen and heard so far, I'd have to say it seems highly likely." "Not to sound like a total idiot, but, as young as they are, could they really know?" "You're not an idiot, Steve, just uninformed. Like I told Valerie, I knew I was different from other boys around seven or eight. If I can know at that age, they can, too. It could just be curiosity, but I tend to doubt it." "I do, too. I have one more question for you today I'd like you to think about, seriously, before answering." "And that is?" "I want to raise awareness among our staff about gay youth and their acceptance in our school and our lives. In light of that, I'd like to have, for lack of a better word, a workshop with them to discuss the issue and how we can better acknowledge and accommodate our gay students. Your sons can't be the only four enrolled in this school who are or may be gay. If the workshop goes well, I'd like to extend that education to all our students." "And how would that affect me?" "I'd like you and your sons to be involved." "How?" I asked with a look of surprise on my face. "I guess as an example of how things should be." "While I applaud your desire to do this, I hardly think I'm the right guy to hold up as an example. I've only recently accepted who I am and not really ready to start sharing it that openly." "May I ask how many people you've trusted with the news so far and what their reactions have been?" "I'm not sure, let me think." I took a few moments to come up with a number for him. "I'd guess about 18 or 20 so far. Reactions have been about 75% positive, 25% negative." "And for the people who've read your books and are anxiously awaiting the next one, how do you think they'll react when they find out?" "Who knows, hopefully no worse than what I've seen so far." "Well, regardless of your answer, I'm going to push ahead with it. Teen suicide for gay youth due to a lack of positive role models is extremely high. I feel a need to combat that problem and the only way to do so is to face the issue head on. I intend to do just that and would truly appreciate your assistance in making a positive change in our small part of the world. We've been lucky here so far, and I want that to continue." "I'll have to give this some thought, Steve, and give you my decision later." "Oh, I didn't expect an answer this morning. Take your time. I'd like to meet with our teachers in a few weeks, so, the sooner the better." "Thanks, Steve. Is that it?" "One last thing before we break up. When your adoption is finalized, I assume you are going to have a party to celebrate." "You know it," I grinned. "If I'm not being too forward, I would like to join the celebration." "I'll be sure to include you and your family on the guest list," I laughed. Steve stood, signaling an end to our meeting, "Again, thanks for bringing this gross injustice to my attention. I'm glad we could resolve the situation in a positive manner. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call me." "Would it be acceptable if I stopped by Mr. Thomas' classroom on my way out?" I asked as we walked out of the office. "I'd like to see how he's doing." "Of course, I'm sure he'd appreciate it." "Which way?" I asked as we stepped into the hallway. "Let me take you there. It's kind of hard to find it in this maze we laughingly call a school." I followed Steve as he led the way through the building's various additions until we reached Ken's classroom. He knocked lightly and pushed the door open. "Mr. Thomas, I have someone here who would like to see you. Do you have a moment?" "Sure," he responded. "Class, I'll be right back." He started towards the door while Steve stood aside and gave me gentle push through the door. When Ken saw who was there, he scooted over and wrapped me in a bear hug. In the background, I heard two voices say `dad?' while I heard Ken whisper in my ear, "Thank you so much. I owe you big time." "Don't worry about it. Glad I could help." As we separated, I could see tears in his eyes. "Pull yourself together, Ken, we have witnesses," I said as I pointed to the class. "Oh, crap," he muttered. He turned his back to the students and quickly dried his eyes. That task completed, he turned back to the class and said, "Class, you owe your thanks for me being back today to this man. Well, him, his sons, Joey and Alex, and Mr. Furman's daughter Andrea." A round of light clapping ensued and Joey, Alex and Andrea stood to accept it. "I'll get out of here and let you get back to work, Ken. Congratulations." "Thanks again, Max. I'll be in touch." I waved to the boys and headed to the door where Steve waited. As we headed down the hall towards the front door, I told Steve, "Let me talk to my sons and boyfriend tonight about your proposal and I'll let you know our decision tomorrow." "That's fair, Max. It's a lot to ask, I know, but I think we stand a better chance of success with a person of your stature being involved with the program. If your partner would like to be involved, that would be wonderful." "I think he's going to be pretty iffy. His job may not allow it, but I'll ask." "What does he do?" "At this moment, he's a Sangamon County deputy, but he's just turned in his resignation and has two more weeks on the job." "Is it a true resignation or is it one of those `resign or be fired' types since he's gay?" "Oh, no, it's entirely his decision. His boss is a okay with Tom being gay." "You must be taking about Dylan." "Yeah, you know him?" "He's been to the school on several occasions to talk to the students about driving safely. Seems to be a good man." "He is." "Let me talk to him. I'm sure he'll be willing to help with the workshop, also." "If you can get him involved, you can count on me to be there, also. I don't know about my sons or Tom, but, like I said, we'll talk about it tonight and I'll let you know." "Thanks Max, I appreciate it. I really want this to succeed." We'd reached the door to the parking lot. "Thanks again for coming in this morning. And, again, thanks for helping me correct a major mistake." "No thanks necessary, Steve. A bad decision was made based on bad information. I'm just glad we were able to fix it before it went on too long. Thanks for listening to my sons and believing what they said." "I hated to drag them, and my daughter, into an adult situation, but it seemed appropriate at the moment. I'll look forward to hearing your decision on the workshop. Have a great afternoon, Max." "Thanks, Steve, you, too." I left the school and headed for home. I stopped at the end of the drive to talk to John's guys. "How's it going guys?" "Good, Mr. Sanders. We finally got the dirt compacted where the shelter's going to sit and we're starting to set the forms for the floor slab." "You got the right spot?" "Pretty sure we do, but since you're here, you want to check it real quick to make sure?" "Why not?" I got out of the car and walked over to check the location. "It looks like you might be closer to the drive than I intended, but that's okay. Do you have enough form material to set up for a sidewalk to the drive?" "We should. Didn't plan on it, but this would be the time to do it. Where's the door going to be?" "This corner, right here," I answered as I pointed to the location. "No problem. It's only about 6 feet to the drive. You want it three feet wide?" "That should be good. Make sure you tell John about the change so he can charge me more," I laughed. "No seriously, I want to make sure he orders enough concrete to pour the floor and walk at the same time. No sense trying to get a truck out for just the walk later." "I'll make sure to let him know when we get back. Anything else, Mr. Sanders?" "Nope, I'll get out of your way. If you need anything, drink, bathroom, whatever, come on down to the house. I'll be home the rest of the day." "Will do. See ya' later." I hopped back in the car and drove on to the house, putting the car in the garage. I decided that for once, I would keep my clothes on since I may have unexpected company later if John's guys needed something. For some odd reason, the thought popped in my head that I had no idea what the boys' birthdays were. I decided I need to fix that lapse of knowledge and called Carol. "Carol Ward, how can I help you?" she answered the phone. "Carol, Max here, how are you today?" "Great, Max. Not having second thoughts, are you?" "Not a chance. But I just realized I haven't been a very good dad just yet." "Well, I think you've done just fine. What horrible thing have you done that puts you in the `bad dad' category." "I don't have a clue when the boys' birthdays are. I can hardly have a party for them when I don't know when to have them, can I?" She laughed and said, "I knew I was forgetting something else, now I know what it is. This all happened so quickly, I didn't have time to create the information folder we usually put together for all our new parents. Please don't fire me, Max." "Not a chance, Carol. I still need your help," I chuckled. "Give me just a sec to grab their files." I heard the rustling of papers as she dug through her desk. "Okay, got `em. Ready?" "Ready and waiting." "Okay, Joey and Alex's birthday is March 13th, T.J.'s is April 23rd and Mike's is May 5th." "Glad I called when I did. Looks like the first party will be happening in three weeks. We'll expect you to be here." "I wouldn't miss it Max. Anything else you need?" "I do want to run something by you, see what you think. Got a few minutes?" "Always have time for you, Max." "Good." I relayed the information on the workshop Steve wanted to have at the school about supporting gay youth. "So, what do you think? And more importantly, what do you think about me and/or the boys being involved" "I think that's a wonderful idea. Teen suicide among gays is becoming an epidemic and something needs to be done. I don't have a problem with you being involved, but it might be asking a bit too much of the boys right now." "I was feeling that way about T.J. and Mike, but I think Joey and Alex would be fine. I know they're only eight, almost nine, but they certainly seem to know who they are and the path their lives are taking." "Now that I think about it, you're right, those two would probably be okay, but I'd keep the other two out of it. For now, anyway." "Thanks, Carol, I plan to talk to them tonight and see what they have to say. I'll let you know what we decide." "Thanks for the call, Max. Be sure you let me know when the party is." "I will, Carol. Thanks for the info and have a great evening." We hung up and I grabbed the book I'd been reading on the way to my favorite chair by the fireplace. I was interrupted about an hour later by a ring of the doorbell. It had to be one of John's guys because the drive sensor hadn't gone off. I opened the door to find both men standing on the porch. "Sorry to bother you Mr. Sanders, but could we please use a restroom? It's a little too cold out here to just whip it out and pee on a tree." I laughed and said, "Sure, down the hall there, last door on the right." One took off for the john and I asked the one waiting, "You guys want some coffee to help warm up a bit?" "I wouldn't turn down a cup and he'd probably like one, too." "Be right back." I headed to the kitchen and returned shortly with a Styrofoam cup for each of them, noticing the two had swapped places. "How ya' doin' out there?" "Just about done, sir. Got the floor area ready and we're getting ready to do the walk now. Since we hadn't started the forms when you stopped by, we moved it a couple feet further from the drive so it should be closer to where you want it. We're nice and square so when we bring the building out, we should be able to just drop it in place." "That sounds great. Any idea when the concrete will be poured?" "I think John's scheduled it Monday, depending on the weather. We'd like it above freezing when we do it and Monday's supposed to 40°or so." "How soon can you set the shelter in place after it's poured?" "That's schedule for the next Monday. John wants give the concrete at least a week to set." "Sounds like he has it all planned out. Thanks for the info." His work partner returned and I handed his cup of coffee to him. "Thanks, Mr. Sanders, I needed that," he said pointing down the hall. "Need this too," he added, holding up his cup. "Okay, let's get out of here and get this done. See ya' later, Mr. Sanders." "Thanks guys, have a good evening," I said as they headed back out into the cold. I headed back the fireplace to continue my reading. At 3:30, I decided to head out to meet the bus and check on John's guys. When I arrive at the end of the drive, the guys were already gone. I got out to check their work and once satisfied everything looked ready for concrete, climbed back in the warm car to wait. I didn't sit there long as the bus pulled up three minutes later, disgorging four laughing boys. They climbed in the car and we started the short trek to the house.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 26</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free.&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc474633678"><span>Chapter 26 – Thursday</span></a></h2> <p><span>Thursday morning dawned with the alarm going off at 6:00. Tom and I were both pretty grumpy this morning as neither of us had slept very well. I stumbled to the bathroom first, then headed to the kitchen to get the caffeine going while Tom used the bathroom and got dressed. With the coffee started, I headed down to wake the boys and get them moving, finding Mike and T.J. curled together and the twins in their normal pretzel configuration. That chore accomplished, I headed back to the bedroom to pull on some sweats and check on Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"How ya' doin this morning, big guy?"</span></p> <p><span>"Better. Wild dreams last night, but I kinda agree with what you were trying to say last night. Watchin' those two was kinda like a seeing porn. In its own way, it kinda was porn."</span></p> <p><span>"Think you can handle it?"</span></p> <p><span>"If you can, I can. Won't be easy, but we'll figure it out, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"That's the spirit. Now, let's go attack our day."</span></p> <p><span>"Point me to some coffee and I'll make a concerted effort."</span></p> <p><span>"Follow me and I'll get you all set up."</span></p> <p><span>"To the ends of the earth, lover."</span></p> <p><span>Tom followed me to the kitchen where he greeted the boys and poured himself a cup of coffee. </span></p> <p><span>"Morning, boys, cereal okay this morning?" I asked. I received four nods and mumbles of acceptance so I fixed each a bowl and poured myself a cup of coffee, also.</span></p> <p><span>"You guys ready for school?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Never will be," Alex chimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Do we have a choice?" asked T.J.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm ready, dad," added Mike.</span></p> <p><span>"No, sorry, you don't have a choice. At least one of you is ready. That's better than none. How `bout you Tom, you ready for your day?" </span></p> <p><span>"As ready as I'll ever be," he grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon guys, it's a beautiful day. You need to enjoy it."</span></p> <p><span>Tom shook his head and complained, "How can you be so dang cheery in the morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just glad I woke up this morning. So much better than the other option. You eatin' here, Tom, or is it doughnuts again this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"Doughnuts, what else is there? Breakfast of champions." he laughed. He headed to the garage asking, "Okay if I use your car again today."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, you still got the key?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. You're gonna have pry that from my cold, dead fingers."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, aren't you forgetting something, mister?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, just where are my manners?" He returned to the kitchen, gave us all a kiss and said, "Hope y'all have a good day. Boys, learn something new at school," received moans from the four monkeys, "Max, don't tilt any windmills today, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Only if they get in my way. I don't go looking for trouble, ya' know."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, but it seems to find you, anyway. Love you all and I'll see you tonight."</span></p> <p><span>A chorus of `love you, too, Uncle Tom' from the boys followed Tom down the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>"You guys about ready to roll? We're running out of time. Grab your stuff and I'll meet you in the garage." I headed to the bedroom to get a shirt and shoes, then headed to the garage. The boys were already loaded in the car and belted, so I climbed in, backed out of the garage and headed to meet the bus. When we arrived, I noticed John's guys hadn't shown up yet to start work on the compacting and forms. That wasn't a big surprise, really, as it was only 7:20 and I didn't expect them to be here until 9:00, according to John.</span></p> <p><span>"Tell us what's going on over here, dad," Alex said as he pointed out the window.</span></p> <p><span>"Can't, it's a surprise. You'll just have to wait to find out."</span></p> <p><span>"That's not fair, man. You're supposed to always tell the truth," Joey tossed out.</span></p> <p><span>"I am telling the truth, it's a surprise and you'll just have to wait to find out."</span></p> <p><span>"That ain't right," mumbled Alex.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, everybody out, here comes your ride." We got out of the car and I gave each boy a hug before the bus stopped. They climbed on board the bus after Carl opened the door and I gave them a wave. As the bus pulled away, I got back in the car and turned back to the house to wait for my meeting with Steve at the school. </span></p> <p><span>I read by the fireplace until time to leave for the school. John's guys had shown up and were compacting the dirt in preparation for placing the forms for the floor slab and I gave them a wave as I rolled by. I arrived about 5 minutes early for my meeting and found one of the town's police cars still parked in front of the school, lights flashing. I was just in time to see Valerie carrying a box and being escorted to her car by a man I can only assume was Steve. I waited in my car until she had left the parking lot to avoid meeting her and after her car disappeared around the corner, I got out and headed inside to meet Steve. I found perky and cheerful behind her desk in the office with a smile on her face.</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, good morning, Mr. Sanders, I understand I have you to thank for this morning's change in personnel. Such a glorious day. It should have happened a long time ago."</span></p> <p><span>"I know not what you speak of."</span></p> <p><span>"Huh? Oh, I get it. Funny. You're here for a meeting with Mr. Furman, correct?"</span></p> <p><span>"I am."</span></p> <p><span>"Go on in, he's expecting you."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks." I entered Valerie's former office to find a rather large man sitting at the desk. "Good morning, you must be Mr. Furman, I'm Max Sanders," I said in greeting as I extended my hand.</span></p> <p><span>Steve came from behind the desk, grasped my offered hand in both of his large, meaty and calloused hands for a long handshake. "Good morning, Max. It's a pleasure to meet you, face to face. I want to sincerely say thank you on the behalf of the entire school board and the district. You have saved us from what would have certainly been a very costly and embarrassing chapter in the district's proud history." He waved me to a chair and added, "Please, have a seat. And remember, it's Steve."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Steve. It's a pleasure to meet you, too. I trust Ken is back in his classroom this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"He is, and very happy to be there. He should be after what we did for him."</span></p> <p><span>"You mean allowing him to retain his job or buying his silence?"</span></p> <p><span>"Both, I guess, although I prefer to not refer to the monetary gift as `buying his silence'. Tuesday's events are still quite unsettling. I'd never dreamed Valerie was capable of such destructive thought and actions."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hopefully, you won't have to worry about that any longer."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no, it'll come back to haunt us. As I was escorting her out of the building, she was vehemently promising to file a lawsuit against the district. For unlawful termination, of all things. Guess she should know all about that."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, no doubt. I'm sorry for inciting all this, Steve. I never intended for anyone to lose their job. Had I known that would happen, I would have kept my mouth shut."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it, Max, it's water over the dam now. We'll deal with it."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what can I do you for you, Steve. You wanted to meet me for a reason."</span></p> <p><span>"I did, Max, and I thank you for agreeing to meet with me. Especially after what has transpired. First, I wanted to ask if you're the author, Maxwill Sanders, or is the name a coincidence?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, no coincidence, I'm the author."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent. Have you had any college or background in education?"</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, I was writing my first book as I went to the U of I to get my teaching degree. I'd always planned on being a teacher, family curse, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"Your family was in education?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, mom and dad were both teachers, and I guess I felt I was obligated to follow in their footsteps. Unfortunately, I never finished my degree. I dropped out the last semester as the book had been released and my travel schedule to promote it was causing me to miss too many classes. I figured I'd be better off dropping out than failing."</span></p> <p><span>"You were right about that. Colleges don't look too kindly on folks who fail. Have you ever thought about returning to complete your studies?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really. After the success of the first book, I just kept writing. Teaching didn't have the same allure that it had before."</span></p> <p><span>"Would you consider it? Finishing your degree, that is?"</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose, what are you thinking?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like to hire you as a high school English and advanced literature teacher. It would do wonders for the district to have such an esteemed author on staff."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, Steve. I'm not sure about all that. I have a lot of changes happening in my life right now and my first priority is to make sure the four boys I'm in the process of adopting are taken care of properly. I'm starting to think I may have bitten off more than I can chew."</span></p> <p><span>"I understand, Max. But please think about it. No, may I ask you a personal question?"</span></p> <p><span>"Feel free to ask but I may not give you an answer."</span></p> <p><span>"No pressure, Max, just curiosity."</span></p> <p><span>"Shoot."</span></p> <p><span>"If I heard everything correctly last night, you're gay. Is that correct?"</span></p> <p><span>"It is. Do you have a problem with that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all. And from what you just said, you're also in the process of adopting four boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Also, true. May I ask where you're going with this?"</span></p> <p><span>"Simply, it was my understanding that the state and adoption agencies wouldn't allow a single gay man to adopt, especially boys. Can you explain why it's being allowed in your case?"</span></p> <p><span>"As I mentioned in our call last night, according to my case worker, Carol Ward, all four boys, despite their ages, have shown that they are most likely gay, also. Carol has been trying for quite a while to find a home where they could grow up to understand and embrace who they are. When I showed up, looking to adopt, she said she'd finally found it."</span></p> <p><span>"May I ask the names of the other two boys? I met Joey and Alex on our phone call, but you didn't name the others."</span></p> <p><span>"T.J. Bruce who's in the 2<sup>nd</sup> grade and Mike Broadhead who's in 1<sup>st</sup> grade. Why do you ask?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm going to make sure that your boys aren't abused by anyone while they're at school, be it other students or the staff."</span></p> <p><span>"I thank you for that, Steve, but why?"</span></p> <p><span>"My sister is a lesbian with a daughter who went through hell because of her mom's sexuality. I am going to make sure you and your boys don't have to go through that."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, guess I have to add another one to the list."</span></p> <p><span>"Excuse me, Max, what list is that?"</span></p> <p><span>"The list of people I've met in the past couple weeks who are either gay or know someone who is."</span></p> <p><span>"You're going to find that list will continue to grow. Now, back to your sons for a moment, if we could. Do you believe they are gay, also?"</span></p> <p><span>"Who knows for sure, Steve? They've only lived with me since Saturday, so we're all still trying to figure things out. From what little I've seen and heard so far, I'd have to say it seems highly likely."</span></p> <p><span>"Not to sound like a total idiot, but, as young as they are, could they really know?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're not an idiot, Steve, just uninformed. Like I told Valerie, I knew I was different from other boys around seven or eight. If I can know at that age, they can, too. It could just be curiosity, but I tend to doubt it."</span></p> <p><span>"I do, too. I have one more question for you today I'd like you to think about, seriously, before answering."</span></p> <p><span>"And that is?"</span></p> <p><span>"I want to raise awareness among our staff about gay youth and their acceptance in our school and our lives. In light of that, I'd like to have, for lack of a better word, a workshop with them to discuss the issue and how we can better acknowledge and accommodate our gay students. Your sons can't be the only four enrolled in this school who are or may be gay. If the workshop goes well, I'd like to extend that education to all our students."</span></p> <p><span>"And how would that affect me?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like you and your sons to be involved."</span></p> <p><span>"How?" I asked with a look of surprise on my face.</span></p> <p><span>"I guess as an example of how things should be."</span></p> <p><span>"While I applaud your desire to do this, I hardly think I'm the right guy to hold up as an example. I've only recently accepted who I am and not really ready to start sharing it <i>that</i> openly."</span></p> <p><span>"May I ask how many people you've trusted with the news so far and what their reactions have been?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not sure, let me think." I took a few moments to come up with a number for him. "I'd guess about 18 or 20 so far. Reactions have been about 75% positive, 25% negative."</span></p> <p><span>"And for the people who've read your books and are anxiously awaiting the next one, how do you think they'll react when they find out?"</span></p> <p><span>"Who knows, hopefully no worse than what I've seen so far."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, regardless of your answer, I'm going to push ahead with it. Teen suicide for gay youth due to a lack of positive role models is extremely high. I feel a need to combat that problem and the only way to do so is to face the issue head on. I intend to do just that and would truly appreciate your assistance in making a positive change in our small part of the world. We've been lucky here so far, and I want that to continue."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll have to give this some thought, Steve, and give you my decision later."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I didn't expect an answer this morning. Take your time. I'd like to meet with our teachers in a few weeks, so, the sooner the better."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Steve. Is that it?"</span></p> <p><span>"One last thing before we break up. When your adoption is finalized, I assume you are going to have a party to celebrate."</span></p> <p><span>"You know it," I grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"If I'm not being too forward, I would like to join the celebration."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be sure to include you and your family on the guest list," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>Steve stood, signaling an end to our meeting, "Again, thanks for bringing this gross injustice to my attention. I'm glad we could resolve the situation in a positive manner. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call me."</span></p> <p><span>"Would it be acceptable if I stopped by Mr. Thomas' classroom on my way out?" I asked as we walked out of the office. "I'd like to see how he's doing."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I'm sure he'd appreciate it."</span></p> <p><span>"Which way?" I asked as we stepped into the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>"Let me take you there. It's kind of hard to find it in this maze we laughingly call a school." I followed Steve as he led the way through the building's various additions until we reached Ken's classroom. He knocked lightly and pushed the door open. "Mr. Thomas, I have someone here who would like to see you. Do you have a moment?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure," he responded. "Class, I'll be right back." He started towards the door while Steve stood aside and gave me gentle push through the door. When Ken saw who was there, he scooted over and wrapped me in a bear hug. In the background, I heard two voices say `dad?' while I heard Ken whisper in my ear, "Thank you so much. I owe you big time."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it. Glad I could help." As we separated, I could see tears in his eyes. "Pull yourself together, Ken, we have witnesses," I said as I pointed to the class.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, crap," he muttered. He turned his back to the students and quickly dried his eyes. That task completed, he turned back to the class and said, "Class, you owe your thanks for me being back today to this man. Well, him, his sons, Joey and Alex, and Mr. Furman's daughter Andrea." A round of light clapping ensued and Joey, Alex and Andrea stood to accept it.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll get out of here and let you get back to work, Ken. Congratulations."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks again, Max. I'll be in touch."</span></p> <p><span>I waved to the boys and headed to the door where Steve waited. As we headed down the hall towards the front door, I told Steve, "Let me talk to my sons and boyfriend tonight about your proposal and I'll let you know our decision tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fair, Max. It's a lot to ask, I know, but I think we stand a better chance of success with a person of your stature being involved with the program. If your partner would like to be involved, that would be wonderful."</span></p> <p><span>"I think he's going to be pretty iffy. His job may not allow it, but I'll ask."</span></p> <p><span>"What does he do?"</span></p> <p><span>"At this moment, he's a Sangamon County deputy, but he's just turned in his resignation and has two more weeks on the job."</span></p> <p><span>"Is it a true resignation or is it one of those `resign or be fired' types since he's gay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no, it's entirely his decision. His boss is a okay with Tom being gay."</span></p> <p><span>"You must be taking about Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you know him?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's been to the school on several occasions to talk to the students about driving safely. Seems to be a good man."</span></p> <p><span>"He is."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me talk to him. I'm sure he'll be willing to help with the workshop, also."</span></p> <p><span>"If you can get him involved, you can count on me to be there, also. I don't know about my sons or Tom, but, like I said, we'll talk about it tonight and I'll let you know."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks Max, I appreciate it. I really want this to succeed." We'd reached the door to the parking lot. "Thanks again for coming in this morning. And, again, thanks for helping me correct a major mistake."</span></p> <p><span>"No thanks necessary, Steve. A bad decision was made based on bad information. I'm just glad we were able to fix it before it went on too long. Thanks for listening to my sons and believing what they said."</span></p> <p><span>"I hated to drag them, and my daughter, into an adult situation, but it seemed appropriate at the moment. I'll look forward to hearing your decision on the workshop. Have a great afternoon, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Steve, you, too."</span></p> <p><span>I left the school and headed for home. I stopped at the end of the drive to talk to John's guys. "How's it going guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good, Mr. Sanders. We finally got the dirt compacted where the shelter's going to sit and we're starting to set the forms for the floor slab."</span></p> <p><span>"You got the right spot?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty sure we do, but since you're here, you want to check it real quick to make sure?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why not?" I got out of the car and walked over to check the location. "It looks like you might be closer to the drive than I intended, but that's okay. Do you have enough form material to set up for a sidewalk to the drive?"</span></p> <p><span>"We should. Didn't plan on it, but this would be the time to do it. Where's the door going to be?"</span></p> <p><span>"This corner, right here," I answered as I pointed to the location.</span></p> <p><span>"No problem. It's only about 6 feet to the drive. You want it three feet wide?"</span></p> <p><span>"That should be good. Make sure you tell John about the change so he can charge me more," I laughed. "No seriously, I want to make sure he orders enough concrete to pour the floor and walk at the same time. No sense trying to get a truck out for just the walk later."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll make sure to let him know when we get back. Anything else, Mr. Sanders?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, I'll get out of your way. If you need anything, drink, bathroom, whatever, come on down to the house. I'll be home the rest of the day."</span></p> <p><span>"Will do. See ya' later."</span></p> <p><span>I hopped back in the car and drove on to the house, putting the car in the garage. I decided that for once, I would keep my clothes on since I may have unexpected company later if John's guys needed something. For some odd reason, the thought popped in my head that I had no idea what the boys' birthdays were. I decided I need to fix that lapse of knowledge and called Carol.</span></p> <p><span>"Carol Ward, how can I help you?" she answered the phone.</span></p> <p><span>"Carol, Max here, how are you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Great, Max. Not having second thoughts, are you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a chance. But I just realized I haven't been a very good dad just yet."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I think you've done just fine. What horrible thing have you done that puts you in the `bad dad' category."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't have a clue when the boys' birthdays are. I can hardly have a party for them when I don't know when to have them, can I?"</span></p> <p><span>She laughed and said, "I knew I was forgetting something else, now I know what it is. This all happened so quickly, I didn't have time to create the information folder we usually put together for all our new parents. Please don't fire me, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Not a chance, Carol. I still need your help," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Give me just a sec to grab their files." I heard the rustling of papers as she dug through her desk. "Okay, got `em. Ready?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ready and waiting."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Joey and Alex's birthday is March 13^th, T.J.'s is April 23^rd and Mike's is May 5^th."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad I called when I did. Looks like the first party will be happening in three weeks. We'll expect you to be here."</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't miss it Max. Anything else you need?"</span></p> <p><span>"I do want to run something by you, see what you think. Got a few minutes?"</span></p> <p><span>"Always have time for you, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Good." I relayed the information on the workshop Steve wanted to have at the school about supporting gay youth. "So, what do you think? And more importantly, what do you think about me and/or the boys being involved"</span></p> <p><span>"I think that's a wonderful idea. Teen suicide among gays is becoming an epidemic and something needs to be done. I don't have a problem with you being involved, but it might be asking a bit too much of the boys right now."</span></p> <p><span>"I was feeling that way about T.J. and Mike, but I think Joey and Alex would be fine. I know they're only eight, almost nine, but they certainly seem to know who they are and the path their lives are taking."</span></p> <p><span>"Now that I think about it, you're right, those two would probably be okay, but I'd keep the other two out of it. For now, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Carol, I plan to talk to them tonight and see what they have to say. I'll let you know what we decide."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for the call, Max. Be sure you let me know when the party is."</span></p> <p><span>"I will, Carol. Thanks for the info and have a great evening."</span></p> <p><span>We hung up and I grabbed the book I'd been reading on the way to my favorite chair by the fireplace. I was interrupted about an hour later by a ring of the doorbell. It had to be one of John's guys because the drive sensor hadn't gone off. I opened the door to find both men standing on the porch.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry to bother you Mr. Sanders, but could we please use a restroom? It's a little too cold out here to just whip it out and pee on a tree."</span></p> <p><span>I laughed and said, "Sure, down the hall there, last door on the right."</span></p> <p><span>One took off for the john and I asked the one waiting, "You guys want some coffee to help warm up a bit?"</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't turn down a cup and he'd probably like one, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Be right back." I headed to the kitchen and returned shortly with a Styrofoam cup for each of them, noticing the two had swapped places. "How ya' doin' out there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just about done, sir. Got the floor area ready and we're getting ready to do the walk now. Since we hadn't started the forms when you stopped by, we moved it a couple feet further from the drive so it should be closer to where you want it. We're nice and square so when we bring the building out, we should be able to just drop it in place." </span></p> <p><span>"That sounds great. Any idea when the concrete will be poured?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think John's scheduled it Monday, depending on the weather. We'd like it above freezing when we do it and Monday's supposed to 40°or so."</span></p> <p><span>"How soon can you set the shelter in place after it's poured?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's schedule for the next Monday. John wants give the concrete at least a week to set."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like he has it all planned out. Thanks for the info." His work partner returned and I handed his cup of coffee to him. </span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Mr. Sanders, I needed that," he said pointing down the hall. "Need this too," he added, holding up his cup. "Okay, let's get out of here and get this done. See ya' later, Mr. Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks guys, have a good evening," I said as they headed back out into the cold. I headed back the fireplace to continue my reading. At 3:30, I decided to head out to meet the bus and check on John's guys. When I arrive at the end of the drive, the guys were already gone. I got out to check their work and once satisfied everything looked ready for concrete, climbed back in the warm car to wait. I didn't sit there long as the bus pulled up three minutes later, disgorging four laughing boys.</span></p> <p><span>They climbed in the car and we started the short trek to the house.</span></p> </div></div></div>

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Building a Family Chapter 77 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 77 � Logan's BIG Surprise We slowly stepped closer to the open doorway and I noticed the jamb around the knob latch and deadbolt were completely destroyed. As we stepped over the threshold, we were astonished at the sight that greeted us. It appeared as though a tornado had passed through the house as there wasn't a single piece of furniture left in an upright position in the living room and the contents of the shelves on each side of the fireplace were now strewn around the room. Continuing into the dining room, the glass-fronted buffet that had been against the shared kitchen wall was now on top of the upside-down table and its shattered contents littered the floor. All the chairs had been smashed beyond repair and were now little more than toothpicks. In the kitchen, every cabinet door was either open, hanging by a single hinge or missing entirely, and the contents of all the cabinets, be it food, dishes, spices, whatever, were nowhere to be seen. We continued our tour into Charlie's office on the other side of the foyer and discovered the destruction continued in here as well. The desk was now sitting on its face and all the drawers had been dumped out and tossed haphazardly around the smallish space. The books that had once neatly lined the shelves behind the desk were in a pile on the floor and I could swear I detected the stench of gasoline wafting into my nostrils from the dusty tomes. We left the office and headed up the stairs to find only more devastation. What little had been left in Logan's room Saturday had been unceremoniously tossed out the shattered window and lay spread across the yard on the south side of the house. The other bedroom upstairs was in no better condition. Though everything was still in the room, not a piece of furniture was where it had been and most of it was now in multiple pieces. All of Charlie's clothes had been removed from the closet and slashed with a knife or cut to shreds with a pair of scissors. All but a pair of shorts and a flowery Hawaiian shirt that shared a single hanger in the center of the closet. Having silently completed our rounds, we returned to the front porch where I called Tom to have him get the police sent out and find out what happened to the security team that was supposed to be here. While I dealt with that, Logan sat on the top step and wept shamelessly. After receiving assurances from Tom that help would arrive shortly and ending my call, I sat on the step next to Logan, pulled him into my lap and let him cry while I held him as tightly as I could. I simply couldn't wrap my mind around the amount of hate flowing through someone to do anything like we what we'd just seen. After ten minutes of rocking and hugging Logan, he finally started to settle back down, though I certainly wouldn't have blamed him if he had continued for another couple of hours, or even days for that matter. The front of my shirt was soaked through with snot and tears when he finally lifted his head and asked the simple question, "Why?" "I don't know, buddy. I was wondering the same thing, myself." "And there goes life fuckin' me again," Logan moaned in anguish. "I'd really like to know what the hell I done or who I fuckin' pissed off to deserve all this shit." "Logan, I can't begin to understand how you feel and I won't lie to you and tell you I do. But you have to know that none of this is any reflection on you." "I don't know, Dad. It sure seems like someone's out to get me, one way or t'other." "Nothing could be further from the truth, young man." "Well, we might as well just get my bike and get the hell outta here. Ain't' nothing else left to worry `bout no more." "We can sure do that. Where do you keep it?" "Out in the garage behind the house. C'mon, I'll show you." Logan crawled off my lap and led the way down the steps, around the house past our car, and on to the garage. As we approached the structure, I saw the side door of the building was standing wide open. Concerned about what or who might be waiting for us, I had Logan stay about fifteen feet back as I slowly crept closer and carefully edged my head just far enough into the opening to see inside. To say I was surprised at what I discovered doesn't truly do justice to the shock I felt at what I saw. In the middle of the floor, hands and ankles tied together, gagged, and bound to each other, were three burly looking men who looked like they'd certainly had better days. The eyes of the man facing me bugged widely when he realized help had arrived. I turned back to Logan and asked, "Do you still have your knife on you?" "Always, Dad." "Well, get in here and help me." He quickly joined me and we stepped inside the garage. On seeing the three men and the way they were tied together, Logan pulled his knife out and immediately started working on their bindings. While he carefully cut through the ropes keeping the three immobile, I gently removed the gags that had kept the men silent. The whole time Logan was working on the ropes, he was apologizing to the guys for anything and everything it seemed. When I finally removed the last gag, the man breathed a huge sigh of relief and said, "Thank God you found us. We thought we were gonna die." "You're safe now and the cops are on the way. Do any of you need an ambulance?" I asked. "I don't think so." "I might," one of the other men moaned. "I think that fuckin' kid nailed me with a baseball bat. That's what it felt like anyway." "Let me make the call," I replied. I dialed nine-one-one and asked them to send an ambulance to where the police had been dispatched south of New Berlin. Ending that call, I started another one to let Tom know what was going on. He told me another group of security was already on the way since these guys hadn't checked in for several hours. Logan had finally finished his task of separating the men when we heard the first siren approaching. Despite being cold and sore as hell from being on the concrete floor for hours, the three agreed to stay where they were until medical help arrived. "Logan, why don't you go out to the car and bring back whoever arrives?" The boy was off like a bolt of lightning while I turned back to the men on the floor. "What're your names?" I asked. "I'm Hunter, the guy on my right is Leroy, and the other one is Kurt." "Well, hang in there, Hunter, help will be here soon." I'd no sooner said the words when Logan came back into the garage will Kelly in trail behind him. "Is everyone okay," she asked immediately. "Don't know, Kelly," I answered. "One of the guys thinks he was hit with a bat and they've all been tied up for hours. They didn't want to move until the ambulance I called gets here." "Probably a good idea. Who are you guys and what are you doing here," she asked while kneeling in front of Hunter. "I'm Hunter Lewis and the other two are Leroy Brown and Kurt Richards. We're a security team who was here to guard the farm and we got jumped just after six this morning." "Do you know who it was?" "Not a clue. Some white guy in his late thirties or early forties and two teenaged boys." "I think I might know, Kelly," I offered. She looked up to me and said, "Well, spit it out." "It sounds like Logan's uncle and his cousins." "Any idea where they are now?" "Not a clue. And I don't want to, either." Kelly glared at me with confusion and I jerked my head towards the door for her to follow me outside so we could talk freely. She stood and headed towards the opening while I turned to Logan and said, "Logan, would you stay here and keep these guys company until the ambulance gets here. I'm going to talk to Kelly outside." "You got it, Max." "Thanks, buddy." I turned for the door and followed Kelly outside for our chat. "Hey, guys, I'm really sorry you got hurt." "Don't worry `bout us, kid. We'll be fine," Hunter replied. "Maybe, but it's my fault this happened." "No it isn't, it's our fault for not paying more attention to our job." "Well, y'all wouldn't been out here if it weren't for me. This is my farm you was protectin'." "I didn't know that," Hunter replied in surprise. "How'd you get to be the owner of a farm at your age?" "My daddy died Friday night, so now it's mine. It was pro'lly my asshole uncle and shithead cousins that beat y'all and tied you up in here." "Whoever it was, he's sure got some serious anger issues. We all felt sick hearin' what they were doin' inside and knowing we couldn't stop `em. We're really sorry we didn't do a better job." "Don't worry `bout it, guys. I already got ever'thing I wanted out of the house. The rest of it's just stuff. I just hope they didn't screw with nothin' else." "Well, they spent quite a bit of time out at the barn, too, but we couldn't hear much of what was goin' on out there." "WHAT!?" I screamed. "BUSTER!" I jumped up off the floor and ran out of the garage as fast as my skinny little legs would carry me. I was about halfway through telling Kelly what I knew about Troy when Logan came flying out of the garage at full tilt boogie. As he passed Kelly and me, he yelled, "C'mon, Max, we gotta check on Buster!" I followed Logan as quickly as I could, but he was way too fast for me. He was going through the back door of the barn just as I was coming in the front, and when I finally joined him in the small corral, he was hugging Buster around his neck. "I'm so glad you're okay, Buster," he cooed into the young bull's year. "You, too, Bessie," he added as he stepped over and patted her flanks. A visibly relieved Logan finally rejoined me at the door to the barn and muttered, "I don't know what I'da done if they'da hurt Bessie or Buster." "What made you think they had?" I asked with concern. "Well, one o' them dudes in the garage said unc and the shitheads spent quite a bit o' time out here doin' who knows what. All I could think of was Buster." "I'm glad they're okay. We should probably check the rest of the barn on our way out." I wrapped Logan's hand in mine and we started to pick our way back through the barn. When we reached the tractor and feed grinder, it was quite obvious where the time in the barn had been spent. The tractor had been destroyed and rendered inoperable, and the feed grinder had been dismantled and its parts and pieces spread across the area. I don't know how we both missed the destruction on our way through barn. Logan could do nothing but stare blankly at the remains of the two pieces of equipment before glumly continuing back out into the bright and sunny afternoon. When we stepped outside, Kelly and Derek were waiting for us and an ambulance had arrived to take care of Hunter and his guys. "Afternoon, Logan" Derek greeted the property's new owner. "Hey, Mr. Timmons," Logan answered flatly. Derek and I shared a quick handshake and silent nod to each other before he returned his attention to Logan. "I'm sorry for what's happened out here, young man, but you can be sure we'll find whoever did this." "Shouldn't be too hard. All ya gotta do is look for a dirty beige truck with Missouri plates on it and three assholes in it." "I've already put out an APB for them, Logan. We're going to take pictures of everything they've damaged so when we get them into court, they can't wiggle their way out of this mess." "They ain't goin' to court here `cause they're long gone. And when I catch up with that bastard, he's gonna pay like he ain't never paid before." Derek knelt in front of Logan, put his hands on the youngster's shoulders, then said, "I know you're pissed off right now, and you have every right to be after what's happened, but please let us take care of this. I promise you, I won't let him get away with what he's done." "You do what ya gotta do, Mr. Timmons, and I'll do what I gotta do. That bastard better hope you find him first, though." "Looks like I have my marching orders." "Thanks for comin' out, Derek," I said as he stood back up. "You need anything else from us before we leave?" "I can't think of anything, Max," Derek replied, but an almost imperceptible nod from him told me he had something to say he didn't want Logan to hear. I turned to Logan and said, "Why don't you go grab your bike and I'll meet you at the car in a minute?" With a simple nod of acknowledgement from Logan, he headed for the garage. "Okay, what didn't you want Logan to hear?" I asked once the young man was out of earshot. "I'm sure when you guys went through the house, you smelled it in what I guess was Charlie's office." I nodded in agreement and Derek continued. "Yeah, there's gasoline all over the books. And we found a burned bundle of paper just inside and to the right of the front door. There's no doubt they tried to burn the place down, but their plan didn't work, thankfully. Just another charge to file against the losers." "Well, this is the last damn thing Logan needed to deal with," I muttered. "We'll get out of your way and let you folks do your jobs. Keep us posted on whatever else you find." "You know I will. Try to enjoy what's left of the day." "Seems rather unlikely, Derek, but we'll try. See you later, you, too Kelly." I headed for the car where Logan was waiting for me, and when I joined him, we slid his bike into the back of the Flex. As I turned to get in the car, Logan ran around the front of the house, climbed the steps and disappeared inside. When he came back out, he was carrying the hanger that held the shorts and Hawaiian shirt and he had a big smile gracing his face. "What the heck are you doin' with that?" I asked. "Hey, we came out here to get somethin' to bury my daddy in, didn't we? Since this is all he's got left, I figured it was better than nothin'. Don't think they'll let us bury him naked, do you?" "No, probably not," I laughed. "We'll see what the people at the funeral home think. C'mon, munchkin, let's get the hell out of here." We climbed in the car and as I turned around to leave, a new team of security people arrived to replace Hunter and his crew. I wasn't looking forward to our next stop, but there was no way to avoid it. Five minutes after leaving the farm, we arrived at the funeral home and I parked in the otherwise empty lot. We climbed out of the car, Logan grabbed the shorts and shirt he'd brought along for his dad, and we headed inside. We were met by a kindly looking middle-aged woman with a somber look on her face. "How may I help you two this afternoon?" she asked in a very kind voice. "Hi, my name is Max Sanders, and this is Logan Campbell. I called yesterday about arrangements for Logan's father." "Ah, yes, I've been expecting you. My name is Barb Wilson and I'm the person you talked to. Come in, please." As we followed Barb through the building and into her office, she added, "We're very sorry for your loss, young man, especially so soon after your mother passed." She took the chair behind her desk and added, "Please have a seat." After we'd all occupied a chair, she asked, "Were you able to bring some clothes for your father?" Logan held up the hanger and Barb recoiled in shock when she saw the beige shorts and Hawaiian shirt. "This is what I got, it's all that's left," Logan answered quietly. "Well, I'm sorry, but that just won't do," Bard commented with serious disgust. "It's hardly appropriate attire for a funeral." "Well, why the heck not?" Logan asked in confusion. "Ain't a funeral s`posed to be a celebration of the dead person's life?" "Perhaps, but I still don't think your father would want to be wearing that particular outfit for all eternity." "Listen, lady, I know you mean well and you're just doin' your job, but you didn't know my daddy. `Fore my momma died, he was a great guy with a wacky ass sense of humor and he loved to have fun. And we was gonna do just that this summer. After school was out and the fields were planted, he was takin' us to some place called Key West down in Florida. He bought this to wear while we spent a week on the beaches and in the ocean, just him an' me. And he never got a chance to do it. Well, guess what? He's gonna get his dang chance `cause that's exactly what he's gonna be wearin' when you all put him in that coffin." Barb looked at me and said, "I'll have to talk to my boss about this request. I'm not sure he'll allow it." As I stared back at Barb, I replied, "First, you're talking to the wrong man. This is one hundred percent Logan's decision. Second, if you don't think you can follow your client's wishes, then I recommend you refund any money Mr. Campbell already paid for his services and we'll find another funeral home who will do as Logan requests. Is your boss here? We can clear this up right now." "Well, he is, but Howard's rather busy at the moment." "If he can't come to us, then I think you should take us to him so we can settle this before it's too late." "I really don't think that's such a great idea, Mr. Sanders. He's working, um, downstairs." "Is he workin' on my daddy," Logan asked matter-of-factly. "Yes, he has started preparing your father's body." "Then what the hell we sittin' up here for?" Logan retorted. "Let's go find this dude, Max," he added as he stood and left the office, taking the hanger of supposedly inappropriate clothing with him. I followed Logan's lead against Barb's protests, and we soon found a stairway that would take us down. Barb was following along and trying to stop us from proceeding, but Logan wasn't having any part of it. When Logan stepped into the basement, I was still a few steps behind and I heard him call out, "Hey, Mr. McGee, how ya doin'?" The next sound I heard was that of a billowing sheet and just as I cleared the last step, I could see the sheet fluttering down over Charlie's body. "Logan, what are you doing down here!? You really don't need to be seeing your dad like this." "I'm only here `cause your lady upstairs thinks my brain musta slipped a cog or two and she don't think I know what I'm doin'. She said she had to talk to you `bout somethin' and I'm just cuttin' out the middleman." "Well, what seems to be the problem?" an embarrassed Mr. McGee asked. "Look, somebody broke into our house this mornin' and trashed the place along with all of Daddy's clothes. Except for these," Logan added as he held up the outfit. "I know this ain't your regular `bury me in my Sunday best' outfit, but it's what I want my Daddy wearin' when he goes in the ground. Please tell me you'll do it." Mr. McGee snickered lightly at the contents of the hanger but answered, "If that's what you want, young man, that's exactly what you'll get. I think your dad would appreciate the gesture considering his wicked sense of humor." "I knew you'd understand. Thank you." After a short pause, Logan asked, "Since I'm here, can I see him?" With just a moment's hesitation, Mr. McGee answered, "I don't think that's a very good idea, Logan. I've just started my preparations and I have a lot of work to do before your dad should be seen by anyone, especially you." "Mr. McGee, I `ppreciate you tryin' to protect me, but I seen death before. I've helped daddy slaughter and butcher cows, pigs and chickens for years, so there ain't nothin under that sheet's that's gonna surprise me none. `Sides, that ain't my daddy under there no more, that's just the shell he occupied while he was here on this Earth. He's long gone and he ain't comin' back." Howard looked to me and I could only shrug my shoulders in response to his unspoken inquiry. He finally returned his attention to Logan and quietly said, "I guess it'll be okay." He then lifted the sheet covering Charlie's head and pulled it down to his shoulders. Even though only a minimal part of Charlie's body was exposed, you could still see that serious damage had been done when his clothes were ripped from him. Logan handed me the outfit, then grabbed a stool and dragged it over to the side of the table where his father's body lay. He then climbed up on the stool and sat down so he could look into Charlie's face. He gently brushed the hair off his dad's forehead and away from his closed eyes, then leaned in close and whispered, "Don't you worry none `bout me, Daddy. I know you ain't really here no more, but since I can't talk to you where you're at now, this is gonna hafta do. I want you to know I'm gonna be fine. I hurt like hell right now, but I gots Max and Tom and my brothers and a whole buncha other folks who're gonna watch over me for you and momma. It's gonna take a while to get all this junk sorted out, but I gots a handle on it, okay? I also got Mr. Bartley and Ryan takin' care o' things at the farm `til I can deal with it myself, so you don't hafta worry `bout none o' that either. Do me a favor and tell momma I still love and miss her. I still love you, too, and I'm gonna miss ya you mean and cranky old fart. I'll see both of you again in about eighty or ninety years, I hope. It'll probably feel like only a few seconds to you, but it's gonna be a long and lonely lifetime for me." On that final note, he laid his head on Charlie's chest, hugged him as best he could and whimpered quietly. Howard and I could do nothing but hang our heads and cry with him. The three of us finally got our feelings back under a modicum of control when Logan slid off the stool and stepped over to me. He grabbed the outfit from my grasp, then turned and handed it to Howard. "Thanks, Mr. McGee," he said softly as Howard took the items from Logan's shaking hands. Howard quickly reviewed the small bundle and said, "Logan, I think you missed a couple of things. There's no socks or underwear here." "So what? There weren't gonna be none on the beach at Key West, either. `Sides, he ain't in no condition to complain `bout it, is he?" "No, I suppose not. I gotta tell ya, Logan, I like your style." "Thanks, Mr. McGee. I'm just bein' me." "Since you're here, do you have any special requests for your dad's service?" Howard asked. "Yeah, I don't want no prayers or nothin' religious bein' said." "But, when I read through your dad's file this morning, he specifically wanted the twenty-third psalm to be read with a few other passages from the Bible, along with a hymn to be played. Despite how your dad reacted to your mom's death, he still believed in God." "I don't give a rat what he said he wanted or believed. This is what I want. I don't believe in God. I maybe used to, but not no more." "Your parents would be very sad to hear you say that, young man," Howard responded. "Then answer me this, Mr. McGee. What the hell kind of God takes both a kid's parents at my age, huh!? I'll tell ya, a mean and hateful one that despises little kids. And a God like that don't deserve to be heard at my daddy's funeral. I had to hear that crap at my momma's funeral and I ain't gonna listen to it at my daddy's. And there's two or three songs I want played that my momma used to listen to, but I'll have to have Max help me figure out what they are." "We can do that, Logan. While I can't say I agree with your decisions, I'll abide by them. The service is more for you than your dad." "Oh, and one more thing, I wanna say somethin' at the cemetery." "Are you sure you'll be up to it?" Howard asked with concern. "Pro'lly not, but I gots a few things that need to be said out loud and that's when I wanna do it." "Then, we'll make sure it happens. Anything else you'd like?" "Yeah, what day we gonna do this?" Logan inquired. "Whatever day you want. I could be ready tomorrow afternoon." "Nope, not durin' the week. I don't wanna miss no more school. Can we do it sometime Saturday afternoon?" "That's fine with me. Will two o'clock be okay?" Logan looked up to me and I nodded my acceptance of the time and date. He then turned back to Howard and said, "Saturday at two, then, and the visitin' thing Friday night, I guess, not that nobody will actually show up." "That works for us, Logan," I commented. "For us, too," Howard agreed. "Then let's get the hell outta here, Max. We got another stop to make, don't we?" "Yes, we do." I turned to Howard, shook his hand and thanked him for his time today before grabbing Logan's hand and returning upstairs and outside. As we climbed in the car for the short trip to the bank, I said to Logan, "You never cease to amaze me with your maturity, kiddo. You're handling things much better than I think I will when it comes time for me to deal with it." "Well, I'm just doing the best I can to get through this shit without breakin' down completely, Dad. I'll have plenty of time for that when this is all over. `Sides, I got you, Pops and my brothers to help me get through it." "You'll always have us, buddy," I replied as I pulled into the street and turned for the bank. "Don't be makin' no promises you can't keep." It was a quiet ride to the bank and when I shut off the car, Logan started to climb out. I stopped him with a hand on his arm and said, "Hang on just a sec, I want to call Tom about something before we go in." Logan settled back into his seat but left his car door open as I dialed home. "Hey, big guy, got another task for you to take care of. ... Yeah, we're done at the funeral home and about to head into the bank. ... Oh, it'll be interesting, for sure. ... Look, I want you or Dylan to call the security company and have them double the coverage at the farm and at our home. And I want them on duty ASAP. ... Well, you didn't see what they did at the farm, but I don't want them havin' any chance of repeating it at either location. ... Thanks, hon. We should be home in a bit. Love you. ... Bye-bye." After I ended the call, Logan said, "I don't get why you're worried `bout the farm. What the hell else could they do they ain't already done?" "Well, you still have livestock out there. I'd like to make sure it stays there and is still alive when all this stuff with Troy is over." "That makes sense, I guess, but I don't know what he'd want with cows, pigs or chickens." "Let's not take any chances, okay?" With a simple nod from Logan, we headed into the bank for our conversation with Mr. Billings. I let the receptionist inside the door know who we were and why we there and before we had a chance to take a seat, a pudgy bald man was hustling across the lobby to greet us. "Good afternoon, I'm John Billings. You must be Mr. Sanders. Thank you for bringing Logan in to talk with me this afternoon. If you'll just give us a few minutes alone, we'll have you on your way." He then turned to Logan and added, "Logan, I was so sorry to hear about your dad. I know you two have had a rough couple of years, but maybe your dad has finally found some peace." "Thanks, Mr. Billings. I hope he has, too." "Well, come with me, young man, and we can talk about a few things." "I'll do that, but Max is comin' with me." "I'm sorry, Logan, but he's not allowed to hear what we need to talk about." "Why the hell not?" Logan asked rather loudly. "Well," John started in a calm voice to try to de-escalate things, "we're going to be discussing your father's will and what happens next." "Mr. Billings, I'm sorry if I'm just a stupid farm kid, but Max's already read my daddy's will and he knows what it says. He's the one who called you and told you `bout daddy dyin', wasn't he?" "Well, yes he did, but I still don't think he needs to be included in this discussion." "Okay, let me put this another way that you just might understand. If Max ain't with me, we ain't talkin' `bout jack shit." "Um, well, um," John, stammered in surprise. "I guess if that's how you feel about it, then we'll make an exception and allow him to join us." "Good plan there, Mr. Billings," Logan replied testily. "Let's get this over with, can we? I'm tired of dealin' with this shit and wanna go home." "Follow me, gentlemen." John turned around and led the way to his office where he sat behind his desk and offered us the two empty chairs on the opposite side. "I'd like to apologize for trying to keep out of this conversation, Mr. Sanders, but I'm still not sure how you became involved with Logan and his dad." "Like I told you yesterday, Logan's been living with me and my family for just over three weeks now while he and Charlie were trying to resolve some problems between them. My only involvement with them was as a foster parent for Logan. But, now that Logan's dad is gone, I feel it's my duty to see that Logan and his interests are protected." "I see. I think I do, anyway." "Whether you see or not is beside the point," I began. "I'm going to make sure that Logan receives what is his under the terms of the will. And William, too, if he can be located. Now, if we've settled this little pissing match you insisted on creating, can we more on?" I asked. "Fine," John retorted with disgust. He turned his attention to Logan and began, "It turns out that is was rather fortuitous Mr. Sanders called me and I was able to put blocks on all your dad's accounts first thing this morning, Logan. A gentleman presented himself as your father this morning and tried to withdraw all the money and close the accounts. Not that he would have gotten away with much since there was only about $2,500.00 in the accounts." Logan's jaw dropped in surprise and when he'd gathered his senses back together, he screamed, "What the hell you talkin' `bout!? According to what we found in the lockbox with the will, there was over a quarter million dollars in this dump." "Well, I'm not sure where that figure came from because your family has never had that much deposited in any accounts here," John replied smugly. I could tell Logan was about to seriously blow a gasket and John's head was directly in the line of fire. I placed a hand on his shoulder and calmly asked, "Logan, would you please wait in the lobby for a minute? I need to have a little chat with Mr. Billings." "No way, Jos�! If you're gonna talk `bout me and my money, you're gonna do it with me right here." "Please, Logan, for just a minute," I begged. "Nope, not gonna happen, Max. This bastard's tryin' to rip me off just like my uncle is, and that ain't gonna happen. Not in this century or any other." "All right, you can stay, but let me deal with this, okay?" "Do whatever you gotta do, man, but I ain't leaving nothin' in this shithole." I turned back to John and noticed a flush flooding the bald spot on the top of his head and flowing down to his ears. "Mr. Billings, you will, right this moment, retrieve your bank's ledgers from after closing last Friday and bring them back here. You will then prove to me, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that your accounting is one-hundred percent accurate on Logan's balances. If you fail to do it, I will first be calling the police to come arrest your sick lying ass for embezzlement, and second, the FDIC to come in tomorrow morning and audit this bank from top to bottom. I will not allow you to steal from a nine-year-old kid who's just lost his father. Especially a child you've sworn to protect." "I'm not lying to you," John retorted angrily. "And besides that, you're bluffing. You have no proof to back up your claims, so the bank's ledgers will determine who's right and who isn't." "Are you sure you want to take that position? Your hand is pretty damn weak." "I still say you're bluffing. You don't have near the power you think you do." "And he goes all in." I pulled my phone out of my pocket, unlocked it, handed it to Logan and said, "Here, Logan, it's your money, you make the call." "Damn right I will." The youngster opened my contacts, scrolled to Derek's name and tapped the screen to place the call. "Hello, is this Sheriff Timmons? ... Good. This is Logan Campbell, again. ... Well, I thought I was doin' okay, but not so much no more. ... It's like this, Sheriff. I'm at the bank where my daddy has all our farm's money and the bald fat prick sittin' behind his big fancy desk is tryin' to tell us my daddy had only $2,500.00 in the bank when he died. ... Well, yeah, that's a problem, `cause accordin' to my daddy's accountin' we found, there's s'posed to be about $265,000 in this place. ... Well I sure as hell didn't spend it over the weekend. It just up and disappeared. ... Oh, so you're still at my farm. That means you can be here in `bout five minutes. ... That's perfect, Sheriff. We'll be here. And thanks for your help, again." Logan ended the call with an evil grin cutting across his face and he handed the phone back to me. I wasted no time as I placed a call to Clarence. After getting past the receptionist, I had him on the phone with me and began the conversation with, "Clarence, I need a favor. ... I need you to call someone at the FDIC and get them out to the bank in New Berlin. ... Well, I have reason to believe the vice-president of the bank is guilty of embezzling at least $250,000 from a dead man. ... Yes, I said a dead man. I know it sounds weird, but what else can I say? ... Thanks for your help. I'll give you more details later. Bye." I slipped my phone back in my pocket and we sat back to await Derek's arrival. As the time passed, John had lost the redness about his head and his skin tone had taken on a distinctively grey pallor. Beads of sweat were constantly popping out on his forehead, running down into his eyes and over his chubby little cheeks. If I didn't know better, I'd have guessed he was melting away right before our eyes. "You're looking a bit peaked there, John. Can we get you a drink or something?" "I'm just fine," he answered angrily. "If you say so," I retorted. "I'm still waiting to see Friday's reports." With my patience being pushed to the limit, I turned to my companion and asked, "Logan, would you go out front and tell the receptionist we need the bank's president in here?" "We'll be right back, Max. Don't let that scumbag outta your sight," Logan responded while angrily pointing his finger at John. In less than a minute, Logan returned with the bank's president in tow. "Good afternoon, gentlemen. My name is Grant Peters. This young man tells me I'm needed in here. What can I do for you today?" "Have a seat, Mr. Peters, and I'll explain the situation," I greeted the man while I patted my thigh for Logan to come sit on my lap. Once everyone was seated, I continued, "My name is Max Sanders and this young man is Logan Campbell." I spent the next five minutes explaining to Grant about Charlie's death, my involvement in the situation, reading his will, my call to John yesterday and the purpose of our visit here this afternoon. With the basics of the situation explained, I carried on with "So, with the information I have, I believe that Mr. Billings is trying to enrich himself at the expense of a vulnerable young man who has dealt with more hardships in his nine years than anyone his age should ever have to endure." As if on cue, Logan turned his face into my chest and let go a little whimper. I then plowed on with, "The police are already on the way. The ball's in your court." Grant seemed stunned at the tale I'd related, and he finally turned to look at John who seemed to have wilted even further than he was a few short minutes ago. "Is there any basis in truth to Mr. Sanders' accusations, John?" "No, sir, absolutely not," John sputtered as he sank ever lower in his chair. Grant looked back to me and asked, "Can you provide any proof to your accusations, Mr. Sanders?" "All I have available to me are the accounting ledgers Mr. Campbell maintained. From my initial perusal of those, they seem to me to be quite detailed and accurate. If you'd like to see them, I can have them brought here in less than ten minutes." "Would you please make the arrangements to do so. I would like to compare them to our records." With a nod, I pulled my phone out again and called home. "Hi there. We have a little issue at the bank and I need another favor. ... In the lockbox we retrieved from Logan's house, there was a set of accounting ledgers. Can you pull them out and have Ron run them over to the bank, please? ... The sooner, the better. ... Thanks, hon." I stuffed my phone away and turned to Grant before saying, "They'll be here shortly. Maybe we can get this problem resolved today." "I guarantee you it will be," Grant replied. "While we wait for Mr. Campbell's accounting to arrive, I'll retrieve our records from closing Friday. I'll be back in a few minutes." Shortly after Grant left the office, the bank's guard joined us and stood by the door. True to his word, Grant returned carrying several thick printouts from the computer. Derek had also arrived and joined the party in John's office, quietly taking a spot on the opposite side of the door than the bank's guard. Ron arrived shortly with the items I requested and smoothly extricated himself from the situation after sharing a quick hug with Logan. I took a quick look at the ledgers in my hand before passing them to Grant with the comment, "You'll find Charlie included the account numbers on each page in these, so it should be easy for you to match them up with the reports you have." "Thank you, give me just a few minutes to compare these." Grant immediately got to work, flipping back and forth through the bank's reports to match various account numbers to those noted in Charlie's ledgers. He nodded slightly after each comparison and finally settled everything in his lap. "Well, I must say that Mr. Campbell was a very meticulous individual with his recordkeeping. Every account he's noted in his ledgers matches our Friday report of ending balances to the penny. Give me just another moment, please." Grant picked up the phone on John's desk and dialed an extension before saying, "Betty, I need you to produce a report of all transactions since Friday's close and the current balances for the following accounts." Grant rattled off six different account numbers from Charlie's ledgers, then added, "When you have that, please bring it into John's office. Thank you." Our wait was fairly short when Betty arrived with a single sheet of paper in her hand. After she left, Grant looked at the report she'd handed over, after which he paled visibly and muttered, "Oh, my." He hesitated a moment before lifting his eyes from the paper and said, "Mr. Sanders, Mr. Campbell, please accept my apologies for what's happened here. Would you excuse us for a few minutes while I have a little chat with Mr. Billings? When I'm done with him, I'll come get you so we can resolve this situation." "We'll be waiting in the lobby for you, Mr. Peters," I replied as Logan and I left the office. We took a seat near the receptionist's desk and settled in for our wait. "Logan, I have to say you've impressed me yet again with your strength and fortitude." "What can I say, man? I'm gettin' real damn tired of life fuckin' me over and over and over, and not feelin' a goddam thing." I couldn't help but snicker at his astute observation of recent events. "This shit ain't funny, Max." "No, it isn't, and I'm sorry for reacting like I did. But, I'm with Mr. McGee, I like your style. I absolutely love the way you put what you're feeling into words." "That's just me bein' me," he giggled. "And we wouldn't want you to be any other way, young man." "That's a good thing, Max, `cause I don't think I can change it." I wrapped an arm around his shoulders and kissed the top of his head before whispering, "Good, don't even try." We sat and waited for about ten minutes before Grant finally headed our way. He was followed by Derek leading John from the building in handcuffs. When Grant stopped next to Logan, Derek continued on, mouthing, `I'll call you later'. "Will you two please come with me?" Grant asked before turning and leading the way to his office. While he took his chair behind his desk, Logan and I sat in the offered chairs on the other side. He then started the conversation with, "Logan, I am truly sorry for you having to deal with things like this after what you've been through this weekend. I can't even begin to imagine how you feel right now." "No, you can't," Logan replied flatly. "I mean, I'm already worn out from ever'thing else that's happened. And then to come in here and have that bastard try to rape me on top of all that, well, it's just like gettin' a swift kick in the nuts." Grant blanched at Logan's language, but the two of us chuckled quite a bit before Grant was ready to continue. "Well, I want you to know that everything concerning your accounts has been corrected and restored to the way it was Friday. What would you like to do now?" "I wanna take it all outta here," Logan answered. "Why? We've corrected the error and I promise it won't happen again." "Error?" Logan sputtered angrily. "You think that weasel tryin' ta rip me off was a freakin' error!? That's exactly why I want my money outta this place, so no more errors can happen to my money!" "I'd like to make a suggestion, if I could," I interrupted before Logan could climb across the desk and inflict serious bodily harm to the stunned banker. "And just what would that be, Mr. Sanders?" Grant quickly asked in an attempt to defuse the emotionally explosive youngster. "Let's open up six new accounts to replace the six Charlie had and transfer all the funds into the new accounts. The only signatories on the new accounts would be Logan, myself and my fianc�. And I want the accounts set up so that it takes two signatures on any check before the bank will honor it." "That sounds like a great idea, sir," Grant exhaled in relief. "What do you think of that idea, Logan?" "Yeah, I could live with that, I guess. I trust Max to do the right thing." "Excellent, gentlemen. Let me talk to Betty and I'll get the process started. I'll have her bring in the forms you'll need to sign when she has everything set up." With that, Grant left the office. "You sure you're okay with me and Tom being on your accounts, Logan?" After a quick glance behind us to ensure the office door was closed, Logan answered with, "Look, Dad, I know we ain't known each other that long, but I do love and trust y'all. `Sides that, with all the stinkin' money you already got, there ain't no way in hell you'd try to take mine," he giggled. "By the way, did you like that little act I put on in the asshole's office?" "What?" I exclaimed. "You faked that bit when you cried in my chest?" "Yep. Was that good or what?" he giggled again. "It was perfect, kiddo. You sure fooled me," I chuckled in realization of the boy's skills as a performer. "Good, I was just hopin' Mr. Peters would buy it. I think it worked out pretty good." We were both laughing but quickly regained control when we heard the office door open behind us. Grant rejoined us and sat behind his desk again. "Okay, that's being handled. Betty will bring everything in when she's done. Is there anything else we need to deal with today?" "One very important thing I can think of, Mr. Peters. The reason we came in to talk to Mr. Billings today is he is named as the executor of Charlie's will and Logan's trustee. However, in light of recent developments, I think that should be changed immediately." "I agree with you, Mr. Sanders. Unfortunately, I'm not an attorney who can make such a change." "But you wouldn't contest us if we get that provision modified to reflect Logan's wishes?" "Absolutely not. I'd much prefer the executor and trustee not be associated with the bank in any way, just to avoid any potential claims of a conflict of interest in the future." "Then, I'll call my attorney when we get home and see what he can do." "Mr. Billings told me you called someone to have the FDIC notified about the problem today." "Yes, I'm sorry, but he didn't seem like he was very interested in resolving things properly." "Don't worry about that. You were exactly right to make that call. And if you hadn't, I would have to. I want our books gone over with a fine-toothed comb to see if he has victimized anyone else. You can rest assured, Mr. Sanders, that we will cooperate fully with the examiners when they arrive, and any improperly appropriated funds will be returned to the customer." "As it should be." There was a light rap on the door and when it opened, Betty came in and handed some papers over to Grant. "Thank you, Betty. That will be all for now," he said dismissively. Betty turned and left the three of us alone. Grant reviewed the paperwork and a look of serious surprise filled his face. After he peeled a handwritten note from the top page of the stack, he handed them over while saying, "Here are the forms you'll need to sign for each of the new accounts. When will your fianc�e be able to come in and sign them?" "Oh, I just assumed we could take these with us and bring them back." "I'm sorry, Mr. Sanders, that's not allowed. The signatures must be witnessed by a bank employee." "Then I guess Logan and I will sign them now and when we get back home, Tom can come over to add his signature." "That would be just fine, sir," Grant replied. "I'll leave these with the receptionist to make it easy to deal with when he comes in." "Logan, these are your accounts, so you should sign them first," I said. He stood in front of the desk, and using the pen supplied by Grant, scrawled his name on the top line on each form. He then handed me the pen and papers so I could follow his lead. As I added my signature, I was double-checking the balances that would be in each new account to ensure they matched my recollection of Charlie's ledgers. When I reached the page for a seventh account, I understood the look of surprise I'd seen from Grant. I paused and asked, "Logan, did you pay attention to these when you went through them?" "Nah, why would I?" he replied. "I just wanna go home." "You might want to take a closer look at this last one, buddy," I commented, handing it to him to peruse. He took it from me and let his eyes wander over the page from top to bottom. When he finally saw what had caught my eye, his eyes opened wide in surprise. "What the hell is this!?" he squeaked. Grant took over and answered, "Betty found another account that your father didn't include in his accounting ledgers, Logan. After a quick bit of research, she discovered that your mother had received an inheritance from her mother and a separate account was opened with those proceeds." "But this says I got over five million bucks! Ain't no way in hell that's real," Logan complained. "5,265,482.19 dollars to be exact," Grant replied with a smile while referring to the hand-written note. "And that's just in the one account," he added. "And it's all mine?" Logan queried warily. "Every penny." "Holy shit, I'm freakin' rich!" the stunned youngster sputtered as he collapsed back into his chair. Logan finally handed the last page back to me and after I'd added my signature to it, I handed the pen and forms back to Grant. "I guess that's it for now. Tom should be here in about fifteen or twenty minutes to add his signature." "That will be fine. Again, let me apologize for today's events and I thank you for allowing us to correct this huge debacle." "The important thing is you did. C'mon, Logan, let's go home." "Best thing I've heard all day, Max." We left Grant alone and headed out into the sunny afternoon to climb in the car for the short trip home. As I made the turn out of the parking lot, I commented, "You handled all that pretty well considering the circumstances, Logan." "I just hope we're done with all this crap `til Friday night. I don't know how much more I can take." "The only thing I can think we still need to take care of is getting your house straightened up and figure out who's gonna pay for the damage that was done." "Can you take care o' that for me? I can't deal with it no more. I just wanna sleep." "Of course, I will. And I think a nap is a good idea." "Can I use your bed?" he asked with grin. "You bet, buddy," I replied as I reached over to my passenger and ruffled his hair. After parking in the garage, I unloaded Logan's bike and parked it with the others while he loped inside to lay down for a while. As I stepped into the house, Logan was leaving his room and carrying the raggedy teddy bear with him as he headed across the house in search of peace and quiet. I turned into Tom's office to find the two investigators hard at work. The first thing I noted was Bill had been here while Logan and I were gone, and Dylan's computer was all set up. "Hey, guys, how's it goin' in here?" I asked in way of greeting. "We're doin' okay, I guess. You get everything handled with Logan?" Tom replied. "So far, yeah. Talk about your shitty damn days, this is one of `em." "How's Logan doin' with everything?" Dylan asked. "A helluva lot better than I would be in his place, let me tell ya. That kid never ceases to amaze me. He keeps gettin' knocked down and he bounces right back up, ready for the next punch. Kinda reminds me of one of those blow-up bop clown things we had when we were kids. Of course, finding out he just inherited over five million dollars helps ease the pain a bit, I'm sure." "What!?" the two surprised men squawked. I quickly explained about the extra account we hadn't known about and how it had come to be. "Bet that explains why Troy is being such a pain in the ass," Tom commented. "He wants to get his hands on that money." "Wouldn't surprise me a bit," I agreed. "So, when's the funeral?" Tom asked. "Visitation is Friday night and the funeral is Saturday at two." "Why so late," Dylan asked. "Most folks would have it Wednesday or Thursday." "The reason Logan gave was he didn't want to miss any more school. Why he's so worried about that right now is beyond me. By the way, Tom, you need to run over to the bank and sign some forms." "What for?" "After what happened, they opened up new accounts for Logan and transferred all the funds from Charlie's old accounts to the new ones. You, Logan and I are going to be the only signatories on the new ones, just to keep anyone else from tryin' to rob the poor kid. `Scuse me, rich kid," I corrected myself with a chuckle. "When do you want me to go?" "Now would be good. I want that done and over with. And when you go get dressed, be quiet because Logan wanted to take a nap and I told him he could use our bed." "Consider it done, babe," he responded and left the office to get ready to leave. "Anything you need from me, Max?" Dylan asked. "Can't think of anything at the moment. Unless you want to track down Troy and string the ignorant bastard up for me." "You give the word and it shall be done," Dylan grinned evilly. "Maybe later," I chuckled. "Let's give Derek a chance to find him first. Okay, I need to send Charlie's will to my attorney so he can work his magic and get a change made. Talk to you later." I left Tom's office and headed for my study to take care of my task. I scanned and e-mailed the document to Clarence along with a note to call me when he had time. After completing that minor chore, I was just about to grab the lockbox to search for any insurance information when a thought occurred to me and I headed back across the house to talk to Dylan about my flash of brilliance. As I passed by the kitchen, I could see Ron was diligently preparing for supper and I flipped him a quick wave before moving on. Stepping back into the office, I said, "Okay, maybe I do have something for you to take care of for us. For Logan, really" "Shoot, Max." "Well, the way I'm thinkin' `bout this may be biased but hear me out. We've hired this security company to protect us here and to watch over Logan's farm until Troy goes back home, right? Since the farm was vandalized while they were on duty, shouldn't it be their responsibility to pay for any damages and repairs to the property? I'm sure Charlie had insurance that would cover it, but I'd hate to file a claim with them if we can get somebody else to fork over the money." "Interesting theory, Max. I honestly don't know the answer to your question, but I'll be happy to make the call and find out." "Thanks, Dylan. Any luck with fences and windows?" "Actually, yeah. Both the fencing guys came out and the one window guy showed up, too. All three took measurements for what they need to cover and will be sending their proposals in a couple of days. The other window dude should be here in the morning. With luck, we'll have all their bids by Friday so you can make a decision of who you want to use." "Great, I'm glad to hear that news. Did either give you any idea as to cost?" "Except to say it wasn't gonna be cheap, no." "No big surprise there, I suppose, but our privacy and security's more important than money, so whatever it takes. Thanks, Dylan." "I'll let you know what the security company says about their liability," Dylan added as I left the room. Feeling like I'd dealt with all I could handle today, I made it to the living room where I unceremoniously crashed in my chair. I laid my head back and closed my eyes, hoping I could finally let go of some of the stress that had been building all day long. Between the trashing of Logan's home and equipment, the little soliloquy he'd whispered to his dad's lifeless body and the unmitigated gall of the asshole at the bank, I was ready to get Tom's gun out of the safe and kill someone. Fortunately, the ringing of the phone distracted me from my destructive thoughts. I opened my eyes and was about to reach for the phone when I heard, "Sanders/Wright residence, this is Ron, how may I help you?" echo softly from the kitchen. "One moment, please. Let me see if he's available." I watched as Ron stuck his head around the corner in the dining room and asked, "Max, do you want to talk to a guy named Derek right now or should I take a message?" "I'll take it, Ron, thanks." With a thumbs up signal from Ron, I grabbed the phone, "Hey, Derek, what's up?" "You wanna know somethin', Max? You have a more interesting and exciting life than any other person I've ever known." "Thanks, smart-ass," I chuckled. "I hope to god you're calling for more than to tell me that." "Of course, I am. Got some news for y'all about Logan's farm." "You found Troy, already?" I asked in confusion. "He must not have gotten very far." "Well, we found him, his wife and their boys at the Hampton Inn. I had another unit retrieve Mr. Billings from there while I dealt with Logan's relatives. After searching their rooms and truck, we didn't find a damn thing that they didn't bring up with them from home. They claim they haven't left the motel all day. And as much as it pains me to say it, I believe them." "You can't be serious!" I exclaimed. "Serious as a tax audit, Max. They exhibited none of the nervousness a guilty person usually does when confronted and they answered every question we asked them without hesitation. The smug bastard even told me that if we should talk to Logan before he sees him at Charlie's funeral to tell Logan he's sorry for the way he behaved Saturday, that he's just really upset with his brother's death." "He can say whatever the hell wants, I don't believe a word of it," I countered. "I wasn't inclined to believe him either, but the more we talked, the more believable he became." "Well, if he wasn't the one to wreck Logan's place, who the hell was?" "I'm still working on that, Max. We've had some reports of break-ins and such around the county the past few months and I'm going to check into those to see if there's any commonalities between them. We will also talk to the neighbors in the vicinity of Logan's farm to see if anyone saw something out of the ordinary this morning. Maybe we'll get lucky with those interviews." "Well, keep us updated on whoever you find was responsible." "You know I will, Max. Talk to you later." "Thanks for callin', Derek. Bye." I hung up the phone and laid my head back again, completely baffled at the information Derek had just shared. I hadn't had much time to work on the puzzle in my mind when Tom returned from his errand. He joined me in the living room and Dylan followed along. "So, is the bank happy?" "I think so. The receptionist seemed a bit confused about me signing the papers. I think she was expecting a lady to show up." "Yeah, she probably was," I muttered. "I'm sure when Grant handed the papers to her, he told her my fianc�e was coming since that's how I referred to you initially." "Well, whatever the case, Logan's good to go with the new accounts." "Good, that's another headache disposed of." I turned to Dylan and asked, "How `bout you? Did you have any luck with the security people?" "As a matter of fact, I did. You'll be happy to hear that they are taking responsibility for everything that got damaged and promise to repair or replace everything. And if Derek can find and arrest who did it, the security company will go after them to get their money back." "Hot damn!" I hooted with happiness. "That's great news, Dylan. It's gonna be a pricy lesson for them because some of the furniture looked like it was antiques that had been in Logan's family for generations." "They're going to have a cleanup crew like Servpro or somebody go out first to do a cleaning, then have some furniture folks go out to see what can be done with that. A farm implement company will show up to review the damage to the tractor and feed grinder, then let them know if they can be repaired or need to be replaced." "You've just made my day, man. It should help Logan's day, too. It's just too bad we can't stick Troy with all of that." "Why not," Tom asked in confusion. "I just got off the phone with Derek. He found and talked to Troy, the wife and kids this afternoon and he doesn't think they did it." Seeing the stunned looks on both their faces, I spent the next couple of minutes relaying what Derek had told me. When I'd finally run out of things to share, Dylan commented, "I hadn't thought about that since Troy seemed like the perfect suspect, but Derek's right, there have been quite a few break-ins and vandalisms in this part of the county over the past six months or so." "I never heard about those," Tom said with surprise. "Well, you were usually on the eastern side of the county and all the reports we'd received were for the western end, so there never seemed much point in you knowing about them. If I remember, there have also been several similar incidents in Menard county, too." "But did any of them receive as much damage?" I asked. "I don't think so," Dylan replied after thinking about it for a moment. "It's almost as if whoever did it to Logan was looking for something they thought should be there." "Well, I'm tired of thinking about it," I sighed. "I just want things to calm down so we can have a normal fuckin' life." "Yeah, fat chance of that ever happening. Not in this house, anyway," Tom laughed. "Six wild monkeys live here along with me and Ron, and our leader is crazier than a loon. What do you think, Dylan? Do you see `normal' ever taking up residence here?" "Not in my lifetime," Dylan agreed with a hearty laugh. "Thanks, smart asses. Y'all really know how to make a guy feel better." "Look, babe, the vows we're going to share shortly say things like in sickness and health, richer or poorer, but I've never heard of normal being included with the others, so just give it up now." "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Don't you two have some work you should be doin'?" "Well, now you're just tryin' to get rid of us," Tom cracked. "Why yes, yes I am. Begone, oh crackers of wise," I joked as I shooed the two away. "Give me my peace." Tom leaned over and whispered, "You ain't gettin' rid of me that easy, babe." At that moment, the front door popped open and the fantastic five filled the home with noise as they returned home from school. "Good luck with findin' that peace you wanted, now," Tom chuckled as he followed Dylan down the hall, both of them laughing their fool heads off. "Hey, Dad, we're home," Mike called out as the group came towards me. "Really? Sounded more like someone opened the hyena cage at the zoo and set them free." "Oh, c'mon, Dad," Andy whined. "We aren't that loud." "Wanna bet?" I chuckled. "Hugs, then homework, boys. Ron's in the kitchen and he'll get your snack." I got my hugs and the group trouped down the hallway to get comfortable. As they filtered back through, T.J. stopped and climbed in my lap. "What's up kiddo?" "Where's Logan?" "Sleepin' in our bed. He was pretty wiped out after the afternoon we had." "Yeah, I bet he was. How's he doin'?" "He's hangin' in there, I think, despite everything we've been through today." "Did his uncle really trash his house?" he asked out of the blue. "Well, it was certainly torn up, but we're not sure who did it just yet." "I hope they find `em and string `em up." "We all do, buddy. Do you have any homework to deal with?" "Just my new spelling words." "Then hop to it, T.J. Oh, and tell Ron I'd like to talk to him for a minute, please." On that note, T.J. hopped off my lap and continued his trek to the kitchen. Ron joined me a minute later and I waved him to a seat. "What's up, Max?" "You remember earlier when I said I had a strange request for you?" "Yeah, and it's been buggin' all day," he chuckled. "Sorry, Ron, that wasn't my intent. But this is important, and I want you to seriously consider your feelings before you answer." Now that I could see I had his undivided attention, I plowed on. "Tom and T.J. recently helped save a kid's life. He's a junior in high school and he's gay. He'd planned to kill himself because he believed his parents wouldn't accept him for who he is." "Sounds like it's a good thing he got help." "It is, but that's not the whole story. Rich had also been going to some bar in Springfield to try to find some guy to do some experimenting with, try to figure out if he really is gay or not." "Well, that's just fuckin' stupid. He coulda gotten himself killed doin' shit like that." "We know. And even though it looks like he's given up on the bar thing, he still wants to try some things with another guy, and while his dad says he supports him in that, he also said he wouldn't be the one to help Rich. So, here's my question. Would you consider spending some time with Rich and, I don't know, I guess maybe guide him a little bit on his journey to discovering his true self." "Are you shittin' me, Max!?" Ron asked in surprise. "Not a bit." "Geez, man, I don't know. You're askin' me to take what, a seventeen-year-old kid, into my bed? You don't want much, do you?" "It's not a requirement, Ron, just a thought I had. And if you're not interested, that's fine. I want to help this kid find himself in a safe manner. I just thought that since you were so close to his age, you might be willing to help out." "I don't know, Max. While it sure sounds like it would be interesting and a whole lotta fun, I gotta think about it. Have you to talked to the kid about this?" "No, not yet. The idea just popped in my head this morning and I wanted to talk to you before I talked to him or his dad about it." "I'll give it some serious thought, I swear." "That's all I'm asking for, Ron. I'd kinda planned to invite him out for a swim later this week, just to see how he's doing, but it would give you a chance to meet him, too, see what you think of him." "That sounds cool. I would like to meet the kid before I decide anything." "Fair enough," I replied. "Now, how's supper goin'?" "Almost done. We should be ready to eat a little after five, though I'm not sure how hungry the boys'll be after just having a snack." "Don't you worry `bout them," I laughed. "They've never failed to pack the food away at any meal. "Well, I'm going to get comfortable, finally, and see if I can get Logan to wake up." Ron headed back to the kitchen while I turned for the bedroom. When I opened the door, I found Logan curled up in the middle of the bed with his bear wrapped tightly in his arms. I quietly got undressed, then visited the bathroom before sitting on the edge of the bed. I leaned over and brushed the hair out of Logan's eyes before giving his shoulder a gentle shake. "Huh? What's goin' on?" he mumbled as he opened his eyes. "Just wakin' ya up, buddy. The other guys are home from school and supper will be ready shortly." "Yeah, okay, Dad," Logan replied as he sat up, still clutching the bear to his chest. "What's your bear's name?" "Don't really have one, I guess. I just call `im bear." "Oh, come on. Every good bear deserves a real name, Logan." "Well, if he has to have a name, I guess I could always use Chuck since daddy got him for me for my second birthday. I'd always have my daddy with me then, or at least part of him." "Logan, as long as you keep the memories of your mom and dad in your mind and hold them in your heart, they'll be with you forever. Nobody can take those feelings from you." "Thanks, Dad, I needed that." He leaned in close and kissed me on the cheek, then gave me a hug which I returned. "You ready to rejoin the herd?" "I guess. What's for supper?" "Not a clue, Ron refused to tell me." "Well, let's go kick his ass, then. I'm hungry," Logan giggled. "Lead the way, young man." We left the bedroom together and I followed Logan into the kitchen. When we reached it, Ron was watching Alex and Joey working on the fifth-grade math book, so he was surprised when Logan's foot connected with his bare backside, causing lots of laughter from the other boys. "What the hell?" Ron squealed in surprise as he turned around. "When's supper, dude, I'm hungry?" Logan asked. "Well, after that, all you're getting is gruel," Ron retorted. "Oh, c'mon, man, don't torture me like," Logan begged. " `Specially when you got prime rib cooking." "How the heck could you know that? I haven't told anyone what I'm making." "I grew up on a farm, Ron-boy. You really think I don't know what meat you're fixin' us?" "I guess if anyone would, it would be you." "Dang right. Now get on the stick and finish it up in here." "Move along, ya little rugrat. It's not ready yet, but I'll let you know when it is." With that, a giggling Logan left the kitchen to return `Chuck' to his bedroom, the rest of the crew following along to put their homework away. I followed the herd and turned into Tom's office. "Hope you're hungry, Ron's fixing prime rib for supper tonight," I greeted the two. "Oh, God," Dylan moaned in delight. "I hope he fixed enough so I can have some, too." Tom and I both cracked up and Tom replied, "If he didn't, I guess you're out of luck." "Like hell I am!" Dylan protested. "I'll have Derek come out and arrest his ass if I need to. Then I could have Ron's share." "Uh, what would he be charged with?" I asked. "I don't know, but I'll come up with something," Dylan laughed. I left the two alone again as I turned and headed back to the living room, laughing all the way. The boys were already there, and I suggested they get the table set. As usual, they took care of the task without argument, ignoring Ron's protests that he would take of it. I could hear Alex calmly explain to Ron the facts of life in this house and what we expected from the boys, so Ron finally gave in and let them proceed. Fifteen minutes later, we were all being called to the table. As we descended on our supper, everyone was complimenting Ron on how everything smelled, and once they'd had a chance to take a bite and actually taste their dinner, all of us agreed that Ron was a keeper. Though he was blushing mightily at the praise being heaped on him, it didn't seem to spoil his appetite in any way. Fortunately for Dylan, there was plenty to go around and even he got to join us in enjoying this mouthwatering creation. When everyone was stuffed to the gills, the boys got busy with their normal cleanup. Again, Ron protested, and again, Alex set him straight on this particular division of labor. Properly chastised, Ron retook his chair and sighed in defeat. "They should let me do my job," he grumped. "Get over it, Ron," Tom admonished the young man. "They enjoy doing their part at meals, so why try to fight it? If they don't mind, you sure shouldn't. Besides, you deserve a break after tonight's feast." "How `bout it, Tom?" I asked. "Think we should get up and take care of our part?" "Oh, hell, no. I'm fine with lettin' Ron do that," the big guy laughed heartily while the rest of us joined him in some hilarity. The four adults continued to chat while the boys rinsed dishes and filled the dishwasher. Once the noise from the kitchen had finally abated, the sensational six-pack finally rejoined us at the table. At the first minor break in our conversation, Joey interrupted us with, "Hey, Dads, can we talk about something?" "Sure, what's up?" Tom asked. "Well, we been talkin' `bout our rooms in the new house since Ryan was here ...," Joey began. "... and we wanna make a big change to what you guys are thinkin'," Alex concluded. "Like what," I asked. T.J. provided the answer. "Well, instead of having four or five bedrooms for us and Ron, how `bout if you do just one regular bedroom on our end of the house for Ron and then one big one for all of us. You know, kinda like a bunk room or somethin'." "I guess we could do that if you're sure that's what you want. Aren't you guys worried about not having any privacy as you get older?" "Why the heck would we care about that?" Andy asked. "Yeah, we're already naked all the time, why would we care `bout privacy?" Mike added. "We know you guys do a whole lot more than just sleep in your rooms," Tom commented. "Do you really want to be that open with all your brothers?" "Why not," Joey asked seriously. "We already know what we're all doing with each other. Whether we do that shit in the same room or not won't change it a bit." "Besides, with all of us in the same room, we'd probably mix some things up now and then," Alex added helpfully. "Ya know what I mean?" he asked with a sly grin. "Yes, buddy, we got it," I replied. "We don't need to hear details. I guess if you're all okay with that idea, we can talk to Ryan and see what he thinks." "But what about your bathrooms?" Tom asked. "Well, you could do one big bathroom with three or four crappers, a sink for each of us and a really big shower space with, like, eight sprayer heads in it." I looked to Tom and asked, "What do you think?" "If they're fine with it, I am, too. And I have to assume since they've talked about it and come up with the idea on their own, that's what they want." That statement was further reinforced by the wild nods of assent from all six boys. "Well, okay then, we'll bring it up with Ryan. How many and what size beds do you want in the room?" "We were thinkin' three or four king-size, just in case, you know, you guys end up adopting some more dudes," Alex answered cheerfully. "And what if we should adopt some girls? Where would their bedroom be?" I asked in all seriousness. "You ain't never gonna do that," Mike retorted. "Yeah, right, you don't like girls, `member?" T.J. giggled. "You told us that the first time we met." "Yeah, I guess I did, didn't I?" I muttered with resignation. "Okay, we'll see what happens. Why don't you guys go watch some TV for a bit?" "Thanks for listenin' to us, Dads," Alex said as the six lads left us at the table. The four of us sat for a moment, quietly contemplating the conversation when Ron finally broke the silence with, "Geez, I wish I'd been that sure of myself when I was twice their ages." "I think we all do, Ron," Tom replied. "Speak for yourselves, chumps," Dylan retorted. "I've always known who I was. Wasn't my fault Malcom's dad was a jerk and moved my boyfriend away from me." He then turned to Ron and added, "Ron, thanks for supper. It was absolutely delicious." "Are you gonna make a habit of stayin' for dinner every day, Dylan." "You keep comin' up meals like that and I just might," Dylan laughed. "That's fine with me," Ron replied. "I just need to know how much food to have on hand and prepare. Well, I need to get the kitchen cleaned up. You guys need anything else?" "Lord, no, Ron. I'm stuffed," I answered while rubbing my distended gut. "Thanks for that kind offer, though. Maybe later." With that, Ron headed back to the kitchen to take care of the items the boys had left for him. When it was down to the three of us, I asked, "You two ready for your trip to Missouri?" "Yep," Tom answered. "We'll head down next Sunday and stay until we've learned all we can. Hopefully, it'll be enough to sway a judge into letting Logan stay with us." "I hope so, too. Especially with Logan's new-found wealth. I'd hate for Troy to have a shot at getting his greedy little paws on any of it." "We'll do our, best," Dylan offered. "I know you will. Did you get in touch with Carol about Logan's brother?" "Yep," Tom answered, "and she's gonna see what, if anything, she can find out about him. The one question she did have I didn't have an answer for was his date of birth. Was that noted in the will?" "No, it wasn't. I'll have to do some more digging. There might be something in the lockbox that will give us a few clues to help narrow the search." "Good, because Carol said without a birthdate, it would be next to impossible to find him. She's got to narrow the field somehow." "I'll dig into that tomorrow." "So, boss, we done for the day?" Dylan asked with a chuckle. "Yeah, I s'pose we are. But do me a favor, would ya?" Tom asked. "What's that?" "Quit callin' me boss. We're equal in this little venture, Dylan. Besides, I don't much like the connotation that goes along with it." "What?" Dylan laughed. "You don't think it's okay for a black man to call a white man `Boss?' " "I never did, and I never will." "Least I ain't callin' you massa or something else as shitty. So, what, exactly, should I use then? Is Mr. Wright gonna pass muster with your sensitive little heart?" Dylan asked with a laugh. "Tom is fine, ya smart ass," Tom retorted. "All right, Tom it is ... Boss," he added while punching Tom's shoulder. "Well, look, I'm gonna get outta here then and I'll see you guys in the morning. Have a good night." "You better say goodbye to the boys before you split or you'll be in deep shit with them." "Don't I know it? And I sure don't want to get on their bad side, they'd probably drown me out in the pool instead of just dunkin' me." "You know them all too well," Tom laughed. Dylan headed for the theater and we joined Ron in the kitchen to see if we could help with anything. With assurances he had everything under control, Tom and I headed for the living room to read for a bit. We'd barely gotten comfortable when the phone rang. I couldn't imagine who would be calling, but Ron had answered the phone in the kitchen and he quickly let us know. "Max, there's a Clarence on the phone for you." "Thanks, Ron." I punched the speaker button and greeted my attorney with, "You're workin' awfully late today, aren't you?" "A necessary evil, sometimes, Max. I'm calling back about the will you sent me earlier. What's up?" I spent several minutes explaining about the events in our lives since Friday, then finally got to the crux of the problem. "So, we need to get the executor and trustee changed since John's now sitting in the county jail." "Well, wills get challenged all the time for one reason or another, and changes are made when it's deemed to be necessary and appropriate. And with the circumstances you've described, I don't see where any judge will have a problem approving such a modification. Any idea who Logan will select to be the new executor and trustee." "I do, but I better let him tell you. Let me get him on the call with us, Clarence." I put the call on hold and dialed the theater extension to have Logan join us. I returned to the call and said, "He'll be here in just a minute." After a short wait, Dylan returned from the theater to get ready to go home and he was giving Logan a piggyback ride. The pair stopped next to us and Dylan gently lowered Logan to the floor where he received a hug from the youngster and Logan said, "Thanks for the ride, Uncle Dylan." "No problem, buddy. See you tomorrow." Dylan then continued on to get dressed for his trip home. After Dylan had moved on, Logan turned to us and asked, "Whatcha need, Dads?" "We have my attorney Clarence on the phone and he needs to talk to you about something," I replied. "What the heck's he wanna talk to me for?" "Well, take a seat and he can let you know." I waited for Logan to crawl in my chair with me and once he was settled in, I said, "Go ahead, Clarence." "Hi there, Logan. My name is Clarence Cantrell and I take care of Max's legal needs. Before we get to my questions for you, I want to tell you how sorry I am for your loss. Losing a parent isn't easy for anyone." "No, it ain't, but I been through it once, and I'll get through it again," Logan replied. "You just let Max and Tom take care of you and I'm sure you'll be just fine. Max sent me your dad's will and I've read through it, so I'm familiar with your father's wishes. However, Max says you may want to make a change to some provisions after what's happened today. Is that your wish?" "Damn right, it is. I want that Billings prick outta there. He ain't got no business havin' nothin' to do with my money, `specially after tryin' to rip me off." "And do you know who you would like to name for his replacement as executor and trustee?" "Does a baby go goo?" Logan giggled. "Course I know, I want Max and Tom. Who the hell else can I trust to do what's right?" "That's fine with me, Logan, I just needed to hear it from you. I couldn't take Max's word on something this important. Max, Tom, are you two okay with taking over the responsibilities as executors of Mr. Campbell's will and becoming Logan's trustees?" "That's fine with us," Tom answered. "Good, problem solved, then. I'll get the will into probate with the request for the changes attached. If that's all you have, I'm gonna head for home and supper." "Wait!" Logan yelled. "There's somethin' else needs to get changed. And fast." "Oh, what's that?" Clarence queried. "You `member that part where it says I'm s'posed to go live with my uncle? I don't wanna live with that loser, I wanna stay here with Max, Tom and my brothers." "Well, young man, I can understand you wanting to stay where you are, but I don't think there's a realistic way we can make that happen right now. We'd have to show some very good cause for a judge to accept a change that big." "How `bout the fact Troy's a rotten bastard who don't give a shit `bout me and he's only after my money." "We'd have to have proof of that, Logan. Do you have any?" "Well, no," he muttered with resignation. "Then I can't see any way to challenge that provision with any hope for success. Now, if you can get some proof of your uncle's intentions, then we can go back to the courts and lodge our complaints at that time. But I don't see any way at the moment that you'll be able to stay where you are. I'm sorry, and I know that's not what you wanted to hear, but that's the way the law works." "That's in the works, Clarence," I interjected. "Okay, then. Let me take care of the change we can do now, and we'll work on the other after that's settled. Sound good to you Logan?" "Not really, but ain't got much choice, do I?" "We'll get there, Logan, but one step at a time, okay?" Clarence offered in reassurance. "Yeah, that's what Max keeps tellin' me," Logan grumped. "You listen to Max, then. He's a pretty smart guy, ya know?" "Yeah, I know. Thanks for helpin', Mr. Cantrell." "Happy to do it. I'll talk to you guys later." We ended the call and Logan slumped into my side like a deflated balloon. "Hang in there, buddy," I whispered as I squeezed his shoulder and kissed the top of his head. "We'll get it all worked out." "I know," Logan muttered sadly. "I just feel awful lost in the woods right now." "We'll help you find your way back out, I promise. All of us will." "Thanks, Dads. Can I go now?" "Sure, we'll be along in a few to watch a couple more Star Treks." "Cool." Logan hopped out of my chair, gave us both a hug, then scooted back off across the house to rejoin the other boys in the theater. Tom and I followed along and stopped in the kitchen to let Ron know where we were going and that he was welcome to join us. With thanks for the invite and assurances he'd be along shortly, the two of us continued into the theater. I had Alex get us set up with the next disc of the series and he seemed rather pleased that he'd been selected to be our projectionist for the night. Ron joined us just as the show began and he ended up taking the chair next to Tom. After the first two shows were completed, the boys begged for one more, so we took a bathroom break and got snacks for the third and final show of the night. At the end of the third episode, the boys dropped their popcorn bowls and glasses in the dishwasher before continuing across the house to brush teeth and jump into bed. Before following the boys to get them tucked in, we refilled our drinks, then left them in the living room on our way across the house. Our first stop was Alex, Joey and Logan, and all three were climbing in bed as we entered their room. They waited at the edge of the mattress for us to join them and we shared our hugs, forehead kisses, good nights and love yous. With our ritual completed, they curled up in the middle of the bed and let us pull up the covers. Tom flipped off the lights as we left the room and pulled the door closed behind us. Mike, and T.J. were still helping Andy with his steroid cream treatment when we reached their room. Andy was giggling uncontrollably as T.J. deftly slid his foreskin back and forth to help keep it stretched out. It was obvious all three youngsters enjoyed this time together as Andy was slowly stroking T.J. and Mike's erections as they sat beside him. When they saw us come in, they stopped their manipulations of each other and waddled to the edge of the bed on their knees, stiff little members bouncing freely with each movement. We shared our nightly rituals and the three scooted back to the middle of the bed and curled up together as usual. With their covers pulled up, the light was turned off and door closed as we headed to the living room to relax. Ron had started a fire and was comfortably ensconced on the love seat when we fell into our chairs. "So, how was the first day of the rest of your life," Tom asked. "Fun," Rom smiled. "I really want to thank you guys for the job." "Well, we're glad you accepted our offer," I replied. "Any problems with being nude?" "Surprisingly, no. I figured I'd be hard most of the day simply because it's so different from what I'm used to, but it never happened." "Glad to hear it, Ron. That seems to be the normal reaction from newbies like you. For most people, it takes more than just seeing a naked body to become aroused." "So, how did you guys like supper?" "It was delicious," Tom replied. "But, where'd the meat come from? We didn't have a cut like that in the freezer." "I brought it with me last night," Ron answered. "I wanted to make something special my first night on the job. I'm glad everyone enjoyed it." "Trust me, we did," I replied. "But tell me you're not gonna do something like that every night." "Not a chance, man. I usually like pretty simple meals, but every now and then, I get this wild hair and go all out. You guys just got lucky tonight." "Well, we're sure not complainin'," Tom chuckled. "Well, I don't know `bout you two, but I've a pretty shitty day and I'm tired. Hope you don't mind if I go to bed." "No, I'm with you, Max," Ron agreed. "It's gonna take a while to get used to these early mornings." " `Scuse me?" Tom asked in surprise. "Not that way, ya big goof," Ron laughed. "I just meant I'm tired and ready for bed, too. My own bed." "Phew, glad you cleared that up" Tom breathed heavily. "I'd hate to hafta fire your ass on the first day." "I'd hate it, too, man, `cause I love it here," Ron agreed. "See y'all in the morning." "Night, Ron," Tom chuckled. "Later, gator," I added before turning to Tom and asking, "You didn't really think he planned to go to bed with me, did you?" "Hell no, I was just givin' him some shit," he answered with a grin. "You gonna be long before you join me?" "Probably not, but it seems a shame to let this fire go to waste. Besides, I'd like to actually be able to do some reading for a bit. I'm starting to get into your third book finally, and I'm really liking it." "Nice to hear you finally developed some good taste in authors," I smiled. I leaned over as we shared a kiss and `I love you' before I continued on to the bedroom and a shower. After keeping the shower short so I didn't wake myself up too much, I curled up in bed and promptly fell asleep. Tom finally crawled into bed with me about a half hour later. He pulled me into his arms and held me as he joined me in peaceful slumber. The next several days seem to slip by unnoticed since nothing of serious consequence happened. Dylan dealt with the second window treatment guy on Tuesday, and I continued working on my new book, making pretty good progress considering the years I was writing about were wholly and utterly depressing. We heard nothing from Troy or family throughout the week and the security team at the farm had nothing to report as it had been quiet out there also. Clarence called me on Wednesday to let me know he'd filed Charlie's will for probate with the request for the change of executor and trustee. He'd also planted a bug in Judge Corgan's ear about where Logan would be living after the funeral, reminding David that Logan did not want to have to move in with his uncle and cousins. So far, Carol had not had any luck in finding a trace of William, but she was still sifting through records when she had time. Of course, without having his birthdate as a starting point, the situation was akin to hunting for the proverbial needle in the haystack. When Friday morning finally reared its ugly head and let itself be known, I was nicely surprised at how we'd managed to get through three whole days without a single disaster taking place to further complicate our lives. I was dreading the visitation at the funeral home tonight, but I knew we had to be there to support Logan and help him get through it. I was certain we could count on the other boys to help him as much as possible, but I had no doubt most of the load would fall on me and Tom. I started my day with my regular visit to the bathroom before heading out to make sure the boys were moving in the right direction. I instinctively knew I had nothing to worry about since Ron had performed the morning duties without fail through the week, but I couldn't help myself. I found the boys lined up on the stools at the counter, chowing down on scrambled eggs and bacon. Alex and Joey were still sharing the two stools with Logan and they each had an arm around his shoulders as they ate with their free hand. Next in line were Mike and Andy and they were just as cheerful as always. T.J. was occupying the last stool and I sensed he wasn't having a very good morning. I passed behind the stools and gave each kiddo their morning hug and when I finally wrapped my arms around T.J., I could feel him trembling as if he was freezing to death. I let him go and stepped beside him before asking, "You okay, T.J.?" "NO!" he screamed, attracting the attention of Ron and the others. "What's happened?" I asked calmly. "I had a bad dream last night, Dad. A really bad one." "Do you remember what it was about?" "Sure do. Don't think I'll ever forget it, either." "You want to tell me about it?" "It started out okay, I guess. I was just walking one of the trails through the trees, mindin' my own damn business, when I turned a corner and Sammy was just standin' there, blockin' my way. He looked like he was mad as hell `bout somethin'. His eyes were black as coal and he had dirt all over him, like he'd just crawled out of a hole in the ground. Let me tell ya, I was so scared, I damn near shit my pants. Well, I guess I would've if I'd been wearing any."

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 77</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;<span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></span></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk528601767"></a><a name="_Hlk527995401"></a><a name="_Toc528745150"><span>Chapter 77 � Logan's BIG Surprise</span></a></h2> <p><span>We slowly stepped closer to the open doorway and I noticed the jamb around the knob latch and deadbolt were completely destroyed. As we stepped over the threshold, we were astonished at the sight that greeted us. It appeared as though a tornado had passed through the house as there wasn't a single piece of furniture left in an upright position in the living room and the contents of the shelves on each side of the fireplace were now strewn around the room. Continuing into the dining room, the glass-fronted buffet that had been against the shared kitchen wall was now on top of the upside-down table and its shattered contents littered the floor. All the chairs had been smashed beyond repair and were now little more than toothpicks.</span></p> <p><span>In the kitchen, every cabinet door was either open, hanging by a single hinge or missing entirely, and the contents of all the cabinets, be it food, dishes, spices, whatever, were nowhere to be seen. We continued our tour into Charlie's office on the other side of the foyer and discovered the destruction continued in here as well. The desk was now sitting on its face and all the drawers had been dumped out and tossed haphazardly around the smallish space. The books that had once neatly lined the shelves behind the desk were in a pile on the floor and I could swear I detected the stench of gasoline wafting into my nostrils from the dusty tomes.</span></p> <p><span>We left the office and headed up the stairs to find only more devastation. What little had been left in Logan's room Saturday had been unceremoniously tossed out the shattered window and lay spread across the yard on the south side of the house. The other bedroom upstairs was in no better condition. Though everything was still in the room, not a piece of furniture was where it had been and most of it was now in multiple pieces. All of Charlie's clothes had been removed from the closet and slashed with a knife or cut to shreds with a pair of scissors. All but a pair of shorts and a flowery Hawaiian shirt that shared a single hanger in the center of the closet.</span></p> <p><span>Having silently completed our rounds, we returned to the front porch where I called Tom to have him get the police sent out and find out what happened to the security team that was supposed to be here. While I dealt with that, Logan sat on the top step and wept shamelessly. After receiving assurances from Tom that help would arrive shortly and ending my call, I sat on the step next to Logan, pulled him into my lap and let him cry while I held him as tightly as I could. I simply couldn't wrap my mind around the amount of hate flowing through someone to do anything like we what we'd just seen.</span></p> <p><span>After ten minutes of rocking and hugging Logan, he finally started to settle back down, though I certainly wouldn't have blamed him if he had continued for another couple of hours, or even days for that matter. The front of my shirt was soaked through with snot and tears when he finally lifted his head and asked the simple question, "Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, buddy. I was wondering the same thing, myself."</span></p> <p><span>"And there goes life fuckin' me again," Logan moaned in anguish. "I'd really like to know what the hell I done or who I fuckin' pissed off to deserve all this shit."</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, I can't begin to understand how you feel and I won't lie to you and tell you I do. But you have to know that none of this is any reflection on you."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Dad. It sure seems like someone's out to get me, one way or t'other."</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing could be further from the truth, young man."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we might as well just get my bike and get the hell outta here. Ain't' nothing else left to worry `bout no more."</span></p> <p><span>"We can sure do that. Where do you keep it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Out in the garage behind the house. C'mon, I'll show you." </span></p> <p><span>Logan crawled off my lap and led the way down the steps, around the house past our car, and on to the garage. As we approached the structure, I saw the side door of the building was standing wide open. Concerned about what or who might be waiting for us, I had Logan stay about fifteen feet back as I slowly crept closer and carefully edged my head just far enough into the opening to see inside. To say I was surprised at what I discovered doesn't truly do justice to the shock I felt at what I saw. In the middle of the floor, hands and ankles tied together, gagged, and bound to each other, were three burly looking men who looked like they'd certainly had better days. The eyes of the man facing me bugged widely when he realized help had arrived.</span></p> <p><span>I turned back to Logan and asked, "Do you still have your knife on you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Always, Dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, get in here and help me."</span></p> <p><span>He quickly joined me and we stepped inside the garage. On seeing the three men and the way they were tied together, Logan pulled his knife out and immediately started working on their bindings. While he carefully cut through the ropes keeping the three immobile, I gently removed the gags that had kept the men silent. The whole time Logan was working on the ropes, he was apologizing to the guys for anything and everything it seemed.</span></p> <p><span>When I finally removed the last gag, the man breathed a huge sigh of relief and said, "Thank God you found us. We thought we were gonna die."</span></p> <p><span>"You're safe now and the cops are on the way. Do any of you need an ambulance?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think so."</span></p> <p><span>"I might," one of the other men moaned. "I think that fuckin' kid nailed me with a baseball bat. That's what it felt like anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me make the call," I replied. I dialed nine-one-one and asked them to send an ambulance to where the police had been dispatched south of New Berlin. Ending that call, I started another one to let Tom know what was going on. He told me another group of security was already on the way since these guys hadn't checked in for several hours. Logan had finally finished his task of separating the men when we heard the first siren approaching. Despite being cold and sore as hell from being on the concrete floor for hours, the three agreed to stay where they were until medical help arrived.</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, why don't you go out to the car and bring back whoever arrives?" The boy was off like a bolt of lightning while I turned back to the men on the floor. "What're your names?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm Hunter, the guy on my right is Leroy, and the other one is Kurt."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hang in there, Hunter, help will be here soon." I'd no sooner said the words when Logan came back into the garage will Kelly in trail behind him.</span></p> <p><span>"Is everyone okay," she asked immediately.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't know, Kelly," I answered. "One of the guys thinks he was hit with a bat and they've all been tied up for hours. They didn't want to move until the ambulance I called gets here."</span></p> <p><span>"Probably a good idea. Who are you guys and what are you doing here," she asked while kneeling in front of Hunter.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm Hunter Lewis and the other two are Leroy Brown and Kurt Richards. We're a security team who was here to guard the farm and we got jumped just after six this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you know who it was?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue. Some white guy in his late thirties or early forties and two teenaged boys."</span></p> <p><span>"I think I might know, Kelly," I offered.</span></p> <p><span>She looked up to me and said, "Well, spit it out."</span></p> <p><span>"It sounds like Logan's uncle and his cousins."</span></p> <p><span>"Any idea where they are now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue. And I don't want to, either." Kelly glared at me with confusion and I jerked my head towards the door for her to follow me outside so we could talk freely. She stood and headed towards the opening while I turned to Logan and said, "Logan, would you stay here and keep these guys company until the ambulance gets here. I'm going to talk to Kelly outside."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, buddy." I turned for the door and followed Kelly outside for our chat.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, guys, I'm really sorry you got hurt."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry `bout us, kid. We'll be fine," Hunter replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe, but it's my fault this happened."</span></p> <p><span>"No it isn't, it's our fault for not paying more attention to our job."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, y'all wouldn't been out here if it weren't for me. This is my farm you was protectin'."</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't know that," Hunter replied in surprise. "How'd you get to be the owner of a farm at your age?"</span></p> <p><span>"My daddy died Friday night, so now it's mine. It was pro'lly my asshole uncle and shithead cousins that beat y'all and tied you up in here."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoever it was, he's sure got some serious anger issues. We all felt sick hearin' what they were doin' inside and knowing we couldn't stop `em. We're really sorry we didn't do a better job."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry `bout it, guys. I already got ever'thing I wanted out of the house. The rest of it's just stuff. I just hope they didn't screw with nothin' else."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, they spent quite a bit of time out at the barn, too, but we couldn't hear much of what was goin' on out there."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!?" I screamed. "BUSTER!" I jumped up off the floor and ran out of the garage as fast as my skinny little legs would carry me.</span></p> <p><span>I was about halfway through telling Kelly what I knew about Troy when Logan came flying out of the garage at full tilt boogie. As he passed Kelly and me, he yelled, "C'mon, Max, we gotta check on Buster!" I followed Logan as quickly as I could, but he was way too fast for me. He was going through the back door of the barn just as I was coming in the front, and when I finally joined him in the small corral, he was hugging Buster around his neck.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm so glad you're okay, Buster," he cooed into the young bull's year. "You, too, Bessie," he added as he stepped over and patted her flanks. A visibly relieved Logan finally rejoined me at the door to the barn and muttered, "I don't know what I'da done if they'da hurt Bessie or Buster."</span></p> <p><span>"What made you think they had?" I asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, one o' them dudes in the garage said unc and the shitheads spent quite a bit o' time out here doin' who knows what. All I could think of was Buster."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad they're okay. We should probably check the rest of the barn on our way out." I wrapped Logan's hand in mine and we started to pick our way back through the barn. When we reached the tractor and feed grinder, it was quite obvious where the time in the barn had been spent. The tractor had been destroyed and rendered inoperable, and the feed grinder had been dismantled and its parts and pieces spread across the area. I don't know how we both missed the destruction on our way through barn. Logan could do nothing but stare blankly at the remains of the two pieces of equipment before glumly continuing back out into the bright and sunny afternoon. When we stepped outside, Kelly and Derek were waiting for us and an ambulance had arrived to take care of Hunter and his guys.</span></p> <p><span>"Afternoon, Logan" Derek greeted the property's new owner.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Mr. Timmons," Logan answered flatly. Derek and I shared a quick handshake and silent nod to each other before he returned his attention to Logan.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry for what's happened out here, young man, but you can be sure we'll find whoever did this."</span></p> <p><span>"Shouldn't be too hard. All ya gotta do is look for a dirty beige truck with Missouri plates on it and three assholes in it."</span></p> <p><span>"I've already put out an APB for them, Logan. We're going to take pictures of everything they've damaged so when we get them into court, they can't wiggle their way out of this mess."</span></p> <p><span>"They ain't goin' to court here `cause they're long gone. And when I catch up with that bastard, he's gonna pay like he ain't never paid before."</span></p> <p><span>Derek knelt in front of Logan, put his hands on the youngster's shoulders, then said, "I know you're pissed off right now, and you have every right to be after what's happened, but please let us take care of this. I promise you, I won't let him get away with what he's done."</span></p> <p><span>"You do what ya gotta do, Mr. Timmons, and I'll do what I gotta do. That bastard better hope you find him first, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Looks like I have my marching orders."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for comin' out, Derek," I said as he stood back up. "You need anything else from us before we leave?" </span></p> <p><span>"I can't think of anything, Max," Derek replied, but an almost imperceptible nod from him told me he had something to say he didn't want Logan to hear. </span></p> <p><span>I turned to Logan and said, "Why don't you go grab your bike and I'll meet you at the car in a minute?" With a simple nod of acknowledgement from Logan, he headed for the garage. "Okay, what didn't you want Logan to hear?" I asked once the young man was out of earshot.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure when you guys went through the house, you smelled it in what I guess was Charlie's office." I nodded in agreement and Derek continued. "Yeah, there's gasoline all over the books. And we found a burned bundle of paper just inside and to the right of the front door. There's no doubt they tried to burn the place down, but their plan didn't work, thankfully. Just another charge to file against the losers."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, this is the last damn thing Logan needed to deal with," I muttered. "We'll get out of your way and let you folks do your jobs. Keep us posted on whatever else you find."</span></p> <p><span>"You know I will. Try to enjoy what's left of the day."</span></p> <p><span>"Seems rather unlikely, Derek, but we'll try. See you later, you, too Kelly." I headed for the car where Logan was waiting for me, and when I joined him, we slid his bike into the back of the Flex. As I turned to get in the car, Logan ran around the front of the house, climbed the steps and disappeared inside. When he came back out, he was carrying the hanger that held the shorts and Hawaiian shirt and he had a big smile gracing his face. "What the heck are you doin' with that?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, we came out here to get somethin' to bury my daddy in, didn't we? Since this is all he's got left, I figured it was better than nothin'. Don't think they'll let us bury him naked, do you?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, probably not," I laughed. "We'll see what the people at the funeral home think. C'mon, munchkin, let's get the hell out of here." We climbed in the car and as I turned around to leave, a new team of security people arrived to replace Hunter and his crew. I wasn't looking forward to our next stop, but there was no way to avoid it. Five minutes after leaving the farm, we arrived at the funeral home and I parked in the otherwise empty lot. We climbed out of the car, Logan grabbed the shorts and shirt he'd brought along for his dad, and we headed inside.</span></p> <p><span>We were met by a kindly looking middle-aged woman with a somber look on her face. "How may I help you two this afternoon?" she asked in a very kind voice.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, my name is Max Sanders, and this is Logan Campbell. I called yesterday about arrangements for Logan's father."</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, yes, I've been expecting you. My name is Barb Wilson and I'm the person you talked to. Come in, please." As we followed Barb through the building and into her office, she added, "We're very sorry for your loss, young man, especially so soon after your mother passed." She took the chair behind her desk and added, "Please have a seat." After we'd all occupied a chair, she asked, "Were you able to bring some clothes for your father?"</span></p> <p><span>Logan held up the hanger and Barb recoiled in shock when she saw the beige shorts and Hawaiian shirt. "This is what I got, it's all that's left," Logan answered quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm sorry, but that just won't do," Bard commented with serious disgust. "It's hardly appropriate attire for a funeral."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, why the heck not?" Logan asked in confusion. "Ain't a funeral s`posed to be a celebration of the dead person's life?"</span></p> <p><span>"Perhaps, but I still don't think your father would want to be wearing <i>that</i> particular outfit for all eternity."</span></p> <p><span>"Listen, lady, I know you mean well and you're just doin' your job, but you didn't know my daddy. `Fore my momma died, he was a great guy with a wacky ass sense of humor and he loved to have fun. And we was gonna do just that this summer. After school was out and the fields were planted, he was takin' us to some place called Key West down in Florida. He bought this to wear while we spent a week on the beaches and in the ocean, just him an' me. And he never got a chance to do it. Well, guess what? He's gonna get his dang chance `cause that's exactly what he's gonna be wearin' when you all put him in that coffin."</span></p> <p><span>Barb looked at me and said, "I'll have to talk to my boss about this request. I'm not sure he'll allow it."</span></p> <p><span>As I stared back at Barb, I replied, "First, you're talking to the wrong man. This is one hundred percent Logan's decision. Second, if you don't think you can follow your client's wishes, then I recommend you refund any money Mr. Campbell already paid for his services and we'll find another funeral home who will do as Logan requests. Is your boss here? We can clear this up right now."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he is, but Howard's rather busy at the moment."</span></p> <p><span>"If he can't come to us, then I think you should take us to him so we can settle this before it's too late."</span></p> <p><span>"I really don't think that's such a great idea, Mr. Sanders. He's working, um, downstairs."</span></p> <p><span>"Is he workin' on my daddy," Logan asked matter-of-factly.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, he has started preparing your father's body."</span></p> <p><span>"Then what the hell we sittin' up here for?" Logan retorted. "Let's go find this dude, Max," he added as he stood and left the office, taking the hanger of supposedly inappropriate clothing with him. I followed Logan's lead against Barb's protests, and we soon found a stairway that would take us down. Barb was following along and trying to stop us from proceeding, but Logan wasn't having any part of it. When Logan stepped into the basement, I was still a few steps behind and I heard him call out, "Hey, Mr. McGee, how ya doin'?" The next sound I heard was that of a billowing sheet and just as I cleared the last step, I could see the sheet fluttering down over Charlie's body.</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, what are you doing down here!? You really don't need to be seeing your dad like this."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm only here `cause your lady upstairs thinks my brain musta slipped a cog or two and she don't think I know what I'm doin'. She said she had to talk to you `bout somethin' and I'm just cuttin' out the middleman."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what seems to be the problem?" an embarrassed Mr. McGee asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Look, somebody broke into our house this mornin' and trashed the place along with all of Daddy's clothes. Except for these," Logan added as he held up the outfit. "I know this ain't your regular `bury me in my Sunday best' outfit, but it's what I want my Daddy wearin' when he goes in the ground. Please tell me you'll do it."</span></p> <p><span>Mr. McGee snickered lightly at the contents of the hanger but answered, "If that's what you want, young man, that's exactly what you'll get. I think your dad would appreciate the gesture considering his wicked sense of humor."</span></p> <p><span>"I knew you'd understand. Thank you." After a short pause, Logan asked, "Since I'm here, can I see him?"</span></p> <p><span>With just a moment's hesitation, Mr. McGee answered, "I don't think that's a very good idea, Logan. I've just started my preparations and I have a lot of work to do before your dad should be seen by anyone, especially you."</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. McGee, I `ppreciate you tryin' to protect me, but I seen death before. I've helped daddy slaughter and butcher cows, pigs and chickens for years, so there ain't nothin under that sheet's that's gonna surprise me none. `Sides, that ain't my daddy under there no more, that's just the shell he occupied while he was here on this Earth. He's long gone and he ain't comin' back."</span></p> <p><span>Howard looked to me and I could only shrug my shoulders in response to his unspoken inquiry. He finally returned his attention to Logan and quietly said, "I guess it'll be okay." He then lifted the sheet covering Charlie's head and pulled it down to his shoulders. Even though only a minimal part of Charlie's body was exposed, you could still see that serious damage had been done when his clothes were ripped from him.</span></p> <p><span>Logan handed me the outfit, then grabbed a stool and dragged it over to the side of the table where his father's body lay. He then climbed up on the stool and sat down so he could look into Charlie's face. He gently brushed the hair off his dad's forehead and away from his closed eyes, then leaned in close and whispered, "Don't you worry none `bout me, Daddy. I know you ain't really here no more, but since I can't talk to you where you're at now, this is gonna hafta do. I want you to know I'm gonna be fine. I hurt like hell right now, but I gots Max and Tom and my brothers and a whole buncha other folks who're gonna watch over me for you and momma. It's gonna take a while to get all this junk sorted out, but I gots a handle on it, okay? I also got Mr. Bartley and Ryan takin' care o' things at the farm `til I can deal with it myself, so you don't hafta worry `bout none o' that either. Do me a favor and tell momma I still love and miss her. I still love you, too, and I'm gonna miss ya you mean and cranky old fart. I'll see both of you again in about eighty or ninety years, I hope. It'll probably feel like only a few seconds to you, but it's gonna be a long and lonely lifetime for me."</span></p> <p><span>On that final note, he laid his head on Charlie's chest, hugged him as best he could and whimpered quietly. Howard and I could do nothing but hang our heads and cry with him. The three of us finally got our feelings back under a modicum of control when Logan slid off the stool and stepped over to me. He grabbed the outfit from my grasp, then turned and handed it to Howard. "Thanks, Mr. McGee," he said softly as Howard took the items from Logan's shaking hands.</span></p> <p><span>Howard quickly reviewed the small bundle and said, "Logan, I think you missed a couple of things. There's no socks or underwear here."</span></p> <p><span>"So what? There weren't gonna be none on the beach at Key West, either. `Sides, he ain't in no condition to complain `bout it, is he?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I suppose not. I gotta tell ya, Logan, I like your style."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Mr. McGee. I'm just bein' me."</span></p> <p><span>"Since you're here, do you have any special requests for your dad's service?" Howard asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I don't want no prayers or nothin' religious bein' said."</span></p> <p><span>"But, when I read through your dad's file this morning, he specifically wanted the twenty-third psalm to be read with a few other passages from the Bible, along with a hymn to be played. Despite how your dad reacted to your mom's death, he still believed in God."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't give a rat what he said he wanted or believed. This is what <i>I</i> want. I don't believe in God. I maybe used to, but not no more."</span></p> <p><span>"Your parents would be very sad to hear you say that, young man," Howard responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Then answer me this, Mr. McGee. What the hell kind of God takes both a kid's parents at my age, huh!? I'll tell ya, a mean and hateful one that despises little kids. And a God like that don't deserve to be heard at my daddy's funeral. I had to hear that crap at my momma's funeral and I ain't gonna listen to it at my daddy's. And there's two or three songs I want played that my momma used to listen to, but I'll have to have Max help me figure out what they are."</span></p> <p><span>"We can do that, Logan. While I can't say I agree with your decisions, I'll abide by them. The service is more for you than your dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, and one more thing, I wanna say somethin' at the cemetery."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you sure you'll be up to it?" Howard asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Pro'lly not, but I gots a few things that need to be said out loud and that's when I wanna do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Then, we'll make sure it happens. Anything else you'd like?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what day we gonna do this?" Logan inquired.</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever day you want. I could be ready tomorrow afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, not durin' the week. I don't wanna miss no more school. Can we do it sometime Saturday afternoon?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine with me. Will two o'clock be okay?"</span></p> <p><span>Logan looked up to me and I nodded my acceptance of the time and date. He then turned back to Howard and said, "Saturday at two, then, and the visitin' thing Friday night, I guess, not that nobody will actually show up."</span></p> <p><span>"That works for us, Logan," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"For us, too," Howard agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Then let's get the hell outta here, Max. We got another stop to make, don't we?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, we do." I turned to Howard, shook his hand and thanked him for his time today before grabbing Logan's hand and returning upstairs and outside. As we climbed in the car for the short trip to the bank, I said to Logan, "You never cease to amaze me with your maturity, kiddo. You're handling things much better than I think I will when it comes time for me to deal with it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm just doing the best I can to get through this shit without breakin' down completely, Dad. I'll have plenty of time for that when this is all over. `Sides, I got you, Pops and my brothers to help me get through it."</span></p> <p><span>"You'll always have us, buddy," I replied as I pulled into the street and turned for the bank.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't be makin' no promises you can't keep."</span></p> <p><span>It was a quiet ride to the bank and when I shut off the car, Logan started to climb out. I stopped him with a hand on his arm and said, "Hang on just a sec, I want to call Tom about something before we go in." Logan settled back into his seat but left his car door open as I dialed home.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, big guy, got another task for you to take care of. ... Yeah, we're done at the funeral home and about to head into the bank. ... Oh, it'll be interesting, for sure. ... Look, I want you or Dylan to call the security company and have them double the coverage at the farm and at our home. And I want them on duty ASAP. ... Well, you didn't see what they did at the farm, but I don't want them havin' any chance of repeating it at either location. ... Thanks, hon. We should be home in a bit. Love you. ... Bye-bye."</span></p> <p><span>After I ended the call, Logan said, "I don't get why you're worried `bout the farm. What the hell else could they do they ain't already done?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you still have livestock out there. I'd like to make sure it stays there and is still alive when all this stuff with Troy is over."</span></p> <p><span>"That makes sense, I guess, but I don't know what he'd want with cows, pigs or chickens."</span></p> <p><span>"Let's not take any chances, okay?" With a simple nod from Logan, we headed into the bank for our conversation with Mr. Billings. I let the receptionist inside the door know who we were and why we there and before we had a chance to take a seat, a pudgy bald man was hustling across the lobby to greet us.</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, I'm John Billings. You must be Mr. Sanders. Thank you for bringing Logan in to talk with me this afternoon. If you'll just give us a few minutes alone, we'll have you on your way." He then turned to Logan and added, "Logan, I was so sorry to hear about your dad. I know you two have had a rough couple of years, but maybe your dad has finally found some peace."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Mr. Billings. I hope he has, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, come with me, young man, and we can talk about a few things."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do that, but Max is comin' with me."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Logan, but he's not allowed to hear what we need to talk about."</span></p> <p><span>"Why the hell not?" Logan asked rather loudly.</span></p> <p><span>"Well," John started in a calm voice to try to de-escalate things, "we're going to be discussing your father's will and what happens next."</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Billings, I'm sorry if I'm just a stupid farm kid, but Max's already read my daddy's will and he knows what it says. He's the one who called <i>you </i>and told you `bout daddy dyin', wasn't he?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yes he did, but I still don't think he needs to be included in this discussion."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, let me put this another way that you just might understand. If Max ain't with me, we ain't talkin' `bout jack shit."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, well, um," John, stammered in surprise. "I guess if that's how you feel about it, then we'll make an exception and allow him to join us."</span></p> <p><span>"Good plan there, Mr. Billings," Logan replied testily. "Let's get this over with, can we? I'm tired of dealin' with this shit and wanna go home."</span></p> <p><span>"Follow me, gentlemen." John turned around and led the way to his office where he sat behind his desk and offered us the two empty chairs on the opposite side. "I'd like to apologize for trying to keep out of this conversation, Mr. Sanders, but I'm still not sure how you became involved with Logan and his dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Like I told you yesterday, Logan's been living with me and my family for just over three weeks now while he and Charlie were trying to resolve some problems between them. My only involvement with them was as a foster parent for Logan. But, now that Logan's dad is gone, I feel it's my duty to see that Logan and his interests are protected."</span></p> <p><span>"I see. I think I do, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Whether you see or not is beside the point," I began. "I'm going to make sure that Logan receives what is his under the terms of the will. And William, too, if he can be located. Now, if we've settled this little pissing match you insisted on creating, can we more on?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine," John retorted with disgust. He turned his attention to Logan and began, "It turns out that is was rather fortuitous Mr. Sanders called me and I was able to put blocks on all your dad's accounts first thing this morning, Logan. A gentleman presented himself as your father this morning and tried to withdraw all the money and close the accounts. Not that he would have gotten away with much since there was only about $2,500.00 in the accounts."</span></p> <p><span>Logan's jaw dropped in surprise and when he'd gathered his senses back together, he screamed, "What the hell you talkin' `bout!? According to what we found in the lockbox with the will, there was over a quarter million dollars in this dump."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm not sure where that figure came from because your family has never had that much deposited in any accounts here," John replied smugly.</span></p> <p><span>I could tell Logan was about to seriously blow a gasket and John's head was directly in the line of fire. I placed a hand on his shoulder and calmly asked, "Logan, would you please wait in the lobby for a minute? I need to have a little chat with Mr. Billings."</span></p> <p><span>"No way, Jos�! If you're gonna talk `bout me and my money, you're gonna do it with me right here."</span></p> <p><span>"Please, Logan, for just a minute," I begged.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, not gonna happen, Max. This bastard's tryin' to rip me off just like my uncle is, and that ain't gonna happen. Not in this century or any other."</span></p> <p><span>"All right, you can stay, but let me deal with this, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Do whatever you gotta do, man, but I ain't leaving nothin' in this shithole."</span></p> <p><span>I turned back to John and noticed a flush flooding the bald spot on the top of his head and flowing down to his ears. "Mr. Billings, you will, right this moment, retrieve your bank's ledgers from after closing last Friday and bring them back here. You will then prove to me, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that your accounting is one-hundred percent accurate on Logan's balances. If you fail to do it, I will first be calling the police to come arrest your sick lying ass for embezzlement, and second, the FDIC to come in tomorrow morning and audit this bank from top to bottom. I will not allow you to <i>steal </i>from a nine-year-old kid who's just lost his father. Especially a child you've sworn to protect."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not lying to you," John retorted angrily. "And besides that, you're bluffing. You have no proof to back up your claims</span><span>, so the bank's ledgers will determine who's right and who isn't."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you sure you want to take that position? Your hand is pretty damn weak."</span></p> <p><span>"I still say you're bluffing. You don't have near the power you think you do."</span></p> <p><span>"And he goes all in." I pulled my phone out of my pocket, unlocked it, handed it to Logan and said, "Here, Logan, it's your money, you make the call."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right I will." The youngster opened my contacts, scrolled to Derek's name and tapped the screen to place the call. "Hello, is this Sheriff Timmons? ... Good. This is Logan Campbell, again. ... Well, I thought I was doin' okay, but not so much no more. ... It's like this, Sheriff. I'm at the bank where my daddy has all our farm's money and the bald fat prick sittin' behind his big fancy desk is tryin' to tell us my daddy had only $2,500.00 in the bank when he died. ... Well, yeah, that's a problem, `cause accordin' to my daddy's accountin' we found, there's s'posed to be about $265,000 in this place. ... Well I sure as hell didn't spend it over the weekend. It just up and disappeared. ... Oh, so you're still at my farm. That means you can be here in `bout five minutes. ... That's perfect, Sheriff. We'll be here. And thanks for your help, again." Logan ended the call with an evil grin cutting across his face and he handed the phone back to me.</span></p> <p><span>I wasted no time as I placed a call to Clarence. After getting past the receptionist, I had him on the phone with me and began the conversation with, "Clarence, I need a favor. ... I need you to call someone at the FDIC and get them out to the bank in New Berlin. ... Well, I have reason to believe the vice-president of the bank is guilty of embezzling at least $250,000 from a dead man. ... Yes, I said a dead man. I know it sounds weird, but what else can I say? ... Thanks for your help. I'll give you more details later. Bye." </span></p> <p><span>I slipped my phone back in my pocket and we sat back to await Derek's arrival. As the time passed, John had lost the redness about his head and his skin tone had taken on a distinctively grey pallor. Beads of sweat were constantly popping out on his forehead, running down into his eyes and over his chubby little cheeks. If I didn't know better, I'd have guessed he was melting away right before our eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"You're looking a bit peaked there, John. Can we get you a drink or something?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just fine," he answered angrily.</span></p> <p><span>"If you say so," I retorted. "I'm still waiting to see Friday's reports." With my patience being pushed to the limit, I turned to my companion and asked, "Logan, would you go out front and tell the receptionist we need the bank's president in here?"</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be right back, Max. Don't let that scumbag outta your sight," Logan responded while angrily pointing his finger at John. In less than a minute, Logan returned with the bank's president in tow.</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, gentlemen. My name is Grant Peters. This young man tells me I'm needed in here. What can I do for you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Have a seat, Mr. Peters, and I'll explain the situation," I greeted the man while I patted my thigh for Logan to come sit on my lap. Once everyone was seated, I continued, "My name is Max Sanders and this young man is Logan Campbell." I spent the next five minutes explaining to Grant about Charlie's death, my involvement in the situation, reading his will, my call to John yesterday and the purpose of our visit here this afternoon. With the basics of the situation explained, I carried on with "So, with the information I have, I believe that Mr. Billings is trying to enrich himself at the expense of a vulnerable young man who has dealt with more hardships in his nine years than anyone his age should ever have to endure." As if on cue, Logan turned his face into my chest and let go a little whimper. I then plowed on with, "The police are already on the way. The ball's in your court."</span></p> <p><span>Grant seemed stunned at the tale I'd related, and he finally turned to look at John who seemed to have wilted even further than he was a few short minutes ago. "Is there any basis in truth to Mr. Sanders' accusations, John?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, sir, absolutely not," John sputtered as he sank ever lower in his chair.</span></p> <p><span>Grant looked back to me and asked, "Can you provide any proof to your accusations, Mr. Sanders?"</span></p> <p><span>"All I have available to me are the accounting ledgers Mr. Campbell maintained. From my initial perusal of those, they seem to me to be quite detailed and accurate. If you'd like to see them, I can have them brought here in less than ten minutes."</span></p> <p><span>"Would you please make the arrangements to do so. I would like to compare them to our records."</span></p> <p><span>With a nod, I pulled my phone out again and called home. "Hi there. We have a little issue at the bank and I need another favor. ... In the lockbox we retrieved from Logan's house, there was a set of accounting ledgers. Can you pull them out and have Ron run them over to the bank, please? ... The sooner, the better. ... Thanks, hon." I stuffed my phone away and turned to Grant before saying, "They'll be here shortly. Maybe we can get this problem resolved today."</span></p> <p><span>"I guarantee you it will be," Grant replied. "While we wait for Mr. Campbell's accounting to arrive, I'll retrieve our records from closing Friday. I'll be back in a few minutes." Shortly after Grant left the office, the bank's guard joined us and stood by the door. True to his word, Grant returned carrying several thick printouts from the computer. Derek had also arrived and joined the party in John's office, quietly taking a spot on the opposite side of the door than the bank's guard. Ron arrived shortly with the items I requested and smoothly extricated himself from the situation after sharing a quick hug with Logan. </span></p> <p><span>I took a quick look at the ledgers in my hand before passing them to Grant with the comment, "You'll find Charlie included the account numbers on each page in these, so it should be easy for you to match them up with the reports you have."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, give me just a few minutes to compare these." Grant immediately got to work, flipping back and forth through the bank's reports to match various account numbers to those noted in Charlie's ledgers. He nodded slightly after each comparison and finally settled everything in his lap. "Well, I must say that Mr. Campbell was a very meticulous individual with his recordkeeping. Every account he's noted in his ledgers matches our Friday report of ending balances to the penny. Give me just another moment, please."</span></p> <p><span>Grant picked up the phone on John's desk and dialed an extension before saying, "Betty, I need you to produce a report of all transactions since Friday's close and the current balances for the following accounts." Grant rattled off six different account numbers from Charlie's ledgers, then added, "When you have that, please bring it into John's office. Thank you." Our wait was fairly short when Betty arrived with a single sheet of paper in her hand. After she left, Grant looked at the report she'd handed over, after which he paled visibly and muttered, "Oh, my." He hesitated a moment before lifting his eyes from the paper and said, "Mr. Sanders, Mr. Campbell, please accept my apologies for what's happened here. Would you excuse us for a few minutes while I have a little chat with Mr. Billings? When I'm done with him, I'll come get you so we can resolve this situation."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be waiting in the lobby for you, Mr. Peters," I replied as Logan and I left the office. We took a seat near the receptionist's desk and settled in for our wait. "Logan, I have to say you've impressed me yet again with your strength and fortitude."</span></p> <p><span>"What can I say, man? I'm gettin' real damn tired of life fuckin' me over and over and over, and not feelin' a goddam thing." I couldn't help but snicker at his astute observation of recent events. "This shit ain't funny, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"No, it isn't, and I'm sorry for reacting like I did. But, I'm with Mr. McGee, I like your style. I absolutely love the way you put what you're feeling into words."</span></p> <p><span>"That's just me bein' me," he giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"And we wouldn't want you to be any other way, young man."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good thing, Max, `cause I don't think I can change it." </span></p> <p><span>I wrapped an arm around his shoulders and kissed the top of his head before whispering, "Good, don't even try." We sat and waited for about ten minutes before Grant finally headed our way. He was followed by Derek leading John from the building in handcuffs. When Grant stopped next to Logan, Derek continued on, mouthing, `I'll call you later'.</span></p> <p><span>"Will you two please come with me?" Grant asked before turning and leading the way to his office. While he took his chair behind his desk, Logan and I sat in the offered chairs on the other side. He then started the conversation with, "Logan, I am truly sorry for you having to deal with things like this after what you've been through this weekend. I can't even begin to imagine how you feel right now."</span></p> <p><span>"No, you can't," Logan replied flatly. "I mean, I'm already worn out from ever'thing else that's happened. And then to come in here and have that bastard try to rape me on top of all that, well, it's just like gettin' a swift kick in the nuts."</span></p> <p><span>Grant blanched at Logan's language, but the two of us chuckled quite a bit before Grant was ready to continue. "Well, I want you to know that everything concerning your accounts has been corrected and restored to the way it was Friday. What would you like to do now?"</span></p> <p><span>"I wanna take it all outta here," Logan answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Why? We've corrected the error and I promise it won't happen again."</span></p> <p><span>"Error?" Logan sputtered angrily. "You think that weasel tryin' ta rip me off was a freakin' <i>error!</i>? That's exactly why I want my money outta this place, so no more <i>errors </i>can happen to <i>my</i> money!"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like to make a suggestion, if I could," I interrupted before Logan could climb across the desk and inflict serious bodily harm to the stunned banker.</span></p> <p><span>"And just what would that be, Mr. Sanders?" Grant quickly asked in an attempt to defuse the emotionally explosive youngster.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's open up six new accounts to replace the six Charlie had and transfer all the funds into the new accounts. The only signatories on the new accounts would be Logan, myself and my fianc�. And I want the accounts set up so that it takes two signatures on any check before the bank will honor it."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like a great idea, sir," Grant exhaled in relief. "What do you think of that idea, Logan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I could live with that, I guess. I trust Max to do the right thing."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent, gentlemen. Let me talk to Betty and I'll get the process started. I'll have her bring in the forms you'll need to sign when she has everything set up." With that, Grant left the office.</span></p> <p><span>"You sure you're okay with me and Tom being on your accounts, Logan?"</span></p> <p><span>After a quick glance behind us to ensure the office door was closed, Logan answered with, "Look, Dad, I know we ain't known each other that long, but I do love and trust y'all. `Sides that, with all the stinkin' money you already got, there ain't no way in hell you'd try to take mine," he giggled. "By the way, did you like that little act I put on in the asshole's office?"</span></p> <p><span>"What?" I exclaimed. "You faked that bit when you cried in my chest?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep. Was that good or what?" he giggled again.</span></p> <p><span>"It was perfect, kiddo. You sure fooled me," I chuckled in realization of the boy's skills as a performer.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I was just hopin' Mr. Peters would buy it. I think it worked out pretty good." We were both laughing but quickly regained control when we heard the office door open behind us.</span></p> <p><span>Grant rejoined us and sat behind his desk again. "Okay, that's being handled. Betty will bring everything in when she's done. Is there anything else we need to deal with today?"</span></p> <p><span>"One very important thing I can think of, Mr. Peters. The reason we came in to talk to Mr. Billings today is he is named as the executor of Charlie's will and Logan's trustee. However, in light of recent developments, I think that should be changed immediately."</span></p> <p><span>"I agree with you, Mr. Sanders. Unfortunately, I'm not an attorney who can make such a change."</span></p> <p><span>"But you wouldn't contest us if we get that provision modified to reflect Logan's wishes?"</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely not. I'd much prefer the executor and trustee not be associated with the bank in any way, just to avoid any potential claims of a conflict of interest in the future."</span></p> <p><span>"Then, I'll call my attorney when we get home and see what he can do."</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Billings told me you called someone to have the FDIC notified about the problem today."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I'm sorry, but he didn't seem like he was very interested in resolving things properly."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about that. You were exactly right to make that call. And if you hadn't, I would have to. I want our books gone over with a fine-toothed comb to see if he has victimized anyone else. You can rest assured, Mr. Sanders, that we will cooperate fully with the examiners when they arrive, and any improperly appropriated funds will be returned to the customer."</span></p> <p><span>"As it should be." There was a light rap on the door and when it opened, Betty came in and handed some papers over to Grant.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Betty. That will be all for now," he said dismissively. Betty turned and left the three of us alone. Grant reviewed the paperwork and a look of serious surprise filled his face. After he peeled a handwritten note from the top page of the stack, he handed them over while saying, "Here are the forms you'll need to sign for each of the new accounts. When will your fianc�e be able to come in and sign them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I just assumed we could take these with us and bring them back."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Mr. Sanders, that's not allowed. The signatures must be witnessed by a bank employee."</span></p> <p><span>"Then I guess Logan and I will sign them now and when we get back home, Tom can come over to add his signature."</span></p> <p><span>"That would be just fine, sir," Grant replied. "I'll leave these with the receptionist to make it easy to deal with when he comes in."</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, these are your accounts, so you should sign them first," I said. He stood in front of the desk, and using the pen supplied by Grant, scrawled his name on the top line on each form. He then handed me the pen and papers so I could follow his lead. As I added my signature, I was double-checking the balances that would be in each new account to ensure they matched my recollection of Charlie's ledgers. When I reached the page for a seventh account, I understood the look of surprise I'd seen from Grant. I paused and asked, "Logan, did you pay attention to these when you went through them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, why would I?" he replied. "I just wanna go home."</span></p> <p><span>"You might want to take a closer look at this last one, buddy," I commented, handing it to him to peruse.</span></p> <p><span>He took it from me and let his eyes wander over the page from top to bottom. When he finally saw what had caught my eye, his eyes opened wide in surprise. "What the hell is this!?" he squeaked.</span></p> <p><span>Grant took over and answered, "Betty found another account that your father didn't include in his accounting ledgers, Logan. After a quick bit of research, she discovered that your mother had received an inheritance from her mother and a separate account was opened with those proceeds."</span></p> <p><span>"But this says I got over five million bucks! Ain't no way in hell that's real," Logan complained.</span></p> <p><span>"5,265,482.19 dollars to be exact," Grant replied with a smile while referring to the hand-written note. "And that's just in the one account," he added.</span></p> <p><span>"And it's all mine?" Logan queried warily.</span></p> <p><span>"Every penny."</span></p> <p><span>"Holy shit, I'm freakin' rich!" the stunned youngster sputtered as he collapsed back into his chair.</span></p> <p><span>Logan finally handed the last page back to me and after I'd added my signature to it, I handed the pen and forms back to Grant. "I guess that's it for now. Tom should be here in about fifteen or twenty minutes to add his signature."</span></p> <p><span>"That will be fine. Again, let me apologize for today's events and I thank you for allowing us to correct this huge debacle."</span></p> <p><span>"The important thing is you did. C'mon, Logan, let's go home."</span></p> <p><span>"Best thing I've heard all day, Max."</span></p> <p><span>We left Grant alone and headed out into the sunny afternoon to climb in the car for the short trip home. As I made the turn out of the parking lot, I commented, "You handled all that pretty well considering the circumstances, Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"I just hope we're done with all this crap `til Friday night. I don't know how much more I can take."</span></p> <p><span>"The only thing I can think we still need to take care of is getting your house straightened up and figure out who's gonna pay for the damage that was done."</span></p> <p><span>"Can you take care o' that for me? I can't deal with it no more. I just wanna sleep."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I will. And I think a nap is a good idea."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I use your bed?" he asked with grin.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, buddy," I replied as I reached over to my passenger and ruffled his hair.</span></p> <p><span>After parking in the garage, I unloaded Logan's bike and parked it with the others while he loped inside to lay down for a while. As I stepped into the house, Logan was leaving his room and carrying the raggedy teddy bear with him as he headed across the house in search of peace and quiet. I turned into Tom's office to find the two investigators hard at work. The first thing I noted was Bill had been here while Logan and I were gone, and Dylan's computer was all set up.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, guys, how's it goin' in here?" I asked in way of greeting.</span></p> <p><span>"We're doin' okay, I guess. You get everything handled with Logan?" Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"So far, yeah. Talk about your shitty damn days, this is one of `em."</span></p> <p><span>"How's Logan doin' with everything?" Dylan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"A helluva lot better than I would be in his place, let me tell ya. That kid never ceases to amaze me. He keeps gettin' knocked down and he bounces right back up, ready for the next punch. Kinda reminds me of one of those blow-up bop clown things we had when we were kids. Of course, finding out he just inherited over five million dollars helps ease the pain a bit, I'm sure."</span></p> <p><span>"What!?" the two surprised men squawked. I quickly explained about the extra account we hadn't known about and how it had come to be.</span></p> <p><span>"Bet that explains why Troy is being such a pain in the ass," Tom commented. "He wants to get his hands on that money."</span></p> <p><span>"Wouldn't surprise me a bit," I agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"So, when's the funeral?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Visitation is Friday night and the funeral is Saturday at two."</span></p> <p><span>"Why so late," Dylan asked. "Most folks would have it Wednesday or Thursday."</span></p> <p><span>"The reason Logan gave was he didn't want to miss any more school. Why he's so worried about that right now is beyond me. By the way, Tom, you need to run over to the bank and sign some forms."</span></p> <p><span>"What for?"</span></p> <p><span>"After what happened, they opened up new accounts for Logan and transferred all the funds from Charlie's old accounts to the new ones. You, Logan and I are going to be the only signatories on the new ones, just to keep anyone else from tryin' to rob the poor kid. `Scuse me, <i>rich</i> kid," I corrected myself with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"When do you want me to go?" </span></p> <p><span>"Now would be good. I want that done and over with. And when you go get dressed, be quiet because Logan wanted to take a nap and I told him he could use our bed."</span></p> <p><span>"Consider it done, babe," he responded and left the office to get ready to leave.</span></p> <p><span>"Anything you need from me, Max?" Dylan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Can't think of anything at the moment. Unless you want to track down Troy and string the ignorant bastard up for me."</span></p> <p><span>"You give the word and it shall be done," Dylan grinned evilly.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe later," I chuckled. "Let's give Derek a chance to find him first. Okay, I need to send Charlie's will to my attorney so he can work his magic and get a change made. Talk to you later." </span></p> <p><span>I left Tom's office and headed for my study to take care of my task. I scanned and e-mailed the document to Clarence along with a note to call me when he had time. After completing that minor chore, I was just about to grab the lockbox to search for any insurance information when a thought occurred to me and I headed back across the house to talk to Dylan about my flash of brilliance. As I passed by the kitchen, I could see Ron was diligently preparing for supper and I flipped him a quick wave before moving on.</span></p> <p><span>Stepping back into the office, I said, "Okay, maybe I do have something for you to take care of for us. For Logan, really"</span></p> <p><span>"Shoot, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the way I'm thinkin' `bout this may be biased but hear me out. We've hired this security company to protect us here and to watch over Logan's farm until Troy goes back home, right? Since the farm was vandalized while they were on duty, shouldn't it be their responsibility to pay for any damages and repairs to the property? I'm sure Charlie had insurance that would cover it, but I'd hate to file a claim with them if we can get somebody else to fork over the money."</span></p> <p><span>"Interesting theory, Max. I honestly don't know the answer to your question, but I'll be happy to make the call and find out."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dylan. Any luck with fences and windows?"</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, yeah. Both the fencing guys came out and the one window guy showed up, too. All three took measurements for what they need to cover and will be sending their proposals in a couple of days. The other window dude should be here in the morning. With luck, we'll have all their bids by Friday so you can make a decision of who you want to use."</span></p> <p><span>"Great, I'm glad to hear that news. Did either give you any idea as to cost?"</span></p> <p><span>"Except to say it wasn't gonna be cheap, no."</span></p> <p><span>"No big surprise there, I suppose, but our privacy and security's more important than money, so whatever it takes. Thanks, Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll let you know what the security company says about their liability," Dylan added as I left the room. </span></p> <p><span>Feeling like I'd dealt with all I could handle today, I made it to the living room where I unceremoniously crashed in my chair. I laid my head back and closed my eyes, hoping I could finally let go of some of the stress that had been building all day long. Between the trashing of Logan's home and equipment, the little soliloquy he'd whispered to his dad's lifeless body and the unmitigated gall of the asshole at the bank, I was ready to get Tom's gun out of the safe and kill someone. Fortunately, the ringing of the phone distracted me from my destructive thoughts. </span></p> <p><span>I opened my eyes and was about to reach for the phone when I heard, "Sanders/Wright residence, this is Ron, how may I help you?" echo softly from the kitchen. "One moment, please. Let me see if he's available." I watched as Ron stuck his head around the corner in the dining room and asked, "Max, do you want to talk to a guy named Derek right now or should I take a message?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll take it, Ron, thanks." With a thumbs up signal from Ron, I grabbed the phone, "Hey, Derek, what's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"You wanna know somethin', Max? You have a more interesting and exciting life than any other person I've ever known."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, smart-ass," I chuckled. "I hope to god you're calling for more than to tell me that."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I am. Got some news for y'all about Logan's farm."</span></p> <p><span>"You found Troy, already?" I asked in confusion. "He must not have gotten very far."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we found him, his wife and their boys at the Hampton Inn. I had another unit retrieve Mr. Billings from there while I dealt with Logan's relatives. After searching their rooms and truck, we didn't find a damn thing that they didn't bring up with them from home. They claim they haven't left the motel all day. And as much as it pains me to say it, I believe them."</span></p> <p><span>"You can't be serious!" I exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Serious as a tax audit, Max. They exhibited none of the nervousness a guilty person usually does when confronted and they answered every question we asked them without hesitation. The smug bastard even told me that if we should talk to Logan before he sees him at Charlie's funeral to tell Logan he's sorry for the way he behaved Saturday, that he's just really upset with his brother's death."</span></p> <p><span>"He can <i>say</i> whatever the hell wants, I don't believe a word of it," I countered.</span></p> <p><span>"I wasn't inclined to believe him either, but the more we talked, the more believable he became."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if he wasn't the one to wreck Logan's place, who the hell was?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm still working on that, Max. We've had some reports of break-ins and such around the county the past few months and I'm going to check into those to see if there's any commonalities between them. We will also talk to the neighbors in the vicinity of Logan's farm to see if anyone saw something out of the ordinary this morning. Maybe we'll get lucky with those interviews."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, keep us updated on whoever you find was responsible."</span></p> <p><span>"You know I will, Max. Talk to you later."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for callin', Derek. Bye." I hung up the phone and laid my head back again, completely baffled at the information Derek had just shared. I hadn't had much time to work on the puzzle in my mind when Tom returned from his errand. He joined me in the living room and Dylan followed along. "So, is the bank happy?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think so. The receptionist seemed a bit confused about me signing the papers. I think she was expecting a lady to show up."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, she probably was," I muttered. "I'm sure when Grant handed the papers to her, he told her my fianc�e was coming since that's how I referred to you initially."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, whatever the case, Logan's good to go with the new accounts."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, that's another headache disposed of." I turned to Dylan and asked, "How `bout you? Did you have any luck with the security people?"</span></p> <p><span>"As a matter of fact, I did. You'll be happy to hear that they are taking responsibility for everything that got damaged and promise to repair or replace everything. And if Derek can find and arrest who did it, the security company will go after <i>them</i> to get their money back."</span></p> <p><span>"Hot damn!" I hooted with happiness. "That's great news, Dylan. It's gonna be a pricy lesson for them because some of the furniture looked like it was antiques that had been in Logan's family for generations."</span></p> <p><span>"They're going to have a cleanup crew like Servpro or somebody go out first to do a cleaning, then have some furniture folks go out to see what can be done with that. A farm implement company will show up to review the damage to the tractor and feed grinder, then let them know if they can be repaired or need to be replaced."</span></p> <p><span>"You've just made my day, man. It should help Logan's day, too. It's just too bad we can't stick Troy with all of that."</span></p> <p><span>"Why not," Tom asked in confusion.</span></p> <p><span>"I just got off the phone with Derek. He found and talked to Troy, the wife and kids this afternoon and he doesn't think they did it." Seeing the stunned looks on both their faces, I spent the next couple of minutes relaying what Derek had told me.</span></p> <p><span>When I'd finally run out of things to share, Dylan commented, "I hadn't thought about that since Troy seemed like the perfect suspect, but Derek's right, there have been quite a few break-ins and vandalisms in this part of the county over the past six months or so."</span></p> <p><span>"I never heard about those," Tom said with surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you were usually on the eastern side of the county and all the reports we'd received were for the western end, so there never seemed much point in you knowing about them. If I remember, there have also been several similar incidents in Menard county, too."</span></p> <p><span>"But did any of them receive as much damage?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think so," Dylan replied after thinking about it for a moment. "It's almost as if whoever did it to Logan was looking for something they thought should be there."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm tired of thinking about it," I sighed. "I just want things to calm down so we can have a normal fuckin' life."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, fat chance of that ever happening. Not in this house, anyway," Tom laughed. "Six wild monkeys live here along with me and Ron, and our leader is crazier than a loon. What do you think, Dylan? Do you see `normal' ever taking up residence here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not in my lifetime," Dylan agreed with a hearty laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, smart asses. Y'all really know how to make a guy feel better."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, babe, the vows we're going to share shortly say things like in sickness and health, richer or poorer, but I've never heard of normal being included with the others, so just give it up now."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Don't you two have some work you should be doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, now you're just tryin' to get rid of us," Tom cracked.</span></p> <p><span>"Why yes, yes I am. Begone, oh crackers of wise," I joked as I shooed the two away. "Give me my peace."</span></p> <p><span>Tom leaned over and whispered, "You ain't gettin' rid of me that easy, babe." At that moment, the front door popped open and the fantastic five filled the home with noise as they returned home from school. "Good luck with findin' that peace you wanted, now," Tom chuckled as he followed Dylan down the hall, both of them laughing their fool heads off.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Dad, we're home," Mike called out as the group came towards me.</span></p> <p><span>"Really? Sounded more like someone opened the hyena cage at the zoo and set them free."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon, Dad," Andy whined. "We aren't that loud."</span></p> <p><span>"Wanna bet?" I chuckled. "Hugs, then homework, boys. Ron's in the kitchen and he'll get your snack." I got my hugs and the group trouped down the hallway to get comfortable. As they filtered back through, T.J. stopped and climbed in my lap. "What's up kiddo?"</span></p> <p><span>"Where's Logan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sleepin' in our bed. He was pretty wiped out after the afternoon we had."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I bet he was. How's he doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"He's hangin' in there, I think, despite everything we've been through today."</span></p> <p><span>"Did his uncle really trash his house?" he asked out of the blue.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it was certainly torn up, but we're not sure who did it just yet."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope they find `em and string `em up."</span></p> <p><span>"We all do, buddy. Do you have any homework to deal with?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just my new spelling words."</span></p> <p><span>"Then hop to it, T.J. Oh, and tell Ron I'd like to talk to him for a minute, please." On that note, T.J. hopped off my lap and continued his trek to the kitchen. Ron joined me a minute later and I waved him to a seat.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"You remember earlier when I said I had a strange request for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and it's been buggin' all day," he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Ron, that wasn't my intent. But this is important, and I want you to seriously consider your feelings before you answer." Now that I could see I had his undivided attention, I plowed on. "Tom and T.J. recently helped save a kid's life. He's a junior in high school and he's gay. He'd planned to kill himself because he believed his parents wouldn't accept him for who he is."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like it's a good thing he got help."</span></p> <p><span>"It is, but that's not the whole story. Rich had also been going to some bar in Springfield to try to find some guy to do some experimenting with, try to figure out if he really is gay or not."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's just fuckin' stupid. He coulda gotten himself killed doin' shit like that."</span></p> <p><span>"We know. And even though it looks like he's given up on the bar thing, he still wants to try some things with another guy, and while his dad says he supports him in that, he also said he wouldn't be the one to help Rich. So, here's my question. Would you consider spending some time with Rich and, I don't know, I guess maybe guide him a little bit on his journey to discovering his true self."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you shittin' me, Max!?" Ron asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a bit."</span></p> <p><span>"Geez, man, I don't know. You're askin' me to take what, a seventeen-year-old <i>kid</i>, into my bed? You don't want much, do you?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's not a requirement, Ron, just a thought I had. And if you're not interested, that's fine. I want to help this kid find himself in a safe manner. I just thought that since you were so close to his age, you might be willing to help out."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Max. While it sure sounds like it would be interesting and a whole lotta fun, I gotta think about it. Have you to talked to the kid about this?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, not yet. The idea just popped in my head this morning and I wanted to talk to you before I talked to him or his dad about it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll give it some serious thought, I swear."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all I'm asking for, Ron. I'd kinda planned to invite him out for a swim later this week, just to see how he's doing, but it would give you a chance to meet him, too, see what you think of him."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds cool. I would like to meet the kid before I decide anything."</span></p> <p><span>"Fair enough," I replied. "Now, how's supper goin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Almost done. We should be ready to eat a little after five, though I'm not sure how hungry the boys'll be after just having a snack."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you worry `bout them," I laughed. "They've never failed to pack the food away at any meal. "Well, I'm going to get comfortable, finally, and see if I can get Logan to wake up." Ron headed back to the kitchen while I turned for the bedroom. When I opened the door, I found Logan curled up in the middle of the bed with his bear wrapped tightly in his arms. I quietly got undressed, then visited the bathroom before sitting on the edge of the bed. I leaned over and brushed the hair out of Logan's eyes before giving his shoulder a gentle shake.</span></p> <p><span>"Huh? What's goin' on?" he mumbled as he opened his eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"Just wakin' ya up, buddy. The other guys are home from school and supper will be ready shortly."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay, Dad," Logan replied as he sat up, still clutching the bear to his chest.</span></p> <p><span>"What's your bear's name?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't really have one, I guess. I just call `im bear."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, come on. Every good bear deserves a real name, Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if he has to have a name, I guess I could always use Chuck since daddy got him for me for my second birthday. I'd always have my daddy with me then, or at least part of him."</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, as long as you keep the memories of your mom and dad in your mind and hold them in your heart, they'll be with you forever. Nobody can take those feelings from you."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dad, I needed that." He leaned in close and kissed me on the cheek, then gave me a hug which I returned.</span></p> <p><span>"You ready to rejoin the herd?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess. What's for supper?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue, Ron refused to tell me."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's go kick his ass, then. I'm hungry," Logan giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Lead the way, young man." We left the bedroom together and I followed Logan into the kitchen. When we reached it, Ron was watching Alex and Joey working on the fifth-grade math book, so he was surprised when Logan's foot connected with his bare backside, causing lots of laughter from the other boys.</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell?" Ron squealed in surprise as he turned around.</span></p> <p><span>"When's supper, dude, I'm hungry?" Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, after that, all you're getting is gruel," Ron retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon, man, don't torture me like," Logan begged. " `Specially when you got prime rib cooking."</span></p> <p><span>"How the heck could you know that? I haven't told anyone what I'm making."</span></p> <p><span>"I grew up on a farm, Ron-boy. You really think I don't know what meat you're fixin' us?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess if anyone would, it would be you."</span></p> <p><span>"Dang right. Now get on the stick and finish it up in here."</span></p> <p><span>"Move along, ya little rugrat. It's not ready yet, but I'll let you know when it is."</span></p> <p><span>With that, a giggling Logan left the kitchen to return `Chuck' to his bedroom, the rest of the crew following along to put their homework away. I followed the herd and turned into Tom's office.</span></p> <p><span>"Hope you're hungry, Ron's fixing prime rib for supper tonight," I greeted the two.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, God," Dylan moaned in delight. "I hope he fixed enough so I can have some, too."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I both cracked up and Tom replied, "If he didn't, I guess you're out of luck."</span></p> <p><span>"Like hell I am!" Dylan protested. "I'll have Derek come out and arrest his ass if I need to. Then I could have Ron's share."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, what would he be charged with?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, but I'll come up with something," Dylan laughed.</span></p> <p><span>I left the two alone again as I turned and headed back to the living room, laughing all the way. The boys were already there, and I suggested they get the table set. As usual, they took care of the task without argument, ignoring Ron's protests that he would take of it. I could hear Alex calmly explain to Ron the facts of life in this house and what we expected from the boys, so Ron finally gave in and let them proceed. Fifteen minutes later, we were all being called to the table.</span></p> <p><span>As we descended on our supper, everyone was complimenting Ron on how everything smelled, and once they'd had a chance to take a bite and actually taste their dinner, all of us agreed that Ron was a keeper. Though he was blushing mightily at the praise being heaped on him, it didn't seem to spoil his appetite in any way. Fortunately for Dylan, there was plenty to go around and even he got to join us in enjoying this mouthwatering creation.</span></p> <p><span>When everyone was stuffed to the gills, the boys got busy with their normal cleanup. Again, Ron protested, and again, Alex set him straight on this particular division of labor. Properly chastised, Ron retook his chair and sighed in defeat.</span></p> <p><span>"They should let me do my job," he grumped.</span></p> <p><span>"Get over it, Ron," Tom admonished the young man. "They enjoy doing their part at meals, so why try to fight it? If they don't mind, you sure shouldn't. Besides, you deserve a break after tonight's feast."</span></p> <p><span>"How `bout it, Tom?" I asked. "Think we should get up and take care of our part?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hell, no. I'm fine with lettin' Ron do that," the big guy laughed heartily while the rest of us joined him in some hilarity. The four adults continued to chat while the boys rinsed dishes and filled the dishwasher. Once the noise from the kitchen had finally abated, the sensational six-pack finally rejoined us at the table. </span></p> <p><span>At the first minor break in our conversation, Joey interrupted us with, "Hey, Dads, can we talk about something?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, what's up?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we been talkin' `bout our rooms in the new house since Ryan was here ...," Joey began.</span></p> <p><span>"... and we wanna make a big change to what you guys are thinkin'," Alex concluded.</span></p> <p><span>"Like what," I asked.</span></p> <p><span>T.J. provided the answer. "Well, instead of having four or five bedrooms for us and Ron, how `bout if you do just one regular bedroom on our end of the house for Ron and then one <i>big</i> one for all of us. You know, kinda like a bunk room or somethin'."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess we could do that if you're sure that's what you want. Aren't you guys worried about not having any privacy as you get older?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why the heck would we care about that?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we're already naked all the time, why would we care `bout privacy?" Mike added.</span></p> <p><span>"We know you guys do a whole lot more than just sleep in your rooms," Tom commented. "Do you really want to be <i>that </i>open with all your brothers?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why not," Joey asked seriously. "We already know what we're all doing with each other. Whether we do that shit in the same room or not won't change it a bit."</span></p> <p><span>"Besides, with all of us in the same room, we'd probably mix some things up now and then," Alex added helpfully. "Ya know what I mean?" he asked with a sly grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, buddy, we got it," I replied. "We don't need to hear details. I guess if you're all okay with that idea, we can talk to Ryan and see what he thinks."</span></p> <p><span>"But what about your bathrooms?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you could do one <i>big</i> bathroom with three or four crappers, a sink for each of us and a really big shower space with, like, eight sprayer heads in it."</span></p> <p><span>I looked to Tom and asked, "What do you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"If they're fine with it, I am, too. And I have to assume since they've talked about it and come up with the idea on their own, that's what they want." That statement was further reinforced by the wild nods of assent from all six boys.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay then, we'll bring it up with Ryan. How many and what size beds do you want in the room?"</span></p> <p><span>"We were thinkin' three or four king-size, just in case, you know, you guys end up adopting some more dudes," Alex answered cheerfully.</span></p> <p><span>"And what if we should adopt some girls? Where would their bedroom be?" I asked in all seriousness.</span></p> <p><span>"You ain't never gonna do that," Mike retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right, you don't like girls, `member?" T.J. giggled. "You told us that the first time we met."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess I did, didn't I?" I muttered with resignation. "Okay, we'll see what happens. Why don't you guys go watch some TV for a bit?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for listenin' to us, Dads," Alex said as the six lads left us at the table. </span></p> <p><span>The four of us sat for a moment, quietly contemplating the conversation when Ron finally broke the silence with, "Geez, I wish I'd been that sure of myself when I was <i>twice</i> their ages."</span></p> <p><span>"I think we all do, Ron," Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Speak for yourselves, chumps," Dylan retorted. "I've always known who I was. Wasn't my fault Malcom's dad was a jerk and moved my boyfriend away from me." He then turned to Ron and added, "Ron, thanks for supper. It was absolutely delicious."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you gonna make a habit of stayin' for dinner every day, Dylan."</span></p> <p><a name="_Hlk528761622"><span>"You keep comin' up meals like that and I just might," Dylan laughed.</span></a></p> <p><span>"That's fine with me," Ron replied. "I just need to know how much food to have on hand and prepare. Well, I need to get the kitchen cleaned up. You guys need anything else?"</span></p> <p><span>"Lord, no, Ron. I'm stuffed," I answered while rubbing my distended gut. "Thanks for that kind offer, though. Maybe later." With that, Ron headed back to the kitchen to take care of the items the boys had left for him. When it was down to the three of us, I asked, "You two ready for your trip to Missouri?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep," Tom answered. "We'll head down next Sunday and stay until we've learned all we can. Hopefully, it'll be enough to sway a judge into letting Logan stay with us."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope so, too. Especially with Logan's new-found wealth. I'd hate for Troy to have a shot at getting his greedy little paws on any of it."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll do our, best," Dylan offered.</span></p> <p><span>"I know you will. Did you get in touch with Carol about Logan's brother?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep," Tom answered, "and she's gonna see what, if anything, she can find out about him. The one question she did have I didn't have an answer for was his date of birth. Was that noted in the will?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, it wasn't. I'll have to do some more digging. There might be something in the lockbox that will give us a few clues to help narrow the search."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, because Carol said without a birthdate, it would be next to impossible to find him. She's got to narrow the field somehow." </span></p> <p><span>"I'll dig into that tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"So, boss, we done for the day?" Dylan asked with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I s'pose we are. But do me a favor, would ya?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"What's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Quit callin' me boss. We're equal in this little venture, Dylan. Besides, I don't much like the connotation that goes along with it."</span></p> <p><span>"What?" Dylan laughed. "You don't think it's okay for a black man to call a white man `Boss?' "</span></p> <p><span>"I never did, and I never will."</span></p> <p><span>"Least I ain't callin' you massa or something else as shitty. So, what, exactly, should I use then? Is Mr. Wright gonna pass muster with your sensitive little heart?" Dylan asked with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Tom is fine, ya smart ass," Tom retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"All right, Tom it is ... Boss," he added while punching Tom's shoulder. "Well, look, I'm gonna get outta here then and I'll see you guys in the morning. Have a good night."</span></p> <p><span>"You better say goodbye to the boys before you split or you'll be in deep shit with them."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't I know it? And I sure don't want to get on their bad side, they'd probably drown me out in the pool instead of just dunkin' me."</span></p> <p><span>"You know them all too well," Tom laughed. </span></p> <p><span>Dylan headed for the theater and we joined Ron in the kitchen to see if we could help with anything. With assurances he had everything under control, Tom and I headed for the living room to read for a bit. We'd barely gotten comfortable when the phone rang. I couldn't imagine who would be calling, but Ron had answered the phone in the kitchen and he quickly let us know.</span></p> <p><span>"Max, there's a Clarence on the phone for you."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Ron." I punched the speaker button and greeted my attorney with, "You're workin' awfully late today, aren't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"A necessary evil, sometimes, Max. I'm calling back about the will you sent me earlier. What's up?"</span></p> <p><span>I spent several minutes explaining about the events in our lives since Friday, then finally got to the crux of the problem. "So, we need to get the executor and trustee changed since John's now sitting in the county jail."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, wills get challenged all the time for one reason or another, and changes are made when it's deemed to be necessary and appropriate. And with the circumstances you've described, I don't see where any judge will have a problem approving such a modification. Any idea who Logan will select to be the new executor and trustee."</span></p> <p><span>"I do, but I better let him tell you. Let me get him on the call with us, Clarence." I put the call on hold and dialed the theater extension to have Logan join us. I returned to the call and said, "He'll be here in just a minute." </span></p> <p><span>After a short wait, Dylan returned from the theater to get ready to go home and he was giving Logan a piggyback ride. The pair stopped next to us and Dylan gently lowered Logan to the floor where he received a hug from the youngster and Logan said, "Thanks for the ride, Uncle Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, buddy. See you tomorrow." Dylan then continued on to get dressed for his trip home.</span></p> <p><span>After Dylan had moved on, Logan turned to us and asked, "Whatcha need, Dads?"</span></p> <p><span>"We have my attorney Clarence on the phone and he needs to talk to you about something," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"What the heck's he wanna talk to me for?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, take a seat and he can let you know." I waited for Logan to crawl in my chair with me and once he was settled in, I said, "Go ahead, Clarence."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi there, Logan. My name is Clarence Cantrell and I take care of Max's legal needs. Before we get to my questions for you, I want to tell you how sorry I am for your loss. Losing a parent isn't easy for anyone."</span></p> <p><span>"No, it ain't, but I been through it once, and I'll get through it again," Logan replied.</span></p> <p><span>"You just let Max and Tom take care of you and I'm sure you'll be just fine. Max sent me your dad's will and I've read through it, so I'm familiar with your father's wishes. However, Max says you may want to make a change to some provisions after what's happened today. Is that your wish?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right, it is. I want that Billings prick outta there. He ain't got no business havin' nothin' to do with my money, `specially after tryin' to rip me off."</span></p> <p><span>"And do you know who you would like to name for his replacement as executor and trustee?"</span></p> <p><span>"Does a baby go goo?" Logan giggled. "Course I know, I want Max and Tom. Who the hell else can I trust to do what's right?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine with me, Logan, I just needed to hear it from you. I couldn't take Max's word on something this important. Max, Tom, are you two okay with taking over the responsibilities as executors of Mr. Campbell's will and becoming Logan's trustees?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine with us," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, problem solved, then. I'll get the will into probate with the request for the changes attached. If that's all you have, I'm gonna head for home and supper."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait!" Logan yelled. "There's somethin' else needs to get changed. And fast."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, what's that?" Clarence queried.</span></p> <p><span>"You `member that part where it says I'm s'posed to go live with my uncle? I don't wanna live with that loser, I wanna stay here with Max, Tom and my brothers."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, young man, I can understand you wanting to stay where you are, but I don't think there's a realistic way we can make that happen right now. We'd have to show some very good cause for a judge to accept a change that big."</span></p> <p><span>"How `bout the fact Troy's a rotten bastard who don't give a shit `bout me and he's only after my money."</span></p> <p><span>"We'd have to have proof of that, Logan. Do you have any?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, no," he muttered with resignation.</span></p> <p><span>"Then I can't see any way to challenge that provision with any hope for success. Now, if you can get some proof of your uncle's intentions, then we can go back to the courts and lodge our complaints at that time. But I don't see any way at the moment that you'll be able to stay where you are. I'm sorry, and I know that's not what you wanted to hear, but that's the way the law works."</span></p> <p><span>"That's in the works, Clarence," I interjected.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, then. Let me take care of the change we can do now, and we'll work on the other after that's settled. Sound good to you Logan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, but ain't got much choice, do I?"</span></p> <p><span>"We'll get there, Logan, but one step at a time, okay?" Clarence offered in reassurance.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's what Max keeps tellin' me," Logan grumped.</span></p> <p><span>"You listen to Max, then. He's a pretty smart guy, ya know?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know. Thanks for helpin', Mr. Cantrell."</span></p> <p><span>"Happy to do it. I'll talk to you guys later."</span></p> <p><span>We ended the call and Logan slumped into my side like a deflated balloon.</span></p> <p><span>"Hang in there, buddy," I whispered as I squeezed his shoulder and kissed the top of his head. "We'll get it all worked out."</span></p> <p><span>"I know," Logan muttered sadly. "I just feel awful lost in the woods right now."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll help you find your way back out, I promise. All of us will."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dads. Can I go now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, we'll be along in a few to watch a couple more <i>Star Treks</i>."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool." Logan hopped out of my chair, gave us both a hug, then scooted back off across the house to rejoin the other boys in the theater. Tom and I followed along and stopped in the kitchen to let Ron know where we were going and that he was welcome to join us. With thanks for the invite and assurances he'd be along shortly, the two of us continued into the theater. I had Alex get us set up with the next disc of the series and he seemed rather pleased that he'd been selected to be our projectionist for the night. Ron joined us just as the show began and he ended up taking the chair next to Tom.</span></p> <p><span>After the first two shows were completed, the boys begged for one more, so we took a bathroom break and got snacks for the third and final show of the night. At the end of the third episode, the boys dropped their popcorn bowls and glasses in the dishwasher before continuing across the house to brush teeth and jump into bed. Before following the boys to get them tucked in, we refilled our drinks, then left them in the living room on our way across the house.</span></p> <p><span>Our first stop was Alex, Joey and Logan, and all three were climbing in bed as we entered their room. They waited at the edge of the mattress for us to join them and we shared our hugs, forehead kisses, good nights and love yous. With our ritual completed, they curled up in the middle of the bed and let us pull up the covers. Tom flipped off the lights as we left the room and pulled the door closed behind us.</span></p> <p><span>Mike, and T.J. were still helping Andy with his steroid cream treatment when we reached their room. Andy was giggling uncontrollably as T.J. deftly slid his foreskin back and forth to help keep it stretched out. It was obvious all three youngsters enjoyed this time together as Andy was slowly stroking T.J. and Mike's erections as they sat beside him. When they saw us come in, they stopped their manipulations of each other and waddled to the edge of the bed on their knees, stiff little members bouncing freely with each movement. We shared our nightly rituals and the three scooted back to the middle of the bed and curled up together as usual. With their covers pulled up, the light was turned off and door closed as we headed to the living room to relax. Ron had started a fire and was comfortably ensconced on the love seat when we fell into our chairs.</span></p> <p><span>"So, how was the first day of the rest of your life," Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Fun," Rom smiled. "I really want to thank you guys for the job."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we're glad you accepted our offer," I replied. "Any problems with being nude?"</span></p> <p><span>"Surprisingly, no. I figured I'd be hard most of the day simply because it's so different from what I'm used to, but it never happened."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it, Ron. That seems to be the normal reaction from newbies like you. For most people, it takes more than just seeing a naked body to become aroused."</span></p> <p><span>"So, how did you guys like supper?"</span></p> <p><span>"It was delicious," Tom replied. "But, where'd the meat come from? We didn't have a cut like that in the freezer."</span></p> <p><span>"I brought it with me last night," Ron answered. "I wanted to make something special my first night on the job. I'm glad everyone enjoyed it."</span></p> <p><span>"Trust me, we did," I replied. "But tell me you're not gonna do something like that every night."</span></p> <p><span>"Not a chance, man. I usually like pretty simple meals, but every now and then, I get this wild hair and go all out. You guys just got lucky tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we're sure not complainin'," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I don't know `bout you two, but I've a pretty shitty day and I'm tired. Hope you don't mind if I go to bed."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I'm with you, Max," Ron agreed. "It's gonna take a while to get used to these early mornings."</span></p> <p><span>" `Scuse me?" Tom asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Not that way, ya big goof," Ron laughed. "I just meant I'm tired and ready for bed, too. My <i>own</i> bed."</span></p> <p><span>"Phew, glad you cleared that up" Tom breathed heavily. "I'd hate to hafta fire your ass on the first day."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd hate it, too, man, `cause I love it here," Ron agreed. "See y'all in the morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Night, Ron," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Later, gator," I added before turning to Tom and asking, "You didn't really think he planned to go to bed with me, did you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hell no, I was just givin' him some shit," he answered with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"You gonna be long before you join me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably not, but it seems a shame to let this fire go to waste. Besides, I'd like to actually be able to do some reading for a bit. I'm starting to get into your third book finally, and I'm really liking it."</span></p> <p><span>"Nice to hear you finally developed some good taste in authors," I smiled. I leaned over as we shared a kiss and `I love you' before I continued on to the bedroom and a shower. After keeping the shower short so I didn't wake myself up too much, I curled up in bed and promptly fell asleep. Tom finally crawled into bed with me about a half hour later. He pulled me into his arms and held me as he joined me in peaceful slumber.</span></p> <p><span>The next several days seem to slip by unnoticed since nothing of serious consequence happened. Dylan dealt with the second window treatment guy on Tuesday, and I continued working on my new book, making pretty good progress considering the years I was writing about were wholly and utterly depressing. We heard nothing from Troy or family throughout the week and the security team at the farm had nothing to report as it had been quiet out there also.</span></p> <p><span>Clarence called me on Wednesday to let me know he'd filed Charlie's will for probate with the request for the change of executor and trustee. He'd also planted a bug in Judge Corgan's ear about where Logan would be living after the funeral, reminding David that Logan did not want to have to move in with his uncle and cousins. So far, Carol had not had any luck in finding a trace of William, but she was still sifting through records when she had time. Of course, without having his birthdate as a starting point, the situation was akin to hunting for the proverbial needle in the haystack.</span></p> <p><span>When Friday morning finally reared its ugly head and let itself be known, I was nicely surprised at how we'd managed to get through three whole days without a single disaster taking place to further complicate our lives. I was dreading the visitation at the funeral home tonight, but I knew we had to be there to support Logan and help him get through it. I was certain we could count on the other boys to help him as much as possible, but I had no doubt most of the load would fall on me and Tom.</span></p> <p><span>I started my day with my regular visit to the bathroom before heading out to make sure the boys were moving in the right direction. I instinctively knew I had nothing to worry about since Ron had performed the morning duties without fail through the week, but I couldn't help myself. I found the boys lined up on the stools at the counter, chowing down on scrambled eggs and bacon. Alex and Joey were still sharing the two stools with Logan and they each had an arm around his shoulders as they ate with their free hand. Next in line were Mike and Andy and they were just as cheerful as always.</span></p> <p><span>T.J. was occupying the last stool and I sensed he wasn't having a very good morning. I passed behind the stools and gave each kiddo their morning hug and when I finally wrapped my arms around T.J., I could feel him trembling as if he was freezing to death. </span></p> <p><span>I let him go and stepped beside him before asking, "You okay, T.J.?"</span></p> <p><span>"NO!" he screamed, attracting the attention of Ron and the others.</span></p> <p><span>"What's happened?" I asked calmly.</span></p> <p><span>"I had a bad dream last night, Dad. A really bad one."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you remember what it was about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure do. Don't think I'll ever forget it, either."</span></p> <p><span>"You want to tell me about it?"</span></p> <p><span>"It started out okay, I guess. I was just walking one of the trails through the trees, mindin' my own damn business, when I turned a corner and Sammy was just standin' there, blockin' my way. He looked like he was mad as hell `bout somethin'. His eyes were black as coal and he had dirt all over him, like he'd just crawled out of a hole in the ground. Let me tell ya, I was so scared, I damn near shit my pants. Well, I guess I would've if I'd been wearing any."</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-24.html

Building a Family 24 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 24 � Wednesday The alarm went off at 6:00AM to announce the beginning of our new day. Tom and I crawled out of bed, took care of our morning bathroom needs and rinsed our mouths to clear away the morning breath. "Good morning, lover," I whispered as I leaned in to give him a kiss. "Mornin' to you, too," he grumbled and returned the kiss. "Ooh, someone's a grumpy bear this morning. Are you like this every morning?" "Only until I get some caffeine in me." "Well, you get dressed and I'll get some ready for you, okay?" "I'll be there." I headed to kitchen, got the morning pot brewing and headed to wake the boys. I went into T.J. and Mike's room to find Mike's head on T.J.'s shoulder and T.J.'s arm protectively wrapped around his younger brother. I put a hand on each boy's shoulder and gently shook to wake them up. When their eyes were at half-mast, I said, "Breakfast in ten, get up and get dressed for school." I headed to the twins' bedroom to find the covers tossed on the floor again and a jumble of arms and legs in the middle of the bed, hard little penises pointing towards the ceiling. I reached in to shake them awake, only to have my arm grabbed by Alex and I was pulled onto the bed with them. I extricated myself from the tangle and told them it was time to get dressed for school and come out for breakfast. When I returned to the kitchen, Tom was working on his first cup already and I could see his eyes were much brighter now. "Would you please go put some clothes on so I can leave the house this morning. If you stay like that, I won't want to go anywhere." "Nice to hear some cheer in your voice. That caffeine works wonders on you." I turned and headed to the bedroom to find a pair of sweatpants. When I got back to the kitchen again, I found four boys lined up on their stools ready for breakfast. "Pop-Tarts sound okay this morning?" "Sure, whatever," Joey answered. I pulled out the toaster, loaded it with four tarts and soon had one in front of each boy as I started round two in the toaster. Tom had poured milk for them while I dealt with the tarts. I turned to Tom and asked, "What about you? You interested?" "No, thanks. I'll stop at a Mel-O-Cream on my way through town and grab some donuts." "I shoulda' known. Cops and their donuts," I laughed. "Well, don't expect that to stop when I'm done being a cop. I can't seem to stay away from the things." Pop-Tart round two was ready and I set each of the boys up with their second one. "Well, I gotta scoot," Tom started, "or I'll be late. You four have a good day at school and I'll see you tonight." "Bye Uncle Tom," Joey said. "Be careful out there," added Alex. "I'll be careful, don't worry." As he started to walk away, he wiggled his finger for me to follow him. As we headed to the door, he said, "I hate to ask, but since Dylan and I came out in his car last night, I don't have a car this morning. Do you mind if I take yours so I can get to work?" "Hell, I didn't think about that. Sure," I said as I reached in my pocket to retrieve the keys. I separated the Shelby key from the Flex key and handed it to Tom. "I better call my insurance guy this morning and get you added on my policy." "Humph, haven't even left the garage and already, you're worried about me wreckin' it. I tell ya', that's love, that is." "Oh, don't be such a smartass, Tom. I'm not worried about you, it's all the other idiots out there." "I know, Max, just yankin' your chain." "If you're not careful, you'll be yankin' your own chain, buddy." "Heaven forbid," he mocked. "Not that!" "Get outta' here and be safe, you hear me." "I hear ya'. Thanks, Max, I love you." "Love you, too, you big goober." We gave each other a kiss and he turned for the garage. "One more thing, hotrod, that car's got a lot more power than you're used to, try to keep it under a hundred." "Yes, Daddy," he smirked. "I'll be good, I promise." And with that parting comment he was out the door. I got back to the kitchen to find the plates and glasses rinsed and stacked in the sink and no boys. I hollered, "Boys, coats, hats, gloves, backpacks, we gotta' roll." Just as I finished, I spotted all four were coming down the hall, ready to go. "Oh, sorry, I guess you're waiting on me, aren't you?" "Yeah, dad, c'mon, we gotta' roll," T.J. parroted and laughed. "Be right back." I pulled on a shirt and shoes in the bedroom, grabbed my coat and we headed to the garage. Once the boys were loaded up and belted, I headed to the end of the drive to wait for the bus. As the bus was coming up the road, we got out of the car and I gave each boy a hug and reminded them, "Have a good day and learn something new." They all moaned as they climbed on and took their seats. When the bus was out of sight, I returned to the house and headed to my study to see what I had to deal with today. The first thing I found was the envelope containing the pieces of the twins' parent's, waiting for repair. I hopped on the internet and did a search for photo repair services in the area. After finding a few with good reviews, I started making my calls. The first two places showed no interest in attempting the project, but I hit pay dirt on my third call. "Ed Clark Photography, this is Ed," he answered. "Good morning, Ed. My name is Max Sanders, how are you today." "I'm doing well, Max, how about yourself?" "I've had better days, but I'm hoping you can help make this one better for me." "Tell me how I can do that." "I'm in the process of adopting two boys who lost their parents four years ago. The last thing they had of their parents was a photo of them and, unfortunately, their former foster-parents tore the thing to shreds and the boys are quite upset, as I'm sure you can imagine." "That's horrible. How many pieces are we talking about?" "50-75, Ed. I haven't actually tried to count them. Do you think there's any way you can repair something with that much damage?" "I'll be honest with you, Max, I've never tried. Not with that much damage, anyway. Usually the worst we deal with is scratches or water damage." "Well, hell." "Hold on, Max, I didn't say I wasn't willing to try. I obviously can't promise results but I'm more than willing to give it a shot." "You're a lifesaver, Ed. When can I bring it in?" "Let me check my schedule, hang on." He returned a minute later, "Okay, I have a couple coming in at 10:00 for a portrait shoot and that usually takes about half an hour. That's all I had scheduled today, so any time after that should be just fine." "Is the address I found on the internet current?" "My studio's in Sherman. Is that the one you have." "It is. Thanks, Ed, I'll see you about 10:30." I next called my insurance agent to get Tom added to my policies. That only took ten minutes and I found out I needed his driver's license number to complete the process. I let them know I would have Tom call to give it to them. Since I had a few spare hours, I grabbed a new book from the study and curled up by the fireplace to read for a while. The ding of the drive sensor roused me from a stupor 45 minutes later and I shook my head to clear the fog. I suddenly remembered my contractor, John, was coming out this morning to discuss the shelter at the end of the drive. Fortunately, I hadn't undressed when the boys left so I grabbed my coat and keys and zipped out to meet him. When I arrived, John was already out of his truck and looking at areas he thought would be good to place the shelter. "Hey, John," I called as I got of the car, "Sorry I wasn't waiting for you. It slipped my mind that you were coming this morning." "No problems, Max. I just got here. I was just about to call and let you know I was here." "I know, the drive sensor announced your arrival." "Forgot you had that." We shook hands and John asked, "So where you thinking, north or south side of the drive?" "I think the north will be best. As I recall, the main power feed back to the house runs down the south side and there's not a lot of room over there to begin with." "North side it is, then. I sure don't want to worry about the power line. Is the fence over here your west property line?" "It's about five feet this side of it. The line itself is about the middle of the ditch. I was thinking we should leave about eight feet clear between the fence and the shelter. What do you think?" "That sounds good, Max, that way we have some extra room to work in. You want the trees cleared out eight feet all around also?" "I think so. My lawn guy can have it mowed quickly when does the rest of the property." "Great, let me show what I drew up as a plan and tell me if it looks good to you." He pulled his case out of the truck and pulled out a small stack of paper, then handed it to me. I looked through the pages, making mental notes as I went. "So, what do you think, Max. That what you're looking for." "Just about perfect, John but let's make a couple quick changes. Let's move the door to the east wall and center the window in the south wall instead of having both on the same one." "Easy change to make. You want the door centered or set in one of the corners?" "I think the south corner of the east wall with the hinges to the left side so it swings in against the wall. That leaves the rest of the inside open space. I'll probably put some fold-up chairs inside so the boys will be able to sit while they wait. We'll need to make the window tall enough they can see outside while they're sitting." "Sounds good to me. Anything else?" "This is going to sound stupid, but I want the siding on it to match the cedar I have on the house and I think a metal roof. Between those two things, it should be pretty maintenance free. The only other thing would be a push-button lock for the door. I know the boys can easily memorize five or six numbers and then I don't have to worry about lost keys." "Music to my ears, Max, because everything you want is just jacking up the price," he laughed. "I know, but I want it solid and make sure it lasts for 15 or more years with minimal upkeep." "Oh, it'll be solid all right and probably be sitting here long after you're gone. We'll frame the walls and get the exterior sheathing on `em, spray in the foam insulation, then sheath the inside. I assume you wanting something decent on the inside. Do you want us to paint the inside? And if so, what color?" "That wouldn't hurt, John, and I think just plain white or an off-white would be fine. Two more things I'd like done is to have the heater on a timer so it runs as automatically as possible. That way it won't be running the battery down when nobody's in it. The other thing I'd like done is to tie a push button into the driveway sensor so the boys can let me know when they get here. That way I'm not just sitting down here waiting forever. Either of those sound like problems?" "The timer doesn't. We can install that with the heater, no problem, but the dinger button's a little trickier. I'll have to get someone out here to locate the sensor first. Once it's located, we'll have to dig down to it to tie the button into the system." "I can make it even easier for you, John." I led him to a tree on the south side of the drive and pointed to a small gray box hidden behind it. "That box contains the circuits for the sensor. The wire to the house was buried in the same trench with the power line. You should be able to tie in there without have to do any locating or digging." "Max, you're a smart man. That was damn good planning." "Thanks, but you really need the tell the sensor folks. They set it up this way in case I ever had any problems with the thing. They were making it easier for themselves if they ever had to do a repair." "Well, I think about covers everything except for getting the trees cleared out. If my tree guy would show up, we can let him know the area to be cleared." "Speak of the devil, John, I think he just pulled up," I said as a truck pulled up with the name Abe's Tree Service painted on the side. "About time, I was starting to think he got lost." Two men got out of the truck and joined John and me. "Morning, John, how ya' doing today?" the driver asked. "Finer than frog's hair, Justin, How `bout yourself? Besides bein' late, that is?" "Sorry, John, Willy's car wouldn't start this morning and I had to run by his house to pick him up, so it's all his fault." "No worries, Justin, just messin' with ya'. I want you to meet Max Sanders, the owner of the property." "Good morning, Max. Understand you need some trees removed and stumps ground. Tell me where and we'll get started." "Morning to you, too, Justin. Judging by the business name on your truck, I assumed your name would be Abe." "Long story, Max and I'm sure you don't want to hear it." "Okay, then. Well, John and I have selected a spot right over there," I said, pointing in the general direction to the area to be cleared. We walked over to the spot. "John's gonna' be putting an 8' X 8' shelter here for my boys to use while they wait for the bus in the mornings. I want eight feet cleared on each side of the building, so we need an area of 24' by 24', coming east from that fence and north from this side of the drive. Think you can handle that?" "That's a pretty big spot to clear in a day, but most of these don't look too big, so, yeah, I think we can get it all done today." "My only concern is I need to leave in about half an hour, so I can't have any trees over the drive for a while. Once I'm gone, I probably won't be back until later this afternoon, after 3:00 or so." "Not a problem, it'll take a while to get going anyway and when we do, the first few are pretty small. We should be able to drop `em right along the edge of the drive and keep `em outta your way." "Great, I'll get out of your way and let you get started." I turned to John and signaled him to follow me. We walked to my car and I asked, "You need any money now for materials to get started?" "Nah," he answered, "I can handle this and we'll settle up when we're done." "If you change your mind, let me know." "Will do, Max, thanks. I think I got all the info I need. I'll call the lumber yard as soon I get back to my office to get everything ordered. We'll be able to start on the walls in the shop tomorrow morning and two of my guys will be out about 9:00 in the morning to start compacting dirt and settin' the forms for the slab." "Perfect, John. You have any problems, call me." I hopped in the Flex and headed back to the house. I saw John talking to Justin in the rearview mirror as I pulled away. When the time came, I grabbed the envelope with the shredded picture in it and headed to Sherman to meet with Ed. I was hoping he would be able to pull off a bit of photographic magic. True to his word, Justin had kept the drive open, so I didn't have any problems getting out of the drive. I waved to Justin and Willy as I rolled by. It was about a 40-minute drive to Ed's studio and I arrived at quarter to 11:00. When I entered the studio, I saw Ed was still working with the couple from their shoot, so I browsed the studio admiring his work. When the couple finally left, Ed turned to me, "You must be Max. Nice to meet you," he said as he extended his hand. I shook his hand while saying, "That's me, good to meet you, too. I hope you can help me." "Well, bring it over here and let's see what we're dealing with." We walked over to the counter and I emptied the envelope's contents onto the glass. "Oh, my, they really did a number on this. However, it looks like they used a pair of scissors or a knife on it instead of just ripping it. That should make it a bit easier to achieve a good result. Let's get all the pieces flipped over." We spent a minute turning pieces over and arranging them a bit to create an edge. There was a small logo in the bottom right-hand corner piece of the border. "This picture is one of mine," Ed exclaimed, "That's my logo there." Then, Ed's hand flew out, grabbed a stray piece of the picture and pulled it up close to his nose. He stared at the fragment for a moment, then looked at me with a strange look of concern. "Can I ask the name of the boys this picture belongs to?" "Sure," I said, "they're Joey and Alex Allison. I have no idea what the parent's names are, though." "No problem, I'll be right back." True to his word, Ed returned in a few minutes carrying his laptop and a CD-ROM disk. He set the laptop on the counter and inserted the disk. In a few moments, we were looking at a screen full of thumbnails. Ed double-clicked one and it opened full screen. "I bet this is the picture we have in pieces before us." On the screen were a handsome young man and woman and I could see the resemblance to both boys in their parents. "My god, Ed, how did you figure that out so quickly?" "Well, my logo on the corner was the first clue. But, when I saw this," he continued, holding the piece he'd grabbed in front of my face, "I recognized this locket. The name just wouldn't come to me." "I'm guessing we don't have to put the rest of the puzzle together then, do we?" "Nope. I can reprint the picture from the original on the disc. I'm so glad I started storing my work on CDs. It makes reprints a piece of cake." "When was this picture taken, Ed?" He squinted at the screen and replied, "The date on the file is a little over four years ago. Why?" "Well, the boy's parents were killed in an auto accident right about the same time. These may very well be the last pictures ever taken of them." "Oh, my god!" "Well, since you have the original, how soon can I get the reprint?" "Do you have an hour?" "Sure." "Get comfy in one of the chairs over there and I'll get it going for you right now. How big do you want it?" "Well, the original's an 8" X10", so I think the same size would be fine. Can we look at the other pictures real quick? I may want to get some more." "Sure." We continued scrolling through all the pictures on the disk and found an excellent outdoor shot of Mr. and Mrs. Allison, along with two young boys standing in front of them. "Oh, my, I'd forgotten the boys were with them that day, but now that I see them, I remember them all too well." "Let me guess, they were a handful, weren't they?" "You know it. Those two were all over the place. It was all the parents could do to get them to stand still for this shot. I'm just glad they weren't wearing white that day `cause they sure wouldn't have stayed that way." Ed laughed at the memory and I laughed with him. "I can tell you that they haven't changed a bit. Tell you what Ed, why don't you give me a 16" X 20" of this picture also, and a 5" X 7" of each of the others?" "I'll be happy to do it, Max. It'll take a little longer, though." "No rush, Ed. Do you have some frames for the two bigger pictures?" "Of course, I do. Let me get the prints running and I can show you what I have. We can pick the frames you want and I'll have the pictures in them as soon as they're done printing." Ed disappeared into his office and returned shortly with a couple different brochures showing the different frames he stocked. "Okay, the printer's running and here's something to see the frames." I perused the selection and settled on two different ones. I selected a rather basic frame for the picture of their parents alone and a slightly more ornate one for the family photo. I hoped the boys would like my choices. As Ed promised, the pictures were all printed, framed and ready to go in an hour and a half. "What's the damages, Ed?" I asked. "No charge, Max." "What are you talking about?" "Exactly what I said, Max, no charge." "You can't do that. I expected to pay for these when I walked in here and I'm not walking out without doing so. So, give me a total or get ready for a long-term guest." "Consider it my gift to the boys in congratulations for being adopted. They've been through so much, losing their parents at such a young age, it's the least I can do. I'm giving you a copy of the CD, too, and you have my permission to reprint any picture on it." "I appreciate the thought, but that's not how I work, Ed. I expect to pay my share wherever I go. If you don't want to keep the money yourself, donate it to a good cause, but I am paying you for these." "Oh, fine. I know a good charity that can always make good use of some cash." Ed gave me a total for the frames and pictures and I gave him cash as payment so he could do what he wanted with it. "Now that that's all settled, I want to ask another question. The adoption process is supposed to be finalized in about five or six months and I'd like to get some new family pictures taken when it happens. Are you interested?" "You bet. I'd love to see those two monkeys again. They probably won't remember me, but I'd still consider it an honor to commemorate the happy occasion." "That'd be great, Ed. If it's okay with the court, I'd like to get some pictures taken during the final hearing and have some more taken at my house at the party afterwards. That won't be a problem, will it?" "I don't know if the court will allow cameras inside, especially juvenile court, but we can sure ask. The worst they can do is say no. The party afterward is no problem. Where's it going to be?" "At our home on the other side of Springfield. As we get closer and I have an actual date, I'll let you know we can firm up arrangements then. Sound good to you?" "Perfect, Max. I'll look forward to it." "I'm glad the first two places I talked to weren't interested in helping and I called you. I'd promised Alex and Joey I'd get the picture fixed, but I didn't have a clue how I was going to be able to follow through on the promise. You've saved my ass." "Glad I could help. Those are lucky young boys to be with you. Congratulations. I'll look forward to hearing from you in a few months." I grabbed the pictures and headed for home, stopping in Springfield for lunch on the way. Since I had a little extra time before I needed to be home to collect the boys when they got off the bus, I also ran by Walmart real quick to pick an assortment of animated movies I thought the boys would enjoy. After picking out 10 movies with assistance from the department manager, I headed for home, pulled in the drive and waited for the bus. Justin and Willy were still clearing the area for shelter, but it looked like they were close to being done. It was a short wait again today and the bus showed up just a few minutes later. The boys climbed in the car chattering about their day as I waved to Carl. "What's going on here, dad?" T.J. asked. "Just a little something," I deflected. "Don't worry about it. Good day, guys? Any homework tonight?" "Weird day, Dad," Joey responded. "What happened?" "Mr. Thomas wasn't here and we had a substitute." "Was he sick? You do know even teachers get sick sometimes, don't you?" "Sure," said Alex, "We've had subs before, but they've always told us the regular teacher was sick." "They didn't say anything this time except Mr. Thomas wasn't gonna' be there today and they made it sound like the sub is gonna' be here a while," Joey added. "And we really like him. He was cool and one of the best teacher's we've had." "Well, let me see what I can find out in a little bit. What about you other two?" "Nothin' for me," T.J. answered. "Me neither," Mike added sullenly. "Well, it looks like you have the night off for other things, then," I said as I pulled in the garage. "Maybe we can have that talk I mentioned last night." "Oh, man, do we have to?" Alex whined. "Yeah, I think we do. Come on, let's get inside and you can have a snack." That got them moving. I knew they'd be distracted for a few minutes as they put their things in their rooms and got comfortable, which would give me time to get the new pictures stashed in the study. I really wanted to give them to Joey and Alex now, but thought I should wait until Tom was home so he could part of it, also. After stashing the pictures in the study, I went to my room and got undressed, then headed to the kitchen to set up snacks for the boys. When I arrived, the four were already waiting at the counter with expectant looks on their faces. Today's snack was apple slices again with milk. "Boys, I need to make a couple phone calls. Can you amuse yourselves for a bit?" "Sure thing, dad," T.J. answered. "Great, I'll be back shortly."

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 24</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free.&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc474633676"><span>Chapter 24 � Wednesday</span></a></h2> <p><span>The alarm went off at 6:00AM to announce the beginning of our new day. Tom and I crawled out of bed, took care of our morning bathroom needs and rinsed our mouths to clear away the morning breath. </span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, lover," I whispered as I leaned in to give him a kiss.</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin' to you, too," he grumbled and returned the kiss.</span></p> <p><span>"Ooh, someone's a grumpy bear this morning. Are you like this every morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"Only until I get some caffeine in me."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you get dressed and I'll get some ready for you, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be there."</span></p> <p><span>I headed to kitchen, got the morning pot brewing and headed to wake the boys. I went into T.J. and Mike's room to find Mike's head on T.J.'s shoulder and T.J.'s arm protectively wrapped around his younger brother. I put a hand on each boy's shoulder and gently shook to wake them up. When their eyes were at half-mast, I said, "Breakfast in ten, get up and get dressed for school." I headed to the twins' bedroom to find the covers tossed on the floor again and a jumble of arms and legs in the middle of the bed, hard little penises pointing towards the ceiling. I reached in to shake them awake, only to have my arm grabbed by Alex and I was pulled onto the bed with them. I extricated myself from the tangle and told them it was time to get dressed for school and come out for breakfast.</span></p> <p><span>When I returned to the kitchen, Tom was working on his first cup already and I could see his eyes were much brighter now. "Would you please go put some clothes on so I can leave the house this morning. If you stay like that, I won't want to go anywhere."</span></p> <p><span>"Nice to hear some cheer in your voice. That caffeine works wonders on you." I turned and headed to the bedroom to find a pair of sweatpants. When I got back to the kitchen again, I found four boys lined up on their stools ready for breakfast. "Pop-Tarts sound okay this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, whatever," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>I pulled out the toaster, loaded it with four tarts and soon had one in front of each boy as I started round two in the toaster. Tom had poured milk for them while I dealt with the tarts. I turned to Tom and asked, "What about you? You interested?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, thanks. I'll stop at a Mel-O-Cream on my way through town and grab some donuts."</span></p> <p><span>"I shoulda' known. Cops and their donuts," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, don't expect that to stop when I'm done being a cop. I can't seem to stay away from the things."</span></p> <p><span>Pop-Tart round two was ready and I set each of the boys up with their second one.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I gotta scoot," Tom started, "or I'll be late. You four have a good day at school and I'll see you tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"Bye Uncle Tom," Joey said. </span></p> <p><span>"Be careful out there," added Alex.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be careful, don't worry." As he started to walk away, he wiggled his finger for me to follow him. As we headed to the door, he said, "I hate to ask, but since Dylan and I came out in his car last night, I don't have a car this morning. Do you mind if I take yours so I can get to work?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hell, I didn't think about that. Sure," I said as I reached in my pocket to retrieve the keys. I separated the Shelby key from the Flex key and handed it to Tom. "I better call my insurance guy this morning and get you added on my policy."</span></p> <p><span>"Humph, haven't even left the garage and already, you're worried about me wreckin' it. I tell ya', that's love, that is."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't be such a smartass, Tom. I'm not worried about you, it's all the other idiots out there."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, Max, just yankin' your chain."</span></p> <p><span>"If you're not careful, you'll be yankin' your own chain, buddy."</span></p> <p><span>"Heaven forbid," he mocked. "Not that!"</span></p> <p><span>"Get outta' here and be safe, you hear me."</span></p> <p><span>"I hear ya'. Thanks, Max, I love you."</span></p> <p><span>"Love you, too, you big goober." We gave each other a kiss and he turned for the garage. "One more thing, hotrod, that car's got a lot more power than you're used to, try to keep it under a hundred."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, Daddy," he smirked. "I'll be good, I promise." And with that parting comment he was out the door.</span></p> <p><span>I got back to the kitchen to find the plates and glasses rinsed and stacked in the sink and no boys. I hollered, "Boys, coats, hats, gloves, backpacks, we gotta' roll." Just as I finished, I spotted all four were coming down the hall, ready to go. "Oh, sorry, I guess you're waiting on me, aren't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dad, c'mon, we gotta' roll," T.J. parroted and laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Be right back." I pulled on a shirt and shoes in the bedroom, grabbed my coat and we headed to the garage. Once the boys were loaded up and belted, I headed to the end of the drive to wait for the bus. As the bus was coming up the road, we got out of the car and I gave each boy a hug and reminded them, "Have a good day and learn something new." They all moaned as they climbed on and took their seats. When the bus was out of sight, I returned to the house and headed to my study to see what I had to deal with today.</span></p> <p><span>The first thing I found was the envelope containing the pieces of the twins' parent's, waiting for repair. I hopped on the internet and did a search for photo repair services in the area. After finding a few with good reviews, I started making my calls. The first two places showed no interest in attempting the project, but I hit pay dirt on my third call.</span></p> <p><span>"Ed Clark Photography, this is Ed," he answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Ed. My name is Max Sanders, how are you today."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm doing well, Max, how about yourself?"</span></p> <p><span>"I've had better days, but I'm hoping you can help make this one better for me."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell me how I can do that."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm in the process of adopting two boys who lost their parents four years ago. The last thing they had of their parents was a photo of them and, unfortunately, their former foster-parents tore the thing to shreds and the boys are quite upset, as I'm sure you can imagine."</span></p> <p><span>"That's horrible. How many pieces are we talking about?"</span></p> <p><span>"50-75, Ed. I haven't actually tried to count them. Do you think there's any way you can repair something with that much damage?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be honest with you, Max, I've never tried. Not with that much damage, anyway. Usually the worst we deal with is scratches or water damage."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hell."</span></p> <p><span>"Hold on, Max, I didn't say I wasn't willing to try. I obviously can't promise results but I'm more than willing to give it a shot."</span></p> <p><span>"You're a lifesaver, Ed. When can I bring it in?"</span></p> <p><span>"Let me check my schedule, hang on." He returned a minute later, "Okay, I have a couple coming in at 10:00 for a portrait shoot and that usually takes about half an hour. That's all I had scheduled today, so any time after that should be just fine."</span></p> <p><span>"Is the address I found on the internet current?"</span></p> <p><span>"My studio's in Sherman. Is that the one you have."</span></p> <p><span>"It is. Thanks, Ed, I'll see you about 10:30."</span></p> <p><span>I next called my insurance agent to get Tom added to my policies. That only took ten minutes and I found out I needed his driver's license number to complete the process. I let them know I would have Tom call to give it to them.</span></p> <p><span>Since I had a few spare hours, I grabbed a new book from the study and curled up by the fireplace to read for a while. The ding of the drive sensor roused me from a stupor 45 minutes later and I shook my head to clear the fog. I suddenly remembered my contractor, John, was coming out this morning to discuss the shelter at the end of the drive. Fortunately, I hadn't undressed when the boys left so I grabbed my coat and keys and zipped out to meet him. When I arrived, John was already out of his truck and looking at areas he thought would be good to place the shelter.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, John," I called as I got of the car, "Sorry I wasn't waiting for you. It slipped my mind that you were coming this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, Max. I just got here. I was just about to call and let you know I was here."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, the drive sensor announced your arrival."</span></p> <p><span>"Forgot you had that." We shook hands and John asked, "So where you thinking, north or south side of the drive?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think the north will be best. As I recall, the main power feed back to the house runs down the south side and there's not a lot of room over there to begin with."</span></p> <p><span>"North side it is, then. I sure don't want to worry about the power line. Is the fence over here your west property line?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's about five feet this side of it. The line itself is about the middle of the ditch. I was thinking we should leave about eight feet clear between the fence and the shelter. What do you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds good, Max, that way we have some extra room to work in. You want the trees cleared out eight feet all around also?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think so. My lawn guy can have it mowed quickly when does the rest of the property."</span></p> <p><span>"Great, let me show what I drew up as a plan and tell me if it looks good to you." He pulled his case out of the truck and pulled out a small stack of paper, then handed it to me. I looked through the pages, making mental notes as I went. "So, what do you think, Max. That what you're looking for."</span></p> <p><span>"Just about perfect, John but let's make a couple quick changes. Let's move the door to the east wall and center the window in the south wall instead of having both on the same one."</span></p> <p><span>"Easy change to make. You want the door centered or set in one of the corners?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think the south corner of the east wall with the hinges to the left side so it swings in against the wall. That leaves the rest of the inside open space. I'll probably put some fold-up chairs inside so the boys will be able to sit while they wait. We'll need to make the window tall enough they can see outside while they're sitting."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to me. Anything else?"</span></p> <p><span>"This is going to sound stupid, but I want the siding on it to match the cedar I have on the house and I think a metal roof. Between those two things, it should be pretty maintenance free. The only other thing would be a push-button lock for the door. I know the boys can easily memorize five or six numbers and then I don't have to worry about lost keys."</span></p> <p><span>"Music to my ears, Max, because everything you want is just jacking up the price," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"I know, but I want it solid and make sure it lasts for 15 or more years with minimal upkeep."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, it'll be solid all right and probably be sitting here long after you're gone. We'll frame the walls and get the exterior sheathing on `em, spray in the foam insulation, then sheath the inside. I assume you wanting something decent on the inside. Do you want us to paint the inside? And if so, what color?"</span></p> <p><span>"That wouldn't hurt, John, and I think just plain white or an off-white would be fine. Two more things I'd like done is to have the heater on a timer so it runs as automatically as possible. That way it won't be running the battery down when nobody's in it. The other thing I'd like done is to tie a push button into the driveway sensor so the boys can let me know when they get here. That way I'm not just sitting down here waiting forever. Either of those sound like problems?"</span></p> <p><span>"The timer doesn't. We can install that with the heater, no problem, but the dinger button's a little trickier. I'll have to get someone out here to locate the sensor first. Once it's located, we'll have to dig down to it to tie the button into the system."</span></p> <p><span>"I can make it even easier for you, John." I led him to a tree on the south side of the drive and pointed to a small gray box hidden behind it. "That box contains the circuits for the sensor. The wire to the house was buried in the same trench with the power line. You should be able to tie in there without have to do any locating or digging."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, you're a smart man. That was damn good planning."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, but you really need the tell the sensor folks. They set it up this way in case I ever had any problems with the thing. They were making it easier for themselves if they ever had to do a repair."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I think about covers everything except for getting the trees cleared out. If my tree guy would show up, we can let him know the area to be cleared."</span></p> <p><span>"Speak of the devil, John, I think he just pulled up," I said as a truck pulled up with the name Abe's Tree Service painted on the side.</span></p> <p><span>"About time, I was starting to think he got lost." Two men got out of the truck and joined John and me.</span></p> <p><span>"Morning, John, how ya' doing today?" the driver asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Finer than frog's hair, Justin, How `bout yourself? Besides bein' late, that is?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, John, Willy's car wouldn't start this morning and I had to run by his house to pick him up, so it's all his fault."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, Justin, just messin' with ya'. I want you to meet Max Sanders, the owner of the property."</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Max. Understand you need some trees removed and stumps ground. Tell me where and we'll get started."</span></p> <p><span>"Morning to you, too, Justin. Judging by the business name on your truck, I assumed your name would be Abe."</span></p> <p><span>"Long story, Max and I'm sure you don't want to hear it."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, then. Well, John and I have selected a spot right over there," I said, pointing in the general direction to the area to be cleared. We walked over to the spot. "John's gonna' be putting an 8' X 8' shelter here for my boys to use while they wait for the bus in the mornings. I want eight feet cleared on each side of the building, so we need an area of 24' by 24', coming east from that fence and north from this side of the drive. Think you can handle that?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's a pretty big spot to clear in a day, but most of these don't look too big, so, yeah, I think we can get it all done today."</span></p> <p><span>"My only concern is I need to leave in about half an hour, so I can't have any trees over the drive for a while. Once I'm gone, I probably won't be back until later this afternoon, after 3:00 or so."</span></p> <p><span>"Not a problem, it'll take a while to get going anyway and when we do, the first few are pretty small. We should be able to drop `em right along the edge of the drive and keep `em outta your way."</span></p> <p><span>"Great, I'll get out of your way and let you get started." I turned to John and signaled him to follow me. We walked to my car and I asked, "You need any money now for materials to get started?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah," he answered, "I can handle this and we'll settle up when we're done."</span></p> <p><span>"If you change your mind, let me know."</span></p> <p><span>"Will do, Max, thanks. I think I got all the info I need. I'll call the lumber yard as soon I get back to my office to get everything ordered. We'll be able to start on the walls in the shop tomorrow morning and two of my guys will be out about 9:00 in the morning to start compacting dirt and settin' the forms for the slab."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, John. You have any problems, call me." I hopped in the Flex and headed back to the house. I saw John talking to Justin in the rearview mirror as I pulled away.</span></p> <p><span>When the time came, I grabbed the envelope with the shredded picture in it and headed to Sherman to meet with Ed. I was hoping he would be able to pull off a bit of photographic magic. True to his word, Justin had kept the drive open, so I didn't have any problems getting out of the drive. I waved to Justin and Willy as I rolled by. It was about a 40-minute drive to Ed's studio and I arrived at quarter to 11:00. When I entered the studio, I saw Ed was still working with the couple from their shoot, so I browsed the studio admiring his work. </span></p> <p><span>When the couple finally left, Ed turned to me, "You must be Max. Nice to meet you," he said as he extended his hand.</span></p> <p><span>I shook his hand while saying, "That's me, good to meet you, too. I hope you can help me."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, bring it over here and let's see what we're dealing with." We walked over to the counter and I emptied the envelope's contents onto the glass. "Oh, my, they really did a number on this. However, it looks like they used a pair of scissors or a knife on it instead of just ripping it. That should make it a bit easier to achieve a good result. Let's get all the pieces flipped over."</span></p> <p><span>We spent a minute turning pieces over and arranging them a bit to create an edge. There was a small logo in the bottom right-hand corner piece of the border. "This picture is one of mine," Ed exclaimed, "That's my logo there." Then, Ed's hand flew out, grabbed a stray piece of the picture and pulled it up close to his nose. He stared at the fragment for a moment, then looked at me with a strange look of concern. "Can I ask the name of the boys this picture belongs to?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure," I said, "they're Joey and Alex Allison. I have no idea what the parent's names are, though."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, I'll be right back." True to his word, Ed returned in a few minutes carrying his laptop and a CD-ROM disk. He set the laptop on the counter and inserted the disk. In a few moments, we were looking at a screen full of thumbnails. Ed double-clicked one and it opened full screen. "I bet this is the picture we have in pieces before us." On the screen were a handsome young man and woman and I could see the resemblance to both boys in their parents.</span></p> <p><span>"My god, Ed, how did you figure that out so quickly?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, my logo on the corner was the first clue. But, when I saw this," he continued, holding the piece he'd grabbed in front of my face, "I recognized this locket. The name just wouldn't come to me."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm guessing we don't have to put the rest of the puzzle together then, do we?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope. I can reprint the picture from the original on the disc. I'm so glad I started storing my work on CDs. It makes reprints a piece of cake."</span></p> <p><span>"When was this picture taken, Ed?"</span></p> <p><span>He squinted at the screen and replied, "The date on the file is a little over four years ago. Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the boy's parents were killed in an auto accident right about the same time. These may very well be the last pictures ever taken of them."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my god!"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, since you have the original, how soon can I get the reprint?"</span></p> <p><span>"Do you have an hour?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure."</span></p> <p><span>"Get comfy in one of the chairs over there and I'll get it going for you right now. How big do you want it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the original's an 8" X10", so I think the same size would be fine. Can we look at the other pictures real quick? I may want to get some more."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure." We continued scrolling through all the pictures on the disk and found an excellent outdoor shot of Mr. and Mrs. Allison, along with two young boys standing in front of them. "Oh, my, I'd forgotten the boys were with them that day, but now that I see them, I remember them all too well."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me guess, they were a handful, weren't they?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know it. Those two were all over the place. It was all the parents could do to get them to stand still for this shot. I'm just glad they weren't wearing white that day `cause they sure wouldn't have stayed that way." Ed laughed at the memory and I laughed with him.</span></p> <p><span>"I can tell you that they haven't changed a bit. Tell you what Ed, why don't you give me a 16" X 20" of this picture also, and a 5" X 7" of each of the others?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be happy to do it, Max. It'll take a little longer, though."</span></p> <p><span>"No rush, Ed. Do you have some frames for the two bigger pictures?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I do. Let me get the prints running and I can show you what I have. We can pick the frames you want and I'll have the pictures in them as soon as they're done printing." Ed disappeared into his office and returned shortly with a couple different brochures showing the different frames he stocked. "Okay, the printer's running and here's something to see the frames." I perused the selection and settled on two different ones. I selected a rather basic frame for the picture of their parents alone and a slightly more ornate one for the family photo. I hoped the boys would like my choices. </span></p> <p><span>As Ed promised, the pictures were all printed, framed and ready to go in an hour and a half. "What's the damages, Ed?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No charge, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"What are you talking about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Exactly what I said, Max, no charge."</span></p> <p><span>"You can't do that. I expected to pay for these when I walked in here and I'm not walking out without doing so. So, give me a total or get ready for a long-term guest."</span></p> <p><span>"Consider it my gift to the boys in congratulations for being adopted. They've been through so much, losing their parents at such a young age, it's the least I can do. I'm giving you a copy of the CD, too, and you have my permission to reprint any picture on it."</span></p> <p><span>"I appreciate the thought, but that's not how I work, Ed. I expect to pay my share wherever I go. If you don't want to keep the money yourself, donate it to a good cause, but I <i>am</i> paying you for these."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, fine. I know a good charity that can always make good use of some cash." Ed gave me a total for the frames and pictures and I gave him cash as payment so he could do what he wanted with it.</span></p> <p><span>"Now that that's all settled, I want to ask another question. The adoption process is supposed to be finalized in about five or six months and I'd like to get some new family pictures taken when it happens. Are you interested?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. I'd love to see those two monkeys again. They probably won't remember me, but I'd still consider it an honor to commemorate the happy occasion."</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be great, Ed. If it's okay with the court, I'd like to get some pictures taken during the final hearing and have some more taken at my house at the party afterwards. That won't be a problem, will it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know if the court will allow cameras inside, especially juvenile court, but we can sure ask. The worst they can do is say no. The party afterward is no problem. Where's it going to be?"</span></p> <p><span>"At our home on the other side of Springfield. As we get closer and I have an actual date, I'll let you know we can firm up arrangements then. Sound good to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect, Max. I'll look forward to it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad the first two places I talked to weren't interested in helping and I called you. I'd promised Alex and Joey I'd get the picture fixed, but I didn't have a clue how I was going to be able to follow through on the promise. You've saved my ass."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad I could help. Those are lucky young boys to be with you. Congratulations. I'll look forward to hearing from you in a few months."</span></p> <p><span>I grabbed the pictures and headed for home, stopping in Springfield for lunch on the way. Since I had a little extra time before I needed to be home to collect the boys when they got off the bus, I also ran by Walmart real quick to pick an assortment of animated movies I thought the boys would enjoy. After picking out 10 movies with assistance from the department manager, I headed for home, pulled in the drive and waited for the bus. Justin and Willy were still clearing the area for shelter, but it looked like they were close to being done. It was a short wait again today and the bus showed up just a few minutes later. The boys climbed in the car chattering about their day as I waved to Carl.</span></p> <p><span>"What's going on here, dad?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just a little something," I deflected. "Don't worry about it. Good day, guys? Any homework tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"Weird day, Dad," Joey responded.</span></p> <p><span>"What happened?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Thomas wasn't here and we had a substitute."</span></p> <p><span>"Was he sick? You do know even teachers get sick sometimes, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure," said Alex, "We've had subs before, but they've always told us the regular teacher was sick."</span></p> <p><span>"They didn't say anything this time except Mr. Thomas wasn't gonna' be there today and they made it sound like the sub is gonna' be here a while," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"And we really like him. He was cool and one of the best teacher's we've had."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let me see what I can find out in a little bit. What about you other two?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothin' for me," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Me neither," Mike added sullenly.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it looks like you have the night off for other things, then," I said as I pulled in the garage. "Maybe we can have that talk I mentioned last night."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, do we have to?" Alex whined.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I think we do. Come on, let's get inside and you can have a snack."</span></p> <p><span>That got them moving. I knew they'd be distracted for a few minutes as they put their things in their rooms and got comfortable, which would give me time to get the new pictures stashed in the study. I really wanted to give them to Joey and Alex now, but thought I should wait until Tom was home so he could part of it, also. After stashing the pictures in the study, I went to my room and got undressed, then headed to the kitchen to set up snacks for the boys. When I arrived, the four were already waiting at the counter with expectant looks on their faces. Today's snack was apple slices again with milk.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, I need to make a couple phone calls. Can you amuse yourselves for a bit?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, dad," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Great, I'll be back shortly." </span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-25.html

Building a Family 25 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 25 � Ken I headed to the study and pulled out the school directory. My first call was to the main office. Perky and cheerful answered the phone, "New Berlin Schools, how can I help you?" "Good afternoon, this is Max Sanders. I'm Joey and Alex Allison's dad. We met yesterday when I came in for a meeting with Ms. Carr." "Oh, good afternoon, Mr. Sanders, how are you today?" "I'm not sure. Joey and Alex told me that their teacher, Mr. Thomas, wasn't at school today and they're worried about him. Was he ill today?" "I'm sorry, Mr. Sanders, I'm not allowed to discuss that situation." "And what situation is that? According to the boys, he's the best teacher they've ever had and I hate to see the school lose a good teacher." "As I said, sir, I can't discuss it?" "Well, may I talk to Ms. Carr, please?" "I'm sorry, Mr. Sanders, but she's in a meeting that I believe will run late. I'll be happy to leave her a message you called." "Please do, I'd like to find out what's going on." "I'll let her know you'd like to talk to her. Is there anything else I can do for you today?" "I guess not. Thanks." We hung up and I grabbed the school directory again. I looked up Ken's information, found a home phone for him and dialed the number. After four rings, I got his answering machine or voicemail. "You've reached Ken Thomas, please leave a message after the beep and I'll return your call as soon as I can." "Ken, this is Max Sanders, Joey and Alex's dad. The boys just told me that you ..." I was interrupted by the click of someone picking up the phone. "Mr. Sanders, is that really you?" "Of course, it is, and please call me Max. Then tell me what's going on. The boys said you weren't at school today and they had made it sound as if the sub was going to be there a while. Are you sick?" "No, I'm not sick. I'm sure the boys told you Valerie was in my class all afternoon yesterday." "They did. And they said you didn't seem too happy about it, either." "I wasn't. That evil witch was looking for some reason to get rid of me. I knew it was going to happen after my little announcement during our meeting. You saw how she reacted." "I did. Then what happened." "After the students were gone for the day, she left and went back to her office. I was just finishing up straightening my desk and getting ready for today when she came back in. She told me that after witnessing my performance for the afternoon and making several phone calls, it was decided that my contract was terminated, immediately. That bitch fired me, just like that." "She can't do that, can she? Doesn't the school board have to meet to make those decisions?" "I sure thought so, but she apparently had a conference call with four of the seven members and talked them into canning me. I have no idea what she told them, except it had to be lies. Schools never dump teachers in the middle of a school year unless it's something really major." "Did she tell you which board members were on the call?" "She only told me about the board president, wouldn't give me any other names." "Well, I think I need to make another phone call. Fortunately, the board president is listed in the school directory. Thanks for the info, Ken. I'll make good use of it." "Max, you don't need to get involved in this." "Yes, I do, Ken. My sons' education and future is at stake and I'm not going to have it screwed up by some misguided and vindictive woman just because she doesn't approve of who we love." "Well, I wish you good luck, then, `cause you're going to need it." "Don't worry about me, Ken. I'm a big boy and I know how to take care of myself. Thanks again for the information. I'll let you know what I find out." "Thanks, Max." We hung up and I called the board president at his home. "Speak," a gruff male voice answered. "Good afternoon, is this Steve Furman, the president of the New Berlin school board." "It is, who's this?" "Mr. Furman, my name is Maxwill Sanders. I am the father of four boys enrolled in your school and I have a question I'd like to ask." "Go ahead." "My two oldest told me this afternoon that their regular teacher, Mr. Thomas, was not at work today and they're worried about him. They really like him as a teacher." "I'm sorry, Mr. Sanders, but I can't discuss personnel matters outside of a board meeting." "Well, it's my understanding you did just that yesterday afternoon, so you broke your own rules. Now, tell me what's going on." "No can do." "Excuse me, Mr. Furman, but have you ever heard the name James Cantrell? "Can't say that I have." "Well, you should know that he's my attorney. And he's one hard-nosed son-of-a-bitch. I'm prepared to retain him to represent Mr. Thomas in a course of action against the school district, Ms. Carr and the entire board." "You can't do that." "Sure, I can. When James is done with you, you'll all be lucky to get new jobs at McDonald's. I believe I know why Ms. Carr instigated this and I intend to stop this witch-hunt right now." "What are you talking about?" "Let me explain what happened yesterday." I relayed the reason for my meeting yesterday. "I believe Ms. Carr fabricated any excuse that she could use to get Mr. Thomas fired yesterday afternoon and I want to know what that reason is. If it's serious enough to get a qualified teacher fired in less than an hour without an actual board meeting, it's bound to come out in the news." "There won't be any news because the situation's been dealt with." "There will be news after Mr. Cantrell digs into it, I promise you that. Do you want to take that risk? Think of the damage that will be done to the district if the board is charged with a false termination. Now, tell me what excuse she used or my next call is to Mr. Cantrell and I assure you that you, Mr. Furman, will be his first call." "Fine. Ms. Carr told us that Mr. Thomas was touching students inappropriately during the afternoon. We can't have that behavior in our school and we acted to protect the students." "Do you have any other witnesses concerning this supposed behavior, or did you just take her word for it? Did you talk to Mr. Thomas to see what he had to say?" "We took her at her word. And, no, we didn't talk to Mr. Thomas." "Would you listen to two students who were in that classroom yesterday afternoon and hear what they have to say?" "We don't normally do that, especially with 3rd graders. But if you think they can shed some light on the matter, I'll listen to what they have to say." "Good, we'll be right back." I stuck my head out the study door and called for Joey and Alex to join me. While I waited for them to appear, I switched the phone to speaker so we could all hear what was being said. "Yeah, dad, what's up?" Alex Asked. "Boys, come here, please. I'm talking to Mr. Furman, the president of the school board, about what happened in your class yesterday afternoon. Mr. Furman, I'd like you to meet my sons, Alex and Joey Allison. Say hi, boys." "Hi, Mr. Furman," they chimed. "Hello, boys. Your dad thinks I may have been lied to yesterday afternoon and since you were in the class with Mr. Thomas and Ms. Carr, I'd like you to tell me what you saw." Joey started, "Well after lunch, Ms. Carr came in, said she'd be observing the class for the afternoon and then she sat in the back of class taking notes of some kind." "Yeah," Joey added, "Mr. Thomas didn't seem too happy to have her there, either." "Boys, I need to ask a question that I normally wouldn't ask over the phone, especially of children, but I need an honest answer. Will you promise to tell me the truth?" "Always, Mr. Furman. Dad says it's really important to always tell the truth." "Your dad's right, boys. Lord, I can't believe I'm doing this. Okay boys, here's the question. Did either of see any kind of inappropriate contact between Mr. Thomas and any of the students in the class? Do you know what I'm asking?" "Yes, sir, we know all about that." Both boys grinned at each other and I gave them a stern look to stop any more being said. "I didn't see anything, did you Joey?" "Nope. Nothin' like that happened. It couldn't have." "Why do you say that?" Steve asked. "Because Mr. Thomas never left his desk after lunch, right, Alex?" "Yeah, he was either at the board or his desk all afternoon." "Did any of the other students go up to his desk?" Steve asked. "No, sir, we were working on math all afternoon, studying for a test we were supposed to have today," Alex reported. "We both do real good with math, so we kinda let our minds wander when we're supposed to be studying it. I didn't see anybody get anywhere close to his desk," Joey added. "Thank you, boys, I appreciate your honesty. Can I talk to just your dad again, please?" "You two run along. Thanks." I waited until they left the room, then closed the door and picked the phone back up. "Now that you've heard from them, what do you think now, Mr. Furman?" "I must ask my daughter about this. She is also in Mr. Thomas' class, but I do believe I was lied to yesterday afternoon. Do you have any idea why that may have happened, Mr. Sanders?" "I have a very good idea. During my meeting yesterday with Ms. Carr and the boys' teachers, I explained that I was gay and there was a good possibility my sons are, also. I was trying to make sure they all knew that I would not allow the boys to be bullied by anyone at the school, including staff, for any reason. When Ms. Carr said it was impossible for them to know that at their ages, I explained when I knew I was gay. When Ms. Carr asked the boys' teachers for their opinions, Mr. Thomas explained that he knew he was gay around the same age as Joey and Alex. At that point, the meeting ended abruptly with Ms. Carr essentially kicking us out of her office." "So, you believe this all comes down to the fact Mr. Thomas is gay and Ms. Carr doesn't approve." "That's exactly what I believe. And, if that is, indeed, the case, it's perfect grounds for filing an unlawful termination lawsuit. And I firmly believe Mr. Thomas would win the suit. The damages to the school in terms of financial and personnel costs would be catastrophic." "I agree with you, Mr. Sanders. I want to thank you for bringing this to my attention. I'm going to talk to my daughter and make a few phone calls myself now to see what I can find out. Will you be home this evening in case I have some news to pass along?" "We're not going anywhere, Mr. Furman. And I'd love to hear from you. Thank you for your time and I appreciate you hearing us out." We ended our call and I headed out to find the boys. I found them in the twins' room playing UNO. "Where did you guys find that game?" "We had it at the Mueller's. It's one of the few they let us have," Joey answered. "Great. I used to play that growing up, too. We'll have to play together some time. Alex, Joey, I want to thank you for talking with Mr. Furman." They looked at me and Alex asked, "So what's going on?" "I'm not 100% sure right now, but it looks like Ms. Carr went to great lengths to get him fired yesterday." "Fired!? Why would she do that, he's a great teacher," Joey yelled. "I didn't tell you yesterday, but I had a meeting with Ms. Carr and all your teachers to find out what would be expected of me now that I'm your dad. During the meeting, I informed them that I was gay and the four of you probably are, too." "What!?! Why the hell'd you tell them that? We ain't told nobody yet." "Calm down, Joey. I was trying to impress on the four of them that I would not allow anyone to bully you four for any reason, whatsoever. When Ms. Carr didn't react well to that, saying there's no way you could know at your age, I told her when I knew I was gay. Then, Mr. Thomas told her when he knew about himself." I saw Joey and Alex share a knowing grin. "Ms. Carr kinda lost it and kicked us all out of her office. After school was out, she fired Mr. Thomas." "I told you he was," Alex said, "but you said no-o-o-o." "Okay, okay, I was wrong and you were right, happy little mister smarty-pants?" Joey whined. "Very. Ha! Maybe, next time you'll believe me," Alex crowed, sticking his tongue out at his brother. "So, what's gonna' happen now? Is Mr. Thomas coming back?" he asked, looking back to me. "Mr. Furman's going to talk to his daughter, who's also in your class, and then make some phone calls himself. Beyond that, I don't know." "I sure hope he comes back." Joey said. I heard the ding of the drive sensor and headed out to see who was here. I was relieved to see the Shelby come down the drive and pull in the garage. "Boys, Uncle Tom's home. Let's get ready for supper." Four lads ran to the kitchen to start getting the table set while I waited for Tom. When he came in the door, I met him with a hug and kiss, whispering in his ear, "Glad you're home safe. I missed you." "Missed you, too, lover." We headed to the kitchen where he was attacked by the four wild monkeys. "Whoa, down boys, I just got here." "But we missed you, Uncle Tom," cried Mike. "We were hoping you didn't get hurt." T.J. added. "I missed you too. And I'm just fine. If you'll give me a couple minutes, I'm going to hang up my uniform and get comfy. I'll be right back, okay?" "Hurry, Uncle Tom, it's almost time for supper." "Two minutes, okay?" He looked at me and asked, "What's for din-din, Boss?" "I thought we'd have pork tenderloins and fries. Sound okay?" "Sounds great. Be right back to help." He planted another kiss on my cheek as he headed to the bedroom to get undressed. I had just plugged in the fryer when he returned and I asked him to turn on the oven to keep our food warm as I couldn't fit everything in the fryer at one time. "Boys, we'll need ketchup, mustard and pickles, too. T.J., why don't you get the buns out?" Joey and Alex hopped off their stools and carried the items to the table while T.J. retrieved the buns from the pantry. When I had enough tenderloins and fries for six hungry guys, we sat down to eat. I was really getting used to all of us eating together and was starting to look forward to it every afternoon. With our appetites sated, the boys cleaned the table and stacked dishes in the sink while Tom and I cleaned up the fryer and associated mess. With that task completed, I asked, "Why don't you four sit at the table for a minute. I have something for you. Tom, come help me." Tom, puzzled look on his face, followed me to the study to retrieve the pictures and new movies I'd picked up earlier. I told him what I had and he nodded his head in understanding. On our return to the kitchen, I laid the wrapped 8X10 picture in front of Joey and Alex and the sack of movies in front of Mike and T.J. "What's this?" Joey asked. "Open it and find out. But be careful, it's breakable." Joey and Alex carefully removed the paper while T.J. and Mike watched. When they had removed enough wrapping to recognize what was inside, they both broke down in tears. I walked over to the twins and wrapped my arms around them. "How'd you get this?" Joey cried. "Yeah, it was trashed?" sobbed Alex. "I had some luck today. The man I found to try and repair the picture turned out to be the same guy who took it originally. He still had the original and was able to reprint it. And we have another one for you." I had Tom present them with the 16X20 and we stood back for the unwrapping. The paper was carefully peeled back and the tears started flowing again, dripping on the glass. Tom handed me some paper towels to dry the picture and the twins' faces. When the tears subsided again, Joey looked to Alex and said, "I remember this," he whispered. "We weren't very good that day." "Funny you should say that Joey, that's exactly what Ed, the photographer, said." "I don't `member it," Joey replied. "You will, I'll help you." "Thanks." "We'll figure out where to hang them later." "Thanks, dad, this means a lot to us." "I know." I looked to Mike and T.J. and asked, "So, did I do okay picking out some movies for you?" "You did great, dad, I love the Cars movies," Mike squealed in joy. "Yeah, these are great, can we watch one tonight?" T.J. asked. "Why not? Pick one and we'll get it started." After some serious debating, they finally agreed on Real Steel with Hugh Jackman and Dakota Goyo. I led them to the theater and while they took their seats, I got the movie going for them. Once they were settled in for the show, I went back to the kitchen to rejoin Tom where I found him wiping tears from his eyes. "What's wrong, Tom?" "Nothin'," he mumbled. "Don't try to bullshit a bullshitter." "That thing with the pictures is about the nicest thing I've ever seen someone do for someone else. I can't believe you did that." "Why not?" "Well, you're gonna' be their new dad. I didn't think you'd want a reminder of their real parents around the house anywhere." "Why not. Sure, I'm their new dad, but I'm just continuing the work their real mom and dad started almost nine years ago. I don't want them to ever forget where they came from. While I hate the fact they lost their parents the way they did, deep inside, I'm kinda glad, too. Otherwise, those two wouldn't be here right now. Does that make me a sick bastard? Probably, but, I'll learn to live with it." "You're too good to be true, Max, you know that, right." "Time will tell, Tom." The phone chose that moment to ring, cutting off any further conversation on the subject. "Max Sanders," I answered. "Mr. Sanders, Steve Furman." "Good evening, I hope, Mr. Furman." "Can we dispense with the `Mr.'? Call me Steve and, if it's okay, may I call you Max?" "That depends on what you to tell me, sir." "I figured as much. Here's what I've discovered. In my conversation with my daughter, she backs up what your sons told me over the phone and I believe the three of them. She was not at all hesitant to answer my questions and I'm pretty good at knowing when something doesn't quite have that ring of truth with her. Seems she thought yesterday afternoon was a `bit off', as she put it, also. After making a few phone calls to relay what I learned from your sons and her and receive more input from the other board members involved in the conference call yesterday, we've come to a decision." "And what would that be?" "I just got off a phone call with Mr. Thomas, apologizing profusely to him, and letting him know that we expect him to return to his job as of tomorrow morning." "Is that really going to solve the problem?" "That, in itself, won't, but the call I made before talking to Mr. Thomas will." "Go on, please." "I called Ms. Carr, told her we had an emergency meeting of all seven members of the school board at my home this evening and by a vote of seven to zero, her contract as principal of the elementary school has been terminated, effective immediately. I am meeting her at 9:00 in the morning to supervise as she removes any personal belongings from her office and then I will personally escort her off the property. The police will also be present to ensure she complies." "You've had a busy night, Steve. I believe you've come to the correct decision and I thank you for that." "Ha, I must have said the right thing, you called me Steve." "Yes, sir, you did and I did. I always prefer to refer to my friends by their first names." "I'm glad to hear that, Max. In the interests of pursuing that new friendship, would you have time to meet with me in the morning, say around 10:00? I think the unpleasantness should be over by then." "I'd be happy to, Steve. I'll look forward to it." "Excellent, Max. Thank your boys for me and tell them they'll see their favorite teacher again in the morning. Thanks again for bringing this issue to my attention. We can always use input from our student's parents. I hope you and your boys enjoy the rest of your evening and I'll see you in the morning." "Thanks, Steve, you too. I'll look forward to meeting you." Tom had been watching and listening to me for the entire conversation, confusion etched deeply on his face. When I finally hung up the phone, he wasted no time in asking, "What the hell was that all about, Max. Since I could only hear your side of the call, I'm confused." I told Tom what the twins had told me after school and the calls I'd made when we got to the house, then what the call from Steve had been about. "Somebody's been busy tonight, haven't they?" "I guess so. I'm tired of seeing gay people treated like shit in this country and I guess I've decided to do something about it." "Good for you. Hope you leave some time for us." "Don't you worry, I will. Shall we go tell the boys the good news." The phone rang again and I answered it on the first ring. "Is this Max?" a shaking voice queried. "It is, may I ask who's calling." "Ken Thomas, Max. I've been trying to get you the last half hour." "Oh, hi, Ken, are you feeling better about things now?" "Much better, thanks to you. I don't know what you said to Mr. Furman, but it worked." "I just explained the facts of life to him, Ken. He decided he would rather avoid a lawsuit and the resulting publicity by righting the wrong perpetrated on you yesterday." "Well, it's more than that, Max, way more. Not only did he tell me I was expected back in my classroom in the morning, the board has also authorized a one-time payment of $250,000 to me, and I quote, `in thanks for not filing a lawsuit we're certain to lose'." "Good for you, Ken. You deserve it for being abused the way you were. Valerie had no cause for what she did and now, she gets to pay for it. Good riddance to bad rubbish." "I couldn't agree more, Max. Thanks again for your help." "You'll really need to thank the twins and Steve's daughter for their help. They were the ones who told Steve the truth about what happened yesterday afternoon and got him to see yesterday's event for what it was, a giant mistake." "I'll make sure to pass my thanks to those three, also. Well, you guys have a great evening. I have to go wash some clothes so I can go to work tomorrow." "Good night, Ken. I'll talk to you soon." I ended the call and turned to Tom. "Ken, huh, is he cute? Do I have competition?" "Yes, Tom, he's cute, but he's no competition for you. He's the twins' teacher I helped out today and he was just calling to say thanks. And you won't believe what the school board did." "You mean besides firing and re-hiring him, all in the space of 24 hours?" "Yeah, besides that little faux pas. They're paying him a quarter million dollars, basically to keep his mouth shut about the whole situation." "Whoa, bet he loves that." "I'm sure. Now, shall we give the boys the good news?" "Let's go. I wanna see this." We walked to theater where I grabbed the remote and paused the movie. Four boys turned to look at me with daggers in their eyes for interrupting what must be a good show. "Hey, what's the big deal, dad?" asked Joey "Yeah, it's almost over," added T.J. "I wanted to tell Joey and Alex some good news, but if the movie's more important, we'll just forget it. Bye." Tom and I turned to leave. "Come back here and spill it, bucko," Alex called to my back. I spun back around and said, "Bucko, huh. Now I'm never gonna' tell ya'. Be nice or you get nothing." "I'm sorry, dad, will you please tell us your good news?" Alex whined. "Since you asked so politely this time, I will. Mr. Thomas will be back at school in the morning. And Ms. Carr will be gone." "What!? How'd you do that?" Joey asked. "Yippee!" yelled Alex. "I didn't like that sub at all." "Actually, I just made a phone call. It was you two and Mr. Furman's daughter that really made things happen. Since you three told him the same story about what happened in your class Tuesday afternoon, he realized that Ms. Carr had lied to him and the other board members, and that they had made a decision based on bad information. They've corrected their mistake. This is a good example of why you should always tell the truth." "We will, dad. Thanks," Joey said. "Okay, I'll let you finish the movie now and when it's over, shut everything down and come out for your snacks. Then, time for a chat, okay?" "Thanks again, dad." Tom and I headed to the living room and sat by the fireplace. "Well, you've heard about my day, so, tell me, how was your day, Tom?" "Unusually quiet. I drove around all day and did nothing but write one speeding ticket." "Good, I hope the rest of your days on the job are just like today." "Me too. I really want to come out the other side in one piece." "We all want that, Tom. We're both long overdue for something good in our lives." "What's going on out at the end of the drive. I saw the big, cleared area. You building another house to get away from us all?" I laughed and answered, "Not a chance, Tom. I'm in for the long haul. No, I'm having a shelter built for the boys to be able to wait for the bus without freezing or getting wet." "That's a big bus stop. They must have cleared a 30-foot square area." "The building's only going to be 8' by 8', but I wanted a decent clear space all around it." "How much is that thing gonna' cost?" "Not a clue. Can't say I really care, either." "Damn, I don't know if I'll ever get used to that." "What?" "Not having to worry about money. I've worked 5 years as a cop, drive a 10 year-old car and consider myself lucky to have about ten grand in a savings account. And here you are, dropping at least that much just so the boys won't get cold or wet." "Nothing's too good for our boys, Tom. If I can provide it, I will." Tom started to tear up. "Now what are you crying about?" "What you just said, `our boys', I guess it hadn't really hit me just yet. Hearing you say it just drove it home. I've been pinching myself several time a day since Sunday, making sure this ain't just a dream. I know it's not, but, sometimes, I have to wonder." "Nope, not a dream, you big softy. Tom Wright, this is your life." I sat next to him, took his hand in mine and gave him a sloppy wet kiss on the cheek. I immediately heard giggling from behind us and turned to find four hungry boys standing there. "Movie's done, I take it." "Yep, dad, and we're ready for that snack now," Mike said. "Okay, kitchen boys, we'll be right behind you. C'mon, softy, we have some hungry monkeys to deal with." I helped him up and we followed the boys to get their snacks. "You guys okay with cookies again tonight?" "Please," answered T.J. "And thank you," added Mike. "Ah, manners, nice to know at least two of my sons have some." "Hey, we got some, too," complained Joey. "Yeah, we just don't like to use `em much," Alex chipped in. "We're gonna' have to work on that, aren't we?" "Yes, sir," they responded. I set out the cookies for each while Tom poured the milk. While the boys were munching, I said, "This looks like a good time for that chat we need to have." "Oh, man, again, do we hafta'?" Alex whined. "Yes, we do. Can you please tell me which part of the house rules you missed? I was sure we were all present." "We were there, but we don't like em' much," Joey answered. "Well, whether you like them or not isn't nearly as important as following them. If the wrong thing happens with the wrong person, it could kill your adoptions." "They can't do that!" Alex yelled. "Yes, they can, in a heartbeat. The state and, by extension, Carol and Anna, are still responsible for the four of you. If word gets out that I'm allowing intimate contact between you four and anybody else, I would be going to jail and you would end up back in foster care. If you don't want that to happen, you need to control your impulses. I know it's not easy, but you have to figure out how to do it. Do you understand?" "Yes, sir," they answered. "Good." I looked to the twins and asked, "Now which one of you two tried to wrap a hand around Dylan's penis last night?" Alex slowly raised his hand while he kept his eyes glued to the countertop. "Listen to me very carefully, all of you. Something like that cannot happen again, ever. What happens between the four of you is your business and not something I could control even if I wanted to. But such contact between adults and children is not allowed, in this house, or anywhere else." "But, dad, his dick was humongous. I just wanted to see what it felt like." "Look, I remember what it's like to be your age. You're curious about your own and other people's bodies and if they feel the same things you do. I can tell you, we do. Everybody has the same curiosity, but they've learned to control those impulses. Would you have ever tried to grab Mr. Mueller like that." "Hell, no," Joey spat. "He was a disgusting old fart and probably doesn't have nothin' to grab anyway." Tom turned his back to the boys and coughed to cover his laugh. "Joey, Joey, Joey, what am I going to do with you? You really have quite the potty-mouth." "Sorry, dad." "Look, boys, I know you want to be able to more fully explore the feelings you're having. But, now is not the time. Some day in the future, maybe, but not now. I don't want to lose the chance of adopting you because you have no self-control. Do you think you can restrain yourselves, please?" "Yes, dad," answered Joey. "I think so, dad," from Alex. "I'll try, sir," T.J. added. "Yes, daddy," mumbled Mike. "Thank you, I truly appreciate the effort it will take from each of you. Now, it's past your bedtime. Go jump in bed and Tom and I will be in to say goodnight after we clean up the snack mess." They slowly ambled towards their rooms while Tom and I cleaned up and loaded the dishwasher. "Do you think they got the message?" I asked. "I wasn't too hard on them, was I?" "No, I think you were calm enough. Calmer than I would have been. As to whether they got the message, only time will tell." "I know. I remember being young and horny and I know it's not easy, but dammit, they gotta' learn now or they'll screw up the adoption. If that happened, I don't know what I'd do." "I know, Max, I'll do what I can to help. But, I'm with Alex, Dylan's dick is humongous and I kinda' wanted to grab it, too." I laughed and said, "Fine lotta' help you're gonna' be," I said as I punched him in the shoulder. "But, in all honesty, I guess I kinda' did too. Maybe next time he comes out, we can ask for permission," I chuckled. "Careful, Max, haven't you heard the old saying, `once you go black, you never go back'?" "Oh, I've heard it, just don't know if I believe it. Well, let's go check on the boys and make sure they're settled." The light in T.J. and Mike's room was off when we entered so I turned on the light on the dresser. The two were curled up together, T.J. holding Mike, sleeping peacefully. We kissed both on their foreheads and headed for the twins' room. Light was seeping through the gap around their partially open door. I looked at Tom and whispered, "Uh-oh, you sure you're ready for whatever may be going on in here?" "What the hell, why not?" he whispered back. We crept to the door and peeked through the gap between the door and frame. We found Joey and Alex lying flat on their backs, hands wrapped around the other's penis and calmly stroking each other. My knock was immediately answered with, "C'mon in." Tom and I walked in and stood at the side of the bed. "Boys, it's time to go to sleep." "We know, we're just making it easier to fall asleep. You wanna' join us?" Joey asked. "Um, not tonight guys," I answered as Tom choked beside me. "Would you, at least, stop for ten seconds so we can say goodnight?" "I suppose," Alex said, "but be quick, we're almost there and don't want to lose it." We leaned over, gave both quick kisses on the forehead and said, "Love you guys. Lights out in five." "Love you, too, dad, Uncle Tom," Alex answered. As we headed to the door, I heard Joey whisper, "I can't wait until they give up and join us. You can tell they want to. That'll be some real fun." I quietly closed the door and looked at Tom who stood there shaking his head. We headed down the hallway while I said, "I warned ya' and you didn't believe me. Believe me now?" "Yeah. Those two are way ahead of where I was at that age." "Me too. The worst part is, I think they're right." "'Bout what?" "About it only being a matter of time before we give in and join them." "Don't think like that, Max." "Tom, do me a favor and look down." He did and pulled his head back up, shock written all over his face. "Apparently, neither one of is thinking with the right head at the moment." "Oh, fuck, I knew this was gonna' happen?" he moaned. "Well, I didn't, but it's happening to me, too. C'mon, big guy, let's go to the bedroom and talk." We went to our bedroom and I closed the door while Tom sat in a chair in the corner. I pulled the other chair closer and sat down, knee to knee. "Look, Tom, I know this isn't easy to think about, but we have to. I have never, in my life, looked at or thought of a boy in a sexual way. Except for when I was still a boy, myself." "Me either. Why now?" "I don't have the answer to that. Having them running around the house nude all day doesn't faze me at all. But, I have to admit the fact that watching those two jerking or sucking each other excites the hell out of me. I think we can safely say that it excites you, too." "Well, duh, why else would I have a boner?" "Well, I would like to say you were thinkin' about me, but we both know that's not what happened, not this time anyway. Maybe it's kinda' the same effect as when you watch porn." "I wouldn't know, ain't never seen none," he smirked. "Bullshit, you expect me to believe that?" "I was hopin'," he grinned. "Well, you know how it is when you watch that crap. For whatever reason and no matter how you might try not to, you get aroused. I think maybe it's kind of the same thing. You know, like our own private porno show." "Well, I guess that's possible. But it don't explain why I almost answered yes when they just asked us to join them." "Almost. That's the key word. We said no." "Correction, Max, you said no, I didn't say nothin' `cause I was afraid of what I'd say." "Whatever, Tom. We can control this. We have to." "I know, Max. I'll do my best." "I know you will and I will, too. Now, let's get to bed and get some sleep. I'm wiped." I moved my chair back to its corner and we climbed into bed. I curled up behind Tom, holding him gently as we both settled in for a night of restless sleep.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 25</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free.&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc474633677"><span>Chapter 25 � Ken</span></a></h2> <p><span>I headed to the study and pulled out the school directory. My first call was to the main office.</span></p> <p><span>Perky and cheerful answered the phone, "New Berlin Schools, how can I help you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, this is Max Sanders. I'm Joey and Alex Allison's dad. We met yesterday when I came in for a meeting with Ms. Carr."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, good afternoon, Mr. Sanders, how are you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not sure. Joey and Alex told me that their teacher, Mr. Thomas, wasn't at school today and they're worried about him. Was he ill today?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Mr. Sanders, I'm not allowed to discuss that situation."</span></p> <p><span>"And what situation is that? According to the boys, he's the best teacher they've ever had and I hate to see the school lose a good teacher."</span></p> <p><span>"As I said, sir, I can't discuss it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, may I talk to Ms. Carr, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Mr. Sanders, but she's in a meeting that I believe will run late. I'll be happy to leave her a message you called."</span></p> <p><span>"Please do, I'd like to find out what's going on."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll let her know you'd like to talk to her. Is there anything else I can do for you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess not. Thanks." We hung up and I grabbed the school directory again. I looked up Ken's information, found a home phone for him and dialed the number. After four rings, I got his answering machine or voicemail.</span></p> <p><span>"You've reached Ken Thomas, please leave a message after the beep and I'll return your call as soon as I can."</span></p> <p><span>"Ken, this is Max Sanders, Joey and Alex's dad. The boys just told me that you ..." I was interrupted by the click of someone picking up the phone.</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Sanders, is that really you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, it is, and please call me Max. Then tell me what's going on. The boys said you weren't at school today and they had made it sound as if the sub was going to be there a while. Are you sick?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I'm not sick. I'm sure the boys told you Valerie was in my class all afternoon yesterday."</span></p> <p><span>"They did. And they said you didn't seem too happy about it, either."</span></p> <p><span>"I wasn't. That evil witch was looking for some reason to get rid of me. I knew it was going to happen after my little announcement during our meeting. You saw how she reacted."</span></p> <p><span>"I did. Then what happened." </span></p> <p><span>"After the students were gone for the day, she left and went back to her office. I was just finishing up straightening my desk and getting ready for today when she came back in. She told me that after witnessing my performance for the afternoon and making several phone calls, it was decided that my contract was terminated, immediately. That bitch fired me, just like that."</span></p> <p><span>"She can't do that, can she? Doesn't the school board have to meet to make those decisions?"</span></p> <p><span>"I sure thought so, but she apparently had a conference call with four of the seven members and talked them into canning me. I have no idea what she told them, except it had to be lies. Schools never dump teachers in the middle of a school year unless it's something really major."</span></p> <p><span>"Did she tell you which board members were on the call?"</span></p> <p><span>"She only told me about the board president, wouldn't give me any other names."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I think I need to make another phone call. Fortunately, the board president is listed in the school directory. Thanks for the info, Ken. I'll make good use of it."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, you don't need to get involved in this."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I do, Ken. My sons' education and future is at stake and I'm not going to have it screwed up by some misguided and vindictive woman just because she doesn't approve of who we love."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I wish you good luck, then, `cause you're going to need it."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about me, Ken. I'm a big boy and I know how to take care of myself. Thanks again for the information. I'll let you know what I find out."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max."</span></p> <p><span>We hung up and I called the board president at his home.</span></p> <p><span>"Speak," a gruff male voice answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, is this Steve Furman, the president of the New Berlin school board."</span></p> <p><span>"It is, who's this?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Furman, my name is Maxwill Sanders. I am the father of four boys enrolled in your school and I have a question I'd like to ask."</span></p> <p><span>"Go ahead."</span></p> <p><span>"My two oldest told me this afternoon that their regular teacher, Mr. Thomas, was not at work today and they're worried about him. They really like him as a teacher."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Mr. Sanders, but I can't discuss personnel matters outside of a board meeting."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's my understanding you did just that yesterday afternoon, so you broke your own rules. Now, tell me what's going on."</span></p> <p><span>"No can do."</span></p> <p><span>"Excuse me, Mr. Furman, but have you ever heard the name James Cantrell?</span></p> <p><span>"Can't say that I have."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you should know that he's my attorney. And he's one hard-nosed son-of-a-bitch. I'm prepared to retain him to represent Mr. Thomas in a course of action against the school district, Ms. Carr and the entire board."</span></p> <p><span>"You can't do that."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, I can. When James is done with you, you'll all be lucky to get new jobs at McDonald's. I believe I know why Ms. Carr instigated this and I intend to stop this witch-hunt right now."</span></p> <p><span>"What are you talking about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Let me explain what happened yesterday." I relayed the reason for my meeting yesterday. "I believe Ms. Carr fabricated any excuse that she could use to get Mr. Thomas fired yesterday afternoon and I want to know what that reason is. If it's serious enough to get a qualified teacher fired in less than an hour without an actual board meeting, it's bound to come out in the news."</span></p> <p><span>"There won't be any news because the situation's been dealt with."</span></p> <p><span>"There will be news after Mr. Cantrell digs into it, I promise you that. Do you want to take that risk? Think of the damage that will be done to the district if the board is charged with a false termination. Now, tell me what excuse she used or my next call is to Mr. Cantrell and I assure you that you, Mr. Furman, will be his first call."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine. Ms. Carr told us that Mr. Thomas was touching students inappropriately during the afternoon. We can't have that behavior in our school and we acted to protect the students."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you have any other witnesses concerning this supposed behavior, or did you just take her word for it? Did you talk to Mr. Thomas to see what he had to say?"</span></p> <p><span>"We took her at her word. And, no, we didn't talk to Mr. Thomas."</span></p> <p><span>"Would you listen to two students who were in that classroom yesterday afternoon and hear what they have to say?" </span></p> <p><span>"We don't normally do that, especially with 3<sup>rd</sup> graders. But if you think they can shed some light on the matter, I'll listen to what they have to say."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, we'll be right back." I stuck my head out the study door and called for Joey and Alex to join me. While I waited for them to appear, I switched the phone to speaker so we could all hear what was being said.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dad, what's up?" Alex Asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, come here, please. I'm talking to Mr. Furman, the president of the school board, about what happened in your class yesterday afternoon. Mr. Furman, I'd like you to meet my sons, Alex and Joey Allison. Say hi, boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, Mr. Furman," they chimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Hello, boys. Your dad thinks I may have been lied to yesterday afternoon and since you were in the class with Mr. Thomas and Ms. Carr, I'd like you to tell me what you saw."</span></p> <p><span>Joey started, "Well after lunch, Ms. Carr came in, said she'd be observing the class for the afternoon and then she sat in the back of class taking notes of some kind."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," Joey added, "Mr. Thomas didn't seem too happy to have her there, either."</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, I need to ask a question that I normally wouldn't ask over the phone, especially of children, but I need an honest answer. Will you promise to tell me the truth?"</span></p> <p><span>"Always, Mr. Furman. Dad says it's really important to always tell the truth."</span></p> <p><span>"Your dad's right, boys. Lord, I can't believe I'm doing this. Okay boys, here's the question. Did either of see any kind of inappropriate contact between Mr. Thomas and any of the students in the class? Do you know what I'm asking?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir, we know all about that." Both boys grinned at each other and I gave them a stern look to stop any more being said. "I didn't see anything, did you Joey?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope. Nothin' like that happened. It couldn't have."</span></p> <p><span>"Why do you say that?" Steve asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Because Mr. Thomas never left his desk after lunch, right, Alex?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he was either at the board or his desk all afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Did any of the other students go up to his desk?" Steve asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No, sir, we were working on math all afternoon, studying for a test we were supposed to have today," Alex reported.</span></p> <p><span>"We both do real good with math, so we kinda let our minds wander when we're supposed to be studying it. I didn't see anybody get anywhere close to his desk," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, boys, I appreciate your honesty. Can I talk to just your dad again, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"You two run along. Thanks." I waited until they left the room, then closed the door and picked the phone back up. "Now that you've heard from them, what do you think now, Mr. Furman?"</span></p> <p><span>"I must ask my daughter about this. She is also in Mr. Thomas' class, but I do believe I was lied to yesterday afternoon. Do you have any idea why that may have happened, Mr. Sanders?"</span></p> <p><span>"I have a very good idea. During my meeting yesterday with Ms. Carr and the boys' teachers, I explained that I was gay and there was a good possibility my sons are, also. I was trying to make sure they all knew that I would not allow the boys to be bullied by anyone at the school, including staff, for any reason. When Ms. Carr said it was impossible for them to know that at their ages, I explained when I knew I was gay. When Ms. Carr asked the boys' teachers for their opinions, Mr. Thomas explained that he knew he was gay around the same age as Joey and Alex. At that point, the meeting ended abruptly with Ms. Carr essentially kicking us out of her office."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you believe this all comes down to the fact Mr. Thomas is gay and Ms. Carr doesn't approve."</span></p> <p><span>"That's exactly what I believe. And, if that is, indeed, the case, it's perfect grounds for filing an unlawful termination lawsuit. And I firmly believe Mr. Thomas would win the suit. The damages to the school in terms of financial and personnel costs would be catastrophic."</span></p> <p><span>"I agree with you, Mr. Sanders. I want to thank you for bringing this to my attention. I'm going to talk to my daughter and make a few phone calls myself now to see what I can find out. Will you be home this evening in case I have some news to pass along?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're not going anywhere, Mr. Furman. And I'd love to hear from you. Thank you for your time and I appreciate you hearing us out." We ended our call and I headed out to find the boys. I found them in the twins' room playing UNO.</span></p> <p><span>"Where did you guys find that game?"</span></p> <p><span>"We had it at the Mueller's. It's one of the few they let us have," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Great. I used to play that growing up, too. We'll have to play together some time. Alex, Joey, I want to thank you for talking with Mr. Furman."</span></p> <p><span>They looked at me and Alex asked, "So what's going on?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not 100% sure right now, but it looks like Ms. Carr went to great lengths to get him fired yesterday."</span></p> <p><span>"Fired!? Why would she do that, he's a great teacher," Joey yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't tell you yesterday, but I had a meeting with Ms. Carr and all your teachers to find out what would be expected of me now that I'm your dad. During the meeting, I informed them that I was gay and the four of you probably are, too."</span></p> <p><span>"What!?! Why the hell'd you tell them that? We ain't told nobody yet."</span></p> <p><span>"Calm down, Joey. I was trying to impress on the four of them that I would not allow anyone to bully you four for any reason, whatsoever. When Ms. Carr didn't react well to that, saying there's no way you could know at your age, I told her when I knew I was gay. Then, Mr. Thomas told her when he knew about himself." I saw Joey and Alex share a knowing grin. "Ms. Carr kinda lost it and kicked us all out of her office. After school was out, she fired Mr. Thomas."</span></p> <p><span>"I told you he was," Alex said, "but you said no-o-o-o."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, okay, I was wrong and you were right, happy little mister smarty-pants?" Joey whined.</span></p> <p><span>"Very. Ha! Maybe, next time you'll believe me," Alex crowed, sticking his tongue out at his brother. "So, what's gonna' happen now? Is Mr. Thomas coming back?" he asked, looking back to me.</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Furman's going to talk to his daughter, who's also in your class, and then make some phone calls himself. Beyond that, I don't know."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure hope he comes back." Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>I heard the ding of the drive sensor and headed out to see who was here. I was relieved to see the Shelby come down the drive and pull in the garage. "Boys, Uncle Tom's home. Let's get ready for supper." Four lads ran to the kitchen to start getting the table set while I waited for Tom. When he came in the door, I met him with a hug and kiss, whispering in his ear, "Glad you're home safe. I missed you."</span></p> <p><span>"Missed you, too, lover." We headed to the kitchen where he was attacked by the four wild monkeys. "Whoa, down boys, I just got here."</span></p> <p><span>"But we missed you, Uncle Tom," cried Mike.</span></p> <p><span>"We were hoping you didn't get hurt." T.J. added.</span></p> <p><span>"I missed you too. And I'm just fine. If you'll give me a couple minutes, I'm going to hang up my uniform and get comfy. I'll be right back, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hurry, Uncle Tom, it's almost time for supper."</span></p> <p><span>"Two minutes, okay?" He looked at me and asked, "What's for din-din, Boss?"</span></p> <p><span>"I thought we'd have pork tenderloins and fries. Sound okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds great. Be right back to help." He planted another kiss on my cheek as he headed to the bedroom to get undressed. I had just plugged in the fryer when he returned and I asked him to turn on the oven to keep our food warm as I couldn't fit everything in the fryer at one time. "Boys, we'll need ketchup, mustard and pickles, too. T.J., why don't you get the buns out?" Joey and Alex hopped off their stools and carried the items to the table while T.J. retrieved the buns from the pantry. When I had enough tenderloins and fries for six hungry guys, we sat down to eat. I was really getting used to all of us eating together and was starting to look forward to it every afternoon.</span></p> <p><span>With our appetites sated, the boys cleaned the table and stacked dishes in the sink while Tom and I cleaned up the fryer and associated mess. With that task completed, I asked, "Why don't you four sit at the table for a minute. I have something for you. Tom, come help me." Tom, puzzled look on his face, followed me to the study to retrieve the pictures and new movies I'd picked up earlier. I told him what I had and he nodded his head in understanding. On our return to the kitchen, I laid the wrapped 8X10 picture in front of Joey and Alex and the sack of movies in front of Mike and T.J.</span></p> <p><span>"What's this?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Open it and find out. But be careful, it's breakable."</span></p> <p><span>Joey and Alex carefully removed the paper while T.J. and Mike watched. When they had removed enough wrapping to recognize what was inside, they both broke down in tears. I walked over to the twins and wrapped my arms around them.</span></p> <p><span>"How'd you get this?" Joey cried.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it was trashed?" sobbed Alex.</span></p> <p><span>"I had some luck today. The man I found to try and repair the picture turned out to be the same guy who took it originally. He still had the original and was able to reprint it. And we have another one for you." I had Tom present them with the 16X20 and we stood back for the unwrapping. The paper was carefully peeled back and the tears started flowing again, dripping on the glass. Tom handed me some paper towels to dry the picture and the twins' faces. </span></p> <p><span>When the tears subsided again, Joey looked to Alex and said, "I remember this," he whispered. "We weren't very good that day."</span></p> <p><span>"Funny you should say that Joey, that's exactly what Ed, the photographer, said."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't `member it," Joey replied. </span></p> <p><span>"You will, I'll help you."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll figure out where to hang them later."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, dad, this means a lot to us."</span></p> <p><span>"I know." I looked to Mike and T.J. and asked, "So, did I do okay picking out some movies for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"You did great, dad, I love the Cars movies," Mike squealed in joy.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, these are great, can we watch one tonight?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Why not? Pick one and we'll get it started." </span></p> <p><span>After some serious debating, they finally agreed on Real Steel with Hugh Jackman and Dakota Goyo. I led them to the theater and while they took their seats, I got the movie going for them. Once they were settled in for the show, I went back to the kitchen to rejoin Tom where I found him wiping tears from his eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"What's wrong, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothin'," he mumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't try to bullshit a bullshitter."</span></p> <p><span>"That thing with the pictures is about the nicest thing I've ever seen someone do for someone else. I can't believe you did that."</span></p> <p><span>"Why not?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you're gonna' be their new dad. I didn't think you'd want a reminder of their real parents around the house anywhere."</span></p> <p><span>"Why not. Sure, I'm their new dad, but I'm just continuing the work their real mom and dad started almost nine years ago. I don't want them to ever forget where they came from. While I hate the fact they lost their parents the way they did, deep inside, I'm kinda glad, too. Otherwise, those two wouldn't be here right now. Does that make me a sick bastard? Probably, but, I'll learn to live with it."</span></p> <p><span>"You're too good to be true, Max, you know that, right."</span></p> <p><span>"Time will tell, Tom."</span></p> <p><span>The phone chose that moment to ring, cutting off any further conversation on the subject.</span></p> <p><span>"Max Sanders," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Sanders, Steve Furman."</span></p> <p><span>"Good evening, I hope, Mr. Furman."</span></p> <p><span>"Can we dispense with the `Mr.'? Call me Steve and, if it's okay, may I call you Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"That depends on what you to tell me, sir."</span></p> <p><span>"I figured as much. Here's what I've discovered. In my conversation with my daughter, she backs up what your sons told me over the phone and I believe the three of them. She was not at all hesitant to answer my questions and I'm pretty good at knowing when something doesn't quite have that ring of truth with her. Seems she thought yesterday afternoon was a `bit off', as she put it, also. After making a few phone calls to relay what I learned from your sons and her and receive more input from the other board members involved in the conference call yesterday, we've come to a decision."</span></p> <p><span>"And what would that be?"</span></p> <p><span>"I just got off a phone call with Mr. Thomas, apologizing profusely to him, and letting him know that we expect him to return to his job as of tomorrow morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Is that really going to solve the problem?"</span></p> <p><span>"That, in itself, won't, but the call I made before talking to Mr. Thomas will."</span></p> <p><span>"Go on, please."</span></p> <p><span>"I called Ms. Carr, told her we had an emergency meeting of all seven members of the school board at my home this evening and by a vote of seven to zero, her contract as principal of the elementary school has been terminated, effective immediately. I am meeting her at 9:00 in the morning to supervise as she removes any personal belongings from her office and then I will personally escort her off the property. The police will also be present to ensure she complies."</span></p> <p><span>"You've had a busy night, Steve. I believe you've come to the correct decision and I thank you for that."</span></p> <p><span>"Ha, I must have said the right thing, you called me Steve."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir, you did and I did. I always prefer to refer to my friends by their first names."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear that, Max. In the interests of pursuing that new friendship, would you have time to meet with me in the morning, say around 10:00? I think the unpleasantness should be over by then."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd be happy to, Steve. I'll look forward to it."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent, Max. Thank your boys for me and tell them they'll see their favorite teacher again in the morning. Thanks again for bringing this issue to my attention. We can always use input from our student's parents. I hope you and your boys enjoy the rest of your evening and I'll see you in the morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Steve, you too. I'll look forward to meeting you." Tom had been watching and listening to me for the entire conversation, confusion etched deeply on his face.</span></p> <p><span>When I finally hung up the phone, he wasted no time in asking, "What the hell was that all about, Max. Since I could only hear your side of the call, I'm confused." I told Tom what the twins had told me after school and the calls I'd made when we got to the house, then what the call from Steve had been about. "Somebody's been busy tonight, haven't they?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess so. I'm tired of seeing gay people treated like shit in this country and I guess I've decided to do something about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Good for you. Hope you leave some time for us."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you worry, I will. Shall we go tell the boys the good news."</span></p> <p><span>The phone rang again and I answered it on the first ring.</span></p> <p><span>"Is this Max?" a shaking voice queried.</span></p> <p><span>"It is, may I ask who's calling."</span></p> <p><span>"Ken Thomas, Max. I've been trying to get you the last half hour."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hi, Ken, are you feeling better about things now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Much better, thanks to you. I don't know what you said to Mr. Furman, but it worked."</span></p> <p><span>"I just explained the facts of life to him, Ken. He decided he would rather avoid a lawsuit and the resulting publicity by righting the wrong perpetrated on you yesterday."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's more than that, Max, way more. Not only did he tell me I was expected back in my classroom in the morning, the board has also authorized a one-time payment of $250,000 to me, and I quote, `in thanks for not filing a lawsuit we're certain to lose'."</span></p> <p><span>"Good for you, Ken. You deserve it for being abused the way you were. Valerie had no cause for what she did and now, she gets to pay for it. Good riddance to bad rubbish."</span></p> <p><span>"I couldn't agree more, Max. Thanks again for your help."</span></p> <p><span>"You'll really need to thank the twins and Steve's daughter for their help. They were the ones who told Steve the truth about what happened yesterday afternoon and got him to see yesterday's event for what it was, a giant mistake."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll make sure to pass my thanks to those three, also. Well, you guys have a great evening. I have to go wash some clothes so I can go to work tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"Good night, Ken. I'll talk to you soon." I ended the call and turned to Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"Ken, huh, is he cute? Do I have competition?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, Tom, he's cute, but he's no competition for you. He's the twins' teacher I helped out today and he was just calling to say thanks. And you won't believe what the school board did."</span></p> <p><span>"You mean besides firing and re-hiring him, all in the space of 24 hours?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, besides that little faux pas. They're paying him a quarter million dollars, basically to keep his mouth shut about the whole situation."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, bet he loves that."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure. Now, shall we give the boys the good news?"</span></p> <p><span>"Let's go. I wanna see this."</span></p> <p><span>We walked to theater where I grabbed the remote and paused the movie. Four boys turned to look at me with daggers in their eyes for interrupting what must be a good show.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, what's the big deal, dad?" asked Joey</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it's almost over," added T.J.</span></p> <p><span>"I wanted to tell Joey and Alex some good news, but if the movie's more important, we'll just forget it. Bye." Tom and I turned to leave.</span></p> <p><span>"Come back here and spill it, bucko," Alex called to my back.</span></p> <p><span>I spun back around and said, "Bucko, huh. Now I'm never gonna' tell ya'. Be nice or you get nothing."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, dad, will you please tell us your good news?" Alex whined.</span></p> <p><span>"Since you asked so politely this time, I will. Mr. Thomas will be back at school in the morning. And Ms. Carr will be gone."</span></p> <p><span>"What!? How'd you do that?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yippee!" yelled Alex. "I didn't like that sub at all."</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, I just made a phone call. It was you two and Mr. Furman's daughter that really made things happen. Since you three told him the same story about what happened in your class Tuesday afternoon, he realized that Ms. Carr had lied to him and the other board members, and that they had made a decision based on bad information. They've corrected their mistake. This is a good example of why you should always tell the truth." </span></p> <p><span>"We will, dad. Thanks," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I'll let you finish the movie now and when it's over, shut everything down and come out for your snacks. Then, time for a chat, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks again, dad."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I headed to the living room and sat by the fireplace.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you've heard about my day, so, tell me, how was your day, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Unusually quiet. I drove around all day and did nothing but write one speeding ticket."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I hope the rest of your days on the job are just like today."</span></p> <p><span>"Me too. I really want to come out the other side in one piece."</span></p> <p><span>"We all want that, Tom. We're both long overdue for something good in our lives."</span></p> <p><span>"What's going on out at the end of the drive. I saw the big, cleared area. You building another house to get away from us all?"</span></p> <p><span>I laughed and answered, "Not a chance, Tom. I'm in for the long haul. No, I'm having a shelter built for the boys to be able to wait for the bus without freezing or getting wet."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a big bus stop. They must have cleared a 30-foot square area."</span></p> <p><span>"The building's only going to be 8' by 8', but I wanted a decent clear space all around it."</span></p> <p><span>"How much is that thing gonna' cost?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue. Can't say I really care, either."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, I don't know if I'll ever get used to that."</span></p> <p><span>"What?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not having to worry about money. I've worked 5 years as a cop, drive a 10 year-old car and consider myself lucky to have about ten grand in a savings account. And here you are, dropping at least that much just so the boys won't get cold or wet."</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing's too good for our boys, Tom. If I can provide it, I will." Tom started to tear up. "Now what are you crying about?"</span></p> <p><span>"What you just said, `our boys', I guess it hadn't really hit me just yet. Hearing you say it just drove it home. I've been pinching myself several time a day since Sunday, making sure this ain't just a dream. I know it's not, but, sometimes, I have to wonder."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, not a dream, you big softy. Tom Wright, this is your life." I sat next to him, took his hand in mine and gave him a sloppy wet kiss on the cheek. I immediately heard giggling from behind us and turned to find four hungry boys standing there. "Movie's done, I take it."</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, dad, and we're ready for that snack now," Mike said.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, kitchen boys, we'll be right behind you. C'mon, softy, we have some hungry monkeys to deal with." I helped him up and we followed the boys to get their snacks. "You guys okay with cookies again tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"Please," answered T.J.</span></p> <p><span>"And thank you," added Mike.</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, manners, nice to know at least two of my sons have some."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, we got some, too," complained Joey.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we just don't like to use `em much," Alex chipped in.</span></p> <p><span>"We're gonna' have to work on that, aren't we?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir," they responded.</span></p> <p><span>I set out the cookies for each while Tom poured the milk. While the boys were munching, I said, "This looks like a good time for that chat we need to have."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, man, again, do we hafta'?" Alex whined.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, we do. Can you please tell me which part of the house rules you missed? I was sure we were all present."</span></p> <p><span>"We were there, but we don't like em' much," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, whether you like them or not isn't nearly as important as following them. If the wrong thing happens with the wrong person, it could kill your adoptions."</span></p> <p><span>"They can't do that!" Alex yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, they can, in a heartbeat. The state and, by extension, Carol and Anna, are still responsible for the four of you. If word gets out that I'm allowing intimate contact between you four and anybody else, I would be going to jail and you would end up back in foster care. If you don't want that to happen, you need to control your impulses. I know it's not easy, but you have to figure out how to do it. Do you understand?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir," they answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good." I looked to the twins and asked, "Now which one of you two tried to wrap a hand around Dylan's penis last night?" Alex slowly raised his hand while he kept his eyes glued to the countertop. "Listen to me very carefully, all of you. Something like that cannot happen again, ever. What happens between the four of you is your business and not something I could control even if I wanted to. But such contact between adults and children is not allowed, in this house, or anywhere else."</span></p> <p><span>"But, dad, his dick was humongous. I just wanted to see what it felt like."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, I remember what it's like to be your age. You're curious about your own and other people's bodies and if they feel the same things you do. I can tell you, we do. Everybody has the same curiosity, but they've learned to control those impulses. Would you have ever tried to grab Mr. Mueller like that."</span></p> <p><span>"Hell, no," Joey spat. "He was a disgusting old fart and probably doesn't have nothin' to grab anyway." Tom turned his back to the boys and coughed to cover his laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Joey, Joey, Joey, what am I going to do with you? You really have quite the potty-mouth."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, dad."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, boys, I know you want to be able to more fully explore the feelings you're having. But, now is not the time. Some day in the future, maybe, but not now. I don't want to lose the chance of adopting you because you have no self-control. Do you think you can restrain yourselves, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, dad," answered Joey.</span></p> <p><span>"I think so, dad," from Alex.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll try, sir," T.J. added.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, daddy," mumbled Mike.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, I truly appreciate the effort it will take from each of you. Now, it's past your bedtime. Go jump in bed and Tom and I will be in to say goodnight after we clean up the snack mess."</span></p> <p><span>They slowly ambled towards their rooms while Tom and I cleaned up and loaded the dishwasher.</span></p> <p><span>"Do you think they got the message?" I asked. "I wasn't too hard on them, was I?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I think you were calm enough. Calmer than I would have been. As to whether they got the message, only time will tell."</span></p> <p><span>"I know. I remember being young and horny and I know it's not easy, but dammit, they gotta' learn now or they'll screw up the adoption. If that happened, I don't know what I'd do."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, Max, I'll do what I can to help. But, I'm with Alex, Dylan's dick <i>is</i> humongous and I kinda' wanted to grab it, too."</span></p> <p><span>I laughed and said, "Fine lotta' help you're gonna' be," I said as I punched him in the shoulder. "But, in all honesty, I guess I kinda' did too. Maybe next time he comes out, we can ask for permission," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Careful, Max, haven't you heard the old saying, `once you go black, you never go back'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I've heard it, just don't know if I believe it. Well, let's go check on the boys and make sure they're settled."</span></p> <p><span>The light in T.J. and Mike's room was off when we entered so I turned on the light on the dresser. The two were curled up together, T.J. holding Mike, sleeping peacefully. We kissed both on their foreheads and headed for the twins' room. Light was seeping through the gap around their partially open door. </span></p> <p><span>I looked at Tom and whispered, "Uh-oh, you sure you're ready for whatever may be going on in here?"</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell, why not?" he whispered back.</span></p> <p><span>We crept to the door and peeked through the gap between the door and frame. We found Joey and Alex lying flat on their backs, hands wrapped around the other's penis and calmly stroking each other. </span></p> <p><span>My knock was immediately answered with, "C'mon in."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I walked in and stood at the side of the bed. "Boys, it's time to go to sleep."</span></p> <p><span>"We know, we're just making it easier to fall asleep. You wanna' join us?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, not tonight guys," I answered as Tom choked beside me. "Would you, at least, stop for ten seconds so we can say goodnight?"</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose," Alex said, "but be quick, we're almost there and don't want to lose it."</span></p> <p><span>We leaned over, gave both quick kisses on the forehead and said, "Love you guys. Lights out in five."</span></p> <p><span>"Love you, too, dad, Uncle Tom," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>As we headed to the door, I heard Joey whisper, "I can't wait until they give up and join us. You can tell they want to. That'll be some real fun."</span></p> <p><span>I quietly closed the door and looked at Tom who stood there shaking his head. We headed down the hallway while I said, "I warned ya' and you didn't believe me. Believe me now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah. Those two are way ahead of where I was at that age."</span></p> <p><span>"Me too. The worst part is, I think they're right."</span></p> <p><span>"'Bout what?"</span></p> <p><span>"About it only being a matter of time before we give in and join them."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't think like that, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, do me a favor and look down."</span></p> <p><span>He did and pulled his head back up, shock written all over his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Apparently, neither one of is thinking with the right head at the moment."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, fuck, I knew this was gonna' happen?" he moaned.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I didn't, but it's happening to me, too. C'mon, big guy, let's go to the bedroom and talk."</span></p> <p><span>We went to our bedroom and I closed the door while Tom sat in a chair in the corner. I pulled the other chair closer and sat down, knee to knee. "Look, Tom, I know this isn't easy to think about, but we have to. I have never, in my life, looked at or thought of a boy in a sexual way. Except for when I was still a boy, myself."</span></p> <p><span>"Me either. Why now?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't have the answer to that. Having them running around the house nude all day doesn't faze me at all. But, I have to admit the fact that watching those two jerking or sucking each other excites the hell out of me. I think we can safely say that it excites you, too." </span></p> <p><span>"Well, duh, why else would I have a boner?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I would like to say you were thinkin' about me, but we both know that's not what happened, not this time anyway. Maybe it's kinda' the same effect as when you watch porn."</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't know, ain't never seen none," he smirked.</span></p> <p><span>"Bullshit, you expect me to believe that?"</span></p> <p><span>"I was hopin'," he grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you know how it is when you watch that crap. For whatever reason and no matter how you might try not to, you get aroused. I think maybe it's kind of the same thing. You know, like our own private porno show."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess that's possible. But it don't explain why I almost answered yes when they just asked us to join them."</span></p> <p><span>"Almost. That's the key word. We said no."</span></p> <p><span>"Correction, Max, you said no, I didn't say nothin' `cause I was afraid of what I'd say."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever, Tom. We can control this. We have to."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, Max. I'll do my best."</span></p> <p><span>"I know you will and I will, too. Now, let's get to bed and get some sleep. I'm wiped."</span></p> <p><span>I moved my chair back to its corner and we climbed into bed. I curled up behind Tom, holding him gently as we both settled in for a night of restless sleep.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-23.html

Building a Family 23 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 23 � Tuesday Evening "Did you guys have a good day at school?" "The morning was good, but this afternoon got kinda weird," Joey answered. "What happened this afternoon?" "Ms. Carr sat in our class all afternoon, taking notes of some kind." "Mr. Thomas was pretty upset over it," Alex added. "He didn't say anything about her being there, but we could tell, he wasn't happy about it." "What about you two?" "Fine," T.J. said. "It was okay," added Mike. "Good to hear, boys. Any homework to do tonight?" "Alex and I have some since we missed yesterday, but it's only math. We'll have it done in no time." "And I have some spelling words to work on. Can you help me with them, dad?" T.J. asked. "Sure thing. What about you Mike?" "Nope, nothin'." "All right," I said as I pulled in the garage. "Why don't we get set up at the kitchen counter and let's get the homework out of the way. Then you have the rest evening for a swim or whatever." "Yeah!" they all yelled. Once in the house, I said, "Get comfy and meet me in the kitchen." I headed to my bedroom and got undressed. As I returned to the kitchen, I was met by four nude boys scampering to their stools. I gave Mike a couple blank sheets of paper and a pack of colored pencils from my study and asked him to draw something while the others worked on their assignments. I started T.J. with writing his spelling words three times each. While he did that, I checked on Joey and Alex. Ken seemed to be right on the money about their math skills as they were putting answers to paper while barely looking at the problems in their books. They were finished in no time and when I checked their work, I found no errors. "How did you two get so good at math?" I asked. "Not a clue, dad," answered Alex. "It just comes to us." "Well, it's a good thing to have. Are you bored in the class?" "Most of the time, yeah, but our grades are perfect," Joey said. "That's what Mr. Thomas said. He also said I might want to consider some testing for you. If you did well on the tests, you might be able to start working on a higher level. Do you think you might want to do that?" "Sure, why not?" "I'll get in touch with him and get it set up." T.J. had finished writing his spelling words so I quizzed him on them and he got them all right. "We'll run through those again before bed to make sure you still got `em, okay?" "Sure, dad." "When's Tom gonna' be here?" "Not a clue, Mike. He had to talk to his boss this afternoon." "'Bout what?" T.J. asked. "I think I'll leave it to him to tell you. It's his news, after all." "What's for supper?" "How does hamburgers grab ya', Joey?" "Sounds great." "Good. Why don't you four get the table ready and I'll get the burgers ready to put on the grill when Tom gets home?" "But dad, I'm not done with my picture yet," Mike whined. "Go ahead and finish your picture and you can put the silverware out when you're done." "Thanks." The other three had the table ready in short order and I had the burgers ready soon after. Mike had finished his picture and proudly showed it off. He had a nice looking house with six people lined up in front of it, two taller people on the ends and four shorter ones in the middle. He'd carefully written the names of each of us under that person's figure on the drawing. At the bottom, he'd written `My New Family'. It was all I could do to not cry. "This is a great picture, Mike. I'm going to have to get some magnets so we can start putting artwork on the fridge. Until then, I'll keep in the study, okay." "I'm glad you like it. I wasn't sure." "You did a great job, son. I'll put it away for now, but let's make sure we show it to Tom when he gets home." "I will!" Mike squealed with joy. I headed to the study, placed the picture on the desk so it wouldn't get dirty and noticed the envelope with the shreds of twin's parent's picture. I smacked myself on the forehead, hard. I couldn't believe I'd forgotten about it. I left myself a note on the desk as a reminder to make some calls on it in the morning. As I headed back to the kitchen, the drive sensor went off. I was hoping it was Tom or there was going to a mad rush for us all to get some clothes back on. I looked out the front window and saw Tom climbing out of his car and breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to the passenger side and it was then I noticed someone else getting out of the car. I quickly headed to the bedroom to get dressed, telling the boys they needed to do the same. They took off for their rooms as I disappeared down the hall to mine. I heard the front door opening just as I opened the bedroom door. "Max, you here?" Tom called. "Be right there, Tom, I'm in the bedroom. The boys are in their rooms and should be back out shortly, also." "Okay, Dylan came home with me. Hope that's okay." "No problems, Tom." I returned to the living room just as the four boys were coming back down the hallway to join us. "Oh, there you are, Max. You remember Dylan from Saturday, don't you?" "Of course, I do, Tom. I'm not senile. Not yet anyway," I laughed. "Good to see you Dylan," I said as I shook his extended hand. Tom turned towards the boys, "Come here guys, I want you to meet my boss. Dylan, I want you to meet the boys I've told you about. From left to right, we have Alex, Joey, Mike and T.J. Boys, this is Sergeant Dylan Brock of the Sangamon County Sherriff's Department." "It's good to meet the four of you. Tom's told me a lot about you this afternoon. You guys all settled in your new home?" "We sure are, Mr. Brock," Joey answered. "How does it feel have a new dad and brothers?" "Great!" they yelled. "Whoa, boys, we're all in the same room, inside voices, please." "Sorry, sir," Alex apologized, "we just really like it here." "Yeah, Max is gonna' be a great dad," Mike answered. "I'm glad to hear it boys. Now, I hate to ask this, but would you please excuse us for a few minutes so I can talk to Tom and your dad?" "Sure thing, Mr. Brock," T.J. answered. He turned to me and added, "We'll be in our rooms, dad. Let us know when supper's ready." "You know I will." I turned to Tom and Dylan, "Welcome, Dylan, I didn't know you were coming out this afternoon." "Sorry, Max," Tom answered, "I didn't have a chance to call." "Not a problem. Would you like to join us for supper, Dylan? We're having hamburgers." "I'd like that, Max, thanks for the invite." "Well, why don't we sit by the fireplace and have that talk." I led the way and after we were seated, I asked, "So, what would you like to talk about?" I noticed Tom was looking at the floor and avoiding eye contact. "About this bonehead leaving the department," Dylan answered, pointing his thumb at Tom. "He's the best guy I've got out there and I don't want to lose him." "You're talking to the wrong man, Dylan. This is entirely his decision." "You mean to tell me you had nothing at all to do with this?" "I asked one question Sunday night and he told me that he'd already made his decision. My only input was to tell him that now that I'd found him, I sure didn't want to lose him." "Yeah, that's the same thing he told me he said to you." He turned to Tom, "Well, Tom, it sounds like I'm not going to talk you out of resigning, am I?" "No, sir. You know I love the job, but it scares the hell out of me these days. There's just too many lunatics roaming loose and raising havoc. I need to start doing something where I don't have to worry about coming home alive every night. I've been thinking about it for a while and meeting Max and the boys just solidified what I'd already decided." "Well, it's sure hard to argue with that logic. If I was living here, I'd sure want to make sure I came home every night, too," Dylan chuckled. "As much as this sucks for me, I'm happy for you two. I know how difficult it is for a gay man to find the right guy and connect." Tom shook his head and asked, "Wait, you're one of the guys you mentioned Saturday?" "Of course, I am, Tom. And had I been there Saturday, instead of you, it would have ended a whole lot worse for the Mueller's than it did. And, of course, I could see the way you two were looking at each other. I knew right then something was happening. Apparently, it took you two a little longer to figure it out." "Not too much longer, Dylan," I responded, "When was it, Tom, Sunday afternoon, right?" "Pretty much. I'm sorry, Sarge, really, but I have more to live for now than the job." "Damn right you do, and don't you ever forget it. So, what's your plan from here, Tom?" "I'd been thinking about starting my own private investigation agency and I'm pretty sure that's what's going to happen. Max said he'd talk to a few people and see if he can find me some clients to help get started." "And I found your first one today," I said. "What?! Who!?" "The agency Carol works for. I stopped by today and talked to Carol and Anna. They've had real problems finding competent people to handle background and abuse investigations. In fact, when I got there, Carol was with a young couple in the process of adopting a baby whose adoption got delayed several months because of a botched investigation. They were ecstatic about finding someone they think will do a more competent and comprehensive search." "Oh, my God, that's great!" "That's good news, Tom. And an excellent cause. I'd be inclined to allow the use of some department resources to help ensure no more mistakes like that happen again." "You're kidding me, Sarge, you won't even allow the local police departments to use our computers." "That's because most of those guys are ham-handed apes who don't know their asses from holes in the ground. You, young man, are way above them. You have the brains and innate curiosity that makes for a good investigator. I'm more than willing to help you succeed. Besides, if you do well, that reflects well back on me and I look brilliant for having hired you in the first place." We all enjoyed a laugh at that remark. "Thanks, Sarge, I appreciate it. So, when's my last day?" "Can you stick with it for a couple more weeks? That'll give me a chance to look at schedules and see who I can shift to your patrols." "Yeah, I can do that. I owe you that much." "It's a done deal then, Tom." Dylan turned to me, "You're one lucky mothe..., uh, dude, Max. You better take good care of all these fellas or you're gonna' have to deal with me. And I don't think you want that, do you?" "Not at all, Dylan. Thanks for the warning." "Don't mention it. Now, I have one more thing to tell the both of you." "Oh, shit, here it comes," laughed Tom. "Congratulations. On meeting each other and finding those four lucky boys. I think you are all going to be very happy together." "I think we are too, thanks, Dylan." "Yeah, me too, Sarge." "Well, if we're done with that, shall we eat?" I asked. I received nods from both men so I headed to get the boys and let them know to get ready to eat. T.J. came to the end of the hall and asked, "Uh, dad, can you come here?" "Sure." I walked to where he waited and asked, "What's up, son?" He wiggled his finger for me to come down to his level. When I knelt, he whispered in my ear, "Is Mr. Brock `other people'?" "I'll find out, go wait with your brothers and I'll let you know in a minute." I headed back to Tom and Dylan and Tom asked, "What's that all about? Don't' tell me they're suddenly getting shy." "Not at all, they just want to know if Dylan is `other people'." "Oh crap, I shoulda' known, shouldn't I?" "What's that mean, Max? Is that like `don't talk to strangers'," Dylan asked. "Uh, not exactly, Sarge." "Well, clue me in so we can eat. I'm getting hungry." "I got this, Tom." I turned to Dylan and explained the house rules to him. Dylan laughed heartily when I finished my explanation. "Hell, if they don't care, I don't care, either. Tell `em it's fine with me." "Tom, why don't you get changed while I tell the boys the good news. Then I can start cooking." I headed to the hallway and called out, "It's okay boys, he's one of us." A resounding chorus us acceptance cheers rang from the twins' room and as I turned to the kitchen to start the hamburgers, the first boy emerged wearing only his birthday suit. I just shook my head and pulled the burgers out of the fridge. I had just put the first one on the grill when I saw Tom had returned, also wearing his birthday suit. "Et tu, Brute?" "Like you said the other night, `when in Rome'." Dylan laughed again. Until Joey looked him square in the eyes and asked, "Aren't you gonna' join us, Mr. Brock?" The laugh quickly turned into a cough. "Um, I don't think so, boys." "Why not?" Alex quizzed him. "Yeah, why not?" T.J. echoed. "I told you guys he'd be too chicken," Mike chimed in. Dylan was now seriously blushing, although it was hard to tell for sure due to his darker skin color. "Well, it seems your dad is remaining clothed and I just think I should, too." "That's not going to work, Dylan. Not with them, anyway. Besides, as soon as I'm done cooking food that's spattering hot grease, I'm joining the crowd." "Guess I'm outnumbered, then, aren't I? Okay, where can I put my clothes?" "Tom, why don't you direct him to the empty bedroom. There's hangers in the closet if wants to use them." "Sure thing, Max. C'mon, Sarge, this way." Dylan followed Tom to the bedroom so he could get undressed. "Really, Sarge, you don't have to do this if you don't want to. I know it's gotta be weird for ya'." He removed his shirt as he said, "It's all good, Tom. Been a while since I've been naked around anyone else, you know. Hope nothin' comes up that shouldn't, if you get my drift," Dylan said as he removed his pants. "Oh, I got it alright. If it does, it won't be a big deal, we are slowly getting used to it, too. Besides, shit happens, don't it?" Dylan had just removed his boxers and Tom got his first look at his boss nude. "Okay, I take that back, maybe it will be a big deal," and laughed. "I shoulda' warned ya', Tom. Bet you thought you was the `big man on campus', didn't ya'?" "Not no more, Sarge. Damn, how the hell do you walk?" "Very carefully, my man" Dylan answered and laughed, clapping Tom on the shoulder. "And I'm no longer Sarge. No uniform, no rank, okay. Dylan's fine." "Well, let's go back and rejoin the others, Dylan. Burgers should be about ready." "Lead the way, Tom." By the time Tom and Dylan had returned, the boys had added another place setting, ketchup, mustard and pickles to the table and set out three different kinds of chips. I had just finished the hamburgers and was about to set the tray on the table when the two entered the kitchen. I literally dropped the tray the last two inches to the table after catching a glimpse of Dylan as he stepped out from behind Tom. The boys all whistled in appreciation and I heard one of the twins whisper `holy shit'. "I believe I'll get comfortable before I sit. Go ahead and get started. I'll be right back." I returned just in time to hear T.J. ask, "Are all black guys as big as you?" "Thomas, that's not a question you should ask," I scolded. "Whoops, sorry, dad. Sorry, Mr. Brock." "No problem, son, it's normal to be curious about others," Dylan chuckled. "I've heard that exact same question in many a locker room from many a white guy over the years. I'm used to it and take it as a compliment nowadays." "Well, are they," T.J. persisted. "Thomas, please, can we just eat?" I asked, trying to end his interrogation of our guest. "To answer your question, T.J., no they're not. Most I've seen are more like your dad and Tom. I'm one of the rare exceptions. And remember, most men would be offended at your question and not be as nice about it as I am. You need to be more careful who you ask questions like that, understand?" "Yes, sir," he answered, hanging his head. "Can we please eat now?" I asked, hoping that full mouths would hinder any further questions. That seemed to finally do the trick and everyone dug in to their burgers. As usual, when we were done eating, the boys cleaned up the table, stacking the dishes in the sink. Once that task was completed, they returned to the table to join our conversation. "Hey, Uncle Tom, dad said you might have some news for us when you got home," Joey said. "Yeah," Alex added, "what's that all about." Tom looked at me, "You didn't tell them?" "Nope, I thought that since it's your news, you should be the one to tell `em." "Okie-dokie, then." He turned to face the boys and continued, "Boys, I am leaving the Sherriff's department. That's the main reason Dylan is here tonight. He was gonna' try to talk me out of quitting." "But why you quittin', Uncle Tom?" asked Joey. "I thought you liked bein' a cop." "I do, but it's a very dangerous job and now that I have you guys and Max in my life, I want to make sure I can come home every night. I can't stay a cop and do that." "We don't want to lose you, either, Uncle Tom," T.J. said. "We love you, too. I'm glad you're quitting." "What are you gonna' do now?" asked Alex. "I'm going to open my own private investigation office." "What're you going to be doing?" "Well, Max went to see Carol and Anna today and part of what I'll be doing is background checks on foster parents and folks who are adopting. We want to make sure all the kids who need new homes, temporary and permanent, are going to good ones. I don't ever want to see a kid living with someone like the Mueller's." "That's great, Uncle Tom. People like the Mueller's don't deserve to have any kids, ever," Joey said. "What can we do to help?" asked Alex. "Nothing I can think of," Tom chuckled. "Investigations like that are an adult's job." "But we can help," Joey protested. "We knew the Mueller's were bad people right off, but we couldn't take the chance of being split up." "Yeah living there sucked big time, but we didn't know what would happen to us, so we didn't make any problems. Besides sleeping in the same bed, naked," Alex said while he grinned mischievously at Joey. "Alexander, mouth." "Sorry, dad, but it did suck." "Boys, Dylan's going to help out, too. He's promised to allow me access to the county's computers to help out. He doesn't let just anyone do that." "It's for a good cause and I trust you to not abuse the privilege." "It's still going to help out a lot, Dylan, and I can't thank you enough." "Oh, Mike, why don't run into the study and grab the picture you drew so Tom can see it? it's right on the desk." He took off with a flash of his pearly white buns and quickly returned, picture in hand, which he proudly showed to Tom. "This is great, Mike. You did a great job." "You like how I named everybody?" "It's just perfect. We'll have to put this on the fridge." "As soon as I can get some magnets, Tom.," I answered. Dylan leaned over to see the picture and commented, "You have some real talent there, Mike. I wish I had a picture like that to put on my fridge." "Can't your son draw you one like I did?" "I suppose he could if I had one, Mike. I'm not married, though, and I don't have any kids. Someday, maybe," he added wistfully. "So," I interrupted, "who's ready for a swim?" Everyone but Dylan raised their hand. "Oh, c'mon, Dylan, a little dip won't hurt ya'." "Seems to be a little cold out there for a swim, Max, I think I'll pass." "Follow me." I led Dylan to the glass wall facing the pool and turned on the outside lights illuminating the pool shelter. "Well, that changes things. I do believe you've talked me into in, Max." "Boys, grab towels for seven, please." They scampered off to the laundry room, returned with the towels as requested and we headed out for our swim. The boys tossed their towels on the table and jumped right in. Tom, Dylan and I were a bit more sedate in joining them, but once in the water, we were smothered by four squirming, naked boys. Joey and Alex were working over Dylan, Mike had jumped on Tom and T.J. attacked me. We spent the next 30 minutes playing with four giggling boys before we excused ourselves to calmer waters in the deep end of the pool. "Whoa, what a workout," Dylan panted. "Those twins are brutal. And deliberate. I swear they were brushing my crotch intentionally, trying to get a reaction from me." "Yeah, they probably were," I spit out as I snorted in disbelief. "Sorry `bout that Dylan. It happens to us every time and I should have warned you," I said. "No harm done, Max, all guys are curious about others, especially boys that age. Now, I don't want you thinkin' I'm some sicko, but they got the reaction they was lookin' for. With all of that contact, I couldn't help myself. Of course, them bein' hard as nails and rubbin' `em all over me didn't help one damn bit. One of them even tried to wrap a hand around it. Couldn't come close, of course, but it sure didn't stop him from tryin'," Dylan chuckled. "Look, Dylan," Tom started, "I know we told T.J. it was inappropriate to ask a certain question, but I was wondering..." Dylan waved his hand and cut Tom off mid-sentence. "Ah, another curious white boy. Are you sure you want to see and remove all doubt? I don't want to embarrass my hosts of this wonderful evening." "Oh, you've already done that, can't get any worse. Can it?" I asked. "Just remember, you asked for it. I don't want to hear no damn whining." With that, Dylan placed his hands on the side of the pool, lifted his body free of the water and exposed himself to Tom and me. We were both awestruck at the massive, hard cock in front of us and blushed in shame. "Okay, it can. How the hell are you still conscious? Half your body's blood supply must be in one spot, right now," Tom exclaimed. Dylan laughed heartily. "Don't say I didn't warn ya'," he commented as he lowered himself back into the water. "Now, Max, seein' as how we're gettin' all personal, ya' won't mind if I ask you a question, will ya'?" "Oh, hell, why not? Whatever it is couldn't possibly be more humbling." "Okay, where the hell is all your hair?" I laughed at the question. "I see curiosity isn't limited to us white boys. The boys asked the same question the first time we were all nude together, wanted to know why Tom was all hairy and I wasn't. The quick answer is, obviously, I shave or keep it trimmed real short." "Can I ask why?" "I like the look and feel of it, Dylan. Just some weird little kink in my brain. It's not for everybody, I know." "When did you start?" "I guess I was about 20, maybe 21." "That surprises me. At that age, body hair, one spot especially, always seems to be important to a guy. Tryin' to reinforce the fact that they're now a `man', ya' know?" "Yeah, and when the hair first started sprouting, it was important, but once I got out on my own and wasn't dealing with locker rooms daily, it became less and less a thing I cared about. I tried shaving a couple times and then let it grow back, but eventually decided I preferred life without it. Haven't been in a locker room since," I chuckled. "I'd imagine. You'd be questioned about that just like I'm questioned about black guys and the size of the dicks. It gets tiresome." "Well, Dylan, you're welcome to come out any time and make use of the pool. I don't think you have to worry about any more questions here, will he Tom." "Not from me. Can't really say for the boys, though," he joked. We spent another 45 minutes in the pool relaxing and chatting while the boys played together before I called out time for showers, snacks and bed. The boys hopped out of the pool, grabbed their towels and headed for the house, drying themselves before leaving the warmth of the shelter. The three of us were a little more relaxed in our return to the house. By the time we reached the kitchen, the boys were running in and climbing up on their stools for their snack. I set them up with sliced apples and juice tonight and they dug in. Once the snacks were completed, Tom and I excused ourselves for a few minutes to tuck the boys in and give them their nightly goodnight kisses. "Dad," Joey started, "We really like Dylan. Do you think he'll come back?" "Yeah, he was a lot fun, especially in the pool," Alex said. "And he's got a giant dick, especially when it's hard." "Boys, I don't know if he'll be back or not. All we can do is ask. As to the other, I think we need to have another talk because the first one apparently didn't stick. Not tonight, though, tomorrow, after school." "'Night, dad, `night Uncle Tom. We love you." "We love you, too. See you in the morning." We stopped to check on T.J. and Mike on our way back to the living room and heard them snoring lightly. What a sweet sound that was. We rejoined Dylan in the living room where we found him admiring the art over the fireplace. "Dylan, can I interest you in a cup of coffee or hot chocolate before you leave?" "Coffee sounds great, Max. Thanks." I headed to the kitchen to brew a fresh pot and when I returned, Tom and Dylan were sitting next to the fireplace and in deep conversation. I passed them each a steaming cup, took a seat and said, "You two sound like you're planning a complete overhaul of the juvenile criminal justice system." They both laughed. "Nothing quite that grand," Tom replied, "but we do want to see what we can do improve the background checks for Anna and Carol." "Yeah," Dylan continued, "That situation you described earlier should have never happened. We need to work together to make sure it doesn't happen again." "Mind if I make a suggestion?" "Sure thing, Max. The more people we can get involved in this, the better off we'll be," Tom answered. "Well, in the past couple weeks, I've met more gay people and folks who know someone who's gay than I've met in the last 12 years. Part of that, I'm sure, is just getting the hell out of this house. And that includes those four boys sleeping down the hall." "Wait a sec," Dylan interrupted, "they're all gay?" "So they say. That's the main reason Carol felt comfortable placing them with me. She wanted them have a positive environment to grow up in. I know not every kid realizes who they are at the same age, for me, it was when I was about seven or eight. Tom told me he was about 11 or 12 when he figured it out. How about you, Dylan?" "Thirteen. I remember that night like it was yesterday. I was having a friend, Malcolm White, spend a weekend with me, camping in the back yard. Today's parents would say I was molested, but nothin' happened I didn't want happenin'. When he slid his hard, well-lubed cock in my ass while reaching around and strokin' mine, I knew right then I'd never screw a woman. I loved every second of that weekend, and the many weekends that followed. He and his family moved away when we were both 16, but if he hadn't, I bet we'd still be together. Damn, I really loved him and I miss him dearly." "Well, that was a little more information than I was looking for, but it proves my point. After I started the process of trying to adopt, and then finding out the boys were gay, I started to wonder how many other gay kids are out there, living in situations they shouldn't be." "My god, Max, I can't believe I hadn't thought about that myself," Tom exclaimed. "I'm not saying you should focus solely on gay kids, but should make the extra effort to ensure gay kids or ones who think they may be are placed in accepting homes. I don't think the adults need to be gay, necessarily, but they should definitely not be like the Mueller's or my parents. That's the worst thing we could do with these kids." "You're right, of course," Dylan said. "I think we can do that." "I'm in complete agreement," Tom added. "Once I start the new job, I'll talk to Carol and see if she can help identify kids needing special placements." "That sounds like a plan to me, Tom," I said. "Oh, by the way," Dylan started, "with everything else this evening, I forgot to tell you something I think you're both going to enjoy hearing." "What's that, Dylan?" I asked. "I went to see a judge today and walked out of his chambers with summonses for both Frank and Iris Mueller. When I explained to the judge what happened with them on Saturday, he was disgusted. Both have been charged with obstructing and destruction of personal property. They appear in court next week to enter their pleas. I personally delivered the papers to their home. You wouldn't believe the look on their faces when I handed each of them their summons. It was priceless." "Whoo-hoo!" we hollered. "What date and time?" "Next Thursday at 10:00AM. Tom will have to be there since he was the officer on the scene and you may be called as witness, Max." "Excellent, I'll be there. I can't wait to see them get what they deserve." We spent the next hour chatting and getting to know each other better. I really enjoyed Dylan's company, he has a great sense of humor and a very outgoing personality. About 10:30, he suddenly stood and said, "Well, fellas, it long past the time I should be getting home, I have an early meeting in the morning and it wouldn't do for the boss to arrive late. I better grab my clothes and skedaddle." He headed to the spare bedroom to grab his clothes and was back sooner than I thought he would be. It took me a moment to realize he was carrying his clothes instead of wearing them. "Um, Dylan," Tom said, "I think you might have forgotten something." He looked startled and then looked closer at the bundle in his arms. "Let's see, pants, shirts, belt, socks, shoes, gun, cuffs, radio. No, it looks I got it all." "You're not wearing it?" Tom asked incredulously. "Eh, why bother, I'll just have to take it all back off when I get home." "I can't believe this," Tom muttered. "What if you get stopped on the way?" "I'm driving a marked car, Tom. Who the hell's gonna' stop me? Besides, I do this all the time," he laughed. "My garage is connected to the house, so I can get from the car to the house without being seen." "Please don't let the boys know about this, Dylan," I pleaded, "It's hard enough to keep them in clothes as it is. I don't need it to be even more difficult." "Good luck with that," he laughed. "Well, I want to thank you both for a wonderful evening, I can't remember the last time I enjoyed myself as much as I did tonight. Max, you're a lucky man and I envy you. Tom, I'll see you in the morning. Remember, though, I'll be your sergeant again, and I'll expect proper respect on the job." "I'll be there, boss, with bells on." "Your regular uniform will be fine, Tom. The bells might be saying more than you want," Dylan cracked. "Dylan, I'm glad you had a pleasant evening. I was serious about you returning and I know the boys would like you to come back, also." "I may just take you up on that offer, you never know. Adios, amigos." With that, he turned and headed out the door, shiny, bare, black ass reflecting the lights outside the front door. "Well, that was interesting," Tom said while shaking his head in disbelief. "I've worked with him almost every day for the last five years and never picked up a hint Dylan was gay." "Sounds a lot like you and me, bubba. The few people I've told so far never thought it was a possibility, either. Nice to get to know people away from work, isn't it?" "Yeah, it is. And to find out he had no problem with the nudity was an even bigger surprise." "Tell me, Tom, if you had his equipment, would you ever have a problem being naked around other guys. The truth." "No, I guess not. But, damn, I feel for sorry for any guy he hooks up with. He could kill someone with that thing." "I hope he felt welcome enough to come back. Dylan's a great guy." "Yeah, he is. It'd be nice to know him outside the job." "Okay, enough about him. Are you ready to go to bed?" "Not really. We never got our showers after swimming and I need to get the chlorine off me before I turn whiter than I already am." "Head on in, I'll put our cups in the dishwasher and meet you there." "Best offer I've had all day," he said as he turned and headed down the hall. "Better be the only offer you've had today, smartass," I called to his back as he giggled his way down the hall. His back was to the door when I entered the bathroom a minute later and the water was running over him as he bent over to hang his head down. I quietly stepped in the shower, slid in behind him, nestling my penis in the cleft between his cheeks and whispered, "Guess who?" "Brad Pitt? No, too small. I know, George Clooney. No, too big. Damn, who could that be, knockin' at my back door?" I grabbed his arm, spun him around and ask, "Really?" "Ah, Maxwill Sanders, perfect in every way. Where've you been all my life?" "Living right here, among the trees, patiently waiting for Mr. Right to find me. If you see him, would you point him my direction, please?" "I love you Max Sanders and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you." We embraced under the water and held each other as we started kissing. Our hands roamed over the other's body, eventually finding the hard members stuck between our bodies. We had just started to stroke each other when Tom backed off and said, "I have other plans for you tonight." He stepped out of the shower, grabbed his towel and started to dry himself off as he stepped through the door to the bedroom. I followed him, dumbfounded and unhappy at the sudden turn of events. He stopped at the nightstand on his side of the bed, remove a couple of items from the drawer and climbed into the middle of the king-sized bed, kneeling in the middle of the mattress. He then patted my side of the bed with his empty hand, beckoning me to join him. He then had me lay down, roll over on my stomach and whispered in my ear, "Tonight is all about you, lover." I started to complain, but he put a finger to my lips to shush me. He then pulled his other hand from behind his back revealing a blindfold he had pulled from the nightstand. He gently lifted my head and put the blindfold in place. Next, I felt a warmish liquid dribbling on my back from my shoulders to my waist, which he proceeded to massage into my skin while he straddled my legs. It felt so good, I could feel every ounce of tension leave my back and shoulders as his hands worked their magic. My arms were next on his intimate exploration of my body, from shoulders to fingertips. I then felt the bed shake as he shifted his body lower and the oil was drizzled up my legs from my ankles to top of my thighs. He continued his massage, paying particular attention to my feet and toes. The bed shook again as he moved up and oil was drizzled on my ass. Tom spent an extended period of time massaging my globes. When his fingers slipped in my cleft and brushed my anus, I literally quivered uncontrollably in delight from head to toe. In 34 years of life, I had never felt so alive and loved. He pronounced his work on the back side was complete and it was time for me to roll over so he could work on the front. He helped me accomplish the task since I was as limp as a noodle from his ministrations. Except for one particular spot that was throbbing several inches above my pubis, dribbling in anticipation of what was yet to come. Tom straddled my legs again and oil was drizzled from my neck to my groin, followed by his hands spreading warm oil over my chest and abdomen. He paid special attention to my nipples and somehow missed touching my begging erection. He attacked my arms again, making sure he hadn't missed a spot from his previous work on them. He then shifted lower on the bed again and more oil was drizzled and spread up each leg, from ankles to the tops of my thighs again. I had never felt such pleasure and agony at the same time, pleasure from his loving touch and the agony of anticipation. I next felt a warm wetness surround my throbbing cock and realized Tom had swallowed me until his nose was buried in my hairless groin. I nearly knocked us both off the bed at the surprise and if Tom hadn't been straddling me and helping hold me down, I probably would have succeeded. He suckled my hardness for a few moments then withdrew his mouth as I moaned and he replaced it with more warm oil and his hands. "Not quite yet, sweetheart, but soon," he whispered. He continued massaging my member and brought me to the brink three times before he again whispered, "Okay, I think you're ready now." I felt the bed shaking as he moved up my body until his knees were almost buried in my armpits. He then grabbed my hard cock, stood it straight up and slowly lowered his body until the tip touched his pucker. He continued to lower his body, breathing slowly and moaning, until he was sitting on my thighs and I felt his balls resting on my bare groin and his pre-cum dripping in my navel. He sat still for a minute or two as we both became accustomed to these new feelings. He removed my blindfold and said, "I want you to see this." I looked down our bodies to find his drooling cock pointing directly at my face and his balls resting nicely where my pubic hair should have been. My own cock was completely hidden from view, buried deep in his ass. He began a slow rocking motion that was driving me wild and I thrashed on the bed. He then raised his body until just the tip remained inserted and promptly lowered himself again to rebury the entire length in his most intimate area. He continued to ride me, gaining speed until I could hold on no longer. We were both moaning wildly. "I'm going to cum, Tom," I hissed through clenched teeth. "Let yourself go. I want to feel your load shoot deep in my ass," he cried in exhilaration. And I did, shot after shot of cream filling his ass. That must have triggered something in Tom as the next thing I felt was his semen landing on my chest and his sphincter clamping my rod as he continued to ride me. When we were both spent, he collapsed on top of me, spreading his offering between the two of us. "Oh, my god, I have waited so long for that," he whimpered. "The `aids' I had were okay, but nothing like the real thing. I'm so glad you were the first to share the experience the with me." "I'm with you, in more ways than one. I don't think a hand will ever suffice again." "We're going to find new territories of pleasure together, you and me. I hope you're ready for it." "Been ready for years, Tom, I just needed to find the right guy. I'm glad I finally did." "Me, too. Even gladder it was me," he laughed. "By the way, where'd you get the blindfold and oil?" "You remember that little box I grabbed from my apartment the other day?" "Yeah, but you stashed it as soon as we got home and I forgot about it. What else are you hiding from me, young man?" "You'll find out," he laughed. "Um, I think we both need another shower." "Come on, lover, let me get you cleaned up." We headed to the bathroom and lovingly cleaned each other. Once we dried off, we climbed back into bed, curled up together and fell into a deep, dreamless and contented sleep. Until the alarm went off early the next morning.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 23</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free.&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc474633675"><span>Chapter 23 � Tuesday Evening</span></a><span> </span></h2> <p><span>"Did you guys have a good day at school?"</span></p> <p><span>"The morning was good, but this afternoon got kinda weird," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"What happened this afternoon?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ms. Carr sat in our class all afternoon, taking notes of some kind."</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Thomas was pretty upset over it," Alex added. "He didn't say anything about her being there, but we could tell, he wasn't happy about it."</span></p> <p><span>"What about you two?"</span></p> <p><span>"Fine," T.J. said.</span></p> <p><span>"It was okay," added Mike.</span></p> <p><span>"Good to hear, boys. Any homework to do tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"Alex and I have some since we missed yesterday, but it's only math. We'll have it done in no time."</span></p> <p><span>"And I have some spelling words to work on. Can you help me with them, dad?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing. What about you Mike?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, nothin'."</span></p> <p><span>"All right," I said as I pulled in the garage. "Why don't we get set up at the kitchen counter and let's get the homework out of the way. Then you have the rest evening for a swim or whatever."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah!" they all yelled.</span></p> <p><span>Once in the house, I said, "Get comfy and meet me in the kitchen." I headed to my bedroom and got undressed. As I returned to the kitchen, I was met by four nude boys scampering to their stools. I gave Mike a couple blank sheets of paper and a pack of colored pencils from my study and asked him to draw something while the others worked on their assignments. I started T.J. with writing his spelling words three times each. While he did that, I checked on Joey and Alex. Ken seemed to be right on the money about their math skills as they were putting answers to paper while barely looking at the problems in their books. They were finished in no time and when I checked their work, I found no errors. </span></p> <p><span>"How did you two get so good at math?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue, dad," answered Alex. "It just comes to us."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's a good thing to have. Are you bored in the class?"</span></p> <p><span>"Most of the time, yeah, but our grades are perfect," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"That's what Mr. Thomas said. He also said I might want to consider some testing for you. If you did well on the tests, you might be able to start working on a higher level. Do you think you might want to do that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, why not?" </span></p> <p><span>"I'll get in touch with him and get it set up." T.J. had finished writing his spelling words so I quizzed him on them and he got them all right. "We'll run through those again before bed to make sure you still got `em, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, dad."</span></p> <p><span>"When's Tom gonna' be here?" </span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue, Mike. He had to talk to his boss this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"'Bout what?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I think I'll leave it to him to tell you. It's his news, after all."</span></p> <p><span>"What's for supper?" </span></p> <p><span>"How does hamburgers grab ya', Joey?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds great."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Why don't you four get the table ready and I'll get the burgers ready to put on the grill when Tom gets home?"</span></p> <p><span>"But dad, I'm not done with my picture yet," Mike whined.</span></p> <p><span>"Go ahead and finish your picture and you can put the silverware out when you're done."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks."</span></p> <p><span>The other three had the table ready in short order and I had the burgers ready soon after. Mike had finished his picture and proudly showed it off. He had a nice looking house with six people lined up in front of it, two taller people on the ends and four shorter ones in the middle. He'd carefully written the names of each of us under that person's figure on the drawing. At the bottom, he'd written `My New Family'. It was all I could do to not cry. </span></p> <p><span>"This is a great picture, Mike. I'm going to have to get some magnets so we can start putting artwork on the fridge. Until then, I'll keep in the study, okay."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad you like it. I wasn't sure."</span></p> <p><span>"You did a great job, son. I'll put it away for now, but let's make sure we show it to Tom when he gets home."</span></p> <p><span>"I will!" Mike squealed with joy.</span></p> <p><span>I headed to the study, placed the picture on the desk so it wouldn't get dirty and noticed the envelope with the shreds of twin's parent's picture. I smacked myself on the forehead, hard. I couldn't believe I'd forgotten about it. I left myself a note on the desk as a reminder to make some calls on it in the morning. As I headed back to the kitchen, the drive sensor went off. I was hoping it was Tom or there was going to a mad rush for us all to get some clothes back on. I looked out the front window and saw Tom climbing out of his car and breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to the passenger side and it was then I noticed someone else getting out of the car. I quickly headed to the bedroom to get dressed, telling the boys they needed to do the same. They took off for their rooms as I disappeared down the hall to mine. I heard the front door opening just as I opened the bedroom door.</span></p> <p><span>"Max, you here?" Tom called.</span></p> <p><span>"Be right there, Tom, I'm in the bedroom. The boys are in their rooms and should be back out shortly, also."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Dylan came home with me. Hope that's okay."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, Tom." I returned to the living room just as the four boys were coming back down the hallway to join us.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, there you are, Max. You remember Dylan from Saturday, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I do, Tom. I'm not senile. Not yet anyway," I laughed. "Good to see you Dylan," I said as I shook his extended hand.</span></p> <p><span>Tom turned towards the boys, "Come here guys, I want you to meet my boss. Dylan, I want you to meet the boys I've told you about. From left to right, we have Alex, Joey, Mike and T.J. Boys, this is Sergeant Dylan Brock of the Sangamon County Sherriff's Department."</span></p> <p><span>"It's good to meet the four of you. Tom's told me a lot about you this afternoon. You guys all settled in your new home?"</span></p> <p><span>"We sure are, Mr. Brock," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"How does it feel have a new dad and brothers?"</span></p> <p><span>"Great!" they yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, boys, we're all in the same room, inside voices, please."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, sir," Alex apologized, "we just really like it here."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Max is gonna' be a great dad," Mike answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it boys. Now, I hate to ask this, but would you please excuse us for a few minutes so I can talk to Tom and your dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Mr. Brock," T.J. answered. He turned to me and added, "We'll be in our rooms, dad. Let us know when supper's ready."</span></p> <p><span>"You know I will." I turned to Tom and Dylan, "Welcome, Dylan, I didn't know you were coming out this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, Max," Tom answered, "I didn't have a chance to call."</span></p> <p><span>"Not a problem. Would you like to join us for supper, Dylan? We're having hamburgers."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd like that, Max, thanks for the invite."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, why don't we sit by the fireplace and have that talk." I led the way and after we were seated, I asked, "So, what would you like to talk about?" I noticed Tom was looking at the floor and avoiding eye contact.</span></p> <p><span>"About this bonehead leaving the department," Dylan answered, pointing his thumb at Tom. "He's the best guy I've got out there and I don't want to lose him."</span></p> <p><span>"You're talking to the wrong man, Dylan. This is entirely his decision."</span></p> <p><span>"You mean to tell me you had nothing at all to do with this?"</span></p> <p><span>"I asked one question Sunday night and he told me that he'd already made his decision. My only input was to tell him that now that I'd found him, I sure didn't want to lose him."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's the same thing he told me he said to you." He turned to Tom, "Well, Tom, it sounds like I'm not going to talk you out of resigning, am I?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, sir. You know I love the job, but it scares the hell out of me these days. There's just too many lunatics roaming loose and raising havoc. I need to start doing something where I don't have to worry about coming home alive every night. I've been thinking about it for a while and meeting Max and the boys just solidified what I'd already decided."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's sure hard to argue with that logic. If I was living here, I'd sure want to make sure I came home every night, too," Dylan chuckled. "As much as this sucks for me, I'm happy for you two. I know how difficult it is for a gay man to find the right guy and connect."</span></p> <p><span>Tom shook his head and asked, "Wait, y<i>ou're</i> one of the guys you mentioned Saturday?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I am, Tom. And had I been there Saturday, instead of you, it would have ended a whole lot worse for the Mueller's than it did. And, of course, I could see the way you two were looking at each other. I knew right then something was happening. Apparently, it took you two a little longer to figure it out."</span></p> <p><span>"Not too much longer, Dylan," I responded, "When was it, Tom, Sunday afternoon, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty much. I'm sorry, Sarge, really, but I have more to live for now than the job."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right you do, and don't you ever forget it. So, what's your plan from here, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'd been thinking about starting my own private investigation agency and I'm pretty sure that's what's going to happen. Max said he'd talk to a few people and see if he can find me some clients to help get started."</span></p> <p><span>"And I found your first one today," I said.</span></p> <p><span>"What?! Who!?"</span></p> <p><span>"The agency Carol works for. I stopped by today and talked to Carol and Anna. They've had real problems finding competent people to handle background and abuse investigations. In fact, when I got there, Carol was with a young couple in the process of adopting a baby whose adoption got delayed several months because of a botched investigation. They were ecstatic about finding someone they think will do a more competent and comprehensive search."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my God, that's great!"</span></p> <p><span>"That's good news, Tom. And an excellent cause. I'd be inclined to allow the use of some department resources to help ensure no more mistakes like that happen again."</span></p> <p><span>"You're kidding me, Sarge, you won't even allow the local police departments to use our computers."</span></p> <p><span>"That's because most of those guys are ham-handed apes who don't know their asses from holes in the ground. You, young man, are way above them. You have the brains and innate curiosity that makes for a good investigator. I'm more than willing to help you succeed. Besides, if you do well, that reflects well back on me and I look brilliant for having hired you in the first place." We all enjoyed a laugh at that remark.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Sarge, I appreciate it. So, when's my last day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Can you stick with it for a couple more weeks? That'll give me a chance to look at schedules and see who I can shift to your patrols."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I can do that. I owe you that much."</span></p> <p><span>"It's a done deal then, Tom." Dylan turned to me, "You're one lucky mothe..., uh, dude, Max. You better take good care of all these fellas or you're gonna' have to deal with me. And I don't think you want that, do you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all, Dylan. Thanks for the warning."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't mention it. Now, I have one more thing to tell the both of you."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit, here it comes," laughed Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"Congratulations. On meeting each other and finding those four lucky boys. I think you are all going to be very happy together."</span></p> <p><span>"I think we are too, thanks, Dylan."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, me too, Sarge."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if we're done with that, shall we eat?" I asked. I received nods from both men so I headed to get the boys and let them know to get ready to eat. </span></p> <p><span>T.J. came to the end of the hall and asked, "Uh, dad, can you come here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure." I walked to where he waited and asked, "What's up, son?"</span></p> <p><span>He wiggled his finger for me to come down to his level. When I knelt, he whispered in my ear, "Is Mr. Brock `other people'?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll find out, go wait with your brothers and I'll let you know in a minute."</span></p> <p><span>I headed back to Tom and Dylan and Tom asked, "What's that all about? Don't' tell me they're suddenly getting shy."</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all, they just want to know if Dylan is `other people'."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh crap, I shoulda' known, shouldn't I?"</span></p> <p><span>"What's that mean, Max? Is that like `don't talk to strangers'," Dylan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, not exactly, Sarge."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, clue me in so we can eat. I'm getting hungry."</span></p> <p><span>"I got this, Tom." I turned to Dylan and explained the house rules to him.</span></p> <p><span>Dylan laughed heartily when I finished my explanation. "Hell, if they don't care, I don't care, either. Tell `em it's fine with me."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, why don't you get changed while I tell the boys the good news. Then I can start cooking." I headed to the hallway and called out, "It's okay boys, he's one of us." A resounding chorus us acceptance cheers rang from the twins' room and as I turned to the kitchen to start the hamburgers, the first boy emerged wearing only his birthday suit. I just shook my head and pulled the burgers out of the fridge. I had just put the first one on the grill when I saw Tom had returned, also wearing his birthday suit. "Et tu, Brute?"</span></p> <p><span>"Like you said the other night, `when in Rome'."</span></p> <p><span>Dylan laughed again. Until Joey looked him square in the eyes and asked, "Aren't you gonna' join us, Mr. Brock?"</span></p> <p><span>The laugh quickly turned into a cough. "Um, I don't think so, boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Why not?" Alex quizzed him.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, why not?" T.J. echoed.</span></p> <p><span>"I told you guys he'd be too chicken," Mike chimed in.</span></p> <p><span>Dylan was now seriously blushing, although it was hard to tell for sure due to his darker skin color. "Well, it seems your dad is remaining clothed and I just think I should, too."</span></p> <p><span>"That's not going to work, Dylan. Not with them, anyway. Besides, as soon as I'm done cooking food that's spattering hot grease, I'm joining the crowd."</span></p> <p><span>"Guess I'm outnumbered, then, aren't I? Okay, where can I put my clothes?"</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, why don't you direct him to the empty bedroom. There's hangers in the closet if wants to use them."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Max. C'mon, Sarge, this way."</span></p> <p><span>Dylan followed Tom to the bedroom so he could get undressed.</span></p> <p><span>"Really, Sarge, you don't have to do this if you don't want to. I know it's gotta be weird for ya'."</span></p> <p><span>He removed his shirt as he said, "It's all good, Tom. Been a while since I've been naked around anyone else, you know. Hope nothin' comes up that shouldn't, if you get my drift," Dylan said as he removed his pants.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I got it alright. If it does, it won't be a big deal, we are slowly getting used to it, too. Besides, shit happens, don't it?" Dylan had just removed his boxers and Tom got his first look at his boss nude. "Okay, I take that back, maybe it will be a big deal," and laughed. </span></p> <p><span>"I shoulda' warned ya', Tom. Bet you thought you was the `big man on campus', didn't ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not no more, Sarge. Damn, how the hell do you walk?"</span></p> <p><span>"Very carefully, my man" Dylan answered and laughed, clapping Tom on the shoulder. "And I'm no longer Sarge. No uniform, no rank, okay. Dylan's fine."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's go back and rejoin the others, Dylan. Burgers should be about ready."</span></p> <p><span>"Lead the way, Tom."</span></p> <p><span>By the time Tom and Dylan had returned, the boys had added another place setting, ketchup, mustard and pickles to the table and set out three different kinds of chips. I had just finished the hamburgers and was about to set the tray on the table when the two entered the kitchen. I literally dropped the tray the last two inches to the table after catching a glimpse of Dylan as he stepped out from behind Tom. The boys all whistled in appreciation and I heard one of the twins whisper `holy shit'.</span></p> <p><span>"I believe I'll get comfortable before I sit. Go ahead and get started. I'll be right back." </span></p> <p><span>I returned just in time to hear T.J. ask, "Are all black guys as big as you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thomas, that's not a question you should ask," I scolded.</span></p> <p><span>"Whoops, sorry, dad. Sorry, Mr. Brock."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, son, it's normal to be curious about others," Dylan chuckled. "I've heard that exact same question in many a locker room from many a white guy over the years. I'm used to it and take it as a compliment nowadays."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, are they," T.J. persisted.</span></p> <p><span>"Thomas, please, can we just eat?" I asked, trying to end his interrogation of our guest.</span></p> <p><span>"To answer your question, T.J., no they're not. Most I've seen are more like your dad and Tom. I'm one of the rare exceptions. And remember, most men would be offended at your question and not be as nice about it as I am. You need to be more careful who you ask questions like that, understand?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir," he answered, hanging his head.</span></p> <p><span>"Can we please eat now?" I asked, hoping that full mouths would hinder any further questions. That seemed to finally do the trick and everyone dug in to their burgers. As usual, when we were done eating, the boys cleaned up the table, stacking the dishes in the sink. Once that task was completed, they returned to the table to join our conversation.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Uncle Tom, dad said you might have some news for us when you got home," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," Alex added, "what's that all about."</span></p> <p><span>Tom looked at me, "You didn't tell them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, I thought that since it's your news, you should be the one to tell `em."</span></p> <p><span>"Okie-dokie, then." He turned to face the boys and continued, "Boys, I am leaving the Sherriff's department. That's the main reason Dylan is here tonight. He was gonna' try to talk me out of quitting."</span></p> <p><span>"But why you quittin', Uncle Tom?" asked Joey. "I thought you liked bein' a cop."</span></p> <p><span>"I do, but it's a very dangerous job and now that I have you guys and Max in my life, I want to make sure I can come home every night. I can't stay a cop and do that."</span></p> <p><span>"We don't want to lose you, either, Uncle Tom," T.J. said. "We love you, too. I'm glad you're quitting."</span></p> <p><span>"What are you gonna' do now?" asked Alex.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm going to open my own private investigation office."</span></p> <p><span>"What're you going to be doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Max went to see Carol and Anna today and part of what I'll be doing is background checks on foster parents and folks who are adopting. We want to make sure all the kids who need new homes, temporary and permanent, are going to good ones. I don't ever want to see a kid living with someone like the Mueller's."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, Uncle Tom. People like the Mueller's don't deserve to have any kids, ever," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"What can we do to help?" asked Alex.</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing I can think of," Tom chuckled. "Investigations like that are an adult's job."</span></p> <p><span>"But we can help," Joey protested. "We knew the Mueller's were bad people right off, but we couldn't take the chance of being split up."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah living there sucked big time, but we didn't know what would happen to us, so we didn't make any problems. Besides sleeping in the same bed, naked," Alex said while he grinned mischievously at Joey.</span></p> <p><span>"Alexander, mouth."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, dad, but it did suck."</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, Dylan's going to help out, too. He's promised to allow me access to the county's computers to help out. He doesn't let just anyone do that."</span></p> <p><span>"It's for a good cause and I trust you to not abuse the privilege."</span></p> <p><span>"It's still going to help out a lot, Dylan, and I can't thank you enough."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, Mike, why don't run into the study and grab the picture you drew so Tom can see it? it's right on the desk." He took off with a flash of his pearly white buns and quickly returned, picture in hand, which he proudly showed to Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"This is great, Mike. You did a great job."</span></p> <p><span>"You like how I named everybody?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's just perfect. We'll have to put this on the fridge."</span></p> <p><span>"As soon as I can get some magnets, Tom.," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>Dylan leaned over to see the picture and commented, "You have some real talent there, Mike. I wish I had a picture like that to put on my fridge."</span></p> <p><span>"Can't your son draw you one like I did?"</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose he could if I had one, Mike. I'm not married, though, and I don't have any kids. Someday, maybe," he added wistfully.</span></p> <p><span>"So," I interrupted, "who's ready for a swim?" Everyone but Dylan raised their hand. "Oh, c'mon, Dylan, a little dip won't hurt ya'."</span></p> <p><span>"Seems to be a little cold out there for a swim, Max, I think I'll pass."</span></p> <p><span>"Follow me." I led Dylan to the glass wall facing the pool and turned on the outside lights illuminating the pool shelter.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that changes things. I do believe you've talked me into in, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, grab towels for seven, please." They scampered off to the laundry room, returned with the towels as requested and we headed out for our swim. The boys tossed their towels on the table and jumped right in. Tom, Dylan and I were a bit more sedate in joining them, but once in the water, we were smothered by four squirming, naked boys. Joey and Alex were working over Dylan, Mike had jumped on Tom and T.J. attacked me. We spent the next 30 minutes playing with four giggling boys before we excused ourselves to calmer waters in the deep end of the pool.</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, what a workout," Dylan panted. "Those twins are brutal. And deliberate. I swear they were brushing my crotch intentionally, trying to get a reaction from me."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, they probably were," I spit out as I snorted in disbelief. "Sorry `bout that Dylan. It happens to us every time and I should have warned you," I said.</span></p> <p><span>"No harm done, Max, all guys are curious about others, especially boys that age. Now, I don't want you thinkin' I'm some sicko, but they got the reaction they was lookin' for. With all of that contact, I couldn't help myself. Of course, them bein' hard as nails and rubbin' `em all over me didn't help one damn bit. One of them even tried to wrap a hand around it. Couldn't come close, of course, but it sure didn't stop him from tryin'," Dylan chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Look, Dylan," Tom started, "I know we told T.J. it was inappropriate to ask a certain question, but I was wondering..." Dylan waved his hand and cut Tom off mid-sentence.</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, another curious white boy. Are you sure you want to see and remove all doubt? I don't want to embarrass my hosts of this wonderful evening."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you've already done that, can't get any worse. Can it?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just remember, you asked for it. I don't want to hear no damn whining." With that, Dylan placed his hands on the side of the pool, lifted his body free of the water and exposed himself to Tom and me. We were both awestruck at the massive, hard cock in front of us and blushed in shame.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, it can. How the hell are you still conscious? Half your body's blood supply must be in one spot, right now," Tom exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>Dylan laughed heartily. "Don't say I didn't warn ya'," he commented as he lowered himself back into the water. "Now, Max, seein' as how we're gettin' all personal, ya' won't mind if I ask you a question, will ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hell, why not? Whatever it is couldn't possibly be more humbling."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, where the hell is all your hair?"</span></p> <p><span>I laughed at the question. "I see curiosity isn't limited to us white boys. The boys asked the same question the first time we were all nude together, wanted to know why Tom was all hairy and I wasn't. The quick answer is, obviously, I shave or keep it trimmed real short."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I ask why?"</span></p> <p><span>"I like the look and feel of it, Dylan. Just some weird little kink in my brain. It's not for everybody, I know."</span></p> <p><span>"When did you start?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess I was about 20, maybe 21."</span></p> <p><span>"That surprises me. At that age, body hair, one spot especially, always seems to be important to a guy. Tryin' to reinforce the fact that they're now a `man', ya' know?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and when the hair first started sprouting, it was important, but once I got out on my own and wasn't dealing with locker rooms daily, it became less and less a thing I cared about. I tried shaving a couple times and then let it grow back, but eventually decided I preferred life without it. Haven't been in a locker room since," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"I'd imagine. You'd be questioned about that just like I'm questioned about black guys and the size of the dicks. It gets tiresome."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Dylan, you're welcome to come out any time and make use of the pool. I don't think you have to worry about any more questions here, will he Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"Not from me. Can't really say for the boys, though," he joked.</span></p> <p><span>We spent another 45 minutes in the pool relaxing and chatting while the boys played together before I called out time for showers, snacks and bed. The boys hopped out of the pool, grabbed their towels and headed for the house, drying themselves before leaving the warmth of the shelter. The three of us were a little more relaxed in our return to the house. By the time we reached the kitchen, the boys were running in and climbing up on their stools for their snack. I set them up with sliced apples and juice tonight and they dug in. Once the snacks were completed, Tom and I excused ourselves for a few minutes to tuck the boys in and give them their nightly goodnight kisses.</span></p> <p><span>"Dad," Joey started, "We really like Dylan. Do you think he'll come back?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he was a lot fun, especially in the pool," Alex said. "And he's got a giant dick, especially when it's hard."</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, I don't know if he'll be back or not. All we can do is ask. As to the other, I think we need to have another talk because the first one apparently didn't stick. Not tonight, though, tomorrow, after school."</span></p> <p><span>"'Night, dad, `night Uncle Tom. We love you."</span></p> <p><span>"We love you, too. See you in the morning."</span></p> <p><span>We stopped to check on T.J. and Mike on our way back to the living room and heard them snoring lightly. What a sweet sound that was. We rejoined Dylan in the living room where we found him admiring the art over the fireplace.</span></p> <p><span>"Dylan, can I interest you in a cup of coffee or hot chocolate before you leave?"</span></p> <p><span>"Coffee sounds great, Max. Thanks."</span></p> <p><span>I headed to the kitchen to brew a fresh pot and when I returned, Tom and Dylan were sitting next to the fireplace and in deep conversation.</span></p> <p><span>I passed them each a steaming cup, took a seat and said, "You two sound like you're planning a complete overhaul of the juvenile criminal justice system." They both laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing quite that grand," Tom replied, "but we do want to see what we can do improve the background checks for Anna and Carol."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," Dylan continued, "That situation you described earlier should have never happened. We need to work together to make sure it doesn't happen again."</span></p> <p><span>"Mind if I make a suggestion?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Max. The more people we can get involved in this, the better off we'll be," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, in the past couple weeks, I've met more gay people and folks who know someone who's gay than I've met in the last 12 years. Part of that, I'm sure, is just getting the hell out of this house. And that includes those four boys sleeping down the hall."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait a sec," Dylan interrupted, "they're all gay?"</span></p> <p><span>"So they say. That's the main reason Carol felt comfortable placing them with me. She wanted them have a positive environment to grow up in. I know not every kid realizes who they are at the same age, for me, it was when I was about seven or eight. Tom told me he was about 11 or 12 when he figured it out. How about you, Dylan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thirteen. I remember that night like it was yesterday. I was having a friend, Malcolm White, spend a weekend with me, camping in the back yard. Today's parents would say I was molested, but nothin' happened I didn't want happenin'. When he slid his hard, well-lubed cock in my ass while reaching around and strokin' mine, I knew right then I'd never screw a woman. I loved every second of that weekend, and the many weekends that followed. He and his family moved away when we were both 16, but if he hadn't, I bet we'd still be together. Damn, I really loved him and I miss him dearly."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that was a little more information than I was looking for, but it proves my point. After I started the process of trying to adopt, and then finding out the boys were gay, I started to wonder how many other gay kids are out there, living in situations they shouldn't be."</span></p> <p><span>"My god, Max, I can't believe I hadn't thought about that myself," Tom exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not saying you should focus solely on gay kids, but should make the extra effort to ensure gay kids or ones who think they may be are placed in accepting homes. I don't think the adults need to be gay, necessarily, but they should definitely <i>not</i> be like the Mueller's or my parents. That's the worst thing we could do with these kids."</span></p> <p><span>"You're right, of course," Dylan said. "I think we can do that."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm in complete agreement," Tom added. "Once I start the new job, I'll talk to Carol and see if she can help identify kids needing special placements."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like a plan to me, Tom," I said.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, by the way," Dylan started, "with everything else this evening, I forgot to tell you something I think you're both going to enjoy hearing."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that, Dylan?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I went to see a judge today and walked out of his chambers with summonses for both Frank and Iris Mueller. When I explained to the judge what happened with them on Saturday, he was disgusted. Both have been charged with obstructing and destruction of personal property. They appear in court next week to enter their pleas. I personally delivered the papers to their home. You wouldn't believe the look on their faces when I handed each of them their summons. It was priceless."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoo-hoo!" we hollered. "What date and time?"</span></p> <p><span>"Next Thursday at 10:00AM. Tom will have to be there since he was the officer on the scene and you may be called as witness, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent, I'll be there. I can't wait to see them get what they deserve."</span></p> <p><span>We spent the next hour chatting and getting to know each other better. I really enjoyed Dylan's company, he has a great sense of humor and a very outgoing personality. About 10:30, he suddenly stood and said, "Well, fellas, it long past the time I should be getting home, I have an early meeting in the morning and it wouldn't do for the boss to arrive late. I better grab my clothes and skedaddle." He headed to the spare bedroom to grab his clothes and was back sooner than I thought he would be. It took me a moment to realize he was carrying his clothes instead of wearing them.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, Dylan," Tom said, "I think you might have forgotten something."</span></p> <p><span>He looked startled and then looked closer at the bundle in his arms. "Let's see, pants, shirts, belt, socks, shoes, gun, cuffs, radio. No, it looks I got it all."</span></p> <p><span>"You're not wearing it?" Tom asked incredulously.</span></p> <p><span>"Eh, why bother, I'll just have to take it all back off when I get home."</span></p> <p><span>"I can't believe this," Tom muttered. "What if you get stopped on the way?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm driving a marked car, Tom. Who the hell's gonna' stop me? Besides, I do this all the time," he laughed. "My garage is connected to the house, so I can get from the car to the house without being seen."</span></p> <p><span>"Please don't let the boys know about this, Dylan," I pleaded, "It's hard enough to keep them in clothes as it is. I don't need it to be even more difficult."</span></p> <p><span>"Good luck with that," he laughed. "Well, I want to thank you both for a wonderful evening, I can't remember the last time I enjoyed myself as much as I did tonight. Max, you're a lucky man and I envy you. Tom, I'll see you in the morning. Remember, though, I'll be your sergeant again, and I'll expect proper respect on the job."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be there, boss, with bells on."</span></p> <p><span>"Your regular uniform will be fine, Tom. The bells might be saying more than you want," Dylan cracked.</span></p> <p><span>"Dylan, I'm glad you had a pleasant evening. I was serious about you returning and I know the boys would like you to come back, also."</span></p> <p><span>"I may just take you up on that offer, you never know. Adios, amigos." With that, he turned and headed out the door, shiny, bare, black ass reflecting the lights outside the front door.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that was interesting," Tom said while shaking his head in disbelief. "I've worked with him almost every day for the last five years and never picked up a hint Dylan was gay."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds a lot like you and me, bubba. The few people I've told so far never thought it was a possibility, either. Nice to get to know people away from work, isn't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it is. And to find out he had no problem with the nudity was an even bigger surprise."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell me, Tom, if you had his equipment, would you ever have a problem being naked around other guys. The truth."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I guess not. But, damn, I feel for sorry for any guy he hooks up with. He could kill someone with that thing."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope he felt welcome enough to come back. Dylan's a great guy."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he is. It'd be nice to know him outside the job."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, enough about him. Are you ready to go to bed?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really. We never got our showers after swimming and I need to get the chlorine off me before I turn whiter than I already am."</span></p> <p><span>"Head on in, I'll put our cups in the dishwasher and meet you there."</span></p> <p><span>"Best offer I've had all day," he said as he turned and headed down the hall.</span></p> <p><span>"Better be the only offer you've had today, smartass," I called to his back as he giggled his way down the hall.</span></p> <p><span>His back was to the door when I entered the bathroom a minute later and the water was running over him as he bent over to hang his head down. I quietly stepped in the shower, slid in behind him, nestling my penis in the cleft between his cheeks and whispered, "Guess who?"</span></p> <p><span>"Brad Pitt? No, too small. I know, George Clooney. No, too big. Damn, who could that be, knockin' at my back door?"</span></p> <p><span>I grabbed his arm, spun him around and ask, "Really?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, Maxwill Sanders, perfect in every way. Where've you been all my life?"</span></p> <p><span>"Living right here, among the trees, patiently waiting for Mr. Right to find me. If you see him, would you point him my direction, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"I love you Max Sanders and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."</span></p> <p><span>We embraced under the water and held each other as we started kissing. Our hands roamed over the other's body, eventually finding the hard members stuck between our bodies. We had just started to stroke each other when Tom backed off and said, "I have other plans for you tonight." He stepped out of the shower, grabbed his towel and started to dry himself off as he stepped through the door to the bedroom. I followed him, dumbfounded and unhappy at the sudden turn of events. He stopped at the nightstand on his side of the bed, remove a couple of items from the drawer and climbed into the middle of the king-sized bed, kneeling in the middle of the mattress. He then patted my side of the bed with his empty hand, beckoning me to join him. </span></p> <p><span>He then had me lay down, roll over on my stomach and whispered in my ear, "Tonight is all about you, lover."</span></p> <p><span>I started to complain, but he put a finger to my lips to shush me. He then pulled his other hand from behind his back revealing a blindfold he had pulled from the nightstand. He gently lifted my head and put the blindfold in place. Next, I felt a warmish liquid dribbling on my back from my shoulders to my waist, which he proceeded to massage into my skin while he straddled my legs. It felt so good, I could feel every ounce of tension leave my back and shoulders as his hands worked their magic. My arms were next on his intimate exploration of my body, from shoulders to fingertips. I then felt the bed shake as he shifted his body lower and the oil was drizzled up my legs from my ankles to top of my thighs. He continued his massage, paying particular attention to my feet and toes.</span></p> <p><span>The bed shook again as he moved up and oil was drizzled on my ass. Tom spent an extended period of time massaging my globes. When his fingers slipped in my cleft and brushed my anus, I literally quivered uncontrollably in delight from head to toe. In 34 years of life, I had never felt so alive and loved. He pronounced his work on the back side was complete and it was time for me to roll over so he could work on the front. He helped me accomplish the task since I was as limp as a noodle from his ministrations. Except for one particular spot that was throbbing several inches above my pubis, dribbling in anticipation of what was yet to come.</span></p> <p><span>Tom straddled my legs again and oil was drizzled from my neck to my groin, followed by his hands spreading warm oil over my chest and abdomen. He paid special attention to my nipples and somehow missed touching my begging erection. He attacked my arms again, making sure he hadn't missed a spot from his previous work on them. He then shifted lower on the bed again and more oil was drizzled and spread up each leg, from ankles to the tops of my thighs again. I had never felt such pleasure and agony at the same time, pleasure from his loving touch and the agony of anticipation.</span></p> <p><span>I next felt a warm wetness surround my throbbing cock and realized Tom had swallowed me until his nose was buried in my hairless groin. I nearly knocked us both off the bed at the surprise and if Tom hadn't been straddling me and helping hold me down, I probably would have succeeded. He suckled my hardness for a few moments then withdrew his mouth as I moaned and he replaced it with more warm oil and his hands. "Not quite yet, sweetheart, but soon," he whispered. He continued massaging my member and brought me to the brink three times before he again whispered, "Okay, I think you're ready now."</span></p> <p><span>I felt the bed shaking as he moved up my body until his knees were almost buried in my armpits. He then grabbed my hard cock, stood it straight up and slowly lowered his body until the tip touched his pucker. He continued to lower his body, breathing slowly and moaning, until he was sitting on my thighs and I felt his balls resting on my bare groin and his pre-cum dripping in my navel. He sat still for a minute or two as we both became accustomed to these new feelings. He removed my blindfold and said, "I want you to see this." I looked down our bodies to find his drooling cock pointing directly at my face and his balls resting nicely where my pubic hair should have been. My own cock was completely hidden from view, buried deep in his ass.</span></p> <p><span>He began a slow rocking motion that was driving me wild and I thrashed on the bed. He then raised his body until just the tip remained inserted and promptly lowered himself again to rebury the entire length in his most intimate area. He continued to ride me, gaining speed until I could hold on no longer. We were both moaning wildly.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm going to cum, Tom," I hissed through clenched teeth.</span></p> <p><span>"Let yourself go. I want to feel your load shoot deep in my ass," he cried in exhilaration.</span></p> <p><span>And I did, shot after shot of cream filling his ass. That must have triggered something in Tom as the next thing I felt was his semen landing on my chest and his sphincter clamping my rod as he continued to ride me. When we were both spent, he collapsed on top of me, spreading his offering between the two of us.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my god, I have waited so long for that," he whimpered. "The `aids' I had were okay, but nothing like the real thing. I'm so glad you were the first to share the experience the with me."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm with you, in more ways than one. I don't think a hand will ever suffice again."</span></p> <p><span>"We're going to find new territories of pleasure together, you and me. I hope you're ready for it."</span></p> <p><span>"Been ready for years, Tom, I just needed to find the right guy. I'm glad I finally did."</span></p> <p><span>"Me, too. Even gladder it was me," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"By the way, where'd you get the blindfold and oil?"</span></p> <p><span>"You remember that little box I grabbed from my apartment the other day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, but you stashed it as soon as we got home and I forgot about it. What else are you hiding from me, young man?"</span></p> <p><span>"You'll find out," he laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, I think we both need another shower."</span></p> <p><span>"Come on, lover, let me get you cleaned up."</span></p> <p><span>We headed to the bathroom and lovingly cleaned each other. Once we dried off, we climbed back into bed, curled up together and fell into a deep, dreamless and contented sleep. Until the alarm went off early the next morning.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-47.html

Building a Family 47 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 47 � Workshop Anyone? "This looks pretty nice," John commented. "Who drew this?" "Bill drew it up while we talked last night about what we wanted in the house," dad answered. "Why don't you tell me what you've come up with while I look this over?" Bill took over from there. "Basically, John, what we decided on is almost like a duplex. On each side of this large central area, we have two bedrooms, each with their own baths and one with a decent sized sitting area. This central area will be a large great room, two complete kitchens, with a common dining area between the two kitchens. In each kitchen area, we'd like a sink, stove, dishwasher, and refrigerator. While we'll probably eat most of our meals together, we realize there might be times where we won't want the same thing and the separate kitchens will make that easy to deal with. The double appliances will also help when it's time to fix large meals for the whole family, like Thanksgiving, Christmas and birthdays. The large dining area between the two kitchens should accommodate everybody at the same time without a problem. Then, in front of the bedrooms are two-car garages for each of us, creating the U-shape and giving somewhat of shared courtyard in between the garages. What do you think?" "I think a lot of thought went into this and it looks like a workable plan to me. You'll each have your separate private spaces, but this large common area will make it easy to entertain the whole family. I really like this, folks." "Excellent, John," dad replied. "How soon will it take you to get a price together for us?" "The basic framing package, roof, siding and drywall won't be too difficult to deal with. Interior finishes, appliances, fixtures and such will all depend on what you choose. Do you want the exterior to match this house?" All four parents looked to me for the answer to that question and I responded with, "Hey, this is your house, not mine. Whatever you want to do is fine with me." "Let's make it match as close as you can, then, don't you think?" dad answered. "I agree," Bill said. "It may cost a little more, but I really like the appearance." "Okay," John said, "Can I take this plan with me?" "Sure, we figured that was just a starting point, John," dad answered. "Good, I'll get this recreated in my computer and that will generate our material lists that I can send out to get bids from the lumber yards." "That sounds great," mom commented. "How soon do you think you can have something to us?" "I might have some pricing for the framing, drywall and such by the end of the week, but it will most likely be early next week. Maybe we can get together and go over some numbers the middle of the week." "Perfect," Bill agreed. "We'll look forward to hearing from you. Give us a call the day before you want to get together so we can make arrangements to be here." "Will do, folks. Well, if that's all for now, I better get back in there and make sure Troy and Ralph aren't screwing anything up. I'll be in touch." With that, John stood, shook hands with everyone and disappeared around the corner. "I think that went well," I commented. "It did," Bill agreed. "Now if the price isn't too outrageous..." "The four of you don't have to worry about that, I'll take care of it," I commented. "Son, you don't need to do that," mom complained. "We talked all about this last night and we can handle it." "I'm sure you can, mom, but if all of you are dead set on doing this just so you can be closer, then I'm dead set on making it happen. You four agree to your plan and finishes and I'll take it from there." "Max, that's a wonderful thing to do," Estelle exclaimed. "For me and Bill, I thank you for helping." "Well, I was going to fight you on that, Max," Bill started, "but I'm not crossing that woman," he added with a very serious tone of voice. "I should hope not, not if you know what's good for you," Estelle responded, glaring at her husband. "Son, we appreciate the kind offer, but we can't accept it," dad said. "Dad, you've got a wedding to pay for, remember. No way you can afford that and a house in the same year. I'm doing it and that's that." "Fine, I won't fight you, but one way or another, we will pay you back." "No, you won't, because if you do, then Bill and Estelle will want to, also, and I won't accept it." "Oh, no, Max, we're fine with it," Estelle laughed. "Fine! You do whatever you want to do," dad fumed. "Thank you, I will," I grinned back at the old man. "Well, if we're done with that, I think Estelle and I will hit the road for home. We have things to deal with there before we come back up on Thursday for the party. Max, thanks for letting use your house to meet with John. Jim, Rose, thanks for letting us stay with you last night, it sure made things easier this morning." As Bill and Estelle headed to grab their coats, Estelle stopped and asked, "Son, you've been awfully quiet about this, are you sure you're okay with us moving here?" "You know I am, mom, there just doesn't seem to be much for me to add. You four seem to doing just fine without my input." "I'm glad to hear it. Not that I'd change my mind, now, mind you," she giggled. "That's what I figured so why try to fight it?" Tom relented. "By the way, when do you get your stitches removed?" "Supposed to happen later this week. I still need to make an appointment somewhere to get it done, though." "Why don't you come with Andy and me Friday? I'm sure someone there could take care of it for you." "Oh, c'mon, Max, that doc's a pediatrician. They're not gonna' remove my stiches." "I don't know why not. And if you're a good boy, I bet they'll even give you a sucker," I laughed. I received a quick slap to the back of my head for that crack, but I deserved it. By this time, Bill and Estelle had their coats on and were ready to depart. Everyone exchanged hugs and handshakes and off they went. "Well, I guess your mother and I will be on our way also," dad commented. "No sense hanging around here." "Dad, I wanted to ask if you had a chance to talk to Helen last night like you intended." "I did, and, thankfully, she accepted my apology. We talked a long time and agreed to pretend the last six months didn't happen. I'm already making plans to help her when it's time to plant all those bulbs you two got her. I think that will go a long way to showing her I'm sincere." "No doubt, it will. Let us know when that happens, will you? The boys want to help, also." "Never fear, son, I'm not digging all those holes by myself," he grinned. "Good. I have one more question for both of you." "And what's that, dear?" mom asked. "Are you absolutely sure you want to move out here with Bill and Estelle and the rest of us, knowing we won't be wearing clothes most of the time." They both started giggling uncontrollably. "What, did I say something funny?" I asked, confused. "Dear," mom began, "I didn't say anything, but the whole time I was at Bill and Estelle's, we were nude. I've never been more relaxed and carefree in my life. And after your father's little confession yesterday about his hunting trips, the four of us relaxed in comfort last night, also, while we talked about what we want in our new house. We won't have any problems living here. In fact, we're rather looking forward to it." You could have knocked Tom and me over with a feather after that admission. "Well, okay, then. Problem solved. I'm glad you all came out and could talk to John this morning. It sounds like you've got a running start on this thing. Once it's warmer, we'll take that walk and find a good location for you." "Sounds good, Max," dad replied. "We'll see you all Thursday for the party." We again shared hugs and handshakes and after they were out the door, Tom and I returned to our seats by the fireplace to relax for a bit. "Well, that was an interesting development, don't ya' think?" Tom asked. "It absolutely blows my mind. I have a hard time believing the change in dad is for real, especially after the last six months of living in hell, thanks to him. It's like I never knew who the hell he was and he certainly didn't care who I was." "Fortunately, it looks like that's all behind both of you, now." "I sure as hell hope so. I wouldn't wish that life on my worst fuckin' enemy. Not even the Muellers." "You sure about that?" "Ya' know, now that I think about it, maybe they do deserve that kind of treatment. See if they can take it as well they dish it out." I smiled at the thought. We finally picked up our current books and continued reading. About an hour later, John stuck his head around the corner and said, "Hey, Max, we're gonna' run over to the Subway to grab some lunch, you want anything." "I don't, what about you, Tom?" "Nope, I'm good, John, thanks for asking, though." "No problem, guys. We'll be back in about an hour and we'll get started on the new flooring. See ya' in a bit." With that, he turned, collected Troy and Ralph and they left the house. "Ya' know what, now that he mentioned food, I'm am startin' get a little hungry," Tom commented as his stomach rumbled. "What's for lunch, boss?" "Whatever you decide to fix. I don't want much, myself. I'm thinkin' about just a peanut butter and honey sandwich." "Yuck!" Tom exclaimed. "How can you ruin good honey with peanut butter?" "Hey, don't knock it `til you've tried it, bubba. Come on, I'll fix one for ya', and if you don't like it, I'll eat it and you can rummage around for something else." I led the way to the kitchen and pulled out the bread, peanut butter and honey. With everything out, I proceeded to fix a sandwich for both of us, honey on one slice, peanut butter on the other and then flip the peanut butter slice on top of the honey slice. "Now, the important thing when making these is to let them sit for about five minutes before you try to eat it." "Oh, please, you can't be serious," he replied sarcastically. "Of course, I'm serious. That gives the honey some time to soak into the bread. If you don't let that happen, then, as soon as you bite into it, honey starts running all over the place. You make a mess, you clean it up." After the allotted time, I picked mine up and took a bite, relishing the sweetness of the honey and the crunch of the peanuts. Tom looked at me like I'd lost my mind and shook his head in disbelief that I took my sandwiches so seriously. He finally tried a bit of his and after just a few chews, mumbled around the peanut butter, "Okay, I'm sold." "Have I steered you wrong yet?" "No, but there's a first time for everything and this might've been it. You got lucky." "Nah, I just like simple food. I'm a pretty simple guy." "Dream on, babe, you're about as complicated a person as I've ever met, but I can live with that." "That's a good thing since you are." We finished our lunch, cleaned up the minor mess we'd made and returned to our reading. John, Troy and Ralph came back after a bit and continued their work in Tom's office. As usual, I was having a hard time concentrating on my book with the noise coming from down the hall, but I managed to stick with it until I heard the drive sensor go off. "You expecting company, bubba?" I asked. "Nope." I looked at the clock and suddenly realized it was probably the boys ringing from their shelter. "Hell, where did the time go. Guess one of us should go get them." "Safe trip, babe," Tom laughed as he returned to his book. I grabbed my coat, got in the car and made the short trip to the end of the drive where I was met by the boys as they ran from the shelter and jumped in the car. "Good day at school, boys, and did you learn anything new?" "Yeah, it was great, dad," Alex answered. "But we really didn't learn anything new," Joey added. "I did," T.J. interrupted, "I learned that Kenny's an asshole." "T.J.! That's not a nice thing to say." "But it's true, dad, he was picking on Andy at lunch and I had to straighten him out." "Is that true, Andy?" I asked. "Yeah, he was bein' a total jerk. He was makin' fun of my mom bein' in jail, but T.J. fixed it." "I don't know if like the sound of that. What did you do, T.J.?" "I just told him if he kept it up, I was gonna' get my older brothers to beat the snot out of him. He finally backed off and went away." "Look, I appreciate you sticking up for Andy, but you know that fighting isn't the way we solve problems, don't you?" "Sure, but it scared the crap outta' him `cause he don't know who our brothers are. For all he knows, they're in high school," he snickered. As I pulled up in front of the house and we got out of the car, I reminded the boys, "If you're having problems like that, talk to your teachers. If they don't resolve the issue, then tell me and I'll take care of it." Our conversation continued as we walked into the house "Yeah, okay, dad," T.J. replied. "Good, now, any homework tonight?" "Nope," Alex answered, "nobody was givin' any since there's no school tomorrow." "But Alex and I want to do more with the other math book," Joey commented. "That's fine, but you two and T.J. need to think about what you're going to say at the workshop tomorrow. This is important and I don't want you just winging it." "No sweat, dad, we got that all figured out," Alex replied "Great, you want to tell me about it?" "Nope, you'll hear it all tomorrow," Joey answered, effectively ending any further probing on my part. The boys disappeared down the hallway to drop their coats and backpacks before coming back into the living room where Joey asked, "Who do you have to know to get a snack around this dump?" "Dump, huh?" I countered, "C'mere, you little stinker." Joey slowly came closer and as soon as I could reach him, I pulled him into my lap and started tickling his ribs, causing him to giggle, wiggle and squeal as he tried to get away. "So, you think you live in a dump, do ya'? If you're not careful, you're gonna' end up sleeping outside. How's that grab ya'?" "No!" he screamed between his giggles, "It's cold out there. I'm sorry, I take it back, we live in a great house. Please, stop tickling, you're gonna make me pee." If there was anything that would get me to stop my torture, that was it. I'm up for just about anything, except getting peed on. "Glad you're seeing things my way, Joey. Go hop up on your stools and we'll be there in a minute to get your snacks." The boys ran to the kitchen and Tom and I followed to set them up with some cookies and milk. Joey and Alex were already busy working in the math book and the other three were chatting amongst themselves, mostly about what Mike and Andy were going to do tomorrow with their Uncle Carl in charge. I was just hoping they'd be good. Since I had a captive audience, I said, "Mike, Andy, you're going to be staying home with your Uncle Carl tomorrow while we're at the school." "We know that, dad," Mike replied. "We expect you to be good boys while the rest of us are gone." "Bummer, dad, that kinda' kills our plans," Mike countered glumly. "Yeah, we we're gonna' tie Uncle Carl up and then drink soda and eat candy all day," Andy added with a mischievous grin. Tom and I laughed at the visual that flitted though our brains. "Um, please don't do that. I'd like Carl to want to come back some day. Also, when Lee and Carl get here in the morning, they're going to have another person from Lee's office with them, so before we leave, I expect you to be wearing shorts. After we're gone, then you can wear whatever you want. Or don't want. I'm sure Carl will be fine with whatever you decide." "Cool, dads, I'm sure we'll be fine." "We are, too." I turned my focus to the center stool and asked, "T.J., you ready for tomorrow?" "As ready as I'll ever be, I guess. Just a little scared, maybe." "You want to tell us what you plan to say?" Tom asked. "Nope, like Joey said, you'll hear it tomorrow." "You might want to practice it with us," Tom said, "then you'll feel more comfortable with it." "Nice try, pops, but it's not gonna' happen. We got it all worked out though, don't worry." Tom looked to me and shrugged his shoulders as if to say, `I tried', and I nodded in acknowledgement of his effort. I guess we'll just have to wait and hear it tomorrow. "So, what's on the schedule for tonight?" I asked. "More Star Trek, please," T.J. commanded. "Yeah, we're all lovin' it," Mike added. "Especially Wesley, he's cute," Alex said with a dreamy look in his eyes. "Hey, what about me?" Joey asked. "Don't worry, bro', he's cute, but you're still cuter," Alex replied, giving his brother a hug and a kiss. "Sounds good to us guys. But after supper. How `bout we go read some more Huckleberry Finn while Joey and Alex plug away at that silly math book?" "Yeah, let's go!" Andy yelled with enthusiasm. Five of us headed to the living room, leaving Alex and Joey in the kitchen to continue their work, although, the more I think about it, math seems to be almost a game to them. Tom and I sat in our regular chairs while Andy, Mike and T.J. opted to sit on the loveseat. Tom returned to reading his book while I picked up Huckleberry Finn and picked up where Tom had left off. I could tell by the how much attention the boys were paying to me that they were really enjoying the story. About an hour later, John came in and asked, "Max, Tom, you got a minute?" "Sure, John, we'll be right there," I answered as he headed down the hall. We followed the leader and entered Tom's new office space. "We're done for the day and gonna' be headed out, but I wanted to see what you thought of the new floor," John said, waving a hand to direct our eyes to the floor. "Wow, John, this looks great. It actually looks like the original flooring." "We got lucky there, guys. Even though the company that made the original floor is still around, the finish color you had isn't produced anymore. But, with their help, I managed to find some old stock at a lumber yard up in Peoria and they were more than happy to get rid of it at a closeout price. They even delivered it to the local yard so I could pick it up there. Saved you a couple hundred bucks." "Amazing. You did a great job, you'd never know there was a water leak under here." "All I need now is a desk and I could get to work," Tom added. "You'll have to talk to Bob about that. It was my understanding he was working on the shelves and desks for the boys' room first." "Oh, I'm not in a big hurry to get back to work, but this looks great. The new color on the walls looks good, too. It's still bright, but not quite as blinding as the stark white that was in here before. I can deal with this." "That's good since you picked it out," John laughed. "How about the twins' room? You done in there, also?" I asked. "Until Bob has the new furniture ready to deliver. I talked to him this morning and he said he and his guys had started work on it over the weekend and he hoped to have everything completed and ready to bring out Friday afternoon. Ralph and I plan to be here to help him get everything in and installed properly." "We may have a problem with that, John. One of the boys has a doctor's appointment Friday afternoon and we'll be gone." "Well, we don't really need your help, you know. And I know you like your security out here, Max, but if you'd be willing to give me a key and an alarm code, we could still get in and get them fixed up. Up to you." I looked at Tom for his opinion and he asked, "Why not?" "Yeah, okay. I'll set up the system with a one-time use code. That'll let you get in that day and then delete itself automatically. What code do you want me use?" "One-four-seven-two, that's the last four digits of my phone number. I'll be able to remember that." "Done, let me get you a spare key and I'll be right back." I hustled to the kitchen and returned shortly with the key, which I handed to John. "Here you go, John. We should be back home before you're done, but if we're not, just leave the key on the kitchen counter and lock the door when you leave. The alarm will automatically set itself." "Sounds good, guys. We'll get out of your way and see you Friday." "Thanks, guys, everything's looking great." John and his guys took off through the garage while Tom and I returned to the living room, only to find T.J., Mike and Andy rapidly removing their clothes. "I thought they'd never leave," T.J. lamented as the three of them headed for their room, stumbling over the shorts they were trying to remove as they walked. "It works better if you sit down before you do that, ya' know," I called to their backs as they disappeared down the hallway. "Yeah, we know, but we couldn't wait any longer," Mike hollered back. "Why don't you go get comfy?" I asked Tom. "I'll let Joey and Alex know it's time for supper and I'll be right behind you." We split up and when I got to the kitchen, I found the twins still working on the math book. "Okay, you two, time to take a break. Put your books up and get comfy, then we'll get ready for supper." "That's okay, dad, we were about to quit for the night, anyway," Alex responded. "Yeah, we just finished chapter 26, so it was time," Joey added. I turned and walked towards the bedroom, shaking my head in disbelief, again. I really need to get in touch with Paul and see what he can tell me about IQ tests for those two. I really want to know what I'm dealing with. Tom was just coming out of the bathroom when I entered the bedroom and I wrapped him up in a hug and planted a sloppy kiss on his cheek. "What was that for?" he asked. "Because I felt like it. Is that okay?" "You know it is, babe," he answered and then returned the favor. "So, what's for din-din tonight?" "Not a freakin' clue, big guy. You got any bright ideas?" "Lasagna with garlic bread sounds good, but that should have been in the oven an hour ago." "How about spaghetti?" I asked as I continued to get undressed. "It's kinda' like lasagna. And there's plenty of sauce in the freezer that won't take long to thaw and heat up." "Well, it's not lasagna, but beggars can't be choosers, can they?" "Not in this house," I joked as I laid my clothes on the chair and just enjoyed the feeling of being free from the restraint of clothes. "Let's go get busy, those five eating machines are probably about out of gas." As we returned to the kitchen, we found the fantastic five lined up on their stools and you could see hunger written across all their faces. "What's for supper, dads?" Alex asked. "We're thinking spaghetti and garlic bread," Tom answered. "Sound okay to you guys?" "Yum!" exclaimed Joey, "Sounds great. C'mon, guys, let's get the table set." The boys hopped off their stools and started taking care of that while Tom and I pulled out pans for the sauce and pasta and got things going on our side. With the table set, the boys climbed back on their stools and watched the two of us work, not that there's a lot work in making spaghetti, just a lot of watching water boil and the occasional stir of the sauce as it thawed. Joey and Alex had gotten out glasses for everyone, but held off filling them with our drinks until the food was almost ready. When they saw two minutes left on the timer for the pasta and bread, they took everyone's drink order, filled the glasses and set them on the table. Everything else was soon ready to go. T.J. carried the basket of garlic bread and set it on the table while I loaded each plate with a nice helping of noodles. Tom followed behind me, adding sauce to each plate until the owner called out, "Whoa." The first few minutes of the meal were pretty quiet as everybody was stuffing their face. The only noise was the occasional slurp of someone sucking up a stray noodle. When I finally took a short pause to catch my breath, I ask, "So, Joey, how does it feel to rejoin the ranks of the comfort crew?" After swallowing his current mouthful, he answered, "Great, I hated having to wear clothes. I know it was only four days, but it felt like forever and I felt really weird being the only one wearing something." "Did you learn anything from the experience?" "Dang right I did! No matter how much I want to do it, don't ever lick Alex's cute ass in the kitchen." The whole table burst out with laughter. When we'd all calmed down and regained our senses, Joey added, "But, I also learned that before we do something, we need to think about it and what might happen after we do it." "That's what I was hoping you'd learn, Joey, the consequences of your actions and how they may affect others. Although, your first answer was correct, also," I chuckled. Changing subjects, I asked, "Are you three sure you're ready for tomorrow?" They looked at each other briefly before Alex answered, "Yeah, dad, we're ready. As ready as we'll ever be, anyway." "It's gonna' be a little scary telling all those people we're gay," T.J. added, "but it's who we are, why try to hide it?" "I just hope they don't blab it all over town," Joey concluded. "That's always a possibility, and if you're worried about that happening, you can always stay here with Carl, Mike and Andy. I don't want you to feel forced into doing something you're not ready for." "Nah, we're ready, dad," Alex replied. "Like T.J. said, it's who we are." "As long as you're sure." "You guys still don't want to tell us what you're going to talk about?" Tom asked. "Nope!" they answered together. "Okay, we'll quit asking. Just remember we tried to help." "No problem, dads, but, really, we got this. Trust us, will ya'?" Joey asked. "We do, son, just like you trust us," I responded. We finished the meal in relative silence and once we were all stuffed, the cleanup crew got busy picking up the dishes, rinsing them off in the sink and loading the dishwasher. Tom and I, of course, took care of the cooking and baking pans. Once the cleanup was completed, it was time to start making a new mess as we prepared popcorn and drinks for a snack as we watched a couple more episodes of Star Trek. I'd always liked the show, mostly because of the positive spin of unity and equality it placed on humanity in the future. If only we could feel that unity and equality now. I also had to agree with Alex's assessment as to the cuteness of Wil Wheaton, who played the character of Wesley Crusher in the show. I'd always kinda' liked Wil, especially in Rob Reiner's movie Stand by Me, but never really understood why until the recent rediscovery of my attraction to boys. While waiting for the popcorn, I thought about some of the movies and TV shows I liked and it suddenly dawned on me why my preference for certain shows like Ender's Game with Asa Butterfield or Zathura with Josh Hutcherson ran the way they did. Again, my subconscious had been influencing me in a way I never understood before. It was like someone had flipped a switch and the old five-watt light bulb in my head suddenly came on. With our munchies ready to go, everybody grabbed their bowls of popcorn and drinks and we headed to the theater to settle in for our shows. The boys were quiet as always when watching Star Trek. Whether it was their deep interest as to what the future might hold or their attraction to young Wil/Wesley, I couldn't quite determine. Whatever the reason for their interest, I was happy they were enjoying something new. When the second episode ended, it was time to get the boys into bed. As they passed through the kitchen, they each rinsed their bowls and glasses and added them to the dishwasher then headed on to their bedrooms to brush teeth and get into bed. Tom and I took a few minutes to finish loading and then started the dishwasher before following in the fantastic five's footsteps. We stopped in the terrific trio's room first to find Mike and Andy in bed, but no T.J. "Where's T.J.," Tom asked. "He's still in the bathroom," Mike answered. "Somethin' `bout his guts rollin'." I knocked lightly on the door and asked, "You okay in there, buddy?" "I don't know, dad," he mumbled. "Can I come in?" "Sure." I opened the door and found T.J. sitting on the edge of the tub, holding his stomach and rocking back and forth in misery. I sat next to him, wrapped an arm around his shoulder and asked, "What's up?" "I don't know, but my stomach's rollin' like I'm gonna' puke or somethin'." "Well, you're in the right place if that happens. You think maybe you're just nervous about tomorrow?" "Pro'lly. I hope that's all it is and not something I ate." "If it was something you'd eaten, T.J., we'd all be having the same problem. So far, it's just you feeling lousy, so I'm going to go with nerves. You don't have to go if you don't want to, ya' know." "Yeah, I know, but when I said I was gonna' be there, I meant it. I ain't lettin' Alex and Joey do this by themselves. It'd screw the whole thing up." "I'm sure they'd understand and be just fine if you didn't go." "Yeah, I know, but I'd feel like a real turd if I stayed home. And I don't want my brothers pissed at me for wimpin' out on `em." "I don't think they could ever be mad at you, for anything." "And I'm not gonna' find out tomorrow either, not after all the work we've put into this." "Wait, what work? I haven't seen you three working on anything special the past couple weeks." "That's the point, dad, it's a surprise." "Well, okay, then, why don't you crawl in bed. I think once you get to sleep, your stomach will be fine." "Yeah, okay." He grabbed my hand as I led the way out of the bathroom and after reaching the bed, he climbed in with Mike and Andy. He crawled across and curled up behind Mike who was already holding onto Andy. After pulling up the covers, Tom and I gave kisses and traded `I love you' with all three, then turned out the light, closed the door and headed to the twins' room. The twins were curled up together in the middle of the bed and waiting for the covers. We obliged them, then leaned in to plant kisses on foreheads and swap `I love you' with them. Before we left, I asked, "You two sure you're ready for tomorrow?" "Yeah, dads, we're ready, we got it all worked out with T.J," Alex answered. "Can you do what you want without him?" I asked. "Why, he change his mind `bout goin'?" Joey asked. "Not yet, but he's having some issues with his stomach and he may not be up to going in the morning. I think he's just really nervous, but we'll have to see how he feels in the morning." "It'd be better if he went," Alex started. "But we can do it without him if we need to," Joey finished the thought. "That's good to hear, boys," Tom commented, "We'll just have to wait see." "Sleep well, guys," I said as we turned out the light, closed the door and headed to the living room to talk about tomorrow for a while. After getting comfortable by the fireplace, I looked to Tom and said, "Ya' know, we keep asking Alex, Joey and T.J. if they're ready for tomorrow and I'm not even sure I am. What about you?" "Are you freakin' kiddin' me!? I don't have any idea what the hell am I gonna' say?" "I know I'm going to say something about my own fight with depression and also about dad's inability to deal with life as it is, but that's all I really got." "That's more than I got, babe." "What if you tell about your mom and dad's struggle adjusting to having a gay son. I know none of you reached the point of suicide, but it had to be rough for all of you." "It was hell on earth for a while, no doubt about it. I'm just glad we finally have things smoothed over and we don't have to deal with all that bullshit anymore. I guess I could use that tomorrow. Better than sittin' there like a bump on a log, anyway." "Any idea what Dylan's going to have?" "Nope, not a clue. You got any idea what Lee and Shawn are bringing?" "Like you, I'm clueless." "Fine pair we are, Max," he laughed. "I feel like I'm back in high school, cramming the night before a big final and I don't have my book or my notes. I sense failure is imminent." "I'm sure we'll be just fine, big guy. We're just a small part of this thing." "I hope so. Well, I'm gettin' tired, you ready for bed?" "I am, and though we don't have to be moving real early in the morning, I feel like it's gonna be a long damn day. Let's get some sleep and don't forget, reset your alarm for a little later than normal. No need to be up at six." We headed to the bedroom, and after visiting the bathroom, climbed into bed and snuggled up together for a peaceful night's sleep. Tom's alarm went off at 7:30 this morning to get us started on our day. We decided to let the boys sleep just a bit longer and took a shower so we'd look alive when we got to the school. After getting dressed, I headed to the kitchen to start fixing a breakfast of eggs and sausage while Tom headed to the boys' rooms to roust them from their slumber. A few minutes after Tom joined me in fixing our meal, five surly and grumbling boys finally decided to grace us with their presence. "Good morning!" I called cheerfully as they mounted their stools at the counter. "Mm-m-ph, whatever, dad," groused Joey. "You're way too happy, old man," Alex agreed. "How do you feel this morning, T.J.?" Tom asked. "Stomach feeling okay?" "Not, bad, pops. At least I don't feel like I'm gonna' puke this morning." "That's good to hear, T.J., I knew you'd be okay," I responded. "How about you, Mike and Andy, you lookin' forward to spending the day with your Uncle Carl." "You bet, dad," Mike answered with a wide grin while nodding his head wildly. "We're gonna' have a blast." "Yeah," Andy continued with the same evil grin, "we got the ropes all ready to go and the stepladder to reach the candy in the pantry." "Now, we just need to figure out what chair we're gonna' tie him to," Mike added conspiratorially. "Boys, we talked about this already, didn't we? No ropes, remember." "Yeah, we know, dad," Andy replied. "We're just yankin' your chain," Mike added with a hearty laugh. "Glad to hear it. Why don't you five get busy setting the table? The food will be ready shortly." The boys hopped off their stools and quickly got the table set and by the time they were ready, the eggs and sausage were done and it was time to eat. Breakfast this morning was rather quiet as we were each lost in our own thoughts of what the day held for us. I don't know about the others, but I wanted this day to be over already. I know I agreed to be involved in this with Steve, but I was having more than my fair share of second thoughts the closer it came to becoming a reality. Unfortunately, it was too late to back out now. When the food was gone, we worked together to clean the table, load the dishwasher and clean up the sausage and egg pans. Once that chore was completed, we settled in the living room to relax for a few while we waited for Lee, Carl and Shawn to arrive. It was a short wait as the drive sensor announced their arrival just about ten minutes later at a quarter to nine. Looks like we were going to be at the school on time, damn the luck. Mike and Andy ran to the door and had it open long before their car pulled up in front of the door. They were apparently anxious to get started on their day with Carl. Tom and I followed along and met everyone as they came through the door. "Morning, Lee, Carl, Shawn," I said in greeting. "Carl, I hope you had a high energy breakfast as I think these two are gonna' give you a run for your money today." "No worries, Max, I brought some rope to tie `em up if I need to." The boys cracked up in laughter. "Funny you should say that, Carl, since they've been planning to do the same to you. I'll let you all fight that out. How are you this morning, Lee?" "Just dandy, bro, you ready to go?" "No," I answered simply. "Well, you better get ready, we gotta' get a move on." "Yeah, I know." I turned to Shawn, shook his hand and said, "Morning to you, too, Shawn. Been a while since we've seen each other, how ya' doin'?" "I'm great, Max. Seems to me there are some new faces around here." "Oh, yeah, let me introduce you to the family. The big guy here is my fianc�, Tom, the two monsters attacking Carl are Mike and Andy, and the three strolling over to join us," I continued, pointing it their direction, "are Alex, Joey, and T.J. Those three are going with us this morning." All the boys gave Shawn a hug and he returned the greeting. Shawn shook hands with Tom and said, "Good to meet you, Tom. Glad Max finally found someone to help take care of his sorry ass." "Nice to meet you, too, Shawn. I'm glad we both found each other, too." "Nice looking family you've built here, Max. I'm happy for you." "Thanks, Shawn. I didn't think having a family would ever happen, but now that it has, I can honestly say I've never been happier." "You're not gonna' be happy for long if we're late getting to the school," Lee interrupted, looking at her watch and tapping her foot impatiently. "Is she always like this, Shawn?" "No, not really," he answered. "Usually, she's a lot worse," he laughed, ducking the punch Lee aimed for his shoulder. "Get your coats, boys, and let's get rolling." I turned to Lee and asked, "You two want to ride with us since you've got to come back here to get Carl on your way home?" "We might as well," Lee replied. As everyone else headed to the garage, I knelt in front of Mike and Andy and said, "Remember, you be good boys for Uncle Carl. I don't want to get home this afternoon and find out you've been nothing but trouble." "Aw, dad, we'll be good," Mike whined. "Yeah, dad, we promise, no ropes," Andy giggled. "Good," I answered, giving them both hugs. I stood, shook hands with Carl, and added, "Carl, I can't thank you enough for staying with these two today. Help yourself to anything in the fridge or the pantry. If you can't find something, the boys will be glad to help you." "No worries, Max, we'll be just fine. I've got the easy job today. Good luck." "Thanks, we'll need it. I'll have my phone on vibrate if you need us for anything." "Would you get out of here, already? I got this." With that comment, I turned and headed to the garage. The boys had all climbed into the back seat while Lee and Shawn were in the middle and Tom was, of course, up front with me. With great trepidation for the day ahead, I slowly backed out of the garage and took off for the school. "Geez, I thought they'd never leave," Mike said as he started peeling off his clothes. "Me either," Andy agreed as he did the same. "I'm with you guys," Carl said as he started getting undressed, also. "But we didn't want to freak Shawn out, did we?" "No, I guess not," Mike agreed. "So, boys, what do you have planned for today?" Carl asked. "Can we go swimming, Uncle Carl?" Andy asked. "Yeah, we haven't been in the pool since T.J. got hurt last week." "Sure, why not? Drop your clothes in your room and grab towels for the three of us. I'll get the key for the shelter and meet you at the door." "Yippee!" the boys yelled together and high-tailed it to their bedroom and then to the laundry room to grab some fresh towels. They met Carl at the glass doors to the outside and then ran ahead of him to the shelter. As soon as the shelter door was unlocked, they threw their towels on the table, ran for the pool and jumped in, splashing water almost to the glass ceiling. Carl was a bit more relaxed on his entry to the pool, opting to use the steps in the corner. The end result was the same, though, as he was instantly mauled by two wild boys as soon as he off the steps. We arrived at the school and found a space close to the door in the almost empty lot. I wasn't feeling any better about our involvement with this, but it was too late to turn back now. I grabbed Tom's hand as we slowly made our way across the parking lot. I noticed Alex, Joey and T.J. were walking with their arms around each other's shoulders. When we inevitably reached the door, Shawn pulled it open and then stood by, holding the door open for the rest of us to pass through before he did. "Where to, dad?" Alex asked. "Mr. Furman asked us to meet him at the office and he'd lead the way to the library from there," I answered. The boys led the way through the eerily silent halls to the office. As we entered the office, we interrupted Gloria and Steve's conversation. Steve was the first to react to our arrival by walking over, extending a hand and greeting me with, "Good morning, Max. Tell me, who did you bring with you?" "Morning, Steve, you already know Alex, Joey and T.J. This is my fianc�, Tom, my sister, Lee Nichols and one of her people, Shawn Black. Everybody, this is Steve Furman, president of the school board and today's ringleader." Steve shook hands with everyone and said, "A pleasure to meet everyone. I know the subject of today's workshop may not be what you normally deal with, but I think it's very important and I'm glad you're all willing to help us out with it." "We're happy to help, Steve," Lee replied. "Now if Dylan would just get here, we could get started." At that moment, the office door opened again and in walked Dylan, offering a wave of the hand as a greeting to everyone. "Well, speak of the devil. Looks like everyone is here now, let's get this thing going. Gloria, turn on the answering machine and get to the library, everyone else should already be there." Steve led the way through the halls to the library. As we entered the room crowded with teachers, bus drivers and other staff, I could hear several people asking questions like `Who the heck are they?' and `What are those students doing here?' "Quiet down, everyone," Steve demanded. "We'll get to your questions in just a moment." Steve had the chairs in the library arranged so all the people who'd just met in the office would be facing the school's employees. After we'd taken our seats and things had quieted down, he turned to his staff and began. "Good morning, everyone. Thank you for being here, though you really don't have much choice, do you? I know you were expecting this last workshop day of the year to be used to discuss what we can do to improve the standard of education in our district. However, as important at that topic is, I have changed our plans for today after discovering something I feel is much more important. I'm hoping at the end of the day, you will agree with me. A couple of the questions I heard asked as we entered just now are who are these people and why are they here? "Let me answer the first of those two questions by introducing you to our guests for the day. Starting on this end, we have Sergeant Dylan Brock of the Sangamon County Sherriff's department. Sergeant Brock has fifteen years of service in the department and since I've worked with him before on other things, I thought it would be a good idea to have him here to include a law enforcement perspective on today's subject." One of the staff members raised a hand and asked, "Excuse me, Mr. Furman, what, exactly, are we doing today?" "All in good time, Eileen, just a little patience, please," Steve responded with just a hint of authority in his voice. "Now, if I can continue without further interruption? Thank you. Next, we have Lee Nichols, the Assistant Director of an organization in Springfield named the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, or ICASA for short. Sitting next to Mrs. Nichols is the Communications Director at ICASA, Shawn Black. For those of you who don't know, ICASA's main function is to provide funding and support to rape crisis centers all across the state. This is a much-needed service and while today's topic may not fall in their regular scope of operation, they are well-voiced in the matter at hand and I welcome their input today. "Next on today's guest list are Max Sanders, his fianc�, Tom Wright, and three of their five soon-to-be adopted sons, Joey and Alex Allison, and T.J. Bruce." I noticed several of the people gazing awkwardly at us and shaking their heads. "Joey, Alex, and T.J. are all students here and you may recognize them. Mr. Sanders, some of you will probably know, is an author with four best-sellers to his name. Mr. Wright recently resigned his position as a Sangamon County Deputy in the Sherriff's department to begin a new career as a private investigator, working with the agency assisting in their upcoming adoptions. Mr. Sanders and his family are responsible for our change in subject matter today. "Can we please give our guests a nice welcome?" A light round of applause filtered through the assemblage and once quiet was restored, Eileen stood, placed her hands on her hips and asked testily, "You still haven't told us why we're here, Mr. Furman. I'd like to know what's more important than improving our standards and methods." "Eileen, if you would sit back down and behave like an adult at an important meeting, I'd be happy to tell you," he replied, the anger evident in his voice. Steve waited impatiently, tapping his foot on the floor, as we waited for a red-faced Eileen to re-take her seat. After being seated, again, Steve continued, "The subject of today's workshop is the acceptance of gay youth in our district and the epidemic of suicide by young people happening all across this country, most notably, among youth who identify as gay. We've been lucky in this district, so far, and I want to keep it that way." "Oh, big effin' deal, let the little flamers kill themselves," came a gruff voice from the back row. Steve's reaction to the incendiary comment was immediate. "Was that you Horace!?" he asked, barely controlling the rage that had risen inside him. "Damn right, it was. Those perverts don't deserve to live." "I figured as much. Get your sorry ass up here right now." We all waited while the man worked his way through the crowd to stand in front of Steve. "Give me your keys to the building right now, Horace. As of this moment, you are no longer employed by this district. I hope you enjoy your newly found free time. We'll mail your last paycheck to the address in your personnel file. Perhaps you can find Ms. Carr and join her while you both search for new jobs. And don't waste your time filing for unemployment because it will be denied." Steve held out his hand and waited for Horace to hand over his keys. Once they were removed from his keyring and in Steve's hand, Steve dropped them into his pocket and said, "Now, get the hell out of this school and don't you ever darken its halls again. If you refuse to leave, I will have Sergeant Brock remove you." Dylan stood, extended himself to his full height of six foot, four inches and glared menacingly at Horace. Horace seemed to get the message, turned on his heel and beat feet out of the library. We soon heard the slam of another door echo through the halls as he left the building. I noticed the twins' teacher, Mr. Thomas, give a little pump of his fist in celebration of Horace's inglorious exit from the building. Steve turned to us and said, "I apologize for that little display, boys, but you won't have to deal with him ever again." "That's all right Mr. Furman," Joey started. "Yeah, we never liked him anyway," Alex added. A light chuckle filtered through the group and once quiet was restored, Steve asked, "Well, folks, it looks like we now need a new custodian along with a new principal. Does anybody else here have the same opinions as Horace?" Steve paused a moment before continuing. "I tell all of you right now, I will not allow any employee of this district to think that way and remain an employee." He looked directly at Eileen and added, "If you'd like to leave this workshop, and your job, simply because you don't agree with the subject, now is your opportunity. If you believe as Horace does, give me your keys and get out." Nobody said a word for several minutes as Steve looked every employee in the eye and allowed the rage he'd felt dissipate before continuing. "Good, now that we have that nonsense settled, let's move on. I'm going to start today's workshop with a story, of which, none of you are aware. This is a personal story and while have I permission to share it, I would be very thankful if it doesn't leave this room, please. My sister, Candice, is a lesbian." A hush fell over the room and many of the school's staff raised their eyebrows in surprise. "However, when she was younger and still struggling with her sexuality, she married a fine young man she thought was the answer to her prayers. And, for a short time, he was. Just a few months after the wedding, she'd become pregnant and it seemed her desire for a, quote, normal, unquote, life had been achieved. "My niece was born right on time and Candice was over the moon with happiness. She doted on her daughter during her maternity leave and actually contemplated becoming a stay-at-home mother for a while. However, economics being what they are, at the end of her leave, she placed her daughter in a well-respected daycare and returned to work. She settled back into her job, but couldn't wait to pick up her daughter every night on the way home. A couple of months after she'd returned to work, her employer hired a new employee and she was assigned to Candice for training. My sister and the new employee, let's call her Terry, got along quite well during the training and they enjoyed the time they spent together. "A couple of weeks into the training, Candice began to feel things for her trainee she'd not felt in a long time. The two shared a certain closeness and familiarity she'd not felt before. It wasn't until they went out to share a dinner one evening about a month later that Candice realized she had fallen in love with Terry. She struggled to come to terms with these new feelings, but she was very torn since she was married and had a very young daughter. She couldn't understand how she could be married to a man and, yet, have feelings for Terry. She loved her husband, but was beginning to believe she loved Terry even more. Candice dealt with the situation as best she could and really tried to convince herself that the attraction to Terry was just some passing fancy that would diminish in time. "She didn't count on Terry announcing late one afternoon that she'd fallen in love with Candice and then suggest the two of them spend some time together to see if there was a future for the two of them and Candice's daughter. Candice, being the good wife and mother she was trying to be, put Terry off, claiming that since she was married and shared a daughter with her husband, there was no possibility of anything happening between the two of them. That worked for about two weeks, with Candice becoming more withdrawn and closed-off. Candice finally decided to give in to her feelings towards Terry and arranged a weekend trip for the two of them, under the guise of a business-related trip. Her husband would stay home with their daughter. "While Candice and Terry spent the weekend at a very nice resort, Candice, finally, realized who she was; that she was, indeed, homosexual. She hated the thoughts and feelings that she'd been dealing with for months, but there was no escaping the truth. When she returned home from her trip, she and her husband had a very long talk. He was obviously upset and angry with Candice. He felt he'd been lied to and, while that was never her intention, it is essentially the truth. Once she was able to get her husband to understand her own internal struggle, he very slowly became more understanding of their new situation. They both knew what had to happen, but neither was willing to be the first to make the suggestion. "That's when I got pulled into the middle of it all. Having no knowledge of what had transpired in the preceding months, they told me what was going on in their lives and wanted to know how I thought they should proceed. I was completely blindsided. I went to their house not knowing a thing, only to discover my sister was gay and their supposedly happy marriage was coming to a rapid end. Needless to say, I was stunned beyond belief. I gave them the only suggestion I thought was reasonable under the circumstances; it was time for them to go their separate ways as amicably and equitably as possible, keeping in mind the needs of their daughter and how this would affect her life in the future. "They eventually got a divorce and Candice and Terry ended up moving in together. Candice was, again, the happy-go-lucky and outgoing individual I'd always known. Things were great for a while. Candice and Terry were creating a new life together, and even my ex-brother-in-law seemed at peace with the way things were going. He and Candice shared joint custody of their daughter. She'd spend a week with Candice and a week with her dad. I never heard a word from anyone about any issues they were having, thought it turns out there obviously were. "Several months later, in what we all assume was a fit of jealous rage, the ex-husband appeared at Candice and Terry's front door. When Terry opened the door, he shot her in the face and then turned the gun on himself. Both lay in the doorway, one on top of the other, dead. Just like that!" he added, snapping his fingers. "As luck would have it, Candice and her daughter had run to the grocery that evening and weren't at home when it happened. A neighbor who heard the shots called the police and they arrived within five minutes of the shooting. Of course, it was too late to help either Terry or the ex. "I can't even begin to imagine the thoughts that passed through my sister's mind when she returned home that night, finding police cars and ambulances surrounding her home. Then, as if that weren't enough already, to get out of her car, only to find two people for whom she cared deeply, gone. Candice broke down and I was called to the scene to help take care of her and my niece. I bundled the two of them into my car, went through the garage to pack a few things for them, then took them to my home. She stayed with my wife and me for the next two weeks as we all went through the motions of trying to carry on with a normal life, whatever the hell that was. We struggled to deal with two funerals and two different families, and then struggled even more with the aftermath. "When Candice finally decided she was ready to move on with her life, she tried to return to the home she'd shared with Terry. Imagine her surprise when she opened the door to find her former home completely empty and devoid of any evidence of her and her daughter having ever lived there. All the furniture, pictures, clothes, her daughter's things, gone. After contacting Terry's family, she discovered they were the ones who had emptied the place. When asked about her daughter's belongings, she was told everything had been taken to the landfill because none of them wanted it. They never considered Candice to be a part of the family due to the nature of the relationship she had with Terry and they wanted nothing to do with her or her daughter. She was now faced with the impossible task of starting over from square one. "Both returned to my home, Candice heartbroken and distraught over even greater loss. She was at her wit's end and didn't have a clue about how to begin starting over. I didn't know until several years after the fact that she had seriously considered the idea of killing herself and leaving her daughter to be raised by my wife and me. I don't know what made her change her mind as she never told me, but the important thing is, she did. It took her the better part of the next year to put her life back together, find a new home and replace all the things Terry's family had blindly disposed of. Now, ten plus years after that horrible night, she has a new partner in life, and their daughter is now twelve years old and growing like a weed. "However, despite all that progress, we are now faced with problems, again. My niece is being bullied relentlessly by other students in her school simply because she has two moms. Despite numerous complaints, the school district is not doing anything to resolve the issue because they apparently don't agree with Candice's lifestyle and couldn't care less about the long-term effects on my niece's life. As a result of their inaction, Candice, her partner and her daughter will be moving to New Berlin after school is out so she can attend school here this fall. I will do everything in my power to ensure that when she is a student here that she will not be subjected to the same treatment she is now receiving. I'm just hoping that she can make it through the next two-and-a-half months without doing something horrible. "Suicide is not just a problem for people who are gay, it's a problem for their families also and I'm very concerned about my niece and her mental health. Candice's ex-husband and his actions are proof of that. I'm doing everything I can from a distance to support my sister and her family, but it's difficult not being there in person and being able to give them a hug when they need it the most. They know they have a better life waiting for them and they are hopeful for the future. Helping my sister recover from her losses was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life, but it was also one of the most rewarding. If called on, I would do it all over without one bit of hesitation. "I will now repeat what I started with; I will not accept that type of treatment for any student or staff member in this school. If you are unable to treat people as human beings regardless of their race, religious beliefs, sexuality or any other basis, then I recommend you find yourself a new employer. We, as a group, need to work together to provide a safe and non-judgmental environment for all the people in this building. Our students are our life-blood. A bullied student is more likely to harbor feelings of resentment, hate and depression and that combination of feelings often leads to suicide. We need to be especially aware of those among us who may be bullied for who they are and react in a positive manner when bullying is witnessed or reported. We have policies in place on how to handle bullies and they will be enforced. "That's all I have to say at the moment. Any questions before Sergeant Brock takes over?" With no apparent questions, Steve turned to Dylan, said, "Your turn, sir," then took the empty chair at the end of the line. Dylan stood and began, "Good morning. I have worked with some of you before on our safe-driving clinics and I appreciate the support you given me over the years for that. It's good to be back here today, although for an entirely different reason. In my opinion, suicide is never the answer to a problem, no matter how desperate that problem may seem. I can understand that hurt and depression can cause a person to take their own life, but in my experience as a cop, it always leaves more questions than answers for the victim's families and friends. Of course, a person hell-bent on killing themselves isn't thinking about the people they are leaving behind, their only concern is ending their pain and whatever is causing it. "In my time in the sheriff's department, I have dealt with and investigated about twenty-five suicides. Of those, eight or nine have been children or young adults, ages twelve to eighteen. The majority of those have been the direct result of the victim being bullied for some reason. The few individuals that actually left notes giving their reasons, bullying was most definitely a leading cause for the suicide. In the other cases, where no note is left, we investigate and try to determine why such a young person would feel the need to end their life. In all but one case, the others were also determined to be a result of verbal and mental abuse forced on the victim by his or her family and/or friends. There is only one case in which we never found a direct link to anything and that one remains a mystery and haunts me to this day. "Now, of the other cases where we know bullying was a contributing factor in the suicide, in two cases, we know the victim was being abused because they were perceived to be gay. Whether they actually were or not is immaterial, just the fact they were believed to be was enough for their abusers to inflict their abuse. The biggest grounds for gay youth to be abused in this manner is based on the religious beliefs of the parents or friends. How any parent can abuse their own child, for any reason, is incomprehensible. I know it happens because I see it on a regular basis, but I will never understand it. "I have seen families torn apart by a child's suicide. Parents blaming the other one for being the reason the victim killed themselves. Inevitably, these families will end up divorcing over the whole thing and go their separate ways simply because they can't deal with the grief of having lost a child. And on top of that grief, they are, sometimes, also carrying the guilt that they may have somehow caused it. I truly feel for those families. I've even seen parents who have committed suicide because of the combination of grief and guilt. Whatever pain the child was in pales in comparison to the pain of the parents and other family left behind. "One thing you will never hear me do is blame the victim of a suicide for their own death. To do so would be an insult to their memory. People don't reach that low of a point in their lives on their own, they inevitably have help of some type along the way. That's why I investigate a suicide with every tool at my disposal, to see if I can find an explanation or reason, then see what I can do to prevent another such event. In my cases involving youth, I've talked to the person or persons we've discovered to be the source of the abuse to try and impress on them that their behavior was a factor. I then follow that up with arranging counseling for them. I do that because they now fully understand what they've done and I always worry that I may soon have another victim and I don't want that. In the cases where the abuser's parents couldn't afford the counseling, I make sure it gets paid for, one way or another. "The last thing I want to say to you today is you never know who around you may be gay. In light of that, you should always be careful what you say when around other people, keep your slurs and your hate to yourself. We don't want to hear it and we get offended when we do. Thanks for your time today," he ended and turned to take his seat. Eileen stood and asked, "Um, excuse me, Sergeant Brock." "Yes, ma'am, how can I help you?" Dylan asked as he turned around to face the audience again. "When you just said `we', were you including yourself in that?" "Ah, you caught that, did you? No moss growing on that rock, Steve," he grinned. "Yes, ma'am, I was including myself." "But why? You're not gay." "And just why do you think I'm not? Because I'm a cop? Or because I work out? Or is it because I'm black? Exactly why do you think I'm not gay?" "Well, you just don't fit the type, I guess." "And just what `type' is that? Do you actually think you can determine who's gay or not simply by looking at them?" "Well, you know what I mean." "No, ma'am, I honestly don't have a clue what you're talking about." "Oh, the limp wrist, the lisp thing, acting in an effeminate way." "Ma'am, all those things you just mentioned are nothing but the absolute worst stereotypes that we've been saddled with for years. I obviously exhibit none of those characteristics, but it doesn't make me any less gay. That's exactly what I was saying when I said you never know who around you may be gay. The only way to know for sure is to ask, but I would recommend you know the person very well before you ask that question." "I'm sorry, Sergeant Brock, I just assumed..." "Of course, you did, and we all know what happens when you assume something." A very red-faced Eileen sat back down amidst a round of quiet chuckles and Dylan asked, "Any other questions?" "I have one," Ken said as he stood. "If we feel we have a student at risk, what should we do?" "That's a damn good question and I'm glad you asked it. I'm sure Lee and Shawn will have some better information for you on that, but here's what I'd recommend. First, reach out to the student, talk to them, let them know you care about them as a person and they're not just another student. Second, notify the school counselor so he or she can get involved." "Um, we don't have a counselor on staff," Ken commented. "Well, that's just unbelievable." Dylan turned to Steve and asked, "Is that true, Mr. Furman?" "At this moment, it is. We had to cut that staff position some years back due to budget cuts from the state, but I'm working on rectifying that situation." "Good, do it quickly. You should never have a school without a counselor on hand." Dylan turned back to the crowd and continued, "Well, since you don't have one on-site, I guess you'll have to skip the counselor step for now, anyway. Next, you need to contact the parents or guardians of the student and let them know of your concerns. In this day and age, with both parents working, or single parents working more than one job, and with all the electronic entertainment available to amuse kids, the parents may be completely unaware of what's going on in their child's life. They need to know as soon as humanly possible so they can get involved. Even after you've contacted the parents, stay involved in the situation and make sure the child is receiving the help they need." "Thank you, sergeant, I appreciate the information," Ken responded before retaking his seat. "You're very welcome. If there're no more questions for me, I believe I'll let Mrs. Nichols and Mr. Black take over." Dylan returned to his chair and Lee and Shawn took his place. "Good morning to you all. I want to thank Mr. Furman for including us in today's workshop. My name is Lee Nichols and I am the Assistant Director of the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, also known as ICASA. The gentleman with me today is our Communications Director Shawn Black. Since the main focus of Shawn's job is providing concise and effective communications with our rape crisis centers, he's going to be doing most of the talking for us. However, before I turn this over to him, I'd like to tell you how today's subject has affected my family. `Holy crap' I thought, what the hell is she doing? I hung my head in disbelief and to hide any possible reaction as Lee continued. "My brother is gay. I've known and accepted that fact long before he did, but we never discussed it until he was ready to do so. I also know of his battle with depression and just how close he was to ending his life, though I'm sure he believes I'm completely unaware of his struggles. There are some things he may be able to hide from me, but that's not one of them. I have supported my brother and the decisions he's made throughout his life and I will continue to do so. You see, who he is and how he lives his life are none of my business, unless he asks for my help. If and when he does ask, I'm there for him. All I want for him is to be happy with who he is and happy with his life. I believe he has found that. "When he finally came out to our parents last fall, it was a very rough time for our family. I knew he was hurt by our parent's reaction to the news, severely depressed and close to suicide, but I was there for him when he needed me. We talked a lot at the time, more than we'd done the previous five years, probably, and I think I was finally able to get him to see things in a positive light. While he is ultimately responsible for deciding he'd rather live than die, I like to think that in some small way, I was a part of that decision. I honestly don't know what I would have done had he continued on the path he was following and carried through on his plans. "Despite our parent's religious beliefs, our mother was the first to realize that her son was still the same person he'd always been and finally decided to treat him like a civilized human being instead of an animal. I think that was a big factor in my brother deciding he wanted to continue living, the simple fact that our mother had started to change her attitude and showed she still cared about him. "Unfortunately, we weren't quite as lucky with our father. He continued to be hateful to his son until just this last weekend when he decided he just didn't want to deal with it anymore. Last Friday night, he swallowed a handful of prescription sleeping pills. Fortunately, he was found by a neighbor before it was too late and we still have our father with us. Amazingly, he has not only changed his attitude, he has also accepted that my brother is in the process of adopting four or five boys and he has volunteered to pay for his upcoming wedding. "So, we had one almost attempt and one actual attempt at suicide in my family with the last six months. My mother and I would have been devastated had either one actually succeeded. Fortunately, it appears we're past that chapter of our lives and ready to start writing new ones. The only other thing I'd like to say before allowing Shawn to take over is this, suicide among gay people and their families is not just a problem for young people, it can affect anybody of any age. We are focusing on the issues affecting children today because that's who you spend every day with and they are at the highest risk because of their vulnerability. Thanks for listening and I'll let Shawn take it from here." Lee stepped back and Shawn stepped forward. "Good morning, again, everyone. I'll try not to bore you completely today, but I do have some important information and resources to share with you. "First, you're probably wondering what Lee and I are doing here since we support rape crisis centers. You're thinking we don't have anything to do with suicide, am I right?" Many of the school's staff nodded their heads in agreement. "Well, unfortunately, many victims of rape deal with severe depression and guilt after their ordeal, believing they are somehow responsible for what happened to them. Sometimes, those emotions overflow and they turn to ending their lives to escape the pain. Rape is not a crime of passion as some would like you to believe, but it is a crime of violence and power on the part of the rapist. The victim is never responsible for what has happened to them. "Second, you're also thinking that gay people don't rape or get raped." More nods of agreement. "Well, you would be incorrect. Anybody can be sexually assaulted by anybody else. I've seen research where straight men have sexually assaulted gay men, trying to prove to the victim that being gay is wrong, even though they're performing a gay sex act. The rapists in these cases are apparently too stupid to see the flaw in their twisted logic. I've seen where straight men have raped gay women to try and show them what they are missing by being gay, trying to show them they really want to be straight. Again, the logic they employ boggles the mind. I have also seen these examples turned around with women as the assaulters, against both men and women. And, of course, you also have gay on gay sexual assaults happening. Nobody is exempt. "Third, a gay person who has already been contemplating suicide, for whatever reason, is at an even greater risk of following through with an attempt after an assault. The shame of being an assault victim, added to what they were already dealing with, can be overwhelming. They are certain that the only way to stop their pain and anguish is to stop living. As Sergeant Brock said, the victim should never be considered at fault. "One of you asked Sergeant Brock what you should do if you feel you know a student at risk. The sergeant's recommendations were right on the money as far as they went. However, there are other resources available, of which, you should all be aware. The first, of course, is 9-1-1. If you know of anyone that you feel is immediate danger of inflicting harm to themselves, stop what you're doing and make the call. Don't hesitate. Explain the situation to the emergency operator and help in the form of law enforcement and an ambulance will be dispatched. While you wait for help to arrive, talk to your student, try and make a connection, let them know they are important to you. "There is also a gay help and counseling group available for anyone by way of e-mail. The e-mail address is gayhelpline26@gmail.com. Their main purpose is to help stop gay boys and girls of any age from committing suicide. They will also talk with the individual and help deal with coming out to their family and friends. Most youth are going to be more willing to discuss their problems with someone using this method than they would talking face-to-face with someone. "Another resource available via internet is called Ears for You. Again, this is an e-mail-based help organization and their address is earsforyourhelp@gmail.com. The people at Ears for You are there to listen to anyone who contacts them for any reason. They also have face-to-face help available if that's desired and are working on setting up a toll-free number to make it easier to contact them. "Both services are free of charge. Also, since most kids aren't comfortable with talking to their parents about what they are feeling, they probably will not want to use a computer at home for this purpose since there's a chance their parents could find it. I would recommend setting up a computer in a discreet location here in the school that students can use for this. There are many other help lines and counseling organizations available that specialize in dealing with gay youth, helping them come to understand who they are, that being gay is as natural as being straight. I have some brochures on some of these organizations and I will leave them with Mr. Furman so they will be available to all of you on request. "If any of you ever want more information on services that are available, don't hesitate to call me. I have access to sources of assistance that you wouldn't even dream are available. If you would like to become actively involved in helping end this problem, call me for help with that also. I'll be glad to put you in touch with counseling organizations and suicide prevention hotlines that are always looking for people to talk to others and answer phones. I think that's it for us, unless anyone has a question." With no response from the staff, Lee and Shawn took their seats. It looked like it was my turn now, but I still wasn't ready to do this. Before I could stand up, Ken stood and said, "If it's okay with you, Mr. Furman, I'd like to say something." "Are you sure, Ken?" Steve asked seriously. "Yeah, it's time." Ken took just a moment to weave his way through his co-workers until he was standing in front them, shaking like a leaf. "Hi, everybody," he started as he gave a little wave and received a few back. "I've only been working in this district for a little over a year and a half and I love my job and the people I work with. I'm not really supposed to talk about this and I hope Mr. Furman will forgive me for doing so, but I've got to get something off my chest. A couple of weeks ago, I was fired." A collective gasp of surprise emanated from the staff. "During a meeting with Mr. Sanders, his sons' teachers and Ms. Carr, I was asked a question and I answered it honestly. I let it be known that I'm gay and Ms. Carr did not appreciate my honesty. She then went to great lengths to see that I was let go by lying to the board about something she supposedly saw happen in my classroom. What I haven't told anybody until this moment is that I seriously considered killing myself that night. I figured if I couldn't do the job I'd trained for and loved, what was the point of living. "Fortunately, I was too much of chicken to go through with it. I didn't know who I could reach out to for help and was lost for a day while I stewed in my misery. With the help of Mr. Sanders, Joey and Alex, and Mr. Furman and his daughter, I was reinstated and Ms. Carr was let go for her actions. This hate that many straight people have for gays has got to stop or we're going to start seeing even more young people dying all over this country. Sure, we're a little different from you, but deep down, we all want the same thing, to live a happy and fulfilling life and to be able to openly love who our hearts tell us to. "That's all I wanted to say. Thanks." As he returned to his seat, many of the people he passed shook his hand or patted his back in a show of support. Steve stood, embarrassment evident on his face, and said, "Ken, you know how sorry I am for what was done to you. All I can do is promise you that something like that will never happen in this district again. If you'd like to talk about this more with me, my door is always open." After a short pause, he continued, "Well, I guess that brings us to our next guest, Mr. Sanders. Max, the floor is yours." I warily stood up and took a few steps forward. My stomach was rolling and I felt like I was going to pass out, but since I volunteered for this, I didn't think that was a viable option. After steeling myself for a moment, I finally began. "Hi, my name is Maxwill Sanders and I'm gay." For those who are interested, the organizations and help lines mentioned in this chapter are real. I was informed of the two e-mail help groups by one of your fellow readers and I gladly used them in the story with his permission. ICASA is also a very real organization and they do very important work in the state of Illinois. The following blurb comes directly from their website: The Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA) is a not-for-profit corporation of 29 community-based sexual assault crisis centers working together to end sexual violence. Each center provides 24-hour crisis intervention services, counseling and advocacy for victims of sexual assault and their significant others. Each center presents prevention education programs in Illinois schools and communities. I'm not sure exactly how long ICASA has been in existence, but somewhere between 25 and 30 years. I'm proud to say that my sister is the assistant director of this organization and has been there almost from its inception.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 47</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc484700291"><span>Chapter 47 � </span></a><span>Workshop Anyone?</span></h2> <p><span>"This looks pretty nice," John commented. "Who drew this?"</span></p> <p><span>"Bill drew it up while we talked last night about what we wanted in the house," dad answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you tell me what you've come up with while I look this over?"</span></p> <p><span>Bill took over from there. "Basically, John, what we decided on is almost like a duplex. On each side of this large central area, we have two bedrooms, each with their own baths and one with a decent sized sitting area. This central area will be a large great room, two complete kitchens, with a common dining area between the two kitchens. </span><span>In each kitchen area, we'd like a sink, stove, dishwasher, and refrigerator.</span><span> While we'll probably eat most of our meals together, we realize there might be times where we won't want the same thing and the separate kitchens will make that easy to deal with. The double appliances will also help when it's time to fix large meals for the whole family, like Thanksgiving, Christmas and birthdays. The large dining area between the two kitchens should accommodate everybody at the same time without a problem. Then, in front of the bedrooms are two-car garages for each of us, creating the U-shape and giving somewhat of shared courtyard in between the garages. What do you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think a lot of thought went into this and it looks like a workable plan to me. You'll each have your separate private spaces, but this large common area will make it easy to entertain the whole family. I really like this, folks."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent, John," dad replied. "How soon will it take you to get a price together for us?"</span></p> <p><span>"The basic framing package, roof, siding and drywall won't be too difficult to deal with. Interior finishes, appliances, fixtures and such will all depend on what you choose. Do you want the exterior to match this house?"</span></p> <p><span>All four parents looked to me for the answer to that question and I responded with, "Hey, this is your house, not mine. Whatever you want to do is fine with me."</span></p> <p><span>"Let's make it match as close as you can, then, don't you think?" dad answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I agree," Bill said. "It may cost a little more, but I really like the appearance."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay," John said, "Can I take this plan with me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, we figured that was just a starting point, John," dad answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I'll get this recreated in my computer and that will generate our material lists that I can send out to get bids from the lumber yards."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds great," mom commented. "How soon do you think you can have something to us?"</span></p> <p><span>"I might have some pricing for the framing, drywall and such by the end of the week, but it will most likely be early next week. Maybe we can get together and go over some numbers the middle of the week."</span></p> <p><span>"Perfect," Bill agreed. "We'll look forward to hearing from you. Give us a call the day before you want to get together so we can make arrangements to be here."</span></p> <p><span>"Will do, folks. Well, if that's all for now, I better get back in there and make sure Troy and Ralph aren't screwing anything up. I'll be in touch." With that, John stood, shook hands with everyone and disappeared around the corner.</span></p> <p><span>"I think that went well," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"It did," Bill agreed. "Now if the price isn't too outrageous..."</span></p> <p><span>"The four of you don't have to worry about that, I'll take care of it," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Son, you don't need to do that," mom complained. "We talked all about this last night and we can handle it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure you can, mom, but if all of you are dead set on doing this just so you can be closer, then I'm dead set on making it happen. You four agree to your plan and finishes and I'll take it from there."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, that's a wonderful thing to do," Estelle exclaimed. "For me and Bill, I thank you for helping."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I was going to fight you on that, Max," Bill started, "but I'm not crossing that woman," he added with a very serious tone of voice.</span></p> <p><span>"I should hope not, not if you know what's good for you," Estelle responded, glaring at her husband.</span></p> <p><span>"Son, we appreciate the kind offer, but we can't accept it," dad said.</span></p> <p><span>"Dad, you've got a wedding to pay for, remember. No way you can afford that <i>and</i> a house in the same year. I'm doing it and that's that."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, I won't fight you, but one way or another, we will pay you back."</span></p> <p><span>"No, you won't, because if you do, then Bill and Estelle will want to, also, and I won't accept it."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no, Max, we're fine with it," Estelle laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine! You do whatever you want to do," dad fumed.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, I will," I grinned back at the old man.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if we're done with that, I think Estelle and I will hit the road for home. We have things to deal with there before we come back up on Thursday for the party. Max, thanks for letting use your house to meet with John. Jim, Rose, thanks for letting us stay with you last night, it sure made things easier this morning." </span></p> <p><span>As Bill and Estelle headed to grab their coats, Estelle stopped and asked, "Son, you've been awfully quiet about this, are you sure you're okay with us moving here?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know I am, mom, there just doesn't seem to be much for me to add. You four seem to doing just fine without my input."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it. Not that I'd change my mind, now, mind you," she giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"That's what I figured so why try to fight it?" Tom relented.</span></p> <p><span>"By the way, when do you get your stitches removed?"</span></p> <p><span>"Supposed to happen later this week. I still need to make an appointment somewhere to get it done, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you come with Andy and me Friday? I'm sure someone there could take care of it for you."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon, Max, that doc's a pediatrician. They're not gonna' remove my stiches."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know why not. And if you're a good boy, I bet they'll even give you a sucker," I laughed. I received a quick slap to the back of my head for that crack, but I deserved it. By this time, Bill and Estelle had their coats on and were ready to depart. Everyone exchanged hugs and handshakes and off they went.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess your mother and I will be on our way also," dad commented. "No sense hanging around here."</span></p> <p><span>"Dad, I wanted to ask if you had a chance to talk to Helen last night like you intended."</span></p> <p><span>"I did, and, thankfully, she accepted my apology. We talked a long time and agreed to pretend the last six months didn't happen. I'm already making plans to help her when it's time to plant all those bulbs you two got her. I think that will go a long way to showing her I'm sincere."</span></p> <p><span>"No doubt, it will. Let us know when that happens, will you? The boys want to help, also."</span></p> <p><span>"Never fear, son, I'm not digging <i>all</i> those holes by myself," he grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"Good. I have one more question for both of you."</span></p> <p><span>"And what's that, dear?" mom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Are you absolutely sure you want to move out here with Bill and Estelle and the rest of us, knowing we won't be wearing clothes most of the time." They both started giggling uncontrollably. "What, did I say something funny?" I asked, confused.</span></p> <p><span>"Dear," mom began, "I didn't say anything, but the whole time I was at Bill and Estelle's, we were nude. I've never been more relaxed and carefree in my life. And after your father's little confession yesterday about his <i>hunting</i> trips, the four of us relaxed in comfort last night, also, while we talked about what we want in our new house. We won't have any problems living here. In fact, we're rather looking forward to it." You could have knocked Tom and me over with a feather after that admission.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay, then. Problem solved. I'm glad you all came out and could talk to John this morning. It sounds like you've got a running start on this thing. Once it's warmer, we'll take that walk and find a good location for you."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good, Max," dad replied. "We'll see you all Thursday for the party." We again shared hugs and handshakes and after they were out the door, Tom and I returned to our seats by the fireplace to relax for a bit.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, <i>that</i> was an interesting development, don't ya' think?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It absolutely blows my mind. I have a hard time believing the change in dad is for real, especially after the last six months of living in hell, thanks to him. It's like I never knew who the hell he was and he certainly didn't care who I was."</span></p> <p><span>"Fortunately, it looks like that's all behind both of you, now."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure as hell hope so. I wouldn't wish that life on my worst fuckin' enemy. Not even the Muellers."</span></p> <p><span>"You sure about that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ya' know, now that I think about it, maybe they do deserve that kind of treatment. See if they can take it as well they dish it out." I smiled at the thought. We finally picked up our current books and continued reading.</span></p> <p><span>About an hour later, John stuck his head around the corner and said, "Hey, Max, we're gonna' run over to the Subway to grab some lunch, you want anything."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't, what about you, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, I'm good, John, thanks for asking, though."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, guys. We'll be back in about an hour and we'll get started on the new flooring. See ya' in a bit." With that, he turned, collected Troy and Ralph and they left the house.</span></p> <p><span>"Ya' know what, now that he mentioned food, I'm am startin' get a little hungry," Tom commented as his stomach rumbled. "What's for lunch, boss?"</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever you decide to fix. I don't want much, myself. I'm thinkin' about just a peanut butter and honey sandwich."</span></p> <p><span>"Yuck!" Tom exclaimed. "How can you ruin good honey with peanut butter?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, don't knock it `til you've tried it, bubba. Come on, I'll fix one for ya', and if you don't like it, I'll eat it and you can rummage around for something else." I led the way to the kitchen and pulled out the bread, peanut butter and honey. With everything out, I proceeded to fix a sandwich for both of us, honey on one slice, peanut butter on the other and then flip the peanut butter slice on top of the honey slice. "Now, the important thing when making these is to let them sit for about five minutes before you try to eat it."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, please, you can't be serious," he replied sarcastically.</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I'm serious. That gives the honey some time to soak into the bread. If you don't let that happen, then, as soon as you bite into it, honey starts running all over the place. You make a mess, you clean it up." After the allotted time, I picked mine up and took a bite, relishing the sweetness of the honey and the crunch of the peanuts. Tom looked at me like I'd lost my mind and shook his head in disbelief that I took my sandwiches so seriously. </span></p> <p><span>He finally tried a bit of his and after just a few chews, mumbled around the peanut butter, "Okay, I'm sold."</span></p> <p><span>"Have I steered you wrong yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, but there's a first time for everything and this might've been it. You got lucky."</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, I just like simple food. I'm a pretty simple guy."</span></p> <p><span>"Dream on, babe, you're about as complicated a person as I've ever met, but I can live with that."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good thing since you are." We finished our lunch, cleaned up the minor mess we'd made and returned to our reading. John, Troy and Ralph came back after a bit and continued their work in Tom's office. As usual, I was having a hard time concentrating on my book with the noise coming from down the hall, but I managed to stick with it until I heard the drive sensor go off. "You expecting company, bubba?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope."</span></p> <p><span>I looked at the clock and suddenly realized it was probably the boys ringing from their shelter. "Hell, where did the time go. Guess one of us should go get them."</span></p> <p><span>"Safe trip, babe," Tom laughed as he returned to his book. </span></p> <p><span>I grabbed my coat, got in the car and made the short trip to the end of the drive where I was met by the boys as they ran from the shelter and jumped in the car. "Good day at school, boys, and did you learn anything new?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it was great, dad," Alex answered. </span></p> <p><span>"But we really didn't learn anything new," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"I did," T.J. interrupted, "I learned that Kenny's an asshole."</span></p> <p><span>"T.J.! That's not a nice thing to say."</span></p> <p><span>"But it's true, dad, he was picking on Andy at lunch and I had to straighten him out."</span></p> <p><span>"Is that true, Andy?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he was bein' a total jerk. He was makin' fun of my mom bein' in jail, but T.J. fixed it."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know if like the sound of that. What did you do, T.J.?"</span></p> <p><span>"I just told him if he kept it up, I was gonna' get my older brothers to beat the snot out of him. He finally backed off and went away."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, I appreciate you sticking up for Andy, but you know that fighting isn't the way we solve problems, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, but it scared the crap outta' him `cause he don't know who our brothers are. For all he knows, they're in high school," he snickered.</span></p> <p><span>As I pulled up in front of the house and we got out of the car, I reminded the boys, "If you're having problems like that, talk to your teachers. If they don't resolve the issue, then tell me and I'll take care of it." Our conversation continued as we walked into the house</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay, dad," T.J. replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, now, any homework tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope," Alex answered, "nobody was givin' any since there's no school tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"But Alex and I want to do more with the other math book," Joey commented.</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, but you two and T.J. need to think about what you're going to say at the workshop tomorrow. This is important and I don't want you just winging it."</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, dad, we got that all figured out," Alex replied</span></p> <p><span>"Great, you want to tell me about it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, you'll hear it all tomorrow," Joey answered, effectively ending any further probing on my part. The boys disappeared down the hallway to drop their coats and backpacks before coming back into the living room where Joey asked, "Who do you have to know to get a snack around this dump?"</span></p> <p><span>"Dump, huh?" I countered, "C'mere, you little stinker." Joey slowly came closer and as soon as I could reach him, I pulled him into my lap and started tickling his ribs, causing him to giggle, wiggle and squeal as he tried to get away. "So, you think you live in a dump, do ya'? If you're not careful, you're gonna' end up sleeping outside. How's that grab ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"No!" he screamed between his giggles, "It's cold out there. I'm sorry, I take it back, we live in a great house. Please, stop tickling, you're gonna make me pee." If there was anything that would get me to stop my torture, that was it. I'm up for just about anything, except getting peed on.</span></p> <p><span>"Glad you're seeing things my way, Joey. Go hop up on your stools and we'll be there in a minute to get your snacks." The boys ran to the kitchen and Tom and I followed to set them up with some cookies and milk. Joey and Alex were already busy working in the math book and the other three were chatting amongst themselves, mostly about what Mike and Andy were going to do tomorrow with their Uncle Carl in charge. I was just hoping they'd be good. Since I had a captive audience, I said, "Mike, Andy, you're going to be staying home with your Uncle Carl tomorrow while we're at the school."</span></p> <p><span>"We know that, dad," Mike replied.</span></p> <p><span>"We expect you to be good boys while the rest of us are gone."</span></p> <p><span>"Bummer, dad, that kinda' kills our plans," Mike countered glumly.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we we're gonna' tie Uncle Carl up and then drink soda and eat candy all day," Andy added with a mischievous grin.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I laughed at the visual that flitted though our brains. "Um, please don't do that. I'd like Carl to <i>want </i>to come back some day. Also, when Lee and Carl get here in the morning, they're going to have another person from Lee's office with them, so before we leave, I expect you to be wearing shorts. After we're gone, then you can wear whatever you want. Or don't want. I'm sure Carl will be fine with whatever you decide."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, dads, I'm sure we'll be fine."</span></p> <p><span>"We are, too." I turned my focus to the center stool and asked, "T.J., you ready for tomorrow?"</span></p> <p><span>"As ready as I'll ever be, I guess. Just a little scared, maybe."</span></p> <p><span>"You want to tell us what you plan to say?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, like Joey said, you'll hear it tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"You might want to practice it with us," Tom said, "then you'll feel more comfortable with it."</span></p> <p><span>"Nice try, pops, but it's not gonna' happen. We got it all worked out though, don't worry."</span></p> <p><span>Tom looked to me and shrugged his shoulders as if to say, `I tried', and I nodded in acknowledgement of his effort. I guess we'll just have to wait and hear it tomorrow. "So, what's on the schedule for tonight?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"More <i>Star Trek</i>, please," T.J. commanded.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we're all lovin' it," Mike added.</span></p> <p><span>"Especially Wesley, he's cute," Alex said with a dreamy look in his eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, what about me?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, bro', he's cute, but you're still cuter," Alex replied, giving his brother a hug and a kiss.</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good to us guys. But after supper. How `bout we go read some more <i>Huckleberry Finn</i> while Joey and Alex plug away at that silly math book?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, let's go!" Andy yelled with enthusiasm. Five of us headed to the living room, leaving Alex and Joey in the kitchen to continue their work, although, the more I think about it, math seems to be almost a game to them. Tom and I sat in our regular chairs while Andy, Mike and T.J. opted to sit on the loveseat. Tom returned to reading his book while I picked up <i>Huckleberry Finn</i> and picked up where Tom had left off. I could tell by the how much attention the boys were paying to me that they were really enjoying the story.</span></p> <p><span>About an hour later, John came in and asked, "Max, Tom, you got a minute?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, John, we'll be right there," I answered as he headed down the hall. We followed the leader and entered Tom's new office space.</span></p> <p><span>"We're done for the day and gonna' be headed out, but I wanted to see what you thought of the new floor," John said, waving a hand to direct our eyes to the floor.</span></p> <p><span>"Wow, John, this looks great. It actually looks like the original flooring."</span></p> <p><span>"We got lucky there, guys. Even though the company that made the original floor is still around, the finish color you had isn't produced anymore. But, with their help, I managed to find some old stock at a lumber yard up in Peoria and they were more than happy to get rid of it at a closeout price. They even delivered it to the local yard so I could pick it up there. Saved you a couple hundred bucks."</span></p> <p><span>"Amazing. You did a great job, you'd never know there was a water leak under here."</span></p> <p><span>"All I need now is a desk and I could get to work," Tom added.</span></p> <p><span>"You'll have to talk to Bob about that. It was my understanding he was working on the shelves and desks for the boys' room first."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I'm not in a big hurry to get back to work, but this looks great. The new color on the walls looks good, too. It's still bright, but not quite as blinding as the stark white that was in here before. I can deal with this."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good since you picked it out," John laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"How about the twins' room? You done in there, also?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Until Bob has the new furniture ready to deliver. I talked to him this morning and he said he and his guys had started work on it over the weekend and he hoped to have everything completed and ready to bring out Friday afternoon. Ralph and I plan to be here to help him get everything in and installed properly."</span></p> <p><span>"We may have a problem with that, John. One of the boys has a doctor's appointment Friday afternoon and we'll be gone."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we don't really need your help, you know. And I know you like your security out here, Max, but if you'd be willing to give me a key and an alarm code, we could still get in and get them fixed up. Up to you."</span></p> <p><span>I looked at Tom for his opinion and he asked, "Why not?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay. I'll set up the system with a one-time use code. That'll let you get in that day and then delete itself automatically. What code do you want me use?"</span></p> <p><span>"One-four-seven-two, that's the last four digits of my phone number. I'll be able to remember that."</span></p> <p><span>"Done, let me get you a spare key and I'll be right back." I hustled to the kitchen and returned shortly with the key, which I handed to John. "Here you go, John. We should be back home before you're done, but if we're not, just leave the key on the kitchen counter and lock the door when you leave. The alarm will automatically set itself."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good, guys. We'll get out of your way and see you Friday."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, guys, everything's looking great." John and his guys took off through the garage while Tom and I returned to the living room, only to find T.J., Mike and Andy rapidly removing their clothes.</span></p> <p><span>"I thought they'd never leave," T.J. lamented as the three of them headed for their room, stumbling over the shorts they were trying to remove as they walked.</span></p> <p><span>"It works better if you sit down before you do that, ya' know," I called to their backs as they disappeared down the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we know, but we couldn't wait any longer," Mike hollered back.</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you go get comfy?" I asked Tom. "I'll let Joey and Alex know it's time for supper and I'll be right behind you." We split up and when I got to the kitchen, I found the twins still working on the math book. "Okay, you two, time to take a break. Put your books up and get comfy, then we'll get ready for supper."</span></p> <p><span>"That's okay, dad, we were about to quit for the night, anyway," Alex responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we just finished chapter 26, so it was time," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>I turned and walked towards the bedroom, shaking my head in disbelief, again. I really need to get in touch with Paul and see what he can tell me about IQ tests for those two. I <i>really</i> want to know what I'm dealing with. Tom was just coming out of the bathroom when I entered the bedroom and I wrapped him up in a hug and planted a sloppy kiss on his cheek.</span></p> <p><span>"What was that for?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Because I felt like it. Is that okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know it is, babe," he answered and then returned the favor. "So, what's for din-din tonight?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a freakin' clue, big guy. You got any bright ideas?"</span></p> <p><span>"Lasagna with garlic bread sounds good, but that should have been in the oven an hour ago."</span></p> <p><span>"How about spaghetti?" I asked as I continued to get undressed. "It's kinda' like lasagna. And there's plenty of sauce in the freezer that won't take long to thaw and heat up."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's not lasagna, but beggars can't be choosers, can they?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not in this house," I joked as I laid my clothes on the chair and just enjoyed the feeling of being free from the restraint of clothes. "Let's go get busy, those five eating machines are probably about out of gas." As we returned to the kitchen, we found the fantastic five lined up on their stools and you could see hunger written across all their faces.</span></p> <p><span>"What's for supper, dads?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We're thinking spaghetti and garlic bread," Tom answered. "Sound okay to you guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yum!" exclaimed Joey, "Sounds great. C'mon, guys, let's get the table set." The boys hopped off their stools and started taking care of that while Tom and I pulled out pans for the sauce and pasta and got things going on our side. With the table set, the boys climbed back on their stools and watched the two of us work, not that there's a lot work in making spaghetti, just a lot of watching water boil and the occasional stir of the sauce as it thawed. Joey and Alex had gotten out glasses for everyone, but held off filling them with our drinks until the food was almost ready. When they saw two minutes left on the timer for the pasta and bread, they took everyone's drink order, filled the glasses and set them on the table.</span></p> <p><span>Everything else was soon ready to go. T.J. carried the basket of garlic bread and set it on the table while I loaded each plate with a nice helping of noodles. Tom followed behind me, adding sauce to each plate until the owner called out, "Whoa." The first few minutes of the meal were pretty quiet as everybody was stuffing their face. The only noise was the occasional slurp of someone sucking up a stray noodle.</span></p> <p><span>When I finally took a short pause to catch my breath, I ask, "So, Joey, how does it feel to rejoin the ranks of the comfort crew?"</span></p> <p><span>After swallowing his current mouthful, he answered, "Great, I hated having to wear clothes. I know it was only four days, but it felt like forever and I felt really weird being the only one wearing something."</span></p> <p><span>"Did you learn anything from the experience?"</span></p> <p><span>"Dang right I did! No matter how much I want to do it, don't ever lick Alex's cute ass in the kitchen." The whole table burst out with laughter. When we'd all calmed down and regained our senses, Joey added, "But, I also learned that <i>before</i> we do something, we need to think about it and what might happen after we do it."</span></p> <p><span>"That's what I was hoping you'd learn, Joey, the consequences of your actions and how they may affect others. Although, your first answer was correct, also," I chuckled. Changing subjects, I asked, "Are you three sure you're ready for tomorrow?"</span></p> <p><span>They looked at each other briefly before Alex answered, "Yeah, dad, we're ready. As ready as we'll ever be, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"It's gonna' be a little scary telling all those people we're gay," T.J. added, "but it's who we are, why try to hide it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I just hope they don't blab it all over town," Joey concluded.</span></p> <p><span>"That's always a possibility, and if you're worried about that happening, you can always stay here with Carl, Mike and Andy. I don't want you to feel <i>forced</i> into doing something you're not ready for."</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, we're ready, dad," Alex replied. "Like T.J. said, it's who we are."</span></p> <p><span>"As long as you're sure."</span></p> <p><span>"You guys still don't want to tell us what you're going to talk about?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope!" they answered together.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, we'll quit asking. Just remember we <i>tried</i> to help."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, dads, but, really, we got this. Trust us, will ya'?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We do, son, just like you trust us," I responded.</span></p> <p><span>We finished the meal in relative silence and once we were all stuffed, the cleanup crew got busy picking up the dishes, rinsing them off in the sink and loading the dishwasher. Tom and I, of course, took care of the cooking and baking pans. Once the cleanup was completed, it was time to start making a new mess as we prepared popcorn and drinks for a snack as we watched a couple more episodes of <i>Star Trek</i>. I'd always liked the show, mostly because of the positive spin of unity and equality it placed on humanity in the future. If only we could feel that unity and equality now. </span></p> <p><span>I also had to agree with Alex's assessment as to the cuteness of Wil Wheaton, who played the character of Wesley Crusher in the show. I'd always kinda' liked Wil, especially in Rob Reiner's movie <i>Stand by Me</i>, but never really understood why until the recent rediscovery of my attraction to boys. While waiting for the popcorn, I thought about some of the movies and TV shows I liked and it suddenly dawned on me why my preference for certain shows like <i>Ender's Game</i> with Asa Butterfield or <i>Zathura</i> with Josh Hutcherson ran the way they did. Again, my subconscious had been influencing me in a way I never understood before. It was like someone had flipped a switch and the old five-watt light bulb in my head suddenly came on.</span></p> <p><span>With our munchies ready to go, everybody grabbed their bowls of popcorn and drinks and we headed to the theater to settle in for our shows. The boys were quiet as always when watching <i>Star Trek</i>. Whether it was their deep interest as to what the future might hold or their attraction to young Wil/Wesley, I couldn't quite determine. Whatever the reason for their interest, I was happy they were enjoying something new. When the second episode ended, it was time to get the boys into bed. As they passed through the kitchen, they each rinsed their bowls and glasses and added them to the dishwasher then headed on to their bedrooms to brush teeth and get into bed. Tom and I took a few minutes to finish loading and then started the dishwasher before following in the fantastic five's footsteps.</span></p> <p><span>We stopped in the terrific trio's room first to find Mike and Andy in bed, but no T.J.</span></p> <p><span>"Where's T.J.," Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He's still in the bathroom," Mike answered. "Somethin' `bout his guts rollin'."</span></p> <p><span>I knocked lightly on the door and asked, "You okay in there, buddy?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, dad," he mumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Can I come in?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure."</span></p> <p><span>I opened the door and found T.J. sitting on the edge of the tub, holding his stomach and rocking back and forth in misery. I sat next to him, wrapped an arm around his shoulder and asked, "What's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, but my stomach's rollin' like I'm gonna' puke or somethin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you're in the right place if that happens. You think maybe you're just nervous about tomorrow?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pro'lly. I hope that's all it is and not something I ate."</span></p> <p><span>"If it was something you'd eaten, T.J., we'd all be having the same problem. So far, it's just you feeling lousy, so I'm going to go with nerves. You don't have to go if you don't want to, ya' know."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, but when I said I was gonna' be there, I meant it. I ain't lettin' Alex and Joey do this by themselves. It'd screw the whole thing up."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure they'd understand and be just fine if you didn't go."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, but I'd feel like a real turd if I stayed home. And I don't want my brothers pissed at me for wimpin' out on `em."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think they could ever be mad at you, for anything."</span></p> <p><span>"And I'm not gonna' find out tomorrow either, not after all the work we've put into this."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, what work? I haven't seen you three working on anything special the past couple weeks." </span></p> <p><span>"That's the point, dad, it's a surprise."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay, then, why don't you crawl in bed. I think once you get to sleep, your stomach will be fine."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, okay." He grabbed my hand as I led the way out of the bathroom and after reaching the bed, he climbed in with Mike and Andy. He crawled across and curled up behind Mike who was already holding onto Andy. After pulling up the covers, Tom and I gave kisses and traded `I love you' with all three, then turned out the light, closed the door and headed to the twins' room. The twins were curled up together in the middle of the bed and waiting for the covers. We obliged them, then leaned in to plant kisses on foreheads and swap `I love you' with them. </span></p> <p><span>Before we left, I asked, "You two sure you're ready for tomorrow?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dads, we're ready, we got it all worked out with T.J," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Can you do what you want without him?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Why, he change his mind `bout goin'?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet, but he's having some issues with his stomach and he may not be up to going in the morning. I think he's just really nervous, but we'll have to see how he feels in the morning."</span></p> <p><span>"It'd be better if he went," Alex started.</span></p> <p><span>"But we can do it without him if we need to," Joey finished the thought.</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear, boys," Tom commented, "We'll just have to wait see."</span></p> <p><span>"Sleep well, guys," I said as we turned out the light, closed the door and headed to the living room to talk about tomorrow for a while. After getting comfortable by the fireplace, I looked to Tom and said, "Ya' know, we keep asking Alex, Joey and T.J. if they're ready for tomorrow and I'm not even sure I am. What about you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Are you freakin' kiddin' me!? I don't have any idea what the hell am I gonna' say?"</span></p> <p><span>"I know I'm going to say something about my own fight with depression and also about dad's inability to deal with life as it is, but that's all I really got."</span></p> <p><span>"That's more than I got, babe."</span></p> <p><span>"What if you tell about your mom and dad's struggle adjusting to having a gay son. I know none of you reached the point of suicide, but it had to be rough for all of you."</span></p> <p><span>"It was hell on earth for a while, no doubt about it. I'm just glad we finally have things smoothed over and we don't have to deal with all that bullshit anymore. I guess I could use that tomorrow. Better than sittin' there like a bump on a log, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Any idea what Dylan's going to have?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, not a clue. You got any idea what Lee and Shawn are bringing?"</span></p> <p><span>"Like you, I'm clueless."</span></p> <p><span>"Fine pair we are, Max," he laughed. "I feel like I'm back in high school, cramming the night before a big final and I don't have my book <i>or</i> my notes. I sense failure is imminent."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure we'll be just fine, big guy. We're just a small part of this thing."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope so. Well, I'm gettin' tired, you ready for bed?"</span></p> <p><span>"I am, and though we don't have to be moving real early in the morning, I feel like it's gonna be a long damn day. Let's get some sleep and don't forget, reset your alarm for a little later than normal. No need to be up at six."</span></p> <p><span>We headed to the bedroom, and after visiting the bathroom, climbed into bed and snuggled up together for a peaceful night's sleep. Tom's alarm went off at 7:30 this morning to get us started on our day. We decided to let the boys sleep just a bit longer and took a shower so we'd look alive when we got to the school. After getting dressed, I headed to the kitchen to start fixing a breakfast of eggs and sausage while Tom headed to the boys' rooms to roust them from their slumber. A few minutes after Tom joined me in fixing our meal, five surly and grumbling boys finally decided to grace us with their presence.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning!" I called cheerfully as they mounted their stools at the counter.</span></p> <p><span>"Mm-m-ph, whatever, dad," groused Joey.</span></p> <p><span>"You're way too happy, old man," Alex agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"How do you feel this morning, T.J.?" Tom asked. "Stomach feeling okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not, bad, pops. At least I don't feel like I'm gonna' puke this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear, T.J., I knew you'd be okay," I responded. "How about you, Mike and Andy, you lookin' forward to spending the day with your Uncle Carl."</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, dad," Mike answered with a wide grin while nodding his head wildly. "We're gonna' have a blast."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah," Andy continued with the same evil grin, "we got the ropes all ready to go and the stepladder to reach the candy in the pantry."</span></p> <p><span>"Now, we just need to figure out what chair we're gonna' tie him to," Mike added conspiratorially.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, we talked about this already, didn't we? No ropes, remember."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we know, dad," Andy replied.</span></p> <p><span>"We're just yankin' your chain," Mike added with a hearty laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it. Why don't you five get busy setting the table? The food will be ready shortly." The boys hopped off their stools and quickly got the table set and by the time they were ready, the eggs and sausage were done and it was time to eat. Breakfast this morning was rather quiet as we were each lost in our own thoughts of what the day held for us. I don't know about the others, but I wanted this day to be over already. I know I agreed to be involved in this with Steve, but I was having more than my fair share of second thoughts the closer it came to becoming a reality. Unfortunately, it was too late to back out now.</span></p> <p><span>When the food was gone, we worked together to clean the table, load the dishwasher and clean up the sausage and egg pans. Once that chore was completed, we settled in the living room to relax for a few while we waited for Lee, Carl and Shawn to arrive. It was a short wait as the drive sensor announced their arrival just about ten minutes later at a quarter to nine. Looks like we were going to be at the school on time, damn the luck. Mike and Andy ran to the door and had it open long before their car pulled up in front of the door. They were apparently anxious to get started on their day with Carl.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I followed along and met everyone as they came through the door. "Morning, Lee, Carl, Shawn," I said in greeting. "Carl, I hope you had a high energy breakfast as I think these two are gonna' give you a run for your money today."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, Max, I brought some rope to tie `em up if I need to." The boys cracked up in laughter.</span></p> <p><span>"Funny you should say that, Carl, since they've been planning to do the same to you. I'll let you all fight that out. How are you this morning, Lee?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just dandy, bro, you ready to go?"</span></p> <p><span>"No," I answered simply.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you better get ready, we gotta' get a move on."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know." I turned to Shawn, shook his hand and said, "Morning to you, too, Shawn. Been a while since we've seen each other, how ya' doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm great, Max. Seems to me there are some new faces around here."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, let me introduce you to the family. The big guy here is my fianc�, Tom, the two monsters attacking Carl are Mike and Andy, and the three strolling over to join us," I continued, pointing it their direction, "are Alex, Joey, and T.J. Those three are going with us this morning." All the boys gave Shawn a hug and he returned the greeting.</span></p> <p><span>Shawn shook hands with Tom and said, "Good to meet you, Tom. Glad Max finally found someone to help take care of his sorry ass."</span></p> <p><span>"Nice to meet you, too, Shawn. I'm glad we both found each other, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Nice looking family you've built here, Max. I'm happy for you."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Shawn. I didn't think having a family would ever happen, but now that it has, I can honestly say I've never been happier."</span></p> <p><span>"You're not gonna' be happy for long if we're late getting to the school," Lee interrupted, looking at her watch and tapping her foot impatiently.</span></p> <p><span>"Is she always like this, Shawn?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, not really," he answered. "Usually, she's a lot worse," he laughed, ducking the punch Lee aimed for his shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>"Get your coats, boys, and let's get rolling." I turned to Lee and asked, "You two want to ride with us since you've got to come back here to get Carl on your way home?"</span></p> <p><span>"We might as well," Lee replied.</span></p> <p><span>As everyone else headed to the garage, I knelt in front of Mike and Andy and said, "Remember, you be good boys for Uncle Carl. I don't want to get home this afternoon and find out you've been nothing but trouble."</span></p> <p><span>"Aw, dad, we'll be good," Mike whined.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dad, we promise, no ropes," Andy giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Good," I answered, giving them both hugs. I stood, shook hands with Carl, and added, "Carl, I can't thank you enough for staying with these two today. Help yourself to anything in the fridge or the pantry. If you can't find something, the boys will be glad to help you."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, Max, we'll be just fine. I've got the easy job today. Good luck."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, we'll need it. I'll have my phone on vibrate if you need us for anything."</span></p> <p><span>"Would you get out of here, already? I got this." </span></p> <p><span>With that comment, I turned and headed to the garage. The boys had all climbed into the back seat while Lee and Shawn were in the middle and Tom was, of course, up front with me. With great trepidation for the day ahead, I slowly backed out of the garage and took off for the school.</span></p> <p><span>"Geez, I thought they'd never leave," Mike said as he started peeling off his clothes.</span></p> <p><span>"Me either," Andy agreed as he did the same.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm with you guys," Carl said as he started getting undressed, also. "But we didn't want to freak Shawn out, did we?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, I guess not," Mike agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"So, boys, what do you have planned for today?" Carl asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Can we go swimming, Uncle Carl?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we haven't been in the pool since T.J. got hurt last week."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, why not? Drop your clothes in your room and grab towels for the three of us. I'll get the key for the shelter and meet you at the door."</span></p> <p><span>"Yippee!" the boys yelled together and high-tailed it to their bedroom and then to the laundry room to grab some fresh towels. They met Carl at the glass doors to the outside and then ran ahead of him to the shelter. As soon as the shelter door was unlocked, they threw their towels on the table, ran for the pool and jumped in, splashing water almost to the glass ceiling. Carl was a bit more relaxed on his entry to the pool, opting to use the steps in the corner. The end result was the same, though, as he was instantly mauled by two wild boys as soon as he off the steps.</span></p> <p><span>We arrived at the school and found a space close to the door in the almost empty lot. I wasn't feeling any better about our involvement with this, but it was too late to turn back now. I grabbed Tom's hand as we slowly made our way across the parking lot. I noticed Alex, Joey and T.J. were walking with their arms around each other's shoulders. When we inevitably reached the door, Shawn pulled it open and then stood by, holding the door open for the rest of us to pass through before he did.</span></p> <p><span>"Where to, dad?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Furman asked us to meet him at the office and he'd lead the way to the library from there," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>The boys led the way through the eerily silent halls to the office. As we entered the office, we interrupted Gloria and Steve's conversation.</span></p> <p><span>Steve was the first to react to our arrival by walking over, extending a hand and greeting me with, "Good morning, Max. Tell me, who did you bring with you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Morning, Steve, you already know Alex, Joey and T.J. This is my fianc�, Tom, my sister, Lee Nichols and one of her people, Shawn Black. Everybody, this is Steve Furman, president of the school board and today's ringleader."</span></p> <p><span>Steve shook hands with everyone and said, "A pleasure to meet everyone. I know the subject of today's workshop may not be what you normally deal with, but I think it's very important and I'm glad you're all willing to help us out with it."</span></p> <p><span>"We're happy to help, Steve," Lee replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Now if Dylan would just get here, we could get started." At that moment, the office door opened again and in walked Dylan, offering a wave of the hand as a greeting to everyone. "Well, speak of the devil. Looks like everyone is here now, let's get this thing going. Gloria, turn on the answering machine and get to the library, everyone else should already be there." Steve led the way through the halls to the library. As we entered the room crowded with teachers, bus drivers and other staff, I could hear several people asking questions like `Who the heck are they?' and `What are those students doing here?'</span></p> <p><span>"Quiet down, everyone," Steve demanded. "We'll get to your questions in just a moment." Steve had the chairs in the library arranged so all the people who'd just met in the office would be facing the school's employees. After we'd taken our seats and things had quieted down, he turned to his staff and began.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, everyone. Thank you for being here, though you really don't have much choice, do you? I know you were expecting this last workshop day of the year to be used to discuss what we can do to improve the standard of education in our district. However, as important at that topic is, I have changed our plans for today after discovering something I feel is much more important. I'm hoping at the end of the day, you will agree with me. A couple of the questions I heard asked as we entered just now are who are these people and why are they here?</span></p> <p><span>"Let me answer the first of those two questions by introducing you to our guests for the day. Starting on this end, we have Sergeant Dylan Brock of the Sangamon County Sherriff's department. Sergeant Brock has fifteen years of service in the department and since I've worked with him before on other things, I thought it would be a good idea to have him here to include a law enforcement perspective on today's subject."</span></p> <p><span>One of the staff members raised a hand and asked, "Excuse me, Mr. Furman, what, exactly, are we doing today?"</span></p> <p><span>"All in good time, Eileen, just a little patience, please," Steve responded with just a hint of authority in his voice. "Now, if I can continue without further interruption? Thank you. Next, we have Lee Nichols, the Assistant Director of an organization in Springfield named the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, or ICASA for short. Sitting next to Mrs. Nichols is the Communications Director at ICASA, Shawn Black. For those of you who don't know, ICASA's main function is to provide funding and support to rape crisis centers all across the state. This is a much-needed service and while today's topic may not fall in their regular scope of operation, they are well-voiced in the matter at hand and I welcome their input today.</span></p> <p><span>"Next on today's guest list are Max Sanders, his fianc�, Tom Wright, and three of their five soon-to-be adopted sons, Joey and Alex Allison, and T.J. Bruce." I noticed several of the people gazing awkwardly at us and shaking their heads. "Joey, Alex, and T.J. are all students here and you may recognize them. Mr. Sanders, some of you will probably know, is an author with four best-sellers to his name. Mr. Wright recently resigned his position as a Sangamon County Deputy in the Sherriff's department to begin a new career as a private investigator, working with the agency assisting in their upcoming adoptions. Mr. Sanders and his family are responsible for our change in subject matter today.</span></p> <p><span>"Can we please give our guests a nice welcome?" </span></p> <p><span>A light round of applause filtered through the assemblage and once quiet was restored, Eileen stood, placed her hands on her hips and asked testily, "You still haven't told us why we're here, Mr. Furman. I'd like to know what's more important than improving our standards and methods."</span></p> <p><span>"Eileen, if you would sit back down and behave like an adult at an important meeting, I'd be happy to tell you," he replied, the anger evident in his voice. Steve waited impatiently, tapping his foot on the floor, as we waited for a red-faced Eileen to re-take her seat. After being seated, again, Steve continued, "The subject of today's workshop is the acceptance of gay youth in our district and the epidemic of suicide by young people happening all across this country, most notably, among youth who identify as gay. We've been lucky in this district, so far, and I want to keep it that way."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, big effin' deal, let the little flamers kill themselves," came a gruff voice from the back row.</span></p> <p><span>Steve's reaction to the incendiary comment was immediate. "Was that you Horace!?" he asked, barely controlling the rage that had risen inside him.</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right, it was. Those perverts don't deserve to live."</span></p> <p><span>"I figured as much. Get your sorry ass up here right now." We all waited while the man worked his way through the crowd to stand in front of Steve. "Give me your keys to the building right now, Horace. As of this moment, you are no longer employed by this district. I hope you enjoy your newly found free time. We'll mail your last paycheck to the address in your personnel file. Perhaps you can find Ms. Carr and join her while you both search for new jobs. And don't waste your time filing for unemployment because it will be denied." </span></p> <p><span>Steve held out his hand and waited for Horace to hand over his keys. Once they were removed from his keyring and in Steve's hand, Steve dropped them into his pocket and said, "Now, get the hell out of this school and don't you ever darken its halls again. If you refuse to leave, I will have Sergeant Brock remove you." Dylan stood, extended himself to his full height of six foot, four inches and glared menacingly at Horace. Horace seemed to get the message, turned on his heel and beat feet out of the library. We soon heard the slam of another door echo through the halls as he left the building. I noticed the twins' teacher, Mr. Thomas, give a little pump of his fist in celebration of Horace's inglorious exit from the building.</span></p> <p><span>Steve turned to us and said, "I apologize for that little display, boys, but you won't have to deal with him ever again."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right Mr. Furman," Joey started.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we never liked him anyway," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>A light chuckle filtered through the group and once quiet was restored, Steve asked, "Well, folks, it looks like we now need a new custodian along with a new principal. Does anybody else here have the same opinions as Horace?" Steve paused a moment before continuing. "I tell all of you right now, I will <i>not</i> allow any employee of this district to think that way and remain an employee." He looked directly at Eileen and added, "If you'd like to leave this workshop, and your job, simply because you don't agree with the subject, now is your opportunity. If you believe as Horace does, give me your keys and get out." Nobody said a word for several minutes as Steve looked every employee in the eye and allowed the rage he'd felt dissipate before continuing.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, now that we have that nonsense settled, let's move on. I'm going to start today's workshop with a story, of which, none of you are aware. This is a personal story and while have I permission to share it, I would be very thankful if it doesn't leave this room, please. My sister, Candice, is a lesbian." A hush fell over the room and many of the school's staff raised their eyebrows in surprise. "However, when she was younger and still struggling with her sexuality, she married a fine young man she thought was the answer to her prayers. And, for a short time, he was. Just a few months after the wedding, she'd become pregnant and it seemed her desire for a, quote, <i>normal</i>, unquote, life had been achieved.</span></p> <p><span>"My niece was born right on time and Candice was over the moon with happiness. She doted on her daughter during her maternity leave and actually contemplated becoming a stay-at-home mother for a while. However, economics being what they are, at the end of her leave, she placed her daughter in a well-respected daycare and returned to work. She settled back into her job, but couldn't wait to pick up her daughter every night on the way home. A couple of months after she'd returned to work, her employer hired a new employee and she was assigned to Candice for training. My sister and the new employee, let's call her Terry, got along quite well during the training and they enjoyed the time they spent together.</span></p> <p><span>"A couple of weeks into the training, Candice began to feel things for her trainee she'd not felt in a long time. The two shared a certain closeness and familiarity she'd not felt before. It wasn't until they went out to share a dinner one evening about a month later that Candice realized she had fallen in love with Terry. She struggled to come to terms with these new feelings, but she was very torn since she was married and had a very young daughter. She couldn't understand how she could be married to a man and, yet, have feelings for Terry. She loved her husband, but was beginning to believe she loved Terry even more. Candice dealt with the situation as best she could and really tried to convince herself that the attraction to Terry was just some passing fancy that would diminish in time.</span></p> <p><span>"She didn't count on Terry announcing late one afternoon that she'd fallen in love with Candice and then suggest the two of them spend some time together to see if there was a future for the two of them and Candice's daughter. Candice, being the good wife and mother she was trying to be, put Terry off, claiming that since she was married and shared a daughter with her husband, there was no possibility of anything happening between the two of them. That worked for about two weeks, with Candice becoming more withdrawn and closed-off. Candice finally decided to give in to her feelings towards Terry and arranged a weekend trip for the two of them, under the guise of a business-related trip. Her husband would stay home with their daughter.</span></p> <p><span>"While Candice and Terry spent the weekend at a very nice resort, Candice, finally, realized who she was; that she was, indeed, homosexual. She hated the thoughts and feelings that she'd been dealing with for months, but there was no escaping the truth. When she returned home from her trip, she and her husband had a very long talk. He was obviously upset and angry with Candice. He felt he'd been lied to and, while that was never her intention, it is essentially the truth. Once she was able to get her husband to understand her own internal struggle, he very slowly became more understanding of their new situation. They both knew what had to happen, but neither was willing to be the first to make the suggestion.</span></p> <p><span>"That's when I got pulled into the middle of it all. Having no knowledge of what had transpired in the preceding months, they told me what was going on in their lives and wanted to know how <i>I</i> thought they should proceed. I was completely blindsided. I went to their house not knowing a thing, only to discover my sister was gay and their supposedly happy marriage was coming to a rapid end. Needless to say, I was stunned beyond belief. I gave them the only suggestion I thought was reasonable under the circumstances; it was time for them to go their separate ways as amicably and equitably as possible, keeping in mind the needs of their daughter and how this would affect her life in the future.</span></p> <p><span>"They eventually got a divorce and Candice and Terry ended up moving in together. Candice was, again, the happy-go-lucky and outgoing individual I'd always known. Things were great for a while. Candice and Terry were creating a new life together, and even my ex-brother-in-law seemed at peace with the way things were going. He and Candice shared joint custody of their daughter. She'd spend a week with Candice and a week with her dad. I never heard a word from anyone about any issues they were having, thought it turns out there obviously were.</span></p> <p><span>"Several months later, in what we all assume was a fit of jealous rage, the ex-husband appeared at Candice and Terry's front door. When Terry opened the door, he shot her in the face and then turned the gun on himself. Both lay in the doorway, one on top of the other, dead. Just like that!" he added, snapping his fingers. "As luck would have it, Candice and her daughter had run to the grocery that evening and weren't at home when it happened. A neighbor who heard the shots called the police and they arrived within five minutes of the shooting. Of course, it was too late to help either Terry or the ex.</span></p> <p><span>"I can't even begin to imagine the thoughts that passed through my sister's mind when she returned home that night, finding police cars and ambulances surrounding her home. Then, as if that weren't enough already, to get out of her car, only to find two people for whom she cared deeply, gone. Candice broke down and I was called to the scene to help take care of her and my niece. I bundled the two of them into my car, went through the garage to pack a few things for them, then took them to my home. She stayed with my wife and me for the next two weeks as we all went through the motions of trying to carry on with a normal life, whatever the hell that was. We struggled to deal with two funerals and two different families, and then struggled even more with the aftermath.</span></p> <p><span>"When Candice finally decided she was ready to move on with her life, she tried to return to the home she'd shared with Terry. Imagine her surprise when she opened the door to find her former home completely empty and devoid of any evidence of her and her daughter having ever lived there. All the furniture, pictures, clothes, her daughter's things, gone. After contacting Terry's family, she discovered they were the ones who had emptied the place. When asked about her daughter's belongings, she was told <i>everything</i> had been taken to the landfill because none of them wanted it. They never considered Candice to be a part of the family due to the nature of the relationship she had with Terry and they wanted nothing to do with her or her daughter. She was now faced with the impossible task of starting over from square one. </span></p> <p><span>"Both returned to my home, Candice heartbroken and distraught over even greater loss. She was at her wit's end and didn't have a clue about how to begin starting over. I didn't know until several years after the fact that she had seriously considered the idea of killing herself and leaving her daughter to be raised by my wife and me. I don't know what made her change her mind as she never told me, but the important thing is, she did. It took her the better part of the next year to put her life back together, find a new home and replace all the things Terry's family had blindly disposed of. Now, ten plus years after that horrible night, she has a new partner in life, and their daughter is now twelve years old and growing like a weed.</span></p> <p><span>"However, despite all that progress, we are now faced with problems, again. My niece is being bullied relentlessly by other students in her school simply because she has two moms. Despite numerous complaints, the school district is not doing anything to resolve the issue because they apparently don't agree with Candice's lifestyle and couldn't care less about the long-term effects on my niece's life. As a result of their inaction, Candice, her partner and her daughter will be moving to New Berlin after school is out so she can attend school here this fall. I will do everything in my power to ensure that when she is a student here that she will <i>not</i> be subjected to the same treatment she is now receiving. I'm just hoping that she can make it through the next two-and-a-half months without doing something horrible.</span></p> <p><span>"Suicide is <i>not</i> just a problem for people who are gay, it's a problem for their families also and I'm very concerned about my niece and her mental health. Candice's ex-husband and his actions are proof of that. I'm doing everything I can from a distance to support my sister and her family, but it's difficult not being there in person and being able to give them a hug when they need it the most. They know they have a better life waiting for them and they are hopeful for the future. Helping my sister recover from her losses was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life, but it was also one of the most rewarding. If called on, I would do it all over without one bit of hesitation.</span></p> <p><span>"I will now repeat what I started with; I will <i>not</i> accept that type of treatment for any student or staff member in this school. If you are unable to treat people as human beings regardless of their race, religious beliefs, sexuality or any other basis, then I recommend you find yourself a new employer. We, as a group, need to work together to provide a safe and non-judgmental environment for <i>all</i> the people in this building. Our students are our life-blood. A bullied student is more likely to harbor feelings of resentment, hate and depression and that combination of feelings often leads to suicide. We need to be especially aware of those among us who may be bullied for who they are and react in a positive manner when bullying is witnessed or reported. We have policies in place on how to handle bullies and they <i>will</i> be enforced.</span></p> <p><span>"That's all I have to say at the moment. Any questions before Sergeant Brock takes over?" With no apparent questions, Steve turned to Dylan, said, "Your turn, sir," then took the empty chair at the end of the line.</span></p> <p><span>Dylan stood and began, "Good morning. I have worked with some of you before on our safe-driving clinics and I appreciate the support you given me over the years for that. It's good to be back here today, although for an entirely different reason. In my opinion, suicide is <i>never</i> the answer to a problem, no matter how desperate that problem may seem. I can understand that hurt and depression can cause a person to take their own life, but in my experience as a cop, it always leaves more questions than answers for the victim's families and friends. Of course, a person hell-bent on killing themselves isn't thinking about the people they are leaving behind, their only concern is ending their pain and whatever is causing it.</span></p> <p><span>"In my time in the sheriff's department, I have dealt with and investigated about twenty-five suicides. Of those, eight or nine have been children or young adults, ages twelve to eighteen. The majority of those have been the direct result of the victim being bullied for some reason. The few individuals that actually left notes giving their reasons, bullying was most definitely a leading cause for the suicide. In the other cases, where no note is left, we investigate and try to determine why such a young person would feel the need to end their life. In all but one case, the others were also determined to be a result of verbal and mental abuse forced on the victim by his or her <i>family and/or friends</i>. There is only one case in which we never found a direct link to anything and that one remains a mystery and haunts me to this day.</span></p> <p><span>"Now, of the other cases where we know bullying was a contributing factor in the suicide, in two cases, we know the victim was being abused because they were perceived to be gay. Whether they actually were or not is immaterial, just the fact they were <i>believed</i> to be was enough for their abusers to inflict their abuse. The biggest grounds for gay youth to be abused in this manner is based on the religious beliefs of the parents or friends. How any parent can abuse their own child, for any reason, is incomprehensible. I know it happens because I see it on a regular basis, but I will <i>never</i> understand it.</span></p> <p><span>"I have seen families torn apart by a child's suicide. Parents blaming the other one for being the reason the victim killed themselves. Inevitably, these families will end up divorcing over the whole thing and go their separate ways simply because they can't deal with the grief of having lost a child. And on top of that grief, they are, sometimes, also carrying the guilt that they may have somehow caused it. I truly feel for those families. I've even seen parents who have committed suicide because of the combination of grief and guilt. Whatever pain the child was in pales in comparison to the pain of the parents and other family left behind.</span></p> <p><span>"One thing you will never hear me do is blame the victim of a suicide for their own death. To do so would be an insult to their memory. People don't reach that low of a point in their lives on their own, they inevitably have help of some type along the way. That's why I investigate a suicide with every tool at my disposal, to see if I can find an explanation or reason, then see what I can do to prevent another such event. In my cases involving youth, I've talked to the person or persons we've discovered to be the source of the abuse to try and impress on them that their behavior was a factor. I then follow that up with arranging counseling for them. I do that because they now fully understand what they've done and I always worry that I may soon have another victim and I don't want that. In the cases where the abuser's parents couldn't afford the counseling, I make sure it gets paid for, one way or another.</span></p> <p><span>"The last thing I want to say to you today is you never know who around you may be gay. In light of that, you should always be careful what you say when around other people, keep your slurs and your hate to yourself. We don't want to hear it and we get offended when we do. Thanks for your time today," he ended and turned to take his seat.</span></p> <p><span>Eileen stood and asked, "Um, excuse me, Sergeant Brock."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, ma'am, how can I help you?" Dylan asked as he turned around to face the audience again.</span></p> <p><span>"When you just said `we', were you including yourself in that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, you caught that, did you? No moss growing on that rock, Steve," he grinned. "Yes, ma'am, I was including myself."</span></p> <p><span>"But why? You're not gay."</span></p> <p><span>"And just why do you think I'm not? Because I'm a cop? Or because I work out? Or is it because I'm black? Exactly why do you think I'm not gay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you just don't fit the type, I guess."</span></p> <p><span>"And just what `type' is that? Do you actually <i>think</i> you can determine who's gay or not simply by looking at them?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you know what I mean."</span></p> <p><span>"No, ma'am, I honestly don't have a clue what you're talking about."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, the limp wrist, the lisp thing, acting in an effeminate way."</span></p> <p><span>"Ma'am, all those things you just mentioned are nothing but the absolute worst stereotypes that we've been saddled with for years. I obviously exhibit none of those characteristics, but it doesn't make me any less gay. That's exactly what I was saying when I said you never know who around you may be gay. The only way to know for sure is to ask, but I would recommend you know the person <i>very</i> well before you ask that question."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Sergeant Brock, I just assumed..."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, you did, and we all know what happens when you assume something." A very red-faced Eileen sat back down amidst a round of quiet chuckles and Dylan asked, "Any other questions?"</span></p> <p><span>"I have one," Ken said as he stood. "If we feel we have a student at risk, what should we do?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's a damn good question and I'm glad you asked it. I'm sure Lee and Shawn will have some better information for you on that, but here's what I'd recommend. First, reach out to the student, talk to them, let them know you care about them as a person and they're not just another student. Second, notify the school counselor so he or she can get involved."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, we don't have a counselor on staff," Ken commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's just unbelievable." Dylan turned to Steve and asked, "Is that true, Mr. Furman?"</span></p> <p><span>"At this moment, it is. We had to cut that staff position some years back due to budget cuts from the state, but I'm working on rectifying that situation."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, do it quickly. You should never have a school without a counselor on hand." Dylan turned back to the crowd and continued, "Well, since you don't have one on-site, I guess you'll have to skip the counselor step for now, anyway. Next, you need to contact the parents or guardians of the student and let them know of your concerns. In this day and age, with both parents working, or single parents working more than one job, and with all the electronic entertainment available to amuse kids, the parents may be completely unaware of what's going on in their child's life. They <i>need</i> to know as soon as humanly possible so they can get involved. Even after you've contacted the parents, stay involved in the situation and make sure the child is receiving the help they need."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, sergeant, I appreciate the information," Ken responded before retaking his seat.</span></p> <p><span>"You're very welcome. If there're no more questions for me, I believe I'll let Mrs. Nichols and Mr. Black take over." Dylan returned to his chair and Lee and Shawn took his place.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning to you all. I want to thank Mr. Furman for including us in today's workshop. My name is Lee Nichols and I am the Assistant Director of the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, also known as ICASA. The gentleman with me today is our Communications Director Shawn Black. Since the main focus of Shawn's job is providing concise and effective communications with our rape crisis centers, he's going to be doing most of the talking for us. However, before I turn this over to him, I'd like to tell you how today's subject has affected my family.</span></p> <p><span>`Holy crap' I thought, what the hell is she doing? I hung my head in disbelief and to hide any possible reaction as Lee continued.</span></p> <p><span>"My brother is gay. I've known and accepted that fact <i>long</i> before he did, but we never discussed it until <i>he</i> was ready to do so. I also know of his battle with depression and just how close he was to ending his life, though I'm sure he believes I'm completely unaware of his struggles. There are some things he may be able to hide from me, but that's not one of them. I have supported my brother and the decisions he's made throughout his life and I will continue to do so. You see, who he is and how he lives his life are none of my business, unless he asks for my help. If and when he does ask, I'm there for him. All I want for him is to be happy with who he is and happy with his life. I believe he has found that.</span></p> <p><span>"When he finally came out to our parents last fall, it was a very rough time for our family. I knew he was hurt by our parent's reaction to the news, severely depressed and close to suicide, but I was there for him when he needed me. We talked a lot at the time, more than we'd done the previous five years, probably, and I think I was finally able to get him to see things in a positive light. While he is ultimately responsible for deciding he'd rather live than die, I like to think that in some small way, I was a part of that decision. I honestly don't know what I would have done had he continued on the path he was following and carried through on his plans.</span></p> <p><span>"Despite our parent's religious beliefs, our mother was the first to realize that her son was still the same person he'd always been and finally decided to treat him like a civilized human being instead of an animal. I think that was a big factor in my brother deciding he wanted to continue living, the simple fact that our mother had started to change her attitude and showed she still cared about him. </span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, we weren't quite as lucky with our father. He continued to be hateful to his son until just this last weekend when he decided he just didn't want to deal with it anymore. Last Friday night, he swallowed a handful of prescription sleeping pills. Fortunately, he was found by a neighbor before it was too late and we still have our father with us. Amazingly, he has not only changed his attitude, he has also accepted that my brother is in the process of adopting four or five boys and he has volunteered to pay for his upcoming wedding.</span></p> <p><span>"So, we had one almost attempt and one actual attempt at suicide in my family with the last six months. My mother and I would have been devastated had either one actually succeeded. Fortunately, it appears we're past that chapter of our lives and ready to start writing new ones. The only other thing I'd like to say before allowing Shawn to take over is this, suicide among gay people and their families is <i>not</i> just a problem for young people, it can affect anybody of any age. We are focusing on the issues affecting children today because that's who you spend every day with and they are at the highest risk because of their vulnerability. Thanks for listening and I'll let Shawn take it from here." Lee stepped back and Shawn stepped forward.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, again, everyone. I'll try not to bore you completely today, but I do have some important information and resources to share with you.</span></p> <p><span>"First, you're probably wondering what Lee and I are doing here since we support rape crisis centers. You're thinking we don't have anything to do with suicide, am I right?" Many of the school's staff nodded their heads in agreement. "Well, unfortunately, many victims of rape deal with severe depression and guilt after their ordeal, believing they are somehow responsible for what happened to them. Sometimes, those emotions overflow and they turn to ending their lives to escape the pain. Rape is <i>not</i> a crime of passion as some would like you to believe, but it is a crime of violence and power on the part of the rapist. The victim is <i>never</i> responsible for what has happened to them.</span></p> <p><span>"Second, you're also thinking that gay people don't rape or get raped." More nods of agreement. "Well, you would be incorrect. Anybody can be sexually assaulted by anybody else. I've seen research where straight men have sexually assaulted gay men, trying to prove to the victim that being gay is wrong, even though they're performing a gay sex act. The rapists in these cases are apparently too stupid to see the flaw in their twisted logic. I've seen where straight men have raped gay women to try and show them what they are missing by being gay, trying to show them they really <i>want</i> to be straight. Again, the logic they employ boggles the mind. I have also seen these examples turned around with women as the assaulters, against both men and women. And, of course, you also have gay on gay sexual assaults happening. Nobody is exempt.</span></p> <p><span>"Third, a gay person who has already been contemplating suicide, for whatever reason, is at an even greater risk of following through with an attempt after an assault. The shame of being an assault victim, added to what they were already dealing with, can be overwhelming. They are certain that the only way to stop their pain and anguish is to stop living. As Sergeant Brock said, the victim should never be considered at fault.</span></p> <p><span>"One of you asked Sergeant Brock what you should do if you feel you know a student at risk. The sergeant's recommendations were right on the money as far as they went. However, there <i>are </i>other resources available, of which, you should all be aware. The first, of course, is 9-1-1. If you know of anyone that you feel is immediate danger of inflicting harm to themselves, stop what you're doing and make the call. Don't hesitate. Explain the situation to the emergency operator and help in the form of law enforcement and an ambulance will be dispatched. While you wait for help to arrive, talk to your student, try and make a connection, let them know they are important to you. </span></p> <p><span>"There is also a gay help and counseling group available for anyone by way of e-mail. The e-mail address is <a href="mailto:gayhelpline26@gmail.com">gayhelpline26@gmail.com</a>. Their main purpose is to help stop gay boys and girls of any age from committing suicide. They will also talk with the individual and help deal with coming out to their family and friends. Most youth are going to be more willing to discuss their problems with someone using this method than they would talking face-to-face with someone. </span></p> <p><span>"Another resource available via internet is called Ears for You. Again, this is an e-mail-based help organization and their address is <a href="mailto:earsforyourhelp@gmail.com">earsforyourhelp@gmail.com</a>. The people at Ears for You are there to listen to anyone who contacts them for any reason. They also have face-to-face help available if that's desired and are working on setting up a toll-free number to make it easier to contact them.</span></p> <p><span>"Both services are free of charge. Also, since most kids aren't comfortable with talking to their parents about what they are feeling, they probably will not want to use a computer at home for this purpose since there's a chance their parents could find it. I would recommend setting up a computer in a discreet location here in the school that students can use for this. There are many other help lines and counseling organizations available that specialize in dealing with gay youth, helping them come to understand who they are, that being gay is as natural as being straight. I have some brochures on some of these organizations and I will leave them with Mr. Furman so they will be available to all of you on request.</span></p> <p><span>"If any of you ever want more information on services that are available, don't hesitate to call me. I have access to sources of assistance that you wouldn't even dream are available. If you would like to become actively involved in helping end this problem, call me for help with that also. I'll be glad to put you in touch with counseling organizations and suicide prevention hotlines that are always looking for people to talk to others and answer phones. I think that's it for us, unless anyone has a question." With no response from the staff, Lee and Shawn took their seats. It looked like it was my turn now, but I still wasn't ready to do this.</span></p> <p><span>Before I could stand up, Ken stood and said, "If it's okay with you, Mr. Furman, I'd like to say something."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you sure, Ken?" Steve asked seriously.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it's time." Ken took just a moment to weave his way through his co-workers until he was standing in front them, shaking like a leaf. "Hi, everybody," he started as he gave a little wave and received a few back. "I've only been working in this district for a little over a year and a half and I love my job and the people I work with. I'm not really supposed to talk about this and I hope Mr. Furman will forgive me for doing so, but I've got to get something off my chest. A couple of weeks ago, I was fired." A collective gasp of surprise emanated from the staff. </span></p> <p><span>"During a meeting with Mr. Sanders, his sons' teachers and Ms. Carr, I was asked a question and I answered it honestly. I let it be known that I'm gay and Ms. Carr did not appreciate my honesty. She then went to great lengths to see that I was let go by lying to the board about something she supposedly saw happen in my classroom. What I haven't told anybody until this moment is that I seriously considered killing myself that night. I figured if I couldn't do the job I'd trained for and loved, what was the point of living.</span></p> <p><span>"Fortunately, I was too much of chicken to go through with it. I didn't know who I could reach out to for help and was lost for a day while I stewed in my misery. With the help of Mr. Sanders, Joey and Alex, and Mr. Furman and his daughter, I was reinstated and Ms. Carr was let go for her actions. This hate that many straight people have for gays has got to stop or we're going to start seeing even more young people dying all over this country. Sure, we're a little different from you, but deep down, we all want the same thing, to live a happy and fulfilling life and to be able to openly love who our hearts tell us to. </span></p> <p><span>"That's all I wanted to say. Thanks." As he returned to his seat, many of the people he passed shook his hand or patted his back in a show of support.</span></p> <p><span>Steve stood, embarrassment evident on his face, and said, "Ken, you know how sorry I am for what was done to you. All I can do is promise you that something like that will never happen in this district again. If you'd like to talk about this more with me, my door is always open." After a short pause, he continued, "Well, I guess that brings us to our next guest, Mr. Sanders. Max, the floor is yours."</span></p> <p><span>I warily stood up and took a few steps forward. My stomach was rolling and I felt like I was going to pass out, but since I volunteered for this, I didn't think that was a viable option. After steeling myself for a moment, I finally began.</span></p> <p><span>"Hi, my name is Maxwill Sanders and I'm gay."</span></p> <p><span>For those who are interested, the organizations and help lines mentioned in this chapter are real. I was informed of the two e-mail help groups by one of your fellow readers and I gladly used them in the story with his permission. ICASA is also a very real organization and they do very important work in the state of Illinois. The following blurb comes directly from their website:</span></p> <p><span> </span><span>The Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA) is a not-for-profit corporation of&nbsp;29 community-based sexual assault crisis centers working together to end sexual violence. Each center provides 24-hour crisis intervention services, counseling and advocacy for victims of sexual assault and their significant others. Each center presents prevention education programs in Illinois schools and communities.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span>I'm not sure exactly how long ICASA has been in </span><span>existence, but somewhere between 25 and 30 years. I'm proud to say that my sister is the assistant director of this organization and has been there almost from its inception.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-22.html

Building a Family 22 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 22 � Tuesday Tuesday began way earlier than I was used to. My alarm went off at 6:00AM so I could get the boys up, dressed, fed and ready to catch their bus. I never realized how grumpy kids could be at that time of day. While I dealt with the four grumplestiltskins, Tom dressed in his uniform and headed out the door, pausing to give each of us a hug and kiss. "Bye guys, I'll see you tonight. Have a good day at school and learn something new." "We will, Uncle Tom. Be careful today, we want you coming back home tonight," Alex said. "I will." With that, he was gone. "Come on boys, get a move on. Your bus will be here soon and I need to have you at the end of the drive waiting when it shows up." "We're moving as fast we can, dad," Alex said. "Yeah, man, give us a break," added Joey. "I just don't want you to be late. I'll try to relax, promise." When they had finished their breakfast, I made sure they all had their coats, hats, gloves and backpacks and got them loaded in the car. We got to the end of the drive with a few minutes to spare. While we waited for the bus to arrive, I reminded the boys that the dress code, or lack thereof, at home was not to be shared with their friends. They all said they understood. The boys then chatted amongst themselves while we waited and when I saw the bus coming our direction I had them make sure they had everything before getting out. I had to laugh as the bus slowly rolled right past the driveway. Unless you know what to look for, it pretty easy to miss it hidden among all the trees. I had the boys out of the car and standing in line as the driver backed up about a hundred feet. When the door popped open, the driver said, "Sorry `bout that. I was watching for your drive since turning on the road and still missed it." "No worries, it's easy to do. By the way, my name is Max Sanders and I'm the boys' new father." "Good to meet ya', Mr. Sanders, I'm Carl, the regular driver on this route." "Please, call me Max. Will you be getting here about the same time every day?" "Should be, within a few minutes either way." "Okay, I just wanted to make sure. While it's cold like this, I'll be bringing them down and waiting in the car with them, just want to make sure when we should be here. About what time will they be dropped off after school." "I usually hit this road about 3:45. There's a few more stops further up the road." "Sounds good, Carl. I'll be here, waiting for them. The house is about �-mile walk from here, which is a little too far to walk in these temps." "No problem, we'll see you this afternoon." The door closed and I waved at my boys as the bus pulled away. I hopped back in the car, turned around in the road and drove back to the house. I pulled the car in the garage so it could stay warm until I left for the school later and my meeting with the principal and the boys' teachers. I undressed, laid my clothes on the bed to wear again later and headed into the study to make a few calls. The first was to Carol at the adoption agency. "This is Carol, how can I help you," she answered. "Good morning, Carol." "Well, good morning to you, too, Max. How are things going?" "Couldn't be better. We spent yesterday getting new clothes for the boys and they are all back to school today." "Clothes? You think they'll actually get worn?" she laughed. "Seriously, it's progress. Sounds like you're starting to get a handle on being a father." "Slowly, but surely, Carol. Say, I have something I'd like to discuss with you this afternoon. If I came to the office, would you have some spare time for me?" "Let me check my calendar, Max, one second." She returned a few seconds later, "I have some free time about 2:00. Will that work for you?" "That'd be perfect. I'm going to the school to meet the principal and the boys' teachers at noon, so I'll head your way when I'm done there. Thanks, Carol." "No problem, Max, I'll see you then." My next call was to a local contractor I'd had do some work for me a couple years ago. "This is John." "John, Max Sanders, how ya' been?" "Good, Max, long time. How `bout yourself?" "Doing well, John, thanks for asking." "So, what's up?" "Well, John, I'm in the process of adopting four boys and ..." "Four? Boys? I never took you as a glutton for punishment, Max." "I know, what can I say? People change." "Well, I shoulda' said congratulations, Max. Sorry to interrupt, go ahead." "Well, you know how far back from the road the house is located, and the boys will need to wait out at the road for the bus." "That won't be much fun for them, will it? Not in this weather, anyway." "That's exactly why I'm calling you, John. I'd like to get a small shelter built at the end of drive so they can get out of the wind, snow and rain while they wait for the bus. Sound like something you'd be interested in helping with?" "Gee, I don't know, we're pretty busy right now," he chuckled. "If you're that busy, do I need to call someone else, John?" "Hell, no, Max. This is a piece `o cake. How big do you want it?" "I'm thinking maybe 8' X 8'. That be plenty big enough to last them through high school." "Do you want it insulated and heated?" "That'd be a good idea, John, but I don't think I'd want to pay to run electrical from the house all the way out to the road." "What if we put a solar panel on the roof with a battery backup to run the heater. That should be cheaper than running the wire and be almost maintenance-free for you." "I like that idea, John. The heater wouldn't have to be that large if the shelter's got enough insulation and sealed tight enough to keep the heat inside." "That's what I'm thinking, Max." "I'll also want a real, lockable door and a window in it. The window doesn't need to open, just be there so they can watch for the bus without having to go outside." "Good idea, Max. How soon you want us to start?" "As soon as you can, John. I know March is right around the corner, but I think this cold's going to hang around for a while, yet." "I'm with you, Max. Here's what I'll do. I'll come out in the morning and we can pick the location for the shelter. Then, I can have a couple of my guys come out and set some forms for the slab." "You can come out tomorrow, but we'll have to take out some trees before the floor could be poured. There's not a lot of clear space on either side of the drive right now." "Thanks for reminding me, Max. I didn't think about that. I'll call and arrange to have a tree removal guy I trust meet with us tomorrow morning. Once we pick out the right spot, he can get the trees downed and my guys can still come out the next day to set the forms and dump some rock base inside them." "Will your tree guy remove the trees and the stumps entirely? I don't want to have the floor cracked in a few months by them coming back." "I'll make sure he brings all the equipment he'll need to grind the stumps, too. And I'll have my guys bring a plate compactor with them so they pack the dirt before they dump the rock. Then, we can get the floor slab poured a couple days after that. Shouldn't take much to finish it, just a quick troweling and cover it with plastic and straw to help keep it from freezing before it's set. While the slab sets, we can build the shelter in my shop and bring it out on our big trailer, ready to set on the slab. Add some anchors, bolt the shelter to the slab, and presto, happy boys." "Sounds like a good plan to me, John. Call me when you get close tomorrow and I'll meet you at the end of the drive in the morning." "See you then, Max." I still had a couple hours before I needed to head to the school for my meeting, so I grabbed my book and curled up by the fireplace to kill a few hours. When it was time to leave, I got re-dressed and headed to the school. I found a parking spot and after entering the school, I stopped a teacher in the hall and asked for directions to the principal's office. Directions fresh in my head, I set off down the hall. I was met by a perky and cheerful young lady when I entered the office. "May I help you sir?" she asked in a high pitch sing-song. "Good afternoon, my name is Max Sanders and I have a meeting with Ms. Carr." "One moment, sir. If you'd like to have a seat, I'll page her." "Thank you." Perky and cheerful made the page and we waited quietly. A minute later, a well-dressed, middle-aged woman came into the office followed by two women and a man. I stood as they headed my direction. "Mr. Sanders, I presume. I'm Valerie Carr, the school principal and these three are your sons' teachers. Michael is in Mrs. Young's class, Thomas is in Miss Klaus' class, and Mr. Thomas is Joseph and Alexander's teacher." We all shook hands as Valerie made the introductions. "Why don't we step into my office?" Valerie led the way and then closed the door when we were all inside. "Please, have a seat everyone. Now, Mr. Sanders, what can we do for you?" "First, you can stop calling me Mr. Sanders, please. My name is Maxwill and I go by Max." "We can certainly do that, Max. And please, call me Valerie." "I will, thanks. Second, one of the first things I asked the boys when we got to my house Friday night was if they wanted to be called by their full names. All of them said no and asked to be called Joey, Alex, T.J. and Mike. If you could make that adjustment here, that'd be great." "We can do that, Max, right folks?" she asked, looking to the teachers. Nods from all three teachers signaled their agreement. "Okay, continuing on, as I told you during our call yesterday, over the weekend, I became the legal guardian of the boys and I'm in the process of adopting them. Since I'm obviously new to this whole `being a parent' thing, I just thought it would be good idea to come over, meet the folks responsible for my sons' education and find out what's expected or needed of me." "I wish all our parents took their jobs this seriously. All our lives would be so much better if they did. But, really, Max, all we look for from parents is to be involved in their children's education. Set aside some quiet time every day and help them with their homework. If you see them having any problems, let us know so we can see what we can do here to provide additional assistance. Also, attend the parent/teacher meetings so you can meet directly with their teachers and relay any concerns you may have. These meetings are also a way for the teachers to pass information, directly to the parents, of any issues they may be seeing." "I can certainly do all that. Are there any problems I should know about now?" "I'll let the teachers address that question. Why don't you start, Ken?" "No real problems with the twins. They do like to be the class clowns, though, and can be disruptive at times. Usually, all it takes is a gentle reminder and they calm back down. Other than that, they're grades are among the top 5% of the class. Both are highly intelligent and might possibly be bored with certain subjects at times, most notably, math. I've noticed both seem to daydream when we're working in that subject, but their grades don't show it. You might consider having them tested and see if we can move them up a grade level. Other than that, I don't see any problems." "Excellent, Ken. Peggy, how is T.J. doing?" "Well, he's only been in my class since January, remember, but from what I've seen so far, he seems to be doing well. His reading, spelling and math skills all seem to be where they should be. His Social Studies could be improved a bit, but he's not horribly behind. I'm sure some of that comes from the school he came from. They use a different textbook for the subject and I'm sure he's playing a little catchup." "One thing I noticed," I interjected, "very soon after our first meeting a few weeks ago, he's very outspoken and doesn't seem afraid to share things that maybe he shouldn't. Has that been an issue?" "Only a couple of times, and that was very early on. He seems to have learned to refrain from speaking out in class without permission." "Thank the gods for that," I laughed. Peggy joined me with a quiet giggle. "Your turn, now, Anita. Any problems with Michael? Oh, I'm sorry, I meant to say Mike. Old habits die hard, Max." "No problem." I turned to Anita to hear her report. "Mike's been in my class about the same length of time T.J. has been in Peggy's and he's been very quiet and reserved during that time. His skills seem to be where they should be, maybe a little behind, but not too bad, I think. My biggest concern is his socializing with his classmates. He doesn't seem to making any friends." "Are you aware of his history before joining your class, Anita?" "What history? Apparently not. What did I miss?" "I'm surprised the agency didn't pass this on, so I'll do it now. Mike was subjected to severe physical and mental abuse by his parents and he was removed from their care and their rights have been severed. There is no chance of them getting him back." "Oh, my, I was completely unaware of that. Now, it all makes sense." "What makes sense?" asked Valerie. "Some of the other boys in class tend to pick on him because he's so small. When they do it, Mike just cowers at his desk or in a corner. I've tried to stop them from doing it and they won't when I'm watching, but if I turn my back or I'm busy helping another student, they just start up again. I moved the problem boys to the other side of the class and that has reduced the issue there, but at lunch and on the playground, I've no control over them." "I wish you'd told me this was happening, Anita," Valerie said. "It looks like I need to have a little chat with these boys. Right after lunch, won't you please send them here? We'll get this situation resolved today." "May I join that meeting, Valerie?" I asked. "I think that would be a good idea, Max." "Great, now, I have one more thing you all need to know. This stays with the four of you. If I hear of this spreading through the school from any of you, you'll be sued." Valerie stood behind her desk with an indignant look on her face. "Max, I don't think you need to be threatening us like that." "It's not a threat, Valerie, it's a promise. Please sit and I'll explain." She sat back down and crossed her arms over her chest, clearly upset. "Thank you. Now, you don't need to know this as it's not really pertinent to the boys' education, but I think you should. I'm gay." "And just how could that have any effect on our responsibilities?" Valerie asked. "One of the main reasons I'm being allowed to adopt these four is, according to their case worker, they are gay also." "Oh, don't give me that garbage," Valerie countered. "They can't possibly think something like that at their ages." "What makes you say that, Valerie? How many gay people have you talked to about when they knew who they were?" "Well, none." "Then, I'll be the first. I've known since I was Joey and Alex's age, so I have no doubt about who they say they are. The reason I'm telling you this is so you will know what to watch for from other students. I will not allow these boys to be bullied by anyone, students or staff, over this or any other reason. Do we understand each other?" "First of all, there's no need to threaten, or promise, to sue us to have us enforce our rules. We have very strict anti-bullying policies and they are enforced equally, regardless of the type of bullying. We have no room for that in our school. Second of all, as I've already said, there is no way they know that at their ages. Impossible." "What about you three, do you also think it's impossible?" I asked, looking to the boys' teachers. "It's absolutely possible, Valerie," Anita responded. "My son, Steve, first told me he liked boys when he was five. I didn't believe it, thought it was just a phase, but here we are 20 years later, and you know what, he still likes boys. Well, men, but you know what I'm saying." "I suppose anything's possible," Peggy said. "What's your opinion Ken?" I asked. "Well, I never thought much about it, but now that I do, I guess I've known since I was about seven or eight, also. So, I'd have to say the boys know what they're talking about." "Wait, you're gay, Ken? You didn't disclose that information when we hired you," Valerie said with a look of incredulity on her face. "You didn't ask, and more importantly, it's illegal for you to do so." "Be that as it may, this information could seriously affect your ability to retain you job." "Ken," I interrupted, "if that happens, you let me know and I'll give you the name of a hard-nosed attorney who has never lost a case and loves nothing more than suing a bunch of sanctimonious pricks." Ken leaned forward to look at me and answered, "Thanks, Max, I'll do that." He looked back to Valerie, "You were saying?" "Nothing," she fumed. "I think we're done here." "Do you still want me to send down the boys who are picking on Mike so you can talk to them?" Anita asked. "Not today. We'll deal with them later. Get out of here. All of you." "Thank you for your time, Valerie," I said politely, "it's been very educational. Fitting, I suppose, seeing as we are in a school." "Whatever. Just go!" As we exited the office, I turned to the other three and asked, "Can I count on you three to help?" "Certainly, Max. My son went through hell growing up and I want you to know that Mike will not have to worry about that as long I can help it." "Thanks, Anita, I appreciate it." I turned to Peggy, "How about you?" "Of course, Max." "And Ken?" I asked as I turned to him. "Bet on it, Max." "I want to thank you three for taking your lunch time to meet with me. It was my pleasure to meet all of you. Don't hesitate to call or e-mail me if you any of you have problems with the boys." Anita and Peggy both thanked me and turned to head to their classrooms. I started to leave and felt a tap on my shoulder. "Ya' gotta a minute?" Ken asked. "Sure, Ken, what's up?" "I think we're going to have some problems with our fearless leader." "What kind of problems?" "She's obviously homophobic beyond belief. I picked up on her feelings during my first interview two years ago. That's why I've kept my mouth shut about being gay. I knew she wouldn't like it and would find any reason she could to let me go, and I really need this job." "Well, Ken, don't worry about it. They can't fire you for being gay." "I know they can't, but I don't have tenure, yet, and she could use just about any excuse she can think of to deny me that." "I don't know what to tell you except don't worry about it. She doesn't want to take me on. I may be kinda new to the gay thing, but I don't intend to let anybody treat us like we're not humans." "Thanks, Max. I'll watch out for the boys. All of them." "Thanks, Ken. Have a good afternoon and if you need anything, call me." "You, too, Max, and I will." I headed to my meeting with Carol but since I had plenty of time, I decided to grab some lunch on the way. After a couple beef, bacon and cheddar sandwiches at Arby's and I headed to the agency's office and my meeting. I was greeted by Marcy, the receptionist, and asked to have a seat to wait while Carol finished her current meeting. Ten minutes later, Carol entered the lobby escorting a smiling young couple and after saying goodbye to them, waved for me to follow her. I tagged along, weaving our way through cubicle after cubicle to finally find her office along an outside wall of the building. "Afternoon, Max, have a seat, please." "Thanks, Carol, how are you today?" "Great!" she smiled. "That happy couple you saw with me is in the process of adopting a baby and we were going over some of the final details before their court appearance Friday." "That's great, Carol. I'd imagine they're happy." "Well, after 6 months of waiting and a bungled background investigation, they are." "A what?" "Oh, the moron that did the first background check screwed it up and delayed the adoption about 4 months." "How'd that happen?" "The gentleman's name is fairly common, something like John Smith, although that's not his real name, but along those lines. You know, lots of other men with the same name." "Unlike Maxwill Sanders, right? Not too many of us around, is there?" "Exactly. The original investigator stopped his search when he found a man with the same name in prison down south somewhere. Didn't cross reference any other info like wife, family, date of birth, nothin'. Well, as you know, a felony is automatic removal from any possible adoption." "So I've been told." "Well, when the idiot faxed in his report, the dimwit here who retrieved it from the machine just flagged this gentleman as a criminal and he was kicked out of the program as ineligible. It took me months and a new investigation with a competent individual to get it all straightened out. We're finally back on track." "What a nightmare for them, and for you. I couldn't imagine how I'd feel if that had happened to me." "Well, we've removed the investigator from our list of approved sleuths and the in-house dimwit is out pounding the pavement looking for a new job. Best I can see her getting is a job where every customer is asked `you want fries with that?'." She laughed bitterly. "I'm sorry, you don't want the hear about my problems. What can I do for you today? Is anything wrong?" "Nope, we're good, but I may have a solution to your problem." "What are you talking about, Max." "I just happen to know an enterprising young man who is about to resign his current law enforcement job in favor of something in the private sector. He says he's interested in opening his own private investigation agency and he's going to be looking for some clients to help pay the bills. I told him I would do some checking around to help him fill that need. So, tell me, do you know anyone who could make good use of a top-notch investigator?" Carol's eyes had been growing during my speech. "Are you talking about Tom. He's quitting he Sherriff's department? What brought that about?" "Yes, it's Tom. He and I have fallen for each other, hard. He's going to talk to his sergeant, Dylan, this afternoon after his shift, and turn in his resignation. As to how it happened, we had a long talk Sunday night and I asked him if he was married to his job. He told he loved it, but was scared to death every day that he wouldn't be going home each night. When I told him I loved him and didn't want to risk losing him every day, he admitted the same about me and told me he'd already decided to turn in his papers today." "Oh, my god, what have I done?" she screamed. I got up and quietly closed her door to avoid attracting any unwanted attention from the rest of the office, then returned to my seat. "You haven't done anything to be ashamed of or worry about, Carol. When we met in the Mueller's driveway Saturday, it was fate that brought us together. Besides, you did say you thought we'd make a cute couple, didn't you?" "That wasn't fate, that was me, meddling in the lives of two people I barely know." "You call it meddling, we call it fate. Whatever you want to call it, it was meant to be. We both feel like we've known each other our whole lives and we want to thank you for helping bring us together. Now, how about an answer to my original question, you know anyone who needs an excellent investigator with connections to law enforcement?" "You're serious, aren't you?" "Deadly." "Let me call Anna and see if she can join us." She dialed Anna's extension and after brief conversation, said she'd be here in just a moment. She still had a dumbfounded expression on her face and it was priceless. There was a light knock on the door and Anna stepped in. "What's up Carol? Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you had a client with you." I turned to face Anna and said, "That's okay, Anna, she's gone a little mute at the moment as she tries to absorb the news I just gave her." "Oh, hi, Max, I didn't know you were coming in today. How's everything going with our boys?" "Just great, Anna. They've settled into their new home and are back in school today." "That's excellent, Max, I'm glad to hear it. Now, can you please explain Ms. Lost in Space over here." "I'll do my best. Do you know a sheriff's deputy by the name of Tom Wright?" "We've never met personally, but I've talked to him on the phone a few times and I know Carol has had his help several times." "That's the one. Well, Carol called him Saturday to help me with the Mueller's and, I guess the best way to say it is, things have kinda snowballed and he and I are now a couple. Ms. Lost in Space is worried she's meddled in our lives and, I think, feeling guilty about it." "Is that why you're here?" "Actually, no. I did come to talk to Carol about Tom, but not about her supposed `meddling'. He's decided to resign from the Sherriff's department and open his own private investigation firm. I told Tom that I would talk to a few people to see if I could help create some business for him and I decided to talk to Carol first. As it turns out, I just happened to come in as she was escorting out a couple whose background investigation was screwed up by an incompetent investigator. I thought my timing was good, but now I'm thinking maybe not. Or maybe it was just too much at one time." "Well, first, I suppose, congratulations are in order," she said as she gave me a hug. "And second, I think Tom will be a fine investigator and I'm sure we will be making use of his new services." "I'm glad to hear it, Anna. We are both encountering major changes to our lives now and I think this will help ease one of his concerns. He really doesn't have to work as I'm well-off financially, but I think he thinks he's taking advantage of me somehow. It's kinda hard to explain. I'm hoping adding Tom to the household won't have any effect on the boys' adoptions." "Oh, don't worry about it, Max. We all go through changes in our lives, it's how we deal with those changes that make us who we are. And, no, adding Tom to your home shouldn't change anything with the adoptions. I'm sure the background checks he's been through to get his job are more thorough than what we do. Now, any suggestions on how to retrieve her from planet Catatonia? She looks like she's really out of it." I looked back at Carol and said, "Wait, I think I see a glimmer of recognition in her eyes. Yes, there it is, come on Carol. Back to Earth, yeah, that's it." She looked at me with fear in her eyes. "Oh, Max, what have I done? Sure, I thought you two would be a cute couple, but from meeting to being a couple in so few days, how is that possible?" "I told you Carol, we both feel like we've known each other forever and we just clicked. Hasn't that ever happened to you?" "Once, about six years ago, but it didn't work out. Turned out he loved his drugs more than me and I wasn't sticking around to watch him kill himself." "So, you know it happens. Don't be so surprised it happened with Tom and me. You were absolutely right. I love him and so do the boys and he loves us, too. We're all going to be just fine. Now, can we get back to his doing investigations for you?" "Yeah, right, investigations." She turned to Anna, "What do you think, Anna? I know the hassle we've had finding and keeping good investigators. Do you think we could use Tom? I know we need somebody good for background checks, but I also don't want it to look like we're using him just because of connections." "I'm sure we can. And I'm not worried about `connections', providing his checks are thorough and accurate. We can't have another debacle like this last one. That ass almost killed that adoption before it even got started." Anna turned to me and asked, "Any idea when Tom will be ready to start his new venture." "Not yet, Anna, but I should know tonight. Tom is turning in his resignation this afternoon after his patrol ends. I guess it depends on his sergeant and what he says. I'm sure it will be at least two weeks." "Well, please keep us informed as to his status and make sure he comes in when he's ready to start work. We are always needing background checks done and I'll have some waiting for him when he's ready." "I will, Anna. Thanks." I stood to leave, then turned back to Carol and added, "I was serious about Tom and me wanting to thank you for arranging our meeting. You're a good person, Carol Ward, and you do excellent work. Keep it up." "Th-th-thanks, Max," she stammered. "Well, I need to be on the way home so I can be there when the bus arrives. I don't want the boys to have to walk the half-mile to the house. You two have a great afternoon." "Thanks, Max, you too," Anna said. I left the office and hit the road for home. My timing should work out just right to arrive about 5 minutes before the bus would. As I drove home, my thoughts swiveled to Tom and the discussion he would soon be having with Dylan. I was hoping Dylan would accept his resignation, but I also knew he wouldn't want to lose a well-trained deputy. I'd just have to wait until he got home to find out. It turned out I was right on time to meet the bus as it turned up the road to the house right behind me. I pulled in the drive and waited for the boys to get off and pile in the car. Once they were settled, I headed to the house.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 22</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free.&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc474633674"><span>Chapter 22 � Tuesday</span></a><span> </span></h2> <p><span>Tuesday began way earlier than I was used to. My alarm went off at 6:00AM so I could get the boys up, dressed, fed and ready to catch their bus. I never realized how grumpy kids could be at that time of day. While I dealt with the four grumplestiltskins, Tom dressed in his uniform and headed out the door, pausing to give each of us a hug and kiss. </span></p> <p><span>"Bye guys, I'll see you tonight. Have a good day at school and learn something new."</span></p> <p><span>"We will, Uncle Tom. Be careful today, we want you coming back home tonight," Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"I will." With that, he was gone.</span></p> <p><span>"Come on boys, get a move on. Your bus will be here soon and I need to have you at the end of the drive waiting when it shows up."</span></p> <p><span>"We're moving as fast we can, dad," Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, man, give us a break," added Joey.</span></p> <p><span>"I just don't want you to be late. I'll try to relax, promise."</span></p> <p><span>When they had finished their breakfast, I made sure they all had their coats, hats, gloves and backpacks and got them loaded in the car. We got to the end of the drive with a few minutes to spare. While we waited for the bus to arrive, I reminded the boys that the dress code, or lack thereof, at home was not to be shared with their friends. They all said they understood. The boys then chatted amongst themselves while we waited and when I saw the bus coming our direction I had them make sure they had everything before getting out. I had to laugh as the bus slowly rolled right past the driveway. Unless you know what to look for, it pretty easy to miss it hidden among all the trees. I had the boys out of the car and standing in line as the driver backed up about a hundred feet. </span></p> <p><span>When the door popped open, the driver said, "Sorry `bout that. I was watching for your drive since turning on the road and still missed it."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, it's easy to do. By the way, my name is Max Sanders and I'm the boys' new father."</span></p> <p><span>"Good to meet ya', Mr. Sanders, I'm Carl, the regular driver on this route."</span></p> <p><span>"Please, call me Max. Will you be getting here about the same time every day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Should be, within a few minutes either way."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I just wanted to make sure. While it's cold like this, I'll be bringing them down and waiting in the car with them, just want to make sure when we should be here. About what time will they be dropped off after school."</span></p> <p><span>"I usually hit this road about 3:45. There's a few more stops further up the road."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good, Carl. I'll be here, waiting for them. The house is about �-mile walk from here, which is a little too far to walk in these temps."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, we'll see you this afternoon." The door closed and I waved at my boys as the bus pulled away. I hopped back in the car, turned around in the road and drove back to the house. I pulled the car in the garage so it could stay warm until I left for the school later and my meeting with the principal and the boys' teachers. I undressed, laid my clothes on the bed to wear again later and headed into the study to make a few calls. The first was to Carol at the adoption agency.</span></p> <p><span>"This is Carol, how can I help you," she answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Carol."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, good morning to you, too, Max. How are things going?"</span></p> <p><span>"Couldn't be better. We spent yesterday getting new clothes for the boys and they are all back to school today."</span></p> <p><span>"Clothes? You think they'll actually get worn?" she laughed. "Seriously, it's progress. Sounds like you're starting to get a handle on being a father."</span></p> <p><span>"Slowly, but surely, Carol. Say, I have something I'd like to discuss with you this afternoon. If I came to the office, would you have some spare time for me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Let me check my calendar, Max, one second." She returned a few seconds later, "I have some free time about 2:00. Will that work for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be perfect. I'm going to the school to meet the principal and the boys' teachers at noon, so I'll head your way when I'm done there. Thanks, Carol."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Max, I'll see you then."</span></p> <p><span>My next call was to a local contractor I'd had do some work for me a couple years ago. </span></p> <p><span>"This is John."</span></p> <p><span>"John, Max Sanders, how ya' been?"</span></p> <p><span>"Good, Max, long time. How `bout yourself?"</span></p> <p><span>"Doing well, John, thanks for asking."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, John, I'm in the process of adopting four boys and ..."</span></p> <p><span>"Four? Boys? I never took you as a glutton for punishment, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, what can I say? People change."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I shoulda' said congratulations, Max. Sorry to interrupt, go ahead."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you know how far back from the road the house is located, and the boys will need to wait out at the road for the bus."</span></p> <p><span>"That won't be much fun for them, will it? Not in this weather, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"That's exactly why I'm calling you, John. I'd like to get a small shelter built at the end of drive so they can get out of the wind, snow and rain while they wait for the bus. Sound like something you'd be interested in helping with?"</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, I don't know, we're pretty busy right now," he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"If you're that busy, do I need to call someone else, John?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hell, no, Max. This is a piece `o cake. How big do you want it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm thinking maybe 8' X 8'. That be plenty big enough to last them through high school."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you want it insulated and heated?"</span></p> <p><span>"That'd be a good idea, John, but I don't think I'd want to pay to run electrical from the house all the way out to the road."</span></p> <p><span>"What if we put a solar panel on the roof with a battery backup to run the heater. That should be cheaper than running the wire and be almost maintenance-free for you."</span></p> <p><span>"I like that idea, John. The heater wouldn't have to be that large if the shelter's got enough insulation and sealed tight enough to keep the heat inside."</span></p> <p><span>"That's what I'm thinking, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll also want a real, lockable door and a window in it. The window doesn't need to open, just be there so they can watch for the bus without having to go outside."</span></p> <p><span>"Good idea, Max. How soon you want us to start?"</span></p> <p><span>"As soon as you can, John. I know March is right around the corner, but I think this cold's going to hang around for a while, yet."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm with you, Max. Here's what I'll do. I'll come out in the morning and we can pick the location for the shelter. Then, I can have a couple of my guys come out and set some forms for the slab."</span></p> <p><span>"You can come out tomorrow, but we'll have to take out some trees before the floor could be poured. There's not a lot of clear space on either side of the drive right now."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for reminding me, Max. I didn't think about that. I'll call and arrange to have a tree removal guy I trust meet with us tomorrow morning. Once we pick out the right spot, he can get the trees downed and my guys can still come out the next day to set the forms and dump some rock base inside them."</span></p> <p><span>"Will your tree guy remove the trees and the stumps entirely? I don't want to have the floor cracked in a few months by them coming back."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll make sure he brings all the equipment he'll need to grind the stumps, too. And I'll have my guys bring a plate compactor with them so they pack the dirt before they dump the rock. Then, we can get the floor slab poured a couple days after that. Shouldn't take much to finish it, just a quick troweling and cover it with plastic and straw to help keep it from freezing before it's set. While the slab sets, we can build the shelter in my shop and bring it out on our big trailer, ready to set on the slab. Add some anchors, bolt the shelter to the slab, and presto, happy boys."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a good plan to me, John. Call me when you get close tomorrow and I'll meet you at the end of the drive in the morning."</span></p> <p><span>"See you then, Max."</span></p> <p><span>I still had a couple hours before I needed to head to the school for my meeting, so I grabbed my book and curled up by the fireplace to kill a few hours. When it was time to leave, I got re-dressed and headed to the school. I found a parking spot and after entering the school, I stopped a teacher in the hall and asked for directions to the principal's office. Directions fresh in my head, I set off down the hall. I was met by a perky and cheerful young lady when I entered the office.</span></p> <p><span>"May I help you sir?" she asked in a high pitch sing-song.</span></p> <p><span>"Good afternoon, my name is Max Sanders and I have a meeting with Ms. Carr."</span></p> <p><span>"One moment, sir. If you'd like to have a seat, I'll page her."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you." Perky and cheerful made the page and we waited quietly. A minute later, a well-dressed, middle-aged woman came into the office followed by two women and a man. I stood as they headed my direction.</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Sanders, I presume. I'm Valerie Carr, the school principal and these three are your sons' teachers. Michael is in Mrs. Young's class, Thomas is in Miss Klaus' class, and Mr. Thomas is Joseph and Alexander's teacher." We all shook hands as Valerie made the introductions. "Why don't we step into my office?" Valerie led the way and then closed the door when we were all inside. "Please, have a seat everyone. Now, Mr. Sanders, what can we do for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"First, you can stop calling me Mr. Sanders, please. My name is Maxwill and I go by Max."</span></p> <p><span>"We can certainly do that, Max. And please, call me Valerie."</span></p> <p><span>"I will, thanks. Second, one of the first things I asked the boys when we got to my house Friday night was if they wanted to be called by their full names. All of them said no and asked to be called Joey, Alex, T.J. and Mike. If you could make that adjustment here, that'd be great."</span></p> <p><span>"We can do that, Max, right folks?" she asked, looking to the teachers. Nods from all three teachers signaled their agreement.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, continuing on, as I told you during our call yesterday, over the weekend, I became the legal guardian of the boys and I'm in the process of adopting them. Since I'm obviously new to this whole `being a parent' thing, I just thought it would be good idea to come over, meet the folks responsible for my sons' education and find out what's expected or needed of me."</span></p> <p><span>"I wish all our parents took their jobs this seriously. All our lives would be so much better if they did. But, really, Max, all we look for from parents is to be involved in their children's education. Set aside some quiet time every day and help them with their homework. If you see them having any problems, let us know so we can see what we can do here to provide additional assistance. Also, attend the parent/teacher meetings so you can meet directly with their teachers and relay any concerns you may have. These meetings are also a way for the teachers to pass information, directly to the parents, of any issues they may be seeing."</span></p> <p><span>"I can certainly do all that. Are there any problems I should know about now?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll let the teachers address that question. Why don't you start, Ken?"</span></p> <p><span>"No real problems with the twins. They do like to be the class clowns, though, and can be disruptive at times. Usually, all it takes is a gentle reminder and they calm back down. Other than that, they're grades are among the top 5% of the class. Both are highly intelligent and might possibly be bored with certain subjects at times, most notably, math. I've noticed both seem to daydream when we're working in that subject, but their grades don't show it. You might consider having them tested and see if we can move them up a grade level. Other than that, I don't see any problems."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent, Ken. Peggy, how is T.J. doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he's only been in my class since January, remember, but from what I've seen so far, he seems to be doing well. His reading, spelling and math skills all seem to be where they should be. His Social Studies could be improved a bit, but he's not horribly behind. I'm sure some of that comes from the school he came from. They use a different textbook for the subject and I'm sure he's playing a little catchup."</span></p> <p><span>"One thing I noticed," I interjected, "very soon after our first meeting a few weeks ago, he's very outspoken and doesn't seem afraid to share things that maybe he shouldn't. Has that been an issue?"</span></p> <p><span>"Only a couple of times, and that was very early on. He seems to have learned to refrain from speaking out in class without permission."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank the gods for that," I laughed. Peggy joined me with a quiet giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"Your turn, now, Anita. Any problems with Michael? Oh, I'm sorry, I meant to say Mike. Old habits die hard, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem." I turned to Anita to hear her report.</span></p> <p><span>"Mike's been in my class about the same length of time T.J. has been in Peggy's and he's been very quiet and reserved during that time. His skills seem to be where they should be, maybe a little behind, but not too bad, I think. My biggest concern is his socializing with his classmates. He doesn't seem to making any friends."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you aware of his history before joining your class, Anita?"</span></p> <p><span>"What history? Apparently not. What did I miss?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm surprised the agency didn't pass this on, so I'll do it now. Mike was subjected to severe physical and mental abuse by his parents and he was removed from their care and their rights have been severed. There is no chance of them getting him back."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my, I was completely unaware of that. Now, it all makes sense."</span></p> <p><span>"What makes sense?" asked Valerie.</span></p> <p><span>"Some of the other boys in class tend to pick on him because he's so small. When they do it, Mike just cowers at his desk or in a corner. I've tried to stop them from doing it and they won't when I'm watching, but if I turn my back or I'm busy helping another student, they just start up again. I moved the problem boys to the other side of the class and that has reduced the issue there, but at lunch and on the playground, I've no control over them."</span></p> <p><span>"I wish you'd told me this was happening, Anita," Valerie said. "It looks like I need to have a little chat with these boys. Right after lunch, won't you please send them here? We'll get this situation resolved today." </span></p> <p><span>"May I join that meeting, Valerie?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I think that would be a good idea, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"Great, now, I have one more thing you all need to know. This stays with the four of you. If I hear of this spreading through the school from any of you, you'll be sued."</span></p> <p><span>Valerie stood behind her desk with an indignant look on her face. "Max, I don't think you need to be threatening us like that."</span></p> <p><span>"It's not a threat, Valerie, it's a promise. Please sit and I'll explain." She sat back down and crossed her arms over her chest, clearly upset. "Thank you. Now, you don't <i>need</i> to know this as it's not really pertinent to the boys' education, but I think you should. I'm gay."</span></p> <p><span>"And just how could that have any effect on our responsibilities?" Valerie asked.</span></p> <p><span>"One of the main reasons I'm being allowed to adopt these four is, according to their case worker, they are gay also."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't give me that garbage," Valerie countered. "They can't possibly think something like that at their ages."</span></p> <p><span>"What makes you say that, Valerie? How many gay people have you talked to about when they knew who they were?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, none."</span></p> <p><span>"Then, I'll be the first. I've known since I was Joey and Alex's age, so I have no doubt about who they say they are. The reason I'm telling you this is so you will know what to watch for from other students. I will not allow these boys to be bullied by anyone, students or staff, over this or any other reason. Do we understand each other?"</span></p> <p><span>"First of all, there's no need to threaten, or promise, to sue us to have us enforce our rules. We have very strict anti-bullying policies and they are enforced equally, regardless of the type of bullying. We have no room for that in our school. Second of all, as I've already said, there is no way they <i>know</i> that at their ages. Impossible."</span></p> <p><span>"What about you three, do you also think it's impossible?" I asked, looking to the boys' teachers.</span></p> <p><span>"It's absolutely possible, Valerie," Anita responded. "My son, Steve, first told me he liked boys when he was five. I didn't believe it, thought it was just a phase, but here we are 20 years later, and you know what, he still likes boys. Well, men, but you know what I'm saying."</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose anything's possible," Peggy said.</span></p> <p><span>"What's your opinion Ken?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I never thought much about it, but now that I do, I guess I've known since I was about seven or eight, also. So, I'd have to say the boys know what they're talking about."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, you're gay, Ken? You didn't disclose that information when we hired you," Valerie said with a look of incredulity on her face.</span></p> <p><span>"You didn't ask, and more importantly, it's illegal for you to do so."</span></p> <p><span>"Be that as it may, this information could seriously affect your ability to retain you job."</span></p> <p><span>"Ken," I interrupted, "if that happens, you let me know and I'll give you the name of a hard-nosed attorney who has never lost a case and loves nothing more than suing a bunch of sanctimonious pricks."</span></p> <p><span>Ken leaned forward to look at me and answered, "Thanks, Max, I'll do that." He looked back to Valerie, "You were saying?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing," she fumed. "I think we're done here."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you still want me to send down the boys who are picking on Mike so you can talk to them?" Anita asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not today. We'll deal with them later. Get out of here. All of you."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you for your time, Valerie," I said politely, "it's been very educational. Fitting, I suppose, seeing as we are in a school."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever. Just go!"</span></p> <p><span>As we exited the office, I turned to the other three and asked, "Can I count on you three to help?"</span></p> <p><span>"Certainly, Max. My son went through hell growing up and I want you to know that Mike will not have to worry about that as long I can help it."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Anita, I appreciate it." I turned to Peggy, "How about you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"And Ken?" I asked as I turned to him.</span></p> <p><span>"Bet on it, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"I want to thank you three for taking your lunch time to meet with me. It was my pleasure to meet all of you. Don't hesitate to call or e-mail me if you any of you have problems with the boys." </span></p> <p><span>Anita and Peggy both thanked me and turned to head to their classrooms. I started to leave and felt a tap on my shoulder. "Ya' gotta a minute?" Ken asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, Ken, what's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think we're going to have some problems with our fearless leader."</span></p> <p><span>"What kind of problems?"</span></p> <p><span>"She's obviously homophobic beyond belief. I picked up on her feelings during my first interview two years ago. That's why I've kept my mouth shut about being gay. I knew she wouldn't like it and would find any reason she could to let me go, and I really need this job."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Ken, don't worry about it. They can't fire you for being gay."</span></p> <p><span>"I know they can't, but I don't have tenure, yet, and she could use just about any excuse she can think of to deny me that."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know what to tell you except don't worry about it. She doesn't want to take me on. I may be kinda new to the gay thing, but I don't intend to let anybody treat us like we're not humans."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max. I'll watch out for the boys. All of them."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Ken. Have a good afternoon and if you need anything, call me."</span></p> <p><span>"You, too, Max, and I will."</span></p> <p><span>I headed to my meeting with Carol but since I had plenty of time, I decided to grab some lunch on the way. After a couple beef, bacon and cheddar sandwiches at Arby's and I headed to the agency's office and my meeting. I was greeted by Marcy, the receptionist, and asked to have a seat to wait while Carol finished her current meeting. Ten minutes later, Carol entered the lobby escorting a smiling young couple and after saying goodbye to them, waved for me to follow her. I tagged along, weaving our way through cubicle after cubicle to finally find her office along an outside wall of the building.</span></p> <p><span>"Afternoon, Max, have a seat, please."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Carol, how are you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Great!" she smiled. "That happy couple you saw with me is in the process of adopting a baby and we were going over some of the final details before their court appearance Friday."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, Carol. I'd imagine they're happy."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, after 6 months of waiting and a bungled background investigation, they are."</span></p> <p><span>"A what?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, the moron that did the first background check screwed it up and delayed the adoption about 4 months."</span></p> <p><span>"How'd that happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"The gentleman's name is fairly common, something like John Smith, although that's not his real name, but along those lines. You know, lots of other men with the same name."</span></p> <p><span>"Unlike Maxwill Sanders, right? Not too many of us around, is there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Exactly. The original investigator stopped his search when he found a man with the same name in prison down south somewhere. Didn't cross reference any other info like wife, family, date of birth, nothin'. Well, as you know, a felony is automatic removal from any possible adoption."</span></p> <p><span>"So I've been told."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, when the idiot faxed in his report, the dimwit here who retrieved it from the machine just flagged <i>this</i> gentleman as a criminal and he was kicked out of the program as ineligible. It took me months and a new investigation with a competent individual to get it all straightened out. We're finally back on track."</span></p> <p><span>"What a nightmare for them, and for you. I couldn't imagine how I'd feel if that had happened to me."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we've removed the investigator from our list of approved sleuths and the in-house dimwit is out pounding the pavement looking for a new job. Best I can see her getting is a job where every customer is asked `you want fries with that?'." She laughed bitterly. "I'm sorry, you don't want the hear about my problems. What can I do for you today? Is anything wrong?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, we're good, but I may have a solution to your problem."</span></p> <p><span>"What are you talking about, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"I just happen to know an enterprising young man who is about to resign his current law enforcement job in favor of something in the private sector. He says he's interested in opening his own private investigation agency and he's going to be looking for some clients to help pay the bills. I told him I would do some checking around to help him fill that need. So, tell me, do you know anyone who could make good use of a top-notch investigator?" Carol's eyes had been growing during my speech.</span></p> <p><span>"Are you talking about Tom. He's quitting he Sherriff's department? What brought that about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, it's Tom. He and I have fallen for each other, hard. He's going to talk to his sergeant, Dylan, this afternoon after his shift, and turn in his resignation. As to how it happened, we had a long talk Sunday night and I asked him if he was married to his job. He told he loved it, but was scared to death every day that he wouldn't be going home each night. When I told him I loved him and didn't want to risk losing him every day, he admitted the same about me and told me he'd already decided to turn in his papers today."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my god, what have I done?" she screamed.</span></p> <p><span>I got up and quietly closed her door to avoid attracting any unwanted attention from the rest of the office, then returned to my seat. "You haven't done anything to be ashamed of or worry about, Carol. When we met in the Mueller's driveway Saturday, it was fate that brought us together. Besides, you did say you thought we'd make a cute couple, didn't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"That wasn't fate, that was me, meddling in the lives of two people I barely know."</span></p> <p><span>"You call it meddling, we call it fate. Whatever you want to call it, it was meant to be. We both feel like we've known each other our whole lives and we want to thank you for helping bring us together. Now, how about an answer to my original question, you know anyone who needs an excellent investigator with connections to law enforcement?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're serious, aren't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Deadly."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me call Anna and see if she can join us." She dialed Anna's extension and after brief conversation, said she'd be here in just a moment. She still had a dumbfounded expression on her face and it was priceless. There was a light knock on the door and Anna stepped in. </span></p> <p><span>"What's up Carol? Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you had a client with you."</span></p> <p><span>I turned to face Anna and said, "That's okay, Anna, she's gone a little mute at the moment as she tries to absorb the news I just gave her."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hi, Max, I didn't know you were coming in today. How's everything going with our boys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just great, Anna. They've settled into their new home and are back in school today."</span></p> <p><span>"That's excellent, Max, I'm glad to hear it. Now, can you please explain Ms. Lost in Space over here."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do my best. Do you know a sheriff's deputy by the name of Tom Wright?"</span></p> <p><span>"We've never met personally, but I've talked to him on the phone a few times and I know Carol has had his help several times."</span></p> <p><span>"That's the one. Well, Carol called him Saturday to help me with the Mueller's and, I guess the best way to say it is, things have kinda snowballed and he and I are now a couple. Ms. Lost in Space is worried she's meddled in our lives and, I think, feeling guilty about it."</span></p> <p><span>"Is that why you're here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, no. I did come to talk to Carol about Tom, but not about her supposed `meddling'. He's decided to resign from the Sherriff's department and open his own private investigation firm. I told Tom that I would talk to a few people to see if I could help create some business for him and I decided to talk to Carol first. As it turns out, I just happened to come in as she was escorting out a couple whose background investigation was screwed up by an incompetent investigator. I thought my timing was good, but now I'm thinking maybe not. Or maybe it was just too much at one time."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, first, I suppose, congratulations are in order," she said as she gave me a hug. "And second, I think Tom will be a fine investigator and I'm sure we will be making use of his new services."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear it, Anna. We are both encountering major changes to our lives now and I think this will help ease one of his concerns. He really doesn't have to work as I'm well-off financially, but I think he thinks he's taking advantage of me somehow. It's kinda hard to explain. I'm hoping adding Tom to the household won't have any effect on the boys' adoptions."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't worry about it, Max. We all go through changes in our lives, it's how we deal with those changes that make us who we are. And, no, adding Tom to your home shouldn't change anything with the adoptions. I'm sure the background checks he's been through to get his job are more thorough than what we do. Now, any suggestions on how to retrieve her from planet Catatonia? She looks like she's really out of it."</span></p> <p><span>I looked back at Carol and said, "Wait, I think I see a glimmer of recognition in her eyes. Yes, there it is, come on Carol. Back to Earth, yeah, that's it."</span></p> <p><span>She looked at me with fear in her eyes. "Oh, Max, what have I done? Sure, I thought you two would be a cute couple, but from meeting to being a couple in so few days, how is that possible?"</span></p> <p><span>"I told you Carol, we both feel like we've known each other forever and we just clicked. Hasn't that ever happened to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Once, about six years ago, but it didn't work out. Turned out he loved his drugs more than me and I wasn't sticking around to watch him kill himself."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you know it happens. Don't be so surprised it happened with Tom and me. You were absolutely right. I love him and so do the boys and he loves us, too. We're all going to be just fine. Now, can we get back to his doing investigations for you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, right, investigations." She turned to Anna, "What do you think, Anna? I know the hassle we've had finding and keeping good investigators. Do you think we could use Tom? I know we need somebody good for background checks, but I also don't want it to look like we're using him just because of connections."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure we can. And I'm not worried about `connections', providing his checks are thorough and accurate. We can't have another debacle like this last one. That ass almost killed that adoption before it even got started." Anna turned to me and asked, "Any idea when Tom will be ready to start his new venture."</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet, Anna, but I should know tonight. Tom is turning in his resignation this afternoon after his patrol ends. I guess it depends on his sergeant and what he says. I'm sure it will be at least two weeks."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, please keep us informed as to his status and make sure he comes in when he's ready to start work. We are always needing background checks done and I'll have some waiting for him when he's ready."</span></p> <p><span>"I will, Anna. Thanks." I stood to leave, then turned back to Carol and added, "I was serious about Tom and me wanting to thank you for arranging our meeting. You're a good person, Carol Ward, and you do excellent work. Keep it up."</span></p> <p><span>"Th-th-thanks, Max," she stammered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I need to be on the way home so I can be there when the bus arrives. I don't want the boys to have to walk the half-mile to the house. You two have a great afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max, you too," Anna said.</span></p> <p><span>I left the office and hit the road for home. My timing should work out just right to arrive about 5 minutes before the bus would. As I drove home, my thoughts swiveled to Tom and the discussion he would soon be having with Dylan. I was hoping Dylan would accept his resignation, but I also knew he wouldn't want to lose a well-trained deputy. I'd just have to wait until he got home to find out. It turned out I was right on time to meet the bus as it turned up the road to the house right behind me. I pulled in the drive and waited for the boys to get off and pile in the car. Once they were settled, I headed to the house.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-46.html

Building a Family 46 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 46 � Suppertime Embarrassment We crossed the street and after locating the car in the now crowded lot, Mom and dad climbed into the back seat together, leaving me to play chauffer. As I pulled out of the parking lot and turned onto the street, I shot a quick glance in the rear-view mirror and found the two of them sitting side-by-side, mom resting her head on dad's shoulder. I can honestly say I don't think I've seen them quite this happy and content for many a month and I have to admit I was feeling a bit giddy myself. "So, dad, you glad to be out of there?" I asked in a weak attempt to start a conversation because, let's face it, who wouldn't be happy to be released from a hospital. "I am, son. I know it wasn't jail, but it was damn close to it. I'll give `em this, though, they do take good care of ya'." "Well, I should hope so," I laughed. "Now, if they could just figure out how to let people actually get some sleep," he chuckled. The rest of the drive home was quiet as the two of them cuddled in the back seat as if they were out on their first date. I did a bit of a double-take as I turned off the road into the drive and saw the boys' new bus shelter. I must have been in a trance when mom and I left because I somehow missed seeing it on the way out. As we pulled up to the front door of the house, I noticed John's truck was back in the drive, so he and his guys should be back at work. Dad noticed the truck also and asked, "Who else is here, Max?" "My contractor, John. He put up the new bus shelter for the boys this morning and has started work on the repainting the twins' bedroom and repairing the floor in Tom's new office." The conversation continued as we got out of the car and made our way to the front door. "Great! Is there anything I can do to help to move things along?" "I don't think so, dad. John brought two of his guys with him today and, so far, they seem to have everything under control." "Well, if that changes, you just let me know. I'd love to help out." "Thanks, dad, we'll see." I opened the door and let mom and dad enter first before following them in and closing the door. I took their coats and hung them in the closet, then the three of us joined up with Tom, Bill and Estelle by the still burning fireplace. As we crossed the living room, Bill greeted dad with, "Good afternoon, Jim, it's good to see you, again. How are you feelin'?" "Bill, it's great to see you, too," dad replied while shaking Bill's extended hand, "and you, also, Estelle," he added as he leaned over and gave her a hug. "You're absolutely right, Bill, this is a beautiful afternoon and I'm glad to still be around to enjoy it." "That's great to hear, Jim," Estelle replied. "You gave us a helluva scare." "You!? I scared the crap outta' myself, my dear, quite literally. The hospital had to provide me a clean pair of shorts so I could come home today," dad chuckled and we all joined him. "So, when will the boys be home from school?" "The bus usually drops them off about a quarter to four," I answered. "Great, I'm looking forward to seeing them, again. Especially that little Joey. He's a damn smart cookie. Before they get here, though, there's something I need to say to Bill and Estelle," dad said as he sat on the coffee table directly in front of them. "Oh, and what's that," Estelle asked cautiously. "I need to apologize for my behavior the last time we were together. I was rude beyond belief to two very kind people I barely knew. I hope you will accept my very sincere apology for my despicable behavior." "That's all right, Jim," Bill replied. "We were at the same point not all that long ago and we understand the struggle of setting aside what you've believed your entire life and replacing it with what is right. People sometimes take drastic actions to accept the changes happening in their lives and the lives of the ones they love. Granted, your action was considerably more drastic than most, but we're glad you came through it one piece and with a new attitude. I think you'll find your acceptance of reality will lead to a much happier life and a long and rewarding relationship with Max and his family." "Thank you, Bill, you're too kind. I must say I'm looking forward to it. Now there's one more person with whom I must make amends before I can put all this behind me." "Who's that, dear?" mom asked. "Why, Helen, of course. I've been especially nasty to her the past few months, simply because she was handy, and I feel absolutely horrible at what I've done to her in her time of need. I've no doubt she hates me, and who could blame her. And, yet, in my time of need, she set aside that hate and came to my aid. I owe her my life. When Max takes us home tonight, I must go see her and start to rebuild the friendship we once shared." "I'm sure she'll be happy to hear what you have to say," I commented. Dad stood, walked to me and motioned for me to get up. After I was looking in his eyes, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into the strongest hug I'd received from him in a long time. "I'm truly sorry for being such a hard-headed jackass, son," he whispered in my ear. He finally let me go and turned his attention to Tom, asking him to stand up also. After wrapping the big lunk in another smothering hug, I heard him whisper, "Welcome to the family, son. I wish for nothing but happiness for you, Max and the family you're building together." Dad finally released Tom, then sat on the loveseat with mom. After just a moment, he lifted his head, clapped his hands together and asked, "Okay, time to move on. What's for supper?" Leave it to the old man to get right to the heart of the matter. We all enjoyed a light-hearted giggle and that finally broke the tension in which we'd been mired. We chatted a long time, mostly mom and Estelle telling Tom and me what they'd come up as far as plans for our wedding, with Bill tossing in a thought now and then. Everything they'd come up with sounded perfect to the two of us and it was obvious the time and thought they'd expended on our behalf. For his part, dad was pretty quiet since he hadn't been involved in the discussions, but he nodded his agreement at regular intervals. When the two ladies finally wound down and said that was all they had so far, dad finally took the opportunity to speak. "You three have done a bang-up jog putting this together in such a short period of time and I'm impressed. I should have been involved in these planning sessions, but it's my own damn fault I wasn't. While I like everything I've heard so far, it sounds like it's going to be a pretty pricey affair, and I don't think the newlyweds are in a position to afford such a lavish ceremony. Therefore, I'm going to foot the bill for the entire event." "Dad, you don't have to do that. And you know very well money isn't an issue." "Wait, I forgot, the bride's family is supposed to pay for the wedding, aren't they?" He turned to look at two of us and then asked in complete seriousness, "Now, which one of you is the bride?" We looked at each other in confusion, then turned our questioning gaze to Bill and Estelle who simply shrugged their shoulders. We finally turned back to refocus our attention on mom and dad, only to find the two of them holding hands over their mouths to smother the giggle fit they both seemed to be enjoying. "I'm kiddin', boys, don't get your drawers tied in a knot. It was just a joke, well, a joke about which one of you is the bride. I may be getting old, but I'm not senile just yet. I'm dead serious about paying for wedding, though." "Dad, I'm not going to fight you over this. If that's what you want to do, we'll let that be your wedding present to us." "Thank you, boys." I looked at my watch to check the time and discovered the boys should be home soon. "Looks like it's time to pick up the boys. Anybody want to come with me to see their reaction to the new bus shelter?" With agreement from all, we grabbed our coats and before leaving the house, I let John know where we were going. We then got into our cars and made the short trip to the end of the drive where I parked in my normal spot and Bill tried hide his behind the shelter. We quickly checked it out ourselves and found it to be just perfect. It was nice and toasty inside thanks to the heater running off the solar panel on the roof. I talked our parents into waiting inside the shelter so the boys wouldn't see them until they opened the door, just to add another surprise to the afternoon. We waited inside until I looked through the window and spotted the bus coming up the road. As Tom and I stepped back outside to wait, I warned our parents they may want to cover their ears when we came back. I also ensured the door didn't latch itself since it would lock automatically and the boys wouldn't have the combination to unlock it just yet. When the fantastic five stepped off the bus, their eyes were wide with shock. After a quick wave to Carl, he headed on up the road to the next stop and our sons ran to us like demons from hell, jumping and dancing and squealing with delight. When they finally calmed down enough to speak regular English, Joey deadpanned, "I knew you were having something built." "Well, duh! That much was obvious, young man," I replied, "but you didn't know what, did you?" "I still don't," Mike whined. "It's a shelter for you guys to use before you get on and after you get off the bus." "WOW!" T.J. enthused. "You guys are the greatest dads in the whole world." "Why don't you check out the inside?" Tom asked while suppressing a grin. The boys charged the fort and threw open the gate. After hearing the door slam into the wall, there was a brief moment of stunned silence from the little rascals before all hell broke loose. I do hope the `rents followed my suggestion and covered their ears because if they hadn't, we might all have to learn sign language. We waited a few moments before joining the fray and when we finally did, the volume level had returned to a more tolerable level. I quickly looked at the wall behind the door and was glad to see there wasn't a hole in it after the way the door slammed into it. I quickly noticed that an eight-foot by eight-foot building gets pretty small on the inside when you have six adults and five kids packed into it. Alex turned and asked in a very serious voice, "Dads, I know grandma and grampa are moving up here, but don't you think this is just a teensy bit too small?" There was just a hint of a whine on the word `teensy'. Joey picked up from there and continued, "Yeah, no bathroom, no kitchen, no bedroom. This just won't do, dads. What's the big idea, you two?" Not to be outdone, T.J. added, "Where are we supposed to sleep when we spend the night, on the roof?" "Wait," dad interrupted. "Bill and Estelle are moving up here? When did that happen? And where?" "The `when' is last week, dad, and the `where' is right here. I'm going to sell them a couple of acres and they're going to build a house out here." "Well, that sounds wonderful. It'll be nice to have them so close, won't it, Tom?" "I can't wait, Jim. I really want to make up for all the time we missed together the past five years." "So, boys," I started, "what do you think of your surprise? Think you'll be okay in here while you wait for the bus or for us to come pick you up?" "Yeah, dad, this is sweet. Thanks," Mike replied. "Can we get some chairs to put in here?" Alex asked. "You bet. I think there are some extras out in the storage building. Oh, and one more thing. See this button right here, guys?" I asked, pointing to the red button by the door. "Yeah, what's that do? Launch us into orbit?" Joey asked. "No, you goofball, it's tied in with the drive sensor, so when you get off the bus in the afternoon, just punch the button and the chime will go off in the house to let us know you're here. When it's cold or raining, we'll come get you. But when is warm and sunny, you can walk to the house, it'll be good exercise for y'all." "This is so cool, dads," Andy finally managed to say. "Can we get a TV in here, too?" "I don't think you'll get that, Andy, we wouldn't want you to miss the bus just because SpongeBob or some other silly cartoon was on. Well, shall we head back to the house?" As we left the shelter to get back in our cars, the boys all stopped to give hugs to Tom and me before climbing in for the ride to the house. As we pulled up in front of the house, Alex asked, "Who else is here, dad?" "That's John's truck and trailer. He put up your shelter this morning and he's started work on your bedroom and Tom's office." "Great, we need to tell him thanks, too," Joey replied. "I'm sure he'll appreciate that, boys," Tom commented as we walked to front door. "If anybody has homework to deal with, why don't you see if you can get it done before we all go to supper?" I asked as we hung up our coats. "You got it, dad," Alex answered. As they headed down the hall to their bedrooms, I watched them turn into Tom's office and listened as they all passed on their thanks to John for the new bus shelter. I could tell by the tone of John's voice in his replies that he was, indeed, appreciative and, perhaps, just a touch embarrassed. When they left Tom's office, they made a quick stop in the twins' new bedroom to check out the new color scheme. "Wow! It looks so different from the plain old crappy white," I heard Alex exclaim. "I love it, guys," T.J. responded. "We have to think about what colors we want in our room, Mike and Andy." "I guess that depends on if Andy's gonna' stay in our room, doesn't it?" Mike asked. "I think I will, but we might want to ask dad about a separate bed for me," Andy answered. "We got plenty of room now, but it'll be tight fit for all three of us in a few years." I chuckled at Andy's answer, figuring it would be probably be seven or eight years before they were big enough that a king-sized bed wouldn't hold all three boys comfortably, but boys can dream, can't they. I stopped in the living room briefly and said, "Be back in just a few, I'm gonna' set the boys up with their afternoon snack while they deal with any homework." I then detoured through the kitchen and as I was setting out fruit snacks and juice boxes for them, the boys came in and took their stools. Alex and Joey cracked open their extra math book to spend some time on it while T.J. got busy with his new list of spelling words. "When you're done with your snacks and homework, come join us in the living room, boys." As I rejoined the adults, I heard my dad ask, "So, when are you and Estelle moving up here?" "We're hoping we can get the house built and ready so we can be up here this fall. We really want to be in it in time for Thanksgiving," Bill answered. "We'll be working with John to get it done." "I think that'll be great. Now, if we could just get Max to sell Rose and me a little corner of this Garden of Eden, we could join y'all." "What!? Are you serious, dad?" I asked. "You've never seemed the least bit interested in living out here before." "Never had much reason to until now, son. But, with our grandsons being here, and our in-laws, also, it seems like the perfect time to seriously consider it." Mom's mouth was hanging wide open and surprise flooded her face as she stared at Jim. "When did this bright idea hit ya'?" she asked. "Saturday, I think, when I was still pretty out of it. Of course, when it did, I didn't know that Bill and Estelle were moving here, but now it makes even more sense, don't you think, dear?" "I don't know, Jim, this is a lot to think about. We've been in our neighborhood since we got married and I never thought you'd consider moving." "Well, I didn't either, until just the other day. If there's one thing that remains constant in this world, it's change, and I think it's time for a big one." I was looking at Tom with concern as to how this notion would impact all our lives when dad added, "And don't worry, son, you all can still live the way you always have." "What do you mean by that, dad?" I asked warily, returning my attention to him. "Why, free as a bird, of course. Do you really think I don't know how you've lived out here all these years? You can't hide nothin' from me." "Oh, my god, how did you find out?" "I've realized a lot over these past few days, son. Don't get me wrong, I always kinda' knew you lived differently than most folks, but I guess I hadn't quite put it all together before. While I was drifting in and out, some of the snippets of conversation I've heard between you and your sister over the years finally came together and actually made sense. A comment here and a comment there don't make much sense by themselves, but when you combine several years of those little comments together, a whole new and rather interesting picture develops." "And, knowing that, you still want to move out here with the rest of us?" "Why not, y'all ain't got nothin' I never seen before. And what better place to live naturally than surrounded by nature itself?" "And you won't be bothered by having naked people around?" "Meh, why would I be bothered by it. In all honesty, I've kept a secret from you and your mother for years and I guess it's time to tell you the truth." "Oh, please do, Jim," mom responded. "I'm all ears." "We-e-e-ll, you remember all those `hunting' trips I used to take and never came home with a damned thing to show for it?" "Sure," I answered. "Of course, what I remember most about those trips was you never let me go along with you and I hated you for that." "I had my reasons, son. You see, those weren't so much hunting trips as they were campouts with nine or ten other guys from my old Army unit. We'd all meet on the road somewhere and then travel together to a special clearing in the middle of a woods that one of the other guys owned. We'd usually get there early Thursday evening and set up camp. After everything was set up, we'd each go into our own tent, get undressed and then meet back around the campfire we'd started. Then we spent the next three or four days catchin' up with everyone else in the group, playin' poker, relivin' old war stories, eatin' and drinkin' until it was time to break camp, get dressed and return to our homes. None of us ever felt more relaxed and free than we did on those campouts." I could tell mom was astonished to hear this. But then, we all were. "I never invited you to go along with me, son, because it was a chance for me be alone with guys I'd cared about for a long time. You don't go through what we did without forming life-long bonds of friendship. I also wasn't too sure how you'd react bein' around ten or eleven naked guys for a whole weekend. I guess I was afraid somethin' would come up that you couldn't control, because, deep down, I knew, even then, you was different. Besides, none of the other guys ever brought their boys either, so you woulda' been awful bored hanging around with us old farts." "Jim, I can't believe you've kept that a secret all these years," mom commented. "Why?" "Well, dear, I didn't think you'd be particularly fond of the idea of me spending a couple weekends a year with my old army buds, especially considering none of us was wearin' a stitch the entire time. And I sure as hell didn't want you there with me, either, some of those guys can be downright crude." "Oh, I don't know, it might've been fun to join you," she responded suggestively which prompted Bill and Estelle to start laughing. I promptly stuck my fingers in my ears and started humming to block out the rest of whatever got said. Mom slapped me on the back of the head, dislodging my fingers, and said, "Oh, don't be such a damn prude. If we'd never had sex, you wouldn't be here right now." "I know that, but I still don't want to hear about it, you two. That's what you call, TMGDI." "Oh, get over it, son," dad replied. "In fact, our next `hunting' trip is already scheduled for the middle of June. Would you like to join me this year, son? Tom, Bill, you'd be welcome to join us, also, if you'd like." "That sounds like a great time, Jim," Bill answered, "I'd love to come along. Thanks for the invitation." "We'll have to think about it, dad. The adoption could be happening close to the same time so I don't know if we'd be able to get away. Besides, what would we do with the boys? We can't leave them here alone." "Well, since it sounds like us women-folk aren't gonna' be invited," Estelle started, "maybe Rose and I could come here and stay with the boys. How does that sound?" "That might work, Estelle, what do you think, mom?" I asked. "I don't know, son, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this new man sittin' next to me. I feel like the last forty years of my life has all been one gigantic lie and I don't know him at all." "You know me better than anyone, dear," dad responded, "and while I've kept a secret from you for a long time, it still doesn't change who I am." "Well, let me think about it, everyone. I'll give you an answer soon enough so we can all make plans." "Thanks, mom." The boys finally joined us and the first question I heard from them was, "When's supper?" Those eating machines will not be denied. "Soon, boys. Homework all done?" "Yep. Mike and Andy quizzed T.J. on his spelling words and he got through them all without missing any," Joey answered. "And Joey and I finished another five chapters in that math book," Alex added. Again, I was amazed at the progress they were making, but I asked, "So what chapter are you ready to start on?" They looked at each other briefly, then Joey came back with, "Um, twenty-one." "What!? You were only starting twelve the other night when I checked your work." "We know, dad, but we got through, like, chapter sixteen while you were reading to Andy." "What are they doing, Max?" Estelle asked. I explained how the twins were not being challenged with their regular math work and were working on a fourth-grade textbook on their own and how much they'd done already. "Well, how many chapters are in the book?" she asked. "Thirty-nine," Alex answered. "And when did you start working on it?" Bill asked. "Last Thursday night, wasn't it, dad?" Joey replied and I nodded my head in agreement. "And you're almost half-way through it already!?" Estelle exclaimed. "Yep," they answered in unison with their usual wide grins. "Well done, boys," dad crowed. "Max, honey, you should have them tested," mom interjected. "I bet their IQs are off the charts." "I don't doubt they are, mom, but what's the point? We already know they're smart as whips." "We wanna' do it, dad," they chimed. "Well, if you really want to, I'll see about finding somebody who can make it happen, though I don't know where to start the search." "I remember some of my students being tested and if I remember properly, I think psychologists usually administer those tests?" mom asked. "Ya' know, now that you mention it, I think they might, and I just happen to know one. I'll get in touch with him and find out." At that moment, John stuck his head around the corner into the living room and announced, "Okay, Max, we're done for the day and outta' here." "Excellent, John, what all did you get done, today?" I asked as I walked towards him so we wouldn't have to yell. "The twins' room is painted, the floor joists under Tom's office are reinforced and the new subfloor is in. We'll be back in the morning for Troy to clean up the mess in the bedroom while Ralph and I get start prepping Tom's office for new paint. When Troy is done with his cleanup, he'll come work with Ralph and me." "Sounds like you had a good day, then." "We did. Sorry for all the noise while your parents were here. Y'all have a have a good evening and we'll see you in the morning." The boys rushed over to say thanks again for the new bus shelter and they all gave John another round of hugs in appreciation. I could tell by the pinking of his face and ears that John was embarrassed by the good-natured attention, but he took it in stride. Troy and Ralph, though, gratefully accepted both the thank yous and the hugs from the boys. After John and his guys were gone, the boys and I returned to the living room. "So, who's ready for supper?" I asked. After everyone, including myself, raised their hands, I added, "Then, let's load `em up and move `em out." The boys, Tom and I got into our car while our parents got into Bill and Estelle's car for the short trip to Shepp's in New Berlin. The eleven of us descended upon and invaded Shepp's, commandeering and rearranging several tables so we could have plenty of room to spread out and enjoy our meal. With multiple conversations going on at the same time, nobody but me seemed to notice dad and Bill whispering conspiratorially at their end of the table. I also caught mom and Estelle having a very earnest discussion at the other end of the table. What were those four cooking up, I wondered? When our server arrived to take our orders, all discussion was halted as we told her what we wanted. As she sashayed away to turn our order into the kitchen, Bill raised his hand to get everyone's attention. "Jim and I have made a decision down here that we think you'll all want to hear." "Oh, you have, have you?" Estelle interjected with a glaring look. "And without consulting your wives?" mom added shaking her head in disbelief. "You two are either very brave or very stupid," I commented with a chuckle. "Well, we're hoping for the first option there, son, but it'll probably end up being the second one once you all hear it," dad replied "Okay, here goes," Bill continued. "Since Estelle and I decided to move up here, we've given considerable thought as to what kind and how big of a house to build. We'd pretty much settled on a smallish two-bedroom home, one bedroom for us and the second one for our grandsons to have somewhere to sleep when they want to spend the night, because, you know, they will. After talking with Jim just now, I'm leaning towards a considerably bigger four-bedroom house, one bedroom for Estelle and me, one for Jim and Rose and the other two for our grandsons. What do you think?" The table grew silent as we all digested this new idea. I could see the wheels turning in mom and Estelle's minds as they looked at each other in astonishment. Tom looked like some fresh horror had been unleashed on an unsuspecting earth. The boys, joining dad and Bill, were all grinning from ear to ear. For my part, I just sat there, dumbfounded at the sudden changes in my dad as he willingly accepted, and possibly instigated, these unfolding events. Where the hell was this guy when I was growing up and dealing with who I was, because I sure could have used him. The silence was finally broken when Estelle answered Bill's question with, "I think that's a grand idea, you two. I can't believe you came up with that on your own." "It's like they were reading our minds, Estelle," mom added. "Did you bug our end of the table so you could eavesdrop on our conversation?" she asked our dads. "Nope, we came up with it on our own," dad replied proudly. "But you and Estelle were contemplating the same thing?" Bill asked. "Yes, we were. I guess that settles it, then," Estelle answered, smiling. "Looks like we need to sit down with that contractor sooner than we thought. A bigger house will take longer to build." "And if we want to be moved in by this fall," mom added, "we better get busy." "I've got an idea," dad interjected. "Why don't you two spend the night with us and we can talk to John tomorrow morning at Max's house." "That's a good idea, Jim," Bill answered. "Are you sure you won't mind puttin' us up for the night?" Estelle asked. "Well, the way I figure it," dad started, "if we're gonna' be living in the same house, we should at least try it for a night, don't ya' think? And whenever you come up for a visit before we get moved, you might as well plan on spending the nights with us then, also." Our server started delivering our food, which brought an abrupt halt to any further conversation as people began to stuff themselves. My brain was swirling because I couldn't keep up with everything that was suddenly happening in my life. As this past year was winding down, I was alone, my parents hated me and I'd actually given serious thought to ending my life. I was so depressed I couldn't see my way through the tunnel of darkness to the sunlight I knew was waiting for me on the other side. I knew it was there, somewhere off in the distance, I just didn't know how to reach it. The only reason I didn't follow through on those feelings of worthlessness is I didn't want Lee to have to deal with the nightmarish aftermath. Nobody deserves that kind of punishment in their life, and I couldn't do that to her because I loved her too much. Now, here I was, four months later, having a delightful supper with, not only my parents, who suddenly seemed to care a great deal about me, but my sons, my fianc� and his parents. And surprise of surprises, they all seemed to care about me. I was fairly basking in the glorious sunlight I'd finally found and I was never happier that I'd been born so much of a coward that I couldn't kill myself. And I found myself loving every one of them in return, I simply couldn't help it. These people that I'd known both forever and for a very short time had given me a purpose in life that I'd never felt before, a real reason to continue living. I could feel my eyes overflowing with tears and running down my cheek when I felt Tom gently dry one side of my face with his finger. "What?" he whispered in my ear. "I'm just happy," I whispered back, "so very fucking happy, I can't contain it." I leaned in and gave him a kiss that he eagerly and lovingly returned. I didn't care there were other people at the table, let alone in the building. Lost in thought as I was, I didn't notice that the bar had suddenly become deathly quiet and, since my eyes were closed, I couldn't see that every eye in the building was intently focused on the two of us, like lasers homing in for the kill. I'm not sure how long I maintained my lip lock on my partner, but it was finally broken up when Joey, of course, cracked loudly, "Oh, c'mon you two, we can't take you anywhere. Would you get a freakin' room already?" When we finally broke for air, both of us laughing at Joey's joke, I laid my forehead on Tom's shoulder, absorbing his love for me through the simple contact. Then, someone, somewhere, stated a light clapping that slowly grew louder as the rest of the table joined in and then louder, still, when the whole bar took up the cause. I don't think I've ever been more embarrassed in my life than I was at that moment. Well, except for that one time Carol dropped by unannounced. I sheepishly picked my head up and acknowledged the applause before returning my attention to my plate. The clapping slowly wound down and the noise regularly associated with a bar returned in full force. Once we were finished with our meal, I signaled our server for the check so I could pay and we could be on our way. She sashayed back to us, then leaned in and whispered in my ear, "It's been taken care of. Have a great night. And congratulations." Embarrassment flooded my face, again, as I flipped a fifty on the table for a tip, then stood and said, "Let's get outta' here." As we stepped outside into early evening dusk of March, I lamented, "I'll never be able to show my face in there again." "I don't know why not, son," my dad began, "seems to me like they rather enjoyed the entertainment," he added with a chuckle. "Thanks, dad. I hope we didn't disgust you." "Why should I be disgusted? You two love each other, that's quite obvious, why shouldn't you share a kiss whenever and wherever you want?" "God, how I wish the man standing before me now had been with me the past fifteen years. I needed you, you know." "I know, son, and though I'll never be able to say it enough, I am sorry. Just know that I'm here, now, and forever." I wrapped dad in a big hug and said, "Thanks, old man, I love you, too." Our hug spread throughout the family and once everyone had given our parents and grandparents theirs, we climbed in our cars and made our ways to our homes, seven of us to our Garden of Eden, as dad liked to call it, and four to my parents' home for the night. Tom had to drive us home since my eyes were still not focusing properly. After parking in the garage, the boys ran into the house and then their rooms to get comfortable while Tom and I adjourned to our room to do the same. As we were undressing, Tom said, "Talk to me, babe. What happened at supper?" I sat on the edge of the bed, briefly holding my head in my hands before answering. I finally lifted my head, looked directly into Tom's eyes, took a deep breath and started, "I haven't told anyone else this, Tom, but five, six months ago, I'd just about decided I didn't want to go on. I was so depressed with my life, with my parent's reaction to the news of me being gay, that it just didn't seem like it was worth prolonging the pain anymore." "Oh, my god, Max!" he exclaimed as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "I know, stupid, right? And you wanna' know why I didn't go through with it? Because of Lee. Not something she did or said or anything, but because I love her too much to make her go through the nightmare that would have followed. My writing had been an outlet of sorts for me, but I'd lost all interest in doing even that anymore. I poured my heart into those books, but it didn't matter to me because it didn't really change anything. Mom and dad still hated who I was, and I'd built this wall around me that I was afraid to let anybody through. I didn't want anyone to see the pain I was in so I wouldn't allow myself to get close to anyone. "Then, when I finally decided that I wanted to live, I had to figure out what I could do to make it a life worth living and one to be proud of having lived it. That's when I came up with the idea of trying to adopt. I'd hoped that having someone to love and care for and who would love me back for who I am would make a difference and keep me going. And it has, in, oh, so many ways. I've found five boys who need me and I love them with all my heart. I've found you and I love you so much it actually hurts sometimes. And along with you, I've found your mom and dad, and I'm so glad they raised such a loving and caring man as yourself, who could help me see that life is truly worth living. "And, as if that wasn't enough already, I now have mom and dad back in my life in a way I never expected. I was sure they were lost to me forever, yet, somehow, here they are, supporting me in ways I never dreamed possible. Dad is not only being civil, he wants to pay for our wedding, they want to move out here with your mom and dad, it's almost more than I can take. I have never, in my entire life, been as happy with my life and who I am as I am right now. I'm afraid that something's gonna' happen and I'm going to lose it all. Does all that make sense to you?" "Some of it does, babe, because I love you more than I can ever say. I love our sons just as much, and I'm happy that all our parents are here for us. I've had good days and bad days, myself, but I never reached the point you and your father apparently did, but I can understand how you got there. I'm so thankful that you were able to dig yourself out of that hole you were in, because if you hadn't, I'd still be searching for the same thing you were, someone to care about more than I care about myself. And don't even think about losing it all `cause you're stuck with me, the boys, and our parents for a long time to come." "Thanks, I knew you'd understand. That's one of the reasons this workshop Wednesday is so damned important to me. I've been there, and I want these teachers to know there are kids out there who need their love and support to get through it themselves." "I'm with ya, babe. I'm glad you told me about it. It gives me a better understanding of where you are and what you're feeling. You know I'll do everything I can to help, right?" "Of course, I do, ya' big lunk. I'll probably tell the teachers the same thing I just told you, just to drive home the point of how serious the problem is." "Um, before you do that, you probably ought to have a chat with Alex, Joey and T.J. Since they're going to be there with us, I wouldn't want them to hear it at the same time as the teachers." "Oh, shit, I didn't think about that. How could I be so fuckin' stupid? Think you could keep Andy and Mike amused for a few minutes while I talk to the others?" "No sweat, babe. Take your time. Maybe I can read some more Huckleberry Finn to `em." "That's a good idea, just remember, no n-word." "That, I knew. I'll send the others in just a minute. Compose yourself and get ready." I lay back on the bed and thought about what I was going to say and how to say it while I waited. I finally decided that nothing but the flat-out truth would pass muster with these three and I wasn't looking forward to it. I found the boys in the living room playing Uno while they waited for Max and me to join them. "Geez, pops, it's about time," Joey hollered, "we were thinking you two really did find a room and were, well, you know." All five cracked up at that comment. "No, Joey, nothing like that, sorry to disappoint you and your wild imagination. We had to talk about something and it took a while." "Did it have something to do with why dad was crying at supper?" Alex asked. "Yeah, I wanted to know what was goin' on and he told me." "So, where is he?" T.J. asked. "He's still in the bedroom. He wants to talk to Joey, Alex, and T.J. for a minute." "'Bout what?" Joey asked. "It's something he's going to talk about at the school Wednesday. Since you three are going to be there with us, we think you should know about it before he talks about it there." "Well, what are we gonna' do while they're talkin' to dad?" Mike asked. "I thought we could read some more Huckleberry Finn while we wait, how's that sound?" "Cool, pops," Andy answered. "I'm really likin' that story." "Well, okay then. You three scoot and we'll start reading." As Joey, Alex and T.J. walked by on their way to the bedroom, I heard T.J. ask, "What do you think this is all about?" "I don't know, but if it's related to the school thingy, it can't be good," Joey answered. There was finally a light knock on the door and as I sat up, the door popped open and Alex quietly asked, "You wanted to see us, dad?" "Yeah, c'mon in here and hop up on the bed so we can talk." I waited patiently as the three of them plodded nervously across the room, then climbed onto the bed and sat with their legs crossed in front of them. When they finally settled in, I began with, "Okay, I need to tell you guys something that I intend to talk about Wednesday, but I don't want a bunch of other people around the first time you hear it." "Come on, dad, spit it out already," Joey pushed. "Yeah, we're big boys, we can handle it," Alex added. "Speak for yourselves, goobers," T.J. complained, "I'm not sure I wanna' know." "You may not want to, T.J., but you need to. I know you're going to have questions, but wait until I'm done, please." I received nods of agreement from all three before continuing. "Okay, here goes. Late last year, I was feeling really depressed about things. I'd just told mom and dad about me and you know the response I got wasn't good. I was already feeling very lonely before that, and their reaction to the news didn't help things at all. I kinda' went into a downward spiral because I realized my life had no meaning or purpose and at the bottom of that spiral, I started to think about killing myself." "WHAT!?" Joey screamed. "Calm down and let me continue. I was so close to following through with it because I was in so much pain, mentally, that I couldn't think straight. What finally stopped me was the love I have for Aunt Lee. I knew how much my death would hurt her and I couldn't put her through that, not even to stop my own pain. I spent the next couple of months trying to figure out what I could do to make the pain go away and make my life worth living again. That's when I finally hit on idea of adopting. I wasn't sure I'd be able to, considering how most people think we're all less than human, but having a family was the only thing I could think of that could get me to think about the future in a positive way. "So, I started working on that process with James and with his help, I met Anna, and then you three plus Mike. After meeting you four that first time in Anna's office and hearing about what you'd been through already, I knew that I had to live, if for no other reason than to give you the loving home you all deserve. You guys have literally saved my life because if I hadn't met you and been able to adopt you, I'm sure I would have ended up killing myself. "That's the reason I volunteered to join Steve in this workshop at school, because I've been there and I know how hard it is for gay people like us to come to terms with our lives. What I've been through and dealt with the past six months, from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs, may help convince the teachers and other staff at the school to be more aware of the children in their classes and get them to reach out to someone when they desperately need help. "That's it, boys. I just wanted you to be aware of one of the things I intend to discuss Wednesday. It wouldn't have been fair to you to spring it on you in front of a crowd. I also want you to know that I owe all of you a debt that I can never repay for saving my life. Just know that I will love you all until the end of time for that." I was immediately mauled by the three lads as they pushed me onto my back and wrapped their arms around me in a hug to end all hugs. When we finally separated, I asked, "Any questions?" Joey looked me in the eyes and asked, "Yeah, you're not gonna' do anything stupid, now, are ya'?" "Yeah, dad, we can't lose you, too," Alex added. "We all love and need you, dad, and pops, too," came from T.J. "No, boys, I'm not going to do anything stupid. I'm past all that. I'm looking forward to many happy years with you five and Tom. I wouldn't trade that future for all the money in the world." "Good to hear it, old man," Joey joked. "Anything else you want to know?" "Yeah, can we make some popcorn and watch some more Star Trek now?" T.J. asked. You gotta' love the resilience of kids, give them some bad news and just like a dog, they kick some grass over that shit and move on. "Why not, let's go, guys." The four of us left the bedroom and while Joey, Alex and T.J. went on to get Tom and the other two, I stopped in the kitchen to get the popcorn going. I was soon joined by the others and, in a very short time, working together, we were ready to start a show and adjourned to the theater. After watching two more episodes, it was time to get the boys in bed, so while Tom and I took care of loading the dishwasher with the popcorn bowls and drink cups, the boys headed for their bedrooms to brush their teeth and crawl in bed. We followed in due course and stopped in the trio's room first. All three were snuggled together in the middle of the bed and ready for the covers, which Tom and I pulled up to their chins. We then leaned over to plant kisses on foreheads and swapped `I love you' and `good night' with each. I could just hear the first light snore from one of them as we turned out the light and closed the door. The twins were next on our hit list and we also found them curled together in the middle of the bed, waiting for the covers, also. We covered the two up and as I leaned over to deliver my first kiss good night, Alex looked up me and said, "Dad, I'm glad you're still here and found us all." "I am, too, son." He then wrapped an arm around the back of my neck, pulled himself up and planted a wet, sloppy kiss right on my lips. As he loosened his arm to lower himself back down, I got my payback as I stuck out my tongue and ran it from the tip of his nose to his eyebrows causing him to giggle uncontrollably. From under the covers, Joey moaned, "Hey, would y'all quiet down, I'm tryin' to sleep, here." "Thanks, we love you, too, son," Tom deadpanned. "Don't forget, Joey, your punishment ends tomorrow," I added. "I'm proud of you for sticking with it and not fighting it." "Well, dad, I screwed up, and I need to be responsible for that. But I'm glad it's over, too. Wearing clothes sucks!" "No arguments from me on that, son," I chuckled. "I wish we could have school at home so we never had to wear clothes again." "I can't think of any teacher who would want to deal with nude students all day, Joey." "I bet Mr. Thomas would, and he's a great teacher," Alex responded. "Don't hold your breath, boys. I just don't see it happening." We finished up with our nightly kisses and hugs, and with our nightly rituals completed, we turned out the light and closed their door on our way back to sit by the fireplace. After sitting on the loveseat, Tom looked at me and said, "I'm with Alex, I'm happy you're still here, too, and even happier you found me." "I'm happy we're all together, too. I don't even want to think about where I'd be if I hadn't found those boys when I did." "Then don't think about it, think about this instead," Tom replied as he kissed me and slowly slipped his tongue into my mouth. As he continued his tongue action, I felt a hand slip between my thighs and then slowly move up until it made contact with my scrotum. He then pulled his hand up over my soft penis until it was pointing up towards my navel. His invading tongue made any kind of speech impossible and all I could do was moan my appreciation. He slowly wrapped his hand around me and began to stroke lightly, causing me to become fully erect. "Why don't we go to bed?" he whispered. "Mmm-mmm," was all I could mutter. He stood slowly, not releasing his grip on my shaft, then after I stood up also, he led the way, pulling me along with him. After closing the door, we fell onto the bed and Tom exchanged his hand for his mouth. He started by lightly licking just the head like it was a lollipop before taking the whole of it into his mouth and swirling his tongue around the tip. He then proceeded to slowly drop his head lower and lower until his nose was buried in my bare pubic mound and the head of my cock was buried in his throat. After holding me in that position as long he could, he began sucking me in earnest and I was relishing every moment and movement. After a minute or two, he snaked and arm under my leg and I felt a finger begin probing for my rear opening. I lifted the leg to give him easier access to his target and I soon felt the first finger hit its mark and slowly enter me. He kept the suction going on my cock as he worked my ass with his finger, and with his other hand, he began to fondle and pinch my nipples. After getting a second finger working with the first, he found my prostate and began to nudge and prod it with every stroke. My body was writhing in pleasure as he continued to work his evil deeds upon me, not that I was going to complain. With all the stimulation I was receiving from three different directions simultaneously, I began to lose all control fairly quickly. Tom noticed my formerly loose sack pull up tight while my body went rigid and he buried his nose in my crotch and his fingers in my ass while continuing to wiggle them across my prostate. My body finally let go and I could feel my ass clenching his fingers tightly as my load was deposited deep into his throat. Tom held me in his mouth as I slowly wilted and returned to a flaccid state and he continued to do so as he slowly removed his fingers from my ass. Only then did he lift his head and allow me slip from the warm and wet confines of his mouth. "Now, aren't you happy to still be here, too?" he quipped. "You have no idea how happy, lover. Now, I owe you." "Yes, you do. And you can pay me back tomorrow night, babe. Right now, I think we need to get some sleep since John is here again tomorrow and our parents will be, also, to talk to him about their new house." "Oh, god, you made me forget all about that. Thanks, I think, for snapping me back into reality." After Tom laid down, I curled up by his side, resting my head on his furry chest, settling in for a good night's sleep. "Love you, Tom," I whispered. "Love you, too, babe. Sleep well." And I did, indeed, sleep well, right up until the alarm went off. I felt Tom untangle himself so he could take care of his early morning duty again, and I dozed back off until he would come back to get me moving. Imagine my shock when the next thing I heard was a bugle loudly blasting reveille throughout the house. As I stormed into the kitchen to confront our abuser, I could do nothing but laugh as Tom was being attacked by the five munchkins in a showing of their displeasure at our wakeup call. After a couple minutes of fierce battle, he finally fended them off and they returned to their rooms to get ready for the day. "I warned you, didn't I?" "Yeah, and thanks for the idea, but it was worth every second of it," he laughed. "They were so pissed off they forgot they wanted to still be sleeping. You, too, apparently." "I wasn't a happy camper, either, when I crawled out of bed to come in here and kick your ass, like I promised, but when I saw the five them attacking, I couldn't help but laugh. Job well done, Sergeant." "O-o-o-h, I got a promotion, wait `til Dylan hears about this. What's for breakfast, boss?" "I think cereal and toast will have to do today." "Works for me, I'll get the cereal, bowls and milk while you get busy with the toast." The boys returned for breakfast just as the first four slices of toast were ready to go and I dropped the next round. As each one filled their bowl with their choice of cereal, Tom added the milk from a fresh gallon to minimize the chance of a spill. Once they started wolfing it down, Tom turned to me and said, "I'll go get dressed and then come back to deal with the toaster so you can do the same." "Sounds like a plan to me, big guy. Hurry back." By the time he returned, the boys were done eating, had rinsed their bowls and put them in the dishwasher and taken off to their rooms to get their backpacks and coats. "Guess I'll get dressed so I can run `em out to the bus stop." All five were anxious to be there early so they could put the new shelter to good use and as soon as I grabbed my coat, they were off to the garage. I parked next to the shelter and we all got out of the car. Joey was the first to reach the door and, finding it was locked, joked, "Not gonna' be of much use if we can't get in, dad." "If you give me a moment, I'll fix that," I replied. Once I reached the door, I told them, "We didn't want to have to worry about lost keys, so we had John put on this keypad lock. The code to punch in is our mailing zip code, 62670. Think you can remember that?" "No sweat, dad, outta' my way," T.J. commanded. He punched it in and we heard the click as the door unlocked, then he turned the knob and pushed the door open. Since he'd unlocked it, T.J. led the others inside and then promptly closed the door in my face. I re-entered the code and let myself in, "Very funny, munchkin," I said as I ruffled his hair. "The door locks automatically when it closes so you don't have to worry about that. Now give me my hugs and I'll be outta' here." I accepted and returned hugs with each of them and as I turned to leave them, commented, "Don't anybody miss the bus, it's a long walk to the school." "We'll be fine, dad," Andy replied. When I got back to the house, I parked by the front door again to leave room for John to park on the drive and carry things through the garage. I'd just taken my seat to start reading when the drive sensor went off. A glance through the front door revealed John's truck pulling in the drive and few moments later the door to the garage opened and he yelled, "Hi, honey, I'm h-o-o-o-me!" Tom and I both laughed as I got up to meet him in the hallway. "Morning, John," I called down the hall. "C'mon in and make yourself at home." "Will do, Max. You got any coffee? I missed mine this morning." "Sure thing, Troy and Ralph want some?" "Probably not, their soda fiends and they been sucking down some cokes on the way out this morning." "No sweat, be right back." I got a mug for him and when I delivered it, I told him, "You're gonna' have to take some time this morning to talk to our parents, John." "Oh, what about?" "Well, you know Tom's mom and dad want you build a new home for them, right?" "Yeah, I talked to them last Thursday, I think it was. I'm looking forward to working with them." "Well, the project has now doubled in size because it looks like my parents are going to move into the same house." "Music to my tone-deaf ears, Max. You sure you're ready for that?" "Hell no, but I don't think I'll ever be ready. I was fine when it was just Bill and Estelle, but adding my mom and dad to the mix might just be too much for any sane person." "Well, I'm sure it'll work out just fine. Whenever they get here, let me know and I'll talk with them, see what we can come up with." "I'll do that. What's your plan for today?" "Troy's going to clean up the mess in the boys' bedroom while Ralph and I get Tom's office taped off so we can paint it. I'd like to deal with that before we put the new floor down. Once it's painted, we'll get started on the floor." "Sounds, good, John, I'll get out of your way and let you guys get to it." "Thanks for coffee, Max, I needed that." I waved over my shoulder as I turned the corner into the living room to sit by the fireplace and continue my reading. "Well, that's all set," I commented before opening my book. "What?" Tom asked. "When our parents get here this morning, John's going to sit with them and talk about the new house for all four of them." "That's good news, isn't it?" "I suppose. I'm just not sure I want my dad living in the back yard `cause I never know what might set him off." "It'll be just fine, babe. You worry too much." "I know, but our recent history has made me that way." We returned to our reading with John and his boys providing a musical backdrop of sorts as the sounds of physical labor filtered through the house. It was about an hour later when the drive sensor announced a new arrival. Expecting our parents, I was surprised to find Carol standing on the porch when I opened the door. "Morning, Carol, what brings you out here this fine day?" "Can I come in, I've got some news for you." "Of course, please do. We're sitting by the fireplace, you need anything to drink?" "A shot of bourbon would be good," she grinned. "Sorry, ran out last night, will a Pepsi do?" "Oh, I suppose," she answered. "Go on in and grab a seat, I'll be right there." I detoured through the kitchen to grab the requested drink and joined Tom and Carol in the living room. "So, what's up, Carol? You seem overly serious this morning." "Well, it's kind of a good news, not-so-good news kind of day for you two. Which do you want first?" "Just spit it out, Carol," I answered. "Yeah, don't keep us in suspense," Tom added. "Okay, I'll start with the good news. I've spent the last week going back and forth with Andy's mother and I've finally gotten her to see the writing on the wall. She knows she's going to prison for a long time and is resigned to the fact that she won't be out in time to see her son celebrate his eighteenth birthday. Now that I've managed to get that hammered into her thick skull, she's finally signed the necessary forms to relinquish her parental rights." "That's great, Carol. We'd both hate to see her ever exert any kind of control over Andy again. He deserves better than that," I said. "He certainly does, and I'm working my hardest to make that happen. Now the not-so-good news. Anna's still not considering your adopting him until the at least the end of the school year." "That's all right, Carol, we knew that already. As long as it's a possibility at that time, that's all we care about." "I know that, guys, but she's still not convinced a gay couple can adequately raise a straight child. I've told her I don't how many times that it can and will work out just fine, but she's still waffling." Tom and I exchanged a quick glance and he gave me a slight nod. "Um, funny you should bring that up." "Why, what's happened?" "Well, it seems as though Andy has started to rather enjoy his private times with Mike and T.J. more and more." "Really? I'm surprised." "In all honesty, we are, too, and it may just be a temporary thing, but anything's possible." "Don't I know it?" "I wouldn't say anything to Anna about that just yet or she'll probably think we somehow converted him, though we all know that's not how it works. Let's wait and see what she says when school's out and go from there." "I suppose that's the best thing to do," she opined. "I'm still going to push her on the issue, though, because I'd like to see all five boys be adopted by you two on the same day. I'm going to go ahead and have everything ready for Andy as if it'll happen, so if she does actually agree to your adoption of him everything will be ready to roll." "That sounds great, Carol. We really appreciate everything you're doing to help this process." "Now that that's out of the way, what the heck is all that noise down the hall?" "Just John and his guys. They painted the bedroom for Alex and Joey yesterday and they're working on Tom's new office today." "Can I see the boys' room?" "Sure, right this way." I led the way and after entering, Carol commented, "Oh, my, that's bold, isn't it?" "I thought so, too, but it's what they wanted, so there it is." "I guess if they like it, that's all that matters, isn't it?" "Yep." "Well, I won't take any more of your time, guys," Carol started as we left the room, "I've got more work to do and have to get back to the office." DING! DING! "Expecting more company, boys?" "Probably our parents and it sounds like they each drove their own cars. They're coming out today to talk to John about a new house." "What?" "Oh, I guess we haven't talked to you in, what, a week, Tom?" "Yeah, that sounds about right." "Things happen fast around here, Carol. Blink and you'll miss it. Might as well wait for them to get here to explain it all." With that, our parents came in the front door, mom yelling, "Ding dong!" "Morning, folks," I greeted as they came in and removed their coats. "How was your night?" "It was just great," dad answered. "I haven't had that much fun in a coon's age." "Thanks, dear, I love you, too," mom mocked sarcastically. "Oh, you know what I mean, sweetheart." "We had a fine time, Max," Bill commented, "and I think we're ready to talk to John," he added holding up a roll of paper. "Well, before you do, I have someone else here I'd like you to meet." I grabbed Carol's hand and guided her in front of me. "This wonderful lady is Carol Ward. She works for the agency helping us with the adoptions. Carol, I'd like you to meet our parents. From left to right, we have Estelle and Bill, Tom's mom and dad, and next is, of course, my mom and dad, Jim and Rose." "Pleased to meet you all," Carol greeted. Mom and Estelle stepped over and both gave Carol a hug and then the two dads shook her hand. After stepping back, Mom said, "It's a wonderful thing you're doing Carol, for all the boys involved. Max is a changed person since he told us the news." "You have no idea, mom," I commented. "So, we have you to thank for our new grandsons?" Estelle asked. "That would be me. What's this I hear about a new house?" "Max and Tom are going to sell us a few acres so we can build a house out here," Bill answered. "We want to be closer to Tom and his new family." "It started out with just the two of us, but after meeting Jim and Rose, we've decided to build it big enough for all four of us," Estelle added. "Well, that's wonderful. Having you so close will be great for the boys. It might even help convince Anna to let Andy become a full-fledged member of the family, also." "Who's this Anna and how could us being here help that?" dad asked. "She happens to be my boss at the agency and she's concerned about the possibility of Andy not being gay and being raised in a home with two dads." "Bah, what does she know," dad asked. "Look at the four of us, we're straight and yet we didn't have any problems with raising our sons, did we?" I coughed loudly at that comment. "Okay, I take that back, there were some issues, but we've finally ironed all that out. But still, our not being gay obviously didn't have any impact on them, did it?" "You're preaching to the choir, Jim. I've talked to Anna about this until I'm blue in the face and made no progress." "How about if we talk to her," mom asked. "I don't think it would help a bit. She won't believe anybody but Andy, I think, and maybe not even him. And she won't talk to him until school's out for the summer." "Well, if you think we can help, you just let us know." "I'll be sure to do just that." Carol looked at her watch and said, "Look, if I don't get out here, I'm going to be late for a meeting with a new couple hoping to adopt. It was a pleasure to meet everyone. Max, Tom, I'll be in touch." We gave her a peck on the cheek, said our goodbyes and let her go. "You four ready to talk to John?" I asked. "You bet, get him in here," dad answered. "Why don't we use the dining room. There'll be room there to spread out your paper and we'll be further away from the noise." Tom and our parents headed towards the dining room while I turned down the hallway to grab John. I stuck my head in the door and got John's attention. When he was closer, I said, "Our parents are here and ready to talk if you have the time." "No time like the present, Max, let's go." I led the way to the dining room and on our arrival, said, "You remember Bill, Estelle and Rose from yesterday, I assume. The other gentleman is my dad, Jim. He wasn't here when you met the others." John extended a hand which my dad shook and said, "Nice to meet you, Jim." "Same here. Pull up a chair and let us show you what we're thinking about." Bill unrolled the paper in his hand and said, "This is it, John. Look it over and tell us what you think." Just a quick note to my dedicated readers: While I'm basing the character Max on myself and how I wish the direction my life would have gone some 30+ years ago, and many of the ideas I've written concerning religion and such are what I truly believe, what I've written in this chapter about Max's feelings and thoughts of suicide are a complete fabrication and bear absolutely no resemblance to any part of my own life, then or now. I tell you this because in my last e-mail announcing the availability of chapter 45, I mentioned being sick a couple weekends ago and some of you wrote very touching notes inquiring about my health and wishing me well. I want you to know that I truly appreciate your concern, but in all honesty, it was just a really bad cold that knocked me on my ass for a couple of days. I'm much better now, but still dealing with the aftereffects of that damn cold. If you are truly concerned about the rampant epidemic of suicide among LGBTQ youth, please search for local resources that could use your help to improve the situation. As always, thanks for your continued interest and your genuine concern for my well-being, even though I know you are all just worried about when the next chapter will be out. LOL J

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 46</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk484212040"></a><a name="_Toc484700290"><span>Chapter 46 � Suppertime Embarrassment</span></a></h2> <p><span>We crossed the street and after locating the car in the now crowded lot, Mom and dad climbed into the back seat together, leaving me to play chauffer. As I pulled out of the parking lot and turned onto the street, I shot a quick glance in the rear-view mirror and found the two of them sitting side-by-side, mom resting her head on dad's shoulder. I can honestly say I don't think I've seen them quite this happy and content for many a month and I have to admit I was feeling a bit giddy myself.</span></p> <p><span>"So, dad, you glad to be out of there?" I asked in a weak attempt to start a conversation because, let's face it, who wouldn't be happy to be released from a hospital.</span></p> <p><span>"I am, son. I know it wasn't jail, but it was damn close to it. I'll give `em this, though, they do take good care of ya'."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I should hope so," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Now, if they could just figure out how to let people actually get some sleep," he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>The rest of the drive home was quiet as the two of them cuddled in the back seat as if they were out on their first date. I did a bit of a double-take as I turned off the road into the drive and saw the boys' new bus shelter. I must have been in a trance when mom and I left because I somehow missed seeing it on the way out. As we pulled up to the front door of the house, I noticed John's truck was back in the drive, so he and his guys should be back at work.</span></p> <p><span>Dad noticed the truck also and asked, "Who else is here, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"My contractor, John. He put up the new bus shelter for the boys this morning and has started work on the repainting the twins' bedroom and repairing the floor in Tom's new office." The conversation continued as we got out of the car and made our way to the front door.</span></p> <p><span>"Great! Is there anything I can do to help to move things along?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think so, dad. John brought two of his guys with him today and, so far, they seem to have everything under control."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if that changes, you just let me know. I'd love to help out."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, dad, we'll see." I opened the door and let mom and dad enter first before following them in and closing the door. I took their coats and hung them in the closet, then the three of us joined up with Tom, Bill and Estelle by the still burning fireplace.</span></p> <p><span>As we crossed the living room, Bill greeted dad with, "Good afternoon, Jim, it's good to see you, again. How are you feelin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Bill, it's great to see you, too," dad replied while shaking Bill's extended hand, "and you, also, Estelle," he added as he leaned over and gave her a hug. "You're absolutely right, Bill, this is a beautiful afternoon and I'm glad to still be around to enjoy it."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great to hear, Jim," Estelle replied. "You gave us a helluva scare."</span></p> <p><span>"You!? I scared the crap outta' myself, my dear, quite literally. The hospital had to provide me a clean pair of shorts so I could come home today," dad chuckled and we all joined him. "So, when will the boys be home from school?"</span></p> <p><span>"The bus usually drops them off about a quarter to four," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Great, I'm looking forward to seeing them, again. Especially that little Joey. He's a damn smart cookie. Before they get here, though, there's something I need to say to Bill and Estelle," dad said as he sat on the coffee table directly in front of them.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, and what's that," Estelle asked cautiously.</span></p> <p><span>"I need to apologize for my behavior the last time we were together. I was rude beyond belief to two very kind people I barely knew. I hope you will accept my very sincere apology for my despicable behavior."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right, Jim," Bill replied. "We were at the same point not all that long ago and we understand the struggle of setting aside what you've believed your entire life and replacing it with what is right. People sometimes take drastic actions to accept the changes happening in their lives and the lives of the ones they love. Granted, your action was considerably more drastic than most, but we're glad you came through it one piece and with a new attitude. I think you'll find your acceptance of reality will lead to a much happier life and a long and rewarding relationship with Max and his family."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Bill, you're too kind. I must say I'm looking forward to it. Now there's one more person with whom I must make amends before I can put all this behind me."</span></p> <p><span>"Who's that, dear?" mom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Why, Helen, of course. I've been especially nasty to her the past few months, simply because she was handy, and I feel absolutely horrible at what I've done to her in her time of need. I've no doubt she hates me, and who could blame her. And, yet, in <i>my</i> time of need, she set aside that hate and came to my aid. I owe her my life. When Max takes us home tonight, I must go see her and start to rebuild the friendship we once shared."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure she'll be happy to hear what you have to say," I commented. </span></p> <p><span>Dad stood, walked to me and motioned for me to get up. After I was looking in his eyes, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into the strongest hug I'd received from him in a long time. "I'm truly sorry for being such a hard-headed jackass, son," he whispered in my ear. He finally let me go and turned his attention to Tom, asking him to stand up also. After wrapping the big lunk in another smothering hug, I heard him whisper, "Welcome to the family, son. I wish for nothing but happiness for you, Max and the family you're building together." Dad finally released Tom, then sat on the loveseat with mom. After just a moment, he lifted his head, clapped his hands together and asked, "Okay, time to move on. What's for supper?"</span></p> <p><span>Leave it to the old man to get right to the heart of the matter. We all enjoyed a light-hearted giggle and that finally broke the tension in which we'd been mired. We chatted a long time, mostly mom and Estelle telling Tom and me what they'd come up as far as plans for our wedding, with Bill tossing in a thought now and then. Everything they'd come up with sounded perfect to the two of us and it was obvious the time and thought they'd expended on our behalf. For his part, dad was pretty quiet since he hadn't been involved in the discussions, but he nodded his agreement at regular intervals. When the two ladies finally wound down and said that was all they had so far, dad finally took the opportunity to speak.</span></p> <p><span>"You three have done a bang-up jog putting this together in such a short period of time and I'm impressed. I should have been involved in these planning sessions, but it's my own damn fault I wasn't. While I like everything I've heard so far, it sounds like it's going to be a pretty pricey affair, and I don't think the newlyweds are in a position to afford such a lavish ceremony. Therefore, I'm going to foot the bill for the entire event."</span></p> <p><span>"Dad, you don't have to do that. And you know very well money isn't an issue."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, I forgot, the bride's family is supposed to pay for the wedding, aren't they?" He turned to look at two of us and then asked in complete seriousness, "Now, which one of you is the bride?" We looked at each other in confusion, then turned our questioning gaze to Bill and Estelle who simply shrugged their shoulders. We finally turned back to refocus our attention on mom and dad, only to find the two of them holding hands over their mouths to smother the giggle fit they both seemed to be enjoying. "I'm kiddin', boys, don't get your drawers tied in a knot. It was just a joke, well, a joke about which one of you is the bride. I may be getting old, but I'm not senile just yet. I'm dead serious about paying for wedding, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Dad, I'm not going to fight you over this. If that's what you want to do, we'll let that be your wedding present to us."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, boys."</span></p> <p><span>I looked at my watch to check the time and discovered the boys should be home soon. "Looks like it's time to pick up the boys. Anybody want to come with me to see their reaction to the new bus shelter?" With agreement from all, we grabbed our coats and before leaving the house, I let John know where we were going. We then got into our cars and made the short trip to the end of the drive where I parked in my normal spot and Bill tried hide his behind the shelter. We quickly checked it out ourselves and found it to be just perfect. It was nice and toasty inside thanks to the heater running off the solar panel on the roof. I talked our parents into waiting inside the shelter so the boys wouldn't see them until they opened the door, just to add another surprise to the afternoon.</span></p> <p><span>We waited inside until I looked through the window and spotted the bus coming up the road. As Tom and I stepped back outside to wait, I warned our parents they may want to cover their ears when we came back. I also ensured the door didn't latch itself since it would lock automatically and the boys wouldn't have the combination to unlock it just yet. When the fantastic five stepped off the bus, their eyes were wide with shock. After a quick wave to Carl, he headed on up the road to the next stop and our sons ran to us like demons from hell, jumping and dancing and squealing with delight. </span></p> <p><span>When they finally calmed down enough to speak regular English, Joey deadpanned, "I knew you were having something built."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, duh! That much was obvious, young man," I replied, "but you didn't know what, did you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I still don't," Mike whined.</span></p> <p><span>"It's a shelter for you guys to use before you get on and after you get off the bus."</span></p> <p><span>"WOW!" T.J. enthused. "You guys are the greatest dads in the whole world."</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you check out the inside?" Tom asked while suppressing a grin. The boys charged the fort and threw open the gate. After hearing the door slam into the wall, there was a brief moment of stunned silence from the little rascals before all hell broke loose. I do hope the `rents followed my suggestion and covered their ears because if they hadn't, we might all have to learn sign language. We waited a few moments before joining the fray and when we finally did, the volume level had returned to a more tolerable level. I quickly looked at the wall behind the door and was glad to see there wasn't a hole in it after the way the door slammed into it. I quickly noticed that an eight-foot by eight-foot building gets pretty small on the inside when you have six adults and five kids packed into it.</span></p> <p><span>Alex turned and asked in a very serious voice, "Dads, I know grandma and grampa are moving up here, but don't you think this is just a teensy bit too small?" There was just a hint of a whine on the word `teensy'.</span></p> <p><span>Joey picked up from there and continued, "Yeah, no bathroom, no kitchen, no bedroom. This just won't do, dads. What's the big idea, you two?"</span></p> <p><span>Not to be outdone, T.J. added, "Where are we supposed to sleep when we spend the night, on the roof?"</span></p> <p><span>"Wait," dad interrupted. "Bill and Estelle are moving up here? When did that happen? And where?"</span></p> <p><span>"The `when' is last week, dad, and the `where' is right here. I'm going to sell them a couple of acres and they're going to build a house out here."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that sounds wonderful. It'll be nice to have them so close, won't it, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can't wait, Jim. I really want to make up for all the time we missed together the past five years."</span></p> <p><span>"So, boys," I started, "what do you think of your surprise? Think you'll be okay in here while you wait for the bus or for us to come pick you up?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dad, this is sweet. Thanks," Mike replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Can we get some chairs to put in here?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. I think there are some extras out in the storage building. Oh, and one more thing. See this button right here, guys?" I asked, pointing to the red button by the door.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, what's that do? Launch us into orbit?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No, you goofball, it's tied in with the drive sensor, so when you get off the bus in the afternoon, just punch the button and the chime will go off in the house to let us know you're here. When it's cold or raining, we'll come get you. But when is warm and sunny, you can walk to the house, it'll be good exercise for y'all."</span></p> <p><span>"This is so cool, dads," Andy finally managed to say. "Can we get a TV in here, too?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think you'll get that, Andy, we wouldn't want you to miss the bus just because SpongeBob or some other silly cartoon was on. Well, shall we head back to the house?" As we left the shelter to get back in our cars, the boys all stopped to give hugs to Tom and me before climbing in for the ride to the house. </span></p> <p><span>As we pulled up in front of the house, Alex asked, "Who else is here, dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's John's truck and trailer. He put up your shelter this morning and he's started work on your bedroom and Tom's office."</span></p> <p><span>"Great, we need to tell him thanks, too," Joey replied.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure he'll appreciate that, boys," Tom commented as we walked to front door.</span></p> <p><span>"If anybody has homework to deal with, why don't you see if you can get it done before we all go to supper?" I asked as we hung up our coats.</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, dad," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>As they headed down the hall to their bedrooms, I watched them turn into Tom's office and listened as they all passed on their thanks to John for the new bus shelter. I could tell by the tone of John's voice in his replies that he was, indeed, appreciative and, perhaps, just a touch embarrassed. When they left Tom's office, they made a quick stop in the twins' new bedroom to check out the new color scheme.</span></p> <p><span>"Wow! It looks so different from the plain old crappy white," I heard Alex exclaim.</span></p> <p><span>"I love it, guys," T.J. responded. "We have to think about what colors we want in our room, Mike and Andy."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess that depends on if Andy's gonna' stay in our room, doesn't it?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I think I will, but we might want to ask dad about a separate bed for me," Andy answered. "We got plenty of room now, but it'll be tight fit for all three of us in a few years." I chuckled at Andy's answer, figuring it would be probably be seven or eight years before they were big enough that a king-sized bed wouldn't hold all three boys comfortably, but boys can dream, can't they.</span></p> <p><span>I stopped in the living room briefly and said, "Be back in just a few, I'm gonna' set the boys up with their afternoon snack while they deal with any homework." I then detoured through the kitchen and as I was setting out fruit snacks and juice boxes for them, the boys came in and took their stools. Alex and Joey cracked open their extra math book to spend some time on it while T.J. got busy with his new list of spelling words. "When you're done with your snacks and homework, come join us in the living room, boys."</span></p> <p><span>As I rejoined the adults, I heard my dad ask, "So, when are you and Estelle moving up here?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're hoping we can get the house built and ready so we can be up here this fall. We really want to be in it in time for Thanksgiving," Bill answered. "We'll be working with John to get it done."</span></p> <p><span>"I think that'll be great. Now, if we could just get Max to sell Rose and me a little corner of this Garden of Eden, we could join y'all."</span></p> <p><span>"What!? Are you serious, dad?" I asked. "You've never seemed the least bit interested in living out here before."</span></p> <p><span>"Never had much reason to until now, son. But, with our grandsons being here, and our in-laws, also, it seems like the perfect time to seriously consider it." Mom's mouth was hanging wide open and surprise flooded her face as she stared at Jim.</span></p> <p><span>"When did this bright idea hit ya'?" she asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Saturday, I think, when I was still pretty out of it. Of course, when it did, I didn't know that Bill and Estelle were moving here, but now it makes even more sense, don't you think, dear?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Jim, this is a lot to think about. We've been in our neighborhood since we got married and I never thought you'd consider moving."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I didn't either, until just the other day. If there's one thing that remains constant in this world, it's change, and I think it's time for a big one." I was looking at Tom with concern as to how this notion would impact all our lives when dad added, "And don't worry, son, you all can still live the way you always have."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean by that, dad?" I asked warily, returning my attention to him.</span></p> <p><span>"Why, free as a bird, of course. Do you really think I don't know how you've lived out here all these years? You can't hide nothin' from me."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my god, how did you find out?"</span></p> <p><span>"I've realized a lot over these past few days, son. Don't get me wrong, I always kinda' knew you lived differently than most folks, but I guess I hadn't quite put it all together before. While I was drifting in and out, some of the snippets of conversation I've heard between you and your sister over the years <i>finally</i> came together and actually made sense. A comment here and a comment there don't make much sense by themselves, but when you combine several years of those little comments together, a whole new and rather interesting picture develops."</span></p> <p><span>"And, knowing that, you still want to move out here with the rest of us?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why not, y'all ain't got nothin' I never seen before. And what better place to live naturally than surrounded by nature itself?"</span></p> <p><span>"And you won't be bothered by having naked people around?"</span></p> <p><span>"Meh, why would I be bothered by it. In all honesty, I've kept a secret from you and your mother for years and I guess it's time to tell you the truth."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, please do, Jim," mom responded. "I'm all ears."</span></p> <p><span>"We-e-e-ll, you remember all those `<i>hunting</i>' trips I used to take and never came home with a damned thing to show for it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure," I answered. "Of course, what I remember most about those trips was you never let me go along with you and I hated you for that."</span></p> <p><span>"I had my reasons, son. You see, those weren't so much hunting trips as they were campouts with nine or ten other guys from my old Army unit. We'd all meet on the road somewhere and then travel together to a special clearing in the middle of a woods that one of the other guys owned. We'd usually get there early Thursday evening and set up camp. After everything was set up, we'd each go into our own tent, get undressed and then meet back around the campfire we'd started. Then we spent the next three or four days catchin' up with everyone else in the group, playin' poker, relivin' old war stories, eatin' and drinkin' until it was time to break camp, get dressed and return to our homes. None of us ever felt more relaxed and free than we did on those campouts." I could tell mom was astonished to hear this. But then, we all were.</span></p> <p><span>"I never invited you to go along with me, son, because it was a chance for me be alone with guys I'd cared about for a long time. You don't go through what we did without forming life-long bonds of friendship. I also wasn't too sure how you'd react bein' around ten or eleven naked guys for a whole weekend. I guess I was afraid somethin' would come up that you couldn't control, because, deep down, I knew, even then, you was different. Besides, none of the other guys ever brought their boys either, so you woulda' been awful bored hanging around with us old farts."</span></p> <p><span>"Jim, I can't believe you've kept that a secret all these years," mom commented. "Why?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, dear, I didn't think you'd be particularly fond of the idea of me spending a couple weekends a year with my old army buds, especially considering none of us was wearin' a stitch the entire time. And I sure as hell didn't want you there with me, either, some of those guys can be downright crude."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I don't know, it might've been fun to join you," she responded suggestively which prompted Bill and Estelle to start laughing. I promptly stuck my fingers in my ears and started humming to block out the rest of whatever got said. Mom slapped me on the back of the head, dislodging my fingers, and said, "Oh, don't be such a damn prude. If we'd never had sex, you wouldn't be here right now."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that, but I still don't want to hear about it, you two. That's what you call, TMGDI."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, get over it, son," dad replied. "In fact, our next `hunting' trip is already scheduled for the middle of June. Would you like to join me this year, son? Tom, Bill, you'd be welcome to join us, also, if you'd like."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like a great time, Jim," Bill answered, "I'd love to come along. Thanks for the invitation."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll have to think about it, dad. The adoption could be happening close to the same time so I don't know if we'd be able to get away. Besides, what would we do with the boys? We can't leave them here alone."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, since it sounds like us women-folk aren't gonna' be invited," Estelle started, "maybe Rose and I could come here and stay with the boys. How does that sound?"</span></p> <p><span>"That might work, Estelle, what do you think, mom?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, son, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this new man sittin' next to me. I feel like the last forty years of my life has all been one gigantic lie and I don't know him at all."</span></p> <p><span>"You know me better than anyone, dear," dad responded, "and while I've kept a secret from you for a long time, it still doesn't change who I am."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let me think about it, everyone. I'll give you an answer soon enough so we can all make plans."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, mom."</span></p> <p><span>The boys finally joined us and the first question I heard from them was, "When's supper?" Those eating machines will not be denied.</span></p> <p><span>"Soon, boys. Homework all done?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep. Mike and Andy quizzed T.J. on his spelling words and he got through them all without missing any," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>"And Joey and I finished another five chapters in that math book," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>Again, I was amazed at the progress they were making, but I asked, "So what chapter are you ready to start on?"</span></p> <p><span>They looked at each other briefly, then Joey came back with, "Um, twenty-one."</span></p> <p><span>"What!? You were only starting twelve the other night when I checked your work."</span></p> <p><span>"We know, dad, but we got through, like, chapter sixteen while you were reading to Andy."</span></p> <p><span>"What are they doing, Max?" Estelle asked. I explained how the twins were not being challenged with their regular math work and were working on a fourth-grade textbook on their own and how much they'd done already. "Well, how many chapters are in the book?" she asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Thirty-nine," Alex answered.</span></p> <p><span>"And when did you start working on it?" Bill asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Last Thursday night, wasn't it, dad?" Joey replied and I nodded my head in agreement.</span></p> <p><span>"And you're almost half-way through it already!?" Estelle exclaimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep," they answered in unison with their usual wide grins.</span></p> <p><span>"Well done, boys," dad crowed.</span></p> <p><span>"Max, honey, you should have them tested," mom interjected. "I bet their IQs are off the charts."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't doubt they are, mom, but what's the point? We already know they're smart as whips."</span></p> <p><span>"We wanna' do it, dad," they chimed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you really want to, I'll see about finding somebody who can make it happen, though I don't know where to start the search."</span></p> <p><span>"I remember some of my students being tested and if I remember properly, I think psychologists usually administer those tests?" mom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Ya' know, now that you mention it, I think they might, and I just happen to know one. I'll get in touch with him and find out."</span></p> <p><span>At that moment, John stuck his head around the corner into the living room and announced, "Okay, Max, we're done for the day and outta' here."</span></p> <p><span>"Excellent, John, what all did you get done, today?" I asked as I walked towards him so we wouldn't have to yell.</span></p> <p><span>"The twins' room is painted, the floor joists under Tom's office are reinforced and the new subfloor is in. We'll be back in the morning for Troy to clean up the mess in the bedroom while Ralph and I get start prepping Tom's office for new paint. When Troy is done with his cleanup, he'll come work with Ralph and me."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like you had a good day, then."</span></p> <p><span>"We did. Sorry for all the noise while your parents were here. Y'all have a have a good evening and we'll see you in the morning." The boys rushed over to say thanks again for the new bus shelter and they all gave John another round of hugs in appreciation. I could tell by the pinking of his face and ears that John was embarrassed by the good-natured attention, but he took it in stride. Troy and Ralph, though, gratefully accepted both the thank yous and the hugs from the boys. After John and his guys were gone, the boys and I returned to the living room.</span></p> <p><span>"So, who's ready for supper?" I asked. After everyone, including myself, raised their hands, I added, "Then, let's load `em up and move `em out."</span></p> <p><span>The boys, Tom and I got into our car while our parents got into Bill and Estelle's car for the short trip to Shepp's in New Berlin. The eleven of us descended upon and invaded Shepp's, commandeering and rearranging several tables so we could have plenty of room to spread out and enjoy our meal. With multiple conversations going on at the same time, nobody but me seemed to notice dad and Bill whispering conspiratorially at their end of the table. I also caught mom and Estelle having a very earnest discussion at the other end of the table. What were those four cooking up, I wondered? When our server arrived to take our orders, all discussion was halted as we told her what we wanted. As she sashayed away to turn our order into the kitchen, Bill raised his hand to get everyone's attention.</span></p> <p><span>"Jim and I have made a decision down here that we think you'll all want to hear."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you have, have you?" Estelle interjected with a glaring look. </span></p> <p><span>"And without consulting your wives?" mom added shaking her head in disbelief. </span></p> <p><span>"You two are either very brave or very stupid," I commented with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we're hoping for the first option there, son, but it'll probably end up being the second one once you all hear it," dad replied</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, here goes," Bill continued. "Since Estelle and I decided to move up here, we've given considerable thought as to what kind and how big of a house to build. We'd pretty much settled on a smallish two-bedroom home, one bedroom for us and the second one for our grandsons to have somewhere to sleep when they want to spend the night, because, you know, they will. After talking with Jim just now, I'm leaning towards a considerably bigger four-bedroom house, one bedroom for Estelle and me, one for Jim and Rose and the other two for our grandsons. What do you think?"</span></p> <p><span>The table grew silent as we all digested this new idea. I could see the wheels turning in mom and Estelle's minds as they looked at each other in astonishment. Tom looked like some fresh horror had been unleashed on an unsuspecting earth. The boys, joining dad and Bill, were all grinning from ear to ear. For my part, I just sat there, dumbfounded at the sudden changes in my dad as he willingly accepted, and possibly instigated, these unfolding events. Where the hell was <i>this</i> guy when I was growing up and dealing with who I was, because I sure could have used him. </span></p> <p><span>The silence was finally broken when Estelle answered Bill's question with, "I think that's a grand idea, you two. I can't believe you came up with that on your own."</span></p> <p><span>"It's like they were reading our minds, Estelle," mom added. "Did you bug our end of the table so you could eavesdrop on our conversation?" she asked our dads.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, we came up with it on our own," dad replied proudly.</span></p> <p><span>"But you and Estelle were contemplating the same thing?" Bill asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, we were. I guess that settles it, then," Estelle answered, smiling. "Looks like we need to sit down with that contractor sooner than we thought. A bigger house will take longer to build."</span></p> <p><span>"And if we want to be moved in by this fall," mom added, "we better get busy."</span></p> <p><span>"I've got an idea," dad interjected. "Why don't you two spend the night with us and we can talk to John tomorrow morning at Max's house."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good idea, Jim," Bill answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Are you sure you won't mind puttin' us up for the night?" Estelle asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the way I figure it," dad started, "if we're gonna' be living in the same house, we should at least try it for a night, don't ya' think? And whenever you come up for a visit before we get moved, you might as well plan on spending the nights with us then, also."</span></p> <p><span>Our server started delivering our food, which brought an abrupt halt to any further conversation as people began to stuff themselves. My brain was swirling because I couldn't keep up with everything that was suddenly happening in my life. As this past year was winding down, I was alone, my parents hated me and I'd actually given serious thought to ending my life. I was so depressed I couldn't see my way through the tunnel of darkness to the sunlight I knew was waiting for me on the other side. I knew it was there, somewhere off in the distance, I just didn't know how to reach it. The only reason I didn't follow through on those feelings of worthlessness is I didn't want Lee to have to deal with the nightmarish aftermath. Nobody deserves that kind of punishment in their life, and I couldn't do that to her because I loved her too much.</span></p> <p><span>Now, here I was, four months later, having a delightful supper with, not only my parents, who suddenly seemed to care a great deal about me, but my sons, my fianc� and his parents. And surprise of surprises, they all seemed to care about me. I was fairly basking in the glorious sunlight I'd finally found and I was never happier that I'd been born so much of a coward that I couldn't kill myself. And I found myself loving every one of them in return, I simply couldn't help it. These people that I'd known both forever and for a very short time had given me a purpose in life that I'd never felt before, a real reason to continue living. I could feel my eyes overflowing with tears and running down my cheek when I felt Tom gently dry one side of my face with his finger.</span></p> <p><span>"What?" he whispered in my ear.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just happy," I whispered back, "so very fucking happy, I can't contain it." I leaned in and gave him a kiss that he eagerly and lovingly returned. I didn't care there were other people at the table, let alone in the building. Lost in thought as I was, I didn't notice that the bar had suddenly become deathly quiet and, since my eyes were closed, I couldn't see that every eye in the building was intently focused on the two of us, like lasers homing in for the kill.</span></p> <p><span>I'm not sure how long I maintained my lip lock on my partner, but it was finally broken up when Joey, of course, cracked loudly, "Oh, c'mon you two, we can't take you anywhere. Would you get a freakin' room already?"</span></p> <p><span>When we finally broke for air, both of us laughing at Joey's joke, I laid my forehead on Tom's shoulder, absorbing his love for me through the simple contact. Then, someone, somewhere, stated a light clapping that slowly grew louder as the rest of the table joined in and then louder, still, when the whole bar took up the cause. I don't think I've ever been more embarrassed in my life than I was at that moment. Well, except for that one time Carol dropped by unannounced. I sheepishly picked my head up and acknowledged the applause before returning my attention to my plate. The clapping slowly wound down and the noise regularly associated with a bar returned in full force.</span></p> <p><span>Once we were finished with our meal, I signaled our server for the check so I could pay and we could be on our way. She sashayed back to us, then leaned in and whispered in my ear, "It's been taken care of. Have a great night. And congratulations." </span></p> <p><span>Embarrassment flooded my face, again, as I flipped a fifty on the table for a tip, then stood and said, "Let's get outta' here." As we stepped outside into early evening dusk of March, I lamented, "I'll never be able to show my face in there again."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know why not, son," my dad began, "seems to me like they rather enjoyed the entertainment," he added with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, dad. I hope we didn't disgust you."</span></p> <p><span>"Why should I be disgusted? You two love each other, that's quite obvious, why shouldn't you share a kiss whenever and wherever you want?"</span></p> <p><span>"God, how I wish the man standing before me now had been with me the past fifteen years. I needed you, you know."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, son, and though I'll never be able to say it enough, I am sorry. Just know that I'm here, now, and forever."</span></p> <p><span>I wrapped dad in a big hug and said, "Thanks, old man, I love you, too." Our hug spread throughout the family and once everyone had given our parents and grandparents theirs, we climbed in our cars and made our ways to our homes, seven of us to our Garden of Eden, as dad liked to call it, and four to my parents' home for the night. Tom had to drive us home since my eyes were still not focusing properly. After parking in the garage, the boys ran into the house and then their rooms to get comfortable while Tom and I adjourned to our room to do the same. </span></p> <p><span>As we were undressing, Tom said, "Talk to me, babe. What happened at supper?"</span></p> <p><span>I sat on the edge of the bed, briefly holding my head in my hands before answering. I finally lifted my head, looked directly into Tom's eyes, took a deep breath and started, "I haven't told anyone else this, Tom, but five, six months ago, I'd just about decided I didn't want to go on. I was so depressed with my life, with my parent's reaction to the news of me being gay, that it just didn't seem like it was worth prolonging the pain anymore."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my god, Max!" he exclaimed as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders.</span></p> <p><span>"I know, stupid, right? And you wanna' know why I didn't go through with it? Because of Lee. Not something she did or said or anything, but because I love her too much to make her go through the nightmare that would have followed. My writing had been an outlet of sorts for me, but I'd lost all interest in doing even that anymore. I poured my heart into those books, but it didn't matter to me because it didn't really change anything. Mom and dad still hated who I was, and I'd built this wall around me that I was afraid to let anybody through. I didn't want anyone to see the pain I was in so I wouldn't allow myself to get close to anyone.</span></p> <p><span>"Then, when I finally decided that I wanted to live, I had to figure out what I could do to make it a life worth living and one to be proud of having lived it. That's when I came up with the idea of trying to adopt. I'd hoped that having someone to love and care for and who would love me back for who I am would make a difference and keep me going. And it has, in, oh, so many ways. I've found five boys who need me and I love them with all my heart. I've found you and I love you so much it actually hurts sometimes. And along with you, I've found your mom and dad, and I'm so glad they raised such a loving and caring man as yourself, who could help me see that life is truly worth living. </span></p> <p><span>"And, as if that wasn't enough already, I now have mom and dad back in my life in a way I never expected. I was sure they were lost to me forever, yet, somehow, here they are, supporting me in ways I never dreamed possible. Dad is not only being civil, he wants to pay for our wedding, they want to move out here with your mom and dad, it's almost more than I can take. I have never, in my entire life, been as happy with my life and who I am as I am right now. I'm afraid that something's gonna' happen and I'm going to lose it all. Does all that make sense to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Some of it does, babe, because I love you more than I can ever say. I love our sons just as much, and I'm happy that all our parents are here for us. I've had good days and bad days, myself, but I never reached the point you and your father apparently did, but I can understand how you got there. I'm so thankful that you were able to dig yourself out of that hole you were in, because if you hadn't, I'd still be searching for the same thing you were, someone to care about more than I care about myself. And don't even think about losing it all `cause you're stuck with me, the boys, and our parents for a long time to come."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, I knew you'd understand. That's one of the reasons this workshop Wednesday is so damned important to me. I've been there, and I want these teachers to know there are kids out there who need their love and support to get through it themselves."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm with ya, babe. I'm glad you told me about it. It gives me a better understanding of where you are and what you're feeling. You know I'll do everything I can to help, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I do, ya' big lunk. I'll probably tell the teachers the same thing I just told you, just to drive home the point of how serious the problem is."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, before you do that, you probably ought to have a chat with Alex, Joey and T.J. Since they're going to be there with us, I wouldn't want them to hear it at the same time as the teachers."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit, I didn't think about that. How could I be so fuckin' stupid? Think you could keep Andy and Mike amused for a few minutes while I talk to the others?"</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, babe. Take your time. Maybe I can read some more <i>Huckleberry Finn</i> to `em."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good idea, just remember, no n-word."</span></p> <p><span>"<i>That</i>, I knew. I'll send the others in just a minute. Compose yourself and get ready." I lay back on the bed and thought about what I was going to say and how to say it while I waited. I finally decided that nothing but the flat-out truth would pass muster with these three and I wasn't looking forward to it.</span></p> <p><span>I found the boys in the living room playing Uno while they waited for Max and me to join them.</span></p> <p><span>"Geez, pops, it's about time," Joey hollered, "we were thinking you two really did find a room and were, well, you know." All five cracked up at that comment.</span></p> <p><span>"No, Joey, nothing like that, sorry to disappoint you and your wild imagination. We had to talk about something and it took a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Did it have something to do with why dad was crying at supper?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I wanted to know what was goin' on and he told me."</span></p> <p><span>"So, where is he?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He's still in the bedroom. He wants to talk to Joey, Alex, and T.J. for a minute."</span></p> <p><span>"'Bout what?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It's something he's going to talk about at the school Wednesday. Since you three are going to be there with us, we think you should know about it before he talks about it there."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what are we gonna' do while they're talkin' to dad?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I thought we could read some more <i>Huckleberry Finn</i> while we wait, how's that sound?"</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, pops," Andy answered. "I'm really likin' that story."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay then. You three scoot and we'll start reading."</span></p> <p><span>As Joey, Alex and T.J. walked by on their way to the bedroom, I heard T.J. ask, "What do you think this is all about?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, but if it's related to the school thingy, it can't be good," Joey answered.</span></p> <p><span>There was finally a light knock on the door and as I sat up, the door popped open and Alex quietly asked, "You wanted to see us, dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, c'mon in here and hop up on the bed so we can talk." I waited patiently as the three of them plodded nervously across the room, then climbed onto the bed and sat with their legs crossed in front of them. When they finally settled in, I began with, "Okay, I need to tell you guys something that I intend to talk about Wednesday, but I don't want a bunch of other people around the first time you hear it."</span></p> <p><span>"Come on, dad, spit it out already," Joey pushed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we're big boys, we can handle it," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"Speak for yourselves, goobers," T.J. complained, "I'm not sure I wanna' know."</span></p> <p><span>"You may not want to, T.J., but you need to. I know you're going to have questions, but wait until I'm done, please." I received nods of agreement from all three before continuing. "Okay, here goes. Late last year, I was feeling really depressed about things. I'd just told mom and dad about me and you know the response I got wasn't good. I was already feeling very lonely before that, and their reaction to the news didn't help things at all. I kinda' went into a downward spiral because I realized my life had no meaning or purpose and at the bottom of that spiral, I started to think about killing myself."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!?" Joey screamed.</span></p> <p><span>"Calm down and let me continue. I was so close to following through with it because I was in so much pain, mentally, that I couldn't think straight. What finally stopped me was the love I have for Aunt Lee. I knew how much my death would hurt her and I couldn't put her through that, not even to stop my own pain. I spent the next couple of months trying to figure out what I could do to make the pain go away and make my life worth living again. That's when I finally hit on idea of adopting. I wasn't sure I'd be able to, considering how most people think we're all less than human, but having a family was the only thing I could think of that could get me to think about the future in a positive way.</span></p> <p><span>"So, I started working on that process with James and with his help, I met Anna, and then you three plus Mike. After meeting you four that first time in Anna's office and hearing about what you'd been through already, I <i>knew</i> that I had to live, if for no other reason than to give you the loving home you all deserve. You guys have literally saved my life because if I hadn't met you and been able to adopt you, I'm sure I would have ended up killing myself. </span></p> <p><span>"That's the reason I volunteered to join Steve in this workshop at school, because I've been there and I know how hard it is for gay people like us to come to terms with our lives. What I've been through and dealt with the past six months, from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs, may help convince the teachers and other staff at the school to be more aware of the children in their classes and get them to reach out to someone when they desperately need help.</span></p> <p><span>"That's it, boys. I just wanted you to be aware of one of the things I intend to discuss Wednesday. It wouldn't have been fair to you to spring it on you in front of a crowd. I also want you to know that I owe all of you a debt that I can never repay for saving my life. Just know that I will love you all until the end of time for that." I was immediately mauled by the three lads as they pushed me onto my back and wrapped their arms around me in a hug to end all hugs.</span></p> <p><span>When we finally separated, I asked, "Any questions?"</span></p> <p><span>Joey looked me in the eyes and asked, "Yeah, you're not gonna' do anything stupid, now, are ya'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, dad, we can't lose you, too," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"We all love and need you, dad, and pops, too," came from T.J.</span></p> <p><span>"No, boys, I'm not going to do anything stupid. I'm past all that. I'm looking forward to many happy years with you five and Tom. I wouldn't trade that future for all the money in the world."</span></p> <p><span>"Good to hear it, old man," Joey joked.</span></p> <p><span>"Anything else you want to know?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, can we make some popcorn and watch some more <i>Star Trek</i> now?" T.J. asked. You gotta' love the resilience of kids, give them some bad news and just like a dog, they kick some grass over that shit and move on.</span></p> <p><span>"Why not, let's go, guys." The four of us left the bedroom and while Joey, Alex and T.J. went on to get Tom and the other two, I stopped in the kitchen to get the popcorn going. I was soon joined by the others and, in a very short time, working together, we were ready to start a show and adjourned to the theater. After watching two more episodes, it was time to get the boys in bed, so while Tom and I took care of loading the dishwasher with the popcorn bowls and drink cups, the boys headed for their bedrooms to brush their teeth and crawl in bed. </span></p> <p><span>We followed in due course and stopped in the trio's room first. All three were snuggled together in the middle of the bed and ready for the covers, which Tom and I pulled up to their chins. We then leaned over to plant kisses on foreheads and swapped `I love you' and `good night' with each. I could just hear the first light snore from one of them as we turned out the light and closed the door. </span></p> <p><span>The twins were next on our hit list and we also found them curled together in the middle of the bed, waiting for the covers, also. We covered the two up and as I leaned over to deliver my first kiss good night, Alex looked up me and said, "Dad, I'm glad you're still here and found us all."</span></p> <p><span>"I am, too, son." He then wrapped an arm around the back of my neck, pulled himself up and planted a wet, sloppy kiss right on my lips. As he loosened his arm to lower himself back down, I got my payback as I stuck out my tongue and ran it from the tip of his nose to his eyebrows causing him to giggle uncontrollably.</span></p> <p><span>From under the covers, Joey moaned, "Hey, would y'all quiet down, I'm tryin' to sleep, here."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, we love you, too, son," Tom deadpanned. </span></p> <p><span>"Don't forget, Joey, your punishment ends tomorrow," I added. "I'm proud of you for sticking with it and not fighting it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, dad, I screwed up, and I need to be responsible for that. But I'm glad it's over, too. Wearing clothes sucks!"</span></p> <p><span>"No arguments from me on that, son," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"I wish we could have school at home so we <i>never</i> had to wear clothes again."</span></p> <p><span>"I can't think of any teacher who would want to deal with nude students all day, Joey."</span></p> <p><span>"I bet Mr. Thomas would, and he's a great teacher," Alex responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't hold your breath, boys. I just don't see it happening." We finished up with our nightly kisses and hugs, and with our nightly rituals completed, we turned out the light and closed their door on our way back to sit by the fireplace.</span></p> <p><span>After sitting on the loveseat, Tom looked at me and said, "I'm with Alex, I'm happy you're still here, too, and even happier you found me."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm happy we're all together, too. I don't even want to think about where I'd be if I hadn't found those boys when I did."</span></p> <p><span>"Then don't think about it, think about this instead," Tom replied as he kissed me and slowly slipped his tongue into my mouth. As he continued his tongue action, I felt a hand slip between my thighs and then slowly move up until it made contact with my scrotum. He then pulled his hand up over my soft penis until it was pointing up towards my navel. His invading tongue made any kind of speech impossible and all I could do was moan my appreciation. He slowly wrapped his hand around me and began to stroke lightly, causing me to become fully erect. "Why don't we go to bed?" he whispered.</span></p> <p><span>"Mmm-mmm," was all I could mutter. He stood slowly, not releasing his grip on my shaft, then after I stood up also, he led the way, pulling me along with him. After closing the door, we fell onto the bed and Tom exchanged his hand for his mouth. He started by lightly licking just the head like it was a lollipop before taking the whole of it into his mouth and swirling his tongue around the tip. He then proceeded to slowly drop his head lower and lower until his nose was buried in my bare pubic mound and the head of my cock was buried in his throat. After holding me in that position as long he could, he began sucking me in earnest and I was relishing every moment and movement.</span></p> <p><span>After a minute or two, he snaked and arm under my leg and I felt a finger begin probing for my rear opening. I lifted the leg to give him easier access to his target and I soon felt the first finger hit its mark and slowly enter me. He kept the suction going on my cock as he worked my ass with his finger, and with his other hand, he began to fondle and pinch my nipples. After getting a second finger working with the first, he found my prostate and began to nudge and prod it with every stroke. </span></p> <p><span>My body was writhing in pleasure as he continued to work his evil deeds upon me, not that I was going to complain. With all the stimulation I was receiving from three different directions simultaneously, I began to lose all control fairly quickly. Tom noticed my formerly loose sack pull up tight while my body went rigid and he buried his nose in my crotch and his fingers in my ass while continuing to wiggle them across my prostate. My body finally let go and I could feel my ass clenching his fingers tightly as my load was deposited deep into his throat.</span></p> <p><span>Tom held me in his mouth as I slowly wilted and returned to a flaccid state and he continued to do so as he slowly removed his fingers from my ass. Only then did he lift his head and allow me slip from the warm and wet confines of his mouth. "Now, aren't you happy to still be here, too?" he quipped.</span></p> <p><span>"You have no idea how happy, lover. Now, I owe you."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, you do. And you can pay me back tomorrow night, babe. Right now, I think we need to get some sleep since John is here again tomorrow and our parents will be, also, to talk to him about their new house."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, god, you made me forget all about that. Thanks, I think, for snapping me back into reality." After Tom laid down, I curled up by his side, resting my head on his furry chest, settling in for a good night's sleep. "Love you, Tom," I whispered.</span></p> <p><span>"Love you, too, babe. Sleep well." </span></p> <p><span>And I did, indeed, sleep well, right up until the alarm went off. I felt Tom untangle himself so he could take care of his early morning duty again, and I dozed back off until he would come back to get me moving. Imagine my shock when the next thing I heard was a bugle loudly blasting reveille throughout the house. As I stormed into the kitchen to confront our abuser, I could do nothing but laugh as Tom was being attacked by the five munchkins in a showing of their displeasure at our wakeup call. After a couple minutes of fierce battle, he finally fended them off and they returned to their rooms to get ready for the day.</span></p> <p><span>"I warned you, didn't I?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, and thanks for the idea, but it was worth every second of it," he laughed. "They were so pissed off they forgot they wanted to still be sleeping. You, too, apparently."</span></p> <p><span>"I wasn't a happy camper, either, when I crawled out of bed to come in here and kick your ass, like I promised, but when I saw the five them attacking, I couldn't help but laugh. Job well done, Sergeant."</span></p> <p><span>"O-o-o-h, I got a promotion, wait `til Dylan hears about this. What's for breakfast, boss?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think cereal and toast will have to do today."</span></p> <p><span>"Works for me, I'll get the cereal, bowls and milk while you get busy with the toast." The boys returned for breakfast just as the first four slices of toast were ready to go and I dropped the next round. As each one filled their bowl with their choice of cereal, Tom added the milk from a fresh gallon to minimize the chance of a spill. Once they started wolfing it down, Tom turned to me and said, "I'll go get dressed and then come back to deal with the toaster so you can do the same."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a plan to me, big guy. Hurry back." By the time he returned, the boys were done eating, had rinsed their bowls and put them in the dishwasher and taken off to their rooms to get their backpacks and coats. "Guess I'll get dressed so I can run `em out to the bus stop." All five were anxious to be there early so they could put the new shelter to good use and as soon as I grabbed my coat, they were off to the garage. I parked next to the shelter and we all got out of the car. </span></p> <p><span>Joey was the first to reach the door and, finding it was locked, joked, "Not gonna' be of much use if we can't get in, dad."</span></p> <p><span>"If you give me a moment, I'll fix that," I replied. Once I reached the door, I told them, "We didn't want to have to worry about lost keys, so we had John put on this keypad lock. The code to punch in is our mailing zip code, 62670. Think you can remember that?"</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, dad, outta' my way," T.J. commanded. He punched it in and we heard the click as the door unlocked, then he turned the knob and pushed the door open. Since he'd unlocked it, T.J. led the others inside and then promptly closed the door in my face. </span></p> <p><span>I re-entered the code and let myself in, "Very funny, munchkin," I said as I ruffled his hair. "The door locks automatically when it closes so you don't have to worry about that. Now give me my hugs and I'll be outta' here." I accepted and returned hugs with each of them and as I turned to leave them, commented, "Don't anybody miss the bus, it's a long walk to the school."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be fine, dad," Andy replied.</span></p> <p><span>When I got back to the house, I parked by the front door again to leave room for John to park on the drive and carry things through the garage. I'd just taken my seat to start reading when the drive sensor went off. A glance through the front door revealed John's truck pulling in the drive and few moments later the door to the garage opened and he yelled, "Hi, honey, I'm h-o-o-o-me!" Tom and I both laughed as I got up to meet him in the hallway.</span></p> <p><span>"Morning, John," I called down the hall. "C'mon in and make yourself at home."</span></p> <p><span>"Will do, Max. You got any coffee? I missed mine this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Troy and Ralph want some?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably not, their soda fiends and they been sucking down some cokes on the way out this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, be right back." I got a mug for him and when I delivered it, I told him, "You're gonna' have to take some time this morning to talk to our parents, John."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, what about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you know Tom's mom and dad want you build a new home for them, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I talked to them last Thursday, I think it was. I'm looking forward to working with them."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, the project has now doubled in size because it looks like my parents are going to move into the same house."</span></p> <p><span>"Music to my tone-deaf ears, Max. You sure you're ready for that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hell no, but I don't think I'll ever be ready. I was fine when it was just Bill and Estelle, but adding my mom and dad to the mix might just be too much for any sane person."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm sure it'll work out just fine. Whenever they get here, let me know and I'll talk with them, see what we can come up with."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do that. What's your plan for today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Troy's going to clean up the mess in the boys' bedroom while Ralph and I get Tom's office taped off so we can paint it. I'd like to deal with that before we put the new floor down. Once it's painted, we'll get started on the floor."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds, good, John, I'll get out of your way and let you guys get to it." </span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for coffee, Max, I needed that."</span></p> <p><span>I waved over my shoulder as I turned the corner into the living room to sit by the fireplace and continue my reading. </span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's all set," I commented before opening my book.</span></p> <p><span>"What?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"When our parents get here this morning, John's going to sit with them and talk about the new house for all four of them."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good news, isn't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose. I'm just not sure I want my dad living in the back yard `cause I never know what might set him off."</span></p> <p><span>"It'll be just fine, babe. You worry too much."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, but our recent history has made me that way." We returned to our reading with John and his boys providing a musical backdrop of sorts as the sounds of physical labor filtered through the house. It was about an hour later when the drive sensor announced a new arrival. Expecting our parents, I was surprised to find Carol standing on the porch when I opened the door. "Morning, Carol, what brings you out here this fine day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Can I come in, I've got some news for you."</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, please do. We're sitting by the fireplace, you need anything to drink?"</span></p> <p><span>"A shot of bourbon would be good," she grinned.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, ran out last night, will a Pepsi do?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I suppose," she answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Go on in and grab a seat, I'll be right there." I detoured through the kitchen to grab the requested drink and joined Tom and Carol in the living room. "So, what's up, Carol? You seem overly serious this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's kind of a good news, not-so-good news kind of day for you two. Which do you want first?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just spit it out, Carol," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, don't keep us in suspense," Tom added.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I'll start with the good news. I've spent the last week going back and forth with Andy's mother and I've finally gotten her to see the writing on the wall. She knows she's going to prison for a long time and is resigned to the fact that she won't be out in time to see her son celebrate his eighteenth birthday. Now that I've managed to get that hammered into her thick skull, she's finally signed the necessary forms to relinquish her parental rights."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, Carol. We'd both hate to see her ever exert any kind of control over Andy again. He deserves better than that," I said.</span></p> <p><span>"He certainly does, and I'm working my hardest to make that happen. Now the not-so-good news. Anna's still not considering your adopting him until the at least the end of the school year."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right, Carol, we knew that already. As long as it's a possibility at that time, that's all we care about."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that, guys, but she's still not convinced a gay couple can adequately raise a straight child. I've told her I don't how many times that it can and will work out just fine, but she's still waffling."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I exchanged a quick glance and he gave me a slight nod. "Um, funny you should bring that up."</span></p> <p><span>"Why, what's happened?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it seems as though Andy has started to rather enjoy his private times with Mike and T.J. more and more."</span></p> <p><span>"Really? I'm surprised."</span></p> <p><span>"In all honesty, we are, too, and it may just be a temporary thing, but anything's possible."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't I know it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't say anything to Anna about that just yet or she'll probably think we somehow converted him, though we all know that's not how it works. Let's wait and see what she says when school's out and go from there."</span></p> <p><span>"I suppose that's the best thing to do," she opined. "I'm still going to push her on the issue, though, because I'd like to see all five boys be adopted by you two on the same day. I'm going to go ahead and have everything ready for Andy as if it'll happen, so if she does actually agree to your adoption of him everything will be ready to roll."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds great, Carol. We really appreciate everything you're doing to help this process."</span></p> <p><span>"Now that that's out of the way, what the heck is all that noise down the hall?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just John and his guys. They painted the bedroom for Alex and Joey yesterday and they're working on Tom's new office today."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I see the boys' room?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, right this way." </span></p> <p><span>I led the way and after entering, Carol commented, "Oh, my, that's bold, isn't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I thought so, too, but it's what they wanted, so there it is."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess if they like it, that's all that matters, isn't it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I won't take any more of your time, guys," Carol started as we left the room, "I've got more work to do and have to get back to the office." DING! DING! "Expecting more company, boys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably our parents and it sounds like they each drove their own cars. They're coming out today to talk to John about a new house."</span></p> <p><span>"What?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I guess we haven't talked to you in, what, a week, Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that sounds about right."</span></p> <p><span>"Things happen fast around here, Carol. Blink and you'll miss it. Might as well wait for them to get here to explain it all." </span></p> <p><span>With that, our parents came in the front door, mom yelling, "Ding dong!"</span></p> <p><span>"Morning, folks," I greeted as they came in and removed their coats. "How was your night?"</span></p> <p><span>"It was just great," dad answered. "I haven't had that much fun in a coon's age."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, dear, I love you, too," mom mocked sarcastically.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you know what I mean, sweetheart."</span></p> <p><span>"We had a fine time, Max," Bill commented, "and I think we're ready to talk to John," he added holding up a roll of paper.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, before you do, I have someone else here I'd like you to meet." I grabbed Carol's hand and guided her in front of me. "This wonderful lady is Carol Ward. She works for the agency helping us with the adoptions. Carol, I'd like you to meet our parents. From left to right, we have Estelle and Bill, Tom's mom and dad, and next is, of course, my mom and dad, Jim and Rose."</span></p> <p><span>"Pleased to meet you all," Carol greeted. Mom and Estelle stepped over and both gave Carol a hug and then the two dads shook her hand.</span></p> <p><span>After stepping back, Mom said, "It's a wonderful thing you're doing Carol, for <i>all</i> the boys involved. Max is a changed person since he told us the news."</span></p> <p><span>"You have no idea, mom," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"So, we have you to thank for our new grandsons?" Estelle asked.</span></p> <p><span>"That would be me. What's this I hear about a new house?"</span></p> <p><span>"Max and Tom are going to sell us a few acres so we can build a house out here," Bill answered. "We want to be closer to Tom and his new family."</span></p> <p><span>"It started out with just the two of us, but after meeting Jim and Rose, we've decided to build it big enough for all four of us," Estelle added.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's wonderful. Having you so close will be great for the boys. It might even help convince Anna to let Andy become a full-fledged member of the family, also."</span></p> <p><span>"Who's this Anna and how could us being here help that?" dad asked.</span></p> <p><span>"She happens to be my boss at the agency and she's concerned about the possibility of Andy not being gay and being raised in a home with two dads."</span></p> <p><span>"Bah, what does she know," dad asked. "Look at the four of us, we're straight and yet we didn't have any problems with raising our sons, did we?" I coughed loudly at that comment. "Okay, I take that back, there were some issues, but we've finally ironed all that out. But still, our not being gay obviously didn't have any impact on them, did it?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're preaching to the choir, Jim. I've talked to Anna about this until I'm blue in the face and made no progress."</span></p> <p><span>"How about if we talk to her," mom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think it would help a bit. She won't believe anybody but Andy, I think, and maybe not even him. And she won't talk to him until school's out for the summer."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you think we can help, you just let us know."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be sure to do just that." Carol looked at her watch and said, "Look, if I don't get out here, I'm going to be late for a meeting with a new couple hoping to adopt. It was a pleasure to meet everyone. Max, Tom, I'll be in touch." We gave her a peck on the cheek, said our goodbyes and let her go.</span></p> <p><span>"You four ready to talk to John?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, get him in here," dad answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't we use the dining room. There'll be room there to spread out your paper and we'll be further away from the noise." Tom and our parents headed towards the dining room while I turned down the hallway to grab John. I stuck my head in the door and got John's attention. When he was closer, I said, "Our parents are here and ready to talk if you have the time."</span></p> <p><span>"No time like the present, Max, let's go."</span></p> <p><span>I led the way to the dining room and on our arrival, said, "You remember Bill, Estelle and Rose from yesterday, I assume. The other gentleman is my dad, Jim. He wasn't here when you met the others."</span></p> <p><span>John extended a hand which my dad shook and said, "Nice to meet you, Jim."</span></p> <p><span>"Same here. Pull up a chair and let us show you what we're thinking about."</span></p> <p><span>Bill unrolled the paper in his hand and said, "This is it, John. Look it over and tell us what you think." </span></p> <p><span>Just a quick note to my dedicated readers:</span></p> <p><span>While I'm basing the character Max on myself and how I wish the direction my life would have gone some 30+ years ago, and many of the ideas I've written concerning religion and such are what I truly believe, what I've written in this chapter about Max's feelings and thoughts of suicide are a complete fabrication and bear absolutely no resemblance to any part of my own life, then or now. I tell you this because in my last e-mail announcing the availability of chapter 45, I mentioned being sick a couple weekends ago and some of you wrote very touching notes inquiring about my health and wishing me well. I want you to know that I truly appreciate your concern, but in all honesty, it was just a really bad cold that knocked me on my ass for a couple of days. I'm much better now, but still dealing with the aftereffects of that damn cold. If you are truly concerned about the rampant epidemic of suicide among LGBTQ youth, please search for local resources that could use your help to improve the situation.</span></p> <p><span>As always, thanks for your continued interest and your genuine concern for my well-being, even though I know you are all just worried about when the next chapter will be out. LOL </span><span>J</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-75.html

Building a Family Chapter 75 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 75 � LeVar's Big Idea We blankly stared at LeVar for several moments before I finally sputtered, "Um, excuse me, I'm sorry. I think my ears went a bit wonky there. Would you care to repeat that, please?" "Sure," LeVar replied with a chuckle and decidedly wicked grin. "I'd like to create a series based on you, your life and your family." "Uh, yep, that's what I heard the first time," I muttered in disbelief. "I had to be sure. Are you serious?" "I don't play around with things like this, Max. Of course, I'm serious." I looked to Tom to gauge his reaction to LeVar's proposal and saw nothing but surprise flooding his face. "Uh, Earth to Tom, you in there, big guy?" He slowly turned to look at me and finally found his voice again. "Uh, yeah, I think so. I could swear I just heard this crazy dude say he wants to make a TV series outta our lives. Tell me I'm dreamin'." "Not a dream, big guy, more like your worst nightmare come true." I returned my attention to LeVar and asked, "Just how do you think you're gonna pull that off?" "Well, we'd have to sell the idea to a network like HBO to get by with the rampant nudity involved, but I think I can do it." "I don't know LeVar, that sounds like asking for a miracle. While I know some studios don't have a problem with full female nudity, for some reason, they still really avoid it with men. Like the plague. It's like they think seeing a man's penis would induce mass hysteria in the viewing audience. And kids, well, hell, you might as well just tell `em you're gonna show two guys screwing each other in the middle of Time Square in broad daylight. Actually, you'd probably have a better chance of getting that on the air than a naked kid." "All true, Max, but it's a concept I'm willing to fight for." "But why? And why us?" "Well, it's kinda like what Ray said, in the short time I've been around you and your family, I've learned a lot about myself, and you guys. And I have no doubt that I'll learn a whole lot more from all of you the more we're around each other." "Like what", I queried. "Yes, give us some examples here, LeVar, so we know what you're talking about," Tom added. "First, I guess, is the family or social nudity. While it's something I've contemplated over the years, I just never felt secure enough with my own body, my own feelings, my body's possible reactions, to give it a try. But now that I have, I can see there's absolutely nothing wrong, weird, creepy or obscene about it. It's just people living their lives, albeit, without the suffocating restrictions of clothing. And I find myself reveling in that freedom. After spending most of the day nude, I couldn't wait for everyone to leave so I could return to that state of comfort. And to my credit and surprise, I've only had one, um, erection." Tom and I chuckled at his comment before he continued. "Second on my list would the positivity all of you exude with your whole-hearted embracing of your sexuality. And for your sons, at their ages, to be so positive and confident about that aspect of their personalities simply boggles the mind. All you ever hear these days are the horror stories of kids dealing with abuse and bullying because they're gay, trans or whatever. And right here in this house, you have four kids who don't give a rat's ass what others think of them, and they're ready to take this world by storm. Their support group at the school, and the fact they've already saved one kid's life because of it just proves the point. My God, talk about role models that other people should embrace and emulate. "Third would have to be how much you all truly care about other people. On that front, you have the fact you've agreed to adopt four boys who were probably all but unplaceable due their ages and sexuality, but you didn't care. You welcomed them into your lives, your home and your hearts, and they're all that much better off for that selfless act of kindness. Then you took in Andy shortly after the others had moved in, as if it was something you do every day. A few weeks later, you added Logan to the mix when he had issues with his dad. And now that his dad is gone, I've no doubt you're going to continue to support and help him, even adopt him if that becomes an option. "Lastly, you have the new home you plan to build so you can help even more kids than you already are. You have no idea what kinds of kids you might get, what their problems might be or how long they might live with you, but those issues don't seem to be slowing you down one bit. Come hell or high water, you're going to make it happen. I firmly believe you'd build a house two or three times the size of what you're already planning so you could help as many kids as possible. Go ahead, try to tell me I'm wrong about any of that." "No, you're not wrong, LeVar," I smiled. "And I'd build a fucking twenty-story hotel if it meant we could help more kids." "But we get the penthouse," Tom added with a chuckle. "And I don't doubt that one bit, you two," LeVar laughed. "Look, I spent a fair amount of time with the boys yesterday and came away from that being very impressed with their compassion and desire to help other kids. They've already started doing that with their group at school. And with what they said to Ray and the way they handled themselves in front of a camera just adds further proof to their true character. I'd like to see them do anything they want in the future because I can already see the positive change they'll create. With what I do for a living, the best way I can further that impact is to capture their spirit on video and share it with a viewing audience." "Whoa, LeVar, hold on there a second. I'm not too sure we want the boys, or ourselves for that matter, being recorded for the entertainment, or even the education, of the masses." "No, no, you misunderstand what I want to do. I wouldn't dare intrude into your lives like that. I just want to base the show on you, not have you in it personally. I'd build a facsimile of your home on a soundstage, hire real actors to portray you and create storylines that more or less follow your real life. All the character's names would be changed, along with the location and other things in an attempt to minimize the impact on you. I want to do this as a regular series as much as possible, just using you all for a basis in reality instead of being pure fantasy." "Well, that sounds a little better, I guess," was my hedging response. "What, you mean I don't get to become an international screen sensation?" Tom pouted. LeVar and I both cracked up after that comment. When we settled back down, LeVar finally asked, "So, what do you think? Are you with me?" "I don't know," I answered thoughtfully. "While I'm intrigued with the idea, I worry about how being involved in such a project could affect our lives. You've obviously been giving this a lot of thought today. Can you give us a general idea of how you think you'll pull it off?" "I've thought of hardly anything else and I'm glad you asked," LeVar replied while clapping his hands together and scooting forward to sit on the edge of the loveseat. "My initial thinking is to take the first season to cover the childhood and early adult years of the main character, who I've named Jackson. We'd start with Jackson at about the age of five, move through the ages of, say, seven to eleven, depicting his confusion and internal struggle after realizing he likes boys more than girls, even though his parents and church say it's wrong to feel that way. Then move on to the early to mid-teens and the abuse that stymied his growth into adulthood to, say, about the release of his first book. "We'd follow that up as we deal with the next ten or twelve years and end the first season about where you were late last year, depicting his acceptance of being gay, the rejection by his parents and the depression that followed. I think we could cover each of those stages in three to four shows for each time period, so say, twelve one-hour episodes, and we'd end the season with Jackson's decision to try adoption. "We follow the same story arc with, uh, Tim, let's say. From young childhood through early adulthood and intermingle bits of each character's life throughout each episode. And to help keep a bit of separation between reality and fiction, we'd have Jackson and Tim be the same age. That way the audience can see the development of both the main characters. "The second season would pick up from there, and the biggest hurdle we'll have to cross then will be finding parents who won't object to their sons being filmed nude. I'm sure it won't be an easy task, but I think as long they're allowed on set during taping, we could quell any concerns they may have. We'd almost have to have scripts for the entire second season ready to go when we do the casting so everybody would know right up front what they're getting into and what will be expected from the actors. "Since most of the first season will be mostly Jackson and Tim, we could do it with a minimum of other actors to help keep production costs down for the first year. I'm assuming you didn't become a real nudist until after you moved into this house, so we wouldn't have to worry too much about that the first season either. The only trick will be finding a male lead who'd be willing to be nude for most of the day as we taped each of the later episodes. "While what we depict on the show wouldn't be a direct parallel of your actual lives, I'd like it to be as close to the truth as you'd be comfortable with. So, what do you think?" "And just what, exactly, do we get out of it?" Tom asked bluntly. "Untold wealth and riches," LeVar laughed. "Eh, already got that," Tom reflected. "What else ya got?" "My undying devotion for helping the project succeed?" LeVar asked warily. "Okay, I'm in," Tom chuckled. I looked at Tom in surprise at his easy acceptance of LeVar's proposal. Though I was liking the idea and seriously considering being involved with it, I was still a bit hesitant to jump in with both feet. "I have to think about this, LeVar. In theory, it sounds great, but I'm not sure you're going to find anyone who would actually let you tape a show with nude kids, let alone air it." "That's my fight, Max. And while I won't fight it to the death of me, I'll still give it my best shot." "We also need to talk to the boys to see how they'd feel about their lives being seen by that many other people. I'm not too sure they'll like the idea." "Are you kiddin' me?" LeVar laughed. "They'd do it themselves if you'd let them." After a moment of reflection, I realized LeVar was right in his assessment. "Yeah, no doubt they would. But we still need to talk about it ourselves and with the boys." "That's as it should be," LeVar responded. "Do you think you might be able to give me an answer before I leave tomorrow?" "That shouldn't be a problem. What do you think, Tom? Or is it Tim, now?" "Nope, I'm still Tom. Tim's my alter-ego, kinda like Jake is yours. And I already said I'm in. Or did you miss that?" "No-o-o, I caught it, just makin' sure you didn't change your mind." "Not a chance," Tom countered. "If you think your book is gonna help people, just think how many a TV show will help. A lot more folks watch TV than read books, ya know." "Don't remind me," the author in me moaned. I turned back to LeVar and added, "Okay, we'll talk to the boys tomorrow morning and see what they say. Fair enough?" "I can live with it, guys. Thanks for hearing me out." "I've got one more question for you before I have that talk, though." "What's that, Max?" "How would you handle the abuse part of the story?" "Very delicately, of course. I'd be looking for a kid who could portray a sullen, moody, angst-riddled teen without a problem. That shouldn't be too difficult to accomplish since almost all young teens fit that description to a tee. The abuse scenes themselves would be done in way that while all we actually see onscreen are the faces and torsos of the individuals, and we'd hear their voices, there would be no doubt about what was happening. And I would only use that footage to show the beginning of the abuse. Any following scenes we'd need would simply be Jackson and his abusers disappearing into the office. We'd record enough of the abuse that we could use snippets in later episodes to show flashes of it as Jackson deals with his suppressed memories coming back to him." "So, the actors in those scenes wouldn't be nude during their recording." "Absolutely not. They'll be difficult scenes to deal with, for sure, but with the right camera angles, lighting and gentle editing, we can pull it off." "Okay, I just wanted to know how you'd handle that. I know the abuse part of my life is super important to the overall story, but I had to understand how'd you'd incorporate it without being too graphic." "No worries, Max, I understand. I'll treat the subject with kid gloves." "Thanks, LeVar." "Max, can I ask you somethin'?" Tom quietly voiced. "Shoot, big guy," I replied as I turned to face him. "Now that you know that Jake is based on you, and he's saddled with most of your same foibles and insecurities, do you think there's any chance he was abused like you were?" "Well, hell, I hadn't even thought about that." I sat quietly for a few moments as I mulled over the implication of Tom's question. "I suppose anything's possible, but, after some quick thought, I don't think so. When I started writing and created Jake, I had no idea at the time what had happened to me, so it seems unlikely." "Well, you were hiding deep in the closet at the time, too, but you still created Jake as a gay man. Any chance your subconscious heaped the abuse on him along with everything else?" "Tell you what, let me get the next couple of books written and ask me again. I might have a real answer for you by that time." "Deal," Tom answered with a smile. "Well, I don't know about you two, but I need some shut-eye," I commented. "This weekend has `long days' written all over it." "Nope, I'm ready, too," Tom agreed. "I'll be awake for bit," LeVar said, "but I promise I'll be quiet." "We'll see you in the morning, then. Sleep well, LeVar." "Thanks, you too." We headed to our bedroom for a well-earned good night's sleep, but I had some questions for Tom before we could even think about it. Once we'd settled on the bed, my first question was, "So, what happens next with Charlie?" "Well, we don't have to deal with identification. Dylan and I already took care of that with Sebastian. Next, Sebastian will do an autopsy, though I don't think there's much question as to the cause of Charlie's death. It'll be more checking to see if he was under the influence of something, or had a heart attack or stroke, most likely. With Charlie's experience of dealing with things alone, I'm sure he was extra careful whenever he was around operating equipment. We'll just have to wait and see what the M.E. finds." "Okay, what do we about a funeral or whatever? Should we deal with all of that, do we include Logan in those decisions? And what about any other family?" "Derek will take care of tracking down and notifying any other family members. After Sebastian left, Derek was going in the house to see if he could find anything to help him with that thankless task. He told me he'd let us know if he did. As for the funeral, I don't know, babe. Once Sebastian is done with his work, Charlie's body will be released for pick up by a funeral home to take care of him. Since Logan's mom died just a year ago, he should know who took care of her arrangements and I guess we call them to take care of Charlie also." "Yeah, I guess so. I'm going to call Carol in the morning to let her know what's happened. She'll need to deal with where Logan goes from here. While I'm hoping he can stay with us, I'm sure any of his mom or dad's next of kin would come before we would." "Logan won't much like it if he has to move." "We won't either, but if that's what has to happen, we need to accept it." "Oh, I'll accept it, but I sure ain't gonna like it." "I'm with ya on that, big guy. Okay, it sounds like we have half of a plan for tomorrow, anyway. Guess we'll try to figure out what happens Sunday tomorrow night." With our conversation over, we curled up together and, after a sharing a kiss and `I love you', let sleep take us. I was out of it until I woke up about two-thirty in the morning and felt the bed moving. It wasn't until I felt something crawling over me that I realized what was happening. I opened my eyes just enough to make out the sad face of Logan in front of me, eyes silently begging. My reply was to scoot back a bit to leave a munchkin-sized gap between Tom and me before lifting the covers. Logan quickly filled the empty space and backed into me so I could hold him as we drifted off. When I was awakened by the sun streaming through the windows in the morning, I was confused as to who I was holding. I knew it couldn't be Tom since the body's frame was so small. Upon opening my eyes and recognizing the back of Logan's head two inches in front of my face, I flashed back to my middle of the night sleep interruption and remembered him climbing over me and under the covers. "You awake, buddy?" I whispered. "Yeah, Dad," he answered as he rolled over to face me. "Been awake for a while, now. I didn't really sleep much last night, even though I liked the way you held me." "No, probably not," I agreed. "You doin' okay?" "I don't know," he muttered numbly. "It's still sinkin' in � my daddy's gone. He is, isn't he? It weren't just a bad dream or somethin' stupid like that, was it?" "I'm sure it feels like the worst dream ever, but yes, Logan, he is." "Damn it, that sucks big ol' donkey dicks." I couldn't help but snicker at his minor outburst. "Why does bad shit keep happenin' to me?" he whimpered quietly. "First momma, now daddy," he moaned. "What the hell'd I do to deserve shit like this? Everybody I love just keeps goin' away. I mean, who's next, you and Pops?" "Logan, listen to me. You've done absolutely nothing. Nobody ever deserves to lose the people they love. But, sometimes, life just sucks and there's nothing any of us can do to change that." "Ya ain't gotta tell me that," he chuffed. "No, I guess I don't." "You ain't gonna leave me, are ya?" "Not if I can help it, I won't." "What' the hell's that mean?" "I guess it depends on if you have any other family members who might take you in." "Well, there's my Uncle Troy. He's daddy's brother and lives outside of Dexter, way down south in Missouri. He's got a tree farm, grows peaches and apples. An orchid, I think daddy called it." "I think you mean an orchard, Logan." "Yeah, that's it, an orchard. But what about him? I don't wanna go live with them, he's even meaner than my daddy was, and my cousins are all shitheads, too, just like him. They was always pickin' on me whenever we got together and I hate all of `em." "We may not have a choice, kiddo. When a kid your age loses both parents, the courts take over and they really want to keep families together when possible." "But, don't I get a say in where I live?" "If you were a little older, a judge might listen to what you had to say, but at nine, that seems unlikely." "And there goes life, fuckin' me all over again." "You know we'll do whatever we can, but our hands may be tied." "I gots a damn sharp knife that'll fix that problem in a jiffy," Logan grinned. I chuckled and answered, "I bet you do, young man. It sounds like we need to call your uncle today and let him know what's happened. I'm sure he'll have something to say about your dad's funeral arrangements." "Ain't none of it gonna be nothin' nice, so why waste your time?" "It's called common courtesy, Logan. I know you and your dad had some problems, but Troy was his brother. He needs to know what's going on." "Yeah, all right, but I don't wanna talk to him." "That's fine, Tom and I will do all the talking." "Good. Now, what's for breakfast?" "There's the eating machine we've all grown to love. I just knew he was hidin' somewhere in there," I chuckled as I poked Logan's belly. "How's waffles and sausage sound?" "Yummy, Dad. Let's go." "Tell ya what, you go roust Damon and your brothers while I get Pops movin' and we'll all meet in the kitchen." "You got it, old man," Logan giggled as he crawled out from under the covers, jumped off the bed and flew through the door. I shook Tom's shoulder to wake him up and after his eyes fluttered open, I said, "Time to rise and shine, big guy. We're doing waffles and sausage for breakfast." "Mmmphh, what you need me for? You go have fun and come get me in a couple hours." "C'mon, Tom. We've got a lot to deal with today. Plus, your mom and dad are stopping by on their way home, remember?" "Oh, yeah," he answered as his eyes popped fully open. "I'll be out to help right after I hit the john." "If you aren't, I'm siccing my minions on you," I retorted as I left the bedroom to make my way to the kitchen. "Oh, the horror," he mockingly laughed to my back. By the time I'd reached the kitchen, the boys were lined up on their stools and anxious for breakfast. As I got busy with making the syrup and the waffle batter, the boys got busy setting the table for nine of us. Tom finally put in his appearance and after pouring a cup of coffee for himself, he pulled out the waffle iron and got it plugged in so it could warm up. With that minor chore taken care of, Tom started cooking the sausage on the double burner griddle plate. I let him work on the sausage about five minutes before I poured the batter for the first waffle into the iron. Just as I closed the lid, LeVar rounded the corner to join us. "Mornin', guys, what's for breakfast?" he asked. "Waffles and sausage, Mr. Burton," Logan answered. "It was my idea." "That sounds good to me, too, Logan," LeVar agreed. "Anything I can do to help out?" "I think we've got everything under control, LeVar, but thanks for asking," Tom answered. "Have you had a chance to talk to your sons about my idea?" "What idea?" Alex quickly asked. "Uh, not just yet. I thought we'd do that over breakfast," I replied. "Good, then I'll be there to answer any questions they may have." "C'mon, Dads, spill it," Joey demanded. "When we're sitting down, Joey, which will be soon enough," Tom said. "Fine," the twins grumped. With keeping the waffles and sausage warm in the oven as we continued to cook, we were soon ready to sit and enjoy our breakfast. The boys allowed us just enough time to add butter and syrup to our waffles and take our first bite before the conversation began in earnest. "Okay, Dads, what's the scoop," T.J. demanded. "What, you don't already know?" Tom asked. "No, there's too much other junk flyin' through the air from these other goobers." "Yea, Dad, spit it out already," Mike chuffed. "Fine, here's the deal." Between bites of our meal, Tom and I spent about five minutes laying out LeVar's proposal from last night. When we finally finished our explanation, I asked, "So what do y'all think?" "Why do you two even ask us such silly questions?" Joey giggled. "Yeah, it's like askin' a cop if he likes doughnuts?" Alex laughed. "Well, speaking as a former cop, I'll have to say that's a definite yes," Tom chuckled. "Does anyone have any questions for LeVar before we give him an answer?" I queried. "Nope, we're on board, Dads," T.J. answered. "All of you?" Tom asked. The answer to that question was six heads nodding so vigorously they looked like they might fly off the shoulders to which they were attached. Tom then turned to LeVar and said, "There's your answer, LeVar. What do you need from us?" "Nothing right now, guys. I'm going to skip New York and head for home this afternoon so I can get some things organized there and at my office on Monday. Once I talk to some of my people, I'll be in touch to make arrangements for us to come back and talk to each of you." "Why do you need to that?" I asked. "I just want the background details we provide for each character to be as close to the truth as possible. The best way to do that is to get it all direct from the horses' mouths. I also want to get pictures of all of you so when it's time to select our cast, we can make sure we select people who are at least close in appearance to who they'll be portraying. Same with trying to record impressions of each of your personalities, too." "Why go to all that trouble," Joey asked. "Yeah, why not just let us do it ourselves?" Alex added. "See, what'd I tell you two last night?" LeVar asked with a grin while looking at Tom and me. "Doesn't surprise us a bit, LeVar," I laughed. By the time our chat was over, it was time to start cleaning up the mess we'd made. While nine of us got busy with that task, LeVar excused himself so he could start getting his things together for his trip home. After placing a call for a limo to pick him up, he settled into the living room with his baggage, and the clothes he planned to wear were draped over the arm of the loveseat. While the boys disappeared into the theater, Tom and I joined LeVar. "Enjoying your freedom as long as you can, I see," Tom commented. "You bet I am. I'm gonna have to talk the boss into trying it once I get home. Maybe if she joins me, we can finally visit one of those resorts I found." "I wish you good luck with that, LeVar," I chuckled. "So, what do you have to do when you get back?" "First thing Monday morning, I'll get with the legal eagles and have them get the basics drawn up for the contracts on the movie project. Hopefully, we can get those sent Monday afternoon so you, Rich and his dad can look them over. If everything looks good, just sign them and send `em back. If you want changes, let me know and we'll see what we can work out." "As long as they come in with the same terms we discussed the other night, I don't see where we'll need any changes. I'm still going to have my attorney review them before we sign, though." "As you should," LeVar agreed. "What about the other project?" Tom asked. "When I'm talking to legal about the movie contracts, I'll have them draw up the contracts for that one at the same time." "Why would you need them? We've already given our approval," I replied. "Well, first, I want to make sure we're all in agreement as to what the plan is. The only way to do that is to have a contract listing those specific details and have your signatures saying you agree with them. Second, there's the not so small matter of payment to you and your sons for the rights to your stories." "Wait, what payment?" I asked. "You didn't say anything about that last night." "Oops, I guess I forgot to tell you `bout that in my excitement," LeVar chuckled. "The boys, including Logan since I assume he'll soon be joining the family, are going to receive a million dollars each for their rights, and you and Tom will get two million each for yours. All of you will be credited as `Creative Consultants' for the show and will also be paid for each episode as such." "Oh my god!" I exclaimed in surprise. "You can't be serious." "As a heart attack, guys." "But what if you can't find anyone who'll take on the project with, wait, what'd you call it last night? Oh yeah, the `rampant nudity'," I added with a chuckle. "I'm going to do the series, one way or another. While I hope I can find a partner who will accept it the way it should be is another story, but it's going to happen. I know we're gonna be pushing the envelope with what many people consider `acceptable', but I think it's high time we did so." Tom and I stared dumbly at each other at this unexpected windfall as we tried to absorb the news. He finally broke the silence when he numbly mumbled, "Pinch me." After doing as requested, he added, "Yep, not a dream." "Boys, this is your life, get used to it." "We're tryin', LeVar, but there's so much happening, it's hard to keep up, sometimes," I replied. "Well, that's the last surprise I have for you. Today, anyway," he added with a quick chuckle. "Thank god for that," I moaned. The drive sensor chose that moment to announce someone pulling in. "I bet that's my cue to get dressed, damn it," LeVar said as he stood up and grabbed his clothes. He pulled on his shorts, shirt and shoes, then turned to us to say goodbye. "I want to thank you for letting me stay with you the past couple of days. I've had a great time getting to know all of you and I look forward to seeing you again. It's going to be fun working together." "We're glad you came out, LeVar. We've enjoyed the visit and getting to know you also. I can honestly say meeting you has been the highlight of my life." "Wait, what about me?" Tom asked. "I thought I was the highlight." "Well, you're number one, for sure," I reassured him while patting his cheek. "And the boys would have to take the next six places on that list. But LeVar is right after them. Feel better, now?" "Much, thank you," he replied with a cheesy grin. The theater door banged open and the house shook as the herd rumbled across the house to join us. "Is that Grandma and Grampa comin'?" Alex asked. "Probably LeVar's ride so he can head back home guys." "You're leaving already?" T.J. asked. "Yeah, I've got a lot work to do when I get back home. But I'll be back soon, don't worry about that." "Sweet!" Joey enthused. "Bye, Mr. Burton. It was really cool to meet you," he added while giving LeVar a hug. "It was cool to talk about Star Trek, too," Alex added as he joined in the hug. That was all it took as all the boys surrounded the dazed man and hugged the stuffing out of him. When they finally broke up, Tom and I stepped in to say our goodbyes, also. We tried to shake hands, but he pulled us both into a hug and thanked us for welcoming him into our ever-growing family. "We're glad to have you become a part of it. Have a safe flight home." "I will. And thanks for your hospitality. We'll be talking sometime next week, I'm sure." With that final comment, LeVar turned and aimed for the front door. To avoid his driver seeing our current state of dress, we all waved goodbye from the living room as LeVar stepped outside and closed the door behind him. Tom and I sank back into our chairs and took a few moments to collect our thoughts while the herd stared at us with questioning looks. When I felt I was ready to tell the boys of what LeVar had just informed us, I looked to Tom and asked, "You ready, yet?" "No time like the present, might as well get it over with," he agreed. He turned to the group still surrounding us and said, "Boys, have a seat, we need to talk." "Now what?" Andy asked nervously as the couch and loveseat filled up. "We didn't know about this until just a few minutes ago, but there's one more thing you all need to know about this series LeVar wants to create about us." "Are we gonna like it?" Mike asked pointedly. "Well, we hope so," Tom replied. After a short pause to let the suspense build, "Part of the deal in allowing LeVar to do the show is he is going to pay us for the rights to our stories." "Yeah, how much?" Joey asked excitedly. "So, what? We get a few bucks, big deal," Alex said. "It more than just a few bucks, Alex." I replied. "You guys are going to get a million dollars. Each." "HOLY CRAP!" Alex screamed. "WE'RE MILLIONAIRES!" Joey added at full volume. The others were too surprised at their good fortune to be able to say anything. All except for Logan, that is. "And there goes life, fuckin' me all over again," he grumbled. "Why would you think that, young man?" Tom asked. "Well, I ain't really part of the family, am I?" he whined. "Not officially, no, but LeVar said you're included in that, too," I replied calmly. "You're shittin' me, right?" he retorted with surprise filling his face. "Not a bit, young man," I answered with a grin. "Oh, my God," he cried as he broke down into a sobbing heap. I quickly moved over to him so I could hold him as he cried. After letting him go for a few minutes, I finally asked, "What's wrong, buddy?" "I'm gonna get rich and daddy ain't here to enjoy it with me," he whimpered. "I'm sorry, Logan. I'm sure your dad would be happy for you." "S'okay, I'll get used to it. Someday." "I know you will, but it's gonna take a while." "Yeah, I know. I been through this hell once already, I can do it again," he replied as he snagged some kleenex and wiped his face dry. "We know it won't be easy, but we'll help you through it, okay?" After a quick nod, I added, "Now, would you guys watch a movie or play a game for a while. Pops and I need to deal with some phone calls." "You got it, Dads," T.J. answered. "C'mon, dudes, I can hear the Uno cards callin' our names." As they started towards their bedrooms, I held on to Logan for just a moment so I could ask a question to which only he would know the answer. "I hate to ask this, but do you remember who took care of your mother's funeral? I figured we'd have them take care of your dad's arrangements, too." "Oh, yeah, it was just the place over in New Berlin. And she's buried at the church just out the Old Jack a bit. I think when daddy took care of that, he bought a spot for him, too, so they could be together." "Thanks, Logan. Scoot on out of here, then, and we'll get busy on the phones." We watched as he slowly headed down the hallway to join the others, his head hanging low as he plodded along. "That is one sad kiddo," Tom commented. "For good reason, hon. Okay, Logan told me in bed this morning about his uncle Troy, Charlie's brother. You want to call Derek and see if he's found any other family while I call Carol and fill her in?" "Sure thing, babe." Tom picked up the phone to make his call while I headed to the kitchen to make mine. I called Carol's cell number since I didn't have a clue where she would be today. "Good morning, Max. You wouldn't be callin' me on a Saturday with good news. What's happened?" "Charlie Campbell, Logan's dad, died last night in an accident on their farm." "Oh, no, that's horrible! How's Logan doing?" "Not too good, but he's tryin' to hang tough. Any idea what's going to happen to Logan now?" "First it depends on if Charlie had a will. Usually, parents will make a request of who they'd like to take care of any minor children they may have if they die before the child becomes an adult. If there's no will, we'll try to find other family members of the deceased who would be willing to give any minor children a home. Failing that, then it's up to the courts, in our case, Judge Corgan." "Well, I don't know about a will, but Logan told me this morning about an uncle who lives in Missouri. Should we contact him or let someone else deal with that?" "Why don't you let the police handle the notification? They're much better equipped to manage these situations, Max. And if the uncle needs to get in touch with you for anything, let him go through the police, too. With a child involved, especially after a death, emotions are often out of control and you'd be better off to keep Logan out of any possible difficult situations." "That works for me. Tom was calling Derek to find out if he'd had any success with finding the uncle while I called you. From what Logan told me about the man this morning, he sounds like a real piece of work I'd just as soon not know. What about funeral arrangements? Since Logan's living with us, do you think we should be involved with those?" "Again, that's probably something you should leave up to Logan and the uncle." "But I feel like we should be doing more." "You guys just take care of Logan. He's the most important. Everything else is a minor inconvenience." "I think Charlie may disagree with you on that." "He probably would, but I'm only concerned with Logan." "All right, all right, I get it." "Look, I know I don't have the answers you were looking for, but I'll see what I can find out." "Thanks, Carol. I appreciate your help. Talk to you later." "Bye, Max. Tell Logan I'm thinking about him." I hung up the phone and headed back to the living room to see if Tom had better success than I did. After sinking heavily into my chair, I asked, "What's the scoop, big guy?" "Derek got a hold of Troy this morning and he's coming up here to deal with things. From what Derek said, the guy sounds like a real pain in the ass. He was actually pissed off that Derek went into the house." "Give Troy a little break, would ya? He just lost his brother." "I'll try, babe, but it sounds like the dude's just an asshole. Derek said the only thing he asked about was what's going to happen to the farm, not Charlie, not Logan, the damn farm." "Did Derek say anything about finding a will?" "He didn't see that anywhere, but he did find a locked fireproof storage box. He has no idea what's inside it." "Do you know David's number?" "Yeah, thanks to our poker nights. You really think we need to call him?" "We need to protect Logan and his interests. I think I know what Troy's thinkin', and I don't like it." "Well, what are you thinking?" "From what Logan and Derek have both said, it sounds like Troy believes he's should be the one to inherit the farm. If Charlie left a will and those were his wishes, then so be it. But if he didn't have a will, then I think Logan would be the one who inherits. If that's the case, we need to make sure that's what happens." "You know somethin', you shoulda been a lawyer," Tom chuckled. "Let's not be nasty, hon," I retorted before adding, "Make the call, please." Tom dialed the judge's number and after a few rings, the call was answered. "Tom, is that you?" Margie greeted. "Good morning, Margie. How are you today?" "I'm doing well, thanks. I've been meaning to send you a congratulations greeting, but I keep forgetting to follow through with my thought." "Thanks. I hate to bother him on a day off, but is his Honor available? I need to discuss a possibly serious legal problem with him." "He always has time for you, young man. One moment while I call him to the phone." "Thank you, Margie. Have a great weekend." "Thanks, you too. Hang on." We could hear Margie calling David to the phone and he joined us shortly. "Good morning, Tom. To what do I owe the pleasure." "Not much pleasure this morning, your Honor. Max and I need a legal opinion from someone who will know the answer without having to look it up." "Well, shoot, young man." "Logan's father, Charlie, was killed last night in a freak accident on his farm." "Oh, no! I hate to hear that, especially when the two seemed to be back on the road to a more normal father and son relationship. How is Logan handling things?" "Not well at all, your Honor." "I'd imagine not. Please, let him know we'll be thinking about him. So, what's your question?" "Well, I guess we actually have two. The first is what happens with Logan now? Will he get to stay with us or will he have to go somewhere else? The second is what will happen with the farm?" "Well, I'm sure you already know the answer to both questions all depends on if Mr. Campbell has left a will stating his wishes in the event of his death. If he did, then the will would need to be probated, and the executor will disburse the estate following the instructions set forth. If there is no will, then, under Illinois law, the child would stand to inherit the entire estate as the sole surviving descendant of the parents." "That's pretty much what Max thought on the estate question. But what about Logan, himself?" "Again, if there's a will, then a designation as to whom would become the child's legal guardian until he reaches the age of majority will probably be noted therein, and he would go live with said guardian, most likely, a member of the child's extended family. If there is no will, then the court will generally lean towards placing the minor child with any found extended family, unless there is sufficient cause to believe that would not be in the child's best interests. In that case, the child will be placed in foster care in hopes that an acceptable adoptive family can be located for him or her." "Would Logan have any say in where he lives?" I asked. "To be bluntly honest, at his tender age, no. If he were a few years older, say fourteen or so, then a judge will sometimes listen to the minor's request and give that request due consideration. But even then, if the minor's request is deemed by the court to be unsatisfactory or not in the child's best interests, then the court will do what it feels is the proper thing." "So, what you're saying is that Logan could end up anywhere and neither he nor we have any say in it," Tom said, asking for clarification. "Unfortunately, yes, that's exactly what I'm saying." "Um, excuse me, David, Max again. Logan has already told me that, basically, his uncle is not a good man and he and his cousins have always been extremely mean to Logan whenever they've been together. Wouldn't that have some bearing on where Logan ends up living?" "If there were proof to back up those accusations, most definitely. However, lacking that proof, the court would have no option but to grant guardianship to the decedent's next of kin. Providing, of course, they are interested and willing to take the child into their home." "I was afraid that was going to be the answer." "Listen, boys, I know it's not what you wanted hear, but that's the bald truth of it. Since any court proceedings concerning the young man in question will, undoubtedly, be heard in my court, you can rest assured that I will do the utmost to protect his well-being and interests. Despite the fact that I know you personally and feel that your home is most likely the best place for the child to live, I must, of course, follow the laws of the state." "We know that, David," I groaned in abject defeat. "I just wanted to make sure where we stand." "I wish I could give you better news." "We do, too, your Honor," Tom replied. "Thanks for your time this morning." "Always happy to help. Try to have a good day." After ending the call, we sat in silence for a few moments before either of us dared to speak. "Well, to steal a phrase from Logan, that just sucks big ol' donkey dicks," I muttered. "I won't argue that point with you one bit, babe." "So, what do we do now?" I wondered aloud. "Don't have a clue. Guess we wait for Troy to get here." "No!" Logan exclaimed as he rounded the corner from the hallway, followed by the rest of the herd. "What do you mean, Logan?" Tom asked. "I wanna go get some stuff from the house before he gets here. I don't wanna hafta worry `bout him throwin' out somethin' I don't wanna lose. Him and his whole family never liked my momma and he'd pro'lly trash everythin' that was hers just `cause of that. `Sides, I need to see how Buster's doin." "Who's Buster, your dog?" I asked. "Nah, we ain't never had a dog," he giggled in reply. "Buster's the baby bull that got born last week. I needs to make sure he's okay." I looked to Tom and asked, "You up for a field trip?" "Guess I better be," he laughed at my unintentional pun. He turned back to face the herd surrounding us and added, "Boys, get dressed, we're goin out." All seven munchkins disappeared down the hall amid a round of cheering at the unexpected detour while we headed to our own room to follow suit. Five minutes later we had regrouped in the living and were ready to roll. Not knowing how much Logan wanted to retrieve from home, we decided to take both cars to ensure we'd have plenty of room. After ten minutes of following Logan's directions, we pulled in the drive of his family's farm south of New Berlin, though I was already thinking of it as Logan's farm. We parked by the side of the sprawling two-story farmhouse and got out of the cars. It seemed to be very quiet to me, but with never being on a farm before, I realized I didn't know what one should sound like. I finally broke the silence that had befallen us when I asked, "Where do you want to start, Logan?" "Let's check on Buster first," he answered as he turned towards the barn. "Whoa, young man," I called out as I grabbed him by the shoulder. "I don't think we should go in there, not just yet, anyway. Why don't you guys go in the house with me and we can start collecting the things you want from there. I'll have Pops check out the barn before we go out there, okay?" "Oh, yeah, didn't think `bout that," Logan muttered. "Good, you guys head inside and I'll be right behind you." After they charged up the front steps and vanished through the door, I turned to Tom and asked, "You don't mind doin' that for me, do you?" "Don't worry about it, babe, I was thinkin' the same thing. Though we didn't have great light to work by last night, I don't think it was too messy. I don't remember massive blood loss or anything like that, if that's what you're worried about?" "Thanks, I knew you'd understand, that's why I love you so much," I whispered as I hugged him. "Be careful, please, and come back to the house when you're done." "I'll watch my step, for sure. There's critters out here, ya know? If I step in the wrong place, you might not let me drive home." Despite the situation, I couldn't help but laugh before responding, "Oh, you can drive home, all right, just as long as you leave your shoes here." "Deal. Be back in a few minutes." We went our separate ways and soon enough, I stepped inside the house. From appearances, it was your basic farm home, though very nicely appointed. I could hear noises emanating from somewhere up the stairway, so I followed the sounds of doors slamming and drawers banging. What I found when I reached the top of the stairs could only be described as pure bedlam. All seven boys were in what was obviously Logan's bedroom, emptying the closet and dresser onto Logan's bed, clearing off all the shelves, and a pair of feet was sticking out from under the bed as someone was trying to retrieve an item from the deep recesses below. I soon heard a muffled voice call out, "Got it dudes, pull me back out!" Joey and Alex grabbed the exposed feet and gently extracted Logan from under his bed. When he reappeared, he was clutching the most worn and tattered teddy bear I'd ever laid eyes on. I quietly laughed to myself, then turned and headed back down the stairs to take a quick survey of any other items Logan might want to take with him today. There were multitudes of family photos on the walls, tables and shelves, and I also found several albums containing more pictures on a set of shelves next to the fireplace in the living room. I set the albums on the table in front of the sofa so we wouldn't forget to take them with us. As I continued my wandering, I heard the front door close behind me and returned to the foyer to find Tom coming back from his inspection of the barn. "So, how is it out there?" "Okay, I think. Sebastian had untangled Charlie's coveralls from the equipment and took them with him. Except for a few dark spots on the walls in the corner where we found him, you'd never know someone died out there last night." "That's good for Logan, I guess. I'd sure hate for him to see anything that would upset him more than he already is." "Where's the herd?" Tom asked. "Upstairs, clearing out Logan's room." "Not no more," Logan called out as he came down the stairs dragging the blanket from his bed, the rest of the boys following in his wake. The blanket had been bundled up to keep anything from falling out and each of the others was carrying armfuls of books and other items from the shelves in his room. "Okay, that's everything I want from upstairs, Dads, time to take care of the downstairs." "What the devil is all that?" Tom asked. "Just all my clothes, shoes, books, toys, everything I don't want Uncle Dirtbag to have a chance to throw away, `cause he'd do it, just to piss me off." Logan then turned back to the boys who had relieved themselves of their burdens and said, "Dudes, let's grab every picture off every wall, shelf and table and bring `em back here." All seven split up and began following Logan's instructions, disappearing into other rooms, then coming back to the living room and carefully placing the pictures on the sofa. When that was done, Logan, said, "Guess we're gonna need some boxes to put all this junk in. Joey, Alex, Damon, come to the basement with me. There's boxes down there we can dump out." The four went through the kitchen and headed down the stairs. Once they were out of earshot, T.J. asked, "Is Logan really movin' in with us for good?" "I don't know, son. We're going to do everything we can to make it happen, though," I answered. "I hope so," Mike said. "Yeah, we'd miss him if he had to leave," Andy added. "We would, too, guys," Tom agreed. The other four returned from the basement with eight boxes and Logan put them all too work. "Okay, guys, do me a favor and put all this loose junk in the boxes. I'll sort through all of it later. I gotta call someone." "Who do you need to call, Logan," I asked. "Mr. Bartley. He lives just down the road, `member? I need to tell him what's happened and see if he can take care of the animals `til we figger out what's gonna happen with the farm." He promptly turned for the kitchen and I followed along. After consulting the list of people's names and numbers tacked to the wall next to the phone, Logan picked up the receiver and dialed the number. "Hey, Ryan, it's Logan. ... Campbell, ya twit, from down the road. ... Not too good, man. Hey, listen, I gotta talk to your dad. ... Yes, now, ya moron. Go get him, will ya? ... Thanks, I ain't goin' nowhere." A minute later, the tense conversation continued. "Mornin', Mr. Bartley, it's Logan and I need your help. Can you come down to the house, please? ... I'll tell you `bout it when you get here. ... Yeah, okay, thanks." After hanging up the phone, he turned to me and said, "He'll be here in a few minutes." I knelt in front of Logan and said, "You don't have to deal with this stuff right now." "Yeah, I do. After momma died, Daddy always told me if somethin' happened to him, the farm was mine. And since there ain't no one else to take care of this crap, I gotta. I ain't lettin' the animals starve to death just cause the old man's gone. `Specially Buster." "Logan, listen to me. You need to give yourself some time to cope with your dad's death or you're going to end up just like him, mad at everybody and everything because of life's unfairness." "I hear ya, Dad, but now you listen to me. I know what I hafta do. First thing is to make sure the animals are taken care of. They ain't worth much, but if they die, they ain't gonna be worth nothin' to no one. I'm gonna make sure that don't happen. Mr. Bartley took care of things `round here while daddy was in jail and I think he'll do it again. Once I got that handled, I'll take care of myself. Promise." "Just remember, you aren't doing this alone." "I know that, Dad. And, thanks." I pulled the munchkin into hug and didn't let go until we heard the crunch of tires on rock from outside. I released Logan from my tight grasp and we headed towards the front porch. As we passed through the living room, Logan said, "You dudes did great, thanks. Can you and Pops start loading all that into the cars while Dad and me talk to Mr. Bartley? Pops'll probably have to deal with the blanket `cause it's pretty heavy." "You got it, Logan," T.J. answered. The two of us stepped onto the porch just as Joe and Ryan climbed the steps. Logan quickly gave Ryan a hug before shaking hands with Joe, then stepping back to take care of business. "Thanks for comin' down Mr. Bartley. I gots a problem and I hope you can help me out." "What's goin' on, Logan?" Joe asked with concern. "You know I'll do whatever I can." "Well, it's like this. Daddy died last night ..." "What!? How the hell'd that happen?" "Don't know for sure, some kind of accident when he was grindin' feed. But the farm's mine now," Logan answered. "An' I can't deal with none of this `til after daddy's funeral. Can you take care of the animals here `til I figger somethin' else out? I'll pay you for your time." "Logan, buddy, don't you worry `bout a thing. We'll do whatever you need, and don't you dare think about paying us for doing it. We always help out when other people need it, don't we?" "Well, we used to `til momma got sick. Daddy kinda quit helpin' anybody after that." "And we all understand why he did Logan. Now it's our turn to help you." "Thank you, sir, I `ppreciate it. Guess it's a good thing ain't nothin' got planted yet, so I ain't gotta worry none `bout that." Logan then turned to Ryan and added, "Ryan, I gots a special project for you. Follow me, dude." Logan grabbed Ryan by the arm, led him down the steps and across the yard towards the barn, Joe and I following closely behind the pair. As we made our way through the barn, we passed the tractor still attached to the feed grinder. I couldn't help but take a quick look around the area and I noticed that Logan had done the same. We finally stepped through a doorway in the back wall of the barn and into a small fenced-in area where we found the calf named Buster and his mother. "Aww, look at you, Buster. Ain't you just the cutest little dude," Logan cooed with a smile as he stepped closer to the pair of animals standing next to a water trough. "Sorry I wasn't here to help last week when you was born, but shit happens, ya know?" he added as he patted Buster on the head. "I hope you're takin' good care of him Bessie." It seemed as though Bessie winked at Logan in response, but I'm sure that was just my eyes and mind playing tricks on me. "So, what's this project you had for me," Ryan asked. "I need you to take care of Buster." "But I don't know nothin' `bout takin' care of a bull!" Ryan protested. "Your dad can teach you, buddy. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't think you could do it." "Geez, man, you don't want much." "Look, as young as Buster is, he's still nursin' off his momma and will `til he's over six months old. All you gotta do is make sure Bessie gets fed and Buster'll be just fine. And maybe give `im a good brushin' every now and then. Bessie, too. They'll like that." "Brush a cow? Have you lost your mind?" "Nope, just my daddy. Here, let me show you." Logan zipped back into the barn and came back with a big brush. As he spoke softly to Bessie and Buster, he carefully moved closer until he could reach out and touch Bessie on the snout. While stroking her nose and then her neck, he moved around her side and began to run the brush across her flanks. You could see the calm that came over the animal as Logan continued. He finally waved a hand at Ryan, beckoning him to come closer. When Ryan reached the trio, Logan handed him the brush and said, "Here, brush Buster, let `im get used to you." Ryan followed his instructions and started running the brush over Buster's back and sides. "That's it, man, smooth even strokes. And talk to him while you do it." Ryan added a little patter to go with his brushing and Buster soon started leaning into each stroke of the brush. "Good job, Ryan," Logan encouraged his friend. "I think Buster's startin' to really like you. You got this?" "Yeah, man, I got it. This is fun. I'll take good care of them for you, dude." "I knew you would. Thanks. We can go now. I'll show you where I keep the brush inside the barn." As they turned and headed towards Joe and me, Buster followed along, nudging Ryan in the back. Both boys were laughing hysterically at the young calf's antics, but then, Joe and I were also. When they had rejoined us, the four of us continued inside the barn, Buster still closely following Ryan. Logan stopped and before he closed the door, said, "No, Buster, you have to stay here with your momma. She'll take care of you and I'll come back to see you when I can." After one more pat on the head, the door was closed and we continued our trek back to the house. Logan showed Ryan where the brush was stored and as we passed by the tractor again, Logan stopped and said simply, "This is where it happened, ain't it?" With no visible retreat from the query, I answered him honestly, "Yes, it is, Logan." "I figgered as much. Can I have a minute, Max?" "Sure thing, buddy. We'll be right outside." Three of us continued on our way and were soon back out in the bright sunlight of the day. "Joe, I want to say thanks to you and Ryan for helping Logan with things." "No problems, Max. We're happy to do our part. Is what Logan said about the farm being his true?" "I don't have a clue. He says that's what Charlie always told him, but until we find out if Charlie left a will or not, it's all up in the air." "Well, I know Charlie had a brother, but I don't think they got on very well with each other." "That seems to fit with what little bit Logan's said about the man. That's the only reason we're here right now, Logan didn't want his uncle to have a chance to get rid of anything Logan might want to keep. Well, that and to check on Buster," I added with a chuckle. "Logan's a good kid and he's got his priorities straight. For a farmer, anyway," Joe added with a grin. "Ya gotta make sure the livestock's taken care of. After that, then the crops, and like he said, nothin's been planted yet, so no worries there." Logan finally exited the barn, head held high and proud. "Okay, Max, we can go back home now. I done all I came for." "Before you leave, I have something I'd like to discuss with you," Joe said. "What's that Mr. Bartley?" Logan asked with curiosity. "Well, I've been looking to buy some more land, or at least rent some. I know you have a lot to deal with right now, so I don't expect an answer today, but once you know what you're going to do with the farm, I'd like you to keep me in mind." "You have first dibs, Mr. Bartley. And thanks for takin' care of things out here for me until I can deal with it. I promise you'll get paid for your time, so you better keep track of it." Logan then turned to Ryan and added, "Same goes for you, bubba. I don't expect you to tackle my problems for nothin'." "Thanks, Logan, you're all right, dude," Ryan replied. The two boys shared a quick hug while Joe and I shook hands before we parted. As Joe and Ryan climbed into their truck to head back home, Logan and I returned to the house. As we entered the living room, we found Tom and the boys waiting patiently for our return. "Okay, guys, I think that's it for now," Logan said. "Thanks for all your help gettin' it loaded up." "Um, before we go, Logan, there's one more thing we should probably take," I said. "What's that, Dad?" "Derek told Pops he found a fireproof lockbox somewhere. I'm guessing you probably don't want Troy finding it." "Damn right, I don't. He ain't got no business with whatever's in it. Be right back." Logan ran up the stairs and returned shortly with the lockbox in his hands and a key on a string around his neck. "Okay, let's get outta here. I'm ready to get back home." That was all it took for the rest of us to get up and file out the front door to our cars. Logan was the last one out the door and he made sure the door was locked and deadbolted before leaving the porch. With Logan's things loaded into both cars, space was snug as we climbed in them, but we weren't going that far and I figured we'd all survive the trip. As we turned from the drive onto the road for home, a truck with Missouri license plates and bearing several people turned in the drive. "Should we see who that is?" I asked Logan. "No, I know who it is. Just keep goin'." I continued on up the road, keeping an eye in the rearview mirror. I watched as the truck backed out of the drive and quickly settled in on the bumper of the Flex. "Uh, don't look now, but we're being followed." Of course, the four boys in the car with me turned as one and stared out the back window. "Aw, dammit. I didn't wanna deal with him today," Logan groaned in defeat. "Pops'll handle him, Logan." "Nah, I got it. I'm gonna hafta to do it sometime, might as well be today." "Well, we'll be right there with ya." "Thanks, Dad, I know you will." "Not that I mind, but can I ask why you used `Max' when talkin' to Mr. Bartley?" "Well, I didn't want him to go thinkin' or spreadin' `round that I replaced my daddy with somebody else already. You're a great sub, Dad, and I love you, but you ain't never gonna replace my daddy." "And I would never try to, Logan. Fathers are irreplaceable." The rest of the short trip home was covered in silence, truck firmly glued to the rear of the Flex. On arriving back home, we pulled in the garage and the truck parked on the drive. "Andy, Mike, T.J., in the house, please," I said before we got out. Whatever was going to happen next, I didn't want them in the middle of it. As we climbed out of the car, I heard Tom telling Alex, Joey and Damon to head inside also. With those six out of the line of fire, Tom, Logan and I turned to greet the occupants of the truck. "You wanna tell me who the fuck you think you are and what the hell you was doin' at my brother's house? From the looks of what's piled in your cars, I'm guessin' you was robbin' the place," the man yelled as he exited the vehicle, followed by a woman and two hulking teenagers. "My name's Max and this is Tom," I replied, "and this, of course, is your nephew Logan," I added as I laid a hand on his shoulder. "Ain't no way that puny little piece o' shit's related to me." "I am, too, Uncle Troy, whether we like it or not," Logan retorted despite shaking like a leaf under my hand. "What the hell you doin' up here anyway?" "I'm here to bury my brother and take what's mine," Troy answered viciously. "There ain't nothin' up here that belongs to the likes of you. My daddy always told me the farm was mine when he was gone. Well, guess what, asshole? He's gone and I'm claimin' what's mine. You just go back to whatever hole you drug yourself out of `cause you ain't gettin' squat outta me." "We'll see `bout that, you snot-nosed little brat. I'm goin' back out there right now and take whatever the hell I want." "Troy, you listen to me and listen good!" Logan began in a forceful tone of voice we'd not heard from him before. "The house and ever'thing in it belongs to me, along with all the land, `quipment and animals. You step one foot on my land, I'll have your scruffy nerfherdin' ass arrested and thrown in jail for trespassin', along with them useless excuses for cousins. You hear me?" "All I hear is some useless little pissant squealin' like a stuck pig." "Tom, can I borrow your phone for a minute?" Logan asked while looking up to the big guy. Without question, he slipped the device from his pocket and handed it to Logan. Logan promptly unlocked the phone, opened the contacts, then scrolled and selected Derek's name. He placed the phone to his ear and waited for Derek to answer. "Hello, is this Sherriff Timmons? ... Sherriff, this is Logan Campbell. ... Yeah, thanks. ... About as good as I can get, I guess. Listen, I got a problem. My stinkin' uncle just showed up and he's tellin' me he's goin' out to my house and he's gonna take anything he thinks he wants. ... Well, yeah, I know that, and I just told him the same thing, but he ain't listenin'. ... Well, if ain't too much bother, could you or one o' your guys go out there and make sure nothin' happens to the place? ... Thank you, sir. I `ppreciate the help." Logan calmly handed the phone back to Tom, then turned to face his uncle again. "You heard that, right?" "All I heard was some little shit who thinks he's better than us fakin' a damn phone call." "Well, to be real honest with ya, Troy, I am better than y'all. Always have been, always will be. But, if you think I faked that, you go right ahead and go back to the house. By the time you get there, there'll be cops waitin' to arrest your sorry ass. If'n ya don't wanna go to jail tonight, I think y'all oughta go find some culvert to crawl into until daddy's funeral. You should feel right home there." "You snot-nosed little fucker," Troy screamed as he stepped towards Logan. Tom quickly stepped between the two to keep them separated. "I'm gonna beat your ass like it ain't never been beat before." "I don't think so, asshole," Tom growled. "It's cool, Tom," Logan said as he stepped from behind his protector. "This turd ain't never gonna lay a hand on me, `cause if he even tries it, I'm gonna geld him," Logan hissed as he pulled out a pocket knife and smoothly flipped the blade open. "You weren't kiddin' about havin' a knife, were you?" I chuckled. "Nope, and I know to use it. If that bastard gets one step closer, he'll find out real quick-like just how good I am with it, too." Troy abruptly halted his advance and stared at the blade gleaming in the sun. "Yeah, ain't so tough now, are ya, asshole. Y'all just get in that filthy truck and get the hell outta here." From the corner of my eye, I caught Alex step next to Tom and hand him his gun. "Here, Pops, looks like you might need this," he said with an evil smirk crossing his face before stepping back behind us. Despite being surprised at the gun suddenly materializing in his hand, years of training kicked in and Tom smoothly racked the slide as he lifted the gun and aimed it at Troy. "I think now would be a very good time for you to leave," he intoned calmly. "There are plenty of hotels in Springfield and I'm sure you can find somewhere to spend the next couple of nights. You step foot on this property again, you'll be leaving it in a body bag, understood?" "I ain't scared of no asshole with a gun," Troy protested. Tom quickly lifted the gun straight up, fired a round, and then re-centered his aim on Troy's forehead. "Well, you should be. That was your first and only warning. Next one is goin' right between your beady eyes," Tom said smoothly as he held the gun with both hands to steady his aim. The four from Missouri quickly glanced at each other and silently agreed this was not the time to press the issue. They retreated to their truck and just before Troy closed his door, he yelled, "Don't think this is the last you've seen of me, assholes. That little fucker is mine, now." With that final comment, the truck turned around and peeled rubber as it escaped down the drive. "Gee, that sure makes for a fun afternoon," Logan deadpanned. "Sorry to be such a problem, Dads." "You are not a problem, Logan. Alex, on the other hand ...," I muttered as I turned to find him scampering back into the house. "Look at him go," Logan cackled with laughter. "I ain't never seen him move that fast. Unless it was time to eat, that is." Tom and I both cracked up at that comment. The three of us finally headed for the house and after locating Alex hiding in his bathroom, sat in the living room for a serious discussion. While his head was hanging low, I asked the obvious question. "Would you please explain to us how you got Tom's gun from the safe just now?" "We-e-ell, I went into your study a couple weeks ago to get some paper and saw the instructions for it layin' on your desk. So, I read `em and the next time I had a chance, I went searchin' for the thing. I shoulda known you'd have it hidden in your closet." "Finding it is one thing, but how the heck did you open it?" "That's why I read the instructions. I programmed it for my fingerprint, too. I thought if somethin' happened to the two of you, we may need to get in it for some important papers or somethin'. Looks like I was right `bout that," he grinned mischievously. Everybody let go a giggle of amusement at his astute observation. "Alex, Alex, Alex," I muttered quietly. "While on one level, I appreciate your inquisitiveness and industriousness, on another level, I can't believe you did that without asking permission. And you should know better than to handle a gun without adult supervision." "Oh, I do, believe me, but it really did look like you guys needed it and couldn't get it yourselves. `Sides, I never let my finger get close to the trigger, even though the safety was on. And I carried it with both hands on the grip and kept it pointed at the floor all the way through the house and outside. I might be just a kid, but I ain't a complete fool." "I never said you were. And while I'm not at all happy with what you've done, you did kinda save our asses just now, so I guess we're gonna let it slide." A wide smile crossed his face and a loud sigh of relief exited his tiny body. "But, you ever get in there again without one of us specifically telling you to do so, I am going to tan your hide, you understand me?" "Yes, sir. I'm sorry," Alex groaned. "All right, then, time to move on." I turned to Tom and asked, "Do you know any security companies in town?" "I don't, but Dylan does." "Good, would you call him and see if he can get somebody out here for the next couple of days. I won't feel safe until Troy goes back home." "Consider it done, babe," he replied as he headed to his office to make the call. After he was gone, I turned to Logan and said, "Logan, I want you to know how proud I am of you for the way you're stepping up and taking care of things. You've really impressed me today, especially the way you stood up to your uncle." "Thanks, Dad. I may be just a stupid farm kid, but sometimes a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, ya know?" All of us cracked up in laughter and were still laughing when Tom came back, confused as to the reason for such hilarity. When I had finally calmed down enough to fill him in, he joined us in our temporary insanity. When we finally calmed down, Logan asked, "Okay, what's next?" "Why don't we unload the cars? I'm just not sure where we can put everything, though." "We could just drop it in the storage building," Logan offered. "I don't really need any of it right now, I just didn't want to leave it at the house." "That sounds like a plan to me, guys," I agreed. "Let's make it so." "Yes sir, Cap'n Picard, sir," T.J. said as he stood at attention and offered a quick salute. The boys all giggled and after offering their own salutes, headed down the hall to the garage. As Tom and I followed along, I quietly asked, "Any luck with Dylan?" "Yeah, somebody should be here in about half an hour." "Good, that's one less thing we have to worry about. Do you think we should arrange something for Logan's farm? At least until Troy goes back home?" "It wouldn't hurt, I guess. I'll talk to the guys who show up here today and take care of it." "Thank, hon. Let's get this done." When we reached the garage, the boys were nowhere to be found. I stuck my head out the big door and found them halfway to the storage building already. Turning back to Tom, I said, "Looks like they're walking. We better get a move on." We climbed in the cars and followed the herd down the drive. After reaching the building and backing the cars up to the big door, I unlocked the side door and disabled the alarm before punching the button to open the big door. We made short work of the job, putting most of Logan's things on shelves on the upper deck. That task completed, we returned to the house to settle in and relax for a while. As we stepped inside, the drive sensor dinged and Tom headed to the front door while the rest of us turned for the dining room. Logan was carrying the lockbox in from the car and said, "Might as well open this thing up and see what's inside." We took chairs at the table and Logan wasted no time in using the key on the string around his neck to open the container. After lifting the lid and peering inside, he commented, "That's a buttload of paper, let me tell ya. What is all this junk, Dad?" "Well, let's look through it and see what we can figure out." I pulled out the handful of paper and started to sift through it while letting Logan know what each bundle was. "Okay, this first is the deed to the house and property. From what I'm seeing, it looks like it's fully paid for, so you don't have to worry about mortgage payments, just insurance and property taxes." "Well, how am I gonna be able to pay those, I ain't got no money." "Don't you worry about that right now, let's keep digging." The next item I reviewed looked to be ledger of a bank account kept the old-fashioned way, which considering Charlie's attitudes, seemed to be just about right. "According to this accounting your dad kept, it looks like you have about 265,000 dollars in the farm's accounts at the bank in New Berlin. That should be plenty to tide you over for any other expenses for a while. Your dad looks like he was pretty frugal and saved well." "Yeah, he was a cheapskate, all right," Logan snickered. "But he was about to buy seed for this year, too. That's probably why there's so much there." "This next file looks like it holds the bills of sale on the equipment your dad had bought over the years. Here's one for the tractor, the feed grinder, the plows, the harvester, and looks like a bunch of receipts for supplies like water troughs and such that would have been for the livestock. I'm sure he kept all these for tax purposes over the years, but they'll be good to have to help set values on any items you might want to sell. "This next file looks like receipts and manuals for all the appliances and electronics in the house. Then we have some miscellaneous files that don't look to be anything of much importance right now." I reached into the box one more time and extracted the final item. It turned out to be a manila envelope with a wax seal keeping the flap shut. When I looked at the return address on the other side, it appeared to from a lawyer's office. "What's that one, Dad," Alex asked. "I won't know until I open it, now will I," I replied. "Open what?" Tom asked as he finally joined us. "This envelope from Logan's lockbox," I answered. I looked to Logan and added, "I think this is from a lawyer in Jacksonville, do you want me to open it or do you want to do it?" "What do you think it is?" Logan asked. "Best guess, your dad's will." "You open it, then." I carefully slipped my finger under the flap and broke the wax seal while everyone watched me intently. I slid the few pages from inside the envelope and quickly read the cover letter included only to discover I was, indeed, holding Charlie's will and Logan's fate in my hands. I looked to Logan and said, "This is your dad's will, kiddo, do you want to read it now?" "Might as well, don't ya think? But you do it. I don't think I could focus on it too good," he answered with tears starting to fill his eyes. "Okay, give me a few minutes to read the whole thing then I'll let you know what it says, okay?" "Fine, I just hope y'all can read really fast." "I'll do my best," I chuckled. I quickly skimmed through the document to pick up the highlights, smiling at one point and frowning a bit later. When I reached the end, I found a surprise that shocked me to no end, and I was pretty sure Logan didn't have a clue about it, either, since he'd not mentioned it yet. I reread that paragraph several times to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me and when I finally accepted what it said, I laid the will on the table and turned to Logan. "Okay, I've got good news and bad news for you. First, what it says here is exactly what your dad had told you, the farm, house, equipment, livestock, it's all yours, lock, stock, and barrel. He specifically stated that your uncle should not receive anything from the estate. Since you're a minor, he named John Billings at the bank to be the executor of the will and trustee for you until you turn twenty-one." "Yeah, that's cool. Mr. Billings was always nice to me. And even though Daddy had turned mean and nasty, Mr. Billings still liked him. Okay, what's the bad news?" "You're not going to like this, but the will says your Uncle Troy is to be appointed as your guardian." "No way!" Logan yelled in anger amid moans of defeat from the others. "Unfortunately, that's what it says. And after we talked to Judge Corgan this morning, I don't know any way to change that." "Well, it's real simple, Dad, I ain't goin' nowhere with that ass," Logan protested. "All he wants is the farm and the money. He don't give two shits `bout me." "All I can do is send the will to my attorney and have him check it over for us. If anyone can help you now, it'll be Clarence." "Do it now, please. I don't even wanna think `bout livin' with them scumbag losers." "I'll take care of it first thing Monday morning, Logan. Clarence doesn't work on the weekends." "You better," he fumed with disgust at the idea of moving. I let him stew for a moment before I shared the surprise I'd discovered at the end of the will. "Okay, there's one more thing mentioned here you should know about. It surprised the hell outta me since you haven't said anything about it before, so it might be a surprise too you, as well." "What's that? I gotta sleep in the same bed with my ignorant cousins or somethin' stupid like that?" "Not at all," I smiled. "Have you ever heard the name William Charles Campbell." "Nope, who's he? Another lowlife uncle like that loser Troy?" "No, Logan, he's your brother." "WHAT!? I gots a brother!? Holy shit! How the hell could that be and I don't know `bout him?" "From what your dad said in his will, he was born shortly after your parents were married and had bought the farm. They didn't have much money at the time and your mom and dad felt he would be better off living with another family, so they gave him up for adoption." "Oh, my God. I got a brother out there somewhere, a real live brother. And since I didn't know `bout him, I bet he don't know `bout me. We gots to find him, Dads." "All I can say right now is we'll try, Logan. Adoption records are usually sealed, but we'll check into his whereabouts and see what we can do. Charlie didn't leave him anything in the will since he didn't know where he was, or if he was even still alive, but your dad did say he hoped William could be found and you'd share your inheritance with him." "You're damn right, I will. Hell, he can have it all since Mr. Burton's payin' me all that money. We just gotta figger out a way to keep Troy from gettin' his greedy paws on any of it." "That's what the trust is for, Logan. Mr. Billings will be in charge of that and he'll make sure you're protected." "Good, that's one less thing I gotta think about. Now, what should we do about Daddy's funeral?" "Well, Carol thought we should leave that up to you and Troy, but it's up to you." "I don't want him to have nothin' to do with it. Will you help me deal with all that?" "Of course, we will. I'll call them in the morning and see what we can arrange." "Thanks, Dad. Whew, that's a shit-ton to take care of." "Yes, it is, but like I said earlier, one step at time, all right?" "You got it." "Okay, Tom, what's up with security?" "We have three guys here, one at the end of the drive and two roaming `round the house. I hate to say this, but I'd suggest we remain covered while they're here." "We don't care `bout no security dudes seein' us naked, Pops," T.J. retorted. Tom shot me a quick glance and I only shrugged my shoulders. "If the boys don't care, I don't either." "Yippee!" Mike and Andy squealed. With that, all seven hightailed it to their rooms to get comfortable. They were next seen as they charged back through the dining room on their way to the theater, the disc for Real Steel in Joey's hands. "Were you able to get somebody to keep an eye on Logan's farm?" "Yep. The guy in charge here, Dirk, called their office and another team of three should be out at the farm shortly. I also called Derek to let him know we had it handled and thanked him for having one of his guys camped out in the drive until they could get there. Derek said it was a good thing Logan called him because a truck with Missouri plates went by the place about twenty minutes after Logan called him. No doubt in my mind who that was." "Mine either. Okay, it sounds like we have all the immediate concerns handled. I'm gonna drop this will on my desk so I can get it to Clarence Monday, then I'm crashin' by the fireplace to decompress for a bit." "Sounds like a good idea to me, babe. Count me in." As we aimed for the bedroom, I asked, "Since Logan says he wants to take care of funeral arrangements, you have any idea when we might hear from the coroner?" "Not a clue. And I didn't think to ask Derek about that when I talked to him. I guess it depends on when Sebastian was going to do the autopsy. Once he's done, he'll notify Derek and I'm sure he'll pass the word on to us." "Okay, I just wondered." After reaching our room, we both decided to join the boys in comfort, then after leaving the envelope with the will on my desk, headed back to the living room where Tom started the fire and we both sank into our chairs. Our decompression only lasted about twenty minutes when the drive sensor went off. Fifteen seconds later, the phone rang. "This is Tom." "Mr. Wright, it's Dirk at the end of the drive. I have an older couple in a gray Chevy, Illinois license plate `Wright 1' with me. They claim to be your parents. Shall I let them enter the property?" "Please do. We were expecting them, and I forgot to tell you they'd be coming in. Thanks." "No problem, sir," Dirk replied as he clicked off the connection. "Nice to see they're doing their job properly," Tom laughed. "And I'm glad they are." The theater door banged open as the boys joined us with their regular flurry of activity and noise. "Is that grandma and grampa?" Mike asked as they drew closer. "It sure is," Tom answered. "Why don't you and Andy meet them at the door?" Those two scrambled towards the door, both anxious to be the one to let them in. The rest of the boys settled on the couch and loveseat, Damon looking decidedly nervous. "What's wrong, Damon?" I asked with concern. "I don't know, guess I'm just a little freaked `bout them seein' me naked." "It didn't seem to bother you last night," I offered. "Well, I s'pose it didn't, but we were in a dark theater most of the time, too, and when we weren't, I was kinda hidin' behind the others. They couldn't really see too much of me then. It somehow feels different with it bein' broad daylight. What if they laugh at me and my tiny you know what?" "First, Damon," Tom started, "Mom and Dad would never do that. Second, part of being a nudist is being comfortable with and accepting of who you are, both inside and outside. Third, they used to change my diapers, so they know what a small penis looks like." That brought a smile to Damon's face and he laughed out loud before saying, "Ain't so tiny now, is it, Uncle Tom?" "Well, no, but they aren't still changin' my diapers, either." "Lord, I hope not," Damon laughed again. Andy finally opened the front door and Bill and Estelle stepped inside, only to be instantly mugged by both rugrats manning the door. Not content with receiving a quick hug, Bill picked up Andy while Estelle hoisted Mike and settled him on her hip. After Bill kicked the door shut with his foot, all four ambled across the house to join us in the living room. As soon as Mike and Andy were set back on the floor, the rest of the herd surrounded their grandparents and a mass hugging ensued. Damon seemed to be testing his new confidence a bit as he let Bill wrap an arm around his shoulder and guide him back to the loveseat. "What the devil is goin' on out here?" Bill asked. "It felt like we were trying to get into the White House grounds today," he added with a laugh. "We've had a little excitement out here today, Dad," Tom answered. He went on to explain our trip to Logan's house and the confrontation with Troy on the driveway when we returned home. "Well, he sounds like a nice fellow," Estelle giggled. "Too bad he ain't," Logan vented. "Daddy always said he was the south end of a northbound mule, and just as hardheaded, too." "I'm sure he means well, young man," Bill offered. "No, he don't. And now I hafta go live with that jackass. Dad was right as rain this mornin' when he said life sucks sometimes." "I'm sure Max and Tom will do what they can so you can stay here," Bill commented. "We're going to try, but after reading Charlie's will, I don't know what we could do," I replied. "I'm sure that was written long before Charlie knew there might be somewhere else for Logan to live," Estelle said. "I think he would have changed his will to allow you to stay here if he'd had time to do so," Bill added. "Well, we're not going to stay long. We just wanted to drop in and say hi on our way home today." "Say, don't we have another birthday coming up?" Estelle asked. "Yep, mine," Andy answered with a smile. "It's on the twenty-third. I hope you can be here." "We wouldn't dream of missing it, Andy," Bill replied. "Just let us know the date and time of the party." "That's up to the Dads." "We'll be sure to let you know when. Did you have a nice time with Mom and Dad last night?" I asked. "Great as always, Max. We're really looking forward to sharing this house later this year," Bill answered. "What did you think of our interviews on TV?" T.J. asked. "We think you all did great. I almost felt sorry for Ray by the time he got to the end of the show. You guys are a hard act to follow." "Thanks, Grampa," Joey said with pride. "And we're gonna get even harder, soon," Alex added. "What're you talkin' about," Estelle queried. "Mr. Burton's gonna make a TV show outta our lives," T.J. answered. Tom and I quickly jumped into the conversation and explained LeVar's idea to Bill and Estelle. To say they were surprised at this new development would be a serious understatement. "Sounds like all of you will be working closely with him for quite a while then," Estelle commented. "No doubt, we will, Estelle. He's supposed to be coming back to talk to each of us to get more detailed backgrounds and personality traits for the actors to follow." "Well, he's probably going to want to talk to us, too, then," Bill offered. "Why the heck would you think that?" Tom asked his parents. "Who else is better qualified to tell him about your background than us," Estelle answered logically. "He'll want to talk to Jim and Rose, too, I'd imagine." "Oh, crap," I muttered. "I hadn't even thought about that." "Oh, don't be so uptight, Max. I'm sure they'll only tell LeVar and his people the truth." "I sure hope so. But then, we haven't talked a whole lot about me for quite a while, so who knows what wild stories they might come up with." "It'll be fine, you'll see," Estelle said, trying to placate me. We spent the next hour visiting, the boys filling them in on how school was progressing among other miscellaneous topics. Bill finally called time out and said they had to hit the road, so we followed the travelers to the front door where it took several minutes for everyone to receive their hugs and say goodbye. Once the complete round was accommodated, Bill and Estelle departed for their hour and a half trip back home. As we headed to the kitchen to start work on supper, I asked, "So, Damon, was it as bad as you thought it would be?" "Not at all, Uncle Max. I know they saw how small I was, but neither one of them said anything about it. I wish the kids at school could be like that in the locker room after P.E.." "Kids can be cruel, Damon," Tom replied. "And that's because their parents don't teach them how to behave properly in some situations." "Man, I wish I lived down here so I could go to school with your boys. I bet they don't treat other kids like that, do they?" "Absolutely not," I answered. "Why would they? Living the way we do, there aren't any secrets around here, and we'll answer any questions they may have." "Yeah, that sounds like Dad and Poppy. They've answered a lot of things for me the past couple weeks. And I feel a lot better about myself than I used to." "That's a good thing, Damon," I said as I patted him on the shoulder. I turned to the assembled crew and asked, "Grilled ham and cheese sound okay to everyone?" "Tomato soup, too?" Mike asked. "Always," Tom answered. Agreement rang though the group, so we got busy in the kitchen while the boys took care of the table. Twenty-five minutes later, we sat down to enjoy our simple and yummy meal. While we were eating, we'd reached a consensus to watch some Star Trek before going to bed, so once the plates and bowls were emptied, we cleaned up the mess and adjourned to the theater. Between the second and third episode for the night, we took a bathroom break and then set the kiddos up with cookies and milk for a snack. With the snack completed, we returned to the theater for the night's last show. When it ended, the boys headed for their showers and to get ready for bed. Logan and Damon opted to use the shower in the empty bedroom so they wouldn't overcrowd the twins' bathroom. "Hey, Logan, can I ask you somethin'?" "Sure." "Do you think my dick's too small?" "Nah, looks fine to me. But what the hell do I know?" "Well, you been naked around Eric and Josh, too, and they're both bigger than me." "So what? Can you piss out of it?" "Well, yeah." "And does it get hard when you play with it and you get all tingly?" "Um, yeah. That feels really good. `Specially when my friend and I do it to each other." "Well, sounds like it's workin' right, then, so don't worry `bout it. You'll start growin' someday." "But I hate how little I am. Shit, I'm even smaller than you are." "Dude, you ever been on a farm?" "Not until today, no." "Well, compared to a bull, pig or horse, ain't none of us got nothin' special, believe me. I ain't never seen a dude that could match the size of a horse's dick. Well, `cept Uncle Dylan. Now, that dude is hung." "Ain't that the truth," Damon laughed. "Look, don't worry none about how big your dick is. As long it works the way it's s'posed to, that's all that matters." "Can I ask you somethin' else?" After a quick nod, I pressed on, "Do you, Alex and Joey, ya know, play around with each other?" Logan giggled and asked, "Does a donkey have a big dick?" "Don't know, never seen one." "Well, trust me when I tell ya they do." "So, you three really do shit together?" "Most every night. Well, Joey don't do nothin' with us no more since he got a boyfriend, but that don't stop me and Alex from havin' a whole lotta fun together." "Do ya think it'd be okay if I was a part of that?" "If ya want to, why the hell not?" Damon took a step closer to Logan and wrapped his fingers around the stiff cocklet protruding from Logan's groin. As soon as his fingertips touched his palm, he leaned close to Logan's ear and whispered, "I want to." "Yeah, I can feel that," Logan moaned in pleasure as he cupped Damon's hardness and balls in his hand. "Let's get the fuck outta here and do somethin' `bout these boners." The two excited young boys turned off the water, dried off and returned to the twins' bedroom, proud of the erections leading their way. Tom and I appeared just after the foursome climbed in bed and we shared our regular nightly rituals with them before turning out the light and moving on down the hallway. We found Andy, Mike and T.J. still in the shower and after just a bit of prodding, got them out, helped them dry off and hustled them into bed also. We again shared kisses, hugs, good nights and love yous with all three before switching off the light and closing the door. As we headed back to the living room, we could hear lots of giggling filtering from under the door to the other occupied bedroom but continued on our way with only smiles of understanding on our faces. We landed in the living room, but our stay was short before we decided to call it night, too. As we stepped into the bedroom, the phone rang, so Tom answered the call while I headed for the bathroom and a relaxing shower. Tom joined me soon enough and we sat on the bench to let the steam work it's magic. "Who was on the phone," I asked. "It was Brady, the lead of the new security team who took over for the night." "Good. Ya know, I didn't' even see the other guys even though I know they were somewhere close." "Well, Dirk said they'd be as unobtrusive as possible. I'd have to say they succeeded." "They sure did. I hope the guys out at the farm are more visible. I'd hate for Troy to miss Charlie's funeral because he decided to do something stupid." "I think that's probably all he knows how to do, babe," Tom chuckled. "I really hate the thought of Logan having to go live with likes of them." "We all do." "Hey, are you all done with that first group of checks for Carol?" "I have to write up a couple of reports for her Monday and send them in, but that's all for the moment." "Good, so you'll be available to take on another case?" "Yeah, you know of somethin'?" "I do. And you do, too. I think you should investigate Troy, get the proof David will need to see that's not going to be a good place for Logan to live." "Great idea. I should have thought of that myself. I can take Dylan with me to help." "Oh, yeah, I'd forgotten he was going to be here Monday. Shit, so is Ron. We'll need to change the bed in the middle bedroom again." "Didn't think about that. Oops, I need to call Bob and Bill to get Dylan's desk and computer delivered and set up. Geez, how the hell'd I forget that." "I don't know, hon. It's not like we've had anything out of the ordinary goin' on the past couple of days," I laughed. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll make those calls first thing Monday. God, what a monumental dumb ass I am." "Oh, I don't know, I think your ass is kinda cute. In a manly sort of way, of course." "Thanks, babe. I love you, too." With the stink of the day washed down the drain, we finally climbed out of the shower, dried each other, crawled into bed and curled up together where we finally shared our regular hug, kiss and love you before letting sleep have its way with us.

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 75</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;<span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></span></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk524512021"></a><a name="_Hlk524433289"></a><a name="_Toc524544519"><span>Chapter 75 � LeVar's Big Idea</span></a></h2> <p><span>We blankly stared at LeVar for several moments before I finally sputtered, "Um, excuse me, I'm sorry. I think my ears went a bit wonky there. Would you care to repeat that, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure," LeVar replied with a chuckle and decidedly wicked grin. "I'd like to create a series based on you, your life and your family."</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, yep, that's what I heard the first time," I muttered in disbelief. "I had to be sure. Are you serious?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't play around with things like this, Max. Of course, I'm serious."</span></p> <p><span>I looked to Tom to gauge his reaction to LeVar's proposal and saw nothing but surprise flooding his face. "Uh, Earth to Tom, you in there, big guy?"</span></p> <p><span>He slowly turned to look at me and finally found his voice again. "Uh, yeah, I think so. I could swear I just heard this crazy dude say he wants to make a TV series outta our lives. Tell me I'm dreamin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Not a dream, big guy, more like your worst nightmare come true." I returned my attention to LeVar and asked, "Just how do you think you're gonna pull that off?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we'd have to sell the idea to a network like HBO to get by with the rampant nudity involved, but I think I can do it."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know LeVar, that sounds like asking for a miracle. While I know some studios don't have a problem with full female nudity, for some reason, they still really avoid it with men. Like the plague. It's like they think seeing a man's penis would induce mass hysteria in the viewing audience. And kids, well, hell, you might as well just tell `em you're gonna show two guys screwing each other in the middle of Time Square in broad daylight. Actually, you'd probably have a better chance of getting <i>that</i> on the air than a naked kid."</span></p> <p><span>"All true, Max, but it's a concept I'm willing to fight for."</span></p> <p><span>"But why? And why us?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's kinda like what Ray said, in the short time I've been around you and your family, I've learned a lot about myself, and you guys. And I have no doubt that I'll learn a whole lot more from all of you the more we're around each other."</span></p> <p><span>"Like what", I queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, give us some examples here, LeVar, so we know what you're talking about," Tom added.</span></p> <p><span>"First, I guess, is the family or social nudity. While it's something I've contemplated over the years, I just never felt secure enough with my own body, my own feelings, my body's possible reactions, to give it a try. But now that I have, I can see there's absolutely nothing wrong, weird, creepy or obscene about it. It's just people living their lives, albeit, without the suffocating restrictions of clothing. And I find myself reveling in that freedom. After spending most of the day nude, I couldn't wait for everyone to leave so I could return to that state of comfort. And to my credit and surprise, I've only had one, um, erection." Tom and I chuckled at his comment before he continued.</span></p> <p><span>"Second on my list would the positivity all of you exude with your whole-hearted embracing of your sexuality. And for your sons, at their ages, to be so positive and confident about that aspect of their personalities simply boggles the mind. All you ever hear these days are the horror stories of kids dealing with abuse and bullying because they're gay, trans or whatever. And right here in this house, you have four kids who don't give a rat's ass what others think of them, and they're ready to take this world by storm. Their support group at the school, and the fact they've already saved one kid's life because of it just proves the point. My God, talk about role models that other people should embrace and emulate.</span></p> <p><span>"Third would have to be how much you all truly care about other people. On that front, you have the fact you've agreed to adopt four boys who were probably all but unplaceable due their ages and sexuality, but you didn't care. You welcomed them into your lives, your home and your hearts, and they're all that much better off for that selfless act of kindness. Then you took in Andy shortly after the others had moved in, as if it was something you do every day. A few weeks later, you added Logan to the mix when he had issues with his dad. And now that his dad is gone, I've no doubt you're going to continue to support and help him, even adopt him if that becomes an option.</span></p> <p><span>"Lastly, you have the new home you plan to build so you can help even more kids than you already are. You have no idea what kinds of kids you might get, what their problems might be or how long they might live with you, but those issues don't seem to be slowing you down one bit. Come hell or high water, you're going to make it happen. I firmly believe you'd build a house two or three times the size of what you're already planning so you could help as many kids as possible. Go ahead, try to tell me I'm wrong about any of that."</span></p> <p><span>"No, you're not wrong, LeVar," I smiled. "And I'd build a fucking twenty-story hotel if it meant we could help more kids."</span></p> <p><span>"But we get the penthouse," Tom added with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"And I don't doubt that one bit, you two," LeVar laughed. "Look, I spent a fair amount of time with the boys yesterday and came away from that being very impressed with their compassion and desire to help other kids. They've already started doing that with their group at school. And with what they said to Ray and the way they handled themselves in front of a camera just adds further proof to their true character. I'd like to see them do anything they want in the future because I can already see the positive change they'll create. With what I do for a living, the best way I can further that impact is to capture their spirit on video and share it with a viewing audience."</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, LeVar, hold on there a second. I'm not too sure we want the boys, or ourselves for that matter, being recorded for the entertainment, or even the education, of the masses."</span></p> <p><span>"No, no, you misunderstand what I want to do. I wouldn't dare intrude into your lives like that. I just want to <i>base</i> the show on you, not have you in it personally. I'd build a facsimile of your home on a soundstage, hire real actors to portray you and create storylines that more or less follow your real life. All the character's names would be changed, along with the location and other things in an attempt to minimize the impact on you. I want to do this as a regular series as much as possible, just using you all for a basis in reality instead of being pure fantasy."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that sounds a little better, I guess," was my hedging response.</span></p> <p><span>"What, you mean I don't get to become an international screen sensation?" Tom pouted. LeVar and I both cracked up after that comment.</span></p> <p><span>When we settled back down, LeVar finally asked, "So, what do you think? Are you with me?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know," I answered thoughtfully. "While I'm intrigued with the idea, I worry about how being involved in such a project could affect our lives. You've obviously been giving this a lot of thought today. Can you give us a general idea of how you think you'll pull it off?"</span></p> <p><span>"I've thought of hardly anything else and I'm glad you asked," LeVar replied while clapping his hands together and scooting forward to sit on the edge of the loveseat. "My initial thinking is to take the first season to cover the childhood and early adult years of the main character, who I've named Jackson. We'd start with Jackson at about the age of five, move through the ages of, say, seven to eleven, depicting his confusion and internal struggle after realizing he likes boys more than girls, even though his parents and church say it's wrong to feel that way. Then move on to the early to mid-teens and the abuse that stymied his growth into adulthood to, say, about the release of his first book. </span></p> <p><span>"We'd follow that up as we deal with the next ten or twelve years and end the first season about where you were late last year, depicting his acceptance of being gay, the rejection by his parents and the depression that followed. I think we could cover each of those stages in three to four shows for each time period, so say, twelve one-hour episodes, and we'd end the season with Jackson's decision to try adoption.</span></p> <p><span>"We follow the same story arc with, uh, Tim, let's say. From young childhood through early adulthood and intermingle bits of each character's life throughout each episode. And to help keep a bit of separation between reality and fiction, we'd have Jackson and Tim be the same age. That way the audience can see the development of both the main characters.</span></p> <p><span>"The second season would pick up from there, and the biggest hurdle we'll have to cross then will be finding parents who won't object to their sons being filmed nude. I'm sure it won't be an easy task, but I think as long they're allowed on set during taping, we could quell any concerns they may have. We'd almost have to have scripts for the entire second season ready to go when we do the casting so everybody would know right up front what they're getting into and what will be expected from the actors.</span></p> <p><span>"Since most of the first season will be mostly Jackson and Tim, we could do it with a minimum of other actors to help keep production costs down for the first year. I'm assuming you didn't become a real nudist until after you moved into this house, so we wouldn't have to worry too much about that the first season either. The only trick will be finding a male lead who'd be willing to be nude for most of the day as we taped each of the later episodes.</span></p> <p><span>"While what we depict on the show wouldn't be a direct parallel of your actual lives, I'd like it to be as close to the truth as you'd be comfortable with. So, what do you think?"</span></p> <p><span>"And just what, exactly, do we get out of it?" Tom asked bluntly.</span></p> <p><span>"Untold wealth and riches," LeVar laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Eh, already got that," Tom reflected. "What else ya got?"</span></p> <p><span>"My undying devotion for helping the project succeed?" LeVar asked warily.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I'm in," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>I looked at Tom in surprise at his easy acceptance of LeVar's proposal. Though I was liking the idea and seriously considering being involved with it, I was still a bit hesitant to jump in with both feet.</span></p> <p><span>"I have to think about this, LeVar. In theory, it sounds great, but I'm not sure you're going to find anyone who would actually let you tape a show with nude kids, let alone air it."</span></p> <p><span>"That's my fight, Max. And while I won't fight it to the death of me, I'll still give it my best shot."</span></p> <p><span>"We also need to talk to the boys to see how they'd feel about their lives being seen by that many other people. I'm not too sure they'll like the idea."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you kiddin' me?" LeVar laughed. "They'd do it themselves if you'd let them."</span></p> <p><span>After a moment of reflection, I realized LeVar was right in his assessment. "Yeah, no doubt they would. But we still need to talk about it ourselves and with the boys."</span></p> <p><span>"That's as it should be," LeVar responded. "Do you think you might be able to give me an answer before I leave tomorrow?"</span></p> <p><span>"That shouldn't be a problem. What do you think, Tom? Or is it Tim, now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, I'm still Tom. Tim's my alter-ego, kinda like Jake is yours. And I already said I'm in. Or did you miss that?"</span></p> <p><span>"No-o-o, I caught it, just makin' sure you didn't change your mind."</span></p> <p><span>"Not a chance," Tom countered. "If you think your book is gonna help people, just think how many a TV show will help. A lot more folks watch TV than read books, ya know."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't remind me," the author in me moaned. I turned back to LeVar and added, "Okay, we'll talk to the boys tomorrow morning and see what they say. Fair enough?"</span></p> <p><span>"I can live with it, guys. Thanks for hearing me out."</span></p> <p><span>"I've got one more question for you before I have that talk, though."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"How would you handle the abuse part of the story?"</span></p> <p><span>"Very delicately, of course. I'd be looking for a kid who could portray a sullen, moody, angst-riddled teen without a problem. That shouldn't be too difficult to accomplish since almost all young teens fit that description to a tee. The abuse scenes themselves would be done in way that while all we actually see onscreen are the faces and torsos of the individuals, and we'd hear their voices, there would be no doubt about what was happening. And I would only use that footage to show the beginning of the abuse. Any following scenes we'd need would simply be Jackson and his abusers disappearing into the office. We'd record enough of the abuse that we could use snippets in later episodes to show flashes of it as Jackson deals with his suppressed memories coming back to him."</span></p> <p><span>"So, the actors in those scenes wouldn't be nude during their recording."</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely not. They'll be difficult scenes to deal with, for sure, but with the right camera angles, lighting and gentle editing, we can pull it off."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I just wanted to know how you'd handle that. I know the abuse part of my life is super important to the overall story, but I had to understand how'd you'd incorporate it without being too graphic."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, Max, I understand. I'll treat the subject with kid gloves."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, LeVar."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, can I ask you somethin'?" Tom quietly voiced.</span></p> <p><span>"Shoot, big guy," I replied as I turned to face him.</span></p> <p><span>"Now that you know that Jake is based on you, and he's saddled with most of your same foibles and insecurities, do you think there's any chance he was abused like you were?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, hell, I hadn't even thought about that." I sat quietly for a few moments as I mulled over the implication of Tom's question. "I suppose anything's possible, but, after some quick thought, I don't think so. When I started writing and created Jake, I had no idea at the time what had happened to me, so it seems unlikely."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you were hiding deep in the closet at the time, too, but you still created Jake as a gay man. Any chance your subconscious heaped the abuse on him along with everything else?"</span></p> <p><span>"Tell you what, let me get the next couple of books written and ask me again. I might have a real answer for you by that time."</span></p> <p><span>"Deal," Tom answered with a smile.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I don't know about you two, but I need some shut-eye," I commented. "This weekend has `long days' written all over it."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, I'm ready, too," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"I'll be awake for bit," LeVar said, "but I promise I'll be quiet."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see you in the morning, then. Sleep well, LeVar."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, you too."</span></p> <p><span>We headed to our bedroom for a well-earned good night's sleep, but I had some questions for Tom before we could even think about it. Once we'd settled on the bed, my first question was, "So, what happens next with Charlie?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we don't have to deal with identification. Dylan and I already took care of that with Sebastian. Next, Sebastian will do an autopsy, though I don't think there's much question as to the cause of Charlie's death. It'll be more checking to see if he was under the influence of something, or had a heart attack or stroke, most likely. With Charlie's experience of dealing with things alone, I'm sure he was extra careful whenever he was around operating equipment. We'll just have to wait and see what the M.E. finds."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, what do we about a funeral or whatever? Should we deal with all of that, do we include Logan in those decisions? And what about any other family?"</span></p> <p><span>"Derek will take care of tracking down and notifying any other family members. After Sebastian left, Derek was going in the house to see if he could find anything to help him with that thankless task. He told me he'd let us know if he did. As for the funeral, I don't know, babe. Once Sebastian is done with his work, Charlie's body will be released for pick up by a funeral home to take care of him. Since Logan's mom died just a year ago, he should know who took care of her arrangements and I guess we call them to take care of Charlie also."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess so. I'm going to call Carol in the morning to let her know what's happened. She'll need to deal with where Logan goes from here. While I'm hoping he can stay with us, I'm sure any of his mom or dad's next of kin would come before we would."</span></p> <p><span>"Logan won't much like it if he has to move."</span></p> <p><span>"We won't either, but if that's what has to happen, we need to accept it."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I'll accept it, but I sure ain't gonna like it."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm with ya on that, big guy. Okay, it sounds like we have half of a plan for tomorrow, anyway. Guess we'll try to figure out what happens Sunday tomorrow night."</span></p> <p><span>With our conversation over, we curled up together and, after a sharing a kiss and `I love you', let sleep take us. I was out of it until I woke up about two-thirty in the morning and felt the bed moving. It wasn't until I felt something crawling over me that I realized what was happening. I opened my eyes just enough to make out the sad face of Logan in front of me, eyes silently begging. My reply was to scoot back a bit to leave a munchkin-sized gap between Tom and me before lifting the covers. Logan quickly filled the empty space and backed into me so I could hold him as we drifted off.</span></p> <p><span>When I was awakened by the sun streaming through the windows in the morning, I was confused as to who I was holding. I knew it couldn't be Tom since the body's frame was so small. Upon opening my eyes and recognizing the back of Logan's head two inches in front of my face, I flashed back to my middle of the night sleep interruption and remembered him climbing over me and under the covers.</span></p> <p><span>"You awake, buddy?" I whispered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Dad," he answered as he rolled over to face me. "Been awake for a while, now. I didn't really sleep much last night, even though I liked the way you held me."</span></p> <p><span>"No, probably not," I agreed. "You doin' okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know," he muttered numbly. "It's still sinkin' in � my daddy's gone. He <i>is</i>, isn't he? It weren't just a bad dream or somethin' stupid like that, was it?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure it feels like the worst dream ever, but yes, Logan, he is."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn it, that sucks big ol' donkey dicks." I couldn't help but snicker at his minor outburst. "Why does bad shit keep happenin' to me?" he whimpered quietly. "First momma, now daddy," he moaned. "What the hell'd I do to deserve shit like this? Everybody I love just keeps goin' away. I mean, who's next, you and Pops?"</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, listen to me. You've done absolutely nothing. Nobody ever deserves to lose the people they love. But, sometimes, life just sucks and there's nothing any of us can do to change that."</span></p> <p><span>"Ya ain't gotta tell me that," he chuffed.</span></p> <p><span>"No, I guess I don't."</span></p> <p><span>"You ain't gonna leave me, are ya?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not if I can help it, I won't."</span></p> <p><span>"What' the hell's that mean?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess it depends on if you have any other family members who might take you in."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, there's my Uncle Troy. He's daddy's brother and lives outside of Dexter, way down south in Missouri. He's got a tree farm, grows peaches and apples. An orchid, I think daddy called it."</span></p> <p><span>"I think you mean an orchard, Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's it, an orchard. But what about him? I don't wanna go live with them, he's even meaner than my daddy was, and my cousins are all shitheads, too, just like him. They was always pickin' on me whenever we got together and I hate all of `em."</span></p> <p><span>"We may not have a choice, kiddo. When a kid your age loses both parents, the courts take over and they really want to keep families together when possible."</span></p> <p><span>"But, don't I get a say in where I live?"</span></p> <p><span>"If you were a little older, a judge might listen to what you had to say, but at nine, that seems unlikely."</span></p> <p><span>"And there goes life, fuckin' me all over again."</span></p> <p><span>"You know we'll do whatever we can, but our hands may be tied."</span></p> <p><span>"I gots a damn sharp knife that'll fix that problem in a jiffy," Logan grinned.</span></p> <p><span>I chuckled and answered, "I bet you do, young man. It sounds like we need to call your uncle today and let him know what's happened. I'm sure he'll have something to say about your dad's funeral arrangements."</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't none of it gonna be nothin' nice, so why waste your time?"</span></p> <p><span>"It's called common courtesy, Logan. I know you and your dad had some problems, but Troy was his brother. He needs to know what's going on."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, all right, but I don't wanna talk to him."</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, Tom and I will do all the talking."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Now, what's for breakfast?"</span></p> <p><span>"There's the eating machine we've all grown to love. I just knew he was hidin' somewhere in there," I chuckled as I poked Logan's belly. "How's waffles and sausage sound?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yummy, Dad. Let's go."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell ya what, you go roust Damon and your brothers while I get Pops movin' and we'll all meet in the kitchen."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, old man," Logan giggled as he crawled out from under the covers, jumped off the bed and flew through the door. </span></p> <p><span>I shook Tom's shoulder to wake him up and after his eyes fluttered open, I said, "Time to rise and shine, big guy. We're doing waffles and sausage for breakfast."</span></p> <p><span>"Mmmphh, what you need me for? You go have fun and come get me in a couple hours."</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, Tom. We've got a lot to deal with today. Plus, your mom and dad are stopping by on their way home, remember?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah," he answered as his eyes popped fully open. "I'll be out to help right after I hit the john."</span></p> <p><span>"If you aren't, I'm siccing my minions on you," I retorted as I left the bedroom to make my way to the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, the horror," he mockingly laughed to my back.</span></p> <p><span>By the time I'd reached the kitchen, the boys were lined up on their stools and anxious for breakfast. As I got busy with making the syrup and the waffle batter, the boys got busy setting the table for nine of us. Tom finally put in his appearance and after pouring a cup of coffee for himself, he pulled out the waffle iron and got it plugged in so it could warm up. With that minor chore taken care of, Tom started cooking the sausage on the double burner griddle plate. I let him work on the sausage about five minutes before I poured the batter for the first waffle into the iron. Just as I closed the lid, LeVar rounded the corner to join us.</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin', guys, what's for breakfast?" he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Waffles and sausage, Mr. Burton," Logan answered. "It was my idea."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds good to me, too, Logan," LeVar agreed. "Anything I can do to help out?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think we've got everything under control, LeVar, but thanks for asking," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Have you had a chance to talk to your sons about my idea?"</span></p> <p><span>"What idea?" Alex quickly asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, not just yet. I thought we'd do that over breakfast," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, then I'll be there to answer any questions they may have."</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, Dads, spill it," Joey demanded.</span></p> <p><span>"When we're sitting down, Joey, which will be soon enough," Tom said.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine," the twins grumped. </span></p> <p><span>With keeping the waffles and sausage warm in the oven as we continued to cook, we were soon ready to sit and enjoy our breakfast. The boys allowed us just enough time to add butter and syrup to our waffles and take our first bite before the conversation began in earnest.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Dads, what's the scoop," T.J. demanded.</span></p> <p><span>"What, you don't already know?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No, there's too much other junk flyin' through the air from these other goobers."</span></p> <p><span>"Yea, Dad, spit it out already," Mike chuffed.</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, here's the deal." Between bites of our meal, Tom and I spent about five minutes laying out LeVar's proposal from last night. When we finally finished our explanation, I asked, "So what do y'all think?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why do you two even ask us such silly questions?" Joey giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, it's like askin' a cop if he likes doughnuts?" Alex laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, speaking as a former cop, I'll have to say that's a definite yes," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Does anyone have any questions for LeVar before we give him an answer?" I queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, we're on board, Dads," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>"All of you?" Tom asked. The answer to that question was six heads nodding so vigorously they looked like they might fly off the shoulders to which they were attached. Tom then turned to LeVar and said, "There's your answer, LeVar. What do you need from us?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing right now, guys. I'm going to skip New York and head for home this afternoon so I can get some things organized there and at my office on Monday. Once I talk to some of my people, I'll be in touch to make arrangements for us to come back and talk to each of you."</span></p> <p><span>"Why do you need to that?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I just want the background details we provide for each character to be as close to the truth as possible. The best way to do that is to get it all direct from the horses' mouths. I also want to get pictures of all of you so when it's time to select our cast, we can make sure we select people who are at least close in appearance to who they'll be portraying. Same with trying to record impressions of each of your personalities, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Why go to all that trouble," Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, why not just let us do it ourselves?" Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"See, what'd I tell you two last night?" LeVar asked with a grin while looking at Tom and me.</span></p> <p><span>"Doesn't surprise us a bit, LeVar," I laughed. By the time our chat was over, it was time to start cleaning up the mess we'd made. While nine of us got busy with that task, LeVar excused himself so he could start getting his things together for his trip home. After placing a call for a limo to pick him up, he settled into the living room with his baggage, and the clothes he planned to wear were draped over the arm of the loveseat. While the boys disappeared into the theater, Tom and I joined LeVar.</span></p> <p><span>"Enjoying your freedom as long as you can, I see," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet I am. I'm gonna have to talk the boss into trying it once I get home. <a name="_Hlk524519391">Maybe if she joins me, we can finally visit one of those resorts I found.</a>"</span></p> <p><span>"I wish you good luck with that, LeVar," I chuckled. "So, what do you have to do when you get back?"</span></p> <p><span>"First thing Monday morning, I'll get with the legal eagles and have them get the basics drawn up for the contracts on the movie project. Hopefully, we can get those sent Monday afternoon so you, Rich and his dad can look them over. If everything looks good, just sign them and send `em back. If you want changes, let me know and we'll see what we can work out."</span></p> <p><span>"As long as they come in with the same terms we discussed the other night, I don't see where we'll need any changes. I'm still going to have my attorney review them before we sign, though."</span></p> <p><span>"As you should," LeVar agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"What about the other project?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"When I'm talking to legal about the movie contracts, I'll have them draw up the contracts for that one at the same time."</span></p> <p><span>"Why would you need them? We've already given our approval," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, first, I want to make sure we're all in agreement as to what the plan is. The only way to do that is to have a contract listing those specific details and have your signatures saying you agree with them. Second, there's the not so small matter of payment to you and your sons for the rights to your stories."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, what payment?" I asked. "You didn't say anything about that last night."</span></p> <p><span>"Oops, I guess I forgot to tell you `bout that in my excitement," LeVar chuckled. "The boys, including Logan since I assume he'll soon be joining the family, are going to receive a million dollars each for their rights, and you and Tom will get two million each for yours. All of you will be credited as `Creative Consultants' for the show and will also be paid for each episode as such."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh my god!" I exclaimed in surprise. "You can't be serious."</span></p> <p><span>"As a heart attack, guys."</span></p> <p><span>"But what if you can't find anyone who'll take on the project with, wait, what'd you call it last night? Oh yeah, the `rampant nudity'," I added with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm going to do the series, one way or another. While I hope I can find a partner who will accept it the way it should be is another story, but it's going to happen. I know we're gonna be pushing the envelope with what many people consider `acceptable', but I think it's high time we did so."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I stared dumbly at each other at this unexpected windfall as we tried to absorb the news. He finally broke the silence when he numbly mumbled, "Pinch me." After doing as requested, he added, "Yep, not a dream."</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, this is your life, get used to it."</span></p> <p><span>"We're tryin', LeVar, but there's so much happening, it's hard to keep up, sometimes," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's the last surprise I have for you. Today, anyway," he added with a quick chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank god for that," I moaned. The drive sensor chose that moment to announce someone pulling in.</span></p> <p><span>"I bet that's my cue to get dressed, damn it," LeVar said as he stood up and grabbed his clothes. He pulled on his shorts, shirt and shoes, then turned to us to say goodbye. "I want to thank you for letting me stay with you the past couple of days. I've had a great time getting to know all of you and I look forward to seeing you again. It's going to be fun working together."</span></p> <p><span>"We're glad you came out, LeVar. We've enjoyed the visit and getting to know you also. I can honestly say meeting you has been the highlight of my life."</span></p> <p><span>"Wait, what about me?" Tom asked. "I thought I was the highlight."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you're number one, for sure," I reassured him while patting his cheek. "And the boys would have to take the next six places on that list. But LeVar is right after them. Feel better, now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Much, thank you," he replied with a cheesy grin. The theater door banged open and the house shook as the herd rumbled across the house to join us.</span></p> <p><span>"Is that Grandma and Grampa comin'?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Probably LeVar's ride so he can head back home guys."</span></p> <p><span>"You're leaving already?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I've got a lot work to do when I get back home. But I'll be back soon, don't worry about that."</span></p> <p><span>"Sweet!" Joey enthused. "Bye, Mr. Burton. It was really cool to meet you," he added while giving LeVar a hug.</span></p> <p><span>"It was cool to talk about <i>Star Trek</i>, too," Alex added as he joined in the hug. That was all it took as all the boys surrounded the dazed man and hugged the stuffing out of him. When they finally broke up, Tom and I stepped in to say our goodbyes, also. We tried to shake hands, but he pulled us both into a hug and thanked us for welcoming him into our ever-growing family.</span></p> <p><span>"We're glad to have you become a part of it. Have a safe flight home."</span></p> <p><span>"I will. And thanks for your hospitality. We'll be talking sometime next week, I'm sure." With that final comment, LeVar turned and aimed for the front door. To avoid his driver seeing our current state of dress, we all waved goodbye from the living room as LeVar stepped outside and closed the door behind him.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I sank back into our chairs and took a few moments to collect our thoughts while the herd stared at us with questioning looks. When I felt I was ready to tell the boys of what LeVar had just informed us, I looked to Tom and asked, "You ready, yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"No time like the present, might as well get it over with," he agreed. He turned to the group still surrounding us and said, "Boys, have a seat, we need to talk."</span></p> <p><span>"Now what?" Andy asked nervously as the couch and loveseat filled up.</span></p> <p><span>"We didn't know about this until just a few minutes ago, but there's one more thing you all need to know about this series LeVar wants to create about us."</span></p> <p><span>"Are we gonna like it?" Mike asked pointedly.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we hope so," Tom replied. After a short pause to let the suspense build, "Part of the deal in allowing LeVar to do the show is he is going to pay us for the rights to our stories."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, how much?" Joey asked excitedly.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what? We get a few bucks, big deal," Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"It more than just a few bucks, Alex." I replied. "You guys are going to get a million dollars. Each."</span></p> <p><span>"HOLY CRAP!" Alex screamed.</span></p> <p><span>"WE'RE MILLIONAIRES!" Joey added at full volume. The others were too surprised at their good fortune to be able to say anything. All except for Logan, that is.</span></p> <p><span>"And there goes life, fuckin' me all over again," he grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Why would you think that, young man?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I ain't really part of the family, am I?" he whined.</span></p> <p><span>"Not officially, no, but LeVar said you're included in that, too," I replied calmly.</span></p> <p><span>"You're shittin' me, right?" he retorted with surprise filling his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a bit, young man," I answered with a grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my God," he cried as he broke down into a sobbing heap. I quickly moved over to him so I could hold him as he cried.</span></p> <p><span>After letting him go for a few minutes, I finally asked, "What's wrong, buddy?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm gonna get rich and daddy ain't here to enjoy it with me," he whimpered.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Logan. I'm sure your dad would be happy for you."</span></p> <p><span>"S'okay, I'll get used to it. Someday."</span></p> <p><span>"I know you will, but it's gonna take a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know. I been through this hell once already, I can do it again," he replied as he snagged some kleenex and wiped his face dry.</span></p> <p><span>"We know it won't be easy, but we'll help you through it, okay?" After a quick nod, I added, "Now, would you guys watch a movie or play a game for a while. Pops and I need to deal with some phone calls."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Dads," T.J. answered. "C'mon, dudes, I can hear the Uno cards callin' our names." As they started towards their bedrooms, I held on to Logan for just a moment so I could ask a question to which only he would know the answer.</span></p> <p><span>"I hate to ask this, but do you remember who took care of your mother's funeral? I figured we'd have them take care of your dad's arrangements, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, it was just the place over in New Berlin. And she's buried at the church just out the Old Jack a bit. I think when daddy took care of that, he bought a spot for him, too, so they could be together."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Logan. Scoot on out of here, then, and we'll get busy on the phones." We watched as he slowly headed down the hallway to join the others, his head hanging low as he plodded along.</span></p> <p><span>"That is one sad kiddo," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"For good reason, hon. Okay, Logan told me in bed this morning about his uncle Troy, Charlie's brother. You want to call Derek and see if he's found any other family while I call Carol and fill her in?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, babe." Tom picked up the phone to make his call while I headed to the kitchen to make mine. I called Carol's cell number since I didn't have a clue where she would be today.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Max. You wouldn't be callin' me on a Saturday with good news. What's happened?"</span></p> <p><span>"Charlie Campbell, Logan's dad, died last night in an accident on their farm."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no, that's horrible! How's Logan doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not too good, but he's tryin' to hang tough. Any idea what's going to happen to Logan now?"</span></p> <p><span>"First it depends on if Charlie had a will. Usually, parents will make a request of who they'd like to take care of any minor children they may have if they die before the child becomes an adult. If there's no will, we'll try to find other family members of the deceased who would be willing to give any minor children a home. Failing that, then it's up to the courts, in our case, Judge Corgan."</span></p> <p><span> "Well, I don't know about a will, but Logan told me this morning about an uncle who lives in Missouri. Should we contact him or let someone else deal with that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't you let the police handle the notification? They're much better equipped to manage these situations, Max. And if the uncle needs to get in touch with you for anything, let him go through the police, too. With a child involved, especially after a death, emotions are often out of control and you'd be better off to keep Logan out of any possible difficult situations."</span></p> <p><span>"That works for me. Tom was calling Derek to find out if he'd had any success with finding the uncle while I called you. From what Logan told me about the man this morning, he sounds like a real piece of work I'd just as soon not know. What about funeral arrangements? Since Logan's living with us, do you think we should be involved with those?"</span></p> <p><span>"Again, that's probably something you should leave up to Logan and the uncle."</span></p> <p><span>"But I feel like we should be doing more."</span></p> <p><span>"You guys just take care of Logan. He's the most important. Everything else is a minor inconvenience."</span></p> <p><span>"I think Charlie may disagree with you on that."</span></p> <p><span>"He probably would, but I'm only concerned with Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"All right, all right, I get it."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, I know I don't have the answers you were looking for, but I'll see what I can find out."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Carol. I appreciate your help. Talk to you later."</span></p> <p><span>"Bye, Max. Tell Logan I'm thinking about him."</span></p> <p><span>I hung up the phone and headed back to the living room to see if Tom had better success than I did. After sinking heavily into my chair, I asked, "What's the scoop, big guy?"</span></p> <p><span>"Derek got a hold of Troy this morning and he's coming up here to deal with things. From what Derek said, the guy sounds like a real pain in the ass. He was actually pissed off that Derek went into the house."</span></p> <p><span>"Give Troy a little break, would ya? He just lost his brother."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll try, babe, but it sounds like the dude's just an asshole. Derek said the only thing he asked about was what's going to happen to the farm, not Charlie, not Logan, the damn farm."</span></p> <p><span>"Did Derek say anything about finding a will?"</span></p> <p><span>"He didn't see that anywhere, but he did find a locked fireproof storage box. He has no idea what's inside it."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you know David's number?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, thanks to our poker nights. You really think we need to call him?"</span></p> <p><span>"We need to protect Logan and his interests. I think I know what Troy's thinkin', and I don't like it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what are <i>you</i> thinking?"</span></p> <p><span>"From what Logan and Derek have both said, it sounds like Troy believes he's should be the one to inherit the farm. If Charlie left a will and those were his wishes, then so be it. But if he didn't have a will, then I think Logan would be the one who inherits. If that's the case, we need to make sure that's what happens."</span></p> <p><span>"You know somethin', you shoulda been a lawyer," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Let's not be nasty, hon," I retorted before adding, "Make the call, please." Tom dialed the judge's number and after a few rings, the call was answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, is that you?" Margie greeted.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Margie. How are you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm doing well, thanks. I've been meaning to send you a congratulations greeting, but I keep forgetting to follow through with my thought."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks. I hate to bother him on a day off, but is his Honor available? I need to discuss a possibly serious legal problem with him."</span></p> <p><span>"He always has time for you, young man. One moment while I call him to the phone."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Margie. Have a great weekend."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, you too. Hang on." We could hear Margie calling David to the phone and he joined us shortly.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Tom. To what do I owe the pleasure."</span></p> <p><span>"Not much pleasure this morning, your Honor. Max and I need a legal opinion from someone who will know the answer without having to look it up."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, shoot, young man."</span></p> <p><span>"Logan's father, Charlie, was killed last night in a freak accident on his farm."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, no! I hate to hear that, especially when the two seemed to be back on the road to a more normal father and son relationship. How is Logan handling things?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not well at all, your Honor."</span></p> <p><span>"I'd imagine not. Please, let him know we'll be thinking about him. So, what's your question?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I guess we actually have two. The first is what happens with Logan now? Will he get to stay with us or will he have to go somewhere else? The second is what will happen with the farm?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm sure you already know the answer to both questions all depends on if Mr. Campbell has left a will stating his wishes in the event of his death. If he did, then the will would need to be probated, and the executor will disburse the estate following the instructions set forth. If there is no will, then, under Illinois law, the child would stand to inherit the entire estate as the sole surviving descendant of the parents."</span></p> <p><span>"That's pretty much what Max thought on the estate question. But what about Logan, himself?"</span></p> <p><span>"Again, if there's a will, then a designation as to whom would become the child's legal guardian until he reaches the age of majority will probably be noted therein, and he would go live with said guardian, most likely, a member of the child's extended family. If there is no will, then the court will generally lean towards placing the minor child with any found extended family, unless there is sufficient cause to believe that would not be in the child's best interests. In that case, the child will be placed in foster care in hopes that an acceptable adoptive family can be located for him or her."</span></p> <p><span>"Would Logan have any say in where he lives?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"To be bluntly honest, at his tender age, no. If he were a few years older, say fourteen or so, then a judge will sometimes listen to the minor's request and give that request due consideration. But even then, if the minor's request is deemed by the court to be unsatisfactory or not in the child's best interests, then the court will do what it feels is the proper thing."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what you're saying is that Logan could end up anywhere and neither he nor we have any say in it," Tom said, asking for clarification.</span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, excuse me, David, Max again. Logan has already told me that, basically, his uncle is not a good man and he and his cousins have always been extremely mean to Logan whenever they've been together. Wouldn't that have some bearing on where Logan ends up living?"</span></p> <p><span>"If there were proof to back up those accusations, most definitely. However, lacking that proof, the court would have no option but to grant guardianship to the decedent's next of kin. Providing, of course, they are interested and willing to take the child into their home."</span></p> <p><span>"I was afraid that was going to be the answer."</span></p> <p><span>"Listen, boys, I know it's not what you wanted hear, but that's the bald truth of it. Since any court proceedings concerning the young man in question will, undoubtedly, be heard in my court, you can rest assured that I will do the utmost to protect his well-being and interests. Despite the fact that I know you personally and feel that your home is most likely the best place for the child to live, I must, of course, follow the laws of the state."</span></p> <p><span>"We know that, David," I groaned in abject defeat. "I just wanted to make sure where we stand."</span></p> <p><span>"I wish I could give you better news."</span></p> <p><span>"We do, too, your Honor," Tom replied. "Thanks for your time this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Always happy to help. Try to have a good day." After ending the call, we sat in silence for a few moments before either of us dared to speak.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, to steal a phrase from Logan, that just sucks big ol' donkey dicks," I muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"I won't argue that point with you one bit, babe."</span></p> <p><span>"So, what do we do now?" I wondered aloud.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't have a clue. Guess we wait for Troy to get here."</span></p> <p><span>"No!" Logan exclaimed as he rounded the corner from the hallway, followed by the rest of the herd.</span></p> <p><span>"What do you mean, Logan?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I wanna go get some stuff from the house before he gets here. I don't wanna hafta worry `bout him throwin' out somethin' I don't wanna lose. Him and his whole family never liked my momma and he'd pro'lly trash everythin' that was hers just `cause of that. `Sides, I need to see how Buster's doin."</span></p> <p><span>"Who's Buster, your dog?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, we ain't never had a dog," he giggled in reply. "Buster's the baby bull that got born last week. I needs to make sure he's okay."</span></p> <p><span>I looked to Tom and asked, "You up for a field trip?"</span></p> <p><span>"Guess I better be," he laughed at my unintentional pun. He turned back to face the herd surrounding us and added, "Boys, get dressed, we're goin out." All seven munchkins disappeared down the hall amid a round of cheering at the unexpected detour while we headed to our own room to follow suit. Five minutes later we had regrouped in the living and were ready to roll. Not knowing how much Logan wanted to retrieve from home, we decided to take both cars to ensure we'd have plenty of room.</span></p> <p><span>After ten minutes of following Logan's directions, we pulled in the drive of his family's farm south of New Berlin, though I was already thinking of it as Logan's farm. We parked by the side of the sprawling two-story farmhouse and got out of the cars. It seemed to be very quiet to me, but with never being on a farm before, I realized I didn't know what one should sound like. </span></p> <p><span>I finally broke the silence that had befallen us when I asked, "Where do you want to start, Logan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Let's check on Buster first," he answered as he turned towards the barn.</span></p> <p><span>"Whoa, young man," I called out as I grabbed him by the shoulder. "I don't think we should go in there, not just yet, anyway. Why don't you guys go in the house with me and we can start collecting the things you want from there. I'll have Pops check out the barn before we go out there, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, didn't think `bout that," Logan muttered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, you guys head inside and I'll be right behind you." After they charged up the front steps and vanished through the door, I turned to Tom and asked, "You don't mind doin' that for me, do you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it, babe, I was thinkin' the same thing. Though we didn't have great light to work by last night, I don't think it was too messy. I don't remember massive blood loss or anything like that, if that's what you're worried about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, I knew you'd understand, that's why I love you so much," I whispered as I hugged him. "Be careful, please, and come back to the house when you're done."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll watch my step, for sure. There's critters out here, ya know? If I step in the wrong place, you might not let me drive home." </span></p> <p><span>Despite the situation, I couldn't help but laugh before responding, "Oh, you can drive home, all right, just as long as you leave your shoes here."</span></p> <p><span>"Deal. Be back in a few minutes."</span></p> <p><span>We went our separate ways and soon enough, I stepped inside the house. From appearances, it was your basic farm home, though very nicely appointed. I could hear noises emanating from somewhere up the stairway, so I followed the sounds of doors slamming and drawers banging. What I found when I reached the top of the stairs could only be described as pure bedlam. All seven boys were in what was obviously Logan's bedroom, emptying the closet and dresser onto Logan's bed, clearing off all the shelves, and a pair of feet was sticking out from under the bed as someone was trying to retrieve an item from the deep recesses below. </span></p> <p><span>I soon heard a muffled voice call out, "Got it dudes, pull me back out!" Joey and Alex grabbed the exposed feet and gently extracted Logan from under his bed. When he reappeared, he was clutching the most worn and tattered teddy bear I'd ever laid eyes on. I quietly laughed to myself, then turned and headed back down the stairs to take a quick survey of any other items Logan might want to take with him today. There were multitudes of family photos on the walls, tables and shelves, and I also found several albums containing more pictures on a set of shelves next to the fireplace in the living room. I set the albums on the table in front of the sofa so we wouldn't forget to take them with us.</span></p> <p><span>As I continued my wandering, I heard the front door close behind me and returned to the foyer to find Tom coming back from his inspection of the barn. "So, how is it out there?"</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I think. Sebastian had untangled Charlie's coveralls from the equipment and took them with him. Except for a few dark spots on the walls in the corner where we found him, you'd never know someone died out there last night."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good for Logan, I guess. I'd sure hate for him to see anything that would upset him more than he already is."</span></p> <p><span>"Where's the herd?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Upstairs, clearing out Logan's room."</span></p> <p><span>"Not no more," Logan called out as he came down the stairs dragging the blanket from his bed, the rest of the boys following in his wake. The blanket had been bundled up to keep anything from falling out and each of the others was carrying armfuls of books and other items from the shelves in his room. "Okay, that's everything I want from upstairs, Dads, time to take care of the downstairs."</span></p> <p><span>"What the devil is all that?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just all my clothes, shoes, books, toys, everything I don't want Uncle Dirtbag to have a chance to throw away, `cause he'd do it, just to piss me off." Logan then turned back to the boys who had relieved themselves of their burdens and said, "Dudes, let's grab every picture off every wall, shelf and table and bring `em back here." All seven split up and began following Logan's instructions, disappearing into other rooms, then coming back to the living room and carefully placing the pictures on the sofa. When that was done, Logan, said, "Guess we're gonna need some boxes to put all this junk in. Joey, Alex, Damon, come to the basement with me. There's boxes down there we can dump out." The four went through the kitchen and headed down the stairs.</span></p> <p><span>Once they were out of earshot, T.J. asked, "Is Logan really movin' in with us for good?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, son. We're going to do everything we can to make it happen, though," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I hope so," Mike said.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we'd miss him if he had to leave," Andy added.</span></p> <p><span>"We would, too, guys," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>The other four returned from the basement with eight boxes and Logan put them all too work. "Okay, guys, do me a favor and put all this loose junk in the boxes. I'll sort through all of it later. I gotta call someone."</span></p> <p><span>"Who do you need to call, Logan," I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Bartley. He lives just down the road, `member? I need to tell him what's happened and see if he can take care of the animals `til we figger out what's gonna happen with the farm." He promptly turned for the kitchen and I followed along. After consulting the list of people's names and numbers tacked to the wall next to the phone, Logan picked up the receiver and dialed the number.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Ryan, it's Logan. ... Campbell, ya twit, from down the road. ... Not too good, man. Hey, listen, I gotta talk to your dad. ... Yes, now, ya moron. Go get him, will ya? ... Thanks, I ain't goin' nowhere." A minute later, the tense conversation continued. "Mornin', Mr. Bartley, it's Logan and I need your help. Can you come down to the house, please? ... I'll tell you `bout it when you get here. ... Yeah, okay, thanks." After hanging up the phone, he turned to me and said, "He'll be here in a few minutes."</span></p> <p><span>I knelt in front of Logan and said, "You don't have to deal with this stuff right now."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I do. After momma died, Daddy always told me if somethin' happened to him, the farm was mine. And since there ain't no one else to take care of this crap, I gotta. I ain't lettin' the animals starve to death just cause the old man's gone. `Specially Buster."</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, listen to me. You need to give yourself some time to cope with your dad's death or you're going to end up just like him, mad at everybody and everything because of life's unfairness."</span></p> <p><span>"I hear ya, Dad, but now you listen to me. I know what I hafta do. First thing is to make sure the animals are taken care of. They ain't worth much, but if they die, they ain't gonna be worth nothin' to no one. I'm gonna make sure that don't happen. Mr. Bartley took care of things `round here while daddy was in jail and I think he'll do it again. Once I got that handled, I'll take care of myself. Promise."</span></p> <p><span>"Just remember, you aren't doing this alone."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that, Dad. And, thanks." I pulled the munchkin into hug and didn't let go until we heard the crunch of tires on rock from outside. I released Logan from my tight grasp and we headed towards the front porch. As we passed through the living room, Logan said, "You dudes did great, thanks. Can you and Pops start loading all that into the cars while Dad and me talk to Mr. Bartley? Pops'll probably have to deal with the blanket `cause it's pretty heavy."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Logan," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>The two of us stepped onto the porch just as Joe and Ryan climbed the steps. Logan quickly gave Ryan a hug before shaking hands with Joe, then stepping back to take care of business. "Thanks for comin' down Mr. Bartley. I gots a problem and I hope you can help me out."</span></p> <p><span>"What's goin' on, Logan?" Joe asked with concern. "You know I'll do whatever I can."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's like this. Daddy died last night ..."</span></p> <p><span>"What!? How the hell'd that happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't know for sure, some kind of accident when he was grindin' feed. But the farm's mine now," Logan answered. "An' I can't deal with none of this `til after daddy's funeral. Can you take care of the animals here `til I figger somethin' else out? I'll pay you for your time."</span></p> <p><span>"Logan, buddy, don't you worry `bout a thing. We'll do whatever you need, and don't you dare think about paying us for doing it. We always help out when other people need it, don't we?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we used to `til momma got sick. Daddy kinda quit helpin' anybody after that."</span></p> <p><span>"And we all understand why he did Logan. Now it's our turn to help you."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, sir, I `ppreciate it. Guess it's a good thing ain't nothin' got planted yet, so I ain't gotta worry none `bout that." Logan then turned to Ryan and added, "Ryan, I gots a special project for you. Follow me, dude." Logan grabbed Ryan by the arm, led him down the steps and across the yard towards the barn, Joe and I following closely behind the pair. As we made our way through the barn, we passed the tractor still attached to the feed grinder. I couldn't help but take a quick look around the area and I noticed that Logan had done the same. We finally stepped through a doorway in the back wall of the barn and into a small fenced-in area where we found the calf named Buster and his mother.</span></p> <p><span>"Aww, look at you, Buster. Ain't you just the cutest little dude," Logan cooed with a smile as he stepped closer to the pair of animals standing next to a water trough. "Sorry I wasn't here to help last week when you was born, but shit happens, ya know?" he added as he patted Buster on the head. "I hope you're takin' good care of him Bessie." It seemed as though Bessie winked at Logan in response, but I'm sure that was just my eyes and mind playing tricks on me.</span></p> <p><span>"So, what's this project you had for me," Ryan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I need you to take care of Buster."</span></p> <p><span>"But I don't know nothin' `bout takin' care of a bull!" Ryan protested.</span></p> <p><span>"Your dad can teach you, buddy. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't think you could do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Geez, man, you don't want much."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, as young as Buster is, he's still nursin' off his momma and will `til he's over six months old. All you gotta do is make sure Bessie gets fed and Buster'll be just fine. And maybe give `im a good brushin' every now and then. Bessie, too. They'll like that."</span></p> <p><span>"Brush a cow? Have you lost your mind?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, just my daddy. Here, let me show you." Logan zipped back into the barn and came back with a big brush. As he spoke softly to Bessie and Buster, he carefully moved closer until he could reach out and touch Bessie on the snout. While stroking her nose and then her neck, he moved around her side and began to run the brush across her flanks. You could see the calm that came over the animal as Logan continued. He finally waved a hand at Ryan, beckoning him to come closer.</span></p> <p><span>When Ryan reached the trio, Logan handed him the brush and said, "Here, brush Buster, let `im get used to you." Ryan followed his instructions and started running the brush over Buster's back and sides. "That's it, man, smooth even strokes. And talk to him while you do it." Ryan added a little patter to go with his brushing and Buster soon started leaning into each stroke of the brush. "Good job, Ryan," Logan encouraged his friend. "I think Buster's startin' to really like you. You got this?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, man, I got it. This is fun. I'll take good care of them for you, dude."</span></p> <p><span>"I knew you would. Thanks. We can go now. I'll show you where I keep the brush inside the barn." As they turned and headed towards Joe and me, Buster followed along, nudging Ryan in the back. Both boys were laughing hysterically at the young calf's antics, but then, Joe and I were also. When they had rejoined us, the four of us continued inside the barn, Buster still closely following Ryan. Logan stopped and before he closed the door, said, "No, Buster, you have to stay here with your momma. She'll take care of you and I'll come back to see you when I can." After one more pat on the head, the door was closed and we continued our trek back to the house.</span></p> <p><span>Logan showed Ryan where the brush was stored and as we passed by the tractor again, Logan stopped and said simply, "This is where it happened, ain't it?"</span></p> <p><span>With no visible retreat from the query, I answered him honestly, "Yes, it is, Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"I figgered as much. Can I have a minute, Max?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, buddy. We'll be right outside." Three of us continued on our way and were soon back out in the bright sunlight of the day. "Joe, I want to say thanks to you and Ryan for helping Logan with things."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, Max. We're happy to do our part. Is what Logan said about the farm being his true?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't have a clue. He says that's what Charlie always told him, but until we find out if Charlie left a will or not, it's all up in the air."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I know Charlie had a brother, but I don't think they got on very well with each other."</span></p> <p><span>"That seems to fit with what little bit Logan's said about the man. That's the only reason we're here right now, Logan didn't want his uncle to have a chance to get rid of anything Logan might want to keep. Well, that and to check on Buster," I added with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Logan's a good kid and he's got his priorities straight. For a farmer, anyway," Joe added with a grin. "Ya gotta make sure the livestock's taken care of. After that, then the crops, and like he said, nothin's been planted yet, so no worries there."</span></p> <p><span>Logan finally exited the barn, head held high and proud. "Okay, Max, we can go back home now. I done all I came for."</span></p> <p><span>"Before you leave, I have something I'd like to discuss with you," Joe said.</span></p> <p><span>"What's that Mr. Bartley?" Logan asked with curiosity.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I've been looking to buy some more land, or at least rent some. I know you have a lot to deal with right now, so I don't expect an answer today, but once you know what you're going to do with the farm, I'd like you to keep me in mind."</span></p> <p><span>"You have first dibs, Mr. Bartley. And thanks for takin' care of things out here for me until I can deal with it. I promise you'll get paid for your time, so you better keep track of it." Logan then turned to Ryan and added, "Same goes for you, bubba. I don't expect you to tackle my problems for nothin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Logan, you're all right, dude," Ryan replied. </span></p> <p><span>The two boys shared a quick hug while Joe and I shook hands before we parted. As Joe and Ryan climbed into their truck to head back home, Logan and I returned to the house. As we entered the living room, we found Tom and the boys waiting patiently for our return.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, guys, I think that's it for now," Logan said. "Thanks for all your help gettin' it loaded up."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, before we go, Logan, there's one more thing we should probably take," I said.</span></p> <p><span>"What's that, Dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Derek told Pops he found a fireproof lockbox somewhere. I'm guessing you probably don't want Troy finding it."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right, I don't. He ain't got no business with whatever's in it. Be right back." Logan ran up the stairs and returned shortly with the lockbox in his hands and a key on a string around his neck. "Okay, let's get outta here. I'm ready to get back home."</span></p> <p><span>That was all it took for the rest of us to get up and file out the front door to our cars. Logan was the last one out the door and he made sure the door was locked and deadbolted before leaving the porch. With Logan's things loaded into both cars, space was snug as we climbed in them, but we weren't going that far and I figured we'd all survive the trip. As we turned from the drive onto the road for home, a truck with Missouri license plates and bearing several people turned in the drive.</span></p> <p><span>"Should we see who that is?" I asked Logan.</span></p> <p><span>"No, I know who it is. Just keep goin'."</span></p> <p><span>I continued on up the road, keeping an eye in the rearview mirror. I watched as the truck backed out of the drive and quickly settled in on the bumper of the Flex. "Uh, don't look now, but we're being followed." Of course, the four boys in the car with me turned as one and stared out the back window.</span></p> <p><span>"Aw, dammit. I didn't wanna deal with him today," Logan groaned in defeat.</span></p> <p><span>"Pops'll handle him, Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, I got it. I'm gonna hafta to do it sometime, might as well be today."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we'll be right there with ya."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dad, I know you will."</span></p> <p><span>"Not that I mind, but can I ask why you used `Max' when talkin' to Mr. Bartley?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I didn't want him to go thinkin' or spreadin' `round that I replaced my daddy with somebody else already. You're a great sub, Dad, and I love you, but you ain't never gonna replace my daddy."</span></p> <p><span>"And I would never try to, Logan. Fathers are irreplaceable." The rest of the short trip home was covered in silence, truck firmly glued to the rear of the Flex. On arriving back home, we pulled in the garage and the truck parked on the drive. "Andy, Mike, T.J., in the house, please," I said before we got out. Whatever was going to happen next, I didn't want them in the middle of it. As we climbed out of the car, I heard Tom telling Alex, Joey and Damon to head inside also. With those six out of the line of fire, Tom, Logan and I turned to greet the occupants of the truck.</span></p> <p><span>"You wanna tell me who the fuck you think you are and what the hell you was doin' at my brother's house? From the looks of what's piled in your cars, I'm guessin' you was robbin' the place," the man yelled as he exited the vehicle, followed by a woman and two hulking teenagers.</span></p> <p><span>"My name's Max and this is Tom," I replied, "and this, of course, is your nephew Logan," I added as I laid a hand on his shoulder.</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't no way that puny little piece o' shit's related to me."</span></p> <p><span>"I am, too, Uncle Troy, whether we like it or not," Logan retorted despite shaking like a leaf under my hand. "What the hell you doin' up here anyway?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm here to bury my brother and take what's mine," Troy answered viciously.</span></p> <p><span>"There ain't nothin' up here that belongs to the likes of you. My daddy always told me the farm was mine when he was gone. Well, guess what, asshole? He's gone and I'm claimin' what's mine. You just go back to whatever hole you drug yourself out of `cause you ain't gettin' squat outta me."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see `bout that, you snot-nosed little brat. I'm goin' back out there right now and take whatever the hell I want."</span></p> <p><span>"Troy, you listen to me and listen good!" Logan began in a forceful tone of voice we'd not heard from him before. "The house and ever'thing in it belongs to me, along with all the land, `quipment and animals. You step one foot on <i>my</i> land, I'll have your scruffy nerfherdin' ass arrested and thrown in jail for trespassin', along with them useless excuses for cousins. You hear me?"</span></p> <p><span>"All I hear is some useless little pissant squealin' like a stuck pig."</span></p> <p><span>"Tom, can I borrow your phone for a minute?" Logan asked while looking up to the big guy. Without question, he slipped the device from his pocket and handed it to Logan. Logan promptly unlocked the phone, opened the contacts, then scrolled and selected Derek's name. He placed the phone to his ear and waited for Derek to answer.</span></p> <p><span>"Hello, is this Sherriff Timmons? ... Sherriff, this is Logan Campbell. ... Yeah, thanks. ... About as good as I can get, I guess. Listen, I got a problem. My stinkin' uncle just showed up and he's tellin' me he's goin' out to <i>my</i> house and he's gonna take anything he thinks he wants. ... Well, yeah, I know that, and I just told him the same thing, but he ain't listenin'. ... Well, if ain't too much bother, could you or one o' your guys go out there and make sure nothin' happens to the place? ... Thank you, sir. I `ppreciate the help." Logan calmly handed the phone back to Tom, then turned to face his uncle again. "You heard that, right?"</span></p> <p><span>"All I heard was some little shit who thinks he's better than us fakin' a damn phone call."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, to be real honest with ya, Troy, I am better than y'all. Always have been, always will be. But, if you think I faked that, you go right ahead and go back to the house. By the time you get there, there'll be cops waitin' to arrest your sorry ass. If'n ya don't wanna go to jail tonight, I think y'all oughta go find some culvert to crawl into until daddy's funeral. You should feel right home there."</span></p> <p><span>"You snot-nosed little fucker," Troy screamed as he stepped towards Logan. Tom quickly stepped between the two to keep them separated. "I'm gonna beat your ass like it ain't never been beat before."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think so, asshole," Tom growled.</span></p> <p><span>"It's cool, Tom," Logan said as he stepped from behind his protector. "This turd ain't never gonna lay a hand on me, `cause if he even tries it, I'm gonna geld him," Logan hissed as he pulled out a pocket knife and smoothly flipped the blade open.</span></p> <p><span>"You weren't kiddin' about havin' a knife, were you?" I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, and I know to use it. If that bastard gets one step closer, he'll find out real quick-like just how good I am with it, too." Troy abruptly halted his advance and stared at the blade gleaming in the sun. "Yeah, ain't so tough now, are ya, asshole. Y'all just get in that filthy truck and get the hell outta here." </span></p> <p><span>From the corner of my eye, I caught Alex step next to Tom and hand him his gun. "Here, Pops, looks like you might need this," he said with an evil smirk crossing his face before stepping back behind us.</span></p> <p><span>Despite being surprised at the gun suddenly materializing in his hand, years of training kicked in and Tom smoothly racked the slide as he lifted the gun and aimed it at Troy. "I think now would be a very good time for you to leave," he intoned calmly. "There are plenty of hotels in Springfield and I'm sure you can find somewhere to spend the next couple of nights. You step foot on this property again, you'll be leaving it in a body bag, understood?"</span></p> <p><span>"I ain't scared of no asshole with a gun," Troy protested.</span></p> <p><span>Tom quickly lifted the gun straight up, fired a round, and then re-centered his aim on Troy's forehead. "Well, you should be. That was your first and <i>only</i> warning. Next one is goin' right between your beady eyes," Tom said smoothly as he held the gun with both hands to steady his aim.</span></p> <p><span>The four from Missouri quickly glanced at each other and silently agreed this was not the time to press the issue. They retreated to their truck and just before Troy closed his door, he yelled, "Don't think this is the last you've seen of me, assholes. That little fucker is mine, now." With that final comment, the truck turned around and peeled rubber as it escaped down the drive.</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, that sure makes for a fun afternoon," Logan deadpanned. "Sorry to be such a problem, Dads."</span></p> <p><span>"You are <i>not</i> a problem, Logan. Alex, on the other hand ...," I muttered as I turned to find him scampering back into the house.</span></p> <p><span>"Look at him go," Logan cackled with laughter. "I ain't never seen him move that fast. Unless it was time to eat, that is." Tom and I both cracked up at that comment. The three of us finally headed for the house and after locating Alex hiding in his bathroom, sat in the living room for a serious discussion.</span></p> <p><span>While his head was hanging low, I asked the obvious question. "Would you please explain to us how you got Tom's gun from the safe just now?"</span></p> <p><span>"We-e-ell, I went into your study a couple weeks ago to get some paper and saw the instructions for it layin' on your desk. So, I read `em and the next time I had a chance, I went searchin' for the thing. I shoulda known you'd have it hidden in your closet."</span></p> <p><span>"Finding it is one thing, but how the heck did you open it?"</span></p> <p><span>"That's why I read the instructions. I programmed it for my fingerprint, too. I thought if somethin' happened to the two of you, we may need to get in it for some important papers or somethin'. Looks like I was right `bout that," he grinned mischievously. Everybody let go a giggle of amusement at his astute observation.</span></p> <p><span>"Alex, Alex, Alex," I muttered quietly. "While on one level, I appreciate your inquisitiveness and industriousness, on another level, I can't believe you did that without asking permission. And you should know better than to handle a gun without adult supervision."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I do, believe me, but it really did look like you guys needed it and couldn't get it yourselves. `Sides, I never let my finger get close to the trigger, even though the safety was on. And I carried it with both hands on the grip and kept it pointed at the floor all the way through the house and outside. I might be just a kid, but I ain't a complete fool."</span></p> <p><span>"I never said you were. And while I'm not at all happy with what you've done, you did kinda save our asses just now, so I guess we're gonna let it slide." A wide smile crossed his face and a loud sigh of relief exited his tiny body. "But, you ever get in there again without one of us specifically telling you to do so, I am going to tan your hide, you understand me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, sir. I'm sorry," Alex groaned.</span></p> <p><span>"All right, then, time to move on." I turned to Tom and asked, "Do you know any security companies in town?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't, but Dylan does."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, would you call him and see if he can get somebody out here for the next couple of days. I won't feel safe until Troy goes back home."</span></p> <p><span>"Consider it done, babe," he replied as he headed to his office to make the call.</span></p> <p><span>After he was gone, I turned to Logan and said, "Logan, I want you to know how proud I am of you for the way you're stepping up and taking care of things. You've really impressed me today, especially the way you stood up to your uncle."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dad. I may be just a stupid farm kid, but sometimes a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, ya know?" All of us cracked up in laughter and were still laughing when Tom came back, confused as to the reason for such hilarity. When I had finally calmed down enough to fill him in, he joined us in our temporary insanity. When we finally calmed down, Logan asked, "Okay, what's next?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why don't we unload the cars? I'm just not sure where we can put everything, though."</span></p> <p><span>"We could just drop it in the storage building," Logan offered. "I don't really <i>need</i> any of it right now, I just didn't want to leave it at the house."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds like a plan to me, guys," I agreed. "Let's make it so."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes sir, Cap'n Picard, sir," T.J. said as he stood at attention and offered a quick salute. The boys all giggled and after offering their own salutes, headed down the hall to the garage.</span></p> <p><span>As Tom and I followed along, I quietly asked, "Any luck with Dylan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, somebody should be here in about half an hour."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, that's one less thing we have to worry about. Do you think we should arrange something for Logan's farm? At least until Troy goes back home?"</span></p> <p><span>"It wouldn't hurt, I guess. I'll talk to the guys who show up here today and take care of it."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank, hon. Let's get this done." When we reached the garage, the boys were nowhere to be found. I stuck my head out the big door and found them halfway to the storage building already. Turning back to Tom, I said, "Looks like they're walking. We better get a move on." </span></p> <p><span>We climbed in the cars and followed the herd down the drive. After reaching the building and backing the cars up to the big door, I unlocked the side door and disabled the alarm before punching the button to open the big door. We made short work of the job, putting most of Logan's things on shelves on the upper deck. That task completed, we returned to the house to settle in and relax for a while. As we stepped inside, the drive sensor dinged and Tom headed to the front door while the rest of us turned for the dining room. </span></p> <p><span>Logan was carrying the lockbox in from the car and said, "Might as well open this thing up and see what's inside." We took chairs at the table and Logan wasted no time in using the key on the string around his neck to open the container. After lifting the lid and peering inside, he commented, "That's a buttload of paper, let me tell ya. What is all this junk, Dad?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, let's look through it and see what we can figure out." I pulled out the handful of paper and started to sift through it while letting Logan know what each bundle was. "Okay, this first is the deed to the house and property. From what I'm seeing, it looks like it's fully paid for, so you don't have to worry about mortgage payments, just insurance and property taxes."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, how am I gonna be able to pay those, I ain't got no money."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't you worry about that right now, let's keep digging." The next item I reviewed looked to be ledger of a bank account kept the old-fashioned way, which considering Charlie's attitudes, seemed to be just about right. "According to this accounting your dad kept, it looks like you have about 265,000 dollars in the farm's accounts at the bank in New Berlin. That should be plenty to tide you over for any other expenses for a while. Your dad looks like he was pretty frugal and saved well."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, he was a cheapskate, all right," Logan snickered. "But he was about to buy seed for this year, too. That's probably why there's so much there."</span></p> <p><span>"This next file looks like it holds the bills of sale on the equipment your dad had bought over the years. Here's one for the tractor, the feed grinder, the plows, the harvester, and looks like a bunch of receipts for supplies like water troughs and such that would have been for the livestock. I'm sure he kept all these for tax purposes over the years, but they'll be good to have to help set values on any items you might want to sell.</span></p> <p><span>"This next file looks like receipts and manuals for all the appliances and electronics in the house. Then we have some miscellaneous files that don't look to be anything of much importance right now." I reached into the box one more time and extracted the final item. It turned out to be a manila envelope with a wax seal keeping the flap shut. When I looked at the return address on the other side, it appeared to from a lawyer's office.</span></p> <p><span>"What's that one, Dad," Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I won't know until I open it, now will I," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Open what?" Tom asked as he finally joined us.</span></p> <p><span>"This envelope from Logan's lockbox," I answered. I looked to Logan and added, "I think this is from a lawyer in Jacksonville, do you want me to open it or do you want to do it?"</span></p> <p><span>"What do you think it is?" Logan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Best guess, your dad's will."</span></p> <p><span>"You open it, then."</span></p> <p><span>I carefully slipped my finger under the flap and broke the wax seal while everyone watched me intently. I slid the few pages from inside the envelope and quickly read the cover letter included only to discover I was, indeed, holding Charlie's will and Logan's fate in my hands. I looked to Logan and said, "This <i>is</i> your dad's will, kiddo, do you want to read it now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Might as well, don't ya think? But you do it. I don't think I could focus on it too good," he answered with tears starting to fill his eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, give me a few minutes to read the whole thing then I'll let you know what it says, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Fine, I just hope y'all can read really fast."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do my best," I chuckled. I quickly skimmed through the document to pick up the highlights, smiling at one point and frowning a bit later. When I reached the end, I found a surprise that shocked me to no end, and I was pretty sure Logan didn't have a clue about it, either, since he'd not mentioned it yet. I reread that paragraph several times to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me and when I finally accepted what it said, I laid the will on the table and turned to Logan.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I've got good news and bad news for you. First, what it says here is exactly what your dad had told you, the farm, house, equipment, livestock, it's all yours, lock, stock, and barrel. He specifically stated that your uncle should not receive anything from the estate. Since you're a minor, he named John Billings at the bank to be the executor of the will and trustee for you until you turn twenty-one."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's cool. Mr. Billings was always nice to me. And even though Daddy had turned mean and nasty, Mr. Billings still liked him. Okay, what's the bad news?"</span></p> <p><span>"You're not going to like this, but the will says your Uncle Troy is to be appointed as your guardian."</span></p> <p><span>"No way!" Logan yelled in anger amid moans of defeat from the others.</span></p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, that's what it says. And after we talked to Judge Corgan this morning, I don't know any way to change that."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's real simple, Dad, I ain't goin' nowhere with that ass," Logan protested. "All he wants is the farm and the money. He don't give two shits `bout me."</span></p> <p><span>"All I can do is send the will to my attorney and have him check it over for us. If anyone can help you now, it'll be Clarence."</span></p> <p><span>"Do it now, please. I don't even wanna think `bout livin' with them scumbag losers."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll take care of it first thing Monday morning, Logan. Clarence doesn't work on the weekends."</span></p> <p><span>"You better," he fumed with disgust at the idea of moving. I let him stew for a moment before I shared the surprise I'd discovered at the end of the will.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, there's one more thing mentioned here you should know about. It surprised the hell outta me since you haven't said anything about it before, so it might be a surprise too you, as well."</span></p> <p><span>"What's that? I gotta sleep in the same bed with my ignorant cousins or somethin' stupid like that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all," I smiled. "Have you ever heard the name William Charles Campbell."</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, who's he? Another lowlife uncle like that loser Troy?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, Logan, he's your brother."</span></p> <p><span>"WHAT!? I gots a brother!? Holy shit! How the hell could that be and I don't know `bout him?"</span></p> <p><span>"From what your dad said in his will, he was born shortly after your parents were married and had bought the farm. They didn't have much money at the time and your mom and dad felt he would be better off living with another family, so they gave him up for adoption."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my God. I got a brother out there somewhere, a real live brother. And since I didn't know `bout him, I bet he don't know `bout me. We gots to find him, Dads."</span></p> <p><span>"All I can say right now is we'll try, Logan. Adoption records are usually sealed, but we'll check into his whereabouts and see what we can do. Charlie didn't leave him anything in the will since he didn't know where he was, or if he was even still alive, but your dad did say he hoped William could be found and you'd share your inheritance with him."</span></p> <p><span>"You're damn right, I will. Hell, he can have it all since Mr. Burton's payin' me all that money. We just gotta figger out a way to keep Troy from gettin' his greedy paws on any of it."</span></p> <p><span>"That's what the trust is for, Logan. Mr. Billings will be in charge of that and he'll make sure you're protected."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, that's one less thing I gotta think about. Now, what should we do about Daddy's funeral?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Carol thought we should leave that up to you and Troy, but it's up to you."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't want him to have nothin' to do with it. Will you help me deal with all that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, we will. I'll call them in the morning and see what we can arrange."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dad. Whew, that's a shit-ton to take care of."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, it is, but like I said earlier, one step at time, all right?"</span></p> <p><span>"You got it."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Tom, what's up with security?"</span></p> <p><span>"We have three guys here, one at the end of the drive and two roaming `round the house. I hate to say this, but I'd suggest we remain covered while they're here."</span></p> <p><span>"We don't care `bout no security dudes seein' us naked, Pops," T.J. retorted. </span></p> <p><span>Tom shot me a quick glance and I only shrugged my shoulders. "If the boys don't care, I don't either."</span></p> <p><span>"Yippee!" Mike and Andy squealed. With that, all seven hightailed it to their rooms to get comfortable. They were next seen as they charged back through the dining room on their way to the theater, the disc for <i>Real Steel</i> in Joey's hands.</span></p> <p><span>"Were you able to get somebody to keep an eye on Logan's farm?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep. The guy in charge here, Dirk, called their office and another team of three should be out at the farm shortly. I also called Derek to let him know we had it handled and thanked him for having one of his guys camped out in the drive until they could get there. Derek said it was a good thing Logan called him because a truck with Missouri plates went by the place about twenty minutes after Logan called him. No doubt in my mind who that was."</span></p> <p><span>"Mine either. Okay, it sounds like we have all the immediate concerns handled. I'm gonna drop this will on my desk so I can get it to Clarence Monday, then I'm crashin' by the fireplace to decompress for a bit."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a good idea to me, babe. Count me in."</span></p> <p><span>As we aimed for the bedroom, I asked, "Since Logan says he wants to take care of funeral arrangements, you have any idea when we might hear from the coroner?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue. And I didn't think to ask Derek about that when I talked to him. I guess it depends on when Sebastian was going to do the autopsy. Once he's done, he'll notify Derek and I'm sure he'll pass the word on to us."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I just wondered." After reaching our room, we both decided to join the boys in comfort, then after leaving the envelope with the will on my desk, headed back to the living room where Tom started the fire and we both sank into our chairs. Our decompression only lasted about twenty minutes when the drive sensor went off. Fifteen seconds later, the phone rang.</span></p> <p><span>"This is Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Wright, it's Dirk at the end of the drive. I have an older couple in a gray Chevy, Illinois license plate `Wright 1' with me. They claim to be your parents. Shall I let them enter the property?"</span></p> <p><span>"Please do. We were expecting them, and I forgot to tell you they'd be coming in. Thanks."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, sir," Dirk replied as he clicked off the connection.</span></p> <p><span>"Nice to see they're doing their job properly," Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"And I'm glad they are." The theater door banged open as the boys joined us with their regular flurry of activity and noise.</span></p> <p><span>"Is that grandma and grampa?" Mike asked as they drew closer.</span></p> <p><span>"It sure is," Tom answered. "Why don't you and Andy meet them at the door?" Those two scrambled towards the door, both anxious to be the one to let them in. The rest of the boys settled on the couch and loveseat, Damon looking decidedly nervous.</span></p> <p><span>"What's wrong, Damon?" I asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, guess I'm just a little freaked `bout them seein' me naked."</span></p> <p><span>"It didn't seem to bother you last night," I offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I s'pose it didn't, but we were in a dark theater most of the time, too, and when we weren't, I was kinda hidin' behind the others. They couldn't really see too much of me then. It somehow feels different with it bein' broad daylight. What if they laugh at me and my tiny you know what?"</span></p> <p><span>"First, Damon," Tom started, "Mom and Dad would never do that. Second, part of being a nudist is being comfortable with and accepting of who you are, both inside and outside. Third, they used to change my diapers, so they know what a small penis looks like."</span></p> <p><span>That brought a smile to Damon's face and he laughed out loud before saying, "Ain't so tiny now, is it, Uncle Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, no, but they aren't still changin' my diapers, either."</span></p> <p><span>"Lord, I hope not," Damon laughed again.</span></p> <p><span>Andy finally opened the front door and Bill and Estelle stepped inside, only to be instantly mugged by both rugrats manning the door. Not content with receiving a quick hug, Bill picked up Andy while Estelle hoisted Mike and settled him on her hip. After Bill kicked the door shut with his foot, all four ambled across the house to join us in the living room. As soon as Mike and Andy were set back on the floor, the rest of the herd surrounded their grandparents and a mass hugging ensued. Damon seemed to be testing his new confidence a bit as he let Bill wrap an arm around his shoulder and guide him back to the loveseat.</span></p> <p><span>"What the devil is goin' on out here?" Bill asked. "It felt like we were trying to get into the White House grounds today," he added with a laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"We've had a little excitement out here today, Dad," Tom answered. He went on to explain our trip to Logan's house and the confrontation with Troy on the driveway when we returned home.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he sounds like a nice fellow," Estelle giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Too bad he ain't," Logan vented. "Daddy always said he was the south end of a northbound mule, and just as hardheaded, too."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure he means well, young man," Bill offered.</span></p> <p><span>"No, he don't. And now I hafta go live with that jackass. Dad was right as rain this mornin' when he said life sucks sometimes."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure Max and Tom will do what they can so you can stay here," Bill commented.</span></p> <p><span>"We're going to try, but after reading Charlie's will, I don't know what we could do," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure that was written long before Charlie knew there might be somewhere else for Logan to live," Estelle said.</span></p> <p><span>"I think he would have changed his will to allow you to stay here if he'd had time to do so," Bill added. "Well, we're not going to stay long. We just wanted to drop in and say hi on our way home today."</span></p> <p><span>"Say, don't we have another birthday coming up?" Estelle asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, mine," Andy answered with a smile. "It's on the twenty-third. I hope you can be here."</span></p> <p><span>"We wouldn't dream of missing it, Andy," Bill replied. "Just let us know the date and time of the party."</span></p> <p><span>"That's up to the Dads."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be sure to let you know when. Did you have a nice time with Mom and Dad last night?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Great as always, Max. We're really looking forward to sharing this house later this year," Bill answered.</span></p> <p><span>"What did you think of our interviews on TV?" T.J. asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We think you all did great. I almost felt sorry for Ray by the time he got to the end of the show. You guys are a hard act to follow."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Grampa," Joey said with pride.</span></p> <p><span>"And we're gonna get even harder, soon," Alex added.</span></p> <p><span>"What're you talkin' about," Estelle queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Burton's gonna make a TV show outta our lives," T.J. answered.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I quickly jumped into the conversation and explained LeVar's idea to Bill and Estelle. To say they were surprised at this new development would be a serious understatement.</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like all of you will be working closely with him for quite a while then," Estelle commented.</span></p> <p><span>"No doubt, we will, Estelle. He's supposed to be coming back to talk to each of us to get more detailed backgrounds and personality traits for the actors to follow."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, he's probably going to want to talk to us, too, then," Bill offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Why the heck would you think that?" Tom asked his parents.</span></p> <p><span>"Who else is better qualified to tell him about your background than us," Estelle answered logically. "He'll want to talk to Jim and Rose, too, I'd imagine."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, crap," I muttered. "I hadn't even thought about that."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't be so uptight, Max. I'm sure they'll only tell LeVar and his people the truth."</span></p> <p><span>"I sure hope so. But then, we haven't talked a whole lot about me for quite a while, so who knows what wild stories they might come up with."</span></p> <p><span>"It'll be fine, you'll see," Estelle said, trying to placate me.</span></p> <p><span>We spent the next hour visiting, the boys filling them in on how school was progressing among other miscellaneous topics. Bill finally called time out and said they had to hit the road, so we followed the travelers to the front door where it took several minutes for everyone to receive their hugs and say goodbye. Once the complete round was accommodated, Bill and Estelle departed for their hour and a half trip back home.</span></p> <p><span>As we headed to the kitchen to start work on supper, I asked, "So, Damon, was it as bad as you thought it would be?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all, Uncle Max. I know they saw how small I was, but neither one of them said anything about it. I wish the kids at school could be like that in the locker room after P.E.."</span></p> <p><span>"Kids can be cruel, Damon," Tom replied. "And that's because their parents don't teach them how to behave properly in some situations."</span></p> <p><span>"Man, I wish I lived down here so I could go to school with your boys. I bet they don't treat other kids like that, do they?"</span></p> <p><span>"Absolutely not," I answered. "Why would they? Living the way we do, there aren't any secrets around here, and we'll answer any questions they may have."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that sounds like Dad and Poppy. They've answered a lot of things for me the past couple weeks. And I feel a lot better about myself than I used to."</span></p> <p><span>"That's a good thing, Damon," I said as I patted him on the shoulder. I turned to the assembled crew and asked, "Grilled ham and cheese sound okay to everyone?"</span></p> <p><span>"Tomato soup, too?" Mike asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Always," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>Agreement rang though the group, so we got busy in the kitchen while the boys took care of the table. Twenty-five minutes later, we sat down to enjoy our simple and yummy meal. While we were eating, we'd reached a consensus to watch some <i>Star Trek</i> before going to bed, so once the plates and bowls were emptied, we cleaned up the mess and adjourned to the theater. Between the second and third episode for the night, we took a bathroom break and then set the kiddos up with cookies and milk for a snack. With the snack completed, we returned to the theater for the night's last show. When it ended, the boys headed for their showers and to get ready for bed. Logan and Damon opted to use the shower in the empty bedroom so they wouldn't overcrowd the twins' bathroom.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Logan, can I ask you somethin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you think my dick's too small?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, looks fine to me. But what the hell do I know?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you been naked around Eric and Josh, too, and they're both bigger than me."</span></p> <p><span>"So what? Can you piss out of it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah."</span></p> <p><span>"And does it get hard when you play with it and you get all tingly?"</span></p> <p><span>"Um, yeah. That feels really good. `Specially when my friend and I do it to each other."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, sounds like it's workin' right, then, so don't worry `bout it. You'll start growin' someday."</span></p> <p><span>"But I hate how little I am. Shit, I'm even smaller than you are."</span></p> <p><span>"Dude, you ever been on a farm?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not until today, no."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, compared to a bull, pig or horse, ain't none of us got nothin' special, believe me. I ain't never seen a dude that could match the size of a horse's dick. Well, `cept Uncle Dylan. Now, that dude is hung."</span></p> <p><span>"Ain't that the truth," Damon laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Look, don't worry none about how big your dick is. As long it works the way it's s'posed to, that's all that matters."</span></p> <p><span>"Can I ask you somethin' else?" After a quick nod, I pressed on, "Do you, Alex and Joey, ya know, play around with each other?"</span></p> <p><span>Logan giggled and asked, "Does a donkey have a big dick?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't know, never seen one."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, trust me when I tell ya they do."</span></p> <p><span>"So, you three really do shit together?"</span></p> <p><span>"Most every night. Well, Joey don't do nothin' with us no more since he got a boyfriend, but that don't stop me and Alex from havin' a whole lotta fun together."</span></p> <p><span>"Do ya think it'd be okay if I was a part of that?"</span></p> <p><span>"If ya want to, why the hell not?"</span></p> <p><span>Damon took a step closer to Logan and wrapped his fingers around the stiff cocklet protruding from Logan's groin. As soon as his fingertips touched his palm, he leaned close to Logan's ear and whispered, "I want to."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I can feel that," Logan moaned in pleasure as he cupped Damon's hardness and balls in his hand. "Let's get the fuck outta here and do somethin' `bout these boners."</span></p> <p><span>The two excited young boys turned off the water, dried off and returned to the twins' bedroom, proud of the erections leading their way.</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I appeared just after the foursome climbed in bed and we shared our regular nightly rituals with them before turning out the light and moving on down the hallway. We found Andy, Mike and T.J. still in the shower and after just a bit of prodding, got them out, helped them dry off and hustled them into bed also. We again shared kisses, hugs, good nights and love yous with all three before switching off the light and closing the door. As we headed back to the living room, we could hear lots of giggling filtering from under the door to the other occupied bedroom but continued on our way with only smiles of understanding on our faces.</span></p> <p><span>We landed in the living room, but our stay was short before we decided to call it night, too. As we stepped into the bedroom, the phone rang, so Tom answered the call while I headed for the bathroom and a relaxing shower. Tom joined me soon enough and we sat on the bench to let the steam work it's magic.</span></p> <p><span>"Who was on the phone," I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It was Brady, the lead of the new security team who took over for the night."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Ya know, I didn't' even see the other guys even though I know they were somewhere close."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Dirk said they'd be as unobtrusive as possible. I'd have to say they succeeded."</span></p> <p><span>"They sure did. I hope the guys out at the farm are more visible. I'd hate for Troy to miss Charlie's funeral because he decided to do something stupid."</span></p> <p><span>"I think that's probably all he knows how to do, babe," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"I really hate the thought of Logan having to go live with likes of them."</span></p> <p><span>"We all do."</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, are you all done with that first group of checks for Carol?"</span></p> <p><span>"I have to write up a couple of reports for her Monday and send them in, but that's all for the moment."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, so you'll be available to take on another case?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you know of somethin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"I do. And you do, too. I think you should investigate Troy, get the proof David will need to see that's <i>not</i> going to be a good place for Logan to live."</span></p> <p><span>"Great idea. I should have thought of that myself. I can take Dylan with me to help."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, I'd forgotten he was going to be here Monday. Shit, so is Ron. We'll need to change the bed in the middle bedroom again."</span></p> <p><span>"Didn't think about that. Oops, I need to call Bob and Bill to get Dylan's desk and computer delivered and set up. Geez, how the hell'd I forget that."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, hon. It's not like we've had anything out of the ordinary goin' on the past couple of days," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll make those calls first thing Monday. God, what a monumental dumb ass I am."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I don't know, I think your ass is kinda cute. In a manly sort of way, of course."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, babe. I love you, too."</span></p> <p><span>With the stink of the day washed down the drain, we finally climbed out of the shower, dried each other, crawled into bed and curled up together where we finally shared our regular hug, kiss and love you before letting sleep have its way with us.</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-76.html

Building a Family Chapter 76 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 76 � A Special Visitor for T.J. While we'd half hoped Sunday would be a somewhat calmer day, we were quickly disabused of that notion by the ringing of the phone at eight in the morning. Thanks to my eyes still being closed, as I reached for the phone to silence the early morning annoyance, I knocked it off the nightstand. That stopped the incessant ringing, but I could still hear someone talking, so I finally opened my eyes and grabbed the receiver from the floor. "What?" I moaned. "Why the hell didn't you tell us about Logan's asshole of an uncle?" my dad screamed into my ear. "Dad, take a freakin' pill and chill out, would ya?" I retorted. "Do you have any idea what time it is?" "Of course, I do, but I'm guessing you don't," the old man chuckled. "Exact time, no," I grumbled, "but I do know it's too early to deal with anything just yet. Why don't you call me back in an hour or so? I promise I'll be awake by then." "It eight o'clock, son, time to get your ass outta bed. Hell, you shoulda been up for at least an hour by now," Dad laughed. "Now, back to my original question, why didn't you call and tell us about your exciting day?" " 'Cause there was nothin' to tell. It happened, it's over. You'd have been proud of Logan, though." "We're proud of all our grandsons, son." "I know, Dad. Can I go back to sleep now?" "Sure, you go right ahead. I'll call back later." "Thanks." I picked the phone back up, put it back on the nightstand and placed the receiver in its cradle. I'd no sooner closed my eyes when I heard the bedroom door open and the boys stepped in. "What do you munchkins want?" I grumbled. "Food, Dad," T.J. replied. "Yeah, you need to get up and fix us breakfast," Andy added. "C'mon, old man, up and at `em," Logan chipped in. "All right, already, get on outta here, we'll be there shortly." Seven giggling boys departed and I turned to wake Tom. I found him wide awake with a smile on his face. "What're you so happy about?" I asked. "Just happy to be alive, babe. And to be wakin' up every day in the same bed as you is just icing on the cake." "I love you, too, hon. You ready to face the day?" "Not really, but I don't think we have much choice, do we?" "Not with seven eating machines needing refueled, we don't." We slowly climbed out of bed and made our way to the bathroom. After taking care of our needs there, we aimed ourselves for the kitchen. Checking the fridge for food options, we settled on cereal and pop tarts since there wasn't much else to be found. Tom and I agreed that a trip to the store was in order for later in the day. Before we got to that trip, though, we had several phone calls to deal with. Once the boys had finished their breakfast and loaded their bowls into the dishwasher, Joey asked, "Hey, Dads, can we go outside to ride our bikes and play?" "Sure thing, guys, go ahead," I answered. "We're going to deal with a few things inside, then we'll come out and join you. Don't go past the turn in the drive to the bus stop, though." "Why not," Alex asked. "There's security guys roaming around, remember?" Tom replied. "Oh, yeah," Logan muttered. "How long they gonna be `round?" "Until Troy goes back home," I answered. "Guess that makes sense," Logan agreed. "There are also three guys at your farm, Logan," Tom commented. "Thanks, Pops. I hadn't thought `bout that, but with that loser in town, it's pro'lly a good idea." "Go on and get out of here, guys. And have some fun," I said. All seven promptly returned to their rooms to get dressed, then headed on out through the garage. Tom and I settled into the living room to make our calls. Tom called Derek first to see if he'd heard from Sebastian. "Mornin', Derek. What's the good word today?" "Glad you called, Tom. Gotta a couple things to pass on to you guys. First, Sebastian performed the autopsy on Charlie Campbell yesterday afternoon. And he was surprised at what he found. He's determined that Charlie most likely died due to a massive heart attack, then fell into the tractor's PTO shaft. He estimates the time of death to be about five-thirty to six." "He was awfully young to have had a heart attack, Derek," I said. "Is Sebastian sure of that?" "He feels ninety-five percent certain of that cause. Sebastian discovered some very severe arterial blockages in Charlie's heart, one of them being totally closed off. He's pretty confident that Charlie was gone before his overalls got snagged and he was tossed around like a rag doll. The other reason he believes that is the minimal amount of blood at the scene. With the injuries he sustained, if Charlie's heart was still beating, there should have been considerably more spatter or spray in the corner where he landed. I know it sounds rather gruesome, but considering the options, it's probably best it happened that way. For Charlie, anyway." "Thanks for the info, Derek. We'll pass it on to Logan at some point. What else did you have for us?" Tom asked. "Well, I told you about the uncle rollin' by the place yesterday afternoon. Turns out it's a good thing you had security there last night. They caught what's his name sneakin' up towards the house after comin' through the woods behind the farm. He and his sons had made it all the way to the barn before they were spotted. One of the cows made some noise that tipped the security guards something wasn't quite right." "Geez, even animals don't like those people," I laughed. "Nope. Thanks to them, your security guys ran the three of them off. I'd recommend you keep them on hand for a while." "We plan to, Derek," Tom replied. "Thanks for the update." "How's Logan doing?" Derek inquired. " `Bout like you'd expect, I think," I answered. "He's sad and mad at the same time." "Well you guys take good care of him." "You can be sure we will. Thanks, Derek." I had to grab the phone book from the kitchen before we could make our next call. After looking up the number I needed, I punched the speaker button and dialed the number. "Delaney-McCullough funeral home. How may I help you in your time of need?" a lady's voice answered. "Morning. My name is Max Sanders. The father of a friend of our sons died Friday night. According to the young man, you handled his mother's funeral about a year ago and we figured you should probably handle the arrangements for his father, too." "Could you tell me the deceased's name, please?" "Charlie Campbell." "Ah, yes. I remember working with him when his wife passed. I'm so sorry for his son's loss." "Well, we don't have a clue what needs to be done or when, so any help or directions you can provide us would be much appreciated." "That's not a problem, sir. We're quite used to that. People rarely plan ahead or think about such things until it's too late. If I remember correctly, Mr. Campbell made arrangements for his own services and interment when we handled Mrs. Campbell's service. Please give me a moment to check my records to ensure that's the case." After about fifteen seconds, she returned to the call. "Yes, sir, I have Mr. Campbell's file now and he did, indeed, plan ahead for his own funeral." "Well, that's a load off our minds," I responded with a sigh. "What do we need to do now?" "Nothing, really. We will, of course, have to pick up Mr. Campbell's body from the coroner's office and will take care of that task tomorrow morning. Once we have his remains, we will begin preparations for his services. We will need whatever clothing the son would like to use for his father. They can be dropped off here at the funeral home any time tomorrow or Tuesday." "I think we can do that. I can take Logan to his home tomorrow afternoon so he can pick out something from his dad's closet. Are there any specifics as to the type of clothing we should get?" "Not really, sir. I'll leave that up to his son." "Then we should be able to bring that to you some time tomorrow afternoon." "That will be just fine. Any other details we may need to discuss can be handled then. We will do our best make this difficult time as easy as possible for all involved." "Thank you. We'll see you tomorrow, then." After hanging up the phone, I looked to Tom and asked, "Who's next on the hit list?" "The school, maybe. I'm sure Logan won't feel like going tomorrow." "Good idea, but we can call them in the morning. I guess I'll call Dad back and get that out of the way." I made the call and spent the next twenty minutes letting Mom and Dad know what we knew so far. Mom said she'd call Lee a little later to bring them up to date. With their assurances they'd keep all of us in their thoughts, we ended the call. "Okay, anybody else?" "The only other person I can think of that needs to be told is that Billings guy at the bank. Since he's the will's executor and trustee for Logan, he'll need to know what's going on. Especially with Troy up here." "You're right. I could wait until the morning to call him, though. Right after calling the school." "You think Troy's gonna wait that long to start stirring up trouble?" "He sure hasn't so far. Give me the phone book, I'll see if he's listed." Tom handed it to me and after a quick search, located his number and placed the call. The seven of us had been outside for a while, and Alex and I had already ridden our bikes while the others watched. We decided to take a break and let a couple of the others take a turn. Mike hopped on mine and took off down the drive towards the storage building. Andy said he'd like to try but he'd never had a bike or learned to ride one. T.J. volunteered to help him out and soon the two were working together in the grass so when Andy would fall, it wouldn't hurt too much. That left me, Alex, Logan and Damon to sit and watch them have fun. Damon finally broke the silence when he asked, "Hey, dudes, can we talk `bout last night?" "What about it?" Alex asked. "Well, I have a friend at home, and we've done a few things with each other, but mostly just jerkin' each other, ya know? We never sucked each other before, even though I've thought about it. I didn't think he'd go for it, so I just let it slide." "Yeah, how'd you like that?" Joey asked with a smirk. "Oh, my God, I never dreamed somethin' could feel that good. And when you started lickin' my hole, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven, Joey." "Speakin' of that," Alex began, "why'd you join us last night? You haven't done that since you and Josh said you'd only be with each other." "You want the truth?" "You know I do," Alex answered testily. "Well, and don't take this the wrong way, Damon, but I ain't never seen a black kid's dick before and I really wanted to see if you were any different from us." The four of us cracked up in laughter and Damon asked, "And?" "You taste just like we do," Joey answered amid more laughter. "You taste pretty good, too, Joey," Damon retorted while licking his lips. "It still sucks that all three of you guys have bigger dicks than me, but I'll get over it." "I done told you in the shower that you'll get bigger, Damon, so quit obsessin' over it," Logan retorted. "Yeah, I know, I just want somethin' to start happenin' down there." "Oh, there was plenty happenin' there last night, dude," Alex replied with a giggle. "Don't I know it? With Logan lickin' and nippin' my nipples, Alex suckin' my dick and balls, and Joey lickin' my hole, I think I came four or five times. And then, when Joey started to fuck my ass, I lost track. God, I can't wait until I can actually shoot." "Yeah, I really liked it when your dick was dancin' in my mouth you little horndog," Alex laughed as he punched Damon on the shoulder. "You keep hangin' with us, Damon, and it'll happen," Alex offered. "Not that I've got enough to hang, but what makes you think it would be, knowin' the fun I'm gonna have when I'm here? I'll be hard when Dad and I leave home, just thinkin' `bout what's gonna happen later." "We will be, too, dude," Logan whispered. "Hello?" "Is this the John Billings who works at the bank in New Berlin?" I asked. "Yes," he answered warily. "May I ask to whom I am speaking." "Mr. Billings, my name is Max Sanders. I hate to be the one to give you bad news, but I think you should know that Charlie Campbell died Friday night." "Oh, dear, that's such a shame. But why are you calling me? What's your connection to Charlie?" "Well, his son, Logan, has been living with us for several weeks as he and his dad tried to resolve some issues they were having. And we took Logan out to the house yesterday to retrieve some items he wanted. One of the things we picked up was a lockbox that contained Charlie's will." "Have you read the will? And does Logan know what's in it?" "The answer to both questions is yes. That's why I'm calling you. I wanted to make sure you know you were named as both the executor of the will and Logan's trustee." "Yes, I'm well aware of both stipulations since I discussed the matter at some length with Charlie. He wanted to make sure I had no problems fulfilling either role before he had the will drawn up." "Do you know the specifics of Charlie's wishes?" "No, only generalities. Charlie was still making some decisions when we talked about my involvement." "I know you'll be reading it soon enough yourself but let me tell you what it says." "There's no real need for that. I'll read the will in the morning and start setting it up to be probated." "No, you need to know what it says before tomorrow morning because we feel there's going to be problems. Charlie's wishes were that the farm, home, equipment and livestock be held in trust for Logan until he turns twenty-one. There is also a paragraph mentioning another son that was given up for adoption long ago, with Charlie's hope he could be located and Logan would be willing to share his inheritance with him." "I haven't heard anything that remotely sounds like a problem yet." "Another paragraph specifically states that Charlies brother Troy, Logan's uncle, should receive nothing from the estate. And he's going to be the problem." "I see. How unfortunate. I will, of course, read the will first thing in the morning and place blocks on all the accounts held at the bank so that only Logan and myself have access to them. That should prevent the brother from doing anything." "Thank you, Mr. Billings. We just wanted you to be aware of any potential problems and see that you take the necessary steps to protect Logan's interests." "I give you my word that I will do so, and I thank you for bringing this to my attention. At some point, would it be possible for you bring Logan into the bank so that we may discuss this?" "We can come by some time tomorrow afternoon, if that's okay with you." "That would be fine. And may I ask if Logan has made any funeral arrangements yet?" "I talked to the funeral home just a few minutes ago and they're prepared to follow the instructions Charlie left with them when he made the arrangements for his wife. The only thing we don't really have at the moment is a date, though I'm sure it will happen later this week." "I would expect so. Please let me know when you have that settled as I would like to attend the service. Charlie was a friend of mine and a good customer of the bank." "We'll be sure to let you know. Thanks for your time this morning." "No, thank you for taking care of Logan. Please let him know how sorry I am for his loss and my family and I will be keeping him in our thoughts. I'll see you tomorrow, then." We ended the call and I said, "Okay, that's enough of that crap. Let's get out of the house for a little bit." With agreement from the big guy, we aimed for the bedroom to pull on some clothes and then headed outside to join the boys for some fun in the sun. When we finally stepped out of the garage, Mike was riding a bike back from the turn to the bus shelter and it appeared as though T.J. was trying to help Andy learn how to balance on the other bike. The other four were rolling around on the grass and laughing their butts off. "What's so funny, guys?" Tom asked as we drew closer to the mirthful group. "Um, just a stupid joke, Pops," Alex quickly answered as they all clammed up. "Would this have anything to do with the giggles we heard from your room last night?" I asked. "Maybe," Logan drawled. "Ya heard that, did ya?" "We might not have x-ray vision to see through the walls and doors, Logan, but we aren't deaf." Damon was hiding his face and thanks to his lighter skin tone, you could see he was blushing heavily. "It's okay, Damon, we know what our boys get up to ..." "Get up to," Joey snickered. "... and it's nothin' to be ashamed about. As long as you agreed to whatever was going on." He lifted his head and shock filled his face. "Wait, you know `bout that stuff and you're cool with it?" "Why wouldn't we be?" Tom asked. "A lot of other kids do the same things." "Yeah, but Mom says it's wrong and even though I really like it, I feel bad `bout doin' it." "Don't, Damon. What you guys do is perfectly natural and normal. It's all a part of growing up. Tom and I both did it, and so did your dads." "You're shittin' me?" "Nope, ask `em about it some time," Tom chuckled. "You can bet I will," he said with an evil grin. "It's nice of you guys to let your brothers ride your bikes," Tom commented. "Well, it ain't their fault they don't have their own," Joey retorted. "Yeah, we hope you two can fix that problem on their birthdays," Alex added with a giggle. "Yeah, this ridin' two at a time really stinks, Dads," Logan continued. "Next time we go out to the farm, we need to bring my bike back with us. Least we'll have three for us kids, then." "We'll do that tomorrow, Logan," I replied. "Why we goin' back out there already?" "We need to pick up some clothes for your dad and drop them off at the funeral home. Then we need to stop by the bank and talk to Mr. Billings." "Oh, okay, I guess," he mumbled sadly. "A couple more steps down that long road, buddy." "Yeah, I know. Hope the road ends before we drive off the freakin' cliff." "It will, I promise." Tom commented, "You know, I still haven't seen any of the security people that are supposed to be around the house. Have you?" "Now that you mention it, no. They're either asleep at the wheel or really, really good at their jobs." "It had better be the second option," Tom vented. "Hey, Dads!" T.J. yelled as he and Andy came closer. "Can we go for a walk and see that old cemetery?" I shot him a look to let him know that was the last thing we should do today, and he slapped himself in the forehead when he realized his error. "Oh, Logan, I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinkin'." "Don't worry `bout it, dude. `Sides, I'd kinda like to see it, too." "If you're sure you're up to it, Logan." "Yeah, I'm sure. Might as well get used to it." With that, the bikes were parked back in the garage and we headed deeper into the property and the path that would take us there. As we reached the line of trees that hides the storage building from the house, a man silently appeared in front of us, blocking our way. His sudden materialization from out of nowhere startled all of us and we jumped backward several feet. "Who the hell are you!?" I demanded. "One of the roaming security detail. Who are you?" "I'm Max Sanders and this is my family. Just where the hell'd you come from?" "I've been in the trees most of the morning. Been keepin' an eye on the kids while they played, too." The stranger finally stepped closer and said, "My name's Bruno. Nice to meet you, Mr. Sanders. Sorry if I scared you all just now." "That's all right, I guess," I muttered as my heart slowly returned to its normal rhythm. "I was wonderin' why we hadn't seen anyone today. Now I know." "Well, there's another guy in the trees on the west side of the house, too. And with the cleared space around the house, nobody was gonna get close without one of us seein' them. We've got you covered, sir." "Glad to hear it." "Where, y'all headed?" Bruno asked. "For a walk through the trees to the northeast corner of the property." "Yeah? Hang on a minute while I call Tank to come with us." Bruno held his wrist to mouth and said, "Yo, T, need you on the east side of the house, pronto. We're goin' for a little walk." He dropped his hand and said to us, "Be just a moment." "You really don't need to go with us." "Yes, we do. From what we heard out of the team at the farm, the man you're worried about snuck through the woods and almost made it to the house out there last night. We're not taking any chances, Mr. Sanders." "Oh, all right," I acquiesced. "You mean that bastard tried to pull some shit last night!?" Logan screamed. "He tried, young man," Bruno answered, "but trust me, he failed." As we waited and watched, the man called Tank came charging around the back corner of the house and joined us on the driveway cutting through the trees. When he finally stopped running, he wasn't even breathing hard. "What's up, Bruno," he asked. "They're goin' for a walk through the woods to a corner of the property. I'll take point, you bring up the rear. Eyes sharp, you hear me?" "Eagle sharp, as always. Lead the way." "Which way Mr. Sanders?" Bruno asked. "That path is about seventy-five feet straight east," I answered while pointing the direction to follow. He turned to survey the tree line past the storage building and spotted the narrow gap created by the trail. "Got it. Stay close, men." With that, Bruno set a smooth pace as he led the way. The boys seemed to be excited at the attention and the feeling of being on a military exercise, though they were quieter than what I expected they would be. Since this was the only trail in this part of the property, I didn't have to call out turns to Bruno as he followed the well-maintained path through the woods. In just a few minutes, we turned the corner in the trail that led directly to the gate barring entrance to the graveyard. "Wow, this is cool, Dad," T.J. yelled as he broke ranks and sprinted to the gate, followed by the others. Bruno turned to me and said, "T and I will take up positions outside. Just let us know when you're ready to move out." With a curt nod from me, the two guards placed themselves outside the fence on the east and west sides of the small plot while I approached the gate and pulled the key from my pocket. With the gate unlocked, the boys quickly filtered inside and began to wander the grounds. While Tom followed them around, I stayed close to the gate to remain out of their way. A few minutes later, T.J. called out, "Hey, Dad, you know anything about these people?" "No, why?" "I got a kid here named Samuel who died when he was only fourteen. I just wondered if you knew why he was so young." "Sorry, I can't help you. Judge Corgan may know, though. What makes you so interested in him?" I asked with curiosity. "Just a feeling he wasn't too happy with his life." A few seconds later, T.J. blanched like he'd just seen a ghost as he jumped straight up, spun in mid-air and had his feet moving before he hit the ground. When he did land, he ran as fast as he could towards the gate and he didn't stop until he was fifteen feet outside the fence. His reaction to whatever spooked him reminded me of Shaggy in the old Scooby Doo cartoons I used to watch when I was his age. "What was that all about?" I asked as I walked over to him. "I don't know, somethin' just gave me the willies and I wasn't hangin' `round to find out what." "It can be a little spooky here, for sure, but I've never felt anything like that before." "Well, you pro'lly wouldn't `cause you don't pick up shit like I do. But trust me, somethin's there." "I believe you, kiddo. I'm learning very quickly to trust your instincts." "Then let's get back to the house. I don't wanna be here no more," T.J. whimpered in fear. I pulled him into a hug and could feel he was trembling like a leaf. "Sh-h-h, it's okay, T.J. Nothing here can hurt you." "I don't know, Dad. That kid is one pissed off dude." "Who, Logan?" "Not Logan, ya goof, Sammy. I don't know what happened to him, but he's really angry. We got no business messin' `round out here." "The others will be ready to head back in just another minute or two. We'll wait for them," I said as calmly as I could, despite thinking we should heed T.J.'s feelings. "That's fine, but I ain't goin' back in there," T.J. replied with conviction. "No problem," I said as I sat on the ground and leaned against a tree. "C'mere, buddy." T.J. crawled in my lap and let me hold him until everyone was ready for the walk back to the house. We sat together for several minutes before Tom and the others finally left the cemetery. "Everything okay?" Tom asked. "Not sure about that. Would you relock the gate before we leave?" I said. "Sure thing, be right back." As Tom turned to take care of that task and let Bruno know we were ready to go, Alex knelt next to T.J. who was still curled in my lap and said, "We felt it, too, dude. Not like you did, but you're right, there's somethin', or somebody, out here." "Thanks, Alex," T.J. muttered. "Not that I feel any better `bout it." Joey joined the conversation with, "We're safe out here, bro. Nothin' to worry `bout, okay?" "I hope so," T.J. muttered. Tom finally returned with Bruno and Tank in trail for the walk back through the woods. Tank led the way this time with Bruno following along behind the parade. I settled in line behind T.J. and watched as he scanned the woods around us, jumping nervously at every sound. By the time we finally left the woods behind us, the poor kid was a wreck. I moved next to him, took his hand in mine and asked, "Do you want to talk about it when we get to the house?" "No! ... Yeah. ... I don't know, maybe." I turned to Tom and waved my hand for him to come closer. When he was beside me, I whispered, "I'm going to talk to T.J. and try to figure out what's got him so spooked. Can you entertain the others for a bit?" "I'll do my best, babe," he answered quietly. "Thanks." As we passed the storage building, Bruno silently slipped back into the trees and disappeared from view. When we reached the house, Tank continued around the front to take his place on the other side while the rest of us entered through the garage. The boys peeled off into their rooms to dispense with their clothes while Tom, T.J. and I continued down the hall and across the house. When the three of us reached our bedroom, Tom turned into it while T.J. and I aimed for the study. I closed the door behind us and we sat at the table where I'd met with LeVar, Rich and Stan the other night. "Okay, T.J., what' going on?" I asked to start our chat. "I'm not real sure, Dad. All I can really tell you is that Sammy is one pissed off dude." "Well think about it for a bit. Tell me what you really felt while we were in the cemetery." T.J. closed his eyes and after a few moments said, "Well, I know he was too young to die naturally, and he does, too. And I'm pretty sure he didn't." "What makes you say that? He died long before there were vaccinations or anything like that, so he could have been sick with chicken pox or mumps and had complications from those or any number of illnesses." "I don't think so. It felt like he was trying to talk to me, tell me what happened to him, but it's like his voice was being choked off." "Well, that could have been caused by being sick, not being able to breathe." "Yeah, that's it," T.J. exclaimed as he lifted his head and opened his eyes. "He sounded like I did when I cracked my rib on Joey's knee, like he couldn't catch his breath." "Do you think it's possible he drowned?" "No, he wasn't underwater. I feel like he was in a tree for some reason." "Well, that's just bizarre. I can't imagine anything to do with a tree that would cause breathing problems. Unless he fell out of it and got hurt." "Yeah, I guess that's possible, but I still don't think that fits with what I was feeling. This is gonna sound real crazy to you, but I think he was killed. By someone he knew." "I don't know what to say to that, T.J. We're way outside the realm of my life experience. I suppose we could call Judge Corgan and ask him if he knows anything about how Samuel died." "No, don't do that. I wanna figure this out on my own. I know I'm gonna hear from Sammy again. Don't know when, but it's gonna happen." "You'll let us know when it does, won't you?" "Dang right, I will. Like I said, this crap's givin' me the willies. At least Alex and Joey said they felt it, too. That means I ain't goin' crazy. Maybe `tween the three of us, we can get some answers." "Sounds as good as any other plan, I guess. We'll just play it by ear, but you better tell us whatever's going on, you hear me." "I will, Dad. Thanks for not laughin' at me and my stupid brain." "I wouldn't dream of it, son. And your brain isn't stupid, not by a long shot. Now, what say we rejoin the rest of the family and relax a bit?" "Works for me. I want to read more of that Spiderwick book I'm in the middle of." T.J. hopped out of his chair and came over to me, wrapping me in a hug and whispering, "I love you, Dad." "And I love you more, kiddo. C'mon, let's go." I wrapped his hand in mine as I left my chair and we headed out of the study. I aimed for my bedroom and got undressed while T.J. followed along and did the same. After we both used the bathroom, we finally turned for the living room to settle in for a while. We found everyone else reading already and when T.J. returned from dropping his clothes in his room, he brought his book back with him. Tom was continuing to work on Huckleberry Finn with Mike and Andy, and Damon had picked one of the Spiderwick books to dive into, joining Alex and Joey on the loveseat. Logan was still working on Ender's Game and seemed to be enjoying it. I'm sure that immersing yourself in a story of hope for the future was a welcome distraction of his more pressing problems of the day. As I sat next to Tom, he had Mike and Andy continue reading while asking me, "What's the scoop, babe?" "It seems Samuel is reaching out to T.J." "What, the kid in the cemetery?" Tom flustered. "Yep. We've definitely reached spooky, hon," I chuckled. "The hell we have," Tom chortled. "We flew way past spooky some time ago. We're officially in the Twilight Zone, now." "Whatever," I countered. "We'll just have to wait and see what happens next." "Gee, thanks, I feel so much better now." "Glad I could help you out," I chuckled as I grabbed my book and started to read while Tom went back to helping Mike and Andy. We'd been reading for about an hour or so when the drive sensor let us know someone was coming in. After what happened yesterday when Bill and Estelle dropped by, we were expecting a phone call to verify whoever was here was welcome. You can imagine our surprise when we heard car doors slam and the doorbell ring shortly thereafter. With a mad scramble by all to duck for cover, I cautiously approached the door and chanced a peek through the glass to see who was here. With relief, I called out, "False alarm, everyone! It's just Dylan and Malcom." Damon popped his head up over the back of the couch and asked, "What're they doin' here already? I didn't think they'd come pick me up `til about three or so." "Let's find out," I answered and opened the door. "C'mon in, guys, make yourselves at home." "Thanks, Max, don't mind if we do," Dylan replied as he started to peel his shirt over his head. Damon had joined me at the door, "Hey, Dad, hey, Poppy, you two are here early." "Well, we didn't have anything else goin' on, so we thought we'd drop by for a bit," Dylan replied. "How's it hangin', son," Malcom queried. "Da-a-a-a-d, I wish you quit askin' that stupid question. You know it's too small to hang." "All in good time, young man." "Yeah, you keep sayin' that, too." "I'm sorry, Damon, I'll make a determined effort to stop, okay?" "Thanks, Dad." The rest of the crew had joined us at the door and hugs and greetings were shared all around, as usual. Once the full round had been completed, we headed for the living room to visit. "So, Dylan, you ready to get to work?" Tom asked. "You bet. I'm looking forward to the change of pace." "Good, we've already got a couple things lined up for you to deal with." "Sounds good. What've you got so far?" "Well, first, we want you to check into increasing our security around here," I answered. "Yeah, I couldn't help but notice Dirk at the end of the drive today. He let me through since I'm the one who called him." "Well, yeah, but I don't want to have to pay for twenty-four/seven guards. We're thinking about something more along the lines of fences and an automatic gate to control access. We've had a few issues recently and we'd just like to get a better handle on it." "No problem there, what else ya got?" "LeVar suggested we have a reflective film put on the glass in the house and pool shelter." "What the hell for?" Malcom asked. "He thinks that with our lifestyle, we'd be better off to protect ourselves from some industrious paparazzi getting candid pictures of us in our natural habitat," Tom replied with a chuckle. "Ah, gotcha," Dylan agreed. "Yeah, I'll do some checking on that, too. `Specially since I'm gonna be here on a daily basis. Don't want any pictures of me in all my glory floatin' around out there." We all enjoyed a good laugh at that. "Got anything else lined up for me?" "As a matter of fact, yes," Tom answered. "You and I will be going down to Missouri to investigate a man. And once that's done, we have to search for a kid." "That sounds interesting," Dylan mused. "Who we diggin' into?" We spent the next fifteen minutes telling Dylan and Malcom about our activities and discoveries of the past few days. When we finally wound down, he turned to Logan and said, "Don't you worry `bout a thing, Logan. We'll take good care of you." "Thanks, Uncle Dylan, I know you will." "How are you doing, Logan?" Malcom asked with concern. "I'm okay, I think. I always knew somethin' bad could happen at any time. Farmin's a dangerous deal and most people don't know that `cause they ain't `round it. But I been out to the barn with Daddy plenty o' times and seen how dangerous all the `quipment can be. He always made me stay way back from stuff so I wouldn't get hurt. I always worried `bout him bein' out there by hisself, but he wouldn't hire anyone to help out. And now I got to bury him," he added sadly. "Well, if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here for ya, young man." "Thanks, Uncle Malcom, `ppreciate it." We spent the next couple of hours talking about a little bit of everything, though the boys got bored with the adults after a half hour and disappeared into the theater to watch a movie. Around three-thirty, Dylan and Malcom decided it was time for them to get moving. We didn't argue the point with them since we hadn't taken time to eat lunch yet and still had to do some shopping to replenish our food supplies. While Malcom retrieved Damon from the theater, Dylan grabbed a couple bags from the pantry and stuffed all their clothes in it. Damon was excited to learn they'd be driving back to Dylan's house without being dressed. "I can't believe you guys are gonna do this in broad daylight," Damon exclaimed in surprise. "Well, buddy, I know how to get to my house using a lot of lesser-traveled back roads," Dylan answered. "Good, `cause if a cop stopped us, you two'd probably end up getting your asses arrested. `Specially with me bein' naked in the back seat," Damon added with a little giggle. "You're probably right, son," Malcom chortled. "Hopefully, that won't happen." After ten minutes of hugs and goodbyes, the trio finally headed to their car and pulled away. After a quick discussion amongst us, we agreed that supper in town followed by a grocery run was sounding awfully good, so we separated for our bedrooms to get dressed to go out. We reassembled in the garage five minutes later, then climbed in the car and headed out. Tom gave a quick wave to Dirk at the end of the drive before I pulled onto the road and aimed the car for town and our meal out. As we left Max's drive, Damon gave a quick wave to Dirk before Dylan turned the direction that would let us take the back roads to town. I turned around in my seat and asked, "So, Damon, did you guys have fun the past couple days?" "We had a blast, Dad. Those guys are all so cool to hang out with. Thanks for lettin' me stay with them. How `bout you an' Poppy, did you two have fun?" my son asked knowingly with a wide smile filling the lower half his face. "Um, yeah, we did, Damon. You are okay with that, aren't you?" "I gotta admit, I thought it was kinda weird when we talked about it in the shower that one night, but after what happened last night with Alex, Joey and Logan, I get it now. `Sides, I know you two love each other a lot and you should be able to share that without me buttin' in the middle of it." "Oh, really?" Dylan asked. "Is whatever happened something you wanted to happen?" "Oh, yeah. I told you `bout some of the things my friend and I have done together. Well, that doesn't come anywhere close to what we did last night. And I loved every second of it." "Well, as long as you four were in agreement and nobody forced anyone to do something they didn't want to do, then you're fine, son," I replied. "And you're sure that doin' that shit with them won't make me gay?" "Damon, you'll be what you're meant to be. Whether it's gay, straight or somewhere in between, as long as you're happy and a willing participant, it's nobody else's place to judge." "Whew, that's good to hear. I mean, I really like this one girl in my class, but I really like doin' those things with my friend and cousins, too. And I'm pretty sure Nancy wouldn't do none of that with me." Dylan snorted and said, "No, probably not, Damon. It's normal for all kids to explore their own bodies and indulge in some experimentation. Most do it by themselves, but others will do so with their really good friends, just like you are. Just don't push too hard." "Yeah, that's what I told Joey last night. Oops, probably shouldn't a said that." "Was Joey trying to get you to do something you didn't want?" I asked. "No! That's not the way I meant it." "Well, what did you mean?" Dylan asked. "Oh, c'mon guys, I ain't gonna talk `bout this with you two." "Son," I started, "you know what Dylan and I do when we're together, we've been pretty open about it. The only reason to hide it is because you're ashamed about it or you feel like you've done something wrong." "Well, it felt way too good to be wrong," Damon muttered quietly. "Yeah, okay, I hear ya. If ya really wanna know, here goes. The four of us spent close to an hour doin' all kinds of shit, some of it I've thought about doin' with my friend, but I just never felt like he'd want to do it, ya know? But at one point, the three of `em were working me over pretty good and let me tell ya, I was fuckin' floatin'. Then Joey slipped a finger inside my butt and I lost it. After a few minutes of that, he replaced his finger with his dick and started to really, well, you know. I've never put anything up there before, but ohmigod, when he did that, it felt like I'd stuck my finger in a light socket. Every nerve in my body was on fire and I tingled from the top o' my head to the tips of my toes. It was unreal and I never wanted it to stop." Dylan and I snickered lightly at Damon's description of what he'd felt, and I finally commented, "Yep, that's what it feels like, all right. We're glad you had fun, son. And we're glad you're comfortable enough to talk about things like this with us." "Well, I feel like I should talk to somebody `bout it, but it sure as hell ain't gonna be mom. She'd freakin' kill all of us if she knew what I was doin'." "You're probably right there, and we're all too young to die," I laughed. "But I want to make sure you know you can talk to us about anything at any time, son." "Yeah, I know, Dad." In a sudden twist in direction, Damon asked, "So, have you two done anything `bout getting me away from Mom before she completely loses what little she's got left of her mind?" "Not yet, Damon," Dylan answered, "but we will. I'm startin' work with Tom tomorrow and I'll have him start checking things out while I deal with some of the projects he has for me." "That's great, Poppy. I hope y'all come up with somethin' `cause she's not gettin' any better." "Don't worry, Damon, we got your back." During our trip to town, we talked about where we wanted to go for our supper today. After about five minutes of some very animated and on point discussion, the boys had somehow convinced Tom and me we needed to drive to Virden to have DiCarlo's Pizza. While I really wasn't looking forward to the extra hour and a half detour to make it happen, I had to admit it sounded like a meal that would be hard to beat. When we arrived at DiCarlo's, we discovered they were doing a buffet special tonight, so that's what we selected. That would let the boys pick whatever pizza they wanted from the selection available and Tom and I both enjoyed sampling some of the other pasta dishes along with a salad. We did save some room for a couple of pieces of pizza, also, however. While the pastas were delicious, we weren't coming all this way and not get some of the best pizza around. With our stomachs bulging and appetites temporarily sated, we crawled into the car for the thirty-minute drive to Springfield to take care of our grocery shopping. On entering the store, Alex, Joey and Logan all grabbed carts to drive while T.J., Mike Andy grabbed items from the shelves and dropped them in the carts as we snaked our way through the aisles. With all three carts loaded to overflowing, we headed for the checkouts and after paying for everything, loaded up the car and headed for home. After waving to Dirk's replacement at the end of the drive, we parked in the garage and began the process of unloading and putting away our food and other supplies for the week. As we worked together to complete that chore, everyone agreed that a swim sounded like a good idea, so that's what we did. We'd been in the pool about twenty minutes when the drive sensor went off and shortly after that, the phone was ringing. I jumped out of the pool, grabbed my towel and started to dry off as I headed inside to find out who was here. Grabbing the phone in the living room, I answered with a simple, "Hello?" "Mr. Sanders? This is Ken at the end of your drive. I've got a guy trying to come in that says he lives here now, but he's not on my list of approved people. He says his name is Ron Cain. Should I let him through?" "Yes, please. We'd forgotten about him possibly showing up tonight. And please add his name to the list." "Will do, sir. Sorry to disturb you." "No worries, Ken. Thanks. Oh, and tell Ron to pull up to the garage." "I'll pass it on, sir. Have a good night." I headed down the hallway to open the big door behind the Shelby for Ron to come through as he unloaded his car, then waited for him to park on the drive. He climbed out of his car, then reached into the back seat to grab a box to bring with him. As he headed my direction, I called out, "Hey, Ron, how ya doin'?" "Pretty good, Mr. Sanders," he replied. "I hope it's okay I showed up tonight." "Just fine," I answered as I stepped back so he could come inside. "You need any help?" "Nah, I don't have that much I wanted to bring in tonight. I figured I'd just get my clothes for now and leave the rest for tomorrow morning. Though I guess I won't be needin' `em much, will I?" he added with a quick laugh. "No, I guess not," I agreed. "So, where `m I headed with this stuff?" "Middle door on your right is all yours. We're out in the pool, so when you're done with what you want to bring in, come on out and join us." "You got it, Mr. Sanders." "Remember, Ron, It's Max and Tom, none of this mister crap." "Sure thing, man, thanks. I'll be out shortly." I left Ron to his moving and returned outside. As I slipped back into the pool and took my spot next to Tom, he asked, "Who's here?" "Ron showed up. He's unloading some stuff from his car, then he'll come out to join us." "I wondered if he'd show up today or tomorrow. Good thing we had the room ready for him." "Yep, though we should probably change the bed. We neglected to take care of that yesterday after LeVar headed for home." "You're right. I didn't even think about it. We can always ask him when he joins us. For all we know, he'll like the idea of sleeping on the same sheets as LeVar." I had to laugh at that thought. The two of us continued to relax in our corner while the boys were playing in the shallow end, seeming to have great fun as usual. Even Logan was enjoying himself despite how he must be feeling, and I had to remind myself yet again that this was just a temporary diversion for him. Ten minutes later, Ron finally joined us and the sensational six-pack went ballistic when they saw him. "Hey, Ron, how ya doin'!?" Alex yelled. "Not too badly, dude. How're you guys?" "Great," they yelled together. After dropping his towel on the table, Ron headed for the steps to get into the pool. Tom and I almost warned him of what was sure to happen but decided to keep quiet and let events unfold naturally. As soon as he was in the pool and had moved away from the steps, he was immediately surrounded by the sensational six-pack and they each greeted him with a welcoming hug. Once the last hug was over, though, all hell broke loose as the boys began their assault in earnest. Since the poor guy was wholly unprepared for the attack and the count was six to one against him, he was rapidly and unceremoniously dunked. Ron was next seen sputtering for air as the boys were cheering loudly at their quick victory. "Oh, I see how y'all are, six against one, huh?" Ron scowled as he surveyed the munchkins still surrounding him. "Hey, we took it easy on ya, dude," Joey countered. "If that's easy, I'd hate to see hard," Ron joked. "Oh, you will soon enough," Alex giggled which earned a big laugh from all the boys. "Well, we'll see about that. I'm gonna go relax and catch my breath with your dads now, okay?" "Yeah, go ahead and pout, Ron. We're ready for a rematch any time," Logan called out to Ron's back as he headed our way. When he finally reached us and settled in, he commented, "Phew, I wasn't ready for that! Are they always that wound for sound?" "Pretty much," Tom laughed. "At least in the pool, they are. We figure it tires them out pretty well so they get a good night's sleep." "Yeah, well I will, too, after that mugging," Ron laughed back. "How ya doin', Tom?" "Fair to middlin'," Tom replied. "Glad you showed up tonight." "I figured I might as well, that way I can hit the ground runnin' in the mornin'." "That works for us," I agreed. "You get everything you wanted inside?" "For now, yeah. Like I said, I'll deal with the rest of it in the morning after those guys are off to school. Do you want me to get the boys up in the morning and deal with their breakfast?" "We'll join you, Ron," I answered, "just to give you a good idea of what you'll be in for. They've pretty much gotten in the rhythm of things, but some days, gettin' `em awake and moving is like pulling teeth." "I bet. When I was their age, I used to hate to get up in the morning. And I only lived three blocks from the school, so I didn't have to move nearly as early. I can't imagine the hassle of wakin' up every day at six. I bet that sucks." "It wasn't a lot of fun the first week or two, but we've pretty much gotten used to it," Tom commented. "That'll change this fall, though, when the boys start doing their schoolwork at home." "That sounds cool for them. Wish my mom and dad would have let me do that. It woulda saved me a lot of shit dealin' with the assholes who hated fags in high school." "Well, it not gonna be just our boys," I said. "We're including a few of the boys' friends and others we're going to be helping, too." "What others," Ron asked with surprise. "Oh, we didn't' tell you, did we," I chuckled. "We're gonna be building a bigger house so we can help other kids who need a break from their parents for whatever reason." "Jeesh, I haven't really even started yet and can tell I'm gonna need a raise," Ron chuckled. Tom and I joined him in that and Tom finally replied, "It won't be that bad. At least, we hope it won't." "I'm just kiddin' ya, guys. I'll be fine," Ron responded. "Well, I think it's time to get the herd headed for bed. Tomorrow morning's not that far away." With agreement from Tom and Ron, we climbed from the pool and headed to grab our towels. When the boys saw us, they used the steps and joined us in drying off. "You six run through your showers and we'll get a snack ready for ya." "Really, Dad, we know the drill. You don't have to remind us every night," Alex moaned. "Sorry, buddy, force of habit. I'll try to stop, okay?" "I sure hope so, we're not little kids anymore, `member," Joey added with a giggle. As we headed inside, the boys disappeared to their rooms to get their showers while Ron followed us to the kitchen to help us prepare their snacks. And since we were in the kitchen, we gave Ron a quick run through of what was where so he wouldn't have any trouble finding what he might be looking for. Tonight's snack was cookies and milk and we had everything ready to go when the boys came back from their showers. "So, Ron, how ya doin' with the bein' naked and all?" T.J. asked after he had mounted his stool. "So far, so good," he chuckled. "Ain't had nothin' pop up I needed to hide. Not yet, anyway." "You will," Alex giggled. "Yeah, happens to all of us," Joey added. "Sure does," Logan agreed. " `Specially when T.J. and Mike are helpin' me with my problem," Andy commented. "Ain't nothin' I can think `bout to keep it from gettin' hard." "Oh, don't lie, you like it when we do that," Mike retorted. "Never said I didn't like it, dude," Andy laughed. "Are they always this open about stuff?" Ron asked. "They might as well be, Ron," Tom replied. "Between everyone being nude most of the time and Alex, T.J., and Joey's abilities to rifle minds, there's really nothing like a secret around here." "I guess not," Ron laughed. "Okay, guys, hit the head, brush teeth and into bed," Tom said "We're goin', Pops," Alex replied. "See ya in the mornin', Ron," T.J. called out as the herd left the kitchen. "You too, Dads," Joey added with a giggle. As the sensational six-pack disappeared, the three of us took care of the minor snack mess. With dishwasher ready to go, Tom and I followed along behind the boys while Ron settled in the living room. After tucking the boys in, we joined Ron and after lighting a fire, got comfortable so we could let our help know what was expected. "Okay, Ron, you sure you're ready for this?" I asked. "I wouldn't be here if I wasn't, Max," he laughed. "Really, how hard can it be?" "You don't want to know the answer to that one, Ron," Tom chuckled. "Oh, we need you to sign the CA. Let me grab it from my office." While Tom retrieved that, I said, "It shouldn't be too rough for ya. We're all in the habit of keepin' things picked up, so there shouldn't be a whole lot of cleaning. I think the worst thing will be the laundry. Even though we don't wear anything at home, as long as we have to go out, we still have dirty clothes, towels and sheets. We normally try to deal with all that on the weekends so we don't have to worry about it through the week, but you're welcome to set up whatever schedule you want." Tom had returned and handed the confidentiality agreement to Ron for him to read and sign. After flipping through the document, he signed it with the pen Tom gave him and then handed it back. "Any problems with that," Tom asked. "Nope. Seems reasonable enough. If I were in your situation, I'd have the same thing, especially with the lifestyle you guys have. I especially like the fact there's nothin' in there about losing body parts and getting fed to wolves," Ron chuckled. "So, any special instructions you have for me?" "First," Tom started, "my office is off limits. With the work I'm doing, I have to follow some very stringent privacy rules. I'll let you deal with the cleaning of it, but only when I'm in there. When I'm not working, the door is locked to keep prying eyes out." "No sweat, Tom. Anything else?" "I think we mentioned this when we talked originally, but I'm going to reiterate it now," I said. "If you find a door closed, you need to knock and wait for an answer before entering the room. You never know what might be happening on the other side of that door and the knock is fair warning that someone is coming in. We all follow that rule and will do the same if your door is closed." "Fair enough," Ron agreed. The phone rang to interrupt our conversation and Tom punched the speaker button before answering with, "Hello?" "Hey, is this Tom or Max?" a younger voice asked. "It's both of us since we're on speaker," Tom answered. "Hey, it's Harry. How you guys doin'?" "We're fine, Harry. The big question is how're you?" "I couldn't be better since I finally got to come home today." "That's great news and we're glad you called to let us know," I replied with cheer filling my voice. "The boys will be happy to hear the news." "Can't be any happier than I am, man. I'm just glad I can sleep in my own damn bed again. That shitty hospital bed was really killin' my back. And they just don't believe in lettin' a person sleep, either." "Well, they have to check on people to make sure they're okay." "Yeah, I know, but you'd think they could figure out how to do that with wakin' ya up." "So, really, Harry, what'd your doctors tell you," Tom asked. "Well, my brain didn't turn to mush, though I don't really remember much of what happened. They said I may never remember it all. And the fracture will probably take six to eight weeks to heal up. Until that happens, though, I'm supposed to stay home and take it easy. No school, no sports, nothin'. Looks like I won't be moving on to tenth grade with the rest of my class, and that really sucks." "Won't the school do anything to help you finish the year?" I asked with concern. "Mom checked into that on Friday and they said they don't have enough money left in their budget to supply me with home-schooling for the rest of the year." "Well, that's ridiculous," I vented. "Aren't they required by state law to do so?" "Mom sure thought so, but they say not any longer. But hey, that's enough of that crap. I just wanted to call to let you know I was home and to thank you guys for helpin' out the way you have. Mom told me you were gonna pay for the hospital and all. That really means a lot to us. Nobody's ever offered to help us with anything before." "No worries, Harry. We're glad we could do it. We hope you continue to get better and don't have any setbacks or problems." "Me, too, man. I'm just gonna do `xactly what the doc says, nothin'. To hell with school. Who needs it, anyway?" "You do, Harry," Tom interrupted. "If you had someone come in to help with your schooling, would you do it so you can stay with the rest of your class?" "Hell yeah. I don't wanna have to take this year all over just to get credit the last two months." "That's what I hoped you'd say," Tom replied. "Look, you hang in there and keep us updated on how you're doin'." "Harry, Max again. The boys would like us to come up and see you, make sure you're doin' okay. When do you think you'll be up for a visit?" "Is tomorrow too soon," he laughed. "No, seriously, probably not until this weekend at the earliest. And if I do what Mom wants, the weekend after would be better. For her anyway. She's gonna be workin' some doubles the next couple weeks to make up for the time she missed last week. She's still hopin' they don't fire her. Buncha heartless bastards, they are." "Tell her don't worry about it," I replied. "We'll see you in a couple weeks then. Take it easy, buddy." "I will, don't worry. Thanks again for everything. Talk to you guys later." After ending the call, Tom and I looked at each other and Tom asked, "You makin' the call in the mornin' or am I?" "I will. I'll call Steve and see if he can help us fix Harry's school problem." "Good, I was hopin' you'd say that," Tom agreed. "Uh, `scuse me guys, but who the hell is Harry? You got another kid I didn't know about?" Ron asked in confusion. "No, nothing like that, Ron," I answered with a laugh. "He's just a kid we met in Chicago last weekend and he needs some help." "I gathered that, but why are you involved?" "We went to the aquarium and because a few of the boys got a little carried away with somethin', his dad hurt Harry pretty badly. Since our guys kinda instigated the whole thing, we're takin' care of his hospital bill and now we're going to arrange for a tutor for him so he can finish out the school year." "Damn, you two are somethin' else. Where the hell were you when I was goin' through shit?" "I was hidin' out here in the woods and Tom was hidin' with the police." "Just my bad timing, then. Anybody else you helpin' out I should know about?" "Well, Logan, obviously, but now, much more than before." "Why, what's happened?" "His dad was killed in an accident on their farm Friday night." "Is that why he seemed a bit off-kilter tonight compared to the others?" "Probably. He'll be staying here through the funeral, at least, but after that, we're not sure." "No doubt he wants to stay with you guys." "He does, but his dad's will may not allow it. According to that, he supposed to go live with his uncle." "Well, that sucks," Ron moaned. "For Logan's sake, I hope you'll be able to fix that." "We do, too," Tom agreed. "Oh, by the way, we didn't change the sheets on your bed after it was used last. Do you want clean sheets?" "Depends," Ron grinned. "Who would I be sleepin' with?" "LeVar Burton." "Who the hell's that?" "Never mind," I laughed. "If you want clean ones, you'll find spare sets in the laundry room down the hall, middle door on the right." "I'm sure I'll be fine for the night and can change `em tomorrow while I'm bringin' my other stuff in." "Okay, then," I agreed. "I don't know `bout you two, but I'm ready to get some sleep. You comin', hon?" "Not yet, but with a little luck, I will be later," Tom chuckled. "TMI, dudes," Ron said while plugging his ears with his fingers. "See you in the morning then, Ron. Get a good night's sleep." "Night to you guys, too." We went our separate ways and were soon climbing in the shower to wash off the pool. With both of us cleaned up and dried off, we slipped under the covers and cuddled together in the middle of the bed. After sharing a good night kiss and an `I love you', we fell asleep. My sleep was filled with weird dreams about Samuel and T.J., and even more disturbing dreams about Logan living with his uncle. By the time the alarm went off and announced the beginning of a new day, I was more than ready for the night to be over. I forced myself out of bed, hit the john and headed across the house. My first stop was to get Ron rolling along. I knocked on Ron's door and waited a moment to see if he was going to answer. When I heard nothing from within, I popped the door open and stepped inside his room, finding him much like the twins and Logan usually are in the morning, covers kicked off and stiff as a board. I must have not been paying attention last night, but I quickly realized that a fine specimen of youthful manhood had just joined our family. From the six-pack abs to the well-toned arms and legs, it was quite obvious that Ron spent more time in the gym than most guys. The additional fact he was as hairless and smooth as a newborn baby only added to the complete package. And speaking of packages, it was easy to see that Ron was a grower and not a shower. The eight inches of tumescence hovering over his groin and stretching to reach his navel dispelled any doubts about the three-inch flaccid member I'd seen last night. After staring much longer than I should have, I finally remembered we had to get the boys moving, so I shook Ron's shoulder to wake him. As he slowly came to life, he realized he was exposed and reached for the covers. "Don't freak out, Ron," I said calmly. "This might be the first time I've seen you hard, but I guarantee it won't be the last." "Oh, hey, Mr. Sand..., uh, Max. That time already?" "Yep, let's get movin'. Time for you to start earning your pay," I chuckled. "Right behind you, man. Just let me hit the john real quick." "No problem. I'll get the twins and Logan movin' while you tackle the other three. Once all the munchkins are moving, meet me in the kitchen." I moved on to wake my three this morning and found the regular pretzel I'd become used to finding. I shook Joey's shoulder and once his eyes were open, told him it was time to roll out. He started waking the other two while I headed back across the house to wake Tom. Luckily, I found him in the kitchen and he had the first pot of coffee going for us already. Ron joined us shortly, poured himself a cup and as he leaned against the counter to face us, asked, "So what's for breakfast?" "Whatever you decide you want to fix, buddy," Tom answered. "Throwin' me into the deep end right off, are you?" "Training by fire I like to call it," Tom chuckled. "Well, where's the fire?" Ron asked in confusion. "In the eyes of the six ravenous ragamuffins lined up behind you," I laughed. Ron turned and jumped in surprise at finding the boys lined up on their stools, glaring hungrily at him. "Mornin' dudelets, how does cereal and toast sound this mornin'?" he asked nervously. "Just to make it easy on my first day?" "No way, Jos�," Joey protested. "We all want steak and eggs for breakfast. Alex and me want our steaks medium well with scrambled eggs, Logan wants his rare and over easy, T.J. medium rare and sunny side up, and Mike and Andy want medium with poached." "Um, okay, I guess I can do that," Ron muttered in disbelief at the request. Five seconds later, all six cracked up in laughter at Ron's reaction and Alex almost fell off his stool he was laughing so hard. On discovering he'd just been punked, a visibly relieved Ron let go a huge sigh of relief and added, "You little stinkers. What's the big idea givin' me a heart attack this early in the morning?" "Just makin' sure you're awake, dude," Alex laughed. "We're fine with cereal and toast." "But ya better get a move on `cause we're runnin' outta time," Logan added. Ron turned around and pulled the cereal, bowls and spoons from their cabinets, then lined them up on the counter in front of the boys. Next, six glasses joined the bowls in a separate line. After filling each bowl with the boys' choice of cereal, he grabbed the gallon of milk from the fridge. In one smooth movement, he tipped the jug over and carefully added milk to each bowl by allowing the milk to hover over each bowl for just a moment. He then performed the same bit of magic with the glasses before putting the milk away. Amazingly, not a drop was spilled on the counter in the process. "That was cool, Ron," Mike enthused. "How'd you learn to do that?" Andy asked. "I spent six months tending bar last year," Ron smiled. "I learned more than a few tricks during that time. Y'all still want toast?" With agreement from all, the toaster was pulled out, along with the bread, jelly, honey, cinnamon sugar and butter, and soon enough, each of the munchkins had some toast to go with their cereal. When the feeding frenzy was over, the boys headed to their bedrooms to get dressed and ready to go. As soon as they disappeared, Ron cleaned up the kitchen, loaded the dishwasher and then followed behind the boys to get ready to run them out to the end of the drive. During their breakfast, Tom and I had leaned against a counter and watched as Ron took care of business. When he'd gone to get dressed, I looked at Tom and commented, "I think we picked the right guy." "Without a doubt," Tom agreed. "Hiring him was good idea. I'm glad I thought of it," he added with a chuckle and evil smirk. "So, it was all your idea, huh? I guess it was you who proposed to me, then." "That's the way I remember it and if anybody tells you otherwise, they're lyin'," Tom laughed. "Whatever," I muttered as I smacked the back of his head. "So, when's Dylan showin' up?" I asked. "Not a clue, we never talked about it. Could be any time. What're you planning on doin' today?" "I'm gonna spend part of the morning with Ron, make sure he knows where everything is and what's expected of him. Might even help him finish unloading his car." "And what's after that?" "Back to the book for a while, I guess. Then, this afternoon, I need to take Logan out to the farm to get some things followed by stops at the funeral home and bank." "Is he goin' to school this morning?" "I didn't think to ask. Guess we'll find out in just a minute." Ron and the boys returned and Ron asked, "Hey, can I use your car to run them out? Mine's not big enough to hold `em all." "Sure, Ron, let me grab a fob for the Flex." I turned for the bedroom and returned a minute later, handing the device to Ron. "Why don't you just leave this in the cup holder when you come back, that way there's always one with the car. We'll get a key rack in the garage for all the vehicle's keys and fobs so anyone can move a car without carrying all those keys all the time. "Good thinkin', Max. Guess we'll get out of here then. Be back in a few minutes." "Y'all aren't goin' anywhere until we get our hugs," Tom commanded. The two of us knelt down and gratefully accepted our morning hugs with the guys, reminding them to be good and learn something new today. As I shared my hug with Logan, I asked, "Are you sure you're up to going today?" "Yeah, I'm okay, Dad. I'd just as soon be there `stead of mopin' `round here all day." "Okay. I'll come pick you up after lunch so we can deal with a few things this afternoon." "Yeah, all right," he muttered sadly. As Logan moved on to give his hug to Tom, the twins took his place for my hug with them. Since they had put their heads on each side of mine, I whispered in their ears, "I want you guys to keep an eye on Logan today, please. He may need some help." Both gave me a quick nod of agreement before we broke up and they turned to follow the others to the garage. With them on the way, I turned to call the school while Tom headed to his office to get started on his day. "This is Gloria, how may I help you?" miss perky and cheerful answered. "Good morning, Gloria, Max Sanders." "Oh, good morning, Mr. Sanders, what's up today?" "Well, I'm calling to let you know that Logan Campbell's dad died Friday night and I need to pick up Logan after lunch to take care of a few details this afternoon." "Oh, my, how awful. I can't believe he'd come to school today." "He said he'd be okay, but if anything happens, let me know and I'll come get him whenever. Whatever day is selected for the funeral, all of our boys will be out that day so they can attend with Logan." "That's not a problem, sir. We'll keep an eye on things here." "Thanks, Gloria. See you later." As I hung up the phone, I heard Ron coming back in from the garage so I headed across the house to meet him. Just before he turned into his room, I called down the hall, "Hey, Ron, come find me when you're ready, I'd like to chat a bit and then give you the full tour." "Be right there, Max." Thirty seconds later, Ron joined me and asked, "What's up?" "First, do you need any help bringing your other things in from the car? Tom and I will be happy help." "Nah, I don't have that much to deal with." "Okay, moving on, then. You did well with breakfast. Especially since the rugrats were givin' you a bit of a hard time." "It was all in good fun, Max. I shoulda known they were pullin' my leg with the steak `n' eggs thing." "Glad to hear it. Seems like you've got the kitchen pretty well handled, but you might want to spend some time goin' through all the cabinets, drawers and pantry just to make sure you know where everything is. As for general cleaning, you can set up whatever schedule you want. We'd like to see the house done at least once a week, but it doesn't have to all be done in one day. But whatever you want to do is fine with us. The one thing that's really important is the towels on all the chairs and couches in the house, those should be dealt with every Wednesday and Sunday." "I was gonna ask about those. It seems silly to have all this nice leather furniture and then cover it up with these ugly white towels." "That's simply a nudist thing, Ron. It wouldn't be very hygienic to sit directly on the leather, especially with five or more kids floatin' around who may not be very diligent in properly cleaning themselves after going to the bathroom. That's one of the reasons I usually take care of that particular bathroom visit at night just before my shower. That way, in the morning, I'm about as clean as I can be." "Ah, gotcha. Makes perfect sense once you explain it like that. Now, should I keep track of my hours when I'm doing stuff, and if so, how do you want me to do it?" "Don't worry about that. We plan to pay you for eight hours a day, even though we know you won't come close to that most days. But, with gettin' up early and dealing with the boys in the morning, it's worth extra to us if it means we can sleep in a bit later. And there'll be times when you might be working into the evening or night. Say, if we're having guests or something like that. Tom and I can deal with our own lunches if you don't want to do it." "Look, Max, I appreciate the thought, but if you're gonna pay me for eight hours, then I need to work as much as I can so you get your money's worth. I ain't here for a free ride, ya know?" "We know that, Ron, but this isn't the White House or some showplace, it's our home. And it's your home now, too. It doesn't have to be perfect all the time, and we don't expect you to follow us around and pick up every little thing we may leave behind us. But we also don't want to be lazy about it either. If you see any of us aren't keeping up our end of helping keep things neat, let us know." "I just knew this was gonna be a sweet gig," Ron smiled. "Thanks for thinkin' of me." "No problem. Would you like to see the rest of the house, now? You didn't get to see too much of it when you were here a few months ago." "Sure, that'd be cool." "Well, follow me," I replied as I stood up and led the way to the theater. Next was our bedroom and study, after which, we headed across the house to see Tom's office, the laundry room, bathroom, bedrooms and garage. When we returned to the living room, I said, "Well, that's everything I can think of at the moment. You have any questions?" "Not really, Max. It's pretty straight-forward. Do you guys pick up the boys after the bus drops `em off?" "We have been, but since it's warmed up, they've been walking to the house. So, for the rest of the school year, you should only have to deal with that if it's raining." "Cool, I'll be happy to do it. Well, if that's all you got at the moment, I might as well finish unloading my car and get my bed changed. What time do you guys eat lunch?" "Usually around twelve to twelve-thirty, and normally something light and simple." "I'll have it ready to go at twelve-fifteen, then. See ya in a bit." With that, Ron headed down the hallway. He hadn't gone too far when he turned around and came back to ask, "Oh, where do you want me to park my car once it's empty?" "You'll mostly be using the Flex for everything, but I'll see if we can put Tom's car in the storage building and free up a space inside for yours." "You don't have to do that, man." "I'm sure Tom won't mind. He usually likes to take the Shelby anyway. Oh, and I almost forgot, there's a couple of security guards here at the house so you'll probably want to have a pair of shorts on when you go out." "Well, that just sucks," Ron chuckled. "I'm really getting used to bein' nude already. Kinda enjoyin' the freedom." "It's your call. If you don't care, I sure as hell don't." Ron headed for the garage again and I stopped in Tom's office before heading to my own. "Question for ya big buy." "Hit me, babe." "Do you have a problem with movin' your car out to the storage building so Ron can have that spot in the garage for his?" "Works for me. I'd rather drive the Shelby anyway." "Yeah, I've noticed that. I think you've used it more than I have the past couple of months. Somehow, I don't think that's very fair. Maybe I'll get you one of those little electric Smart cars, just so I can have my Shelby back." "Yeah, I guess you could do that. Or, you could always get me my own Shelby," Tom grinned evilly in reply. "Now, why the hell would I want to do that?" I asked mockingly. " `Cause you love me. And so you can have yours back, too." "Well, you're right, I do love you, but I'm not sure it's worth your own Shelby. No, I think the Smart car is just about right," I laughed. Just as Ron came back in the house with an armload of his stuff, the drive sensor dinged and interrupted our conversation. I was expecting Dylan had arrived as I headed to the front door and peeking through the glass, was surprised to see Bob's truck pulling in the drive to deliver Dylan's desk. "Shorts, guys!" I called out. "Bob's here." As Tom and I headed to our room to cover up, he commented, "I forgot I included Bob's and Bill's names on the list of approved people I gave to Dirk Saturday since I knew they were both coming today." "Glad you thought of them because I'd obviously forgotten," I replied. "We should probably grab keys to rearrange vehicles and make it easier for Bob to deal with the desk. Why don't you get yours and we can have Ron move it to the storage building." "You got it." Properly covered for our guest, we headed back across the house and into the garage. Ron was already moving his car and Tom hopped in the Shelby to get it out of Bob's way, also. With a cleared path, Bob backed his truck to the open door and he, Terry and Travis climbed out. "Mornin', Bob, how're you this fine Monday morning?" "We're great. You ready for a desk?" "Yep, and we'll get out of your way since you brought the big guns with ya," Tom answered. "I'm just here to supervise, today. Terry and Travis are doing all the work," Bob grinned. The two got busy and in fifteen minutes, Dylan's desk was in place and ready to use. While they took care of that task, Bob followed me to my study so I could write a check to pay for everything he'd built for us in the past couple of months. With payment in hand, Bob, Terry and Travis climbed back in the truck and disappeared down the drive with a wave out the truck's window. While Tom and Ron rearranged cars again, I headed back inside so I could get back to work on my book. Once the cars were dealt with, including moving Tom's to the storage building, Ron parked in the garage to finish his unloading and Tom went back to workin on his reports for Carol. Thirty minutes later, Dylan finally put in his appearance with apologies for being so late. "Sorry I wasn't here earlier, Tom, but I was calling some of the fence guys I know from home. I have two who are interested in the job and they'll be here this afternoon about two so I can show them what we want." "That's great, Dylan. We'll feel a lot better with that taken care of. What about the window tinting?" "Yep, called a couple places `bout that, too. One's comin' about three today and another at ten tomorrow morning. What's next, boss?" Dylan asked with a wry grin. "Now, there's a switch, me bein' your boss," Tom laughed. "It'll take a while to get used to that. I'm finishing up a couple of reports for Carol and Anna. Pull your chair over and you can see what we need to do for them." The two spent the next couple of hours filling in the forms Carol had sent for Tom to use and sending the final reports on their way with the click of a button in Outlook. Tom told me later that he'd had to be a bit creative on Mr. & Mrs. WitSec's report, but he was pretty sure he got the point across without divulging too much. He expected to be receiving a call from Carol or Anna about that particular report, but he'd cross that bridge when and if necessary. Promptly at twelve-fifteen, Ron announced over the phones that lunch was ready whenever we were. As I left the study to meet everyone in the kitchen, Tom and Dylan were leaving their office to do the same. I didn't know what Ron had prepared for our meal, but it smelled wonderful and my mouth was salivating as I stepped into the kitchen. "God, that smells good." "Thanks, Max," Ron replied. "It's nothing major, really. Just glazed pork chops with mashed taters and gravy, along with a salad. Hope you guys like it." "If it tastes as good as it smells, I'm sure we will. You need any help?" I replied through the drool about to drip from my lower lip. "Nope, it's all on the table, so dig in." I wasted no more time and staked my claim to a spot at the table. Ron followed me, and Tom and Dylan weren't far behind. "Hey, you must me Dylan," Ron greeted as the big man took the chair next to him. "That's me," Dylan replied. "I'm guessing you're Ron. I've seen you a few times at the gym." "That's where I know you from. I knew you looked familiar, but I couldn't figure out from where." "Thanks for fixin' lunch for us, man. This looks and smells great." "Well, y'all quit wastin' time yakkin' and chow down," Ron prodded us. Without any further delay, we followed Ron's instructions. And after the first bite, we were all happy to have done so as everything was delicious. With appreciative moans of delight from all of us, the food disappeared from our plates so quickly, you'd have thought the boys were here. After all the plates and salad bowls were empty, we started to help Ron with the cleanup. "No way, guys, I got this. Y'all go back to your work." "We don't mind helpin', Ron. We always do with the boys. They take care of the plates, bowls and other stuff that goes in the dishwasher while Tom and I take care of the rest." "Yeah, but you ain't payin' them like you are me." "All right, if you insist," I gave in. "That was delicious, Ron, thanks for fixin' it," Tom offered. "What kind of glaze was on the chops?" "A little orange juice, a little apple juice and a fair amount of honey. It's something I learned from mom and have always liked. Thought you guys might like it, too. Guess I was right," he added with a chortle. "Well, you learned your lesson well. You keep cookin' lunches like that for us and we're gonna have to enlarge the workout area in the gym at the new house so we can all use it." "Oh, I won't spoil you rotten every day, so don't get too used to it," Ron laughed. "You just wait for supper, though. I'm hoping the boys like my choice since it's already cookin'." "What is it?" I asked. "You'll find out at supper, Max. I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise." "Well, okay, then." I turned to Tom and added, "Look, I've got to get ready to go pick up Logan and take care of our errands. The rest of you should probably have shorts on or close by since Bill's supposed to be bringing Dylan's computer this afternoon. Save you all a mad scramble when he shows up." "Don't worry, babe, we'll be prepared. Besides, Dylan has two fencing guys comin' by at two and a window tinting guy at three, so we'll have to be covered for them, too." "Just reminding you," I replied before turning to Dylan and adding, "Thanks for jumping on those two projects so quickly. I'm really starting to get paranoid about shit." "Don't worry, Max, I'll make sure we're all safe." "We appreciate it. Okay, I gotta go get ready to leave. I'll stop by your office on the way out." As I passed through the kitchen, I again thanked Ron for the yummy lunch we'd just shared before continuing on to the bedroom. On my way back through the house, I stopped to talk to Ron again before leaving. "Were you able to get all your stuff in the house?" "Yep. Got it all put away, too." "How'd you manage that and still fix lunch?" I asked in surprise. "Easy, man, I didn't have that much to deal with. Most of what I used at the old place belonged to my roommate. Didn't think he'd be too happy if I absconded with his TV or dishes," Ron laughed. "No, probably not," I agreed, joining in the laugh. "Well, I'm glad to hear you're settled in. I didn't think to ask when we had the boys' rooms painted, but if you want to change colors in your room, just let me know. I'll have John take care of it." "Nah, not right now, anyway. I'm fine with the white for a while." "Well, it's your room. You want anything changed or different furniture, just let us know." "I'll do that, Max. Thanks." I turned to leave, but stopped and added, "Oh, I want to talk to you about something later. It's gonna be an odd request, but I'd like you to give it some serious thought." "Anything I can do to actually earn what you're paying me, I'll be happy to do it." "We'll see once you hear my request. I'll be back in a couple of hours." "See ya then," Ron replied as he turned to complete cleaning up the kitchen from our lunch. I continued on across the house and stopped in Tom's office on my way to the garage. "Okay, you two, I'm outta here. Logan and I should be back in a couple of hours, I hope." "Which car you takin'?" Tom asked. "Since Logan wants to bring his bike back, I planned on taking the Flex. That okay?" "Just as long as he doesn't want to bring Buster back with him, that's fine," Tom laughed. "We're not planning on goin' anywhere." "Good. And don't forget to start planning for your trip to Missouri. We gotta keep Logan away from that asshole Troy." "Already in the works, babe. I'm gonna call Carol and see if she might be able to help us find William, too." "Good thinking, big guy," I replied. I leaned over to share a kiss and a hug with Tom before moving on. Just as I was about to leave the office, I realized I'd forgotten something really important. "Oh, and hi, Dylan. We're glad you're here and we look forward to having you around." "Gee, thanks, Max. I was beginnin' to think you didn't like me no more," he cracked back at me. "I love you and you know it, brother. My mind's just been on too many other things today. I apologize for being so remiss in saying hi and welcome." "Don't worry `bout it. You go take care of Logan." With that, I headed on to the garage, climbed in the Flex and began the trip to the school. After parking in the visitor's parking, I aimed for the office where I found Gloria hard at work. "Good afternoon, Gloria. How're you today?" "I'm just dandy, Mr. Sanders. How `bout yourself?" "We're hangin' in there. I'm here to pick up Logan. We have a few things to deal with this afternoon." "Yes, I was sorry to hear about his dad. I hope Logan will be okay. Let me call Mr. Thomas' class and I'll get him up here so you can go." "Actually, before you do that, I need to talk to Steve about something if he has a moment." "Let me check with him, one sec." Gloria dialed Steve's office and after a short conversation, said, "Go on in. He said he always has time for you." "Thanks, Gloria." I stepped to the office door and gave it a quick rap before popping it open and stepping inside. "Afternoon, Steve," I greeted as we shook hands before he waved me to chair. "Afternoon, to you, too, Max. We're sorry to hear about Mr. Campbell. Logan can take whatever time he needs to deal with things." "Thanks for that. Besides this afternoon, I guess the only other time he'll miss school is whatever day the funeral is. I told him he could stay home today, but he said he'd rather be here." "No worries. I let Mr. Thomas know what's happened and he said he'd keep a close eye on things." "Good, thanks for that. Now, I've got something else to ask you. We met a kid in Chicago last weekend whose father beat him pretty badly and he needs some help now." "What do you think I can do to help a kid in Chicago?" "Well, his dad fractured his skull and as a result of that injury, Harry is supposed to stay at home until the fracture is healed in six to eight weeks, just to minimize the chances of a potential problem. And even though his mom called the school to try to arrange some home schooling for him, the school refused to do it because they say they don't have enough money left in their budget to pay for it." "Bullshit!" Steve roared. "They're required to supply a tutor for any student in the district who needs it for any reason. Budget problems or not." "That's kinda what I thought, but his mom didn't make any headway on the issue. I was hoping I might be able to enlist your assistance to see that Harry is able to finish out the school year and move on to tenth grade with the rest of his class." "Damn right I will. Do you know what school he attends?" "Now that you ask, I don't, but I'm sure I can find out." "You get me the name of the school and Harry's last name and I'll take care of it." "Thanks, Steve, we appreciate the help." "Someday, when you have more time, you'll have to tell me why you're involved. But not today." "I'll do that. Well, I better get Logan and get a move on. Thanks, again, for your help. I'll talk to you later." "You just take care of Logan and I'll take care of Harry." "Deal," I agreed as we both stood and shared a handshake before I took my leave. As I stepped into the outer office, I found Logan was waiting for me already. I walked over to the chair where he was sitting, knelt in front of him and asked, "You ready to go, buddy?" "No, but I ain't got much choice, do I?" "Sorry, no. Let's go get this over with and get back home." "Yeah, all right," he muttered as he leaned over and gave me a hug. I turned to Gloria and thanked her for her help, then wrapped Logan's hand in mine and we aimed for the car. After settling in the front seat and buckling ourselves in, we began the trip to what is now Logan's farm. On the way, I called Tom at home and told him to get the name of Harry's school from Maureen or Angela and pass it on to Steve. He said he'd take care of it right now and we ended the conversation. After making the turn into the property, I headed up the drive to park by the side of the house where we'd parked the other day. I was surprised I didn't see any of the three security guys who were supposed to be here. Logan had yet to lift his head and he missed seeing the front door of the house standing wide open as I parked just past the porch. As soon I shut off the car, Logan was out the door and walking around to climb the steps to the porch and I had to hustle to catch up to him. As soon as he reached the porch and discovered he wasn't going to need the key he'd fished from his pocket, he froze. He stood immobile for thirty seconds or more, then began trembling with rage before screaming, "I'M GONNA KILL THAT FUCKIN' BASTARD!!"

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family Chapter 76</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2018 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com?subject=Building%20a%20Family">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free:&nbsp;<span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></span></p> <h2><a name="_Hlk527762214"></a><a name="_Hlk524819330"></a><a name="_Toc527817648"><span>Chapter 76 � A Special Visitor for T.J.</span></a></h2> <p><span>While we'd half hoped Sunday would be a somewhat calmer day, we were quickly disabused of that notion by the ringing of the phone at eight in the morning. Thanks to my eyes still being closed, as I reached for the phone to silence the early morning annoyance, I knocked it off the nightstand. That stopped the incessant ringing, but I could still hear someone talking, so I finally opened my eyes and grabbed the receiver from the floor.</span></p> <p><span>"What?" I moaned.</span></p> <p><span>"Why the hell didn't you tell us about Logan's asshole of an uncle?" my dad screamed into my ear.</span></p> <p><span>"Dad, take a freakin' pill and chill out, would ya?" I retorted. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"</span></p> <p><span>"Of course, I do, but I'm guessing you don't," the old man chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Exact time, no," I grumbled, "but I do know it's too early to deal with anything just yet. Why don't you call me back in an hour or so? I promise I'll be awake by then."</span></p> <p><span>"It eight o'clock, son, time to get your ass outta bed. Hell, you shoulda been up for at least an hour by now," Dad laughed. "Now, back to my original question, why didn't you call and tell us about your exciting day?"</span></p> <p><span>" 'Cause there was nothin' to tell. It happened, it's over. You'd have been proud of Logan, though."</span></p> <p><span>"We're proud of all our grandsons, son."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, Dad. Can I go back to sleep now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, you go right ahead. I'll call back later."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks." I picked the phone back up, put it back on the nightstand and placed the receiver in its cradle. I'd no sooner closed my eyes when I heard the bedroom door open and the boys stepped in. "What do you munchkins want?" I grumbled.</span></p> <p><span>"Food, Dad," T.J. replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you need to get up and fix us breakfast," Andy added.</span></p> <p><span>"C'mon, old man, up and at `em," Logan chipped in.</span></p> <p><span>"All right, already, get on outta here, we'll be there shortly." Seven giggling boys departed and I turned to wake Tom. I found him wide awake with a smile on his face. "What're you so happy about?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Just happy to be alive, babe. And to be wakin' up every day in the same bed as you is just icing on the cake."</span></p> <p><span>"I love you, too, hon. You ready to face the day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, but I don't think we have much choice, do we?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not with seven eating machines needing refueled, we don't."</span></p> <p><span>We slowly climbed out of bed and made our way to the bathroom. After taking care of our needs there, we aimed ourselves for the kitchen. Checking the fridge for food options, we settled on cereal and pop tarts since there wasn't much else to be found. Tom and I agreed that a trip to the store was in order for later in the day. Before we got to that trip, though, we had several phone calls to deal with. </span></p> <p><span>Once the boys had finished their breakfast and loaded their bowls into the dishwasher, Joey asked, "Hey, Dads, can we go outside to ride our bikes and play?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, guys, go ahead," I answered. "We're going to deal with a few things inside, then we'll come out and join you. Don't go past the turn in the drive to the bus stop, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Why not," Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"There's security guys roaming around, remember?" Tom replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah," Logan muttered. "How long they gonna be `round?"</span></p> <p><span>"Until Troy goes back home," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Guess that makes sense," Logan agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"There are also three guys at your farm, Logan," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Pops. I hadn't thought `bout that, but with that loser in town, it's pro'lly a good idea."</span></p> <p><span>"Go on and get out of here, guys. And have some fun," I said. All seven promptly returned to their rooms to get dressed, then headed on out through the garage. Tom and I settled into the living room to make our calls. Tom called Derek first to see if he'd heard from Sebastian.</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin', Derek. What's the good word today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Glad you called, Tom. Gotta a couple things to pass on to you guys. First, Sebastian performed the autopsy on Charlie Campbell yesterday afternoon. And he was surprised at what he found. He's determined that Charlie most likely died due to a massive heart attack, then fell into the tractor's PTO shaft. He estimates the time of death to be about five-thirty to six."</span></p> <p><span>"He was awfully young to have had a heart attack, Derek," I said. "Is Sebastian sure of that?"</span></p> <p><span>"He feels ninety-five percent certain of that cause. Sebastian discovered some very severe arterial blockages in Charlie's heart, one of them being totally closed off. He's pretty confident that Charlie was gone before his overalls got snagged and he was tossed around like a rag doll. The other reason he believes that is the minimal amount of blood at the scene. With the injuries he sustained, if Charlie's heart was still beating, there should have been considerably more spatter or spray in the corner where he landed. I know it sounds rather gruesome, but considering the options, it's probably best it happened that way. For Charlie, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for the info, Derek. We'll pass it on to Logan at some point. What else did you have for us?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I told you about the uncle rollin' by the place yesterday afternoon. Turns out it's a good thing you had security there last night. They caught what's his name sneakin' up towards the house after comin' through the woods behind the farm. He and his sons had made it all the way to the barn before they were spotted. One of the cows made some noise that tipped the security guards something wasn't quite right."</span></p> <p><span>"Geez, even animals don't like those people," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope. Thanks to them, your security guys ran the three of them off. I'd recommend you keep them on hand for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"We plan to, Derek," Tom replied. "Thanks for the update."</span></p> <p><span>"How's Logan doing?" Derek inquired.</span></p> <p><span>" `Bout like you'd expect, I think," I answered. "He's sad and mad at the same time."</span></p> <p><span>"Well you guys take good care of him."</span></p> <p><span>"You can be sure we will. Thanks, Derek."</span></p> <p><span>I had to grab the phone book from the kitchen before we could make our next call. After looking up the number I needed, I punched the speaker button and dialed the number.</span></p> <p><span>"Delaney-McCullough funeral home. How may I help you in your time of need?" a lady's voice answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Morning. My name is Max Sanders. The father of a friend of our sons died Friday night. According to the young man, you handled his mother's funeral about a year ago and we figured you should probably handle the arrangements for his father, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Could you tell me the deceased's name, please?"</span></p> <p><span>"Charlie Campbell."</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, yes. I remember working with him when his wife passed. I'm so sorry for his son's loss."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we don't have a clue what needs to be done or when, so any help or directions you can provide us would be much appreciated."</span></p> <p><span>"That's not a problem, sir. We're quite used to that. People rarely plan ahead or think about such things until it's too late. If I remember correctly, Mr. Campbell made arrangements for his own services and interment when we handled Mrs. Campbell's service. Please give me a moment to check my records to ensure that's the case." After about fifteen seconds, she returned to the call. "Yes, sir, I have Mr. Campbell's file now and he did, indeed, plan ahead for his own funeral."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's a load off our minds," I responded with a sigh. "What do we need to do now?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nothing, really. We will, of course, have to pick up Mr. Campbell's body from the coroner's office and will take care of that task tomorrow morning. Once we have his remains, we will begin preparations for his services. We will need whatever clothing the son would like to use for his father. They can be dropped off here at the funeral home any time tomorrow or Tuesday."</span></p> <p><span>"I think we can do that. I can take Logan to his home tomorrow afternoon so he can pick out something from his dad's closet. Are there any specifics as to the type of clothing we should get?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, sir. I'll leave that up to his son."</span></p> <p><span>"Then we should be able to bring that to you some time tomorrow afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"That will be just fine. Any other details we may need to discuss can be handled then. We will do our best make this difficult time as easy as possible for all involved."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you. We'll see you tomorrow, then."</span></p> <p><span>After hanging up the phone, I looked to Tom and asked, "Who's next on the hit list?"</span></p> <p><span>"The school, maybe. I'm sure Logan won't feel like going tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"Good idea, but we can call them in the morning. I guess I'll call Dad back and get that out of the way." I made the call and spent the next twenty minutes letting Mom and Dad know what we knew so far. Mom said she'd call Lee a little later to bring them up to date. With their assurances they'd keep all of us in their thoughts, we ended the call. "Okay, anybody else?"</span></p> <p><span>"The only other person I can think of that needs to be told is that Billings guy at the bank. Since he's the will's executor and trustee for Logan, he'll need to know what's going on. Especially with Troy up here."</span></p> <p><span>"You're right. I could wait until the morning to call him, though. Right after calling the school."</span></p> <p><span>"You think Troy's gonna wait that long to start stirring up trouble?"</span></p> <p><span>"He sure hasn't so far. Give me the phone book, I'll see if he's listed." Tom handed it to me and after a quick search, located his number and placed the call.</span></p> <p><span>The seven of us had been outside for a while, and Alex and I had already ridden our bikes while the others watched. We decided to take a break and let a couple of the others take a turn. Mike hopped on mine and took off down the drive towards the storage building. Andy said he'd like to try but he'd never had a bike or learned to ride one. T.J. volunteered to help him out and soon the two were working together in the grass so when Andy would fall, it wouldn't hurt too much. That left me, Alex, Logan and Damon to sit and watch them have fun.</span></p> <p><span>Damon finally broke the silence when he asked, "Hey, dudes, can we talk `bout last night?"</span></p> <p><span>"What about it?" Alex asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I have a friend at home, and we've done a few things with each other, but mostly just jerkin' each other, ya know? We never sucked each other before, even though I've thought about it. I didn't think he'd go for it, so I just let it slide."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, how'd you like that?" Joey asked with a smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my God, I never dreamed somethin' could feel that good. And when you started lickin' my hole, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven, Joey."</span></p> <p><span>"Speakin' of that," Alex began, "why'd you join us last night? You haven't done that since you and Josh said you'd only be with each other."</span></p> <p><span>"You want the truth?"</span></p> <p><span>"You know I do," Alex answered testily.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, and don't take this the wrong way, Damon, but I ain't never seen a black kid's dick before and I really wanted to see if you were any different from us."</span></p> <p><span>The four of us cracked up in laughter and Damon asked, "And?"</span></p> <p><span>"You taste just like we do," Joey answered amid more laughter.</span></p> <p><span>"You taste pretty good, too, Joey," Damon retorted while licking his lips. "It still sucks that all three of you guys have bigger dicks than me, but I'll get over it."</span></p> <p><span>"I done told you in the shower that you'll get bigger, Damon, so quit obsessin' over it," Logan retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, I just want somethin' to start happenin' down there."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, there was plenty happenin' there last night, dude," Alex replied with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't I know it? With Logan lickin' and nippin' my nipples, Alex suckin' my dick and balls, and Joey lickin' my hole, I think I came four or five times. And then, when Joey started to fuck my ass, I lost track. God, I can't wait until I can actually shoot."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I really liked it when your dick was dancin' in my mouth you little horndog," Alex laughed as he punched Damon on the shoulder. "You keep hangin' with us, Damon, and it'll happen," Alex offered.</span></p> <p><span>"Not that I've got enough to hang, but what makes you think it would be, knowin' the fun I'm gonna have when I'm here? I'll be hard when Dad and I leave home, just thinkin' `bout what's gonna happen later."</span></p> <p><span>"We will be, too, dude," Logan whispered.</span></p> <p><span>"Hello?"</span></p> <p><span>"Is this the John Billings who works at the bank in New Berlin?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Yes," he answered warily. "May I ask to whom I am speaking."</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Billings, my name is Max Sanders. I hate to be the one to give you bad news, but I think you should know that Charlie Campbell died Friday night."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, dear, that's such a shame. But why are you calling me? What's your connection to Charlie?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, his son, Logan, has been living with us for several weeks as he and his dad tried to resolve some issues they were having. And we took Logan out to the house yesterday to retrieve some items he wanted. One of the things we picked up was a lockbox that contained Charlie's will."</span></p> <p><span>"Have you read the will? And does Logan know what's in it?"</span></p> <p><span>"The answer to both questions is yes. That's why I'm calling you. I wanted to make sure you know you were named as both the executor of the will and Logan's trustee."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I'm well aware of both stipulations since I discussed the matter at some length with Charlie. He wanted to make sure I had no problems fulfilling either role before he had the will drawn up."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you know the specifics of Charlie's wishes?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, only generalities. Charlie was still making some decisions when we talked about my involvement."</span></p> <p><span>"I know you'll be reading it soon enough yourself but let me tell you what it says."</span></p> <p><span>"There's no real need for that. I'll read the will in the morning and start setting it up to be probated."</span></p> <p><span>"No, you need to know what it says before tomorrow morning because we feel there's going to be problems. Charlie's wishes were that the farm, home, equipment and livestock be held in trust for Logan until he turns twenty-one. There is also a paragraph mentioning another son that was given up for adoption long ago, with Charlie's hope he could be located and Logan would be willing to share his inheritance with him."</span></p> <p><span>"I haven't heard anything that remotely sounds like a problem yet."</span></p> <p><span>"Another paragraph specifically states that Charlies brother Troy, Logan's uncle, should receive nothing from the estate. And <i>he's</i> going to be the problem."</span></p> <p><span>"I see. How unfortunate. I will, of course, read the will first thing in the morning and place blocks on all the accounts held at the bank so that only Logan and myself have access to them. That should prevent the brother from doing anything."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, Mr. Billings. We just wanted you to be aware of any potential problems and see that you take the necessary steps to protect Logan's interests."</span></p> <p><span>"I give you my word that I will do so, and I thank you for bringing this to my attention. At some point, would it be possible for you bring Logan into the bank so that we may discuss this?"</span></p> <p><span>"We can come by some time tomorrow afternoon, if that's okay with you."</span></p> <p><span>"That would be fine. And may I ask if Logan has made any funeral arrangements yet?"</span></p> <p><span>"I talked to the funeral home just a few minutes ago and they're prepared to follow the instructions Charlie left with them when he made the arrangements for his wife. The only thing we don't really have at the moment is a date, though I'm sure it will happen later this week."</span></p> <p><span>"I would expect so. Please let me know when you have that settled as I would like to attend the service. Charlie was a friend of mine and a good customer of the bank."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll be sure to let you know. Thanks for your time this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"No, thank you for taking care of Logan. Please let him know how sorry I am for his loss and my family and I will be keeping him in our thoughts. I'll see you tomorrow, then."</span></p> <p><span>We ended the call and I said, "Okay, that's enough of that crap. Let's get out of the house for a little bit." With agreement from the big guy, we aimed for the bedroom to pull on some clothes and then headed outside to join the boys for some fun in the sun. When we finally stepped out of the garage, Mike was riding a bike back from the turn to the bus shelter and it appeared as though T.J. was trying to help Andy learn how to balance on the other bike. The other four were rolling around on the grass and laughing their butts off.</span></p> <p><span>"What's so funny, guys?" Tom asked as we drew closer to the mirthful group.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, just a stupid joke, Pops," Alex quickly answered as they all clammed up.</span></p> <p><span>"Would this have anything to do with the giggles we heard from your room last night?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Maybe," Logan drawled. "Ya heard that, did ya?"</span></p> <p><span>"We might not have x-ray vision to see through the walls and doors, Logan, but we aren't deaf." Damon was hiding his face and thanks to his lighter skin tone, you could see he was blushing heavily. "It's okay, Damon, we know what our boys get up to ..."</span></p> <p><span>"Get up to," Joey snickered.</span></p> <p><span>"... and it's nothin' to be ashamed about. As long as you agreed to whatever was going on."</span></p> <p><span>He lifted his head and shock filled his face. "Wait, you <i>know</i> `bout that stuff and you're cool with it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Why wouldn't we be?" Tom asked. "A lot of other kids do the same things."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, but Mom says it's wrong and even though I really like it, I feel bad `bout doin' it."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't, Damon. What you guys do is perfectly natural and normal. It's all a part of growing up. Tom and I both did it, and so did your dads."</span></p> <p><span>"You're shittin' me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, ask `em about it some time," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"You can bet I will," he said with an evil grin.</span></p> <p><span>"It's nice of you guys to let your brothers ride your bikes," Tom commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it ain't their fault they don't have their own," Joey retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, we hope you two can fix that problem on their birthdays," Alex added with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, this ridin' two at a time really stinks, Dads," Logan continued. "Next time we go out to the farm, we need to bring my bike back with us. Least we'll have three for us kids, then."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll do that tomorrow, Logan," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"Why we goin' back out there already?"</span></p> <p><span>"We need to pick up some clothes for your dad and drop them off at the funeral home. Then we need to stop by the bank and talk to Mr. Billings."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, okay, I guess," he mumbled sadly.</span></p> <p><span>"A couple more steps down that long road, buddy."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know. Hope the road ends before we drive off the freakin' cliff."</span></p> <p><span>"It will, I promise."</span></p> <p><span>Tom commented, "You know, I still haven't seen any of the security people that are supposed to be around the house. Have you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Now that you mention it, no. They're either asleep at the wheel or really, really good at their jobs."</span></p> <p><span>"It had better be the second option," Tom vented.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Dads!" T.J. yelled as he and Andy came closer. "Can we go for a walk and see that old cemetery?" I shot him a look to let him know that was the last thing we should do today, and he slapped himself in the forehead when he realized his error. "Oh, Logan, I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinkin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry `bout it, dude. `Sides, I'd kinda like to see it, too."</span></p> <p><span>"If you're sure you're up to it, Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'm sure. Might as well get used to it." With that, the bikes were parked back in the garage and we headed deeper into the property and the path that would take us there. As we reached the line of trees that hides the storage building from the house, a man silently appeared in front of us, blocking our way. His sudden materialization from out of nowhere startled all of us and we jumped backward several feet.</span></p> <p><span>"Who the hell are you!?" I demanded.</span></p> <p><span>"One of the roaming security detail. Who are you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm Max Sanders and this is my family. Just where the hell'd you come from?"</span></p> <p><span>"I've been in the trees most of the morning. Been keepin' an eye on the kids while they played, too." The stranger finally stepped closer and said, "My name's Bruno. Nice to meet you, Mr. Sanders. Sorry if I scared you all just now."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right, I guess," I muttered as my heart slowly returned to its normal rhythm. "I was wonderin' why we hadn't seen anyone today. Now I know."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, there's another guy in the trees on the west side of the house, too. And with the cleared space around the house, nobody was gonna get close without one of us seein' them. We've got you covered, sir."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it."</span></p> <p><span>"Where, y'all headed?" Bruno asked.</span></p> <p><span>"For a walk through the trees to the northeast corner of the property."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah? Hang on a minute while I call Tank to come with us." Bruno held his wrist to mouth and said, "Yo, T, need you on the east side of the house, pronto. We're goin' for a little walk." He dropped his hand and said to us, "Be just a moment."</span></p> <p><span>"You really don't need to go with us."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, we do. From what we heard out of the team at the farm, the man you're worried about snuck through the woods and almost made it to the house out there last night. We're not taking any chances, Mr. Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, all right," I acquiesced. </span></p> <p><span>"You mean that bastard tried to pull some shit last night!?" Logan screamed. </span></p> <p><span>"He tried, young man," Bruno answered, "but trust me, he failed." As we waited and watched, the man called Tank came charging around the back corner of the house and joined us on the driveway cutting through the trees. When he finally stopped running, he wasn't even breathing hard.</span></p> <p><span>"What's up, Bruno," he asked.</span></p> <p><span>"They're goin' for a walk through the woods to a corner of the property. I'll take point, you bring up the rear. Eyes sharp, you hear me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Eagle sharp, as always. Lead the way."</span></p> <p><span>"Which way Mr. Sanders?" Bruno asked.</span></p> <p><span>"That path is about seventy-five feet straight east," I answered while pointing the direction to follow.</span></p> <p><span>He turned to survey the tree line past the storage building and spotted the narrow gap created by the trail. "Got it. Stay close, men."</span></p> <p><span>With that, Bruno set a smooth pace as he led the way. The boys seemed to be excited at the attention and the feeling of being on a military exercise, though they were quieter than what I expected they would be. Since this was the only trail in this part of the property, I didn't have to call out turns to Bruno as he followed the well-maintained path through the woods. In just a few minutes, we turned the corner in the trail that led directly to the gate barring entrance to the graveyard.</span></p> <p><span>"Wow, this is cool, Dad," T.J. yelled as he broke ranks and sprinted to the gate, followed by the others.</span></p> <p><span>Bruno turned to me and said, "T and I will take up positions outside. Just let us know when you're ready to move out."</span></p> <p><span>With a curt nod from me, the two guards placed themselves outside the fence on the east and west sides of the small plot while I approached the gate and pulled the key from my pocket. With the gate unlocked, the boys quickly filtered inside and began to wander the grounds. While Tom followed them around, I stayed close to the gate to remain out of their way.</span></p> <p><span>A few minutes later, T.J. called out, "Hey, Dad, you know anything about these people?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, why?"</span></p> <p><span>"I got a kid here named Samuel who died when he was only fourteen. I just wondered if you knew why he was so young."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, I can't help you. Judge Corgan may know, though. What makes you so interested in him?" I asked with curiosity.</span></p> <p><span>"Just a feeling he wasn't too happy with his life." A few seconds later, T.J. blanched like he'd just seen a ghost as he jumped straight up, spun in mid-air and had his feet moving before he hit the ground. When he did land, he ran as fast as he could towards the gate and he didn't stop until he was fifteen feet outside the fence. His reaction to whatever spooked him reminded me of Shaggy in the old Scooby Doo cartoons I used to watch when I was his age.</span></p> <p><span>"What was that all about?" I asked as I walked over to him.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, somethin' just gave me the willies and I wasn't hangin' `round to find out what."</span></p> <p><span>"It can be a little spooky here, for sure, but I've never felt anything like that before."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you pro'lly wouldn't `cause you don't pick up shit like I do. But trust me, somethin's there."</span></p> <p><span>"I believe you, kiddo. I'm learning very quickly to trust your instincts."</span></p> <p><span>"Then let's get back to the house. I don't wanna be here no more," T.J. whimpered in fear. I pulled him into a hug and could feel he was trembling like a leaf.</span></p> <p><span>"Sh-h-h, it's okay, T.J. Nothing here can hurt you."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know, Dad. That kid is one pissed off dude."</span></p> <p><span>"Who, Logan?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not Logan, ya goof, Sammy. I don't know what happened to him, but he's really angry. We got no business messin' `round out here."</span></p> <p><span>"The others will be ready to head back in just another minute or two. We'll wait for them," I said as calmly as I could, despite thinking we should heed T.J.'s feelings.</span></p> <p><span>"That's fine, but I ain't goin' back in there," T.J. replied with conviction.</span></p> <p><span>"No problem," I said as I sat on the ground and leaned against a tree. "C'mere, buddy." T.J. crawled in my lap and let me hold him until everyone was ready for the walk back to the house. We sat together for several minutes before Tom and the others finally left the cemetery.</span></p> <p><span>"Everything okay?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not sure about that. Would you relock the gate before we leave?" I said.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, be right back."</span></p> <p><span>As Tom turned to take care of that task and let Bruno know we were ready to go, Alex knelt next to T.J. who was still curled in my lap and said, "We felt it, too, dude. Not like you did, but you're right, there's somethin', or somebody, out here."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Alex," T.J. muttered. "Not that I feel any better `bout it."</span></p> <p><span>Joey joined the conversation with, "We're safe out here, bro. Nothin' to worry `bout, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"I hope so," T.J. muttered. Tom finally returned with Bruno and Tank in trail for the walk back through the woods. Tank led the way this time with Bruno following along behind the parade. I settled in line behind T.J. and watched as he scanned the woods around us, jumping nervously at every sound. By the time we finally left the woods behind us, the poor kid was a wreck.</span></p> <p><span>I moved next to him, took his hand in mine and asked, "Do you want to talk about it when we get to the house?"</span></p> <p><span>"No! ... Yeah. ... I don't know, maybe."</span></p> <p><span>I turned to Tom and waved my hand for him to come closer. When he was beside me, I whispered, "I'm going to talk to T.J. and try to figure out what's got him so spooked. Can you entertain the others for a bit?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do my best, babe," he answered quietly.</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks." As we passed the storage building, Bruno silently slipped back into the trees and disappeared from view. When we reached the house, Tank continued around the front to take his place on the other side while the rest of us entered through the garage. The boys peeled off into their rooms to dispense with their clothes while Tom, T.J. and I continued down the hall and across the house. When the three of us reached our bedroom, Tom turned into it while T.J. and I aimed for the study. I closed the door behind us and we sat at the table where I'd met with LeVar, Rich and Stan the other night.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, T.J., what' going on?" I asked to start our chat.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm not real sure, Dad. All I can really tell you is that Sammy is one pissed off dude."</span></p> <p><span>"Well think about it for a bit. Tell me what you really felt while we were in the cemetery."</span></p> <p><span>T.J. closed his eyes and after a few moments said, "Well, I know he was too young to die naturally, and he does, too. And I'm pretty sure he didn't."</span></p> <p><span>"What makes you say that? He died long before there were vaccinations or anything like that, so he could have been sick with chicken pox or mumps and had complications from those or any number of illnesses."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think so. It felt like he was trying to talk to me, tell me what happened to him, but it's like his voice was being choked off."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that could have been caused by being sick, not being able to breathe."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's it," T.J. exclaimed as he lifted his head and opened his eyes. "He sounded like I did when I cracked my rib on Joey's knee, like he couldn't catch his breath."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you think it's possible he drowned?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, he wasn't underwater. I feel like he was in a tree for some reason."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's just bizarre. I can't imagine anything to do with a tree that would cause breathing problems. Unless he fell out of it and got hurt."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess that's possible, but I still don't think that fits with what I was feeling. This is gonna sound real crazy to you, but I think he was killed. By someone he knew."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't know what to say to that, T.J. We're way outside the realm of my life experience. I suppose we could call Judge Corgan and ask him if he knows anything about how Samuel died."</span></p> <p><span>"No, don't do that. I wanna figure this out on my own. I know I'm gonna hear from Sammy again. Don't know when, but it's gonna happen."</span></p> <p><span>"You'll let us know when it does, won't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Dang right, I will. Like I said, this crap's givin' me the willies. At least Alex and Joey said they felt it, too. That means I ain't goin' crazy. Maybe `tween the three of us, we can get some answers."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds as good as any other plan, I guess. We'll just play it by ear, but you better tell us whatever's going on, you hear me."</span></p> <p><span>"I will, Dad. Thanks for not laughin' at me and my stupid brain."</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't dream of it, son. And your brain isn't stupid, not by a long shot. Now, what say we rejoin the rest of the family and relax a bit?"</span></p> <p><span>"Works for me. I want to read more of that <i>Spiderwick</i> book I'm in the middle of." T.J. hopped out of his chair and came over to me, wrapping me in a hug and whispering, "I love you, Dad."</span></p> <p><span>"And I love you more, kiddo. C'mon, let's go." I wrapped his hand in mine as I left my chair and we headed out of the study. I aimed for my bedroom and got undressed while T.J. followed along and did the same. After we both used the bathroom, we finally turned for the living room to settle in for a while.</span><span> We found everyone else reading already and when T.J. returned from dropping his clothes in his room, he brought his book back with him. </span></p> <p><span>Tom was continuing to work on <i>Huckleberry Finn </i>with Mike and Andy, and Damon had picked one of the <i>Spiderwick </i>books to dive into, joining Alex and Joey on the loveseat. Logan was still working on <i>Ender's Game</i> and seemed to be enjoying it. I'm sure that immersing yourself in a story of hope for the future was a welcome distraction of his more pressing problems of the day.</span></p> <p><span>As I sat next to Tom, he had Mike and Andy continue reading while asking me, "What's the scoop, babe?"</span></p> <p><span>"It seems Samuel is reaching out to T.J."</span></p> <p><span>"What, the kid in the cemetery?" Tom flustered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yep. We've definitely reached spooky, hon," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"The hell we have," Tom chortled. "We flew way past spooky some time ago. We're officially in the Twilight Zone, now."</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever," I countered. "We'll just have to wait and see what happens next."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks, I feel so much better now."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad I could help you out," I chuckled as I grabbed my book and started to read while Tom went back to helping Mike and Andy. We'd been reading for about an hour or so when the drive sensor let us know someone was coming in. After what happened yesterday when Bill and Estelle dropped by, we were expecting a phone call to verify whoever was here was welcome. You can imagine our surprise when we heard car doors slam and the doorbell ring shortly thereafter. With a mad scramble by all to duck for cover, I cautiously approached the door and chanced a peek through the glass to see who was here.</span></p> <p><span>With relief, I called out, "False alarm, everyone! It's just Dylan and Malcom."</span></p> <p><span>Damon popped his head up over the back of the couch and asked, "What're they doin' here already? I didn't think they'd come pick me up `til about three or so."</span></p> <p><span>"Let's find out," I answered and opened the door. "C'mon in, guys, make yourselves at home."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max, don't mind if we do," Dylan replied as he started to peel his shirt over his head.</span></p> <p><span>Damon had joined me at the door, "Hey, Dad, hey, Poppy, you two are here early."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we didn't have anything else goin' on, so we thought we'd drop by for a bit," Dylan replied.</span></p> <p><span>"How's it hangin', son," Malcom queried.</span></p> <p><span>"Da-a-a-a-d, I wish you quit askin' that stupid question. You know it's too small to hang."</span></p> <p><span>"All in good time, young man."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, you keep sayin' that, too."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sorry, Damon, I'll make a determined effort to stop, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Dad." The rest of the crew had joined us at the door and hugs and greetings were shared all around, as usual. Once the full round had been completed, we headed for the living room to visit.</span></p> <p><span>"So, Dylan, you ready to get to work?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You bet. I'm looking forward to the change of pace."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, we've already got a couple things lined up for you to deal with."</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds good. What've you got so far?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, first, we want you to check into increasing our security around here," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I couldn't help but notice Dirk at the end of the drive today. He let me through since I'm the one who called him."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, yeah, but I don't want to have to pay for twenty-four/seven guards. We're thinking about something more along the lines of fences and an automatic gate to control access. We've had a few issues recently and we'd just like to get a better handle on it."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem there, what else ya got?"</span></p> <p><span>"LeVar suggested we have a reflective film put on the glass in the house and pool shelter."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell for?" Malcom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"He thinks that with our lifestyle, we'd be better off to protect ourselves from some industrious paparazzi getting candid pictures of us in our natural habitat," Tom replied with a chuckle.</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, gotcha," Dylan agreed. "Yeah, I'll do some checking on that, too. `Specially since I'm gonna be here on a daily basis. Don't want any pictures of me in all my glory floatin' around out there." We all enjoyed a good laugh at that. "Got anything else lined up for me?"</span></p> <p><span>"As a matter of fact, yes," Tom answered. "You and I will be going down to Missouri to investigate a man. And once that's done, we have to search for a kid."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds interesting," Dylan mused. "Who we diggin' into?" We spent the next fifteen minutes telling Dylan and Malcom about our activities and discoveries of the past few days. When we finally wound down, he turned to Logan and said, "Don't you worry `bout a thing, Logan. We'll take good care of you."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Uncle Dylan, I know you will."</span></p> <p><span>"How are you doing, Logan?" Malcom asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm okay, I think. I always knew somethin' bad could happen at any time. Farmin's a dangerous deal and most people don't know that `cause they ain't `round it. But I been out to the barn with Daddy plenty o' times and seen how dangerous all the `quipment can be. He always made me stay way back from stuff so I wouldn't get hurt. I always worried `bout him bein' out there by hisself, but he wouldn't hire anyone to help out. And now I got to bury him," he added sadly.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here for ya, young man."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Uncle Malcom, `ppreciate it."</span></p> <p><span>We spent the next couple of hours talking about a little bit of everything, though the boys got bored with the adults after a half hour and disappeared into the theater to watch a movie. Around three-thirty, Dylan and Malcom decided it was time for them to get moving. We didn't argue the point with them since we hadn't taken time to eat lunch yet and still had to do some shopping to replenish our food supplies. While Malcom retrieved Damon from the theater, Dylan grabbed a couple bags from the pantry and stuffed all their clothes in it. Damon was excited to learn they'd be driving back to Dylan's house without being dressed.</span></p> <p><span>"I can't believe you guys are gonna do this in broad daylight," Damon exclaimed in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, buddy, I know how to get to my house using a lot of lesser-traveled back roads," Dylan answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, `cause if a cop stopped us, you two'd probably end up getting your asses arrested. `Specially with me bein' naked in the back seat," Damon added with a little giggle.</span></p> <p><span>"You're probably right, son," Malcom chortled. "Hopefully, that won't happen."</span></p> <p><span>After ten minutes of hugs and goodbyes, the trio finally headed to their car and pulled away. After a quick discussion amongst us, we agreed that supper in town followed by a grocery run was sounding awfully good, so we separated for our bedrooms to get dressed to go out. We reassembled in the garage five minutes later, then climbed in the car and headed out. Tom gave a quick wave to Dirk at the end of the drive before I pulled onto the road and aimed the car for town and our meal out.</span></p> <p><span>As we left Max's drive, Damon gave a quick wave to Dirk before Dylan turned the direction that would let us take the back roads to town. I turned around in my seat and asked, "So, Damon, did you guys have fun the past couple days?"</span></p> <p><span>"We had a blast, Dad. Those guys are all so cool to hang out with. Thanks for lettin' me stay with them. How `bout you an' Poppy, did you two have fun?" my son asked knowingly with a wide smile filling the lower half his face.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, yeah, we did, Damon. You <i>are</i> okay with that, aren't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I gotta admit, I thought it was kinda weird when we talked about it in the shower that one night, but after what happened last night with Alex, Joey and Logan, I get it now. `Sides, I know you two love each other a lot and you should be able to share that without me buttin' in the middle of it."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, really?" Dylan asked. "Is whatever happened something you <i>wanted</i> to happen?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah. I told you `bout some of the things my friend and I have done together. Well, that doesn't come anywhere close to what we did last night. And I loved every second of it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, as long as you four were in agreement and nobody forced anyone to do something they didn't want to do, then you're fine, son," I replied.</span></p> <p><span>"And you're sure that doin' that shit with them won't make me gay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Damon, you'll be what you're meant to be. Whether it's gay, straight or somewhere in between, as long as you're happy and a willing participant, it's nobody else's place to judge."</span></p> <p><span>"Whew, that's good to hear. I mean, I really like this one girl in my class, but I really like doin' those things with my friend and cousins, too. And I'm pretty sure Nancy wouldn't do none of that with me."</span></p> <p><span>Dylan snorted and said, "No, probably not, Damon. It's normal for all kids to explore their own bodies and indulge in some experimentation. Most do it by themselves, but others will do so with their really good friends, just like you are. Just don't push too hard."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that's what I told Joey last night. Oops, probably shouldn't a said that."</span></p> <p><span>"Was Joey trying to get you to do something you didn't want?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"No! That's not the way I meant it."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what did you mean?" Dylan asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, c'mon guys, I ain't gonna talk `bout this with you two."</span></p> <p><span>"Son," I started, "you know what Dylan and I do when we're together, we've been pretty open about it. The only reason to hide it is because you're ashamed about it or you feel like you've done something wrong."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it felt way too good to be wrong," Damon muttered quietly. "Yeah, okay, I hear ya. If ya really wanna know, here goes. The four of us spent close to an hour doin' all kinds of shit, some of it I've thought about doin' with my friend, but I just never felt like he'd want to do it, ya know? But at one point, the three of `em were working me over pretty good and let me tell ya, I was fuckin' floatin'. Then Joey slipped a finger inside my butt and I lost it. After a few minutes of that, he replaced his finger with his dick and started to really, well, you know. I've never put anything up there before, but ohmigod, when he did that, it felt like I'd stuck my finger in a light socket. Every nerve in my body was on fire and I tingled from the top o' my head to the tips of my toes. It was unreal and I never wanted it to stop."</span></p> <p><span>Dylan and I snickered lightly at Damon's description of what he'd felt, and I finally commented, "Yep, that's what it feels like, all right. We're glad you had fun, son. And we're glad you're comfortable enough to talk about things like this with us."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I feel like I should talk to somebody `bout it, but it sure as hell ain't gonna be mom. She'd freakin' kill all of us if she knew what I was doin'."</span></p> <p><span>"You're probably right there, and we're all too young to die," I laughed. "But I want to make sure you know you can talk to us about anything at any time, son."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, Dad." In a sudden twist in direction, Damon asked, "So, have you two done anything `bout getting me away from Mom before she completely loses what little she's got left of her mind?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet, Damon," Dylan answered, "but we will. I'm startin' work with Tom tomorrow and I'll have him start checking things out while I deal with some of the projects he has for me."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, Poppy. I hope y'all come up with somethin' `cause she's not gettin' any better."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, Damon, we got your back."</span></p> <p><span>During our trip to town, we talked about where we wanted to go for our supper today. After about five minutes of some very animated and on point discussion, the boys had somehow convinced Tom and me we needed to drive to Virden to have DiCarlo's Pizza. While I really wasn't looking forward to the extra hour and a half detour to make it happen, I had to admit it sounded like a meal that would be hard to beat. </span></p> <p><span>When we arrived at DiCarlo's, we discovered they were doing a buffet special tonight, so that's what we selected. That would let the boys pick whatever pizza they wanted from the selection available and Tom and I both enjoyed sampling some of the other pasta dishes along with a salad. We did save some room for a couple of pieces of pizza, also, however. While the pastas were delicious, we weren't coming all this way and not get some of the best pizza around.</span></p> <p><span>With our stomachs bulging and appetites temporarily sated, we crawled into the car for the thirty-minute drive to Springfield to take care of our grocery shopping. On entering the store, Alex, Joey and Logan all grabbed carts to drive while T.J., Mike Andy grabbed items from the shelves and dropped them in the carts as we snaked our way through the aisles. With all three carts loaded to overflowing, we headed for the checkouts and after paying for everything, loaded up the car and headed for home.</span></p> <p><span>After waving to Dirk's replacement at the end of the drive, we parked in the garage and began the process of unloading and putting away our food and other supplies for the week. As we worked together to complete that chore, everyone agreed that a swim sounded like a good idea, so that's what we did. We'd been in the pool about twenty minutes when the drive sensor went off and shortly after that, the phone was ringing. I jumped out of the pool, grabbed my towel and started to dry off as I headed inside to find out who was here.</span></p> <p><span>Grabbing the phone in the living room, I answered with a simple, "Hello?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mr. Sanders? This is Ken at the end of your drive. I've got a guy trying to come in that says he lives here now, but he's not on my list of approved people. He says his name is Ron Cain. Should I let him through?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, please. We'd forgotten about him possibly showing up tonight. And please add his name to the list."</span></p> <p><span>"Will do, sir. Sorry to disturb you."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, Ken. Thanks. Oh, and tell Ron to pull up to the garage."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll pass it on, sir. Have a good night."</span></p> <p><span>I headed down the hallway to open the big door behind the Shelby for Ron to come through as he unloaded his car, then waited for him to park on the drive. He climbed out of his car, then reached into the back seat to grab a box to bring with him.</span></p> <p><span>As he headed my direction, I called out, "Hey, Ron, how ya doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty good, Mr. Sanders," he replied. "I hope it's okay I showed up tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"Just fine," I answered as I stepped back so he could come inside. "You need any help?"</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, I don't have that much I wanted to bring in tonight. I figured I'd just get my clothes for now and leave the rest for tomorrow morning. Though I guess I won't be needin' `em much, will I?" he added with a quick laugh.</span></p> <p><span>"No, I guess not," I agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"So, where `m I headed with this stuff?"</span></p> <p><span>"Middle door on your right is all yours. We're out in the pool, so when you're done with what you want to bring in, come on out and join us."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it, Mr. Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"Remember, Ron, It's Max and Tom, none of this mister crap."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, man, thanks. I'll be out shortly."</span></p> <p><span>I left Ron to his moving and returned outside. As I slipped back into the pool and took my spot next to Tom, he asked, "Who's here?"</span></p> <p><span>"Ron showed up. He's unloading some stuff from his car, then he'll come out to join us."</span></p> <p><span>"I wondered if he'd show up today or tomorrow. Good thing we had the room ready for him."</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, though we should probably change the bed. We neglected to take care of that yesterday after LeVar headed for home."</span></p> <p><span>"You're right. I didn't even think about it. We can always ask him when he joins us. For all we know, he'll like the idea of sleeping on the same sheets as LeVar." </span></p> <p><span>I had to laugh at that thought. The two of us continued to relax in our corner while the boys were playing in the shallow end, seeming to have great fun as usual. Even Logan was enjoying himself despite how he must be feeling, and I had to remind myself yet again that this was just a temporary diversion for him. Ten minutes later, Ron finally joined us and the sensational six-pack went ballistic when they saw him.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, Ron, how ya doin'!?" Alex yelled.</span></p> <p><span>"Not too badly, dude. How're you guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"Great," they yelled together.</span></p> <p><span>After dropping his towel on the table, Ron headed for the steps to get into the pool. Tom and I almost warned him of what was sure to happen but decided to keep quiet and let events unfold naturally. As soon as he was in the pool and had moved away from the steps, he was immediately surrounded by the sensational six-pack and they each greeted him with a welcoming hug. Once the last hug was over, though, all hell broke loose as the boys began their assault in earnest. Since the poor guy was wholly unprepared for the attack and the count was six to one against him, he was rapidly and unceremoniously dunked. Ron was next seen sputtering for air as the boys were cheering loudly at their quick victory.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I see how y'all are, six against one, huh?" Ron scowled as he surveyed the munchkins still surrounding him.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, we took it easy on ya, dude," Joey countered.</span></p> <p><span>"If that's easy, I'd hate to see hard," Ron joked.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, you will soon enough," Alex giggled which earned a big laugh from all the boys.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, we'll see about that. I'm gonna go relax and catch my breath with your dads now, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, go ahead and pout, Ron. We're ready for a rematch any time," Logan called out to Ron's back as he headed our way.</span></p> <p><span>When he finally reached us and settled in, he commented, "Phew, I wasn't ready for that! Are they always that wound for sound?"</span></p> <p><span>"Pretty much," Tom laughed. "At least in the pool, they are. We figure it tires them out pretty well so they get a good night's sleep."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, well I will, too, after that mugging," Ron laughed back. "How ya doin', Tom?"</span></p> <p><span>"Fair to middlin'," Tom replied. "Glad you showed up tonight."</span></p> <p><span>"I figured I might as well, that way I can hit the ground runnin' in the mornin'."</span></p> <p><span>"That works for us," I agreed. "You get everything you wanted inside?"</span></p> <p><span>"For now, yeah. Like I said, I'll deal with the rest of it in the morning after those guys are off to school. Do you want me to get the boys up in the morning and deal with their breakfast?"</span></p> <p><span>"We'll join you, Ron," I answered, "just to give you a good idea of what you'll be in for. They've pretty much gotten in the rhythm of things, but some days, gettin' `em awake and moving is like pulling teeth."</span></p> <p><span>"I bet. When I was their age, I used to hate to get up in the morning. And I only lived three blocks from the school, so I didn't have to move nearly as early. I can't imagine the hassle of wakin' up every day at six. I bet that sucks." </span></p> <p><span>"It wasn't a lot of fun the first week or two, but we've pretty much gotten used to it," Tom commented. "That'll change this fall, though, when the boys start doing their schoolwork at home."</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds cool for them. Wish my mom and dad would have let me do that. It woulda saved me a lot of shit dealin' with the assholes who hated fags in high school."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it not gonna be just our boys," I said. "We're including a few of the boys' friends and others we're going to be helping, too."</span></p> <p><span>"What others," Ron asked with surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, we didn't' tell you, did we," I chuckled. "We're gonna be building a bigger house so we can help other kids who need a break from their parents for whatever reason."</span></p> <p><span>"Jeesh, I haven't really even started yet and can tell I'm gonna need a raise," Ron chuckled. </span></p> <p><span>Tom and I joined him in that and Tom finally replied, "It won't be that bad. At least, we hope it won't."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just kiddin' ya, guys. I'll be fine," Ron responded.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I think it's time to get the herd headed for bed. Tomorrow morning's not that far away." With agreement from Tom and Ron, we climbed from the pool and headed to grab our towels. When the boys saw us, they used the steps and joined us in drying off. "You six run through your showers and we'll get a snack ready for ya."</span></p> <p><span>"Really, Dad, we know the drill. You don't have to remind us every night," Alex moaned.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, buddy, force of habit. I'll try to stop, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"I sure hope so, we're not little kids anymore, `member," Joey added with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>As we headed inside, the boys disappeared to their rooms to get their showers while Ron followed us to the kitchen to help us prepare their snacks. And since we were in the kitchen, we gave Ron a quick run through of what was where so he wouldn't have any trouble finding what he might be looking for. Tonight's snack was cookies and milk and we had everything ready to go when the boys came back from their showers.</span></p> <p><span>"So, Ron, how ya doin' with the bein' naked and all?" T.J. asked after he had mounted his stool.</span></p> <p><span>"So far, so good," he chuckled. "Ain't had nothin' pop up I needed to hide. Not yet, anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"You will," Alex giggled.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, happens to all of us," Joey added.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure does," Logan agreed.</span></p> <p><span>" `Specially when T.J. and Mike are helpin' me with my problem," Andy commented. "Ain't nothin' I can think `bout to keep it from gettin' hard."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't lie, you like it when we do that," Mike retorted.</span></p> <p><span>"Never said I didn't like it, dude," Andy laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Are they always this open about stuff?" Ron asked.</span></p> <p><span>"They might as well be, Ron," Tom replied. "Between everyone being nude most of the time and Alex, T.J., and Joey's abilities to rifle minds, there's really nothing like a secret around here."</span></p> <p><span>"I guess not," Ron laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, guys, hit the head, brush teeth and into bed," Tom said</span></p> <p><span>"We're goin', Pops," Alex replied.</span></p> <p><span>"See ya in the mornin', Ron," T.J. called out as the herd left the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>"You too, Dads," Joey added with a giggle.</span></p> <p><span>As the sensational six-pack disappeared, the three of us took care of the minor snack mess. With dishwasher ready to go, Tom and I followed along behind the boys while Ron settled in the living room. After tucking the boys in, we joined Ron and after lighting a fire, got comfortable so we could let our help know what was expected.</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, Ron, you sure you're ready for this?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't, Max," he laughed. "Really, how hard can it be?"</span></p> <p><span>"You don't want to know the answer to that one, Ron," Tom chuckled. "Oh, we need you to sign the CA. Let me grab it from my office."</span></p> <p><span>While Tom retrieved that, I said, "It shouldn't be too rough for ya. We're all in the habit of keepin' things picked up, so there shouldn't be a whole lot of cleaning. I think the worst thing will be the laundry. Even though we don't wear anything at home, as long as we have to go out, we still have dirty clothes, towels and sheets. We normally try to deal with all that on the weekends so we don't have to worry about it through the week, but you're welcome to set up whatever schedule you want." Tom had returned and handed the confidentiality agreement to Ron for him to read and sign. After flipping through the document, he signed it with the pen Tom gave him and then handed it back.</span></p> <p><span>"Any problems with that," Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope. Seems reasonable enough. If I were in your situation, I'd have the same thing, especially with the lifestyle you guys have. I especially like the fact there's nothin' in there about losing body parts and getting fed to wolves," Ron chuckled. "So, any special instructions you have for me?"</span></p> <p><span>"First," Tom started, "my office is off limits. With the work I'm doing, I have to follow some very stringent privacy rules. I'll let you deal with the cleaning of it, but only when I'm in there. When I'm not working, the door is locked to keep prying eyes out."</span></p> <p><span>"No sweat, Tom. Anything else?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think we mentioned this when we talked originally, but I'm going to reiterate it now," I said. "If you find a door closed, you need to knock and wait for an answer before entering the room. You never know what might be happening on the other side of that door and the knock is fair warning that someone is coming in. We all follow that rule and will do the same if your door is closed."</span></p> <p><span>"Fair enough," Ron agreed.</span></p> <p><span>The phone rang to interrupt our conversation and Tom punched the speaker button before answering with, "Hello?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, is this Tom or Max?" a younger voice asked.</span></p> <p><span>"It's both of us since we're on speaker," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, it's Harry. How you guys doin'?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're fine, Harry. The big question is how're you?"</span></p> <p><span>"I couldn't be better since I finally got to come home today."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great news and we're glad you called to let us know," I replied with cheer filling my voice. "The boys will be happy to hear the news."</span></p> <p><span>"Can't be any happier than I am, man. I'm just glad I can sleep in my own damn bed again. That shitty hospital bed was really killin' my back. And they just don't believe in lettin' a person sleep, either."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, they have to check on people to make sure they're okay."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I know, but you'd think they could figure out how to do that with wakin' ya up."</span></p> <p><span>"So, really, Harry, what'd your doctors tell you," Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, my brain didn't turn to mush, though I don't really remember much of what happened. They said I may never remember it all. And the fracture will probably take six to eight weeks to heal up. Until that happens, though, I'm supposed to stay home and take it easy. No school, no sports, nothin'. Looks like I won't be moving on to tenth grade with the rest of my class, and that really sucks."</span></p> <p><span>"Won't the school do anything to help you finish the year?" I asked with concern.</span></p> <p><span>"Mom checked into that on Friday and they said they don't have enough money left in their budget to supply me with home-schooling for the rest of the year."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's ridiculous," I vented. "Aren't they required by state law to do so?"</span></p> <p><span>"Mom sure thought so, but they say not any longer. But hey, that's enough of that crap. I just wanted to call to let you know I was home and to thank you guys for helpin' out the way you have. Mom told me you were gonna pay for the hospital and all. That really means a lot to us. Nobody's ever offered to help us with anything before."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries, Harry. We're glad we could do it. We hope you continue to get better and don't have any setbacks or problems."</span></p> <p><span>"Me, too, man. I'm just gonna do `xactly what the doc says, nothin'. To hell with school. Who needs it, anyway?"</span></p> <p><span>"You do, Harry," Tom interrupted. "If you had someone come in to help with your schooling, would you do it so you can stay with the rest of your class?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hell yeah. I don't wanna have to take this year all over just to get credit the last two months."</span></p> <p><span>"That's what I hoped you'd say," Tom replied. "Look, you hang in there and keep us updated on how you're doin'."</span></p> <p><span>"Harry, Max again. The boys would like us to come up and see you, make sure you're doin' okay. When do you think you'll be up for a visit?"</span></p> <p><span>"Is tomorrow too soon," he laughed. "No, seriously, probably not until this weekend at the earliest. And if I do what Mom wants, the weekend after would be better. For her anyway. She's gonna be workin' some doubles the next couple weeks to make up for the time she missed last week. She's still hopin' they don't fire her. Buncha heartless bastards, they are."</span></p> <p><span>"Tell her don't worry about it," I replied. "We'll see you in a couple weeks then. Take it easy, buddy."</span></p> <p><span>"I will, don't worry. Thanks again for everything. Talk to you guys later."</span></p> <p><span>After ending the call, Tom and I looked at each other and Tom asked, "You makin' the call in the mornin' or am I?"</span></p> <p><span>"I will. I'll call Steve and see if he can help us fix Harry's school problem."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, I was hopin' you'd say that," Tom agreed.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, `scuse me guys, but who the hell is Harry? You got another kid I didn't know about?" Ron asked in confusion.</span></p> <p><span>"No, nothing like that, Ron," I answered with a laugh. "He's just a kid we met in Chicago last weekend and he needs some help."</span></p> <p><span>"I gathered that, but why are <i>you</i> involved?"</span></p> <p><span>"We went to the aquarium and because a few of the boys got a little carried away with somethin', his dad hurt Harry pretty badly. Since our guys kinda instigated the whole thing, we're takin' care of his hospital bill and now we're going to arrange for a tutor for him so he can finish out the school year."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn, you two are somethin' else. Where the hell were you when I was goin' through shit?"</span></p> <p><span>"I was hidin' out here in the woods and Tom was hidin' with the police."</span></p> <p><span>"Just my bad timing, then. Anybody else you helpin' out I should know about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, Logan, obviously, but now, much more than before."</span></p> <p><span>"Why, what's happened?"</span></p> <p><span>"His dad was killed in an accident on their farm Friday night."</span></p> <p><span>"Is that why he seemed a bit off-kilter tonight compared to the others?"</span></p> <p><span>"Probably. He'll be staying here through the funeral, at least, but after that, we're not sure."</span></p> <p><span>"No doubt he wants to stay with you guys."</span></p> <p><span>"He does, but his dad's will may not allow it. According to that, he supposed to go live with his uncle."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that sucks," Ron moaned. "For Logan's sake, I hope you'll be able to fix that."</span></p> <p><span>"We do, too," Tom agreed. "Oh, by the way, we didn't change the sheets on your bed after it was used last. Do you want clean sheets?"</span></p> <p><span>"Depends," Ron grinned. "Who would I be sleepin' with?"</span></p> <p><span>"LeVar Burton."</span></p> <p><span>"Who the hell's that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Never mind," I laughed. "If you want clean ones, you'll find spare sets in the laundry room down the hall, middle door on the right."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure I'll be fine for the night and can change `em tomorrow while I'm bringin' my other stuff in."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, then," I agreed. "I don't know `bout you two, but I'm ready to get some sleep. You comin', hon?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet, but with a little luck, I will be later," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"TMI, dudes," Ron said while plugging his ears with his fingers.</span></p> <p><span>"See you in the morning then, Ron. Get a good night's sleep."</span></p> <p><span>"Night to you guys, too."</span></p> <p><span>We went our separate ways and were soon climbing in the shower to wash off the pool. With both of us cleaned up and dried off, we slipped under the covers and cuddled together in the middle of the bed. After sharing a good night kiss and an `I love you', we fell asleep. My sleep was filled with weird dreams about Samuel and T.J., and even more disturbing dreams about Logan living with his uncle. By the time the alarm went off and announced the beginning of a new day, I was more than ready for the night to be over. I forced myself out of bed, hit the john and headed across the house. My first stop was to get Ron rolling along.</span></p> <p><span>I knocked on Ron's door and waited a moment to see if he was going to answer. When I heard nothing from within, I popped the door open and stepped inside his room, finding him much like the twins and Logan usually are in the morning, covers kicked off and stiff as a board. I must have not been paying attention last night, but I quickly realized that a fine specimen of youthful manhood had just joined our family. From the six-pack abs to the well-toned arms and legs, it was quite obvious that Ron spent more time in the gym than most guys. The additional fact he was as hairless and smooth as a newborn baby only added to the complete package. And speaking of packages, it was easy to see that Ron was a grower and not a shower. The eight inches of tumescence hovering over his groin and stretching to reach his navel dispelled any doubts about the three-inch flaccid member I'd seen last night.</span></p> <p><span>After staring much longer than I should have, I finally remembered we had to get the boys moving, so I shook Ron's shoulder to wake him. As he slowly came to life, he realized he was exposed and reached for the covers.</span></p> <p><span>"Don't freak out, Ron," I said calmly. "This might be the first time I've seen you hard, but I guarantee it won't be the last."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, hey, Mr. Sand..., uh, Max. That time already?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, let's get movin'. Time for you to start earning your pay," I chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Right behind you, man. Just let me hit the john real quick."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem. I'll get the twins and Logan movin' while you tackle the other three. Once all the munchkins are moving, meet me in the kitchen." I moved on to wake my three this morning and found the regular pretzel I'd become used to finding. I shook Joey's shoulder and once his eyes were open, told him it was time to roll out. He started waking the other two while I headed back across the house to wake Tom. Luckily, I found him in the kitchen and he had the first pot of coffee going for us already. </span></p> <p><span>Ron joined us shortly, poured himself a cup and as he leaned against the counter to face us, asked, "So what's for breakfast?"</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever you decide you want to fix, buddy," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Throwin' me into the deep end right off, are you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Training by fire I like to call it," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, where's the fire?" Ron asked in confusion.</span></p> <p><span>"In the eyes of the six ravenous ragamuffins lined up behind you," I laughed. Ron turned and jumped in surprise at finding the boys lined up on their stools, glaring hungrily at him.</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin' dudelets, how does cereal and toast sound this mornin'?" he asked nervously. "Just to make it easy on my first day?"</span></p> <p><span>"No way, Jos�," Joey protested. "We all want steak and eggs for breakfast. Alex and me want our steaks medium well with scrambled eggs, Logan wants his rare and over easy, T.J. medium rare and sunny side up, and Mike and Andy want medium with poached."</span></p> <p><span>"Um, okay, I guess I can do that," Ron muttered in disbelief at the request. Five seconds later, all six cracked up in laughter at Ron's reaction and Alex almost fell off his stool he was laughing so hard. On discovering he'd just been punked, a visibly relieved Ron let go a huge sigh of relief and added, "You little stinkers. What's the big idea givin' me a heart attack this early in the morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just makin' sure you're awake, dude," Alex laughed. "We're fine with cereal and toast."</span></p> <p><span>"But ya better get a move on `cause we're runnin' outta time," Logan added.</span></p> <p><span>Ron turned around and pulled the cereal, bowls and spoons from their cabinets, then lined them up on the counter in front of the boys. Next, six glasses joined the bowls in a separate line. After filling each bowl with the boys' choice of cereal, he grabbed the gallon of milk from the fridge. In one smooth movement, he tipped the jug over and carefully added milk to each bowl by allowing the milk to hover over each bowl for just a moment. He then performed the same bit of magic with the glasses before putting the milk away. Amazingly, not a drop was spilled on the counter in the process.</span></p> <p><span>"That was cool, Ron," Mike enthused.</span></p> <p><span>"How'd you learn to do that?" Andy asked.</span></p> <p><span>"I spent six months tending bar last year," Ron smiled. "I learned more than a few tricks during that time. Y'all still want toast?" With agreement from all, the toaster was pulled out, along with the bread, jelly, honey, cinnamon sugar and butter, and soon enough, each of the munchkins had some toast to go with their cereal. When the feeding frenzy was over, the boys headed to their bedrooms to get dressed and ready to go. As soon as they disappeared, Ron cleaned up the kitchen, loaded the dishwasher and then followed behind the boys to get ready to run them out to the end of the drive.</span></p> <p><span>During their breakfast, Tom and I had leaned against a counter and watched as Ron took care of business. When he'd gone to get dressed, I looked at Tom and commented, "I think we picked the right guy."</span></p> <p><span>"Without a doubt," Tom agreed. "Hiring him was good idea. I'm glad I thought of it," he added with a chuckle and evil smirk.</span></p> <p><span>"So, it was all your idea, huh? I guess it was you who proposed to me, then."</span></p> <p><span>"That's the way I remember it and if anybody tells you otherwise, they're lyin'," Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Whatever," I muttered as I smacked the back of his head. "So, when's Dylan showin' up?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Not a clue, we never talked about it. Could be any time. What're you planning on doin' today?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm gonna spend part of the morning with Ron, make sure he knows where everything is and what's expected of him. Might even help him finish unloading his car."</span></p> <p><span>"And what's after that?"</span></p> <p><span>"Back to the book for a while, I guess. Then, this afternoon, I need to take Logan out to the farm to get some things followed by stops at the funeral home and bank."</span></p> <p><span>"Is he goin' to school this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"I didn't think to ask. Guess we'll find out in just a minute."</span></p> <p><span>Ron and the boys returned and Ron asked, "Hey, can I use your car to run them out? Mine's not big enough to hold `em all."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, Ron, let me grab a fob for the Flex." I turned for the bedroom and returned a minute later, handing the device to Ron. "Why don't you just leave this in the cup holder when you come back, that way there's always one with the car. We'll get a key rack in the garage for all the vehicle's keys and fobs so anyone can move a car without carrying all those keys all the time.</span></p> <p><span>"Good thinkin', Max. Guess we'll get out of here then. Be back in a few minutes."</span></p> <p><span>"Y'all aren't goin' anywhere until we get our hugs," Tom commanded. The two of us knelt down and gratefully accepted our morning hugs with the guys, reminding them to be good and learn something new today.</span></p> <p><span>As I shared my hug with Logan, I asked, "Are you sure you're up to going today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I'm okay, Dad. I'd just as soon be there `stead of mopin' `round here all day."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay. I'll come pick you up after lunch so we can deal with a few things this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, all right," he muttered sadly.</span></p> <p><span>As Logan moved on to give his hug to Tom, the twins took his place for my hug with them. Since they had put their heads on each side of mine, I whispered in their ears, "I want you guys to keep an eye on Logan today, please. He may need some help." Both gave me a quick nod of agreement before we broke up and they turned to follow the others to the garage. With them on the way, I turned to call the school while Tom headed to his office to get started on his day.</span></p> <p><span>"This is Gloria, how may I help you?" miss perky and cheerful answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning, Gloria, Max Sanders."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, good morning, Mr. Sanders, what's up today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I'm calling to let you know that Logan Campbell's dad died Friday night and I need to pick up Logan after lunch to take care of a few details this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my, how awful. I can't believe he'd come to school today."</span></p> <p><span>"He said he'd be okay, but if anything happens, let me know and I'll come get him whenever. Whatever day is selected for the funeral, all of our boys will be out that day so they can attend with Logan."</span></p> <p><span>"That's not a problem, sir. We'll keep an eye on things here."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Gloria. See you later."</span></p> <p><span>As I hung up the phone, I heard Ron coming back in from the garage so I headed across the house to meet him. Just before he turned into his room, I called down the hall, "Hey, Ron, come find me when you're ready, I'd like to chat a bit and then give you the full tour."</span></p> <p><span>"Be right there, Max." Thirty seconds later, Ron joined me and asked, "What's up?"</span></p> <p><span>"First, do you need any help bringing your other things in from the car? Tom and I will be happy help."</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, I don't have that much to deal with."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, moving on, then. You did well with breakfast. Especially since the rugrats were givin' you a bit of a hard time."</span></p> <p><span>"It was all in good fun, Max. I shoulda known they were pullin' my leg with the steak `n' eggs thing."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad to hear it. Seems like you've got the kitchen pretty well handled, but you might want to spend some time goin' through all the cabinets, drawers and pantry just to make sure you know where everything is. As for general cleaning, you can set up whatever schedule you want. We'd like to see the house done at least once a week, but it doesn't have to all be done in one day. But whatever you want to do is fine with us. The one thing that's really important is the towels on all the chairs and couches in the house, those should be dealt with every Wednesday and Sunday."</span></p> <p><span>"I was gonna ask about those. It seems silly to have all this nice leather furniture and then cover it up with these ugly white towels."</span></p> <p><span>"That's simply a nudist thing, Ron. It wouldn't be very hygienic to sit directly on the leather, especially with five or more kids floatin' around who may not be very diligent in properly cleaning themselves after going to the bathroom. That's one of the reasons I usually take care of that particular bathroom visit at night just before my shower. That way, in the morning, I'm about as clean as I can be."</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, gotcha. Makes perfect sense once you explain it like that. Now, should I keep track of my hours when I'm doing stuff, and if so, how do you want me to do it?"</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about that. We plan to pay you for eight hours a day, even though we know you won't come close to that most days. But, with gettin' up early and dealing with the boys in the morning, it's worth extra to us if it means we can sleep in a bit later. And there'll be times when you might be working into the evening or night. Say, if we're having guests or something like that. Tom and I can deal with our own lunches if you don't want to do it."</span></p> <p><span>"Look, Max, I appreciate the thought, but if you're gonna pay me for eight hours, then I need to work as much as I can so you get your money's worth. I ain't here for a free ride, ya know?"</span></p> <p><span>"We know that, Ron, but this isn't the White House or some showplace, it's our home. And it's your home now, too. It doesn't have to be perfect all the time, and we don't expect you to follow us around and pick up every little thing we may leave behind us. But we also don't want to be lazy about it either. If you see any of us aren't keeping up our end of helping keep things neat, let us know."</span></p> <p><span>"I just knew this was gonna be a sweet gig," Ron smiled. "Thanks for thinkin' of me."</span></p> <p><span>"No problem. Would you like to see the rest of the house, now? You didn't get to see too much of it when you were here a few months ago."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, that'd be cool."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, follow me," I replied as I stood up and led the way to the theater. Next was our bedroom and study, after which, we headed across the house to see Tom's office, the laundry room, bathroom, bedrooms and garage. When we returned to the living room, I said, "Well, that's everything I can think of at the moment. You have any questions?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, Max. It's pretty straight-forward. Do you guys pick up the boys after the bus drops `em off?"</span></p> <p><span>"We have been, but since it's warmed up, they've been walking to the house. So, for the rest of the school year, you should only have to deal with that if it's raining."</span></p> <p><span>"Cool, I'll be happy to do it. Well, if that's all you got at the moment, I might as well finish unloading my car and get my bed changed. What time do you guys eat lunch?"</span></p> <p><span>"Usually around twelve to twelve-thirty, and normally something light and simple."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll have it ready to go at twelve-fifteen, then. See ya in a bit." With that, Ron headed down the hallway. He hadn't gone too far when he turned around and came back to ask, "Oh, where do you want me to park my car once it's empty?"</span></p> <p><span>"You'll mostly be using the Flex for everything, but I'll see if we can put Tom's car in the storage building and free up a space inside for yours."</span></p> <p><span>"You don't have to do that, man."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm sure Tom won't mind. He usually likes to take the Shelby anyway. Oh, and I almost forgot, there's a couple of security guards here at the house so you'll probably want to have a pair of shorts on when you go out."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that just sucks," Ron chuckled. "I'm really getting used to bein' nude already. Kinda enjoyin' the freedom."</span></p> <p><span>"It's your call. If you don't care, I sure as hell don't." Ron headed for the garage again and I stopped in Tom's office before heading to my own. "Question for ya big buy."</span></p> <p><span>"Hit me, babe."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you have a problem with movin' your car out to the storage building so Ron can have that spot in the garage for his?"</span></p> <p><span>"Works for me. I'd rather drive the Shelby anyway."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I've noticed that. I think you've used it more than I have the past couple of months. Somehow, I don't think that's very fair. Maybe I'll get you one of those little electric Smart cars, just so I can have my Shelby back."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, I guess you could do that. Or, you could always get me my own Shelby," Tom grinned evilly in reply.</span></p> <p><span>"Now, why the hell would I want to do that?" I asked mockingly.</span></p> <p><span>" `Cause you love me. And so you can have yours back, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you're right, I do love you, but I'm not sure it's worth your own Shelby. No, I think the Smart car is just about right," I laughed. Just as Ron came back in the house with an armload of his stuff, the drive sensor dinged and interrupted our conversation. I was expecting Dylan had arrived as I headed to the front door and peeking through the glass, was surprised to see Bob's truck pulling in the drive to deliver Dylan's desk. "Shorts, guys!" I called out. "Bob's here."</span></p> <p><span>As Tom and I headed to our room to cover up, he commented, "I forgot I included Bob's and Bill's names on the list of approved people I gave to Dirk Saturday since I knew they were both coming today."</span></p> <p><span>"Glad you thought of them because I'd obviously forgotten," I replied. "We should probably grab keys to rearrange vehicles and make it easier for Bob to deal with the desk. Why don't you get yours and we can have Ron move it to the storage building."</span></p> <p><span>"You got it."</span></p> <p><span>Properly covered for our guest, we headed back across the house and into the garage. Ron was already moving his car and Tom hopped in the Shelby to get it out of Bob's way, also. With a cleared path, Bob backed his truck to the open door and he, Terry and Travis climbed out.</span></p> <p><span>"Mornin', Bob, how're you this fine Monday morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're great. You ready for a desk?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, and we'll get out of your way since you brought the big guns with ya," Tom answered.</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just here to supervise, today. Terry and Travis are doing all the work," Bob grinned. The two got busy and in fifteen minutes, Dylan's desk was in place and ready to use. While they took care of that task, Bob followed me to my study so I could write a check to pay for everything he'd built for us in the past couple of months. With payment in hand, Bob, Terry and Travis climbed back in the truck and disappeared down the drive with a wave out the truck's window.</span></p> <p><span>While Tom and Ron rearranged cars again, I headed back inside so I could get back to work on my book. Once the cars were dealt with, including moving Tom's to the storage building, Ron parked in the garage to finish his unloading and Tom went back to workin on his reports for Carol. Thirty minutes later, Dylan finally put in his appearance with apologies for being so late.</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry I wasn't here earlier, Tom, but I was calling some of the fence guys I know from home. I have two who are interested in the job and they'll be here this afternoon about two so I can show them what we want."</span></p> <p><span>"That's great, Dylan. We'll feel a lot better with that taken care of. What about the window tinting?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, called a couple places `bout that, too. One's comin' about three today and another at ten tomorrow morning. What's next, boss?" Dylan asked with a wry grin.</span></p> <p><span>"Now, there's a switch, me bein' your boss," Tom laughed. "It'll take a while to get used to that. I'm finishing up a couple of reports for Carol and Anna. Pull your chair over and you can see what we need to do for them." The two spent the next couple of hours filling in the forms Carol had sent for Tom to use and sending the final reports on their way with the click of a button in Outlook. Tom told me later that he'd had to be a bit creative on Mr. &amp; Mrs. WitSec's report, but he was pretty sure he got the point across without divulging too much. He expected to be receiving a call from Carol or Anna about that particular report, but he'd cross that bridge when and if necessary.</span></p> <p><span>Promptly at twelve-fifteen, Ron announced over the phones that lunch was ready whenever we were. As I left the study to meet everyone in the kitchen, Tom and Dylan were leaving their office to do the same. I didn't know what Ron had prepared for our meal, but it smelled wonderful and my mouth was salivating as I stepped into the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>"God, that smells good."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Max," Ron replied. "It's nothing major, really. Just glazed pork chops with mashed taters and gravy, along with a salad. Hope you guys like it."</span></p> <p><span>"If it tastes as good as it smells, I'm sure we will. You need any help?" I replied through the drool about to drip from my lower lip.</span></p> <p><span>"Nope, it's all on the table, so dig in." I wasted no more time and staked my claim to a spot at the table. Ron followed me, and Tom and Dylan weren't far behind.</span></p> <p><span>"Hey, you must me Dylan," Ron greeted as the big man took the chair next to him.</span></p> <p><span>"That's me," Dylan replied. "I'm guessing you're Ron. I've seen you a few times at the gym."</span></p> <p><span>"<i>That's</i> where I know you from. I knew you looked familiar, but I couldn't figure out from where."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for fixin' lunch for us, man. This looks and smells great."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, y'all quit wastin' time yakkin' and chow down," Ron prodded us.</span></p> <p><span>Without any further delay, we followed Ron's instructions. And after the first bite, we were all happy to have done so as everything was delicious. With appreciative moans of delight from all of us, the food disappeared from our plates so quickly, you'd have thought the boys were here. After all the plates and salad bowls were empty, we started to help Ron with the cleanup.</span></p> <p><span>"No way, guys, I got this. Y'all go back to your work."</span></p> <p><span>"We don't mind helpin', Ron. We always do with the boys. They take care of the plates, bowls and other stuff that goes in the dishwasher while Tom and I take care of the rest."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, but you ain't payin' them like you are me."</span></p> <p><span>"All right, if you insist," I gave in.</span></p> <p><span>"That was delicious, Ron, thanks for fixin' it," Tom offered. "What kind of glaze was on the chops?"</span></p> <p><span>"A little orange juice, a little apple juice and a fair amount of honey. It's something I learned from mom and have always liked. Thought you guys might like it, too. Guess I was right," he added with a chortle.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you learned your lesson well. You keep cookin' lunches like that for us and we're gonna have to enlarge the workout area in the gym at the new house so we can <i>all</i> use it."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, I won't spoil you rotten every day, so don't get too used to it," Ron laughed. "You just wait for supper, though. I'm hoping the boys like my choice since it's already cookin'."</span></p> <p><span>"What is it?" I asked.</span></p> <p><span>"You'll find out at supper, Max. I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, okay, then." I turned to Tom and added, "Look, I've got to get ready to go pick up Logan and take care of our errands. The rest of you should probably have shorts on or close by since Bill's supposed to be bringing Dylan's computer this afternoon. Save you all a mad scramble when he shows up."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, babe, we'll be prepared. Besides, Dylan has two fencing guys comin' by at two and a window tinting guy at three, so we'll have to be covered for them, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Just reminding you," I replied before turning to Dylan and adding, "Thanks for jumping on those two projects so quickly. I'm really starting to get paranoid about shit."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry, Max, I'll make sure we're all safe."</span></p> <p><span>"We appreciate it. Okay, I gotta go get ready to leave. I'll stop by your office on the way out." As I passed through the kitchen, I again thanked Ron for the yummy lunch we'd just shared before continuing on to the bedroom. On my way back through the house, I stopped to talk to Ron again before leaving. "Were you able to get all your stuff in the house?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep. Got it all put away, too."</span></p> <p><span>"How'd you manage that and still fix lunch?" I asked in surprise.</span></p> <p><span>"Easy, man, I didn't have that much to deal with. Most of what I used at the old place belonged to my roommate. Didn't think he'd be too happy if I absconded with his TV or dishes," Ron laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"No, probably not," I agreed, joining in the laugh. "Well, I'm glad to hear you're settled in. I didn't think to ask when we had the boys' rooms painted, but if you want to change colors in your room, just let me know. I'll have John take care of it."</span></p> <p><span>"Nah, not right now, anyway. I'm fine with the white for a while."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, it's your room. You want anything changed or different furniture, just let us know."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do that, Max. Thanks."</span></p> <p><span>I turned to leave, but stopped and added, "Oh, I want to talk to you about something later. It's gonna be an odd request, but I'd like you to give it some serious thought."</span></p> <p><span>"Anything I can do to actually earn what you're paying me, I'll be happy to do it."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll see once you hear my request. I'll be back in a couple of hours."</span></p> <p><span>"See ya then," Ron replied as he turned to complete cleaning up the kitchen from our lunch.</span></p> <p><span>I continued on across the house and stopped in Tom's office on my way to the garage. "Okay, you two, I'm outta here. Logan and I should be back in a couple of hours, I hope."</span></p> <p><span>"Which car you takin'?" Tom asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Since Logan wants to bring his bike back, I planned on taking the Flex. That okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Just as long as he doesn't want to bring Buster back with him, that's fine," Tom laughed. "We're not planning on goin' anywhere."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. And don't forget to start planning for your trip to Missouri. We gotta keep Logan away from that asshole Troy."</span></p> <p><span>"Already in the works, babe. I'm gonna call Carol and see if she might be able to help us find William, too."</span></p> <p><span>"Good thinking, big guy," I replied. I leaned over to share a kiss and a hug with Tom before moving on. Just as I was about to leave the office, I realized I'd forgotten something really important. "Oh, and hi, Dylan. We're glad you're here and we look forward to having you around."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks, Max. I was beginnin' to think you didn't like me no more," he cracked back at me.</span></p> <p><span>"I love you and you know it, brother. My mind's just been on too many other things today. I apologize for being so remiss in saying hi and welcome."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry `bout it. You go take care of Logan."</span></p> <p><span>With that, I headed on to the garage, climbed in the Flex and began the trip to the school. After parking in the visitor's parking, I aimed for the office where I found Gloria hard at work. "Good afternoon, Gloria. How're you today?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'm just dandy, Mr. Sanders. How `bout yourself?"</span></p> <p><span>"We're hangin' in there. I'm here to pick up Logan. We have a few things to deal with this afternoon."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I was sorry to hear about his dad. I hope Logan will be okay. Let me call Mr. Thomas' class and I'll get him up here so you can go."</span></p> <p><span>"Actually, before you do that, I need to talk to Steve about something if he has a moment."</span></p> <p><span>"Let me check with him, one sec." Gloria dialed Steve's office and after a short conversation, said, "Go on in. He said he always has time for you."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Gloria." I stepped to the office door and gave it a quick rap before popping it open and stepping inside. "Afternoon, Steve," I greeted as we shook hands before he waved me to chair.</span></p> <p><span>"Afternoon, to you, too, Max. We're sorry to hear about Mr. Campbell. Logan can take whatever time he needs to deal with things."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for that. Besides this afternoon, I guess the only other time he'll miss school is whatever day the funeral is. I told him he could stay home today, but he said he'd rather be here."</span></p> <p><span>"No worries. I let Mr. Thomas know what's happened and he said he'd keep a close eye on things."</span></p> <p><span>"Good, thanks for that. Now, I've got something else to ask you. We met a kid in Chicago last weekend whose father beat him pretty badly and he needs some help now."</span></p> <p><span>"What do you think I can do to help a kid in Chicago?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, his dad fractured his skull and as a result of that injury, Harry is supposed to stay at home until the fracture is healed in six to eight weeks, just to minimize the chances of a potential problem. And even though his mom called the school to try to arrange some home schooling for him, the school refused to do it because they say they don't have enough money left in their budget to pay for it."</span></p> <p><span>"Bullshit!" Steve roared. "They're required to supply a tutor for <i>any</i> student in the district who needs it for any reason. Budget problems or not."</span></p> <p><span>"That's kinda what I thought, but his mom didn't make any headway on the issue. I was hoping I might be able to enlist your assistance to see that Harry is able to finish out the school year and move on to tenth grade with the rest of his class."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right I will. Do you know what school he attends?"</span></p> <p><span>"Now that you ask, I don't, but I'm sure I can find out."</span></p> <p><span>"You get me the name of the school and Harry's last name and I'll take care of it."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Steve, we appreciate the help."</span></p> <p><span>"Someday, when you have more time, you'll have to tell me why you're involved. But not today."</span></p> <p><span>"I'll do that. Well, I better get Logan and get a move on. Thanks, again, for your help. I'll talk to you later."</span></p> <p><span>"You just take care of Logan and I'll take care of Harry."</span></p> <p><span>"Deal," I agreed as we both stood and shared a handshake before I took my leave. As I stepped into the outer office, I found Logan was waiting for me already. I walked over to the chair where he was sitting, knelt in front of him and asked, "You ready to go, buddy?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, but I ain't got much choice, do I?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, no. Let's go get this over with and get back home."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, all right," he muttered as he leaned over and gave me a hug.</span></p> <p><span>I turned to Gloria and thanked her for her help, then wrapped Logan's hand in mine and we aimed for the car. After settling in the front seat and buckling ourselves in, we began the trip to what is now Logan's farm. On the way, I called Tom at home and told him to get the name of Harry's school from Maureen or Angela and pass it on to Steve. He said he'd take care of it right now and we ended the conversation.</span></p> <p><span>After making the turn into the property, I headed up the drive to park by the side of the house where we'd parked the other day. I was surprised I didn't see any of the three security guys who were supposed to be here. Logan had yet to lift his head and he missed seeing the front door of the house standing wide open as I parked just past the porch. As soon I shut off the car, Logan was out the door and walking around to climb the steps to the porch and I had to hustle to catch up to him. As soon as he reached the porch and discovered he wasn't going to need the key he'd fished from his pocket, he froze.</span></p> <p><span>He stood immobile for thirty seconds or more, then began trembling with rage before screaming, "I'M GONNA KILL THAT FUCKIN' BASTARD!!"</span></p> </div></div></div>

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/building-a-family/building-a-family-21.html

Building a Family 21 DISCLAIMER: M/M, m/m, M/m This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it. If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission. Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved. A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com All flames will be politely ignored. If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Author's Note: I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy. Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments Chapter 21 � First Night with Tom / Monday "Oh, shit. Here it comes." "Oh, don't be like that, please. This is a good talk. I don't know how it's possible, but you need to know that I truly love you. It's like you told Lee earlier, I feel like I've known you all my life. When we met yesterday afternoon, something just clicked. I have never, ever, felt like this about anybody else. I want you to know that." "Max, I'm in love with you, too. I know it sounds trite, but it's real. Sure, I've thought about other guys over the years, but none have made my heart go flip-flop like you." "Well, you're a few years ahead of me in the acceptance department. I really just figured my life out a couple months ago." "What?!" "I know, that's why this is all so unbelievable. To me, anyway. Don't get me wrong, I've known I was gay from about T.J.'s age, but I've suppressed it, hard. I've always wanted a family and felt the only way to accomplish that was to be a straight guy, marry and have kids. There's that part of it. The other reason why I buried it so deep for so long is I knew how my parents would react. I knew from a very early age, even before I first wanted to play with any of my friends, that they felt that people like us would not be accepted as human beings. I'm not sure how I knew it, I just did." "Well, I told you it wasn't a party with my parents, either. They were totally disgusted when I came out, as I knew they would be. And it's taken them a long time to even half-way accept me for who I am. We've come a long way in the past five years, but we still have a long way to go." "I know, and I'm still in the early stage of that parental denial. Do I hope that denial will slowly turn into a grudging acceptance? More than anything, but I can't let them continue to dictate how I live my life. I have to be who I am, Tom." "I'm cool with that, Max. Since I've been through it myself already, if there's anything I can do to help with them, just let me know." "I don't think there's anything, Tom, but I'll be sure to let you know. I think Lee's my best bet. You saw how accepting she was. She's never had a problem with me being gay. If anyone can talk sense to mom and dad, it'll be her. Just bear with me about them." "Max, your parents the last thing on my mind. You're first and the boys take positions two through five, okay. Beyond that, I'm not too worried about anybody else right now." "That's good to hear, Tom and I appreciate it. Now, I have something really serious to ask you." "Oh shit, here it comes," Tom chuckled. "You won't be chuckling when you hear the question. How important is being a cop to you?" "Well, up until about 2:00 yesterday afternoon, it was pretty damn important `cause if I wasn't paying attention to things from the first moment I started patrol, I wasn't gonna' come back home alive. Not that I really much cared if I ever went back to that empty apartment at the end of the day. That's all changed now. I worked today, but couldn't concentrate on anything. My partner kept asking me what was up and I just kept telling him I was dealing with some family issues. I didn't want to outright lie the guy and that was the closest I could come to explaining where my head was without telling everything." "I can only assume you were talking about this family. At least, I hope you were." "Damn right I was. Now that I have someone I want to see at the end of every day, I damn sure want to make sure I can." "Would you have a problem resigning from the department?" "Not really, Max. It's just a job. Granted, it's one I love, but I've found something and several someones I love even more. I was going to talk to you about it tomorrow, but since you brought it up already, I decided on the way out here tonight to turn in my papers to Dylan on Tuesday." "Oh, Tom, that's such a load off my mind. Now that I've found you, I don't want to lose you." "Not a chance, man." "Any idea what you want to do next?" "Not really, Max. I've thought about doing private investigations before. It doesn't pay that well, but the hours are real flexible. And it's a hell of a lot safer, as a rule, since you can pick and choose the cases you want to deal with." "I have an idea I want you to think about and it kinda follows the lines of your own agency. And, I'd be willing to help get it started." "I'm interested, what are you thinking about?" "Carol's agency is in almost constant need of people being investigated, some background checks and some home checks for abuse and living conditions. Does that sound like something you'd be interested in doing?" "Hell, yeah. Some of that could still be hazardous, but not near as bad as what I deal with now. And with my background, it could open some avenues of investigation that they can't currently access. I think Dylan would help with it, also. He's always hated dealing with that aspect of our job and I think I could talk him into funneling some cases my way." "You wouldn't mind me talking to Carol to see if they'd be interested in using you?" "Not at all." "Good. Now, I have one more thing we need to talk about." "Oh, shit, here it comes," Tom laughed. "Not yet, but soon, I'm sure. That shower we took was the most erotic experience I've ever had. I can honestly say I've never had such a whole-body experience like that." "I'm happy to hear it, Max. I'm even happier it was me you had it with." "That said, Tom, I don't know if I'll ever be able to give you the maximum pleasure you deserve." "What the hell you talking about?" "Well, I think, even you have to admit that when you get aroused, you definitely put me and many other guys to shame. I'm not sure that monster will ever find its way into my most private of areas." Tom almost rolled off the bed with paroxysms of laughter. When he got himself under control, he responded, "Max, I don't care about that. Besides, haven't you heard, size doesn't matter." "Yes, I've heard that, but sometimes it does and this is one of those times. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing." "There's so much more to a successful relationship than just the sex." "I know that, Tom, but I wanted you know where I am mentally with this whole thing." "Don't worry about it. If it happens someday, great, if not, I'm sure we'll think of something else. Besides, with a little patience and work, I think, together, we can make it happen. But only if you want to, I'll never force you to do anything you don't want." "Thanks, Tom, I knew you wouldn't. I would like for it to happen, eventually, but you'll have to be patient with me." "We have all the time in the world, Max." "I really hate to ask, especially after what I just said about being patient, but do you think you'd be able to handle me? There, I mean?" "Oh, yeah, no sweat." "Gee, thanks. You really know how to boost a guy's self-esteem." "Okay, I could have said that better, I guess. I wasn't trying to demean or to make you feel inadequate in any way. I think you're perfect. In every possible way." "Well, that helps. If only a little." "Will you please stop saying `little'?" he grinned. "What I'm trying to tell you, is that while I haven't been with anybody before, it doesn't mean I've haven't had the desire or need. In light of that need, and I do mean need, I've acquired, how shall I say this, some `aids', I guess you could call them, over the last several years. And during that time, I've made good use of them." "Oh, really? That's interesting, Tom. Do you think your `aids' could help me, too? And would you be willing to show me how to use them properly." "You bet, and I'll cherish every moment." "Well, I think we've officially skipped over that `getting to know you better' awkwardness of the next few months, don't you?" "Assimilation completed," he droned, in what I had to assume was a Borg imitation. "Good, that's what I wanted to hear. Are you ready to get some sleep, now? We have a lot to do tomorrow." "Sleep? Are you freakin' kiddin' me? After that `talk', all I wanna do is make you happy. And from the looks of things, you're half-way there already," he added while pointing to my crotch. I immediately saw what he was talking about because there was a large wet spot on the sheet beneath the tip of my erect penis. I looked to Tom's crotch and saw he had the same problem. We laid down, rolled to face each other and wrapped ourselves in an embrace. As we moved closer together, our penises eventually made contact and I felt what can best be described as electric jolts coursing throughout my body. It appeared as though Tom was feeling the same thing from the way his body was twitching, also. We ground our crotches together for a few minutes while kissing passionately and when that no longer seemed adequate, Tom, pushed me over so I was laying on my back. He started licking my neck, then slowly moved down my shoulders to my nipples. I knew the nipples were sensitive, but I had never dreamed they could provide the amount of stimulation I was feeling at this moment. After a short time working over my nipples, he continued down my chest and flicked his tongue into my navel as he passed it by on the way to lower regions of my body. I could feel his breath caress my hardness as he took a much closer look at the prize awaiting him. "God, you're absolutely beautiful," he whispered. "I could make love to this all-night long." Without any further delays, he took me into his mouth until his nose was buried in my bare pubic mound. My back arched involuntarily, trying to bury even more in his warm, wet mouth, although that wasn't possible. I was writhing in pleasure with feelings I'd never before had as Tom made love to me with his mouth. He would occasionally take a break from my penis and lap at my hairless scrotum, pulling each walnut-sized teste into his mouth, giving both a very thorough bathing. When he felt me getting close to orgasm from my ball bath, he licked his way back to the tip of my dripping cock and swallowed it. He continued to slurp, lap and suck me until I couldn't take any more and exploded in his mouth. Six of the most forceful shots of semen I'd ever had filled his mouth to overflowing and some of it dribbled back out from the corners of his mouth and down my shaft. When I was finally done with my orgasm, he used his tongue to clean up the bits of me that had leaked from his mouth. "You taste delicious, too, in every way possible," he whispered in my ear after he crawled back up and lay down beside me. "That was amazing, Tom. And you expect me to believe you've never done this before." "You're first, last and only person who will ever know that pleasure from me." "That's good to know. Now, I believe I owe you something." I pushed Tom so he was lying on his back and proceeded to give him what he had just given me. He was so much larger than I was I had difficulty taking him in my mouth entirely, but after a few false starts, I was finally able to bury my nose in his pubic hair. I'd never thought that impaling your mouth with another guy's hard cock could feel so good. His balls were also considerably larger than my own, but I still managed to get each in my mouth for a good licking. I felt his balls pull up and knew he was close to the point of no return, so I moved back to the main subject and inhaled his hardness. He somehow enlarged a bit as his orgasm wracked his body and his semen was pumped deep in my throat. He was buried so deep, there was no chance of losing a drop as I swallowed his gift. I was in heaven and discovered it felt as good to give as it did to receive. "Oh, my god, Max, are you sure I'm the first guy you've ever been with. That was mind-blowing. Among other things getting blown," he chuckled. "Uh, yeah, Tom, I'm pretty sure. I think I would remember doing that before," I laughed. "But, I had a great teacher," I smiled as I looked into his eyes. "Well, you're a quick study, I'll give you that. And to think that I've missing out on that this long. I wanna kick myself for wasting all that time." "We're in the same boat there, Tom. I can't wait to see what the future holds for us. Now, I don't want to be rude, but could we possibly get some sleep, please? It's been a long damn day, I'm tired and tomorrow's going to a busy one, also." "I can barely move after that, Max, so sleep should be a piece of cake." I grabbed the covers and pulled them up, then laid down behind Tom wrapping my arms around him. He sighed contentedly and was soon snorting lightly. I was not far behind in falling into the deepest, most relaxed sleep I'd had in a long time. I woke up Monday morning with a warm body curled behind me and a lot snickering happening in front of me. I opened my eyes and found a gaggle of nude boys staring at me, eyes wide open. "Good morning, guys, we have to stop meeting like this. Did my closed-door rule go in one ear and out the other?" "Sorry, dad, but we did knock, and when you didn't answer, we got worried and thought we should check to make sure you're okay," Alex said. "And you sure look like you're okay to us. Tom does, too. Did you two sleep well?" Joey asked. "We slept just fine, thank you very much. How about you four, did you sleep well?" "You bet!" Mike yelled. Tom jumped, opened his eyes, saw the boys and said, "Oh, crap." "It's okay, Uncle Tom, we know you two love each other. You should be sleeping together," T.J. added. "Nice to know we have your approval, guys, now get out of here so we can get out of bed and we'll meet you in the kitchen for breakfast in a few minutes." The four scampered out of the room. I rolled over to face Tom, "Good morning bright eyes, ready for a fun-filled day of list-making and shopping? We've got a lot to do and not much time to do it." "No, I'm not ready, but then I never will be. I absolutely hate shopping, of any kind." "Well, you better get used to it, bucko, shopping is a family deal." "Yeah, yeah. Can I pee before we leave?" "I'll even feed you first," I laughed. "You really know the way to my heart, Max." He tossed off the covers and headed to the bathroom to relieve his bladder, his morning erection pointing the way. I decided to follow him and when he stopped in front of the toilet to pee, I slid in behind him letting my erection announce my presence in the cleft between his cheeks. "You better back off or I'm never going to be able to pee and we'll be stuck at home all day. Not that I have a problem with that." I laughed and backed away. "Well, hurry the hell up `cause I gotta go, too." When we were both done in the bathroom, including washing faces and hands, we headed to the kitchen to rustle up some breakfast. The boys had cereal and toast while Tom and I had English muffins. Since we had a busy day ahead of us, part of it outside the house, I suggested we all get dressed and be ready to head out in a bit. The boys grumbled about it but eventually headed to their bedrooms to get some clothes on. Tom and I followed suit. When the boys returned to the kitchen, I had them sit at the counter with pencil and paper to start making lists of the clothes they thought they needed. I had Alex help Mike to make sure I could read his list. While they got busy on their task, the phone rang. I answered in the kitchen. "Good morning?" "Morning to you, too, Max. How are you this bright and beautiful day?" "Herb, I'm great. It's good to hear from you this early. Does this mean you're about to bring the rental out for me?" "Yep, be headin' that way in about 10 minutes. Just wanted to make sure you were awake and functional before I did." "There's four boys here who apparently don't believe in sleeping in, so being awake isn't the issue. Functional? Not quite yet, but another cup of caffeine should help that along." "Well, either way, I'll be there in about 30 minutes and my guy will be along about 10 minutes later. He's got a stop to make on the way out." "No problems, Herb, we'll be here. See you soon." I hung up the phone and checked on the boys' progress on their lists when I suddenly remembered another call I needed to make. I looked up the school's number and placed the call. "New Berlin schools, how may I direct your call?" "I need to speak to the elementary principal, please." "One moment, sir." I was on hold less than a minute before an exasperated female voice came on the line. "This is Ms. Carr, sorry to keep you waiting, but it's been one of those mornings." "No problems, ma'am, I'm having one also." "How may I help you, sir?" she spat out. "My name is Max Sanders and over the weekend I became the legal guardian for four of your students, Joey and Alex Allison, T.J. Bruce and Mike Broadhead. I was calling to let you know they wouldn't be in school today and make arrangements for a new bus stop to pick them up starting tomorrow morning." "Ah-ha, I was wondering where those four rapscallions were today. Mystery solved. Thank you for calling to let me know they're okay. The driver was rather confused and more than a bit concerned when none of them showed up to get on the bus this morning." "I know I should have called over the weekend, but I didn't have a clue who I needed to talk to, so I decided to wait until this morning." "That's all right. Now you said your name is Max Sanders, right? And you're the boys' new guardian? What happened to their foster parents?" "Well, I was hoping to adopt a child and this weekend, these four came to my home for a visit to see my house and see how things went. They apparently went very well and my case worker, Carol Ward, arranged for all four to stay here until the adoption is finalized, instead of going back to their foster parents." "Ah, yes, the undeniable and relentless Ms. Ward. She is a force to reckoned with, isn't she?" I laughed and answered, "She sure is. Fortunately, she's working for me and not against me. I wouldn't want to be on the other side." "No, sir, you surely don't. So, you're expecting to adopt all four of these young men? When do you expect that process to be completed?" "According to Carol, five or six months." "Yes, that sounds about right. Why don't you give me your address and I'll make sure to get it to the drivers' supervisor so we can start picking the boys up at their new home tomorrow morning." I provided the address and directions since there were no signs of a home at the end of the drive. "My drive is long and in this cold weather, I'll be bringing the boys to the end of the drive in my car so they don't turn to popsicles waiting for their bus. I'll probably have a small shelter built so they can wait under cover when it's cold or raining." "That's probably a good idea, Mr. Sanders. While we strive to be punctual, schedules do occasionally slip." "Is there anything else you need this morning?" "I don't think so, but I would like to meet with you. I like to know the parents of all our students. Would you have time tomorrow morning to stop by?" "Sure thing. I'd like to meet you, also, and their teachers, if possible. Would sometime around noon be okay?" "That would be fine, Mr. Sanders. The students will be at lunch and their teachers should be available at that time also." "Great, I'll see you then." "We'll look forward to it. Again, thanks for calling and letting me know where the boys are. I really was worried about them. Have a good day." "Thank you, you, too." I ended the call and turned to the boys. "Okay, you're all set. Back to school tomorrow morning. We can't have you playing hooky the rest of the year." "Bummer, dad," said T.J. "Yeah, that sucks." "Joey, mouth. You really need to learn some self-control young man." "Sorry, dad," he pouted. "It's okay, but we'll work on that. Now, how are your lists doing?" "I think we're ready, dad," Alex said. "We both need new socks and underwear. Our pants and shirts are okay for now, but we'll probably need more by summer." "Okay, what about you T.J.?" "I need some new socks, too, and maybe a few shirts. Most of my shirts are starting to get pretty small and tight." "Good thinking. What's on your list, Mike?" "Everything," he whined. "I didn't have much to begin with and the Kirkland's never had a chance to get me anything new." "Well, don't you worry about it, munchkin, we'll get you taken care of this afternoon, okay?" "Thanks, Ma ..., uh, dad." "What about you, Tom, anything you need to pick up today?" "Let me see, Max, I've got my list right here." He theatrically whipped a blank sheet of paper in front of his face, cleared his throat and started reading, "Socks, shoes, underwear, pants, shirts, shorts, a couple of cool hats, a PS4, new laptop, a Harley and, wait, what's that say, I can't quite read my own writing. Oh, yeah, my own Shelby. Yeah, I think that covers everything." The boys were laughing hysterically by the time he finished. "Well, that's quite the list you have, there, Tom, but methinks you have forgotten one very important thing." He glanced over the blank paper, "No, I'm pretty sure it's all there." "What about the bank we'd have to rob to pay for it all?" "Well, heck. Just where is my mind today? Joey, give me your pencil and I'll add that stop." "Are you done, clown?" "Yeah, but seriously, Max, I think we should pick up some food, too. We've pretty much wiped you out this weekend." "Good point, Tom." Ding! "That's probably Herb with the rental. Why don't you guys work on a food list while I deal with Herb?" "Sounds like a plan, Max. We'll be right here." I watched as Herb parked the rental on the drive and walked up to the door. I opened the door as he arrived and invited him in to wait for his guy to pick him up. "Morning, Herb, how are you this morning?" "Doing great, Max, how `bout yourself?" "As well as can be expected after the weekend. You want a cup of coffee while you wait?" "That sounds great. Where's the new family?" "In the kitchen making a shopping list for food. C'mon, I'll introduce you to them." I led Herb to the kitchen and when he was set up with a cup of warm coffee, I turned to make introductions. "Starting on that end, Herb, we have Alex, Mike, Joey and T.J. And this is Tom. Guys, this is Herb, my car dealer." "Hi fellas, nice to meet you," he directed to the boys, "You sure you want to live with this guy?" "You bet," they answered. "Uh, Max," Herb whispered in my ear, "I think the other dude's a little outside adoption age," then laughed. "That may be, Herb, but he was a great help to me Saturday and I think he's earned his place. You'll be seeing him around quite a bit more." Herb turned to Tom and held out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Tom. Hope you know what you're gettin' yourself into here." "Nice to meet you, too, Herb. After the weekend, I've got a pretty good idea. That's all right, though, I like a challenge. After five years in the Sherriff's department, this should be a piece o' cake. Sure couldn't be any harder." He turned to me and asked, "Hey, Max, is this the guy I need to talk to about that new Shelby?" and laughed heartily. "Max, he's a keeper. Great taste in cars," as he laughed along. Ding! "What the heck was that?" Herb asked. "Driveway sensor," I answered. "So, you knew I was here before I pulled up to the garage, didn't you?" "Sure did. Did you think it was just ESP that had me meet you at the door?" "You never know, Max. Should be my guy, though." "Thanks for bringing the rental out, Herb. Sure saved me some headaches and a bunch of time today." "Happy to do it, Max. I wouldn't do this for every customer, but you're one of my better ones. I left the keys in it and I'll keep you updated on the one you've ordered." He turned to the boys and said, "Boys, you be good to Max. I hope you enjoy your new home." He turned to Tom, extended his hand again and added, "Tom, I wish you luck with this zoo. And when you're ready to order that Shelby, you come see me." They shook hands and Tom said, "Don't you worry, Herb. Hope to be seeing you soon," and grinned. I led Herb to the door, thanked him again and let him out to head back to the dealership. I then headed back to the kitchen and asked, "Everybody ready to roll? We've got a lot to do today and the sooner we get started, the sooner we can get back home." Everybody grabbed their coats and shoes and we met in the driveway. The rental Flex was gleaming in the sun reflected off the snow. The boys climbed in and Tom and I made sure each was buckled in place and that they know how to operate the belts. Tom and I got in and after I started the car, I inserted a movie in the DVD player to help keep the boys entertained. All four were busy checking out all the features, oohing and aahing as each new gadget caught their eyes. I rolled my eyes at Tom as I backed away from the garage and he chuckled in understanding. I was just about to pull out when I realized this car hadn't been programmed for my garage door opener, so I ran back into the house to grab the extra opener control. I'd have to make sure I retrieved it when I returned the car. I decided on the way to town that the easiest place to get everything we needed was Walmart. I figured that one-stop shopping was going to be the quickest way to accomplish everything. We'd just gotten in the store when I felt a tug at my sleeve. I looked down to my right to find Mike holding onto my jacket with on hand and holding his crotch with the other. I realized nobody had gone to the bathroom before we left home. "Uh, fellas, Mike and I need to use the restroom. Anybody else need to go?" Joey and Alex raised their hands. "Okay, Tom, why don't you grab a cart and head to the boys' department with T.J. and we'll find you in a few minutes?" "Sure thing, Max." Four of us headed to the restroom while the other two headed in the opposite direction. When we joined back up with Tom and T.J., the bottom of the cart was already covered. We spent the next hour loading the cart with clothes for all four boys. Fortunately, we didn't have to try on much except for a couple pairs of pants for Mike. Selecting underwear was another story in itself. With the selection available, you would have thought they wouldn't have any problems finding what they wanted. Mike's was the easiest to find as he wanted briefs with characters from his favorite movie, `Cars'. T.J. settled for basic boxer briefs, but the twins weren't finding what they wanted. "Come on you two, make a decision already, we don't have all day." "We've looked at it all and don't see what we want," Joey said. "Well, what do you want? I'll ask where they are." Alex came to me, pulled me down to his level and whispered in my ear, "We want some that look like your Speedos. But you can't ask anybody, that'd be embarrassing." I snickered a moment and quietly drafted Tom to help me search. We dug through the entire rack and finally realized they apparently don't sell bikini briefs for boys at Walmart. While Tom distracted the boys, I asked a clerk, even though I'd been asked not to. The clerk grinned, but told me they didn't have anything like that in their size. I thanked her and told the twins to pick something else for now and we'd look somewhere else later. They grumped about it, but ended up picking out the smallest briefs available that would fit their waist. Once finished with the clothes, the cart was overflowing. I decided we should pay for this load, get it stashed in the car and then come back and deal with the food shopping separately. Tom volunteered to load the car while the rest of us started on the food list. We were about half done with the food list when Tom finally found us and we finished rather quickly. With everything loaded up, we headed to Long John Silver's to get some lunch. While we were eating, Tom asked, "Hey, we're pretty close to my apartment. Would you mind swinging by so I can grab a few things?" "No problem, Tom. I'm sure they won't mind, will you guys?" "No, let's go!" T.J. said. "Um, can we finish eating, T.J.?" "I guess," he grumped. "Thank you." When the food was gone and the table cleaned, we piled back in the car and headed to Tom's. When we got there and I offered to help, but Tom replied, "I got it Max. It won't take long to get what I need." True to his word, he returned in five minutes with a small box. He placed the box on the floor at his feet and said, "Let's boogie." "Is that it? Doesn't seem like you got much." "Just the important things for now. I'll grab more tomorrow after I talk to Sarge." "Okay. Anybody need anything else before we head for home?" Silence. "Okay, we're outta here." The ride home was quiet and I pulled in the garage. Tom carried his small box directly to our bedroom. As we unloaded the rest of the car, the boys took their new things directly to their rooms while Tom and I carried bag after bag of food into the kitchen. I asked the boys to carefully remove all the tags and labels from their clothes so I could wash them before they wore them. Tom and I got all the food stored and were just about to sit down when four naked boys wandered in. "Can we go swimming before supper?" Joey asked. "Sure, just give us a minute to get ready." Tom and I headed to our bedroom, stripped off our clothes, grabbed a couple towels and headed back to meet the boys, shelter key in my hand. Once in the pool, Tom and I were attacked by four feisty monkeys trying to dunk us. We spent about a half hour playing around and I noticed as we tossed and flipped boys back and forth, all four were in a perpetual state of arousal. I couldn't really say anything since I was suffering the same affliction. I could only assume Tom was fighting the same problem, but since we were in waist deep water, our problems were, at least, partially hidden. Tom and I eventually needed a break and moved to the deep end and let the boys continue their fun. After another half hour, I decided it was time to get out. I still had to wash to boys' new clothes and supper was coming up soon. "Boys, hop out and hit the showers. We need to get your new clothes washed and put away." Tom and I waited until they were back in the house to get out of the pool. "I assume you were having the same problem I was," I commented. "Yeah, Max, and it's embarrassing. Those four should not cause this, but they do, every single time." "I know, there's just something about feeling their hard, little penises rubbing against me that's turning me on. I know it's wrong as all get out, but I can't control it, it just happens. I'm sure the boys know it's happening, too, especially Joey and Alex. We are going have to very careful." "What makes you say that?" I replayed the conversation I overheard from their shower Friday night. "Those little devils. They know exactly what they're doing, don't they?" "Obviously. They were definitely trying to get a rise out of me and if Carol hadn't been sitting right here, I have no doubt they'd have been successful." "I have the perfect solution to our problem, Max!" "Ooh, this should be good." "Sure, we, as in you and me, just have to have sex before we swim. Problem solved." "Hmmm, I like that idea, Tom. Not sure how practical it is, but I guess it couldn't hurt to try," I laughed. "But seriously, I think I should talk to them and let them know that their actions could endanger the adoption if it continues." "Do you think they'll listen? Or even care?" "They'll care because I know they want to stay here, but who know if they'll listen? Only time will tell." We headed inside and while Tom headed to the bathroom to take his shower, I headed to the laundry room to start a load of the boys' clothes. As the boys came out of their showers, I told them to start going through their older clothes and pull out anything we replaced this afternoon. By the time I was done dealing with the boys, Tom was out of the shower and telling me it was my turn. I ran through a quick shower, thankful at my foresight at having tankless, instant water heaters installed in each bathroom when the house was built. They were certainly getting a workout today and I didn't see that changing in the future. Supper tonight was what I laughingly called broke food, Kraft macaroni and cheese. While I'm far from being broke, it's an easy meal to fix and clean up. After the supper mess was cleaned up, the boys wanted to watch the next Star Wars movie, so we headed to the theater to relax for a couple hours. It was 8:30 when the movie ended and I told the boys it was time to head for bed. When they complained, I explained they had to go back to school in the morning and needed a good night's sleep before they did. They grudgingly gave in and Tom and I followed them to their rooms to make sure they were all tucked in and had received their good-night kisses on the foreheads. Once the four feisty monkeys were in bed, Tom and I headed back to the theater to watch another movie. By the time is was over, we were both yawning and headed to our bedroom. "Are you still planning to talk with Dylan in the morning about resigning," I asked Tom. "Sure am, but it'll be afternoon and not morning. My shift starts before he gets in, but we'll talk at the end of the day." "Are you absolutely sure you're ready to do it and you don't have a problem with resigning? I don't want you regretting the decision later and it is kinda sudden." "100% sure. Never been so sure of anything else, ever. Well, except how I feel about you." "I'm glad to hear that, Tom. I know it's a lot to ask, but I can't stand the thought of you going out every day, placing yourself in danger and maybe not coming back at the end of the day." "That's the only thing I've ever hated about the job. The uncertainty of knowing whether I'd come back home in one piece at the end of the day. I know it can be an ugly job, but there's more good than bad and somebody needs to do it. I've done my part and now it's time for someone else to take over." "You think Dylan's going to give you a hard time?" "I don't think so. We've always gotten along real well. I'm pretty sure he'll understand." "I hope so. I'd hate to have to call him and give him a piece of my mind." Tom laughed. "Well, I hope it won't come to that. I don't think Dylan's ready for that." We snuggled up under the covers with Tom holding me. "Goodnight. I love you, Tom Wright," I whispered. "Love you more, my angel."

<div id="readability-content"><h1>Building a Family 21</h1><div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div> <p><span>DISCLAIMER:</span></p> <p><span>M/M, m/m, M/m</span></p> <p><span>This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.</span></p> <p><span>This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.</span></p> <p><span>If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.</span></p> <p><span>This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.</span></p> <p><span>Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span>A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to<span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><a href="mailto:enderwiggin61@outlook.com">enderwiggin61@outlook.com</a></span></p> <p><span>All flames will be politely ignored.</span></p> <p><span>If you have enjoyed this or other stories on Nifty, consider donating to keep the service free.&nbsp;</span><span><a href="http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html">http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html</a></span><span> </span></p> <p><span>Author's Note:</span></p> <p><span>I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.</span></p> <p><span>Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:</span></p> <p><span><a href="https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments">https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments</a></span></p> <h2><a name="_Toc474493854"><span>Chapter 21 � First Night with Tom / Monday</span></a></h2> <p><span>"Oh, shit. Here it comes."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, don't be like that, please. This is a good talk. I don't know how it's possible, but you need to know that I truly love you. It's like you told Lee earlier, I feel like I've known you all my life. When we met yesterday afternoon, something just clicked. I have never, ever, felt like this about anybody else. I want you to know that."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, I'm in love with you, too. I know it sounds trite, but it's real. Sure, I've thought about other guys over the years, but none have made my heart go flip-flop like you."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you're a few years ahead of me in the acceptance department. I really just figured my life out a couple months ago."</span></p> <p><span>"What?!"</span></p> <p><span>"I know, that's why this is all so unbelievable. To me, anyway. Don't get me wrong, I've known I was gay from about T.J.'s age, but I've suppressed it, hard. I've always wanted a family and felt the only way to accomplish that was to be a straight guy, marry and have kids. There's that part of it. The other reason why I buried it so deep for so long is I knew how my parents would react. I knew from a very early age, even before I first wanted to <i>play</i> with any of my friends, that they felt that people like us would not be accepted as human beings. I'm not sure how I knew it, I just did."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I told you it wasn't a party with my parents, either. They were totally disgusted when I came out, as I knew they would be. And it's taken them a long time to even half-way accept me for who I am. We've come a long way in the past five years, but we still have a long way to go."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, and I'm still in the early stage of that parental denial. Do I hope that denial will slowly turn into a grudging acceptance? More than anything, but I can't let them continue to dictate how I live my life. I have to be who I am, Tom."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm cool with that, Max. Since I've been through it myself already, if there's anything I can do to help with them, just let me know."</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think there's anything, Tom, but I'll be sure to let you know. I think Lee's my best bet. You saw how accepting she was. She's never had a problem with me being gay. If anyone can talk sense to mom and dad, it'll be her. Just bear with me about them."</span></p> <p><span>"Max, your parents the last thing on my mind. You're first and the boys take positions two through five, okay. Beyond that, I'm not too worried about anybody else right now."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to hear, Tom and I appreciate it. Now, I have something really serious to ask you."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh shit, here it comes," Tom chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"You won't be chuckling when you hear the question. How important is being a cop to you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, up until about 2:00 yesterday afternoon, it was pretty damn important `cause if I wasn't paying attention to things from the first moment I started patrol, I wasn't gonna' come back home alive. Not that I really much cared if I ever went back to that empty apartment at the end of the day. That's all changed now. I worked today, but couldn't concentrate on anything. My partner kept asking me what was up and I just kept telling him I was dealing with some family issues. I didn't want to outright lie the guy and that was the closest I could come to explaining where my head was without telling everything."</span></p> <p><span>"I can only assume you were talking about this family. At least, I hope you were."</span></p> <p><span>"Damn right I was. Now that I have someone I want to see at the end of every day, I damn sure want to make sure I can."</span></p> <p><span>"Would you have a problem resigning from the department?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, Max. It's just a job. Granted, it's one I love, but I've found something and several someones I love even more. I was going to talk to you about it tomorrow, but since you brought it up already, I decided on the way out here tonight to turn in my papers to Dylan on Tuesday."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, Tom, that's such a load off my mind. Now that I've found you, I don't want to lose you."</span></p> <p><span>"Not a chance, man."</span></p> <p><span>"Any idea what you want to do next?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not really, Max. I've thought about doing private investigations before. It doesn't pay that well, but the hours are real flexible. And it's a hell of a lot safer, as a rule, since you can pick and choose the cases you want to deal with."</span></p> <p><span>"I have an idea I want you to think about and it kinda follows the lines of your own agency. And, I'd be willing to help get it started."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm interested, what are you thinking about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Carol's agency is in almost constant need of people being investigated, some background checks and some home checks for abuse and living conditions. Does that sound like something you'd be interested in doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"Hell, yeah. Some of that could still be hazardous, but not near as bad as what I deal with now. And with my background, it could open some avenues of investigation that they can't currently access. I think Dylan would help with it, also. He's always hated dealing with that aspect of our job and I think I could talk him into funneling some cases my way."</span></p> <p><span>"You wouldn't mind me talking to Carol to see if they'd be interested in using you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Not at all."</span></p> <p><span>"Good. Now, I have one more thing we need to talk about."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, shit, here it comes," Tom laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"Not yet, but soon, I'm sure. That shower we took was the most erotic experience I've ever had. I can honestly say I've never had such a whole-body experience like that."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm happy to hear it, Max. I'm even happier it was me you had it with." </span></p> <p><span>"That said, Tom, I don't know if I'll ever be able to give you the maximum pleasure you deserve."</span></p> <p><span>"What the hell you talking about?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I think, even you have to admit that when you get aroused, you definitely put me and many other guys to shame. I'm not sure that monster will ever find its way into my most private of areas." Tom almost rolled off the bed with paroxysms of laughter.</span></p> <p><span>When he got himself under control, he responded, "Max, I don't care about that. Besides, haven't you heard, size doesn't matter."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, I've heard that, but sometimes it does and this is one of those times. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing."</span></p> <p><span>"There's so much more to a successful relationship than just the sex."</span></p> <p><span>"I know that, Tom, but I wanted you know where I am mentally with this whole thing."</span></p> <p><span>"Don't worry about it. If it happens someday, great, if not, I'm sure we'll think of something else. Besides, with a little patience and work, I think, together, we can make it happen. But only if you want to, I'll never force you to do anything you don't want."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Tom, I knew you wouldn't. I would like for it to happen, eventually, but you'll have to be patient with me."</span></p> <p><span>"We have all the time in the world, Max."</span></p> <p><span>"I really hate to ask, especially after what I just said about being patient, but do you think you'd be able to handle me? There, I mean?"</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, yeah, no sweat."</span></p> <p><span>"Gee, thanks. You really know how to boost a guy's self-esteem."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, I could have said that better, I guess. I wasn't trying to demean or to make you feel inadequate in any way. I think you're perfect. In every possible way."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that helps. If only a little."</span></p> <p><span>"Will you please stop saying `little'?" he grinned. "What I'm trying to tell you, is that while I haven't been with anybody before, it doesn't mean I've haven't had the desire or need. In light of that need, and I do mean <i>need</i>, I've acquired, how shall I say this, some `aids', I guess you could call them, over the last several years. And during that time, I've made good use of them."</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, really? That's interesting, Tom. Do you think your `aids' could help me, too? And would you be willing to show me how to use them properly."</span></p> <p><span>"You bet, and I'll cherish every moment."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I think we've officially skipped over that `getting to know you better' awkwardness of the next few months, don't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Assimilation completed," he droned, in what I had to assume was a Borg imitation.</span></p> <p><span>"Good, that's what I wanted to hear. Are you ready to get some sleep, now? We have a lot to do tomorrow."</span></p> <p><span>"Sleep? Are you freakin' kiddin' me? After that `talk', all I wanna do is make you happy. And from the looks of things, you're half-way there already," he added while pointing to my crotch. I immediately saw what he was talking about because there was a large wet spot on the sheet beneath the tip of my erect penis. I looked to Tom's crotch and saw he had the same problem. </span></p> <p><span>We laid down, rolled to face each other and wrapped ourselves in an embrace. As we moved closer together, our penises eventually made contact and I felt what can best be described as electric jolts coursing throughout my body. It appeared as though Tom was feeling the same thing from the way his body was twitching, also. We ground our crotches together for a few minutes while kissing passionately and when that no longer seemed adequate, Tom, pushed me over so I was laying on my back. He started licking my neck, then slowly moved down my shoulders to my nipples. I knew the nipples were sensitive, but I had never dreamed they could provide the amount of stimulation I was feeling at this moment. After a short time working over my nipples, he continued down my chest and flicked his tongue into my navel as he passed it by on the way to lower regions of my body. I could feel his breath caress my hardness as he took a much closer look at the prize awaiting him. </span></p> <p><span>"God, you're absolutely beautiful," he whispered. "I could make love to this all-night long." Without any further delays, he took me into his mouth until his nose was buried in my bare pubic mound. My back arched involuntarily, trying to bury even more in his warm, wet mouth, although that wasn't possible. I was writhing in pleasure with feelings I'd never before had as Tom made love to me with his mouth. He would occasionally take a break from my penis and lap at my hairless scrotum, pulling each walnut-sized teste into his mouth, giving both a very thorough bathing. </span></p> <p><span>When he felt me getting close to orgasm from my ball bath, he licked his way back to the tip of my dripping cock and swallowed it. He continued to slurp, lap and suck me until I couldn't take any more and exploded in his mouth. Six of the most forceful shots of semen I'd ever had filled his mouth to overflowing and some of it dribbled back out from the corners of his mouth and down my shaft. When I was finally done with my orgasm, he used his tongue to clean up the bits of me that had leaked from his mouth.</span></p> <p><span>"You taste delicious, too, in every way possible," he whispered in my ear after he crawled back up and lay down beside me.</span></p> <p><span>"That was amazing, Tom. And you expect me to believe you've never done this before."</span></p> <p><span>"You're first, last and only person who will ever know that pleasure from me."</span></p> <p><span>"That's good to know. Now, I believe I owe you something." I pushed Tom so he was lying on his back and proceeded to give him what he had just given me. He was so much larger than I was I had difficulty taking him in my mouth entirely, but after a few false starts, I was finally able to bury my nose in his pubic hair. I'd never thought that impaling your mouth with another guy's hard cock could feel so good. His balls were also considerably larger than my own, but I still managed to get each in my mouth for a good licking. I felt his balls pull up and knew he was close to the point of no return, so I moved back to the main subject and inhaled his hardness. He somehow enlarged a bit as his orgasm wracked his body and his semen was pumped deep in my throat. He was buried so deep, there was no chance of losing a drop as I swallowed his gift. I was in heaven and discovered it felt as good to give as it did to receive.</span></p> <p><span>"Oh, my god, Max, are you sure I'm the first guy you've ever been with. That was mind-blowing. Among other things getting blown," he chuckled.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, yeah, Tom, I'm pretty sure. I think I would remember doing that before," I laughed. "But, I had a great teacher," I smiled as I looked into his eyes.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you're a quick study, I'll give you that. And to think that I've missing out on that this long. I wanna kick myself for wasting all that time."</span></p> <p><span>"We're in the same boat there, Tom. I can't wait to see what the future holds for us. Now, I don't want to be rude, but could we possibly get some sleep, please? It's been a long damn day, I'm tired and tomorrow's going to a busy one, also."</span></p> <p><span>"I can barely move after that, Max, so sleep should be a piece of cake."</span></p> <p><span>I grabbed the covers and pulled them up, then laid down behind Tom wrapping my arms around him. He sighed contentedly and was soon snorting lightly. I was not far behind in falling into the deepest, most relaxed sleep I'd had in a long time.</span></p> <p><span>I woke up Monday morning with a warm body curled behind me and a lot snickering happening in front of me. I opened my eyes and found a gaggle of nude boys staring at me, eyes wide open. "Good morning, guys, we have to stop meeting like this. Did my closed-door rule go in one ear and out the other?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, dad, but we did knock, and when you didn't answer, we got worried and thought we should check to make sure you're okay," Alex said.</span></p> <p><span>"And you sure look like you're okay to us. Tom does, too. Did you two <i>sleep</i> well?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"We slept just fine, thank you very much. How about you four, did you sleep well?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet!" Mike yelled.</span></p> <p><span>Tom jumped, opened his eyes, saw the boys and said, "Oh, crap."</span></p> <p><span>"It's okay, Uncle Tom, we know you two love each other. You should be sleeping together," T.J. added.</span></p> <p><span>"Nice to know we have your approval, guys, now get out of here so we can get out of bed and we'll meet you in the kitchen for breakfast in a few minutes." The four scampered out of the room. I rolled over to face Tom, "Good morning bright eyes, ready for a fun-filled day of list-making and shopping? We've got a lot to do and not much time to do it."</span></p> <p><span>"No, I'm not ready, but then I never will be. I absolutely hate shopping, of any kind."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, you better get used to it, bucko, shopping is a family deal."</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, yeah. Can I pee before we leave?"</span></p> <p><span>"I'll even feed you first," I laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"You really know the way to my heart, Max." He tossed off the covers and headed to the bathroom to relieve his bladder, his morning erection pointing the way. I decided to follow him and when he stopped in front of the toilet to pee, I slid in behind him letting my erection announce my presence in the cleft between his cheeks. "You better back off or I'm never going to be able to pee and we'll be stuck at home all day. Not that I have a problem with that."</span></p> <p><span>I laughed and backed away. "Well, hurry the hell up `cause I gotta go, too." When we were both done in the bathroom, including washing faces and hands, we headed to the kitchen to rustle up some breakfast. The boys had cereal and toast while Tom and I had English muffins. Since we had a busy day ahead of us, part of it outside the house, I suggested we all get dressed and be ready to head out in a bit. The boys grumbled about it but eventually headed to their bedrooms to get some clothes on. Tom and I followed suit.</span></p> <p><span>When the boys returned to the kitchen, I had them sit at the counter with pencil and paper to start making lists of the clothes they thought they needed. I had Alex help Mike to make sure I could read his list. While they got busy on their task, the phone rang. I answered in the kitchen.</span></p> <p><span>"Good morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"Morning to you, too, Max. How are you this bright and beautiful day?"</span></p> <p><span>"Herb, I'm great. It's good to hear from you this early. Does this mean you're about to bring the rental out for me?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yep, be headin' that way in about 10 minutes. Just wanted to make sure you were awake and functional before I did."</span></p> <p><span>"There's four boys here who apparently don't believe in sleeping in, so being awake isn't the issue. Functional? Not quite yet, but another cup of caffeine should help that along."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, either way, I'll be there in about 30 minutes and my guy will be along about 10 minutes later. He's got a stop to make on the way out."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, Herb, we'll be here. See you soon." I hung up the phone and checked on the boys' progress on their lists when I suddenly remembered another call I needed to make. I looked up the school's number and placed the call.</span></p> <p><span>"New Berlin schools, how may I direct your call?"</span></p> <p><span>"I need to speak to the elementary principal, please."</span></p> <p><span>"One moment, sir."</span></p> <p><span>I was on hold less than a minute before an exasperated female voice came on the line.</span></p> <p><span>"This is Ms. Carr, sorry to keep you waiting, but it's been one of those mornings."</span></p> <p><span>"No problems, ma'am, I'm having one also."</span></p> <p><span>"How may I help you, sir?" she spat out.</span></p> <p><span>"My name is Max Sanders and over the weekend I became the legal guardian for four of your students, Joey and Alex Allison, T.J. Bruce and Mike Broadhead. I was calling to let you know they wouldn't be in school today and make arrangements for a new bus stop to pick them up starting tomorrow morning."</span></p> <p><span>"Ah-ha, I was wondering where those four rapscallions were today. Mystery solved. Thank you for calling to let me know they're okay. The driver was rather confused and more than a bit concerned when none of them showed up to get on the bus this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"I know I should have called over the weekend, but I didn't have a clue who I needed to talk to, so I decided to wait until this morning."</span></p> <p><span>"That's all right. Now you said your name is Max Sanders, right? And you're the boys' new guardian? What happened to their foster parents?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, I was hoping to adopt a child and this weekend, these four came to my home for a visit to see my house and see how things went. They apparently went very well and my case worker, Carol Ward, arranged for all four to stay here until the adoption is finalized, instead of going back to their foster parents."</span></p> <p><span>"Ah, yes, the undeniable and relentless Ms. Ward. She is a force to reckoned with, isn't she?"</span></p> <p><span>I laughed and answered, "She sure is. Fortunately, she's working for me and not against me. I wouldn't want to be on the other side."</span></p> <p><span>"No, sir, you surely don't. So, you're expecting to adopt all four of these young men? When do you expect that process to be completed?"</span></p> <p><span>"According to Carol, five or six months."</span></p> <p><span>"Yes, that sounds about right. Why don't you give me your address and I'll make sure to get it to the drivers' supervisor so we can start picking the boys up at their new home tomorrow morning."</span></p> <p><span>I provided the address and directions since there were no signs of a home at the end of the drive. "My drive is long and in this cold weather, I'll be bringing the boys to the end of the drive in my car so they don't turn to popsicles waiting for their bus. I'll probably have a small shelter built so they can wait under cover when it's cold or raining."</span></p> <p><span>"That's probably a good idea, Mr. Sanders. While we strive to be punctual, schedules do occasionally slip."</span></p> <p><span>"Is there anything else you need this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think so, but I would like to meet with you. I like to know the parents of all our students. Would you have time tomorrow morning to stop by?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing. I'd like to meet you, also, and their teachers, if possible. Would sometime around noon be okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"That would be fine, Mr. Sanders. The students will be at lunch and their teachers should be available at that time also."</span></p> <p><span>"Great, I'll see you then."</span></p> <p><span>"We'll look forward to it. Again, thanks for calling and letting me know where the boys are. I really was worried about them. Have a good day."</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you, you, too." I ended the call and turned to the boys. "Okay, you're all set. Back to school tomorrow morning. We can't have you playing hooky the rest of the year."</span></p> <p><span>"Bummer, dad," said T.J.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, that sucks."</span></p> <p><span>"Joey, mouth. You really need to learn some self-control young man."</span></p> <p><span>"Sorry, dad," he pouted.</span></p> <p><span>"It's okay, but we'll work on that. Now, how are your lists doing?"</span></p> <p><span>"I think we're ready, dad," Alex said. "We both need new socks and underwear. Our pants and shirts are okay for now, but we'll probably need more by summer."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay, what about you T.J.?"</span></p> <p><span>"I need some new socks, too, and maybe a few shirts. Most of my shirts are starting to get pretty small and tight."</span></p> <p><span>"Good thinking. What's on your list, Mike?"</span></p> <p><span>"Everything," he whined. "I didn't have much to begin with and the Kirkland's never had a chance to get me anything new."</span></p> <p><span>"Well, don't you worry about it, munchkin, we'll get you taken care of this afternoon, okay?"</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks, Ma ..., uh, dad."</span></p> <p><span>"What about you, Tom, anything you need to pick up today?"</span></p> <p><span>"Let me see, Max, I've got my list right here." He theatrically whipped a blank sheet of paper in front of his face, cleared his throat and started reading, "Socks, shoes, underwear, pants, shirts, shorts, a couple of cool hats, a PS4, new laptop, a Harley and, wait, what's that say, I can't quite read my own writing. Oh, yeah, my own Shelby. Yeah, I think that covers everything." The boys were laughing hysterically by the time he finished.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, that's quite the list you have, there, Tom, but methinks you have forgotten one very important thing."</span></p> <p><span>He glanced over the blank paper, "No, I'm pretty sure it's all there."</span></p> <p><span>"What about the bank we'd have to rob to pay for it all?"</span></p> <p><span>"Well, heck. Just where is my mind today? Joey, give me your pencil and I'll add that stop."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you done, clown?"</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, but seriously, Max, I think we should pick up some food, too. We've pretty much wiped you out this weekend."</span></p> <p><span>"Good point, Tom." Ding!</span></p> <p><span>"That's probably Herb with the rental. Why don't you guys work on a food list while I deal with Herb?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sounds like a plan, Max. We'll be right here."</span></p> <p><span>I watched as Herb parked the rental on the drive and walked up to the door. I opened the door as he arrived and invited him in to wait for his guy to pick him up.</span></p> <p><span>"Morning, Herb, how are you this morning?"</span></p> <p><span>"Doing great, Max, how `bout yourself?"</span></p> <p><span>"As well as can be expected after the weekend. You want a cup of coffee while you wait?"</span></p> <p><span>"That sounds great. Where's the new family?" </span></p> <p><span>"In the kitchen making a shopping list for food. C'mon, I'll introduce you to them." I led Herb to the kitchen and when he was set up with a cup of warm coffee, I turned to make introductions. "Starting on that end, Herb, we have Alex, Mike, Joey and T.J. And this is Tom. Guys, this is Herb, my car dealer."</span></p> <p><span>"Hi fellas, nice to meet you," he directed to the boys, "You sure you want to live with this guy?"</span></p> <p><span>"You bet," they answered.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, Max," Herb whispered in my ear, "I think the other dude's a little outside adoption age," then laughed.</span></p> <p><span>"That may be, Herb, but he was a great help to me Saturday and I think he's earned his place. You'll be seeing him around quite a bit more."</span></p> <p><span>Herb turned to Tom and held out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Tom. Hope you know what you're gettin' yourself into here."</span></p> <p><span>"Nice to meet you, too, Herb. After the weekend, I've got a pretty good idea. That's all right, though, I like a challenge. After five years in the Sherriff's department, this should be a piece o' cake. Sure couldn't be any harder." He turned to me and asked, "Hey, Max, is this the guy I need to talk to about that new Shelby?" and laughed heartily.</span></p> <p><span>"Max, he's a keeper. Great taste in cars," as he laughed along.</span></p> <p><span>Ding!</span></p> <p><span>"What the heck was that?" Herb asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Driveway sensor," I answered.</span></p> <p><span>"So, you knew I was here before I pulled up to the garage, didn't you?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure did. Did you think it was just ESP that had me meet you at the door?"</span></p> <p><span>"You never know, Max. Should be my guy, though."</span></p> <p><span>"Thanks for bringing the rental out, Herb. Sure saved me some headaches and a bunch of time today."</span></p> <p><span>"Happy to do it, Max. I wouldn't do this for every customer, but you're one of my better ones. I left the keys in it and I'll keep you updated on the one you've ordered." He turned to the boys and said, "Boys, you be good to Max. I hope you enjoy your new home." He turned to Tom, extended his hand again and added, "Tom, I wish you luck with this zoo. And when you're ready to order that Shelby, you come see me."</span></p> <p><span>They shook hands and Tom said, "Don't you worry, Herb. Hope to be seeing you soon," and grinned.</span></p> <p><span>I led Herb to the door, thanked him again and let him out to head back to the dealership. I then headed back to the kitchen and asked, "Everybody ready to roll? We've got a lot to do today and the sooner we get started, the sooner we can get back home."</span></p> <p><span>Everybody grabbed their coats and shoes and we met in the driveway. The rental Flex was gleaming in the sun reflected off the snow. The boys climbed in and Tom and I made sure each was buckled in place and that they know how to operate the belts. Tom and I got in and after I started the car, I inserted a movie in the DVD player to help keep the boys entertained. All four were busy checking out all the features, oohing and aahing as each new gadget caught their eyes. I rolled my eyes at Tom as I backed away from the garage and he chuckled in understanding. I was just about to pull out when I realized this car hadn't been programmed for my garage door opener, so I ran back into the house to grab the extra opener control. I'd have to make sure I retrieved it when I returned the car.</span></p> <p><span>I decided on the way to town that the easiest place to get everything we needed was Walmart. I figured that one-stop shopping was going to be the quickest way to accomplish everything. We'd just gotten in the store when I felt a tug at my sleeve. I looked down to my right to find Mike holding onto my jacket with on hand and holding his crotch with the other. I realized nobody had gone to the bathroom before we left home.</span></p> <p><span>"Uh, fellas, Mike and I need to use the restroom. Anybody else need to go?" Joey and Alex raised their hands. "Okay, Tom, why don't you grab a cart and head to the boys' department with T.J. and we'll find you in a few minutes?"</span></p> <p><span>"Sure thing, Max." Four of us headed to the restroom while the other two headed in the opposite direction. When we joined back up with Tom and T.J., the bottom of the cart was already covered. We spent the next hour loading the cart with clothes for all four boys. Fortunately, we didn't have to try on much except for a couple pairs of pants for Mike. Selecting underwear was another story in itself. With the selection available, you would have thought they wouldn't have any problems finding what they wanted. Mike's was the easiest to find as he wanted briefs with characters from his favorite movie, `Cars'. T.J. settled for basic boxer briefs, but the twins weren't finding what they wanted. </span></p> <p><span>"Come on you two, make a decision already, we don't have all day."</span></p> <p><span>"We've looked at it all and don't see what we want," Joey said.</span></p> <p><span>"Well, what do you want? I'll ask where they are."</span></p> <p><span>Alex came to me, pulled me down to his level and whispered in my ear, "We want some that look like your Speedos. But you can't ask anybody, that'd be embarrassing."</span></p> <p><span>I snickered a moment and quietly drafted Tom to help me search. We dug through the entire rack and finally realized they apparently don't sell bikini briefs for boys at Walmart. While Tom distracted the boys, I asked a clerk, even though I'd been asked not to. The clerk grinned, but told me they didn't have anything like that in their size. I thanked her and told the twins to pick something else for now and we'd look somewhere else later. They grumped about it, but ended up picking out the smallest briefs available that would fit their waist.</span></p> <p><span>Once finished with the clothes, the cart was overflowing. I decided we should pay for this load, get it stashed in the car and then come back and deal with the food shopping separately. Tom volunteered to load the car while the rest of us started on the food list. We were about half done with the food list when Tom finally found us and we finished rather quickly. With everything loaded up, we headed to Long John Silver's to get some lunch. </span></p> <p><span>While we were eating, Tom asked, "Hey, we're pretty close to my apartment. Would you mind swinging by so I can grab a few things?"</span></p> <p><span>"No problem, Tom. I'm sure they won't mind, will you guys?"</span></p> <p><span>"No, let's go!" T.J. said.</span></p> <p><span>"Um, can we finish eating, T.J.?"</span></p> <p><span>"I guess," he grumped.</span></p> <p><span>"Thank you."</span></p> <p><span>When the food was gone and the table cleaned, we piled back in the car and headed to Tom's. When we got there and I offered to help, but Tom replied, "I got it Max. It won't take long to get what I need." True to his word, he returned in five minutes with a small box. He placed the box on the floor at his feet and said, "Let's boogie."</span></p> <p><span>"Is that it? Doesn't seem like you got much."</span></p> <p><span>"Just the important things for now. I'll grab more tomorrow after I talk to Sarge."</span></p> <p><span>"Okay. Anybody need anything else before we head for home?" Silence. "Okay, we're outta here."</span></p> <p><span>The ride home was quiet and I pulled in the garage. Tom carried his small box directly to our bedroom. As we unloaded the rest of the car, the boys took their new things directly to their rooms while Tom and I carried bag after bag of food into the kitchen. I asked the boys to carefully remove all the tags and labels from their clothes so I could wash them before they wore them. Tom and I got all the food stored and were just about to sit down when four naked boys wandered in.</span></p> <p><span>"Can we go swimming before supper?" Joey asked.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, just give us a minute to get ready."</span></p> <p><span>Tom and I headed to our bedroom, stripped off our clothes, grabbed a couple towels and headed back to meet the boys, shelter key in my hand. Once in the pool, Tom and I were attacked by four feisty monkeys trying to dunk us. We spent about a half hour playing around and I noticed as we tossed and flipped boys back and forth, all four were in a perpetual state of arousal. I couldn't really say anything since I was suffering the same affliction. I could only assume Tom was fighting the same problem, but since we were in waist deep water, our problems were, at least, partially hidden. Tom and I eventually needed a break and moved to the deep end and let the boys continue their fun. After another half hour, I decided it was time to get out. I still had to wash to boys' new clothes and supper was coming up soon.</span></p> <p><span>"Boys, hop out and hit the showers. We need to get your new clothes washed and put away." Tom and I waited until they were back in the house to get out of the pool. "I assume you were having the same problem I was," I commented.</span></p> <p><span>"Yeah, Max, and it's embarrassing. Those four should not cause this, but they do, every single time."</span></p> <p><span>"I know, there's just something about feeling their hard, little penises rubbing against me that's turning me on. I know it's wrong as all get out, but I can't control it, it just happens. I'm sure the boys know it's happening, too, especially Joey and Alex. We are going have to very careful."</span></p> <p><span>"What makes you say that?" I replayed the conversation I overheard from their shower Friday night. "Those little devils. They know exactly what they're doing, don't they?"</span></p> <p><span>"Obviously. They were definitely trying to get a rise out of me and if Carol hadn't been sitting right here, I have no doubt they'd have been successful."</span></p> <p><span>"I have the perfect solution to our problem, Max!"</span></p> <p><span>"Ooh, this should be good."</span></p> <p><span>"Sure, we, as in you and me, just have to have sex before we swim. Problem solved."</span></p> <p><span>"Hmmm, I like that idea, Tom. Not sure how practical it is, but I guess it couldn't hurt to try," I laughed. "But seriously, I think I should talk to them and let them know that their actions could endanger the adoption if it continues."</span></p> <p><span>"Do you think they'll listen? Or even care?"</span></p> <p><span>"They'll care because I know they want to stay here, but who know if they'll listen? Only time will tell."</span></p> <p><span>We headed inside and while Tom headed to the bathroom to take his shower, I headed to the laundry room to start a load of the boys' clothes. As the boys came out of their showers, I told them to start going through their older clothes and pull out anything we replaced this afternoon. By the time I was done dealing with the boys, Tom was out of the shower and telling me it was my turn. I ran through a quick shower, thankful at my foresight at having tankless, instant water heaters installed in each bathroom when the house was built. They were certainly getting a workout today and I didn't see that changing in the future.</span></p> <p><span>Supper tonight was what I laughingly called broke food, Kraft macaroni and cheese. While I'm far from being broke, it's an easy meal to fix and clean up. After the supper mess was cleaned up, the boys wanted to watch the next Star Wars movie, so we headed to the theater to relax for a couple hours. It was 8:30 when the movie ended and I told the boys it was time to head for bed. When they complained, I explained they had to go back to school in the morning and needed a good night's sleep before they did. They grudgingly gave in and Tom and I followed them to their rooms to make sure they were all tucked in and had received their good-night kisses on the foreheads. Once the four feisty monkeys were in bed, Tom and I headed back to the theater to watch another movie. By the time is was over, we were both yawning and headed to our bedroom.</span></p> <p><span>"Are you still planning to talk with Dylan in the morning about resigning," I asked Tom.</span></p> <p><span>"Sure am, but it'll be afternoon and not morning. My shift starts before he gets in, but we'll talk at the end of the day."</span></p> <p><span>"Are you absolutely sure you're ready to do it and you don't have a problem with resigning? I don't want you regretting the decision later and it is kinda sudden."</span></p> <p><span>"100% sure. Never been so sure of anything else, ever. Well, except how I feel about you."</span></p> <p><span>"I'm glad to hear that, Tom. I know it's a lot to ask, but I can't stand the thought of you going out every day, placing yourself in danger and maybe not coming back at the end of the day."</span></p> <p><span>"That's the only thing I've ever hated about the job. The uncertainty of knowing whether I'd come back home in one piece at the end of the day. I know it can be an ugly job, but there's more good than bad and somebody needs to do it. I've done my part and now it's time for someone else to take over."</span></p> <p><span>"You think Dylan's going to give you a hard time?"</span></p> <p><span>"I don't think so. We've always gotten along real well. I'm pretty sure he'll understand."</span></p> <p><span>"I hope so. I'd hate to have to call him and give him a piece of my mind."</span></p> <p><span>Tom laughed. "Well, I hope it won't come to that. I don't think Dylan's ready for that."</span></p> <p><span>We snuggled up under the covers with Tom holding me. "Goodnight. I love you, Tom Wright," I whispered.</span></p> <p><span>"Love you more, my angel."</span></p> </div></div></div>